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(The novel, a fragment)
What to me remains? The gauging captured by horror,
As the chicken who has sat out змееныша.*
Edgar Li Masters
* Sergey Sergeeva's transfer.
PROLOGUE
Any man of sort Ljugerov has not died silently and peacefully in the
Beds. All of them were adventurers and sooner or later chose
Doubtful way which lay from dark hovels of the past on
To slippery tracks of the present to impossible palaces of the future.
Slot Ljuger by a nickname the White Egyptian vulture was not
Exception. Story continuation about him finds it in that
The moment when it is rich and almost happy. Sale of one of
Three zemmurskih brilliants some time allows it
Comfortably to live in Garbii and to contain the woman carrying under
Heart of its child. To buy everything is possible, except rest, and then
Ljuger rather required rest. At it remains three months,
To reach the estate; by the end of this term
Segejla should give birth.
The Egyptian vulture yet did not know, how long will stay in an estate, but
Knew well, that will leave therefrom before the boredom will definitively overcome
It. The princess separated from the power of southern kingdom became his wife,
And he still hoped to see on throne Mormory of the son.
Actually its leaving was tightened for five long years, which
Have been filled by love, alarm and death expectation...
PART THE FIRST
SUMMER 2995
The first chapter
EGYPTIAN VULTURE AND WILD BOAR
Summer night was windless and stuffy. The moon hung
Highly in the sky, giving vent on the earth sticky light. It is a lot of
Crimes it was made this night in Elizenvare, and sudden
Madness covered peace inhabitants. The moon looked in windows
Also caressed persons sleeping; demons Gangary transformed their dreams in
Nightmares, and then nightmare proceeded in reality...
Dense woods to the north from a city reminded fallen asleep
Pale blue ocean; depths of this ocean were
Are shipped in darkness. The huge old house in the middle of the thrown
The park which has merged with wood, seemed left by people. But
Black-red wild boar with old wounds on a head and a neck, fallen asleep
At the beginning of access avenue, attentively observed of the house,
As did it within many previous nights.
He was ready to wait to the death. Its expectation costed to a life
To two hunters from neighbouring villages, whose bones have already been washed
Spring rains... The Wild boar became the witness of occurrence in
Estate Ljugera of the man and the woman, and also made by them
Bloody crime. Unfortunately, the man has appeared not
That for whom thirsted to meet transformed Ralk, and it did not become
To kill him.
Instead Ralk continued to observe of the house, expecting
Returnings of the present owner, also terrible things saw many.
The unbodied black figure which was not bending down grasses, wandered on
To nights round the house and then in garret windows the cold decayed
The blue light, the spoilt hours beat so loudly, that their fight
It was carried on wood; someone wildly shouted and howled in the uninhabited
East wing; the bared woman with the deformed madness the person
And the dismissed hair wandered on park among statues,
Silvered by the moon, and long looked in black stagnant water
Pond. The behaviour of the man soon became not less strange,
Which the wild boar saw often walking about on a roof in
somnabulicheskom a condition. Thus its narrowed pupils
Seemed the slices of the ice which has concentrated in poisonous beams
Malicious star.
If not all-consuming desire to revenge Ljugeru,
Ralk for a long time would leave this damned place, in which spirits
Waged ruthless war with newcomers. But its own
War yet has not ended, and the patience was infinite. Now
It was difficult to frighten it — it could not lose more,
Than has already lost.
He waited for returning of the Egyptian vulture every day, every night.
And at last has waited.
* * *
The carriage slowly moved on the thrown wood road.
Two lanterns on a roof hardly shined thickets floating by
And horse backs. The stooped driver, which narrow eyes
Gave out in him native Garbii, with watchfulness glanced on
To the parties. Pleasant in every respect and well paid
The trip came to an end in gloomy enough place.
In the carriage polulezhala the pregnant woman with the huge
The stomach foretelling close childbirth. Despite soft pillows,
In which it rolled, each push of crew on roughnesses
Roads caused it severe sufferings. Feverishly
Shining eyes and the exsanguinated lips have changed the perfect
Person Segejly. At light of the moon it was similar to a tragical mask...
The carriage was accompanied by the horseman dressed richly, but is not striking.
The grey raincoat with a hood hid the most part of its figure, long
Ashy hair and pair of daggers on a belt. But a narrow sword in a sheath
Laid on its hips and was ready to the use.
The horseman went hardly ahead of crew; its feelings have been aggravated
To a limit. Last site of a way for some reason seemed to it and the most dangerous.
Now Ljuger almost regretted that, except the driver, has not employed
The soldier for protection. He was irritated with slow advancement of crew on
To the broken road. Because of it a way occupying from the horseman of some hours,
It has appeared much longer, and the carriage approached on an estate of the deep
At night.
