Named Sherlock

by Bagatur Zhamkochyan

  I had to sit in the same position long fifteen minutes, until the old man did not call came out of the house next door thin ragged girl. After he disappeared into the darkness of the doorway, I allowed myself to finally exhale and quickly crawl away.

  my movement rate was extremely low, and the square, which was located at the base and around the temple, I was already a top view.

  The first row of houses, their facades that looked exactly the temple was twice higher than the others. The buildings were two-storied. Composed entirely of huge polished basalt slabs, they are obviously intended for the residence of the local nobility. Despite the fact that these houses, in contrast to the homes of ordinary people, which I have already managed to see in a variety of preserved, we can say, well, half of them, apparently, too, was empty.

  He slipped through the open doorway luxurious by local standards, "mansion", I climbed to the second floor. Instead of stairs then used a gentle ramp from a single slab of stone with a shallow transverse incisions.

  Overview Square was just awesome. Now, when I saw what was happening in front of the temple, it became clear why so few of the people met on the way here. On a smooth space, trampled for decades many thousands of feet, is now, at first glance, more than a hundred, or even a hundred adult males.

  Having stood in solemn stillness, they stood, his eyes fixed on the wooden platform, stands in the square in front of the temple. When I squint, could saw all the details, I also stood. Only I felt at the same time does not awe.

  Ice horror and disgust almost paralyzed me, and, unable to look away, I stared and stared at the pavement, and a person is there. A rhythmic rumble of distant drums, somewhere on the border of consciousness, only helped immersion in this dark nightmare trance.

  Chapter 16

  In the first moment I did not understand what was happening. The man lay motionless on a pedestal, as though on a table covered with crimson, with dark stains, cloth. Kakieto incomprehensible sizoserye tape that moaning and slowly dancing, reeling the other dressed in a semblance of knightly armor breastplate ...

  The crowd standing in the square suddenly began publishing full of a strange buzzing sound, which is superimposed on a distant drumbeat. At the same moment I clearly saw on the platform a huge glittering figure with animal head - jaguar. From head to toe, this creature was covered with blood, and in his hand full of strange red lump. The audience roared, and I recoiled involuntarily clutched at his chest, feeling the horror breath.

  Under his fingers hit with a tiny lace kinzhalchikomamuletom, was once found in a chest in the attic of his uncle's house, and I, without thinking, mechanically squeezed it in his fist. And at the same instant glamor gone, but the nightmare was left in place.

  Shroud had disappeared from her eyes and instead incarnation Tlaloc, which seemed to me I saw on the platform turned out to be an ordinary native. In fact, he was no different from the others, except frankly well-fed, well-fed appearance and metal breastplate. But everything else is commonly called was difficult.

  For a split second I thought I was transported into one of those books about the adventures of treasure hunters, who as a child tried not to read at night, so as not to jump up screaming and in a cold sweat every time I fancied kakoynibud another bloody ritual dedicated to the forgotten ancient deities.

  On the platform, folded from the raw tree trunks, basalt was rectangular plate. Plain, unremarkable, a black basalt slab. Only now it was covered with brooks, streams temnoaloy, not begins to dry up the blood, and therefore does not seem so black.

  In the center of the plate, spread out his hands toward the naked man lying. I do not know whether this was the man I had seen with his hands tied less than an hour ago. It is possible that he did not. But the fact that this man is absolutely, irrevocably dead prostotaki can be no doubt.

  Obese man in cuirass suddenly started to walk in circles around the pedestal in a clockwise direction, occasionally raising his arms to heaven and shouting something unintelligible. At that moment, when he, taking the first step to the side, stopped blocking the altar, and I felt the horror ice claws compresses heart.

  the unfortunate victim's body was cut from the sternum to the groin. What reeling the executioner, it was not other than the intestines unfortunate native who now, as a nightmarish kakayato umbilical cord that connects it with the killer dragged across the floor and partially hiding the gaping holes in the peritoneum. It is clear that the bloody lump, which shook the terrible priest of Tlaloc, and I do not doubt that it was he - not that other, as the heart torn out of his chest killed.

