Селеста / Сelesta: Глава 8

Chapter 8

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 13:05

To the inexperienced eye, the outer ring of guards served carefully. The five main roads leading into the port were controlled by large groups of thirty men each, housed in lonely buildings that had been turned into small forts. Enough force to withstand the simultaneous onslaught of three or four large gangs or packs of Darkness scum. Sentries, and patrols pulled up if necessary, doubling the number of besieged, then the main Duke's troops came up. Initially, the ruler of the city had about two hundred swordsmen at his disposal, but after successful actions against large gangs and thanks to his outstanding diplomatic talent, he managed to enlist almost eight hundred more men. Eight hundred men with weapons and a willingness to use them. A tremendous force in today's world. And a force active, well-organized, with distinct and clear goals, ready for expansion.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 13:36

Bypassing the guards, Celeste estimated, was possible. Long observation and questioning brought the desired result. She was able to find several passageways that had been overlooked by the watchers. Somewhere an ordinary person simply could not pass, somewhere there was a mix-up due to unclear delineation of patrol boundaries of different squads, in one place the lazy sergeant badly followed his subordinates. In short, there are holes in the fence. We even managed to find a few convenient hiding places inside the outer perimeter, where we could wait out a day or two. It was not possible to explore the discovered routes for a long time, hunger began to pester, and the ghouls did not dare to hunt the soldiers.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 13:37

The question is what to do next. Disregarding the usual threats like the sun and the strongest day's sleep, every patrol encountered has the right to check the tag, confirming a person's belonging to the duke's subjects and his right to stay in this particular territory. There are tags and different tags, but they may also want to escort a lonely girl to "home". No, the documents must be as plausible as possible.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 13:49

The system was somewhat nostalgically reminiscent of the Soviet Union through the eyes of Western filmmakers. Patrols, bans, regulation of movement, mutual surveillance... Of course, control was not total, the bureaucratic apparatus was also unexpectedly small. The authorities kept a close eye on the careful accounting of resources - hence their strange policy. At first, the severity of the local order was striking, but later the strangeness found an explanation. The common man had nowhere to go. Outside the Duke's land, gangs of bandits rule ghouls, creatures of terrible nightmares attack creatures with hot blood. In other cities the situation is much worse, it makes no sense to move into them, and it is dangerous. The choice is simple: either you play by the established rules, or risk your skin. A very great risk. Most people preferred to agree and live in relative peace.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 13:52

Richard was naturally surprised and upset when Celesta refused to comply with his request. He sincerely believed that the ghouls had no problem killing five or ten warriors, thereby weakening his rival gang. The bandleader tried to hide his emotions, but the change in tone of voice and facial expression failed him. He was still more astonished at the reason for the refusal. The diminutive little ghoul had merely spoken of some urgent business. She snorted merrily, "Don't you think you're the only one we do business with?" She quoted him a price tag: ten dinars for delivery within the city, extra for escorting a man, twenty for gathering information on a particular target. The most expensive work was at the port and the warehouses, but Celeste was willing to visit those places, too, if she had good papers.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 13:58

Andrew, brought up by generations of earthly politicians, clearly learned: the bigger the lie, the easier it is to believe. So he bluffed without remorse.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:00

As soon as Richard heard that for a relatively small sum the bloodsucker was willing to lead the porters past the posts, he immediately imagined the benefits to be had. Now the bandit leader had either to buy weapons and food at official rip-off prices or share with the officers of the patrols and officials. In both cases, the bandit's coffers remained empty. Attempts to bypass the "customs" did not bring any success: the guards had orders to immediately shoot to kill at the sight of intruders in the border area. And here was a real opportunity to cut costs!

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:02

"Can you get my people through?"

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:03

"How much and when?" The girl shrugged her shoulders slightly. She rarely moved at all, preferring to remain frighteningly still.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:04

"Well, three, in two days," Richard estimated.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:05

"I'll guide you through the posts or back. Inside the port, it's up to you. Terms - do not argue, follow all orders at once and silently. Ten dinirs. Yes, I'll wrap myself in a cloak and hide my face. You know there's no need to talk about who I am."

