"The powers of the universe whisper secrets only the lost can hear. Whether those secrets lead to salvation or damnation is a choice made by the one who chooses to listen. From the heart can the choice be clear."
The engines of the Prospect and its interior ambience was the only sound that kept him tethered to reality. Everything else was swallowed by the endless black sea that stretched out before him, a canvas speckled with the distant glitter of stars and the swirling hues of a nearby nebula. He was alone, adrift in the vast cosmos, a feeling that resonated deep within his soul. Leaving Eldrath Prime had been a desperate act, fuelled by confusion and a growing sense of alienation. Now, suspended in the void between destinations, the weight of his decisions pressed down on him.
He hadn't the energy, nor the desire, to initiate a Shatter Jump just yet. That level of displacement required focus, and right now, his mind was a tangled mess of questions and uncertainties. He needed to untangle those knots, to understand the path that had led him here and, more importantly, where it was leading him next.
He gazed out of the cockpit window, the glass floor offering a dizzying perspective of the starscape rushing beneath. The colours of the nebula painted a vibrant, almost ethereal picture, a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within him. Could this all be stopped? Was the power he now wielded inherently destructive, or was there a chance he could control it, perhaps even use it for good?
The memories of Eldrath Prime were still raw, fresh wounds that hadn't yet begun to heal. The training, Kallus's disappointment, Artemis's uncertain gaze - they were all pieces of a puzzle he couldn't quite assemble. He replayed the events in his mind, trying to find a logic in the chaos. One moment he was a promising student, the next he was… something else. A vessel for Aethermancy, a force that Kallus clearly feared.
Aethermancy. The very word sent a shiver down his spine. It was a forbidden art, a whisper in the shadows of Nexomancy. He hadn't sought it out, hadn't even known it existed until it erupted from within him. But now it was a part of him, an integral aspect of his being. The Nex responded to him differently than anyone else. Was this why the God Emperor sent him to Kallus in the first place?
His thoughts drifted back to the nightmare, the vision that had haunted his sleep and ultimately spurred his departure. He tried to recall every detail, every sensation. The dying world, that was the part he remembered the clearest. It was a desert world, that much he was sure of. A civilisation built amidst canyons and dunes, choked by sandstorms and a relentless sun. The air had been thick with despair, the silence broken only by the mournful howl of the wind.
But it was the figure, the dark entity looming over the ravaged landscape, that truly terrified him. Cloaked in shadow, its presence radiated power, a terrifying, all-consuming force. And the most disturbing part? He had stood beside it, a willing participant in the destruction.
Who was it? Or what was it? Was it the source of this growing darkness within him? Was it manipulating him, pulling him towards some catastrophic destiny? The questions swirled around him, each one more unsettling than the last. Was it the Nex itself, showing him the potential for destruction that lay dormant within its power? Was it a message from the God Emperor, a warning of what he was to become? Or was it something else entirely, something far more ancient and malevolent?
He closed his eyes, fighting to regain control. Panic wouldn't help him. He needed clarity, a sense of direction. He couldn't afford to be consumed by fear and doubt. He took a deep breath, focusing on the calming hum of the Prospect, the gentle sway of the ship as it drifted through space.
He needed to find answers. To understand the nature of the power he now possessed and its potential consequences. He needed to unravel the mystery of the nightmare, to decipher the identity of the dark figure and its connection to him. And, perhaps most importantly, he needed to find Ilstra Luminara.
His hand instinctively reached into his pocket, his fingers tracing the smooth, cool surface of the Harmonious Gem. It was a small, unassuming stone, but it held a power that resonated deep within him, a connection to a past he barely understood. He remembered the moment she had given it to him on Celestara, a token of their shared bond.
He pulled the gem out, holding it up to the faint light filtering through the cockpit window. It pulsed with a soft, inner glow, a beacon of hope in the overwhelming darkness. Ilstra… the name echoed in his mind, a promise of guidance and understanding.
He vowed to the gem, to Ilstra, and to himself that he would find her. He would travel to Luminara, seek out her wisdom, and discover the truth about his own destiny. The Luminary Frontier was his destination, a distant haven of light in the vast, unknowable universe.
The Prospect might be running on Nexium 'batteries', his mind racing with questions, and his heart heavy with uncertainty, but the path was clear. He had a purpose, a goal to strive for. He would find Ilstra Luminara. He would find Luminara. And in doing so, perhaps he would finally find himself.
With a renewed sense of resolve, he turned his attention to the ship's controls. Time to conserve the energy he had left and set a course, not for a Shatter Jump yet, but just that bit further from Eldrath Prime so he could finally find his way to the Luminary Frontier. The journey would be arduous, but he was no longer adrift. He had a destination, a beacon to guide him through the darkness. The echoes in the void had finally begun to form a coherent melody, a song of hope amidst the uncertainty.
But first he needed to catch up on some sleep and wind down for a while…