Cursed Forest

By Katrych Yevhen

Slow-paced life of a young man, a student of one of the universities, abruptly changed in one gray rainy day. Someone in one of the distant worlds decided that only this quiet guy can help remove the curse from the died a thousand years ago forest. In an instant, the struggle for revival of the great forest turned into a battle for his life...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katrych Yevhen
• Release date: Apr 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005653996

Katrych Yevhen

Yevhen Katrych - in 2005 graduated from the National Aviation University in Kiev, and from that time was actively working in the field of aviation and aerospace. I propose the reader to plunge into the fantastic world of distant planets, and to think about the kind of future that awaits us. The books are written in the genre of space fiction and fiction action.

Book preview

Part one. Cursed forest

Prolog

Large fireball burst into the thick green branches of a dense forest, leaving tunnel depths behind. With a deafening roar deep in dense brushwood, this unexpected stranger exploded, effectively dispersing the frightened forest-dwelling people. Dazzling orange forks of flame shot up high above the mighty tree crowns, illuminating the surrounding space for a moment. Soldiers clad in armor rushed in the rapidly darkening forest tunnel. Each of them had a round shield, in the center of which there was a small protective amulet, and in the right hand, they held two-meter spears with dark purple tips. These tips were made of a special rare alloy and could break through protection of almost any magician, including nature magicians.

Tell me, Carion, couldn’t they swear fealty to us? the young king, who ascended the throne of kingdom Sarlon just two years ago, angrily asked. He replaced his father on the throne, who fell in battle during the invasion of steppe orcs.

Three years ago, the largest in the last two hundred years invasion of nomadic orcs tribes, headed by mature ambitious leader, was held. Horde of nomadic orcs was so strong and fierce that had razed to the ground a large part of two kingdoms - Sarlon and Dorgold - in a few weeks. Having lost half of their regular army, kings reach out to their allies. The army was intended to entire male population from sixteen to fifty years. Students of magic academies of the two kingdoms, together with their teaching staff, were recalled to the colors.

One year later, the liberation war quickly turned into a new land expansion. Orcs were destroyed, their shamans were killed and burnt, and there came the borders expansion time. First, after a quarter section of steppe orcs, northern voluntary baronies fell; their territories were equally divided between the two kingdoms. West baronies surrendered without resistance, they quickly recognized the power of the two kings. The only one, who opposed the united army of allied kingdoms, was eastern Caliphate, which gathered all the tribes of desert under its banner and called for help all magicians and desert shamans.

There was a decisive battle on the border of eastern Caliphate, off the coast of overflowing river Arkon. During three days, opposing armies came together in a fierce battle, and three times horns trumpeted the retreat. After sustaining significant tangible losses, allied kings moved from borders of eastern Caliphate. Young rulers chastened a little and turned their attention to southern lands, where there was a beautiful forest on a vast territory, on which voluntary settlements started to appear around – with peasants, who escaped from kingdoms, and slaves from eastern Caliphate. Dwarf pits were located near the forest at the foot of the mountain.

There were legends that nature magicians created this forest by growing every tree with their own hands. There were many rumors about the strangeness of nature magicians. They were not very comfortable to live in a bustling city; therefore, in order to live apart they often stayed alone in the woods. It is for this reason that they have grown up this powerful immense forest. Many people said that three huge trees grew in the middle of the forest, which supported magicians’ power. They had little in need; they lived unpretentious and rarely interacted with the outside world, but they never chase away people who have decided to settle on the border of green forest.

However, there were other legends of the mysterious forest. It was alleged that all this legacy of forest elves, who left the mainland a few hundred years ago, when nature magicians found a way to keep the forest in its present state. The important and very valuable resource, which nature magicians traded, was ironwood. Nevertheless, they gave very little to the outside world, that did not satisfy the growing demand, and this has led to great excitement and high prices for rare tree. All the attempts of local nobility kingdoms to take over such a valuable resource forcefully took nowhere: nature magicians were too strong on their territory under the forest protection.

They're just stupid, if they decided to reject such a lucrative offer, king Carion said, agreeing with king Rong. Turning to the general, which expected orders, Carion said, the first and third regiment.

The gray-haired general made a slight bow and tucked one of hanging on his neck blue medallions in his right fist. A minute later, two infantry regiments in neat rows marched into the forest at the foot of the hill. Every three thousandth square of soldiers, clad in armor, in five small groups of magicians marched in their standard lozenge scheme. Air magicians were in the center of lozenge, as always; they were able to create a protective dome over the regiment. Fire magicians were located on the edge of lozenge; they were ready to cover their opponent with fire at any moment. Water magicians came from the left side of lozenge, and the ground ones – from the right side. Life magicians were the smallest fifth group, locking the lozenge.

