Nucleus 1: The Dust of Moon [Mature Sci-fi Romance]

67:55, Day 578, Year 58133

The Violet Plains, Shashan, Shashvat Ananda (शाश्वत आनन्द), the Realm of Eternal Bliss

"Not all of Shashan welcome Earth technology. Like that A.I. of yours." Vyomendri said, gesturing to Pawan. "If you would?"

Xin nodded reluctantly, telling the drone hovering next to him. "Pawan. Maintain low power mode."

The green drone chirped once and dimmed its lights before sliding into an empty pouch on Xin's botanical dress. The pouch sealed itself automatically.

Ahead stood two figures with violet skin, muscular bodies wearing only black loincloths. They had pointed ears like Vyomendri but broader shoulders. Unlike Vyom's regal posture, these two looked like warriors, similar to Lorna or Tanha.

"Namaskaram, Vyomendri Swāmī." One of them spoke, forming a tower shape with his hands as he bowed.

"Maidan darśana sampanna?" Vyomendri asked in Devavāṇī. Xin wished he understood their language.

"Ha, śubha mausam. Śikāri-jantu anupasthit." The other one replied.

"These are Najan and Eklavya," Vyomendri told Xin. "They'll transport us to the Hatching Chamber."

The taller one, Najan, stepped forward and sniffed, his face wrinkling. "This one's colon is unclean," he said, pointing at Xin.

"An Inner Sol human who's not passed the Tasting." Eklavya added, his forked tongue flicking out.

Xin adjusted his glasses self-consciously. "I..chose an alternative arrangement."

"So you did," Eklavya said, crossing his arms. His completely black eyes with violet flickers studied Xin suspiciously. "Fixing the Hatching Chamber. An impressive boast for one who knows nothing of our ways."

"Not a boast," Xin said, standing straighter. "Just an engineer offering his skills."

Vyomendri put a hand on Xin's shoulder. "Regardless of your misgivings, we have an agreement. Kathrin awaits us."

The two Sūkṛmucs exchanged glances before nodding reluctantly.

Raising their clawed hands, they began chanting in Devavāṇī: "Sarpa-rūpa vartate, deha parivartan, māyā śakti utthāna!" Their violet skin started glowing as they chanted.

Then, in a transformation that made Xin step back, their bodies began to shift and stretch. Muscles rippled as their humanoid forms twisted into massive, serpentine shapes. Within moments, two huge worm-like creatures stood before them.

"These are among our newest brethren," Vyomendri explained calmly. "They escaped the Uranus colonies during the Purge of Umbriel seven years ago. Brought them here through the wormhole myself." He patted one of the worms. "Kathrin converted them. They've adapted well."

Xin swallowed hard, trying to stay calm. "I see."

"Come," Vyom said, approaching the larger worm. He climbed onto its back, settling into a saddle-like depression. He motioned for Xin to mount the other worm. "The journey isn't long."

Taking a deep breath, Xin approached the smaller worm — Eklavya in his transformed state. The creature lowered itself so Xin could awkwardly climb onto its back. The sensation was unlike anything he'd experienced.

The worm's body was firm yet flexible, radiating gentle heat that pulsed rhythmically.

"Hold onto the ridges," Vyom instructed, pointing to the segmented bumps along the worm's back. "And try not to fall."

"Okay!" Just as Xin responded, the worms moved forward smoothly. The motion wasn't the rough bucking he expected, but a smooth, wave-like movement across the violet landscape.

As they cleared the vegetation around the Scepter Grove, Shashan revealed itself. Vast plains of lavender grass stretched toward distant mountains with vibrant magenta plants swaying in the breeze.

The sky above was filled with twilight colors—periwinkle and rose blending into deep indigo, lit by the massive blue-green gas giant on the horizon.

"Chandrak mahānīla! Prathama-darśana iva sundara bhāsi!" Vyom called to the sky with a proud smile, opening his arms as if in praise.

"Chandrak snehapūrṇa! Mahāpatha rakṣa!" The two giant worms echoed, their voices deep and rumbling. The chant echoed across the plains.

