by Mark E Lacy
Someone pulled the tent flap aside, tentatively. A warm beam of sunlight splashed on his face and woke him. He squinted in the brightness, but he could not make out who it was.
In an instant, she was kneeling beside his pallet, strong, warm arms embracing him, her hair tickling his face as she pressed her cheek against his and wept tears of love and relief.
“Ki'rana?” whispered Longhorn, but she could no more hear him than she could stop the flood of emotion breaking loose.
Longhorn needed no reply. He knew it was her. His own feelings gripped him tightly, for he knew she loved him, that she had come across the Plains of Forlannar to find him. Then, the emotions doubled, for as the tears came, his grief welled up. He tried to move his arms to hold her. He wanted to take his hands and touch her face and prove to himself she was real, but he couldn't move, the pain from his slowly healing wounds holding him immobilized.
When Ki'rana realized that Longhorn was shaking, weeping so hard no sound could come from him, she gently released him and used her fingertips to wipe away his tears. He looked older to her, ill and weary. What horrors has he faced, she wondered, that it should come to this?
At last, the irrilai ceased, for he had no more energy to spare. He looked up at Ki'rana and opened his lips as if to speak, but he hadn't the strength, and the resara saw it.
“Hush,” she whispered, touching his lips with her fingers in admonition. “Sleep now. I will not move from this place.”
Longhorn could not argue with her, no matter how many questions burdened him. The answers would have to wait. He closed his eyes and fell immediately asleep.
He dreamt of the pyreshaii. He cried out in pain as, once more, he felt their lances pierce him. He woke with a start, a plea for help almost voiced, when he realized Ki'rana was beside him, gently bathing his wounds with hot, aromatic water from a basin at her side.
“Easy, my love,” she murmured. “It's all right. You are safe.”
Longhorn closed his eyes for a moment, and then watched as she applied ointment to his wounds and wrapped them with clean cloths. By the time she had finished and covered him loosely with his blanket, he had summoned enough energy to speak.
“Ki'rana.”
Her tears welled up again. It was not only his words. It was what fatigue and danger had done to his voice.
“How,” he asked her, “how ... did you find me?”
Ki'rana took a deep breath and fought back the tears. “This is where you were supposed to be, remember? We read the Weave to confirm it and hired a man to bring us here, by the shortest way, as quickly as possible.”
“What happened? Where is the Gauntletbearer now?”
“Longhorn, we are all safe. The Swordbearer found the Gauntletbearer. The spell of the Dreamtunnel broke and took them to Raethir Del. They destroyed him.”
“How ... how do you know? Have you seen them? Are they here?” The tribesman in his anxiety tried to sit up.
“Shh,” she said, pressing him down on his pallet. “Relax. No, they're not here. We've only seen them while reading the Weave. That is how we know. We have shared the good news with Orlefir, and a celebration begins tonight.”
Longhorn groaned. “Please don't let them make me dance,” he said. He started to laugh, but instead, he coughed painfully for a few moments.
Then, the two of them lay together, and he fell asleep once more, and he dreamt of peace and sharing his life with the one he loved.
It took some arduous climbing and perseverance, but Visylon finally left the valley leading from the Lair of Ualdrar. Now, he followed the Myan Valley toward Kophid, along the base of the hills. He skirted the city and merged, then, with the Parthulian hills.
There, he felt the bittersweet touch of memories. The land grew more familiar to him with each passing hour. Before he would surrender himself to warm thoughts of home, Visylon wished to take one more opportunity to consider his finished quest.
It is over! I found him at last, and the two of us defeated the sorcerer.
With some difficulty, the following day he searched for the pinnacle holding Helsinlae's burial cairn. When he once more stood on the point where Anquilon had given him his final instructions, Visylon gazed with awe at the tomb of the great king, the severed tree that sprang from it, and the treacherous saddle-like climb separating him from the tomb. The evidence before him struck Visylon. Yes, it really happened, but now Anquilon was gone, his obligation fulfilled. And the sword at Visylon's side was lifeless. It was no longer the Sword of Helsinlae.
The Saerani turned his feet toward Lake Cinnaril. The pleasures and comforts of tribal life would be a welcome change. And, he realized with faint amusement, he wanted new comfort and new challenge. There was someone who might give him both, a strong, ambitious woman whom Visylon had not, until now, fully appreciated.
