Renzhies

by Mara Duryea

  Zhin gazed at him, letting it sink in.

  “Get your clothes on,” said Rindar.

  “Where are they?” Ikalkor cried.

  Terros waved the new clothes in front of him. “Here. Sensible clothes.”

  Ikalkor looked wildly around. “But my other clothes, where are…”

  Gilanra, who had returned with her cackling grandchildren, folded her arms and said triumphantly, “I threw them away!”

  “Those were expensive!”

  “They were worth a Preela the second you threw up on them,” said Vijeren. A Preela was the lowest piece of money on Ilo.

  Ikalkor laid his head on the stone wall.

  “Get your clothes on,” repeated Rindar, and began speed counting. “One-two-three-four-five…”

  “All right!” Ikalkor screamed and shoved the clothes on while he was still in the water. Gilanra had brought him tan-colored pants and a loose white shirt with elbow-length sleeves. He almost looked normal. After detox, he might even be presentable.

  “Now we can go,” said Rindar.

  A thrill rushed through Zhin’s being.

  “Dad, Grampa,” Vijeren shouted at Zhin and Rezh, “time to go!” He and his brothers bounded onto Rindar’s kiderrin. Sibare leaned against one side of the frame with his legs sprawled out. N’Nar relaxed in a different corner, gazing at the sky. Rilkin and Miranel jumped on Rezh and Gilanra’s beast, while Ikalkor skulked onto Terros’s.

  Rezh smiled. “Let’s go home.” Father and son stood and joined the others.

  Vijeren patted the place beside him. “Come on, Dad.” Zhin climbed up, and the N’hai plopped into his lap.

  “Look,” said N’Nar, “Evening Moon is out early.”

  Turning his half-moon eyes to the pallid satellite with its mountains and silver rivers, Zhin smiled. It seemed like the moon had risen early just to smile back. He gazed at the crumbling white buildings wrapped in dark green vines, and then at his laughing family.

  “Let’s get out of here!” Terros hollered, and smacked the reins against the frame.

  The family raced through the cracked streets, broken towers, and craggy bridges, leaving behind the ruin’s pain and aching memories. The empty library would soon forget the happy voices that had echoed on its walls. The vozhrith would remain in its silent cell. The towers would continue gazing on endless desolation. Joy couldn’t remain there for long.

  It thrived in other places, where ugly pasts couldn’t go. It danced on the laughter of healed children. It followed the roads home. It blossomed in the love of lost ones reunited. It beamed on new days to meet hope at its threshold. It shined in the eyes of Zhin’s family. They were the embers of dying fires. Scattered and lost, they had united to create a formidable blaze. They were Zhin’s fire and flame, his life and joy.

  They lived in his heart, where Iskerkin fire burned away the dark.

  Glossary

  Abbee: Kaleesan for “hush.”

  Akrenzhen: A fallen Perilith or a soulless entity, based on the situation.

  Akrixa: A Cedrite word used in a spell for making blood pendants.

  Alna Bird: A white, oval-shaped bird often mistaken for plupkins.

  Ambrian: Rezh’s home town in Visseria.

  Anyat: A Vaylanian exclamation.

  Aralia: A war-torn country north of Visseria.

  Arilin: A Sirix word for Kabrilors and Metirins, or human.

  Ash Child: What an Uveliel becomes if it dies without a soul.

  Awik: A large timid rodent, often used to express fear or cowardice. It tastes disgusting.

  Baker’s Strip: A desert that used to connect Visseria and Aralia.

  Baking: A Syladin form of torture or execution.

  Bellecaro: A sad excuse for a town in southern Merisyliss.

  Beygar: A feline predator.

  Beylia Tree: An elegant white tree native to Visseria.

  Birthing Chamber: A disembodied mouth connected to a massive stomach. Renzhies place children into them to begin bloodheart transformation.

  Bloodheart: A soulless monster that preys on children.

  Blood Pendant: A dagger made of Iskerkin blood; it can kill or wound soulless creatures based on their size.

  Blue Bush: A blue plant with cleansing properties.

  Boolahbow: A cute little animal the size of Miranel’s thumb.

  Cedris: A country cursed for opening the first Midnight Gate.

  Cedrite: An inhabitant of Cedris.

  Cedrite Book: A book that teaches Iskerkin and Sylex how to use their powers. It also provides information on special monsters.

  Cherrebellum Tree: A beautiful golden-wooded tree native to Vaylania.

  Child City: A bloodheart city.

  Cubon: Is made from the Culobbin enzyme in a kiderrin’s stomach, and is considered deep Visserian food. It’s also used as a curse word.

  Culobbin: An explosive enzyme within a kiderrin’s stomach.

  Day Periods: Periods of the day that coincide with the position of the sun. Each Period has a name to denote the time: Morning Sun, White Sun, Noon Sun, Golden Sun, and Evening Sun.

