Kitabı oku: «The Labyrinth of Inter-Time», sayfa 2
***
– Avinius found me. He called me the Chosen One. And I saved the kingdom from certain destruction! – Dell continued to tell. «And ended up in prison because of it!» Such is the king’s gratitude for freedom! You know, Khan, the world is not fair. I was only remembered as the villain who tried to attack the king. And not as a savior! After the feat, I was left completely exhausted, and did not even try to resist when the guards grabbed me. But the Element, which endowed me with Strength, filled me with hatred and malice, making me stronger. I broke the prison into a thousand pieces and was freed. And along with me – other powerful magicians who were outlaws. Together we went to the royal castle, in the name of revenge!
***
But Dell, of course, didn’t tell everything. He forgot to mention that the spirit of Antimonik came to him in a dream and offered him Power. And Dell did not reject the offer.
He awakened the Dark Army of Spirits again. The All-Powerful Element endowed him with a new talent – he became the new Dark Lord, the embodiment of Evil and Horror in a human body. The gates had not yet been completely restored, and collapsed again under the onslaught of the rebels.
They say that Avinius personally killed the student when he had already raised the black staff cursed by the Darkness over Leonard’s head. Dell died, but his shadow wandered for many years: first, Leonard was found dead in his bedchamber with a hole in his chest. Then many others who participated in the persecution of the caster of Darkness died from unknown causes. They said it was the spirit of a black rebel.
***
– Dell, Black Rebel! This can’t be! – Superstitious fear was visible in Khan’s eyes.
– Don’t believe me? – with these words the guest grabbed the Advisor’s wrist. But the Head of Parliament did not feel anything. The hand went right through.
– You really are a ghost! But this cannot be. I dream about you! The dead cannot meet the living!
«It turns out they can,» the ghost’s face was adorned with a demonic smile that would make anyone tremble. – An hour ago, members of my order performed a ritual, and here I am in front of you. But I’ll disappear soon. I want to be alive again. There is one secret in the vault for making a Revitalizing Stone.
– I’m not a king. And even if I want to get into the First Level Security vault, I won’t be able to.
«That’s why I came to you,» with these words an ominous smile appeared on the ghost’s lips. – Royal Advisor Khan. You have achieved the highest title a mere mortal could desire. But I see right through you! Even now you are missing something, although you don’t know what exactly. And I’ll give you a hint: the crown is missing.
– You won’t be able to give it! – Khan didn’t even deny that he wanted to wear the crown.
– I – no, of course. But I can help you achieve your goal. And in return I will get life. Sounds like a good exchange to me.
– This is impossible.
– Nothing is impossible. Half an hour ago you didn’t believe in the existence of ghosts. But I stand before you as a living, or rather, non-living example of the opposite. Fate is always so unpredictable! You don’t risk anything. If you do not become king, I will not be able to come to life, so there is no reason for me to deceive. Moreover, I have my own interest in the fall of Henry’s crown!
– What if, having become king, I deceive you?
– You won’t deceive me. So, do you agree? – Dell asked.
«Yes,» Khan answered.
– Hurry up. Create this sign on your left shoulder.
An image appeared in the air:
– What is this?
– Seal of fidelity. In case of betrayal, you will turn into ashes. Without her I will disappear. And this way I can feed on your energy to live and give advice. What did you want? Nothing appears out of nowhere and disappears without a trace. In order for me to appear before you, the Order had to sacrifice a child. And this is too much, even for a sect of dark magicians.
No one should know about our little secret. The Order of Vernikov will be at your personal disposal. I will warn Master Simon personally.
– Simon, the head of the Royal Guard – the leader of the sect of dark magicians?!!
– Have you stopped being surprised? But what about the Advisor – the future king? Will this news also surprise you? So, first, get rid of the Brotherhood of Defenders of the Crown. First of all, from Master Avinius. My mentor has not forgiven me, and will be an ardent opponent of revival. And he is a strong enemy! Maybe he, too, will decide to use the magic of Light to destroy the prison in which he will be put, and will go to kill the king, like I once did? I want to look at this!
– If not for you, he, and not me, would have been the head of Parliament. This is the second time you have promoted me up the career ladder!
«You must also get my staff out of the Vault,» Dell said.
«Black staff…» Khan whispered with awe in his voice.
