Chapter 14
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It looked like nothing special—a small piece of rock as big as a fist. A bit like a pyramid with a rather narrow base. If desired, it could be used as a weapon, but only in the most extreme case.
Portable Tombstone
Allows setting an additional resurrection point.
Attention: If the main tombstone gets broken, the portable one should not be in the inventory.
I didn't get what it was right away; the description was rather unexpected. And then I almost jumped. A Portable Tombstone! This will allow me to set an additional resurrection point!
My heart started pounding. My God, it was just a stone! If I got it correctly, I had one more chance of survival in case someone destroyed my "main" tombstone. Only this one had to be installed, otherwise my death would be final and irrevocable. Everything seemed logical—losing the tombstone we lost the chance to resurrect; if my wonderful "pyramid" was in one of the inventory slots, I would lose it forever. I couldn't resurrect inside myself!
Well, Vasily, don't worry, don't start jumping yet, and breathe normally. All of this still needs to be thought out very cautiously. And, of course, do not waste such a gift in vain.
"Vasily!" Suren's voice pulled me out of my own thoughts.
"What?" my voice might sound a little nervous. However, Suren didn't pay attention to it, or maybe he just blamed the excitement on the important campaign.
"Get ready, some of the newbies are inadequate," he hemmed oddly.
What was he talking about? A person who managed to survive a massacre and arrive in another world couldn't be considered as adequate, I'd say. Did that mean that someone took this incredible journey a bit too emotionally?
The fire that Baldy made blazed more and more. Tongues of flame danced merrily, dry branches and twigs cracked, and our shadows twitched and distorted, giving rise to a vague unease in the soul.
"Wow..." Fox whispered loudly.
Something swayed in the darkness between the trees. Bluish smoke rose, thickening more and more until it looked like a piece of cotton wool hanging in the air. Then, with a sound that reminded me of a human sigh, the wool spread, blackened as the ghostly flame engulfed it, and opened a passage in space. It looked like a black hole, so black that the darkness around it seemed like twilight compared to it. The edges of the hole were ragged and slightly sparkling.
"It's open," said Andrei.
Suren and Igor nodded and stepped aside.
"Vasily, Lera, be very careful," the leader's assistant said tensely.
"Hey, newcomers!" Andrei shouted, stretching his neck toward the black hole. His voice, however, sounded uncertain. Unlike it had been when we came.
Silence was his answer; the edges of the hole crackled slightly, like embers.
"Anyone out there?" the leader shouted again, peering into the blackness of the spatial hole. "Go into the light! Get out of there!"
Suddenly someone's large body fell out of the portal.
"Arrgh!" the newcomer cried hoarsely, collapsing to the ground.
Fox mumbled something under her breath. She looked disappointed, even disgusted. Yes, dear Lera, this boy, or man—it was difficult to determine the age—was not handsome at all. He was rather large and clearly had more than two hundred pounds, with a blurred face, untidy, shaggy hair and a dark brush of mustache under his nose. I have never liked such facial "decoration". In my opinion, the "vegetation" above the upper lip should be reserved for those of, at least, forty years of age.
The newcomer was breathing hard and hoarsely. He obviously had some serious health problems. I wondered how he managed to survive. Only if all of the others had starved to death. Thinking so, I immediately stopped myself. I shouldn't joke about death, no matter how safe it seemed.
"Where am I? Huh? Ahhh!" the guy howled hysterically, turning his head and looking at us, no sign of understanding in his eyes.
"Shut up!" Baldy barked at him. "They'll hear you... And you don't want to meet them."
The fat man clamped his mouth with his hand in fear, but soon moved it away and breathed like a real locomotive, his eyes bulging wildly.
"Don't be afraid," Andrei stepped toward the newcomer and offered him a hand.
"Where am I?" the fat man asked again, whispering.
"We'll tell you later," Andrei started soothingly. "Trust me, you have nothing to fear. You're safe now."
"Did you see anyone else there?" Suren asked. "Are you alone?"
"Me?" the fat man turned his face to Suren. "I don't know. I haven't seen anyone."
Meanwhile, the dimensional hole started closing.
"What the hell?!" Andrei muttered and rushed to the hole. "Hey! Come out! Over here! Follow my voice!"
