Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 345: Her Final Order

Chapter 345: Her Final Order

Helion’s strength seemed to drain away all at once.

The hand he had propped on the back of the sofa fell limply, and he slumped forward onto the coffee table, his gaze fixed on Lyra.

Her face, so precise and breathtaking, was like staring into the sun—painful, yet impossible to look away from.

Finally, his voice broke through the silence, raw and pleading. "Let me hold you. Just once. I’ve lost my superpower, and this might be the last time we see each other."

Lyra didn’t react to his desperation. Instead, she responded with chilling composure. "I’ve arranged a 30-million compensation package for you through the LE Veteran Fund. Do you want the money, or do you want a hug?"

Helion froze, her words cutting deeper than any rejection. His sorrow twisted into a bitter laugh. "You really know how to kill a moment."

"This is reality," Lyra replied, her tone devoid of emotion.

Helion stood abruptly, crossing the room in two strides to fling the door open. "Get out. Now!"

For Helion, his superpower had defined his entire existence. Without it, he felt stripped of his identity, his purpose.

Yet he couldn’t afford to lose the compensation she had secured for him—his survival depended on it.

Without a backward glance, Lyra walked out.

...

Outside, Mandy and Vikie were waiting. They exchanged puzzled glances as Lyra stepped out, her face betraying nothing of what had just transpired.

Vikie immediately stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"Are you really done with him?" Vikie asked, her gaze sharp.

"I am," Lyra replied coolly.

Vikie’s lips curved into a smirk, her expression full of knowing amusement. "As expected. In your eyes, everyone’s just a tool to be discarded when they’re no longer useful."

Her words didn’t faze Lyra. Instead, her lips curled faintly. "If you want him, he’s yours."

Vikie chuckled. "Don’t mind if I do."

Before anyone could stop her, Vikie marched up to Helion’s door and kicked it open with a loud crash.

Inside, Helion’s angry voice rang out. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you planning to pay for my door?!"

Unfazed, Vikie shouted back, "Hah! You’re powerless now. Just sit tight and accept your fate."

Helion’s frustration was palpable. "How many times do I have to tell you? Forced feelings don’t last!"

Vikie’s smirk widened. "Doesn’t matter. Add a little sweetness, and even a bitter fruit quenches thirst."

The sound of a scuffle followed, along with Helion’s irritated protests. "Vikie, you might get my body, but you’ll never get my heart!"

"I only want your body," Vikie retorted without shame.

Mandy quickly decided that she didn’t want to hear any more. Without a word, she started the lev-car and drove Lyra back to the base.

...

Inside Helion’s house, Vikie had managed to restrain him on the couch.

She rummaged through one of his storage cabinets, pulling out a chaotic mess of empty liquor bottles and shredded sandbags. "Tsk. No wonder you cleaned yourself up just to meet HER."

Helion, now slumped and visibly drained, muttered, "If you want me to cooperate, fine. But at least bring me a drink."

Vikie raised an eyebrow, her ridicule evident. "Sure thing."

Without missing a beat, she grabbed his arm and dragged him upstairs, her mocking grin never wavering.

...

Back at the base, Mandy couldn’t resist sharing the bizarre scene with Zinnia and the others. To her surprise, the team wasn’t particularly shocked.

"Helion’s always had a temper like that," Zinnia said with a laugh, slinging an arm around Mandy’s shoulders. "And Vikie’s stuck around all these years? Clearly, she’s just in it for the physical perks."

Mandy blinked, taken aback. She wanted to ask how Zinnia had pieced that together, but the thought of Zinnia’s own loss—of Rajan—stopped her. Swallowing her question, she stayed quiet.

For a brief moment, the team indulged in some rare humor, joking about when they might receive an invitation to Vikie’s wedding. Even Mandy couldn’t help laughing at the absurdity of it all.

Aboard the flagship of the Legion of the Long Night, the leader returned just as the crew gathered for their midday meal.

The lively chatter and clinking of utensils halted the moment he entered, replaced by a chorus of greetings.

"Good afternoon, sir."