– Yes, the same staff that I tried to kill Leonard with before my death. Darkness-cursed staff. Only he can kill the king. Be careful to handle it with silk gloves. Otherwise the curse will kill you! Touch causes instant death. Many people think that Avinius killed me. Nonsense! I died by accident! I touched the staff. And for many years he found himself in a gloomy world of Darkness and Horror. Many people go crazy, but I turned out to be stronger than the Element under my control. But death became the beginning of a new life for me! And soon I will become even stronger, my king.
– I’ll kill Henry and end up behind bars! – Khan exclaimed.
«Listen to me, and everything will be fine,» Dell said. – The secret of reincarnation will help. Including in the fight against these Defenders of the Crown.
Dell handed Khan the book, and he began to read: «Once upon a time there were two sisters. One inherited the beauty of her mother, and young men came from all the principalities to see the land on which she walked. And the second was smart, like a mother, and she had no equal in magic. The sisters got along well with each other until they met the princely governor. Between two sisters, he chose one, whom he married. And his choice fell, of course, on the beauty. But the second girl cried sleepless nights until she came up with the right way to be with her beloved. She touched her sister, and immediately they swapped bodies. And now only one belonged to intelligence, beauty, and a beloved young man. And only the elder, who perfectly mastered the power of Light, could remove the spell.»
– Only the primordial Elements can destroy the ancient curse! – said Dell. – Therefore, dear Khan, be careful with Avinius – he can expose us!
***
Hundreds, no, thousands of politicians from all over the world promise a happy future. If everything was as they say, everyone would have lived just perfectly long ago. But people love money, without exception. Khan knew this very well. And now he called Tion, one of Avinius’ students, «for a conversation.» He also knew that Tion was getting married soon, but had no gold. He comes from a poor family.
– Do something for me and I’ll pay for your wedding. By the way, I won’t offend you with the title either.
– I can’t do this, Advisor! – said Tion.
– You know, your father made a lot of mistakes in his youth. I think he should go to jail for them. I turned a blind eye to this for a long time. This item was found in his bedroom.
Khan handed a small piece of paper to Tion. «Kill Henry and you get 5 gold»
– What a coincidence, the royal guard receives gold for betrayal!
– You! – Hatred lit up in Tion’s eyes.
«You’re so honest, it’s time for me to do my duties too.» Soon your father will turn out to be an enemy of the state, and you, as his son, will be treated with caution. There is no future for the people you become, all roads are closed! And you don’t have to look with such hatred! Many people can’t stand me. But I have the information! – Khan looked into Tion’s eyes for a long time until he lowered his gaze.
«I agree,» he said quietly.
– Correct solution! – Khan burst into ominous laughter.
From birth, magicians are equal. Titles and positions are not inherited. The son of a magician can become a peasant, and the descendant of a craftsman can become a member of parliament if he shows talent for magic and wisdom.
All people, some from childhood, sign up to study at the University of Witchcraft. Until its completion and successful passing of the exams, no one has the right to use witchcraft.
Tion was soon to take Avinius’ exams. And he will officially be allowed to use magic. Otherwise – death. Its name is the Illigulus spell.
– Well, did you remember everything? – said Khan. – Repeat your lesson again!
– Avinius gives me my legal right to magic. I use a transformation spell and take on the appearance of the master, and he becomes me. Then I have to shout for the guards to take the «imposter» away.
– You say everything correctly. The main thing is to do everything right. Now imagine such a symbol on your left shoulder. – Khan drew the letter «B» in Tion’s head, that very seal of loyalty to Dell. «You must be faithful to our cause.»
***
Again this cold and feeling of panic.
– A good start! – said the ghost of a black rebel already familiar to us. – The main thing, Khan, is that everything goes as we plan.
The ghost could now move calmly, having drunk his fill of Khan’s energy.
***
Dawn just recently spilled the scarlet wine of the glow on the black blanket of the sky. Somewhere in the distance, a lanelle chirped, rejoicing at the birth of a new day. And this all-consuming smell of wild myrtles that bloomed all around.
A great holiday for many students of the magic school: very soon they will be able to use magic.
The high hill dozed languidly in anticipation of the approaching event, and the free wind gently ruffled it. A stone staircase, built several centuries ago, ran up the hill. It was here, and not within the city walls, that the ceremony for awarding the right to magic took place.
Master Avinius stood at the top. Each of the students climbed up in turn to receive the right they had earned over the years of study.
– Errifen! «Come to me, my student,» said the great magician. The named one went up the steps. -You have earned the right to magic! Swear on your name that you will use this right only for good!
– I swear, my teacher!
