The girl squints her eyes, leaning forward. 'So it really is you,' she smiles. 'Long time no see, Phin.'
'Yeah, it's good to see you again.' Phin glances at her crisp, knee-length lab coat, a flicker of pride welling up. 'How did you recognize me first, though? I had my back turned.'
'Well... they told me to look for someone in a prison jumpsuit - and that wasn't too hard, even in this massive place,' she grins.
'Huh?' Phin looks down and yelps upon seeing the neon orange fabric. 'Ah, what the hell - I forgot I still had these on! That's probably why I was getting so many stares...' he slumps.
'My superiors also said I'd be mentoring you; apparently, the jumpsuit-donning fellow has mysterious powers.'
The two begin walking down a curved path that hugs the Botanists' training grounds.
Phin blinks, a smile blossoming on his weary face. 'No way - you're already considered a distinguished scientist? They told me that the researchers overseeing my training were selectively handpicked!'
Amara laughs gently. 'Sort of... I was lucky to be placed in a high-achieving team. At the same time, they could have chosen me because we were childhood friends.'
'The Regals keep track that kind of information?' Phin raises his eyebrows.
'There's a fair chance. As a first-year scientist, I've barely scratched the surface of the Regal database, and I'm already overwhelmed.' Then she tilts her head slightly. 'By the way, you look awful. I don't remember those dark circles from back in the day.'
Phin sighs. 'Yeah... the journey here's been rough.'
'You should rest up. If I remember correctly, your training begins at six tomorrow.'
'WHAT?!' Phin sinks to his knees in despair, arms outstretched to heaven. 'I had to get up at four today!'
***
That night, Phin hobbles back to his quarters, conveniently located beside his training center. Ellipsoid in shape, the capsule features a convex skylight offering an unobstructed view of the sky above. As he steps inside, the rich aroma of a freshly prepared meal greets him immediately, bringing tears to his gaunt eyes.
The modest platter of steamed synthetic meats and vegetables lies on his bedstand, a beautiful blend of vibrant colors. Pouncing, Phin scarfs down the savory treasure, indulging in the exotic Regal spices. A part of him feels guilty - he had devoted himself to a humble life when he chose the path of an Appraiser. However, after several days of nonstop physical and mental strain, this culinary comfort was all he could ask for.
As he slows his eating pace, the unfamiliar flavors truly explode, sending Phin into a state of bewilderment. What is this... I've never tasted anything like it before! It's like a beam of pure joy! He closes his eyes, diving into his first true taste of luxury.
Unbeknownst to him, what he was experiencing was an artificial replica of the pre-Mutation delicacy once known as sugar. The Flora types consumed by commoners do not contain any sweetness, nor any strong saltiness or spiciness. The foods of Regals are not pure Flora flesh either; even exquisite Florae known for their taste must be processed many times before a pleasant dish can be made.
After finishing his first proper meal that day, Phin collapses onto his bed. He gazes up at the skylight, admiring the stars through the Arboretum's glass dome.
They're so beautiful - yet so deadly... he folds his hands behind his head. In the distance, he pictures the green-blue globe of Gaea. I still can't believe how small our world is. How many other Gaeas are out there? he wonders. Just the thought of it stupefies him. But at least... we'll know to never presume the cosmos's mysteries again.
He remembers the lessons from school. 'Post-Mutation History', it was called - separate from the industrial revolutions, the World Wars, and all of that. It all began when the Dark Forest theory lost traction. Humankind had just undergone monumental progress in the 2070s, having united under one national identity for the first time in history.
Technological breakthroughs were being made at unprecedented speed, and the period's contemporary people called it the 'Era of Jubilation'. Then, of course, our ego had to screw it up - as always, Phin exhales sharply. More ambitious than ever, humanity shifted its formerly prominent Dark Forest mentality to one of conquest - it aimed to rule the stars.
2093. Launch of the Paradigm, humanity's greatest creation to date. 200 meters tall, crew of 90, Phin mentally recites. Its departure was to be recognized as a global holiday - and it was, for two years. Two year round trip to Gaea, the most promising habitable planet ever discovered. Lush. Verdant. Bountiful.
The Paradigm's trip went as smoothly as possible. Its crew stumbled upon a world teeming with life: plant life, which they deemed 'Flora'. The Florae they found were unlike anything on Earth. They were living, not simply as organic entities, but animated and sentient.
Phin traces a constellation with his eyes, allowing the rush of memories to wash over him. I remember - in the old textbooks - pictures of Paradigm crewmembers posing next to their Flora 'pets.' It was truly a fleeting utopia.
On Gaea, the Florae were friendly to humans, producing many delicious fruits and nuts for the crew. There were other creatures too - from tiny, scaled vertebrates scampering between roots to outlandish beasts unlike anything on Earth. On instances, Gaea's Florae would even protect the human visitors from hostile lifeforms.
And then... that's where everything went wrong. Phin disables his room's lighting with a flick of the wrist, fully immersing himself in the vast cosmos above. Bathed in the moonlight's blue glow, he resumes his train of thought.
The Paradigm's crew brought four Florae back home, the most exquisite species they could find. However, they were oblivious that an unwanted intruder snuck onto the journey back to Earth. Nobody knows what the hell that thing was - even my old teachers said so. They just referred to it as the Void - yeah, quite cliché. But at the same time... its malevolence was hard to capture in any less abstract term.
On August 6, 2095, billions watched in eagerness as the Flora specimens were presented to the world. The public marveled at the vibrant creatures, their eyes wide in awe. The World President, Oberon Cassio IV, sat on stage with the Florae.
It did not take long for calamity to strike. An otherworldly being - cited by eyewitnesses as a living smog of darkness - slithered through the shadows, making its way towards the platform. Without warning, it engulfed the Florae in its shadowy grasp, dilating in size.
The attendees panicked, hurriedly escorting the World President to safety. Guns were immediately drawn on the dark entity, but it was too late: the Florae let out horrible shrieks, transforming into gruesome monsters. On the surface, they remained exotic and resplendent, but their minds had been twisted by the Void.
They turned on the crowd, slaughtering indiscriminately. The livestream cut to static. Across the globe, stunned audiences sat frozen before darkened screens, struggling to comprehend what had just occurred.
Of the few survivors, all claimed the same detail: though the Florae varied in appearance before, they had each transformed into nearly identical trees. The only differentiating factor was the color of their leaves -
crimson, like a river of blood,
white, like the purest snow,
gold, like ancient treasures,
and indigo, like the starlit sky.
With their mobilized roots, the four Florae escaped into the wilderness, each gifted unfathomable power by the Void. They began to infect Earth's wildlife with the Floral virus - heralding the Great Mutation. They lived on in human records as the 'Four Godtrees', the progenitors of all Florae on Earth.
... but that's just what the textbooks say. Honestly, they might just be myths - we haven't even found a single trace, and no tapes of the event survived. But then again, we've only explored a fraction of this transformed world...
With these thoughts, Phin eventually falls asleep, enveloped in the luscious Regal bedding.
In the corner of the room, two scarlet eyes blink open - cold, unmoving. Ancient.