67:55, Day 578, Year 58133

  The Violet Plains, Shashan, Shashvat Ananda (?????? ?????)

  "Not all of Shashan welcome Earth technology." Vyomendri said, gesturing to Pawan as they exited the Scepter Grove. "If you would?"

  Xin nodded reluctantly, commanding the drone to hover near the entrance. "Pawan. Maintain low power mode."

  The green drone chirped once in acknowledgment, its sensors dimming to a soft glow as it delved into an empty pouch on Xin's botanical dress. The pouch sealed itself at Pawan's entrance.

  Ahead of them stood two figures with violet skin, their muscular forms clad only in black botanical loincloths. Both possessed the same pointed ears as Vyomendri, though their builds were more substantial, with broad shoulders that tapered to narrow waists. Unlike Vyom's regal bearing, these two carried themselves with the alert posture of warriors, not too different from those of Lorna or Tanha's.

  "*Namaskaram, Vyomendri Swāmī.*" One of the humanoids spoke, both hands forming a tower shape in front of his chest as he bowed deeply.

  "*Maidan dar?ana sampanna?*" Vyomendri asked in Devavā?ī. Xin wished he could understand their language.

  "*Ha, ?ubha mausam. ?ikāri-jantu anupasthit.*" The other humanoid spoke.

  "These are Najan and Eklavya," Vyomendri explained as he turned to Xin. "They'll transport us to the Hatching Chamber."

  The taller of the two, Najan, stepped forward and inhaled deeply through his nose, his violet face contorting. "This one's colon is unclean," he said, his voice a low rumble as he pointed at Xin.

  "An Inner Sol human who's not passed the Tasting." Eklavya replied, his forked tongue flicking out with distaste.

  Xin adjusted his glasses self-consciously. "I..chose an alternative arrangement."

  "So you did," Eklavya replied, crossing his arms. His eyes, entirely black except for flickers of violet where irises should be, studied Xin with undisguised suspicion. "Fixing the Hatching Chamber. An impressive boast for one who knows nothing of our ways."

  "Not a boast," Xin clarified, standing straighter. "Just an engineer offering his skills."

  Vyomendri placed a hand on Xin's shoulder. "Regardless of your misgivings, we have an agreement. Kathrin awaits us."

  The two Sūk?mucs exchanged glances before nodding reluctantly.

  Raising their muscular, clawed hands, they began chanting in Devavā?ī, their voices low and melodic: "Sarpa-rūpa vartate, deha parivartan, māyā ?akti utthāna!" Their violet skin began to pulse with inner light as the chant intensified.

  Then, in a transformation that made Xin step back instinctively, their bodies began to shift and elongate. Muscles rippled and stretched, violet skin glistening as their humanoid forms twisted and expanded into massive, serpentine shapes. Within moments, two enormous worm-like creatures towered before them, their segmented bodies undulating gently.

  "These are among our newest brethren," Vyomendri explained calmly, as if the transformation were perfectly ordinary. "They escaped the Uranus colonies during the Purge of Umbriel seven years ago. Brought them here through the wormhole myself." He patted one of the worms affectionately. "Kathrin converted them. They've adapted remarkably well."

  Xin swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure. "I see."

  "Come," Vyom said, approaching the larger worm. With practiced ease, he climbed onto its back, settling into what appeared to be a natural saddle-like depression. He gestured for Xin to mount the other worm. "The journey isn't long."

  Taking a deep breath, Xin approached the slightly smaller worm — Eklavya in his transformed state. The creature lowered itself, allowing Xin to awkwardly clamber onto its back. The sensation was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. T

  The worm's body was firm yet pliant, radiating a gentle heat that pulsed in rhythm with some internal biological process.

  "Hold onto the ridges," Vyom instructed, pointing to the segmented protrusions along the worm's back. "And try not to fall."

  "Okay!" Just as Xin responded, the worms surged forward with surprising grace. The motion was fluid, not the violent bucking he'd expected, but a smooth, wavelike progression across the violet landscape.

  As they cleared the dense vegetation surrounding the Scepter Grove, the true majesty of Shashan revealed itself. Vast plains of lavender grass stretched toward distant mountains, their slopes dusted with vibrant magenta flora that swayed in an alien breeze.

  The sky above them was a wash of twilight hues—periwinkle and rose blending into deep indigo, illuminated by the massive blue-green gas giant that dominated the horizon.

