Читать книгу Story of Raidarian Peace - - Страница 6

“Do you know these places well?” Iziro asked.

“Not really well… I would say reasonably,” replied Rein.

“How do you think we should navigate through the advancing forces?”

“After being expelled from Raedaria to the kingdoms, I initially tried to survive in the forests. Eventually, I realized it wasn’t the best option and started earning a living however I could, usually by using brute force. But I rarely stayed in one place. It wasn’t safe. And one day, I stumbled upon a job at the local iron mine. I didn’t work there for long. As soon as someone started suspecting that I was a Raedarian, I had to leave. Overall… I’m getting to the point that there’s a path there. I’ve heard local smugglers often use it to get into the empire. Maybe we’ll be lucky to pass through it.”

“Not a bad idea,” replied Iziro.

“Yeah, you might be right.”

“And this increasingly sounds like not such a crazy plan after all,” said Iziro, pondering a bit. “Agree?”

“Yeah, it’s true. We have a long road ahead,” replied Rein.

Rein and Iziro decided to circumvent the advance of Raedarian legions through the largest iron mine in the kingdoms, located just south of their current location. To reach this mine, they needed to get on the road leading to it, with the nearest one passing through the way to Rinfall Castle.

Rein and Iziro walked along the road, surrounded by woods on both sides. It seemed like there was not a soul around. Rein rode his horse, while Iziro walked beside him.

“Aren’t you tired of walking yet?” Rein asked.

“I prefer not to burden your horse any further,” replied Iziro. “A walk on foot can be beneficial.”

“Well, suit yourself. Just, if you also got on the horse, I wouldn’t have to wait for you, and we could move faster.”

“I’ll stick to walking for now, if you don’t mind,” answered Iziro.

The journey was slow but long. Everything around increasingly resembled the calm before the storm. The only distraction from this uneasy feeling was the sounds of birdsong carried by the wind.

“It seems like the locals have long gone to the fort under Rinfall,” said Rein.

“Have you been there?” asked Iziro.

“A couple of times… Deadly boring. Even in warm weather, everything in Rinfall seems excessively gray. If you’re talking about Rinfall, of course. But if it’s the fort on… then it’s just a regular fort. Although it has two hefty stone walls built not so long ago… to withstand the pressure of Raedarian invasion and complicate movement along the main trade route. Essentially, it’s a large military checkpoint into the central region of Rinfall’s territories. Have you been to any of the castles in the kingdoms?”

“A long time ago, when I still lived in a village on the Lir River. I…,” Iziro began, lost in thought. “In general, I often visited Santris. Surprisingly, it was a very beautiful city, and its castle was equally elegant. And I came here through Fordrim. It will forever remain a mystery to me why the Fords from Fordrim seized power over the kingdoms, and not the Liharts from Santris.”

“When I lived in the Illyrion Castle, I heard about that. Santris and Fordrim… They had a bloody feud for centuries – and one fine day, the king of Santris decided to wipe out the entire family of Little Alex Fordrim at the wedding of King Rinfall – who was then a young Soral Rin. After the massacre, Alex miraculously survived, and he was smuggled out and hidden within the walls of Fordrim. Soral was furious but too young to take decisive action. Over the years, Alex transformed from a boy into a man and, seizing the opportunity presented by the conflict between the Raedarian Empire and Rinfall and Santris, decided to unite the kingdoms under his protectorate, ensuring their survival against the pressure of such a formidable enemy. But perhaps it was only possible if Bart Lihart – the killer of his family and still the king of Santris – was dead. The King of Rinfall was forced to take such decisive measures, forming an alliance between Rinfall and Fordrim. Santris simply couldn’t fight against two neighboring kingdoms and the Raedarian legions simultaneously. In the end, the king of Santris was betrayed by his own elder son in exchange for the lives of his family and the opportunity to continue ruling Santris, albeit in the role of its lord. Alex Ford stabbed Bart Lihart with a spear at the ‘Meeting of the Three Kingdoms,’ dedicated to opposing the Raedarians; after that, he wasn’t just the king of Fordrim – he was the king of the kingdoms. I used to find this story somewhat inspiring,” said Rein. “I’m surprised you’re not familiar with it.”

“I heard something similar, but they were just rumors. Wildly exaggerated tales. If you believe what I’ve heard from people, there were even dragons involved. After hearing all that, you don’t know what’s true and what’s fiction anymore.”

“I heard that the last dragon was seen long before the appearance of Reinia,” said Rein.

“Haha. Well, I guess they either never existed or are hiding somewhere,” said Iziro.

Finally reaching the desired road, Iziro said, “Alright. Seems like I’m tired of walking. Give me your hand.”

Rein smiled and helped Iziro mount the horse from behind.

“Well, what do you think?” Rein asked, grinning broadly. “Not so bad, huh?”

“Yeah, not bad,” replied Iziro, sitting behind Rein.

After a considerable amount of time on the road, passing through forests and fields, small laboring villages started appearing in the distance.

“Wow, I didn’t think we’d get here so quickly,” said Rein.

Iziro, sitting on the horse behind Rein, peeked over his shoulder and said, “Yeah, I thought it would take longer.”

“And there are people,” remarked Rein.

Four people were trying to fix a broken wagon in the middle of the road.

As Rein approached the group, Iziro immediately dismounted and began helping them lift the wagon so they could replace the wheel.

“I thought we had more important matters,” said Rein, smiling slightly.

Iziro saw three men, a woman, and even a little boy struggling to lift the loaded wagon.

“Thanks, we’ll manage,” said one of the men, straining to lift it.

“Let me help!” Iziro said to the boy.

Once Iziro joined in, the wagon almost lifted off the ground.

“Thank you,” said the man, while the other two started changing the wheel. The woman just watched Iziro and Rein.

As soon as the wheel was replaced, the woman immediately rushed to one of the men who was carefully inspecting the new wagon wheel and whispered something in his ear. The man abruptly turned, looked at Rein, and said:

“Are you a Raedarian? And you too? We don’t need trouble!”

