The Way of the Clan 9

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The Way of the Clan 9 Page 23

by Dem Mikhaylov


  And the only question that comes to our minds is this: what if the Sleepless used not one, but two ships in the collision?

  But enough prose, enough jokes, we will quit the puns…

  Anyone wishing to receive the most detailed military info can now buy, in any bookshop of the Great Cities, a fairly thick folio-chronicle of the latest combat day of the Voyage. Combat logistics occupy one third of the pages. And the remaining two-thirds are devoted to the battle between the Black Queen and several hundred enemy ships. The battle was brief, but incredibly cruel. The book is accompanied with colorful illustrations! Do not miss it!…

  The old god is back!

  We have already mentioned the awakening of the century — we are talking about the god Anrull, whose name roughly translates from the ancient language as Defiant Death. First of all, historians of the world of Valdira often find references to Anrull in various books. It was also claimed that, in the main hall of the Lost Library, there hangs an epic canvas depicting a gigantic skeleton who trampled on a mountain of bones and stretched out his hand to a distant and peaceful city. In the other hand, the skeleton held a half-unfolded scroll which contained dozens of incomprehensible symbols, which no one could decipher.

  Any information about Anrull had become extremely popular recently. A lot of gold has been poured into it, and even the most incredible rumors and false gossip have been purchased. But we are the Messenger of Valdira! We would not tell lies. We have only truthful information.

  So!

  The God Anrull received a generous sacrifice from the Sleepless Clan! Yes — it is true! The ancient god was well conjured on the stern of the half-broken mega-ship the Black Queen. The Black Baroness herself was present at the table, entertaining the guest with funny stories. Hardly having completed the hearty meal, the god Anrull overtook a whole race of Krabbers, so that they, from now on, worship him. And he also called his personal guard (see the image of the Anoloss warriors, the name of whom translates as “obeying death,” in one of the following issues of Bestiary of Valdira).

  What does Anrull plan next?

  You need not guess it. Every deity needs a throne. A throne in heaven. And the skies, though boundless, do not have limitless spaces. The newly awakened god wanted to crowd out the rest. Protection around the goddess Iwawa increased immediately — because she glorified life and hated death…

  We are thrilled to look forward to new developments. And no — we do not know why the Sleepless woke him up, and then imbued the ancient god with a sea of energy. But it was in fact the Sleepless — they are responsible for his appearance and his army. Surely, some well thought out plan to engage with the war of gods — which has already begun. After all, the Sleepless Clan does not make spontaneous decisions…

  Architecture in ruins!

  You could walk on the ocean as if it were dry land — there are so many fragments on its surface that they form a thick and durable layer. If it were not for the raging storm, we would boldly announce the appearance of a new floating island! The ocean floor is a real cemetery!

  These are the remains of many destroyed ships, and many destroyed living beings! It was here that the incredible battle of the flagship of the Sleepless Clan took place! Half-ruined, the flagship engaged in a decisive battle! And here was the bloody outcome — such destruction and loss is hard to forget!

  Hundreds of ships destroyed, part of the ocean turned into a terrible cemetery overcome with a terrible curse. And the terrorized clan of the Architects.

  And this is not a joke — their losses are appalling. When you read between the lines — there is global disassembly among the clans. Who is to blame for the catastrophe?

  The answer was simple — the Archs! After all, the combined fleets had been commanded by the Admiral of the Architects. It was he who gave the order to teleport the enemy flagship to the Black Queen, using a divine teleport. He was also the one who commanded a further attack. And then … we all know what happened next. The number of viewers has broken all records.

  Did Architects have to pay for this?

  We did not know yet.

  But control over the combined fleets was passed into other hands. And now the alliance was commanded by more than one admiral — seven, to be precise. One from each clan … was this a wise decision? Who knew. Time would tell.

  But there was no sight that was sadder than the crimson ocean, which was covered with a layer of debris and with hundreds of rafts overloaded with players and animals. Ships had been broken into chips — places on the surviving ships were not for everyone.

  GOW - The first official settlement!

  Wow! The guerrilla camp of the Sleepless clan not only survived, but was also replenished with new “residents”,” players, and “locals”, who had been thrown into the bubbling labyrinth of the Great Ocean Wall. New residents arrived every day.

  The settlement by the name “Sunset GOWell” was formed. The main attraction of the settlement is at the top of a cliff, where an almost immortal centipede accepts tasty gifts and tributes from local residents, giving them protection in return.

  According to the information about this place, the first buildings were built from a wreckage. The buildings were very unusual and very colorful. First came artisans, then the guards appeared, then two trading benches opened, and the shipyards. A tavern was being built, and it was rumored that a spacious hotel would soon appear there too. And more importantly, this was a double-type settlement — designed for underwater inhabitants, as well.

  Welcome the new settlement of the world of Valdira — Sunset GOWell!

  And they are happy to start trading unique herbs, items and animals.

