**
---
Sora's journey had led him to a point of no return, yet even in the face of uncertainty, he could not shake the weight of the figure's words. *"The fate of the universe depends on whether or not you can control it."* The pulse inside him thrummed as if to remind him of that immutable truth, its rhythm both soothing and unsettling. He had been chosen—he was the heir to something far greater than he could fully understand—but what did it mean to wield such power? Could he truly control the pulse, or would it control him?
The days since his encounter with the figure had passed in a blur, the stars above him twinkling with an eerie sense of anticipation. Every night, Sora felt the pulse growing stronger within him, urging him forward, guiding his steps as if it were alive. He had no choice but to follow its call, to uncover its secrets and face whatever consequences awaited him.
But the universe was vast, and Sora knew that the path ahead would not be simple. The Keepers were still out there, and the forces the figure had warned him about were not idle. They, too, sought the pulse, and their motives were anything but clear.
The ship that had once been his reluctant vessel now felt like an extension of himself. He had come to know its every creak, every hum, as though the ship itself were alive, connected to the pulse in ways he had yet to fully grasp. The creatures that powered the ship, intelligent and mysterious, were as enigmatic as the pulse itself, but they had become his companions, each with its own role to play in the grand puzzle of the cosmos.
Tonight, however, the air was different. The ship's usual hum had grown quieter, more subdued. Sora could feel something shifting in the distance, a ripple in the fabric of space that reached out to him like a forgotten memory, a whisper from a time long past. The stars beyond the ship's windows seemed dimmer, as though they were losing their light, being swallowed by an unknown force.
*"Sora,"* a voice echoed softly, one that he recognized immediately. It was the voice of the ship's captain, a creature unlike any he had encountered before—a being of light and shadow, a living entity bound to the very core of the ship. The captain had always been an enigma, offering guidance when needed, but never revealing its true nature.
*"The pulse is shifting,"* the captain continued, its voice both calm and urgent. *"You must prepare yourself. The time has come to face what lies beyond."*
Sora's heart quickened as he felt the ship's energy surge in response to the captain's words. There was a change in the pulse, something he hadn't expected. The creatures that powered the ship began to stir restlessly, their glowing forms flickering in agitation. The pulse, once steady and predictable, was now unpredictable, a tidal force that surged and receded with an almost violent intensity.
*"What do you mean?"* Sora asked, his voice barely a whisper, as he moved closer to the ship's central hub. He could feel the temperature drop, the air growing thick with tension. The stars outside had begun to flicker and fade, their light dimming as if they were being pulled into some unseen abyss.
*"The pulse is a beacon,"* the captain said, its voice now tinged with a sense of foreboding. *"It calls to those who are attuned to its frequency. And there are those who have heard its call. Beings who have long slumbered in the deep reaches of the cosmos. They are waking now, drawn to the pulse. They are coming, Sora. And they are not like the Keepers."*
Sora's breath caught in his throat. The Keepers had been dangerous enough, powerful beings who sought to control the pulse for their own purposes. But these new beings—the ones the captain spoke of—were something else entirely. Sora had no idea who or what they were, but the sense of danger was palpable, rising in his chest like a storm ready to break.
*"What are they?"* Sora asked, his voice low, his hand instinctively reaching for the pulse within him.
The captain's presence seemed to shift, and for a moment, it felt as though time itself had slowed. *"They are the Echoes,"* the captain replied, its voice now trembling with an almost ancient fear. *"Beings who were once the architects of the universe, before time as you know it began. They are the forgotten ones, the ones whose names were erased from the stars. They are the ones who created the pulse—and they have returned to claim it."*
The words hung in the air like a weight, and Sora's mind reeled. The architects of the universe? The creators of the pulse? His connection to the pulse had always felt deep, almost instinctual, but this—this revelation—was something far beyond his comprehension. These beings, the Echoes, were older than anything he had encountered, older than the Keepers, older than the gods themselves.
*"How can I stop them?"* Sora asked, his voice firm, though doubt gnawed at him. He had already faced so much—fought battles and uncovered secrets that he could barely begin to understand. But this? This felt different.
The captain's answer came with a deep sorrow, a lament that reverberated through the very walls of the ship. *"You cannot stop them, Sora. They cannot be stopped by force or will. They are beyond the reach of any power you know. The only hope lies in understanding their true nature. To do so, you must journey to the heart of the pulse—to the place where it was first born. It is there that the answers lie."*
Sora's heart sank as the captain's words settled in. The heart of the pulse? The place where it had been born? He had thought he had already discovered everything the pulse had to offer, but this was a whole new level of mystery, one that threatened to swallow him whole.
The captain fell silent for a moment, its form flickering like a dying star, before speaking again, its voice filled with urgency. *"Sora, you must go. The Echoes are already on their way. They are closer than you think. The heart of the pulse is the only place where you might find the strength to face them."*
Sora stood in the central hub of the ship, his mind racing as he processed the captain's words. The Echoes were coming. They were older than time itself, and their purpose was unclear, but one thing was certain—they sought the pulse, and they would stop at nothing to claim it.
His destiny had always seemed intertwined with the pulse, but now, it seemed as though the pulse itself was the key to unlocking a deeper mystery—one that could either save or destroy the universe. And the Echoes, whatever they were, would be the ultimate test.
Sora took a deep breath, feeling the pulse inside him steady. He had no choice. He would have to journey to the heart of the pulse, face the Echoes, and discover the truth behind the very force that had brought him here. But as he turned to prepare for the journey ahead, he knew one thing with certainty: The universe would never be the same again.
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**
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