While Welp is walking inside a jet, he suddenly spots Nixxin's grandfather across the narrow aisle. He quickly rushes toward him, relief flashing across his face.
"Hey! Grandpa, where's Nixxin?"
Grandpa turns slowly. His expression is tight, full of worry. "I don't know. Before the demon attack in Proxima Centauri, I lost sight of him. I have not seen him since."
Welp feels a chill crawl up his spine, but before he can respond, far away from them, Nixxin is living through something far worse.
Nixxin stumbles out of Datora's Gate, his body shaking. Behind him is something impossible. A massive, unmeasurable hole floats in space, as if reality itself had been torn apart. It was struck by Skyline using a terrifying mix of light, magic, and advanced technology. The void pulses faintly, swallowing everything around it.
Before Nixxin can even process what he is seeing, rescue teams rush toward him. Mages and technicians work together, their movements fast and precise. They grab him and pull him into a rescue spaceship.
Inside the ship, Nixxin struggles to catch his breath. His mind races.
What the hell just happened?
How could the demon attack cause this much destruction?
Even the Dyson sphere is gone. Completely destroyed. Torn apart like it was nothing.
He looks out through a nearby window. Proxima Centauri B now has a massive hole carved into it. A planet, broken open.
"What is happening?" he whispers.
Then panic hits him harder.
Where are Grandpa and Uncle Welp?
Before he can spiral further, someone approaches him from behind.
"Hey, Nixxin. What a coincidence seeing you here."
Nixxin turns around. Of course. It is Aeolous.
Nixxin stares at him for a second, then sighs. Why do I always run into this guy?
"Yeah," Nixxin replies flatly. "What a coincidence."
Aeolous glances back and waves. "Hey Util, Drei, Nixxin is here."
Before Nixxin can react, Aeolous grabs his arm and pulls him forward. Util and Drei are sitting nearby. Nixxin raises a hand and gives a tired wave.
"How the fuck did I meet you guys here?"
None of them really have an answer, but somehow it feels normal in the middle of all this chaos.
The four of them eventually settle near the edge of the ship, lying on the cold metal floor as the stars drift past outside. The hum of the engines fills the silence.
Nixxin cannot stop thinking.
Grandpa. Welp. Are they alive?
"Where is this spaceship going?" Nixxin finally asks.
Util pauses, pulling a straw from his iced coffee. He thinks for a moment before answering. "I think it is heading to Ross 128 B. We should arrive there soon."
Drei continues staring out into space, his face unreadable. "Where is your family?" he asks quietly.
Nixxin looks at him, his chest tightening. "I did not see my grandpa or uncle after the rescue."
Util takes another sip of his coffee, then stops mid motion. His expression changes slightly.
"Mine died during the battle between Skyline and that demon," he says.
The others go silent.
"They were shopping inside the Dyson sphere when it happened. A massive mirror cut through it. Just split it apart. Everything collapsed." He looks down at his drink. "I checked the casualty list. I found their names. Confirmed dead."
The weight of his words sinks into the group. No one speaks. The hum of the ship feels louder now.
For a moment, it seems like Util might stop there.
But then he continues.
"Karma really strikes three times," he says calmly. "I think it is because those idiots did not bring me along on their shopping trip."
His face remains completely serious.
Nixxin stares at him, shocked.
Aeolous bites his lip. Drei turns his head away.
Both of them are clearly trying not to laugh.
The tension cracks, just a little.
When the ship finally arrives at Ross 128 B, the doors open slowly.
The four of them step outside.
The planet is breathtaking.
And yet, something about it feels deeply sad.
The sky is dim, covered in layers of dark clouds that glow faintly with shades of red and violet. The land stretches endlessly, filled with strange beauty. Trees with crimson leaves sway gently in a quiet wind. Flowers glow in deep shades of maroon and gold.
Everything is colored in dark tones. Gray, black, red, violet, white, yellow. It is beautiful, but in a way that feels heavy.
Almost mournful.
"I have never seen a place like this," Aeolous mutters.
Nixxin nods. "It feels alive. But also empty."
As they walk further, they notice something strange.
There is no visible technology anywhere.
No ships. No devices. No glowing cities.
But the planet is not abandoned.
People are here.
They just are not outside.
The streets are quiet as the four of them walk through them. Then, finally, they spot someone.
An old lady stands near the side of the road.
"Guys, look," Nixxin whispers. "Do you see that?"
The others focus on her.
"She is not like me," Nixxin continues. "Spacemen like me have glowing skin, eyes, and hair. But she only has glowing hair."
The group exchanges confused looks.
"It should not be possible," Drei says.
They approach slowly, but the woman does not react much. She simply watches them, her glowing hair flickering softly in the dim light.
"This place is strange," Util mutters.
With no better plan, they decide to check into a nearby hotel.
The building looks normal from the outside, though still lacking any visible technology. Inside, it feels even stranger.
As they walk down the hallway on the third floor, they begin to hear voices.
People are talking.
Laughing.
Arguing.
Every room they pass is filled with noise.
"That is weird," Aeolous says. "I thought no one was outside."
Nixxin steps closer to one of the doors. There is a small gap, just enough to peek through.
He looks inside.
And freezes.
"They are in there," he says slowly.
"Of course they are," Util replies. "Where else would they be?"
Nixxin shakes his head, his voice quieter now.
"They are inside. Alive. Talking. Living their lives."
He steps back.
"But none of them are coming out."
The hallway suddenly feels much colder.
Something is wrong with this planet.
Very wrong.