  The drums continued rokotat men in the square slowly swaying in a trance, unintelligible chanting some political mantra. After listening, I could make out a few words:

  - Nani i Tlalok! Nani!

  Suddenly dimensional, hypnotic rhythm of recitative again began to merge with the rumble of drums, everything was covered in a veil of unreality shaky, and for a moment I saw again the huge sparkling figure with the head of the jaguar.

  This time I drove a conscious effort obsession, collecting all the forces in order to prevent this stifling wave covered my head. Suddenly, it became easier, the haze dissipated, and before his eyes suddenly flashed a sign of unity received mental resistance.

  Wow! At the time I was reminded that everything is fun, but I have to admit, he began to fear for the integrity of his mind ...

  Mechanically removing the notice field of view, I thought. Judging by the senses, and the system also will not lie, I was now trying to have a mental impact, to put it simply - to bring a wraith. Me and another one hundred and fifty of the natives, standing now square off with the brain and glass eyes.

  And the source of this confusion was none other than this very fat man, apparently a priest of Tlaloc. Finished his terrible dancing, he began with two hands to draw the blood from a cut in the victim's stomach, and spread over his face and shoulders while shouting something incomprehensible thin, breaking falsetto.

  Several long minutes it took me out to cope with nausea. Even here, at a distance of about fifty meters, I clearly felt the thick smell of blood and hands felt on her tongue, metallic taste. Dizzy.

  To cope with them, I had to turn away from the window and take a few steps back and forth across an empty room, repeating to myself that it's just my imagination, and generally trying to think of something else. Kakimto miracle I managed to keep a lunch, though, whenever I think about food, I immediately thought of gutting unhappy lizards, and nausea washed over with a bang.

  A few minutes later, when I looked out the window again, I found that the picture changed. Ritual act is clearly coming to an end, the priest is no longer galloping and smeared the blood on his body. He stopped at the sacrificial stone, spreading her legs and arms in a pose of Vitruvian Man, and the audience were on their knees, with his face to the ground.

  For a while nothing happened, then the priest again shouted something incomprehensible, and all men who are on the square, synchronously rose from his knees, and instantly, as if it was rehearsed repeatedly lined up in the living place.

  Seeing how this bloody priest repeatedly puts his fingers in the incision in the abdomen of the victim, to leave a mark on the forehead of another native, who approached for his blessing, I again felt a wave of nausea.

  - Yes, that is it! Well, is it not possible to worship somehow more peaceful? Pray to the sun and to sacrifice flowers, for example. Why all this krovischa ?!

  Joy, to which, in the absence of other interlocutors, I applied, did not reply to my indignant whisper.

  Taking a few sips of clean water from the jars strapped to his belt, I calmed down and took a deep breath. Not wanting to look again at the bloody madness, I decided to just think about what has already been seen.

  The first thing that alarmed - this is an obvious effect on the mind. If I was not a little pumped resistance, thanks to the old woman Greta, witches from Hackney, and would not be the parent of the amulet, it is obvious that I'm the
same as everyone else vaytukku would see not the older man with overweight and brilliant and cruel god Tlaloc.

  Question! Why God, albeit in the form of confusion, was in good health, not a cripple? After all, according to the same old Ashihty, his damaged limbs after a battle with kakimto other local deity. And by the way, how? And what happened to him? Although, it is not important ...

  So - does that mean that since Ashihty exile or escape, the god repaired? Maybe it at all, no? Or had never existed.

  What? This, incidentally, is also quite likely. Let us suppose that it simply never existed. Then what he saw Ashihta also was hassle ... Battle was invented to get more sacrifices, and conceived all this scam priests, who, judging by what I've seen, obviously not in poverty, as opposed to other vaytukku.

