After walking for hours, with the sun beginning its slow descent and his legs growing weak, the creature finally emerged from the forest.
The density of the trees gradually decreased until, at last, he reached the final tree at the forest's edge. He stopped, took a deep breath, and, if his helmet had been removed, the faint hint of a smile would have been visible on his face.
The dirt path stretched ahead into the unknown, and the creature decided to follow it, at least for a few more kilometers, to put as much distance as possible between himself and the forest.
As he walked along the path, he passed numerous ruins—remnants of grand castles and cities. Some were relatively intact, while others were reduced to little more than broken pillars. Scattered along the path were wooden carts, some shattered beyond use, while others still seemed functional.
After twenty minutes of walking, he spotted a partially broken statue in the distance. It remained standing, its features weathered but recognizable. Surrounding the statue was a stone wall, approximately five meters high, with no visible gate for entry. The silver statue appeared to be kneeling, and the wall surrounding it seemed relatively new, perhaps built around sixty years ago.
The statue itself stood at a towering fifteen meters tall. Its design caught the creature's attention—its armor resembled that of the warriors of the Kiren Empire, rulers of four planets. However, this armor was different. It looked more like a long robe than traditional armor. What confirmed its connection to the Kiren warriors was the chest plate. The design protruded forward into a wedge shape and tapered at the edges, clearly intended to redirect projectiles and shield vital organs. The armor extended to its legs, forming an incomplete skirt-like shape.
The statue wore a helmet that featured a prominent antenna. The helmet fully covered the head but had a section that was either deliberately designed to appear damaged or had been broken over time, exposing part of a skull on one side.
The statue was missing both arms, as though they had been crudely severed. Dangling from the stumps were frayed wires, and the rest of the statue was overgrown with plants and vines, signs of years of neglect.
The creature searched for a way to enter the walled area and eventually found a small hole, just barely large enough for him to squeeze through. He removed his pack, pushed it through the opening, followed by his weapon, and then maneuvered his body through the gap. Thankfully, his physique made the process manageable.
Once inside, he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and succumbing to the exhaustion of walking for hours on end without rest.
"Garish," he called out in a tired voice. "How long has it been since I started walking?"
The creature looked up at the sun, which was slowly setting, and at the golden rings visible in the clear sky.
He chuckled softly as he removed his helmet.
"Less than four hours? How is that even possible?"
He sighed, complaining to himself as he rested his head on his pack, using it as a makeshift pillow.
"Why am I this exhausted? I'm used to walking for days without rest."
"Gravity, then…"
The creature closed his eyes, gripping his weapon tightly in his hand. He drifted into a light sleep, hoping to recover some of his strength and shake off the weight of his exhaustion.