История Королевы Эльфов / The story of the Elf Queen: Глава двадцатая. Очень напряжённый вояж Героя Королевы Эльфов.

Chapter Twenty. The Very Tense Voyage of the Elven Queen's Hero.

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:49

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Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:49

Somewhere in the Great Steppe, north of the Coastal Ridge.

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:50

One of the few advantages of being of a respectable age by steppe standards was that there was no need to get up as soon as the sun lit up the sky in the east. One could lie in the yurt a little longer while the grown-up grandchildren prepared everything for the morning meal. With these thoughts, Khatlen-Dar, who had already awakened and had long since lived through more than fifty winters, rolled over onto his other side, wrapping himself more tightly in a pile of sturdy animal skins and trying to catch the last remnants of sleep. Only to jump to his feet a moment later when he heard the piercing cry of one of his granddaughters outside.

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 07:22

The years of a far from easy life spent in the Great Steppe had left their mark, and so, without even thinking about his actions, Khatlen-Dar grabbed his trusty sabre from under one of the skins. He ran out of the yurt, forgetting his age and his long-aching back, wearing only his undergarments, ready to repel unknown enemies who had somehow managed to get past a pair of guard dogs, border totems, and negligent sentries who had overlooked the threat. He froze at the entrance, almost tripping over his eldest son, who was running behind him. With his eyes wide open, the elderly nomad did not even notice that his jaw had dropped.

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 07:23

His tribesmen ran out of their dwellings with cries, awakened horses began to neigh, guard dogs barked, and the main totem pole in the centre of the camp lit up with bright light. In just a couple of dozen heartbeats, the entire tribe was on its feet. They stared in amazement at the nearly three-metre-tall colossus, either encased in steel or made entirely of metal, a man-made warrior of the gnomes, who had appeared out of nowhere between two neighbouring yurts. It stood completely motionless, leaning on six spider-like legs that sank deep into the steppe soil under the weight of the machine. But the magical weapons attached to its hands, capable of throwing flames and lightning, did not inspire confidence.

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 07:23

Pushing aside the frightened women and children, the armed men surrounded the terrifying giant in a semicircle, but did not dare to approach it closely, whispering quietly among themselves. Everyone waited for the words of the chief shaman of their tribe, who was standing at the central totem pole with all his disciples, already performing a kaml, beating a drum with a mallet and monotonously howling to his entourage. Almost a hundred heartbeats passed before the no longer young shaman, his eyes burning with yellow fire, his pupils and irises gone, spoke his words:

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 07:23

"There is no magic in him, and it hasn't been for a long time. His insides are cold, like a cold hearth, and lack the heart that gave him life."

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:50

The chief of the tribe, without lowering his bow with an arrow placed on the string, enchanted by the powers of the chief shaman in the magic fire, asked incredulously, squinting his already narrow eyes on a practically flat face:

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:51

"Where did he come from, and no one noticed anything until Ungun-Tsen went to get fresh water?!"

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:51

The chief shaman of the tribe narrowed his eyes, which were burning with fire, and silently whispered with his lips, after which he gave his verdict:

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:52

"This is a difficult riddle, even the most vigilant khao, who have been guarding our peace for more than one winter, have missed it... It did not come by land, did not fly in by air... It... simply appeared, as if existence itself had cast it out..."

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:54

At that moment, one of the chief shaman’s students, who was his granddaughter and promised to take her grandfather’s place in ten winters, said in an unexpectedly decisive voice, without taking her fiery eyes off the steel giant:

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 10:12

"An echo can be heard from it, similar to what is heard in the stone cities of the Khanur, when their sorcerers open the magical gates that connect distant places."

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 18:50

The chief shaman cast a stern glance at his granddaughter, who had become increasingly aware of her strength in recent years, but turning to the steel giant, he realized that she was telling the truth. The chieftain, who also cast a glance at the young shaman, asked:

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 10:12

"But who could have sent this warrior here? And why?"

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:54

"Good question... It was clearly created by the undermountain people. Their magical writings are visible on the armor... But why and how did he end up here... A mystery..."

Camrad_RIP 01.06.25 в 18:13

While the chief shaman was speaking, one of the warriors approached the steel giant and carefully touched his leg, running his palm over it, under the watchful eyes of the rest of his tribesmen, who had not yet dared to approach. Then he carefully tapped the hilt of his saber on it and widened his eyes when he heard the sound:

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 10:13

"But it's solid! The paws are definitely solid!"

