CHAPTER 89: CH 89: BLASTED AWAY - PART 1

The warning lights flickered red across the ship’s panels as Rikaidou loomed closer on the horizon, its atmosphere coated in a mist of thick clouds that concealed whatever lay beneath.

"We’ll be entering Rikaidou’s atmosphere in the next few minutes. Everyone, stay sharp. I don’t like the feel of this place."

Nyx’s voice cut in through the intercom.

Nova stood near the main viewport, arms crossed, gaze narrowed on the shifting gray sphere below.

"I don’t feel any aether in the air. It’s too quiet."

He said, almost to himself.

Anna, seated beside the console, turned her head.

"Is that bad?"

"It’s not natural. A place this rich, this isolated—it should be overflowing with aether."

Nova replied.

Malrik frowned.

"Maybe they’re hiding it."

"Maybe."

Nova muttered.

Before anyone could respond, a violent tremor passed through the ship, and Nova’s expression turned cold.

"There it is."

Outside, space began to distort—like invisible threads pulling together. Raw aether surged out of nowhere, condensing into a spear of energy directly in their path.

"Incoming blast!"

Nyx shouted, already shifting controls to dodge, but it was too fast.

Nova’s gaze sharpened, and without hesitation, he turned on his heel.

"I’m going out."

"What? Nova—"

Anna jumped to her feet.

"There’s no time. If that hits us mid-drop, we’re done. Nyx, keep the ship stable and land safely. I’ll handle this."

He said firmly.

"Nova—"

But one look at his face silenced them all.

Nyx exhaled sharply.

"Fine. Go. But be careful. We just fixed this ship."

Nova smirked faintly.

"Try not to miss me too much."

With that, he headed to the side dock and entered one of the spare fighters.

It detached with a hiss of air, and within seconds, the sleek craft tore through the void, placing itself between the blast and the main ship.

Inside the fighter, Nova’s hands gripped the controls tightly. He could feel it now—the aether blast, massive and unruly, forming like a compressed storm.

It wasn’t just an attack. It was a test. A warning.

"Noted."

He murmured.

He reached inward, drawing on his own aether, the air around his cockpit humming as the energy built around him like a second skin. His eyes glowed faintly.

And then the two forces collided.

A blinding flash tore across the sky as Nova’s aether crashed against the blast. The shockwave rippled in all directions, sending a rumbling vibration through both ships.

Inside, Nyx wrestled the controls, cursing.

"Explosion detected! Hang on—I’m redirecting us toward a safer descent route!"

Malrik grabbed the side rails.

"Nova—did he—?"

"He’s alive. He has to be."

Anna said quickly.

Nova’s fighter spiraled but held position.

The larger ship reeled from the blast, its shields flickering, before the artificial gravity realigned and began dragging it safely into the upper atmosphere.

Smoke drifted past Nova’s viewport, but he stayed steady, locking onto the ship’s trajectory.

"Push us down. Let’s see what this world is hiding."

He muttered.

Below, the clouds began to part. Rikaidou’s surface came into view—lush green valleys nestled between jagged obsidian cliffs, with faint outlines of structured cities carved into the mountainsides.

The planet was alive.

And now, it knew they were here.

The ship rattled once as it touched down on Rikaidou’s surface, skidding briefly before stabilizing among a grove of crystalline trees.

Nyx immediately jumped out of the pilot seat and made her way to the console. Her fingers danced across the surface, initiating a full function scan.

"Alright, let’s see what damage that welcoming blast caused."

Anna and Malrik stood nearby, watching the forest shimmer around them through the viewport. It was unnaturally quiet. No wind. No birds. Just stillness.

"Ship’s intact. Only minor repairs needed. Good thing we’ve got spares."

Nyx said a moment later.

"That’s a relief."

Anna muttered.

"Bad news? Until I finish these repairs, I can’t scan for Nova’s signal. So if you two want to find him fast, you’ll have to go on foot."

Nyx turned to them, face unreadable.

Anna’s heart dropped.

"You can’t even get a rough location?"

"The aether density here is too weird. It’s interfering with long-range pings. If Nova’s hiding his presence, and knowing him, he is, then he’s invisible until I get the ship back up to full scan capability."

Malrik clenched his jaw.

"We’ll go."

Anna looked at him.

"We... will?"

He gave her a dry look.

"You want to leave him out there alone?"

She shook her head.

"Of course not. I’m just saying... we’re not exactly the best search party."

Nyx smirked faintly and tossed them both a small beacon.

"You don’t have to be. Just don’t get yourselves killed. Nova’s good at finding people who are still alive."

Meanwhile, several kilometers away, Nova’s spare ship groaned as it came to a steaming stop in the center of a large, deep pond nestled between two cliffs.

The canopy hissed open, and Nova jumped out, landing cleanly on the water’s surface before walking to the edge.

Behind him, his ship began to hum ominously.

With a flick of his hand, a wave of mana pulsed backward. The ship burst into flames, a violent but localized explosion sending steam and debris into the sky.

The pond swallowed the wreckage whole.

Nova didn’t glance back. He reached into his side pouch and pulled out a thin, flesh-toned mask.

A subtle enchantment embedded into its fibers shimmered to life as he pressed it onto his face.

His features shifted—cheekbones rounded, jaw softened, eyes turned gray. His entire presence dulled.

"Let’s see what this world has to offer."

He murmured, stepping onto the muddy bank.

That’s when he felt it—eyes. Someone was watching him.

He paused, eyes narrowing. The presence wasn’t hostile, but it was definitely there. Quiet. Careful.

"Show yourself."

Nova said, voice flat.

There was a soft rustle of leaves.

A girl stepped out from behind a moss-covered tree. She wore a loose, earth-toned cloak and clutched the hem tightly between her fingers.

Her hair was a deep shade of violet, her eyes wide and flickering with fear. She looked no older than sixteen.

"I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to watch. I was just... I was just collecting water and then I saw... you fell from the sky..."

She said in a whisper, gaze locked on the ground.

Nova’s posture didn’t change, but his expression grew colder behind the mask.

"You saw everything?"

The girl flinched and shook her head rapidly.

"N-no, not everything! I just... I saw the explosion. I swear I won’t tell anyone!"

Nova studied her for a long moment. She trembled under the weight of his silence.

Then, his tone shifted slightly.

"What’s your name?"

She blinked.

"Um... Rin."

Nova glanced around, taking in the unnatural stillness of the pond and the well-maintained greenery surrounding it. Everything looked too pristine, too deliberate.

"This place... where exactly am I?"

He muttered,

Rin jolted at the question.

"O-oh! You’re... um... you’re in the imperial garden. The back pools, to be exact."

Nova raised a brow.

"N-no one really comes here! It’s quiet and hidden. I-I was just getting water, I swear! Most people avoid this area because it’s technically off-limits."

She rushed to explain, hands waving nervously.

"Off-limits?"

"Yes! It’s still part of the palace grounds, but it’s mostly forgotten. Even the guards don’t patrol this far."

Nova looked toward the distant treetops, where the palace spires barely peeked over the canopy. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"How fortunate."