The crimson air that seemed to reach everything within sight, born of the black star that stood above everything in this place, seemed to gnaw itself against Experiment XZ's flesh, causing him pain simply by being within its grasp. Meanwhile, the monstrous centipede, crafted from pure metal and darkness, continued to toss and turn the capsule as it ripped apart the cabin where he was in only moments ago. Nothing remained from the creature's rampage, as all the shards of glass and electronic wiring fell into the beasts razor-edged gullet, vanishing down its mouth.

Still clambering onto the top of the door, he tucked his legs up next to his arms, pulling himself up until he stood atop the swaying capsule as the metal arms of the centipede continued to crawl around beneath him, ripping apart the cabin he climbed out of.

"This place... the Ether... how could this place be what humanity needs to survive?" He pondered, the question itself seemed to itch against the back of his skull as he looked around for a way to climb down without falling into the clutches of the beast. "Thankfully it doesn't seem to be interested in me at all... or perhaps it hasn't even noticed I'm here. Really, how could it? I'm a speck compared to such a monster."

Screeching out with wild abandon, the monster ripped down further. An uneven scar splintered down the center of the capsule, separating slowly as the beast began pulling it apart from the inside. One half of the capsule aimed downwards toward the centipede's razored mouth, while the other began to crack apart away from the beast's main body.

"This is my chance!"

As the capsule broke apart, one half being instantly devoured as metal fragments went flying everywhere, an ear-ringing scraping sound audible as the cabin was carved into pieces in its mouth, while the other half plummeted downwards onto the blackened earth below.

It all fell at once as if in unison, kicking up a storm of black salt and gravel.

Metal splintered into the earth, shattering into even more fragments upon impact.

From within the rubble of metal, Experiment XZ climbed out, carefully moving pieces of metal and machinery out from around him, while remaining as quiet as he possibly could so not to alert the centipede clad in black metal.

"I actually didn't get eaten... that's good I guess. Now, where the hell am I anyway?" He mumbled to himself as he took a glance around for the first time, looking out over the hillside of black salt and earth. It was as if this very place was formed from one's worst nightmares, the crimson sky illuminating everything in an ominous sheen, while the earth itself sat quietly, awaiting anyone foolish enough to get too close. These centipedes were living proof that this place isn't the promised land his people believed it was.

The creature cried out an ear-shattering screech as it dived head first against the earth, seemingly evaporating the remaining chunks of metal that fell towards its mouth previously.

Out in the clearing, Experiment XZ charged forward to a nearby black-sand dune in an attempt to use the wave indent in the earth to hide from the centipede. From behind him, more earth-shattering crashes could be heard as the beast moved onto the chunks of metal that he had dived to the ground in. It didn't seem to be interested in him in the least, instead opting to devour the remaining sheets of metal that came from his home-world. The last physical proof besides himself that he wasn't from this place, devoured as soon as it appeared.

"I really hope this place has computers... otherwise this archive is next to useless. In fact, is there even civilization in this place? That voice from before... it mentioned that there were other people here, right? Is it even safe to go looking for people, though? Now that's the question."

He laid flat on his belly for several minutes as he watched the metallic centipede feast on the cabin that brought him here, which was also one of the only hints he had to return to his own world one day. Regardless, there was nothing he could do to stop the creature from gorging itself on his capsule, so that was that.

"Well with that out of the way..." He paused for a moment to think, "I need to find food and shelter. By the looks of things that might be quite the challenge."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Several more minutes passed as the centipede finished its meal, satisfied, the monster burrowed beneath the black sand and vanished from view, having hidden beneath the surface.

"So those damn things can burrow around, too? What monsters. Alright, well now to figure out where to go."

Looking from one direction to another, watching as the black star seemed stagnant in the sky, he decided to move off in the direction of the star. Either he'd find out that the star rotates around this place, or he'd at least have a permanent marker for his journey, either way, he'd learn something new about this place, the same place that made his skin crawl.

