Crossroads

Pat ordered the fastest ashen horses to be harnessed to the chariot and delivered a solemn speech to the people. He talked about how important it is for them to immediately get a new army commander in the person of the glorious immortal warrior of antiquity. Koschey suddenly became a forgotten hero of the past in the minds of people. Vtorak and Rosha were escorted with all solemnity. No one remembered that Vtorak had recently led the warriors who had overthrown the previous ruler. Now, in the thoughts of ordinary people, the sweet speeches of the new leader are firmly entrenched. However, all this soon was left behind. Vtorak and Rosha left the world of eloquence and corruption, finally finding themselves far beyond its borders. The city had already disappeared behind the hills and forests when they first started a conversation.

- Rosha, if you wish, I can take you home, - the lizard stared in surprise at Vtorak.

- Rosha is an outcast. He has no place in his homeland.

- Ah, yes... then... wherever you wish. To any place. Just to be away from this valley.

- Vtorak amuses Rosha. Vtorak thinks that in other places people live differently. He does not know. He is lucky that Rosha knows. He went through many lands. He saw a lot, heard a lot and experienced a lot. Believe me, Rosha: if Vtorok is not able to live here, he will not be able to anywhere. So Rosha knows. He wants to go to Koschei. Both of them were released because of the promise that they would pass the offer to Koschei.

- But I do not want to do this. I'm so tired...

- Vtorak doesn't look like those who give up, - Rosha shook his head.

- We will not dance to the tune of this world, - Vtorak firmly declared. -

In the first village I will find an order and will work as before. I am a mercenary. I do not participate in all these confrontations.

Rosha did not answer. Vtorak did not know if the foreign humanoid understood anything, because he did not quite understand his facial expressions even now, after so many months of communication with him. It would be more difficult to make out only the facial expression of Madumak, who did not have facial muscles at all. Sometimes their attitude to the issue showed only the position of the mandibles and antennae, and the rich plasticity of their body. Vtorak looked at Rosha. He stood next to him in the chariot, and, it would seem, cheerfully examined the surroundings. He is not given to understand the torment of man. He was not given to realize into what abyss of despair Vtorak was now falling. More than ever, he needed the friendly encouragement of Varaha or the wise advice of an old knight. But suddenly, even more desirable and needed became a gentle understanding of Mara. Her care would giving strength. Vtorak was already beginning to be ashamed of his thoughts, because they took him farther and farther away from reality, which was unimaginably far from his fantasies. What if a girl has long been dead? Anything could happen. Too much time has passed. And, nevertheless, all these years his thoughts always returned to her. Despite the fact that over the course of time Vtorak had relations with other charming women from other villages, his thoughts from time to time still returned to the one he could not forget about.

He looked at Rosha again. He did not seem angry or cruel, there was some charm in his naivety, but he was so far from the experiences of Wtorak that the latter could not count on his understanding. Is he able to understand that despising the order of Pat, Vtorak will abandoned his service to the dwarf gods and their light? Vtorak left the city to the mercy of fate, although he had to take care of it, not allowing the sect of demon worshipers to grow. The mercenary was just tired. However, a lack of understanding from any side tempers the character. Very soon, Vtorak himself had to cast off the darkness from his soul and regain his confidence with an effort of will. It was necessary for survival. He made a choice, leaving the path to Koschei, and now decided to follow it to the end, wherever he leads. Having become stronger, having regained firmness, Vtorak felt better, and when Rosha suddenly smiled at him, he was able to answer with a sincere smile.

At noon, Rosha began to complain of fatigue and Vtorak stopped the chariot near the roadside tavern. The strangers pulled the horses and tied them near the trough with muddy water. The attention of Vtorak was attracted by a horse standing at the hitching post, which very much resembled the knight of Khali. Has the old man also, by chance, ended up here? Entering the building, he first examined the tables and, to his own surprise, noticed on the floor the tip of a silver beard peeping from behind a screen separating the distant tables from the main hall.

- Khali! - exclaimed Vtorak and ran to the table. The knight rose from his seat and looked at him. He smiled tightly and awkwardly extended his arms for a hug.

- What is this Khali, - exclaimed the drunkard, who came out of nowhere, - They didn't call you here! Haha Exactly... - Vtorak rounded the drunkard and went to the old man.

- I know what happened in the city, - the knight said. - Already rode to your rescue when the dwarfs instructed me to go north. I traveled to the borders and... I have bad news.

- Once I loved the girl, still can not sleep without her! - shouted the drunkard a verse of his own composition.

- What else could happen?

- The glacier began to move. Because of the clouds, the temperature of the earth drops. Glaciers advance from the north, squeezing local peoples from their native lands. Hordes of northerners have already driven ash tribes to the south. Soon they will reach the valley. But the worst part is that even the giants of the hecatonheirs can no longer live in their territories. They descend south, driven by ice.

- How bad can it end? - asked Vtorak.

- Hard to say. But the resettlement of peoples rarely ended in the fact that everyone lives together in new lands with peace, - Khali replied sarcastically.

- The dwarf gods told me of a threat looming from the north... the mercenary recalled.

- They foresaw this, - the knight nodded. - That's why they sent me to investigate the situation exactly. No one in the valley yet suspects an impending disaster.

- It is necessary to prepare people for defense. Only Stargrad can withstand the attack and give the inhabitants of the valley a chance to survive! - said Vtorak, but the knight did not share enthusiasm.

- No. We are not wise enough to make such fateful decisions. Only Dwarf Gods have the right to do so. We must consult with them.

