Селеста / Сelesta: Глава 18

Chapter 18

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 07:37

The awakening was instantaneous. She had just been lying there, falling into a deep, heavy sleep when suddenly her consciousness was suddenly switched on and began to assess the incoming information. Her body was overflowing with energy, and Celest found it hard to hold still, suppressing with an effort of will the urge to jump up and take action. To do anything but sit still.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:31

"Are you sure Messena will come to her senses?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:32

Latham's voice. Worried about his mistress, as always.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:38

"I think so," Hustin answered. "I can't say exactly how long. I'm more worried about what happens to her afterward. What did she have to pay to win?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:39

There were no other risens or people nearby, so Celesta opened her eyes. She smiled as she looked at the heads of her comrades-in-arms bent over her. They had retreated half a step for some reason.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:40

"We'll deal with the payment issue later, Hustin," she informed her court mage. "Although, just in case, check my aura for extraneous changes. Latham, report."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:41

"We're on level three, ten minutes' walk from the scene of the fight," the bodyguard answered instantly. "It's been an hour. The square had been ravaged, with priests and mages now scurrying about, taking some measurements. Two adversaries are dead, one was captured, and the leader you fought with has disappeared. All captured strangers are now interrogated by Zervan. My squad is here, waiting for instructions."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:42

In the distance came screams of pain and the cracking of broken bones. Celesta rose easily to her feet, noting in passing the incredible lightness and plasticity of her body, and glided down the aisle in a dancing, blurred motion. It was hard to get out of the way.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:43

"Do any of the people know about the results of the fight?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:43

"We didn't tell anyone, Messena. Not even ours."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:44

"Perfect."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:44

Zervan, who up to that moment had been purposefully turning his former foe into a well-chopped piece of meat, moved fidgetily back against the wall when Mistress appeared. Apparently, the demons' appearance had shaken his ultra-resilient psyche after all, for he'd never before been so visibly disturbed in her presence. Not even on his worst days, after a severe battering. Celesta walked over to the stump nailed to the wall with steel crutches, ran her finger across his bloody cheek, and asked aloud:

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:49

"Did he say where are the others?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:49

"Yes, Mistress," Zervan nodded. He stared at the scorched mark left by the touch of the slender maiden's hand on the risen's flesh. "There are eight of them left, just as we thought. But I'm sure there were people helping them."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:50

The vampiress thought for a moment.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:50

"Mortals aren't that important. I can't allow any of Carlon's disciples to escape from Taleya, which is exactly what will happen if we delay and don't catch them right away."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:51

"Shall we send for Calderan?" Latham suggested. "His help might come in handy."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 09:51

The people and even some of the rebels thought the renegade had left the city for the north. Allegedly, the approach of the former chief frightened him so much that he could not stand it and ran away again. In reality, Celesta simply didn't want to show him to her superiors - who knows what the "spiders" would think? Lately, they've been acting out of ideological rather than rational considerations

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 14:08

"No. First, we don't have much time. Second, he didn't mention anyone close to him in his stories, and third, I may be making a mistake in letting him live. We must destroy everyone with whom the mad priest may have shared his knowledge. It is too dangerous." The Mistress did not so much chuckle as she grinned. "Carlon was very good at persuasion. I can't risk it, and I intend to destroy all the bearers of his faith."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 14:11

Hustin had not uttered a word since she had awakened. The mage studied the processes going on in his mistress with enthusiasm, and, judging by the occasional curses that broke through his teeth, wished only that the object of his scrutiny would remain in one place for as long as possible. He remarked, however:

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 17:57

"The Element of Darkness is being studied at the Academy. I can't say that they are successful, but there are some results."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 17:59

"Academics do not seek to destroy humanity and to make room for a new race. What about Vantal?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:13

"His right arm was torn out, Messena," Latham answered, grimacing. "The leader of those four was unexpectedly strong."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:14

Vantal will have to heal for at least a year - it's very difficult to grow bones. Considering who stood up to them, the loss is acceptable. But what to do now? The remaining outsiders must be dealt with as quickly as possible before they try to flee the city. She would not send her guardsmen into battle now- vampires need their rest, too, if only to heal their wounds. Use Zervan's gang? She could, but it would be a waste. They are also a resource, even if they are not of very high quality. To draw people in? Absolutely no desire to share the victory, especially with the temple people. They will surely find a way to take credit forom the risens, and make them look bad. However, there seems to be a suitable option.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:27

