BOOM BOOM 1.1

He froze, the mention of Emma’s name sending a jolt of emotion through him. Ava had always been observant, and she had known what was weighing on him ever since their arrival on Aetheria. But now wasn’t the time for personal reckonings. His grief, his past—it had to wait.

“We’ll talk later,” Aiden replied softly, his voice a little more brittle than he intended. “Right now, we need to focus on survival.”

Ava nodded and disappeared to carry out her orders, leaving Aiden alone once more. He stared at the holoscreen, watching the corporate ships like predators circling their prey. He had spent his whole life running—from his past, from his pain, from the truth of what Earth had become. But now, there was nowhere left to run.

And maybe that was for the best.

Far above, in the cold expanse of space, the corporate warships had re-formed into attack formation. Their sleek, metallic hulls gleamed against the backdrop of the distant stars as they prepared to breach the planet’s defenses. Aetheria might have been the answer to Earth’s problems, but to the corporations, it was just another prize—a resource to be exploited and stripped bare.

In one of the lead ships, a man in a crisp black uniform watched the planet below through a large viewport. His eyes were calculating, and his mouth twisted into a thin smile.

"Sir, the forcefield is holding, but our weapons systems are nearly recalibrated," one of his officers reported. "We should be able to penetrate the shield on the next volley."

"Good," the man replied. His voice was as cold as the space outside. "Prepare for full assault. I want that planet, no matter the cost."

Back on Aetheria, the ground beneath Aiden trembled as the corporate fleet made its move. From the control center, he could see streaks of light cutting through the sky as the first wave of missiles slammed into the planetary shield. The forcefield rippled, absorbing the impact, but Aiden knew it wouldn’t last forever.

“We’re running out of time,” Ava said, her voice tight with urgency as she returned to his side. “The shield is holding for now, but it’s already weakening.”

Aiden clenched his fists. “We need to give the Echoes more time to awaken fully. If we can keep them at bay long enough, the planet’s defenses will take over. But we can’t let them land troops on the surface.”

Just then, a deep, resonant hum filled the air—a sound that seemed to come from the very core of Aetheria. Aiden felt it thrumming through his chest, like a pulse in sync with his own heartbeat.

“It’s starting,” he whispered, his eyes wide with awe. The Echoes were stirring.

In the chamber of the ancient structure, deep within the planet, the glow of the pedestal grew brighter, casting long shadows across the room. The energy Aiden had unlocked was now in full flow, surging through the ancient veins of Aetheria, connecting him to something far older than humanity itself. He could feel the consciousness of the Echoes—ancient, wise, and powerful—rising to meet the threat.

Outside, the corporate warships fired again, their weapons hammering against the shield with renewed intensity. The forcefield flickered, dimming for a moment under the relentless barrage.

Aiden watched, his heart pounding in his chest. They were close. Too close.

And then, the shield collapsed.

A deafening silence fell over the control room as the shimmering barrier faded from the sky, leaving the planet exposed to the full force of the corporate fleet. Ava swore under her breath, and Aiden’s stomach lurched.

“They’re coming,” she said. “We have to prepare for a ground invasion.”

But before Aiden could respond, the planet itself answered.

Without warning, the ground began to shake violently, and towering pillars of light erupted from the surface of Aetheria, forming a new barrier—one far more primal and powerful than anything the corporations had anticipated.

The Echoes had awakened.

Aboard the lead corporate ship, the man in black watched in horror as his weapons systems began to malfunction. The energy radiating from Aetheria was unlike anything he had ever encountered, and his ships were powerless against it.

“Sir, we’ve lost control of our systems!” an officer shouted, panic creeping into his voice. “We can’t fire—everything’s offline!”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “Impossible… what is that planet?”

Back on the surface, Aiden stood in awe as Aetheria unleashed its full power. The light from the pillars of energy was blinding, and the air crackled with the raw force of the Echoes. He could feel the ancient civilization’s presence all around him, a living entity that had finally been set free.

Ava stepped up beside him, her face pale but filled with wonder. “Is this… is this the Echoes?”

Aiden nodded. “Yes. And now, they’re protecting their home.”

He looked out at the sky, where the once-mighty corporate warships were now powerless, their systems fried by the planet’s defense. The battle was over before it had even begun.

But Aiden knew this was only the beginning.

The Echoes had chosen him as their protector, and with their power came responsibility. Earth might be lost, but Aetheria still had a future—a future Aiden would fight to defend, no matter the cost.

With the hum of the Echoes filling the air, Aiden turned to his team, his voice steady and resolute.

“We’ve won this round,” he said, “but the real fight is just beginning.”