Сломанные крылья Серебра / The Broken Wings of Silver: 6

Shikuno, Ristol City -- Tessa Sublunar, Silver 4th Rank
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Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:23

The young girl dropped tiredly into a chair and, barely hiding her irritation, threw a couple of sugar cubes into her mug of tea. Disappointment, that's what she felt now. Usually, the Dance brought enlightenment and gave new ideas, but this time, even after dancing until she collapsed, she felt nothing. Maybe it was her barely flickering Spark, or it was because the Dance helped to choose from already visible paths, and so far, she had only seen dead ends? Both of these options were equally likely.

Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:24

Having stretched her slender legs and taken her mug, Tessa got up from the chair, went to the window, and sat on the windowsill. She loved to sit like this, with her knees drawn up and her cheek pressed against them, looking out onto the street, especially if, like now, it was pouring rain.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:19

All her searches have been in vain so far. She has found nothing. Neither in the region, nor in her city, nothing at all. Besides, as soon as she weakened, problems with the city's governance began to appear. The vassals felt the weakness of the Mistress, no, they did not allow themselves anything inappropriate, but that was for now... The weak cannot rule. Such is the immutable law of this world. If it were not for the faithful Churef, who voluntarily became her vassal and guard for two centuries now, who knows, maybe there would have been some brave souls among the small Masters who would have claimed their rights to Ristol.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:20

She needs to recover, to gather strength, but instead she prowls the countryside like a hunting dog that has lost its scent. Instead of at least looking strong, she runs around like a very small and ignorant spirit, causing more fuss than achieving results.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:20

And the cherry on the cake. The issue with the High School of Ristol. The main treasure of her city, after the death of Elir, is now left almost unattended. Because Orolius cannot be called the caretaker of such a valuable place, because despite his third rank, he is only a Lower Red, it is hardly possible to call him intelligent. What kind of caretaker is he...

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:21

The worst thing is that Tessa didn't have a worthy replacement for Elir. Putting a Black as the school caretaker would ensure order, but at the same time reduce the Tribute, because the Black cannot reap the harvest among schoolchildren as effectively as Silver. And there were no other higher spirits in her city except the Blacks...

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:23

Other Silver ones preferred to serve more powerful overlords. Steel does not give vassal oaths. Pale ones, they do not serve anyone at all. She herself will not let the Bloody Ones into her city, they are more trouble than they are worth. It is sickening to even think about other higher ones...

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:38

And she can't give up her search for Power now. She is Silver, and she feels with all her being that she is right and Power is near. And like a gambler who has already bet a lot and lost, Sublunar made increasingly crazy bets, hoping not only to win back but also to hit the jackpot.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:39

Once again, her thoughts made a spiral and returned to the Gray Giant. His image and the Source looming behind him had become a fetish for the Silver Maiden in recent days. This time, the spiral of thoughts went a little further than before. Perhaps the dance helped after all, because it is not for nothing that they say "in the Dance is the Power of Silver and its Authority."

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:40

Over the last few days, she had become firmly convinced that Gray had received his power almost instantly. This was the only way to explain why no patrolman in her city or the surrounding area had noticed the Giant before. This happens when a spirit receives a lot of Power at once. A lot. Then it pupates, stops growing, rebuilds its aura to suit its new capabilities, and then changes at once. For Silver, Steel, Black, or other higher beings, this would have resulted in a sharp jump in rank, but for such a lowly creature as a slug, it simply resulted in an increase in size and astral Power, without changing the quality of the aura.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:42

This could have happened if Gray had found a small fragment of the Elder Spark and eaten it right away. This thought almost physically hurt Tess, such a talentless waste of a priceless artifact! But then she remembered that the slug did not reveal his secret even before his death, and shouted, "I will not give it up!" And since he was protecting something, this "something" still existed, and did not disappear without a trace, eaten by one of the lower ones.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:43

Having finished her tea, the girl tousled her hair and pressed her forehead against the cool window glass.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:43

If this was not a Spark Shard, she knew of only two more ways for a spirit to gain a lot of Power at once, in one go. The first was to devour a Gifted human soul. However, the maiden sincerely doubted that a lower one could do this. She had never met a Gifted, and had never seen anyone who had met one. According to the stories of her former master, the last Mage of the human race appeared more than three thousand years ago. And then this Mage destroyed almost all the spirits of the not small country of Dorira, which is in the southern hemisphere, before he was stopped by the united armies of the three first-ranked Higher ones. That is, eating a Gifted is not such an easy task that some slug could handle it.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:45

But there was a second option, which she accidentally learned about. A powerful surge of Power can occur during the initiation of a Gifted. If some spirit is nearby, it will be able to absorb the Power of his Gift while it has not yet been fully revealed. While the Gift is just being born, it cannot protect either itself or the soul of its owner. The chance that one of the spirits will be near the initiate is one in a trillion. But, apparently, that is what happened. If we discard all the impossible, then the most incredible will be the truth. Tessa does not know any other way to get Power so quickly. And that means that is how it was.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:50

Some small Gray got lucky and found himself next to the awakening Gifted, so close that he was able to start devouring him at the moment when he was completely defenseless and could not fight back.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:51

This conclusion gave Tess hope. If the slug fought for what gave him strength, then that Gifted One was alive. Yes, after his initiation was "broken", his Power was tens of times less, but even this fragment would be enough for her not only to regain her former power, but also to rise at least a rank, or even two!

