Chapter 59 - 56: We Meet Again
Ellen's consciousness stirred, pulling her from the deep abyss of sleep. The first thing she registered was the feeling of weightlessness, not quite floating, but not entirely grounded either. The last thing she remembered was defeating the Empress and launching herself in a random direction, hoping to land on a planet with civilization. The vastness of space had stretched before her, and golden strings of light had danced through the void, humming a harmonic melody that lulled her into slumber.
Now, she was waking up in a bedroom that wasn't hers.
Her sharp senses kicked in as she sat up, noting how the bed beneath her was softer than anything she was used to. The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows against metallic walls lined with faintly glowing panels. She lifted a hand to rub her face and paused—there was something over her eyes. Not a blindfold, not a helmet—just... something. Yet, she could still see as if nothing obstructed her vision. The anomaly should have been disconcerting, but Ellen had learned long ago not to sweat the inexplicable.
First things first: figure out where she was.
Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she stood, steadying herself before making her way to the door. The quiet hum of machinery filled the air as she stepped into a hallway. It was sleek, futuristic, yet carried a strange sense of solitude. Moving forward, she eventually reached a window—and what she saw made her pause.
Space.
Not just an empty void, but a breathtaking expanse of solar systems and stars stretching endlessly before her. Swirling nebulas pulsed in the distance, cosmic dust shimmered like scattered diamonds. It was beautiful in a way that reminded her just how small she was compared to the grand design of the universe.
A presence behind her.
Ellen turned, instinctively tensing for a fight, but what she saw made her stop in place.
A woman stood there, poised yet unshaken, her violet eyes sharp and calculating. Her outfit was a striking blend of modern and traditional—
A high-necked black crop top, its intricate cutouts forming an inverted V-shape on the chest, attached seamlessly to a choker. Over it, she wore a white and purple jacket with long furisode-style sleeves reminiscent of a kimono, adorned with intricate black and violet patterns that pulsed faintly with unknown energy. Form-fitting black and purple high-waisted shorts complemented the jacket, finishing the ensemble with sleek black boots that gave her a grounded yet ethereal presence.