The light that had danced around her faded, and I regretted saying it. I moved past her, pulled out the priest’s hand, and slapped it against the security panel.
The final lock beeped, and the reinforced doors slid open with a whisper. I was relieved to see curtains just beyond, likely sound-damping. That gave us the perfect cover. I pulled Eon next to me, and we slid between the wall and the drapery until we found an opening.
Inside, the Echelon chapel was bathed in that same cold, blue Stellarium light. Rows of pews stretched out in perfect symmetry, leading up to an altar raised on a dais. At its center stood a tall, crystalline structure—a spire of pure Stellarium, glowing faintly with an inner light. A raw crystal of that size could’ve powered a whole city block, easily. The air was thick, humming with an energy that made my skin crawl.
In the center of the dais, a girl stood at the base of the altar, her head bowed. She couldn’t have been more than seventeen, dressed in a white robe that shimmered faintly under the Stellarium’s glow. Behind her, a sea of Brothers and Sisters in their neon halos and white veils stood stiller than statues. From their mouths, a revert hymn more disturbing than the hum of the Stellarium.
A figure in dark robes stood beside her, holding a blade that glinted ominously in the light. The metallic edge looked like it was infused with Stellarium, but I’d never seen Stellarium glow a deep, blood red like that before.
“I don’t like this…I don’t like any of this,” Eon whispered, shaking.
I wrapped my free arm around her shoulders. “Remember, we’re here for intel and that’s it. No interfering.”
She bit her lip but nodded. Then the priest’s deep voice resonated through the space.
“Tonight, you ascend, Sister Celia. Tonight, you become one with the Light.”
The priest gestured for the girl to kneel, and she did so without hesitation, her head remaining bowed. The knife flashed crimson, a violent contrast to the cold blue light of the room as he held it aloft over her head. I swore I saw glyphs shimmer across its surface before they blinked out of existence.
Eon gasped beside me, louder than she should’ve. I moved fast, clamping my hand over her mouth.
“Quiet,” I whispered harshly, my breath hot against her ear.
Her eyes shot daggers at me, her Flux sparking faintly against my hand, but she didn’t fight. Not completely. I eased my grip just enough to let her breathe but kept my fingers hovering near her lips.
“Tonight, you cleanse your body of the impurities that bind you to this earthly form,” he intoned, raising the blade higher. “Tonight, you shed your fleshly chains and embrace the divine.”
The girl tilted her head, exposing the back of her neck.
Eon stiffened, her body trembling beneath my arm. Her muffled protest was sharp, and I pressed harder, leaning in close. “Don’t,” I hissed. “We’re not here to save anyone. Stick to the mission. We won’t get rescued a second time.”
Her eyes burned into mine, wild with fury and desperation. She was too soft for this. Way too fucking soft.
I pressed my hand tighter to her mouth, feeling the sparks of her Flux start to jump against my skin. Her glare was scalding, but I didn’t let her go.
The blade came down in a swift, precise motion, slicing into the girl’s neck just below the base of her skull. Blood welled up instantly, but the priest’s hands moved with practiced precision. The girl let out a soft groan but held her position. A few more flips of the knife, and the priest’s hand came away holding a tiny chrome Flux chip. He raised it above his head triumphantly as the crowd began murmuring a wordless hymn, the sound building until the space vibrated with it. The knife was no longer glowing.
Two sisters stepped forward as the girl nearly toppled, but in their grasp she rose to stand. Blood dripped down her neck, but she only looked dazed.
“How do you feel, Sister?” The priest cupped her face gently.
“Free, Father.” Her smile was lopsided, feral. I looked at Eon, and she stared back at me with wide eyes, neither of us believingwhat we saw. Removing your Flux chip was a death sentence. Everyone knew that.
The chapel filled with a bright, blinding light as the girl gasped, her body convulsing. At first, it looked like she was ascending—her body levitating slightly off the ground as arcs of blood-red energy coursed through her veins. She glowed, her eyes snapping open to reveal irises flooded with pure, radiant light.
The congregation erupted into cheers, their voices a cacophony of praise and reverence.
“Behold,” the priest declared, holding the knife aloft like a trophy. Its unnerving red glow now pulsed like a heartbeat. “The Light is within her! The vessel has been claimed by an angel who—”
But then, something changed.
The red glow in the girl’s veins began to splinter, jagged cracks spreading across her skin like a spiderweb. Her breaths turned ragged, her body trembling violently.
“No,” she choked out, her voice distorted and unnatural. “No, this…this isn’t…”
Her body twisted unnaturally, limbs jerking at odd angles as the cracks deepened. Deep red light spilled from the fissures in her skin, growing brighter and brighter until it was blinding.
Then, with a deafeningsnap, her body tore itself apart.
