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

by Reece Dinn

  'Feel that?' he asked, glancing back to Gillenaz.

  He nodded. 'Feel it the other day. Come from Mir-Ru's direction. Think it horde you speak of?'

  Horde. No, they'll come soon. I not ready. He'd be useless in a fight with his arm still injured, he'd just be prey for the Enemy to claim. 'Think so,' he said. Raiz big. Bigger than I ever sense before. How many are out there? The thought of facing them suddenly filled him with dread. Most would be much stronger than the ludenez he'd faced, probably even more dangerous than the wild ankaroc. He tried to push his worries from his mind.

  'Worse than think,' said Gillenaz.

  'Feel that?' shouted Rudenoz, coming up alongside them.

  'Yes.'

  A thought occurred to Melonaz. 'You need to come to Oaraz. Help defend the village. We need you.'

  'Oaraz? That where you from?' asked Gillenaz.

  'Yes. We need help. Lial have Sehnal. Tries to train them. Make ready. They not win though. Not against horde like that. Help us.'

  Gillenaz thought for a moment, then yanked on the ankaroc's reins. The ankaroc slowed.

  'What's that Raiz?' asked Rudenoz, yanking on his mount's reins too.

  'Ludenez horde from story Melonaz speak of,' said Gillenaz. 'He say he's from Oaraz. Horde attack there. Say Lial needs help. Think we go there.'

  Rudenoz inclined his head in agreement.

  'You come?' asked Melonaz, a weight lifting from him.

  'We find your camp first. Then we go. You come with,' said Gillenaz.

  'I can't go back to village.'

  'Take you with us. Think of an answer on way. You not stay out here.'

  Go back to village? What people do when see I live? He didn't say anything more. It was a relief that he'd managed to enlist the aid of the two Ankarocal. Whatever happened to him was of no consequence. I dead. No matter what happens.

  Rudenoz signalled to Gillenaz to keep going straight ahead. They flew through the gap between two mountain peaks. Past them they emerged over a valley Melonaz recognised by a rock formation halfway up it, an arrangement that from above looked like a frowning face.

  'Follow that,' yelled Melonaz, pointing at the rock formation, then past it up the valley.

  They rose higher. Melonaz continuously glanced in the direction of the huge spot of Raiz, distracted by it. It was like someone had placed a torch against his head. The ankaroc soared over a low peak.

  Gillenaz sat in silence as they flew, lost in thought. Rudenoz too look troubled.

  Then they saw it. A small dark shape in the middle of an open space surrounded by a circle of dark spots. Smoke rose from the centre of the circle. Melonaz's camp.

  'That's it,' Melonaz yelled, pointing.

  There was someone down there, the person's Raiz distinct, even with the horde's Raiz overwhelming his senses. 'My Lial's there,' he shouted, feeling more relieved than he'd ever felt before.

  Gillenaz signalled to his partner and the two guided their mounts down to the camp. The ground rushed towards them and Melonaz panicked, flashbacks of his battle with the wild ankaroc still raw. He gripped Gillenaz's furs tightly. Thankfully their descent slowed as the ankaroc reared up to land. The creature beat its wings hard, snow blowing across the camp in small waves. They hovered for a second, then gently touched down.

  The Lial stood outside the furaz, Rorkaroz planted in the snow beside him. He visibly relaxed when he saw Melonaz. Melonaz couldn't be certain but he thought he saw the flicker of a smile on his face.

  Rudenoz jumped off the back of his mount. Gillenaz climbed off his, then helped Melonaz to the ground.

  The Lial hurried over to them. 'Think you dead,' he cried. 'Visit for past three moons. Not find you. Go look. See no sign. Hope you return.'

  Rudenoz spotted the Lialstone hanging from the Lial's neck and shouted to him, 'You his Lial?'

  'Yes.' The Lial's eyes widened as they fell on Melonaz's broken arm. 'What happen?'

  'Get into a fight. I win.' Melonaz tried to smile but he suddenly felt exhausted again. He struggled to stand upright and almost fell backwards into Gillenaz.

  'Fight?' asked the Lial, lines of concern creasing his forehead.

  'He fight wild ankaroc,' said Rudenoz. 'Nearly die. Find him in bad way by its dead body.'

  'How bad you hurt?' the Lial asked Melonaz.

  'Arm broke. Hole in chest. Heal fine though.'

