Читать книгу Story of Raidarian Peace - - Страница 3

“Let’s go! What are you standing there for? Climb up…”

“Yeah, just a moment,” the boy replied, looking at the ladder. “Hey… Is it normal for it to shake?” he asked with a slight concern.

“Oh, come on! It’s not that high… Climb already!”

“It seems like this ladder is a hundred years old. Hello… Splinter! Clearly, the previous emperor greeted it too,” the boy said, climbing the ladder to the roof of the two-story building.

“Ha-ha… Yeah, possibly.”

And so, the boy climbed up and said,

“Phew, I should have climbed using the stone ledges – it would have been safer.”

“A ladder is a ladder – don’t start complaining about the new one! Sit down instead; the view from here is beautiful…”

“Not bad… A great view of the main street,” he commented with a hint of sarcasm.

“I think you’re just fed up with these views. You’ve forgotten how to appreciate the beauty around you. The Imperial Crossing itself isn’t that bad, but if you’re not satisfied, on one side of the crossing, there’s the radiant Imperial Castle, and on the other, a breathtaking sunset. It’s just a pity that the border wall in the distance is strongly overshadowed by the setting sun. Of course, you could choose a more interesting spot. A fantastic view would open up from those towers or that chapel… But to get into the clock tower, you’d have to beg the local guards, and as for the towers, city watchmen rarely let anyone in there just like that. So, if you wanted a better spot, you’d have to work hard. But here, you sit and watch the sunset on the horizon… What could be better?”

“You’d climb walls all day, Izzy,” Gek replied discontentedly. “I’ve had enough from the last time. One wrong step, and you’re a corpse. I don’t want to be a corpse. Besides, you just struggled to climb up the ladder yourself a moment ago. So, such risky adventures are not for us.”

“This ladder was about to collapse any moment, so it doesn’t count.”

“And the stones sticking out of the wall are the most reliable thing in the world?”

“Okay, maybe you’re right…” Izzy reluctantly admitted. “By the way, do you know when these bells will stop ringing? They’ve been ringing since morning…” Izzy said with a slightly troubled look. “Hey! Can you hear me at all? Gek!?”

“Oops, sorry. I got lost in thought for a moment,” Gek said. “Mom said, ‘Since the emperor’s son was born, the bells will ring all day.’”

“And what were you thinking about?”

“Well, I’m wondering why a whole detachment of the border legion is marching towards the castle,” Gek said thoughtfully, seeing the silhouettes of imperial legionnaires in the distance.

“Where?” Izzy exclaimed in extreme surprise. “Oh, come on. It really is them. I’ve never seen them so far from the border perimeter.”

“Hmm… Interesting… The last time I saw them here, I was still very young. I only remember blurred outlines. I was about three, I guess. It’s been a while since they were here after that decree… You know, the one that required every Raidarian warrior of Illyria to be on duty at the border perimeter and move along external city crossings only in particularly important cases,” Gek said.

“It seems this is a special case – the son of Emperor Saron. They’re probably coming to personally congratulate the emperor and his family. For such an event, the imperial family will surely have a feast like no other. I heard they feast on all sorts of delicacies there… big fish, golden roe of this fish… I forgot what it’s called, slugs from the eastern lands – but that’s an acquired taste – healthy octopuses, and those are just the sea creatures presented by the best chefs of all lands. I envy them…”

A faint growl was heard…

“Have you eaten recently? You quickly jumped from marching legions to royal feasts,” Gek remarked.

“Yeah… Yesterday, I think. Since mom got sick, there’s hardly anyone to earn for. There are some coins left, but they’re not endless, so I have to save,” Izzy replied. “I’m thinking of joining the warriors. They accept into the ranks from the age of nine – for training – if you pass the fitness test. And since I have the blood of the ‘first ones’ – that’s what mom used to say – I’ll immediately enter the higher echelons. They feed you every day, and the pay is good enough to cure my mom. I’ll send her a portion of the earnings, and then I’ll take her with me when I become an officer…”

Gek sighed and said, “Well, you have ambitious plans. Keep it for yourself! I can’t eat all this dried meat alone.”

