Call of Descent -
Chapter Forty
“Youcan let her up, Jekkah. I doubt very much the angel will fly away,” the blackRük said as Jekkah eased his rough grip on Reniko. Reniko lurched to her feet, heranger blazing. Who was this Rük to think that she would just stand around andwait for him to take her? She was about to take flight when she noticed thatMalik was clutched in the black Rük’s grip. Reniko hesitated. The black Rükgrinned at her maliciously.
“Seemsto me that you were right, Orborok,” the Rük said as a circle of Rük formedaround Reniko. Reniko spotted Orborok at the black’s right hand and wentforward toward him, venom in her eyes.
“Whatdo seek, my pet?” Orborok spoke as he glanced toward Malik who the black Rükthrew roughly into the circle. Reniko stopped her advancement and went to Malikwho was struggling to his feet.
“Itseems that you are intent to be my prize,” the black Rük said leaning down tocaress Reniko’s face. She flinched at the gesture.
“Iam no thing’s prize,” Reniko said. The Rük just smiled.
“Isee you carry the same fire in you that your mother once held, Shylaya. Shedied with that fire in her eyes. So noble,” the Rük mocked. “You know, I onceheld you in my arms long ago. I thought you had eluded me forever and here youare just as pretty as ever. Imagine my surprise when I went in search of anEarthling and found you instead, the little Levanith princess that escaped meso long ago. A thousand years was not too long to wait for this prize.”
“Whoare you?” Reniko asked as she looked into the eyes of the Rük, her fear growingwith each passing moment. He was even taller than Orborok, close to twelve feetwith his legs fully extended.
“Sucha sad thing to hear that my impression on you was not as lasting as the one youleft on me. I am Trokar, Princess, Lord of Vespen.”
Trokar.The name rang in Reniko’s head like a lance. Trokar. The name of her mother’smurderer. The Vespen enslaver and the conquering warlord who showed no mercy,exterminating her people with no regard. Trokar. The name to all of hersuffering.
“Howcan that be?” Reniko asked to herself.
“Child,you may live long, but I will always live longer. What I have lived of my lifehas been only a handful of what I will see. It will be my pleasure to spendmost of the years I have left with you by my side.”
“Iwould die before I would stand at your side,” Reniko said. Trokar nodded hishead and Reniko felt arms grab her from behind, pulling her from Malik’s side tostand near Trokar. Reniko watched as a pair of white Rük grabbed Malik, whobarely had strength enough to stand. He seemed to be in and out ofconsciousness, his will to protect Reniko the only thing keeping him fromdarkness.
“Death?Death I’m afraid was never an option, not for you anyhow. I may hold exceptionsfor others, however. Do you wish me to release your friend from the pain ofthis world?” Trokar said as he walked away from Reniko and extended hisgleaming claws toward Malik’s neck.
“No,leave him,” Reniko screamed pressing her captors trying to reach for Malikbefore Trokar did. He stopped at her outburst and smiled once again, a smileReniko was coming to loath.
“No?Of course not. You would not think to play with the life of someone you love sodear. What would you offer, in exchange for his life?” Trokar asked.
“Whyare you playing with me so? I have nothing to offer. You hold all the cardshere.”
“Ihold all the cards? I do, don’t I. That must mean his life is forfeit to me,”Trokar said and advanced once again on Malik.
“Please,”Reniko pleaded, tears running trails down her face, “ask anything of me and Iwill do it without protest.”
Trokarstopped and smiled. “Of course you will.”
Renikofelt her captors release her and she slumped to the ground. “What do you ask ofme?”
“Iask, Princess, that you pledge your life to me,” Trokar said his voice hot onReniko’s neck. Reniko tensed, frozen in place unable to speak the words. Theyare just words.
“Yourloyalty, Milady, or his death,” Trokar spoke again when Reniko failed torespond.
Renikolooked to Malik who was conscious and looking at her pleadingly.
“Don’tReniko,” Malik said, the only words he could choke out.
