Vera Cruz
Chapter 1 – The Discovery of Sin Part 1: The Omen.
Author's Note
This work is a work of fiction inspired by historical fragments.
No event, character, or institution presented here represents real facts or real political positions.
Space… an empty, cold, and dark environment.
A place filled with mysteries and doubts—mysteries misunderstood by humans, yet… destined to become part of them.
A massive group of meteorites, shimmering in countless colors, travels through space toward a blue planet they were drawn to: Earth.
No one knows what they are or what they are made of, but one thing is certain—
they would influence this planet and change the course of the humans who inhabit it.
YEAR 1500
On the vast oceans of the planet, a great fleet from the Kingdom of Lusitania sailed through the seas in search of solid land. Night had already fallen. The sky was covered by dark clouds, and the ocean raged violently, waves crashing relentlessly against the ships.
Along the way, three vessels had already sunk. On the remaining ships, the colonizers fought desperately against the merciless sea, struggling to keep the vessels afloat. When hope was nearly gone—after immense suffering and hardship—everything suddenly calmed.
The sky opened.
The waves ceased.
Bathed in moonlight beneath the night sky, the colonizers finally saw land on the horizon.
"Land ho! Land ahead!" a crewman shouted enthusiastically.
Euphoric cheers echoed across the ships as everyone celebrated. The focus then shifted to a central vessel sailing slightly ahead of the others—the ship commanded by Pedro Álvares Cabral.
A renowned military officer of his kingdom, Cabral had been appointed to lead the fleet toward the region of Bharat. As he gazed at the coastline where they would soon disembark, a sailor approached him.
"Sir, at last… land in sight! What are your orders?"
the sailor asked eagerly.
Cabral remained calm.
"So far, it appears to be nothing but forest. We will disembark and investigate to confirm whether this is truly the region of Bharat."
"But what if it isn't Bharat, sir?"
"That will not be a problem. We can investigate the land and establish settlements here in the name of the Crown.
Even if this is not Bharat, I believe these
lands can benefit our kingdom. Send a messenger to the king and inform him of our discovery."
"Yes, sir!"
Cabral crossed his arms as he stared at the shoreline.
Even if this is not Bharat… the Crown cannot return empty-handed.
Suddenly, the heavens shone once more—this time with overwhelming intensity. Everyone looked up in awe.
Meteorites rained down upon the planet from every direction, falling into the sea, onto the land, and beyond the horizon. Some gazed upon the sight in wonder, while others trembled in fear, believing the end of the world had arrived.
Some meteorites disintegrated in the burning atmosphere; others shattered like shards of glass upon the ocean and the continent.
Cabral watched the spectacle in silence.
What future awaits us from this moment on?
He soon calmed the crew and ordered the ships to dock along the coast. One by one, the colonizers disembarked upon the land that Cabral would name Vera Cruz.