“What are you talking about?” asked Iziro.

“We know about the invasion. We won’t be able to help you with anything if you’re here for that.”

“We don’t need anything,” replied Iziro.

“Let’s go, Izi,” said Rein.

Iziro looked at Rein and grimaced at being called “Izi.” The people quickly gathered and rode the wagon towards the nearest village. Rein extended his hand to Iziro.

“No, thanks,” said Iziro. “I think I’ll walk again.”

“Well, suit yourself,” replied Rein.

After passing a couple of villages, they finally saw a massive mine, more resembling an open-pit quarry. The pale sky and the workers in the mine, seemingly spending their entire days digging ore with pickaxes and hauling these rocks for processing, gave little resemblance to a happy life. However, these people had to do this day by day to earn some money for their survival and their families.

“A big mine,” remarked Iziro.

“Haven’t been here before?” asked Rein. “I can give you a little tour!”

“Yeah… I haven’t been here before,” said Iziro.

“Let’s go! You can’t easily go around this mine anyway. It’s easier to go straight through!”

And so, they descended into the vast pit, dug over the years for ore extraction. As they descended, the local workers dropped their tasks and began staring intently at them.

“Do you see that too?” asked Rein. “Any idea what’s up with them?”

“You’ve been here before! I thought you’d tell me,” replied Iziro.

“Maybe it’s somehow related to the legions advancing on Rinfall.”

“Or maybe they just don’t like us. Either way, it’s too early to turn back. Let’s just keep going calmly. I think if we don’t provoke them, they won’t do anything harmful.”

More workers gathered ahead, and those who remained behind began following Rein and Iziro.

“Not a good sign,” said Iziro.

As they passed halfway through the mine, the workers ahead blocked Reyna and Iziro’s path with a fairly large crowd.

“So, what are you all gathered here for?” Reyna asked loudly.

There was no response, only quiet whispers within the crowd and some laughter.

“Why are you silent?” Reyna shouted at them.

“I think shouting at them is not the best idea,” Iziro said quietly.

“Hey, I’m talking to you!” Reyna shouted again.

“Maybe they are contemplating why two raidarians ended up in the royal mine in the midst of the war between the last kingdoms and the raidarian empire?” a female voice said from the side of the crowd.

Reyna and Iziro began to look around, but it wasn’t clear who exactly said it behind the crowd.

“Get them!” the female voice said again.

Workers armed with spears started emerging from the crowd. There were so many of them that fighting against them would be pure madness, or rather suicide. Reyna immediately calmed down, as the spears poking at the horse frightened it, and it might throw Reyna off. Reyna drew his sword, while Iziro simply sat down, folding his arms and stopped doing anything.

“What are you doing? Don’t you want to help?” Reyna said, waving off the spear bearers. “I can’t handle them alone,” Reyna said, continuing to fend them off.

“Drop your weapons or it will get worse!” the female voice from the crowd said.

“Although, one could think, I can handle them alone,” Reyna thought. Then he plunged the tip of his sword into the ground and raised his hands. Reyna was seized by a slight panic attack from what was happening, but it quickly subsided when Reyna felt as if he had been hit with something heavy on the head.

Reyna woke up already shackled to a low wooden pole driven into the ground, soaked with cold water.

“What?” Reyna said softly.

Reyna was in the same mine, only at the very bottom of its large pit. And Iziro was shackled nearby.

“Well, what? Good morning!” the girl said.

That was a girl who could already be called a woman. She was approximately a little younger than Iziro. Dark hair and a masculine style of clothing suited her well. She was quite well-built, resembling a Raderian warrior to some extent.

“I know that in Raderia, female Raderians are prohibited from holding leadership positions, but I am the leader among these people, and I express their will,” she said.

“In Raderia, women are only prohibited from holding such positions in the military and government. If you have your own business, like mining, it is allowed,” replied Iziro.

“Well… I haven’t been in the empire for long or much. Please forgive me for that,” she said.

“May I ask why we are here and how long we are stuck to these wooden posts?” asked Rain, raising his voice, jerking and trying to break the chains of the shackles from the wooden post.

“You can jerk as much as you want – they are deeply embedded, and everything is securely done,” said the brute standing next to the girl.

“Let him jerk as much as he can,” the girl replied.

“Alright then… Let’s get down to business,” the girl said. “Why are you here? For reconnaissance or something else?”

“Why do we need this?” Rain asked her.

The onlookers literally surrounded them.

“Izi, how are you?” Rain asked. “Did they hit you hard?”

But Iziro remained silent.

“My people were concerned that you came here at this difficult time without any problems. You could conduct reconnaissance or something worse. My task is only to ensure the safety of my people, so I hope you understand me. And I hope you also understand my people. Not answering is your right. But these people chose me not for nothing. I am responsible for every person here. And I will do everything in my power to ensure their safety. And you are diminishing their safety in my eyes. At least until we know anything about you. If you have something to tell, you can tell it to one of those who will pass by you. We hide nothing from anyone. Everything said will be reported to me immediately. You can be sure of that,” she explained.

“And what to say if there’s nothing to say?” Rain said to the departing girl.

“Anything you want!” she shouted, disappearing into the crowd of onlookers.

“And why were you silent?” Rain asked Iziro.

“What could I say? It would hardly help us. You could tell her your story, and I could tell mine, but then they would take advantage of it, and we might never leave here. So the only thing left for us is to wait.”

“Excellent tactic,” sarcastically remarked Rain.

As evening approached, a laborer came and threw something vaguely resembling food in iron bowls. He also brought a trough of water, from which, it seemed, pigs could have drunk at some point.

“Yeah. We need to get out of here,” said Rain. “Do you have any ideas, Izi?”

“Don’t disturb my sleep,” Iziro replied.

Memories from Iziro’s childhood flooded back to him.

