Golden Magic

By Viktoria Wealth

IN THE NEW CONDITIONS APPEARING OF NEW WIZARDS IS NEAR TO IMPOSSIBLE AND THEIR TRAINING MUST TO BE EXTREMELY BRUTALTHE FUGITIVES CREATE A MILITARY, MERCILESS CIVILIZATION OF THE CASTLES IN WHICH THE FUTURE WIZARDS MUST DISCOVER AND DEVELOP THEIR GOLDEN MAGIC OF SURVIVING OR TO DIE IN THE ATTEMPT. ONE OF THE PROMISING TALENTS IS PUT UNDER THE IMMENSE PRESSURE OF ORDEALS WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD IS THE ENEMY. THERE IS NO PLACE TO RUN AND NO PLACE TO HIDE. THE ONLY HOPE FOR SURVIVING IS TO CREATE OWN EMPIRE.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469758206

Viktoria Wealth

Viktoria Wealth! Exceptionally inquisitive. Zodiac sign- Libra. She majored in physical metallurgy and participated in development of aircraft equipment. Very keen on marksmanship; holds a number of awards from shooting competitions and fencing. Adores the universe, adventures cars and dogs. A happy owner of a German shepherd dog. She has been writing since she was a schoolgirl. What incited were the suggestions with which the publishers released really good books. As a result, she started writing the books that she had always wanted to read. This incitement her boundless stock of knowledge and ideas, the power of her brain waves as well as her natural talent impart amazing distinctiveness to her writings a captivating story-teller.

Book preview

Prologue

MAGICAL PAST

The first thing that Argard could figure out when he regained his sense of time and environment was the freezing, tempestuous sea. It was devouring him with its furious embrace. The icy cold fluid was pressing him painfully from all directions. Despite that, the surface was not so far, and Argard managed to emerge. He directed his hectic and seeking eyes upward. The night sky was ablaze in imposing and gorgeous multicolor radiance.

Nothing else could give such an expression of horrifying splendor as the conflagration that engulfing a whole perishing world. Argard was well aware that the funeral pyre which has devastated all of his dreams and hope, will illuminate the night, in length of long years, and it will be tearing with its fiery cloak the blue in the day sky.

For an instant, a crest of a roaring wave slammed the head of Argard, and he swallowed up a huge amount of insipid water. This reminded to him that the time has come to find a shore. He could not be able to swim forever hacked by crotchety and dangerous waves. The water seemed conscious of the fact that their place is not here at all. And with the full fury embodied in the enormous water mass they were trying to take off from the planet in their returning to their former world.

Despite the amuck water rage, the man could not resist to the magnetic drawing of the sky coruscation. He ceaselessly was attempting to overturn at his back and time and time again to direct his hectic gaze towards the blazing debris of his former home world. However, the stormy waves were obstructing Argard from being focused. The tides were coming from all directions at once and with sinister rumble were crashing each other in raging dangerous vortexes. The upheaval crushing the neighboring crumbling world was causing tremors in air, rock and water everywhere on the planet.

Argard was perfectly aware that there is no significant sense of contemplating at the sky coruscation. It was with terrifying magnificence but in this case that beauty was no more than ruthless mark of the death. The wizard was helpless in amending the actions of the creatures called themselves Gods and Masters of the Whole Universe. He was not capable but only at least for that moment. ‘Really?’ He asked himself. Argard was a strong, exceptionally skilful wizard. He was one of the best among the contestants to the ‘Mighty Council’. Even so, he does not know: how he could succeed to gather the lacerated wrecks of one whole broken planet. Maybe he could be able to do this, but for the magic in such tremendous power was required more time than the Sun could be alive. The situation was demanding another way to provide even a small victory in that ruthless war.

His attention was drawn by the dark object jumping among the whites raging crests. With powerful and skilful shoves Argard directed himself toward the same amorphous silhouette. He looked at the object and turned westwards. There was disappointment and bitterness in his mind. He recognized the thing that was floating in the waves’ foam. This was only Orsk; one of the second-grade wizards. The wretched fellow had not abandoned his sacred medallion, and that caused his destruction. It was obvious that Orsk was caught by the death, when the magic was bringing him to the fourth planet.

It was unknown how the Gods could find every piece of metal, under the cloaks of the magic dimensions, but it was a fact. Their blocking astral sentinels unmistakably were destroying every transgressor wearing even only an ordinary metal knob. The greed or the simple sentimentality was destroyed Orsk.

The fourth planet was the only other place in the whole Solar System, which could deliver the elementary initial conditions for existing of the human beings. About everything else, the magic could be able to manage in the length of the time. Furthermore, that was the only planet toward which was possible to be directed the fugitives, of the deadly stricken Phaeton.

Argard tightened his mighty jaw. He swam more energetically and purposefully attempting with his physical efforts to suppress at least for a moment, the distracting memory of the devastation and afterward, the full destruction of his home world. Argard did not allow to himself to exert his magic senses for better orientation. He had not made any illusions about the admission, that the Gods could not be able to guess about the little artifice, executed by the ‘Mighty Council’ with the transference of part of the population on the fourth planet. Undoubtedly, the Gods were well informed about this desperate moving of their victims. Despite that, there was a feeble, smoldering hope that could be possible for the Gods, to underrate the operation with transferring. Argard had no desire to attract the unnecessary attention of the Gods with using of his magic abilities.

