That night, the sky carried an unsettling glow. Stars that normally flickered faintly were suddenly sharp and bright along the horizon, as if the universe itself were holding its breath. High above, the Edena Nation's colossal fleet—shining like floating cities—began breaching the atmosphere. Their ships were sleek, luminous, etched with shifting geometric patterns that pulsed like living organisms.
In Arbora, an ancient communication console crackled to life for the first time in decades. Kirana stood before the drifting holographic display, eyes narrowed as foreign signals confirmed what they all feared. A crisis meeting was called immediately. Village leaders and military advisors gathered around a heavy wooden table, the dim lamplight reflecting the tension in their faces.
"So, they've actually returned," Kirana said, her voice steady but cold. "The ancestors who left us at the edge of extinction now drift above our sky."
"What is their purpose?" Juna asked, worry creasing his brow. "Do they come as allies... or invaders?"
"We don't know," Kirana replied. "But we prepare for everything. If they bring war, we stand. If they bring peace, we listen."
Outside, whispers spread like wildfire. Some villagers stared at the shimmering sky with wonder. Others trembled, remembering the stories of abandonment—when those who called themselves humanity's elite fled Earth in ruin.
Two days later, on a wide plain between mountain and forest, a landing vessel descended with silent elegance. Its mirrored surface reflected the sky and soil as though trying to blend into a world it no longer belonged to.
A ramp opened.
Edena delegates emerged wearing silver garments that glowed faintly, their presence almost ethereal.
Opposite them stood Kirana, flanked by leaders from the surrounding regions. Their traditional garments were a stark contrast—rooted, earthen, belonging.
A tall man with silver hair stepped forward. His stance was calm, his eyes resolute.
"I am Aelen, representative of the Edena Nation," he announced. "We come with peaceful intent."
Kirana stepped ahead, gaze unwavering. "Peace?" she echoed sharply. "You left us to die in a world you ruined. And now you return seeking peace? Why should we believe you?"
Aelen hesitated, then spoke carefully. "We acknowledge the wounds of the past. We do not come to repeat those mistakes. We come to repair them. Our technology, our knowledge—let them serve you. Let us rebuild what was lost."
"Our world has survived without you," Kirana replied. "We rebuilt it from ashes you abandoned. Trust won't be given freely."
The atmosphere thickened. Some leaders erupted in anger. "You have no claim here!" they shouted. Others urged caution, curiosity pulling at them.
After hours of debate, a fragile agreement was reached. Edena would share their technology under strict conditions—only peaceful use, and nothing that would harm Earth's recovering ecosystem. In return, Earth would recognize Edena as part of humanity once more.
"A new chapter begins," Kirana said, though her expression remained guarded. "Break this trust, and you will answer to us."
Aelen bowed. "We won't waste this chance."
But deep inside, Kirana felt uneasy. Sincerity was easy to imitate.
Far above, aboard the Edena flagship, peace was only a mask.
In a shadowed command chamber, Valarion—one of Edena's highest military commanders—addressed his inner circle.
"This peace is nothing but a chain," he said coldly. "We return not to give, but to reclaim. The resources of this world, its land, its future—they belong to us, the elder race."
He paced forward, eyes sharp with ambition. "Aelen and his followers are weak. If we continue down this path of submission, Edena loses its rightful power. We must act now."
Some advisors faltered. Others looked away. But many listened, and his voice crept into their thoughts like poison.
In the quiet dark of the flagship, plans for conquest began to take shape.
On Earth, Kirana and the leaders diligently formalized the peace accord, unaware of the storm gathering above.
Then the warning came.
"We're detecting heavy interference across all defense systems," a communications officer reported. "Something is approaching at high velocity."
Kirana stiffened. "Activate emergency defenses. Now."
Moments later, the first strike fell.
Edena fighter vessels tore across the sky, unleashing waves of explosions that ripped through Earth's defensive structures. The ground shook. Fire bloomed in the distance.
Kirana stared at the screen, fury igniting in her chest. "This isn't a misunderstanding. This is betrayal."
Turning to her forces, she shouted, "Defend Earth with everything you have!"
Above the chaos, Valarion watched the assault unfold with a cold smile.
"We take back what is ours," he said quietly. "This is only the beginning."
Arbora descended into fear. Rumors of the Edena attack spread rapidly as the first waves of troops stormed in, equipped with advanced energy weapons and armor that Earth's weapons could barely scratch.
"Position the fighters!" Kirana commanded. "Use the forest—don't fight their strength, fight their sight!"
She led her soldiers into guerrilla combat, using terrain and timing to stagger the invaders. Every battle slowed them down—but only for a heartbeat.
Explosions shattered old trees. Flames devoured the forest. The air trembled with energy blasts.
Kirana fought relentlessly, her arrows flying with deadly precision. "Hold your ground! Don't let them break through!"
But the Edena forces pressed harder. Their power was overwhelming.
A final burst of energy struck near Kirana's position. The blast threw her back, her head slamming against the earth. Her vision blurred as her troops retreated to fallback points.
Elsewhere, another Edena fleet descended—this one filled with defectors. Rejecting their nation's betrayal, they pledged themselves to Earth, donning local garb and helping civilians evacuate into distant regions beyond Akaribu.
If Earth had a voice, it would whisper the same question it had asked for centuries:
Why do those blessed with reason always return to destroy the very world that gave them life?