Chapter Ten
The darkness around me was thick and impenetrable. 'Twas not the darkness of midnight, which is a natural thing and easily dispelled by the light of day or the light conjured by a wizard or witch; nay, this was a complete darkness, one I could no more see through than I could see through a thick mountain or stone wall.
But it was not death. That much I knew. I was as alive as ever, for I could feel air going in and out of my lungs, and I still felt the sand betwixt my toes, sand which was likely from the Dead Lands.
Beyond that, however, not all of mine senses had returned yet. Though I did feel the temperature around me, which was an even and cool temp, though why that was, I did not know. I last remembered being out in the hot, dry sun of the Dead Lands, but now I was in a much cooler place, or so it seemed to me.
I did not like being in the dark, however, whether literally or figuratively. Hence, I began to force my eyes open; not only did I want to see where I was, but I also wished to find out if Resita was all right. For I vaguely recalled being in severe danger before being knocked out; and if Resita was dead, then I would indeed be angry at myself for allowing that to happen.
Did take me only a few seconds to fully open mine eyes, but when I did, I blinked several times, for mine vision was not quite clear. When my vision finally did clear, I looked around at my surroundings in order to better understand where I was.
I knew not where I lay. 'Twas a bed of some sort, soft and plush, the silk blankets nice against mine skin. It was infinitely superior to the heat of the outside; indeed, my skin no longer felt as rough as it used to. It was as if someone had rubbed a kind of lotion over my skin, though I did not know if that had happened or not.
And I no longer smelled the icky stink of sewer sludge and garbage. That alone made me feel better than I had in many hours, though the replacement smell was not much to speak of. It smelled like soap; not exactly mine favorite scent in the world, but far superior to the sewage stink that I had feared would never leave my body.
Near the foot of mine bed was a small stool, which I assumed was for visitors to sit on, though there was currently no one upon it. It had five tiny wheels supporting it and appeared to be height-adjustable, though did appear as if no one had sat on it in a while.
As for the rest of my surroundings, I noticed that I was in a fairly large, square room, my bed in one corner. On the opposite end of the room stood a wall of clear glass, through which I saw what appeared to be construction equipment—such as massive cranes—rising from the ground. I also saw what appeared to be piles of dirt on the perimeter of the area, though where those piles came from, I did not know. It appeared to me like I was in the middle of a Xeeonite construction site, though that made no sense, as I last remembered being in the middle of the Dead Lands, well away from civilization of any sort.
I sat up. That took less effort on my part than I thought; indeed, I felt quite well rested, like I had had a good nap. Eager to get up, walk around this place, and find out where I was, I noticed a door on the left side of the room that appeared to be the only way out.
Therefore, I decided to get up and walk to it. But when I tried to raise my legs, a powerful pain shot through them, almost enough to make me cry out. I managed to keep mine mouth closed, however, because I did not wish to scream.
Instead, I pulled the blanket off my legs to see what had caused the pain. I almost covered them back up when I did.
Mine legs were broken. That much was obvious. They were bent in awkward positions and whenever I tried to move them, pain unlike anything else I had ever felt in my life shot through them. I had never had broken legs before; however, I still did not scream, though I groaned involuntarily every time I felt the pain.
What happened to mine legs? I lay back down, doing my best to keep still, but 'twas difficult, for it seemed like every movement caused terrible pain in my legs. I knew of no way to fight the pain, which made me angry with a righteous fury, for now I could not get up and find out where I was.
Then I noticed a camera hanging above the doorway. It did resemble the security camera from the Foundation's HQ, except that it was smaller and less noticeable. Seeing that camera there reminded me of how I had felt when I first awoke inside the HQ, which was a feeling I did not wish to relive at all.
Nonetheless, I understood that if there was a camera there, then that meant there was someone on the other side watching me. If so, perhaps I could communicate with them and ask them to send someone to meet me; after all, I deserved to know where I was and what was going on, did I not?
So I shouted at the camera, “Camera! Tell your creators, whoever they are, that I, Rii of the Knights of Se-Dela, demand to speak with them! Or I will call the wrath of the Old Gods down upon ye and your family!”
That was no idle threat. I was in such a bad mood, not helped by my broken legs, that I was willing to ask the Old Gods to summon the Annihilator itself to destroy them. Granted, that was no guarantee that the Old Gods would listen, for the Annihilator was a weapon meant to be used only under dire circumstances. Still, it was the most deadly and serious threat I knew to make and I intended to make sure that these people, whoever they were, understood that I was not in a diplomatic mood.
As I expected, the camera did not respond. It simply continued to stare at me, likely recording my every movement, as if I had not spoken to it at all. 'Twas a frustrating thing, for I felt as though no one had heard my threats and demands at all. If so, then I might be stuck in here far longer than I would have liked.
