Flight to Destiny

The countdown to the Solar Ascension had begun.

Two days.

In just forty-eight hours, we would be stepping onto the battlefield of the largest arena in the universe. The space station that had hosted this tournament for a thousand years. The place where legends were born and where entire civilizations had been erased.

For now, we had a few hours before our transport left. Enough time to prepare.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the small duffel bag in front of me. There wasn't much to pack. A few sets of training gear, my combat suit, and the small knife I had carried with me since I was a child one of the only things I had left from my past.

A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.

Selena stood in the doorway, her bag slung over one shoulder. "Still not ready?"

I exhaled. "Just thinking."

She stepped inside, setting her bag down. "You're always thinking."

I smirked. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she sat beside me, her presence quiet but grounding. I watched as she ran a hand through her hair, exhaling softly.

"You ever think about what happens after this?" she asked.

I frowned. "After the tournament?"

She nodded.

I had thought about it. But I didn't have an answer.

"If we win," I said slowly, "we'll be champions. Heroes."

She scoffed. "That's not what I meant."

I turned to look at her. "Then what do you mean?"

She hesitated. Then, finally, she met my gaze. "Do you think we'll still be us after all this?"

The question caught me off guard.

I wanted to say yes, but I wasn't sure. The Crucible wasn't just a competition. It was war. And war changed people.

"I don't know," I admitted.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke.

Then, slowly, she reached forward and brushed a strand of hair from my face. It was such a simple gesture, but it sent a jolt through me like lightning striking the center of my chest.

She was close now. Closer than ever before.

I could see the way her eyes flickered between mine, the slight hesitation in her breath. The space between us was shrinking, our movements slow but deliberate.

I leaned in.

She did too.

And then-

BANG.

The door slammed open, and Ravien's voice filled the room.

"Oi! We're leaving in an hour. If you two are done making goo-goo eyes at each other, get your asses moving."

Selena practically jumped away from me, her face turning red as she grabbed her bag. I groaned, running a hand through my hair as I shot Ravien a glare.

"Ever heard of knocking?" I muttered.

Ravien grinned. "I did knock. I just didn't wait for a response."

Selena cleared her throat. "Let's just go."

I sighed, grabbing my bag and following her out. The moment was gone. But the feeling lingered.

The spaceport was packed with travelers, diplomats, and soldiers from across the universe. Everyone was here for the same reason to witness the Solar Ascension.

Massive holograms displayed the upcoming matches, and vendors shouted over each other, selling everything from exotic weapons to golden figurines of past champions. There was a strange energy in the air a mix of anticipation and dread.

As we walked toward our designated boarding gate, I caught sight of our main threats.

House Thorne stood near the entrance, their massive leader, Titanborn, speaking in hushed tones to his team. His sheer size made him look more beast than man, his arms thick with muscle and covered in ritual scars.

Not far from them, the Red Serpents of Xyphos were spread out, their leader, a woman with red tattoos curling around her arms, watching everyone with a predator's gaze. I heard rumors that she had once killed an entire squadron with her bare hands.

Every team here had one goal survival.

And only one team would win.

I felt a hand brush against mine. Selena.

She didn't say anything. But she didn't have to.

I squeezed her hand once before letting go.

The transport ship was massive larger than anything I had ever seen up close. It was built for war, reinforced with layers of armor and equipped with enough firepower to level an entire city.

As we stepped inside, I immediately noticed the tension. The room was filled with competitors, each one sizing the other up. Some were whispering strategies, others sat in silence, lost in thought.

We took our seats, our team together in one row. I found myself sitting between Selena and Kaelen, with Ravien and Silas on the other side. Emperor however was sitting little next to us, every Emperor from every Planet was sitting in a little cabin, our Emperor opened the little window and gave us a look, "Won't be the first time or lasy time i say this before the Solar Ascension, but good luck out there, give your best and brinf us the title home." He said before closing the window.

As the engines roared to life, an announcement crackled through the speakers.

"Attention competitors, we are now departing for the Solar Arena. Estimated time of arrival: five hours."

The hum of the ship filled the silence.

For a while, no one spoke. Then, Kaelen leaned back in his seat and chuckled.

"I hope they're ready," he said. "Because I'm not going to hold back."

Ravien smirked. "They don't stand a chance."

Selena rolled her eyes. "Overconfidence gets people killed."

Kaelen tilted his head toward her. "Not me, im not overconfident." He said as he smiled. "Yeah right, dont get too cocky who knows maybe you're not the only Hybrid here." Silas spoke, having his headphones in as his eyes were closed

"By the way, when are you going to take off that mask man, it just doesnt fit your voice at all Kaelen." Ravien spoke as i hit him shushing him. "Let us sleep Ravien stop with the dumb questions." Everyone chuckled for a brief moment then complete silence.

I exhaled, leaning my head back against the seat. But then i felt something soft on my shoulder, it was Selena. She leaned down on my shoulder looking up at me and smiling as she fell asleep. I let her sleep on my shoulder as i also drifted into sleep.

I wasn't sure what would happen when we arrived. But I knew one thing.

Everything was about to change.The biggest battlefield in the universe awaited.

The Solar Arena.

And the war was just beginning.