Izzy smiled, took the meat, and began to devour it greedily.

Meanwhile, the thunderous noise from the clattering of soldiers’ heavy wooden armor on the stone-paved street was getting closer to the boys.

Gek, lowering his head and then looking in the direction of the approaching squad, exclaimed in surprise:

“Look, there are so many of them. It seems like they decided to congratulate the emperor with the entire border garrison,” Gek said with a smirk. “Hey, maybe you should approach them, ask? You’re almost nine already; maybe they’ll take you right now? Maybe even feed you…”

“Yeah, right! Very funny… I’ll just go… Look at them; they probably won’t even notice me. I think they don’t pay much attention to the people around them either,” Izzy said.

“Maybe you’re right…” Gek replied.

There were sounds of surprised and disgruntled cries from the crowd. But most praised the warriors. The city’s residents, travelers arriving in the city, little children and seasoned old folks, workers and adventurers, men and women, poor and rich – everyone was interested in watching and mostly showering the warriors with praise. Phrases and shouts like “Look how strong they are,” “You’re the best warriors!” “When will you fight again?” “When I grow up, I’ll be a warrior like you,” “Their armor costs more than your house!” “If you decide to quit, come to me; I won’t mind a coin,” “For the emperor!” “For the empire!” – such phrases and exclamations were heard on both sides of the grand parade street, where people had parted in front of the advancing warriors.

The Raidarian warriors were so disciplined that they seemed to pay no attention to the people around them as they headed towards the main castle of the empire – the Radiant Millennium. Marching in phalanxes, seven soldiers deep, each forming a cohort, they proudly moved forward along the Imperial Passage – the capital’s main trading street. To the boys, the warriors appeared like some divine beings, overshadowing the crimson sunset with their presence. For them, these were the finest warriors not only of the empire but also of the world, clad in legendary wooden armor, possibly crafted in Rhein, the city that served as the origin of the Raidarians.

Observing the warriors, massive swords made of Rhein steel were noticeable – huge and incredibly heavy, slightly taller than half the height of the warriors themselves. To the boys, they seemed entirely unattainable, as they were wide and in terms of length, exceeded their own height. The warriors also wore thick wooden armor, at least twice as thick as ordinary metal armor. Due to their athletic build and massive armor, the warriors appeared significantly larger than the average Illyrion resident, especially those unrelated to military affairs.

At the head of all the cohorts marched the commander. Unlike the other warriors, his head was not covered by a powerful-looking wooden helmet. It was clearly visible, held proudly high. The commander looked menacing, as if he had been through hundreds, if not thousands, of battles. This was evident not only from his stern face but also from his scars. A slight hint of disdain could be discerned on his face, but it was not clear towards what. He walked freely, as the march did not suit high command ranks. Individuals like him usually moved with a simple, free step, on horseback, or on special transport. Although in some places, it could be noticed that the commander, no matter how hard he tried, could not contain the past of an ordinary soldier he once was. Sometimes, almost unconsciously, he started to march slightly.

“And why did the emperor order to prohibit warriors from entering the main part of the city… It seems that everyone is thrilled only at the sight of them,” said Izi.

“Well, first of all, not everyone! Those who arrived in the city and lived in Illyrion, not Raidarians, spoke poorly of them. I heard it when I went to the tavern with my father. And secondly, my father said that there were many cases when newcomers from other countries or just travelers started behaving disrespectfully towards the warriors. It rarely ended well for them… My father said, ‘It harmed international trade relations.’ I’m not sure exactly what he meant, but because of these incidents, there was eventually some altercation near the eastern passage. Provocateurs attacked the warriors… It affected the residents and the son of the Volstern family… Well, like affected… They say they almost tore apart Volstern’s junior. Few of the victims were lucky enough to survive. And those who survived are afraid to talk about it. They said it was the fault of the criminals who provoked the conflict, but someone saw that it was the border warriors. In short, now there is neither the Volstern Rota nor the border legion warriors beyond the border perimeter.”

