Theta Mists Part Seven

 

Read Part One

Read Part Two

Read Part Three

Read Part Four

Read Part Five

Read Part Six

Part Seven

 

The past two days among the Seraphim had been nothing short of transformative for Aiden. The moon that humans called Theta-13 was known to its inhabitants as Aelrith’en, the Moon of Veils. Its surface, covered in glowing rivers and thick with what humans called the Theta Mists, was named by the Seraphim as Naerissyn, the Breath of the Veil. Even the Seraphim had a name for themselves—the Tyrsaelith.

Living in the Tyrsaelith’s city was like stepping into a dream, a place so entwined with its people’s essence that distinguishing one from the other felt impossible. The city sprawled with a grace that seemed both alien and natural, the glowing mists weaving through the streets like silent guides. Structures rose into the air in sinuous curves, their translucent walls pulsing faintly, as though alive. It was a world defined by harmony, where every movement, every breath, seemed synchronized with the pulse of the Naerissyn itself.

The Tyrsaelith were unlike anything Aiden had imagined when pondering the possibility of sentient alien life. Their radiant forms glowed faintly, and their voices resonated with a musical quality that carried emotion as effortlessly as words. They moved with an ethereal elegance that suggested a deep understanding of their place in the cosmos.

Aiden found himself utterly captivated by their culture. He wandered the markets where exchanges occurred not with currency but through subtle gestures, melodic phrases, and offerings of craft and skill. He marveled at their ability to manipulate energy, healing wounds with a touch or sculpting light into intricate forms. This wasn’t just advanced technology—it was a fusion of art, science, and a profound connection to their world.

Yet, Aiden couldn’t ignore the questions that gnawed at him. How much had humanity known about Theta-13 and the Tyrsaelith? Why had the truth been hidden? He spent hours pondering the implications. This was the first encounter with sentient extraterrestrial life—at least, the first known to the public. Humanity’s collective understanding of the universe would never be the same.

That evening, seated on a high walkway overlooking the shimmering underground city, Aiden raised his concerns to Valryn.

“When humans first came to Theta-13,” he began, using the name familiar to him, “what happened? Did we meet the Tyrsaelith back then?”

Valryn, perched beside him with their wings draped gracefully over the edge, turned to regard him. Their luminous gaze caught the faint light of Naerissyn. “Aelrith’en,” they corrected gently. “When your kind first touched our moon, it was not the meeting you might have hoped for.”

Aiden tensed. “What do you mean?”

Valryn’s wings shifted slightly, the glowing edges rippling like liquid light. “It was long ago, many cycles before even the eldest of us now living were born. Your kind came in machines of metal, tearing the Naerissyn, mining the depths of Aelrith’en. They did not come to seek knowledge. They came to take.”

The words struck Aiden like a blow. “Was there… fighting?”

Valryn hesitated. “Perhaps. The records are few, and their tones are grim. We know only that your kind’s presence brought harm, and when they left, they left scars behind. For centuries, we have not sought your kind. Why would we? What you call progress, we know as greed.”

Aiden rubbed his temples, guilt and shame roiling in his chest. The governments of Earth must have known about this for centuries. They had found Aelrith’en, met its people, and hidden the truth. Humanity had been denied the chance to learn, to grow, to marvel at what the universe held—not because the Tyrsaelith were a threat, but because Earth’s leaders likely saw them as an obstacle.

“I can’t believe this was kept from us,” Aiden muttered. “No wonder it all feels so wrong. It wasn’t just about mining Theta-13—it was about keeping people from knowing who lives here.”

Valryn tilted their head. “The Breath of the Veil is sacred. To harm it is to harm us. Perhaps your leaders understood this and feared it.”

Aiden stared out at the mists swirling through the city below, his mind racing. He felt the weight of a species’ mistakes and the potential for redemption pressing down on him. And then, as the pieces of the past fell into place, an idea began to form.

It was ambitious and uncertain, but it could be the answer to everything—the key to mending the rift between Earth and Aelrith’en. Aiden glanced at Valryn, their otherworldly glow softening the tension in his chest.

“I think I know what needs to be done,” he said softly, more to himself than to Valryn.

The Tyrsaelith turned their gaze to him, their expression unreadable. “What do you mean, Aiden?”

But he didn’t respond. Not yet. The thought was too fragile, the path ahead too precarious to risk revealing it prematurely.

Instead, he let the mists swirl around him, the Breath of the Veil whispering through the air, as if encouraging him to take the next step.

 

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The chamber where the Tyrsaelith convened hummed with a quiet, otherworldly energy. Crystalline spires rose like frozen waves around a vast circular table, their surfaces etched with glowing, fluid patterns that pulsed faintly in rhythm with the mists swirling through the room. The leaders of Aelrith’en stood gathered, their forms radiant and resolute, casting ethereal shadows that danced on the walls.

Aiden glanced at Kael, Orin, and the twins, their expressions a mix of apprehension and determination. Valryn, ever poised, stood at his side, translating the whispers of the Tyrsaelith leaders into English. The tension in the air was palpable, like the moments before a storm broke.

