by Reece Dinn
Shorter life? Does that mean gaining more Raiz makes life longer? 'Lial of Oaraz speak of horde. You speak with him?' he asked.
Jekoraz's eyes widened. 'Yes. You of Oaraz?'
Beroz nodded. 'I away on Cubsoz. Return to fight Lial to be an Apochal.'
'You beat Seboraz?'
Win better than saying it a draw. 'Yes.'
Jekoraz smirked a little, his eyes wrinkling with amusement. The solemn expression he'd been wearing eased. 'He lose.' He sipped his drink, the revelation amusing him. 'He tell Sehnal of ludenez horde?'
'Not tell them,' said Beroz. 'Will do, he says. Wants me to stay, help train them all. Can't stay though.' Die. Instinctively he rubbed his scarred hand.
'Why?' Jekoraz's expression darkened.
Beroz hesitated. 'I danger. Lial not risk it.'
'Danger?'
Beroz pulled back the part of his furs covering his scarred hand, revealing the rough, bumpy, purple scar that covered it.
Jekoraz gasped. 'The Enemy touch you?'
'For a moment. I break free of it.'
Jekoraz didn't respond.
'I good,' Beroz continued. 'Hand hurt a little. I go to Owoklz. Ask Ro-Lial if can go Nam- Laftoz. See if Lial there can heal it.'
'Why not cut it off?' asked Jekoraz. 'Hand bad. Why keep?'
Hand strong. Not want lose it. 'Want see if can heal it.'
'No can. Hand bad. Cut it off.'
What Lial say. 'Need try.'
'Need cut off. So can fight horde.'
Beroz shook his head, holding his scarred hand close to his chest.
Jekoraz rubbed his eyes. 'Fear to lose it. I understand.'
Not fear. Want keep it.
'You save my life. I won't judge you,' said Jekoraz. 'You strong. Hope it heal.' He leaned back. 'Wish have nibec. Drink to dead Apochal.'
'Have drink in Daanaz.'
'We will.'
The two men sat in silence for a long time, both lost in thought. Jekoraz sat watching the fire until it was nothing more than embers. Beroz watched him curiously, until finally, he drifted off.
Die. His dreams were dominated by the Enemy. It chased him across the plains, through the mountains, its small misty arms reaching out, trying to claim him. He eluded it, somehow staying out of the Enemy's grasp, but each time it came closer.
The dream changed.
Bodies lay dead, half buried in the blood stained snow. The Enemy lingered in the distance, approaching slowly. He tried to pull the bodies free, so the Enemy couldn't claim them, but they wouldn't budge. He tried to burn them, but he couldn't feel his Raiz. All their eyes were open, each pair vacant, dead. Yet their screams and cries of pain filled his head.
'Why you kill us? they asked him.
'I not kill you,' he whimpered.
The Enemy was approaching.
He ran.
It was another day before they could leave, Beroz's body near paralysed. Jekoraz managed to catch a lilnac that he found sleeping in one of the gola, and the two spent the day nibbling at it.
They departed just after dawn the next day. Beroz felt rough, his sleep fitful at best, Brubah the only thing allowing him to walk. Jekoraz hadn't slept at all. The two ate some nuts they'd plucked from the gola as they walked, the nuts hard and cold, barely edible. Beroz feared he would crack his teeth on them. They walked in silence alongside the river until the sun was high above them, then Beroz signalled to stop, desperately in need of rest.
His stomach grumbled so he strengthened Brubah to try and stave it off. The feat though quickly tired his mind and he was forced to stop it completely. Need find food fast. There were no vomenic to be seen in the river, and they hadn't passed any mirac herds all day. Not even any lilnac or sehseh.
They continued on a short while later, neither man talking, progress slow. They didn't stop walking until evening when they found a good camping spot inside a bend in the river. Several large stones were arranged in a crude circle, forming a natural camp site. They took it in turns to keep watch, but when Beroz went to switch he found Jekoraz wouldn't wake. When he finally did he fell back to sleep moment's later. He relented, allowing the frail man his rest. He tried to stay awake, but sleep soon took him too.
They rose before dawn and left at first light. To their relief they sighted vomenic in the river, and Beroz caught them, cheating using a lightning blast; he was too hungry to care. They continued on after they'd devoured their meal. The feeling of a full belly was invigorating, and filled Beroz with renewed strength. Jekoraz seemed to brighten after eating too, though he soon fell back into a sullen mood.
