Call of Descent
Chapter Nineteen

Bythe time the two travelers had reached the cavern entrance, Deressy’s ship waslong gone and the two of them were drenched from the waist down with sprayingwater. Penumbra was no happier with the situation than Reniko was. His legs hadbeen exposed to the freezing water for over an hour with no relief and he madesure Reniko was aware of it.

“Stopcomplaining Penumbra. There is nothing I can do about it until we get to dryland. Until then you’ll just have to endure it. Besides, I didn’t ask you tocome along. You volunteered all on your own.”

Humansare no fun to argue with, was all that Penumbra said in reply.

Renikolooked at Malik and shrugged.

“Well,we’ve arrived anyway. No use arguing about it anymore.”

Penumbrareplied by running as fast as he could toward the entrance of the cave, all theway up into the mouth until he stood on dry ground. Malik was left behind,doused by the spray he had caused. Blaze trudged in not long afterward,waterlogged and displeased with the unicorn, which he promptly ignored.

“Yoursnobbery has caused even the horse to not like you, Pen,” Reniko said laughing.She jumped down from Penumbra and glanced around the low cavern they stood in.

“Itgoes steadily up from here. Doesn’t look like much light gets in here. I hopethis cavern is not too long or we’ll be left in the dark,” she said, as sheglanced into the engulfing darkness before them.

“Deressysupplied us with an oil lamp. It should last for a few days.”

“Ihave my torch as well, which should last us a few days. I just put freshbatteries in it before I went hiking that day so –” she stopped talking whenshe realized Malik had no idea what she was talking about. Instead she dugaround in her backpack until she found her torch, long, black and sleek.Flipping the switch she turned it on, sending a steady beam of white light intothe depths of the cavern.

“That’samazing I’ve never seen fire that never flickers.”

“Wellit’s not fire per se it’s actuallymade from a gas that lights up when heated. It uses electrical currents tofunction, which are supplied by the two fat round things that I insert into theback here.” Reniko tried to explain as she unscrewed the torch to show Malikthe batteries inside. “They have a limited supply, so it will stop working justlike your oil lamp will stop when all the oil is burnt.”

“Ican’t say that made much sense to me, but I’ll take your word for it. Itfunctions like my lamp?”

“Ina sense yes, but water won’t harm it, neither will wind.”

“Wellwe won’t have to worry about either of those in the cave, so let’s save your… torch?”Reniko nodded, “as a last resort.”

“Finewith me,” Reniko said repacking her torch as Malik attempted to light his lamp.

AsMalik struggled, Reniko examined the cavern walls more closely. Running herhand over the surface, she noticed the same unnatural quality she had seen inthe structure at Savonly. “The walls are so strange. All the shale has beenfused together, like something extremely hot made this tunnel. I’ve never seenanything like it, except at Savonly. Do you know what could do such a thing?” sheasked turning to Malik who had finally gotten the lamp burning brightly.

Malikshook his head and came to stand beside Reniko. He ran his hand over the smoothsurface, his expression just as puzzled as Reniko’s. “The walls at Savonly arelike this as well?”

“Younever noticed?”

“Ihave never stayed long enough there to really notice. I hope we don’t run intowhatever made these caverns. I doubt the encounter would be too friendly.”

“I’mnot sure it is a beast that made this. Maybe the Levanith created this. I meanif they could construct a way to travel from Vespen to Earth, digging throughrock couldn’t be all that hard for them.”

“Onemore question to replace the answer to, when we get to Reflaydun. Come on, I needto start moving. With no sun to dry us, we’ll have to hope enough movementwill.”

“Right.”Reniko grabbed her bag off the cold stone ground and followed Malik into thedepths of the cavern. Blaze followed closely behind leaving Penumbra in therear. As the small caravan traveled further into the cavern, it became apparentto Reniko that this place was used as some kind of road. It too closelyresembled the roads on Earth to be anything but. Malik took no notice of thesurroundings, only glancing from side to side looking for any side routes. Renikohowever was more interested in why there were no lights if this was in fact atunnel that was used in travel. Fishing once more in her backpack for her torch,she flicked it on, startling Malik.

“Whatare you doing?” Malik asked.

“Wellon Earth, we have tunnels similar to this. We use them to travel through incarriages. We always have some sort of illumination in the ones that are longenough that you cannot see the other end. I thought maybe this tunnel wouldhave the same.”

