The Wastes

by Alexey Osadchuk

  The bald man he called Tim gave a villainous smile and replied:

  “I think tomorrow at the earliest. What, you got an idea?”

  The broad chip-toothed mouth of the red-bearded man spread into a smile no less villainous than his partner’s:

  “Of course!”

  “We’re listening carefully, Vlas,” came the third, largest of the group. By the looks of things, he was also the drunkest.

  “Did you see that fine little chickee they brought in today?” the redhead asked. “Red as a cherry!”

  “Hey, Vlas, if the boss hears you talking like that, he’ll cut your balls off!” the big guy tried to cool his comrade’s jets. “And ours too, just for knowing you...”

  “Yeah, well who’s ever gonna find out?” Vlas asked in surprise. “Did you hear what Tim said? Rath won’t be back until tomorrow! Come on Piers, just admit it. You like her too! Hehe!”

  “I’m not gonna lie,” Piers nodded. “She’s a looker. When I think of her, the blood in my veins starts running hot. But if we start acting up, Rath will definitely find out...”

  “No he won’t,” the redhead smiled cleverly. “And we won’t be acting up! She’ll do everything herself! Of her own free will!”

  “How are you gonna make that happen?” baldheaded Tim shot forward. Big old Piers did the same.

  The redhead led a victorious gaze over his buddies and said:

  “Because she wasn’t brought alone. She had a kid. And for his sake, she’ll do anything.”

  “The brains!” bald Tim exclaimed.

  “Seems somehow inhumane...” the big guy knit his brow.

  “But why?” Vlas objected. “She’ll like it, too. I mean, we’re not ugly guys. We’re a couple of distinguished gentlemen.”

  “Yeah, and think back on when the Bear’s retinue ran through our villages two years ago!” Tim snapped angrily. “She’ll do it all herself. Nobody even has to raise a finger!”

  “But what if she acts stubborn?” Piers asked with doubt in his voice.

  “She won’t,” Vlas smiled. “Ladies will do anything for their offspring. You’ll see! Come on Tim, drag her over here!”

  The bald guy gave a loud whinny, stumbled, and shuffled off toward the nearest wagon.

  A few minutes later, he was back to the bonfire holding a terrified beautiful woman of thirty-five years by the elbow. All that time he was walking next to her, embracing her by the shoulders, and whispering something into the poor woman’s ear. She was sobbing quietly and kept nodding very rapidly, agreeing to something. A thick red braid was sticking out of her gray shawl. There was an expression of hopelessness frozen in her big blue eyes, at the same time filled with valiant determination.

  “Well, pretty lady, tell my friends here what you just told me!” the bald man announced, smiling vilely as he did. “Otherwise they won’t believe me!”

  “I’ll do it!” the woman said firmly, and ran a heavy gaze over the scoundrels.

  “Piers, you’re in charge!” Vlas said. “You should go first!”

  The big guy, shamed by her gaze, lowered his head.

  “Pretty lady, go help our friend out,” Tim said with strain in his voice, pushing the woman forward. “See, he’s the most easily embarrassed of the bunch!”

  Vlas gave a vile laugh.

  The woman shuddered in fear and took a few steps forward. Lowering a dainty white hand onto the big guy’s arm, she timidly pulled him toward the wagons.

  The unfortunate woman’s blue eyes were tearing up. But she pursed her lips tightly and continued doing everything the scoundrels ordered for the sake of her flesh and blood.

  Finally, Piers snapped to. He took a decisive look at the woman and, stumbling, climbed to his feet.

  “Well, if you say so,” he declared. “Then lead the way!”

  What a nasty bastard! I figured at least one of them would be sympathetic to the poor woman!

  Disappointed by the big guy, we waited for him and the woman to go behind the wagons. With him out of view, I figured we’d never find a better opportunity and got started.

  I knew that I’d be taking part in the murder of a human in one second, but I wasn’t experiencing any doubts. To be frank, these three and whoever they served ceased being people to me after what I saw and heard today.

  With a gulper’s ram, I slammed the two vilely snickering degenerates like a hurricane blowing a straw scarecrow off a cabbage patch. They didn’t even have time to make a peep before Gorgie cracked their stupid skulls wide open. Truly — weak enemies...

  Then Piers hopped out from behind the wagon to see what all the commotion was about, awkwardly holding up his pants. Before he could properly tell what was going on, he flew back a few steps like a broken doll. In two bounds, the harn was at the would-be rapist’s side.

  And a few moments later, the Great System informed me of another victory.

  I took a look around. Silence hung over the cartmen’s camp. It was only then that I noticed my body was shaking fitfully...

  Chapter 2

  I LISTENED TO MY FEELINGS. I wasn’t experiencing even the slightest pity. Those bastards got what they had coming.

