AudioBook Zero. Episode Zero

Nova Kobra.

A metropolis located on the planet Itaka, where steel fused with stardust, where the hum of plasma reactors and the glow of neon skyscrapers pulsed like the very heartbeat of human civilization. Suspended highways coiled through the air, weaving between holographic billboards advertising cybernetic enhancements and genetic augments. Above them, drones and patrol mechs monitored the skies, their optics flashing against the endless downpour of rain.

Itaka was the crown jewel of the Central Galaxy, the beacon of humanity’s evolution and might.

And within its core, in the subterranean fortress of Zetan Base, warriors were forged.

The EliteX.

They were the pinnacle of human genetic and technological augmentation, the spearhead of Kronos' grand experiment, and the guardians of humanity’s future.

Among them, Scarlett O’Brien was unmatched.

The Immortal. The Unbreakable. The Deadliest Weapon Humanity Had Ever Created.

At her side, two of her closest comrades walked with her.

J. Felix—a towering soldier with a scarred jawline and cybernetic arms, his muscles enhanced beyond human limits. A veteran of a hundred battles, a man who had seen planets burn and empires fall—and yet, he still fought with the reckless confidence of a man who had never lost a war.

Frate—a tactical genius, clad in an obsidian-black bodysuit, his green cybernetic eyes scanning their surroundings with quiet intensity. He was a ghost on the battlefield, moving between shadows, striking before his enemies even knew he was there.

Scarlett, J. Felix, and Frate formed a formidable combat unit known as Y3, an elite strike team within the ranks of the EliteX. Their synergy on the battlefield was legendary, their coordination honed through years of relentless training and real combat experience.

Together, they were more than just soldiers.

They were a force of nature.

When Y3 was deployed, the mission was as good as accomplished.

But tonight, they were training.

Not just for sport.

Not just to maintain their edge.

But because war was always coming.

And only the strongest survived.

Y3 VS THE DEMIARCH

The underground facility of Zetan Base was alive with movement. Its vast corridors pulsed with energy, filled with the relentless march of EliteX soldiers and the precise, calculated steps of advanced combat androids, also known as Autopilots.

Tactical officers moved between command stations, their eyes scanning streams of holographic data, while maintenance drones hovered along the steel walls, calibrating security turrets and repairing training modules. The scent of ionized air mixed with the distant hum of plasma reactors, a constant reminder that this was more than just a base—it was a war machine, a crucible where the strongest were forged.

Inside Zetan, EliteX soldiers engaged in high-speed virtual sparring, their bodies clashing with pulse-blades and plasma gauntlets. Combat drones weaved through the arena, simulating battlefield conditions with deadly precision. Every move, every strike, every counter was monitored, analyzed, perfected.

And at the centre of it all—waiting for Scarlett, J.Felix and Frate—stood Hera.

She was unlike any other being in existence.

A fusion of Kwasar divinity and human resilience, her celestial bloodline granted her supernatural speed, strength, and vision. Her presence alone commanded attention—her golden eyes faintly glowing under the flickering neon lights, her stance exuding the elegance of a warrior goddess.

The four companions secured their robotic assault suits, the armoured plating locking into place with a series of sharp mechanical hisses. Beneath the rigid exoskeleton, the reinforced fabric flexed and adjusted seamlessly to their enhanced physiques, conforming to their every movement like a second skin.

With each step, the low hum of energy pulsed through their suits, resonating through the dimly lit corridor—a rhythmic beat of power and precision. Moving as a unit, they advanced through the access tunnel, where flickering neon strips cast jagged, shifting shadows against the cold steel walls. The air carried the faint scent of ozone and machine oil, a silent prelude to the battle ahead.

Beyond the threshold, the arena awaited—vast, illuminated by floating holographic grids and lined with reinforced barriers. And at its centre, Hera stood, waiting. Unshaken. Unmoved. Her golden eyes, aglow with an ethereal light, locked onto them with an expression that was equal parts patience and challenge.

Scarlett smirked as she stepped forward, rolling her shoulders. “Took you long enough to get back from Urkulo.”

Hera crossed her arms, exhaling with quiet amusement. “I was busy ensuring humanity doesn’t collapse on itself. You should try it sometime.”

Felix chuckled, cracking his knuckles. “Oh, don’t worry. We’re here to do the opposite of that tonight.”

Frate adjusted his gloves, his cybernetic green eyes narrowing. “No restrictions. No safety protocols. That’s what we agreed on, right?”

Hera sighed, stepping onto the combat platform. “Then let’s see if you can break me.”

