by Jon Chaisson
I am alive, she said to herself. Dehndarra Né hra nyhndah. I am part of the One.
Nandahya flexed her fingers, suddenly aware she had balled them into fists. “What have you heard?” she asked as evenly as she could.
“The nuhm’ndah have resurrected their own deity,” Saone replied. “As balance. For every action the One of All Sacred may take…”
“…this one responds in kind,” Nandahya responded, scowling. “Just as I feared.”
“Which means that if the One continues to enlighten all the willing Mendaihu and Shenaihu to a new level, the more nuhm’ndah we will see. And the enlightened nuhm’ndah are equal in strength to the Mendaihu Elders,” Saone said. “Which means that this season could adversely affect Earth as well as Trisanda. Or so the Dahné says.”
The Councillor frowned deeply at her, hearing those words then recognizing them for what they were. Nandahya clearly wanted to know more about Saone's father, but was reluctant to ask. She herself had the same reservations about speaking aloud with Shirai listening in. She was also resisting temptation to speak within, sure that someone close by would be able to eavesdrop. Saone could sense all of this just by the troubled look on the woman's face. Slowly she nodded, and looked away towards the bank of windows to her left. It had been cloudy all day, and so her view revealed nothing but a sea of white and gray.
“The Dahné knows this deity,” Saone said. “He's brought him here to awaken the nuhm’ndah spirit. This man is the spiritual opposite to the One of All Sacred. He claims that he is peaceful unless provoked. I’ve heard and seen evidence to the contrary.”
The Councillor faced her, unsure of what to say.
“He calls himself Saisshalé.”
“Saisshalé...” A glimmer of recognition appeared in Nandahya’s eyes. “Saisshalé,” she said again. “An ancient deity. Nearly forgotten.”
Kryss nodded towards the windows. “Deities have a way of manifesting their physical embodiments around here,” she said.
“Quite,” Nandahya said, dismissing the remark and looking back at Saone. “So you tell me: is this Saisshalé a new embodiment, or just another ploy for the Dahné?”
“A pure embodiment,” Kryss continued before Saone could speak. “He's been underground for eons, Nandahya. He’s had just as many embodiments, but has chosen not to make his presence known. He's chosen exile over nonexistence. He's only resurfaced now because of Natianos Lehanna's urging.”
“'Urging'? You mean awakening?”
“He has not been awakened,” Saone said. The mere thought of that deity commanding his full powers sent shudders down her back. “Not fully. He knows who and what he is, but he hasn't reached his full potential yet. I'm assuming this is so the Dahné can control him.”
Nandahya frowned, leaning forward into a cupped hand. “Like Denni Johnson.”
“Precisely,” Saone said. “And here’s the real problem. In the course of all the histories of the One of All Sacred, they have reached their full potential. And each has taken part in a season of Embodiment in one way or another, from participant to savior. None quite like this, however. And Denysia never finished the full ascension ritual.”
Nandahya thought over Saone's words. She did not like the outcome. “So the problem is inevitability,” she said. “If Denni finally does ascend, so will Saisshalé. So either we keep the both of them from fully ascending to save ourselves, or we let fate take its course and hope that they don’t destroy us in the process.” She lifted her head and looked outside again, deep in thought. By her expression she seemed resigned to accepting her mortality if the lives of millions — of billions of people, all across this planet — were to die because of a spiritual awakening. Saone felt the same way; who was she to prevent any of this from becoming a reality? What was the honorable thing to do? Let two deities awaken and cleanse the planet, or stop both of them and save it?
“Who else knows about this?” Nandahya asked.
“Very few,” Saone said. “The Dahné, his second-in-command, Janoss Miradesi, probably some others in their close circle, but that’s it. I don't even think my family knows.”
Nandahya nodded. “As long as it stays that way, we're safe. But now that you've told me, that poses another problem.”
Saone lowered her head. “You've become a part of it,” she said. “Kryss and I are already outcasts from our families because of our connection with the One. And now my father knows I've given you this information.”