We will destroy all those green hifalutin magicians, and deforest their place, king Carion furiously said, watching as in the middle of a forest moving regiment of tall sharp stakes suddenly grew and quickly reduced the number of soldiers. Dozens of people were killed and wounded, among them life magicians tried to help king's troops. Land magicians did their best to confront and dispel the spell of forest magicians. King Carion saw as a smooth operation of the third regiment collapsed, when from the edge of the forest they struck a pack of ferocious wolves that was not inferior to the number of infantry regiment. Only long-term soldiers’ trainings saved their lives in the first few minutes of the fight. Being able to maintain formation, they met fanged servants of nature magicians with a single wall.

Young kings watched the battle from a high hill, nervously clutching their swords. Gray furry sea overwhelmed the first series of the third infantry regiment with snarling wave. Immediately thunder was heard there, accompanied by flashes of fire. These were regimental magicians who clashed the battle, having come to the aid of entrusted troops. Fireballs were tearing, burning their snarling predators. Powerful vortices snatched dozens of strong animals, raising them over tens of meters underground, and in a few seconds, their bodies were falling down like broken dolls. Right in the thick wolf troops, stone golems emerged. Having thrown their enormous hands, they divided the army into two attackers, crushed and broke their predators like firewood.

I think it's time... king Rong said and looked at his major master of magic, who headed the security service of kingdom Sarlon, Go ahead, Kirnet! pleased king said with a grin, eating red berries. Slowly chewing, he spat out the pit in the thick grass in front of him.

Kings directed their eyes at the battlefield again, where soldiers at the cost of huge losses, still managed to break into the dense forest, leaving dead and wounded behind. Soon the whole army drawn into the forest, leaving only life magicians on the open area. They walked through the blood-soaked ground trying to find wounded who needed help in the sea of groaning. Every life magician had a hard choice: helping to save one life, they facilitated death of another one, to whom it was impossible to help...

Master Kirnet directed the forces to nature magicians, as he knew that he would not have the second chance. Nature magicians were messed up over belief in unbreakable strength of their forest. Kings took the rest of appeared advantage in the battle, and continued to go into the forest. They managed to turn the tide of battle, now, the main thing was not to give nature magicians retreat to their great trees for recuperation, and otherwise, all the lost lives today would be unavailing. Nature magicians, having exhausted themselves with desperate resistance, assembled in one part of the forest to decide how to stop invading army...

In a small glade next to a huge tree with strong branches, there stood an old man. A cape covered his haggard figure; it was woven from thousands of leaves that swayed by gusts of warm wind. From under the cape thrown over his head, one could see that old man's eyes full of tears were sadly looking at the tree. He clutched a curved bizarre crook in his right hand. Once again, he said under his breath, raising his head to the branches:

Nersie... Supreme guardian of the forest felt death of all his brothers and sisters, to whom great forest gave shelter. No longer do we have the future... I am alone...

Instantly all the tree branches fluttered and bowed as if they felt sorry and wanted to hug the old man. Taking a step forward, the old man put his rough hand on the tree trunk, and without hiding his tears, whispered.

It will take a lot of time, but you will find your new guardian, who will revive the great forest, the old man said. He stuck his crook into the ground, flapped his hands and started to create a spell. Green sparkling waves ran along the surface of his crook. It froze for a moment, and shattered into hundreds of small needles that stuck in crook. The old man, without paying any attention to that, continued to weave his own, last in this life, spell. Waving his hands for a few times, he fell down to his knees in front of the great tree, punched into the ground with a force, and crashed dead into the clearing. Wind gust lifted his hood, revealing a farewell rigid smile on the old man’s face...

In an instant, forest buzzed, shuddered, and shock wave went growing from its center. Tearing leaves and breaking off tree branches, it threw out all terrible howling that invaded there. Leaves quickly began to turn yellow on centuries-old trees, which fled panic among surviving invaders. Horses did not respond to all the attempts of riders to stop them, they just swept away.

What happens, what is that... young king sprang from his marching throne. He could not believe that these nature magicians used a spell to turn their armies to flight. Rong, how is that possible?

Young king exclaimed, looked at his ally in amazement and immediately backed away from his field table. King Rong was sitting motionless in his chair, and hundreds of thin sharp branches were sticking out from his waxy face. Legs of king Carion were caught in revived grass, which was firmly stuck to his boots, and did not let him take a step. Carion tried to free his legs of durable captivity, but he lost his balance and fell down, unable to rise from green covered land.

