Chapter 78: A Personal Threat and Changing Courses
That final image that flowed into Kael's mind from the Chitauri core had frozen the air on the Odyssey's bridge as it headed toward Aethelburg's Beacon. It wasn't just a warning that a distant echo point was in danger; it was a direct attack by the mighty Lord of the Void on Kael's weakest point, his past, and one of the few places he held dear. The image was clear: the ancient and wise corridors of the Infinite Library, once the refuge of Kael and the Echo, were now surrounded by the dark energy of the Void, the countless knowledge and echoes within threatened with destruction. And at the heart of the Library, that Lord of the Void was waiting for Kael; it was an open invitation, a mocking challenge.
"Damn!" Kael shouted, his eyes blazing with terror and anger. "The Infinite Library… They're going there!"
Captain Eva Rostova put the ship on alert at Kael's sudden and violent reaction. "What's going on, Kael? What library?"
"That ghost ship is just bait, Captain!" Kael said, his voice firm. "The real target is the Infinite Library! That Lord of the Void… is trying to lure me there!"
The Odyssey's sensors still showed the singular Void ghost ship in pursuit. But Kael was now certain that it was a stalling tactic. This was a much more personal and ruthless game set up by the Lords of the Void to trap Kael.
Dr. Aris Thorne tried to remember something about the Infinite Library Kael had mentioned. "The Infinite Library? That legendary place mentioned in the Aethel records, said to hold all the knowledge of the universe? But it… wasn't it lost?"
"Not anymore," Kael said. "And if they take it, they will not only destroy an invaluable source of information, but also one of the Great Seal's most important pillars of support." Kael turned to Captain Rostova. "We must change course, Captain. Now! We must go to the Infinite Library!"
This was completely outside Commander Hill's and S.H.I.E.L.D. protocols. The Odyssey was badly damaged, the crew was exhausted, and their primary mission was to reach Aethelburg's Lighthouse, report the situation, and repair the ship. Rostova hesitated for a moment. She trusted Kael, but that meant risking the entire mission and the lives of everyone on board.
"Kael," Rostova said, her voice cautious. "This is too great a risk. We must report to Commander Hill. I cannot change course without his approval."
"We do not have time, Captain!" Kael insisted. "We must get there before that Lord destroys the Library and everything in it! This is not just about me. This is about the entire universe!" Kael's Chitauri core flared even more powerfully at the distress call, echoing the Library's faint but desperate cry for help into Kael's mind.
Aslan, still not fully recovered in the infirmary, supported Kael's resolve. "Kael is right, Captain," he said, his voice faint but clear over the radio to the bridge. "If the Library falls, neither Aethelburg nor Earth will matter."
Captain Rostova faced a difficult decision. She would either obey orders or trust the instincts of this mysterious Echo Carrier. Finally, she made up her mind, seeing the unwavering conviction in Kael's eyes, the pain of the personal threat of the Void. "Very well, Kael," she said. "We are setting course for the Infinite Library. But it is your responsibility. If this is a trap or if we fail..."
"I understand, Captain," Kael said. "The responsibility is mine."
The Odyssey suddenly changed course, surprising the ghostly Void ship in pursuit. After a moment's hesitation, the ghost ship disappeared into the depths of the Dark Current Nebula instead of following them. This confirmed Kael's suspicions; the ship was indeed just a decoy.
The path to the Infinite Library was determined by those ancient star maps in the Aethel records and by Kael's guidance from the Chitauri core. This was a dangerous sector of space they had never visited before. Despite the damage the Odyssey had sustained, it was moving forward with the skill of Captain Rostova and the constant emergency repairs made by Dr. Thorne.
Kael was preparing himself both physically and mentally for this journey. The powerful Lord of the Void had targeted him personally. This would not only be a battle of strength, but also of will and mind. Kael would have to give everything he had to protect the Infinite Library and the ancient wisdom within it.
During their journey, they had come into coded communication with Commander Hill. Hill was angered by Kael's arbitrary change of course, but the personal threat Kael had described, and the importance of the Infinite Library, worried him as well. "Be careful, Echo," Hill had said. "And protect that Library, no matter what. The fate of the world may depend on your success."
After days of tense travel, the Odyssey finally reached the mysterious and isolated star system where the Infinite Library was located. But what they encountered confirmed the nightmare vision in Kael's mind. The Library was surrounded by a vast Void fleet. And the Library's once-bright energy shields were now weakened, cracked in places. From within came the echoes of the Library's ancient guardians' desperate resistance and the Void's mocking laughter.
And in that moment, Kael understood. This was not just a trap. This was an all-out war by the Lords of the Void against the Echo Bearers and all the wisdom of the universe. And Kael was at the center of that war.