Paradise, A story set in my world of Teir Options

[redsrock]

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The following is a story set in my world of Teir, and more specifically, the northeastern continent of Kazkaydia. I hope you enjoy it.

Paradise

Chapter One: Sweet Redemption

Escaping hadn’t been easy, and if it weren’t for my Domen claws we never would have gotten out to begin with. The Avlarians sure do go above and beyond to ensure that we Domen don’t escape their slave-pens. And it seemed like it took forever to cut through the rope that was keeping the iron cage lifted. Once I was finally able to cut through, the gate fell down and about two-hundred of us ran out of the pen. That was a whole three days ago. And now I’m still fighting through the snowy forests southward.

As for the exact number of survivors following our hectic midnight break out, I have no idea, for I had lead the pack springing out of the small Avlarian town as fast as my old legs could carry me. In two months I’ll be fifty years old…I think. And now, as I sit in a snow-covered tree that looms high above the even snowier ground, only two of my fellow Domen still follow me. The others were either captured or killed, and I pray to Shaol it was the latter.

“Azril, do you see any of them?” said one of my companions from behind, Razlo.

“Hush, fool! Do you want them to hear us?” I said in a stern whisper. “I don’t see any of them right now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not there. Just be patient, Razlo! We move when I say we move!”

That certainly hushed him up, but I did feel a bit of remorse. Razlo had been a good friend of mine ever since we both met each other in the Avlarian slave camp some thirteen years ago, and to yell at him was…strange, to say the least. He was a good twenty or twenty-something years younger than me, and I felt as if I was acting like a father to him. But I had to be firm, or else risk the chance of being captured or killed. And if any of those two were to happen, again I pray to Shaol it be the latter.

Suddenly I heard movements from down below. We were relatively high above the ground, but I was still able to see down below clear enough to make out what was moving around, thanks to my keen sense of sight. (That was one good thing about being a Doman. Even as you aged, your senses never dropped in effectiveness) The sun was slowly starting to rise, meaning Shenzai was breathing once again, its rays offering a bit of light to help us along the way to Ibisaro, Ibisarian territory. According to a group of Domen slaves that had arrived at the Avlarian slave-camp nearly a month or so ago, the Ibisarians in Ibisaro were housing runaway Domen slaves. After this was learned we began planning our escape from the Avlarian slave-camp in Klor. Ibisarians housing Dome slaves was only a rumor, yes, but it was a rumor worth acting upon.

“Did you hear that?” My other companion, Jariic, asked; he only in his early teens. I quickly hushed him up by holding a finger to my mouth and giving him a scowl.

Down below a figure stepped out from behind a bush, and following that figure were two others. By the light-looking grey robes with a red diamond in the middle they were wearing, I knew they were Avlarian slavers. The scum had followed our trail after all. I still couldn’t believe how they could wear such little clothing in such frigid cold. Granted, the southeastern region of Klout wasn’t nearly as cold as the most northeastern parts. But still, it was cold enough for snow, so it was cold enough for me. I had always assumed that the Avlarians’ skin had developed a tolerance to the bitter cold, and that’s why they didn’t have to wear a lot of clothing. We Domen have a natural fur coat, yes, but I still wished I was wearing some kind of manmade coat. Even the ugly ones the Avlarians sometimes wore during the harsher blizzards that plague the land during the middle part of Aktel, what we Domen refer to as winter.

“Shh…” I said to my two companions. “We wait for them to head back north, and then we’ll move out. Stay here, I’m going to get a closer look.”

I was about to climb down the branches, but Razlo grabbed my arm forcefully from behind before I could do so. “And what if they catch you, Azril? This is not a good idea. Why must you get a closer look anyway?”

I turned back to him and whispered, “Because I have my reasons. Stay here and do not come down. If something is to happen, continue on without me, and remember to keep following the Ailic River.”

And then I left without giving either of them a chance to respond.

