He had almost kissed her lips when it happened.
They came without warning.
Colossal spaceships tore the skies, launching bombs as they did.
Julian held Luiin by her hand and together they ran, through the mass of dead bodies, through the destruction.
He had never expected the Imperium of Archos to invade Zyros, their planet, but as it seemed, it was happening and they, well, they were unprepared.
Now the spaceships weren't normal spaceships, they were monolithic ones, titanic in appearance and lithe in movements.
They glided through the air, almost warping themselves around it, crashing through tall buildings, unaffected.
Julian, looking at Luiin, could see tears in her eyes. She was almost shivering in fear now.
"Don't worry," he assured her. "Soon we'll get to safety."
Safety wasn't really something that was available at that moment because anywhere they ran to got exploded with gravity bombs, ones that reeled them backwards.
Everything seemed so chaotic he had to pause and crouch beside the wall of an already dilapidated building, or what remained of it, just to catch his breath and reassure Luiin that everything would be okay.
The atmosphere was cacophonous, almost all buildings were being hit by bombs and falling to the ground.
Julian watched the destruction and at that point, he seemed to be helpless.
Zyros wasn't some big planet, it was a very small hidden planet, one the best of scientists hadn't discovered yet. It had only tall buildings, skyscraper-looking and truly, it was a very peaceful planet.
The citizens had heard of the Imperium of Archos but being that they were small in population and not really having any weapons to fight in wars, they just hoped that they never came and did nothing in preparation.
Months passed and soon years, no one attacking them. And so they decided they were saved.
But now…
… they were no longer.
And the Imperium of Archos? They were merciless. Destruction in their minds. Their main aim: to destroy.
"They are weak!" a voice screamed.
Julian looked at the sky, gripping Luiin's hands very tightly. It was coming from a figure, a flying figure with a metallic high-tech looking gun in his hands.
It was tall, apparently a male. Its skin looked ragged and jagged, like the edges of a cliff and he looked cold and calculating, like an alien god.
He was wearing an armour, dark, dour and incredibly attractive. It had a few lines that pulsed with energy.
His eyes were like lifeless orbs, blank, not even a pupil in sight. His mouth was only a wrinkled line, his nose flat, like a blobfish. He stood in the air, taller than anything Julian had seen in his whole life.
With each step he took in the air, he seemed to be gliding. His veins seemingly pulsing like a spark of electricity.
His armour wasn't something he wore, it was part of him, grown into his body like a second skin. His voice was deep, layered, distorted, as if more than one thing was speaking at once. Every word seemed to vibrate in the air like a warning.
Luiin's voice was quivering now.
"We'll all die, Julian! We'll all die!"
Her voice shook slightly as she spoke and he couldn't help but embrace her in a protective hug, not wanting to let go.
Just staring at her pale face, her nice-looking long red hair, her red eyes and her nice little lips made him sad.
They were both orphans, being together since they were kids. Through all the suffering and pains of losing their parents. First as siblings (which they actually weren't as they were not related) and now as lovers.
"I was expecting defense, something I could use as exercise, a resisting?" the figure paused and looked around before continuing:
"But alas, you all are insects, weak and powerless. Hell! I see no sign of a weapon in sight!"
Some Zyrosains (that was what citizens of Zyros were called) were running towards the battlefield now.
They held guns, metallic-looking, something that looked like it would be able to release some electric blasts, which it ought to do.
The figure looked at the Zyrosains and smiled, he raised a hand, parts of it peeled back to reveal weapons, smooth and alien, humming with power.
"STOP!" he shouted, halting the others from throwing down any more bombs.
The alien's chitinous armour clicked as it flew down, a deadly smirk on his face, his white blank eyes suddenly glowing with excitement.
"I bet it won't hurt if I had a bit of fun," he said.
"Halt the bombing, let me deal with this alone, just to show you how weak and worthless they are!"
He landed on the ground, Julian and Luiin hiding behind the back of a building, staring at the sight. They had no more places to run to as almost all buildings exploded, leaving no shelter.
The figure, apparently the commander of the operation, snapped his fingers and instantly, an enormous sword was in his hands, glowing with blue energy.
He waved it in the air and roared to the people in front of him:
"Come at me, I promise I'll make it quick!"
The Zyros soldiers hesitated for a moment, exchanging glances. A bit frightened by what was in front of them.
But then, with the last sigh they'll ever make in their life, they ran at the commander.
They had expected a fair fight, but as it seemed, the commander wasn't fighting by that rule.
The instant they came at him, it was then a tenebrous fog rolled across the battlefield, swallowing sound and light.
Seeing completely nothing, all he could see being a fog which had enveloped the alien commander and the Zyrosain soldiers, Julian began to hear steel sounds and then—
The ripping of flesh.
The tearing of bones.
The splitting of skulls.
And when the fog cleared, Julian could see the commander's two hands, by the face of the last Zyrosain soldier.
Twaatchkkkk!
The commander pressed the head so hard it was squished just in a split second, the eyeball falling off.
Luiin gasped.
And Julian, well, he could only stare, his mind spiralling out of his body.
He knew they were next, but then, he didn't want to accept the fact.
The atmosphere was suddenly sombre and frigid. Like some insidious wind had hovered into the place.
The commander smiled and then, a slender-looking alien dude with just the same appearance as him teleported by his side and turning to him, the commander said in a cold voice:
"Check around!"
Julian held his breath and now Luiin was whispering to him:
"This is the end!"
Julian felt tears welling up in his eyes, his composure flared and at that moment, he was no longer brave.
The alien dude scanned the place with a visor on his face, his expression grim, showcasing that he had no intention to show mercy.
He turned to the commander and said:
"Three Zyrosains still remaining."
The commander smiled.
"Bring them out."
The alien dude was swift, his movements seemingly impossible, his gaze piercing and unflinching.
In a split second he had pulled out an old man whom Julian recognized to be the ruler of the planet.
Just when Julian thought he would stop, he continued, roughly pulling him and Luiin out to the commander and bringing them on their knees.
"What do we have here," the commander said in a jeering tone. "The ruler, a random boy and a stunningly pretty lady."
He clapped his hands and said:
"Stunning."
The old ruler gritted his teeth, pain and fury in his eyes.
"You invaded my planet and killed all my subjects, including my wife and only son, you monsters!" he said.
The commander only smiled and with a shrug he said:
"Cut this crap and let's get down to business. As tradition, whenever we invade a planet, the last three people—wait, this is coincidental because you all are three."
He laughed viciously and then continued:
"We kill one, leave one on the dying planet and kidnap one."
It was at that moment that Julian sadly realized he would lose Luiin.