Someone leaped out of the hole, making our leader recoil. A guy in a white shirt and some ridiculous tie jumped aside in fright and stood in a fighting stance. It looked a little funny. He obviously had no idea how to fight. It was more of a gesture of despair or an attempt to frighten someone. We didn't know, though, what kind of ability he had received from his mentor. Behind him, a girl jumped out of the portal. She was nothing special—a bit lean and awkward in shape, with thin dark hair and the same dark mouse eyes reflecting the flames. She was dressed in tight sweatpants and a top, and had sneakers on her feet. Was she thrown in here straight out of a gym?
"Anyone else there?" Andrei cried excitedly.
"No one," said the girl in a low voice.
At that moment, the black hole closed with an unpleasant crack, leaving behind bluish smoke—the same as before it had opened.
"Glad to see you," Andrei greeted loudly, letting out an obvious sigh of relief.
"Are you going to tell us where we are?" the moustache man asked in a high voice. He was a nervous wreck.
Andrei made a calming gesture with his hands and briefly explained what was going on. Of course, I didn't hear anything new, but I noted that this time the leader spoke more confidently than when he had instructed us.
"We can tell you more details at the base, where it's quiet and safe," Andrei finished and waved his hand, signaling to follow him.
"What is that?" asked the girl, noticing the tombstone attached to her body.
The fat man and the guy with the tie immediately examined themselves, found their tombstones and excitedly demanded an explanation. Vadim Starikov and Constantine Zelenets were their names. Who was the athlete? Oh, Daria Sapogova.
"You'll see," Baldy said through his teeth. "In the meantime, just keep in mind that they can't be lost. They are useful."
"Come quickly!" Andrei said a bit louder. "Follow me!"
All this time I had a strange feeling that someone was watching us. I could feel someone's heavy gaze on me; it felt as if the air was full of electricity.
"Leave the men and you may go," came a calm, uncontroversial voice.
Baldy took in the situation at once and turned around, revealing his two-handed sword. Andrei and Suren, too, summoned their weapons a moment later. What was Fox waiting for?
"Your lives in exchange for the new ones," the stranger said again. The voice was so indifferent, like he didn't care, like he had decided to do something solely out boredom.
The stranger stepped from where the portal had been opened less than fifteen minutes ago. Now I could see that he was a man of average height, wearing a dark robe with a hood covering his face. He was unarmed.
"Five lives for three," he continued. "It's a real deal."
"Who are you?" Andrei asked in a deliberately loud voice.
I tried to use my vision skill to find out who the hooded man was, but it was as if he was completely covered. No name, no level—nothing.
"A man," said the stranger. "Or a shadow. Or the devil incarnate. I advise you not to check—many have already paid for it."
Was this a follower of one of the Reapers? Or even one of them?
"Help! Save me!" the moustache man yelled. "Help me! Don't give me to him!"
It seemed like everyone grimaced after those words. I still couldn't understand what kind of a test this fat man had and how he managed to pass it. Although, now I had some ideas.
"I'm not going with him!" said the athlete.
"Me too," Zelenets said in a trembling voice, but confidently.
"Vasily, Lera!" Andrei shouted. "Take away the newbies! See you at the base!"
With a furious yell he rushed at the hooded stranger, Suren covering his left, Baldy his right. The enemy didn't even flinch when Andrei's sword hit his neck. It was foolish to attack a guy who was clearly not that ordinary. But, on the other hand, in a world where you could die more than once, it was easy to get used to being unreasonable.
"Run!" I shouted to the three newcomers. "Lera, where are you going?"
Taking advantage of the general confusion, Fox rushed into the thick of the forest in the direction opposite the base. Hearing me shout, the girl stopped and turned around. Her face was contorted with horror.
"Vasily!" she shrieked and ran back.
She probably got scared, panicked and ran the wrong way, I thought. It was rather odd; she did kill herself in cold blood to prove her determination back at the base. What changed? Did this strange man throw her off balance?
Igor, Andrei and Suren were fighting with a stranger in the meantime. He continued to stand, ignoring their futile attempts to kill him.
Howard Hungers, who can absorb any attacks, I remembered Baldy's words. Was that him? Or was this one of his followers? There was no time for guessing!
