🌌 STARLOST
Episode 8 — "The Variable"
Morning feels… normal again.
Too normal.
Sunlight. School noise. People laughing.
Like nothing ever happened.
But Aira notices it immediately—
Nova hasn't said a word since last night.
---
In class, the teacher is explaining something.
No one is really listening.
Aira leans slightly toward Nova.
"You've been quiet."
Nova doesn't look at her.
"They changed the target."
Aira's smile fades.
"…What do you mean?"
Nova finally turns to her.
"You are now part of the mission."
For a second—
She doesn't understand.
Then it hits.
"…Me?"
Nova nods.
"They identified you as a variable."
Aira forces a small laugh.
"Wow… I always wanted to be special, but not like this."
Nova doesn't react.
That scares her more.
---
After school—
The sky suddenly darkens again.
Clouds move unnaturally fast.
Wind picks up across the town.
Students look around nervously.
Aira grabs Nova's arm.
"Is this them?"
Nova's voice is low.
"Yes."
"Stay close to me."
---
On the empty road near the school—
Everything stops.
No cars.
No people.
Just silence.
Then—
A single figure drops from the sky.
The Hunter.
He lands without a sound.
Dust rises slowly around him.
His glowing eyes lock onto Aira.
"Secondary target confirmed."
Aira steps back.
"…I really hate this guy."
Nova steps in front of her instantly.
"No."
The Hunter speaks calmly.
"Human subject will be removed."
Aira clenches her fists.
"Can you at least stop talking like that?!"
The Hunter ignores her.
He moves.
Faster than before.
This time—
He doesn't aim for Nova.
He goes straight for Aira.
---
Everything slows.
Nova's eyes widen.
"No—!"
Time distorts violently.
The world stretches.
The Hunter's movement slows—
But not enough.
He's still reaching her.
Still getting closer.
Nova pushes himself harder.
For the first time—
Time begins to break.
Not freeze.
Not slow.
Break.
Fragments of moments flicker around them.
Different seconds overlapping.
Aira sees it.
For one impossible instant—
She sees multiple versions of Nova.
All trying to reach her.
All failing.
Her voice trembles.
"…Nova?"
---
Then—
Silence.
Complete silence.
Everything stops.
Not just time.
Everything.
Color fades.
Sound disappears.
The world becomes still.
Only Nova is moving.
Breathing heavily.
Looking around in shock.
"What… did I do…"
He looks at Aira.
Frozen in place.
The Hunter.
Frozen mid-attack.
Nova steps forward slowly.
For the first time—
He is completely alone in time.
He reaches Aira.
His hand stops just before touching her face.
"If I move you… will it break everything?"
His voice is shaking slightly.
He doesn't know.
For the first time—
Nova is afraid of his own power.
---
Then—
A crack.
A sound like glass breaking.
The frozen world begins to fracture.
Time is restarting.
Too fast.
Too unstable.
Nova grabs Aira and pulls her back—
Just as everything snaps back into motion.
The Hunter's attack misses.
Barely.
Aira falls to the ground, breathing heavily.
"What… was that…"
Nova looks at his hands.
"I… don't know."
---
The Hunter steps back.
For the first time—
He does not attack immediately.
His glowing eyes analyze Nova.
"Temporal distortion beyond recorded limits."
"Anomaly classification updated."
He pauses.
Then says—
"Threat level: Critical."
He looks at Aira.
Then back at Nova.
"Both targets confirmed."
Without another word—
He disappears again.
---
Silence returns.
But it feels different now.
Heavier.
More dangerous.
Aira slowly stands.
"…Okay. I'm officially done with aliens."
Nova doesn't respond.
He's still staring at his hands.
Quietly.
"What am I becoming…"
---
High above Earth—
Inside the alien vessel—
Alarms flash across every screen.
Multiple systems reacting at once.
A scientist shouts,
"He stopped time completely!"
The commander watches calmly.
But his eyes narrow slightly.
"Impossible…"
A new command appears.
FINAL PHASE AUTHORIZATION PENDING.
The commander speaks one final line—
"If the anomaly evolves further…"
"Erase the entire zone."
---
And for the first time—
Earth itself…
has become expendable.