Climbing down the branches was harder than I expected it to be. ‘Course, climbing trees in general was harder than I expected as well. As a child I used to climb trees with my friends constantly. After that day when I was captured, however, it all changed. It was all hard labor after that. Two days ago, the day we all escaped from Klor, marked the first day I had climbed a tree since I had been turned into a slave to work for the Avlarian army, and more specifically the army based in the Vericor Sector of Klout. And though Razlo, Jariic and I had been traveling through the trees of the forest since we escaped, my old age has kept me back from getting used to things as they once were. Forty-something years will do that to you. I’m actually surprised I’ve lasted this long. Then again…maybe I’m not almost fifty to begin with…

As I crept down the tree-branches little by little I did my best not to slip and cause a sound that might give away my position, and doing so was much easier said than done. It was dangerous enough because the limbs were wet from the mostly-melted snow, but some of the branches were even frozen. I avoided those branches of course. Still, it was very dangerous, and I was starting to think that perhaps I shouldn’t have left my position to begin with.

“They can’t be too far,” said one of the men, the one who had stepped out of the bush first. I was hanging above them, fairly close to them now, only about ten yards high.

“I doubt it,” one of others from behind said. “They’re probably in the Yonderland now, Duric. Domen are fasts creatures.”

“Yes, Rechi, but one of them was an older fella’. I could see it in his limp. It was a slight limp, but a limp nonetheless. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stopped to rest. Keep an eye out for them.”

Close, but not quite. I didn’t have a limp, and the only reason it had looked as if I was limping back in the small town was because I had stubbed my toe one something hard while escaping.

The three turned around and started to continue along the snow-covered path, and once they were underneath me I sprang into action just as I had planned all along, for I knew they’d catch up with us sooner or later. I jumped from my position and landed on top of the leader of the trio, latching onto his shoulders with my claw-hands and bringing him to the ground. I quickly swiped at the Avlarian’s throat with my razor-sharp six inch nails, slitting his throat. The two men watched in horror as their leader began to gargle, struggling to stay alive. Then one of the other two, the one who had spoken, charged at me with an axe that looked as sharp as my nails. But he was as clumsy as most Avlarian warriors were, and I easily dodged his charge by rolling to the right at the last second as he brought his axe done. The axe-head hit the ground and was momentarily stuck. While the opportunity displayed itself I ran up behind him and dug my nails through his neck, leaving him to gargle on the ground as well.

And as the two dying men struggled to breathe even though they knew it was of no use, the last remaining Avlarian stood where he had been the entire time, his body shaking and his hands shaking even more. He was obviously scared, and I enjoyed that immensely.

“Please…leave me alone!” he yelled as I began to walk towards him. He fumbled for his own axe but dropped it because his hands were shaking so violently. He tried to grab for it on the ground, but I ran over and clawed across his right cheek, causing him to fall back several feet as I bent down and tossed the axe several yards behind me and out of reach for the last remaining Avlarian. And as he lay there, he held his hands up in surrender. “Just leave…I swear I won’t follow you!”

Tears were now beginning to fall down his hairy face, but I didn’t care. Tears and frightful emotion only made the scene more pleasurable. He and his people had killed and abused hundreds of my kind, and for unforgivable reasons at that. He deserved whatever I decided to give him, and no less.

By this time the other two Avlarians had finally passed away, ascending to whatever false afterlife they believed in, to whatever ridiculous false Gods and Goddesses they worshipped. The man that laid on the ground in front of me was about the do the same thing, but I would make him suffer. Slitting the other two’s throat was getting off easy. But just as I was above to begin, I was grabbed from behind, again by Razlo.

“What in the name of Shenzai are you doing?” He asked, looking at me as if I were crazy.

“I told you to stay up in the tree!”

“I was, until you decided to give away our hiding spot! Why did you do that?”

“They were going to find us eventually! It’s better to kill them now before they catch us later. This is for our own good, Razlo. Get back up into the tree with Jariic!”

But apparently that comment was worthless, for that’s when I realized Jariic was standing right behind Razlo, looking rather guilty for disobeying my orders. I was no official leader of anything like that, but I always felt leadership was an important tool.

“Zeg’reh!” I cursed loudly, my hands tightening with anger. “Get back up in the-“

Suddenly I stopped talking as I felt a hot, sharp pain go through my calcaneal tendon. I fell to the ground helplessly and found that the Avlarian had cut me with a dagger. Screaming in agony, I clawed once more at him, this time for the hand that was carrying the dagger. I knocked the dagger aside and then lunged from the seat of my bottom, pouncing on top of the Avlarian. With the adrenaline I was having I was able to hold the man’s two hands down above his head with my left hand, and then using my free right hand I dug into his eyes with my middle and index fingers. The man shouted in sheer anguish, trying his best to get free of my grip, but it was no use. I wasn’t budging.

