The Alien Within

Chapter 222: Journey to the Nether Zone!

When she saw his familiar figure approaching, a faint smile graced Tessa's lips. Gastro, ever the dependable ally, had arrived as she knew he would. Despite his apprehensions, she trusted his loyalty—and his curiosity—along with her word to make him powerful without passing the evaluations of the realms of power—would bring him to her

"Tessa," he called out, his voice laced with both curiosity and concern. "How exactly am I supposed to help you with this forbidden god-level problem? You know I'm barely above the mortal realm right now." His tone betrayed his unease, though he masked it with a hint of humor.

Tessa's golden eyes met his, her expression calm, almost unreadable. "It's a secret," she replied, her voice steady. "But trust me—just follow my lead, and you won't regret it. This partnership could change everything for both of us." She paused, letting her words sink in before adding, "But we need to move quickly. Time isn't on our side."

Gastro hesitated, his brow furrowing as he weighed her words. Trust wasn't something he gave lightly, and Tessa's vague assurances didn't sit well with him. But there was something in her gaze—an urgency that was impossible to ignore. With a reluctant sigh, he nodded. "Alright, Tessa. Lead the way. But don't think I won't ask questions eventually."

As they ventured into the unknown, Tessa knew she had to be meticulous and precise. She couldn't afford to reveal the full truth—not even to Gastro. Though she intended for him to benefit from the Universe Tree's sap, keeping him in the dark was essential. If he were to learn everything and later be coerced by someone stronger, the secret she guarded would no longer be sacred. Instead, it would become common knowledge, a weapon in the wrong hands.

Gastro trusted her implicitly, and she was leveraging that trust to guide him toward a peril he couldn't yet grasp. The weight of her deception gnawed at her, but hesitation now could ruin everything.

The Universe Tree awaited, its sap brimming with power beyond imagination. This was more than survival, more than ambition—it was destiny. To claim its godlike energy, Tessa would have to brave the perils of the Nether Zone, outmaneuver those who sought to thwart her, and seize the power to reshape her future.

All she had to do was keep Gastro by her side long enough to see it through. And pray that when he finally uncovered the truth, it would be too late for either of them to turn back.

They boarded a spaceship named The Clover, a modest but functional vessel produced by a well-known company on planet Kaelria. This company, infamous for its questionable ethics, had a peculiar and predatory habit: they secretly monitored the movements of anyone using their ships. If they detected a location rich in gold, silver, or other valuable resources, they would discreetly swoop in to exploit the discovery for their own gain.

This underhanded practice was an open secret. Many knew of it, yet people still bought their spaceships—The Clover included. Why? Simple economics. Kaelrian spaceships made by this company were affordable and easy to acquire, a tempting option in a galaxy where other spacecrafts came with exorbitant price tags and endless bureaucratic hurdles. For most, the risk of being tracked was worth the convenience.

But Tessa couldn't afford that risk. The Nether Zone and the Universe Tree were secrets far too dangerous to be exposed—secrets that could upend the balance of power across galaxies. Even Zorath, the deceased god of time, had chosen to carry this knowledge to his grave rather than share it with his fellow time gods. It was a treasure of cosmic importance, its very existence capable of attracting the most ruthless forces in the universe.

Zorath had made an exception for Tessa, entrusting her with this forbidden knowledge for one reason alone: she now carried the time god seed within her. That seed made her a successor to his vast powers, but it also made her a target. If The Clover's manufacturers caught wind of where she was headed or what she sought, they would stop at nothing to exploit it for their gain, jeopardizing not only her mission but the sanctity of the Universe Tree itself.

Tessa clenched her fists as the ship hummed to life, its engines stirring with a soft, rhythmic pulse. She would have to tread carefully. The ship's trackers were notoriously hard to evade, and every moment spent aboard The Clover felt like playing a game of cosmic roulette. The stakes had never been higher, and failure was not an option.

As the stars blurred into streaks of light through the viewport, Tessa silently vowed to outwit anyone—or anything—that stood between her and the Universe Tree. She wasn't just protecting a secret; she was guarding a destiny written in the very fabric of time.

As the spaceship glided silently through the void, Gastro stood beside Tessa, his gaze intense and unwavering, as though he were trying to unravel the secrets buried in her mind. Tessa, however, appeared oblivious—or perhaps indifferent—as her fingers danced across the control panel, inputting a series of precise codes. Each keystroke carried a purpose, pointing them toward a very specific destination.

Tessa's mind was elsewhere, focused on the wormhole that was soon to reopen. It was a rare celestial phenomenon, appearing only once every 250 years. Through that wormhole lay the path to the Universe Tree, a shortcut across a vast timeline that would cover eons to scale through. It was her one chance to reach the sacred sap before anyone else could even fathom its existence.

But there was a problem—Gastro. She couldn't risk taking him along to the Universe Tree. The dangers were too great, and the secrets she carried were too volatile. She needed to come up with a plausible excuse, something that would keep him in the dark just long enough for her to slip away. The plan was simple: disappear, claim the sap, and return before the wormhole closed. Yet, as these thoughts churned in her mind, she suddenly became acutely aware of Gastro's burning gaze.

"Tessa," he finally said, his tone a mixture of frustration and curiosity, "what are you hiding from me, at least let me in on this little secret?"

Without turning to face him, Tessa broke the tension with an unexpected remark. "Gastro, I have a baby in my stomach. I don't think I can handle a man right now…" Her voice was serious, but the teasing glint in her eyes was unmistakable.

Gastro's face turned crimson, and he quickly looked away, clearing his throat in embarrassment. "That's not the point, Tessa," he said, regaining his composure. "I'm putting my life in your hands, and I don't even know what you're planning. I feel like… like a sheep being led to the slaughter."

Tessa paused, her fingers stilling over the controls. Turning to him, she raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "Would you look at that? And here I thought you weren't capable of anything more than simple thoughts," she teased.

But then her expression shifted, the teasing fading into something more serious. She met his gaze head-on, her voice steady and deliberate. "Gastro, listen to me. I'm not stalling for time, nor am I trying to keep you in the dark for no reason. The knowledge I'm guarding… it's not just dangerous; it's deadly. If someone were to extract it from your mind, it wouldn't just destroy you—it could destroy the entire universe."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. "I've made a promise, and I will keep it. But please, don't ask me to go against my convictions. I'm trying to protect you, even if it doesn't feel that way right now."

Gastro studied her for a moment, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. Her explanation, though vague, carried a weight that he couldn't dismiss. He exhaled deeply, nodding once. "Fine. I'll hold on for now. But I'll expect answers eventually, Tessa."

Her lips curved into a faint smile, tinged with relief. "Fair enough. Now, sit down and let me focus. We've got a shifting destination to catch, and trust me—you don't want to miss this ride."

Gastro obliged, though his mind continued to race. He might not know the full truth yet, but one thing was clear: whatever Tessa was hiding, it was far bigger than he had ever imagined.