Aire, round-eyed and swallowing nervously, shook his head, not understanding what it all was about.
“Master, how could the castle itself ... what is annihilation?”
Yar waved his good hand.
“Take it easy! The ‘Wasp’ is one of the most powerful castles in the Belt of the Worlds. It has almost unlimited abilities. Annihilation is the transformation of a particle and an antiparticle into some other particles upon their collision, which are different from the initial ones.”
Seeing the puzzled portaler’s face, Yar simplified things. “Oh, forget all this nonsense, man. Just consider annihilation to be complete destruction.”
Aire smiled and finally got what the conversation was about. The portaler didn’t seem to be a silent modest guy.
“Have you succeeded, Master? Was the capital saved?”
“It seems so, Aire. It seems so ... At least, there is no light radiation or shock wave!”
Yar paused, “I don’t feel penetrating radiation and electromagnetic impulses either. It’s good. Please go outside and see if there is a mushroom on the horizon.”
“What m-m-mushroom?” the portaler asked in complete prostration, stuttering slightly.
“Look!” Yar imagined a nuclear explosion against the background of Belt of the Worlds’ capital and brought this picture to a general overview.
Well, that looks great. I’m good at the apocalypse, Yar thought, examining his picture.
Aire, seeing such a horrible piece of art, flew out of the room like a bullet and shouted from there, almost sobbing and completely forgetting about secrecy.
“Glory to you, System! Master, there is no mushroom!”
“Indeed, it is surprising,” Yar said, smiling, and he left the room, putting his index finger to his lips, thereby preventing further possible cries.”
The clan leader really wanted to keep this place a secret.
“Well, it’s nice to breathe clean air. Come on, buddy, let’s see what’s going on. Will you go with me or will you follow the residual trail?”
“I’d prefer the trail, Master, I need to train.”
“That’s right,” Yar agreed. “Then wait a couple of minutes and jump. I need this time to be sure of safety. If something goes wrong, I’ll have time to warn you. Is that clear?”
Aire nodded in agreement. The portaler couldn’t utter a word, as it was odd for him to see his Master’s incredibly friendly attitude towards him.
Yar jumped precisely to the place where he wanted. It went perfectly. He was slightly hampered by his immobilized hand, though, so his exit from the portal turned out a little awkward. Fortunately, nobody saw it. It was still hot at the source, but at least the forced ventilation was working.
“You’ve burned the room, and now it’s being ventilated…” Yar said, entering the main energy hub. In spite of the noise, he seemed to hear a low childish laugh.
“You had a great time here,” Yar kept grumbling, looking around the melted walls. However, he couldn’t worry about the source. The Wasp Castle’s core was exactly the same size as the Palace of the Capture’s source.
It looked like an incredibly rapidly rotating liquid molten piece of metal. Its power was so huge that the very air was shaking from the monster’s work.
Portaler Aire cautiously approached on tiptoe from behind Yar.
“Master, I’m here.”
“How do you like the ‘Wasp’s’ heart, Aire?”
The portaler sighed loudly as if he had emerged from the depths of the sea.
“I haven’t seen anything more impressive in my life. What power! It’s hard to imagine; I can’t help trembling.”
“True,” Yar agreed and looked at the stats.
Wasp Castle
Power — 680,000 MW
Possibility of transfer — 1 time in 1 000 years
Staff 3,006 entities
Property value 14,500,000,000 gold coins
* Addition (the full restoration was involved, 18,348 items, deadline -14 days, 5 hours, 8 minutes)
Wow, it’s impressive! The power is almost twice as large as for the Palace of Capture, Yar noted.
Then there was an endless list of recovery. There was almost everything, from night lighting and landscape design of the adjacent territory to the prison of temporary detention and individual portal slabs.
Yar saw many incomprehensible and surprising items listed.
“There is much work to be done,” Yar said, flipping through the list; there was the restoration scale opposite each position—so the restoration was currently proceeding at full speed.
