-24 Hours Ago-

The screams coming from the people of New Mombasa filled the air as the covenant stormed the city streets. Families were attempting to escape, outrun the monsters that found the need to slaughter every person that stood in their way. No one was spared, no man, woman or child. Akito had witnessed the feral murders these alien invaders brought with them. He had watched his father fend off a couple of the smaller imp-like creatures before being overpowered by a furry simian looking beast, it having been far larger than the imps with masks. He hadn't stuck around long enough to see the full outcome of what had happened to his father, he focused on helping his mother and younger sister out of the city.

Running through the city streets seemed to be far more of a challenge than escaping their home. People pushed and shoved, trampling over those that had fallen to the ground in their attempts to keep up with ever moving crowd. If they weren't trampled to death by the swarm of New Mombasa citizens, the aliens coming after them would finish the job without a second thought. Hardly anyone on foot was able to escape the dark fate that rushed up to meet them in the back. No one stood a chance of survival, not with how they all scattered in every which way. It only made them an easier target for the creatures that chased and hunted them down like some sort of game.

However, Akito had other plans to help his mother and little sister escape their assailants.

While everyone else was trying to escape using the main roads and underground train system, Akito was hoping to use the roads less used and gain safe passage out of the city. He could only hope those streets weren't as clogged with the people escaping as the main roads had become.

"Where are we going?"

The panicked voice that slipped from Akito's mother hadn't gone unheard. In fact, Akito had heard her question and attempted to figure out where exactly to go, where the people weren't in such an abundance. Refusing to look over his shoulder, afraid of what he would see behind him, Akito continued to keep his eyes forward. His hand was tightly grasping hold of his sister's hand as he pulled her through the mass of people that all seemed to swarm in one direction.

"I. . . I don't know mother. I'm trying to figure that out."

Akito was trying to think as quickly as he possibly could knowing they didn't have much time before their assailants caught up with them. He needed to find a way to make time, even if it was only a couple of extra seconds to think without screaming or the sound of death echoing around him. He needed a moment of silence.

Which he was finding when he decided to duck out of the crowd and into a nearby building that could have been a clothing store at some point. Now it was just a mess of the deceased, clothing racks and their clothes scattered among the floor.

Ducking off to the side and out of view of the public, Akito gently tugged his younger sister an mother behind him to try and create some sort of shield out of himself. He peeked through the door -shattered glass laying everywhere- making sure they were momentarily safe from the beasts that were going after those trying to run. When he was certain did he turn to face his mother and sister, the two of them were wearing identical looks of fear and hopelessness upon their faces. It made Akito's chest ache, giving him more of a reason to get them out of the city.

"Aki, are we going to get out of here?"

Turning his full attention to his little sister, a forced reassuring smile slipped onto his lips. Akito reached up and gently stroked his younger sister's dark brown hair. His eyes meeting with her vibrant green ones while trying to figure out the right words to say. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and send both his mother and sister into an even bigger panic.

"Of course we are, I'm going to find us a way."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The short exchange ended with Akito pinkie promising his sister that they would get out of there. He had to find a way more than ever to get them out of there. He needed to so they could be free and away from the dangers that were so suddenly thrust upon them and the other people of New Mombasa.

Free. . . safety. . . out of the city.

Akito's mind was jump started immediately as those minor words rushed through his mind. His eyes widened, gaze darting back and forth between both his mother and sister. It was like he had an epiphany moment, a solution having finally become clear to the point he could easily fulfill his promise to his father and sister. A promise he planned to keep at all costs, no matter the price is cost himself.

About to explain what he was thinking, something further into the shop had crashed and clattered to the ground. Akito jumped along with what was left of his family, quickly moving in front of them to keep them safe. His mother had just as quickly pulled his sister into her arms for extra protection as quick shrieks escaped both females, alerting whatever or whoever was making the sudden noise. Akito could feel his heart crashing around in his chest, hands having become sweaty while his mind raced, thinking of a way to get his family out of there without whatever was in there noticing them.

"Akito?"

Ignoring the scared whisper coming from his mother, Akito took a couple of careful steps forward. He was stopped when his mother grasped his wrist, forcing him to turn and look into her panicked eyes. It hurt to see his mother in such a state when only a few short hours ago they were preparing supper for a family filled evening.

"I'll be fine mother. Watch over Akaya, I'm going to see what that was."

It was almost an instantaneous reaction, Akito's younger sister stood up so fast she nearly knocked their mother to the ground. Akaya's eyes were wide with her own panic and Akito was preparing himself for the lecture of a lifetime from the young girl.

