Return Of The Cosmic God

In the distance, I saw the same black box that appeared in my dreams. It hovered above the molten sea of magma, its surface reflecting the eerie red glow of the lava below. This time, the box seemed larger, more menacing, its edges pulsating with an ominous energy…

I tried to move, but my legs felt heavy, as though the very ground was pulling me down.

"What... what is this place?" I whispered, though no one could hear me.

I tapped the comms desperately. "Pod 1 to The Odyssey, do you copy? Repeat, this is Pod 1. I need a response!"

Nothing but static answered me.

"Zhang? Joseph? Anyone?!" I yelled, my voice echoing in the oppressive silence.

But there was no response on the other end…

I looked at the box. It wasn't calling to me with words… not in the way we understand language. It was something deeper, more primal. A sensation, a pull, like an invisible thread tied to my very existence…

The ground beneath my boots cracked and hissed as the temperature around me spiked. Rivers of molten lava snaked their way through the jagged terrain, their fiery glow casting everything in shades of red and gold.

As I approached the edge of the lava sea, the heat was so intense that it distorted the air, making everything shimmer like a mirage. My suit was designed to withstand the unimaginable… temperatures as high as the surface of the sun… but even through its layers, I could feel the oppressive heat biting into me, making every breath a struggle…

Sweat poured down my face, pooling in the crevices of my helmet. I hesitated while staring at the box floating serenely above the sea of molten rock…

Its pull grew stronger….

Without thinking, I took a step forward, my boots sinking slightly into the edge of the molten surface.

To my surprise, the suit held, its reinforced plating shimmering against the heat. But even with the protection, the heat was still unbearable. It felt like the flames were bypassing the suit entirely, licking at my skin, and scorching my nerves…

Another step. Then another…

Each step felt heavier, and the pull of the box grew stronger. The molten sea churned around me, splashes of fiery liquid erupting like tiny explosions. My heart pounded as I drew closer to the box, and my breaths came in shallow gasps…

As I reached the center of the molten lake, the box seemed to loom larger, though its size hadn't changed. Its surface was smooth and reflective, almost like a mirror, but darker—like staring into an infinite void…

It hovered mere feet above the lava, and its edges glowed faintly with a soft, pulsating light. The hum had grown louder now, resonating through my body in waves that made my head spin.

My legs felt like lead, and the heat was suffocating, but I couldn't stop. The box demanded I come closer…

When I was finally within arm's reach, I hesitated. My hand trembled as I lifted it, but the instinctual part of me screamed to turn back and run…

But the pull of the box was too strong. My fingers brushed against its smooth surface, and I flinched, expecting... something…

But nothing happened.

I let out a shaky breath, and relief washed over me.

"It's just a box…" I muttered to myself, my voice muffled by the helmet.

But just as I started to pull my hand away, I felt it—a sharp, jarring sensation.

My hand was stuck.

"What the…" I pulled harder, and panic set in as the box refused to let me go.

The box began to glow, its surface rippling like liquid metal. The hum grew deafening, a low, bone-rattling sound that made my ears ring…

"Let go!!!" I shouted, yanking at my hand with all my strength. But it was no use.

Suddenly, the box began to shift, and its shape morphed and twisted like a living thing. The smooth surface split apart, revealing jagged, glowing lines that pulsed with an unnatural energy…

A surge of pure, unrelenting power shot through my arm, slamming into me…

The energy coursed through me, ripping through every nerve, every vein, every cell...

"ARRRGHHHHHHHH!" I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat as the pain consumed me.

My suit, designed to withstand the harshest environments, began to crack and splinter under the sheer force. Pieces of the material fell away, exposing my bare skin to the molten heat.

But the heat was nothing compared to the energy pouring into me. My muscles spasmed uncontrollably, my vision blurred, and my mind felt like it was being pulled apart.

I looked down at my arm and froze in horror.

My skin was tearing, splitting apart like old fabric. Bright energy pulsed beneath the surface, radiating outward with every beat of the box's glow.

The glow intensified, spreading from my arm to the rest of my body. My chest felt like it was on fire, and my lungs struggled to draw in air. I could see my skin peeling away, revealing flesh and bones. My bones were being shattered. The sight was horrifying—my body was being unmade, Cracks began forming along my forearm, extending like fractures in glass. Beneath the skin… something glowing, radiant, and terrifying…

"No... no, no, no!!!" I screamed and clawed at my arm as if I could stop the transformation.

The box pulsed again, and another wave of energy slammed into me. My knees buckled, and I fell to the molten ground, the heat searing my exposed skin.

"HELP!" I screamed though I knew no one could hear me.

