Blooma floated above the desolate wasteland, her dark aura crackling from the aftermath of her devastating attack. The battlefield was silent - too silent.
The blackened ground still sizzled from the raw power she unleashed.
She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the eerie silence sink in, then slowly opened them, a wide, satisfied grin spreading across her face.
"Finally..." she whispered, her voice almost melodic. "They're gone. All of them."
She hovered lower, her feet gently touching the scorched ground. Her ego swelled, a twisted sense of pride filling her chest.
"Tim, Rei, the pathetic healer, his reckless wife... all reduced to nothing but dust," she muttered, pacing in slow circles.
Her laughter echoed through the wasteland - sharp, cold, and triumphant. She didn't even question the stillness - not yet. To her, the victory was absolute.
Meanwhile...
A sudden, disorienting sensation rushed over Tim and the others - like falling through a cold, endless void. Before any of them could react, they tumbled onto solid ground... and found themselves staring at a very familiar sight.
The dark, mirror-like portal behind them shimmered weakly before finally vanishing into thin air. They were back - back in Dales, right where they were first dragged into the Yamark wastelands.
The air was tense, but they weren't alone.
In front of them stood Edward - his towering figure unmistakable, his sharp gaze scanning their sudden appearance.
And behind him - a powerful force of united warriors - the combined might of Celestic Justice and the Resistance. They all looked battle-ready, their weapons drawn but their faces wide with shock.
Edward stepped forward, his voice steady but surprised.
"You're... alive?"
Before anyone could respond -
"I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD!"
Gravik was still clinging tightly to Sheila, his entire body trembling. His hands were gripping her arm so tightly it was almost comical. His eyes were shut, and he kept mumbling, "I died... I saw the light... I... I'm a ghost now."
Sheila, still weak but standing firm, sighed and tried prying Gravik off her. "You're not dead, Gravik."
Aron was beside her, his medical kit still strapped to him, his face reflecting a mix of relief and confusion.
Jim and Jeromy looked just as stunned - their breaths still ragged from the intense battle with Blooma.
Edward's sharp eyes zeroed in on Sheila.
"Sheila?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly - a rare break in his usual stoic demeanor.
She nodded, giving him a weak smile. "In the flesh."
Edward's jaw tightened, his lips parting as if to say something - but the words didn't come out.
Tim glanced at the shimmering remnants of the mirror and then back at Edward. "How did we... get here?"
Edward's gaze shifted to the broken pieces of the mirror now lying at his feet.
"After you all got pulled into it... we didn't just sit around." His voice was calm, but there was an edge of frustration. "We worked day and night, trying to piece it back together."
He gestured behind him - at the squads of Celestic Justice and Resistance soldiers, some still carrying tools and fragments of the mirror.
"It took us countless tries... but we finally forced it open again - just enough to pull you back."
Rei looked at the fractured glass, then at Edward. "You... saved us?"
Edward's expression remained firm, but his voice softened. "We didn't know if it would work. Honestly... we thought you were gone."
Gravik suddenly jolted. "Wait - if we're alive... doesn't that mean - BLOOMA-"
The air grew tense again.
Tim's fist clenched around his Solar Saber. "Yeah... she's still out there."
Rei gritted her teeth. "And she thinks we're dead."
Edward's eyes narrowed. "Then we have the upper hand... for now."
The group stood together - reunited, battle-worn, but very much alive.
Sheila stood firm despite the weariness in her body, her red-blue twin-sabers resting at her side. She gazed at the shattered remnants of the mirror, her mind piecing together the events that led them back to Dales.
The others waited, catching their breath, still trying to grasp how they escaped certain death.
Finally, Sheila spoke, her voice steady but thoughtful.
"It wasn't just the mirror being put back together that brought us back," she said, drawing everyone's attention. "There's more to it."
Tim furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
Sheila's gaze shifted to Tim and Rei. "Think about it... Blooma's attack should have destroyed us. There was no way out. But just before it hit, something happened - something powerful."
