Бесплатный фрагмент - The Pearl Diver

Chapter 1

The ship rested on the surface of the sea. The sun was sliding below the horizon, trying not to drown. Its rays clung to the clear sky, painting the world with wondrous colors, like an artist using a brush to transform a plain canvas into a work of art. Peace and quiet. The third day was coming to an end when the wind stopped moving the black flag with the image of a skull. Calm. The ship barely moved all this time.

The captain of the ship, notorious throughout the Erin Sea, gave orders dispassionately, although his soul was not at peace. They say that the inhabitants of distant Sartoll invented ships that can plow the seas and oceans, regardless of the wind. But for the Soul of the Corsair, calm was death.

Liton greedily inhaled the salty, humid air, hoping that it would become cooler. Touching the steering wheel, he expected at least a fleeting breeze.

— Why did you sit down? Do you think, like merchants, sitting at the market, you can get something useful? Will not work! Come on, quickly put some rags in your hands and scrub the deck!

The crew became despondent; the main thing was not to let people sit idle. Otherwise, if they completely lose heart, that will be the end. Life goes on as long as we don’t stand still. But stopping is worse than death. Worse than calm. The sailors respected the captain. Yes, sometimes he was too rude, but the sea is not for women, it loves such strong and fearless people.

A few more days and the provisions will come to an end. And there isn’t much fresh water. Who knew that the sea would bring such a surprise? But there was rum. A lot of rum — where would pirates be without it?

— Captain Liton, the deck shines like a cat’s eyes!

— Oh, well done, guys! — Liton beamed. — You can’t even say anything. They deserve it. You can take a flask each — there is no need for a burly pirate to work after sunset. Night is a time for fun.

A pirate never needs to be told twice when it comes to plunder or entertainment. Everyone uncorked a flask, and the intoxicating aroma of rum filled the deck. They drank straight from the throat without biting. This way you’ll fit in more, and you’ll get drunk faster, but what else do you need to be happy? Then someone started singing a familiar song, and the other guys immediately started singing along. Out of place, but not in a church choir after all?

Yo-ho-ho! We are not afraid of the dead

We love mermaids, we are bottomlessly drunk.

We will be hanged — we will be finished!

But while we are alive, you are doomed!

We drank and sang. For those who didn’t fall asleep right away, it’s time for stories.

— Rakon, you are the oldest! Tell us something about your daring hikes!

And the old man was just waiting for this. He spent his youth daringly, how many times did he escape right from under the noses of the guards, almost ending up on the gallows! He was missing one eye — instead he had a black bandage over his head. And on the entire tattooed body you can barely find one inch of skin that is not streaked with scars and cuts from endless battles. But youth passed, and with it the daring woman went away. Rarely did any of the pirates live to such an age — their life was cheerful, daring, but it could not be called long. And the old people were most often put on the island so that they would not eat other people’s meat and drink rum not earned by honest robbery. Don’t think that pirates are cruel — no worse than other people, they just don’t need to play nobility. But the sailors loved Racon, so he still delighted them with his fables.

— Oh, what have I not seen! — the old man began. — And I saw mermaids, I once spent the night with their sea mistress — wow, woman, unlike the young ones, she’s almost like a person. Well, at least without a tail!

The sailors laughed together.

«And the sea devil once almost grabbed him with his tentacles and claws,» Racon continued.

— Tell!

— Tell! — the listeners began.

— What can I tell you? We went to Tonden Island in search of treasure. The gold was never found in the place marked with a cross — apparently, the owner of the map, before handing me the piece of paper, dug out the chest himself. Cattle! Although, it’s not so offensive — I didn’t pay money for the card — the boatman himself gave it to me before I stabbed him. But I met her on the island. Well, I immediately lost my mind — you know how hard it is at sea without girls.

The sailors nodded understandingly. A particularly frail young man who often fell under the «hot hand» of pirates hungry for communication with the opposite sex. A woman on a ship means trouble. Any navigator knows this. But after a week or two, willy-nilly, I want to break this rule — these unshaven rude people do not have the affection that even the sternest men love.

— That means I’m lying on the queen of mermaids. Drunk, as always, but that never stopped me from loving. My comrades are standing around — waiting, after all, I was the captain, so I was always the first in everything. Then I hear some strange squelching sound. I look up and he’s standing there. He was probably the husband of the sea queen, but not as handsome as her. Long tentacles hung down instead of a beard and hair, and instead of hands there were huge claws. The mouth is filled with four rows of shark teeth. It’s like he’s going to grab my finger! Miraculously escaped!

The old man raised his hand, and everyone saw the stump of his ring finger.

— A lot of our people died then. And I myself miraculously escaped from the embrace of the sea devil. For a long time afterwards I dreamed of its tentacles and claws. Even now I often remember meeting him.

— Why are you lying, old man? Probably, I was stoned on hashish and it was a dream! — said the bully Liu.

— Will you ever shut up, asshole? Let the old man finish his story!

— How! What did you call me? Well, repeat it again?

— Shut up, you fucking asshole!

Liu’s eyes became bloodshot, he jumped up from the stool and threw Lanton to the floor. Then he took out a knife from his bosom and plunged it into the heart of the offender.