The energy grew stronger. Each pulse was more intense than the last. I could feel my body changing, reshaping itself in ways I couldn't comprehend…

The pain was unbearable, but the worst part was the realization that the box wasn't just giving me energy—it was taking something, too…

My mind. My soul. My very essence…

The energy surged through me with relentless force, like a storm tearing apart everything in its path. My body shook uncontrollably…

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

My scream tore through the oppressive silence of the hellish landscape, the sound raw and guttural, and it echoed across the molten sea. But the pain didn't stop… it only grew worse…

I tried to move, to pull my arm away from the box, but it was useless…

The box suddenly began to shift again. Its smooth surface splintered into shards, and each piece glowed with intense, fiery brilliance…

And then, it started to break.

"NO!" I screamed as the shards peeled away, dissolving into streams of energy that shot into my body. Each stream burned like molten fire, spreading through my veins and tearing me apart from the inside.

The box itself seemed to collapse inward, folding into itself like a collapsing star. Its energy didn't disappear, though. It poured into me, filling every corner of my being with a force I couldn't contain…

Around me, the hellish landscape began to shift, and it felt as if the planet itself was reacting to the box's destruction…

The volcanic sea churned violently, eruptions shooting jets of molten rock high into the air. Cracks formed across the ground and glowed with fiery heat as the planet's core seemed to rise closer to the surface…

Thunder rumbled overhead, and the blackened sky twisted with swirling crimson clouds. Forks of red lightning struck the ground around me, each bolt sending shockwaves that rattled the already unstable terrain…

The heat was unbearable. With every second, it felt like the planet was tearing itself apart…

The last remnants of the box were no longer visible, its energy now fully within me. I could feel it clawing at my insides, reshaping me...

My chest heaved as I gasped for air, each breath a battle against the suffocating heat. My heart pounded erratically as if trying to keep pace with the surging energy coursing through my veins...

The ground beneath me cracked further, the fissures widening and spewing molten rock. I tried to scream again, but my voice caught in my throat as I looked down at my hands.

My hands were no longer human.

On my hand, I could see glowing, jagged patterns of light that pulsed in rhythm with the energy inside me. But the pain wasn't gone...

"MAKE IT STOP!" I screamed, though there was no one to hear me.

At that moment, my vision blurred, and I saw the world around me twisting and distorting, the molten sea rising and falling...

With a deafening crack, the ground beneath me split open completely, and a massive pillar of fire shot into the sky.

"ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" My scream rose again, louder and more primal than before, as the energy consumed me entirely…

Aboard The Odyssey, the observation deck was filled with chaos. The crew had gathered near the viewport to monitor the planet, but what they were witnessing defied explanation…

The pristine, Earth-like appearance of Kepler-009AV was gone…

The lush forests and serene oceans dissolved, replaced by a chaotic, hellish landscape of fire and molten rock. The entire surface seemed to shift and writhe, as though the planet itself was alive and shedding its false skin…

"What the hell is happening?" one crew member muttered, their voice trembling.

"It's changing…" Captain Zhang said, her sharp eyes fixed on the rapidly transforming planet. "This... this is its true form."

Joseph yelled into the comms; his voice filled with panic. "Shin, can you hear me? Respond!"

Static crackled over the speakers, the connection barely holding…

"Shin!" Zhang called her usual calm, cracking under the weight of the moment.

The comms came back online. The voices of Joseph and Zhang were faint but audible over the roar of the collapsing planet around me…

"Shin!!!" Joseph's voice cut through the static. "Buddy, are you okay? What's going on down there?"

"I..." I groaned, my chest heaving as I struggled to speak. The energy continued to surge through me, each wave more unbearable than the last...

"I'm not okay... This... thing... it's—ARGHHHHH!"

A scream tore from my throat as another burst of energy coursed through me, my vision blurring with pain…

"Shin, listen to me!" Zhang's voice was sharp and commanding. "We're coming to get you… hold on!!!"

"No!!!" I yelled, clutching at the comms on my wrist. "Don't... don't come for me. Take the ship. Take them... as far as you can."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Joseph shouted, his voice breaking. "We're not leaving you down there!"

"Joseph..." I gasped, my vision dimming as another surge of energy wracked my body. "You have to. This planet... it's not what it seems. It's... alive. It's..."

The connection crackled, my words fading into static.

On the ship, Joseph slammed his fist against the console. "No! No, no, no! We can't leave him! Zhang, we can't leave him!"

Zhang's jaw tightened, her eyes filled with anguish as she watched the planet writhe and crumble through the viewport. She placed a hand on Joseph's shoulder...

