Staying here was tantamount to suicide, the fire was everywhere, burning. Sparks rained down, threatening to set fire to clothes. Everything seemed to be on fire, every part of his long-suffering body was engulfed in flames, although he understood that this only seemed to be due to the heat surrounding him. There was no desire to fight, but Claude was not used to giving up so quickly, if he had given up so easily, he would have died long ago, but he wanted to live. Slightly rising, he tried to crawl away, hissing from the pain in the burnt palms, which did not escape the meeting with the flames, but nothing came of it. The weight pressing down on him from above seriously pressed him to the surface, not allowing him to budge. "I won't die here!" - the guy growled, feeling how bright flowers begin to bloom before his eyes, blooming with a lack of oxygen, and the nasty darkness is already clouding his consciousness. He wanted so badly to give up and let himself fall asleep. Shaking h
- We did it! he said, not recognizing his own voice, which sounded hoarse and low.“You really are crazy Claude,” Rolk said thoughtfully, in spite of his friend. - You understand that we almost went crazy with fear for you when you rushed back into the fire. For me to agree to your plan at least once, my nerves are not enough. Abnormal.- What else was left for me when the set fire rags did not take up, extinguished by the wind. I had to use a different tool, but I slightly did not calculate its power.- You didn’t calculate it, you say ... You yourself look at what you have turned this place into.Gently turning towards the former nesting place, Claude was speechless in surprise. The place where the nest was no longer existed, and everything the fire managed to reach, too, and its all-consuming arms turned out to be very long. A few meters around the place where he took an unequal battle with the creatures attacking him, lay a black burnt desert, on which nothing would grow for many,
НАЗАД1...91011 ВПЕРЕДКогда плот все-таки причалил к берегу, они с облегчением выбрались на сушу, после такой экстремальной переправы, окружающий ливень показался им лёгким неудобством. А на берегу их уже ждала повозка, заправленная двумя лошадьми, с крытым верхом и зашторенными окнами, представляя собой довольно сумрачное зрелище, но зато она внушала надежду хоть ненадолго, но укрыться от вездесущей воды, которая была всюду. Так что не сопротивляясь и ни о чем не спрашивая они в компании Арена забрались в повозку, места было мало, но в тесноте было даже теплее. Сидеть так прижавшись друг к дружке, чувствуя дыхание товарищей, сидящих рядом, навевало необычные ощущения. За все время пути никем не было не произнесено ни слова, даже Арен, несмотря на вопрос горящий в глазах, постеснялся их спрашивать о чем-либо, видимо их внешний вид говорил все за них. Тряся и подкидывая повозка везла их недолго, вскоре слегка дернувшись затормозила и остановилась. Когда они выбрались из повозки, их
Claude didn't know how long he slept, surrendering to the will of sleep, for the first time in a long time allowing himself to sleep as much as he could. Tired, exhausted body needed rest, and it was not every time that he had the opportunity to rest so calmly. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. An unfamiliar room in an unfamiliar house, last time he was very tired to look at the interior of the room, the main thing was that there was dinner, a bed and a bath. At that time, the most necessary details of the situation. Now, with a slightly cloudy look from sleep, he lazily glided over the expensive curtains that curtained the windows, a wide bed filled with expensive bed linen made of cool smooth silk and a huge fluffy carpet imitating someone's skin, but Claude had never met such an animal. I didn't want to get up at all.Rising briskly, he gracefully walked into the bathroom, where the clothes he had washed were drying, which had already dried well. Without hesitation, the guy got dres
- Unfortunately this is not possible. The road for carriages from our side was blocked until the "plague" passed. After all, they still do not know that the disease was caused by the tricks of monsters.- It's a pity.- I'm sorry I couldn't help you, but if you'll let me, I can write a cover letter for you. I still have contacts in the local guard and you will be allowed inside without difficulty.- From what? The boy furrowed his eyebrows.- Just. I still feel indebted to you, and this is a small thing that I can do for you. Moreover, it will not be difficult for me.- We will be grateful.- I do remember that the mercenaries in the capital are not easy. And so at least some help. - With these words, the mayor took out his writing utensils and began to painstakingly draw letters that form words, a short message. Which he handed over to Claude after a slight shake.- Thanks again. - Thanked Claude, accepting a piece of paper covered in neat small handwriting.- My pleasure. I think no
"What was that now?!" - Claude did not take his eyes off the girl in bewilderment. I looked and did not recognize. Her clothes remained the same, but her painted face and flowing hair with blades of grass and leaves stuck in them, coupled with huge eyes, gave her the image of a forest nymph, who did not at all resemble a teenage girl. Now looking at Daisyra somehow differently, he could note that she was no longer a child with the forms of an adult woman, skillfully hidden by clothes, now slightly unbuttoned, so that a pretty dimple peeked out near a slightly bony collarbone. The girl was beautiful.- Eek! I wanted ... - Daisyra muttered, but did not have time to finish, unexpectedly yawning. "And yet she is still quite a child!" - the guy drove away the obsession and grabbed the girl by the shoulders, gently shook her.- Daisy, you drank too much, now go and go to bed, otherwise tomorrow you will regret what you have done. - The man said in a measured, calm, but not tolerant of objec
- I'm afraid to scare away your people with my appearance! - Claude said with a wry smile and lowered his hood, barely, so that the burns that had not had time to leave his face could be seen. Now the guy was even grateful for the battle with the Sectroses.- Understood. Throw back. Sorry. - Said the man, whose voice began to sound much softer. As if he knew firsthand what it was like to have external ugliness.- Thanks. We have a message from the mayor of Stanburg and his personal accompanying letter.- From old Diaz.- Yes.- How is he? - the guard clarified, looking through the message of the mayor of Stanburg.- When we left him, he began to look much more cheerful than when we met.- Yes, he described your merits. Come on in.- Thanks to. Can you tell me the north street from the north gate, where we should turn.- Go through the gate, on the left there will be a turn for you there, the third street will be yours. Have a good day. - With a smile, the guard returned the note to Cl
