Meanwhile the duel promised to become a memorable show. Both were
veins, and veins were a purgative as unrestrained soldiers, even with barehanded
capable to do affairs. Someone knew that these two in due time
the same dealer in slaves brought on the mine and boys tried
the road together to run. Then, however, their ways dispersed, and now, seven
years later, in a circle of torch light there were two enemies. Two young people
men, both slaves. The gray Dog a year ago tortured to death and
after all survivor. And Wolf, his executioner...
Timidly askancing worker unchained the Grey Dog. At first it released
to it legs, then stretched to a collar, but right there, having screamed, drew aside
hand: Nonvolatile the Mouse snatched it for a finger sharp as needles, teeth. From
crowds of slaves the mischievous laughter and remarks on several was heard at once
languages:
"For other place bite it, the little avenger..."
"A red-hot brand marked us, and itself squeals as nedorezanny
pig!."
And someone urged on:
"Show it, the Grey Dog, show..."
But the Grey Dog did not begin to pay attention to such trifle as miner
the toady who by mistake was called as the smith. It covered with a palm spitefully
the hissing Mysh, and the worker removed from him a collar, and then, in most
the last turn, released hands. And cleaned up away rather,
sucking round the bitten-through finger. The gray Dog moved shoulders, anew trying
own body which weaned from free movements. Also stepped forward. Wolf
waited for it, holding in the right hand a whip, and in left - a long dagger with sharp
the edge which was smoothly running from a handle to cut as a pricker, to an edge. And
the Wolf owned that and other weapon very much, not bad. In what
both convicts, and other supervisors, everything were repeatedly convinced at whom
there was enough impudence or nonsenses to squabble with it.
"Well? - he told, moving a whip. - Go here".
It was full and strong, this Wolf. It is full, strong, dexterous and self-assured.
The gray Dog faced him, having a little bent down, and did not reduce from him
look.
All waited: here now the whip of the Wolf will be thrown by the shining winding as if
the hunting viper, rezant the rival on eyes... Left differently. Wolf
promptly moved forward, throwing out before itself a hand with a dagger,
aimed to the slave in a stomach.
That instantly started back back, leaving from inevitable death.
The crowd of kandalnik deafly hooted, became agitated. Squeezed to
to distant wall clambered on stone ledges. Someone tried to lean on
others shoulder, someone fell, mercilessly swearing. For some reason everyone wanted
to personally behold this fight about which really then put legends.
Two opponents were motionless face to face again, and now
very few people doubted that the Wolf will use a whip. And again left differently.
The wolf once again tried to get the Grey Dog a dagger, counting,
probably, that that did not wait for blow repetition.
The slave managed again to recoil and keep to himself life, but attack
it was half deceptive: the whip after all directed forward. It with
hissing flew by over the floor to twist a leg of the Grey Dog and, having deprived
mobility to set up him under blow of a blade. Slave with great difficulty, but
nevertheless managed to jump through змеившийся over a tail. Wolf, however, partly
achieved the. The easy movement of an elbow, and a whip in the returnable
the movement rose from a floor, having broken skin from a shoulder of the slave. Gray Dog, as later
spoke, did not change countenance. Instead of it the crowd sighed.
"Go here! - having sworn, the Wolf told. - Go here, the coward!"
The gray Dog showed nothing that heard these words. It disaccustomed long ago
itself to come across such here hooks. Is not present. It still will grapple with the Wolf
the breast on a breast, but will make it in own way and when itself considers
necessary. And at all not on a whim of the Wolf. And if he dies, it will be
death, worthy free person. So, he also will begin to fight as
the free person, but not as the rat driven into a corner...
Cnut Volka nevertheless whistled astride, marking him on the person, but the Grey Dog
threw up a hand, and a whip, cutting skin, it was reeled up to it on a hand and got stuck.
Now opponents were tightly connected because to release a whip the Wolf
did not gather. The edge of a dagger floated forward, cutting dense stuffy
air. Red reflected lights of torches flew down from it, precisely liquid fire.
The cut edge inevitably flew to a breast to the Grey Dog, just to a hole
tatters, there, where under dirty skin and intense strings of muscles
distinctly looked through edges. The right hand of the slave went up and aside,
наперехват, being in time, managing to catch and to a bone crash to squeeze
sinewy wrist of the supervisor...
And at this time much more skilled Wolf kicked it with a leg. Gray Dog
still will learn to foresee the slightest movement of the rival and not one, but
while he was not able to do it and little could oppose to dexterous
To wolf, except the animal force and the same animal determination to die, but
before it to kill. The unexpected blow had in a stomach and bent a body
in half, and the dagger with a disgusting crunch entered precisely there where
the Wolf directed it, and the Grey Dog understood that he dies, and it was truly
so: when he tried to sigh, from a mouth blood began to flow. However it was
it is still live. And so far he was living...