  The latest news proved that the Sleepless was not only strong, smart and lucky, but also adventurous. And that these qualities would force even the toughest to succumb to their onslaught! Also worth mentioning was their incredible survivability! Abandoned, the brave Sleepless survived, and even settled! They did the impossible! So maybe, the Black Queen was still alive. It was doubtful — very doubtful – that the legendary flagship of the Sleepless managed to survive, as millions of spectators could see how its huge, tormented body was swallowed up by the ocean’s cold abyss, and saw the waves closed over the queen that had left to the bottom … but it was so sudden!

  Having studied this article, I grunted quietly and glanced sideways at the only magic screen hanging from the bridge. On every screen something was happening, and on this small and angular one — blackness. And it was not surprising — it was a channel of communication with the sunken Queen that had fallen one kilometer down into the ocean, and was now hidden deep in the algal forests. There the Queen had found her grave, sinking heavily onto the stony bottom. And there she remained until now — immovable and silent — without a single spark of life. Only terrible underwater inhabitants violated the peace of the deceased flagship, moving freely through its cabins and holds, swimming and swimming through the huge holes in its sides.

  We knew this for sure.

  Where from?

  From Klest. And Bloopy. And more from forty-odd players who did not want to leave the flagship and went to the bottom with it. There were waterways down there, and Achilots. I did not know whether they would be able to settle down there, following the example of the settlers. Voluntary imprisonment at a depth of one kilometer, and not a single point of revival — it was jail! Just like the island of Al Dra Das! Even death did not release the fallen. And scrolls teleporters would not work — the radius too small to reach the nearest land. The Achilots could dwell at such a depth. But the rest..

  There was talk that divine forces could save them from the skeleton of the drowned Queen. Was it possible? Who they could save was the main question.

  We were waiting …

  Considering the clock, anyone who was “off” during the active daytime hours for more than three hours was automatically considered to be overboard, and not allowed to return. There were many reasons for this. Firstly, each
ship had limited space. You could not board before it left the pier, and board right when we got to the destination. This would not fly. Secondly, players should differ clearly from cargo. That is, they had to be active. Only the boxes were allowed to simply hang out in the hold, forgotten until the right moment. Everyone should, if not helping directly, at least be present online. The administration was ready to check every case of “falling overboard” individually — by checking the logs and listening to explanations coming from the real world. It may well have been that you had a sick son or daughter, and maybe something had happened with your mother. In such cases, they were allowed a return. But many were refused. Their campaign ended right then and there.

  And what if your ship disappeared? Well, then you had a limited amount of time to build something that kept you afloat. For example, a raftwas the simplest and most affordable option. But these were not provided. Ten twenty-seat yachts could accommodate two hundred players, and no more. Well, maybe a little more, if you threw out the cargo, combat vehicles, and animals. But there was a limit to everything. Therefore, either you yourself would work extra, or the system would boot you out. Animals would go first. “Locals” second. Players third. After all, one thing was clear — this whole adventure was conceived for the sake of players, and it was silly to exclude them as extra loads. Better to boot the “locals.”

  Therefore, the heads of the clans did not delay — and the issue with extra passengers was solved quickly. Sometimes by persuasion, and sometimes by order. In case there was not enough room.

  The Achilots were slightly lighter. But only by a couple of percent. They could swim by themselves anyway, at these speeds. I myself could now jump into the water and swim.

  But speaking of the new flagship …

  This was a very large ship. It had many secrets. The powerful body was almost entirely made of metal —a dozen fat, iron-clad masts were placed evenly. The decks were wide, and reinforced with metal strips, enchanted carvings, and runes. There were two bridges. I focused on this for a very understandable reason. The command bridge was decorated richly. Like a king’s. Carvings, gold and silver inlays, polished tables, a thick strong railing of dark oak.

  The length of the body of the ship was one hundred and forty-two meters, the width thirty-six. It was a powerful heavyweight. Because this was a cruiser it was called much more modestly: Earl of Monte Cristo. Yes, it could not be compared with the stone flagship, but the ship was fast, twice as fast as the Queen. It changed course much faster, too. There was a well-coordinated team. And in the team’s composition — namely among the sailors responsible for the ship — no player had changed! And so on the cruiser worked perfectly — the tasks were carried out on time, and order reigned everywhere. The guys naturally carried out their business — everything was spinning noiselessly, exactly like the gears of a first-class Swiss watch. And the order and professionalism prevailed everywhere. This pleased the half-orc Storm very much. My father now left the bridge more often than he did on the Queen. This was a vacation for him … I think that my father’s long-standing dream had come true.

  The Baroness sometimes walked around with him. The head of Sleepless dealt with difficulty with the sudden loss of the huge flagship. The clan had lost a significant amount. Now it was a question of the exact amount of cargo and who had sunk to the bottom with it. Not everyone had time to use a teleport.

  Well — thanks to Orbit, the dying flagship had vindicated its abusers. One thing was surprising— why had the Bulletin again bypassed its usually close attention the main figure of these recent events? And I was not talking about myself. And not about the Baroness. Why did the Bulletin ignore Orbit? It was he who conjured everything up. He had summoned the undead. And not a single word in the newspapers about him — not even in the last pages. On forums, I am sure, the figure of the bald elf had already been subject to gossip. But not in the Messenger — they kept their silence. Another mystery.

