This choice: Unlocking a new path (i.e. Preservation and Harmony) • Go Back...Chapter #4A strange call from the stars by: Eln   The vast emptiness of the void stretched endlessly around the Astral Express as it drifted along the star rail. Stelle leaned against a railing near the central observation deck, her gaze fixed on the swirling stars beyond. The others were scattered across the train, absorbed in their own routines.
"Stelle! You’re just going to stare at the stars forever?" March 7th’s cheerful voice echoed through the deck as she bounded in with her camera in hand.
“Maybe,” Stelle replied, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “You’re not?”
March shook her head. “I’m documenting everything! You never know when something strange or beautiful will pop up out there. Speaking of which, didn’t Himeko say we were heading to a very peculiar place? I’m so ready for some adventure.”
Before Stelle could respond, a soft vibration rippled through the floor beneath her feet, accompanied by an eerie hum. The faint, otherworldly sound seemed to seep into her chest, tugging at something primal and instinctive within her.
“Did you feel that?” Stelle asked, standing upright.
“Feel what—oh!” March yelped as the train jolted slightly. The lights dimmed, replaced by an unsettling blue-violet glow radiating from the window. A distorted mass floated in the void, not far from the Express.
“Attention, passengers,” Pom-Pom’s voice rang out from the intercom, serious like when the Astral Express faces danger. “We’ve detected an unknown object emitting anomalous energy ahead. Welt and Himeko are already investigating. Please proceed with caution.”
Stelle exchanged a glance with March, and they both moved toward the source of the commotion.
At the control room, Himeko and Welt were analyzing the object on a holographic display. The image showed a cracked, oblong vessel pulsating faintly with an internal glow. It looked ancient, its surface scarred with deep grooves and mysterious glyphs.
“It’s holding a dormant Stellaron,” Welt said, his brows furrowed.
“Or what’s left of one,” Himeko added, her voice steady but tinged with unease. “The containment unit is unstable. Whatever’s inside could awaken at any moment.”
“And we’re just letting it float out there?” March asked, peering over their shoulders.
“Better than bringing it aboard,” Himeko replied sharply.
But Stelle felt something else—a faint pull, like a thread wrapping around her very being. It wasn’t hostile, nor was it pleasant. It was… curious. It wanted her to approach.
“I think… I need to go out there,” Stelle said suddenly, her voice surprising even herself.
The room went silent.
“What are you talking about?” Dan Heng had appeared in the doorway, his expression guarded.
“I don’t know,” Stelle admitted, placing a hand on her chest. “But I feel like it’s calling me. Like I’m supposed to do something.”
Himeko and Welt exchanged a look, the weight of their experience evident. Finally, Himeko sighed. “If the Stellaron is reaching out to Stelle specifically, we may not have much choice. But this will be risky.”
“Risky?” March exclaimed. “This sounds downright insane!”  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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