Rei's grip on her Lunar Crescent Hatchets tightened. "I remember... Tim and I didn't think - we just acted. All we could focus on was keeping everyone safe."
Sheila nodded. "That's exactly it. Your will to protect each other - and all of us - was so intense that it resonated beyond just your powers."
Jeromy crossed his arms. "Celestic Resonance..."
Sheila smiled faintly. "Yes - but not just any Resonance. Your combined will created something more... a divine light."
The group exchanged looks, the words hanging in the air.
Aron adjusted his glasses, still processing everything. "Are you saying their bond was strong enough to... synchronize with the mirror?"
Sheila pointed to the broken shards. "Exactly. The mirror didn't just open because Edward and the others forced it - it synchronized with Tim and Rei's Celestic Resonance, carrying their will to protect us. That surge of divine light must have connected with the fragments Edward rebuilt... and forced the portal back open."
Tim blinked. "So... we didn't just survive Blooma's attack - we... broke reality for a moment? We seem to have mastered Celestic Resonance."
Gravik's jaw dropped. "You guys bent the rules of time and space with your love power?!"
Rei flushed. "It's not... love power, it is probably our training paying off somehow."
Tim smirked. "Or maybe it is?"
Rei elbowed him lightly, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
Edward stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Whatever it was - it worked. And now we have something Blooma doesn't."
Jim's Solun Lance twirled in his hand as he grinned. "The element of surprise."
Jeromy's plasma whip flickered to life again. "She thinks we're dead... let's use that."
Sheila's grip tightened on her twin-saber. "We can't waste this advantage. Blooma's ego blinds her - she won't expect us to strike back this soon."
But as she said that, there was no excitement from the group. Rather there was a tense silence.
_ _ _
Rei broke the silence first, gripping her Lunar Crescent Hatchets tightly. "We weren't strong enough..."
Tim looked down at his Solar Saber, the golden glow dimmed and flickering. His jaw clenched. "Not even close."
The others heard their exchange, but no one spoke.
Jim rested the Solun Lance on his shoulder. "We landed some hits... but it was like punching a mountain. She didn't even flinch."
Jeromy crossed his arms, still worn out from defending everyone. "And we were lucky we had Aron there to heal us... but luck isn't going to save us next time."
Aron, standing beside Sheila - who was visibly exhausted but standing firm - adjusted his glasses. "We need to regroup and rest first. You're all running on fumes, especially Tim and Rei."
Sheila didn't argue this time. The sheer toll of the fight was evident - physically and mentally.
"Let's head back to my medical center," Aron continued. "If you want any chance at fighting Blooma again, you need to recover first."
The group agreed, following Aron through the corridors leading outside.
They all boarded the spaceships heading for the Medical Centre.
The group were escorted to Resistance's base hidden beneath the medical center. The underground complex buzzed with activity - soldiers, medics, and engineers working in unison.
When the Resistance troops saw Commander Sheila among them, a ripple of awe spread through the crowd.
"Commander Sheila is back!"
The whispers grew louder until cheers erupted.
But Sheila, steadying herself against Aron's arm, raised a hand. "I'm not back as your commander yet," she said firmly. "Right now... I'm the one being rescued."
The room fell silent.
"When I've recovered," Sheila added, "I'll reclaim my position. Until then - I entrust everything to Jeromy."
The soldiers saluted in unison, accepting their leader's words.
Jeromy, standing tall beside her, nodded. "I'll make sure everything runs smoothly. Focus on healing, Commander Sheila."
Edward and his Celestic Justice troops, inclined his head solemnly. "We'll hold the line until you're ready."They left with that.
While, the rest of them headed to the medical ward of the base. With the resistance members also following.
With the formalities done, Aron led everyone deeper into the base. The medical bay was a blend of advanced tech and old-fashioned remedies - a reminder that the Resistance was built on both science and sheer willpower.
Jeromy dropped onto one of the infirmary beds. "I need to be treated too - pretty sure I took more hits than I realized."
Jim chuckled, propping his Solun Lance against the wall. "We all did."
As the medics began tending to Jeromy's wounds, Aron checked Sheila's vitals one more time, ensuring her strength wasn't deteriorating.
