Его не звали, но он приперся / They never called, yet he is here: Глава 2

Chapter 2

Camrad_RIP 25.01.22 в 22:00

What does the average fantasy fan usually imagine when it comes to fantasy outlaws? The answer is easy - a bunch of dirty, smelly and overgrown men, armed with whatever they can find and with no discipline at all. In many cases, especially if we are talking about low-ranking brigands of yesterday's plowmen, this picture is almost indistinguishable from reality. Otherwise, there are almost always at least a few overlaps.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 08:50

These brigands clearly did not read any clichéd fantasy, and they did not forget about personal hygiene. They had a neat appearance, very high levels, and a distinct aura of professionalism that was more akin to army men than to real thugs. In general, my suspicions about the strangeness of the situation arose almost immediately when my shadows detected the four of them.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 08:51

Although I'm getting ahead of myself because we didn't know much about the bandits, to begin with. My clairvoyance fed me a few unhelpful facts, like the color of the eyes of the travelers murdered in the clearing, or what their killers ate for dinner. Hans and his specialized skills were quite clear on the direction the bandits were moving, and I saw something of that myself, but we didn't know the background of the events.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 08:52

"In short, it was like this." The former King's Border Guard's imposing attitude was gone as soon as he got down to business. "There were five travelers, not family, all young, it seemed. They walked without carts and luggage, which is strange - the road is deserted, only various villages nearby. They were exhausted and settled down for the night, and, without making a fire, directly on the ground. At night they were found and killed."

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 08:54

At the moment Hans looked more like a retired Special Forces major than a jolly womanizer. He looked as good as Losij, even if the impression was of a different kind. I'd never seen him like that even in the goblin woods, and it was more serious there than here. Apparently, the man's fervent love for the criminal element was even stronger than I had originally thought.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 08:55

The object of my reflection itself shadowed toward the edge of the clearing, pointing out the details that he alone could see, which I immediately began to decipher with an inquisitive gaze that had been switched to active mode. The pathfinder's fingers barely touched the ground, the grass, the bark of trees, as if reading the information with just a touch.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 08:56

Four. They walked confidently through the forest. They surrounded the clearing and put the villagers in the grass. Resistance was minimal, they were taken alive. Then they were all interrogated and killed, and then dragged the corpses deeper into the woods. They weren't lazy and carried them in their arms, so they wouldn't leave a drag. We should look where they were thrown.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 08:57

This was where my skills, namely the sphere of shadows, came in handy. I knew what I was supposed to be looking for, and I immediately found it. And indeed, the bastards were not lazy - the bodies were carried on their backs for nearly a mile and a half, leaving them at the very edge of my senses, piled with branches and poured over with some dissolving stuff. It was strange that they hadn't buried them, leaving the acid-whitened bones to the beast, but they probably figured no one would go that deep into the woods.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:19

It's a mile and a half that way. - I point my finger.- Six remains, piled up in a heap and covered with twigs. They looked like they'd been doused with some kind of acid, so much so that I wouldn't have found any bodies if I hadn't been sifting through everything.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:22

The jaeger only nodded at my words, scratching his chin thoughtfully and figuring something out in his mind. I could tell from his displeased face that the equation didn't add up, which made Hans a little angry.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:35

"It's all weird." He finally summed it up. "I'd understand if the bitchy road rats had done a nice, clever job. There are some really careful fellows among them who don't like to leave traces. But this alchemy... that's a bit much. If scum like that buys potions, it's certainly not that kind. Are they bandits?"

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:36

"Let's go see, I guess," Losij suggested, and he gripped his blade more comfortably. " I don't want to sleep in such a dangerous place, anyway, where obscure bandits, who may not even be bandits, roam about as if they were at home."

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:37

I look silently at Tarija, who only shrugs in response. As you wish, Boss, so be it. The girl herself, who had changed her dress for sturdy traveling clothes and even dressed in the lightest possible armor, was not worried at all, being fully confident in my strength. She was impressed by the massacre of the overly intemperate mercenaries, impressed indeed.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:38

"Tie up the horses, give them some oats, and we can move out." The nobleman summed up and went to stall his transport.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:39

I just proudly turned away and passed the care of my abominable creature on to my subordinates. It may be immoral, but, you know, these animals really piss me off. Riding is three times more exhausting than running and even faster than those nags.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 09:40