But then the door to my room opened. I tried to sit up again to see who was going to enter, but the pain in my legs was still overwhelming, so I simply raised my head to see who had decided to enter.
A human woman stepped through the doorway. She had short blonde hair that was achingly familiar to me as a cherished memory; she wore a red body suit that looked more Xeeonite than Delanian, plus a dark cloak that shrouded much of her body; and she had a little communicator device wrapped around her wrist, though not being an expert on Xeeonite technology, I did not know what it was called.
But I did not need to know the name of that technology to recognize the woman. She was a woman who I had not seen in six years, at least up close and in person. I barely believed mine own eyes—indeed, for a moment, I thought I was merely seeing an illusion, as if the heat of the Dead Lands had permanently affected my view of the world.
The woman closed the door behind her and then turned to face me again. I still did not believe it was her until she smiled at me and said, “Long time, no see, big brother.”
I could barely utter her name, for I was too shocked by her words to speak. Nonetheless, I did manage to say, “Sister Kiriah … is that ye?”
The woman laughed, and when she did, it sparked memories of the summers from our youth, when she would laugh at my jokes or mine antics. It was a more mature laugh, of course, as she was no longer a girl, but there was no mistaking it for the laugh of anyone else.
“Yes, big brother, it's your baby sister, Kiriah,” said my sister, giggling a little as she said that. “You sound like you've seen a ghost.”
I had forgotten all about the pain in my legs now. I simply stared at my sister, took in her whole form. Despite the many proofs that I had of her existence, a part of me still refused to believe that the woman standing in the same room as I was indeed my sister.
“Kiriah,” I said, “I … how … I thought … No. This can't be true. Ye must be an actress hired to fool me into believing that ye are my long-lost sister.”
Kiriah rolled her eyes, the exact same way she always used to when we were younger. “Oh, please. Is that what you think I am now? An actress? You know there's not a single actress on Xeeo or Dela who could possibly imitate me.”
She said that as she brushed some of her hair off her forehead. That was another quirk of my sister, but I still was unsure whether to believe that this woman was indeed her, despite the evidence before my eyes. With so m
uch trickery and deception on this world, I was not in the mood to dash into the arms of a friend who might be a foe. Especially when I noticed how Kiriah spoke much more like a Xeeonite than a Delanian, which made me deeply wary of this woman and her claims to be my flesh-and-blood sister.
“Then give me proof,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. “Tell me something that only Kiriah would know. If ye are indeed who ye say ye are, then that should be no obstacle for you.”
Kiriah again rolled her eyes. “Just as pigheaded as ever, I see. Very well. Do you remember that night when we found Grandpa's old skyras rings in the attic and tried to use them? The ring I used made your eyebrows grow out like a shaggy dog's fur.”
Despite my suspicions of her, I could not help but smile at the memory. “Ah, yes. I recall that quite well. Father was as angry as the Old Gods when he found out what ye did.”
“And he was angry when he found out what you did to me,” Kiriah added. “Remember, you shrank all of my clothes. Father didn't like that at all.”
“I even remember the defense I used to excuse our actions,” I said. “I blamed our older brother, Sura, for showing us how to get to the rings … even though Sura had been visiting a friend at the exact time as our unfortunate little adventure.”
“Then Father grounded us for three months because of that,” Kiriah continued. “And had us apologize to Grandpa's grave, remember? Boy, was that weird.”
I frowned. It was a common occurrence among us Delanian humans to go to the graves of the deceased and apologize to them whenever we offended them; not always, perhaps, but we at least did it when we remembered. Kiriah had never mentioned thinking it strange before now, which made me uneasy, even though I now no longer suspected of her being a fake.
“Well, I am glad to see ye again, mine sister,” I said. I held out my arms. “Why do we not celebrate our reunion with an embrace? It has been too long since we last hugged like siblings.”
But for some reason, Kiriah simply stayed where she was. Her arms remained folded behind her back and, unless mine eyes were playing tricks on me, it seemed as though she regarded me with distaste.
“Nah,” she said, shaking her head, speaking in a tone that she clearly meant to be casual but which came across to me as dismissive. “I think the fact that we got to see each other again is good enough, don't you think?”
“But …” I lowered my arms. “But it has been so long …”
“Your legs are broken, anyway,” Kiriah said, gesturing at my legs under mine blankets. “It's better that we don't make too much physical contact right now. I don't want to hurt you more than I already have.”
I frowned. “Hurt me? Sister, what do ye mean by that? Ye have never hurt me; well, ye haven't hurt me in a long time, anyway. I remember ye used to hit me quite a bit when ye were a child, of course, but I thought ye had grown out of your immature violence when ye became a woman.”
“That's where you're wrong,” said Kiriah. She pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Because I have hurt you more than I wanted to. But I can assure you that it was all necessary.”
