The Full Story
XANDER ANNORA
In the heart of a war-torn land, the story unfolds around a remarkable soldier named Xander Annora. Known for unwavering strength and exceptional combat skills, Xander rises from humble beginnings to become a symbol of resilience and determination.
For as long as anyone can remember, the kids living on the edge of the old city were called dusk runners, because they would make their first daily runs when the sun was setting behind the ultra-high-rise residential blocks. Known for their ingenuity and agility, these kids embodied what it meant to survive against impossible odds. And no runner was better at the game than Xander Annora. Younger brother to the cunning and famously stealth Azur, Xander had a pension for defending his turf and everything that was within it. As a young teen, he was known to instigate conflict with anyone who dared to encroach on the loading docks of the portside food distribution center. The docks were a popular site for every runner on the east side, and this meant that skirmishes were a daily exercise. Xander quickly adapted and used his reputation as a scrappy fighter to distract potential raiders, allowing his big brother to sneak in undetected and extract the best quality goods. Together, they controlled the grey market for organics and health-conscious consumables. On his twentieth birthday, Xander suffered a setback when he was captured by undercover City Enforcement units disguised as drivers moving high tech radio equipment along the portside highway. Xander and his brother had been pulling products from the trucks for months and reselling on the dark exchange forum, via proxy. Unknown to them, the entire operation had been orchestrated as a sting to entrap them. Everyone knew they were behind the thefts, but they were so skilled at evasion tactics that no cameras or other measures managed to record them in action.
As the trucks pulled into the offload site, Xander and his bother were arrested and taken into custody. They thought they were being sent to the Island Rock Penitentiary to do hard labor. After all, that is what happened to dusk runners who got caught. Instead of serving hard time, Xander and his brother Azur were debriefed on their experiences and offered a chance to reform by serving in the state military. The skills they had amassed during their years of surviving the streets would serve them well. Within two years, both Annoras were promoted to high-ranking officer posts and sent to oversee the silent occupation of the neighboring Borderlands. Xander was put in command of a multi-tech reconnaissance unit and given the freedom to draft mission strategies and deploy whatever methods necessary to secure the occupation and safety of his command. Unbeknownst to him or his brother, the entire operation was a test to vet the two for a much bigger mission commanding divisions of all branches of the state military. Both were promoted to the highest ranks within their unique disciplines. Xander wore the stripes of General Command, overseeing land and sea operations, while his brother bore the rank of Admiral Major in the High-Altitude Stealth Aerial Initiative (HASAI). As the result of their innovative thinking and commitment to leadership, they were each highly decorated for their achievements. Xander was awarded the Golden Trident, an honor reserved for the most accomplished servicemen.
