Dark Lord. Book One

Dark Lord. Book One
Рамиль Латыпов

There is a lot of magic in this world. But I’m weak and clumsy. My father doesn’t help me with the fields. But I’m not discouraged. There will be magical beasts and magicians in the book. Magical races and lots of adventures. As always in my books.

Dark Lord

Book One

Рамиль Латыпов

© Рамиль Латыпов, 2022

ISBN 978-5-0056-2258-7 (т. 1)

ISBN 978-5-0056-2259-4

Создано в интеллектуальной издательской системе Ridero

Chapter 1: Life in a Magical Village

What a beautiful summer day today. Ivor and I are thirteen years old. My whole life is ahead of me. My small village «Likhovia», is located in the middle of nowhere. And I really like it. Although taxes have been raised, but you can still live. After all, there is a forest nearby and there are a lot of animals in it. Although there are enough magical beasts. The village chief meets once a month in the city and announces the extermination of them to the Adventurers ' guild. They come, so beautiful in armor and armor. Sometimes mages with staffs. So strong, they kill all animals with magic. Even rain is called when it is necessary. I don’t have time to do that. There is very little magic. They test kids for talent. They buy out the most talented students. So my two friends Irinka and Mark were taken away. My dad Eliot is a half-elf like my mom Irina koshkolyudka died a year ago from the clutches of the count’s pet griffin, and he started drinking. It’s hard for him to be alone with me. But he doesn’t want another woman, and who’s going to go after a drunkard now? Well, at least I have a talent for hunting and gathering. We live on them. I also help in the field. We have bull Sense. Nice, affectionate, carries heavy loads. It would have been very bad without him. While I sit near the house and cook onions, local bullies came.

– Look, the drunk’s son is going to the forest. Let the animals kill him in the forest, and we’ll eat his bull. They say the wizard raccoon is raging again. That’s the monster. Elf ears and cat ears. Four-eared. – Said the dirty-looking fourteen-year-old Temyan, nicknamed «Big Root», the son of the village headman Oleg. «Throw it at the ragamuffin. He likes it anyway. – And as always, five kids, three boys and two girls about the same age, started throwing dirt and rocks at me. I’ve tried to fight them before. But I always lost. They won by numbers. So I started ignoring them. Five minutes passed. I was covered in mud and abrasions and the leader said. «Stop wasting your time on this scum and let’s move on. «And they left. And the ears help me in hunting with them you can hear better. And Thyme didn’t like me, because I’m pretty and girls like me. And I will live much longer than he is a human. I stuck out my tongue.

I dusted it off, of course. Healed with recovery magic. He walked briskly into the woods. My father is sleeping in the hayloft after last night’s drinking. As soon as he wakes up, he doesn’t start eating. And if I don’t find something for him, I’ll be worse off. The butt from his belt still hadn’t healed from the last time. In order to cure him of his drunkenness, I went to the local witch Terimuska. But all to no avail. Herbs and medicines don’t help. He’s a good man when he’s sober. He teaches me how to cultivate the land. He taught me how to shoot with a bow. He’s very good at recovery magic. But as soon as he drinks it, it’s like a demon takes over. He wants to fight. To the neighbor lonely Elena sticks. She’s already got a lot of problems. My husband and son were eaten by a magical lion six months ago. She doesn’t care about us. She has debts. She is kind. He gives me milk and tea, feeds me homemade cookies. I sometimes give her the skins in return. She makes toys out of them, sells them in the bazaar in the city of Kau. That’s how it survives. If my father hadn’t been drinking, I would have been my second mother. But where there.

Many people greeted me on the way. They wished me luck. We have a peaceful village. Poor people are our problem. Taxes were raised. I walked for a long time, about an hour, until I got deep into the forest. It’s dark out there. Just another day. I checked the snares and traps. So little things like squirrels and martens. We need to find some big game. Tax day is coming up. I’ll give you the skin of a large animal, they’ll leave us a month behind. I listened, and it was quiet. What is. Where there are birds or animals. He hid behind a tree stump and waited. In the distance I hear the trees bend. A big one is coming, even too big. I took a closer look. A large magic raccoon five meters long. Well, if he sees everything, he’ll eat it right away. He began to bury himself in mud. Maybe it will help. Buried all the good earth is loose after the rain. Left only the mouth and eyes of the rest in the ground. He held his breath. But the beast, sniffing, comes towards me. It’s scary, but you can’t be afraid. «Magical beasts can smell your fear,» is what my father always says when he’s sober. He used to be a great hunter. Here in the village I am respected, almost by everyone.

