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ISBN 978-5-0062-2881-8

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Part 1. Forgotten book

Chapter 1. Night in the slums

The moon hung like a sharp sword over Tivol, the capital of Suthering. The stench of horse urine, which evaporated when it landed on a stone hot under the scorching sun during the day, was hardly drowned out by the rose oil. Drunken swearing was heard from the tavern. The slums on the outskirts were strikingly different from the luxury to which Still was accustomed.

– Well, have you seen enough? Satisfied? – Lewis asked.

– You are always dissatisfied, Lew! People live like this for years and don’t complain,» Still said.

– Those are people. They are accustomed to poverty. And you probably would have died a long time ago from inhaling horse urine.

– You might think you’re not used to luxury! But I want to know how ordinary people live. The time will come when I will replace my father. When I ascend the throne, I need to know the people well.

Lewis was silent for a while, thinking. How long has he been accustomed to luxury? Who loves the king’s illegitimate children? The courtiers wrinkled their noses, disgustedly whispering the offensive nickname: «Bastard!» The common people called him «the king.» He had to spend the night in pigsties, and sometimes even on the road. His life changed on the day when Dinor rode with his army through the lands of Lorraine. The King of Suthering decided to pick up the exiled boy. It’s always a good idea to have your opponent’s enemy on hand, especially when he has royal blood in him. Lewis grew up at Dinora Castle in Tivol.

– Just don’t tell your father that I brought you here! Lewis said.

– What are you afraid of? – asked Still. – We will walk a little around Tivol at night, and return to the castle before dawn. Father won’t notice anything, you’ll see.

– Not the best place for walking!

Still put a finger to his lips.

– Do you hear? – he whispered.

– What should I hear?

– You were born with a wine cork in your ear! We need to take you to a healer. Don’t you hear?

– What are you talking about? – Lewis asked.

– Steps. Someone is coming for us!

Someone threw a bag over Still’s head. The prince, without hesitation, hit his attacker with all his might on the bridge of his nose. When Still removed the bag from his head, he saw crossbow bolts pointed in his direction. The guys were surrounded by armed men.

– Better not resist, boy! – said one of the bandits. – If you behave like good boys, not a single hair will fall from your heads.

– What do you need? – Lewis asked. – We don’t have any gold with us!

«We’ll search your pockets ourselves,» said the leader of the robbers, «the slave buyer will pay well for your carcasses.» Muscular, these are exactly what the quarry needs. His convoy is passing nearby, we’ll offer you a couple of strong slaves.

The veins in Still’s cheeks bulged with anger.

– Slaves, you say! I’ll show you the slaves now!

He took from the sheath that was hidden under the flaps of his cloak, a sword decorated with precious stones with a silver hilt.

– Come on, boy! – said the robber. – Throw the sword on the ground immediately. Otherwise I’ll shoot.

– Try it!

– Hey, Jim, you lied! – one of the bandits shouted. – You said that no one would look for them. But I recognized him. He rode next to the king at the Spring Festival. Look at his sword! This is the royal sword. Jim, what have you gotten us into? He’s a prince!

– And what? – said the leader. – Do you think they don’t give enough for princes? Do you know how much Silver will pay for his head?

Still looked at the enemy without blinking.

– So Silver is involved in this?

– Grab them! – Jim shouted. But the bandits shook their heads in confusion.

– Sorry, Jim, but we don’t want to get involved in your games. I’m leaving.

– And me too.

– And I.

A minute, and there are three people on the street. Jim switched the crossbow from Lewis to Still. He realized that the advantage was no longer on his side and began to run. Bandits are brave people when there are many of them. And alone they turn into cowards.

– We must not let him escape! – Still shouted. – Follow him! We have to give it to dad! He knows something about my brother!

They raced through the slums. But Jim knew these places better. Lewis threw the knife and hit the bandit in the leg. He fell to the ground.