"A plea for safe passage?" Xin guessed as he looked at Vyom.

"Through these violet expanses, yes." Vyom met his gaze with an approving smile. "You speak Devavāṇī?"

"I wish I could." Xin nodded with mixed feelings.

"It's quite a language." Vyom looked ahead. "Stay here long enough, and you'll pick it up eventually."

A group of Jalraks—the shark-scorpion hybrids Xin had seen earlier—moved alongside them at a distance. Several bee-like Weavers buzzed overhead, their wings creating a humming sound.

"It's beautiful," Xin admitted, forgetting his anxiety. "I've never seen anything like it."

Vyomendri smiled, his expression softening. "Shashan is the jewel of this realm. The last sanctuary amidst the harshness of the cosmos."

One of the Weavers flew down and gave Xin a wrapped package. Inside was a pale, purple fruit on glowing leaves.

"Eat," Vyom encouraged. "You'll need your strength for the work ahead."

Xin hesitated briefly before taking a bite. The fruit was sweet and tangy, like starfruit but with an earthy flavor. As he swallowed, a pleasant warmth spread through him.

"This doesn't seem like a Radi-Mon world." Xin said, watching another Weaver give Vyom a similar package. "You mentioned a purge. Are you at war with humans?"

"War implies equality of powers," Vyom answered carefully. "What happened on Uranus was between humans, though. The Alliance discovered Imperium-made Radi-Mons on Umbriel, a major moon. Responded with nuclear cleansing. Local people caught in the middle lost their homes."

The casual way he described such horror chilled Xin. "I didn't know."

"Few do. Your governments are quite good at controlling information." Vyom looked distant. "The survivors fled through the wormhole networks. We rescued those we could."

"I find it strange, Radi-Mons rescuing humans." Xin adjusted his glasses. "Back home, you're portrayed as nothing but monsters."

Vyomendri looked at him with understanding. "The planets in our system aren't as livable as yours. Some refugees faced a choice: die slowly or change."

"So they took the Nucleus Virus?" Xin asked, looking at the alien landscape.

"Those who didn't want to join us settled on Bhavanta and Devithar. Rocky planets closer to our sun." Vyom pointed toward the horizon. "Small colonies, but they survive."

Xin thought for a moment. "You make the Virus sound like it's a good thing."

"Each horde has their own version," Vyom explained. "Fenris creates efficient killers. Ours lets you keep who you are." He looked directly at Xin. "But they all make you psionic, even if you weren't born with it."

Xin looked at his hand. Good for fixing machines, building tools, typing code. Not much else when things got dangerous.

"A viable shortcut," he said, trying to sound casual despite his racing thoughts. All those times he'd watched Lorna and others use powers he couldn't. All those moments of feeling useless in a fight.

"You're thinking about it," Vyom said neutrally.

Xin looked up. "I've spent my life building things in a safe office while people like Lorna face dangers everyday." He replied quickly, then sighed. "Back on Earth, I wish I could have helped her fight Skarn."

"Wanting power isn't always wrong," Vyom said. "It depends on why you want it."

"I'm tired of just being the tech guy," Xin admitted. "I want to help protect people without being a burden." He thought of Lorna facing dangers alone.

"Becoming like us isn't the only way," Vyom said carefully. "Kathrin knows...other methods. Less extreme, maybe better for someone like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Not my place to offer." Vyom replied. "But if you fix her chamber, she might tell you herself."

Xin nodded before changing the subject. "Speaking of which, Tanha seems—"

"Intense?" Vyom smiled slightly. "She was born human on Devithar, a small rocky planet orbiting closer to our sun. There are still human colonies there. Refugees and outcasts tired of your Sol politics."

As they traveled, the landscape changed. The open plains gave way to hills dotted with crystal formations that caught the light, creating rainbow beams. Xin's worm navigated the terrain easily.

"Half a century ago, solar winds stripped much of Devithar's atmosphere," Vyom continued. "Tanha's family lived in an area that became uninhabitable. By the time I found them, her parents were dying of radiation poisoning. Her mother's last request was for me to save her daughter."

