Call of Descent
Chapter Twenty-One

WhenReniko awoke it was with relief that she was still alive. She was lying on herback staring up at the ceiling of a round gray room. The panels that made upthe room seemed to be glowing, providing the area with a pale light. As shebecame more aware of her body she noticed a cool breeze prickling the surfaceof her skin on her right arm. Looking over at it she noticed her sleeve hadbeen torn off. It was at that moment that she came to another suddenrealization. She wasn’t on the ground. Instead she was floating squarely in thecentre of the room. Gasping in surprise she tried to right herself only torealize that without gravity in this round room there was no way to tell upfrom down. Her right arm throbbing, her head dizzy with confusion and herstomach queasy, she resorted to closing her eyes again, waiting for vertigo toend.

“Doesyour arm hurt much?” A child’s voice asked. The sound echoed in the large room.Reniko immediately opened her eyes and came face to face with the image of ayoung girl of about seven with long curly blond hair and golden brown eyes. Shewas suspended sideways to Reniko, smiling.

Renikodidn’t speak only looked back at her arm where she noticed a spot of blood thathad dried where a needle had punctured her skin.

“Thefloor is that way,” the little girl, said pointing toward her feet. Renikolooked in the direction she was pointing regretting it as she did so, herstomach lurching with the glance. Silently she rotated her body and becameparallel with the young girl.

“Thankyou,” Reniko said. She closed her eyes again.

“You’llfeel better in a moment. We didn’t want you running away. You’ve been sleepinga long time. We were worried.”

“We?”Reniko asked glancing around the strange room one again.

“Thekeepers of the city of course. Does this form please you? We could alwayschange it if you like,” the girl said. Her shape morphed suddenly into the formof her mentor, Dertrik.

Eyeswide with shock Reniko finally realized that the girl was not a girl at all buta hologram. “No, please, the girl was fine.”

“Doesit pain you so to see this form?” The hologram asked in Dertrik’s voice.

“Yes,”Reniko whispered. The hologram took the form of the young girl again andsmiled.

“Wehave a choice for you. Do you think you can stand?” the hologram asked just asgravity reasserted itself and Reniko began plunging to the floor below.However, before Reniko reached the ground her descent slowed and she was placedlightly onto the ground. Unnerved by this display of control she stood silentas the hologram descended.

“Whatchoice?” she finally asked when the hologram was positioned on the ground.

“We’veseen your most recent memories and replace a conflict. Please choose now.”

“Whatdo you mean? How can you see my memories? What conflict?”

“Wewish you first to make your choice.” The hologram flickered slightly anddisappeared, leaving Reniko alone in the room once again. As she looked at thewall before her she noticed breaks forming in it, dripping away like the groundhad done in the cage. Soon the outline of two doorways could be seen.

“I’mnot doing anything until you tell me what’s going on. What did you do to me?”she screamed into the empty room. Resolving not to do a thing until shereceived some sort of explanation, she turned her back on the doorways and satsquarely on the floor. She received no reply to her outburst, only heard thesound of sand falling as one of the doorways dissolved. She tried to ignore ituntil she saw a familiar blue light emanating from beyond it. With adesperation she didn’t know she harboured she leapt to her feet and turned tothe door. A rippling pool of blue light stood beyond it, embedded into thefloor beneath. Home. I can go home! The thought raced through her headas she stepped unbelieving toward the door. Dertrik, Claire, Erik, they areall just beyond this door frame. There is no choice to make. She was right,there was no choice to make. When the other door opened and she saw what wasbehind it, she never even hesitated. She left behind the blue light and ranshaking into the other room. The door closed behind her. Malik hung suspendedabove the ground, bound by thousands of silver threads. His unconscious framedripped droplets of red blood into a pool on the ground below.

“Whathave you done?” she cried out to the invisible captor, racing to Malik andpulling at the bonds that held him. At her touch the threads disentangledthemselves and Malik slipped into her outstretched hands and the two of themcollapsed to the floor.

CradlingMalik in her arms she assessed the damage that had been inflicted upon him. Shesaw long gashes torn into his arms and upper torso, all caked with dry blood.

“Theselook like they were inflicted by some sort of blade,” Reniko observed.

