Chapter 246: The Return of the Goddess
Tessa stood at the edge of the wormhole, her feet rooted firmly to the ground as a mixture of emotions coursed through her. Relief, determination, and an unshakable resolve radiated from her. The Woman Universe Tree had sacrificed part of its immense energy to teleport her here, to the very base of the wormhole, ensuring her return journey was not just possible, but inevitable.
Her mind raced with thoughts of her mission. She now had the power, the knowledge, and the tools to return to Earth, confront Rhemon, and face the forbidden-level god, Erodius—otherwise known as the darkness within. The lives of so many rested on her shoulders: her brother Adrian, the green Rhemonics, and even the Deri-Legu people who had put their faith in her. She clenched her fists, steeling herself for what lay ahead.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the wormhole.
The world around her dissolved into a cascade of blinding light and motion. Unlike her previous journey, this time she felt in control. The time seed within her had activated, granting her a profound connection to the timelines. She could see memories unravel before her as though they were strings of light. They danced around her, vivid and real, yet intangible.
For the first time, she could touch these memories. She could walk through them, examine them, even linger without being absorbed. Each fragment of time felt like a doorway she could open and close at will. Yet, she knew better than to tamper with them; her mission required focus.
Her movement through the wormhole was nothing short of extraordinary. What had once taken hours now felt like seconds. The time seed pulsing within her accelerated her journey a thousandfold, and before she could fully process the breathtaking chaos around her, she was thrust out of the wormhole.
She had returned.
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Aboard 'the whale' spaceship, Nzak Deri stood with his arms folded, his eyes fixed on the expanse of space before him. His posture was resolute, his expression calm but unwavering. For an entire month, he had stood vigil at the wormhole's entrance, waiting for a sign—any sign—that Tessa would return.
The Deri-Legu people had long since grown restless. Many had urged him to abandon this fruitless wait and return to Zubo Planet. "We've waited long enough," they had argued. "We cannot remain here forever. What if she's gone for good?"
But Nzak Deri had refused to listen. He had brushed aside their concerns, his faith in Tessa unshaken. "She will return," he had told them repeatedly. "Our goddess always finds her way back."
And now, it seems, his patience and faith was going to be rewarded.
A figure appeared at the edge of the wormhole, emerging from its swirling depths like a comet streaking across the void. The crew erupted into chaos at the sight.
"Alien! Alien!" a voice shouted in alarm, and panic spread like wildfire. Crew members scrambled to their posts, fumbling with controls and readying the ship's defenses. Lights flashed, alarms blared, and the atmosphere became charged with fear and tension.
Through it all, Nzak Deri remained still, his eyes locked onto the display panel. Something about the figure seemed familiar. His heart raced as he studied it more closely.
"That's not an alien…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. Then, louder, with a mix of awe and triumph, he declared, "That's Tessa. Our goddess. By the gods, she is back!"
The room fell silent for a heartbeat before the realization dawned on the rest of the crew. Cheers erupted, filling the air with an almost deafening sound.
"She's back!"
"Our goddess has returned!"
The joy was palpable, spreading like a wave through the ship. Crew members embraced one another, tears of relief streaming down their faces.
Nzak Deri's voice cut through the celebrations with a commanding tone. "Get ready to open the entry arch! Prepare to bring her aboard. Ready the thrusters and put the spaceship on autopilot."
The crew snapped to attention, their movements now fueled by excitement rather than panic. Panels lit up, switches were flipped, and the ship came alive with activity.
Nzak Deri allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. He had been right to wait, despite the doubts and the pressure to leave. He could have turned back on the seventh day, the fourteenth day or the twenty-first, but he hadn't. His faith had held firm, and now, it was being rewarded.
Through the viewing panel, Nzak Deri watched as Tessa drew closer. Her presence was nothing short of divine—a radiant force that seemed to blur the line between mortal and celestial. She wasn't merely a girl anymore; she had transcended into something greater, a living embodiment of power and purpose. To the crew, she was their mechanical goddess, a luminous beacon of hope. With her return, the scales of fate, once tipped against them, were bound to shift.
As the entry arch groaned open to welcome her, a wave of pride and relief surged through Nzak. The waiting had been excruciatingly long, each moment a test of faith and patience, but it was all worth it. Tessa was here, and even the vast silence of space seemed to tremble in anticipation of what her presence might bring.
Stepping into the ship, Tessa was greeted by jubilant scenes. The crew erupted into cheers, their faces alight with joy. She allowed a small smile to grace her lips, though part of her had feared a different reception. In the quiet of her thoughts, she'd worried they might have abandoned her, assuming she was lost forever.
Only after leaving the wormhole did she uncover the truth: time in the secret realm of the Universe Tree was unlike anything else. It wasn't just slower—it was nearly stagnant, an unmoving river where seconds stretched into eternity. For her, it felt as though mere minutes—or at most, a few hours—had passed. But beyond the confines of that realm, in the outer world and aboard the whale spaceship, an entire month had gone by.
Seeing them still there, waiting for her, stirred something deep within her. Their loyalty touched her in ways she hadn't anticipated. It didn't take long for her to understand the reason they hadn't left. Her eyes met Nzak Deri's, and in that moment, she knew—his unwavering belief in her had kept them together, holding fast against the tides of doubt.
She had been right to place her faith in him.