– Please, just don’t kill! Jim groaned. – Although, you can kill. I’m now a non-resident anyway. Silver has ears everywhere. If he finds out that I was caught, I’m dead!

– You will come with us! Still said.

Chapter 2. Royal Council

The lush hall smelled of incense and almonds. Dinor was reclining on the sofa. The young maids fanned him with fans so that the king, God forbid, would not suffer a stroke from the heat. One of the maids was hand-feeding grapes. The advisors stood in a semicircle, their eyes cast to the floor.

«Call Still,» Dinor said. – He must be present too.

After some time, the door swung open and the prince entered the room, accompanied by an old servant.

– Hello, son! Congratulations! You turned seventeen today. We will have a magnificent feast in your honor.

The councilors clapped their hands.

– But this is not the most important thing. From today you will be present at all councils next to me. Take a seat, it is not right for a prince to stand on an equal footing with the nobles.

Dinor gestured to Still towards the throne next to the royal sofa. This throne has been empty since the last time Silver, the king’s eldest son, sat on it. Anyone who had not seen Dinor for several years would not have recognized in the flabby, pot-bellied, constantly intoxicated old man the warrior he once was. But the betrayal of his eldest son and the death of his wife almost brought him to the grave. If it weren’t for the wine, he would have committed suicide long ago.

«Colonel Darsu, report,» Dinor ordered.

– Your Grace, the prisoner has been interrogated. We received a confession from him.

– Bring him here!

– Your Grace, this is not the best idea.

– Will you challenge the king’s orders? – Dinor asked, raising his eyebrows high.

– Valin! – Darsu shouted loudly. A few seconds later the door opened and a out of breath soldier in full uniform ran into the hall.

– Take him, Valin! – Darsu commanded.

– This minute, Your Honor!

A few minutes later, the guards brought in a bruised man who could barely stand on his feet.

– Do you even know who you’re looking at? – Darsu asked. – Teach this guy some noble manners!

– On knees! – Valin shouted at the prisoner.

The man fell to the floor, almost bruising his forehead.

– Your Majesty, this is the same Jim Throatcutter whom we have been looking for for five years now. If it weren’t for Prince Still, we would have been looking for several more years! – said Darsu.

«Oh, that same Jim,» said Dinor. – I’ve heard a lot.

The king stood up from the sofa and patted Still on the shoulder.

– Well done, son!

He walked up to Jim and gave him his hand.

– Get up! What, did they treat you cruelly? I’m sorry if something’s wrong. You understand, they are martinets, what can you take from them?

The advisors and guards didn’t even turn their heads, pretending not to pay attention to Dinor’s actions. He is a king, he knows better how to behave with a criminal.

– Tell me, who advised you to attack my only son?

Jim became bolder, even looked the king in the eyes.

«Not one of the advisers can afford such insolence!» – Darsu thought.

«I’ve already told the guards several times.» Your son paid me for this. I’m talking about Silver.

Dinor’s expression changed, and a flash of anger flashed through him.

– Silver is no longer my son! Don’t you dare say another word about him! So why does he need my only son? All the same, I will not hand over the throne to him, even if there is no other heir left besides him.

– Nevertheless, he has the right to your crown. And behind him is the huge army of Morelia. He is already approaching the borders of Suthering.

– Take the scoundrel away! – Dinor shouted. Darsu looked at Valin. The soldier understood the commander at a glance. He grabbed Jim’s hand.

«Let’s go,» said Valin.

– Execute him at dawn! – Dinor said.

– You promised! Jim groaned. «They promised me that if I told the truth, they wouldn’t touch me.» I have a wife and three children!

«And I have one son,» Dinor said. – And you made an attempt on his life. Take me away!

No sooner said than done. When the door closed behind the criminal, Dinor spoke:

– Councilor Wind, report on the situation at the borders.

– I’ve been hearing disturbing rumors for a long time. I’m not ready to give the king unverified information. But Morelia has long been preparing for an attack on the borders of Suthering. I underestimated the rumors I heard. After torturing Jim, I realized that we had been underestimating the enemy all this time.