— You! — screamed Tart, the bosom friend of the murdered man. And he immediately rushed at the killer. If you drop by to visit the pirates, don’t expect a quiet evening, with poetry and courtly manners of sirs in pomaded wigs. Another minute passed, and it was no longer possible to recognize those sailors who had huddled around the old man and listened with reverence to his stories. They turned into a rabble, a bunch of animals who fight for a piece of meat. A musket shot rang out, and there was silence for a second. Everyone looked towards the sound.

Captain Liton clutched a weapon, smoking from a recent shot, aimed at the ceiling.

— The next shot will be in the heart of the one who moves now. Do you understand? Lew, I’m tired of you with your antics! I warned you, but it doesn’t seem to have any effect on you. Well, so much the better. Grab him!

The guy fell to his knees.

— Ask. Captain, no need! Sorry! I… This is the last time, I promise. I won’t do it again! Exactly!

— I have already forgiven you once. And you just killed one of our best warriors. Are you deaf or something? I told you, grab him!

Liu jumped to his feet and ran towards Liton. But they grabbed him by the hands and took him out into the fresh air. The captain looked at all the sailors.

— For violation of discipline. For swinish behavior. For disrespect to the captain. And most importantly, for the murder of a comrade. Liu is sentenced to exile. Who can say anything in his defense?

— Captain, please! Excuse me! I don’t want to die! I want to live! Ask!

The others were silent.

— Well, unanimously. Throw him overboard.

Liu tried to fight back, but four pairs of hands held his arms and legs. When his body hit the sea surface with a splash, the captain said:

— What steel. Come on, let’s all go inside! Immediately! Let’s continue to have fun.

There was silence for some time. They didn’t like Lew, but it was not humane to throw a comrade out to certain death. Although he deserved it. A blow with a sword in a fair (or dishonest — what’s the difference) duel is a completely different matter.

Only two remained outside. Lew held on to the empty barrel that was dropped on him as the only way to avoid drowning. And Rakon stood on the deck, holding a pipe in his four-fingered hand.

— Old man, save me! Ask! I’m not out of malice, I believe your stories.

— I will gladly save us all. It’s not for nothing that you didn’t believe me — I didn’t tell my comrades the whole truth.

And then Rakon looked somewhere into the distance and began to whisper:

— Come, lord of the sea! I call to you! I need your help. Accept this sacrifice and fill our sails with wind! Let us get to dry land.

The sea surface suddenly opened up for a second. A huge tentacle emerged from it, which in an instant dragged poor Liu under the water. The old man did not reveal the secret to anyone. One day, while searching for treasure, his ship crashed on a reef, and he and his crew ended up on a desert island. The provisions quickly ran out, and the sailors began to attack each other and eat the weak like animals. But Rakon turned out to be the most insidious. At night, when the full moon rose, he cut off his ring finger and summoned the monkfish. He appeared, shrouded in a thousand tentacles. Racon offered him a deal — he gave his comrades to be devoured by the monster, and in return received life. The next day, a merchant ship sailed to the island. Over the years, Rakon has brought many victims to the sea evil, so this time too the monster appeared at the first call. And a few minutes later the wind filled the sails with air.

The sailors jumped onto the deck. They were ready to jump for joy, especially the captain. No one ever found out what the cost of their salvation was.

The sailors drank rum and bawled songs.

Yo-ho-ho, the bottomless expanse sleeps,

We know no peace, only rum and robbery,

We don’t want to die here

Have fun, friends, our motto is simple!

Only the guy who was picked up after the shipwreck was sitting in the corner. He was silent, just drank and sadly looked into nowhere.

— Why don’t you, Tram, have fun with everyone? — Liton approached him. — Are we not nice to you as interlocutors? Of course, I understand, we are not sirs, we do not have the same manners as land lords. But, you know, we are all from a noble family. I am the illegitimate son of King Silerin, Dukat the Second. My stepmother expelled me from the capital while my father went on a campaign. So I have been wandering all my life across the seas and oceans. My stepmother has long been dead, but the way to land is closed to me. So life has made me rude and cruel. And other guys have secrets too. It is not common for us to remember our past life, but we all have reasons for living such a life. Outlaw.

— What are you talking about, Liton? You are friends, that’s what we need. If it weren’t for you, I would have fed the fish at the bottom of the Erin Sea. Moreover, I myself have been an exile for many years. But I’m just not in the mood for fun right now.

— Understand. You are the only one left alive from the crew. Do you think that because I am a rude person, the feeling of loss is alien to me?

The captain lowered his head for a moment — he remembered the girl Lucita, the only one he had once loved. While I still knew how to love.

— That’s not the point. I didn’t even know those on the ship at all. They sailed together, but before that they met in the port of Suthering.

— You can trust me. I am the captain of the ship, I must know everything about everyone from the crew. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone your secrets. But there should be no secrets from me.

Tram looked at Liton for a few seconds, studying him. It seems like he can be trusted. He doesn’t look like a spy. He was tired of carrying all this burden on his soul alone. No one could be trusted! But sometimes I wanted to share the secret with someone else.

— Shamon is back again.

The captain retreated a few steps.

— They don’t joke with something like that, Creator forbid!