“Forgiveme,” she whispered and bowed her head, “I pledge… I pledge to kill you by myown hand.” Reniko was to her feet as Trokar fell off his. In one bound she wasin the air above them as they all scrambled to get to where she had just been.The two that had been holding Malik were staring at her as the other twoscrambled to help Trokar who was screaming with rage. Reniko took the disorderto her advantage and dove at the nearest Rük holding Malik and took him to theground before he had time to react. The other, a female, let her grip on Malikfall and Malik wrenched free, fleeing to the woods. He turned just in time tosee the white Rük advance on Reniko and pierce her poisoned filled claws intoher soft flesh. Malik hesitated and took two steps back toward Reniko. Renikolooked at him, her eyes fierce.
“Leave.Run. They had us Malik, they had us. We will both live this way. Leave me. Livefor me.” And with that she was limp on the ground, no more a resistance to theRük that held her. Malik hesitated for only a moment longer, long enough forOrborok and the other gray Rük to catch sight of him. Not waiting to see ifthey would pursue, he fled into the concealing foliage of the woods, hoping thefalling leaves would obscure his position. The goddess forgive me, heprayed as he ran.
Malikwalked blindly through the woods. Night had fallen some time ago, but he seemednot to have noticed at all. He was walking numb, hardly able to believe what hehad just lived through. Stumbling, he finally sat on a fallen tree exhausted.Footsteps in the distance roused him from his shock. He stood up from the treenoticing a light, and heard a shout.
“Malik?”the voice asked.
“Dertrik?”Malik replied.
Dertrikstepped into view. Rimca and Ryne were only steps behind him.
“Renikowas taken,” Malik said and suddenly with those words said, the strength wentout of him. The beating he had endured earlier that day now came upon him fullforce and he slumped to the ground as Rimca advanced on him.
“Weknow,” Rimca said.
“Whatof Orric, does he live? I feared his death when I saw Brium’s lifeless body onthe cliff edge.” Malik asked.
“He’salive and well. He was the one that helped us replace you,” Rimca said she hadopened a case and was tending to Malik’s wounds by the light that Dertrik heldaloft.
“Howdid you escape the cliff?” Malik asked Rimca.
“Itried for a long time to get up the cliff without the aid of Reniko’s ropes butit would have been my death. Once you had fled and the Rük took Reniko acrossOcean’s Wall, I made my way back to the archives. I dug most of the rubble outof the vertical shaft and when I found a machine that could lift me to the topI entered it. I actually made quite a mess in the castle,” Rimca said. “Orrichad brought Ryne and Dertrik back to the castle, they were both badly hurt. Idon’t know why we didn’t take weapons out there. We were all so foolish.”
“Itcost us too dearly,” Malik replied wincing as Rimca applied some salve to hiswounds.
“Malik,there were too many, there was nothing you could have done,” Dertrik said.
“Renikosaid, before they took her, that she freed me so that we could both live. Idon’t remember much of the encounter, only that there was a Rük the likes ofwhich I had never seen, a black Rük.”
“Renikoasked us about a black Rük when we were in the archives,” Rimca said.
“Doyou think they will kill her?” Malik asked.
“Idon’t think they will,” Dertrik said. “If you have never seen the likes of himbefore, than this black Rük must be their leader. He’ll want Reniko alive, formore reasons than one, I presume.”
“Whatdo you know of this?” Malik asked.
“Onlystories passed from generation to generation. We never committed much of ourhistory to writing on Earth. What I do know is that a Rük that went by the nameof Trokar killed Reniko’s family.”
“Doyou think this Trokar still lives?” Malik asked.
“Idon’t know the life span of the Rük, but it’s safe to say that he is,” Dertriksaid.
“I’lldo whatever it takes to replace her,” Malik said. “We’re her only hope now.”
