The Celestial Vanguard and the Aurelian Wing sat docked in the silent dark of a nebula, shielded by the cooling coils Kael had scavenged. On the bridge of the Vanguard, the mood was heavy. The Vorthax were no longer just hunting them; they were adapting to them.
"The dual-resonance blast was a beacon," Valerius said, his arms crossed over his chest. "We can't hide in junkyards or suns forever. We need a sanctuary. A place where their sensors can't reach."
Kael sat on the floor, the Obsidian Cube resting in his lap. He felt a strange warmth radiating from it—not heat, but a rhythmic pulse that matched his own heartbeat.
"The Cube isn't just a key," Kael whispered, his violet eyes reflecting the blue light of the relic. "It's a door."
"A door to where?" Elis asked, her hologram flickering into existence. "I've scanned that thing a thousand times. It's solid obsidian with a core of condensed starlight."
"It's not solid," Lyra said, stepping forward. She looked stronger now, her silver hair braided back. "It's a Void-Pocket. My father used to tell stories of the 'Star-Garden'—a sanctuary outside of the physical galaxy where the Seven Sisters could rest and refuel."
Kael focused. He reached into the Cube, not with his hands, but with his Tier 2.2 resonance. He didn't try to pull energy out this time; he pushed his consciousness in.
[SYSTEM OVERRIDE DETECTED] [STARBORNE SIGNATURE RECOGNIZED] [OPENING THE FOLD...]
A hairline fracture appeared on the surface of the Cube. Then, it blossomed like a flower. A vortex of white light erupted in the center of the bridge, expanding until it was ten feet wide.
"Whoa," Kael breathed, standing up. "I think... I think we're invited."
They stepped through.
Space didn't exist here. There were no stars, no black void. Instead, they stood on a floating island of white stone, surrounded by a sky of swirling, iridescent aurora. In the center of the island stood a massive, dormant tree made of glowing crystal—the Tree of Life-Code.
Below the island, floating in the misty air, were seven massive docks.
"The Garden of Aethelgard," Valerius whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. He dropped to one knee, touching the white stone. "I haven't seen this place since the day the First Republic fell."
"HOME," Ignis's voice rumbled through the portal. "I FEEL THE ANCHOR. WE CAN DOCK HERE."
The two ships drifted through the portal, settling into the ancient docks. As they touched the platforms, glowing blue cables rose from the ground, connecting to their hulls.
"Look at the energy levels!" Elis shouted, her avatar dancing with joy. "The ships are recharging! The 'Code' is repairing the hull damage automatically. Kael, this place is invisible to the Vorthax! We could build a city here!"
Kael walked toward the Crystal Tree. As he neared it, a holographic terminal rose from the roots. It displayed a map of the galaxy, but instead of stars, it showed thousands of red dots—the Vorthax.
And in the center of the map, a single golden dot: The Star-Forge.
"The Forge is still active," Lyra said, standing beside him. "If we find all seven ships and bring them here, we can use the Forge to restart the Starborn era. We can wipe the Vorthax virus from the galaxy."
Kael looked at his hands. They were glowing with a steady, calm light. He didn't feel like a scavenger anymore. He felt like an Architect.
"We have a base," Kael said, his voice firm. "We have the ships. But we need an army. And I think I know where to find the first recruits."
"Where?" Valerius asked.
"The Prison-Moons of Xylos," Kael said. "That's where the Vorthax keep the 'Un-Integratable.' The rebels, the scientists, and the rogues. If we're going to fight a war, we need people who have nothing left to lose."
[QUEST UPDATED: THE JAILBREAK OF XYLOS] [REWARD: ACCESS TO TECH-SPECIALIST & 500 REBEL SOLDIERS]