Viper (Second Wave Book 1) (23 page)

“Our duty is to work with our
brethren to assist the humans in adjusting to their evolutionary leap. The same
way others before us have assisted them in their growth. While we are assisting
the humans that remain after the war to come, we will also be aiding the evolution
of your own beasts.” The last was met with several gasps of surprise.

“How can you do that?” Amun asked,
hanging on every word the dual being spoke. His curiosity from a scientific
standpoint was on fire as his fingers flew across his scanner monitoring every
change in Lara’s brain as she and the beast spoke together.

“The device you hold will be able
to show you exactly how, as we do it. Just as you are watching the changes now.
The same energy used to put your beasts to slumber, or keep you silent and
absorbing information…” Lara/Abexis said turning to Traze, who was staring
silently at her, before continuing. “Can be used to expand and evolve your
beast in the same way my brethren are becoming aware in the humans.”

“Wait, how can you do that? It
would demand an increase in the physical size of the beast. There is not enough
room for that in the cranial cavity.” Amun said, switching to a different shot
of Lara’s brain.

“The size doesn’t matter as the
bonding required allows us to expand into the surrounding cells and expanded connections
in the brain. It is why we have dual control at all times. There is nothing
that prevents me from protecting my host at any moment.”

“At the same time, my host has
complete control of my power at the call of her will. It is a complete
symbiosis that allows the expansion of our combined energy and power. Your
scans will show that symbiosis.” Lara/Abexis explained to the curious doctor.

Amun put Lara’s brain scan on the
screen behind the conference room table. He mechanically walked to the screen
and pointed out the more than obvious area of Lara’s brain where the physical
beast resided and the large area that surrounded it that was lit up in a
stunning bright blue, while the rest of her brain remained neutral beige
colors.

“I think I understand.” Amun said,
staring at the image on the large screen along with everyone else.

“Why only the Tezarian’s and the
laustio
to find those who can’t come?” Reven asked curiously, wondering why he didn’t
mention the Valendran’s or Zendarian’s. 

“The Tezarian’s have a unique
connection with the energy of this planet. The
laustio
will be able to
use that connection and expand it in a wide area that will draw both of them to
any brethren in that area. Where they can alleviate the reason they could not
come on their own and bring them here.” Lara/Abexis replied easily.

Grai snorted in stunned disbelief. “If
you are correct, then your brethren that can’t get here are being held by my
brother’s people, government entities controlled by my brother or evil bastards
in it for the fun of whacking off someone’s head in the name of my father.”

“You will need more than a Tezarian
warrior and a potentially untrained human carrying a
laustio
beast to
get them all back safely.” Grai said, incredulous over the suggestion that
their people be put in such danger.

The echoing chuckle of Lara/Abexis
still creeped out the best of them even though none tried to show it. It only
made Lara and Abexis laugh a little harder. If their voice could freak out the
tough warriors and leaders around her, then the power they could wield would
definitely scare the hell out of them.

The ability to use the Tezarian
connection with the planet and its energy would heighten their abilities exponentially.
However, telling them that would not ease the minds of the nervous people
around her.

“I can assure you that there is no
intention to allow any of our brethren or those under our protection to be
harmed. I had assumed that we would be able to count upon the assistance of
your people.”

“Our goals here are the same.
Although your focus is to defeat your brother and the remnants of your father’s
empire, our focus is on protecting as many humans as we can so that they can go
through the conversion. It is imperative that they evolve, if they are to
survive.”

“That, of course, doesn’t include
the tens of thousands of humans around the world that are mates, lost souls and
brethren to all of us, that need to be brought home. To us.” Lara/Abexis told
Grai, emphasizing the fact that those the Primes were seeking were also the
same people that they were seeking for their own reasons as well.

The room was silent while everyone
considered the Prime’s words. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the
Prime was correct. They were searching for the same people and fighting the
same enemy.  

Viper kept his hands in a white
knuckled grip on the arms of his chair. There was something about hearing
Lara’s voice speaking along with the Primes that sent chills up his spine. A
niggling of a memory tickled at the back of his mind, driving him crazy as, he
tried to remember what it was.

His raging emotions certainly
weren’t helping his memory or focus. He vacillated between pride, fear,
happiness and concern for his mate.  

“The ancient ones. That is what you
were called.” Ratoka said, excited that he remembered. His mind was already
running through everything he could remember about the ancient ones.

Lara/Abexis tilted her head to the
side and smiled at the spiritual leader. “Among our brethren, I was one of
those referred to as an ancient one.”

Ratoka sucked in a breath at the
admission, while Grai and the others looked at him to say whatever it was that
he had figured out.

“The legends…” Ratoka said looking
intently at Grai with a huge grin on his face.

Grai was seriously confused, his
mind trying to think of anything he might have heard regarding ancient ones.
His frustration only grew as he continued to draw a blank.

“We have a few on Valendra about
the Ancient Ones. The original thirteen beasts created by the God of Gods as
his Guardians of Knowledge or Justice, I believe.” Ivint said, racking his
brain for more information.

“Weren’t each of them a Guardian of
something… with the ability to harness that particular energy? Guardian of
Justice could mete out Justice at his call. The one of Knowledge could gather
and impart knowledge." Reven said, speaking his thoughts out loud.

“No one ever knew for sure what
they were capable of or what capacity they served for the God of Gods. All that
remained of the time of their reign, when the original worlds were formed, were
the legends on the worlds they helped begin.”