All entourage came to help young king. As soon as the white-haired general turned him on his back, he involuntarily recoiled, watching goggle at Carion. The face of young king was covered with bones of red berries that sprouted right through his head in a few moments. The gray-haired checked king’s pulse and, having rose up, looked at Master Kirnet, who went away from the body of king Rong.

Both kings are dead! general said loudly and briskly walked to a small group of riders. He did not see that the kings’ flags were lowered to the ground that notified all the troops that their rulers were dead. Young guy ran up to the general with the coat of arms of eastern barony, and quietly asked.

Uncle Rolonk, what do we do now?

Ride to duke Atlorsk. General stopped and looked at bewildered guy. Tell him that kings are dead and eastern regiments are on his side.

The boy nodded and ran to his horse, which kept one young soldier. General watched at him and said quietly:

Now, kingdom Sarlon will drown in blood of war for the throne...

A thousand years the great tree was waiting for the birth of a new guardian, watching as the forest was slowly dying. Orcs began to settle their outskirts, and every year they continued to deepen in its territory. Dark energy began to slowly fill the forest, killing both young and hundred-year trees on its way. The great tree saw as two great trees withered away one by one, having surrendered to stop fighting. It saw as orcs hosted one part of the forest, and another - necromancers sacrificed to their gods; as arrogant little people began to cut down the eastern part of the forest.

It waited, trying to save its remaining energy. Only when darkness has come right up at a distance of hundred paces, and has turned the lush green forest into colorless and faded, the great tree created a strong search spell for which it has spent almost half of energy. Wind immediately caught up ten green leaves that burst from its branches, and scattered them in different directions. However, when the hope of great tree had almost faded, there was a little response from one of the sent leaves: the guardian was found, but in one of dozen other worlds. Without thinking about the strict creators’ prohibition about the appeal of living beings from their alien worlds, the great tree created another powerful spell of trapping network. Elves used it to catch the renegade mages who took refuge in other worlds. Now, it could only wait and hope that the spell would not shatter in that unknown world...

Chapter 1

Alexander jumped out of the front door and immediately got into a huge puddle of dirty water, holding up a fountain of spray, which immediately left dark stains on his blue jeans. Rain has been working on creation of pools for more than four hours, having started at night and seemed it did not plan to stop. Quietly cursing, Alexander jumped out of the puddle and stamped a little on wet asphalt, trying to quickly knock down cold water. He fastened a leather jacket and collar, looked around and walked quickly toward the bus stop. It was heavy at heart, but he still needed to continue studying, it was not a good idea to give up the studies in the Institute on third year of study, and studies still distracted him from experience.

Sasha... Sasha! someone called him loudly when he came to a bus stop and wanted to hide under the canopy of stubborn rain.

Alexander turned to the voice, and saw as his neighbor in stairwell – uncle Misha – was running to him with a small white bag in his hand, jumping over muddy puddles. He ran in under the canopy stop and with his right hand quickly shot down water drops from his jacket. He took a breath, raised his head, looked anxiously at the young tall guy and asked.

Well, how are you? Hang on there! Misha said, trying to look into Alexander’s eyes.

I’m okay, Sasha replied automatically, slowly drawing his hand over his short haircut and raising a cloud of fine mist. He has heard this question for at least five times a day during the last week.

Alexander's parents died in a car accident a week ago, and three days ago, they were buried in a small local cemetery. His father's brother, uncle Andrew and his wife Oksana, took over all the responsibilities for funeral organization. Sasha lived with them for the past few days after his parents’ death.

Well, talk to you later, neighbor said and went out from under the canopy, and quickly ran to the pulled up bus. Jumping on the first step of the bus, he turned over and shouted through the rain. Come in the evening! We’ll sit and talk...

Alexander did not answer; he watched the retreating minibus and was lost in thoughts again, looking at the band yellowing forest on the other side of the road. Like his father, he loved forest very much and was ready to walk among silent trees every day. For some reason, forest gave them both a sense of peace and confidence in future. Only thanks to frequent walks among the rustling leaves, as if hurrying to tell them a secret, Alexander could feel free and full of energy. He physically could not stay in the concrete jungle of the city for a long time; he was feeling urgent need to stay among green environment as much as possible. The whole his family wanted to move to a private house, built on the edge of mixed forest, but, unfortunately, all this now remained only a dream. His memories about their last campaign with father, spending night in forest and early fishing on the shore of a small forest lake, involuntarily filled his eyes with tears. He was as if deprived of something insanely expensive, leaving a frightening void that he did not know how to fill. Tears did not want to obey him anymore; they just rolled at his wet from rain face.

