The Mist and the Lightning. Part I

"Make the owner bring abacus," Nikto said, "it is impossible to calculate something like that mentally."

He was without his mask and glasses. The scar on his cheek nearly returned to normal after the 'water', there was just some blackness left around his eye and on his cheek. It looked like his eye was bruised and it amused the friends a lot. Nikto nearly touched the papers with his nose, his vision was still bad. Orel called for a servant and ordered to bring abacus. The servant obeyed immediately.

"Great!" Tol muttered without delight when Orel put the abacus on the table pushing away Tol's plate and nearly overturning his glass.

There was a ring in Tol's nostril.

Orel didn't pay attention to his displeasure. "Let's start counting," he said.

"What happened to that Unclean, is he still alive?" Tol asked watching Nikto.

"What Unclean? Ah, you mean the scar. No. But it was a Red." Nikto passed his hand over his cheek. "I'm so used to it that I often forget."

"Sure," Tol said, "You don't see it!" He laughed, happy with his joke.

"But there is always some cretin who'd remind him," Orel muttered angrily.

"Nikto, I hope you didn't get offended, did you?" Tol got scared.

"You're kidding!" Nikto laughed. "I'm used to it, there's always someone who thinks he must wag his tongue against my scar."

"Oooh," Enriki moaned, "I'm going to puke."

"Lis, why are looking at me like that? Something wrong?" Nikto noticed Lis's strange gaze.

"No, nothing," Lis turned away.

Nikto looked at the paper closely, he tried to decipher the writings.

"No, Arel, you'd better dictate the numbers to me and I'll count," he said at last. "Fuck that Vil, I can't see anything. Is he stingy about paper or what? Couldn't he write bigger letters? And what is that?" he pushed the paper to Orel and pointed with his finger.

Orel looked down and laughed. "Vil probably made a mistake and covered it with white paint," he explained.

"I feel like he covered everything with white pain, and wrote with white paint, too," Nikto said gloomily.

Everyone laughed.

"Why do you see everything in white?" Orel asked laughing.

"I know," Lis said. "We see everything in black in the darkness, and he sees everything in white by daylight. I think so."

"Do you see me white, too?" Tol asked at once.

"No," Nikto said in irritation, "I don't see you white."

"And how do you see me?" Tol didn't stop.

"Grey!"

Everyone laughed again.

"Very funny," Nikto muttered.

"I start dictating," Orel said.

"Fine." Nikto flipped the bird to Tol. Lis, Enriki and Tol laughed again.

"Enough!" Orel shouted. "You don't let me work! I'm tired of you! Shut up, now!"

The friends got quiet.

"No, I can't stand it any more," Tol moaned after fifteen minutes that Orel spent dictating various combinations of numbers non-stop. Nikto calculated them with the abacus and gave replies. Orel wrote the results on the paper and compared to the results given by Vil.

"I can't bear it!" Tol could barely control himself. "I'm gonna smash that thing with little balls and tear all the papers."

"Just try that," Orel said without stopping. "Sit down and shut up."

It seemed he enjoyed this monotonic activity. He continued dictating numbers, carefully and tediously, and waited patiently when Nikto floundered and started recalculating. It was unbearable. Tol looked at Enriki and Lis in misery and, giving Orel a glance, rolled his finger at his temple.

"Tol, I see that," Orel said calmly. "Here! It's gonna be interesting!" His voice became cheerful. "Now, now… Nik, count that for me!"

He continued pouring numbers on Nikto with even more passion. Enriki sighed, leaned back in the chair and lit a cigarette. Lis fingered his hair with a bored expression. Tol lit a cigarette, too, he looked like he was going to be sick any moment.

"When is this Vil going to come at last?" he mumbled dejectedly.

After a while, when they had lost any hope, Orel suddenly got silent.

"Well, what's the result?" Nikto turned to him in curiosity.

Orel sat silent for a while, looking at the paper in front of him.

"Nothing," he said at last. "Not a thing!" he screamed in rage and tossed the papers on the floor.

Lis was the first to laugh, then Tol and Enriki joined. They really rolled in laughter, unable to say a word.

"They laugh," Orel said to Nikto, exasperated. "Do you see it: instead of helping me they laugh at me! I try to bring our business into order!" he yelled at them angrily. "How can you behave like that?" He sat down. "What shall we do now?" He looked distressed. "I don't understand anything any more."

"I think," Nikto said, "either Vil messed up somehow, or we made a mistake. Or someone in the Upper City tries to cheat on you."

