The Way of the Clan 7

by Dem Mikhaylov

  The way of the Clan 7

  Through the enemy’s lines.

  When everyone around you persists to pursue their own selfish benefits, you begin to realize that, even though there is a wonderful fantasy world around you, the cruel reality remains.

  Thus, Rosgard has long realized that it is time to remove the rose-colored glasses and take the matter seriously.

  The Clans of Valdira continue to collide in the battles, the gods themselves fight for their own lives.

  A handful of adventurers make their way through this melee, succeeding in killing a few monsters and solving a couple of riddles.

  Sometimes, even managing to eat some fish, drink some wine, and even savor the delicious taste of fried frogs… Oh, Valdira. You are truly multifaceted…

  Chapter One.

  Algora.

  The Royale de Cannes is a chic, expensive restaurant on the fourth and upper floor of a large building crowning the top of a hill located just off the city center. It is the highest hill in the city, allowing for a breathtaking view of the city’s panorama.

  The roof is covered with a transparent glass canopy. The glass reflect soft, shimmering rainbows on the furniture. The wind chimes quietly rig from above, and some emerald birds with red tufts, in golden cages, sing in chorus.

  This all brings peace, and exhaustion…

  The bald elf - sitting on the table covered with a pink silk tablecloth, trying to shove a gold fork into his nose, muttering something about the Aborigines. His dirty heels stain the expensive silk, and the tabletop is strewn with lumps of earth. Half of the cutlery is already on the floor.

  It did not really fit with the atmosphere of the luxurious restaurant. The huge, shaggy mammoth Kolyvan hovering behind Orbit and devouring the three-meter high ficus with the remnants that had been recently beautiful flowers. Oh well… It is all according to the laws of modern fashion. Who would go to a modern restaurant and not bring a mammoth? Ha! People would laugh!

  I summoned this mental humor with difficulty, out of some old annoying habit. In reality, I was completely uninterested in what the mammoth was doing here - and with Orbit, too. I had just distributed all of my free skill points, and chosen the first specialization - thus taking another step towards becoming the Great Navigator. However, a step was just a step. It was going to be a long journey - and there are dozens of such steps to take. Therefore, I was busy with calculating the options. While I am busy with this, my lady is engaged in fishing. I had done nothing at all to help, which does not speak in my favor.

  However, this was inevitable. I would have gone to my private room, but there was a problem - my daughter had woken, and did not wish to sleep any longer. Not one bit!

  The quiet hour was over.

  The little goddess was interested in toys, snacks, and the divine throne in particular. Who should provide all this? Well, the first two could easily be provided by the Black Baroness - but preferably not! The third thing - well, this was entirely on me. I would have to raise my daughter into a bright, kind, and benevolent goddess. This was without question - I did not intend to turn the child into an evil monster like Guorra.

  Speaking of Guorra…

  “Ahem,” I coughed, calling attention to myself.

  The Black Baroness responded to me only at the third attempt, before which she was completely absorbed with the child.

  “Huh?” She looked at me with her usual hard look.

  “Get your own!” I muttered. “Real ones!”

  “Uh-huhhh,” Orbit said, beginning to smile. “Uh-huh… until then…”

  “Orbit! I will break your head in with an ice pick!”

  Chuckling, I decided not to go into the details of another’s private life. I coughed again and, with unconcealed excitement, asked:

  “Could we negotiate with the goddess Guorra? Is it real?”

  “Good god - no!” Instantly interjected the Baroness and her torn ear brother nodded, adding a couple of words:

  “She’s a bloody maniac k-killer, a m-man eater… a real woman!”

  “Before you decide to get married, I suggest you see a psychiatrist,” I sincerely advised.

  “I already w-went! They all f-for some reason, uh…”

  “Orbit! Tell us later about your happy childhood!” The Baroness snapped, taking a cup of ice cream from the waiter who approached her, and handing it to the child.

  “Yes,” I said, rubbing my face with my palms.

  “And Snessa?” Squinted the Baroness. “Has she guessed?”

