The Exile's Redemption (The Heart of a Tyrant Book 1)

by Reece Dinn

  The big ludenez was back on its feet however, staggering around, lost in its own pain, howling as flames consumed it. Lightning. He raised his sore, shaking, injured hand towards it and fired a lightning bolt, striking it near the neck. The ludenez finally collapsed, falling still. Melonaz drew the Raiz back, breathing a big sigh of relief, the bloodlust fading. He fell to his knees, sheer agony overwhelming him, his strength failing.

  No. Not over. Blood trickled out of his many wounds, its wet touch warm as it ran over his skin. He'd not lost any Raiz, but using so much in such a short amount of time had left his head sore and tired. Don't stop. Body hurt, tense, collapse if do. Need to move. Don't let body rest. He tried to move but his body was stiff and throbbed all over. No. No. Kak. Get up.

  The ground shook, nearly knocking him over. To his left a massive ludenez bounded towards him, the body of a man flung aside as it ran. It was bigger than a mirac, with huge, misshapen horns on its head. Its fur and skin were torn where it'd mutated rapidly, revealing its bloody purple innards. The glow of its red eyes filled his vision.

  It lowered it horns, points aimed right at his chest, to gore him.

  A loud screech from above distracted it, making it lift its big, meaty head up. Before it could react flames rained down on the ludenez, turning it into a screaming mass of smouldering flesh. It veered to the right at it carried on running, narrowly missing Melonaz. He felt the heat of the flames as it passed by, the stench of its burning, putrid flesh nauseating. It jumped around, snow exploding under its feet as it bucked, trying to shake off the flames.

  Melonaz focused his Raiz, his head swimming from the effort, then, with great difficulty, fired a lightning bolt into the ludenez's flaming bulk. The bolt made it howl, but it didn't fall down or even shudder. I weaker? His Raiz was the same, or at least it felt the same. Not use enough? He went to try again.

  An ankaroc swooped down at it, the Ankarocal on its back ready with his spear, and he stabbed down at the ludenez, spear point plunging into its head, in and out in an instant, then the ankaroc was rising back into the air. The ludenez stood motionless for a moment, then the glow of its eyes vanished as its head split in two, the body falling onto its side. It legs thrashed wildly for a moment, as if trying to get back onto its feet.

  The ankaroc circled, then swooped back down, this time aiming for Melonaz. Panic set in, the ankaroc's dead white eyes filling him with far more dread than the ludenez's did.

  It passed over him, but a hand grabbed him by the scruff of his furs and heaved him up into the air, pulling him up onto the creature's back. Melonaz squealed and grabbed the ankaroc's fur with his free hand, panicked breathing making him momentarily light headed as wind beat against his face. He felt himself slipping, his wounds making him terribly weak. A hand pulled him back up, dragging him fully onto the ankaroc's back.

  Gillenaz flashed him a grin, then returned his attention to the ground. 'Hold tight,' he shouted. They rose at a steep angle, the sounds of battle raging below. 'You good?'

  Melonaz nodded, not feeling good at all. He gripped the ankaroc's fur tighter, his injured hand throbbing. With all the strength he had left he twisted on the ankaroc's back and straddled it, relieved to be secure.

  'Need you to attack ludenez as we fly past,' said Gillenaz.

  Melonaz tucked his sword inside his furs, it was too dangerous to even attempt to fasten it to them. 'Yes.' He focused his Raiz, feeling his mind darken as he did. He slapped himself in the face to stop from fainting.

  They plunged down, hurtling towards the ground. Figures moved at great speed below, smashing into one another, lightning and flames streaking across the ground. The ludenez's red eyes made it easy to pick them out.

  Melonaz readied a fireball in his free hand. When they'd dropped down close enough he launched it at the nearest one but it fell short.

  'Kak. Kak,' he spat. He drew the Raiz back and made another fireball, but by the time it was ready they'd passed over the ludenez.

  Two more came into view. One of them had its head buried in a man's chest, entrails and blood littered the snow around it. The other was stamping on the dead man's head, reducing it to a bloody pulp.

  Melonaz threw the fireball at the second ludenez. It burst into flame, crying out sickeningly. He shot a lightning bolt into it as they were about to pass over and it crumpled to the ground.

