by Reece Dinn
Beroz felt like crying. I do it. He'd never felt so relieved and happy in all his life. All his years of training had finally paid off.
The Sehnal silently approached. He could sense their eagerness, their shock. Usually people watching a duel cheered and shouted, the spectators excitement often fuelling fights. These though had watched silently. He shouldn't have been surprised. Now that he thought about it he and his fellow Sehnal had watched the Lial fight in silence in the past. They'd wonder how long the Lial would take to break his opponent, rather than speculate as to who would win. He'd only ever seen one person draw with the Lial and become an Apochal. Lial easy on them too? He easy on us all?
The Sehnal surrounded them. No one spoke.
'Duel end in draw,' said the Lial. 'Sehnal will become Apochal.'
Beroz expected the Sehnal to cheer, but they didn't make a sound. They all stared at the Lial, at the wound in his side. They not see Lial hurt. I not. He strong all the time. Not see him hurt.
'Cheer for the victor,' said the Lial.
The Sehnal gave a half hearted cheer and bumped their fists together.
The Lial staggered over to Beroz. 'Up, Sehnal. We go to my furaz. Heal your wounds. Rest.' He coughed, blood dribbling down his chin. 'Heal me too.'
Beroz nodded, and with great effort picked himself back up, using Mutumuz for support, but his legs buckled and he sank back down.
'Training over for today. Go. Relax. We train in morning.' The Lial clicked his fingers at two of the older Sehnal and motioned to Beroz. 'Help him. Follow me.'
The two Sehnal picked up Beroz, each of them ducking underneath an arm. The rest of the Sehnal parted so they could pass and the Lial led the way, the two Sehnal following after him, carrying Beroz. Beroz felt the eyes of all the Sehnal on him, but whether they were looking at him with admiration or hate he couldn't tell.
'He hurt the Lial,' said Melonaz, barely believing what he'd just seen.
'Lial easy on him,' said Tenalkz.
'Yes?'
'Yes. You not see him kill ludenez. Sehnal lucky.'
'Who is he?'
Tenalkz shrugged.
'Deronaz,' said one of the older Sehnal stood behind them, his white furs dirty and torn. 'Out on Cubsoz for three years.'
'It's Ceroz,' said another of the older Sehnal near them. His Sehnal braid was very short, barely reaching his shoulders.
'Ceroz? No, that's wrong.'
Three years on Cubsoz? Must train hard out there. Lial is stronger though. How? What his secret?
'He not strong when he here. Train hard to get that strong. Fight many ludenez, I think,' said the Sehnal with the dirty, white furs.
'Yes, he weak when here,' said the Sehnal with the short braid.
'Lial beat him bloody. Lucky he get draw.'
'Lial easy on him,' said Tenalkz.
The short braided Sehnal nodded. 'Yes. Think so.'
'How Lial so strong?' asked Melonaz.
'His Dal is Ro-Lial,' said the Sehnal with the dirty furs.
'That just a story,' said the short braided one.
'No, it's true.'
'Says who?'
'People.'
'Lial say?'
'No.'
'Can't be true.'
If true his blood really strong. Ro-Lial train him hard. Harder than most Sehnal. Push him until he nearly break. Why Lial not train us like that?
'Give the teeth,' said the short braided Sehnal.
The other boy moaned, but reached into his furs and produced three long, yellowed teeth. 'Bet's a bet,' he said, and handed them over to his friend.
'Make good knife with them.' The short braided one jiggled them in his hand a moment then pocketed them.
If can grow so strong on Cubsoz, I need go. Fight ludenez. Kill many. Grow stronger that Lial. Beat him. Not draw. I will win.
'What think Melonaz?' asked Tenalkz.
Melonaz shook his head. He could barely concentrate, his mind alive with thought. 'What?'
'Think Ceroz cheat? His light trick dirty?'
Melonaz shook his head. 'It fair. Do all you can to win. Light trick good.'
Tenalkz rubbed his chin. 'Not think of that.'
Need learn it. Will practice in night.
'Why Lial go easy on him? Not understand,' said Tenalkz.
He not want to hurt Sehnal so he can help fight the horde. It makes sense. 'Not know. Think he weak. Make mistake, I think.'
'Think you right.'
Has to be the reason. Lial not get hurt by Sehnal. Not by ludenez. He stronger than all.
