He thought, Great! and looked at the Guardian, who nodded knowingly. The group portal triggered, and Vey and the clan leader found themselves in a gray, nondescript, narrow curved passage.
They walked a bit, and as Yar understood, they stopped at the very center of the palace. Aero scratched his left hand with a fingernail. The protruding blood quickly covered the whole of his palm with a thin layer. The Guardian confidently smeared his thumb and little finger with blood and simultaneously pressed his two palms against the curved wall, shouting a warning, “Hold tight!”
Something hissed violently. Oh, God! A twenty-yard-thick section of the wall sank down, as if into an abyss, almost dragging Yar and the wizards down by the force of the wind created. A fanfare sounded, and a system message popped up as expected.
Yar Row Dark, you have received full access to the Palace of Capture. The highest status is: Owner.
A well-lit decent space and five rows of high-stacked high shelves were visible across the twenty-yard-wide scary abyss. As Yar immediately noted, all things lying openly on the shelves were shaded by the color of the rows themselves.
He thought, I wonder what it all means?
Vey the Shamrock then spoke: “I need a drink.” Without hesitation, he sat on the floor next to the precipice, pulled out a flask, and took a big sip.
Tearing himself away from his clearly strong liquor, he breathed in the air with extended nostrils. Yar sat down, obviously imitating his older brother. From the very beginning, he liked to be next to this experienced wizard
“Give it to me, too,” Yar said and took the flask in his hands. He took a sip, and it turned out to be vodka. He didn’t know whether it was good or bad, but Yar grimaced and exhaled loudly.
An amazing message popped up before his eyes:
Vodka ‘Stolichnaya’
Small doses:
The feeling of balance (120 minutes)
The feeling of calm (120 minutes)
The feeling of complacency (120 minutes)
Universal Antidote
Dose 250 ml:
100% saturation (24 hours)
Courage + 100% (6 hours)
Berserk ‘Chekushka’:
Fury 2500
Strength 2500
Any item in the hand is a weapon 2500
Battle song 2500
Action time is 10 minutes
* Addition: Caution! Habituation is possible.
Produced: Moscow Laboratory Crystal
After reading the specifications, Yar laughed.
“We risk becoming alcoholics and conquering the entire universe, the three of us drinking this vodka.”
Yar held out the flask to the Guardian.
Vey remained serious and seemed to have caught Yar’s thoughts, explaining to him, “The ancients distinguished the directions of the artifact science by color. White means domestic, Orange—gain, Red—combat, Green—survival, and Gray—universal.”
Vey the Shamrock got up, put himself in order, as if preparing for something very important, and said, “Well, I never dreamed of that. Wow! My life becomes much more interesting than before. Come on.”
Chapter 34. The Dark Elf Lord
T hey were mostly silent these past few hours. All the adorable epithets had been squandered long ago. In the first minutes, when Vey and Yar first got into the main secret repository, the wizard was walking between racks, like a lunatic, with a completely childlike expression stuck on his face. He was like a child who had been given not one or ten toys but a whole store full. It was no joke. Anyone would be stunned to see such an abundance as this!
Therefore, they had already spent more than a day with these treasures of the ancients. They didn’t enter the caches of the White Branch Clan, which the Guardian opened in the end. Moreover, exchanging opinions, Yar ordered to put all this legacy of the light elves up for sale in the auctions.
The sales department, according to Yar, worked superbly and showed great promise. Within a few hours, the Star Key Tower reported that the sale was even more successful than expected, and the revenue was more than forty-three billion gold. It was stunning!
The impressed Yar tried to draw Vey’s attention in a variety of ways—all were in vain. The artifactor had been in nirvana with that odd face for hours already, squeezing a radiant dark thing that looked like a meteorite the size of a coconut.
Anyway… our long-bearded wizard is probably studying something worthwhile.
Yar was impressed and felt confident after receiving such treasure. He placed on the shelf what he estimated during the last hour—the jewelry artifacts of the ancients, which he had selected for himself—and then he found a convenient place, sat down, leaning back on the monolith, and immediately went into the auction.