The ancient demon was put to sleep by the ancestors two hundred years ago. He then conquered half the world. Dark Lords cannot be killed. They can be deprived of their strength for a while, they can be put to sleep for many centuries. But there is never a complete guarantee that one day he will not return. There were others before Shamon, stronger than himself. Antimonik, or the same Dell, were much stronger than the last fiend of evil. Zaymond was used to scare naughty children. But Chamon was the last, and, unlike the others, he was not just a legend. After his death, he left behind many spies who served his ideas for many years. Evil is not so easy to root out.

— I saw him. With my own eyes. But I must get to Eldoras, my hometown, to warn the inhabitants of the danger. The main thing is to get there before Shamon gets there with his army.

— If this is true, why do you need to go where the war will soon begin?

— I am one of the Seven.

If Liton had been a believer, he would have fallen to his knees right now. He silently took a sip of rum. He was no longer looking at the guest from above. On the contrary, there was reverence in him. The pirates continued to sing:

Yo-ho-ho, I’m dreaming of the blue distance,

We’re burning bridges and our pockets are empty

But I don’t feel sorry for the past at all,

Gallows or bonfires await us!

— You know, Tram! I have never done anything unless it was beneficial. As long as I’m a captain, I have to do this. But I will help in some way — we will direct the ship to the port of Khenei, which is closest to Eldoras.

— Thank you, Captain Liton. I will not forget your kindness!

Here the ship tilted. The drunken pirates hit the wall.

— Captain Liton! Looks like we’ve hit a reef!

The sailors got out of the ship and swam to the island. Liton ordered a fire to be lit, and several people went deep into the forest to get dry branches. No one noticed how Rakon fell to his knees and began to whisper:

— I appeal to you, lord! Come! Come to me! Get this ship out, don’t let it die. And I will make a sacrifice for you — I give them all to you!

He suddenly emerged from the sea. The entire green body was covered with tentacles, and instead of hands there were huge crab claws.

— Take them, master! — the old man shouted. — Take them all, but save me, I pray!

— Oh, you’re a disgusting nit! — Liton fired, and Rakon fell to the ground. Several shots are fired into the monster’s chest, but it’s all useless. The monkfish easily scattered the sailors, taking their lives. Then Tram said:

— I am the keeper of the Ancient Secret! I order you, monster — perish!

A bright beam of light flashed from his hands. The monster writhed in pain. But it immediately roared and rushed at the Guardian. Tram pulled out a sword — his blade shimmered with a thousand small runes. A couple of blows from the claws almost knocked the monk off his feet, but he resisted. He thrust the shimmering blade into the monster’s chest with all his might. The monster roared and fell to the ground. Until the black spirit of the monkfish left, he decided to use its power. Alien, but was there any other choice? A flash of light around the ship that stood on the reef in sight — and again only the fire illuminates the night forest.

— I removed the reefs. At dawn we set off.

— You killed the monkfish! — Liton exclaimed. He fell to his knees. His example was followed by other pirates who had previously feared neither the devil, nor God, nor the king himself.

— Get up, friends. Monkfish is just the beginning!

Chapter 2

The clouds hugged the sky like a raven wing, and there was no beginning or end to them. A bright flash illuminated the horizon for a moment, as if the hand of a dead man was trying to remove the veil from the heavens. And then came the thunder. And then the first drops fell from above. With every second the rain became stronger, until under its spell it became impossible to distinguish anything two steps away.

— Are you snails or sailors! — Liton bawled. — Why so slow? Maybe I should stand next to you and start pouring water overboard? Just keep in mind that one of you will be dipping the water!

The captain turned the rudder left and right, doing everything possible to keep the ship afloat and cope with the storm. Others ran, some with a bucket, some with a rag, pouring water overboard. The strength was running out, but it was impossible to give up. Nobody promised the sailor a sweet life. Then the storm calmed down. After a while, the clouds melted, and an arch of a rainbow hung over the «Soul of the Corsair.»

— Phew, alive! — said the captain. — Although, what do we need a storm now, when the monkfish himself was killed? Let’s have fun now!

The pirates drank rum, someone played dice. The rules are simple — you roll a few dice. Whoever gets the fewest points will spend the whole day scrubbing the deck. The other loser washes the dishes. So with passion it is very easy to prevent dirt on the schooner.

— You cheated! I have seen! — Tart shouted.

— If you’re a loser, what does it have to do with me?

— Yes you are! How can you say that! I saw with my own eyes how you turned the bone over with your hand.

— If you don’t want to scrub the deck, there’s no point in accusing honest people of deception!

— Are you honest? Don’t make people laugh! My friend is wearing pants — even more honest! He always honestly gets up when he sees a woman. And you, star, are cheating!

Tart grabbed Jim by the collar. Jim took out a dagger. A shot rang out.

— Both! — said the captain. — Now throw the weapon on the floor. Now go out into the fresh air and decide there who is right and who is wrong.

Tart and Jim came out. And after a while the door opened again with a creak, and the two pirates, like bosom friends, sang in an embrace:

Yo-ho-ho! We are not afraid of the dead

We love mermaids, we are bottomlessly drunk.

We will be hanged — we will be finished!

But while we are alive, you are doomed!

— So at once! — Liton smiled.

The captain approached Tram.

