Aizih Thriexa POV

  “The responses have been overwhelming,” Sam said, scrolling through the endless flood of comments on her laptop. “People are actually paying attention to what the delegation is doing. We’ve got news outlets covering it, human scientists reaching out, even world leaders starting to take notice.”

  I nodded, standing beside my mother, Xilta, as we discussed the next steps. “Then we need to do more. The first delegation has already proven its value. It’s time to expand. More groups, more countries, more opportunities to show what we can offer.”

  Xilta crossed her arms, considering. “Selecting the right Eova for each task will be crucial. We can’t risk sending anyone unprepared into a world that doesn’t fully accept us yet.”

  Sam grinned. “Well, we’ve got plenty of volunteers. The Klaro alone have received thousands of messages asking them to come to hospitals around the world.”

  I felt a warmth of pride at the impact we were making. The Eova had always sought to belong, and now we had a chance to do so on Earth—not as invaders, but as equals.

  Then the alarm sounded.

  A shrill, unnatural noise cut through the air, making my stomach lurch. Something was wrong.

  Xilta’s posture stiffened immediately. Sam’s head snapped up from the screen. “What was that?”

  I already knew.

  Jace.

  Even before Trenal’s telepathic message, I felt him. His calm focus had shifted into something sharper—urgency, battle instincts taking over.

  “The island is under attack,” Xilta said grimly.

  I barely heard her. My heartbeat quickened as the bond between Jace and me flared, the depth of his emotions rushing through me. Danger. Readiness. The need to protect.

  I forced myself to move, gripping Sam’s wrist. “We need to get to a safe room. Now.”

  Xilta took the lead, guiding us through the halls of the main structure. The corridors were already buzzing with movement as Eova rushed toward their designated safe zones, following the Zetill’s mental guidance. I should have felt safe knowing the plan was working, knowing our people were following protocol.

  But I didn’t.

  Because Jace wasn’t safe.

  We reached one of the secured rooms, its thick metal doors sliding closed behind us. The hum of energy shielding engaged, ensuring we would remain protected from any outside force.

  But I couldn’t stay here.

  The pull of Jace’s emotions—his determination, his worry, his resolve—wrapped around me. He needed me. He wouldn’t ask for help, wouldn’t let himself think of me right now, but I could feel everything.

  I turned sharply. “I can’t stay here.”

  “Thriexa—” Xilta’s voice carried a warning, but I ignored it.

  Sam’s eyes widened. “You’re going out there?”

  “I have to help. I can feel them, Sam. I can sense every intention, every movement before it happens. I can make a difference.”

  Sam hesitated, but then, to my surprise, she grabbed her camera and slung it over her shoulder. “Then I’m coming with you.”

  “Sam, no—”

  “Yes.” She cut me off, her expression fierce. “The world needs to see what happens here. If we survive this, they need to know the truth.”

  Xilta clenched her jaw but didn’t stop me as I pressed my hand against the door’s control panel, overriding the lockdown. The heavy doors slid open, revealing chaos beyond them.

  I took a deep breath, feeling Jace through the bond, feeling the weight of what was coming.

  Then I ran into the fire.

  Jace Strickland POV

  Tophae’s voice slammed into my mind, sharp and urgent. Jace, human detectors are going off all around the island. They’re approaching from every side.

  I swore under my breath, my body already moving before I fully processed his words. Make sure the Borzork are armed with the weapons, I sent back. The weapons weren’t meant to harm—they froze the humans in place, rendering them incapable of continuing their attack without injury. We would not kill them, no matter how much they wanted to kill us.

  Understood. There was a brief pause before Tophae’s voice returned.

  I sprinted toward the beaches, my mind reaching out for Trenal next. Contact Philip Hail. Tell him what’s happening. We need a human authority involved before this escalates even further. Then send word to all Eova—make sure they are getting to the nearest safe zones immediately.

  A pulse, like a current running through the air, threading between every Eova on the island. I stiffened, caught off guard by the sensation. It was overwhelming, like standing at the center of a storm, hearing countless voices all at once. I had never felt anything like it before, never realized just how powerful Trenal’s abilities truly were.

  Then his voice rang through my mind, steady and clear. The Human Purity Group has arrived on the island. Everyone, go to the nearest safe zone.

  He was Zetill, and this was what they did—they kept our people connected, coordinated, safe. But now, it wasn’t just a communication link. It was a lifeline.

  Even through the chaos, I could feel Thriexa’s presence lingering in the back of my mind. She was moving toward a safe zone, just like she was supposed to. Relief flooded through me, allowing me to focus on what mattered—defending the island.

  A familiar figure came into view, running toward me at full speed. Tocci. She skidded to a stop at my side, her expression fierce, her breath steady despite the adrenaline crackling between us.

  “You’re with me?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

  She grinned. “I plan to turn their emotions into happiness and love. Let’s see them try to fire a weapon when they feel like they’re basking in the best moment of their lives.”

