Call of Descent
Chapter Thirty-One

Malik’sshouts had awoken Reniko from her mental chaos only to replace herself in a stateof panic as she realized she was free-falling toward the earth below. Shelooked up at Orric and saw that he was making his way down to her. Jekkah, whocaught him in the side and sent him spinning in the air, however, thwarted hisefforts. She heard Rimca scream as she was tossed about on the end of her ropeand she watched Malik clinging helplessly to Orric’s back trying to keep fromending up in Rimca’s same position. I’m on my own, Reniko thought. She lookeddown at the closing gap. I’m going to die. Too terrified to scream, shejust watched as the ground came steadily closer. Her view, however, wassuddenly obstructed by cloth as a guest of wind sent her cloak flying into herface. My cloak, of course! Untangling the fabric from her body, shegrasped the fabric firmly in one hand and unlatched the clasp that held itaround her neck. Grabbing all four ends of the fabric, she let it billow fullof air. Please let it hold, she prayed just as her body came to athundering halt, her arms burning with fire from the sudden decrease in speed.Trying to keep her hold despite the amount of pain that was searing through herarms, she opened her eyes and glanced up. The fabric was under a lot of stress,but was still holding. Her descent was no longer life threatening, but herposition was still undesirable. When she again glanced down, the ground wasmuch closer, so close in fact, that she could see the treetops of the forestbelow dancing in the wind. A few minutes later, her feet were grazing thosetreetops and she was amongst them, her cloak no longer offering the support sheneeded. With a terrified cry, she fell, crashing through the trees and landedbruised and broken on the forest floor.

“Rimcastop screaming,” Orric said as Rimca bounced against his side.

“I’msorry, but I’m a little afraid of heights,” Rimca said as she scrambled for anysort of hold and replaceing none went sailing once again through the air as Jekkahmade another attack.

“Whaton Vespen are you doing on my backside?” Orric asked as he narrowly doggedJekkah sending Rimca bouncing around once again.

“Itwas either ride on you or get raped by the Rük, I thought I had a better chanceon you,” she shouted angrily and began screaming as Jekkah nearly missed therope holding her securely to Orric.

Witha sudden jolt, Rimca felt her line ease upward and she scanned overhead andwatched as Malik laboured with her rope. He had loosened the leeway on his ownand as Orric continued to evade Jekkah’s offense he found it easy to help Rimcaback to her seat.

WhenRimca was finally seated again and her rope shortened, she finally stoppedscreaming.

“Thank-you,Malik, you saved my life,” she said. Her chest was heaving with fright.

“Weare not out of this yet. Did you see what happened to Reniko while you weredown there?”

Rimca’simmediate reaction was to glare at Malik, however, when she saw his concernedlook, she sighed. “I was a little busy getting thrown about. I’m sure she’sfine. I think if she can survive falling from the sky once, twice shouldn’t bea problem. Why are we flying straight?” Rimca asked as she realized that thechaotic manoeuvres of evasion had suddenly stopped.

“BecauseOrborok’s true goal just fell into Trenasa Forest,” Orric replied.

“Wehave to replace her before they do,” Malik said.

“Fornow let’s just hope she survived,” Orric responded.

Raindropsspattering her face woke Reniko up. As she came back into consciousness, shefelt like she had experienced this once before.

“Pen?”she mumbled as she opened her eyes. However Penumbra was nowhere in sight andthe pain she now felt was testimony to the actuality that she was not in factin Sortaia Forest. Pointed spears greeted Reniko as she awoke, but she barelynoticed them, too concerned with the pain she felt radiating from her legs. Ithink they’re broken, she thought as she cried out in pain with eachmovement that she made. Spears? She finally registered, her eyes finallytaking in the full of her surroundings. Four spears hovered over her abdomen,four men with charcoal coloured skin stood behind them. Well at least somehumans on Vespen are armed.

