The Rise of Nazil

by Aaron-Michael Hall

  Pentanimir nodded. “If you’re in agreement, I’d like you to continue organizing the former human captives and sentries, Symeon. Nakaris is doing the same for the Nazilians. Both of you would be equally charged with the citadel’s protection in my absence. Sarroh and Gavriel will remain in Nazil with my siblings and you. Have chambers been assigned?”

  “I’ve asked Sarai to assist Micah and Ceron in assigning appropriate accommodations. Most of the former attendants have elected to stay for the time being,” Symeon said. “If it’s allowed, I’d like Sarai to share my chamber. As with many, she’s apprehensive about this transition and is still healing from recent abuses.”

  Pentanimir’s gaze lowered, recalling some of those abuses and the ones who suffered them. “My permission isn’t needed. Your lives and decisions are yours alone. Sarai and any of the others can remain here with us or return to their homes. Once the stables are organized, we’ll schedule transports to the surrounding villages and cities.”

  “Gerhma could help organize the stables. He’s a good man with exceptional skills.”

  “We need good men, Symeon.” Pentanimir paused, looking from one to the other. “I need men of honor standing with me. Are you willing to lay aside the past and come together for the good of Faélondul?”

  Nakaris nodded. “Honor above all.”

  “Honor?” Symeon said, flipping his warrior’s braid to his back, and unsheathing the Xtabyren. As he held the sword aloft, Nakaris lowered a hand to his pommel, pivoting around to face him.

  “Honor above all,” Symeon said, tracing the lettering etched into the Xtabyren. “No disrespect to either of you, but honor isn’t something that you can earn. Honor comes from within.” He laid the Xtabyren on the table, meeting Pentanimir’s eyes. “It’s not a material thing, awarded to the best swordsman. Honor lives within our hearts and minds, manifested through our actions and words. In my time in Nazil, I’ve seen hundreds of Chosen adorned with Xtabyrens. Those weapons were awarded after swordplay, or bought with favor and gold. Most of these men proudly displaying the Xtabyren lack the wisdom to understand the meaning of the words. They coveted the prestige of the position, they didn’t seek or endeavor to comprehend the fundamental wisdom imbedded within that affirmation.

  “These same words are etched above your temple, yet none of the men occupying it displayed the principles of honor or taught the importance of it to the multitude.”

  “Do you think the same of all Nazilians?” Nakaris asked. “Are we less due to your assessment, lacking in both honor and intelligence?”

  Symeon smiled, turning to face him. “Intelligence isn’t the same as wisdom, nor is an unbiased perspective intended to reflect the disposition of an entire people.”

  “What is the intent, Symeon?” Pentanimir asked.

  “Honor is more than an affirmation. As a Jasiri, we’re taught much about honor and the depths of its meaning. It’s that same honor that caused me to protect you rather than allow one of your Chosen to plunge their sword through your back. It’s honor that caused me to join in your fight to liberate your home, rather than killing your men as I returned to my own. It’s honor that’s allowed me to unite former captives and inspire them to protect the home of their past oppressors as if it was theirs.

  “It’s honor that I’ve recognized in the both of you, and many others who’ve fought at your side. And you honored me in Spero. I hadn’t felt the warrior I was trained to be in years, until sparring with you. In the practice yard, I felt myself, unencumbered by the shackles that bound me for so long. I was free again, Zaxson, and that’s no small thing. If that same sense of freedom is to resonate throughout Faélondul, show the populace your heart, your strength, your perseverance, and your candor. By doing so, you’ll demonstrate what ‘honor above all’ means.”

  A genuine smile found Pentanimir’s face, recognizing the truth in his words. He stood, offering a respectful bow. “Symeon, of the Jasiri, Nazil is in desperate need of men like you and Nakaris. This transition won’t be swift or without difficulties, but with men like you two at my side, we’ll succeed in eliminating the disparity in the lands. Together we can restore and evince what ‘honor above all’ was meant to be.” Pentanimir unsheathed his Guardian Sword, handing it out to him. “Mayhaps a blade of the Guardians is more befitting a Jasiri Warrior.”

