The great Belket always trusted me unconditionally. Always, but not now.
How many years has this war lasted - eight, nine? How many times have our troops attacked the cities of the magicians, and how many times after the first success was the attack repulsed? How much will this continue?
How many times I addressed him with the only request - to gather in Erish all the forces, to call all necromancers, old and young, experienced and new, to raise all the army, alive and dead, as possible, and bring one, but decisive blow! It would seem that this is a reasonable and perhaps the only way out for us, a possible way to end this exhausting expedition sooner, to repel our ancient homeland from atheists, to avenge the expulsion, to impoverishment and death of the worthy and to return home. Why does Vladyka not think so? Did I lose his trust in his old age, but why? No, he still tells me much of what no one knows, absolutely nobody, I vouch for it. I think I saw his face alone and I feel his sadness ... His trust is trusted, but why does he not listen to me?
So many others, their own and newcomers, constantly turn around him! Perhaps this is their influence? Unless my noble Raven, honoring Belket, does not try to win his favor. Nightmare Nahdir, himself a half-ghost, always torments him with talk about the spirits and impermanence of the body. Who else is there? Stupid ugly Orson. Vlad, full of ambitious aspirations, but unable to even maintain the body in a decent condition! Caspar, seemingly benign and well-meaning elder - and who knows what's on his mind? However, without him, a great healer, you can not do at times, and he often disappears. Mad Deirdre, tormentor and torturer; the fanatic of the Herald, who does not take her eyes off Belklet, ready, it seems, to bow to the very air around him-such anyone will gnaw through the throat if she stands in her way-at least on the way to the archon; To these two crazy bastards he trusts to teach young magic and possession of weapons! And many more, many, many ... Even Lord Wayne never gave me full confidence, although I can understand his noble anger and the reason for his departure from us: he uncovered the plot of Sandro himself, who, according to everyone's opinion, was worthy of the lowest and painful fate, and Belket only drove the wicked from the Order, mercifully saving his life! And what all this led to ?! To Tarek's revolt on Namtar's Claws, to all these betrayals, illnesses, stories to Mother Namtar, the final deaths ... Was it really not enough for him ?! And now this war, which stretches and drags on, and Belket all hesitates and hesitates! Surely he does not see that it is necessary to rely only on those who are devoted to him with all his soul, that it is necessary to eradicate filth without mercy, to cut a snake's tangle with one blow of the blade? But no, nothing interests him, except justice and cognition, he calculates everything there, weighs it ... It is in some way good, but how can you prove him ...
"Lord Belket..."
"Greetings to you, Zoltan, my friend." What worried you?
"Vladika Belket, if it so happened that you do not believe the older Zoltan, then, please, better deprive me of the benefits of non-life, strip it with your own hand. I have seen and experienced too much, the final death does not frighten me, but your displeasure is terrible."
"Arise, my son." You should not humiliate yourself before me. Tell me, why are you haunted by the thought of lost trust, what forces you not to believe my decisions?
"My lord, I was not even thinking about it ..." I hesitated, realizing that I had betrayed myself that I really did not trust how the great Belket is acting on this war, and, knowing that it was pointless to lie, I decided to continue. - I have no right to ask about what I do not know - about your plans and thoughts, there is, of course, a reason that you repeatedly reject my proposal ...
Belket approached me. Never had he no anger, no irritation, no anxiety, and at this moment he did not change himself, turning to me in a habitually peaceful tone:
"My son, I have in vain kept you in ignorance." I will share with you thoughts about this war. Think with me, Lord Zoltan: what will happen if we now collect, as you advise, the whole Erish, raise everyone and everything and bring it here? The country will remain completely without protection ...
"She is already without protection, my lord!" - I interrupted. I should have told him that.
"No, Zoltan." You know that this is not so.
"Not this way?! My lord, there were only boys left ... Well, well, not only boys. But if they all come to these deserts and cause one powerful blow, then we will win! We will win at once, and it will all be over!"
"And if we do not win, Lord Zoltan?" - From this question, I suddenly felt uneasy. I never thought about this ...
"But is it possible?"
"Perhaps, my friend." You yourself see that our attacks have been successfully repelled for many years. This means only one thing - the mages are still strong. We throw them now all the color of Erish, both mature and young - and we can lose everyone to one. If we wait, sending to the magicians only the undead under the command of a few commanders, we will wait that our enemies will weaken, exhausted by a long war. And then, Lord Zoltan, we will bring all the most experienced, oldest, most skilled, we will gather a huge army, and Asha will send us the long-awaited victory. We will not touch disciples and scribes - there is no reason for that. The place of the young home, their lot is training, not war.
"But why?" I could not stand it again. "Why do not you want to send the young at least to the decisive battle, teach them to fight?"
"In one battle they will not learn to fight, my boy," I'm really, in comparison with Belkut, really a boy; it is not surprising that other young people, as he calls them, have passed for half a century. "Half of them will perish, not bringing Ashe any benefit." This is not their war, Zoltan. In the end, if it happens that the great goddess will not like our diligence or she will consider it insufficient, if we are defeated, then those who continue our business and restore justice will remain. There will be others, the chosen one will appear from the prophecy, and perhaps he is already among us ...
"The Chosen One? So you are afraid for one chosen and for this..."
"I told you the truth, Zoltan." I believe that when he has matured and becomes strong, he will restore Asha's balance one day, as it was intended, and for this he must, of course, remain alive. But others must save their lives so that Erish could prosper, so that there would be someone to continue what we started and protect our new homeland. Even if we do not win now, my child, they will do it when their time comes. Asha makes everything good, do not forget about it.
"You are right, Vladyka ..." I sagged, understanding Beltek's justice.
"I would send for you myself now, Zoltan," I suddenly heard. "It's urgent."
"I'm listening to your will, my lord."
"Our scouts reported that a lone magician was coming to us from the Silver Cities." This is someone named Maakhir, if his name says anything to you.
"I'm afraid not, gentleman ... And, please forgive me, is not this the madcap about which they told us that he sleeps in the desert without shelter and sleeps on needles?"
"Exactly. And now he was sent to us."
"A spy?"
"I do not think it's a simple spy." Maakhir is the strongest magician, his supporters would not risk so much.
"So what does he want?"
"Something about magic." I think he is looking for something that can help the Silver League in the fight against us.
"Artifacts?"
"Probably. I think we are talking about regalia of Sar-Issa, hidden in the vicinity of your castle, Zoltan."
Only this was not enough!
"I have always trusted you with the most delicate matters, my friend." I'm sure that you will not let me down now. I have one request for you: take care that Maakhir does not find these priceless relics, and if it happens that he finds, the regalia of Sar-Issa should not leave the limits of Erish. Can I count on you?
"Of course, my lord." As always.
"And again: this enemy can not be underestimated, Zoltan." He is incredibly hardy, cruel and quick, and with relics will become almost invincible. Be careful.
To be continued
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