Theme 02: Nalyn - Week 2

Welp, as I'd mentioned previously: I didn't make it for last week's blogging. I can feel my brain being tired due to overtime, so I don't know how coherent this post will be XD

So, what's worth mentioning? Well, I've been working on figuring out how the Elshir society came to be. As I read over Taelin and Eglen's life story, I discovered 1) that I badly need to add scenes to this thing and flesh out what's already been written because it was hell to chapter, 2) I really don't know much about why their culture is as it is. For instance, I have warriors swearing to Elshad, of whose name I know the source, and the royalty like Taelin swearing to Aerin, of whose name I know the source as well but it has nothing to do with the Elshir culture at all. How, then, did this happen? I know a few more things, that the Elshir used to (still do?) excavate precious stones, that the male population far outnumbers the female (and that in the Elshir-descendent race of Ilak'ri the women far outnumber the men; too bad they're at war), and that their culture descends from a settled tribal society from the desert. I also know they've been at war with the Humans for ages, that the Elshir had enslaved the Humans before that, and even before they'd never heard o a Human to begin with. The Elshir and Human societies have points in common - and, obviously, history in common. One may have taken from the other and vice versa and, to figure this out, I started writing a (currently) small history file to refer myself to when need be. I started it when I was sick the two previous weeks, and restarted it after I was well again XD but information is never lost, even germ-filled information.

And, speaking of the Elshir, we're currently on the theme of Nalyn. As mentioned last week, Nalyn is a warrior, who becomes a traveling mercenary for hire at some point, and thus will end up meeting Aneskia in the Human regions. Which also makes it important for me to figure out the history of the continent; I know a few things about the Human society, but not enough to really start writing the book (and god oh god am I itching to do that <<). There's also the problem of other characters likely influencing the course of history, even be it little... and I'm nowhere near done with that particular life story. So, fneh. We're going forward. Crawling. XD

Now, I'm really annoyed. I'd like to share a bit of Nalyn's life story; however, considering his life has sucked and is, for some parts, really not something I want to share (because I honestly don't want critics on the content), this makes it difficult.

And after several minutes of quick reading, I've decided to share chapter 14. I know, I know: that's far into the story (page 47 of 82). I basically skip the entire part of Nalyn's youth, his eventual general Corvis' youth, how he and his comrades got to know each other. So why this chapter? Because it gives a sense of the man Nalyn becomes - beyond the horrid youth, beyond the very early knowledge that he's worthless and fit to die; but Nalyn has always been a fighter. Even when all the odds are against him, Nalyn fights. Keeps going, without hope, but a strong survival instinct at his side that helps him through the worst moments. And, if you pay close attention, you might get a sense of what dangers are yet to be faced.

The chapter opens with Corvis having been abducted by Human troops and brought to a village where they were in desperate need for a Healer. He's got but little time to reflect until enemies breach the village's grounds...

Chapter 14: Reunion

Days passed, during which Corvis witnessed the utter desperation of the Humans' situation. Caught between Elshir forces and the 'necromantic things', with nowhere to run or hide.

The wounds Enric showed him were the most gruesome Corvis ever saw. Necrosed wounds around which the skin greyed and peeled – men died within days. Then there were stranger wounds, reminiscent of simple scars, were they not grey and bulging and stretched out like a nest of coiling serpents. Those who suffered from them seemed not quite hindered, and kept living as normal.

Then one day…

"Elshir!", a voice called as a man ran through the streets, ringing a loud bell, "The Elshir are attacking!" And, too soon, screams of terror and death echoed darkly across the village.

Corvis took his short sword and stepped outside the house of a family whose child suffered from a mild necromantic wound. His mind was set: Elshir or not, these men were going to die.

He waited round a corner for the sound of armour and swung his sword high, aiming for a decapitation or at least a deep wound to the head. The assaulted man gasped and slid upon old mud, narrowly avoiding Corvis' attack but dropping his only means of defense in the process, a large and worn out battleaxe. Without hesitation Corvis advanced upon the other two.