  Gillenaz stabbed down at the other one, the spear tip piercing its side, in and out in one motion. The ludenez howled, but didn't fall. Melonaz threw a fireball back at it, but hit the dead man instead, the body bursting into flames. The ludenez jumped off, narrowly avoiding the flames.

  'Need to go back. Kill it,' Melonaz shouted.

  'Can't. Others will kill it,' said Gillenaz.

  The ankaroc veered left, rose up again, then swooped back down, Gillenaz yanking on the reins with one hand while readying his spear in the other to strike again.

  A huge ludenez, almost twice the size of a mirac, lashed out at two men down below, flinging them both away. To Melonaz's relief the two sprang back to their feet immediately.

  The ludenez was oddly shaped, having two heads, one much larger than the other, and a single, crooked horn, like two mirac had melded together.

  Gillenaz readied his spear. Melonaz created lightning, sparks running down his arms.

  The ludenez opened both its mouths, revealing jagged, broken teeth dripping with blood. Melonaz fired into each mouth, the bolts illuminating its insides as they struck. Gillenaz threw his spear with tremendous force, the impact smashing the ludenez to the ground, its smaller head caving in as the spear pierced its skull. The eyes on the larger head flared brightly as it bellowed.

  They circled around, rising higher and higher, then they plunged back down at it. Lightning. Sparks surged up and down Melonaz's arm. He waited for his moment. The ludenez bellowed its challenge as it reared up, glowing eyes fixing on them. Melonaz fired. The bolt struck what looked like a shoulder. It had annoyingly little effect.

  Gillenaz stuck his spear through the straps of the saddle. Gripping the reins with one hand he created a large fireball, twice the size of any Melonaz had created, hurled it, then pulled on the reins hard with both hands. 'Hold on,' he yelled.

  Melonaz gripped the ankaroc's fur with both hands as it veered up, narrowly missing the ludenez as it exploded, its remaining head and upper body disintegrating in a shower of blood and fire. They rose back up, levelled out, then began to arc around the battlefield.

  The battle was coming to an end, there were few ludenez left, and those few that remained were being swarmed by the surviving Sehnal, Apochal, and Lial. They passed over a downed Ankarocal, its rider lying in pieces on top of it. Corpses littered the ground, the snow stained with red and purple blood. People moved amongst the corpses, setting fire to them. The pungent smell of burning flesh and rotten guts filled the air, rising up to even Melonaz and Gillenaz. Other Ankarocal fell in beside them as they circled around the battlefield, having seen their fair share of the fighting.

  Melonaz spotted Lial Seboraz, soaked in ludenez blood, surrounded by a dozens of felled enemies.

  Finally, when the last of the ludenez were killed, Gillenaz yanked the reins and the ankaroc swooped down to land. The snow was cratered, the buchmi underneath exposed to the air for the first time in years. Melonaz pulled himself off the ankaroc's back, glad to be off the horrible creature. His legs trembled as they bore his weight again so he used Brubah, feeling a great sense of relief as his pains eased. Gillenaz leapt off his mount, then stroked its head and under its chin, whispering something in its ear too quiet to hear. When the ankaroc had settled the Ankarocal set about torching any corpses left untouched. Melonaz thanked Gillenaz and hurried away, eager to find both the Lial and Tenalkz.

  Most of the corpses were ludenez. The ones that had been men lay in pieces strewn all around. If not for Gillenaz, that be me. His weakness frustrated him, having to be saved again made him feel like nothing more than a burden, despite
knowing he'd fought hard and bravely. Kill three ludenez. That good. Apochal, Ankarocal die. Not just Sehnal. He repeated it to himself over and over again, but the doubt in his mind wouldn't leave him.

  He walked the battlefield, his stomach twisting into knots at the aftermath of battle, and of still sensing the horde up in the mountains. It'd shrank, but was still prominent. They attack again. More come next time. They themselves were fewer in number now too, at least in terms of trained warriors. Village people will need to fight. He could see it already, swathes of men decimated as the ludenez rampaged through the village. He pushed the image out of his head.

  Many fires burned, smoke rising high in thin black plumes. The survivors stood silently, watching the fires. Melonaz couldn't help but feel sad for the dead ludenez. He knew he should only feel for the men who'd died, but seeing all the dead ludenez filled him with sadness. Animal not want be ludenez. Enemy claim them. Change them. Kill them. Why? Why it do what do? What it want? Why kill us? Seeing so many dead he couldn't help but feel a sense of pointlessness. They fought, but what for? Fight ludenez. Fight the Enemy all life. Not know why. Feel stupid when see this. Every corpse was too burnt now to tell what it had been, they were just piles of charred, smoking bones.

