Kitabı oku: «The Labyrinth of Inter-Time», sayfa 3
– I?
«These are the rules, Mr. Stambor,» said the round-faced man in a tuxedo. – I ask questions, you answer. All clear?
– Yes!
– That’s good. Do you use magic?
– No.
– I protest, Mr. Judge! – said the bandit. – I personally saw the opposite yesterday.
– The protest has been accepted. Do you, Mr. Stambor, have the right to use magic in the human world?
– What right?..
– Only answers! I ask questions! – shouted the nervous Judge.
– No.
– Great. The court will not even retire for a meeting. In the name of the Anti-Witchcraft League, endowed with authority by the Master, I declare Eleon Stambor guilty of illegal use of magic. There is only one punishment for this – expulsion from this world. Touch the mirror!
Everything happened too quickly for Al to understand anything. The surface of one of the mirrors in the room suddenly sparkled with white flashes, and an image of distant lands appeared inside. Forest. Endless green trees.
One touch. Flash Light…
It feels like you’re being turned inside out.
***
– That’s how I ended up in Seisil. Later I met Ilan, who began to teach me magical techniques.
«What a strange story,» said the Herald. – I have never heard anything about this country where mechanisms replaced magic!
– Ilan said that I could return home through the royal portal. If he’s still there.
Dorian perked up at these words.
– Is there a way home? And you were silent about it? So, I will walk this path to the end! I have a lot to tell Angel. After all, we parted in silence. I was so angry with her then. But don’t think, I still love my beauty.
He took her photo from his breast pocket. Esmeralda took the portrait from his hands and said:
– Beautiful.
– I think so too.
– What is this? – Esmeralda exclaimed, stopping abruptly. -Did you hear that too?
– What? – the Herald asked.
«The trampling of horses,» said Esmeralda.
«You never know how many travelers you meet on the road,» Dorian remarked.
– No, Esmeralda is right. «We better not stop or hesitate – the inquisitors are still prowling this forest,» said Eleon.
– Five inquisitors. We won’t be able to do anything to them if we meet face to face! – Esmeralda exclaimed.
– Already four! – Herold smiled. – I was able to avenge my son!
But the clatter of hooves kept getting closer.
– Quickly, get off the road! – exclaimed the Wolf.
As soon as our travelers disappeared into the dense thickets of briars, two people appeared from around the corner on black horses and in black hoods.
– Maybe they went a different way? – said one of the executioners.
– Rob and Stephen explore another part of the forest. And we have to search everything here.
The horsemen galloped further along the path. And the fugitives stood up, but were no longer so careless. Their idleness almost became the last mistake in life!
– The magical forest is already close! – Herald commanded. – The main thing is not to stop!
They followed further. The danger seemed to have passed, but the feeling of constant presence did not leave them for a minute.
– Let’s take a break already! You can’t imagine how tired I am! – said Dorian
– I agree with Dorian. It’s time to look for a place to stay for the night. But we won’t make a fire,» Eleon said.
– Eh! Now I’d like some fried doe! – exclaimed the Herald.
– And I wouldn’t refuse!
«But you’ll have to be content with little,» said the Wolf, examining the contents of the bag behind his back. – There is dried boar, some crackers and apples. Of course, it won’t be possible to arrange a feast. It’s good that the bag was behind us yesterday! Otherwise we would have been left without provisions at all.
Having eaten, they went to bed.
***
Here Eleon is making his way through the thicket of the forest, and a pack of wolves is still running after him. You can’t stop for a second! There are more and more wolves, they surround him…
And suddenly they run away. Ilan stands in front of him.
– What did you do, my student, to save the king? I trusted you!
Suddenly, a silhouette in a black cloak peeked out from behind a tree. The Inquisitor raised his hand and the teacher fell to the ground.
– You are sentenced to death! – shouted the anti-mage…
***
Eleon has been having nightmares a lot lately. He went to the stream to wash himself, washing away this obsession. Then he took out a small coin from his pocket. He placed it on the surface of the water. A moment later, the silhouette of an old man looked out from there.
– Greetings, young sorcerer!
– Hello, master.
– What’s bothering you? It’s not too early.
– Sorry. You were probably asleep.
– No, no, what are you talking about! What a dream at my age! About two hundred years ago I could afford to take a nap. But life is too fleeting to waste a third of it on stupid activities!
