The War Revealed - 3rd Novel in the Shadow Series

Chapter 6 .

Vai

I spread my green light towards Captain Axa. My power wasn't obvious like Owen's fire. The Corruption did not know what I could do - well I guess I had just announced it, but they didn't know how I was going to disconnect them from Axa. They didn't realize I could do it without touching Axa.

My green light filtered into the Captain. Neither she nor the Corruption knew it. The Corruption's anatomy was different from anything I had studied. Their tiny bodies were covered in pink microfibers. They weren't exactly nerves, but maybe something similar. They used them to connect to the brain - to communicate their wishes, to distribute pain or pleasure. They were not a hive mind, they were individuals, but their minds were so in sync it was almost like a hive mind. There was no arguments or disagreements between them. There wasn't a set leader or leadership. They just were and they were altogether in similar thought.

My light pulled on them and they clung tighter to the brain. Captain Axa dropped to her knees and grabbed her head. Her scream pierced through the bridge.

The two officers that stood outside came rushing in. Lieutenant Tanpo's light shield kept them away from me. Those on the bridge with the Corruption tried to get to me to stop me, but my friends kept them away. The other bridge crew didn't move. They didn't understand what was happening.

I used Captain Axa's own body system to help me push the Corruption away from her brain and force them outside her through her nose and ears. The pink cloud grew larger above her head. Captain Axa collapsed unconscious to the floor. It had not been an easy separation and I was clumsy as it was my first time trying. My green light was already healing the microscopic tears inside her.

The bridge crew that didn't have the Corruption gasped when they saw the pink cloud. The remaining crew that did have the Corruption rushed out the bridge and away from us.

Minmin and Shel started to follow, but El said, "Let them go for now. They won't get away."

"Zek," my dad said. "Miasmids, the Corruption. An invasive alien species that have permeated the highest ranks of the government. They tried to win with the K'thaktra war, but weren't expecting our new technology at the time - Aether fields. The Aether field on the Shadow is what allowed us to defeat them the first time. Now they are trying again by taking us over quietly until it's too late. We have a new weapon again that they weren't expecting - the light."

The pink, shimmering zek cloud began to float away. Owen stepped up.

"I'll take care of them." Fire formed in his palm. He brought his arm back as if he was going to throw a baseball.

"Wait," I said. Owen paused. The Corruption continued on their path away from us. I closed my eyes and took a breath. I admitted something I didn't want to admit since I discovered I could heal. I knew how to heal, mend, put flesh back together, but I also knew how to take it apart - to destroy it.

I opened my eyes and stretched my green light to the group of Corruption. They tried to scatter, but it didn't matter. My green light stretched until it reached all of them. I took them apart at the molecular level. I heard their combined scream. It cut to my core. I looked to the others, but it was clear no one but me could hear them. The pink cloud fizzled away until there was nothing left.

"What did you do?" Shel asked.

Was my dad still broadcasting all of this?

"Vai." Owen placed a hand on my shoulder. I didn't realize I had dropped to my knees until then.