Chapter 19 God Incorporated

• Act IV: The Veil of Eternity
• In the dimly lit underbelly of Seraph City, Zahra's desperate search for Sister Solara led her to a seedy bar tucked away down a dark back alley. Smoke wafted through the air, and the low hum of chatter and clinking glasses filled the room. Among them, Kaelen, a weathered and charismatic pilot whose rusty ship, the Starshadow, seemed held together by duct tape and prayer. He was making a run for Veridian Colony and was willing to offer passage to Celestia. For a steep price, of course.
• Zahra had no choice but to trust this dubious character as they struck a deal. As they departed, the Starshadow's engines roared to life, their orange glow casting an eerie haze around the vessel. Zahra clutched the Codex as the ship rumbled through the star system. The Celestial Vanguard patrols hunted for smugglers, forcing Kaelen to navigate the system's asteroid fields. Zahra's heart pounded with each radar blip that appeared on the ship's console, and she prayed that her journey wouldn't end in capture.