Two long years had passed since Elyra had left Aetherium Nexus Academy to seek answers, leaving Nyvian with the memory of her comforting words and the growing unease of her absence. She had promised to return, and for a time, she stayed true to her word—sending messages every few weeks to reassure him that she was safe, that she was still searching for what she needed to know. Those messages had been Nyvian’s lifeline, a connection to his mother and the reassurance that, no matter how distant, she was still out there.

But now, six months had passed without a single word. Six long, silent months where every day, Nyvian felt the weight of her absence growing heavier. He had celebrated his most recent birthday in quiet agony, the first birthday he had spent without her. His friends, Jaguar and Alana, had done their best to cheer him up, but their attempts fell flat. Even the other students, many of whom had grown close to Nyvian over the years, had sensed his withdrawal and left him to his solitude.

Nyvian had thrown himself into his training with more intensity than ever before. He was no longer the uncertain child who had first arrived at the academy. Over the last two years, he had grown taller, stronger, and more adept at wielding the mysterious powers that flowed through him. He had become a leader among his peers, excelling in the academy’s rigorous curriculum of leadership, strategy, and power usage. His instructors often spoke of his potential in hushed tones, aware that he was no ordinary student.

But no matter how hard he pushed himself, how many tasks he completed, or how much praise he received from his teachers, there was always a shadow hanging over him. It was the shadow of doubt, of fear, of the gnawing uncertainty about his mother’s fate. She had always been his anchor, the person he could turn to when the weight of his destiny felt too heavy to bear. Now, that anchor was gone, and the silence felt like a slow, suffocating suffusion of dread.

On the outside, Nyvian tried to maintain his composure, but inside, a storm raged. His mind was filled with questions he couldn’t answer: "Why hasn’t she contacted me? Has something happened to her? Is she still alive?" These thoughts circled endlessly in his head, keeping him awake at night and driving him to the edge of exhaustion.

---

The academy halls had become a breeding ground for rumors. The whispers of destruction and chaos had only grown louder in the past two years. Ships disappearing without a trace. Entire planets falling to ruin. The savage conquest of the universe, spreading like wildfire. The name of the Conclave of the Eternal was spoken in fear, a specter that had emerged from the shadows to wreak havoc across countless worlds. Each new rumor carried with it a fresh wave of unease, and Nyvian couldn’t help but wonder if the Conclave’s actions were somehow connected to his mother’s silence.

He had overheard students talking in hushed voices, recounting stories of star systems laid to waste, cities burned to the ground, and fleets of warships blotting out the skies. And always, behind the destruction, there were whispers of something greater—something more terrifying—that loomed on the horizon.

Nyvian couldn’t shake the feeling that the Conclave’s search was closing in on him, that the forces tearing apart the universe were linked to his own identity, to the very thing his mother had been trying to protect him from. And now, without her, he felt more vulnerable than ever.

Jaguar and Alana, ever his steadfast companions, had noticed the change in him. They had tried to help in their own ways—Jaguar by encouraging Nyvian to throw himself into training even harder, Alana by offering quiet moments of solace, reminding him that they were here for him, no matter what. But neither of them could truly understand the depth of Nyvian’s inner turmoil.

One night, after another restless day, Nyvian couldn’t take the silence anymore. He made his way to the quiet room where he used to meet with his mother, the memories of their conversations echoing in the empty space. He stood by the window, staring out at the swirling colors of the distant galaxies, the same view that had once filled him with awe but now felt hollow.

He activated his communication device, scrolling through the old messages from his mother, her voice a faint comfort from a time that seemed so distant now. But there were no new messages. No sign of her. Just the cold, empty silence of the past six months.

“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered to the empty room. “Where are you, Mother?”

---

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Far away, on one of the moons of Nyvian’s home planet, Astronos, Elyra had finally returned. The moon, named Eirion, was a barren and desolate place, a forgotten outpost where the light of Astronos barely reached. The surface of the moon was covered in jagged rock formations and deep craters, the atmosphere thin and harsh. It was a place few dared to venture, which made it the perfect location for Elyra’s secret meeting.

She moved silently through the shadows, her form cloaked and concealed, making her way to the hidden enclave where the Resistance had gathered. The Resistance was a small but determined group of individuals from both the Ma’ather and Elyrian races who sought to end the eons-long war between their people. They had been operating in the shadows for years, working to undermine the conflict from within, but the arrival of the Conclave of the Eternal had changed everything.

Elyra stepped into the dimly lit cave, where the leaders of the Resistance waited. The tension in the air was palpable as she approached them, her face grim and determined.

“Elyra,” one of the Resistance leaders, a tall Ma’ather with stern features, greeted her. “You’ve returned. But it’s not safe for you here. The war has grown more savage, and the Conclave’s arrival has only made things worse.”