– And lately I keep having the same dream. That I cannot fulfill the teacher’s last wish.
– Don’t be afraid, Eleon! Troubled times are approaching, but the light of hope will never fade as long as its last defenders live. You are destined for a great destiny, you will not die from wolf fangs, but you will be able to defeat the Ancient Evil. It was foretold. Of course, I’ve been wrong before with the Chosen One. Dell was also marked by Fate. But each Chosen One chooses his own path. He took the side of Evil. I hope that you will justify my trust.
The White Wolf heard the crunch of a branch and quickly hid the coin in his pocket, drawing his sword.
– Oh, it’s you…
«You are never calm,» Esmeralda said.
– I can not fall asleep. Constantly tormented by nightmares.
«Dreams bother me too.» I always see them as my savior. But I never thanked you for my life.
She closed her eyes and touched her lips to his.
***
When they woke up, the fire was burning, and the Herald was roasting the lanleys, and Dorian was warming his hands by the fire.
– Good morning, sleepyheads! I’ve already hunted, but you won’t wake up! – he winked at the lovers. Esmeralda understood – her father guessed everything. Dorian also smiled somehow mysteriously
They had breakfast in silence, everyone thought about their own things. Esmeralda kept glancing towards Eleon. Then we hit the road.
***
The executioner appeared from the void. Another appeared behind him. Anti-magicians fought with sorcerers, but they themselves did not neglect the spells. Of course, their arsenal was meager, but even experienced magicians could not cope with the combat inquisitors.
– Illigulus! – One of them exclaimed, raising his hands up.
– I didn’t guess, dog! – Eleon shouted, whom they tried to kill. – Avinius performed the initiation ceremony! I have the right to magic! Run, friends! I’ll try to stop them.
The two uninvited guests grabbed their throats, as they were enveloped in threads invisible to others, and the Herald, Esmeralda and Dorian hurried to hide.
– Damn it, he owns the Elements! – said one, in a black hood. He made a subtle movement with his hand, and Eleon fell to the ground. At this moment, the Herald looked back to see what had happened to his comrade. He returned, and lightning flashed from his eyes. The pursuer fell, and the second ran into the forest.
– A curse! The second one escaped! He will tell others our location! Now we definitely need to run! – the Herald shouted, extending his hand to Eleon.
– You saved me!
– You saved my daughter, White Wolf, and I owe you!
They ran, taking only short breaks.
Somewhere in the distance the clatter of hooves could be heard. Some time passed, and three horsemen appeared.
– Faster! Do not stop! Otherwise they will catch up! – the Herald shouted, and no one began to argue with him.
When the executioners had almost overtaken the fugitives, they suddenly stopped.
– A curse! Why can’t we cross this invisible wall? – asked the anti-mage.
– This is the ancient magic of the forest. You are not welcome here! Go away! – said the Herald, who was on the other side of the wall. Here magic ruled, and its opponents could not cross the line.
– We’ll meet Again! – the inquisitor shouted, and the three horsemen galloped away.
– Now you can relax! – Esmeralda was delighted.
– I wouldn’t be so careless! – said the Herald. – It’s sunset soon. And who knows what awaits here! The forest is full of surprises, and at night you can meet them…
Chapter 5. Magic forest
The sunset kindled a bright multi-colored fire in the sky. The smell of myrtle that filled everything around. This place cannot be confused with anything.
They say that once upon a time elves lived here, and their magical songs imbued these places with enchantments that cannot fade, despite the fact that time does not stand still. Some say that it was here that Antimonik gained power and created the Dark Empire. But if this is true, then those ancient times have passed, leaving only memories and legends.
Four travelers passed through these places.
– This is an ancient forest. It is already several thousand years old, but it still does not fade. The cities that were built of stone to be durable were destroyed, and the lush gardens that gardeners tirelessly looked after did not survive. The mountains are destroyed, the seas and rivers are dry. But even the ancient Evil could not destroy the forest,» said the Herald.
«I’m scared,» Esmeralda complained. «It feels like we are being watched tirelessly.»
– But we broke away from the inquisitors!
– Now I’m not sure that this is really that good!
Eleon gently took her hand.
– Calm down, honey.
– What is this strange noise? – Esmeralda looked around in fear.
– Maybe these are wolves? – Eleon suggested. – You don’t have to be afraid of them. Or the wind is noisy.
