Page 102 of The Sunlit Man

The door to the elevator opened. He stepped inside, dismissing Auxiliary—as in this shape, he was big enough to be awkward. The elevator worked, though, and the Scadrians didn’t try anything. It spit him out onto a landscape that had changed dramatically in the minutes since he’d left, an entire forest of spindly trees growing up from the mud.

Nomad—Zellion—looked through them toward the building sunlight. Storms. They’d said under five minutes, but he doubted he had that long. He turned and started running.

It’s what he did. It had always been enough before. This time, he’d rounded the entire planet, but found himself where he’d begun.

Sunlight rising. He felt it on his back. The trees around him started wilting. Withering.

You can’t outrun it,Auxiliary said. Was that…soft nuance to hisvoice? It had been years since Zellion had heard that.Even you can’t outrun that light.

He kept trying, sunheart clutched to his chest.

Zellion,Auxiliary said,you’ll need to fly to reach them.

“I can’t!” he shouted. “I…I can’t, Aux. I’vetried.”

The sunlight grew more oppressive. Trees darkened, smoldering.

Zellion kept running.

You’re a better man than you pretend to be,Auxiliary said.Even still. Even broken as you are.

“I’m just a fool. A callous fool.”

We both know that isn’t true. Because the smart thing to do, the callous thing, would have been to attack Beacon the moment you got to it. Steal their sunhearts, leave their ships stranded. You didn’t do that.

No. He hadn’t. Because whatever he said, he was still a man, not a monster.

Zellion. My friend. You’re worth saving.

He started crying as he ran.

When you reach them,Auxiliary said,make sure they know the secret. Make sure you save them, Zellion.

“But—”

Listen to me. Just listen. I can give you a little burst of power, like we discussed.

“No! I’ll use the power from this sunheart.”

And will that make you fly again?

No, it wouldn’t. Because it wasn’t power he lacked. It was something else.

I will make you what you were. For a short time. I am the leftover strength of oaths sworn. I am the truth you once knew. Take it again, for the briefest time, and soar.

He felt warmth begin to spread through him. It was a different kind of Investiture…drawn from the remnant ofAuxiliary’s soul.

I will burn away only myself,Auxiliary said.My personality. That should leave you with my body, the weapon, to still use. This is my destination, but not yours.

“You can’t do this, Aux. Please.”

You don’t get to decide. I know about consequences. I understand that you betrayed your oaths.

But here’s the thing, Zellion. Here’s what you never have understood. I also swore to be better than I was. I became a Knight Radiant. I spoke the words.

And whatever you did, I never betrayedmyoaths.

You protect those people, Zellion. I’ve carried you as far as I can. You’ll have to find the rest of the way on your own.

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