He was screaming in my head and all I could do was keep promising it a freedom he didn’t want. “It’s almost done. You’ll be returned to the elements you rose from. Your Spirit released from the agony. Let it happen. Let go.”
It screamed louder as Frankie’s knife struck home. “That’s it!” I thought I yelled it out loud, but I couldn’t hear my own voice. The beast trembled and the crazy in those eyes started to fade. “You will be at peace now.” I spoke into those eyes, my mind linked to his.
“You… will go… with me.” It thrashed one last time, tossing Frankie from its back.
Despite the strength and energy of the Ci’in helping me, one fang cut across my abdomen again as the Maxa’xak went into death throes. The massive head swung away, knocking the Ci’in down. Someone grabbed me, pulling me back. I felt the spines on the back of the fangs tearing at my hands. It should have hurt, but strangely it didn’t.
“Din’ah!”
I heard my name screamed and the pressure of hands on my body, turning me over. Frankie knelt over me. “Din’ah, how bad are you hurt?”
I couldn’t answer. Two Ci’in started ripping open my vest, then my shirt. Another was twisting my hip. “Got two laceration across her stomach, another down her leg. She must have toxins in her blood.”
“And her hands. Real deep. Damn! We need a full medical team and every free Ci’in.” Frankie gripped my face, even though his hands were covered with the blood of the Maxa’xak. “Look at me, Princess. You have to hang on. Hear me? HANG ON!”
I couldn’t move, only stare up at him. He sounded so scared. None of the anger I was used to hearing from him.
“Din’ah!” Daniel leaned down close to me too, partly blocking out my vision of Frankie. “We’re not going to let you die.”
I settled my eyes on his. I couldn’t speak, but there was one image in my head now. I only wanted one thing, one person now. I couldn’t say it, but Daniel nodded.
CHAPTER
36
The pain was gone and in its place was nothing but light. Breathing in sent tingles through my entire body. Life, my real life. I was a creature of light, of energy, of infinity. I lived among the stars. They gave me life and I shared it with them. It flowed into me now. Pure light, wiping away the pain, the agony.
Ten thousand years was nothing, except for living it in mortal bodies. So many lives. So many people, so many deaths. These humans had no idea how little they knew of the universe. Their lives were short, even though lived over and over again. But as a people, they could only do this singularly. Such a lonely existence. It made my heart ache…
Wait. I have no mortal body, no heart. Death has brought me back to my own. So why was there an ache so deep within this consciousness? I felt the light pouring into me, eternal life, but… there was something else. Something heavier. Something clinging to me.
“Have you forgotten already?” Opening my eyes I saw Lutz’ Spirit, looking disappointed. “You made a promise.” His hand led my eyes to the scene laid out before me.
I looked upon horror and remembered everything. “The battle is over.” Bodies were scattered around the cavern, as well as the dead Maxa’xak. “We destroyed all of them. Our duty is done. The universe was in balance again. We can go home. Why do I feel this pain?”
“Because you’re forgetting two others you made a promise to.” Lutz shook his head, drifting towards the cluster of people below.
The light was unmistakable. Ci’in circled together, combining their Spirits. I moved closer and saw their combined light flowing into my wounded mortal body. The Maxa’xak had torn long poisoned gashes across her body. She was dying. I started to call out to them to let her go, but I couldn’t.
Crumpled next to her was Casey. He was wounded too, but alive. He clung to her arm, refusing to look away from her. His pain for her was greater than his own.
“You promised him. You Bound yourself to him. You can do what I couldn’t. You can keep your vow.”
“I did promise, but she is weak.”
“If you let go she will die.” He pointed to Casey. “It might very well kill him too. If not, his pure soul will be damaged.”
I stared down at Casey. He was the entity I felt, the sorrow preventing me from leaving. I let myself be Bound to him. His hand tightened on her arm and I felt it. Other Ci’in arrived with medical supplies and started cutting away her clothes, revealing how badly her body was battered.
One leg was flayed open, there was a puncture wound on her right hip and a long gash across her abdomen. The skin blackening where the venom was already killing the flesh. Skin was peeled off her hands where they’d been torn loose from the monster’s fangs.
A respirator pushed oxygen into her lungs. The Ci’in sent all their energy into her too, trying to drive off the alien toxins. She fought to live. I could feel how much she wanted to live. She wanted to live for Casey. She loved him with her entire soul. My soul, my Spirit.
“She can’t survive without you. You owe her whatever life lays ahead. A few more decades are only a blink of an eye for you. A few more decades are nothing to repay her sacrifice for you. For all the mortal sacrifices given to you.”
“I know. I gave my word.” I looked at Lutz. “I also promised to release you. Others can do that, but I owe you that respect. I keep my word.”
“She is as much you as you are her, but I
