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The Verge Of An Empire 33
I lie in bed among hot blankets, and sleep is afraid to come to me, because I am afraid to fall asleep. This happens in patients with fever or poisoned by bad food, who are tormented by great heat and nausea. Any attempts to fall asleep are futile, because crazy pictures, fragments of some melodies, slurred phrases are dancing in the inflamed mind. Every now and then the disfigured muzzle of the late Wolfeld flickers, the family of coal miners dances among the nameless tombstones, and people whom I did not personally see, but who have disappeared, lie in a heap on the sidelines. Customs officials, most of them never found, none of the ones de Moranjac suspected of taking bribes. Speaking of him, the high accuser is also here, in my head, in the midst of the excruciating heat. He and his whole family dine at a large table, not noticing the dancing dead and the lups prowling between the graves.“Monsieur de Moranjac,” I said as I approached, “forgive me for disturbing your meal. I don't
The Verge Of An Empire 34
We left the mansion and with great difficulty again overcame the green obstacle course. Escaped from the garden, we walked freely across the snow-covered wasteland. Frankly, I hate to meddle in this realm of warlike vegetation, and to stand on ceremony with every flower is somehow stupid! Not that Dargul would have burst into tears from such a loss or would have treated me worse, but he certainly would not have experienced joy. For example, I would not sympathize with someone who would dare to hit my Gladstone if the dog did nothing.Ook always obey an instinct that tells them to create the most comfortable environment around them. And the best thing for them is a dense wild forest. Their association with lower, non-sentient plants is very similar to magic, but it is not. Rather, it is an impeccable training using the forces of nature, which are available to everyone. Terrible power, great power. These creatures, as is commonly believed, have always existed, but they were not always a
The Verge Of An Empire 35
Excited exclamations of passengers were heard. I hurried to the side and leaned over the railing to see what the noise was. From the muddy waters of Estra appeared the bumpy, overgrown with silt, like wool, the shell of the Clastanos violinist. A giant crab with a primitive mind took up a vertical position, showing a huge right claw, and began to gurgle. Judging by the way its mouthparts trembled, the klastanos was about to release a long jet of stinking water at the passengers for fun.“Be careful, master. Sebastina snatched a kitchen hatchet from under her hem and threw it at the violinist.Hissing through the air, the weapon slammed into the carapace and knocked off the outermost of the six horn growths above the muzzle. Hissing viciously, the river dweller sank under the water.- In vain you are.“This lower being allowed himself the unacceptable. I intended to drive the ax between the eyes, but did not take into account the movement of water and ferry.“The Clastanos are vindicti
The Verge Of An Empire 36
- I believe you. I even roughly imagine what kind of soldiers accompanied the cargo. But where did they take him?- Don't know. I was tasked with transporting weapons across the Estra and then hiding them in one of our warehouses.“Western part of Little Zankog?”- Yes. Warehouse lot number six, room number seventeen just above the canal. Where the boxes then disappeared, I do not know.Did they disappear?“No one carried them outside, tan el'Moria. My people simply put their weapons in the indicated place and locked the warehouse. When they got there a day later, the warehouse was empty. And so time after time ... Hmm, the tea has cooled down, and we have not touched it.- This is all?“Anything I can offer for an investigation. And now I ask you to forgive me. It's time.The girl, who had been dozing all this time on the sofa, whose head Dan Kao was stroking as if she were a cat, sat down, flexibly stretched and stood up. She rolled out a wheelchair from behind the sofa, and then, s
The Verge Of An Empire 37
Sebastina helped me sit up and piled plates around me, interspersed with documents. I ate something without looking, sorting through the results of examinations, the conclusions of the coroner, the reports of alchemists and forensic magicians. Perhaps the most interesting was the description of the black substance found in Incival's house. Neither magicians nor alchemists had any idea what it was. More precisely, the alchemists knew what they had found, but they did not understand how it got there and what it was used for. The guys from Kalkstein University even sent us a list of the elements that make up that mass: water, carbon, ammonia, lime, phosphorus, salt, saltpeter, and so on, some other number of substances that could say something to Inchival, and not for me.- Some kind of nonsense. They say that this mixture is not particularly flammable, therefore, it is not a fuel, it cannot be consumed, which means that it is not a medicine. Not vegetable, not organic. Not acid, not… An
The Verge Of An Empire 38
– I was looking for meetings with the so-called free zheshzuls, a community that does not obey our laws, shuns our society and retains its original ethnic features. I hoped that they would have information that could help me in the investigation. After all, who knows more about the devouring of souls than zheshzul?Fear, distrust, in the air.“Unfortunately, wandering among the shadows, I did not meet a single zheshzul. But then I found a warehouse full of weapons and ammunition, and then I met a man who is now better known as the Leatherworker. Meeting him almost cost me my life, and then I had to flee from armed netankris who tried to kill us.“Are you saying, Thane el'Moria, that when you visited the forbidden territory, you discovered a murderous maniac, a cache of weapons and living beings?”- I don't want to say anything, Mr. Chancellor, I'm speaking in plain text. This mentally brings me back to the reports of my predecessors, but more on that later. Now I continue. Although I
