The battle before the Stargate was devastating.
Quetzal led the last Star-Touched in a desperate battle against Chendan's rebel forces. Lightning split the sky while rivers of blood flowed across the earth. Countless fell, countless died.
Xingyuan—the young man who loved stargazing—felt the true power within him for the first time in this battle.
He sees the stars' paths and predicts every enemy strike. He moves across the battlefield as if no one is there. With every swing of his blade, an enemy falls.
But there are too many enemies.
Rebels surged like a tide; no matter how many we killed, they kept coming.
Quetzal knows it can't wait any longer.
He told Xingyuan, "Take the others and leave. I'll handle this."
Amidst the ruins of Xingyuan, gazing up at the empty sky, his voice trembled: "High Priest, you..."
"I'm going to shut down the Stargate," said Quetzalcoatl. "It can only be sealed from the inside."
Xingyuan grabbed his hand. "I'll go with you!"
"No," the Feathered Serpent shook his head. "You are young. You must live. Watch over this world, protect it, until that day comes."
Which day?
Yu She looked up at the sky, watching the Star Beyond grow brighter and brighter.
"When the stars on the other shore shine again," he said, "someone will come to save us. You must wait for them and tell them the truth."
Tears streamed down Xingyuan's face.
Yu She embraced him and whispered in his ear, "Remember, your name is Xing Yuan. Your duty is to guard this starry sky." Then he let go, turned around, and walked toward the Star Gate.
His figure vanished into the light.
The Stargate shuddered violently and began to collapse. The rebels recoiled in terror, but it was too late—the gate's gravity intensified, pulling them in one by one.
Chan Dan is also among them.
He struggled, reached out, and shouted to Star Abyss: "Save me—!"
Xingyuan watched him, unmoving.
Chan Dan's figure vanished into the star gate.
Then, the Stargate closed.
All is quiet again.
Amid the ruins of Xingyuan, I gazed up at the vast, empty sky and remained motionless for a long time.
He knew that from now on, he would be the last Starbrand.
On a distant hilltop, the ancestor of the Nightmare Lion watched it all, a glint of greed flashing in their eyes.
"The last Starbrand..." he muttered. "His cinnabar must be worth a fortune."
He licked his lips and vanished into the darkness.