The Boundless

‘This is fascinating, my dear, but I do hope you haven’t forgotten my question.’

‘I haven’t. We believe that it used to be the case that when a person died, their soul would be broken up much like a body is after death. In the case of a body, it decays down into its component parts, feeding the soil and scavengers that are nearby. A consequence of our evolution was that we had cut off a source of nourishment for those that required essence to survive.’

‘The demons,’ added Pari.

‘Yes. After a while, they sought us out in the places where we managed the soul transfer. Some even found a way through …’ The Bringer closed her eyes. ‘It was a dark time. We developed those tunnels you saw as a way to protect our people. We’d learned that while some types of essence were food to the demons, other kinds, those charged by the power of our three suns for example, was poison to them.

‘This worked at first. But the light of the tunnels brought demons in such numbers that we knew it was only a matter of time before they would overwhelm our defences. To survive, we needed a better solution.

‘It was clear that whatever deterrent we created, it would only stir the demons to new levels of desperation. The longer we starved them, the more dangerous they became. So, it was decided that in order for the many to enjoy immortality, a few would have to be,’ she paused, glanced at Arkav and Pari and then down at the floor, ‘sacrificed. In order to satiate the demons.’

Pari held up a hand. ‘Are you saying that the people under my care are being farmed as soul food?’

‘Yes.’

‘And how were we chosen for this great honour? Was there a competition? A vote? Did we lose a war?’

‘No. No, it wasn’t like that. Your world had already been corrupted. It was the obvious choice.’

‘My world?’ Pari raised her eyebrows. ‘Not your world?’

‘No. None of us were born here.’

‘So … my people are the food. Arkav and I are the prisoners?’ Her lips curled in distaste. ‘Or the farmers? Which must make you and yours the jailers.’

‘Pari,’ said Arkav. ‘She’s hiding something, even now.’

‘I’m sure she is. And none of this explains why they seem so worried.’

The Bringer seemed to brighten. ‘This is actually very exciting.’ When Pari blinked at her, she continued: ‘What Lord Arkav is doing is reading my essence. Our eyes are adapted to do the same, but you seem to have developed the talent naturally.’

‘Stop that,’ said Pari. ‘No flattery, just answers. What aren’t you telling us?’

‘When you were down there, did you see any other crystals? They would have been at least as big as you, long and sharp at one end, with light shining through their cores, like a ribbon through a bead.’

Pari shook her head and the Bringer sagged. ‘Why are they so important?’

‘They’re our way home. We should have been replaced, but no one has come.’

‘How late are your replacements?’

‘Over two thousand years.’ The Bringer sighed again, long and deep. ‘Lady Pari, we are sick of this world.’ The others nodded. ‘Sick of this sky and its pale suns. Sick of the hungry Wild and the same rituals being played out over and over again. We cannot endure another millennia of this with only the faint hope that at some point we will be remembered.

‘It is time for us to go home. Will you help us?’

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