Spirit Unbreakable

Ten days of hard riding and Reniko was starting to feel it. She had taken to the air on most of the trip, glad to use her wings rather than endure another hour on Penumbra’s back. She couldn’t help feeling sorry for Malik and Dertrik who were land bound. They couldn’t enjoy the freedom of having wings. They didn’t seem to be taking the hard pace as badly as she had been, and she started wondering if she hadn’t grown soft over the last year. True, she still trained, but it had been a long time since Malik and she had travelled across two continents. Or maybe it was her physiology. Gaining wings and having lighter bone structure could have made her more sensitive to ground travel. Whatever it was, it bothered Reniko. She had always prided herself on her stamina, she didn’t want to think she was getting soft and pampered.

She saw towering rock formations in the distance and veered back down to earth. She landed beside Scintilla who was carrying Malik on her back. The three unicorns slowed their pace as Reniko landed.

“It looks like Underground City is just over this rise. We should be able to reach it before sunset,” Reniko said. Her news made all the travellers happy. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one getting accustom to the faster Microgate traveling system.

“Any sign of the Teoko from this region?” Malik asked.

“Not in the air,” Reniko replied.

“Do you think they even know that the Rük are no longer in control of Vespen?” Dertrik asked. He seemed more and more worried about this excursion the closer they got to the city. When they had first stepped through the gate in Hollow Wood they had had numerous encounters with the Rük; however, the closer they got to Underground City, the less life inhabited the area. It was a relief not to have the Rük a constant threat, but he was beginning to think that the Teoko of Raet Serac were not as genial as those that lived on Mo’an Delar.

“I guess we won’t know until we get there,” Reniko said. Reniko climbed onto Penumbra’s back and the party took up a less rapid gait. Stretching her wings, she gave a sigh and looked back toward Malik and Dertrik. Dertrik looked troubled. Reniko knew that face. He was brooding, concern creasing his face and adding to the lines of age that were already there.

Reniko whispered softly to Penumbra who slowed his pace and came to ride beside Hyalus. Reniko gazed off into the distance for a few moments while Dertrik ignored her and she looked at him coyly.

“You know, when I grow up, I hope I don’t worry about things as much as you do,” Reniko finally said jerking Dertrik out of his thoughts.

Absently he spoke a familiar phrase and smiled. “You are grown up, Renny.”

“That’s what I lead everyone to believe, but do you want to know a secret?” Reniko said leaning in and whispering the last part in Dertrik’s ear while looking toward Malik and winking.

“What?” Dertrik said his grin growing.

“I rarely think as grown-up as I sound.” Reniko smirked at Dertrik. Sombrely her face softened. “Seriously, Dare, what’s wrong?”

Dertrik took a breath and let it out slowly, contemplating his thoughts. “I’m just worried about the lack of Rük.”

Reniko looked at him and frowned. “Well that’s an odd thing to be worried about.”

“Not really. I was feeling anxious as well, I just couldn’t put my finger on it,” Malik said. Reniko looked from Malik to Dertrik.

“You think that the lack of Rük means that the Teoko around here are more hostile?” Reniko surmised.

Dertrik nodded. “I’m concerned that it’s more than a matter of wanting to be left alone. I’m starting to think it was unwise of us to come out here without a Teoko escort.”

“I’m not sure that would have been much help. Orric did say that they had trouble negotiating with them as well,” Malik replied.

“Regardless of the dangers that you imply, real or imagined, I can’t just turn my back on them. They are part of Vespen, and if they feel I am unfit to rule, I need to know why. Unhappy subjects are not in my plan, regardless of how many or few. One person’s concern is mine as well. I don’t want them isolating themselves because they are afraid to confront the rest of the world. It’s important to me that they understand what has happened, and that I don’t intend to dictate their lives, I just want to help make Vespen a better place, to find a balance that we can all be happy with. Their opinions count.”

“Not to mention that if the other people of Vespen feel that the Teoko of Underground City have gotten away with their own rule, it will undermine your authority in their eyes. We could have a mass uprising on our hands,” Dertrik said.

“Is that what you think? That my people feel that my rule is burdensome, that I am not making choices that are good for them?” Reniko asked. She was appalled by the very idea.

