The planet on which I had arrived was different than I expected. Nonetheless, there were no other planets with a similar trajectory in the vicinity when Omega and I surveyed the area. I had told him to remain in the ship and to stay alert. Truthfully, I didn't know what I was walking into. If the power to change my life was to be so easily acquired, I knew that there would be inevitable danger ahead.

I observed the terrain, keeping an eye out for absolutely any movement. The only things that caught my eye were particles of sand passing through the air in the rocky badlands.

"I don't understand how Epsilon could just have this book stashed away. Could he not crack the code...?" I pondered to myself, slowly sauntering around the arid landscape. I didn't know what to look out for, but there didn't seem to be much. I felt my phone buzz again. It was surprising that there was service on the planet, thought, that surprise quickly turned to concern:

"DELTA!! ARE YOU OK?"

Omega had an odd way of texting, though, nobody could call him out on it.

"Oh it worked. Must be close to a Night Police Station."

I decided to text him back:

"I don't see one down here."

I one last look around, surveying for anything notable before continuing my message. Just then, I felt a horrible sensation move across my body.

"Stay in the ship, if I call you at any point, come get me. There," I said, sending the message up to the prince. I turned my phone to silent, stashing it in my pocket. While it may have been unwise, I wasn't carrying anything to conceal the book that led me to the desolate planet, but I absolutely needed it.

I looked around again, wary of my surroundings. I didn't have a way of quickly analyzing the life on the planet, but I was sure that it was largely inhospitable. The atmospheric conditions of the planet were close enough to Theia that I didn't have a significant trouble breathing, which was not luck. It was intentional, and someone had terraformed the planet to at least be survivable. Observing from above, the planet had a large ocean on the southern hemisphere, which would be a pain to navigate if necessary.

"What the-!?"

There he was. The ominous feeling from before was embodied by a man clad in dark armor that was heavily damaged on the right shoulder. He had an uncanny resemblance to me and my father, though, he was too pale to be either of us. While I didn't rule out the possibility of time travel or multiverse theory, as he approached his energy became clearer to me. Though faint, I could feel the intensity of his soul. He was Theic somehow. He stopped a matter of feet from me, solidifying his stance.

"You are..." He coughed, adjusting his tone. It seemed as though he hadn't spoken in a long time.

"I'm Delta. You are?" I was careful not to stick my hand out, especially since I wasn't exactly within handshake range. He didn't seem to be one for formalities. He had a sort of reaction at my name, as if it sparked something within him.

"Del-tuh... Hm, I see. Delta! I'm Ray. It's been a long time since I had a friend... I was stranded here on a mission some time ago..." He sat down, dropping into a relaxed pose. His voice continued to trail as he spoke, perhaps indicating a foggy mind. His mannerisms were a bit off, though, I obliged him, sitting down on the rocky earth across from him and placing the book in front of me and opening it to the correct page.

"...What's that?" Ray asked curiously, moving closer to analyze it. Upon further inspection, he showed absolutely no biological signs of age. A telltale sign of immortality is the appearance of being in one's prime, which for a Theian is relatively young. However, the average lifespan of a Theian is roughly 100 to 120 years old, and there are several biological indicators of age that don't show up until one's 40s, one of those being facial hair. Without a razor, it'd be impossible for him to be so smooth-faced.

There was a chance he was young, but to be a member of the Night Police he'd most likely have to be at least 15 years old upon recruitment. While it was possible, everything about the situation pointed me towards conspiracy.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"It's a Theic scholarly text, it had some hints about there being an anomalous energy here. That mission of yours, are you seeking the same artifact?" I didn't know whether I could trust him or not, but I considered him an ally for the moment.

"Yes, I was hesitant about sharing the details, but I've been here for... A long time. I haven't been able to make any progress, but this book..." He felt the page, running an armored black finger across it, stopping at the coordinates. He kept a stern demeanor that put me on edge. How could be have been on the planet for so long without looking it? There was no denying it, he was similar to my father somehow.