Nandahya sent a small wave of comfort to both of them. “I understood that as soon as I agreed to meet the two of you. There's no need for guilt. You chose the honorable path and I will never hold that over your head. As a Mendaihu I must take that chance. And if it means the One of All Sacred must die in order for us to live...I must accept that,” she finished.
Saone could not answer. Nor could Kryss. She had reached over and taken Saone's hand again, gripping it tight. They had not expected the Councillor to accept anything they told her, nor had they expected her to act upon it so willingly. It was not only bravery but compassion that drove this woman, a true Mendaihu. She would protect Earth no matter what the cost.
“I believe we Mendaihu and cho-nyhndah are not alone in this,” Nandahya said, cutting the long silence. “If they are resurrecting the nuhm’ndah spirits, then the Mendaihu surely must have acted on this by now.”
“What do you mean?” Saone asked.
“The Mendaihu spirits. The 'angels' as they're sometimes mistakenly called because of their chosen human manifestation. They are ancient spirits known as the kiralla.”
Saone felt Kryss' hand tighten in hers. She saw fear in her friend's eyes. “Kiralla...” she said. “Trisandi spirits?”
“Older than that, I'm told,” Nandahya said. “The watchers of the Mendaihu and the Shenaihu. Spiritually they're linked to the Mendaihu but in judging, they're impartial.”
“Goddess...” Saone exhaled.
“If the Mendaihu of this world have sensed the coming of the ascended nuhm’ndah already, then they must have awakened the kiralla by now.”
“But —”
“As I said before, Saone. Inevitability.”
“We can’t let fate dictate…” she began.
“Oh, no. We just acknowledge its existence, is all.” She smirked, looking out the window again. “I suppose that's what all that graffiti is about.” She let out a long breath, and turned back to Saone. “Now, I assume the both of you are already watched Shenaihuza, so I don't intend to release you to fend for yourselves. But I don't plan to keep either of you hostage in this godforsaken tower either.”
Saone dropped her head. “We had a few plans,” she said weakly.
Nandahya smiled again, this time showing her true Mendaihu compassion. “I know a few people who might be able to help you.” She tapped on the keypad inlaid into her desk. Two screens blinked to life, one facing her and the other facing Saone and Kryss. She caught the last few lines of an encrypted message before it quickly changed to an image of a disheveled workstation. Monitors and keyboards were everywhere, and in the center a lone worn swivel chair sat, faced slightly to the right.
“I know you're there, Matthew,” Nandahya called out. “It's Nandahya.”
They heard the ruffling of papers and clanking of hardware, and immediately a young man popped in from right screen. He sat down in the swivel chair and gave the Councillor a wide smile.
“Nandazi,” the man said in a hoarse, gravelly voice. “Nice of you to call. Sorry I was off screen...just hooking up some new hardware. Are these the two recruits?”
“Yes,” she said. “Matthew, this is Kryssyna Piramados and Saone Lehanna. emha, this is Matthew Davison.”
He nodded graciously at the screen. “Somfei, edha. Vigil welcomes you.”
“Vigil!” Saone gasped.
“An honor to meet both of you,” he smiled.
“But —”
“Think nothing of it, emha Lehanna,” he said. “We can use a
programmer like you. Swartz Design spoke very favorably of you. They said you're a fast learner and a problem solver. As for you, emha Piramados, you still have your job at the Alien Relations Unit. I’m sure the Dahné wouldn’t be stupid enough to mess with them at the present time.”
Kryss blushed a deep red. “Yes,” she managed. She glanced at Saone with a look of bewilderment; after all this, she was convinced she'd lost her job as well. But that meant that her father hadn't been behind it.
That damn D’haff Sshalé, she thought.
“You did this!” Saone yelped, pointing at the screen in front of her. “You lost my job!”
Matthew held up his hands, fending off blame. “I merely helped you along in your cause, dear Saone.”
“Cause! What cause?”