“I had to come,” Elyra replied, her voice calm but filled with urgency. “Tell me everything. What has happened since I’ve been gone?”

The Resistance leaders exchanged uneasy glances before one of them spoke. “The Conclave of the Eternal is not just waging war across the multiverse. They’re ripping apart everything in their path, destroying entire realities in their search for something—or someone. Their destruction has forced the royals of both the Ma’ather and the Elyrians to double their efforts in finding you and the child. They believe that capturing you will tip the balance of power.”

“And because of this,” another leader added, “the war, once contained to our universe, is spilling into others. The conflict is no longer just between our people. It’s drawing the attention of the multiverse.”

Elyra’s heart sank. She had feared this, but hearing it spoken aloud made it all the more real. “How is this possible?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief. “What about the Primal Tapestry? It forbids our people from interfering with other universes, from spreading our war beyond our own realm.”

The Resistance leader nodded grimly. “That’s the thing. Something—or someone—has been tearing holes in the Primal Tapestry. The barriers that once kept our war confined are weakening. Realities that were once protected are now vulnerable. What was impossible is becoming probable.”

Elyra’s mind raced. The Primal Tapestry was the ancient weave that held the fabric of the multiverse together, a barrier that had protected countless realities from the horrors of her people’s war. If it was being torn apart, then the destruction she had feared for so long was inevitable.

Before she could respond, alarms began to blare throughout the cave. The Resistance members sprang into action, their weapons drawn as a voice echoed through the hidden base. “We’re under attack! The Ma’ather army has found us!”

Panic spread like wildfire as the Resistance scrambled to defend themselves. Elyra grabbed her own weapon, her eyes narrowing with determination. They had to escape before it was too late.

The fight erupted in a blur of chaos and violence. Ma’ather soldiers stormed the base, their weapons gleaming in the dim light as they clashed with the Resistance fighters. Elyra fought with a grace and precision that few could match, her energy pulsing through her as she unleashed waves of power against her attackers.

But even as she fought, she knew they were outnumbered. The Ma’ather army had come in full force, and the Resistance was falling back, their defenses crumbling.

Elyra managed to slip away from the chaos of the main battle, her heart pounding in her chest as she moved swiftly toward one of the hidden exits. The sound of distant explosions and clashing energy reverberated through the narrow tunnels, growing louder, closer. Every second was precious, every breath she took feeling like borrowed time. She had to move fast, but just as she rounded a corner, her path was blocked.

A figure emerged from the shadows—a Ma’ather captain. His dark, battle-worn armor was streaked with the metallic gleam of past skirmishes, but his eyes, glowing faintly with recognition, were fixed on her.

For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Elyra’s pulse roared in her ears, and her body tensed, poised for action. The captain knew who she was. There was no mistaking it—the look in his eyes made that painfully clear. He knew he had found her, the traitor princess, the one both armies had hunted for years.

In that split second, a flood of possibilities rushed through her mind, each one more desperate than the last. Should she attack? If she could strike quickly, perhaps she could buy herself a few more precious moments, enough time to slip further into the shadows and vanish. Her energy crackled at her fingertips, begging to be unleashed. But would that draw too much attention? The fighting was getting closer, and the sounds of the Ma’ather soldiers echoed louder with every passing second. If she fought now, they would surely come—swarming like vultures, cutting off her escape entirely.

But why wasn’t he attacking?

The captain hadn’t moved, hadn’t called out for reinforcements. His hesitation was unnerving, and it sent a ripple of confusion through Elyra’s already fraying nerves. What was he waiting for? Did he intend to let her go? Or was he simply toying with her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike?

Her mind raced, weighing the risks. If she stayed, even for another breath, the others would find her. If she attacked and failed, she would be captured, or worse. But if she ran, she might just disappear again into the darkness, slipping out of their grasp one more time. The indecision gnawed at her. Seconds passed like lifetimes, every heartbeat a reminder of how close she was to losing everything.

Run. You have to run.

It was instinct, pure and sharp, that finally broke the paralysis. Elyra’s feet moved before her mind could finish calculating the dangers. She spun on her heels and bolted, her breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps as she sprinted into the dark, her cloak billowing behind her. The tunnel walls seemed to close in as she ran, her pulse hammering with each stride.

Behind her, the captain remained frozen, watching as she disappeared into the labyrinth of shadows. He still didn’t follow, didn’t raise the alarm.

The question of why he had hesitated lingered like a dagger in her mind, sharp and unresolved, but there was no time to dwell on it now. She had to escape. The sound of the battle was closing in, and the flames of conflict threatened to consume everything around her.

What the captain would do next, Elyra had no way of knowing. But as her feet pounded against the stone and her body disappeared into the vast, uncertain darkness, she could only hope that the captain’s silence bought her just enough time to survive.

For now.