The cold, stagnant air of the landship clung to them like a second skin as Sera, Zyra, and Ava ventured deeper into the forgotten relic. Inside, the walls creaked under the weight of time, rust forming jagged edges along the metal corridors. Light flickered from their handheld torches, casting sharp shadows that seemed to dance with every movement. Dust filled the air, disturbed after who knows how many years, and it coated their throats with each breath.
Sera led the way, her tail flicking in anticipation, and behind her, Zyra and Ava walked cautiously. Every now and then, Ava would glance at the derelict consoles and machines that lined the halls, her excitement clear despite the tense atmosphere. "This thing must have been incredible in its prime," she whispered, more to herself than to the others.
Zyra, less interested in the ship's past and more focused on the present danger, kept her eyes forward. "Stay alert. Places like this don't stay abandoned without reason."
As they turned a corner, Ava stopped abruptly. "Did you hear that?" she asked, her voice low and tight with caution.
Sera froze, listening. There was something—a soft shuffle ahead, barely audible over the creaking of the ship. She motioned for the others to stop, her muscles tensing as she strained to hear.
Then, from the darkness ahead, a figure emerged. Slowly, cautiously, as if weighing them. It was a man, his silhouette sharp and deliberate against the fading light. His eyes gleamed with suspicion as he stood his ground, a hand resting on a sheathed blade at his side.
"Who are you?" The voice was low, measured, and guarded.
Sera held up a hand, signaling the others to stay calm. She stepped forward, keeping her tone neutral. "Just travelers. We found this wreck and decided to investigate."
The man's grip on his weapon didn't loosen. His eyes flicked over them—stopping on Sera's tail as it twitched behind her, then on Zyra, whose maid outfit seemed bizarrely out of place. His expression didn't soften; if anything, his suspicion deepened.
"Travelers? You don't look like ordinary travelers to me," he muttered, his gaze sharp and calculating. "Especially her." He pointed his chin at Zyra.
Zyra, noticing the focus on her, raised an eyebrow and smirked. "What? Never seen a maid before?"
The man didn't smile. "Not one like you. Not here."
Sera kept her voice steady, trying to diffuse the tension. "Look, we're not here to cause trouble. We're just exploring."
The man, clearly experienced and hardened by years of surviving on his own, didn't move. His clothes were practical—worn but functional—and there was a clear military edge to his stance. He looked to be in his mid-forties, his face weathered by time and the harshness of the forest outside.
"I've been here a long time," he said, his tone cautious. "No one just stumbles upon this place."
Zyra stepped forward, arms crossed. "We didn't stumble on it. We've been traveling and came across it. That's all."
The man didn't relax. "I've seen too many people out here to believe anyone is just passing through." His eyes narrowed. "And you… you look like Sarkaz. From the frontier, maybe?"
Sera's tail stiffened. She had been mistaken for a Sarkaz before, her features close enough to the Banshee subtype of the Sarkaz race to confuse most. Zyra, with her own somewhat exotic appearance, probably didn't help ease the man's suspicion.
"We're not from the frontier," Sera said, her voice firm. "And we're not here to rob you or this ship. What's your name?"
The man's expression didn't soften, but after a long pause, he answered. "Alaric."
Sera took a step forward, her hand away from her weapon, trying to show she meant no harm. "We're just trying to survive like you, Alaric. This landship… we're just curious. That's it."
Alaric didn't move. "This place isn't safe. I've been watching it for years. Things... happen here." His voice was flat, without emotion, but the warning was clear.
Zyra smirked again, her arms crossed as she looked the man up and down. "So what's your deal? Been living here all this time?"
Alaric shook his head. "No one lives here. No one in their right mind, at least. I've been watching it. Found it a while back, but I never go too deep inside."
Ava, whose curiosity had been piqued by the technology, took a step forward. "Why not? What's inside?"
Alaric's gaze hardened. "Things you don't want to find."
There was a pause as the group digested that information. Ava's curiosity remained undeterred, but even she had enough sense to realize that the man wasn't joking. The ship was a relic, yes, but it was also something more. Something dangerous.
"Look," Sera said, "we just want to explore. We're not here to claim anything. If there's something dangerous inside, we'll deal with it."
Alaric studied them for a moment longer, then sighed, as if coming to a reluctant decision. "Fine. But if you're going in, I'm coming with you. I've seen enough out here to know when a group of outsiders are about to walk into something they can't handle."
Sera nodded, sensing that this was the best deal they were going to get. "Alright. Lead the way."
Alaric gave a nod, then motioned for them to follow as they began to move deeper into the landship's belly. As they walked, his eyes continued to flick between Sera and Zyra, wary of the two Sarkaz-like women he now found himself traveling with. He had known many Sarkaz in his time, especially those who had been part of the military out in the frontier. But these two… they were different.
Zyra's outfit in particular caught his attention again, and he couldn't help but wonder where she had come from. That maid outfit… he had seen something like it before, once, a long time ago. But now wasn't the time for questions. The deeper they went into the ship, the darker and more treacherous it became.
The corridors narrowed, the rusted metal groaning with every step they took. Large sections of the landship had collapsed, blocking certain routes entirely. Here and there, sparks flickered from broken consoles, the technology far too old to be of any real use. But Alaric moved with purpose, his familiarity with the ship clear as he led them deeper, past the areas he had already explored.