Descision

CTS time: RE250.01.01 9:02 PM

Blaze set the coordinates, guiding the ship back onto the galactic highway. As the vessel smoothly lifted off from the space hub, the brilliant streaks of stars and cosmic clouds filled the viewport.

Bolt stood in awe behind Blaze, watching the cosmos unfold before him. "I've never seen anything like this up close."

Rose smiled. "Get used to it, Bolt. Space is full of surprises."

Blaze glanced at Bolt through the rearview monitor. "Yeah, surprises... and dangers. Hope you're ready."

Bolt straightened up, his voice steady. "I am."

Devolos' voice whispered in Blaze's mind again, a mixture of amusement and hunger.

"How interesting... you're collecting strays now. But when the time comes, Blaze... will you have the strength to protect them?"

Blaze ignored him, focusing on the stars ahead. "I'll do what I have to."

The ship glided through the vast darkness of space, carrying its new crew forward into the unknown.

Inside the spacecraft's dimly lit sleeping quarters, laughter echoed through the metal walls. Rose and Bolt were engaged in an all-out pillow fight, feathers flying as they giggled uncontrollably. Rose swung a pillow at Bolt, who ducked just in time, sending it crashing into the wall.

"Haha! Is that all you got?" Bolt teased, swinging back with a playful grin.

Rose smirked. "You're fast, but I'm faster!"

Just then, Blaze stormed into the room, his eyes narrowed and arms crossed. His voice cut through their fun like a blade.

"Enough!" he snapped. "I told you both—no playing around! You need rest!"

Rose and Bolt froze in place, wide-eyed. Rose nervously tucked the pillow behind her back, while Bolt sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"Sorry, Blaze..." Rose murmured.

"Yeah... we were just having fun," Bolt added, his voice small.

Blaze sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "This isn't a game, you two. Out here, sleep is important. We don't know what's waiting for us tomorrow." His voice softened slightly but remained firm. "Now get in bed and sleep. No more noise."

Rose and Bolt exchanged a glance before climbing into the bed. Rose pulled the covers up, and Bolt nestled in beside her.

"Goodnight, Blaze," Rose said softly, her tone holding a hint of guilt.

Blaze stood in the doorway for a moment, watching them settle. A small part of him wanted to join in their carefree joy, but another part—the hardened survivor—couldn't allow it.

"Goodnight," he finally said, turning off the light, leaving only the faint glow of the stars outside the window.

Blaze walked into the control room and collapsed into the chair, exhaling deeply. He leaned back, staring at the infinite void outside the viewport. His mind swirled with conflicting thoughts—the innocence of Bolt and Rose, and the darkness of his past that refused to let go.

Just as his eyes started to close, a sudden hum vibrated through the control panel.

BEEP—HOLOGRAPHIC TRANSMISSION INCOMING.

Blaze sat up instantly, his heart pounding. A ghostly blue figure flickered to life on the console, forming into a hooded silhouette with piercing, lifeless eyes.

"Blaze..." the figure's voice was cold, calculated. "You betrayed us."

Blaze's jaw clenched. "I didn't betray anyone. I took the mission alone—just like I always do."

The figure's gaze darkened. "Lies."

The voice continued, dripping with menace. "You were sent to Earth with one goal—to capture the Zynarids. But instead, I hear a different story. The Earth you were supposed to raid... was already attacked, and the Zynarid humans were wiped out. Is that true?"

Blaze stiffened, his fingers digging into the armrests. "Yeah... by the time I got there, someone else had already done the job. There was nothing left."

The figure sneered. "Nothing left? That's not what I heard. The Zynarid species—rare, precious. Just normal-looking humans, yet their genetic makeup is worth a fortune in the underworld. And now, I hear... you have one of them with you."

Blaze's eyes darkened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb, Blaze. We have sources. A female Zynarid... traveling with you." The figure leaned closer, his voice lowering to a sinister whisper. "And another thing... you killed Rex and Falcon, didn't you?"

Blaze didn't respond. His gaze dropped, the weight of his actions pressing heavily on his shoulders. The silence was answer enough.

The figure chuckled darkly. "Tch... soft-hearted fool. I always knew you'd break. But listen well, Blaze. I'm giving you one day. Bring the female Zynarid to our base." The figure's tone turned icy. "If you don't... you know what will happen."

