The Planet’s Heart

The descent was slow, the platform sinking into the depths of the ruined world like a heartbeat pulsing in the dark. The only light came from Nirvana's softly glowing form, her wings casting fractured reflections against the cold metal walls surrounding them.

Amon exhaled, watching his breath fog in the dim atmosphere. "So, uh… Where exactly are we going?"

Ying Yue remained silent, her mind racing. Thaddeus's voice still echoed in her thoughts, his warning, his final words, the weight of his power now resting on her shoulders. The memory of his magic lingered too.

Gravity.

The way he wielded it was unlike anything she had ever seen. When the three demons descended upon his world, Thaddeus had bent the battlefield itself to his will. He had turned the stars against them, curved space like it was merely cloth in his hands. And yet, even that power had not been enough.

She clenched her fists.

Nirvana, ever observant, spoke. "You are troubled, Master."

Amon snorted. "That's an understatement."

Ying Yue ignored him. "Thaddeus wielded gravity, didn't he?"

"Yes," Nirvana confirmed, her voice smooth, unwavering. "He was the last Gravitational Monarch, one who could command celestial force itself. But even he could not stop the collapse of his reign."

Amon whistled. "Damn. I knew old guys could be overpowered, but bending gravity itself? That's next level. I wish I could do that."

"The power of gravity," Nirvana continued, "is not destruction alone. It is binding. It is the force that holds all things together-worlds, stars, even fate itself." Her glowing eyes locked onto Ying Yue's. "That is what the Creator wished for you to understand."

Ying Yue inhaled sharply. The weight of responsibility pressed heavier than ever.

Before she could respond, the platform came to a halt.

A massive door loomed before them, carved with constellations that shifted as if alive, held together by unseen forces. Nirvana stepped forward, placing a hand against the metal. A pulse of energy rippled outward, and the doors groaned as they slowly parted.

Beyond them lay a vast chamber, illuminated by floating orbs of blue light. The air was thick with power, ancient yet undying. At the center of it all stood a throne no, not a throne.

A core.

A swirling mass of gravitational energy, suspended in midair, pulsating like the heart of a god.

Amon let out a low breath. "Okay, that's… actually kind of terrifying."

Ying Yue stepped forward, her pulse quickening.

This was it.

The legacy Thaddeus had left behind.

Nirvana bowed her head slightly. "Welcome to the Planet's Heart."

Amon frowned as a strange force tugged at his very being. It wasn't painful, just… unnervingly familiar. Like something in the planet's core was calling to him.

"Okay," he muttered, rubbing his arms as if to shake off the sensation. "Is it just me, or does this place feel weird? Like, I don't know, it's trying to pull me in."

Nirvana turned to him, her glowing eyes analyzing him in silence before she spoke. "That reaction is expected. As an Apostle of God, your body resonates with planetary cores. The stronger the core, the stronger the pull."

Amon tilted his head. "Wait so if I fused with this thing, would I get stronger?"

Nirvana shook her head. "No. You cannot fuse with it."

Amon blinked. "Uh… what?"

"This planet's core was originally stolen a billion years ago by one of the attackers," Nirvana explained. "Since then, it has been accumulating mana. Its power is immense, but it has been blessed by God. As an Apostle of God, you are incompatible with it."

Ying Yue's brows furrowed. "Then what if I fused with it?"

Nirvana's response was immediate. "You cannot. As an Apostle of God, you can only fuse with cores blessed by the True Monarch. This one is not."

Amon exhaled. "So, to sum it up, I can't fuse with it, she can't fuse with it… What happens if someone does try?"

"If an incompatible being attempts to fuse with a core, they will be rejected," Nirvana stated simply. "Violently."

Ying Yue crossed her arms. "Define 'violently'."

"The planet will fight back," Nirvana said. "Fusion requires complete synchronization. Attempting it would force the planet to defend itself, and given the amount of mana stored within, the result would be catastrophic. It would not simply reject you it would eradicate you."

Amon let out a low whistle. "Well, that's great news. So even if we wanted to steal some planetary power, we'd end up as cosmic dust."

Ying Yue exhaled, the weight of the revelation settling in. "Then what's the point of all this? Why did Thaddeus leave this world in my care if I can't even use its power?"

Nirvana's halo glowed faintly. "Because power is not always meant to be taken. Sometimes, it must be guided."

Silence followed.

Amon sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "Right. No shortcuts to godhood. Figures."

Ying Yue looked toward the core, her expression unreadable. "Then what am I supposed to do with this planet?"

Nirvana's wings shimmered. "That is for you to decide."

Amon scoffed. "Fantastic. We came looking for answers, and now we've got existential homework."

The core pulsed beneath them, its immeasurable power just out of reach.