The Verge Of An Empire 39
“And this is you, the thane who rushes between the bar and the dubious admirer.- How rough! He grimaced arrogantly.– Do you know each other, thanes? the Emperor asked, watching us with interest.“We are not represented, Your Majesty,” my interlocutor bowed low. “Although I have heard a lot about Tanya el'Moria during my communication with my capital friends. Miscellaneous.“Then I will do you the honor of introducing you personally. Thane Brian el'Moria, High Interrogator of the Night Watch. Tan Ruton el'Vanshar, representative of our economic interests in the eastern sector.“In other words, I am the reverse representative of the Orst-Malda Trading Company, which works in close cooperation with the tenkris families of the Eastern powers,” boasted a lover of dark glasses. At the same time, a stuffy cloud of swaggering complacency spread around him. “And I have arrived with extremely good news for His Majesty!”- Is it true? The monarch chuckled.- Still would! Our income has skyrock
The Verge Of An Empire 40
Nearby loomed the figure of Mork. Avian tried desperately to issue instructions, forcing the terrified netankris out of their stupor and giving way to fire brigades and rescue teams.“This is a real nightmare, Sebastina."Would you like to leave, master?"- For what? Is there any way I can help them? Or will I just get in the way of Mork? Sebastina, again I don't know what to do.The tower was on fire, as my maid rightly compared, with a gigantic torch illuminating the entire capital. My floors, my office, everything was engulfed in a roaring blue fire, the heat from which rose up with clouds of greasy black smoke and mingled there with the icy winter night. Pieces of the building broke off and rushed down, developing breathtaking speed ... Miraculously, the employees who survived the explosion jumped out of the windows, choosing a quick death.How long can I take all of this before my heart breaks as the waves of pain, fear, and despair wash over me?“Only the Thane himself knows wha
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- The Verge Of An Empire
Epilogue
In the evening of the same day, when the carpenter's hammers continued to rattle throughout the capital, I sat opposite the Emperor and told him everything I knew about the past crisis. Although not all, of course. I left out some details, I didn't say a word about John Darksad, or Zolan el'Cha, or who and what helped me set up a forgery to start a riot, I didn't say how exactly I was connected with the first enemy of the empire, in my retelling, he was simply the Persistent, who broke into our world and wanted to crush the great Meskian Empire. If the Emperor knew I was lying, he never showed it. After all, during our conversation with Authurn di'Anshwar, he was near death and could not hear everything that we said to each other.“Thus, after all of the above, I tender my resignation and express my readiness to accept any punishment that Your Majesty deems appropriate.”I laid out a sheet of petition on the tabletop.Hmm, punishment? the Emperor drawled. “Hmm, what punishment should
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- Hurt.- Sorry…“It hurts to see what an ungrateful and stupid young man my son's son has grown up to be. Boy, I am a great black-tongued, I do not die from a wounded perishable blade, I forge perishable blades myself!With these words, he tore the sword out of his stomach, causing the purulent masses to flow out, and let out a loud roaring scream! His appearance changed dramatically and almost instantly, his clothes dissolved, his whole body acquired a matte black color, dozens of thin tentacles appeared instead of legs, forming something like a long skirt, huge black wings opened behind him, from which numerous eyes looked, his arms lengthened and received the second elbow, instead of fingers, terrible blades jingled on them, and a white bone mask without eyes and nose, but with a wide, toothy mouth, covered his face. A large wound on the stomach that was supposed to kill a person was quickly healed on this monster!“Look what you got me into. Are you satisfied now? I had to uncove
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“I was forced, Brian. Even my spell can be removed, and the puppets, although they are not able to act on their own, see and understand everything.“You destroyed him, and at the same time you tried to kill Tromgar el'Rumar to protect yourself from possible testimony from the grave.- It's like that.“I still don’t understand why you stole Yaro Wolfeld’s body from Volchie. Is it really just to abuse him for the last time and turn him into a vile running piece of carrion?- A burst of inspiration. A particle of chaos in an ordered stream of consciousness. Besides, I was hoping to set you on another false trail.“Using charmed Lups soldiers from the missing battalion?”- Exactly. They did not stand out on Volchie, and lups are by nature a close-knit people, they do not suspect their own.- I understand ... In principle, if the execution of a grandiose plan was perfect, you would have succeeded. You removed your creature from the statue before the statue reached the museum, and all this