"You can't go and leave us. What if those things come in here and find us? We can't defend ourselves."

"They won't find you, I'll be right back. If I'm not and one of those creatures get in, head for the nature reserve and find cover. I promise, I'll find you."

"But-"

Cut off by their mother tugging her back down, Akaya turned a shocked gaze onto the older woman. Their mother shook her head and held her index finger delicately to her lips.

"Keep making all that noise and they will find us. Let your brother go, have faith in him."

Akito would have laughed at the pout that broke through Akaya's panic, but he also knew that it was not the time to be laughing so care free like that. Instead, he slowly slipped his wrist free from his mother's grasp and turned away from the two females, carefully running in the direction the noise had come from.

**** **** **** ****

Despite being as quiet as he possibly could, Akito's footsteps still echoed within the emptiness of the shop. Clothes, hangers and displays were knocked over onto the ground. The walls were riddled with bullet holes and charred, crumbling sections as if scorched by something. Akito didn't want to know what had charred the wall like that, it was obviously big and made of something far more advanced than their own weaponry ever could be.

A few bodies were left lying on the ground, covered partially by the clothes that had fallen from the nearby racks. Akito attempted not to look at them, afraid his stomach wouldn't be able to handle seeing the now deceased people. He didn't know what was mannequin and what was human either, he didn't want to risk seeing someone that he had knew either. He had already seen plenty getting this far, he didn't want to see anymore than he absolutely needed to.

A blue flashing had caught his attention, some sort of light filtering from a nearby room at the back of the store. Akito's curiosity peaked, his quick pace turning into a slow calculated walk, not wanting to scare off whoever was inside the room. For a split second, Akito registered that he was going in unarmed. If someone was in there, and they were an unfriendly or one of those aliens, he didn't want to go in without some chance of defending himself.

His eyes shifted around the aisle he had been standing in, shelves and clothes scattered about. There was no telling what had belonged where and what lie underneath the products the shelves once held.

After a momentary search, he found a long metal pole, -not the best- something he could use to protect himself with. Akito held it up much like you would a baseball bat while he inched himself out of the aisle he was standing in. His heart sounded like thunder in his ears, pounding so hard he thought his head was going to explode. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself down, to stay focused on whatever was emitting the blue luminescent glow.

Only a couple steps more and he would be able to round the corner and jump whoever was in the room. However, as he rounded the corner with the bat raised high above his head, eyes shifting from one side to the other, he realized that no one was there. The blue glow was gone and Akito was left standing stunned in an ever growing darkness.

"Hello?"

Akito's voice was barely above a whisper while trying to yell at the same time. He was pretty certain whoever or whatever had been in there couldn't hear him or he had just alerted all aliens to his current location. The last option wasn't one he wanted to think about, Akaya and his mother were still in there waiting for him to return to them.

Building up the nerve to move, Akito forced his feet to take a step and check out the remainder of the room. Well, at least where the luminescent glow had come from and make sure there were no unfriendly's nearby. However, what he came across had shocked and surprised him into an absolutely stillness.

Laying there on the floor among the freshly fallen rubble, a large person clad in olive green armor was illuminated by the last bit of sunlight New Mombasa would ever see. The light filtered in through a hole in the ceiling, the rubble around indicating the only thing there was the nearly seven foot giant soldier laying on the floor.

"Hello? Are you alright?"

It was a stupid question, but Akito felt he had to ask. No one could have survived a fall from the height that the soldier had, not without some serious injuries or worse. . . death.

Not getting a response, Akito assumed the worst for the soldier laying there. He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and took a couple of hesitant steps towards the large soldier. There seemed to be no one else around, yet he could feel eyes watching his every move. He could feel himself being watched from some unseen location that left him nervous and quite anxious to be sticking around. Yet, something compelled him to move closer to the armored person, to make certain that he was in fact, dead. . . or miraculously alive.

That still didn't account for the blue flashing light he had seen earlier.

Stopping beside the large armored soldier, Akito scanned over it's entire figure. The olive green of the armor had become splattered in a multitude of red, purple, orange and blue liquid. He could only assume that it was blood of some sort, maybe from the alien faction that was quickly making it known who was in charge. The golden visor that covered the large figure's face was cracked in multiple spots, threatening to break and reveal the face hidden behind it. The temptation to remove the helmet was nearly overwhelming, he wanted to see what the massive soldier looked like. However, that curiosity was replaced by the sudden swell of excitement and hope as he saw what the soldier had on him.

There on the soldier's right thigh was a standard M6D magnum, standard issue for any militant if he remembered right.

