The moment the Starcore pulsed in Li Yan's hands, everything around him seemed to slow. The air hummed with a faint vibration, like a whisper from the stars themselves. His heart raced, his breath shallow as he stared at the swirling energy in the center of his palm. It was warm—too warm—almost like the beating heart of the galaxy itself.
Behind him, Bai Ling stood still, her fingers hovering over her blaster but not yet drawing it. Tala's voice came through the comms, cold and mechanical.
"Li Yan, do not touch it any further. That relic... it is not what you think. The Starcore is a weapon, not a gift."
Li's mind was clouded. The whispers were louder now, filling his thoughts, pushing past his instincts. They spoke of the Skymother, of destruction and rebirth. Of an ancient pact sealed in blood and fire. His fingers tightened around the relic, unable to let go.
"What's happening to me?" he whispered, his voice strained.
Bai Ling took a step forward, her face shadowed by concern. "You're... connected to it now, aren't you? You're not just holding the Starcore anymore. It's changing you."
The warmth intensified. Li Yan could feel the pulse beneath his skin now, as though the Starcore was syncing with his very heartbeat. The energy inside him began to shift, wrapping around his bones, twisting his veins with an unfamiliar power.
Tala's voice crackled again. "You must resist. The Skymother's awakening is near. If you allow yourself to be consumed, the galaxy will fall."
Li's breath quickened. He felt as though the walls of the ancient temple had closed in on him. A creeping darkness crept over the stone floors, its tendrils snaking through the cracks, reaching for the Starcore. He could feel the relic's hunger, an endless void calling to him.
"Li Yan!" Bai Ling's voice broke through the fog. "You have to snap out of it!"
But it was too late. The pull of the Starcore was overwhelming. His vision blurred as an image flashed before his eyes—a towering figure cloaked in shadow, its eyes glowing with the same light as the relic. It spoke with a voice that echoed through his mind.
I am the Skymother. You have awakened me.
The words were like a hammer to his chest. Li staggered back, dropping to his knees as the power coursed through him, filling every inch of his being with a scorching energy. His skin burned. His mind screamed.
"What... what is this?" His voice broke as he tried to fight the rising tide.
Bai Ling knelt beside him, gripping his arm tightly. "Fight it, Li Yan! This isn't you. You're stronger than this."
But as her words reached him, the energy surged. Li's eyes snapped open, glowing with the same ethereal blue as the Starcore. He could hear the Skymother's voice clearer now, as if it were a living thing inside his mind.
You are the vessel. You will be my herald. You will burn the stars.
The room seemed to spin. Li's body trembled as he fought to control the power that sought to consume him. The stone floor cracked under the intensity of the energy surging from the Starcore.
"No," he gasped. "I... I won't let you."
But the force pushing against him was stronger than anything he had ever known. He felt his mind unraveling, the edges of his consciousness fraying. Was he truly the one chosen for this curse? Could he stand against the Skymother, or would he become just another pawn in her cosmic game?
He had no answers. Only the cold grip of power that threatened to swallow him whole.