“Interesting,” Iziro said out of the blue. “The last time I was called that, I was almost like that kid who helped lift the cart.”

“What was his name?”

“Izi.”

“Well, that’s easier. If you want, I can stop.”

“No, it’s okay… It just brings back memories… This and everything around,” Iziro said, lying on the ground.

Rain leaned against a wooden post, exhaled, and closed his eyes. He woke up in the morning to a strange noise.

“What are these two Raderians doing here?” Rain heard.

Rain woke up and saw something that made his body wake up rapidly. It was a group of five knights from the royal order. The story was repeating itself, but these knights were different from the ones he had seen before.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” one of the knights asked.

At that moment, all of Rain’s doubts disappeared. These were definitely different knights if they didn’t recognize him.

“One exile, and the second… He doesn’t look much like a warrior. More like a monk from the southern mountains,” another knight said.

“Bring me your leader!” said the main one among the knights to the people gathering around.

One of the knights dismounted, approached Rain, grabbed him by the hair, and said:

“Well, Raderian, your time has come. Will you tell us something valuable, or will you die like this?”

Rain just looked at him with furious anger in his eyes.

“We should interrogate them properly before that,” said one of the knights.

“They’re unlikely to say anything. It’s better not to torture ourselves and finish with them right away, and then deal with this local troublemaker,” one of the knights said.

Meanwhile, Iziro simply sat on the ground with his hands folded, still in chains, and did nothing.

“And what about this one?” asked one of the knights.

The knight closest to Iziro delivered a strong blow to him. Iziro briefly opened one eye, then closed it again.

“Seems like some sick Raderian. Definitely a mountain monk!” the knight exclaimed.

People around began to gather and surround the knights, just as they did with Rain and Iziro.

“There’s something wrong with these people,” one of the knights whispered, observing the situation.

“Disperse and get back to work!” the main knight shouted loudly. “I command in the name of His Majesty!”

But the crowd continued to gather around the knights. At one point, there were so many of them that the knights had to stand closer to each other, feeling the danger in the disobedience and the workers’ behavior.

“Disperse, or serious punishment awaits you!” the main knight menacingly shouted.

The crowd pushed the knights away from the Raderians chained to the posts and, one could say, absorbed the Raderians into itself.

“Iziro, do you have any ideas on what to do?” Rain asked anxiously. “Izi! Izi! It’s not time to sleep, damn it.”

Rain began to desperately try to break free from the shackles, but the brute spoke the plain truth: “Everything here is done to perfection.”

Meanwhile, the knights drew their swords. One of them approached and killed one of the workers. However, the workers didn’t scatter. Instead, one of them exclaimed, “A-ah,” and everyone began to repeat it in rhythm, raising and lowering their fists. “A-ah, A-ah, A-ah,” the workers chanted, and suddenly spears emerged from the crowd, forcing the knight who had come close to step back. The knights were forced to group even tighter.

“Iziro!” Rain shouted.

Iziro finally opened his eyes, exhaled, and first took one hand, shifting one of the wrist bones to pull his hand out of the shackle. Then he did the same with the other hand.

“Could you have done this seriously all this time?” Rain asked. “What were you waiting for?”

“I thought sleeping under the watchful eyes of the locals would be safer.”

“We could already be halfway to Aeris.”

The workers didn’t care about what was happening with the Raderians. They were dealing with a more serious issue. Two knights attempted to break through the cordon by mounting their horses, but the horses were afraid of the spears, so they didn’t approach the crowd. The knights then began throwing knives at the workers and something resembling miniature versions of them. The deaths of close friends and companions started frightening the workers, and some began to step back. Some of the spearmen started throwing their spears. Despite everyone being extremely serious and martially inclined, some still distanced themselves from their fallen comrades, thus disrupting the powerful blockade. Nevertheless, the crowd still seemed like a genuinely formidable force against so few knights, even though they were highly trained warriors. Especially considering that almost every member of the crowd was armed, whether with a spear, pickaxe, or shovel.

“I can’t do it this way, Iziro,” said Rain. “You need to somehow break my shackles.”

“Too bad they took your Rainian sword,” replied Iziro. “It would have come in handy here.”

Iziro saw a worker running toward the crowd from the other side of the blockade, approached him, and snatched his pickaxe, saying, “Sorry, I’ll return it.”

“Raderians are escaping!” the worker started shouting, but almost no one paid attention to him.

“Tighten the chain as much as you can,” said Iziro. “If I hit a link in the chain accurately and with great force, it might come apart.”

“Yeah, just don’t hit me,” replied Rain.

“Don’t worry. I’ve been pretty accurate all my life, and I haven’t lost that talent yet. A-ah!”

Iziro struck with all his strength at one link in the chain.

“A-ah!”

Then he struck at the second, freeing Rain from the post with the shackles still on him, while the remnants of the chains dangled from his hands.

“We need to help them,” said Iziro.

“They chained us here and made us eat scraps, and now you want to help them?”

“They’re clearly not against us. They have some plan of their own.”

“But not for us either!” Rain replied.

Iziro threw the pickaxe he had taken from the worker back to him, surprising the worker greatly. After that, Iziro walked into the crowd.

Rain was so angry with Iziro that he even shouted something in his direction. Looking at the shovel stuck in the ground, Rain said, “Not a Rainian sword, but it’ll do.” Rain approached the shovel, took it, and followed Iziro.

By this time, many workers had already fallen in the skirmish, and the knights continued to kill them one by one. The crowd had dispersed considerably, and one of the knights managed to enter the crowd with a sword, starting to cut down the workers with tripled force. The other knights continued to kill the workers gradually, throwing knives at them, while the main knight observed, sitting on his horse. When the knight in the crowd swung again, his sword was sharply deflected aside by a palm, and then he was struck in the center of the torso with the base of the palm, causing the knight to fly back and slide a bit on the ground before falling on his back. It was an irate Iziro. Everyone who was present noticed, and even the crowd dispersed from the fallen knight. Everyone was curious about how it would end.