  I exhaled, grateful for her presence. “Do it. Just be careful.”

  Next, I reached for Vorak Algoks. Where are you?

  Leading the Borzork, he responded, his tone composed despite the tension thrumming beneath it. We’re holding the main paths leading into the settlement. The humans won’t get through without a fight.

  I clenched my fists. No killing.

  We are Eova. We will not take lives, he assured me. But we will not let them take ours either.

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  The first wave of attackers reached the island.

  I braced myself. It was time to fight.

  Tocci and I sprinted toward the beach, sand kicking up beneath our feet as we reached the front lines. The first wave of attackers charged forward, their movements chaotic, their weapons raised.

  I didn’t hesitate. Reaching out with my abilities, I pulled at the very essence of the island beneath them, merging the sand and air to create shifting traps. The ground softened beneath their feet, turning into sudden patches of quicksand that swallowed their boots, dragging them down just enough to immobilize them. Their charge turned chaotic as they fought against terrain that no longer obeyed the natural laws they understood. The humans stumbled, some falling outright, their advance disrupted before they even reached us.

  Groups of Borzork came charging toward the beach, their movements a blur, faster than any human could react. Their speed was five times that of a normal soldier, their footfalls barely leaving impressions in the sand as they closed the distance with terrifying efficiency. They wielded the freezing weapons with practiced precision, their formation seamless. With a synchronized motion, they raised the devices and fired—

  The advancing attackers barely had time to register what was happening before they were stopped mid-motion, their bodies locked in place as if frozen in time. Some had weapons half-raised, others mid-stride, their expressions twisted between confusion and frustration. The Borzork moved swiftly, disarming each frozen attacker, rendering them completely neutralized without harming them. More waves of enemies poured in, but the Borzork did not falter. Their strength, speed, and discipline turned them into an unshakable wall between the invaders and the settlement they sought to destroy.

  Beside me, Tocci raised her hands, her expression focused, her energy radiating outward like a pulse. The results were immediate—and absurd.

  The attackers slowed, their aggression fading into utter confusion. Some of them looked at their weapons and smiled like they had just been given gifts, others giggled uncontrollably. One man dropped to his knees in the sand, tears streaming down his face as he whispered something about the beauty of the ocean. Another turned to his comrade and pulled him into a tight embrace, murmuring, “We don’t have to do this, man. We should just… be happy.”

  Tocci let out a sharp laugh. “You’d think they just won the lottery.”

  “Whatever works,” I muttered, focusing on reinforcing the defenses, keeping the enemies from advancing any further.

  Then I felt it.

  Thriexa’s presence in my mind shifted—no longer steady and secure in the safe zone, but moving. Heading toward the fight.

  Frustration surged through me, but so did admiration. She hated violence, but she was running toward the danger anyway, determined to help protect her people. I clenched my fists, torn between needing to get to her and knowing that I couldn’t leave the front lines.

  I turned to Tocci, urgency thick in my voice. “Thriexa’s out of the safe zone. I need you to find her and protect her. I can’t leave.”

  Tocci’s expression flickered with concern, but she didn’t hesitate. “On it. Don’t get yourself killed.”

  With that, she took off, moving swiftly toward the heart of the island, leaving me to focus on what was ahead.

  More attackers were coming. The fight was far from over.

  A sharp, searing pain tore through my shoulder, cutting through the chaos like a blade of fire. The force of the bullet sent me stumbling back a step, my breath hitching as a white-hot burn radiated from the wound. For a moment, the sounds of battle dulled, everything narrowing to the pain anchoring me to the moment.

  Through our bond, I felt it—Thriexa’s horror.

  Jace! Her voice burst into my mind, raw with fear, her emotions crashing over me like a tidal wave.

  I gritted my teeth, pushing past the pain, my body demanding I stop, but I wouldn’t. Couldn’t. I pressed my hand against the wound, feeling the warmth of blood seeping through my fingers. It hurt, but I was still standing. Still fighting.

  I’m fine, I sent back, though we both knew it was a lie.

  You’re not! Her frustration was as sharp as the pain radiating through my shoulder. You were shot, Jace. You need to get to the Klaro.

  Not yet. I forced myself upright, adjusting my stance, keeping my focus ahead. The island isn’t safe yet. I’ll deal with it later.

  Even through our bond, I could feel her disbelief, her anger, her fear—but she didn’t argue. Not now. Because she knew me, knew I wouldn’t stop until this was over.

  I forced the pain aside, locking my jaw as I turned back toward the fight. I still had a job to do.

  Sam Strickland POV

  The alarms were still blaring, but I barely heard them over the sound of my own breath as I ran after Thriexa. My heart pounded in my ears, adrenaline flooding my system, but my hands remained steady as I lifted my camera, pressing the button to start a live broadcast.