“Youare correct. Another creature entered the city moments after you. We detectedits presence but did not realize its hostility until it engaged your friend inbattle. We detained it immediately. Examination of our records shows no filespertaining to such a creature. I will project an image of this creature to you.Please clarify so we can add the information to our records.” A small hologramhovered above Malik’s unconscious frame. It was Kruok.

“That’sa Rük. How could you not know what that creature is?”

“Rükis not a current word we have in our records, please clarify.”

“ARük, that creature you just showed me, its species name is Rük. They ruleVespen.”

“Error,the Levanith rule Vespen.”

“Idon’t have time to dispute this with you. Malik needs help.”

“Willyou answer all our questions if this man is taken care of?” the hologram asked.

“IfI can, yes.”

“Youhave passed inspection, we will comply. One moment please.” The hologram girlflickered and vanished, leaving Reniko alone with Malik. Moments later a loudwhirring sound began overhead and Reniko was momentarily blinded as a brightflash filled the room making the air sizzle with energy.

“Encodingactivated,” she heard the child’s voice say as it flickered back intoexistence.

Renikoturned to the image and was about to speak when she felt a strange tinglingsensation in her arm. Looking at her exposed arm she tracked the sensation asit pooled into the back of her hand. Curious and somewhat worried as she feltthe tingling grow rapidly into warmth, she grabbed her hand.

“Whatdid you –” she stopped as the warmth turned to fire. Something was being burnedinto her skin from the inside. Biting her lip to hold back the scream of painthat was locked underneath, she watched as a symbol formed in black on the backof her hand. When it was complete she realized she now wore the symbol of theLevanith. With the process complete the pain vanished, though she still lookedat the hologram with blazing anger.

“Whatthe hell was that?” She screamed rubbing her hand to make sure that the symbolwas the only change her hand had sustained. A sudden stir from where Malik layon top of her made her forget her question. When she looked down she lookedinto the golden eyes of Malik.

“You’reawake!” she cried.

“You’realive!” he said in return. The two of them began laughing with relief andReniko noticed that the lacerations that Malik had borne had vanished, leavingbehind nothing but dried blood.

“Areyou satisfied?” the hologram asked attaining Malik’s attention.

“Shayrah?”he asked, dumbfounded.

“Negative.I am a holographic projection that has taken the form of the child from yourmemory. My purpose is to serve as a humanoid reference of contact.”

“Inother words she’s not real,” Reniko said running her hand through theholographic image. “Who is Shayrah?”

“Mysister,” Malik said, his eyes clouded.

“Ihave a few questions of my own, before I answer yours,” Reniko said to the childShayrah.

“Youhave satisfied us, we will consent. Please follow us, we will show you to amore suitable dwelling.” A door slid open opposite the one Reniko had entered,and standing, both Malik and Reniko followed the holographic Shayrah. As theywalked, Malik and Reniko talked.

“Whathappened?” Malik asked.

“Iwas about to ask you the same thing. All I remember after I fell was waking upsuspended in the middle of a circular room. Then I found you.”

“Wellafter you disappeared into the ground, it reformed and the barrier vanished. AsI was looking for a way to get down to you, and replace out what happened, I raninto Kruok.” Malik looked down at his arms and his torso, astonished to replace nowounds.

“Ithink that hologram, or whatever she is, healed you. I’m not sure how. But itwas about the same time that your wounds were healing that I gained this,”Reniko said showing Malik the Levanith tattoo. Malik grabbed her hand in hisand noticed he too shared the same tattoo.

“Wellthat’s interesting,” he said examining his own hand instead of Reniko’s.

“Thatmark enables you to have passage inside this city as well as any other Levanithcity,” the holographic Shayrah said.

“Soit’s permanent?” Reniko asked.

“It’sbeen encoded into your genetic structure.”

Renikoshuddered at the thought. She didn’t like to think that this hologram wasplaying with her genetic code. I guess that would explain the injection.Whatever was in that cocktail not only healed Malik but also gave us this newdecoration.

“Isthat a yes?” Malik asked. Reniko nodded in return.

