A menacing flock of giant vultures circles lazily in the sky, their dark wings casting fleeting shadows on an imposing six-star-shaped fortress below, the only structure against the backdrop of a vast desert. The fortress, built from red, yellow and white sandstone, is surrounded by crimson sand stained by the defenders' blood, whose corpses provide a feast to carrion above. The bodies were violently ripped apart and half-eaten by a horde of savages who resemble Gorillas and are twice the size.

  Blood drips from the mouths of these oversized apes, whose eyes seem to have human-level intelligence, and the hair on their bodies ranges from blonde, orange, red, brown, black, and white. A dozen surround the remnants, which have formed a circular spear phalanx. Their commander at the centre is guarded by several heavily armed warriors carrying tower shields made from monstrously large insect carapaces. Even the armour on their bodies is crafted from the same material. However, their spears and short swords are made of carbon steel.

  "Ape-men! Let us retreat to the fortress, or my men will aim for your eyeballs to blind you all!" The commander at the centre of the defensive formation yells out.

  "You... dinner!"

  A towering ape-man stands before his kin, a formidable presence impossible to overlook. His deep, resonant voice rumbles like distant thunder as he speaks, commanding attention from all around him. Clad in armour crafted from the bones of a colossal elephant, he exudes an aura of primal strength and ferocity.

  He wields the elephant's enormous tusks in his massive hands, transformed into dual clubs that gleam ominously in the light. Each tusk, jagged and formidable, is thrust into the ground at his sides. His eyes glinted with intelligence and ferocity, revealing the cunning of a beast as clever as it is powerful.

  The leader of the Ape-men grabs a heavily armoured human corpse with both his hands to swing it like a bat to easily whack away several spears

  from the front row. The opening quickly closes when the second-row hands over their extra spears to maintain the formation.

  "Damn you! Can't you see we are all skin and bones after a week without food? We are no threat to your kind!"

  The commander yells as he points at the Human corpses that once numbered 10000 men, most of whose bodies are so deformed that there isn't a single one in sight that has been left intact with all their limbs and heads. The ones still left standing were among the last desperate to cut through the Ape-men hordes surrounding the star fort.

  Earlier that dawn, it was decided that they would use up their remaining strength to cut through the Ape-men encirclement and escape back to the heartland of their Empire. It was a desperate and foolish plan, but it was either that or just waiting for the inevitable.

  Some men looked too weak to hold their spears and shields for another round. Their armour became too heavy to move in since they were starving and had limited water skins to quench their thirst in the blazing desert environment.

  "Brains... tasty!" The largest Ape-man answered as he drooled.

  He then unleashed a terrifying roar before battering his chest muscles like drums. His kin then grabbed the human corpses and threw them to weigh down the spears long enough for the most agile Ape-men to charge in and widen the hole in the defences so that the heavier comrades could move to smash the rest of the lines.

  Screams were accompanied by the sounds of bones being crushed and blood being splattered. It barely took two minutes before they reached the commander, who was ripped in two at the waist by the large ape-man, who sucked out the brain matter from the cracked-open skull. Once he was done eating, the large ape-man pointed at the Star fort before yelling.

  "Next!"

  Atop the highest tower of the fort, a hundred weary soldiers stand, their expressions etched in despair, even though they are the lucky ones who retreated to the fort.

  Among their number, a soldier clad in black carapace armour that bears the insignia proclaiming him as an officer raises his right hand before raising his voice above the whispers of despair that swirl around him.

  "We all know this is our last stand!" he declares, his tone heavy with the weight of the truth. "You, a hundred strong, are the last of the '8th Legion' of the Golden Scarab Empire. Per the rules, the last Centurion must ensure our legion standard isn't stolen or destroyed. Only by saving it will our fallen brothers welcome us to the stars without regret." He glances sadly down at the standard, held tightly in his grip. "But I will bestow it on the youngest among us worthy of being promoted to a Centurion!"

  A moment of silence hangs heavy in the air as the surviving legionnaires, aged between 25 and 40, exchange puzzled glances, each seeking the youngest among them.

  "Arunus! Get your virgin ass over to Centurion Degarus!"

  Finally, one soldier seizes the arm of a young man who appears to be no more than 18. The youth is pulled forward, clad in medium armour that bears signs of the brutal battle. His short sword lies shattered at his side, remnants sharp enough to serve as a makeshift dagger. The standard legion shield he clutches with his left hand has been distorted and battered. Despite the dents and scrapes, the rest of the armour remains in better condition than the fractured gear of the veteran soldiers around him.

  "But... I will be treated as a coward if I survive."

