by Reece Dinn
Murmurs swept through the gathered Sehnal.
Disappointing. Think these strong Apochal. Not three sick men with small Raiz.
'This is Numorlz,' said Jekoraz, gesturing to the man with the spear. His pale face was scored with several white claw marks, the scars deep and lined the lower part of his face.
'This is Brokatiz.' Jekoraz pointed to the tall man with the axe. Other than his size the most striking thing about the man was his large pointed nose.
'His nose bigger than yours,' Melonaz whispered in Tenalkz's ear.
Tenalkz grumbled, elbowing Melonaz in the side.
The Lial nodded to Jekoraz's two companions. 'Follow me.'
Jekoraz bowed his head again.
The four men headed into the village. As they passed through the donoz the Lial addressed his Sehnal. 'These Apochal are staying with us. There'll be a feast tonight in the village centre. Come. Bring food. An Oaraz child has returned. An old friend of mine. Go. Tell all. See you in the night.' The Lial and three Apochal departed, heading into the village.
The crowd quickly dispersed, talking excitedly amongst themselves. Everyone loved a feast. It most often meant lots of drinking, dancing, singing, and storytelling.
'Apochal look tough,' said Tenalkz. 'Love to see them in battle. See tall one? He's a head taller than any I see.'
Melonaz rolled his jaw. 'They look weak.'
'Weak? No. See one with the sword though? He look like you,' said Tenalkz.
'What? No he doesn't.'
'Just me then.'
'Think so.' Melonaz poked his friend in the arm. 'Need to sit close at feast. Want to hear what they say.'
'Yes. Go there early. I go home, tell Mal. She like to cook. See you in night.' Tenalkz ran off leaving Melonaz alone with his thoughts.
By the time Melonaz returned home his Mal had already heard the news. Her face was flushed, eyes narrowed, forehead creased. She looked panicked and flustered, pacing around inside the furaz, repeatedly kicking over bowls, boots, and furs that lay within her path.
'Mal?' asked Melonaz.
'Kak, kak, kak.' She kicked over her cooking pot and then left.
Diamoz and Aeolnaz returned from the forest a short while later.
'Melonaz, what's wrong?' Diamoz asked.
'It's Mal,' said Melonaz.
Moments later their Mal returned, her eyes red and watery. She said nothing.
'Mal?' Aeolnaz whimpered, her face flushing with worry.
'It's no use,' said Melonaz. 'She not hear you.'
'Mal?' Diamoz moved to touch her on the shoulder.
Their Mal lashed out and struck Diamoz hard in the face, knocking her to the ground. Melonaz rushed to her. Her face was marked with a bright red hand print.
'Mal, what's wrong?' snapped Melonaz.
Reijiz ducked into the furaz.
Their Mal screamed at him to go away.
Reijiz's face paled. 'So it's true? He's here?'
'You need go. Fast.' She grabbed Reijiz and dragged him out of the furaz.
They exchanged some heated words outside, then she ducked back into the furaz.
Melonaz and his Sal sat quietly around the fire, watching their Mal pace. Aeolnaz quietly played with her bupbupz toy while Diamoz sat filing her nails with a stone. Melonaz meditated to pass the time, and calm himself. After some time she settled down and began to chop meat for the broth she was making for the feast.
Reijiz say 'he'. That one of the Apochal. Has to be. Which one? Something Tenalkz had said bothered him now. 'See one with the sword? He look like you.' He the one? He my Dal?
His Mal thrust a spoonful of her broth at him and muttered, 'Taste.'
Melonaz took the spoon in his mouth. It was hotter, blander, and weaker than normal. He tried to mask his distaste, but couldn't.
His Mal frowned. 'Not good?'
'It good,' he croaked, his tongue and the back of his mouth burning.
'You lie,' she snapped, snatching the spoon back from him. 'It do though.' She glanced over at Diamoz. 'I say you cook it.'
Diamoz shrugged.
Melonaz jumped to his feet. 'I go for walk.' He didn't wait for a response.
Once outside he made his way to Tenalkz's furaz, enjoying the scents wafting from every furaz as he passed. His mouth watered. His stomach grumbled. Women sat around barrels of mirac milk, churning them hard to make enough nibec to keep the whole village drunk for the night. Men wandered along the narrow pathways carrying large bundles of logs, mirac and lilnac carcasses, and pots filled to the brim with various soups and broths, taking them to the village's centre. Visitors to the village were uncommon so when there were visitors the whole village came together to welcome them.
