It was after 1pm when Zane and his friends arrived in the city center to celebrate Nathan and Zane's graduation. Billboards and screens were lit up everywhere. The shops were full of people, some of whom had just come for the exam. Even though it was the city center and there were lots of vehicles, pedestrians could easily get around the city center. The reason for this was that the pedestrian zone was on its own level above the street, which connected the shops on both sides of the street, creating a separate shopping street. The floor itself was made of a semitransparent glass material that allowed people to see the street below, but also served the purpose of illuminating the street below with daylight. The problem of lighting streets and lower levels in large cities led Halsion to this approach, even though the city was nowhere near the size of the cities in question.

"Congratulations again on your final exam, you two." Asagi congratulated them with a slightly tilted head.

The group had bought some crêpes at one of the stands on the boulevard to celebrate the day and were now enjoying them at the edge of the boulevard before Zero would pick up Carol.

"Thanks, Asagi," Zane replied with a big grin and a crepe in his hand.

"Thanks, but let's see how we did."

"I'm not worried about you. You have a 100% on the theoretical part anyway," Zane laughed at Nathan's statement.

"And what are you going to do now?" She continued, clutching her crepe with both hands.

"I've already applied for the next semester at the Magic Academy," Nathan replied.

"Right, that was your plan, but next term already? Then you won't be with us much longer," Zero remarked. "What about you, Zane? Are you sticking to your plan?" He hacked.

"Ah. Yes," Zane replied, crepe in hand, gesturing. "I'm going to enlist in the military."

"They'll be glad to have two talented people like you," Zero said.

"That's right!" Asagi added in support of Zero.

"What about you, Zero? Will you stay here in Halsion?" Zane asked. For better or worse, his plan would take him away from Halsion. Away from his friends, so he wished that Zero might change his mind and join him.

"Yes, I'm staying here," Zero confirmed Zane's guess. "I don't even know what to do out there."

"Looks like you're going to have to find someone new to patch you up, Zane," Nathan laughed.

"I don't get hurt that often..." Zane defended himself, a little disheartened by Zero's decision.

"You always exaggerate," Nathan added, smiling as he patted Zane on the shoulder.

"That's right," Asagi laughed with his hand over his mouth.

"Hey! I have to do my best if I want to protect everyone," Zane started to laugh.

"What about you Asagi?" Zero brought Asagi into the conversation, her eyes fixed on him. "You got an invitation from the military, didn't you?" He asked.

"I did," she nodded. "But I don't know what to do yet."

"Hey, that's great, just like Aki," Zane said happily. "Maybe you'll meet some more Mytics."

"I... um... maybe," Asagi hesitated when Zero came to her aid.

"Take your time with the decision Asagi, there is no need to rush. Just do what you want." He encouraged her and took a bite of his crepe.

"Zane is probably right, there are definitely more Mytics in the big cities than here. And it would certainly be easier... But Zero is right, no need to rush into anything," Nathan said.

"And if you both change your mind... I'll be happy to add you both to my team if you want," Zane laughed.

"You'll need the appropriate rank first, Zane," Nathan said to Zane.

"Yeah ok," Zane laughed and put his hands behind his head.

"Don't discourage him Nathan," Zero also laughed.

"Carol will probably stay here too, right?" Nathan continued.

"Probably ..." the group thought, Carol's face in front of them with a thumbs up: "I'm staying with Zero!"

"She's staying with Zero ..." Nathan withdrew his question.

"Yes," Zane confirmed to Nathan, biting into his crepe.

"It would also be Healthwise ..." Suddenly the wail of sirens interrupted Nathan.

"What's going on now?" Zane dropped his crepe in shock and covered his ears to block out the sirens. News flashed across the city, on screens, billboards and holographic messages, followed by a mechanically generated announcement:

"Alert! We are under attack. Alert! All military personnel, report to your unit immediately! This is not a drill! Alert! All civilians, evacuate immediately to the nearest shelter. I repeat! Alert! We are under attack..."

In the middle of the messages was the word "Alarm", while instructions ran in the information bars above and below.

Panic broke out as the sirens and announcements continued unchanged. Zane and his friends also stared in shock at the holographic message that appeared over the railing in front of them. Zane looked around uncertainly, people running in all directions in panic. Nathan stared at the message, Asagi clasped her hands in shock.

"Quick to the car," Zero took the initiative. As if freed from their trance, everyone followed Zero who ran in the direction of the car park where he had parked his pickup.

The mood was depressed, Asagi ran right behind Zero with fear written on his face. Even Nathan, who was usually so objective and calm, didn't seem to be able to cope with the situation. Only Zero, who ran ahead, could not be recognized by Zane. The civilians, including Zero and Asagi, had all made their way to the bunker. Only Zane and his group seemed to be rushing towards the car park.

Zane and the others had been prepared for situations like this during their training at the academy. All students studying a particular subject were instructed to assist the relevant departments. In this case, Zane and Nathan were to assist the military, to whom the Academy was subordinate in times of crisis. Zero, on the other hand, was to assist the hospital or the ambulance service as a paramedic. Evacuation of civilians, behavior in dangerous situations, all this was taught in simulations.

