The plan was working. Elizabeth had managed to distract the Aisenevian forces and this had given Gavriil the opportunity to sabotage the boats on which they had landed. The young soldier cautiously explored the village and noticed an old tractor in a shed. The roof of the shed was supported by a few wooden planks and nothing more. He quickly inspected the vehicle. Some Kalekyan tractors were quite easy to sabotage, and the one in front of him was one of those. First, he tied the vehicle to one of the wooden planks with the rope he had with him. Then he put his hands on the electrical panel cables and on the accelerator; a fairly simple and quick sabotage operation for Gavriil. The young soldier finished it all by grabbing something that could push on the accelerator and then stole away.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Ivan Vasilyevich Kun had agreed to bring Elizabeth to the imperial capital. If it had been up to him alone he would never have done something like that, but Viper and Echo had managed to persuade him and now some soldiers were heading towards the lake shore—others stayed behind to 'gather up what they left behind'. Ivan had already planned to put Elizabeth on the boat and then, once away, to give a signal to his men to massacre the entire village. His loyalty had a limit. Unjust revenge mattered more.
Ivan got on the motorboat first and then two soldiers took their seats with him, the twins and finally Elizabeth.
"We can go," Ivan said. "We'll reach Grishkuv and then talk to Prince Pavel. He'll be the one to organize the meeting with the emperor."
Meanwhile Lieutenant Ivan Vasilyevich Kun had agreed to bring Elizabeth to the imperial capital. If it had been up to him alone he would never have done something like that, but Viper and Echo had managed to persuade him and now some soldiers were heading towards the lake shore—others stayed behind to 'gather up what they left behind'. Ivan had already planned to put Elizabeth on the boat and then, once away, to give a signal to his men to massacre the entire village. His loyalty had a limit. Unjust revenge mattered more.
Ivan got on the motorboat first and then two soldiers took their seats with him, the twins and finally Elizabeth.
"We can go," Ivan said. "We'll reach Grishkuv and then talk to Prince Pavel. He'll be the one to organize the meeting with the emperor."
The boat moved. In a few minutes they reached about the center of the lake, where the water was deepest and at that moment Ivan took out his gun and shot into the sky. The twins and Elizabeth were confused.
"It's nothing," Ivan said. "I was just letting my men know we could go," he lied with false kindness. "Now let's hurry, I don't want—"
He felt something wet on his ankles. He looked down: it was water.
"Well, I think I must go too," Elizabeth exclaimed, rising to her feet. "Sheva’el-Avelon!"
Two fiery angelic wings sprouted behind her back and she took flight back to the village.
"No!" Ivan shouted. And then he noticed that the motorboat's engine had stopped running. "What the hell?! What the fuck is going on?!"
"Sir! If we sink into these freezing waters—!!"
"I know! I fucking know! We need to get back to shore, immediately!"
"But we're in the center of the lake! We'll never be able to swim to shore—!"
"Shut up, coward!" Ivan shot him in the head in a fit of rage.
Echo and Viper were calm, leaning on the edge of the speedboat, as if nothing serious was happening. Ivan was shocked.
"You two! Help me! We have to get back to shore or we will freeze to death!"
"Yeah, right," Viper said putting her finger on her chin. "Hey, sister, have you ever died of hypothermia?"
She shook her head.
"Then this will be a completely new experience for both of us! Cool!"
"What the fuck are you saying?! Do you want to piss me off?! You bitch! Now you'll give me a hand! I order you to! Or I'm gonna—!"
Viper laughed. "You're truly ignorant. You should know that we Brannovians are special. Death doesn't scare us."
"It's nothing," Ivan said. "I was just letting my men know we could go," he lied with false kindness. "Now let's hurry, I don't want—"
He felt something wet on his ankles. He looked down: it was water.
"Well, I think I must go too," Elizabeth exclaimed, rising to her feet. "Sheva’el-Avelon!"
Two fiery angelic wings sprouted behind her back and she took flight back to the village.
"No!" Ivan shouted. And then he noticed that the motorboat's engine had stopped running. "What the hell?! What the fuck is going on?!"
"Sir! If we sink into these freezing waters—!!"
"I know! I fucking know! We need to get back to shore, immediately!"
"But we're in the center of the lake! We'll never be able to swim to shore—!"
"Shut up, coward!" Ivan shot him in the head in a fit of rage.
Echo and Viper were calm, leaning on the edge of the speedboat, as if nothing serious was happening. Ivan was shocked.
"You two! Help me! We have to get back to shore or we will freeze to death!"
"Yeah, right," Viper said putting her finger on her chin. "Hey, sister, have you ever died of hypothermia?"
She shook her head.
"Then this will be a completely new experience for both of us! Cool!"