With a flicker, the holographic image vanished, leaving Blaze alone in the cold blue glow of the control panel. His chest rose and fell rapidly, fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Blaze leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. His thoughts spiraled into the darkness of his past. He had worked for this group for years—tracking, capturing, and delivering rare beings across the galaxy. Zynarids were just another job, another transaction. But Rose...

She wasn't just a target anymore. She was something else. Something... important.

And that terrified him.

"Why does she matter so much?" he whispered to himself.

Devolos' voice slithered into his mind once more.

"Because you're weak. You let emotions get in the way. You should've left her, Blaze. Or better yet... sold her off like the others."

Blaze gritted his teeth. "Shut up, Devolos."

"Or what? You know what must be done. Finish the mission. Kill anyone who stands in your way, just like you did before. The blood on your hands is already deep—what's one more?"

Blaze slammed his fist on the control panel, the force shaking the console. "I'm not that man anymore!"

A cold silence followed. Devolos didn't argue.

Blaze leaned back, staring at the ceiling, exhaustion seeping into his bones.

"I have one day..." he muttered, feeling the weight of the ultimatum crushing him. His mind raced—escape was impossible, and fighting them head-on was suicide.

His gaze drifted to the sleeping quarters, where Rose and Bolt were resting peacefully, unaware of the danger looming over them.

He exhaled shakily. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Outside, the endless void of space offered no answers, only the cold silence of his own turmoil.

In his mind, Blaze found himself standing atop a mountain of lifeless bodies—his comrades, his friends, the very people he once fought beside. Their faces were frozen in expressions of shock, pain, and betrayal. Blood pooled beneath him, reflecting the crimson hue of his sword, still dripping with their lives.

His grip tightened around the blade. His own breathing was eerily calm, his heartbeat steady, but his soul... his soul was drowning in the ocean of death he had created.

And then came the voice.

"Blaze..."

A sinister, venomous whisper slithered into his thoughts like a parasite.

"You always tell yourself that you didn't do this, that it wasn't your fault. But deep down... you know the truth."

Blaze clenched his jaw, shaking his head slightly. "No... I had no choice."

The voice, Devolos, laughed darkly. "Choice? Don't make me laugh. You never wanted a choice. You've always been hungry... for revenge... for vengeance. Ever since your sister's death, you've wanted only one thing—to destroy. And you did, Blaze. You killed them all."

The memory shifted—he saw himself, younger, consumed with fury, eyes burning with hatred. He remembered the exact moment when it all changed. When he made the promise.

"I will eliminate everyone," his past self had vowed, standing before the corpses of his enemies. "Not a single one will live. The rulers of the universe... I am coming for you. Your death is inevitable."

His own voice echoed through his head, and suddenly, it felt as if the words still defined him, chained him.

Blaze's eyes snapped open, heart hammering against his chest. Cold sweat dripped down his temple as he sat in silence, his breathing ragged. He looked down at his trembling hands, remnants of the bloodied visions still haunting him.

"Was Devolos right?" he whispered to himself. "Am I still that same man?"

His gaze darted toward the hallway leading to the sleeping quarters, where Rose and Bolt lay peacefully, unaware of the war raging within him. They weren't just passengers anymore. They were... something more.

But that voice inside him—Devolos—it wasn't going to let him go so easily.

"You're fooling yourself," Devolos taunted. "Do you really think you can protect them? They'll die just like the others. And it'll be your fault... again."

Blaze gritted his teeth and slammed his fist against the console. "No!" he growled under his breath. "I won't let it happen again."

But the reality was clear—if he didn't deliver Rose to his former group within the day, they would come for him. And he knew what they were capable of. There would be no hiding, no running.

His heart ached with the weight of the decision he had to make.

If he betrayed Rose, he could walk away and survive... but at what cost?

If he protected her, he'd be hunted to the ends of the galaxy.

The room suddenly felt suffocating, the walls closing in around him. His reflection in the control panel's glass looked... hollow.

"I can't keep running from who I am." His voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried the weight of his entire past.

Blaze took a deep breath, his fingers hovering over the control panel. He had a choice to make.

But which path would he choose?