Renikoaimed the beam of light near the roof of the tunnel that towered high aboveher. To her utter amazement she saw sconces bordering the wall, all connectedto one another.

“Seeup there,” Reniko said pointing up. Malik looked up and nodded.

“Yes,but I don’t see how that will help us. They aren’t producing light now, and ifthe Levanith made them, they most likely have not been producing light for athousand years.”

Renikonodded. “Sorry, I was just satisfying my own curiosity.” She switched her lightof and shoved it back into her pack. Satisfied, Malik continued on.

Sometimeafter their clothing had finally dried out and their feet could no longer goforward, Reniko had taken to riding Penumbra, caught up in the stories thatMalik was weaving to stave off the eerie silence of the long dead road. She hadher own to add, though she ended up explaining things more than telling thestories and soon gave up the effort, resorting to comments such as: “it isbetter if you see it, I can’t really explain it otherwise.” Malik would just laughand they would move onto a less complicated topic. Malik had an unending amountof tales to tell about his travels with Orric, though she noticed he avoidedthe topic of his home.

“Sohow did you and Orric meet? I’ve heard of all you’ve done together but neverthat.”

Maliksmiled. “I don’t know what Orric thought of me when we met. I was only ten atthe time, impulsive and rash. I was supposed to be studying, but I had gottenbored with the endless lectures and had slipped away unnoticed, well not entirelyunnoticed. I ended up wandering to the edge of the city, which is surrounded bytall graceful trees. I actually had never been outside the city limits. Most ofthe children of the city aren’t allowed to wander past the city gates, I was noexception to this, and was amazed by the trees. The ones in the city never grewas tall as the ones bordering it, long, thick and swaying in a constant breeze.Anyway, I wandered too far into the forest and got lost. I didn’t care at thattime though as I was having fun pretending I was a royal knight of the castledefending some city maiden from the wiles of the Rük.

“Apparentlymy adventure took me into the Teoko’s birthing grounds. I stumbled into a largemeadow and stopped suddenly when I felt the presence of something else. I wasterrified enough to believe that Rük had invaded Tordaskar and I had stumbledinto their secret camp. It was about that time that I also realized I had noidea how to get back to the city, and since the trees towered far overhead Icouldn’t even glimpse it in the distance. The presence I felt was, as I hadfeared, not friendly. It was a female Teoko. She was giving birth and was in arather hostile mood. When she saw me she, gave out a terrible cry, and when Isaw her I did the same thing. I had always heard of the Teoko that lived nearTordaskar but had never seen them, and she was five horses high and nearly tenlong. Her tail stood inches from where I stood and we both knew it. I made torun but her tail got me first. She wrapped it around me so tight I could barelybreathe. I thought I was going to die right then and there, having never leftTordaskar. It was about that time that Orric stumbled into the clearing,hearing his mate cry out with such alarm he had gone to the birthing grounds ina rush. When he saw her holding me clutched in her spiny tale, a terrified tenyear old, he laughed. I, on the other hand began to cry, for not only had Iinvoked the wrath of one Teoko, but also another had come and his laugh did notexactly sound like a laugh, it sounded like he was just as mad as the firstTeoko.

“Hespoke at some length with his mate who finally let me go, though not gently. Iwas so scared by this time I couldn’t move, I just sat on the ground crying,huddled into a little ball.

“Orricgently picked me up in his hand and began singing a very soothing draconictune, which settled me down enough to look at him and stop crying. He told methat he wasn’t going to hurt me and that Variss was giving birth and I hadstartled her, Variss being the name of his mate. I was about to say something,I can’t remember what now, but Orric silenced me and pointed in the directionof Variss. There beside her lay a very small Teoko, about my ten year old size.Variss gave me a smile, apologized and took up her newborn son and came closerto Orric and me. Male Teoko have the privilege of naming their sons and femalesof naming their daughters. Since it was a son, Orric had to choose a name. Hechose the name Lorri, which means… well it doesn’t matter. It was a greathonour to me anyway. After the naming he set me on the ground and told me to gohome before my parents worried. I told him I wasn’t leaving until he told mehis name, which he did and he ushered me on. I got all embarrassed and said Ididn’t know the way back home and he laughed. He flew me home, much to thesurprise of my parents, and told me next time I wanted to visit I shouldn’tcome unannounced and definitely not go to the birthing grounds when a femaleTeoko was giving birth. I went to visit him nearly every day after that. Myparents didn’t mind, but I sure got a scolding when Orric left that firsttime.” Malik was smiling at the memory, it made Reniko happy for him to talk ofhis childhood with such fondness, it was the only time she had heard him speakwell of his past in Tordaskar.