“Whatsort of demon are you that you fall from the sky?” the man closest to Reniko’shead asked. His face hovered above Reniko’s as he glared down at her intently.

Didhe just speak in my native tongue? Reniko thoughtregistering the fact that the man had indeed spoken French. She replied assuch.

“Iam no demon, sir. I and my friends were passing overhead. I merely fell andlanded here.”

Theman looked shocked that Reniko had known what he had said and he gestured forhis men to stand down.

“Anywoman that can speak our tongue can only be friend. We will assist you in anyway we can.”

“Youhave my gratitude,” Reniko said. Wincing she added, “I think the fall hasbroken my legs.”

“Ithink you are right. We will take you back to our village. The women there willbe able to tend to your wounds. My name is Takka’nui, you may call me Takka.”

“I’mReniko Dorsalin, you may call me Reniko. I’m very pleased to meet you.”

Takkagestured for his men who came forward with a stretcher.

“Thatwas handy,” Reniko said and noticed that the stretcher was loaded down withanimal carcasses. They were hunting.

“Youwill tell me how you came to fall from the sky on our way back to my village,”Takka announced.

“It’sthe least I can do in payment for your kindness, though to be fair I have towarn you, it’s a rather long story.”

“Wellwe do have a long trek back to my village, so there is plenty of time.”

Nosooner was Reniko loaded onto the stretcher than Takka began questioning her.Reniko answered all of his questions openly, and because of her candour, Takkaanswered Reniko’s as well. She learned that Takka and his men were a huntingparty from a nearby village called Tresca. They were isolated in the woods anddealt little with outsiders. The Rük were known to them, but avoided. The Rükwere tough adversaries and although they had hunted and killed Rük in the past,they had stopped as killing one always brought many more and they were fiercercombatants than they liked. Takka had told her that their village was wellhidden, and that despite the Rük’s attempts to replace it they for many years theyhad been unable to locate it.

Wellhidden it was. No roads led to Tresca, merely game trails, which if not usedfrequently became overgrown. No one path was used to go to the village, insteadmany were. The surrounding area was overgrown, a natural wall of undergrowththat was virtually impenetrable unless you knew where to look. They carriedReniko to what she thought was the densest part of the enclosing bush only toreplace that her eyes had been deceived. It wasn’t until they were standingdirectly upon the entrance that she could see it, a weaving path through thebush. It took another few hours for them to reach the village and Takka hailedthe watchman closest telling him that they had an injured visitor and to alertthe medicine woman as well as the elders. The young boy in the tower compliedand took off into the trees. Reniko glanced around at the forest floor and sawno signs of habitation despite the sounds of life she heard all around her.

“Whereis your village that I can hear them but not see them?” Reniko asked.

“Lookup my child and you will see,” Takka replied. Reniko did so and as she gazedinto the tall trees around her she saw a village suspended and growing inamongst them. A real tree house, Reniko thought as they were hoistedinto the foliage up above.

“Whyhave you built your village so high above the ground?” Reniko asked as theirascent brought them hundreds of feet off the ground about midway up the trees,which still loomed high overhead.

“Whenthe rains start you will see,” Takka said.

“Whenthe rains start? When do the rains start?” Reniko asked.

“Anyday now. You were lucky you fell from the sky before the rains started or therewould have been no one out hunting or gathering to replace you.” Takka paused asthe lift reached its destination. “Welcome to my home Reniko, this is Trescavillage, home to my people.”

Renikolooked around the bustling treetop village and watched as the villagers allwent about their various duties, most of whom stopped to gaze at Reniko whostood out amongst the dark skinned people. A young man around the age ofthirteen caught Reniko’s attention as he came running through the crowd, hisobvious destination being Takka and herself.

“Takka’nui!”the boy shouted as he reached Takka’s side. Out of breath and clearly excited,he stopped only to inhale hurriedly. Ignoring Reniko completely, he rushed totell Takka his message. “Takka’nui I just came back from the elders, you’llnever believe what I saw up in the lookout tower. A dragon! Two dragonsactually, and they were fighting. I’ve never seen dragons fighting before.”