  “Yes,” I nodded, running my hands over my face again, as though trying to pull off a mask. I am tired today. Completely used up.

  “This ring..” The voice of the Baroness sounded unexpectedly close.

  Opening my eyes, I almost jumped back in surprise - the girl’s face was frozen in front of mine. A couple of more centimeters and we would kiss, after which Kira will get the aforementioned ice ax... if she finds out, of course.

  “The ring on your finger. The bone one. Ros, where did you get it?” The voice of the Baroness was smooth as ever, but now her eyelids fluttered treacherously - or so it seemed to me. The Baroness glided back to her place on the square crimson carpet, where my daughter was eating cherry ice cream.

  “A gift,” I shrugged. “A friendly one. About Guorra…”

  “And what is the name of this friend? Or girlfriend?”

  “What’s bothering you about it?” I said exhaustively. “Is it bothering you? Why are you interested? Black Baroness, either be straightforward, or do not bother asking.”

  “I am very curious where you got the bone ring on your finger,” the Baroness said softly.

  “It does not give me invisibility,” I grinned. “Do not worry. And the Nazguls aren’t hunting after it.”

  “Here you are mistaken, my dear sweet Rosgard,” the Baroness smiled subtly. “Such a ring is hunted by such people that the Nazguls, next to them, are just some harmless ghosts. Where’d you get the ring, Ros?”

  “We were talking about Guorra,” I said. The foolproof way to avoid answering questions - change the subject of the conversation. “I came to talk about that. Let us not sidestep. I still have to make it to dinner to catch up with the cannibals.”

  “Want to be become their dessert?”

  “More like a bone in their throat. They already tried to eat me just a couple of hours ago - and choked!”

  “Probably spit you out because of the bitterness.” The Baroness sniffed, and gave me a serious look. “I am going to give you the full info about the goddesses Guorra and Snessa. All we have. Down to the last piece of information, and will hide nothing. In return, you tell me from whom you received the bone ring. Do you agree?”

  “Why is the mammoth here?” I asked lazily, looking at the huge carcass of the prehistoric elephant.

  Sorrowfully sighing - the Baroness knew perfectly how to avoid certain topics - she explained:

  “In Valdira, pets have both negative and positive characteristics. In the case of the Kolyvan - he had a stubborn affection for my brother. Speaking of which, I am sure Orbit could have easily persuaded his little animal to wait at the entrance, right?”

  “Bo-o-oring,” the bald elf shrugged.

  “Right,” she nodded. “Of course. But the manager does not think so - Orbit, if your damned mammoth eats anything besides the ficus, I will take a golden fork and…”

  “Co-o-ol,” Orbit began.

  “Let’s get him a pair of banana palms,” suggested the Baroness, “everything will be cheaper.”

  Ha… and now, she is straying from the subject. Rather, pretending there is nothing to hide.

  “My plans are crumbling.” It was my turn to sigh, as I tried to give my
face the look of manly tragedy. Or tragic masculinity? I do not know… overall, I summoned the expression that my dad had when mom resolutely removed all of the ship models from all the ceilings and walls - reasoning that they belonged in a naval museum, not an apartment.

  The trick had not worked with my mother, nor with the Baroness now. However, I got my answer, nevertheless.

  “Ros, what did you want?” The Baroness was surprised, choosing a ripe apple from the table and handing it to my daughter. “Up until now, you and I have had a business relationship. Take, for example, the Outland - for our permission to engage in this riotous fun, we paid an agreed upon sum. Tomorrow evening, you will prepare empty bags for us to fill with gold. For our participation in the journey to the lost continent, no less merry, we offer you the combat fleet. Do the Sleepless and I have to pay something more aside from this? Hm?”

  “Hell, yes,” I grinned evilly. “For watching me! Your spies! Do you think it is not annoying?”

  “It is a gaming thing,” she brushed me aside. “Nothing personal. And not related to what we’re talking about, currently.”

