The Descent Into Chaos:

As Tavon and his team prepared for their dangerous mission, Lena turned her attention back to the core. She couldn't let herself be distracted—not when the fate of the galaxy hung in the balance.

The core still raged with uncontrolled energy, but it was slowly stabilizing under her guidance. Each time she called on it, it fought back harder. But she could feel its power—its true potential. If she could control it, it could turn the tide of the war. But at what cost?

Her hand hovered over the console, contemplating the next move. If she used too much power, it could cause a chain reaction that would destroy everything in its wake. But if she didn't use enough… the Rhytil would overrun them.

"I don't have much time," she whispered to herself, her fingers trembling. "I can't let it control me. I have to be the one in charge."

But the core seemed to mock her resolve, sending waves of dizzying energy throughout the ship. Lena's vision blurred, and for a split second, she thought she saw the face of someone she'd lost. Her mother. Her mentor.

"Don't lose yourself, Lena," her mother's voice echoed in her mind. "The power will only break you if you let it. You control your destiny, not the core."

Lena squeezed her eyes shut, banishing the vision. She took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. She wasn't her mother. She was Lena—strong, determined, and resolute. The power of the core wouldn't define her. She would define it.

"Hold steady," she whispered, and with that, she pushed her power into the core, willing it to obey.

The ship groaned under the pressure, but the energy of the core shifted, stabilizing as it had never done before. Lena's mind hummed with the connection, and for the first time, she felt in control.