  Each person he passed wore the same solemn look he did, no sense of victory on any of their faces. He'd always thought that warriors should enjoy killing, or at least victory. They enjoyed fighting one another, testing their strength. Yet, here now, when they'd been pushed to the limit, fought for their lives, there was no enjoyment, not even a sense of relief. Know fight not over. That's why.

  A Sehnal, about his own age, stood beside the corpse of what must have been a ludenez. The Sehnal glanced up at him and Melonaz's stomach twisted into a knot.

  Tenalkz. His grief was clear in his expression, tear marks streaked through the blood that covered his face. Their eyes met for a moment, Tenalkz frowned as he regarded the masked person looking back at him. Melonaz wanted to say something, to try and comfort him in some way, then realised he couldn't. It tore him up inside, the pain and fear in his friend's face far greater than his own. To his relief Tenalkz appeared uninjured. Hope he fight good. Do us proud. He knew that he would have. He had to have. Tenalkz not bonokok. Not run, not hide. No one need save him.

  Tenalkz went to say something, but before he could Melonaz walked away. He live. That enough.

  The Lial was speaking with two Sehnal that Melonaz didn't recognise, Twiz Sehnal he presumed. The Lial spotted Melonaz's approach, a look of relief passing across his face. He dismissed the two Sehnal and regarded him approvingly.

  'Know you come to fight. You hurt?' The Lial smiled, the expression as odd now as it had been the first time Melonaz'd seen it.

  Melonaz nodded, feeling the back of his neck where the small ludenez had bitten him. It was a surprise to find the wound had already sealed itself. 'Follow Apochal. Not think.'

  'Do what need to do. True Sehnal.' He rubbed Melonaz's bristly head. 'In heart.'

  Melonaz blushed and looked down, the praise even more unusual than the smile. Not say near die. That Gillenaz save me. 'Kill two ludenez on my own,' he said.

  'Expect no less.'

  'Help me too,' said a familiar voice from behind.

  Gillenaz came up beside him and squeezed his shoulder. Melonaz tried to hide the discomfort it caused from the two veteran warriors.

  'How many dead?' Gillenaz asked the Lial.

  The Lial shrugged. 'More than like. Less than fear.'

  'Village people escape?'

  'Looks like. Most run south. We need to bring them back. Not safe on the plains. Ludenez in south too, it's not safe.' The Lial glanced west. Melonaz followed his gaze.

  The mass of people were spread across the plain, running for their lives.

  'Need to bring back, fast,' said the Lial.

  Gillenaz nodded. 'I go.' He ran off to his mount, calling out to several of the other Ankarocal. Within a few moments they were jumping onto the backs of their ankaroc and taking to the air to catch the fleeing villagers.

  'See Lial Chicoroz?' asked the Lial.

  Melonaz shook his head, causing the Lial to grunt irritably.

  The Lial surveyed the scene around him for a moment then looked back to Melonaz. 'Do good,' he said. 'Fight hard. This just a taste though. Big fight to come.' His face returned to its normal stern expression. 'Go back to village. Rest. Heal wounds. You brave. Stupid though to fight while injured.'

  'Die if not fight,' said Melonaz as firmly as he could.

  'Yes. You right. Not like it though.'

  Melonaz felt his cheeks flush at the Lial's show of concern.

  Kramenaz was leading several other Apochal across the plain towards the biggest concentration of fleeing villagers.

  'Not rest. Go help bring village people back,' said Melonaz.

  The Lial 's eyebrow twitched a moment, then he nodded his consent. Melonaz ran off after them, eager to be doing something to make up for his weakness. He passed Tenalkz again on the way over. His friend hadn't moved. Hope he not hurt.

  Tenalkz glanced up at him, his gaze lingering on him for a moment. Melonaz hurried away before recognition could dawn on him.

  The village was packed, the paths crammed full of people, barely any space to even move. Children screamed and cried, Mal holding them tightly, trying desperately to calm them, Dal sat beside them, helpless.

  Some villagers had taken it upon themselves to organize the chaos and attempt to accommodate everyone in whatever way they could, but they were doing a terrible job of it, their voices barely audible in the din of the village. Others had decided to do the only thing they could do, cook as much food as possible and feed everyone. The air was full of many different scents, some sweet, some musty, some vile.