"Run!" I barked, surprised with my own harshness.
The newcomers and Fox are following me. I shouldn't get lost, I thought to myself. From behind came a strangled cry. It seems that the stranger had finally landed his first blow. Someone screamed again and did not stop for a long time. What was he doing with them?
We ran, jumping over bumps and fallen trees. The fat guy was panting as if he was about to spit out his lungs. The athlete and the guy with the tie were doing quite well. Fox has disappeared again, I thought, irritated, but then I saw her on my right. She had apparently decided to run around a crooked tree. Lera, you and I will have a serious conversation. I couldn't forget the strange words she had said before the campaign and her two other attempts at escape. Now I was pretty sure that she had decided to escape from the clearing for a reason. What did she want?
Suddenly, Dasha, the athlete, shrieked and tumbled onto the rotten leaves. Fox and Zelenets stopped, and the guy rushed to help her. The fat man continued running, scared out of his wits.
"Stop!" I shouted. "Stop, you fool! You don't know where to go!"
Hearing my words, Vadim stopped and turned his fat body around.
"What happened?" he asked, choking, out of breath.
"Can't you see that the girl stumbled?" Zelenets snapped.
"I didn't stumble," Dasha said with a groan.
"What?" I asked.
"I didn't!" she raised her voice. "Some of you have hamstrung me, you lunatics!"
"What are you talking about?" I felt indignant.
"Well, maybe by accident!" Dasha retorted.
I looked around. It looked like we were not far from the base. There was the familiar forest path, the smell of the swampy mud coming from somewhere behind the trees...and two bloated cadavers wading through the thickets. Huge, blue, with thick pulsing veins. They were much bigger than the one we had encountered when Baldy sacrificed Petrovich.
"Can you run?" I asked Dasha. If not, we might have to leave her here. Wait, did that thought really cross my mind? She has a tombstone strapped to her back! She can't resurrect!
With Constantine's help, the girl stood up and hopped on one foot, writhing in pain. She tried to walk, but failed. Her foot was disjointed.
"Vasily, take them away," Fox suddenly said.
I looked at her blankly.
"Take them away!" she repeated. "It's okay, I'll resurrect at the base. Remember?"
"There are two of them," I said.
"Then I'll think of something!" the girl raised her voice. "The newcomers won't find the base themselves; someone has to go with them."
"What's going on? Do you need a distraction?" Zelenets asked with anguish in his voice.
"No!" I shouted in despair.
The guy rushed at one of the blue giants with a terrible cry. What a senseless sacrifice...
"Damn him!" Fox growled with hatred. "Take these two!"
One of the cadavers grabbed the man and tossed him into its mouth. Goodbye, Constantine, we won't see you again. I shouldered the pale athlete and ran as fast as possible toward the base. The mustached locomotive was rushing behind me. Fox, meanwhile, bravely attacked the second cadaver. I'm sorry, Lera, I thought, I was unfair to you.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
It looked like nothing special—a small piece of rock as big as a fist. A bit like a pyramid with a rather narrow base. If desired, it could be used as a weapon, but only in the most extreme case.
Portable Tombstone
Allows setting an additional resurrection point.
Attention: If the main tombstone gets broken, the portable one should not be in the inventory.
I didn't get what it was right away; the description was rather unexpected. And then I almost jumped. A Portable Tombstone! This will allow me to set an additional resurrection point!
My heart started pounding. My God, it was just a stone! If I got it correctly, I had one more chance of survival in case someone destroyed my "main" tombstone. Only this one had to be installed, otherwise my death would be final and irrevocable. Everything seemed logical—losing the tombstone we lost the chance to resurrect; if my wonderful "pyramid" was in one of the inventory slots, I would lose it forever. I couldn't resurrect inside myself!
Well, Vasily, don't worry, don't start jumping yet, and breathe normally. All of this still needs to be thought out very cautiously. And, of course, do not waste such a gift in vain.
"Vasily!" Suren's voice pulled me out of my own thoughts.
"What?" my voice might sound a little nervous. However, Suren didn't pay attention to it, or maybe he just blamed the excitement on the important campaign.
"Get ready, some of the newbies are inadequate," he hemmed oddly.