"All three things at once, likely," Lis said laughing. "Orel, wouldn't it be easier just to scare the shit out of them and everything will be all right?"

"But I want to find every one whose fault it is," Orel didn't give up. "I want to punish them, punish mercilessly."

He paused for a while.

"And I'll kill Vil. Now that's for sure."

"You said you couldn't kill him," Tol said.

"Yes, I said that but now he touched me and I can do anything!"

"He just tries to do his best and help you," Enriki tried to explain.

"Yes, I know, I know," Orel waved his hand at him. "But he ruined my mood."

"It's a good reason," Lis agreed.

"Aren't you tired of killing someone every day?" Enriki asked looking at Orel disapprovingly.

"No, I'm not!" he snapped back. At this moment Vil entered the 'Arbor'.

"Hello," he smiled. "Am I timely?"

"More than untimely," Lis hissed through the clenched teeth. "As always."

"Come in, sit down," Orel said quite friendly, to their joy.

Vil noticed the papers on the floor and his smile faded.

"Something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"No, everything's okay," Orel forced a smile.

Vil sat down next to Tol who put a drink in front of him silently.

"Orel, I know we agreed to discuss book-keeping of the Upper City," Vil started, "but, frankly speaking, I'd like to talk about a different matter."

He cleared his throat.

"I understand, of course… book-keeping is very important…" he looked at the abacus on the table. "But really, I don't know how to say that…"

"Say it quick," Orel said. "What do you want?"

"Take me on your team, Arel!" Vil blurted out.

"Ooh, idiot," Lis moaned quietly.

Orel looked at Vil sadly.

"No."

There was silence in the room.

"No," Orel repeated. "How many times should I say that?"

"But why?" Vil screamed, he was in despair. Lis who sat next to Tol shoved Tol in his side.

"Make him leave while he can!" he hissed.

Tol was quick to get it.

"Vil, you'd better leave," he said quietly.

"What?" Vil turned to him. "No, I'm not leaving! I want to know why Arel always rejects me!" He flushed. "Tell me, Arel, why are you so much against me? Did I ever hurt you? Am I a bad warrior?"

"You're a great warrior," Orel didn't argue. "And you didn't ever hurt me. Neither me, nor my friends."

"But why then? Why do you drive me away?"

"I'm doing that for you!" Orel couldn't stand it any longer. "You idiot, don't you see what you want to get into?"

"I know what's better for me," Vil wasn't scared at all when Orel yelled at him. "I can decide myself what's better for me. I'm not a child, don't worry about me! I want to be with you! I don't understand why you think I'm worse than the others, why you took them in and you reject me!"

"You don't understand," Orel got angrily, "and you will never understand! You don't suit me – that's all I can say to you. And enough of that."

"No," Vil didn't give up. "It's not an answer, I won't leave."

"If you don't leave now, you'll regret it badly," Orel said; his eyes flashed unhealthily.

"I won't leave," Vil shook his head. "You think I'll get scared and leave. But I'm not a coward, Arel, you can kill me but I want to be with you and only you. Otherwise," he swallowed hard, "otherwise I don't have a reason to live."

"Oh gods!" Enriki looked at Orel pleadingly.

"You're fishing for trouble," Orel said to Vil.

"I don't care," Vil said. "You think I'm a fool and a coward but I'm not, and I'll prove it!"

"No one here thinks you're a coward," Orel said, "calm down, I don't wish evil to you. I don't!" He hit the table with his fist. "But you make me. You're not like me or them," he pointed at his friends. "I can never be completely sure in you. You won't manage, Vil. Believe me, I know what I say. I cannot risk and take a man I doubt on the team. You're a brave and experienced warrior but you're different! Before I take someone in, I must be hundred percent sure that this man is mine. You're not my man!"

"But we grew up together, how can I be not yours?" Vil shouted.

"It doesn't matter how much time we spent together! Two minutes are enough for me to understand if you're my man or not. We lost more than a half of our men just lately. And even more before then. From those who were with me in the beginning only Squint-Eye is left, and that's because he spends most of his time in prison. Everyone else is long rotting in my castle cemetery. I'm responsible for everyone's life, and if something happens, it's my fault. We are at war with Bey and you want me to take a man on my team who cannot work as I need it – to stake our lives on your whim?"

"I'll do everything you want! Everything you tell me! I won't spare my life for you! I'll do my best! I'm not afraid of hardships, I'm not afraid of Bey, I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Such a bold declaration," Orel smirked. "He isn't afraid of anything. It just proves your stupidity once again, I'm wasting my time with you."