“Ididn’t know Orric had a son, or a mate for that matter.”

“Wellyou didn’t get to say much to him at all. You weren’t so fluent in our languagelast time remember.”

“Iremember,” Reniko said laughing. It was because she was so distracted byMalik’s story that she almost didn’t see it. A glimmer as something on thetunnel wall caught and reflected the light of Malik’s lamp. They had nearlypassed by when the glittering caught her eye.

“Malikwait! Penumbra turn around a moment,” she said halting their progression.

“Whatis it?” Malik asked as he rode back to Reniko’s side. The light from his lampilluminated the spot more clearly now and Reniko saw a small cut in the wall,the glittering coming from deep within. Dismounting she stepped closer to thecrack feeling with her hand inside. It was a narrow slit that Reniko couldbarely fit her fingers inside. She felt around near where she had seen theshining object and was surprised when she felt the object depress under theweight of her outstretched fingers. With an unexpected suddenness, the wallbegan to slide away before her and she fell into it swallowed up in endlessdarkness. She heard Malik give out a cry, and when she dusted herself off andlooked back to say she was all right, he was nowhere to be seen. The reason forthe sudden plunge into darkness was now apparent as she realized the wall hadclosed up right behind her. Glad to still be wearing her backpack she took itoff and set it on the ground. Once she had her torch free, she flicked it on.On this side of the wall, there were no seams, no switches, only endless smoothrock. She couldn’t even hear if Malik was still on the other side or not.

“Malik,can you hear me? I’m all right.” She sighed as she realized that, in thisstrange tomb she had encased herself in, she could barely hear her own voice. Beststart looking for another way out. How could I have been so stupid to stick myhand inside a hole not knowing what the outcome could be? She turned aroundletting the light show her the surrounding area. It was a small room, no biggerthan a storage shed. The room’s contents however did not look like somethingReniko had ever seen on Vespen, instead it resembled a room one might replace onEarth. A large screen stood at the opposite end with a vast array of controls.Reniko moved away from the seamless door and examined the dusty switchboard.

Itwas some sort of computer terminal, she had no doubt of that, but unlike thebulky switch ridden things that inhabited Earth, the top seemed uniform, theonly change in surface being the colour or a slight inscription in a languageshe could not read. She slid her hand over the surface hoping for any kind ofreaction, however she received none.

“Wellthis is hopeless,” she muttered annoyed that she was stuck in a room unable toget herself out. “Why on Earth doesn’t Malik just push the switch and get meout of here?” Until he figures out to do that I might as well try to getthis damn thing working. She worked her hands over the lifeless board infront of her once again, tapping symbols here and there, none of which wouldwork. An idea struck her and she timidly spoke commands.

“On.Computer on. Start.” She tried the commands in English, Vespen, French andLatin none of them worked. “Oh hell it’s probably in Levanith, which I don’tknow at all. You think they would have made this a lot simpler.”

Renikocan you hear me. Startled by the sudden break in thesilence she stopped moving.

“Ican hear you but I don’t think you can hear me, Pen,” Reniko shouted knowingher voice was not reaching her friends on the other side of the door.

Renikowhatever you touched isn’t working any longer. We can’t get in.

Renikoslumped her head on the console in front of her. “Why?” She was trapped inhere. She was going to die in here, and the means of her redemption was staringstraight at her if only she could read what it said. She lifted her head againand set aside her hopeless thoughts.

“Okayso not a one word command. How about, initiate start up sequence,” she nearlyfell to her knees with joy when the console before her began to light up. Wellat least it wasn’t a total waste to watch all those science fiction movies.

Thescreen jumped to life, running a series of diagnostics all in Levanith. Shewaited until movement on the screen stopped and all that was left was variousspheres hovering all with different lines of text within them.

