Zami's body ached with every movement, his wounds still raw and burning. Despite the effects of the healing liquid, regeneration wasn't instantaneous, and the battle with the Bone Monarch had left scars far deeper than the physical. He sat in his cavern, the faint glow of the fire reflecting in his eyes as he leaned against the rough wall.
"Karesh," he called out.
The familiar presence stirred within him, but there was no immediate response.
"Don't make me force it," Zami muttered, his tone sharp.
Finally, Karesh's voice broke through, smooth and calculated. "You're persistent, as always."
Zami ignored the remark. "The vessels. The meteors. How do they work? What are they really? You've told me they carried those creatures, but there's more to it, isn't there?"
Karesh's voice grew quieter, almost hesitant. "The vessels are more than carriers. They're prisons—and batteries. They contain the essence of the entities I told you about. Fragments of their power, compressed and locked away. When they crash into a world, they infect it, spreading corruption and creating an environment where their servants can thrive."
"And you were in one of them," Zami said, his voice laced with accusation.
"Yes," Karesh admitted. "But I wasn't like the others. I was created to maintain the balance, to oversee the spreading corruption without succumbing to it. When I broke free, I severed my connection to them, but the cost was... this."
"This," Zami repeated, gesturing vaguely to himself. "Being trapped inside me. Using me as your puppet."
"You're no puppet," Karesh replied. "You're a partner. Whether you like it or not."
Zami's eyes narrowed. "What about the revival? How does that even work? No one should be able to die and come back again and again. What did you do to me?"
Karesh was silent for a long moment. "When I entered you, I bound a piece of myself to your essence. Your body dies, but your soul—your core—remains intact. The energy I provide rebuilds you from the inside out, using the surrounding environment as fuel. That's why you feel weaker after each revival. It takes time to restore what was lost."
Zami's mind reeled. "So, I'm some kind of experiment?"
"Not an experiment," Karesh said. "A vessel of a different kind. You're stronger than you realize, Zami. You've adapted to this world in ways no ordinary human could."
"And the time here," Zami pressed. "Why does it feel slower than the world outside? Why have I been stuck in this place for thousands of years, while barely a decade has passed out there?"
Karesh's voice turned grave. "The colony exists in a temporal distortion, created by the energy of the vessels. It's a bubble, where time is stretched and warped. It's part of why the creatures thrive here—they're connected to the distortion. And so are you, through me."
Zami leaned back, his mind racing with the implications. "So, if I ever leave this place..."
"You'll return to a world that's moved on without you," Karesh finished. "The colony has its own rules, Zami. You've been shaped by them, but you're not bound by them forever. If you find a way to escape, you'll face challenges you can't yet imagine."
Zami's fists clenched. "I don't care about the risks. I'll find a way out. And when I do, I'll destroy whatever sent those meteors here."
Karesh chuckled softly. "Your resolve is admirable. But for now, focus on surviving. You're still healing, and the next challenge will come sooner than you think."
Zami closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm the storm of thoughts in his mind. The answers he'd gained only raised more questions, but at least he had a clearer picture of the nightmare he was trapped in.
As the fire crackled and the shadows danced on the walls, Zami resolved to uncover the truth—no matter how deep the darkness went.