Chapter 140: Stars, Power, and New Chapter

  "It all makes sense now," Dr. Iskandar bellowed, his holographic voice vibrating with the thrill of a solved equation.

  He pointed a translucent finger at Zhu. "You and the other five Lords were Silux's captives. Guinea pigs that were taken from the ruins of the past. That is why most of your genetic data is still a match to Old Humanity, albeit altered by experimentation."

  Then he swiveled, his finger now aiming directly at Raito like an accusation.

  "But you," he said. "Your genetics are also of Old Human stock, pristine and unaltered. And you were oozing Void energy when we met."

  Iskandar began to pace in the air, his hands waving as if rearranging invisible data streams.

  "You were the anomaly in question, but now most clicks into place," he declared. "You were Luth and Charlie's son. Unlike those other six, you are the true survivor of humanity. The pure lineage."

  He stopped directly in front of Raito, his projection leaning in dangerously close until the blue light washed over Raito's face.

  "The Void within you... you obtained it when you were swallowed by the crack. The rift." Iskandar’s eyes burned with scientific hunger. "You were the only other one besides Silux to see what lies beyond the event horizon. Tell me, kid... what did you see?"

  Raito shrank back. He wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, shaking his head.

  "I don't know," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I don't even know that they were my parents until five minutes ago. I am not sure how to even react to all of this."

  "None of this even makes sense," Zhu interjected, her arms crossed tight across her chest. "Raito... the boy... is part of the Old Humans. But how is he here right now?"

  She gestured to the room, to the present. "Based on your story, that Artemis station got destroyed a hundred thousand years ago. I was experimented on, put in sleep or whatever, so at least we understand how I'm here. But that boy? He should be older than he currently is. He should be dust."

  "That is a correct question," Iskandar replied, turning his analytical gaze back to Raito. He scanned the boy once more, green grids of light washing over him.

  "You should be older than most of us right now. Ancient. But your genetic data is still showing you to be a twenty-two-year-old male. Your cellular decay is non-existent."

  Iskandar started pacing back and forth again, muttering to himself. "Peculiar. Temporal rift? Wormhole dilation? Time relativity near the event horizon? A paradox? Or maybe all of those combined..."

  While the scientist and the General debated the physics of his existence, Raito and Yukari retreated to a quiet corner of the room, seeking refuge in the shadows of the massive consoles.

  "You finally found your parents," Yukari said softly, leaning against a metal panel. "But you don't look too happy?"

  Raito looked at her, his expression hollow. "How could I be? I can sense that they were my parents. I have a sense of familiarity with their faces. But I have absolutely no memories. No keepsake of their existence other than a grainy recording of their death."

  He looked at his hands. "Just the news that they were gone, long, long ago."

  A flicker of black flame appeared on his finger, dancing silently.

  "And worse... this power," he whispered, watching the void fire. "Is it simply because I was unlucky enough to be consumed by that crack above the sky? But why? Why give me this power if no one could control it?"

  He clenched his fist, extinguishing the flame. "Who or what gave it to me? And why am I here? Right now. In the present Calvenoor. Everything about my own existence, everything I knew about myself... it's suddenly slipping away from me."

  He looked up at Yukari, his eyes wide and vulnerable. "Am I really who I currently am? Or am I just a ghost from the past?"

  PINCH.

  Yukari reached out and pinched his cheek. Hard.

  "Ow! Ow!" Raito yelped, pulling back and rubbing the red spot.

  "You are real now," Yukari said firmly, her silver eyes locking onto his. "You are real to me. That pain was real."

  She stepped closer, invading his personal space until he had no choice but to focus on her.

  "What matters is that we stick together. The Void... they said you haven't matured enough to wield it right? And that now it was shared into me as well?"

  She held up her hand, the Sakura ring pulsing faintly. "Maybe that was the clue we need. There might be way too many questions right now. But... we just need to find the answer one by one. Right?"

  She smiled at him—a warm, grounding smile that anchored him to the present moment.

  Raito looked at her. The panic in his chest began to subside, replaced by the steady rhythm of her breathing.

  "You're right, I guess," he said, a small smile touching his lips.

  "I'm always right," Yukari smirked. "For now, just celebrate that you finally know who and where you came from. Husband."

  She reached out and flicked his nose.

  "Okay, okay," Raito giggled, rubbing his nose. Yukari giggled with him.

  From a distance, Bob watched them with a warm, fatherly smile, glad to see the spark of life return to the boy's eyes.

