Alexey Pehov - Chasers of the Wind

“And if we hadn’t come?”

“But you did.”

“Hmm,” I said thoughtfully. “The actions of the Tower baffle me.”

Shen broke out into laughter. “Yeah, okay. Everything was going fine until the Nabatorians arrived, and then you know the rest. Also, I lost you in Bald Hollow. So all the hope rested on Mols. You had to come to her sooner or later.”

“Yes,” I said dryly. “Only she was in no hurry to do right by us. First we burned our hands on hot chestnuts and then she betrayed us.”

Oh, Mols, Mols. You old bitch.

“Let’s leave this conversation for the time being. We need to go.” Shen stood up, walked over to the bars, and called out to the jailer.

It was bright and clean in the carriage. Expensive seats upholstered in red velvet, gold-plated handles, wide windows with burgundy silk curtains. These folks don’t begrudge themselves anything. I had the honor of sitting in it while dirty, and in fairly ragged and bloody clothes.

Shen was sitting across from me, and on either side of me were unsmiling, broad-shouldered Guardsmen. An unneeded precaution. While they had my sun in their hands, I wasn’t about to budge.

“Where is Layen?” I asked again.

“Show a little patience. I beg you. You’ll see her as soon as we get there.”

The carriage started moving, and Shen, having lost all interest in me, began looking out the window. The Guardsmen were silent, but as soon as I shifted, the lad sitting to my right began to get nervous. This diverted me very much until the second Guardsman lost patience with me and punched me in the side with his fist. I lost my distraction and felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. I was worried about Layen. I didn’t know what the Walkers would decide.

I kept glancing out the window. Soon we passed through a park and the carriage stopped by a small lake.

“Remove his shackles,” Shen ordered.

He stepped out, and one of the Guardsmen followed him and the other tapped me gently on the back so I wouldn’t delay. With the clinking of chains, I hopped down.

Outside a dozen soldiers were waiting for us. One of them liberated me from my bonds.

Another carriage approached. Three Walkers and Layen came out of it. The lilac bracelets still shone on her wrists. My sun was pale, but when she saw me, color returned to her cheekbones and her blue eyes sparkled. Ignoring her escort, she walked up to me.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“If you don’t count this abomination.” She twisted her lips and twitched an eyebrow at the magical shackles. “But more or less. And you?”

“Just the same.” I laughed and immediately saw a smile on her lips. “Shen condescended to heal my leg.”

“Don’t mention it,” said the Healer modestly.

“It’s a pity my hands are tied.” Layen’s eyes sparkled maliciously. “I’d happily smack you in the face, you filthy little toady.”

“Then I’m in luck,” he said quite seriously. “Let’s go; they’re waiting for us.”

Well then. The storm awaited us. We would have to pay for what we did seven years ago. The question was, what price would be asked of us?

“Take her shackles off,” I said to the Healer.

“No! Her Gift—”

“Get them off her, the Abyss take you, or you can forget about us talking!” I barked.

Shen blinked and then nodded to the Walkers. They weren’t excited about it, but for some reason they obeyed the boy. The light went out.

I wondered how things were with Layen’s Gift? I didn’t think these old maids would be able to release her spark. I shifted my eyes to the right.

There was the Tower. A massive structure shoring up the clouds, it loomed over us like a gloomy giant. Despite the bright, pink-veined stone from which the Sculptor had erected this majestic building, an indefinable menace emanated from its statuesque majesty. Those walls had seen too much over the past thousand years. They remembered the blood of those who died inside them during the Dark Revolt; they experienced the pain, fear, despair, and insane hope of the mages battling one another. They absorbed their souls, compressed them into their stone, and did not release them into the Blessed Gardens or the Abyss, forcing immortality on the souls to invest themselves with strength. Normal people rarely entered the enormous spire crowned with seven spikes. This was the preserve of the Walkers and the Embers; all others were allowed to pass only by special invitation. And it is extremely regrettable that we found ourselves among those miserable few.

What awaited us? What did the mages want from us? I didn’t believe the Healer. It was unlikely they searched for so long simply to have a talk. Almost no one who passes through the Gates of Light ever returns.

“Can we go now?” asked Shen venomously.

For a few seconds Layen and I looked into each other’s eyes. Then she gave a slight nod and, grasping me firmly by the hand, turned toward the Tower of the Walkers, which overshadows the entire world.

Abyss Where, according to belief, the souls of sinners fall. It is populated by demonic creatures, who sometimes manage to break out into the outer worlds. The Abyss gives warmth to the sparks of those who have turned to the dark side of the Gift.

Al’sgara The largest city in the south of the Empire. It was founded more than a thousand years ago on a rocky cliff near the Oyster Sea. It was developed under the Sculptor, who built two large temples to Melot, the first three rings of defensive walls, the Tower of the Walkers, the underground aqueducts, the Palace of the Viceroy, and much more.

Blazogs A race that lives in the Great Blazgian Swamps in the south of the Empire. Most Blazogs never leave their homeland and very rarely do they come to a human city. They have a repulsive appearance and human speech is very difficult for them, so only a few master it.

Blazogs are considered excellent warriors. During the War of the Necromancers they sided with the Empire and formed the Marsh Regiment, considered one of the most effective and battle-seasoned units of the Second Southern Army.

Blessed Gardens The place, according to legend, where the souls of the righteous go. It is from the Gardens that bearers of the light side of the Gift draw strength for their spark.

Book of Invocation A foundational book of the wizards; it contains fundamental spells for battling demons.

Borderlands The territory between the Empire and Nabator. It is considered part of Nabator, but the region is uninhabited because of the huge amount of goves that live in this part of the Boxwood Mountains.

Bragun-Zan (Dead Ash) The rocky, lifeless wasteland to the north of the Empire that emerged as a result of the War of the Necromancers. It is nominally a part of the Empire, although the race of Nirits that live there consider themselves a free nation. In the center of Bragun-Zan is the Groh-ner-Tohh (Belting Mountain), a dormant volcano.

Burnt Souls (Shay-za’ns) A race related to the Je’arre. They live in the Great Waste, and are unsurpassed archers. According to the legends of the Sons of the Sky, the Shay-za’ns went against their god, called the Dancer by these peoples, and were punished. Both their souls and their wings were taken away.

Children of the Snow Leopard (Sons of the Snow Leopard) The name of one of the seven clans of northerners, who live in the Icy Lands in the northern part of the Empire. Besides the clan of the Snow Leopard, there exist the clans of the White Squirrel, the Bear, the Owl, the Marten, the Elk, and the Wolf.