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  “I am fairly sure that you had more than just me to choose from.”

  No one that I could bind with for an extended period of time. Your species is well qualified for this particular purpose. Your active use of your brain leaves plenty of space for a world or star to live in there comfortably. I only put into you what you can handle and there is plenty of space for more.

  She walked into the home shaped like an ancient temple and smiled at the caress of silk on her arms as she touched it. Gala brushed her fingers over her cheeks. Wet. She felt wet for the first time in her life. She was still crying.

  It is natural. You have wanted this all your life, and now, you have it. The question is what are you going to do with it?

  Gala blinked. “What?”

  It seemed natural to talk to the being inside herself out loud.

  The reason most want to feel, to touch is for finding a partner, for mating, for comfort and pleasure.

  “I have always thought of it as a way to avoid damage. I now have you for comfort.”

  I cannot hold you when you cry.

  A whirlwind of light and dark arrived, visible through the floating silk.

  Ah, they knew that my other form was leaving. I am guessing that the energy output got their attention.

  “Who are they?”

  The immortals. Yodin and Aster. Aster is why I am familiar with your species.

  Nervous, she ran her hands down the front of her gown as she stepped out of the shadows and into the light.

  The woman was Terran. That was true without a doubt. She was also powerful. The energy came off her in waves.

  “Hello.” She folded her hands and inclined her head.

  Pain flickered in their eyes.

  Aster stepped forward. “We had hoped to say goodbye to Jurad’s form.”

  “I am still here, Aster, Yodin. Gala is now my Avatar, and she has the potential to do much for my people. She will need your help to adapt though. Where is Arez?”

  Aster chuckled. “I believe he is making his way through the female population of Loffric City.”

  A wave of gold and red flew across the skies toward them.

  Yodin smiled. “It appears he has left his entertainment for the honour of being among the first to greet our new Avatar. Welcome, Gala. Jurad was a friend. I was used to seeing his form, though I know he departed long ago.”

  Gala smiled shyly. “It is all what you are used to.”

  The tumble of golden-red landed on the mosaic, and the man that took shape swaggered toward their small group.

  “Where is Rekfa? I wish to pay my respects.” The man came toward her, took her hand and pressed a kiss to it.

  She blinked at the chain reaction that the small contact caused. She jerked her hand back. “Rekfa is here. I am his new Avatar.”

  “A Terran woman?” His smile indicated he was satisfied with whatever response she gave as long as her body didn’t change. He seemed to be confirming something.

  Gala smiled as Yodin had to keep Aster from striking the new arrival.

  “A suitable mind for Rekfa to set up housekeeping in.” Gala made the distinction.

  Aster looked at her and cocked her head. “Terran? Really?”

  “Yes. Rekfa said that it was because of you that he chose one of our kind, so I should thank you.”

  Aster came to her side and touched her arm. “Would you like to talk?”

  “I would not mind asking questions. Are you willing to answer them?”

  Aster grinned. “I would be delighted. I know Rekfa can show you around, but allow me to help you find your way in your new home.”

  “A tour?”

  “Yup.”

  With relief, Gala smiled. “That would be nice.”

  Arez looked at her, and there was a little wistful regret in his gaze. “I would have liked to have been here for his last moments. Well, his form’s last moments.”

  “I wanted Gala to have all the privacy I could afford. This is not a group event; this is the body I have chosen, and all of my people will soon know it.”

  Arez nodded. “Yes, Rekfa. Of course. It is a pleasure to meet your new Avatar.”

  Yodin chuckled. “I concur. It is a pleasure to meet you, Gala.”

  Gala nodded, and she and Aster went on a tour of Rekfa’s home.

  Chapter Three

  “Now, as the Avatar, you don’t need to eat or drink anymore. You can, but your body doesn’t need it to survive. You draw your energy from the world itself.” Aster smiled and walked with her through the dining area, the fire pit and the couch-strewn casual area.

  “Nice to know. How do you know so much about it?”

  “When I first arrived, Rekfa trained me to use my untapped potential. I have a strange effect on plants and animals.” Aster smiled and showed her the huge bathing chamber with the pool of white and gold stone gleaming invitingly.

  She got the information from her occupant. “You are a fertility specialist with a hint of battle.”

  “Yes. It pairs nicely with Yodin’s lust and battle.”

  Gala smiled. “And Arez is battle, and what is the second one?”

  “We don’t know. He won’t say. The ability to inspire those around us with our characteristics is something I never imagined. Why did you offer yourself to Rekfa?”

  It was out. The question that had to have been driving Aster nuts was out.

  Gala explained about her life, about the scars that were already fading, and the congenital analgesia.

  Aster reached out and paused with her hand an inch from Gala’s arm. “Is it all right that I touch you? Since I got here, touching seems to be what I am best at.”

  Gala chuckled. “It is fine, but don’t be surprised if I jump. I am not used to it. I didn’t even realise that sweat itches until I was standing in sunlight.”

  Aster grinned. “It is amazing. You get to experience everything for the first time. I am glad you are here. We are going to be friends for centuries. I can feel it.”

