Call of Descent
Chapter Forty-Three

“Cursethat wretched human!” Trokar spat as he watched the scene play out on thescreen before him. Orborok stood behind him giving a playful grin, finally.He was all too pleased to see Shylaya gone from his life. Trokar was silentwith rage and when he turned to look at Orborok, his eyes were filled withvenom. Orborok stepped away from Trokar, fearful that his lord would turn hisrage over Malik against his nearest subordinate. Orborok’s movement had theopposite effect that he had intended, and instead of moving out of Trokar’s wayhe had directed Trokar’s attention onto himself. When Trokar looked at Orborok,his rage subsided somewhat, and he regained control of himself. This wasn’t atime for blind anger but a time to use that anger to some purpose.

“Orborok,take Agger with you and dispose of that group. If not all of them, at leastShylaya and the boy, Malik. I will not allow him to possess my pet so,” Trokarsaid.

Orborokbowed low to his lord and turned toward the door, grabbing his sword as hewent.

“Onsecond thought, bring Shylaya and the boy to me. I will kill them both myself,”Trokar said before Orborok could leave the room.

“Asyou wish, my lord,” Orborok said and looking to Agger he grinned.

“It’sthis way,” Reniko said as she weaved through a multitude of passages. Malik wasright at her heels, while Rimca and Dertrik were close behind him. Roundinganother corner they were met with another imposing doorway. Reniko did nothesitate, but instead pushed on the door until it swung open. They were metwith the site of another large hall, this one bigger than the last one they hadbeen in.

“Thisis Trokar’s audience chamber,” Reniko said. “He’s in a room through thatdoorway,” she added just as the door she had been pointing too swung open.Orborok stood in the door frame sword in hand. He was looking at Reniko whoalso had her sword drawn.

“Didn’thave enough the last time we fought?” Reniko asked as soon as she caught sightof the loathsome figure.

“Youdo not harbour the protection you once did, Shylaya. You have lost favor inTrokar’s eyes. It will be my pleasure to take your life,” Orborok responded ashe stepped fully into the hall, Agger close at his heels.

“Iwould prefer to shed as little blood as possible, but if you are so eager toend your life, so be it,” Reniko said as she came up on Orborok and engaged himin battle. Agger was close behind him, carrying her chakram, and tried to enterthe battle as well, only to be stopped as a throwing knife embedded itself intoher forearm. Giving out a cry of sudden astonishment, she turned to Rimca whostood a few feet away, two short swords now in her hands.

“Forgottensomething?” Rimca asked. Agger sneered and ran at Rimca who caught Agger’sadvance with her swords. Rimca staggered when she finally came to a stop,having slid a few feet backward at the force of the Rük’s blow. Dertrik joinedtheir fight, his sword drawn. Noticing the new addition to their foray, Aggersmiled. “I think I will enjoy killing you both.” With her arrogant words theyflew into battle, Agger a formidable match for both Rimca and Dertrik.

Malikhad added his power to Reniko’s battle, though he wasn’t quite sure that sheneeded his help at all. She was all over Orborok, who could barely keep trackof where she was going to be next. Malik remembered his own fight with Renikoonly moments ago and was suddenly very glad he would never have to fight herlike that ever again. Malik watched as Reniko parried one of Orborok’s comingblows and took to the air to land neatly to one side. Watching her fightagainst him, Malik realized that all his time fighting with Reniko had made himaccustom to her style, and with one fluid movement he joined the fight, both ofthem fighting as one. Despite the sudden disadvantage that Orborok suddenlyhad, he held his ground, even gained ground, Malik noted, the angrier hebecame.

Orboroksuddenly lunged at Reniko violently, voicing his rage, as his blade came downon her sword. The force of the blow knocked Reniko clear to the ground andMalik, who was coming to her defense behind Orborok, was thrown across the roomas Orborok suddenly turned his attention away from the fallen Reniko and kickedMalik square in the chest. Malik crumpled to the ground unable to breath. Heheard a sudden astonished cry come from Reniko, and taking a sudden deepbreath, lunged to his feet and ran back into the fight. Malik saw red bloodcovering the white feathers of Reniko’s left wing; he also saw the fire thatnow filled her eyes.