"So you brought her here and..." Xin hesitated, unsure how to phrase it politely.

"Converted her." Vyom's expression remained neutral. "She was nineteen, malnourished, sick. Now she is healthy, strong, immortal. The choice was hers to make, as it was mine centuries ago."

This caught Xin's attention. "You were human once too?"

"I was born in what you would call Indonesia, long before the current era. The details matter little now." Vyom pointed toward the horizon, where several crystal spires had begun to glow.

The worms slowed down as they entered an area with more crystal formations. These weren't just rocks but complex structures like coral, with precise geometry.

"We're approaching Kālachakra Vatika. The Gardens of Time. We must take care here." Vyom's ears twitched as he scanned the area.

As they got closer, Xin's Quantum Watch started flickering.

"Something on my watch?" He asked, tapping the display. The normally stable interface was jumping between time readings, showing impossible values.

"The Gardens exist outside conventional time," Vyom explained. "A remnant of the Nirbohs' experiments with quantum mechanics. The crystals harmonize with certain temporal frequencies. Disturbances."

As if responding to Vyom's words, the nearest crystals began pulsing with light, changing from violet to deep red. The plants around them suddenly withdrew into the ground, curling defensively.

Eklavya's worm-body stiffened beneath Xin, trembling.

"Something's wrong," Vyom said sharply. "The Garden has never reacted this strongly."

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The air around them shimmered, reality seeming to warp. One of the Jalraks let out a high-pitched shriek as it was pulled toward a crystal, its body stretching unnaturally before snapping back.

"It's a temporal flux!" Vyom called out. "The Garden is rejecting the foreign element!"

Najan's worm-body reared up, almost throwing Vyom. "It senses the unclean one!" he shouted. "We should never have brought him here!"

The crystals pulsed more intensely, their red glow now tinged with orange. The ground began to vibrate, with cracks appearing in the violet soil. Another Jalrak was caught in an invisible force, its body twisting painfully.

Xin looked at his Quantum Watch. Its display was cycling through numbers and symbols rapidly. He suddenly realized the connection between his watch's malfunction and the crystals' reaction.

"It's not me they're reacting to," he called out. "It's my watch!"

Without hesitation, Xin unclasped his watch, holding it out. The device was hot, the metal vibrating violently.

"What are you doing?" Eklavya's voice came from the worm beneath him.

"Testing a theory." Xin carefully held the watch toward the nearest crystal. The structure's glow intensified dramatically, pulsing in rhythm with the watch's display. "It's a resonance pattern," he said, analyzing the interaction. "My watch's fusion-powered core is interfering with whatever field these crystals generate."

Another violent tremor shook the ground, nearly throwing Xin from his mount. The remaining Jalraks retreated, scrambling away from the cracking ground.

"We need to turn back," Najan's voice boomed. "This path is no longer safe!"

"No," Xin said firmly. "I think I can get us through." He studied the pattern of the crystal formations, noticing how they formed a grid across the landscape. "These are nodes in a network."

"You presume to know what they are?" Najan's response was annoyed and distrustful.

But Xin focused on his watch's display, which had settled into a repeating pattern despite its erratic jumping. "The interference follows a predictable pattern. If we time our movements to the low points in the cycle..."

"What are you suggesting?" Vyom asked, tense but curious.

"I'll go ahead on foot," Xin replied, carefully sliding off Eklavya's back. "Using my watch as a detector to map a safe path through."

"Madness," Eklavya protested. "You'll be torn apart by the temporal distortions!"

"Not if I understand correctly." Xin held his watch at arm's length, feeling the changes in its vibration. "There's a rhythm to the flux. All we need to do is go between the peaks."

Before anyone could object further, Xin began walking forward, watching his watch. He counted silently, tracking the pattern. "One... two... three..."

The display flared bright, then dimmed momentarily. In that instant of dimming, he took three quick steps forward.

The nearest crystal pulsed angrily but didn't intensify its glow. Encouraged, Xin continued: wait, count, move. Each successful step proved his theory correct. The temporal disturbances weren't uniform but cyclic, creating brief windows where safe passage was possible.

