Astra Blaze soared through the debris field, her Solar Prism pulsing with a golden light that illuminated the wreckage of the Prism Corps flagship, the Stellar Dawn. Its once-proud hull was now a mangled skeleton, a testament to the ferocity of the battle with Xanathar Prime and his armada. A wave of nausea washed over her as she glimpsed the lifeless forms of her comrades, Denarians and Millennians alike, caught in the crossfire. Grief threatened to consume her, but she forced it down. There were survivors to find, and vengeance to be served.
A flicker of movement on the sensor grid caught her eye. It was faint, but unmistakable. A life pod, drifting amidst the wreckage. Hope surged through Astra. She swooped down, maneuvering through the twisted metal beams with practiced ease. The pod was battered and scorched, but its emergency beacon pulsed weakly. With a surge of solar energy, she ripped open the hatch, revealing a lone figure slumped inside."Vega?" Astra's voice trembled.The figure stirred, a groan escaping her lips. It was Vega Specter, her face pale and streaked with grime. Relief flooded Astra. At least one of her teammates was alive."Astra," Vega rasped, her voice weak. "We...we failed."Astra helped Vega out of the pod, her heart heavy. "We didn't fail, Vega. Not yet. Where's Cygnus? Did you see him?"Vega shook her head, wincing in pain. "I...I got separated in the chaos. The Dark Prism's power...it was overwhelming."Astra gritted her teeth. Xanathar Prime's dark energy had seeped into the battle, draining the Prism Corps members of their strength. It was a tactic they hadn't anticipated.Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled. A colossal Xandrosian warship emerged from the wreckage, its obsidian hull casting an ominous shadow. A figure materialized on the bridge, his crimson armor glinting in the starlight. Xanathar Prime."Astra Blaze," he boomed, his voice echoing across the debris field. "A resilient cockroach, I'll give you that. But even you cannot defy the inevitable."Astra raised her chin, her gaze unwavering. "You may have won this battle, Xanathar, but the war is far from over."Xanathar threw back his head and laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You are but a flickering ember, Astra. Soon, even that will be extinguished."He raised a hand, and a wave of dark energy surged towards them. Astra reacted instinctively, channeling the Solar Prism's power to create a shimmering shield. The energy slammed into the barrier, sending shockwaves that rippled through the debris field."We need to get out of here," Vega strained, her voice laced with urgency.Astra knew she was right. They were outnumbered, weakened, and facing an enemy wielding the corrupting power of the Dark Prism. But retreat wasn't easy. Nova City, the heart of the Prism Corps, was likely under siege. Their only hope was to regroup with any surviving members and formulate a counter-offensive."We head for Vorlax," Astra declared, her voice firm. "The Vorlaxians have the technology we need to repair the hyper warp engine and warn the Galactic Council."Vega nodded, her eyes hardening with newfound determination. "Then let's go."With a burst of solar energy, Astra propelled herself and Vega towards the nearest piece of intact wreckage, a large chunk of the Stellar Dawn's hull. It wouldn't be a comfortable ride, but it would get them out of Xanathar Prime's immediate reach. As they disappeared into the darkness, a single thought echoed in Astra's mind: they would rebuild. They would avenge their fallen comrades. And they would defeat Xanathar Prime, no matter the cost.