“Let’shope verbal still works,” she mumbled as she looked at the screen, “switch alltext to Latin.” Instantly the computer terminal complied making not only thecommands on the screen readable but the ones on the console as well. Therewasn’t much in the computer, it was purely for maintenance of the tunnel andnothing else so it didn’t take Reniko long to replace the key that worked the doorand she immediately set about opening it. With relief, the door silently openedadmitting a rather frantic Malik into the small room.

“Reniko,thank the goddess you’re all right.” He stopped suddenly as he saw the computerterminal before him. “What in blazes is that?”

Itold Malik not to panic, but I’m only a unicorn, which apparently doesn’t meanmuch to him. Penumbra said standing just outside the room. LevanithI presume?

Renikonodded. “I think I can manoeuvre my way through this. It seems to at least havea language I can read, and we have something similar to this back on Earth.”She could barely believe she was saying that as the console before her was atechnological marvel, even more amazing that it was over a thousand years old. Ifthis is anything like what we’ll replace at Reflaydun, getting home may be easierthan I thought. Navigating her way through a series of menus she realizedthat the information on the console was sorely lacking.

“Whatare we still doing here? Let’s move on,” Malik said pulling at Reniko’s arm.

“Holdon a second. This console may not be good for much, but I think I can get thelights out there working again, which would be a big improvement over usingthat tiny lamp of yours.” As she spoke, she found the right commands andsuddenly the room was a blaze with light.

“Amazing,”Malik said breathlessly as he made his way back into the tunnel, lightfiltering from the sconces on both walls. Reniko joined him and glanced downthe tunnel.

“Itmust have shut itself down after being idle so long. I figured that the consolemust still have power if that switch was still working the door. I wonder whatthe power supply is, for it to still be working after a thousand years,” shesaid, as she retrieved her torch and backpack from the room.

“Wellit’s not running in perfect condition, but well enough. I hope Reflaydun isable to do as much,” Malik said pointing to a section not far ahead where thelights were shattered and the pathway dark.

“We’llknow when we get there,” Reniko said getting back onto Penumbra. “In themeantime, make sure I don’t do anything like that again. I thought I was goingto be stuck in that tiny room for the rest of my life.”

“I’llmake sure you don’t do anything that impulsive again. I’d rather not be left toworry like that.”

Renikowas taken aback. “You were worried about me?”

“Wellof course, I mean how was I supposed to know that you can work Levanithmachines?”

Renikowas unsure of what to say to that. She was happy that Malik cared for her, butin a way annoyed that he thought she couldn’t take care of herself.

“I’mfull of surprises,” she said as a response concealing her mixed emotion.

Theyslept that night in a section of the tunnel that was inhabited bydarkness. Clearing away the brokenshards from the light sconce that littered the ground, they made their beds onthe hard cold surface and suffered silently with no fire.

Renikoawoke the next morning sore and uneasy. She had had dreams. Dreams of thingsshe wasn’t even sure of, products of a mind experiencing too many new things insuch a short period of time. This day she awoke before Malik. Penumbra,however, reacted to her movement instantly.

Somethingwrong?He asked.

“Justcan’t sleep anymore. My dreams are haunting me.”

Careto talk them away?

“Idon’t really remember anything that happens in them, just sounds and feelings.Terror, dread and screaming,” she stopped her recounting, suddenly rememberinga dream from a long time ago, a dream she had had right before she had come toVespen, the people in that dream, screaming and crying in agony. It wasn’t sodifferent from what she was feeling now.

Yourdreams will pass eventually. They can’t hurt you.

“No,but they can keep me from sleeping. Come on Pen, let’s wake up Malik and get onour way.”

Theparty was moving through the illuminated tunnel again after a short breakfast.All of them had found it not terribly satisfying, but with no other optionsleft open to them they forgot it and moved on. Malik remained silent, sleepstill clinging to him. From his movements, Reniko gathered he was as sore asshe was from the hard cold ground.

