All Chapters of Come Be With Me, The End Is Here: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Seventeen light-years late—yes, seventeen—Bastion double-checked his course—one more to go. The trip had been long but peaceful, just him, the hum of Champion, and the endless stars. Time for a little rest before the big arrival.Champion hummed quietly as Bastion floated through the cramped corridors, blasting his favorite Daun band music in his earpiece. He inspects every last panel and flickering status light. He ran his hands along the smooth, metallic surfaces, double-checking life support, thruster alignment, and the critical systems that would ensure his arrival. The navigational matrix glowed emerald green—perfect. He popped open a maintenance hatch and peered inside, tightening a loose connection just in case. Nothing could be left to chance, not now.He paused at the cargo bay, scanning the biometric locks and ensuring the teleport drive was primed. His heart beat in anticipation. After seventeen years out in the void, the idea of setting foot on Earth felt almost surreal. H

"What’s your secret, Bastion? I bet you have plenty," Autumn teased, her chin jutting out in that stubborn, adorable way. “What do you want to tell me about your girlfriend you have back home?” Her question made Bastion laugh. He gave her a sheepish grin, “Girlfriend?” But just beneath that smile was a storm of thoughts—his people’s survival, his mother’s memory, the fate of Daun. Still, looking at Autumn, the only word echoing in his mind was: persuasion. “You are a girl and my friend, right? So, if I told you my secrets," he asked, voice soft, "do you think you’d be ready to take them in?" His words and the sultriness in his eyes made her fidgety, but she couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips. Intrigueness won out over nerves. "Indulge me and see," she challenged, trying to sound brave even as her body tensed. Bastion’s eyes seemed to look right through her as he leaned in on the small table, filling the space between them, voice low and calm. "You like to talk, and I’m

Bastion realized that Autumn truly was special. He was learning from her, and they both love reading and absorbing knowledge. He admired her curiosity and dedication to learning, seeing them as traits he wished he possessed more strongly. He noticed that the more time they spent together, the more she was changing, gaining confidence, and he wished he had the time to give her his undivided attention. He saw her become happier, especially when she smiled at him, which made him feel valued. Each day, Autumn brought him meals at least twice and often spent her lunch breaks with him. Bastion tried to persuade her whenever he could, through reading and answering her questions as best he could. He hoped by doing so, he could inspire her toward his mission, though progress was slower than he wished. Through compliments and by listening to her goals and dreams, he aimed to build trust, believing that a genuine connection would help his cause. Still, for the next two weeks, they spent long e

Bastion paced the cramped shuttle, each step echoing the rising urgency in his chest. Autumn. The name danced like a flame in his mind. He had to take her with him. He wouldn’t return home alone. The thought made his heart race.Weeks slipped by. His mission morphed, transformed into something deeper, more dangerous. How could he persuade her? "Natural persuasion," he remembered, a lesson from the Daun's counselors. Desperation gnawed at him. He shoved his fingers through his long hair, frustration clawing at him. Failing this mission? Unthinkable. Lives depended on it—his people, the Daun, teetering on the brink of extinction. The weight of it all pressed down, suffocating.The night fell heavy around him. He needed air. He slipped out into the shadows among the trees, inhaling the intoxicating scent of wildflowers. Each blossom whispered her name. Autumn. “How do I make her leave?” he murmured to himself, the darkness swallowing his words. “How do I convince a simple girl who’s t

Two weeks. That’s all it took for everything to unravel. Bastion slipped into the house. Late, but not the dead of night. His boots were silent on the old floorboards. He’d been out. Preparing. Final touches on Champion, his shuttle—the only way out. The escape plan. The end, or the beginning?Tonight, he wasn’t coming home. He was coming for something else.The forest. Too quiet. Not the peaceful kind—the kind that presses down, suffocates. He felt it in his bones. Something coming. The calm before the storm, or the eye of it?Bastion’s senses sharpened. Every footstep is a warning. Every breath is a countdown.The house waited. All lights out. Shadows pressed against the windows. Everyone asleep. Or pretending.1 a.m. Autumn stepped from the shower. Skin damp. Heart restless.She locked her door. Always. House rule. Too many strangers, too many shadows. But tonight, she left the lights off. Odd. Reckless.Curtains wide open. The moon was a spotlight—silver and intrusive. Bastion