The wagon swayed from side to side, passing along a rut washed out by long rains. Rare pebbles made it jump, from which the archmage woke up. Weeks of travel without sleep have taken their toll on his sanity. He was approaching the limit, beyond which lay only darkness. The princess felt that the changes were becoming more noticeable, the curse that struck Zee began to affect his appearance. His skin had taken on a gray tint, and dark spots protruded from under the bandage over his eyes. It seemed that this man had suffered a famine or a serious illness that required all the resources that he managed to accumulate.
Before the capital and the long-awaited help, there were still two days of travel. The horses stolen from the inn were battered by life, no worse than the veterans of the detachment. Skin and bones, very little muscle, and once luxuriant manes turned into bald patches of straw. That's all the pulling power.
Most of the detachment moved ahead, scouting the road. In the wagon there were only a few elves, a man and this terrible creature, never for a moment detached from its creator. Asura was surrounded by a dozen floating daggers, ready to take off and pierce her body. The golem offered several times to move faster, leaving the wounded or letting her carry her master, but Ophelia was not unduly trusting, and only strengthened the restraining spells.
- "Who are the eaters?" - Zee finally woke up in a weak voice .
- "People. The most vile of you. Those who deserve the worst death imaginable!” - The voice of the princesses became more and more harsh. – “There were worthy people among you, but with the advent of the first eater, you lost the remnants of your mind and unleashed a war! Only capable of destroying, inflicting pain and suffering! That's why I hate you so much!"
For several days now, they had had brief conversations. Ophelia tried to be silent, to answer laconicly, but youth and boredom overtook her. And curiosity. Years of education, study of history, loss of loved ones did their job, leaving deep scars in her soul, and burning hatred for the human race. Creatures who imagine themselves to be new gods. Arbiters of the destinies of the world. Though only existed for a few thousand years, when the first of her kind were already here three million years ago.
But this guy seemed different. He seemed to be from another world. Not knowing common truths, he reasoned on complex topics, guided by examples unknown to Ophelia.
And his power... The boy's strength frightened her. When the ancient magicians staged battles, the landscape of the world changed in the most incredible way. The legend of the creation of a sacred tree containing the souls of ten clans and the memory of Manerheim . The great split and loss of part of the continent, during the ritual of the ascension of Zor , the queen who wished to challenge the gods and create her own world, more than a million years ago. This man, he seemed to have stepped out of the pages of such stories. And this spell that hit the monster, she saw in the memories of the tree. Raw power that crushes any obstacle.
How did he get it? What does he plan to do with it?
There were so many questions in her head, but she was afraid to ask them.
Zee , who had lost his last strength, on the contrary, had a desire to talk. It had been so long since he had spoken to anyone other than Asura. Fear was somewhere far away and could not stop him.
-“But what are they? What are they eating?" - He spoke softly, letting his head rest on the shoulder of Asura, who was sitting next to him.
-"Isn't it obvious, man?" - A spark of anger flashed in Ophelia's eyes - "Elves!"
- "What?! Why?" - Startled by the answer, he tried to get up, but a firm hand landed on his back. Asura looked at his face with concern. She couldn't fight for her master, she couldn't save him, but to let him out of her arms meant losing the last of her control. Remains of her love and care for him.
- "Good! I'll tell you" - She leaned over and changed her voice, imitating her nanny who presented it as a scary story, wanting to scare and have fun while looking after the princess and her sisters - "A long time ago, a human and an elf got lost in the forest. They trudged along, trying to find a way out, going deeper and deeper. Over time, their food supplies ran out. And there were no living creatures around, only snow and dry trees. And when they lay down to sleep by the fire, an old man from your kind stabbed the elf and ate his flesh. He was struck by how tasty, how satisfying it was. He ate and ate and ate until the elf was only a pile of bones. And the old man fell asleep and dreamed of meat. In the morning, a party of knights passing through those parts found a boy who was sleeping in the snow. They took him to the castle, warmed him up and left. What was the surprise of this man when he realized that he had become younger. His body regained its former flexibility, and energy filled every cell. He hid his origin, deciding to live a new life. But this did not last long, he was overcome by hunger. Whatever he ate, it was not enough for him. And over time, he began to age, faster and faster. And here a delegation of elves arrived at the castle. He killed the servant and ate her. Strength and youth returned to him again. But the knights caught him and took him to the owner of the castle. He told him a secret. He was a cruel ruler who took part in bloody wars, but was close to his natural end. Death was already waiting for him around the corner. Then they killed the elves, every single one, even the children. And they ate them. They became younger, but they also felt hungry. A hunger that only grew stronger. Thus began a bloody war that destroyed more than half of my people”
There was silence in the carriage. Only large drops of cold rain drummed on the roof. Zee slowly fell into an unsteady sleep.
He dreamed of an old man gnawing bones. His toothless mouth broke into a smile as soon as a small piece of cartilage entered his stomach.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
The next days passed unnoticed. Ophelia spoke less and less. One of her interlocutors was slowly losing his mind. The second only glared at her angrily, waiting for an opportunity to escape.
The carriage stopped. The canopy was drawn by one of the warriors, he opened the folding steps and held out his hand to the princess.
Ophelia went downstairs, trying to maintain a noble posture, but it cost her a lot. The long ride in slightly uncomfortable conditions, turned her back to stone and her legs went numb. What then to say about her backside, which took all the hardness of the boards onto itself ...
She cast a short spell and brandished her spear. Ripples rippled through the air and the gates swung open. The empty space, replete with stones, withered grass and puddles, was transformed.
An amazing city appeared before them, filled with dozens of architectural solutions, separated not only by the races that created them, but also by millennia of the development of this world.
The captives were pulled from the wagon and they stepped inside the barrier. Immediately they were surrounded by six elves, dressed in gilded armor. The seventh took off his helmet, knelt down and put the princess's hand to his forehead.
- “I'm glad you're back, princess. Your father is waiting for you. Immediately” – The voice of the guard was soft and insinuating. He did not fit the face of this war at all. Huge scar, in place of the eye. Sharp facial features. Pale skin. And the eye of the beast.
- “Artram, there is no time for this! Did you receive my message? Escort us to the sage immediately!” - Ophelia pulled back her hand and gave orders, still not allowing the war to rise to its feet.
- “He's waiting for you. With your father. Let's go” - He answered, but did not even move.
- “I asked you to keep it a secret!”
“I am compelled to submit to the will of the king. Understand that he cares about you and your escape must be the last. It's time”
- “Good! Excellent! Then get up and lead me” - Her face did not hide her anger well. Artram, her personal protector, he told her father everything! Everything is gone, he will personally burn this person. Or come up with something worse.
The soldiers split into two groups, flanked by the captured Zee and Asura, and the procession moved deeper into the city.
Zee wanted to remove the bandage and look at the wonderful creation of demihumans, but his hands were tightly tied behind his back.
The next time he sees this city – there will be fire.
