Return Of The Cosmic God

The airlock became very crowded as crew members spilt in from nearby areas of the ship after word spread about what had happened. Their faces were a mixture of astonishment, confusion, and, for some unknown reason, a hint of fear…

"Shin…" Harris said again, his voice trembling slightly, "I don't think you understand what you just did. You didn't just save them… you bent the ship's outer hull. With your feet…"

"Not possible…" muttered Evans, the chief engineer, though his tone betrayed his disbelief. "The hull is reinforced with titanium-alloy plating. Even a direct asteroid hit would have trouble leaving a dent, let alone bending it…"

Eva, still clutching her tablet, seemed to be the only one capable of putting the incident into numbers. "The calculations don't make sense…" she murmured, her fingers flying across the screen. "Factoring in the ship's velocity, the combined weight of Joseph and the engineer, and their momentum..."

She looked up, her face pale. "Shin, you pulled over five tons. That's impossible. Absolutely impossible for any normal human..."

"Impossible?!" Joseph, ever the joker, leaned against the wall. "You're talking about Shin here. The guy's been surprising us since day one..."

I groaned. "Joseph, now is not the time…"

"No, really!!!" he continued. "First, you screamed loud enough to scare the whole ship, then bent the hull. At this rate, you'll be juggling with asteroids by next week..."

The crew chuckled nervously, though the unease in their eyes remained.

"Shin, you're a hero," Harris said earnestly, though his voice carried a note of apprehension.

"You saved their lives…" Eva added. "If it weren't for you, we'd be down two crewmates right now. But..."

"But?" I prompted, though I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer.

"But it's... unnatural…" she said carefully. "Whatever strength you used—it's not human…"

Captain Zhang, standing near Joseph, nodded in agreement. Her sharp eyes studied me as though trying to unravel a puzzle. "I've seen some of the best soldiers and athletes on Earth and Mars, but I've never seen anyone do what you just did. Not without cybernetic enhancements or assistance…"

Her words hung in the air, and I felt the weight of every gaze in the room.

As their words sank in, a wave of dizziness washed over me. I blinked, trying to steady myself, but the world seemed to tilt. The voices around me faded, replaced by a low hum that vibrated deep in my chest…

And then it hit me—a vision.

Suddenly, the walls of the airlock melted away, and I found myself standing in a void unlike anything I'd ever experienced. The vast and distant stars seemed dim and insignificant compared to the fiery chaos unfolding before me.

The battlefield was space itself, infinite and dark, yet lit by the flickering remnants of stars and galaxies being obliterated. Massive shockwaves rippled through the void, their power splitting nearby planets into fragments and tearing apart the very fabric of space…

Before me stood four figures. Their forms were shrouded in darkness and glowing with ominous, radiant energy. Each figure was tall… no more than 6 or 7 feet… but they exuded an aura so powerful, it dwarfed even the cosmic destruction around them…

The first clash came like a bolt of lightning, so sudden and violent it left my ears ringing. Two of the shadowy figures collided with such force that the resulting explosion consumed a nearby galaxy...

"WHAT IS THIS?" I tried to shout, but no sound came from my lips. My voice was swallowed by the roar of destruction around me.

The figures moved with a speed and precision that seemed impossible. Every strike, every motion, sent ripples through the void...

One figure unleashed a blast of energy from their hand, and the beam sliced cleanly through an asteroid belt and also vaporised a distant planet in an instant…

Another retaliated, summoning a massive black vortex that pulled in everything nearby—stars, debris, even fragments of shattered worlds…

The battlefield itself seemed to react to their presence. With every attack, space bent and warped, as if it were trying… and failing to contain the sheer power radiating from these beings...

A massive shockwave erupted as the two of them clashed again, this time hurling each other into the remnants of a dying star. The star imploded, sending out a burst of light so blinding I had to shield my eyes, even in this strange hallucination...

As I lowered my hand, I saw one of the figures standing in the centre of the chaos. They turned slowly, their gaze locking onto me… or at least, it felt that way. Though their face was obscured, I could feel the weight of their stare. It pierced through me like a blade…

As I stood frozen, one of the figures suddenly broke away from the fight. They turned toward me, their energy surging with violent intent. In an instant, they charged, their hand outstretched as if to tear me apart…

"No!!!" I gasped, stepping back instinctively.

Their energy surged forward, a massive wave of red light that consumed everything in its path. I felt my heart pounding as the wave approached...

Without thinking, I clenched my fist and threw a punch, desperate to defend myself. The motion felt natural as if my body acted on instinct alone…

The instant my fist moved with that, the vision shattered suddenly...

I snapped back to reality, and the sounds of the airlock again filled my ears. My fist was mid-swing, and the force behind it was unimaginable.

"GET AWAY!!!" I roared, my voice raw with fear and desperation.

The punch tore through the air. It generated a shockwave so powerful it sent small objects flying across the room. The walls groaned under the pressure, and the crew members closest to me were thrown off balance…

My fist stopped just inches from Eva's face. Her wide eyes stared up at me in sheer terror. The glow from my eyes reflected in hers… a deep, menacing red that radiated heat like the core of a star…

The airlock was deathly silent, save for the faint sound of my ragged breathing. Eva's voice trembled as she whispered, "I... I think I just peed my pants..."

My breath came in sharp gasps, and my mind struggled to process what had just happened. My stared at me, hovered there, trembling inches from her. The walls bore faint dents from the shockwave's impact, and the room still buzzed with the residual hum of displaced energy…

Slowly, I lowered my fist, and the glow in my eyes faded. The silence in the airlock was suffocating.

