Flickering lights cast erratic shadows across the room, the sharp buzz of electricity weaving through the low hum of murmured voices like a warning in the air. She finally opened her eyes and saw her crewmates struggling to get up. Some had slight injuries to their heads, and some of their equipment was damaged. Overall, it wasn't too serious. She tried to stand, but on her first attempt, she became dizzy.
"Just stay still for a minute. I'm sure your head will clear up."
She looked up and saw it was her team leader, who was now walking toward the deck. She tried to recall the last few moments before the crash. They had passed through a gate to the new world, but a crack in the wormhole had disrupted their journey, leaving them stranded in an unmapped region.
She finally got up and headed to the deck, leaving the others behind. The usual gang was already there—five of them in total, including the team leader. All had worried looks on their faces. After some catching up, she finally understood their fear: they had no way to contact HQ and were now stranded in unknown territory. No scouting had been done, so only a few drones they had were checking the perimeter.
No signs of life were found, and even the trees were dead for nearly a two-kilometer radius. Worst of all, the drone footage revealed three moons. Though the air was breathable, exploration was still considered dangerous—HQ documents had warned them about night creatures.
They decided to wait until morning, but seventy hours had passed with no sign of dawn. Eventually, they chose to take the risk. The team leader gathered all the troops—thirty-eight in total. With the goal of finding resources to sustain them until help arrived, the ship's hatch was opened, and they ventured into the night.
Larry, one of the five, was in charge of the ship as both its pilot and engineer. He advised everyone to keep their helmets on as they ventured into the night. Apart from Gilly and Uyi, who had swords, the rest held guns or, like Sara, had no weapons on hand.
They first secured the perimeter around the ship. For ten minutes, each of them moved as little as possible, their entire focus fixed on the environment. The wait felt like an eternity for some, especially with their energy levels low due to the lack of proper food. A woman with white hair approached the team leader, who was giving orders and splitting the group into two.
"Sara, can you light up the path?"
Sara, the woman with white hair, smiled as she tried to conjure her power. Only a small spark of electricity appeared. She glanced at Fed, a man with no trace of hair on his body. He tried to summon his own power, but the flame that usually cloaked him died out before it could light the surroundings.
"Uyi, I think something is off," he said.
The team leader, Uyi, stared off into the distance where he had just sent two people to scout. Only one was returning—and he looked terrified. It took a slap to his helmet to bring him back to his senses. The summary he gave was chilling: a ghostly figure with glowing eyes had killed the second scout. It had passed through the man—and he dropped dead instantly.
Uyi called for a retreat, but gunshots reverberated through the air. It was too late; the enemy was upon them. They had no choice now but to go through with the plan. Larry, Fed, and Sara would go north to find a safe spot, while Uyi would head south with Gilly. There was no time for further discussion—the enemies were now visible.
With that, they split up, each team running off into the darkness.
Footsteps pounded against the murky ground, leaving scattered patterns as a group of people raced through a forest of dead trees. The earth was dark, as if scorched by fire, and faintly reflected the moon above. Scream after scream echoed through the night as men fell one after another, taken down while pushing through the woods. Dark, ghostly figures chased them, attaching themselves to any unfortunate soul who slipped and fell on that wet, eerie night—leaving behind only dried-up corpses.
One man cried out, his face twisted in rage, as he pulled out his rifle and fired at one of the figures. The bullets passed through it seamlessly. He too met the same fate as the others before him.
Eventually, the survivors reached a cave, its entrance marked by a strange, pulsating glow. As they neared it, the creatures suddenly vanished—as if they had never existed—leaving only the survivors behind as the sole evidence of the massacre.
When they realized the pursuit had stopped, they moved a little deeper into the cave before halting to catch their breath. One by one, they removed their helmets, sorrow written all over their faces. Only a handful had survived from Uyi's team. Gilly looked around at their worn expressions, frowning, then walked up to Uyi.
"Will Sara and the rest be alright?"
Uyi looked at her, unsure how to respond. The silence between them grew awkward until he finally shook his head. Gilly knew Sara had excellent survival skills—but considering her power had failed, survival seemed nearly impossible.
Her thoughts were cut short as Uyi gave the next order, and the group ventured deeper into the cave. The further they went, the more the tunnel opened up—until they found themselves in a vast chamber, the size of a stadium.
With their powers no longer functioning on this planet, the only things they could rely on were their weapons. Everyone remained on high alert as they approached the open area, eyes scanning every corner. The crystals embedded in parts of the cave were the source of the pulsating light, making visibility possible despite the darkness.
They finally reached the center of the chamber. Nothing seemed out of place—except for the unsettling silence that filled the space.
At first, they ventured cautiously toward the center of the cave, every step calculated. The team was on high alert, scanning the darkness for any signs of danger.
"Drip... drip..."
The sound echoed through the hollow expanse, sharp against the silence. Instantly, the team spun around—only to find the severed legs of their rear guard lying still, blood dripping steadily from above.
Their gazes followed the trail upward.
A grotesque centipede hung from the ceiling, its fangs deep in the torso of their comrade, six pairs of glowing eyes fixed upon them with a chilling calm.
Uyi raised his hand—his signal. The team fell in behind him, weapons ready, while he and Gilly stepped forward. The centipede didn't move, only stared, its mouth twitching with anticipation.
Uyi's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. He had already scanned the cave earlier—there was only one known exit, the way they came in. The only other possible escape was a narrow, barely visible hole at the far end of the cave.
Beside him, Gilly readied herself.
Uyi could feel his power—once restricted—beginning to return. Slowly, but enough. The silence between them and the creature stretched on for nearly an hour, the centipede seemingly fixated on Gilly, unmoved by the others.
Then, without warning—it struck.
"Clang!"
Uyi's sword met the beast's claw in a burst of sparks. Gunfire erupted behind them as the others opened fire, and Gilly dove in to assist. But even as they fought in tandem, it became clear—their weapons barely scratched its armored hide.
Stamina waned. Morale slipped. Then—chaos.
The creature reared, and a torrent of venomous saliva rained down, melting two of the fighters on contact. Screams echoed. In the confusion, Uyi was slammed violently into the ceiling, then hurled into a wall, crumpling to the ground. Gilly turned—distracted—and a jagged claw pierced her shoulder.
She winced, gasped, but gritted her teeth and retaliated, jamming her blade repeatedly into one of the centipede's eyes. Black blood sprayed—some of it seeping into her wound, burning. Still, she stabbed until the creature shrieked and flung her aside.
"Thud."
She hit the ground hard, coughing blood, her body trembling. Yet her eyes sought Uyi, not the enemy. Crawling, dragging herself to him, she hoisted his unconscious form over her shoulder. Her vision blurred, but her will did not falter.
She limped toward the narrow hole at the far end of the cave—their last hope. Behind her, the rest of the team lay lifeless. But she didn't look back. Uyi was all that mattered now. A brother. A promise.
They reached the edge.
Below—only darkness. Pitch black. She hesitated for a breath.
Then she jumped.