Prolog
{Reviesed}
Year 3303 May 2
A being of divine descent sat upon his throne, watching as the people below mingled and mixed, their hushed voices speaking tones that ranged from hateful to loving, and sorrowful to pitiful.
And the cause of such weariness was the war that ended a while ago, one so devastating that it had claimed a majority of this plant's population, leaving only the weeping and broken behind, forever scarred by what they had lost.
The chaos caused by that wretched cult was truly fitting to its ideals, as even in death, the Cult of Chaos Sowers bore more fruit than they had likely been able to while active; a true peer into the sheer ability of the god they followed.
I sighed, silently mourning the fact that this day of celebration, once supposed to symbolize the cult's death and the peace that had been brought by its erasure, had instead been morphed into a day of sorrow.
But then again, who was I to put an end to it: I lost nothing after all.
"Sir?"
My thoughts were interrupted as a soft shiver of surprise ran up my spine, courtesy of one of the only beings in this mortal universe being able to sneak up on me without difficulty.
"Yes, Tanya?" I inquired as Jaded Green eyes turned to meet the pair of golden, honeyed orbs staring down at me, the difference in height being brought to fruition by my seated form.
"Are you okay?" She asked, seemingly aware of my internal disappointment with today's gathering.
"I am." I lied with ease.
"Why do you ask?" I spoke a query of my own, a slight uptick in my lips revealing my already improving mood since she had spoken.
"Ohh! I uhh just wanted to... Get in your good graces!" She all but yelled in her blushing panic.
"Ya, that's it! Like I would care about you after all!" She said with the cutest and most condescending smile I'll likely ever see.
"Is that so..." I said as my lips turned traitor and perked up a bit more, becoming something akin to a smile.
"Ya, That's It! A-After all! I do have to stay in your good graces so I can eventually betray you and take your throne for myself." She said with a straight face, uncaring of who I was or how much power I wielded; it almost made me jealous of the sheer confidence she held within her, never letting someone weaker or stronger tell her what she could and couldn't do.
She had many problems with the law because of this, 'problems I always bailed her out of,' my mind whispered playfully.
My thoughts were uprooted as I registered unrestricted laughter rolling off my tongue, though it was more akin to chuckling than the aposed, as I've always tended to be the quieter of our wonderful pair.
She didn't seem to take my amusement well, as the telltale sign of irritation bulged on her forehead, a vein looking dangerously close to bursting. "Hu? What are you laughing about?" she nearly whispered, her tone full of wrath and promise of pain beyond death itself.
She tried to continue. "You think I won't? I'll have you know I'm-" But, I didn't let her finish that sentence, the palm of my hand gently closing her mouth to get her magma gaze on me, along with her undivided attention.
I didn't let her pull away, even as she began to nibble on my hand; her effort bore little fruit.
"You know," my voice echoed quietly, "we could always get married." I finished, my Emerald eyes peering into her honeyed oceans with nothing but love, lust, and transfixation; and unlike her, I was a pretty well-off gardener, so my words and actions quickly bore the fruit I was after, its bright red hue appearing on her half-exposed cheeks.
"wh-wha-what?" was her response, the tone of which was barely above a whisper, and even more so as my hand had not fully fallen away from her pursed lips.
But that didn't matter to me then, no, my mind was on the more... confused side.
'What? Is that a yes? Or did she not understand me?' I mentally shrugged after a moment, repeating what I had said mere moments ago.
"I said, we could always get married." The words were spoken a bit more sharply to really drive home my commitment.
"I-I-I know what you said, Baka!" She all but squeaked.
'Baka?' My mind pondered, perplexed by the foreign word. Before I could ponder on the word further, I was interrupted by her answer, one that truly put a smile on my face.
"Y-ya-y-y-ya, I guess I wouldn't mind... I--I mean, so like, it's not like you could live without me because of how stupid you are; of course, you need me to take care of you an-and like... I mean, Ya, Of Course, you're going to need me after all because I am great and mighty!" She said, all the while, her eyes dancing circles around my head, never making eye contact. It was one of the cutest plays I've seen cast in the past hundred years, especially her words tripping over themselves
"So, is that a yes?" I queried.
"No!- I mean yes, but not as in like Yes, but yes!" she spoke, still unable to stop herself from tripping over her own words.
