Читать книгу Defunct. Epic battle of neuralink - meN/Ace - Страница 4

Two hundred years later, Vayelon 7796 BC.

Summer heat begins to spin your head even before sunrise. There used to be a desert here, and later, it will reappear. And now, the whole of Mesopotamia, like a real paradise, is dotted with tropical forests and fertile vegetation. People, not knowing hunger, in those days developed rapidly. The first state institutions appeared. Trade flourished, and the center of the whole world was the city between the endangered Nahmaut valleys – Vayelon.

A man in a tall, cylindrical headdress and a white pha-toe sticking out of him, attentively looks at the papers that are being shoved to him by the strangers who are lined up in line. A long column of cavalry stretching for hundreds of meters. Traders from different parts of the earth are registering to enter the main kingdom of the Osiris. With a wave of his hand, and shouting something to the controller standing on the wall between the four entrance towers, he folded the papers into his bag and went to the chariot. After examining it from all sides, looking into the tin barrels tightly tied to the cart, the checking man muttered something and, having already taken out his journal, made a note in pencil. The huge, arched gate slowly opens. Behind them stood a powerful, iron lattice, which moved apart in segments in different directions. Having driven his cart there, the dark-skinned honey seller waited wearily for the gate behind him to close and in front to open. Being within the four walls, he was nervous whether the damned sentries, imposingly descending from the second, even higher wall of the fortress, would give him the go-ahead or send him back. Such a double pass procedure is necessary so that more than one carriage does not enter the city. She was so annoying that some of the merchants just turned around and left without waiting for their turn. By the way, Vayelon is the first city in Mesopotamia with two defensive walls. Shelber Castle has only one wall, and that was not built by its inhabitants, but Fimirel in the Rohvem Valley, the largest settlement of the past centuries, is an open city. They don’t need walls. They are very proud, but not like Spartans with a powerful army, but rather like the Nazis, ideologically, confident that they are special and omnipotent, and everyone else is unworthy and incapable of anything. Therefore, they never even thought that someday, from someone, they would have to defend themselves. They sincerely believed that no one in the world would have the courage to even look in their direction without permission.

There, outside the walls of the Osirian metropolis, life was in full swing. Architecture. Just look at this wonderful architecture, which is mixed in different styles unusual for late civilizations. No mythical castle or palace compares even to the walls of Vayelon. Various protrusions, mostly in the form of rings, and layered superstructures were amazing. The pointed roofs of the first wall, like bunches of needles, branch out in all directions. Huge, alternating yellow and green heads of crocodiles, instead of roofs, on the second wall of the towers, were one of the symbols of the state. They look up, with wide-open mouths, protruding teeth and curved wave, pink tongues like spires reaching into the sky. The sparkling blue eyes of these crocodiles are said to be human-sized natural diamonds. And this is a delightful wall painting. Everything is decorated with bright, multi-colored engravings and mysterious drawings, in which it is not clear what is depicted, but it looks very beautiful. The best sights were, of course, inside. In the very center of the fortress, there was a palace of unprecedented beauty. When traders first see him, they feel as if they are in a dream. What can we say about ancient people, when this would excite even modern people. Three majestic buildings, connected by bridges, chains, vegetation and just some kind of decorations, stretched above the clouds. These skyscrapers are clearly not built of clay. In the worst case, they are built according to all modern technologies, with a combination of metal, concrete and glass. Or even with the use of nano-technologies, miraculously implemented by the brilliant Osiris.

At night, the city center glowed, with mind-blowing, colored ribbons and lanterns, as if it were a modern metropolis, and not a prehistoric village of clay caves, like the neighboring wild peoples. Even the most ordinary taverns and eateries are hung with bright garlands to attract attention, although there were no power plants in the city. Everything was powered by disposable batteries. High stands, advertising posters, against the background of medieval-style mansions, look peculiar. Babylon with hanging gardens and amazing bridges, like stairs, connecting the towers of the main palace. Golden statues of gods, historical figures and just art. For example, a building in the form of a huge bunch of grapes. Or, a giant artificial fountain in the form of a black as night cobra with a golden belly, in the marketplace. An unimaginable waterfall in the form of the mythical four-winged bird Ambimum, near the government building. The color of her translucent body, with orange and black spots, created the illusion of a burning flame. There is also an amazing flower palace in the shape of a pyramid. This is an iron frame, entirely lined with natural flowering plants, which, hundreds of people, every day take care of and replace with new ones. The roads are lined with smooth clay bricks on the outskirts, and colored ceramic tiles in the center. You can endlessly enumerate these original masterpieces of an incredible civilization, but all this was preceded by events that in the future for them will be fatal.

A whimsical chariot rushes at great speed along the main street of the city. A black flag flutters behind it, depicting random white threads curling up into a ball in the center. Cavalry, drawn from six unnaturally large horses, loudly knocking horseshoes. On horse heads, they wear high golden crowns, like sultans’ hats with red petals sticking up. Light, silver armor covers their backs. At the turn, the carriage skidded sharply, and one of its edges lifted off the ground. The people walking by jumped aside in horror. Barely able to resist, the cart continued to skid along the smooth stones to the very square of Grompi, stopping at the very entrance to the majestic palace of King Ormon. All knocking and screaming died down. There was complete silence. Only the murmur of water and a gentle breath of wind. The driver of the wagon sat motionless, like a statue. His head is bound with iron armor, obviously not of local manufacture. Suddenly the door of the golden carriage opened and a leg appeared from there in a black leather boot with patterns embroidered with precious stones. Its sole was made of small, silvery human heads! Stepping on the ground, the unknown man in a black robe stood motionless. The people standing nearby began to whisper among themselves and backed away. His face was covered by a black, stone mask that showed no emotion. There is a square headdress on the head, with gold engraving on the front. On top, she was wrapped in dark rags, like a scarf. Looking towards the wide steps that rise to the entrance, he raised his hand, pointing his finger at the door. A rather interesting bracelet sits on his wrist. Red, thick, intertwining earthworms. They are made of copper, but they look real.