Aiden stepped forward, his voice steady but urgent. “We can’t let this come to war if we can avoid it. The truth is, Earth doesn’t know about you—not the public, not the people who would care enough to stop this. If we prove you exist, it would change everything.”

Valryn’s melodic voice conveyed his words to the Tyrsaelith leaders, their glowing forms tilting slightly as they absorbed the translation.

“This isn’t just about resources or politics,” Aiden continued, pacing slowly. “If humanity learns there’s intelligent life beyond Earth, it will be the most significant revelation in our history. The colony, the corporations, they’ll lose public support. People won’t stand by and let a unique, sentient culture be destroyed. Not when they know the truth.”

The room fell silent, save for the gentle hum of the Naerissyn coursing through the spires. The Tyrsaelith leaders exchanged glances, their bioluminescent forms flickering with subtle shifts of color and light. Valryn turned to Aiden, their luminous eyes piercing.

“They find your plan… compelling,” Valryn said carefully. “It aligns with our deepest hopes—that understanding might prevail over violence. But,” they added, their voice darkening, “time is not our ally. The humans’ drills have already breached the outer layers of Aelrith’en’s core. The Naerissyn is being disrupted, and with it, our lifeforce weakens.”

Aiden clenched his fists. He had suspected the situation was dire, but hearing it confirmed sent a jolt of urgency through him.

Another leader, taller and more radiant than the rest, spoke, their voice a hauntingly beautiful melody that Valryn translated with precision. “We cannot wait. Our connection to the Naerissyn is not symbolic; it is vital. If the desecration continues, we will perish. Mobilization has begun. If there is no other way, we will fight to protect Aelrith’en.”

The twins, Jeph and Garret, shifted uneasily. Kael muttered, “So it’s a race against time, then.”

“It always was,” Orin replied grimly.

Aiden faced the leaders again. “I understand your need to act, and I won’t ask you to stop preparing. But if you give us a chance—just a little time—we might be able to stop this without bloodshed. Please.”

Valryn translated, and the room fell silent once more. Finally, the taller leader inclined their head, their voice ringing out in a soft, resonant tone.

“You have until the mists darken thrice,” Valryn said after translating. “After that, we will act, for we cannot watch our home and our people die.”

Aiden nodded, his jaw set. “That’s all we need.”

As the meeting dissolved, Aiden’s group gathered outside the chamber, the mists of Naerissyn swirling around them like restless spirits.

“What’s the plan?” Kael asked, his tone as sharp as his expression.

“We find a way to make the world see them,” Aiden said, his voice steady despite the enormity of their task. “We get proof—irrefutable, undeniable proof—and broadcast it to Earth before the fighting starts.”

“And how exactly do we do that?” Orin asked, skeptical but not dismissive.

Aiden didn’t answer immediately. His gaze drifted toward the horizon, where the glowing mists began to darken with the setting light, and the Tyrsaelith’s city pulsed like a living thing. “We’ll figure it out,” he said finally. “But we’re not letting this end in bloodshed if we can help it.”

Behind them, the Tyrsaelith began their preparations for war. Warriors clad in armor that shimmered like liquid silver gathered in formation, their weapons humming faintly with energy drawn from the moon itself. The mists thickened, swirling ominously around their ranks, and the air was heavy with the promise of conflict.

As Aiden and his group set off, the stakes weighed on their shoulders like an impossible burden. They were racing against time, against ignorance, and against the inexorable pull of history’s darker tendencies.

But they had a chance—a slim, fragile chance—to change the course of everything. And for Aiden, that was enough.

 

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Aiden’s group moved swiftly, their boots crunching against the crystalline ground of Aelrith’en. The Naerissyn curled around their ankles like ghostly vines, pulsing faintly with the life force of the moon. The tension between them was palpable, each step pressing them closer to the mining colony—and closer to the gamble of revealing the truth to humanity.

Kael kept pace with Aiden, her eyes fixed on the terrain ahead. She pulled a sleek drone from her shoulder rig, its metal frame shimmering faintly with embedded sensor arrays. With a flick of her wrist, it buzzed to life and hovered beside her, waiting for instructions.

“I’ll send it ahead,” Kael said, tapping on her forearm console. “We know the general layout of the colony, but if anything’s changed, we need to know before we’re walking into it blind.”

The drone zipped forward, a faint hum fading as it disappeared into the mists. Its small light blinked intermittently, barely visible through the swirling haze.

“Anything?” Orin asked, his voice low.

Kael shook her head. “Give it a minute. The mists are messing with the signal, but I can patch it through the satellite relays.”

Jeph and Garret, the twins, exchanged a glance. They had been quieter than usual since leaving the Tyrsaelith’s city, their usual banter replaced by an uneasy tension. Jeph broke the silence first. “You think they’ll even listen to us, Aiden? The miners, I mean. Most of them probably think we’re just fringe lunatics out here to stir up trouble.”

