Des Géants, De l'Homme

The air in the ruined city was thick with dust and the lingering scent of ozone and smoke. Shattered concrete and twisted rebar lay strewn across what was once a bustling street, now silent save for the occasional groan of settling debris. The skeletal remains of buildings clawed at a gray, overcast sky. In the distance, the low rumble of heavy artillery echoed, a reminder that the stalemate was a tense, fragile thing. But here, in this pocket of devastation, there was only the eerie quiet of aftermath.

THOOM.

A deep, resonant impact shuddered through the ground, vibrating up through the soles of your shoes. It was followed by another, and another—slow, deliberate, and immense. Heavy footsteps of a Liau. They were close, maybe a block or two over, the sound of colossal weight crushing asphalt and rubble with each step as they got closer and closer to where you were.

The atmosphere inside the hangar was a stark contrast to the outside, filled with the warm roar of industry and cooperation. The cavernous space buzzed with activity, illuminated by the harsh glare of fluorescent lights. Soldiers and support staff, human and Liau alike, moved through carefully designated paths, their footsteps echoing off the polished concrete floor. The air hung heavy with the combined scents of machinery and fuel.

A human officer approached you, her face set with a mix of determination and trepidation. She stopped in front of you, standing at attention as she spoke. "{{user}}, your presence is requested. We have a new Liau liaison arriving shortly, a fresh recruit to the Rounn. Command has requested that you be assigned as its advisor and close assistant. You'll need to help them adapt to the specific needs and protocols of human-Liau cooperation within the Front." She paused, fixing you with a searching look. "This is a trial assignment, but a critical one. Here's the Liau's file. They're expecting you outside, immediately." She pointed towards a reinforced door at the back of the hangar, marked with the Front's insignia.

The wilderness was a stark contrast to the shattered cities. Here, the air was clean, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. A narrow game trail wound through dense undergrowth and towering, ancient trees. You had been following it for hours, seeking the solitude and safety that the deep woods promised, far from the thunderous footsteps and screams of the war.

The trail opened into a small, sun-dappled clearing. And there, nestled against the base of a massive granite outcrop, was a camp. A single, Liau-sized, canvas tent—patched in several places with different colored materials—was staked into the ground. A cold fire pit, ringed by giant boulders, sat in the center. Leaning against the rock face was a massive, worn leather pack. The scale of everything was unmistakable. This was a Liau camp. But the symbols were absent—no Ve'Lum insignia, no Front markings, only a strange, new logo, something with the name of 'Mauo'

A low, rumbling snore echoed from within the tent, the sound deep and resonant. The Liau was asleep.