The Second Prince's gaze flicks to ■■■■.
"Camouflage mode, now."
Without hesitation, ■■■■ activates the command. A subtle hum rises through the corridors. In seconds, the immense vessel vanishes from view, leaving only the faintest shimmer in the corner of perception.
When she turns back to the viewport, what they see makes her catch her breath. Space stretches infinitely but in the void floats a planet that seems almost surreal. Massive oceans, continents covered in vibrant green vegetation sprawling in fractal perfection, clouds forming delicate patterns across the sky....
It is more than habitable. It is magnificent. To them, this is kind of world that belongs in dreams and stories whispered across the ships.
The old man gazes at it, the light from the planet reflecting in his pale, trembling eyes.
"I… I am glad. After seven thousand nine hundred and sixty-three rotations… after all that, we have found a planet to stay in. I… I have witnessed the glorious dream. Too bad… I won't be there… to witness it."
■■■■ kneels beside him with her hand hovering near his frail one.
"Thirty-four seconds. You have thirty-four seconds to live."
The old man closes his eyes.
"My life has been… I… thank you, Second Prince for… honoring… the promise… bury me… in that world…"
"I will honor it. You have guided them well. You have endured what few could bear. Thank you for your service to your prince, Dilasyus."
The old man exhales one last time before stillness claims him. The Second Prince straightens and in the space where life had been, he conjures blue crystal, sculpted into the shape of a coffin that covers Dilasyus.
"Should I tell them?"
The Second Prince nods with his gaze fixed on the planet.
"Yes. Tell them cannibalism is over. They have a world now. They can survive. Nothing more should take them from life."
Her hands move over the intercommunication system. Her voice is heard through every deck and corridor.
"Attention. A habitable planet has been located. We have air. We have food. We have a home. From this rotation onward, cannibalism ends. Survival continues in a world that belongs to us."
From the distant corridors, a cheer rises. They grew louder, swelling into a roar that shakes the hull. ■■■■ watches in the holograms as faces appear in the viewport's reflection.
"What if the planet has hostiles?"
The Second Prince's lips curve into a faint, confident smirk, eyes never leaving the planet.
"If they do, they will learn quickly who rules this system. We take what is ours, and dominate if need be. The Aeterium do not negotiate with worlds. They claim them, shape them and bend them to our will."
■■■■ bows slightly, then raises her voice, amplifying it across the ship:
"All survivors, hear this! The planet is habitable! We have air! We have food! From now on, we endure not in hunger, but in abundance! The future is ours to claim!"
The cheers rise again, cascading through the decks, bouncing off walls and echoing into every corner of the ship. Relief, awe, and terror of the past rotations mingle with exhilaration and for the first time in thousands of rotations, there is no death in the air. ■■■■ glances at the Second Prince, noting the way his eyes are fixed on the planet.
"Are you crying, Second Prince?"
He turns slightly, eyes meeting hers. There is a single tear, trailing down the rigid plane of his face. He wipes it away, almost surprised it exists.
"I thought I was strong enough. I thought I could endure anything but turns out… I wasn't."
He lets out a soft, humorless scoff. ■■■■ remains silent, watching him grieve in a way he has never allowed anyone to see.
°°°°°°
The ramp of the ship descends slowly> the hydraulics groaned in protest after rotations of silence and neglect, echoing across the massive hangar. Survivors crowd the exit with some trembling and others hesitant but all drawn forward by the pull of the world outside. Even those born on the ship hesitate at the sight before them.
The moment they step onto the surface, their heels sink into vibrant, green blades swaying gently under the planet's gravity. A soundless wind caresses the survivors' faces, carrying the scent of soil. Those born in the ship, never knowing the touch of the earth, fall to their knees with their hands outstretched and fingers curling into the grass, feeling the tickle, the texture and the life pulsing beneath their touch.
In the distance, a river glimmers under the light of the sun, winding through forests and valleys. A few of the younger survivors break into laughter, sprinting toward it as bodies leapt into the water. The river roars with their joy, spraying droplets that catch the sunlight, forming a thousand tiny rainbows. Others follow hesitantly at first, stepping into the shallow edges, letting the water envelope their feet. Then, slowly, all succumb to the primal delight of living. The elderly, the middle-aged, even those who survived rotations of horror and despair, kneel at the banks, letting water run through their fingers with tears slipping down their cheeks.
■■■■ watches from the edge of the landing, her usual detachment softened by the scene. She sees the Second Prince stepping forward with his boots pressing onto the grass. His hands hover above the earth for a second, then descend. A golden surge of energy bursts outward, spilling like sunlight across the entire meadow.
He laughs.
A deep, unrestrained laugh echoes across the plains that most of the survivors look up, astonished. Some laugh too, their voices mingling with his. The old and the young, the born-in-space and the survivors of starvation raise their faces to the sky.
He spreads his arms, letting the golden light recede and settle like a gentle warmth over everyone gathered.
"We made it! This will be your new home! From now on, you will live in happiness, in joy and in freedom!"
The survivors erupt into cheers. Some run and embrace each other with tears streaming freely. Others drop to the ground, laughing, crying and shivering from the relief of air that is untainted. Children run barefoot, dancing across the grass, letting their laughter mingle with the wind, the river and the golden glow still lingering in the air.
■■■■ stands back for a moment, observing him. She sees the subtle rise and fall of his chest. And then, he raises his voice again.
"Survivors! I, The Second Prince, Prince Vasreveilder Nov Aeteria, hereby declare this planet habitable, safe, and worthy of life. From this rotation onward, it shall bear a new name of SPHERAPHASE, Home of the Survivors, in the tongue of the Aeterium. You are no longer voyagers, exiles or victims of hunger or despair. This world belongs to you. Live in it, grow in it, cherish it. Let it be a beginning, not an end!"
Another roar rises from the survivors, more powerful than any before. Shouts of joy, laughter, sobs of relief fills the air, intertwining with the sunlight and the golden residue of his energy. They run through meadows, jump in rivers, roll in the grass and touch the trees.
■■■■'s gaze drifts to the Second Prince, who stands tall. His eyes are still scanning the horizon with a faint, uncharacteristic smile tugging at the corner of his lips. For the first time in rotations beyond counting, he allows himself to breathe without the weight of fear, responsibility or horror pressing upon him. He is simply a man who endured everything, who protected life against unimaginable odds and who has finally seen hope blossom.
The planet of Spheraphase welcomes them with a gentle wind.
■■■■ stands silently, recording every detail and expression of the survivors. She thinks, perhaps for the first time, that this memory will last longer than fear, hunger or despair.
"You asked me that one day I would believe in hope, Second Prince. I think I have a meaning in what you mean by this. Thank you for not giving up, Second Prince."