Beyond The Horizon

Chapter 1 — New Horizon

The ship's low hum and the harsh glare of flashing red lights caught Kael Ryn by surprise. He struggled to sit up, his heart racing, and his lungs were burning from the stale air. Something was wrong. Kael stumbled out of the cryopod with his legs shaking beneath him as the lid hissed open. As the ship gently swayed, he steadied himself by grasping the pod's edge. Fragments of his training surfaced as he stumbled his way through the ship's pitch-black corridors. He recalled his mother's advice, "Don't trust what you see." The truth is always just beyond the horizon." Now that he was confronted with the eerie silence and malfunctioning equipment, he wondered if she had been announcing something else. He had always assumed she meant it literally. Broken equipment and consoles littered the bridge. The walls were shadowed in an eerie way by a weakly flickering crack in the hologram. On the display, a star system unlike any he had ever seen slowly spun. The coordinates flashed in a strange rhythm. "Course locked." A voiceless message played in the background. Initiating jump. The goal is Exile Prime. Kael's eyes locked onto the console, his mind racing with questions. Where did he go? How had the crew been affected? And what was in store? Override the course and try to get back on track, or follow the unknown coordinates into the void, were his two options, hanging over him like a precipice. As if sensing his decision, the ship's engines hummed louder. Kael tightened his grip on the console. He thought of his mother, her words echoing in his mind. He thought of the crew, their fate unknown. And he thought of the unknown, the vast expanse of space stretching out before him like an endless canvas.

 He whispered, barely audible over the engines' hum, "New horizon it is." The stars stretched out before him, a dizzying array of light and darkness. Kael felt his stomach sink as the ship sped up. Kael was no longer certain if he was in charge now that the journey had begun. As the ship hurtled through space, Kael's thoughts turned to the unknown destination. Prime Exile. What lay ahead? Was it a space station, a planet, or something else sinister? The uncertainty was both thrilling and terrifying.

 The engine hum and the soft console beep were the only sounds that broke the oppressive silence. Kael's anticipation was palpable as his eyes remained fixed on the stars. He was by himself, lost in the vastness of space, and the only thing he had to guide him was his mind. And yet, despite the fear and uncertainty, Kael felt a spark of excitement. He was on the cusp of something new, something unknown. He looked out at the horizon, which was full of both hope and danger. He took a deep breath to prepare for the journey that lay ahead. Kael thought of his mother as the ship entered the darkness. What was she aware of? She had seen what? And what secrets had she taken to her grave? The questions swirled in his mind, but he knew he'd have to wait for answers.

 For now, Kael focused on the stars, his heart pounding with anticipation. He was prepared to confront the unknown head-on because it beckoned. Kael was being carried by the Erevan, a tiny speck in the vastness of space, toward a location that would forever alter his life.