When I ceased in digging into his eyes and brought my hand from his face, his eyeballs were still inside of their sockets, but it was hard to tell from all the blood that was pouring down his mouth and chin. Regardless, it was obvious he could see no more, for he was now crawling through the snow aimlessly, waiving his hands in random directions and screaming words that made no sense.

As I was walked towards him, now with his dropped dagger in my hand, this time Jariic grabbed me from behind. “Leave him be, Azril! He’s suffering enough! Let’s just leave before his yelling attracts more of them!”

I looked at Jariic with a surprised expression, for it was quite strange to see him so emotional. He was a quiet one, that much was certain. And I suppose it was because of him that I decided to end the fun. “One more moment,” I said sternly, and continued towards the Avlarian that could no longer see me. I stood above him and then sat down on his chest, and he was a position where he could not strike me with his hands or kicked me with his legs. I opened his mouth by pulling down forcefully on his bottom lip with my long nails, and then I brought down the dagger and shoved it down his throat. I then got up and stood beside his body and watched his suffer and struggle. And I smiled, maybe even chuckled. I’m not quite sure. It was certainly enjoyable to see him go through such pain… the type of pain my own people have suffered through for almost three hundred years now. Redemption was a sweet thing.

Behind me, Razlo and Jariic were gawking at me as if I were a monster, there pointed ears pointing straight in the air just as all Domen’s do when they feel something is bad. I’ll openly admit that my actions were somewhat questionable, but at the same time they were justifiable as well. It was the least I could do for the Domen that had died needlessly at the hands of the Avlarians. If it weren’t for Jariic’s sudden outbreak of disapproval I would have went even further.

“I…I can’t even begin to believe what just happened. Are…are you insane?” Razlo asked me.

“Insane? No...not even close. Insane is enslaving an entire race of people because of something that happened three hundred years ago. Insane is cutting off a Doman’s tongue just for the fun of it, and then shoving the tongue down that Doman’s throat. Insane is you in front of me, complaining because I am avenging the pointless deaths of so many Domen before us.”

My speech was started to become slurred because of the anger that was boiling inside of my veins. I couldn’t fathom why Razlo was so disapproving of my actions. If anything, I’d expect him to join in. Then again…he was always one to question rebellious activities. According to him, we Domen were supposed to “accept our role in the world of Teir.” I didn’t believe that nonsense of course, and neither most of us back at the slave-camp. It’s actually hard to believe that we’ve come to be such good friends, given that fact that we tend to disagree with one another. But, as I think I’ve heard before, opposites attract.

“This…this is just crazy, Azril! Look what you did the poor man! He was following orders! How do you know he really wants to see us imprisoned?”

“It doesn’t matter, Razlo! He’s part of them, so he’s one of them! I can’t believe you’re arguing this! What about your brother? He was killed just weeks ago by these…scum! And you’re still going to stand here and lecture that my actions are horrible?”

“He has a point, Razlo,” Jariic said. I was very happy for him to have taken my side. “The Avlarians do deserve what they get.”

“You too, huh?” Razlo exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. “Fine! I don’t care. Let’s just get out of here before more of them come!”

The two continued southward towards Ibisaro, following the plan all of us back in Klorr had originally thought up. And I followed close behind, the blood under my nails and all over my hands having finally dried because of the frigid coldness.

[redsrock]

Chapter Five:

It was quite easy to tell that Razlo wasn’t so sure about this plan, whatever it was. I’ll admit I didn’t even know what it was, only that it had something to do with Looh and Jahk’ren. But the look on Razlo’s face told me that he didn’t want to go anywhere near this slave-camp. Thankfully the little…..goblin-like fellow didn’t give us any time to speak, for he was already way ahead of us. A…Paagryn was what he called himself…

“What are we going to do when we get to this slave-camp, Azril?” Razlo asked angrily from behind as he ran to catch up to the Paagryn fellow. Or rather, I hobbled. Thankfully the cut to the back of my ankle hadn’t torn any muscle or anything like that.

“I don’t know. Maybe Looh or Jahk’ren will be there,” I said quickly, trying to force Razlo to take his mind of it. Of course I knew very well that was a useless attempt. Still, it was worth a try. “besides, at least we’ll come to a village and perhaps get some supplies if we can.”