— Why, my friend, aren’t you happy? I understand, it’s a burden and all that, but you need to relax at least sometimes. Come on, drink some rum!

— Drank. Does not help.

— Then hold the phone.

Tram put the oak pipe to his lips. And he coughed.

— What is this?

— Hashish, of course. What did you think? Don’t worry, good one. From the Cayman Islands. The guys and I traveled halfway around the world — I’ve never smoked better.

Not that Tram had never tried mixing shag with imp-grass, as the hallucination-inducing herbs were called. Anything happened during the hikes. The times when there were no states and people lived under the rule of Beelzuvik, the kingdom of magicians, are long gone. The last five or six generations have been fighting for their place in the sun. Morelia made constant raids on the northern outskirts of Eldoras, and the Ennians looked greedily at the southern ones. During frequent campaigns, it was necessary to somehow pacify the pain of the memory of fallen comrades. So the soldiers drank ale, and sometimes bought forbidden demon grass from merchants. It actually became easier for a while. Tram broke into an idiotic smile and began to sing along with the other pirates:

Yo-ho-ho, the bottomless expanse sleeps,

We know no peace, only rum and robbery,

We don’t want to die here

Have fun, friends, our motto is simple!

But then oblivion came. Not for long. And behind him — again visions and memories.

Then the governor Dust sent him to the west of Dragha. Officially, this island was an independent country. Although everyone understood that the savages had no power here. The King of Eldoras exiled here all those undesirable, exiles like Tram himself, whose path to the continent was henceforth barred. Tram rode west. The further he drove, the fewer trees he encountered along the way. Where, according to Dust, a rebellious tribe of savages lived, there was not a single tree at all — only some clearings. Tram didn’t have time to do anything when he was grabbed. The savages here were unusually disciplined. They were wearing armor and carrying swords and spears in their hands. It is completely unrecognizable to those naked-assed pagans who worshiped the spirits of the moon and thunderstorms and were not shy not only about nudity, but also about eating their fellow tribesmen. Now a real organized army appeared before the eyes of the Exile.

He was brought to the fortress — what a miracle, another fortress besides the governor’s castle! From here there was a view of the Sea of Erin. Tram now understood why the trees were cut down — a whole fleet of freshly built ships of unusual shape stood at anchor. He was put in a cell. He did not understand the foreign language, so for some time he did not even know why he was not killed. It would be logical if he were made a slave — but no, he sat behind a wooden lattice, they even fed him well. He didn’t even want to think about what kind of meat they were giving him, being in captivity of the cannibals. On the third day, if Tram has not lost count, the head of the Inquisition came into his cell.

— Holiness, you! You can’t imagine how glad I am to see you! Explain to me what’s going on here?

— You have no idea how glad I am to see you! The governor served me well when he sent you to me.

— Did Governor Dust know the secret of these places?

— Of course I knew.

— So what united the savages? Why do they gather an army and build ships?

— Shamon is back. He came to life right here, where the savages built a sanctuary for him. And now he is building ships to cross the Sea of Erin and destroy Dream at its roots.

— Your Holiness, you must help me escape from here! I must have time to do what is intended for me. I must get to Dream, the capital of Eldoras, before Shamon.

Once upon a time, his ancestor was unable to complete the ritual, and now Evil is on the loose again.

— Help me get out! You know I have to do this! I can stop Shamon before this plague spreads across the world again. I’m one of the Seven!

— That’s why you’re here! — The Inquisitor burst out laughing. «I didn’t lay out the nets just to let you go now, Exile!» I woke up Shamon on this godforsaken island, and I don’t want him to fall asleep again!

— But why? — exclaimed Tram. — Why do you need this? Rendell, you are the head of an organization that fights magic in all its forms! How can an anti-magician go over to the side of Darkness?

— What do you actually know about the Darkness? What did your mentors tell you? They are lying. Or they are wrong. People do evil and injustice, and the Darkness becomes stronger every day. But when the Dark Lord comes, he absorbs all this dirt, and people become cleaner. They even unite against the face of obvious evil, for a while they remember nobility. And then again — envy, murder, slander. Never mind, it’s time for a new therapeutic bleeding. And the Seven must not stop us. Morelia is already with us. When we attack from the south, they will come from the north. When Dream is finished, Shamon will no longer have to fear the power of the Seven. And then the world will fall at our feet!

Morelia has been on the side of the Dark Forces in previous times.

A few days later, Tram miraculously managed to escape. But if he doesn’t make it on time and doesn’t fulfill what was intended, what was the point in all this?

— Then it would have been better to rot behind those bars! — shouted Tram.

— You got hit! — Liton grinned. — It’s a good pipe, isn’t it?

Several days passed, and the crew of the Soul of the Corsair reached the port of Heney. Tram said goodbye to the pirates and headed towards Dream. So familiar, and so alien now.

