“Grunting, the Toa threw a lever in his giant, steaming suit of biomechanical armor. A large missile screamed out of the giant cannon that was his mech’s arm. This in turn blasted the living daylights out of the giant, humanoid, cat-like organic, a Deity, in front of him.

“This Toa and his team were given specific orders: Travel in this biomechanical mech over the giant bridge, called the Wormhole, to find and escort the lost architects and scientists. If an enemy was holding them hostage, diplomatically deal with them - or if that was not possible - kill them.

“Of course, this Toa was right in the heat of a battle at the far end of the Wormhole. There was no way to let the unprepared city know...

“He wasn’t ready to meet a full-fledged defense. Sure, he and his team of three others were elite fighters that had won many a battle in their time. But seriously, hundreds of these... creatures? In an ambush?

“Beside him, a mech much like his was easily blown to pieces by a bright yellow light. The pilot could not even scream. Then, before he knew what was happening, the Toa felt his mech stabbed through with a giant dagger, though not stabbing through him. The dagger was then removed, and the bird-like Deity turned and disappeared back to the planet. With a giant hole in the primary systems of the mech, the giant mass fell off the bridge, plummeting into the high-pressure void beyond the wall of grass-like organic growth.

“The world was spinning in every direction. The Toa’s final scream was never heard, cut off by the vastness of space. And that is the story of-”

“Sir!” a soldier snapped a salute to Top Hat, who barely flinched at the interruption.

“Yes, Lieutenant Trin?” the Toa replied. The group that had gathered was the ragtag army of the Fled. They turned from the general to the lieutenant, anxious of news.

“The Nirg have found our position! We will be besieged within the hour!”

“Evacuate the citizens! Move to quadrant Z14! Crurshan and I, along with the elite, will hold them off.”

“Yes sir!” Everyone replied and rushed out orderly.

Walts sighed, pressed a button on his arm and spoke, “Crurshan. You need to come back, they found us. Evacuations have begun, but we can’t hold them for long. Whatever you have done there will have to do, for we cannot afford a delay.”

A loud sigh with a hint of a growl came back before the reply, “Fine. No point in doing something and then not being able to use it. I’ll be there soon.”

City of Steam: The Hunt's Afoot

“We are like a deer, ever hunted and ready to flee. Unfortunately, there is far more than one hunter after us.” –“Top-Hat” Walts