1627 The Final Vestige Author's Note: Unedited Chapter ------------ Gustav's spacecraft exited the wormhole smoothly, revealing an expanse of space unlike any he had seen before. The stars here seemed dimmer, as though their light had been partially drained by the immense force emanating from a central point. Suspended in this patch of space was a single, massive star glowing faintly crimson, pulsating with an ominous rhythm. It was as if the universe itself was warning him of the power that resided here. He adjusted the controls, and the spacecraft slowed to a crawl. Gustav could feel it—the faint essence of his final vestige, almost imperceptible, hidden within the star's core. Yet, what overwhelmed his senses even more was the overwhelming presence of a being. This wasn't just any being; this was one of the oldest cosmic superior beings in existence. As Gustav floated closer, his senses sharpened. A ripple moved through the void, and space itself seemed to warp and twist, forming a massive figure before him. The being materialized, his form humanoid but impossibly vast, his silver hair cascading like a waterfall of starlight. His eyes were hollow, glowing orbs that reflected the very fabric of existence, and his robe shimmered with the light of countless galaxies. This was Thyrel, an ancient cosmic superior being and an old ally of Ehyrian—an ally who had turned against the Outworldly's vision. "So," Thyrel said, his voice deep and resonant, echoing across the void. It was less a sound and more a vibration that Gustav felt in his very core. "The reincarnated Outworldly graces me with his presence." Gustav stepped out of his spacecraft, floating effortlessly in the void. His piercing eyes locked onto Thyrel's, unfazed by the godlike being before him. "You knew I was coming," Gustav stated coldly. "I did," Thyrel replied, his expression unreadable. "I could sense your approach from galaxies away. And yet, here you are, still naïve enough to think you can take what does not belong to you." Gustav's eyes narrowed. "The vestige is mine. It's a fragment of my being. You're merely a thief holding onto what doesn't belong to you." Thyrel chuckled, a sound that sent shockwaves rippling through the void. "Ehyrian always believed in you, despite your flaws. But I do not share his sentiments. I will not let you reach the level of the deities. It is a power no one should ever wield again." "Is that your excuse for betraying Ehyrian?" Gustav asked, his tone sharp. "You, who once stood by his side, now hoard power in the name of protecting the universe? Hypocrisy suits you poorly, Thyrel." Thyrel's expression darkened, his glowing eyes flaring. "Ehyrian's ideals blinded him. He failed to see the chaos his actions could bring. The deities once ruled unchecked, their power twisting the universe into their plaything. I will not allow history to repeat itself." Gustav clenched his fists, cosmic energy radiating from his body in waves. "This isn't about the deities. It's about Nocturnis. If you think I'll let your fear of the past stop me from saving the future, you're mistaken." Thyrel raised a hand, and the space around them began to shift and distort. Stars dimmed, and the crimson light of the central star grew brighter, casting an eerie glow over everything. "You are not ready, Outworldly. Your power, even now, is a shadow of what it once was. You will not take this vestige from me." "We'll see about that," Gustav said, his voice calm but laced with resolve. Thyrel struck first. A wave of energy, thick and suffocating, surged toward Gustav, warping the very fabric of reality as it moved. Gustav raised a hand, his aura flaring as he countered the attack with a burst of his own energy. The collision created a shockwave that rippled through the void, shattering smaller celestial bodies nearby. "You may be ancient," Gustav said, pushing against the overwhelming force, "but you're not invincible." Thyrel's eyes gleamed. "And you are far too arrogant." The two clashed in a flurry of attacks. Thyrel summoned constructs of light and shadow, massive celestial weapons that bore down on Gustav with devastating force. Gustav dodged with precision, using his void-piercing boots to teleport between dimensions in bursts, appearing behind Thyrel to deliver a punch that shook the stars themselves. Thyrel staggered but retaliated quickly, summoning a vortex that pulled Gustav in. The vortex crushed and compressed reality, but Gustav unleashed a burst of atomic disintegration, tearing through the vortex and escaping unscathed. "You're stubborn," Thyrel admitted, his tone almost amused. "Ehyrian did choose well, it seems. But let me show you why I am the guardian of this vestige." He raised his arms, and the crimson star began to pulse violently. Its light expanded, enveloping the battlefield. Within moments, the star transformed into a colossal, living construct, its fiery surface forming limbs and a face that radiated pure energy. It moved with purpose, swinging its massive arms toward Gustav. Gustav's eyes glowed as he activated his God Eyes. He analyzed the construct's movements, finding weaknesses in its form. As the colossal arm came down, he teleported above it, gathering energy in his palm before slamming it into the star construct's surface. The impact created a massive crater, but the construct regenerated instantly. "Impressive," Thyrel