Due to his persistence and patience, the clan leader managed to find the security section in this endless list. It was almost the largest among many.
Yar couldn’t resist and patted the still-hot wall of the castle with a satisfied smile.
“You’re doing fine! I promise I’ll find you a worthy Guardian.”
Yar turned to Aire.
“Well? We have nothing to do here. The ‘Wasp’ does an excellent job on its own. Come on, I need to open the hotel back up to customers. I hope that the receptionists will cope with the influx of their grievances and complaints. Moreover, I’m going to move into the most convenient tower; I don’t want to stay in ordinary rooms.”
***
It was late evening, and the fountains lights were turned on. The Water Armistice Square was turned into a surprisingly romantic place.
A lone creature, dressed in a thin silk huntsman cloak, stood under the shadow of an old elm, leaning against its trunk.
However, this loner seemed to be stranger here. He was indifferent to what was happening around.
“It’s bound to be noisy here,” Esten Midday said, peering intently at the Wasp Castle.
An elf approached him from behind, leaned against the elm, and whispered,
“Sir, Yar Row Dark has settled in the Raven Tower. He is seriously injured, and he lost his right hand. It is somehow connected with the castle’s energy. Earlier everyone was evacuated from the Wasp. I’ll tell you more detailed information later. The informants have already settled in the hotel and are working now.”
Esten Midday didn’t even turn to his interlocutor.
“That is good news. They are worth changing our plans. Report to all—the operation is postponed for today; the liquidation is scheduled for three thirty in the morning. The gathering place is the Imperial Park at three a.m. Go!”
The elf disappeared hastily.
Chapter 62. The Raven Tower
T here are moments in life when a man realizes that everything he did was full of meaning: his time, blood, and effort weren’t wasted. Despite the cool night and rain storm, Yar stood on the top of the tower and smiled happily.
He couldn’t help but enjoy the view of the Raven Tower through the thunder and bright flashes of lightning. Against the backdrop of the fascinating frenzy of nature, this black colossus seemed mystically beautiful and more than a little creepy. It was impressive.
In the evening, while settling into the hotel, he was shown the best and largest tower of the Wasp Castle. He couldn’t but admire it and stood like a statue with the sweetest smile on his face. It was love at first sight; it seemed impossible not to admire the art of the ancients.
The tower was huge and monumental and stood on the largest castle terrace. There was a park with majestic trees, green meadows with beautiful flowers, and steep hills, and there were several crystal-clear streams full of rainbow trout and grayling. This park could amaze even the creators of the Semiramis gardens. In addition, the tower was located very conveniently. All the hubbub from the Water Armistice Square wasn’t visible or audible here.
The Raven Tower was located at the back of the castle. There were grand views of the Academy and the Imperial Park from its observation platforms and loopholes. The Raven fully justified its name. It was black and covered with metal scales, vaguely resembling feathers. Moreover, as soon as Yar squinted and defocused his
gaze, the tower was frighteningly transformed. It seemed that the Raven God winked with a gray eye, rising in a strange pointed hat, with feathers bristling in the wind. Its neck and head had a slight purple tone, and the wings were mysteriously greenish.
The tower’s interior was also awe-inspiring. The apartments could be called royal! There, Yar was literally impressed by everything: the thick armored doors that closed the exit to the terrace, the huge sea-water pool, and the fighting room—adapted for the most grueling workouts.
However, it was unusually lonely there. There was no one in the tower but Aire and Yar. The portaler, as soon as they settled in the Raven, behaved like a lunatic. Yar hoped that Aire’s painfully admiring state was only temporary.
***
Heaven was angry this night, and although the lanterns in the Imperial Park were shining as usual, they couldn’t dispel the surrounding darkness. Only lightning managed to occasionally rip through the dense cover of impenetrable blackness. The chaotic disorienting labyrinth from the pile of black wet trunks, branches and roots seemed to surround the tower.