"Sir, you were incredible today—stole the show entirely."

"Are we really allying with the Alliance and the Empire now, sir?"

"Sir, anything to share with us?"

The leader’s icy gaze swept over the room, silencing further comments. Without a word, he strode to the command room.

The pilot, noticing his entrance, turned and grinned. "Back already?"

He gave a small nod, his focus elsewhere.

Before he could respond, the console lit up, indicating an incoming communication request. A private line from Frederick.

The pilot arched an eyebrow. "Want to take it?"

"Take it," the leader said.

The screen activated, displaying Frederick in his office, his face as grim as always.

Without wasting time on formalities, Frederick began, "There’s something we need to discuss..."

...

That evening, Elden Prime’s third moon, Mercy, cast a soft blue glow over the world below.

The soothing hum of insects mingled with the gentle whispers of mothers lulling their children to sleep.

The night was as serene as a flowing stream, the moon a pure and radiant silver plate in the sky.

But tranquility gave way to terror when the darkness of the black hole descended.

People froze in disbelief as Mercy, a steadfast companion to Elden Prime for billions of years, began to dissolve into an abyss of inky blackness.

The celestial body, once a symbol of constancy, was being consumed by something unfathomable.

Dread seeped into every heart as the moon’s light faded.

Alarms erupted, their shrill cries cutting through the night. People out for evening strolls dashed toward air raid shelters.

Supply crates were hastily loaded onto ships, preparing for an inevitable exodus should the defense line fail.

Elden Prime’s main forces deployed en masse to the front lines. Only Valeria’s legion and the Flaring Stars remained behind to guard the rear.

Cohen, restless and unwilling to stay back, marched to his father’s quarters, intent on requesting a transfer to the front.

Before he could reach him, Valeria intercepted him.

"Don’t disappoint your father," she said firmly. "He entrusted you with guarding his back for a reason."

Her words hit their mark. Cohen understood immediately: if the front line fell, the rear guard would be the last line of defense—the final hope.

Suppressing his frustration, he gave a reluctant nod and turned to Kogar. "Deploy additional personnel. Coordinate with Valeria to protect civilians and prepare evacuation routes."

The base buzzed with activity. Soldiers gathered in formation, weapons and supplies were distributed, and orders were shouted over the commotion.

Amidst the chaos, Lyra received her summons—the last commanding officer to be called.

Standing before her troops, her long braid catching the wind, Lyra surveyed the force.

It was a mere shadow of what it had been three years ago. As the dimming light of Mercy painted the scene in haunting hues, some soldiers thought they saw faint green sparks flickering through her hair, like fireflies in the dark

"This is the final order." Her voice was calm and steady, cutting through the tense atmosphere. "Assist the Flaring Stars."

The soldiers exchanged glances, some letting out quiet sighs of relief.

Supporting the rear guard meant avoiding direct confrontation with the Stellar Devourers. Survival seemed possible.

"Ma’am," Elsie spoke hesitantly, panic in her tone, "what about you? Why aren’t we following you?"

Lyra’s gaze lifted to the night sky, where the ghostly remnant of Mercy still hung. Then she turned back, her expression unyielding. "This is the final battle. I intend to end it, once and for all."

The weight of her words settled over the group. They all understood—Lyra, a natural counter to the Stellar Devourers, would fight to the end.

This was a death match, one she had no intention of running from.

Breaking the silence, Robin stepped forward. "May the stars guide your path to victory."

The soldiers joined in, their voices uniting in a solemn, thunderous chant. "May the stars guide your path to victory!"

Their rallying cry echoed into the night, carrying a mixture of hope and sorrow.

Lyra gave a small nod, her face betraying no emotion.

Without further delay, she donned her light mecha, its frame gleaming faintly in the fading moonlight.

In a single motion, she launched herself into the air and headed toward the aerospace port to join the main fleet.

Mandy watched in silence, then activated her own mecha and followed.

Determination etched into her face, she gave Lyra a firm nod as they ascended together, disappearing into the vast expanse of the night.