“Such a reason… I think I heard this story from older guys Sardi talked to. They kept saying that the world would be better off without the Volstern Rota, or something like that. I don’t think they could say that about a good person.”

“Maybe he wasn’t a good person, but we shouldn’t dismember him now…” said Gek, in slight confusion.

“Well, okay, dismembering him is too much,” replied Izi.

“Here you go!” Gek said, handing over his portion. “I’ve already eaten enough for today.”

“Thank you!” Izzy said with a smile, taking another piece of dried meat.

“Let’s go see what’s happening near the castle. Maybe something more interesting,” Gek suggested.

Suddenly, a female voice from below shouted, “Hector, I’ve been looking for you! Don’t forget that today you have to help Grandma with vegetable cleaning.”

“Let’s go! The last one is a half-cooked chicken!” Gek quickly retorted.

With a smile, Gek immediately dashed forward. Izzy quickly took a bite of the meat Gek gave him, put the meat in the pocket of his pants, and hurriedly followed his friend towards the castle.

Arriving at the location, they took a higher position again. Climbing from the roofs of houses onto the roof of the Ruto family store, which was located on the main square of the city, where phalanxes of empire warriors gathered.

“Phew. So, how did you find it?” Gek asked, catching his breath. “What was more challenging, squeezing through the onlookers crowding the approaches to the square, or jumping from the roof of the red house to the roof of the stable house? I sprained both my feet with that jump, but it was worth it,” Gek said joyfully.

“Both, and at the same time, navigating through the cheering crowd was definitely more difficult. You can try it yourself,” Izzy said, swallowing the last piece. “What’s happening there?”

On the imperial square, phalanxes were lining up one after another, coming from the imperial passage. The cheers of the onlookers, who came to watch the enticing spectacle, could be heard. Bells were ringing in the castle tower and chapels throughout the city, creating an incredible noise. The leader of the imperial legions, approaching the main entrance of the castle, approached the commander of the imperial guard.

“It seems like that commander is trying to enter the castle, but the commander of the imperial guard is not letting them through. Strange,” Izzy commented.

The commander of the guard removed his helmet to show respect and talk to the general. The imperial guard, stationed to guard the entrance to the castle, refused to let the general, who brought an army with him, enter the castle by order of the commander.

The castle guard was equipped differently from the border-offensive legions of the empire. The armor material was the same, the traditional Reinesian wood armor with similar thickness proportions. The only differences were in the color of the attire, the shape of the helmet and pauldrons. The armor of the imperial guard had various engravings, such as the emblem of the emperor’s family – a black giant salamander that inhabits the Reinesian forests. The armor itself had a black hue, in contrast to the wooden-beige color of the ordinary warriors of the Raidersian Empire. The helmet was slightly less cumbersome and at the same time more elegant. The pauldrons were slightly larger and heavier than those of ordinary warriors standing in the square awaiting the general’s orders. Overall, the full equipment of the emperor’s guard was slightly heavier than that of an ordinary warrior, but the guards were among the best warriors, veterans hardened in battles, so the additional weight was hardly felt by them. Also, the guard had golden plates attached to the belt, which could be removed in battle, thus lightening the armor to move faster.

“It seems that the commander is not pleased,” Izzy said in surprise.

“Why are you surprised? He was not in the best mood before. And now they don’t even let him in.”

“Isn’t that the emperor’s brother coming out of the castle? Look, behind the commander of the guards.”

“I didn’t know that the great king Megal returned from his wanderings. It’s just strange that he decided to show up wearing only pants and a crown, but I must say, it suits him,” Gek said.

General Dest, leading the legion of border warriors of the Raidersian Empire, was the first to unsheathe his sword. Then the commander of the imperial guard did the same. The warriors of the imperial guard drew their swords from the scabbards on their backs, and the spear-wielding soldiers blocking the passage directed their spears towards General Dest.