Days,weeks, months, Reniko couldn’t judge how much time had passed. She onlyremembered the endless flight across Ocean’s Wall and then nothing, a grayhaze. Dreams no longer visited her, and when she reached for Orric, all she gotwas a large empty void. Once, and only once, she had heard a voice. A maliciousvoice. Jekkah’s voice. He was blocking her way to Orric and she didn’t have thestrength to resist. She was in a strangely familiar room now. It was a sterilewhite, washed in the brilliance of light. She felt cold steel beneath her. Herhands were restrained, though she knew she lacked the strength to move, letalone resist. She did not realize that she was not alone until the white Rükmoved toward her as the door to the room opened. She noticed a needle in thefemale’s hand and she suddenly remembered that. She had been injected manytimes over on her trip here, to keep her in the haze she felt now. She movedslightly trying to resist even though she knew it was futile. Orborok andTrokar walked into her view, as well as the white Rük.
“AwakeI see,” Trokar said.
Renikoblinked in response, she was too weak to talk.
“Giveher a few more hours, I wish to hear her scream ring through my palace. Sedatedshe may not feel the extent of her violation.” Reniko wished with all her heartthat she could spit upon the face that loomed over her. They vanished and shewas left in the room, this time, completely alone.
Malikscanned through the records that scrolled before him on the screen; he wastired, but fought the sleep, which threatened to overtake him. It had been tendays, ten excruciating days, since Reniko had been taken by the Rük, Trokar,and Malik had slept little of that time, despite the protests of his friendsand Reniko’s mentor, Dertrik. He couldn’t. He couldn’t just do nothing. Hepushed away from the screen for the seventh time that day, rubbing his eyesfrom the strain. Rimca sat back from her console, as did Dertrik and Ryne.
“Anything?”Malik called trying to avert the attention from him.
“Ican’t seem to locate the thread that Reniko was following, there was too muchinformation.” Dertrik said, “It would be so much easier if you and Rimca couldsearch as well.”
“Theredoesn’t seem to be any way to bypass the security that locks out the Vespiantext. Reniko tried and couldn’t, I don’t think any of us could do better.”
“Whatabout Reflaydun?” Rimca asked. “It has access to Tordaskar now. Would thehologram be willing to help?”
“Imust be daft if I have not thought of that,” Malik said rushing to the consolethat still held the Reflaydun sphere cradled inside of it.
“AccessReflaydun,” Malik commanded. The hologram of Shyma flicked into view somemoments later.
“Howmay we be of service master Malik?” the hologram asked.
“Renikowas taken by the Rük and we can’t filter through the Tordaskan archives fastenough. We could use your help replaceing what Reniko last accessed here.”
“Weare unable to comply with this function,” the hologram said.
“Whynot?” Malik asked.
“Ourinterface with the Tordaskan archives is limited. You will have to ask thecomputer itself to help you.”
“Wecan’t, it doesn’t interface like you do,” Malik said.
“Yes,we agree. The interfacing capabilities are limited in that facility. If youwould come back to Reflaydun we could give you whatever relevant information wehave on the Rük.”
“Thereis no time for that,” Malik said.
“Maybewe have been going about this the wrong way,” Rimca suddenly said. Malik turnedto look at her.
“Whatdo you mean?”
“Insteadof back tracking Reniko’s research maybe we should be trying to figure outwhere the Rük took her.”
“That’swell and good, Rimca, and it’s not like I haven’t been looking into that, butwe have to know how to defeat the Rük before we can traipse into theirstronghold.”
“Renikowas looking for a way to avert a war, right,” Rimca said. Malik nodded. “Wellthe last thing she said was if you had ever heard of a black Rük. So obviouslythis Trokar is the key to averting a war. He now has Reniko. So we replace him, wereplace Reniko, and Reniko seemed to think that replaceing Trokar would mean no war.”
“Sowe need to figure out where this black Rük is hiding?”
“Itcan’t be Mo’an Delar or Edonal Eclith or we would have known about him beforethis. What about Raet Serac?” Dertrik asked.
“No,I’ve spent time on Raet Serac, I have never heard anything about a black Rükthere,” Rimca replied.
“Whatdoes that leave us with?” Ryne asked.
“Sentralon,”Malik said.
“Sentralon?”Rimca echoed, “of course. No one knows where Sentralon is. If no one has seenTrokar before now than that would be where he is located.”
Malikwent to the console. “Give me all relevant data on Sentralon,” he ordered.
