Chapter 708: Planet Pylon Expedition Report

Chapter 708: Planet Pylon Expedition Report

Narrator: It is now January 5th, Year 14,198

Zeth, Sasha, Kurt, Emily, Joe, Pearl, Lavana, Herbie, Dusk, Kasuma, Laila, and Jeff are gathered in their conference room, all sitting in chairs in a circular pattern.

Zeth: “Okay, let’s go over what we learned while on Planet Pylon.”

Sasha: “I met and befriended a dark divine being named Madeena. Unlike all other dark divine beings, her eyes were not black, but they were blue. Not only that, her blue eyes gave her a unique power to transform into a giant stone titan. Ronzic felt that she would be able use the power of the pyramid to help accomplish Project Sputnik which was his plan to leave the planet and go find a new home.”

Kurt: “What exactly is the connection between the pyramid and Project Sputnik?”

Sasha: “Admittedly, I don’t know. Once they captured our ship, why wouldn’t they just use our ship to leave? What would the pyramid be needed for?”

Zeth: “I got a feeling that merging with the abyss made Ronzic go crazy. I’m not convinced that even he knew how the pyramid would help.”

Pearl: “Perhaps there is a connection between Ronzic merging with the abyss and his obsession with the pyramid.”

Lavana: “So, what are you saying? That people who have Abyss Magic are subconsciously influenced to be obsessed with the pyramids?”

Pearl: “It’s a possibility.”

Zeth: “I don’t know if I buy that. Korobu wasn’t obsessed with any pyramids. He was obsessed with serving Dakame.

Sasha: “Agreed. We have a sample size that is too small right now. We can’t make any conclusions yet.”

Joe: “We should be bummed that another pyramid was destroyed before we could study it.”

Emily: “I would say that we are bummed but hopefully the next planet will allow us to investigate a pyramid without getting into a major conflict.”

Laila: “Despite the close call on Pylon, I am enjoying travelling around to different planets. But yes, hopefully the next one won’t be so hostile, and we mortals can check it out too.

Sasha: “Anyway, there is something else that needs to be brought up. Zeth, it’s time you tell us about that star of yours.”

Zeth: “Okay, I guess I will open up about it. It’s not something I trained myself to use. The first time I used it was in my final battle against Korobu. I didn’t really think about forming it… It just happened… It happened right after Korobu formed his own large rideable skull. It’s difficult to describe. I had never done it before, and yet, it felt natural to form that star. This battle against Ronzic was the second time I have used it.”

Sasha: “Wait, I did catch the end of your battle against Korobu and thought I saw you riding on something, but it was hard to tell from the distance I saw it at.”

Kurt: “So, you didn’t train for it? How did you use it this time?”

Zeth looks at the palm of his left hand.

Zeth: “I felt a sensation…”

Zeth begins having a flashback to just after he was knocked away by the mutant dragon.

(Flashback)

There is a trail of carved ground which ends where Zeth’s body ended up, indicating that his body dragged across the ground. Zeth rubs his head as he sits up.

Zeth: “That bastard…”

He stands up.

Zeth: “How far away am I now? He sent me flying with that hit. It pisses me off that he merged with the abyss. Without that, he would have fallen long before this point. I hate him.”

Still in Soul Power, Zeth charges up his soul magic energy even higher. He has an intense look in his eyes. He takes one step forward but loses his footing a bit as his whole body twitches for a moment. He regains his footing before falling to the ground.

Zeth: “What was that? What is this strange sensation that I’m feeling now? It’s like something is coming from my chest…”

Zeth raises his left arm up and starts forming a large star in his hand. Once it is fully formed, he places it on the ground in front of himself.

Zeth: “Wait, I recognize this star! I formed this in my battle against Korobu! If it’s the same thing, then I should be able to ride it!

Zeth steps onto the star and gets in a surfer pose. He grits his teeth with intense anger.

Zeth: “All right! Let’s ride!”

The star starts flying higher and then zooms forward in the direction of the battle.

(End Flashback)

Zeth: “That’s how it happened.”