"Those coordinates took me here, but the planet wasn't in the exact position. As a matter of fact, its trajectory doesn't even align with them, but it was close by..." My mind had begun to process the situation. The planet had been moved to be hospitable: whoever terraformed the planet had moved the entire thing as well. And to almost match the Theic atmosphere, was it him? It couldn't have been. It was more likely that the artifact was being safeguarded.

"Ray, I believe that whoever stashed the artifact here was Theic as well, as per the atmospheric conditions. They must've terraformed and even moved the planet off its normal path." He took one last look at the book before standing up. I closed it, rising to my feet. He towered slightly above me, reminding me of his resemblance to my dad.

"I understand, and I believe that this will alter the tides on the southern hemisphere. You sure are smart, huh? Hm, if we move this planet together, will the atmosphere hold?" He was inquisitive, though, he clearly didn't have much scientific knowledge.

"Heh, yeah, it should be fine. You need my help...?" I was unsure of my capacity to help him. The reason behind the journey was to get that kind of strength, right?

"Yes, it's not exactly about your strength, it's about our grip. I have a plan. I intend to go on the other side of this planet, that way we can establish a connection running through the center. I can do most of the work, just stop applying energy when we're in place. You'll know, right?"

This guy is really something else... I need to be especially careful, I thought to myself. I tried my best to contain my uneasy expression. The man standing before me had to be far more powerful than I, perhaps even rivaling my father. If that were to be true, moving a planet was just scratching the surface of his power.

"Y-yeah. I think I'll know. So you-" Before I could question his intentions, he darted from my vision. I immediately felt the immense pressure from the other side of the discarded rock. I assumed a wide stance, holding my fists at my hips. I dug my feet into the ground, completing the connection. I felt myself completely enveloped by his energy as the planet began to shift.

"I wonder if Omega can see this..."

I took my phone out from my pocket, keeping my other hand at my hip. Omega hadn't tried to text me, though, the prince was always true to his word. Assuming he was okay, he was just following my instruction. I decided not to text him, not until I had secured the artifact. I would have to get it before Ray.

Under the dim glow of distant stars, I stood firmly on the desolate surface of the displaced planet, a lone figure surrounded by the vastness of space. I opened a compass app on my phone, pointing me in the direction of Theia. The planet was slightly closer than we had anticipated, so moving it back was a start. I flexed my legs, indicating for Ray to start. The planet began to shift, and it was as if I could feel the flow of energy around us. We shifted back until I could feel something begin to resist our movement. I understood, it was like a key in a lock. We were getting warmer. The path of least resistance would lead us to-

"CRAAAAAAACK!"

I immediately broke my position, dashing backwards. My concentration was broken by what sounded like the entire planet ripping in half. The entire atmosphere had changed, some sort of strange light being emitted from somewhere. I looked around, spotting the light on the horizon to my right.

I felt the air crackle with an otherworldly energy as I began to approach the source of the light. The celestial realignment had birthed an unforeseen consequence--a fissure in the fabric of space itself. There must've been some sort of friction when moving the planet that caused the tear, such as when you move your hand through water.

There was no time for me to ponder it further.

Before me, a luminous beacon had materialized, transforming a portion of the rocky landscape into an ethereal portal. The ground and environment had changed entirely. The air shimmered with iridescent hues, creating an aura of mystique around the anomaly. I approached cautiously, every last one of my senses on edge. Ray couldn't be far off.

As I drew closer, the fissure revealed its true nature. A magnificent sword, bathed in an otherworldly glow, stood embedded in a pedestal of cosmic energy. The blade seemed to transcend the physical, emitting a subtle hum that resonated within me.

Tentatively, I extended my hand toward the hilt, a surge of power coursung through me as my fingers made their approach. I could feel the overwhelming rush throughout my entire body. I analyzed the blade, recognizing it down to an atomic level as a powerful alloy of manganese and cobalt.

As I gripped the hilt, the strange lights intensified, casting an ultraviolet blue glow across the transformed landscape. Despite the intensity of the wind, the dusty landscape was far less arid than before.