Melonaz almost crashed into a man carrying a whole lilnac carcass. 'Watch where you walking,' the man grumbled.
Melonaz spat on the ground, but stepped aside to let him pass. He watched the man stumble and sway down the path, hoping he'd trip and hurt himself beneath the carcass he carried, which was clearly too much for him.
He turned the corner and came face to face with Reijiz. His face was solemn. He tried to smile but couldn't manage anything more than a slight upturning of the mouth.
'What wrong?' asked Melonaz. 'Who come? It my Dal?'
Reijiz shifted uncomfortably. 'See you tonight,' he said, then hurried past.
He watched Reijiz's retreat. It is my Dal? Who else can it be? He continued on.
Tenalkz was sat outside his furaz when Melonaz's arrived, carving something from a large log.
He smirked down at his friend. 'What you making, Big Nose?'
Tenalkz glanced up. 'New spear. Want be ready when it time to make real one.' Why I not think of that. Tenalkz put down his knife. 'Why you here? Think we meet at feast?'
'Mal angry,' said Melonaz. 'Need to get out. Want ask you something. You say Apochal with sword look like me. You mean it?'
'Yes.'
'Think you right. Think he's my Dal.'
'Really?'
'Yes.' Melonaz was momentarily distracted by the sweet scent that came from Tenalkz's furaz. 'What's your Mal cooking?'
'Mal cooking enough stew to feed half the village.' Tenalkz tried to wave away the smell. 'What you do? Try meet him? What say to him if he is your Dal?''
Melonaz shook his head. 'Not know.'
'It's the freak.' Nekolz stopped mid stride, glaring at Melonaz with gritted teeth.
Melonaz stomach twisted into a knot. Anger rose up inside him. 'Nukuk. What you want?'
Nekolz's face twisted. He exhaled a nervous breath, clenching his fists. The way he was holding himself suggested that he was in pain. Still hurt from punishment? Melonaz growled, but before he could do anything Nekolz hurried away. Bonokok, I'll break you.
'He fears you,' said Tenalkz.
'No. He fears Lial,' said Melonaz.
'Think he fears you. Old Sehnal fearing you is a good thing.'
'He a lobkak. I beat him bloody next time.'
Tenalkz shook his head. 'You not learn.'
Melonaz sat down next to him and pointed to the pile of logs. 'Can I have one? Want carve my sword too.'
Tenalkz handed him a log from the small pile behind him. Melonaz pulled out his knife and began to carve, while Tenalkz continued his own work.
Evening came and the village's centre was packed. Kiz's green light shone bright in the sky, overpowering Rez's red light, slowly falling over the horizon.
Many fires had been lit and big logs were dotted around them for seating. Melonaz and his family had found a spot around a fire within hearing distance of the Lial's fire, much to his Mal's dismay. She handed out bowls and filled them with her broth. The broth had gained a foul smell during the journey from their furaz, but none of them could figure out what had caused it.
The family seated next to them had brought plenty of food however, lots of meat, both mirac and vomenic, dried and fresh. They offered Melonaz and his two Sal some, which they greedily accepted, each chi
ld setting down their bowl of broth, pretending it wasn't there.
Melonaz constantly looked over his shoulder to try and steal a glance at the Lial and three Apochal, but a crowd surrounded them, blocking his view. He strained his ears but could hear only laughter. He ached to get closer but knew his Mal wouldn't allow him to leave.
'Who you looking at?' asked Diamoz, frowning.
'Nothing,' said Melonaz.
'Not lie.'
Melonaz grunted 'Trying to see what happen over there.' He pointed to the Lial's fire.
'We not good enough?' she asked in mock offence.
Melonaz huffed, not wanting to answer.
'I joke,' said Diamoz. 'Not be like that. If want to see them just go. Mal won't know.'
His Mal was staring absently into the fire. Melonaz slowly rose, fearful of her catching him. Drums sounded from the other side of the gathering. A deep throaty chant began. More people joined in and the chanting quickly drowned out all other noise. The family next to Melonaz began to chant too and a man sat opposite them beat his drum hard in rhythm with the rest. Soon everyone was on their feet dancing, their bodies swinging wildly and bumping into one another.
