Житие Мое / Life of Mine: Глава 8

Chapter 8

Camrad_RIP 14.05.23 в 19:12

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Camrad_RIP 14.05.23 в 19:13

The infamous St. Johannes College burned hot and long.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:13

This was the second time Steamtrain had come here: two years ago, back under Larkes. The teenagers, drunk with impunity, had dismembered the youngest boy here, an uninitiated white one, and then died of an elemental curse, the first and last of the mage's life. Sixty-four of the students and servants died with them, all of whom the dying mage had managed to douse with his fury. And who said white magic was harmless?

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:15

Fire hoses poured nearly half the river onto the island, but if it were not for the needs of the investigation, Conrad Behr would have gladly let the fire frolic free. No one was willing to buy the place anyway. The college, once a privileged educational institution, had been completely abandoned, and abandoned places would sooner or later be infested with some kind of crap. True, Steambtrain never expected it to be warm-blooded this time, either.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:17

In the courtyard, flooded and trampled by firemen, the healers comforted a badly burned white man who did not want to leave and assured everyone that he had lost his soul "here, right here somewhere," and begged for help in finding it.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:18

"Another idiot has been nailed by a beam," the doctor told Steamtrain with the usual police healer cynicism. "Maybe it's even better for him."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:19

"Dragon's Tears?" The captain nodded at the casualty.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:20

"No, something like a lobotomy. I'll tell you more specifically after the examination if he survives to it."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:21

Steamtrain nodded understandingly and went inside the sooty blackened building. It smelled disgustingly of soot, water sloshing underfoot and dripping on his head.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:22

"Yours over there," the fireman waved a hand as he reeled in his tarpaulin hose.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:23

The region's senior coordinator found himself in a hall that was clearly the epicenter of the fire. The floorboards were burned through, and the only way to get around was on the flimsy bridges the firefighters had thrown over the surviving structures. Everyone's attention was focused on the mangled wreck of the surgical table, with the wizards and Mr. Satal himself crawling around on their knees, knee-deep in the blackened debris. There was an unhealthy buzz of excitement among the mages.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:24

Steamtrain came closer, expecting to see the burned remains.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:25

"Same style as last week," exhaled Satal, straightening up. "But there are differences."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:26

The captain looked at the ashes with understanding, but the black mage only grinned:

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:26

"No, it wasn't them. The Ritual of the Shackles was performed last night successfully, perhaps, because this time their victim was an initiated mage."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:27

Steamrtrai got a nasty tickle under his belly.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:27

"The sign pump held steady for eight hours, but then something happened." Satal circled his hand around the naked walls of fire. "And it wasn't done by a human. The channel is so different from normal that a mage with that Source simply wouldn't have survived the Acquisition."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:28

"Black mage," stated Steamtrain.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:29

"More of an otherworldly phenomenon. A well-matured undead, energetically saturated, confidently navigating the material world, affecting its surroundings with sparing blows without wasting energy. Possibly has a material host."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:30

Captain Ber tried to imagine such creepiness walking around his city and couldn't.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:31

"The other thing I don't understand is how those two survived. They got hurt later, and only because they didn't think to get out of the fire." Satal nodded to the expert who had dug some crumpled round thing out of the embers, "To the lab - and let me know!"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:32

"Did the weapon curse work?" With an inward shudder, the captain asked.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:32

Satal grimaced:

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:33

"Unlikely. The sign-pump disintegrated from external influence, not from the release of Source energy. The disturbance was extremely local, at least this time.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:33

Ber caught himself that he never saw the distinctive remains of a human body among the dirt:

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:34

"Where is the victim?"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:34

"Obviously came to its senses and flew off," the black one shrugged indifferently. "There were no straps here. Only the sign pump was holding it in place. Pretty thoughtless of them."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:35

"Crazy lunatics!" the captain couldn't stand it. "The third case. What are they after?"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:36

"Probably the same thing Melones would have pursued if we hadn't taken her."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:36

"Another Initiate?"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:37

"I don't think so." The coordinator almost spat on a pile of evidence but managed to restrain himself. "Sounds to me like the bitch was coaching her successor. But she didn't train him well enough. He knows what to do and how to do it, but he's not careful enough, so the first two victims died during the ritual. And they didn't explain to him how risky it was to put a pump-sign on an initiated mage. That's the result!"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:39