With the quiet laughter of my comrades-in-arms, and under the scornful gaze of my Nemesis of four hooves, I began to set alchemical traps around the camp, remembering to say out loud twice what and where I was leaving it. And be sure to wait for an answer from each of the three, except Ygra. The latter was now chewing on a deer a mile away from us, not intending to impose her company. Thanks for the fact that swamp ogres are naturally creepy introverts, for I do not want to imagine what it would be like for me if she was as social as goblins, for example.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 12:37

Half an hour later, we were standing over a small hole - acid rather than dug - where the remains of the dead lay. The bones were white-white and melted, as if they were wax candles. While Hans prowls around looking for traces, I myself twirl the phalanx of someone's finger in my hands, simultaneously grinding an essentialism.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 12:38

My attempt to figure out what was doused in the corpses by reagent breakdownwas unexpectedly successful, though I didn't expect it myself. It was either luck or intuition that allowed me to find the hidden mechanism of my abilities on the first try, but the system message that popped up made me feel better, and I was happy about the increase in my class skill.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 12:48

Reagent breakdown: 4/5

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 12:48

Allows easy extraction of essences from alchemical reagents; difficulty depends on the rank of the reagent, its quantity, characteristics, and user skills; allows you to hold and manipulate the collected essence; allows you to better understand the nature and origin of essences; compositions created from pure essences are guaranteed to be of higher quality; compositions created with essences have a chance to get a higher grade or additional effects (the effect depends on the original reagents); at maximum concentration, allows you to get a higher grade or additional effects (the effect depends on the original reagents)

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 12:51

It's about time, I must say, that this bonus popped up. I am even willing to endure the resulting mild migraine (I didn't even get a nosebleed!), since my abilities are developing. I put the pain and joy on the back side, getting instead scattered and unhelpful information about the essence in the bone.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:08

The bone itself can be seen without any problems, but what I need is not a bone, not a part of the human body, but exactly what melted the bone, partially merged with its structure. The essentialism worked together with clairvoyance, which allowed me to get at least some crumbs of information, which I was able to merge into one picture.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:09

"The acid is alchemical, which I think is obvious," I announced my verdict, getting reactions from both Hans, who was digging through the remaining traces, and from Losij and Tarija, who was playing the local equivalent of rock, scissors, and paper. "But I can say other things, too. First, this stuff was very fresh, literally not a week from creation. Second, continuing with the first, the compound itself is short-lived, which means an unpleasant fact. Even though the creator of the potion is clearly not the most powerful alchemist, he probably works for brigands. And I don't exclude that he works for them alone."

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:15

Hans cursed in response to my tirade, and a satisfied Tarija hid two silver coins in her pocket, having somehow managed to beat the much faster and more agile duelist. Parasites! I'm playing detective here, and they don't give a damn!

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:21

"I'm pretty sure they're not bandits." Remarks Hans. "I have no idea who they are or what the hell they're doing in this neck of the woods, but they're too good for ordinary rats."

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:22

For a few seconds, I thought about going back to the sleeping place in peace, giving up on the incomprehensible murderers, who, in fact, are not my concern. Then I looked at the bones of the innocently murdered and was determined to avenge their deaths... Well, who am I to lie, I was just ready to fight the legendary creature again, just to avoid going back to my bloodthirsty nag!

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:27

"Can you track them?" I ask the most competent tracker among us all.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:28

"Not without problems, the tracks are old, and the bastards themselves are not bad at walking, but I can do it," He answers me gloomily. "We'll catch up, we'll ask them, we'll strangle them, and then we'll go on."

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:29

"I have nothing against punishing murderers, so you can count on me." Simple and mundane, as if he were signing up for a walk, said Losij.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:31

"And I need the levels." Not at all embarrassed, and not trying to pretend to be the best she was, Tarija said. "And practice, too, because I'm about to lose the rest of my mind from the torment of the breaks."

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:32

The girl chose not to notice the aristocrat's critical gaze, looking at me expectantly. Like, come on, praise me, Kostya, praise me completely!