  Deldrit: A beast that burrows its legs into the ground, revealing only its rock-like shell.

  Eenyet: A Vaylanian expression of gratitude as in “Thank goodness!”

  Ehy: A Vaylanian word to get someone’s attention.

  Ehyosat: The threatening form of “Stay back!” in Vayalnian.

  Evergrin: A soulless skeleton monster.

  Evergrin Bells: These bells ring to warn of evergrins.

  Fire Stick: A tight weave of white fibers that work like matches.

  Grekham: A frog-like river beast. Its hide is popular for making armor.

  Grivarion: A snaking sea monster. Its spikes can poke up from the ocean floor and be mistaken for enormous boulders. In “Nri Kryne,” Sakreen Cavard’s ship was caught on a Grivarion spike and mistaken for a rock.

  Gutless Awiks: An expression denoting fear, alarm, or relief.

  Haladon: The largest land animal and predator on Ilo.

  Halleese: A Syladin tribe.

  Hassik: A Syladin tribe.

  Heat Stick: The Syladin version of a fire stick.

  Ilings: The inhabitants of the planet Ilo.

  Ilo: The planet of Monsters and Demons.

  Iskerkin: A fire being who can kill soulless with his blood.

  Iyalit Tree: A white tree made of flowers. Also known as a Flower Tree.

  Jirin: A massive bi-pedal predator that often hunts at night and in packs.

  Kabrilors: The biggest races of Ilo, reaching eight to twelve feet. They consist of the Berivors, Hatrins, Rykories, Adenzhens, Miricors, Veerins, and Syladins.

  Kaleesa: A small continent west of Visseria in the Talit Sea. Karijin’s country.

  Kannin: A chemical that puts people to sleep.

  Kaprilel: The bigger cousin of the leypel. It makes good eating.

  Keesan: A flying predator with a long beak. It frequents canyons and mountain peaks.

  Keftsla: A Visserian exclamation.

  Kiderrin: A wingless bird-like lizard that Ilings use for transportation. A baby retsinist.

  Kipstin Island: An island in Sinitar waters. It gets its name from the trees.

  Kipstin Tree: A papery tree with light green leaves.

  Kitian: A Syladin Tribe.

  Kizhiridor: Law enforcer.

  Klosstiss: A teardrop-shaped fruit that only grows in winter.

  Kobolia: A giant omnivore prized for its meat, and is only smaller than a haladon.

  Kosalin: A lunatic asylum.

  Kossie: A derogatory nickname for Kosalin inmates.

  Kralikin: A big seamonster, like a shark.

  Krenri: A fallen Sylex.

  Leneet: Vaylanian for “let go!”

  Leypel: A seven-eared herbivore commonly used as food.

  Limmet: Vaylanian for “wake up.”

  Limminath: A civilized country north of Merisyliss.

  Linnemin
: Vaylanian for “thank you.”

  Maleen: The main room of a tower.

  Meemap: Sea mammals that Syladins use for transportation.

  Mejira: Female Visserian royalty.

  Mejirin: Male Visserian royalty.

  Memorial Hill: The hill near Gilanra’s village where fallen warriors are remembered.

  Merisyliss: A lawless country south of Limminath and east of Visseria.

  Metirins: The smaller races of Ilo, being about four to seven feet tall. They consist of the N’hai, Siriliths, Draginirs, Serpenites, Antiminars, Vorions, and Syladins.

  Metston: Kaleesan for “let’s go.”

  Midnight Death: The catastrophe that occurred when the first Midnight Gate was opened.

  Midnight Gate: Where soulless are born. They open when a Perillith is murdered, and only Iskerkin can close them.

  Minamee: A Vaylanian term of endearment.

  Mip: A Vaylanian herb that melts into goo in your mouth.

  Mirilite: A mined rock that generates light when it’s rubbed.

  Misikri: A person who exhibits more than one race trait.

  M’krith: A six-to-eight-foot canine predator that hunts in a pack like a wolf.

  Mokadut: An ape-like predator.

  My: What an orilas calls its victim or prisoner. To make a My, an orilas must choose the person and then drink their blood.

  Night Periods: Each period is based on each moon’s time in the sky. The periods are Evening Moon, Jewel Moon, Midnight Moon, Blue Moon, and Morning Moon.

  Nri Kryne: A fallen Iskerkin.

  Orilas: One of two soulless that isn’t born in a Midnight Gate. They usually spawn in brothels and only Retheliels can kill them.

  Ow’wap: The Vaylanian word for “gross.”

  Palipin: A Vaylanian spice.

  Paminree Tree: A dark-wooded tree, with multiple trunks growing out of one base.

  Paveenie: A bi-pedal herbivore slightly smaller than a kiderrin. It’s lovely to eat.

  Pekala: An Iling whale.

  Perilith: A person who can read minds, see the future, pick up memory to find someone, and burn brains with their minds.

