Suddenly, A Galactic Fedeation Soldier.
"Clark".
His scream echoed through the chamber, his hands gripping the ancient lever like his life depended on it, because it did. His muscles trembled, veins bulging along his arms as he pulled with every shred of strength he had left. The massive crack in the Source Planet's barrier, glowing with unstable light, flickered like a dying flame. It was close… so close to sealing.
But it wasn't enough.
A low, wet growl broke through the noise of the sparking consoles.
Clark turned, breath catching.
A Scalper stood in the doorway, its massive frame hunched, its mouth dripping with acid like saliva that hissed as it hit the metal floor. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, hungry. No weapon. No help. Just a dying man trying to save a Universe.
"I can't die here..." Clark gritted through his teeth, his arms refusing to let go of the lever.
"Not before sealing it...!"
The beast lunged. Claws outstretched. Fangs bared. Death, inches away.
Clark's scream tore through the chamber, not in fear, but in fury. Even as the monster flew at him, he didn't stop pulling.
Then...SHINK.
A blade sliced through the air like lightning.
The Scalper's head split cleanly in half, its body dropping mid leap. The creature crumpled to the floor just inches from Clark's bloodied face.
Silence.
Clark gasped, blinking sweat from his eyes. The sound of a plasma sword deactivating hummed gently in the background. Slowly, he turned his head
Commander Cracky stood over him.
Her armor dented, her lip bleeding, but her stance? Unshaken. A quiet force in the storm.
"How... how are you here?" Clark stammered, he was too stunned to move.
Cracky didn't answer right away. She just gave a small, crooked smile.
"Ha."
Then, wordlessly, she grabbed the lever beside him. Together, they pulled one final heave, one final push.
The chamber filled with blinding light. And yes, The crack sealed shut. Completely. Final.
The unstable energy around the Source Planet collapsed inward, flaring like a dying star before vanishing into silence.
They had done it. For a moment, nothing moved.
No screams. No gunfire. Just the sound of tired breathing. The battle outside seemed to pause, as if the entire war was waiting to exhale.
On the scorched battlefield above, Borarah stood motionless, eyes fixed on the sealed rift. His crimson gaze narrowed not in anger, not yet but in cold recognition. His grip on his dark blade tightened, knuckles whitening. Another failure. Another stolen moment.
But then… he smirked.
"Next time," he muttered,
Almost amused. Then he turned away.
Rakanta was gone. No trace. No sound. Just an empty place where something dangerous had stood.
Kaizu and Skye, both bleeding, both bruised, watched the retreating enemy line from a top the battlefield's edge. Smoke curled into the sky behind them. They didn't speak at first.
Skye's chest heaved with every breath. Her face was cut, her fingers trembling.
"We... made it?"
Kaizu didn't look away. His expression was unreadable.
"Maybe," he said. "For now."
The Scalpers,began to withdraw. Their retreat was slow, almost hesitant, like wolves unsure if the fire was truly gone.
And then, finally cheers.
Galactic Federation soldiers, seeing the withdrawal and the sealed crack, erupted with relief. Some dropped to their knees, overwhelmed. Others hugged, laughing through bloodied lips and broken ribs. It was over.
For thirty seconds, only thirty seconds. That's all they had. The moment of silence broke with a sharp tremor in the ground.
A flash pure white, blinding.
The sealed crack in the Source Planet's barrier once stable, once dormant suddenly exploded with light. From within the rift, something shot upward into the sky.
A glowing orb. Bright as a miniature sun. Raw, wild and alive. "
The Power Source".
The very heart of the Source Planet.
It launched into the upper atmosphere like a comet, spiraling into space.
For a heartbeat, no one moved. No one breathed.
Then came the panic.
Skye's eyes widened, her body Frozen
"No..." she whispered.
Cracky's hands trembled. "This... this wasn't supposed to happen."
Even the Scalpers, halfway through retreat, stopped. Some stared at the sky. Some fell to the ground, heads tilted upward, confused.
Then Borarah's face broke into something terrifying, joy. His crimson eyes glowed brighter than ever before. This was the moment. This was the reason he had come. Not just to break the Federation. Not just to kill Kaizu. This, the Power Source,unbound. Vulnerable. Flying.
"Get that! Now!" Kaizu and Borarah, both roared as thier voice cracking the sky.
Kaizu lifting his comms to every Federation ship still able to move.
Two forces, one object. The chase had begun.