  The Lial hesitated, as if the news had been painful for him to hear, then he inclined his head to the two men. 'Thank you, Ankarocal.'

  'Need take him back to village,' said Gillenaz. 'He not live out here like this.'

  'I good. Grow strong. Kill a ludenez,' said Melonaz.

  The Lial raised his eyebrows in surprise. 'You kill a ludenez?'

  'Yes.'

  'He just a boy. Not ready,' said Gillenaz.

  'He an exile. Village believes him dead. Come to bring him back though.' The Lial looked Melonaz in the eyes. 'It's time. You sense them, yes?'

  Melonaz nodded, swallowing hard.

  'Horde come?' asked Rudenoz.

  'Know of it?' asked the Lial, surprised again.

  'Melonaz say.'

  'Horde not attack yet. Soon, I think.'

  'We come help,' said Gillenaz. 'You have more help on the way?'

  'I send word to Twiz. Lial there is moving his people to Oaraz. Joining us. Oaraz better place to defend people from.'

  'Many Sehnal from Twiz?' asked Rudenoz.

  The Lial shrugged. 'Some. Not enough, I fear.'

  'What of other villages near Mir-Ru? They safe?'

  'Not hear from them. Too far to go see. Hope horde not attack. Enemy not claim more.'

  Gillenaz turned to his companion. 'We need to gather more people. More Apochal, Ankarocal out here. Bring to Oaraz. Have time, I hope.'

  Rudenoz nodded in agreement.

  Gillenaz turned back to the Lial. 'Take few days to find people. When have, we fly to village.'

  The Lial nodded, seemingly stunned.

  'Ankaroc will not like it. Give them more feed though, they'll stay calm, for a time. They don't like being away from the mountains.'

  'Not know what to say,' said the Lial, mouth hanging open.

  'Do what need to do,' said Rudenoz. 'Swear oath to protect people. Hope Enemy not claim Mir-Tolkz when we away.'

  'You tell Sehnal?' Melonaz asked the Lial.

  'Yes,' said the Lial. 'All sense the horde's Raiz. No choice. They worry. Afraid. Need go back fast.'

  Gillenaz placed his hand on Melonaz's shoulder. 'Take care. See you in two days.'

  Melonaz looked up at his rescuer, 'You too.'

  'Come to Oaraz in two days,' Rudenoz said to the Lial. 'Hope horde not attack before we return.'

  'Thank you,' said the Lial, bowing his head.

  The two Ankarocal swiftly leapt onto the backs of their mounts and in moments were rising in the air.

  'Lucky they find you,' the Lial said to Melonaz.

  'Yes, Lial.'

  The Lial glanced down at his former Sehnal. 'Luck with you. Good to have. Might save village.' His usual stern features softened as he regarded Melonaz. 'You see Enemy?'

  Melonaz nodded solemnly.

  'Kill a ludenez, you say?'

  'Small one. It nearly kill me,' said Melonaz

  'Ludenez we fight even stronger. Need to be ready. Good you have taste of fight. Know the danger we face.'

  'Enemy not like I imagine. It's strange. What is it?'

  The Lial shook his head. 'No one knows.'

  'What about the ludenez? Why they kill us?'

  'Not know.'

  'We fight them. Not know why?'

  'They attack. Try to kill us. We kill them. It's the way of things. Want to know why, ask it.' His features softened again, displaying something almost akin to affectionate. 'Fear you dead when not find you here,' he said after a moment. 'Don't know what I do if you die.'

  Melonaz remained silent, unsure how to respond.

  'We have problem,'
the Lial said, his stern expression instantly returning.

  'What?'

  'Village can't see you alive. Need to come back. Can't enter village though. Must hide you.'

  Melonaz felt a tear try to squeeze its way out of his eye. He wiped it away before it could. 'Yes, Lial,' he said.

  'Have idea. Hope it works. Gather your stuff. We're leaving.'

  Melonaz ducked into his furaz and rolled up his sleeping fur, relieved to find it not covered in sehseh hair or kak. He tied it to his back then came back out.

  'That all you have?' the Lial asked.

  He patted Dajimoz at his side. 'All I need.'

  The Lial eyed the weapon. 'How you handling the sword?'

  'Kill a ludenez with it.'

  'Know it a good fit. Like you make sword yourself.'

  Melonaz looked down, cheeks flushing,

  'Come. Time we return home.' The Lial walked away, not looking to see if Melonaz followed.