Chapter 3. Return to Dream

During his years in exile, Tram had become accustomed to the fact that it could be cold. He is used to basking in the sun in the warm Dragha. And his native Dream greeted him with torrential rain, which seemed to have no end or edge. Clouds covered the skies with a gray blanket, and nature did not want to crawl out from under the warm shelter into the cold world, like a gentle princess on a winter morning. The wind blew and a bright yellow leaf hit Tram in the face, and with it the sand, making him sneeze. It smelled damp. Crows croaked and dragonflies, huge dragonflies, scurried back and forth. Tram pulled his hood lower, hoping that this would help against the ubiquitous sand, which even the rain could not force to lie on the ground. The familiar walls of the temple were tinged with silver. In such weather he would happily sit at home and not show his nose outside, but the local residents were not afraid of the rain. They scurried back and forth, pushing, shouting, quarreling. Someone was kissing, someone was stealing apples from under the merchant’s nose, someone was chasing her husband with a club in his hand:

— Cattle! How could you meet with that woman secretly from me!

Life was in full swing, the city was alive, and he did not yet suspect what danger awaited him.

Tram approached the white walls of the majestic castle.

— Wait, who’s coming? — at the entrance there are two: one is still quite a youth, even a mustache has not appeared on his face, thin as death itself. The other was an old man with a belly almost to the ground. But they are somewhat similar — either son and father, or the eldest — the uncle of another guard.

Tram took off his black glove, and a silver ring with a special rune appeared before the eyes of the guards. Then he took off his hood.

— Take me to the king. The matter cannot wait.

A man on a black horse rode up to the guards. He got off his horse and whispered something in the older man’s ear.

— So-so! You are welcome! His Highness has ordered that everyone associated with the Soul of the Corsair be brought to him personally, and our honorable informant claims that you sailed on that damned schooner. How much did these thugs drink our blood!

Tram was hit painfully in the stomach, and then his arms were twisted from behind and tied up. Oh, this is not how he imagined returning home! Not at all like that!

He was led through urine-smelling corridors. There was a completely different smell in the hall — a mixture of fashionable perfumes and the same urine. In the viceroy’s castle, hygiene was more carefully monitored than here.

King Leslie the Unsociable sat on the throne. To his right sat the Princess of Syria.

«She looks like me!» — Tram noted to himself.

On the right was Queen Esteri. She has become haggard and aged. Hubby is still a tyrant.

— They say they found one of the corsairs? Although, I see that everyone on your schooner doesn’t give a damn about the law. I expelled you from the lands of Eldoras forever, has anything changed since then? Why did you decide to break my will?

— This is a special time, Leslie. We must put aside our personal grievances to unite against a common enemy.

The king snorted contemptuously:

— If this common enemy is pirates, I will gladly!

— Pirates are not the worst problem that the Erin Sea conceals. To fight this, I am ready to unite with the corsairs — they are saints compared to Chamon.

Everyone present gasped. A hundred frightened eyes were directed at the guest.

— Shamon? You’ve probably been hanging out with savages for too long. Shamon was killed two hundred years ago. And the ancient city of Antimonikos was destroyed so that no stone was left unturned.

— They didn’t kill, but only put to sleep. You know — the Dark Lord is practically unstoppable.

His ancestor had such an opportunity once. But he got scared and did not complete the ritual to the end. Shamon could be dead forever. But he wasn’t.

— And what do you propose, Exile? — the king did not hide his hatred and contempt for the guest.

«We must reassemble the Order of the Seven.» We must restore its former power in order to fight the great ancient evil on equal terms.

— Ah, so that’s what you want. The robbed ships are not enough for you. You also want to take away the power from the king.

— I don’t need your power! Why do I need her? The Order of the Seven — it was not created to rule!

— You tell me your fairy tales. I didn’t call you. If someone tries to attack Eldoras, the king will cope on his own, without the advice of the Exile. Therefore, take this offender to jail — let him think about his behavior there.

The king had his reasons for doing this — Tram understood that. For many years, duty forced him and his beloved to stay apart. Her father chose her future husband. She was from a noble family — and who is he, the son of a monk? Yes, once the Order of the Seven had real power, but then the kings deprived them of power, fearing competition. Esteri married the king. Vows of fidelity meant too much to Tram back then, and he tried never to meet her gaze in order to resist the temptation to speak.

But one day he returned home from the battle ahead of the squad — with other wounded. And then he met her for the first time in years. Love broke the dam and flowed like a river.

One witch told the king that he would not be able to have children. But, returning from the battlefield, Leslie found his wife in labor. Tram was driven out of sight. If there had been someone else, he would have executed, but Tram is one of the Seven — people would not understand, why does the king need unrest?

Tram had not seen his daughter until that day. Leslie recognized her as a princess. He couldn’t have children, but he needed an heiress. They say that the old kings recognized power only in boys. But new times mean new laws. The king did not want to admit his weakness to anyone. The wife knew that he, as a husband, could not do anything. For this he took revenge on her all these years, which is why she grew old before her time.

— Get out! — the king yelled. — Do you, raszyavs, need to repeat it twice! Put the pirate in a cage!

Soldiers approached Tram. Among them was Stewart, an old comrade in arms. Together they ate a ton of salt and shed a river of sweat in battle. They cut down the enemy shoulder to shoulder.

— Sorry, Jumper!

How long has it been since he was called by this battle nickname! Tram even shed a tear, remembering the past. Once you make a mistake, your whole life goes awry.

He was thrown into a damp cell, and the door slammed behind him.

The men sat in a semicircle and looked at him, studying him.

