Chapter 115

Ali knelt among the wreckage of the research ship, his dark eyes scanning the broken bodies of the research team scattered across the deck. The stench of death and decay was overwhelming, but Ali's focus was razor-sharp. He sifted through the remains with a steady hand, examining what little was left of their white armour and shattered blasters. Most of the gear was useless, reduced to scraps in the violent crash.

However, as he turned over the body of one of the soldiers, his fingers brushed against something unusual. Hidden within the interior lining of the soldier's chest armour was a small, concealed pocket. Ali carefully reached inside and retrieved a metal key, plain and unassuming, but clearly important enough to be hidden.

'A key…' Ali thought, weighing it in his hand. 'Now to find the lock it opens.'

This discovery reignited his search. The device was secure on his back, but the key hinted at another piece of the puzzle. Ali silently made his way through the ship again, combing through every room with precision.

Each room told the same story of chaos and destruction—broken furniture, cracked screens, and shards of metal strewn across the floor—but no sign of a locked compartment.

When Ali re-entered the first room he had searched earlier, something changed. The mark on his wrist began to burn faintly, a tingling heat spreading across his skin. He stopped in his tracks and glanced down at the mark.

'So, now you decide to help me?' he thought wryly, his eyes narrowing. 'Only when I have the key, huh? Maybe it's smarter than Veska said.'

Taking the signal as a clue, Ali turned his attention back to the room, this time searching with certainty to find something. His hand passed under one of the bunk beds, brushing against something unusual.

The texture was different—smooth and metallic, not the rough surface of the bed's underside. Ali pressed firmly against the spot, and a small box dropped to the floor with a muted thud.

Crouching down, Ali retrieved the box. It was small and compact, with a single lock on its opening. He inserted the key into the lock, the mechanism clicking open with ease. Inside, nestled securely, was a small shard-like chip, the kind meant to be inserted into a comms device.

Ali slotted the shard into his device, and a message appeared on the holographic display.

"The data must be delivered to Lord Vrixor and no one else but him."

The message was followed by a string of numbers and symbols that Ali couldn't decipher. 'This must be the data,' Ali thought as he kept the shard inside his comms device

Checking the time, he saw he had only fifteen minutes left before the rescue ship was scheduled to arrive. 'I've got everything I came for,' Ali thought as he tapped the side of his belt, where a red flare gun was holstered.

'I don't know if I've been lucky or unlucky so far,' he mused as he approached the ship's entrance. 'Or maybe one just makes their own luck.'

Standing at the edge of the broken door, Ali scanned the peaks around him. Rain lashed against his face, the storm showing no signs of relenting. The air was filled with the low rumble of thunder and the occasional crack of lightning. Thankfully, there were no monsters lurking nearby, no jagged legs stabbing up from the abyss.

"I'll need to get higher," Ali muttered to himself. "Better to avoid risking another monster crashing into the ship during the pickup."

He jumped onto the roof of the ship, his body moving with precision and grace despite the slippery surface. From there, he scanned the surrounding peaks and selected one with a wide, flat top. It would give him enough space to stand and signal the rescue ship without fear of losing his footing.

Ali sprinted across the roof, leaping onto the chosen peak. He began scaling its jagged surface, using his superhuman strength to pull himself up despite the battering rain and ferocious winds.

Rocks broke loose under his grip, tumbling down into the abyss below. Lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating the storm-torn landscape in flashes of blue and white.

The climb was gruelling, but Ali's resolve didn't falter. With a final heave, he pulled himself onto the flat summit of the peak, collapsing briefly onto the wet stone to catch his breath. The air was thinner here, each inhalation feeling sharp and cold against his lungs.

Ali checked the time on his comms device. A minute or two remained before the rescue ship's scheduled arrival. Pulling out his flare gun, he loaded it and pointed it skyward.

Through the rain and swirling clouds, Ali spotted the shadow of a ship cutting across the storm, lightning streaking behind it. Without hesitation, he fired the flare, watching as the bright red light arced into the sky.

His Force sense then alerted him of a sudden surge in the Force.

"NO!" Ali shouted as a sudden, fierce gale of wind swept across the peak.

The powerful gust nearly knocked him off his feet, forcing him to brace himself. He thrust his hand outward, using the Force to push back against the wind, but it was too late for the flare. The wind caught it mid-flight, sending it plummeting into the abyss below.

Ali stared down at the void, frustration flashing in his dark eyes. 'What now…?' he thought grimly, his signal wasted.

But the worst was yet to come. The flare that was meant to signal his rescue accomplished the complete opposite as from the depths below, six monstrous insects surged upward, their legs stabbing into the peak with terrifying speed.

Ali looked down watching the monster approaching, his eyesight blocked as blue thunder struck their path scaring four of them away but two dodged the lightning and continued stabbing the peak towards him with an obsession of reaching Ali. 'The two that i shot', Ali thought as he noticed their injured eyes.

Ali stepped back to the centre of the peak, setting the device down beside him. His mind raced as he weighed his options, knowing escape was impossible. 'There's only one way,' he thought, steeling himself for what was to come. 'This better fucking work or I'm in deep shit here!.'

Rising to his feet, Ali extended his hand above his head. He began channeling the Force with everything he had, releasing wave after wave of energy into the air above him. Though there was nothing tangible in the sky to push against other than wind, he continued to burn through his Spirit, pouring his energy into the storm itself.

The insects drew closer, their screeches piercing through the roar of the storm.

BOOOOOOOOM!

A blinding bolt of lightning struck Ali's outstretched hand and landed on the Force he was releasing, the force of it sending a shockwave rippling through the peak. His hand burned instantly, the flesh charring black as the overwhelming energy coursed through him. But Ali didn't flinch. He gritted his teeth and kept channeling the Force, directing the lightning into a concentrated stream.

The continuous strikes of lightning obliterated his arm, reducing it to a crisp blackened husk. His healing cells worked in overdrive, desperately regenerating the damage even as the lightning destroyed parts of his body again and again.

'Not enough,' Ali thought, his body trembling under the strain. His Spirit pond was nearly empty, and the relentless power of the storm threatened to overwhelm him.

He opened one eye, sweat mixing with rain as he glared at his interface.

Free AP: 2.5

Strength: 0

Body: 0

Speed: 0

Spirit: 0

Intelligence: 0

Luck: 0

'This better work,' he thought, his voice strained even in his mind.

Free AP: 2.5 → 0.5

Spirit: 0 → 2

The change was immediate.

"Ugh!" Ali groaned as a surge of raw power exploded through his body. His Spirit pond TRIPLED in size, refilling completely in an instant. His muscles swelled, his bones strengthened, and the overwhelming energy of the Force flowed through him like never before.

Straightening his knees, Ali stood tall against the torrent of lightning, his smouldering form defiant as he prepared for his next move.

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