The stars search for a storied wish, one that may one day grow into a mighty tree. Tonight, I ask those stars—Is that story worth wishing for?
"-Take and devour. Devour and take-"
"-Severance, rise. Rise, severer-"
"-Horizon splits, void separates, sentience collides-"
I awoke suddenly, my head pounding as I stared at the cold, unyielding metal ceiling of the vessel. Blinking slowly, I worked to shake off the remnants of a restless slumber.
"Can't you ever be quiet for two seconds?"
The words escaped my lips in a groggy complaint as I pinched the bridge of my nose. My fur-lined hood, draped low over my face, shielded my eyes from the sharp glare of the overhead lights. The whispering voices were no stranger to me, though their incessant presence remained a burden.
I turned my head to the right, my neck stiff but revitalized, and peered toward the cockpit. A metal-skinned robot piloted the craft with practiced precision, its iron frame reflecting the dim glow of the console lights.
Beyond the cockpit's screen, the stars stretched endlessly, speckling the void like shards of shattered glass. A blue-grey planet loomed ahead, its surface dotted with glimmers of civilization, growing clearer with each passing second.
A shadow fell over us momentarily as a colossal spaceship cruised past. Its immense hull, large enough to house tens of thousands, dwarfed our smaller craft. I watched with mild curiosity as it gradually shrank into the distance, heading toward the planet's orbit.
"Strife, you alive?"
The robot's voice cut through the silence. Flipping a switch, it turned slightly to glance at me, its twin camera-like eyes scanning my slouched figure.
I pushed myself up from the bench where I had been resting and stepped into the archway leading to the cockpit. "I guess so. Are we on schedule, Sifo Ren?"
The android turned back to its controls, adjusting levers with a fluid ease. "Mostly. The union festival on Idaten-II has given the others a chance to sneak in, but a few VIPs you're supposed to infiltrate with are late. The entry window's going to be tight."
From my shoulder, a shadow began to stir, coalescing into the form of a raven. Its black feathers shimmered faintly, its long peacock-like tail flowing with an eerie grace. Silver horns protruded from its forehead, adding to its ghostly appearance.
"As if that's a surprise," the raven quipped, its tone dripping with sarcasm. "Those pompous fools love inflating their egos."
I rolled my eyes. "Not unlike you, Thorn."
Thorn's misty white eyes glinted with amusement as it cocked its head. "An honest egoist, though. Someone here needs to have charm."
Ignoring Thorn's smugness, I leaned closer to the cockpit's viewport. Through the glass, four imperial-class spaceships hovered above the planet's atmosphere. "Those the important guests?" I asked, pointing toward the screen.
Sifo Ren swatted my hand away with a clang of metal. "Careful! You touch anything, and you'll short the systems. Then you're out there without backup."
His warning was valid, though it stung. My touch often interfered with technology—a fact I begrudgingly accepted. With a sigh, I placed my hand on the rubber seat instead.
"Yes," Sifo Ren said, his synthetic voice buzzing faintly. "Those are the delegates from
"Who's aboard?" Thorn asked, echoing my own curiosity.
Sifo Ren tilted his head slightly, as if calculating. "For
I flicked my bandaged fingers in frustration. "It's [Deviance Sovereign]. She'd bring that rat along, knowing we're after the Empyrean."
Thorn chuckled, his tone laced with mischief. "The Empress herself? Oho, this will be fun. Been a while since I've seen her glorious peaches. Think I can score a hug?"
I ignored him as Sifo Ren guided the ship closer to the imperial-class vessels. The Daredgt dreadnought loomed ahead—a black, abyssal pyramid, its design as menacing as its reputation. By contrast, the Enditian dreadnought was a gleaming crescent moon, its pristine white hull glowing softly in the starlight. Flanking them were smaller escort ships, their sharp, key-like forms unmistakable.
"Look at that," Sifo Ren stated, pointing to another monitor. "Our late guest has arrived."
The screen displayed a behemoth that seemed more like an ornate Chinese castle than a spacecraft. Its intricate architecture, regal and imposing, glided past us with silent authority.
"There she is," Thorn murmured, his awe palpable. "The emissary of death herself."
The dreadnoughts began their descent, their engines igniting as waves of invisible energy propelled them toward the planet's surface.
"This is your window," Sifo Ren announced, pushing a lever forward. The ship surged ahead, racing to keep up. "The satellites will go dark for 11 seconds as the C.G.A. cruisers pass the terminal station. That's your chance."
I rose and walked toward the cargo hold. "See you on the surface," I said, gripping a lever on the wall. With a sharp pull, the back hatch began to open, the air rushing out into the void.
The sudden gust yanked my hood free, revealing my sharp features to the light of the system's sun. My silver, draconic eyes glimmered, my dark-grey hair, tied in a ponytail, whipping in the wind. A single streak of blonde framed my face, brushing past my ear.
[Skill: Autumn King's Conquest – Warms You.]
[Skill: Winter Inverse – Augments An Armor.]
Golden screens blinked into my vision as energy coursed through me. My coat tightened and transformed, reshaping into black, scaled armour. Two curved horns aligned with my jaw, and an autumnal pattern glowed faintly across the surface.
"Time to jump!" Sifo Ren shouted from the cockpit, twisting the ship sharply to face the planet and the massive dreadnoughts.
I took a deep breath inside the confines of my armour. Thorn cawed excitedly, perched on my shoulder.
"Time to take it all."
With a burst of orange lightning crackling at my heels, I sprinted forward and leapt into the void, diving toward the planet with unparalleled speed. The colossal ships loomed ahead as I pursued them, cutting through the endless expanse of space.