— New guy? Well, hello, peer,» said one of the prisoners. The one sitting in the center. — Or lord, I don’t even know what to call you, in such noble clothes. Stole, perhaps, from the king himself?

Everyone laughed in unison.

— Take off your ring. I need it more — it’s a beautiful thing, there’s no point in putting it on for such a lackey.

In the first minutes, you shouldn’t give in to slack in such places. Of course, life in Eldoras will soon end when Shamon comes here. But Tram did not know how long he would spend in this place where inveterate people gathered. On a pirate ship, Tram witnessed how a young, thin guy periodically replaced female affection with unshaven corsairs, and did not want to share his fate. The rune-covered sword was taken, but Tram had a dagger in his bosom. He quietly took it out and placed it just below the prisoner’s stomach.

«If you touch me again, you nit, I’ll cut off my balls.» Believe it! Understand? One more fucking time and you’ll be singing in the choir of inquisitors!

— Okay, why are you doing so right away! So I would say that it’s my own. You know, we don’t like nobles here. And you are one of your own, you are not one of the nobles. «My name is Sam,» the «leader» extended his hand.

«Trem,» the Exile shook hands with caution.

— Will you have makhorka? There is little entertainment here — shag, cards and dice. Well, sometimes we fight, but so as to stretch the loaves.

Tram had a special gift. He was unsociable and very rarely spoke to anyone first. But he always had comrades everywhere. And now he has become the soul of this team, with whom everyone took into account and asked for advice.

The days passed in a monotonous sequence. Tram glanced warily at the street through the bars. He was taught to play poker. They played, of course, for shag.

One day the door to the cell opened. Stuart entered.

— Has Leslie come to his senses?

«Not really,» said the guard. — Let’s go, I’ll tell you along the way.

The door behind Tram creaked open and he was finally free. Fresh air! This is what is missing in the musty, sweat-smelling cell.

«Tell me what happened while I was away,» said Tram.

— Many things. Much more than in all previous years. Let me start with the fact that Shamon’s return is now no secret to anyone. The combined forces of Dragha and the Ennians burn cities and villages from the south. Morelia and mercenaries from the far west are burning our northern lands. According to my calculations, Shamon in all his grandeur will be with us in a week. And the king… He is still blind. He doesn’t see obvious things. Doesn’t want to see.

We walked down the street without meeting a soul. How strange, even ominous for Dream — an empty city.

«The merchants and rich townspeople have left,» Stuart commented.

We entered the castle and the meeting room. All six of the Seven stood around the throne.

— Oh, and you are here too, Exile! — said Leslie. — When you appeared in my city, I immediately realized that something was dirty. CONSPIRACY! And you can’t trust anyone. But you won’t overthrow Leslie that easily! You will not take away my crown. Guards! Capture these traitors!

The soldiers hesitated — the Order of the Seven was something sacred and inviolable for them. Since childhood, their parents told them legends about the Battle of Antimonica.

— Do I have to repeat orders twice?

Some soldiers pulled their swords from their scabbards and walked towards the seven monks. Other soldiers pulled out their weapons and blocked the first one’s path. A fight broke out between supporters of the order and supporters of the king.

— I thought so! — shouted Leslie. — Traitors among the walls! Damned traitors!

He made a strange sound:

— You? And you!

Tram turned to see Esteri, his old lover, pull the dagger from her husband’s back, and the king fell to the ground.

— Stop! In the name of the queen! I order! — Absolute silence hung for a while, no one dared to move.

— I’m not ready to sacrifice my dear Dream for the whims of my husband!

A strong woman, Tram thought to himself. She became haggard and aged, but Leslie could not extinguish in her through years of tyranny what the Exile loved her for.

— The Order of the Seven receives as much power as it needs to fulfill its goal. We have lost the country, but we will not give up the capital to the enemy. Everyone else is now preparing for defense. And we will defend!

— Do your duty, Exile! — the king hissed in his death throes. «I hope you go to hell after this, you fucking asshole!»

These were the last words of the most cruel of the kings of Eldoras. Or maybe the last king, who knows how history will turn in a week?..

Chapter 4. The Fall of Eldoras

For the last two centuries, Eldoras had to defend its right to a place in the sun with blood and blades. A country rich in ore and fertile lands is always a tasty morsel for a greedy neighbor. Not a trace remained of the luxurious forests of Morelia after the reign of Chamon. Antimonik cut down forests and built mechanisms. The war of those times is long over, and instead of the legendary Magic Forest there is a scorched desert. The oak trees withered, the animals became extinct. And Eldoras, with its fertile black soils and access to the Sea of Erin and the appendage island of Ddraigh, became one of the richest countries in Seisilla.

Therefore, in this war, Morelia the envious woman again took the side of Evil. Two weeks ago, the guards saw signal lights to the north. A day later, the southern signal light was lit. Trouble was knocking at the gate. But the king didn’t care. He was too carried away by searching for traitors within the castle walls. When Queen Esteri came to power, it was too late to liberate the provinces. Dream went on the defensive. All efforts were devoted to this.

* * *

Tram walked through the streets of Dream. It was hard to believe that the city was under threat. Everyone is also running and fussing. The market is full of people. A drunk woman invites you to buy fresh fish, another offers silk. Fruits, vegetables, wines, furs, silks, jewelry. Everything is the same as always. Dream was drowning in luxury and did not look for a way to salvation.

