The city of Halcyon was never truly quiet, but tonight, the usual hum of traffic and distant sirens felt muted. Paragon stood on the edge of his apartment balcony, eyes scanning the city lights below. Even from twenty stories up, his hearing picked up the faintest sounds—footsteps on pavement, a dog barking, the distant clatter of a late-night train.
Then came the buzz. Not from the city, but from the tiny communicator embedded just behind his right ear. It was a frequency reserved for only the most serious emergencies.
**"Paragon, this is Command. Code Black. Alien incursion confirmed. All top-tier personnel to Summit Room, immediately."**
He took a single breath, then vaulted over the railing. The wind whipped past as he accelerated, the world blurring beneath him. He angled upward, cutting through the city's haze, and in seconds, the Hero Command Center's spire came into view—a steel and glass fortress at the city's heart.
He landed on the rooftop with a controlled thud, barely cracking the concrete. Security drones tracked his arrival, then powered down as they recognized him. Paragon strode inside, bypassing the checkpoints with a nod.
### The Summit Room
The Summit Room was a ring of glass and reinforced alloy, perched high above Halcyon. Holographic displays hovered above the central table, cycling through threat assessments and satellite feeds. Four figures were already there.
Levi was floating, as usual, a few centimeters above the floor—never touching down unless he had to. His eyes flicked over the data, face unreadable.
Falcon lounged in a chair, arms crossed. The metallic sheaths along his forearms caught the light. He didn't look up as Paragon entered, but his jaw tightened.
Blitz paced, unable to stand still. His foot tapped out a rapid rhythm on the floor. He glanced at Paragon, offered a quick nod, then returned to scanning the screens.
Titan stood by the window, arms folded, massive even among this company. He met Paragon's gaze with a curt nod.
Paragon broke the silence. "What do we know?"
Levi answered, voice clipped. "Not much. One large vessel, holding position in low orbit. Smaller craft deploying, headed for Halcyon's industrial district. No response to hails."
Falcon's voice was low, almost bored. "They're not here to talk."
Blitz stopped pacing. "I can get eyes on the ground ships before they land."
Titan's gaze didn't leave the city. "We don't know what they want. But they're coming in heavy."
### The Briefing
A new feed appeared on the main display—a grainy image from a weather satellite. The alien ship was massive, angular, bristling with weaponry. Smaller objects detached from its hull, burning through the atmosphere.
Director Hayes' voice came through the speakers. "We're tracking at least ten landing craft. Estimated touchdown in eight minutes. No communication attempts. Halcyon is their target."
Levi frowned. "Any sign of ground forces?"
"Not yet," Hayes replied. "But we're assuming hostiles. Local law enforcement is evacuating the industrial sector. You're the first line."
Falcon flexed his hands, the blades sliding out with a quiet click. "Let's not wait for them to get comfortable."
Blitz's eyes flicked to Paragon. "You want recon, or do we go in together?"
Paragon considered. "Blitz, get close. Don't engage. Just eyes and ears. Falcon, back him up from above. Levi, see if you can disrupt any tech they're using to jam our sensors. Titan, you're with me. We'll intercept if they break through."
Titan nodded. "Understood."
Levi finally touched down, his boots making a soft sound on the alloy floor. "We should expect heavy resistance. Their tech is advanced, and we're blind."
Paragon's gaze swept the team. "We don't know what we're dealing with. Stay sharp. No solo heroics."
### The Launch
The team moved out, each in their own way. Blitz vanished in a streak of blue, gone before the doors fully opened. Falcon leapt from the balcony, angling his body into a controlled glide. Levi floated after them, silent and focused.
Paragon and Titan took the express lift to the ground floor. As the doors opened, Paragon looked up at his old friend. "You ready for this?"
Titan cracked his knuckles. "I'm always ready."
They stepped into the night. Paragon launched skyward, Titan leaping alongside him, the city shrinking beneath their feet.
Below, Halcyon's lights flickered. Above, the alien ships descended, their engines a low, unfamiliar hum. Paragon's mind raced through possibilities—hostage scenario, full assault, something worse. He pushed the thoughts aside. Focus on the mission.
The team converged on the industrial district, each hero a blur of motion. Blitz's voice crackled in Paragon's ear. "Visual on the first lander. Looks like a troop carrier. No visible insignia. They're deploying now—looks like infantry, maybe drones."
Falcon chimed in, breath steady. "I count three more landers. They're spreading out. Coordinated."
Levi's voice was calm, but tense. "I'm picking up strange energy signatures. Their tech's interfering with our comms. I'll try to keep us linked."
Titan landed beside Paragon, the ground shuddering. "What's the call?"
Paragon's eyes narrowed as he watched the first wave of alien troops fan out across the abandoned warehouses. "We hold the line. No one gets past us. Blitz, keep moving. Levi, disrupt their comms if you can. Falcon, you're our eyes in the sky. Titan, with me."
The first shots rang out—alien energy weapons, sharp and unfamiliar. Paragon braced himself, feeling the adrenaline surge. He glanced at Titan, then at the city behind them.
The alien command unit's cannon pulsed, its core swirling with lethal blue-white energy. Paragon's senses sharpened. He could hear the hum of the weapon, the nervous breaths of his teammates, the distant sirens as Halcyon's emergency systems blared.
