The Way of the Clan 4 (World of Valdira)

by Dem Mikhaylov

  - So, we have about twenty minutes for everything, at best twenty five— I said briskly, entering the role.

  - Absolutely— nodded the consultant— To break into the top level and grab everything in sight. I think this is enough.

  - Five minutes is more than enough! – boomed Bom— I’ll even pack the carpets… aw dammn! The bag! Where will we put our loot? A donkey without a bag is useless! Shoulder bags are needed!

  - And you have them— said the consultant. To our feet fell shoulder bags of black material.

  - Not the best possible, but for your level, their capacity is more than enough— said the mysterious attacker.

  - Whatever— Bom muttered, glancing contemptuously at the kit— Complete garbage, if you ask me.

  - Standard equipment “from the company” – Mr. Incognito threw up his hands— It is what it is. It’s for free, anyway. And now, dear Rosgard, if I’m not mistaken, you’re the leader of this company of thieves and robbers?

  - Yeah, he himself— confirmed Doc.

  - Something like that— I shrugged— Why?

  - Let’s talk about the retreat— the attacker said, silently approaching me— And we’ll talk in detail. We don’t have much time… eh, a hard life it is for a professional consultant… do you think, Rosgard, I can just spit on all these operations of “cloak and dagger” and become a farmer? They have potatoes, radishes and watermelons and persimmons right in the garden beds… Ahem… well, listen carefully…

  Something crashed, the sound hollow and lingering.

  From the gates of the estate came a thick column of bright purple smoke, and a moment later we heard the yells of the guards.

  - Three! – happily yelled the consultant, standing on the top of a hill and looking into a brass spyglass— The saboteurs have said their first word. Tutti-duty, be ready.

  - Always ready— said the half orc “local,” swinging the blade of his cutlass wide. The name Tutti-duty did not fit this bloke perfectly.

  - But I am actually not quite that ready— admitted the Doctor, wrapped in a black cloak, anxiously glancing down— Are you all sure, that this is going to end well?

  - Cool – squeaked Kaylen— This is a real adventure! We’re ready to launch! Doc, do you need a bag?

  - I’m not sick! – growled the Doctor— I’m scared! A little but…

  - I told you— mumbled Cray.

  - Hello, sky— dreamily mused Orbit.

  - But my bag is small— Bom bitterly complained.

  - Too late to back out now— I sighed again, glad that I had left Tyrant in the private room.

  Another boom. This time, the column of smoke was a vivid orange. The screams of the guards— a terrible laughter.

  - Two! They’re overdoing the theatrics— muttered the consultant, dissatisfied— But how they run, oh how they run… not guards but a marathon squad… just a lovely sight! And more and more of them… perfect…

  We kept silent for a time, preparing ourselves for the inevitable and looking at the world through the bars of a cage.

  I personally felt like a guinea pig. I don’t know about the others, but Bom was grunting too, perhaps also thinking himself to be a pig.

  There was a roar so deafening that it seemed as if a nuclear bomb had gone off. Between the purple and the orange fumes appeared a third pillar— an intolerable crimson. Who chose these colors?

  - One! – the consultant shouted, raising his left arm high— Tutti-duty! Come on, darling! Well, break a leg comrades! We’re going in!

  - To hell with it! – we cried out in unison, and then the half orc Tutti-duty slashed the tension rope with a single movement. Our cry turned into a prolonged wail, and the cell, woven from flexible springy branches, rushed to our goal with a long whistle— to the roof of the central and tallest building in the estate.

  Yes, that was exactly how the consultant decided to solve the problem of delivering our group to the estate— by shooting us from a medieval projectile gun.

  “What the hell did I start this for?!” – flashed through my mind as I wanted the sweeping landscape below us, and heard the vociferous cry of my fellow sufferers.

  We flew with a whistle. Literally. And below us, came the staccato crackle of a machine gun— like a series of firecrackers. All in order to conceal our flight. But my companions shouted so loudly that the whole disguise went down the drain.

  - Quiet! – I snapped, my eyes full of expression.