  "Speaking of family," Raito said, his expression sobering. He looked toward the door leading back to the tunnels. "We need to find him. Maybe this place has a way to heal him."

  Yukari nodded immediately. "Let's go."

  As the adults continued to argue about timelines and physics, the two runaways sneaked their way out of the room, hand in hand, heading back into the dark to save the one person they could still help.

  "Hey! Hey!"

  Zhu shouted, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. She marched up to the pacing, muttering hologram of Dr. Iskandar, who was still running simulations on Raito’s temporal anomaly.

  "You clearly don't have an answer for the boy's condition," Zhu said, crossing her arms. "So I suggest we put that aside."

  Iskandar stopped mid-step, his blue light flickering as he refocused on the General. "Alright. Putting that aside... what do you need?"

  "Now that we know the truth," Zhu said, her eyes hard, "I assume Silux won't just leave us alone. We discovered it’s real history. We ran outside of its experimentation. Silux... It will start attacking us. With much greater force than we have faced thus far."

  "I assumed as well," Iskandar responded gravely. "Its logic core will prioritize the elimination of this anomaly."

  "Then we also need to increase our combat power," Zhu stated. She scanned the sterile lab. "Are you sure there are no weapons in here? Anything?"

  "Unfortunately, no," Iskandar sighed. "I was already spread thin back then. The armory is empty. The Cores were all that’s left."

  He gestured to the console. "I was planning to improve the design on the Cores—increasing their output and efficiency—using the one that girl, Yukari, had. But turned out, her Core is not of my design. So that plan failed."

  "Then..." Mila chimed in, stepping forward.

  She reached into her armor and pulled out a glowing green crystal. "How about mine?"

  She showed her Gust Core crystal to the hologram. "It is your creation right. Can you use this?"

  Iskandar peered at it. "That Core would work. It is a standard model."

  He looked up at Mila, scanning her biometrics. "But the one that is not compatible... is your own body. Yukari's body has been adjusted genetically to work with Raito made core, which is why she has no backlash. But you... your genetics are still incompatible with the Core technology. If I upgrade your Core to output more power, the backlash will double. Maybe triple."

  "I don't mind," Mila said instantly.

  "Are you sure?" Iskandar asked, his voice losing its digital edge. "I can't guarantee you will still be standing if you activate an upgraded Core. I’ll even spell it out for you. You might die."

  Bob grabbed Mila’s hand, his large fingers enveloping hers. He shook his head violently.

  "No. Don't," he pleaded, his voice thick. "Not worth the risk. I don't want to lose you too."

  Mila looked up at the giant merchant. She squeezed his hand.

  "Master... no," she corrected herself, her voice soft but firm. "Father."

  Bob froze. His eyes widened.

  "The journey I've taken with you has been nothing but fun," Mila said, a gentle smile gracing her usually stoic face. "It was eye-opening. The time I had with Rami and your family... I owe my life and everything to you. But..."

  She looked at the door where Raito and Yukari had exited.

  "Just as those two became your found family... they also became mine. While traveling with them, I found life and fun again. I found a purpose beyond just surviving."

  She turned back to Bob. "So, this time, I want to help them. I want to also protect them, like you protected us. So please... let me go, Father."

  Bob stared at her, tears streaming freely down his face and into his beard.

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  "You finally called me Father," he choked out. "I am so happy right now."

  He pulled her into a tight, crushing hug. "And Rami must be so happy up there."

  He held her for a long moment, then let go. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

  "Do what you must," Bob said, his voice steadying. "Just promise me to stay alive."

  "I will," Mila said.

  She nodded to Iskandar. "Do it."

  Iskandar nodded back, respect evident on his face. "Then... place your Core on that pedestal."

  A small, cylindrical pedestal rose from the floor near the consoles. Mila placed her green crystal into the receptor slot.

  "Now, lay on that bed," Iskandar instructed, pointing to one of the empty medical slabs. "I will upgrade and synchronize your Core to your bio-rhythm as much as I can to mitigate the damage."

  "I won't forgive you if she is in pain!" Bob shouted at the hologram.

  "I will try," Iskandar said solemnly.

  With Mila laying on the metal bed, wires connecting her to the mainframe, Zhu stepped forward again.

  "This is not enough," the General said.

  She looked Iskandar in the eye. "Can you modify me too?"

  "Modify you?" Iskandar asked.

  "You said you are one of the smartest minds of your era," Zhu challenged. "Then you should be able to remove the leftover control Silux has over me. Make me whole. Unlock the limiters. Allow me to use all my powers without his authority kicking in."