Asthey moved closer to their destination, Reniko felt a steady decrease intemperature. For all the clothing she wore, the cold still began to seep intoher bones, making her shiver involuntarily. Malik began to feel the same, andthe party stopped as the two of them clothed themselves more properly. WhenReniko opened the bundle that she had packed away so long ago in Rownie, itrevealed a mass of fabric all in silvers and blues. From the weight of thefabrics she could tell that they would hold her warmth. Hiding behind Penumbrashe stripped off her old clothing, her flesh forming goose pimples with thefrigid wintry air. Her array of clothing was elaborate and it took Penumbra’shelp for her to figure out which piece went on first. She donned the cottonwhite chemise first then slipped into a long-sleeved tunic that reached to herknees which was silver in colour with thread work of dark blue twining its wayaround the edges. Her breeches were of the same blue as the thread, thick andcomfortable for the chilly air. Over this a long sleeveless surcoat was adornedagain in the rich blue. The threading was the same as the tunic but silver incontrast. As she slipped back on her hiking boots, Malik came over and tossedher a pair of fur lined leather boots.

“Thesewill keep your feet warmer than those other boots,” he mumbled.

Renikolooked at him gratefully, only to be met with a stark change in his dress.Instead of the earthy tones he had been garbed in for so long he was clothed indeep blacks outlined with the same silver thread that was stitched so finelyinto her surcoat. Instead of the tunic he had been wearing he now donned a longsleeved doublet, which was made of rich black leather, bulky from all theclothing it hid underneath. His cloak blended well, the deep midnight bluebeing the only colour on his person.

“Thanks,”she said slipping on the boots, and taking another look at Malik, he lookedalmost princely in his new garb.

Asshe stood, Malik gave her an approving look. “You look almost fit for court, mylady.” Reniko glanced at the clothing she was wearing; he was right. With thenew clothing draped on her frame she looked more like the women of Vespen thanthe men.

“Isthis practical?” she asked as she clasped her cloak around her neck andremounted Penumbra.

“Morepractical for a woman than what you were wearing before,” he said as he climbedon top of Blaze.

Renikoconceded. With this new look, she would fit in more with Vespen culture, notthat it really mattered where they were headed. She was, however, pleased withthe lay of the clothing. Riding was as comfortable as before, maybe even moreso.

Asthey rounded the next bend in the tunnel, they were faced with natural lightinstead of the dull glow of the sconces. They had found the exit as well as thesource of the chilling air. As they came to the exit, they were confronted by ablizzard, snow swirling in chaos as the wind churned it one way and thenanother.

“WellI wasn’t sure if the stories were true, but seems they are,” Malik yelled overthe steady roar of the wind.

“Whatstories?”

“Thatthis area sees nothing but winter all year round. Some people say it had beencursed by the Rük. Others say it’s being protected from them.”

“Thisblizzard, should we wait it out?”

“We’llbe waiting a long time. No Teoko dares fly up here, and no traveler has evermade it back from here. I should have told you this before, but I was sure theywere just stories. This storm, it never dies.”

“Howcan a storm never cease? That’s impossible.”

“Youcan ask whatever we replace at the centre of the storm, if we get there. I’m notsure how to navigate. The sky is not visible and there aren’t roads orlandmarks out here.”

“We’llbe fine Malik, I have a compass.”

“Awhat?” he asked.

“Youdon’t have compasses on Vespen?” she asked pulling nearer to Malik andrevealing the compass she concealed in her numb hand.

“Betterput on your gloves,” Malik responded.

Irritated,but grateful of the reminder, she dug in the saddlebag and pulled out thegloves she had stored there. After she had slipped them on she again producedthe compass.

“Howdoes it work?” he asked taking the small item in his hand.

“Italways points north. See that needle, it’s attracted to the magnetic field ofthe planet. It will always point directly along the magnetic field, so, as longas you know north and you have a map, you can guide yourself anywhere. Evenwith the sky covered and a storm raging, we’ll know exactly where to go.”

“I’lltake your word on it. I think maybe you should navigate.”

“Malik,how were you planning on getting through this storm if I hadn’t produced mycompass?”

Maliklooked at her and smiled. “I have faith in the goddess, and she would neverabandon her faithful servants.”

“Ithought you didn’t believe, anymore.”

“Idon’t believe the Rük are a punishment, but the goddess is real. Everyone onVespen knows that the goddess Shyla keeps her children safe. It’s the only reasonI haven’t been killed by the Rük yet. Five years I’ve been away from Tordaskar.If she was not watching over me, I wouldn’t have survived, none of her childrenwould.”