“Why did they draw their swords?” Izzy asked.

“I don’t know,” Gek replied with trepidation.

When it seemed that the situation had reached its peak, the Great King Megal, the brother of the emperor, who stood behind the commander of the imperial guard, unsheathed his sword. This sword was slightly longer than the others, black in color with a gold engraving of a winding vine along the entire blade. The gleam of his royal crown accentuated everything around him. He swung the sword, moved it behind his head in a circle, and while the commander of the guards turned around, he beheaded him with a powerful blow.

“You were too weak, Foron. Even fighting you would have been boring,” Megal said, then turned and entered the Radiant Millennium.

General Dest ordered a few warriors to fully open the castle gates, then looked at the castle guards and ordered them to let his warriors into the castle. After that, several phalanxes entered the castle under Dest’s leadership. Although the guard warriors were bewildered, they couldn’t do anything against the general’s order in the absence of their commander. They could only take their positions and wait for the next order.

King Megal walked towards the throne room, dragging his sword behind him. The scraping sound echoed through the marble-floored corridor, announcing his approach to all within the castle. Servants, guards, and courtiers watched in astonishment as the king made his procession. Some genuinely didn’t understand what was happening, while others suspected but dared not take any action. All were simply stunned observers.

King Megal reached the doors and commanded the guards, “Open the doors!” The doors swung open before him.

The scene inside the throne room was chaotic. Servants and courtiers danced around the emperor, engaging in conversations among themselves, while the emperor stood near the throne talking to a local official, the commander of Lurid, responsible for the work of the secret patrol.

Megal entered the room, continuing to scrape his sword against the floor for some distance, and calmly said, “It seems you’ve just found out, Brother.”

“Found out about what?” the emperor asked angrily.

“What is this jesting about? You’ve known everything for a long time and even issued orders… Orders to summon the other kings of the five kingdoms to help you and orders to call all your friends in Illirion.”

Behind King Megal, the silhouette of General Dest appeared. Following him, columns of warriors from the borderlands entered the throne room at a brisk pace. This caused the courtiers and servants in the throne room to huddle together near the emperor and the guards. The emperor, on the contrary, stepped forward.

“Traitors!” the emperor exclaimed. He then addressed the ordinary border perimeter warriors of the imperial Raidarian legions who came with General Dest. “You… You swore allegiance to the emperor and the empire. Here is my order: take the traitor General Dest and put him under arrest; take the traitor King Megal, my brother,” the emperor’s voice was full of despair, “take him and put him under arrest.”

“Excuse me, Your Imperial Majesty, but these are my warriors. They trust and listen only to me; we’ve been through fire and water together. We have crushed empires. With some, with all due respect, when your father didn’t even have you in his plans. And you locked us on the perimeter… On the border,” General Dest spoke with pain in his heart. “The only thing we can do is fight, but you’ve deprived us of that, leaving only endless training. But what are meaningless, purposeless drills when you can’t test yourself in practice? A Raidarian who has been to war remains a Raidarian forever!” and Dest’s warriors stomped their feet on the marble floor. “A Raidarian without war is not a Raidarian!” Dest continued, and the warriors stomped again. Even the emperor’s guards seemed to be struck by doubt – seasoned warriors as they were, these words resonated with them.

From a side entrance to the throne room, the empress ran in. She didn’t know what to do. The emperor’s guards wouldn’t let her enter the throne room.

“Saron!” the empress cried out, reaching her hands towards her husband.

“Mirana, your timing couldn’t be more perfect. No need to waste time searching for you,” Megal said with a smile.

“What is happening here, Megal?” the empress asked anxiously.

“I’m afraid your husband and my brother failed in their duties… For which, to my deep regret, our entire family will have to pay. First, I will kill your husband. Then you. Then your newborn son. I’m sorry, but this is the most reasonable option,” Megal said.