Thus, the Egyptian vulture had enough time, that in
All details to recollect the dream which has dreamt it in one of
Hotels Elmarzora.
* * *
It has returned to hotel at late night after
Has doubled the gold reserves in "Earthly paradise". Segejla already slept,
And it has laid down near to it, not undressing. Then he kissed it,
Sleeping, in lips and a high pure forehead... Also heard in the come
To silence as the germ moves in a parent womb...
The Egyptian vulture did not wish to admit to itself that this yet
The born child frightens of something it. It was only
The presentiment saddening one of the happiest periods of his life.
It long laid without a dream and saw, how one for another candles have gone out.
Dense curtains have been drawn, and became so darkly, that
Ljuger could not see even own palm brought to
To eyes. Some time it soared in an easy somnolence; then to
To silent presence Segejly presence of one more was added
Beings. The easiest whiff of air — and someone has laid down with it nearby.
Ljuger has felt occurrence of the stranger, but under it
The stranger the bed has not squeaked at all. Slot has stretched a hand,
To concern beings which was not heavier than a fog, and
Its fingers have plunged into an ice well.
Cold has doused also the right party of his head; someone
Invisible whisper has named to it a name passing from the dead
Knights Zemmura to live and become now his name. A name
Has passed to it with the whole stream of terrible sensations. It was very much
Difficult also consisted not only of sounds and specific
Vibrations. To say it completely it was possible only in special
The condition of consciousness called by one of three reasons: threat
Destructions, ecstatic love or silence of reason,
Which, according to representations shuremitov, was reached in
Sacred dreams. Then Ljuger and has not understood, what advantage in
This doubtful knowledge.
The ice phantom some time hung nearby, repeating
zemmurskoe a name as though played with Slotom, and has then disappeared, having left
About itself memoirs so vague, as a fleeting dream.
In the morning Ljuger has decided to consider night visit by a dream, but, having concerned
Blanket hand, he has found out, that all right party of a bed is cold,
As the earth held down by a winter icy cold.
* * *
Turning on hardly appreciable lateral road, Slot
Tested inconsistent feelings — pleasure of returning,
Alarm, love and almost definitive confidence of the future
To trouble. For any minute triumph has undividedly captured it,
He felt the king who has won the kingdom, however
Then has recollected, how much it is defective, this kingdom...
The paling of dark trunks and silhouettes has flown before
His eyes, and he has seen the house which has hidden in the deaf person
Wood corner. Mossy stones have been bleached by a moonlight. One
From garret windows it seemed similar to a far mirror,
Reflecting blue light. When the Egyptian vulture has driven in avenue,
The leader to the house, in crones of ancient trees it was suddenly carried by
Also the wind has there and then abated: the rustle of leaves was similar to a sad sigh,
Which trees have met occurrence of the person.
The unknown instinct has forced Ljugera to put spurs to a horse, and
It has rushed forward, and the horseman who yet was not knowing who has attacked
On it, has already pulled out a sword from a sheath. Anyway, it
Tried to distract attention attacking from the carriage and it has rescued the
The right foot, and can be, and a life.
Furious rattle of an animal has merged with weak shout Segejly.
The wild boar has missed, and blow of its canines has had in a horse stomach.
Ljuger has been thrown out from a saddle. Having failed on the earth, it for an instant
Has lost consciousness, but has not let out from a hand a sword. Then he has seen
The black silhouette of the falling horse which have filled half of the star
The sky and approaching on it. Blood of an animal has spilt
With hot rain also has splashed his face. It was rolled away aside
Also has risen to the feet, feeling almost dead body after blow about
The earth.
The huge wild boar reaching in holke the human
Shoulder, slowly came nearer to it, and the sword looked pity
Toy near to this magnificent animal. Ljuger has understood, that
Hardly learns the reason on which it will be killed a stone's throw away
From the house. He has regretfully thought of the barbarous weapon,
Got to it in the inheritance from the Cat's Eye and for a long time
Become useless, — Ljuger has spent last shells,
Having sent on a next world of the several robbers who have attacked it
Under Tesavoj... It was a high time to recollect the zemmurskoe
Name, but Slot was not able to do it, how much tried.
That the wild boar was transformed, any more did not call doubts,
So, the Egyptian vulture dealt far not with animal reason.
At the same time human weaknesses and errors were alien to its enemy.
Receding, Ljuger has struck blow by a sword on kabanej to a head,
But it did not manage to punch a powerful frontal bone. In last
The animal has led the moment a head, preserving eyes, and the sword has left
On it painful, but a harmless wound. It has resulted a creature in
The present fury and only was worsened by position of the Egyptian vulture...
Ljugeru it was possible to leave from the first attack, but game could not
To proceed long. For the help to wait there was no place. The driver armed
Dagger, hardly would began to risk a life in the given situation.
