When they finally pierced through the heart, it felt like tunneling through the moon. The propulsion systems had burned out, but the recoil from the shot had slowed them just enough. Backup systems kicked in, and soon they were floating—able to orbit inside the hollow world.
Li looked up and saw the rest of the Guardians emerging from the core behind him, victorious. He grinned at Naryssa, who hovered above, grinning back. Overhead, the heart convulsed in its final moments, and from every corner of the dead planet, the thunder of collapsing insectoid bodies echoed.
The hivemind was dead.
For another day, the Covenant would keep its place as the central peacekeeping force of the universe.
They hovered lower and eventually touched down on a larger chunk of rock, one that still led into the ruins of the ancient city. The silence after the storm was surreal. They had survived the impossible.
"So, this is what it feels like to have a world revolve around you, huh?" one of the Guardians joked.
Li actually laughed. The tension broke, and for the first time in hours, they let themselves breathe. A few patted Li on the back, others bowed their heads in thanks, even prayer.
Li joined them in a short prayer of his own. Moments later, a message crackled through the comms. A voice from high command came through, calm and flat:
"Stay put. Extraction is on the way. Good job."
Li let out a sigh. Just "good job"—nothing more. But the others took it as a good sign.
That usually meant a much higher pay grade.
He leaned back against a broken wall, finally letting himself go still. Time had blurred—minutes, hours, maybe days. But now, he could finally sleep.
He closed his eyes and let the comfort wash over him.
…
From nearly a hundred miles above, the Chief's daughter stared out the window of the ship. Less than an hour ago, a thousand vessels had exited the planet's atmosphere, fleeing in formation. Before that, blood-red cracks had split across the planet's surface like gashes, raw and violent.
Now, the dark smog that once choked the skies had retreated. It seemed to have funneled into a single point deep within the planet, as if something below had drawn it inward. The corruption was vanishing.
Below, the once-hidden beauty of the city revealed itself—miles upon miles of intricately carved structures, a testament to a lost civilization's brilliance. The evil had been lifted. But Li had not.
For days, she had tried to reach him, but his comms remained silent. She passed the time aboard the ship, immersing herself in the ship's vast library—massive containers holding planetary records. They documented everything: history, philosophy, flora, fauna, and the subtle uniqueness of every world touched by the Covenant.
Then the word came through—Li was alive.
That was all she needed. The weight that had pressed on her chest for days lifted instantly. She closed her eyes and let out a long, steady breath.
Her mission would continue.