  "The only opinion you should care about is your fellow legionnaires. As long as you resurrect our Legion, we will welcome you to the stars when your time is up."

  "I... understand... I will make you all proud!"

  Arunus casts aside his battered shield and shattered sword before sinking to one knee in reverence before Degarus. He accepts the legion standard as if it were a sacred relic, its significance palpable in the air around them. The standard is a heavy, golden shield intricately crafted as a magnificent Golden Scarab. Its surface sparkles with embedded black diamonds, arranged meticulously to form the elegant shape of the number 8. The shield's weight almost causes Arunus to lose his balance. Still, he summons the strength deep within his left arm, muscles tensing and straining as he raises the shield above his head. At that moment, he lets out a thunderous war cry, harmonising with the fierce declaration of loyalty for his brothers in arms who lend their voices to meld with his into an anthem of unity and strength.

  After their voices grew hoarse from the thunderous cheers, Arunus straps the shield to his back before bending back down to retrieve his old shield and the shattered remnants of his sword. Just then, Centurion Degarus stepped forward, halting him with a firm hand.

  "The legion standard must be paired with a Centurion's blade. Take mine and forget the old shield. It will only slow your escape."

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  "Won't I need a shield to defend myself while escaping?"

  "There is a secret escape tunnel reserved for royalty and generals. But I'm sure they won't mind since none are left here."

  "Why don't we all use it to escape?"

  "There isn't enough air in the narrow tunnels for a hundred men to breathe, but you alone can manage. Pay attention if you don't want to get lost down there."

  Arunus patiently listened to the instructions. Most of it made his mouth hang low, and his eyes bulged.

  "Pray for us when you reach the inner sanctum. May the stars guide you to a better future."

  Arunus bows deeply to Centurion Degarus before repeating to the rest of his brothers in arms, who lay their hands on his helmet to bless him and offer a farewell. Arunus then descends into the depths of the fort alone while the roars of the Ape-men fill the air beyond the walls.

  "They are coming!"

  Arunus quickly rushes towards a well that is discreetly hidden within the ancient stone walls of the Star fort. With a determined heart, Arunus takes a deep breath, then gazes into the darkened depths of the well. The shadows seem to swirl beneath the surface, concealing the secrets of the water below. Without hesitating, he plunges into the inky abyss. The weight of his carapace armour and metal shield drags him down swiftly, the chill of the water enveloping him like a shroud. He fights against the instinct to surface, pushing forward through the suffocating dark, his lungs burning and his mind screaming for the life-sustaining air he so desperately needs.

  A faint light flickers in the distance, calling him forward. He pushes through the discomfort in his body and walks on, his armoured boots making a muffled sound on the silty bottom. Finally, he reaches steps that lead upward. With great effort, he climbs out of the cold water into a hidden chamber. The air here is damp and musty, filled with the smell of old stone. A narrow tunnel stretches ahead, winding toward a large cave network hidden fifty kilometres from the star fort.

  Arunus spends a minute coughing out the water before picking up a lantern, the light he saw before. Taking a deep breath, he steadies himself before stepping into the narrow, winding tunnel ahead.

  The journey stretches on for hours as the path is twisted and unpredictable. But Arunus walks with purpose because the flickering light from his lantern reveals the ancient cave paintings lining the walls, which also contain hieroglyphs added by someone from the Legions to guide those who could decipher their meaning. The cave paintings were made by the ancestors of the Golden Scarab Empire when they roamed the land as primitive cave dwellers. They also tell stories of survival in a world vastly different from the arid desert of today.

  Arunus studies the vibrant colours and rough textures captured in prehistoric artistry, showcasing a variety of fearsome creatures. Once, this land was an untamed jungle, a wild expanse teeming with giant lizards, birds, insects, and beasts that hunted humans as a snack. Among these ancient symbols, he notices the celestial bodies worshipped by those early inhabitants. But his face frowned when he came across depictions of Ape-men who were Humans that somehow survived on the surface and hunted those large animals. But it came at the cost of huge bodies and looking like beasts. Thus, they were named Ape-men and weren't treated as humans since they were happy to hunt and eat humans.

  Fortunately, the Ape-men only claimed Jungles and forests as their territory. The Humans moved to the deserts and savannahs when they finally developed enough technology to farm the land, raise livestock, build walled settlements, and reach the Iron Age.

  Due to changes in the environment that led to the disappearance of jungles and forests, the Ape-men hordes became raiders who attacked Human forts and settlements to steal the food and resources that could not be produced on their own.