  Symeon nodded, admiring the exquisite weapon. “My uncle, Turahn Osei, was presented with such a weapon upon accepting his elevation to an Uzon of the Jasiri. I haven’t earned the right to wield my own, but I’d be honored to wield this one in your stead until you return. Nazil and its denizens will be protected, Zaxson, you have my word.”

  “And you, Nakaris?” Pentanimir asked.

  He peered up at Symeon before regarding Pentanimir again. “I’ve shown you my allegiance long before this battle. Whether a man is human or Nazilian makes little difference. I’m in agreement with Symeon…integrity isn’t inherent in one or the other. Integrity comes from within, and shows without. Together, we’ll protect the city.”

  “Pentanimir,” Temian said, tapping on the open door. “Beg pardon, Arinak and Baldon have returned. They’re ready to take Dani and Thalassa to the wood.”

  “So soon? I know the flight is swift, but they’ve made several trips already. Are they certain they’ll be able to return them by this evening?”

  “They are. Once Dani and Thalassa meet with Angelaris, they’ll return and remain here. You and Wosen will be the last.”

  “Thank you, High Advisor.” Pentanimir smiled. “How’s your arm?”

  “Much better now. A welcomed wound for all that we’ve been able to accomplish. Are you ready?”

  “Almost. Were you able to speak with Perrin and Velnic?”

  “I did. Perrin and Arilian are with Beilzen now. We had him moved to a suite on the third floor.”

  “How is he?” Pentanimir asked.

  “His outer wounds will heal in time. The inner ones are more debilitating.”

  Pentanimir sighed in silent lament, caressing the quillon of Yannick’s dagger. His inner wounds and conflicts were imbedded within the depths of his soul. He couldn’t purge such anguish or free his mind from truths known only to him. The blood saturating his hands could never be cleansed, nor the faces and words of those he’d killed. Forever would they haunt his dreams, as surely as killing Crissu had haunted his father’s.

  “Ghosts,” Pentanimir muttered, meeting Temian’s eyes. “Are—are Velnic and Elodie accepting the new positions?”

  “Yes, and I’ve arranged a short meeting in the hall. After speaking with the guards, I think you should rest. You’re the Zaxson of Nazil, Pentanimir, but you’re not standing alone.”

  The Rise of Nazil

  Pentanimir leaned back, watching the Afferean women exit the room. Although seeing his son had lifted some of the despondency assailing him, it also reminded him of the importance and depth of his responsibilities, not only to Faélondul, but also to his family.

  The lands were fractured, tethered to a brittle filament, threatening to shatter at any moment. The loss of the Nazilian villages would serve to fuel that dissention, adding to the complexities he was already facing.

  “Dovak, Mahlum, Lempol, Leahcim,” he said, shaking his head. Thousands of lives ended in mere moments: Nazilian lives. He gazed down at his hands then. More blood saturated them, more blood unable to be cleansed.

  “It’s not yours to own,” a deep voice sounded from behind him. “We mourn the lives lost, but must focus on those who yet live. Focus on the lives you’ve saved and the deaths that you’ve prevented.”

  Pentanimir looked up, meeting Kuhani’s dark brown eyes. Such depth and wisdom was embedded in them. He could feel his mind touching his, stilling his thoughts and reaching beyond what his words conveyed.

  “Drah’kuu Kuhani.” Pentanimir stood. “I thought you’d left for Spero.”

  “Not as yet. I was awaiting your arrival, but didn’t want to interrupt your time with
Tardison. There’s more for me to attend to in Afferea before joining Hosdaq.”

  “Here?”

  “Not only, but yes. You’ve accomplished much in little time, Pentanimir. We’ve spoken about the disparity in the lands often, and your feeling of helplessness in relieving it. You can’t burden your spirit with the means of that liberation. You must focus on Faélondul as a whole, and where you lead from here. The battle and the destruction wrought from it will be infinitesimal compared to what lies ahead. Now, the struggle truly begins. Don’t allow internal conflicts to affect or deter you. What is past, is past, and cannot be altered. The future is in front of you, and that is of the greatest importance.”

  “I can’t erase the past, Kuhani. It’s a part of me and shall never leave my heart and mind,” he said, his fingertips resting on Yannick’s dagger.