He rose. "Let's go. Tol, gather the papers."

"No!" Vil blocked his way. "No! Take me on your team or kill me! I won't let you leave like that!"

Orel gave him a somewhat strange look.

"Are you setting conditions for me? Fine, you wanted that…" he paused. "Perhaps it's better to end it now, once and for all."

Vil stood at the 'Arbor's' door, pale but full of resolution. He was silent and looked at Orel.

Orel lowered his gaze and returned to the table.

"Sit down, everyone," he said. "You too, Vil. You're on the team now."

Enriki's face brightened. Tol spat on the floor in irritation.

"Shit!" he cursed in anger.

"Calm down," Lis said quietly; his eyes glittered slyly.

Vil kept standing, unable to believe Orel's words.

"Why are you standing there? See, we aren't leaving. I said you're in," Orel shook his head. "Oh gods, you're so dumb!"

"And what about them?" Vil asked nervously. "Do they agree?"

"Questions, questions, endless questions, that's why I dislike you, Vil – for your endless stupid questions."

"I also asked something like that when you offered me to join you," Nikto interfered. "It's quite a reasonable question."

"I agree with Nikto," Enriki added.

"Fine," Orel said. "Fine. Who's for Vil's being on the team?"

He raised his hand, Enriki and Nikto joined him.

"Ni-i-ik!" Tol moaned in disappointment, screwing his face. Nikto looked at him and shrugged.

"Who's against?"

Tol raised his hand. Lis didn't vote.

"So, it's three against one, plus Lis who abstains. Are you happy?"

Vil slowly came up to the table and sat down. It seemed he was going to faint.

"When I said I'm taking you in, I knew I had a majority behind me," Orel explained, "even though it actually doesn't matter because I have the last word. It'll be as I say. But I seldom use it because we're a family and I like to take everyone's interests into consideration."

"As if," Tol muttered resentfully.

"Do you understand what I mean?" Orel leaned to Vil over the table.

"Yes, yes…" Vil nodded.

"I don't see it by your face," Orel poured some wine for him. "Have a drink, unwind."

"Thank you." Vil took the glass, his hand was shaking.

"For you, Vil!" Orel raised his glass, the others joined him. "You're with us now," Orel smiled, "and there is no way back. Come round at last!" he shouted seeing that Vil still was beyond himself.

Vil forced a smile.

"Orel, I'm sorry, I wanted it for so long – and now when it happened, I don't know… I'm lost like a fool," he stopped not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, that's just like you," Orel agreed. "But I advise you to pull yourself together because relaxing is not in our habit."

"Of course, of course, Arel, yes…"

Tol turned away in disgust. "What a shitty day!" he said darkly.

Orel pushed convolvulus away from the grate and looked down at the square.

"Do you see those people, Vil?"

"Yes."

"Now you're not like them, you'll never be able to be with them. To be just one of them. Now you're their enemy, their pain and disaster." Orel let the convolvulus go hiding the square from their view. "They'll run away just seeing you. They'll curse you in their prayers. They'll hate you from the depth of their hearts. Because they have the right to decide who deserves it and who doesn't. And I don't challenge that right of theirs – they don't exist for me, they are just raw meat. What will you say to that, Vil?"

"I'm glad you took me in," Vil prattled, "but I don't wish evil to anyone."

"The more difficult it will be for you," Orel smoothened his hair and lit a cigarette. "Lis, you were looking at the street all the time," he said, "is there something worthy of your choice?"

"Yes," Lis smiled.

"So why are you still sitting here?"

Vil watched Lis leave; he'd come round now and looked quite cheerful.

"I'm going to give you your first task," Orel said to Vil. "Are you ready?"

"You want to give me a task?"

"Yes. I don't have time to waste. So? Are you ready?"

"Yes, Orel, yes! You can count on me, I'll try to do my best. I want you to be happy with me."

"I see you're very energetic," Orel made a sour face. "And whether I'll be happy we'll see later."

Lis returned to the 'Arbor' but he was not alone. He was bringing a girl holding her hand. It was a street dancer and she was beautiful. The friends gasped when seeing her.

"Such a beauty!" Tol exclaimed. "That's something."

Everyone looked at her in admiration. Lis smiled contentedly.

"Do you like her?"

"Of course, we do! Lis, you're a genius!" Orel was delighted. "How did you manage to see her from here?"

