Gateways by Aer-ki Jyr (world of reading txt) 📕

make them toxic. They make them die. Master tried to make us immune. Master tried to make us shield.

“Paper, rock, scissors,” Amir said to himself as an icy chill ran down his spine. Do they use the darklight to do this?

Yes and no. It passes through. Our stars protect us against them. Keep them away. Only in cocoons can they come here. Inside cocoons they eat icelight and make darklight. Icelight makes swirls vulnerable to those in the dark. Icelight must be destroyed. Master went to destroy icelight when they discover this. Master never returned.

Where does Icelight come from? Amir asked suspiciously.

From center of swirl.

“Fuck,” he said, realizing there was another lightside empire before them…and when they went to shut down the Tri’vey emitters in the center of a galaxy…they never were seen again.

Icelight travels straight. Starlight swirls. How does darklight behave?

It fixes. It grips. We can use darklight to travel. We can use Icelight to make Darklight where none exists. We can move where gravity ships cannot go. Master made us to do so.

Is there more darklight in the dark places between the swirls?

Thick darklight. Easy to travel fast.

What produces it there?

Dark people. Dark grid.

What is the dark grid?

Planets for dark people, but not gravity. No gravity. Grid with many holes and no center.

Show me what the dark people look like.

The images that came next were unintelligible, for they were not visuals. You could not have starlight there, only the faint starlight of distant galaxies, and it was not enough to see by. But there were other forms of sensing energy, and what he was being show was virtually a solid blob. He asked the Jedein if he could make anything of it, and suddenly it crystalized for him as he got a silhouette added on top of it.

The dark people were not solid matter, nor were their dark grids. They were haze, mist, and they fit the description of the Apocalypse Monsters perfectly…except those could come inside galaxies, and didn’t appear to be harmed by photonic energy.

Who are they? Amir asked, picturing the Pafdreng as the Neofan had recorded them.

Outsiders who became dark people, but they are also starlight. Combined. They travel all realms. Exist in the light. We cannot touch them with material weapons. We can only fight with Essence weapons.

Did you fight them?

They kill dark people too. We help fight, but we not ready. Masters not finish with us. We only make few kills. Save few grids.

Are the grids material too?

Grids latch onto darklight. Can be spread many places. Dark people eat grids. Live in grids. Change grids. Grids spawn from special points. Master not allowed to go there. We get close. Not close enough. Dark people who control spawn points control most food. Dark people must obey or eat thin food. We eat thin food. Master made us good at it.

Do you have a name?

We are dark shells.

Do you individually have a name?

Master who controls name we bear. You come inside, we bear your name. Air inside almost done. You come inside soon.

Show me your inside, Amir commanded, getting a very detailed analysis of the Nightcrawler’s interior…which was structured into decks, rooms, and several large cavities near the carapace that could be accessed via apertures.

This was a far more advanced version of a living starship than the Zak’de’ron had managed to create with the Uriti. So far advanced that it didn’t even bear comparison, though Amir wondered if this was coincidence or if the Zak’de’ron knew something of this type of Nightcrawler.

Are there other types of dark shells that obey others?

There are many who obey none. They are solid inside. A few obey others, and carry Starlights or Icelights inside them.

Amir raised an eyebrow. Today was full of revelations.

Where have you seen Icelight people?

Icelights talk to dark people. Dark people tell us. We watch. We follow. They disappear from dark areas to distant swirls. Masters follow to hops. Cannot make hops. Cannot follow further.

Show me a hop.

An image of a giant ring appeared, and from it he could feel but not exactly see Icelight being shot out in one direction constantly…and they always came in pairs, with the Icelight coming to one and going from another.

“There’s the synthoids transit network,” Amir grumbled, for the Gahana would never get too specific about how it worked.

Hops alive. Many sparks. Produce more Icelight from starlight for others to move on. Masters cannot use Icelight. Only darklight.

What did your Master make out of darklight?

Starlight.

What did they use it for?

Us.

What do you use it for?

To produce Starlight for Masters to use. To produce Starlight to wake us up.

What happens when you wake up?

We glow as stars do. We burn dark people. We burn grids. They blow then stick in new places in darklight and regrow.

How do they grow?

Glow from stars too much. Destabilize. Small amounts fuel grid. Make it grow. Material is brittle to us. It breaks when we touch. It goes to dust when we glow. Glow makes it toxic. Toxic grid is used to make armor for cocoons. Toxic grid cannot be lived in. We make Grid toxic when we glow. We make grid toxic when we do not glow much. Master helps to make toxic armor for dark people in brighter spots, trapped by movement of swirls. Master helps them move.

What enemies did your Masters have?

Master always have enemies. Master have many enemies.

What enemies were stronger than Masters?

Master strongest. We wait for Master to return. Master does not.

If I come inside you, it will not be permanent. I will inspect. I will