The dim lights in Kenneth's quarters flickered like dying stars, casting distorted shadows that writhed and danced across the cold steel walls. Kenneth sat on the edge of his cot, the silence pressing in on him like a living thing. Before him lay an ancient tome, its cracked leather cover exuding an aura of dark power. The air vibrated faintly, as if the ship itself recoiled from the artifact's presence.
Kenneth's gloved fingers traced the intricate symbols etched onto the pages. The glyphs shimmered faintly, pulsating with an energy that seemed to respond to his touch. These were no mere markings; they were alive, writhing as though eager to escape the confines of the parchment.
The symbols shifted and morphed, their patterns forming into an image—a great tree with gnarled, skeletal branches reaching toward an unseen sky, its roots plunging deep into a churning abyss of black and gold. The vision gripped Kenneth, pulling him deeper into its thrall. His breathing quickened, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Ruwa owari Kunamomaha gokuchi no toshi man Notanā . Kan ji nori ki shiki sei . Samajin shu go, isadakuteki okoshi" he whispered, in an ancient language, of some sort. His voice was low and fervent, each syllable imbued with reverence and anticipation. The words hung in the air, resonating with a power that seemed to ripple outward.
The flickering light above steadied momentarily, illuminating Kenneth's crimson visor. For a heartbeat, the room felt like the eye of a storm, still and heavy with latent energy. Kenneth closed the tome with deliberate care, the pulsing symbols vanishing as the cover shut. Rising from his cot, he adjusted his uniform, his movements precise and methodical.
When he finally stepped into the dimly lit corridor beyond, a predatory grin spread across his face. The hunt had begun.
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Far from the Skeld II, a sleek MIRA Special Forces pod cut through the vast emptiness of space. Its engines glowed like twin embers, propelling it toward the solitary spacecraft adrift in the cosmic void. Inside, Special Forces Agent "Ninja" sat at the helm, his dark, intense eyes locked on the distant silhouette of the ship.
The distress calls still echoed in his mind: garbled transmissions, desperate voices cut short, and then a chilling silence. Reports of crew disappearances, strange disturbances, and an unidentifiable threat had reached MIRA. They needed someone who could handle the impossible, and Ninja had answered the call.
He tapped a sequence into the controls, adjusting his trajectory. "Hang in there," he murmured to himself, his tone laced with quiet determination. "I'm almost there."
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Kenneth stalked the ship's shadowy corridors with a deadly calm, his movements fluid and deliberate. The once-lively hum of the Skeld was muted, as though the ship itself was holding its breath.
The cafeteria was eerily quiet, save for the faint hiss of an air vent. Lena sat alone at one of the tables, cradling a steaming mug of tea. She turned at the sound of the door sliding open, her face brightening at the sight of Kenneth.
"Hey, Kenneth. Want some—?"
Her words were cut off as Kenneth lunged, his blade slicing cleanly across her throat. Blood sprayed across the table and floor, the mug slipping from her hands and shattering on the steel deck. Lena's eyes widened in shock, her hands clutching at her neck as she collapsed.
Kenneth caught her before she hit the ground, lowering her with almost tender care. Her lifeless gaze locked with his, her terror frozen forever. Kenneth smiled—a wicked, triumphant curve of his lips.
"Your sacrifice will not be in vain," he murmured, rising and stepping over her body.
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The med bay's sterile glow reflected off Kenneth's visor as he entered. Jayden, the ship's medic, was hunched over a console, his attention fully absorbed in a diagnostic scan. He didn't hear Kenneth approach until it was too late.
The blade drove into Jayden's abdomen, and he gasped, his eyes wide with pain and shock. Kenneth twisted the weapon, eliciting a strangled cry.
"You've served your purpose," Kenneth said, his tone devoid of emotion. He yanked the blade free and grabbed Jayden's shoulders, lifting him effortlessly. With a horrifying display of strength, Kenneth tore him in two, the medic's blood splattering the pristine walls.
