Return Of The Cosmic God

Later that evening, after the fight with Captain Zhang, I went back to my quarters. My hand was still bandaged because of the earlier incident. The dull ache in my knuckles was a reminder of just how close I'd come to losing control. Joseph had already joked about it several times, but I couldn't shake the image of Zhang's stunned expression from my mind after I'd pinned her to the ground and almost killed her...

I leaned back in my chair and stared at the messaging console on my desk. It had been a few days since I last reached out to Maki, and after everything that had happened, I needed to hear from her.... even if it would take days for her reply to reach me...

It was times like this when I missed Maki the most...

Sitting alone in my quarters, the events of that terrifying night still weighed heavily on my mind. The dream.... the scream.... and the chaos that followed it had left scars that weren't just physical... It was also psychological... Though my body had healed quickly, the memories still lingered with me... It was like the box... It was haunting me everywhere...

I sat at my console, my fingers hovering over the holographic keyboard. Maki deserved to know what had happened, but where would I even begin???

I started slowly, choosing my words carefully as I began to type.

Shin: Hey, Maki. I know it's been a while since my last message, but a lot has happened. Something... strange. I need to tell you, even though I don't completely understand it myself.

I paused, gathering my thoughts, before continuing again...

Shin: A few nights ago, I had this dream... or maybe it wasn't a dream. I was in this hellish place: volcanic eruptions, black clouds, red lightning... it was terrifying. It felt like I was in the actual hell itself. And there was this... box. A black box floating above a molten sea of lava. It felt alive like it was watching me. Calling to me...

I hesitated, wondering if I should explain everything. The scream, the blood, the glowing eyes... how would she even react to something so surreal? After taking a deep breath, I pressed on...

Shin: When I woke up, I screamed. It wasn't a normal scream, Maki... it was something else. Something primal, and shook the entire ship. I didn't realize it at the time, but my body wasn't okay. My face was cracked, blood was coming from my ears and eyes, and the crew... they were terrified. Even I was terrified of myself...

The words on the screen felt cold and clinical.

Shin: Joseph and Captain Zhang found me in that state. The shocking part is the ship was also hit by a strange energy wave at the same time... it even knocked out the power. And for a moment, Maki, my eyes were glowing. Glowing red... Though Joseph and Captain Zhang were the ones who said about it. I don't know what's happening to me, but it's connected to that box. I can feel it.

I leaned back in my chair and blankly stared at the screen. How could I end this without worrying her even more? After a moment, I typed one last line...

Shin: I'm okay now, I promise... The medical team cleared me, and I've recovered. Don't worry about me. I just needed to tell you, because... I love you. And I don't want to keep secrets from you. Write back soon...I miss you...

After hitting "send..." I sat back and exhaled. The message indicator blinked softly, signaling its departure into the vastness of space. Four days...that was how long it would take for Maki to even receive the message. Another four days for her reply to reach me...

The delay was maddening, especially now when all I wanted was to hear her voice or read her words. But the distance between us was an unavoidable reality.

Maki's Reply: Eight Days Later

When her reply finally arrived, I was eating breakfast in the mess hall. The notification on my communicator made me drop my fork in surprise, and I quickly excused myself and sprinted back to my quarters...

Her message began with worry, as I had expected...

Maki: Shin, what on Earth...happened to you?! A dream? A scream? Bloodbath?! Are you seriously, okay? You can't just tell me things like that and expect me not to freak out. You're scaring me, Shin!!!

I could almost hear the panic in her voice, even though the words were just text on a screen.

As I scrolled further, her tone softened.

Maki: I believe you, though. I've always believed in you. If you say it wasn't just a dream, I believe you. But please, please take care of yourself. The thought of you being hurt.... or worse.... makes me feel sick. I can't lose you, Shin. Not after everything we've been through.

Her next lines made my chest tighten...

Maki: I miss you. I miss you so much it hurts. Every time I see the stars, I wonder if you're looking at the same ones, even though I know you're so far away. And this box... whatever it is, promise me you won't let it take you away from me. I couldn't bear that. I love you, Shin. So much. Write back as soon as you can...

Her words hit me hard and filled me with a mix of guilt and warmth. I couldn't stop the smile that tugged at my lips as I began typing my reply.

Shin: Maki, I'm sorry for worrying you. I didn't mean to scare you... it's just been a lot to process. I'm okay now, I promise. Whatever that scream was, it's gone... Probably... And as for the box... I won't let it take me. You have my word...

I paused, thinking of how to express everything I felt at that moment...

Shin: You know, every time I look out at the stars, I wonder if you're thinking of me. I miss you, Maki. More than words can say. And I promise, no matter what happens here, I'll come back to you. I love you...

After sending the message, I leaned back in my chair, staring at the viewport. The stars outside seemed colder and more distant than ever, but knowing Maki was out there, waiting for me, made the void feel just a little less empty.

The cycle of waiting and responding became a lifeline. Though the delays were frustrating but… each message brought us closer to each other. It was a bridge across the unfathomable distance. Even amidst the chaos and mystery of the mission, her words were an anchor that grounded me in the promise of a future together...

It had been a few days since the sparring match with Captain Zhang, and I am still trying to move on…

Joseph, ever the joker, decided it was time to bring Abdul into the loop. He convinced Captain Zhang to join us, and together we made our way to the communications hub to set up a video call with Abdul, who was stationed on Mars overseeing the main ship's engineering systems.

The screen flickered for a moment before Abdul's familiar face appeared. He was sitting at his workstation, wearing his usual engineer's jacket, his glasses slightly askew.

