Читать книгу The Labyrinth of Inter-Time - - Страница 6

Gloomy sky. It had been raining for several hours now, and only a lone lightning dared to disturb the darkness of the extinguished torches. Even she was afraid of the upcoming events. And the mysterious smell of rain, gently cooling the summer heat of the tired earth.

And in the castle no one wanted to share the worries of nature. The sounds of the ball thundered and could be heard many miles away. So a candle was burning in the queen’s chambers. It is this small piece of wax that will ignite the flame of betrayal, which will incinerate innocent souls for many years to come. After all, a good deed dissolves like a drop in the ocean of evil and falsehood, which, like a chain reaction, digs into more and more hearts.

Two people in a room upholstered in golden silk. The red-haired woman was reclining on the bed. She is not tall. Long hair flowed in fiery waterfalls to his toes, and you could drown in bottomless green eyes. And this heady aroma of lilac. The dark-haired man looked to be no more than thirty years old. But he was already wearing the uniform of a general, and under the sleeve of his rich outfit there was a tattoo that showed the title of head of the royal guard. His youth was hidden by a neat mustache on his clean-shaven face.

– You said that you love me, Simon! – said the woman, lowering her face onto the golden pillow, unable to hold back her tears.

– Yes, Mistress! I still don’t go back on my words! – the man answered angrily.

– These are just words, my young friend! And when it comes to the real deal… – she quickly looked around from head to toe. There was not a single trace left of the tears in the eyes.

– Anything! – Simon fell to his knees. He covered the pale skin of the beauty’s hands with gentle kisses; but she did not want to see him, so she pushed the admirer away.

– I already asked you for something, but you refused me so cruelly! – the woman said, lowering her head into the pillow.

– Ask for anything except this!

– But why? – the girl said without raising her head from the pillow.

– Treason to the Motherland goes against my honor! This is a violation of an officer’s oath. I made a vow to protect the ruler, and you ask me to take his life with my own hands!!! Never!!! – With these words, Simon easily rose from his knees.

– But you swore an oath to protect not only the Supreme, but the queen too! – the woman said with a hint of resentment in her voice and with an imperceptible movement she opened her shoulder; there was a tattoo on it in the form of a crown.

– My husband is a tyrant! He will lead me to the grave, and it seems that no one will protect me,» she buried her head in the pillow again. The man hugged her.

– But how can I kill him? No one is capable of harming me, and the strongest can heal themselves even better.

– Ah, so that’s the whole problem! Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it! – The queen’s eyes lit up with demonic fire for a moment, but she immediately pulled herself together. She went to the closet. The magic word opened the door, and the girl took out a bundle of fabric, which a moment later was in the hands of the law enforcement officer. Simon unwrapped the black velvet, drawing out a dagger. The blade was handmade, made of silver; There was a gem on the tip of the handle.

– It’s just a dagger! – Simon twirled the blade in disappointment. – Yes, it’s beautiful, but a weapon made by man is nothing in a battle with a sorcerer, and especially against the lord of magicians! You know it yourself. And you want to send me to certain death.

– Still, this weapon is perfect! After all, you did not notice the witchcraft. One of my friends, a dark magician, tried! Now the wounds caused by the blade will be fatal!

The conversation between the two conspirators was interrupted by a knock. Someone kindly said in a soft voice:

– Darling, you stayed too long in your chambers! Delight my eyes! How can you be alone in this room on such a beautiful evening?

– It is he! We’re lost! Decide, Simon! On one side of the scale is the king’s life, on the other – mine and yours!

***

Simon clutched in his hand a portrait of his beloved queen. He regretted the mistakes he had made. He killed the king! And it was he who could not save the queen either!

But everything will change soon. Dell promised that when he came to life, he could bring her back to life.

– For you, master, I betrayed all principles. I became a necromancer, and summoned many ghosts from the world of the dead. But she is not among them!

– I am stronger than you, as a necromancer, so when I return to life, I can help you. The darkness will be with us!

Have you found my brother?

– No.

«You know there’s a lot at stake.» We can’t take that risk. Find my brother. I haven’t seen him for so long, I miss him so much.

Simon knew that the reason was not at all love for his brother. After all, it is the brother who can interfere with the Dark Lord’s secret plans.

– Why are you so sad, my faithful student?

– Sorry, but sometimes it seems to me that taking the path of evil was my worst mistake.

– Good… Evil… You know how conditional this is all. Mistrust and betrayal put me on this path. You know my story. I think you know Antimonikos, the Greatest of magicians. They tell scary stories about it, they scare naughty children with it. So, in the Dark World I met his restless spirit. And he personally told his story. And, you know, he faced more injustices than he did to others. In fact, his entire path is revenge for the pain caused.

Fragments of a manuscript about Antimonica 1. The birth of a magician.

– Quickly, call the midwife! My wife is giving birth!

The servants rushed back and forth until a local healer was brought to the residence of Viscount Corwell. There were rumors that she owned something, some said various absurd things about the fact that she could spell the weather. Everyone was afraid of her, but neither day nor night she had no end to guests: either a girl wants to bewitch a guy, or a man in his twilight years wants to regain his heroic power, or to cure someone from the plague or the evil eye. The plague was raging everywhere at that time, but thanks to the efforts of the old sorceress, this village was spared.

