Dusk painted the mountain slopes in deep purples and grays as Lin Che, Su Qing, Xiao Ya, and Mo Ying climbed higher. The air grew thinner, biting at their cheeks, and the forest gave way to rocky terrain—sharp boulders and loose gravel that made every step precarious. Mo Ying led the way, her boots sure on the stone, while Xiao Ya clung to Lin Che's hand, her small feet slipping occasionally.
"The graveyard's just over that ridge," Mo Ying said, pointing to a jagged line of rocks ahead. Her breath came in small puffs—even she was feeling the climb. "We'll be safe there. The rusted starships block the path—no one gets in without knowing the way."
Lin Che nodded, but his chest ached with fatigue. They'd been walking for hours, ever since leaving the valley, and the crystals in his pouch felt heavier with each step. The light shard's warmth had faded to a faint tingle, while the Shadow Shard pulsed cold—still muted by the light, but a constant reminder of the danger they carried.
Su Qing, walking beside him, noticed his strain. She slipped her hand into his free one, squeezing gently. "Almost there," she whispered. "Just a little farther."
Xiao Ya, meanwhile, had grown quiet again—her eyes fixed on the rocks around them. "The plants here are scared," she said softly, her voice carried away by the mountain wind. "They say this path is 'haunted'—by the ghosts of the people who died in the starship crashes."
Mo Ying laughed, but it was a tight, nervous sound. "Old stories," she said. "The graveyard's just full of rust. No ghosts." But her gaze flicked to the shadows between the boulders, as if checking for something.
They reached the ridge ten minutes later. Below them, nestled in a small valley, was the starship graveyard—and it was more vast than Lin Che had imagined. Dozens of rusted starship hulls lay scattered across the ground, their metal frames twisted and broken, their windows shattered. Vines crawled up their sides, and small trees grew through gaps in their hulls, as if the mountain was reclaiming the machines.
"It's… big," Xiao Ya said, her eyes wide.
Mo Ying nodded, leading them down the slope. "Most of these crashed during the Great Storm twenty years ago. The city didn't bother to clean them up—too remote. Perfect for hiding."
They picked their way through the graveyard, stepping over loose metal sheets and avoiding sharp pieces of debris. The air smelled of rust and damp earth, and the only sounds were the wind whistling through the hulls and the distant cry of a mountain bird.
"This one's safe," Mo Ying said, stopping at a medium-sized starship—its hull still mostly intact, its entrance covered by a tattered tarp. She pulled the tarp aside, revealing a dark opening. "I've used it before. Dry inside. No rats—well, not many."
Lin Che stepped inside first, the light shard in his pouch glowing faintly to illuminate the space. The interior was empty, save for a few crates of old supplies and a pile of ragged blankets. Dust motes danced in the light, and the air was stale but warm.
Su Qing and Xiao Ya followed, and Mo Ying pulled the tarp back into place, blocking out the last of the dusk light. "We'll stay here tonight," she said, dropping her backpack on the floor. "Tomorrow, we can figure out our next move. The Zhao family's reinforcements won't find us here—not unless they bring a search team, and even then, the graveyard's too big to comb through."
Xiao Ya sat down on one of the blankets, pulling her knees to her chest. "The plants outside say the mountain is quiet," she said, her voice soft. "No one's following us. Not yet."
Lin Che nodded, sitting beside her. He pulled the pouch with the crystals from his belt, opening it slightly to check on them. The light shard glowed softly, and the Shadow Shard lay beside it, its red pulse barely visible. "We need to keep these safe," he said, looking at Su Qing and Mo Ying. "If the Zhao family gets their hands on another Shadow Shard… who knows what they'll do."
Mo Ying leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. "Old Man Zhao's not just after power," she said, surprising them. "I heard rumors in the scrapyards—he's working for someone. A group called the Arcane Syndicate. They're the ones who told him about the Shadow Shards, about the ritual. They want to wake the darkness too—said it'll 'cleanse' the world."
Su Qing's eyes widened. "The Arcane Syndicate? My grandmother wrote about them—they're a group of rogue Arcane users. They've been trying to find the Shadow Shards for years. They think the darkness will make them stronger."
Lin Che's jaw tightened. So the Zhao family wasn't the real enemy—they were just pawns. The Syndicate was the ones pulling the strings. "We need to find the other Shadow Shards before the Syndicate does," he said. "And we need to find a way to destroy them. Or at least keep them away from the Syndicate."
Mo Ying nodded. "I can help with that. I know the scrapyards, the forests, the mountains—all the places the Syndicate might hide. And I've got contacts—people who owe me favors. They can pass us info about the Syndicate's movements."
Lin Che looked at her, surprised. "Why are you helping us?" he asked. "You don't even know us. We could be trouble."
Mo Ying smiled, a small, genuine smile. "Because the Syndicate ruined my life," she said, her voice softening. "They killed my brother—he was a starship mechanic, just like your… well, just like someone you knew. He found a Shadow Shard in one of the crashed ships here, and the Syndicate came for him. They took the Shard and left him for dead. I've been trying to stop them ever since."
Lin Che's chest ached. He thought of Lin Han—his third life, the starship mechanic—and how he'd died protecting the Star Marrow. Mo Ying's brother had died for the same reason: because he'd stumbled onto something the Syndicate wanted.
"We're not just fighting for ourselves," Lin Che said, his voice steady. "We're fighting for your brother. For all the people the Syndicate has hurt."
Mo Ying nodded, her eyes shining. "Then let's fight."
They settled down for the night, Mo Ying lighting a small campfire in the corner of the starship (careful to keep it small, so the smoke wouldn't attract attention). Xiao Ya fell asleep quickly, worn out from the climb, her head resting on Lin Che's shoulder.
Su Qing sat beside Lin Che, flipping through her Arcane Manual. "My grandmother's notes say the Shadow Shards can be destroyed—with the light shard and the Star Marrow," she said, her voice quiet so she wouldn't wake Xiao Ya. "If we combine their energy… we can neutralize the Shard's darkness for good."
Lin Che looked at his wrist, where the Star Marrow glowed faintly. "Then that's what we'll do," he said. "We'll find the Shards, we'll destroy them, and we'll stop the Syndicate. Together."
Mo Ying, who'd been quiet, spoke up. "Together," she agreed.
Outside, the wind howled through the starship hulls, making them creak and groan—as if the ghosts of the crashed ships were whispering. But inside, by the warmth of the campfire, Lin Che felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: hope.
They had allies. They had a plan. And they had the Star Marrow.
The Syndicate and the Zhao family would come for them. The darkness would try to return. But this time, they weren't running alone.
This time, they were ready to fight.
As Lin Che closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall, he knew the journey ahead would be hard. But for the first time in weeks, he didn't feel afraid.
He felt ready.