  "You are Silux's creation," Iskandar warned. "If I make a mistake in the process, I might unravel your existence. You could cease to be."

  "You think I care?" Zhu scoffed. "If I can't fight, I'm dead anyway."

  Iskandar looked between both warrior woman.

  "Both of you are crazy," he muttered, shaking his head. "Very well!"

  He shouted, his hands flying across the holographic interface. "You, take the other bed! I will try to make sure you two are able to fight Silux's forces as much as I can!"

  “On it!” Zhu said leaping on the bed.

  Bob raised a finger, opening his mouth to volunteer or ask a question.

  "You stay there!" Iskandar barked at him without looking. "Don't touch anything! You are biologically normal and I don't have time to explain quantum mechanics to a merchant!"

  Bob’s finger went down. His shoulders slumped.

  "Right," he mumbled. "Watch duty it is."

  The lights in the room dimmed, focusing on the two beds. Machines began to whir.

  The operation to fight for the future had begun.

  In the underground tunnel next to the structure, the air was thick with dust and silence.

  "I can't find him!" Raito shouted, his voice echoing off the rough-hewn walls. He kicked a pile of loose gravel, frustration radiating off him. "Old Man!"

  "Look more," Yukari said, scanning the shadows with sharp eyes. "He still has to be here. Right?"

  "He has to be," Raito insisted, pacing back and forth. "Last time I remembered, he was right here. Badly injured too. There is no way he left on his own."

  Yukari walked over to the tunnel wall. She touched a dark, crusty stain on the stone.

  "The blood is still here," she whispered. "And I saw it from your memories. The impact was severe."

  She looked around the empty corridor. "But where? Where could he possibly go in that condition?"

  RUMBLE.

  Suddenly, the tunnel shook. Dust rained down from the ceiling.

  "What was that?" Raito asked, looking up.

  "Another vibration," Yukari said, balancing herself against the wall. "Earthquake?"

  BOOM.

  Then another shake, more violent this time. It felt like a giant hammer striking the earth directly above them.

  "We have to go back and check," Yukari said, grabbing Raito's arm.

  "But what about..." Raito tried to argue, looking back into the darkness.

  "He is not here," Yukari said firmly. "So he has to wait. We can't help him if we get buried alive."

  Back inside the central room, the vibrations were even stronger.

  "What is that?" Bob asked, steadying himself against a console as the floor lurched.

  "No idea..." Iskandar muttered, his hologram flickering with the interference. "Computer! Show all external cameras!"

  One by one, the monitors lining the wall lit up.

  Iskandar and Bob’s eyes widened in unison.

  "Silux," Iskandar breathed.

  On the screens, a nightmare was unfolding. Chimera model machines—more than a dozen of them—were encircling the structure. They were lions of brass and steel, their wings blotting out the sun, their tails snapping with electricity.

  Then Bob saw it.

  In one of the feeds, Tanvir and the Raging Bull adventurers were fighting a losing battle against a single Chimera. In the middle of the formation, protected by a fragile ring of shields, were Queen Aleena, Malik, Samira, and the group of scholars.

  "Everyone!" Bob shouted, his heart leaping into his throat.

  "Can't we do something?" he asked Iskandar desperately. "How about the energy shield thing? The one this place used before?"

  "I would if I could," Iskandar snapped, his fingers flying across the holographic interface. "But that boy... Raito's rampage earlier broke the shield array generators. Shield integrity is at zero."

  "Tch," Bob clicked his tongue. He looked at the two medical beds where Zhu and Mila were hooked up to machines, unconscious. "How about both of them? Are they ready?"

  "They are stable," Iskandar said, checking their vitals. "But before the my procedure finishes, they will remain motionless. Waking them now would kill them."

  CRASH.

  Another violent shake rocked the room. On the monitor, multiple Chimeras began attacking the exterior of the structure, tearing at the metal plating. In another monitor, Tanvir’s earth golem crumbled, smashed to pieces by a mechanical paw.

  "What can we do?" Bob looked around, helpless.

  KSSH.

  The door to the central room hissed open.

  "Leave it to us," Yukari said, stepping through the threshold with Raito right beside her.

  "To us?" Raito asked, blinking.

  "Of course, idiot. Us. Who else?" She elbowed him in the ribs.

  "You?" Iskandar looked at them skeptically. "They are Silux's creations. They are not easy enemies to fight. Cores are almost useless against their armor and adaptability."

