Eryon stepped cautiously behind Captain Varen, his boots treading on the slick stone floor, lightly coated with the red sand carried in by Xerion's desert winds. The searing sunlight was left behind at the cave's entrance, replaced by a bone-chilling cold, as if the cave itself were alive and breathing, guarding secrets reluctant to be touched by the outside world. The rough cave walls were adorned with ancient carvings—intertwined spiral patterns, neatly arranged star symbols, and lines forming unfamiliar constellations. Embedded in the crevices of the stone, cosmic dust glowed faintly, casting a soft blue light that made their shadows dance on the walls, like ghosts of the past awakened by their presence.
The locket hanging around Eryon's neck felt warm against his skin, a sensation that contrasted sharply with the surrounding cold. He touched it instinctively, his fingers brushing the worn yet meaningful surface of the metal. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if an invisible pull tethered him to this place—a faint but undeniable call. Ahead of him, Varen walked with resolute strides, his energy sword glowing softly in his right hand, providing additional light in the deepening darkness. "Stay alert," Varen said without turning, his voice low but commanding, laced with a subtle note of concern.
Eryon nodded, his hand reaching for the energy weapon holstered at his waist, fingers poised over the activation button. His eyes scanned the cave walls, trying to decipher the meaning behind the carvings. One pattern caught his attention: a large circle with small dots arranged like a constellation, and at its center was a symbol strikingly similar to his locket—a five-pointed star encircled by curving lines. His heart quickened. Was this mere coincidence? Or was there a deeper connection between his mother's locket and the ancient caves of Xerion?
Suddenly, his mind drifted back to Elyria, the verdant planet that had once been his home. He recalled nights spent with his mother under a star-filled sky, the gentle breeze caressing their hair. She would point to constellations with her slender fingers, recounting legends of cosmic dust with a voice soft yet full of conviction. "It is a gift from the gods," she had said one night, her eyes sparkling with the reflected starlight. "One day, you will understand its power, Eryon." Young Eryon had merely smiled, not fully grasping her words.
But those sweet memories were soon drowned in darker ones. Elyria's clear skies had turned into a sea of black smoke, the air filled with the screams of its people, and explosions shook the ground. At fourteen, Eryon had hidden among the ruins of his home, his hands clutching his mother's locket in desperation as the world around him crumbled. He survived, but his family did not. The guilt still gnawed at his soul, an unhealed wound that reopened every time he closed his eyes.
"Eryon," Varen's sharp voice snapped him back to reality. "Focus."
Eryon shook his head, trying to dispel the haunting shadows of the past. "Sorry, Captain," he muttered, embarrassed for letting his mind wander during the mission.
They pressed deeper into the cave, the passageway growing narrower and darker. The glow of the cosmic dust in the walls began to dim, as if something within was siphoning its energy. Varen halted abruptly, his eyes narrowing as he peered into the darkness ahead. "Something's off," he said quietly, his grip tightening on the hilt of his energy sword.
Before Eryon could respond, a laser blast shattered the silence, a red beam flaring in the darkness and streaking toward them. Varen reacted swiftly, activating his energy shield, which emitted a translucent blue barrier, deflecting the attack with a resounding thud. Eryon was just as quick—his fingers pressed the button on his glove, activating an energy shield around himself. The blue light flared brightly, illuminating his tense, focused face.
From the darkness, shadows moved swiftly—figures in black cloaks gliding like wind. The Void, Eryon thought, recognizing the organized yet brutal attack pattern. Laser blasts fired again, this time from multiple directions, forcing Eryon and Varen to split and seek cover behind rocky outcrops in the cave. Dust and stone fragments filled the air, creating a thin haze that stung the nose.
