Gears Of War: Dog of War

'There can be miracles, when you believe. Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill.'

Proem

My name is Muse, and I was twelve years old when the Locust Horde first attacked Sera.

We lived in one of the smaller cities that escaped the devastation of the first attack, but it wasn't long before we felt the repercussions. It spread in ripples from the larger cities like a pebble dropped in still water, and they said it was only a matter of time before the Locust breached the ground beneath our feet, and we were overrun by the invading army too.

Two weeks after Emergence Day, the Coalition of Ordered Governments were the ruling body of Sera. The first thing they did was pass the Fortification Act, which put every Seran under martial law and allowed the COG to seal off the Jacinto Plateau. They wanted to turn it into a fortress against the Locust because they couldn't come up through the strata of solid granite bedrock underneath.

A couple of days after, and Gears came to the city. They told us that we were being evacuated to Jacinto in three days and we had until then to get ready, we were only to take what could be carried and nothing superfluous. We were encouraged to bring rations and medical supplies, but leave behind personal treasures that would weigh us down. Most of all they impressed on us that anyone not ready in three days, would be left behind.

The day before we were scheduled to be evacuated, holes opened in the earth, and the Locust Horde streamed out into the streets.

From the first crack we knew our days were numbered, and even though we'd all known an attack was inevitable, we were unprepared for it when it came. The Locust came like cockroaches from the deep rifts they had made, and quickly overwhelmed the Gears that were meant to protect us. Then they massacred the civilians, cutting them down and trampling them like grass.

My name is Muse, I was twelve years old when the explosion signalled the beginning of the end…