Читать книгу Raven's Soul. Volume 1 - Анна Морион - Страница 4

The war between Flammehav and Kaldwind broke out three days after Varma, the demon queen, received the bloody severed head of the ambassador. This war was merciless, brutal: blood poured down in rivers, cities were wiped to dust, the bodies of the slain covered more and more devastated lands. But all this horror did not touch the kingdom of men – it was burning and turning into ruins proud and powerful Flammehav. Demons, who started this war and previously had no doubt in their success, suffered defeat after defeat, and this led them to terror, but excessive pride and hatred of people forced the king of demons Lamar to continue the desperate war, which cost hundreds of thousands of lives of his subjects.

On the first night that the demons attacked what they thought was the defenseless border town of Kaldwind Valdal, their attack was easily repulsed by an experienced heavily armed garrison. The very next day many strong reinforcements of horsemen, archers and infantry men arrived in the town, and from that day the fall of Flammehav began. In three and a half months Derek Merkswerd's army had invaded the lands of the enemy, destroyed most of the demons' defenses, left behind the ruins of many cities and the corpses of their enemies, and was now conquering the still vacant remnants of the Fire Kingdom's lands, sparing neither women nor children, taking no prisoners, and plundering houses, temples, and palaces. Since the King of Kaldwind hated demons and everything associated with them, his warriors were given permission to pillage, rape, and kill. The humans were physically weaker than their enemies, but, perfectly trained in the art of battle and with strict discipline on the battlefield, they had a great advantage over their overconfident foes and mowed them down like wheat. King Derek did not hide behind the backs of his warriors and participated in every battle, for which he had the unending respect and loyalty of his large grateful army.

King Lamar of Flammehav could not find a place for himself: unlike King Kaldwind, who led his army with his own hands, this demon hid in his palace, together with his wife and daughter, and only helplessly watched as his lands fell, inch by inch, city by city, under the onslaught of his enemies. And what enemies! The people he had always considered weak, pathetic, despised, and whose race he was about to wipe off the face of the earth when he himself had declared war on their king, Derek Merkswerd! Almost without leaving the huge, red-lit hall, sitting on his high, elegant throne, Lamar was desperately trying to think of a way to take back his lands, but all his plans and orders were only making things worse. And the king knew that the reason for the fall of Flammehav was himself: it was he who did not consider it necessary to teach military tactics and training to his army or himself, because the demons had enough of their magic, which terrified their enemies. Before his army was indestructible, but not because his warriors were skillful, no: the reason for this greatness was their magic. Demons could inspire his enemies anything: penetrating their thoughts, they ordered them to kill their friends, and then themselves, telekinesis taking away from the enemy his weapon, whether it was a sword, axe, mace or knife, they directed it at the owner. Demons had never had to fight physically, for the deadly weapons were their magical skills. But now that, for some inexplicable reason, demons could not kill their enemies with magic, could not penetrate their minds and send fireballs at them, the humans and King Lamar himself were faced with a pitiful sight: the Flammehav army was nothing more than an ordinary collection of awkward individuals who had never held a real weapon. Yes, they were stronger than humans and more agile, but that didn't save them from the professionalism of Derek Merkswerd's rage-obsessed army. Demons were unable not only to destroy the enemy, but also to defend themselves and their homeland from him. These proud creatures, previously unknown to defeat, fell at the hands of mortal men like flies at the hand of a giant. The remnants of Flammehav's army and population, streaming into the capital city of Roevann in search of refuge, were gripped by despair and the sheer terror of being exterminated, which was indeed the goal of their enemy. They pleaded with King Lamar to offer peace to the people, but he stubbornly stood his ground, unwilling to humiliate himself in his own eyes. After all, who would he be, the proud powerful Lamar Rossi, if he signed a peace treaty with the enemy? It will not happen! There is still hope! His army will never give up the great capital of Roevann to the wretched mortals! And, filled with refugees who had lost everything, wounded men screaming in pain, and children screaming in terror, Røvann prepared for battle.

– Father!" young Sylvia, Lamar's daughter, burst into the throne room in a whirlwind. Her beautiful red eyes burned with indignation. – This has gone too far! The men have surrounded Ruwann! They stand beneath our walls, ready to wipe us off the face of the earth!