“Under normal circumstances no, but with the Rük…” Dertrik let his sentence trail off.

“You’re saying that they don’t agree with my decisions regarding the Rük?”

“Well you are asking a lot of them, Reniko. They put their lives in danger everyday trying to fend off the Rük. They all would feel better if they just went away. No one really understands why you are letting them survive after what they have done for over a thousand years. That’s a lot of prejudice you’re asking them to put aside,” Dertrik said.

Reniko looked at Malik who was nodding his head in agreement. “You too?”

“It’s hard for me to imagine that the Rük could be anything but savage oppressors,” Malik responded.

Reniko was silent; sober with their words.

“So you think if I don’t quell the Teoko here and have them accede to my rule that I’m going to have a larger rebellion on my hands?” Reniko frowned and rubbed her forehead. Leading was harder than she had ever thought possible. “That makes this that much harder.”

“I’m sorry, Reniko, I didn’t mean to put so much pressure on you,” Dertrik said.

“It’s not your fault, Dare, I pried and I must suffer the consequences.” Reniko urged Penumbra on and she once again took the lead. Malik came up beside her moments later.

“Don’t worry about it too much, Lyss. If you can do what you just did to Dertrik with the Teoko, there will be no problems,” Malik said putting a reassuring hand on Reniko’s forearm.

“I’m not worried about the Teoko, Malik. I’m worried that the people of this world are following me because of the past and not for the future that I am trying to build for them. If they don’t believe in what I want for them, then it’s only a matter of time before the past is no longer good enough, before they realize that I am not my mother or their goddess. I need to make them see what I’ve experienced, what I know. I need them to truly understand my choices. I need them to see the Rük as I have seen them. But I don’t know how to do that. And if I can’t, then I’m running out of time to save them. Because if it means my people’s happiness comes at the cost of the Rük’s lives… I just can’t do that Malik. I can’t choose between them.”

“We’ll think of something, Lyss, I promise. If you can’t choose, I will make sure you won’t have to.”

Reniko looked at Malik and sighed. “Thank-you. I know you don’t understand my choices, but you always stand beside me. I don’t know where I would be without you.”

Malik squeezed Reniko’s arm and smiled. “I understand just fine, Lyss. I know that you have everyone’s best interests in your heart and that is what motivates you to do what you do. So, when I don’t see the visions you have of our future, I can still know that it’s the best one for everyone. I’m sure that your people feel the same way.”

“I hope you’re right. Anyway, we’re almost there,” Reniko said and she urged Penumbra into a canter. “Just past this ridge and down into the valley.” Cresting the ridge, Reniko and Penumbra plunged into the valley and were enveloped in an ethereal white.

“Where did all this mist come from?” Dertrik asked as he joined Reniko and Malik in the enveloping fog.

“I don’t know, but it looks like it’s getting worse,” Reniko said. She lost sight of both Dertrik and Malik as the white mist encroached and surrounded her, cutting off her vision and leaving her isolated in the eerie miasma.

“We can’t wander around in this forever,” Malik finally said. They had been traipsing through the mist filled valley for over an hour and had found no signs of either the Microgate or the entrance to Underground City. The sun had set moments before and with the twilight that now surrounded them, Malik’s energy was spent. “We should camp here and resume our search in the morning when the mist clears up.”

“I have to agree with Malik, Renny,” Dertrik said.

I’m inclined to rest as well, Reniko, Penumbra said halting the caravan in its tracks.

Reniko nodded, imperceptible to her fellows, and spoke, “I feel uneasy setting up camp in the middle of this. We don’t know what’s out there. Anything could come upon us.” Her fighter’s instincts were getting the better of her in the situation. She was itching to take to the air and flee this white prison, but in doing so, she knew she would be leaving everyone else alone. “But, you’re right. We need to stop and rest and let this pass. The morning will provide us with more light and maybe burn off this moisture.”

The next morning came and went and still the fog had not lifted. The camp had spent the morning in a cold damp silence which was finally broken late that afternoon.

“It’s not going away,” Malik said.

“Do you think that the Teoko here could have seen us coming and used this to prevent us from finding them?” Reniko asked, her question directed at Penumbra.

I’m not very familiar with the tactics of the Teoko; however, I do not know how they could have managed this unearthly fog, Penumbra replied. Maybe you should consult Orric.