And he froze, stumped. "Impossible," Corvis breathed.

The orange-haired Elshir before him exclaimed, "This is where you were??!!!"

Malin took his general in his arms.

"M-Malin?" Corvis breathed, and Malin immediately held him at arms' length.

"And you still know my name, I'm so proud of you!", then Malin's tone went flat and mocking, "You still remember Jaen here, and the carpet there's Nalyn?"

"Corvis!"

Corvis turned around and saw Enric waving at him from a distance, "Don't mean to interrupt, but we need help! They're coming from the other side!"

"Coming!" Corvis yelled back, and Malin and Jaen exchanged a look – had that Human just spoken in Elshir?

"Sorry guys, but this will have to wait!" And without a goodbye or an apology, Corvis followed after Enric, leaving his former men to scratch their heads.

"That was… odd," Malin said, holding his halberd like a mighty scepter, "what the hell happened to him."

"What's going to happen to us, now," Jaen said as he helped Nalyn up, who groaned and complained but accepted the help nonetheless, "He's alive, so… does that mean he did desert us?"

Malin contemplated the possibilities while staring in Corvis' wake. "Look at it this way," he finally said, "we'll get to see our general back in action, and he's going to fight with Hauren's troops. Don't you want to be a part of that? I certainly wouldn't mind."

Jaen cringed, remembering the pain and humiliation they'd suffered after Corvis' disappearance.

Corvis had been deemed 'dead in action', for no one expected Humans to capture an Elshir general and not torture him to death. However, as the causes and reasons weren't clear and Corvis' reputation had already degraded, the possibility of desertion was not ruled out. Malin, Jaen and Nalyn were reassigned to General Hauren, who let his own men decide the fate of the three. They were not kind and, to be expected, Nalyn suffered most of all – he was used to pain and humiliation and had taken it upon himself to protect his comrades. He'd remained brash and irresponsible and attracted the ire of the soldiers, who often ignored Malin and Jaen and invented new ways with which to try and break the Elshir man with the impregnable will.

Still, they were not as harsh as their general. No eyes were gouged, nor any limbs severed – Nalyn was ruthless and fought back every time, and General Hauren let his men work the situation out, even with death.

So, unsurprisingly, Nalyn replied to his comrades, "Let's go kill those bastards.", and Malin and Jaen followed him.

Hauren's men never stood a chance. They never expected Corvis' men to turn against them, not in the middle of enemy territory at the least. They also never expected to encounter Corvis himself, who fought as brutally as Nalyn, if not more. The Humans, unsure of whose side to choose, decided out of fear to wait for the Elshir to be done murdering one another.

In the end, only four Elshir men were left standing.

Hauren's soldiers were buried outside the village. Corvis and his group shared Enric's house, a place too small for five grown men, but none of them minded. Even though Corvis' men resented him for disappearing and for the suffering they went through, they were also relieved to find Corvis alive and well, and to know he never deserted them in the first place. In a corner, Enric just listened to the soldiers reminiscing, all the more eager for the war between both races to end.

"You should have seen Nalyn," Malin laughed, glancing at the man, "how he stood up to those idiots, it was quite a sight. We never knew he loved us so much until then."

Nalyn glared at Malin but said nothing in return. He still felt the searing pain red-hot blades applied to his skin, and didn't want to admit he'd do it all over again for their sakes.

"Well, I knew," Jaen said with a wink towards Nalyn, "he demonstrated that time and time again—"

In his corner, Enric snorted his stew. He then pretended to sneeze.

"Anyway," Jaen continued, "if there's anyone you should apologize to, it's Nalyn. It's not your fault you were here, but… you stayed here. A lot has happened since you… left."

"I know," Corvis sighed, and he kept his own experiences with death for himself, "and I really am sorry, Nalyn."

Nalyn just shrugged, and shook his head. Then, without a word, he got up and left the house. Enric decided to follow him to make sure no one would get hurt.

