Глава 10

But Harmo...

Captain Harmo gave his life.

I'm in charge now.

Listen. We have to start the train immediately after we interrupt their shelling.

If I fall, then it's down to the next one—even if just one man's left in the end, we have to get him out of here!

I think this door's almost a lost cause, isn't it?

Commander, we'll hold them off!

Don't. You can't.

Ha, ha... you think we don't know that, Rhodes Islander?

Men of the 13th, with me!

Hey, you're running backwards! Don't be daft—

The—The door's down!

Shoot, shoot! Blow 'em up! Everyone go! We're taking that monster down with us!

Ugh... uaargh—!

He's... here.

The smoke clears, and a figure emerges from the end of the jet-black tunnel.

This monster brandishes no claws, has no twisted limbs, bears no sharp fangs nor keen incisors, nor grows any extraneous feelers.

He seems like nothing more than a young noble whose picture could be in the papers, one who'd speak frankly about Londinium's political and economical situation.

If only... the ground below his feet was not soaked in fresh blood.

What a terrible smell. Your men fight rather too dirty.

Monster...

Don't... Don't you think of getting near the commander...

M—My hand? Nothing even touched—agh!

Hah... now, this scent's much cozier.

I wouldn't mind... using the only thing of worth in your bodies to give the floor a wash.

The vampire airily lifts a finger, as if holding up a crystal chalice, or following the pulse of a piece of music.

The shadows leap up from beneath him, latching onto the soldiers' bodies, winding about their limbs.

What chilling screams follow are drowned entirely under the liquid that bursts forth.

The concentrated iron reek boring into nasal cavities. Bright red overflowing wherever one looks.

This is the instant the people stood at the tunnel's other end realize...

What chased them was no shadow at all. It was running blood, as thick as could be.

Is this... how Warfarin and Closure used to look?

That's the first thing that pops into your mind?!

Well, what the hell do you want me to think? It's better than being stark terrified, innit?

Run! Run like hell!

Where is the 'King of Sarkaz?'

What are you—

I come so far, go to all this trouble for an audience with her, and she cowers behind you frail little creatures, not even daring to meet me?

Agh—!

...Amiya.

He's here for Amiya.

You mean that King whatever he said? You're sure that's Amiya? Isn't Amiya a Cautus?

Forget it, it's not important.

But Amiya's not here...

That's good.

Um, fair. Even she might not cope best with this monster of a thing.

Wonder if her and the Doctor've almost won... *sigh* What am I thinking? Even if they can shut the city artillery down, we're about to be torn to scraps here.

Vina, what's our plan?

Run.

I don't want to... and I CAN'T die here.

So run, Vina.

Run into the darkness before you. Don't think.

These tunnels will take you anywhere you wish to go.

We can't keep this deadlock up anymore.

Doctor, step back.

I'm going to condense stronger energy. I have to defeat Manfred as quickly as possible.

No.

Doctor, please trust me. I've matured a lot since the last time I removed my inhibitors.

I knew I wouldn't let myself fall, just as we entered Londinium.

He's hoping you'll do this.

Ugh... his energy is densifying! It's like... like a net, from head, to toe... it's everywhere!

The air's... full of invisible Originium crystals! He's scattering them as beacons for his attacks!

No wonder! It's like invisible drones are throwing bombs all about!

Mr. Feist, you and Closure have to get away... if you get caught up, there'll be nowhere to hide!

You can use more strength than that, Cautus.

I'm forcing my Arts... against this energy flow...

Savor it. I formed this cage myself.

Am I less able to shake it... the more I struggle?

Cautus, you said my mind wasn't set on this battle with you. You were only half correct.

I'll deliver you bound before Her Majesty. The Sarkaz in Londinium... are loath to see an outblood flaunting her borrowed power from the King.

I can't, and I don't want to command them.

Of course you can't.

But they shouldn't be commanded by Theresis either.

When I stayed in Kazdel, I saw so many Sarkaz warriors. Plenty of them were mercenaries. After that, at Chernobog... I met them again.

Even when they were being exploited by Talulah, at least they knew who their enemy in each battle was, and knew they were giving up their lives for a future.

But now? You've trapped them inside a foreign city. Ever since the moment I came, I've sensed their frustration, their anxiety, their bewilderment...

You read my warriors' emotions?

The net's... tightening? Are you angry?

Cautus, has anyone ever told you you're too conceited? You're no more than an Infected. You've never experienced for yourself what truly constitutes a Sarkaz life.

You simply sit on the side and watch. What makes you think you can truly comprehend our pain, our resentment?!

It's true, I might not be able to comprehend.

But... the fire that blazes in your hearts, it's burned since the distant past into the present, from the first razing of Kazdel to today in Londinium, and even now, it's still within me.

It burns. It burns incomparably true, truer than any illusion that words or Arts could conjure.

Say your piece as you please, Infected.

I know how this power of yours originates.

Once a lie is spun, it will not be any less of a lie, no matter how convinced the liar is of it.

Sarkaz, Infected...

No matter how you identify each one of us, we're all just ordinary people wanting to live through the unjust circumstances we're put in.

But Theresis has brought everyone into a hopeless war—look at the Victorian dukes' armies outside the city.

All it takes is for them to point their lances the same way—it could be Kazdel, it could be Londinium, but all that awaits the Sarkaz then is ruin.

No matter what you're using to spur them on—bloodlines, authority, renown... it's those that are the total lies!

When did you reform your energy and make some scant space?

I was not wrong, Cautus.

—You are very dangerous.

Your power, your speech... It may be unable to shake our mightiest soldiers, but it certainly brings our enemies the delusion of hope. I don't want them struggling any further.

You have no choice but to stop here. I won't ever let you enter this city again—

But I will crush flat this cage of yours!

Cage? I'm not even sure it lives up to that.

Huh...?

Someone's altering the density of my Arts?