"This device… it's a conduit for the Aether," Luka said, his eyes narrowing as he studied the intricate patterns on its surface. The energy swirling around the temple was intense, but Luka felt no pull of responsibility, no sense of obligation to protect or serve anything.
No, this was different—this was power waiting to be unlocked, waiting for someone like him to discover it.Kaela stood beside him, her gaze focused on the device.
"The Aether is reacting to it," she remarked, her voice tinged with curiosity. "But this… it doesn't feel like the other sites we've encountered. There's something more personal here, more direct."
Luka's lips curled into a small, confident smile. "It's like it's waiting for someone who knows what to do with it—someone who isn't afraid to take control."
Kaela's golden eyes flicked toward him, her expression thoughtful. "You don't feel any need to protect this place, do you?"Luka shook his head, stepping closer to the altar.
"Protect? No. Why would I? This isn't some sacred relic that needs guarding. It's power—real power. And if I don't take it, someone else will. The galaxy doesn't wait for anyone."
His hand hovered over the metallic device, the Aether pulsing stronger as it resonated with his touch. Luka's mind raced with possibilities. This was what he'd been looking for—not a burden, not a responsibility, but an opportunity.
The Aether was energy, a tool that could be shaped, used, and bent to his will. It wasn't some mystical force meant to be worshipped or guarded—it was something to be understood, harnessed, and used to achieve his goals.Kaela didn't stop him.
She wasn't the type to impose her will on others, and that's why Luka respected her.
She might have been raised with her own traditions, her own beliefs, but she wasn't about to lecture Luka on what he should or shouldn't do.
She respected his decisions."I won't lie," Kaela said, crossing her arms as she leaned against the temple wall. "There's a part of me that wonders if we're pushing into territory we don't fully understand. But I'm not here to stop you."
Luka gave her a sideways glance, appreciating her honesty. He didn't need a guardian. He needed companions who understood that in this vast, chaotic universe, it was the bold who thrived.
"I'm not here to follow someone else's path," Luka said as he touched the device, the energy surging through his fingertips.
"This—this is what I want." The moment his hand made contact with the device, the air crackled with energy, and the walls of the temple trembled. The Aether coursed through him, not as some mystical guide, but as raw, untamed power.
Luka closed his eyes, feeling the rush of possibilities flooding his mind—new abilities, new knowledge, and new paths opening before him.
But this wasn't destiny. It wasn't some ancient force steering him toward a predetermined end. No, this was his choice. The Aether was a tool, a key to unlock greater things, and Luka was going to use it to shape the galaxy the way he wanted.
As the device pulsed with light, it sent a wave of energy into the room. Kaela, standing nearby, narrowed her eyes, sensing the intensity but not moving to interfere.When the light dimmed, Luka opened his eyes, feeling stronger, sharper. The device now rested quietly, its energy transferred into him, leaving the room silent.
He felt the Aether thrumming inside him, the knowledge of how to control and wield it more clearly than ever before.Kaela approached, her expression unreadable. "You seem… different.
"Luka chuckled softly. "I've just realized that this universe? It's full of opportunities. I don't need to be a 'guardian' of anything. I'll take what I want from the Aether, and I'll make my own path."
Kaela raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. She knew better than to try and convince Luka otherwise. His free will, his desire to explore and understand, was what made him different from those who saw the Aether as something to worship or protect.
"So, what's next?" Kaela asked, her voice calm but curious.
Luka glanced up at the sky through the cracks in the temple ceiling. "The universe is endless. We've only scratched the surface. I don't know where we'll go next, but I know one thing—I'm not tied to any kingdom or destiny. I'm going to explore, learn, and take what I can from the Aether. There's so much more out there, and I intend to claim it."
Kaela nodded, her wings flexing slightly as she glanced back at her mecha. "Then let's go. I've never been one to follow someone else's plan either."
They left the temple behind, the energy still radiating from the site but no longer their concern.
As Luka climbed back into Vigil, he felt the Aether inside the mecha responding to him more clearly than ever. It wasn't just a connection anymore—it was an extension of him. The Aether crystal at the heart of Vigil pulsed in time with his heartbeat, and Luka could feel the potential of what Vigil could become.
The mecha's systems hummed to life, and Luka activated the controls, guiding it out of the crater and back into the open sky.
Kaela's draconic mecha followed, its wings catching the faint light of the distant star.As they soared through the void, Luka opened a comm channel to Kaela.
"The galaxy's not going to hand us anything," he said, his voice filled with purpose. "But that's fine. I'm not waiting for anyone to give me permission. We take what we want."Kaela's voice came over the comms, calm but filled with a shared resolve.
"I wouldn't expect anything less."They left the moon behind, the stars stretching out before them. Luka set a course for the next set of coordinates—another unexplored region, another opportunity waiting to be seized.
The Aether was vast and filled with secrets, but Luka was in control now, and he would decide how to use it.
As Vigil sped through the stars, Luka's mind was clear. He wasn't a guardian, he wasn't bound by destiny, and he wasn't following some ancient prophecy. He was Luka—a free pilot, a seeker of power and knowledge, and someone who would forge his own path through the galaxy.And whatever the universe had in store, Luka was ready to face it on his terms.