“Necessary?” I said. “Forgive me, sister, but I do not understand. Why would ye hurt me? I have never done anything to hurt ye. I have always protected ye. Remember during our school days, when I stood up to those bullies who made fun of your nose?”
“I remember,” said Kiriah, nodding, though she did not sound happy about it. “And that's why I am so sorry about hurting you. If things had been different, I can assure you that I never even would have thought of harming you.”
“Sister, ye speak like a mad woman,” I said. I gestured at the stool near my bed. “Why don't ye sit down right here and talk with me? Ye can tell me all about what ye have been doing since ye disappeared all those years ago.”
I could tell immediately that my sister did not wish to sit down and talk. That puzzled me greatly; after all, why would she not wish to speak with me? I had countless questions to ask her, and she no doubt had just as many to ask me, seeing as she had probably not been keeping up with me either. I could not wait to catch up with her and learn about where she had been and what she had been doing since her mysterious disappearance so long ago.
Nonetheless, she did walk up to me and sit down on the stool. It moved slightly when she sat on it, but she took control of it fairly quickly and put her hands in her lap.
“I know not where to start,” I said. I gestured at my broken legs. “But perhaps first we can start with mine legs. They are broken and in desperate need of aid. Is there a doctor or healer nearby? If so, could you please find him and bring him here?”
Kiriah did not so much as stir from her spot when I made that request of her. She simply shrugged and said, “While there is a doctor in the place, he's not supposed to heal you. We broke your legs for a reason.”
Mine eyes widened in horror. “Wait … 'we'? Are ye saying—”
“I ordered my men to break your legs,” said Kiriah, nodding. She sounded apologetic, though not as apologetic as she should have. “I'm sorry, Rii, but it was the only way to ensure you wouldn't get in the way of my—our—plans.”
I blinked several times. There was no way that Kiriah had just admitted to breaking mine legs, or ordering her men to do it, rather. That made no sense. Kiriah and I were siblings. We had been as close as any two siblings could be. My ears must have been broken or perhaps none of this was real; 'twas all some illusion cast by a mischievous wizard for reasons unknown to me (even though I was quite aware that very few wizards lived on Xeeo and even fewer knew how to cast illusions at all).
So I smiled, despite the pain in my broken legs making me want to grimace, and said, “Grand joke, sister. Of course ye didn't order your men to break my legs. Your sense of humor was always a bit odd, but—”
“This isn't a joke,” said Kiriah. Her tone became harsher. “I am telling you the truth. I've deceived you for so long, but this is no deception. The truth of the matter is, I did order my men to harm you. Again, I apologize, but I hope you understand that it was necessary.”
Now I knew that this was no trickery or deception. I had not wanted to accept it, but there was no more rejecting it now. I was forced to accept the reality of this situation, the grim reality that I had tried to ignore and reject in favor of my own lighter and kinder one.
“Based on your expression, I can tell you have a lot of questions about what is going on here,” said Kiriah. “Questions I probably should have answered a long time ago, but I just didn't think you needed to know them.”
“Of course I have a million questions to ask,” I said. I shuddered when I felt the pain in my broken legs, but I did not let it distract me from my purpose. “I barely know where to even start. I could start by asking why ye broke my legs or where I am or what is even going on, though first of all I suppose I'd like to know where Resita is.”
“That bird?” said Kiriah. She gestured at the floor. “He's in the dungeons, chained up and unable to escape. I considered killing him, but I decided that he probably knows where the other Foundation agents are, the ones who escaped the attack on their HQ, so I'm keeping him alive until I can decide on a way to get that information from his brain, plus anything else he might know.”
I sighed a sigh of relief, for I was happy to know that Resita was still alive, even if he was currently imprisoned.
But my relief at Resita's survival vanished when I realized what else Kiriah had said about him. I looked at her in disbelief and asked, “But why would ye want to know where the other Foundation agents are? Are ye—”
“Behind that attack on their headquarters earlier?” Kiriah finished. “Yes. I ordered it done. I take full responsibility for it.”
“But I thought Xacron-Ah was behind it,” I said. “He's the villain who kidnapped ye and has forced ye to work for him, has he not?”
Kiriah chuckled harshly. “Xac? He doesn't have any power over me. He answers to me. If he tried to kidnap me, I'd have him dead an
d replaced within a week.”
She said that with such coldness and quickness, it was as if she had already given that scenario a great deal of thought. That did not seem at all like my sister, who I remembered as being the kindest and sweetest girl I had ever known. I felt like I had stepped into some strange parallel world, where everything I knew was opposite.
“I do not understand,” I said. “I thought ye were under Xacron-Ah's control, not the other way around.”
“Don't feel bad, brother,” said Kiriah. She reached out and patted me on the arm. “Very few people outside of our organization even know I exist, much less that I have any sort of connection with Xacron-Ah. See, Xacron-Ah works in the public, while I work behind the scenes and make sure that everything goes off without a hitch.”