'Melonaz?' said Tenalkz.
'Yes?'
'Want train?'
Melonaz nodded. 'Yes. We need to grow strong fast.'
Tenalkz smirked. 'Want beat Lial that bad? You see he can be hurt. Think you can win?'
Need be strong to fight ludenez horde. Fight with Lial not important. 'Yes. He not as strong as I think.'
'He is.'
Melonaz laughed. 'Come. We go out on plain. No one see.'
As they walked away from the rest of the Sehnal, Melonaz's thoughts turned to the future. He imagined what his Cubsoz might be like, the adventures he'd go on, the battles he'd fight, how strong he'd grow. He'd leave the village at a younger age than anyone else had before, then when he returned he'd be twice as strong as any Sehnal had ever been. He'd beat the Lial in a couple of moments, without him landing even one blow. The Sehnal watching would cheer when he won.
First, need kill the ludenez.
'Wound heal in two moons, I think,' said the Lial. 'Brubah big help.'
The Lial leaned back against the centre pole of his furaz. From a small hook on the pole hung his Lialstone. He hadn't realised the Lial was not wearing it during their duel. The burns on the Lial's chest where he'd blasted him with lightning were only flesh deep, and appeared to be healing fast. Beroz was so focused on keeping his own Raiz under control that he couldn't sense anyone else's, his mind so tired. Need sleep.
'You fight good, Beroz,' said the Lial.
'You remember me?'
'During fight, no. You grow strong. Why I not recognise you.'
Beroz sighed. 'You go easy. I lose if not.'
'Most Sehnal lose when I go easy. You fight well.'
Beroz coughed, his wounds hurting even more now that when he was lying down. Brubah helped, but unless he strengthened it it didn't ease the pain enough to make a difference. He needed rest. Lots of it.
He lay naked atop of sleeping furs. Beroz's already scarred body was covered head to toe in cuts and welts, the rest of his dark red skin bruised. All his muscles throbbed, both from being beaten hard and from excessive use of Hakah. His face felt cracked and chipped. It hurt every time he spoke.
'How is the wound?' he asked, gesturing to where he'd stabbed the Lial.
'Brubah heal it slow,' he said. 'Will heal faster when I rest. You stab edge of body. Not cut deep. I'll be fine.' The Lial rested his head against the pole.
The furaz interior was dark, save for a small fire near the back, away from the entrance. The Lial's furaz was larger than most, yet it was almost completely empty; a cooking pot, a spoon, and two sleeping furs besides the one Beroz lay upon on the only items. He should give this to a family who needs the space.
'You change,' said the Lial. 'Cubsoz do you good.' His eyes drifted to the scar on his hand. 'What that?'
Beroz cleared his throat, and prepared himself for the pain that was to come from talking. His scarred hand throbbed suddenly. 'The Enemy touch me.'
The Lial frowned. 'Touch?'
'For moment. When climbing mountain it grab me. I jump off mountain. Break free of it. Land on thick snow. How I survive.' Beroz lifted his hand to show the Lial.
The Lial leaned forward, examining it. 'That's how you stop my staff. Not good. Need cut it off. Enemy claim you. Turn you into ludenez.'
Beroz gasped. 'What?'
'Enemy try claim you. Claim hand. If it spreads it'll claim all your body. Make yo
u ludenez. Not think you risk it.'
Beroz held his scarred hand, rubbing his fingers along the rough, bumpy skin. 'I weak with one hand.'
'It not sword hand. You be good.'
It stop your staff. Can use it to fight.
Die. Beroz shivered.
'You hear voice?' asked the Lial.
'Voice?'
'Meet one who the Enemy touch before. He say he hear a voice. Make him mad. He kill himself. Dead body try to attack his family. Body weak. Enemy not claim it all. The Lial there kill it easy. Hurt one of the man's Sal first though.'
'Not think it bad. Hand is all it touch,' said Beroz.
The Lial leaned closer. 'Don't risk it, Beroz.'
Beroz shook his head. 'There another way?'
The Lial gazed into the fire a moment. 'Ro-Lial might help. Might know way to stop it. Think they say what I say though. If you not want cut off hand it all you can do.'
'Not hear voice. Think I good. Lucky. Not touch for long.'
The Lial hummed, nodding his head slightly. Beroz wasn't sure if the Lial believed him or not, his eyes kept drifting down to his scarred hand.