  “And thanks for that, too,” I snorted. “That’s just…”

  “We-e-elll…” Orbit began, “Whisper r-really is h-happy when they s-send him after Ros-s-s’s ass…”

  “Huh?” I began.

  “Huh?!” Came a furious yell from the ceiling, and something green collapsed to the floor. After a moment, the formerly hanging flowerbed of rhododendrons took the shape of Whisper. “Huh? What did you say?!”

  The knight armor at the door moved and, from behind, it came a sad voice:

  “So that’s what Mister Whisper is like…”

  “In your dreams!” The angry flowerbed pounced at Orbit, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and shook. The mourning mammoth was immediately offended and seized Whisper by the trunk and shook him. As a result, Orbit was tossed into the air. Appearing out of nowhere, the Krabber ghost jumped out of the void and tried to clip the mammoth’s trunk with his golden claw. Kolyvan roared so loud that the silverware rattled. No one was labeled an aggressor - because of the special status of the location, I suppose. No one lost a hit of life, but everything sure looked impressive.

  “I am happy because Ros always gets into trouble,” hissed the flowerbed. “At least he is not boring. Nothing to do with the man’s ass! It is just that, with Ros, there is always a chance to experience something special. Do you understand? Do you?”

  “Wo-o-o-o-ow,” responded Orbit, dangling in the air. The Krabber was still angry, tearing the trunk of the mammoth with his claw. Kolyvan continued to shake Whisper. We, the three of us - the Baroness, my daughter and myself - ate apples and lazily appraised the scene.

  It lasted a minute, after which a clear order was given. Three powerful knights managed to push the melee into the next room. It became quieter.

  “I will tell you about Guorra. And what will I get in return?” The Baroness returned to the conversation. “Let’s talk? Or you’ll start shouting - “I am the Great Navigator! Serve me for free, and with a bow!” Are you going to threaten us if we do not agree? Will you be offended and leave us to our competitors?”

  “No,” I shook my head. “But since the dance has begun, you did also jump from the subject of the Dead Sands ninja clan. Was I not being followed? I was! And I was offended. And I already told you - “do not do it, I do not like it, do not meddle in my affairs!” So now, you have to pay the piper. I won’t ask for much.”

  “For example?”

  “A tailor,” I answered immediately. “Jeweler. Shoemaker. Weaponsmith. Hairdresser. All the best. All here.”

  “Did you decide to…” the Baroness stopped for a moment, and then knowingly looked at the girl eating the apple.

  “I see. We will do it right now. Let’s take her to…”

  “We will not take her anywhere,” I objected. “There is a goddess hunting after my daughter. I am not going to risk it.”

  “And what will you do if she strikes?”

  “Hell knows,” I smiled serenely. “In the extreme case, I will die first. So now what? Will we do this? Let’s make her maximally beautiful and efficient. Not just a cute colorful baby suit, but advanced equipment. For example, titanium baby overalls. Hm?”

  “Let’s do it. The messages have already been sent. The army of tailors will arrive soon.”

  “And also, Busia,” I said, calmly and gently. “If I find later that there is even one tracking amulet, any thread sewn into my daughter’s clothes, then believe me - I will have no business with you ever again.”

  “Hmph…” The Baroness snorted. “You’re ready to be a father in real life. Already like a roaring lion. Do not worry. There will be no amulets. If I need you - I will find you anyway. And when your daughter grows up - her aura alone will dismantle all the effects of the equipment combines.”

  “Fine,” I answered. “That’s no problem. Once I receive all the things - then we will be equal for the constant stalking. Done?”

  “Done,” said the Baroness lightly.

  “If I hear one more time that the spies of the Sleepless are…”

  “Ros, are you aware that, while Whisper was staring at your ass, he casually killed two foreign spies? And once, he was killed - someone with a very high level, underwater, easily killed Whisper when he swam after you along one of the creeks of the lake district, pretending to be a rotten log. You were walking your wolf.”

  I glanced briefly at the huge wolf laying at my feet and stared in surprise at the Black Baroness.

