The alarms indicating caution blared inside the donut-shaped space station as Axel and his team stepped onto a cannon-like contraption designed to correct their atmospheric entry. It gave them instructions on how to proceed with their departure.

  (Attention operatives, please ensure your All Cloak Uniform is secured and ready for optimal protection during descent.)

  (You will be traveling at speeds reaching up to Mach 30. Remember, you cannot draw your weapon during this phase.)

  (Be aware that the probability of encountering hostile forces is low but maintain vigilance at all times.)

  (Keep an eye on the world map display to stabilize your trajectory.)

  (Equip your Bulwark for additional safety, every layer of defense count.)

  (Calculating trajectory... Destination confirmed: Normandy Beach, France)

  (Now, brace yourselves. Grit your teeth, the moment is upon you.)

  (Countdown initiating)

  (Five... Four... Three... Two... One...)

  “Launch!"

  The five of them launched simultaneously from the space station. As they descended, they caught a glimpse of the global scale of the conflict displayed on their minimap. Tens of thousands of operatives fought fiercely in the sky, determined not to yield an inch to the enemy. Axel couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion. He had never realized just how many brave souls were up there, holding up the sky. Meanwhile, he had locked himself in his apartment for an entire year, doing nothing to aid the cause. With fire in his eyes, he vowed to become one of those defenders one day. Just as they continued their descent, he received a transmission from the personnels on the ground.

  “This is Fairy 001. Comet 01(Axel), do you copy? Over.” The voice was melodious and enchanting as it flowed through the communication lines.

  “Yes, I copy, Fairy 001. Over.” Axel felt a little dumbstruck, he had never heard a voice so beautiful in his life. Not even the greatest singers could compare. For a moment, he doubted whether the stress was getting to him or if he was simply out of shape.

  “We are designated as reconnaissance team for our ground troops in France. We’ll be dressed as nuns in one of the churches nearby your drop point location. You can get supplies from us for your primary mission. You’ll need to blend in with the surroundings. Over.”

  “Roger that, Fairy 001. We’ll get in touch once we have visual. Comet 01 out.” Axel replied firmly while having some uncertainties in his heart.

  Axel, having doubts of unease, thought the voice was so attractive that it might be a trap, he asked the Operations Officer for confirmation.

  “Mission control, can we verify Fairy 001 as friendly? Over.”

  “Yes, Fairy 001 is one of our ground operatives from the twenty-fifth century that specializes in stealth, reconnaissance and espionage. Comet 01(Axel) please focus on the mission, if you plan to meet her for personal matters you may do that in your spare time. Over.”

  ‘That was not my intention, I was suddenly made fun of.’ He couldn’t help sigh at the Operations Officer’s light jab at him.

  “Engage your camouflage within two hundred eighty kilometers altitude. Over.” The Operations Officer also added.

  “Affirmative. Comet 01 out.” Axel replied.

  The five of them blazed through the atmosphere like a fiery comet, a shooting star offering humanity the glimmer of hope it desperately needed. As the citizens of this era gazed up at the twinkling stars, wishing that they could reach out and touch them. Unbeknownst to them, battles raged in the sky and on the ground, as brave men faced foreign enemies determined to ravage the earth and poison its seas. Among those watching from below, a child pointed at their trails in awe and said.

  “Mom! Mom! Look! I want to be just like those shooting stars when I grow up!” the boy exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

  “Why not a tax collector or a village chief instead, they get to eat a lot of yummy food, yes?” his mother asked gently, her gaze warm and encouraging.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Because, Mom, I believe those are angels protecting us. I want to be an angel just like them!” The boy replied with unwavering certainty.

  “So, you want to be a hero?” The mother smiled, brushing her fingers through his hair. “Well, I won't stand in your way, but you have to promise to come back and visit me every other day.”

  The mother and son gazed at the shooting star as if wishing them safe journeys.

  The five of them approached the altitude of two hundred and eighty kilometers, engaging their camouflage as the trails of fire illuminated the sky behind them suddenly vanished. The dark color of their suits blended seamlessly with the atmosphere, making them appear as if they had vanished into thin air. Below, the chaos of battle raged on, with fellow men still entrenched in a horrific war, wielding weapons of siege and slaughtering one another. Villages burned, desperate people fled from their adversaries, and bandits pillaged the innocent, all while shrouded in the cruel thrall of greed and violence. Such sights made them wonder if humanity was truly destined for greatness. But as they contemplated the bigger picture, they sought to understand what was really important.