“Your organization?” I asked. “I did not know ye had an organization. What is it called?”
Kiriah tapped her chin, like she was thinking about whether or not to tell me even that much. This was completely unlike the Kiriah I had known, the one who had always answered my questions without hesitation or fear. What changes had come over her, I wondered?
Then she said, “We don't really have a name, because names can be traced and used to incriminate people. But we have always called ourselves Reunification. It's an accurate descriptor of our goals as an organization.”
“Reunification?” I said. “Why do ye call yourselves that? More importantly, how long has your organization existed? How did ye even find it?”
“Reunification is much older than me,” said Kiriah. “I am just its newest leader and the one who will finally achieve the goals set into motion by its Founder so many eons ago.”
Kiriah said this with a fervent enthusiasm that I had not seen in her in a while. She no longer looked at me. Her eyes were glazed over with excitement. She seemed smitten by the idea of achieving the Founder's goals, whatever they may be, as if it was her whole destiny to do that. It disturbed me because my sister was usually far more reserved than this, which made me wonder what kind of changes had come over my sister between the time of her disappearance and today.
“But I think I should start from the beginning,” said Kiriah, looking at me again. “You're my brother, so I think you deserve to know what is going on here. Maybe you can even help, once you understand exactly what we're trying to do here. It's a noble goal, after all, and I would love it if the two of us could work side by side to accomplish it, just like when we built that makeshift fort as kids. Do you remember that?”
I nodded. “'Twas a mighty fort, for children of six and five, but I am not so sure about Reunification. But I shall reserve my judgment until ye tell me the whole story.”
“All right,” said Kiriah. She leaned back in her chair and took on a thoughtful expression, as if she was trying to figure out where to start. “I guess I should begin with my 'disappearance' six years ago.”
“Yes,” I said. “'Tis a good place to start, for I have always wondered how you disappeared on that fateful night. I had thought some vile cur had kidnapped ye, especially after I first saw those pictures of you sitting with Xacron-Ah.”
“Well, first off, no one kidnapped me,” said Kiriah. She snorted. “As if anyone could. If someone tried to kidnap me, I would have broken out by myself within a week. I left of my own free will.”
“That is good to hear,” I said. But then I frowned. “But why did ye not tell Sura and I? We were worried sick for your safety. We blamed each other for our failure to protect ye.”
“I know,” said Kiriah, “but I couldn't tell you where I was going. I was told that I had to leave without telling anyone, because no one is supposed to know about Reunification. And that is how it is supposed to be. Even I didn't know about Reunification until the day they contacted me with an offer.”
“I see,” I said. My hands balled into fists. “But Sura and I could have used any hint of where ye had gone. Even just the tiniest of clues assuring us of your safety would have saved us years of worry and strife.”
“If I had told you about Reunification and why I left, they would have killed you,” said Kiriah in a flat tone. “Any non-members who find out about us are always killed before they can get a chance to tell anyone else. And if any members of the organization tell non-members about it, they get killed, too. It's how Reunification has managed to stay hidden for so many years.”
“That does not sound much like a noble organization to I,” said I. “Sounds indeed closer to a group of miscreants that has something to hide.”
“Our goal isn't evil or wicked,” said Kiriah. She leaned forward again, with such passion in her eyes that I found it hard to look at them. “We just know that if anyone—whether on Dela or Xeeo—knew about our plan, they would try to stop us. We can't allow anyone to get in the way of the Mission.”
“And just what is this 'Mission' ye speak of?” I asked. “Killing innocents who stumble upon your plans?”
“Those deaths are collateral damage,” said Kiriah. She adjusted the collar of her cloak, which had moved out of position due to her movements. “If no one tried to stop us or get in our way, then we could do our plan without killing anyone. Unfortunately, many misguided people have made it their job to fight against us for no reason other than they don't understand what we're trying to do.”
She did not sound very mournful or apologetic to me. Indeed, if I had not known Kiriah very well (though listening to her ramblings now, I questioned just how well I actually knew my dearest sister), I would have assumed that she was quite satisfied indeed with the fact that the organization had killed people, as if they deserved it for daring to stand in her way.
That thought did deeply unsettle me, making me no longer wish to be in the same room as my sister. In spite of all of the years of anticipation up to this moment, I found myself praying to the Old Gods to whisk me away to some faraway land. Even running into the Destroyer again would have been better than speaking with my seemingly remorseless sister.
“You see, Rii, Reunification has existed for eons, even before Dela and Xeeo became connected through the Portals that people use to travel regularly,” said Kiriah. “Every so often, they need a new leader, someone they can trust to carry out the dictates of our Founder. Sometimes this person is from Xeeo; other times, from Dela. Nonetheless, they are always very careful about who they choose, because a leader can make or break an organization. I am the newest leader and have led Reunification for six years now.”
