A Chemist's Interstellar Saga
Chapter 27: Ether Crystal

Chapter 27: Ether Crystal

A wormhole appeared in the center of Hecaris City, and news of it spread terrifyingly fast across the entire Alliance.

While all the people of the Alliance prayed for Hecaris, far away in the Empire, Duke Glendale also received the news.

"Oh, you’re saying a wormhole has appeared in the Alliance," Duke Glendale remarked. His expression wasn’t exactly gloating, but his tone was definitely a bit gleeful.

"Yes, Your Grace, we have a spy at the auction site; the information is absolutely accurate," confirmed Kasem, the Duke’s trusted butler.

Duke Glendale’s smile grew wider as he feigned sympathy, "Hecaris is where the Fifth Legion is stationed, and a wormhole appears right under their noses? This really isn’t going to look good to the people of the Alliance, Kasem. You know what to do, right?"

"Understood, Your Grace. I will have our spy bribe the media to promote the Fifth Legion properly," Butler Kasem replied respectfully.

After finishing his statement, Kasem turned to his opticomputer, located an account, and sent an encrypted message to the Alliance.

Duke Glendale smiled contentedly. He elegantly picked up a cup of hand-ground coffee, and sipped it lightly, occasionally making a satisfied sound of appreciation.

Just then, an irritating emergency alert sound came from Butler Kasem’s opticomputer.

Duke Glendale frowned and gestured for Kasem to check the message.

Respectfully nodding, Kasem accessed the opticomputer, and opened the urgent message.

"The crown prince has been found at the auction site in Hecaris. Need backup!"

The content nearly made Kasem buckle at the knees.

"What is it about this message that’s so urgent? It must be interesting," Duke Glendale commented leisurely, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Duke, Prince Cassian is in Hecaris, at the auction site where the wormhole appeared," stammered Butler Kasem. His limbs trembled with fear and his voice quivering with disbelief.

"What the..." Duke Glendale spit out his coffee. His movements was too hurried, and he even knocked over his coffee cup.

At that moment, Duke Glendale had no time to care about the spill. He urgently commanded, "Hurry up, contact our embassy in the Alliance to protect the prince, hurry."

"Yes," Kasem replied. He steadied himself before quickly left the mansion to deliver the instructions to the embassy in the Empire.

While he was alone, Duke Glendale thought for a moment and decided that, to make everything under his control, he had to make a trip to the Alliance himself.

Meanwhile, in the Alliance, inside the auction hall...

"Arix, I’m here to save you!" shouted Drexel. He was in a combat suit and rushing into the auction hall in a panic, his cries echoing wildly.

However, when Drexel saw that Arix was unharmed, his cries suddenly stopped.

Drexel stood there, still a bit stunned, and foolishly asked Arix, "You’re okay, Arix?"

The scenario didn’t match his expectations—wasn’t Arix supposed to be waiting for him like a sitting duck in distress?

Arix, sensing the curious gazes of the crowd, gave a wry smile and said, "Why are you here?"

"I came with Dad and some guys from the Fifth Legion; they’re right behind me. I was worried, so I rushed in," Drexel explained. After checking Arix from head to toe to make sure she was unharmed, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

Drexel quietly observed Cassian. He was surprised to discover that this man would merge his psychic power with Arix’s—a level of trust that only come with deep connections.

"The Fifth Legion’s here," shouted a friend of Hank’s suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention towards the doorway.

Two rows of Alliance soldiers appeared, clad in deep blue uniforms and armed with rifles. They stood tall and formidable like solitary oaks on a mountain peak.

Thaddeus raised his left hand, and the well-trained troops stopped. He then approached the wormhole, accompanied only by a soldier holding a dark wooden box.

"Arix, Dad’s proud of you," Thaddeus said affectionately, patting his daughter’s head.

He then turned to Cassian, pausing before thanking him, "Thank you for protecting the Alliance and Arix."

Cassian responded with a humble smile, "No need for formalities, Admiral Kering."

Thaddeus nodded and then instructed towards the wormhole, "Fergus, put it in."

"Yes," Fergus responded, then politely smiled at Arix and Cassian, "You can both withdraw your psychic powers now."

Arix and Cassian exchanged a glance and nodded together.

The moment their psychic powers dissipated, Fergus opened the wooden box and swiftly threw a stone with anti-gravitational properties into the wormhole.

"Dad, what’s that?" Arix asked curiously.

"The bane of wormholes, an Ether Crystal. You’ll learn about it at the military academy, but take a good look now; practical opportunities are rare," Thaddeus explained with a smile, patting his daughter’s head.

"Okay," Arix replied, her eyes fixed on the wormhole with the curiosity of a child.

Just as the insectoids inside the wormhole thought their chance had arrived with the psychic barrier gone, they realized the wormhole was rapidly shrinking. In a matter of moments, the vast wormhole completely closed.

After the wormhole disappeared, not only Thaddeus and his team breathed a sigh of relief, but everyone else also felt a massive weight lift from their shoulders.

"Now we can relax," said Hank, who had been tense the whole time. His relief was so profound that he fainted from the sudden release of stress.

It was only when Hank collapsed that his friend noticed a large gash across Hank’s abdomen.

Hank, dressed in black and deliberately hiding his injury, had prevented anyone from detecting anything amiss until now.

Hank’s friend carefully checked Hank’s pulse, relieved to find it still beating. And then, he also collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.

Not just Hank, but many others in the hall were also severely injured. The sight of the Alliance soldiers seemed to have allowed them to finally let go of their burdens, resulting in many collapsing or fainting.

Thaddeus, deeply moved by the scene, solemnly removed his military cap and saluted everyone, "All medical expenses for those here will be fully covered by my Fifth Legion. For those who tragically lost their lives in this disaster, I will request that they and their families receive the same treatment as martyrs and their widows. Additionally, on behalf of all the people of Hecaris in the Alliance, I thank you, heroes."

"When the people of the Alliance face trouble, it is our duty to help," cried Hank’s friend. He was supporting the unconscious Hank and wiping away tears as he led the chant.

"When the people of the Alliance face trouble, it is our duty to help," echoed the voices of those still awake in the hall, their declaration ringing loud and heartfelt.