  Excellent theory! Even a pity that it does not explain the existence of mechanical animals and other reminders of the past greatness vaytukku that though preserved only in the form of ruins and debris, but it was the same! And this does not account for a mere hassle.

  And if we assume that Tlaloc really existed? That's just he has not been damaged in that battle, and perish? Then, to his priests would be quite logical to come up with a theory about the injuries that can be treated zealous sacrifices. And at the same time, it's fine to explain the fact that he no longer works wonders - hand is not!

  Only now, when a little eased tension in which I stayed the whole time, which was in the valley of the corner of my eye noticed unread envelope system message. Unfolding it, relieved. That's missing the last doubts if I got there. It is strange that the window did not notice before ... Perhaps to clean interfering notification system overview is my newly acquired reflex and conscious effort is not required?

  - Congratulations! Quest: "The secret always becomes clear!" Is executed.

  - Reward: Experience 120000 (5000/40000).

  - gained a level!

  - Stage 9 (characteristics available for allocation - 1)

  But then, to my surprise, they did not offer anything. And what would it mean? Whether it is a sign that the quests will no longer be necessary, and begin to act on their own, without prompting, or I will see continued after I will seek the remains of their virtual family. But the more I have, being a realist, I am not counted.

  With features just decided to do - not to change the decision-making and was once again invest in luck. It is a pity that I did not understand whether there is in this though full of meaning?

  Meanwhile, the picture has changed outside the window. Ritual action came to an end, and the fat priest slowly, stopping from time to time, began the ascent to the top of the temple. Stone was empty, the platform is not more than eye-catching, and I was able to easily explore the area.

  The temple itself is a giant step pyramid, about thirty meters high, built of huge basalt blocks. On the side which faces the square, there was a narrow path, where meter stage were replaced by a ramp with transverse incisions similar to the one I had seen in the house.

  The top of the construction had been cut, and consider it from the bottom, I could not. But the priest stood up and disappeared from sight. So, I also somehow have to get there.

  On the area began cleaning. The men went about their business, they were replaced by women fussing. They instantly washed dais and altar stone from the blood, poured some sand on the ground, where flowed red puddles. All this was done quickly and in complete silence. It took just half a minute, and the area has become empty and clean.

  My attention was once again riveted the temple. No need to be a prophet to realize that it is there and should hide the answers, if not all, then many questions. Even if my assumptions are correct and the god of the dead people.

  - Well, my friend, would have to wait a little longer. - I turned to the dog. Joey his whole appearance showed that he was not opposed. - Good to have you with me, my friend. Without you it would be very sad.

  I reached out and stroked Joey. I wonder how he felt the touch? Metal, which I clearly felt under your fingers warm and seemed like a bit pliable, so ... almost alive. Perhaps that is why the knowledge of the fact that the dog is not present, did not cause the slightest rejection.

  I took out a timer. Until the moment of X was still thirty-four and a half hours, and before dark, given the proximity to the equator, quite a bit. There, after seeing, still did not want to read it was nothing, I was afraid to doze off. So I try to sit back to the street and see, and most especially not to risk it.

  At the same moment, in the square there are new actors. As it turned out, the man who has just been gutted on the altar, was not he a native, I've seen related, since it resulted in just that. Probably it just kept somewhere until such time until the end of the bloody ceremony.

  The prisoner, who was now clean, sanded and swept the area, and could not imagine what horrors were happening here just half an hour ago, so behaved as before, quite calmly, not trying to escape or run away.

  I, frankly, tense, afraid that now followed by a second series. Do not interfere, and let a man killed before my eyes, I would not allow conscience. But, start shooting, I did not what would be betrayed himself with giblets, so also no one would not have saved, because I would simply could not shoot all the natives, even if it had enough ammo.

  But, probably, the time was too late to begin the ritual again, and it is possible that the bloody god had enough. Only kill the prisoner did not, and was taken to one of the buildings, like the one where I sat - a two-story, too empty, but located at the foot of the temple.