With big work Slotu it was possible to result itself in a condition
Detachments but also after that it has not found a way to rescue.
Rukovodimyj subconsciousness, he tried to cut feet twice
Wild boar and to strike to it blow sideways or to unstitch a stomach, but
All its dodges have appeared useless. The animal solved them
With the ease which was giving out in him consciousness of the skilled soldier. But
Unless Ljuger could assume, that the lieutenant was this soldier
Awards Ralk which it has killed once in lock Krelg?.
Ralk played with the victim, enjoying revenge and
Regretting only about one, — that the Egyptian vulture does not learn the one who
Has come to revenge. The wounds put by a sword, could not stop
It, and it was the main thing. He knew, that will make, when a victim
Will definitively lose forces, and hoped, that with the unwrapped
Stomach Ljuger will painfully die and long.
... Forces Slota dejstvielno were on an outcome. The wild boar has tired out
It to depth of avenue, and carriage lanterns have turned in washed away
Muddy stains. Blood-stained pupils of an animal watched everyone
Its movement. Having felt a disgusting chill in a stomach, Ljuger
Has realised, that in an instant brown canines will open it not worse
Any dagger.
But this instant and has not come. Horror before a non-existence
Has overflowed Ljugera, and from depth of this horror, as from the fetid
Lakes, has emerged zemmurskoe a name.
Night wood under Elizenvarom has disappeared. Together with it have disappeared
Estate, the sky, the moon and the carriage. The Egyptian vulture and a wild boar have appeared
In the red desert tightened crimson dymkoj. The animal was
It is motionless, and Ljuger has understood, that time here flows differently. To it
No visible danger threatened, however it have suddenly captured
The strongest despair and hopelessness, as if buried alive.
Silent figures have acted from a fog; each of them
Radiated well notable hatred to the person who has disturbed them,
Nevertheless they have come to help it. New
Blood and new murder aggravated laying on them monstrous
The damnation, but connected them something bolshee, than an oath.
Among them there were werewolves of many generations and different epoch,
And in the nearest Ljuger has learnt what saw during time
Dedication ritual in the cave city of Fruat-Gojme. Lips of the old
The knight moved, damning the Egyptian vulture, and in the crimson
To veil round it there was something incomprehensible and terrible...
Dead knights have surrounded huge kabanju the hulk, and Slot
Has seen in their hands translucent silhouettes of the swords similar on
Shades. Its own sword has lost materiality and has turned
In a flickering clot of a gloom. Then Ljuger has noticed, that a sword alternately
It is materialised in hands of dead persons, and has felt, that can
To operate its moving.
He has sent a sword in a hand of the knight standing to the left of a wild boar,
Also has seen, how the shade klinka finds density and metal
Shine. When the new embodiment of a magic sword has come to the end,
The knight has made what was expected from it by the Egyptian vulture.
Without the slightest sound the sword has entered under a shovel of an animal and has pierced
Its heart. Deafening howl has broken off the crimson Universe, and in that
Indescribable instant it has disappeared together with the phantoms.
Ljuger it has again appeared in night wood, and time has rushed off,
As the unchained dog. Animal canines were stuck into a stomach of the Egyptian vulture,
But have not ripped up it. Eyes of a wild boar promptly became glassy, from a mouth
Bloody foam flew down, and in a side the sword shipped in a flesh stuck out
On half of the length.
* * *
Ljuger with simplification has taken breath. All the same chiromantists not
Were mistaken — the sign on the right palm stored it for other death.
When the short agony and an animal has come to the end has calmed down, the Egyptian vulture
Has not without effort taken a sword from a wound and has wiped an edge about the white cambric
Scarf. Some time it was above kabanim a corpse, expecting
The next transformation, but it and has not followed.
At Ljugera hands shivered. The shock has appeared enough
Strong, and it unsteady step has gone to the carriage. Segejla
Has embraced him in the middle of avenue; near to it he has gone through something like
New birth.
Apparently, only the superstitious fear has prevented the driver
To seek safety in flight. Now he hid eyes, but Slot did not condemn
garbijtsa for that that has preferred to remain the detached onlooker.
It was not its war.
Ljuger has planted Segejlu in the carriage and has gone to the house
On foot, in spite of the fact that has already noticed traces of another's presence.
Fight with a wild boar was enough noisy, but the owner
Nobody met, and it was a bad sign.
Its presentiments have proved to be true — near a main entrance he has seen
The skull of a dog which is growing white in a grass. The pain has pierced cold heart of the Egyptian vulture.
To doubt it was not necessary — its loyal friend Gazeus was dead.
