Still in the Kingdom of Astrodog on the planet Inferno Prime, the atmosphere remained tense. Astrodog, his body still wounded from the previous battle, finally explained the reason behind Luna's abduction. His goal was to take the Heart of Light within her. By handing the artifact over to The Void, he believed he could bring back his long-deceased wife, Stella.
Astrocat and Luna exchanged glances, realizing that Astrodog had reached a dark crossroads.
"What is dead cannot return," Astrocat said calmly yet firmly. "The best thing we can do is to let go. If she loved you, she would want to see you happy, not drowning in this ambition."
Luna nodded and added, "Bringing back the dead is not the answer, Astrodog."
Astrodog fell silent. In his eyes, there was deep exhaustion. He then shared something even more concerning: The Void was growing stronger. With two artifacts already in his possession, his power had increased dramatically. However, there was something else that unsettled him—each time he absorbed power from the artifacts, he felt he was losing control of himself.
"The Void seeks to gather eleven artifacts. He believes that if all are collected, a new world will open," Astrodog continued.
Their conversation paused as Azrak, who had been listening from the shadows, silently decided to leave. With swift steps, he opened a dimensional portal and returned to The Void, carrying the vital information he had just overheard.
Astrocat and Luna exchanged glances once more. They knew there was no time to hesitate. "We have to find the next artifact before The Void gets it," Astrocat said. They decided to set out on their journey, while Astrodog remained in his kingdom to recover.
Journey to Planet Zephyria
They received a signal indicating the presence of a new artifact on Planet Zephyria, a world filled with vast skies, layered clouds, glowing rainbows, and giant birds soaring through the blue heavens. Using Luna's spacecraft, they traveled through the stars and entered the planet's atmosphere.
Upon landing, they were astonished to find that the clouds there could be walked on like solid ground. The sky stretched out like a vast ocean of clouds before them. Not far from their landing spot stood a massive tree towering into the sky.
As they approached the tree, a white rabbit spoke cheerfully, "Are you looking for the artifact? It's at the top of this tree, in the Night Sky!" he explained. "This tree has three layers: Morning Sky, Noon Sky, and Night Sky. To ascend, you only need to enter this door."
Astrocat and Luna stepped through the door, and suddenly, a strong gust of wind lifted them upwards! Surprised, Luna instinctively clung tightly to Astrocat. Their faces flushed, both embarrassed, but before they could say anything, they had already arrived at the Noon Sky.
Stepping out of the portal, they were greeted by the second gatekeeper—a penguin in a black suit. With a firm voice, he declared, "To ascend to the next sky, you must defeat some monsters and turn them into a meal."
Luna spotted a mountain in the distance and said, "Perhaps we can find ingredients there." Astrocat nodded, and they began their journey up the mountain.
There, they encountered various unique monsters. Luna hunted vegetable-like creatures—giant carrots, living cabbages, running plants, and wild fruits. Meanwhile, Astrocat chased a cow-shaped monster that ran as fast as the wind. Without realizing it, he pursued it all the way to a vast lake, where a giant shrimp monster lurked beneath the water's surface.
Astrocat shouted, "Luna! I found something delicious!"
Now, they had to face the giant shrimp monster. Its shell was incredibly tough, and its strikes were so powerful that they could shatter rocks. They unleashed their strongest techniques—Astrocat using Celestial Impact, while Luna wielded the Light Sword. However, the shrimp monster was too agile, dodging all their attacks.
Astrocat quickly formulated a plan. "Reliquim Core…" he murmured as he felt his artifact vibrate. A faint blue light emerged from the core attached to his body, transferring data directly into his mind. In an instant, he gained insight into the shrimp monster's anatomy, including its weaknesses.
Closing his eyes momentarily, Astrocat absorbed the flowing information. "Shrimps have a ventral nervous system that is extremely sensitive, connected directly to the central ganglion that controls all their movements. If we can target that nerve, its body will be paralyzed!"
Luna turned to him, her eyes gleaming. "But how do we attack it there? Its shell is too thick!"
