Chapter 82: VOIDSPHERE INNER CORRIDORS

Vaelora walked with terrible grace, each slow footstep echoing like a death bell through the blackened, steaming corridors of the Voidsphere. The blood of Thalor warriors still sizzled on her blade, evaporating into wisps of screaming smoke. Behind her, shadows crawled like whispers given flesh.

She raised a single finger.

A kneeling shadow trooper immediately bowed, head to floor.

"The calculations?" she asked coolly.

"Perfect, High Shadow. The Seer… she's confirmed among them."

Vaelora's silver gaze sharpened.

"Good. Then we are exactly where we must be."

She glanced toward the ventilation shafts already twitching.

"Release the Thal'karn. Let them taste Seer blood once more."

The trooper saluted with trembling reverence. Vaelora continued, voice like a blade drawn through bone:

"Lock all corridors leading to their flagship. I want Xiran pushed to the surface. Eleena's growing impatient."

She began to walk again, boots clicking against the obsidian alloy floor. Her thoughts darkened as her shadow moved with unnatural will beside her.

The Grand Blind Seers eyes… Maybe an hybrid. A Seer and Faceless. She thinks us old gods… demons from myth. She fears the Ancient Shadows. Good. Fear is accurate. But it must be documented… witnessed…

Then the howls started.

Not human. Not machine.

Thal'karns. The pets of the Ancient Shadows. Her ancient siblings.

They hunted now twisting through vents, devouring walls, eyes glowing in the spectrum of madness. They were on her trail.

Just like the devil-children I lost. Just like before…

She turned a corner, silently opening a hidden panel on the wall, entering a code. A hidden pod emerged.

She stepped inside and activated it, her destination: the extraction coordinates Kal'mor-Zai had given her.

Behind her, the hallways erupted in roaring madness.

XIRAN'S ESCAPE

Xiran was drenched in Thal'karn gore, his armor cracked but not broken. His warriors, down to their last dozen, fought tooth and blade to clear a path through the dying Voidsphere. One of the Thalor techs slammed into the corridor's sealed gateway.

"Corridor's sealed!"

"Override the panel! Now!" Xiran barked.

But it was too late.

Six Shadowscourge arrived from the flanks, howling like broken horns. One impaled the tech with a cleaver-staff before Xiran slammed it back with a radiant blast.

"Kill them! Shut that other corridor! We will NOT die in this hell!"

The warriors surged forward. Xiran himself leapt upon a Shadowscourge, driving his blade through its armored throat and out the back. He spun, cleaving another in half, as his team shut the last exit door.

The corridor behind them vanished into silence.

JHA'MOR'AK – TUNNELS OF THE BLIND

Dakarie gasped as he exited the long, winding Seer tunnels.

The sky was gone.

In its place stood a structure, no a world that pulsed with ancient black light.

A vessel. A ship the size of a planet. Hidden beneath Jha'mor'ak itself.

"What… what in all the stars…"

One of his guards muttered, "That's not possible."

The Faceless King turned calmly.

"It is. This was no planet. This was a cradle. The elders and the Grand Blind One disguised the ship millions of years ago. Executive Order 99 is the command to return."

Around them, seven billion Broken Seers poured from the tunnels. Their black small beady eyes silent. Focused. Behind them came seventy billion Faceless, forming ranks without a word.

The Faceless King pointed to the rows of those with mouths.

"They lead Order 99. They are the Voices of the Grand Blind One only they may speak in his name."

A hush fell.

Then a vibration filled the air. A platform descended, and floating above them was the ancient, titanic form of The Grand Blind One.

And with him, in perfect union, a thousand Voices all spoke as one.

"Executive Order 99 is active. Our younger brother, Kal'mor-Zai, has engaged the Mahasimu. After he retreats, the shadows plan extermination."

"This must not be."

"We will aid the Thalor. We will cast light into this darkness. We will wage war."

"PREPARE. FOR. WAR."

The masses howled, a sound of clarity not chaos. The old order had returned.

RUTHEN'S STALK

Tamun and Je'ka slowed as they rounded a corner, blades drawn, only to stop at the sight of a cloaked figure Ruthen, Vaelora's personal tracker, stood like a shadow turned solid.

Their confusion turned to joy. Ruthen's presence could mean only one thing.

"She's found the Seer," Tamun whispered.

"Praise the goddess," Je'ka replied.

DARKSTAR ALDRE – COMMAND CHAMBER

Within the obsidian halls of Darkstar Aldre, Grand Star Lord Malgus turned to his command priest.

"Prepare to jump. Bring us to the second Darkstar. It's time to awaken another Star Lord."

His voice rumbled like colliding moons.

"Which one shall rise now?"

THIRD ARCHONE – PALACE OF MULTIVERSAL FLAME

Far across dimensions, seated on a throne of coiling crystal-fire, Archone Laerhkyth grinned beneath a veil of red-glass.

"Send forth Seraya… on a Krymaloth."

"My slave has slept too long. It's time she earned her purpose."

He leaned forward, flames flickering in his glassy pupils.

"Bring me all maps. All knowledge of the multiverse."

"It's time we intervened."