fantasy
乂ㄚㄥㄖ
6
Xylo doesnt remember much from Earth anymore, but he does remember Earth's warmth. Not the harsh chilling cold from drifting in the open galaxy, but real warmth, where sunlight would filter through clouds, and crowded streets would glow gold at dusk. He also remembered how oceans moved endlessly beneath the sky and near forests, alive with wind and birds singing a tune. And even after centuries of drifting through the void, those few memories of Earth were still painfully clear.
Earth used to be full of life and humanity, until we destroyed it. Nations collapsed beneath famine, poisoned air, and weapons powerful enough to scar the atmosphere itself. As Earth became harder to survive on, millions fled upward into orbit. At first, everyone believed space would only be temporary, just somewhere to wait until the planet healed.
But, after living in space so long, a place we have estimated to have only explored less then 1%.. it, started to change the human body throughout generations.
Their bodies adapted to survive the freezing darkness. Lungs learned to store oxygen for impossible lengths of time, skin hardened against radiation and cold, wings even started to grow, and aging slowed to nearly nothing at all. Time itself seemed weaker deep in space. A Drifter could live for centuries without changing much beyond memory.
Eventually, many no longer needed stations or machines to survive.
●•●•●
People in space still called themselves human, but the people still struggling on Earth disagree, and started referring to them as Galactic Drifters. And its because whatever humanity had once been was split into something new.
Entire communities started to form amongst the Drifters, yet no matter how many places they traveled, none of it ever truly felt alive. The emptiness stretched forever in every direction, silent and cold.
space
