Page 96 of Fractured Souls

Nythian’s hand found hers and to her relief, he gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“I don’t think this is the time to get into a debate over ideological differences or things we'll probably never understand,” she said quietly. “Rucha, your queen is waking up.”

They were on the edge of a large circular platform of white polished stone. Nythian remained just outside the column of light, looking perfectly sinister in his dark exo-armor. Of course, he was completely concealed from head to toe, protected from the harsh sunlight. The others had melted into the background, leaving the two of them alone with Rucha.

Besides the three of them, only Ektans and two of his warriors were in here. Lodan and the others stood outside, guarding the entrance.

Alexis took a step forward, moving her body halfway into the blazing column of golden light. Her transformed hand shimmered as if it had been dipped in molten black metal.

Her entire body tingled with a strange kind of energy. The green glow of the ithari danced at the edge of her vision, the strange ethereal bodies circling the dome, rising higher and higher.

The geometric patterns carved into the ceiling of the dome began to glow, and a low hum reverberated around the dome. The melodious sound had a strangely calming effect.

We are here at last, Alexis.

Anuk? As if in a trance, she slipped her hand out of Nythian’s and entered the circle of light. He remained perfectly still, watching her.

They were all watching her.

I’m awake now. My children above are restless and afraid. They have learned the meaning of hopelessness all over again, but soon they will understand. I will give them the key to the future of our species. You see, Alexis Carter, I have learned how to bond with you, a human, and if I can do this, then so can they.

“You mean… they can bond with humans?”

Not just humans. Kordolians, too. I will show them how. It took Enki eating my corporeal heart for me to learn. You will ensure that only worthy hosts are chosen.

Holy hell. That meant…

“You can bring people back from the dead?”

No. You were the exception to that rule. It wasn’t your time. But living hosts, yes.

“And they all need hosts…”

In order to pass through the portal, yes. It is an important stage in our lifecycle. It is the reason we survived above all others. We will have to open our planet to outsiders once again. A host who carries one of us will have to stay on Tharos until their ithari dies.

Alexis remained silent. She couldn’t think of many humans who would want to trade their comfortable existences on Earth for life on a desert planet with a disembodied alien stuck inside one’s head.

Oh, there were a few crazies who would jump at the chance, but…

Our kind can prolong lives. We can cure physical ailments. We can restore bodies. Once the ithari moves on, life continues as normal for the host.

Okay, so that changed things a little. “How many ithari are left?”

In human numbers, one hundred and fifty six thousand, three hundred and forty one… minus ten that have been stolen by the Kordolians, just as Rucha said. For what purpose, I don’t know. I suspect something terrible. You must find them. You must tell Rucha to guide you to the Acolytes of Malku, and you must stop them from betraying our people. Before, I would never have said this, but… you must kill them.

The enormity of what Anuk was telling her hit Alexis square in the chest. Somehow, she had to find these so-called acolytes and stop them. Then she had to recruit the equivalent of a small settlement of willing humans to host these restless Tharian spirits until they were ready to become one with the Universe… whatever that meant.

“Will they transform?” she asked softly, thinking of a hundred thousand human bodies turned blue by their Tharian companions, their touch becoming deadly like hers.

That would be a fucking disaster.

I will forbid it. They will obey me. No human flesh will be transformed into Tharian. Besides, the process shortens the lifespan significantly.

“You knew that at the time?”

I do now.

“You’re putting a lot of faith in me, Anuk.”

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