  Pimkin: A fuzzy pink fruit.

  Plupkin Bird: A small white bird that scavenges on what riliths leave behind.

  Pus Bucket: An insult.

  Range: How far a Terlithin can feel a soul without straining his or her senses.

  Read: The ability to read minds.

  Renzhie: What a person becomes when they murder a Perilith. The parent of a Midnight Gate.

  Renzhie Door: A portal created by a Renzhie.

  Retheliel: A rare person who wields light as a weapon. They are soul-givers.

  Retsinist: The adult form of a kiderrrin. They’re intelligent, problem-solving pack hunters.

  Rilith: An owl-like predator that lives in beylia trees.

  Rilkin: The Vaylanian word for “sunbeam.”

  Sakreen: “Boss.” A term denoting status.

  Semrin: The highest Sivarin rank.

  Sheh: The sound for “sh!”

  Sinitar: Gilanra’s Syladin tribe.

  Sirix: Terrifying giants that carry people away.

  Sivarin: A special branch of kizhiridors based in Vaylania.

  Sleetee Fish: A two- or three-foot fish with whiskers and camoflauge.

  Slok Fish: A gray fish with pink bubbles on its underbelly. It’s an acquired taste and used in derogatory terms. Slok fish also feed off of Syladin waste.

  Sormin: The town where Rezh recovered from his wounds.

  Soulless: Monsters without souls who crawl out of Midnight Gates.

  Spinning Blade: A spherical throwing weapon full of blades.

  Spit Sucker: An insult.

  Star Tree: A crazy growing tree native to Visseria.

  Sunwalker: The term Syladins use for non-Syladins.

  Sylex: A special healer that can restore depleted Iskerkin blood.

  Syliss: An inhabitant of Merisyliss.

  Telarin Tree: A black tree that grows in a downward arc.

  Terlithin: A soul-sensor who can feel emotions and how far away a person is (range.) They are often empathetic to others and impossible to sneak up on.

  Thalut: A small bi-pedal lizard that hunts in packs.

  Timisree Tree: A white tree with branches that twist around it and forms into a cone. Also called a Twister Tree.

  Tipplenum: A juicy, red fruit that resembles a crazy growing root.

  Underground Bunker: A safe haven for those caught outside in the wilderness at night. They’re made to withstand predators.

  Uveliel: The other soulless entity not born in a Midnight Gate. They’re the only good soulless on Ilo. They’re regarded as legends and fantasies. They can become orilases if they corrupt.

  Vameet: A Kaleesan word meaning something akin to “Great Cubons!”

  Vaylania: A country west of Limminath and northwest of Merisyliss. Zhin and Rilkin’s home.

  Veylavel: Heaven.

  Visseria: A country west of Merisyliss and south of Aralia.

  Voola: An underwater vine full of glowing blossoms.

  Vozhar: Any person working in a medical capacity.

  Vozhrith: Hospital.

  Wanderer: A person wandering in bands in the wild. People fear them because their bands usually consist of murderers, rapists, thieves, kidnappers, and cannibals.

  Wimberon: One of the most dangerous of soulless creatures.

  Zherwor: The language of Visseria and Merisyliss. The two countries were once one country called Zherwor. Now Zherwor is the name of a Visserian territory and also the official name of the mountains bordering between Limminath and Merisyliss. Limminathians refer to the Zherwor Mountains as the Border Mountains, while the Syliss call them the Mirror Mountains.

  Zhesspet: A severe curse word

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank everyone who helped and supported me while I was writing this book. It was freakin’ hard, especially when it came to Sizhirin’s parts. Whenever he did something, it messed with the entire book. While he was torturing the characters, he was also torturing me. His demise was my revenge as well.

  I would like to thank my very first non-family beta reader for adding his invaluable unput. Thank you to the best editor in the world. Thank you to my mom for being my sounding board and fellow brainstormer. Thank you to my sister who read the mess I made and filling me with confidence that I made the right plot decisions. Thank you to both sisters for inspiring the character of Miranel. Thank you to my brother in aiding me with developing the fighting styles. Thank you to all of you readers out there.

  Most of all, thank you to my Heavenly Father who makes all things possible.

  About the Author

  Mara Duryea is a wild American Indian living on the Fort Apache Reservation. She likes to fish, and sometimes does it with her hands when the fish won’t bite. She likes to hunt, but she hasn’t been drawn for hunting season for the last few years, which is really unfair. Despite writing horror 90% of the time, Christmas is her favorite season and she loves watching Home Alone 2.

  Follow Mara at sparrowincarnate.blogspot.com for upcoming works and ridiculous blog posts to make you laugh. She’s also on instagram at sparrowincarnate and facebook at facebook.com/SparrowCove.

  Be sure to look out for Monsters and Demons: Akrenzhen, the third installment of this awesome fantasy series.