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NEW WORLD 45
With the first rays of the sun, two travelers appeared on a serpentine path among the mountains. Both were dressed in simple clothes, but the purity of the fabric and the quality of the cut betrayed the townspeople in them. The first to step closer to the cliff was a full-bodied young man with a bag over his shoulders. His tousled pine-bark hair was like a smoldering torch. In addition to a shirt and wide trousers, he was wearing a leather vest. The second traveler walked a little further, leaning on a short pole. The dimensionless white shirt moved freely over the skinny body, dispersing in the wind like a sail.Shanti and Pavel left the city before dawn, when the gates were closed. To do this, they had to quietly climb the wall and go down the rocks in the place where the fortifications merged with the sea cliffs. Beyond was a dark forest and a road bathed in moonlight. For Shanti, such antics were akin to a habit. He loved adventure since childhood, just like his best friend Oliver
NEW WORLD 46
Rounding the inn, they reached a crossroads and began to descend to the swamp. At the entrance to the valley, Shanti heard screams coming from a nearby grove. Leaving the road, he was the first to rush there, and was not mistaken. In the meadow near the rocks, behind rows of young fir trees, two figures flickered. By the clothes and red pigtails, he immediately recognized Anabel. Oliver was next. Both held spears in their hands, fighting off brown balls that rolled across the clearing.– Look! They were attacked by bugs! Albrecht exclaimed, pulling out a knife as he went.Shanti and Pavel ran after him, but their participation in the battle was not required.Hidden among the fir trees, they watched the storm ten yards away. Three earthbiters scurried across the grass, creaking and hissing with indignation, like snakes woven into the wheels of a moving cart. Not far away, with his sharp paws up, lay the first loser. Oliver and Anabelle kept their distance as far as the length of the sp
NEW WORLD 47
The winter chill blew from the mountains. Goat grass rustled under the blows of the wind. Countless sharp stems rubbed against each other, creating a rustle like the rustle of dry leaves. Ahead ran a turbulent stream, breaking off at a cliff in a waterfall that fed South Lake at the bottom of the middle valley.The gloom of the hollow had vanished, along with the forest, now rustling several miles away underfoot. Anabel walked among the stones along the edge of the abyss and looked at the valley, in the center of which lay carpets of immature wheat. From here one could see farms, and a lake with vineyards, and Orvald's estate, and even the triangular roof of the chapel above the crowns of trees. Here and there carts of merchants moved along the roads. Peasants worked in the gardens near the edge. A little further on, lumberjacks were cutting down trees. Further on stretched the forest, drawn by a milky haze, and behind it again the mountains, surrounding the valley in a ring.Many mer
NEW WORLD 48
In fact, no one knew how a dead body turns into a bloodthirsty frame. Even in new cemeteries, bones sometimes crawled out of the ground. On ancient burials, like this, there were a lot of them.– Life and death are part of our world, but there is something in between. We call it undead.Miranda lifted her head at that moment and looked at him carefully.- The Nismant believe that after death a person gets the right to choose whether to stay there forever, be reborn or return back. Return, as a rule, scum, tied to something material. Such a life becomes their curse. Sometimes people turn into undead during their lifetime, but this is already the merit of necromancers. Just like that, a person cannot exchange life for death and at the same time keep a divine spark in the body.- Everything! Stop clucking,” Albrecht thundered, separating himself from the group. “Let’s split into pairs and search the cemetery. I just don't think we'll find anything here. On such graves they put one junk:
NEW WORLD 49
“ Do you even know how much a cleaver like that costs?” Albrecht said in a low voice, studying the Vergal blade from a respectful distance. “I heard Lord Felos of Crindale paid two hundred sacks of silver for the Moonchild. With such money you can buy a thousand blades along with mercenaries.“ They will take it away from you as soon as they see it,” Shanti chuckled bitterly.- And here it is not. I will become a warrior like Grog! With such a strong blade, I will be unmatched in any fight.- Join at least one first. I can't believe you dragged us here because of a toy that the first drunk you came across would take from you.Albrecht, judging by his hoarse laugh, was of the same opinion. Bringing the torch to the blade, he once again carefully examined it and said:- It's a waste of time, boy. They say that even Felos lost his sword. In the mines near Crindale, his detachment was shot down by bandits. The blade did not help him much in that fight, rather it prevented him from ... fle
NEW WORLD 50
Rumbold and Falaise left the barracks at sunset. Dressed in plate armor, girded with short swords, they headed for the lower limit. The place where they were to spend the night was considered the most dangerous in the city. Instead of quilting and colored surcoats, the militiamen who were on duty at the pier were given special leather armor, which consisted of many metal plates fitted to each other, and shortened blades with a needle tip. In addition, everyone was supposed to wear a rounded helmet with a low nape that protected the head from behind. Such equipment saved from slippery knife blows and helped to survive in duels among the slums.Descending the stone stairs to the main street, the militia marched towards the sea. Rumbold walked slowly, peering from time to time into the aisles between the houses. Ever since he told Fergus everything he thought, his heart had become quite restless. He shouldn't have been excited, but the memory of his parent's crime always made him furious
