Loe raamatut: «The Black Book of Souls»

© Danny Osipenko, 2022

ISBN 978-5-0056-1878-8

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

CHAPTER 01

– I write, I read, I make letters! – a solid hour I tore a throat on the market square without the slightest result.

In three days I managed to get only the small, wrinkled apple, and painful spasms in a stomach gave to a voice drama feeling.

But not only hunger forced to look for earnings convulsively. Midday when the city guards begin a round came to collect a daily payment from foreigners for stay in the city.

Who will be able to pay – will receive the press on the palm back special paint. Till next day the tag will descend and it is again necessary to pay or hide. You will get and will not be able to pay – will sell on galleys. Destiny which and to the enemy you will not wish.

And money is necessary very little: a copper penny, but where to take it?

I tried to steal and once even it turned out. But local thieves attacked me, beat, selected production and warned that they will kill next time. Only liverymen have the right to drag others supposedly in the city. In which for the introduction it is necessary to treat government of binge, to pay a contribution five silver and to deduct every month two silver in a common fund.

I tried to find a job, but also here waited for complexity. It appeared that on the nice island of Lush only liverymen of podmetalshchik can sweep, wash the dishes – liverymen of dishwashers, to cut firewood – liverymen of woodcutters. Even chamber-pots have the right to take out only liverymen of goldsmiths. Monitor observance of these regulations of the power strictly, and punishment one – galleys. For the accession to guild it is necessary to bring a fair contribution and to arrange to the management a wine party.

It was necessary only to be engaged in the craft. Glory to gods, the guild of clerks did not exist. Alas, almost everyone on the island was more or less competent, and on services the calligrapher of demand was not.

I swallowed saliva and stared at richly dressed up girl with the silly person and a muddy look.

She defiled, extending a smell of the reek of alcohol and haughty bending the swelled lips. The burse which, judging by thickness, could solve all my problems for many days hung on the belt decorated with pearls.

The hand itself stretched to it, but I felt as language a loose tooth, remembered prevention of local thieves and constrained an internal rush. Unworthy to the person of my craft and qualification to trade in theft. Instead I whispered to the girl directly in an ear:

– I make love messages, congratulations in verses. Absolutely cheap!

The stranger only hiccupped fumes of wine and disappeared in crowd. And midday, meanwhile, came. Shadows became shorter, my situation is more and more dangerous.

I wiped wet palms about a loincloth and started turning the head.

The glory to gods not to see guards yet. However there is no time less, money and even me have nothing to sell. From all property at me only a dirty rag on loins yes a silver feather on a neck. This sign of craft indicated my highest qualification and to leave it it seemed as inconceivable how to say goodbye with themselves.

I pressed a medallion to heart and swore that I will better die of hunger, but I will not sell it. Other business threat of slavery by galleys. To avoid a similar fate any will be ready to do anything.

So far I managed to disappear. I hid on roofs of houses and in cesspools, under boards of port moorings and in crowns. The damned guards knew all places where illegal immigrants can be concealed, and checked there especially carefully, using volunteer assistants from local beggars. Paid ragamuffins for everyone caught and they tried on conscience. Still I was more cunning, but whether good luck will long last?

Money was urgently necessary, but how to get them?

Never thought that with a profession of the calligrapher it is possible to appear without work. Also brought me hard on the island where every second is able to write!

The bearded fat man who, taking the rap, pressed two shabby volumes to a breast overtook me. The stranger was obviously not from the poor, and I became constant visitor, looking to him in eyes:

– I rewrite books, I restore the damaged text, I make tables of contents eighteen various fonts.

Tolstobryukhy twisted a nose as if from me insufferably stank, and asked:

– And in how many languages you can write?

– On seven, mister! – with hope I exclaimed and began to list, for descriptive reasons bending fingers: – On kashtunsky, ulishsky, brotherly…

– And my dogs bark on eight! – he interrupted, spat to me under legs, laughed and passed by.

I hardly constrained desire to strangle the bastard.