  The surviving Sehnal had been badly affected by the battle. While most of the younger Sehnal had remained behind to protect their families, all the older ones had ran out to fight. For most it had been their first time in a real fight, let alone a fight of that scale. Every Sehnal stayed close by their families now, allowing themselves to be looked after. Nothing in their training had prepared them for this. Even the toughest were shaken. Melonaz hoped Tenalkz was okay. He was unsure how he himself felt. The fear was still there, but he was also thrilled now to have not only survived, but to have fought bravely, his frustration at his weakness giving way to relief. Do better in big fight. I ready.

  Except for the Apochal ludenez. The thought of them made him tremble. A man with the ludenez's purple skin and red eyes, those horrible, mutated bodies and broken, yellow teeth. Ludenez with the strength of Apochal, even stronger if his Dal's story was to be believed. As much as he hated him there was no reason for his story to be doubted, not now.

  He returned to the encampment in the forest, the Apochal and Ankarocal's presence a comfort. His mask was itchier now that blood had gotten underneath it and his face was scratched, he was eager to take it off. He knew not to scratch, but he couldn't help it. One of the Apochal, a big brute of a man, watched him scratch at his face. Melonaz stopped when he saw he was being watched.

  'Take off,' he said, approaching Melonaz, holding out his hands.

  Melonaz hesitated, but then did as he was bid. He handed it to him, sighing in relief as cold air touched his face, his face free of the awful mask.

  'Not look bad,' said the Apochal. 'They say you ugly. Why wear mask if not?'

  'Have to,' Melonaz replied, hoping the Apochal wouldn't press him further. He didn't.

  The Apochal poured some water into a large bowl from a waterskin, then dropped the mask into it.

  'It'll itch less if its clean,' he said. He began ringing it dry.

  Melonaz sat down and lay back, enjoying his face's momentary freedom, wondering if his cuts on it would become scars.

  Later that night Kramenaz poked his head inside the furaz Melonaz had been given, startling him. He checked to make sure his mask was on.

  'Hungry?' the b
ig Apochal asked. He had a steaming bowl of broth with him.

  Melonaz nodded and took it gratefully. His mouth watered, his stomach grumbling. He hadn't noticed how hungry he was until then. 'Thank you.'

  'You good?'

  Melonaz slurped down his broth, it was burning hot but tasted great. 'Yes. Think so. Fight ludenez before.'

  Kramenaz's eyebrows raised in surprise. 'You do?'

  'In wild. See the Enemy too.' Melonaz slurped down more of the broth.

  Kramenaz grunted acknowledgement. 'Fight one with three horns, when I a boy,' he said. 'Near kill me. Fear ludenez for long time. Then kill one more. Not afraid after.'

  'Want to kill them easily, like a Lial,' said Melonaz.

  'Train hard. Hear Lial Seboraz really strong. Nearly as strong as a Ro-Lial. They say.'

  Strong as Ro-Lial?

  'Ludenez mad,' said Kramenaz. 'Mad things dangerous.'

  'How they know to attack?' asked Melonaz.

  The big Apochal shrugged.

  'Think Enemy tell them?' asked Melonaz. 'Show where to attack?'

  Kramenaz raised his eyebrows. 'Enemy tell? No. How it do that?'

  Melonaz shrugged.

  'All I know is don't let it touch you.' Kramenaz seemed weary, his eyes underlined with heavy bags. 'I ask you something?'

  Melonaz nodded, slurping down the last of his broth. It had burnt the back of his throat and was now doing the same to his stomach.

  'Rudenoz say who you are. Say you kill three Sehnal. It true?'

  Melonaz cringed. 'Yes, In accident.'

  'How?'

  'We fight. Accident. Forest burn.'

  'Forest burn? How? A storm?'

  Sounds a good story. 'Yes. Storm. Fireball hit gola. Wind spread it. Whole forest burns.'

  The Apocha nodded. 'How you survive?'

  Melonaz shrugged. 'Fight harder.'

  The answer seemed to satisfy the Apochal. 'Strong boy. Make mistake. Shame. Not think Lial needs to punish you.' He slapped Melonaz's leg. 'After we win, if you need to return to the wild, travel with me. Join my danaz. What think?'