“Why did they choose ye?” I asked. “Not that I doubt your leadership abilities, sister, but I do not understand why they chose ye in particular.”
“Because it's my destiny,” said Kiriah. She put her hand over her heart. “The Elders—the men and women who make up the actual leadership of Reunification—consulted our Founder, who picked me to lead the organization, because he saw what my destiny was.”
“Your Founder?” I repeated. “But ye say that Reunification has existed even before the two worlds became linked through the Portals. How can the Founder still be alive, then? Or are ye referring to one of his descendents, perhaps?”
“Because our Founder is a great man, greater than any of us,” said Kiriah. She sighed in great contentment. “He's immortal. How he got that way, I don't know, but he's the same Founder who lived in the First Days, when he founded Reunification.”
“What is his name?” I said.
“I don't know,” said Kiriah. “No one is allowed to know his name. And I don't need to know it to serve him. I am perfectly content not knowing, because I trust him totally.”
“That does not sound much like the Kiriah I knew,” I said. “The Kiriah I knew did not trust anyone totally, particularly strange men who do not reveal their true names.”
“You don't understand,” said Kiriah, shaking her head. “I'm not the same Kiriah you used to know. I've changed. I've learned so much more about Dela and Xeeo than any of us could possibly imagine. If you only knew what I knew … why, then you wouldn't be
so skeptical.”
“Then tell me,” I said. I gestured at my broken legs. “I have nothing better to do at the moment, after all, but listen.”
“I can't tell you everything,” said Kiriah. “Not yet. The Founder doesn't think you're trustworthy enough to be given that kind of information right now. Maybe later, after you've proven your worth, but for now, I can't tell you as much as I want to.”
“Fine, then,” I said. “Continue with your story. What happened after ye vanished from our home? Where did ye go?”
Kiriah glanced at the glass wall on the other end of the room, well away from us. “I can't tell you that, either. A lot happened between then and now, much of it knowledge that only Reunification members are allowed to know. I will tell you, however, that I went to Xeeon, where I began to work with Xacron-Ah, to finish the work that was started so many years ago by our Founder.”
I bit my lower lip, though Kiriah did not seem to notice. The reason I bit mine lip was because I remembered how Lanresia, that she-elf who worked for the Foundation, had told me that they suspected that my sister and Xacron-Ah worked together. I had thought it a silly theory, one that had no basis in reality, but now Kiriah had just confirmed it and she was obviously not joking, as much as I may have wished that she was.
“So ye were indeed at the Parade in Xeeon, then?” I said. “That was ye?”
Kiriah nodded. “Normally, I don't get out much, because I'm not supposed to be seen in public. I decided to go out just that once, however, because I was getting bored and I've always loved parades. I didn't even know you were in Xeeon at the time. If I had, I wouldn't have gone out at all, because you're not even supposed to know that I'm alive.”
“But why?” I said. “Is it because ye know that I would not agree with whatever this Founder fellow is up to?”
“Only a select few people are allowed to even know about the existence of Reunification,” said Kiriah. “And you, unfortunately, were not chosen to know. Even Sura wasn't.”
“I see,” I said, stroking my chin. I cringed when the pain in my legs flared up again, though as before I tried to ignore it. “Then … did ye send that Assassin machine to kill me?”
Kiriah did not meet mine eyes as she said, “Well, it was actually Xacron-Ah who ordered it to attack you. It wasn't even supposed to kill you. I was promised that it would just delay you until I could get back to my place in the city.”
It may have been six years since I last spoke with Kiriah, but I could still tell that she was not telling me the whole truth about Assassin. Aside from her refusal to look me in the eye, she still had the habit of tugging at the strands on the sleeves of her robes whenever she was lying. It was a habit she had had ever since childhood, and I was pleased to see that she still had it, for it meant that she had not changed quite as much as I thought she had.
“Xacron-Ah didn't send that robot after me,” I said. “Did he?”
She stopped tugging her sleeves, perhaps understanding that I remembered her habit. Then she looked me in the eyes and said, without hesitation, “You're right. I sent it. And I told it to kill you.”
Though I suspected as much, hearing her confession from her own lips shook me to the core of my being. “But why? Why would ye order your machine to kill your own brother? I thought ye loved me.”
“I do,” Kiriah admitted. “But I wanted you out of the picture because I didn't want to keep worrying that you would find me and get in the way of my plans. I knew that once you got even the tiniest whiff of my existence, you would stop at nothing to find me again.”
“And ye thought that killing me would be the right way to keep me away from ye?” I said in indignation. “Killing your own brother because ye didn't want him to get in your way and ruin your precious 'plans'? You are a mother of crows.”
“How else was I supposed to ensure that you wouldn't try to find me again?” said Kiriah. She pushed away from my bed, as if she was afraid that I would try to harm her. “Besides, you survived, didn't you? All thanks to those Foundation idiots.”
