The chamber shook violently as the growl reverberated through the metal walls, like some ancient predator rousing from its slumber. Sam's heart raced as he stood frozen in place, staring at Lumen's form locked in the stasis pod.
"Kian! What the hell was that?" Sam shouted, his voice cutting through the rising panic.
"I've got bad news," Kian muttered, his face paling as he scanned his datapad. "That's not the ship shifting—something's inside, and it's moving fast. We've got to get out of here!"
The ground beneath them trembled as the low growl turned into a piercing roar, shaking dust from the walls. The temperature dropped sharply, the air thick with something primal and wrong.
Sam tightened his grip on the Void Reaver, feeling its energy hum in response to the rising danger. "Lila, get Lumen out of that pod—now!"
"I'm trying!" Lila's fingers flew over the control panel, her brows furrowed with concentration. "The system's locked... someone's reinforced this. I need more time."
Nova's glow brightened, flickering with worry as she hovered beside Lumen's pod. "We don't have time—whatever's coming is close."
Suddenly, a metallic screech echoed down the corridor behind them, followed by the sound of heavy, slithering tendrils scraping against the floor. The creature from the Veil was closing in.
Sam took a step back, his instincts screaming at him to run, but he couldn't leave Lumen behind—not after coming this far.
"Kian! Nova! Prepare for combat!" Sam ordered, his voice hard with urgency. "Lila, you've got one minute. We can't wait any longer."
The Beast Emerges
The lights flickered as the walls shook again. Then, from the shadows of the corridor, the creature appeared—a towering mass of writhing tendrils and eyes, its body pulsing with dark energy. It was like something pulled from a nightmare, with limbs too long and too many, twisting through the air like living shadows. Its form was constantly shifting, slipping between the fabric of space and time, making it hard to tell where it truly was.
One of the tendrils lashed out, snapping toward Sam with impossible speed. He dodged just in time, swinging the Void Reaver in a wide arc, the blade crackling with cosmic energy as it cut through the air. The tendril recoiled, but not without leaving a deep gouge in the floor where Sam had been standing.
"That thing doesn't look friendly," Kian muttered, already prepping his blaster.
"It's not here for a conversation," Sam growled, gripping his sword tighter. "Just keep it off us while Lila finishes!"
The beast roared again, shaking the entire ship as more tendrils lashed out. Nova zipped through the air, her light brightening to blind the creature, drawing its attention. "Over here, ugly!"
One of the tendrils swiped toward her, but she dodged with ease, using her star-born speed to dance through the shadows.
Sam lunged forward, slashing at another tendril with the Void Reaver. The blade cut deep, leaving a trail of shimmering stardust in its wake, but the creature barely slowed. It was relentless, its form twisting and bending in ways that defied the natural laws of physics.
A Desperate Escape
"I've got it!" Lila shouted triumphantly as the stasis pod unlocked with a hiss, releasing Lumen from her suspended state. Her form began to stir, the tendrils of energy around her dissipating slowly.
But the beast was upon them. One of its massive tendrils crashed into the ground beside Lila, throwing her back against the wall. Sam barely managed to pull her to safety, his sword flashing as he cut through another tendril aiming for her.
"We need to move, now!" Sam shouted, his voice filled with urgency. "Lumen's out—let's go!"
Nova and Kian were already firing at the beast, their attacks buying precious seconds as Lumen stumbled forward, disoriented but alive. Her eyes were wide with confusion, but she didn't hesitate—she could sense the danger.
Sam didn't need to say more. He grabbed Lumen's arm and pulled her toward the exit, the rest of the crew following close behind. The ship groaned as the creature's weight bore down on it, tendrils tearing through the bulkheads and walls.
The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly before them as they sprinted toward the airlock. The beast's tendrils smashed through the walls behind them, ripping through the metal like paper. A massive limb crashed down in front of them, blocking their path, but Sam didn't stop. He swung the Void Reaver with all his strength, the blade glowing brightly as it cleaved through the tendril in one clean stroke.
"Go, go, go!" Sam shouted, pushing Lumen forward as the beast let out another deafening roar.
The Final Push
The Star Chaser was in sight, its airlock open and waiting. But the creature wasn't done—it surged forward with terrifying speed, its tendrils snaking across the floor, walls, and ceiling, trying to block their escape.
"Kian, seal the airlock as soon as we're inside!" Sam ordered as they reached the ship.
The crew dove through the airlock just as a massive tendril slammed into the side of the Star Chaser, shaking the entire ship. Sam was the last to enter, barely making it through before Kian slammed the controls, sealing the hatch shut. The creature's tendrils scraped against the hull, but the ship held firm—for now.
"Engines!" Sam barked, sprinting to the helm.
"I'm on it!" Kian's fingers flew over the controls as the Star Chaser's engines roared to life.
The ship lurched forward, breaking free from the wreckage of the derelict ship. The creature gave chase, its form growing larger as it surged through the Veil, its tendrils lashing out at the ship.
"We're not going to outrun it," Lila said, her voice tight with fear.
"Then we'll outfight it," Sam growled, his eyes narrowing. He glanced at the Void Reaver, which still pulsed with faint energy. This wasn't just any sword—it was tied to him, to the stars, and maybe, just maybe, it was enough to face this monstrosity.
With a final thrust, the Star Chaser shot forward, cutting through the mist like a bullet. Behind them, the creature roared in frustration as it fell behind, its tendrils unable to reach them.
The Calm After the Storm
The crew slumped into their seats, breathing hard as the ship finally drifted into the quiet emptiness of space. The tension lingered in the air, but for now, they were safe. The creature had been left behind in the Veil, its nightmarish form swallowed by the mist once more.
Sam turned in his chair, his gaze landing on Lumen, who sat silently in the corner of the cockpit. Her eyes were distant, still processing everything that had happened. There were so many questions, but none of them felt urgent in that moment.
He sighed, feeling the weight of everything crash down on him. "We made it."
Kian let out a shaky laugh. "Barely."
Lila wiped sweat from her brow, glancing at Lumen. "What now?"
Sam looked at her, then at Lumen, and finally at the crew. He didn't have all the answers. But one thing was certain—they weren't done yet.
"Now, we figure out what Lumen knows," Sam said. "And we get ready for whatever's next."
Because something told him, whatever was waiting in the next part of the galaxy would be even worse.