Iziro approached this knight and said, “You shouldn’t be killing anyone here.”

Seeing this, Rain remembered that he had a hard time fighting just one knight, and now there were many of them. However, Iziro simply walked into their midst, passing through the crowd without fear or hesitation. Rain realized that he had seriously underestimated Iziro, especially considering that he supposedly didn’t like fighting much.

The fallen knight, pushing himself up from the ground, quickly stood on his feet and began to swing his sword very fast and gracefully towards Iziro. However, Iziro dodged each knightly strike with the same speed and grace, as if he were smoke drifting in the wind, avoiding every obstacle. When the knight attempted to strike at his legs, Iziro jumped, and upon landing, struck the knight in the same spot, causing him to fly even further, almost reaching his fellow knights, and cough. Everyone was once again extremely surprised, and some were unable to close their mouths, including the main knight who, sitting on his horse, ordered all the knights to defeat Iziro at all costs. He waved his hand, and four knights began to attack Iziro, forcing him to evade as much as possible. However, Rain suddenly entered the fray.

“How’s the assistance?” Rain asked Iziro, blocking one of the sword strikes with his own.

“I thought I’d be alone against all of them,” Iziro replied.

Iziro continued to dodge the attacks of the knights as if nothing had happened, now facing only two of them. Meanwhile, Rein struggled with two knights simultaneously, which proved to be much more challenging for him due to their skills. Although the knights he faced were weaker than the one he had fought before, Rein found it more difficult than Iziro did. Rein defended himself with a shovel, attempting to dodge similar to Iziro, but with less grace, resulting in a few minor wounds from the sword blades.

Although the leader of the knights wore a mask, his displeasure was evident. The knight leader took a small knife from under the strap on his chest, pressed it against his mask, and threw it at Rein. The knife hit him in the shoulder, causing him to lose balance, almost costing him his life.

At this moment, one of the laborers with a spear decided to help Iziro and Rein, ultimately saving Rein. Other workers witnessed this and joined in, converging on the knights and trying to separate them. Iziro, on the other hand, pushed one of his opponents away again, and the group of spear-wielding workers immediately surrounded him. Iziro began assisting Rein without seriously harming the knights. It was amusing, considering these were trained assassins guarding the kingdoms, but Iziro played with them as if mocking.

He took a sword from one, sheathed it in its scabbard, removed the mask from another, created distance, and then threw the mask back at him, making him catch his own mask. However, Rein was not having an easy time. Accustomed to fighting with a Reinian sword and sturdy armor, he now had to battle with a dirty, semi-rusty shovel against an opponent who far surpassed him in speed. Moreover, the mounted knight aimed his lance at him.

Meanwhile, the chief knight finally drew his sword, seemingly prepared to charge on horseback and end this pathetic spectacle. However, unexpectedly, a boy with burning hands emerged from the crowd and unleashed flames upon the knight, causing him to fall off his horse and attempt to extinguish himself in vain. This distraction allowed Rein to take advantage, grabbing the knight by the neck and forcefully slamming his forehead into the knight’s face. Realizing he was finally gaining the upper hand, Rein began to smile.

The boy, like a meteor, flew towards Rein, extinguishing his flaming hands and freezing Rein’s opponent’s feet to the ground, causing the boy’s hands to turn blue. The knight was bewildered by what had happened. In the midst of it all, Rein, without losing his composure, gracefully beheaded the knight with the sharp edge of the shovel.

“Maybe the shovel isn’t so bad after all,” Rein remarked, looking at it after the victory.

Next, the boy looked at Iziro and began to breathe deeply and evenly, causing his hands to return to their normal appearance. After a couple of moments, winds started swirling around him and his hands. The boy directed his hands towards Iziro, and a hurricane-like wind swept towards his two opponents, Iziro himself, and the workers gathered behind them. The two knights closest to the boy were simply blown away – one fell near Iziro, and the other flew into the crowd. Many workers also struggled to stay on their feet. Iziro, however, managed to stand firm by anticipating what would happen and assuming a special stance, kneeling with his side facing the direction of the wind. Once the hurricane subsided, Iziro subdued the knight who fell next to him to prevent any retaliatory actions. The knight who was blown into the crowd surrendered. The other knight, who had been separated by the crowd of spear-wielding workers earlier, had already been killed, as he had killed more workers than anyone else. The girl who led all the local village workers and this mine personally subdued the surrendered knight.

Stepping out of the crowd, she said, “You did well… I didn’t expect… You took care of our guests in my absence.”

“Not bad yourself, but I almost handled it on my own,” Rein said to the boy. “Wait… you’re the kid from that carriage! For your age, you handle elemental magic pretty well. You used almost everything…”

The boy clenched his fists and aimed them as if targeting the ground beneath Rein. As a result, the ground disappeared from under Rein’s feet, and he sank waist-deep into the pit that formed beneath him. When the boy released his fists, the earth enveloped Rein up to his waist.

“Hey, I didn’t do anything to deserve this!” Rein exclaimed in protest.

Ignoring Rein’s complaints, the boy turned his attention to Iziro a few moments later.

“You seem kind, right?” the boy asked Iziro.

“I don’t know… I’d like to be,” Iziro replied.

In response, the boy lowered his hands.

“He can go,” the girl said to Iziro. “Well, if you trust him, I trust him too. Escort him to the evening bonfire,” she told the boy about Iziro.

The girl approached Rein and scrutinized him closely.

“What do you want? You want to have a laugh?” Rein said.

“No, I was just impressed by how you fought. Too good for an ordinary Raiderian warrior,” she replied.

Meanwhile, the boy named Wel waved at Iziro and said, “Let’s go, I’ll show you where we relax. They also serve delicious food there.”

Iziro somewhat discontentedly glanced at Rein and followed the boy.

“You may not be as good as that Raiderian monk, but you fought very skillfully,” Wel remarked.