"I don't want to leave him either," she said quietly. "But he's right. If we stay, we're risking the entire crew."

Joseph shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. "Damn it, Shin... DAMN IT!"

With a heavy heart, Zhang gave the order. "Turn the ship around. Take us away from the planet. Maximum speed…"

The crew hesitated for a moment, their faces filled with uncertainty and sorrow, but they obeyed.

"Joseph... Zhang... everyone..." My words faltered each syllable a struggle. "Thank you... for everything..."

"Shin, stop it!" Joseph yelled, his voice raw and trembling. "We'll come back for you! You hear me? We'll figure this out!"

I closed my eyes, the pain in my chest almost unbearable. "Joseph... you've always been my brother," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "Please... tell Maki that I love her. Tell her... to be happy. That's all I want…"

"No! Don't you dare say goodbye!" Joseph shouted, his voice breaking. "This isn't it! You're going to make it back to her, Shin!"

"Take care of her for me," I whispered, ignoring his pleas.

"Zhang…" I said, forcing the words. "You're a great leader... the best. Keep them safe... all of them. Promise me..."

"Shin," Zhang's voice came through, steady but trembling at the edges. "Don't give up. You're stronger than this…"

"I trust you…" I murmured, my vision blurring as another surge of energy wracked my body. "You're the best chance they've got…"

The comms crackled with static, my voice fading in and out.

"Shin, don't do this!" Joseph's voice cracked, desperation bleeding through every word. "Don't make this the end! Maki... she needs you, damn it! We need you!"

I took a deep breath, the effort feeling like dragging a boulder up a mountain. "Joseph..." I said softly. "You're going to have to let me go."

"No! I won't!" he shouted, his tone teetering on the edge of fury and heartbreak.

"Promise me you'll tell her... that I love her," I said again, my voice firm despite the agony. "Promise me you'll make sure she's happy."

There was silence on the other end, the static the only response. Then Joseph's voice, quieter, broken.

"I promise."

The energy inside me surged again, pulling me further into the abyss. I let out a strangled cry of pain, gripping the comms unit tightly…

"Goodbye, Joseph…" I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Goodbye, Zhang. Keep them safe..."

The comms went dead, my last words hanging in the air as the ship sped away.

Suddenly, the air around me shifted. The oppressive heat was replaced by intense, unbearable pressure, as if the entire weight of the universe was collapsing inward.

I looked down and saw my own body flicker and distort like a shadow cast by a dying flame. My skin, glowing with cracks of fiery light, began to peel away completely...

The energy inside me surged to its peak, tearing through my body with an intensity I couldn't describe. I gasped, struggling to stay upright as the ground beneath me cracked and crumbled. The molten sea churned violently around me, lava shooting into the air like angry geysers…

For a moment, amidst the chaos, my mind drifted to thoughts of Maki—her smile, her laughter, the way she scolded me when I forgot to reply to her messages…

I chuckled and said to myself, "Heh... So, this is it, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Maki," I whispered to myself, tears mixing with the sweat and blood streaking my face.

"I wish I didn't choose this," I thought bitterly, my fists clenched. "Why did I have to dream about space? Why couldn't I have chosen something normal, something safe? An office worker... or anything that wouldn't have brought me here…"

The image of Maki holding a child flickered in my mind, a life I would never have.

"I wish I could have had a child with her…" I thought, my heart ached with the weight of what would never be. "I wish I could have been there to watch them grow, to see Maki as a mother. I wish I could've been... more."

I let out a shaky breath, my legs buckling beneath me. "I wish I could've stayed with her. Forever."

The pressure grew unbearable, and I raised my head, staring into the fiery, broken sky...

"Joseph… Abdul... Maki..." I whispered, my voice trembling. "I love you... I love you all…"

The ground beneath me crumbled entirely, giving way to the planet's molten core. I felt myself falling, consumed by the heat and light.

"Please... be happy," I whispered, tears streaming down my face.

The energy surged one last time, erupting from my body in a flash so bright it consumed everything. The molten sea exploded outward, and the planet itself began to fracture…

The pressure built and built until, with a deafening BOOM, the planet shattered in a catastrophic eruption. Chunks of molten rock and debris were hurled into the void, and the shockwave rippled through space with unstoppable force.

As I was thrown into the chaos of light and fire, the pain began to fade, replaced by an eerie sense of calm. My body, my mind, my very essence—all of it felt like it was dissolving into the infinite…

"I'm sorry, Maki," I thought one last time, my voice silent even in my own head. "I wish... I could've done more…"

The swirling chaos faded, the roar of the explosion quieted, and all that was left was darkness and silence.

TO BE CONTINUED