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Chapter 82
Chapter 82: The Last Stand
As Philip, Amelia, and their group stayed in touch across the universe, the air hummed with activity. Many variants of themselves answered the call, a tidal wave of consciousness rising against the alien menace.
As they linked across all reality, team member Philip experienced a range of feelings. The network’s power magnified Amelia’s voice, which rang across dimensions encouraging them to come together and battle alien invaders. Millions of brains joined the battle, each offering their special abilities and knowledge, therefore providing an overwhelming reaction. Screens in their command center flashed updates from all throughout the planet, showing that one reality at a time mankind was reclaiming.
Dr. Chen kept an eye on the network’s resilience and said that the combined work was fortifying the anchor points. Still, Philip stayed concentrated as he felt this triumph was too simple. Amelia discovered that their facility showed a significant energy surge and that the alien intelligence was organizing something. According to Dr. Chen, the extraterrestrial intelligence concentrated all of the energy from every reality it still under control.
Philip’s head spun in quest of a fix, but Dr. Chen shook his head, declaring there was not time. He cautioned them they had become the main menace. Rising forward, Amelia exhorted them to fight from their feet. Inspired by her remarks, the crew strengthened their fortifications and directed the network’s power to build obstacles around their site.
Concerned about losing Amelia, Philip drew her away; she reassured him they would never lose her again. Amelia’s touch grounds him and reminds him they would face whatever is ahead together.
A bright flash of light stopped Philip and his crew and exposed a whirl of energy. From within this whirl, a humanoid in form with shimmering and shifting movement surfaced. Their minds echoed the speech of the alien creature, producing words they couldn’t stop. Philip moved forward, straddling the entity between his squad. He said that although humans cannot stop them all, they have opted to stand together.
As they considered their meager knowledge of the multiverse could save them, the entity’s laughing seemed to their brains like glass fragments. Philip moved forward, straddling the entity between his squad. He said that although humans have decided to stand together and cannot stop them all.
Philip moved forward, straddling the entity between his squad. He said that although humans have chosen to stand together and cannot stop them all. As they considered their meager knowledge of the multiverse could save them, the entity’s laughing seemed to their brains like glass fragments.
Philip moved forward, straddling the entity between his squad. He said that although humans cannot stop them all, they have opted to stand together. The thing launched a tsunami of force toward them, and Amelia, faster than Philip, built a shimmering barrier to absorb the assault.
Together, Philip and Amelia reached out to the network using the power of many realities, appealing to The answer came right away and was tremendous, giving them power beyond anything they had ever known. The alien mind shrieked, a cry resonant throughout worlds, and its form started to break apart.
Warning that the creature will destroy everything if they fail to stop it, Dr. Chen’s terrified voice sliced through the anarchy. Though Philip sensed hopelessness almost overwhelming him, Amelia’s hold on his hand tightened and she decided to accompany him back-off.
Their combined hands raised as they turned to face the vortex, calling upon the whole might of the network to save all of reality. Energy shot about them, raising them off the floor. The jubilant laughing of the alien thing changed to a roar of fury upon realizing their attempts.
Just as it seemed they might not be strong enough, a fresh burst of vitality joined them to provide support. They battled the entity’s might with a last, great effort, then…
None.
Philip opened his eyes to discover he was drifting across a huge, starry horizon. Beside him, their hands remained securely entwined. Amelia.
“Did we do it?” he said, his voice oddly resonant in the emptiness.
Amelia nodded, sporting a worn-out smile. “We done. The creature is gone, dispersed over spheres in which it cannot endanger anyone anymore. There is safety in the multiverse.
Philip felt relief, then a fresh anxiety rapidly took front stage. “So, what then is happening now? Are we dead? Are we…”
Amelia’s laughter seemed to the silence like music. No; not dead. Quite different. We now form part of the network, its fresh defenders.”
Philip started to see the enormity surrounding them in a fresh light as she spoke. He could sense the tides of reality, the many lives playing out over space.NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.
Breathing, he said, “It’s beautiful,” amazed by the cosmic tapestry before them.
“It is,” Amelia remarked. “And now it’s our job to defend it, to keep the equilibrium across all realities.”
Philip looked at her, immediately dubious. “Is that something we could do? Do we have enough strength?
Amelia gripped his hand and her grin was brilliant. “Together, we are.” And we are not unique either. Look at that.
She gestured, and Philip saw pinpoints of light strewn over the cosmic distance. He understood that every one of them stood for a different reality’s version of themself, all linked and cooperating to preserve the multiverse equilibrium.
” So this is our life now?” Trying to make sense of the idea of eternity, Philip inquired.
“For now,” Amelia said, glitter in her eye. But who knows? Once we accomplished the impossible. Perhaps eventually we will be able to resume our former lives.
Philip chuckled, then became quite hopeful. “I wouldn’t put money against us.”
Philip sensed calm come over him as they drifted there, protectors of a multiverse they were only starting to grasp. Whatever difficulties were ahead, they would meet them together.
But a persistent uncertainty crept into the rear of his thoughts even as he embraced this new life. Indeed, the alien creature had been dispersed; but, scattered was not the same as destroyed. Could it, given time, come together?
And should it do so, would they be ready to meet it once more?