– Call me the king! He boomed in a terrible voice. – What is this demon? Human speeches are heard. The servants standing at the high front gate went inside.

«My lord, he has arrived. Waiting for you on the street, – one of the guards reports to an elderly, long-haired, gloomy man, in a blue checkered shirt, with lush, puffy shoulders like pillows and a gold brooch around his neck.

– Is he really alone? – asked the old man, putting on a crown in the form of white crystals and a red cap with a yellow circle in the middle and outgoing lines depicting the sun. The soldier silently nodded his head.

«Tell Mandalis to keep the garrison troops on alert in both directions.

«Yes, my king,» the soldier ran away.

A minute later, the gray-haired, bearded ruler went out into the street. He squinted from the blinding sun, trying to see everything around him. Seeing him, an unknown person in a black robe, confidently went to the meeting. Climbing the soft colored carpet that stretched through all the steps, his wildly bulging eyes could be seen through the eye sockets. When he met the old man, he bent down slightly, resting his hand on his chest.

– Governor of Shelber, for what purpose did you come to us? The king asked him.

– Greetings, lord of the Osiris, wisest of kings. I, Aprod Rift, have come to you at the request of the Most High Governor Shelber Daligen. We need to discuss some political issues regarding the safety of the city.

– Well, let’s go to my meeting room, – the King nodded to the guard and went inside. The visiting ambassador followed him through long corridors. Closing in a small room, they sat down at a round table, which stood at the very window. The old man took off the crown and placed it in front of him. Taking a handkerchief from his chest pocket, he wiped his damp face. – What do you want? He asked, scratching the back of his head. – This month, we paid tribute to Bil Hamhharaf, regularly pay taxes to the temple of Selim and did not violate any agreement between the Nahmau and the Osiris.

«Keep calm, oh great king. I haven’t started the conversation yet, and you are already making excuses. It doesn’t suit you. Vayelon’s people are in great danger. Rohvem wants to completely destroy the city, fearing your power. Even though they are our brothers, we will not allow this madness. The forest of the dead in the southern valley has taken too many people from Fimirel to hell, and our people disappear on Shelber’s mushroom paths. Nahmau are having their worst times. It’s hard to seem like heroes when our own kings left us at the mercy of Jerichan leprosy. Envy, flying up to heaven Vayelon, turned the heads of the governors and priests. We decided to take control of one of the city councils. Whether it is the council of the wisest or the council of the elders, I am obliged to lead this branch within a week. Deliver this to your subjects. Having learned that I am in power, Makhtum will not dare to attack his brothers. Otherwise, he will unleash a senseless war with Shelber.

– It all looks like some kind of competition, – the tsar looks menacingly into his face. – Who from Nahmau will capture the Osirian capital faster. So our obedience is no longer enough for you? Has it ever occurred to you that our people can resist wicked envious people? Fists clenched tightly, his face twitched nervously. – And then, we ourselves are already looking at the lands around us. Living in the occupation of a greedy, dying people is not so exciting.

«You shouldn’t call my people greedy. In that case, let Biel decide your fate. The countdown has already started. You will not be saved by the numerous hordes of mortals, from the ruthless creatures of Rohvem. – Taking out a scroll from his mantle, the governor handed it to the king. – Read this and pass it on to the council. Dahligen’s own appeal. Perhaps it will convince you more than my words. – Getting up from his chair, Aprod left the palace.

Sitting on his soft, wonderful throne, upholstered with the skin of a Nile crocodile, with a sparkling ornament on the upper part of the back, leaning his elbows, King Ormon hung his head thoughtfully. At the long table of the council of the elders, he carried a great deal of weight. And, in today’s discussion, as a result of controversy and disagreement, supported the side of the envoy from Shelber, but the council did not approve of this position.

«My years are passing,» he raised his bushy eyebrows sadly. «And I don’t see a decent youth capable of ruling Vayelon. I have spoiled my children too much. The elders are already forty years old, but they are all helpless children. I propose, to the council, to introduce a new position in the department that is temporarily fulfilling my duties.

– We are not against such a position, but it should be occupied exclusively by a local, – the senator, sitting somewhere in the middle, waves his index finger. – For example me. To give power to a stranger, and even to some governor from Shelber… we will not allow!

– Well, calm down, – the king raised his hands, trying to calm down the shouting advisers. – In a week, we have to give an answer. Collect troops. Our answer is war.