"Follow my path," he called back to the others. "Move only when I signal!"

"This Sol mortal annoys me." Najan's worm form shook its head.

Surprisingly, Vyom dismounted from Najan and approached on foot. "Lead the way," he said with new respect.

Step by careful step, Xin navigated the dangerous path, his eyes fixed on his watch's display. The temporal patterns became clearer.

"Three steps forward," he called back, waiting until Vyom had followed his exact path. "Now wait."

The nearest crystal pulsed angrily, its red glow intensifying as the temporal distortion peaked. The ground trembled, and for a moment, Xin's vision blurred, as objects seemed to leave trails behind them.

"Two more steps to the left," he instructed when his watch dimmed. "Quickly!"

They progressed in this halting manner, each successful advance followed by moments of stillness. Behind them, the massive worms of Najan and Eklavya struggled to follow the narrow safe path, their enormous bodies barely fitting between crystals.

Halfway through the maze, disaster struck. A crystal they'd safely passed suddenly flared unexpectedly, catching Eklavya's rear segments in its temporal field. The massive worm writhed in pain as parts of its body appeared to age and rejuvenate simultaneously—scales flaking off and regenerating in waves.

"The pattern's changing!" Xin shouted, frantically studying his watch. The previously predictable oscillations were becoming erratic, as if the crystal garden was adapting to their presence. "The interference is compounding!"

"The Garden is sentient," Vyom explained tensely, standing perfectly still as a wave of distortion passed inches from his body. "It learns from each outsider trying to cross it."

Xin's mind raced. If the garden was truly adaptive, then it would continue altering its patterns to counter their movements. Unless...

"Eklavya! Najan! Move counter to our rhythm!" he called out.

The worms hesitated, then began moving opposite to Xin's count—advancing when he held still, holding when he advanced. The strategy was dangerous, putting them directly in harm's way during peak distortions, but Xin calculated that their massive bodies would absorb and disrupt the temporal energy enough to create safe passages.

Sweat beaded on Xin's forehead as he recalculated their path with each step. One mistake could tear them apart at the molecular level. The watch's display flickered wildly, sometimes showing impossible times: years in the future, centuries in the past, before stabilizing momentarily.

"There!" he pointed toward a narrow corridor between two large crystal formations. "Our exit point. Just need to time it."

Xin counted down, watching as his watch's display cycled through its pattern. "Three... two... one... NOW!"

They surged forward together, Xin and Vyom running while the worms propelled themselves with powerful movements.

In that moment, reality fractured around Xin. The air split like shattered glass, and suddenly he was no longer running, but standing, watching, as if through a window into another time.

Before him stood two figures in perfect clarity, despite the shimmering distortion at the edges of his vision. The first he recognized immediately: a younger Vyomendri, his violet skin unmarked by the subtle signs of age that now lined his face. This Vyom stood bare-chested, wearing only simple black pants and obsidian wrist guards, fresh battle scars still visible across his muscular back.

Beside Vyom stood a human in a simple white laboratory coat over formal attire, the outfit of a researcher rather than a mystic. The man was elderly, with an unkempt white beard and piercing blue eyes that matched Lorna's. His weathered hands held a crystalline shard that pulsed with familiar blue light.

"Vyom?" Xin whispered, though neither figure reacted to his presence.

"Is that what I suspect, Archmage Harald?" The younger Vyomendri's voice was reverent in a way Xin had never heard from the stoic Sūkṛmuc.

"Indeed it is, Vyomendri." The old man — Harald — turned the shard to catch the light. "A single fragment like this could bend a dozen minds to our will. Imagine what the full Crystal might accomplish."

Vyom's posture shifted subtly. "Then you've succeeded in breaching the Vault in Osram's core."

"I have." Harald nodded, looking satisfied. "I managed to extract this before retreating. But to claim the Crystal in its entirety, I need an army to defeat the ancient Stone Guardians."

"Without doubt," Vyom responded, his stance becoming more guarded.