– No. It’s them,» whispered the Herald.
– Who are they? – Dorian asked in fear.
– Spirits of those long dead. They say they still live in the local swamps, and at night they sing songs and take away lost travelers.
– Let’s try not to catch their eye.
A huge stone flew over the heads of the travelers and knocked down a tree.
– Are these your ghosts, Herald? – Dorian glanced sideways at the crushed plant.
– No. These are giants! Get down!
As soon as Dorian lowered his head, another cobblestone flew over him.
– Out of the frying pan into the fire! Run!
There was no need to repeat it twice – all four immediately started running as fast as they could. A huge hairy monster ran after them, its toothy mouth open. Then the giant bent down to throw another stone.
The travelers ran deep into the forest, and somewhere in the distance they could still hear the dissatisfied roar of the cannibal giants.
– Looks like they’ve come off! – said Eleon, and immediately realized that he was mistaken: someone was pulling his leg.
Hands without flesh grew out of the ground. At first there were few of them, but then completely skeletons began to appear. In rusty armor and with rusty swords, they blocked the path of our heroes.
– Fate, be merciful! We found ourselves on the ancient Swamp Mound!
– Run! – once again the cherished phrase sounded. But this time there was nowhere to run: the wights stood on all sides, and there were more and more of them. Eleon used his skills, and a couple of monsters flew up, and then fell, and all that was left of them was dust. The Herald and Esmeralda did not stand idle either. After all, they also had magic. The father fired the cherished lightning, from which the living dead turned into ashes, and Esmeralda pushed them with the power of thought. Dorian grabbed a nearby branch, so he also defended himself. The strength was already running out, but it was impossible to stop – only a third of the revived ancestors were defeated, and now the hands that protruded from the ground were becoming more and more numerous.
– You know, Esmeralda! I’m glad that we met. This was worth living for.
– I love you too, Eleon!
– I can’t die! After all, I didn’t tell Aingi so much,» Dorian continued the old song.
«It looks like these guys were out of luck,» said the Herald, looking at the pile of bones behind the wights. – They didn’t survive the meeting with them. The main thing that…
Before the clerk had time to express his thought, the pile of bones began to take on human shape and stand up!
– Now it’s definitely over! – said the Herald.
– Sorry! I betrayed you, teacher! I never fulfilled your last wish! – Eleon lowered his head.
– Don’t get soggy! Let’s give them the last battle and die with a sword in our hand! – shouted the Herald.
– With which we will then begin to kill new passers-by, returning from the grave. But how many will we take with us? Go ahead, friends!
Dorian took the rusty sword of one of the fallen wights.
In preparation for death, our heroes received new powers. Now tenacious hands were no longer able to hold them to the ground, and the skeletons scattered left and right, as if from a whirlwind.
– Stop! – a woman’s voice sounded, and the corpses froze.
Behind the dead stood ten people in red cloaks with hoods.
– You must return to the world of the dead! Rest in peace!
– Thank you! – the zombies roared, and they suddenly crumbled, turning into ashes.
– Tie them up! – commanded the woman who had just saved our travelers. – Let’s take them to Sylvia. Let her decide their fate – no one can cross the line of our forest with impunity!
Esmeralda tried to fight the woman, but all the rescuers had magic suppression runes, so resistance was useless. Soon all four were tied up.
They were heading east. The prisoners were exhausted from the latest events, but the guides pushed them from behind, not giving them the opportunity to stop.
– Who are you and why did you come to our forest? – asked the woman who saved their lives.
– We were looking for shelter in your forest from the inquisitors.
– Our forest is not the best refuge for honest people. Do not stop! Can’t you talk while walking? Did you wake the wights? It’s good that this time the rune of repose worked correctly! Otherwise, last time we were missing two… So why did you do it?
– We didn’t revive the dead! – said the Herald. – We fought them off!
– The Creator grant that this be true. The hostess will judge. But if you are a necromancer, then you will be in trouble, I promise you this with the bodies of my dead comrades!
– Sienna, stop! – one of the captors held the sword in the woman’s sheath. «You yourself said that their fate should be determined by Sylvia.»
Then they walked in silence, each in their own thoughts. Sienna repeatedly pushed the captives so that they would not stop.
***
So they came to a beautiful castle made of white marble.
– But we should have seen its roof many miles away! – Esmeralda was surprised.