  I looked over the loot. A standard set: Silvers and a corresponding number of esses. So that means these three are no different from the monsters of the caverns.

  A muted woman’s squeak distracted me from rummaging through the backpack. I raised my head. The harn perked up his ears and froze next to one of the wagons.

  “It’s over! Come on out!” I gave a muted call to the hidden woman. “Don’t be shy! Nobody is gonna touch you!”

  A few moments later, a familiar shock of red hair poked out from under the wheel of the cart. Her blue eyes open wide, her arms were shivering and her chest heaving rapidly.

  The woman walked my way slowly, as if her legs were made of cotton. As she went, she looked over the cartmen’s bodies with a shell-shocked gaze.

  “What is your name? Where are you from?” I started asking questions when she stopped a step from me.

  “V-veseya,” the woman answered with a hiccup. “We’re from Pinevale...”

  “There are other people in the wagons. Are those your neighbors?”

  The woman shuddered in fear and lowered her head.

  “I know your child is in there. Don’t worry, we aren’t going to touch anybody. We only want food and, if possible, information. As soon as we get what we need, we’ll be on our way.”

  “Did our Baron send you?” she asked, emboldened.

  I shook my head silently. I don’t think our Baron gives a great goddamn about any of us. But out loud I asked:

  “How were you taken captive?”

  “The Raven’s mercenaries attacked our village. Killed all the men... And stuck the women and children in carts and wagons.”

  “Were there many wagons?”

  “Yes,” Veseya nodded. “More than ten.”

  “So where are the others?”

  “I don’t know. These three never mentioned them...”

  The woman glanced scornfully at the corpses of the cartmen.

  “I wish I knew what’s making them commit all these atrocities.” I said, floating an issue that had been bothering me.

  “You can say that again,” Veseya gave a heavy sigh. “It didn’t used to be like this... I heard these guys say something like the young Corwin hired mercenaries, but can’t keep them under control. And that’s why they’re marauding. They’re acting very indecent... They also said the campaign is actually being conducted by Vestar the Black.”

  “The same Vestar who used to command for our Baron?”

  “The very same!” the woman said, nodding fast. “Berence got rid of him many years ago. And he tortured his wife and child to death...”

  “So that means our former commander got some forces together and has come back to get revenge,” I said thoughtfully.

  “That’s about the size of it,” Veseya sighed sorrowfully. “But what do we hav
e to do with this?”

  “Well, you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs...”

  “Hrn...” Gorgie piped up.

  I nodded and turned to the woman:

  “You must know where these cartmen stashed their food.”

  “Yes, of course!” the smiling woman exclaimed eagerly. “I’ll be back in a moment!”

  After saying that, she quickly ran over to the farthest wagon. The harn sensed he was about to get fed and followed after her.

  I meanwhile decided to continue looking over our defeated enemies. I couldn’t find any tablets or esses on them, but there was money. A few silver coins and a few copper on each. That was good. When I got back to civilization, I wouldn’t have to show anyone my essences right away.

  “Here I packed you up some food for the road,” said the woman, passing me a bag with a smile.

  Loosening the draw string, I glanced inside... I could tell immediately that she was trying to give me the best they had for my level.

  “And I gave all our fish to your beast. From this morning’s catch.”

  “Thanks,” I said, and asked: “You going anywhere?”

  “We’ll make for an isolated farmstead that belongs to my relatives.” Veseya nodded in the opposite direction of where I was going. “It’s deep in the forest. But this filth won’t be able to find us there. And you needn’t worry about us. We come from hunting families. This forest is our home. We know every trail, tree and sapling in it. The soldiers will be back tomorrow, but there isn’t a single decent tracker among them.”

  “But the tracks will still be here,” I objected.

  “That’s true,” the woman answered with a smile. “But we’re gonna confuse them so much those blockheads will be searching until winter. We won’t take the carts; we’re going to set the horses loose. We’re only gonna take what we really need. We’ll cover everything here in the blood and guts of these scoundrels. Let them think a wild beast attacked while they slept. I mean, your cat left plenty of tracks around.”

  Okay then... This woman can handle herself. She reminds me in some way of Miri. You’re never truly lost with someone like that.

  “I think it’s for the best if the others from your village don’t find out I was here.”

  The woman nodded in understanding, then answered shortly:

  “I swear no one will find out about you!”

  The Great System didn’t keep me waiting. Reading the confirmation with satisfaction, I said:

  “Okay then, it’s time for me to go.”

  “And may the gods go with you, good sir mage!”

  * * *

  Last night we feasted! After so many days wandering the caverns and eating whatever we happened across, the simple grub from Veseya’s bag was truly a royal repast!

  In the cold light of day the next morning, honestly, I regretted eating so much the night before. My stomach felt uncomfortably tight. But it eased up in a few hours and we returned to our former pace.

