Dark Legacy

by Valery Starsky

  The Midnighters Clan receives all rights to the Palace of the Capture

  Power—920,000 megawatts

  The possibility of transportation—1 time in 500 years

  Staff 17,850

  The value of the property is 12 million gold.

  Then there was such a long list of incomprehensible information. Suddenly, he understood! Everything worked out! He had actually claimed the palace!

  “Hooray!” Yar yelled, instantly removing the message system from his view.

  Later. I will read everything later , he decided, literally jumping out of the Constructor.

  Oops . It was as though he was being crushed by a plate of lead. He instantly felt complete devastation and powerlessness. He was shaking like a drunk as he fell inexorably to one side.

  He saw a completely different source for the palace. It resembled the color of a native star, and around it, the pink YDSAs circled in orbits like satellites.

  Gelic was ahead of Blacky and held Yar, not allowing him to fall. Yar, as if in slow motion, saw several actions taking place simultaneously; two green lines of medical blocks were crawling across his chest as Goh and Heiro leaned over him, apparently gathering to inquire about his health from Gelic. As they did so, two symbiotes rushed from the main source of the palace to attack the adherents of another magic—the dark elves. Yar noted the high reaction speed of the Princess’s Mentor, who was the first to set up his protective shield. Unfortunately, Yar’d already understood that he fussed about in vain. The energy barriers of the elves were like nothing more than tissue paper for these small creatures.

  However, Yar contacted the commander of the Shadows first of all and ordered, “Storm!”

  The host of ghosts rose as if from the ground three miles away from the palace. The Shadows rushed toward the hated palace to kill all living things.

  Yar looked at the dark elves again, only after announcing the beginning of the battle. He gazed at them without regret and with a small measure of secret fear. Their faces were neither angry nor irritated.

  It’s hard to get angry when you are attacked with love, he mused.

  The healing spell blocks worked as they should, and Yar no longer felt any discomfort. The dark elves, oddly enough, did not even say a word, apparently putting any conversation aside for later. The desire to participate in the battle and their thirst for revenge were the predominant feelings the elves must be feeling at this time. There was a flash, and the Gap Spindle broke into full force, picking up its speed, and they rushed upward like a racing car. They aimed at the walls of the fortress.

  ***

  Life had been in full swing here, but now there was complete silence. The renewed energy heart of the Palace of Capture was beating in the same way. The lone YDSA flew in circles around the source—it was clearly angry, feeling abandoned. However, perhaps it was lucky...

  At first, a large backpack fell on the base of the reactor. Its owner appeared next. The newcomer grunted, staring at the main source, and then he scratched his beard in full prostration.

  “What did he do?” Vey the Shamrock squinted, grumbling kindly before hurrying to come closer to the source. An eerie curiosity consumed him; the wizard did not believe that such a thing could be possible.

  The response of the single source satellite to the approach of a possible host was predictable.

  It should be noted that Vey the Shamrock had managed to wrap himself in his protective shields very quickly, but it was all in vain. Neither timely evasion nor multilayered defense helped him defend himself—the YDSA had pierced him like a bullet.

  The wanderer greedily drank a whole flask of strong drink, cursed loudly, and only then, when he looked through the stats and determined the imposed acquisition, did he sit down on the steps and laugh, wiping away his tears as he went.

  “Oh, poor me! Please, System, please , have mercy! Why has this happened to me? Oh, oh, I can’t believe it! I have become an adept !”

  Vey leaned back, still laughing as he banged his palm across the floor.

  ***

  They had come on time; the bloody battle was going on inside the walls of the palace. A thousand Shadows fought a huge number of the White Branch Clan warriors in the east. In the west, it seemed that the turbulent river of the Shadows had crossed the loopholes and gone somewhere in the depths of the castle without meeting any proper resistance. It was a wonderful show. The Shadows fought with incredible fury—like berserkers. They were completely silent—like the dumb messengers of death itself, sowing wild terror in the ranks of the defenders of the Palace as the cries of the doomed began to spread everywhere.

