Falling Sins

Chapter 4

Life on Venus was a constant battle against the elements. For Nazarene and her people, every day was a testament to their resilience in a place that could only be described as a living hell. The atmosphere was a relentless force, its pressure so intense that it could crush anything not adapted to its weight. The heat was omnipresent, radiating from the ground and sky alike, a suffocating blanket that clung to their skin and sapped their strength. The volcanic activity was unpredictable, with explosions that could decimate entire areas in moments, spewing molten rock and toxic gases into the air. Yet, somehow, they managed to survive.

The land itself was barely livable, a vast expanse of jagged rocks and boiling lava fields. Vegetation was scarce, limited to hardy, spiny plants that clung to life in the crevices of the volcanic rock. The people of Quuara had learned to live off these plants, extracting nutrients from their roots and leaves, and using their fibers to create the rough, heat-resistant clothing that was essential for survival. Every day, Nazarene would go through six pairs of clothes, each one ending up scorching hot and soaked with sweat. It was a small price to pay to avoid the burns that would come from direct contact with the searing air.

Their bodies had adapted to the violent planet in ways that were both remarkable and terrifying. The scale-like black skin that covered their bodies acted as a shield against the heat, its rough surface reflecting the worst of the sun’s rays. Their bones were dense and strong, able to withstand the crushing pressure of the atmosphere. Their feet and hands, covered in heat-resistant scales and tipped with sharp claws, allowed them to navigate the treacherous terrain without injury. But even with these adaptations, the danger was always present, lurking in every shadow and around every corner.

Water was the most precious resource on Venus, a rare and elusive element that was never seen in its liquid form. Instead, it was found in the atmosphere, trapped in the dense clouds that swirled above the planet’s surface. The people of Quuara had developed a system to filter this moisture through their caves, collecting it in large, underground reservoirs. It was a painstaking process, but it was the only way to ensure a steady supply of water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Every drop was carefully rationed, and waste was not tolerated.

The clothing they wore was woven from the fibers of the hardy plants that grew in the rocky soil. The process was labor-intensive, with each garment taking weeks to complete. The result was a fabric that was as tough as the people who wore it, able to withstand the heat and pressure of their environment. The silver garments worn during ceremonies, like the Morning Star Festival, were particularly special, their shimmering surfaces reflecting the light of the molten rivers that flowed through their land. These garments were revealing, a symbol of their people’s connection to the harshness of their world, and a reminder of the strength it took to survive.

Nazarene knew these challenges well. Every day, she woke up to the same unforgiving reality, her body already bracing for the onslaught of heat and pressure. Her role as a healer brought its own set of difficulties, with injuries that were often beyond her ability to repair. Burns, broken bones, and heatstroke were common, and there were days when she wondered how they could continue to endure. But the people of Quuara were nothing if not resilient, and they faced their struggles with a stoic determination that was ingrained in them from birth.

Even so, there were moments when the weight of it all threatened to crush her spirit. The constant danger, the endless heat, the knowledge that one wrong move could mean death—it was almost too much to bear. But then she would remember her purpose, the reason she had chosen this path. She was a healer, and it was her duty to care for her people, to do whatever she could to ease their suffering and keep them alive.

There was no room for weakness in this world, no time for self-pity or doubt. The people of Quuara depended on her, and she would not let them down. As she made her way back to the healing house after the tragedy at the magma fields, her thoughts turned to the girl who had died. It was a harsh reminder of the reality they faced, but it also strengthened her resolve. She would do better next time, be faster, more careful. She had to be.