The Mist and the Lightning. Part 19

“Eh, that’s just the first thing that came to mind! These states, when it seems that everything is very bad and will only get worse, they haunt me. They literally suck me out. It’s like I’m being crushed by a gravestone, and I can’t breathe, I can’t move. It started the first time I was in your Limit. Or rather, it happened before, but not so often and not as strong. Feelings of panic, fear, hopelessness.”

“Vitor, you got back back when you lost your Inness, don't drag my Limit in here.”

“But in the Limit, everything somehow manifested itself and intensified. I don’t know how to explain it to you…”

“Damn, you were already crazy, so your geese flew to my Limit.”

“But when there are so many thoughts in your head, and you can’t stop thinking, you can’t calm down …

“I understand, I understand,” Nik interrupted him, noticing that Kors was starting to get more and more nervous. “It’s just that you dig under yourself without measure, that’s what drives you mad.”

“What?”

“Hmm … you think too much, digging into every little thing.”

“I stopped hearing your conversation with Zagpeace when I “saw” the events related to Varakh. Tell me what else did Peace say to you?”

“Well, you’re digging again…”

“Did he offer you anything else?”

“No.”

“Did you agree to be his warrior?” Kors’ voice was treacherously twitchy.

“No! Of course not!”

“Then what were you talking about?”

“Oh! In fact, nothing. He asked about this series of blows that the unclean ones often use in battle, the black warriors called it “nine attacks”. Then he asked to train his mercenaries. I explained that people misunderstand everything a little, and there are no nine attacks in a row in this bundle. So, probably, it may seem to people because of the speed with which the unclean do it. But in fact, an attack is always followed by a defense, a counterattack, often each unclean one adds something of his own, this is for them an im… improvisation. It’s just that three such blocks in a row follow very quickly without pauses. In short, we discussed all sorts of technical issues, that’s all.”

“Nik, I hate Zagpeace! He is a hypocrite and simply satisfies his ambitions. He pretends justice, all so correct! Swollen with pride, he punishes for sins like a god, what arrogance! But at the same time, he doesn’t deny himself the pleasure of teasing me, humiliating me, flattering his pride! And don’t forget about mercantile interests! He wants to take you away from me, stick you in the Coliseum and make a lot of money from you! Where are you here? He doesn’t think about you at all!”

“So what? That’s what everyone does,” Nik replied indifferently.

“The masters will invite you to entertain them! To fight for the amusement of the guests! You will dance in front of them like Zaf’s slave, only not in lacy shorts, but with a sword!”

“Well, it’s already better…”

“Nik! He lies to you and feeds you with empty promises! He will not introduce you into the world of the blacks!”

“Same as you?”

And Kors cringed:

“I let you down in front of Zagpeace. You so diligently tamed him, portrayed my son, a harmless unfortunate boy. You counted on the help of his mercenaries in the Black City in the fight against Leonardo and the king, and because of me you revealed your essence.”

“Well, now, what’s done is done,” Nik replied, still without emotion. “What’s the point of discussing this?”

“You wanted to gather everyone, both the unclean ones, the warriors from the Lower, and the mercenaries of Zagpeace, to storm the Upper, right?”

“Yes.”

“I ruined everything for you!”

“Come on, calm down, he hasn’t refused yet.

“He heard your voice. He saw that I obeyed you. For true blacks, this is unacceptable, believe me.”

“That’s all, stop it!”

“I'm always ruining everything that you do!”

“Stop it, I said! Everything is fine.”

“And you… do you really still love me?” Kors literally whined.

“I love you very much!” Nik turned to him and hugged him. “We can manage without Zagpeace’s warriors if that happens. We will do it with or without them.”

“Yes! You spoke to me like this when I was in doubt whether to give your soldiers to you on this campaign against Ore Town,” Kors started up, as if some thought had suddenly dawned on him, and sharply pulled away from the embrace:

“Nik! We can just go to where this old sorceress lived, go through the Portal immediately to the Black City, and there Prince Arel will be closer to Leonardo and will simply strangle him with his strength, and you will kill the king.”

Nik shook his head.

“How easy it is for you. No. We can’t do that.”

“But why?!”

“I can’t use the Portals back and forth like that, as I wish. I may only use the Portal as a last resort. And I can’t get into my Limit when I want to. I have to ask for permission, and believe me, I get denied very often.”

“But you do a good job. You complete your Missions! Your strength and degree of freedom must grow!