by Reece Dinn
Kill? Know Trial danger. Not think Ro-Lial kill you if you lose. Beroz grew nervous. Don't worry. Not take Trial. Ro-Lial not kill you.
'You take?' asked the nearest Apochal.
'Why else he here?' scoffed the other, swigging from a skin.
Beroz nodded, not sure whether he should explain the full situation of not. 'Advice?'
The nearest one sneered. 'You too young. My advice. Go back. They'll kill you. If stupid though, give up before you lose.' He took a draught from his own skin and turned away, seemingly done with the conversation.
The furthest one away said, 'Go. We drink. Heal our wounds. Heal our pride.' He too turned away.
Beroz didn't linger and walked back the way he'd come, deciding he didn't want any of their nibec even if they offered him some.
Why kill? In duel you don't give the killing blow. Death happen accidentally if fight too hard. Killing you when you lose is harsh. Stupid. Apochal fight ludenez. Need keep them all alive. Not kill those that lose.
The Ro-Lial were the most powerful Lial in all of Kitaz, hand-picked by their peers to be the leaders of Kitaz and the keepers of the Trial. To win the Trial an Apochal must clear the test that each Ro-Lial sets them. Beroz had assumed that this would be a task set by each one, but now he wondered if each Trail was in fact a duel, one after the other. How beat four Lial?
He retreated to his furaz and opened his travel sack, only to remember he'd eaten the last of his food the day before. Not go to sturaz on way. I so stupid. He lay down and curled back up, wrapping his sleeping fur around him. Sleep didn't come so easily this time.
He was awoken by a slap to the face.
'Trial start in moment,' said the man in white furs, looming over him.
Beroz bolted upright, his head swimming from the sudden motion. He quickly gathered up his belongings, and followed the man out of the furaz.
It was a bright and clear morning, not a single cloud in the sky. Beroz would have stopped to admire it for a moment if it weren't for the man in white furs hurrying him. Nam-Lialaz appeared even more imposing than it had the day before, its dark form stark against the clear blue sky.
The man disappeared behind the fur hanging over the entrance into Nam-Lialaz. Gripping Mutumuz tightly he reluctantly followed him inside.
Chapter Fifty Seven
The man in white furs waited for Beroz inside with his arms folded, while tapping his foot impatiently on the stone floor. The interior's dark gloom felt confining, despite the fact the ceiling was high. It was like being in a cave. Behind the man hung another large fur covering an opening.
'Here, Trial begin,' said the man, his soft voice echoing, 'Behind this is your first test. If you win, go through opening on your right. Leads to next test. No rest after test. If want to give up, shout “stop”. When pass through here,' he motioned behind himself, 'life in own hands. Ro-Lial will kill you unless you win, if say stop. Question?' He looked at Beroz with disinterest.
Beroz was still half asleep and tried to rouse himself. 'What happen if I kill Ro-Lial?'
The man laughed.
Beroz frowned. 'If do?'
'You win test,' the man said with a smirk.
'No matter. Not here to fight. Need speak with Ro-Lial.'
The man muttered something under his breath.
'What?' asked Beroz.
'Nothing. Other questions?'
Beroz shrugged. 'No.'
'Good. Go through.' The man stepped aside and motioned for him to go on ahead.
Beroz dumped his travel sack on the floor, took a deep breath, then passed under the fur.
This part of Nam-Lialaz was much larger and less confining, torches placed in each corner dimly illuminating the cave. In the middle of each wall there was another opening covered by a fur, presumably leading to other caves. Otherwise, except for himself, the cave was empty.
'This first test,' said the man in white from behind. 'Land one blow on Ro-Lial. Draw Ro-Lial's blood before he kills you.'
A thick blue mist suddenly swept into the cave through the gap underneath the fur covering the opening up ahead. The mist curled up the walls as it reached them, and rose up to the ceiling. It swirled around Beroz's legs and spiralled up his body. Odd, it's warm. Like the Enemy. Soon enough the whole cave was engulfed in it, the light of the torches becoming faint and distant.
He drew Mutumuz but could barely see it, or his arm. He swallowed hard.
'Fight,' came the man in white's voice.
Swift footsteps slapped against the stone floor, reverberating around the place. Beroz turned towards the sounds, but then more footsteps came from the opposite side.