Amid the chaos, Eryon saw him—a man who stood out from the others. His movements were agile and precise, his black cloak billowing like the wings of a raven as he leaped over Varen's attack with an almost unnatural grace. The energy sword in his hand glowed a dark green, slicing through the air with deadly precision. But what caught Eryon's attention most was his eyes—deep green with a mysterious glint that seemed alive beneath the shadow of his hood. For a moment, their gazes locked, and something in the man's look made Eryon's heart skip a beat. It wasn't hatred or anger, but a strange understanding, as if the man knew something Eryon himself had yet to comprehend.
"Eryon, to the left!" Varen shouted, pulling him from his trance. Eryon rolled to the side, dodging a blast that nearly grazed his shoulder, and returned fire with his energy weapon. A blue beam shot from its barrel, striking one of the rebels, who collapsed instantly. But the man with the green eyes—later known to Eryon as Sylas—moved too fast, vanishing into the darkness as quickly as he had appeared, leaving only a faint trail of shadow.
The skirmish was brief but intense. The rebels retreated after a few minutes, leaving behind the smell of scorched metal and a thin veil of smoke lingering in the air. Varen stood panting, his energy sword still glowing in his hand. "They weren't after us," he said, his voice hoarse. "They wanted something here."
Eryon rose from his position, his eyes drawn to a small object glowing softly on the cave floor amidst the scattered debris. He approached, his heart racing again as he realized what he was seeing.
It was a small crystal, no larger than his palm, emitting a pulsing blue light like a heartbeat. The Cosmic Key, Eryon thought, recalling the tales he'd heard from the Cosmic Guardians. Varen knelt beside it, his hands trembling as he picked it up. "If this falls into the hands of The Void," he said, his voice quivering with concern, "the universe will be in grave danger."
Eryon stared at the artifact, feeling an inexplicable pull within him. The locket at his chest grew warmer, as if resonating with the crystal. He wanted to ask, to understand the connection between his locket and the Cosmic Key, but Varen cut him off before the words could form. "We need to get back to the ship," he said, his tone urgent. "This isn't a safe place to discuss it."
Eryon nodded, though his mind was still brimming with questions. What were the Cosmic Guardians hiding? And why did he feel a part of himself was tied to all of this?
Back aboard the Stellar Guardian, Eryon sat alone in his cabin, gazing at the locket in his hand. The cabin's light reflected off its metal surface, creating a faint, almost living shimmer. The encounter with Sylas lingered in his mind—the mysterious gaze, the agile movements, and the strange feeling that stirred when their eyes met. Who was he? And why did a part of Eryon feel as though he knew him, despite this being their first meeting?
The cabin door slid open, and Mira entered with light steps, carrying an analysis device in her hand. "I've checked the data from the cave," she said, her voice cheerful but tinged with a serious undertone. "There were unusual energy traces there. It seems The Void was trying to access something—maybe that Cosmic Key."
Eryon nodded, his eyes still fixed on the locket. "Mira, do you know anything about this symbol?" he asked, holding up the locket for her to see clearly.
Mira stepped closer, examining the five-pointed star symbol with a curious expression. "It looks like an ancient symbol," she said after a moment. "Possibly from a civilization older than the Cosmic Guardians. I can search the ship's database, but it'll take time."
"Thank you," Eryon said, feeling a slight relief despite his unanswered questions.
Kael appeared at the cabin door, his expression as stoic as ever. "The Captain wants you at the command bridge," he said curtly, then turned to leave without waiting for a reply.
Eryon stood, following Kael to the command bridge. There, Varen stood before a holographic display, his face tense as he studied a projected galactic map. "We'll report this find to headquarters," he said as Eryon approached. "But something about The Void troubles me. They seem to know more than we expected."
Eryon felt a tension in the air, a foreboding he couldn't quite explain. Were the Cosmic Guardians hiding secrets? And what role did his locket play in all this? He stepped toward the large window on the command bridge, gazing out at the countless stars stretching into infinity. Beyond, Xerion glimmered like a sea of red sand under the starlight, whispering secrets yet to be unveiled. Deep in his heart, Eryon knew this journey was only beginning, and the horizon held conflicts far greater than he had ever imagined..