The moment John and the Emperor collided, the entire throne hall shook as if the mothership itself had taken a direct hit. Metal ribs trembled, conduits burst in showers of sparks, and the polished floor buckled under the weight of their first clash. The force of the impact threw a shockwave across the chamber, knocking loose debris from the high ceiling and sending it crashing to the ground in a rain of jagged shards.The Emperor struck first, moving with a speed that should have been impossible. His claws raked across John’s chest, cutting deep into the armor and sending sparks in every direction. The blow hit with such force that the sound echoed like thunder. John staggered back half a step but recovered instantly and drove forward with a furious punch that hit the Emperor square across the jaw. The hit snapped the alien’s head sideways and cracked the floor beneath them.The Emperor slid backward, then vanished from sight and reappeared behind John in the span of a blink. He slam

The engine deck was still shaking from the Emperor’s death when John finally released his grip on the Soulrender. The blade dimmed, its blue flames settling into a low simmer, as if even it needed a moment to understand what had just happened. The air was thick with smoke, molten heat, and drifting embers of what remained of the Emperor’s perfect form.John didn’t look at the ashes.He looked up.Vera hung from the restraint frame behind the cracked observation glass, her chest heaving, her face streaked with tears and soot. Her eyes were locked on him with a mixture of disbelief and painful relief.John teleported.A flash of blue light split the chamber, and he appeared inside the observation bay. Sparks crackled from ruined consoles. The restraint frame hummed weakly, its energy coils flickering.Vera’s voice came out as a broken whisper.“John… you—”“I’m getting you out.” His voice was steady, but inside he felt a storm of exhaustion, adrenaline, and raw fury still coursing thr

The counter-pulse didn’t explode outward in a burst of spectacle. It started small, almost imperceptible—just a shiver running through the trench, a tremor so soft it could’ve been mistaken for the distant shifting of tectonic plates. But John felt it immediately.The beacon reacted to the command key like a wounded animal recognizing the blade that would end it.Its rotating core stuttered, seized, then resumed spinning with a desperate, frantic pulse. The airless water around it vibrated, rippling in concentric rings as the beacon fought against the intrusion. John dug his boots into the rocky seafloor and leaned his weight into the key. The jagged device pushed deeper into the alien mechanism, the metal grinding under his strength.Then the world shifted.The light that burst from the core wasn’t like any light he’d ever seen. It swallowed the ocean around him, emptying the water of its color, its rhythm, its meaning. Black radiance poured outwards like ink burning itself into exis

Morning came, and the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on the divorce papers. Alex had spent the night wrestling with his emotions, but he knew he had to make a decision. He couldn't continue living in this limbo, caught between a love that would never be returned and a life that offered him no respect or dignity.He stood up, his body aching from the discomfort of sleeping in the chair, and made his way to the kitchen. He needed coffee and a clear head to face the day ahead. As he poured himself a cup, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw Mr. Gregory standing in the doorway, a look of concern etched on his face."Good morning, Alex," Mr. Gregory said softly. "Didn't sleep well, did you?"Alex shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee. "No, not really."Mr. Gregory sighed, stepping into the kitchen and leaning against the counter. "I understand how hard this is for you. But you need to think about your future. Holding on to something

Mark and his two friends gazed at Alex's lifeless body on the ground. One of Mark's friends took a cautious step forward, and his eyes darted between Mark and the gun still clutched in his hand. "Mark, we need to think about what to do next. Put the gun down," Mark's friend said to him.Mark slowly lowered the gun, his hands shaking uncontrollably. The room was thick with silence, broken only by the ragged breaths of the men standing around Alex's lifeless body.The friend who had spoken first ran a hand through his hair, and he was clearly distressed. "We need to clean this up. We can't let anyone find out about this. We need a plan, and we need it now."Mark, still in shock, nodded numbly. The three men, once so sure of themselves, now faced the overwhelming task of dealing with the consequences of a moment of blind rage.Mark's friends quickly snapped into action, driven by fear and desperation. The first friend, still visibly shaken, took charge. "We need to move the body. Someon