NEW WORLD 51
In the dim glow of the candles, five men stood in front of the throne. Two old men and three young men. Armand sat in an armchair and drummed his fingers on the hilt of his rapier. On his orders, a burly young man in a stretched doublet got out of line and began to count loudly. This went on for quite some time.- ... Forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven, forty-seven, forty-seven, term ... - in the end, the thief began to repeat thoughtfully.“ Enough,” Cassia said, almost in a whisper.She sat on the throne, dressed in a black dress with a collar of crow feathers and, leaning back, looked away. On the armrest was a silver goblet of wine, the rim of which she stroked from time to time with her forefinger.Armand clapped his hands, and the young thief obediently returned to his seat.- Further.There was silence. The last candidate in the line did not move. Armand frowned, noticing that the young man was watching her intently and clapped his hands again.- Bastian! the golden-haired thie
NEW WORLD 52
They entered the space of the ancient seal at the same time. Thirteen people stood at the edges of the massive golden circle. Tant, Marletta, and Kirk stopped in the center. Not far away, Altvidus opened a sack and poured dozens of green-veined stones onto the floor. One of them was split by a strong young man with an axe. Both halves at the same time shone faintly with an acid green light.“ This is a grill,” Altvidus explained, tying both pieces with a rope. “The Equitanian miners wear them to explore the caves. The closer the fragments are to each other, the more powerful they glow.The young bandit was resourceful and quick, but on the campaign he was treated like a lunatic. Living in the Southern Hills, Tant noticed that fools always behave this way with those who are smarter than them. The remaining members of the detachment began to dismantle the stones, splitting them along the way. Tant warned that where they got stuffy, and the torches would burn worse.“ I never thought tha
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- NEW WORLD
Bonus Chapter 3
There was not a soul in the common grotto. Thunder rumbled. In the distance beyond Rat Lake, dirty clouds swirled over the mountains. For the first time since autumn, Mirkhold was hit by a hurricane. Tantus was sitting in a pine armchair by the brick parapet and, wrapped in a loden, looked through the wall of rain. The rustle of leaves and the rumble of stones on the slopes of Teres brought him back to reality from time to time.He spent the morning of trida in thought, overcoming pain and guilt for what he had done. Climbing to the top of the red-hot pipe in the underground sanctuary cost him dearly, and the loss of his brothers unsettled him for a long time. Burnt palms were wrapped in bandages with healing ointments, the skin on the face burned like after a sunburn, and a fire raged in the heart. There was a lot to plan for, and unnecessary thoughts could only hurt, but the memories of Korda continued to obsessively crawl into my head. They first met at the city docks. The boy was
- NEW WORLD
Bonus Chapter 2
At the same moment, an unknown force grabbed him and lifted him into the air. A tiny hole opened up on the wall of the cave, completely black and impenetrable, like liquid resin. The space around her began to move. Grog watched in fascination as the sarcophagus, and then the whole cave, flowed into it like water. When there was nothing left but darkness around, a blow to the back followed. An invisible stream picked him up and carried him into the void at the speed of a cannonball. Nobody's magic was terrible. She withered her skin and innards like the midday sun. The world around has hardened, turning into a piece of stone. It became hard to breathe. His hands went numb, his throat was tormented by a cough, and he kept rushing through the void, feeling only the cold of the blade on his chest and the growing pain under his heart.It seemed like an eternity before an orange dot flashed ahead. Through this point, the distorted outlines of the cave began to crawl into the darkness. First
- NEW WORLD
Bonus Chapter 1
It seemed to him no more than an hour before something heavy touched the surface of the table. Grog opened his eyes and lay on his back, noticing a man in the house. The wasteland and garden beyond the doorway were bathed in silver light. There was a lit candle on the table. The stranger did not move. A capacious hood fell over his face, hiding his features in deep shadow. A light linen cloak hung over his broad shoulders.- Get up! said a familiar voice dryly.- Bangladore?For the first time calling the necromancer by name, Grog for some reason was frightened. It really was his teacher. The sorcerer threw off his hood, allowing him to see the soot-stained face, which in the yellowish light resembled fermented pus. The sharp beard was slightly scorched. Brown eyes are wide open. Both sparkled like two pieces of dark amber. He was angry or scared, or both at the same time.- What's wrong with you? Grog asked cautiously, touching the talisman.- Get up and get dressed!With these words
- NEW WORLD
Epilogue
