The Seedkeepers gathered in the Arbor's control room, the tension in the air palpable as Aisha presented new data. Her fingers hovered over the console, trembling slightly as she brought up the holo-display. Vibrant spikes of energy flickered on the screen, highlighting their alarming proximity.
"The Void Leviathan," Aisha began, her voice low but urgent, "it's closer. The energy spikes—they've breached the solar system."
Emma stepped forward, her heart racing even as she forced her voice to remain steady. "How close?" she asked.
"Neptune's orbit," Aisha replied, her eyes darting across the screen. "It's massive, Emma. Bigger than anything we've faced. The records barely scratch the surface of its scale."
Markus didn't hesitate. "We need to leave," he said bluntly, his gray eyes blazing. "Now, Emma. We can't fight this thing here."
Emma turned to face him fully, her jaw set with determination. "We're not ready to leave," she replied. "We need to prepare Earth first."
"Prepare them for what?" Markus shot back, his frustration boiling over. "A cosmic entity that devours star systems? You can't train recruits for that, Emma!"
"We'll find a way," Emma said firmly, her tone unyielding as she met his glare.
Markus exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You're delusional," he muttered, his voice low but biting. "You're going to get us all killed with this. The recruits, Earth, us—everything."
Emma stepped closer, her hazel eyes fixed on his. "I'm not running, Markus. Not yet," she said evenly, refusing to rise to his anger.
Lucas, standing nearby, stepped forward into the conversation, his tone calm but urgent. "I've got an update on the masking tech," he interjected. "We've scavenged enough K'tharr components to start building the array. It might buy us some time by hiding Earth's WoodDust signature."
Emma turned to him, her voice betraying a spark of hope. "How long will it take?"
Lucas hesitated, his blue eyes steady. "Months, maybe a year," he said cautiously. "But it's something. It could work."
Markus growled in frustration. "That's too long," he snapped. "The Void Leviathan won't wait for us to finish your pet science project, Lucas."
Emma remained resolute. "It's a chance," she said firmly. "We'll buy time while we train the recruits, neutralize the remaining artifacts, and stabilize Earth."
Markus glared at her, his voice low and cutting as he turned away. "You're risking everything for a planet that might not survive. I hope you know what you're doing."
Emma's tone softened slightly, though the weight of her decisions gnawed at her mind. "I do," she said, her voice steady despite her doubt.
Lucas stepped closer, his voice quieter now as he spoke. "You sure about this?" he asked, his hand brushing hers. "Markus isn't wrong. This is dangerous."
Emma sighed but met his gaze directly. "I know," she admitted. "But I can't leave them defenseless. Not again."
"You're not alone," Lucas said warmly, his tone steady. "We'll do this together."
At the edge of the room, Liam adjusted the data stream on his console, his analytical mind parsing the spikes' trajectories. "The Leviathan's movement suggests it's following precise energy trails," he said, his voice steady but clipped. "Masking Earth's signature might slow its approach—but it's only a temporary fix."
Aisha's psychic sensitivity flickered as she added, "It's not just the Leviathan. The void itself feels alive—watching us. I don't know if it's waiting for something or simply feeding on our fear, but it's there. I can sense it."
Emma nodded, her leadership unyielding as she turned to the group. "Then we act now. We don't have time for hesitation."
The WoodDust pulsed louder, its rhythm resonating like a drumbeat from the void itself, and outside the storm on the horizon churned darker than ever. Violet lightning ripped jagged streaks across the night sky, its ominous flashes foretelling the Leviathan's inevitable approach.