Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 349: To The New World

Chapter 349: To The New World

Frederick’s gaze darkened, tinged with sorrow. "Then tell me, Lyra—did you ever think of sparing us?"

His question, sudden and cryptic, silenced the crowd. Those who had gathered from Central City to witness the confrontation erupted into curses, directing their rage at Frederick and the military.

Overhead, the Legion of the Long Night fleet arrived, cutting through the tension with its ominous presence.

Amid the growing uproar, Lyra lowered her gaze. A faint, bitter smile curved her lips as she murmured, "This human society... it’s truly rotten to the core."

Her long black braid stirred unnaturally in the still air. The silver-white clasp at its end clicked open, releasing the strands to float freely.

The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the air quivered as if imbued with life.

A primal fear took hold of every soul, deep and inescapable.

Across the planet, animals wailed in terror, their cries piercing the air. Lyra’s unbound black hair swirled into a vortex, glowing with an intense green light that merged with the spherical barrier around her.

Strange patterns began to emerge on the sphere’s surface, glowing brighter and more intricate with each passing moment.

Even the most oblivious could feel the impending catastrophe.

Lyra’s power surged outward, enveloping the entire planet and stretching into space.

From above, Elden Prime sparkled with points of green light, the energy radiating outward to nearby celestial bodies.

As the power spread, a figure in silver armor emerged from the fleet.

"Well, isn’t this a sight to behold," said the leader of the Legion of the Long Night, her voice tinged with amusement.

Frederick’s jaw clenched as he glared at the armored figure. "Why are you only arriving now? Stop her! Do something!"

"Stop her?" The leader’s tone shifted, turning from coldly mechanical to languidly seductive. "Why would I do that?"

The silver armor detached from her body, its pieces floating upward and coalescing into a metallic sphere. Beneath the armor stood Liliana, her form both graceful and imposing, radiating danger.

"Oh, BOSS," she purred with a sly smile, "you wouldn’t believe how exhausting these last few days have been for me."

A stunned silence fell. ’Leader? Who was she calling BOSS?’

The silver sphere floated to Lyra, reshaping itself into a sleek, lightweight mecha that enveloped her.

In that moment, the universe’s most formidable warlord was reborn.

Elden Prime itself seemed to acknowledge Lyra’s ascension. Verdant energy poured from her, rejuvenating the land. Forests regrew in an instant, rivers ran clean, and the air became rich with vitality.

Liliana placed a hand over her heart and declared, "All hail our leader’s triumphant return!"

Behind her, Morrison, Snakehead, Caesara, Isadora, Shane, Ian, Broken Blade, and others emerged, bowing their heads. In unison, they echoed, "All hail our leader’s triumphant return!"

The revelation stunned everyone.

Lyra had always been the true leader of the Legion of the Long Night.

From the early days on Voidstar No. 2, she had used her position within the military to unite disparate space pirate factions under her command.

Over time, she built the most powerful force opposing both the Alliance and the Empire.

Mandy, cradling the injured Zinnia, gazed at Lyra with awe. "Claude, Thierry, Grains... their sacrifices led to this moment. Their blood nourished the seeds of hope."

Her voice trembled with emotion as she continued. "Lyra, we’ve lost so much. But now, you—you will be our eternal star, the light guiding us to hope."

The green chains binding the sphere disintegrated. The Overarchings from the Empire and the Alliance staggered back, their power shattered by Lyra’s release.

Blood spilled from their mouths as they gazed at her in disbelief.

"So it’s true..." Vern whispered, trembling with excitement. "There really is... a level beyond ours!"

For once, his stoic demeanor gave way to exhilaration. "That’s the secret! You’ve hidden your energy in your hair all along!"

His voice cracked into manic laughter. "This is it—the next realm lies in aligning with the fundamental rules of the universe!"

Vern struggled to his feet, his joy palpable despite his pain. But before he could revel further, a flash of green streaked before his eyes.

In the next instant, his head hit the ground.

His body remained upright for a breath longer before collapsing lifelessly to the earth.

The Alliance’s Overarching stared at Lyra, who stood before him like an unstoppable force.

With a resigned sigh, he murmured, "Thank you, Miss Shedd, for enlightening me. Yet, even with the power of the cosmic rules, you might still be—"

Before he could finish, his fate mirrored Vern’s. His head fell silently, his body collapsing in a heap.

Lyra descended like a deity, her movements calm and deliberate as she landed in front of Frederick and his group. Her piercing gaze met their grim, uneasy expressions.

Behind her stretched the vast ranks of the Legion of the Long Night, their numbers seemingly infinite.

