The Persistence of Memories - A Novel of the Mendaihu Universe (61 page)

He thought about this for several minutes. It
made an inevitable, horrific sense to him, to become a spiritual
leader of such magnitude. He was the
least
spiritual person
he knew. “If it means I retain all the aspects of my life...” he
began slowly. “If it means I retain my responsibilities as an ARU
agent. I retain the connection with my adoptive family. I retain
the love I have for Akaina Shalei.” He ducked low, hiding a
shudder. “If it means I retain my Divine Purpose in protecting
Denysia, and nothing changes unless I will it...then let it be
done.”

Faith, dear eicho,
Crittiqila said,
baring her fangs in a startling smile.
Faith.

She reached out a taloned paw and laid it
over his. He felt the shudder of electricity flowing between them.
The sensation of a soul's energy entering his own and swirling and
mixing into a new and fragile being. His own soul, becoming all
that it can possibly become: a kiralla, an Elder. A
galaxy
of spirit. He felt, for that brief moment, a familiarity, as if
he'd gone through this before, in his dreams or in another
time...

Faith,
he said from within.

Then all was brilliant, searing white
Light.

And so it begins,
he heard the man
say.
Welcome, Alix Eiyashné, sa'im somfei!

“Wh-who...” Poe muttered as he opened his
eyes to the blinding light in front of him. He barely made out the
shadow of a tall, older man walking towards him. He blinked and
rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his palms. Where was he? He
looked up at the man again. The white light dissipated nearly all
at once, pushing away the clouds of low-lying fog and revealing a
park somewhere in the Sprawl. He could hear the slow hum of traffic
on a nearby thoroughfare, and after a cursory scan of the park, he
found the Mirades Tower peeking out over the tree line to the
northeast.

The man was wearing an Elder uniform.

“We're in Swope Heights,” Poe said, absently
bringing up his hand to push hair out of his eyes. To his surprise,
he saw a human hand inches from his own face, and a brown duster
sleeve covering part of his wrist. He’d gotten so used to his
kiralla form that seeing himself as human again came as a shock. He
cleared his throat and looked around again. “I’m back.”

“And in one piece, I see,” the man said. “You
are most definitely back in Bridgetown. I'm afraid that your
section of McCleever Sector is a bit too congested for us to
reappear. Weaver Park was the least populated, and also provided
you with a more relaxing transition from Trisanda back to
Gharra.”

“Not too far from the river, then,” Poe said,
still blinking from the early afternoon sun shining down on them.
“We're just a few blocks from the Jamison Avenue Tunnel.”

“That is correct, edha Eiyashné,” the man
said. “This park is the closest to our enclaves across the river.
You are always welcome there,
eicho.
”

He rubbed at his sore eyes and laughed
quietly. He realized he hadn't slept since...since last night? How
long had he been on Trisanda? How was it that he could firmly
believe that he had even
been
on Trisanda for the last few
hours? He didn't even know who this man was, and had even less
reason to believe anything he said, yet he knew him to be
trustworthy
and
a kiralla. His own spirit had told his
consciousness that.

And he was now an Elder himself.

“Goddess,” he exhaled. “Been one hell of an
evening.” He cleared his throat again and felt the nagging urge to
light up a cigarette. He decided he'd light up after this man left,
or at least until after he could think straight again. “I'm sure
I'll make it over to the compound at one point or another, but
right now I have more important things to do. I have to find my
partner. I have to find Christine. Hells, I have to find Kai!” He
adjusted the lapels to his duster, and chanced a look down. He was
in fact wearing the black bodysuit, the kind all the Elders wore,
with calf-high leather boots that were snug and surprisingly
comfortable. He burst out laughing, shaking his head. It was all so
ridiculous and impossible! And yet, here he was…ascended, beyond
anyone’s expectations including his own.

“One thing at a time,” the man grinned. “You
don't need to do everything at once. One person at a time. I
believe Karinna should be first. She's at the Moulding
Warehouse.”

Poe cocked his head at him. “The Warehouse?
Odd place for her to be.”

“She's been there since early this morning.
Shall we?”

