Jace Strickland POV

  The President left shortly after the tour of Saliscana Island, his mind clearly heavy with everything he had seen. He had been polite, professional, but there was no denying the unease behind his measured words. This visit had changed things—for better or worse, we would find out soon enough. Philip Hail left as well, returning to continue his investigation into the Human Purity Movement, leaving us with only a grim warning: Something is coming. Be ready.

  Samantha, however, decided to stay. “I need to see this for myself,” she had said. “I want to understand your new life. I want to know who you are now.”

  I appreciated that more than I could put into words. Having Sam here, seeing the world I had chosen, meant more than she realized.

  Sam stayed close in the following days, watching everything unfold with a quiet intensity. She still seemed overwhelmed, but she was making an effort to understand.

  One afternoon, as I worked in the main hall, she sat beside me, arms crossed. “You know,” she said, “I expected this place to be a little more… I don’t know. Alien?”

  I chuckled. “Yeah? What were you thinking? Flying cities? Floating orbs of wisdom?”

  She smirked. “Something like that. Instead, it just feels like another home.” Her smile faded slightly as she looked at me. “And you still feel like my brother. But also… not.”

  I leaned back, considering her words. “I’m still me, Sam. I just see things differently now. And I have a responsibility to these people.”

  She was quiet for a long moment before nodding. “I get that. And I want to help. I don’t know how yet, but I don’t want to sit on the sidelines when all of this is happening.”

  I looked at her, surprised but grateful. “You really mean that?”

  She sighed. “Jace, you’re not just fighting for the Eova. You’re fighting to prove that you still belong with humanity, too. If you’re willing to do that, then so am I.”

  Hearing her say that settled something in me I hadn’t even realized was uncertain. “Then I’m glad you stayed.”

  She smiled, nudging my arm before standing. “Come on. You’ve got work to do.”

  In the following days, I continued my work, merging the Eova’s true forms with the essence of Earth. The process was exhausting but fulfilling, each successful transformation a reminder of just how much things had changed. More and more Eova stepped forward, trusting me with something sacred. I saw hope in their eyes, a longing for the freedom to exist as they were meant to. And every time one of them took their first breath in their true form on Earth, it felt like another step toward the future we were fighting for.

  But preparation was just as important as progress.

  The Bopro took the lead in setting up a security network—cameras, motion detectors, and early-warning systems were installed around the island, ensuring that any unauthorized presence would be detected long before it could become a threat. They worked quickly, calibrating the technology to be discreet yet effective, designed to alert us without instilling unnecessary paranoia.

  Meanwhile, Vorak Algoks and the other Borzork stepped forward, taking on the role of warriors. Their ability to convert heat into strength and speed made them the natural defenders of the Eova. Though they despised conflict as much as any of the Eova, they were willing to stand their ground if it became necessary.

  Tocci took charge of establishing safe zones, hidden locations across the island where the Eova could retreat if an attack ever came. She gathered a team of volunteers, ensuring that each area was well-supplied and easy to access without drawing suspicion. There would be no unnecessary fights, not if we could avoid them.

  Thriexa, however, looked troubled as she watched these preparations unfold. The Human Purity Movement was growing bolder, and we couldn’t afford to be unprepared.

  Thriexa stood apart from the group, arms crossed, her expression tense. I could tell she was uneasy, and when she finally spoke, her voice was careful but firm. “I hate this. I hate that we’re preparing for a fight before we’ve even had a chance to find another way.”

  I sighed, stepping closer to her. “I know. I hate it too. But humans turn to violence when they’re scared, and right now, the Human Purity Movement is terrified of what we represent. We have to be prepared, even if we never need to use any of this.”

  She met my gaze, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “There has to be another way, Jace. We’ve always solved conflicts with words, not war. If we start planning for battle, then aren’t we already losing?”

  I reached out, taking her hand in mine. “This isn’t about starting a war, Thriexa. It’s about making sure we survive to keep the peace. Hopefully, we’ll never need any of this. But if we do, I’d rather be ready than caught off guard.”

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  She exhaled softly, nodding after a long pause. “I trust you. But promise me—we’ll still try everything we can to stop this before it gets worse.”

  “Of course,” I said. “Words first. Always. But if words fail, we’ll protect our people.”

  Thriexa didn’t look entirely convinced, but she squeezed my hand, and that was enough for now. The preparations continued, even as the weight of what we were doing settled heavily on all of us.

  I met her gaze, nodding in agreement. “Then let’s get to work.”

  … Three Days Later …

  Jace Strickland POV

  The morning sun bathed the settlement in golden light as I reached for the hand of the last Eova waiting to be merged with Earth. The woman before me was older, her silver eyes filled with wonder as she hesitated, fingers hovering just above mine.

  “My parents told me stories about the Elaron on Azilaha,” she murmured. “How they could merge what was separate, bridge what was broken. I never thought I’d live to see it again.”

  I squeezed her hand gently, offering her a reassuring nod. “You’ll be home again. Just breathe.”