Cold autumn wind forced Alexander to escape from his sadness and look toward the road. In this kind of weather, he would have to go to a nearby town for at least half an hour, then for almost a day spend at the institute and home, and that was his entire schedule for the coming months. His parents’ flat remained in the city, but he did not want to come back there. Staying now in the place where everything reminded him about his loss was too hard; most likely, he would take his uncle's offer to stay with them until he finished the semester. Then he will get a job, pass the extramural studies, and will try to somehow rebuild his life...

Through the veil of rain, Alexander saw something bright green flashed between the trees on the other side of the road. A few minutes later, he did not see anything, and decided that his eyes were playing tricks on him because of the rain. Alexander was about to turn away from a new gust of wind that blew under overhang large cold drops of water flowing down from the roof of the stop, but he curiously stood still. Alexander saw a new flash of green light quite clearly and could not attribute it to hallucinations or rain play.

Well, I will miss the first couple, he said, stepping out from under the bus stop canopy. Having looked around, Sasha ran to the other side of the road.

Green glow was pulsing, then weakening, then re-flaring up with new force. Boots of Alexander started to make a nasty sucking sound on the sodden grass, and after there was a feeling of cold in his legs. Alexander did not pay attention to it, and continued to walk towards the green flashes, the frequency of which became more intense. Having moved a hundred meters away from the road into the forest, he finally reached a small clearing, where a small green ball was hanging a meter above the ground.

The ball did not exceed the size of a normal soccer ball, and hum around him intensified with every new outbreak of air. Alexander decided not to reach such a strange object, just to go home and tell somewhere about his discovery. Nevertheless, as soon as he took a step back, the ball stopped pulsing with its green light and stopped, immersing surroundings into silence. Only sound of raindrops, hardly washing yellowed foliage, was barely audible, as if from afar denunciations.

Alexander did not have time to make second step. The green ball dramatically increased in size, becoming a kind of sphere, woven from the web. Alexander did not even twitch, as he found himself in the heart of emerald construction. The panic did not have time to master his mind, as the scope sharply jumped up and rushed into the forest, deftly dodging between the trees.

Incessant rain hit his face, and the speed of scope increased. At some point, it rose sharply over the treetops and typing more speed, rushed to a small lake into the distance. The last thing Alexander saw was as carved bowl, like a glowing prisoner, at high speed crashed into the surface of the lake, bubbling of heavy rain...

A young boy dressed in blue robe of water magician, with two black stripes on the right shoulder, ran through half-black corridor of Academy. All classes in the old main building of Academy were over more than five hours ago, plunging tired building into silence. The young magician, running in a long corridor without stopping, ran up the stairs to the second floor and turned right, quickly flew into the room, almost drifting tall wooden doors.

Explain your behavior, a second-year student, Anlot, professor Dolron quietly asked getting up from the piles of papers, and looking at panting guy. Anlot tried to restore huddling breath, and said.

Professor Dolron... crystal ‘Zallha’... the excited guy said.

Are you sure? professor asked anxiously. He stood up and instinctively straightened his blue robe decorated with gold threads. Pointing his hand on exit, Dolron waited for a guy to close the door, and only then allowed himself a curse. Approaching a small pen-case, he quickly drew a rune in the air and opened the door. Taking out a flat silver medallion and gently squeezing out, he said, Master Balaes, crystal ‘Zallha’.

Having put medallion back into a pen-case, Dolron poured himself a glass of red wine and sat in a chair, wearily leaning on its back. Taking a sip of expensive wine, professor mumbled almost inaudibly:

Did necromancers in the northern baronies urge Lich again? having took a long drink of wine, he answered to his own question. No, this is not possible, they were scattered throughout the baronies more than two hundred years ago, and those who remained, are afraid to stick their nose out of their holes.

For all time of crystal ‘Zalha’ existence, named after its creator, it raised alarm only twice. However, they say that there was a third time - or rather, the first. It happened when on the place of Cursed Forest was green lush forest, and nature mages lived among the trees. However, Dolron like the majority of top magicians of Sarlon kingdom believed that all of these were legends of commoners. After all, it has been more than a thousand years since that time, and no child with the gift of nature magician was born at Ayrot. In general, the question of birth of gifted children now occupied a central role in the world of Ayrot. More than hundred years ago, about a thousand of future magicians learned within the walls of this academy, each of them had a strong gift for the elements of management, and now there wasn’t even two hundred of them.