Astrocat nodded quickly, his mind racing. "Its exoskeleton is strong, but there's a small gap at its lower joints. If we strike there, we can penetrate it and disrupt its nerve signals."
Without hesitation, Astrocat activated his time-stopping ability for ten seconds, speeding up his movements as he dashed beneath the monster. With precise execution, he slashed an energy blade of wind at the shrimp's lower joints. Blue light flashed as the energy slipped between the gaps in the exoskeleton, striking its central nerve.
The shrimp monster immediately convulsed, its body twitching uncontrollably. "Now, Luna!" Astrocat shouted.
Luna leaped high, using the wind to propel herself. With a dazzling light, she swung her Light Sword directly at the primary ganglion in the shrimp's head. With one decisive slash, she destroyed its nerve center, ending the battle in a burst of energy.
As Luna fell from the height, Astrocat instinctively jumped, catching her in his strong arms. Time seemed to slow, the wind whispering around them, carrying the scent of the distant sea. Their eyes met in a brief silence, their breaths mingling, realizing just how close they were.
Gravity then pulled them back down, and they landed softly on the sand. Laughter erupted between them—not just from their victory but from the warmth of their shared moment. Luna, still in Astrocat's embrace, blushed as she realized how comfortable she felt being near him.
"I caught you," Astrocat murmured softly, his gaze deep into Luna's startled eyes. Luna bit her lip, her cheeks still red, but a small smile formed on her lips. "Of course, you're always there," she teased.
A Night Full of Hope
In the final sky, they met the last guardian—a wise owl standing on the branch of a giant tree floating in the air. Its golden eyes shimmered, as if able to peer into the soul of every being that approached. With a deep and calm voice, it said, "The artifact you seek will only appear under the full moonlight. Only the light of the full moon can reveal its presence."
Astrocat and Luna exchanged glances. The sky around them was still adorned with a crescent moon, not yet reaching its full phase. They had to wait. Slowly, they sat on the soft clouds, enjoying the peaceful silence of the night sky. One by one, the stars began to fall, leaving trails of light that seemed to write destiny in the sky. The aurora glowed softly in the distance, creating a beautiful silhouette that reflected in Luna's eyes.
When the moon finally became full, silvery light descended from the sky, illuminating a point in the distance. The artifact now revealed itself, gleaming among the branches of the night sky. But before they could step forward, the owl warned them in a calm yet firm voice, "This artifact is not just a gift, but a test. Only those who understand the meaning of the wind—freedom, resilience, and speed—are worthy of possessing it."
While waiting, they sat side by side on the soft cloud, enjoying the food they had hunted earlier. The vast sky stretched above them, filled with shooting stars gliding slowly, creating trails of light that seemed to write wishes. The aurora danced gracefully, with shades of blue, green, and purple glowing softly in the distance, framing the night in an indescribable wonder.
Luna leaned slightly towards Astrocat, her eyes sparkling as she admired the beauty of the sky. "Tonight feels different, so peaceful," she whispered. Astrocat turned to look at Luna's face, illuminated by the starlight. There was something in her gaze—a serenity he had never seen before.
Astrocat exhaled softly, savoring the moment. "If only time could stop here…" he murmured unconsciously. Luna looked at him, smiling gently, then closed her eyes, as if storing this moment in her heart.
In that comfortable silence, no words needed to be spoken. They simply sat there, accompanied by the cool night breeze, in a warmth that only the two of them could feel.
When the moon finally reached its full brilliance, silver light descended from the sky, illuminating the world below with a glow so soft. The artifact began to appear, shimmering among the branches of the night sky. Yet, Astrocat did not move immediately.
His eyes were fixed on Luna, whose face shone under the moonlight. The cool night breeze blew gently, lifting strands of her hair that gleamed like jewels in the starry sky. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. No sound, no movement—only the quickening beat of his heart and Luna's shadow so close.
Luna noticed Astrocat's gaze. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she looked back at him, a small smile forming at the corner of her lips. The distance between them grew smaller, their breaths almost intertwining, as if an invisible force was pulling them closer. It felt like this moment was not just a coincidence but something that had been written by destiny.