Melonaz had never been one for dancing. The constant bumping and grinding aggravated him. He much preferred stories.
He glanced over his shoulder towards the Lial's fire again. I go.
'I be back,' Melonaz whispered in Diamoz's ear, glancing at his Mal, but she was oblivious.
Diamoz nodded.
Melonaz wandered around the people surrounding the Lial's fire until he found a small opening between two men. Dropping onto all fours he crawled through, the two men he squeezed past grumbling as he did. He emerged beside the fire, on the opposite side from the Lial.
One of the Apochal, Brokatiz, was just finishing a story, '..it drop on me. Bite at me with both heads. I dodge. Lobkak not give up. Cuts me on arm three times.' He pulled back his furs. There were no scars on his arm.
'How you kill it?' shouted a woman behind Melonaz.
'Stab it in heart. It bites me on shoulder. Tears chunk off. Scratches skin off back with claws. Pushes me to edge of cliff. Nowhere to run. Do only thing I can. I leap into the air, cut both its heads off. Lobkak not get up.'
The crowd erupted with laughter. Melonaz was in awe. A huge axe lay in front of the Apochal. The axeheads were sharp and glowed red in the firelight. It looked very heavy. He must be very strong to lift that. Brokatiz looked like he should have been a big, muscular man, but his arms appeared withered, the skin clinging too tight to his limbs and face. Up close his skin appeared almost white. Any whiter and the veins underneath would be visible. His gaunt look only made that big nose of his appear bigger.
'Brokatiz, that not you,' said Jekoraz with a warm smile. 'Not even remember that happen.'
Brokatiz frowned. 'Not remember?'
Jekoraz held up his hands. 'Not remember much at moment. Sorry.'
Brokatiz burst into laughter. 'You forget the many times I save you. Like when we fight that ludenez with a head on the end of its tail. I cut off the head while you run away.'
'Nukuk, I do. Remember you bring down half mountain to kill the others.' Jekoraz burst into laughter, then the whole crowd did.
'It was good idea,' said Brokatiz.
More laughter.
When the laughter died away Numorlz spoke. 'Not remember that.'
Both Jekoraz's and Brokatiz's smiles faded. 'No?'
Numorlz shook his head. He was even gaunter than Brokatiz.
'Remember you kill ludenez with one kick. Kick it off mountain,' said Brokatiz.
Numorlz face broke into a big smile. 'I remember that.'
The crowd erupted with laughter once more.
The three Apochal told more stories as the night wore on, entertaining the ever growing crowd. Melonaz sat listening intently while examining the three men, Jekoraz in particular. The more he stared at Jekoraz the more familiar he became. Faint memories from when he was a baby played through his mind. He thought he saw Jekoraz's face in them. But it was hard to imagine that the man sat before him could be the strong, proud warrior he remembered. Eventually he allowed himself to be swept up in the excitement of adventuring in a danaz, of the brotherly companionship the three Apochal shared with each other. He dreamt of going on adventures of his own, forming his own danaz with Tenalkz and some others. Together they would kill all the ludenez and be the strongest Apochal that ever lived.
'Your stories make me wish I in your danaz,' said the Lial. 'Stories I have are dull.'
Jekoraz placed a hand on the Lial's shoulder. 'Old friend. You stronger than any warrior I fight. You pass the Trial. Become Lial. Go train with Lial at Nam-Laftoz. You see things, know things I can only dream of. I trade my story to be as strong as you.'
Lial train at Nam-Laftoz?
'How many Sehnal beat you?' asked Jekoraz.
The Lial looked at the ground, slightly embarrassed. 'None,' he said.
'None?' said Jekoraz, slightly shocked, 'How many fight?'
'Twenty.'
'Only two he make Apochal,' someone shouted.
'That true?' asked Numorlz.
'Yes,' replied the Lial.
'How they Apochal if not beat you?'
'I call it a draw. They fight well. Both show they strong, so I make them Apochal.'
'Those you beat still out on Cubsoz? To train more?' asked Brokatiz.
The Lial nodded. 'When they ready I make them Apochal. Only when ready.'
'You one tough nut. We need to duel. Want see how strong you are,' laughed Numorlz. His laughter faded when he looked back down at his body.