  "*Chandrak mahānīla! Prathama-dar?ana iva sundara bhāsi!*" Vyom raised his head with a proud smile and called to the sky, opening his arms as if in praise. The words, though foreign to Xin's ears, carried unmistakable reverence - a greeting to the magnificent gas giant hanging above them.

  "*Chandrak snehapūr?a! Mahāpatha rak?a!*" The two giant worms carrying Xin and Vyom echoed, their voices now deep and rumbling in their worm form. The rhythmic chant reverberated across the plains like a cosmic hymn.

  "A plea for safe passage?" he ventured a guess as he looked to Vyom.

  "Through these violet expanses, yes." The senior Sūk?muc met his gaze, his lips cuving upwards approvingly as he lowered his arms. "You speak Devavā?ī?"

  "I wish I could." Xin nodded, a mixture of relief and regret in his mind.

  "It's quite a language." Vyom looked ahead. "Stay here long enough, and you'll pick it up eventually."

  A group of Jalraks—the shark-scorpion hybrids Xin had glimpsed earlier—flanked them at a respectful distance, their segmented bodies moving with predatory grace. Several bee-like Weavers buzzed overhead, their wings creating a harmonic hum like an accompaniment to the impromptu celestial serenade.

  "It's beautiful," Xin admitted, momentarily forgetting his anxiety. "I've never seen anything like it."

  Vyomendri kept his smile, the expression softening his features. "Shashan is the jewel of this realm. The last sanctuary amidst the harshness of the cosmos."

  One of the Weavers descended, offering a wrapped package to Xin. Inside was what appeared to be food. A pale, purple fruit nestled in bioluminescent leaves.

  "Eat," Vyom encouraged. "You'll need your strength for the work ahead."

  Xin hesitated only briefly before taking a bite. The fruit's flesh was sweet and tangy, reminiscent of starfruit but with an underlying earthy note that was wholly alien. As he swallowed, a pleasant warmth spread through his limbs.

  "This doesn't seem like a Radi-Mon world." Xin observed, watching as another Weaver delivered a similar package to Vyom. "You mentioned a purge. Are you at war with humans?"

  "War implies equality of powers," Vyom responded, his tone measured. "What happened on Uranus was between humans, though. The Alliance discovered Imperium-made Radi-Mons on Umbriel, a major moon. Responded with nuclear cleansing. Local people caught in the middle lost their homes."

  The casual way he described such horror sent a chill down Xin's spine. "I didn't know."

  "Few do. Your governments are quite good at controlling information." Vyom's gaze turned distant. "The survivors fled through the wormhole networks. We rescued those we could."

  "I find it strange, Radi-Mons rescuing humans." Xin adjusted his glasses. "Back home, you're portrayed as nothing but monsters."

  Vyomendri looked at him with what seemed like understanding. "The planets in our system aren't as livable as yours. Some refugees faced a choice: die slowly or change."

  "So they took the Nucleus Virus?" Xin said, taking in the alien landscape around them.

  "Those who didn't want to join us settled on Bhavanta and Devithar. Rocky planets closer to our sun." Vyom gestured toward the horizon. "Small colonies, but they survive."

  Xin pondered. "You make the Virus sound like it's a good thing."

  "Each horde has their own version," Vyom explained. "Fenris creates efficient killers. Ours lets you keep who you are." He looked directly at Xin. "But they all make you psionic, even if you weren't born with it."

  Xin looked down at his hand. Good for fixing machines, building tools, typing code. Not much else when things got dangerous.

  "A viable shortcut," he said, trying to sound casual despite the thoughts racing through his mind. All those times he'd watched Lorna and others wield powers he couldn't. All those moments of feeling useless in a fight.

  "You're thinking about it," Vyom said, his tone neutral.

  Xin looked up. "I've spent my life building things in a safe office while people like Lorna face dangers everyday." he replied too quickly, then sighed. "Back on Earth, I wish I could be there while she fought Skarn."

  "Wanting power isn't always wrong," Vyom said. "It depends on why you want it."

  "I'm tired of just being the tech guy," Xin admitted. "I want to help protect people without being a burden." The image of Lorna facing dangers alone flashed in his mind.

  "Becoming like us isn't the only way," Vyom said carefully. "Kathrin knows...other methods. Less extreme, maybe better for someone like you."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Not my place to offer." Vyom replied. "But if you fix her chamber, she might tell you herself."

  Xin nodded before changing the subject. "Speaking of which, Tanha seems—"

  "Intense?" Vyom's lips quirked in amusement. "She was born human on Devithar, a small rocky planet orbiting closer to our sun. There are still human colonies there. Refugees and outcasts tired of your Sol politics."