For a long time the great wizards of the Mighty Council had their doubts in the real possibility about transferring of anything alive through the lines of magic dimensions. The attempts with the flitting from one world to another had failed with boredom continuity. There was clear that the wizards had not wielded the way by which the transferring could be able to deliver their object only in one point.

There were expectations that the object could exists in the exact shape and functional condition in all levels of its existence. The experiments with creatures which were made by ordinary objects and magical devices were brought to mind a lot of lugubrious thoughts among the prominent magic estate.

Often, the result of a simple transferring of a new created bee was disastrous. Part of the head of the insect was arriving on the one pole of the fourth planet. A part of the same head accomplished its landing on one of the satellites of the sixth gas giant. The one wing appeared on the equator of the third planet while the antennas were on the other pole of the second world. A wing could be detected somewhere in the comet belt. The corps of the insect seemed to be driven in the nucleus of an unknown asteroid.

All experiments with the transferring were full capacity of confusion. The best success of transferring some matter through the lines of the magic dimensions was more closely approaching to the definition of freshly beaten omelet than to the living creature.

The water was the only thing that ‘ Mighty Council’ managed to deliver with relative success. However, for Argard now was clear that even with transferring of this fluid was something wrong; or at least there was a problem with its taste.

Yes, the transferring to another world was equivalent to murder or suicide. The race of the wizards simply had no other options under the smashing strikes of the Gods. In spite of the risky action, the transferring was committed as the desperate hope of saving at least of someone. And it was put to action only when to the destruction of the whole planet was time no longer than to be drawn one last breath.

Despite the biting cold of the surrounding fluid, Argard sensed his whole skin burning like in flames. Seemingly, he was not in water but in dilute acid. However, this inconvenience was an insignificant tribute in comparison to the possibility to escape from the murderous rage of the Gods.

The sound of the rumble of the waves increased. It may be and wash. Without his magic senses Argard could not say with confidence, whether it was or no, because the whole sea was boiling and seething around him with its rough, turbid tides. After another hour of raging fight with the water element Argard crawled on the shore at last. He was wet and trembling and unbearable tired. More tired than he ever could be able to imagine. For the first time from many years, he was feeling tremendous need for recovering sleep. He even did not try to see where he was crawled. After a while, he felt before him arising of a dark shadow. That was the Mighty Siard.

Argard made his account. After the death of the greatest wizards from The Mighty Council exactly Siard was occurred to be Supreme Wizard in the new world.

With great difficulties Argard straightened up and expectedly looked at the other wizard. Colored by the lights of fiery, sky illumination the Siard’s face seemed to be extremely harsh and sinister.

It’s good that you keep your ability of thinking. approvingly rumbled Siard with his regard.

What do you mean? Argard stunned in ominous premonitions. I am feeling well enough. Only my skin is scalding, but it is not so bad. The others could not be in different condition.

Do not rely on this! with frozen voice settled Siard. There are alive, no more than one-third of fugitives. Some of the people finished their travel in the height of the sky and were unable to survive the falling. Others were too low and were riveted among the rocks. And of course, there was a great amount of drowning in the open ocean. And not at last, too many people were with their metal, magical devices and amulets, which caused their dead in the magic dimensions.

A third from all is beyond that we were daring to expect even in our wildest dreams. Argard murmured with conciliation. He rebuked himself that the latest events were made terrible changes in his mind. Because of this change, he began to accept extinction of the creatures as something natural in the order of the Universe. Argard finished his thought: Alas, we do not achieve the exact points of our wishes.

I know that. Siard agreed without to show any emotions. "But there is bad news, too. In that third of our people you are the fifth one who can remember and think. No one except these five (including me) can remember something from our former world. A new-made creature is more talented with magic and mental abilities than our fugitives. The survival cannot even to speak. I suspect that the radiated magic heat at our arrival was too much that the wizards can endure and erased all reasonable information from their brains. Consciousness lasted only in those who had arrived directly in the water, and that circumstance is enough for dispersing of magic over-tension. The cold ocean was salvation of our magic. At least, it was salvation for five of us. In that point of reality, we are only five. However, even among us, just you and I are first-rate wizards with abilities of really great magic craft. For a short moment, I thought that I am the sole mighty wizard on this planet… - I’m deeply mourning about the death of our world, but in the same moment, I am enough satisfied that exactly you are with me in this deadly situation.

And what we are supposed to do with all those helpless creatures? the throat of Argard tightened. If all their memories are erased permanently, that means that their magical zones are corrupted too. Losing them, they also lose the recovering functions of which depends upon their immortality. Even, there is something more! The unfortunate victims are expected not simply by death but long, agonizing death that is called: Old Age! I am not accustomed with a magic that can provoke the creating of new wizard’s zones in our bodies. ‘The Mighty Council’, even had been abandoned the very idea about thoughts direction. They failed to find a way that can disable the magical nature. That seems beyond the impossible. It can be resembled with the situation in which a magical scepter can has only top but no bottom. It seems that transition through the magical dimensions produces the effect of exact the same absolute absurd. Now, what we are going to do with all these victims?