Itunnerved her. She didn’t have the faith that Malik did in this goddess. It wasa faith that she could never have. She grew up on Earth, with different beliefsand different cultures, none of which mentioned anything about Vespen, letalone their religious structure. It terrified her to think that Malik would dothings so blindly on faith. Rational thought had not been involved at all, justfaith, and she could not do that. She suddenly felt uncomfortable in Malik’spresence. She was at a loss for words. Nothing she said would do any good, soshe remained silent, not voicing her uneasy thoughts.

“Well,should we spend the night here?” Malik finally spoke feeling Reniko’s unease.

“Itreally would be a waste of a day for us to stay here until tomorrow,” Renikosaid. She didn’t feel like lingering in this tunnel. She could feel her way homeso close, and she didn’t want to prolong its coming. “It’s not even midday. Ithink it would be best if we just get this horrible storm behind us.”

“Ratheranxious are we?” a deep voice rumbled overhead. Startled Penumbra backedfarther into the tunnel as a midnight blue head popped over the ridge.

“Orric!I didn’t think you were ever going to make it. I gather Rimca found you?” Maliksaid as Orric landed with an icy shower on the slop outside the tunnel.

“Ifound her. What did you do to her Malik? I’ve never seen her so unruffled. Orwas it you that got her so riled, Lyss?” Orric said, his deep bass voicewashing over Reniko like a warm blanket. She had forgotten the soothing qualityhe had over her.

“Itprobably was me, though I don’t know why. She did something odd to me oneevening and the next morning she left.” Flummoxed, Reniko glared at Orric. “Didyou just call me Lyss?”

Orricgave a grin that matched the one that was spreading across Malik’s face aswell.

“Idon’t suppose it will help if I ask. I have a feeling you two are not going totell me what that means.”

“What’sthis you were saying about Rimca doing something to you before she left?” Malikasked.

Renikorecalled the night, shivered and shook her head. “I’d rather not talk aboutit.” It was the only time she had felt her body was out of her control, it wasnot something she liked to remember.

Maliklooked at Orric and the two exchanged private looks.

“Hervoice, it holds a power. She’s very gifted. It is something that the Le’a’toare born with. Did she say what she saw?” Orric asked.

“No,”Reniko said turning aside. “Please let’s just go.”

“Thereis no weakness in truthfulness,” Orric prodded.

Renikolooked into Orric’s kind and gentle eyes. Such compassion was a strange thingto note in such a creature’s eyes. She was glad he was here.

Sothis is Orric. You know I do believe we have met before,Penumbra said as he gazed unafraid at Orric’s large bulk. He was blocking mostof the light from the cave entrance as well as the icy air. Orric seemed tohave sensed the exchange and gazed knowingly at Penumbra.

“Aunicorn is quite an unusual steed,” Orric said.

Iowe a debt, Penumbra said, his conversation no longer private.

“Youmust have done something great to have won the friendship of a unicorn. I sawthat about you the first day we met, Lyss.” Reniko flinched at the word. Itannoyed her to have them call her something that she was not privy to.

Don’tlet it bother you so. Instead feel honored that they call you something soaffectionately. It’s a sign that you belong, Reniko, not a sign that theydislike you. Reniko patted Penumbra reassuringly in response.

“It’snice to have a reunion and all, but I think we better start moving before alldaylight is lost,” Reniko said before more conversation was started. “It’s notlike we can’t talk on the way.”

“Leadthe way,” Malik said gesturing for Orric to stand out of the way.

“Carefulnow, the first step is straight down,” Orric said. He moved himself out of theway letting the frigid air once again blast into the tunnel.

“Comeon Pen, mind what Orric said.” Penumbra moved out into the icy air, the snowblowing in front of them like a white sheet. The drop was dramatic. Whateverroad had extended from the tunnel had broken apart ages ago, leaving nothingbut the shale cliff side to contend with. Covered with snow, it was even moretreacherous. Penumbra and Blaze ended up sliding down most of the way. When theground finally levelled out, Reniko had had enough of the blowing snow. Whenshe looked over at Malik to read his reaction to the weather, she noticed hehad lifted the hood on his cloak to help avert the snow. She followed suit andwas relieved with the amount of cold that the hood staved off. Taking out hercompass, she plotted their course through the white out.

“Becareful Penumbra, I don’t want you stepping into something that we can’t getout of, or worse,” Reniko spoke.