Dark clouds were gathering in the sky. Peals of thunder and striking lightning fell right into the tower of the majestic temple of Selim, in the deserted city of Fimirel. Abandoned stone cottages surrounded a single residential structure stretching to the very heavens. Gloomy, dark building. This dizzying cone-shaped structure is even taller than the skyscrapers of Vayelon. And, most importantly, it moves. Each floor, like a huge disk, in the form of a semicircle, planted on top of each other, slowly revolves around its axis. And at the top, segments of a sharpened fiery roof. It glows bright orange. With the help of kinematics and changing color rendering, the illusion of flowing lava is created. No wonder this tower got the name – Volcano. Queen Fimirel Bil Hamhharaf lives here. An insidious witch who for the sake of power killed her father, and then her brother. She hates men, and therefore killed her son in order to make her daughter the receiver of power. Even all members of the council, in Fimirel, are exclusively women. The only man in the entire Rohvem Valley who can argue with the distraught ruler is High Priest Makhtum. He heads the most important common shrine of the Nahmau. This is the divine, first common religious temple of Selim – Birhatten, and, according to the law, no one has the right to take away the power of the chief priest over the spiritual community. Initially, this temple was built as a palace for the kings of Rohvem, even before the Fimirel tower appeared. But, the building turned out to be too chic, breathtaking, in a word, grandiose. Such a large-scale and magnificent complex that the then ruler Mastakh thought that only gods should live there, and decided to transfer the building to the clergy. A couple of centuries later, when the ideology of the «Law of Svurt» was popularized, the temple was slightly rebuilt, made it even larger and more fantastic, suitable for all spiritual levels. It is strange that the greedy queen did not even try to take possession of this building, because it is several times more beautiful than her palace. Perhaps, she still had some kind of upbringing, and respect for faith, otherwise, if she were blinded by power by a naive dictator, she would have been overthrown by her own advisers and caretakers. Hatred of the opposite sex, the future queen accumulated from childhood. A talented girl has always been ignored and not taken seriously. Her father called any of her suggestions nonsense, although he himself ultimately accepted them and said that these were his brilliant ideas. Now, the touchy lady hates all men in the world, and even her wife Liger is afraid of unpredictable passion and crazy fanaticism, having long planned to escape from the city, to the neighboring village of Dagbu, following the rest, adequate residents.

Today is the brightest night the Knight Masod has ever seen, standing at the farthest outpost of Vayelon. After feeding his horse, he quickly went to the tent to hide from the beginning of the downpour. A strong wind has risen. The catapults standing in the field rolled towards the fire and almost caught fire. The horses whinnied in fright. Two thousand people, already on alert for the second week, on the southern border of the Osiris, tirelessly watch the rugged terrain of Rohvem. Grabbing an earthenware pot, the guardsman began to have supper, quickly eating flour cakes with berry filling. The comrades sat closely with each other, telling different stories. Suddenly, outside there were the shouts of the guards. – Everybody out! Faster, faster! Under construction, under construction! Stand in front of your tents! General Mandalis has arrived!

– What’s happening? Does the general show up in the middle of the night, in such terrible weather, without warning? – Masod goggled eyes, barely chewing on another pie. He carefully pulled back the curtain, peering through the small window of his tent. «Move your ass, guy,» his comrades hurried out into the street. There was complete confusion. It was not just his retinue who came with the general. With him came an army of at least five thousand people in full combat readiness.

– Roll up camp, prepare your horses and sharpen your arrows! – shouts the commander of the outpost. By the decision of the council, in a day, we move forward to capture Fimirel and liberate the Osirian villages.

Delight appeared in Masod’s confused eyes. Under a raging downpour, in the middle of the night, for the first time he felt the greatness of the army gathered here, and his irreplaceable, great role in the fate of an entire people. Gaining strength, the warriors, as it should, slept for the last time. In the morning, two knights gathering brushwood in the vicinity of the camp noticed movements in the distant bushes and reeds, a swampy peat land.

– Hey you, stop!! – Shouted one of the soldiers to a black, human silhouette, moving behind the tall grass. – Come here, or I’ll come to you myself! – he unbuttoned the cover and took out his blade, with a decoratively curved blade and a chopping handle. «Wait, don’t get excited,» his partner stopped him, grabbing his shoulder. «It’s just an old priest. He doesn’t hear you. He picks berries, I guess. Leave the poor man. – How do you know that this is a priest? – he was indignant, pushing his friend aside. «Maybe the spy from Fimirel changed his clothes. We are obliged to check, – having run up to the very hummock, surrounded by impassable thickets, they have not found anyone. At the same moment, screams were heard from the camp. «It’s begun,» the soldier muttered to himself. – What started? – his partner is perplexed. – Savages, attacked again. Acadian and Sumerian tribes, admirers of ancient traditions, along with the Nahmau, consider these lands cursed. During the time that we are here, they have already persuaded us three times to get out of here, in response our commander only laughed. The turn has come to answer for our stubbornness, – with a smile, he twisted his long spear and ran towards the screams.

The battle unfolded. Hundreds of wild hunters, calling themselves «blackheads,» hunted down the generals’ troops that had come that night. Reinforcements came to the Sumerians from the north. They are superstitious Acadians with three leaders at their head. The Osiris, organized a tactful defense, under the command of General Mandalis himself, who is also a member of the council of the wisest in Vayelon. The victory was won with minimal losses, however, this event disrupted all the plans of the command. Having sent messengers to the city, with the news of an immediate offensive, the general did not wait for the coming of night. An impressive army of seven thousand people at that time, crossed the borders of Rohvem and moved in the direction of Fimirel. Black silhouettes, again crawling in the reeds. When the soldiers directed their arrows at them, warning of an attack, they were frightened and jumped out of the nasty, seething quagmire.

«You can’t get through here,» one of them creaks in a hideous voice with a terrible accent. It was Sabarets. A representative of an almost completely extinct ancient people. They were called Sabars by Osiris. This word means «transparent heads», which was true. They are so different from other people that their organisms do not coincide with the general human DNA. The processes on the coccyx, which they can even wiggle, indicate the presence of full-fledged, albeit short, tails. With blisters and black abscesses all over his face, he was certainly not a priest of the great temple. These creatures worship their unseen gods. The Sabarian people are not aggressive, but disgusting. Selfish and rebellious. Even the greatest kings of Mesopotamia could not conquer them. The longer you look at these people, the more you get the impression that they are not people at all, but some other, peculiar kind of mammals. Bald, wrinkled heads, with transparent skulls, seem eerie, twisted in shape. And their terrible wrinkles. They, like protruding fatty discs, run like a ladder across the entire face and neck, merging with the chin. Completely blue eyes, without pupil and eyesore, with which they perceive not all colors. But, these are not freaks. These are their genes. Burns and blisters, of course, are not from birth. These are various diseases and scars from their difficult lifestyle. In long, dirty shirts and village bast shoes, six fornicators bowed before the Osiris, promising to help them. But, is it worth believing these geeks, when it has already been historically proven that they completely lack the instinct of self-preservation. «Oh, great commander,» they began to communicate with the general. «You shouldn’t go through these swamps. No wonder the blackheads are so alarmed. We also lost a lot of our brothers there. Be so kind as to go around this strip of evil from the east. Just ten kilometers from here.