said, watching from a distance. "But futile. This is the heart of a star. It cannot be destroyed by brute force." Gustav smirked. "Good thing brute force isn't my only trick." He activated a unique ability, one he had regained with the last vestige. Dimensional folding. Space around the star construct warped and twisted as Gustav manipulated reality itself, folding dimensions around the construct to trap it in an infinite loop. The star construct roared, its fiery form flaring as it struggled against the confines of its new prison. Thyrel's expression grew serious. "You've learned much, but not enough." With a flick of his wrist, Thyrel unraveled Gustav's dimensional fold, freeing the star construct. Gustav narrowed his eyes, realizing he had underestimated just how deeply Thyrel understood the cosmos. "Give up, Gustav," Thyrel said. "Even if you defeat me, you will never understand the true burden of power." Gustav's aura flared brighter than ever, his determination unshaken. "You're wrong, Thyrel. The burden of power isn't to hoard it—it's to use it to protect those who can't protect themselves. That's something you'll never understand." The battle continued, a cataclysmic clash that lit up the void with bursts of energy and cosmic explosions. Gustav pushed himself to his limits, his every move calculated and precise. Thyrel, for all his power, began to show signs of strain. "You're losing, Thyrel," Gustav said, his voice steady. "This vestige belongs to me. Stand down, or I'll take it by force." Thyrel glared at him, his pride refusing to yield. "Come, then, Outworldly. Let us see if you're worthy." And with that, their battle reached its climax, the outcome to determine the fate of the vestige—and the universe itself. Jack lunged at his attackers as his fists moved with blinding speed. The first assailant fell with a single blow, their body crumpling like a ragdoll. The second tried to counter, but Jack was too fast, disarming and incapacitating them in an instant. "You're done," Jack growled as his eyes emitted an infuriating glow. He grabbed the reptilian leader by the throat. "Who sent you?" The leader struggled as their eyes widened with fear. "You can't...stop us," he choked. Jack's grip tightened. "I don't have time for this," he said with a cold voice before hurling the leader into the void, sending them tumbling away into the darkness. Turning his attention back to the remaining foes, Jack unleashed a flurry of attacks. He moved with unseen blur while dismantling the enemy forces with precision and efficiency. As the last of the assailants fell, Jack cast a glance back at Earth, his resolve hardening. "I will keep my promise." Activating his communication device, Jack sent a message to the MBO. "The threat has been neutralized," he reported, his tone clipped. "I'm heading back." -"Oh hold on Jack, there is still somethi..." "I'm going off duty for the rest of today. I have earned it," Without waiting for a response, Jack launched himself towards Earth, cutting through the atmosphere like a comet. The ground below blurred as he sped towards the trial. His mind was focused on one thing: ensuring Gustav received a fair hearing. ... When the prosecutor finished, Jareth Cole, Gustav's lawyer, rose to his feet. He was a distinguished man with graying hair and a calm, authoritative presence. His deep brown eyes radiated wisdom and determination. His tailored suit and calm demeanor commanded respect. The prosecutor had said his but now it was his turn. "Esteemed panel, members of the court, and citizens," he began, his voice steady. "We are here today not to condemn an innocent man, but to seek the truth. Gustav Crimson is not the monster he has been portrayed as." He continued; "You've heard the prosecution's claims. You've listened to their accusations. Now, let me tell you about the real Gustav Crimson. The man who, for the past year, has dedicated his life to protecting the universe against the true forces of evil." He paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "Gustav evaded pursuit not out of guilt, but because he was on a mission. A mission to protect the universe from those responsible for the destruction of Planet Ozious. Had he been captured earlier, countless lives would have been lost, and planets would have been doomed." Veran Kess, the prosecution lawyer, stood up. "Objection, your honor. There is no concrete evidence to support these claims." The judge glanced at Jareth. "Mr. Cole, do you have evidence to support these claims?" Jareth nodded confidently. "Yes, your honor, I do. I present to you documented evidence of Gustav's deeds over the past year, compiled meticulously by one of his closest allies, E.E." He gestured to the large holographic projection behind him, which began displaying various documents and images of Gustav's heroic acts. The projection showed a planet with a dark sun looming and then another instance when the sun was nowhere to be seen. Multiple images of what seemed like native species of that planet could be seen cheering for him. Some fuzzy images displayed him battling against a bunch of rough looking aliens. Each image was accompanied by detailed reports where the Lawyer explained the significance of his acts. "As you can see," Jareth continued, "Gustav has been a force for good. He has saved countless lives and protected protected people. And we have witnesses