Orricand Malik conversed for the first few hours of the journey, catching up oneverything that the other had missed, Reniko felt quite left out. Penumbranoticed this right away.

We’rean interesting group aren’t we? A unicorn, a human, a Teoko and a Terran.Friends like ours are what the Rük try to rid the world of. I’m glad you’rehere Reniko. Without you, I would be back in Sortaia with my herd feeling sorryfor myself.

“I’mglad too. To have known everyone, but –” she stopped, her sentence trailing offinto the swirling snow.

Butyou wish to go home.

Renikonodded. “Almost there. I can feel it.”

Orricventured closer to Reniko leaving Malik trailing close behind. His presenceblocked a lot of the blowing snow, which was a nice relief for both Reniko andPenumbra.

“Iam glad that you have acquainted yourself with our tongue. Hopefully I don’tlook as frightening as the last time we met,” he spoke, his voice not hinderedby the wind.

“Inever thought that such a thing as you existed. It startled me.”

“Youthought I was going to eat you.”

Renikolaughed. “Well if you ever see something bigger than yourself that you’ve neverseen before, I’d like to see how you would react. Besides, I have a goodexcuse.”

“Isthat so?”

“Backon Earth, there are stories about your kind, lots of them, none of thempleasant. They always made dragons, I mean Teoko, out to be fierce creaturesthat breathe fire. Knights would come from faraway lands to help rid the landsof the Teoko that ravaged nearby villages. I know the truth now though.”

“Sadhow muddled things can get. Teoko, like humans all have differentpersonalities, I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point in time one of my kindhad acted in such a manner. If we so pleased we could have overpowered theLevanith, or the humans and taken control of Vespen. There had never been aneed, and now that there is we can’t easily overcome our foe.”

“TheRük hold that much power over you?”

“Ournumbers are few and Rük have ways that make hunting those of us that are lefteasy. That toxin the females have, it may have a temporary effect on you, butfor us, it’s fatal. Wouldn’t expect such a thing from such a large creature,but we are nonetheless built very different from you humans. Your strengths areour weaknesses. It’s why we can come together so well.”

“Wecomplete each other?”

Orricnodded. “Malik told me of your encounter with that Rük assassin.”

“Kruok,”Reniko added the Rük’s name. She had a strange connection with that Rük now.Somehow she felt that she deserved some sort of respect.

“Kruok,"he repeated and continued, "Your wounds, are they withstanding the coldwell enough?”

“Theyare healing well. No infection, no bleeding. I barely feel them at all anymore.Rimca is a skilled healer. Enough of me, I’m curious to know of your dealings.What happened after you and Malik got separated, after you left me at Savonly.I’m sorry, by the way, for putting you in so much danger.”

“Nomore than being a Teoko causes. My affairs were grievous. On the other side ofRadalean Lake there is a range of mountains called the A’barra. Hidden there isthe last pocket of Teoko on Edonal Eclith. The Rük found their lairs atMountain Side. When Malik and I split up, I ran into one of my kin, she told meof their trouble. I went to help them, but we were too late. The rest of hertribe had been slain. She wanted revenge and I went with her. We hunted theRük. We left no survivors.” Orric’s eyes were ablaze with hatred and deepsorrow.

Renikofelt tears on her face hot in the bitter cold. She had never before felt suchsorrow. She could see it all happening. The invasion of their lair, the Teokoscattering to defend the young, most falling to the ground by a single poisoneddart. A slaughter of kin. She wept for them, wept for those who survived aswell, for the pain Orric and the female felt. Orric glanced at her, uneasy bythe silence he had caused. When he noticed her pain, he told Penumbra to stop.Malik came beside them, worried. With a gesture from Orric he remained silent.

“Lyss,please do not weep for things you cannot change. I wish with all my heart thatI could take back the knowledge I have given you.”

Tearsstill falling, she lifted her head to face Orric. “I’m glad that you have givenit to me. If I cannot change it, I can at least remember the injustice of itand try to make sure it never happens again. No one should have that power. Noone.” She broke into sobbing again, overwhelmed by powerlessness.

Maliklooked to Orric. Orric stood by and sighed. “I did not know she would take itthis way. It’s like she feels my pain.”

“Shevery well might. Let’s make camp for the night.”