The night was unusually still, with the faint hum of distant machinery filling the air inside the cluttered workshop. Holographic screens flickered, casting eerie shadows across the walls, painting the room in shades of blue and green. It was here, on the outskirts of civilization, that a young Vael Varos sat, his small frame dwarfed by the surrounding chaos of tools and gadgets. His parents worked tirelessly, their faces illuminated by the glow of the screens, unaware of the danger that was creeping ever closer. Vael's Father was the first to notice the breach. His eyes darted to the security monitors, where an unauthorized figure appeared, cloaked and masked. "Someone's here," he whispered, his voice tight with urgency. Vael's Mother turned sharply, her eyes meeting his with a mix of fear and determination. The intruder moved swiftly, their presence a shadow against the dim light, speaking a phrase in an unknown language that sent a chill down Vael's Father's spine. Recognizing the words, he stiffened, trying to de-escalate the situation, but the intruder was already in motion. With a fluid gesture, they released a swarm of unstable experimental nanobots, their silvery forms shimmering as they spiraled into the room. "No!" Vael's Mother lunged forward, instinctively shielding Vael with her body. The nanobots, out of control, consumed everything in their path, their metallic tendrils spreading like wildfire. Vael could only watch, frozen in horror, as his parents were enveloped by the chaotic swarm. The intruder vanished into the shadows, leaving destruction in their wake. In an instant, the workshop erupted, a storm of digital fragments and static energy engulfing the space. The explosion was all-consuming, a blinding light that swallowed everything whole. And then, there was nothing—only darkness as Vael faded into unconsciousness.