Yes, strangers do not favor here. The island of Lush was the unpleasant place, and lashita very inhospitable people. The travel on the Archipelago Thousands of Islands did not seem to me more successful idea. And as everything well began!

Hardly university historian Kimraz invited me to set off with him as the copyist, I grasped with both hands at this offer. You bet: to escape for university walls, to travel all over the world, to spend the night under stars at a fire, to float under sails! And who could refuse here?

And the wandering purpose to write a research about mysterious chasteners of the Archipelago, could immortalize our names. Nobody authentically knew anything about mysterious attendants of the goddess Cara. Commoners frightened by chasteners of disobedient children, library volumes were full of the most contradictory data, and scientists to blue in the face argued, putting forward own, times absolutely fantastic, the assumptions.

Some claimed that chasteners are the demons called by the goddess from other measurements and is devoted to her employees in gratitude for an opportunity to live in our world. Others said that it is demigods who were born from mixed marriages of gods and people. The third proved that it is ordinary people who in infancy were sold to Cara’s priests and since childhood studied fighting and magical arts in underground temples of a mysterious cult.

Not less cock-and-bull stories were also about abilities of mysterious beings. They supposedly can pass through walls, breathe under water, turn into birds and animals, to become invisible, do not burn on fire, are not vulnerable for magic and weapon.

In one all story-tellers agreed: that against whom the goddess directed the servants could be considered as the dead person since that moment as chasteners received the order. Neither strong walls and locks, nor thousands of bodyguards and policemen, sorcery and protection of deities saved the victim. Only continuous flight could on kokoye time to delay inevitable, but not on long.

How to me was to resist from temptation to learn the truth?

And it was possible to receive it firsthand only on the Archipelago where Cara’s cult forgotten on the Northern continent hundreds years ago still prospered. Collecting was not long, and in a week we set off.

The travel to the Southern Port was inexpressibly fascinating and full of new impressions. I even could not present before as far as life out of walls of the monastery differs from habitual to me since childhood.

There was, appear, no firm schedule. People ate, slept, wandered there – vessels when to them takes in head. And any hourly prayers, any vigils.

Instead of the identical gray chlamyses put to priests and altar boys, laymen put on each in his own way, and the most unimaginable coloring. Men preferred the ridiculous wide trousers which are tied up by a rope or a bright belt and free shirts, is frequent without sleeves. Women wore the dresses which are usually embroidered by bright patterns and intricate hats. Over it in rainy weather jackets, vests, raincoats were put on. In the majority leather woolen sometimes.

From discordant noise in the cities and villages I who got used to silence of the monastic university turned the head.

And women.

Most of them did not resemble at all those crooked old women who were sometimes allowed in monastyar. For all the nineteen years I did not see any whose hair were not sets, and faces are wrinkled and dark as dried fruits.

Now I saw hundreds of young beautiful faces with the shining eyes, charming noses and the concerning lips. From one view of shapes of female bodies which from time to time were frankly emphasized with the fitting dresses at me intercepted breath and went hot. I could not look away and so stared that young seductresses laughed over me, put out the tongue, sometimes waved a hand or did gesture which as I learned later, is called an air-kiss.

Kimraz with laughter straightened out me, saying that so it is indecent to stare at women and I can have troubles from their admirers or parents. But in general it encouraged my interest in surrounding, advising to remember all what was seen that then to use in our book.

Spending the night under the open sky on a roadside was also full of new impressions, and cooking on a fire – fascinating business. And though porridge slightly burned, and compote turned out too sweet, we fell asleep absolutely happy under a chirr of cicadas and shouts of night birds.

In the morning we have hastily a bite and went further, and by a lunch already were in the Southern Porto.

Before I could not even imagine that there are such huge cities where houses rise on several floors over the crowded people streets, and noise and a stench are simply unimaginable. I absolutely became puzzled and stared around having opened from surprise of companies.

Fortunately, Kimraz not the first time traveled and well knew the Southern Port. He only clapped me it can do, strong grabbed by a hand and surely dragged bustling streets.

We were pushed, called, tried to be robbed, but we without special incidents reached the harbor.