«Magic hides a lot from prying eyes,» said Sienna. – Don’t you know about this, necromancer?
At the threshold they were already met by a red-haired woman in a green dress that matched the color of her eyes.
– Greetings, Guardian of the Ancient Portal! – said the people in red cloaks.
– Portal?! What kind of portal do they mean? – Dorian seemed to express his thoughts too loudly, remembering his home with bitterness.
– Why are you asking? – asked the Guardian. – What have you forgotten on my lands?
«I believe that it is they who are to blame for the revival of corpses, Sylvia,» Sienna grinned maliciously, looking at the prisoners.
– Search them! – the mistress of the castle commanded.
– Oh, the coin is the key to the prison. You are in cahoots with the prisoners. Let’s get to know those you are trying to save.
«Everything is lost!» – thought Eleon.
Sylvia took the round object and held it up to the mirror. As one would expect, the old man looked at those around him through the looking glass.
– Greetings, Master Sylvia!
– Avinius! What are you doing in prison?
– Troubled times have come. Again Evil is trying to envelop our world in intrigue, and again I don’t even know his face.
– Who is this guy that carries this key?
– Eleon. He conjures Light and Darkness, and perhaps it was about him, and not about Della, as I mistakenly thought, that was spoken of in the ancient Prophecy. It is he who is destined by Fate to destroy Evil at its roots forever.
– Or Good. If we misinterpreted the Prophecy like we did last time. Tell me, Avinius, if they didn’t awaken the dead, then who? After all, this may mean that another prophecy will also be fulfilled.
Sylvia handed the coin to Eleon. And then she turned to the servants.
– Free them.
– But shouldn’t they be punished? – Sienna was indignant.
– You heard my order! Free them!
When the order was carried out, Sylvia called the White Wolf to follow her.
– I’ll tell you the story of this strange Forest. He’s been cursed for a long time…
– But why don’t you leave him? After all, we encountered so many dangers on the way here.
«We are forced by oath to live next to danger. Every evening I perform a ceremony to prevent the Ancient Evil from awakening. You know, here the lines between worlds are much thinner than in other places.
Once upon a time, elves lived here. They hid their existence. Until one day a general who got lost in the forest, hiding from the enemy, found this village. His army was destroyed, but he himself escaped in the wilderness.
The elves could not leave a person in trouble. They did not know human meanness at all. They knew no one but their own kind. The elves were strong – after all, any word spoken in the ancient language became a law of nature. All their words were fulfilled. The spell of the High Elf, Herberolden, was especially strong. It is rumored that the elves on earth were the descendants of the High Elves, who were deprived of their wings. After all, the High Elves, who swore allegiance to Zeymond, were overthrown after his defeat, and no one knows where they went.
The general was a simple guest for a long time, but a vile thought was ripening in his soul that would never have occurred to a naive elf.
– But with such power as yours, you can take over the whole world! – he once said to the king of the elves. But Herberolden did not heed his words and drove away the careless guest. Although there were also elves who liked this proposal. And then a split occurred in the ranks of the forest inhabitants. Some of the elves left after the general. The general managed to learn the basics of the language, and even compiled a dictionary with a translation from his native language into Elvish. And, of course, he asked the priests to make themselves a staff covered with elven runes. He personally taught many warriors elven magic.
The general went first of all with the new army against the soldiers who killed his soldiers. The magic was stronger than the sword, and he won. Then again. And then an empire appeared, which had no equal in this world.
But he did not forget that in one of the forests those elves who did not join him still live. Of course, his army had long possessed ancient magic, but not as masterfully as the elves.
– What if they decide to overthrow me? – said the new emperor. – He who is not with me is against me.
The elf village was burned to the ground, and the forest will never forget this betrayal. Gerberolden, together with the surviving elves, found opponents of the new government. But in this war, as they say, none of those who knew the elven secrets survived. The elven race was exterminated, but along with them the elves also took the treacherous man who had corrupted their people. All the elven staves were lost, the dictionary compiled by man was burned.
Centuries passed, but the cursed place made itself known again – the center of the new Antimonian Empire arose here. Antimonik was the strongest magician who ever lived on Earth, but, unfortunately, he chose the path of Darkness and destruction.