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 05:00

He raised his head and looked up at the bulk of the man-made giant:

Camrad_RIP 02.06.25 в 19:51

"It's so much steel. And a dwarven one."

Camrad_RIP 08.06.25 в 15:05

It took Khatlen-Dar a few seconds to comprehend what his cousin had said. Then his still sharp mind calculated how much the merchants were asking even for gnome steel, which required skill to work with so as not to spoil the material. And how much such a giant must weigh if even his paws were made entirely of it...

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 05:01

Judging by the excited voices of his fellow tribesmen, he was not the only one who had figured out what kind of wealth had fallen on the tribe literally out of nowhere...

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:55

* * *

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:55

Great Dantra, halfway between Morgrave and Dantmark.

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:55

Still, Tahira was ready to admit that there was a certain charm in being able to force that asshole Avelia to his knees in his cabin at almost any moment to enjoy Captain Bead's tongue. Something suspiciously resembling a conscience tried several times to bubble up from below deck, reminding her that she had almost ended up in a similar role. But Tahira quickly stifled the source of these sounds, parrying his bubbling with the fact that Avelius had brought it on himself. He decided to impose a contract on her, albeit not openly oppressive, but not even close to what he had been advised. He wrote the clause that allowed the new ship's magician to be punished with fines if she did not want to provide “personal services.”

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 05:49

So now let him pay for his stupidity and greed by kneeling before her and working his tongue. Especially since he's been getting better and better at it lately, having gained experience. Hooking her legs around the back of Businka's nominal owner, Tahira pressed his clean-shaven face harder into her rosebud, feeling the approaching denouement, which she herself was hastening by caressing her breasts, enlarged by her patron and benefactor. Biting her lip, the magician closed her eyes, feeling that now...

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 05:53

From the sharp blow, accompanied by a loud and painfully unpleasant crack of wood, she literally flew off the bed when she was thrown forward, right onto Avelius, who was still working with his tongue. And she wasn't the only one. Everything that wasn't firmly attached in the captain's cabin fell to the floor. What the fuck happened?! With a loud and choice curse, Tahira somehow got to her feet, reflexively merging with Bead, who had already become practically family. What happened to her ship?! What the hell?! At the same time, she tried to get dressed and put on her shoes. And, of course, trying to do three things at once didn't turn out well.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 05:55

Having managed to put on one boot and almost button up her shirt, Tahira realized that she had forgotten her pants, after which she cursed and froze in place. With half-naked breasts, bare feet, and her pussy on display. Closing her eyes, she focused on the ship with all her willpower, merging with it to understand what had happened! And, having received a response, she did not hold back her selected three-deck curse.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 05:56

The bead crashed into something, apparently a rock or stone, at full speed and head-on. Damn bottom-dwelling scum, you can't leave them unattended for a second, useless little things! In broad daylight! In clear weather! Where did you manage to find a rock in this current?!

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 06:01

Tahira did not hesitate to voice all these thoughts out loud while she was quickly getting dressed, with Avelius, who was also cursing like crazy, threatening to find the culprits, to rip them off, drown them, fuck them out, rip them off again and then drown them completely. By the time they ran out of the cabin, one of the sailors had already started pounding his fist on it, and outside they could hear screams and curses.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:24

Throwing the door open, Tahira literally jumped out, without losing contact with Bead. The magic embedded in the ship's boards did not fail, so although the ship received damage to the bow, it was not as fatal as it could have been. And the barriers quickly woven by the sorceress sealed the hole, so Bead only drank a little of the river water.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:25

Tahira didn't pay any attention to the Avelius first mate, as well as to his predatory gaze, which quickly slid over the sorceress's chest, barely covered by her undershirt. The size of which the entire crew had time to discuss more than once or twice, thinking that she couldn't hear. A couple of the most sharp-tongued sailors, who had a fairly decent appearance, had managed to find themselves in Avelius's place several times, even managing to assess the subject of discussion with their own eyes. Even if only with their eyes and without retaining a conscious memory of it, but still. For those who had a sharp and boneless tongue and no handsome face, Tahira arranged a slight intolerance to alcohol, causing upset after each libation. A trifle - but so pleasant!

