Night falls over the eastern village, with only two hours remaining before the end of the world. In the sky, the massive planet hurtles ever closer to Doom Planet, its looming presence casting an eerie glow across the land.
Beneath the radiant light of the towering Spirit World Tree, the native villagers continue their celebration. One by one, they collapse gracefully to the ground, their spirits ascending into the tree with quiet serenity.
Ignis dances with the last of the native girls, his movements careful and reverent. Slowly, she closes her eyes in his arms, her spirit streaking toward the tree like a luminous comet. Ignis gently lays her to rest and turns to Crank and Jen.
"Well," he says, a bittersweet smile on his face, "I'm looking forward to telling Tobias all the stories we've lived through. See you all on the other side."
With a press of a magical button, a burst of light envelops him, and he vanishes.
Crank stands tall, pride swelling in his chest. "Boa has carried himself with great honor. I'm proud to see how far we've come." He too presses a button, disappearing in a flash of magic.
Jen inhales sharply as her gaze shifts to the approaching planet. Then, she notices Prekayda nearby, also watching the sky. She rushes to her.
"You're not going with the others?" Jen asks.
Prekayda turns, her expression calm but resolute. "No. I must do my part—and help Boa. What he's about to do will destroy this world's Spirit Realm. But to guide all those souls safely, he must remain here until every last one reaches its destination. I'll use my spiritual powers, combined with the ones he's given me, to keep the Spirit World alive as long as I can."
Shock seizes Jen. "He kept this from us… because this is far too risky! Even after guiding all those souls, he has to return to his body. Without the Spirit Realm intact, he'll surely die. Even with your help, it's only enough for a one-way trip…"
Prekayda places a steady hand on Jen's shoulder. "This is the price we're willing to pay to save our people."
Jen's voice trembles as she clenches her fists. "Does he really have that much hope in Crank and me to win the Star Games? Is that why he expects his death to spark some grand awakening in us—so we'll fight with even greater determination? How selfish can you be, Boa… You know I can't allow that to happen."
The wind whips around them as the sky darkens, the planet drawing ever closer, and the weight of their choices presses down like a stone on their hearts.
In the floating village, Nox completes his creation. A massive orb hovers in his chamber, glowing with an intense, radiant light. Its power ripples outward, suffusing the entire village and transforming it into a shimmering land of prismatic beauty, brimming with potent magic.
Hans and Corvex stare in awe, mouths agape, while villagers and Stars alike are stunned by the sheer magnitude of his feat.
Nox rises into the air, lifting the enormous energy core above his head. He channels his magic into it, sending waves of rainbow-hued energy cascading in every direction. The core hums with power before releasing a colossal rainbow blast into the sky. The sheer force tears open the heavens, creating a portal of pure, flowing magic, all colors of the spectrum swirling within it.
Landing gracefully on the ground, Nox's voice cuts through the hum of energy.
"Say your last farewells to your home planet. This is the last time you'll see it."
Every native villager rushes to the edge of the floating land, peering down at the planet below and waving goodbye. Nox walks to the edge as well, summoning the Storm Dragon's core, which floats like a radiant jewel in his palm.
He turns his gaze toward the distant white lands.
"You'll need far more firepower than that… but even so, your odds are too low."
With those final words, the Storm Dragon's core soars toward the white lands. Behind it, the floating prismatic village begins to ascend, streaming into the rainbow portal before it snaps shut with a brilliant flash.
In Taeo City, Taeo and Gilga hover on a floating platform, drifting above the streets as countless data pixels swirl around the city. Taeo's voice rings out, clear and commanding, reaching every citizen and Star below.
"Witness the grand plan you've all been waiting for!"
Cheers erupt as the crowd watches a massive spaceship begin to form, its structure wrapping around the city itself, encasing it within a colossal, gleaming vessel. The bottom half crystallizes from streams of shimmering data before the ship lifts off, leaving a gaping crater behind. Soon, the massive craft floats high above the skyline, a marvel of technological and magical engineering.
