by Reece Dinn
A small cloud of purple mist burst into existence near to the knocked out lilnac.
The Enemy!
The whole herd cried out and burst into motion, charging away in different directions, crashing into one another, desperately trying to put as much distance between them and it as they could. One mirac nearly skewered Melonaz on its horns as it turned and fled, its escape route passing directly through where he stood, but he flung himself out of the way just in time.
The Enemy descended on the unconscious lilnac. Purple light glowed inside its misty purple form, while red lightning silently sparked across and through it. It was nothing like he'd imagined it would be, not that he'd known what to expect. He found that he was holding his breath, as if keeping quiet would prevent the Enemy from spotting him.
The air was filled with the terrified cries, moans of pain, and pounding footfalls as the mirac stampeded. A cloud of snow had been kicked up in their retreat, like a storm was raging on the ground, only it was coming from the wrong direction. Through the snow cloud he could see the Enemy silently descending upon the downed lilnac. A wispy arm weaved out and wound its way towards it. Melonaz could only watch as the Enemy laid claim to its victim.
Instantly the lilnac's body convulsed as the wispy arm attached. The arm grew wider and sparks shot down it and into the lilnac. The lilnac's eyes popped open and immediately it screamed so sickeningly Melonaz felt like crying. Its body shuddered, writhed, then it flailed each of its limbs, beating frantically at the ground, its head snapping from side to side. Sparks continued to shoot into it and its body suddenly bulged in places, the muscles of an arm, a claw, a spot on its head, neck, chest, each part shifting in colour, darkening to ludenez purple. Its flesh tore apart as it continued to struggle and scream, blood oozing out of the tears opening up all over it. Then all its fur changed, taking on a purple hue. It violently shook itself, screaming all the while, writhing and smashing its body against the ground, trying desperately to free itself from its tormentor.
The Enemy glowed with dark red light and a column of it shot down the wispy arm and into the lilnac. The animal ceased screaming, falling still. Then red light shined bright out of its eyes and it was a lilnac no more.
It broke free of the Enemy's arm and sprang up onto all fours, its posture lopsided, one of its arms having grown considerably bigger than the other. Blood and saliva dripped from its mouth, through teeth that had grown far too big, the teeth sharp and yellowed.
Melonaz couldn't move. His whole life had been building up to this one moment and now that he was finally confronted with the enemy of his people he found he could do nothing.
The ludenez's eyes flared and it burst into motion, charging after the nearest mirac. The mirac had managed to put distance between it and them, but the stupid animals had only managed to trap themselves at the edges of the plateau, up against walls of rock they could not climb, or steep drops they could not survive. Some of the herd had plunged over the plateau's edge to their deaths, but most were now scrambling back the way they'd come, hoping the mirac in the opposite direction had had more luck, ignoring the fact that they'd had the same idea too and were heading for them.
The Enemy drifting up to the sky, bathing the plateau in its purple light.
Need to focus. Stop the ludenez. Blood pounded in his ears. He could barely think straight, let alone fight.
The ludenez dived onto the back of its target. A mist of blood sprayed out of the mirac as the ludenez ripped apart flesh and fur, flinging aside that which it didn't eat. The mirac cried out, its cry louder than anything he'd ever heard. None of the other members of the herd looked to be even considering helping their friend, the carnage before them only intensifying their desire to escape.
Melonaz glanced up at the Enemy. It was making no other move, just floating there in the air enjoying the carnage.
The ludenez stabbed the claw of its enlarged arm into the mirac's head and the mirac crashed to the ground. The ludenez remained on its back tearing chunks out of it, while the rest of the herd scrambled back and forth across the plateau, narrowly missing Melonaz.
The felled mirac's cries ceased.
A mirac clipped him as it thundered past Melonaz's blind side, knocking him into the path of another one. He yelled and rolled out of the way just in time to avoid being flattened. More mirac charged him, but it was the red eyed ludenez that drew his attention, snapping at the heels of another mirac.
Need to stop this. Time to fight. He took in a deep breath then, when his lungs were fit to burst, unleashed the biggest battle cry he could.
The ludenez's head snapped towards his direction, its red eyes falling on him.
Kak. Stupid idea. He raised Dajimoz.
The ludenez changed its course.
We fight. He focused his Raiz. Wait all my life for this. Not lose.