Astheir conversation came to a close they entered into an apartment. The hologrampaused in the foyer. “We have provided you with new clothing. We thought itwould be necessary for you both to have sustenance and rejuvenation. With yourpermission we will extrapolate all the information we need to fill in the lossin our records.”

“Loss?”

“Ourrecords are only complete until the year 950 LE. All information after thistime period has been damaged.”

“950LE?” Reniko looked to Malik for an explanation.

Malikshrugged in response. “The only dates I have ever heard are those that the Rükkeep. In their keeping it’s about 1001 RE. I have no idea what she is talkingabout.”

“Thistime system does not compute. In keeping with the Levanith records, the year todate would be 2050 LE, Month 5, day 7, hour 4, minute 36, second 12 andcounting.”

“Sothat would mean what? That you’re missing 1100 years?” Reniko calculated.

“Thatis correct. Contact with Tordaskar was severed in 1050 LE and the city abovewas destroyed prior to this date. Contact was severed before we could rebuildour memory.”

“Cityabove?” Malik asked.

“Thereare two levels to the city of Reflaydun: the city above and the city below. Anoccurrence between the dates of 950 LE and 1050 LE destroyed the city above.Most of our memory and archives are in the city below. What remained in thecity above was decimated.”

“Butthe city is fine,” Reniko interjected.

“Wehave had one thousand years to rebuild.”

“Yourebuilt all of that without the Levanith?” Malik asked.

“Itwas our prime objective. Now that it is complete we await orders from theLevanith.”

“TheLevanith were all killed a thousand years ago.”

“Thisinformation corresponds with our timeline, we accept this as fact.”

“Youdidn’t know?” Malik asked.

“Negative.”

Malikput his head in his hands. “So much for replaceing out how to get rid of the Rük.”

“Oursensors indicate you both need rejuvenation. We will resume our exchangeafterwards. Please enjoy our hospitality.”

“Thankyou,” Reniko whispered.

“Onemore request. May we have permission to extrapolate the information that werequire to repair our database?”

Maliklooked at the hologram. “What do you mean?”

“Youhold information we require. It is easier for us to extrapolate it directlywhile you are both in standby.” Malik looked puzzled.

“Ithink she means that while we are sleeping they would like to copy ourmemories.”

“Thatis correct.”

“Youcan take it regardless of what we say, can you not?” Malik asked.

“Thatis correct, however we will not do so without your permission. It is not in ourparameters to go against the will of Levanith marked.”

“Igive you my permission,” Malik said.

Renikohesitated. “I don’t think my memories will help you rebuild your archives. I’m notfrom Vespen. All my memories are of Earth.”

“Allinformation is of consequence. We would appreciate your contribution.”

“Whatare you afraid of, Reniko?” Malik asked.

Everything.I just gave up my chance of going home and I have no idea where my life isheaded anymore. And you are far too trusting of the Levanith, Malik. “Youhave my permission,” she finally said.

“Yourcooperation is appreciated. Please, let me show you to your rooms.”

Theywere led each to their own room. To Reniko’s amazement the rooms closelyresembled those that she had on Earth. The beds no longer housed mattresses ofstraw and the walls were not of plain stone or brick but were lined withfabrics of rich gold and purple. Laid out on the bed was a nightgown. Realizingshe was sorely in need of a change from the torn and bloodstained clothing shewore, she quickly shut the door only to notice that there was a steaming bathgoing in the bathroom at the far end of the room. Striding quickly to thebathroom she stripped bare and slipped into the soothing bath water. She gaveher body a thorough scrub leaving her body clean and the bath water a travelworn mess. Shaking her wet locks, she made her way back into the bedroom andslipped the nightgown over her head. She slid between the covers of the bed andsank into an almost instantaneous sleep.

Malikentered his room and shut the door, his ritual nearly the same as Reniko’s.Only his thoughts dwelled on the conversation he had had with his sister’slook-alike. It was devastating to realize that this city didn’t hold theanswers he was looking for. To think that all the information that this cityhad about the Rük was what it found in Malik’s head was distressing. I’vecome all this way for nothing. Sinking into a reverie of self-doubt Malikslinked into his bed and began his descent into unconsciousness.