In the city streets, Hopper, Ortis, and Yuri watch the celebration. But Yuri's eyes narrow as he glances toward the floating platform.
"Where's Lady Gaia?" he asks.
Hopper and Ortis follow his gaze. Ortis frowns. "You're right… she's not here!"
Suddenly, a colossal explosion erupts along the side of the spaceship. Citizens and Stars alike gasp as a blinding beam of energy rips through several city buildings, striking Taeo and tearing across the skyline. Taeo is thrown from the vessel, his eyes locking onto the source of the attack: Lars, directing the devastating energy. The impact hurls them both into the forest below in a violent crash.
In the city, Gilga smiles with determination and satisfaction. "This doesn't change anything!" Using his data powers, he begins repairing the damaged walls in real-time.
Yuri clenches his teeth. "They're planning to leave without Lady Gaia!"
He bolts toward the edge of the city, biting his hand until blood drips to the ground, forming a pool that attaches on his feet that accelerates his speed. Hopper and Ortis leap to keep up with him as Yuri jumps through the damaged wall and skydives downwards. As Hopper and Ortis are catching up, they both can see the wall repairing itself.
Hopper shouts as they leap. "I am her butler—I cannot leave her behind!"
Ortis follows immediately, voice filled with desperation. "I'm in love with her! There's no point in continuing the games without her!"
They both jump through the damaged wall before it closes, free-falling toward the ground. While Yuri's frustration is evident. "Damn it! I can't use light magic anymore to fly—it went along with Rose!"
Above him, Hopper and Ortis catch up mid-fall. Ortis glances Yuri "We have to combine our blood powers to stop our fall!"
Nodding, they both press their thumbs into their chests, ripping their flesh to draw blood. Streams of blood flows together, forming a swirling blood sphere around them. With a violent impact, the sphere smashes into the land, bouncing across the terrain before leaping toward the shores. Finally, it explodes, tossing them all onto the sand.
Yuri groans. "Are you guys crazy or what?!"
Ortis grins, breathless. "Yeah, we're crazy for Lady Gaia… Let's just hope we don't regret this."
They rise, and Hopper points toward the distant white lands. A massive energy storm churns on the horizon.
"There's only one place she could be."
Together, Yuri and Ortis focus their blood magic, forming a crimson blood boat beneath them. They climb aboard and surge forward, cutting across the ocean toward the white lands.
In the forest, explosions ripped through the trees as Lars's relentless blast strikes tore paths of destruction. Taeo darted between them, weaving through fire and shattered wood, his focus razor-sharp.
He summoned hundreds of digital hands, the shimmering constructs erupting from the ground to pin Lars in place.
"I had a feeling you'd return," Taeo said, with confidence. "Gilga warned me your mission was to hunt down other Chosens to gain more points—but you're a fool. I don't have time to waste on you."
Taeo attempted to open a portal to get back to the ship, but sparks fizzled impotently in the air.
"What is the meaning of this?!" he demanded, frustration mounting.
A memory flashed through his mind of himself watching a digital screen, observing Gilga and Lars after their battle. He tried to restore the audio, but the words were gone, replaced by a stark message: "Audio destroyed."
The flashback ends.
Taeo's eyes widened in understanding. "You both… were plotting against me!"
Suddenly, Gilga's voice crackled through his comms.
"You're right… We are all Stars, after all. Always striving for points. Consider this my way of securing at least a top-ten position on the leaderboard."
"You traitor!" Taeo shouted. "Do you really think that ship can leave without me?!"
He willed his power to command the spaceship—but nothing responded. Laughter echoed through his comms.
"You were too focused on building your grand plan," Gilga taunted. "I had some time to create a virus program to infiltrate the system… and pull all the strings once you were off-board. This grand plan is mine now!"