A gigantic, thick-branched oak tree fifty yards from the castle wall didn’t seem to be different from the other trees. However, several elves were on it at that moment. It was impossible to see them, even as they approached. Anyway, sighting them would cause instantaneous and final death. Though one small cautious animal noticed something wrong and threatening in the tree, it descended silently down the trunk and suddenly heard a low dangerous voice coming as if from nowhere. The fluffy beast squeaked anxiously and rushed to the very top of the tree, where its dry, safe shelter was located. Unfortunately, his alarming squeak was not destined to be heard.
“Sir, all the extermination groups are at their initial positions, the energy suppressors are ready, and twelve squads of rangers have already concentrated around the Wasp Castle.”
Something transparent separated from the trunk. After the fog dispersed, the widely grinning Esten Midday appeared on a thick, wet branch. The upcoming action excited him more than drugs and sex combined. Esten always loved hunting, especially for very rare and dangerous beasts. He, reveling in his greatness, raised his hand demonstratively and was about to snap his fingers according to the old tradition of giving orders in such a way.
However, the request for communication came from Gray Gouvdi. Esten Midday couldn’t refuse the best elf watcher, even if the start of the operation had to be postponed for several minutes at his request.
The elf-assassin’s face immediately changed, as if someone invisible had put a mask of anger and irritation on him: his cheekbones sharpened, eyes narrowed in anger, and his teeth creaked. Although before he spoke to Gray Gouvdi, the grimace of hostility faded away somewhat.
“Master, I’m always glad to see and hear you. May the light gods favor you.”
“Stop talking, Midday,” the strong old elf, with incredibly prickly ice-colored eyes, said with a smirk. He was hastily putting on his combat armor.
Esten thought, The old elf is in good shape! His chest is strong, as well as his muscles, except that his battle tattoos have faded a bit over time.
Meanwhile, Gray Gouvdi gathered his long gray hair in a tangle at the back of his head with his usual sharp movements, put on a helmet and, choosing a weapon from the table, said without raising his head, “I know, Esten, that you are on a gambling hunt. The ruler personally asked me to help you. Don’t frown, I won’t interfere. I’m planning only to teleport in and watch. If something goes wrong, I’ll inform you. So, wait for my word.”
Grimacing as if from a toothache, Midday saw a mark on his map on the west side of the castle: a tiny green silhouette of the elven wizard with the thinnest inscription ‘Gray Gouvdi’ above his head.
“Old goat! Why is he here? This old bastard won’t leave me alone... pathetic thief of my glory,” Midday uttered viciously.
The old elf suddenly said sarcastically with a malicious smile, “Hey, most ‘friendly’ young elf, I’m on the spot, and I hear you. Yes, you can snap your finger, assassin. The object is in place. Listen to the most interesting news: as far as I remember, the personal protective functionality of the Wasp Castle has ranged from two to three percent over the past three hundred years. Now this functionality is seven percent—thanks to the guy we’re hunting! Can you imagine? If protection increases by another five percent, then we will never pass it. So, take care of your skinny ass. I’m sure that the hunt for Yar Dark won’t be entertaining and easy. Remember that you should take him alive. We haven’t had such a predator in our ‘zoo’ before.
Esten Midday was sitting with an indifferent face, raising his eyes to a dark sky and asking the light gods to send him more patience and endurance.
“Phew,” the head of the exterminators exhaled quietly, wiping his face.
It seems the torture is over. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to beat the stupid ‘teacher’ one day. I can’t wait for that moment.
He raised his hand and snapped his finger pointedly—the attack began. If at that moment someone from the Imperial Park had looked at the sheer wall with a magical view, they could probably have watched several groups of transparent warriors resembling spiders capable of climbing vertical surfaces and having invisibility skill.
