Ойкумена / Oikumena: Глава 29

Chapter 29. "What the rats ran away from."

Camrad_RIP 14.02.24 в 07:29

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Camrad_RIP 14.02.24 в 07:29

Ranjan quickly retreated to the wall, so that he could also cover the servant and child in case of emergency.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:39

"My respects," said Cadfal, as if nothing had happened. "It's beautiful! It's like being back in the old days."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:40

"Fellow Brether?" Ranjan asked curtly, breathing heavily and with his mouth like a man after a good run.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:40

"No, I was going the other way. Grab it heavier, hammer harder."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:41

"Ah, soldier. You're not much use," Ranjan threw the accusation, still ready to continue the fight with the Redeemers.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:41

"I told you, we're with her," Cadfal reminded him. - Not with you. If she'd stood up for you, we'd have covered for her, and we'd have covered for you, too. But if she didn't, no offense."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:44

"Ranjan pondered for a couple of moments on what he heard and suddenly lowered his sword with the words:"

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:44

"Fair."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:47

He wiped his blade on the cloak of one of the slain, asking in passing:

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:47

"What's up ahead?"

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:48

"You can't go through there anymore," the redeemer reported laconically.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:48

"Everyone's turned?" Brether didn't seem surprised or upset by the collective betrayal of the hired professionals.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:49

"You made a mistake with the lamp," Cadfal said, peacefully looking at the club. "But I think they crack you before that."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:53

Elena realized that she was pressed tightly against the crumbled wall, feeling the hardwood of the chest against her back. Her brother's words made no sense to her, but the Brether seemed to understand.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:53

"For whom are they now?"

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:54

"For themselves. Kill you, resell the stuff."

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:18

Ranjan reprimanded, laconic and tired.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:54

"They're the best of the best," he grumbled angrily.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 19:59

"The harsh truth of life," Cadfal said. "The others were even worse. They could have all rushed in at once. It would have been harder."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:00

Elena struggled to get away from the wall and thought it would be a good idea to calm the boy down.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:00

"I see," Ranjan bowed his head, cocking his head sideways like a boar about to lunge. "Well, I'll find them all. The world is small.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:01

The stingy promise, devoid of pretentiousness and loud words, smelled of the grave, but Brether's thoughts had already turned to something else.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:01

"Does it make sense to break through? Did you thin them out enough?

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:02

"Not really. Two in the ground. The rest of them have a lot to think about and do. But the prison is being raided," said the redeemer in short phrases, still puffing heavily. "They are smashing it with a passion!"

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:20

"Who?"

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:02

"God knows. But they're well organized, acting according to plan and command. Apparently, someone wants to make sure no bandit gets out. There's no way through."

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:22

"Neither forward nor backward," Rapist said thoughtfully, running his fingertips along the blade of the spearhead.

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:22

"Are you with us?" Brether asked curtly, lowering his sword.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:03

"We're with her," Cadfal's blood and brain-stained baton pointed at Elena.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:04

The woman, meanwhile, squatted down, trying to comfort the boy. Elena had no idea how to comfort children who were frightened to death under such circumstances, but she did her best. It didn't work well, the child looked at the dead people with widened eyes and remained silent.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:04

"Hel," Ranjan said softly. "Hel!" He repeated louder when he saw that the woman didn't hear, absorbed in her care for the child.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:05

Elena turned to him in silence.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:05

"There is no way out," the Brether said gloomily. "There are too few of us to fight way forward or back. There is only one way out..."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:05

The thought of walking through the sticky mold, breathing air with spores of whitish nastiness, made her sick to her stomach. But the only alternative seemed to be another fight. And the companions seemed to be skeptical of the chances of success.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:06

"Where does it lead?"

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:06

"I have no idea. Anyway, away from other people's swords. We'll find out."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:07

"Give me your hand," Elena whispered to the boy. "Hold on tight and nothing will happen to you."

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:07

The boy obeyed quickly and clung to Elena's forearm like a lemur to a branch. Looking at the boy's palms, the woman thought in passing how much her hands had hardened over the past two years.....

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:08

Who are you, you scared little boy? Who'd want to drag you out of a city ready to bleed?

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:09

"Let's go," she said, heartily hoping she sounded confident.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:09

"Light it," Ranjan ordered the servant curtly. He tossed the nearly burned-out torch aside again without a word and lit the magic lamp. It was the one that, according to Cadfal, had started it all. What was so special about it? It's unclear... The lamp seemed to be old, Elena noted with the experienced eye of a man from the Wasteland that it could only shine for a couple of hours, maybe a little more. Grimal removed and discarded the copper grate, so that nothing would diminish the dead, unnaturally even light.

Camrad_RIP 22.02.24 в 20:10

Contrary to expectations, it was not difficult to walk along the side branch. For the first twenty meters, the debris of bricks interfered strongly, and then they gradually disappeared, giving way to stone slabs very precise fit to each other. It seemed as if the two tunnels had once been planned to be joined, but the work had been abandoned almost at the very end, then returned, completed, and then abandoned again.

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:25

The passage widened into something like a heavily elongated hall with a double row of columns. It looked like it had once been a warehouse. A slight draft suggested that somewhere ahead was a way out, or at least a large space. Grimal stepped carefully, holding the lamp. The bluish light picked out rusted torch hooks from the darkness, remnants of wooden poles rotted to sticky corpses. And everywhere was the familiar mold.

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:26

"Which way are we going?" Elena asked, not letting go of the boy's hand. He clung to it trustingly and stepped forward, trying to match the tall woman's wide strides. Elena couldn't figure out what she didn't like about this place. Well, besides the danger, the killing, the enemies, the pressurized dungeon, and so on.

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:27

"I have no idea," Brether snapped, but after a moment he added more politely. "Toward the mouth of the river, I think. If we're lucky..."

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:28

He either paused, having grasped some other thought, or simply did not finish the sentence, afraid to jinx it.

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:28

"This stuff doesn't even stick," Cadfal muttered. He picks up the sole and examines it. "It's like fluff!"

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:29

Elena didn't want to touch it because the substance did seem strange. It looked sticky, but it was shaggy, like the cocoon of a silkworm. As if...

Camrad_RIP 23.02.24 в 10:30