– We are all in the hands of Fate! But swear to me in the name of your mother that you will never take the path of evil!
– I swear, my teacher!
– Swear in the name of your father that you will protect the king and his family to the last drop of blood!
– I swear, my teacher!
– Let it be so! By the power given to me, I give you the legal right to magic! – Avinius ran his brush over Errifen’s shoulder, and for a moment a flame flared up on it, but then went out. Errifen fell to his knees, as tradition required, to thank the teacher for his efforts and patience.
– Arise, my faithful student! Now you are a magician!
Now it’s Tion’s turn to receive his legal right. Friends tapped him on the shoulder encouragingly, and he went towards his fate. He so wanted to quickly gain the right to magic, but he had to strictly follow traditions, and he had to slowly move from step to step. He kept looking at his feet to show modesty.
– You have earned the right to magic! Swear on your name that you will use this right only for good! – Avinius repeated, as required by the ancient ritual.
– I swear, my teacher! – Tion lowered his gaze even more. He never took an oath that he could not fulfill. But the seal of Loyalty burned stronger than his conscience, so he took all subsequent oaths.
– We are all in the hands of Fate! But swear to me in the name of your mother that you will never take the path of evil!
– I swear, my teacher! – the student said more confidently. Already became, for the sake of his father and beloved.
– Swear in the name of your father that you will protect his family to the last drop of the king’s blood!
– I swear, my teacher!
– Let it be so! By the power given to me, I give the legal right to magic!
Tion did as Khan taught him. One moment, and he turned into an exact copy of Avinius. The next second, and Avinius and Tion stood before the astonished students again.
– Take away the impostor! – shouted the young man in the guise of an old man. As it turned out, the royal guards, led by Simon, were standing nearby. Not even a minute passed before the unfortunate Avinius, in the guise of Tion, was imprisoned in a prison world.
And you already know how Tion’s fate ended.
***
A round steel table took up most of the room. There were flasks and retorts on the table, and liquid was boiling on the stove. And all the free space was occupied by manuscripts covered with various hieroglyphs of long-forgotten languages. Lightning or smoke sometimes flew out of the flasks, filling the entire room.
– Found! I found this! How stupid I was before! How could I not notice such an obvious thing! This is incredible!
All the people loved the king because he was kind to his people. But it was difficult to call him a good politician: what could interest a born scientist other than science? He spent days on end in the musty laboratory. Henry received the highest level of magic at the moment, and a tattoo with the number «16» adorned his delicate shoulder. And politics can be left in the reliable hands of Parliament and the Councilor!
There was a knock on the room and Khan entered.
– Hello, dear assistant! – Henry hugged the head of Parliament.
– Be healthy, Your Highness!
– Can you imagine! I found! It’s so wonderful! We understood magic completely wrong! And it is based on the forces of nature!
– I am amazed by your talent! – Khan bowed slightly.
– What’s new in the Country?
– Troubled Times threaten the United Kingdom! – said Khan.
– What kind of passion are you talking about?! What’s the matter.
– A new organization of conspirators has emerged. They call themselves the brotherhood of the Defenders of the Crown. But they want to make an attempt on your life. I know this from reliable sources.
– What should we do now! There can be no attempt on my life! After all, so many more works must be written, so many discoveries have not yet been made!
– Your Highness, I see only one way out: we need to eliminate the conspirators!
– You know, Advisor, that I completely trust the Parliament in matters related to politics. So you can take action.
So Henry signed his own death warrant. Khan left the laboratory hall, and as soon as he entered the room, a familiar ghost appeared in it.
«Everything is going as well as possible,» Dell grinned.
Chapter 4. The Chase
– Do not stop! – Eleon shouted.
– I haven’t heard footsteps for a long time? – said the girl.
– Be patient a little longer! When we reach the Magic Forest, the anti-magicians will no longer be scary! After all, ancient magic lives in the forest, and inquisitors will not be welcome guests!
The three fugitives continued to run, constantly looking back.
– What is your name? Why did you save me? – Eleon’s girl asked when they stopped to rest for a few minutes.
– Does the name matter? You can call me White Wolf.
– Why a wolf? – the girl was surprised
– Once, when I got lost in the forest, a pack of wolves tried to attack me. A meeting with an entire pack could have been fatal, but a white wolf stood up for my life, apparently the leader. Then he showed me the path that led to the house. Since then I took this name for myself.
– What was your mother’s name?
– It does not matter.