Harald straightened, his frail appearance belying the authority in his voice. "I've come to Shashan seeking the Rakshasa's assistance. A hundred Jalraks plus three packs of Trishuls should suffice."

"I've already told you, old man. The Rakshasa Horde has no interest in Sol politics."

A new figure appeared beside Xin before walking toward the pair. Tanha, her violet form adorned with ornate metallic decorations that framed rather than covered her exposed breasts. Intricate jewelry with glowing amethyst stones hung around her neck and wrists, drawing attention to her curves. Her lavender hair looked different here, elaborately styled with braids and ornaments, with tendrils falling down her shoulders. Pointed ears extended from beneath her hair, emphasizing her otherworldly beauty. Delicate markings traced patterns beneath her amethyst eyes, which held the same intensity he'd seen in the Scepter Grove.

Xin looked away slightly, feeling heat rise in his neck as he reminded himself this was just a temporal image of the past.

"No," Harald turned to face her, "but this power cannot fall to those who would abuse it. Alliance, Imperium, Directorate. None are worthy of such power."

Tanha raised an accusing finger. "That's your conflict, not ours. Don't involve my people in your system's petty struggles over some ancient stone."

"Tanha, show our guest some courtesy," Vyom said with a soft laugh, though his eyes remained watchful. "Still, she raises a point. We Rakshasas have moved beyond conquest. The Moondust Crystal means little to us."

Harald's shoulders slumped slightly. "Would you at least safeguard this shard, then? The more fragmented the Crystal, the less devastating its potential."

"And why should we?" Tanha crossed her arms beneath her chest, looking defiant.

"Because if the Fenris Horde ever claims the Crystal's main body, this shard may be your final opportunity to fight back." Harald met her challenging gaze without flinching. "Each fragment can sense the others and the whole."

Vyom considered for a moment before extending his hand. "Very well. I will consult with Primarch Moro."

"I knew I could count on you." Relief washed over Harald's face as he placed the shard in Vyom's palm.

As their hands touched, the vision began to warp and dissolve around Xin. Colors bled together, forms stretched and twisted.

And suddenly, he was running again, the present slamming back into focus with jarring intensity. For an instant, his hand appeared wizened and aged before snapping back to normal as they cleared the final formation.

The moment they emerged from the garden's perimeter, the violent energy subsided. The crystal formations dimmed gradually, their angry red fading back to a peaceful violet. Xin collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, his left arm still tingling from its brief aging.

Behind them, Najan and Eklavya began their transformation back to humanoid form. The process was slower than before, more labored—their massive worm bodies contracting and reshaping with visible strain. Bones reformed with audible cracks, violet skin flowed like liquid before solidifying into muscular torsos and limbs. When complete, both Sūkṛmucs looked drained, their normally vibrant skin tone dulled to a muted lavender.

"The Gardens of Time extracted a toll from us," Eklavya said, flexing his newly reformed fingers with a grimace. "Few have crossed it and remained whole."

"Remarkable," Vyom said, examining Xin with new interest. His indigo eyes lingered on Xin's watch. "The garden interfaces with temporal energy in ways we never understood. Nirboh technology that predates our horde."

"Primarch Moro. The Crystal. And…excuse me." Xin seized the opportunity, eyeing Vyom, finally catching his breath. "Do you have the Moondust shard with you, Vyom?"

"All goes well, you'll meet the Primarch." The senior Sūkṛmuc replied evenly, his eyes narrowing cautiously. "Perhaps then he'll tell you about the Moondust Crystal."

Eklavya and Najan exchanged glances, showing reluctant respect.

"There's more to this Earth-Dweller than we thought," Najan admitted. "Though your colon remains unclean," he added, unwilling to concede too much.

"Hey, uh," Xin turned to the two junior Sūkṛmucs. "I realize it was me being here that caused this. Thanks for tolerating."

"The Gardens know you now, so all is well." Eklavya nodded cautiously.

"Perhaps," Vyom agreed, a new respect in his indigo eyes. "Your mind might indeed be what Kathrin needs."