At dusk they sighted Daanaz in the distance, the lights from the fires illuminating the village. As they drew close to the village several figures were leaving through the donoz, heading in their direction.
Instinctively Beroz's hand went to Mutumuz, but Jekoraz didn't even tense. It was only natural, why would villagers suddenly attack them for no reason? They were hardly ludenez.
There were four of them, all men. Each had a full head of thick, dark, unkempt, hair. No-Braids. Each man was thin, as most No-Braids were, lacking the solid build of even a Sehnal.
'Mofar,' one of them called out.
Beroz inclined his head, relaxing.
'Mofar,' Jekoraz called back, raising his hand in the air. His arm trembled from the effort, he quickly lowered it.
The four men stopped just short of them.
'Two Apochal!' exclaimed one of them.
Jekoraz nodded.
'Need your help,' said another.
Beroz and Jekoraz exchanged a glance. 'What happen?'
'Ludenez attack. Kill three people.'
'Kak,' said Jekoraz.
'Lial kill them. Sehnal help,' said another man.
'When happen?' asked Jekoraz.
'Two days past.'
'Where you going?' asked Beroz. 'Ludenez out there. Night is dangerous for you.'
'Our herd is out there. Four others with them. We switch. They need to sleep.'
Beroz frowned. 'No weapons?' Brave.
'Other four have them.'
Jekoraz was shocked. 'Ludenez attack us two days past too. Kill two of my friends. He save my life.' He inclined his head towards Beroz. 'I die too if not. You stupid. Shouldn't be out here.'
'Go see our Lial. He needs you,' said the herdman.
Jekoraz was about to say something but decided against it, allowing the men to pass.
Many ludenez. He glanced down at his scarred hand. Jekoraz right? Should I cut off hand so can fight the ludenez? The hand was strong though, he couldn't afford to lose it. Use it to fight ludenez? It helped him save Jekoraz, why not Oaraz, and the other villages? They wrong. I help. Not danger.
They passed through the donoz and were soon greeted by two young Sehnal racing down the path to them, wooden practice weapons at the ready. Both were scared and tense, but eased when they saw they were Apochal.
'Where Lial?' Beroz barely glanced at the two boys.
The smallest of the Sehnal pointed down the path. His small cheeks puffed up. 'Down path to middle. Go left there. It furaz with...with ludenez body outside.'
Beroz grunted his thanks then moved on. I have duty. Lial burn it on my chest. He remembered all too well the fractured mental state of the Lial of Elzaz. The man had almost lost his sanity. Beroz clenched his scarred hand into a fist. That what happen to me if keep hand?
The village was quiet. Fires burned along the pathways. Smoke rose from the furaz he passed, but there was little other activity, save for Sehnal patrolling at every turn. The Lial here appeared to have the village on alert in case of another attack.
They reached the meet point. The whole area was devastated. Most of the northern part of the village had been destroyed. Furaz lay scattered and ruined everywhere. Fires still burned where torches had been knocked over and set fire to whatever they'd fallen on. It was like someone had blown a hole out of the village.
'They need help,' said Jekoraz.
<
br /> Beroz didn't answer.
They headed left down the main pathway which led through the centre of the western half of the village. A young girl poked her head out of a furaz, her small eyes bright in the torchlight. Beroz met her stare for a moment. She pulled a face then ducked back inside.
'This start of it,' said Jekoraz.
Beroz glanced at him.
'People need help. We need to protect them. Our duty. Make sacrifice if need to.' He glanced down at Beroz's hand.
Beroz turned away from him and carried on walking. This constant guilt being forced upon him was beginning to irritate.
Further down the path was the unmistakable carcass of a ludenez, the purple hue of its fur distinct even from a distance. Its body was massive, almost twice the size of a man's. Its fur was thick, shaggy and glowed in the torchlight.
As the two Apochal approached a man rose up from behind the carcass. He was tall and lean, his black furs hanging loosely over his frame. His face was heavily lined and sported several, big, thick white scars across his nose that looked like claw marks. His Sehnal braid was thin and greyed. Around his neck hung his Lialstone, which was shaped like a four fingered hand. The Lial eyed the two of them as they approached. 'Where are you when needed?' he demanded. His voice was soft, but his tone was anything but.