  Before I had time to sigh with relief and breath, as stated by the new procession to the square. This time, their approach heralded the loud cheers of local kids, obviously attracted by the unusual spectacle. But when I examined who exactly is accompanied by grim natives, I felt that I did not have enough air, and his legs suddenly become cotton.

  Heads down to the ground, torn and dirty clothes, with bound hands behind his back, went to the area of my friends - Donny and Marissa. Nearby, in the same way, I was Mikoto.

  Expecting that they, too, would be taken into the house, where there was a previous prisoner, I tensed up when he saw that, instead, one of the natives began to call the priest, banging his stick on the long copper bar, hanging on a wooden post at the foot of the stairs leading to the temple.

  A few minutes later a deafening ringing, fled to the area, probably the entire population of the village, including women and children. Finally, the priest came out and thick.

  Judging by the way with which businesslike interest, he immediately began to examine things taken away from my friends and feel their clothes, I realized that there is no reverence, to which I must confess I was hoping to white men the natives did not suffer, and the fate of the prisoners not It will be different from the one that befell the first victim.

  By the way, Mikoto, unlike Donny Marissa, deserve closer inspection. Obviously, the features of its appearance interested priest. He looked at the boy a couple of minutes, touching the hair several times, which was blond, not issinyachernymi as the rest. Light eyes, too much stood out, despite the fact that the rest of the facial features are quite typical for the local population - wide, flat nose, as it were, a little slanting eyes, high cheekbones.

  I only saw the back of his head Mikoto, so do not understand what he gave signs, however, it is obvious that they have been quite successful, as the priest suddenly reached out and pulled the gag from his mouth.

  Slowly, haltingly, and obviously choosing his words, Mikoto began to speak. Up to this point I was sure that all the local natives to understand each other and speak the same language, but judging by how hard it was given to his boy, that was not the case.

  A few minutes on the square a deathly silence. I did not understand a word, ready to pray to all existing in the world of gods, including Tlaloc to Mikoto failed to agree. However, something went wrong.

  Suddenly the priest who listened attentively and already started to nod, obviously with chemto agreeing bounced
as if in horror. Mikoto interrupting it, he began to give commands kakieto shrill falsetto. The situation, almost friendly, instantly tense. The boy immediately gagged again.

  Less than a minute later, the prisoners, roughly pushing in the back blunt copies, driven in the same house, which has sat previously caught coastal residents.

  Bold priest who apparently was also a leader and vaytukku, gave some instructions and went to the temple. Around the house door opening, now serves as a prison for my friends, were two natives - time.

  - Well, what was that ?! - the question was rhetorical, though I spoke, for lack of other interlocutors, to Joey. He, as usual, said nothing.

  Why, why people can not clearly do what they are asked, why here this unnecessary initiative? Now what would you do?

  On the one hand, I was, of course, incredibly nice, the guys broke a promise and prishlitaki me bail. But on the other! On the other - they have jeopardized everything, absolutely everything. And not only that they themselves climbed into the jaws of the beast, so also for a child dragged! But I have asked only to help arrange his fate! Well, what, huh ?!

  For a while I cursed under his breath and complain about life, until he realized that the words do not exactly help the cause, and we must act. I immediately stopped to shake the air and try to collect.

  In truth, the appearance of friends though it was a big surprise, but, in general, the plans have not changed. I'm anyway going to save the unfortunate natives, who are preparing for the next sacrifice. Just rate went up, that's all.

  Well, yes, it's the little things, just nothing ... Just think, what nonsense! Well, bring them to the sacrifice of Tlaloc, too me, big deal! When I am going to follow me wondering exactly Donnie thinking? Is he so wants to be a hero, he was ready to become a dead ?!

  Sensing that I was again covers the wave of anger, I have a few deep breaths, trying to think about something abstract. Nothing came of it.