Anger flared in Taeo's chest as Lars tore free from the digital hands, hurling more devastating blast strikes. Taeo countered with his creations, digital shields forming just in time, and began maneuvering through the forest.
Gilga's voice returned, dripping with malice.
"By the way… it would've been nice to team up until the final stage of the Games. But I think you're better off as a sacrificial pawn. Thanks for all your hard work."
The comms cut abruptly. Taeo blocked a heavy strike with his massive digital hands, grit flashing in his eyes.
"I am the son of Theo! The winner of the 109th Star Games! I will beat the impossible!" he roared.
He tried to summon the Robotic Dragon's core—but nothing happened. Panic flared.
"What?! Gaia hacked my system too?! I can't use the Dragon's core!"
A strike blast slammed into him, sending him crashing through trees. He hit the ground hard, coughing, as he watches the massive spaceship flying into space.
Lars approached slowly, gauntlets and metal boots gleaming ominously.
"I'm only here because you're the weakest among the Chosens," Lars sneered. "I need more points to satisfy Father."
He charged at Taeo. Taeo's eyes blazed as he summoned fragments of the digital world into reality. Constructs fired in unison, hitting Lars hard and leaving smoke curling through the battlefield. Yet, Lars rose, ice wand hovering, healing his wounds with deliberate calm.
"Must be humiliating," Lars said, voice icy, "to be a son left behind by a father who became a god… You're not even worthy of his consideration."
Taeo's chest tightened with emotion. He poured every ounce of his digital creations into one massive barrage as Lars surged forward, more powerful than ever, ready to crush him.
The forest trembled under the force of their clash, sparks and magic filling the air like a storm about to break.
Only an hour and thirty minutes remained before midnight. The colossal planet loomed ever closer to Doom Planet, its immense gravitational pull whipping winds across the doomed world, bending trees and sending dust swirling through the air.
In the eastern village, at the base of the Spirit World Tree, Prekayda sat in deep spirit meditation, the world around her trembling under the planet's approaching fury. Nearby, Jen crouched, feeling the gusts tear at her clothes. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to the incoming planet, her eyes fierce with determination.
"Boa… I won't let you die."
She raised her hands, summoning her magic. A brilliant light shimmered in the air, and the spirit Melon materialized with a thunderous roar.
"Melon! You heard my call!" Jen shouted.
In a single, fluid motion, Melon opened its massive mouth, swallowing Prekayda and Jen. The spirit whale's colossal form soared into the sky, circling above the village before engulfing Boa, who stood atop the Spirit World Tree, his aura blazing.
With the three of them inside, Melon plunged into the air, diving toward the ocean below. Waves churned violently around the spirit creature as it shot forward, slicing through the waters with unstoppable speed toward the distant white lands.
In the White Lands, the energy storm raged relentlessly, crackling with raw power as Kayle focused every ounce of her strength on charging the ultimate attack. Dragon orbs floated in alignment along the Moon Pathway, the Storm Dragon's core joining the formation, its radiant energy intertwining with the others.
Tomi exhaled, relief washing over him. "Thanks, Nox… we needed that…"
Suddenly, a new core streaked across the sky—the Robotic Dragon's core. It slotted perfectly into the celestial alignment alongside the other dragon orbs. Tomi's eyes widened in surprise.
Turning, he saw Gaia descending, her mecha suit glinting in the storm's chaotic light. As she removed her mask, her voice rang clear and resolute.
"I'm here to help Dustin too."
Shock washes over Tomi. "You… you already know Kayle is Dustin?!"
Gaia nodded, her gaze unwavering. Tomi smiled warmly. "Of course you'd be here… After all you truly are her best friend."
Gaia's eyes glistened as they fell upon Kayle, whose focus was absolute, energy crackling around her in waves of light.
A deafening sonic boom cut through the sky as the massive planet drew ever closer, its sheer size warping the horizon. The ground trembled beneath them, a reminder that the final moment is fast approaching.