The coordinator took another look at the sooty walls.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:39

"And the bastard is still on the loose," Ber added grimly.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:40

"Now get to work!" Satal was furious. "Look for witnesses. He didn't fly here by air. I haven't finished yet!"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:41

The steam locomotive did not bark back, though his patience was at its limit. You can't keep getting into someone's position all the time! He's Chief of Staff of NZAMIPS, he's got four hundred men under his command, and it's not his job to coddle a punk kid, even one of the Black Mages. He's not a donkey! But none of the emotions that raged in his soul was reflected in the face of Captain Ber. He turned and silently strode toward the exit, habitually pondering the reasons for his immediate retirement. Yes, he was still five years away from a full pension, but he had already served his officer's pay, and how much did an old bachelor need? Numerous relatives will gladly accept the city uncle, and you know, you won't get bored. Steamtrain saw only one obstacle: if he left, he would completely lose the ability to influence events.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:43

A young policeman in motorcycle goggles and gloves was stomping on the college steps. When he saw the captain, he perked up and waved his arms. Not a moment's peace! Ber pushed past the firefighters rushing through the front door and walked over. The boy's face took on an embarrassed expression:

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:44

"Ahem, sir..."

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:44

Steamtrain looked under his feet and cursed in anger:

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:44

"Damn, it's all messed up here, too! What else?"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:45

The motorcyclist handed the captain an envelope, and Ber realized he still had shit ahead. What could have happened in the city that the chief of NZAMIPS had to be notified by messenger? Steamtrain took the dispatch out of the thick envelope, read it, and wished he'd been carrying poison: In full compliance with the regulations, the Instrument Control Team was notifying his superiors of a powerful burst of magical activity in the Barco Bulwark area. Were they too late after all?

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:48

"You go ahead and give this to Senior Coordinator Satal, understand?"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:48

The policeman saluted and briskly slapped on the wet floor. He didn't know what he had in his hands.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:49

As the striped squad car beeped its way through the crowd of firefighters, Steamtrain tensely pondered the situation. None of his subordinates would have guessed that behind his usual mask of calm he was diligently suppressing the urge to panic. It was not for nothing that the Artificers were hiding on the river: magical surveillance in Redstone was traditionally well established, mostly because of the presence of the university. Amulets scattered around the city were officially considered protection against the otherworldly, but they could register any fluctuation in the magical background, regardless of the nature of its origin. Every day the control team recorded several dozen small bursts, but since there were plenty of magic artifacts on the streets, no one panicked about it. Records of the place and time of the event sometimes helped with investigations, that's all. If the magicians on duty at the amulets remembered the statute, it means the case smells of a tribunal.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:54

The chauffeur drove the chiefs to Barco Boardwalk in a mere ten minutes. The chauffeur waited for signs of panic and destruction, but the street was quiet and sparsely populated, which, however, is no indicator of order in a magical attack. The sentry greeting the police cars waved, motioning for them to turn in the direction of the docks.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 11:55

The scene was calm and somewhat mundane. The investigator was questioning a group of tipsy fishermen, and the crime-scene police van was parked off to the side, which meant there were victims. The cops had strung striped tape around the big boat shed and were now chasing away the curious. Steamtrain, without stopping, went inside.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 12:14

Well, ordinary hangar. No blood on the walls, no putrid stench, no traces of fire, and no destruction, except for the destruction of an overturned barrel. And dust all around. Here, too, forensic mages were working, but of a lower class than Redston ones. One of them habitually saluted. Subordinates respected Steamtrain.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 12:17

"The sentinel amulets recorded an outburst at fourteen thirty-two, level eight, no less. At the scene, the remains of several people, of sorts. Ashes. I can't tell you exactly how many are dead yet. And something else interesting, let's go!"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 12:18

Cautiously, bypassing the rustling tassels and stacks of crates, the mage led the captain into the back room. Steamtrain whistled in surprise: there was a row of cocked crossbows ready to fire. On a long table, there were parts of three or four more that were in the process of assembly, and two opened boxes marked "hardware" gleamed with familiar details. The boards on the far wall were studded with bolts-the assembled weapons were being tested in action.

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 12:20

"Search everything," decreed the captain. "Are there enough men?"

Camrad_RIP 15.05.23 в 12:21