“Youknow, I never liked you as Shylaya,” Orborok said as he stood over Reniko whowas clutching Imako so tightly in her hand that her hand had turned white.“I’ve always liked you better as Reniko. You harbour so much more spirit thanyour other self. I think it must have been this fire that Trokar could nottame. I’m glad that he couldn’t subdue you.” Orborok reached out his handgently toward Reniko’s face. However, before he could touch her skin, Malik hadengaged him once again and the Rük was forced to defend himself. Reniko brokeout of the trance she had been in and went to help Malik in his fight. Malikhowever protested.

“Go,Reniko. End this,” he cried out as he evaded another blow from Orborok. Renikolooked at him helplessly, torn with indecision. She couldn’t just leave Malikalone to fight Orborok. Then again, if she killed Trokar, all of this would allbe over. She couldn’t give up the chance that Malik was giving her, and solooking at him desperately, she fled to Trokar’s chamber.

“Ilove you, Malik,” she said turning back to look at him once more and shedisappeared from sight.

“Takea good look, boy, for that is the last you will ever see of her,” Orborok saidas he swung violently at Malik who deflected the blow making his arm numb fromthe impact.

“You’rewrong,” Malik said regaining his composure and lunging at Orborok. The wound inhis left shoulder throbbed violently. Hurry Reniko, I don’t know how muchlonger I can keep this up.

Renikoran down the hallway and entered the room, coming to a halt at the sight ofTrokar standing before her waiting.

“Iknew you would come,” Trokar said.

“Thisends. Here. Now,” Reniko said trying to subdue the anger she felt. The memoriesshe had tormented her. She remembered every cruel thing that Trokar had everdone to her, and every cruel thing that Trokar had made her do. I did themwillingly, she thought, no amount of denial will change that.

“Asyou wish, my pet,” Trokar said as he unsheathed his sword. “You bested the mostskilled Rük in my ranks. Now let us see if your prowess can stand against myown. You are right, Shylaya, this does end here, with my death or yours.”

“Myname is Reniko,” Reniko screamed as she flew at Trokar. This sudden change oftactic on her part startled Trokar momentarily, but not enough that he couldnot counter Reniko’s sudden flurry of attacks. He had watched her battle his underlingsfor the past few months, had studied every move that she had. She would be nomatch for him, for unlike him, she did not harbour any knowledge about hisfighting style at all. Trokar toyed with her, letting her gain the advantage,made her believe that he was bested. It was only when their blade were lockedthat he smiled at her and Reniko knew that he was hiding something.

“Whyare you smiling?” Reniko asked, tensing for the answer she suddenly knew wascoming.

“Because,dear pet, you can’t win,” Trokar said and pushed away from Reniko with suchforce that Reniko had to take to the air to keep from falling.

“Youthink that I would let you get so close to me, if I thought you could kill me?”Trokar said. Reniko ignored his taunting words and fought fiercely. Trokar didnot hold back, and for all Reniko’s speed and skill, his strength began toweaken her. Seeing an opening, Reniko went for it, only to realize to late thatit was a feint. Before she could recover from her folly, she felt the cold stingas Trokar’s blade cut into her flesh. She let out a cry of pain, clutching herside feeling the warm blood spill through her fingers. Trokar came in for hisfinal blow and Reniko willed her remaining strength into Imako, blocking theattack, which sent Imako crashing to the ground out of reach. She wasdefenseless. Clutching her side, she sank to the ground. Trokar stood over hernow, triumphant.

“Ihad hoped you would put up a better fight, Shylaya,” Trokar said, “however,your death will have to be enough.”

Trokarlowered his height by bending all four of his knees and lifted Reniko to herfeet. Reniko made no movement to resist. Instead she looked into Trokar’s eyesand spoke.

“Youthought you knew me so well,” she said, “but Shylaya lacked one quality that Ihave, something that makes me a different person than her.”

“Andwhat might that be?” Trokar asked.

“Compassion,”Reniko whispered, and with a loud cry she pulled the dagger from Trokar’s beltand stabbed it solidly into his right side. Trokar gave out a loud cry, andbefore the heart Reniko had stabbed gave out, he thrust his sword forwardimpaling Reniko in her chest. Trokar fell to the ground, the impact taking hislast breath from him. Reniko fell to her knees breathing sporadically. “I’m notafraid to die,” she whispered and slumped to the ground. “It’s over. Malik…take care of them.” She closed her eyes and exhaled.

