Chapter 10: The Truth Beneath the Surface
The planet’s surface felt alien under Roxie’s boots as she stepped forward, the harsh terrain stretching endlessly before her. The air was thin and dry, but the eerie, pulsating hum that had filled the air earlier seemed to grow louder as they moved further into the desolate landscape. She kept her gaze fixed ahead, ignoring the fluttering unease in her chest. There was no turning back now.
Beside her, Dorian stumbled slightly, still recovering from the shock of the crash. His face was pale, but his sharp, calculating eyes never left the dark horizon. They both knew that the ominous hum was not just a coincidence. Something had caused their ship to crash—something out there. And it was only a matter of time before they encountered whatever that was.
The land around them was barren, its craggy surface fractured by deep ravines and jagged cliffs that seemed to stretch toward the sky like the broken remnants of some forgotten civilization. But even more than the desolation, the oppressive silence filled Roxie with an unnerving sense of isolation. As if the very land itself was holding its breath.
“Stay close,” Dorian murmured, his voice low but steady. “I don’t know what’s out there, but we can’t afford to be caught off guard.”
Roxie nodded, the gravity of their situation settling into her bones. They had no idea what had caused the crash, and no way of predicting what would happen next. But one thing was clear: they weren’t just here by accident. Whatever had been calling to them from the depths of the planet’s surface was no coincidence.
The ground beneath their feet vibrated slightly, a deep tremor that reverberated in their chests. Roxie looked up, her eyes narrowing as she tried to pinpoint the source of the disturbance.
And then she saw it.
A massive structure, half-buried in the ground, loomed ahead. It was a stark contrast to the barren landscape, its smooth, metallic surface glinting faintly in the weak light of the distant star. The structure was shaped like a tower, though its upper reaches were obscured by the dust and the shadows. It looked as if it had been there for millennia, untouched by time—but Roxie knew, deep in her gut, that it wasn’t ancient. It was still alive.
“We need to get closer,” she said, urgency rising in her voice. “This… this is what we’ve been looking for.”
Dorian nodded, his face grim. “It’s the source of the hum. It’s pulling us in. We have to know what it is.”
The closer they got to the structure, the more the tremors intensified. The ground seemed to pulse beneath their feet, as if the planet itself was alive, breathing in time with the hum. Roxie could feel the pressure building in her chest as they approached the structure’s entrance, a large, arched doorway flanked by broken statues that seemed to watch them with hollow eyes.
Dorian hesitated at the threshold, glancing at Roxie. “Are you sure about this? We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”
Roxie swallowed, but her resolve was firm. “I don’t think we have a choice. Whatever is inside, it’s the key to getting us out of here.”
With a shared glance, they stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the darkened interior.
The air inside was cold, the silence oppressive. As their footsteps echoed off the metal walls, Roxie’s mind raced, every instinct screaming at her to turn back. But she pushed it down. She wasn’t going to let fear stop her now.
They moved deeper into the structure, following a narrow, winding corridor that seemed to stretch endlessly into the unknown. The deeper they went, the more Roxie felt a strange pull—like a magnetic force tugging at her very soul, guiding her toward something, or someone. She couldn’t explain it, but it felt familiar, almost comforting in its intensity.
And then, they reached the heart of the structure.
The chamber they entered was massive, its walls lined with strange, alien technology that seemed to pulse with an unnatural light. In the center of the room stood a large platform, hovering just above the ground, a shimmering energy field surrounding it.
Roxie’s breath caught in her throat as she realized what it was.
“This… this is it,” she whispered, eyes wide with disbelief. “This is the core.”
Dorian stepped forward cautiously, his hand hovering just above the surface of the platform. “What is it? What does it do?”
Roxie shook her head, unable to answer. She didn’t fully understand, but the hum was louder now, resonating through her very being, vibrating in her bones. There was something about this place, something ancient and yet still alive, still pulsing with power.
Suddenly, the platform flickered to life, its energy field expanding in all directions. Roxie stumbled back, but Dorian’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist to steady her. And then, in the blink of an eye, the world shifted.
The air around them shimmered, and for a brief moment, Roxie’s vision blurred. Time seemed to stretch, bend, and break in ways that were impossible to comprehend. The sound of the hum intensified, reverberating through her body, until it was all she could hear.
And then, just as quickly as it had begun, everything went still.
Roxie blinked, trying to make sense of what had happened. She looked at Dorian, his face pale but focused, his eyes sharp as he scanned the room.
“What just happened?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Dorian’s gaze locked onto something behind her, his expression turning to one of shock and disbelief. Roxie turned, her heart leaping into her throat as she saw what he was staring at.
There, standing in the doorway, was a figure.
A woman. But not just any woman.
She was tall, ethereal, and her presence was overwhelming. She radiated an otherworldly energy, her eyes glowing with the same unnatural light that filled the room. Roxie could feel the power emanating from her like a tidal wave, and for a moment, she was paralyzed, unable to speak.
But then the woman smiled, and in that smile, Roxie felt something stir deep within her—something familiar, something she had long forgotten.
“It’s time,” the woman said, her voice soft yet filled with authority. “You’ve come to unlock the truth.”
Roxie’s heart skipped a beat. The truth.
The woman stepped forward, her presence filling the room with an almost tangible force. “You were never meant to return to Earth, Roxie. You were always meant to be here.”
The words hit Roxie like a thunderclap. She stared at the woman, the confusion and fear melting away as realization dawned upon her.
She wasn’t just a part of the story. She was the story.
The truth was that she had always been tied to this place, this planet, and the ancient technology beneath the surface. It wasn’t just an accident that had brought her here. She was part of something much bigger than she had ever imagined.
And as the woman’s eyes met hers, Roxie finally understood.
This was her destiny.
The hum of the planet grew louder, the room brighter, and the truth surged through her veins, like a long-forgotten memory finally coming to light.
And in that moment, Roxie knew that she had found her place in the universe. It wasn’t Earth. It was here. And with Dorian by her side, they were ready to face whatever came next.
The end had never truly arrived. It had only just begun.