We are going to help them with their surviving when it is possible for them, but especially for their successors. Siard lifted his shoulders with resignation. And we will wait. We will wait, and wait, and wait again. The matter of the magical dimensions mixed up a lot of magic physiology of the stricken people. Resembling of magnets that arrange the ferrous pieces in strange pictures or as the cold can model the crystals of snowflakes. At least for now, their magical abilities are absolutely worthless. There is no sense in the very attempt to recover them by ourselves. Even if we will succeed by some lucky circumstances to exceed all former magical strength of our perished race. Even if we will recover some of the magic zones. That will be no success at all. And that is because, then we will have creatures that can be considered most likely as pets, but not as soldiers or battle-wizards with free will to fight. However, through a sufficient number of generations, the magic within their successors will be restored. Even, among them will be possible to be generated absolutely unique and new magical combinations. Exact these new battle abilities we are looking for. We need them for the Great Brutal War with the creatures that called themselves: Gods.

But how we will help them to survive without to transform them into dependent helpless pets?! Argard gibbered through his frozen lips.

For them, there is not a necessity to know about us. Siard again lifted his face toward the sky conflagration, and then he slowly lowered his thoughtful gaze at Argard. "Or at least, they must not to know very much. The people can suspect about us all their wishes and imaginations perform. The importance is locked in the circumstance that they could not to know with absolutely confidence.

For many ages ahead we will lay our efforts not to complicate their world. It will be simple and easy for understanding. There will be: Birth, subsist, love and feelings, offspring and death at their end. And all this will continue in an unstoppable cycle, until we can obtain enough wizards in strength and necessary quality. It is possible through the length of long ages that we can be named as The Ancients or even with the names of our enemies: Gods. However, the guesses will cloak our very existence in the impenetrable haze of the uncertainty. Our purposes of involving within the doings of their world will be extremely inscrutable for them."

Is it not so cruel to deny them immortality? Argard doubted in this strategy. We can use our magical zones to prevent the aging and because of that and the death itself. It will be equal to unthinkable cruelty, if we do nothing about preventing their aging.

It is cruel, indeed, Siard nodded with agreement and sorrow. But if the generations are not replaced, not after long; the planet will be overpopulated and emerging of the new wizards will be near to impossible. Furthermore, you know that by the old times we had been lived in full harmony with our own world. We were filled up with audacious dreams, beauty, exquisiteness, and love. Is that helped, against the creatures named themselves as Gods? They were the ones who thought us the meaning of the notions: war, army, annihilation, and total destruction of whole worlds! The Gods will never be tolerant with another developed intellect wherever they find it in their grasp. The Gods will eradicate that intellect with the same unmerciful cruelty, and malice with which they grinded our own world into little molten pieces. These actions, they consider as absolute contrivance for keeping their dominance over the universe. The most secure method for this predominance is to eradicate every possible competition in the very beginning of existence. To survive in this universe we need to learn how to be cruel as gods and even more.

This sounds logical, indeed! Argard noted with emphatic of satisfaction. But when we will be transformed into bloodthirsty miscreants, which are the Gods themselves; will we be ourselves then? Will it be the way for salvation of our civilization and our species? What will be left from our culture, people and world? What will remain from us, if we change ourselves and embrace the same cruelty and malice more eagerly, even than the bloodthirsty Gods themselves?

For us was possible to be there. Siard lifted his hand toward the fiery paths of planetoids which were gutter the night sky and which once were united in the former world of the two wizards. What would be left from ourselves and our civilization if we were there? What? We would be nothing more, than vacuum and molted dross. Not even a slightest memory can endure from the complete devastation. Not even a shadow from our former mighty magic with which we were so proud. From our home-world now there is only shapeless, glowing debris of rocks, which can be found. And our ancient glory is scattered in a sleazy belt between the forth and the sixth… or already the fifth planet to be more precise. I do not think that you are burning with desire in the next visit of the Gods instead with force to face them again with wide smile and proposal for a contribution with the mission to model the universe as a unique place full with immeasurable beauty and harmony. You know very well what caught us when we proposed that idea. The creatures named themselves as Gods and Rulers of the Universe even did not smile with politeness to our friendly messages; not even for our rapture that at last we were found other mighty creatures. We were in the delusion that we were found our brothers in the vast universe. They found in the very fact of our existence only a tedious and damaging contagion, which is meant to be annihilated from the face of the universe. Yes, they said that they want a perfect universe full of order and beauty. However, we were the ugly spot of their universe. Simply, their notion of beauty and order had not been including our world and us. The masters of the universe, just smashed us, and took from us whatever trophies they wanted. And after their malicious game, they destroyed and our planet itself.

