by Dusks, Rydre
The woman stood from her desk, tall and graceful. She wore black, which I found odd considering the heat. Her hair was done up along the sides so that it was pulled away from her striking, angular Ifearian features. With her tightly tailored suit coat, airy pants, and knee-high boots, I felt slightly intimidated. The handgun at her hip didn't help this thought.
She circled her desk and came closer to Stelliot and I, gazing at us intently. The female soldier who'd led us here spoke in Ifearian to the other. The woman in charge dismissed her soldiers without once removing her eyes from my son and me. Once the others had taken their leave, she spoke.
"They tell me you're an Iasona spy."
She spoke perfect New Soul. I was quick to counter. "No. I grew up in Iason, but I haven't been back there in years."
Her eyes continued to rake up and down my body. "Then why are you wearing Strejc gear?"
"It's my only protective covering, ma'am," I answered honestly. "I came up from the Cantor-Ifearor tunnels. I've traveled for two days. My son and I are very tired."
She raised one dark and elegant eyebrow. "Cantor? No one comes from Cantor. It's covered with the Mirror."
"I found a way across it. Please, ma'am. All I ask is that you let us rest a little, then we will go. We're only trying to get into Souloroh. We took the wrong route." There was no use getting into a debate about gods with this woman. I could tell right away that she would treat anything I said with skepticism.
She continued to look me up and down. It had started to make me highly uncomfortable. "Well, you're unarmed, and your face says you're telling the truth. However we are in the middle of a war, and extreme measures need to be taken. Take off your coat."
I did as she bid, removing my coat and tossing it to a chair beside the wall. She gazed longer at my grimy, ragged appearance.
"You smell like seawater and oil," she stated with disdain. "I would continue to stand here and interrogate you, but there's no point to it. You obviously have no idea what is going on during the war right now. What's your name?"
I fought with the decision of whether to be honest with her. I didn’t have any reason to hide who I was, in my eyes. "My Strejc name is Crow Hightower. Full Anli, it's Kro Seaada OrrVieh. This is my son Stelliot Kajaru OrrVieh."
Her brow raised all the way. "My name is Bray'ed Rotuviqah. I'm the general here in Usenzic. Unfortunately under these circumstances, I can't just let you walk back out that door."
"I figured," I replied as Stelliot took my hand. "If I could have my belongings back, though... Particularly my phone? I need to make some calls and let my family know where I am."
"You can use the phone we have here in the station," Bray'ed replied, nodding her head toward the landline resting on the desk. "Use the first number on the list; it’s for the operator. And we'll be monitoring you.”
Bray'ed indicated a list of a few different numbers pinned to the wall of the office. Pushing herself away from her desk, she walked toward her guards stationed on either side of the exit, speaking to them in their home language. I sat down in a chair opposite of the desk and picked up the phone as Stelliot took the chair that had my tailcoat thrown over it. After a brief conversation with the operator, I was connected. Toanwar's phone rang several times, but I was only given his answering machine. It had changed subtly over the last two years.
"You've reached Toanwar Voelwrath of Voelwrath Robotics. If this is a business matter, please call the Iasona GreyCross Tower directly. If this is a personal call, leave me your information and I will do my best to get back with you. Thank you."
I hung up before it could beep. I couldn't reach Toanwar, which wasn't much of a surprise. I just hoped he was okay. Instead I recalled Atta's number, dialed the operator again, and connected to my brother's line. It rang just a couple of times before getting answered.
"Hello?"
"Atta! It's Kro!"
"Kro! Sol, Kro, I thought we'd lost you forever!"
In my excitement, I found myself talking in Anli with him. I received an odd look from Bray'ed but knew there was nothing she could do to stop me.
"What is going on, Kro? That same day you'd left my house all that time ago, your friend Rook came back carrying what looked like a spirit form of you. He said you turned that way after the two of you were attacked out in the desert. He didn't know where else to go but back the way that you came."
"Yes, that happened," I replied. Stelliot watched me too, but I also doubted that he knew much Anli. I spoke it to him a lot when he was smaller, but he may not have remembered.