He pointed toward the horizon where a massive organic structure rose from the crystalline landscape—a colossal dome-like formation resembling an ancient skull or helm, made of glistening violet biomatter. Curved, rib-like supports arched upward, with dripping tendrils hanging from its upper portions like stalactites. Multiple oval-shaped openings punctuated its surface, each glowing with an eerie purple light from within.

The central entrance was largest—a perfectly circular opening framed by pulsing, fleshy protrusions that looked like both tentacles and roots. The entire structure seemed to breathe, with subtle movements rippling across its surface as if it were not just a building but a living entity. Around the base, smaller organic formations created a natural path leading to the imposing entrance, their surfaces slick with the same viscous substance that coated the main structure.

"The Hatching Chamber," Vyom announced as they approached. "Mother Kathrin's domain."

Xin reattached his now-cool Quantum Watch to his wrist, the familiar weight grounding him amid the alien wonders.

"It's beautiful." Xin said, studying the intricate structure. "I don't know Radi-Mon engineering, but I'll do my best."

Vyom's expression became enigmatic, the shadows of Chandrak playing across his features. "You expressed regret at not being psionic—at not being able to protect your companion as you wished." His voice lowered. "Kathrin has...certain gifts. She has awakened latent abilities in others before. The same way the Fenris Virus is bestowed."

The implication sent a jolt through Xin like an electric current. "Are you saying she could—?"

"I'm saying nothing definitive," Vyom interrupted smoothly, raising a violet palm. "Only that options exist for those who prove themselves worthy."

They reached the entrance to the Hatching Chamber. Three oval archways of living tissue that pulsed with violet light, each surrounded by ornate, organic filigree that seemed to grow and shift before Xin's eyes.

Vyom, Najan, and Eklavya formed a triangle before the archways. They raised their arms, forming intricate gestures, and began to chant in Devavāṇī. Their voices created harmonious overtones:

"Ādaraṇīya Mātā Kathrin. Āpke pās ek bāhar vāle ko lāye haiṁ jo apnā mūlya sābit karnā chāhtā hai!" Their voices rose and fell like a tide, the alien syllables echoing through the crystalline landscape.

The structure itself seemed to respond, its glowing veins pulsing in rhythm with their chant. From within the central archway, a deep, feminine voice responded—her British accent lending an unexpected familiarity to the ancient tongue:

"Jo Parīkshaṇa ke binā hamāre chandramaon meṁ praveś chāhtā hai?" The voice carried authority mixed with curiosity, each syllable precise.

The three Sūkṛmucs bowed their heads slightly and continued their chant:

"Hāṁ, Mātā Kathrin. Kṛpayā āp jaise uchit samjheṁ unheṁ āṁkeṁ!"

Xin shifted nervously, adjusting his glasses before summoning his courage to speak in English:

"I've come to help repair your Hatching Chamber to the best of my abilities." he called toward the archway, "Uh, I hope the concept of 'repair' applies here!"

Vyom turned to look directly at Xin, ensuring he understood what followed:

"He also seeks to become psionic," Vyom added in English, his voice carrying a note of gravity. "Whether that involves the Nucleus Virus remains to be seen."

A moment of silence settled, during which the very air seemed to hold its breath. Finally, Kathrin's voice emerged once more from within:

"Usei andar āne do. Maiṁ usse bāt karūṁgī."

The central entrance's translucent membrane rippled in response, parting like silk to reveal a shimmering corridor beyond.

"She will see you now," Vyom said, gesturing toward the opening. "Alone."

Xin took a deep breath, adjusting his glasses and straightening his botanical garment. "Thank you for the escort."

Eklavya gave him a curt nod. "Fix her chamber, Earth-Dweller. For all our sakes."

As Xin stepped through the membrane, he felt a subtle resistance, as if crossing between dimensions rather than mere physical space. The sensation passed instantly, leaving him on the threshold of something both ancient and impossible.

He couldn't help but wonder what other wonders—and terrors—awaited him, and whether Kathrin's "gifts" might forever alter the course of his existence.