Thescreen lit up with one object. Malik opened it and revealed one small string ofdata. “This is useless,” Malik said.
Dertriklooked over his shoulder at the screen. “Not quite. It’s incomplete but notuseless.”
“Youknow what this means.”
“It’sthe latitude,” Dertrik stated.
“Maliklooked at it, “Of course it is.” The string of numbers suddenly made sense tohim now.
“It’sstill useless,” Rimca said, “without the longitude we have a lot of ground tocover. Not to mention we have no idea whether the latitude shown here matcheswith the same latitude today. This was made a thousand years ago by a lostcivilization. I doubt the maps have stayed the same.”
“Wehave another piece of this puzzle,” Malik said. Turning to the computer hespoke a command, “download information to the data sphere.” Moments later thehologram from Reflaydun flickered to life.
“Youhave found another piece of the map,” it said.
“Showus the combined data,” Malik said. The hologram flickered and died and wasreplaced by two lines of text.”
“Wehave longitude and latitude,” Dertrik said, “well done lad.”
“Westill lack the reference point. We need the actual map,” Rimca said.
“It’sat Fharlasina,” Malik said.
“Fharlasina?On Raet Serac?” Rimca asked.
“Yes,”Malik replied.
“Thatshall be our next destination,” Dertrik said, slapping Malik on the back as heremoved the data sphere from the cradle on the console, “but first we rest. Wewill make travel plans tomorrow.”
Renikowas aware, much more than she wished to be. She had struggled for the last hourto free herself from the bonds that held her down, but her efforts yielded nofruit. When she heard the hiss as the pressurized air inside the room wasdisturbed by the opening of the door, she knew something terrible was going tohappen. Trokar, Orborok, and the white Rük, Agger, stepped into the room. Aggerwent over to a small console that was set to one side of the room while Orborokand Trokar proceeded to where Reniko lay.
“Isee you have come back to yourself once again, Princess,” Trokar said. Renikoglared at him and did in fact get to spit on his smug face. He wiped it awaywith a severe glare.
“Youwill soon learn some respect for your Lord,” Orborok said.
“Whateveryou have planned to do to me, it will never work,” Reniko said.
“Wewill see,” Trokar said. Agger reappeared carrying a syringe. Reniko noticed itwas not filled with the same slightly pink liquid it had been previously;instead it held what looked a lot like a mercurial liquid. Reniko flinched.
“Thepain you feel will be more than a lifetimes worth, but you will live,” Trokarsaid.
“Swell,”Reniko said in English. Trokar raised an eye at her.
“Wouldyou care to know what it is you will be enduring for the next few days?”Orborok asked. He was taking as much pleasure in this as Trokar.
“Idon’t really have a choice. So please, enlighten me on my fate,” Reniko saidwith bitter humour lacing her words.
Orborokgrinned, but it was Trokar who responded. “This technology was created on my homeplanet, Druagg. Its sole target is the brain. Once injected into your system itcan never be removed. Its purpose, Princess, is to rewrite memory.” Renikotensed as Agger handed the syringe to Trokar.
“Wouldyou care to do the honours, my Lord?” Agger asked.
“Itwill be my pleasure to break this spirit,” Trokar said and took the syringethat was offered and looked at it and back at Agger. “This will hardly do.Surely she will need a higher dosage.” Reniko’s heart was racing as shestruggled against her bonds. Orborok was the sole observer of her torment andhe relished it.
“Youhave brought me great things, Reniko. When this is done, I will reward you,”Orborok whispered into her ear. His torment froze Reniko like ice.
“Starttoo big and it may kill her,” Agger said to Trokar who nodded and proceededtoward Reniko.
Trokarhovered over her head the syringe held delicately in his hands.
“Pleasedon’t do this,” Reniko begged. Her body tensed as Trokar advanced. She inhaledsharply knowing that the pain she would feel would live up to Trokar’smalicious words.
“Itwould take all the pleasure out of my day if I could not watch you suffer,”Trokar replied. Reniko felt a pressure at her temple and seconds later hotlances shot from the end of the syringe. Reniko’s scream did ring through thebuilding, to the very delight of her captors.
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