“Eva, bring out the most expensive lots of martial arts learning masters.”
This offer was the most expensive:
Lot No. CB—1 ‘IM’ (Incorrigible Moron)
Battle Magic (Archmage level)
Fire Magic (Archmage level)
Water Magic (Archmage level)
Earth Magic (Archmage level)
Air Magic (Archmage level)
* Addition: Attention! Unexplained residual manifestation in the lot (Obstinacy; Bad character)
Produced by the Magic Laboratory number 6 of the Blood of Ancients Clan.
Except its impressive stats, Yar was surprised by the price of one hundred and sixty million gold. Yar quickly flipped through the first hundred lots; he wanted to shout and do something crazy. Yar’s hopes were justified, and he quickly contacted the tower.
“Mimi, give the order to the trading department to buy the first thousand entities in the section of combat magic. Sellers are representatives of the Blood Ancients clan. You must bargain with them for a wholesale purchase discount. The award to the department is a complete return to fully fledged life.”
Mimi squeaked somehow and turned off.
I imagine what will happen in the tower now. Yaroslav smiled. They’ll turn Lab number 6 upside down.
Mentioning the light elves, Yar immediately remembered the Imperial portal.
Of course! The imperial portal and his ‘beloved’ enemies! Yar jumped up and ran around the shelf.
There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary here. Vey was studying, or just admiring the stats of the same nondescript item he’d been looking at for hours.
Aero was standing like a lamppost on Palace Square—straight and shining. The confident view of the main Guardian of the palace calmed Yar immediately.
Well … why is he so happy? His eyes are shiny, and his lips are trembling. Yar had the impression that the Guardian was about to burst out laughing.
“What’s happened?” Yar asked.
“Master, I have restrained them, as you ordered. There have already been thirty-four attempts by the Imperial service to open the portal. I want to note right away that never before have there been any precedents for restricting the opening of a passage for the Imperial portal service—according to previously known coordinates anyway. The Palace of Capture is the first to succeed,” the Guardian explained with a bit of pride, before continuing, “It seems that Magic Island is very helpful. I can’t even imagine what is happening now within the portal service of His Imperial Majesty.”
Aero laughed. Then suddenly the wizard, showing an indecent gesture, came to life, laughing loudly.
Yar thought, It looks like we still have a little time.
The still-laughing, pleased and proud Guardian suggested, “I propose not to open the portal for another day, and then, referring to the complexity of external factors, give the elves a one-time access.”
Everyone agreed with Aero.
***
Arasta Planet, Cetrum Plateau.
It was a bright, silent night. It was quiet and calm, and warm rain was drizzling slowly. The curling mist was creating an otherworldly feeling of complete abandonment on this world.
The Upper Palace of Arest Aku, w
ho was the Ruler of the dark elves, looked like a black, unshakable mass against the backdrop of nature. The dark purple backlighting of this magnificent structure looked impressive and atmospheric but eerie. There were small cozy chambers with open arches overlooking a large ledge with a perfectly groomed garden at the very top of the palace.
There, through the rain, the dark elf paced nervously along the paved paths, his harsh appearance memorable. He was dressed in wide black clothes without any ornaments, contrastingly tied with a thin, red cord. His face was not elfishly stern and pale, rather it was the face of an ascetic. The elf had burning black eyes that seemed to pierce those who looked into them too deeply, a crooked nose, and tightly compressed lips. Moreover, he moved very smoothly, as if he did not walk but flowed.
It was Teko Black Rock—the lord of the dark elves. The senior elf was visibly nervous this night. After all, his beloved, obstinate daughter had been traveling the Belt of the Worlds for a year now, visiting the most dangerous places and getting involved in all sorts of risky situations. The elf had lost her trail over a week ago.
She is undergoing special training! Damn this Altarum! Teko Black Rock thought.
