Chapter 1473 Unsightly Reunion


    Author''s Note: Unedited Chapter


    ---------------------


    In the dimly lit confines of the spacecraft''smand center, the atmosphere was charged with a mixture of frustration and anticipation.


    Gustav faced the ethereal form of the system, his patience wearing thin.


    "What is with you and half-baked information? Just tell me the whole damn thing if you want to tell me anything at all!"


    The system, her form shimmering with a faint red glow, looked at Gustav with an expression that could only be described as an eye roll, despite her ethereal nature.


    ("It''s not my fault, Gustav. The knowledge you seek is bound to the pace at which you canprehend and withstand it without unraveling your psyche.")


    "I''m not some fragile relic that''s going to shatter. I need the truth, all of it. Now more than ever," Gustav voiced with an unwavering tone.


    "If anything, you seem to be the one who is unable to go further."


    Their heated exchange was suddenly interrupted by Endric, who approached them with a sense of urgency, diverting their attention to the navigational console.


    "We''re nearing our destination, everyone."


    The group gathered around the console, their faces reflecting the seriousness of their mission. Outside the viewport, the vastness of space stretched endlessly, the nearby constetions casting a celestial glow even though there were nos in sight. All they could see was a stark, empty quadrant where the Warp Demtor was predicted to appear.


    "How long until the Warp Demtor appears?" Ria inquired.


    "Two days, ording to thest calctions. We''re early, which gives us some room to prepare and make sure we''re ready."


    The group settled into a watchful silence, each person lost in their thoughts about the uing challenge. Gustav turned back to the system.


    "Look, I understand there are risks with knowledge. But knowing only parts of what I''m supposed to be or do isn''t going to cut it. Not now. If there''s more to being the ''outworldly,'' I need to know."


    ("The essence of being ''outworldly'' epasses roles and responsibilities that stretch across universes and timelines. You were a custodian of cosmic bnce, yes, but also a bridge between entities that were beyond ordinaryprehension. These entities, your past allies, and adversaries are bound to the veryws you once enforced. I won''t say more than this. You''ll figure the rest out as you grow even more unbound.")


    "I see," Gustav went into deep thought after his conversation with the system.


    He couldn''t deny that his understanding had increasedpared to two years ago, but it was still a lot to take in.


    Endric, sensing Gustav''s contemtion, approached with an update that momentarily shifted Gustav''s focus.


    "I''ll have the Sacred Armor ready for you to equip before the Warp Demtor appears. It should give you the added protection you might need."


    Gustav nodded, acknowledging the n, "Thanks, Endric. I''ll need every advantage I can get."


    Before further preparations could be discussed, an unexpected anomaly interrupted them.


    A small, golden glow appeared in the distant void of space, visible from their viewport. The group gathered around, their eyes fixed on the new spectacle.


    Falco, squinting towards the glow, spected, "Is that the Warp Demtor?"


    Endric shook his head. "The energy signature doesn''t match."


    "The warp demtor is more ashy and grey... This is something else," Gustav confirmed Endric''s statement.


    Without warning, the golden glow elerated, shooting straight toward their spacecraft. It phased through the hull as if it were made of light and headed directly for Gustav.


    Reflexively, he raised his hand to swat it away, but the glow expanded abruptly, enveloping him in a blinding light.


    Aildris, reaching out toward Gustav, cried out, "Gustav!"


    But it was toote. In a blink, the light and Gustav both vanished, leaving a stunned group staring at the space where he had stood just a moment ago.


    "He''s gone! I''ll start searching. Maybe he''s still close by..." With an expression of rm, Endric sprung into action.


    Utilizing his abilities, Endric blinked out of the room, teleporting across vast stretches of space in an attempt to locate Gustav.


    Falco activated his abilities as well. His form obscured by a dark cloak, blurred as he took to space, flying at incredible speeds around their current location, his eyes scanning for any sign of Gustav or the mysterious light.


    Meanwhile, Aildris and Ria worked frantically at the spacecraft''s console, initiating a deep-space scan.


    "I''m setting the sensors to maximum sensitivity. If he''s out there, we''ll find him."