What was he talking about? A person who managed to survive a massacre and arrive in another world couldn't be considered as adequate, I'd say. Did that mean that someone took this incredible journey a bit too emotionally?
The fire that Baldy made blazed more and more. Tongues of flame danced merrily, dry branches and twigs cracked, and our shadows twitched and distorted, giving rise to a vague unease in the soul.
"Wow..." Fox whispered loudly.
Something swayed in the darkness between the trees. Bluish smoke rose, thickening more and more until it looked like a piece of cotton wool hanging in the air. Then, with a sound that reminded me of a human sigh, the wool spread, blackened as the ghostly flame engulfed it, and opened a passage in space. It looked like a black hole, so black that the darkness around it seemed like twilight compared to it. The edges of the hole were ragged and slightly sparkling.
"It's open," said Andrei.
Suren and Igor nodded and stepped aside.
"Vasily, Lera, be very careful," the leader's assistant said tensely.
"Hey, newcomers!" Andrei shouted, stretching his neck toward the black hole. His voice, however, sounded uncertain. Unlike it had been when we came.
Silence was his answer; the edges of the hole crackled slightly, like embers.
"Anyone out there?" the leader shouted again, peering into the blackness of the spatial hole. "Go into the light! Get out of there!"
Suddenly someone's large body fell out of the portal.
"Arrgh!" the newcomer cried hoarsely, collapsing to the ground.
Fox mumbled something under her breath. She looked disappointed, even disgusted. Yes, dear Lera, this boy, or man—it was difficult to determine the age—was not handsome at all. He was rather large and clearly had more than two hundred pounds, with a blurred face, untidy, shaggy hair and a dark brush of mustache under his nose. I have never liked such facial "decoration". In my opinion, the "vegetation" above the upper lip should be reserved for those of, at least, forty years of age.
The newcomer was breathing hard and hoarsely. He obviously had some serious health problems. I wondered how he managed to survive. Only if all of the others had starved to death. Thinking so, I immediately stopped myself. I shouldn't joke about death, no matter how safe it seemed.
"Where am I? Huh? Ahhh!" the guy howled hysterically, turning his head and looking at us, no sign of understanding in his eyes.
"Shut up!" Baldy barked at him. "They'll hear you... And you don't want to meet them."
The fat man clamped his mouth with his hand in fear, but soon moved it away and breathed like a real locomotive, his eyes bulging wildly.
"Don't be afraid," Andrei stepped toward the newcomer and offered him a hand.
"Where am I?" the fat man asked again, whispering.
"We'll tell you later," Andrei started soothingly. "Trust me, you have nothing to fear. You're safe now."
"Did you see anyone else there?" Suren asked. "Are you alone?"
"Me?" the fat man turned his face to Suren. "I don't know. I haven't seen anyone."
Meanwhile, the dimensional hole started closing.
"What the hell?!" Andrei muttered and rushed to the hole. "Hey! Come out! Over here! Follow my voice!"
Someone leaped out of the hole, making our leader recoil. A guy in a white shirt and some ridiculous tie jumped aside in fright and stood in a fighting stance. It looked a little funny. He obviously had no idea how to fight. It was more of a gesture of despair or an attempt to frighten someone. We didn't know, though, what kind of ability he had received from his mentor. Behind him, a girl jumped out of the portal. She was nothing special—a bit lean and awkward in shape, with thin dark hair and the same dark mouse eyes reflecting the flames. She was dressed in tight sweatpants and a top, and had sneakers on her feet. Was she thrown in here straight out of a gym?
"Anyone else there?" Andrei cried excitedly.
"No one," said the girl in a low voice.
At that moment, the black hole closed with an unpleasant crack, leaving behind bluish smoke—the same as before it had opened.
"Glad to see you," Andrei greeted loudly, letting out an obvious sigh of relief.
"Are you going to tell us where we are?" the moustache man asked in a high voice. He was a nervous wreck.
Andrei made a calming gesture with his hands and briefly explained what was going on. Of course, I didn't hear anything new, but I noted that this time the leader spoke more confidently than when he had instructed us.
"We can tell you more details at the base, where it's quiet and safe," Andrei finished and waved his hand, signaling to follow him.
