The hivemind is conquering for me?

After a moment of silence, I assumed no one wanted to have a go and placed the stick down on the floor. Looking over to Orchid I sighed. ”Love, you are getting too careless with your body now we are back. Now go to a nest pod and get a new arm. And if you injure yourself again, no sex for a year.”

”!!!”

Orchids eyes went wide with shock at the declaration. She was taking no further risks, no talk back no nothing. Turning around, she began sprinting carefully towards the nearest hole she could enter. She was going to do everything in her power not to get a single scratch on her body for the foreseeable future.

Keyla looked away from Orchids’ retreating frame back to Apollo and the fire lady. ’Hmm, I could be a menace... Nah, better give Apollo some space to figure out what’s happened to him. I am sure he will tell us whatever that fire was about later... Hmm, I wonder if there is anywhere good to look at my pictures for a bit.’

”Ok folks, I will join Orchid, let you get to know one another. Oh fire babe, if you hurt my Apollo in any way, I will eat you. Ok bye bye.” She said cheerfully before skipping away. Turning away from Keyla, I looked towards the entity, who was watching Keyla leave with a haughty smile on her face.

”You have surrounded yourself with a loving ecosystem my kindled. It’s funny, I don’t see the flame of your love dying out on either end ever. A strange thing that, isn’t it?” She said as she turned to me, her eyes peering into my own giving me a sense of wisdom.

I ignored her comment about mine and the hives relationship and asked. ”So what is supposed to happen now? If I am being honest, I am a little overwhelmed by everything. I mean, just earlier I found out about how Psionic energy can replace the building blocks of the universe and now here you are, something similar, yet completely different. I need some clarification.”

The figure smiled. Her questions about the anti psionic rod could wait. Her kindled needed fuel for his fire; something she is more than happy to give. Moving forward, she leaned against her kindled, placing the palm of her hand onto his chest.

”Your body races to my touch. Is it because I am something new? From what I know of you, you have only been sexually intimate with one other person outside of this hivemind you are codependent with correct? Then I shall start from the beginning of your courtship rituals. Our first exchange was to get your enslaving fluids merged with my energy, but from now on, we can take it at your pace. How does that sound?” She asked, causing me to regain my composure.

”That sounds good, thank you for being understanding.” I replied, causing her horns to enlarge for a moment. ”Of course, anything for my Kindled. Now, to answer your question. What is supposed to happen? Well that is simple, nothing. Or I suppose whatever it is you wish to do. You felt a glimpse of what my power does to my kindled when merged with me, when half of my vestige entered your origin. That flame that now surrounds your Origin can enhance your desires.

My previous kindled was power hungry, like you, but in a different way. She wanted domination. She wanted an empire where all its inhabitants would know of her strength. My fire spurned hers and her fire spurned mine, creating a loop of lofty ambitions that eventually spelt her end...”

I gulped hearing that. That is something I definitely don’t want. The figure then smiled at me. It was a dangerous smile as it kept on turning me on, like she used that visage just for that reason.

”You however, want power not for domination, but to be helpful. To protect the ones you love. This desire burns a lot weaker than loftier ambitions, but the way it burns is consistent. And that to me is preferred. The fire in you is like a calm candle, lighting the way for your growth, instead of a blazing torrent keen on destroying everything in its path for its growth to continue.”

The figure then stopped and pulled away from my body. ”Apologies Abundant Apollo. Apparently after aeons, finally having a body again has left me rather talkative. Please, we have much to talk about, though it would be best if you ask questions or I may not stop rambling away.”

I let out a soft chuckle as I waved my arm in front of me. ”Don’t worry about it. There is not much to do on this planet except train, experiment, eat, have sex and talk. And an alien entity, no offence, and its perspective on everything is going to be so interesting to me.”

The figure said nothing as she continued to stare at Apollo, the flames dancing around her making her particularly alluring. Seeming to stay true to her word, I thought for a moment before a basic question came to my mind.

”Oh! So pretty basic to start off with. I come from a species that uses names to identify one another. As you could tell, certain members of the hive have adapted this naming identity to help my less evolved brain communicate more efficiently. So do you have a name I can address you as?”

The flaming woman placed her hand on her hip and looked at me curiously. ”A name you say?” she started before going silent once more. ’Uh oh, do I have to come up with a name again? Is it racist? Or um, energyist? That the first name that came to mind was Ember? I mean an ideal name would be to name her after the god Apollo, sun and all, but that’s my name and apparently this universe’s Spartari Apollo was more a healer according to Nerissa.’

I felt the seconds go on as our silence was only interrupted by the occasional crackle from her head. That was until I thought of something. Wait. Why does my name have to be Greek? Just because Spartari is a weird unknown amalgamation of Greco-roman aesthetics doesn’t mean I have to be. I can always pick another pantheon for my naming needs And I have the perfect one if that’s the case.’ I thought to myself as my Mind began churning out 18 year old information from the pits of my mind.

’Yeah, that name could work... A beautiful lady made of fire. Not to mention she was literally made out of a star’s coronal ejection not too long ago. Yeah, If she asks I could always go with S-’

”Yes, I have a name, a name that perfectly reflects stature. A name I am sure you will Approve of my Kindled one. You may call me Sol.”

Despite harbouring an entity of fire within my Origin, my brain suddenly froze. ’Was that a coincidence or did she read my mind somehow?’ Not even Jewel was able to read my mind when I thought of my old universe, that block occurred, leaving everything sounding life muffled garbles to them, or it simply prevents me from thinking on that matter any more, one or the other.’

” A god from your old universe, correct? I would be most curious to meet such an entity. To see how a universe without Psionics creates such a being.” As my eyes threatened to leave my skull as they bulged, Sol walked over to me again and grabbed me by the shoulder, spinning me around so I was leaning against her as she whispered into my ear.

”I told you my kindled, I have been watching you for a long time. Ever since I first laid eyes on you as a simple bodiless mass of insignificant energy I have been watching.” Sol then chomped her fiery mouth down on my ear and gave it a quick nibble before she pulled away.

”It seems my revelation has left you with a lot to think about my Kindled. I shall leave you to think and explore my new abode. My half inside of your Origin seems to enjoy your Mindspace, so I am eager to observe it myself.”

With an affectionate kiss on the cheek, Sol erupted into a stream of flame before dissipating, leaving nothing behind but some floating embers. With Sol’s presence gone, I fell to my knees and turned to sit down.

There was a rock big enough for me to rest my back against as I began staring up into the night sky. I stayed there alone for hours, looking up. The three suns had left one horizon and emerged upon the other as I sat there and thought.

Jewel had sent some warriors to investigate my state, but realised I needed to think about something serious and left me be until I was ready.

For a long time, I had pondered whether if my vessel was actually ’me’ and not just an infant that was born with my memories.

The fact that Sol had witnessed my form after what I assume happened to me after entering that strange door had left me feeling an overwhelming sense of emotions. Continuance was my biggest wish from my past life, and to know that after all these years for a fact that I did actually continue over from one state to the next.

I felt at peace as a burden I did not know I was still carrying fell away.