Vale was in ruins. Skyscrapers that had once pierced the clouds now lie toppled over. Structure walls were scorched. Blood painted the streets. A total massacre among human and faunuskind. It wasn't the Creatures of Grimm that had done this.
The search for alien life in the galaxy had been going on for as long as the telescope had been invented. Satellites were launched into space to collect signals. Observatories were built to watch the stars. So many devices and contraptions had been invented to look for signs of alien life deep within the galactic void. Yet, no one expected them to just appear out of nowhere.
A dark purple sphere of light had suddenly burst from nothing over the city and out came a ship. A huge ship that hovered over the city like storm clouds. Everything went silent. People stopped to gawk. The purple ball had disappeared.
Like bees swarming out of their hive, smaller ships started fleeing from the mothership and landing all over the city. That's when the monsters started slaughtering everyone they came across.
Huntsmen came to the rescue as fast as they could; local law enforcement was useless against them. The smaller invaders were weak - no problem for a huntsman to take on, but the real concern was the bigger ones, and the bigger they got, the harder it was to take them down.
-0-
Roman desperately shot Melodic Cudgel at the charging bastards. Each and every one of them was about waist high and lugged a huge tank on their back. They chattered amongst themselves, running behind crates for cover and shooting at Torchwick with these odd… guns. The green projectiles they shot left a scorch mark on whatever it hit.
Their corpses soon littered the warehouse floor. The methane from their tanks leaked out into the air. Roman panted. Never did he have to put up such a defence in his life. He kicked a body over to examine it. Its grey face was covered in a gas mask, though its eyes are exposed.
A blue light flashed in the corner of Roman's vision. He quickly turned to see what it was. There was a glowing sword floating in the air. Torchwick widened his eyes when out of nowhere a figure appeared from nothing, holding the glowing blade in its hand. It was taller than him and was covered in blue metal plates.
-0-
Music blared. It hadn't been turned off since all of Junior's patrons had been forced out of his club. Junior's men tried barricading every window and door with whatever they had. They tipped over tables and stood behind corners for cover.
Junior himself stood at the very back of the club, right in the DJ's booth. He had his bazooka resting over his shoulder, hand wrapped around the grip and finger resting on the trigger. He scowled, trying his best to keep a brave and ready composure.
The screams and fighting outside were louder than the music in his club. It was a complete bloodbath out there. Junior didn't care. He only wanted to defend himself and his belongings.
Thunderous footsteps stomped outside the main doors and everyone readied themselves. It burst through the entrance, sending the huge sliding doors flying across the dance floor. Junior flinched, then froze up. What had come into his club was nothing that he had expected. Beasts taller than a beowolf, covered in metal armour, shield on one arm and a cannon on the other. They came in a pair, and Junior swore their faces were nothing but orange worms compacted together.
Junior only stared. His employees started firing. They screamed as green beams from the monsters' arm cannons instantly ate away at them. Xiong was frozen. He couldn't bring himself to shoot out of fear.
-0-
Beacon was undergoing a total siege. Purple ships, no bigger than bullheads, flew over the campus grounds and dropped off assault units. Most soldiers were smaller, gas mask-wearing grunts. Some were bird-headed humanoids carrying round shields of light in their left hands. The ones that seemed to be in charge of squads were armoured reptile-like men with split jaws.
Team JNPR and RWBY were packed together, backs facing the centre of their formation as the two huntsmen-in-training teams did their best to fend off their alien assaulters.
Gliding in the air, another purple dropship floated near the ground and out jumped a monster clad in dark metal. It resembled an ape that was made out of pure muscle. It raised a hammer that could rival Nora's with one hand and swung it at Weiss. It crashed into her chest and the member from Team RWBY flew away, dead on impact. "Scatter!" Ren shouted, and they did, in different directions. It twirled the hammer in its hand with momentum and slammed it into the ground.
They all surrounded the hairy beast, plugging bullets into it. They did nothing, only bounced off its armour or barely got through its thick hide. The helmeted beast looked up and spotted Jaune, sword raised. It jumped forward and slammed the hammer down onto the ground in front of Jaune and sent him back with a burst of energy.
Jaune was stopped by a wall. He lost his shield and he was sitting, aching. He looked up and the beast stood in front of him. It turned the giant hammer around and revealed a blade on the backside. It rose the huge weapon over its shoulder and swung. Instinctively, Jaune held his sword up, but it wasn't enough to stop it.
The blade bent Jaune's sword, pierced through his armour and embedded itself into his chest. Jaune choked out a pained scream. He was hurt, bad, but not dead.
The beast drew back the hammer and saw his bent sword stuck. It roared in Jaune's face, grabbing the broken sword and tossing it away, then raised the hammer over his head again.
-0-
Ironwood shouted at his men, giving them orders. Different cities in Vale had been suddenly attacked by massive ships and are suspected to head to Atlas. It was only a few hours since the sudden invasion started and the whole world already knew about it.
Atlas was prepping their frigates, getting them airborne and their army mobilized. Whatever was coming, they wanted to be ready. Ironwood stood in the bridge of his ship, overlooking the flight crew as they pulled the ship into the airspace above Altas' capital city.
Winter Schnee walked in through open doors and briskly strode to Ironwood's side. "General," she greeted and James turned to face her. "We've picked up radio chatter originating over Vale. It was distorted but we've managed to understand one thing, sir: regret."
Ironwood blinked. "Regret?" he repeated. Winter nodded.
"They spoke about regret a lot."
James exhaled and looked forward, out the windshield of the flight deck. "What would they regret? They ruthlessly attacked Vale."
"Sir," Winter spoke, "I believe Regret is a person, in the context they were talking in." Ironwood looked back at Winter and narrowed his eyes. "Repeat that?"
"General Ironwood, sir!" a voice in the bridge alerted. "We've got an unsecured broadcast coming in! It sounds like the leader of the unknown enemy forces is giving a speech!"
The entire control room went silent. Expectantly, Ironwood gave the man a glare. "Well? Play it." And the man in uniform did. An old voice came on from the speakers. The entire bridge hushed to listen in.
I, High Prophet of Regret, will continue to drive this spearhead through their worthless planet until the four Holy Icons are in my grasp!
With the relics in my hands, the Great Journey shall begin and no one shall be left behind!
I will light the holy ring, release its cleansing flame, and burn a path into the Divine Beyond!