“Thank you, glad you noticed,” Rein sarcastically replied. “But here I am, fighting for you, almost dying, not even sure if you deserved it, and now I’m plagued with vague doubts about the validity of my decision again.”

Distraught, Rein stared at the ground, unsure of what to do next.

“What do I need to do to earn the right to be unshackled by you, anyway?” he asked.

“And if I set you free, how do I know you won’t attack me or my people, just as retaliation for how we treated you? You’ve shown yourself to be quite a bloodthirsty warrior,” the girl said.

“You mean when I beheaded that knight? He was trying to kill me, by the way. Sorry, but I didn’t like that. Maybe he would have succeeded if it weren’t for your people,” Rein replied.

“And I’m talking about the same thing. You were wronged, so you killed,” she stated.

“Well, what should I do, apologize or something?” Rein asked.

“No, forget it. I understand perfectly. I would have done the same in your place, but I’m not sure I’m ready to let you go just yet.”

Rein shook his head as the girl walked away. This deeply saddened him, and when the girl left, his sorrow turned into temporary anger, which he vented by shouting something into the evening sky.

“Well, fine, I’ll get out on my own then.”

Rein tried with all his might to lift at least one leg, but he could only raise the earth slightly.

“Okay, let’s dig a bit.”

Rein started digging the earth with his hands.

Meanwhile, Iziro was led to a large bonfire at the bottom of the mine. The locals were sitting around the fire, and people were distributing bowls of food to each other. Iziro and Wel sat in the front row, and they were served food that was much better than what they had been given yesterday.

“It’s beautiful here,” Iziro said.

“I like it here too,” the boy replied.

“You’re so skilled in magic – did your parents teach you?” Iziro asked.

“No, my parents died when I was born.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay, I’ve gotten used to it.”

“No, you’re really good for your age. I used to think that you needed to chant spells for such magic, but it seems I was wrong.”

“No! That’s true. I’ve really mastered all this. They say I have talent. I can perform magic with the power of my mind. They say only the strongest mages in history could do that.”

– Isn’t it frightening to possess such power at such a young age? Sometimes it seems to me that magic turns those who wield it into something akin to the gods described in myths and legends of different peoples,” Iziro pondered.

“Not at all! I’ve learned to control it. And I teach myself new things to avoid accidentally harming anyone. I used to have problems with that…” Wel explained.

“I wish I were as disciplined as you at your age,” Iziro said.

“What about your friend? Is he kind too?” Wel asked Iziro. “Idia said he might be one of the most dangerous Raiderians among those we’ve known.”

“Where did she get that idea?” Iziro asked warily.

“She mentioned something about him not being an ordinary exile but an exiled king of all Raideria, and then she laughed. I defeated the king of the Raiderian Empire. Ha-ha.”

While Wel laughed, Rein was extremely uneasy. He tried to figure out the best way to leave before it was too late.

“I’ll step away for a moment,” Iziro said.

“Sure, the bathrooms are over there if you need them,” Wel replied.

Iziro went to free Rein from his earthen prison. However, by the time he arrived, Rein was nowhere to be found. “Did he manage to dig himself out?” Iziro wondered. Meanwhile, with a bag over his head, Rein was being led somewhere by a couple of burly miners.

They brought Rein, removed the bag from his head, and he found himself in a room with a decent view from the balcony overlooking the entire mine. Rein went to check the mine, hoping to see Iziro, but before he could get a good look, Idia’s voice came from behind.

“I apologize for how I treated you,” Idia said. “It wasn’t the best decision on my part.”

“Seriously, I haven’t eaten in almost three days, spent almost a day lying in the mud, and almost died for those who put me in chains and then buried me in the ground. You were right – this isn’t enough,” Rein replied.

Rein looked at the sword displayed on the wall, almost identical to his Reinian sword. He rushed to grab it, but before he could make a swing, Idia drew her own sword from its sheath at her waist and pointed it at Rein’s throat.

“Well, what’s it like being killed by an ordinary woman?” she asked.

“I’m still alive if I can talk…” Rein replied.

Rein casually pushed her blade away from his throat, once again cutting himself on the edge of her sword. In a swift leap, holding the sword in one hand and directing it with the other, he executed a slashing blow. Idia stumbled backward, almost losing her balance, but a wall behind her stopped her fall. Rein extended his sword towards her neck with his arm fully stretched. The blade of his sword almost touched her neck.

“Now I’ve killed you,” Rein said with complete seriousness.

“My name is Idia, in case you’re interested,” she said, smiling as if it was all part of the plan. “I was told you were almost dug out when they came for you. You dig quite fast, it seems. It’s respected here. But I thought that wasn’t the most dignified occupation for the king of all Raideria.”

“What?” Rein asked in surprise. “Where did you get the idea that I’m the king of Raideria?”

“I mentioned several times that I’ve been to Raideria. I heard such a legend there.”

“What legend?”

“A legend about an exile with a mark on his cheek who was the rightful king. Or something like that.”

“You do understand that a legend is fiction, right?”

“I thought so too until I put two and two together. You fight as if you were trained in a castle. You sometimes behave as if you grew up in a castle. You appear to be the age of the guy from that legend. And the mark of an exile from the empire on your cheek. You really stand out in that regard. Probably, it’s hard to notice it under the hood of the cloak you came in here with, but without the hood, only a blind person wouldn’t see it.”

Rein became noticeably uneasy.

“What’s your name?” Idia asked. “Does it start with an ‘S,’ if I’m not mistaken?”

“Who have you told already?” Rein asked angrily.

“Everyone I could,” she replied.

Rein got angry and grabbed her by the neck, pressing her against the wall. She dropped the wine flask in response. In return, she pressed the blade of her sword against his torso, causing another stream of blood.

“I should kill you and everyone you told because my life depends on it… But I can’t.”

Rein sighed, holding her by the neck.

“My name is Rein! That’s all you need to know. Forget it!”

After these words, he released her.