It wasn't long before she started to prattle on about random things, seemingly attempting to keep me from noticing how flustered she had become. However, I didn't think she realized how long she had been flustered for, because if she had, she would have started this mess of subject-changing lines far earlier. Still, who am I to point that out? Instead, I went along with it, aiming to see her triumphant smile as she seemingly realized her plan had succeeded.
So with the best smile I could muster, past my already dazzled upturn, I listened as she prattled on and on about how she was to usurp my throne or how mighty she was, all the while nodding my head and singing her praise.
'She's so cute!' my mind once more echoed.
But even the greatest of shows had to come to a painful end, and this one was unfortunately no exception to that universal law, though it was a shame that said ending had to be brought forth by a seemingly random guest, walking up and taking a knee, a telltale sign of them seeking an audience with me, one I granted out of respect for their act of... loyalty to the law laid by me a decaid ago.
"Yes...?" I droned on, inviting the young lord to speak his name.
"Prudens Valken, My lord"
'Tanya's Brother?' It snapped at me, forcing me to recall Tanya's family tree.
'Right, he's the grandson of Victor Valken," a wise man who sat a few years behind me in age; I was still curious as to how he achieved such a long and expansive life, but I've since ceased my attempts at bringing it up, unwilling to sour our relations due to my own selfish curiosity. He got so defensive every time.
I shook my head before responding in a tone according to my mood. "Ah! Victor's Grandson. How have you been?" My voice echoed, genuinely full of curiosity; the last I saw of this boy was back when he and Tanya had just dirtied my silk robe, before running away in fear of their own accidental actions.
I chuckled at the found resurfaced memory, before reality pulled back into its clutches.
"I've been well, my lord."
"Good- good, and what might you need, Prudens?"
'Yes, what might you need that was worth interrupting my wonderful show?' Was left unsaid.
"It is nothing too important, my lord. I wish you would hear out one of my proposals."
"Ohh, and what might this proposal transcribe?"
Tanya, my beautiful aide, had since tripped into her professionalism, keeping track of the conversation now in full swing with her brother, as her job description desired.
"My lord... Can I speak my mind freely without repercussions?"
'Well now, what kind of performance are you trying to put on, future In-law?'
I pretended to ponder it for a moment before coming to an answer I had already made up. "You may."
"Right... My lord, have you heard about the latest development transpiring with my grandfather's territory?" He spoke nearly shakily, if the quiver in his voice was anything to go by.
"I don't believe I do; would you be so kind as to fill me in on this matter?" I said with a matter-of-fact, truly unaware of what had been transpiring outside of my own kingdom; one never really had to when you kept everything compact and close to your chest.
After all, I believed having too little was better than having too much, and commanding more than one planet most definitely crossed that line; we don't even need to mention whole sectors of space. The mere thought sent shivers up my spine.
"It would be my honor, my lord."
'Using titles?' I silently droned.
"As you know, my grandfather owns most of the western galaxy, and soon to be all of it, as he has been talking to the local nobles about buying their land for a hefty sum; most seem to agree more than others." The last part was quieter, but still audible, even if it seemed to be a slip of his own tongue. "But that's not what I'm here for," he continued, "I have come to ask you... if you'd be willing to... to..." He tried and failed to finish, though that was honestly not unexpected considering the audience he had garnered with his request for my attention; none ever went unnoticed when asking for my gaze.
Most of the party had gone silent by now, everyone highly astute to what he had to say before me, and I was no exception to that.
Seeing his downward spiral getting nothing but worse, I quickly reminded him of my earlier decree, hoping to reignite his confidence before his own query was lost to the darkest depths of oblivion. "Remember, there will be no repercussions to anything you have to say; you have my word," I expressed in a tone of silk.
This seemed to be a spark to his furnace, as he puffed up with the last ounce of his confidence, this time speaking with his chest. He gave a short pause before continuing with what he had to say. "My lord, would it be appropriate to ask for our name to be indoctrinated into the royal family?"
My eyes widened as a spell of silence engulfed the room, gripping everyone in a vice that was only broken by a sudden outcry of one of the more problematic nobles of the outer territory.
It wasn't long before that single individual turned to dozens, then to hundreds, and then into the entire room, leaving nothing but outroar among the beautifully decorated room. People started berating and criticizing him for daring to ask me such a question, with some even going as far as to demand a public execution for daring to spout such nonsense.
