The void was endless, cold, and silent as the Eventide Pod drifted through the folds of space. For a brief moment, everything seemed to stop, frozen in time. The fabric of the universe itself seemed to warp and bend around the ship, twisting in response to the strange energies Nam had just unlocked.
Trần Hoàng Nam sat in the cockpit, his fingers brushing over the holographic interface, the shard of Infinite Weave pulsing softly on the dashboard. It was like holding a living thing—alive with secrets, aware of its own existence in a way that defied the laws of physics.
Ái Lan was at his side, her gaze fixed on the swirling expanse outside the pod's viewing port. Her expression was tense, but there was something in her eyes—an understanding of the weight they now carried, the burden that could alter the entire fabric of reality.
"How long until we hit real space?" she asked, breaking the silence.
Nam glanced at the readout. "Two minutes, maybe less. After that, we'll be in uncharted territory."
Lan frowned. "The Dominion won't be far behind. They've already sent a fleet to track us down."
"We can't outrun them." Nam's voice was grim. "But we can outthink them. We have to decode this," he motioned to the shard, "before they do."
The shard was more than just an artifact. It was the key to the Infinite Weave—a multi-dimensional web of consciousness, a lattice that connected the very fabric of existence. The knowledge it contained was beyond comprehension, capable of altering time, space, and the very essence of life itself. But it was also incredibly dangerous. Whoever controlled it would control everything.
As the pod surged forward, breaking free from the event horizon of the strange fold in space, the external sensors flickered on, displaying an unfamiliar star system. A desolate, dying world orbited a massive, unstable star, its surface scarred by countless wars and natural disasters. It was a place untouched by the Dominion's reach—a perfect hideaway.
"We'll hide here," Nam decided, activating the ship's cloaking system. "Long enough to decode the shard and figure out our next move."
Lan nodded, but her eyes lingered on the display, as if sensing something. "We're not alone."
Nam turned sharply. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure," she replied, her voice low. "But there's something… unnatural about this system. I feel like we're being watched."
Before Nam could respond, the pod jolted violently. The emergency alarms blared as the ship's systems struggled to compensate for the unexpected gravitational pull from the nearby star. He fought to keep control of the ship, fingers flying over the console, but the pod was being pulled into a rapid descent toward the surface of the planet below.
"We're going down!" Lan shouted.
Nam clenched his teeth. "Brace for impact!"
The pod slammed into the planet's surface with a deafening crash, skidding across the cracked and barren ground. Sparks flew from the damaged hull as the ship came to a halt, its systems failing one by one.
Nam and Lan were thrown against their harnesses, the impact leaving them momentarily stunned. Gritting his teeth, Nam pushed through the disorientation and started powering down the emergency protocols.
"We're alive," Lan said, voice shaky but relieved. "That was close."
Nam exhaled sharply, wiping the blood from his forehead. "Too close. Get ready. We don't know who—or what—is out there."
Lan reached for her sidearm. "I don't like this, Nam. Something's wrong with this place."
He nodded, scanning the desolate horizon outside the pod. The planet was lifeless, its surface cracked and inhospitable. But there was an eerie stillness in the air, like the planet itself was holding its breath.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled. A low, rumbling sound echoed through the atmosphere. It wasn't natural—it was the sound of something… approaching.
"We're not alone," Lan muttered, as a dark figure appeared in the distance, emerging from the shadows of the barren landscape.
It was tall, humanoid, but its features were indistinct—its form shifting and warping, as if it was made of the very fabric of space itself. Its presence was alien, an anomaly that defied every law of physics.
"We need to move," Nam said, grabbing the shard and tucking it into his jacket. "Now."
But before they could make it to the exit, the figure was upon them.
"You are not welcome here," it spoke—not in words, but in a voice that reverberated through their minds, sending chills down their spines. "This world belongs to the Ancients. Leave now, or face the consequences."
Nam's eyes narrowed, the weight of the shard pressing against his chest. He didn't know who—or what—this entity was, but one thing was clear: they had just stumbled upon something far bigger than the Dominion.