Zel'Thoris, the Lost Cradle

The journey to Zel'Thoris was silent. After the traumatic events on Tarfos VII, no one had the strength or courage for trivial conversations. Therion seemed distant, lost in troubled thoughts as he stared into the infinite darkness of space through the ship's side window. Arkeon remained motionless, connected to the runic interceptor's internal systems, calculating alternate routes and constantly analyzing the threats around us.

As for me, I tried in vain to ignore the visions that insisted on appearing during moments of silence. My biomechanical arm continued to pulse softly, keeping pace with the dark rhythm of the whispering voices in my mind.

"You are part of something greater."

"You cannot escape."

"We will find you."

I shook my head violently, trying to push away the invasive thoughts. Arkeon seemed to notice my discomfort.

"You're hearing the voices, aren't you?" he asked, no emotion apparent in his metallic voice.

"What are they?" I retorted, too tired to deny the obvious.

"A primitive form of Nyx'Zar communication," he replied calmly. "The shadows are trying to break your mental resistance. You cannot let them succeed."

I took a deep breath, struggling to keep my sanity intact.

"How do I stop them?"

"You'll need the Eldariun's help," he answered after a brief silence. "Only they have the knowledge to protect your mind. We need to reach Zel'Thoris quickly."

Therion slowly turned toward us, his sunken eyes marked by sleepless nights.

"Zel'Thoris was destroyed centuries ago by the Dominion Solari. Are you sure anything still exists there?"

Arkeon paused before answering, as if carefully considering each word.

"Zel'Thoris is no ordinary planet. The Eldariun built that world as a magical refuge. Even destroyed, part of it survives beyond the conventional laws of reality. We just need to find it."

A chill ran down my spine at the mysterious answer, but I had no time to reflect further. The ship's computer alerted us to our approach to the system where Zel'Thoris should be.

I slowly reduced the speed of the runic interceptor as we exited the interstellar jump. The sight that greeted us was disturbing: a vast field of planetary debris, massive chunks of rock and crystal floating slowly in the void of space, illuminated by the distant light of a dead sun.

"By the ancient gods..." Therion murmured, horrified. "The Dominion Solari did this?"

Arkeon replied coldly.

"Yes. They used a forbidden arcane weapon, so powerful it shattered the planet. But look closely."

I observed carefully as we slowly advanced through the fragments of what was once Zel'Thoris. That's when I noticed: there were intact structures, floating freely in space like islands of luminous crystal. Enormous transparent towers glowed softly, connected by visible energy currents that pulsed like living veins in the cosmic void.

It was a spectacle both magnificent and terrifying.

"There lies what remains of the Eldariun," Arkeon stated. "We need to land on that central structure."

Guided by the Syntherio's precise directions, I carefully maneuvered the ship to a floating platform connected to one of the enormous crystal towers. As we landed, a slight vibration ran through the ship's hull, almost as if the structure were alive and reacting to our presence.

When we disembarked, we were met with absolute and unsettling silence. The air around us was breathable thanks to some unknown form of magic that sustained an artificial atmosphere. Everything seemed frozen in time, preserved exactly as it was in the moment before the planet's destruction.

We walked slowly across the translucent floor that displayed the infinite space below us, dotted with bright fragments of Zel'Thoris.

Therion walked in a daze, his eyes shining with fascination and fear.

"This is Eldariun technology…" he murmured, marveling. "Something beyond our understanding."

"It's not just technology," Arkeon corrected serenely. "It's magic in its purest form."

As we advanced through the tower's main hall, I noticed ancient symbols glowing softly on the transparent walls. The closer I got to them, the more intensely my prosthetic pulsed, as if recognizing this place.

That's when I realized we weren't alone.

Ahead, emerging slowly from a side corridor, were three humanoid figures made entirely of luminous energy. Their bodies floated gently above the ground, eyes glowing with ancient and profound intelligence. The Eldariun still existed, though only as living echoes of the magic that had created them.