Before I could speak, or even conjure up a thought on the matter, he had begun to plead his case, seemingly lost in his own reality as he sputtered out things such as the family's stance during the war and the numerous benefits such a union would include, and that wasn't even mentioning the amount of coin such a thing would pool: honestly the mere thought of it was mind boggling, almost nauseating really; one did not need so much coin in even fifty liftimes.
But looking over at Tanya was like looking at a rerun of the show she had put up minutes ago, and that pleased me to no end. It hadn't been long then until I had burst out in uncontrollable laughter, its shocking form reverberating around the magnificent chamber, beholding this gathering of guests and strangers, and silencing the cries of irritation they once shouted; however, I cared for none of it, more than happy to revel in my own amusement than keeping up a face.
It was Pruden who eventually brought me down from the clouds of my own making, anchoring me back into the conversation as he questioned seemingly everything he knew about me.
"Sir?"
After a few moments to right my fragile mask, Prudens continued, seemingly disheartened by my jolly mood; something I quickly surmised to be a misinterpretation.
'He thinks I find his question a joke.' Not a guess but a fact; I could see it written on the very atoms making up his being. An over exaggeration on my part, but an accurate one nonetheless.
He lowered his head in defeat as he seemed to quickly accept my misinterpreted mood. " Sorry... Sir... I-I didn't mean to... offend you..."
'Offend me? When did he do such a thing?' I quietly chuckled to myself, "The human mind is such a fickle thing, isn't it, Prudens?"
Pruden began to talk as his head tilted up to meet mine, his gaze quickly locking with mine as his speech halted in his throat. "I know it was... a...dumb..."
He couldn't, no, he tried, and failed to finish his sentence as he gazed into my flawed Emerald eyes, there forms sparkling with a familiarity that no one but Tanya had ever had the privilege of seeing.
I used this deathly still opportunity to speak my answer, tho in a far different light than he might have imagined.
"Pruden," I paused, "No... Brother, I would be honored to call you family," his eyes grew wide at the mere mention, "but you must give me one thing."
Pruden, still in a state of shock, replied with a simple, slow word. "Anything."
Grinning ear to ear, I responded with an equally simple desire. "Your Blessing."
Now it was the entire room's turn to fall into confusion, one that was sooner shattered by shock, awe, and jealousy, as my knee fell to the floor, and my body turned on a dime to face the most beautiful woman of the evening, on the very same knee that I knelt down with when we first became aquanted with one another.
The sight of Tanya's face again becoming scarlet was like looking at the setting sun as I took her hand and asked her the question again, this time making sure everyone in the room heard.
"Tanya Valken, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" I asked a third time, my Emerald orbs glittering under her rays.
Again, she made a motion of twirling with her hands while avoiding my eyes and said, the very few words that would become my light for the rest of our days, "I guess you stupid Baka."
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Year 3324 Jun 5
'Another dream...' were my thoughts as my mind slowly wound down from the resurfaced memory, its traitors form causing a frown to appear on my ghastly visage, its own image far too pale to be considered skin.
It was always that dream... every time, without fail, I am reminded of my greatest treasure, a piece so delicate and beautiful that the day I lost it was the day I lost a piece of myself with it, never to be whole again; and nothing in my vast armory of power could change the fact that I was responsible for her fate...
When the conflict started, I thought it would only last until the end of March at most, but I was quickly proven wrong when those vile bags of flesh ripped their way through my kingdom day after day, and month after month, seemingly never satisfied with what they had already ripped away from me.
My fist began to tighten the longer I thought about it.
Yet, despite this, despite what they took, despite what they were taking, I held out; I clung to my idea that they would see reason sooner or later... that was my first mistake, and my last.
Pruden's was first, with his body being dismembered and put on a stake, its visage paraded around the vast streets of my kingdom as they openly mocked me.
Tanya... Tanya was next; she had ridden out in rage with a plethora of conjured troops to avenge the loss of her little brother... but... but there were just too many of them, too much to kill, and not enough mana to conjure up the troops to kill them... She met her heart-shattering demise at the hands of an experimental bomb; there wasn't even anything left to bury.
