Ashes (Of the Earth Series)

Chapter 3.3

The Matriarch seemed to smile, this time in a much less terrifying manner. "Echo, then. A good name. If I were to take a guess, it is likely that Echo was formed from the union of two Visharath which inhabited each of those species, passing on their symbiotic nature."

"But we are born in batches of thousands," Echo said cautiously. "Does that mean there are more like me?" They sounded hopeful yet skeptical at the same time, daring to think that maybe they weren't alone in this world after all.

"I am sorry little one," the Matriarch replied sadly. "But it is highly unlikely that any others like you exist. Every cell in our parent's bodies are converted to an egg, and every single one of those eggs results in a unique genetic structure. There are of course similarities, but something like this... Not many of you could exist, or they would have flushed your tanks the moment any of you were discovered. I doubt there are others." A wave of hopelessness swept through me as Echo heard this confirmation and realized their uniqueness.

I inhaled slowly, gazing around the cavern. The green and blue hues that danced across the walls were beautiful. Everything seemed so peaceful; it was hard to imagine that this world was embroiled in war and destruction. It was time to make a decision about my life.

I faced the Matriarch and cleared my throat. My voice was measured as the words bubbled up from within me.

"But that doesn't mean that Echo is less than the other Visharath, right? That means that, even though it may appear differently, Echo is still every bit as special, every bit as powerful..."

The Matriarch nodded thoughtfully, her eyes and demeanor softening. "Yes, I believe so. And I believe that here, in the two of you, we may find what many of us have been searching for for so long - a glimpse of peace. We are a disgusting species. Enslaving everything we come into contact with, ravaging planets for resources in an endless war we aren't even sure is real any longer. All we do is take and take. Yet, the two of you... You, human -"

"My name is Alec," I interrupted.

The Matriarch continued. "Alec. Alec and Echo. You both have been blessed with a remarkable bond - one that has allowed for growth rather than destruction. Rather than suppressed, enslaved and murdered. What a beautiful concept. We Visharath have done so much harm in the universe, created horrors and nightmares that we can never truly mend or undo. But if we can start here, with this one small creature, maybe we can make the universe a little brighter and more sympathetic."

I felt Echo stir inside me, twining around my consciousness with a hum of approval. A burst of warmth flowed through me, sealing us together in purpose. Still, I couldn't help but feel uncertain - what if our attempts weren't enough? What if our combined efforts didn't change anything at all? With a heavy heart, I sent up a silent prayer that this small creature would succeed in bridging the differences between two species and spark hope for a better tomorrow.

The cavern began to brighten, the moon breaking through the clouds and casting a thin ray through the well we had entered, scattering down the river to my location, casting an ethereal light of dancing rainbows through a thin layer of fog onto the riverbank, making the already surreal surroundings even more solemn and beautiful.

As I contemplated all I had learned in the past few hours, I felt waves of different emotions washing over me: despair, fear, but above all - a burning hatred towards the Visharath.

I might forgive Echo. I might try to trust this Matriarch. But my hatred would not go so quietly, and it reminded me with force the reason for its existence.

I clenched my eyes shut as the chill of the river's mist brushed against my face, bringing with it the pain of a thousand daggers thrusting into my heart, a torrent of memories raining upon my mind.

The fateful day Visharath had plundered my world replayed in my mind like an endless nightmare - the desperate cries of agony, of mothers shrieking in despair for their lost children, the pleadings of family and friend turning on one another, not understanding why they were dying at the hands of those they trusted, begging to spare their lives.

I could see once again, my brother Kendall's despair-filled eyes as he pounded his fists against my chest in a futile attempt to keep death at bay. My sister Alicia's pleas for me not to leave her sounded through my mind like a distant echo. I could feel the tears of my beloved Lilly raining down on my battered, mangled face as she crooned her final farewell, cradling my head and stroking my hair as I choked on my own blood.

And I could still feel the wail of unadulterated fury and regret that erupted from me upon discovering that those I cherished the most were left behind to face an uncertain future without me.

I would be forever chained to the guilt of leaving them unprotected as I watched them from afar, knowing they would never accept what I had become, forcing me to abandon them when they needed me most.

I choked back a cry.

Five years on I was still stuck in a state of abysmal devastation, a lifetime of regret and anguish. It had been five long years since the Visharath had come to torment my world, three years since I had been consumed by corruption, three years since I'd seen Lilly's face for the last time, three years since true companionship was anything but a distant dream.

The darkness of my penance seemed never ending, a void which I had cast myself into and could never escape.

But as I opened my eyes and looked at the dancing light, a strange realization slowly started to dawn on me. In that moment, it hit me: no matter how much I yearned for death, it would never come. Beyond that, no matter how much I wished it to not be so, the past was gone forever, impossible to reclaim. Dwelling on things I could not change would only bring me misery.

I sat silently as a new sensation filled my heart as my mind retraced all the steps and decisions that had brought me this far. For so long I had blindly followed one foot after another, never fully understanding what I was running towards, or why.

The more I thought about it, the more conflicted and vulnerable I felt. Every step of my life had been filled with moments of both joy and sorrow. People, events, and places that shaped me; it was all a blended mix of emotions.

Then, with startling clarity, it occurred to me that I could be the change Echo and I deserved. That we didn't have to accept the oppressive fate we were confronted with – we could make our own path. That it was within one's power to be the difference we hoped for.

A peace settled over the cavern as Echo's thoughts bounced around my skull, like a beam from a lighthouse - a beam of something hopeful and pure, thoughts soaked with passion and wonder. I smiled at their zeal and felt some of it spill over into myself. My hands trembled slightly.

I might be broken beyond repair, but I knew that I could still use my remaining pieces to help Echo build something new. That was something I could do.

I was never going to be the savior of the world, that wasn't my place. But it might be Echo's, and for their sake I could try. The future wouldn't be built on my back, but I would willingly give my bones to the foundation.

I didn't believe in fate, not really, but I swore to myself then and there that I would do whatever it took to help Echo achieve theirs - no matter what destiny had in store for them.