  “It is the Shadows! The Moon Shadows! We will all die! The Palace is lost. This is the end! We give up! We give up!”

  However, these prayers meant nothing to the Shadows as they silently brought death to the light elves.

  Yar felt imminent danger approaching from several directions all at once, and he was proven right.

  “Attention, Master. Portals are currently being built outside of the palace,” Lyan reported in a calm, military tone.

  Yar responded immediately. “‘Burn’!” he yelled, turning his face to the sky. There, in the faraway heights, hand-held fireballs were circling, waiting for their time to join in. “Burn down any foreign teleports outside the palace. Come on; have fun, bros!”

  At the same time, numerous portals worked to the eerie accompaniment of the fiery creatures still falling from the sky. Uyu ran up to Yar. Kneeling down, she reported, “Portals, Master.”

  The joyful blur of the fiery creatures drowned out all sounds almost immediately. They rushed to the ground with an unbearable howl.

  “Burn it! Burn it!” Yar yelled.

  Hot air hit the palace, tearing away all the banners. As if they were six heavy diesel locomotives completely engulfed in flames, the ‘Burns’ flew through the sky.

  Boom! A deafening explosion rang out.

  It seemed that the palace swayed and shivered as if it had been moved from its foundations by an unknown force. Most of the elves fell. Outside the palace, the burning earth shot up into the air even higher than the tallest of the battle towers.

  “Get it,” Yar muttered through his teeth. He managed to grab the loophole in time so as not to fall. “The damn portals are destroyed.”

  “What was that?” Goh yelled, strengthening his voice with magic. He was on the verge of hysterics, but he was trying his best to hide the fact from the princess.

  Yar roared through the smoke and ash, covering them. “Goh, don’t worry! This is SDI—our Strategic Defense Initiative—in action. We have successfully used it before, so do not worry.”

  Goh seemed to understand absolutely nothing, but he at least came to his senses.

  Yar helped Uyu rise and shook the dust from her armor. Despite the fact that ashen rain was falling on the palace at that very moment, the orbital group of Burns went round for a second attack.

  “Any other problems?” Yar asked Uyu.

  She reported loudly and confidently, not paying any particular attention to the fact that the dark elves viewed her very closely indeed.

  “Master, most of the higher ones have taken refuge within the ballroom. The passages are narrow and cluttered. We are moving, but it is proving far slower than we would like. Only you can send the Shadows there.”

  Yar looked into Princess Heiro’s eyes and realized that if he left her here she might never forgive him.

  Suddenly, the screaming form of Ran Row appeared. He was covered with blood and ash; he seemed to be on top of the world. Yar failed to evade the joyful dwarf who grabbed him, squeezed tight, and somehow smeared him in ash and blood.

  I was lucky. I have survived his embrace, Yar thought, realizing that there were living light elves in the ballroom, and this was more important for the dwarf than breaking the bones of his relative.

  Yar gave a sign to Uyu, and a dense group of the best Shadows immediately formed around them. He quickly f
ound the huge ballroom with a magical scanner and sent his clan members there through the portal.

  They landed hard, right on top of the light elves; panicked cries and groans rang out.

  “Hooray!” Yar yelled.

  Ran Row was already waving his hammer as Vey suddenly appeared next to him. They both harmoniously, as if they had never parted, began to destroy the light ones.

  Yar remembered nothing afterward. Everything was swallowed up by bloody madness. They, united by revenge, did not stop until the last light elf was killed, and the whole palace shook with their joyous yet bloodthirsty shouts.

  “Victory! Victory! Victory!”

  Chapter 28. Midgard

  I t was the third day after the storm of the palace. During this time, few people had managed to get any sleep. Remedial units helped them to survive. Hundreds of players showed up in the prison cells, most of them were from the New England Clan, and they all had fairly high levels. These were glorious warriors indeed!

