Few hours before the announcement
Somewhere on Earth...
[In a lab]
*A guttural growl reverberated through the sterile lab, a sound that defied the dozen tranquilizer pills pumped into the creature.*
"Ma'am, we've administered a dozen pills to sedate it, but it appears to have no effect," a lab scientist reported, his voice laced with a tremor of unease.
"Then terminate it," she commanded, her tone chillingly devoid of emotion. "We will utilize its body for armor and weaponry."
She paused, then added, "Anna, announce the news worldwide. I have work to do."
.....
After the incident, Leo and Jane remained frozen, the recent horror still etched into their minds. Jane finally broke the silence, her voice barely a whisper.
"Leo, tell me the truth. Did that thing... enter you?"
Leo recoiled slightly, a flicker of fear in his eyes. "Well, I can't really say, you know, but I think something did." His admission hung heavy in the air.
Jane's breath hitched. She stood motionless for a moment, then, finding her voice, declared with a sudden urgency, "Let's get home. Now."
Just then, Axiel burst onto the scene, his eyes wide with alarm. "Jane! Leo!" he shouted, his voice strained.
Leo, still reeling, looked at him with a bewildered expression. "Bro, why are you shouting like that?"
Axiel's face was a mask of wild anxiety. "Didn't you hear the latest announcement?" he blurted out, his words tumbling over each other.
Jane exchanged a worried glance with Leo. "What announcement?" she asked, her voice tight.
Axiel took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Every human in every state is being relocated to different bases. We're going to a nearby one, apparently massive enough to house people from ten states or more."
Leo sighed, a profound weariness settling over him. "God, what is this?" His thoughts immediately turned to his mother. "My mom..."
Jane placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Bro, calm down. Let's go."
*This is my chance,* a thought echoed in Leo's mind.
Blackout......
Leo awoke in a dark room. A door creaked open, revealing Jane. Her gaze was intense, accusatory. "Why did you do that?" she demanded.
Leo looked genuinely confused. "I don't get it."
Jane's voice dropped, filled with a chilling certainty. "You released it."
Leo sprang to his feet, his denial immediate and fervent. "What?! No, no, no! It just... took over my emotions!"
*Hey lady, stop taking control of my body!* Leo mentally screamed.
*I am sorry,* the being replied, its voice a whisper in his mind. *I will protect you until you grow stronger.*
Jane approached Leo, her curiosity overriding her fear. "They detected its presence in you. What exactly is that thing, anyway?"
Leo hesitated, then answered, "An entity. A spiritual being."
"Entity?" Jane repeated, skepticism lacing her tone.
Leo elaborated, a hint of awe in his voice. "They are the only ones who can rival the King, and they hold the strongest rank."
Jane, however, seemed unfazed by the revelation. "Look, someone detected that presence," she stated, pointing to something unseen.
Leo cut in, a sudden realization dawning on him. "Wait, where are we?"
Jane gave him an exasperated look. "Seriously? You're just asking now? We're at our state's base. There are also people here from other states, but all from our country."
*How many seconds can you control my body?* Leo questioned the entity.
*Before, it was less than a minute. Now, more than three minutes,* the being responded.
*So, the more I sleep, or the more you use my body, the more durable I become, and the longer you can control me?* Leo mused.
*I think so,* the being confirmed.
The door suddenly swung open, revealing a fully armed girl. "The commander is looking for you, Jason," she announced.
Jason and Jane exchanged a quick glance, then looked back at the girl. Jason, without a word, followed her. As they walked, Jason observed people crying, sitting alone, looking utterly lost and in need of help. "What's wrong with these people?" he asked, a pang of empathy in his chest.
The armed girl's expression hardened. "The invasion has begun. Some of their families were taken by demons, while those whose bodies have been taken over by spiritual beings are here with us."
The armed girl opened another door, revealing two girls, several armed men, and a number of humans sleeping in beds, like a makeshift hospital. The commander, a formidable figure, simply said, "Come."
Jason walked up to her. Her gaze was piercing. "I will ask you one question: Is there a spiritual being within you?"
*Don't tell them. They could use you as an experiment, and I am too strong to be tampered with,* the entity warned him.
Leo, maintaining a poker face, replied, "No."
The commander studied him for a moment, then said, "If you say so. You can return to your room."
Jason hesitated. "Uhm, I don't know my room. I wasn't paying attention."
The commander gestured to the armed girl. "Annie, take him to his room."
"Understood," Annie replied.
As Jason turned to leave, he saw his friend Axiel lying on one of the beds. He wanted to ask, but instead, he mentally questioned the entity, *What's wrong with everyone here?*
*Every one of them carries a faint spiritual entity, meaning each has a spiritual being within them. However, the energy is weak, suggesting they are low-rank,* the entity explained.
.....
10 million light-years from Earth:
"Some of our forces have invaded a planet known as Earth, but it appears Earth is fighting back," a voice reported.
Suddenly, a female voice cut in, filled with an eager ferocity. "Please, let me go! I feel like fighting!"
The King turned to another figure. "Xyne, should your sister go?"
"No, not now," Xyne responded, her tone firm.
Then the King commanded his servant, "Summon Xyke to Earth. I need to teach those beings a lesson."
"Yes, master," the servant replied.
To be continued