  As they traveled, the landscape gradually shifted. The open plains gave way to rolling hills dotted with crystalline formations that caught the light, refracting it into prismatic beams. Xin's worm-mount navigated the terrain effortlessly, its body adapting to every contour.

  "Half a century ago, solar winds stripped much of Devithar's atmosphere," Vyom continued. "Tanha's family lived in an area that became uninhabitable. By the time I found them, her parents were dying of radiation poisoning. Her mother's last request was for me to save her daughter."

  "So you brought her here and..." Xin hesitated, unsure how to phrase it delicately.

  "Converted her." Vyom's expression remained neutral. "She was nineteen, malnourished, sick. Now she is healthy, strong, immortal. The choice was hers to make, as it was mine centuries ago."

  This caught Xin's attention. "You were human once too?"

  "I was born in what you would call Indonesia, long before the current era. The details matter little now." Vyom gestured toward the horizon, where several crystalline spires had begun to glow with intensifying bioluminescence.

  The worms slowed their pace as they entered a region where the crystalline formations grew more numerous and elaborate. These weren't merely rocks but complex structures that resembled coral, their geometry precise.

  "We're approaching Kālachakra Vatika. The Gardens of Time. We must take care here." Vyom's long ears twitched, his amythest eyes scanning their surroudings.

  As they drew closer, Xin's Quantum Watch began to flicker erratically.

  "Something on my watch?" He asked, tapping the display. The normally stable interface was jumping between time readings, some displaying impossible values.

  "The Gardens exist outside conventional time," Vyom explained. "A remnant of the Nirbohs' experiments with quantum mechanics. The crystals harmonize with certain temporal frequencies. Disturbances."

  As if responding to Vyom's words, the nearest crystal structures began to pulse with light, their colors shifting from violet to a deep, pulsating crimson. The vegetation surrounding them suddenly withdrew into the ground, their fronds curling defensively.

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  Eklavya's worm-body stiffened beneath Xin, a tremor running through the massive form.

  "Something's wrong," Vyom said sharply. "The Garden has never reacted this strongly."

  The air around them shimmered, reality itself seeming to warp. One of the escorting Jalraks let out a high-pitched shriek as it was suddenly pulled toward one of the crystals, its body stretching unnaturally before snapping back.

  "It's a temporal flux!" Vyom called out. "The Garden is rejecting the foreign element!"

  Najan's worm-body reared up, nearly throwing Vyom. "It senses the unclean one!" he shouted, his voice emerging from the worm's body. "We should never have brought him here!"

  The crystals pulsed more intensely, their crimson glow now tinged with angry orange. The very ground beneath them began to vibrate, cracks appearing in the violet soil. Another Jalrak was caught in an invisible force, its body contorting painfully.

  Xin glanced at his Quantum Watch. Its display was cycling through numbers and symbols at an impossible rate. The correlation between the watch's malfunction and the crystals' agitation suddenly became clear.

  "It's not me they're reacting to," he called out. "It's my watch!"

  Without hesitation, Xin unclasped his watch, holding it out before him. The device was hot to the touch, the metal casing vibrating violently.

  "What are you doing?" Eklavya's voice emerged from the worm beneath him.

  "Testing a theory." Xin carefully held the watch toward the nearest crystal formation. The structure's glow intensified dramatically, pulsing in rhythm with the watch's erratic display. "It's a resonance pattern," he murmured, his engineer's mind analyzing the interaction. "My watch's fusion-powered core is interfering with whatever field these crystals generate."

  Another violent tremor shook the ground, nearly throwing Xin from his mount. The remaining Jalraks retreated, their chitinous legs scrabbling frantically against the cracking soil.

  "We need to turn back," Najan's voice boomed. "This path is no longer safe!"

  "No," Xin said firmly. "I think I can get us through." He studied the pattern of the crystal formations, noting how they formed what appeared to be a natural grid across the landscape. "These are nodes in a network."

  "You presume to know what they are?" Najan's response was laced with annoyance and distrust.

  But Xin focused on his watch's display, which had settled into a repeating pattern of symbols despite its erratic jumping. "The interference follows a predictable oscillation. If we time our movements to the low points in the cycle..."

  "What are you suggesting?" Vyom asked, his voice tense but curious.

  "I'll go ahead on foot," Xin replied, sliding carefully off Eklavya's back. "Using my watch as a detector to map a safe path through."

