Eclipse-C-017, Mission Command, Tessa Marik's office.
"Erevos is beyond human comprehension. Anyone aboard this ship—adventurers or not—are test subjects. Should I continue, or do you no longer want to know the truth?"
Johann sat in a comfortable sofa chair in front of a desk made of glistening, deep reddish-brown wood. Tessa Marik, the Vice-Captain, loomed behind it, her sharp gaze piercing through his thoughts.
Test subjects… Beyond human comprehension? Johann's chest tightened as her words sank in. Are we facing monsters? Why use us instead of criminals or death row inmates?
The more he thought, the more the fear crept in. Regret bubbled beneath the surface, but he shoved it down. He couldn't afford doubt now.
Tessa began humming as she sifted through paperwork. Her nonchalance was infuriating, but Johann forced himself to calm down. With a strained smile, he said, "Continue. Tell me everything. I need to know what kind of experiment this is."
Her glare shattered his forced confidence like glass. "You don't need to know. Your only mission is to survive. Hell."
Her words hung in the air like a death sentence. She continued before he could respond.
"From previous expeditions and observations, we've confirmed Erevos hosts beings not of this world. Monsters—no, fantasies made flesh. A B-Class capsule carrying our best tech? Obliterated in minutes. We barely have data, and what little we know suggests the planet itself is alive."
Johann's heart pounded like a drum. What kind of place are we going to?
"When you land, you'll be Cursed. It's the only reason any of you might survive. We don't fully understand the process, but it enhances strength, reflexes, and resilience. Power comes at a price, though. Don't assume you'll remain… human."
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "Spread this information, and you'll jeopardize everything. Chaos will only doom us all."
…
A week later, Johann sat in his room, staring at a mug of black tea. His duffel bag, packed light, rested beside him. Only essentials. An extra set of clothes. Tools. Supplies.
Elias has a plan, he thought, though doubt still nagged at him. He slung the bag over his shoulder, leaving his modest quarters for the last time.
The bar was lively as always, the air thick with conversation and the scent of grilled meat. Johann ordered his usual, Forge Ale. The bartender, Amara, slid the mug over, but before she could speak, he turned on his heel, heading toward Elias.
In the back corner of the bar, he was seated, using a knife and fork to carve through a tender steak. The steam rising from his plate mingled with the dim, ambient lighting, and Johann's stomach churned—not with hunger, but with unease.
He dropped into the seat across from him, silently downing half his beer in one go, while Elias, unbothered, continued to eat. What a guy, Johann thought, watching him chew. Stuffing his face like this isn't our last day of normalcy. I envy that… Guess I lost my appetite today.
Elias finally spoke, his words clear despite the food in his mouth. "You know, I never thought I'd meet someone like you."
Johann raised an eyebrow. "Like me?"
"Yeah." Elias took a sip from his drink, setting it down carefully before continuing. "Most adventurers—hell, most people—half-ass everything. Bare minimum, or even less if they can get away with it. That's the crowd we're used to, isn't it?" He pointed his fork at Johann, his tone growing more serious. "But you? You're different. You've got the grit to keep moving, even when it seems hopeless."
Johann blinked, caught off guard by the praise. "That's… kind of you to say."
"I mean it," Elias said, cutting another piece of steak. "This is humanity's future we're talking about—exploration, colonization, pushing into the unknown. Adventurers are supposed to be the first line, the foundation for everything to come. Usually, we go in alongside a couple of B-Class ships, plenty of firepower, plenty of backup." He paused, chewing slowly. "But this mission? There's none of that. Just us. Everyone's expendable, and frankly, everyone's likely to die."
Johann shifted uncomfortably, gripping his mug tighter.
"And yet, in all this mess, I met you," Elias said, leaning back in his chair. "Someone who's actually trying. Someone who's got a plan, even if it's not perfect. That's rare, Johann. Really rare." He drained the rest of his drink, slamming the glass down with a faint smile. "For that, consider me your friend. Not just an acquaintance. A friend."
Johann opened his mouth to respond but hesitated. The warmth in Elias's words contrasted sharply with the cold reality they both faced. He settled for a small nod.
Elias grinned, cutting through the tension with a lighter tone. "Now, about those capsules…"
Before Johann could say anything, he cotinued, "You were worried about them, right?"
Across from him, Johann could only nod slowly in shame.
"Relax. I've already arranged for you, me, and a friend of mine to be on the same one. Her name's Lyn Verris. She's reliable."
He blinked in disbelief. "Wait—how?"
Elias smirked. "Connections. Let's just say I know someone on the inside."
Damn, why do I want to hug this guy? Johann wondered, a sincere smile plastered on his face. His circumstances were definitely not as hopeless as he thought.
"I originally had a not-too-bad plan to survive on the planet, but after thinking about it more, it really all comes down to our elevation and resources. Our first priority is mapping the surroundings and finding a safe, temporary place to camp. Nothing will be permanent in the beginning.
"That said, any planning beyond that is pretty useless without more information. Survival will depend a lot on luck, and that's something we just have to accept.
"But once we've settled and we're able to find some stability, we'll need to establish some kind of leadership among the hundreds of people on the capsule. Without some direction, chaos will take over, and that'll make building a colony near impossible.
"Our goal isn't just to survive, it's to create a foundation so we can begin our real jobs as adventurers—explore, gather data, extract resources, and start learning about the planet. But all of that relies on one thing: making sure we're alive to do it. If we're dead, none of it matters."
After sharing his thoughts, he suddenly heard a soft, female voice sound from beside him:
"Very reasonable. Elias, I'm glad you met someone like this out of all people."
Although this woman was standing up and Johann was sitting, she couldn't be much shorter than him. Setting her gaze on him, she smiled and said, "I'm Lyn Verris. Are you Johann?"
He slowly nodded as he watched her take a seat beside Elias.
A bit abrupt, but the more the damn merrier!
…
Hours later, Johann found himself tightly strapped into Capsule-C-22, held in place by thick machinery and safety restraints.
His arms, chest, legs, and neck were locked down so securely that even the slightest movement felt impossible.
The discomfort was immediate—his body ached from the pressure, and the confinement made his pulse quicken.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Elias beside him.
"Are you ready?" Elias shouted over the hum of machinery. "Brace yourself before the countdown ends!"
Johann swallowed hard, anxiety blooming in his chest.