Outside the Consul, in the imperial gardens, Youri lay upon the grass, overlooking the view before him — an empire undone, a civilization that no longer existed in his time. The horizon shimmered faintly with the glow of dying spires and drifting embers, the remnants of the once-mighty Baraken Empire.
He could not help but feel a strange unease. By all known accounts, the Barakens would go on to dominate most of the known universe. Yet something — some unimaginable force — must have one day erased them from history. What could have been so powerful to crush such might? The question echoed through his mind, unanswered.
But like all great stories, the Empire of Baraka would remain wrapped in mystery. And Youri, unlike many who chased answers, had no desire to find them.
For once, he was content in the silence.
His peace, however, did not last long. From the distance, faint steps echoed along the marble path. When he turned, he saw the old Kaiser, his figure leaning slightly, his eyes calm but tired.
Kaiser smiled faintly. "You missed this, didn't you?"
Youri returned a small grin. "Yeah," he said softly. "I did."
The breeze swept gently through the garden — over the grass, through the trees, whispering through the structure of a once-mighty empire. It was peaceful, and it would remain so for another few centuries, long after both men were gone.
Kaiser turned his gaze toward the horizon. His long gray hair caught the wind as he spoke quietly. "You are Youri, right?"
"Mm-hm," Youri murmured, eyes still on the distant skyline.
"Then, Youri," Kaiser said after a pause, "may I ask you for a favor?"
Youri turned his head lazily, a brow raised. "And what could the emperor possibly want of me?"
Kaiser chuckled softly, his voice hoarse but warm. "As you've seen, I'm no longer emperor. I left that to a new generation. I'm just an old man now."
Youri smirked. "All right then, old man. What can I do for you?"
The wind rose suddenly, rustling the leaves around them. Kaiser stood still in its current, then spoke:
"I want you to end my suffering."
The words hung heavy in the air. Neither spoke for a long while.
Youri's eyes drifted down toward the grass, his jaw tightening. It was a selfish request — perhaps the most selfish a man could make. And yet, somehow, it made sense. Both men had lived with their own demons, carrying the weight of choices that defined them. The difference between them was simple — one still had a second chance, and the other did not.
Kaiser broke the silence. "When I was younger, I used to come here often," he said softly, almost to himself. "Whenever I needed peace — or clarity. I would lie here just like you are now, close my eyes, and let the wind take me. It always made me forget the noise, the blood, the politics... even the guilt."
He looked up at the endless sky, eyes clouded with memory."It's comforting, isn't it? How the wind feels like it sweeps the past away, back to where it came from."
Then, after a pause, his tone deepened."I know what I ask is selfish. I lack the courage to do it myself — and yes, that truth haunts me. But I've learned to live with my limitations. And you, Youri…"He turned his head, meeting the younger man's eyes. "You have what I never did — a second chance."
The wind howled louder through the garden, tugging at their clothes and hair.
Youri stood at last, brushing the grass from his hands. He walked over to the old emperor, stopping beside him. A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"Everything has a price," he said quietly. "We just never know when we'll be asked to pay it."
A single shot rang out.
Kaiser lay back upon the grass, blood spreading beneath his robes — dark and deep. The wound was clean, placed just above his abdomen. He exhaled slowly as the breeze washed over his face one last time.
"Tatiana…" he whispered faintly. "Oh, how much I've missed you."
His eyes fluttered shut. The wind carried his final breath away.
Youri stood by him in silence until the end. Then he turned back toward the palace, the shadow of the Consul stretching long behind him. Before stepping away, he glanced up at the bright skies of Baraka and said softly, almost to himself,
"I don't know if you'll find her there."
Back aboard the Tartarusios, the engines hummed low and deep, echoing through the ship like a sleeping giant. Inside the control room, Zoma stood at the viewport, her eyes reflecting the light of the empire below.
Her mission was complete. She had fulfilled the purpose left to her by the one before her — and now, she could finally do what she was created for: guide the Baraken Empire toward the peak of its destiny.
Her existence was mechanical, but in that quiet moment, as she gazed upon the world below, she felt something… unfamiliar. A glitch, perhaps — or something deeper. For a fleeting instant, Zoma felt sadness.
The doors to the control room opened. The crew stepped inside — Oscar, Bjorn, Halley, and the others, their faces drawn but determined.
Oscar approached. "Zoma," he said, "did you set the coordinates for the Tarcl particle appearance?"
Zoma turned to him and smiled faintly. "Of course. You helped me complete my mission. As promised, I've input the coordinates."
Oscar exhaled with relief. "Finally. It's time to go home."Then, after a pause, he added with a half-smile, "Can't say it's been a pleasure, but… thank you, I guess."
Zoma tilted her head slightly. "No need to thank me yet," she replied. "Save it for when you get home. Who knows — we might meet again."
Oscar smirked, extending his hand toward her projection. "Can't say I'm looking forward to that… but if we do, let's keep it in our timeline this time."
Her holographic hand touched his."I hope so too," she said softly.
Moments later, the doors opened once again — this time revealing Tarko.A few hours earlier, after Kaiser's final decree, he and Oscar had stood together on the steps of the Consul, gazing at the capital.
"So," Oscar had asked, "what are you gonna do now, old man?"
Tarko had smiled faintly, eyes on the horizon. "I don't know. There's not much left for me here. But one thing I've learned — hope doesn't die. It just gets lost. We just have to find it again."
Oscar chuckled. "That's good to know. Here's a little hint — just because I like you. Things won't be so bad after this. There's peace coming… eventually."
Tarko nodded. Then, almost shyly, he asked, "You said you're from the future. Would there be a place for a man like me there?"
Oscar burst into laughter. "You know, our time's not that different from this one. Before we got here, the Emperor put a bounty on us. The ship's running below full power, and we're a long way from base. So yeah, we're in deep."
Tarko laughed too. "You beat us while handicapped. No wonder they threw me into the labyrinth — I fought this empire once myself."
Oscar grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Then hop on, old man. Just don't regret it later."
The engines of the Tartarusios roared to life, shaking the ground as the ship rose from the capital's fields.The coordinates were set.
Centuries would pass. The Baraken Empire would rise again — conquering, uniting, and reaching the glory the universe had to offer. Yet through all that time, one story would never fade.
The legend of a single mysterious ship — the one that brought an empire to its knees and vanished without a trace.
They called it Celestia.