Page 22 of Rescued By the Alien Acolyte

“We’ve got company!” Leera shouts over the roar of the engine, her voice tinged with alarm. I risk a glance in the rearview mirror to see a cloud of dust on the horizon—more Dune Marauders, no doubt. Their vehicles are larger, more powerful, built for this harsh terrain. They are gaining on us, and fast.

“Finzar,” I call out, my voice nearly lost in the wind, “how much farther to the temple?”

His deep voice carries over the noise of engine and wind. “We’re close. See that outcropping?” He points to a jagged formation jutting from the desert floor. “The main entrance is just beyond it.”

I nod, gritting my teeth as I push the skimmer even harder. The engine’s pitch increases to a worrying whine, but I ignore it. We don’t need it to last forever—just long enough.

The jagged peaks of Crimson Ridge emerge before us, growing larger with each passing second. At first glance, the mountain range appears as forbidding as ever. But now, with my eyes opened by my time in the temple, I can see what I missed before. Subtle changes in the rock formations catch my eye—too angular to be natural, too purposeful to be coincidence. The sight of it sends a chill down my spine. Memories of my short time as a prisoner there is still all too fresh in my mind.

As we near the base of the mountain, the terrain becomes treacherous. Massive boulders litter the landscape, and deep ravines cut across our path like angry scars. I weave between obstacles, the skimmer groaning under the strain of my evasive maneuvers. Leera yelps as we narrowly miss a jutting rock, the edge of the skimmer scraping against it with a screech of protesting metal.

The Marauders are gaining on us. Their more powerful vehicles are better suited for this rough terrain. I can hear the roar of their engines now, growing louder with each passing second. A blast of energy sizzles past us, so close I can feel the heat of it passing my cheek.

“We’re not going to make it to the top like this,” I shout, frustration and fear warring in my voice. “We need to find another way in!”

Finzar’s eyes scan the mountainside, his expression intense with concentration. Suddenly, he points. “There!” he shouts. “That crevice—it leads to a hidden entrance. I’ve used it for missions.”

I veer sharply toward the narrow opening, praying to whatever gods might be listening that the skimmer will fit. We barely scrape through, the sound of screeching metal filling the air as the sides of the vehicle grind against the rock. Behind us, I hear the satisfying crunch of a Marauder vehicle trying to follow and failing, followed by shouts of anger and pain.

The crevice opens into a dark tunnel, cool air rushing to meet us. I kill the engine, and we dismount quickly. The silence is deafening after the chaos of our flight, broken only by our heavy breathing and the distant, muffled curses of our pursuers.

“From here, we go on foot,” Finzar says, his voice low and tense. He pulls a small, powerful flashlight from his belt, illuminating the rough-hewn passage ahead. “The ritual chamber is deep within the mountain.”

As we make our way through the winding passages, the gravity of our situation settles over me. We’re walking right into the heart of the Nexus, giving them exactly what they want—Finzar and me, the key components for their ritual. If we fail, we’re not just risking our lives, but potentially dooming all of Aridium to whatever darkness lurks in the Temple.

The tunnel gradually transitions from natural rock to worked stone, alien symbols carved into the walls at regular intervals. They seem to writhe in the beam of Finzar’s flashlight, creating unsettling patterns that make my head ache if I look at them too long.

As we move deeper, I notice a pattern in the temple’s layout. Every junction, every chamber we pass, seems precisely placed. It reminds me of something Finzar mentioned last night about Nexus temple design—how it always incorporates some sacred geometry.

“Finzar,” I whisper as we pause at an intersection, my voice barely audible even in the stillness, “if things go wrong… if it looks like they might capture us…”

He meets my eyes, understanding dawning in his pale blue gaze. “I won’t let that happen,” he growls, his voice a low rumble that I feel more than hear. “I’ll die before I let them use you for their ritual.”

I nod, a lump forming in my throat. The weight of it settles in my chest, along with a surge of gratitude and guilt. I’ve led my friends into this nightmare, but their unwavering loyalty humbles me. Whatever happens, I swear to myself their trust won’t be in vain.

As if reading my thoughts, Leera places a reassuring hand on my arm. I meet her eyes, then Finzar’s. “We have to do this,” I say softly. “The Nexus threatens all of Aridium—our homes, our freedom, our future. If we don’t stop them here and now, there won’t be anywhere left to run.”

Their nods of agreement strengthen my resolve. We share a moment of silent understanding before Leera’s antennae suddenly twitch violently, nearly smacking me in the face. “Someone’s coming,” she hisses, her eyes wide with alarm.

We press ourselves against the wall, holding our breath as a group of acolytes hurries past, their robes swishing softly againstthe stone floor. Their voices are excited and nervous, echoing slightly in the narrow passage.

“…almost time,” one says, his voice trembling with anticipation. “The High Inquisitor says the celestial alignment is perfect. The sun gods will soon arise, and finally the Nexus will reign supreme.”

As their footsteps fade, we exchange glances. Time is running out. The Solstice is upon us, and with it, the potential end of everything we know.

We pick up the pace, Finzar leading us through a maze of corridors and secret passages. The air grows thick with incense and an underlying current of dark energy that makes my skin crawl. It’s like static electricity, but worse—a feeling of wrongness that seems to seep from the very stones around us.

My heart pounds in my chest, each beat a reminder of the precious seconds ticking away. Sweat beads on my forehead, both from exertion and fear. I check for my blaster at my hip, a cold comfort against the unknown horrors that await us.

Finally, we reach a massive set of doors, intricately carved with symbols of the Aridium suns. The craftsmanship is exquisite, beautiful in its complexity, yet somehow obscene in its wrongness. Beyond them, we can hear chanting—a low, rhythmic sound that seems to vibrate through the stone beneath our feet.

"This is it," Finzar mutters, his voice nearly drowned out by the unsettling chorus of chants. “The ritual chamber. Sakar will be inside, along with his most trusted acolytes.”

I take a deep breath, checking my blaster one last time. The power cell is fully charged, the barrel clean. It’s not much against the might of the Nexus, but it’s all I have.

“Alright,” I say, trying to inject confidence into my voice, “let’s end this.”

Leera’s eyes begin to glow that eerie purple again, the color seeming to pulse in time with the chanting beyond the doors. “I’ll try to create a distraction,” she says, her voice strained with the effort of containing her power. “But I don’t know how effective my abilities will be here… these acolytes are wired differently!”

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