– I know that," he replied tiredly, lifting his head and looking at his daughter. – But do not lose hope: soon we will find out what prevents us from using magic, and we will drive these mortals away from Røvann, then we will regain our lands, and then we will rush into Kaldwind like a bloody tornado. The people will pay for every life taken from my subjects.

– Father, do you hear yourself? – Sylvia said quietly. She walked over to her father, knelt down in front of them, and took his palm in hers. In her nineteen years she knew that pride was the worst counselor. – I beg… I beg you: go to the king of men and ask for peace.....

– Never! Sylvia, my daughter… You know they are not worthy of it.

– Unworthy or not… It doesn't matter!" Sylvia stroked his hand and smiled bitterly: "Now is not the time to hold on to our pride and former greatness. Soon enough, the humans will attack, and we won't be able to repel them and defend ourselves. You know that.

Lamar turned his face away from her and said nothing.

– Father? – The girl called softly again.

– There is nothing we can do now," he said in a confident tone. – Let them attack. Soon their defense against our magic will fall, and we will destroy them. We will wipe out every human being, down to the last infant, and turn their land into a desert.

Sylvia knew her proud father's temperament, and she foresaw that he would respond to her request for peace with the enemy in this way. But she did not lose hope, because she knew: if he did not compromise his pride, the race of demons will be exterminated and will be just a story, just a terrible tale that people will scare their naughty children.

– You've been saying that since the war began, but we've never found out what secret the humans are keeping and how they stole magic from us," she said softly.

– Go to your chambers," Lamar ordered her instead of answering: his daughter's words, so true, were burning his mind with hot coals.

– Father, go to the king of men. Go before they attack…" the girl began, but her father released his palm from her hand, rose abruptly from his throne, and hurried out of the hall.

Lamar did not want to listen to his daughter. He was sure that his spies would bring him happy news, and he had no intention of going to the world. His wife, who was as proud as she was arrogant, supported him and said she was sickened by the thought of even nagging pathetic people for peace. And only their daughter realized that as soon as the human army surrounding the walls of Røvann received reinforcements, (for the capital of Flammehav was difficult to take, even though it could not defend itself with magic) a battle would begin that would be the last for the once prosperous and majestic demon kingdom. But Sylvia was only a young girl, and while her father had always listened to her opinion in matters of politics and running the kingdom, this time he would not consider anyone's opinion, not even that of his favorite daughter. And the Flammehav heiress knew that her father's stubbornness would lead them all to their inevitable doom, but she could not change his decision.

***

– Reinforcements have arrived, Your Majesty," Bergil announced loudly as he entered the king's large black tent, where he and his warlords were discussing a plan to capture Røvann.

There was merriment in the human camp: the warriors knew that after they had destroyed Røvann, slit the throats of everyone they could get their hands on, hung the bodies of the Rossi family – the lords of Flammehav – and taken with them all the vast wealth of the royal palace without leaving even a copper coin, they would cleanse Vakkerland of demons, those vile Satanic spawn. They will do all races a great favor and be glorified in songs and ballads for all ages. Besides, back home in their native Kaldwind, their wives and children are waiting patiently for them.

– How many? – Derek tossed to Bergil, standing surrounded by the men of war.

He had no map of Flammehav, nor did any of the other kings of Vakkerland, for none of them had been able to cross the borders of the demon kingdom that terrified their enemies until now. Derek Merkswerd – King of Men was the first and last to reach the walls of his capital.

– Thirty thousand, my king! – shining like a polished coin, Bergil replied.

– Excellent. Just think: perhaps tomorrow we will free the world from demons! – The king laughed, and his commanders shouted with one voice: "Hail Derek, King of Kaldwind!".

– Shall we attack tomorrow, then? – He commanded a large force of spearmen and was terribly proud of his friend's confidence in him.

– Yes, tomorrow," confirmed Derek.

– Must it be at dawn? – One of the warlords asked.

– No, noon. The warriors need to sleep and rest. The demons don't stand a chance anyway. They don't even have a single cannon. Fools never thought they'd have to defend their cities from their enemies," Derek smiled mockingly.

– Lead us, our king! – Bergil exclaimed. – We will follow you to both Hell and Heaven!

– To get there we all have to die first, and I'm not going to die yet! – chuckled Derek. – Andrada, my treasure, deserves the highest honors, and when I return to Sturfjell, I will reward her properly!

– But don't take her to your bed: I don't think she'll like it, for everyone knows she's proud as a wolf! – Bergil laughed loudly.