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:27

Medea stayed at the base. The undead had a peculiar division of labor, which so far suited both of them. Celesta went far from home, keeping an eye on people, getting involved in all sorts of adventures. She slept in odd places and fed on captured rats and cats, trying not to attract the attention of the villagers. In the meantime, she scouted out the nooks where she could wait out a bright day and, if necessary, stay for a long time. Then she was succeeded by Medea, who explored the territory more thoroughly, at the same time looking for various useful things in the basements of stores and other buildings. She set up the temporary dwellings, made them as comfortable as possible, and made sure that there were not too many people in the vicinity.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:34

No matter how hard the girls tried, they could not hide their presence for long. In the end, word spread among the bandits about the brazen ghouls who had gotten very close to the surviving part of the city. Rumors were unsure, though, for the attackers had behaved uncharacteristically and left no corpses behind. Still, they had to change hunting grounds and move to the very border of the explored land, to risk their skin at a time when life was just beginning to get better, friends were not going to. "Moving" was carried out in one night - just packed the most valuable things in a bale, jammed the door to the old house with a bent iron crowbar, and went to a pre-arranged place. Not as comfortable as the old one, but closer to Richard's territory.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:36

Naturally, the bandit was not informed about the unexpected neighborhood.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:36

However, the bandit was more interested in the deal he was about to make, and he did not watch the state of his possessions so closely. Dumping the internal affairs on his assistants, he went to the city and talked with the right people, offering and buying up a shipment of goods at a very favorable price. The exchange was risky and left Richard nearly bankrupt, with barely enough money left over to buy food and fuel for the coming winter. On the other hand, if the operation went well, he could hire two or three more fighters, or buy one craftsman, a slight edge over the neighboring gangs. It seems like a small thing, but it's the little things that make up real power.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 14:50

Although he really wants to play big, to get everything at once!

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 16:13

Just let the ghoul guide him, show him the way, and then he'd turn around! The dangerous creature would probably have to be killed. The bandit was not going to share his possible income with anyone. Then he could gradually stockpile weapons, to hire a couple of small gangs that prank in the Pit, to nail the neighbors ... What is he worse than Mash? He's no worse than Mash.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:23

Borak, unfortunately, did not accompany his master on this march. A faithful assistant should keep an eye on the squad, there are a couple of overly independent people there. The ones who want to be leaders themselves. Richard took the dumbest and toughest ones with him. They had to carry a lot of goods, obey the chief's commands without question, and not know that a ghoul was leading them. Then again, if Celesta lied or the guards noticed, let the "meat" cover the flight of the commander. Better sacrifice those who do not feel pity.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:30

Now the three were sitting around a small fire, talking quietly to each other, occasionally glancing around. The dilapidated house stood out of sight and was often used for overnight stays by small groups: through narrow windows, the men controlled most of the approaches. They were waiting for a guide. The leader sat a little aside - he wanted to hear the ghoul's approach beforehand. He was angry and frightened by Celesta's ability to move about in total silence, not accustomed to feeling vulnerable. So now the light clatter of pebbles from across the street pleased Richard. Not for long.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:33

"It's just the wind." A familiar voice echoed above his ear, a cold hand preventing him from pulling his weapon from its sheath. "The houses are collapsing because the magic the architects used is gone. The properties of the materials have changed. Are you ready?"

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:34

"Yes." Richard waved to his men, rising from his seat and breaking the distance between himself and the predator. "Ready."

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:48

"Then go."

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:49

Andrew tried not to show nervousness, but with each step, the idea seemed more and more foolish. First of all, he shouldn't have frightened the man. He still hadn't recovered from the brief shock. He walked, shrugging his shoulders. Looking at the leader, the porters warily peered at the figure wrapped in his broad cloak. How much attention the extra attention would lead to, no one could say. They'd better watch their step because they stumbled and made noise and fell. Of course, when planning her route, the ghoul was mindful of human blindness, but she still hoped for more inconspicuousness. You can't help feeling like a kindergarten teacher on a walk with a brood of clumsy children. You'd have to cut a few corners to get the squad through before dawn, and you didn't want to do that - what if the guards had changed their habits and changed the location of their patrols?