The chapter the second
THE BROKEN REST
Skull have intentionally put so, that it it was impossible not
To notice. The one who has made it, tried to protect an input in dwelling
From hostile spirits, playing about with black magic, but even
Ljugeru it became clear, how much pity there were attempts. It
Has cleaned a skull from the pentagram centre, and a weak paternoster, which
Could hurt to the person, but not to spirits, has immediately broken up.
Employed Ljugerom the driver-garbiets has appeared before painful
Choice — to remain till the morning in this terrible place or
To come back in Elizenvar at night through not less terrible wood. In
The end of the ends, under impression of the victory gained by the Egyptian vulture,
He has chosen the first. In furiousness of that there was nobody to accept
Horses, Ljuger has shown to it on a dark silhouette of a stable sideways from the house.
Slot has helped Segejle to leave the carriage and has led it to a porch,
Holding in a hand the bared sword. Events of this night saddened and
Without that a heavy trip for it. Ljugera has visited the unknown
To it before feeling of fault. Not such he imagined the returning...
The door has appeared is not locked, and it has opened its blow of a foot.
The big hall of the ground floor was cold and empty. Lunar
Light falling because of high zareshechennyh of windows, has lined
Stone floor on bright quadrangles. Ashes in a fireplace have cooled down for a long time.
— Now it is your house, — he has told Segejle, and immediately
Has felt, that these words have sounded with a malicious sneer. Against
Expectations, Segejla has clung to it and has poorly smiled.
Having left the woman on a threshold, Ljuger has bypassed a hall, trying
To understand, that occurred in the house during its absence and from
Whom danger proceeds. Numerous traces have formed paths
In a dust which conducted from an input to a ladder on the top
Floors. The Egyptian vulture knew, that someone hides there from the lawful
The owner that is, the night which has begun so roughly, continues
To give it unpleasant surprises.
It did not have a choice. It has taken away Segejlu in an old bedroom
On the second floor also has found the bed untouched. Having approached
To candlesticks and having clamped a sword under the arm, it has connected palms, and
Then has slowly dissolved them. Between them the cold blue has flashed
The flame which was not burning a skin. At least, it superfluous
Time was convinced that in this house spirits of ancestors yet have not deprived
Its support. It has lighted candles, and the bedroom became at once
Hardly to look cosier in their warm yellow light.
Everything, except for a thick dust layer, remains same,
As it is a lot of months back. However, then here slept Gazeus. When Ljuger
Has thought of it, his eyes have turned in ldinki, strewn lightly with ashes.
He has helped Segejle to undress and has laid it in a bed, having covered
Two blankets. Despite warm night, she was beaten by the small
Shiver. He understood, that to it is that to be afraid in this gloomy
The house which has met it it is so inhospitable. However, in a vault
Fruat-Gojma was worse, but there Ljuger knew, who its present enemy...
Segejla has laid down on a back and has closed eyes, trying to hide the
Trouble. He tested to it infinite tenderness
And requirement new to it to take away from liked all troubles.
Its stomach towered well appreciable hillock, and Ljuger sharply felt,
Its woman and its future child are how much defenceless in this bedroom...
It, of course, did not hurry for the first time in a life to lay down in the matrimonial
Bed. Instead he has examined the small secret arsenal hidden
In a bedroom and similar to those storehouses of killing toys, which
Were almost in each room of the house. And after all about some, remained
From the father, he at all did not suspect.
Loading a ring the poisoned needles and winding a stranglehold
Round a wrist, he has realised, that makes purely ritual
Actions. Fight with a wild boar has let know clearly, that henceforth it
The sword zemmurskih the knights, connected becomes the basic weapon
It with dead persons by means of any incomprehensible magic. It
Even knew now possibilities of this sword, but was yet too
It is assured of the ability to call the help of the knightly
Awards, and the main thing — in the readiness to pay for it
Eternal sufferings of immortal soul...
Nevertheless, blood Gazeusa and perfidiously disturbed house appealed
To revenge.
* * *
Ljuger examined dark rooms of the house, really
Being afraid only one — to hear shout Segejly. Now any
He would prefer magics of several correct people, but it was
One, short of the driver who have hidden for night in a stable. Besides
Ljuger did not trust garbijtsu.
On the second floor there were no uninvited visitors. Only
In one of rooms Slot has found out traces of a recent meal and
Gambling signs. Judging by records on a card little table,
Three played... The Narrow path, protoptannaja in a dust, conducted
From a room to a ladder as though visitors never deviated from
Once and for all chosen route.
Ljuger has risen in library and has found in it the awful disorder.
Once the cosy hall looked as if here for something searched — besides
Searched in feverish haste. Candles have burnt out completely. One
The candlestick has been overturned, the carpet is filled in by wine and ink, a little
Ancient parchments it is broken off, the books thrown on a table and on a floor,
Have been opened, and on pages settled a dust. Slot has examined them. It has appeared,
What is it there were exclusively ancient volumes on magic and occult sciences.
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