  “Really?”

  “Really!” Cut off the Baroness. “We are no longer the only ones looking for you. Can you say, Ros, who else besides us could be doing that? Does someone else know you’re the Navigator?”

  “Damn it,” I roared. “Damn it! And those who Whisper killed - did he go through their things? Identify them?”

  “Yeah. The first two were the Crimson Cross.”

  “Cedric!” I spat angrily.

  His name came to mind instantly. Right away. I do not know why. It is as if my mind decided on its own that this was the most likely option - which the followers of the Crimson Cross were following me. Ordered by the evil debt collector. Could I have been so easy to track down? And what was the point? All my things were stored either in the bank vault, or in my personal room. But I did recently find a glove from the legendary outfit… if the spies of the Cross were following me, they could easily kill me and take my things if they were on me.

  For now, this was my only guess.

  “And the third spy?”

  “He killed Whisper,” shrugged the Baroness, her shoulders tight in her black outfit. “But it was an achilot. We are ninety percent sure.”

  “Whisper is hard to kill,” I said.

  “Yet he was killed in three and a quarter seconds,” the Baroness nodded. “So think, Ros. Maybe our surveillance is more like protection. And you are the guarded one. And you should have some pity on me.”

  “Because you lose spies and your nerve?”

  “This too. And also because my brother goes everywhere with you. Makes me want to get out of my cocoon, go to his room and mix all his puzzles in one big pile. Damn it! But this would only please him... “

  “It is a bummer, probably,” I sympathized - and, after a moment thought, made a decision. “Listen, would Whisper agree to travel with me openly? That is, not with his nose at my heels, but shoulder to shoulder? If I have to go somewhere… and take my daughter with me.”

  “I have to think it over,” cautiously said the Baroness. “You understand, spies are very busy people. Therefore, to send him with you means tearing him away from important business. Therefore, it would be necessary to…

  “I agree!” Came the howl of Whisper from the next room. “Agree!”

  “No discipline anymore these days!” The Baroness hissed fiercely.

  “Baroness! Take pity on me!” Whisper continued to yell. “I’ve been killed f
our times in the last week! Mutilated! Incinerated with divine fire! Trampled! Drowned in a creek with my throat cut! And then they shot me with such a long arrow that you could kill a mammoth with it! I cannot take it anymore! I cannot walk after Ros - I am already afraid! Every shadow frightens me! Oh, please. Please. Orbit! Take your damned elephant away! Or I will tie his trunk into a knot!”

  “So?” I asked, waiting for the answer.

  “Fine,” she had to agree. “But though Whisper is strong… Guorra is Guorra! And she is the goddess of war, Ros! The Oracle voiced her death sentence! Since Guorra found out who the father of the future goddess is, and where the child is now - she is not going to give up. The goddess did not pay you a visit yet because she cannot receive information so quickly - he is, after all, a divine shaman. And her magic is the same - terribly powerful, but slow. The orcs have to finish their dance, find out where you and your daughter are now, etc. … but she is very strong! Although… strange! Very strange…”

  “What is strange?”

  “She found the girl too easily. Darling, do you want an orange?”

  “Yes!” The future goddess responded sonorously and, taking the fruit, sat back dawn on the back of the sleeping wolf. Tyrant did not protest - only jerked his paw and continued to sleep.

  “What do you mean, too easy?”

  “Literal sense. How did she know if the child was not only protecting herself with the aura, but also you? Only if… hold on. Have you already given the child a name? Hm?”

  “Hm?” I mumbled in response.

  “Have you given her a name, I ask? It is like a rite of initiation. Until you give a name, the child will not even grow. And the older the child, the more strength it has. The more time she spends in the world, the more power. They are likely to make the “locals” they interact with their followers and to receive prayers from them. And consequently, power. However, all this is impossible until a name is given. Gods are faceless, but not nameless. Ros, I ask you again - what is the name4 of the girl?”

  “Rusty barge!” I cursed like a father.