"What the fuck are you saying?! Do you want to piss me off?! You bitch! Now you'll give me a hand! I order you to! Or I'm gonna—!"
Viper laughed. "You're truly ignorant. You should know that we Brannovians are special. Death doesn't scare us."
"Shut up, bitch! I don't care who or what you are! You have to help me! I won't die here—!"
"I'm tired of you." Echo shot him in the throat without even looking at him.
Ivan didn't die instantly. His blood began to gush left and right and choking sounds came out of his mouth. He was crying. He wanted to be killed immediately and put an end to that terrible suffering. His subordinate, seeing that scene, shot him; it was an act of compassion. He then pointed the weapon at Echo. Viper immediately turned and kicked him into the water.
The motorboat sank shortly thereafter with the two girls calmly waiting for hypothermia to set in.
Meanwhile, the soldiers in the village prepare to carry out a massacre. At that moment they heard a tractor start up and shortly after they heard a noise coming from behind a house; the roof of a shed had collapsed and the tractor was coming towards them.
The soldiers shifted, scared and confused. Some inhabitants took advantage of that moment to escape and arm themselves with everything they had: pitchforks, cleavers, axes, sticks, stones. The shots started shortly thereafter, but Gavriil was there, well hidden, making sure that no one harmed the civilians. With one shot he eliminated one soldier and caught the attention of the other seven.
"There's someone with a gun!"
"The United Tribes!"
"The United Tribes are here! Kill them!"
Gavriil quickly moved and changed position. Some men began to attack the soldiers and the young rifleman helped the people eliminate the invaders. Elizabeth arrived shortly after, but she didn't kill any of the enemies and merely assisted the people who wanted to escape. If she had used her magic in that village, people would've gotten hurt.
"I'm tired of you." Echo shot him in the throat without even looking at him.
Ivan didn't die instantly. His blood began to gush left and right and choking sounds came out of his mouth. He was crying. He wanted to be killed immediately and put an end to that terrible suffering. His subordinate, seeing that scene, shot him; it was an act of compassion. He then pointed the weapon at Echo. Viper immediately turned and kicked him into the water.
The motorboat sank shortly thereafter with the two girls calmly waiting for hypothermia to set in.
Meanwhile, the soldiers in the village prepare to carry out a massacre. At that moment they heard a tractor start up and shortly after they heard a noise coming from behind a house; the roof of a shed had collapsed and the tractor was coming towards them.
The soldiers shifted, scared and confused. Some inhabitants took advantage of that moment to escape and arm themselves with everything they had: pitchforks, cleavers, axes, sticks, stones. The shots started shortly thereafter, but Gavriil was there, well hidden, making sure that no one harmed the civilians. With one shot he eliminated one soldier and caught the attention of the other seven.
"There's someone with a gun!"
"The United Tribes!"
"The United Tribes are here! Kill them!"
Gavriil quickly moved and changed position. Some men began to attack the soldiers and the young rifleman helped the people eliminate the invaders. Elizabeth arrived shortly after, but she didn't kill any of the enemies and merely assisted the people who wanted to escape. If she had used her magic in that village, people would've gotten hurt.
Of eight soldiers remaining in Hedeov, only two managed to reach the motorboat and leave the coast. Gavriil saw them flee knowing that they too would die in the waters of the lake.
Hedeov's people celebrated the victory with shouts of joy. The invaders had been repelled. Once again, after ten years, the village had managed to defeat the arrogant Aisenevians. Once again justice had triumphed.
Gavriil and Elizabeth helped the inhabitants treat the wounded and rebuild the houses. As the sun went down they feasted in true Kalekyan style with meat soups, steaks, homemade cakes and lots of alcohol. The suffering of the morning had been chased away by the joy of the night. The banquet ended with warm singing by men and women. The song of the United Tribes.
Hedeov's people celebrated the victory with shouts of joy. The invaders had been repelled. Once again, after ten years, the village had managed to defeat the arrogant Aisenevians. Once again justice had triumphed.
Gavriil and Elizabeth helped the inhabitants treat the wounded and rebuild the houses. As the sun went down they feasted in true Kalekyan style with meat soups, steaks, homemade cakes and lots of alcohol. The suffering of the morning had been chased away by the joy of the night. The banquet ended with warm singing by men and women. The song of the United Tribes.
𝅘𝅥𝅮 Friend! My friend!
Avert from depend!
Look at your tribes,
feel their vibes!
Fight! Reunite!
Avert from tyranny,
crush the villainy!
Reclaim your land!
None shall stand!
The Dragon! The Dragon!
The Dragon roars!
Strenght is yours!
Together! Together!
Together to end!
Together! Together!