Die. His hand throbbed even more for a moment. He tried to hide his discomfort from the Lial.
'What happen on Cubsoz?' asked the Lial. 'Ludenez hand not make you strong. You train hard. Before leave you not strong. Now you are. What do?'
Beroz rolled his jaw, the pain causing him to wince. 'I out east for awhile. Stay near Weraz, Shonaz villages. Fight ludenez there. Apochal too. Kill two ludenez. Beat three Apochal. Train good.'
'Two ludenez? Good. Your sword have blood.'
Beroz glanced over to Mutumuz nearby, its dark blade reflecting the firelight. 'I kill six ludenez.'
'Six. Impressive. Some Apochal not kill six.'
'I train best alone.'
The Lial pointed at Beroz's face. 'How you get scar?'
Beroz ran his finger down the scars, tracing their outline. Woman do it when I take her. She fight hard, even while I fuck her. 'One ludenez lucky. Claw my face.' He felt his cheeks flush at the lie, but the thought of telling the Lial the embarrassing truth that a woman had scarred him was too much to bear.
'I see.' He not believe me. Beroz bowed his head to hide his embarrassment.
The two remained quiet for a time. Beroz fell asleep for a little while. When he awoke the Lial was drinking some soup from a cup. He gestured to the cooking pot. 'Want some?'
Beroz shook his head slightly.
'That light attack. Where learn it?' asked the Lial. 'Not see it before. Clever move.'
'Travel with a danaz. One Apochal, he not strong. Know clever skills though. Teach me.'
'Need teach me it.' The Lial chuckled, the sound so odd and surprising that Beroz wasn't even sure he'd heard it, or just imagined it.
'Yes, Lial.' Die. Beroz's hand throbbed even more.
The Lial's eyes widened. 'You do hear voice.'
Beroz jerked upright, grumbling from the pain the movement caused. He looked down and realised he was clutching his scarred hand tight. Reluctantly he said, 'yes.'
'Cut it off,' said the Lial, flatly.
Beroz shook his head. 'I good. Voice quiet. Ignore it.'
'What if it spreads?'
He has a point. 'Enemy touch Lial of Elzaz too. He good,' he said, hoping the Lial didn't know he was lying.
The Lial's eyes widened. 'Lial of Elzaz?'
'He say the Enemy touch his Mate. Claim her. He kill her, it. Enemy touch him too. He good though. I good too.'
'Enemy touch Lial?' The Lial's dark expression made Beroz pause. 'Not know this. Need go see him. When trouble pass. Not see him in long time.'
'You know Lial of Elzaz?' Beroz asked.
'He Sal to me.'
Sal? 'Not know that.'
The Lial chewed his lip. 'Not say to many people.'
He need know truth. That mean he know I lie two times though. No. He find out on own. 'You speak of trouble. What mean?'
The Lial shook his head. 'Will say when heal.' He glanced down at Beroz's hand again. 'Not think you can help. Not with that.' He nodded towards the hand. 'If Enemy claim you, you hurt more than help.'
Beroz's hand throbbed again and he pushed it under his rear.
'Not know if you should be Apochal,' said the Lial. 'Not with ludenez hand. Need cut it off.'
'I pass test.'
The Lial shrugged. 'Need think. Rest now. Will decide later.' The Lial stood up, swaying on his feet. He picked up his staff, planting it in the snow for support. He held his side, a pained expression on his face.
'You need to rest too,' said Beroz.
'I fine. Need see people. Have village to watch over.' He breathed heavily, his face pale. Beroz could finally sense his Raiz. It was strained hard, the spot of heat in his mind even hotter than his own Raiz. He heal in day, no doubt. Concentrate Brubah in small area of body. Need learn how to do that.
The Lial grunted, shooting Beroz one final look, then left the furaz.
Die. Beroz couldn't feel any sensation in his scarred hand still, other than the throbbing. He sat there staring at his hand, imagining the Enemy spreading through him, claiming him, changing him, piece by piece. Is Lial right? Should I cut it off.
His hand pulsed with pain. Die.
Chapter Thirty
Melonaz concentrated hard on his Raiz. Light. He closed his eyes and pushed Raiz out through his face, willing it into a bright light. A small flash illuminated his closed eyelids, but he could tell straight away it'd been nowhere near bright enough. He felt for the tug of the vanishing Raiz and drew it back in. How he do it? His light as bright as the sun. Use more Raiz? Imagine sun? He kicked the snow in frustration. Will learn this. It not hard. I know it.