Reniko nodded her head in thought and realizing that no one could see her she spoke, “Yes, maybe I will.”

Silence filled the camp one again as Reniko let her mind drift inward to her connection with Orric. Her control of Engaging was down to an art now, unlike her messy first connection with Orric when she had almost been absorbed by his subconscious. That unguided dive was a constant reminder for her to be wary of this seemingly unthreatening gift.

She found Orric with ease and made him aware of the situation.

The Teoko are not known to have such power over the weather, Lyss. I don’t see how this could be related to the Teoko there at all, Orric replied.

It’s just so strange. When I saw this valley from the air, it was fine, and not even an hour later, this fog had rolled in. Do you think that they could have access to some of the Levanith technology? I mean Reflaydun managed a similar thing on Edonal Eclith with the snow storm. I would think this strange fog would be easy compared to that.

It’s possible. But in either case, whether it is Levanith made or natural, you can’t wait it out. I suggest you use your compass and find your way out, Orric said.

I guess you’re right. When we get out of the fog we’ll wait around a couple of days to see if it will lift, and if not, we’ll head back to Hollow Wood.

Reniko stood up and shuffled over to her bag.

“So what did Orric say?” Malik asked.

“He said that the Teoko couldn’t do this. It’s either natural, which I think is unlikely, or Levanith made. Either way, it’s not going away. I’m going to find my compass and we’re going to get out of here,” Reniko replied.

“It seems like such a waste,” Dertrik replied.

“I know, but what else can we do?” Reniko asked.

“When you saw Underground City from the air, do you remember seeing the Microgate?” Dertrik asked.

Reniko paused for a moment and tried to picture the aerial scene in her mind. She could see the towering stone mountains, most likely created rather than natural. They were evenly spaced around the sunken valley. A haze of yellow grass covered the surface of the valley bowl and peeking out of that sea of yellow was a silver shadow.

“I think I did,” she said, and pulling out a map and compass, she spread it on the ground, bumping into Dertrik as she did so. Reaching into the fog, Reniko found Malik’s arm and pulled him forward and the three of them leaned over the map as Reniko plotted their course.

“If I remember correctly, the Microgate should be about here,” Reniko said making a mark on the map, “and this is where we should be.” Reniko drew a line to a point roughly where she had marked the location of the Microgate.

“We’re right beside it,” Malik said and laughed. “If we would have walked a few more feet we would have run right into it.”

“Well if that’s the case, let’s all fan out and see if we can locate it. Oh, but take this so we don’t get separated,” Reniko said and handed out rope. “Pen, maybe you could stay here as an anchor to our camp.”

I’ll be glad to help, Penumbra said. The five remaining members of the camp each took a rope and tied it firmly around them, then giving the other end to Penumbra, they each headed into the fog.

It wasn’t long before Penumbra heard Dertrik call out, the fog muffling his words. Realizing no one else had heard Dertrik Penumbra called out unhindered by the fog to those remaining.

I think Dertrik may have found the Microgate, he said and felt the ropes tighten in response as Reniko, Malik, Scintilla and Hyalus made their way back toward Penumbra. Reniko was the first to reach him and she began gathering up the materials that were spread around the camp. A few minutes later, Hyalus and Malik returned and began to do the same. Scintilla was the last to return. When they had gathered up all the items of camp, the five of them set off towards Dertrik. They reached him sooner than they thought and nearly collided with the Microgate.

“Okay,” Reniko said. “Let’s get to work.”

Malik was pacing restlessly as Dertrik and Reniko consulted with Rimca about the workings of the Microgate. He had been trying to help, but had been lost after only a few minutes of conversation. His interests in the Levanith archives had been mostly in history, gleaning the true facts from the myths that had been created and compiling them for those, like him, that were estranged without the goddess in their lives. He had left the more technical aspects of the Levanith to Reniko and Rimca who seemed to thrive on that sort of thing.

Malik looked into the fog surrounding them and back at Reniko who was hunched over the console beside the Microgate, and realized that he could see her better now than about an hour ago.

“I think the fog is clearing up,” Malik said as he headed back toward Reniko and Dertrik.

Reniko looked up from her work and into the sky. “So it is,” she said and continued her work.