Through this, I had been nothing but silent, hopeful, and optimistic, but when I lost Tanya, when I lost my biggest sun, I lost the hope, and instead had it replaced with raw fury, one that blinded me to everything around me, resulting in me losing the last piece of my soul, of my lousy humanity.
My sweet little girl... taken and burned...
My nails had dug into my palm at this point, and blood had begun to pool under my resting fist, creating a reflective red sheen on the armrest of my thrown.
The humanity that I had acquired over the countless years, the one that had me shackled to the idea of a better future, was swiftly snuffed out by the very race I had gained it from, leaving nothing but the Emerald king in its wake, a being too heartless to care for anything but himself.
It was that very being that ended the war, as the final straw had broken his back, and sent a tidal wave of hate flooding into him.
Everything was over in a mere snap; one insignificant action had not only ended the war, but all of humanity on every planet, in every sector, regardless of whether they were of the guilty party; though whether that fact remained true for the darkest part of the current universe was left unfound, as I had little patience to care about it.
After the silence came the despair, a notion far more prominent as I almost slept on the graves of those whom I had come to call family, forever yearning to have them back or to at least join them in their place of eternal rest, but that would never happen, as even at my weakest, I am but an immortal being who had come to regret being immortal.
I've tried many things to end my everlasting life, but they always failed in the end, robbing me of my own chance at eternal rest and forcing me to come up with a solution that would be able to replicate that rest. It's just not in the way one might think.
With the planet devoid of human life, everything quickly fell into disrepair, and Mother Nature took over as it had before, leaving beautiful works of art in the forms of overgrown homes and rubble-filled streets.
Every house in a fifty-mile square radius was covered in green, with flowers of multiple colors sprouting from random points across the city, each flower varying in size depending on the location of said flower.
Certain sections of this planet were abundant with the core energy.
Core energy is a crucial piece of the plant, as it acts like a lifeline when they're young, providing them with the necessary nutrients they wouldn't be able to obtain themselves until they were much older; it also helps when the plants don't have any luck with prey items, keeping themselves sustained on the laylines lying deep underground.
Though not all of them are just for looks, as the red one in the distance was far more attuned to hunting life than it was to absorbing UV, leaving the planet with a highly lethal carnivorous plant that had a higher death tally than even some of the weakest of hunters, and to say that was impressive would be an understatement.
When one of these plants catches a victim, it proceeds to sting the target; said sting will be laced with a poison that kills the victim 2 hours after the initial sting. But that is one of the mysteries of the plant, as a few minutes after the death of the prey item, the target will rise again with an insatiable hunger to eat any living creature.
I never bothered to look into it, as the discovery had been made during the coup that the humans performed, but I did note some of the papers they were working on at the time, which said it had only occurred in infected human victims.
Yet another reason to add to the seemingly infinite list of reasons to despise humanity.
"They are such dull and pitiful creatures," was all I could say as I reached out to the open night sky with a bloodied palm, my final words of conscious life dripping away into my final action.
Using the flowing blood still leaking from my palm, I created a physical manifestation of a fragment of my power in the form of an emerald butterfly, its fluttering and glittering wings flapping viciously as it flew off into a seemingly random direction, off to cause trouble for the locals just by existing.
I couldn't help the smile that came to my face as I thought about how much havoc it could cause.
I sat there and watched with a ghost of a smile as the emerald flew off into the distance.
My eyelids grew heavy as I took one last look at the most serene view before giving in and letting my body do the rest; I went still a moment later, falling into a slumber that would last for decades at least.
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Year 3392 Oct 21
"Sir!" Came the frantic voice of an employee.
"What is it private?" asked a man with a large ponytail, his face littered with tiny cut-like scars.
"We have something showing up on the satellite images!" was the response given to the man.
"When don't we? It's always the same. Someone says they see something, and it turns out to be a floating rock." The scared man said with a bit of irritation.
"No, Sir! You don't understand. The object we caught in the photo appears to be an entirely new planet!" The Employee all but screamed in delight.
"Is that so..." Came the slow response of the employee's superior.
"And it's not only that, sir! There appears to be life on it! Even visible from space, from he looks of it!" The employee turned in his chair, "This could be it, sir! This could be our chance at discovering the very first life-bearing planet outside of Earth!"
Now, that caught his attention.
"What kind of life?"
The question caused the employee to smile widely.
"To list a few," he turned back to his cramped workspace, quickly naming off almost every essential component needed to sustain human life.