– Don’t worry, buddy, our troops are already going that way, as well as from the western direction. Or did you think we would only strike with one group of troops? «If we were savages like you, we might have done so. But, we know things like strategy. Here, take the money, and get out of my way, – he threw a tied bag of coins at the feet of the elderly Sabarians, and the column moved forward. Having overcome a small ditch and a bog, the soldiers figured out a passage in an ancient wall lined with stones, which was completely covered with moss. This wall stretches for tens of kilometers, from the eastern to the western forests of Rohvem. The primitive masonry is not at all high. Two meters, and in some places even lower. They say that once it was three times higher, it just sank into the swampy soil.

– As far as I know, this wall was built for some religious reason. – Riding a horse, the commander of the outpost unhurriedly gallops next to the general’s carriage, sheathed in camouflage. – He, silently, smiled, and thoughtfully stared at the horizon. Before them was an endless field. The green grass was not so damp and tall anymore. The ride has become much easier and faster. The ground is more replaced by stones, with rarely sticking out blades of grass. But there are no ravines or hillocks. Absolutely flat field, on which you can already gallop. The foot of the infantryman stumbled on a snag sticking out of the ground. This is a broken, through and through rotten wooden log, which has been lying here, perhaps, for more than one hundred years. Throwing it aside, the soldier cleared the way for the carriages passing by behind. It must have been some kind of signpost before. There, to the side, a couple of meters away from the log, lay an inconspicuous flat stone heaped on its side. On it, in the Nahmaut language, only three words are carved: «The forest that does not exist.» Without changing the route and speed of movement, the convoy continues to go south. The grass and leaves underfoot are already completely dry. As if it had never rained here in my life. Jumping out of his capsule-shaped iron carriage, Mandelis suddenly stopped the troops. Holding the map firmly in both hands, he peered into one place. His hands shook.

– Who made these routes? – in anger he crumpled the yellow paper and threw it away. Suddenly, he is attacked by a pack of wolves. Two beasts jumped out from under the chariot, and three more rushed from the front. – Take them away! – with screams he climbs back into the carriage. The soldiers reacted quickly, drawing their bows, covering the hungry predators with arrows out of nowhere. One wolf managed to grab the general’s leg before he hid in the cart. He furiously tore at his snakeskin boot, and, continuing to clench his jaws, jerking his head from side to side, with a loud, murderous growl, he tore a piece of flesh from his calf muscle, until as many as five arrows flew into his spine, at the same time. Having stopped the bleeding, the doctors forbade the general to go outside, except when it was necessary to relieve himself. Observing this from the side, the commander of the camp outpost was no less shocked. How the soldiers in front could overlook the approaching predators. As many as six horsemen and two carts go ahead of the general. Nevertheless, the general decided to continue the movement of the troops straight ahead, which is not surprising in the trailer. Before getting on the horse, the outpost commander picked up the crumpled map from the ground and carefully straightened it, trying not to break it. This is a reliable map compiled by experts from Vayelon, including himself. Rohvem Valley on a scaled-down scale. He quickly found his bearings and, frowning, began muttering to himself. In the same place, between the western and southern forest belt, a continuous deciduous forest was designated, which was named as «the cemetery of the army of General Mandelis.» Maybe it was signed by some soldier with a bad sense of humor. Having saddled the horse, the commander continued to move next to the cart. Dry leaves rustled more and more under the wheels and horses. The sounds got louder, but they got smaller. Every creak of the wagon is heard, every step, and even breathing can be heard. The sounds of an owl and a toucan knocking on wood. The sounds of snorting donkeys. Stop. Where, in an open field, the sounds of a knocking toucan? owls? leaves under your feet? The commander got goose bumps all over his body when he realized this.

«The Forest of the Dead,» burst out of his mouth. – He exists. My heart was pounding wildly. The painful general was no longer so concerned about their problems. He moaned quietly in his carriage, thinking more about his leg. Masod, an ordinary horseman, rode on horseback in front of everyone. At one point, his animal just stopped, stubbornly unwilling to continue moving.