Beroz frowned.
Jekoraz bowed his head and said, 'Ludenez attack us too, Lial. Kill rest of my danaz.'
'Hmmm.' The Lial scanned Jekoraz's body. 'Something's wrong with you. You look awful. Sense little Raiz in you.'
He sharp. Good to see.
Jekoraz ignored the Lial's appraisal. 'I bring a warning, though think you know it already. More ludenez are coming.'
'I can sense them out there.' The Lial pointed in the direction of Mir-Ru. 'Not know story. You do?' He motioned for the two of them to sit around the fire. There were several small logs positioned about it. 'Sit. Speak. Spit it out.' Casually he thrust his hand behind him and set fire to the ludenez corpse. The corpse was ablaze in moments.
'Hear it already. Not want to listen again. Where sturaz?' said Beroz.
'Sturaz gone. Ludenez destroy it. I have meat. Nibec. It's inside.' He motioned towards his furaz. 'Bring it out. I want a drink.'
Beroz grumbled, but ducked inside. The interior of the Lial's furaz was a mass of furs that came up to near his knees. The only space there was full of empty waterskins. Only one was full, sat next to a plate of meat.
He returned bearing the plate and the skin. The Lial and Jekoraz were already engaged in conversation. He sat down as far away from them as he could and stuck a slice of meat on the end of his sword to hang over the fire. The Lial leaned over while he was mid-sentence and grabbed two slices off the plate.
'Listen,' he said. 'Not need the drama. Only information.'
'Ludenez horde come out onto plain soon. It start, as you see. These the first.'
'Little food up there. They eat it all,' said the Lial. 'If what you say is true. They'll come to hunt us soon.'
'It worse. There're three ludenez men. Apochal ludenez.'
'What!' The Lial's voice broke slightly.
Beroz nearly dropped his meat into the fire. 'Not say there're ludenez Apochal.'
Jekoraz cleared his throat. 'Sorry.'
Apochal ludenez? His scarred hand throbbed.
The Lial sat in silence, processing the information before speaking again. 'You escape? Lose Raiz in fight? Yes, it makes sense.' He didn't give Jekoraz time to answer. 'Not good to run. Do for people though. To protect them. You keep your honour.' He hung one of his pieces of meat over the fire on a stick. 'Need prepare my Sehnal. They're young, weak. Die if more ludenez come. These Apochal ludenez trouble me. Need send word to the Ro-Lial at first light. Need their help. Not fight ludenez on own. Not win without them, I think.'
Jekoraz smiled. 'Yes, Lial.'
Beroz suspected that Jekoraz hadn't considered informing the Ro-Lial of the situation. He'd almost forgotten he was to inform them when he got to Owoklz too.
'I go to Owoklz. Will warn them,' said Beroz.
Jekoraz shot him a dark look.
'You not stay with your friend?' asked the Lial.
'No. We part here.'
'Where have to go?' the Lial asked Jekoraz.
'Naolez, Talelz, Wekilz, Didaz.'
'Can't go like this.' The Lial waggled a finger at Jekoraz's body. 'Two old Sehnal will go with you.'
Jekoraz glanced at Beroz again. It was clear he wasn't convinced two Sehnal would be of much help if they were attacked again by ludenez. You not have a choice.
The Lial retracted his cooked slice of meat, bit off a chunk, then reached over, grabbed the nibecskin and, without even swallowing his food first, drank deeply from it. 'Not kill ludenez in a long time,' he said, after swallowing his food, 'I not soft, even though old.' He beat his chest with his free hand, then leaned back and looked up to the sky. 'You two sleep here. Wood is over there.' He rose and headed inside, taking his slice of meat and the nibecskin with him.
Jekoraz grabbed a log from the pile and threw it on the fire, it blazed for a moment then quietened down again. He went to say something, but Beroz sharply cut him off.
'Don't say it,' he grumbled.
'Not know what say,' said Jekoraz, leaning over to grab a slice of meat from the plate.
'I warn Ro-Lial.'
Jekoraz skewed his slice of meat with the same stick the Lial had used, then hung it over the fire. 'Not staying to fight?'
'No.'
'Lobkak. People die. Ro-Lial not come in time. Cut off hand your hand. Stay here, fight. You can fight well with just one hand.'
