by Reece Dinn
'Not know what I do if you die.' The Lial's words lingered in his mind.
He finished his meal. It hadn't been enough to sate him, anxiousness making him even hungrier than usual. Train, then rest. Training though meant that he'd have to go out onto the plains. It was a long walk there, and an even longer walk back. The journey never used to bother him. Now it felt like a chore.
His arm was nearly healed. It no longer hurt, and with his training he was regaining his strength and stamina day by day. Brubah was working, although he couldn't keep it going all day, needing to conserve his energy and not tire himself. It was working. Two more days. Think I' heal then.
He headed for the plains, regardless of his mood he had to train. As he walked his thoughts turned towards the power that'd awoken inside him in the forest that awful day. It came when he was in trouble, or at least it seemed to. It hadn't come when the Lial had nearly killed him though. It come to save me again? Save village? What was most infuriating was he had no idea what it was, where it came from, or how to use it. How save village when not know how to use it? The memory of it faded every day. All he could really remember was the feeling of his Raiz growing, of its heat building to the point that it'd become unbearable and he'd had to release it. But where did it come from? It couldn't be from inside him. He'd be able to feel it, wouldn't he? Others would too surely. He kicked the snow in frustration. Need learn how to use it, fast.
Ankaroc cries brought him out of his reverie. The hairs on his neck stood on end, the memory of the ankaroc's claws stabbing into his chest still fresh in his mind. He spun around, excited, despite the fear, knowing what the cries likely meant. They come.
To the north over a dozen flying shadows appeared over the mountain peaks. They were heading for Oaraz.
'Yes. Yes. Yes,' he cried, jumping up and down. All thought of training vanished instantly. Gillenaz, Rudenoz come back.
He ran back through the forests towards the training grounds, anticipating them landing there.
When he arrived he stayed far away, hiding amongst the gola, just within sight of the grounds, but out of earshot. Sehnal were already gathering there, as where other villagers. He focused his Raiz and tried to sense who was there. His senses were nowhere near attuned enough to be able to recognise people's individual Raiz, other than the Lial's, but he thought he would be able to at least sense his family's.
He couldn't. He searched the growing crowd for signs of the Lial, but saw nothing.
He focused his senses on the approaching warriors. Sensing them individually proved hopeless, they were just one big speck of heat, nowhere near as big as the ludenez horde's, but definitely noticeable. By the time they were near enough to see he spotted the Lial move to the front of the large crowd, the crowd so big now that it covered half the training ground.
There were others with the Ankarocal. Apochal rode with them, sat behind the Ankarocal on their mounts. They find many. More than I think. We're safe. He breathed a sigh of relief.
He spotted Gillenaz and Rudenoz at the front of the group, an Apochal riding with each of them. They were the first to land, touching down right before the Lial, who was stood in his usual stoic way, legs spread slightly, Rorkaroz planted in the ground beside him, as if inviting an attack.
Melonaz longed to move closer and listen to what was being said, but decided against it. There were far too many people to risk being seen. It was enough to know that help had come. They had a good chance of surviving now.
As he turned to go he thought he caught a glimpse of his Sal, Diamoz and Aeolnaz, in the crowd. He lingered for a moment, but didn't see their faces again.
The Ankarocal and Apochal made camp just outside of the village.
Melonaz remained in the forest, not daring to go see Gillenaz and Rudenoz until the Lial said he could. He remained hidden inside a large gola, his makeshift sleeping spot. It was uncomfortable, but warm. Sleep proved difficult though, the ankaroc screeching and screaming long into the night.
A prod to the stomach roused him.
Daylight broke through the cracks in the gola's leaves. Something shot through them and struck him again in the stomach.
'Nukuk. Stop,' wheezed Melonaz. He pushed his way out of the gola's interior.
Gillenaz and Rudenoz stood beaming down at him.
'Lial say I find you here,' said Gillenaz, folding his arms.
'What's with the mask?' asked Rudenoz.
