EPISODE 5: The Phantom Prowler 2.
827 Words
The creature collapsed, its body dissolving into a dark, viscous liquid that seeped into the sand.
Ray stepped back, panting. The system’s voice resonated in his mind again.
“Threat neutralized. Excellent performance.”
“What the hell was that thing?” Ray muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
“The Phantom Prowler is a scout for the Morphidons, an alien species specializing in tactical colonization..”
Ray’s heart sank. “The Morphidons! What do they even want with us?” he asked.
Morphidons operate covertly at first. They usually infiltrate planets years ahead of their invasion, assess threats, and eliminate key individuals before launching a full-scale assault. Their primary objective is to subjugate or annihilate native populations, then mine all the resources they can from the planet.
It is a little odd that they will breach the convention and set foot on a protected planet. Either way, killing a prowler has now made you a confirmed target, they will definitely be sending more. The system explained.
Ray paced nervously. The aliens, Morphidons, was this really it for humanity? He wondered, but something suddenly connected in his mind.
You seem to know a lot about them. Leon said.
I obtained all of my knowledge from the grand library of information that my creators left for me. The system responded.
Who made you? Leon asked.
There was a brief pause before the system responded.
I was created by an ancient civilization known, they left little information about themselves in my records.
They are called the Ardentis, a species of ancient celestials that once conquered galaxies, their empires according to my records were infinitely cast and their advancement incomprehensibly far ahead.
They sought to achieve the next stage of evolution by merging biological life with advanced technology. I am their final creation, designed to be the perfect companion and catalyst for evolution. They were fleeing from something when I was created. I do not have any record of it in my system, but they called it the insatiable Azranox.
My memory is fragmented. I do not have complete information about my creators, their fate or how I ended up here. The system explained
Ray sat on a rock, processing the information. The Ardentis sounded like something out of a science fiction novel, but here he was, talking to an alien intelligence power embedded in his own body.
“Why me?” he asked quietly. “Why did you choose me?”
You were the closest compatible host I have come across in six thousand years. Your genetic profile and mental resilience made you an ideal candidate. The system’s primary directive is to find the most ideal being, bond with it, and ensure the survival and evolution of the host.
I have been monitoring this planet since I entered your solar system, I monitored through your own satellites and communication systems. Your genetic makeup is astoundingly special. Even across the stars, your compatibility measurement was above 50 percent.
In my last seventeen thousand years of wandering the galaxy, you were the first being with a seventy percent compatibility.
Ray shook his head. “This is insane.”
He looked out over the desert, the horizon glowing with the light from the moon. The vast emptiness around him felt both freeing and terrifying.
“What happens now?” he asked.
The presence of a Phantom Prowler indicates that the Morphidons have co. You must prepare yourself. Completed their initial infiltration, and soon, their masters will arrive with their remaining army and properly e*****e humans.
The system will enhance your physical and mental capabilities, but you must remain vigilant. More threats will come.
The phantom prowlers are just the beginning, more will certainly come. The system answered.
Ray clenched his fists. “And how do I stop them?” he asked.
“You will adapt. You will evolve. The system will guide you, I will guide you.” The system answered.
A sudden gust of wind swept through the desert, carrying with it a faint, eerie sound. Ray stood, his senses on high alert.
“What was that?”
“Unknown. Scanning...”
The system highlighted a distant shape moving across the sand. It was humanoid but moved with an unnatural grace, its limbs elongated and distorted.
“Morphidon drone detected. High threat level.” The system cautioned him.
Ray tightened his grip on the pistol. “Guess there’s no rest for the wicked.” He muttered as he bent low and started blending into the background for cover.
The drone spotted him and began to advance, its movements jerky yet deliberate. He took aim, but the system’s voice interrupted.
“Recommendation: Do not engage directly. Use stealth and strategy.”
Ray nodded, slipping behind a cluster of rocks. He watched as the drone scanned the area, its head swiveling like a mechanical predator.
“Your survival is key. Trust the system.”
Ray’s mind raced. He needed a plan, and fast.
- Writer
