Dark Void floated above the burning ruins of Soluna, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
Half of the planet was already gone.
Entire cities and towns obliterated. Villages reduced to nothing but dust. The sky was thick with smoke and ash, screams echoing through the devastated land.
Men, women, children-even babies-had not been spared.
Dark Void reveled in it.
He casually extended his hand, and with a flick of his fingers, another city exploded in a massive burst of dark energy. The ground trembled, splitting apart as an entire region sank into the void of destruction.
He was enjoying every second of it.
"Ah, such a beautiful sight..." Dark Void chuckled, watching the carnage unfold before him. "How much more destruction must I bring to summon the so-called Solunar God, Solarae?"
There was no answer.
Only death.
But not everyone had fallen.
Amidst the carnage, two figures still stood.
Heatsun and Moonsalt.
They were exhausted, bloody, barely able to move-but they refused to fall.
Moonsalt's body trembled, her Lunar energy flickering weakly around her. "We... we can't let him destroy everything..."
Heatsun gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. "Even if we die here... we'll fight until our last breath!"
Dark Void barely even looked at them.
He lifted a single hand-and with one gigantic blast, sent them both crashing through the ruins of a destroyed temple.
They didn't get back up.
Far from the ruins, deep underground, inside a hidden chamber...
Dr. Aron worked tirelessly.
Tim groaned, his body weak. His vision was blurry, but... he could move again.
Rei clenched her fists. She felt like hell-but compared to before, she could at least stand.
Dr. Aron wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I've done all I can. You're not at full strength, but you should be able to move and fight."
Tim gritted his teeth. "That's all I need."
Rei staggered but steadied herself. "We don't have time. Soluna is being erased. We have to go."
Tim nodded, clenching his fists.
They had no idea how they were going to stop Dark Void.
But they knew one thing.
They had to try.
Though fear gripped the survivors who were also present in the same chamber.
The once-proud Solar and Lunar people were now huddled together, clutching their loved ones, their eyes filled with terror.
The war had taken everything from them.
Among them, a Solar man and a Lunar woman held their young children-a Solar girl and a Lunar boy. Their arms wrapped tightly around each other, refusing to let go. They had already lost too much.
Nearby, a Lunar man and a Solar woman held their own Lunar girl and Solar boy, gripping them desperately.
No one wanted to let go.
No one wanted to lose anyone else.
The room was filled with sobs, trembling whispers, silent prayers for survival.
Henry and Marie rushed in, helping the last group of survivors find safety.
Their clothes were tattered, their faces covered in sweat and dirt. They had been bringing as many people to safety as possible-but they both knew it wasn't enough.
Everyone looked toward Tim and Rei.
They weren't Solar. They weren't Lunar.
They were Earthlings.
And yet...
Tim stepped forward, his voice strong despite the weight of exhaustion. "Listen to me."
Everyone turned toward him, eyes filled with desperate hope.
"We may not have been born on Soluna, but that doesn't matter. This is our home now. And we will fight for it. With our lives."
Rei nodded, stepping beside him. "We will protect all of you. No matter what it takes."
The Solar and Lunar people stared at them, silent for a moment.
Then, a voice-small, innocent.
A Solar girl looked up at them, clutching her mother's hand.
"Be safe... okay?"
Another Lunar boy, eyes filled with tears, mustered up the courage to speak.
"Please come back... don't leave us..."
Tim felt something deep inside his chest tighten.
Dr. Aron sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair.
"I have no right to stop you." He looked at both of them. "But promise me this-don't die so easily."
Tim grinned. "No promises."
Rei smirked. "But we'll do our best."
_ _ _
As Tim and Rei made their way out, they suddenly heard a chorus of footsteps behind them.
They turned-only to see hundreds of survivors stepping forward.
Men, women, even the injured-they all stood together.
Aron's eyes widened in shock. "What are you all doing?! You need to stay safe!"
A Solar elder stepped forward, his body weak, but his voice filled with determination.
"You are our last hope. If you fall, we fall too. We will not hide anymore."
A Lunar mother, holding her injured daughter in her arms, spoke next.
"We have already lost everything. If we must die, we will at least die fighting."
More voices echoed through the chamber.
"We won't let Soluna fall!"
"We refuse to be wiped out!"
"If this is the end, we'll face it with our heads held high!"
Aron felt something stir deep in his chest.
He wasn't Solar or Lunar.
But in this moment... he felt their unbreakable spirit.
He clenched his fists. "Then I will fight alongside you."
His childrenâDarren and Mariaâsuddenly stepped forward.
"We'll help too!"
Aron's heart ached.
He saw the same fearless determination in their eyes.
But-
"No." Aron knelt in front of them. "You are the future". You must survive.
The kids looked at him, trembling, but nodded.