– I’m sorry! Those whom I told… they won’t tell anyone. I vouch for them. I had to protect myself so that, upon learning that I know everything, you wouldn’t kill me alone. I’m not your enemy – I’m a friend. Even if you can be quite rough at times.

– Where is my friend Iziro? – asked the still angry Rain.

– Your friend is fine; he’s with that boy – his name is Wel – at the evening campfire – that’s where we rest. I’m sure they fed him, and he’s in good health now.

– You say I’m your friend… Does that mean you’ll let me go? I can’t continue to stay here, waiting for those you vouch for to sell information about me to my enemies and come after me.

– Yes, you can go, but…

– What – but? – asked Rain.

– You’ll leave tomorrow, wherever you plan to go, I can even provide you with escorts, but only if you give me what I want.

– What is it? – asked Rain with a serious face.

– You see… those knights didn’t come here for no reason today. And they will come again. I went against the kingdoms because I couldn’t stand watching my people being exploited. Before, they would come to take the majority of people to their death in the battle against the Raidarians. That was the last straw for me. We work for them, pay taxes, and even our lives are needed by them. This couldn’t just continue. I rebelled against Lord Rinfoll, and now there is only one path for me and the people who chose me. This path involves fighting the kingdoms for power. Most likely, Rinfoll will soon fall under the pressure of the Raidarian legions. But Santris… they won’t just leave us alone. So the only way for us is to fight. To fight against Santris and hope that when the Raidarians come, they will be merciful to us. I consider myself a warrior, just like you. And I will probably die in my pursuit of battles, but I don’t want to die without leaving someone behind. Do you understand me?

– Maybe. But if I understood you correctly, you should know that I’m not the best choice. If you’ve been to Raidaria, you must know that the offspring of a human and a Raidarian often dies, and women often die during the… process of such birth.

Idia approached Rain closely and hugged him, looking straight into his eyes.

– I have my own opinion on this matter. And even if you are telling the truth, I believe this risk is justified. I would like to have a child who is strong in both spirit and body. I have a strong spirit, and the body… It’s unlikely that there is anyone in the world stronger physically than a Raidarian, especially one with your blood.

Rain looked at her and was about to kiss her, but then she said:

– But first, please take a bath. It’s over there!

Meanwhile, Iziro was trying his best to figure out where Rain had gone. He could only hope that everything was okay with him. Suddenly, Wel appeared out of nowhere.

– You won’t find him here! – he said. – Idia took him. She’s probably having fun with him, like with the others.

– What is she doing with him? – Iziro asked threateningly, approaching Wel. – Where can I find them, kid?

– Don’t be angry, he’s fine. I told you: “She’s having fun with him.”

– Having fun? – Iziro asked in surprise.

– Yeah, having fun. She likes guys like your friend.

– Oh… And how long will they be… having fun there?

– I don’t know, – the boy said and laughed.

Wel ignited a fire in the palm of his hand and began to examine it.

– Aren’t you too young to know what they’re doing there?

– Am I too young to kill people? – Wel asked Iziro in surprise.

A day passed. The next morning, Idia was lying in her bed, and Rain was putting on his armor and new clothes that Idia’s people brought him.

– It suits you, – Idia said to Rain.

– I think white looks a bit too flashy. Especially considering that for me, every day is a battle, – Rain replied.

– If you’re really going to Aeris to meet the local king, dressing nicely is not the worst idea.

– Maybe you’re right.

– Just try not to provoke conflicts, – Idia said with a smile.

– My talent for provoking them will get in the way, – Rain replied with a slight dissatisfaction.

– Well, I did promise to provide an escort… My people and I control everything here, including smuggling into and out of the empire, so you’ll go through the Rabbit Hole with the local smugglers who owe me.

– Perhaps, going with smugglers might not be the best idea, don’t you think? – Rain asked in surprise.

– It’s your only chance. They won’t know anything about you. I’ll introduce you as their escort.

Rain pondered.

– But if you don’t want to leave, I’ll be happy to see you here. In the upcoming battles, I wouldn’t mind having your help.

– Hm, – Rain said, thinking. – Just a couple of days ago, I would have told you a definite “yes,” as I had no goal or aspirations, but now… Something has changed in me. It’s as if my crazy idea is tempering my anger and sorrow that haunted me all the years of my exile, or even more. The feeling that I can’t help but go there, as foolish as it may seem. Do you understand?

– Stronger than you think, – Idia replied.

Rain fastened the belt on the final part of his armor and looked at Idia.

– Well, then… Until we meet again… Idia. You’re not mad that I’m leaving you just like that after what happened between us?

– No, – said Idia, smiling and blushing. – You were only needed for one thing – and I got that. Now you’re free to go wherever you want, as we agreed.

Rain approached his sword, took it, and sheathed it behind his back.

This time, it was a completely different Rain. The same sword and Raidarian armor he had stolen once, but a different gaze, different fabrics over and under the armor, a clean and neat appearance not so characteristic of him due to his previous lifestyle. His white attire with golden trimmings on the fabric contours, worn over the armor, especially stood out. It was a sleeveless cloak with a hood and a wedge-shaped cut in the middle.

– It really suits you.

– It’s been a long time since I wore such clean clothes, – Rain replied to Idia.

Rain looked at Idia as if for the last time, and they looked at him the same way. They both smiled at each other, and Rain said:

– If I survive this, I’ll repay you. Hear me. I’ll do everything in my power.

But Idia just smiled, deep down understanding that she herself is unlikely to survive the turmoil she created. And even if she does, the Raidarians might still finish what the people of King Alec Ford and his lords couldn’t accomplish.

And Rain stepped outside her house…

Iziro sat on his knees, folding his hands, near a sturdy boulder.

– I was told I could find you here, – Rain said, approaching him slowly from behind.

Iziro quickly stood up and brushed off his knees.

– No, I just had time to wash my old clothes, – Iziro replied.

– Oh… I see.