No one could refuse the Prince of Antimony. The strong-willed either voluntarily served him, becoming officers of a countless army, or died. The weak in spirit became zombies: the living dead, subordinate to the ruler in everything. Cannon fodder, without thoughts and the meaning of life… All Antimonians became combat dark magicians, recruiting more and more new soldiers. From the ashes of the fires of rebellious cities and the fear of those who submitted, the Antimonian Empire arose, absorbing more and more new territories.
But there were also those who decided to resist the magician: this is how a military order arose – our ancestors called themselves Monians. In contrast to Antimonik, the master called himself Claudius of Monia. The swords were covered with silver and many ancient magical symbols and runes. Killing a magician is difficult. But he is not able to resist such a sword.
It seemed incredible, but Claudius’s army burst into the abode of evil. Antimonikos fell from the sword of Claudius. But that wasn’t the end. Claudius died of an unknown illness. Then our ancestors decided to destroy the city to the roots so that the curse would not return to our lands.
Many years later, when many had ceased to believe in the veracity of the stories about the black magician, his spirit returned to this forest, where the line between the worlds is so thin. The Monians defeated him a second time.
Since then, I have been guarding these forests to prevent the Ancient Evil from returning again.
But there is a prophecy that the Chosen One of Fate will be able to destroy Evil forever, so that for many years it will not be able to return to our lands. But there is another prophecy.
Once upon a time, even before the arrival of the elves, some of our ancestors took an oath to the higher elements. They became Lords. The Light Lords healed people from any disease, the Dark Lords brought destruction and anger with them. Lords could bend the will of the people. And one day a fierce war broke out between the Lords of both colors, in which all the Lords died, and with them tens of thousands of people. But legend says that another Dark Lord will appear. And his appearance will be the end of everything. And only a Lord of a different color can stop him.
– Are the Lords really omnipotent?
– No, what are you talking about, Eleon! Lords are only Lords. But no one denies that the Lord will be able to bring the Prince of Darkness with him. Or even the King. And this is already worse.
But you don’t need to think about sad things, so as not to invite trouble! Come on, Eleon, let’s join the feast!
The guests ate and drank. Beer flowed like a river, the tables were laden with food. And only Dorian was sad in the corner, looking at the photo of his beloved, which he took out of his breast pocket.
– Can I have a look? – Sienna asked to dispel the guest’s loneliness. – Beautiful. Is it your wife?
– No, this is Angel. She is my girlfriend, but we were planning to get married soon. Who would only know how much I miss her!
Sienna touched his cheek with her lips, but Dorian pushed her away.
– No. I have a favorite.
Siena lowered her eyes. But no one loved her so much. And she remained callous to all signs of attention from the guys.
Dorian was consumed by memories of the past.
But he wasn’t always like he is now.
When the father was taken away, accused of conspiracy, he was left as the sole breadwinner for his mother and younger brother. Jobs were not easy to find on his home world, so he became a member of one of the gangs that ruled the city at night. He robbed stores and random passers-by, defended the local drug lord. Later, his brother also started down this slippery slope. Together they became a stronghold of evil, which everyone they met was afraid of. The government turned a blind eye to the gangs’ activities. After all, it is better to let them fight among themselves than, united, to become a force that can deprive them of power. But soon a new Senator came to power, and he decided to carry out a grand cleaning of the streets. This time, soldiers of the Government Army came to the aid of the patrolmen.
In one of the shootouts, Sam, Dorian’s brother, was killed. And Dorian himself had to give up his dirty profession, since now this crime was punishable by death.
Dorian went to university. Studying never interfered with sports: he attended the volleyball section regularly.
For a very long time he was unlucky in his personal life. Dorian tried dating a good dozen girls, but many attempts to find happiness ended in betrayal by the girls and subsequent breakups and quarrels. He had already become disillusioned with his weaker half when he met Angel. She was perfect for him. She became the core of his life. He broke off all old connections, stopped seeing friends, and even gave up sports. If only I could have more time with her.
So they lived in perfect harmony for several years. Dorian graduated from university and found a job.
But his personal life began to crack more and more often. Maybe before he was so carried away by his beloved that he did not notice her shortcomings. But now not a single day passed without quarrels. Dorian began smoking again, and very often quenched his grief with whiskey, which, of course, did not make the relationship stronger.
But now he was so sorry for all the words he said out of emotion. After all, she remained the only possible center of the Universe for him. Every evening, as now, he again and again took a small photograph from his breast pocket.
