Chapter 10 - " The are coming"!!

  One and a half months had passed since Jason Amberdunk had embarked on his interstellar mission. Life in Alag slowly returned to its rhythm — if not more vibrant than before. The city, lush and alive, thrived under the emerald glow of nature-entwined technology. Towers shaped like spiraling vines hummed with soft green energy. Roads breathed with gentle pulses, adjusting to footsteps and vehicles alike, and above all, the Great Tree of Heavens continued to stand as a silent watcher of Verdalia’s legacy.

  That morning, the twin suns peeked over the horizon as Max and Warren boarded the advanced sky-bus that glided smoothly through the elevated tracks. The interior shimmered with crystalline panels, and its walls displayed projected images of wildlife and forest scenes, a comforting blend of education and serenity. The bus moved swiftly, powered by solar-synthetic fusion engines, weaving through the city's canopy roads that curved with the terrain, not against it.

  Max leaned against the transparent window, watching the green-hued towers pass by.

  "You doing okay?" Warren asked from the seat beside him, noticing Max’s distant stare.

  Max nodded. "Yeah... Just thinking about Dad. He’s out there somewhere, helping people across the galaxy. It feels... big."

  Warren smiled and placed a hand on his little brother’s head. "You’re going to do even bigger things one day."

  The bus landed gracefully in front of Alag Academy — a sprawling structure of floating platforms, stone-carved archways, and sky-bridges wrapped in flowering vines. The hum of students filled the air as Max stepped off, his heart picking up pace.

  Inside the first classroom, Max took his usual seat beside Rure and Jimmy. Sunlight streamed in from the high glass ceiling, casting warm patterns across the desks.

  "Finally, today’s the day!" Rure whispered excitedly, nudging Max. "I heard we’re officially beginning our chakra training this week!"

  Max’s eyes lit up. "Seriously? Joe’s training has already been intense, but this... this feels real. Like the academy finally caught up."

  "Yeah! I bet I’ll unlock the first chakra before you," Rure grinned mischievously.

  "Keep dreaming," Max smirked back.

  Jimmy rolled his eyes. "You two are obsessed. Chakra, training, trees that pulse with energy. What about lunch? Priorities!"

  Before they could continue, the classroom lights dimmed slightly — a sign that the class was about to begin. The door slid open and their teacher, a tall woman with silver eyes and a vine-woven robe, entered with a solemn expression.

  She tapped on the board, and the room’s walls shifted into display mode, projecting ancient ruins and scarred earth.

  “Attention, class,” she said, her voice calm but commanding. “This year, your field excursion will take you to one of the most historically significant — and tragic — places in our planet’s history. We will be visiting the ruined city of Verlan.”

  A murmur of awe and curiosity spread through the classroom.

  “The same Verlan that was destroyed by the Saturnite Republic?” someone whispered.

  “Yes,” the teacher nodded. “Over two hundred years ago, Verlan stood as the heart of Verdalia’s scientific and cultural advancements. Until it was annihilated by a weapon of unspeakable power — a show of dominance by the Republic of Saturnite, the only democratic regime ruling across 22 galaxies.”

  Gasps followed, but Max sat quietly, his eyes fixed on the projected image of the scorched city. He could almost feel its silence, its cries beneath the rubble.

  “We will be going on a guided tour to understand the cost of war, and the roots of Verdalia’s current peace,” the teacher continued. “Everyone must submit permission forms signed by your guardians. You’ll receive the digital documents after class.”

  The bell rang.

  Students filed out with buzzing excitement, but Max stayed back a moment longer, still gazing at the ruins of Verlan on the screen.

  "A city turned to ashes..." he whispered.

  "You think we’ll find secrets in those ruins?" Rure asked, nudging his shoulder.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Max didn’t answer immediately. He looked up, determination flickering in his cat-like eyes. "Maybe. Or maybe we’ll find a reminder of what we’re fighting to protect."

  And with that, the three friends walked out into the Academy halls, unaware that the journey ahead would change everything.

  The warm orange glow of the twin moons filtered gently through the wooden-framed windows of the Amberdunk house. Outside, Verdalia’s advanced green tech lit up the streets with soft bioluminescent lights, while the Great Tree loomed in the distance like a silent guardian under the dusk sky.

  Inside, the evening had settled into a cozy rhythm. Tina stirred a pot of luma-leaf stew in the open-air kitchen, its soothing herbal scent mingling with the earthy tones of the home. The walls hummed softly with embedded energy conduits—nature blended with tech, as was the Verdalian way.

  Max pushed open the front door with a burst of energy. “Mom! You won’t believe it!”

  Tina turned, smiling, a hand still on the spoon. “Let me guess... you passed all your tests without studying?”

  Max grinned. “Better! We’re going on a trip! To the destroyed city—Verlan!”

  Tina blinked. “Verlan? The ancient city?”

  Max nodded. “Yeah! Our teacher announced it today. It’s for history class. They’re sending permission forms to sign and everything!”

