In a far away galaxy, in a completely different solar system, in a world known to its inhabitants as Kinzua, a heavy smoke can be seen from outside of its atmosphere. The smoke rises from one of this world's largest metropolises, Saint Grey City, in the state of Berwick in the northeast section of the country of the Republic of Lettreck.

What was once a lively city with bustling sidewalks, bumper to bumper traffic, and people of all sizes, shapes, and races, Saint Grey City has been turned into a post-apocalyptic war zone. Though the attack from enemy country Kazzato was swift and unnoticed, it seems like it was just a one time attack. After all, the Republic of Lettreck won't let its guard down again.

This atomic bombing was nearly a month ago, taking an unprecedented toll on not only SGC, but the shock could be felt through all sixteen states of the Republic. The death toll was estimated at over five million citizens, which is roughly four percent of the entire population of ROL. But that’s just a guess given by Heath Kimbrel, the President of ROL, to his people. The same people that believe that not only the death toll is much larger than what was said, but also that there will be more attacks, perhaps dozens more, by Kazzato.

In a time known as the Red War, that has been raging for the better part of two years now, the surviving citizens of Saint Grey have herded into the labyrinth of subway tunnels burrowed under the city in hopes that the radiation that’s almost been filtered completely through the atmosphere will not harm them in the tunnels.

Thus, the subway tunnels are lined with people suffering pain so excruciating that screaming has been useless. Many are severely burnt, many have broken bones from falling debris, others' insides seem to be disintegrating from the radiation sickness, a few were lucky enough to make it into the tunnels before being exposed to the fallout of the bombings. But those unaffected by the bombings must now deal with very little food and water and they too are near death.

Saint Grey City subway authorities built enough tunnels to stretch across ROL several times. Every mile or so they built a room, or Gate as they called it, and filled it with rustic bunks, scratchy blankets, radio equipment, a television, the basic medical supplies and first aid kits, and enough army surplus food and water to hold a large family over for several months. This is the barely visible silver lining on the clouds of those who made their way to the tunnels to shelter themselves from the attack. Though the original intention was to provide food and shelter for the passengers whose subway trains may have become broken down, the victims of this attack in the Red War have found them as a safe haven for different reasons.

Each one of these Gates has been numbered, to easily locate and identify them incase a train broke down and a rescue operation was radioed in. Nearly 10 miles from the nearest station, in the tunnels a huge circular iron door with Gate-9 written on it flies open with a creaky bang. Three people step out into the damp, barely lit tunnel and make their way to the station. All three of these people are wearing dark parkas to shelter themselves from the water dripping though the ceiling of the tunnel. A tunnel which now, in sight and smell, resembles a sewer.

The first out is a large man, parka hood covering his head and face but coming to a point seemingly near his forehead. This man also seems to have two large growths in his back, as if his shoulder blades were much, much larger than normal. He leads the other two down the tunnel not thinking twice about helping the injured and dying atomic bomb victims reaching out to them.

"Rhett, can't we help them out?" Zoe Tooker, the woman following him in a similar parka asks.

"No, Paris and Chris will help them, we have to get to the surface," Rhett Volle, the large man in front of her says.

The woman who spoke up now removes her hood exposing her long black hair with white streaks, white lipsticked lips, light grey eyes, and delicate facial features. She looks at the injured people lined across the tunnel. Her conscience gets the best of her again.

"Rhett... come on, it'll only take a..." she gets interrupted by the third man of this operation.

"Let it go Zoe, I'm sure Paris and Chris will get to most of them, if not all," the 24 year old George Pardue assures as he places his hand on her shoulder.

The three of them round a corner as the tunnel lightens up. One of the buildings that fell in the atomic bombings fell with such force that it collapsed a large portion of the tunnel letting the late afternoon sun shine through, also letting a cold autumn air breeze through the tunnel. A young woman shivers, damp and cold holding on to her cross silently praying to her God.

"George," Rhett begins. "Help me move some of this rubble so we can get to the top."

"You're serious about this aren't you, what about radiation?" He asks.

"There's a good chance that there is none. Atomic radiation usually takes only a month to dissipate or filter through the ground leaving the atmosphere normal again."

"Learn that in the navy?" George asks.

"That I did, George. Now come on and help," Rhett says as George helps him clear away the debris, all the while Zoe stares at the freezing cold woman.

Rhett and George open the hole up enough so that all three would be able to fit through to get to the streets of Saint Grey City. Just as Rhett is about to crawl out Zoe grabs his parka and stops him.

"She's freezing," Zoe says pointing to the young lady on the ground.

Rhett lets out a sigh as he jumps off of the pile of rubble he's climbing on and takes off his parka. The lady looks up at Rhett Volle, the sunlight shining so bright she can't see anything above his shoulders. Once his parka comes off she sees two large feathery angel-like wings fan out behind him.

"Are you an angel?" the lady asks clutching harder on her cross.

Rhett kneels down to drape the parka over her. As he does his chiseled face comes into view revealing a large foot-long horn coming out of his forehead.

"Not quite," Rhett says to her as he tucks her into the parka as she stares at him in uncertainty.

All three climb up the rubble and onto the streets of Saint Grey. As they do George Pardue's eyes grow to the size of quarters, Zoe puts her hand over her mouth as her extra long and super thick fingernails reach her ear. Rhett's angelic wings wrap around his shoulders to keep him warm as he looks at the decimation.

"My God…" Zoe manages to mutter.

A month after the bombings many buildings are still burning or smoking. hundreds of human corpses are sprawled across the streets, hanging out of windows of buildings, common everyday landmarks, signs, and posters that reminded them of everyday city life were now burnt, broken, or demolished. Although some buildings seem unchanged, 90% of the buildings were either completely destroyed, or on their way to be.

Go on to part 2