The whole kingdom knew of the king's love affairs, and he did not hide them.

– Her surname is a fox," the king grinned.

– A fox, then! Such a fluffy, affectionate fox! – Bergil laughed again, but he was the only one laughing: the other warlords stared at the ground, for they dared not mock His Majesty. Only Bergil, Derek's best friend, could afford such liberty.

– My friend, I think it's time for you to get married! – Derek smiled, squinting his eyes. – How do you like our Hedda?

– No way! I'll kill you! I like being a lonely bear! – Bergil grumbled unhappily and hurried to steer the conversation in another direction: "I thought maybe we could give our warriors some wine. They deserve it!

– I want sober warriors," Derek cut him off. – The wine will come after we've won, so tell them that.

– As you say, Your Majesty. – Bergil bowed to the king and left the tent.

– You too are free to go," Derek ordered the commanders, and they left him alone.

"I'll bring my daughters a nice crown each," he decided, sitting down on a roughly chipped wooden chair with a mug of water in his hand. During the war he had always observed a rite of sobriety so that wine and honey would not cloud his judgment. – Lamar has a wife and a daughter, and they must each have a crown worthy of my daughters' heads. I must remember to give orders that Lamar and his family are not to be touched: they will be executed in public, in the main square of Sturfjell, as will their vile relative, the murderer Daryal."

The night passed. The morning came. The warriors, rested and full of vigor, were just waiting for the king's order to storm the hated Røvann. Huge brass cannons were placed in front of the walls of the city, ready to crush the stone with their iron cannonballs and bury thousands of enemies under the rubble of houses and the royal palace. All that remained to be done was to wait for the loud signal of the king's horn, calling for fierce merriment.

At noon the low song of the brass horn blew through the camp of the men who were already standing in squads: the archers, with their large bows and quivers full of arrows, stood before the numerous crossbowmen, whose arrows could fly much farther than those of the archers. Each warrior knew that this would be the last battle, and anticipated celebrating the victory with good wine from the cellars of the demon king's palace.

The cannons were the first to fire: their heavy cannonballs collided with the high walls of the city and broke them, but the men had to spend several hours and use almost the entire stock of cannonballs before gaps were formed in the mighty thick walls of Ryowan.

– Attack! – The king shouted loudly, and the glittering, shimmering army of heavy armor moved against the high walls of the city doomed to destruction.

The warriors stormed into Reuvanne like a deadly hurricane, sweeping away the demon defenders, flooding the streets, burning houses and killing all those who had not had time to hide in the huge cellars of the royal palace. The demons fought desperately, but they could not resist the battle-hardened warriors of Kaldwind, and their light, beautiful armor offered little protection from the swords and axes of their enemies.

The city was drowning in blood and wailing, and Lamar, hidden in his chambers, could hear the demons who were loyal to him dying for him.

– Soon they will be here! – He whispered and leaned back heavily in the soft red chair. – My people are dying… And I'm sitting here like a cowardly dog, waiting for that son of a bitch Derek Merkswerd to cut off my head! And not just me, but Varma… And my Sylvia, my Scarlet Flower… What am I doing? Fool!" He jumped to his feet, ran out of the chambers and, without answering his wife and daughter's questions, rushed down the steps to the gates of the huge court square.

"It's not too late to save at least the remnants… At least these streets, these mothers and their children… I need to get to Derek!" – thought the doomed king feverishly.

But he didn't have to look for an enemy: Derek and his army were already standing in front of the gates, trying to knock them down with a huge wooden, iron-clad battering ram.

– Open the gate! – Lamar shouted to the soldiers gathered in the square, ready to give their lives for their king.

– But, Great One! They will kill you! – exclaimed the chief of the guard.

– Open the gates! That's an order! – The king bared his teeth, and this time no one dared to disobey him.

– My love! No!" cried Varma, who had followed her husband out of the palace.

– Father!" Sylvia, who had also run out of the palace, exclaimed in surprise.

– You were right, my daughter, but I was blind! – Lamar shouted to her. – I will ask Derek for peace! If only he would accept my plea!

At that moment the great carved gates swung open and people rushed into the square.

– We ask for peace! Peace! – King Lamar shouted to them.

– Go to the Devil, you monster! – Bergil mockingly shouted back at him: he was one of the first to arrive in the square, and with his sword he was slaughtering demon defenders left and right.

