Page 18

KAVAN

T he storm hit us with the fury Arenix reserved for the unprepared. Wind howled through the reshaped landscape, driving stinging droplets against our skin. The first distant rumble of thunder had quickly escalated, and the dark clouds overhead unleashed their fury.

"We won't make it to Hammond's camp before this hits full force!" I shouted over the rising gale, shielding my eyes against the downpour.

Selene nodded in grim agreement beside me, her smaller form buffeted by the wind. "We need shelter—now!"

My eyes scanned the treacherous terrain, searching for refuge. There—a dark slash against a rocky outcropping, suggesting an opening. "There!" I pointed. "Natural caves often penetrate deep enough to provide protection from both acid rain and seismic activity."

We sprinted toward it, the ground slick beneath our feet. Rain fell heavily now, each drop sizzling where it struck exposed stone. The entrance was narrow, forcing us to turn sideways, but opened into a larger chamber within. Darkness enveloped us, absolute after the fading twilight outside.

"We should be safe here until the storm passes," I said, retrieving a small piece of fungus from my healer's pouch and activating it. Its soft azure light pushed back the shadows, revealing a modest cavern with a sandy floor and a solid ceiling. "These formations have withstood many seasons of storms."

We settled in, sagging in relief. Selene spread our still-damp clothes on drier patches of rock while I shared the last of the food from my pack. Outside, the storm's power intensified. Lightning flashes illuminated the cave entrance in strobing bursts, followed by thunder that reverberated through the very stone around us, a deep vibration felt in the bones.

"At least the medicine is on its way," Selene said, leaning against my side. Her warmth was a welcome counterpoint to the cave's damp chill. "That's what matters most."

"Yes," I agreed, my arm wrapping around her shoulders instinctively. The weight of our discoveries, the knowledge we carried, felt immense. "Though I regret the delay in your return to your people."

She turned to face me, her silver markings showing faintly in the dim fungal light. "Perhaps the delay isn't entirely unwelcome."

Her gaze held an intensity that resonated deep within my lifelines, sending warmth spreading through me despite our precarious situation. The connection forged between us in the ancient facility remained, a silent current beneath the surface. We eventually drifted to sleep in each other's arms, the storm raging outside, the weight of the day finally claiming us.

Sleep offered little respite. The storm raged on, and the tremors that had shaken Arenix for days grew in intensity throughout the night, vibrating through the stone around us. I awoke instantly as a vibration unlike the others ripped through the cavern floor—not the shudder of a distant quake, but the groan of imminent failure. Rock dust rained down as the ceiling began to fracture.

"Selene, wake up!" I shouted, pulling her from the sleeping furs just as the first boulders crashed down where we had lain. Chaos erupted. The roar of collapsing stone deafened us as the stable shelter disintegrated.

My instincts took over. "This way!" I pulled Selene toward the only passage not yet blocked, shielding her body with mine as debris hailed down. We scrambled over buckling floor plates, leaped a newly formed fissure, and sprinted the last few meters toward the fading promise of dawn light at the cave mouth.

We burst into the open air as the entire structure imploded behind us, a maelstrom of dust and pulverized rock blasting outwards. Selene collapsed, coughing violently. As I helped her clear her lungs, my hand instinctively went to my neck, feeling for the familiar weight of the translation stone. My fingers met only jagged edges and empty space where the crystal matrix should have been. Shattered. The impact, perhaps, or the fall earlier... No time. Survival first.

The markings along Selene's arms and wrists pulsed with faint light. She extended her arm to show me.

"That's never happened before," she muttered.

I studied the markings with interest. "Your connection to our world grows stronger."

She stepped forward cautiously, the tingling sensation in her markings intensifying. When she moved a few steps to the right, it diminished.

"I think they're reacting to... stability? This ground feels more solid."

"Trust them," I said simply.

A crack of lightning split the sky, illuminating heavy clouds rolling toward us from the east. The metallic tang in the air confirmed my worst fears - acid rain approached.

"We need shelter," Selene said, looking anxiously at the dark clouds.

"Those clouds carry acid rain strong enough to burn through your skin." I pointed to a dense copse of trees ahead with unusual, waxy leaves that spread out like umbrellas. "Those will shield us temporarily, but we must find better cover before the full storm hits."

We picked our way across the transformed landscape, with Selene leading based on her markings' reactions. Following her instincts, we avoided ground that later collapsed in minor tremors. The peculiar synchronicity between her silver patterns and Arenix's geological activity fascinated me - another sign of the markings' adaptive purpose.

The first drops began to fall as we reached the waxy-leaved trees. The leaves were enormous - each one larger than a human torso - with slick surfaces that channeled water away from the trunk.

"Stay under the canopy," I instructed, pulling her close as rain began to fall more heavily. My body instinctively curved around her smaller frame, protecting her from exposure.

Through the overlapping leaves, we watched droplets slide down the waxy surface. Where one dropped onto an exposed rock, the stone sizzled faintly.

"So that's why you were concerned," she said.

"The first rainfall isn't the worst. It will grow more caustic as the storm strengthens." I scanned our surroundings for better shelter options. The rockslide had altered our position, and I struggled to orient myself in the transformed landscape.