If I must follow every trading route from here to the Sea to find Srellis, he thought, I will find her.
He listened intently, his eyes closed. He lay on his back on his pallet and listened to the relentless rain lashing the bare trees and the soft detritus of the forest floor as if by its very fury it could hasten a yet distant spring. Nearby, the rain was splashing in puddles on the trail like a young child filled with wonder over wetness. The featureless sky lit up suddenly, and a rumbling peal of reverberating thunder followed close behind, carrying impenetrable darkness and rain.
Darkness and rain. For hours the same, washing the air and leaving it dripping wet and cool, vibrant and living. Long after the storm had passed, a pastel dawn crept with hesitation over the horizon.
Over the horizon.
As Enkinor lay within his tent, awake and alert but relaxed, he thought of another Saerani, now far to the west. Visylon had left the evening before, not wishing to leave his friend, his companion in danger, but he was weary and anxious to return to the Saerani. We will see life together again, the warrior had said in farewell.
Farewell.
May Eloeth hasten the day, Enkinor returned.
Still, Visylon's face had betrayed uncertainty. It seemed many years since Enkinor had left the Saerani, leaving behind a friend who would not be able to comprehend the reasons behind Enkinor's actions. Now, Enkinor would not return with Visylon, and Visylon did not understand, but he respected Enkinor's decision.
Decisions made, the Swordbearer had vanished into the twilight, and the man who had braved the perils of the Dreamtunnel was left alone.
Alone.
But now, thought Enkinor, as soon as the tent dries out a little, there are some people I'd like to see on the Plains of Forlannar.
And he spent the early morning hours planning the best route to his tribe, the irrilaii.
Acknowledgements
If you have enjoyed reading The Ban of Irsisri, I would be forever grateful if you left a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Then, go tell your friends, or, better yet, purchase copies for birthday and Christmas gifts! Or "just because"!
Special thanks first and foremost to my editor, Andrew Cobble, for seeing the potential in this novel and deciding it deserved a large readership. It's been a pleasure working with him, from start to finish. His input and guidance helped shape The Ban of Irsisri into the form you see it today.
I also want to express my appreciation to my wife, Barb, for her patience and understanding in my journeys as a writer.
Website: http://www.markelacy.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lacymarke/
Glossary
abramusara Sorcerer. (lit., “spell-weaver”; pl., abramusari)
abrasentara Spellguard. (pl., abrasentari)
Aldirg A Seaport.
Anquilon Champion of Thrae when Helsinlae was king.
Anvyl Kraes Grandfather of Enkinor.
Apracia A city situated on the east side of the Yalventa Forest.
Arbis Cana (lit., “tree of the river”) See: The Rivertree.
Aramas A Braemyan hunter.
Ardemis Leader of the musa
resari, and father of Ki’rana.
Aylan A noblewoman of Braemya.
Benshaer One of the musaresari.
Braemya A principality situated near the Parthulian Hills, ruled by Sar Thesir.
Cana Glalith One of several glaciers in the far northern part of the continent. (lit., “river of ice”)
corocir A headband or circlet, the color or type of which indicates the wearer’s ruta.
cumulae Sentient creatures that travel as small clouds.
dor An honorific signifying “daughter of.”
Draelani One of the tribes in the Parthulian Hills.
Eloeth A supernatural being revered by the Saerani and others. (lit., “the one”)
Enir Pont A tropical region of the continent.
Enkinor A Saerani sentara (guard).
Esolasha River A river not far from Apracia. Before plunging over the Falls of Mist beyond the Rivertree, the river rushes through a gorge called the Throat of Eso. The Ford of Lasha lies some distance downriver from the Falls.
FeraCryst Daughter of the chief of the Waryndi.
For’tros A small village near the Seacoast.
gar-wolf An unusually large and dangerous breed of wolf living in the northern reaches of the continent.
Helsinlae A benevolent king of Thrae.
holomusara Healer. (lit., “wholeness-weaver”; pl. holomusari)
hudrai Outlaw, robber, or renegade, usually tribeless. (pl., hudraii)
Hyphos Leader of the holomusari at Jest.
Icefast Hold A storehouse of sorcerous weaponry, accessible only by tunnels through the Cana Glalith.
