Optron #30 03 сентября 1999

Новеллы     Игры

Category X - Novella for "Black Crow" - do not brag iduchi to host.

From the Editor:


  Do not think that before you novella
after reading that, you can easily pass
the same name of the game. Not at all! It's just
stream of impressions that have arisen under the influence
bessmertonogo creation Vyacheslav Mednonogova subjective vision 
created by him Peace ...




               Black Maria

{} Paul Vysotsky, 1999


       Do not boast, iduchi to host ...


  Mellow yellow sun was sinking somewhere beyond
the tops of mighty trees and the ground was made of gray. 
Forest softly rustled in the wind, stately rustling his every 
leaf, and on fields overflowed dying bird ringing. And it was 
so peaceful and beautiful forever, that it seemed there was no 
on a narrow bluebell stinky human anthill. There were no three 
hundred ragged and curves of the fortifications. There was no 
petty spirit of a blind crowd, it was not hanging over all 
animal fear. 

  Grey evening covering chopped hut
leaving only a vague ghostly shape of something big and clumsy, 
unnecessary neither here nor anywhere else. Instead of 
broad-shouldered warriors in the village now go only dark 
shadows, and soon the last people cease to swarm. Disappeared 
almost direct the light in the windows - all tired and 
exhausted died away in their closets. No sleep only a few hour 
and one window - a bright yellow box is already fully reigning 
darkness. Bright spot was in the the center of the nest, the 
palisaded fort. 

  The largest - Provincial - hut ate
drank and made noise with dinner. The table was littered with
remnants of food and so, to what did not have time
get - do not want to let the servant, who was eavesdropping, 
and so the door. Argued Three - Prince Vseslav, Governor Daniel 
and his Envoy of the Grand Duke.


  And everyone knew what to do with kung why two dozen people 
yesterday escaped from the camp, and that if in three days 
light does not come with Prince Vladimirka for backup their 
Peremel military truck. Yet they guessed that Prince Vladimirka 
come in time, most likely will not want to, because that once 
the Prince Vseslav chop off his two locks. Another knew that 
Vseslav always have time to go with a small retinue, and Daniel 
first fall in battle. 

  Synevyr envoy, was supposed to give a couple
advice and drive away the same morning. He was
however, and nothing to do with, and at the same time, gave 
advice, and one had to obey. 

  - Fear of God, the prince. Send thirty
people at Granja, right in the teeth kungovskomu
offspring? No good there, and people passing, - said Daniel, 
worrying and complaining Duke.


  - And you what? Here's learned new fellows, so what they have 
our shack with farmers hang? And there will be new, as yet send 
to reconnoiter, as they have catapults. And someone else will 
think we're asleep - replied the prince, trying to sedate stroke

beard.

  Beard climbed into his mouth, and even strove to
poke on the plate, and he stroked and stroked dispersed and 
dirty hair. 

  Side sat Sinevir who smiled contemptuously straight into the 
beard, and even snorted softly. He was here nevmestno. He 
wanted back in the capital city, closer to the Grand Duke, and 
away from Kung and nasty these roughest fellows.

A shrill voice, stretching, and from laziness
crushing words, he said:

  - Yes, perhaps this is their delay. It is their
delay ... And there, perhaps, and His Serene Highness Prince
Vladimirka ... But why there, and so these lazy pigs just 
translate. 

  - At the decided to do. But you, Daniel, nose
not cool, is not your business.

  Prince Vseslav motanul beard and stood up.
Already at the door he found among other matters added
though, and still he was:

  - Mostly in the unit will go Oleg. And you,
Daniel, sit. Real Battle oposlya will.

  - Not waving their fists Oposlya - quietly
Heard but said the governor, and, bowing to the prince, 
polukivnuv Synevyr left hut.




              God's pilgrim


  Night of a million cicadas lulled all
has not slept in the camp, and sleep should not be
was. And so uspakaivayusche smiling old month, so ozorlivo 
winked asterisks somewhere dropping stupid

needle, aching in every heart. Everyone in the camp waiting for 
the Horde, the Horde was breathing, he cursed Horde. A month 
was like he was always smiling and nothing new is expected.


  Hour, frozen under a mighty pine tree in
the edge of vast forests, shrugged his shoulders
and shook from the sweet sleep of numbness. Looked up to was 
not the night, bright sky, and then into the bushes, followed 
propolzshemu rustle. In most Seredka playing Moon path appeared 
a short, old man, wrinkled hunchback. The wind fluttered his 
long silvery-white beard. From somewhere beneath the folds of 
gray loose overall extricate himself hooked fingers and leapt 
upwards, towards the sentry. 

  - His, his, son. I am the prince Vseslav.
Basil I the sorcerer.

  All came out of the shadow of a giant oak, with
onions, with the ringing of the voltage on a string.
He was silent. Silent waiting, a little afraid
strange old man.

  - Well, dear? Let's go to the prince, Ali
No?

  Darling little more stood, took a step
forward, lurched sideways and said softly:

  - Go in the future, I'm back.

  Soon they were in the main house, in which
It was dark. And still later, after
conversation with the prince, magician slips out
fort and walked to the edge of the clearing. It has been almost 
reached the woods, he did a few laps on juicy, wet night

grass, rubbing their hands and an old man crack.

  - That's right, it's that on there and it is. AND
quietly and smoothly - quietly rasped his beard, old man.