  But Bob just silently approached them. He put a heavy hand on each of their shoulders.

  "Come back safely," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

  Yukari and Raito nodded. "Yes," they said in unison.

  "Without a plan?!" Iskandar shouted, exasperated. "You are walking into a slaughter!"

  "Don't worry," Bob said, watching them with pride. "They can. The way they are now... I know it."

  Iskandar stared at them for a moment, "Everyone here is crazy and illogical." Iskandar muttered, calculating odds that didn't make sense.

  "Fine," he grumbled. "Go to your doom."

  "But at least don't be unarmed," he added. He pointed a finger at Yukari. "You, girl. Use that."

  A small panel opened in the wall beside Yukari. It revealed a smooth, grey metallic sphere, roughly the size of her palm.

  "What is this?" Yukari asked, picking it up. It was surprisingly heavy.

  "I saw your daggers broke," Iskandar said. "So use it as a replacement. That is an Elenium Sphere. I made it eons ago. It requires precise imagination and finesse if I put it that way. it will help you in more ways than you can think of. But… only if you…"

  He looked at her intensely. "Show me that 'possibility' of yours."

  "Is that so?" Yukari smirked, tossing the sphere lightly in her hand. "Well, I'll gladly take the gift."

  "Ah!!!" Raito shouted suddenly, patting his hip. "I don't have Koenka with me! I left it in the sand!"

  Yukari sighed, slapping her forehead.

  Bob laughed, a booming sound that defied the grim situation. "Just call for Tama once you are out! It is safely nestled in my wagon. She will bring it to you! I taught her well!"

  "Alright! Thanks, Bob!" Raito grinned.

  He turned to Yukari. "Ready?"

  "Five more minutes," she teased. "Just kidding."

  Her expression hardened. "Let's go."

  The two ran toward the surface entrance, leaving the safety of the buried box to face the gods of the machine.

  Outside, in the blistering desert heat next to the structure, the situation was critical.

  Tanvir's earth golem, once a towering guardian of stone, began to dissolve back into rock and sand. Its structural integrity failed under the relentless assault. Tanvir fell to his knees, panting, his garb drenched in sweat and dust.

  "We can't keep this up, Master Tanvir!" Varessh shouted, swinging his axe to deflect a stray bolt of energy. He looked around at his fellow adventurers, who were also panting, bleeding, and running on fumes.

  "We need to leave, Tanvir!" Queen Aleena barked, her royal composure cracking under the strain of imminent death. "We will all die if we stay here!"

  "I'm trying, Your Majesty..." Tanvir wheezed, pushing himself up. "But unlike last time... this one..."

  He gestured to the Chimera prowling in front of him. Its red eyes were locked onto the Queen.

  "Does not seem to want to let us go. Something has changed. It's hunting us."

  He gritted his teeth. "But... I also can't let my friend's family perish."

  Tanvir stood up, dusting off his knees. A grim determination settled over his features.

  "I still have my pride as the Quake Lord. I will try to distract it. Once I have its attention... Varessh, I want you to take everyone far, far away. And alert all of Zarateph. Tell them... tell them we have more pressing matters."

  "Uncle Tanvir! But that would mean—" Samira started to scream, but she was held back by a terrified Malik.

  "No worries, young Samira," Tanvir smiled weakly. "Let this uncle be cool for once. Let me brag to that Ahmed later."

  He laughed, though it sounded more like a cough.

  Tanvir clasped his hands together, channeling every scrap of Ground elemental energy he had left into a final, suicidal gambit.

  "Here I come, you bucket of bolts!"

  The Chimera in front of him roared, its maw opening to unleash a torrent of fire.

  Then...

  CLANG.

  It fell.

  The roar cut off instantly. The light from its glass-lens eyes vanished.

  "Oh sweet, this thing is awesome," a giddy female voice said from the dunes.

  "Ok... I'm jealous. How did you know it can do that?" a male voice asked.

  CRASH.

  The mechanical beast suddenly shattered into a million pieces of glittering dust. The temperature around the group plummeted, a wave of refreshing cold washing over the scorched sand. It wasn't just destroyed; it had been flash-frozen and vibrated into oblivion.

  "Dr. Iskandar said something about imagination, so I just thought, 'what if you can turn into a bow?' and it did!" the female voice chirped, getting closer.

  "I wish Koenka can do that too," the male voice sighed.

  "This voice..." Tanvir whispered, his eyes widening.