  Near midday, the forest ended. In its place came rolling fields.

  “That’s it,” I muttered when we reached the forest edge. “Now we’ll travel by night.”

  “Hrn,” Gorgie said, and the scales on his neck scruff started vibrating.

  I turned my head where he pointed. In the distance, at the right edge of the forest, there was now a column of dust. And it kept getting bigger and bigger, which meant someone was coming our way and fairly quickly at that. A few minutes later, a cavalcade of ten riders appeared on the country road.

  “Ah, so there are the Raven’s valiant little mercenaries,” I whispered, cautiously peeking out between the dense yellow leaves of a large bush.

  In the lead is, I believe, the commander. He’s a big older guy with a mustache and aquiline nose. Level fourteen. Unlike his companions, he’s decently equipped. I see chainmail, a beat-up steel helmet, a sword and shield with the emblem of Baron Corwin. A serious enemy.

  The remaining soldiers are more reminiscent of the three from the clearing. For weaponry they had axes and short spears. I also see two bowmen. Levels nine to twelve.

  They’re riding right out in the open. Talking to one another loudly. They aren’t looking around. They clearly already consider these lands their domain.

  But before I was done looking over the first squad, a second appeared on the road behind it. And another an hour later. Then another...

  All told, before sundown, five more horse patrols rode past us down the country road. Beyond that, there were two wagons and one large squadron of sixty infantrymen. Seemingly all of them were heading toward the capital of the barony, same as me.

  After what I’d seen, it seemed too risky to go directly over the plains. Gorgie and I decided instead to take a detour through the forest along a rock ridge. Honestly, it was going to make our journey twice as long, but what could we do? We just felt more at ease with the trees as cover.

  The first part of the night passed without incident. We were easily able to get around all the potentially dangerous places. But nearer sunup, the trail led us to a small lake with a lonesome farmstead perched on its shore. A high stockade fence, sturdy gates — it looked more like a small fortress in the woods.

  The harn sent me a warning before we got too close. Something was happening there. I decided to take a look.

  We went unhurriedly, trying to walk as quietly as possible. And the closer we came, the louder the booming men’s voices sounded.

  Stopping for a moment behind a large rotten log, thickly overgrown with years’ worth of moss, I caught my breath. After that, I peeked out cautiously and saw what was out there.

  The outlanders were four in number. They were sitting around the trunk of a wide tree on the edge of the forest. All men. Levels nine to eleven. One was holding a broad shield and axe; the rest were archers.

  They were talking openly and constantly pointing their fingers at the stockade fence and gate.

  At first glance, the farmstead looked abandoned. But there’s no fooling Gorgie. There were two people hiding behind a wall inside. A man and a woman. Ready for an attack. Beyond that, the cat reported many children’s tracks around. So there were at least two, maybe three children hidden in there as well.

  Meanwhile, the outlanders finally reached some kind of agreement and started off. One, the very thinnest, walked around the clearing using the trees as cover.

  The shield man waited for his partners to hide, stood up to his full height and walked toward the gates. The remaining two got their bows ready and took position behind the trees.

  If I understood everything correctly, they weren’t feeling bold enough for a head-on attack. Instead they were going to distract the farmstead defenders while the thin bowman tried to slip in between the stockade poles.

  “Hail, good farmers!” the warrior shouted in a booming voice. “Prithee let a peaceful traveler spend the night?!”

  Not waiting for a response, he asked loudly with a hint of mockery:

  “Why so quiet?! Are the folk of these lands not a hospitable one?”

  His raspy voice reminded me of the sound of two saplings rubbing together.

  I heard one of the archers start quietly snickering.

  Finally, a no less booming voice replied from the other side of the wall:

  “By peaceful traveler, do you mean yourself, roaming scavenger?! One step closer and I’ll treat you to an arrow right between the eyes! How do you like that for hospitality?!”

  The bowmen started fidgeting and looking at one another. I could distinctly make out satisfied smiles on their faces. The fish had taken the bait.

  The warrior shouted something back loudly, but I was no longer listening. I looked at the harn. The cat was ready to attack. One really shouldn’t let such chances slip through their fingers.

  For an instant, my eel lightning flickered in the darkness. I think only the farmers could have noticed. But even that isn’t likely...

  The archers, who had just been
giving clever chuckles, slowly slumped to the ground. The harn slunk over to their bodies like a ravening ghost. I walked behind him, taking out Dragonfly as I went. Two short stabs into one neck... Then another... My conscience wasn’t exactly eating at me. These rapscallions had come here to kill a family.

  The harn finished things.

  When the system messages arrived to inform me of the victory, Gorgie dissolved into the bushes on my signal, a silent shadow. A few long minutes later, another set of notifications came before my eyes, telling me the thin one had also died. I breathed a sigh of relief. The creep never even made it inside.