Chapter 50 The Magic of Ederi

“I know what happened.” I continue, feeling dizzy with how much danger I’m putting myself in, that is, in the middle of an already uneasy, electrified situation.

“Leot had always been with you – in the form of a black stone. These here black stones are Leot! He wanted you to be his best experiment ever… But then you guys went out of control, and adopted that stupid law, prohibiting the ederi from genetically merging with other species! This is when he manipulated Kallitris into obliterating Crumbling Rose, because he lost his hope in you!” I take a breath, realizing that it could very well be my last breath between the agitated ederi and angry Kallitris.

There is a collective “ohh” that rolls through the crowd. But it is not a happy “ohh” of a revelation. It is more like “How dare you say it?” It seems like even the sky darkens at hearing my words. No one likes the truth. Iris takes my hand for support, and I don’t know if this support will be enough.

The Pride walks unnoticed around every person in the crowd, making it very hard for me to get to the people with my message. The storm is coming, and we will be swept up by it because we all set things in motion long before… It’s hard to admit, that somewhere along the path you got confused, and lost your way.

“I think the “Prophecy” is not to get back into Leot’s graces by picking up genes from Leozarit, but to allow what you were made for long ago – the ability to mate with any species. The purity of blood is never a genetic advantage, and fear is never a good advisor.” I’m not easily rebuffed, and I’m no longer afraid of anything.

It seems like I’m going to get killed by an angry mob. The Pride is strong with these folks, and they would not accept their own wrongdoing. It’s always easy to pretend to be an innocent victim of some evil force instead of admitting your faults.

The faces in the crowd get really mad, and Kallitris is not far behind. He does not want to look like he was “manipulated” into wiping out the planet. No, he is the destroying machine! He does what he wants! He knows he can’t kill me, but he could hurt me badly. None of this looks good, but then I catch a break and find an unlikely ally.

“My name is Eno. I apologize for overdosing you on our ship, Domiarn when you tried to call Kallitris. I misunderstood your actions. Zumi had a complicated pregnancy. He would not have been able to deliver the child without Kallitris’s medical help. And… I agree with you.” A tall ederi, the one who wrestled me to the floor two months ago comes up to me and is now by my side, with a smile.

“Listen everyone, please! This alien is the voice of Leot! We were under the spell of this law for too long! There is nothing wrong with bearing children from other species! We were engineered to be able to do it!” Eno comes to the edge of the black stone, stretching his hands to the crowd.

And the crowd parts like sea water. Just not because of what he said. They are bowing, and pushing each other out of the way only to let through an ederi with a powerful appearance and piercing eyes. It is Yasen. He walks up another set of stairs on the left, and comes right to me. Oh, yes, he is here to restore order and claim me. The brand on my chest pulsates even stronger. What a sickening feeling.

“Shut up, Demi! Enough laws were broken because of you. I tried to get rid of both you and Izumrud, but you keep on coming back!! This little revolt is over. Izumrud, you are sentenced to die. Demi, I will lock you up to stop you from roaming the Universe and causing trouble! You are not the voice of Leot. I am.”

Somehow I’m no longer scared.

“Yeah, well, you know who will inherit the Universe?” I ask with a smile.

“What, the meek?” Yasen pauses, clearly shocked at my defiance.

“Nope. Another “M” word. Mutts. The mutts will take over, because they are the strongest. Get the message. Abolish the law, sir.”

“And give me my boy back.” I can hear behind me.

Kallitris comes to us. I knew it was not going to end well, I just somehow believed in the better ending. He pulls out what I recognize from old Ari’s history records – these were called “a firearm”. This is what this sheirer is all about – an advanced being with a penchant for outdated human technologies - fossil fuels and guns.

No one else knows what it is when Yasen falls down after a muffled bang. The black stone under him moans and flashes bright purple. It happens all too quick, and before I can appreciate the effect this makes on the crowd, and wonder why Zumi’s face gets dreamy and distant, I look up.

The sky gets darker by the second, and I know what it must be – the ederi control the nature of their planet, they are one with it, and now the storm of epic proportions will engulf this place, and surely will kill all the invaders, meaning us. It is only fair.

Iris pushes Kallitris angrily, but a human is no match for the massive sheirer. Besides, it’s over! I rush to the leader of the ederi, and place my hands on his body, wondering, if sharing my parasite with him will have any effect.

The resemblance of a shirt he is wearing has opened up on his chest and I see the necklace in the form of a rose. He burned that very rose into my chest. I should feel vindicated, but I feel terrible – weak, aggravated, desperate.

Yasen is not bleeding, but the life seemed to have drained from his face and body. I’m angry at Kallitris - can’t he see that we keep on running in circles of violence? No wonder I keep on coming back to these places - there seems to be no way out.

The wind picks up. Yep, the nature should punish us for this. I imagine fire-breathing skies opening up any minute… We have robbed these folks of their leader, as stubborn and incorrect as he was.

Strange thing is that Izumrud’s face shows no signs of grief, and the multicolored crowd of ederis is not erupting in an angry attack on us. They stand there, as if transfixed, as if waiting for something. Well, here is another apparent difference from human behavior.

Izumrud walks up to me with his baby, strangely silent, too. My lover’s long black silky hair flows in the wind that gets ever stronger. Our enchanted child looks at me with the intensity of a mythical spirit, entering my mind just like an adult ederi would do, except his touch is light and less painful.

“Your parasite might work, but do not attempt to revive him, please.” Zumi says quietly, his shining emerald eyes do not have any pain in it, but love, only love without measure.

“Why?” I scream, still kneeling by Yasen’s body. “The storm is imminent, and it is all because of Kallitris!”

“Did you hear what he said?! I did it for you guys!” Sheirer puts his heavy hand on my shoulder, his eyes glowing amber-yellow. “Demi, he wanted to kill your squeeze, and he enslaved you with his neurotoxin!”

“Actually, there was no need to kill him because of that. Yasen failed to break the bond between you and Demi. Demi was not chemically enslaved to him. Yasen just never told anyone the truth.” Verba moves closer to us with a serene expression on his face.

At hearing that I choke back tears.

“I knew you had the important information!!! Why didn’t you share it earlier??!! You guys are such retards! How many irreversible mistakes do we need to make to get back into Leot’s graces?! The storm is coming!” I start weeping inconsolably.

“The storm is brought by unseen forces, but they are not of anger or revenge. What you perceive as dreadful is indeed a blessing.”

What is this voice in my head? It does not feel like the black stone. Neither is it Immaul.

“My child has established a psychic connection with you.” Zumi helps me to my feet, while the baby in his arms never takes his gaze off of me.

There is a faraway thunder and big, crystal drops of rain start falling in rapid succession.

“Do you notice that you are the only one who is upset? Why do you think that is?” The dark-eyed baby stretches his hand, and touches my face. His words are not of sound, but of a thought-form. His fingers feel like a feather – soft, weightless, somehow bringing some much desired relief.