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:53

They are so blind...

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 18:53

The clinking of weapons and the ghastly quality of the armor was irritating, not to mention the stench of unwashed body odor emanating from her companions. The ghoul herself wore short daggers in carefully fitted scabbards and made no sound. Long weapons require good handling skills unlike short ones, so the girls armed themselves with what they could use in combat. Besides, traveling through sewer corridors and narrow manholes with spears is uncomfortable; it's better to take something small with you.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:18

Correcting and supporting people at almost every step, Celeste stubbornly made her way through the back alleys. The city, which had become a dump, offered the knowing creature many opportunities to pass unnoticed, but it also obstructed, blocked the way. A building had collapsed at one point, blocking the narrow street, though it had looked sturdy a few nights before. The ghoul would have easily slipped over the stones and wobbly planks; now she had to leave her companions behind and look for a way around. Such delays were unnerving and made me listen more and more often to my senses, my eyes habitually searching for possible shelter.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:21

I didn't feel sleepy yet, and there was no sign of impending dawn, but if they continued to waddle like that, then... then what? There were a lot of options, and they were all rather unpleasant. The plan had originally been that they would enter the port at night, sleep during the day, collect their goods, and then, at nightfall, Celesta would lead them back out. This plan kept the bloodthirsty demon at bay and prevented her from attacking her companions, especially if she could get a rat or a stray dog. Now she might have to hunt in earnest.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:34

After weighing the pros and cons, the guide resigned herself to her fate. There was nothing to be done, it was necessary to take a risk and go down underground. This part of the route is not convenient from the point of view of safety: at the end of the road passes through a long and narrow corridor, as in a pipe. For about thirty meters the whole group will be visible, and a single crossbow bolt will pierce two or even three people at once. In the end, there is a wide area, fenced off by bars, which is convenient for shooting. All right, check my luck.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:35

The sight of the rusty hatch did not inspire enthusiasm. The bandits were sympathetic to the ban on fire, but it was too dangerous to go underground without light. Mutants, wild beasts, and crazy hermits often took up residence in holes like this, ready to bleed out their congeners who disturbed their refuge. Richard brought to order by slapping the most talkative one in the face:

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:36

"Shut up, shit. The guide's been here before, okay?! There's nobody there, got it?"

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:42

"There's something," Celesta saw fit to clarify. They'll be less frightened when they see it, so they'll know it. "There's a grass catcher at the entrance, with broad leaves. Don't mind it, it's small and doesn't attack people. In a pinch, yank your foot harder and the grass will unhook itself."

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:44

The big men continued to shuffle from foot to foot, and so the woman was the first to go down. In principle, since the Neolithic Age, the first to enter an unfamiliar cave was a woman, and in this case, we can see a peculiar continuity of generations. The woman was the first to enter the cave, and in this case, we can see a kind of generational continuity.

Camrad_RIP 05.01.22 в 19:56

The warning, predictably, did not help. The first porter to descend the creaking, rusty ladder felt a soft touch on his leg and became frightened. He yelled and began to shake his legs in a convulsive attempt to shake off the encircling vine, all the while clutching at the lintel and restraining his anxious helpers. The screams echoed through the underground catacombs, and Celeste couldn't even begin to imagine what was going on upstairs. Jumping up to the distraught porter, she struck him briefly and precisely at the base of the neck. The scream fell silent. There was silence, interrupted only by the hoarse breathing of the men and the anxious whispers coming from above:

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:21

"Meat? Meat, are you okay?"

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:22

"He should have been given another nickname," the girl said venomously. "Brainless, or Idiot would have been better. Richard, give me some light."

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:24

"But guards..."

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:24

"They heard us already. Let's run now, but let's deal with this... body."