***
Yar was pleasantly surprised by the luxurious décor of his cozy bedroom. The clan leader slept here sweetly, calmly and very comfortably. The dorm was small and homely, the oval walls were of pale green color, decorated with floral ornaments, and the flat, low vaulted ceiling resembled a cloudless evening sky. There was one round window that led onto a narrow long balcony, and it looked like a raven’s beak from afar. There was a wonderful view of the mountains and the academy from here. There were two exits to spiral staircases leading to the toilet and a huge round illuminated pool. It was as wide as the tower and lit up through the observation windows. At night, Yar walked under a cool thunderstorm shower and swam in the pool. He was exhausted by the end of the day and was now sleeping soundly.
Yar imagined someone pushed him in the shoulder. As if in a dream, he saw a little girl with thin pigtails’ worried face; she was shaking his shoulder and trying to scream. It was odd...
He wanted to fall back on the pillow, but a fresh breeze from the open window refreshed his mind and made him feel the anxiety that was spreading in the pre-dawn air.
Yar jumped out onto the balcony, and the edge of the sky was already bright in the east. Downstairs, on the terrace, on the practice area, Aire was doing his workout diligently. Yar wanted to jump to him through the portal, but it didn’t work out.
A horrible thought flashed through his mind. Energy suppressors .
Yar dismissed the warning message that jumped out before his eyes. He waved his arms and yelled, “Aire! Danger! Leave quickly!”
Both Yar’s sources howled, instantly reaching their full capacity.
The portaler raised his head and waved back affably, apparently not hearing Yar’s warning.
Suddenly, a tall elf appeared behind Aire and cut off his head with one strike. He laughed loudly, and with a strong kick he sent the portaler’s head over the terrace. The elf drove a curved dagger into Aire’s headless body, and it immediately flashed a scarlet color. Tearing the blade out of the body, the elf raised it above his head and screamed with the full force of his lungs, “Hey, bastard! I will personally destroy all your friends.”
Throwing back his head, he laughed evilly. Then he seemed to forget about everything and began to examine his nails carefully as if he was checking his manicure.
Yar didn’t quite discern that this madman was shouting to him, but he understood the situation well—just the fact that the elf’s dagger was the Reaper of Souls.
Yar lost his temper.
“No, light elves, you are incorrigible. I will destroy you, and I will tear you up with roots like weeds! I will do my best to make you die. Do you think it is too far for a strike, bitch?” he hissed angrily.
He
was shaking. Anger, fury, and hatred overwhelmed him like a tsunami. ‘Yar Row Dark’ was now written in the frame above his head. Apparently, the fake hit bar had failed due to such transcendental emotions.
“Don’t worry. Wait a bit, and you will have a hairdresser and a nail salon,” the enraged Yar said through his clenched teeth, and he hit the elf with lightning.
Chapter 63. The White Irises Attack
E sten Midday burst out laughing as he jumped. After reading the information from Yar’s frame, the elf suddenly felt so self-confident that he decided to cope with the man alone, due to his belonging to the twelve thousandth level. He noticed the spell on time and left the possible zone of destruction, thinking, Perhaps this mudblood can use a long-range spell.
Midday was stunned when he saw a huge, branched, twisted into a bundle, lightning bolt coming his way. It didn’t strike the place where the elf had just stood, but, like a living fire serpent, it arced and followed him.
He had never received such a monstrously powerful strike. The praised growth shield shattered into pieces like a flimsy eggshell. Most of his priceless amulets, which he’d been collecting all his life, evaporated or melted, burning his chest with red-hot metal.
The trembling and screaming Esten was thrown into the air, and it seemed to him that even his tongue was engulfed in the devouring flame. In comparison with the merciless pain, the fall and fractures were not even noticeable.
Surprisingly, this charred and dirty elf still had a thin red thread of life blinking in his hit bar. Opening and closing his mouth soundlessly, Esten, like a beached fish, tried to inhale with his burnt lungs. Finally, Midday was able to get a red vial of Full Recovery into his shaking, twisted fingers, and he drank it in one gulp. The impossible went on, the frame of health was filled, and the pain was gone, but he kept feeling like a broken training dummy.
Dark Legacy Page 35
