Call of Caldiria chapter 10

Call of Caldiria Chapter 10.

              The weeks passed, and Veredel was forced to perfect her abilities. At first, she tried to resist by lying limp or refusing to eat, but Wren used her own psionic abilities to force her to get up and eat. “You will work,” she would say. You have a very important part to play in all of this. You still want to help, yes?”

              Veredel didn’t know about that with the way they were treating her.  The only thing that made this whole experience tolerable was Kia.  She was there every step of the way to protect her.  If the guards tried to lay their grubby hands on her, she would force them back.  There was a reason Wren was the one who had to get Veredel to do things.  Kia also kept Veredel company, helping her to stay sane.  As the nights drifted by, she began to wonder if she would ever see her brother again.  If going with Wren was the right idea.  Even Kia couldn’t answer that for her anymore.

              It got to the point that Veredel couldn’t tell if it was night or day.  All she knew was she was in some tower of a building; her mind being stretched to the limit day in and day out.  “I hate this, Kia.  I just. . . I want to find Sean and go home.”

              “We will find him.  Sure, their methods are a bit—”

              “Their methods can go to hell.  If I find a way to get out of here, I will find my brother on my own.  This is horse shit.  It—”

              “My, my.  Are you really planning to run out on us?  Even when we have found out where your brother is being held?”  The door to Veredel’s room opened, and Wren stood there, staring at Veredel with a smile.  “Aren’t you happy?”

              Veredel jumped to her feet.  “Sean.  I. . .”  She took a deep breath.  “This isn’t some trick, is it?”

              Wren laughed.  “Trick?  Why would it be, hun?”  She circled Veredel.  “Our goal still is to save the people who vanished.  This is serious business.”  She put her hand on Veredel’s shoulder and rubbed it.  “Sure, we have pushed you hard, but such sacrifices have to be made.  Your mind had to be molded.”  She arched her eyebrow.  “We knew when the time came to hunt down the people responsible, you were up to the task.  We had to know that your mind wouldn’t break under the strain.”

              Veredel snorted.  “Sure.”

              Wren reached out with her hand.  “So what do you say?  Are you going to come?”

              Kia’s head materialized out of Verdel’s neck.  “What do we have to lose?  They have a lead on your brother.  Let’s go and seize it!”

              Verdel took Wren’s hand.  “This better be good.”

              Wren led Veredel out of the room, down the hall, and towards an elevator. “Don’t worry. You will be reunited with your brother soon enough.”  She pressed the button for basement level four.

              “Why are we going all the way down there?”

              “That is where the influence area is.  They have the news on where the people who took your brother and all the others who bought the Call of Caldiria game went.”  She crossed her arms as the elevator went down and down.  “It is really that simple.”

              Veredel turned around.  “I am sure it is.”

              When the elevator reached its destination, Wren smiled.  “Okay, here we are.”  She grabbed Veredel’s arm and pulled her out of the car.  “It’s just this way.”

              Veredel looked around, noticing she was in a massive room.  Well, massive was an understatement.  The room was big enough to fit her small town a dozen times over.  “What the hell is this place for?”  She arched an eyebrow as Wren led her over to a small Jeep.  “Seriously, why do you have something this big down here?”

              “Just wait until we get to our destination, okay?  Now get in.”

              Wren sighed.  “This better be important.”

              “You want to see your brother, right?”

              Veredel nodded her head as she stepped inside.  Wren started up the engine and drove across the massive chamber.  On the far end, Veredel could make out something unlike she had ever seen before.  It was a half-circle of metal jutting out of the ground, and it was gigantic.  “What in the world is that?”

              “That is our destination.  Oh, you will just love it.”  Wren’s smile turned dark.  “It is why you are here, after all.”

              “Huh?”  The seatbelt around her suddenly tightened.  “What is going on?”

              “Oh, don’t worry, my dear.  All will be explained soon.  Just know that you will be helping to make history.”  Wren parked the vehicle at the base of the massive structure.

              Veredel struggled against the seatbelt.  “Let me go!  You said—”

              “Oh right, your brother.”  Wren laughed.  “Oh, don’t worry, you will meet him.  Just give it a few more minutes.”  She leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.  “And stop struggling.  I have you down tight.”  She narrowed her eyes, and Veredel was forced against the seat.  “I may have taught you quite a bit over the last few weeks, but you are nothing compared to me.  Remember that.”

              “Everything in place, Wren?”

              Wren turned as Alex and a few others approached.  “Oh yes.  I brought her as you asked.”

              “And is she finally ready?”

              Wren smiled.  “She should be sufficient for our needs, sir.”  Wren caressed Veredel as a mother would a child.  “I did train her after all.”

              “Good.”

              Veredel struggled against her restraints.  “Someone tell me what is going on?”

              Alex walked up to her and sneered.  “You are going to help us with making history.  Almost twenty years ago, I broke the fabric of reality and discovered another world.  A place known as Caldiria.”  He rubbed the bridge of his nose.  “On that day, I lost so many brave men and women.  All in the pursuit of finding a new energy source.  And for what?  I lost my job and my place with the government!  They said what I did was a fantasy, the ravings of a madman!  That I had gone on a killing spree!”

              He slammed his hand against the Jeep.  “Well, I have spent the last twenty years building up to this.  Caldiria will belong to Pulsar!  We will show the world that this new world can be used for so much.  I have seen it.  There is more than just the usual gains to find in a new land.  They have magic.  MAGIC!  Imagine using that as a resource.  I will be rich!”

              Veredel snorted.  “You were right to be kicked out of your last job.  You are crazy.”

              He slapped her across the face.  “I am the only sane one here.”  He rubbed her hand.  “I see that stupid slime is protecting you.”

              “She is the only one here who seems sane.  Besides, how do you even think of breaking into this world?  And even if you did, what would you do?”

              He laughed.  “Well, before I answer your question about breaking down the barrier of Caldiria, let me show you what my little invasion force is like.”  He snapped his fingers.  “I mean, you have been wondering where your brother is, haven’t you?”

              Veredel gasped as she saw her brother walking towards her, headset on and a machine gun in his tiny hands.  “Sean?”