THE PURPLE DOME OVERHEAD RIPS OPEN.

I pause mid-flight as I hear the crackle of the tearing sky. I cast my gaze up, beyond where the twin suns are setting on the horizon. Space itself warps— bending and distorting as if turning into itself over and over again. Like a ripple in the still surface of a lake, or a concavity in the mirror.

There is a flicker. Then a flash. A glimmer of light shines from a single focal point at the highest point in the sky. It shines brighter than both the suns for a single moment, before dimming. I know what is happening, even before what comes next.

I have already seen it before. Plenty of times. And as have the people of Utana. They have experienced the dread that comes with it. First, when Galgom arrived with his Hive. Next, when Idu and the void pirates began his invasion of this world. The slaves he sent as a first wave were difficult to deal with, but ultimately, with my friends’ help, we managed to repel their assault before they could cause too much destruction. And while Frozenpeak was destroyed, most of its citizens managed to evacuate to safety.

Unfortunately, the second wave— the hordes of Zombies— that they unleashed upon this world were far more effective. These undead creatures spread through Utana like a plague, infecting every living thing. And they had been far more numerous too. Tens of thousands of pod carrying dozens of Zombies each fell from the sky, increasing their numbers with all the life they took.

We didn’t manage to save Warmthkeep in time. The city was completely taken over, barring a few thousand survivors. But we managed to wipe out the undead plaguing both the Blazing Desert and the Flourishing Flatlands. But now— now before I can move on to the Frosty Mountains or the Desolate Caverns, the third wave of Idu’s attack begins.

I grit my teeth and take in a deep breath, feeling how much strength I have left. I am tired. Especially after having just fought all those Zombies in Warmthkeep. I only barely managed to rest for a little bit after escaping from my own self-imprisonment with my Imprisonment Feat.

But despite my exhaustion, I know I have to act. I know I must close that tear in space no matter what happens. I look at it, and I see it sparking. Blue, green, red, purple— iridescent sparks wisp off the sky as the rift in space continues to grow larger.

This is the longest it has continued to carve through the skies of Utana. And unlike before, nothing is sent through gap right away. Previously, both the Eternal Elementals and the Zombies were launched down into the world the moment the hole formed up above.

Right now, I see nothing making its way through the rift in space. I just see an empty void at the other side as the scar in the sky continues to grow larger. Whatever is coming, it must be big.

My eyes flicker as I remember what I saw when I peered into the void between worlds. In the vast expanse of nothings— a canvas that is entirely blank, not black, not red, not white. There are no colors in the void. It is, after all, the empty space between worlds.

It is almost paradoxical. The fact that there is space between worlds implies that there is something there, but there is nothing there. Not time, not space— no sense of anything. I know what it is like for I have fallen into the void once before. And whenever I travel through space, I get a similar sense of disconnect to existing.

But I have never seen anything while in the void. Not even myself. After all, there is nothing to perceive. Yet, when I went to close the last rift that opened up in Utana when the Zombies were unleashed, I saw a little speck in the nothingness.

A gray world. A world made of metal. The world of the void pirates. Idu’s world.

It looked so tiny from afar, but I knew it was an expansive, giant place. I thought there would have still been some time before it reached Utana— but somehow it is here.

I look up into the rift in the sky, and what I see is not an empty void. What I see is not an unending space of nothingness. No— there is a gray surface bearing down on the world. One that is only getting closer and closer. It still is not hear yet, but I know it will reach Utana soon.

That is why I have to act. If this rift is left alone to continuously grow, then I will not be able to close it before Idu’s world arrives here. Then it will all be over.

There can be no resistance held up against the void pirates. Galgom alone with his Hive was more than enough to bring Utana to its knees. Idu’s forces dwarfs Galgom’s, and it is not even close. No matter what, this has to be stopped.

So I spread my wings wide. I muster up all of my strength to power my Aspect, carrying me high into the sky. Far above the clouds. I soar up beyond where birds sail. To the rift that has begun a gulf.

I look down at the world below me. At Utana. The four domains. The Flourishing Flatlands. The Blazing Desert. The Frosty Mountains. The Desolate Caverns. It is so large. Yet, so small and fragile compared to Jhisie. This sight— it invigorates me. While this world is not mine, it has become my own. I shall do everything I can to save it.

Then I finally reach the crack in the sky. I look towards the void. Towards Idu’s world. I see it approaching, rotating slowly. As if it is tumbling, somehow gently. Like an approaching comet, but with grace. A falling rock that lightly sinks to the bottom of the riverbed.

I shake my head and spread my arms wide.

“I will not let you destroy this world!” I bellow as I grip into reality itself.

I begin to pull it together. The same way I did the last time around. But this time, the gap is wider. This time, there is a lot more resistance. This time, I am already tired. Soul Cycle has recovered what it can of my strength, but it is not enough.

I grit my teeth, feeling my strength waning. My body wants to give up, even though my soul is willing. Even though my heart is trying to push me on. I can feel my grip slipping.

“Pointless,” a voice says.

And I recognize it. I do not glance around me in confusion, for I already know who said it. It is a tinny voice. Metallic— almost like that of Galgom’s Esh or En.

It is the voice of Idu.

“Give up,” he continues, somehow transmitting his words into my mind. “There is no hope. You who do not belong in this world. Return to yours, and I shall forgive you for your actions here. But if you continue, then I shall find your world and bring it to ruin.”

I pause. I slowly process this threat— this ultimatum.

“Destroy… my world?” I repeat what he said, not because I misunderstood him, but because I am in shock.

“Yes.”

There is a moment of silence where Idu does not speak. I almost lose my grip, letting reality once again tear open. Then the leader of the void pirates continue.

“This is your last chance.”

I blink. Then my brows snap together. “I refuse,” I adamantly say as I tug space back together with one last attempt at closing the rift.

The crack in the sky begins to close. I begin to sew it back together with all my strength. I bring thin threads of my Qi, weaving them around this hole to close it. Like it is a tear in a cloth. But it is not enough. So I draw forth the power of the Elocunive, mustering up one of my Feats.

“The Guardian’s Blessing.”

And metal-like needles spin out from my back. They begin to threads into the torn space, helping me sew it back together. Perhaps, this time, even stronger than before. It almost looks like it is working. Most of the broken space begins to close and reform—

Then Idu speaks once again.

“Unfortunate.”

And something shoots out from the giant sphere. A beam of red light blasts out, heading straight for Utana. My eyes grow wide as I see it tear through the void at incredible speeds. The crimson light leaks through the vestiges of broken space, bloodying the purple sky for just a single moment.

Then the attack hits. It strikes the repaired space with an overwhelming power. One that knocks me back even before I can get out of the way. I look up as I see a new hole being bored through the sky. Almost like space itself is melting away. I reach out to fix it once again, but then I see the red beam beginning to leak through.

I hesitate— then I act. I move out of the way just in time as the last of the repaired space gives way. The beam of red light continues, striking down into Utana. It does not erupt into a giant explosion. Rather, it drills straight through the earth in a straight line.

I can feel its power, even from the side. It is not heat, but pure concentrated energy. I stare at the deluge of energy coming down, boring a hole straight into the core of the world, and I know I would have died if I did not move out of the way. I wait for it to let up. Eventually, the beam stops coming. And when I look down, I see a gaping hole that drills straight down, stopping only where a layer of Lifeblood lies.

When I look up towards the sky, I see the same giant hole. A hole in space that is too big to close. A gulf that will let Idu cross.

I slowly descend, knowing that I cannot fix it anymore. That Idu’s descent into Utana is inevitable. And worse of all— that I have failed.