The face of a terrible beast prowls the ground. The creature sniffs. He moves his nose. Saliva and blood flow from the bloody mouth. Who did you eat, creature? Here it is above me. Well, that’s it. Goodbye my friends, goodbye father, goodbye Elena. Maybe it will be better without me. I’m just a peasant in the middle of nowhere. This is how my life will end.

The sound of bowstrings being pulled, I can’t mistake it for anything else. The arrow flies and it crashes into the raccoon’s face. The deafening cry of the beast. But you can’t kill him that easily. It rips up the ground, grazing me as well. Large wounds all over my body. A second, third arrow and the beast falls dead to the ground.

«There’s a kid all hurt. A pleasant female voice says. She came over. Beautiful aunt. It looks like a demon with small horns and short red hair. Dressed in red armor. Young, no more than twenty years old. You can’t tell by the demons, though. They can live forever. Well, neither am I a quarter elf.

«Leave him alone, Elsa, he’s a village kid. It’s second-level. Don’t waste your time and potions on him. We did the job. Now let’s go. A rough male voice said.

«No, Zaire, I’ll help him. See how beautiful it is. He will become a man, he will be a handsome man at all. She doused me with a recovery potion and kissed me on the forehead, saying. «When you grow up, find me. – And calmly left.

I lay there for a long time. After all, when I woke up, it was night. There was no one around, just the carcass of a golden deer and a gold coin. She must have left it. But who they were. I didn’t bother to find out, so I took the carcass on my shoulder, put the coin in the sole of my shoe, and ran home.

«Where have you been, kid?» I want to eat, but I’m not a piggy at home. My father said, looking terribly hungover.

«I went hunting, you see. I have to pay the tax tomorrow. Here, eat some nuts and cook some protein. I tossed three squirrels on the table.«I have to clean the carcass.» We’ll give you the skin. That’s enough for a month. And please don’t spoil the skins, Dad, I’ll give them to my neighbor Elena. It’s hard for her, too.

«Shut up, brat. I’m your dad. And you decided to teach me. I’m smarter than you. You’re still a brat. If your mother were still alive, she would teach you a lesson. «My mother loved me and didn’t beat me. «Your mother.» Then he sat down on the bench and began to cry.

I realized that everything was useless. I cooked the protein on the fire. I fed my father. And he began to clean the deer skin himself. Well, at least Dad remembered Mom today. I didn’t beat him, though. I’m going to work in the fields again tomorrow.

Morning. How nice it is to get up at four in the morning and go to work in the fields after spending the whole night cleaning a deer skin. But I’m not used to complaining. So I worked the land until noon. We planted sugar beets. Then they sold it to the local count. He makes sugar out of it for princes and nobles. We are paid a penny that Dad drinks. But thank you for that, too. I know of no other life. So I clean up the weeds. I went home at lunchtime. We need to pay the tax. The taxman came in on time, beast.

«Anyone in the house?» – Why does he ask if he comes in without knocking? Merun is the taxman of Count Tulia. A wolfman with the manners of a bulldog. Likes debtors to be eaten by dogs. But he won’t get it tonight, bitch.

«Good afternoon, Mr. Merun. Come and sit down. Would you like some tea?» The best in town. I said in my sweetest voice. He’s rumored to love boys. So when you talk to him gently with your cane, it doesn’t hit him in the face or back.

– no. Where’s your folder?»

«He works in the fields. You know everything for the count. All for the country. «Pop’s sleeping in the hayloft with a bottle in his arms.

«That’s good. You know, he used to be a good hunter. Even the best. It’s a pity that this happened to your mother. «He’s not sorry. That’s how to smile, you stinky bastard. «The Count didn’t feed Lyon for two days afterwards. He punished me with a stick and beat me. But let’s not talk about it. Did you prepare the tax?

– Yes, about the most beautiful Merun. I was so disgusted by his smile, but there was nothing to do. I put the deer skin on the table. – Clean and fresh. For two months the taxes will definitely be enough, O most beautiful of men.