– But! Let’s go! – sitting on horseback, he kicks in the sides of the stubborn stallion. Nearby horses and mules stopped at the same place. They reared up on their hind hooves, circled in place, but in no way, did not go forward. Unable to bear it, Masod jumped off the mule, and stroked his face, trying to calm him down. «He’s afraid of something,» he began to look around the soldiers warily. – Here, just what? – looking in front of him, he noticed bones on the ground. A bunch of bones. The bones of animals, people, they were everywhere. Walking a little forward on his own, the soldier grimaced and instinctively gripped his blade tightly. The fetid smell of decomposition hit him sharply in the nose. Vomiting involuntarily escaped. During his life, he has seen a lot of rot, on the battlefields, but such rottenness, he has never felt before. «I know why the horses stopped,» he turned to his companions. But, they were not. The entire column was gone! Frightened, as if from an electric shock, he jumped back, bulging his bloodshot eyes. Bin Magur?! Halley! – in a panic he calls out the names of his friends. Where a column of seven thousand Vayelon warriors should have been, stood a couple of burnt trees that had just emerged. Their black, charred branches froze in frightening silence. Looking closely, he realized that these rare trees stood everywhere, to the very horizon. For the most part, these were some chopped off trunks. Without a single branch, tall, black, burnt from roots to tops. This is what a forest looks like after a fire. White bones clatter under his feet. Removing the blade from the casing, he desperately cut down the only branch of the tree nearest to him. The earth shook. It was like a tree felt his blow. There were terrible groans. These are the sounds of howling people and roaring animals, replaced by distant laughter, strange muffled rumble and creak. Throwing away his weapon, he clutched his head. It seemed to him that it was happening inside his head, and now it will simply explode. There were even more dry leaves under my feet. They, like a yellow blanket, completely covered the surface of the earth. A thick fog was approaching from all directions, from afar. It’s like a snow storm enclosed in a ring, windless and silent, densely enveloping the entire horizon. – It must be a dream? – Sadly sour face, Masod froze standing still. But no. All the horror was waiting for him ahead. Walking around a small area in a circle, the young warrior completely faded. Seeing that the terrain was completely repeated, he grabbed his face with his hands, desperately collapsing to the ground.

That is why it is impossible to get out of here. On this day, the foggy, endless forest happily took into its arms, the souls of twenty-five detachments, the southern corps of General Mandalis. The Forest of the Dead has been known for its anomaly since antiquity. Many elders tried to find out what was happening there with people and animals. But this remains a mystery. Some say that two hundred years ago, Selim Svurt himself, the king of Shelber, who fled to Rohvem from the curse of his lands, got lost here. To find a way out, he decided to burn the forest, and accidentally burned down himself, sending damage to the once beautiful, fertile lands. But, the soul did not leave his body, and even being a burned corpse, with the help of unprecedented strength, he got out of the forest. Now, those who have died there also come to life and wander in search of a way out. But, no one else found a way out. Because, as it does not exist, as there is no forest itself. This point of view is vehemently denied by the priests of the temple of Selim. They even execute those who spread it. Others believe that this is a portal to another dimension that appeared in this place by accident. The curse of the Rohvem Valley is the main problem of the residents living here. The problem is that the boundaries of the dead forest are constantly expanding. About five kilometers a month, having swallowed entire villages of the Nahmaut, Sumerian and Sabarian tribes over the decades.

He is ready to ascend to the throne. His hands, in smart plate, steel gloves, with mosaic, colored inserts on the outside, are trying to pull out the fasteners on the back of his head, holding this eerie stone mask. Shiny fingers, with pointed humps on each phalanx, cannot find the shutter mechanism. The same carriage stopped at the same place, in front of the steps of the main palace. Only, this time, she was met by the entire royal delegation. Having failed to press the latch, he tore out a thin, iron pin from his skull and threw off this helmet-shackles, which is an obligatory attribute of the governors leaving for foreign lands. With a low bow, the doors were opened for him, and he went out into the square surrounded by people. To the music of the singing choir, the leaders and elders left his path in trepidation. As he climbed the steps, his long, cloak of thin, interconnected, differently shaped gold plates slowly developed in the wind. A tall man, with curly black hair combed back, stopped in front of the entrance and turned around. His face was as pale as a toadstool, and his blue veins were shining through. Brown eyes and a neat flat nose. Today Aprod Rift is awaited as a savior. And he arrived at the last moment, with serious intentions.

– Fimirel’s army is approaching, – the disappointed king Ormon approached him. – Our defense will not withstand the attack of even a handful of sabars. Hurry, my friend. Now, the fate of fifty thousand people is in your hands.

– You have fifty thousand people, and there is no one to fight? – Aprod was surprised.

«They are not warriors. Neither I nor the council of elders will allow you to engage civilians in this battle. We have two thousand soldiers led by General Beleba. We must commit a heroic deed, hold out until the arrival of seventeen detachments of the southern army, about twice as many as us. They will just attack from the rear. «This means that we will have six thousand soldiers at our disposal. It’s not all that bad, «Rift smiled. «Fimirel’s army is not that large, but it is more capable. When will the southern army arrive?

«In about five hours, not earlier.

– This is great. So they are already on the way. Don’t worry, five hours, we’ll definitely hold out. Maktum’s ambassadors are already in the city. They will let you know when he arrives. But, in which case, get ready for hot negotiations. If you play along well with me and improvise a lot, bloodshed may be avoided. It’s a pity that you ruined everything with your trip to Rohvem. «He turned towards the square, admiring the artificial waterfall of a fluttering bird from afar.

– What have I ruined? – the old man stood in front of him, blocking the beautiful views. «What a grief, now they hate us even more?» – With irony he waved his right hand. «According to you, before that, they were going to cruelly kill us.

– Now, they will want to take you into slavery. And, it’s not even the queen. It’s a matter of principle. Ah, the madness of Hamhharaf will soon come to an end. Maktum forgives her too much. She apparently pays well for his silence. But, the valley is full of other powerful priests. Soon, their patience will run out, and they will nail the body of this witch to her throne with spears, and plant her head on the top of the Fimirel tower.

– It would be nice. What about council members? They demand full participation in the negotiations.

«They are not in a position to demand. They can ask, politely, but not demand. Let them be content with at least four being attracted. Two people from each council. – Putting his hands behind his back, Aprod entered the central building of the palace, not wanting to hear Ormon anymore. Less than half an hour later, the doors to the throne room were thrown open with a strong blow. Entering the room, the enraged ambassadors from Rohvem, surrounded by their armed guards, looked around with wild eyes. Their attitude showed with all its kind that they did not need any negotiations, even on their terms. All they need is blood.