However, in the last second, Luna suddenly pointed. "Astrocat, the artifact!"
Astrocat snapped out of his daze, his face instantly turning awkward. "Oh! Y-yeah! There it is! Let's get it!" he stammered, hurriedly shifting his focus to the glowing artifact, though his heartbeat had yet to return to normal.
They obtained the Zephyr Crest, a luminous crystal pulsating with the energy of the wind. As soon as Luna grasped it, her body felt lighter, and she instantly realized that she could now leap to extraordinary heights and walk on air as if the wind itself was her footing. The wind swirled gently around her, supporting her every movement and providing perfect balance in the air.
Meanwhile, Astrocat reached for the sword that emerged from the vortex of wind created by the artifact. Its blade was transparent, radiating a greenish-blue glow, and each time he swung it, crescent-shaped wind slashes shot out at high speed, cutting through anything in their path. This sword not only enhanced his attacks but also allowed him to create wind waves capable of blowing away enemies in an instant.
Now, with newfound strength, they were more prepared to face the growing threats ahead.
Suddenly, Astrocat's memory resurfaced. The figure of Nyx appeared in his mind, showing herself battling an unknown dark creature.
Luna touched his shoulder. "What's wrong?" Astrocat shook his head. "Nothing. We need to leave before this planet is destroyed."
They jumped off the cloud toward their spaceship, leaving the planet before it was too late.
Meanwhile, The Void, who had just obtained his third artifact, the Oblivion Core, felt its power pulsating throughout his body. This artifact granted him the ability to create a shield of darkness that enveloped his body like an energy bubble, making him immune to most physical and energy attacks. Not only that, but he could now form black orbs—destructive weapons capable of obliterating an entire planet in a single catastrophic explosion.
With his power growing unstoppable, The Void stood atop Planet Umbra Nexus, a dark world filled with swirling shadows that twisted like distorted currents of time. From there, he opened a massive portal to Inferno Prime, with one goal—to eliminate Astrodog, whom he now deemed useless.
On Inferno Prime, Astrodog, still gravely wounded from his previous battle, was shocked when the sky suddenly turned dark. The air trembled, and from the towering black portal, The Void emerged with a cold and hateful gaze. Astrodog tried to lift his axe, but his body could barely move. He knew that in his current condition, he had no chance of surviving.
The Void raised his hand, and a black orb began to form, slowly growing with dark energy that could destroy Astrodog's entire kingdom in a single strike. "You have become a burden, Astrodog," his voice echoed like a whisper from endless darkness. "Now, your time is up."
Astrodog mustered his remaining strength to escape, running toward the hangar where his spaceship awaited. The Void released his first attack, obliterating most of the palace in an explosion that consumed the sky in black flames. Astrodog managed to enter his spaceship, but the gaping wounds on his body weakened him even further.
With the last of his consciousness, he activated the dimensional jump mode, attempting to flee before The Void could finish him off. As his ship broke through the speed of light and vanished into the starry vortex, The Void only smirked coldly. "Run as far as you like, but I will always find you…"
Astrodog, barely clinging to life, sought out his last hope—Luna and Astrocat. With trembling hands, he activated his ship's scanner, searching for their whereabouts among the thousands of stars. Finally, he found a signal.
When he finally managed to jump into the dimension where Luna and Astrocat were, they were shocked to see his dire state. The wounds on his body were so severe that he was barely conscious. In a weak voice, he whispered, "The Void… he's too strong… be careful with him…"
Astrocat and Luna exchanged glances, realizing the gravity of the situation. They asked where The Void was now, and with labored breaths, Astrodog replied, "He's heading to Planet Etherion Prime… to obtain the Aetherium Nexus artifact."
Astrocat's eyes sharpened. "Aetherium Nexus… the artifact that can connect all worlds and dimensions. If he gets it, we won't be able to stop him."
Luna grasped Astrodog's hand, trying to stabilize his condition while Astrocat began formulating a strategy. They had to find a way to stop The Void before it was too late.