– And you got that girl who rules everyone here, – Iziro said with enthusiasm. – Not bad.

– More like she got me. If we’re being honest, – Rain replied. – What have you been up to all this time?

– Various things… Talked with that boy-wizard, ate, meditated, slept, trained, washed clothes, – Iziro said with a smile.

– And what were you doing just now? – Rain asked.

– I know it’s not accepted in Raidaria, but it’s something like communicating with those who are no longer in our world, those who have died.

– There’s nothing beyond our world, Izi, – Rain replied.

– Perhaps, I can never prove something like that to you, but I have seen it myself. There’s such powerful magic in the world that allows you to see that realm and those who inhabit it. If you saw it the way I did, you would understand too.

At that moment, one of Idia’s servants approached them and said:

– Lady Idia said for you to follow me. I’ll show you the gathering and departure point.

Iziro looked at him and then at Rain in confusion.

– Today, we’re heading one way across the border of the Raidarian Empire, and with an escort, no less. I made a deal with Idia – she arranged everything! – Rain said enthusiastically.

– Well, finally. Okay, let’s not waste a minute.

– Alright! Just let me get my horse. – replied Rein to Idia’s servant, and they went after him.

When they arrived at the location, Wel in the clearing in the woods was shooting fire from his hands into the sky. These pillars exceeded his height by twenty times. Nearby, horses were tied to the branches sticking out of a log. Some people were sitting on the log, talking about something. As Rein and Iziro approached a bit closer, Wel released the last pillar of flames from his hands, which was even larger than the previous ones.

– What are you doing here? – Rein asked the boy.

– Hi, Wel, – Iziro greeted the boy.

– Hi, Izi! You can’t open the passage to the Rabbit Hole without me. If you have another earth mage, I’d be happy to leave, – Wel replied, smirking.

– Wait… I know her! – Rein said, looking at the people sitting on the log. – She was in that tavern. What’s her name… Miri!

Rein got angry, dismounted his horse, and quickly walked towards the girl.

– Miri, isn’t it! – Rein said, pointing at her menacingly.

The girl literally didn’t know what to do. She immediately jumped to the other side of the log and put her hands on it.

– You! Where’s your damn friend, Acres?

– How should I know, – she replied. – I understand that you’re angry, but can we discuss everything peacefully?

– No! I owe something to your friend, and I really want to repay that debt.

– I don’t know where he is, – she said, looking up at the sky, then to the side, then at the ground.

Rein looked to the side and saw a hooded figure sitting with his back to him.

– Wait… Is that him? – Rein said angrily.

When she remained silent, slightly contorting her face, Rein immediately went to the person. Taking him by the shoulder, he turned him around and saw a painfully familiar face.

– Acres, damn bastard, – Rein said before punching him in the face with all his might, causing him to fall.

– Ouch! – Acres said. – Are all you Raidarians so unforgiving?

– You betrayed me in that tavern, even though I saved you from that convoy of Raidarians.

– Yes, but you’re alive – and I’m alive. Everyone is alive! And when you saved me, you got armor and a sword in return… It’s a win-win!

– You bastard! I should have let them kill you back then.

Rein moved to give Acres another punch, but Wel sent a pillar of flames between them, allowing Acres to crawl away and stand up.

– Don’t tarnish our reputation, Rein, – Wel said. – You need to forget your grudge, or you’ll have to find another passage to the empire.

– Because of this bastard, I killed many, possibly good guys, and then he betrayed me.

– Don’t pretend to be a saint, Rein, – Acres said. – You’re no less of a bastard than I am, and you know it. Just like me, you killed all those not-so-bad guys and benefited from it. You could have really spared them if you considered yourself so righteous. All you Raidarians loot, kill, and violate the innocent. It’s the foundation of your life. And now you come and try to lecture me about moral standards… Seriously?

– Have you known each other for a long time? – asked Iziro.

– You’ll answer for betraying me, – Rein said.

– If I hadn’t done that, who knows how many more would have suffered there.

– You just saved your damn skin. Don’t lie to anyone here.

– And even if I did save it, so what? You’re alive! Everyone is alive! But you’re not satisfied with something.

– Those Raidarians are dead!

– You need to cool down, – Wel said to Rein. – You’re his escort, after all! Or have you forgotten?

– Listen! Let’s go through this Rabbit Hole and just go our separate ways, – Acres said. – I think it’s a great plan.

– He’s right, – Iziro said.

– So are we going today or not? – said one of the smugglers sitting on the log next to Miri.

– Trusting him is like signing your own grave.

– We have no choice, – Iziro said.

– Alright, – Rein said. – But if you even dare to think anything unfavorable towards us – I will personally execute you, Acres.

– Glad that everyone reconciled, – Wel said.

And they went into the depths of the forests that ended in Raidaria itself. Wel kept approaching the trees and placing his hand on them, pausing briefly, as if listening to them.

– We’ll be walking for a couple of days, the first rest stop is halfway to the cave, and we’ll arrange the second one before the burrow, – Wel said loudly so that everyone could hear. – The Rabbit Hole is also a long cave. The passage through it will take about a day, and it’s not the best idea to spend the night in it.

– Didn’t expect to be commanded by a ten-year-old boy, – Rein said to Iziro.

– In his soul, he’s much older than he seems, – Iziro said.

They set up their first camp in a similar place to where they all met, with several logs scattered around a large bonfire. Rising at dawn, they continued their journey – and they walked until the evening.

– And here is the burrow! – Wel exclaimed joyfully. – Better step away from that tree!

Surprisingly, everyone quickly stepped back, and with clenched fists, Wel effortlessly toppled the tree with a small hand movement. Then, loosening his fists and raising his palms to shoulder level, he evaporated all the moisture in the tree.

– You can detach the branches for the fire yourselves, – Wel said, a bit less cheerfully.

