История Королевы Эльфов / The story of the Elf Queen: Финал-1

Sivila uncorked the cork and drank the contents of the small vial, slightly smaller than a normal glass. The high-quality stimulating alchemy spread with a pleasant warmth inside, quickly spreading throughout her body. Almost instantly, fatigue disappeared, drowsiness vanished, and clarity and vigor returned to the mind. Putting the empty vial on the table, the queen sighed sadly to herself. It was the third time in the past two days, during which she, like almost all the other participants of the operation, had not even slept a wink. Then she would have to undergo a cleansing and recuperation course, but she would have to live to see it. The magic masters and secret guard agents sitting at the table with her, equally exhausted and tired, took alchemical stimulants one by one. After stretching, Sivila shook her head and said:

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 11:12

"Well, let's summarize....."

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 11:13

* * *

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 11:13

"Lord Leonard! Lord Leonard! Open up. You've been called to an urgent meeting of the Сity Сouncil! Lord Leonard!"

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:07

The loud shout of Ludwig de Crecy, lieutenant of the Westmark City Guard, was accompanied by an equally loud knock on the front door of the luxurious four-story mansion, richly decorated with reliefs. But there was no answer. Quietly cursing, the officer cast a glance at the five subordinates and the pair of gatekeepers who let them into the mansion grounds. What the fuck?! The day was off to such a good start! At the morning formation at the main city barracks, the commander of the guards announced that starting today, his company would be on a week-long duty in the Heart of the City, as the people of Westmark called the central district. The richest and most prestigious neighborhood. Duty there was much more pleasant than in the Port or Crafts District, not to mention the Low City, which was a hotbed of crime like any other slum. An exceptionally respectable crowd, clean, orderly, decent places to rest and dine. Almost no problems or incidents. A relax, not a duty!

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:21

But about an hour before noon, everything went to shit. What had happened, Ludwig still didn't really know. No one in the whole of Westmark knew. It began with a sudden rumble that the whole town heard. It was followed immediately by the sound of an alarm bell. The town guards were immediately alerted, and everything began to stir. Ludwig, following the statute, took up the defense with his men in the central square near the town hall. At first, everyone thought the worst - a new raid by the King of the Isles. The recent devastation of Morgrave was still on everyone's minds. But it quickly became clear that the sea was clear. And trouble came from the mainland. Someone had attacked the country estate of the honorable Baron Mortimer de Ferran.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:23

It was located within sight of the fortress walls on a small hill and was well fortified and protected. It was quite reasonable if you were a wealthy man and decided to live outside the city walls. But high and strong walls, multiplied by protective magic, were not enough. The manor was literally disassembled stone by stone and, in addition, covered with two magical barriers-domes, designed to block spatial magic. The power of the spells was such that even the ungifted Ludwig's cheekbones and temples ached from their echoes. The protective amulets, both simple and expensive, heated up even under the cuirass of the armor, also bought at his own expense and enchanted by a good master of magic.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:24

The Lieutenant of the City Guard had learned all this through a communication amulet from the honorable Maître Arnold de Neirat, who was in his third decade as Supreme Wizard of Westmark. And who also held the city's main magical tower attached to that honorable position. Usually, he was always polite, staid, and unhurried man who literally embodied the textbook image of a wise wizard with a long beard, a pointed hat, and a robe decorated with mysterious symbols. And this image he quite corresponded to, being recognized as a whole Magister in the elemental and barrier magic. And now, this universally respected and exceptionally polite man was shouting over the common channel of communication of the city guard like Ludwig's deputy, non-commissioned officer Hartman, who was in charge of formation training:

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:29

"I see three portals, covered... Two more portals! Covered by dynamic barriers, that's at least two circles of masters... Fucking hell!!!! You son of a bitch! They've braided the entire foot of the hill with Snake Vines! How the fuck did that happen? They're elves! Fucking fish whores, it's a fucking elf army!!!! I can see their camouflage! Fucking hell, they've covered the whole hill with anti-portal ba... Fuck that!!! Sound the alarm! It's an invasion! The Forest is invading! Urgent, call all the Free Cities, we can't fight back. There's at least three or four magisters out there!!!!"

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:30

The Supreme Mage of Westmark, who kept shouting, simultaneously put his tower and the city's defense tied to it into siege mode. The officers of the city guard who were listening to him, graying before their eyes, hastily unsealed the emergency stocks of the arsenal, distributing the most expensive combat and defense amulets to the personnel. As well as hastily barricading the city's neighborhoods. But as it turned out, the elves (if they really were elves), did not storm Westmark. Instead, they stubbornly stormed Baron Mortimer's estate, paying no attention to the city. And the small, albeit fortified, estate stood firm. And not only stood firm, but also fought back, and not unsuccessfully, as the venerable Maître Arnold shockingly informed everyone.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:32

A small manor, though not poor, but not the most wealthy aristocrat, was held under the blows of almost a dozen elven magisters (if we believe the same maestro Arnold). The city guards and the entire top brass of Westmark had a reasonable question. What the fuck is going on? The heads of all the major guilds and trading houses located in the Heart of the City had rushed to the City Hall, where Ludwig and his company were holding the defense. No one understood what was going on, but they wanted to find out. The City Council announced an emergency meeting, simultaneously overloading all stationary artifacts designed for long-range and ultra-long-range communications. There was no doubt what was happening in Westmark was already known to all the Free Cities, and maybe not only them. A huge queue lined up at the massive arch of the city portal, which quickly grew into a crowd. Ludwig's guards had to hold back the crowd, too, and he was nearly hoarse from shouting into the amplifying voice of his amulet that the portal would not be opened without an order from the city council. It was only by threatening to use magic wands that they were able to drive away the crowd, which was close to panic.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:39