  Tina's smile softened with a touch of sadness. “That city… it once rivaled Veythar. It was full of art, wisdom, and life—until the Republic of Saturnite used their weapon... and wiped it out. It’s good they’re teaching you the past.”

  Just then, Warren stepped in, dusting off his academy jacket and dropping his bag on the floor. “Max isn’t the only one with big news.”

  “Oh?” Tina asked, crossing her arms. “What are you up to, graduate?”

  Warren smirked. “You said it. I’m graduating. Final year’s done. Just the ceremony left.”

  Max let out a cheer. “No way! Congrats, bro!”

  Tina beamed. “Warren, I’m so proud of you!”

  “That’s not all,” Warren said. “I’m applying to the Galactic College of Interplanetary Law Enforcement. GCILE. The Space Cops College.”

  Max’s eyes widened. “The one Jonathan Williamson graduated from?!”

  Tina raised an eyebrow. “That's on Lothari Prime, isn’t it?”

  “Yep. Across the quadrant. But I’ve made up my mind,” Warren said. “I want to become the Director of the Space Cops one day.”

  Tina’s expression softened with pride. “You remind me of your father. Bold, stubborn, and filled with dreams.”

  She walked over and pulled a small tablet from the shelf. “Well, lucky for you… your father already sent in your application. Before he left on the mission.”

  Warren stood frozen. “He did?”

  Tina nodded. “He believed in you. He always did.”

  Warren's voice caught for a second. “Thanks, Mom.”

  Then Max chimed in, grinning. “Hey! Wait! That means you and Rure are both aiming to be Directors! He said the same thing today!”

  Warren laughed. “Rure wants to be Director too?”

  “Yep,” Max said with mock seriousness. “And now I’m caught between two future legends. I think you're officially rivals.”

  Tina laughed heartily. “Oh great. Verdalia’s future might be in a rivalry.”

  Max chuckled. “At least I know who to cheer for—uh, maybe both of you?”

  Warren ruffled Max’s hair. “Don’t worry, little bro. When the time comes, you’ll have your own dream to chase.”

  Max looked out the window at the glowing horizon. “I think I’m starting to find it.”

  And in that quiet evening moment, surrounded by family and the fading light, dreams stirred in the air, like seeds waiting to bloom under the watch of the twin moons.

  Evening fell gently over Alag. Under the soft hues of twin moons peeking through layers of swirling purple clouds, Max tightened his training straps and waved goodbye to Tina and Warren.

  “I’ll be back by dinner!” he called, smiling.

  “Stay safe, champ!” Warren grinned, ruffling his hair.

  With that, Max rushed through the emerald-lined paths toward the great tree. The city hummed in its natural-tech harmony—hover-lanterns glowing subtly beneath leaves, roots pulsing with gentle lights guiding his way.

  At the training spot, Joe was already stretching, while Rure stood in a martial stance, focused.

  Far beyond Verdalia, in the vastness of dark space, thirty massive ships glided silently through a narrow cosmic passage.

  The Heaven Bridge.

  Stretching like a silver scar across the fabric of space, it was the only traversable path through the infamous Dead Zone—a void of chaos. All around the fleet, debris from shattered planets floated eerily. There were black holes twisting silently in the distance, collapsed stars frozen in time, and drifting remnants of civilizations lost to cosmic war.

  Inside one of the control rooms, a young Verdalian crewmate stared out the window. “Is this really… the Dead Zone?” he whispered.

  Another nodded solemnly. “This place was once like any other galaxy, filled with planets, suns, and life. But when the Father of the Universe fought that ancient evil—everything changed. The energy clash left the galaxy torn open. This… is what remains.”

  Crackles of phantom energy occasionally sparked in the distance, harmless yet haunting.

  In the lead ship’s command cabin, the navigator turned to the mission leader.

  “Commander Jason, we’ll be reaching the Lilliput star system in about three days. Our 1.5-month journey is nearing its end.”

  Jason Amberdunk gave a calm nod. “Understood.”

  Captain Shin glanced sideways at him. “You seem deep in thought.”

  Jason’s gaze was steady on the void outside. “Just remembering something Tom told me… before I left.”

  A brief silence followed.

  We shift into a flashback.

  Jason stood under the Great Tree with Tom the elder, the shadows long and the wind whispering through the branches.

  Tom’s eyes were weary but sharp. “Jason… I think the time has come.”

  “For what?” Jason had asked.

  Tom’s voice lowered. “For what that man told us long ago. Did you see them? he asked me. I didn’t understand then… but I do now. They're not just myths. They’re coming.”

  Jason blinked in the memory—his breath slow.

  Back in the present, Jason’s hand closed into a fist.

  “Let God be with us,” he muttered.

  The navigator and captain exchanged confused glances.

  “Did you say something, sir?”

  Jason looked ahead, eyes sharp. “No. Just… keep the course steady.”

  And so, the fleet continued through the haunted corridor of stars, deeper into the unknown