The type of the huge ships and a boundless water smooth surface blew my mind.

I grew up at water and even perfectly swam, the University costs on the bank of Lake Beloye. But unless it was possible to compare it to sea open spaces?

And dark sea vessels surpassed by the sizes ten times those boats which priests used.

Out of a stupor I was brought by Kimraz, having pulled a hand so that nearly pulled out it from a shoulder. He pointed to the stocky building and told that there we will be able to learn what vessels go to the Archipelago.

The gray-haired fat man chewed lips examining a silver coin which was handed to him by the scientist, and with a sigh reported that «the Sea Shepherd» just floats to Got with ebony cargo. It goes with an evening outflow and if we hurry, then we will manage to agree with the captain.

Soon Kimraz already hazardously bargained with the high big guy in a red sleeveless jacket. As a result for twenty silver we received the place on the deck under a canopy and two times food.

– Low robbery! Remember it Lance. We will write about it in the book, – Kimraz muttered settling on a lean mattress.

I only nodded and began to examine the ship and sailors who quickly scurried about, preparing for departure.

The beginning of swimming was awful. I was exhausted by seasickness and the whole world was not lovely. Only for the fourth day it became better for me and I ate a little, and then began to write down the collected impressions.

In the evening after dinner I felt absolutely healthy and went to admire a sea sunset to a board. Similar before I saw nothing and the fantastic show so bewitched me that I ceased to notice surrounding.

– You admire the handsome man, – was distributed at the ear and I nearly jumped overboard.

Gasping for air, I turned back and caught a quizzical glance from under fluffy eyelashes. The answer got stuck in a throat.

Regular features showed natural irony and sharp mind, and still some reckless impudence. The men’s shirt and trousers so emphasized all cambers of a slim figure that at me palms sweated, and knees began to shiver.

– Mute, perhaps? – anxiously the beautiful stranger asked and suddenly put out the tongue at me.

In several moments I managed to squeeze out from myself silent:

– Hello.

The girl sniffed, was called Garda and asked how I like swimming. Gradually my awkwardness weakened, I was presented, and the conversation was struck up. Having heard about the purpose of a trip, our with Kimraz, to the Archipelago of Thousands of Islands, the beauty inconsiderately slapped me it can do and told that I was largely lucky, it is an adventurer, it is possible to tell the adventurer in the second generation visited many places and something can tell about mysterious chasteners.

Left her words that it is cruel, ruthless murderers, one mention of whom causes a panic in inhabitants of the Archipelago. For Cara’s servants would be commonplace to finish off one hundred innocent Lish to reach the planned victim. However, recently on east islands and in the center the chasteners appeared not often.

These murderers are reserved and ruthless. Very few people could brag that saw them and survived, but all survived eyewitnesses claimed: servants Cara ordinary people. Though some continued to insist as if those demons and sorcerers who sold soul.

All inhabitants of the Archipelago knew how to address the goddess that that punished offenders if there is no different way to restore the trampled justice.

It is enough to come to Cara’s temple, to pray, having mentioned the one who avoided fair punishment, and then to cut to itself a throat over an altar. It is necessary to do it without assistance, and so that blood gathered in a sacrificial bowl. Hardly soul of the applicant will go to the world of shadows the goddess will consider a request and if considers it fair, will call the servants. Since this moment the victim can be considered the dead man.

The terrible ritual suggested me an idea that ask for the similar help not often.

Garda told that in the east all quite so and is, but in the West chasteners are ferocious with might and main. Whether you will not wait for justice at the authorities there, whether it became fashionable to cut to itself drinks.

About chasteners my new acquaintance could not add anything else and the conversation went about her travel. I enthusiastically listened, and probably it was pleasant to the girl so we left long after midnight. At parting the beauty presented me the first in life kiss and I all night long experienced delightful feelings of contact of gentle lips.

To evening of the next day the storm, and everything burst, including sailors gathered in a hold. On the main deck remained only steering.