Carefully, I told Atta my situation, and what had happened to me. Once I was finished Atta's voice was hushed but sincere.
"It's been a long while, brother. It’s good to hear from you again."
"How is Rook?" I wondered.
"I couldn't tell you. He stayed with Lorna and I for just a couple days after your accident and then took off on your hovercycle again. Haven't heard from him since."
I rolled my eyes. "So he really did steal my bike. At least it wasn't ruined in the crash. Have you heard from the others? The Voelwraths?"
"Oh yes. Zlade and Toanwar came here almost as soon as they heard what had happened. They wanted to try waking you up. None of us could do it. We even had other Souloran scientists and doctors come out to work through what had happened, and they had no answers. At one point Zlade even tried calling your phone. But every time one of us dialed, all we got was a lot of static and weird screeching sounds for your answering message. They came out several times, but finally had go home because Toanwar stated he had business to finish in Saydea of the Future. They had your hackerbot with them too."
"Do you know if they're safe?"
Atta hesitated. "I don't, Kro. I wish I did. Most everyone's been cut off from GreyCross since the war started. Souloroh doesn't want to get involved in any way."
I sighed. "Anything else I've missed? On a large scale?"
"Someone came here looking for you about a year ago. She said her name was Blank."
My heart leapt for a moment. "Blank? Blank came to find me? She got out of Roavo?"
"Uh... Yes, I suppose. She didn't say much to us--just asked if we knew why you were in such a weird comatose state. I told her what Rook had told us. She stayed for about a day, then told us that if you woke up to let you know she would be in GreyCross."
My heart dropped back down slowly, sinking a little further than where it had been resting a moment before. "Well, I can't get back into Souloroh or Iason right now. I'm being held in an interrogation office in southern Ifearor in a place called Usenzic. They don't like me because I'm a Strejc. You have any idea how I could get out of this place... legally?"
"Sol, Kro, I don't know much about Ifearor. But Strejca are linked with machine police and the Daliq'ehete, aren't they? You might try the latter."
I wasn't so sure if the general here was going to allow me to do anything, but it was worth a shot. "Okay. Thanks, Atta. I promise I'll see you soon after this whole mess is over with."
"See you, Kro."
I placed the phone down with another sigh, then looked up at Bray'ed. "Any way I could talk you into letting me contact the Daliq'ehete?"
Bray'ed sat down at her desk, gazing at me from across it. She was quiet for a moment, continuing to take in my appearance. "There's a possibility, but I may ask for your help in exchange."
I glanced at Stelliot for just a moment. "And what's that?"
"I heard 'hackerbot' in your phone call."
I frowned. "We were speaking Anli."
"Anli doesn't have a word for 'hackerbot,' does it?" She tapped a device on her ear, obviously something that helped her listen in on the conversation. "You don't think we'd let you keep anything secret, do you? Do you own a hackerbot, Crow Hightower?"
I kept cautious. "Are you trying to find something to arrest me for? Because President Era already managed that quite well."
She shook her head. "We Ifearians delight in machinery.
I was actually going to ask if you might repair mine, that is of course if you know how."
"Depends on how you plan to use it. If it's for infiltrating Iason I'm going to have to decline."
"Mr. Hightower, that shouldn't be any of your business."
"Iason is my home. I won't support anything you do against it."
"Iason attacked us first. We have every right to lash back."
I grit my teeth for a moment. Every country had its flaws: Souloroh had Roavo, Iason had a bad president, and according to Rook Sheliaas and Alker were full of crazies. But Iason at least had good people.
"GreyCross isn't the best, and yes Era is corrupt, but it's where I live. I have family there."
Her look hardened. "You'll assist me, or you're never getting out of Ifearor."
"Papa," Stelliot suddenly spoke up. "Is she not letting us go home?"
I looked back at him in surprise. I hadn't been certain whether Stelliot spoke any New Soul.
"She's not being very nice to gods," he remarked.
Before Bray'ed could say something to us, I had a flash of inspiration and rose from my chair, looking her in the face sternly.