The wolf late understood that he on death to himself was selected too close to
to the dying slave. Triumphing a victory, he did not jump aside at once, thinking
to drive a dagger to a crosspiece, and this mistake cost to it at first sight, and
in a moment and lives. The hand of the Grey Dog which moved was to punched
to side, suddenly shot forward, and the thumbs up flying precisely
iron nails, directly in eyes, became the latest that the Wolf is fated
was in this life to see. The wolf managed to cry and throw up palms terribly
to the person, but thereby he only helped the Grey Dog to raise the second hand because
the whip taken to a wrist by a leather loop-pavorozom, still
connected poyedinshchik as if an indissoluble umbilical cord. The gray Dog took
Wolf for a throat also squeezed out from it life. Dead Wolf shapeless heap
donkey on a chipped stone floor, and only then from the left hand of the winner
whip loops ran away, having left behind exuding with red blood
spiral.
"Wolfhound!." - not the voice someone began to yell from crowd depth,
realized as call the Canis gray Major capable to cope with
wolf. And from side tunnels, restricting storming каторжан, ran
supervisors: the unknown outcome of a duel easily could lead to a revolt.
Fenced off from recent fellows by a dense wall fitted by rusty
chain armors of backs, the Wolfhound still stood on the feet, stubborn refusing to fall,
though under all laws he would need to fall and die long ago. It
clamped a wound palms, and between fingers sticky bubbles broke. It<
br />
knew that it will have enough forces to reach the gate leading to freedom - where
they were, these gate. Still he knew that supervisors will open
gate will also let out him, without having finished on the road. Because the remained slaves
sooner or later will visit the truth, so, to amuse soul a duel not
nobody will manage any more and ever. For what to fight to the slave if not
freedom attracts?
... He badly remembered how it was conducted stone transitions. Consciousness
grew dim, the long-term habit prevailed, and legs crossed short
short steps, exactly to a measure of the shackles removed from them. Gradually became
more cold: whether because, that the surface, vystuzhenny eternal came nearer
frost, whether because of blood which with each push of heart left from
bodies and black blots noted its way. Almost everywhere these blots in a trice
will disappear under hundreds of hard shuffling legs - an eka невидаль, blood on
miner stones - but here and there spots will remain, and slaves will begin to show
them each other and especially to beginners, convincing that a legend of won
freedom - not fiction...
For now the Wolfhound just went, supported it is unknown by what force, and
all will left only on making one more short step and not to fall.
Before it floated muddy spots of some persons, but it could not even
to look narrowly properly not that to learn, the Step. Keep, the Wolfhound,
keep, do not die. And still step. And still.
... Also struck the huge, inhuman light threatening to burn out eyes
even through instantly slammed eyelids. It burned ruthless and gray
the mountain sun which hung in the violet sky before the mouth of a cave.
Give a hand - and you will plunge into fire. The wolfhound heard as he cried from
horror the Nonvolatile Mysh who by miracle escaped during a duel. Then was distributed
voice like human, told:
"Here to you your freedom. Go".
The sharp frost for some time, urged on the reason dimmed by pain, and
The wolfhound tried to look round, having densely squinted proceeding tears,
at all the eyes which weaned from daylight. Directly before it turned blue on
the sun the hump of the glacier squeezed from two parties which is cut up by cracks
black rocks of the gorge. The wolfhound stepped into snow and went, understanding that in
the back to it is watched by the slaves occupied in dumps and on access paths. They
have to remember and tell the rest that it left. Probably, it
will fall and will die behind the first rock. But let they will remember that it left
on freedom. Left...
He was fantastically lucky: it did not break in one of cracks and did not freeze,
having broken legs, in crystal, penetrated by solar reflected lights
to tomb. Gods stored it. It left further and further, time from
time slightly slightly opening the growing blind eyes to see how slowly
the rock behind which it not will not be able to be made out from miner any more draws near
dumps and behind which it has to will inevitably to fall down and die. It
went to it the whole eternity, and in it remained to life less. Clinging
for ice-covered stones, he rounded the rock and fell down, but for some reason did not die
at once, only ceased to see, hear and think. Nonvolatile Mouse
got over to it on a breast, nestled, being spread, and it is a pity began to cry.
The wolfhound did not see any more how it is weightless two big slipped over him
winged shadows, and a few weathers to an open body it is timid
the fragile, big-eyed beings very similar to people came nearer...
... Having felt as the slow spark inflames deeply in a breast
pains, the Wolfhound baitedly looked round around and buried a face in knees,
the second time in one day overtaken by a cruel fit of coughing. Lungs
precisely strewed with pepper from within, there was a wish to turn them inside out,
lumps, shreds to throw out from itself... Cramped edges a spasm,
The wolfhound choked and not at once felt someone's hands on the shoulders.