But this wasn't a simulation. It was an emergency, and no training could have prepared them for it. No one thought it would ever happen and the fear of what could happen to anyone plagued Zane's thoughts. He looked around again and saw the uncertainty of the others, he was not alone.

"I think tonight's party is cancelled." Zane tried to lighten the tense atmosphere.

"You would have just gotten sick of eating anyway," Zero laughed and turned his head to him for a moment.

Then Asagi started to giggle too, Zane had done it.

"Where do you have to report?" Zero asked keeping up the speed.

"The PDA said we should report to the next evacuation point," Zane replied.

"That would be the hospital," Nathan added.

"OK, I would have gone to the hospital anyway, I'll drop you off there," Zero replied.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to Ben?" Zane asked and Asagi gave Zero a questioning look.

"He'll be fine and besides, they need me in the hospital more than in the restaurant," Zero explained to the three.

"You're probably right," Asagi supported Zero.

"There's the car park," Zane commented. When they turned a corner, they saw the car park.

⬢

Meanwhile at the military base:

"All personnel to battle stations," echoed through the corridors of the base filled with soldiers.

The soldiers ran down the corridors, all dressed in the greenish military uniform of the Alliance. The standard uniform included armor for arms and legs, a helmet and a bulletproof vest.

"Come on! Come on!" A lieutenant shouted, yelling at the soldiers as they hurried to their stations and groups.

"Unit four to me!" a soldier signaled to a group of other soldiers.

Another stood beside an armory built into the wall and handed the soldiers their rifles.

The hangar, with its gates facing the sea, was also busy.

"Dock seven open! Ready to go!" Flight Control reported, before the message was drowned out by the roar of the ship's engines.

An extension of a crane moved aside as a cruiser, smaller than a battleship, began to move. The fortifications of the containers in the hangar shook as the cruiser took off.

The brackets that held the cruiser in the hangar moved back.

Technicians waved their glow sticks and signaled for the cruiser to take off. The hangar was already mostly empty, with only a few support fighters standing by. Most of the frigates and interceptors had left before the cruiser for tactical reasons.

The water below the hangar doors rose on all sides as the cruiser flew over them. It turned sharply towards the city and flew over the base. Several jets caught up from the stern of the cruiser and positioned themselves in front of it, escorting it into the operational area.

⬢

Leaves flew through the forest, blown up by the low-flying ships. The trapezoidal ships of the Teikoku had managed to jump just short of the city. Atmospheric jumps were complicated. You had to know the coordinates and the jump path, otherwise you would jump through a mountain range. Jumps into cities were also mostly avoided. The danger of colliding with the shields that protected most large cities was ever-present. But the danger of colliding with skyscrapers or other buildings, and the danger of getting caught in the crossfire, also had to be avoided.

For this reason, ships usually jumped in front of the city's shields in a sneak attack, giving the defender little time to react. It was the most effective way to win, and it kept casualties low. The enemy had to mobilize most of their fleets and troops first, while the attacker had the initiative.

Several frigates, cruisers and a Teikoku battleship flew off the city, just before the defensive perimeter outside the second wall. As soon as they arrived, fighters and transports took off from the cruisers and the ships began to fire on the city's defenses.

At the same time, several tactical missiles were launched from the battle stations and the military base. They raced across the city towards the Teikoku ships. Many of the missiles exploded in mid-air, hit by the defense lasers of the ships. Only a few reached their targets, the frigates and cruisers. However, the cruisers' shields were too strong for the tactical missiles to penetrate, so the only effect of the shockwaves from the explosions was to throw the ships off their trajectories for a brief moment.

Firing the missiles should buy time. Time to launch their own ships and defenses before the Teikoku ships passed the first ring.

The defenders behind the first ring opened fire immediately. Automatic and manned guns fired at the attackers for as long as they could. But the subsequent bombardment of the cruisers destroyed one defensive position after another. Undeterred by the defense efforts, the ships slowly pushed their way through the city's shields, modulating their own.

"Enemy has passed the first ring," rang out through the military network as the first Teikoku ships broke through the shield. Immediately, some of the ships began firing at the walls of the first ring.

The shields of the cities were usually determined by junctions, in walled cities like Halsion it was usually the towers in the walls themselves. One tower burst into flames under the fire of the frigates, and the section of shield that ran through the junction weakened.

The sound of incoming ships filled the sky above the city. They were the defense 6garrison ships that had launched from the base. Cheered on by civilians and soldiers in the streets, they flew over the city.

"Target sighted, begin attack," the vanguard jets began firing their missiles at the Teikoku.

The missiles shot through the air, and the battered shields of the Teikoku ships vibrated under the impact. Some of the shields collapsed and opened, giving the ships no chance to dodge the missiles and ground fire that followed. The Teikoku jets did not stand idly by and engaged the Alliance jets in combat. A game of cat and mouse ensued, with each side trying to shake off the other before being shot down.

The guns of the cruisers and frigates pounded on each other's shields, while the jets tried to stay out of the crossfire. The Teikoku battleship took up a defensive position in the breach above the first wall, while repelling the attacks of the cruisers.

While the battle raged in the skies, the battle on the ground had only just begun. One by one, the anti-aircraft guns on the defense posts had been taken out by the frigates, clearing the way for the ground troops to land. Urban warfare would soon follow.

⬢