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:25

The leader jumped down, setting an example for the others. In the light of the small light, you could see the grass slowly braiding around the motionless porter. As the men cautiously descended the ladder, Celeste cut the thickest stalks and then easily plucked its prey from the predatory plant's grasp. The trap-weed, Medea said, had been around for a long time, almost in the gray days of Taleya's founding. Some mage-experimenter had invented it. It successfully hunted small animals and insects, served as an excellent home guard against rodents, and posed almost no danger to humans. Except when a person was dead drunk or seriously injured, and the weed grew a lot. The catastrophe that had shattered the former world had only benefited the grass. Now there was no one to watch its growth, so it multiplied freely, sometimes turning into real thickets. So the man's fright was somewhat justified and understandable.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:30

Although, as the saying goes, "To understand does not mean to forgive". If Richard killed a cowardly fighter on the spot, he'd be right. The brat had endangered the whole squad. Leaving the leader to deal with the revived bandit, Celesta stepped to the surface and listened intently. No one seemed to be in the vicinity. Good news - she thought all the neighborhood patrols would be rushing to see who was screaming. Lucky for her. The deep well where the action was taking place had muffled most of the sound, and the rest had been shot skyward or extinguished in the winding labyrinths of the sewers. However, not even a ghoul's keen hearing could pick up the quiet footsteps of an experienced tracker, or just the too distant tapping of the ammunition of the fleeing soldiers. She could only hope that no one heard them, and try to get through the dangerous stretch of road more quickly. As she had planned earlier.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:36

Thankfully, now I don't have to drive people around.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:36

In the meantime, Richard scratched his fists against the muzzle of the offender - the latter did not dare to shield himself from blows - and calmed down enough to worry about further plans. His gut told him to run, too.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:37

"Celeste, what is there?" For the first time, he called the guide by her name.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:40

She jumped down easily, glanced at the battered porter, and was glad to see that her face was covered by a mask. The smell of blood in the cramped space awakened her instincts-despite her recent successful hunt, she wanted more. And more. To gulp down the spicy, brackish liquid and shiver with pleasure. She bared her fangs in a half-mad grin, and the ghoul had to tilt her head to keep the reddish glow out of her pupils. She took a few steps deep into the corridor and stopped there. Away from the source of the smell.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:40

In a certain way, it is an achievement. If she had been in a similar situation immediately after her uprisings, she probably would have given herself away.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:42

"We must go, and soon. Light a torch; it won't hurt." The guide retreated deeper into the darkness. "Hurry up. We do not have much time."

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:43

"Hurry up, you sons of bitches!" Richard roared at his subordinates. "You heard her, let's go!"

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 10:47

A piece of rag soaked in combustible liquid provided enough light, but people still stumbled and fell. Though no one complained, Celesta's pace was too hard to maintain for long. The girl deliberately ran a little ahead, wanting to be the first at the dangerous part of the road and get a good look at a possible place of ambush. While Richard and the porters were resting, she would go quietly into the corridor, hidden by shadows, and at the same time avoid unnecessary attention from the wingmen. But the difference between the husky, haggard breathing of mortals and the steady walk of the conductor would be a source of bewilderment. The bandits would be silent now, frightened by the ringleader's wrath, but the whispers would come later. Completely unnecessary whispers.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 11:00

She was not afraid to get lost. First of all, this section of the sewer had a very specific layout that made it easy to navigate, and secondly, the sagging ground blocked most of the passages. And, by the way, no one canceled the danger of falling into a new cave-in, thus increasing Celeste's desire to get out of the ground as quickly as possible. In some places she left signs to ease the way and serve as additional clues, so she confidently led the people forward.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 11:02

She had a hunch that the weary porters were about to collapse to the floor from fatigue, and the ghoul stopped running. She surmised that two-thirds of the subterranean road had been cleared. It remained to scout out one suspicious spot, successfully make it to the surface, and lead the men another five hundred meters, then the obligations could be considered fulfilled. Now she would not dare go far into the depths of the port: she knew too little about the routes of the interior patrols. While the bandits were recovering under the keen guidance of Richard, who continued to curse in a whisper, Celesta quietly moved forward along the corridor. The ringleader, by the way, was holding up well, much better than his subordinates. He wasn't lying on the ground, greedily groping for air, but listening intently for the occasional sound that came from the darkness.

Camrad_RIP 06.01.22 в 11:10