– You will answer later for hiding information from the king, Councilor. Colonel Darsu, report on the readiness of the army.

Darsu didn’t have time to say a word when Advisor Anilix interrupted him:

– Your Highness, Silver is a powerful sorcerer, and you know this very well. They say he hobnobs with evil spirits, he is a strong rival. His wife, Queen Regatta, is also a witch!

– The Inquisition will also participate in this war! – said Gvirtel, head of the Anti-Witchcraft League of Suthering. This was the first time this had happened for the court magician and the anti-magician to come to a common opinion. The king noticed this and was on his guard. – Silver is a powerful magician, and he challenges the Anti-Witch League.

Dinor does not need to explain that Silver challenged not only the Inquisition, but also Gvirtel personally when he declared Morelia a country without anti-mages. And the head of the Anti-Witch League will not leave this just like that, without an answer.

– What are your suggestions, advisors? – asked the king.

Anilix was the first to speak:

– I heard rumors…

– Rumors are reaching all of you! – the king boiled. «They just reach me late.» Don’t pull the horse’s bridle, advisor. You better not test my patience!

– I know where the Elvish dictionary is! – Anilix said, and absolute silence reigned in the hall for a while. Even Dinor’s jaw dropped. He patted the adviser on the shoulder:

– Good news is reaching you. If we could get our hands on a book, what would be a significant trump card in the game with Morelia!

– You can’t, Your Majesty! – Gvirtel shouted. – Don’t listen to Councilor Anilix. Better yet, throw him in prison! This is not why the Anti-Witch League fought against sorcerers for so many years, in order to bring back the original magic to our educated age! I appeal to your reason, Your Majesty!

«The Anti-Witch League lost a long time ago,» Dinor raised his voice. – On the day when the Empire of Magicians collapsed. The inquisitors probably did not understand that they were anti-magicians as long as there were sorcerers. And now you are ridiculous and useless.

– What about the period of the reign of Emperor Hellenius?

– How did it end, Gvirtel, have you forgotten the story? Moreover, already at that time Beelzuvik did not have any power over Suthering. I will give the anti-mages a chance to restore their former greatness. I will return your antipode – real magic!

– Your Mightiness! – Gvirtel’s eyes glowed. If this were a simple man in front of him, and not a king, the adviser would now glare at him.

– You are forgetting yourself, Gvirtel. Don’t test my patience. Jesters and minstrels sing obscene songs about my hot temper. But I forgive them – they are jesters to distract people from real problems. And I will not forgive you, adviser. The meeting is over for today!

***

Still walked through the garden with his mentor Nermall. The old teacher taught the prince everything he knew. Nermall has seen the world; any warrior would envy his experience. He taught Still how to fight with fists and swords, how to navigate the terrain and find a source of power even in an impassable desert.

A strekquil, a huge dragonfly, flew from a bush, and Still turned his head in fear.

– What worries you, student? – asked Nermall.

– Yes, nothing…

– I’ve known you since you were a child. You know that you can trust me completely.

Still could trust the old man with his life. Nermall, the son of a Belzuvian nobleman, received a good education, even studied for several years at the University. But women broke the fates of many. So at twenty-four he found himself on a pirate ship. In four countries, he would have faced a death sentence if he had been caught, of course. In two more countries he would have spent the rest of his days in prison. That is why he spent most of his life in the ocean. But Dinor’s people managed to catch the old robber. Dinor was then suffering from terrible back pain, and Nermall was a doctor on a pirate ship. He just happened to have zaneeris lying around, a medicinal plant from the Unknown Lands. In gratitude for his health, the king gave the man life. Dinor made him a court physician, and then a teacher to his youngest son.

Dinor is generally a strange person. Usually hot-tempered, in moments of insight he did noble deeds. So, for example, he picked up a bastard boy during the attack on Lorraine, and in general more often he chose officials based on real talent, and not on noble origin.

