The Black Spine

During the thaw of Earth’s glaciers, a mysterious structure is unearthed — a vast alien monolith we come to call the Black Spine. At first, it gifts humanity unlimited energy, curing disease, ending hunger, and ushering in a golden age. But deeper study reveals fragments of an older truth: the Spine is the legacy of an ancient civilization, the Architects, who were intentionally obliterated by an unknown force. As humanity thrives, cracks emerge. The first husks appear — humans twisted into half-organic horrors, starting with those closest to the Spine. Doubt spreads: was this discovery our salvation, or a trap? In the eleventh year, a signal arrives from the depths of space. Decoded, it bears only a chilling message: “You are ready.” Soon after, a colossal machine stirs in the void, cuttlefish-like and city-sized — a Reaper descending upon Earth.