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The Verge Of An Empire 68
“It's safe here, master. You can come in.And I went. Sometimes it seems to me that if I had not had military experience behind me, I would have turned gray and died after the very first year of work as the supreme interrogator. Mesquia was drowning in corpses, and there was no count for them! Over the past 24 hours, I have already seen several dozen dead, and after all, most people and even tenkris, having lived their lives, can hardly count three or four dead! Here again, going into the room, I came across a mountain of corpses! All are osh-zan-kai officers, all in armor and some even with weapons. Upon closer examination, I noticed that the vast majority of the dead show the so-called "lightning signs", tree-like stripes resembling a complex burn, blackened or pink. Also, parts of the metal armor are fused together in places by incredibly strong heat!“The mage did it,” I concluded.- Master?“They were struck by lightning, Sebastina. Do you smell?- Ash and bleach.“Yes, burnt fle
The Verge Of An Empire 69
It would be a strategic mistake to overexert the soldiers before a possible battle, so I softened the load as best I could. Fortunately for me, Gatus Virze appeared next to me, my personal adjutant in the past. Avian from the subspecies of axipiti. These Avians are noticeably smaller than the Aquili aristocrats, but are also true warriors of their people, desperate and fearless. Gatus had a flat, triangular head with dark orange eyes, a predatory beak, and black and white plumage. Goshawk. Of all the adjutants that I had, this fellow distinguished himself not only by his amazing vitality, but also by his exceptional talent as an organizer. From his piercing cry, even the most arrogant and lazy lups began to move faster. It was Virze who took charge of the erection of the barricades and immediately distributed more than five hundred soldiers allocated to him into nine teams,While everyone was bustling about, I, with the tenacity of a true interrogator, pulled out of Incival the detail
The Verge Of An Empire 70
I look at the people running, watching how in the distance, driven by the news of a terrible defeat, the crowds of Maldese turn and go back. Doing what I asked them to do without bloodshed just recently.- Do not finish off wounded opponents. Collect our dead and transport them over the bridge. Provide immediate assistance to wounded soldiers. Combat-ready fifteen minutes of rest, then loading! The night is not over yet, warriors! The battles for Starkrar are still on!While my orders were carried out, I stood over the canal and examined my palm. My hand is covered with stinking, thickened blood, but I gripped the hilt of the saber so tightly that my palm remained clean.“You are smeared with the blood of lesser creatures, master. Shall I give you a handkerchief?- Look at yourself.“Very true point, master.Footsteps were heard behind.- Hard?- To me? - Incival leaned on the stone railing and somehow childishly, stupidly spat into the dark water. - Not really. My back hurts, the gen
The Verge Of An Empire 71
“The boy el'Moria, the boy el'Calypsa, and the fidget el'Fayenfas. Dead man, outcast and slob. How much time do we have, el'Moria?- Enough to put all the emphasis. But first, with the greatest respect, Your Majesty, transports with my soldiers are waiting at the gates, many of them are wounded, others need rest, and they will again be ready for battle.- Here! The most powerful ruler of the world looked at his junior heirs. “This is how a real commander should think, Your Highnesses!” Look at his face, swollen, cut, smeared with blood. He needs a doctor, but he takes care of his soldiers. Warriors follow people like him, as if they were their own fathers, and you? Rearrange the figures on the game board, study the characteristics of weapons, alloys, alchemical formulas, the psychology of your future soldiers, but you will never be able to win their trust until you yourself lead them on the battlefield and share your share of suffering in one lunette!“Your Majesty, we believe that th
The Verge Of An Empire 72
I left with a heavy feeling. It's hard to describe it. It is difficult when those whom you at best disliked, and sometimes simply hated, ask you for help. They ask so that either you agree and help, no matter how disgusting it may be, or you strike and finish off the wounded enemy with pleasure. My desires demanded to strike in order to break this bastard's back. Just because she... didn't love me? Why should she love me? That question stopped me, that question made me change my behavior, not put her away, but give her hope. Running my hand over her head, I corrected something, just a little, just a little. I slightly reduced the likelihood of irreparable mental damage and suppressed the feelings that prompted suicide. Despair and fear leading to unbearable apathy. I was disgusted, but I did it for her. Maybe,Did you find yours? Inchival chewed a large piece of bread with a thick layer of ham as he walked. He handed the second one to me. - What? I'm hungry! Can you imagine the last t
The Verge Of An Empire 73
The sphere burst, and we collapsed down. Before the collision, it seemed to me, Inch managed to create something like an air cushion, and we did not have to die. At least until the shooters finish us off.– Ushkarvaalahasimurgalluzul!The sound wave scattered the soldiers running towards us. I was just trying to get on all fours, and he was already throwing spells with might and main. Silana, I hope he didn't kill anyone! Sebastina is also on her feet, she seems to have beaten bullets with knives ...- Stop!Augustus Kroeder, Lord Executor, gazed down at us from the balcony. Already an old man, of medium height, but with such broad shoulders that, probably, in the Navy it was difficult for him to rush along the cramped corridors. However, this did not stop him from rising to the rank of admiral of the heavenly fleet. After the resignation, the Emperor personally transferred the title of Lord Executor to the old man, and with it the power over the three "Tyrants".They stopped firing.
The Verge Of An Empire 74
The detachment went through three skirmishes with the rebels, the fights were short and ended with our victories. Once we had to concentrate our forces to a flaming battle center, we covered the nest of four hundred opponents who were preparing for sabotage attacks in the rear of the main forces of the royalists. Nobody left alive. The series of easy and quick victories was interrupted by the outpost at the Galanite Crossing, where the enemy was able to seriously dig in, build barricades and set up the Maskilla. To drive soldiers there would be sheer madness, because without the support of artillery, such an assault would have resulted in irreparable losses, and that is far from a fact. I set out to use the power of the Tyrants for the first time when the situation changed radically.The enemy fired, shouts were heard. All my people were in hiding, waiting for orders, which Virze immediately reported to me. From a protected position, I and several other officers could watch how someon
The Verge Of An Empire 75
Having got out to the railway bridge, I expected to find trenches and soldiers well prepared for the defense of this crossing, but I did not find anything. Only a small detachment from the capital's garrison, which guards the bridge especially for us.- What's the matter? Why can't I see fortifications? I asked the senior officer.– Order of the Emperor, tan colonel, all forces loyal to the crown are obliged to withdraw to the KGM, no defensive battles, no strongholds!- What does it mean? And the loading station is empty too?! The prince flared up again.“Order of the Emperor…” the officer mumbled with white lips.Why did I storm him?The heir to the throne smashed his fist into the nearest wall, and it shattered in a cascade of brick fragments.“We must obey. We are crossing! Get together! Ahead we will have a short break and a hot meal!Having got out to Kemperton, I no longer felt the constant proximity of the enemy. The rebels, like a wary animal, stopped at the waters of the can