'Ro-Lial. I not here to fight. I bring message. Warning,' said Beroz, looking frantically around, trying to penetrate the thick, warm mist to locate the Ro-Lial.
Something flapped. More footsteps, closer this time.
He ran towards them, stopped, waited.. 'I don't want to fight. Come out,' he said.
Footsteps to the right. Another flap.
Beroz spun around. There was only mist, thick, impenetrable to the eye, cold to look at but warm on his face. He ran right, then left.
The footsteps moved away, then towards him, then vanished.
Something flapped above him. Instinctively he stabbed upwards, hit nothing. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Need to clear the mist. He focused his Raiz. Wind. Wind blasted out of him in every direction, blowing the mist away for a moment, but as the wind died it rushed back to fill the hole.
Movement. He raised Mutumuz just in time to deflect the spear that thrust towards his head. The spear point retracted back into the mist.
'Ro-Lial. Listen to me,' cried Beroz.
The spear went for his legs this time, the tip grazing his calf. It stung but he kept his footing. He leapt towards the spot where the spear had come from, stabbing Mutumuz into it, but no one was there.
Say stop? End fight so we can talk? His pride wouldn't let him however. The fight had started, and there was no way he was going to give in. Ro-Lial wants fight, so I' beat him. Make him listen after. He jumped left, spinning in the air, landed on his uninjured leg. He held Mutumuz out point forward.
Wind. He blasted another hole out of the mist, then quickly darted out of it, turned and waited for the attack.
Nothing came.
Something flapped. He ran towards the sound.
Something hit the ground nearby. There. He created a lightning bolt and fired it into the mist in the direction the sound had come from.
Nothing. He cursed under his breath.
The spear shot out of the mist to his left. He dodged quickly, but not quick enough, the point grazing the top of his shoulder, making him hiss. The spear butt swung out of the mist, striking him in the nose. Stinging tears filled his eyes.
He rushed forward, slashing wildly, but hit nothing. Nukuk. How Ro-Lial make mist?
He fired several lightning bolts in different directions. Nothing.
'Nukuk. Fight, if want fight,' he yelled.
The spear thrust out of the mist towards his chest, but he was ready and deflected it. It came at him, again and again, forcing him backwards. He was barely able to block them in time. One grazed his arm, another his torso. His back touched the cave wall. On instinct he ducked, imagining the spear piercing his face.
The spear hit the wall, a little bit of rubble breaking loose and dropping onto his head. Brimming with sudden confidence he surged forward and stabbed repeatedly into the mist, then spun around, swinging Mutumuz in desperate arcs. The blade hit something hard that wasn't stone. He lashed out again, this time hitting nothing. Frustration made him growl and stamp his feet.
Someone chuckled, the sound echoing.
'Ro-Lial. Need to talk. Have message,' Beroz cried again in desperation.
No response.
He was about to create a fireball, but then thought better of it. There was no sense making himself even more visible than he apparently already was. Instead
he ran, scanning for any movement, the dull pain in his calf causing him to grunt.
Nothing.
Then footsteps from behind. He ran faster, using Hakah in his legs for extra speed. He jumped, his Hakah enhanced legs propelling him higher than normal. He shot up and over the mist. There was clear air between the top of the mist and the cave ceiling. He created wind and blasted a torrent down through his feet. The mist was blown away below him, creating a widening hole. He hovered on the wind for a moment, his head narrowly missing the ceiling, then he stopped it to fall back down. The mist rushed back in to fill the hole as he landed. Where he?
He focused his Raiz hard, immersing himself in it, trying to sense where the Ro-Lial was. He relaxed his eyes, ignoring what they saw, stopped listening too. There were several people's Raiz, the man in white's, someone else's in the cave next to the one he was in, and a third one nearby. Not his opponent's though. He hide his Raiz? Uses all of it to make mist? How he live? Beroz smirked to himself. He can't use Hakah while doing this. Yes.
Carefully, he walked forward, treading lightly so as not to make a sound.