The superior's smile only grew the more he heard.
"Good Work, Private! Keep up this kind of work, and you'll be living a life of luxury in two years flat!"
"Thank You, Sir!"
Turning around, the scared man yelled back.
"Jay!"
The woman who was previously standing to the side during this conversation spoke up at her superior's call, her own enthusiasm lost to the depths of corporate.
"Sir?" was her quick response.
"Go get Jack."
"Yes, Sir!"
She quickly slumped as she ran off to find his second hand, though that seemed to be far more trouble than it was worth, as he only showed up two hours later, his prosthetic leg clicking on the stone floors of the base.
"What is it, Seti?" He dared to say.
"You fucking idiot! What Took You So Long!?" the now-named Seti cried out in an uproar.
Jack responded. "Ya know, doing paperwork, working on my office, and... some tomfoolery, if you know what I mean," he said with a face so stupid that you wouldn't believe him.
Seti huffed in irritation at the audacity the youth had these days.
"Listen here, dumbass. We have confirmation that there's a new planet on the cusp of our range with the possibility of housing life. So you're going to take your happy ass up north to the outpost and inform them of this. Now Move Your ASS, you good-for-nothing Playboy! I doubt we have long before another blasted country finds this, and I want that promotion sooner rather than later!"
Jack didn't even get a chance to react as he was shoved out of the main room and into the hall.
With a scowl painted on his face, he begrudgingly made his way to the parking garage to pick up a car.
"If it's so important, why don't you do it, you lazy bastard..."
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Year 3392 Jan 12
"This is unit 202; we are ready for take-off," a radio crackled.
"Roger that 202, we are activating the launch now; brace yourselves," came the response.
"Copy that."
"All Personnel Are to Leave The Launch Pad; I Repeat All Personnel Are To Leave The Launch Pad. We are preparing forlift-off," a warning blared.
"All Right, Everyone! It's Time To Wrap Up! Step Away From The Thrusters And Move Back To The Safe Zone!" Someone shouted.
"We Have Lift Off In 5-4-3-2-1."
With a boom that could be heard for miles, the thrusters roared to life like a bat out of hell, likely deafening anyone who had lingered too close for a short time.
The shuttle took its time before rising into the air, gaining altitude faster and faster until it was past the atmosphere, and once there, it quickly cut loose the equipment that had been vital to getting it there, leaving two large fuel silos floating in space to later crash down to earth and burn up in the atmosphere.
"This is Captain of 202; we have successfully breached the atmosphere and are on a trajectory for Planet Zero; I repeat, we have successfully breached the atmosphere and are on a trajectory for Planet Zero," the Captain repeated.
"This is high command; we have heard your message and wish you good luck on the expedition." With that final line said, the 202 crew hunkered down for the night as they were in for some uneventful days.
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Year 3392 Jan 21
"Log 1"
"This is the captain of unit 202; we are 2 hours out from Planet Zero, and I can confirm that life is present and being sustained; other than that, there's not much to see... End log"
Jan 22
"Log 2"
"This is the captain of unit 202; back with a report. We landed yesterday and have not found anything out of the ordinary. This place is almost exactly like planet Earth. The air seems breathable, but we opted to continue wearing our rebreathers so we don't have to worry about contracting some unknown illness... End log"
Jan 23
"Log 3"
"This is the medic codename Angle of unit 202; we have discovered an odd fauna. We found it dead on one of the forest edges and are now conducting an autopsy on it. The subject of the study appears to be a large cat-like species with five 2-meter-long tails and two sets of legs that reach up to eight feet. It has fangs the size of a twenty-four-inch machete and claws that extend up to a foot. We have not begun dissection yet because we are waiting for the captain to return from scouting... End log"
Jan 24
"Log 4"
"This is the captain of unit 202; the creature my team found has been dubbed Claw, and Angle will go into further detail on it upon completing the dissection.
On another note, while on the scouting mission the other day, I ran into two things that might interest the command.
One can't be extracted due to aggressive behavior, and the other is just a matter of catching it. The first one I mentioned displayed intentions to harm me when I got too close; it had the image of a large flower with petals painted in different shades of red; another I saw had green petals instead of red, so I'm going to assume that one is a subspecies of the other or they both have different meanings in what they can do; almost like jungle frogs.