The ludenez raced towards him, stumbling as it ran on its uneven limbs, momentum propelling it forward.
You mine. Burn. In his free hand he created a fireball.
The ludenez screamed so loud it echoed, sending vibrations through his body, causing him to tremble. He dropped the fireball. It hissed as it fizzled out on the snow. The Raiz he'd expended vanished without him even feeling its tug.
'Nukuk,' he cried, suddenly feeling weakened.
The ludenez screamed again.
He refocused his Raiz, instantly sensing the loss of energy.
It dived at his legs but Melonaz leapt aside just in time to avoid its large teeth tearing through his flesh. It crashed head first into the snow. Using Hakah he leapt at it while raising Dajimoz, but he couldn't use it in time so booted the ludenez instead and, to his surprise, he lifted it high off the ground, almost to head height. Filled with sudden confidence he raised Dajimoz over his head and brought it down in one, big, Hakah powered chop.
The ludenez lashed out with its enlarged arm and smacked the blade aside before it connected, its claws grazing Melonaz's wrists, the force of it spinning him around. He drew back the Raiz and twisted around as the ludenez bounced up off the ground. It lashed out with its big claw as he swung up with Dajimoz. The sword cut right through its arm, dark purple blood gushing out and squirting him in the face. He reeled away, gagging from the awful stench, furiously wiping blood from his face.
The ludenez landed with a thud, hissing, struggling to regain its balance. It recovered faster than Melonaz however and sprang at him again. On instinct Melonaz brought up a knee and smashed it into its jaw. The ludenz's teeth sank into his thigh before it was knocked back and he cried out, staggering back, pain burning in his leg.
A flash of purple light startled him, drawing his attention up to the Enemy for a moment. It was hovering directly overhead now. He stared up into its purple light and a sudden dread filled him, like it was staring back at him. He felt Dajimoz shake in his hand.
The ludenez bit into his ankle and he was yanked off his feet. He yelped as he hit the snow hard and it dragged him along by his leg, those huge teeth tearing his flesh as it went. His cries were muffled by snow repeatedly filling his mouth. Desperately he clung to Dajimoz, the sword slicing the snow as he was dragged along. The ludenez leapt, swung him around, and flung him across the open space. An expanse of white crossed his vision, then, as he began to fall, the ground fell away ahead of him.
'Kak, kak, kak,' Melonaz screamed, flailing his arms and legs in a desperate attempt to stop himself. He crashed down before he went over the edge, landing on his side with a grunt, sinking into the snow.
The ludenez was heading straight for him, hissing and screaming in awful, unnatural ways. Without its big claw hindering it it could move much faster, the loss of the limb seemingly making it easier for it to balance itself.
Melonaz's ankle and thigh throbbed, his side hurt, but there was no time for Brubah. Up. Fight. Panic was setting in. He felt for his Raiz but it was difficult to focus. He raised Dajimoz, the sword shaking in his hands.
Closer the ludenez came, the distan
ce shrinking fast.
He pushed himself up to his knees with all the strength he could muster, the pain where it'd bitten him keeping him down however.
The ludenez was on him. It leapt, mouth gaping, teeth dripping with blood. Melonaz thrust Dajimoz into its widening mouth. It lashed out at the blade as it fell but it didn't stop it entering its mouth and stabbing through the back of its head. It crashed down on top of him, its weight greater than he'd thought it'd be. He tried to yank Dajimoz out of its mouth but it bit down on it and yanked it out of his grasp. Being stabbed seemed to have had little effect as it writhed around on top of him, clawing at his body, scraping the skin from him. He punched it again and again in the side of the head, trying to daze it, but the blows only made its eyes glow redder and enrage it further.
'Enough,' Melonaz cried. In one great move he drove his knees into the ludenez's stomach and lifted it up over his head. Crying out again, pain burning through his whole body, he heaved the ludenez's weight up and flung it off him in one big push. To his dismay the pains of his body only intensified, and all his muscles became an agony. No. No. The ludenez landed on its head. It writhed around, trying to right itself, arms and legs flailing. Dajimoz was still embedded within its mouth, blood dripping from the wound.