  The familiar surge of power rippled through me as our connection formed, the warmth of Earth melding with her essence. When she took her first breath in her true form, her shoulders sagged in relief. A small smile tugged at her lips as she whispered, “Thank you.”

  I gave her a tired nod before stepping back. My muscles ached, exhaustion creeping into every part of me, but I ignored it. The work was done. For now.

  I found Sam in one of the common areas, seated at a table with her laptop open. Seeing a human device among the sleek, organic structures of the Eova felt strangely out of place. Technology here was different—woven into their environment, adaptive rather than intrusive.

  “That looks ancient,” I teased, dropping into the seat across from her.

  She smirked but didn’t look up. “You can mock all you want, but this ‘ancient’ thing is how I’m keeping up with what people are saying about the Eova.”

  That caught my attention. I leaned in slightly. “And what exactly are they saying?”

  She turned the laptop toward me, scrolling through various posts. “There’s a lot of talk. Some people are scared, buying into conspiracy theories. They think the Eova are here to replace us, or that the government is covering up some ‘true agenda.’ Others just don’t understand what’s happening, and fear fills in the gaps.” But there are just as many—if not more—who are supporting the Eova. Look at this one.” She clicked on a video where a tearful woman thanked the Klaro for healing her child. “And this one—some guy in Texas saying he’s never met an Eova but believes they belong here just as much as we do.”

  I exhaled slowly. “So it’s not all bad. But the fear… that’s dangerous. Fear turns into action. And the louder they get, the more people listen.”

  “And they’re getting organized. Look at this—” she clicked on another post, a forum discussing ways to ‘preserve human purity.’ “They’re spreading their ideas across different platforms, reaching people who might not have even thought about the Eova before. They’re shaping the narrative, and that’s powerful.”

  I rubbed a hand over my face, feeling the weight of her words settle over me. “Then we need to shape it, too. We can’t just let them control the conversation.”

  Sam raised an eyebrow. “You’re thinking about speaking out?”

  I hesitated. “I don’t know yet. But if we don’t, they will. And the wrong people will listen.”

  Before I could respond further, Thriexa entered the room, glancing between us. “What are you two looking at?”

  Sam hesitated before answering. “Social media.”

  Thriexa frowned slightly. “Social… media?”

  I smirked. “You’re going to love this explanation.”

  Aizih Thriexa POV

  Jace and Sam exchanged a quick glance before attempting to explain. “Social media is… like an open conversation,” Jace started. “People post their thoughts, ideas, and experiences online for others to see. Some use it to connect, others to argue, and some just want attention.”

  Sam snorted. “That’s putting it lightly. It’s a mess. But it’s also powerful. It shapes opinions, spreads information—good and bad.”

  I frowned, still struggling to grasp the concept. “So… humans willingly share their private thoughts with strangers?”

  Jace chuckled. “Yep. And they love doing it. But it also means we can see exactly how people feel about the Eova.”

  Instead of trying to explain further, Sam turned the laptop toward me and clicked on a video. A woman appeared on the screen, her voice trembling with emotion. “My father was dying. The Klaro healed him. I don’t know who they are or why they came to us, but I will be forever grateful. Thank you.”

  Another video followed, a young boy in a hospital bed smiling at the camera, his mother’s voice filled with tears of joy. “My son is alive today because of them. They are not invaders. They are angels.”

  My throat tightened. I blinked rapidly, overwhelmed by the sheer gratitude radiating from the screen.

  Then Sam scrolled further, and my heart clenched at the words I saw.

  They are corrupting our world.

  The Eova must be stopped before they take everything from us.

  They don’t belong here. We have to fight back.

  I gasped softly, my fingers gripping the table. “They… they hate us? Even after all we have done?”

  Sam sighed. “Some do. But not all. That’s what I wanted to show you. There’s support too. People defending the Eova, speaking up against the hate. But the ones who fear you? They’re loud, and they’re not stopping.”

  I took a deep breath, trying to steady the storm of emotions inside me. “So what do we do? How do we make sure the right voices are heard?”

  Sam’s eyes lit up with an idea. “We create our own space. A social media platform for the Eova. We show people who you really are, how kind you are. We let them see your lives, your struggles, and how much you’re like them. If the Human Purity Movement wants to spread fear, then we counter it with the truth.”

  Jace’s face lit up at the idea, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “Sam, this is exactly how we fight them. With words, not violence. This is how we change the conversation.”

  He turned to Thriexa. “This is how we counter the Human Purity Movement. Not with war, not with fear, but by showing the truth. By letting people see who the Eova really are.”

  Thriexa, still shaken by what she had seen, slowly nodded. “If this is the way to reach them, to make them understand us, then we must do it.”

  Jace grinned and looked back at Sam. “So, you’re offering to run it?”

  She smirked. “Of course. Someone has to show the world that the Eova aren’t the monsters these people claim they are. And who better than someone who knows both worlds?”