The other creature I observed was a butterfly that looked to be made out of emerald; it also seemed to glow from time to time. I didn't get to observe it longer because it flew off, but I have this odd feeling that it won't be the last we see of it... End log"
Jan 25
"Log 5"
"This is the engineer codename Architect of unit 202; I don't know what it is about this place, but it doesn't feel right.
Every time I turn my back, I swear I can feel something watching me, not to mention the creature who keeps leaving scratch marks on the ship's outer hull; that's not even the creepiest part, either.
I don't know how or why, but the scratch marks always appear on the outer wall, specifically the walls that block the outside from the sleeping quarters; it's almost like they know we are asleep and want to get in. I don't know how much longer I'll be willing to stay... End log"
Jan 26
"Log 6"
"This is Angle of Unit 202; I have completed the dissection of the fauna now known as Claw; the creature's internal structure appears to be vastly different from the average cat you'd find on Earth.
Most of the known big cats on Earth are meat eaters.
This one doesn't appear to be one; its internals are structured in a way that makes it obvious it is a herbivore; more proof can be derived from the fact that aside from its canines, all its teeth are flat.
I also found a gland of some kind in its lower jaw.
For now, I have dubbed it dangerous because of the unknown factors that lie within, and given the interactions with most glands within a subject's body, it's safe to say it's most likely a toxin of some kind.
I have it contained in a vacuum-sealed bag for further study when we return to Earth... Log end"
Jan 27
"Log 7"
"This is the Architect of unit 202; I... I... god damn it... I woke up today expecting the same. Scratches on the outer hull and the feeling of being watched; I got both... and a little more of the other...
The feeling of being watched has doubled, and the number of claw marks has tripled. We held a vote; instead of leaving on the designated date, we are cutting the trip short and leaving in a few hours. Both the Captain and Angle agreed to this as it is becoming increasingly more hostile the longer we stay here.
Before we go, though, the Captain went out one more time to catch this butterfly she keeps talking about; I don't know anything about it, but with the way she talks about it, it has to be something... End log"
Jan 27. An hour before the departure
"Finale log"
"This is the captain of unit 202; the specimen has been caught, and the ship is preparing to launch. All research and samples we've collected and documented are being loaded as we speak.
Once we lift off, it'll take nine days to arrive back on Earth... End log"
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If you were still on Planet Zero, you could see a second coming of the sun as it rose past the horizon and into the depths of space.
Many things were there to witness it, and they always have been.
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Year 3392 Feb 5
"Everyone, get to your post and prepare for their arrival now!" Shouted a man with long black hair tied up into a ponytail.
The area around him was bustling with activity in preparation for the inevitable landing of Unit 202.
When they received a message from the 202 launch ship stating they were on their way back, they were notably shocked as they had not been expecting them for another five days.
As such, they had to make haste to create an appropriate landing space for them to use.
Seti was surprised, but not too surprised, as he had already anticipated their early arrival.
The mission was more of a test run to him than anything, as it was common for a commander to send in scouts to observe possible threats before diving into the deep end, and it seems he was right to do so because, upon landing, the ground team and everyone around couldn't help but notice the sizable claw marks imprinted in the metal.
They only stopped gawking when the landing gear was fully deployed to stabilize the ship.
People began to move again afterwards, as all of them had different tasks to take care of.
Some were sent to retrieve the pilots and check them over for any injuries they might have obtained while there, and others were sent to the cargo bay to retrieve any samples and documents they had collected or documented while off-planet.
Most were sent to document and repair the damage accumulated on the ship's outer hull.
A worker was looking at the damage when he spotted something odd. A flower; it was so small you wouldn't think twice upon seeing it. He leaned closer to get a better picture of it.
To him, it looked dead, but he could still see a faint red outline on it. Leaning in a little closer, he could have sworn to see it move, but that was just his mind playing tricks on him... right?
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The Butcher Plant is a plant that has eight colored petals; the colors vary from Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, and Black. Each color represents a different meaning; some mean danger, while others mean safety.
For Example/ Green, Blue, and Black are all in the safe category. Green secretes an Orange substance that has healing properties and can cure most known illnesses.
Blue genetically modifies the host from the inside; it can do this thanks to the spores it releases in the air. Said spores are microscopic and can't be seen under normal circumstances. The spores will turn the host into the equivalent of fantasy elves, with much longer lifespans, long ears, sensitive hearing, and an unnatural connection to nature.