"Well that was to be expected," Malin said, staring back at the door through which Elshir and Human had left, "he's a good guy despite his foul mood. But, these past weeks… they've been hard, even for someone like him. Actually, a few times we thought they were going to kill him. No one held back. Nalyn… well, let's just say the man can endure. And he did it for us. Thanks to him, they pretty much left us alone."

Corvis' throat was a tight knot. This was all his fault. He should have returned to them first, and then brought them here. Why hadn't he thought of this?!

"I'm sorry," Corvis said, his voice full of grief, "I'm sorry. I never… I never wanted this…"

"We know," Jaen sighed with a half-smile, "and we don't really blame you. You're alive, I guess that's all that matters. Look, no offense, but I'll see where Nalyn is. Don't want him being stupid on enemy ground."

And so Jaen left the house as well, leaving but Malin and Corvis to stare at each other, and wonder where to go from here.

"I know it's not enemy ground," Malin finally said, "but you get why they think it. By Elshad, Corvis – Humans? I'm a friendly, laid-back soldier, but even I don't understand this. We thought they captured you and—"

"They did," Corvis interjected, "and they kept me alive because I'm a healer. Listen, Malin. Just, listen to me and don't interrupt. Even if you don't understand it, or you think I'm crazy – listen to me. There's a much bigger threat than Humans that needs to be stopped."

Once outside, Nalyn had walked a short distance and found a rough patch of dirt upon which he seated himself, nearby a bright burning lantern. Being on enemy ground stressed him immensely, but thankfully almost everyone was asleep by this hour. Only a handful of Humans patrolled the village streets, and Nalyn thought they'd get killed if anyone were to attack them now.

He sighed very loudly when Corvis' Human companion came to sit by his side.

"For the record," Enric said in impeccable Elshir, "my half-brother is Elshir, and he's one of the finest men I've known."

Nalyn grunted, "Why should I care?"

"Probably shouldn’t, I don't know if he's still alive. He's also a soldier. I think they sent him up north."

Nalyn glanced at the Human and wished him to leave. He had no interest speaking with a Human, nor learning of his life, nor feeling any sort of pity. Humans were enemies – that was all, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

Enric's eyes narrowed. "You're one of those, right?", he said, his voice raspy and critical, "been a soldier all your life, killed all your life, don't want to care, don't want to think, just keep killing until there's more blood on the streets than water in the seas?"

Nalyn glared at him. "What's it to you?"

Enric was quick to reply, "Nothing much, except I will kill you if you lift but a finger to harm anyone here. And that includes Corvis."

Nalyn had nearly snorted at the puny little Human's threat, but his smile turned sour when Corvis was mentioned.

"He's an Elshir, I have no reason to hurt him."

"Like you had no reason to kill the others? You were all pretty impressive there, fighting your own kind."

"They were not our kind," Nalyn interjected, his eyes brightly aglow in the semi-darkness, "They deserved to die. They all do."

Enric was at a loss of words before such ferocity. Luckilly, a calm voice came from the darkness nearby.

"Don't take him too seriously, Human," Jaen said, stepping closer to them, "you don't know what it's like to be the men of a deserter – I know, Corvis didn't desert us, but no one knew for sure. We're not going to make him pay for that. We just want to stop fighting."

His piece spoken, Jaen came to sit at Nalyn's side and, to further drive his point home, leaned his head against Nalyn's shoulder and wrapped his hands about his arm. Nalyn growled, embarrassed by Jaen's public display of affection, yet he didn't shove him away.

Eventually, Enric spoke again. "So do we, Elshir. Our emperor fights wars we want to be no part of. The problem is, few on either sides understand this is a war no one can win."

"Then give up and die, I suppose," Jaen sighed. Enric shot him a dark glare that troubled Jaen deeply.

"Do not speak those words around here," Enric said, fear readily visible in his old eyes, "Do not even think them. Death listens, and it answers."