No stop. Finish. With all the energy he had left he pushed himself to his feet and dove at the flailing ludenez, crying out as he did. It threw a clump of snow into the air as it finally freed itself. Melonaz booted it in the head, snapping it back, then grabbed hold tight of Dajimoz's grip and pulled it free, causing the ludenez to scream. Up close the noise was even worse, it made his heart strain, like the very sound could stop it at once.
It tried to retaliate, but before it could he hit it in the face with the flat of his blade, knocking it down. He stabbed down into its stomach, smiling to himself, sensing victory. He expected the lights of its eyes to vanish, but to his surprise they flared. The ludenez screeched and kicked his wounded leg with both its hind legs. Excruciating pain made the leg buckle and he fell back to his knees. The ludenez twisted, Dajimoz tearing its body apart as it tried to get back up.
'YOU NOT WIN,' screamed Melonaz and he jumped up on his good leg and flung himself at it again. Fresh pain awoke in his shoulder as he slammed into it, knocking it towards the edge. Go over it. Go. Go. It was only then that he remembered his sword was still lodged in its body. He scrambled forward on hands and knees and grabbed hold of Dajimoz's grip just as the ludenez lost its footing and toppled over the edge. The blade slid out as the ludenez fell. He clutched Dajimoz with both hands, terrified that he'd drop it.
The ludenez plummeted. He let out a big sigh of relief when he peered over the edge and saw that there was no slope but a steep drop.
'I win,' he gasped as he watched the ludenez fall, but it was then that he noticed that further down a ledge jutted out of the mountainside. The ludenez hit the cliff face, bounced off, then slid down the sharp rocks, smearing its blood all over them, screaming as it went. It crashed down on the ledge.
Cries behind drew his attention back. Nukuk. Not end. Enemy still here. He spun around.
The Enemy was chasing the mirac, trying to claim them, but the terrified creatures were too fast for it to catch and smart enough, even in their desperation, not to go near it.
A scream from down below made him turn back around, dread filling him. 'What? No.'
The ludenez was scrambling up the rocks, its red eyes flaring madly. Even from a distance he could see that half its face now hung loose, flapping as it moved.
Melonaz hit the snow with a fist. 'You not live. Fall off cliff. Die.'
The steepness of the climb was seemingly no trouble for the three legged ludenez.
'DIE,' Melonaz snarled, raising his free hand towards it. With great effort he focused his Raiz. Lightning. Lightning. Come on. He pushed the Raiz out and sparks formed in the palm of his hand. The ludenez was almost on him, seemingly undeterred. Melonaz cried out and fired a blast of lightning down at it, hitting one of its hind legs. It was enough.
The ludenez lost its footing and fell away from the mountainside. It carried on falling, past the spot it'd landed on the first time, and kept on going until its body was no more than a speck, and all he could see was a flicker of red light. Then the light too vanished.
He was about to collapse with exhaustion, then remembered the Enemy was still there. He spun around.
It was crossing the open space to him. Melonaz raised Dajimoz at it, hand trembling. Behind the Enemy, on the far side of the plateau, the mirac had congregated.
Want claim me? Make ludenez? He shifted most of his weight onto his good leg as he rose, his throbbing ankle and thigh threatening to fail him. Will have to fight me.
The Enemy pulsed with red light, the snow glowing with it.
Mirac know to run. Why I not? I not bonkokok, that why. Know when can't win though. How do I stop it? Attack it? I touch it, it claim me. How then? Lightning? He smirked to himself. Lightning.
As if in response to the thought lightning flickered across its misty form.
Nukuk. He glanced behind him, over the edge of the cliff. Jump? Better than letting it claim me, yes?
It was close now. Nukuk. No choice. Need to run. He focused his Raiz and went to use Hakah to throw himself over the edge while raising a hand towards the Enemy.
There was a loud pop, a flash, and then the Enemy vanished.
Melonaz stopped himself. What?
The mirac immediately quietened.
Why it go? I scare it? He lowered Dajimoz, the blade suddenly heavy in his hand. The exhaustion he'd resisted succumbing to hit him all at once and he fell forward. He smiled as he hit the ground. Kill a ludenez. Face the Enemy too. Not claim me. Impress Lial with this. Dropping his sword, he rolled onto his side, allowing himself to give in to the pain. The mirac were unlikely to attack him, and unless the ludenez had somehow survived the fall again it wouldn't be coming to attack him any time soon.