– So what’s bothering you, student? – asked Nermall.

– Teacher, tell me about the elven dictionary!

– I don’t know much. Maybe it’s just a legend? Who knows!

– Tell me everything you know!

– Okay, listen!

Chapter 3. The Legend of the Elves.

– They say that elves came down from heaven. They once had wings and roamed the clouds. Then there was a war between the high elves. It was led by Zaymond, a fallen elf. He declared himself equal to the Creator. Some joined him, others went against him. There were also those who realized in time the mistake of joining the army of the fallen. They stopped participating in battles. After the war, those who swore allegiance to Zeymond were overthrown. And the elves who remained on the sidelines were exiled to earth to serve their punishment until the end of the human race.

So they lived in the forest, which is now called Clearings. The ancestors called it the Magic Forest. Their village is hidden behind trees from prying eyes; no one disturbed their peace.

Until one day, a Morellian, General Dartel, wandered here. There is no end to the war between Morelia and Lorraine. It began in those immemorial times, and ended literally half a century ago. And that truce can be broken at any moment.

The elves picked up a thin man, in rags and scars. Dartel was hungry and dying of thirst. But you can’t stop – the enemies were on your heels. The elves had never met people before. They did not know about the cunning of the human race. Herberolden, the king of the elves, gave the man the juice of zaneeris and applied leaves of the medicinal plant to the wounds. Then he whispered magic words, and the wound instantly healed.

Dartel watched the elves for a long time. He tried to understand their language and customs. The words spoken by the elven priest immediately became the truth. The words of a rare person carry weight. You can promise anything, swear by your health, your father, brother, mother, and even the immortality of your soul, and then betray. We have lost the habit of believing words. But not the elves, they remembered the true power of words, so they did not waste the seeds of words to the wind. But when they say, the earth shook and new worlds arose. They gave birth to true magic; it has long been absent from our lands. All the greatest magicians of past eras are only a shadow of the elven priests, in terms of strength and greatness. In the elven language there are no such words as «pain», «death», only «love», «light», «joy»… The dark side of elven magic was invented by people.

– Don’t you see, Herberolden, your strength? – asked Dartel. «You can rule the world if you want.» People will fall at your feet. They won’t be able to do anything against your strength!

«Don’t say such words,» said Herberolden. «Otherwise I will have to expel you.» One of us is already rotting in hell for such words!

They forgot about this conversation. But Dartel never parted with parchment and quill. He caught every rare word of the priests, tried to understand the meaning of the shade of each emotion in order to better translate it into the language of people. He created the elven dictionary – a tome. It contains a huge collection of elven spells.

And then Dartel persuaded some of the priests, and they went with the man. Dartel with a handful of elves conquered Morelia, then with a small army of soldiers trained in magic, he conquered all of Eldoras. His empire expanded, but his thirst for power could not be quenched so easily. He captured two-thirds of Sanem’s lands and almost all of Enni’s lands. I wanted to move east, but again I came across an abandoned elven village.

– Your Majesty, we cannot leave unconquered lands behind. The empire must be intact! – one of the advisers said to Dartel.

– Gerberolden, obey me, the only true ruler of these lands! – Dartel said then. But the elven king laughed in the man’s face. What can a self-taught magician do in a battle with a native elf? Maybe he would have stood on equal terms against one of his children, but Herberolden is a true elf, he was born somewhere in the upper world.

Then the war between elves and people began. The forest was burning in magical fire. On that day, the magic of people was born. Elvish words did not disappear, like human ones, having fulfilled their purpose. They solidified into a viscous substance among the trees and saturated the air. After that battle, the forest became magical, enchanted.

There is no trace left of the elven settlement. Elves and human sorcerers tormented each other. And those who survived decided to hide the book in a place where no one would find it.

– Maybe we shouldn’t look for the book either? – asked Still. – She carries so much evil within herself!

