Chapter 17 #3
Dani wasn’t doing well. Her body shook, and her eyelids drifted open and closed.
"No response," Solar observed as the makeshift beacon continued its silent transmission.
"The signal is weak," Lunar acknowledged. He felt his friend’s worry over Dani.
After everything they had sacrificed to return, failure was unacceptable. Lunar moved closer to the beacon, allowing more of his shadow essence to flow into its systems, boosting its output.
"What are you doing?" Solar asked, noting the change in Lunar's energy pattern.
"Enhancing transmission power," Lunar explained. "My shadow essence can be converted to electromagnetic energy if properly modulated."
"That will delay your recovery," Solar warned.
"Acceptable cost," Lunar replied simply, glancing at Dani.
The memory of Poppy's face filled him. Just the thought of her could sustain him. He would drain his essence to nothing if it meant a chance at seeing her again.
The enhanced signal pulsed outward, crossing the distance to Earth in an instant. Lunar maintained the connection, his essence growing weaker as more energy transferred to the beacon.
"Conserve yourself," Solar demanded. "We may need your shadow-walking abilities to reach Earth if rescue doesn't come."
"Shadow-walking across such a vacuum would require more energy than I currently possess," Lunar admitted. "This is our optimal strategy."
Dani, who had been examining the lunar landscape through a viewport, suddenly pointed skyward. "Something's happening."
A distortion appeared in the space above their crater, a ripple in reality that reminded Lunar of the dimensional fold they had survived. But this was different, smaller, and more controlled.
"It's a targeted dimensional bridge," Solar observed, his light pulsing with surprise. "But who—"
The distortion stabilized, forming a small portal through which they could see Earth's blue atmosphere. A familiar voice crackled through their damaged communication system. "Lunar? Solar? Are you receiving this transmission?"
"Pudding?” Lunar identified. His essence rippled with what might have been relief, except for the fact Harris was not the hero he’d been hoping for.
"Dani is with us. Can you extract all of us?" Solar asked. He shared a worried look with Lunar.
“Yes?” Harris replied.
“This is not optimal,” Lunar stated.
“We can’t stay here,” Dani whispered, reaching for Solar. She breathed heavily, as if her lungs struggled to pull in enough oxygen.
“Can you extract Dani safely?” Solar demanded.
"What are you doing on the moon? We sent you specific coordinates.” Gary’s voice replaced Harris’. “I want it on record that this is not our fault. You crashed that ship all on your own.”
“Answer me,” Solar yelled. “Or I swear I’ll set fire to—”
“Your ship is damaged. The bridge is unstable," Gary rushed. “We can maintain it long enough for transit, but there's a significant risk of energy dispersal during the crossing."
"Meaning?" Dani prompted.
“Boom and poof,” Harris answered. “Big mess.”
"Your physical forms might not fully reconstitute on the other side," Gary clarified.
“Perfect,” Dani muttered. Her head dipped forward, and she stopped talking.
“All must travel together if this is going to work,” Bob said. “We need to act.”
“What do you think? Do you have the reserves left to make it?” Solar asked, though they all knew there wasn’t much of a choice.
Lunar gave another meaningful look to Dani. This was her best chance. She wouldn’t survive much longer without air. If it were Poppy, he’d hope Solar would make the same sacrifice.
"I will attempt the crossing," he decided. "My essence is already fragmented. Further dispersal is an acceptable risk."
"Lunar—" Solar began.
"If I fail to reconstitute, tell Poppy," he paused. "Tell her... Tell her I kept my promise. I found a way back."
Before Solar could object further, Lunar gathered what remained of his shadow essence and faced the dimensional bridge. Solar lifted Dani into his arms. Lunar placed his hand on Dani’s injured head. The contact helped stabilize their energies as they approached the portal's edge.
"Focus on Poppy's energy signature," Solar advised. "The resonance between you will help guide us."
Lunar paused at the threshold, his fragmented form wavering between solidity and dispersion. Beyond the bridge lay Earth, Poppy, home as he now understood it. One final effort, one last risk, and he would reach her.
"For Poppy," he whispered, echoing Dani's earlier words.
They stepped into the dimensional bridge together.
Pain beyond description engulfed him as his already weakened body scattered further, pulled in countless directions by the unstable energies of the bridge. He felt himself fragmenting into shards that threatened to drift apart forever.
With what remained of his sanity, Lunar focused on the single constant that had guided him across the stars. Like a beacon in absolute darkness, Poppy called to him. She was his guide through the chaos.
Eclipse's twilight energy suddenly appeared in the void, reaching out to him, providing a structure around which his shadow could reform. But it wasn't enough.
Then, impossibly, he felt another energy joining Eclipse's efforts.
This one was warmer and perfectly attuned to him.
Poppy. Somehow, she reached for him through the dimensional bridge.
With the help of Eclipse, her unique sensitivity to shadow frequencies allowed her to reconnect his scattered form.
"Come back to me," her voice whispered through the void, more feeling than sound. "I'm here. Follow my voice."
Lunar gathered the fragments of his consciousness, drawing them toward that beloved energy signature. Slowly, painfully, he began to reconsolidate, shadow particles coalescing around the framework of Eclipse's twilight and the warmth of Poppy's call.
With a final surge of effort that consumed his remaining strength, Lunar pushed through the dimensional barrier. Reality twisted around him one last time, then solidified as he fell through the portal onto solid ground.
Earth. He had made it.
His shadow essence was dangerously depleted, barely maintaining cohesion. Through fragmented awareness, he sensed Eclipse stabilizing him just as Lunar had done for Eclipse after Milano’s attack. The dimensional bridge closed, and the landscape around them darkened.
“Dani? Solar?” he tried to ask.
"Lunar. Stay with me. Please stay with me." Gentle hands cradled what remained of his form.
Poppy.
The connection became stronger than ever now that distance no longer separated them. Her shadow sensitivity enveloped his fading essence, providing structure and stability where his own strength faltered.
“See there, Harris, I told you it would be fine,” Gary’s voice announced. “No human pudding. Put that bucket away.”
"Poppy, I kept my promise," he managed through their connection. His consciousness flickered.
"You did," she agreed, tears in her voice. "Now keep another one. Stay with me."
“I should have told you I love you.”
The last of his energy reserves were depleted. Lunar’s consciousness faded into darkness. But this time, the darkness was not empty. It held Poppy's warmth, her light within shadow, guiding him back to himself.
His final thought, just before awareness faded, was simple and with perfect certainty. He had come home.