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:51

In anticipation of a guess, the girl jumped off the windowsill and began to walk around the room.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:52

Tess concentrated and ran the logical chain through her head:

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:53

A certain small Gray accidentally witnesses the initiation of the Gifted.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:53

This initiation most likely takes place somewhere far away, where there are few other spirits, because otherwise it is difficult to explain that no one except that Gray noticed a Flash of such power.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:53

The slug, by its nature, generally eats everything it comes across, and here is such a treasure trove of food! Of course, it did not pass by, and he rushed to the feast. But most likely, there was so much food that the slug almost burst. Having eaten as much as it could, it pupated.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:54

Stop. No. First, he doused the Gifted with his slime to continue to draw strength from his victim. This slime not only nourishes its host, but also soaks into the astral component, dimming the light of the aura, and then it is almost impossible to see it unless you look specifically and know that it is there. And only then did he pupate. Yes, most likely, that is how it was.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:56

But she found this Gray in her city, which means that the Gifted survived and moved from his "backwater" to Ristol. Wait, it doesn't add up. No matter how stupid and primitive the slug was, he would never leave such delicious food unattended. Because even if he ate everyone in Ristol High School, it wouldn't give even a percent of what he got from Spark with Gift! And anyway, why was Gray on school grounds at night? It would be more logical for him to be near his main victim.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:56

Something was wrong here, but Tessa felt she was on the right track; she was just not noticing something, missing something obvious.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:57

Standing still in the center of the room, the Silver Maiden rose on her toes, spread her arms out to the sides, and performed a pirouette. Outlining an almost perfect circle in the air with the toe of her left foot.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 10:57

Circle...

Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:25

Circle?

Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:25

Circle!

Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:25

That's it! That's why Gray left his food. He was simply not allowed to get to it! Apparently, the Gifted One settled in the Four Alleys area, in one of the houses protected by spherical lichens. And of course, the brownie didn't let the slug on the threshold. After all, these furry spirits have plenty of strength when they protect their home.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:07

The longer Silver thought about it, the more she came to the conclusion that this was exactly how it had been.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:08

The Gift awakens, the Gray attacks, and the slime-shrouded Gifted moves to Ristol. Then, the Gifted spends the night in the house under the protection of the Green, and the slime crawls to the school, where it kills Elir and is killed by Tess's sword.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:08

A chain of events that could have happened. There's just one discrepancy... Why did the slug crawl into the school at night? There's no food there at that time of day. What was he doing there?

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:09

Having brewed a new teapot, Silver Maiden climbed onto the windowsill again.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:09

What was Gray doing on school grounds at night? She thought about this question from different angles until she came to what seemed to her the most logical conclusion. Gray was at the school because he was waiting for his treasure there. And he was waiting there because he was sure his victim would definitely come there. And that meant...

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:10

If we remember that:

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:10

A new school year has recently begun.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:10

Ristol High School is the only one not only in the city, but also in the entire region.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:11

According to legends, the Gift awakens in humans at about sixteen years of age.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:11

Many parents, sending their children to high school, rent them rooms and apartments in the Four Alleys area...

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:11

There can be only one conclusion...

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:12

Gifted - a student from the provinces, a first-year student, who only entered high school this year!

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:12

Apparently, the slug devoured him pretty much, and the Spark barely flickers, and does not shine like a hundred stars, attracting all the spirits for thousands of kilometers around. And while his Gift has not been restored, she can find him. Find and devour him! Of course, it would be more profitable not to eat him right away, but to milk him for many years, so the benefit would be many times greater. But who will give it to her, who will allow some four-rank to own such a treasure as a Gifted with a smoldering, not flaming Gift? The Gift that does not burn, but is suitable for food?! No one!!! They will immediately kill her and take away such a treasure. So, the choice is simple: find and immediately devour, restore, and rise a couple of ranks. After which it will be possible to change this backwater for something more befitting of the mistress of Silver of the second rank!

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:17

If someone had looked into the window of her apartment, they would never have guessed that the young girl twirling in a carefree dance only looked sixteen years old.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:18

She will solve two problems at once! She will continue the search and take control of the high school. Yes, this will make the city less protected from the lower creatures, but she will strengthen the patrols, and the balance will last for some time without her participation.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:18

How will she do it? Very simple! She will enroll in the school herself under the guise of a new student. To do this, she will have to change her identity, pull some levers, and take care of the documents, but it is possible.

Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:57

The Silver Maiden sang and laughed, anticipating her imminent ascension. She was still very young by the standards of spirits, young and did not know that the world had once been much richer and more diverse. She had no idea that the Gifts of Man could be completely different from the Gift of Magic. That something more ancient than Magic had come into the world. What people like her had destroyed seemed irrevocable. Destroyed without even thinking that they were killing themselves, it was just that this destruction was so drawn out over time that it was almost unnoticeable...

Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:27

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Shikuno, Ristol City - Dan Lier, the human being
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Camrad_RIP 21.05.25 в 20:26

" No stretching!" Master Lancer's yell made Fargo pick up the pace.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:27

Today's class started strangely. After we changed into our robes, the teacher threw us outside, and we were ordered to run after the master. It didn't look like a normal jog before sparring, as we didn't wear any protection this time. I was even more surprised when our small group ran out of the school gates and headed down one of the central alleys to the west side of town.

Camrad_RIP 22.05.25 в 11:28