«You don’t trust me…» the girl lowered her head offended. There was a legend in these parts that a demon could take possession of the soul of an unfortunate traveler if he told his real name, so many took middle names and even nicknames.
– Sorry. Eleon,» the guy extended his hand.
«Esmeralda,» the handshake was strong, like for a thin girl. But the guy brought her hand to his lips.
– Very nice! What’s your name, guy? – Esmeralda asked.
– Dorian.
– You are so funny! Such strange clothes. Perhaps you are a foreigner?
– Somehow, I also increasingly feel like a foreigner. Can someone explain to me what all this means? – said Dorian.
«I told you, you got into this world, and now you have to look for your way home,» Eleon said. – This is the place where magic became the basis of the state. Only there are those who think differently. Anti-magicians are former sorcerers who went over to the side of the Inquisition, and now fight against spells with all the methods available to them.
– Lord, let’s take a break! – Dorian begged, leaning on the tree trunk. «I’m not used to running so much.» Yes, out of habit I work out in the gym a couple of times a week, but we’ve already been running for about an hour without breaks!
– Better shut up! Then you will have more strength to run. Or do you want to die right here? Well, you can surrender yourself into the clutches of the anti-magicians!
– Okay, I’ll keep quiet.
They ran a little more when Dorian caught on a branch and fell.
– Lord, how much can you do? – he said, getting to his feet. He once played basketball, then he abandoned the section and began to go only to the gym, but with each month these training sessions became increasingly rare and short. And when they started living with Angel, he stopped attending classes altogether. And it’s really in vain!
– Get up! – the muscular Eleon grabbed him by the collar and lifted him to his feet. – Let’s run.
– Run without me. I can not do it anymore! Better than death! «Dorian was out of breath and had difficulty speaking.
– Do you want me to leave my friend here? I say let’s run! Get up, rag, I told you!
Dorian got up and they continued jogging. But how long has it been since no one called him a friend! He had friends at school, then at university. They swore over a bottle of whiskey, swore in blood that the connection of their souls was forever, it was indestructible. But then he found a job, and time for communication became less and less. Then they stopped meeting altogether, replacing communication with occasional audio calls. Then they stopped calling each other. There were, of course, work colleagues with whom, on Friday after his shift, he would sometimes have a glass or two of beer and play a couple of games of poker. But can you really call them real friends when they said beautiful toasts and then made reports to the boss about each other?
Eleon suddenly raised his hand up, silently ordering him to remain silent. The travelers stopped.
– What is this? Do you hear? – he asked. The fugitives looked around nervously. A rustling sound was heard from behind the briar bushes. The wolf drew his blade and followed the direction of the noise.
«You alone cannot cope with five anti-mages,» thoughts kept flying through my head. «Even now, when you have become stronger, this is impossible!»
He parted the bushes and pulled the man out.
– You were following us! – Eleon shouted. – What are you doing here?!
«But I…» the man began.
– Its my father! – Esmeralda stood between the two men. Eleon hesitated for a moment, and then lowered his sword and returned it to its sheath.
– Herald! – the recent captive extended his hand.
– Call me White Wolf.
– And I’m Dorian.
– Thank you for saving my daughter. I don’t even know how to thank you. But I couldn’t save my son… – bitter tears flowed from the eyes of the grief-stricken father.
– Sam! What about him! After all, he was pardoned! – horror was written on Esmeralda’s face.
– The Anti-Mages executed him anyway, even though he was innocent!
Esmeralda cried bitterly, sank to the ground, and her father hugged her shoulders.
– But we are alive! And let’s take revenge on the Anti-Witch League! I swear on the name of the father whom I never saw, I swear on the name of the mother whom I did not know!
– But why didn’t you know your parents? – Eleon asked.
– I was raised by foster children. My parents had to run away from the authorities, so they were very afraid for the fate of my brother and me. We are all in Her hands and we trust only in Her. Then we were separated, as the royal guards were constantly trying to find us. But we didn’t do anything wrong! Believe me, I know what it’s like to lose loved ones. You saved my daughter, and I will be grateful to you for this until the last day of my life on earth!
The travelers allowed themselves not to run, because the border of the forest was already very close – the wind from the north carried the smell of lavender and myrtle. And after a conversation, the path seems even shorter.
– Where are you heading? – the Herald asked. – May I follow you?
«My path is too long and dangerous for me to call someone to follow me,» Eleon answered for two.
– But now we are also exiles! – Esmeralda protested. – We don’t have a home now!