"What is that?" asked the girl, noticing the tombstone attached to her body.
The fat man and the guy with the tie immediately examined themselves, found their tombstones and excitedly demanded an explanation. Vadim Starikov and Constantine Zelenets were their names. Who was the athlete? Oh, Daria Sapogova.
"You'll see," Baldy said through his teeth. "In the meantime, just keep in mind that they can't be lost. They are useful."
"Come quickly!" Andrei said a bit louder. "Follow me!"
All this time I had a strange feeling that someone was watching us. I could feel someone's heavy gaze on me; it felt as if the air was full of electricity.
"Leave the men and you may go," came a calm, uncontroversial voice.
Baldy took in the situation at once and turned around, revealing his two-handed sword. Andrei and Suren, too, summoned their weapons a moment later. What was Fox waiting for?
"Your lives in exchange for the new ones," the stranger said again. The voice was so indifferent, like he didn't care, like he had decided to do something solely out boredom.
The stranger stepped from where the portal had been opened less than fifteen minutes ago. Now I could see that he was a man of average height, wearing a dark robe with a hood covering his face. He was unarmed.
"Five lives for three," he continued. "It's a real deal."
"Who are you?" Andrei asked in a deliberately loud voice.
I tried to use my vision skill to find out who the hooded man was, but it was as if he was completely covered. No name, no level—nothing.
"A man," said the stranger. "Or a shadow. Or the devil incarnate. I advise you not to check—many have already paid for it."
Was this a follower of one of the Reapers? Or even one of them?
"Help! Save me!" the moustache man yelled. "Help me! Don't give me to him!"
It seemed like everyone grimaced after those words. I still couldn't understand what kind of a test this fat man had and how he managed to pass it. Although, now I had some ideas.
"I'm not going with him!" said the athlete.
"Me too," Zelenets said in a trembling voice, but confidently.
"Vasily, Lera!" Andrei shouted. "Take away the newbies! See you at the base!"
With a furious yell he rushed at the hooded stranger, Suren covering his left, Baldy his right. The enemy didn't even flinch when Andrei's sword hit his neck. It was foolish to attack a guy who was clearly not that ordinary. But, on the other hand, in a world where you could die more than once, it was easy to get used to being unreasonable.
"Run!" I shouted to the three newcomers. "Lera, where are you going?"
Taking advantage of the general confusion, Fox rushed into the thick of the forest in the direction opposite the base. Hearing me shout, the girl stopped and turned around. Her face was contorted with horror.
"Vasily!" she shrieked and ran back.
She probably got scared, panicked and ran the wrong way, I thought. It was rather odd; she did kill herself in cold blood to prove her determination back at the base. What changed? Did this strange man throw her off balance?
Igor, Andrei and Suren were fighting with a stranger in the meantime. He continued to stand, ignoring their futile attempts to kill him.
Howard Hungers, who can absorb any attacks, I remembered Baldy's words. Was that him? Or was this one of his followers? There was no time for guessing!
"Run!" I barked, surprised with my own harshness.
The newcomers and Fox are following me. I shouldn't get lost, I thought to myself. From behind came a strangled cry. It seems that the stranger had finally landed his first blow. Someone screamed again and did not stop for a long time. What was he doing with them?
We ran, jumping over bumps and fallen trees. The fat guy was panting as if he was about to spit out his lungs. The athlete and the guy with the tie were doing quite well. Fox has disappeared again, I thought, irritated, but then I saw her on my right. She had apparently decided to run around a crooked tree. Lera, you and I will have a serious conversation. I couldn't forget the strange words she had said before the campaign and her two other attempts at escape. Now I was pretty sure that she had decided to escape from the clearing for a reason. What did she want?
Suddenly, Dasha, the athlete, shrieked and tumbled onto the rotten leaves. Fox and Zelenets stopped, and the guy rushed to help her. The fat man continued running, scared out of his wits.
"Stop!" I shouted. "Stop, you fool! You don't know where to go!"
Hearing my words, Vadim stopped and turned his fat body around.
"What happened?" he asked, choking, out of breath.
"Can't you see that the girl stumbled?" Zelenets snapped.
"I didn't stumble," Dasha said with a groan.
"What?" I asked.