The ludenez small, but strong, If Enemy claim mirac, how strong will ludenez be? Very strong, no doubt. Stronger than a man? Than Apochal? Lial? What if it claims a man? Claims an Apochal? There were three Apochal who had been claimed by the Enemy, according to his supposed Dal and two companions. Having tasted the strength of a small ludenez fear and doubt crept into Melonaz's mind.
One ludenez strong. A horde of ludenez. How fight that? Not good. Ludenez destroy village. Kill people. We can't win. He quickly tried to push the thought of his Mal and Sal being ripped apart by ludenez out of his mind. It good. It good. Lial is there. He more powerful. Beat three ludenez easy. I get stronger. Kill them easily too.
Focusing his Raiz he began Brubah, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes. He tried to relax, to allow the healing energy to soothe and restore his body, but all he could think about was the dread he'd felt looking into the light of the Enemy. What is it? There was another question that bothered him more though. Why it leave me alive?
Chapter Fifty Six
At dusk Beroz reached a curve in the river that he needed to cross. It was wide and deep, its current strong. He realised then that he should have crossed further back when he'd first thought to, where the current wasn't so strong. Hakah do it. Run fast, jump high. He gauged the distance and judged that he'd be able to make it. He unfastened Mutumuz and his travel sack then, with two big Hakah enhanced swings, launched them across the river. They both landed on the opposite bank near to each other. He felt the tug of his scattered Raiz and drew it back.
He retied his sleeping roll to his back, tightening the rope as tight as he could, then hastily cleared a runway to the river by kicking away the snow. He gauged the distance again, made his runway a little wider, just to be safe, then, when he was confident, prepared to jump.
Using Hakah in his legs he burst forward, pouring in more Raiz with every stride until they felt they might explode. He reached the bank's edge and leaped as high as he could, flying up over the river. He rose high and fast,
but panic set in when he realised that he was rising up more than he was hurtling forward. He began to fall, despite not even being halfway across. Willing himself to fly further didn't work, nor did flailing his arms, and he plummeted into the water.
The ice cold water jolted Beroz and he almost missed the tug of his Raiz. His furs became heavier and he sank beneath the surface. Using Hakah all over his body he fought his way back up. The cold air was as shocking as the water had been when he broke through, and he almost sank back down. With great effort he swam the rest of the way to the bank and pulled himself out.
That stupid. Bad. Stupid. Stupid. He used Nipah. Within moments his skin and hair had dried. His furs though would take much longer. He lay down and waited, breathing a sigh of relief as the strain of using Hakah eased and his muscles relaxed.
When his furs were finally dry, and his muscles had recovered enough to move properly he trudged over and retrieved his belongings. He refastened Mutumuz to his side and slung his travel sack over his back, although not before pulling out his last big slice of meat. He continued on, eating it raw, deciding not stop until he reached his destination.
Dawn had just broke when he caught sight of the fires of Owoklz, the flames glowing brightly against the imposing black and white of Mir-Akaz.
Owoklz, the first village of Kitaz, the one Kitaz himself, and his Sal Owoklz had made after their long, perilous journey to this land, hundreds of years ago. It was home to Nam-Lialaz, the home of the Ro-Lial, the four greatest Lial in all of Kitaz, and where the Trail of Lial took place.
Beroz's heart skipped a beat at seeing it. He'd been there once before but the visit had been brief. The sight of Nam-Lialaz had awed him, there was nothing else like it. He quickened his pace, his tired legs suddenly reinvigorated. Thankfully the snow was shallow here and he made good progress.
The sun shone brightly over the horizon to the left as he approached the great village, whiteness of the snow dazzling, the mountains ominous figures looming over him. He'd spent a lot of time up in those mountains, so knew them well. His fond memories of them however had been replaced by the memory of the Enemy touching him. It replayed in his mind as he walked through the Owoklz's donoz. The donoz was composed of two large, black stone statues depicting different men. The statue on the right was of a tall powerfully built man with long hair and a thick beard. He wore strange looking furs and unusual thick boots. This Kitaz. Warrior who lead people here from the hot lands in the south. Strong man. Save our people. It was said he'd defeated many enemies, both men and other powerful creatures, as their people had fled ever northward from danger. Not know if he fight the ludenez. Stories not say.