  I would think about this matter some other day. And I’d ask Kaylen – the young sorceress struggling in the field of digital gaming journalism must have, at least once, mentioned the bald prankster in one of her articles. Yet… it was not so. So there was a reason … Would these mysteries ever end? Maybe it was simply time for me to just stop noticing them?

  And now there was something to distract me — the whole armada was moving differently. The new flagship set the speed for everyone. And thanks to its high-speed qualities, the fleet advancement speed had had grown by a third. And as a result of this, we stretched ourselves terribly thin. At the very beginning of the Great Voyage the armada, from a bird’s-eye view, was like a pancake with the flagship in the middle. Then everything changed to a dense short sausage. And now our construction was more and more like a long, long sausage, whose front end was directed strictly to the Lost Mainland. And the faster we moved, the more the other ships lagged behind, unable to maintain the speed set by the new flagship. Sailors did what they could-they threw cargo back and forth, trying to level the tonnage, dropped ballast overboard, got rid of a minor cargo. We did not stop and wait for them. This was the order of the Black Baroness, who was constantly looking ahead, at the line of the distant horizon. The campaign had exhausted us … had given us severe wounds. But so far, we were able to continue on this thorny path.

  But it was already obvious. There was something hot coming up soon!

  How did I know? I had no idea. But something stabbed me in the neck, pushes me in the back, whispered in my ears. Today we saw flying stars again, circling above us in a strange dance. The ancient creatures were also impatient. They could barely contain themselves — this was my impression of it. Soon the terrible war machines flickered and disappeared. They vanished — but they did not leave. They were near. They waited.

  An hour ago, the message was conveyed — the alliance of the largest and most powerful clans of Valdira, including the Architects, had accelerated dramatically. They made a joint decision and launched an assault throw after us. The ships attempted to overtake us! They felt it, too!

  But we were the first to reach the last island of the dotted line, and to anchor in the most spacious bay. The stars shone brightly on the black velvet of the night sky and reflected on the sea surface.

  All the players, as one, rushed to get various resources. Trees fell, axes and hammers knocked, animals roared, the tools of the blacksmiths rang, and the multicolored smoke stretched upwards. I went to bed very late — I helped with the work until my legs began to feel like they would buckle. Kirea, the valiant paladin always eager to help, left much earlier for some reason — saying that she needed to eat and went to bed. Sleep was important for health. I agreed. I even told her exactly where I hid a box of chocolates in the house, for which I was granted a kiss.

  When I came out into the real world, Kira was already asleep, lying on her side and hugging a pillow instead of me. After checking my computer, I read a few short notes from the guard, Pavlovich, and my father. Everything was fine. And what was strange that my father also bid me good night. So he was already asleep too. Maybe he also sensed the future?

  I sat on the couch, looking at the flickering screen of the TV — where commentators showed the sea battles again and again.

  During the Great Voyage, many were kicked out of the game early by having destroyed a huge amount of their material wealth. This was a setup — a total devastation of the pockets of the players. The wealthy become impoverished. Bank accounts were emptied. Those who were millionaires returned to the ranks of ordinary beggars — not so simple, of course, but close.

  After chewing on some chocolate candy — graciously left for me by Kira — I trudged into the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth. Then I drank another half-liter of water and went to sleep.

  Embracing Kirea, already closing my eyes, I suddenly changed my idea of the new form of our fleet. Not like a pancake and not a sausage. No. Now the fleet of the Sleepless, the whole armada, underwater and above-water, was like two prec
isely pointed and arrows released from a tight bow. One flew under the water, and the other above it. Combat arrows flying directly to the target.

  And even after falling asleep, I could still feel the sparks of ghostly electricity running across my back. Even falling asleep in the real world, I still felt the rolling of the digital sea …

  Tomorrow would be a very special day.

  Chapter Thirty.

  A special day. Special for all.

  They did not hide.

  They did not make the slightest attempt to shroud themselves in a magical veil. And so intelligence alerted us far before we saw them with plain sight. This was still a very big question for everyone — who was the guest here and who was the host. They moved to us in a slow and confident way, businesslike, hovering over the waves with predatory grace.

  Here were the “flying ships” mentioned in our pages — the ships with strange sails. Beautiful and unusual. But the diaries did not mention that the sails were equipped with blades and spikes, being not so much an additional wind motor, but in fact a powerful cutting weapon capable of opening any ship’s hull. In any case, this was exactly what impressed me when I saw them on the screen.

  They were sailboats. Long, narrow, high, with a lot of sails. The side masts of the “cutters” were just as long, actually reminiscent of wings spread over the waves. Did they catch a lot of wind? The color of the boats was a gray-steel with black winding stripes — and the sails were painted in a color very familiar to me – amber. This was a kind of semi-transparent substance that only slightly resembled a sail but perfectly coped with all its functions. And there were no flags. The tops of the masts were empty — there was not a single piece of fluttering cloth. No allegiances.

 

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