Chapter 2- Virex attack

Tim's heart pounded. "Please, sir, I've worked hard. I love Tess. I'm doing everything I can to provide for her."

Tess's mother stepped forward, her voice icy. "You're a cleaner, Tim. Nothing more. You have no future with our daughter."

"Leave now," Tess's father ordered, his voice booming. "Or we'll call the authorities."

The door slammed shut in Tim's face, leaving him standing alone in the dark. The sting of rejection was sharp and immediate. He turned and began the long walk home, his mind swirling with thoughts. Tess, the girl he had loved for years, was now beyond his reach. All the money he had saved and paid over the months felt like it had vanished into thin air.

As he walked through the city, the streets grew increasingly shabby and dilapidated. Tim's neighborhood was known for its low rent, but also for the constant threat of Virex attacks. The government did little to protect the poor areas, and residents were left to fend for themselves.

He finally reached his apartment, a tiny, cramped space that barely fit a bed and a small table. It was more like a storage room than a home, but it was all he could afford. He entered quietly, not wanting to wake his mother. She was lying on her bed, sleeping peacefully. Seeing her there always filled him with a mix of sadness and determination.

He watched her for a moment, thinking about how hard she had worked all her life, and how her illness had taken so much from her. Tim knew that if he could get into the Vanguard Academy, the government would cover his and his mother's expenses. It was his only way out of this life.

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, Tim let out a deep sigh. He remembered how his mother had struggled to get his father's pension—payment promised to all Vanguards who served long and died in battle fighting the Virex. But the authorities had turned a blind eye, dismissing their claims with bureaucratic excuses.

Suddenly, it started to rain, and the sound of raindrops against the window matched his somber mood. Tim picked up his cheap, faulty android phone and turned it on. He accessed the Vanguard Portal, a public news and information platform for the city. It often posted famous news and updates.

A headline caught Tim's eye: "Brandon Wong Proposes!" He stared at the screen in disbelief, his heart pounding. With the little data he had left, he played the live video, which already had almost 3 million viewers. That was the power of the Wong family's influence.

In the video, Brandon was on one knee, holding a ring up to Tess. The crowd around them cheered as Tess nodded, tears in her eyes. She said yes. Brandon slipped the ring onto her finger, and they kissed. The camera panned to the jubilant faces of Brandon’s family and friends.

Tim’s stomach churned as he watched. Brandon and Tess. The same Brandon who had humiliated him that day. And Tess, who had dismissed him without a second thought.

He turned off the phone and tossed it aside. The room was silent except for the rain. Tim lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

Tim lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Why wasn't life fair? Dawn City had always been harsh. He sighed, recalling the constant bullying he endured at the Vanguard Academy. Brandon was relentless, always finding new ways to humiliate him. And Tess, along with her family, had rejected him like he was nothing. He couldn’t shake the image of that headline from his mind. Everyone had cheated him, made him feel worthless.

Anger surged through him, and he banged his hand on the mattress. Suddenly, the ground began to shake. The city alarm blared, signaling an emergency. Tim's heart raced. An earthquake, and then the unmistakable roar of a Virex.

Chaos erupted outside. People screamed, running in all directions. Tim jumped up as his mother stirred awake.

"Mom, we need to go to the community bunker right away," he urged, helping her sit up.

"Okay, Tim," she said weakly. "But get your father's medal first."

"Mom, it's not important right now," he argued, looking out the window at the approaching danger.

"Please, Tim," she insisted, her voice faint but firm.

Tim sighed, rushed to the small cabinet, and grabbed the medal. He turned back just in time to see a huge, monstrous hand smash through the wall. The apartment shook, and debris rained down. In slow motion, he watched in horror as the ceiling collapsed on his mother.

"No!" Tim screamed, disbelief washing over him. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The building lay in ruins, and his mother was gone.

Tim stumbled outside. The Virex, a colossal creature with leathery skin and glowing red eyes, roared as it rampaged through the city. Soldiers fired at it from helicopters, their bullets barely scratching its thick hide.

He stood there, frozen, watching the beast. It was massive, towering over the buildings, its claws sharp and menacing. Each step it took shook the ground. The city's defenses seemed powerless against it.

Tears streamed down Tim's face. The monster's roar echoed through the city as it swiped at the two soldier choppers, sending them crashing to the ground in a fiery explosion. Tim's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the chaos unfold before him.

Suddenly, a group of Vanguards emerged onto the scene, dressed in sleek black suits with green tubes running through them. They carried advanced weaponry, their movements precise and coordinated.

The head of the Vanguard team barked out orders, his voice cutting through the chaos. "First team, attack from below! Second team, attack from above!"

Without hesitation, the Vanguards split into two groups and launched their assault. Bullets flew, and explosions rocked the air as they engaged the monster in a fierce battle.

The creature lashed out, destroying more buildings with each swipe of its massive claws. But the Vanguards fought back relentlessly, their determination unwavering.

Finally, the leader of the Vanguard team stepped forward, his weapon glowing with energy. With a swift and calculated motion, he unleashed a barrage of attacks, each strike hitting its mark with deadly precision.

As the monster staggered, the leader delivered a final, devastating blow—a powerful combo attack that sliced through the creature's thick neck. With a deafening roar, the monster stumbled and fell, its massive body crashing to the ground in a heap.

The city fell silent as the dust settled, the once-rampaging monster now motionless and defeated.