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“You were right, cousin. As always.“See the skinny shadows walking in front of the front door?- The enemy was spotted in the amount of fifteen combat units.“These are Asmoderians, immortal creatures from the Darkness. They are very fast and strong, and they also have weapons that destroy any armor, stone, metal, wood.“My task is to attack and distract while you get inside.– There may be more, and even your car does not guarantee you victory.“I fight to fight, not to win, cousin.Chapadeau rushed across the square turned into a battlefield, took out the front gate with a kick and opened fire. The Asmoderians scattered like frightened water striders, but they weren't frightened!- Now!Sebastina made a dizzying leap and ran forward. The shooting stopped, a huge iron fist grabbed me and threw me forward like some kind of ball, and the maid caught me!- Run, cousin!The last thing I saw before I ran into the palace hall was the figure of a steel giant, plastered with skinny black bo
- The Verge Of An Empire
80
The tashshar's horseback ride turned out to be a surprisingly convenient and fast way to get around. Skinny looking and very hard to the touch, these furry monsters have long, strong legs. They rushed at great speed, made long jumps and easily maneuvered in the stream of evil spirits flowing through the streets. Smaller monsters did not stick to the tashshars, they had an order to get out and add new oil to the subdued fire of terror, and they breathed it, they breathed the will of their master! Every few seconds I looked up and peered into the darkness above our heads, expecting that the ceiling of the cave, invisible to me, would crack from a hail of artillery shells and multi-ton slabs would bury us under them! We broke out of the city and began to break through the tunnels filled with evil spirits, up into the predawn winter night, and hope even began to arise in me, that we will have time to get out when the whole world went crazy at once and a grandiose roar knocked us down! The
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It ended abruptly. The Tashshars simply crushed the Asmoderians in bulk, crushed them and deprived them of their heads. After that, the bodies of the invincible guardsmen literally evaporated. The armor was empty and scattered in many segments, swords fell to the floor. The crazy spree is over. It seems that one of the survivors addressed me. Some kind of lups with a crazy muzzle. Simon was saying something, but I didn't hear them. I was snapped out of my stupor by the sight of Arren el'Calyps writhing on the floor. Raising my saber as I ran, I struck with all my might at his arm, chopping it off at the elbow. Noble silver blood spattered, and the severed forearm literally in a few moments turned into a piece of fetid meat exuding poisonous pus.- Bandage him! Calculate the personnel, provide assistance to the wounded, if any! Don't touch the dead! Rest… I… Perform!Sebastina was already seated next to Incival.- Is he alive?- Yes, master. But it is very difficult for him, as far as
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He sighed heavily and sadly.“Listen, boy, I will go against my rules and extend my hand to you one more time. You have come a long way, you were able to find me and you were not afraid to come here, taking only a maid. This is worthy of encouragement. I extend my hand to you again and say, join me! The next morning will be the first morning of the new age! And this century will belong to me! On the ruins of old Mescia, I will build the palaces of a new empire, and, what the hell is not joking, you will sit on its throne!"Are you offering me the imperial crown?"“That little thing doesn't matter, my boy. I offer you the whole world!- Interesting.- You deserve it! Believe me, I know that in all this rotten aristocracy there will never be as much grandeur and dignity as there is in one of your fingers! Help me today, and tomorrow your path to the top of the world will begin! This is not the ravings of a madman and not a sweet lie, this is my promise to you! Get close and...- No.- W
- The Verge Of An Empire
77
We moved through the streets of the ancient city, expecting danger from every shadow. And there are many, many shadows! Tower, castle, palace or temple, whatever it was, the building seemed incredibly majestic and hung over us the closer we got. We soon approached the first crater.“The impact came at an angle of twenty-five degrees, demolished two houses, left a furrow, and went out right here.- What could hit like that? Spell? The stone is melted.The Emperor did it.- What?!- I saw something like that. Traces of destruction. Huge. And this sand under our feet - it is everywhere - not sand. It is the ashes of hundreds of thousands of living beings whose bodies have decayed over the past ages. This is Meskiah, thanes and gentlemen.“You mean the same city, el'Moria?”“The city that gave the name to our empire. The city that became the first letter in the new history. The Emperor came here and swept from south to north like a hurricane, demonstrating the power of his Voices. He dest
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Gantsaros remained himself, ruthless and purposeful, the one who steps over the corpses, grinding them into mincemeat, and opens fire on any moving target. I see his receding back and a plume of hot steam, white as milk in this cold and bitter night. And I have no doubt that the royalists have put an end to it. For some time, the new weapon will show its power, and the number of victims will exceed tens of thousands, total extermination. Then the time limit will be released, and the surviving prisoners will appear. Mesquia's new weapons will prove to all countries of the world that their armies are outdated. We will remind you again how powerful we are. And we will make them remember how ruthless we can be to our own people. What will we do with them if they dare to anger us?“Truly… The Emperor is prudent and ruthless as always… Now I understand why the threat of rebellion did not frighten him. Moon, have mercy on us.I looked at the creator of these new war machines and felt his del