They quickly managed to break off the branches from the tree. Rein used his sword to chop the larger ones. When it got dark, some sat on the fallen tree, some lay down with their backs against the fallen horse, and some constructed a makeshift shelter near the fire from branches and leaves. They were preparing rabbits on the fire. Everyone engaged in simple, friendly conversations despite their differences.

Rein and Wel sat in front of the fire, watching the food.

– Shouldn’t you be punished in Raidaria for your mark on your cheek? – Wel asked Rein.

– I hope for the best. And I don’t wear the hood for nothing.

– Brave of you! I could remove the mark if you want.

– Can you remove it? – Rein asked in surprise. – How?

The boy directed his hand towards Rein, strained, but nothing happened.

– Your protective seal interferes, – he said.

– Do you want me to remove the seal? – Rein asked with a smile.

– That’s the only way I can do it. It hinders me from using magic on you. I can even remove all your scars, even those you sewed recently.

– Do you possess life magic?

– I can’t resurrect, though, – the boy replied.

– You do have a talent… – Rein said.

– So, what do you say?

– I’ll remove the seal, and you’ll cast something bad on me… How do I know you won’t deceive me?

– Well, as you wish. I just wanted to help.

The boy checked the food’s readiness. After a brief thought, Rein said:

– Okay. Fine. If you’re not lying to me, then I must give it a try.

– Good, – replied the boy and looked at his seal hidden under his pauldron.

Rein removed his pauldron and took a knife used for cutting rabbit meat. He placed the knife in the fire to sterilize it, but the boy immediately took it out and heated it in a matter of moments.

– Thanks, – said Rein.

Rein took the knife and pressed the still very hot blade to his shoulder. When the skin made contact, smoke rose from it, and then with a swift motion, he cut off the part of the skin with the protective seal.

– Ahhhh, – escaped from Rein’s mouth. – That hurt.

– Ready? – asked Wel.

– Let’s do it!

The boy directed his palms at Rein, and a faint white glow began emanating from his hand, easily visible under the night sky. This white glow, resembling light smoke, first headed towards Rein’s shoulder. Fully healing his shoulder, the light penetrated through Rein’s armor and clothes to wounds that the boy couldn’t even see.

– Leave some battle scars at least, – Rein told the boy. – Let’s get rid of the stigma.

– As you wish, – the boy replied.

And the light moved towards his cheek. Rein placed his palm on his cheek, trying to feel the scar from the disgraceful brand left on him, but he couldn’t. He tried again but still couldn’t feel anything. Then he felt a tear rolling down his cheek. After that, Rein turned abruptly away from the boy with a smile.

– It’s all magic… – Rein said.

– You’re welcome, – Wel said.

– How do I fight with mages now? Without the mark, I’ll become a punching bag for them.

– A good mage won’t be bothered by your mark, but if you want, I can return it.

Rein turned to the boy in profile and nodded. Wel extended two fingers of his hand, and they ignited. Wel burned away the seal on Rein’s shoulder that had been there for many years.

– I thought you’d tattoo it with magic drawing on my body, – Rein said discontentedly.

– You’re welcome! – the boy said with an emotionless face.

At the same moment, Rein hugged the boy.

– Thank you.

– Wow! – the boy exclaimed unexpectedly. – You really shouldn’t have. It wasn’t really difficult for me.

The boy didn’t expect a Raidarian warrior to behave like that.

The campfire crackled, the sky was full of stars, and even shooting stars were visible.

…But suddenly, in the distant sky, a strange glow appeared.

– Do you see that too? – Rein asked.

– That light is coming from the direction of Rinfoll, – Acres unexpectedly said, lying on his makeshift bed. – I heard something cruel is happening there. They say King Alex sent a couple of personal mages there. They will surely have a significant battle.

– If seven hundred years ago, getting out of the jungles, Raidarians managed to capture Illyrion armed only with Raidarian armor, swords, and catapults to breach the Illyrian wall, then taking Rinfoll for them is just a matter of time, – Rein said. – And then, all the Last Kingdoms.

– The question is how many lives it will take, – Iziro said, looking at Rein.

– I’m only interested in where the Rabbit Hole is, – one of the smugglers said. – We were supposed to be in front of the cave.

– There it is, – Wel said, pointing to the rocky formation. – You just need to move that huge stone. I’ll move it tomorrow – today I’m tired. And now, I’m going to sleep.

Having finished the last piece of rabbit, Wel put the plate aside and lay down by the fire, closing his eyes. Soon, many followed his example, but Rein continued to gaze at the stars, leaning against his horse lying on the ground.

The next morning, Wel was the first to wake up, and Rein was the last. It happened due to an incredibly loud sound of grinding stones and crashing. The boy, in a stance, fists clenched, strained and slowly but surely moved an almost gigantic stone, resembling a rock.

– Well, lucky for the ruler whose servant this kid will be when he grows up, – said a robust smuggler who looked more like a Radianian than Rein, although he wasn’t.

– I won’t serve anyone! – the boy shouted. – Because I like freedom.

– I thought you serve Lady Idia.

The boy, completely sweaty and wiping his face after fully opening the passage to the cave, said:

– Idia is my friend, and we work together! As for you, it seems it’s time. Let’s go faster; I still need to close this and tidy up a bit here.

– Well? Let’s go! – said Acres and moved into the darkness.

– Is it long? – asked Iziro.

– We didn’t even reach the border with the empire, and it goes a bit further, – said one of the smugglers leading a herd of horses.

Rein looked at Wel, smiled, and nodded slightly when Wel noticed him and went into the cave.

– Let’s go, – said the robust smuggler.

And they all went into the long and dark cave. When everyone entered, Wel, standing outside the cave, said:

– Hey, Izi, you’ll need this.

And he threw a torch he had lit to Iziro, then started closing the entrance by moving the stone block back.

– Will it be enough for him? – asked Iziro.

– It’s better to move faster, – the boy replied.

Iziro illuminated the low cave, which seemed to extend into absolute darkness in the distance. Then everyone moved forward straight into the unknown.