"She was dancing prettily," Lis said. "Dance some more for us, okay?"

The girl bowed to them and started dancing, signing a merry song. She had a clear lovely voice and her motions were so nimble that Tol could barely keep himself from joining her. When she finished her song, he was the first to applaud her loudly, started kissing her hands and giving her coins mixed with compliments.

"Tol, leave the girl," Orel said. "She's not for you."

Tol was displeased but left obediently.

"Did you enjoy it, Vil?" Orel turned to Vil.

"Yes," Vil said, "it was wonderful."

"Great!" Orel finished his wine and slammed the glass onto the table. "This is your first task: kill her."

"Wha-at?" Vil rounded his eyes, not understanding.

But the girl understood at once. She was very smart and dashed to the door before they figured out her intent. Perhaps she'd have a chance to escape if not for Lis who was on his guard. He blocked her way and grabbed her wrist. She screamed loudly. He pushed her back into the 'Arbor' and stood at the door. He smiled with satisfaction.

"Shut up!" Orel yelled at her. "Shut up! Or I'll kill you myself!"

The girl got silent, she pressed to the wall.

"No," she whispered. He eyes filled with tears but she composed herself.

Tol looked at her sadly.

"Vil, it's unbearable, do it faster," Enriki hastened him.

"Do what?" Vil's voice shook.

"Do what Orel told you and let's be done with it."

"But I cannot kill her, I cannot!"

"I order you," Orel said quietly and firmly.

"No," the girl said, "don't listen to him, don't!" She covered her ears.

"But how?" Vil whispered. "How can I kill her?"

"Any way you want," Orel answered.

"Better quickly," Tol advised, "not to make her suffer."

"Vil, Vil, don't let me down!" Enriki moaned.

Vil clasped the handle of his knife gingerly. Tears streamed from the girl's eyes, she looked at Vil incessantly. Vil took away his hand, not baring the knife. He didn't move.

"No, I can't," he whispered.

"It is my order," Orel said. "You promised to fulfill my task."

"But it is not a task!" Vil shouted. "She is innocent!"

"So what?" Orel also yelled. "It doesn't matter! You don't need to think if she is innocent or not, it doesn't concern you! You must obey me unquestioningly!"

"But it is not fair," Vil shook his head. "It is not fair! She didn't do any bad to us!"

"Who mentions 'fair' here? It is my order. It is my order and nothing else."

"But it is a stupid order, stupid and cruel, I'm not an executioner. I don't want to kill a defenseless girl on your whim!"

"Didn't you plead with me to take you on the team? Didn't you swear you'd do anything for me and our mutual affair?" Orel got up and walked up to Vil, shook him by his shoulders. "Who was crying to take him in? Who?"

Vil raised his eyes to him.

"I, I was doing all that."

"So what are you fooling around here, disgracing yourself and Enriki who stood for you! He believed in you!" Orel raised Vil forcefully. "Stand up and do what you must!"

Vil obeyed. He got up and walked up to the girl on unbending legs. They stood face to face. She looked at him silently.

"Forgive me," Vil whispered. "Forgive me."

"No," she said. "I'll never forgive you!" Her voice shook but then became firm again. "What they make you do is unforgivable. Don't obey them! You're not like them, you have a heart! Why are you letting them stomp on it?"

"But they are my friends," he could barely say it out.

She laughed, tossing her head back, and wiped away her tears proudly.

"Are they your friends? Can they have friends at all? They don't care about you, Vil!"

"Don't call me Vil!" he screamed in horror. "Don't you dare!" He took out his knife, his lips trembled.

There was fear in her eyes but she controlled herself.

"Fine. Kill me!" She suddenly yanked her corselet baring her chest. Vil shrunk back. The girl started undressing slowly.

Orel looked at Lis in delight, he wanted to say something but Lis nodded to him and pressed his finger to his lips.

Now she stood absolutely naked before them.

"Go ahead," she said. "Kill me. I never had anything, no wealth, no power, no strength, no one who protected me. I had only my life. And you want to take it away. You can do it easily, here I am in front of you, defenseless. You ask me to forgive you but even if I do, can you forgive yourself? If yes, then don't torment me any more, I'm tired." She knelt down and started praying quietly with her hands clasped in front of her chest.

Vil let the knife go and covered his face with his palms. He took a step back, turned to Orel – his face was full of resolution.

"I won't do that, Arel. I'll never obey your order."

"Coward," Enriki whispered.