The cannon fired. The beam tore through the night, vaporizing a chunk of asphalt and leaving a glowing scar in the ground. Paragon dove into its path, bracing himself. The impact was like being hit by a freight train. His suit charred, skin blistering beneath, but he forced himself upright, gritting his teeth against the pain.
"Now!" he shouted, voice raw.
Titan charged, his massive fists balled. The command unit swung its cannon like a club, catching Titan's shoulder. Bone cracked audibly, blood splattering the alien's armor. Titan roared, ignoring the pain, and slammed his fist into the alien's midsection. The armor dented, but didn't break.
Blitz blurred in, moving too fast for the eye. He slashed at the alien's joints, drawing sparks and, finally, a spray of dark, viscous alien blood that hissed as it hit the ground. The command unit's arm snapped out, catching Blitz across the face. Blood spattered as Blitz tumbled, skidding to a halt with a split lip and a trickle of red running down his chin.
Falcon struck from above, launching twin blades. One ricocheted off the helmet, but the other found a seam at the neck. It punched through, and a thick stream of black alien ichor sprayed out, splattering Falcon's boots and the ground below. The alien staggered, its movements jerky.
Levi hovered, eyes narrowed in concentration. The air thickened, gravity doubling, tripling. The command unit's knees buckled, metal creaking under the pressure. "Move!" Levi barked, sweat running down his face.
Paragon seized the moment. He lunged, grabbing the cannon and wrenching it aside. The weapon discharged, the blast slicing through a nearby shipping container and sending molten shrapnel flying. A shard grazed Paragon's cheek, hot blood running down his jaw.
The command unit swung a massive fist, catching Paragon in the ribs. He felt the bones break, a flash of agony, but his healing kicked in, knitting tissue and bone as he fought through the pain. He didn't let go.
Titan wrapped his arms around the alien's torso, pinning its arms. The alien thrashed, metal grinding against flesh. Titan's grip slipped, blood from his own shoulder wound slickening his hands. "Do it, Paragon!"
Paragon drove his fist into the command unit's chestplate. The first blow dented the armor; the second cracked it. The third punched through, his hand sinking into the alien's chest. Hot, foul-smelling fluid gushed out, coating Paragon's arm up to the elbow. The alien convulsed, its body spasming as it died. Titan let go, letting the corpse crash to the ground with a wet, metallic thud.
For a moment, the only sound was the hiss and drip of alien blood pooling on the concrete. Blitz wiped his mouth, spitting blood. "That… was new."
Falcon retrieved his blade, flicking black ichor onto the ground. "They bleed. That's something."
Levi landed, breathing hard. "We're not done. More dropships incoming."
Paragon wiped the blood from his cheek, his hand shaking just a little. "We hold the line. No matter what."
Titan flexed his injured arm, blood running down to his wrist. "We need to push them back before they dig in."
Blitz zipped to Paragon's side, face pale but determined. "I'll scout the next wave. If they're bringing heavier weapons, we need to know."
Levi nodded. "If I can disrupt their comms, we might split their forces."
Paragon looked at his team—bloody, battered, but unbroken. "We're not letting Halcyon fall. Not tonight."
The next wave of aliens hit the ground running, weapons blazing. The heroes braced themselves, blood and sweat mixing on the ruined streets as the battle for Halcyon raged on.
Paragon, hovering above the battered city, scanned the battlefield below. The other heroes—bloodied but unbroken—were holding the line. Through his comm, he heard Blitz's voice, steady despite the chaos: "We've got this, Paragon. Go."
Without hesitation, Paragon rocketed skyward, a streak of motion slicing through the clouds toward the looming mothership. As he closed in, alien cannons rotated to track him, but he dodged the incoming fire with impossible speed. He tore through the hull like paper, metal shrieking as he forced his way inside.
The corridors were a maze of alien metal and flickering lights. Paragon moved methodically, his footsteps echoing. The first squad of aliens appeared, weapons raised. He moved faster than their eyes could follow—bones snapped, armor crumpled, blood and black ichor splattered the walls. He didn't slow down. Another group tried to ambush him; he smashed them aside, sending bodies crashing into bulkheads. In under ten minutes, the ship's defenders were dead or dying, the decks littered with carnage.
At the heart of the mothership, Paragon found the throne room. The Alien King stood waiting—taller, broader, his armor etched with ancient symbols, energy crackling around his fists. The air vibrated with power and threat.
The King spoke, his voice a guttural snarl. "You are strong, Earthborn. Surrender, and your world will serve."
Paragon shook his head. "You're done here. Leave, or face the consequences."
The King attacked, faster than any of his soldiers. The two collided, blows shattering the floor, sending shockwaves through the ship. The King's strikes drew blood—Paragon's and his own. But Paragon's strength and speed, honed by years of battle, gave him the edge. When the King refused to yield, Paragon finished it: a single, brutal motion, his hand slicing through the King's neck. Dark blood sprayed. The King's head hit the floor, eyes wide in shock.
Paragon stood over the body, breathing hard. Then, the doors slid open. A younger alien—taller, leaner, energy coiling around his form—stepped in. The King's son. His gaze was cold, his presence somehow heavier, more dangerous.
He looked at his father's corpse, then at Paragon. The air shimmered with raw power.
"You killed my father," he said, voice calm but deadly. "Now you face a true heir."
Paragon squared his shoulders, blood still dripping from his knuckles. "If you want peace, stand down. If not—"
The son's energy flared, lighting the chamber in an unearthly glow.
The real fight was just beginning.