Chapter 35: Forging Destiny

Chapter 35: Forging Destiny

Silvia's POV

Silvia's mind raced, still reeling from the truth that had been revealed. She had spent her entire life believing she was fighting for humanity's survival—but now she knew the truth. The war hadn't started with the Terrans attacking humans. It had started with humans attacking them.

She clenched her fists, heat rolling through her veins, but this wasn't the kind of fire that destroyed—it was the kind that reshaped. She had a choice now.

Dragon stood beside her, arms crossed, watching her carefully. "You alright?"

She exhaled sharply. "I don't know."

Tarren, rifle still in hand, shifted uncomfortably. "So what? We just… walk away from this? Let the Terrans take over?"

The Terran, standing silently before them, finally spoke. "You assume we wish to take what is above. We only seek what was stolen."

Silvia frowned. "And what was that?"

The Terran gestured toward the ancient murals that surrounded them. "Our future. Our place in this world. Our home."

Silvia felt the weight of that statement settle in her chest. Could there be peace?

Or had the war already gone too far?

The Path Forward

Silvia turned to her companions. "We need a plan. If we just go back to the surface and tell people the war was a mistake, no one will believe us."

Dragon smirked. "Yeah, because 'Hey, turns out we're the bad guys!' always goes over well."

Tarren frowned. "The corporations, the city-states—they won't stop fighting. They profit from war. Even if people believe you, they won't let it end."

Silvia felt frustration build. "Then we make them listen. We don't just fight—we change the system. If we want a real future, we can't let the people in power keep repeating the past."

The Terran's glowing blue eyes studied her carefully. "And how do you propose to do that, Earthstar?"

Silvia met its gaze without flinching. "By proving that peace is stronger than war. By bringing together those who are tired of fighting."

Dragon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You really don't do things the easy way, do you?"

Silvia smirked. "Would you like me if I did?"

Dragon grinned. "Fair point."

Tarren sighed. "Alright. Let's forge a new path."

The Terran nodded solemnly. "Then prepare yourselves. The world above will not accept this easily."

Silvia inhaled deeply. No, they wouldn't.

But she wasn't going to let that stop her.

She wasn't just fighting a war anymore—

She was forging a new destiny.

A Dangerous Proposal

Silvia paced along the chamber, her thoughts racing. It wasn't enough to have the truth—they had to prove it. But how? Who would listen to them? Who would be willing to turn against the forces that had ruled them for so long?

She turned sharply to the Terran. "You must have allies. Other Terrans that don't just want revenge—those who want to live, not destroy."

The Terran regarded her for a long moment before nodding. "There are those among us who do not wish to see the world burn. But they are silenced by those who demand retribution."

Silvia clenched her jaw. "Then we need to reach them. If we can unite them with the humans who want peace, we have a chance."

Dragon rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, because secret underground resistance movements always go so well."

Tarren scoffed. "It's better than the alternative."

The Terran took a slow step forward. "If you truly wish to bridge this divide, you must be willing to stand against both sides. Your own people may call you a traitor. Are you prepared for that?"

Silvia hesitated—just for a moment. Would she be willing to risk everything for this?

She met Dragon's gaze, then Tarren's. Both of them, despite their sarcasm and doubts, were standing with her. They had come this far together.

She straightened her shoulders. "If that's what it takes, then yes."

The Terran inclined its head. "Then there is one more thing you must see. Follow me."

The Hidden Chamber

The group followed the Terran through another winding passageway, deeper into the ruins than before. The air became even heavier, thick with an ancient presence. Silvia could feel her magic stirring again, reacting to something ahead.

They emerged into a grand hall, unlike anything they had seen before. The walls were lined with glowing sigils, shifting and pulsating like they were alive. At the center, a massive crystalline structure hovered above the ground, suspended by an unseen force.

Silvia gasped. "What is that?"

The Terran's voice was solemn. "It is the heart of our people. And it is dying."

The crystal pulsed weakly, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. Silvia felt a strange pull toward it, as though something inside it was calling to her.

Dragon frowned. "And what happens if it breaks completely?"

The Terran turned to him. "Then my people die with it."

A heavy silence settled over the chamber.

Tarren exhaled. "And let me guess—you need Silvia to fix it."

Silvia's stomach twisted. Her magic had reacted to this place in ways she couldn't explain. If the war had truly started with the sealing of the Terrans, was it possible that unsealing them was the only way to end it?

She swallowed hard, staring at the fractured crystal. Could she be the key to undoing the past?

The Terran stepped forward. "You are more than what you have been told, Earthstar. If you wish to forge a new future, you must first understand who you are."

Silvia took a slow, steady breath. She had come this far. There was no turning back now.

She reached out—

And the crystal began to glow.