Blaze sat in the dimly lit control room, his fingers twitching slightly as he stared at the navigation console. The decision weighed heavy on him, but deep down, he knew—he was still the same person. No matter how much he tried to run from it, no matter how much he wanted to believe he had changed, the truth was always there, lurking beneath the surface.

"She's just a distraction," he muttered to himself, his voice cold and devoid of the warmth it once held. His sister... she was never coming back. No amount of kindness or companionship could ever fill that void. Rose wasn't his sister—she was just a Zynarid, a rare commodity that could fetch a great price in the underworld.

His jaw tightened, and a bitter smile crossed his lips. "Not Rose... just a Zynarid. That's all she is." The words tasted like venom, but he forced himself to believe them.

Slowly, Blaze leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. A strange sensation gripped him—his mind slipping beyond the confines of the physical realm, into the dark, twisted dimension where his true self resided.

When Blaze opened his eyes again, he was floating above a vast, desolate wasteland. The sky above him swirled with dark clouds tinged with blood-red hues, and beneath him stretched an endless battlefield of bones and ashes.

And there he was—Devolos.

The dragon spirit loomed before him, its enormous, shadowy form crackling with malevolent energy. Its eyes—two burning crimson orbs—pierced through the darkness, locking onto Blaze's own.

The air between them felt charged, and Blaze hovered silently, meeting the creature's gaze. For a moment, there was nothing but stillness, a silent understanding passing between them.

Devolos' voice slithered through the air like a thousand whispers fused into one.

"Finally, you see it, Blaze." The voice was thick with satisfaction. "Your kindness was a lie, your hesitation a weakness. You were born for this... revenge and nothing else."

Blaze's breath came out in sharp, shallow gasps. He could feel the power within him stirring, the same power that had fueled his darkest moments. The endless thirst for vengeance, the cold satisfaction of watching his enemies fall before him—Devolos had always been right.

"Erase them all from existence," Devolos continued, his voice deep and commanding. "Let the universe burn for what it took from you."

Blaze felt the rage bubbling inside him, old wounds ripping open in his mind. The haunting images of his sister's lifeless eyes, the memories of betrayal, the blood-soaked vengeance—it was all still there, clawing at him, demanding to be acknowledged.

A slow grin crept onto his face, but it wasn't one of joy. It was grim, cold... the grin of a man who had finally embraced his demons.

"You're right," Blaze said, his voice devoid of doubt. "No more distractions. No more pretending."

As if satisfied, Devolos let out a guttural growl, his massive wings stretching wide. "Good... now let us hunt once more."

Blaze's eyes snapped open, and he found himself back in the control room, the glow of the console screens illuminating his hardened expression. His heart pounded against his ribs, but his mind was clearer than it had been in a long time.

There was no more room for uncertainty.

His gaze shifted toward the sleeping quarters where Rose and Bolt lay unaware of the storm that was about to engulf them. They were just obstacles now.

"It's just business," he muttered to himself, his voice emotionless. "I deliver her, and I'm free. Nothing more, nothing less."

Yet, deep within him, something stirred—an almost imperceptible flicker of doubt, a whisper of a different path. But Blaze ignored it, clenching his fists and steeling himself for what had to be done.

One day left.

And this time, he wouldn't hesitate.

CTS Time: RE250.01.02, 7:01 AM

The sun of the distant star system cast its golden rays onto the sleek surface of the spacecraft as it floated in orbit. On the roof of the craft, Blaze stood alone, his silhouette outlined against the vast, empty expanse of space. The air was still, save for the occasional hum of the ship's engines. The soft clang of metal against metal echoed through the quiet morning as Blaze swung his sword with calculated precision, the blade cutting through the air like lightning.

Each swing, each slash, was a reminder of the storm building inside him. His thoughts were fragmented, a jumble of anger, regret, and vengeance. His mind raced as he practiced—he was preparing for something he could no longer avoid.

"This is the last day," he muttered to himself, the words barely audible over the sound of the sword slicing through the air. "One more mission. One more choice. And then I'll be done."

Blaze's body moved instinctively, each strike of the blade flowing effortlessly into the next. Yet, despite the fluidity of his motions, his mind remained heavy. The image of Rose, peaceful and innocent, lingered in his thoughts. He felt an odd sense of guilt, but it was quickly buried under layers of resolve. She is just a Zynarid. Just another part of the mission.