A detachment of guards was leading some people shackled. A whole convoy. At first Tram thought they were being taken to a slave market. But then I looked closer and saw the familiar face of Liton.

— How are you here, captain?

— Looks like the old sailor has had enough of a swim. We are all mortals. Something seems to me that this time was the last voyage!

— So what happened? — Tram was wearing black clothes, so the guards did not notice how someone was talking to their prisoners.

— We were hanging out with the men. And out of drunkenness they decided to attack one ship. At first this was one thing, and then several more ships appeared. The royal bloodhounds decided to fish with live bait. And here we are, being led to trial.

Queen Esteri sat on the throne. The maids brought her dishes with fruits and sweets. It smelled of orchids and incense. The musicians played violins, a busty blonde sang soulfully.

The guards brought a tall, dark-haired man in a tattered suit into the room.

— Your Highness, we have finally caught Liton! — said the old guard.

Silence reigned in the hall. Everyone, including the queen, looked at the arrival with curiosity. The fame of the captain of the «Soul of the Corsair» spread to all directions of the world. The crew of the infamous schooner claimed the lives of hundreds of sailors.

— Well, Liton, now you’ve had your fill.

Tram ran into the throne room:

— Your Majesty, Please save the life of this man. He saved me from certain death. I want to thank him…

«He saved the life of one of the Seven, praise be to him for that.» But it took the lives of hundreds of other people. One good deed will not correct a thousand crimes.

— Your Mightiness! Soon Morelia’s troops will be at our gates. And then every man who knows how to carry a sword or other weapon will count.

— Yes, you’re right, Tram! Let’s save the lives of the pirates. We need people who will go in the front row.

«She has changed. Not at all the girl I loved!» — Tram noted to himself.

Life has made Queen Esteri cruel. When everyone left, the queen and the monk were left alone.

— Do you remember that spring? — said Tram. — The lilacs were blooming and the fallow deer were chirping. It smelled of myrtle and malt. We lay under the belly moon near Lake Sturel. We looked at the stars and dreamed about how good everything would be. That everything will be the same as before…

— Years will not erase this from my memory. They made me an old woman, but they will not take away my memory.

— You are not an old woman. But something has really changed in you. Where did that dreamy girl I once loved go?

— Leslie took her to the grave with him. I’m the only one left.

— Please, Esteri, Liton saved me. I have to repay him.

— I already pardoned him, what else do you need?

* * *

— Queen Esteri! Guests are coming to you! — the butler reported.

— Who?

— His Holiness, Head of the Inquisition, Lord Rendell!

— Bring him here! — the queen commanded.

A gray-haired old man entered the room.

— Your Majesty! — he said. — Glad to meet you. And I’m glad that an adequate person was on the throne.

— Thank you, Rendell! But let’s get down to business. Why did you come to Dream at this difficult time?

— I want to propose an alliance to Your Highness. The Anti-Witch League will march under your banners against the troops of the Ennians and Morellians.

— Your Grace, allow me to say! — Tram spoke. — The Inquisitor personally revived Shamon. He is the main culprit of all the troubles of Eldoras.

— Rendell, is this true? «What can you say in your defense?» asked the queen.

— I have evidence to the contrary! I believe that Tram is to blame for Shamon’s life. He was a guest in my domain, and performed a terrible ritual. Shamon is alive and thirsts for power, but it is not my fault that he is revived. I will give you irrefutable evidence, but only face to face, Your Majesty!

— Okay, let’s go to the next room.

The Queen and the Inquisitor left.

— Speak. You have three minutes, and if you do not prove your innocence, I will give the order to execute you!

Rendell whispered words in an unknown language, and the queen froze.

«Ochre…» the queen croaked, but the words were very difficult for her.

— Sorry, Your Grace, but this is necessary. I had to deceive you.

— What are you planning? — the queen whispered, because she didn’t have enough strength for more. — If you kill me, you will be executed!

— Why should I kill you? I need you alive. Tram didn’t lie — I brought Shamon back to life. But I didn’t have a reviving stone. I don’t know if the same recipe that the Necromancer came up with remains somewhere. Therefore, I only revived the spirit of the old dark magician. But he needs someone else’s flesh to live. At the moment I am Shamon! — The old man grinned ominously.

— You! — the queen looked with horror into the villain’s face.

«I didn’t even expect that I would be able to capture the entirety of Eldoras so easily.» As soon as I whispered to Leslie the idea, he would withdraw his troops closer to the capital, and now almost all of your lands are under my control, now it will not be so easy to return them back. But here live those who can still harm me. Seven. I don’t remember how they killed me last time. Death erases part of the memory. But I know for sure — they must die. And then this world will fall before my feet. Your Grace, please open your mouth!

The queen complied. The Inquisitor opened his mouth and black smoke poured out, which Esteri inhaled. Then Rendell sat down in a chair, exhausted. And the queen laughed:

— Well, Rendell, you’ve served me well. Now Esteri will be my container!

Tram, standing in the common room, shuddered in horror and whispered in the ear of Linder, the head of the Order of the Seven:

— Something irreparable has happened. We’re in trouble. Mortal danger awaits us. I can feel it. We must run.

