The crystal gleamed with an ominous intensity at the center of the ship's power plant. Lyra had placed it carefully in its designated spot, a small recess specifically designed to absorb its power. The ship's lights flickered as the energy systems analyzed the mineral, and the vessel emitted a deep, almost metallic sigh as it processed the data.
A few seconds later, Lugh's voice emerged in the air, laden with palpable uncertainty.
"Lyra... The analysis is complete. This crystal has an impressive capacity, but..." He paused, as if struggling to find the right words. "To restore the propulsion generators and gather enough energy for takeoff, we would need... two hundred years."
Lyra froze, staring at the system's screen, hoping it was a mistake. But it wasn't. The numbers didn't lie. The energy the crystal generated wasn't enough to power the propulsion in the time she needed.
"Two hundred years? Are you kidding me?" Lyra murmured, a bitter laugh on her lips. She had never imagined that a simple rock could have such energy capacity, and yet, here she was, trapped on this desolate world, with her only hope turned into an endless chain of years.
Lugh, however, didn't seem surprised. His tone was soft but carried the same tension she felt.
"It's not a joke, Lyra. It's what the mineral can generate. I'm sorry."
Lyra exhaled sharply, looking out the window. The planet's landscape remained strange and desolate, a reminder of what she had left behind... and what she had lost in this place.
"Well... That changes things," she said, turning toward the control panel and adjusting the system's projections. The water and food reserves wouldn't last forever. The rations were meant for a two-month journey, and several weeks had already passed since they left the base. By cutting back on consumption, she could survive a few more months, but that wouldn't be enough.
"Lugh, how are the supplies holding up?" Lyra asked, her tone more serious now, as the ship's numbers and readings filled the screens.
"The water reserves will last about three months if you drastically reduce consumption. The food... a little less. If you keep at the current rate, you can survive up to four months at most."
Lyra ran a hand over her face, feeling the pressure mounting in her chest. The situation was more complicated than she had thought. The reserves wouldn't last long enough, and she couldn't rely on the ship forever. She needed to go out and search for supplies. And that meant facing an inhospitable planet.
"Great..." she murmured, a wry laugh escaping her. "Just what I needed. A little action. And what about the environment? Any kind of natural resource sources?" she asked, trying to keep her calm.
Lugh emitted a humming sound as he processed the available data about the planet.
"The planet is extremely inhospitable. The atmosphere has high levels of carbon dioxide, and temperatures fluctuate dramatically between day and night. However, I detect some water formations in the southern regions, in lower areas. You may find resources there, but there's also wildlife... dangerous wildlife."
Lyra approached the window and gazed out at the vast horizon of the planet. It was an arid landscape, filled with rocky mountains, but in the distance, she could see what might have been bodies of water, faintly reflecting the dim light of the sun.
"Great," she said, turning back with a more determined glint in her eyes. "How dangerous?" she asked, not expecting an encouraging response, but still hoping there might be something she could do to survive.
"According to my analysis, the creatures in that area seem to have adapted to the planet's extreme conditions," Lugh replied, his voice now tinged with a note of warning. "They're territorial and aggressive, and some of them have magical abilities. It won't be easy."
Lyra let out a heavy sigh. She had no choice. The crystal had provided a brief respite, but not enough to escape. So, she would have to face the unknown, confront the dangers of this world if she wanted to survive.
"Perfect," she said, with a smile that was nothing more than a flash of madness in her eyes. "I love challenges. Let's go get those supplies."
Lugh let out a soft sigh in his projection, though his tone remained firm.
"Be careful, Lyra. This planet has more secrets than we can imagine."
"We'll find that out soon, won't we?" Lyra said as she prepared to leave the ship, her gaze fixed on the distant water formations. She knew time was running out, and her survival now depended on what she could find out there.
The dawn on the dark planet was like a desolate canvas. The sun barely peered over the horizon, casting a cold, gray light that illuminated the barren, dusty landscape. Lyra adjusted her backpack, checked her equipment, and prepared to face whatever the planet had in store for her.
With one last glance at the ship left behind as a reminder of her connection to a distant world, Lyra stepped into the vast unknown terrain. The sand crunched beneath her boots as she moved forward, her steps light but determined. In the air hung a metallic, acidic smell, a mixture of dampness and what seemed to be... rust.
