Page 384 of Light Leech

“Then why were you talking so openly before?”

“Because, like I said, the more you understand the Gongtide and its significance for all existence–not just humanity–the less unnecessary pain you will cause to the world.”

“What? That doesn’t make sense. You know we’re not going to bow before your god–”

He wheezed out a laugh. “Time changes opinions.”

“It doesn’t change the truth. Why were you so candid about my past before?”

“Oh, I never shared anything you did not know. You’re of Arabasian birth, anyone with eyes can see that.”

“It doesn’t mean I was born there.”

“That fact makes little difference. You’re going to kill me anyway. I am fine taking this narrative to my grave.”

She groaned, shaking her head in frustration.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. “Let’s just take him back.”

“What do you mean?”

I looked at the homunculus, still feeling a perpetual disgust at the creature’s existence. “Why kill him when we can take him back to the monastery?”

“Why?”

“I’m sure we can work with Ral to find some way to crack him. What is better than another dead Beacon on our list?”

“One we can use ourselves.”

“Exactly.”

We both turned to look at the shrunken humanoid.

“Fools. That is all you are. You are as the ancient Sisyphus; you cannot push the tide to the top of the mountain. It will always win. Entropy. Fate. This is what happens because humans are foolish enough to plague the Earth again with the same filth that destroyed the last one.

I ignored his ramblings and entered my neurospace.

Petya: Hihow. We need help.

Raia: Need a ride home?

Petya: Yeah, send Abbas and maybe the other two to help. We’ve got a more complex situation this time.

Ralia: Sure, babe. Shoot it.

Petya: Do you know how to interrogate someone without a neurospace? This one won’t crack.

Ralia: It’ll be a new challenge, but I’m sure we can make it work. What’s the deal?

Petya: How would you like to have your very own Beacon of the Gongtide?

Chapter twenty-five

Zeg the Terms and Conditions

Ralia took my hand. I couldn’t feel the warmth my carnal mind still expected, but the gesture was nice. I knew she needed the comfort of a friend in this mess just as much as I did.

The game was over. The cards had been put away and the fields had disappeared with their audiences. We were back in that pixelated chamber. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all the lifeless black and white.