  They were released, healed, fed, equipped with weapons, and anything else that they needed. Then the parties drafted and signed an allied treaty and Yar promised to consider the New England Clan’s requirement to ‘get off the island within three days’. The local clan insisted on it.

  After they parted and bowed politely, Yar grinned.

  They are arrogant and courageous. They will survive without help from the outside. Apparently, the elves expect that we will leave here and the palace will be theirs. How naive!

  It was getting dark. The Palace of Capture stood alone and somehow unrealistically clean, surrounded by hundreds of huge volcanic-like craters. A soft east wind carried away the cinder beyond the horizon that was rising like curved black pillars, drawing an unreal alien landscape.

  An explosion occurred in the distance. The hum was not strong, and there was no vibration. The assembled elves merely smiled.

  “It seems that the White Branch Clan is tired of sending its warriors to certain death. This is only the second attempt today, and now it is late into the evening. I’m sure this is reconnaissance again,” Goh the Gray Raven said to anyone that was listening.

  “I agree,” Ran Row confirmed. “What do you say, Vey?”

  The wizard smiled slyly, smoothed his beard, and answered, “I can, with my pleasure, say the following. Light elves seem to have met a worthy opponent for the first time in their history. Their financial losses are huge—one library is absolutely priceless! As far as I know, this collection of books is the second most important after the imperial library. The elven library is the best collection of closed funds. Therefore, my friends, this is only the beginning!

  The fourth day of our victory will arrive in two hours, and the Earth in full game law will receive the status of the Free World with all its rights and two duties…”

  He began to straighten his fingers. “The first is to pay the tax of the planet frontier at a level of one million gold per year. The second is to support one stationary imperial portal of low power. Inspectors with a delegation of fairmen from the light elves will arrive tomorrow complete with a large shoulder bag. There will be threats, demands, promises, and deception. The imperial inspector is unlikely to refuse the light elves the ability to use the portal in his presence. Yar, in my opinion, is doing everything right, and we, the dwarves, will support him.” Vey looked at the chief dwarf pointedly.

  Ran Row showed his support for the speaker by nodding.

  “Now, I will express my personal opinion. Yar, the base in the Dark World is great and a well-hidden trump card. However, I believe that one more school of Magic should be created here on Earth with a bias in artifactory science and combat magic. I’m ready to do my best and work twenty-four hours a day. What do you say?”

  Yar liked this idea. He jumped up and bowed to the greatest wizard of the Belt of the Worlds.

  “Thank you, bro, for your good words and kind offer. I support your idea of ​​creating a Magical Academy, and I will spare any money required if you, Vey the Shamrock, take up the position of Rector.”

  “I agree,” Vey answered with burning eyes and a little worry. He was almost rubbing his hands in anticipation.

  Ran Row laughed at his brother, jumped up, and thundered in a loud voice, “Once the elves and other races in the Belt of the Worlds learn about the School of Magic, where Vey the Shamrock is the Rector, you will have to re-engage your fiery friends in orbit in order to fight back all those who want to enter the school.”

  The dwarf cleared his throat and continued, “I also have a sensible offer. I, as a nominal King of the dwarfs, suggest the following. There is a mass of rare minerals and metals here on Earth. I consider this world to be an unsurpassed phenomenon! No one except the dwarves can put in place mining on an industrial basis, as well as the mass production of magical artifacts.

  Moreover, we don’t have to look back at the bans the light elves placed on the use of many technologies ... Let everyone else in the Belt of the Worlds recognize this world as a planet of unsurpassed warriors and masters. This will not only enrich all earthlings but it will also provide the necessary resource for a prolonged struggle against the light elves.”

  Yar was the first to embrace the loud dwarf.

  “Ran, bro... Earth is waiting for your artisans. You’ll have to return home. The Cetrum World languishes with impatience as it waits for you. Finally, catch your share. The treasurer has clearly calculated everything.”

  “Holy moley!” the dwarf exclaimed. “Wow! What a share! Two and a half tons of yellow sand. You know the dwarves don’t refuse gold, so I won’t give it back.” Ran Row embraced Yar. “What a lucky man you are, blue-eyed demon!”