«I’m going to the Sorcerer’s House,» said Eleon.
– But why do you need a royal castle? – the Herald asked.
– There is one organization that calls itself the Order of Vernikov. I don’t know anything about them. But they destroyed everyone who was close to me! And soon an attack on the king is planned. I, as the last Defender of the Crown, must warn Henry of the impending danger. But I am afraid that my path will not be crowned with success: even the Royal Advisor is among the conspirators!
– What connects you with the Anti-Witch League? – asked the Herald. – You said that you had some kind of unpaid bill to them.
– It’s an old story. They deprived me of my home. And perhaps there is only one road that leads back. But first we must fulfill our duty! Moreover, Ilan said that the last surviving Great Portal to my world is in the House of the Sorcerer.
Eleon suddenly fell into thought, remembering old times and his native places.
***
Skyscrapers. And they had neither beginning nor end. And this endless noise was an echo of the bustle, or the fault lay with the electric cars that scurried back and forth: left and right, forward and backward, up and down. And so the whole day from early morning. But the night gave people long-awaited peace, and even the billboard signs flickered less often.
Eleon was returning home from friends. It’s calmer at night than during the day. But there was not a moment when the city was completely empty: after all, for taxi drivers, night trips are their bread and butter. The guy decided to walk.
He didn’t even notice when eight or nine people surrounded him on all sides.
– Will you give the money yourself, or will you help? – said one of the bandits. The area was not at all criminal, but even here there were vultures.
A blow to the face. But Eleon felt no pain, only anger and strength. Just like that time in childhood, when the guys from the neighboring yard were chasing him. The world has changed, it has become black and white. Everything, even the air, took on the appearance of a sweater woven from white and black threads.
«These lines are the Elements, the primary sources of Light and Darkness,» Ilan told him later.
He felt power over the threads. The night traveler weaved a lasso out of them, invisible to others, and pulled sharply. The one with the ray gun fell to the ground, hitting the weapon’s trigger. The beamer obediently responded with an immediate blast of laser light, wounding one of the vultures. The bandits rushed to help their comrade. Our hero did not wait for the attention of new acquaintances, and ran from the scene. But the vultures woke up from their shock and followed him. Once upon a time, even before the new government, you could go outside without fear at any time of the day. But the number of people grew more and more, and many, in order to survive, took to the streets in search of easy money, and some – the only means of subsistence for one day. This area was not considered unfavorable, but there were also those where the patrol completely lost power, and the most desperate and experienced patrolmen were afraid to go out into the street even during the day in full uniform! And all because of the ubiquitous bandits. They called themselves vultures or wolves; the night had long belonged to them.
Eleon ran another block, but the dogs (which of them are «wolves»? ) slowly began to surround him.
– If I catch you, I’ll kill you!!! – shouts were heard to the right, somewhere nearby.
– He killed Paw! – someone shouted to the left. And try to explain to them that they themselves killed their friend!
And now you can no longer hear extraneous steps. Looks like it came off! He decided to stop just for a couple of minutes to catch his breath. The barrel of a ray gun suddenly appeared from around the corner.
– Do not move! – the vulture said with an ominous grin. «Guys, he’s here,» the «wolf» shouted loudly. The whole gang appeared from different directions. «It looks like this is the end,» our hero thought.
– Hold him, Swift! – said the owner of the rayman in a nasal, smoky voice. The gang leader handed the weapon to Slam. «Shoot if he decides to do something weird,» and he took a folding knife from his pocket. The bandit brought it to the guy’s face and made a shallow cut, and a trickle of blood flowed in a small stream down his cheek.
And again, these threads filled the entire surrounding space, turning the world into a black and white film screen. Eleon weaved a lasso, twisting several lines around the neck of the rayman’s owner, and he soared into the air, but did not fall. He kept clutching his throat, but threads invisible to others continued to strangle the bandit until the last scream escaped his lips, and only then Al allowed him to fall. The ray gun in the hands of the vulture, who, along with others, was watching this strange scene, fired only one shot in the direction of our night hero. But Al grabbed the beam, like one of those threads, and the weapon slipped out of the hands of the offender.
– He is a sorcerer, guys! – Slam. – We need to run! – he shouted, and everyone rushed in all directions.
***
The next day, the door opened and three people in black suits and white shirts entered the room. One of yesterday’s bandits trudged behind them.
– Eleon Stambor?
– Yes. Who you are?
– Now the conversation is not about us at all! Do you use magic?
