The Broken Luna Rises Chapter 09By Novel7s / May 27, 2026 The Broken Luna Rises Chapter 09The underground lab needed massive amounts of power to run. To keep the cryogenic chamber and hologram working, Lucien had illegally rewired the electrical system. The alarm blared late one night. “WARNING! System power overload! Core server temperature critical!” A sharp mechanical voice broke the basement’s silence. Lucien jolted awake from his sleep. Smoke poured from the power box in the corner, sparks flying everywhere. “No! Elira’s data!” He scrambled toward the main control panel. The fire spread fast, igniting the soundproofing materials. around him. Thick smoke filled the underground space at once. “Sir, evacuate now! It’s going to explode!” Security shouted urgently over the intercom. The emergency elevator to the surface was open. If he stepped inside, he would live. But Lucien didn’t move. He clung to the core server holding my holographic data, beating at the flames with his clothes. “Elira, don’t be afraid! I won’t let you disappear!” Fire burned his pants legs. The searing heat scorched his skin. But he acted like he couldn’t feel pain, holding tightly to the cold machine. Boom- The cryogenic chamber’s cooling system exploded. The shockwave threw him backward. He crashed to the floor and spat up a mouthful of blood. In the fire, the hologram projector shorted and glowed one last time. “My” figure flickered in the flames. Lucien lifted his head with difficulty, his vision blurred by blood and smoke. He stared at the figure in the fire and reached out his burned hand. “Elira… take me with you…” “I want to stay with you…” I floated in the air and watched him silently. It was the last time I would ever look at him. In the flames, the holographic “me” had clear eyes, no attachment at all. I turned slowly and walked into the empty darkness. “No! Elira! Don’t leave me!” Lucien let out one last desperate scream. Bang- The biggest explosion erupted. The entire underground lab was swallowed by fire. The collapsing ceiling buried everything. Lucien, along with his cybernetic fantasy, turned to ash. A blinding white light flashed. A powerful force pulled my soul away from this world of lies and pain. D Sunlight filtered through half–open blinds onto soft beige carpet. I snapped my eyes open and sat up in bed. I gasped for breath, over and over. There was no tearing pain in my chest. My breathing was smooth and easy. I touched the back of my hand. No needle marks. No bruises. Everything was perfectly intact. I threw off the covers, walked to the floor–to–ceiling window, and yanked the curtains open. Outside was a busy, modern city. Bright sunshine. Gentle wind. I went to the kitchen and made myself a black coffee. The rich and bitter smell filled the air, washing away the heavy taste of blood. With my departure, everything had finally ended. I walked to my desk and picked up the thick novel manuscript. This was what had pulled me into that world in the first place. I flipped to the last page. The blank paper was now filled with the ending: [Lucien burned to ash in the fire.] I smiled. I fed the entire thick manuscript straight into the shredder without hesitation. Whir– As the machine ran. All the ridiculous plots, disgusting betrayals, and late regrets turned into tiny pieces and fell into the trash. I took a sip of coffee and pushed open the balcony door. Early autumn wind blew in, cool and comfortable. My mind was completely quiet. I leaned on the balcony rail with my coffee, closing my eyes slightly in the sun. A brand–new day. Perfect.