  It worked.

  All fell silent at once, and in the next second we “landed”— the cage crashed onto the edge of the roof and tumbled, accompanied by the sound of breaking branches.

  Sky-roof, sky-roof, sky-roof.

  - O-o-o-o— moaned Cray, curled in a fetal position— M-mo..

  - Stay do-- I began, and in this moment, the construction crashed into a wall and collapsed, burying us in its ruins.

  - O-o-oh…-- this time, Doc groaned, lying on his back and frantically looking at the sky, his leg kicking convulsively.

  The lest lay motionless and silent— coming to their senses after such unusual sensations.

  - What are you laying around for? – I grunted, pushing aside the wreckage of branches— Let’s move! And don’t make nose!

  - How about another g-go? – proposed the bald elf, looking at me with hope— Int-terest-ting!

  Bom hiccupped and shook his head, croaking:

  - That’s it. No more flying donkeys!

  - Get up! – I hissed again— Have you arrived on your vacations? This is not Tahiti!

  - You wait a second! – the “ass” was outraged— Tahiti, Tahiti… oh…

  - You no longer want to steal and plunder? – I was surprised, and Bom was immediately on his feet.

  - I do! I very much do, chief! Let’s go get em!

  - Doc, heal us— I said, waving away the eagerly dancing half orc— Our landing took away some life.

  - If you land like this, they what is it like to fall? – asked Cray, helping up the girl.

  From the palm of Doc shone a white pearly light, and he began to heal the party members. And I continued to command.

  - Bom, get away from the door! Your green face isn’t covered!

  - Don’t be racist now! And…

  - Put the hat on! – I hissed— And tighten the chain at the neck! That goes for all of you! Orbit, don’t make a hole in the cap for your ears! She can get dressed herself! Kaylen, dress up fully, up to the chin, not the middle of your forehead.

  - But in films the beautiful heroines…

  - We’re not in a film! Doc, all healthy?

  - Healthy and vigorous, Boss! – the healer stood at attention— Ready to plunder!

  - Timer? – I turned to Bom and he nodded:

  - Set and decreasing. Twenty five minutes for us.

  - Doc?

  - Same here— confirmed the Doctor— Set and ready.

  - Good— already not looking at the half orc, I nodded, clutching the thickest branches at the bottom of the cell, so that it wouldn’t fall apart— Help! Cray, Bom!

  Together, we reconstructed the remains of the bottom of the cell, and then I pulled out a few boxes of dark wood from my backpack and opened the smallest.

  I opened it and was met by a little creature with one eye. Only one tremendous eye for a body which was an extended spindly, ending in a whisk of long tentacles. Most of all the creature reminded me of a jellyfish. Not pulling it out of the box, I lowered to monster to the bottom of the basket. I opened the other boxes and began to retrieve the contents. On the monster poured a rain of gray powder with red patches, and then I emptied three bottles of colored fluids onto it. Seeing that this was to the liking of the strange creature, I exhaled with relief, watching it gurgle happily and absorb the muddy slush.

  I had done everything which the consultant had told me to do, repeating the whole procedure to me twice.

  - Now let’s go— I ordered, barely audible, nodding towards the small door on the roof of the main bui
lding.

  - Can I, can I? – immediately reacted Kaylen, pleading— Can I please?

  I could only recognize her by her voice. The disguise had worked. Not one of the members of our gang had a nickname. But this set, after all, was made not primarily for thieves, but for aggr players…

  - Do it— I waved a hand.

  Jumping gladly, the girl resolutely walked to the door and took the intricate wrought iron handle and pulled, then pushed. The door did not open, but this only made Kaylen happier. Quickly she took from her pocket a small square of black and red paper. She glued it just below the handle, and drew a simple rune— and then stepped back, watching a red glow pour around the handle.

  A quiet hissing, and the piece of paper flashed and evaporated, leaving behind a square shaped hole in the door. Kaylen put her hand into the hole and, grunting happily, found what she was looking for. A barely audible turn, and she pulled the door back towards herself and it obediently opened!