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:34

We should tie the horses properly and leave them some food so they don't scatter while we're gone. And then we can give the bitches some pepper and honey to make them shit their pants.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:39

I sighed, surprised at Hans's enthusiasm, and began laying more traps around the camp. Losing all my belongings just because I decided to go on a rampage would be an epic failure.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:40

Before they left, Losij returned and covered the bones of the dead with a layer of heavenly power, giving the souls peace and ensuring that the undead would not spawn themselves in the place. The alchemy used by the killers was supposed to prevent the rise, but there's no telling. And it's also worthwhile to give the unknowing dead a good burial, even if it's only in passing.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:44

Even if they were complete creeps, which is doubtful, death forgave them.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:46

Death forgives everyone.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:46

I was internally reconciled to spend at least another week in the woods, but our supposed adversaries weren't idiots to hide that deep, either. They had a long way to go to get back from there, and time was of the essence.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 13:50

The fateful - for them - meeting happened in the evening when Tarija managed to take the second level in the skill of reading traces and almost passed out from fatigue. I, too, got it and in record time brought it up to ten - the consequence of high perception and perk of Incvisitive Eye boosting the growth of skill, because of which I developed really fast. I had never needed this skill before - I had enough sphere and clairvoyance. It's still a little more than completely useless to me now, but since it's developing, I don't want to let it get in the way.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 14:03

To return to the subject - we were ready to get up for the night, to give Tarya a rest, and not to go in the night in the unknown, but it was at that moment that the sphere detected our mutts. They were sitting very well, in a specially made hiding place, located in the crown of a lone tree of an obscure variety, right on the edge of a wide clearing. The position was so well chosen that it completely blocked all the directions of movement that could be seen even with the sphere.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 14:08

The steep precipice and the river on one side, and several deep ravines, gradually changing to a swamp on the other, left us with only two options - forward, straight to the patrol post, and back, to the place we came from. Apparently, this place was a natural fortress, which was not easy to get into.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 14:21

A flash of clairvoyance confirmed my assumptions while revealing other details as well. For example, the funny fact that only a few paths were leading to the center of the fortress, including even a very old but still usable road. Except that all these paths were sealed off from all sides, which allowed them to feel secure from espionage as well as from invasion. All the same, clairvoyance told me that crossing rivers, ravines, or marshes were an almost impossible task for any significant force. Storming the outlaws' strongholds would only be possible if the attackers were outnumbered and outmaneuvered, and even then losses would be imminent.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 14:26

But the most important protection of this once-preserved place - before the appearance of bandits - was anonymity and obscurity. That is why the locals tried so hard to keep their presence a secret and leave no traces that could lead to them. Traces such as a few abandoned corpses beside the road, for example.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 14:30

How interesting everything is, though.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 14:32

I had to leave my comrades-in-arms at the resting place, which they had decided to arrange and go quietly to scout the surroundings. Four men were sitting in a tree hideout, and they were all at fairly good levels - all of them with classes. Two archers with crossbows at the thirteenth, an archer at fourteenth, and a poacher at sixteenth. The latter was needed to set up and take care of the many mechanical traps that densely overlapped the available territory. Not that they were set up at every turn, but they blocked all likely paths of movement with assurance.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 21:38

A couple of magic tricks were present, too, perfectly palpable in the shadows. They weren't impressive in comparison to the dungeons of the ancient necropolis, but I remembered the strange trap that managed to hide from my sense of danger and shadow senses. There would hardly be one here, for I can't even guess the price of such a miracle. On the other hand, I don't need more than one to be headless.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 21:40

After circling the tree, scanning again for anything that seemed suspicious, I tried to sense the camp, but it was apparently much farther away than my shadows indicated. I walked almost two kilometers forward, finding several quite obvious trails (trail reading, yes) trodden by the locals, but I never found the camp. Clairvoyance told me that the area itself is quite vast, and no one uses this side. They just put an outpost here, just in case.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 21:41

I'm beginning to respect the local ringleader, and I'm beginning to believe less and less that they're outlaws. As if we didn't accidentally find some secret base of the local secret service. It's all too suspicious. The clairvoyance, apparently considering its duty done, responded to my requests very reluctantly, not giving out any serious data.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 21:42

Having given up on finding the camp, I decided to deal with the outpost first. It was at that moment that I sensed another four men moving in the direction of the outpost, presumably straight from the camp. Even without clairvoyance, I could guess that these fellows would act as replacements for those already sitting in the hut.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 21:44

The torment of choice, honestly - to kill both fours or let one of them go first, and then take the other to have a longer window of time to plan. My thirst for experience demanded that I kill them all, but common sense, on the contrary, told me to wait and understand the situation. For once I decided to listen to my brains, and then I went to my guys to report the data I had collected.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.22 в 21:45