Beroz rolled his jaw. 'You not understand.'
'You bonokok.'
'Bonokok? Who save you?'
Jekoraz didn't respond.
'Need heal my hand,' said Beroz through gritted teeth. 'Enemy will claim me if not. I big threat if do. Another Apochal ludenez.'
Jekoraz snorted, then removed his meat from the fire, tearing off a chunk with his teeth. Blood ran down Jekoraz's chin as he hungrily ate the near raw food. The two men sat silently after they'd eaten, each man lost in thought. Finally Jekoraz fell asleep, a half eaten slice of meat still clutched in his hand.
Beroz watched him sleep. I do my duty. Not lose hand though. Ro-Lial help. I can't.
Die. As if in response his hand began to throb, worse than usual. He moaned slightly, rubbing and squeezing it, but it didn't make any difference.
Beroz rose before first light. He'd barely slept. Jekoraz was still sound asleep, snoring loudly, a sliver of drool on his chin. He picked up Mutumuz. I need to go. Nofar.
'Leaving?'
Beroz spun around, startled, nearly lashing out with Mutumuz.
The Lial stepped out of his furaz, his Lialstone glowing in the firelight.
'Need to go,' said Beroz.
'A Lial protects his people. Apochal do too. Risk their lives if they must. Make sacrifices,' said the Lial.
Stop it. 'I do.'
The Lial snorted. 'Do what you need to do. Tell the Ro-Lial. Answer to me if you don't.' He met Beroz's eyes, then glanced down at his scarred hand.
Beroz swallowed hard. He hear us in night?
The Lial ducked back inside without saying another word.
He glanced back down at the sleeping Jekoraz, then departed, not looking back.
Chapter Fifty Three
The Lial left him. 'I back in three moons. See if you still alive,' he called over his shoulder as he disappeared down the mountain trail.
Melonaz took in his new surroundings; a small, abandoned campsite composed of a snow covered firepit and a tattered old furaz made of red fur. The camp lay within a vast landscape of tall mountains, deep valleys, chasms, and gorges.
He fell down, the journey from the forest near Twiz having exhausted him. His mind was tired from overuse of Brubah, which he'd been using for near a day. He feared the moment he stopped it he'd collapse and be unable to move f
or days.
It was nearly evening. With no moons in the sky his first night out in the wild would be long and dark. No fear. No fear. It was hard not to be though. Ludenez out there. His only weapon was his stone knife. If a ludenez, or even a sehseh attacked, he was done for.
A growl, then something made the snow crunch nearby, startling Melonaz. On instinct he used Hakah, pulling out his stone knife, bracing himself for attack. He tried to sense what was out there, fearing ludenez. There was a small speck of heat near his position.
The furaz. Cautiously he approached, knife at the ready, each step he took powered by Hakah, making him spring up off the snow.
Snow crunched again.
Carefully he parted the furaz covering. Two yellow eyes flashed in the dim light to his left and he flung himself at them. There was a crack and a yelp from whatever he'd just landed on top of. It struggled, biting, scratching, and writhing underneath him. He caught sight of the yellow eyes again and before they disappeared he plunged his stone knife into them. There was a dull thud and a squeal. He stabbed it again, harder this time. The creature fell still.
Grabbing it by a leg he dragged it out into the fading light. It was a lilnac, or had been, its head now a bloody pulp. A meal! Some luck. He stared at his first catch for a moment, then realised he had no idea how to skin a carcass, much less butcher one. What part to eat? Leg? Arm? Chest? He collapsed back to his knees, hunger and exhaustion overwhelming him. He pulled the carcass to him. Take the skin off. Hope I do it right. With a shaking hand he began to hack the fur off the lilnac.
Melona's stomach grumbled and he shivered, the only movement he was capable of. As he'd feared, as soon as he'd stopped Brubah he'd collapsed, unable to start it again.
The old furaz was full of holes and did little to keep out the cold. The Lial hadn't even given him a sleeping fur. A warm meal might have helped but his attempts at butchering the lilnac had resulted in him hacking apart half the meat, while not actually removing the fur from the carcass. In fact a fair amount of the fur had somehow gotten stuck to the lilnac's insides. His catch had quickly become inedible and he'd thrown it away.