“Arvus, stop!” he suddenly yelled. The little Paagryn stopped in his tracks, and then looked back at us impatiently.

“Will ya’ two quiet yer bickerin’ and jus follow muh lead? Like I said, its getting’ dark and I need to find me some food sooner er later. And I told ya’ to call meh Arvy, dammit!”

“Hold on,” Razlo replied sternly. “There’s something I need to talk about with my friend here first. It’ll only be a minute.”

“Fine, fine, fine! I’ll go look ahead ta’ make sure there ain’t any a’ those damn Avlarians scouting the area. But if I get back and ya’ two are still arguin’ I ain’t taken ya’ no more!”

Arvy ran along ahead of us, and Razlo turned his attention back to me. “What are you planning on doing? And don’t give me that excuse that you think Looh and Jahk’ren are in this slave-camp, because that is absolutely ridiculous!”

“And why is that ridiculous?”

“Because it’s been two years, that’s why!”

“So? They could have been captured and-“

“If that were the case they would have been shipped back to Klor, Azril!” he interrupted, turning around and pointing to the black tattoo on his back. The same tattoo I had, and the same one all slaves of Klor had. Each camp had a specific design, and it was the same for each county.

For each county… “But we’ve passed over into Pavlor County, Razlo! Klaaric Country is behind us now!”

“How do you know for sure, hmm? We could still be in Klaaric territory for all you know!”

“What if I’m right?”

“And what if you’re wrong? If you’re wrong, then you’re also wrong about Looh and Jahk’ren. And if this is indeed Klaaric County, and if they were captured they would’ve been sent back to Klor. That never happened, did it, Azril? No, it didn’t. I don’t like to admit it, but they’re most likely dead. And if they aren’t, there’s no way they are anywhere near this place. Two years, Azril!”

Again, as I’ve said several times before, he makes a good argument. Even still, I can’t give up on my friends so easily, even if Looh was somewhat of an oddity himself. “Do me this one favor, Razlo. Let’s-“

“No, Azril! We didn’t escape to go on some wild hunt for two people that likely aren’t even alive!”

“Will you just listen to me first?” I yelled.

“Fine.”

“Please, Razlo... let’s just follow this Paagryn and fellow and see what’s up. If Looh and Jahk’ren aren’t there, we leave immediately and you take the lead. I’ll follow you and do whatever you want to do. I swear to Shaol, Razlo. Just give it this one chance!”

He looked at me for a few seconds, sighed heavily, and then sat on a nearby log and stared at the ground. He did this for I don’t know how long, but finally the little Paagryn fellow reappeared.

“So what’ll it be, fellas? Are ya’ two gonna follow me er not?” He asked, his chubby short hands on his hips waiting for an answer.

Suddenly Razlo stood up and said, “Yes, we’ll go.” And then he looked at me and whispered firmly, “Just this once, Azril. I will hold you to your word, and don’t you think for a second that I won’t.”

“Of course,” I answered, casting a smile but not receiving one in return.

Then the three of us started towards the Avlarian slave-camp, with the jolly little Paagryn fellow leading the way.




When we finally stopped, which must have been at least thirty minutes later because it was almost pitch dark and Shenzai had been beginning to lower when we had left, Arvy pointed happily to a small little village in front of us. There was no wall protecting the town, just as there hadn’t been in Klor. On the outside part of village, houses and buildings were positioned in random spots, and in the middle was an enormous pin with a tent top. It was slave-pen.

“There they are,” Arvy whispered, pointing in the pen’s direction. “I don’ know how many there are in that there tent, but it’s gotta be a large number. Sometimes me ears hear ‘em yellin’.”

The only entrance and exit into the tented pen, just as it had been back in Klor, was a single iron gate that connected to the top of the tent. The only way to open it was either by cutting through the thick ropes that held the tent in place, or by pulling a lever that raised the gate.

“I’ll tell you what, Razlo. You stay here while I go inside. This way we both don’t have to risk our lives.”

He simply shook his head. “No, I’m going with you. I won’t let you go alone, Azril.”

There was something in his voice that I didn’t like. Almost as if he didn’t quite care of about my own safety, but rather that he felt somewhat forced to accompany with me. “Are you sure?” I asked him.