We with Garda sat down near and continued a yesterday’s conversation. Proximity of the girl I was incredibly concerned also by her, obviously, at once noted it. The conversation passed to subjects of the relations of men and women what I did not understand at all, the yesterday’s kiss was my one and only experience.

Having learned that I am a virgin, the adventurer lit up the idea to immediately turn me into the real man. And to make it, according to her, followed on the deck in the rain and wind, during a storm that both of us remembered these moments forever.

I tremblingly in soul agreed. Who could oppose to a pressure of the charming beauty?

Soon we settled on a rostrum where we immediately undressed and carried out a reckless plan.

Hardly I comprehended a word meaning the man as in a board the crazy wave struck, and I appeared in the middle of the storming ocean. Without sandals and trousers. In only one next-to-skin silk shirt.

Fortunately, together with me overboard washed away a keg thanks to which I held on till morning of the next day when I was noticed by fishermen.

They demanded to give all valuable to gratitude for rescue or to jump back in water.

I left a gold ring of the scientist, silver earrings of the university and a shirt instead of which I received a rag to tie on hips. It was succeeded to keep only the sign of the calligrapher after I proved that the feather bronze and is only covered with a thin layer of silver.

In the evening of the same day I in one loincloth was landed in port of the city of the Comprehensive insurance located on Lush island that in the western part of the Archipelago of Thousands of Islands.

At the beginning I thought that I will not be gone and I will be able easily to support myself the skill, and also to find out more about chasteners, but very quickly my opinion changed and now I stood on the market suffering from hunger and fear to appear to be sold in slavery.

Four blows of a gong meaning that there came midday rang out.

I hissed for rage on own nonsense. It was necessary to move off in searches of the shelter half an hour ago, but hunger forced to forget about care, and the danger to appear by galleys over me hung.

Every instant was on the account, and I rushed off to the next gate, in hope that policemen though will a little be late. According to city ragamuffins, it quite often happened at local peace officers because of addiction to a merop, incredibly strong home brew which was served in the next tavern. Certainly policemen drank free of charge and in all used it.

«Though they would be taken before porosyachy squeal today and did not reach,» – I dreamed, maneuvring in crowd that anybody not to face and, thus, not to lose precious moments.

Alas gods did not hear my prayers. Soon I to the horror made out two policemen who leaned against a shutter of gate and short copies stopped the visitors of the market wishing to leave for examination. Two couples more moved to the opposite directions and checked all counter.

Everyone lashit in the childhood received a magic bracelet which confirmed his nationality and which did not leave all life. On lack of similar ornament which could not be forged the guards found visitors at once, and nobody managed to hide in crowd. Also it was necessary or to buy freedom for one day or to go to slavery.

I was developed and rushed off to opposite gate though the hope was scanty, but what I needed to do?

Very quickly I made sure that I was late again. This exit from the market square was blocked more reliably than a throat of a wine bottle by a corn stopper.

I stopped, greedy swallowing of air, and tried to think what to do?

Through gate not to break, policemen though tipsy, but know business and local with pleasure will help to catch the stranger as here call all visitors. To hide in broad daylight in the market will not leave. The local rags with pleasure will give out for a reward. To get over through the wall surrounding the market, in two human growth, it is necessary to be the spiderman, but not the clerk.

I grabbed with the shivering hand a medallion. Really I should sell it?

To leave the sign of the top skills which I received in eighteen years, having become the youngest master of a calligraphy in the history of the university, it seemed inconceivable. But how still to escape from slavery?

The feeling was such as if I intended to sell the past, a part of the soul, and inside as if everything stood and became empty.

With the eyes full of tears I removed a medallion and started turning the head, finding the dealer in jewelry. But instead of the jeweler saw the cart with barrels which just stopped at the wall. Gods heard my prayers!

I immediately got a medallion and rushed forward, hoping to jump in no time a wall, but could not make to a step.

Thick hairy fingers a grip of steel seized my shoulder.

CHAPTER 02.

I moved to run, but could not escape and by inertia was developed.

Faced me low, but strong, the man, with a cold glance of the murderer and a jaw of a bulldog. The stranger crookedly grinned several moments, perhaps, enjoying my confusion, and then unexpectedly squeaky asked:

– Do you want to Shrat?