Pain exploded across the back of his shoulder as the spear stabbed into it. Beroz cried out, dropping Mutumuz. The spear point hadn't penetrated deep, but it was lodged inside him. It twisted, tearing his skin, causing him to bite down hard on his lower lip. Blood filled his mouth. Something struck him hard on the back of the head and he fell forward, hitting the ground hard, spear still lodged in his back. His head swam, but he knew he had to recover fast.
Lightning. He fired lightning out of his back, using as much Raiz as he could to power the attack. The Ro-Lial squealed and something soft slapped against the stone floor. Behind me.
Using Brubah to ease the pain, he grabbed Mutumuz and forced himself up, the spear tearing his flesh as he moved. He twisted around and charged, smashing into the frail looking Ro-Lial leaping at him. The Ro-Lial was smacked back, his body near weightless. His spear dropped out of Beroz's back, clattering to the ground. He heard the Ro-Lial bounce once, twice, then he jumped back to his feet and vanished back into the mist.
Beroz fell to his knees, exhausted and in pain. He felt for his scattered Raiz and drew it back. 'It's over?' he asked. 'I draw your blood?'
Silence. Then, a chuckle. 'Yes.' The voice that spoke was high but croaked.
The pain in Beroz's back was maddening, it stung from even the slightest movement. He used Brubah again, intensifying it by straining his Raiz as much as possible. It took effect immediately, easing the pain, but knew that for the time being it would only lessen it and not heal the wound. The rest of his body relaxed under its effect, he could feel his muscles loosening, except around the wound.
The mist vanished.
A short, fat man stood before him, his Sehnal braid draped over his left shoulder. He wore black and red furs with red fur boots. He eyed Beroz curiously, wiping the small trickle of blood from his mouth..
Him? He the Ro-Lial? I see him through mist. He small, thin, not big, fat. Was it a trick?
'Expect someone thinner?' The Ro-Lial flashed him a mischievous grin, then chuckled.
Beroz realised that his mouth was hanging open. He shook his head, 'No, Ro-Lial.'
'I like the fat. Keeps me warm,' he said, patting his belly, still grinning. He approached and picked up his spear. It had a black shaft with an orange metal spear point that was coated in Beroz's blood.
The wound in Beroz's shoulder still hurt, despite the Brubah. He nearly kill me. I fall, he still stand. Kill me if we fight for real. He play with me. The thought wounded his pride, but he was thankful, it may have saved his life.
'You smart. Fire lightning out of back,' said the Ro-Lial. 'Not expect that.' He chuckled again, then pointed his spear towards the opening to his left. 'Next test through there. Go.'
'Ro-Lial, need talk,' Beroz began. 'Bring warning. Ludenez...'
The man in white hurried into the room, his feet brushing the ground swiftly. 'No time to rest, bonokok. Up, on feet. Next test.'
Beroz tried to brush the man away. 'Ro-Lial. This important.'
The Ro-Lial chuckled. 'If important, say stop. Then say what need to say.'
He was about to, but something stopped the words from leaving his mouth. Win one test. I can win three more. Then I be Lial. The realisation came as a shock to him. I can win the Trial?
He picked himself up, Brubah assisting him greatly. 'Yes, Ro-Lial. Say after.' He followed the man in white into the next cave. He kept his Brubah intensified as much as he could. The man brushed aside the fur and held it open for Beroz.
Many large spikes protruded from the walls of this cave, each spike black and jagged, as if the cave had rotten, mangled teeth. A torch burned in each corner also, the shadows of the spikes dancing across the walls in the flickering light.
In the centre stood the second Ro-Lial, a massive, powerfully built man with thick arms and legs. His upper body was exposed, revealing a muscled chest and torso, the rest of his furs hung loosely around his waist. He cracked his neck, then his fingers as he lazily eyed up his new challenger.
'In this test,' said the man in white. 'You need to force Ro-Lial onto spikes. Draw his blood. Can't use weapons. No fire. No lightning. No wind. Hand to hand fighting only. When you five paces before the Ro-Lial, the test begins.' The man took Mutumuz from Beroz's hand. 'I hold onto this,' he said.
The pain in Beroz's back seemed to burn more as he realised that he was about to grapple with a man twice his size. This tough. Ro-Lial crush me. Slowly he edged towards the Ro-Lial, keeping his Brubah intensified as much as he could until the last possible moment before he switched to Hakah. Not win this without. The Ro-Lial looked like he'd be twice as strong as Beroz even when he was using Hakah and the Ro-Lial wasn't.
