Long after humanity’s downfall, the world lies shrouded in the aftermath of catastrophe. Concrete and steel structures—now little more than moss-choked monuments—stand testament to the civilization that once was. In the heart of the abandoned metropolis, the air crackles with the memory of loss. It is here that the Virman, laboratory-born heirs of humankind, have built their own shining capital atop the bones of the old world.
Marek Volian, the wealthiest businessman in the Virman world, stands in his chamber, gazing at his collection of relics. He has always believed the Virman emerged from a forgotten evolutionary path, dismissing whispers of a human ancestry. Tonight, Marek prepares for a secret expedition, his heart thrumming with anticipation for what lies in the forbidden ruins beyond the city gates.
Jude Kallan, a sharp-witted writer, and Seris Darn, a skilled survival technician, join Marek at the perimeter fence. Together, they cross into the forbidden zone, each step drawing them deeper into a world untouched for centuries. Ruined signs in a forgotten language loom out of the undergrowth, while the distant hooting of mutated birds echoes through the silent streets.
Inside, their boots crunch on broken glass as they study ancient texts and decipher cryptic diagrams etched on the walls. A sudden hum fills the air, and a ghostly blue hologram flickers to life, startling the trio. "Welcome, future travelers," intones the hologram, its face human but eerily serene. "What is this place?" Jude whispers, voice trembling. The hologram recounts the tale of the HUK890 virus, engineered as a cure but unleashed as a plague, erasing all human life and birthing the Virman in its wake.
The hologram glides beside them, leading the way. "Behind this door lies the deadliest legacy of mankind. To open, speak the final command," it intones. The word “Omega” hangs heavy in the air. Marek meets his companions’ eyes, his voice low and steady: "Omega." The vault groans open, revealing rows of canisters—one labeled HUK890 in bold, ominous script. The trio stands transfixed, the truth of their origins pulsing in the sterile light.
Marek[/@ch_1]’s laboratory, scientists in sterile suits cluster around the canister, curiosity eclipsing caution.]
Marek personally oversees the opening of the HUK890 vial, his ambition blinding him to the warnings of the past. The seal hisses open, releasing a pale, shimmering mist into the air. Alarms shriek as containment protocols fail, and panic erupts among the staff. The virus—silent, merciless, and ancient—seeps into the world of the Virman, repeating the cycle of destruction and rebirth.
Jude[/@ch_2] stands alone, staring out over the chaos below, the weight of revelation crushing.]
"We thought we were the future," Jude murmurs, voice breaking. "But we’re only echoes—born from the end, destined to forget, and to remember, all over again." The legacy of mankind’s hubris, now the inheritance of their children, spreads unseen through the city, a reminder that the past is never truly gone.