The sun gradually descended below the horizon, seeing off the sky with bright flashes and painting everything around in pink, creating bizarre shadows near everything. Gradually, the lady of the night came into her own, covering everything with a dark blanket, in which, in addition to people, there were many other inhabitants, good and not very good. It was quiet in a small room, immersed in twilight, hiding both a neat bed and a table with a vase of unchanging flowers that emitted a suffocating aroma. It seemed that the room was empty, but if you look closely at the window, you could see the silhouette of a young man, sitting in a relaxed position on a chair placed close to the window. His clothes were clean, but terribly shabby, with holes patched in places, giving a false impression of his person. But he was by no means a vagabond, he was a free mercenary, a destroyer of evil spirits, a loner, who now himself did not quite understand who he was. It seemed that so little time had pas
The Rancia empire prospered. Those terrible times when the Ransians fearfully expected the birth of their own children are far behind. With the accession to the throne of the new emperor Claude re Tigras the First and Empress Daisyre re Tigras, the people stopped living in fear and excitement. Now every Ransian, human or not, had the same right to life and happiness. The persecution of non-humans stopped, because the ruling family also did not belong to the human race, mixed marriages began to appear more often, and cities grew. Life became calmer, now the imperials were not afraid to travel between cities, risking being in the mouth of some monster. All creatures, of course, did not disappear, but as a result of a number of innovations introduced by Claude from the experience of his mercenary life, they greatly facilitate the fight against these creatures, forced them to go away from human habitation or hide deep in their holes. Man again became the dominant race on the planet, and e
- Oh, those boys. Alita purred as she slid off her man's lap and sat down on Claude's bed. “In general, sweetheart, when we burst into the hall, we only made it to the finale, when you, with completely wild eyes, rushed towards the door until you stretched out on the floor, not having reached us a few steps. And then Alexander quickly stepped forward, ordering that you be lifted and taken to the imperial chambers and called for a doctor, and then he explained to everyone present that according to some ancient law, I don’t know where he dug it up, you become the next emperor, taking the place of the deposed you ruler. We didn't even believe what we heard. You are Claude and the emperor. It sounded kind of unbelievable. And to be honest, they also managed to catch this cold, so they thought it was the result of a fever. But as it turned out, no, they heard right and you were really glorified as the future emperor. He cleverly organized everything here. So even the few dissatisfied witne
- Infections... It's people like me that you call an infection?- Yes. To be honest, I even liked you a little, not often non-humans managed to hide from my eye for so long, and your stupid principles ... naive, frankly childish, but noble, made me smile. However, the fact that you are a monster cannot be changed and you have no other destiny than to die.“It’s like seeing which one of us is a monster.— Ha! Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror?“Appearance says nothing about a person. Yes, my eyes and ears are different from human, but there is much less blood on my hands than on yours.- What are you talking about. Turn around. All these people could live if not for you.“My fault for their death is no less than the one who set them on me. At least I was only defending myself, not sending them to their deaths.They died because they were doing their duty.Or because they were left with no choice.This conversation did not lead them anywhere, without bringing clarity or sat
And now only three of them remained, the horses carried the tired mercenaries forward, whipping dust into the air and crumbling the age-old stone into the sand. Two hot streams of steam escaped the air from the wide, nervously quivering nostrils of the driven horses. No one believed that they would catch up with the warrior, only hoping that the emperor would not realize his terrifying plan immediately upon the arrival of his assistant. On the horizon in front of them rose the towers of San Pen, brightening up the dull landscape with each kilometer growing higher and higher, delighting and frightening at the same time. Claude did not know what awaited them in the capital, for the first time he did not have at least some slightly thought-out plan, only one desire to be in time, not to be late, to stop. Inside, everything was shrinking from a bad premonition, but the guy drove away uninvited thoughts. You should never take on a job with a gloomy attitude to its failure, otherwise, every
Leata's voice broke through her rage-clouded consciousness. "Finally!" the guy exhaled, looking at the best thing to do in order to retreat without consequences for his health and life. It was not far to go, the creatures had already almost pressed him to the failure, from which the mercenary was separated by several steps, he needed only a couple of three seconds to get the coveted vial and jump over to the other side. Taking a step back, he seized the sword more comfortably and threw the dagger at the creature closest to him, slashing the blade across the entire expanse available to him and forcing the creatures to retreat a couple of steps. Here are his seconds. Rushing back, he removed the blade with one hand, and with the other he felt for the coveted cork. Which is specially marked so as not to be confused with others. The previous experience of using this remedy in the battle with sectroses taught him decently, but there was no time to sip drop by drop. Let it be what will be.