Sasha: “That is bizarre. Could you form it right now?”

Zeth: “I suppose I could try.”

Zeth raises his left arm and tries to form the large star. Unfortunately, nothing happens.

Zeth: “I guess I can’t.”

Emily: “So, basically, you have a situational power since you don’t know how to use it at will?”

Zeth: “That sounds like an accurate assessment to me.”

Kurt: “Let’s think about what these two occasions have in common.”

Joe: “I think I know where you’re going with this.”

Dusk: “Is it that Korobu and Ronzic were both major assholes?”

Herbie: “Sounds reasonable to me.”

Kurt shakes his head with a sigh and then responds.

Kurt: “No, it’s that they are both connected to the abyss.”

Pearl: “Now, that sounds actually reasonable.”

Sasha: “Again, we have too small a sample size to make that conclusion. After all, Zeth did not form the star in our battle on Mars against Rover and Bennu.”

Pearl: “That’s fair, but it seems too much to be a coincidence that the star could fit perfectly into that star-shaped indent on the stone titan’s forehead.”

Joe: “Not to mention the fact that it increased the stone titan’s power significantly. Damn it! We need definitive answers! I hate that every step we make just results in more questions!”

Zeth: “I know how you feel. All we can do is keep moving.”

Jeff: (Speaking confidently) “Well, whatever happens, you can continue to count on me to get the Stargazer safely to any destination!”

Zeth smiles and nods.

Zeth: “Yes, Jeff. We will continue to rely on you. You are arguably the most important member of the team.”

Sasha: “I think this should be the end of our meeting. Unless anyone has anything specifically they want to mention, everyone is dismissed.”

Everyone gets out of their chairs and begins to go their separate ways, except Zeth and Sasha.

Zeth looks at Sasha.

Zeth: “I guess we've got to type up the reports to send back to Heaven.”

Sasha: “Yep. We'd better get to it. I’m sure they will be eager to read our latest updates.”

***

Narrator: Later, in Zeth’s and Sasha’s personal room.

Zeth and Sasha sit at a desk, typing out their reports on their computers. Both of them soon stop typing and hit the ‘Enter’ key.

Zeth: “Done!”

Zeth leans back in his chair.

Sasha: “Hopefully, they can figure things out. Maybe even come up with things that we didn’t consider.”

Zeth rubs his nose while looking up at the ceiling as he continues to lean back in his chair.

Zeth: “You know, it’s pretty funny after how long it took us to end the Heaven and Hell conflict on Earth, we have ended those conflicts on two other planets very quickly.”

Sasha chuckles.

Sasha: “That’s what happens when you enter those conflicts already powerful enough to end them.”

Zeth stretches his arms out while yawning.

Zeth: “Yeah, you’re right. But still…”

Zeth stands up and starts walking over to their room’s window to look out into space.

Sasha: “Zeth?”

Zeth: “…Do you wonder if these planets have had their own version of Zenos? Or Poleon? We know what started the conflict in our world, but what about Flora World? Or Pylon…?”

Sasha stands up and walks over to the window to stand next to Zeth.

Sasha: “I think… perhaps every world has their own origin story for their conflict.

Zeth puts his right hand on the window.

Zeth: “If the next planet has a tyrant we have to defeat, I wonder what he or she will be like?”

Sasha: “Who knows… Maybe we will have to fight a light divine being and a dark divine being at the same time.”

Zeth looks at Sasha.

Zeth: “What? Like a light and dark being who are in love with each other, just like us? Well, except that they are evil.”

Sasha giggles.

Sasha: “Wouldn’t that be amusing?”

Zeth turns his attention to the window again.

Zeth: “Yes, I suppose it would.”

***

The ship continues to fly through space and is close to leaving the solar system.

Narrator: With another planet successfully saved, the Stargazer travels through the darkness of space once again. Their galactic journey is not over yet. What awaits them ahead in their next destination?

Chapter 708 END

To be Continued in Chapter 709: Continuation of the Deity of Suns’s First Trial

Author's Note: While the story of the arc is done, there are technically 2 more chapters left in the arc.