  “That is not a thought that comes naturally.”

  “You will get used to it. It is hard to imagine, but we are looking into a future, and it is looking back.” Aster smiled. “Now, come and look at the gardens. Rekfa gave that expanse over there to me, and that is my home when Yodin gets a little too clingy.”

  “So, you can fly?”

  “I can. I like to let Yodin carry me. He enjoys it and so do I. We are building a house on the Jurmak peninsula. It keeps us close to one of the cities and lets me have my light while he enjoys his shadow.”

  “What does that make Arez?”

  “Dusk. The most dangerous time of day.” Aster smiled.

  They walked through the gardens, and Aster showed her the new flowers she had created. They were blooming, and their colour was a deep black with a golden centre. “Jurad’s rose. I made it after Rekfa told me about his Avatar and how he had kept the death from Yodin and Arez. For centuries, he pretended that nothing had changed, that the man whose body he wore was still alive inside. He didn’t want to hurt them, but he was losing his grip on his control.”

  “It is weird having his mind inside mine, but his care for those around him is in every thought he shares with me. He wants everyone to be happy, healthy and to have a good life. It isn’t always possible and that upsets him as well. I still have no idea why he was willing to take me on, but I am glad he did.” She smiled and stroked the soft petals, exhaling softly as the silky texture was translated from her fingertips to the rest of her in a burst of discovery.

  “So, you really couldn’t feel anything?”

  “No. Well...pressure. I could make out pressure but that was a special recognition reflex. I knew where my body position should take me, and so, if I didn’t reach that position, I was snagged on something.”

  “It must have been an unpleasant way to live.”

  Gala snorted. “You could say that. Most folks with th
at condition succumb to infection and die before getting to my age. We can’t feel cuts, bruises or other damage, so if we don’t do regular checks on our physical status, we suffer the risk of our body being racked by an infection we didn’t know we have.”

  “Have you met many others with that condition?” Aster appeared fascinated.

  “Online only. I have never met another one in person. We tend not to travel. This was my one and only wandering into the outside universe, so I thought I should make the most of it.”

  Aster nodded. “How are you enjoying it so far?”

  “It is different.”

  Aster laughed until she was bent over and howling with helpless amusement. When she finally righted herself, she grinned. “Different is a very good word. Has Rekfa told you about how he designed the cities? Each one has a temple to him, and his people can go to them to record their grievances. If they need something, he will hear them.”

  “How do you know so much about it?”

  “I spent time with Rekfa while I was getting a grip on what I was.”

  The word sprang into Gala’s mind. “Immortal. What exactly does that mean? Are you invulnerable as well?”

  “Fortunately, no. If I want out, there is an option. But, if I want to live, I will live, on and on until I am tired of the universe. That is the theory. I am not sure how it works.”

  “So, it is all guesswork.”

  “Yup. Most immortals eventually become gods of their areas just because they have been around so long.” Aster smirked. “When your life spans normal generations, folks seem to turn to you for wisdom and guidance. Fortunately, with Rekfa here, our guidance is not needed, so it is only our dominant characteristics that become obvious and celebrated.”

  Gala was amused. “I had no idea that the gods of old Terra were real people.”

  “Apparently, to activate the gene, you have to die. It comes down to burial practices. The faster they get us in the ground, the less likely we will rise again.” Aster grimaced. “And that might give rise to even more human mythology.”

  “It might indeed.” A strong tingling in her hands brought her attention down to the thick and damaged knuckles. As Gala watched, her body reshaped the joints until her hand was normal and all the bones and tissue were back in showroom condition. “Oh, that is peculiar.”

  “Wow. May I?” Aster held out her hand.

  Tentatively, Gala slid her fingers against Aster’s palm. The warmth of the skin, the texture, it all joined with the ease of motion. She could bend and flex and feel.

  “So, with your condition, your hands and feet took most of the damage?”

  “Right. The rest of me is easier to keep track of. It is the extremities that take the hits over and over.”

  The energy that was making the repairs moved out of her body and ran up in waves from the fingertips, back toward her heart. Rekfa fixed the thick scars that went bone-deep and worked on her until her body felt completely new. Well, that was accurate, because her body could finally feel.

  Gala withdrew her hand and touched the roses. “There is almost a cool touch to the petals.”

  “You can recognise hot and cold now?”

  “Rekfa is giving me the right reference points while he works. This is my body, he is simply doing renovations.”

  They started to walk along the paths once again.

  “How does it feel to have a masculine presence in your mind?” Aster blurted it out.

  Gala smirked. “Rekfa isn’t masculine or feminine. He simply has worn the male body so long that everyone believes that is the gender of the world. It will be a difficult adjustment for those manning the temples, so I am going to have to visit each one in turn to introduce myself.”

  “Do you need company?”

  “This is something that Gala must do. They must recognise her face as my face, because it will be that way for a few eons. Your people are perfectly suited to habitation, by the way. Her body was damaged, but her mind is exceptionally strong.”