His heart thumped in his chest as he approached him.
The Ro-Lial regarded him with mild curiosity, the features of his large, menacing face impassive.
Beroz carefully judged the amount of steps that remained between the two of them. He charge me as soon as I reach him. Need to be ready. He clenched his fists, watching for any movement from the Ro-Lial, but he remained motionless.
Ten step.
Nine.
Beroz stopped Brubah.
Eight.
The pain in his back burned fiercely, though less than it had.
Seven.
The Ro-Lial roared and surged forward, slamming a shoulder into Beroz's chest. The air exploded out of Beroz as the force of the blow sent him flying back, ribs feeling like they'd shattered. He crashed down, crying out as his wounded shoulder hit the floor.
He used Brubah again momentarily to recover his wits. Scrambling to his feet, he used Hakah all over his body, groaning as fresh pain awakened in all of his wounds. He charged as the Ro-Lial came again, pouring more Raiz into his legs.
The two collided with bone shattering force.
Pain exploded all over Beroz's body, his upper body trembling, but his legs held firm. He used Hakah again and grabbed the Ro-Lial by the shoulders, pushing with everything he had, the pain in his back excruciating.
The Ro-Lial didn't budge.
Beroz increased his strength further, pouring Raiz into his back and leg muscles as he pushed even harder, screaming from the agony it caused.
Nothing. The Ro-Lial's body was as hard and heavy as rock. He smirked as Beroz struggled, his features twisting into a sneer, then he let out a deep-throated laugh as he grabbed Beroz's wrists firmly, fingers digging in deep. Beroz stifled a moan, the pressure on his wrists near unbearable. His hands twisted in unnatural ways, forcing him to release his grip on the Ro-Lial's shoulders. Panic set in.
Still holding his wrists, the Ro-Lial pushed him backwards with seemingly little effort. Beroz poured as much Raiz as he could into his legs, but it did little against the Ro-Lial's superior strength. Beroz desperately slammed his shoulders into the Ro-Lial's chest, pounding them against him, but he only caused himself pain.
The Ro-Lial sniggered.
Further and further back Beroz was pushed, the Ro-Lial laughing harder with each step. Stinging tears ran down his face as the pain became too much, his whole body weakening with every moment, despite Hakah. He dug his heels into the ground, but that only increased his agony. How can I stop him? He kicked at the Ro-Lial's knee, but his foot merely bounced off it. He kicked again, and again, and again. He lost his balance, fell to his knees, twisting his ankle as he went down.
The Ro-Lial squeezed harder. Beroz cried out. The Ro-Lial spun around, dragging Beroz along the floor as if he were his travel sack, then charged towards the spiked wall, Beroz's knees scraping along the floor, the wound in his back reopening.
Beroz screamed as they hurtled towards the spikes. Tears filled his eyes, desperation and helplessness overwhelming him.
The spikes' shadows danced in the torchlight, looking like they were coming out of the wall towards him.
What do? What do? Wait. The torch. Fire. Heat.
He focused his Raiz and used Nipah, focusing it into his arms until they were scorching hot. The Ro-Lial slowed, hissing. His grip loosened. More heat. Beroz's arms felt like they were about to burst into flames. More heat.
The Ro-Lial growled and released him before he could throw him.
Beroz rolled away, instantly using Brubah, intensifying it as much as he could. With great effort he pushed himself to his feet. His wrists throbbed with pain, he could barely move his hands, even the scarred one. The pain in his back was maddening. It was becoming hard to even keep his Raiz focused. His vision blurred, head dizzy from the pain.
He glimpsed movement in the corner of his eye and braced himself. The Ro-Lial burst forward and tackled him with tremendous force. Bile rose up into his throat, his insides contorting, tightening and twisting. Some bile escaped his mouth and he vomited all over the Ro-Lial's back. The Ro-Lial didn't seem to care. He roared again and tossed him over his shoulders.
Beroz landed on his back with a crack, crying out. Everything went dark for a moment. Despite the pain he still tried to recover, still able to draw his expended Raiz back. Mustn't think I in much danger if still can do this. Calm down. There's a way to win.