– To me at first to eat, – I blurted out, having been taken aback from a similar question.

The interlocutor blinked one eye, inclined the head sideways and filtered:

– And I what I sprashivat? To Shrat, I speak, you want?

The stomach responded painful spasms, and I vigorously began to nod, confirming for fidelity with words:

– Yes, yes. Of course. Very much I want.

– Then went. At me for you put esht.

The big guy squeezed my elbow a grip of steel and dragged through crowd to gate, explaining on the run:

– Shonut me goshpodin the Pin. I am a person uvashayemy and spravedlivy. You to a napravd it is so dexterous to Ashley to peep you wave as hvashtat – you will be at me as Scheer in the mashl. Both food, and binge, and a lodging for the night, and girls, a vsha will be. Do the main thing that a shkasha, and to a sprosh – cheshtno answer.

He became silent for an instant as if he thought, and then continued:

– You, for example, how klinut?

– Lance, – I answered, without seeing the reasons to hide.

– Well, Lansh. Sheychas we will approach gate and I will talk highway lyagavy. You not vmeshivayshya, be silent. Got that?

– Of course. But why you call policemen lyagavy?

– Therefore that lyagavy they and esht lyagavy. But only in a muzzle so do not speak to them – will bungle. Got that?

I nodded, with a shiver in soul observing as four observers come nearer, suffering from a heat in a leather armor.

Perhaps I in vain trusted in the stranger whose face did not command respect at all. But unless I had an exit?

Though, as well as any novice, I passed self-defense lessons in the monastery, but without special diligence and to escape from a grip of steel of hands of the Pin, without drawing general attention, I had no slightest opportunity. Besides there were no strong reasons not to trust the stranger, it is not excluded to him my services are really necessary.

However the easiest way to bring me from the market was to hand me a copper coin that I could pay policemen. The pin of it did not make, and I begged to gods that it was not the bastard who wants to hand over me to guards for a reward.

But in a moment I straightened out myself. It is impossible to think badly of the person only because he lashit. All of them cannot be bastards?

The hairy finger of the policeman roughly stuck me into a stomach, the swelled-up physiognomy dokhnut the reek of alcohol.

– Hand!

I stretched forward the left brush on which certainly there was no trace of the allowing press also.

– Pay! – the chubby palm revealed before me.

I licked the dried-up lips and translated a look on the satellite which immediately peeped, taking the observer’s hand aside:

– This is my slave.

I shuddered and opened a mouth to be indignant, but the Pin hardly considerably winked at me, having squeezed a hand slightly stronger, and I kept silent. The cunning can do it?

The policeman raised eyebrows, slightly led the head and muttered:

– And where collar?

– Did not ushpet to put on. Just bought this freeloader.

– Pokazh bill of sale.

– So the document is just corrected.

The defender of law and order crookedly grinned and stretched to the Pin a dirty palm:

– Violation. Pay a penalty or you will go to cold, and your slave will ring out on galleys.

– So I speak, the bill of sale is shoshtryapat just about, – my employer became stubborn.

– Violation! – the policeman growled, lifting peak which tip rested against a breast of my satellite. Other policemen directed weapon to us too.

– Shkolko? – my satellite was given.

– Silver.

– Yes well, what the hell for! – the Pin moved. – Shovest have!

– Resistance to the authorities?! – the observer bellowed suddenly, splashing saliva.

Seeing that the situation is heated I outright strukhnut: suddenly yes my satellite has no money for a penalty?

The imagination obligingly painted a picture seen once: emaciated oarsmen, sitting up to ankles in own excrements, overstraining, pull very heavy oars, on the backs covered with blood whips the supervisor’s scourge. Cold tentacles of despair squeezed heart.

But here in a hand of the policeman there was a silver coin, and observers moved further, having splashed me on a hand the press and having strictly punished slaves without collar and the bill of sale on the city from now on not to drive.

– Thanks, – I blurted out, feeling sincere gratitude to the person who saved me from an unenviable fate.

