3. Thank You, Luxist Monk #4
She smiled at his innocence. “No. All my basic human capabilities were there, my understanding of the world and my foundational knowledge, but I had no idea who I was prior to Reef. I don’t know if I’m actually from Arabasia or if I’m just another Republic citizen with Arabasian ancestry.
And…“ I followed her eyes to another symbol of Nuwa on the wall. “And I needed to find someone who might be able to look into my past. Ralia helped us find a therapist in Cut’s contacts, but I guess someone messed with the trail.”
“Oh, that was for you?“ Ralia asked. “I thought Pet finally decided to go to therapy.”
I glared at her and shook my head. “Thanks, Ral.”
She smiled and shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter,” Naoma waved off the contention.
“I told myself I wasn’t going to allow any invasive access and agreed to an initial screening.
The therapist said that screenings are just a con for therapists to pull in more lumens, so I gave into his advice and… ” She looked at me. “It attacked.”
The others noticed her attention, leaving me to recount the assault including her light that repelled the being and the hell that it gave me in the form of a life that I never lived.
I glanced at her before speaking about the serpent she used to help defeat the therapist. Just before mentioning her involvement, she spoke. “Petya defeated it. His Gui’s light must have been greater than whatever dark light powered that thing.”
My gaze lingered on hers as if to tell her that she could defer her ties to Nuwa–or a similar being–for now, but all would have to be revealed in due time.
“So the enemy is using Gui now?” Abbas asked.
I shook my head but did so with little confidence. “I’m not sure this was a Gui. It was… different.” I looked at Denji. “Lacking the strength mine had.”
“Who is this enemy?“ Akna asked.
“Who do you think?” Abbas said.
She shook her head. “I mean who among our enemies? Just the general Gongtide or is Nichley cleaning up after the mess we caused him.”
Abbas shrugged. “It could also be Haven. Maybe we didn’t get away without being caught.”
These theories didn’t bother me. I had considered them, but my mind was occupied by what that therapist had done to me and what sort of creature was capable of mental torment.
The closest thing I had ever felt was the existential dread of seeing the beings in the ocean near the tear into the amniotic ocean for Gong’s maturing fetus.
We all turned to Denji.
He sighed. “My turn to talk now? This isn’t the direction I was hoping for, but I appreciate the gesture.”
“Who shoved a stick up your ass?” Akna said.
“Is this one as bad as bowl-cut?” Denji asked.
“Well, do you have answers or not?”
Ralia gave him a second, which he filled with hesitation before speaking. “How long have you been a Luxist?”
“My whole life! Zeg, just give me a chance!”
“Your parents were Luxists and you just kind of….”
“Give him a chance,” I said. “I was born a Cross follower but the beliefs didn’t really solidify themselves in me until I was older.”
“I didn’t know you were religious,” Akna said.
“There’s a lot about me you don’t understand,” I said. A lot that I’ve left behind since I gained my Bite, but I’m trying to take those things back.
“You’re right!” Denji said. I had heard him trying to speak over me and Akna but now he was learning that one could not remain passive among us.
He was more enthused as we all looked back at him. “Parents are Arabasian-born Luxists that sent me here to do their bidding. I did my own thing for a while but found my way back to what mattered.”
“Enough with the life story,” Abbas said. “Do you know what attacked them or not?”
“I mean… I didn’t see it. Do you have any neurospace recordings?”
“We didn’t do any personal recordings…” Naoma looked at me. “Petya, show them the hardware. You brought it, right?”
“The corpse?” Akna asked.
I swung my slim backpack in front of me, removed the plastic bag containing what we had taken from the therapist’s body, then tossed it to Akna.
She stepped away, letting it hit the ground with a resounding clang despite the soft floor.
Glancing at the others with trepidation, she waited a moment before stepping up to open the bag.
She held the edges of it with her fingertips then dumped the content onto the ground.
Everyone else moved in, forming a circle around the chunk of chrome with dried blood crusted and chipping.
The therapist’s nerves were still connected to the base, as well as other semi-dried chunks of flesh.
Ralia laughed. “Not the cleanest cut.”
“Can you give it a reading?” Abbas asked.
Moving it with the tip of her boot, she glanced at Denji. “Do you have a neuroset around?”
“Yeah.”
“Great. Abbas, you carry it in for me.” Ralia continued speaking despite his complaints. “Sorry, Bhate. I’m sure we’ll find a use for you soon.”
He shrugged. “I was asked to facilitate and provide advice where I can.”
“So you’re just a yes-man?” Akna asked.
Ralia sling her arm around his shoulder. “I’m sure the good Bhate will have something to offer, right?”
He let out a nervous laugh and tried to shrug off her arm. “As long as you stay focused on what matters…”
She put a finger to his mouth. He looked too nervous to resist. “All of this matters. You’ll see soon enough. Show me to the neuroset and we’ll get going.