"I am the incarnation of IkioElle, God of Justice, and you will help me and my son out of Ifearor or else you will suffer the consequences of enraging a deity of vengeance. Are we understood?"
For a moment there was a flash of fright in Bray'ed's eyes, but it passed. Determination filled her gaze instead, and she stood to meet me. "You think this is a joke, Strejc? I could have you easily killed for refusing to obey me."
"Show her, Papa. Show her your powers," Stelliot urged.
I felt it inside me. It was like water boiling over a pot and hissing angrily on a stove. All those times of standing in Stone's cabin and hearing him tell me that he liked watching me get tortured, that I was nothing but a dog, and that I was in there to obey him... This was no different. Bray'ed had more dignity than Stone, but she was essentially the same headstrong, obsessive type of leader. This new swell of energy inside wanted to get out, but not in the untamable way I'd used it before to kill my prey and scare the shit out of others. This time it was manageable.
"I gave you as much information as I could to show that I am innocent. You've listened to some of my phone conversations, I am unarmed, I didn't fight when I was brought it, and I have a child with me! I don't know how your government works, but I'm pretty sure you can't manipulate people like this."
Bray'ed looked like she felt the energy as well. She'd lowered herself back down into her chair but kept glancing over at Stelliot. "Who is that child really? Are you demons?"
"We're what we've told you," I replied. But before I could go on, Stelliot took over.
He stood from his chair and walked around the desk, coming close to Bray'ed. His eyes never left her face as he reached for one of her documents and flipped it over, jabbing a finger to the blank side. "You'll write down directions for Papa to find his Dalk'aheehee. Write 'em or I'll make you, lady."
Bray'ed narrowed her eyes. "I am not accustomed to taking orders from children, or giving things away for free. Your father knows what he needs to do to get his directions, and he refuses to do so. I will do nothing to help."
Stelliot scowled back at her, and the guard-house suddenly shook. A large crack bolted across the ceiling, and I recoiled in surprise.
"Write, lady, or I'll crush you with the roof."
"S-Stelliot," I started, but I wasn't sure what to say. Stelliot could remove the Plains with a scream and drain water with a wish, but I'd never expected him to use his powers to bring a roof down on someone's head.
Bray'ed glanced up at the ceiling, watching more large cracks slash through the drywall and shower the floor with white dust. She stood from her seat, but Stelliot stopped her.
"I wouldn't try to run if I were you," he warned, and the house shook harder.
"Stelliot," I started again. "We're not killing anyone today. Please."
The threatening shudders of the house finally ceased, and Stelliot looked up at me in confusion. "But Papa..."
Bray'ed took the opportunity to race around her desk and tug the gun from her belt. "I don't know what in the hell the two of you are, but I don't like it."
Without warning, Stelliot screamed. I flung my hands to my ears as the roof cracked, a sizeable piece falling downward and striking Bray’ed’s extended weapon. She cried out in surprise, and I seized a map from her desk and grabbed onto Stelliot’s arm, pulling him toward the doors. This was our only opportunity to escape. Bray’ed’s guards rushed into the room to protect their leader, but a falling chunk of ceiling nearly hit one of them and they backed out with alarmed shouts.
Swallowing my nerves, we bolted from the office before checking the map. The main road to the Daliq'ehete seemed to go clear to the western center of Ifearor. We wouldn't be able to make it on foot. Just as I was deliberating which vehicle to steal, I heard a mechanical cry from the skies. The attention of the guards and soldiers turned upward as Stelliot called out in excitement.
"Siivash!"
Indeed it was the chrome dragon. It circled Usenzic once before touching down a couple yards away from us, letting out a burst of flame from its hinged jaws.
