Human being curiosity of the unknown supersedes there fears.
The crowd gathered around the center plaza as holographic banners flickered through the air. Neon-blue waves spiraled above the streets while mechanical drones projected advertisements into the sky.
EXPLORE THE OCEAN OF SERPENTS
FORTUNE AWAITS THE BRAVE
Nazu stopped walking.
The old man standing on the platform wore a long dark coat stitched with silver wiring. One of his eyes glowed crimson while the other remained hidden beneath a metal visor.
"Danger creates legends!" the man shouted. "The Republic rewards those willing to challenge the unknown!"
People ignored him as they passed. Some laughed. Others looked away in fear.
The Ocean of Serpents was cursed.
Everyone knew that.
It stretched beyond the western borders beneath the eternal clouds, a black ocean where storms never ended. Ships disappeared there. Explorers vanished. Satellites malfunctioned the moment they crossed its skies.
No one returned.
Nazu stared at the giant hologram of the ocean twisting above the plaza. Deep inside himself, something stirred.
A purpose.
Or maybe desperation.
"Hey you," the old man called out suddenly.
Nazu looked around before realizing the man meant him.
"You have the eyes of someone searching for something."
Nazu frowned. "You don't know me."
The man smirked. "Maybe not. But I know emptiness when I see it."
Those words pierced deeper than Nazu expected.
He clenched his fists.
"What exactly are you offering?"
The old man tapped a small device on his wrist. A holographic map expanded into the air showing violent oceans and strange symbols marked far beyond civilization.
"There are rumors," he whispered. "Of structures above the clouds. Ancient machines. Things older than humanity itself."
Nazu's heartbeat slowed.
Older than humanity?
"That's impossible."
"Is it?" the man replied calmly. "Three hundred years ago your ancestors believed artificial organs were impossible. Now children are born with digital eyes."
Nazu remained silent.
The old man stepped closer.
"The government hides the truth about the clouds. Every mission that goes beyond them loses contact for the exact same reason."
"And what reason is that?"
Fear crossed the old man's face for only a second.
"They found something."
Before Nazu could speak again, alarms suddenly erupted throughout the city.
Red warning lights flooded the streets.
Citizens stopped walking.
High above the towers, enormous screens activated simultaneously.
EMERGENCY BROADCAST
A woman wearing a military uniform appeared across every display.
"This is the Republic Defense Authority. An unidentified object has entered restricted airspace above Sector Nine."
The crowd began panicking.
Then the sky changed.
The clouds overhead slowly started turning black.
Not dark from weather.
Black like ink spreading through water.
Nazu felt the air become heavy.
People around him collapsed to their knees holding their heads in pain.
"What… is happening?" Nazu whispered.
The old man's expression turned pale.
"No…" he muttered. "It's too early."
A deafening sound echoed from above.
Not a roar.
Not thunder.
Something alive.
Nazu looked upward as the clouds split apart for the first time in human history.
And something enormous looked back down at the city.
A single glowing eye.
Watching humanity from beyond the clouds.