Renikolistened intently, there was no doubt that these people had origins from Earth,they were using the word dragon instead of Teoko.

“Youdidn’t happen to see what happened to these… dragons did you?” she saidstumbling over the word having been scolded by Orric the last time she had usedit.

Theboy finally turned his attention to Reniko and looked at her with completesurprise. “I’ve never seen a woman with such pale skin before.”

“Ican imagine,” Reniko replied, “the dragons, did you see what happened? Are theystill fighting?”

“Nothe fighting has stopped. The yellow one flew off toward something that fellfrom the blue one’s back, and the blue one raced in the opposite direction,deeper into the woods.”

“Whendid that happen?” Reniko asked confused that Orric would abandon her so.

“Nomore than few hours ago,” the boy said and suddenly his eyes widened. “You arewhat fell from the blue ones back, aren’t you?”

“Indeed,”Reniko said. She shifted her position slightly wincing from the pain thiscaused her.

“Youhave forgotten your manners,” Takka’nui interjected nudging the boy.

“Iam Usso. I am pleased to meet you, pale one from the sky,” Usso said bowingslightly.

“Youmay call me Reniko,” Reniko replied smiling slightly but not returning the bowfearing it would cause her more pain. Usso smiled and turned his attention backto Takka.

“Theelders are seeking you Takka. They will want to know about the pale one,” Ussohesitated looking at Reniko and added, “Reniko.”

Takkalooked hesitantly at Reniko and at the rest of his hunting party. “Bring her tothe elders' lodge, so they can see her condition before they try to turn heraway.” Reniko remained quiet as they traveled through the city toward theelder’s lodge. She was worried now, not only for what the elders would say toher staying here, but also for the danger she so obviously had brought uponthis peaceful village.

Theycarried her stretcher into the hut, leaving her in a small waiting area outsidethe elders' meeting room. Takka sat by her silently until he was summoned, andturning to her, he quickly gave her a small smile and began to leave. Hestopped as he reached the doorway and spoke to Reniko. “Your pouch isblinking,” he said and moved deeper into the building and out of Reniko’ssight.

“Mypouch is blinking?” Reniko repeated confused by Takka’s departing words untilshe noticed that there was indeed a light pulsing out from the pouch that wasstill securely tied around her waist. She glanced around the room and noticedthat only Usso had remained. Noticing her glance in his direction, and herobvious hesitation to open her pulsing pouch, he stood to leave.

“Tellme when you are done,” Usso said.

“Thank-you,”Reniko called out as the boy disappeared out the door leaving Reniko alone inrelative privacy. Opening the pouch, she dropped the glowing object in herhands. It was the sphere from Reflaydun which was glowing softly blue.

“Accessactive program,” Reniko said. Instantly the sphere opened and a pale glowingfigure emerged suspended in the air. It was the hologram in Shyma’s form onceagain.

“Wehave been trying to contact you for some time. When the sound alert failed toalert you we were troubled. Have you met with some misfortune?” the hologramasked.

“Wella lot has happened since we last talked, most of it misfortune, but right now Iseem to be in good hands, that is if they decide that I haven’t brought to muchtrouble with me.”

“They?Trouble?”

“Iseem to have found myself in a small village secluded in the woods, they callit Tresca. We have to be near the north end of the Trenasa woods, maybe nearTresca Lake, at least that was where we were when I fell.” Reniko added.

“Fell?”

“Ifell off Orric and landed not too softly on the ground below.”

“Haveyou sustained damage?” the hologram asked.

“Youcould say that. I think my legs are broken, maybe some ribs.”

“Areyou able to hold your arms out?”

“Ican, why?” Reniko asked.

