Chapter 15

The Universal Ark slows its velocity as the Outskirts of Meeresboden come into view. The stars are thin. The colors outside the windows shift from brilliant azure streams to darker, more somber purples and greens. A massive ring of ancient, floating planets and fragmented celestial debris looms ahead.

The planet where Kifo resides can barely be made out beyond the growing layers of distortion—where darkness thickens like fog.

Inside the command chamber, the captains gather around Shizuku as he stares out into the void.

Shizuku (firmly):
We’re here.

They all turn to him as the room quiets.

Shizuku:
You all have 8 more hours to train and 10 more hours to sleep. Use it accordingly.

The captains nod in unison with practiced discipline. Shizuku gives a final look at them before turning to leave.

...But the moment his back turns—

Cue the hum of a console powering up.

Lily:
Astera, you ready to lose again?

Astera (grinning):
In your dreams, Princess. This time I’ve got the Spirit Combo Chip installed.

The screen lights up with the title: “FATE FIGHTERS IX: RANSEN’S RISING” — a loud “CAN YOU ESCAPE THE CROSS OF FATE? GO!” echoes as the two begin smashing buttons.

In the lounge area nearby—

Berwick:
—no, no, no, you're missing the point. Desire is not inherently selfish—it’s an arcane signal of trajectory. You're reading Jung too flatly.

Asche (arms folded):
And you’re forgetting the effect of social rune conditioning. You can’t reduce self to archetype without acknowledging the structural system it emerges from.

Berwick:
Spoken like someone who drinks tea with existentialists.

Asche:
At least I read  them.

Across the chamber, Eris is carefully threading Alto’s hair into tightly woven celestial braids, enchanted with gravity runes that keep stray strands from floating in zero-g or battle conditions.

Alto (mildly amused):
You’re enjoying this too much.

Eris (smirking):
Shush. You always complain when you get stardust tangled in your bangs.

Shizuku pauses outside the room, sensing the low vibrations of very little training going on. He leans back into the doorway, arms crossed, watching silently.

Shizuku:
Eris and Alto are… slightly productive, I’ll give them that.

No one notices him. He shakes his head with the faintest of smiles and turns away.

Scene shifts to the private training chamber.

Shizuku sits on the floor, closing his eyes as the mana around him condenses. His spear floats beside him. Thoughts drift: of how far they’ve come, of Lily and Astera bickering like kids, of Berwick and Asche’s philosophical battles, of Alto’s laughter echoing through the ship...

A quiet breath escapes him as he presses his hands together in focus.

Shizuku (softly): Eight hours. Ten hours. Then darkness.