Every crew member in the room was staring at me and their expressions were a mix of fear, shock, and disbelief. Even Joseph, who was usually quick to crack a joke, was silent, his mouth slightly agape. Captain Zhang stood stiffly, her sharp gaze darting between me and the faint dents in the walls…

Eva's knees buckled, and she slid to the floor, still staring up at me as though I were some kind of monster…

"What... what the hell was that?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, my voice barely audible. "I need to go."

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the airlock, my footsteps heavy against the metal floor. The whispers started before I had even left the room…

"That shockwave..." someone murmured.

"He punched the air... and it did that?"

"It's not human…" another voice added, fear dripping from every word.

But I didn't stick around to listen…

"What the hell was that?" someone murmured.

"Did you see his eyes?"

"He stopped just in time," Harris muttered. "But if he hadn't..."

Eva's shaky voice interrupted. "He looked... he wasn't trying to hit me. He was fighting something. Something we couldn't see..."

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Captain Zhang's voice was cold and sharp as she spoke. "This is bigger than we thought. Whatever's happening to Shin—it's dangerous. For all of us..."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. And for the first time since the mission began, the crew understood the total weight of the unknown force they were dealing with.

The next morning felt heavier than usual. The incident in the airlock still hung over me. The glow of my eyes, the force of the punch, the sheer fear on Eva's face… it was all too much…

I didn't want to face anyone, let alone talk to them. So, I kept my distance…

The mess hall was bustling with the usual morning energy. Crew members chatted over trays of synthesised meals, their voices a comforting hum of routine. I walked inside and tried to avoid eye contact with anyone…

I spotted an empty corner table, made my way over, and kept my head down. I could feel their eyes on me—their glances, their whispers…

"Hey, isn't that Shin?"

"He looks worse than yesterday."

"Can you blame him?"

I shoved a spoonful of oatmeal into my mouth, hoping the bland taste would distract me from the weight in my chest.

"Shin?"

I looked up to see Eva standing by my table with a hesitant smile on her face. She was holding her food tray, and her usual confident demeanour was replaced with uncertainty…

"Mind if I sit?" she asked softly.

I shook my head. "Not a good idea..."

Her smile faltered, but she didn't move. "Look, about yesterday…"

"Don't," I interrupted, my tone sharper than I intended. "I don't want to talk about it..."

She frowned, setting her tray down anyway. "You didn't hurt me, Shin. I'm fine..."

"I said, don't..." I repeated, my gaze fixed on my tray.

Eva hesitated, then sighed and walked away, muttering something under her breath.

The rest of the day passed in much the same way. I kept to myself, focused solely on my work, and avoided eye contact with anyone who crossed my path…

When Captain Zhang passed me in the corridor, her eyes lingered on me momentarily. I nodded briefly but said nothing and walked past her without a word…

"Takamiya…" she called after me, her tone firm.

I paused but didn't turn around.

"If you ever want to talk…"

"I'm fine…" I said quickly, cutting her off.

Her silence followed me as I walked away… The tension was palpable in the air.

Even Joseph—my best friend—wasn't spared from my avoidance. He tried multiple times throughout the day to get me to open up…

"Hey, Shin!!!" he called as I worked on recalibrating a communications panel.

I ignored him and focused on the task at hand.

"Shin, buddy, come on. You're acting like a ghost…" he said, leaning against the console.

"Not now, Joseph…" I muttered.

"Not now, not now…" he mimicked, his tone teasing but laced with concern. "You've been saying that all day. I'm starting to feel like you're avoiding me..."

I shot him a quick glance. "I am..."

He blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Wow. Okay. That's... blunt..."

"Joseph," I said, sighing. "Just leave me alone, okay?"

For once, he didn't push back. His usual grin faded, replaced with a rare look of understanding. "Fine. But I'm not giving up on you, Shin. Not now, not ever..."

By the end of the day, the mess hall was quieter. The hum of activity winded down as the crew prepared for rest. I sat alone again, pushing my dinner around on the tray. My appetite was long gone.

I didn't notice the group approaching me until it was too late.

"Shin..."

I looked up to see Captain Zhang, Joseph, Eva, and a few others standing around my table. Their expressions ranged from concern to determination.

"What now?" I muttered as I leaned back in my chair.

Zhang crossed her arms. "We need to talk..."

"No, you don't…" I replied, avoiding her gaze. "I'm fine. Really..."

"You're not fine…" Eva said, her voice softer this time. "And it's okay not to be fine. But pushing us all away isn't going to help…"

"Eva's right…" Joseph chimed in, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "You're acting like you've got to deal with this alone, but you don't..."

"I don't want to hurt anyone else…" I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

"That's not going to happen," Zhang said firmly. "We're not afraid of you, Takamiya..."

I scoffed. "Could've fooled me…"

Harris stepped forward, his expression earnest. "Look, we've all been through stuff. We're all scared sometimes. But the difference is, we don't let that fear define us..."

"And neither should you…" Eva added.

"You saved lives, Shin…" Joseph said. "You're a hero to us, whether you like it or not..."

"You're one of us…" Zhang said, her tone softening. "And no matter what's happening, we're with you. Always..."

I stared at them, the weight of their words sinking in. I felt the tightness in my chest begin to ease…

"Thanks…" I said finally, my voice steady. "I don't deserve it, but... thanks."

Joseph clapped me on the shoulder, his grin returning. "Damn right, you don't deserve it. But you've got it anyway..."

The group laughed softly, and for the first time since the incident, I managed a small smile.

As the group dispersed, Joseph lingered behind for a moment.

"You're not alone, Shin…" he said quietly. "Remember that."

"I will…" I replied, meaning it this time.

And as I returned to my cabin that night, the weight on my shoulders felt just a little lighter.

TO BE CONTINUED