Antares Requiem: The Last Dawn of Humanity

The Weight of Tomorrow

Morning Resolve

The clearing was bathed in the soft light of Antares-3’s twin suns, their orange and blue hues casting strange shadows over the settlement. Despite the serene appearance of the morning, tension hung heavy in the air. The team moved with purpose, exhaustion visible in their stiff movements and bloodshot eyes, yet none of them spoke of retreat. There was no retreat—only survival.

Jonas Kane stood at the edge of the clearing, his sharp eyes scanning the treeline for any signs of movement. His weapon hung at his side, a constant reminder of the danger they faced. Behind him, Ace Morrow hauled heavy sections of prefab metal toward the emerging perimeter wall, grumbling under his breath.

“Does this wall really need to be this high?” Ace asked, pausing to wipe sweat from his brow.

“Do you want to wake up with one of those things standing over you?” Jonas replied without turning.

Ace sighed. “Fair point.” He resumed his work, muttering, “This better hold off more than squirrels.”

Nearby, Lila Wen crouched over a patch of freshly turned soil, her hands methodically planting seeds. The hydroponics bay inside the module was producing enough to sustain the team for now, but expanding their food supply was a priority.

Dr. Zhou stood over her, holding a datapad and frowning. “The oxygen levels in the atmosphere are higher than we anticipated,” he said. “It might accelerate plant growth, but it could also make fires harder to control. Keep that in mind.”

“Noted,” Lila said, pressing the soil down firmly. “Right now, I’m just trying to get something to grow. If we can establish a stable crop cycle, it’ll buy us time to focus on other problems.”

Zhou hesitated, then added, “You’re doing good work, Lila. Don’t forget that.”

She looked up, surprised by the rare compliment. “Thanks, Zhou.”

A Hidden Threat

As the day wore on, the forest seemed to press closer to the clearing, the dense canopy creating a sense of claustrophobia. The team worked tirelessly, but there was no ignoring the feeling that they were being watched.

At midday, Jonas called a halt to their work. “We need to check the motion detectors,” he said. “If that thing comes back, I want to know about it before it’s on top of us.”

Ace grabbed his scanner, still catching his breath from hauling metal sheets. “I’ll handle it,” he said. “Could use the walk.”

“I’m coming with you,” Lila said, surprising everyone.

Ace raised an eyebrow. “Really? Not afraid of a little stroll through the murder forest?”

“I need to collect more soil samples,” Lila said, grabbing her field kit. “And besides, someone needs to make sure you don’t break anything.”

Jonas looked between them, his expression unreadable. “Fine. But stay in constant contact. If you see anything—anything—don’t engage. Get back here immediately.”

“Got it, boss,” Ace said, giving a mock salute.

The two of them set off toward the treeline, the shadows of the forest swallowing them as they moved deeper into the wilderness.

An Uneasy Alliance

As they walked, the tension between Ace and Lila began to ease. Despite their bickering, there was a camaraderie between them, forged through shared hardship.

“You know,” Ace said, stepping over a twisted root, “this place isn’t all bad. I mean, yeah, it’s got creepy ruins and glowing-eyed monsters, but the air’s fresh, the trees are cool… Could be worse.”

Lila snorted. “That’s your bar for a livable planet? ‘Could be worse’?”

“Hey, I’m an optimist,” Ace replied with a grin. “You should try it sometime.”

Lila rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile. “If we make it through this, maybe I’ll consider it.”

They reached the first motion detector, a small device partially buried in the moss. Ace crouched to check its readings, frowning as he scrolled through the data.

“Something tripped this one last night,” he said. “But it didn’t come close enough to the perimeter for the alert to trigger.”

“Could’ve been an animal,” Lila suggested, though her tone lacked conviction.

“Maybe,” Ace said, standing and looking around. “But whatever it was, it was heavy. Look at the way the moss is compressed.”

Lila knelt beside him, examining the ground. The tracks were faint but unmistakable—long, clawed imprints that sent a shiver down her spine.

“We should head back,” she said, her voice tight.

“Yeah,” Ace agreed. But as they turned to leave, a low growl echoed through the trees, freezing them in place.

The Predator Revealed

The growl grew louder, deeper, resonating through the forest like the rumble of distant thunder. Ace and Lila exchanged a glance, both of them reaching for their weapons.

From the shadows, a massive figure emerged. The creature was unlike anything they had ever seen—standing nearly three meters tall, its sinewy body covered in sleek, dark scales that seemed to absorb the light. Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly blue hue, and its elongated limbs ended in razor-sharp claws.

“Oh, hell,” Ace muttered, his voice barely audible.

The creature tilted its head, studying them with an almost curious intensity. For a moment, it didn’t move, as if assessing whether they were prey or a threat.

Lila’s hand trembled on her weapon. “What do we do?” she whispered.

“Don’t run,” Ace said quietly. “Predators love a good chase.”

The creature took a step closer, its claws sinking into the moss with a soft squelch. Ace raised his weapon, his finger hovering over the trigger.

“Stay back,” he said, his voice firm despite the terror coursing through him.

The creature paused, its glowing eyes narrowing. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, it lunged.

Escape to the Clearing

“Run!” Ace shouted, firing his weapon as the creature charged. The shots hit their mark, but the creature barely flinched, its thick scales absorbing the impact.

Lila didn’t need to be told twice. She sprinted toward the clearing, her heart pounding as the sound of snapping branches and heavy footsteps closed in behind her.

Ace followed close behind, firing over his shoulder to slow the creature’s advance. “Keep going!” he shouted.

The edge of the clearing came into view, and Lila pushed herself harder, her legs burning as she ran. She stumbled into the open space, gasping for breath, and turned just in time to see Ace burst through the treeline, the creature mere steps behind him.

“Jonas!” Lila screamed.

The module’s hatch flew open, and Jonas emerged, weapon raised. He fired a single, precise shot that struck the creature in its glowing eye. The beast let out a deafening roar, rearing back as it clawed at its face.

“Inside, now!” Jonas barked.

Ace and Lila scrambled into the module, and Jonas followed, slamming the hatch shut behind them. The creature roared again, its claws scraping against the metal, but the module held firm.

A Fragile Victory

Inside the module, the team sat in stunned silence, their breaths ragged. Jonas paced near the console, his jaw clenched as he processed what had just happened.

“That thing’s not going to stop,” he said finally. “We’ve provoked it now.”

“What else were we supposed to do?” Ace shot back, his voice shaking. “Let it rip us apart?”

“No,” Jonas said. “But this changes everything. We need a plan—and fast.”

Lila sat with her head in her hands, her mind racing. The creature’s intelligence, its resilience—it was unlike anything she had ever encountered. “What if there are more of them?” she said quietly.

The room fell silent.

“We’ll deal with that if it happens,” Jonas said firmly. “For now, we focus on fortifying the settlement and finding a way to keep that thing out.”

Hope Amidst the Chaos

As the team regrouped, Elara’s voice came over the comm, calm and steady. “We’ve reviewed the footage from your encounter,” she said. “That creature is a serious threat, but it’s also an opportunity. If we can study it, understand it, we might find a way to coexist—or to fight back.”

Jonas nodded, his resolve hardening. “We’ll do what we have to. But survival comes first.”

Outside, the creature retreated into the forest, its glowing eye now dim. But the team knew it would return—and next time, they might not be so lucky.

Inside the module, despite the fear and uncertainty, a fragile sense of hope began to take root. They had survived the day. And tomorrow, they would fight again.