The One Who Walks Between Stars

The air was cracked with tension. Dust rose like ghosts around shattered stone. Above them, the gravitational storm howled, pulsing with residual energy that threatened to crush anything within its radius.

But even that wasn't enough.

A low growl cut through the distortion.

"This is great..." Ingress groaned, standing amidst the wreckage. His molten red eyes blazed as veins of burning crimson webbed across his ghostly pale skin. "This is perfect. Another one I can erase from this world!"

His voice thundered as he broke free of the gravitational field with a defiant roar, wings of darkened plasma forming behind his back. "You shouldn't exist! Any of you! You and your cursed godly powers! But I—WILL—NOT—FALL!"

With that, he burst skyward, his body cutting through the atmosphere like a missile. Gendai, Felicia, and Vanessa looked up in stunned disbelief.

"He escaped that?!" Gendai gasped, her voice laced with fear.

Felicia turned, hurrying over to the fallen Neve and Jessie, healing magic glowing from her fingertips. "Vanessa," she called out, "I don't know why you're even here—but please, if you can help us… do it now."

Ingress' sword glowed red as he slashed through the sky, unleashing a furious wave of compressed wind energy. The attack shot straight at Vanessa, who stood motionless, not even blinking.

The blade struck her.

And did nothing.

Not even a scratch.

Ingress blinked. Then slashed again. And again. Each time, the shockwaves of his assault shattered the buildings behind her—but the woman before him didn't move, didn't waver, didn't flinch.

Her dark purple eyes locked onto his with chilling indifference.

"Unlike my king," Vanessa spoke coldly, "I don't hide what I'm truly capable of."

She raised a hand and placed it softly against Ingress's chest.

"I'm not here for you. You're too weak to face me. And if I killed you here, Kazimir would be disappointed."

"What—?" Ingress blinked. "He's your what?!"

Her hand pulsed.

In the next instant, Ingress was gone—launched backward with a force so immense the shockwave tore through the battlefield like a falling star. He was sent careening through mountain ranges beyond the city. The peaks collapsed into themselves under the pressure of the impact.

Vanessa turned toward the horizon. Her eyes narrowed.

In the distance, Tyrone and Lihanna fought above the city, fending off enemies with precise teamwork. She saw Lihanna's crimson energy blades slicing through barrack while Tyrone's dark magic spiraled with furious bursts.

Vanessa grasped her spear, its shaft glowing with Imaginary Essence—the swirling substance making it look as though she held a piece of space itself. Without hesitation, she hurled the spear.

The weapon became a blur of starlight and darkness, traveling faster than the eye could follow.

And as it flew, Vanessa's voice echoed into the minds of Tyrone and Lihanna.

"Go left."

The moment the words registered, their bodies moved instinctively.

A breath later, the spear passed between them.

Then—impact.

The spear pierced through Barrack, the monstrous creature they'd been struggling to contain. A void bloomed outward, engulfing the beast in a violent storm of spatial energy. The explosion expanded into a massive sphere, collapsing buildings, warping light itself.

A second later, Vanessa emerged from a rift, pulling both Tyrone and Lihanna with her, landing near the others.

Everyone turned.

Felicia. Gendai. Kamaki. stirring awake, stared at the trail of annihilation the spear had left behind.

"So much power…" Tyrone whispered, awe in his voice.

Lihanna nodded beside him. "Is that enough to kill it?"

Vanessa, her voice calm and precise, replied, "No. But it will give us enough time. That creature's stubborn. We need to prepare before it rises again."

Gendai took a step forward, her expression uncertain.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Your eyes… they're like Kazimir's. Like Jessie's."

Vanessa turned slowly. "I'm a Vrasnai… like Kazimir."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm one of Nebula's disciples. A member of the Nullity. Just like him."

Her gaze shifted to Kazimir's unconscious body. She knelt beside him, brushing a bit of dust from his cheek.

"I tried to warn you about the humans," she whispered. "But you still held back. Even now, with the world fearing you—you still try to be their hero."

Kamaki cleared his throat and stepped forward awkwardly. "Uhm… hey. Hot lady—I mean, Vanessa… are you strong enough to end all of this?"

Vanessa didn't even glance at him. "With the vampire? Yes. But Kazimir wouldn't want me to."

Kamaki scratched his chin. "So… he's your king?"

"He's the king of the Vrasnai. He saved me. I serve him now. Even though I warned him… he's too merciful."

He studied her for a moment. "So who's stronger? You or him?"

Vanessa finally looked at him. "He is. If he's serious… I wouldn't stand a chance."

Kamaki blinked. "You… for real?"

Her eyes flicked toward Jessie. "Jessie…" she murmured.

Felicia stepped in quickly. "She's okay. Just resting."

Vanessa stood silently for a moment.

"Don't think I'm on the side of humanity," she said. "I'm here for the Vrasnai. And my apprentices."

Her gaze landed on Tyrone and Lihanna.

"I'll be taking them back with me."

Kamaki's mouth opened again. "Oh! Oh! Pick me too. I'm strong! Strongest of my generation!"

Vanessa didn't even look his way.

"Just looking at you is already a disappointment."

Kamaki froze, crushed.

Gendai turned to the pair beside her. "So it's you two she's after…"

Vanessa nodded. "Yes. Tyrone and Lihanna. From the moment you both threw yourselves against me, I saw potential. You'll come to Vrasnia. I will train you."

Tyrone's eyes lit up. "Being trained by you? I wouldn't pass on that."

Lihanna nodded deeply. "I'm honored. I'll follow your teachings."

Vanessa gave them a small, rare smile.

Just then, Riah stirred. She opened her eyes, blinking as her vision adjusted.

"…Vanessa?" she asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to help. And to take Tyrone and Lihanna with me to Vrasnia."

Riah nodded. "Fine by me. But… what about the dragon? Did you kill it?"

"No," Vanessa said. "It's temporarily immobilized. But it'll return soon. I'll help you fight it. I can't take it down alone."

Riah stood tall. Her hair, eyes, and armor shifted into white fire as she reignited her Pyre of Origin form.

"Alright," she said. "Let's do this. But what about Ingress?"

Vanessa looked to the horizon. "Don't worry about him. That's Kazimir's problem. And he's about to wake up."

Riah closed her eyes.

"…Yeah. I can sense him too."

The wind shifted. The earth rumbled faintly.

Kazimir… was stirring.

And the world would never be the same again.