**
---
The ship surged forward, cutting through the vast emptiness of space, leaving the shattered realities behind. The gentle hum of its engines was the only sound in the cabin as Sora sat in the cockpit, the weight of the recent events heavy on his mind. His hand still clenched the shard of light, its glow faint but constant, a reminder of the choice he had made in the fractured nexus. He glanced out the viewport, where a new destination loomed—a swirling anomaly in the depths of space, pulsating with an energy that seemed to vibrate with the very rhythm of the cosmos.
"What is that?" Sora asked, his voice barely a whisper, his curiosity piqued by the strange anomaly before him.
*"That is the Heart of the Universe's Pulse,"* the ship responded, its tone reverberating with awe. *"It is a focal point of cosmic energy, a place where all paths converge and diverge. The pulse you feel is the heartbeat of all things—every star, every galaxy, every life force in existence is connected here."*
Sora furrowed his brow. "So, this is where everything begins and ends?"
*"In a way,"* the ship replied. *"The Heart of the Universe's Pulse is where the threads of destiny are woven, where the very fabric of reality is knitted together. Here, you will find the final fragment—the one that binds the pieces of the puzzle you have been following."*
Sora nodded, though a sense of unease began to settle in his chest. The journey had been long, filled with challenges and revelations, but this—this felt different. There was something about the Pulse that seemed both familiar and alien, as if it were calling to him, beckoning him toward a truth he wasn't yet ready to face.
As they drew closer to the anomaly, the light from the Pulse bathed the ship in a soft, radiant glow. The energy in the air seemed to vibrate with life, and the fabric of reality itself appeared to warp and bend, as if time and space were being shaped by an invisible force. Sora's heart raced, the pull of the Pulse growing stronger with each passing moment.
"This feels... strange," Sora murmured, gripping the controls. "Like it's watching us."
*"It is not watching, captain,"* the ship responded, its voice laced with caution. *"It is waiting."*
Suddenly, the ship jerked violently, as if struck by an invisible force. Sora's hands tightened on the controls, but the ship seemed to be losing its stability, as though it were being pulled in multiple directions at once. The Pulsing energy intensified, and the view outside the viewport shifted—no longer a starry expanse, but a swirling, chaotic maelstrom of colors and shapes, a vortex that seemed to devour everything in its path.
"What's happening?!" Sora shouted, his voice tinged with panic.
*"The Heart's energy is destabilizing,"* the ship explained urgently. *"It is reacting to your presence, captain. The fragments you have gathered are not just pieces of a puzzle—they are keys to unlocking something much greater."*
Sora's mind raced. "What do you mean? What's about to happen?"
Before the ship could respond, the anomaly exploded in a burst of blinding light. Sora was thrown from his seat, his body weightless as the ship was enveloped by the Pulse's energy. A deafening roar filled the air, as though the entire universe were trembling. His vision blurred, and for a brief, terrifying moment, he felt as though he were no longer in control of his own body—like he was floating, detached from his own existence.
---
Sora's senses returned slowly, the blinding light fading into a dim, shimmering glow. He blinked, disoriented, and looked around. He was no longer in the ship. He stood alone in a vast, infinite expanse—a place where the laws of reality seemed to bend and break, where light and darkness coexisted in a delicate balance. In the distance, a massive structure loomed, its form both alien and familiar, as if it had existed since the dawn of time.
"What is this place?" Sora whispered, his voice trembling.
*"This is the Nexus,"* the ship's voice echoed through the space. *"The point where all paths, all realities converge. The place where the universe's pulse originates."*
Sora's heart raced as he realized the significance of the Nexus. This was no ordinary place—it was the very core of existence, the heart of all that was and ever would be. Every decision, every choice he had made had led him here. The fragments he had collected were not just keys—they were part of a greater whole, a force that had been waiting for him to unlock its true potential.
At the center of the Nexus stood a figure—a being made of light and shadow, its form shifting and changing with every heartbeat. It was both malevolent and benevolent, a creature of paradox. Its presence filled the space with an overwhelming sense of power, and yet, Sora couldn't shake the feeling that it knew him, that it had been waiting for him all along.
"You have arrived," the figure intoned, its voice resonating within Sora's very soul. "The one who has crossed the stars, the one who has touched the pulse of the universe. You are the catalyst for what is to come."
Sora took a step forward, his breath catching in his throat. "Who are you?"
"I am the Heart of the Universe," the figure replied. "I am the beginning and the end. I am the pulse that sustains all life, and I am the force that will unravel it when the time comes. But you, Sora, you are not just a traveler. You are the one who will decide the fate of everything."
The weight of the figure's words pressed down on him, and Sora's mind swirled with confusion and fear. He had thought his journey was about finding fragments, unlocking secrets. But now, standing before this entity, he realized that everything he had done, every step he had taken, had been leading him toward this moment.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked, his voice shaking. "What do I have to do?"
The figure's form shifted again, and for a brief moment, Sora saw his own reflection in its shimmering surface. "You must choose, Sora. You must decide whether to embrace the pulse of the universe or to sever it. The fragments you carry hold the power to shape reality itself. To wield them is to command fate. But be warned—every choice has its cost."
Sora's heart pounded as he looked at the fragments, still glowing faintly in his hand. They had brought him here, to the very core of existence, but now he had to decide what to do with them. The weight of the universe seemed to press down on him, and for the first time, he realized that his actions could change everything.
He stood there, frozen, unsure of what the right choice was. Could he truly control the fate of the universe? Or would he unravel it all by trying?
*"The choice is yours, captain,"* the ship whispered, its voice soft but filled with urgency. *"But remember, the pulse of the universe is not just a heartbeat—it is a rhythm that cannot be ignored. Time is running out."*
Sora closed his eyes, his mind racing. He could feel the weight of destiny in his hands, and he knew that whatever decision he made would change everything.
---
........
"Don't miss the chance to get advanced chapters of my novel for FREE! Just copy the link now and start reading!"
https://shorturl.at/3DZhG