Edwin Lunar Chapter 102: The Last Shield

Read chapter 102 of Edwin Lunar by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

Nobody spoke. The image projected by the Core dominated the chamber. An endless ocean of darkness stretched beyond the barrier. Millions of Watchers. Perhaps billions. The swarm covered entire sectors of space. Galaxies looked small beside it. And at the center of the invasion stood the crimson-eyed entity. The true leader of the Watchers. The being even the Observer feared. Its massive eye remained fixed on the galaxy. On the Forge. On Edwin. A cold sensation ran through everyone's body. For the first time, the threat wasn't hidden behind mysteries. It wasn't something lurking in shadows. It was real. And it was coming. The Observer stared at the projection. His face had become completely expressionless. Yet Edwin noticed something unusual. His hands were trembling. Only slightly. But trembling nonetheless. Twenty thousand years. Countless wars. Countless losses. And still this enemy could make him afraid. That terrified Edwin more than the swarm itself. Elyra slowly stepped forward. "The barrier?" The Observer answered immediately. "It won't hold." The room froze. Nobody wanted to hear that. Nobody. Humming frowned. "How long?" The Observer looked at the projection. Calculations flashed across the Core. Ancient algorithms ran. Then he answered. "Months." Carl almost laughed. "Months?" The Observer looked at him. "No." His voice became heavier. "After today... weeks." Silence. Absolute silence. Weeks. Not years. Not decades. Weeks. The final war wasn't approaching anymore. It had already begun. The Observer turned toward the Core. Ancient symbols appeared around him. The Forge seemed to recognize him. To remember him. For several seconds nobody moved. Then Edwin spoke. "You knew this would happen." The Observer didn't deny it. "Yes." "You knew all along." "Yes." Edwin clenched his fists. Anger rose within him. Not because of the Watchers. Because of everything. The lies. The manipulation. The suffering. The wars. "Then why didn't you tell anyone?" The chamber fell silent. The Observer slowly turned. His tired eyes met Edwin's. Then he answered. "Because nobody would've believed me." The words hit harder than expected. The Observer sighed. "For twenty thousand years I warned civilizations." The Core responded. Ancient memories appeared. Worlds. Empires. Governments. Leaders. The Observer speaking. Warning them. Begging them. Preparing them. Again and again. Every time the result was the same. Fear. Panic. Division. Conflict. People focused on fighting each other. Not the Watchers. The images disappeared. "I learned something." The Observer's voice echoed quietly. "People don't unite against a threat they can't see." Nobody spoke. Because history had proven him right. Even during the Great War, civilizations fought among themselves. Even while the Watchers advanced. The Observer looked toward Groader. Then Humming. Then Edwin. "I became the enemy because enemies unite people." The room froze. The statement was horrifying. Yet disturbingly logical. The Observer continued. "Every alliance." "Every defense system." "Every fleet." "Every academy." His eyes settled on Edwin. "Orion." The realization slowly spread through the chamber. Orion itself. The organization Wingard built. The Academy. The alliances protecting the galaxy. All of them existed because of the Observer. Because civilizations needed a common enemy. Carl stared. "You're telling me..." He pointed toward the Observer. "...you intentionally became history's villain?" The Observer remained silent. That silence was answer enough. Nobody knew what to say. Even Groader looked shaken. Not because he agreed. But because he understood. The Observer's methods had been terrible. Cruel. Unforgivable. Yet the purpose behind them suddenly made sense. Then Elyra spoke. "You still crossed the line." The Observer nodded. "I know." The answer came immediately. No defense. No excuse. Just acceptance. The room grew quiet. Then the Forge suddenly trembled. Harder than before. Everyone ne