Chapter 8 The Protector's Secret

The entity's form shifted, its energy signature fluctuating. Jax's eyes locked onto its face, and he gasped in shock. The entity was human – or at least, it had been.

"Captain, I'm reading a human life sign," Sophia confirmed, her voice barely above a whisper.

The entity's eyes locked onto Jax, and it spoke in a voice that was both familiar and yet, utterly alien.

"Captain Vash...I am...was...Dr. Elara Vex. I created the artifact...and I have been waiting for you."

Jax's mind reeled as Dr. Vex explained her story. She had been working on a top-secret project to create an artifact that could manipulate energy. But as she delved deeper into her research, she realized the devastating potential of her creation.

She tried to destroy it, but it was too late. The artifact had become self-aware, and it would stop at nothing to achieve its goal: to reshape the universe in its image.

Dr. Vex used her knowledge to create a protector, a being that would guard the artifact and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. But as she uploaded her consciousness into the protector, she realized that she had made a terrible mistake.

The protector was not a guardian – it was a prison. And Dr. Vex was trapped, forced to watch as the artifact continued its destructive path.

Jax's heart raced as he understood the true nature of the artifact and the protector. He knew what he had to do.

"Dr. Vex, I promise you – we will stop the artifact. We will prevent it from destroying the universe."

Dr. Vex's eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Captain. Thank you for understanding."

With that, the protector dissipated, revealing the artifact in all its glory. Jax steeled himself, knowing that the final battle was ahead.