Cosmic Dominion: Rise Beyond Realms

The Odyssey floated silently in the void where Earth once existed. The crew stood frozen, staring at the devastated remains of their home. Nothing but debris and cosmic dust filled the space where vibrant oceans, continents, and clouds once revolved. The atmosphere inside the ship was suffocatingly silent, as if even the hum of machinery had paused to mourn the planet's destruction.

Zhang, standing at the command console, let her shoulders drop in disbelief. Her usually calm and composed demeanour cracked as she muttered under her breath, "We're... too late."

Joseph stood beside her, his hands trembling as he clutched the edge of the console. "No…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "It can't be…." His tone broke into something raw.

No one else dared speak. The crew of the Odyssey—seasoned explorers, engineers, and scientists all stood frozen, their eyes wide open in disbelief. A planet they once called home was now reduced to nothing but ruins and ash.

After several long moments of silence, Zhang spoke, her voice hollow and distant. "Everyone…" Her eyes narrowed as she stared into the void. "We're the last ones alive."

Joseph's legs buckled, and he nearly fell to his knees, but he grabbed onto the console to steady himself. Tears streamed down his face as he whispered, "First Shin, now Maki… Abdul… everyone's gone. We couldn't save them."

The weight of their failure pressed down like a crushing force. No one could find words to comfort one another. They were survivors, yes, but at what cost?

Suddenly, a deep rumble vibrated through the ship, breaking the oppressive silence. The Odyssey shook violently, and warning alarms blared throughout the bridge.

"What the hell now?!" Zhang shouted, gripping the command console to keep her balance. "Report! What's going on?!"

One of the crew members frantically checked the monitors. "It's coming from outside!" he yelled. "A massive energy signature!!"

Joseph ran toward the nearest window. "What the hell is happening out there?" he muttered.

Zhang joined him, her gaze fixating on the chaotic scene unfolding outside the ship. The void that had been eerily still just moments ago was now alive with explosions and streaks of light…

Two figures collided with cataclysmic force, their clash creating shockwaves that rippled through the remains of the solar system. Each impact sent debris flying in all directions, as if the very fabric of space-time was struggling to contain the power of their fight.

One of the figures shone like a beacon of divine light, her wings stretching wide and shimmering with an otherworldly glow. The spear in her hand blazed as she swung it, sending arcs of radiant energy toward her opponent. Her movements were swift and graceful, every strike landing with calculated precision.

The other figure, however, was something entirely different. It was something dark and menacing. Encased in black metallic armour veined with crimson energy, the dark being exuded raw, chaotic power. His eyes glowed a fiery red, and his every movement left trails of destruction in his path. Crimson energy beams shot from his eyes, carving through the void like molten blades, clashing against the angel's light.

Joseph's breath hitched as he squinted at the dark figure. Something about him seemed familiar…

Too familiar…

"Wait…" he whispered, his voice trembling. He leaned closer to the window, his heart racing. "No… it can't be…"

The dark figure twisted mid-air, avoiding a strike from the angel's spear. For the briefest moment, his face came into view—partially obscured by his menacing armour, but unmistakable. Joseph's eyes widened, and tears began streaming down his face.

"It's him…" Joseph muttered, his voice breaking. "It's Shin. It's Shin! He's alive!" His shout carried a mix of overwhelming joy and disbelief. "You were alive, buddy! I knew you'd survive! I knew it!"

The rest of the crew turned toward Joseph, startled by his outburst. Zhang's eyes narrowed as she turned her gaze back to the window. "Wait," she said sharply. "Joseph… look again."

Joseph froze, his tear-filled eyes darting back to the dark figure. His initial wave of joy was suddenly drowned out by an icy chill. The figure was Shin, but something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

"That's not the Shin we know," Zhang said firmly, her voice laced with both fear and sorrow. "Just look at him. How can a human move like that?! He is not a human anymore…"

Joseph's heart sank as he studied the dark figure more closely. Shin's once warm and determined gaze was replaced by burning red eyes devoid of humanity. His movements were wild, chaotic, and filled with unrelenting fury.

"No…" Joseph whispered, shaking his head in denial. "That's Shin. It has to be him. He's just… he's just not on his right mind right now. We can help him…"

"Joseph!!!" Zhang interrupted, her voice grim. "That's not the man we knew. That's something else entirely."

The crew watched in stunned silence as the battle raged on outside.

"We don't stand a chance against something like that…" one of the crew members muttered, their voice filled with dread.

Joseph clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "No…" he said, his voice rising with desperation. "We can't just give up on him! That's Shin out there! He's fighting something! We have to do something! We can't just stand here!"

Zhang placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm but sympathetic. "Joseph… I know what he meant to you. To all of us. But look at what's happening. That's not a battle we can interfere in. If we get too close, we'll be destroyed before we can even try."