A storm was raging outside, the downpour interspersed with hail, decorated with a crown of lightning.

The old woman approached the woman in labor and drove away all the men. They called the owner of the house (it was difficult to call this place a castle – the viscount’s father lost most of his fortune at cards. Thank you, at least he didn’t drink the village away and didn’t lose!). The midwife raised the child above her head and said proudly:

– Boy!

– Son! I have an heir! Tell this good news to all residents of the settlement!

– A great destiny awaits this child! – the old woman wheezed, raising her index finger. – Yesterday a shooting star flew by, and today there is a thunderstorm. This boy is the Chosen One of Fate! He can change this wrong world.

Soon they forgot about the strange words of the witch. The parents doted on their child, the mother never left his side. But one day a man in a black cloak came to them. When he arrived, the candles went out. He just burst into some kind of sinister laugh.

– They say you have a son! You promised to give me your first child to raise!

Viscount Corvell raised his sword to kill the insolent man. But his wife looked down and said:

– Sorry, my love, but I gave him such an oath. You know I couldn’t have children. We are about to have another son. And we must give this as payment for a service.

The child was taken away when he was four years old, and his parents never saw him again.

Hallon had a whole school. He collected gifted children from all over the world and taught them black crafts. No one knows what his goals were, but the children were taught necromancy and other forbidden areas of black magic. Children were deprived of their real names, instead they were invented by the old sorcerer. They say that the dead can take revenge for depriving them of peace, but if they do not know the name, then they are powerless.

– From now on you will be Antimonik! – Hallon said to Corvell’s son. – It means «Against the Light» in Ancient Elvish.

Antimonik was the best of the students; he carried out all the old man’s orders. But his heart never knew peace. Every night he cried for his parents. He had only one dream – to see them again, to ask them why they were handed over to the villain, to forgive them.

And then one day such an opportunity presented itself. Antimonik was not liked at school, since he was Hallon’s favorite. But there was only one girl who was closer to him than the others. He then told her:

– Come with me! We will be free, we will be free from the sorcerer. Let’s escape!

– But Hallon sees everything! You know how strong he is! They’ll catch up with us!

– Need to try!

– No. Sorry. I’m afraid.

That night he ran away on his own. Antimonik arrived at his home. He shouted:

– Mom, dad, I’m home!

But silence was his answer.

«Your parents are no more,» said one of the locals.

– Where did they go?

– They are no longer there. Not at all. And you’re not here anymore, that’s what people say.

After his son was kidnapped, Corvell was unable to forgive his wife. He started drinking and beating the unfortunate woman. But when she hanged herself, there was no point in remaining on this sinful earth either.

– You didn’t save them…

His life’s dream turned out to be a lie. This was the first lesson taught to the Chosen One by Fate; we are all in Her hands. But far from the last.

Hallon found the unlucky student. But who, besides his girlfriend, could know where he was? His beloved betrayed him. Hallon was a master of torture. But does it really matter?

Antimonik was returned to school, the days ran as usual again, but everything could not now be as before. The teacher did not say a word to him, but the one born under a shooting star noticed that the other students were watching his every move. And the beloved… once upon a time, but not now… lowers her eyes when their gazes intersect. Traitor!

But one day he decided to change his life again. He entered Hallon’s room when no one was there except the teacher.

– Let me go. I can no longer live like an animal in a cage.

– Do you think I’ll just say goodbye to the best of my students? Never. You will still give me power over this world! Do you think I taught you in vain? I spent my entire fortune to feed you!

And again a lie. After all, didn’t they help Hallon rob the people? Didn’t they send curses and plagues on villages, which they then rented… for gold, of course.

– Let go voluntarily, I ask you!

– Are you threatening? – Familiar ominous lights sparkled in Hallon’s eyes. – You will be punished for these words!

The sorcerer reached out with his consciousness to the young man’s head, and he, like many times before, fell to the floor, writhing in agony. But he was strong. The guy moved his hand as if holding a small bag in it, and Hallon grabbed his heart.

– We played around and that’s enough! Stop it now!

– Did you play?! Is that what you call it? You deprived me of my childhood! I warned you. But since you refused to voluntarily let me go, die!

Antimonik pulled his bent hand towards himself, and Hallon’s chest turned red. He tore out the teacher’s heart with spells. Then he took the necklace from the sorcerer’s chest and put it around his neck.

– I’m your new teacher! – he said to his comrades. – Join me – or follow Hallon to hell!

***

This time he returned home as a winner, not as a fugitive. The headman recognized his right to power (did he have a way out?)

From now on, Antimonik and his order began to control the weather. One day a midwife came to him, who was used to being the queen of enchantments in these parts.

– You told Hallon about me! – the count shouted.

«Moreover, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be on earth.» After all, I told your mother about Hallon!

– Die, old woman! – the witch grabbed her heart. And she lost it. This was the beginning of dark times.