  Ran Row the Scarlet Hammer then wagged his finger at Vey with a kind, paternal smile.

  “Don’t be naughty! ... But no, bro, for the first time I will say: rock it, brother, come on! There are two of you crazy experimenters! Rock this mossy universe properly. Well, Yar, I guess you can send me to Cetrum now. I haven’t been there for a long time.”

  Ran Row then yelled, “All who are present are invited to my Coronation. I won’t accept any refusals.”

  These were the last words of Ran Row the Scarlet Hammer as he disappeared in the flash of the portal.

  The flashes hadn’t died out when Goh the Gray Raven rose from his seat and, after giving an elegant bow, spoke confidently, “Yar, Princess Heiro and I would like to bid you farewell and leave the palace, too. The dark elves should be the first to learn about the fate of the Shadows of the Moon—and about your abilities to work with the EWIS. I think many dark elf clans will soon show their support for you. I also want to thank you heartily for the YDSA and the Magic of Affect. All spells seem to work much more efficiently than before—according to my estimates at an average of sixteen percent.”

  The Princess stepped forward, slightly pushing aside her Mentor, and, neglecting all protocols, she spoke briskly, “I agree with my Mentor, but I want to add my thanks for everything, Yar Row! Thank you for the cute symbiont.” Heiro ran up and kissed him on the cheek with lightning speed.

  Then she continued adding without embarrassment, “The dark throne won’t forget it; I will personally monitor this. I wish the Master of the Shadows to prepare well for his exams at the Academy. We will meet again there.”

  Goh, meanwhile, used his magic, and a small portal, trembling with energy, appeared next to them.

  Yar bowed. “I hope you won’t give up your share.”

  The sound of falling coins rang in their ears, confirming the double transfer of their share for their participation in the assault on the palace.

  The Princess wanted to be indignant, but Yar did not allow her to think about it, telling her instead, “I apologize for not previously telling you about another property of the elves professing the Magic of Affect. All adepts receive full recovery of their child-bearing functions.”

  Having said this, Yar gently pushed them into the portal with the help of an air stream, and Heir
o and Goh went back to their own world.

  Vey laughed kindly, squinting and rubbing his hands as he uttered, “Restoration and child-bearing are the important words. This is a three-pointed relentless whip. This is a ruthless blow to the ‘mythic’ elven unity and to the hated mirror of Pride and Greed, which thousands of people have been looking in for centuries.”

  The wizard instantly changed the subject of the talk and spoke to Yar with interest. Apparently, he really liked the course of events initiated by the young Yar Row.

  “What are you going to do, junior? What about the children? What about the remaining elves?”

  The Head of the Midnighters Clan kept walking back and forth thoughtfully. The clan members followed him intently before, finally, Yar spoke, “There are more than two hundred thousand children. I’ve taken all of their negative emotions. Now they only have good and happy dreams. Let them rest in this fictional paradise.

  I don’t consider the elves remaining on the planet to be a problem. Even if they have changed their place of rebirth to the current area. Our reinforcements will arrive in seven days. I’ll form strong detachments with Cages of Oblivion, and they will finally clear the planet. I’m planning to arrange a little surprise for the future parliamentarians from the White Branch Clan. I have an idea.”

  Vey grinned.

  “Well, well ... Light elves really love surprises. Especially yours. What did you come up with this time?”

  “It’s a secret. But I can definitely say, the Shadows and one legendary dwarf will like it very much.”

  “Eh!” Vey almost cried out. “I look forward ... with great impatience. Now though it I must go to the happy librarian to develop the sources for the university. Care to give it a name?” the wizard asked Yar.

  “Midgard,” Yar replied confidently. “It sounds cool—Midgard University of Magic.”

  Vey, with a sly grin, gave the thumbs-up before fading slowly and disappearing.

  The Shadows said nothing, they just exchanged a look.

  “Master, what about the Governor and his close bastards?” Uyu asked tensely.