The war room aboard Liberty was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the holographic map projected in the center of the table. It displayed the battlefield below, now reduced to smoldering ruins after the dragon assault. The air was thick with the weight of the loss, but also the sense of something else: the dawn of a new chapter.
Captain Lewis stood at the head of the table, flanked by his most trusted officers. The faces around the room were grim. They had survived the impossible, but not without cost. There were those they had lost—names that would forever haunt their memories. Yet, they were still standing.
To his left sat Commander McGregor, his jaw clenched in quiet frustration. Across the table, Dr. Evelyn Cart reviewed casualty reports with a furrowed brow. Agent Lokei was quietly observing, his ever-watchful eyes scanning the room. And seated at the far end was the elf—still dressed in military-issue jumpsuit, her silver hair a striking contrast against the dull surroundings.
She had spoken her piece, made her request, and now it was time for decisions.
The room fell silent as Captain Lewis cleared his throat.
“We’ve all seen the destruction,” he began, his voice steady but tinged with the weight of responsibility. “Casualties were heavy—both on our side and theirs. I don’t need to remind you of the cost of this battle. But we survived. And now, we’ve got to make a choice.”
McGregor leaned forward, his voice tight. “I don’t like the idea of trusting the elf. She may have helped us with the dragons, but that doesn’t change the fact that we don’t know a damn thing about her motives. She wants us to help her people, but why? What does she really gain?”
“I’m not naive, Commander,” Lewis replied, locking eyes with McGregor. “I’m well aware of the risks. But this is the only lead we’ve got. If she’s telling the truth, this could be the key to getting us home.”
Dr. Cart glanced up from her reports, her face lined with concern. “I’ve run diagnostics on the elf. Her biology is… unlike anything we’ve encountered. Whatever she’s doing, it’s not just some trick. She’s tapped into something we can’t explain. Magic—or something like it.”
“Let’s not get distracted by the unknown, Doctor,” McGregor muttered. “We’re not in a position to play goddamn archaeologists. We need solid plans.”
The elf, who had been silent up until now, shifted in her seat. Her violet eyes met Lewis’s with a quiet intensity. She spoke, her voice calm but firm.
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“You think me a tool of some greater design. I understand your suspicion. But I have no desire for conquest or power. I seek only to survive—just as you do. My people… we are on the brink of extinction. The one you call ‘the Evil One’ has taken everything from us. He seeks to awaken the Ancients, but he does not understand what he wields. He will bring ruin to this world—and to yours. I offer you a way to stop him. To save my people—and yours.”
Lokei leaned in slightly, translating her words with practiced ease. “She’s offering us a means to stop the Evil One, and in exchange, she asks for our help in overthrowing him.”
McGregor's eyes narrowed. “And what’s in it for us? You want us to help you establish some kind of home for your people. A safe haven. But we’ve got no resources, no allies. We’re stranded.”
“We need a place to call home,” Lewis said quietly, his voice carrying a weight of understanding. “I get it. We’ve been running for too long. We’ve lost too many. But we need more than just a place to hide. We need to rebuild. A new nation. A place for our people to start over.”
The elf’s eyes softened, a fleeting glimpse of something ancient and sorrowful in them. “My people have endured centuries of suffering. What I offer is not just a refuge, but the chance to rebuild, to stand together against the forces that seek to destroy us. We can make this world our own.”
Captain Lewis exhaled slowly. “This is bigger than just us. A new beginning. A chance to forge a future. But we need to be smart. We’ll need resources, manpower, and—more than anything—trust. We help you, and you help us. We may be able to form something… something that lasts.”
McGregor shifted in his seat, his gaze shifting from Lewis to the elf and then back to the map. “So, we’re talking about a new nation. A new start. But how do we get there? We’re not exactly flush with supplies. And the Evil One’s forces are still out there. They’ll be gunning for us.”
Lokei spoke up. “The elf mentioned artifacts—pieces of lost technology that could help us fight. If we get our hands on those, we may stand a chance. Not just to survive, but to thrive.”
Dr. Cart nodded slowly, adding, “We’ll need to study the artifacts. See if they’re what she claims. They might be the key to stabilizing our situation.”
“We’re not leaving this up to chance,” McGregor said. “We’ve survived worse, but this is different. This could be the start of something new—or the beginning of our downfall.”
Lewis stood up, his voice carrying a sense of finality. “We don’t have the luxury of waiting. We’ve got a chance, a real one. This is our path forward. We fight for our future—not just for survival, but for the chance to build something worth fighting for.”
The elf nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with quiet resolve. “And if we succeed… there will be no end to what we can create. Together.”
A long silence fell over the room as each member of the crew weighed the decision before them. The war was far from over. The stakes had never been higher.
But for the first time in a long while, there was hope. A glimmer of something that had been missing—something worth fighting for.
Finally, Lewis spoke again, his voice steady but full of determination.
“Alright. Let’s make this happen.”
With that, the crew knew their next mission: not just to survive, but to forge a new beginning. A home. A nation. A future.
Should I make a spinoff based on the Multiversal war