  "Madness," Eklavya protested. "You'll be torn apart by the temporal distortions!"

  "Not if I understand correctly." Xin held his watch at arm's length, feeling the subtle changes in its vibration. "There's a rhythm to the flux. All we need to do is go between the crests."

  Before anyone could object further, Xin began walking forward, his eyes fixed on his watch. He counted silently, tracking the oscillation pattern. "One... two... three..."

  The display flared bright, then dimmed momentarily. In that instant of dimming, he took three quick steps forward.

  The nearest crystal pulsed angrily but didn't intensify its glow. Encouraged, Xin continued the process: wait, count, move. Each successful advance proved his theory correct. The temporal disturbances weren't uniform but cyclic, creating brief windows where safe passage was possible.

  "Follow my path," he called back to the others. "Move only when I signal!"

  "This Sol mortal annoys me." Najan's worm form shook its head.

  Surprisingly, Vyom dismounted from Najan and approached on foot. "Lead the way," he said, a newfound respect in his voice.

  Step by careful step, Xin navigated the treacherous path, his eyes never leaving his watch's display. The temporal patterns were becoming clearer.

  "Three steps forward," he called back, waiting until Vyom had followed his exact path. "Now wait."

  The nearest crystal formation pulsed angrily, its crimson glow intensifying as the temporal distortion peaked. The ground beneath them trembled, and for a moment, Xin's vision blurred, as objects seemed to trail ghostly afterimages around them.

  "Two more steps to the left," he instructed when his watch dimmed. "Quickly!"

  They progressed in this halting manner, each successful advance followed by tense moments of stillness. Behind them, the massive worm-forms of Najan and Eklavya struggled to follow the narrow safe path, their enormous bodies barely fitting between crystal formations.

  Halfway through the maze, disaster struck. A crystal structure they'd safely passed suddenly flared with unexpected intensity, catching Eklavya's rear segments in its temporal field. The massive worm writhed in agony as portions of its body appeared to age and rejuvenate simultaneously—scales flaking off and regenerating in sickening waves.

  "The pattern's changing!" Xin shouted, frantically studying his watch. The previously predictable oscillations were becoming erratic, as if the crystal garden was adapting to their presence. "The interference is compounding!"

  "The Garden is sentient," Vyom explained tensely, holding perfectly still as a wave of distortion passed mere inches from his body. "It learns from each outsider trying to cross it."

  Xin's mind raced. If the garden was truly adaptive, then it would continue altering its patterns to counter their movements. Unless...

  "Eklavya! Najan! Move counter to our rhythm!" he called out.

  The worms hesitated, then began moving on Xin's opposite count—advancing when he held still, holding when he advanced. The strategy was dangerous, placing them directly in harm's way during peak distortions, but Xin had calculated that their massive forms would absorb and disrupt the temporal energy enough to create safe passages. At least, that was what he hoped.

  Sweat beaded on Xin's forehead as he recalculated their path with each step. One miscalculation could tear them apart at the molecular level. The watch's display flickered wildly, sometimes showing impossible time readings: years in the future, centuries in the past, before stabilizing momentarily.

  "There!" he pointed toward a narrow corridor between two particularly large crystal formations. "Our exit point. Just need to time it."

  Xin counted down, watching as his watch's display cycled through its pattern. "Three... two... one... NOW!"

  They surged forward in unison, Xin and Vyom sprinting while the magnificent worms propelled themselves with powerful undulations.

  In that moment, reality fractured around Xin. The air split like shattered glass, and suddenly he was no longer running, but standing, watching, as if through a window into another time.

  Before him stood two figures in perfect clarity, despite the shimmering distortion at the edges of his vision. The first he recognized immediately: a younger Vyomendri, his violet skin unmarred by the subtle signs of age that now lined his face. This Vyom stood bare-chested, wearing only simple black pants and obsidian wrist guards, fresh battle scars still visible across his muscular back.

  Beside Vyom stood a human in a simple white laboratory coat over formal attire that seemed at odds with their alien surroundings, the outfit of a researcher rather than a mystic. The man was elderly, with an unkempt white beard and piercing blue eyes that matched Lorna's. His weathered hands held aloft a crystalline shard that pulsed with familiar azure light.

  "Vyom?" Xin whispered, though neither figure reacted to his presence.

  "Is that what I suspect, Archmage Harald?" The younger Vyomendri's voice carried a reverence that Xin had never heard from the stoic Sūk?muc.