We huddled beneath the natural umbrella, forced close together by the limited protected space. I became increasingly aware of her body pressed against mine, her scent filling my nostrils despite the acrid tang of the acid rain. Our bond seemed to heighten physical awareness rather than diminishing it.

Lightning flashed again, closer this time. Thunder crashed immediately after, the sound reverberating through my chest. More concerning, the lightning had struck a tree less than a hundred paces away, splitting it down the middle. The acid rain immediately began eroding the exposed wood.

"How long will this storm last?" Selene asked, pressing closer as acid rain spattered near her feet.

"Days, sometimes. But the intensity varies." I steadied her as another tremor rumbled beneath us. "We need to find more permanent shelter."

We couldn't remain exposed like this. I caught sight of a rock formation uphill that might offer better protection. "There," I pointed. "If we time our movements between the heavier downpours--"

The ground lurched violently beneath us. A crack split the earth where we stood, widening in an instant. Selene stumbled backward. I lunged forward to grab her, but the ground crumbled beneath both of us.

For a heart-stopping moment, we fell through open air, my arm wrapped protectively around her smaller body. We hit a sloping surface, momentum carrying us through darkness until we splashed into shallow water. The impact drove the breath from my lungs.

"?" Selene's voice echoed in the darkness.

"I'm here," I managed, relief flooding through me at the sound of her voice. "Are you injured?"

"Just bruised, I think. You cushioned my fall."

In the complete darkness, I relied on Nyxari senses her human eyes lacked. We had fallen into an underground river system, something commonly found beneath Arenix's surface. This one appeared stable, with signs of recent increased flow from the seismic activity.

"We need light," I said, reaching for my healer's pouch. The water had soaked through my garments, but the pouch remained sealed against moisture. I extracted a small piece of bioluminescent fungus, activating it with a specific enzyme from another compartment.

Blue-green light bloomed between us, illuminating our surroundings. We had landed in a shallow tributary of a larger underground river. Stone chambers stretched in both directions, water-carved over millennia. Above, the fissure we'd fallen through had already closed, seismic activity sealing our entry point.

"At least we're out of the acid rain," Selene observed, wringing water from her hair.

I nodded, scanning for dangers. "Underground rivers usually lead to larger cavern systems. If we follow this one, we should find an exit eventually."

I helped her to her feet, noting how she favored her injured ankle. The markings along her arms glowed faintly in the dim light, creating strange patterns across the water's surface.

"The medicine," she gasped suddenly, reaching for her pack. "Please tell me it survived."

Together we inspected the crystalline containers from the facility. I felt profound relief when we discovered they remained intact - the specialized vessels designed to withstand far more than our rough landing.

"They're undamaged," I confirmed. "These containers were made to endure extreme conditions."

Selene sighed with relief. "We still need to get them to Hammond's camp somehow."

As I was about to respond, distant voices echoed through the chamber. Human voices. We exchanged a glance of surprise before I extinguished our light source with a quick movement.

"Stay behind me," I whispered, moving toward an alcove where we could observe without being seen.

The voices grew louder, accompanied by artificial light that cast long shadows through the tunnel ahead. From our hidden position, we watched as a small group of humans approached, splashing through the shallow water. They carried weapons and supplies, clearly a well-equipped expedition rather than lost survivors.

"We've searched this tributary twice already," one complained. "There's nothing here."

"Commander's orders," replied a second voice I recognized - Phillips, Hammond's reluctant messenger. "Grid search pattern. We keep looking until we find Dr. Carter or confirm she's dead."

"This storm's going to last days," a third voice grumbled. "Hammond's obsession with finding her is going to get us all killed."

"The marked woman in the lab is getting worse," Phillips said. "Hammond thinks Carter might have found something in the ruins that could help."

My body tensed at this revelation. They were searching for Selene specifically, and something about a marked woman - likely Claire - deteriorating under Hammond's experiments.

Selene touched my arm, her finger to her lips as the search party drew closer. They were five in total - Phillips and four security personnel, all armed with energy weapons salvaged from the crash.

The lead figure stopped suddenly, raising his hand. "Wait. There's something..."

He pointed his light directly at the water where we'd landed minutes earlier. Disturbed silt still clouded the area, a clear sign of our recent arrival.

"Someone's been here recently," he announced, signaling his team to spread out. "Check those alcoves."

I exchanged a glance with Selene. We were cornered with no obvious escape route. Fighting would be dangerous in these confined quarters, especially with energy weapons involved. The bond between us pulsed with shared concern and rapidly forming contingency plans.

As the searchers approached our hiding place, Selene made a decision. She stepped forward into the light before I could stop her.

"Phillips," she called, hands raised. "It's Dr. Carter."

The search party swung their weapons toward her voice, lights blinding in the darkness.

"Dr. Carter!" Phillips lowered his weapon immediately, relief evident in his voice. "We've been searching for days. Commander Hammond--"

"Is worried about Claire," Selene finished for him. "I heard you talking. What's happening?"

The security team maintained their defensive posture as Phillips approached. "The marked woman you were treating... her condition is deteriorating. Hammond's been experimenting with some artifacts he found, trying to suppress the markings, but it's making her worse."