“Well doesn’t that mean we could resume our search for the entrance to the Underground City?” Malik asked. “I could take Hyalus and Penumbra and scout around.”

Reniko looked up again. “That’s sounds like a good idea.” Setting down the sphere she was holding that held Rimca’s image, she headed towards Malik. “I think I’ll come with you. Dertrik and Rimca seem to have a better understanding of this than I do anyway.”

“Take your time,” Dertrik called to them as he opened up a panel on the device to reveal a mess of damaged components and silver blocks that made up the inner workings of the device which were now blackened and decaying, “It looks like this is going to take a while anyway.”

Malik led the venture with Reniko close behind him. Penumbra and Hyalus were a few paces behind lingering. Reniko turned as she walked to address them. “Maybe you and Hyalus could do a perimeter search while Malik and I search the interior. We’d cover more ground that way.”

I concur. Hyalus said and Penumbra nodded his head in agreement. Now decided, the two of them took off at a canter in the opposite direction of Reniko and Malik.

Reniko turned back to Malik and they both continued into the failing mist. They hadn’t walked more than four metres when Reniko stretched restlessly. Malik noticed the gesture and laughed.

“You wouldn’t mind if I took a look from the air?” Reniko asked cautiously.

Malik was still laughing. “Of course not, Lyss. Just don’t leave me alone for too long.”

“I won’t, I promise,” she said and immediately jumped into the air. The cold misty air felt good on her skin as she flew. Despite what Rimca had advised Reniko to wear to this diplomatic meeting, Reniko had chosen comfort over show. She was glad she had, since dresses were more likely to encumber her flight rather than help it. She had opted for soft tan leather pants treated to keep out the wind, as well as a matching long sleeved top in a pale blue. Her feet were bare, a wrap of pale blue cloth banded around the middle of her foot and up her leg to keep her pants from tossing in the wind. She had found out quickly what a nuisance shoes were in flight. They were not only heavy, but lacked aerodynamics as well.

The mist parted above her head showing clear blue sky. She watched as she cleared the mist, trails of it clinging to her clothing and following behind in spidery threads that thinned and broke as she rose higher. She was watching the wispy forms of the fog below her when she hit something above. The blow was so forceful it knocked the wind from her lungs and momentarily stunned her. She hung motionless for a few weightless seconds and then began to fall. Recovering from the blow, she extended her wings and let them catch the air. She glided for a few seconds waiting for the shock to wear off and then positioned herself so she could better she what she had collided with. She was perplexed when she noticed nothing in the sky above her. She watched a few more moments and then turned her gazer toward the ground with an idea. Diving back into the mist that was slowly evaporating, she flipped over and beat her wings fiercely, sending tendrils of the fog shooting upward toward her invisible attacker. She levelled off and watched the tendrils slowly drift and hit the barrier extending out into a thin layer before evaporating from the heat of the sun. That’s odd it almost looks like the barrier that Orric landed on that surrounded Reflaydun. Reniko’s eyes widened with sudden understanding. Orric hadn’t been the only one to encounter an invisible barrier in Reflaydun, Reniko had as well. One that had caged her in and that had ended only when the ground had fallen away like grains of sand in an hour glass leaving her to plunge into the unknown. Malik! Reniko shot towards the ground through the mist looking for the shadow of Malik in the unearthly white. She spotted him and flew with all the speed she could muster to his position.

“Malik, give me your hand quick,” Reniko said. From the height that she achieved, she could see the ground falling away, sounding like water rushing over a cliff. Malik was heading right for this onrush, unaware. At Reniko’s call, he had stopped and without question he stretched his hand into the air. Reniko dove towards him and grabbed his hands. As soon as she felt she had a firm purchase, she switched directions from descent to ascent, causing great gusts of wind as she tried to support Malik’s weight off the ground. I can do this, she willed to herself. She could do this and had once before when Jekkah, Orric’s crazed older brother had thrown Malik into Ocean’s Wall to his death. Reniko had been the only thing there to save him and here she was again the only thing standing between Malik and a fateful drop.

“What’s happening, Reniko?” Malik asked.

Reniko clenched her teeth and gave a small cry from the strain. “Remember Reflaydun,” Reniko said the only two words she could voice before her mind focused back on bearing Malik’s weight.