The room darkened.

Combat mode: Activated.

A synthesized voice echoed through the chamber:

"Sparring Simulation Engaged. No Limits. Begin."

Scarlett exhaled, her muscles tightening.

This wasn’t just training.

It was a war between titans.

And she intended to win.

THE FIGHT BEGINS

The moment the combat system beeped, Scarlett vanished in a blur of motion.

She launched herself at Hera, leading with a blindingly fast punch, aimed straight for her face. A feint. A test.

Hera didn’t just dodge—she disappeared.

Scarlett’s fist cut through empty air, her enhanced reflexes barely catching the flicker of golden light as Hera reappeared behind her.

And then—

BOOM.

A titanic force slammed into Scarlett’s ribs, sending her skidding across the neon-lit platform, sparks flying from the friction of her boots.

"Still too slow," Hera said, unimpressed.

Scarlett wiped the blood from her lip and grinned. “Bite me.”

Felix was next.

With a roar, he launched himself like a missile, his cybernetic arms crackling with kinetic energy, ready to deliver a devastating uppercut to Hera’s jaw. His augmented muscles coiled, and his enhanced reflexes calculated the perfect angle—he couldn’t miss.

But just as his punch was about to land—

Hera’s golden eyes flared.

The very air around her distorted, like heat waves bending reality. A sudden, invisible force crashed into Felix’s body—not a strike, not a block, but something far worse.

Gravity shifted.

Felix’s world flipped upside down in an instant.

Instead of his momentum carrying him forward, he was violently yanked toward the ceiling. His entire body, his own weight, was no longer under his control. He flailed mid-air, his brain struggling to process what had happened as his punch struck nothing but emptiness.

CRACK!

His armoured back slammed into the ceiling, plates absorbing the impact, but the force still rattled his bones. For a second, he hung there—suspended in defiance of physics, looking down at the battlefield as if he had been thrown into another dimension.

Then—the force released.

THUD!

Gravity snapped back to normal, and Felix dropped like a stone, crashing onto the floor in a crouch. His body absorbed the impact, but his mind still struggled to comprehend how Hera had just torn the laws of physics apart like paper.

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

"That’s just cheating."

Hera smirked, her golden irises still glowing faintly.

"There are no rules in a real fight."

Frate seized the opportunity, his body flickering in and out of sight as he navigated through the shadows with almost supernatural fluidity. With each step, his genetically enhanced biomantic abilities surged through him, triggering a dramatic transformation—his muscles swelled, his strength multiplied, and his entire form expanded with raw, unstoppable power.

A ghost.

A whisper of death.

He struck from Hera’s blind spot, his dagger-fist aimed for her spine—

But Hera didn’t need to see him.

She felt him.

She twisted at the last second, catching his wrist mid-strike, and in a single graceful motion, she flipped him over her shoulder, slamming him into the floor.

Frate groaned. "Okay. That hurt."

Scarlett grinned. "Guess it’s my turn again."

SCARLETT UNLEASHED

Scarlett’s eyes burned red, her nano-core reactors igniting as she activated Overdrive Mode.

Her speed tripled.

Her strength surged.

She became pure destruction, moving with the unrelenting force of a cybernetic hurricane.

She came at Hera like a storm, her kicks, punches, and plasma strikes forming a relentless onslaught. Feints, counters, reversals—each movement was sharpened to deadly perfection.

For the first time, Hera had to go on the defensive.

Scarlett was evolving.

She was adapting.

Hera grinned.

And then she stopped holding back.

The air collapsed inward—a gravitational anomaly generated purely by Hera’s will.

Scarlett felt her bones compress, her lungs struggle—but she fought through it, powering straight through the crushing force, and—

CRACK!

Her fist connected with Hera’s ribs.

Hera staggered.

Scarlett didn’t stop.

She spun, launching a high-speed roundhouse kick, but Hera—

Caught it.

A flicker of golden light, and Scarlett was smashed through the wall, her body hitting the steel like a missile.

For a moment—silence.

Then—

Scarlett’s laughter echoed through the chamber.

She climbed to her feet, blood dripping from her forehead, a grin splitting her face.

"Again."

Hera smiled.

"Again."

And the battle raged on.

THE FINAL CLASH

Scarlett wiped the blood from her forehead, her grin feral, unyielding.

Her body screamed in pain, her muscles burned, but none of it mattered. She was built for this.

Across from her, Hera stood, golden eyes flickering with something new—respect.

For the first time in years, she saw it—Scarlett was evolving.