“Yes I am,” he answered, this time more severely. “But how are we going to get in there? We obviously can’t just walk in and expect the Avlarians to say hello and let us pass.”

“Ah, that’s where I have another plan!” Arvy yelled happily. “There’s an alternate entrance into the city. There’s a cave not too far from here that leads to the attic of someone’s house inside the village, though no one has lived there in a long while. I know because when I went inside a few days ago there wasn’t anything inside except for some useless trash. That’d be ya’ two’s safest before f’sure.”

“Can you take us there?” I asked.

“Sure can! Follow me!”

“Wait,” Razlo interrupted. “Why didn’t you just take us there to begin with?”

“Cause I forgot about it to be honest. Me mind doesn’t work the way it used to. But enough talkin’, let’s get goin’! I’m already sacrificin’ muh supper, ya’ know!”

“Just take us, please,” I said quickly.

Arvy took us around the village and we arrived at a small tree stump, with a large amount of rocks to its right. Arvy walked over to the rocks and fiddled around with them. Suddenly two of the rocks slid outwards to reveal a secret entrance into what I assumed to be the cave.

“Here we are!” Arvy said proudly.

“A secret cave?”

“Yes, Doman. I believe the Avlarians used this during the Largely Small War from years and years ago.”

“The Largely Small War?” I asked, utterly confused.

“Of course, Doman! The war between the Avlarians and yer kind so long ago. A lot of people claim the war to be big, but I don’t think so. Try fighting in the tunnels of Haektic Tunnels and that’s where ya’ two will find ya’selves the site of a major battle!” He stood before for a few seconds, staring at us with that smile that was almost creepy in a way. “Well come on then! Let’s go!”

We followed him into the cave, and it didn’t take us long until we arrived at a wooden ladder that led up to a wooden-framed trap door. He opened the door and looked inside, nodded at us, and then entered the now-abandoned home.

I started to go up the ladder, but Razlo stopped me. “Wait,” he said. “I don’t like this, Azril. Something’s wrong.” He had a panicked look about his face, and he was now keeping me back by holding onto my shoulder with his hands.

“What in the world are you talking about, Razlo? I’m sure it’s perfectly fine! Now let go of me!”

“I… I can sense something, just…we can’t go, Azril! We’re not going!”

“Come on up, ya’ two!” Arvy called from above.

“No, we’re not coming up, Arvy,” Razlo said, covering my mouth with his hand. “We…we’ve changed our mind. Thanks for the help, but we’re going to leave now. Goodbye.”

“No, Domen!” Arvy said loudly, and almost in a panicked tone. “I’ve taken ya’ two this far! The least ya’ can do is come in and take a look around, can’t ya’?”

“No, we have to leave. Sorry.”

“NO! COME UP!” Suddenly his face appeared from the dark space, and he looked angry. “Get up here, now! I took ya’ this far, so come up!”

Before either of us could give a response, a deep-toned voice spoke up from behind us, startling us broth greatly. We turned around and there stood an Avlarian dressed in some kind of dark-blue metallic armor. At his side were five other Avlarians, dressed in a thinner piece of armor that was a burnt-orange color.

“You’ve done well, Paagryn. You can come down now and I’ll take it from here. I had a feeling they wouldn’t buy the plan. Gundra Tehndric said these two were one of the wilder ones, especially the old one.”

Tehndric was the Gundra of Klor’s army. We had apparently been followed, and this Paagryn fellow wasn’t who we thought he was. The little honoured user had tricked us. I looked into the Avlarian’s eyes, and he only smiled back.

“Tie them up, men, and then throw them in the cell of our barracks. We’ll send them back to Klor tomorrow morning.

Behind me, Razlo was shaking with fear. I looked into his eyes and I saw not only fear, but anger. Anger not towards the Avlarians, nor towards the Paagryn. But rather…towards me instead. I had failed him, and I had failed Looh and Jahk’ren.

But I wasn’t giving up without a fight. We had come too far to give up so easily. It wouldn’t be likely that I’d leave this cave alive, but some things were worth believing in.

TO BE CONTINUED

* * * * *

I swear I am not quitting on this. But I’ve come to a decision that I better put this part of the tale to rest, because I’ve admittedly grown just a wee bit tired of it right now. I need to take a break on my fantasy story, work on the world in general, and then come back to this in the future. Again, I HAVE NOT quit this story. It is simply on hold.