Theyboth awoke disoriented. Reniko had never felt more violated. She remembered thenight, remembered reliving all her memories in brief flashes that seemed likelifetimes. It was the last memory that the guardians had sifted through thatmade Reniko awaken with a start. Something she didn’t really remember, and asshe sat there trying to hold onto the memory, she felt it slipping away again.It reawakened an old fear. She had been in a very small room and she had beengasping for breath. She couldn’t replace a way out, only endless darkness and noone heard her. The memory terrified her. Rubbing her head in frustration shepeeled back the covers and sighed. Despite the invasion of her mind, she didfeel rested, more-so than she had felt in all the time she had spent on Vespen.When she finally glanced around the room she saw that the mess of torn clothesshe had left on the bathroom floor had been removed. Imako sat on a dressernear the end of the bed, next to a new set of clothing. She was startled to seethat the clothes set out for her were ones she had seen before. When Malik hadfirst taken her to Cabitora a scarlet dress had been amongst the gifts she hadreceived in that city so many kilometers away, yet here it sat neatly on thedresser. It was impossible for it to be here, yet there it was.

“Wehave modified it slightly. It will be most comfortable in both warm and coldweather,” the hologram said as she appeared in the bedroom beside Reniko.

“Wheredid you get this?” Reniko asked picking up the dress and noting that where thesleeves were attached to the shoulder a black fabric now pooled out, unlike itscounterpart in Cabitora, which had left the gap bare.

“Wesaw it in one of your memories and recreated it. It seemed a sensible piece ofwardrobe, according to what we have seen of Vespen from your memories as wellas your male friend’s.”

“Iwould have preferred to wear pants,” Reniko replied.

“Wehave agreed that it would not be suitable. It would cause too much attention tobe drawn once you have left our city. Being from Earth, this attention would begreatly unwanted, especially seeing as the Rük are trying to locate you. Wehave agreed that you must comply on this point.”

Aknock at her door halted the conversation.

“Reniko,are you awake?”

“Yes,I’ll be out in a moment Malik.”

Renikoturned back to the dress and with a resolute sigh began to put it on. Onceclothed in the fabrics, she was quite comfortable. This isn’t near asencumbering as that dress I wore from Cabitora to Savonly. I could get used tothis. Quickly combing her hair and twining it into her familiar braid sheslipped back on her boots, strapped Imako onto her back, and carrying her cloakin hand headed into the dining room.

Maliksat there in a duplicate of the outfit he had worn the previous day, minus thejagged tears that Kruok’s chakram had left behind. He waited patiently beforethe meal that was spread on the table.

Theholographic Shayrah appeared as Reniko entered the room. As she set down hercloak and sword and seated herself in front of the spread the hologram begantalking.

“Wecompiled the food according to your memories. We haven’t hosted organic beingsfor some time, so please let us know if anything is inaccurate.”

Renikolooked at the table before her and smiled. Right before her was a large pizza.It brought back fond memories of home. She and Dertrik, after long nights oftraining, would always go back to his manor and stay up late watching horrormovies with Erik despite Claire’s protests. In the morning, instead of having awholesome breakfast, they would eat whatever pizza was left over from the nightbefore. She had always loved leftover pizza for breakfast.

Shegrabbed a slice and laughed. Breaking the fast, she began to ask the questionsthat had been plaguing her since the previous night.

“Whathas happened to Kruok?”

“Shehas been most uncooperative. We have forcibly extracted the information werequired from her. Most of her memories have dealings with you. We do not thinkyou comprehend the gravity of your situation.”

“Whatdo you mean?” Malik asked.

“Kruokis no longer the only one looking for you. According to her memories, the lasttime she contacted her lord, Orborok, he was not pleased with her. He hasordered her execution for failing to attain you. Kruok’s life now depends onbringing you back to Orborok. Her lord has now made the hunt for you morepublic. By now most cities on Edonal Eclith will know of you. A reward had beenissued for whoever captures you alive. Orborok will stop at nothing to haveyou.”

“Whatdoes the Lord Orborok know about me?” Reniko asked. She put down her food, herappetite lost.

“Heknows you are from Earth. I think it may be the only reason they have issued acapture instead of a death sentence. These creatures, they know no mercy.”

Maliklit up suddenly. “You’ve taken information from Kruok right?’