  “This is Sam Strickland reporting live from Saliscana Island! The Human Purity Movement is attacking the Eova! They came armed, ready to kill! I don’t know how this will end, but the world needs to see this!”

  My voice was sharp, urgent, filled with the weight of what was happening. If we survived this, people needed to know who the aggressors really were.

  Ahead of me, Thriexa moved with purpose, her body fluid and quick as she reached for something hidden beneath a large stone. A freezing weapon—one of many the Bopro had hidden across the island for emergencies like this. Without hesitation, she grabbed it, her fingers tightening around the grip like she’d been waiting for this moment. Her people needed her. She would not stand aside.

  I didn’t hesitate either. I lunged forward, grabbing another one for myself. I turned my camera toward it, speaking quickly into the microphone. “These are the Eova’s weapons. They don’t kill. They don’t harm. They freeze attackers in place so they can’t continue fighting. Even now, under attack, the Eova refuse to resort to violence!”

  Thriexa was already moving, her eyes scanning every movement, every approaching figure. She knew where the danger was before it reached us.

  “We need to move,” she said firmly, glancing back at me. “Stay close, and if you see someone, shoot first before they can raise their weapons.”

  We ran, the island shifting around us as more alarms blared. Eova civilians were still evacuating to safe zones, guided by the Zetill telepaths. Every time we passed an Eova, Thriexa stopped to direct them to safety, never hesitating, never slowing down. I kept my camera rolling, capturing every moment, every panicked but controlled movement, every flash of her determination.

  Then we reached the beaches.

  The battle was already in full motion, and Thriexa didn’t hesitate. She lifted her weapon, her intention ability flaring to life.

  I barely had time to react before she moved like lightning, predicting every human’s attack before it happened, weaving between incoming fire and freezing each soldier where they stood. The moment they hesitated—the moment she sensed weakness—she fired, locking them in place. The battlefield shifted under her control, humans frozen in clusters, unable to resist.

  Tocci suddenly appeared beside us, breathing heavily but grinning. “Perfect timing! I’ve got this.”

  Before I could ask what she meant, Tocci’s ability flared, and suddenly, the attackers were… laughing.

  I turned my camera toward them, my mouth hanging open as men who had been seconds away from pulling the trigger now grinned at one another like old friends. One clutched his chest dramatically, sighing like he had just seen the love of his life for the first time. Another collapsed onto the sand, staring at the sky, whispering about how beautiful the clouds were.

  They were utterly defenseless.

  Thriexa shot me a quick look. “Sam—”

  I lifted my camera, nodding. “Already getting it. The world needs to see this.”

  Tocci turned to Thriexa, her expression torn between amusement and concern. “Jace is losing his mind over you right now. He’s so worried.”

  Thriexa didn’t look surprised. “I can feel it,” she admitted, her voice steady despite the chaos around us. “But I can’t stop. My people need me. I need to protect them.”

  Tocci exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “Of course you do. Just don’t get yourself killed, alright? I don’t think Jace could handle that.”

  Thriexa’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she gave a small nod before turning back to the fight, her weapon raised, ready to keep going.

  Aizih Thriexa POV

  Together, we worked seamlessly—I read the intentions of every attacker, predicting their movements, freezing them before they could act. Tocci’s abilities twisted the emotional field around us, turning rage into peace, hatred into joy, rendering the enemy useless. Sam documented it all, broadcasting the truth to the world in real-time.

  We moved like a single force—not warriors, not killers, but protectors.

  A sharp, searing sensation tore through my chest—not pain, but something deeper. A raw panic that was not my own. I stumbled for a moment, breath hitching as realization dawned. Jace.

  Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to push forward, my mind sharpening against the haze of his pain. Tocci stayed at my side, her presence grounding me even as my body screamed to run to him. Sam, still recording, moved with us, her breathing uneven but determined.

  He had been hurt.

  The horror of it gripped me, but my feet were already moving, instinct taking over. I had to get to him. I had to—

  A firm hand caught my arm, jerking me back before I could take another step. “Thriexa, stop!” Tocci’s voice was sharp, cutting through my panic like a blade. “Jace can handle himself. He’s tougher than any Eova.”

  I tried to wrench free, but Tocci’s grip was solid. “He was shot! I felt it!”

  “And he’s still standing, I know he is, I can feel him through his bond with you.” she countered, her expression fierce. “You running toward him right now isn’t going to help anyone. There are still humans here. If you leave this fight, more people could get hurt. Do you think Jace would want that?”

  I clenched my jaw, my breathing ragged. Jace was still alive. I could feel that much. He was in pain, but he was moving. Fighting.

  I exhaled, steadying myself. “I just—”

  Tocci’s voice softened, but only slightly. “I know. But you need to trust him. He trusts you.”

  I swallowed hard and nodded, gripping my weapon tighter. “Then let’s finish this.”