"Geta u'yu, Strejc!" One of the soldiers shouted, which was followed by a gunshot. Quickly, I grabbed Stelliot's hand and raced for Siivash's saddle. Another shot came, and this time it wasn't a warning. Stelliot tripped behind me and fell to the dirt road, forcing me to turn and pick him up. A third bullet exploded and ripped through me, but it was poorly aimed and only penetrated my farce leg. As I climbed onto Siivash holding Stelliot and the reins, I felt something was wrong. Stelliot was quiet, and my front felt wet. I lifted him to glance him over, making sure everything was alright, but felt the world freeze around me when I knew that it wasn't. Stelliot's middle was drenched in blood. For a moment I was too petrified to do anything. What was I to say? To do? Was he alive? I checked Stelliot's face. He was certainly alive, but completely pale and hitching his breath softly. His hands trembled.
One of my instincts was to get off the robotic dragon and chase down the soldier in a bout of wild fury, but we were already in the sky. I kept my attention on my son who gazed at me with glossy eyes full of fear and pain.
"S-Stelliot...!" I started. Then I took a heavy breath and pulled Stelliot into my lap, holding my hand over his stomach. I wasn't sure what kind of bullet had struck him, but seeing as how he wasn't bleeding from anywhere else, I figured it was still inside him. "Stelliot, hang on. Papa's here. You're gonna be okay."
"P-Papa, he shot you," Stelliot whispered. "He g-got your leg."
I hushed him. "Papa's fine. Just take it easy, big guy."
Pushing down as much fear as I could, I reached with a bloody hand and touched Siivash's head. "Take us to the Daliq'ehete in..." I looked at the map still clutched in one hand, "...Santiq."
Siivash took a gradual angle and headed northwest.
Stelliot had lost consciousness by the time the city was in sight. I checked his pulse every minute or so, terrified that it was going to flutter away from me. Although I knew his wound was serious, he hadn't once cried about it or showed that he was in agony. He'd looked frightened was all, and I wondered if his supreme composure during all this was simply shock, or if it were part of his divine powers.
Siivash touched down in an alleyway on the western side of the city near a tall building with a back entrance. Not too many denizens had seen the flying dragon, and if they had they hadn't cared. The moment I caught sight of the dark stained, wooden back door I knew this was the place. Not only was it distinct, but Santiq Daliq'ehete was displayed on a neon plate above the doorframe in familiar lettering. I left Siivash's back with Stelliot in my arms and rushed to the door, pressing hard on the bell several times.
I waited at the door for a few moments, my panic growing with every inhale I took of Stelliot's blood-tinged scent. The top hatch opened thirty seconds later, and someone peer
ed out at us. Then the door unlocked and swung open. Standing in front of me was a man my height wearing a white headband around black hair. He was most definitely Ifearian in the eyes but Souloran in facial structure. He wore several flat, metal plated tags connected to chains that were looped multiple times around his neck.
His cool gaze raked up and down my ragged figure for a moment, then he asked in a breathy voice, "Asanta yu Strejc?"
That was easy enough to understand. I nodded in a harried manner. "Please... My son," I urged.
The man gazed at Stelliot before opening the door wider to let me walk in. He closed it and locked it behind me before leading me down a narrow hallway. "Asanta yu da'avor Ifearoqo?"
I only half guessed what he asked. "N-No... I don't speak Ifearian."
He grunted. "Uva spese Iasona deno?"
"Yes, I speak fluent Iasona."
The man rounded a corner and walked me into a break room. Three other people sat around a table chatting and laughing with each other. In the upper corner of the room was a TV displaying a show that no one seemed interested in. Everyone hushed upon mine and the man's entrance.
"Z'kada," the man began, catching the attention of a bleach blond, petite girl at the table. "Es'tie Strejc nu ha'av tipo. Anyaso."
The girl stood up quickly, nearly knocking over her chair, and rushed over to me, offering her arms out. I took one step back, clutching Stelliot to my chest. "What does she want?"
The man with the headband looked at me with cool eyes. "She wants to take your son to the infirmary and patch him up. If you keep holding him without us doing anything to help, he's gonna die."
Stunned, I slackened my grip, and the girl removed Stelliot from my arms, rushing out of the room with him. I turned and headed for the door, but the man stood in front of me to block my way. "No, Strejc. You're as pale as a corpse. Go sit down and rest for a moment."
I was reluctant to listen to him. “That’s my son! Let me at least go with her!”