  Kuhani nodded, walking to his side. When Pentanimir turned, Kuhani placed a hand over his heart. [56]“Faeduhn ein’ ceot nahderahn sheldillah ganalo juahnu vaahn r’aymed shahsheetay. Shahshee ein’ ceot eryhnzea, xutuihn aut kibe, kryehn thramedhe vaahn syohnt,” he said, extrasensorily.

  Pentanimir’s knees wobbled, feeling numinous pricks trickling down his spine. “Death is a new beginning not understood by the living. Life is a gift, granted to the whole, yet cherished by a few,” he repeated in the common tongue. “How, Kuhani?”

  “Your life, all of our lives are beginning anew, Zaxson. The choices you’ll soon make will affect the whole of Faélondul. Don’t burden your heart with what you cannot change. Doing so will corrupt what’s pure and obfuscate the clarity you’ve always possessed.”

  [57]“Drah’kuu Kuhani, K’aun ein’ zan’ner. R’aymed Guardians k’naan,” Angelaris said.

  Kuhani inclined his head, and then bowed to Angelaris and Arinak, before exiting the room.

  “Please, sit,” Angelaris said to Pentanimir. As Arinak knelt, she stroked the crest on his brow. [58]“Resh k’ahndelae bo’halla, Wosen, pahn’taal uhnmé?”

  Arinak nodded, leaving the two of them alone.

  “Is Wosen coming?” Pentanimir asked.

  “He’ll be with us soon, and you can return to Nazil together. There’s much left to say.”

  “What else needs to be said, AsZar?”

  “The rebuilding and unification of Faélondul will be an arduous task, and you’ll need to forge strong bonds to fortify the alliances eroded by the quondam corruption.”

  “I’ve been thinking of little else of late.”

  “You’ve always felt the imbalance in these lands, but know that your father felt the same. Manifir made a choice long ago, and each of your siblings is a product of that choice. And from you, a new line will emerge. By following your heart, Tardison is with us. He is the true leader of your people, and a new hope for all of Faélondul.”

  “Tardison? What do you mean?”

  “It’s for you to prepare the lands for your son. You’ve often asked of your purpose and how to heal Faélondul. The Guardians have answered, Pentanimir. Through Tardison, this can come to pass. Each of the warriors who fought at your side will have a part in what lies ahead. It’s with each of you that a new line will come forth, absent the disillusionment of false gods. A new line that will rule in peace, without the maleficence and hatred of the past. A new line unencumbered by what cannot be changed, but the propensity to envisage what can be, and the tenacity to make it come to pass. Albeit your coming years won’t be free from conflicts or circumstances that will test your belief in yourself and each other. As we stand here, seeds of discord are being sown into arable hearts and minds pervaded with dubiety and trepidation.”

  “So what am I to do? I can’t fight the whole of Faélondul, AsZar.”

  “You are to trust in what you’ve forever known, leading with a pure heart and a sound mind. Protect your family and your people, and don’t fear what is to come. Know that you’ll have the support and resolve to overcome such hardships and betrayals.”

  Pentanimir’s brow creased, staring into her eyes. There was something there, beyond what was. He could sense it, yet couldn’t grasp hold to it. “What’s coming, AsZar? What will I soon face?”

  She merely grasped his hand. The sensation that followed caused goose prickles to cover his flesh as a soothing warmth made him lightheaded.

  “The future cannot be foretold, Zaxson. Each choice manifests new circumstances and challenges. Until those choices are made, your future is unknown. You must live in the now to establish what will be. We are here as guides, to help you walk the path of your choosing. We do not order your path and decide for you. Choice, Zaxson.”

  “And if I choose wrongly?”

  “That is an accepted corollary of who you are. We all err. It’s what’s done to learn from and rectify those errors that’s of importance. Do not fear to err. Fear allowing the dubiety to pervade your heart, preventing you from making a choice.”

  He sighed, roughly rubbing his face.

  “Some trials will soon come. The shift began with the blood of Oisin, and it can end with the blood of Manifir.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You’ve known only the mortal, Zaxson, but with Nazil’s liberation, that won’t remain so.”