From early childhood, Heiro had been dreaming about entering this damned Black University. Unfortunately, her parents could not dissuade their daughter from such madness in the following years. However, the lord was grateful to Goh the Gray Raven for agreeing to be Heiro’s Mentor.
Black Rock walked steadily along the paths of the Princess Garden, and his thoughts were not at all hilarious.
The best spies were able to trace the princess to the newly transformed planet known as the Blue World. Then someone seemed to wipe away all traces. Even the tracking artifact of the ancients lost her location. The farther—the weirder. Quite by chance, the Dark Elf Lord discovered that Heiro and Goh the Gray Raven had left his clan. This circumstance forced the lord to break the agreement with the light throne and secretly involve the dark elven counterintelligence that had almost gone into oblivion.
The first reports from the intelligence department puzzled Teko. It turned out that something extraordinary was happening in the White Branch Clan, the ruler of this unusual planet. However, there wasn’t enough information for making any further assumptions. The lord waited patiently for three days and had already decided to call his huntsmen when he suddenly received a message from Heiro’s Mentor. He respected Goh the Gray Raven and immensely trusted him. They had known each other and been friends since childhood. Teko could entrust his daughter only to him.
The ruler reread the incoming letter once again, and it greatly puzzled him. To tell the truth, it had cast Teko into a stupor!
Teko, come to the princess’s chambers this night. We will be there. Call off the guards and servants. No one should see us except you. This is a matter of extreme national importance.
The ruler walked a few more times through the wet and dark alleys of the princess’s garden, making guesses in utter thoughtfulness, then, to be safe, he contacted the head of the guard.
“Tig, I declare a full combat alarm to all huntsmen and all reverse towers. Block all access to Kolhala. Don’t let anyone in, and don’t let anyone out. Strengthen the protection of the Upper Palace threefold. Take all the portals under control, even the imperial one.”
“Yes, Lord!” Tig barked back in a strained voice.
The dark elf went into his daughter’s chambers and took up the decanter of rock crystal, wanting to pour himself some wine so that he could somehow calm down.
Suddenly a portal opened nearby, and his daughter and Goh came out of it. Teko had enough strength and composure to put the decanter in place calmly, but he continued to hold the glass tightly in his hand. The lord was forced to shake his head as if trying to free himself from obsession: his old friend and daughter were listed not in his but in some Midnighters Clan.
Teko didn’t have time to get angry. Instead, the joyful squeal of his daughter and her kisses acted on him magically, instantly knocking out all the heavy thoughts, of which there were plenty because of her deeds.
“Father, don’t judge me harshly, please,” the princess rattled in her usual manner, not allowing Teko to utter a word in reply. Give us a few minutes to explain. It’s not shameful to be in a clan with the Shadows of the Moon, dragons, Vey the Shamrock, and the king of the dwarves. Moreover, the clan leader of the Midnighters clan defeated Erk’s Worm Infirmity of Source, the infertility of elves, and he is the founder of a new trend of magic. Father, after several days with Yar, Goh and I earned a lot of gold and reached new levels!”
Excited by her speech, Heiro threw a huge pile of gold coins onto the thin silk carpet. Goh the Gray Raven spoke. Apparently, he also decided to talk about their adventures to the lord.
“Teko, we have three tons of gold. That man, Yar Row Dark, turns out to be far from greedy. Besides, your daughter is telling the truth about the magic. The clan leader of the Midnighters was indeed born in a magic shirt, and his Magic of Affect is now the most effective magic school! Its possibilities are endless!”
Having freed himself from his daughter’s embrace with difficulty, the ruler of the dark elves found the table, leaned on it, and only then did he sit down on a chair with a high back. Fortunately, he did it in time. In a moment, Heiro shocked him completely.
“Dad, he saved us from certain death and our captivity by the light elves. Dad, don’t be afraid. We haven’t tarnished the honor of the Dark Stones clan. Don’t worry. We’ve fiercely avenged them during the storming of the Palace of Capture!”