In anger, I tried to sit up, but my broken legs stung with pain again, forcing me to lie back down. Nonetheless, I glared at her, so angry that I wished that the Old Gods would miraculously heal my legs so I could get up and leave this place forever, even though I doubted the Old Gods would do such a thing for me. Still, I liked to dwell on that thought anyway, as 'twas the only way to distract mine mind from the pain in my legs.
“Did ye intend for me to die in that assault on the Foundation's headquarters as well?” I demanded.
“Everyone there was supposed to die,” said Kiriah, nodding. She stood up from the stool and turned away, perhaps because she was too ashamed to look me directly in the eye anymore. “The Foundation has been a thorn in Reunification's side for years. It wasn't until recently that we were able to deal them a lethal blow, and that is only thanks to the tracking device that Assassin planted on you before the Foundation agents whisked you away to their headquarters.”
I felt my body quickly, but did not find any sort of tracking device on it. Still, I believed my sister, for I had heard about Xeeonite robots that could 'plant' tracking devices on their enemies. Sir Alart had once told me that these devices could be quite small indeed, too small for the human eye to see or for a human hand to feel.
I ceased feeling my body and said, “What were those monsters ye sent after us? I have never seen anything like them before. Granted, I am no expert on Xeeonite species, but even Resita said he did not know what they were, and he is a native of this world.”
“That's because they aren't native to Xeeo or Dela,” said Kiriah, her back still to me. “Our Reunification scientists made them by splicing the genes of Grand Lizards—a type of Xeeonite lizard that you probably don't know anything about—with humans. Our scientists call them Lizard-men, though we also call them the Hunters. This is the first time we've used them in the field. And I must say, they were a complete success.”
“Gene splicing?” I repeated. “What doth that mean?”
“You don't need to know that,” said Kiriah, waving off my question as if it was irrelevant. “Just know that we are finally going to be moving ahead with the gene splicing program, now that we know that it works.”
That sounded mightily ominous to I, but I decided to worry about it later. For now, I had to focus on other, more urgent things, though I made a mental note to ask Resita what 'gene splicing' was later, assuming I ever saw him again, of course.
“Is everyone at the Foundation dead?” I asked. “All of them?”
“According to the reports I've read, most of the Foundation members at their headquarters at the time were killed by the Lizard-men,” said Kiriah. “Some, like you and Resita, managed to escape, but they'll be easy to find because Xacron-Ah has given orders to the J series robots to search for and arrest them like the criminals they are.”
“What about the agents who were not in there during the attack?” I demanded. “Are they, too, on the run?”
“Probably,” said Kiriah, “but I don't know for sure because we don't have any way of tracking them. Anyway, I'm not going to blab to you about all of our secrets, because you're still not a loyal member of Reunification like I am. Just know that it won't be long now before the Foundation ceases to be a threat to us or anyone else ever again.”
She said those words with such cold contentment that I had to shiver. This woman who spoke so coldly and yet happily about the deaths of her enemies could not be my sister. The Kiriah I knew would never have been this happy or this cold about such evil. As a child, she would burst into tears every time she even accidentally stepped on an insect. To talk the way she did about these other living beings made me certain that I was in some strange dream where nothing made sense.
Nay, not a dream; but a nightmare.
Yet the pain in my legs hurt so badly that I could not honestly believe this was a dream. This was indeed real, every moment of it, from the color of Kiriah's blonde hair to
my broken legs. 'Twas a heartbreaking realization, for certain.
“What next?” I asked. I did not hide the pain in my voice, for I wished for her to know the true extent of my pain. “Are ye going to kill me? I heard your two servants, Arn and Lauz I believe they were called, heavily implying they would like to do that to Resita and I.”
“Arn and Lauz are just a couple of idiots,” said Kiriah. “They know better than to kill my brother, and I had already given them orders to bring any surviving Foundation agents like Resita back to us anyway. I imagine they only implied that because they are brutes who want nothing more than to beat and kill their enemies.”
“What charming fellows ye employ under your service, sister,” I said, rolling mine eyes. “Indeed, I know of no other individuals more moral than your employees.”
Kiriah did not respond to that. She folded her arms behind her back and still did not look at me. Her eyes seemed to be on the crane outside, which was now turning, as if someone were operating it (though knowing Xeeonite technology, it was likely a robot controlling itself). I also heard what might have been a large drill burrowing through the earth somewhere, though the sound was muffled and difficult to detect over the sounds of people shouting outside.
“I see ye are ignoring me,” I said. “Very well. Are ye going to tell me where we are, at the very least? Or are ye going to tell me nothing?”
“We're in the Dead Lands,” said Kiriah. She gestured at the crane outside. “It's a secret dig site, far enough away from the Xeeonite city states that it is extremely unlikely that anyone will accidentally stumble upon us. We have a bunch of digging and construction equipment designed to dig out the area and help us find what we are looking for.”