– All halt! King's orders! – King Kaldwind's own loud, menacing voice suddenly sounded, causing his soldiers and Bergil to lower their weapons in displeasure, and immediately the demons and the Rossi dynasty were confronted by their greatest enemy, Derek Merkswerd, who had almost destroyed their great kingdom.

"So this is what he is like, this mortal!" – Lamar thought with a frown, but slowly made his way towards his enemy.

– Lamar! Don't you dare humiliate yourself in front of him! – Varma shouted angrily.

– Mom!" Sylvia grabbed her mother's arm. – Father knows what he's doing!

– Varma, be quiet!" Lamar said harshly to his wife, causing her face to crinkle in distaste and Derek's warriors to laugh out loud.

– So now you want peace? – Derek asked the demon in charge coldly.

He was shrouded in heavy armor, which, however, did not hinder his movements and allowed him to take the lives of hundreds of enemies. The King of Kaldwind was covered in demon blood, but the armor of every human warrior was covered with it, and this gruesome sight made young Sylvia's eyes fill with tears, for she was unharmed while thousands of her subjects were slaughtered.

– Yes, of peace," Lamar replied quietly, dressed in red silk robes.

The two kings now stood face to face and slid inquisitive glances over each other's faces.

– What makes you think I want peace? – Derek said mockingly to Lamar. – I stand here, in front of your palace. Your kingdom has fallen, Lamar, and you wished it yourself when you declared war on me and ordered your messenger to kill me.

– I know… – Lamar couldn't find the right words, but trampling his pride, he continued: – You have triumphed, King Derek! I, Lamar Rossi, and my family beg… Beg you to accept peace and....

– I don't need peace with demons! – Derek grinned contemptuously.

– I realize that, but I'm appealing to your goodness," Lamar said softly. – And I am ready on my knees to beg you to let the remnants of my people and my family live....

– Cry out to my nobility," Derek repeated quietly, and then he laughed loudly. – I may be honorable, but I have no pity for demons! But you said you were ready to beg on your knees. Then kneel, proud Lamar!

The enemy warriors laughed, but it did not embarrass the demon king. He humbly knelt before the enemy.

– I beg you, Derek Merkswerd. Take whatever you want, just give us peace. Spare us," the demon king said quietly.

– Not just you, but all of you, Rossi," Derek threw him coldly.

– Let's go, mom! – Sylvia whispered to her mother, but Varma grinned scornfully.

– 'Nobody's going to make me kneel! Especially not some pathetic little man! – She squinted her eyes and shouted at Derek.

– Mom! He's gonna kill us all! – Sylvia exclaimed in despair.

– He wouldn't dare! – replied the queen.

– Varma! – shouted angrily at his wife Lamar: this stubborn woman could ruin everything! – Come here quickly! I order you not as a husband, but as a king!

Demoness clenched her fists, but dared not disobey the king's word.

– Let's go! – again whispered to her daughter, and, taking hands, the demonesses, dressed in lightweight luxurious dresses and with jewelry woven into their hair, came to the king of men and knelt before him.

– I may kneel before you, wretched man, but I swear you will pay for it! – Varma whispered hatefully, making Derek smile mockingly.

– Well, I'm satisfied. So be it, I will spare your lives, for I am so honorable," Derek said to the demons with contempt in his voice, and his men laughed again. He touched the tip of his sword blade to Sylvia Rossi's chin, making her raise her head and look at him. – And this must be your precious daughter, called Scarlet Flower," he added. – Truth be told, I don't see why she is given such honors: any girl in my kingdom is far more beautiful than your red-eyed daughter, Lamar. Do you agree with me, young maiden? – He asked Sylvia.

She dared not cross him. Her life, the lives of her parents and the entire nation hung in the balance. So she swallowed the insult silently and replied quietly:

– You are right, King. I am not worthy of the little finger of any girl of your great kingdom.

These words made Derek chuckle.

– I'm glad you agree with me," he said coldly and pulled his sword away from her throat. – Do you want peace, Lamar? Well, I'll give it to you! But you will pay a dear price for it.

– I'll give you anything you ask," the demon king told him quietly. – Just tell me what. Any jewelry, any land… Anything you want.

– Fine. – Derek grinned crookedly. – Then I'll take your main jewel from you. – He touched the sword to Sylvia's neck again. – Her.