He let out a slow breath as if he were already tiring of this conversation, and gave her a wilting smile. “Your promise to protect the One of All Sacred,” he said. “That cause.”
“Don't you patronize me,” she growled.
His smiled turned genuine. “I apologize. That was out of order. Let us say this — I was aware of your, shall we say, insubordination when you were seen at the Moulding Warehouse. Your Shenaihu intentions were good. Kidnap the One, bring her to your fadayin, and he'd do whatever he had in mind at the time. But you had a change of heart. Touched by the Hand of a Goddess, so to speak, both you and emha Piramados. Well! That certainly captured my interest. I did a little digging, found your Tower dossier, and set to work.
“You're a special case, Saone. You've not only defected from your clan but you have changed your entire spirit and belief system to follow the One. You've become her disciple. But you had no idea how it would affect your life. You didn't really care at that point, as you were too caught up in the moment. That's when I stepped in. You're definitely one of the best programmers I've seen, Saone, don't get me wrong. But in your present situation, being at Swartz Design would have become dangerous as time wore on. For them, and for yourself.
“You're quite correct in your assumption that the Dahné plans to make life miserable for both of you, now that you've given his plans to Councillor Mirades here. But! As I said, he’s not stupid enough to interfere with the ARU right now. Too risky. So edha Piramados, you’re safe for the time being. As for you, Saone, I became a headhunter, pulled you out of your old job and hired you as a freelance programmer at KJS Industries, working under one Matthew Davison. With a comfortable salary and much better benefits, I should add.”
“Doing what?” she asked, still trying to take this all in.
“You work from home,” he continued. “At your new quarters on Sachers Island with your new roommate, Agent Piramados. Take what you want from your old apartments, but I would advise against it. There's a good chance the Dahné or one of his cronies have already dropped by. KJS covers all expenses.”
Saone shook her head and lifted up her hands. What the hell was going on? How did this Vigil guy know about her? About the both of them? “Why? Why are you doing this?”
“Why?” he repeated. “Because you're a vital key. Vigil needs you, the Mendaihu need you. And the One of All Sacred needs you. Only you know what your father might be up to.”
“So I'm a pawn,” she growled. “Both of us are pawns.”
“Far from it!” Nandahya interrupted. “You're more than that, Saone, don't you see? What you've told me could affect more lives than you could possibly know. You're the key to stopping the one person who could destroy the One of All Sacred.”
“I left my family willingly, and I came here willingly,” she growled. “If I am to stop my father, it's under my terms, not yours, not Matthew's, not even Kryssyna's. Mine. Do you understand?”
Nandahya wavered, her lower lip trembling slightly. She wanted to counter that, but knew better and stopped herself. “Nyhnd'aladh, Saone. I overstepped.”
Saone relented, only slightly. Could it be the Councillor was afraid of her? She was a rebel Shenaihu, a traitor and a heathen. She was a strong nuhm'ndah, strengths and abilities inherited from her father, able to stand up against almost any assailant, spiritual or otherwise. But unlike her father, she was a pacifist. She fully believed the Dahné would not kill Denni Johnson. Abuse her mind and her faith, perhaps, but not kill. But now that she understood how he worked…
Saone, Kryss whispered from within.
She looked over at her and saw waiting eyes. Kryss had felt the same apprehension concerning this offer, but had not voiced her opinion. She looked to Kryss for those answers now. She was too riled up, too frustrated to accept the offer outright, and had probably screwed up their chances for getting out of this unscathed.
I say we agree for now, Kryss said.
Saone reluctantly nodded. Until we are certain of our fate.
Agreed, she finished.
“We accept,” Saone said aloud.
Both Nandahya and Matthew visibly dropped their shoulders in relief. Saone gave them half an attempt at a smile in response, but inside she knew she had no choice other than follow their lead. If only you were here, Dearest One, she thought. If only you could understand what we're doing here!