Indrelfis Discoverer and protector of the Gauntlets. Also, author of the Codex Indrelfis.
Invedra A village girl of For’tros.
irrilaii Nomadic horsemen who follow herds of the antelope-like irrili on the Plains of Forlannar. (sing., irrilai)
Irsisri The location (now unknown) at which agreement was reached banning the abramusari from possessing the Gauntlets.
Jest A small town, located across the Yalventa Forest from Apracia.
Jogaziddarak A demon.
Khartos A mapseller, citizen of Paerecis.
khayan A kind of shallow-draft, narrow boat.
Khymera An abramusara.
Ki’rana Daughter of Ardemis and one of the musaresari.
Kophid Primary city of Braemya.
krylaan A tall, muscular man-like creature with claws and black skin.
Lake Cinnaril A large lake in the Parthulian Hills.
Lassar A man with whom Indrelfis entrusted the Gauntlets.
Leafeld Site of a bloody battle between the Draelani and the Saerani.
lexisentara Loreguard. (lit., “word-guard”; pl., lexisentari)
Longhorn An irrilai tribesman, so named for the long irril horn he always carries with him.
Maeryl A former abrasentara, banished to the Enir Pont.
Maznarg A krylaan.
musaresara Weave-reader, one of those skilled at reading the Weave, the fabric of space-time. (pl., musaresari)
Myan River A long river flowing south and east from Kophid and the Valley of Mya to its mouth at the Seaport of Aldirg.
Nelador An abramusara.
optisa A particular punitive rite used by the musaresari.
Orlefir Chief of the irrilaii.
Paerecis A city-state close to the delta of the Esolasha River, overlooking the Plains of Forlannar.
Parthulian Hills Hilly region west of Kophid, surrounding Lake Cinnaril.
The Plains of Forlannar A region of grassy steppes inhabited by the irrilaii.
pyreshaii Demons that fall from the sky and incarnate themselves astride fearsome beasts.
Qirik A temple of demon worship, now in ruins.
Raethir Del An abramusara.
resara See: musaresara.
Rigalen Saerani friend of Enkinor’s, a fellow sentara.
Rilfel Boy of For’tros.
Rivertree A gigantic red cedar straddling the Esolasha River above the Falls of Mist.
ruta A calling or vocation; generally used in reference to one of the High rutaya or Hidden rutaya. The High Rutaya include the abramusari (sorcerers), the musaresari (“weave-readers”), and the holomusari (healers, “wholeness-weavers”). The Hidden Rutaya include the abrasentari (spellguards) and the lexisentari (loreguards). The existence of the Hidden rutaya is rarely acknowledged, and the members of these groups are sworn to secrecy. (lit., “path”; pl., rutaya)
Saerani One of the tribes living in the Parthulian Hills.
sar Ruler.
sentara Guard or sentry. (pl., sentari)
sonomusara Musician. (lit., “sound-weaver”; pl., sonomusari)
Srellis Female Saerani trader, friend of Visylon.
Strigin One of the musaresari.
Syrei Priest of the Tarinari.
Tarinari A tribe of people living on the volcanic island, Tari Nar.
tatrai A term of derision. (lit., “barbarian”, “savage”; pl., tatraii)
tendara Guardian or caretaker.
Thesir Sar of Braemya.
Thrae The ancient name for Parthulia.
Torkar An Aldirgi merchant and owner of an inn in Kophid.
tura Tower. Usually refers to one of a series of towers once comprising an important part of a signal relay system.
Ualdrar “Changer.” Closely related etymologically to yaltra (lit., “wolf”).
umar A large cat-like animal, bred and trained for their keen senses.
Visylon A Saerani warrior.
vradu The essence of sorcery. Knowing the vradu name for a spell or an object of sorcerous import is one way of being able to use that spell or object for one’s purposes.
Waryndi A tribe living in the far north, led by Waryn.
The Weave The pattern of time and space, past, present, and future. Reading — studying and understanding — the Weave is carried out by the musaresari. Terms used to describe aberrations in the Weave include qar (a snag), qaraq (a snarl), ajar (a tear), zeqar (an interruption in the thread of the Weave), and xerad (a border on the Weave beyond which nothing is known).
Yalventa Forest A dense and dangerous forest lying between the town of Jest and the city of Apracia.