Together my friend! 𝅘𝅥𝅮
At the end of the singing and the beginning of the dancing, Gavriil decided to leave the village and head to the monument on the hill. He thanked those fallen for giving Hedeov the strength and pride needed to resist the enemy attack. Hedeov hadn't lost its pride, the people hadn't lost the will to fight against the enemy. Unfortunately, not everyone could boast that same tenacity. Not everyone. The war was difficult and there was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear, but Gavriil didn't want to think about it.
Today we celebrate, but tomorrow the war will continue. Not here, but certainly elsewhere. But why think about it? Why let these terrible thoughts depress me? I should smile. We're alive.
Then he thought of Klyugin. His house. And he prayed for them.
Today we celebrate, but tomorrow the war will continue. Not here, but certainly elsewhere. But why think about it? Why let these terrible thoughts depress me? I should smile. We're alive.
Then he thought of Klyugin. His house. And he prayed for them.
"Heeeeeey!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
He turned around. "What are you doing here? I'd like to be alone for a while, if you don't mind—"
"Weeeeell, I'm so-sorry. You know? I'm really trying—I'm really, really trying to be your friend—you're so cute, you have a pretty face and I bet you haaaaave the sexiest body under that moss uniform—but you keep ignoring meeee." She took a breath. "Fuuuuuuuuuck you!" She started laughing.
"Are you drunk?" He narrowed his eyes.
She approached him. "If I say 'noooooo', will you let me—you know—show me your Herculean body?"
"My what? Stop acting stupid!"
"Stuuupid? What the fuck—who the fuck is the stupish... stupe... stupid? I'm trying to make friends aaaaand see you naked."
He sighed. "You don't know what you're saying. Now sit down and... No! Not here!" He prevented her from sitting near the monument. "It would be terrible if you vomited. Hey! Are you listening to me?"
She looked at him with wide, tired eyes.
"Let's sit here, maybe it's better." They sat down on the floor. "Here, it's better here." He turned to her and noticed that her eyes were now languid. "Hey! Are you okay?"
"I know it's no use... what the fuck can it do if I'm sick?" She began to tremble. "Sex is sex... but if I wanted something more it would be a fuc-fucking problem for me—that's why I always have to say 'goodbye' in the end. Yeah, yeah... 'Bye, bye! See you again! Maybe.... Maaaaybe not'. Right?" She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "You understand? If I didn't say goodbye, it would be a fuuuucking problem... for... like... everyone... yeah..."
"Who did you say goodbye to?"
He turned around. "What are you doing here? I'd like to be alone for a while, if you don't mind—"
"Weeeeell, I'm so-sorry. You know? I'm really trying—I'm really, really trying to be your friend—you're so cute, you have a pretty face and I bet you haaaaave the sexiest body under that moss uniform—but you keep ignoring meeee." She took a breath. "Fuuuuuuuuuck you!" She started laughing.
"Are you drunk?" He narrowed his eyes.
She approached him. "If I say 'noooooo', will you let me—you know—show me your Herculean body?"
"My what? Stop acting stupid!"
"Stuuupid? What the fuck—who the fuck is the stupish... stupe... stupid? I'm trying to make friends aaaaand see you naked."
He sighed. "You don't know what you're saying. Now sit down and... No! Not here!" He prevented her from sitting near the monument. "It would be terrible if you vomited. Hey! Are you listening to me?"
She looked at him with wide, tired eyes.
"Let's sit here, maybe it's better." They sat down on the floor. "Here, it's better here." He turned to her and noticed that her eyes were now languid. "Hey! Are you okay?"
"I know it's no use... what the fuck can it do if I'm sick?" She began to tremble. "Sex is sex... but if I wanted something more it would be a fuc-fucking problem for me—that's why I always have to say 'goodbye' in the end. Yeah, yeah... 'Bye, bye! See you again! Maybe.... Maaaaybe not'. Right?" She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "You understand? If I didn't say goodbye, it would be a fuuuucking problem... for... like... everyone... yeah..."
"Who did you say goodbye to?"
"Why... taaaalk about it?"
"You started it."
She remained silent for a few minutes looking at him and then turned towards the view. She was still crying, but her expression was no longer sad; rather, there was resignation in her eyes.
"Hey," she began softly, "promise me something..."
"What?"
She looked into his eyes.
"You started it."
She remained silent for a few minutes looking at him and then turned towards the view. She was still crying, but her expression was no longer sad; rather, there was resignation in her eyes.
"Hey," she began softly, "promise me something..."
"What?"
She looked into his eyes.
Didn't say anything.
She came a little closer.
A little closer.
And then she said:
"Promise me you'll kill me if it gets worse."
"Promise me you'll kill me if it gets worse."