“They were never seen or heard from
since time began for our worlds. Archeologists from all of the original worlds
are still trying to piece together what happened through the ruins and
artifacts still being recovered.” Ratoka said, looking at Lara/Abexis with more
curiosity and excitement than fear.

“The humans have uncovered similar
structures and artifacts on this world as well. I can feel the call of the
energy still remaining in the earth and stone.” Lara/Abexis said, closing her
eyes as they recalled the experience.

Grai’s mind whirled with the
information, his memory finally uncovering bits and pieces of stories he had
heard growing up under his father’s tutelage. The brutal Relian leader, Kalai
T’Alq had prided himself on raping worlds of their knowledge and legacies
before destroying them.

“By the Gods… what does Dagog know
that we do not? There is a reason why he is targeting each of our people. It’s
not just revenge and to keep them from us. He knows you are here. I was so
stupid! I thought this was their typical agenda for this world, but there is
something else going on.”

“There is something on this world
that Dagog wants, something he thinks will give him power or an advantage. It’s
the only thing that would motivate him. Tell us what the hell is really going
on.” Grai said, turning furious eyes on Lara/Abexis.

The entity was being vague and
hiding information from them, and he wouldn’t tolerate it. His family, his
people and his friends were involved, and he refused to deal with this Prime
without more information about it. Legends and myth were not going to be good
enough. He wanted clear answers and now.

“I cannot speak of the will of the
One God. I can say that your brother appears to be searching for our people to
prevent our numbers from increasing in order to disrupt the conversion.” When
it appeared that Grai would interrupt, Lara/Abexis continued.

“He may also be searching for the
Dacardia
peh Grascad
, Relics of
Grascad
. There is no translation for the word
Grascad
in any known language because it is the language of the One God
and not meant to be understood.”

“The relics are each imbued with
different powers gifted to this world by the One God to help them survive these
times and make the evolutionary changes necessary for their species to survive.
The relics were brought by the emissaries and scattered throughout the world. To
be hidden until they were needed.”

“The clues to their whereabouts
were given to the humans through the words of the emissaries and written in
their languages in order to be passed down. As the generations evolved and the
world moved closer to the conversion, the humans would learn to decipher the
old texts and learn what to do with the relics. It is the same as it was on
each of your worlds before your conversions.” Lara/Abexis explained.

Grai’s mind whirled with the
information. It made sense now. The secret programs that his father had been
involved in that he would never let Grai be a part of. He must have shared that
information only with his brother, Dagog.

It had to be the relics that the
Relian’s were looking for on this planet. It had to be why his father had not
destroyed it hundreds of years ago. He’d never understood why his father hadn’t
relegated the planet for destruction in the same easy fashion he had dozens of
others before it.

Another thought struck him, and he
turned to Lara/Abexis. “What happens if these relics get in my brother’s hands
and the humans can’t use them during the conversion?”

“Only one of our kind, a beast
species, with the assistance of a conductor and a lost soul, can activate a
relic. Or an awakened Prime. Once it is activated, its power can be used by whomever
possesses it.” Lara/Abexis admitted, knowing that the intelligent man would
quickly realize the seriousness of the situation.

Memories ran clearly through
Traze’s mind, and he knew he needed to speak. “The gold box. On Father’s ship.
He gave it to Dagog before his mind became too lost.”

Grai sucked in a deep breath.
“Dagog has a relic. He’s taking our people to find one that can make it work.”

“Are you sure?” Ivint asked, not
doubting Grai so much as he did the Prime.  

Grai shook his head. “There is no
doubt at all. There were many things that Kalai never trusted me enough to tell
me about. This all makes sense. Too much sense.”

“Do you know where the relics are?”
Grai asked Lara/Abexis, already knowing the answer.

“I can sense that there are seven that
have been recovered and six that are still awaiting the physical earth changes
to occur that are necessary in order to uncover them. Or for us to find them.” Lara/Abexis
answered honestly, allowing the leaders to come to the same conclusion on their
own.

“How do we find the relics?” Grai
asked, watching Lara/Abexis with narrowed eyes.

“Only the Prime charged with the
guardianship of the relic can find it. I can lead you to the Relic of
Knowledge.” Lara/Abexis said, surprising everyone.

Chapter
Twenty One

Grai thought about what Lara/Abexis
had said, and it seemed like no matter how much information he learned; it all
came back to the ancient Prime inhabiting Viper’s mate. That bothered him more
than he wanted to admit.

“In order to defeat my brother, we
need the Prime. To find the relics, we need the ancient ones somewhere among
the Prime. To help the humans through the conversion, we need the Prime.”

“Why is it that all of this, the
things we have worked so hard to achieve on this planet for the sake of the
humans and our own, all depend on your people now? It seems unlike someone as
powerful as the God of Gods, to need to rely so heavily on just one species.”

“Especially when that one species
holds the fate of more than the humans in their hands. Why the hell would all
of us be sent here, if all the One God needed was you and your people?” Grai
asked bluntly, his skepticism clear in his tone and the way he moved into a
more defensive stance.

Lara/Abexis chuckled. “We are all
here because we will all be required in order for us to save anyone, even
ourselves. The fact that my people have a particular role to play in this war,
does not negate the role each of you must play as well. One is not needed more
than another.”

“Which is why you are here. This is
a second chance, for all of our people. For the lost souls, the Valendran
people, your people and my own. This world, and the humans, are the last hope
for all of us. It belongs to none of us, except the humans.”