Somewhere in the same moment, someone noticed that the honorable Lord Leonard de Ferran, who was, by the way, a not-so-distant relative of Baron Mortimer, whose estate had been attacked, was nowhere to be found. One of the most influential fathers of the city, whose word had considerable weight in the council, no one has seen him, no one knows where he is, and no one can contact him, even with his personal communication amulet. At first they thought the worst, but almost immediately it became clear that Lord Leonard was in his mansion, located in the Heart of the City. In half a day, the city guard commander, who had aged ten years, had sent Ludwig, who had fallen into his hands, to fetch the counselor, and the lieutenant had not even thought to resent him. First of all, life was more precious. And secondly, a simple messenger could not be sent to such a man, he might not even be allowed on the doorstep.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:41

Another thing, even if he was a lieutenant, but from a noble family that could afford to buy even the youngest of his sons an officer's patent. So Ludwig and a few of his subordinates immediately jumped into the saddle and galloped through the streets of the city, hitting the frightened townspeople scattering from the road with a barracks swearword. Fortunately, it was a short ride, and he was there in two minutes. When he arrived at Lord Leonard's estate, the reason for his absence became clear. The lieutenant had been told by the anxious gatekeepers that the city councilor had decided the night before to have a “private party”. A private party for only his closest and most trusted guests. All the unnecessary servants had been let go to rest since the evening, and no one was allowed into the mansion. Yeah, we know what's behind the beautiful words “private party”. It's just drunkenness that spills over into whoring of varying degrees. You found the time! Right now, right today! Quietly cursing, the nervous Ludwig started knocking on the door with redoubled vigor. Somebody had to wake up, they couldn't all be drunk and fucked to oblivion!

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:42

"Somebody open up! This is a city matter! Hey! Are you deaf in there? Can't you hear what's going on?!"

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:18

Pushing the massive front doors open with his shoulder, the officer stared at them in impotent anger. Sturdy, they'd be hard to break down. And there must be a defense. What if it worked if you tried to break in by force?

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:18

"Honorable Ser Ludwig ..."

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:17

"What!” the lieutenant turned sharply to his companions.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:16

One of the frightened gatekeepers, gingerly pointed to the doors:

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:16

"It opens the other way, honorable sire."

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:09

The lieutenant stared at the gatekeeper for a second, then turned sharply toward the door and yanked the massive metal ring open. The heavy sash of the front doors of the palace-like mansion opened with surprising ease and without a single creak. Holy shit! The lieutenant shouted the last phrase in his ears, rushing forward with his companions.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:08

"The honorable Lord Leonard! You are urgently called to a meeting..."

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:08

The lieutenant literally ran into the spacious lavishly furnished hallway and froze, half-phrased. Behind him his companions were stunned. Right in the middle of the spacious hall was a shapeless pile of human bodies, male and female. Some of them were dressed in the black and white robes of domestic servants. But most were either completely naked or in a single pair of undergarments. At the very top, with his face twisted and his neck broken, lay the owner of the mansion himself, wearing only a tattered nightgown. Several women stood around the piled-up dead. In one of them, Ludwig recognized the wife of the city councilor. The wife of the honorable Leonard was a very attractive woman who spent a lot of money on cosmetic alchemy and healing magic. And right now, her figure could be fully appreciated. She was wearing only one corset, leaving her large breasts with pale pink nipples completely exposed. The makeup on her face was smudged, and her curly dark hair was disheveled. The counselor's wife wore a thin leather collar around her neck, like a lapdog. A couple of other women, also very attractive, but with more prominent forms than Lord Leonard's wife, wore similar corsets that left their breasts exposed. They wore collars, too, but not ornamental collars, but rigid, spiked collars.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 12:05

And all of them, with faces completely blank and devoid of emotion, were holding empty clay jars from which they were pouring a translucent green liquid. The same liquid was poured over the bodies piled in a heap, which made a rather large puddle all over the hall. And they weren't the only ones. The stairs to the second floor of the mansion, the furniture in the hall, the walls - everything was watered with green liquid. And next to the pile of bodies lay several dozen of the same empty jugs. Each of them had a pair of stamps clearly visible on them. One signified alchemical products. The other warned of the great danger of flammable contents. Ludwig de Crécy watched the whole scene for exactly one moment. A moment that seemed like an eternity to him. The lieutenant of the Westmarch City Guard opened his mouth to scream. But he didn't make a sound. The honorable Lord Leonard's wife snapped her fingers without letting go of the jug, lighting the fire above her palm with a small amulet ring.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 11:59

With a deafening roar, the bright green alchemical flames consumed the mansion of one of the city's most powerful councilors in a split second, blowing out doors and windows. The hot flames devoured stone, metal, wood, and flesh with equal ease. By the time the city guard, accompanied by a team of fire mages, arrived at the scene, there was nothing left to save. The main task was to prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring houses and estates. Fortunately, the high stone fence surrounding the main mansion of the Ferran family had helped to a great extent. But still, Maitre Arnold, still cursing like a cobbler, had to be called in to extinguish the fire.

Camrad_RIP 10.09.24 в 11:14