Malik looked down and watched the last of the ground vanish into the encroaching darkness. “How long do you think you can do this?” he asked. His arms were starting to feel strained from their awkward position.

“Not long,” Reniko said even as Malik felt her descending into the dark pit that had opened up below.

“Long enough to get us safely to the bottom?”

“Let’s hope,” Reniko said. She gave out another small cry as her wings shuttered and they both dropped further into the hole. Reniko recovered with a moan and eased them both into the darkness below.

“I think we’ve hit bottom,” Malik said as he felt something hard come into contact with his foot.

“Thank the maker,” Reniko sighed and began to ease her grip on Malik’s wrists.

“No, Reniko wait –” Malik yelled too late as he felt Reniko let go and began sliding down the rock formation he had stepped on. He came to an abrupt halt as he reached the bottom of the slope, now wedged into the small gap between the stalagmite he had slid from and another that stood right beside it. He heard Reniko perch herself on the one he had slid from using her wings to keep her stable on its small peak.

“Malik are you alright?” she asked glancing up at the ceiling which was beginning to reform, cutting off what little light they had.

“Better than if I had fallen straight down without you. I think I’m stuck though,” Malik said as he tried in the darkness to free himself.

“Hold on for a second, Mal,” Reniko said as she rummaged around in the small pack that she had secured around her waist. Really wish I hadn’t left the torch in the saddle bag, she thought as she pulled out the Reflaydun sphere.

“Activate search engine,” Reniko said causing the sphere to glow a pale blue. “Well it’s something,” she said to herself, and casting her gaze from the sphere, she looked at the surroundings that were illuminated by the sphere.

“I think I see a ledge to our right that looks like it’s free of stalagmites. Do you think you could make it there?” Reniko asked looking down at Malik. Malik looked at her with a frown as he tried uselessly to un-wedge himself.

“It would be no problem, if I could move,” he replied. His face reflected a strong annoyance with his current situation.

“I’m sorry, Malik. I didn’t mean to drop you. You aren’t very light you know,” Reniko replied.

“Yeah, I know, I know,” Malik said. Giving one last effort to pull himself out of the crevice, he finally resigned with an exaggerated exhale. “Well since you did get me stuck down here, do you think you would be good enough to help me out?”

“Shh,” Reniko said in response, causing Malik to fall immediately silent. In the pale glow of the sphere, they listened to the darkness around them, hoping it would reveal their surroundings to them. Malik listened to the silence, the occasional drip of water falling from somewhere far above was the only noise that echoed in the cavern.

“I don’t hear anything, Lyss,” Malik whispered.

“I felt the air change, I’m sure there is something in here,” Reniko replied.

Silence fell between them once again, and as Malik listened, the ringing in his head became amplified by the ghostly silence, and he could hear it, the rush of air being displaced by wings. With the same suddenness that he heard the sound, he felt the chilly air around him move like an invisible current tearing at his skin.

“It must be the Teoko,” Malik said renewing his efforts to free his pinned body. “Senta raes ki’a,” Malik cried out into the surrounding dark.

Reniko hopped from her perch into the air at his words and faced the direction of the disturbance in the air. “I have a bad feeling about this, Malik,” she said as she stared past the glow of the sphere into the impenetrable darkness. “Was that Levanith you spoke?”

“Yes. I’m pretty sure I said ‘peace be with our ancient kin’, or something to that effect,” Malik said. He looked up at Reniko who was hovering over his head, “but seriously I could use a hand down here.”

Reniko placed the sphere gently on the peak of the nearby stalagmite and dropped beside Malik. “And you really think that Levanith is the best language to be speaking when addressing these Teoko?” Reniko asked as she grabbed Malik’s hand and flew back into the air.

“That’s working,” Malik said as he felt his legs inch up scraping against the wet rock, “and I don’t see why what language I use would make in difference in this case. Levanith was the code language the resistance used a thousand years ago.”

Reniko fell silent, she hoped that Malik was right and that his sudden outburst had nothing to do with the uneasiness she now felt. She pulled again on Malik’s arm straining her wings to gain ground, feeling his body resist a little, and finally she felt results, felt him sliding out of the crevice. She was engulfed by a cold chill running up her spine and she lost her grip on Malik. Unable to gain purchase, he once again found himself stuck. As quickly as it had come, the disturbance in the air vanished.