«What are you doing here, Rift? – with an incredulous look, asked one of them. – He sat quietly on the royal throne, drinking red wine from a crystal glass.

– I, like, like here for the king, – he grabbed a slice of peeled pineapple, from the tray of a passing servant and, crossing his legs, dementedly leaned on the back of the chair. – How do you like my new royal outfit?

– Yes, he mocks us. Bring the real king here. I will gut his soul, and then I will dance on the bones of his people. «Raising his blade in front of him, he grinned viciously.

– How cruel. It may shock you, but the king resigned.

– Officially? Show me the papers! – he went up to the throne itself, from time to time swinging boorishly, sword on the sides, cutting through the air.

– Of course, officially. «Come here, Your Grace. Let the Ambassadors of Fimirel make sure that I am not holding you hostage. – The old man slowly creeps out of the next room, watching before from the side. – And here he is. Safe and sound. On a voluntary basis, he delegated all his powers to me. You know, it just happened just now, and the papers are now on the signature of the council of the wisest. The old man has become very weak, and he is afraid that in the council, a terrible massacre will unfold for his place. The people do not need these unnecessary intrigues at the top. They hit the economy.

– Yes, – the king supported him. – We need someone who will judge everyone in fairness. One who is not mixed up in anything. – The ambassador with a dull look, silently, blinks his eyes.

«It seems like I’m explaining this to you in vain,» the governor of Shelber covered his face with his hand. – So, what, Maktum, is not ready to talk to me? – the ambassador was silent again, but smiling, nodded his head. Aprod climbed the mighty wall of the city, just before the gates. On the other side of the fortress, there was a powerful army, ready to rush into the attack at any second. – Where are you, High Priest of Rohvem!? He shouts, peering into the crowd of their leader. – Who is in charge of this rabble?

«If you once again call my army a rabble, this wall will fall with you, the governor of Shelber,» came the angry cry of Maktum standing in the front row.

– Oh, where are you! Sorry, I didn’t notice. You’re standing too far away.

– Well, hello, my brother by blood, and the enemy in everything else. They say you tried on the Osiris crown? – in a long, wondrous sheepskin coat, he left the ranks of his soldiers and advisers. His dress gleamed blue to his toes. It was sunny outside, but it was still noticeable. Like square screens, separated by yellow metal stripes, and girded with a wide red silk towel. It looks like a bunch of purple egg-shaped bulbs sticking out of his head. This strange hat is called Occuma (religious headdress), something like a crown.

«You were not deceived.» Leaning down, Aprod leaned his elbows against the wall with both hands. – From that day on, I became the new king of this wonderful, prosperous, huge state. If you want to dispute the property, or share the resources that are located behind these magnificent walls, contact the governor Daligen. I am doing his will, just as you are doing the will of Hamhharaf.

– Will of Daligen, nothing to me. The same as for everyone in this ranks. I submit only to the Nahmaut kings. And, your king, if you please recall, by right, it is still considered Shadakh, according to rumors, perished during the seizure of another tribal state in central Africa. Until confirmation of his death is found, according to Shelber’s laws, it is forbidden to elect a new king. In fact, the supreme governors who remained after his departure simply do not want to arrange a power struggle. Admit it, they deliberately made the royal throne an untouchable holy relic. Well, you don’t need a king, your business. You are our brothers, you deserve to determine your own destiny, which I cannot say about these Pithecanthropus. These primates, who call themselves Osiris, allow themselves too much. Piracy, smuggling, fraud, falsehood. Blatant copying of everything that we have. This whole city is sheer falsehood and plagiarism. Independently, these aborigines are not able to put a stone on a stone. They are no different from the Bedubs and the Jews.

– Come on, Maktum, look at these walls, – Aprod disagrees with him. – Aren’t they beautiful? You don’t know what’s inside yet.

«… No,» the high priest shook his head. – Another Jericha. From the fact that you decided to become the king of these monkeys, you dishonor yourself. You will dishonor our great family, and the entire civilization of Nahmau. This fact makes me angry. Both you and I know perfectly well that the situation will not resolve itself. We have no way back. In the end, after all, it was not in vain that I brought here, this, as you allowed yourself to put it, rabble! So let’s see how dear this fake city is to you. – Smiling, Maktum returned to the ranks of his horde. Shouting «Selimu aleikum!!» (translated from the original Nahmaut: Selim with us), gave the command to besiege the fortress.

Wooden towers, twenty meters high, moved forward on small wheels. They were carried by black, terrible monsters, resembling mammoths from afar, with round bodies and six legs. They did not have a head, only a small stone outgrowth. It seems to have been a muzzle covering the mouth. The infantrymen began to quickly reorganize into columns. Like the ancient Romans, they piled on top of each other and covered themselves with shields in anticipation of something incomprehensible.

– What are they up to? – General Beleba ran up to the Rift. Together with the general, archers run into the wall, taking up positions for shooting, around the entire perimeter. Meanwhile, on the second wall, a more impressive and numerous defense was being built.

– I have to admit, I do not know the art of war, – Frowning, Aprod put his hand on the commander’s shoulder, – I trust this battle to you, General.

«Then what’s the use of you?» You do not know how to negotiate, you do not know how to fight, which means that you will not be a king either.

– Maybe you are right. I shouldn’t have left Shelber. – With an arrogant smile, a reproachful look, he examined the approaching horde of unprecedented artificially crossed monsters of Rohvem for the last time. There was no fear in Rift’s eyes. On the contrary, he seemed to mock the horde of fantastic creatures, which, the closer they approached, the more terrified ordinary Osirian soldiers. There was a strange certainty about him.

