Chapter 4: A Calling

'Mefiantri de voicettix vostre auditre quel seul.'

Beware of the voices you hear when alone.

***

An amber sun sits in a crimson sky. Pink wispy clouds drift overhead. Kiora lays undisturbed on the arid terrain. Her breathing regulates from the long rest. For two days, Kiora remains unconscious. On the third day, her muscles twitch as she wakes. Kiora stares at the sky. Despite the different hues, she cannot help but to find the new land fascinating.

"Where am I?" Her dry mouth mumbles. "How did come here?"

Kiora struggles to sit upright. Her body is still weak and slow. The lone soldier curves into a child's pose. Kiora tries to release the tension in her spine. An achy tail stretches outwards from behind. Numerous bones 'crack' and 'pop' from the minor exercise. Kiora transitions her position. She rests on her rump with both palms flat on the dirt. The lone soldier gives a heavy sigh while pulling her legs towards her chest.

"Everywhere hurts." She rotates her head in a circle. Shortly, Kiora notices the bloodstains on her feet. "What's this?"

Carefully, the lone soldier unties the fabric wrapping around her heels. She closes her eyes in dread. 'Please don't be hurt!' Kiora pleads. When she inspects her feet, Kiora smiles in delight. 'Good, they're not injured!' She draws in a deep breath. The dry air makes her cough. After settling her lungs, Kiora slowly rises to her feet.

Despite her fatigue, Kiora's attention piques. She surveys the deserted land. Red stone lays across the terrain. Black briar bushes litter the landscape. Kiora takes another sniff in the air. 'Smells…bitter and ashy.' Her nose crunches in displeasure. She releases a sigh and begins exploring the foreign realma. Each added step is more tedious than the last. Kiora's legs scream in agony. Her will to move continues to wear down on her overused body.

As the red sun begins to descend, Kiora's senses are on edge. 'Where should I camp?' She worries. 'There's no telling how dangerous the night can be!' The lone soldier fails to come across a new sight. The land appears stagnant and unchanging. She denotes the same red clay stretching along her unmarked pathway. For several more miles, Kiora notices no change.

"There's no indication of life," Kiora whispers. "Though, that's not 'too' bad, right?"

The presence of no animals or beings suggests a lack of threats. Regardless of her safety, Kiora longs to see some sort of living creature. The lone soldier understands that her life is already at risk. 'If I find someone, then they may have food or at least a shelter.' She surmises. Optimism becomes difficult to carry in the lonely land. Kiora slumps to the ground.

"I should have run into 'something!'" She pouts. "Perhaps it's for the better."

A tired body comes with a conflicted mind. Kiora's thoughts are riddled with hope and doubt. 'Should I meet someone, then who is to say that they won't try and hurt me?' She sighs in pessimism. Likewise, Kiora realizes the likelihood of crossing paths with a predacious animal is possible. "Oh, I can't just sit still!' Her thoughts explode. Kiora concedes to walk further ahead. The lone soldier reasons that she 'must' find shelter.

"The trek goes on!" Kiora punches her hand. Her tail flickers with determination. "I 'have' to find a safe place to rest."

The horizon threatens Kiora as the sun deems to hide. The encroaching night feeds the lone soldier's anxieties. She peeks up at the darkening sky. 'Matra Lunestra, adiutra-mi [Mother Moon, help me].' Kiora prays in silence. As the weary traveler passes another mile, she brightens at the change in scenery. The flat land rises as several rocky hills come into view. Kiora keeps pushing forward.

The moon appears in full. An amber light trickles down upon the rocks. A tired but fervent mind searches for any opening within the walls. Fortunately, the moon shines on a promising cavern. Kiora advances with caution. As she peers into the cavern, the lone soldier smiles with delight. 'It's empty!' Kiora's heart jumps inside of her chest. She places a hand on the cavern's mouth, and peeks over her shoulder.

"Grattis, Matra!" The weary Daemik smiles at the moon. "Hopefully, we will have better luck tomorrow."

Kiora enters the short cavern. As she takes a seat, a cloud of dust flies around her. Red clay clings to her black hands and feet. While scratching her forehead, she leaves a chalky line. Kiora scuttles deeper into her temporary shelter. 'If I stay back here, then none will take notice should they look inside.' She reasons. Kiora lays down on the ground with her eyes towards the entrance.

"There aren't any stars." Kiora frowns in disappointment. "At least the lunest [used when referring to the word 'moon' rather than the deity] is large enough to provide me with light."

With Matra Lunestra's blessing, the lone soldier can rest in the foreign realma. A steady breath quietly blows against the dusty surface. Bits of red clay disperse from Kiora's nose. She sleeps soundly in the opening of the night. However, an odd occurrence takes place before the sun and moon exchange places. A male voice enters Kiora's thoughts. She cannot see the speaker but feels a strong presence.

'Come.' The voice sounds lulling. 'I can help you.'

The statement makes the sleeping Daemik's tail twitch. 'Help me?' Kiora thinks. She attempts to scan through her mind's eye. Unfortunately, she draws a blank. The voice reaches out to her again.

