The Black Book of Souls

Spending the night under the open sky on a roadside was also full of new impressions, and cooking on a fire – fascinating business. And though porridge slightly burned, and compote turned out too sweet, we fell asleep absolutely happy under a chirr of cicadas and shouts of night birds.

In the morning we have hastily a bite and went further, and by a lunch already were in the Southern Porto.

Before I could not even imagine that there are such huge cities where houses rise on several floors over the crowded people streets, and noise and a stench are simply unimaginable. I absolutely became puzzled and stared around having opened from surprise of companies.

Fortunately, Kimraz not the first time traveled and well knew the Southern Port. He only clapped me it can do, strong grabbed by a hand and surely dragged bustling streets.

We were pushed, called, tried to be robbed, but we without special incidents reached the harbor.

The type of the huge ships and a boundless water smooth surface blew my mind.

I grew up at water and even perfectly swam, the University costs on the bank of Lake Beloye. But unless it was possible to compare it to sea open spaces?

And dark sea vessels surpassed by the sizes ten times those boats which priests used.

Out of a stupor I was brought by Kimraz, having pulled a hand so that nearly pulled out it from a shoulder. He pointed to the stocky building and told that there we will be able to learn what vessels go to the Archipelago.

The gray-haired fat man chewed lips examining a silver coin which was handed to him by the scientist, and with a sigh reported that «the Sea Shepherd» just floats to Got with ebony cargo. It goes with an evening outflow and if we hurry, then we will manage to agree with the captain.

Soon Kimraz already hazardously bargained with the high big guy in a red sleeveless jacket. As a result for twenty silver we received the place on the deck under a canopy and two times food.

– Low robbery! Remember it Lance. We will write about it in the book, – Kimraz muttered settling on a lean mattress.

I only nodded and began to examine the ship and sailors who quickly scurried about, preparing for departure.

The beginning of swimming was awful. I was exhausted by seasickness and the whole world was not lovely. Only for the fourth day it became better for me and I ate a little, and then began to write down the collected impressions.

In the evening after dinner I felt absolutely healthy and went to admire a sea sunset to a board. Similar before I saw nothing and the fantastic show so bewitched me that I ceased to notice surrounding.

– You admire the handsome man, – was distributed at the ear and I nearly jumped overboard.

Gasping for air, I turned back and caught a quizzical glance from under fluffy eyelashes. The answer got stuck in a throat.

Regular features showed natural irony and sharp mind, and still some reckless impudence. The men’s shirt and trousers so emphasized all cambers of a slim figure that at me palms sweated, and knees began to shiver.

– Mute, perhaps? – anxiously the beautiful stranger asked and suddenly put out the tongue at me.

In several moments I managed to squeeze out from myself silent:

– Hello.

The girl sniffed, was called Garda and asked how I like swimming. Gradually my awkwardness weakened, I was presented, and the conversation was struck up. Having heard about the purpose of a trip, our with Kimraz, to the Archipelago of Thousands of Islands, the beauty inconsiderately slapped me it can do and told that I was largely lucky, it is an adventurer, it is possible to tell the adventurer in the second generation visited many places and something can tell about mysterious chasteners.

Left her words that it is cruel, ruthless murderers, one mention of whom causes a panic in inhabitants of the Archipelago. For Cara’s servants would be commonplace to finish off one hundred innocent Lish to reach the planned victim. However, recently on east islands and in the center the chasteners appeared not often.

These murderers are reserved and ruthless. Very few people could brag that saw them and survived, but all survived eyewitnesses claimed: servants Cara ordinary people. Though some continued to insist as if those demons and sorcerers who sold soul.

All inhabitants of the Archipelago knew how to address the goddess that that punished offenders if there is no different way to restore the trampled justice.

It is enough to come to Cara’s temple, to pray, having mentioned the one who avoided fair punishment, and then to cut to itself a throat over an altar. It is necessary to do it without assistance, and so that blood gathered in a sacrificial bowl. Hardly soul of the applicant will go to the world of shadows the goddess will consider a request and if considers it fair, will call the servants. Since this moment the victim can be considered the dead man.