Henry and Marie raised their hands, their Solar and Lunar powers intertwining.
A massive golden shield erupted around the survivors, protecting them in a massive dome of light.
"We'll hold this barrier as long as we can," Henry said.
Marie nodded, her eyes fierce. "Go, Tim. Go, Rei. Lead the way."
Tim and Rei turned toward the battlefield.
They had started with just the two of them.
Now-they marched with an army.
As they moved through the ruins of Soluna, they found more survivors.
Some were hiding in fear.
Some were wounded, barely clinging to life.
Tim and Rei rescued as many as they could.
Aron healed the injured, using a mastery of making use of his medical equipments. Even those on the verge of death were brought back.
With every step forward, their numbers grew.
The once hopeless, scattered survivors... had now become an army.
And at the front of this army-
Tim and Rei marched toward Dark Void.
After an hour...
As Tim and Rei led the growing army through the ruins of Soluna, a massive shadow loomed over them.
They looked up-just in time to see the colossal spaceships of the Resistance and Celestic Justice descending onto the devastated land.
The massive doors hissed open, and Sheila and Jeromy stepped out first.
But as soon as their feet touched the ground, their expressions froze in horror.
Soluna... was nearly gone.
Buildings reduced to rubble.
Skies darkened by flames and smoke.
Bodies of fallen Solar and Lunar people scattered across the streets.
Even the very land beneath them was shattered, like the planet itself was on the verge of death.
Sheila clenched her fists. "Dark Void... he really did all this..."
Jeromy's eyes burned with rage. "That bastard... he'll pay for this."
The other Resistance and Celestic Justice soldiers stepped out, their faces twisting in disbelief.
But then-
A weak groan came from inside the spaceship.
Everyone turned.
Inside, lying on a medical stretcher, was Jim.
Though still weak and unconscious, his fingers twitched.
His eyelids fluttered slightly.
A faint glow of golden energy flickered around his body.
Jeromy's breath hitched. "Jim...?"
Sheila rushed over, placing her hand on his forehead. "He's... waking up."
Jim's eyes slowly opened.
For a moment, he was unfocused, dazed.
But then-
His gaze sharpened.
His pupils dilated in shock.
Because the first thing he saw-
Was the burning ruins of Soluna.
His home.
Destroyed.
His friends.
Dead.
His people.
On the brink of extinction.
Jim's breathing became erratic. His fingers clenched the stretcher.
Images flashed through his mind.
Edward's sacrifice.
Goblin's rampage.
Dark Void's destruction.
Jim's body shook.
And then-
A pulse of golden energy erupted from his chest.
The entire ship shook violently.
Jeromy stumbled back. "What the hell-?!"
The glow around Jim's body intensified, golden light flickering around his form.
His eyes snapped fully open, now shining with pure golden light.
His heartbeat thundered like a war drum.
Jim then got up gradually and took one unsteady step off the ship.
His body felt like lead. His muscles screamed in exhaustion.
The golden aura that had flared up just moments ago faded almost instantly.
He was too weak.
His body hadn't fully recovered from the battle with Goblin.
But none of that mattered now.
Because as he stepped onto Soluna, the full weight of reality crashed down on him.
The entire world was in ruins.
The once-vibrant lands of Soluna were now a graveyard.
The skies-once a radiant mix of Solar and Lunar energy-were now choked with smoke and ash.
Everywhere he looked, it was the same outcome.
His people. Dead.
His home. Gone.
Jim's breathing became ragged.
His fists clenched.
But then-
His heart nearly stopped.
Because far in the distance, through the burning ruins-
His eyes locked onto two familiar figures.
Two motionless bodies lying in the dust.
His parents.
Heatsun and Moonsalt.
Lying lifeless on the broken ground.
Jim's entire body froze.
A cold, unbearable chill ran down his spine.
His chest tightened.
His breath caught in his throat.
For a moment-
Everything around him became silent.
His legs moved on their own.
Slow, stumbling steps.
One after another.
His vision blurred. His heart pounded.
It couldn't be real.
It couldn't be real.
Jim's voice cracked.
"Mom...? Dad...?"
No response.
His steps became faster.
Then he was running.
"MOM!! DAD!!"
He fell to his knees beside them.
His hands trembled as he reached out, shaking them desperately.
"Wake up... please..."
Still-
No response.
His hands clenched their torn, bloodied clothes.
They were cold.
Too cold.
Tears began to form in his eyes.
His body trembled.
His heart screamed in denial.
"NO-YOU CAN'T-!!"
His voice cracked into a broken sob.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Not them.
Not his parents.
Jeromy and Sheila watched from a distance, their own faces pale with horror.
Tim and Rei had just arrived on the sight-
And their hearts sank at the sight before them.