  Melonaz silently fell in behind him. Go home. Not think see again. They headed back down the trail that only a few moons before he'd been led up to his exile, wondering what it'd be like to see his family again.

  Chapter Sixty

  The pain was great. Everything burned, like Beroz's body was engulfed in flames that he couldn't extinguish. The bones in his face were cracked all over, every movement, every twitch an agony. His skin was horribly burnt, charred in many places. His furs had melted onto his skin in parts too. Even thinking was difficult. Every thought that entered his mind was soon forgotten, pain overshadowing it. The only thoughts that lingered were of fire and the Ro-Lial's wicked face wreathed in flame.

  His back was broken, of that he was certain. Not that he could move even if it wasn't, any attempt caused him nothing but agony, but he'd felt it break when he'd crashed down to the ground with the Ro-Lial on top of him. Sleep was impossible, even Shumdniz didn't help. Occasionally he'd pass out, but when he came too again he felt even worse than before.

  The man in white furs would occasionally come to check his wounds, pour water in his mouth, and attempt, and fail, to feed him, then leave. The first time the man had tried to make a fire the sight of it had caused Beroz to scream. He hadn't tried again.

  * * * *

  The man in white returned. Beroz had no idea how long it'd been since his last visit, it could have been days for all he knew. The man's small face hovered over him, his thin beard brushing against the tip of Beroz's nose.

  'How you feel?' he asked.

  'Uuuurgh.'

  `'Use Brubah. It'll help.'

  Beroz groaned.

  'Can't?' asked the man. He placed the waterskin gently over Beroz's mouth and poured a little water in. Most of it dribbled down his cheeks, but a mouthful did run into his throat. With considerable pain he swallowed it, its cold touch reawakening his dry throat for a moment.

  The man pried open Beroz's mouth with two fingers, his strength surprising for a No-Braid. More cold water dripped into his mouth and he gulped it down, it's cold providing momentary relief from his torment. The man kept pouring. Beroz gurgled. A lot of it dribbled out and ran down his chin.

  'Still not eat. Jaw, cheek broke. Won't last if you don't eat. Will need strength to heal your wounds,' said the man in white.

  Beroz's stomach grumbled. He was hungry but the thought of eating made him nauseous. The last thing he wanted was anything hot inside his stomach. He didn't want anything hot near him ever again.

  The man traced his fingers over Beroz's face, carefully prodding and rubbing the parts which were broken. Though gentle, every touch caused a stab of pain. 'These won't heal. You'll be scarred. Badly scarred. Not pretty.' He pried Beroz's mouth open again and poured more delicious water in. Beroz's taste buds screamed with joy as they were bathed in cold.

  Then the water was taken away.

  'Need go. Rest well.' The man half smiled at him. Then he was gone.

  Flames invaded his dreams when he finally managed to fall asleep. His skin burned with white hot heat. Everything burned around, always burning. Smoke filled the air, suffocating him.

  That awful Ro-Lial stood over him, laughing maniacally, enjoying every moment of Beroz's suffering. He breathed in deep through his nose, enjoying the smell of his flesh. That wicked grin. Those fiery eyes.

  The mountains burned. Jets of flame erupted out of their peaks and surged down the mountainsides like an avalanche. The snow was burnt to a crisp. Ash rained down from the clouds, they too wreathed in flame.

  Villages burnt.

  People burnt.

  The flames were everywhere, borne from the deranged Ro-Lial.

  Pain exploded across Beroz's back, bringing him back to the world. He'd moved in his sleep, reacting to the dream.

  Someone entered the furaz. A large, dark figure loomed in the entrance, the blinding daylight outlining him. Something purple flashed in the middle of its form.

  A Lial.

  The man stepped inside, taking up half the furaz. He moved into the light filtering down from above. It was the Ro-Lial he'd fought in his second test. His big features betrayed no emotion as he stood over Beroz, examining his ruined body.

  The Ro-Lial sniggered. 'Not think you be this bad. Not think you lose.' The Ro-Lial bent down, his large eyes inspecting every part of him. Beroz wished he could pull the furs up to hide himself. He tried to move his arms to do it, but that only caused him more pain. The Ro-Lial's gaze passed over his chest, then up to his face. He leaned in close, sniffed him while his eyes searched his features.

  'Think be first to pass in long time,' said the Ro-Lial, 'Cackoz is mad, cruel. Think you win though. A shame.'