“Reasonable? This is sheer madness!” Mirana replied in anger.

“Why did you come, Mirana? You were supposed to be told to hide the child and leave,” Emperor Saron said. “Although… It doesn’t matter anymore. Guards, kill the traitors!” Saron ordered, full of despair and sorrow.

“No,” Megal shouted. “There’s no need for these brave warriors to die at your whim. Or perhaps you want to perish by the swords of your comrades?” Megal addressed the guards. “This is between me and you!” he then turned to Saron. “One on one. I challenge you to a duel!” Megal yelled fiercely.

Imperial guards drew their swords, and Dest’s warriors did the same, but no one rushed into battle after Megal’s words. Nevertheless, one bold guard ran straight at the young King Megal. An experienced warrior, having earned the right to defend the emperor and his family with his combat skills, against the young king, monstrously trained by the best combat masters in Raidaria, with ambitions and a belief in the righteousness of his cause.

The guard swung his sword on the run, attempting to strike, but Megal didn’t even parry the blow; he simply dodged it. The healthy sword of the imperial guard passed dangerously close to Megal, almost reaching him. Megal began to wind up for a swing while evading the attack. His sword severed both hands of the guard, who emitted a roar of terrible pain.

“Sorry… The strike was powerful and precise, but I am faster, and my sword is larger,” Megal said.

The guard ran at Megal again, as if on his final march, and Megal put an end to his suffering with a precise and equally powerful blow, beheading him.

The sounds behind the imperial guards fell completely silent, as if the officials and courtiers were stunned by the king who had easily dealt with such an experienced, strong, and brave warrior of the imperial guard.

“So, who’s next?” Megal asked, but no one expressed any desire. “Well then, now it’s your turn… Brother.”

“Let it be so,” Emperor Saron said. “Give me a sword.”

From the crowd of servants and courtiers, the emperor’s armorer emerged, kneeling down, bowing his head, and presenting his sword. Emperor Saron took the legendary family sword of the imperial family. Gilded from edge to edge, silvered in places, entirely engraved, this sword was over a thousand years old, yet it looked as new as if it had just been polished. It had been held by almost all rulers of Raidaria, from the last chieftain of Rheinia to the great emperors who conquered the Raidarian Empire.

“You disgrace this sword by holding it! You are a shame to our lineage and the entire Raidarian people! I am not the traitor; you are!” Megal proclaimed.

“Watch not to trip over your arrogance, Megal,” Saron replied proudly and menacingly.

From the corridor, the cries of the baby could be heard. A nurse, under the watchful eyes of imperial warriors, brought the child into the throne room through the main entrance.

“My boy,” Mirana said, “Leave my child alone.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I need him,” Megal said.

The empress tried her best to push through the guards, but all her attempts were futile.

“I am your empress! Let me through, I command you!” she yelled.

“We cannot let you through – the emperor’s order,” one of the guards replied monotonously.

“I will kill you! For my son! For my wife! I will kill you, Megal,” Emperor Saron said.

“Well, then, hurry up!” Megal replied.

Saron and Megal charged at each other and collided in battle. Their swords made sounds like hammers on an anvil. A series of powerful blows rained down on Megal, but he steadfastly parried them all.

“Amusing, you’re seven years older than me, but you fight not so bad for an old man,” Megal exhaled and said.

A barrage of attacks immediately struck Megal again. The imperial sword was much lighter than an ordinary warrior’s sword, allowing Saron to move much faster and deliver lightning-fast strikes one after another. Megal’s sword, on the other hand, was heavier and longer than a typical Raidarian warrior’s sword. All of this made Megal strain much harder. It was challenging to keep up with Saron, but Megal showed no sign of giving up, deflecting every blow despite the difficulties. Saron’s rage knew no bounds, but Megal radiated his own rage, wrath, and hatred.