“Reniko, what’s wrong?” Malik asked as he realized he was in an even worse position than he had been before.

Reniko didn’t respond, instead she was looking at the sphere and at the pale glow that was emanating from it. It’s too late, she thought at about the same time she realized that light had been about the worst thing that she could have produced from her pouch, it led them straight to us. Reniko abandoned Malik and flew straight at the sphere. Reaching out to grab it, she whispered, “Deactivate program.” With her whispered command, the light went out abruptly, leaving an after image dancing in her vision. As she finally neared the sphere, she reached out to take hold of it, only to seize empty air. Thinking she had misjudged the distance in the sudden darkness, she flew forward, but still felt empty air. Almost imperceptibly, she felt the air shift around her and a sudden voice filled her ears, the hiss if his breath so close to her face.

“Looking for this?” the voice resonated in her head like a drum. Reniko had been so intent on shutting off the sphere that she hadn’t even noticed the bulk of the Teoko which was perched so close to her among the stalagmites. She turned to the source of the voice and tried to back away, instead she felt the impact as the Teoko swung his tail with all his force into her body and her movement was instantly shifted from backward to sideways. She felt her body collide with stone, felt it rip through her skin as she skidded along the tops of numerous stalagmites before finally dropping to the ground and losing consciousness.

The first thing she became aware of was the blood in her mouth. The pain came immediately after. Shaking, she sat up and spat blood mixed with saliva onto the cavern floor. Her body was covered in shallow cuts, but her mind concentrated on the pain she felt in her ribs where the Teoko’s blow has struck her full force. She could feel the bruise forming, as well as the broken ribs as she shifted. She let out a startled cry at the sharpness of the pain in her side and groaned. Great introduction, she thought sarcastically to herself. She widened her eyes as she remembered Malik.

Despite her open eyes, however, the dark was just as impenetrable as it was with them closed. She called out feebly, “Malik?”

“I’m here,” she heard to her right. His voice sounded much stronger than her own.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“Better than you sound,” he replied.

Their conversation was interrupted when they felt the ground shake under the impact of something large.

“How dare you intrude on our sanctum,” the same drum voice spoke. Reniko could feel the rage emanating from the Teoko, it was almost overpowering. She tried to touch his mind, placate him in some way, but though she could feel his emotions, she seemed unable to Engage his mind. Brium was right, the Teoko of Tordaskar seem to be the only ones that developed the close bond that Engaging brings.

“It wasn’t exactly our choice,” Reniko responded. She was starting to feel a lot better. Are the nanites in my blood still activated for repair? Reniko thought. She was unable to explore the answer to that without the Reflaydun sphere.

“Why have you come here?” the voice asked, ignoring Reniko’s response completely.

“We came here because we wanted to know what happened to you. You haven’t been seen above ground for a thousand years. We were concerned. I thought that the Rük might have destroyed all of you,” Reniko said.

“We haven’t been above ground since you abandoned us to the Rük. I ask you again, why have you come? After the many years that you have left us to suffer alone, why have you returned?” the voice asked.

Reniko could feel the Teoko’s rage building to malice. She knew that if she didn’t respond correctly, it would mean her death. “What do you mean I abandoned you?” Reniko asked.

“Do not feign ignorance, Levanith, your sentra comes a thousand years too late. You left us to die knowing that one small dart would be our death. Hundreds fell before we fled here and sealed the entrance, my ki’a died in vain waiting for you to come. So do not try to make me feel any sorrow for your fate.”

“You’re wrong,” Malik said, his voice a whisper that grew in volume with every word. “You’re wrong about the Levanith. They didn’t abandon you, they fought for you. For all the Teoko. They fought until their dying breath and the Rük, the Rük spared none of them. They all died trying to protect Vespen from the Rük. They died for all of us. They didn’t abandon you, there was just no one left to come.”

“Yet here she stands before me, alive and well,” the voice replied.

“Alive, yes,” Reniko said, “but only because my parents sent me away long ago, to another world, far away from here. I was asleep in stasis for a long time and when I woke up, I didn’t remember any of this. It wasn’t until last year that I found out that I was Levanith.”