Melonaz tried to compose himself, far happier to see them both than he wanted to show. 'Lial make me wear it. Says to wear it all the time,' he said.
'Looks strange,' Rudenoz scoffed.
'Come. We have food,' said Gillenaz. 'You can meet those we bring.'
Melonaz nodded, too eagerly for his liking, his excitement building. They led him through the forest to the outskirts of the village.
'Arm still broke?' asked Rudenoz.
Melonaz raised his injured arm. 'Nearly heal it. Two days, I think. Train hard. Stamina will return. Use Brubah more. Heal fast.'
'He learn Brubah on own,' said Gillenaz, a hint of pride in his voice.
Rudenoz gasped. 'ON OWN?'
Melonaz was glad that his mask was there to hide his flushed cheeks.
By Melonaz's count there were eight Ankarocal, judging from how many ankaroc he saw around the encampment, with several more Apochal with them. Furaz had been erected, with the materials for several more to be built left lying around. The camp was empty.
'This way,' said Gillenaz, ignoring the empty encampment and heading left through the forest. They weaved their way through the rows of gola, each row seemingly the same as the last. A small plume of smoke rose above the gola up ahead. Muffled voices could be heard, as well as the sound of wood being chopped.
Men sat around a fire built in the middle of a small clearing. All of them were eating, drinking and chatting amongst themselves. Some of them looked up when Gillenaz, Rudenoz, and Melonaz stepped out into the open.
Many strips of cooked, delicious smelling meat hung over the fire on wooden spits and the Apochal helped themselves to it. Melonaz counted fifteen men in total. Will be enough. It has to be.
'This Melonaz,' said Gillenaz. 'I find him in mountains. We train him, raise him. He fights with us.'
Several of the men raised waterskins and meat at him, grunting approval.
Gillenaz whispered into Melonaz's ear. 'Lial says not to say who you are. So I lie.'
Melonaz nodded. It was an easy enough lie to remember.
Gillenaz and Rudenoz sat down on the far side of the fire, quietly talking with one another and then to the man sat next to them. Melonaz walked around the fire, looking for a spot himself, nodding to several of the others as he passed them.
Melonaz's stomach grumbled, his mouth watering at the sight of the meat, its juices dripping down into the fire, spitting and crackling, the smell of the meat and smoke blending together to make a wonderful musty scent.
'Have one?' he asked the nearest Apochal.
The Apochal grunted a yes, glancing at Melonaz's mask with puzzlement.
Melonaz greedily grabbed the biggest piece he could see. It was hot and he nearly dropped it in the fire. He tore a bigger mouth hole in his mask so he could bite into it easier and with much delight began to devour his meal. The flavour was strong, juice and blood filling his mouth with every mouthful, a little running down his chin. It was a different meat to anything he'd ever tasted before.
'What's this?' he asked the Apochal.
'Sehseh.'
'Have sehseh. Not taste like this.'
'This pup meat. It's rich, tender. Good.'
Pup? Melonaz hesitated before taking another bite. Eat baby? It wasn't enough to stop him.
The Lial arrived a short time later, sitting down and chatting with Gillenaz and Rudenoz, all three men's expressions quickly turning serious. Continuing to eat, Melonaz went over to join them, plucking another piece of meat off the spit as he did. He sat down next to the Lial, who didn'
t pay him any heed.
'Not know when ludenez come? Bad.' Rudenoz continued. 'I worry the ankaroc will turn wild before then. See them go mad when away from mountain.'
'Feed them well. Take back into mountains for half a day to calm them, if need to,' said Gillenaz.
'Why we not go hunting the horde? Why wait for them to attack?'
'My Sehnal brave,' said the Lial. 'No-Braids, they afraid though. Not good in a fight. They'll do their part when attack comes. Not good if go hunting though. They have no skill.'
'Need leave the young. They burden, not help,' said Gillenaz.
The Lial nodded. 'They the village's last defence. Hope don't need them,' said the Lial.
