Volume 5, Chapter 10 – Black and White
The journey back was even harder. The cold night beat me like a boxer, along with a strong wind, landing straight punches to my face and bare torso. The wind became an evil slave owner, lashing me with a whip across everything exposed. The path was long: an hour and a half without stopping in one direction, eyes closed, with pauses again and again to make sure I hadn't drifted off course. It was an exhausting journey — flying at night without clothes or special goggles is impossible on these wings. Hellish conditions — though it doesn't exactly smell of warmth here.
And when I finally managed to land, I felt like I'd forgotten how to walk — and out of habit, to move forward, I tried jumping. In two hours I'd gotten used to it somehow, and moving my body became something new. I could calmly turn my head without fearing it would break, with no effort — and my arms swung so easily, as if I'd thrown off lead gloves.
(Earth, sweet earth! I can already see Kita's camp — but there's only one man sitting there. In any case, I brought these rapiers for all of them, so let's go!)
Jump-splash! — I decided to walk, pushing off the ground and turning forward at ninety degrees.
—
Tsukhan — Uncle Tsu.
A silent, wealthy aristocrat who traded his former life to buy back slaves — and became an uncle and father to them.
D-rank.
Weapon — Katana.
—
I walked up to the campfire and heard only snoring from the tents. Uncle Tsu lifted his head to me — and beside him, as if out of thin air, Kita appeared. As soon as she saw me, she calmed down.
"Hi," — I said quietly. "— Can I sit?"
Uncle Tsu looked at Kita.
"Is this that new kid?" — Tsu stirred the fire with a stick.
"Yes..." — Kita answered a little awkwardly and sat down next to Tsu.
(I wonder how she's not cold in that outfit? I'm freezing in pants, and she's all exposed — looks like a swimsuit.)
"Sit down, kid. My name's Tsukhan. Here they call me Uncle Tsu," — Tsu said calmly, pointing to the log across from him.
I sat by the fire. (Ohhhhh! How good — I immediately put my hands out in front of me and melted into a blissful smile from the warmth I felt here — and a second later I felt something warm fall on my shoulders... I looked back — it was Kita, covering me with a fur blanket.)
(How did she manage that? But what difference does it make... It's so good — like ice on a bruise, only the opposite, but the effect is no worse.)
"Seraphim... Right?" — Tsu settled in more comfortably.
"Yes."
"Kita told me you went to the Silent Silence Wall... But apparently you decided to come back?" — Tsu smiled. "— That's right. It's dangerous there."
I took the bag off my shoulder and pulled out the cloak with the rapiers.
[Just to be clear: Seraphim doesn't have wings right now — they disappeared the moment he landed.]
"About the Wall... I was there."
"What?" — Tsu and Kita in unison.
"And here... My gift to all of you," — I handed a rapier to Kita. "— The blade cuts through anything, including magic."
Kita examined the rapier in surprise — and, of course, didn't believe it, deciding to stab the log we were sitting on. From the strong swing, the rapier sank in up to the hilt like into water — and Kita froze in shock.
"And how did you get there? And why give us such... a weapon?" — Tsu asked, watching Kita and her experiments.
"Better to show..." — I threw off the blanket — and two wings grew from my back as soon as I jumped from a sitting position, wishing to fly.
The wings opened at full force, casting huge shadows from the fire behind me.
"Oh..." — Tsu looked at me with a smile.
"Uncle Tsu, you recognized it too?" — Kita asked.
"Yes... He looks like Cherubima..." — Tsu kept looking at me.
(What? They know her... No way — maybe she won't be in this camp?)
"You know her?" — I asked tiredly, putting away the wings and quickly wrapping myself in the blanket.
"You know her?" — Kita said in surprise, returning the rapier to the cloak.
"She lived with us..." — and Tsu began the story.
Cherubima lived with them nine years ago — for one year. Back then she didn't know the language and behaved very sadly, even depressively. And when she was taught to communicate, she told everyone that she was from another world — and that she was killed by a virus that covered the whole planet. Everyone was told to stay home and wear masks — but even with those protective measures, she couldn't avoid her fate. For her, it went with complications — and that's how she died. Cherubima spent all her time with Juli — that girl was also in the family at the time, but later went off on her own path. It was Juli who taught her the language and listened to all her stories — which, of course, no one took seriously, but no one judged Cherubima either, because this camp has many with difficult lives, and no one would catch someone in a lie or anything like that. After half a year of life, Cherubima accepted this world — and when the syndicate attacked the camp, wings appeared on her. Not two — four. And she repelled the attack. Afterward she became fixated on those feathers and believed she was some kind of highest rank. We supported her in her endeavors, but she began to distance herself from all of us — and in the end went off on a journey by ships in search of "him."
This story pierces me to the bone. (I thought she was just a psycho fan of the Bible — but it turns out she's like me. And she died from the coronavirus in our world... Now all the dialogues with her change. I'm starting to perceive them differently — and with shame for what I said.)
(I need to apologize to her...)
"And she's at the tournament... Do you talk to her?" — I said quietly, twirling a fish on a stick.
"We know... She chose her path, and we don't enter it..." — Tsu said quietly, biting off the fish tail.
"We don't impose ourselves. And if she found herself, we won't interfere," — Kita added calmly, examining the blade of her fans.
(I see... Truly kind...)
"So why did you bring us such gifts?" — Tsu returned to the topic, blowing on his fish.
