The night passed swiftly, the ethereal glow of the spores fading with the first golden beams from dawn. As the sun's golden rays filtered through the canopy, the base hummed with activity. Warriors checked their gear, researchers secured equipment and engineers did last-minute diagnostics on the vehicles. Today, most of the group were going to out to explore more of this primeval planet.

  The Horizon Post’s Bunker doors opened open as the group moved out. The drones were the first to move, flying silently ahead, their sensors scanning the path the path ahead. Following them, the convoy of off-road vehicles rumbled to life, engines purring as they lined up in formation. Leading the way was the heavily armored, tank-like vehicle, housing the expedition’s main guards: Matelda, Eric, Kevin and ten researchers. Following the armored car were two more cars each carrying ten passenger in total, including two warriors and three warriors respectively.

  Their destination lay to the east, a region that had yet to be explored. With the map displayed on the cars dashboard, Matelda, sitting in the co-pilot seat, gave the final go-ahead. The convoy set off, the wheels crunching over vegetation and the purple carpet that coated the ground.

  Hours passed as they drove, the landscapes shifted from towering bioluminescent forests to vast plains of violet shrubs that shimmered under the morning sun. Jagged rock formations, like the spines of ancient beasts, protruded from the earth. Occasionally, geysers erupted in the distance, spewing iridescent vapor into the sky and forming transient beautiful rainbows. The surreal beauty of the Primordial World was breathtaking, but it was still dangerous as they had to stop several times to deal with hostile creatures.

  Five hours into the journey, the group met with their first behemoth, a huge serpent-like beast slithered several kilometers from the convoy. The scouting drones captured footage of its immense form, stretching over six hundred meters and a body width of roughly fifteen meters. Its colorful scales glinted under the sun as it crushed everything beneath it with its tremendous weight.

  Without a word, the driver adjusted the course of the convoy, taking a detour around the huge serpent. Although it seemingly moved slowly, the power these behemoths had were undeniably immense. They were at the very least equivalent to a master level warrior, capable of destroying an island with ease. To most of the group even though they were separated by vast distances and viewed the beast through a screen, a crippling sense of fear crept along their spines. Compared to such a life they seemed just so insignificant.

  The group arrived at a vast expanse of rolling hills, their gentle slopes stretching endlessly to the sides. In the distance, towering oppressive dark clouds loomed, their form rippling and churning but staying relatively stationary.

  The team had noticed the Phenomena a while ago, after all it was visible from kilometers away. They thought it was rain clouds but the strange thing was that it was stationary. Although its form shifted like any other cloud, it remained in the same position since they began observing it.

  Parking their vehicles at the shade of a cluster of trees, they got out of their vehicles ready to explore this uncharted land. The geologist wasted no time, setting up the survey equipment and machinery while Shabari, captivated by the alien scenery, lifted his camera and began capturing the breathtaking landscape. The warriors stayed vigilant and alert, after all this was new territory.

  Within minutes, an excited clamor spread among the geologists as they huddled around their equipment, exchanging hurried words. They had stumbled upon a discovery that sent them into a frenzy, these rolling hills were not a natural formation. The hills had soil and broken rock fragments scattered across their surfaces were the kind typically found deep beneath the earth.

  “These aren’t hills,” one of the geologists said, his voice tinged with disbelief. “They’re mounds… piles of displaced earth.”

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  Something had dug this land, unearth enough dirt to change the existing terrain and reshape it into these formations.

  A single thought flashed through their minds, what kind of creature could have done this? Their minds raced back to the behemoth serpent they had seen earlier, its massive form slithering across the land.

  “What if…” someone hesitated, unwilling to say it aloud, yet unable to hold it in. “What if it was a titan?”

  “With their massive size… if one burrowed underground then it might have piled them?”

  A silent chill gripped their hearts as they thought of various monstrous beings in their mind.

  “Even so the entrance might far away, perhaps these are the sediments that had washed up over thousands of years.”

  “Yes and the creature that did this may have already moved to another location, even so this is fascinating…”

  As the geologist were getting all excited over their discovery, Eric who was observing feeds from the drones noticed something unusual. One of the drones was experiencing some sort of interference, the video feed flickered with static.

  He tried adjusting the settings thinking the problem might be on his end. However the interference persisted, ‘Something’s messing with the signal’ he thought. Getting up he decided to check it out. Getting approval from the captain, she paired him with Kevin. Sending a command to the drone to stay in standby mode, they dashed towards its location.Top of Form

  As the two moved toward the given unknown disturbance, Eric noticed his electronic equipment also becoming increasingly slow. His interface responding with a noticeable delay, taking a fraction longer to even move to another view.

  “This is strange.” He muttered.

  Kevin, jogging beside him, glanced at his own gear. “You noticing this too?” he asked.

  Eric nodded, his gaze shifting to the hill ahead. It was larger than the others, its uneven surface dotted with jagged stones and covered with the ever present purple carpet. Beyond it, the stormy dark clouds silently surged.

  The drone was hovering in standby mode at the base of the hill, grabbing the drone he preliminarily checked to see if it was okay, then he stuffed it into the tiny bag on his back.

  ‘Does this hill mess with electronics?’ Eric thought as he pulled out a radiation detector from his bag.

  Opening his device he operated it to scan the hill in front of him, a few seconds later the detectors mini screen displayed the result.

  Eric frowned, ‘The radiation levels are okay’

  “Is it not this hill.” Eric muttered mind bringing up the picture of the still storm.

  He came up with a conjecture, ‘Perhaps this has to do with the storm.’

  “Yo, Eric!” Kevin shouted from the top of the hill.

  “What.” Eric responded as he started making his way to him.

  “I think I found… a native… person.” Kevin uncertain voice resounded back.

  “You found what?” Eric stopped in his tracks, his mind retracing what he just heard.

  “I found a person.” Kevin’s voice was more excited now.

  Eric’s eyes widened as he sprinted to the top of the hill. The hill had a small depression at the summit with a lone rock at its center. But that wasn’t what caught their attention.

  A four-armed being was slumped against the stone, its body wrapped in tattered, dirt-streaked purple robes. Deep gashes marred its grey furred body, and bright blue blood seeped into the ground beneath it. The being barely stirred, its breath shallow and weak.

  Kevin slid down the depression approaching the being, with Eric following a heartbeat later. The beings gaze warily fixed on the guys as they approached it.

  “We come in peace.” Kevin said showing his open palms.

  “We are here to help.” He assured the being.

  “Are you sure it can understand you? It’s an alien after all.” Eric questioned Kevin.

  “Don’t worry, I have faith in my ability.” Kevin replied back, turning to the being. “We gonna try to stop the bleeding okay, it might hurt a bit.”

  Eric pulled a first aid kit from his bag and the two got busy dressing the creature’s wounds. After curbing the bleeding Eric morphed the rock to a more comfortable flat top for the being to lay on. The being’s pupils dilated when it witnessed the sight.

  “Asnoehc! Asnoehc!” the being became agitated and stated shouting these words and raising its hands up, opening its wounds again.

  “Is something wrong? What is it saying?” Eric inquired.

  “It is calling us… god’s messengers.” Kevin said.

  Shifting his attention to the being, Kevin tried to calm it down. After a few minutes he manage to get the creature to sit on the rock. It looked more energetic after being simulated however its wounds would possibly heal at a much slower rate now.

  “I'm called Kevin and that guy over there is called Eric.” Kevin introduced themselves to the being.

  “Kevin… Eric” the being said as it shifted its gaze between the two, then muttered, “Nuenan Kaehl.”

  “His name is Kaehl.”