"It will be dawn in half an hour... Latham, are you still in touch with the captains of the Hunters?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:37

"Of course, Messena. They are dissatisfied with the conditions offered by the Templars and are eager to make contact."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:39

"Immediately inform them of the place where the servants of Carlon are staying, promise them a generous reward, and you can give them the plan of the tunnels in that section. If they hurry, they'll be ready before noon. We'll keep an eye on the catacombs."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:51

The bodyguard immediately went off to organize a cleanup. The other could be said to have run away, but Latham managed to move with majestic grace and very fast at the same time. An iron psyche. He had just witnessed an event comparable to the battles described in the old legends (with the general weakening of magic, of course), and he hadn't blinked an eye. A unique hybrid of childhood instilled face control, fatalism, and faith in his diminutive mistress.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:51

The undead couldn't do anything against the mortals. Again.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:52

You can be strong, smart, lucky, or all together. You can get out of hundreds of messes. You can live for hundreds of years, inspiring fear and becoming more experienced with each passing year. Kudos and praise to you. But remember - the minute you allowed yourself to neglect your opponent and forget caution, you lost. "Graves are full of people who thought they were invincible." The outsiders had forgotten this rule. They despised what they thought were inferior creatures, and they paid the price for it.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 18:53

To be fair, the hunters should be commended for coping brilliantly with the order proposed to them. Of the eight risens, only two managed to escape into the narrow passageways of the catacombs, able to cope with the effects of afternoon sleep and not to rush into a hopeless fight. The rest could not control their instincts and began to charge at the hunters, this time with flying colors. The mortals were too well prepared and had sufficient skill, acquired through decades of practice. Hunters were well versed in the habits of any undead, knew their strengths and weaknesses, passed down recipes for poisons or stimulants from generation to generation, and did not shy away from using artifacts. Occasionally, very rarely, there were wizards among them who made good use of the particles of knowledge they found. In short, the Carlon afterbirths stood no chance, and the fugitives who had broken through the cordon were finished off by the Taleya vampires.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:06

Celesta ordered that no prisoners be taken.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:06

Moments of total triumph have a vile tendency to end in trouble. The ancient Romans noted this, who used to put an evil-speaking slave in the chariot of the triumphant, a reminder of the windiness of people's love. Everything seemed fine: Carlon was dead! The crisis is over at last! Medea will now forget her bouts of depression and return to her usual laughably exalted state! It was probably the hardest thing to see her friend depressed, so the first thing Celesta did was tell her the good news.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:08

"Medea, do you hear me?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:08

"You're alive!" The force of the mental response rang in my head. "They didn't catch you?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:45

Medea's emotions were literally overwhelming her, and she was not able to remove herself from them at once.

Camrad_RIP 05.06.22 в 19:36

"Don't be silent! Answer me!"

Camrad_RIP 05.06.22 в 19:36

"Calm down, it's hard for me to keep a connection!"

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 05:58

"I'm sorry, there's nothing reflective in here," said the noun sister a little less forcefully. "And they won't let me out of my room. How are you?"

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 05:59

"We killed Carlon and all his scum!"

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 05:59

Celesta herself was amazed at the sheer animal pleasure with which she reported her victory. It seemed that deep down inside she was not as calm as she thought she was. The fear of the priest was ingrained, habitual, and invisible, and only now that it was gone could she feel it.

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 06:02

"Really?! Is he really dead?" Judging by the coming emotions, Medea was desperate and at the same time afraid to believe the happy news. "Are you sure?"

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 06:02

"Believe me, I finished him off very well," Mistress of Taleya assured me with grim humor. "There weren't even any ashes left."

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 06:03

After a long silence, Medea spoke out with an unspeakable bouquet of emotions:

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 06:04

"Thank the gods. You have no idea how happy I am."

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 06:04

"Well, why, I, too, had a huge stone lifted from my heart. Can you imagine, now that's it! We'll never hear about him again!"

Camrad_RIP 06.06.22 в 06:05

"Tell me, how did you deal with him?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:45

"It's too long, and I don't have much energy left. Come to my place in the Third Dungeon, and we'll talk there in detail."

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 20:00

Her friend was silent again for a long time.

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:45