"I didn't!" she raised her voice. "Some of you have hamstrung me, you lunatics!"
"What are you talking about?" I felt indignant.
"Well, maybe by accident!" Dasha retorted.
I looked around. It looked like we were not far from the base. There was the familiar forest path, the smell of the swampy mud coming from somewhere behind the trees...and two bloated cadavers wading through the thickets. Huge, blue, with thick pulsing veins. They were much bigger than the one we had encountered when Baldy sacrificed Petrovich.
"Can you run?" I asked Dasha. If not, we might have to leave her here. Wait, did that thought really cross my mind? She has a tombstone strapped to her back! She can't resurrect!
With Constantine's help, the girl stood up and hopped on one foot, writhing in pain. She tried to walk, but failed. Her foot was disjointed.
"Vasily, take them away," Fox suddenly said.
I looked at her blankly.
"Take them away!" she repeated. "It's okay, I'll resurrect at the base. Remember?"
"There are two of them," I said.
"Then I'll think of something!" the girl raised her voice. "The newcomers won't find the base themselves; someone has to go with them."
"What's going on? Do you need a distraction?" Zelenets asked with anguish in his voice.
"No!" I shouted in despair.
The guy rushed at one of the blue giants with a terrible cry. What a senseless sacrifice...
"Damn him!" Fox growled with hatred. "Take these two!"
One of the cadavers grabbed the man and tossed him into its mouth. Goodbye, Constantine, we won't see you again. I shouldered the pale athlete and ran as fast as possible toward the base. The mustached locomotive was rushing behind me. Fox, meanwhile, bravely attacked the second cadaver. I'm sorry, Lera, I thought, I was unfair to you.
It looked like nothing speciala small piece of rock as big as a fist. A bit like a pyramid with a rather narrow base. If desired, it could be used as a weapon, but only in the most extreme case.Portable TombstoneAllows setting an additional resurrection point.Attention: If the main tombstone gets broken, the portable one should not be in the inventory.I didn't get what it was right away; the description was rather unexpected. And then I almost jumped. A Portable Tombstone! This will allow me to set an additional resurrection point!My heart started pounding. My God, it was just a stone! If I got it correctly, I had one more chance of survival in case someone destroyed my "main" tombstone. Only this one had to be installed, otherwise my death would be final and irrevocable. Everything seemed logicallosing the tombstone we lost the chance to resurrect; if my wonderful "pyramid" was in one of the inventory slots, I would lose it forever. I couldn't resurrect inside myself!Well, Vasily, don't worry, don't start jumping yet, and breathe normally. All of this still needs to be thought out very cautiously. And, of course, do not waste such a gift in vain."Vasily!" Suren's voice pulled me out of my own thoughts."What?" my voice might sound a little nervous. However, Suren didn't pay attention to it, or maybe he just blamed the excitement on the important campaign."Get ready, some of the newbies are inadequate," he hemmed oddly.What was he talking about? A person who managed to survive a massacre and arrive in another world couldn't be considered as adequate, I'd say. Did that mean that someone took this incredible journey a bit too emotionally?The fire that Baldy made blazed more and more. Tongues of flame danced merrily, dry branches and twigs cracked, and our shadows twitched and distorted, giving rise to a vague unease in the soul."Wow..." Fox whispered loudly.Something swayed in the darkness between the trees. Bluish smoke rose, thickening more and more until it looked like a piece of cotton wool hanging in the air. Then, with a sound that reminded me of a human sigh, the wool spread, blackened as the ghostly flame engulfed it, and opened a passage in space. It looked like a black hole, so black that the darkness around it seemed like twilight compared to it. The edges of the hole were ragged and slightly sparkling."It's open," said Andrei.Suren and Igor nodded and stepped aside."Vasily, Lera, be very careful," the leader's assistant said tensely."Hey, newcomers!" Andrei shouted, stretching his neck toward the black hole. His voice, however, sounded uncertain. Unlike it had been when we came.Silence was his answer; the edges of the hole crackled slightly, like embers."Anyone out there?" the leader shouted again, peering into the blackness of the spatial hole. "Go into the light! Get out of there!"Suddenly someone's large body fell out of the portal."Arrgh!" the newcomer cried hoarsely, collapsing to the ground.Fox