"Gentlemen...." he greeted, raising an eyebrow when he noticed Captain Zhang standing behind us. "And Captain Zhang. What's the occasion? Did Joseph finally get fired for insubordination?"

The moment Abdul's face appeared on the screen; Joseph's grin stretched so wide I was genuinely worried he might hurt himself.

"Abdul!!!" Joseph shouted while leaning so close to the camera that I was sure Abdul could see every pore on his face. "You're not gonna believe what happened. It's so insane, it makes your entire engineering workload look like child's play...So, buckle up, Abdul..."

Abdul sighed and leaned back in his chair already looking unimpressed. "Joseph, I have actual work to do. If this is another one of your ridiculous pranks, I swear..."

"No, no, no...." Joseph interrupted, waving his hands dramatically. "This is real. So real it might blow your beautifully rational mind..."

Captain Zhang stood behind us, her arms crossed and her expression stoic, though I could see the faintest twitch of her lips. I wasn't sure if she was amused or annoyed...or both...

"Joseph...." I muttered, rubbing my temples.

"Can you not?"

"Oh, but I must...." Joseph said, turning back to Abdul with a theatrical flourish. "Picture this: our dear Shin, our innocent little Shin, steps into the ring to spar with Captain Zhang. It's all fun and games, right? But then...." he leaned closer, his voice dropping for emphasis "he goes full-on monster mode!!!"

Abdul arched an eyebrow, his skepticism practically radiating through the screen. "Monster mode? Really? Is this some kind of new gym lingo you're trying out?"

"Nope..." Joseph said while shaking his head so hard I thought it might fall off. "I'm talking superhuman strength, precision strikes, and a death blow that could've taken out half the ship—if it weren't for me, your heroic friend, yelling for him to stop...."

Abdul chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Right. And next, you'll tell me he grew wings and started flying around the gym..."

"I wish!!!" Joseph said while snapping his fingers. "That would've been cool. But no, this was even scarier. Imagine the quiet, unassuming Shin Takamiya suddenly channeling the power of a thousand suns and becoming an unstoppable force of nature..."

"Joseph," Abdul said flatly, "are you drunk or on drugs?"

As Joseph continued his dramatic recount of the incident, Abdul's face was a mixture of skepticism and amusement. But when Captain Zhang stepped forward, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Her calm, authoritative presence immediately silenced Joseph's rambling...

"Abdul," she said, her voice steady but carrying a weight that made even Joseph pause, "It's not a joke. What Joseph described is, unfortunately, accurate.... though his delivery is unnecessarily colorful..."

Abdul leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Wait. You're telling me Shin actually went full-on beast mode during a sparring match? You're seriously saying this happened?"

Zhang nodded, her dark eyes locked onto Abdul's through the screen. "Yes. It began as a normal sparring session. Mr. Takamiya showed no signs of unusual strength or skill—he was hesitant, and defensive, as expected. But midway through the match, everything changed. His movements became faster, more precise. His strikes carried a level of force that no untrained individual should be capable of...."

Abdul's smirk faltered, his brow furrowing as he began to take her words more seriously. "How is that even possible?!"

"I don't know..." Zhang admitted. "One moment, I had him cornered.... he was on the defensive, barely, and managed to hold his ground. The next, he was pushing me back. His technique was flawless, and his strikes were perfectly timed. It was as though he'd been training for years, yet we know he hasn't..."

Joseph interjected, his usual grin replaced by genuine excitement. "You should've seen it, Abdul. One second, Shin's stumbling around like he's trying not to trip over his own feet, and the next, he's dodging and countering like a freaking martial arts master. It was like watching a switch flip..."

Zhang shot him a sharp glance. "It wasn't just his skill. The intensity of his attacks was... unnatural. At one point, he had me pinned, and he was ready to deliver what could only be described as a death blow..."

Abdul's eyes widened. "A death blow? What the fuck?!"

"Yes..." Zhang said bluntly. "His fist came down with enough force to damage the reinforced flooring beneath us. If that strike had connected with me, I wouldn't be standing here right now. My head would probably become mashed potatoes if it had hit me...."

Abdul looked between me and Zhang, his expression unreadable. "But... he stopped, right? I mean, you're fine..."

"Barely..." Zhang said, her tone clipped. "He stopped himself at the very last second, but even redirecting the strike caused significant damage to the floor. The force was enough to bend the metal plating. And it wasn't just his strength—it was his entire demeanor. For a moment, he wasn't himself. He was something else...."

Joseph nodded enthusiastically and said, "Yeah, it was like he was possessed or something. You should've seen his face... completely blank, like a machine. That scared the hell out of me...."

Abdul's gaze sharpened as he processed the information. "And then what? What happened after he stopped?"

Zhang glanced at me before continuing. "After the strike, Shin seemed to regain control. He was disoriented, and confused, as though he didn't remember what had just happened. His hand was injured...severely... but the fight was over. I ordered him to go to the medical bay immediately..."

"That's not even the craziest part..." Joseph added, leaning forward with wide eyes. "You haven't even heard about the scream yet, Abdul. That was next-level nightmare fuel..."

Zhang nodded, her expression darkening. "Before the sparring match, there was another incident... one that I believe is connected. A few days prior, Shin experienced what he described as a dream, though I'm inclined to believe it was more than that. When he woke from it, he screamed. And this was no ordinary scream...."

Abdul frowned. "Define 'no ordinary scream...'"

TO BE CONTINUED