  Beroz groaned.

  'Not talk?' He sniggered again. 'Good. Save your energy if you want to live.'

  Beroz looked up into the Ro-Lial's eyes. They were big, dark and made him tremble.

  The Ro-Lial lifted Beroz's scarred left hand and examined it more closely. Where before the scars the Enemy had left were prominent, now they blended in with the rest of his charred body.

  'Strong left. Punch hard. Hope strength return. Want to duel.' He shook his head. 'If live, will help you train. Get your strength back. You good. Think make a good Lial. If live.' He nudged him in the shoulder, sniggered again, then left.

  Noise outside roused him. Lots of distant shouting. Not being able to move and see what was causing the commotion was frustrating. He tried calling out but could only manage a croak.

  A while later the man in white appeared. His face was flushed, clearly agitated.

  'Need to go. Be gone for time. Long time, maybe,' he said. 'A girl from the village will come, look after you.'

  Beroz raised his head. 'Wh...a....ha..p?'

  'Not sense? Ludenez. Big horde in Mir-Ru. Attack coming. We go. No time to waste.' It was then Beroz noticed the stone chain around the man's neck that disappeared underneath his white furs.

  'Yo...Li.....al?' croaked Beroz.

  The man smirked. 'Ro-Lial. Ro-Lial Kelsoz.'

  'N...o....br...aid.'

  'Don't like wearing a braid. Gets in the way.' He reached inside his furs and pulled out his Lialstone. The purple stone glowed in the light.

  Beroz gasped.

  The smirk remained on the Ro-Lial's face. He suddenly looked very different. Though he was small he was solidly built. Yet he moved in that strange way, quickly shuffling along the ground, hunched over slightly. Did he deliberately hide his strength?

  'Rest. Hope see you alive when I return,' said Ro-Lial Kelsoz. Then he left without another word.

  Hope not too late. Sorry not say. Try to. He allowed his head to drop back onto the ground.

  His scarred hand throbbed for the first time in what felt like a long time, the only thing he realised that hadn't been burnt.

  Die.

  His eyes watered. He couldn't feel if any tears ran down his face. Why they not kill me? Don't leave me like this. Kill me.

  His hand throbbed again. Die.

  Chapter S
ixty One

  Melonaz bit into the tender lilnaz thigh. It was burnt but he was far too hungry to care. The sun was setting, dropping below the tops of the gola. He wasn't sure if it was just his eyes but the sun's rays looked like they held the Enemy's purple glow within them, giving the sky an eerie haze.

  He bit off another chunk of meat, it was dry and tasteless, but it'd do. It was better than what he could cook. It was difficult eating with the fur mask on all the time, the hole for his mouth small, barely wide enough to shove two fingers through it. The Lial insisted he wear it at all times though.

  It'd been three days since the Lial had brought him back. He'd told him to hide in the forest and stay away from everyone. He'd given him the mask, telling him that if anyone inquired about it he was to say that his face was deformed and he didn't want any one to see it. The mask itched and rubbed against his skin. He hadn't taken it off in days. He longed to feel the cold air on his face again.

  Ankarocal come any day. Bring more Apochal, Sehnal. Village will be safe. He scanned the horizon, hoping to see dark specks in the air coming towards the village, but there'd been no sign of them yet.

  He'd sneaked as close to the training ground as he'd dared to catch a glimpse of the training Sehnal. They'd all been training very hard, fighting furiously with one another, most even using Raiz. There'd been some No-Braids training there too, The Lial having begun to prepare them. They were weak, but the village needed every man they had. More men. More chance to live. He doubted No-Braids would be much use against ludenez though, they'd likely just be ripped apart.

  Tenalkz had been there, fighting valiantly against one of the older Sehnal. Melonaz's heart had brightened seeing his friend again. Until that moment he hadn't realised just how much he'd missed him. It'd taken all of his strength not to run over, take off his mask, and reveal himself. Not being able to had been infuriating, but he knew that it had to be. It was his punishment.

  He'd thought about defying the Lial's wishes and return to the village, sneak home to see his Mal, Sal, Reijiz, and Tenalkz. He longed to see all their faces one more time, let them know that he was alive. How would they react? Then, how would they react when he told them why the Lial had lied about his death? Why he'd been exiled? They forgive me? He couldn't be sure. The doubt had been enough to stop him from going, that and the fear of what the Lial would do if he disobeyed him, yet again.