— What are you talking about? Tram?

— I put the queen under surveillance before she left the hall. I think, teacher, there is no point in hiding my feelings for the queen from you. They’re not the same as before, but I haven’t cooled off at all. So, somehow Shamon took possession of Esteri through Rendell!

The Queen opened the door.

— Grab the Seven! — Esteri commanded.

The guards hesitated for a split second. This was enough for Tram:

— Let’s run! Immediately! Brothers, come with me!

And they ran. A crossbow bolt flew near his ear, but hit the wall. They ran along the corridors of the castle, barely stopping to take turns, but the guards overtook them. Tram gestured to one of the rooms, and the fugitives ran there.

— From here there is a passage to the dungeons. We must free Liton and his people. We need good security now more than ever.

— So what happened, can you explain in human terms? — asked Linder.

— Shamon has just captured Dream in his hands. Now Eldoras entirely belongs only to him!

— But how is this possible? He won’t be able to overcome our defenses!

— I already could. Now Queen Esteri is Shamon!

— But this is impossible! This can’t be true!

— This is true. Master, take a look at her. My observer spell hangs on her pendant.

Linder closed his eyes and stood silently for a while. And then he opened his eyes, filled with horror.

— This is true. Esteri is no longer with us. Dream fell today.

They went down to the dungeons. The security guard was hit on the head with a flower vase. They took the keys and unlocked Liton.

— I was not mistaken when I saved you, Tram! — said the pirate. And he hugged me like an old friend. Others from the crew of the «Soul of the Corsair» followed.

— Let’s run! — said Tram.

Chapter 5. Seven

The sun caressed the sky with its last rays. It smelled pleasantly damp, as always after rain. But not a single cloud obscured the skies anymore, so it was difficult to say that it had rained just recently. There was a crowd in the street. Three people were walking up the stairs to the royal castle. Viceroy Ddraigha Dust was short in stature with bright, lively eyes for his age. He carried a white flag in his hand. Walking next to him was the tall, painfully thin King of Morelia, Sintellus. On the right hand of Sintell walked the ruler of the free Ennian lands, Lord Bant. He was young, one might even say young, for a ruler.

Queen Esteri stood at the top of the stairs, in front of the entrance. She was expecting guests.

— Wow, what kind of people! I’m glad you came!

The warriors next to the queen clenched their fists, someone grabbed the sword, but did not pull it out of its sheath. The King of Morelia has long been the most terrible enemy of Eldoras.

As the guests passed by the entrance, the guard patted them down. He pulled a dagger from Sintell’s pocket.

— You can’t carry weapons. Leave all the weapons to me.

The guests followed Esteri. Rendell was in the common room. He has aged in recent days. There was not a trace left of that active head of the Inquisition who came here a few days ago. Shamon drank his spiritual strength and moved into another body. He regretted what he had done, but the past could not be returned.

The guests sat down at the table, and the servants brought wine and fruit.

— I guess we have nothing more to share. It is so? — asked Esteri. — Although if I were you, my lords, I would return the selected lands back to Dream’s possession. Dust glanced sideways at Rendell, but he didn’t say a word, just looked at his feet.

«Your Highness,» Sintell noted. -You realize that all of Eldoras is now in our hands. Except for Dream, but we brought all our united troops to the Capital!

— We also brought all our troops to Dream. But we shouldn’t fight at all! If we join forces, the whole world will fall at our feet. I hope you realize, dear guests, that your lives are in my hands? You are unarmed in my castle, where there are many people loyal to me! All I have to do is snap my fingers and you’re done!

Sintell clenched his fists. He was ready to rush at the queen. But then he looked around — there were, indeed, only enemies around.

— Everyone come out! — the queen commanded. — I have to talk to the guests face to face.

When the servants and guards left the hall, Esteri struck Sintell in the groin. He bent in half.

— What a bitch! — he screamed almost in falsetto. — I’ll strangle you. And then let your soldiers do whatever they want with me. We will crush Dream, not a grain of sand will remain!

He attacked the queen. But he immediately stood still. Shamon’s voice sounded in his head:

«Do you even know who you’re talking to?»

— Lord Shamon! It is you! This can’t be true!

— King Sintell! You will sign an agreement with me. And then the united troops of Eldoras, Morelia, Ddraigh and the Ennian lands will move north and east. By the way, we gathered all the troops in the vicinity of Dream. First of all, we will move north, to Sanem.

* * *

The monks barely hid from the royal guards. They were now living in the house of cousin Stephen Delont. While the stew was cooking over the fire, they were preparing a plan for an attack on Shamon.

«The main thing is to get into the castle unnoticed,» said Stephen.

— Now it’s not so easy! — Linder noted. — Our wanted notices are posted on every corner. Queen Esteri has appointed such a reward for us that it is unlikely that anyone will be tempted by a tasty piece of the pie. Dream is swarming with security. Let’s say we get to the castle. What’s next? How will we pass unnoticed? There is no crowd at all near the doors to the throne room. Even if we manage to kill the queen, what next? This is suicide — the city is teeming with Morelians, Ennians and Ddraighas.

«I never thought that Dream would fall so low,» Steven sighed. — And without a fight at all.