The Endless Nights

**Chapter Four: The Endless Night**

The stars continued to vanish one by one, their faint glimmers swallowed by the encroaching darkness. As the *Nyx* drifted through space, Isolde watched in silent horror, her mind reeling with the implications. The Engines had been destroyed—she had felt them die. But something far worse had stirred in their wake.

The voice that had whispered to her in the chaos of the Engine chamber was gone, but its presence lingered, like a shadow in her thoughts. It was watching her, waiting. She could feel it.

Kane was silent beside her, his focus on the ship's controls as they stabilized from the shockwave. The cockpit was bathed in the soft, flickering light of the remaining stars, but even that felt fragile, temporary.

"We need answers," Kane finally said, his voice tight. "Someone has to know what's happening out there."

Isolde nodded, her throat dry. "There's only one place we can go."

Kane's eyes flicked to her, suspicion crossing his face. "You don't mean… the Oracles?"

"The Oracles of Null," Isolde confirmed, her voice steady but grim. The name sent a shiver down Kane's spine.

The Oracles were ancient, enigmatic beings who resided in the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Few had ever seen them, and fewer still survived the encounter. It was said they were older than time itself, watching over the universe from their world of eternal darkness. Some claimed they were prophets of doom, others believed they were the architects of all life. But if anyone understood the nature of what was happening, it would be them.

"They're the only ones who might know the truth," Isolde added. "If anyone can tell us what's happening to the stars, it's them."

Kane sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. "The Oracles. Of all the places… You really know how to pick them."

He set a course for Null, the Oracle's mysterious homeworld, and the ship's engines hummed to life as they leaped into faster-than-light travel. The stars outside blurred into streaks of light as the *Nyx* cut through space, hurtling toward their destination.

As the ship settled into its trajectory, the silence between Isolde and Kane became palpable. The weight of what they had just witnessed—the destruction of the Engines, the disappearance of the stars—hung heavy over them, unspoken but ever-present.

Isolde could feel the tension gnawing at her, the questions that had no answers. She had always been a fighter, someone who faced danger head-on, but this… this was different. It wasn't just a battle. It was the end of everything she knew, and it was happening faster than she could comprehend.

"Isolde," Kane said quietly, breaking the silence. "Back in the chamber… when you said you had to use the Engines. What did you mean?"

Isolde hesitated. The truth was something she had been avoiding, even from herself. But there was no point in hiding it now. "The Engines are tied to my bloodline. That much I know. My family… the House of Obsidian… we were guardians of something ancient. But what I didn't realize was that I'm connected to them. My existence is tied to the Eclipse Engines. When I destroyed them, I felt something inside me change."

Kane's brow furrowed. "Change how?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted, her voice wavering. "But I think that's why I heard the voice. Whatever force was controlling the Engines—whatever they're connected to—it's linked to me. It's like I've become… a part of it."

Kane was silent for a moment, absorbing her words. Then he spoke, his voice edged with fear. "You think it's inside you now?"

Isolde shook her head. "No. Not inside. But it's watching. It knows me, and it's waiting for something."

Kane's hand tightened around the controls. "If that thing comes after us…"

"We'll be ready," Isolde said, though the confidence in her voice felt hollow. In truth, she wasn't sure they could stop whatever was coming.

The journey to Null took several hours, and as they approached the Oracle's domain, the light of the stars grew dimmer, almost imperceptible. Null was a world of shadow, shrouded in perpetual night. It hung in space like a ghost, its surface invisible beneath a thick veil of swirling black clouds.

The closer they got to the planet, the more Isolde could feel the pull of the dark presence. It was as if Null itself was alive, its gravity dragging at her soul, drawing her deeper into its grasp. The whispers returned, faint but persistent, like a distant echo in her mind.

"Are you sure about this?" Kane asked, his voice uneasy as he piloted the *Nyx* toward the surface.

"No," Isolde admitted. "But we don't have a choice."

The ship descended through the thick atmosphere of Null, the darkness outside pressing against the hull like a living entity. The sensors on the *Nyx* went haywire, struggling to navigate through the planet's chaotic magnetic fields.

Finally, the ship touched down on a desolate plain, the only light coming from the faint glow of the ship's landing lights. The surface of Null was cold and barren, the ground covered in dark, glass-like stones that reflected nothing. There was no sky, no stars, only an endless void above them.

Isolde and Kane stepped out of the ship, their boots crunching on the dark stones. The air was thin and cold, and every breath felt like inhaling shards of ice.

"This place gives me the creeps," Kane muttered, his hand resting on his weapon.

Isolde didn't respond. Her attention was focused on the horizon, where the towering silhouette of the Oracle's temple loomed in the distance. The structure was massive, its dark spires reaching into the void above like claws. It seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy, as though it were a living thing.

Without a word, Isolde started walking toward the temple, her heart pounding in her chest. Kane followed, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.

As they approached the entrance, the massive stone doors groaned open, as if expecting them. Inside, the temple was even more oppressive. The air was thick with the weight of time, the walls adorned with strange symbols that seemed to shift and change as they passed.

At the far end of the chamber stood the Oracles.

There were three of them, draped in long, flowing robes of black and silver. Their faces were obscured by ornate masks, their eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. They were tall, impossibly tall, and their presence filled the chamber with a suffocating pressure.

Isolde and Kane stopped a few meters away, and for a moment, the Oracles were silent, their glowing eyes fixed on Isolde.

Finally, the Oracle in the center spoke, its voice a soft whisper that seemed to echo from all directions. "You have come seeking knowledge."

"Yes," Isolde said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. "We need to know what's happening to the stars. Why are they disappearing?"

The Oracles remained silent for a moment, as if considering her question. Then, the one on the left spoke, its voice like a hiss of wind through ancient ruins. "The stars are not dying. They are being devoured."

"Devoured by what?" Kane asked, his hand tightening on his weapon.

The Oracle on the right spoke now, its voice cold and detached. "The void. The Endless Night. It has awakened."

Isolde's heart skipped a beat. The Endless Night. She had heard the legends, stories of a force so ancient and powerful that it predated the universe itself. A force that consumed all light, all life.

"The Eclipse Engines were a barrier," the central Oracle continued. "They kept the Endless Night at bay. But now that they are destroyed, the Night has returned. It will consume everything."

Isolde felt a chill run down her spine. "Is there a way to stop it?"

The Oracles were silent for a long time, their glowing eyes fixed on her.

"There is one way," the central Oracle finally said. "But it will require a sacrifice."

Isolde's heart pounded in her chest. "What kind of sacrifice?"

The Oracle's eyes glowed brighter, and its voice was barely a whisper. "You, Isolde Veris. You are the key. You are bound to the Engines, and through them, to the Endless Night. If you are willing… you can bind the Night once more."

Isolde stared at the Oracles, her mind racing. She had destroyed the Engines to save the universe, but in doing so, she had unleashed something far worse. Now, they were telling her that she could stop it—but only at the cost of her own life.

Kane looked at her, his expression stricken. "Isolde… you can't do this."

She met his gaze, the weight of the decision crushing her. "If I don't… there won't be anything left."

The Oracles' voices whispered together, a final warning. "The choice is yours. The Endless Night approaches. What will you do?"

**To be continued…**