  "Indeed it is, Vyomendri." The old man — Harald — turned the shard so it caught the light. "A single fragment like this could bend a dozen minds to our will. Imagine what the full Crystal might accomplish."

  Vyom's posture shifted subtly. "Then you've succeeded in breaching the Vault in Osram's core."

  "I have." Harald nodded, satisfaction evident in his weathered features. "I managed to extract this before retreating. But to claim the Crystal in its entirety, I need an army to defeat the ancient Stone Guardians."

  "Without doubt," Vyom responded, his stance becoming noticeably more guarded.

  Harald straightened, his frail appearance belying the authority in his voice. "I've come to Shashan seeking the Rakshasa's assistance. A hundred Jalraks plus three packs of Trishuls should suffice."

  "I've already told you, old man. The Rakshasa Horde has no interest in Sol politics."

  A new figure materialized beside Xin before striding toward the pair. Tanha, her lithe violet form adorned with ornate metallic decorations that framed rather than covered her exposed breasts. Intricate jewelry containing glowing amethyst stones hung around her neck and wrists, drawing the eye to the curves of her body. Her lavender hair looked different here, elaborately styled with braids and ornamental pieces woven throughout, several tendrils cascading down her shoulders. Pointed ears extended from beneath her locks, accentuating her otherworldly beauty. Delicate markings traced patterns beneath her amythest eyes, which held the same intensity he'd encountered in the Scepter Grove.

  Xin found himself averting his gaze slightly, a warmth creeping up his neck as he reminded himself this was merely a temporal imprint of the past.

  "No," Harald turned to face her, "but this power cannot fall to those who would abuse it. Alliance, Imperium, Directorate. None are worthy of such power."

  Tanha's finger rose accusingly. "That's your conflict, not ours. Don't entangle my people in your system's petty struggles over some ancient stone."

  "Tanha, show our guest some courtesy," Vyom said with a soft chuckle, though his eyes remained watchful. "Still, she raises a point. We Rakshasas have moved beyond conquest. The Moondust Crystal means little to us."

  Harald's shoulders slumped slightly. "Would you at least safeguard this shard, then? The more fragmented the Crystal remains, the less devastating its potential."

  "And why should we?" Tanha crossed her arms beneath her ample chest, her stance defiant.

  "Because if the Fenris Horde ever claims the Crystal's main body, this shard may be your final opportunity to fight back." Harald met her challenging gaze without flinching. "Each fragment can sense the others and the whole."

  Vyom considered for a moment before extending his hand. "Very well. I will consult with Primarch Moro."

  "I knew I could count on you." Relief washed over Harald's features as he placed the shard in Vyom's palm.

  As their hands touched, the vision began to warp and dissolve around Xin. Colors bled together, forms stretched and twisted

  And suddenly, he was running again, the present slamming back into focus with jarring intensity. For an instant, his hand appeared wizened and aged before snapping back to normal as they cleared the final formation.

  The moment they emerged from the garden's perimeter, the violent energy subsided. The crystal formations dimmed gradually, their angry crimson fading back to a peaceful violet. Xin collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, his left arm still tingling from its brief aging.

  Behind them, Najan and Eklavya began their transformation back to humanoid form. The process was slower than before, more labored—their massive worm bodies contracting and reshaping with visible strain. Bones reformed with audible cracks, violet skin flowed like liquid before solidifying into muscular torsos and limbs. When complete, both Sūk?mucs looked drained, their normally vibrant skin tone dulled to a muted lavender.

  "The Gardens of Time extracted a toll from us," Eklavya said, flexing his newly reformed fingers with a grimace. "Few have crossed it and remained whole."

  "Remarkable," Vyom said, examining Xin with new interest. His indigo eyes lingered on Xin's watch. "The garden interfaces with temporal energy in ways we never understood. Nirboh technology that predates our horde."

  "Primarch Moro. The Crystal. And…excuse me." Xin seized the opportunity, eyeing Vyom, finally catching his breath. "Do you have the Moondust shard with you, Vyom?"

  "All goes well, you'll meet the Primarch." The senior Sūk?muc replied in an even tone, his eyes narrowing cautiously. "Perhaps then he'll tell you about the Moondust Crystal."

  Eklavya and Najan exchanged glances, a newfound, if reluctant, respect in their expressions.

  "There's more to this Earth-Dweller than we thought," Najan admitted. "Though your colon remains unclean," he added, unwilling to concede too much.

  "Hey, uh," Xin turned to the two junior Sūk?mucs. "I realize it was me being here that caused this. Thanks for tolerating."

