The deeper they ventured into the station, the more it felt as if the very air itself was alive, watching them, waiting. The once dimly lit corridors grew darker, the shadows creeping deeper into every corner. The station's pulse, once a gentle hum, had escalated into a low, rhythmic thrum, like the beating of a colossal heart.
Iris's heart matched its rhythm, pounding in time with the station's unnatural energy. Each step she took felt like a decision made in a dream—a force pulling her forward, guiding her, making her forget everything except the whispering voice that now echoed in her mind.
**"I am waiting..."**
The words drifted in and out, like a fading memory, but they were constant, persistent. It felt as though the station itself was calling to her, beckoning her to uncover something long forgotten. She could feel the weight of that anticipation, the pull of something immense beneath her feet.
"Keep your wits about you," Kian murmured from behind her. His voice was tight, wary, but it didn't stop him from keeping pace. His eyes darted over the walls, always alert, never relaxing. He was used to danger, but something about this felt different—this wasn't just a threat to their lives. It was something far older, more profound.
"I know," Iris whispered, her gaze never leaving the path ahead. She was fighting the rising tide of unease, but a part of her, deep down, yearned for whatever came next. "But I can't turn back now, Kian."
At the end of the hallway, they finally reached what appeared to be a large chamber. The door before them was heavy, its surface covered with more of the glowing symbols that had become so familiar to them. They pulsated as they approached, lighting up in response to their presence, as if the door itself recognized them.
"Ready?" Captain Rhea asked, her voice low but commanding. Her eyes were sharp, calculating, but Iris could see the same uncertainty flicker behind them. Even the seasoned captain could feel the gravity of the situation.
Iris nodded, her pulse quickening. She placed her hand against the door, the cool metal cold under her fingertips. The symbols glowed brighter, and a low hum resonated through her bones, matching her heartbeat.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the door shuddered, the sound of ancient mechanisms groaning under their strain. Slowly, almost reluctantly, it began to open.
Inside was a vast, open space, unlike any part of the station they had encountered so far. It was like stepping into a forgotten temple, its high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings and strange, shifting patterns of light. The air was thick with energy—dense, charged, and yet oddly comforting. A faint warmth radiated from somewhere deep within the chamber, the kind that you might feel in the presence of something alive.
In the center of the room stood a pedestal, carved from what seemed like the same material as the rest of the station. On top of it, suspended in the air by some unseen force, was a crystal. It was enormous, its surface refracting the light around it, casting beautiful, shimmering reflections that danced across the walls. The crystal glowed with an ethereal, blue light, pulsing in time with the station's heartbeat.
Iris couldn't tear her eyes away from it. She felt an overwhelming sense of recognition, as though the crystal had always been a part of her, as though it had been waiting for her to find it. She felt its energy calling to her, reaching out across the void between them.
And then, with a soft voice, the station spoke once more.
**"Touch it, and you will know."**
Iris's breath hitched. There was no hesitation this time. The voice had made its intentions clear. The path before her was set.
Before she could react, she felt a hand on her arm. Kian. His grip was firm, but there was a quiet desperation in his touch.
"Iris," he said, his voice low and urgent. "We don't know what this is. We don't understand it. You don't have to do this."
But Iris shook her head. "I do," she whispered, her voice filled with a conviction she didn't quite understand. "I have to know."
Without looking back, she stepped forward, her hand extending toward the crystal.
The moment her fingers brushed against the cool surface of the crystal, everything changed. The room seemed to shift, the walls bending and warping as though the very fabric of reality was warping around her. The air grew thick, oppressive, and Iris felt a surge of energy coursing through her, more intense than anything she had ever experienced. Her body trembled, her mind reeling, and for a fleeting moment, she was caught in the overwhelming force of the crystal's power.
And then, the world around her shattered.
Iris fell to her knees, the energy that had flooded her body now a wild, chaotic storm. She could hear voices now—countless whispers—each one speaking a different language, a different tone. The room had disappeared, replaced by a swirling vortex of images, sensations, and memories.
And then, like a flicker of light in the darkness, a vision appeared before her. A woman, standing tall and regal, her eyes glowing with an ancient light. Her features were familiar, hauntingly so, but Iris couldn't place them. The woman spoke, though no words passed her lips. It was as if the message was being sent directly to Iris's mind, bypassing language altogether.
**"You are the one. The time is now. The stars have chosen you. Go forth, daughter of the stars, and fulfill the legacy."**
The vision faded as quickly as it had come, leaving Iris breathless, her hands gripping the floor as she struggled to catch her breath. The energy was still swirling inside her, a relentless storm of power and knowledge. Her mind was ablaze with visions, the weight of centuries of history and ancient truths crashing down on her.
"Iris!" Kian's voice broke through the haze, and she blinked, the room returning to focus. He was kneeling beside her, his hands gripping her shoulders, his face etched with concern.
"I'm fine," she whispered, though the words felt distant. She looked up, meeting his gaze, but there was a strange distance in her eyes now. Something had changed inside her, something irreversible.
"What happened?" Captain Rhea asked, her voice tight with concern.
Iris took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. She could still feel the remnants of the vision—the weight of it lingering at the edges of her consciousness.
"I saw her," Iris said, her voice shaky. "The woman. She called me 'daughter of the stars.' She said the time was now. That the stars have chosen me."
Kian's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean, Iris? What did she want from you?"
But Iris couldn't answer. The words caught in her throat, and all she could feel was the overwhelming sense of purpose that surged within her. Whatever it was—the legacy, the calling—it was something that had been set into motion long before she had ever stepped onto this ship. She was a part of something much larger than herself, and there was no going back.
And now, as the station seemed to settle around them, Iris understood that this was only the beginning.
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