The terrible ritual suggested me an idea that ask for the similar help not often.

Garda told that in the east all quite so and is, but in the West chasteners are ferocious with might and main. Whether you will not wait for justice at the authorities there, whether it became fashionable to cut to itself drinks.

About chasteners my new acquaintance could not add anything else and the conversation went about her travel. I enthusiastically listened, and probably it was pleasant to the girl so we left long after midnight. At parting the beauty presented me the first in life kiss and I all night long experienced delightful feelings of contact of gentle lips.

To evening of the next day the storm, and everything burst, including sailors gathered in a hold. On the main deck remained only steering.

We with Garda sat down near and continued a yesterday’s conversation. Proximity of the girl I was incredibly concerned also by her, obviously, at once noted it. The conversation passed to subjects of the relations of men and women what I did not understand at all, the yesterday’s kiss was my one and only experience.

Having learned that I am a virgin, the adventurer lit up the idea to immediately turn me into the real man. And to make it, according to her, followed on the deck in the rain and wind, during a storm that both of us remembered these moments forever.

I tremblingly in soul agreed. Who could oppose to a pressure of the charming beauty?

Soon we settled on a rostrum where we immediately undressed and carried out a reckless plan.

Hardly I comprehended a word meaning the man as in a board the crazy wave struck, and I appeared in the middle of the storming ocean. Without sandals and trousers. In only one next-to-skin silk shirt.

Fortunately, together with me overboard washed away a keg thanks to which I held on till morning of the next day when I was noticed by fishermen.

They demanded to give all valuable to gratitude for rescue or to jump back in water.

I left a gold ring of the scientist, silver earrings of the university and a shirt instead of which I received a rag to tie on hips. It was succeeded to keep only the sign of the calligrapher after I proved that the feather bronze and is only covered with a thin layer of silver.

In the evening of the same day I in one loincloth was landed in port of the city of the Comprehensive insurance located on Lush island that in the western part of the Archipelago of Thousands of Islands.

At the beginning I thought that I will not be gone and I will be able easily to support myself the skill, and also to find out more about chasteners, but very quickly my opinion changed and now I stood on the market suffering from hunger and fear to appear to be sold in slavery.

Four blows of a gong meaning that there came midday rang out.

I hissed for rage on own nonsense. It was necessary to move off in searches of the shelter half an hour ago, but hunger forced to forget about care, and the danger to appear by galleys over me hung.

Every instant was on the account, and I rushed off to the next gate, in hope that policemen though will a little be late. According to city ragamuffins, it quite often happened at local peace officers because of addiction to a merop, incredibly strong home brew which was served in the next tavern. Certainly policemen drank free of charge and in all used it.

«Though they would be taken before porosyachy squeal today and did not reach,» – I dreamed, maneuvring in crowd that anybody not to face and, thus, not to lose precious moments.

Alas gods did not hear my prayers. Soon I to the horror made out two policemen who leaned against a shutter of gate and short copies stopped the visitors of the market wishing to leave for examination. Two couples more moved to the opposite directions and checked all counter.

Everyone lashit in the childhood received a magic bracelet which confirmed his nationality and which did not leave all life. On lack of similar ornament which could not be forged the guards found visitors at once, and nobody managed to hide in crowd. Also it was necessary or to buy freedom for one day or to go to slavery.

I was developed and rushed off to opposite gate though the hope was scanty, but what I needed to do?

Very quickly I made sure that I was late again. This exit from the market square was blocked more reliably than a throat of a wine bottle by a corn stopper.

I stopped, greedy swallowing of air, and tried to think what to do?

Through gate not to break, policemen though tipsy, but know business and local with pleasure will help to catch the stranger as here call all visitors. To hide in broad daylight in the market will not leave. The local rags with pleasure will give out for a reward. To get over through the wall surrounding the market, in two human growth, it is necessary to be the spiderman, but not the clerk.