Seeing all the abomination that appeared on the horizon and not succumbing to even a little fear, you have to be either crazy or immortal. Aprod was neither one nor the other, but he had a trump card in his sleeve, which he was afraid to admit to himself. Having descended from the wall, the governor got into his carriage, heading for a secret, underground exit from the city. The militia commanders decided that he had left the line of defense and focused on an imminent encounter with about five thousand enemies.

When the sediment towers were almost approaching, they suddenly stopped, between the long columns of infantry soldiers hiding under the shields. Separately, the soldiers accompanying these black mammoths cut off the thick ropes that were harnessed to the miraculous beasts. But before, with the help of spears, they knocked out their huge muzzles. From the place where the head should be, the same black, thick tentacles, like an octopus, escaped. Long and oily, they stuck into the ground and, with their help, the blind monsters recognized everything around them. As soon as the cables were cut from them, they rushed forward on the ram, forcing the Osiris to draw their bows. But, before the monsters had time to reach the wall, suddenly, unexpectedly, from loud explosions, sedimentary towers fell forward. From the impact, their wooden hulls shattered to smithereens. And, as it turned out, these are not sedimentary towers at all. From the wreckage, slowly, like caterpillars, crawled out some mechanical iron pillars, which, crawled to the wall, also between the rows of Fimirel soldiers. These are gigantic machines, propelled by sliding and sliding transverse rings along the entire length of the greasy body. Inside these gizmos, someone sat at the helm and operated them. Powered by fuel oil, they spewed smoke from the wide nostrils of their dragon muzzles.

– Oh, noble Khalidan, Fatak is the patron saint of fire and water, Siron is the father of earth and sky. Give strength to survive this day, – whispers through tears General Beleba, remembering all the Osirian gods. He dispersed his army half on the walls, half inside the city, scattering detachments among corps from small groups, in ambushes prepared in advance in case of war. Underground, air, underwater and others. Right now, the main thing for the Vayelons is not to sow panic. But the appearance of the enemy inexorably forces you to do it. The fat, elephant-like monsters slammed into the wall as expected. Their tentacles spread out in different directions, like suckers glued to concrete. With some acid pouring from their tongues, they dissolved the stone, the base of the wall, turning it into damp, soft sand. With a wave of his hand, the commander of the left flank of the first wall with a long, curly beard yelled something. From his side, unusual arrows flew with massive balls wrapped in a hard shell, instead of sharp points. The same flew from the right flank and from the center. Falling on wild beasts, these arrows exploded with incredible force. So, in the central part, the archers, who were at the ready, hid from the rising flame. The monsters growled loudly, groaned, gasped, but then they stopped. When the smoke cleared, they lay motionless in the same place where they stood. They were not torn to pieces, but, bless you. Columns of enemies, escaping with shields, moved forward in the same formation. Walking in leg, in a squat, they began to break into the holes that the mutants managed to make. The archers again loaded explosive arrows, and were ready to release them at the columns, hiding with their shields, but their bearded commander raised his crossed arms up, giving the signal to put aside. He was waiting for these iron lizards who were about to get to the wall. What will they do? I was tormented by the question of the commanders of the defense. Once in the immediate vicinity, loud bangs were heard, from the collision of snakes with walls. They easily rammed the crumbly stone blocks exactly where the terrible monsters loosened them with their saliva. At the back of the snakes, doors opened and soldiers rushed into them like a river. Running along the protected iron corridors, they freely ran out to the other side of the wall. And there, they did not run to the sides, joyfully rejoicing that they had broken through. They set up strange mechanisms, like cannons, or small catapults, towards the second wall. From these guns, huge iron spears began to fly out, piercing the very top of the second wall. Iron cables were tied to spears as long as a pillar. Elongated cylindrical boxes were lifted along these cables. Like the cabins of ski lifts, with a fairly high speed. The soldiers of the second wall did not wait for these things to rise to them. Archers launched fire from a hail of explosive arrows, in an attempt to shoot down armored elevators, of unknown purpose.