'When are Twiz people coming?' asked Rudenoz.
The Lial thought for a moment then looked away, a little embarrassed, his stern features easing slightly. 'Sorry,' he said. 'Not know. Lial Chicoroz not say. Come when come.'
'Come when come?'
The Lial didn't respond.
'We need to find out,' said Gillenaz. 'If ludenez attack while they're moving...'
'Yes. Will send the Sehnal when I go back.'
'We'll be stronger with Twiz people here early,' said Rudenoz.
'Why not hide village people away from here? South?' asked Melonaz.
The men all turned to look at him, noticing him for the first time. 'Send them south?'
'To village in the south. Until horde is dead.'
The three men thought about the idea for a moment.
'It's a risk,' said Gillenaz. 'People weak in the open. Not spare men to protect them.'
'Need destroy the ludenez,' said the Lial. 'Need all who can fight. Woman, child if need be.'
'Many die,' said Melonaz. 'Let woman, child die too?'
'No. We will kill horde. We strong. Have chance. If horde win, it go south. People die there. Not matter where they go if horde not dead.'
Melonaz wasn't convinced.
'We guard from air while Twiz people move,' said Rudenoz.
The Lial nodded. 'Will go to Twiz. Better if I go. Need speak with Lial Chicoroz.'
'Yes,' said Gillenaz.
'You need anything? Have much food in the sturaz if you need,' said the Lial.
'No. Will say if do. We can hunt.' Gillenaz smacked his lips, slapped his hands together, then sprang to his feet. 'In mood for a fight, then a fuck. Who wants to fight?' he yelled.
Several men grunted in approval. Melonaz perked up too, suddenly eager to see the Apochal fighting, maybe even fight one himself.
The Lial placed a hand on Melonaz's shoulder. 'Not you,' he said.
Melonaz sank back down, grumbling.
The Lial left for Twiz that day. He didn't take anyone with him, not wanting to be slowed down no doubt. He'd also spoken of finding out what had happened to the village of Ru, whether that meant he was going to Ru too Melonaz could only guess.
Melonaz watched the Apochal duel. The fights were exhilarating, but they lacked the intensity he'd expected. It was obvious they were conserving their strength, disappointingly. Their fighting styles however were the most refined he'd ever seen. Every movement, every attack had been fluid and controlled, practised over and over every day of their lives until it had become as natural to them as walking. Each Apochal's weapon looked like it was an extension of themselves, they'd wielded them with such ease that Melonaz couldn't help but be awed.
The only Apochal to win every fight he fought was the one named Dobenoz. He was small in height and stature, but was extremely nimble and skilled. He wielded two swords which gave him an unusual fighting style that was both difficult to read and anticipate. Each opponent was forced on to the defensive very early, and had barely been able to counter. Some held out, but they'd eventually make a mistake and lose. With every victory the small features of Dobenoz's face lit up, a big smile spreading across his face. He cheered and raised his swords up in the air in triumph. Melonaz wished he had something to bet with as several of the Apochal had gained a lot of winnings betting on him, acquiring many skins of nibec, and something called lipnic. He asked Rudenoz what lipnic was, but he was told to forget about it.
The Lial didn't return that night. Melonaz stayed in the Apochal encampment, away from everybody, and especially away from the ankaroc. He'd found himself a nice spot to sleep in at the edge of the forest, underneath a large gola. It was almost like he had his own furaz.
Melonaz rose early the following morning. He headed over to the main camp in the hope of finding something to eat.
There was. More juicy strips of meat hung over the fire like they had the evening before, but there was something different about these strips; they had a strange, musty aroma. The smell coming from the fire stung his nose too.
'Cook over kak. Gives it strong flavour,' said the Apochal tending to the meat. The man had a distinct mono-brow, which gave him a fierce look, though it diminished when he spoke, his soft voice like a woman's.