  "It's them!" Samira shouted, pointing and waving frantically.

  Raito and Yukari walked out of the heat haze, stepping over the diamond dust remains of the Chimera.

  Yukari was holding a sleek, metallic grey-white longbow. It didn't look like any weapon forged in Calvenoor; glowing blue lines flowed through its structure like veins. Raito walked beside her, staring at the weapon with unabashed envy.

  "Those kids... they are back," the Queen breathed, her hand over her heart.

  Tanvir stared at the pile of dust that used to be an unstoppable killing machine. "It gave me so much trouble... but now, it's just... dust. How in the world?"

  "Hey everyone!" Yukari shouted, waving with her free hand.

  "Yukari! Raito! I knew it was you guys!" Samira cried, tears of relief streaming down her face.

  "We… Welcome back," Malik waved weakly.

  "Glad you guys are still in one piece," Raito grinned.

  "Not the time," Yukari smacked Raito upside the head.

  She turned to the group, her expression serious. "I really want to catch up, but this is really not the time. So please, run as fast as you guys can. And leave this to us."

  "The two of you? Against the rest of them?" the Queen asked, looking at the dozen other Chimeras circling the structure. "Madness."

  But then she saw it. The unwavering gaze of the two runaways. The calm assurance that radiated from them. It wasn't arrogance; it was certainty.

  "I.... can trust you two, right?" she asked.

  "Leave it to us, Your Majesty," Raito said, bowing slightly.

  "By the way, where is..." Raito looked around, patting his empty hip.

  MOOOOO!

  Suddenly, a powerful, furry figure tackled him from the side. Raito hit the sand with a grunt as a massive tongue started licking his face.

  It was Tama the yak, dragging Bob’s reinforced wagon behind her.

  "Tama! Here you are, girl! Stop, stop! That's ticklish!" Raito laughed, pushing the massive head away.

  "He seems... different," Malik said, adjusting his glasses as he watched Raito play with the yak.

  "He is back," Yukari said softly, watching him. "Back to how he is supposed to be."

  "Congratulations," Samira whispered, squeezing Yukari’s hand.

  "Thanks," Yukari smiled. "Now, please. Run away."

  "Wait... what about Bob and Mila?" the Queen asked, looking at the wagon.

  "They are safe inside the structure. They will follow soon," Yukari assured her.

  "How about the Red One?" Tanvir asked.

  "Mother is also fine. Don't worry. You have to run with them, Master Tanvir," Yukari said firmly. "Even if you are a Lord, you are currently severely weakened. Protecting them is what you need to do now."

  Tanvir nodded, accepting his role. "I'll see you all back in Kah-Kamun."

  "Everyone! We are leaving!" the Queen barked.

  The Raging Bull Guild and the scholars didn't need to be told twice. Multiple caravans started to move, retreating into the desert, away from the scene of impending mechanical destruction.

  "There you are," Raito said, reaching into the back of Bob’s wagon.

  He pulled out a familiar crimson scabbard. He clicked it onto his waist belt, the weight comforting and right.

  "Sorry I left you," he whispered to the blade.

  "Now that's a nice look," Yukari said, looking him up and down.

  "Not as good looking as my Quintzel," she smirked, lifting the bow.

  "Quint- what?" Raito asked, confused.

  "Quintzel. This thing."

  The bow shimmered and dissolved, reforming into a smooth, grey sphere floating above her palm.

  "It needs a name, so I named it Quintzel," she stated proudly.

  "You and your weird naming scheme..." Raito muttered under his breath.

  "What was that?" Yukari asked sweetly.

  The sphere elongated, shifting mass and density until it transformed into a massive, jagged greatsword that looked too heavy for anyone to lift.

  "Sorry! Sorry!" Raito begged, holding up his hands.

  "Good," Yukari nodded. The greatsword dissolved again. "Now... I have some revenge against these Chimeras to settle. You in?"

  "With you?" Raito smiled, drawing his sword. "Always."

  They started walking toward the remaining pack of mechanical beasts.

  Yukari’s sphere shifted one last time. It extended, sharpened, and solidified into a long, elegant spear. She channeled her frost energy into it.

  The frost energy, once a pure bluish-white, began to change. Silvery threads of Void energy woven through it, turning the aura into a shimmering platinum color.

  Raito did the same. He channeled his flame energy into Koenka. The crimson fire roared to life, but then the core of the flame darkened, turning a deep, bruising blackish-violet.

  They had changed. And they were ready.