The crowd began to chant 'fight, fight, fight,', but the Lial waved their requests away.
'This land is harsh,' said Jekoraz. 'Only Sehnal who are strong should fight ludenez. See too many die. Warrior who weak shouldn't fight. Weak Lial make weak warrior.'
'You're kind. I need to defend other Lial though. No Lial is weak. The Trial kills the weak. Pushes a man to his limit. Weak Apochal not pass them,' said the Lial, his face back to its usual stern expression.
Jekoraz raised his hands in apology. 'What mean is some Lial old. Time makes them weak. Allow weak Sehnal to be Apochal.'
'Yes. Unfair sometimes.' The Lial looked down at the ground.
Jekoraz stroked his chin. 'It'll be useful if more Sehnal here though. More Apochal around.'
'Why?'
Jekoraz waved it away. 'It can wait until morning.'
The Lial frowned, but his expression lightened when Brokatiz began another story.
They ate, drank and talked until late into the night. As time wore on the crowd filtered away leaving only a few remaining around the Lial's fire. The drumming and chanting had ceased, much to Melonaz's pleasure. It was almost peaceful now.
'Think it time to sleep,' said Jekoraz to no one in particular, 'This good food, good drink. Thank you.' He rose to his feet and nearly fell back down. His two companions struggled to rise too. They not have much to drink.
'You not handle your drink,' laughed the Lial.
Jekoraz smiled warmly. 'I know. In morning we speak. Away from people. Yes?'
The Lial nodded.
'Sleep good,' said Jekoraz. 'Need find my Mate.' He laughed, slapping his belly. The Lial sniggered. The three Apochal left, swaying and staggering, trying to support one another.
Melonaz watched them leave. Why do they need to talk with Lial? ]
The Lial sat staring into the fire, drinking his cup of nibec.
Mal, Sal probably wondering where I am. He got up and made his way back over to them. His two Sal were asleep by the fire, which had now dwindled to embers. His Mal was sas he'd left her, vacantly staring into the remnants of the fire. Almost everyone else had left.
Melonaz sat down beside her. 'You good, Mal?' he asked.
She jumped at the sound of his voice. 'What?'
'I ask if you're good?'
She quickly composed herself. 'Yes. Just
thinking.'
'About what?'
'Your Dal. It ten years since I last see him. Ten years. We marry before he Apochal. Then he leave.' She trailed off and stared up at Kiz for a moment. 'You no idea what its like to marry someone you not see, not know.'
'No. You have Reijiz though. You not alone.'
His Mal kissed him on the forehead. 'You have simple view of life for smart boy. He my love, Dal to your Sal. Not my Mate though.' She stroked his face, 'You look like your Dal. Act like him too.'
'Dal strong?'
'Yes,' she said.
Melonaz nodded. His Mal had rarely spoken of his Dal. He wanted to ask more questions but realised that she probably didn't have the answers. She didn't know the man.
They sat in silence for a while.
Finally his Mal said. 'You, your Sal, need stay with Rejiz.'
'What? Why?' Melonaz protested.
'Do what I say.' Her voice had lost all of its compassion.
Melonaz was about to protest further, but the look his Mal gave him was full of a sadness he'd never seen before. He nodded, walking over to his two Sal. He nudged them with his foot. 'Wake up. Need go.' They grumbled but he pulled them both to their feet. Aeolnaz looked barely able to walk so he scooped her up in his arms and led Diamoz to Reijiz's furaz. He looked back at his Mal as they left and he thought he saw a tear run down her face.
Chapter Twenty Six
Melonaz hadn't slept, partly because Reijiz's furaz was damp and smelled like kak, but mainly because he'd spent the whole night thinking about his Mal. He pushed aside his sleeping fur and dressed. Judging from the faint light coming down through the top of the furaz it was just past dawn.
Reijiz had fallen asleep leaning against the centre pole, a large, half drunk cup of nibec lying against his thigh. He'd spent the night drinking, muttering to himself under his breath. Occasionally a tear had ran down his face. He hadn't drank much, but it'd been enough.
Melonaz hadn't decided how he felt about seeing his Dal for the first time, despite thinking about it all night, other than he was disappointed by how weak he looked. Something's not right with them. Need know what. He pulled on his boots and quietly stepped over his two sleeping Sal curled up together under one fur, and left the furaz.