  "The Gardens know you now, so all is well." Eklavya nodded cautiously.

  "Perhaps," Vyom agreed, a new respect glinting in his indigo eyes. "Your mind might indeed be what Kathrin needs."

  He gestured toward the horizon where a massive organic structure rose from the crystalline landscape—a colossal dome-like formation that resembled an ancient alien skull or helm, rendered in glistening violet biomatter. Curved, rib-like supports arched upward to form its distinctive silhouette, with dripping tendrils hanging from its upper portions like organic stalactites. Multiple oval-shaped apertures punctuated its fa?ade, each glowing with an eerie purple luminescence from within.

  The central entrance was largest—a perfectly circular portal framed by what appeared to be pulsing, fleshy protrusions that resembled both tentacles and roots simultaneously. The entire structure seemed to breathe, subtle undulations rippling across its surface as if it were not merely a building but a living entity. Surrounding the base, smaller organic formations created a natural pathway leading to the imposing entrance, their surfaces slick with the same viscous substance that coated the main structure.

  "The Hatching Chamber," Vyom announced as they approached. "Mother Kathrin's domain."

  Xin reattached his now-cool Quanutm Watch to his wrist, the device's familiar weight grounding him amid the alien wonders.

  "It's beautiful." Xin said, studying the intricate structure before them. "I don't know Radi-Mon engineering, but I'll do my best."

  Vyom's expression became enigmatic, the shadows of Chandrak playing across his features. "You expressed regret at not being psionic—at not being able to protect your companion as you wished." His voice lowered. "Kathrin has...certain gifts. She has awakened latent abilities in others before. The same way the Fenris Virus is bestowed."

  The implication sent a jolt through Xin like a live current. "Are you saying she could—?"

  "I'm saying nothing definitive," Vyom interrupted smoothly, raising a violet palm. "Only that options exist for those who prove themselves worthy."

  They reached the entrance to the Hatching Chamber. Three oval archways of living tissue that pulsed with violet light, each surrounded by ornate, organic filigree that seemed to grow and shift before Xin's eyes.

  Vyom, Najan, and Eklavya formed a triangle before the archways. They raised their arms in unison, hands forming intricate gestures, and began to chant in Devavā?ī. Their voices resonated in harmony, creating overtones:

  "*ādara?īya Mātā Kathrin. āpke pās ek bāhar vāle ko lāye hai? jo apnā mūlya sābit karnā chāhtā hai!*" Their voices rose and fell like a cosmic tide, the alien syllables echoing through the crystalline landscape.

  The structure itself seemed to respond, its bioluminescent veins pulsing in rhythm with their chant. From within the central archway, a deep, feminine voice responded—her British accent lending an unexpected familiarity to the ancient tongue:

  "*Jo Parīksha?a ke binā hamāre chandramaon me? prave? chāhtā hai?*" The voice carried authority tempered with curiosity, each syllable precise and measured.

  The three Sūk?mucs bowed their heads slightly and continued their chant:

  "*Hā?, Mātā Kathrin. K?payā āp jaise uchit samjhe? unhe? ā?ke?!*"

  Xin shifted nervously, adjusting his glasses before summoning his courage to speak in English:

  "I've come to help repair your Hatching Chamber to the best of my abilities." he called toward the archway, "Uh, I hope the concept of 'repair' applies here!"

  Vyom turned to look directly at Xin, ensuring he understood what followed:

  "He also seeks to become psionic," Vyom added in English, his voice carrying a note of gravity. "Whether that involves the Nucleus Virus remains to be seen."

  A moment of silence settled, during which the very air seemed to hold its breath. Finally, Kathrin's voice emerged once more from within:

  "*Usei andar āne do. Mai? usse bāt karū?gī.*"

  The central entrance's translucent membrane rippled in response, parting like silk to reveal a shimmering corridor beyond.

  "She will see you now," Vyom said, gesturing toward the opening. "Alone."

  Xin took a deep breath, adjusting his glasses and straightening his botanical garment. "Thank you for the escort."

  Eklavya gave him a curt nod. "Fix her chamber, Earth-Dweller. For all our sakes."

  As Xin stepped through the membrane, he felt a subtle resistance, as if crossing between dimensions rather than mere physical space. The sensation passed in an instant, leaving him on the threshold of something both ancient and impossible.

  He couldn't help but wonder what other wonders—and terrors—awaited him, and whether Kathrin's "gifts" might forever alter the course of his existence.