Chapter 3: The Forced Dystopia
Emerging from his ship, Azmuth activated a personal cloaking device, rendering himself invisible to the naked eye. The air was heavy with humidity, and the sounds of the forest were strangely muted. There was a stillness that didn't belong, a silence that spoke volumes. The vibrant ecosystem he remembered was…gone. The lush vegetation was withered and brown, the air thick with a strange, metallic tang.
He moved cautiously through the undergrowth, his enhanced senses scanning the surrounding area. There were no signs of Incursean activity, no familiar trails or markings. The forest floor was littered with strange, metallic debris, unlike anything he had ever seen.
He reached the edge of the forest, emerging onto a desolate plain that stretched towards what was once a thriving Incursean city. Now, it was a ruin. The once vibrant structures of coral and bioluminescent flora were shattered and broken, reduced to skeletal remains. The canals were choked with debris, the water stagnant and polluted.
A wave of nausea washed over Azmuth. This wasn't natural. This was the result of some devastating event, some catastrophic force that had ravaged this world. He scanned the area for any signs of survivors, but there was nothing. Only silence.
He approached the ruined city, his footsteps echoing eerily in the stillness. He noticed strange markings on the shattered structures, symbols he didn't recognize. They were angular and sharp, unlike the fluid, organic designs of the Incurseans.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the ruins. Azmuth turned, his senses on high alert. From the shadows of a broken building emerged a creature unlike any he had ever encountered. It was large and reptilian, with thick, armored scales and glowing red eyes. Its body was augmented with metallic implants, crude and brutal.
The creature snarled, revealing rows of sharp teeth. It lunged at Azmuth, its metallic claws extended.
Azmuth, despite his shock, reacted quickly. He activated a personal energy shield, deflecting the creature's attack. The impact sent a jolt through his body, but the shield held. He had to understand what had happened here. He needed answers. And this creature, whatever it was, might be the only source of information he could find.