- It will spend extra time! They will not help us from their mountains in any way!

- You are losing faith in the light, my young friend, - said the old man, - I understand. I myself was...

- Are you kidding?! At least I can make decisions without any advice!

- You can, but what will be the price? - said Hali and fell silent, allowing the man to cool, - What happened in the city? Who is in charge?

- Okha betrayed us and captured the city for himself, but was quickly overthrown by Pat, - Vtorak continued calming down, - He set us free and sent us to Koschei with a proposal to lead the city's army.

- How unusual for Oha... - the knight shook his head. - I have known him for a long time, he couldn't do that. Are you sure it was he who betrayed you?

- I was arrested by his name! He tried to buy me, but, apparently, he was still afraid that I would betray and therefore decided to get rid of me. - He was indignant at how easily Khali doubted the betrayal of his friend. Obviously, a biased attitude towards Oha overshadowed his eyes. But it's fine. When they arrive in the city, he himself will know about everything.

- Okay. We will figure it out later. Now we need to convince Koschei to protect the valley.

- I'm not used to backstage games. My business is a sword in my hands, not intrigues and lies. Dwarfs use us - Hands! They want me to lie, they want me to shed blood becouse of one of their words! I'm not going to serve the dwarfs anymore, or to anyone else, Khali, - Vtorak firmly answered, - I have enough! I want to belong to myself, and no one more. I myself will push my way to the light. I no longer need intermediaries!

- You cattle! - exclaimed the knight and, suddenly bending over the table, hit Vtoraka in the face with a plate glove. The mercenary, from surprise, even fell out of his chair, - How dare you?!

- Khali, son of the bitch! - exclaimed Vtorak, rising from the floor.

- Khali? - asked the man sitting at the next table, - I know only one bastard Hali from the Cheshtaa clan! Famyly of the executioners...

- They tortured my great-grandfather! My whole family suffered at their hands! Clan of executioners! The torturers! The demons! - people rose from their seats and came closer to Khali, until the table was surrounded by peasants. Their eyes sparkled with fury. Their fingers clenched into fists.

- Who are they? - asked Vtorak quietly.

- They probably didn't like my hairstyle, - answered the old man, - what do you think? For good reason, I told you not to call me by name in public.

- To the side! - exclaimed Vtorak, waving his arms in front of people's noses, as if driving away dogs, - If you can't wait to get the floors dirty, I'll instantly release the guts to the first one who comes up. And I will chop off the hands of the others.

- Okay, everyone get the hell out of here, - the innkeeper shouted at the crowd. - And you, too. All of you! The institution is closed due to outrages! - The crowd obeyed, surprisingly the mercenary and the knight. Vtorak waited for the others to come out and himself followed them along with the old man and Rosha. On the street, the men went home, grumbling grimly. The mercenary returned the weapon to its sheath.

- You spoke seriously when you asked me not to call you by name in the city. Hmm... but it's not even a suburb.

- My father was a very powerful man, - answered Khali, - After his death, many mouths were opened wide to denigrate him and our good names. My mother and sisters were left alone, against hundreds of angry poor people. We had nowhere to go. Soon, the mother died. I was the youngest child in the family, so the older sisters took care of me during the years of persecutions.

- Do you have sisters, Khali? Where are they now?

- Dead, - the knight answered grimly, - Lisa could not stand the life of a vagabond and once committed suicide. Patricia and Sophia... Once we were caught by the poor. These were terrible times of hunting for noblemen and priesthood. The peasants took revenge over the years of service, taking out anger at us. They, too, were afraid that the kingdom was collapsed. Now I understand this, but then... I was small and powerless boy... They cruelly has been abused my sisters, tortured, raped and killed them right in front of my eyes.

- Damn... After all this, how can you serve the Dwarf gods and protect people? - surprised Vtorak.

- I dreamed of gaining great strength in order to take revenge on the tormentors and murderers of Sophia and Patricia, but... after years I changed. I did not manage to become a warrior, and nevertheless, I am trying to bring a little more light into these lands than it was then. Therefore, this ministry is of great importance to me. In my life I never gained strength and did not take revenge on anyone, but I hope I managed to make life a little better in the valley. My main weapon was information. I directed the worthy towards the goal, turning the unworthy away from success. Under the guidance of the Gods, I helped restore order to the valley after those terrible years.

- You possess a power much greater than that which the heroes of the feasts and stadiums about. After everything that happened to you... you... continue to give light and work for the good of people... this is amazing. This is a true miracle.

- Thank. I appreciate it very much. But it is necessary to fulfill the wish of the new ruler and after that return to the city. The Dwarf Gods are not without reason ordered us to be in Stargrad. Something is about to happen there. Now it is important to follow their orders exactly, to the end. Only they can help people survive the invasion of the northerners.

- Small dwarfs - big things can do, yes! - Rosha said mockingly, but Khali paid no attention to him.

- So be it, - Vtorak sighed, - I will finish what I started, but then...

- Then we all will fight for the valley, and there will be only one choice: to fight or to run south. You will not leave your house, mercenary?

- This is not my home, knight, - Vtorak answered coldly. Only your ancestors rest in this ashes. For me, there is nothing in it.

- I'm sure when you have to choose, you will choose wisely.

Vtorak did not answer. Khali climbed his mount, Vtorak and Rosha harnessed the chariot. Vtorak took the reins and moved the wagon forward. A knight rode nearby. They rode towards the whitish fog, where the smell of death came from.