Frederick struggled to maintain composure, but the twitch of his eye betrayed his inner turmoil.

"To think humanity’s greatest enemy would turn out to be you," he said, his voice trembling.

Lyra stood tall in her radiant armor, her unbound hair weaving itself into intricate braids as green energy pulsed around her.

Her voice, resonating with power, carried a haunting echo. "You were right. At first, I had no intention of sparing humanity or the Stellar Devourers."

Her sharp gaze softened momentarily as it flicked toward Tammy. "But now, I’ve changed my mind."

Frederick closed his eyes, exhaling heavily. When he spoke again, his voice carried the weight of resignation.

"That’s why I said you couldn’t be allowed to live. But..." He paused, his expression hardening with grim resolve. "Change always comes at the cost of blood. I can no longer stop it."

As a seasoned Admiral of the Alliance, Frederick had seen this moment coming. He had watched Lyra rise, quietly but effectively consolidating power and resources within the military.

Her methodical, calculated moves had led here, to the dawn of a new era. He had clung to the hope of a bloodless transition, but that hope now lay shattered.

He had hesitated, tried to protect everyone, and achieved nothing.

Lyra’s blade cut through the air in a swift arc. One by one, the high-ranking officials—the rigid oligarchs who had held humanity in a chokehold—fell silently, their lifeless bodies crumpling around Frederick.

In moments, he stood utterly alone.

Lyra stepped forward, her gleaming sword still in hand.

"Admiral Sparks," she said coldly, "why not take all your outdated ideals with you and leave?"

"Wait!" a panicked voice cried out, shattering the tense silence.

Cohen, pale and trembling, stepped forward, his desperate eyes fixed on Lyra. "I’ll ensure my father spends the rest of his life in confinement. Please... spare him."

Frederick stood motionless, his lips trembling faintly. He kept his eyes shut, not uttering a single word of protest.

Lyra’s hand hesitated briefly, then moved decisively.

Admiral Frederick Cohen, the man who had built the military into the backbone of the Alliance, fell in a pool of his own blood. His death marked the beginning of a new era for humanity.

Cohen knelt beside his father’s body, his trembling hands clutching it. His vacant eyes and slackened face betrayed his despair.

Not a single word had passed between father and son in the end.

Iskandor stepped forward from the crowd, his calm demeanor unshaken.

Lyra raised her hand, projecting a three-dimensional star map into the air. "These are the nearby star systems," she said. "I’m claiming the one in the center."

The map displayed the regions Lyra had explored during her three-year absence.

Iskandor glanced at the map and pointed to a spindle-shaped galaxy. "That one belongs to the Empire."

The unspoken understanding of who controlled the other galaxy passed silently between them.

Without another word, Iskandor turned and departed with the stunned Empire delegates.

The remaining Alliance members exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale with uncertainty.

Lyra walked over to Mandy, who held the weakened Zinnia.

"Lyra," Zinnia whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I want to entrust my brother and Tammy to you. I can’t hold on anymore. The world is finally at peace... but I still can’t find him."

Her voice broke as she buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Around her, the joyous celebration of others only deepened her sense of loss.

"Zinnia," Lyra said gently, crouching down to offer her hand. "I’m building a haven. A place without war, without power struggles, without betrayal. Will you come with me?"

Zinnia hesitated, staring into Lyra’s serene eyes. A place like that—could it truly exist?

After a moment, she reached out and took Lyra’s hand.

One by one, the members of the Legion of the Long Night boarded their ships, severing ties with the Alliance for good. Robin and the others followed Lyra without hesitation.

As Elsie prepared to leave, a voice called out.

"Elsie, are you really going?" Vikie, Caleb, and the families of many others stood by, their faces filled with reluctance and sorrow.

Elsie turned back with a gentle smile. "I trust Lyra. It’ll be an adventure. Once we settle in, I’ll bring you over for a visit."

A few members of the Legion of Everglow joined the departing fleet as well.

The ships ascended slowly, shrinking to specks before vanishing into the void like a flock of migrating birds.

Lyra was the last to leave.

Cohen, sensing her departure, rose unsteadily to his feet. His face showed no hatred or grief, only resolute determination. "You’re leaving, aren’t you?"

Lyra nodded. "Vice Admiral Whyte, the Alliance is yours now."

As she turned and stepped aboard her ship, the people of the Alliance and the Empire watched her go.

Lyra Shedd, humanity’s savior and its greatest enigma, disappeared into the stars.

Silence fell over Elden Prime. A Chapter of history had closed, and a new one was about to begin.

THE END.