“May I ask what ye are looking for?” I asked. “Or is that a secret ye aren't allowed to share with me also?”
“You don't need to know that,” said Kiriah. “But I can tell you that it is an integral part of the ultimate goal of Reunification. Can you guess what that is?”
I shook my head. “Nay. You speak cryptically and have revealed nothing to me save that your organization is far too mysterious and strange for me to trust.”
“Fine,” said Kiriah. She turned around to face me again, though she was not smiling anymore. “The goal of Reunification is to unite Xeeo and Dela as one world again. That is what we have been working toward for years … and we are getting very close to achieving that goal, I must say.”
“Ridiculous.” I shook my head. “Xeeo and Dela have never been one world. 'Tis a silly thing to say.”
“Actually, at one point, they were,” said Kiriah. “Our two worlds were indeed one world in the past. It was a long time ago, well before the peoples of both worlds began to keep historical records, but our Founder has confirmed it. The two worlds were once one … and soon, they will be one again, as they were meant to be.”
“Where is your proof that Xeeo and Dela were once one?” I asked. “'Tis a hard to believe claim to make without any solid proof.”
“The proof is all around us,” said Kiriah. She gestured at the air. “The skyras energy that permeates both worlds is proof enough that our worlds were connected; after all, how is it that both worlds have an almost equal amount of skyras in them? Why are conditions for life similar enough on both worlds that travelers from Xeeo can go to Dela without dying and vice versa? It's because the two worlds were once one, that's why.”
“Then how did they split?” I asked. “Explain that, sister. For surely, there must be some reason for the split, yes?”
“There is, but you don't need to know that,” said Kiriah. “That's the kind of information we're not supposed to share with anyone. Not that it would do you any good to know it; after all, you are currently not in any situation to do anything about it.”
“How will ye reunite Dela and Xeeo?” I said. “That seems a truly impossible task, one fit only for the Old Gods.”
“We have people working on both Dela and Xeeo to bring about this change,” said Kiriah. “You think Reunification is limited solely to Xeeo? Of course not. Our Delanian members are currently working to find what we are looking for even as we speak.”
“I suspected as much,” I said. “Where are these Delanian people ye speak of?”
“They're in the Winterlands, searching for Dela's version of what we are looking for here on Xeeo,” said Kiriah. She then scowled. “At least they would be, if our operations there weren't currently being disrupted by a J bot that has been tracking down one of our agents. Kalcan says they have it under control, but I really am not happy about what is going on there at all.”
I, on the other hand, was quite happy to hear that someone else was working against these villains. I did not know who this robot was, but I hoped to meet him someday. I still did not like machines very much, but if he was working to stop these people, then I decided I could make an exception for his sake.
“But that's irrelevant and temporary,” said Kiriah. “Once that situation is under control, we can begin the process of bringing Dela and Xeeo back together. Then Reunification's mission will finally be complete, just as the Founder has been working toward for countless years.”
“That does not sound very good to I,” I said. “What if the reunification of our worlds causes much death and destruction? If the two worlds have been separated for so long, then I doubt their reunification will be easy or kind on the inhabitants of either world.”
“It is a necessary step,” said Kiriah. She put a hand over her heart. “The separation of Dela and Xeeo was an unnatural event, one that has done more to harm both worlds than anything else in history. There may be some pain and chaos in the initial reunification, but it won't matter in the long run, because the Founder will make sure that peace and order are restored.”
“And how can this Founder fellow ensure that?” I demanded. “What if the reunification kills everyone? Have ye considered that?”
“It won't,” said Kiriah. “The Founder said the reunification will be better for everyone on both worlds. A few people might die, but not everyone. There will be enough people leftover from both worlds to allow us to rebuild a better society, a society where we can all live in peace as one.”
“It sounds to me like your Founder has his head in the clouds,” I remarked. “In any case, I cannot support this endeavour, even if ye do, sister. I fear the possible consequences of this decision, for merging two separate worlds sounds to me like a deadly thing even if Dela and Xeeo can be merged at all.”
“You don't need to support it,” said Kiriah. “All you need to do is stand out of the way while we put the final phases of the plan into action.”
“Is that why ye broke my legs?” I said, gesturing at my legs 'neath mine blanket. “So I would not get in your way?”
“I am sorry, brother, but it was necessary in order to ensure you wouldn't try to escape,” said Kiriah. “But we can heal you, if you would like. If you would agree to work for Reunification, then we could have our doctors fix your legs, even make them better than they originally were. You can then serve alongside me to build a better society after the reunification of Xeeo and Dela is complete.”
'Twas a tempting offer, to be sure. I knew not how long my legs had been broken, but I doubted it would do them any good to remain broken for much longer. It would be better to have Kiriah's doctors fix them up so I would not suffer any long term pain or injuries from these broken legs of mine.