who can attest to these deeds." Veran Kess stood again. "Objection, your honor. These are just images and documents. There is no way to verify their authenticity." The judge turned to Jareth. "Do you have witnesses, Mr. Cole?" "Yes, your honor," Jareth replied. "I call upon our first witness, an Ozis who was among the Siefiling captives." An elderly humanoid looking figure with insect like head and large, soulful eyes, took the stand. She introduced herself as Xetra. She had taken the stand from where the people from the Ozious ring were couped up. "Please tell the court what you witnessed," Jareth said. Xetra nodded. "Gustav Crimson saved millions of us from Siefiling. We were abducted when our great Planet was being consumed by the darkness. The infamous Siefiling had made use of the ruckus to take us away and turned us into slaves. Siefiling had been at large for thousands of years and we met many others who had been enslaved by him. The alliance had never been able to catch him. Even our people had searched for us but we're unable find us. Gustav Crimson ended the reign of Siefiling. Without him, we would still be enslaved." The jury listened intently as Xetra detailed the rescue operation, describing Gustav's bravery and determination. "He put his life on the line for us and didn't save us alone. He also saved other species that had been captured by Siefiling all these years. Billions in number..." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 Veran Kess stood to object but was quickly overruled by the judge. "Thank you, Xetra," Jareth said. "I now call upon our next witness, a former child slave from the Nereus sector." A young alien girl with green skin and bright yellow eyes took the stand. She looked nervous but determined. "My name is Aelara. I was a slave on Nereus to be sold off to a master. Gustav Crimson rescued me and many others. He fought against our captors and ensured we were safe." The jury watched as Aelara described her ordeal and the heroic efforts of Gustav to free her and other children. Veran Kess tried to interject again, but the judge silenced him with a glare. "Let the witness speak." "Thank you, Aelara," Jareth said, turning to the jury. "And now, I call upon another witness, an elder from Planet Orion." An elderly woman with wings a glowing halo above her head stepped forward. Her presence was calm and serene. "My name is Elder Seraphine. Our planet, Orion, was on the brink of destruction as you may have seen in the images. Our sun had turned dark and sought to consume us. We couldn't escape, we couldn't move... we couldn't even communicate with the Alliance to ask for help. We were doomed until Gustav Crimson arrived and saved us. He took our world out of harmway and braved the darkness with his allies." Elder Seraphine's testimony was powerful, her words resonating deeply with everyone in the room. She spoke of how Gustav's took the burden upon himself and rescued a world that had formerly condemned him to be a planet destroyer. "Sir Gustav, if you can hear me..." She turned to face the tube Gustav was kept in, floating unconsciously. "Thank you once again," she bowed with a look of appreciation. "No matter how much the world condemns you... We from Planet Orion will forever stand with you." Jareth turned to the jury with a deep expression. "These are not just words. These are firsthand accounts of the heroism and bravery of Gustav Crimson. He did not run from the law out of guilt. He was on a mission to protect the universe. And now, he stands accused of crimes he did not commit." Veran Kess, looking increasingly frustrated, stood up. "Your honor, these are all compelling stories, but they do not prove Gustav's innocence. We need concrete evidence." Jareth faced Veran Kess, his eyes blazing with determination. "We have concrete evidence, Mr. Kess. These witnesses have provided undeniable proof of Gustav's deeds. Their testimonies, combined with the documented evidence, paint a clear picture of a man who has risked his life over and over and yet still stands accused of distasteful crimes." The judge nodded, looking thoughtful. "Mr. Kess, you will have your chance to cross-examine the witnesses, but for now, Mr. Cole's evidence stands." Angy felt a glimmer of hope. The tide seemed to be turning in their favor. She looked at Gustav, still unconscious in the tube, and silently prayed that justice would prevail. Veran Kess, realizing he was losing ground, tried to regain control. "Ladies and gentlemen, we must remember that Gustav Crimson is still responsible for countless deaths. Even if he did some good, it does not erase the fact that he evaded the law and caused destruction." Jareth stepped forward, his voice rising with passion. "Gustav Crimson is a hero. He saved lives, protected planets, and fought against true evil. He is not a criminal. He is a protector. And we must not condemn him for doing what was necessary to save our universe." The courtroom fell silent as the jury pondered Jareth's words. The judge looked at both lawyers before speaking. "We will take a recess before proceeding with the cross-examination of the witnesses." As the court adjourned for the recess, Angy and the others gathered around Jareth. "You did great," Angy said, her voice filled with gratitude. Jareth smiled. "We're not done yet. We still have a long way to go, but we're on the right path."