Now on my hand the press which guaranteed one more day of free life flaunted, without need to run away and hide.

It turned out, I absolutely in vain doubted the employer and now was ready to fail with shame. It is impossible to think of the stranger badly only because he lashit. For certain among them there are many kind and decent people, and the bastards who were coming across to me still can be an exception. Also I faced them because of bad luck which pursues me since the beginning of a travel.

In response to my gratitude the Pin sighed and muttered:

– Yes what there. We are, izveshtno, the people generous yes sympathetic. In a trouble of the good person not broshy. – and, angrily having spitted out, added: – Do you Vit what bastards-lyagavye create? Wanted to shekonomit copper coin, so heated on sherebryany… Have you ever seen anything like it for a trifle to tear up such penalty? And to shalovatsya uselessly. You will go to a shotnik so also lashes you will receive.

– Maybe it was worth giving me a copper coin for otkupny? – I sounded a recent thought.

My satellite only hemmed:

– Look razmechtalshya! The pocket is wider than Dersha. We, lashita, from time immemorial, the people trustful and proshtodushny, and therefore vshyaky easy riders, oshobenno from voshtochny oshtrov, strive to obshulit ours eternally. But we such podlosht know long ago and therefore to anyone proshto so we do not trust. You dokash of a shperv that the person doshtoyny – then another story will be. And that I will give you a coin, and you to the lane and remember as called. Highway of what I to trust you dolshen?

– But I did not deceive in anything you, – I answered it is lost.

– How much to me the nobility, – the Pin blinked the eyes. – You shkazat that good pishar, I believed and even sherebryany on you did not play pranks. Also promised to feed, and did not see your work. Suddenly you shulik also write as a ram with a hoof?

– No, mister Shtyr, I really the calligrapher of the top skills what tells this medallion in the form of a bird’s feather about. Believe, you will not be disappointed with my work and I promise you that I will work everything the money spent for me to the last copper coin.

– Good of an eshla so, – my employer smiled. – Let’s go to a tavern. There you to me shvy ishkushtvo also pokasht and sing at the same time.

– You will not be disappointed, – I murmured, swallowing of saliva which filled a mouth at a mention of food.

Before eyes immediately there was a dish with the fried pig covered with a crisp in hot sweet-sour sauce. My nose felt a heavy scent of juicy pork, language and the sky taste of gentle fat meat.

The stomach responded painful spasms, and I strained all will driving away a persuasive image, but is alas ineffectual.

Aromas of food began to tease me for dozens of steps from a tavern. And, hardly I crossed a threshold, struck with such force that the head began to spin, the mouth was overflowed with saliva, in a stomach loudly zaburchat, and knees were turned in.

– You fix, Lansh, – the Pin hemmed, seating me at the next table and added: – You Sid, and I poyesht yes to drink a sprasha.

With these words my satellite went to a traktirny rack.

I did not begin to monitor its negotiations with the bearded fat man, and lowered a look and began to meditate on a mantra Chorus to distract from thoughts of food. And though, instead of the lowest rune shining gold before eyes the fried pig steadily appeared, I continued attempts, my satellite did not return yet.

– Obed Shkoro will be. For now pokashi shvy mashtershtvo. Whether shrya hvashtat, – the big guy squeaked, stretching me the sheet of cheap parchment, blackened a goose quill and a bubble.

Completely different I wanted to be engaged, but this person saved me from guards in the market, was going to feed and offered work. Therefore I decided to show everything what it is capable of. And not only from appreciation, but also in hope to get hold of money. And in similar cases it is important to make a good impression at once.

I moved up parchment, dipped a feather in ink and asked:

– What to write?

The pin for an instant thought, and then offered:

– Write a tavern nashvaniye: Shareny Shrimp.

I nodded and earned by a feather.

Ink was the cheapest of davleny berries of a chernushka, the parchment wrinkled and uneven, with traces of roughly remote text, a feather absolutely unsuitable for the thin letter. But, I did not pay attention to it and soon showed to the Pin the required text written by eighteen fonts known to me.