“So you expect us to join your fight against the Rük now? We must forget the long years we have had to suffer down here, just because you ran away? Well, we did not run. We suffered here, endured here. You are on your own, just as we were for so long.”

“I didn’t run. The Levanith didn’t run. We hid and waited for a time when we could win. If we had all died back then, what good would that have been for Vespen?” Reniko asked.

“Besides, we didn’t come here to get your help to fight the Rük. We came to tell you that the rule of the Rük is no longer,” Malik said now annoyed with the conversation.

The Teoko grew silent and Reniko heard voices murmuring in the darkness.

“You are saying that the Rük are no longer,” the voice finally asked.

“Well the Rük still inhabit Vespen, but Trokar, their leader, is no longer,” Reniko said.

“Who has accomplished this feat?”

“She did. Reniko did,” Malik said. Another silence fell at the same time the cave filled with illumination. The sudden light burned Reniko’s eyes and she reflexively closed them, waiting for them to adjust. When she opened them, she found that she was in an immense cavern with a dozen Teoko, all pale white, their eyes red. They are all albino, she thought as she stared into the eyes of the Teoko nearest them.

“You really have done this, Levanith?” he asked.

“I have,” Reniko said.

“Then who rules Vespen free?”

“I do. You may have known my mother, Shyla of Sentralon,” Reniko replied.

“Alas I do not. Shyss of Tordaskar, the fallen Levanith, is the last of your kind that we were in contact with.”

“She was my grandmother,” Reniko replied.

“So Reniko of Sentralon, do you feel that you have the right to rule over us just because your mother was Wayann before you?”

“No I –” Reniko began, however, Malik, who was bursting with his own fury, interrupted her.

“How dare you. How dare you judge her by your own misconceptions of the Levanith. Reniko liberated the people of Vespen, freed them from slavery and bondage to the Rük and you ask her if she has the right to rule. She has more right to rule than her forefathers ever had. The people of Vespen all love her, respect her, and trust that she will do what’s best for them. And this past year that she has ruled, she had proven time and again that she has everyone’s best interests at heart. I will not stand by and let you abuse her. I will not stand here and let you say that she has no right to the throne. If you feel that Reniko has no place here on Vespen just because her parents sent her away without giving her a say in the matter, then you can stay down here, live the rest of your lives down here for all we care.

“Reniko cares more for Vespen than you ever could. Even before she knew that this was her home, she promised me, promised the people of Vespen, that she would do whatever she had the power to do to save us from the Rük. While you were hiding down here, Reniko was risking her life for us. She would have given her life for us. I almost lost her,” his words died on his lips as he was reminded of all the times that he had nearly lost her forever; when she had exchanged her life for his in Orborok’s dungeon, when he had been unable to see past the goddess she had become, when Trokar had taken her and altered her memories, and most recently when Trokar had used his dying breath to plunge his sword through her chest.

Reniko was silent listening to Malik, awed by his reverence for her. She had known his love for her, but this was different. Malik’s belief in her ability gave her strength and assurance that she was doing the best she could. Maybe my best will be enough.

“Your companion holds you in very high regard, Levanith. If what he has said is true, than we Teoko of the Underground City have much to learn about you. My name is Morta; I am head of this clan.”

“I am Reniko Dorsalin. I’ve come to offer you a seat on our council if you will have it. It will give you a voice in the affairs of Vespen and a chance to see if I can live up to the expectations that my husband has given you.”

“Your forgiveness of past wrongs is a strong proof of you character, Reniko of Dorsalin. We gladly accept your offer,” Morta replied.

“That was easier than I thought,” Reniko replied rising to her feet. “I was unsure if I would be able to placate your anger towards the Levanith.”

Morta cocked his head to one side. “How could you possibly have understood the depth of my resentment toward your people?”

“I share a connection with your ki’a from Tordaskar, although undeveloped as it is in you of the Underground City, I still harbour my side. I understand your pain more deeply than you could ever know,” Reniko touched her hands to her heart, trying to show the pain that she felt there for all that Morta and the others had suffered.

“Your empathy for those of Vespen serves you well, Wayann. Maybe in time we too of the Underground City will share this bond of species.”

“I look forward to that,” Reniko replied smiling.