As the pieces of Jayden's body hit the floor, Kenneth let out a low chuckle, the sound reverberating through the room.
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The bodies piled up as Kenneth moved from section to section—the reactor hall, the engine room, storage. Each kill was swift, precise, and brutal. Blood pooled in the corridors, seeping into the grooves of the steel floors.
Kenneth paused in the dim glow of the reactor chamber, surveying his handiwork. The Skeld was silent now, save for the hum of the ship's core. He reached for the tome, which he had carried with him, and opened it once more. The symbols glowed brighter than ever, their radiance filling the room.
Kneeling before the reactor, Kenneth began to chant in the ancient language once again.
"I Kon Wa Hikari No Gen yǔ…Yo Hi No Sue Tsui…Yo Mono Ki Kura Ta Ki Ga Toki… Shita gé , I-sa Daku Teki Okoshi…"
The shadows at the edges of the chamber thickened, coalescing into a tangible darkness. It writhed and undulated, forming into a monstrous, shapeless entity with glowing void-like eyes. Its presence was oppressive, its growl a low, guttural sound that made the air vibrate.
Kenneth's voice rose, a mix of awe and command. "Come to me, my master!"
The entity loomed closer, its formless mass radiating malevolence. Kenneth's grin widened as he gazed into its void-like eyes.
"This is the beginning," he whispered.
On the command deck, Captain Max stood at the central console, staring at the main display. The crew's biosignatures had gone dark one by one, leaving an empty grid where once there had been life. His hands clenched into fists as he fought to maintain composure.
When the door slid open, Max turned sharply, his sidearm already drawn. Kenneth stepped inside, his visor gleaming like blood under the dim lights.
"You've gone too far, Kenneth," Max said, his voice a growl.
Kenneth tilted his head, his posture relaxed but predatory. "Far? No, Max. I've only just begun. You cling to old rules, old ways. You can't even see the opportunity before us."
Max squared his shoulders, defiance blazing in his eyes. "Opportunity? You've turned this ship into a graveyard!"
Kenneth took a step forward, his blade gleaming in his hand. "They were weak, expendable. Their sacrifices will pave the way for something greater."
"Not on my watch."
Max lunged, firing his sidearm. Kenneth moved like a phantom, dodging the shots with inhuman speed. The two clashed in a brutal melee, fists and blades striking with deadly intent. Max managed to land a punch, knocking Kenneth back, but the predator was relentless.
Kenneth's blade found its mark, slashing across Max's side. The captain staggered but didn't fall, his sheer will keeping him upright. He grabbed a metal pole from a nearby console and swung it with all his might, striking Kenneth's arm and disarming him.
For a moment, it seemed Max had the upper hand. But Kenneth recovered quickly, his strength overwhelming. He wrenched the pole from Max's hands and drove it into the captain's side.
Max collapsed to his knees, blood seeping from the wound. Kenneth stood over him, his breath steady, his expression triumphant.
"You fought well," Kenneth said mockingly. "But this is the future, Max. And you… you're obsolete."
Max glared up at him, defiance still burning in his eyes. "You won't win. Not while I still draw breath."
Kenneth smirked. "That can be arranged."
Before he could strike the final blow, the sound of a docking alarm echoed through the ship. Kenneth turned his head sharply toward the sound, his grin faltering.
"The MIRA agent," he murmured.
Max used the distraction to reach for a hidden knife, his fingers trembling as he grasped it. Kenneth's focus snapped back to him just as the captain lunged.
The blade sank into Kenneth's shoulder, and he hissed in pain, stumbling back. Max collapsed, his strength finally failing, but his act of defiance left Kenneth slightly shaken. He then removed the blade from his shoulder, the wound healing almost immediately; to the shock of Max and Jean.As the docking alarm grew louder, Kenneth's grin returned, more feral than ever.
"This is just the beginning," he said in a cold voice.