Akito continued to look around, the larger weapon most militants carried with them could not be found. Even as he hesitantly pushed the large soldier onto his side, which was like trying to roll over a large boulder, the MA37 assault rifle wasn't there. Then again, Akito was certain the gun would have been smashed by the weight of the armored male if it was fallen on.

Even if he didn't find the weaponry that he wanted, something else had caught the young man's attention.

On the back of the helmet, easily missed if one wasn't looking close enough, was an insert for something. To Akito, it appeared to be some sort of data chip insert in the back of the soldier's helmet, making the young man wonder why it was there.

He reached towards it to pull the chip out, but stopped when small bits of rubble crumbled down upon his head from the hold above. Akito's head snapped upwards, his eyes wide with a new sense of terror. Peering down at him from the opening were these large bird-like creatures that held weapons he had never seen before.

They were sinewy and slender in appearance, looking as if it wasn't fed properly in any stage of it's life. Large pale eyes adorned their face while an elongated snout with sharp teeth added to their many bird-like features. They had clawed feet and hands that made for their own form of weaponry, skin a light brown reminding Akito of an ancient dinosaur he had learned about in school. It reminded him very much of the raptor hunting it's prey down.

Akito had a good idea who had become their new target by the way they looked at him with no more than malicious hunger in those pale eyes.

Words were exchanged by the group of bird-like predators, but Akito wasn't going to allow them the chance to act upon whatever plan they were discussing. He raised the magnum he held within his hand while leaning most of his weight against the deceased armor soldier so he could use it as some form of shield. Akito fired numerous random shots in no specific direction, successfully startling and scaring the bird-like enemies into a temporary retreat. He only hoped they stayed away long enough for him to get away from them and that room.

Akito hadn't realized he was firing with his eyes closed until he opened them once more, finding his assailants gone from their earlier perch. His eyes darted around the gaping opening in the ceiling, still able to hear the nasally chatter they seemed to speak to one another. He wasn't alone, but at least he had scared them away for now.

At least he thought he had.

It wasn't even two seconds that he had lowered the magnum to his side, his guard dropping ever so slightly to try and calm himself. The creatures popped back out and no sooner were firing green balls of iridescent lights at him. They mingled with pink crystallized barbs he was certain would have hurt if they actually penetrated any form of his body.

The green orbs scorched the floor and nearby walls they had hit while the pink crystals stuck in whatever surface they managed to get themselves wedged in.

Akito ducked his head, curling under the soldier to shield himself from the sudden barrage of enemy gunfire. It took his brain a moment to catch up to all that was going on to remember his little sister and mother were still waiting for him. If he was being attacked then someone may have found what was left of his family at the entrance, he could only hope that was the case and it wasn't the enemy that had found them, but other soldiers like the one he hid under.

Even with the gunfire, Akito moved one step away from the large soldier only to stop and turn back towards him. He made a last minute executive decision to pull the data chip from the back of the soldiers helmet. He didn't know why those scrawny bird-like creatures were so interested in the deceased soldier, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out. He was going to take the data chip and get his mother and sister to safety.

Knowing he had been gone far longer than anticipated, Akito rushed out of the room and from the line of fire, making his way back to the entrance where he left Akaya and their mother. He dodged the bodies that lay on the ground, jumping over those that were in his direct path.

Akito came to a skidding halt just before he got to the front doors where he left his mother and sister, ducking behind a display that was still managing to stand after all the abuse it had received. His heart sank to his feet, the most overwhelming feeling of dread washing over him. The only two family members he had left were no longer at the door, just remains of blood splatter. However, his gaze drifted towards the two large gorilla-type beasts that now stood beside where his mother and sister once sat hiding.

Their skin looked thick and was grey in color. The large aliens were covered in a matching grey fur, matted and unkempt for what could have been years or their entire life. They had similar sharp teeth as the bird-like enemies that had fired at him earlier. These larger, bulkier enemies looked as if they were quite the force to be reckoned with. He didn't stand a chance against them one bit, he stood a better chance against the evil birds then he did these monsters.

With his attention dropping to the data chip in his hand, Akito's face went from solemn to angry and determined. Even if his sister and mother hadn't survived, he would make sure that he did. He would make sure to survive so he could destroy every last one of those monstrous aliens that invaded upon their home, destroying everyone's happiness.

Akito's hand closed around the data chip, his eyes raising to once more look at the beasts ahead of him. A glare was set upon the simian assailants that had yet to notice his presence, one thing was certain as he turned and ran back the way he had come from;

He was going to destroy them all, one way or another, this alien race would be wiped out.