On the other hand, I did not want to serve Reunification, for I still had doubts about their trustworthiness. There was too much I did not know, which did not even factor the fact that they had already tried to kill me twice.
Yet if I rejected the offer, I would certainly die or at least be crippled for life. Not to mention I would also likely be separated from my sister again, my sister who I had spent so many years searching for with great urgency.
But I wondered if that was truly a loss, for Kiriah had already shown herself to be completely different from
the sister I had grown up with and loved. Allying with her would only reinforce her own changed behavior, and I did not wish to make Kiriah think that her own behavior was good, right, or noble.
But the pain … oh, how the pain in mine legs burned. If Kiriah's doctors could indeed remove the pain in my legs, then it might be worth it, throwing in my lot with them.
I prayed to the Old Gods for guidance and wisdom. I asked them to show me what to do, to let me know what the wisest course of action to take was. And I asked them to hurry, because I did not have much time in which to make this important decision.
“Come on, Rii,” said Kiriah, tapping her foot impatiently against the tiled floor. “Will you or won't you stand with us? That is all that I need to know.”
“What will happen if I refuse?” I asked, mostly in an effort to get more time, because I already had an idea of what they would do to me if I said no.
“We will kill you,” said Kiriah. Then she frowned. “No, wait. Not kill you. Just throw you in the dungeons of this facility, where you won't be able to communicate with anyone outside of the base. Of course, this all depends on what the Elders say. They might just want you dead, seeing as you know more about us than any non-Reunification member has any right to.”
“I face death, then,” I said, “or imprisonment. Not much of a choice, is it?”
“That's just the way Reunification works,” said Kiriah. “If we didn't adopt such stringent measures against people who rejected our offers, then we would not have gotten nearly as far as we have.”
“It is a barbaric thing,” I responded. “I believe that any organization like yours that operates in the shadows is not to be trusted.”
“Is that a rejection, then?” said Kiriah. She folded her arms over her chest. “Are you saying you don't want to join?”
My legs burned so horribly that I could barely think for a moment. 'Twas enough of a sign from the Old Gods to confirm my decision for me, as much as I wished I did not have to make it.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I am merely saying that I do not agree with Reunification's methods. As for the offer … I accept it.”
Kiriah clapped her hands together in excitement. She looked so happy about my decision, just like how she had looked when she was a young girl. It almost made me think that perhaps things were not going to be so bad now, as Kiriah would no doubt have her doctors repair my legs right away.
Nonetheless, I could not join in Kiriah's happiness, because I still had one question that I needed answering.
“This is great,” said Kiriah. “I am so happy that you've decided to work with us. Because despite everything that's happened, brother, I still would rather have you on my side than against me.”
“That is good, sister, but I do have one more question I needed ye to answer for me before anything,” I said.
“What is that?” said Kiriah.
“Resita,” I said. “What will happen to him now?”
Kiriah's happy smile vanished suddenly. It was replaced by an annoyed look, as if she considered my question to be irreverent. “He's going to remain in the dungeons of this place until we purge every answer from him that we're looking for. After that … well, we won't need him anymore.”
“But ye will spare him?” I asked. “Ye will let him go free after you are done with him, at least?”
The coldness in Kiriah's eyes made me shiver with fear. “I'll talk with the Elders about what we should do with him. Fair warning, though; I can't guarantee he'll still be alive after we are finished with him.”
Once again, the woman who wasn't my sister showed her true self through that mask that resembled Kiriah's face. Yet I did not argue against her, for I knew that that would be useless. 'Twas not as though I could threaten these 'Elders' she spoke of to convince them to let Resita go, after all.
Hence, I nodded to show that I understood and said, “Fine. In the mean, will ye summon your doctors to fix mine legs now?”
“Sure,” said Kiriah, her smile returning to her face as if it had never disappeared at all. “I'll send someone to take you down to the medical room, where you'll be treated. This room we're in right now isn't supposed to be used for medical purposes.”
“All right,” I said. “What shall we do after my legs are repaired?”
“I will get you initiated right away, obviously,” said Kiriah. “I can't wait.”
She sounded so excited about it that I almost forgot that this was the same organization that had sent gene-spliced lizard men to eradicate their enemies and nearly killed me and Resita, as well.
But I did not, because despite what I had said earlier, I did not truly support Reunification or its goals.
No, I only said what I said in order to gain the knowledge and information I needed to take down this organization from within.
Because despite my sister's assurances that these people were good and noble, I knew that her allies were not. And I also knew that I was perhaps the only person in both worlds right now who could stop them before their misguided attempt to merge the worlds ended in utter catastrophe the likes of which have not been seen in the histories of either world before.
The only question was if I was too late to stop them. There was only one way to find out.
***