The once imposing fleet of the Stellar Ascendancy dwindled to pinpricks of light, and in a series of shimmering bursts, they left the star system altogether. The expansive sky, which moments ago had been a canvas of war, was now serene and infinite once more.
As the threat ebbed away, Caden felt the tremendous surge of energy he'd summoned begin to wane. The pitch-black aura that surrounded him flickered and then slowly dimmed. The weight of the power and the emotional toil of the battle bore down on him, and gravity reclaimed its grip, pulling him down from the vastness of the sky.
He plummeted, the wind rushing past him, and landed heavily just in front of the tower's imposing doors. The ground cracked beneath him, sending out a web of fractures. Dust and debris rose around him, momentarily obscuring him from view.
