Niam

NIAM

A wareness returned in waves of agony. The priests’ neural mesh burned against my temples - so different from the gentle communion of the original interface chair. But something was wrong. Their integration protocols weren’t gaining the total control they should have.

I remembered being torn from the chair, remembered Tharon’s roar of rage as warriors overwhelmed him. The image of his transformed body falling under their weapons made me want to scream. But I made sure my mind was carefully blank, projecting the empty compliance they expected.

Whether from the pod’s pure protocols still running through my system or the lightning strike’s lasting changes to my neural pathways, I maintained a core of self they couldn’t touch. Before, their control had been absolute - my mind split open and reshaped to their will. But now I could think. Could plan. Could resist.

Through half-closed eyes, I watched Father Aronn monitor my vital signs while Father Zarak paced. Floating displays showed my companions scattered through the rings - Mila and Denna fighting their way clear, Ashur providing cover for retreating rebels, Korrin nowhere to be seen. My friends had risked everything. I prayed they’d reached safety.

“The rebels have breached Fifth Ring.” Zarak’s robes rustled as he moved. “They’re more organized than anticipated.”

“Let them wear themselves out.” Aronn adjusted something that made colors dance across my field of vision. “The guards will contain them.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Then we activate the defense protocols. The Temple has survived worse than a few angry craftsmen.”

I let their voices wash over me while my real attention focused on the data streams flowing through my consciousness. The familiar paths sang with information - environmental controls, power distribution, security feeds. But underneath...

A presence brushed against my mind, achingly familiar.

Branna?

The touch strengthened, carrying more personality than I’d ever sensed before. This wasn’t the empty shell that had spoken through Temple walls - this was Branna, whole and aware, her consciousness burning bright in the network.

We’ve been here all along , her thoughts carried decades of trapped awareness. Watching. Waiting. The lightning strike gave us the opportunity to give you more freedom than we ever had.

Through their combined perspectives, I saw the Temple as it truly was - not just ancient technology corrupted by the priests, but a living network of imprisoned minds. Girls who had disappeared over the years, their consciousness preserved but imprisoned. They had caused minor malfunctions, protected what humanity they could. But they’d never been able to coordinate their efforts.

Until now.

A security feed caught my attention, making my heart stutter. Blood matted his hair where they’d struck him down, his transformed body already reverting as they pumped him full of suppression drugs. The guards used sonic weapons tuned to his enhanced senses, the pain evident in every line of his body.

“The beast is secured.” Zarak’s voice pulled me back to the physical world. “Though I still say we should eliminate the threat entirely.”

“The alien’s biology may prove useful for future improvements.” Aronn’s fingers never stopped moving across the controls. “And his presence ensures the Oracle’s cooperation.”

Through the network, I felt other minds shift in response to my fury. They shared their knowledge freely - how the priests had corrupted the original systems, where the crucial control nodes were located. Most importantly, they showed me the emergency shutdown protocols - and the terrible price they required.

“We have the Oracle back now,” Aronn said, studying his displays. “Back where she belongs. There will be no more rebellion.”

If he only knew. The Temple’s network might flow through my mind, but they no longer controlled it. I waited until the guards changed shift at Tharon’s cell, then reached out through the network like Branna had taught me. My voice emerged from hidden speakers, barely more than a whisper.

“Tharon?”

His head turned left and right, eyes searching the empty cell. Despite the drugs, I felt his response through our bond.

“I’m here.” I pushed comfort through the connection. “I’m with you. Just hold on a little longer.”

He strained against the restraints, muscles bulging. Even wounded and drugged, his protective instincts burned strong. “... what are they doing to you?”

“Giving me exactly what I need.” I ached to touch him, but knew that moving now would damn us both. “The original systems are accepting my access. And I’m not alone anymore.”

Other voices joined mine, whispering through the speakers. Dozens of them, each carrying years of quiet defiance.

“We’re with your mate, warrior.” Branna’s voice, stronger than I’d ever heard it. “She’s going to set us all free.”

I didn’t tell him the cost. Didn’t let him feel the weight of what I’d discovered in the ancient protocols. He would try to stop me if he knew.

The priests were still arguing about deployment patterns, oblivious to the revolution brewing in their own systems. They thought they controlled this technology, but they had never truly understood it.

The Temple had been designed for connection, for cooperation - not consumption. And now, after centuries of abuse, it was about to remind them of that fact.

Are you ready ? Branna asked, as the other minds gathered close.

Yes. I took one last look at Tharon through the security feed, memorizing his face.

Then let’s show them what happens when they cage too many ghosts in their machine.