Still, a nagging voice inside him couldn't let go of the memory of his sister—her face, her voice, her last breath. Was it really vengeance that drove him? Or something else?

Rose stirred from her sleep, her eyelids fluttering open as the soft morning light filtered in through the cabin windows. She stretched and glanced around, her eyes landing on Bolt, who was still fast asleep beside her. The kid had fallen asleep clutching his stuffed animal, a small, patched-up bear that seemed to be his only comfort.

Rose smiled softly at the sight before standing up, the quiet hum of the spacecraft calming her nerves. She walked toward the small kitchenette to make herself a cup of coffee, hoping that the routine would help clear her mind.

Just as she poured the hot liquid into the cup, she caught a glimpse of Blaze outside, practicing his sword skills on the roof of the ship. The sight of him, so focused and intense, made something tighten in her chest. She couldn't help but admire his dedication, but she also felt a growing distance between them. What is he really after? she wondered.

Blaze's swordsmanship was impressive, a testament to years of practice and discipline. But there was something almost... desperate in his movements now. Each strike was like an attempt to purge himself of something—a feeling, a memory, an unspoken burden. As his sword sliced the air once more, he paused, breathing heavily, sweat glistening on his brow. His heart was racing, and his mind was clouded with the shadow of the choice he had made.

His thoughts flickered to Rose again.

She doesn't deserve to be caught in this mess.

Rose walked toward the cockpit and glanced at the control panel. The coordinates were set; they were nearly on their way to the base camp. But she wasn't ready for that—she needed to talk to Blaze.

Suddenly, she heard a soft shuffle behind her. Bolt had woken up, rubbing his eyes as he looked around, clearly disoriented but smiling when he saw Rose.

"Good morning," Rose greeted him, kneeling to his level. "Sleep well?"

Bolt nodded, though his face quickly turned serious. "I had a weird dream," he said, his voice quiet and a bit hesitant.

"What was it about?" Rose asked, sitting beside him on the couch.

Bolt fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, his eyes downcast. "It was about... home. Before I ended up here." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "I wasn't always alone. I had... a family, a real one."

Rose's expression softened. She could tell there was more to this kid than met the eye, and the hint of sadness in his voice was hard to ignore.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rose asked gently.

Bolt nodded slowly. "I remember my mother. She was kind... always telling me stories about the stars. And my dad—he was strong. He promised to take me to see the galaxy. But one day... everything changed." He swallowed hard, looking away. "There was an attack. My family—my parents—they..." He trailed off, his voice breaking.

Rose's heart ached for the boy. She placed a hand on his shoulder, offering a silent comfort.

"I'm sorry, Bolt," she whispered.

Bolt gave a small, forced smile, though his eyes were still clouded with grief. "It's okay... I've learned to survive. I had to... after everything. I don't know why I'm telling you all this... but I feel like... I can trust you."

Rose smiled softly at him. "You can trust me, Bolt."

They sat in silence for a while, and Rose couldn't help but feel a deeper connection to him. He wasn't just the annoying kid who had been tagging along. He had his own story, his own pain. And it made her more determined to protect him, even if she didn't fully understand the complexities of his past.

Blaze had returned to his sword practice, his thoughts interrupted only by the presence of the ship's communication system chiming in his ear. He paused, looking toward the ship's interior through the small window.

"Blaze," the voice on the comm link crackled. It was Rose. "You're not alone in this, you know. I know you're carrying something heavy... But we're in this together."

Blaze stiffened at her words. His mind flashed back to Devolos' voice, his taunts echoing in his ears.

"Do you think mercy will bring your sister back?"

Blaze squeezed his eyes shut, shaking off the voice. He didn't want to hear it anymore.

"I know, Rose. I know," he muttered under his breath. "But I have to do this."

He turned back to the stars, the endless void of space mocking his isolation. He was alone, despite everything—despite Rose's kindness, despite Bolt's fragile trust. He had made his choice.

"I have to do this."

But deep down, part of him wished, just for a moment, that things could be different. That he didn't have to carry this burden alone.

To be continue.....