The troubled times for all residents of Ayrot ended a thousand years ago. Internecine wars for the right to the throne were tearing both kingdoms for more than sixty years. In recent decades, the city passed from hand to hand, some academies were destroyed, and others were created on their places. Several hundred of noble, talented births were completely destroyed, and were trying to find shelter in neighboring countries. If to trust the units of survived manuscripts, the two kingdoms - Sarlon and Dolgold, lived in peace and, moreover, joined the army and almost took the entire continent. Only eastern Caliphate was able to stop them, just so shamans say, referring to the record of their history, but a very few people believe them.

Chuckling to himself, Dolron got up and, having put his glass on the table, stood near a large window overlooking the sleeping city, the capital of Sarlon kingdom - Lodkans. Now he could only wait for arrival of Master and two illusion magicians, which with the help of ‘Zallha’ crystal would determine the exact location of pure energy release. After that, a meeting of the Board of magicians will be held, and a search party will be sent to a place of release, which will have to enter one of the council magicians and several students of the Academy.

Maybe I should turn the clock back and go to the campaign? professor asked aloud, sitting back in his chair. They really say the truth; the most difficult thing is to wait...

Chapter 2

Consciousness returned to Alexander. He felt that he was lying on something soft and warm, and silence was around him. A guess flashed in his head that perhaps it was a dream, and no green spheres were there, and he was now lying at home in a warm bed.

As soon as this thought fixed in his head, he smiled, stretched out, yawned and put his hands behind his head. Immediately his hands rested on something hard and rough, he opened his eyes and saw large branches above him, some of which had no leaves. The second thought, in the last few minutes, began to say that he must have lost consciousness in afforestation near the road, but for now just regained consciousness. A ran up gust of wind forced Alexander to shiver slightly under the coolness. Slightly lifting his head, he looked at his body: there was no clothing on him, and he was completely naked...

This thought made him just jump in place and, having batted a few times, he was still convinced that he was absolutely naked and it was not the quirks of his damaged brain. He looked around and saw that he was standing near a huge strange tree. The impression was that it was a small, vibrant island in the middle of land - such comparison occurred to Alexander.

From the huge base of the tree with a greater than ten meters diameter, thick juicy grass trailed on the ground, creating a green natural carpet, but in about thirty meters it ended with dried grass. Ugly dead trees, as if curved with unknown force, created a grim picture of dead wood.

Where am I? Alexander asked aloud, continuing to explore the dark forest. This forest, instead of resting, evoked a strong sense of anxiety.

Ayrot… a rustling voice sounded over his head. The voice was more like rustling of leaves produced by the wind, but he could clearly hear the word.

Who is there? Alexander sharply turned over and looked at the tree. The branches of the giant began to move.

I am the... tree... The same rustling sound, in which one could distinguish the words, again swept over the clearing. Alexander tried to understand what was happening when suddenly he heard a sequel. You're… a new...guardian...

As soon as he took the last word apart, he saw as a stick, which was stuck in the ground only a meter away from the tree trunk, suddenly shuddered. A cobweb of cracks rushed to the ground from the tip of stick. Once the cracks have reached the ground, there was a loud bang, and the pieces of bark sticks scattered in different directions, forcing Alexander to blink. He opened his eyes and saw that a crook with a perfectly smooth surface was stuck in the ground instead of stick. The top of crook ended with florid plexus of thin branches, from which three tips directed in different directions came out. Crook faintly glowed green and continued to slightly vibrate, emitting a light hum around him.

Alexander stood looking at it, fascinated, unable to revert his eyes. He suddenly wanted to just touch it on a smooth surface with his fingers to make sure that it was not a hallucination. However, as soon as he handed his right hand, crook began to vibrate strongly. Suddenly crook jumped out of the ground, flew about a meter and landed into the open palm of Alexander. Alexander got scared and tried to throw it away, but nothing happened: crook stuck to the palm of his hand. He grabbed it with his second hand, and tried to pull crook from his palm, but a strong flash of pain in his head made him scream and fall to his knees. Pain filled the whole consciousness of Alexander with pulsating waves. He clasp crook with his hands and rest it into the ground; he was afraid to move, in order not to cause another bout of pain. Drops of sweat mingled with tears and fell down on the green grass.

Guardian... a voice in Alexander's head boomed with such force that he shuddered all over, and was no longer able to withstand the pain; he lost consciousness and stretched out on the cold ground.

Hello, new forest guardian, a raspy tired voice said.

Alexander stood at the border of a small clearing, tightly surrounded by tall beautiful trees. In its center, right out of the ground, a timid, delicate spring streamlet penetrated; and in a few meters, it firmly established and turned into the creek. Having made a few sharp turns, it hid in intertwined roots of trees. Near the spring-well, facing each other, there were