Vai

Our many jumps through F.T.L. took us to a foreign moon. It appeared craggy on the surface, but underneath the surface was underwater rivers and caves that held vegetation, insects and fish.

It wasn't just our little group this time. We were accompanied by security officers in case more Corruption showed up. In reality, they couldn't do anymore against the Corruption than we could. If thousands of Corruption attacked one person, they would die - like I did. Our light shields were not enough to keep them out. Except for Lieutenant Tanpo's. Her shield was the only one I trusted against the Corruption.

My dad was there with a team of scientists to collect samples, specimens and readings. The captain was eager to accompany the surface team as she hadn't been off the ship since we first began this journey.

There was something new we discovered about our shields. It could keep the air around us at the correct pressure and with the correct gases we needed to survive. That meant we didn't need suits and masks on this moon when otherwise we would need to. That also explained why the Awakened One could survive in space.

It had been a few weeks since our revelation to the rest of the Gathering. I had thought the Corruption would retaliate immediately in some way, but they were quiet. It was assumed they had taken over Brist and certain colonies as the Gathering had not been able to communicate with them.

There were science and security teams from the other G.E. vessels as well. Our small team had been the only ones designated to find the Awakened One. They were concerned he might be overwhelmed by all the new faces. I didn't think that would be the case, but our time with him had been brief so maybe it was best to keep it to just those of us who he was familiar with and a small security team.

We were inside one of the many caves mostly going by Esther's instinct as we had on the other planet to find the Awakened One. Esther stopped and tilted her head. I felt it this time too. The Awakened One was near. Below us actually just like last time. The stone beneath us began to vibrate.

"Sir, stay close to me," Warpaint said. He stepped up so he was practically bumping into my back. The red began to spread all over his body. He put the Aether shield up. I noticed Owen stepped into the shield's small proximity before it went up completely.

Stone bits exploded up in the air and the Awakened One floated out of the large hole. The stone bits gathered together and closed over the hole. The Awakened One looked at our little group and then at the security officers who were with us. The security officers fidgeted. A few took a step back. We had prepared them for what he looked like, but they thought we had been exaggerating his height and girth. We weren't.

"You have been busy," his low voice grumbled. Even though we were in a large cavern, the Awakened One still had to hunch a little so his head wouldn't hit the ceiling. "I see you've opened the light in more of the Gatherish. Your entire armada now has the light. That isn't enough though. The Corruption prepare to make their move. As it is now, they will win."

"The others like you should wake up and help us now," Esther said.

The Awakened One ignored her and faced me. "You are yourself again," he said.

"Yes," I said.

"What happened to the fake one?"

"We killed him and I reclaimed my body."

The security officers looked to each other with confusion. Of course no one except our little group knew that I was a clone and that we had killed the other clone so I could take his body when mine died.

The Awakened One smiled. I tried not to shudder at his large canines and his many rows of teeth. He was a friend. The security officers gripped their plasma pistols a little tighter even though they knew the Awakened One was an ally. I couldn't blame them. He was terrifying.

The Awakened One pointed one large finger towards me. It passed through Warpaint's Aether shield with ease. Warpaint tried to step in front of me, but I pushed him back and he complied. The Awakened One's finger landed lightly on my forehead.

"You found the purpose of your light," he rumbled.

"Yes," I said. "How did you know what it did before I knew?"

"With practice all of you should be able to see what power other people's lights hold," he said. "I see you've learned to regulate your air and pressure within your shields. I thought that would be something I need to teach you."

"You knew that my light could heal before I did," I said. "Could you see what else it can do?"

He blinked his enormous owl-like yellow eyes. "It can do more than heal?" he asked.

"He can remove the Corruption from someone who has been infected by them and heal them so they won't crave them any more," Minmin said.

The Awakened One's furry, gray eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really?" he asked me.

I nodded.

"I can do more than heal," I said quietly. "I can also destroy."

The Awakened One smiled showing off those rows of sharp teeth again. "Then my people would have been wrong to destroy you," he said.

"They would have been wrong to destroy him even if he could only heal," Esther said as she walked up to the Awakened One to force him to notice her.

"The war against the Corruption has no room for those too weak to protect themselves," the Awakened One said.

"That thinking is why you lost and went into hiding," Esther said. "We are stronger as a group protecting each other and those weaker than us. Now wake up the others of your kind and tell them to join our war."

He stared down at her for a long moment. Then his eyes glazed over and he stopped moving. I wasn't sure if he was even still breathing. We waited and waited for several minutes before his eyes focused down at Esther again.

"They refuse," he said.

"What?!" she yelled.

"There are not enough of you with the light," he said. "They believe you will lose. They will wait until stronger races come along to give them the light and defeat the Corruption."

"Cowards," Esther said. Owen moved out from his spot by Warpaint's side to place a calming hand on Esther's back.

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, they still burned with anger but more so with determination. "We will win without them. They can sleep forever for all I care."

She turned away from the Awakened One. "Let's get back to the ship," she said and started to walk towards the surface.

"You are still willing to help us train others?" El asked the Awakened One. He nodded his enormous head. "Good, then come meet the captain of our ship. Arrangements have already been made so you will have a space on our ship, Shadow."

He nodded again and followed us to the surface. Captain Axa and the science team - including my dad - waited for us. None of them were prepared when the Awakened One stepped out behind us. It was clear on their expressions and how they seemed to collectively take one step back.

"Captain Axa," El said, "the Awakened One."

Captain Axa stepped forward with no hint of the fear that had just been in her eyes.

"Thank you for your help," she said.

"No need to thank me," the Awakened One said. "Just win against the Corruption. My people still think I'm foolish and weak to help the Gatherish. Prove them wrong."

Captain Axa smiled. "We will."

"More and more and more of you will need to have the light opened," the Awakened One rumbled. "The Corruption are many."

"Everyone on board the current Gathering Exploration Fleet have had the light opened in them," Captain Axa said. "We will go to colonies and home worlds to open the light in everyone in the Gathering. That will take time. I've been debating splitting up the fleet to make the process go faster, but I'm afraid the Corruption will use the opportunity to attack us if we split up. Do you have any advice on the matter?"

"They will attack if you split up," the Awakened One said. "You just need to be stronger and defeat them. They are preparing their move. It won't be long now. I don't think you have time to waste. Better to split up. If they attack, be stronger."

"Not really the answer I was hoping for. It's not as simple as just saying be stronger. But I'm afraid you are correct. If we lose one ship, but open the light on an entire world first, it might be worth the risk."

"It is," the Awakened One said.

"I had thought we might broadcast you to the Gathering," Captain Axa said as she looked the Awakened One up and down, "but you are more - intimidating than I thought."

"Thank you," the Awakened One said.

"None of our shuttles are big enough to bring you back to the Shadow."

"I will fly next to your shuttles to your Shadow," he said.

The Gathering now had an ancient alien knowledgeable in the light and the Corruption to help us. That was another small edge we had in our battle.