And she wasn’t alone.

A blur of silver and black-streaked across the arena as J. Felix shot forward like a missile, his cybernetic arms pulsing with kinetic energy. His combat mode was fully activated now—his strength quadrupled, his speed blurring past human limits.

Behind him, Frate melted into the shadows, his stealth camo activating, making him disappear from view. He was a ghost, a whisper of death waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Hera cracked her knuckles. "So that’s how it is?"

Scarlett spat blood onto the floor and smirked. "We’re not done yet, sweetheart."

Felix hit first.

His cybernetic fist shot forward, aiming to shatter Hera’s guard. The air cracked with the sheer force of his strike. But at the last moment—

Hera sidestepped.

She caught his wrist, twisted, and with an explosion of movement, she slammed his entire body into the ground with the force of a collapsing star. The floor dented under the impact, metal groaning under Felix’s weight.

But Felix was already recovering, flipping his legs up in a counter-kick, his boot aimed straight for Hera’s head.

She barely ducked in time, her hair whipping from the wind pressure.

Scarlett saw her opening.

She exploded forward, using Felix’s momentary distraction. Her fists ignited with plasma energy, and she unleashed a hurricane of strikes.

Hera blocked—barely.

Scarlett's speed was different now.

Faster. Sharper. Unrelenting.

Hera’s golden eyes widened slightly as she was forced onto the defensive, her arms moving at light-speed to deflect Scarlett’s incoming barrage. Punches, elbows, knees—Scarlett was everywhere.

And then—

The ghost struck.

Frate appeared out of nowhere, re-materializing mid-air. His twin plasma daggers glowed with deadly intent, aimed right for Hera’s back.

Hera felt the attack before it came.

But even she wasn’t fast enough to block all three opponents at once.

For the first time in the entire fight—

She was too slow.

Scarlett’s knee slammed into her ribs.

Felix’s enhanced punch connected with her shoulder.

Frate’s dagger carved a thin crimson line along her back, the first cut she’d taken in years.

The impact sent Hera skidding backwards, her boots digging into the ruined floor, a trail of golden blood dripping from her wound.

For a second—just a second—she felt the sting of mortality.

Scarlett stood tall, breathing hard. "Not bad, huh?"

Felix cracked his neck. "We almost had you."

Frate twirled his daggers. "You sure you’re a god? Because that looked pretty human to me."

Silence.

Then—

Hera laughed.

A deep, satisfied laugh.

She lifted her hand and touched the cut on her back, looking at the golden smear of her own blood on her fingers. Her eyes burned with something primal—exhilaration.

"You three," she breathed. "You actually made me bleed."

Scarlett rolled her shoulders. "What can I say? We’re quick learners."

Hera smirked.

And then she vanished.

The three of them barely had time to react before—

BOOM.

A gravitational force detonated outward, the sheer impact hurling Felix and Frate across the arena like ragdolls.

Scarlett gritted her teeth and dug her heels into the floor, trying to resist the force crushing down on her.

But Hera was already on top of her.

Before Scarlett could move, Hera’s palm slammed into her chest—

And the world collapsed inward.

Scarlett’s vision blurred, her lungs failing to expand, her bones cracking under the sheer weight of Hera’s gravity field.

She had one second.

One.

And in that second—

Hera whispered, "Checkmate."

Scarlett felt her body lift off the ground, and then—

She was slammed into the floor with the force of a meteor.

The steel cracked beneath her, her body sinking into the metal. Her HUD flickered, warning signs flashing across her vision. Oxygen levels critical. Neural response dropping.

It was over.

Felix lay groaning on the other side of the room, his cybernetic arms short-circuiting from the gravitational strain.

Frate was on his knees, coughing, his stealth field completely disabled.

Scarlett couldn’t move.

And Hera?

She stood tall.

Untouched. Unbroken. Unrivalled.

She exhaled softly, as if the battle had been nothing more than a light exercise. She took a step back.

"Enough."

Her voice carried no arrogance, no mockery. Just certainty. Just power.

Scarlett tried to move, but her body refused to obey. The impact still held her pinned against the shattered steel floor, her breath ragged, her muscles burning. Felix gasped to her right, his cybernetic systems overheated, while Frate barely managed to push himself to his knees, his body trembling from exhaustion.

They had lost.

But Hera wouldn't leave them like this.

The light changed.

Around her, a golden energy began to radiate—warm, luminous, pulsing with a power unlike the one she had used in combat. This wasn’t the crushing force of an invincible warrior.