Melonaz plucked the biggest piece he could see off the spit, as he always did. He burnt his hand, but his stomach grumbled too much to care. Eagerly he tore into it, hot juice and blood scalding his tongue. The meat was crispy on the outside, had strong flavour, like the Apochal said it would be, but the smell was revolting. He was too hungry to be deterred however. He sat down, eagerly devouring his meal.
The sky over Mir-Ru held a purple hue, the light flickering like the Enemy's did. No one else seemed to notice it, or at least didn't remark upon it.
You come today? Melonaz finished his food, then licked his fingers, trying not to think about it. After he'd finished eating he decided to go for a walk through the forest, stopping off to relieve himself on the way under a large gola. He focused his Raiz and used Brubah, his whole body relaxing as healing energy filled him. He tested his broken arm and to his delight couldn't feel anything wrong with it. Eager to finally be rid of the splint he pulled his knife out of his furs and hacked it apart. Soon enough his arm was free.
He stopped dead in his tracks when he realised the path he walked led right to the edge of the village. Furaz lined the path ahead. He instantly checked his mask was on.
The village was alive with activity, people going about their daily business, like it was any other day. Even No-Braids hid their fears well. Kitaz people were strong and resilient, forcing themselves to continue as normal, even in the face of danger.
His Mal and Sal were only a short distance away. All he would have to do is walk through the village and he'd be home. With the mask on no one would know it was him. He could just go to his Mal's furaz and reveal himself to them. He'd sit down and watch as his Mal made a batch of her famous bland stew. He would tease and joke with his Sal while they waited to eat. Aeolnaz would play with her bupbupz model. Diamoz would give him a hard time over something stupid he'd done. He'd sneak out later on and meet Tenalkz out on the plains to train.
He took a step forward, but stopped himself from taking another. He couldn't, it was too late. Can't go back. They think I dead. Need to stay dead. Punishment for what I do. It took all his strength of will to turn himself around and walk away.
Chapter Sixty Two
An unsettling silence hung in the air. A day had passed since the Ro-Lial and Apochal had left, and Beroz hadn't heard or seen a single person since. No one had come to tend to him.
Girl the Ro-Lial leave me with forget about me? Fall on way up the path? More than likely she'd decided to leave him to die up here. It was the wise move. Weak die. No use to people. It the way of things. She be right. Still she could have come and slit his throat at least, given him a small mercy.
He tried to move but that only caused him pain. Brubah would have helped considerably, unfortunately he was still unable to feel his Raiz.
I should be with them. Not here. Not like this. If I give warning then this not happen.
He tried again to feel his Raiz, but failed. If get on front I can crawl. There was no way he could crawl all the way down the mountain path to the lower
village, he knew, but if he could just get outside.
The waterskin was by the fire. His thirst was maddening.
One small step.
He tried rocking his body from side to side, testing it, judging how great the pain he was about to inflict upon himself would be. It would be considerable, he realised, as his rocking body protested.
One big roll is all it'll take.
He rocked himself harder, left, right, left, right, left, right. A sharp pain exploded across his back.
Ignore.
Left, right, left, right, left. He bit down on his lower lip, struggling to endure the pain.
Left, right, left, right, left, right. He was about to flip. The pain intensified. His heart pounded, threatening to burst.
Left, right, left.
He flipped over. Fresh pain erupted across his chest, the skin cracking. He struggled for breath.
The waterskin was just out of reach. A couple of steps he'd have to crawl was all.
He could move his arms, though it pained him. They didn't feel strong enough to even drag him, but he had to try. Digging his hands into the snow, muscles burning with pain, he pulled himself towards the waterskin. His throat felt drier with every moment.
One more pull.
He wheezed, grasping for it. A finger brushed the waterskin. He extended his reach as much as he could. His finger touched it again, a little more this time, rocking it. He groaned as he slid himself forward a little further.
He grabbed it. It was empty. Slowly he removed the top and tried to raise it to his mouth, but it was like lifting a boulder. It fell from his fingers.
'What you doing?' said a feminine voice.
