The crystal flowers at the edge of the lake, once a battlefield, grew lush, forming a glowing garden known as the "Aira-Kaelon Garden." Every night, the light projections of these flowers told heroic tales, becoming a must-visit destination for the children of Aether who wished to learn history. But tonight, something was different.
Rael, sitting on a bench he had crafted himself, stared at the crystal flower in his hand—a gift from a small child. Suddenly, the usual projection showing the smiles of Aira and Kaelon changed into a horrific scene: the sky was torn apart, cities across dimensions shattered, and a shadowy figure in a black cloak with a crown of thorns stood amidst the rubble.
"Lyra, you need to see this," Rael whispered through the communicator, his voice trembling.
In the underground meeting room, Lyra, Niro, and Dax watched the hologram of the crystal flower's recording. Dax zoomed in on the thorn-crowned figure's head—exactly matching the emblem of Surya Gemilang, the faction that had nearly destroyed them in the past.
"This is impossible," Niro growled. "We wiped out all their followers!"
"Not all of them," Dax revealed a secret document from Kael's archives. "While we focused on rebuilding Aether, the remnants of Surya Gemilang escaped to the Nihil Dimension, a place where time doesn't function. They may have evolved."
Suddenly, an alarm sounded. The main screen displayed an image of a dimensional gate opening above the Aira-Kaelon Garden. From within it, a black-metal army poured out, carrying flags emblazoned with the thorned crown symbol.
"They're here for the crystal flowers!" Lyra shouted. "Activate the city's defenses!"
The new Surya Gemilang forces—called the Purifiers—attacked with reality-shattering weapons. Each shot they fired turned the affected area into a gray void, as though erasing the very existence of that dimension.
Rael, now powerless, hid behind the ruins of a tower. Suddenly, a Purifier approached him—its eyes electric blue, its voice familiar.
"Rael... I'm still here," the voice whispered. Aira?
But before Rael could react, the Purifier drove an energy knife into his side. "Your blood will be the final offering."
As Rael lay dying, his mind traveled to buried memories:
- The Proto-Supremacy had survived and rebuilt Surya Gemilang in the Nihil Dimension.
- Aira hadn't been completely destroyed—part of her soul was trapped within the crystal flowers, used by the Proto-Supremacy as an energy source.
- Kaelon was a failed clone deliberately sent to Aether as bait.
"You... used them..." Rael coughed up blood.
The Purifier removed its mask. Its face was a perfect replica of Proto-Supremacy. "History is written by the victors. And I will rewrite everything."
Lyra and Niro arrived, shooting at the Purifier. But it was too late. Proto-Supremacy activated a reality-altering machine at the dimensional gate, absorbing the energy of the crystal flowers.
"We need the old Rael!" Niro shouted, dragging Rael's nearly lifeless body.
Dax, taking a dangerous risk, injected Rael with an experimental serum made from the purification crystals. "This could kill you... or bring you back!"
Rael screamed as blue-purple energy erupted from his body, healing his wounds and restoring his strength—but with a darker, more unstable aura.
Rael shot toward the dimensional gate, confronting Proto-Supremacy. "You won't take anything from us again!"
Proto-Supremacy laughed. "Look at you, Rael! Even now, you're still a weapon!"
Amid the battle, the crystal flowers beneath them flickered wildly. Projections of Aira and Kaelon appeared, embracing Rael from behind.
"Release your anger... Only love can defeat the void..."
Rael channeled his dark energy into the crystal flowers, destroying the reality-altering machine. A massive explosion sucked Proto-Supremacy and the Purifier army into the void.
But Aether was not fully saved. The Aira-Kaelon Garden was destroyed, the crystal flowers wilted, and their projections disappeared forever.
Rael, weakened once more, sat amidst the rubble. "I... I've been enough of a hero."
In the midst of the destruction, Dax found a single crystal seed in the ground. When touched, the seed glowed, displaying a holographic message from Aira:
"If you see this, it means we have failed... But as long as this seed exists, hope will never die."
Lyra gazed at the sky, which was beginning to brighten. "We begin again. From the start."
Rael nodded, holding the seed tightly. "This time, we'll do it right."