Aiyana, hurry up. Something is not happening.- One more second. Here it is! - the girl purred enthusiastically, pressing the lever near the capsule, and completely not noticing what was happening around.- We have no time. It's time to go.- Not! Until I find it, I won't leave.- Crap! Is it worth your life?- Yes!Discouraged by the answer, the mercenary fell silent for a few seconds. That's devotion! She could be admired if he and his comrades of life did not depend on her.Tell me what to look for! - finally, unable to stand it, he grunted, finally entering the room and feeling the cold enveloping from all sides.- You don't know the language.But I can see. I'll find it by sight. Show me or we'll all stay here.She did not argue further, obediently showing what symbols she had to find. There were few of them, at most four, of which one was a letter, and the rest resembled modern numbers. It was not even a name, but rather a code. He moved along the nearest shelving unit, running
At Leata's remark, Claude only shook his head, as they approached the ruins, Leatrice became more and more irritable and angry. He did not know what was eating her, most likely she was also afraid. After a quick bite, they hit the road. The sounds that accompanied their breakfast didn't help their appetite, and neither did their conversation. In anticipation of a meeting with the owners of these voices, people unanimously grew gloomy, but walked, carefully looking around. It gradually began to get light around, mischievous rays gently ran across the grass, reflected in drops of dew, flashed on people's weapons, playfully looking into their eyes and blossomed with a gloomy rainbow, reflected from the surface of the lake. The one that Leata called the "Lake of the Dead". For what it received such a name, no one knew, but the assumptions were different. Maybe the ancients drowned their dead in it, or maybe this is due to some mysterious story, since the lake was no different from its cou
- What the hell! cried Claude with a loud splash as he went under the water. The turbulent river picked up its prey with the joy of a small child who discovered in his power a toy he had long desired. The big man was twisted and twisted, sometimes hitting the side of the shell. Water clogged in his mouth, nose, forcing him to spit, smearing haze before his eyes. You can't give up! Claude remembered that he was not alone in the water, but he did not have time to really see the creature that had so cleverly discounted him. However, this did not give a reason to underestimate her. Ripping up the water with powerful strokes, he forced himself to swim up. Thank the Gods, he did not have time to take aside. The shell, like a native, clung to him, dragging him along, trying in vain to pull him under him. The body already almost did not obey him, bound by a terrible cold. Pushing off from the surface of the water, Claude desperately jumped up in an unsuccessful attempt to grab the edge, feeli
— Falcon. Daisyra prompted, following his gaze. For her, this distance was not a problem. - Beautiful.- Yes. And lonely.- How are you!- What did you get?“This is how we met you in that tavern.- When it was. Seems like another life.- Yes. And I'm glad we met.- And I.They had a strange conversation, they seemed to be talking and at the same time not. Pictures of their meeting floated before his eyes, taken apart by the words of the girl, and seeing himself, he looked and did not recognize. Now he was no longer the same person. Claude has changed. Becoming somehow something ... more integral, but still in his chest did not want to melt a tight lump that appeared there in childhood, as if not allowing him to free himself from the cage created by himself.- For me, he is not alone, but strong. Rolk muttered thoughtfully.— Who are you talking about? Caer joined in, also following his eyes sparkling in the rays of the sun, following the bird circling above them.- About both.“We wi