«It’s not that simple,» said Nermall. – Who knows what Silver found in the ruins of Antimonik? But now he is one of the most powerful magicians on earth. If he’s not stopped, who knows how far he’ll go? And the book can give us a chance in the war with Morelia.

– Nermall, how do you know so much about this book?

– I read a lot. I have traveled and heard many stories.

– Hey, Still, what are you doing here? – Lewis shouted out of nowhere. – Everyone is preparing for a feast in your honor, and here you are walking in the park! You know, friend, I don’t have much good. But I want to give you a gift for coming of age.

Lewis took the pendant from his neck and placed it around Still’s neck.

– This is the little that remains of my mother. This amulet should protect you from many problems!

– Truly a royal gift! – said Nermall. – This pendant cannot be stolen or taken away by force. It can only be received as a gift!

– Thank you friend! – Still hugged Lewis.

– Happy holiday to you!

The friends did not know what surprise Fate was preparing for them.

Chapter 4. Feast

Thousands of candles and torches were lit, so that not a trace remained of the usual twilight of the castle. The musicians played pipes and lutes. The dancers danced. The aroma of meat baked in spices wafted through the hall. Incense was lit.

Servants carried baked geese with apples and roasted wild boar on silver trays. Trays of meat and fruit emptied faster than cups of wine.

Then Damgam, the court jester, came out. Most jesters are dwarfs, but this tall fellow is as thin as a pillar. He pulled a coin from behind Still’s ear. The guests applauded. Then, to the sound of a lute, he sang:

Glory to you, great one, our fat king,

This is your unenviable role.

You are angry like an animal, well, always drunk!

The wolf is evil on the inside, but the boar on the outside!

Absolute silence reigned in the hall for a minute. Even the musicians stopped playing. Hundreds of eyes are directed at the impudent jester. Dinor broke the silence. He laughed loudly:

– I wouldn’t forgive anyone else! Long ago any minstrel who dared to sing such a thing, even in a whisper, would have burned at the stake. But I forgive you. Sing some more! Cheer up the old man!

The jester sang again, without hitting a single note:

The eldest prince lives in a distant land,

He sold his soul to Satan,

His soul obeyed the witch,

He is slowly making plans for the battle!

– Enough! – Dinor hit the table with his fist in anger. – You need to know when to stop! Go away!

The jester laughed evilly. Each time the meeting between the king and the jester ended with Dinor driving Dangam away in anger, but then calling him again the next evening to sing a new song about some nobleman or about the king himself.

– Or what, Dinor? Will you cut off my balls?

Dangam was castrated by a nobleman when he found him with his wife. Since then, Dangam’s jokes have become angrier. And he began to fear less for his life, which is why he allowed himself liberties that others would have been afraid of. He would be happy if he were hanged. What kind of life is there without women?

– Get out! – Dinor shouted.

– Okay, okay, I’m coming! But don’t call me today! – said the jester, closing the door behind him.

For some time there was silence in the hall. But then Dinor said, smiling:

– We have gathered today on a joyful occasion: today Prince Still turned seventeenth spring. Let’s drain the cups to the bottom!

All the guests put cups to their lips.

– But that’s not the only reason I gathered you. Dangam is right. There will soon be a war with Morelia.

The guests whispered:

– War?

– War again?

– Morelia?

– But I know where the weapon is with which we can defeat Silver. I plan to send an expedition to the Unknown Lands!

The guests looked at each other in fear.

– Unknown Lands? Didn’t I hear it?

«It also seemed to me that the king said exactly that.»

– Your Highness! – Colonel Darsu expressed the general idea louder than others. – It’s suicide to go to the Unknown Lands! No one returned from there alive!

– So, there won’t be a single volunteer who will go to distant lands, perhaps to certain death, but for the sake of saving the Motherland? – Dinor looked around at those present.

«I’ll go get the book,» Still said quietly.

– What, son? – Dinor asked. – Do you want to say something?

