Edwin Lunar Chapter 37: The Orion Gateway

Read chapter 37 of Edwin Lunar by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

Night covered Noroel in silver light. The floating towers of Lunar Dominion Academy glowed softly beneath the clouds while thousands of aerial pathways shimmered across the skies like rivers of stars. From a distance, the academy looked peaceful again. But deep inside the highest tower— Everything was changing. Edwin stood inside Headmaster Humming's private chamber staring at the fading holographic map projected from the ring. ORION GATEWAY ACTIVE The message still echoed inside his mind. Access requires four Orion members. Carl paced nervously across the room already. "So just to summarize our current situation…" He pointed dramatically at Edwin's hand. "Your magic war ring has unlocked mysterious ancient space coordinates connected to your legendary father, hidden fleets, interstellar gateways, and possibly the end of civilization." He paused briefly. "…Again." Iris sat near the holographic console studying the coordinates carefully. "The signal isn't random." Silver data streams moved rapidly across her scanner. "It's transmitting from outside all known Dominion routes." Lucien crossed his arms near the large window overlooking the academy. "Meaning someone intentionally hid it." Headmaster Humming remained silent for several moments. Then finally said: "Yes." Everyone looked toward him. The old Marshal stepped toward the center projection slowly. "The Orion Gateway was humanity's greatest secret." The chamber lights dimmed automatically as ancient star maps appeared around them. Not just the Noor System. Dozens. Hundreds. Entire sectors of unknown space illuminated across the holograms. Carl stared upward speechlessly. "…We are definitely not in school-level problems anymore." Humming ignored him gently. "Long before the Great War, explorers discovered ancient gateways hidden throughout deep space." The holograms shifted. Massive ring-shaped structures floated between stars while giant silver pathways connected entire galaxies together. "They were built by a civilization older than humanity." Edwin felt cold again. "The same civilization connected to Eclipse?" Humming nodded slowly. "Yes." The images darkened. Destroyed planets appeared across the holograms. Collapsed stars. Entire civilizations erased. "The Eclipse Heart was not created by Groader." Silence filled the chamber. "He merely found it." Iris looked stunned. "Then who created it?" Humming's expression hardened slightly. "We do not know." The answer somehow felt even worse. Lucien stepped closer toward the projection. "And the Gateway?" "Was sealed after the Great War." The holograms focused toward one distant location. A gigantic silver structure floating inside a storm of stars. "The final surviving gateway." Edwin recognized the coordinates immediately. The same ones from the ring. Carl rubbed his forehead dramatically. "So naturally we are going there." "No," Humming answered sharply. Everyone looked toward him. The Headmaster's silver eyes became serious. "The outer sectors are beyond Dominion protection." The holograms displayed destroyed fleets scattered across unknown space. "Entire Marshal divisions vanished searching for the Gateway." Even Lucien looked uneasy now. Humming turned toward Edwin. "Your father believed something was waiting there." The ring glowed faintly again. "What?" The old Marshal hesitated. Then quietly answered: "A warning." Silence spread heavily across the chamber. Then suddenly— The academy alarms activated once more. Everyone froze instantly. But this time— Not red. Silver. UNKNOWN TRANSMISSION RECEIVED Iris checked her scanner quickly. "It's encrypted." The ring suddenly projected a symbol across the chamber. The Orion insignia. Then a voice echoed softly through the room. "…Edwin…" Everyone became still. Edwin's eyes widened immediately. He recognized that voice. His father. Carl nearly fell backward. "THAT IS NOT NORMAL." The transmission flickered weakly. Static covered most of the audio while distorted stars appeared behin