  "If the 8th Legion only lasts a month against them, then the rest of the Legions won't do any better. What's the point of reviving the Legion if they will be wiped out again?"

  Arunus let out the thoughts that had been in his mind when he was chosen as the sole survivor.

  "Maybe the Golden Scarab Empire will develop new tactics to help me take revenge on those freakish apes."

  Arunus shakes his head to refocus on the present task and continues. Each step he takes creates soft echoes through the narrow passageway. Eventually, he encountered sections that needed to be crawled through. The carapace armour got in the way, so he had to abandon everything apart from the golden shield, iron sword, and body-fit leather armour that was hidden underneath the carapace to continue.

  Once Arunus got through the claustrophobia-inducing sections of the passageway, he pressed on until he emerged into the vast expanse of the cavern, illuminated by an ethereal glow of white mushrooms that grew on the cavern's walls. Before him lie the ancient remains of the legendary Golden Scarab, which once watched over his primitive ancestors who sought refuge in the underworld to escape the monsters in the overworld. Its remains are the same size as the Mastodon-like creature mounted by the Legatus of the 8th Legion, who rode into battle. Now, the same elephant's bones are used as weapons and armour by the largest of the Ape-men.

  Surrounding the ancient carapace are hundreds of human-sized clay jars, their surfaces worn and cracked with age. Each jar is overflowing with shimmering gold coins and dazzling gems, glinting like stars scattered across a night sky. These offerings, left by those who knew the sacred secrets of the caves, speak of reverence and gratitude.

  Over the years, the remains of the Golden Scarab have transformed into an idol of adoration, a focal point for royalty and high-ranking officers of the legions entrusted with its protection. Arunus knelt on the cold, damp ground, his heart heavy with grief as he honoured the memory of his fallen legionnaires. He closed his eyes tightly, whispering a fervent prayer into the stillness, hoping that the restless souls of his comrades would find solace among the stars. Each breath he took carried the weight of their sacrifice.

  Suddenly, an involuntary shiver coursed through his body, rattling him to his core. He winced as he felt invisible hands reaching out to mend the small wounds scattered across his form, knitting flesh and sinew with a swiftness that defied logic. Astonished, he opened his eyes, expecting to see the altar of the Golden Scarab. Instead, he was enveloped in an overwhelming pitch-black darkness that swallowed all forms and shapes, rendering him temporarily blind.

  Silence descended like a thick shroud in that terrible void, stealing away the sounds of the world around him. His ears rang with an eerie emptiness, making the weight of isolation crush against his chest. He was alone, adrift in a realm beyond time, caught between sorrow and an unsettling sense of renewal.

  "What is happening to me!" Arunus yelled, but no sound came out of his voice.

  As if a dam had burst, a flood of foreign language vocabulary surged into his consciousness, accompanied by vivid images of an extraordinary world unlike his own. One that is devoid of giant bugs or Ape-men. Instead, he envisioned human settlements with breathtaking and intricate architecture, stretching towards the clouds in an awe-inspiring display of human ingenuity.

  The onslaught of information overwhelmed him, each new word and image forcing its way into his mind with an intensity that felt like a torturer methodically drilling nails into his skull. The agony was sharp and unrelenting, a throbbing pain that clouded his thoughts and twisted his perception of reality. Just when he thought he couldn't bear it any longer, the pain started to ebb, and a brilliant light pierced the choking darkness that surrounded him.

  As the warm light radiated around him, it gradually dissipated, revealing a striking figure standing before him. The man bore an uncanny resemblance to Arunus. He stood at the centre of an expansive clearing encircled by imposing statues crafted from polished marble. Each statue stood ten feet tall, their surfaces gleaming in the fading sunlight, and they exuded an aura of divine power that filled the lush green garden surrounding them. The vibrant colours of the garden were further enhanced by the soft hues of the setting sun, casting a golden light that danced across the landscape.

  "Welcome to the Testing Grounds of Geratina, Arunus!" the figure announced, his voice resonating with a commanding presence. "I have summoned you to become the champion of the God of Melee, Kartan!" The look-alike said as he pointed to a statue of a brutish man in heavy knight armour and six arms, each holding a different weapon. The statue began to glow, and then an astral projection of it moved toward the pair at the centre.

  "A fine candidate! And a fine shield!"

  Though the words came in a foreign language, Arunus felt a remarkable understanding wash over him, as if the essence of the words themselves translated into his mind. He could respond instantly, instinctively forming a question in the same unfamiliar tongue.

  "Who are you?" he asked the look-alike, his voice steady yet filled with intrigue as he took in the surreal scene before him.

  "Call me, Genesis!"