Meanwhile, near the first wall, huge gears crunched and bearings creaked. Steel snake heads slowly began to rise upward. The moment came when you can shoot, and explosive arrows, like a river, flew straight into the jaws of mechanical monsters. Numerous explosions crumpled them well, but did not disable them. Some parts of the crawling cars flew off, but this did not stop them at all. Pressing their heads against the wall, the lower part, they crawled upward, slowly, like snails, piercing small spinning disks, like gears, with sharp tips. These things rose to the very top, and, like pillars, froze in place. Most of the enemy troops, remaining for the time being, behind both walls, continued to climb up the serpentine backs, like a ladder, clinging to spikes and protruding rings. General Beleba gave a general command to the troops of the first wall to leave it as quickly as possible, strengthening the defense on the second. When the last Osiris soldiers fled, in the towers, they clamped special levers, and from under the floor, in the wall, numerous pipes and gas nozzles protruded. As soon as the enemy stepped on the wall, it burst out like a torch with a blue, burning flame, over its entire surface, incinerating every enemy alive. A pleasant sight. But, it’s too early to rejoice. Realizing that the top of the wall was on fire, they widened the narrow holes in the bottom made by their own monsters and created large passages with their explosives and cannon catapults. The whole army rushed there, as if through a gate. Only two hours have passed, and the first wall has already been overcome. It becomes more and more difficult to contain the rampage of the enemy. Now they also opened fire. Yes, just what. Throwing back their shields, the soldiers kept «shooting spears» ready. Having created around them, a continuous rumble, like popcorn popping in the microwave, they introduced the enemy, more into bewilderment than horror. The Osiris army encountered firearms for the first time. Their infantrymen fired competently, poorly hidden archers. The archers on the second wall ran out of arrows. They spent all of them on cabins that climbed up on cables, which were empty. They were launched on purpose so that the enemy would spend all his explosive ammunition. Enemies reload their guns very quickly. For about five seconds, pulling on the sleeve, on the side, reminiscent of a drum on revolvers, and putting powder capsules there. Distracting attention to themselves, they allowed the iron snakes to descend from the first wall, and crawl into the very holes below, which they themselves rammed. This method of crawling iron snakes is not used for the first time. It was already practiced by King Shadakh, more than two hundred years ago, when he took the double walls of the fortress of Jericha. But, then the events were not so large-scale, and these snakes were much smaller. The Nahmau of Rohvem adopted this tactic, similarly, by resting their heads against the wall and crawling up, the machines practically paved a bridge between Vayelon and the treacherous Fimirelians. However, on the second wall, an unpleasant surprise awaited them. Even though the arrows have run out. Ammunition was still more than enough. Instead of explosive arrows, huge barrels of gunpowder were thrown at them, roaring so hard that the earth shook in the area. The mechanisms of the steel worms could not stand and, having jammed, most of them collapsed to the ground, at the same time crushing their own soldiers. But, some creeping ringed creatures still managed to climb. Only three pieces, but that was enough. The mouths of these lizards opened and began to spew hellfire, setting fire to the troops of the Osiris, just as they burned the Fimirelians on the first wall. The commanders of the defense, once again, went astray. They thought that through their mouths, the soldiers would rise, and pulled as many people as possible to them to fight. But it was not there. Scattering to the sides, the survivors of the war, to save themselves, jumped from the wall, in their armor hot as frying pans. The battle was almost lost. Vayelon’s collapse was only minutes away. Reinforcements from the south did not have time to approach. Satisfied priest Maktum, sits in his war chariot, just before entering the first gates, as if waiting for them to be opened, and he will ride with honor along the central street of the captured state. On the back line of the enemy, a defense was lined up of a thousand riders on camels and horses, and the same number of infantrymen. They knew that reinforcements were coming to the Osiris and were ready to meet them. Reinforcements arrived a little earlier than expected. And, it was not the southern army. They were the Shelber Nahmaw, led by Apod Rift!

By some miracle, he managed to persuade the governors to give an army to protect the Osirian state, and, to have time to drive him seventy kilometers from here. But, they were a little late. On the other side of the city, over these beautiful walls, enemy airships were already flying. From the air, they began bombing the largest objects and places of concentration of people. On the second line of defense, a fierce battle between the Osiris and Fimirelians unfolded, at the same time the battle began behind enemy lines with the knights of the Shelber governors. Outnumbered, they ruthlessly defeated two thousand opponents, and moved on to the burning city walls. They rescued frightened helpless children, weeping women and old people. Noble knights of foreigners were greeted as heroes who had no weak points. They, like fairy-tale characters, are completely invulnerable. The city dwellers did not even pay attention to the fact that in the formidable battle not only did not one Shelber warrior die, but not one of them was even wounded. They unrestrainedly slashed soldiers, animals and various monsters surrounding them from all sides, as if they were enjoying it. Ultimately, using their carriage-mounted machine guns, they shot down the deadly airships. These fantastic, rapid-fire weapons simply thrilled the imagination. They were transformed, right when shooting, and in an interesting way. Gold glasses, like the sleeves of which the body consisted, jumped out, over the entire surface, on folding holders, and, shifting, moved back. When fired quickly, these magical things looked like seething, self-loading golden bubbles, emitting a hail of fiery rays. Vayelon’s men were triumphant. Crazy with happiness, they fell at the feet of their heroes – the omnipotent guards of Shadakh, in which a curse had long been sitting, raising their strength and power to boundless and immeasurable proportions. By order of Daligen, in the forests of Shelber, they went into hibernation for the coming decades, along with the rest of the population of the valley. They will remain there, waiting for their awakening, taking root and mummifying.

Aprod Rift ascended the throne in triumph. He ruled like a true king, marrying an Osirian woman and founding his own dynasty. However, over time, he began to devote little time to politics, and willfully, most of the power he entrusted to the council. He dedicated his life to science, philosophy, entertainment, music and culture. The first theater, a children’s school, and numerous monuments were built in his honor. Many praising books have been written about him, although Aprod himself denied the cult of personality, considering this phenomenon harmful to society. Namely, the cult of personality was the reason for his self-restraint by power. Until his death, he maintained good relations with the Shelber Valley, and bequeathed to cherish them to his only son, heir and future king, a half-breed. The Rohvem Valley fell into oblivion. Quite interesting changes have taken place there, though. The Hamhharaf clan fell. The heiress of the dreadful queen Biel the husband-hating, her own daughter, was not far from her mother. By the way, after the death of Maktum, during the siege of Vayelon, there were no serious contenders for the throne, and if they did appear as a true dictator, she quickly eliminated them. Despite the depressing situation of the people, Biel ruled until old age, falling asleep and choking in a pool strewn with rose petals. Her daughter was also a lesbian and persecuted men for their successes. In some ways, she even surpassed her crazy mother. At festive ceremonies, for example, the new queen ate the fried testicles of her own eunuchs. And at religious rites, during sacrifices, she drank the blood of the most powerful men in order to gain wisdom. Fortunately, she was stopped by the then gaining momentum in politics, the grandson of Maktoum En-Ali, who had been in exile all his life, wandering through the villages of Rohvem. He gathered enough followers, and violently staged a coup d’état. Having publicly outraged the queen, he personally performed not a good procedure, dishonoring her, and gouged out his eyes, taking away to the forest of the dead. Since then, gender issues have only worsened in Rohvem. Constantly hesitating, going to extremes from the stage of matriarchy to the stage of patriarchy and vice versa.