|
Outside - The Reflection
:: 01-01-31 ::
Chapter 8: Entity
Come back. Come to us. Do not fear. Come.
*****
“No,” Tasiin whispered, looking out of the window in his room.
“Tasiin,” Datlai asked. She asked the question gently, even after what they had said to each other the night before. “What is it?”
“No, I will not go,” Tasiin said.
“Tasiin?”
“There is something, someone here. It wants something - me. It does not belong here. No.”
“What - who is it?”
“Something powerful. It should not be here - in the Universe. It is from somewhere else. It is infinitely powerful…or powerful enough to seem infinite.”
Datlai felt nothing except for a vague unease. She was unsure if it was her own mind or the presence Tasiin was describing. “The Bentusi?”
“No. It means us harm, and is far more powerful. We are much closer to the Bentusi than it is to them.”
“The T-Mat, perhaps? You overheard they are malevolent.”
“Again, it does not seem powerful enough.”
“The Beast.”
“The Beast…the Beast still was not powerful enough, I think. I feel a great…hunger. It might be related to the Beast,” Tasiin replied.
“We also sense the presence,” the voice of the Bentusi stated. “It tries to hide from us, but we can overhear it in your mind. It is far beyond us…far older. It comes from Outside. It is an echo of the Devourer.”
“No, it is stronger,” Tasiin said, his face turning pale, his breath becoming shallow. “The Beast was like…its child. If that. The Beast was its seed, a spore. A few cells of the true monster.
“I won’t go…” he responded to the other.
“We feared the Devourer. You sense something far worse."
“Your mind is growing strong now - exponentially.”
“I will not go,” Tasiin said to the presence.
“Something happens. Your resolve is equal to ours,” the Bentusi said. “It is beyond ours.” Datlai, for the first time, heard surprise in their echoing voices.
“Tasiin?”
“I will not go!”
“Ta-“
“No!”
*****
The entity flinched unconsciously, away from the light that had revealed its brightness. Compared to its own vast being, the one had merely given it an insignificant injury. Yet, that was enough to cause much pain - for it was the first time in its memory of feeling any noticeable hurt. Certainly, it was more than the faint ones who called themselves Bentusi could do.
Wary, the entity withdrew.
*****
Datlai watched Tasiin find himself in bed, looking at her eyes.
“Datlai,” he said. “How long was I…out?”
“Two hours. It is still night,” she replied softly.
“That is good,” Tasiin said. “I felt it. The presence was hungry. It wanted me to follow it. It wanted me…to go to the other side of the door. It wanted so much. It was about to force me.”
“Tasiin, you made it past it. You are still here. You are here,” she reassured.
“It still is out there, waiting for me. I touched it, not killed it. I don’t want to go.”
“Tasiin, be calm. You are here.”
“You hurt the presence. It has retreated for now,” the Bentusi said.
“Rest,” Datlai said.
“What if-“
“We are looking over you.”
Tasiin started to speak again, but Datlai quieted him. “Rest.”
After she was sure he could not hear, she asked, “May I talk with you?”
“The Unbound think many things at once. We can converse,” the Bentusi responded.
‘There was a presence.”
“Yes.”
“Was it as powerful as he said.”
“Yes, unfortunately.”
“Does it want him so much?”
“Yes. He is…becoming brighter - more powerful, exponentially. He will be beyond Unbound.”
“Can it be beaten?”
“It does not seem so. However, Tasiin Limandatt hurt the presence. This is reason for hope.”
“You say that so calmly.”
“We fear. We fear more than ever. Your kind, however, shows us courage. It is…inspiring.”
“So, you will not leave us?”
“We have learned. We will face our fate with you.”
Datlai breathed a sigh of relief. “Sometimes, this is too much.”
“He thinks the same way. You keep him here, though. You must continue."
Apparently sensing her despair, the Bentusi added, “In turn we watch over you.”
“Can we talk at anytime?”
“Yes. We watch over you. To lose you, and thus, lose him is something we fear. Talk to us whenever you want, if need be. We must not let Outside in here.”
“Thank you.”
*****
“We thought you would find this interesting,” a Hiigaran in Kiith Naabal’s colors said to Dolann Kaalel. Soban and Taiidan Republicans also stood in the area. Kaalel approached the interrogation chair in which a pained Taiidan was stretched out. Kaalel looked over the Imperial captain.
“We found him on an Imperial frigate,” the Naabal stated. “Tell him what you told us.”
The Taiidan Imperialist said nothing.
“Why? Why did you attack us?” Kaalel demanded.
“You kept a secret from us. We tried to take it,” the captain replied, with hostility and resentment filling his voice.
“I do not believe that. You knew the Bentusi were here. You knew you could not win. And how did you know about this place and its location? How does the Council know about us?”
“Say it,” the Naabal commanded.
“We were mercenaries. We attacked to soften you up and gather intelligence,” the Taiidan said.
“Who hired you? One of our ‘allies’?”
“No, your allies are loyal - ‘puppets’ is probably a better term.” The captain tried to struggle in the chain, but the restraints did not budge.
“Turanic Raiders or an Imperialist faction, then.”
“You think too small. If we softened you up, then you will be slaughtered.”
“The Bentusi?” Kaalel asked.
“The Bentusi?” the Imperialist repeated with a smile, and then laughed. “You pathetic, paranoid Hiigarans! One does not kill your own servants.”
“Something from Outside,” the Bentusi’s voice stated.
The Taiidan was surprised at the response. “The Bentusi are here? They are listening?”
“Yes,” Kaalel said. “Answer their question.”
“Something from Outside…what is Outside?” The Taiidan seemed genuinely confused. Kaalel also took in account that the Imperials, in the end of the war two years ago, were reasonable and turned against the Beast.
“Have I betrayed my people enough, or must I disgrace them further?” The question seemed force, as if the Imperial was trying to put more contempt into his words than he had.
Kaalel considered, then said, “That will be enough for now.”
|