One of the figures advanced slowly, approaching us. Its voice echoed directly in our minds, soft but firm.

"You have come too late to save Zel'Thoris. But perhaps not too late to save yourselves."

"We need answers," I said immediately, controlling the surprise that washed over me.

The luminous figure moved gently, pointing to my biomechanical arm with a fluid gesture.

"You are the one marked by the Heart of the Galaxy. We knew you would come."

I took a deep breath, hesitating.

"What exactly is the Heart of the Galaxy? Why does it affect me?"

The Eldariun figure hesitated for a moment, exchanging a silent glance with its companions before responding with a depth that made my legs weaken.

"The Heart is not just an object. It is a manifestation of the very magic that gave rise to reality. Your connection to it is no accident. You carry a fragment of it within you now. If you do not learn to control it, you will be consumed by it."

"How can I control something like that?" I asked, feeling my throat tighten.

"You will need to face the original source in person. The Heart resides beyond the known galaxy, in the Interstellar Void. There, you will find answers, but also the deepest danger you can imagine."

Therion's eyes widened, trembling beside me.

"The Interstellar Void… nothing that entered there has ever returned."

Arkeon moved slowly to my side, determined.

"It's our only chance now."

I knew they were right, but I also understood what it meant: crossing the known boundary of the galaxy, facing something that defied all comprehension, and perhaps losing the little humanity I had left.

But there was no other way.

I looked directly at the Eldariun, finding only calm in their luminous eyes, as if they already knew my answer before I even gave it.

"How do we reach the Void?"

The Eldariun gently extended its luminous hand.

"We will guide you. But know that, after this, you will be alone against what should never have been awakened."

The Eldariun floated silently ahead of us as we advanced through the crystalline structure, guiding us through translucent corridors filled with symbols that pulsed softly with blue light. The entire place seemed to exist outside of time, suspended between lost moments and possible futures, something that made my mind waver constantly.

Therion was stunned by the splendor and mysteries of the place. His eyes obsessively scanned every detail, mentally capturing everything he could.

"Why did you decide to help us?" I asked the nearest Eldariun.

It turned slowly, contemplating me with luminous eyes that seemed to see directly into my soul.

"Because we are guardians of something far greater than our own existence. If we fail to protect it, everything we know will disappear."

I took a deep breath, feeling a tremendous weight on my shoulders. I never asked for this, never wanted to be part of a cosmic war larger than my own concerns. And yet, there I was, about to cross the boundary between the known and the unknown.

We advanced into a large hall where crystalline structures formed something resembling a giant portal, sustained by magical energy. A soft light radiated from the structure, which seemed alive, vibrating gently in resonance with my biomechanical arm.

"This portal will take you directly to the known boundary of the galaxy," the Eldariun said, pointing to the pulsating circle. "From there, you will need to navigate on your own to reach the Interstellar Void."

Arkeon observed the portal, analyzing it silently before turning to me.

"We have enough magical fuel in the ship for a single jump to the Void, but we won't be able to return immediately. Are you ready for this, Julian?"

I took a deep breath, trying to appear calmer than I really was.

"I have no other choice. The longer we delay, the worse it will be for all of us."

Therion hesitated before finally speaking in an uncertain voice:

"I'm coming with you. I can't stay out of this anymore."

I smiled briefly, recognizing the hidden courage in the seemingly fragile archaeologist.

We boarded the ship again. The Eldariun structure slowly disappeared behind us as we advanced through the portal. Everything around us became a sea of light and indistinct shadows, a sensation of vertigo that lasted only a brief moment before we emerged at another distant point in the galaxy.

We were greeted by an empty, dark space, dotted only by distant, unknown stars, forming constellations never seen on official maps. We were now at the known boundary of the galaxy.

Ahead, a denser, oppressive, and absolute darkness indicated the Interstellar Void. A place where light itself seemed to hesitate to penetrate.