mumbled something under her breath. She looked disappointed, even disgusted. Yes, dear Lera, this boy, or manit was difficult to determine the agewas not handsome at all. He was rather large and clearly had more than two hundred pounds, with a blurred face, untidy, shaggy hair and a dark brush of mustache under his nose. I have never liked such facial "decoration". In my opinion, the "vegetation" above the upper lip should be reserved for those of, at least, forty years of age.The newcomer was breathing hard and hoarsely. He obviously had some serious health problems. I wondered how he managed to survive. Only if all of the others had starved to death. Thinking so, I immediately stopped myself. I shouldn't joke about death, no matter how safe it seemed."Where am I? Huh? Ahhh!" the guy howled hysterically, turning his head and looking at us, no sign of understanding in his eyes."Shut up!" Baldy barked at him. "They'll hear you... And you don't want to meet them."The fat man clamped his mouth with his hand in fear, but soon moved it away and breathed like a real locomotive, his eyes bulging wildly."Don't be afraid," Andrei stepped toward the newcomer and offered him a hand."Where am I?" the fat man asked again, whispering."We'll tell you later," Andrei started soothingly. "Trust me, you have nothing to fear. You're safe now.""Did you see anyone else there?" Suren asked. "Are you alone?""Me?" the fat man turned his face to Suren. "I don't know. I haven't seen anyone."Meanwhile, the dimensional hole started closing."What the hell?!" Andrei muttered and rushed to the hole. "Hey! Come out! Over here! Follow my voice!"Someone leaped out of the hole, making our leader recoil. A guy in a white shirt and some ridiculous tie jumped aside in fright and stood in a fighting stance. It looked a little funny. He obviously had no idea how to fight. It was more of a gesture of despair or an attempt to frighten someone. We didn't know, though, what kind of ability he had received from his mentor. Behind him, a girl jumped out of the portal. She was nothing speciala bit lean and awkward in shape, with thin dark hair and the same dark mouse eyes reflecting the flames. She was dressed in tight sweatpants and a top, and had sneakers on her feet. Was she thrown in here straight out of a gym?"Anyone else there?" Andrei cried excitedly."No one," said the girl in a low voice.At that moment, the black hole closed with an unpleasant crack, leaving behind bluish smokethe same as before it had opened."Glad to see you," Andrei greeted loudly, letting out an obvious sigh of relief."Are you going to tell us where we are?" the moustache man asked in a high voice. He was a nervous wreck.Andrei made a calming gesture with his hands and briefly explained what was going on. Of course, I didn't hear anything new, but I noted that this time the leader spoke more confidently than when he had instructed us."We can tell you more details at the base, where it's quiet and safe," Andrei finished and waved his hand, signaling to follow him."What is that?" asked the girl, noticing the tombstone attached to her body.The fat man and the guy with the tie immediately examined themselves, found their tombstones and excitedly demanded an explanation. Vadim Starikov and Constantine Zelenets were their names. Who was the athlete? Oh, Daria Sapogova."You'll see," Baldy said through his teeth. "In the meantime, just keep in mind that they can't be lost. They are useful.""Come quickly!" Andrei said a bit louder. "Follow me!"All this time I had a strange feeling that someone was watching us. I could feel someone's heavy gaze on me; it felt as if the air was full of electricity."Leave the men and you may go," came a calm, uncontroversial voice.Baldy took in the situation at once and turned around, revealing his two-handed sword. Andrei and Suren, too, summoned their weapons a moment later. What was Fox waiting for?"Your lives in exchange for the new ones," the stranger said again. The voice was so indifferent, like he didn't care, like he had decided to do something solely out boredom.The stranger stepped from where the portal had been opened less than fifteen minutes ago. Now I could see that he was a man of average height, wearing a dark robe with a hood covering his face. He was unarmed."Five lives for three," he continued. "It's a real deal.""Who are you?" Andrei asked in a deliberately loud voice.I tried to use my vision skill to find out who the hooded man was, but it was as if he was completely covered. No name, no levelnothing."A man," said the stranger. "Or a shadow. Or the devil incarnate. I advise you not to checkmany have already paid for it."Was this a follower of one of the Reapers? Or