This was something purer. Something ancient.

Vitalia.

The golden blood on her back glowed, and the wound Frate had managed to inflict vanished instantly, her skin closing without a trace. But it didn’t stop there.

A wave of vital energy expanded outward, washing over her three comrades with an indescribable warmth. Scarlett felt her chest decompress, her fractured ribs crack as they realigned. Felix stared at his cybernetic arms as the burned circuits regenerated before his eyes, coming back to life. Frate let out a quiet gasp as his vision sharpened, the pain in his muscles dissolving like mist before the sun.

Within seconds, all three of them were back on their feet.

Hera lowered her hands, the glow around her fading. She smiled.

"You're getting better every day."

Her tone wasn’t condescending. It wasn’t pity.

It was pride.

Scarlett huffed, rolling her shoulders, feeling Hera’s energy still thrumming through her. "Yeah, well… one of these days, we’re going to be the ones leaving you on the floor."

Felix ran a hand through his hair, chuckling. "Give me a month, and I’ll be kicking your ass."

Frate smirked. "A week."

Hera let out a soft laugh.

She clapped each of them on the back.

"We’ll see."

And in that moment, amid the sweat, blood, and destruction they had left in the training arena, they were more than just warriors.

Hera was their Magister, and they were her Prenova.

So, in the closest way possible—they were a family.

Brothers and sisters in war.

FROM TRAINING TO WAR

The chamber was still, but the echoes of battle remained—ragged breaths, the scent of scorched metal, the faint hum of neural implants recalibrating after the brutal strain.

Scarlett rolled her shoulders, feeling the lingering warmth of Vitalia coursing through her, mending what had been broken. Felix flexed his cybernetic arms, the servos humming back to life. Frate clenched his fists, his muscles no longer trembling from exhaustion.

Hera watched them, silent, unreadable.

Then, without a word, she turned toward the exit.

Something shifted in the air.

Scarlett frowned. The pulse of the station felt… off. The usual ambient drone of Nova Kobra’s energy grid was different, too steady, too heavy. Felix noticed it too, his brow furrowing.

The lighting in the chamber dimmed slightly.

Just a flicker. A momentary fluctuation in the power flow.

Frate tilted his head, his enhanced hearing picking up something. A low, distant vibration. Too deep for normal frequencies, more a sensation than a sound, like an approaching storm.

Hera stopped walking.

Scarlett’s stomach tightened. Instinct whispered—this wasn’t right.

Then—

The sirens blared.

Not just an alert. Not the routine security warnings they all knew by heart.

This was the war signal.

A deep, electric howl rippled through the base, vibrating through the walls, the floors, their very bones. It was a sound meant to cut through battlefields, to summon every soldier to the frontlines.

Scarlett’s communicator crackled.

“General O’Brien—this is Captain Ford! Get to the command center. Now! We have incoming!”

The four of them locked eyes.

The exhaustion was gone.

The fight? Forgotten.

The warriors they had been in the arena no longer existed.

Now, only soldiers remained.

Felix exhaled, rolling his shoulders. “Can I just say—worst. Timing. Ever.”

Frate shook his head. “We just got our asses kicked, and now we have to fight for real?”

Scarlett wiped the last trace of blood from her lip. “Enough talking. Move.”

They bolted from the ruined training hall, their boots pounding against the steel floor as they raced toward the command center.

The hallways were no longer silent.

Red emergency lights pulsed overhead, casting long, flickering shadows. The deep thrumming of the station’s power core had intensified. A low, rising vibration filled the corridors—the unmistakable hum of war machinery coming online.

The closer they got, the heavier the air became. The weight of what was coming pressed down on them, unseen but undeniable.

And then—

They reached the command center.

The security feeds flickered on the massive holo-displays.

Scarlett’s breath hitched.

Hera’s golden eyes narrowed.

Felix let out a low whistle. “Well… shit.”

A mothership had appeared in orbit.

A monolith of war. A fortress so massive it eclipsed the stars, its hull bristling with enough firepower to erase entire cities.

Scarlett frowned. “That’s not just a normal incursion.”

Hera’s golden gaze burned like a supernova.

“No,” she said. “That’s an invasion.”

Frate muttered, “We’re so fucked.”

Felix grinned despite the odds, flexing his newly repaired arms. “Then let’s make them regret showing up.”

Scarlett clenched her fists, her pulse roaring in her ears.

She didn’t know who was coming.

She didn’t know why.

But if they thought they could take Nova Kobra…

They were already dead.

End of Episode Zero.