  - Pros! – she proudly poke her finger into her chest.

  - Uh-huh— I replied.

  The dwarf was more verbose:

  - Great! The burglar of the century! I filmed the whole thing!

  The others nodded. All except Bom and Orbit.

  The “ass” was already at the door. As soon as he was in, he took a simple vase and put it in his bag with a short laugh and a dull roar:

  - Well then, let’s get to it!

  And Orbit… where was that bloody bald elf?

  Looking from side to side, I noticed the elf standing at the edge of the roof, looking fascinatedly at the towering gates of the estate and multi-colored columns of smoke.

  - Orbit!

  - Huh?

  - Come here! – I hissed furiously, turning cold at the thought that one of the guards running frantically around at the bottom would happen to look up and see a black unnamed figure casually standing at the roof.

  - But the-e-e-ere— the elf said, stepping up to me— Ther-re… It’s s-so…

  - And there it’s even more interesting— I encouraged him, pointing to the open door, into which the last of our gang had already disappeared— Come on!

  - Yeah… -- he nodded in melancholy and followed me.

  Inside was a small room— apparently for the comfort of workers, or ascetic aristocrats. Several paintings with natural scenery, a bed, a couple of tables, rugs on the wall and floor— and all this disappeared with a wild speed into the backpack of Bom, while others watched dumbfounded by his actions.

  - And what about you guys? – I asked— Not in a robbing mood?

  - Well he manages without us— chuckled Cray.

  - I am stealing too— confessed Doc with a conspiratorial whisper, clutching a book— A romance novel!

  - Follow me— I said, taking on the role of the leader of a gang of thieves and going to the door at the opposite wall.

  This door, thankfully, was unlocked— to the chagrin of Kaylen. Those magic papers we had received from the same mysterious consultant. A huge ballista, equipment, the getup and the creature with tentacles— all of it was gratuitous. Because Orbit wanted it… either the bald elf with torn ears is a secret prince, or I am missing something. And I do not like that one bit.

  Behind the door was a staircase leading down, covered with a luxurious carpet. It was nailed to the floor and this upset Bom— he wanted to tear it off the track, but I feared it would make too much noise and shook my head.

  And then we went down to the bottom of the stairs and ended up in the hallway. And we sharply forgot about the luxury carpet, because our eyes were dazzled.

  Wealth! With a capital letter!

  A wide corridor was like a museum hall— paintings everywhere, tapestries, elegant tables, chandeliers, porcelain vases, wall lamps in the shape of flower buds, transparent crystals. And that was just the hallway! On either side of the corridor were plenty of open doors, behind which a spacious room was crammed with even more expensive things.

  A thieves’ paradise!

  - We don’t have much time— I managed to choke out, removing a painting of a damsel in translucent robes from the wall, with shaking hands.

  Everyone was so stunned that no one answered. It was necessary to “turn up the volume” and I said it in plain text:

  - Rob! We only have twenty minutes! Go!

  They all stirred and ran off in different directions.

  Putting the painting away into my bag, I began to gather several crystal trinkets placed on a narrow table, watching the “dark” proceedings out of the corner of my eye. It was surely something— each acted in accordance to their nature.

  The “ass” Bom was like a bulldozer— a massive, solid truck taking down everything in his path. The half orc moved slowly, but afterwards, there was nothing to be picked up.

  Doc threw himself headlong into a roof in which I could see were several bookcases crammed full of thick tomes.

  Orbit… the bald elf stood at the empty, pristine and polished table, pulled something out of his pockets, and spread it on the counter. Stepping closer, I realized that the elf had pulled out his pebbles and acorns, spreading them on the counter.

  - What are you doing!?

  - Pres-sent-ts…

  - To hell with gifts! We came not to give, but to take! – I rasped— Go with Doc and help him rob the books!

  - Cray, help me reach the chandelier!

  - Huh?! – said I together with the gnome, looking at the woman, who was looking at the high ceiling in one of the rooms nearby— the same one in which Doc was busy among the books.

  - What do you want to get? – I found myself speechless again.