It was already absolutely nasty. He wanted to shake them from himself, but at once not
managed - held it is tenacious. It forced to become straight, and to a naked breast
two firm very narrow palms nestled. Niilit... Niilit? There is a Wolfhound
understood that he was going to be treated magic. To allow similar
indecencies it could not and wanted to escape, rise, but cough from new
by force twisted it, and it was not succeeded to beat off.
And know strong palms slid, ironed a body, and green circles,
being always on the narrowed eyes, began to thaw. From hands of Niilit
wonderful gold heat which drove extended, extinguished crimson
fire also calmed, calmed...
The wolfhound finally recovered and opened eyes. For an instant to it
it seemed as if from hands of Niilit weak gold truly proceeded
luminescence. But only for an instant.
- To you bothered to live?. - hoarsely the Wolfhound began to roar. It was stirred up and
found out that held it rather supported, together. Tilorn
propped up behind, in the most obscene way ironing his wet head, and
Evrikh embraced for shoulders, looking in eyes, and on a face at him was
sincere compassion. For some reason it completely ozlit the Wolfhound, and he
decided to escape.
- Do not worry for Niilit, my friend, - Tilorn told him. - I know,
what you are afraid of, but it does not happen. In the local world to women it is given
it is more, than to us. I am here a man, and I am capable to give the only
force... or to direct others if the person wants it. Niilit
it is capable to call what your people call the Truth of Gods, and mine -
energy of Space...
Mistrustfully listening Wolfhound remembered at once: after Evrikh's treatment
he, the strong man, the soldier, grew weak so that he did not manage even to rise and
two days then slept off. Then also became attached to it miner
cough, apparently, long ago and strongly obsolete. And Niilit went as in
than did not happen, pottered on economy, washed the blood-stained floor...
Probably, they were right. And in any case understood that did.
Here only the Wolfhound did not get used to the help before that, unlike
Tilorna, was not able to accept it as it was necessary. Especially when it it is healthy
looked like self-sacrifice. It opened a mouth to tell Niilit
thanks, but a vote Evrikh gave here:
- Where you picked up such cough, the barbarian? I thought, to you any
rain at all... - The wolfhound spitefully looked at him, and a young arrant
unexpectedly burst out laughing: - Oh, I see, you become angry. Means, you not
so it is bad how we thought...
Men undertook to lift it, but the Wolfhound easily shook them and got up
.
- Went to the house, - Tilorn told. - Will be enough here to freeze.
That to Niilit, it simply took a vein by hand and dragged at a door.
Having entered, the Wolfhound noticed only here that in the house the center - a spade burned
from cold dampness which pulled outside. Boy Zuyko proud
the charged business, held over coals a copper bucket on long wooden
to the handle. From a bucket smelled of honey, lime color, a heather and somethin
g else.
Niilit handed to the Wolfhound the smoking cup, and he drank without any arguments.
Niilit was here the only person from whom he would endure
any arbitrariness. Even if it would undertake to feel a forehead to it. He told,
anybody separately without addressing:
- Thanks...
In total more he was grateful to them for the fact that they any more not
asked him where it put a sword.
Morning was engaged windy, pink and purely washed. Soon after that,
as the sun, to the house to Varokh rose, splashing boots on yet not
the pavement which dried out after plentiful heavy rain, the foreman Bravlin pripozhalovat.
- Went with me, the guy, - having greeted the owner and residents,
he told the Wolfhound.
- Where still? - pricked up the ears suspicious veins.
- In Krom, - the policeman told. - Monarchess knesinka me purposely
sent because you me it seems as you wish. She ordered that you
now came.
- What for? - rising, the Wolfhound gloomy asked.
- Painfully curious you, the guy, - grumbled Bravlin. - Let's come,
in total also you learn.
- Perhaps to us to go too? - carefully Tilorn asked. Evrikh and Niilit
anxiously looked back to Varokh, but the master only shrugged shoulders.
- There is no need, - the Wolfhound muttered. Also went with Bravlin from the yard.
Living in the foreign land, everyone necessarily sticks to tribespeople. Here and
the velkh living in Galirada nearly from the date of foundation of Krom, entirely
occupied two long streets. The near way to fortress lay by, but
The wolfhound well heard the scraps of songs reaching from that party and
dissonant, but diligent buzz of velkhsky "piob", - bone pipes,
eating on air from a leather bag. Songs, all as one, were
fervent and cheerful. On belief of velkh, late before the burial not
abandoned one and with might and main amused with dancings and fun that flying away
souls were filled with gratitude to relatives, pleased them
holiday. And the frightened Death longer did not look to the house where it
subjected to opprobium and sneers...
Bravlin and Wolfhound crossed the drawbridge which very few people from
citizens saw lifted, and entered into Krom. Bravlin told something to the adolescent,
standing in a gateway, and the guy, having nodded, escaped. The wolfhound turned
Bloody Revenge Page 24
