Steam hissed into the stagnant air, curling like ghostly fingers as the docking pod latched onto the Skeld with a metallic groan. The sound reverberated down the too-quiet corridors, amplifying the void. Inside the airlock, Ninja stood motionless, adrenaline surging through his veins. His hand rested on the release lever, knuckles white with tension.
The hatch opened with a sharp hiss, shattering the oppressive silence. A rush of stale air met him, carrying the metallic tang of blood and the acrid stench of burnt circuits. Ninja stepped into the corridor, his boots echoing ominously on the metal floor. The dim emergency lights flickered overhead, casting jagged shadows that writhed on the walls like living things.
"What the hell happened here?" he muttered, his voice barely audible. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his katana, its familiar weight grounding him. He moved forward cautiously, scanning every corner for signs of movement. The ship felt alive with menace, each shadow brimming with silent threats.
A distant explosion rattled the hull, the vibrations unsettling the floor beneath him. Ninja froze, his senses sharp, waiting for the stillness to break again. But it didn't. Only the low groan of the ship and the flicker of dying lights remained.
He took another step, then stopped. Something dark and slick slithered across the floor ahead, disappearing into the shadows. His breath hitched. **That wasn't human...**
"Shit," he whispered.
The medical bay door slid open with a hiss, and Ninja spotted Jean crouched on the floor. Blood pooled around him, his hands pressed firmly to Captain Max's chest in a futile attempt to staunch the bleeding. Max lay sprawled, his uniform soaked through with crimson. His shallow, ragged breaths filled the air with grim finality.
"Jean!" Ninja called, rushing forward.
Jean's head snapped up, his face pale and glistening with sweat. "Ninja! Thank Ymir you're here!"
Ninja knelt beside them, his stomach turning at the sight of Max's wound. The jagged edges of the injury were blackened, as though seared by something unnatural. "What happened?"
Max's eyes fluttered open. His voice was a rasp, each word strained. "The... parasite... it's back."
"Kenneth?" Ninja's voice was low, urgent.
Jean nodded, his trembling hands still pressing down on the wound. "He's killed everyone, Ninja. We need to—"
"Stop," Max cut in, his tone commanding despite the weakness in his body. His hand clamped onto Ninja's arm, smearing blood across his sleeve. "You can't run. Kill...It..."
Ninja froze, the weight of the captain's words settling heavily in his chest. Max's gaze faltered, his eyes dimming like a flickering lightbulb. Around them, the shadows seemed to close in.
A memory surged unbidden—Aiden's face.
"Aiden," Ninja whispered, the name of his old friend catching in his throat. The familiar pang of grief twisted in his chest, but he shook it off, forcing himself back to the present.