THE FIRST'S LAIR
The journey to The Origin was shrouded in a thick, oppressive silence that seemed to press in from all sides. James sat in the back of the transport, his eyes fixed on the passing landscape. The mountains loomed around them, their peaks lost in the clouds, their slopes covered in a dense forest that seemed to swallow the light. Katherine was beside him, her hand resting on his arm, her presence a fragile anchor in the storm of his thoughts. The team was fractured. Trust had been shattered, replaced by a cold wariness that made every interaction feel like a negotiation. Even David, who had been cleared of suspicion, kept his distance, his eyes constantly scanning for threats. Maria, the woman they had nearly condemned, moved with a careful deliberation that spoke of wounded pride. Alexand
- Writer