– I will go to the Unknown Lands! – Still said, this time his voice echoed throughout the entire hall.

– No, son, what are you talking about! How can you go there! – Dinor laughed nervously. – It is unknown what awaits the traveler along the road! There will be others who will risk their lives. And you are the crown prince, your life must be protected.

– Will they respect me when I become king if I sit in the castle, sending others to their deaths? – Still looked carefully into his father’s eyes. – Did you ever sit out your time?

Didn’t sit back! People loved Dinor because he always walked ahead of the squad. Lately the king had almost gone mad, but people still respected him for his old exploits.

– I will go! Still insisted.

– You’re not going anywhere!

– Father!

– Are there anyone who wants it? Are there really no more candidates?

– Father, give me a birthday present!

– Your Majesty! – Anilix said. – All the kings of antiquity, before ascending to the throne, performed a feat. Give your son this chance too! How is he worse than his ancestors?

– Dad, please!

A single tear ran down the drunken king’s cheek.

– So be it. I prepared another birthday present for you – Councilor Wind personally chose the prostitute. I wanted you to become a man today, but I was too late. You are already a mature husband if you can make such decisions! I am the city with my son! So it’s destined – you will go on this dangerous journey. But I won’t send you away yourself. Who will go with my son?

– I will go! Lewis was the first to shout. «I can’t send my faithful friend on a dangerous journey myself!»

– And I’ll go! – said Nermall.

– You’re already old! – said Councilor Wind.

– Yes, but I will give most of the young people a head start. I taught Still a lot, but I didn’t pass on a lot of knowledge to him.

– I’ll go too!

– And I!

– And I want to go!

Many warriors’ hands reached up.

– We can’t send a large detachment! – Dinor laughed. «Even a blind sentry will notice such a detachment.» Colonel Darsu, choose the best.

– I myself wouldn’t mind going for the princes Still! – Colonel Darsu said.

– No, Colonel. You, together with Advisor Wind, will prepare our troops for war. No one can say for sure whether this book exists. We can’t bet all our cards on just the lost elven tome!

***

Still had a fair amount of wine. But the girl who was brought to his bed dispelled his intoxication for a while.

– What is your name? – the young man asked, stroking the blond, curly-haired beauty’s chin.

– Does it matter? Men never asked my name. And I don’t care what your name is. The main thing is that the money is paid!

She tore off the prince’s shirt. And then they loved each other.

***

Still’s head was pounding. He barely opened his eyes, wanting to take a leak. The blonde girl next to him was awake. She whispered words in an unknown language. Seeing that Still was awake, she attacked him. Tenacious fingers squeezed his neck. Touching the amulet Lewis gave her, she hissed.

– What kind of strange amulet is this? – she asked.

– Who sent you? – asked Still, instantly sobering up.

– The one who will take the throne when you die! – she again reached for the prince’s neck, but Still grabbed the sword that was lying nearby and brought it to the attacker’s neck.

– Guards! – Still shouted. Valin entered the room.

– Valin, take her to prison. She’s a witch!

The girl threw her cloak over her naked body. Valin glanced at her every now and then as he led the captive through the corridors.

– You won’t arrest me, will you? Really, handsome? I’m a poor defenseless girl. Do you know what atrocities Still did to me? And when he got tired of me, he threw me away like an old toy. Spoiled child!

She threw off her cloak with an imperceptible movement. Valin looked at the naked body of the prostitute, unable to utter a word. He is the only one from the guard who has not found a bride, so the blonde turned his head.

– Come on, be brave! – the prostitute put Valin’s palm on her chest. And with an imperceptible movement of her hand, she grabbed a dagger and plunged it into the soldier’s chest. She took a bunch of keys and opened one of the dungeons.

– Eleanor? – Jim was surprised.

– You betrayed Silver. «You won’t live to see the morning for this,» said the blonde. A dagger was stabbed into the bandit’s chest. Jim never lived to see his execution. And Eleanor ran away.