  “Of course, Rekfa. She seems pleased with the arrangement.”

  “Not yet. She is intrigued by her lost sense being returned to her. I am trying to find a means to keep her satisfied with the bargain she has struck, but I am unsure as to what means to take.”

  “Well, a worldwide tour will let you know her and her you. Don’t overstimulate her. She has just begun to learn what her body should have been doing all along. It could overwhelm her.”

  “I will take that under advisement, Aster. Now, go to your mate. He is darkening my front path.”

  “Fine. Just be careful with her. She is more like a flower than a stone. She can hurt now, and she can feel it. Pain is a bit of a shock.”

  “Understood, now go.” Rekfa waved her off.

  Gala watched from behind her own eyes, surprised at how easily Rekfa had taken over. There was no transition, no request. He had needed to answer Aster and so had simply stepped into her form, fully and completely.

  Aster bowed, smiled and launched herself into the air, heading for the front of Rekfa’s home.

  “So, I get to make friends and they will just fly away?”

  They ride along the ley lines and currents of energy that are across my surface. If you like, I can make this area inaccessible by air to anyone but us.

  “No, they seem nice enough.” She thought of the glow in Arez’s eyes.

  Do you want him? He is very amenable to sexual matters.

  Gala felt flustered. “Oh, no. I mean, he does look very attractive but that is not a form of contact I have ever sought out.”

  To her shock, Rekfa locked her body, and he went through her memories. When he was finished, there was nothing she had hidden from him. Her soul had been turned inside out.

  Gala remained quiet as Rekfa walked them back to the house.

  Instead of heading for the wine rack, they knelt in the centre of the building and Rekfa concentrated, sending waves of energy out into the walls and panels of silk.

  The rock groaned and shifted.

  Gala knelt in the centre of the changing structure until dawn had come and gone. Time felt different with the world inside her. Nothing was urgent.

  I apologise for the suddenness of my examination. I have not been in an actively living being for centuries, and I had forgotten how painful it would be for you.

  “Was that pain?” There had been fire, a strong urge to run and prickles along her nerves. Pinpoints of sensation that she hadn’t been able to figure out.

  It was pain. Emotional pain is different. You will learn the processes in time.

  “Oh good. That was missing from my catalog.” She chuckled. “What happened to the house?”

  You are a new Avatar, and you deserve to be in a home that fills you with joy. After all you are offering to me, this is the least I can do.

  “I am glad you are happy with the exchange. I thought you would be a little perturbed at changing sexes.”

  Not at all. It is good for me to feel all sides of the spectrum. My own soil did not lead to intelligent life, so having folk seek me out gives me a new perspective. Change is good.

  “And yet, you are content to wear me for centuries?”

  It is a pleasure to have you with me.

  Emotional pleasure was something she was familiar with. The satisfaction that was running out of the energy inside her, the consciousness that occupied her was pleased to be there. There was no doubt in her mind.

  Chapter Four

  Clothing appropriate to Rekfa was waiting for her in the wardrobe. She tried on a few outfits that were barely there, but the exposure was too much for her.

  Her final choice was a set of tunic and trousers with slit sleeves and sides. The wide belt kept it close in to her body and supported her. The constant contact was comforting. It was a touch, a feeling she could predict, and predictability was important.

  Are you ready to travel?

  “Don’t
I need shoes?”

  I don’t know. Do you?

  She took stock and looked down. She hadn’t even realised that her feet had only touched the ground for those few minutes before he entered her. She was millimetres above the ground, not on it.

  My energy field keeps you from touching down. It is the same means that allows us easy propulsion.

  The energy field swelled around them, and they flew off through the sunset to the nearest city.

  Rekfa had gone over the necessity of the visits, as well as the transformation of the temples into something that suited the new Avatar. The introduction to the few occupants of the world was going to be a little awkward, but it was necessary, and Rekfa was more than willing to back her up.

  They landed outside the small city, and Gala walked toward the bustling streets. The mixture of technology was interesting, but the roads were paved, and even the markets smelled fresh.

  The people of the city looked at her curiously, and a few smiled in welcome. Gala smiled back at the faces built in every skin colour, tone and texture that she had ever imagined. She wanted to reach out and touch those skins, but it might not be acceptable.

  Gala folded her hands in front of her, and she glided through the streets, guided by her intuition to the temple.

  They will not speak to you until you speak to them. They wish to address you in your own language.

  Rekfa was referring to the merchants on the street. She eyed a few shops with longing but kept up her walk.

  The temple was a smaller version of Jurad’s home. She followed the silent directions that Rekfa whispered in her thoughts, and she put her foot on the steps a young man was sweeping.

  “There are no petition periods scheduled for today, ma’am.” He moved to step between her and the doorway.

  “Good. I am not here to ask Rekfa for anything.” She continued to advance, and she felt the surge of power through her head.

  Her eyes were now swirling with bright energy, but she kept her gaze from his as she walked into what was Rekfa’s home away from home. Rekfa was putting brilliant purple into her gaze, and it swirled with the dark brown of her regular colouration.