NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26: The Beacon’s Call
The debris field stretched endlessly before them, a haunting testament to civilizations lost. Fragments of planets and shattered starships floated in silence, their jagged edges glinting in the pale light of a distant, dying star. It was a graveyard, yet in the midst of the devastation, a single beacon pulsed. Its faint light rhythmically cut through the darkness like the heartbeat of a phantom.
Rael stood at the bridge's viewport, his gaze fixed on the holographic display. A deep frown marred his brow. "How long has this beacon been transmitting?"
The communications officer hesitated before answering, their voice tinged with unease. "Millennia. Possibly longer. The technology predates any known civilization."
Lyssa entered, clutching her tablet, her expression thoughtful. "These readings are unusual. The encryption patterns are eerily similar to what we found in the ancient ruins."
Rael folded his arms. "Which means it's alien, and connected to the larger puzzle we've been unraveling. Get a team ready. We're going to investigate."
As the crew moved to obey, Astrael's voice echoed through the ship, faint but resolute. "Proceed with caution. Not all beacons call for salvation. Some are warnings."
Rael's jaw tightened, his gaze unwavering. "Warnings or not, we need answers."
---
Navigating through the debris field was a slow, harrowing task. The landing craft weaved carefully between jagged wreckage, their hulls scarred by time and violence. As they approached the beacon's source, the remnants of once-mighty fleets became disturbingly clear—ships torn asunder, weapons frozen mid-fire, and faint scorch marks still etched into steel.
Kael's sharp eyes scanned the floating carnage. "Looks like a war zone," he muttered, his voice low. "A battle on a scale we can't imagine."
Lyssa studied the data streaming across her console. "It wasn't just war. The energy signatures suggest something...unnatural. A force capable of obliterating entire fleets in seconds."
The landing craft touched down on a massive fragment of a space station, its surface cracked and desolate. The beacon's pulse was stronger now, emanating from deep within the structure. The air was unnervingly still as they disembarked, their boots crunching against metallic rubble.
"Stay close," Rael instructed. "And keep your weapons ready. Whatever happened here, it left nothing alive."
---
The central chamber loomed ahead, a cavernous expanse bathed in cold, pulsing light. The beacon stood at its center—a towering obelisk of alien design, its surface shifting with patterns that seemed alive. Symbols, etched in intricate detail, glowed faintly along its surface.
Lyssa approached cautiously, her fingers brushing the engravings. "These markings…" she murmured. "They're warnings, like the ones we've seen before. But there's something else here. They're guiding us."
Kael's grip on his weapon tightened. "Guiding us where? To our deaths?"
Before Lyssa could respond, the beacon's base shimmered, projecting a hologram into the air. It formed a three-dimensional map of the galaxy, its details astonishingly precise. At the map's core swirled a black mass—the Eclipse. Tendrils of light extended outward, connecting to star systems like arteries to a heart.
One tendril pointed directly at their home system.
"This map…" Lyssa whispered, her voice trembling. "It's tracking the Eclipse's movements. And it's coming straight for us."
Rael's face hardened. "How much time do we have?"
Lyssa hesitated, her hands trembling as she calculated. "At its current pace…a few years. Maybe less."
The weight of her words fell over the group like a shroud. The countdown to annihilation had begun.
---
Before the shock could fully settle, the hologram shifted again. This time, a figure cloaked in shadow emerged. Its voice resonated through the chamber, ancient and distorted.
"To those who find this message," it began, "you have encountered the Eclipse. It is a force of consumption, a harbinger of annihilation. But it is not invincible. There is a way to fight it—to turn its power against itself. Seek the Nexus."
"The Nexus?" Rael repeated, his voice laced with urgency. "What is that?"
The figure ignored the question, continuing its cryptic message. "The Nexus lies in the Forbidden Expanse, a place beyond the reach of most. It is both a weapon and a key. But beware—reaching it will test your strength, your unity, and your resolve. Many have tried. None have succeeded."
The figure faded, leaving silence in its wake.
---
Back aboard the ship, the crew convened. The revelation of the Nexus had shifted their mission entirely. No longer were they seeking answers; they were racing against time.
Rael addressed the room, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him. "The Forbidden Expanse isn't just a name. If we go there, there's no guarantee we'll make it back."
Kael leaned forward, his tone resolute. "If we don't go, the Eclipse will destroy everything. There's no choice."
Lyssa nodded. "We've faced the unknown before. If there's even a chance to stop the Eclipse, we have to take it."
Rael studied their faces. Fear lingered in their eyes, but so did determination. They had faced impossible odds before, and they would again.
"Set a course for the Forbidden Expanse," he ordered. "Whatever lies ahead, we face it together."
---
As the ship prepared for its journey, Astrael's hologram flickered into view. His expression was grave, his voice heavy with warning.
"You have uncovered the path to the Nexus," he said. "But be warned—it is not just a key to defeating the Eclipse. It is a test. If you are not ready, it will destroy you."
Rael met Astrael's gaze, unflinching. "We don't have a choice. The Eclipse is coming."
Astrael's hologram wavered. "Then proceed with caution. The Nexus will demand sacrifices, and not all of you will survive. But if you succeed, you will change the fate of your people."
As Astrael vanished, his final words lingered, a chilling reminder of the challenges ahead.
---
The ship entered hyperspace, the stars stretching into streaks of light as they sped toward the unknown. The crew braced for what lay ahead, their determination unwavering.
Rael stood alone on the bridge, his gaze fixed on the void. The beacon's call had set them on this path, and there was no turning back.
Whatever awaited them in the Forbidden Expanse, they would face it together.