"Call me whatever you want," Vil sat down. "You're right, Orel, I'm not your man."

"So, you won't kill her," Orel said.

"No," Vil shook his head.

"You want to let her live."

"Yes!"

"And you're going to pay for it."

"I'll do anything, just for her to stay alive! I beg you! Leave her alone! Don't touch her! Let her go, please! I'll pay for her!" Vil squeezed his head. "I'll pay any price for her, just let her go, let her live!"

"Fine," Orel turned to the girl. "Dress and leave. You've won."

She didn't say a word, grabbed her clothes and ran to the door. Lis didn't stop her. Orel came up to Vil and raised Vil's face in his hands.

"Now you see what I mean saying that I'll never be able to trust you completely."

He leaned to Vil, looking straight in his eyes.

"You betrayed me, Vil. Betrayed me for a commoner. For a street girl. She defeated you with her weakness, and together with you she defeated me and them," he looked at his friends.

"I didn't betray you," Vil said, "there was no threat to you. It was just your whim!"

"No," Orel said letting him go. "It was your task. And you flunked it."

"Let it be! But I cannot play with someone else's life! I can't and I don't want to learn to. Killing for amusement is disgusting, Arel, don't you understand that?!"

"Do I look amused? I suffer as much as you do because you're my friend and I love you in my own way and it hurts me that it turned out like that. But you got yourself into a trap."

Orel returned to his place at the table.

"It's all because of your conceit."

"Orel, we have to go," Enriki said carefully.

"Yes," Orel said, "we've spent too much time here. Lis, kill him," he nodded at Vil.

"No!" Vil tried to get up but it was too late.

Lis stuck his knife into Vil's belly. Vil bent and fell down. He wheezed, clasping the wound with his hands; blood poured out of it through his fingers. Lis raised his knife to finish him off.

"No," Orel stopped him abruptly. "Let him die slowly. Let him understand what it means to be sorry – but for himself, not for others."

Vil crawled away from the table and leaned against the wall with difficulty.

Orel got up and gathered his possessions.

"Do you feel good, Vil?" he came up and looked down at him. "That wench would have killed you without hesitating. She's great! I'd take her in, maybe, were she a warrior."

"Why do you do it, Arel?" Vil said quietly; his face was white, he could barely keep from moaning.

"Well, you've paid for everything," Orel said. "Let's go."

"Arel, are you going to leave him like that – to die like a dog?" Enriki asked.

But Orel didn't answer anything. He left the 'Arbor' and the others followed him.

Only Nikto stayed behind and came up to bleeding Vil. He squatted in front of him. His cold grey eyes looked straight in Vil's eyes.

"What do you need, son of the Devil?" Vil whispered. "My soul?"

Nikto smirked.

"Your life, idiot," he said gently and put his hand onto Vil's eyes. When he took his hand away in a few moments, Vil was unconscious.

Nikto took out a piece of paper from his pocket and unclasped the purse from his belt. He put it next to Vil and left, following the others.

After Orel and his friends leave, the street dancer and the owner of the restaurant come back to the 'Arbor'. They take Vil to the doctor whose address Nikto left. The prince and his people don't know about it. They forget Vil quickly.

Squint-Eye comes back with his army; Orel and Lis work out the last details of the invasion they plan to start any day now.

Nikto prepares for the next fight at 'Coliseum'.

They spend nights at 'Backara', drinking and indulging in debauchery, or in Orel's castle, doing the same.

Chapter 21

Orel's Disciplining

They were spending the night in the castle. Tol, Asa, Enriki, Squint-Eye and Nikto played cards at the table in the big hall. Orel was introducing order among his servants and slaves. Their screams periodically reached the players and made Enriki wince.

"How long is it going to continue!" at last he couldn't stand it any more. "Does Orel ever get tired?"

"Never," Lis answered. He smoked without taking the cigarette out of his mouth.

"I'm afraid we might be next," Squint-Eye shook his head. "That's for you," he said to Asa in Unclean and tossed her a card.

Asa hissed and took it. She was losing badly.

Nikto who sat next lazily put out a card for Tol. He leaned back in the chair in relaxation and was playing very sluggishly but managed not to lose even once nevertheless. Tol started warding off in his usual active manner.

The screams of the slaves didn't stop.

After a while Asa lost again. She shrieked madly in Unclean and tossed the pack of cards at Squint-Eye. He answered her just as harshly. Nikto laughed.

"What happened?" Tol asked worriedly. "Nikto, translate for me."