Malikwas on the ground and no amount of anger could move him now. He was spent, hislast reserves gone. Orborok stood over him grinning. This is it, Malikthought and instead of shutting his eyes to it, he looked at Orborok. Mydeath will not be for nothing. Orborok poised his sword over his headreadying for the final swing and stopped. His eyes went wide and he let hissword drop to the ground. And with an insane cry, he clutched his head and fellto the ground unconscious.

Malikreached for his sword and slowly got to his feet and stood over Orborok’sunconscious body. “What just happened?” he asked and looked toward Rimca and Dertrikwho were both standing beside Agger’s still frame. Dertrik and Rimca looked athim.

“She’sdone it,” Dertrik said and fled in the direction of the door to Trokar’schamber. Malik and Rimca followed closely behind. The both of them nearly ranstraight into Dertrik’s back as he came to a stop in the doorway. Dertrikremained silent, and Malik pushed passed him to enter the room. The sightbefore him was ghastly. The room was torn to pieces from the battle. Trokar layon the ground, a dagger in his side. Reniko lay close beside him, a swordpierced clean through her.

“No!”Malik cried. He ran across the room and clutched Reniko protectively. “Youcan’t die. I won’t let you. You can’t leave me behind.”

Rimcawas beside him, standing over him in silence, unable to console him in anyway,too devastated by this loss herself. Dertrik was the only one able to speak.

“She’sstill breathing,” he said as he leaned in close to her and saw her chestworking labouriously.

Malikwasted no more time and instead ripped open the pouch containing the Reflaydunsphere and shouted at it desperately, “Save her!”

Thesphere activated and looked at Reniko. “We are afraid that this damage isbeyond our repair.”

“Therehas to be something we can do,” Malik said.

“Wecannot fix this damage, but if you can get her to this facility,” the hologramsaid and suddenly illuminated a map, “within the next four minutes andthirty-six seconds we are sure that the damage can be repaired.” Dertrikscanned the map hurriedly, picked Reniko up off the ground and ran.

“Openthe door, quickly,” Dertrik said as they stood outside the door to thearchives. Malik went to the panel and set his hand on it, and waitedimpatiently while the tingling sensation passed through his hand.

Whenthe door opened, Dertrik hurried through, and looking around in confusionglanced back at Rimca who was holding the sphere in her hands.

“Inthere,” she said pointing to a room on the far right. Dertrik went in and setReniko in the centre of the room. The room was spherical in shape with silverwalls that conjoined much like the Reflaydun sphere. It harboured nothinginside its wall but the still frame of Reniko.

“Youhave to pull out the sword, Dertrik,” Rimca said. Dertrik stood over Reniko’sbody and grabbed the hilt of the sword.

“Forgiveme child,” Dertrik said as he pulled hard on the sword and drew it swiftly fromher chest. Blood began flowing from the wound immediately and Reniko let out asmall cry, her body writhing in pain.

“Getout of there,” Malik cried and Dertrik fled from the room, leaving Reniko alonein her agony.

OnceDertrik had cleared the doorway, a transparent force shield activated. Malik,Dertrik and Rimca all turned to look into the room. Reniko was floating intothe centre of the room and a strange blue glow was emanating from her, trailsof crimson blood floated in the air around her, and as the three of themwatched , the blue light coalesced at the centre of Reniko’s chest and explodedin a brilliant flash causing the three observers to turn away blinded.

“What,in the name of the goddess, was that?” Malik asked as Rimca grabbed theReflaydun sphere from the panel she had inserted it into causing the forceshield to fail. He didn’t wait for an answer to his question when he sawReniko, who was lying on the ground once again, start to move. He ran to herside and grabbed her hand protectively as she sat up and gazed around the room.

“Whathappened?” she asked with a weak voice and suddenly remembering the events thathad transpired she grabbed at her chest. Parting the torn fabric she looked atthe scar that now graced her chest instead of an open wound.

“How?”she asked.

“Doesit matter?” Malik asked.

Renikolooked at Malik and fell into his arms, “No.”

“I’mnever letting you out of my sight ever again, Lyss. You always get into so muchtrouble,” Malik said as he hugged Reniko, his tears falling into her hair. “Bemy wife, Reniko.”

Renikolooked up at him and smiled, she too had tears trailing down her face, “Only ifyou tell me what, Lyss, means.” Malik laughed through his tears and Renikojoined him.

“Itmeans –”

Spirit,unbreakable.