“They won’t if we don’t give them a reason to,” Aiden replied, his tone firm. “But if we show up with proof—real, undeniable proof—they’ll have to take us seriously. And if the Keepers show up too, that might give us the edge we need.”

Kael nodded, her focus shifting to the communicator on her wrist. She activated a secure channel and hailed the Keepers’ settlement. Static filled the line before a voice crackled through.

“This is Kael. We’re en route to the mining colony. How’s the situation on your end?”

A familiar voice responded. It was Liandre, one of the Keepers’ senior leaders. “We’ve mobilized a contingent. If you want us to make an appearance, we can be there within the hour.”

“Do it,” Kael said. “But keep your approach subtle until we make contact. The last thing we need is them thinking we’re leading an invasion.”

Liandre hesitated. “And the Seraphim? Are they… coming as well?”

Kael glanced at Aiden, who gave her a subtle nod. “They’re preparing for the worst. But we’re trying to avoid that. Let’s make this work before it comes to that.”

“Understood,” Liandre said, her tone grave. “Good luck out there.”

Kael ended the call and looked at the group. “They’ll be there. If the miners don’t believe us, the sight of the Keepers might change their minds. As far as we know, no one inside the dome even knows the Keepers exist. To them, anything beyond the colony’s walls is just myths and urban legends.”

“Which works in our favor,” Orin said. “Sometimes, all it takes to shake someone’s worldview is to show them the thing they’re not supposed to believe in.”

The drone chirped back to Kael, signaling it had completed its sweep. A holographic projection lit up from her console, displaying a detailed map of the mining colony’s perimeter. She frowned.

“They’ve added more sentry drones,” she said, pointing to a cluster of red blips on the map. “And the main access points are fortified. Looks like they’re gearing up for something.”

“Probably the drill,” Aiden said grimly. “They know what’s at stake, even if they don’t know the whole story.”

Garret frowned. “And if they do know? What if the higher-ups in the colony are in on it? What if they’ve known about the Seraphim—sorry, Tyrsaelith—all along?”

Aiden met his gaze. “Then we’ll make sure everyone else knows. If this gets out, it won’t matter what the higher-ups want. The truth has a way of spreading, and once it does, there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle.”

The group pressed onward, the dome of the mining colony a faint glimmer on the horizon. The Theta Mists—the Naerissyn—swirled thicker as they moved, obscuring the edges of their path. The mists, once ethereal and serene, now seemed to ripple with an undercurrent of menace, their soft glow dimming to a muted pulse.

Kael kept her drone scanning ahead, the live feed flickering on her console. “No movement so far,” she muttered, though her tone betrayed unease.

Aiden’s grip tightened on his weapon. “Keep your eyes sharp. We’ve seen how these mists can hide things.”

Orin, walking at the rear, suddenly froze. “I don’t like this,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze darted to the shifting shadows in the mist. “Feels too quiet.”

Jeph and Garret moved closer together, their usual bravado replaced by wary silence. Garret muttered, “Last time it got this quiet…”

The memory of their previous encounter with the Mist Reavers surged unbidden into Aiden’s mind: how they had emerged from the Naerissyn like phantoms, their sinewy forms cloaked in shimmering tendrils of mist, moving with predatory grace. How they had fought tooth and nail, how Kael had taken a wound that should have killed her—saved only by the Tyrsaelith’s intervention. And how the Reavers, every one of them, had been felled.

Or so they had thought.

The first sound was a faint chittering, like dry leaves skittering across stone. Aiden’s stomach tightened.

“They’re here,” Kael whispered, her voice taut.

The chittering grew louder, joined by a low, guttural growl that seemed to echo from everywhere at once. Shapes began to materialize in the swirling mists, elongated and inhuman. The Mist Reavers stepped into view, their jagged forms glistening with a slick, almost liquid sheen that refracted the faint glow of the Naerissyn.

There were more of them this time—dozens, perhaps more—moving in an eerily coordinated manner. Their eyes, like molten amber, burned with feral intelligence as they encircled the group.

“We’re surrounded,” Orin said, his voice steady despite the tension in his posture.

Kael’s drone darted toward the nearest cluster of Reavers, scanning frantically, but one of the creatures leaped with uncanny speed, claws raking through the air. The drone spiraled out of control and crashed into the ground, its light flickering out.

Kael glanced at her team, their weapons ready but their faces grim. “Hold steady. They’re testing us, looking for an opening. Don’t give them one.”

Jeph’s voice was tight with fear. “And if they find one?”

“They won’t,” Kael said, though the confidence in her voice was forced.

The Reavers inched closer, their movements deliberate and predatory. Aiden’s mind raced. They were too far from the Tyrsaelith city for reinforcements to arrive in time, and the colony was still a distant hope.

One of the Reavers emitted a piercing screech, a sound that seemed to vibrate through Aiden’s very bones, and then they lunged as one, a wall of shadow and steel crashing toward them.