'Kiora, Kiora.' The voice calls in a sing-song tone. 'Just continue straight from the cave. Only then will you find me. Please, do not leave me waiting! I have been waiting ever so patiently for this moment.'

A chilled wind blows into the cavern. Kiora shivers and wakes to see a crimson light greet her with a cold smile. 'It wasn't this cold in the night!' Kiora yawns. She rubs her arms in an effort to keep them warm. As she stretches her body, Kiora feels surprisingly invigorated.

"What a good night!" Her tail twitches happily. "Though, I can't recall if I had any dreams."

Already, she forgets about the mysterious calling. Kiora walks out of the cavern. Her sight transfer to the sky. 'The sun's still red?' Kiora observes in confusion. The lone soldier's recollection may be at a miss for the moment. However, she has been too other realma with varying atmospheres. Kiora stares with amusement as she wonders if day really came. 'What time did I wake up at?'

She muses.

The lone soldier's thoughts reel in a cyclical nature. A curious mind is eager to explore new experiences. Although Kiora has no conception of how 'dangerous' the realma can be, she cannot resist the magnetic pull. With her gaze set on the horizon, one question leads to another. 'Where should I travel?' Kiora ponders. 'What will I find?' Suddenly, a low grumble draws her out of her head.

"I just need food!" She complains. "Well, I cannot just 'think' about what to do. It's best to see where my feet carry me."

Upon an inhale and steady exhale, Kiora readies herself for the day's journey. Her head turns towards the path she walked. 'Since that way yielded nothing.' She taps a finger to her chin. 'Then, I ought to move along...this path!' Kiora pounds two fists together in earnest. As her mind narrows in on a direction, the lone soldier marches forward-unknowingly heeding the call of a mysterious voice.

Regardless of common interests, Kiora prefers listening to her intuition. The Daemik has one issue to contend with-memory. As soon as Kiora lands in this strange land, her mind is unable to connect with her past experiences. Fortunately, what the mind may forget, the body recalls. The lone soldier proceeds through the realma based on what her body remembers. As a trained martial warrior, Kiora's senses are drawn to survival.

The truth of muscle memory has its limitations. Even though she treks through the desolate land with wide eyes and keen ears, Kiora's body is not at its peak. In order to protect herself, the young Daemik must find food. 'I hope I can eat before sundown.' Her tail twitches in discomfort. After walking for a mile, her legs became fatigued. 'Push harder!' She grits her teeth. One question still remains-how is one to overcome life's challenges if they cannot recall their past achievements?

Despite her desperation, Kiora feels determined. Her eyes widen with relief as the land shifts. The thorny briars are replaced with lush bushes. Although the plants yield no berries, Kiora swells with optimism. 'This is a good start!' She thinks. Kiora focuses on what she can hear. She closes her eyes in focus. Soon, a desired sound comes into mind. 'Yes!' She rejoices. Swiftly, the lone soldier follows the air waves.

"Finally!" Kiora throws both arms above her head. As she approaches a river, she stops short. "The water is...red?"

The sight places her on edge. However, Kiora's thirst demands respite. She cautiously dips her hands below the surface. Kiora draws a red puddle to her lips. She sniffs the liquid and fails to detect any acrid scent. Upon a leap of faith, Kiora drinks. 'Crisp!' The lone soldier cannot complain. After the first sensation of hydration, her mouth demands more. Kiora takes several palmfuls of water with gratitude. Suddenly, her hand feels a pinch!

"Ack!" she screams. "A fish?"

She pulls her hand back. The momentum of her fling brings a 'plop.' Kiora glances behind to investigate. The surprised Daemik walks over towards the creature that nipped her poor finger. 'A piranha.' Kiora glares at the flopping fish. She sucks on her finger to stop the bleeding. The small predator seems to have underestimated its target. A smile trickles across Kiora's lips. She kneels beside the panicking little beast.

"Steady now." She aims her clawed hand above the moving target.

Kiora swiftly jabs through the fish's side. She sits on the riverbank with the meal in her palms. Savagely, she devours the flesh. Perhaps in other circumstances, Kiora would shy from eating the guts. However, with a ravenous stomach, she prides herself in finishing every bit. Once the skeleton remains, Kiora flings the bones away. As her stomach desires more, she heads over to the river. She studies the current and finds that there are several tasty fish in close range.

She sits down eagerly and dips her tail into the water. Without a fishing rod, Kiora must make use of what's on her. Her tail swishes around in the water like feasible prey. 'Come on.' She smiles. 'Take the bait!' Within moments, another unsuspecting predator nips through the fur. Despite the pain, Kiora's fishing method is worthwhile. She continues to eat her fill of piranha. Once satisfied, she studies the river's flow.

"Just follow along," Kiora whispers.

A strange breeze passes as though to respond to her comment. Kiora can swear that a voice echoes through the wind. While focusing on the sound, she hears a vaguely familiar tone.

"Come here," A male voice chimes. "Come to me, Kiora."

Regardless of her wariness, Kiora decides to listen. To have company is better than being alone.