“Wecan activate an internal scan if you get the sphere far enough away from yourbody, we’ll assess the damage and see what can be done.” Reniko held the sphereat arm’s length and felt the contents of it shift into place. After a fewminutes, a white light emanated from the sphere and worked its way slowly fromthe top of Reniko’s head to the tips of her toes. When it was done, the holographicShyma re-emerged.

“Thedamage is quite extensive, but reparable.” The hologram announced.

“Extensive?”Reniko quested.

“We’reafraid that both your legs are fractured in many places, and more than a fewribs have been broken. It also seems that there is some internal bleeding,” thehologram said analytically, which caused Reniko some panic. She didn’t like tohear that her wounds were so severe and it bothered her even more that thehologram was unable to show the emotion appropriate for the news she had justreceived. Survive the fall only to die from the wounds sustained.

“Idon’t think that these people are prepared to deal with those kinds of wounds,”Reniko said wincing from the pain her sudden agitation was creating.

“Wenever expected they would,” the hologram replied. “Boy,” the hologram saidsuddenly in French turning to face the doorway through which Usso had gone.Usso startled by this emerged from his hiding place and stepped into view.

“Iam sorry Reniko, I did not mean to listen in,” Usso said bowing his headashamed to look Reniko in the face.

“It’salright. Did you understand anything that was being said?” Reniko asked sinceher conversation with the hologram had been conducted in Vespian.

Ussoshook his head.

“Itdoes not matter,” the hologram interjected, “boy, if you would be so kind,could you please make sure that this woman receives food and water. She isgoing to be unconscious for a few days. However, it’s important that shereceive food and water during this time. Can you do this for us?”

Ussowas still looking curiously at the hologram, baffled by the appearance of sucha small person. However, he managed to nod his head in consent and raced offimmediately to replace the requested items.

“Unconscious?”Reniko asked when Usso had left.

“Doyou remember that flash of energy that healed Malik when you were inReflaydun?” Reniko nodded.

“Itwas an activation energy encoded with instructions for the nannites that weinjected into your blood stream. We have had them set as an immune booster. Wewill reset them now to work on the injuries you have sustained. They work withyour body, healing it faster, but this will also mean that you will need totake in many nutrients and fuel and your body will need to go into a state ofhibernation. You will be unconscious until the nannites have completed therepairs. When they are done, they will return to immune booster and you shouldwake.”

Renikostared dumbly at the hologram. “You injected machines into my blood? What elsecan they do?” Reniko asked suddenly frightened as to what would have happenedif she had chosen poorly in Reflaydun.

“Yes,we have injected machines into your bloodstream, however, do not be alarmed.The only function of these nannites is for medical purposes. They can do no harm.They only enhance your body’s natural defense and repair systems.”

“Whatabout the black mark on the back of my hand?” Reniko said defiantly.

“Thatwas accomplished by a chemical secreted into your blood stream that was chargedby the energy flash. It recoded your genetic structure in an accelerated form.Its sole purpose was to give you the Levanith mark that you now bear.” Renikolay down on the stretcher easing the pressure she had been exerting on herribs. Her ensuing silence confused the hologram.

“Wedo not understand the sudden silence, please elaborate.”

“Idon’t like that you are playing with my body. Who gave you permission to changemy genetic structure?”

“TheLevanith have given us such authority,” the hologram replied evenly.

“Apparentlythe Levanith were not the wonderful beings everyone on this planet thought themto be. They had no morals, messing with a person like they are nothing morethan a canvas to be worked.”

“Thereis no time to debate this,” the hologram said.

“I’mguessing I have no choice in this matter?” Reniko asked.

“Weare unable to allow a being to come to any harm, it’s in our programming.”

Renikonodded, “I guess I’ll give you my consent and be done with it.” With these lastwords an arch of energy shot from the sphere and hit Reniko in the chest.

“Activationcomplete,” she heard the hologram say as she slipped into unconsciousness.Reniko’s last thoughts were of Takka and how he was faring before the elders.Suddenly she was very afraid to awake from this slumber.