“Thatis correct.”

“Maybeyou can tell me, is there a way to destroy them? To rid Vespen of them?”

“Fromthe knowledge we have acquired from this Rük, we have nothing more to tell youthan what you already know. A more thorough study of the species would have tobe done before we could offer you a complete analysis. We advise that you seekout the information located in Tordaskar. Their records may be more completethan our own.”

Malikshook his head. “There aren’t any archives in Tordaskar.”

“Thatis incorrect. An archive library was constructed there. Access is limited. Nowthat you have the Levanith mark, access may be granted.”

“Iknow that city through and through, I’ve never seen any sealed buildings.”

“Thecastle harbours one entrance and the other is located in the cliff face onlyaccessible by air. I assure you the archives are there.”

“Ican’t go back there,” Malik whispered.

“Noone is going to make you go back there,” Reniko said. “If it pains you so much,we’ll replace another way.

“WereReflaydun and Tordaskar the only two places that the Levanith left archives?”Reniko asked trying to ease Malik’s pain.

“Fharlasinaholds an archive memory on Raet Serac, as well as the capital Sentralon.”

“Sentralon?I’ve never heard of that,” Malik said.

“Sentralonis the Levanith capital. Located on the Isle of Sentralon. Currently the onlyway to locate Sentralon is to gather the coordinates from all three continentalcapitals, Fharlasina on Raet Serac, Ire on Mo’an Delar and Reflaydun on EdonalEclith. However due to events unclear in our archives, the city of Ire wasdestroyed. Tordaskar has therefore been made Mo’an Delar’s continental capital.If you wish we could give you our piece of the information.”

“Whywas the location of Sentralon hidden?” Reniko asked.

“Thatinformation has been damaged.”

“Ifit was the Levanith capital, it was probably hidden so the Rük wouldn’t be ableto locate it,” Malik supplied.

“Itdoesn’t matter. We don’t need to go to Sentralon. The archives at Fharlasinashould provide us with what we need,” Reniko said.

“Thatis correct. However, Sentralon is the only location with an active wormhole.”

“Wormwhat?” Malik asked. Reniko froze. She knew what that meant. It meant that goingto Sentralon was the only way for her to get home.

“Butwhat about that light? That pool of light in the room?” Reniko asked. Maliklooked at her confused.

“Weare sorry for the deception, however it was deemed necessary. We have not had aworking portal since 950 LE when the Levanith issued that all worm holes toEarth be severed due to the influx of alien residents on Vespen.”

“Excuseme?” Malik and Reniko both asked.

“Humanlife forms did not originate on Vespen. All humans on Vespen today aredescendants from Earth immigrants.” Malik’s mind reeled with information. Humansare all from Earth?

“Sohumans are just as foreign to Vespen as the Rük are? That means that we have noright to be here,” Malik said.

“Thatis incorrect. Although the Levanith, Teoko, Le’a’to and unicorns are the onlyspecies native to Vespen, the humans were invited to live on Vespen. You maynot be native, but after eleven hundred years your species has just as muchclaim to Vespen as the Levanith do,” the hologram replied.

“She’sright Malik. The Levanith wanted you here. The Rük however, were uninvited,”Reniko supplied.

“Butthe goddess, the prophecy? They were not meant for humans, not if we are not creaturesof the goddess’ land. What does that mean?”

“Thisgoddess you speak of, no record of her exists in our archives. I wonderhowever, if you know what the Levanith looked like?”

“Whereis this going?” Reniko asked.

“Pleaseanswer our question,” the hologram replied.

“No,no one knows what the Levanith looked like. There is nothing anywhere thatshows their form,” Malik said.

“Letme please take the form of the last recorded queen of the Levanith, Shyma ofSentralon born in 221 LE. The leader of Vespen Free from 310 LE until ourrecords end.”

Theresemblance was unmistakable. The wings extended gracefully from her back, theperfect depiction of an angel. She so much resembled the statue that there wasno doubt in Reniko’s mind that this being, Shyma, had given life to the goddessShyla. The goddess so long worshiped was one of the Levanith that had vanishedfrom Vespen, destroyed completely by the Rük a thousand years ago.