Tim and Rei, though physically present and injured, remained distant - the weight of their failure gnawing at them.
Tim finally broke the silence between them. "We need to get stronger, Rei."
Rei's gaze didn't leave her hatchets. "I know."
Their Celestic Resonance had saved them once - but what if it wasn't enough next time?
What if Blooma came back stronger, angrier, deadlier?
One thing was certain - resting was only the first step.
Dr. Aron, his face lined with exhaustion yet firm with authority, didn't give Tim or Rei a choice.
"Both of you - sit down. Now." His voice was calm but brooked no argument.
Tim, still gripping his Solar Saber, opened his mouth to protest - but the sharp look in Aron's eyes silenced him.
Rei muttered, "I'm fine... really."
"You're not," Aron shot back, grabbing his medical scanner and running it over her. "You're both running on Celestic Resonance fumes, your energy's nearly drained, and let's not forget the physical toll Blooma's attacks took."
Tim exhaled, reluctantly settling onto a medical bed. "Fine. But the moment I'm patched up, I'm training again."
Aron didn't respond - he knew there was no point arguing with Tim's stubborn streak right now. He motioned for Rei to do the same, and she slowly sat down beside Tim, her grip on the Lunar Crescent Hatchets still tight.
As Aron started treating their injuries, Jim leaned against the wall, resting his Solun Lance beside him.
"Guess it's my turn too," he said with a smirk. "Better fix me up quick, Doc - Blooma's not gonna wait forever."
Aron sighed. "You took more hits than you let on. Sit."
Jim obeyed, muttering something about how he wasn't that injured - just a few scratches, right?
That's when Gravik, standing a little off to the side, chuckled softly. His arms were crossed, and his signature smirk was plastered on his face - though there was a hint of unease beneath the bravado.
Jim, ever the instigator, grinned at him. "Look at Coward over there. Doesn't need treatment - he's just our walking battery."
Tim, despite his brooding, cracked a small smile. "Yeah, Gravik's got one job - keep us charged up while we do the fighting."
Gravik scoffed. "Hey, you guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes without my energy transfer keeping you standing."
Jim laughed. "True, true - our living battery pack."
Despite the teasing, there was an unspoken understanding - Gravik might not have fought directly, but his powers had kept them alive.
Still, Gravik's mind wandered for a moment. He remembered why he'd tagged along in the first place - not out of heroism, but because sticking with the Resistance seemed like the safest bet. He never planned to be a frontline fighter - just a survivor.
But after seeing Tim, Rei, and Jim throw themselves into battle again and again...
Maybe - just maybe - he felt a flicker of something more than just survival now.
Aron kept working in silence, the medical ward buzzing softly with distant sounds of Resistance soldiers preparing for whatever came next.
Aron then told them to rest in there respective wards. He then shifted to the room where Sheila was.
He started treating her.
The medical ward, usually a place of sterile quiet and tension, suddenly burst with life as the door swung open.
"MOM!!!"
Darren and Maria, their small feet pounding against the cold floor, rushed straight toward Sheila. Their faces lit with a mixture of shock and pure joy, their eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Sheila, still weak but upright thanks to Aron's careful treatment, barely had time to react before they threw themselves into her arms.
"You're back! You're really back!" Darren's voice cracked as he clung to his mother's waist.
Maria, quieter but equally overwhelmed, buried her face in Sheila's shoulder, sobbing softly. "We thought... we thought you'd never come back."
For a moment, Sheila's battle-hardened exterior melted away. Her fierce commander presence faded, replaced by something far more powerful - a mother simply holding her children.
Despite the lingering pain in her body, she gently wrapped her arms around them, cradling them both. "I'm back," she whispered. "I'm here now."
Aron, standing nearby, didn't interrupt. He simply watched, a soft smile tugging at his lips. He knelt beside them and added, "She's back, safe and sound." He then pulled the three of them into a loose hug - a family finally reunited.
The moment was tender, raw - a sharp contrast to the brutal battles they'd just survived.