"That's where we need to go," I murmured, feeling my throat tighten.

Therion took a deep breath, hesitant.

"It's impossible… no explorer has ever returned from there."

"None of them were connected to the Heart," I replied with forced calm, trying to convince myself more than them.

Without waiting further, I accelerated the ship, slowly entering that region of pure darkness. The moment we crossed that boundary, the ship began to vibrate intensely. The systems failed momentarily before returning with violent interference on the instruments.

Arkeon quickly checked the control panels.

"Something here is interfering with all our systems."

Before I could respond, I felt my mind being pulled forcefully, as if something had grabbed my brain directly. Confused images flooded my mind again, showing violent scenes of destruction, entire planets consumed by something indescribable, and a gigantic entity hovering silently in the infinite dark, infinite eyes glowing with eternal hunger.

"Julian, you need to resist!" Therion shouted desperately, noticing me writhing in pain.

I felt a violent heat emanating from my mechanical prosthetic, reacting to the mental invasion. With monumental effort, I managed to push the images from my mind, briefly regaining control over my body.

"I'm fine," I murmured with effort, stabilizing the ship again. "I just need to focus."

Suddenly, something massive appeared before us, slowly materializing through the darkness. An immense structure, larger than anything I had ever seen before. Cyclopean pillars stretched into infinity, supporting what seemed to be a floating city or temple, made of polished black stone, partially enveloped by living shadows.

"What the hell is that?" Therion asked, shocked.

"Something that shouldn't exist," Arkeon replied coldly. "This place does not belong to our reality. It seems like one of the structures created by the Nyx'Zar."

"We need to land there," I said, still tense and struggling to maintain mental control.

Arkeon adjusted the controls, and we slowly landed on the dark platform, surrounded by shadows that moved independently. The atmosphere was heavy, hard to breathe, as if it were invading my mind directly, searching for my weaknesses.

We exited the ship slowly, weapons raised, prepared for anything. Within seconds, we were surrounded by dozens of formless creatures, amorphous shadows that constantly merged and divided, watching us with glowing eyes of alien intelligence.

"You have come," several voices whispered simultaneously, sending unbearable chills through my body. "The Heart is waiting."

I clenched my teeth, staring directly at them.

"What is the Heart? Why is it calling me?"

The creatures advanced slowly, circling us, observing with perverse curiosity.

"Because you were chosen. Because your mind is open to it. Because you are a lost fragment."

I felt something pulse violently within me. A pain so deep and sharp that I fell to my knees, my vision blurring as the voices penetrated my mind with renewed violence.

"You cannot resist, Julian. You are already part of us."

The pain increased, consuming me from within, until I heard a distant scream that I recognized as Therion's. I gathered desperate strength and raised my head, seeing my two companions being attacked by the shadows. I needed to help them; I couldn't let this happen.

With a desperate cry, I activated the full power of my biomechanical arm, which exploded in an intense light that seemed to repel the creatures momentarily.

I staggered to my feet again, drawing my Runametal sword and charging fiercely at the shadows, slashing with all the strength I still had. Each impact reverberated violently in my mind, but I didn't stop. The creatures retreated, surprised by my unexpected resistance.

Finally, with a last strike, the shadows disappeared again into clouds of dark smoke, leaving me exhausted, breathing heavily.

Therion and Arkeon quickly approached, concerned.

"Are you okay?" Arkeon asked, worried.

"I have no idea," I murmured, noticing something different now in my mechanical arm. Small runes glowed intensely, pulsing in sync with my heartbeat.

Something had changed irreversibly. I was now connected to the very power we were seeking.

"Come on. We need to find out what this place really is."

We slowly advanced into the black structure, knowing this could be the end of our journey—or just the beginning of something even more terrible.

And the only certainty I had was that there was no turning back.

The Heart of the Galaxy was close. And I deeply feared what I would find there.