The last of the safe ones are Black; Black represents death, which is what most say, but on Planet Zero, Black represents life. The Black flower, located on Planet Zero, has properties that can make one immortal... An undying being that not even the strongest of gods can kill.
Next, we move on to the deadly Butcher Plants, Red and Yellow.
Yellow on Planet Zero represented cessed motion in nature; the Yellow Butcher Plant can shoot out two-inch needles covered in a toxin that permanently paralyzes any targets hit. When hit with this plant, your only option is to die, as there is no cure.
Finally, we move on to the Red Butcher Plant; this plant is the worst plant to come out of the butcher family, as its colors represent the opposite of the Black. Death.
This plant uses a long and malleable protrusion with over twenty-six medium to large needles embedded in it; said protrusion is located at the center of the Red Butcher Plant and has been described as an unblinking Eye of ink. If you were ever stung by this plant, you would experience symptoms such as Haemorrhagic fevers, muscle spasms, severe migraines, partial blindness, loss of hearing, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, psychotic tendencies, irrational behavior, Aquaphobia, and more. And to top it all off, you'd only have two hours to live after the initial sting.
Once that time is up, you will die, yet... You won't...
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Two Hours Before Fallout
The worker decided he didn't care too much and went to pull the flower to throw it in the trash, marking it down as space debris and a low risk to any actual ship integrity, in the process.
When his hand came into contact with it, a prickling sensation was felt through his protective gloves, one that had him pause for but a second as he quickly discarded the feeling and continued on with his work, unaware of the planet he had just doomed.
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When a person is stung by a Red Butcher Plant, they won't feel anything for ten minutes after the initial sting.
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An Hour Before Fallout
Seti looked on with curiosity as the fluttering creature flew about in its container.
"And you said it could glow?" he quetioned as he looked at the 202 captain.
"Yes, Sir," was her quick response.
Seti thought for a moment before continuing. "Well, as impressive as this thing is, we have nothing on it, so I'll get a research team on this immediately. Your contribution shall not be forgotten; great work, captain."
"Thank you, sir!" With that, the captain turned and left, leaving Seti alone.
He stayed a bit longer to watch the creature before turning and leaving himself, all the while being oblivious to the lid of the container slowly turning open.
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Fallout
"Stupid Seti, always bossing me around like I'm a nobody. Well, I'm not a nobody, god damn it! I am the second in command! And I deserve just as much respect as he does." Jack spouted to no one, his anger palpable through the halls.
"Who does he think he is, bossing me around like that? I-"
"huuuuu'."
Jack was stopped as he heard someone groaning.
He turned his head in curiosity. "Hello?" he called out.
No response
That pissed him off, and so he started looking around for the source, aiming to take his anger out on the unsuspecting victim.
"There you are, bastard! You think you can ignore me!" He yelled while hobbling over to what looked to be a shuttle cleaner.
Another groan.
If the hallway had been a little brighter, Jack might have seen the blood; if the hallway hadn't been so dim, then Jack might have noticed the shaded pale eyes; if the hallway had been just a little bit brighter, then Jack would have lived... but it wasn't.
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Seti was sitting there filling out paperwork when the screams started. At first, he thought it was them celebrating the successful mission, but he turned out to be very wrong, as what was once just a few screams quickly became hundreds; he soon found out that they were not shots of joy but of fear.
He jolted up and rushed to the door to see what was happening, but before he could, something started banging on his door... and he responded.
If only he hadn't opened the door, he might have lived.
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We cut back to the storage room, filled to the top with boxes and supplies of many kinds, yet here, right now, the only thing that mattered was the flying emerald; it danced in the air with glee as the container it was previously in lay open on the ground. Eventually, it flew over to the wall and phased through it, not leaving a trace of it ever being there.
This one single action had consequences, consequences that led to the world's inevitable end.
The energy used by the emerald butterfly had overloaded the electrical system that the facility used, subsequently frying the circuits and opening every door connected to it in the process; it was truly a shame that the main exit door was electric.
It flew off into the distance, leaving chaos and death behind.
I wonder where it's heading. Maybe a flower field, or perhaps a forest, no?
Hmmmm, OK... how about... a tree house?