Saron increasingly pushed his brother towards the wall, right in the direction of General Desta’s warriors, but they parted. Blow after blow continued to rain down on Megal. When the emperor almost pinned Megal to the wall, Megal suddenly stopped defending himself – he swiftly jumped backward, leaped off the wall, and thrust his sword at his brother like a spear. In a flash, Megal’s sword pierced Saron’s side.

“No!” cried the emperor’s wife, closing her eyes with her hand.

Amidst the cries of the newborn baby, strange sounds emanated from those in the throne room. It seemed like a mixture of pronounced astonishment and sympathy from those behind the guards.

It appeared that the sword would pierce the central part of the emperor’s abdomen, but at the last moment, Saron almost evaded. Due to the tremendous speed at which Megal’s sword pierced his side, Saron recoiled sharply, dropping to one knee. It was evident that the strike had caused intense pain. While Megal’s sword was still partially embedded in Saron’s side, Megal, having just landed from the jump, delivered a kick of incredible force to Saron’s torso, causing the emperor to fall, further shattering Megal’s sword into his side. Megal pulled his sword out of the marble floor, where it was embedded from the force of the throw, and intended to deliver a final, crushing blow. However, despite the serious injury, Saron performed a backward somersault, and Megal missed, striking the sword into the floor.

It seemed as if Saron had stopped feeling pain altogether, yet he was bleeding profusely. This seemed to anger Megal. This time, Megal, fueled by his own warrior’s roar, went on the offensive, and his blows were already pushing Saron back. These strikes were not as fast as those of the wounded emperor, but they were slightly more powerful. The emperor did his best to contain these devastating blows, parrying one after another, but over time, it became increasingly difficult – the bleeding wound was taking its toll.

Blow after blow became stronger and stronger. Megal realized that if he struck harder, sooner or later, Saron would run out of breath and make a fatal mistake. Megal began to strike with all his might, and Saron tried desperately to repel the increasingly powerful blows, deflecting one after another. However, with time, this became more and more challenging – the bleeding wound was making it difficult.

Megal understood that if he hit harder, sooner or later, Saron would make a fatal mistake. Megal started to strike with all his might, and Saron tried desperately to repel the increasingly powerful blows. Eventually, the blows overwhelmed Saron. Megal grasped that if he struck harder, Saron would inevitably make a mistake. Megal swung with all his might, and although Saron desperately tried to parry the blow, the emperor’s guard finally broke. Megal’s strike hit Saron with tremendous force, knocking the sword out of his hands. Megal’s sword partially cut through Saron’s torso, and the emperor fell right next to the throne.

Once again, those present made those peculiar sounds.

“And that’s it? I thought you’d last longer,” Megal said. “Maybe you should have worn armor?”

“You were without a helmet and breastplate too, so it’s fair,” Saron replied, breathing heavily.

The emperor crawled on one arm as Megal leisurely approached him, leaning his back against the base of the throne.

– Fight! – Mirana cried out in tears, but it was too late. Emperor Saron had lost too much blood. The initial wound proved too severe for this battle, and active movement only accelerated the bleeding.

– Please, spare them! – Saron pleaded.

– Sorry, but you’re asking for too much… – Megal replied.

– Please… spare their lives… at least my son.

– Well, if that’s your last wish… – Megal said. – So be it. I’ll let him experience what life is like. But to prevent your lineage from reaching the throne, I will fight him when he turns sixteen.

Emperor Saron turned his head towards the empress, but she was no longer there. He looked at his brother and smiled faintly.

– You’ve paled, brother, – King Megal said and thrust his sword into his brother’s chest.

Saron seemed not to feel the sword plunged into his chest. The brothers locked eyes, and King Megal pulled the sword from his brother’s chest. Emperor Saron began to choke on his own blood.

The young King Megal turned away from his brother, surveyed everyone in the throne room, and declared:

– Now, I am your emperor! – and everyone present bowed to the new emperor.

Silence fell in the hall, and Megal sat on the throne, while beside him, leaning against the base of the throne, lay his brother bleeding out.