even one of them?"Help! Save me!" the moustache man yelled. "Help me! Don't give me to him!"It seemed like everyone grimaced after those words. I still couldn't understand what kind of a test this fat man had and how he managed to pass it. Although, now I had some ideas."I'm not going with him!" said the athlete."Me too," Zelenets said in a trembling voice, but confidently."Vasily, Lera!" Andrei shouted. "Take away the newbies! See you at the base!"With a furious yell he rushed at the hooded stranger, Suren covering his left, Baldy his right. The enemy didn't even flinch when Andrei's sword hit his neck. It was foolish to attack a guy who was clearly not that ordinary. But, on the other hand, in a world where you could die more than once, it was easy to get used to being unreasonable."Run!" I shouted to the three newcomers. "Lera, where are you going?"Taking advantage of the general confusion, Fox rushed into the thick of the forest in the direction opposite the base. Hearing me shout, the girl stopped and turned around. Her face was contorted with horror."Vasily!" she shrieked and ran back.She probably got scared, panicked and ran the wrong way, I thought. It was rather odd; she did kill herself in cold blood to prove her determination back at the base. What changed? Did this strange man throw her off balance?Igor, Andrei and Suren were fighting with a stranger in the meantime. He continued to stand, ignoring their futile attempts to kill him.Howard Hungers, who can absorb any attacks, I remembered Baldy's words. Was that him? Or was this one of his followers? There was no time for guessing!"Run!" I barked, surprised with my own harshness.The newcomers and Fox are following me. I shouldn't get lost, I thought to myself. From behind came a strangled cry. It seems that the stranger had finally landed his first blow. Someone screamed again and did not stop for a long time. What was he doing with them?We ran, jumping over bumps and fallen trees. The fat guy was panting as if he was about to spit out his lungs. The athlete and the guy with the tie were doing quite well. Fox has disappeared again, I thought, irritated, but then I saw her on my right. She had apparently decided to run around a crooked tree. Lera, you and I will have a serious conversation. I couldn't forget the strange words she had said before the campaign and her two other attempts at escape. Now I was pretty sure that she had decided to escape from the clearing for a reason. What did she want?Suddenly, Dasha, the athlete, shrieked and tumbled onto the rotten leaves. Fox and Zelenets stopped, and the guy rushed to help her. The fat man continued running, scared out of his wits."Stop!" I shouted. "Stop, you fool! You don't know where to go!"Hearing my words, Vadim stopped and turned his fat body around."What happened?" he asked, choking, out of breath."Can't you see that the girl stumbled?" Zelenets snapped."I didn't stumble," Dasha said with a groan."What?" I asked."I didn't!" she raised her voice. "Some of you have hamstrung me, you lunatics!""What are you talking about?" I felt indignant."Well, maybe by accident!" Dasha retorted.I looked around. It looked like we were not far from the base. There was the familiar forest path, the smell of the swampy mud coming from somewhere behind the trees...and two bloated cadavers wading through the thickets. Huge, blue, with thick pulsing veins. They were much bigger than the one we had encountered when Baldy sacrificed Petrovich."Can you run?" I asked Dasha. If not, we might have to leave her here. Wait, did that thought really cross my mind? She has a tombstone strapped to her back! She can't resurrect!With Constantine's help, the girl stood up and hopped on one foot, writhing in pain. She tried to walk, but failed. Her foot was disjointed."Vasily, take them away," Fox suddenly said.I looked at her blankly."Take them away!" she repeated. "It's okay, I'll resurrect at the base. Remember?""There are two of them," I said."Then I'll think of something!" the girl raised her voice. "The newcomers won't find the base themselves; someone has to go with them.""What's going on? Do you need a distraction?" Zelenets asked with anguish in his voice."No!" I shouted in despair.The guy rushed at one of the blue giants with a terrible cry. What a senseless sacrifice..."Damn him!" Fox growled with hatred. "Take these two!"One of the cadavers grabbed the man and tossed him into its mouth. Goodbye, Constantine, we won't see you again. I shouldered the pale athlete and ran as fast as possible toward the base. The mustached locomotive was rushing behind me. Fox, meanwhile, bravely attacked the second cadaver. I'm sorry, Lera, I thought, I was unfair to you.