The glass in the ruler’s hand shattered, injuring his hand. Immediately, to his surprise, he was seized by a series of healing spells, in some incredible way following each other at fantastic speed! They healed the wounds and removed his anxiety and nervousness, tearing apart his soul. His daughter had cured him. The event caused shock and misunderstanding and forced the lord to move to decisive action.
“Stop! Shut up!” the enraged lord shouted, leaping to his feet and throwing the glass shards aside. “I will kill you both now!”
In the silence that had come in an instant, the lord ran his hands over his face, straightened his clothes calmly, sat down and, with no small amount of threat in his voice, ordered quietly, “Goh, start from the very beginning and in detail. I must hear everything that had happened to you lately. I will then determine the extent of your offenses.”
The stern elf paid no attention to the bewildered princess, who bit her lower lip in anxiety, or his friend, who had turned slightly pale. Teko waved his hand, allowing Goh the Gray Raven to begin telling his version of events.
For two hours, the two unlucky defectors told of their adventures and refined them when the ruler of the dark elves required it.
Teko Black Rock got up and walked back and forth around the room, glancing at the adepts of the Magic of Affect from time to time.
“I can’t believe it,” the lord said bitterly, “Goh, you say Yaroslav Row Dark is going to enter the Academy?”
The ruler faltered slightly at the pronunciation of the unusual human name.
“That’s right, Your Majesty. Yaroslav has two invitations from Eagle Tamp.”
The dark elf ruler nodded, grabbed the carafe from the table and, taking a few noisy sips, asked, “Do you think he will marry our scampish princess?”
“Father!” Heiro screamed.
“Shut up!” Teko croaked roughly, wiping his lips with his wide sleeve. “Were you in such a hurry to grow up? Get used to adult life. Why are you silent, Goh?”
The Mentor hesitated for a couple of seconds and then answered, “If Yar is not killed in the Academy, in the end, a wedding would be quite possible to arrange. The guy is a very intelligent fellow, although it is more likely that he will destroy Altarum.”
The dark elf lord sighed, walked back and forth a few more times, and mumbled silently.
“Goh, I know that you are friends with the rector of the dark academy. Come on, write
to him, promise him anything, but he is needed here and now. I want to clarify everything, finally.”
Goh thought for a few moments.
“Okay, Lord, but please understand what kind of human Yar is. He has long been the most powerful magician in the Belt of the Worlds. The man speaks calmly, friendly even, and there’s no superiority in his views or gestures.”
“Yes, I know, I know!” Teko lost his temper. “Thanks for the warning, buddy.”
At the same time, he raised his hands in a conciliatorily manner.
“I’m sorry, Goh. I got angry, but you have to understand … As for you,” the lord turned to his daughter, “Stand still and don’t interfere.”
Knowing that Eagle Tamp appreciated the information, Goh the Gray Raven wrote the following:
Hello, my old friend,
I was at the storming of the Palace of Capture and became an adept in the Magic of Affect. My efficiency increased in all spells by fifteen to twenty percent. Your urgent presence is required. Teko Kamir Black Rock and Heiro Kamir the Sun-Scorched are here with me.
Goh the Gray Raven
The Midnighters clan
After writing this letter and adding their location point, the Princess’s Mentor sent a message. He received Eagle Tamp’s answer almost instantly with his usual brevity:
I am coming.
Chapter 35. Intuitive portal
G oh, smiling, nodded to the dark elf lord.
“It’s done. I think Eagle won’t be long. Especially when it comes to important information like this.”
The further events were unexpected. It was as if the old merry-go-round had, for no reason at all, dropped from the ground, bringing an unexpected and serious danger into reality.
A small, almost indiscernible—visually and aurally—portal worked. The grinning Eagle Tamp jumped out of it. Suddenly, his face changed, and the terrifying force of lightning crashed into the arch with a terrible bang.
The corpse of an unknown elf with a huge smoking hole in its chest hit the floor. The princess screamed and covered her mouth with her hands.
Seeing who it was, Eagle Tamp swore in annoyance.
Dark Legacy Page 19