After walking for hours under the weak sun, she arrived at an area that chilled her to the bone. As she passed through a cluster of rocks, the structures of what seemed to be an abandoned city began to emerge through the fog. Collapsing houses, stone buildings with strange symbols etched into their facades, and what looked like a marketplace, all in ruins. It was a silent reminder of a civilization that once thrived on this planet before succumbing to the darkness now reigning over everything.
"Lugh, any idea what could have happened here?" she asked, her eyes scanning the ruins.
"I don't have precise information about this civilization, Lyra. However, it seems their structures collapsed rapidly. It could have been some kind of cataclysm... or the influence of external forces," Lugh replied, his usual calm tone a little more distant, as if trying to process the data in his database without results.
Lyra walked through the abandoned houses, taking note of the scattered objects. Some were covered by a layer of dust, others broken and forgotten, but they all seemed to tell a silent story. She was about to continue when something moved in the gloom of a nearby house.
A flicker of movement, a pair of eyes glowing with a yellow gleam.
"I don't like this..." Lyra murmured, holding her weapon firmly as she looked around, but all she saw was silence and shadows.
Without warning, a group of creatures appeared, slithering from cracks in the walls and broken windows. They were vermin, with wiry bodies and eyes like torches. They lunged at her with speed, emitting guttural sounds that echoed like primal screams. Lyra reacted instantly, her reflexes enhanced by her cybernetic improvements.
With a swift move, she took down the first creature that approached her with a precise shot from her pistol, while with her other hand she activated her energy knife, which glowed with an electric light, cutting down another creature that tried to leap at her. The vermin quickly retreated, frightened by Lyra's power, but others emerged from the shadows. The battle was brief but brutal.
Finally, with the creatures on the ground, Lyra breathed heavily, wiping the blood from her face and scanning the area where the danger had emerged. A brief respite, just a brief respite, before moving on.
"Are you alright?" Lugh asked, his voice filled with concern that contrasted with the coldness of his usual tone.
"A little scraped, but nothing I can't fix," she replied, not losing focus. But she knew this was only the beginning.
She pushed forward even further, until the terrain began to turn wetter and more swampy. A stagnant pool of water appeared before her, with twisted trees rising like specters through the thick fog. The atmosphere was heavy with a dense energy, and the air felt even more difficult to breathe.
Lyra kept moving, her gaze fixed on the horizon, searching for water, resources, anything that could help her. But suddenly, a sound reverberated in the distance. A creaking of the earth, water stirring violently.
"Lugh... What is that?" Lyra asked, her voice now tense.
"I detect a large creature approaching. It's beneath the water, but it's... gigantic," Lugh said, his tone much more urgent.
Before she could do anything, the surface of the swamp exploded in a wave of murky water. A monstrous crocodile, the size of a small mountain, emerged with a deafening roar. Its bright red eyes locked onto Lyra, who instinctively reacted. The crocodile was a colossal beast, its body covered in thick scales like rocks, with tusks protruding like sharp daggers.
Lyra moved quickly, leaping to the side as the crocodile snapped its jaws shut with a force that created a deafening sound. She had no time to think. Her body moved on instinct, her enhanced abilities activated to the maximum. She drew her energy knife and ran toward the monster, dodging its attacks with agility, though the effort was exhausting.
The crocodile spun to attack her again, but this time Lyra managed to dodge with a backward roll, aiming her rifle's laser at its eyes. The first shot hit its eye, but the monster didn't give in. Suddenly, with a deadly twist, the beast struck her with its tail, throwing her against the nearby trees.
Lyra quickly got up, furious and disoriented, but the adrenaline kept her mind sharp. She activated her body's enhancement system and, with supernatural speed, ran toward the creature's weak spot. In one final move, she drove her energy knife into the beast's heart. A deafening roar echoed across the swamp as the crocodile fell to the ground, finally defeated.
Lyra breathed heavily, her body aching but triumphant.
"That was... incredible!" Lyra exclaimed, staring at the monster's carcass.
"You did it, Lyra. But don't forget that your encounter has been observed..." warned Lugh, his voice filled with an eerie gravity.
"Observed?" Lyra repeated, looking around, suddenly aware of the tension in the air.
Lugh continued:
"There are primitive beings in the area. I've detected hidden presences, watching with fear what just happened. They're not willing to show themselves at the moment, but... if you approach them, they might react."
"Great..." Lyra murmured. "I guess I have no choice but to keep moving. Let's see what's behind those shadows."