Further Adventures In No Man's Sky

extie-dasilva (67)in #story • 7 years ago

FURTHER ADVENTURES IN NO MAN'S SKY

Set against the backdrop of countless stars, glinting like diamond dust spread across a black canvas, I saw my next destination approaching. I could see it was a watery world. Vast oceans could be glimpsed through the banks of clouds that drifted on currents of air, and now and then specks of land rose up from the depths.

My spacecraft began its descent, and as I passed through the veil of white clouds the unexplored world began to share its secrets. I beheld waves lapping on the sandy shore of beaches that stretched all the way to the horizon, that sand continuing onwards as if the beach had conquered the world.

I landed my craft, far enough from edge of the shoreline to ensure it would not be swallowed by a rising tide, and surveyed my surroundings. Sand, sand, sand, sculpted into shapes that rose up from the water which stretched all the way to the furthest point I could see. At first I beheld no signs of life, but then an unmistakably animal-like sound alerted me to that fact that I was not alone.

I turned toward its source and beheld a creature slightly larger than a small dog. It was clearly nervous. I could see the tension in its legs muscles as it prepared to flee. Its large ears were twitching, as though intent on picking up every sound they could harvest. At first I thought it had a formidable set of teeth, but on closer inspection I saw it was only patterning on its muzzle that gave the impression of such weaponry. In fact, its teeth were needlelike and I supposed I had been fooled by mimicry intended to ward off predators. This animal likely fed on nothing larger than bugs and insects. I left it alone and walked to the edge of the shore.

I waded out until the water was lapping around my waste and then dived beneath the waves. The water was clear, and I could see aquatic plants waving their fronds in the currents, and what looked like giant sponges growing from the sandy seabed.

I swam down toward one of those sponges, and brushed my gloved hand over its surface. It was hard and rough, almost stone like in its texture. While I was examining this specimen a shadow fell over me. I was startled to see a large aquatic animal floating motionless above me. It was like a gigantic maggot, its back end bristling with spines, and the front end nothing but a monstrous mouth circled with huge teeth. I had to get away, but where could I go?

I looked around, desperate to find an escape route. And then I noticed an opening, almost hidden behind a bank of aquatic plants, large enough for me to squeeze through but too small for that monster to follow. I swam as fast as I could and pushed my way into that handy refuge. I found myself in an underwater cave. Pushing my way past the plants in that lonely passage, I made my way to an exit and evaded the maggot monster.

I emerged from the cave, and headed up toward the surface. As I did so, I passed a school of fishlike animals, with fat little black-striped bodies and very long tails that propelled them out of my way as I swam toward the sunlight.

My journey through the underwater caves had taken me close to the shoreline of another island, and I gladly stepped upon its shore. Dark rocks rose up from the sandy floor, and here and there were what looked like stalagmites protruding from the ground. I headed on toward inland.

Onwards I walked, my feet crunching prints into the baked sand, thankful for the shadows cast by the black rocks. But just as my fears from the encounter with the sea monster were subsiding, they were renewed by the sight of a most dreadful-looking beast. It was a huge quadruped with lion-like paws. Its muscular back bristled with hairs and its head...Its head was like something out of a nightmare. Two brown, wrinkled eyestalks sprouted from a vaginal face that roared a sound unlike any creature I could name. Those eyes focused on me with malcontent and with another of those utterly alien roars it bounded toward me. I had to make good my escape! I called for my spacecraft and fled.