I remained hidden, watching carefully. If they discovered me, the situation would escalate instantly from rescue to confrontation.

"I have medicine that can help," Selene said, indicating her pack. "For both the Luraxi Fever and possibly for Claire. You need to take it back immediately."

"You found a cure?" Phillips looked hopeful for the first time. "What about you? Hammond wants you back at the camp."

"I can't return," she replied firmly. "Not yet. There's more I need to discover about these markings before I can help Claire properly."

"He won't accept that," one of the security team warned. "He's ordered us to bring you in, by force if necessary."

Phillips hesitated, clearly torn between his orders and the obvious urgency of delivering medicine to the sick. As senior officer on the expedition, the decision fell to him.

Selene pressed her advantage. "How many more have died since I left, Phillips? How many more will die without this treatment? Do you want their deaths on your conscience because you were following orders instead of using common sense?"

The security team exchanged uncomfortable glances. I prepared to intervene if necessary, calculating how quickly I could disable their weapons before they could fire.

"Frakes said twelve more have died," Phillips admitted finally. "The sickness has spread to the secondary encampment."

"Then you know what you need to do," Selene replied, opening her pack and retrieving the crystalline containers. "Take these back immediately. I'll include instructions for administration."

While she quickly wrote treatment instructions on a waterproof material from her medical kit, I noticed one of the security team moving along the chamber wall, sweeping his light systematically across the shadows. He would discover me within moments.

I made a difficult decision and stepped forward into the light.

"She is not alone," I announced, my imposing form causing several weapons to swing in my direction.

"Alien!" one guard shouted, finger tightening on his trigger.

"No!" Phillips ordered. "Hold your fire!"

The tension in the chamber was palpable. I kept my hands visible, my posture deliberately non-threatening despite my size advantage.

"This is ," Selene explained quickly. "He's a healer. The medicine comes from his people. Without him, I couldn't have found it."

Phillips studied me warily. "You're Hammond's Nyxari healer? The one who visited before?"

I inclined my head. "Yes. I provided healing consultation during the early outbreak." The words flowed naturally in the human language, though I hadn't consciously chosen to speak it.

Selene turned to me in surprise. "You understand them? Without your translation stone?"

"It appears so," I replied, equally astonished. "The device must have transferred more than just medical knowledge."

One of the guards stepped forward suspiciously. "What device? Hammond says the markings are alien control mechanisms."

"Hammond is crazy," Selene responded firmly.

"The medicine is what matters now," I added, gesturing to the crystalline containers. "Your people are dying. These will save them."

She handed Phillips the treatment instructions along with the medicine. "Tell Dr. Frakes these doses are precisely calibrated. The blue compound treats the neurological symptoms first, followed by the amber solution for blood purification."

As she detailed the treatment protocol, I found I could understand everything—not just the medical terminology, but all their language. The bond had created a deeper connection than either of us had anticipated.

"The treatment must be administered in sequence," I confirmed, "with exactly four hours between compounds. Premature application of the amber solution will inhibit recovery."

Phillips looked between us, confusion evident. "So you two can... what? Read each other's minds now?"

"Hammond needs to know about this," one guard muttered.

"Yes, he does," Selene agreed, surprising me. "Tell him what you've witnessed. Tell him the markings aren't weapons or control mechanisms—they're interfaces for healing, for communication. They always have been."

She fixed Phillips with an intense stare. "Tell him I'm learning the truth about these markings, and I'll return when I understand enough to help Claire properly. But first, you need to deliver this medicine."

Phillips weighed the crystalline containers in his hands, decision forming in his eyes. "Jenkins, report back to Hammond with the medicine and Dr. Carter's message." He turned to Selene. "The rest of us will escort you back to camp."

"That isn't happening," Selene said firmly. "There's more we need to discover, and Hammond's experiments are too dangerous. He doesn't understand what he's tampering with."

The security team closed ranks, weapons raised again. "Those aren't your orders to give, Doctor."

I sensed the situation deteriorating rapidly. Calculations flashed through my mind—how quickly I could disable their weapons, whether I could protect Selene from energy discharges in this confined space, escape routes through the water.

Before anyone could act, a violent tremor shook the cavern. Water levels rose instantly as cracks formed along the ceiling, debris raining down between us and the security team. The underground river surged with new intensity, washing several guards off their feet.

"Fall back!" Phillips shouted as a section of ceiling collapsed, separating us from them. "Jenkins, get that medicine to camp!"

The sudden rush of water swept Selene against me. I caught her, stabilizing us against a stone column as the current strengthened.

"We need to move!" I shouted over the roar of water and falling stone. "The cavern is collapsing!"

The surge carried us away from the security team, down a sloping passage where the river descended deeper into Arenix's underground network. Behind us, Phillips and his remaining men scrambled toward their entry point, Jenkins clutching the medicine containers as he fled. The roar of the water filled my ears, the icy torrent spinning us helplessly in the crushing darkness. My grip tightened on Selene's hand, a desperate anchor, until a violent crosscurrent slammed us against the tunnel wall, tearing her grasp from mine.