Poe smirked. “Lead on,” he said, waving his
hands at the space in front of them.

“Certainly,” the man said, and touched Poe's
hand. He heard a high-pitched
pop
and they were in Light
again...

...only to reenter the normal world three
seconds later on Holgate Street, a few blocks from the Warehouse.
He realized he was standing at the other end of the block from
Christine's building, and contemplated going in to say hello. But
time was of the essence now. He'd have to talk to her later. He
turned and started for the warehouse.

He could sense the heavy spiritual presence
even from this distance. He felt the excitement of community and
the fear of imminent attack; he felt the love of others and the
wariness of the Dahné Shenaihu nuhm'ndah and of Saisshalé. He could
easily pinpoint the four thousand or so people crowding the floors
and the racks and the pavement outside, identify each one, and
match the spirit with the person as soon as he arrived.

The one spirit he was looking for was in a
dormant spot, high up on racking, relaxing. She was taking a
much-needed, well deserved rest from everything. Eventually she'd
recognize him as soon as he entered, and they'd finally be a team
again. Only this time he'd be an Elder and she'd be the Mendaihu's
strongest soldier. As unnerving as that sounded in his head, there
was an element of safety to it that he could understand.

Alix,
he heard. It was the man
speaking from within.
I cannot go to the warehouse yet. I cannot
explain why; all I can say is that you must join Karinna and
Denysia as soon as possible, before it is too late.

He turned to the man and frowned. “I don't
understand,” he said.

Faith,
the man said.
That's all you
need to know right now. Peace, Love and Light to you, Alix
Eiyashné.
The man bowed and turned to leave. He took a few
steps, stopped, and turned around. He smiled at Poe and bowed
again.
I do apologize, Alix, but I have my reasons. I also
apologize for not introducing myself, but you already know me by
spirit, from quite a long time ago. My name is Sidhaki Emmadha in
this frame of time. You may also know me as Reverend Edward
Miriam.

“Miriam!” Poe yelped. He hadn't even
recognized him! As edha Emmadha he looked much younger than his
file picture, which had him in his late sixties.

“Alec,” he said with a grin. “I'm sorry but I
must leave. But if ever you need help, do not hesitate to look for
me.”

“I won't,” Poe said. “Thanks. Peace, Love and
Light to you as well.”

“Taftika, eicho,” he said, and turned back
again. He walked perhaps ten feet when the air around him picked
up. Poe felt a shiver of energy push his way. Poe shielded his
eyes, but through his fingers he saw the tendrils of light as
Miriam stepped out of this reality and into Light. The flash died
just as quickly, leaving just a delayed snapping sound.

And not a foot from where Miriam had just
stood, he saw freshly applied smartpaint, saying the words
here
lies fate
.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Vigil

“Do you feel that?” Saone said. “Feels
like...”

Kryssyna shivered. “Shenaihu close by,” she
said. “Up on the hill.”

Saone felt the presence of the nuhm'ndah
approaching. To another Shenaihu, they registered in the spirit's
consciousness as familial to the point of claustrophobic. Just like
the Mendaihu, the Shenaihu were wired never to forget the
connection among themselves, no matter what the situation. There
was no way and nowhere to hide; they were already aware of their
presence in Branden Hill Park. Overly curious about their reasons
for being there.

She leaned against the brick wall of the
subway entry, looking up the hill at the tall and narrow
micromansions lining the park perimeter and pursing her lips as she
debated their next move. The nuhm’ndah were shifting back and
forth, closer then farther away. She never knew a Shenaihu to
purposely shift like that, not without reason. They were moving
from high street to the southern park border then two streets north
to Yorke, then back again, all within the span of a few seconds.
She didn’t trust their movement at all and told Kryssyna so.

“Relays?” she suggested. “They could be
scanning.”

“Could be. Matthew is still on their
shitlist. They think he’s the reason for the ESD shutdown.”

“I don’t like this assignment,” Kryssyna
said. “We're not security, and he knows that.” Vigil was now five
strong at its core and in the process of resecuring its operations.
Matthew had only been released from the ARU on his own recognizance
a few hours ago and everyone was on edge, rightfully so. Saone and
Kryss were here to act as decoys while the others made a last run
to the Kellerman Hotel for the last pieces of hardware needed to
shift operations to the island mansion.

