Житие Мое / Life of Mine: Глава 7

Chapter 7

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 10:32

* * *

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 10:32

Even a black one gets uncomfortable with such twists of fate, and at the thought of the spell hanging over Mihandrov, my skin itched and itched. I had almost forgotten about the backpack and the boots of my size I'd gotten by miracle, and they were a hideous bright orange color. I had to pretend it was the right thing to do and buy a jersey of the same color. I looked like a semaphore.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 13:46

I thought again about the possibility of escape, but Lucik would have to be dragged, and the people around him might misinterpret it, and where could be safer than next to a black mage? And we'll use a zombie dog as a guard to surprise the maniac.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 13:47

In the evening at the boarding house, I tried to pack in my backpack food for three people, socks, a blanket, an exorcist's camping kit (now I can't go anywhere without it), plus a canister of drinking water. Cussing quietly, but scary. And there will be a tent... However, I can brush it off. I will say that the sensations will not be the same. The sky, the stars, romance! The idea of camping didn't seem so brilliant anymore, but it was too late to retreat, besides I needed free time, and how to get it in any other way, I didn't realize. As a last resort, I took my uncle's rosary beads with a couple of student curses.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 13:50

So we go: me, all wise and prudent, with a bamboo mop handle (like a staff, yes) and two white ones jumping with excitement. Well, they didn't have long to jump...

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:17

I'll be honest. I didn't plan the route. Why should I? According to Lieutenant Clarence's map, the terrain in all directions from the lake was exactly the same - hills, followed by steppe, and so for seven days journey in all directions. We got out of the boarding school through a fallen section of fence (which was supposed to be the perimeter of defense) and walked in a generally westward direction. The type of vegetation changed quickly and drastically: instead of the lush green of the park, we were surrounded by gullies, dried grasses, and weeds. The smell was different, even the sensation of the air touching our skin. The wildness of the landscape awakened some ancient instinct that made us tread more carefully and observe silence; the whites were silent, but their excitement sparkled around them. New impressions are good for children's bodies!

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:18

I was trying to track the moment when we would go beyond the notorious backlash (Clarence had said it was impossible not to notice it). I wanted to see how it was distributed over the terrain. The perimeters were clear: they followed the line of the signs, but the shields behaved differently - in two directions, along the axis, up to the limit of power. And in black magic, spells of this type existed only as long as the energy of the Source was pumped into them, that is, only in the presence of the sorcerer. As far as I understood, white spells acted differently: they created a kind of distortion of the structure of reality, the time of existence of which depended not so much on the invested energy as on the resistance of nature. An experienced magician could make his creation so natural that its influence would be felt for centuries (the black section of the theory didn't even have formulas for such a case), but it was the change in the environment that made the result of the sorcery so ambiguous.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:21

The attempt to describe the situation in familiar terms made me squirm. It would seem both were magic and yet I couldn't understand it! But, logically speaking, if there is a shield and there is a shadow from the shield, then somewhere in the middle must be the pentagram that created them. If we can find anything that resembles it, we'll be guaranteed the arrival of the Cleaners. All that remains is to figure out where the middle of this thing is...

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:24

Three hours into the trip, and after two rest stops, the kids were visibly waning.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:24

"Keep going, guys. It's not much left!"

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:25

The terrain sagged hollows, dry weeds were replaced by green grass, and rabbit holes began to appear underfoot. Everything said that there was water ahead. This meant that tea was not to be spared, and the feet could be washed after walking, which was very relaxing. By the moment when the surface of the liquid lake shone ahead, the children were ripe, and I had to set up the camp in silence and proud solitude - the whites fell asleep, barely touching the ground.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:29

Aren't I a genius? No running, no fuss, no energy. Tonight, we have dinner and a good night's sleep, and tomorrow we go back. The next day is a day off. And no bloody jumping rope.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 14:27

The next thing I found out, I had an outrageously bad attitude toward children. I'd been sent to help people, and I'd spent a week scratching my belly and playing horsey. Great, so we're out of the area of distorted reality. It's just a pity Rustle forgot I don't care about his opinion. Imagine a comedy: an otherworldly being criticizing a black mage for being a slacker. One could agree with him, assuming I was going to work on the holiday. The local Watchdogs had ten years to figure it all out, but no, one poor student has to work for the whole office, ha!

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:56

By evening the guys had revived just enough to eat porridge, watch the sunset, say "ah!" and get into their sleeping bags. Sweet. As a final touch, I put a mosquito repellent amulet around Petrik's neck (or else by the end of the hike, my whites would look like leopards) and climbed under the blanket. The coals of the fire smoldered in a neat hole, and the insects did not dare to fly up to me (a very correct position). The zombie dog was guarding the distant borders, and, in general, life was successful.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:00

I realized for the first time I didn't regret becoming a mage. It gave me a certain freedom, a certainty about the future. It was silly to have the Power and not wield it, wasn't it? Now I could forget about everything and wander the vastness of Ingernika without fear of loneliness and darkness, without worrying about funds...

