"We're all going to die, somebody save us. I don't want to die. Somebody save us. Is this the end? Somebody save us," These frantic thoughts echoed in Leon's mind.
He felt imprisoned, his body frozen. Questions raced through his head.
"What are all these voices I'm hearing? Why can't I move my body? Am I dead?"
Leon muttered to himself, his voice trembling.
"We're ensnared, like helpless prey in a trap, unable to escape. Commander, even the souls of civilians are being devoured by the sun. Save us, somebody save them!"
The voices persisted, their pleas tormenting Leon.
Then, a distant voice called out, growing stronger with each passing moment.
"Leon, awaken."
Leon's eyes snapped open, revealing a mesmerizing and shocking sight. An expanse of blinding white stretched out before him, save for a single spot shrouded in a veil of almost invisible colorless light. The voices persisted, tempting him into the unknown.
As he moved to enter, a voice, reminiscent of his A.I. companion, Fuery, calmly called out, "Leon, come here, but not that way."
Turning towards the voice, Leon saw an elderly man, his form ethereal, as if he might dissolve at any moment. His eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light, urging Leon to approach.
"Who are you? Why am I here? Am I dead?" Leon finally asked as he neared the old man.
The old man replied soothingly, "People call me Aorato, Nameless, Namiru... your name for me is Fuery. The reason you are here is that you're about to meet your end."
Realization and guilt washed over Leon.
"I see. In the end, I couldn't save anyone. I should have heeded the Commander's warnings. I never should have set foot on this battlefield. Because of me, everyone perished. Jung was right. I caused my friends' deaths with my lack of focus."
"Stop tormenting yourself, Leon," The old man said gently.
"You have the chance to save everyone. Are you willing to make the choice for that to happen?"
Determination surged within Leon. "I will save everyone. I will make the choice."
Leon examined a visual displayed by the old man.
The image showed the hand of the Sun, the plummeting moon, and Earth's impending doom.
Leon was left stunned and fell to his knees. "What's happening? I can't grasp the situation."
The old man began to explain everything.
"The Sun absorbed enough Earth mana during the eclipse, creating a hand to seize the moon and accelerate mana absorption. But this action set the moon hurtling due to gravitational mana."
"What about everyone on Earth? How can they escape this catastrophe?" Leon questioned, his fear and sadness deepening.
"At this rate, Earth will meet its demise," The old man said calmly.
Overwhelmed by shock, Leon suddenly inquired, "You told me I can save everyone. What is it? Tell me."
Before him, two clouds materialized, one bright white and the other dark.
The old man said, "Leon, I present you with two choices. Choose between them."
Leon hesitated, "What are these clouds?"
The old man pointed, "On my left, you see the white cloud. Can you touch and peer inside it?"
Shaken, Leon extended his hand into the white cloud. The vision within horrified him.
"This cloud shows me that I must abandon Earth and seek refuge on another planet. What about the people on Earth? You said I could save them."
"On my right," The old man continued, "you see the dark cloud. Can you gaze into it?"
Leon peered into the dark cloud, his terror intensifying.
"This can't be real. Tell me it's not true."
The old man replied calmly, "It's true. You can halt the hand, but you can't prevent the moon's collision. You will perish with Earth. After Earth is obliterated, the sun will absorb the planet's mana. Eventually, it will gain immense energy and attempt to repeat this cycle on other planets."
Leon's frustration erupted, "How does escaping to another planet alter this outcome? Both clouds foretell Earth's destruction. One shows me perishing with Earth, and the other shows me escaping. Ultimately, the sun consumes Earth and moves on to another planet. What's the purpose? Explain it to me."
The Oldman offered a gentle smile, "The sun cannot repeat this process for another 100+ years. It must accumulate sufficient mana again. You will be spared."
As the gravity of his decision weighed on him, Leon muttered, "Me or everyone else, life or death, people I know or myself, people..."
Whispers emanated from the colorless light he had observed earlier, "Leon, come here. I will grant your deepest desires."
The old man watched as Leon slowly moved toward the light. Leon reached out and touched it.
His eyes turned a vivid crimson as he grappled with his choice.
"Why is this light so serene? I can't resist it. It feels like home."
A voice echoed, "Leon, choose. Save everyone or destroy everyone."
Just as Leon was about to decide, a hand bathed in blue light pulled him back and whispered in his father's voice, "Son, don't tread the path I did," and then vanished.
Tears welled up in Leon's eyes as he thought, "Father?"
Leon fell to his knees, shaken and weeping. "Father, I'm not strong enough to save everyone or courageous enough to die while protecting others. I know I promised to protect everyone, but I'm afraid. Please, Father, guide me."
An unknown blue light whispered to Leon, "Choose what you wish to safeguard, not what needs rescuing."
Leon realized, "This isn't my father's voice," and wept with a mix of anguish and relief.
"What are all these voices? What is this place? Why am I so paralyzed by fear? Why can't I make a decision? Will I allow Earth to meet the same fate as my father? Somebody, please, aid me."
A hand rested on his shoulder, and as he looked up, he recognized it from childhood photos. He embraced the figure and exclaimed, "Mother."
The unfamiliar voice reassured him, "I'm not your mother. I'm one of the lights here. You gave me a form that brings you comfort."
Leon, still teary-eyed, said with a mixture of sorrow and relief, "I know, but it soothes me."
The unfamiliar light offered further comfort, "Leon, you needn't overthink. Consider what you can do. You possess strength. You will become a warrior who saves us all. Be courageous and rise. Grasp that which you can hold. Don't let go."
As the light began to fade, Leon found himself somewhat calmer and resolute about his choice.
Returning to The old man, he declared, "I choose the dark cloud."
"Step into the dark cloud, Leon. Your path has been determined."
---
In the underground sector HQ, with two days remaining until the moon's impact on Earth:
"Commander, all the royals have already departed. We should do the same," Everett urged.
Commander Kenzo's face contorted with anger. "Everett, what are you talking about? I can't leave without all my people."
Valerie interjected, "Mana depletion is increasing, and these civilians won't survive with another planet's mana density, not even for a single day. Here, at least, they can live for two days."
Everett pressed the point. "Commander, we need to leave now."
Out of the blue, an explosion jolted the underground facility. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the screen displaying the surface, and terror filled the room. The entire universe was in shock, seeing what was unfolding before their eyes.
Suddenly, a massive storm erupted on the surface, hungrily devouring every void that roamed there. It gobbled up everything, even the dust clouds that perpetually shrouded Earth.
The planet, once cloaked in cloud, now lay beneath a crystal-clear sky, with a colossal moon and a conspicuous hand looming overhead. The eerie wails of the voids trapped within the storm echoed across the universe, resembling the first cry of a newborn baby.
As they witnessed this phenomenon, a single thought occupied everyone's mind:
"Something remarkable is unfolding before us."
As the chapter unfolds, a significant cosmic event is beginning to take shape.
[End of Chapter]