  Noticing that four of his companions were lost in thought, Axel broke the silence through the communication channel.

  “That’s all history! You could’ve watched this on some science or history channel. What’s the point of getting gloomy? Look alive men! We’re almost at our destination!”

  “I was just looking for a wife amongst the crowd, I wasn’t gloomy at all. To be honest, I just felt a little pity for those folks down there, that’s all.” The Filipino operative Kokoy joked, trying to lighten up the mood.

  “It’s why we’re here, my friend. We’ve progressed beyond such barbarism. Look at us! Men of different colors fighting for a single cause, no?” The French operative Luc said with a sigh.

  “The only color I’ll see in my pants is brown if we don’t land soon. I really need to take a dump,” quipped Gu Wong, the operative from China, breaking the tension with a laugh.

  “I suddenly felt those men threatening to do terrorism looked a little silly, what’s the point of fighting if there’s no man left at all.” Tamaki the operative from Japan said, with a voice filled with lamentation.

  As the beach came into view, they checked the minimap for hostile forces, civilians or friendlies to avoid the mission getting compromised, they activated the glider feature of the All Cloak and landed smoothly on the deserted shores. Once on solid ground, they worked quickly to reshape the All Cloak into makeshift attire, transforming it into tattered black shirts and pants. The sight amused Tamaki, the Japanese operative, who stifled a laugh. Having trained in the art of clay molding since childhood, he felt like the captain of a pirate crew.

  “Aye! Matey, this pirate crew has washed ashore! Think this excuse will work?” Kokoy joked as he felt he just needed an eyepatch to fit in on a costume party.

  “I hope so! For now, we just need to blend in. Let’s add some sand to make it more believable,” Axel advised, and the three of them dutifully complied.

  “What if you all pretended to be my slaves?” Tamaki suggested playfully.

  The four seasoned members of the military recognized the wisdom in Tamaki’s idea and decided to go along with it, weaving their playful banter into their strategy for survival. As they walked along the beach, their laughter faded, replaced by an uneasy silence.

  As they traversed village after village, a sense of unease began to wash over them. Dead corpses lay scattered across the landscape, a grim reminder of the medieval conquest that had ravaged these lands. They averted their gazes, but the stark reality was impossible to ignore, leaving them baffled by the brutality of it all.

  With every step, their unease shifted to vigilance as they scanned their surroundings more intently, aware that danger could lurk around in any corner. The minimap then gave them an alert that some of their mission objectives were around the vicinity, they soon spotted three of their targets, the plague-indicating beasts they were tasked with disinfecting.

  Checking their system, they opened the mission items in their inventory then accessed the machine designed to generate a cloud of smoke and carefully maneuvered it near the so-called 'Rat King,' a grotesque mass of thirteen rats tied together. Trapped and unable to scurry away, the dazed creatures stared back at them with pleading eyes. As they start to smoke down the area, five men observed closely and soon realized the rats were unharmed, but tiny insects dropped from their bodies, each bug a potential carrier of disease.

  A tiny insect landed on a nearby leaf and quickly came into contact with the smoke. The ladybug appeared oblivious to the fog and flew away untouched, as if it had merely brushed against a light mist. This indicated that this remarkable creation had been designed specifically to eradicate insects that transmitted the disease. The five then proceeded to walk towards the checkpoint location given to them by Fairy 001.

  As they were just a quarter towards their destination, they stumbled upon scarecrow after scarecrow, their unsettling presence triggering a sense of caution. Despite having witnessed the horrors of space, the remnants of humanity lingered in them, filling the air with an instinctive wariness towards the unknown.

  The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, reminiscent of a scene from a haunted movie. With each step, the feeling of being watched crept in, urging them to move with heightened alertness.

  Suddenly, a beep on their minimap broke the silence, drawing their attention. The display indicated that they are close to one of the settlements of the Arcanists they needed to rescue. A surge of urgency coursed through them as they exchanged serious glances, their playful demeanor vanishing. They moved discreetly into the shadows, they also made sure to check every blade of grass for any sign of battle, tracks from hostile forces or any other hindrance they might face. These were the people they needed to save, the ones who would, in the future, stand alongside them to hold up the sky for humanity.