At the command of the teacher, he found a stone in the water and, stretching out his hand, pointed his fingers at the running stream. As pressure began to build up under his palm, Grog clenched his fingers. The stone was caught the size of a camping barrel and did not immediately succumb. The water sparkled for a long time around his smooth sides before he lifted a smooth piece of basalt over the stream.Looking up at the glittering boulder above, Bangladore nodded in satisfaction.“ Do me a favor,” Grog asked, opening his fingers.The stone flopped into the water, showering the shore in a myriad of sparkling drops. Banglador wiped his wet face and looked at him with displeasure.I need personal time.– Why?- It's personal.The sorcerer smiled, appreciating the pun.- Good. You can do whatever you want in the afternoon when the heat takes over.With these words, the necromancer handed him the fourth beaker with a white slurry that looked like milk. Grog drank the stimulant and strain
- NEW WORLD
69
Coolness reigned in the drift. Grog sat on a carpet of damp sand and stared into space. For the past two days, he saw only her in front of him, and he also heard a voice. Through the ocean of darkness, someone who did not want to introduce himself spoke to him. The flask was empty. Slugs crawled around him, dragging long lamellar shells behind them, climbed to his feet, and when he fell asleep, even under his clothes, rubbing his skin with slimy suckers.Time dragged on endlessly, but now the voice sounded for the last time:- He's coming. Earlier than promised. We have little time. I hope you remember everything. Do exactly as agreed and you will be free.– I understand.“ The necromancer will test you. Remember everything you have to do, but don't think about what you are doing. It's hard, Grog. One false step and he will suspect. Think - and he can guess. Guess - and our plan will be revealed.- Yes, I understand!Grog realized a long time ago that all sorcerers are the same. Whoev
- NEW WORLD
68
Then a wave of light overtook the spider. Jumping up off the floor, the golem turned around and rushed towards him. Tant only had time to notice how a massive body on six legs ran up to the pipe. The golem knew exactly where to look for him and did not stop pursuing him, even when he moved to the next staircase and disappeared behind the furnace.Going down, Tant stumbled and slid to the base of the pipe, severely skinning his back. There he was overtaken by a spider. Leaping after him, the creature sank its hooked limbs beside him, then turned and hurried back. Tant lay motionless for some time, watching the monster.“He didn't touch me. This is the second time,” he thought through his head.Rising to his feet, Tant picked up the torch and ran after the spider. A terrible mechanism by that time had already managed to hide in the tunnel.- Marlette! he yelled, rushing headlong towards the archway.His greatest fear was finding her body, but there was no one inside except for the spide
- NEW WORLD
67
He circled the flooded hall with his blade. There was only one way out of it - through an arched tunnel through which a spider could pass. The rest took their places. Kirk positioned himself on the steps, his sword sheathed first. Tant was silent all this time, looking at the sentry's body. Marletta stood over him for a long time, glaring accusingly, but then sat down beside him.“ I didn’t think it would end like this,” he whispered, looking at the water. “I wanted to make it to the cadence. I thought Kirk's people would help us.- Help with what? What should happen after the cadence? Speak already!Tant moved closer, whispering in her ear:“ After the death of Ang Walpa, his supporters stole the body, but were captured and executed. Only one priest survived. He gathered the first sentinels and performed a special ritual, taking the sacred entrails of Ang Hualpa. We must find the descendants of those sentinels.“ Did the Pale One tell you this? ”He nodded.“ Tant, this is some kind
- NEW WORLD
66
A massive clot of flame illuminated the hall with sunlight. There were blood stains on the floor. For the first time since ancient times, work was in full swing under the arch of the smelter. After the mechanical spider jumped down, turning Linus into a mess, the bandits began to work together on a rescue plan. It consisted in a one-time escape in all conceivable directions, which was only in the hands of the creature. Tant slid along the wall, watching the massacre in fear. The state was such as if he was rising from the depths. A buzz grew in my head, and people continued to rush around.Having crushed the one-eyed Linus, the monster chose a new target and attacked Bertrand, slamming the vomit-weed lover into the floor. Kendrick miraculously dodged the swing of a steel limb and ran to the nearest hole in the wall, where he jumped safely. The despondent Kuno ran away until he broke his knee and, realizing that he could not leave, met death with a sad face.Some bandits gave a tear up
- NEW WORLD
65
Rick didn't listen as he aimed his crossbow at him. Rumbold pointed his sword at the bearded mercenary, who was holding an ax with both hands. Distenza stepped forward, shielding his comrades. As befits an honest leader, he plunged his sword into the ground and showed his empty hands as a sign of good intentions.Your name is Fergus, right? the mercenary inquired, curling his thin lips in a grin. “Grog was your friend. I see you have similar amulets. He often spoke of you as if you were a half-witted fellow ...The warriors behind him burst into laughter. Fergus didn't hear half of what he said." Explain how he died," he demanded, his eyes fixed on the warrior's shell, which featured a seven-pointed star with a crown in the center.“ Two weeks ago he went north to carry out his master's assignment and disappeared without a trace.- What are you saying then?" Of course he's dead," Distenza laughed. What do you think he was doing there all this time? Enough chatting! You're not here f