"(Sigh) I just wanted to become a shield for someone... Because... Because... (Tsu: It's okay, speak) — Because everyone keeps trying to protect me — even enemies... And I saw a chance to help you become stronger and make sure no one harms you — and I had... — I swallowed a lump — only one opportunity — the Wall."
"Heh... I see... But such a weapon... Taken from there! Where many died — it's itself a magnet for everyone... I only know about the Silent Silence from stories and fairy tales. And I'll accept it — but I doubt I can use it..." — Tsu sighed, examining the fish. "— Because... It's burning."
"What?" — I listened, captivated.
"Your fish is burning," — he pointed at my stick — where the fish had already turned to charcoal.
(It's really burning... Already burned and fell into the fire...)
"You know..." — I threw the stick into the fire too. "— These rapiers are made specifically for you... If you don't want to use them, then... — a sigh — fine... But if there's a moment when life hangs by a thread — grab them!"
Tsu nodded and handed me his fish. I thanked him and, with a satisfied crunch, disposed of it into myself.
—
—
Meanwhile, in the city of Gramer. 08.05. 29:11:10.
A wide, massive road — more like a modern boulevard. Only one difference: cobblestone and four lanes, on which carts, carriages, and riders travel.
The boulevard stretched forward to the very edge, meeting the water and running into the port. Along the center of the boulevard grew tall deciduous trees. Four lanes and narrow sidewalks, with houses of stone and wood biting into them. Thinner roads divided the boulevard, breaking it into blocks.
The houses were low — mostly two-story — all covered with old red tile, somewhat resembling Spain from above.
The city looked quite clean. Maybe there's something like a primitive sewage system here. Near some houses stood carts with barrels — people came up and simply filled their buckets with water. At night there were far fewer people.
And in the corner by the wall stood the castle. A huge cone-shaped building with many windows and balconies.
The Throne Hall.
Yanski Malevych stood displeased by a huge map, crossing out the Silent Silence again and again. A guard ran up to him, adjusting his helmet.
"Duke!" — the Guard called, bowing. "— We received information that Asa, from your retinue—"
"Speak!"
"She's dead..." — the guard said quietly.
The Duke quickly strode toward the guard and started strangling him.
"Is this news a joy to you? Why did you pull a smile when you entered?" — the Duke said. "— What else?"
"Wheeze The island... Wheeze Rugun..." — the guard forced out.
The Duke released him, and he fell to his knees.
"On the world stage... Cough-cough! Two states have already recognized it as a legal seizure..." — the Guard said, holding his neck.
"And this is what you decided to tell me?" — the Duke took off his crown, holding it in his hand and clenching his fist. "— Any good news?"
The guard quietly shook his head.
"That's bad..." — the Duke looked at the map and, with all his might, smashed the crown into the guard's face, splitting his eyes, his lip, and breaking his jaw and nose.
"Silent?" — Malevych struck again, now tearing pieces of skin from his face. "— Do you know how painful this is?" — Hit. "— To lose someone you considered family??" — Hit. "— Send Mits and Project 'Scream 0.1.'"
The guard standing by the wall dragged away the barely-alive "mailman" and approached Malevych.
"Esteemed Duke... But Project 'Scream' is still in deep development... And Mits is... On a bender in Firkun."
The Duke sighed, walking to the window, contemplating his domain.
"There will be a first test of 'Scream,'" — Malevych declared. "— And Mits... He'll go to Ruma and find this... Lady Tezrian."
The Guard was taken aback, trying to think of something — and warily glanced at the Duke.
"But... With respect, I'd like to add... May I?" — the Guard was cautious.
"Try..."
"The Lady is at the international tournament..." — the guard trailed off, testing the ground. "— There are two rulers of states. More than two hundred S-rank fighters. Dozens of intelligence agents from almost all states, hundreds of elite knights of Ruma's GPSD..." — the Guard swallowed. "— If something goes wrong, the whole... Ahem world could rise against us..."
The Duke smiled — and in that same second the crown flew at the guard, making him collapse to the floor.
"Sounds like..." — the Duke walked slowly toward him. "— Suicide..."
The guard began quickly crawling away from him, while other guards watched.
"But believe me..." — the Duke caught him. "— There is no black and white here..." — the Duke said, lifting him to his knees. "— There's only black!" — the Duke smiled, peering into his eyes. "— Will everything be bad?" — Everyone dies. Everything will be good — everyone dies. Either way, I'll benefit — by getting rid of such a concentration of forces.
The guard's eyes darted around the hall, trying to avoid eye contact with his one surviving eye, his heart pounding with fear, realizing what could happen at the tournament.
"And remind me — how many of those pistols and long pistols do we have?" — the Duke released him and picked up the slightly bent crown.
The guard quickly crawled away and slowly, with anxiety, tried to calm down.
"After... The battle at the clearing... [where Seraphim appeared] Out of forty enemies we... — the guard searched for words. — Forty long pistols with 5600 rounds... And forty... Actually already... — the guard glanced at the Duke. — Already thirty-nine... W-with 1900 rounds..."
"I see... Give everything to Mits — let him learn to use them... Because..." — the Duke turned to the Guard, quickly heading toward him. "— The one who knew how to use them DIED!" — hit. "— A close person died because of that bitch Tezrian! Wouldn't you want to avenge your loved ones?" — hit. "— Huh? Or your state? Forgotten what losses and casualties we took because of their blockade!? Many people died there." — HIT!