I know all about that. Argard retorted quietly, and despite his strong mind, his futures distorted in a grimace of painful suffering. I suspect that the Gods were well informed about the effect causing the erasing of the consciousness. They were informed and about striping of the magical zones of survivals. In their game, they simply allowed us to go toward our destruction by ourselves. Without memories and without magic, we are absolute harmless. We are not rational beings any more. Our people will be aging and die before they could sense that they are alive. Traveling through the magical dimensions is equal to jump into the mouth of roaring furnace. I suspect also that the Gods were not informed about this possibility. If the conditions are accorded by lucky equation, then surviving even with magical zones is possible after all. Like ourselves when our overweening civilization accepted that is impossible for magic mater to be stripped without to be uprooted the life in the same time. Life and magic are two sides of one thing as we were announced. In the similar way, the Gods accepted that is impossible to go through the magical dimensions without to lose the wizard’s nature. The lesson is: We cannot to rely on the notion of impossibility, Unattainable things do not exist. Exist only unworkable ways. It makes for us feasibly, even to defeat the Gods. We only, must find the right way to do that. At least, I hope that the Gods are underestimating the situation. For the moment, we are out of their deadly grasp… after all. I did not anticipate into preparations of the transition. And I do not know how in general the Mighty Wizards are managed to cope with multitudinous and seemingly inextricable problems about transference. How you or they did that?

When the creatures named themselves as gods and Masters of the Universe arrived with their annihilating wrath, we had nothing for our proper protection. Siard whispered in trance. All that we succeeded to adapt as resemblance of battle magic was swallowed by the invaders as all of our fighting efforts were no more than a morning breeze for them and their powers. You anticipated by yourself in the first line of our forces since the beginning of the invasion. You know perfectly clear how helpless we were. Then The Mighty Council executed the last desperate action. They managed to accomplish the greatest effort of our perishing civilization. They transferred survivals at the last moment. And they did that, together with huge water mass of our oceans to the fourth planet. They used the water as a stabilizer. Our salvation is in debt to the fact that we were transferred within that magic converted water. It assumed as a buffer the fatal effects of the transition. This issue was caused not simply by the extraordinary and inconceivable efforts, executed by all wizards. In the basement of the success was the fact that the strings of magical dimensions were interrupted in the region of our planet because of its destruction by the Gods. The crumbling world in addition to water provided the process with all monstrous quantity of energy that was necessary. And now we are already here. And if we have some desires to preserve the memory of our magnificent world, then we must build ferocious armies or at least some battle forces that could be able to face the Gods with enough fighting dignity.

For a campaign of such a scale, our magic will not be sufficient. Argard snapped. At least we will not achieve something significant by the magic with which we are acquainted for. Our needs are for more resources. We need more wizards, metals, more metal, enough water and more carbon.

This here is an ordinary intermediate base. After a good deal of silence announced Siard. And except that the fourth planet will be the same thing that Gods called command station. We will dig magical labyrinths and in addition canyons for camouflage. In that way, we will resolve the situation with the area needed for high-class magic actions. We will work in these labyrinths and with that method we will veil our power and intentions from our enemies. In the same time, upward on the surface will flourish on a simple, shabby life, adorned with some insignificant local intrigue. And they will be so harmless that the creatures who called themselves as Gods would not dissipate their efforts to spare an eye for close investigation. However, our real target must be the third planet.

Do you really mean the Earth? Argard asked with a lack of enthusiasm. But there is too hot. And it is even smaller than the fourth planet. The atmosphere is unfit to breathing. The rains which are falling there are the same as on the second planet. This fluid is no less than concentric acid.

That will be our job, said Siard. It’s necessary to make it fit for life. We will do even more. We must transfer there our chosen people. In that way, we will prolong selection of the new wizards. And the rest of the people, when the moment is appropriate will develop the science.

What do you mean with that science? perplexed Argard. What kind of magic is that?

That is the sum of the ways by which the people can cope with the challenges of the Universe. Siard answered calmly. The Gods have such things, and they use them with master’s lavishness. These facts indulge us to develop something like that.

That may be really useful. Nevertheless, I also have a great deal of pity for poor people. They must struggle for their surviving with their teeth and nails…, with their nature teeth, and their real nails.

It is a vital necessity to learn that. Siard noted harshly. "You know that the ‘Mighty Council’ appointed to me the prolonging the war and if it possible the destruction of the Gods themselves. To accomplish the last will of our civilization, we must destroy at first a huge part of our past. And in the same time we must learn all that we need to be. There is a lot of work to do.

At first, our main fight will be mostly toward us than toward the enemy. The change of our mind, especially in the mind of an ancient wizard as us is not easy at all. That change also is not fast."

But if we will decide to use the third planet for our purposes, Said Argard, then for the needed success we must to transfer in addition, and almost all water from the forth planet to the Earth. That will destroy the life here! And how we will provide for all provisions without drawing undesired attention of the gods? Easiest way is to use nourishing magic and nutritive elements to fall from the sky as rain. This will bring to us additional problems. We will be engaged with the population, and we would not have time about something really serious in developing new magic ways. And above all else, that kind of magic is easy to detect by our mighty enemies and their cunning devices.

The fourth planet is doomed anyway. Siard reacted almost rude. You know that the God’s stroke into the Sun. It caused an extremely wide deviation of normal conditions of our star. Gradually, and the forth planet will stiff and the oceans will freeze. After billions of years here will be warm again, but what we will do during this cold period of time. All the people will die from frost except if we will make a constant magic of warmth as had been in our former world. However, that kind of magic can be detected by Gods easily and unmistakably. Then we must expect them shortly. And after that visit what will happen? There will be another asteroid belt in the night sky in the place of a vital world filled with energy and life! We must decide what will be the fate of the whole humanity and nothing less. If we decide to be generous and compassionate, then we will achieve nothing but to provoke the gods to annihilate all humanity till it is still absolutely helpless against such power. Do you think that we must allow that to happen? Do you think that the whole humanity with valiant kindness must to freeze beneath the mountains of ice and to suffocate because of lack of enough air? Instead, that unavoidable suicide of our race and civilization, I prefer to risk with another transition to take possession of the third planet. Many people will die. The survivals possibly will not remember anything about their past. They will not remember who are they and from where they have arrived. That is the price what we must to pay for our enduring as a race and species. We will remain here in the enchanted labyrinths, and we will rule the different situations.