  Smiling at the forest and blackish away
prizimestym shack strange and good
smile, he raised both hands up and shouted, sing-song voice 
muffled and horrible words. Forest already stopped, as if 
waiting. Then all easy to tremble, will stream around a glowing 
bluish haze and the smell of a thunderstorm. Smoke swayed and 
flowed over the ground, and it appeared thin outlines a high 
tower. It was already possible to count the narrow windows and

see chipped loopholes at the top. But this
all was smoke - there was still no stone, no
power doors. The old man looked pretty
by mirage - he clearly liked - and clicked
fingers. Smoke pierced the blue lightning, and
tower was a tower. Disappeared and the smell of rain
gray ghosts, there was only white leviathan that goes up, the 
new home of sorcerer.


  The old man looked tired, squeezed and bruised, but still 
happy. He quietly crept up to the wrought-iron door and has 
opened they looked around and said:


  - And after all that way through three hundred years of crazy 
chronicler writes that the towers wizards built slaves ...




                   Possessed


  Dirty house poured early morning noise and
military buzz. Ready to send young men, scurrying, confused 
with each other under kicking, cursing and telling tales about

horde and sorcerer. Here and there braver warrior, taking with 
him a couple of mates, came to the White Tower, the scrubbing 
tarred in the morning sky over the camp. Bareheaded warriors, a 
year ago at the young Pahari zlatozernovyh fields principality, 
constantly spitting, poke fingers in the rare window-slits and 
loud talking. 

  The order was not, there was no single chief, and no one knew 
whom to obey and why. Prince Vseslav was no reason he went to 
see off Synevyr left together with a team, the best and choicest

part of the thinning troops. Danilo ran, someone somewhere to 
send, fussing and pretty soon and efficiently prepared squad - 
exactly thirty young men. Fellows were different, and

some have difficulty holding
halberds and great one-handed swords.

  Were made at seven, rough systems, often
looking at the white tower-boom, battered fort and the wider 
western path along which the morning went Vseslav. They went to 
the east, where there was no one will force people to where a 
horde. 

  During the day nothing has changed - the same
pure dull sky, the same stockade of trees along a deserted 
highway, the same hopeless faces fellow travelers. Ahead of 
their probably waiting for an ambush or a powerful enemy:

cordon. Or even a fortified camp with
catapults. But the collapse in the forest was
scary - military truck brought with them some
unclean spirit, and there, in this once wonderful green sea. 
Nobody said anything, but still waiting. Before each turn all

somehow strained and becomes invisible. Because at any moment 
could be end.


  And in the gap between the everlasting firs
flashed a pair of black capes langolerov
with chicken feathers on light helmets. And then ... Then came 
the terrible everywhere, pervasive conjure a whisper. Someone

shouted: "Warlock". The path laid
rogataya black shadow for a moment, became very quiet. Even the 
flies have gone missing. Simultaneously blew cold and 
sepulchral, ​​and infernal heat. And the eternal and immortal 
fear. "Have mercy!" - Prayed all living things. Cami langolery 
tried to stay together, away from that terrible place. 

  Ahead was a demon. Grey festering
flesh, teeth, bones and bottomless green
if female, her eyes. And everyone was afraid to look at them, 
looked at them and understand that the strength of the monster 
is not in the feet and the huge Yatağan, and that was behind 
him, on the other side of the green saucers.


  "Have mercy!" - Now someone shouted.

  A tall broad-shouldered men, standing in the
the middle order, made a couple of steps
ago, he dropped out of them that went out shaking hands
great sword, and cast a last glance at
Him, he ran to escape. And fell pierced
Tagged with black arrows.

  Fled and others, but none has gone far. And Oleg, who headed 
the team, decided to stay. And the left, one on one with the 
green eyes. And they could not help him with swords remaining 
comrades. 

  All around somewhere failed and left only two immense green 
eyes. And what was in those eyes, laughed,

waiting and a reminder of all the filth and abominations of his 
short life. 

  And yet it has shown the picture. What
was, what would that suffered Oleg
even when Oleg was not, and what will be
tolerate when it wins. And for a moment, Oleg
I saw what was on the side. There,
which was at the same time here, he was
himself. In the black robe, with a terrible smile, with 
intelligent eyes. 

  And Oleg understood.

  "He, he - is you."

  And he was quite stuffy and cramped in this
world. He was not lucky - he understood and felt it earlier 
than others, not yet having gone c sinful earth.


  "And when you stare into the abyss, the abyss
looks into you. "

  So he thought, and something in his mind
erupted. He cried and moaned, rolling on
land wanted to tear my eyes so as not to
see themselves on the other side. And died, not
surrendering to Him.

  Warriors left seven. They huddled together in a
together, somehow causing indiscriminate attacks
on a terrible rogatomu giant. A shining
through the blood stains on it Scimitar whistled in the air, 
repeatedly cutting the body-straws. 

  Because of the rotation seemed vague silhouette
Basil. Among the handful of soldiers was yesterday and Svetozar 
hour, edge vzgyada noticed the hurrying figure of an old man. 
Like cry, so he fled, but was already

late. Too late.

  Demon, seeing a small figure, it is noisy
pulled the nostrils and for some reason looked back. Langolerov 
was not there. But when He turned around, the sorcerer has 
charted a sign in the dusty air and the air itself

becoming denser and denser.

  Everyone was waiting for, and then came the big funny bun 
with Long-eared baby smile. And, just smile, spit directly into 
a demon. AND infinity for the first time this battle raised an 
eyebrow and a little shaken. And then, when all

it became clear people were revived hack
infernal enemy. He raised his scimitar less and less, and 
smiled all the funny side Ball, from time to time opening his 
mouth. 

  Svetozar raised his sword, and like just scratched the red 
meaty flesh, but the demon burst into flames. He vanished as 
quietly as come, without even leaving a handful of ashes.

Became an instant glowing cloud - still with
terrible eyes, and then, instead of
to blow up, went off somewhere in the ground.


           To be completed ...