…

Several hours quickly passed as Experiment XZ journeyed through the black sand, pushing towards the lone black star that sat in the sky, unmoving even after all this time. He wasn't sure how far he'd walked so far, but it definitely wasn't an insignificant distance. Every minute more in this place began to grate on him as his legs had to kick through the sand, making each step all the more excruciating than the last.

All this while he'd not seen another living thing, besides the occasional metallic centipede erupting out of the earth in the distance, each time, the creatures seemed to not even notice him as they feasted on whatever scraps of metal were lying around.

"So are they sort of like scavengers, in a way?"

"Right, I guess you could say that... but how did you not know that?" An unknown voice replied, the shock of it practically pushed him back into the sand as he was shaken back to his senses, twisting around to face the source of the voice.

There stood an odd looking monkey, but it wasn't a monkey, it had the face of a man while also possessing the body of a three-foot-tall primate. Its head sat at a tilt as the creature stared at him with confused eyes. "Have you never seen my kind before, either? You know what... you're weird."

Experiment XZ couldn't even speak, he was too shocked. The monkey-beast continued to stare at him as it slowly approached him, it's head tilted upwards and to the side, as it seemed to be evaluating him, only stopping once it's sight landed on his arms.

"Weird markings, what do they mean?"

"M-markings?"

"Yeah, look at your arms, see? Those zap markings, like when the sky tries to blow stuff up!"

"Blow stuff up? Zap markings? You mean... lightning?" He asked as shock filled his face, "What the hell! Where did these tattoos come from!?"

"Ta-tooo," The monkey mimicked with a laugh, "You're really a weird guy! What's your name, weird guy? This one's name is Droh, named after my Great-papa."

"Droo?"

"No, no! Droh! Droooh!"

"Oh, Droh... right? I don't mean to be rude, but what are you Droh?"

"See, you're weird! I'm part Faun, at least that's what Papa told me when I was little. Said I was different but also the same. My kind is rather common I guess, so I'm confused how you don't already know this."

"Faun? Aren't Faun typically half goat?"

"Goat?" Droh tilted his little head.

With a heavy sigh, Experiment XZ decidedly moved away from that subject. "Nevermind. Tell me, I'm new to these parts... I... come from a far away land, you could say. Where are we? Do you know? This may sound odd to ask but... What sort of world is this?"

Experiment XZ stared at the little Faun creature, Droh, as he awaited an answer. "Oh, you're in Midnight... how do you not know about Midnight? Are you dumb?"

'Ah, so this place is called Midnight! I suppose that name makes sense, given the constant ominous darkness and crimson sky.' He thought to himself, "No, you could say I have a form of amnesia. Wait, you know those giant worm creatures, right? Centipedes... I think. What are they? Are they hostile? All the ones I've run into seem to only be interested in metal, what's with that?"

"Well, duh! Metal is valuable here in Midnight, same with computer stuff from what I know. I heard that only the Territory Lords and their followers possess powerful machines from other places. Those worms are gatherers, or as you said scavengers, that gather all the metal that pops up here and brings the raw pieces back to the lords."

"Hold on, Territory Lords? What are they?"

"You're too weird! Those people are the ones who control Midnight! Er... Well, at least they're the ones who can live comfortably in this place without having to worry about basic stuff like food. You're heading to one of their territories now, didn't you know? The Iron Lord as he's called... His own worms seem to be mostly interested in things like iron and hard steel."

"Wait, so each lord has their own material they specifically gather? What, to build a sort of monopoly on the supply?"

"Mono- what? Well, whatever that means, yeah. The worms are contracted from the Grandmaster, at least that's what Papa used to tell me. Those things are called Midnight Centi-... whatever, they're worms. The lords can't create them, or control them without permission from the Grandmaster of Midnight. Papa always said they were a sort of gift, to reward those loyal to him."

"Who's this grandmaster you keep mentioning? So the lords are like feudal lords while this grandmaster is like a king?"

"...What? No, no the Grandmaster is the Grandmaster, weirdo. He is said to live inside the star over there! Only those who he likes are said to be able to go there without dying, not even the lords can go without permission." Droh explained as he pointed off into the distance, directing Experiment XZ's attention towards the sole black star that sat in the sky.