    Minutes stretched into hours as the group''s efforts yielded no results. Endric returned to the ship, frustration etched across his face.


    "I''ve covered hundreds of thousands of miles. There''s no sign of him... He''s just... Gone."


    Falco,nding back in the bay with a heavy thud, echoed in sentiment.


    "Nothing out there. Whatever took him must have gotten him very far from here."


    "We''re running out of time. The Warp Demtor will be here in just over a day. Without Gustav..." Endric''s voice trailed off.


    What were they supposed to do? Ride the warp demtor themselves? Even as powerful as Gustav was, it was still a very big risk despite the sacred armor he''d be d in.


    Aildris taking a deep breath, tried to rally the group.


    "We can''t stop now. Gustav wouldn''t. If we can''t find him, we have to assume Gustav might find his way back."


    The group, united in their resolve but shaken by the uncertainty, set about their tasks with renewed urgency to search for any clue that might lead them to Gustav.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Gustav''s senses gradually adjusted as the disorienting golden glow faded, revealing an opulent room that seemed incongruously luxurious.


    He stood in the center, taking in the details: high ceilings adorned with intricate moldings, walls lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes and artifacts, andrge windows that showcased a skyline unmistakably belonging to Earth.


    The realization dawned on him—he was no longer in the vast reaches of space but back on his home.


    Before he could fully process the shift, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room.


    A young man with slightly tanned skin and meticulously styled dreadlocks entered, his presence familiar yet unexpected.


    "Hello Gustav," he said with a nonchnt ease, iparable to the gravity of the situation.


    Gustav''s eyes narrowed as he recognized the figure. They hadn''t seen each other in so long yet the circumstances of their reunion were far from ordinary.


    "Stark... I take it that this is your doing."


    Stark paused and his facial expression answered Gustav''s question. His stylish appearance, marked by a tailored suit that entuated his athletic build, contrasted sharply with the seriousness of his next words.


    "Yes, it was me. But believe me, when I say, I had no choice."


    Gustav''s stance hardened, his trust in his old friend wavering under the weight of his sudden abduction.


    "Why am I here, Stark?"


    Stark walked towards arge, ornate desk, leaning against it casually as if to ease the tension that filled the room.


    "You''re here because you needed to be away from the Warp Demtor''s appearance."


    Gustav''s eyes narrowed in suspicion immediately.


    Stark was aware of the Warp Demtor so their encounter was very much premeditated.


    "Send me back. Now. I have to finish what I started," Gustav demanded.


    "I can''t do that, Gustav," Stark shook his head.


    The luxurious room, filled with priceless artifacts and sumptuous decor, suddenly felt like a battleground as Gustav''s anger surged.


    A tangible wave of energy erupted from him, radiating outwards and causing the entire building to tremble. The fine china in the cabs rattled ominously, and the crystal chandeliers swayed perilously from the ceiling.


    "I''m not ying games, Stark. You need to send me back now. I have less than a day before the Warp Demtor appears," Gustav''s voice sounded eerily calm but the waves of energy erupting from him depicted the opposite.


    As the vibrations from his outburst resonated through the room, two guards d in shimmering silver robes materialized seemingly out of thin air, rushing towards Gustav with lethal intent.


    Stark''s voice cut through the tension, a note of urgency creeping into his normally calm demeanor.


    "Wait, hold—"


    But before Stark could finish hismand, Gustav reacted.


    With swift and precise movements, he incapacitated the first guard with a sharp, controlled jab to the sr plexus, sending him spiraling towards the other end of the space.


    Bam!


    The second guard barely had time to implement a bloodline attack before Gustav''s palm strike met his chin, knocking him unconscious before he even hit the floor.


    "If it weren''t for our past, Stark, you''d have lost a few limbs by now. Consider this a warning."


    Stark, witnessing the swift takedown of his guards, let out a heavy sigh.


    "Gustav, I truly had no choice in this matter. There are factors at y here bigger than us both. Come with me, please."


    The tension in the air remained thick as Gustav nodded curtly. His expression was a mask of controlled bloodlust as he followed Stark through the hallways of the building.