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:01

The disgruntled Rustle intervened again. I was bored without him. He told me that all my reflections were nonsense. According to him, it was time for me not to entertain the kids but to do it myself, and if I was going to sleep in nature, then with a curved chick and in the same sleeping bag.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:03

It was with some amazement I realized the undead was interested in sex. He, you know, misses the feeling. That's just creepy! Get out, you filthy animal!

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:03

Rustle, gloating, made it clear that at such a time and place - at night, in front of a regular campfire - I had no reason to show off.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:06

Then I will confess to necromancy and end my life in the electric chair!!!!

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:04

Rustle retreated frightened, retreating into the inaccessible depths of the mind, indignantly broadcasting lewd images. God, where had he gotten that from? Quater is an amateur, but he does not keep such things in his house... So many people are afraid of this creature to the point of hiccups, and it only has vulgarity on its mind! What am I supposed to do when I do get a chick, sleep in threes?

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:09

At night I dreamed of a Rustle in a jar. I remember the jar clearly, but I can't remember how I put him in it.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:10

Needless to say, my whites returned to the boarding school as heroes. Tired, happy, with pockets full of all sorts of trash (pebbles, dead beetles, last year's snake skins), they saw a real fox and found an eagle feather (I said eagle feather). Back we went slower, but without long breaks, so we were there before lunchtime. As we walked, I lied inspiringly about King's Island, about my job at the Watchdog's office, about the evil boss (finally!) who was a real black mage, about the great life in Redstone, which was only unlucky with the weather, and the kids sympathetically groaned and asked hundreds of meaningless questions. We purposely made a detour to enter through the main gate, and I handed the kids into Fox's arms and breathed a sigh of relief. They'd have enough to talk about for a week!

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:12

"You've stirred up the whole school," said Mrs. Hemul, but she did not look displeased.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:10

There's more to come!

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:15

"You better fix the fence; a few sections in the back have toppled over," I advised cordially. "You'd have to close the perimeter, and it wouldn't work."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:12

She thanked me profusely. Luchik organized a rally in the square, and even the high school students came. Fox took Petrik to wash up, and I thought about going to bed, but I went to town. It was time to do something the kids didn't need to know about. Let's do something nice for Rustle!

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:16

The lieutenant was found in an office. The enterprising magician was drawing propaganda posters based on illustrations in Krowhardian brochures. It was even more impressive than the original. And what is characteristic: no kickback is taken by someone like him.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:18

"Office, get ready!" I announced on the doorstep. "Let's go collect evidence."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:24

He scurried around the office like a scared rabbit.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:24

"Freeze! Do you have a cart in mind? We can't take your car. It's de-masking us."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:25

"My nephew has a two-wheeler."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:26

"It's okay! Pick it up, and let's go."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:19

A horse is not an automobile; it takes half an hour to harness it. By the time the disgruntled Alfred returned with the carriage, Clarence had stuffed his suitcase with an entire traveling laboratory, from a magnifying glass to a spork, and the purpose of half of it was a mystery to me. We climbed into the seat and pretended that it was normal for a black man, filthy after a two-day hike, and a respected authority figure to go somewhere together on business.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:20

"We need to get to the boarding school from the park. Can we do that?"

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:27

"There's no road there, but I'll give it a try."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:27

The crooked road had hardly passed the hills surrounding the lake, bent in a steep loop, and disappeared in the middle of a clear field, and then all hope was only in the strength of the axle. The two-horse bounced on bumps, skulked between thorn bushes, and blindly struck some holes and stones hidden in the grass. I held the suitcase in my lap, trying to absorb the shocks and blows, not out of altruism - otherwise, I would have had to steer the horse.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:29

"How much farther?" Clarence asked through gritted teeth.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 19:28

"My partner's gonna meet us."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:47

"What?"

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:47

"Go on!"

Camrad_RIP 14.07.23 в 10:00

The horse was the first to recognize the zombie's approach - it began to snort alarmingly and lurch from side to side.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:48

"That's it, we're here! Tie up the animal. We'll walk the rest of the way."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:51

"Why don't you tell me what's going on?" The white one grumbled unhappily after I returned the suitcase to him.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:52

I sighed and tried to convey to the provincial policeman the ingenious simplicity of my plan.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:43

"I'll explain once: from this side of the lake, the transition to the rollback zone is very abrupt - we came to the terrain of quite normal appearance in three hours. I mean - wildlife, birds of prey, blood-sucking insects. From the railroad side, this transition is almost undetectable. Take my word for it. Hence the moral: the pentagram that created the shield was somewhere around here."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:46

"We should have taken more people on the search." If a white one starts snapping at you, it means he is in a state of extreme irritation.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:32

"Don't be afraid, Chief! My partner's already had a look around."

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:15

Clarence wasn't convinced by my words.

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:01

Max appeared from behind the bushes silently, and the long grace of his movements made me want to turn around and run away. You can't hide your nature! The fact that under the shaggy brown hair hides a monster was not visible but felt. And the thorns, thorns in the fur coat, mother dear! White squinted warily and unconsciously rubbed his palm against the pocket of his jacket. Probably he had some amulet there. However, was there any point in hiding from him? We're all in the same boat. That's a fact. I called Max over and introduced him to the lieutenant:

Camrad_RIP 12.07.23 в 18:15