«Let’s see. – He liked the praise, even licked his lips a little. An abomination. He fiddled with the skin for a long time, then said.«Okay, two months is two months. I can’t say no to such blue eyes. Bye kid. Grow up a little. Maybe you’ll stay with me. «He took the skin and left. Well, at least I won’t see him for two months, and that’s fine. It is necessary to call my father to the table. But first I’ll stop by my neighbor’s house. Give the skins and drink tea with milk and cookies.

«Anyone home?» – Knocking on the gate of my neighbor Elena’s house, I said.

«And my neighbor Ivor, come in, my boy. She opened the door and let me in. Her place was always clean and smelled like cookies. Don’t know. But I really liked her. I wish she was my mom.

«I’ve brought you some animal skins. And here are a few berries, nuts and medicinal herbs. – We were sitting at her table with tea and ginger cookies.

«Oh, that’s good. I’ll need them. The taxman came and made a lot of money, which I wouldn’t have done without you. She looked at me very strangely. I didn’t like it. She patted my head, but not like my mom.

«You know, Aunt Elena, that I treat you like a mother. It’s a pity that my father doesn’t stop drinking. Otherwise I’d be your husband.» At my words, she took her hand away. His eyes grew serious.

«I’ll never marry him.» He’s bad. He molested me. Barely got away with a hoe. But you’re a good boy. Don’t worry. You’re like a son to me. But it’s just that you’re very good-looking, and you’re getting a little carried away. And you drink the tea, otherwise it will get cold. And look at my toys. Like it or not? She took out a few toys made from my pelts. Squirrels in fancy clothes. Some played the flute, some played the drums. Some of them have wooden swords in their hands. I really liked her toys. In the city, they were highly valued and paid a silver coin apiece. – Do you have a girl?“ I choked on the question. „You’re a good boy. I guess there’s someone out there?

«No, Aunt Elena, there is no one. Because I don’t have time for this. After you, I’ll feed my father and go to the forest for new skins.

«Oh, I forgot, here’s your share. She placed three silver coins on the table.

«No, you don’t have to. I have enough money. And if my father finds out that I have money, he will drink it (I hid the coin. One gold piece is one hundred silver pieces, and one silver piece is one hundred copper pieces). You’d better keep it for now. I gave a good hide to the taxman. There will be no taxes for two months. When I go to the city, you’ll give it to me in three days. I need a new saw and some good arrows. Maybe the onion is new. This one’s too bad.»

«Okay, neighbor. I’ll keep your coins for myself. You come by my place in the evenings. I’ll keep you warm.» Like a mom, just like a mom. – Of course I’ll never go to her house tonight.

After finishing my tea, I ran to my father, who was sleeping with an empty bottle in his arms. We ate deer meat and some sorrel soup. Then he went into the city to carouse further. I was sitting on the bench by the entrance again, cleaning my bow and arrow.

«That fool’s going into the woods again. Shaggy stuffed animal. The folder is going on a drinking spree again. A drunk. Maybe he’ll get drunk already. My dad had his eye on your bull for a long time. We’ll send you to an orphanage as a fool. There such fools will quickly be put in their place. The truth of Mirka.

«Yes, it’s true —" said a little girl of about six with no teeth, freckles, and black hair. «He’s dufak yefe thoth.

«That’s right. Throw yourself at him, boys. «More dirt and rocks were thrown at me. True, I didn’t hear much. It was more of a show-off. I usually didn’t pay attention. «He’s had enough for one day. We’ll come back tomorrow and do some more work. A four-eared freak. «And be quiet. «Beautiful bastard. And he will live a long time. Magic isn’t what I am.

I stuck out my tongue as usual when they were gone. But it’s time for me to go hunting, too. The forest is loud as usual. Lots of forest creatures and birds. I examined the traps. All the little things again. Nothing serious. And where are the adventurers from yesterday? I went on quietly for ten minutes and then I heard voices in the distance. He hid behind a tree and a bush.

«I don’t think we’ll find him.» We went through the whole forest. Yesterday’s gruff male voice was saying.

«Don’t despair, Uncle Zaire, we did kill such a beast yesterday. I got a huge reward for it. An unfamiliar male mawkish voice said. I sat up to look. The owner of the voice was a thin elf who looked to be in his late twenties. But you don’t know their exact age.

«You’re messing around again, Rudy. We’re here to find this lord. A young demon with red hair said. Very beautiful. I didn’t get a good look at it yesterday. Now I’m admiring it to the fullest. There was no armor, just a light shirt and leather pants. How slender she is.