  Pentanimir leapt up. “Mortal? Do you mean something otherworldly? Is that what’s coming?”

  “What has always been doesn’t need to arrive, it only needs a means to reveal itself to you.” When Pentanimir tried to respond, she stood to face him. “In time. You’ll need to return soon, and I have more to ask of you.”

  Pentanimir sighed, shaking his head. “What would you have of me?”

  “Wosen saved a young boy named Fáelán during the battle. His mother was a former slave, killed soon after his birth. Although Wosen wishes for Fáelán to remain with him, I ask for you to introduce Fáelán to his father and allow that bond to grow.”

  “His father? Is he Nazilian?”

  She nodded. “In the past, he wouldn’t have wanted his parentage revealed, but much has changed, and he’ll welcome Fáelán into his life.”

  “What man? Who is his father?”

  “A man forever changed by your former leaders. In his current state, Fáelán will be the only child he’ll sire. You saved his life after the battle, and now, you can enrich it.”

  Pentanimir’s eyes widened. “Beilzen? Beilzen is his father?”

  “He is. His mother’s name was Shiloh, and Beilzen will remember her well. Allow Beilzen time to heal and accept himself, before asking him to accept another. Give Beilzen the opportunity to provide a true home for Fáelán…a home filled with love and a renewed understanding.”

  He sighed, closing his eyes. “I’ll see it done.”

  “I’ve but one more request,” Angelaris said. “Speak with Sarai and Symeon. You’re aware of Symeon’s character and that of his people. You’ll need him at your side as your son will need the child Sarai now carries. She’s unaware of her pregnancy, but it will make itself known soon. You must speak with her about the child and the importance of his birth.” She paused. “Sarai won’t want this child or the memories of his sire. It’ll be difficult, but her son is needed, and must remain under your protection.”

  “But…but…I can’t force her to birth a child that she doesn’t want, AsZar. I won’t. That’s not who I am.”

  “Nor is it who I’m asking you to be. Speak with Sarai and convey my words. Her mind and heart will reconcile in time. If she can’t bear to bring him forth, no one will force her to do so,” she said, turning as Arinak entered with Wosen.

  Pentanimir gasped, staring as Wosen approached, wearing a smile that he hadn’t seen since their time in Bandari.

  “You’ve been blessed beyond measure, Wosen,” Pentanimir said, wide-eyed. No trace of his abuse remained, and he looked like the young man he’d always known.

  “The Guardians give more than we’re worthy to receive. They’ve given me back my life and made me myself again.”

  “You returned th
eir children to them,” Angelaris said, accepting Arinak’s hand.

  “The Protectors will see you safely, son of Manifir. A new era is at hand.

  “It is the rise of Nazil.”

  Thank you for reading The Rise of Nazil. Now that Faélondul has been liberated, the true battle begins. Continue this epic journey in Seed of Scorn – Book II.

  If you enjoyed this diverse epic fantasy, PLEASE leave an Amazon review.

  Aaron-Michael Hall is an award-winning author residing in Georgia (She uses the pseudonym Newland Moon exclusively for her science fantasy novels). Aaron-Michael writes diverse epic fantasy with an edge, and science fantasy romance. Since August 2015, she has written ten full-length novels and published six. Her debut novel, The Rise of Nazil is a Readers’ Favorite award winner (2017), and has won numerous reader awards.

  Now, when she is not interviewing authors on her Desu Beast Blog, being super mom, wrangling stampeding miniature dachshunds, or managing her 9 to 5, she is interweaving genres, creating languages, and adding just the right edge to keep you turning pages.

  Aaron-Michael created the Mehlonii language for her diverse Epic Fantasy series. Along with intriguing characters, multilayered plots, new species, deities, and creatures, the Mehlonii language adds that fantastical element missing from most modern epic fantasy. You can listen to samples of the spoken Mehlonii language on her website’s Mehlonii page.

  When asked why she wrote this series, Aaron-Michael simply said, “It needed to be written.”

  It is her hope that the readers enjoy the wonders of Faélondul, Ahmezurhran, the Fifth Kingdom, and Tamesa even more than she enjoyed writing about them.