Matthew broke the uncomfortable silence by clearing his throat. “I promise that Vigil will do all it can to protect you from any potential threats. We may not be able to physically be there for you but we may be able to stop certain events before they unfold. Your new job is but one precaution. Nandahya will give you the address and key codes before you leave. Is there anything else you'd like to ask?”
Saone turned to Kryss again. She had nothing to add, but she was certainly taking this situation with a calm disengagement. She shrugged and gave her a grin, touching her on the hand again. Kryss had more faith in Councillor Mirades and Vigil, that was for certain. She had more faith in a lot of things. A lot more.
Trust and faith, she reminded herself, and turned back to the Councillor and the man on the monitor.
“I believe that's it,” she said as honestly as she could at that moment. “Sa’im taftika, emha si edha. We both appreciate your assistance.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Fesh crahné
Caren sent out a quick thread of sensing and found Denni up on the roof deck again. She’d been spending a lot of time up there ever since her return. Too much, to be honest, even after Amna had persuaded her to return to school. Her life had returned to normal as much as it possibly could have at this point. Those who knew her identity respected her privacy and left her alone. She had not been forced into any situation beyond her means. But Caren could see past her calm demeanor; it was all surface emotion, forced into place by necessity. She was still the One of All Sacred, and she held the worlds in her hands. This was too much stress on a kid her age.
At that very moment she was at the south corner of the deck, the farthest spot from the access door, leaning against the ledge with her mind elsewhere. Her signature was calm and serene; she wasn’t worrying but merely thinking things over. Her repeated visits to Trisanda had been a concern, but in retrospect it had done wonders for her spirit. She was no longer hiding from the world, retreating to her bedroom or to that elsewhere.
The sunset gave the Bridgetown skyline a comforting glow against the darkening eastern sky. She stood silently in the access doorway, taking it all in. Her apartment building nestled itself near two slightly taller complexes and a few commercial buildings, but her view to the west and south remained unobstructed. The northeastern section of McCleever Sector was mostly residential, with smaller apartments and houses, giving her a straight-on view of the major hub of Bridgetown — Main Street Sector, with the Mirades Tower dead center.
Hra khera, hra mehra. All was calm. For the moment.
“Hey,” she called out from the door. Her voice sounded small.
She felt Denni's acknowledgement in the form of a tiny wave of love and appreciation. She didn't expect her to answer back, but from the reaction, she deemed it safe to approach. Caren saw her face this time,
and it was a curious mixture, one she hadn't seen on her before. She was grinning as if she was eagerly and impatiently anticipating an event that would change her whole life, while fidgeting nervously about it at the same time.
“What's up, kiddo?” Caren said. She touched Denni’s shoulder, caressing it. “The look on your face can only mean one of two things, and I hope it's not the second, or I'll have to kick your ass.”
Denni giggled. “Still a virgin. Sorry to let your hopes up.”
“Little shit!” she laughed, and slapped her arm. “I'm serious! You look like you’ve had a revelation. Anything you want to talk about?”
“Well...” Denni sighed, and looked back out on the city. “It's hard to say. My trip this time was...interesting, to say the least. Not at all what I expected.”
“Care to elaborate?”
Denni turned, leaned up against the ledge with her elbow and faced Caren. “My sehna lumia. I was expecting something less mundane.”
“It's supposed to be mundane,” Caren said. “It's a sanctuary from all your distractions.”
“I know…” she smiled. “And it was exactly what I needed. Even though I must have been there for just under a half hour, it was just enough. Do you remember — oh, who was it? One of Mum's friends, what's her name. Emha Kinsale! That sweet lady up in North End? Remember what her place looked like?”
Caren arched a brow. “Yeah, I remember Dianne’s house. We used to go over there for Landing Day celebrations. Why?”
“Do you remember the back yard?”
“Vaguely. Long and narrow, bordered by bushes. The far end went into the woods at the foot of Breed’s Hill, didn't it?” Caren nodded. “Yeah, it did. It also had a greenhouse or a...”
“A gazebo,” Denni said. “But not your conventional one. Looked like a gutted out summer cottage. That’s where I ended up.”