But how we will manage to transfer the people without to scatter them over the whole way to the Earth? Moreover, how we will accomplish that without to blow up the fourth planet?

We will find a solution. Weary sighed Siard and again directed his gaze to the fiery horizon. I hope the time for that will be sufficient. I suppose that for the transition, we will use all oceans and all oxygen of the fourth world. And possibly we will use and some part of the solid structure of the planet. Or even we must transfer most of it. We will unite them and by impulses we will produce crumbling of the matter. Maybe it will give us the requisite lines of the magic. After all, the fourth planet is too small in comparison with our native world, and retentive lines of the magical dimensions are not so strong.

Such an action will destroy the whole planet almost entirely. Argard admitted. It will transform this world for real in a weapon. May be it will be sensible to rename this world with proper name; like a real battle magic.

Maybe a denomination like Ares or Mars will be enough convenient. Siard agreed abstractedly. It will remind us constantly that we are ceaselessly in a state of war with the Masters of the Universe, or at least with those that considered themselves as that sort of creatures.

And how we will manage the subsistence for the others? Argard asked already calmly with typical velvety notes in his voice. That was a very important question for the new colony. The two wizards regained more of their confidence and magical powers with every moment. The shock of the transition was behind. The wizards were ready about undertaking with possibly most effective actions. The sentiments were driven more and more deeply in their consciousness, where was the glowing eternal memory for their destroyed world.

We will create some plants, which roots and seeds are suitable for food. Siard announced his decision. We will create and fish, which will dwell into the oceans and wherever there is a sufficient amount of water. We will make bees that create honey. And we will create different kinds of beasts for food and clothes. Here is quite cold and our people will need those clothes.

Our people will eat living creatures! Argard nodded. He was not surprised or shocked any more. He just admitted that with some unthinkable for his native world things, he will accustom with a lot of difficulties.

Our people will not eat these creatures alive. Siard elucidated after a short think. At first, the humans will kill the beasts. Afterward, these beasts will be prepared somehow and then will be eaten. That kind of life preserving demeanor will create so indispensable fighting spirit in the descendents of the people. And because we do not want the things to look strange; we will create the appropriate environment. We will make beasts which can eat plants, and predators that will kill for their living. At least we are able to create plants and beasts with easiness. I think that you can figure out what exactly I mean and what are my purposes."

I understand everything. Argard retorted with mild calmness. I just have need of some time to accept all of that. And we will lay all efforts for the world that is already doomed!

Yes, we must do that! agreed Siard. "The life on the fourth planet is doomed; but to the baneful moment, the planet will round around the Sun, millions, or even billions of times. And until then, here will be the dominion of the under-sky world. That will be: the world of the castles!

Chapter One

Magical future

In you, flourish on a splendid universe of sleeping force. You sense this might, but you cannot become conscious of it. Your identity is built as a masterpiece of extreme power. This unique force of yours, gives you the right to be a victor. The words of the wizard were pouring with fascinating tranquility. Seemingly, the sounds which were escaping from his mouth were woven by the finest and softest velvet in the whole world.

In the castle is good enough for me. There is everything for what I ever want or dream of. There is no reason at all to bury myself into these dark and damp magical labyrinths. The green eyes of the girl were scintillating with rage.

The castle itself is nothing more than one of the guarded entrances to the labyrinths. It is simply a little, and in some measures, boring part of our world. This pile of rocks which you are calling a castle is not something worth concerning. answered the young-looking wizard. The girl was conscious that her interlocutor without any doubt is famous enough among the young ladies. He possessed fine features. He was huge as a high-ranking nobleman; high inspired forehead under platinum blond forelock; and his eyes (the same as hers) were calmly gleaming with emerald-green coruscation. The young man provoked clearly instinct curiosity, even in Inel herself.

The conversation from the beginning delivered an unexpected course. There were no polite remarks leading to an ordinary harmless flirt. The wizard had overwhelming persistence, not toward a flirt, but something quite more serious, which could change her whole life. Now the girl was in a desperate attempt to get out of this unpleasant situation by showing all hatred that she was capable of:

It is on a contrary. In the castle, I can find all that has some value to me. Into the bewitched caves there has not something mine, at all. There you can find only dark and damp dens of unknown creatures and greedy wizards.

There is your life. There is your destiny. The wizard continued with unshaken calmness.

You can’t be able to know my doom. I don’t want to learn that nasty magic and you must to remember that fact, once and for all! The girl almost hissed with sincere rage.

The choice is not yours. The choice is not even mine. The destiny and the mighty council are commanding to begin your magical training exact now. No earlier and no later, and you will obey to the mighty council.

Or what you will do? The voice of the girl rose in sarcastically-playful mockery. Maybe you will defy Gouend in a duel?