“We can hold our own,” Saone said
gruffly.

“Against them?” Kryssyna said, gesturing with
a nod up the park hill. “I sense at least fifteen up there.”

She grunted in response. “And they probably
sensed us the second we got here. That's why no one's making a
move. If we move, we get slaughtered. If they attack...”

“...they contend with the Mendaihu,” Kryssyna
answered.

Saone snorted a laugh. “Come on, Kryss, they
know who we are.”

“The disowned former daughter of the Dahné
and her shadhisi? Or members of Vigil?” she asked.

“Both,” she answered, and changed the
subject. “I’ve been thinking. I haven't heard from Denni in a
while.”

“She's down at the warehouse,” Kryssyna
said.

“I know that,” she said. “She said she'd keep
in touch with us, but I haven't heard a thing since the
Ascension.”

“She's got a lot on her mind, you know. The
warehouse dwellers are all saying she's been visiting her sehna
lumia.”

So that’s where she was all this time! She’d
kept tabs on her, felt her coming and going, paid attention but
never interfered. She had to have been going to Trisanda, but to
find out she’d been contacting the previous Dearest! “That's great
news, isn’t it?”

“Watch yourself, Saone!” she bristled. “I’m
sure they felt that up there. Keep it restrained.”

But she was giddy now. Goddess, this meant a
war could be avoided! She had survived her father's attack and
persevered. She knew to take the blow and find an alternate route
to find all the knowledge that she needed.

“She's going to win,” she said with a smile.
“There's no doubting it this time.”

Kryssyna side-eyed her. “How can you be so
sure?”

“What do you mean?”

She huffed. “You’re cho-nyhndah, but you
can't renounce the origin of your spirit, can you?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then why do you have so little faith in our
heritage now?”

“I have faith in it, Kris. But I dare to
question it when it’s wrong.” Saone glanced at her, then back up
the hill. “And what about you,
shadhisi
? Do you have more
faith in the Shenaihu than I do?”

“I have faith in the
Gharné
,” she
said.

Saone gave her a sharp laugh. “Smart
answer.”

They stood in silence there for a while
longer, continuing their scanning of the area. They watched the
rush of people filtering through the subway doors, oblivious to
their surroundings. Most had been affected by both Nehalé’s and
Denni's rituals, affected in a way that nagged at them like a
thought or an idea they couldn't quite remember. They’d pushed
these changes aside, thinking of them as little more than a minor
irritation. Still others, a miraculous few, knew
exactly
what had happened, and were now making their way to Elders and
sehndayen-ne, or to the Moulding Warehouse. These people were now
weighing their options. Many were choosing to stay within their
sector. Hiding. Preparing.

Vigil watched all of this as it unfolded,
from beginning to end.

Saone understood Matthew’s motives clearly
now. Vigil was definitely not the dangerous jacker gang her father
had made them out to be. They were here for the protection of the
people of Bridgetown, just as the Mendaihu and Shenaihu were here
for the protection of the Gharné. Vigil's watch was more
psychological than spiritual, but the ends were the same. It felt
oddly comforting to watch the city in this manner, without having
to rely solely on spiritsensing. It was observing the human race at
a distance, rather than intrusively reading into their every move.
It let her feel more human. More Gharné.

chk-chk-chk chk-chk-chk chk-chk-chk

She was startled out of her thoughts by her
comm, and answered it quickly. “KJS, this is Saone,” she said. “How
may I assist you?”

“Very good,” Matthew said, clearly amused.
“Very believable.”

“What’s the plan?”

“We're about to move out. Do we have
clearance?”

“There's still a group near Nehalé's old
place at the top of the hill. Hang on...” She leaned over to
Kryssyna and nudged her. She was scanning to the north, towards
Matthew's apartment building. She turned to Saone and shook her
head. “Kryss isn't getting anything. Clear move to Park Street and
down to Ormand whenever you're ready.”