Bloody Revenge

by Darrell Guidry

  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<
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  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