Wanderer Ch 1: Battle Of Silver And Bronze, The Onces That Wander! (Patreon)

In the vastness of space, planets peacefully coexisted while stars illuminated the darkness. Suddenly, the tranquil scene was shattered by the arrival of spacecraft from rival kingdoms: Gelmud, shining silver, and Krugar, glowing bronze. They faced off, preparing to determine who would rule this sector.

"Kurg, are our soldiers prepared?" Gurgant Frak inquired, turning to his second-in-command, Furver Kurg.

"Yes, Honorable Gurgant Frak," replied Furver Kurg. "Our troops are poised for action. Just give the word, and we'll bring honor to the Gelmud Empire."

Meanwhile, on the opposing side, Exe Borlag asked, "Are our Bullfrags ready?"

"Yes, Exe Borlag," confirmed Torvant, his sharp teeth barely concealed. "Our forces stand ready to bring glory to the kingdom of Krugar."

Both high-ranking warriors peered through the windows of their spacecraft, gazing at their adversaries, poised to end their lives.

"Ready!" they both declared, raising their hands in unison. "Fire!"

Upon their command, soldiers wasted no time unleashing their firepower. Space was suddenly ablaze with streaking energy beams and colossal explosions, transforming the once serene void into a battlefield of death and fury.

It was a conflict defined by strategy, defense, and aggression. The larger vessels, adorned in silver and bronze, exchanged volleys of thormacs and Quixilicious missiles, unleashing devastating power upon each other. Explosions rocked the cosmos as these heavy weapons collided with immense force.

Meanwhile, smaller spacecraft engaged in close-quarters combat, firing rapid bursts of blue and red energy. Though less destructive, these skirmishes added to the chaos of the conflict.

And yet, amidst the turmoil...

"Sir," a soldier from Gelmud reported, observing the glowing red readings on the cybercomputer. "We're detecting spatial fluctuations."

"What?" Furver Kurg exclaimed, turning to his men.

"Something's approaching, and it's moving fast!"

Panic spread among the troops as the darkness ahead of them began to tremble and shift, giving way to a blinding white light.

"What's happening!?" Furver Kurg shouted, shielding his eyes from the brilliance.

The colossal ships of both kingdoms were pushed back by the surging waves of power materializing before them. As the light expanded, a dark silhouette emerged within its glow.

"Something's coming..." voices crackled over the comms device. "Something... Ahhhh!"

Every eye on the Gelmud Empire and Krugar kingdom ships fixated on the scene ahead as a massive wall of tan skin materialized, crashing against the silver and bronze vessels, engulfing them in orange flames.

"What is that!?" Exe Borlag exclaimed, staring ahead at the seemingly endless wall.

Torvant surveyed his men. "I want to see what's in front of us. Get it on screen."

"Yes, sir!" the Bronze soldiers replied, swiftly operating their computers.

"This..." one of them began, visibly shocked by the image before them.

"What!" Exe Borlag demanded, his frustration mounting.

"This is an image retrieved from one of our distant ships," the soldier explained, displaying a massive image for all to see.

Exe Borlag, Torvant, and everyone on their ship, as well as Gurgant Frak and the Gelmud fleet, gazed upon the same sight: a bizarre alien entity vastly different from their own species. Its skin was brown, its eyes were brown, and it possessed two appendages, each with smaller ones attached. Its massive body resembled that of a planet, with two large orbs on its chest that jiggled with movement. Strands of brown floated around its head in the vacuum of space.

White fabric adorned its chest and lower body, contrasting with its brown skin.

Both armed forces floated before her face like tiny gnats, insignificant in comparison.

"What is that?" Furver Kurg asked, retreating in disbelief. "And how can it survive in the vacuum of space?"

"It... it can't be," Gurgant Frak muttered, stepping forward. "It's... it's a Wanderer," he declared, his eyes wide with shock.

"A Wanderer?" Furver Kurg echoed. "What's that?" he inquired.

Gurgant Frak glanced at his subordinate, his white skin glistening with sweat. "I've only heard of them in ancient legends," he explained. "No one truly knows their origins, not even the Wanderers themselves. All we know is that these colossal beings are unpredictable travelers of the cosmos."

Furver Kurg struggled to comprehend the revelation, gazing at the gaping maw of the colossal space Titan. Its jaws supported towering white mountains capable of cleaving moons in two.

"Encountering one is rare," Gurgant Frak continued, "but wherever they appear, destruction follows closely behind."

"W-what are your orders?" Furver Kurg asked, his voice trembling.

Gurgant Frak stared ahead, not at the colossal Titan, but at the Krugar armies stationed by the giant's left eye. He knew retreating would be wise, avoiding the impending catastrophe, but...

"We have no choice. We continue the attack!" he bellowed.

Furver Kurg's eyes widened in surprise. "Sir Frak, are you certain this is wise?"

"Don't question my orders," Gurgant Frak snapped, his voice dripping with anger. "This war is for our people! This sector holds vital resources that will benefit us greatly! We fight for our people, and we will not let Krugar succeed!"

"Yes, sir!" the Gelmud soldiers shouted, ready to press on.

Meanwhile, the kingdom of Krugar showed no signs of retreat.

"Exe Borlag, our enemies show no intention of backing down!" Torvant exclaimed, observing the Gelmud forces.

"Are they mad!?" Borlag exclaimed, unable to believe what he was witnessing. He understood the importance of the resources in this region, but he questioned whether fighting before this colossal entity was the answer.

"So this is their response," Exe Borlag remarked, his expression hardening. "Very well!" he declared with determination. "All men, attack the Gelmud Empire!"

"Yes, sir!"

---

I gazed ahead at the familiar sight that had greeted me for millennia: the vast emptiness of space.

My long brown hair floated around me, obscuring my vision. I had entertained the idea of cutting it countless times, but after eons, it seemed inconsequential.

"Hmm?" I murmured, noticing a glint just below my line of sight.

"What's this?" I pondered, focusing my gaze downward to see small ships twinkling in the distance. A smile tugged at my lips; something exciting was on the horizon.

"What do we have here?" I mused aloud, sending vibrations through the silent vacuum of space so my voice could be heard.