The crimson sun of Xylos bled across the shattered city, painting the ruins in hues of blood and rust. Kaito Ishikawa, his crimson scarf whipping in the irradiated wind, landed with a resonant thud beside the deactivated colossal automaton. The air crackled with the lingering scent of ozone and despair. Beside him, the Astro-Blade pulsed with a faint, crimson light, its telepathic voice a low hum in his mind.
"The echoes of their suffering are deafening, Kaito. This is not peace."
"I know, Blade," Kaito gritted out, his knuckles white on his sword's hilt. "But it's what they wanted. To see the Xylosians humbled."
Lyra Vex landed their ship, the Stardust Drifter, with a series of controlled jolts. She sauntered out, her cybernetic eye whirring as she scanned the surroundings. "Well, at least they got their wish. This whole planet looks like a giant, very expensive paperweight now." She adjusted her goggles. "Any sign of the warlord, Xy'lon?"
"He fled," Jax rumbled, his massive form emerging from the ship's cargo bay. He'd been busy securing their escape route. "Coward. Ran with his tail between his legs."
Zephyr, ever the comedian, dropped from the ship's hull, landing with a theatrical flourish. "Maybe he's off to find a spa that offers 'nuclear fallout relief' massages. Sounds… relaxing."
Elara, her silver hair shimmering, knelt beside a fallen Xylosian child's toy. Her brow furrowed with sadness. "The cost of this… victory…"
Kaito sheathed the Astro-Blade. "This isn't victory, Elara. Not until this war ends. Not until no planet has to fear the next Xylos." He looked up at the sky, a determined glint in his eyes. "Our mission is to bring peace. And if the celestial council won't, then we will. One planet at a time."
Lyra smirked. "Spoken like a true, overly optimistic space samurai. So, where to next, 'Dragon of the Cosmos'?"
Kaito grinned, a rare sight. "The Rigelian Nebula. Rumor has it, the Lumina Federation are experimenting with forbidden temporal technology. If they weaponize it…"
"Then time itself could unravel," Lyra finished, a thoughtful expression replacing her usual cynicism. "Alright, let's go chase some more cosmic headaches."