You have no other alternative. You will begin your training. The young man announced with smooth and calm voice. And if your desire is this training to begin with the destruction of Gouend, that particularity can be arranged by me fast and easily.

Do you really mean that you are ready to stay against Gouend with a sword in your hand? And all of that will be about fighting for me? The blond girl stepped backward with a step. She looked mistrustfully at her interlocutor. The man standing against her was with sturdy figure, but he was not so impressive for her understanding. Gouend always has been invincible in every tournament in which he is anticipated. He is exceptionally strong. And he is extremely dexterous with every weapon. He will crunch you among the morsels of his breakfast. His strike will send you out of the castle directly over the stronghold’s walls.

That is possible. In the same time, it is exceptionally improbable. The young wizard soothed the grip of his sword and dropped a sidelong look at the massive rock door. It seemed as he is expecting his rival to appear in the same instant.

You will fight for me! the girl exclaimed and slapped her hands with genuine rapture. Just promise that if you… actually there is no need of any promises by you. Gouend will slash you in two halves. Then, you will never be able to molest me with these plans of yours…, to bury me alive to the labyrinth of the wizards’ dungeons. From you, I will keep just the jewel of your cloak. It’s too beautiful and no doubt it is terribly expensive…

What is going on here? What are you whispering with this… retailer? rang out the dense basso which belonged to huge and piled with shiny armor and muscles, handsome captain of the elite guard. The giant was staying between the stone wings of the heavy door. Inel, are you having intentions to by some trinket? How many times I must tell you: Don’t take anything from these retailers. These trinkets seem all in gold, but if you scratch along the surface and then there is really very surprise; because under the gilded cover is grinning simple lead. The words of the giant were scolding, but his voice was full with the warm notes of the love in which he fell to the blond girl.

There were sparkling with curiosity eyes of soldiers peering from under and behind the huge shoulders of the giant. The guards were too anxious if they ever had a possibility to confiscate the goods belonging to someone merchant or even the trinket seller. At least they were quite eager to put a tax on everything according to the whole hail of taxes invented by their extremely imaginative count. Of course not all amounts of taxes were reaching the count and his treasure. Some of the coins mysteriously were wedged in the pockets of the guards and especially in their captain. Now the whole guard patrol led by their glorious commander, were in an attempt with professional curiosity to comprehend what was happening.

Gouend, if you only know how much I am happy to see you! The girl exclaimed. She cautiously tried to slip along the young wizard and to get herself to reliable guarding of the broad Gouend’s back. However, the wizard simply made two fast steps and bared the way of the green-eyed girl.

You will pay for that, you wretched, impudent retailer! It is obvious that you are looking for troubles. The captain roared and erased all traces of kindness in his voice and behavior. He made two heavy and threatening steps against the wizard.

Through the door, freed from the huge torso of their officer were spilled twenty guards full with readiness not to miss even a moment of the brewing spectacle. Such occasion was relatively rare despite the profession of the soldiers. The count himself had his guilt about that. He always could contrive to draw out from the different local wars. Instead of glory on the battle fields, he preferred to sell the neutrality of his county to this or that of his neighbors and sometimes to all of them at once. On the other hand, almost nobody was bold enough to remonstrate or defy the huge captain of the count’s guard. Even because of his formidable appearance of the giant with kings’ size. Every potential adversary was in a desperate attempt to avoid any brawl with Gouend. And above all the glory of the best sword in the east counts absolutely withered and the slightest zeal about a fight with captain Gouend. The merchants always were considering for more appropriate to pay silently and without any objections, all taxes. The brigands along the roads as an unbreakable rule were prefer prudently to run away even when the guard patrol was somewhere on the horizon.

Now, the soldiers made a circle with impatient enthusiasm visible on their agitated faces. They openly were in hope that the stranger is foolhardy enough and will not decline the challenge that consciously or not, but he had directed against their formidable captain. By the side of the guards toward the stranger were pouring incendiary exclamations, mockeries, threads and various sort of encouraging and good advices.

The exclamations were aimed to provoke too doubtful courage of the platinum haired stranger. The guards were having their hope that these cheers must be enough to confuse, enrage and in the end to force the strange man to stand against the captain of the counts’ guard. The man was without armor in his disposal, but with an absolute determinant gesture was holding his right hand upon the grip of his long straight sword.

Gouend by another hand had not wasted more time in empty words and with heavy grumble, he pulled out his impressive weapon out of its scabbard. Right now officially was the time for the sanguinary actions of an affair of honor.

The girl who was the main reason about the fight, considered to give some elucidations of the situation. She made them with solemn voice like she was responsible to announce the beginning of the most important tournament ‘The best warrior of the duchy’:

O, my valiant defender Gouend, here against you stands Rriannorr. He wants to take me in enchanted labyrinths. Please, with whole my heart, and with all my love, please, do not allow him to do this terrible thing to me!

You have some intentions to take my girl in enchanted labyrinths? The captain lifted his eyebrows in a question manner and looked at his adversary with rising curiosity. Are you, a wizard or something like that?

Of course I am a wizard, and something more than that. At least I am something much more than you know about the wizards. Rriannorr abruptly nodded his head in an affirmative gesture. His sword was still in its scabbard, but the wizard himself was with steel confidence and obviously ready to fight and to achieve his intentions.