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:27

However, now Tahira was not worried about possible obscene looks, nor a new round of gossip about how and in what position Avelius was fuck her. She was interested in only one thing. What was wrong with her ship, and who was that bottom-dwelling asshole who managed to find a rock in this section of the Dantra current to run into it in broad daylight? But having barely reached the bow of the ship, where most of the crew had already gathered, Tahira, ready to throw thunder and lightning, froze in place, her eyes wide and mouth open. What. The. Fuck.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:29

The Bead didn't hit a rock. But a huge gate, almost two stories high, if you estimate the depth of the river in this place, made of dark gray material, bound with blued metal, and tightly locked. Gates. Which stuck out of the water with their tops. Gates. Just gates. Without anything. Almost like gates in a field. Only in a river. In Dantre! Which Bead, going with the current and with a tailwind, ran into with her nose, cracking pretty good. What the... Fuck...

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:31

Tahira didn't have time to fully comprehend the absurdity and banal impossibility of what had happened. As soon as she was about to join the rest of the team, who were heatedly discussing the eternal question of "who is to blame and what to do?" something boomed silently overhead. Her ears were hit unpleasantly, and for a moment, they felt blocked. And then...

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:33

"Fuck!!!"

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 10:14

"Carefully!!!"

Camrad_RIP 02.06.25 в 19:57

"Fuck!!!"

Camrad_RIP 02.06.25 в 19:57

"What the???"

Camrad_RIP 02.06.25 в 19:58

"Watch out!!!"

Camrad_RIP 02.06.25 в 19:57

"Aaah!!"

Camrad_RIP 02.06.25 в 19:58

With such different, but very emotional cries, the crew of Bead commented on the hail of... bones that had fallen on their heads and their damaged ship. Having barely managed to cover herself with a shield on reflexes, using the amulet she now tried not to part with, Tahira bent down and covered her head with her hands, finally ceasing to understand what was happening?!

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:39

Fortunately, the hail lasted a few seconds, after which there was silence. Which was almost immediately replaced by selected three-deck curses and cries of pain from those who had been hit by a particularly large bone. Rising to her feet, Tahira looked around with bulging eyes. The deck of Bead resembled the lair of the lord of the undead of the North, as they are depicted in scary fairy tales for mischievous children. Bones. All sorts of bones, some as long and thick as her arm, were strewn all over the deck. Floating in the water. Even on the right bank, which was the closest, dozens, if not hundreds, of all sorts of bones were visible.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:41

Raising her head, the ship's sorceress saw nothing above her except a relatively clear sky and rare white clouds. Squinting, Tahira switched to magical vision, but it also did not show anything unusual that would explain where all these bones came from, and what just happened? Fully sharing her thoughts, Avelius, who very luckily got hit right on the forehead by some bone, getting a hefty bump, literally screamed:

Camrad_RIP 09.06.25 в 19:45

"What the..."

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:56

But the nominal captain of Bead was immediately interrupted by a shrill cry, more like a squeal:

Camrad_RIP 29.05.25 в 12:57

"Aaaahhh!!! It's alive!!!"

Camrad_RIP 07.06.25 в 10:14

One of the young sailors, for whom this was his first voyage, let out a bloodcurdling scream. It made Tahira and the rest of the crew jump in their seats. Then they all started shouting and swearing. Someone began to cry out to the heavens, begging for salvation. And he could be understood. A huge bone paw of some predatory creature was crawling across the deck of the Bead, with four fallen claws topped with huge talons. It literally dug into the ship's planks, raking through other bones, pulling itself up and crawling forward. Right towards the young sailor, caught in the bonefall at the side of the Bead.

Camrad_RIP 12.06.25 в 06:12

Without hesitation, acting on reflex alone, Tahira struck with magic. A simple but nonetheless reliable magic arrow. Due to the rush and terrible tension, it naturally struck not the crawling paw, but the huge skull of some monster lying on the deck, splitting it into pieces. With a muffled cry, the young sailor jumped to his feet and... jumped overboard, while the rest of the crew continued to scream, swear, and pray aloud. The most experienced rushed for their weapons, but the first to run stumbled over some bone, the others fell on him, and a pile-up formed on the deck. Hissing, Tahira fired two more magic arrows in quick succession, finally hitting the paw that had almost reached the side of the ship on her third attempt, causing it to shatter into separate bones. Only then did she allow herself to scream at the top of her lungs:

Camrad_RIP 12.06.25 в 06:13