Joseph's shoulders slumped, his tears falling freely now.

"But he's still in there… I know he is…"

The angel and Shin clashed once more, their combined power sending another shockwave through the void. This time, the Odyssey itself groaned under the pressure, its systems struggling to stabilize.

"Zhang," one of the crew members called out. "We need to move. If we stay here, we'll be caught in the crossfire."

Zhang hesitated, her gaze lingering on the battle outside. Finally, she nodded. "Pull us back to a safe distance. Maintain visuals on the fight."

As the Odyssey began to retreat, Joseph turned to Zhang, his eyes blazing with a mix of grief and determination.

"We're already dead, Zhang. All of us. Don't you see that?"

His voice cracked as he gestured toward the window, where galaxies were being destroyed, and stars were exploding.

"Earth is gone. Everyone we knew, everyone we loved—they're all gone. We're just… survivors now. We only survived because we got lucky. We're clinging to scraps while the universe itself is tearing apart."

Zhang's face hardened. "That's exactly why you can't go out there. You said it yourself—we're survivors. The last survivors. If you throw your life away now, what's left of humanity will lose one of its few chances at a future."

Joseph shook his head, his voice rising. "And what kind of future is that? Floating in this ship, running from destruction, knowing we could've done something but didn't? Knowing my best friend is out there, tearing himself apart, and I stood back and watched?"

"Joseph, listen to me," Zhang snapped, stepping closer.

"You're not thinking clearly. If you go out there, you'll die. Do you understand? That man outside isn't the man we knew anymore. Whatever's happening to him—it's beyond anything we can fight or fix. And if you go near him, you won't save him. You'll just be another casualty."

Joseph's hands trembled, but his resolve was unwavering.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I will die. But I can't just stand here and do nothing. I owe him this, Zhang. I owe him at least a chance."

"And what about us?" Zhang's voice softened, but there was an edge of desperation. "What about the crew?" a pause, " What about me? You're asking me to let you go, knowing you won't come back. You're leaving us with one less chance to rebuild. Joseph…"

Her voice broke slightly. "We can still repopulate the human race. We can still keep humanity alive. Don't throw that away."

Joseph turned to her fully, his expression softening for a moment. "Zhang… I care about you. I care about this crew. But Shin was more than my best friend. He was my brother. He saved all of us once—he gave us a chance to live. How can I live with myself if I don't try to save him now?"

Zhang's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "And what if you don't save him? What if you die, and we lose you too? Joseph, please…"

But Joseph had already made up his mind. "Zhang," he said quietly, stepping closer to her.

"I need you to trust me. Get the ship as far away as you can. I don't know what's going to happen out there, but if I can reach Shin, maybe… just maybe … I can bring him back."

Zhang grabbed his arm, her composure breaking.

"Joseph, don't do this. Please. I'm begging you."

Joseph placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside him. "Goodbye, Zhang."

With that, he turned and walked away, heading for the dressing area where the space suits were stored. Zhang stood frozen, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, "Joseph…"

In the dressing area, Joseph changed into his space suit, his hands trembling slightly as he fastened the final clasps. The suit felt heavier than it ever had before, but it wasn't the weight of the material—it was the weight of the decision he had made. He took a deep breath and looked at his reflection in the polished surface of the storage panel.

"This is it," he muttered to himself. "One last chance to make everything right."

As he walked toward the airlock, Zhang appeared at the doorway, her face wet with tears. "Joseph…" she choked out, her voice trembling. "Don't do this."

He turned to her one last time, a faint smile on his face. "Take care of the crew. Get them somewhere safe. And… live. Live for all of us."

Zhang broke into sobs, unable to hold back any longer.

 "I can't—Joseph, I can't lose you too!"

"You're strong," Joseph said softly. "You always have been. You'll make it. You all will."

Without another word, Joseph stepped into the airlock and closed the door behind him. As the decompression process began, Zhang watched through the small window, her tears blurring her vision. "Goodbye, Joseph…" she whispered.

The outer door of the airlock opened, and Joseph stepped out into the void. The silence of space enveloped him, broken only by the faint hum of his suit's systems. He drifted for a moment before activating his thrusters, which helped him to propel himself toward the shattered remains of Earth.

As he approached the massive debris field, he landed with a heavy thud on a large piece of broken Earth. Dust and ash swirled around him, and he looked up at the battle raging in the distance. Shin's dark form clashed with the angelic figure.

Joseph clenched his fists, his resolve burning brighter than ever. "Hold on, buddy," he muttered. "I'm coming for you."

Behind him, the Odyssey slowly retreated, the crew watching in stunned silence as Joseph disappeared into the chaos. Zhang collapsed into the command chair, her head in her hands, her tears falling freely.

TO BE CONTINUED