To save my beloved from the black, dirty hands of the enchanted labyrinths is something that is worthy for a good fight. By the name of this deed will be sang many ballads and songs as well. In the eyes of the giant were glimmering sparkles of the fighting excitement and unrestrained striving for glory.

In any case Inel is coming with me. Rriannorr was speaking slowly, and with big intervals between his words filled with self-confidence. His voice was like woven by the high-grade velvet of the calmness. He was not provoking the captain for a fight. He was not threatening him or offering to withdraw either. Rriannorr seemingly was in a mood about to announce his intentions to the standing against him an adversary. It was looking as he was informing Gouend about the commonplace news that during the spring will be raining. The captain was in no condition to do something in favor or against intentions of the raining clouds. And for Gouend will be in no use, nor his position beside the count, nor his mighty body or his grisly heavy sword in his hands.

Wizard, let’s be perfectly clear. No magic is allowed. Gouend grumbled slightly confused by the supercilious self-confidence of his adversary.

Why? On the face of Rriannorr emerged a thin, polite smile.

In case that you use magic, the fight will be no honest. The captain grumbled with deep suspicion in his voice. He always has been feeling deepest disdain by the people which were inclined to the magic ways. Force, valor and steel, these were the guiding stars of Gouend. For Gouend, all the rest that was out of the list of his values, were simply ugly things submerged beneath the dust of the grey nothingness or beneath the dirty poison of the villainy.

You can feel some needs of funny rules about fighting, but I do not. Rriannorr almost purred with his self-confidence. In that meaning will be significantly healthier for you to take the road and keep walking to the horizon, at least. And it will be good for you to do that without turning back even to see the prints of your steps in the dust.

All duels and tournaments have rules of their own. Gouend in his turn emphasized his words. The whole his appearance was talking about his astonishment that someone can be so ignorant in the warriors’ deeds and has no respect about such ordinary things like the duel etiquette and the codes of the tournaments.

It looks like you have the desire about something that could be called, honest fight.

You won! I have exactly that in my mind. Gouend exploded in a laugh. He was mocking, but even so, he was pleased by the understanding of his opponent. Will against will and a sword against another sword.

Then let’s do it in this way. I will toss aside my magic, and you will do the same with your huge stature and big muscles.

These sorts of things are not written in any of the codes related with the fighting. Gouend grumbled behind his clenched teeth and his eyes were throwing lightning after lightning of contempt.

But in the same codes, there is no presence of prohibition about using magic, either.

In a duel or during a tournament are not allowed dishonest or underhand methods about the fight. The skirmish must be conducted by equally conditions. Gouend cited the main codex of the tournaments with deep conviction in his voice.

That is exactly what I have in my mind. On the face of the magician emerged an etiquette polite smile. You have mighty muscles; huge size; you are with long hands; heavy sword, and you also have strong protective armor. I have nothing equal to these things. My hands are shorter than yours. My muscles visibly are not stronger than yours. My sword is light, and I have no armor at all. Where is the equality between you and me? In that situation I maybe, just maybe will compensate your different and numerous advantages by my ways. And I will do it, by the name of my purpose to take Inel with me. And I will do this, today.

It doesn’t matter. Gouend murmured beneath his noose. Until now, I haven’t seen a wizard who can enchant something more than rabbits to pigeons or opposite. I will simply chop you neatly into small, nice pieces of fresh meat, and after that, I will feed my greyhounds with them. Now, just draw your sword and fight like a real man! I, captain Gouend want to fight with you Rriannorr and to save my betrothed from you. Let the fight be to the death of one of us or both. If I win, all your possessions and the glory are for me. If you win, then all my possession and the glory of the battle will be for you." Simultaneously, with these words, the captain of the guard made with his sword standard gesture of fighting salute. The wizard did nothing, and his sword was remaining in the scabbard. Gouend saluted again the obligatory gesture if his enemy has no desire to lift his weapon but does not withdraw from the fighting place. After the second salutation, Gouend rushed against Rriannorr in blazing anger and thirst for fast and bloody victory.

The sword of Gouend was launched in broad arc from above to down and with monstrously might it fell toward the top of the wizards’ head. It’s looked as the captain wants to finish the skirmish fast and to chop his adversary in two. The giant in the last moment changed the trajectory of his sword and the weapon with predatory whistle pointed toward the throat of the wizard.

About such a change of direction of the strike with an extremely heavy sword was necessary a large amount of physical power. In the whole dukedom Orgorn, the warriors who were able to such a strike were no more than four. In the county these abilities were possessed only by the captain of the guard. Such a strike inevitably was bringing the victory even in the hardest and dangerous battles.

As an unalterable rule every of the Gouend’s’ adversaries upon whom had been executed this strike instinctively had lifted his weapon above his head for protection and had strip all his defense of the body. Then with the lightning changing of the direction the captain was obtaining ample variants of choice where to stab his defenseless prey.

Gouend always has been irascible and dangerous for his enemies. He was not simply just fallen in love with his sword and fighting. It seemed that he possesses an uncontrollable need for fighting. In the same time he was not especially cruel. It was not in his nature to put his victims to needless pain, and he was killing them as fast as it was possible. He preferred mercifully to cut their throat or stab straight in the heart. He has no wishes to put his adversaries to the ugly, painful agony by eviscerating as commanded the ancient tradition.