  - The chandelier! Well… chandelier! The lamp! Don’t you see it? – Kaylen said in indignation, pointing upwards.

  Looking up, I was speechless again… on the ceiling swayed a tremendous gilded chandelier, studded with burning candles. Like the things in the movies about the Middle Ages. And that was that very same “chandelier” she wanted to get?!

  - We can’t carry that out! – the gnome was outraged— What do you want it for?

  - The private room— the girl said, hurt— It would look superb!

  - We can’t carry it! – I said hastily— Take something smaller! There are enough lamps here. Doc! Time?!

  - Thirteen minutes— said the doctor, frantically scanning books— Oh, Lizanna the Luxurious and the seventeen knights of Granulane… interesting…

  - E-e-eh— I grimaced— Throw it out!

  - I’ll take it! – Kaylen immediately intervened, snatching the book in a red velvet color— Cool! With illustrations! Oo-oo-oh… Oh-ho-ho… is that really possible?

  - Focus on the robbery! – I focused my voice— Bom! Don’t go far! Orbit! Why are you trying to pull a frame of glass out of the frame?!

  - I’m robbing!

  - Rob something else! Kaylen! To hell with your chandelier and Lizanna! Grab the golden candlesticks! Damn lovers!

  - And you yourself, where’s your loot? You only stole that picture with the naked woman— retorted Cray.

  - Because of you guys it’s hard to focus! – I snapped, grabbing a stack of books on the table and stuffing them into my bag— Hurry!

  - My bag is full! – briefly reported Bom, placing his swollen backpack on the floor— Cray, grab mine, and give me yours. Others won’t be able to lift it… they are the intellectuals…

  - You are just superb! – praised the half orc in a trembling voice— Respect! Filled to overflowing! Doc, time?

  - Nine minutes!

  - Oh… -- a quiet and confused woman’s voice rang out behind us and we were paralyzed.

  We were caught red handed. Taken in the act.

  Moving my head around with difficulty, I looked back and saw a girl standing in the doorway.

  A slender figure, in an expensive dress, rich gold ornaments, an elaborate hairstyle, and a thin book in her well-manicured hands… she wasn’t a servant for sure.

  - Who are you and what are yo
u doing here? – said the stranger with more certainty, raising her head proudly.

  - We’re from the service… - forced out Doc, hiding behind a book— Service… service, which is very… Boss, which service are we from?

  - U-uhh… -- I said, trying to think of anything at all.

  - The Hermitage! – blurted Bom— Hermitage service! The best! We specialize in cleaning… all different things… cleaning carpets, polishing gold!

  - Enough nonsense! – I snapped— Grab her! Roll her in a run!

  - I, in a carpet?! You wouldn’t dare! I am Aliella! Aliella Cedric! – the girl lifted her nose, recoiling— And the knight of my heart will not allow you such treachery!

  Fuck… it seems, we’ve run into the daughter of Mr. Cedric. Can we kidnap her and demand a ransom? A ransom being part of the Silver Legend?

  - Knight? – Bom was interested— And whom do you mean?

  - You’ll soon find out! – the girl abruptly turned one of the rings on her finger and around her seethed a glowing ball. As the half orc approached her he was thrown back as though he were shocked.

  Bom crashed into a bookcase which, with a deafening roar, instantly fell on top of it. There was a muffled growl and Bom threw a book to the side, climbing out of the pile.

  - We gotta go— I said shortly, pointing to a second door leading into a corridor. We were lucky.

  - You can’t go! – arrogantly said Aliella Cedric, removing one more ring from her finger and putting it in her palm— I now call upon my heart’s knight and he will punish you for such insolence!

  - Now, now, now— I continued, hurrying to the door— After me now!

  - Too late! – triumphantly exclaimed the girl— The ring is alight! That means my knight is on his way! I only have to say the word! Be afraid!

  - We are already afraid— Doc assured her, breathing hard.

  Even without looking at us, she brought the ring to her lips and cried her appeal with a sonorous voice, hearing which I stumbled and fell noisily to the floor.