The first mistake

A hall filled with many Union agents taking a break after a long day's work.

In the corner, the creature sat with some of his colleagues, eating their meals. The creature, however, slouched lazily in his chair, half-asleep, eating sluggishly.

"So, fish head, may I ask what exactly you're doing?" said a pale-skinned human to the creature.

"Can't you see I'm eating?" the creature replied, uninterested in those around him.

"Eating or sleeping? Make up your mind; you look ridiculous," added another, whose body appeared to be made of wood.

The creature chuckled softly, shoving another piece of meat into his mouth.

"If only I could do both at the same time," he quipped sarcastically while continuing to eat.

Minutes passed as the various beings chatted quietly among themselves, but their peace was interrupted by a sudden summons for the creature. His break and meal were cut short, something that visibly annoyed him.

He made his way through the corridors of the Union's headquarters toward the hall where the leaders were supposed to be. However, he fully expected to speak to an empty room filled with a few monitors.

When he arrived at the hall's door, he found a woman waiting—a Harkin, which surprised him. It was unusual to see a Harkin working as an assistant, given their pride and arrogance.

The woman, whose body seemed sculpted like a statue (a trait common to her kind), greeted him and allowed him to enter the cold hall, closing the door behind him as she waited outside.

The hall was empty, lifeless, save for him, and a row of screens was visible at the far end.

The lights activated, and a single screen flickered on.

So this was a request from the Harkin Empire—that explained the presence of their representative. He made a mental note.

This is the first time I've heard of this planet, he thought. Demons? No way I'm accepting this mission.

Hell no, there's no way I'm taking this mission now, he thought to himself.

Oh, I don't like where this is going, Commander Who-Refuses-to-Show-His-Face, he thought anxiously.

Hey, wait, I haven't agreed yet, you bastard! he protested internally.

That's a threat, you scumbag! I never had a choice, did I?

"Yes, sir. I understand, sir," Starlight responded through gritted teeth.

The leader didn't bother replying, simply cutting off the connection.

"Agent Starlight, I've heard many stories about you," a sharp voice suddenly echoed behind him.

It was a voice belonging to someone who hadn't been there moments ago.

When he turned, he found the assistant standing behind him, quiet and composed.

He took a step back, though he didn't feel fear. Death wasn't something that scared him—the worst fate in this world was losing his job, which would lead to death anyway.

"As you've heard from the Commander, we require you to recover a gem stolen from us countless years ago," she said.

"I heard, but wouldn't it be better to send one of your own?"

"As you can see, our numbers are few compared to other races. Losing even one of us brings us closer to extinction. Furthermore, our kind is highly sensitive to the radiation covering the planet."

Her violet eyes seemed sorrowful enough to convince anyone. But Starlight could see through the façade—those eyes were cold and indifferent up close. He now understood why her race was nicknamed "The Statues."

"And I've also brought equipment to increase your chances of survival," she added.

She led him to a section of the room containing several small devices. What caught his attention most, however, was a meticulously crafted and highly durable set of armor.

"Take this. It will help you reach your goal more efficiently," she said, handing him a key and the activation codes for one of their ships.

"There's an AI on board named Garish that will assist you during your journey."

He donned the armor, took the tools, and set off to collect his personal belongings before heading to the ship to begin his mission.

The ship was small, silver, and heavily armored, equipped with enough weapons to obliterate his enemies with ease.

As he approached the vessel, holding the key and activation codes, the automatic doors opened for him.

The interior was surprisingly comfortable, though the cockpit appeared highly complex. There was also a small chamber where he could enter stasis for the journey.

He sat in the cockpit, searching for any additional information about his destination.

Every image showed a barren desert devoid of color, save for endless shades of yellow. No signs of life existed on the surface, apart from the demons who had driven themselves to extinction.

A strange sound echoed in his ears, like rushing water, though no water was nearby.

Leaning back in his chair, the creature closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his dream had already ended.