Melonaz was alone on the snow plain, Oaraz just a short distance away. It was mid-day and the sky was clear and blue, the sun warm and bright. He sat down and crossed his legs, allowing his mind to relax. The Lial's duel replayed in his head, although it was becoming a struggle to remember it completely. Lial beat Sehnal hard. Sehnal grab staff. Hand not break. How? He stab Lial while he hold staff. Lucky. Not happen again. He tried to remember how the Lial had moved, the pattern of his attacks, gauging how much Hakah he used in each one.
Melonaz had practised quite a lot with Hakah, but his ability with it was limited. He hated the aching pain that came afterwards, his body unable to handle it. Need train harder. Body will learn. Hakah make me stronger. It was said that Ro-Lial Hercuz was so strong when using Hakah that his body was like a rock to hit, and he hit even harder.
Melonaz practised his melee techniques, punching and jabbing at imaginary opponents, all of them with Nekolz's face. He grabbed one of his opponents and flung him over his shoulder, then snapped one of his arms while shoving his head hard into the ground. Determined to increase the speed and power of his legs and knees he spent a long time kneeing the air, imagining reducing Nekolz's stomach to a soft, bloody pulp.
Every day after the morning's training Melonaz had ventured out alone onto the snow plain. Watching the Lial's duel had reignited his desire to be the strongest Sehnal there was. He always made sure that the Lial was busy training the older Sehnal before sneaking off onto the plains. He wasn't sure if he would be punished if caught, but it wasn't worth the risk.
As day was turning to night, and Rez's light crept over the horizon in the west, he decided to head back to the village. Smoke billowed out the tops of furaz as people prepared their evening meals. Melonaz's mouth watered at the prospect of a good cooked meal, even if it was his Mal's cooking. He'd woken too late that morning to eat anything substantial, and hadn't eaten much all day. His stomach groaned with hunger.
Entering the village he kept a look out for anyone who might have spotted his return, but it was only when he'd threaded his way through several pathways in the maze of furaz that he came upon someone. He made his way home, looking over to the Lial's furaz as he passed by. The newly made Apochal was resting in there. Melonaz
had been resisting the temptation to sneak in and talk to him for nearly a moon now. He knew that if the Lial caught him bothering the man he'd be furious. Maybe if I ask permission Lial say yes? His desire to find out the secret to the man's light technique was proving maddening. If Lial say yes Apochal might say no. Need learn it on own. No smoke rose from the Lial's furaz. He probably wasn't home. No. Stop. Not go. Melonaz looked away and continued on home.
It hurt Beroz just to move. Even after nearly a moon of resting and using Brubah he was still too injured to leave the furaz. At first he'd barely been able to move without crying out in pain. It frustrated him, and he'd quickly grown angry and bitter.
The Lial had treated Beroz's wounds as best as he could using some of the healing skills his Mal, and other women used. He'd given him a shumdniz tonic each night to help him sleep, and closed up some of his smaller wounds using tiny needles, a technique Beroz had never seen before. The Lial's own wounds seemed to have healed well. For a couple of days he's walked lopsidedly, but now he was striding confidently once again. Beroz suspected that that was only because of Brubah however.
Beroz had tried to exercise, but everything was an agony for him. He could walk around the furaz for a few moments before pain forced him to sit back down, but that was it, unless he strengthened his Brubah to the point where he was using nearly all his Raiz, which exhausted him quickly.
His stomach grumbled, but he wasn't particularly hungry. The Lial had been feeding him a light broth with small chunks of lilnac meat in it, which he'd forced himself to eat, despite the lacklustre flavour. Cooking was clearly not a talent of the Lial's.
Die. His hand throbbed again, and his fingers jerked.
Lial right? Need cut this off? He couldn't be certain but it seemed like his condition was deteriorating. The voice whispered in his mind all the time now, and it wasn't getting any easier to deal with, quite the opposite. The thought of losing a hand though was even less appealing than living with a whispering voice in his head. He would endure, for now. Where voice come from? The Enemy? It talks? It seemed ridiculous to think that something like the Enemy could think, let alone talk. How does mist talk? Not that he believed the Enemy was just mist.