And now Gouend was about to execute his victorious strike with the purpose to give no time of his adversary to make some sort of magic. The stabbing through the throat seemed inevitable for all spectators, but the wizard simply turned slightly around his axis, and the heavy sword of Gouend pierced the empty air. The captain had been put into this strike all his strength. He was not able to regain his balance, and plunged himself onto the floor with his face down. The wizard stepped lightly on his back, and fast withdrew a step backward.

From the circle of the guards resounded an impulsive exclamation of amazement. The faces of the soldiers assumed confused and embarrassed expressions. There was obvious that the encounter is not passing according to their expectations at all. By the rules of the tournaments, this gesture must be considered as mark of victory for Rriannorr. Stepping upon the back of the adversary was meaning of the fact that someone of the warriors has sprawled himself ahead of his victorious enemy in a humble attempt to beg for his life.

The victor of course has full rights to stab in the back his unprotected prey. Such behavior was extremely unusual. The etiquette of the unwritten rules has been getting to prevail, and as usual, the victor was simply stepping upon the back of the fallen as mark and signature for his final victory. From this moment further all the possessions of the defended warrior were passing to the property of the victor.

The situation of the battle between the wizard and the captain was contestable. In any case, Gouend was not declared his surrender at all. It seemed most like as a ludicrous incident than as ritual surrender. Even so, the print of dusty sole of the Rriannorr was clearly visible to the white captains’ mantle.

The young giant jumped up like he was scalded. It seemed as upon him was poured whole cauldron of molten lead. The face of the Gouend was red and distorted by his indignation and mindless rage. In his sparkling eyes could be read only fierce longing to cut into pieces and to kill. Gouend flung toward his enemy like a mad furious dragon. He brandished his sword and rumbled his fighting yell. When the wizard was in his scope, Gouend waved his weapon in snaky side stroke with all his monstrously strength. It was quite obviously that he wants to cut his adversary through his middle. Those were not a fighting technique but pure form of classical stroke of an executioner.

That stroke has been called The paw of the dragon. To be someone able to cut a man through his waist was required an extremely wide and mighty swing. And in this movement was absolutely necessary the sword to be hold with both hands. That necessity was not offered much protection for the attacker himself. Because of that, the stroke was a privilege mainly of the executioners.

In the scope of The paw of the dragon the victim was not able to run away fast enough, nor to safe himself by side sliding. Despite the illusive chance of escaping and salvation, the convicted was with no weapon and the punishment through the strike with The paw of the dragon was unavoidable. The death was slow and painful. And all of this was according to the main purpose about the message of the dramatically performance of every execution. The message was perfectly clear. Although there can be seen some chinks, they are quite deceiving, and even so the sword of the law is going to fell upon every transgressor. And the agony of the death will be long, painful and horrible.

Gouend used just this mighty hit. In the first place, he did that because of possession of his wild hatred, and in second place because the wizard was with his sword safely in its scabbard. In the matter of fact, Rriannorr had no support of his deadly blade. And in the end, but not at last place, the captain wanted to punish the wizard for his insolent self-confidence.

Rriannorr was not made an attempt to slide sideward or to retreat. He even does not make an attempt to draw out his weapon. Instead of all logic of the normal fight, the wizard made with astounding agility and swiftness two big paces in the direction of the Gouend’s’ assault. In that way, he skipped the line of the attack. Rriannorr appeared to be a whole span behind the back of his attacker.

The accelerated giant actually sensed, than comprehended what was going on and nailed himself in the fraction of a second and in the middle of his mighty swing. The captain managed to stop his furious attack against the empty place where his enemy had been just a moment before. But in this case, his enormous force and mass played a nasty trick against Gouend. The huge, fighting sword was charged with so much energy that even the mighty hands of the captain were not able to hold it. The weapon had not stopped and slipped out of the sweating palms of Gouend like a spear through oily mount of the siege scorpion. The heavy sword continued his way with angry whiz. It passed between two guards and as by miracle without to behead neither of them. In the end, the sword with horrible and in the same time a sorrowful clang clashed over the basalt wall and scattered in all directions with uncountable shapeless pieces.

One of the guards gave a cry of surprise and bended himself in half by the pain. A ricocheted steel piece of the former fighting sword was visible sticking in the guards’ right shoulder. The wound was not deep, but it was startling by surprise. The guard succeeded to remove from his shoulder the jugged piece of metal quickly and without many efforts. All of the guards were in grave silence. In their astonishment and confusion they were in no condition to give even a sound. Only their eyes and mouths were wide open. Their mighty captain of the counts’ guard gave two more marks that expressed the rituals of surrender. One of them was the throwing of the fighting sword outside the circle of the duel, and the second was the braking of the weapon with strike upon a wall or on the floor.

There were only three methods for surrender. All twenty guards were witnesses that their captain used all methods. Nowhere in the written rules about the tournaments was not specified, whether the rituals about surrender must be obligatory intentionally or not.

No one of the authors of The fighting code had not imagined that someone dueler can be so discouragingly awkward and unintentionally to sprawl himself upon his own