the-domnyom - Ali Saeed (novel24 .TXT) 📗

face, and giving himself some space. However, Rivera narrowed the distance as before, as if it were a piece of iron attracted to a magnet.

Sweat erupted in his spine as he thought Rivera had been hit by one of the vampires' tantrums. But that makes them lose control of themselves. At that moment, coldness crept into his bones.

He forgot that he was surrounded by a whole group of elite vampires.

What would happen if they were like her ? That would be disastrous . LINIAS thought of quick solutions. But the problem, was the maids standing behind him. Sinoria can defend herself.. no. Rivera will tear it to pieces.

I will stop her..but, what about the maids, I can't leave them to their fate . LINIAS' face was completely calm. However, his soul was in utter chaos.

And out of his eyes he looked at Rivera's followers.

 They seemed confused by what was going on, and Gilgamesh seemed the most confused, seemingly absent-minded.

 Then he was relieved, and laughed in his heart at his foolishness. For a moment I think Rivera is different than it used to be. Rivera was not just an ordinary vampire.

She controlled her frenzy, as if it was nothing to her. Now he was certain that what he was thinking could not be true.

 So this is something else.. She wants war as her deputy . He wanted to straighten his seat, but Rivera gave him no room for it. It was almost sticking to his face.

" Rivera , go a little further. You're close." 

Rivera said as if she hadn't heard anything.

" Will there be many? Uh. Of course there will be many.. but will I be the first? No. Please make me the first?" 

" Rivera?..."

.

" And what about Entus ? Will it be the second, the third, or maybe the sixth?" 

-" I don't know what you're talking about? But you'll be the first when that happens. Does that satisfy you?...Go away." 

 Rivera stood up and said:

-"All satisfaction, sir. All satisfaction!"

She laughed happily and said:

"Poor Entus , she will die in rage.. No, my master chose me himself. I smashed her to the ground.. It is a complete victory, just.". And she embraced herself and swayed like a beautiful flower shaken by the wind. She stared at the ceiling with eyes overflowing with happiness and love."

“Does ENTUS want you to do these things?”

Those words pulled Rivera out of her dreams. She turned back to LINIAS and said with a beautiful smile that revealed her sharp fangs:

"Yes, sir, we've been wrestling over this for hundreds of years. But I won the war in the end, uh. I'll be the first!" 

LINIAS didn't care what she was talking about. He thought Entous that she would lead an army to war, and quickly dropped the idea from his head. He would not put Entus so dangerous, this position.

Even the thought that Rivera would fight a war was painful to him. But he had to admit, Rivera was strong and used to these things. However, LINIAS would never allow war or conquest. Of course, this was purely ideas and fantasies to satisfy them.   

Tired of their crazy thoughts, he said:

"Congratulations to you , Rivera ."

Rivera knelt before her master, and said in a soft, sweet voice, full of joy:

" I will honor you, sir! I will never make you regret it, I will be the woman you want to be, no! I will be your faithful servant more than now!"

 

LINIAS closed his eyes to hide the anger he felt from those words. And for a moment he wanted to scream at her about this nonsense she said. Except he wouldn't do it in front of the people in this room, they were more crazy than her, so he decided to do it when he was with her alone.

And he took a deep breath. He opened his eyes to find Rivera shedding profuse tears of joy.

And look at the people around him.

They were staring at Rivera vaggy mouths. Even the maids behind him were no exception. Even Sinoria. It looked as if her brain had stopped working.

Except for Gilgamesh , who was looking at Rivera strangely. It seemed as if his soul had ascended to heaven.

 LINIAS thought that she had gone mad as Entus , who would weep with joy at going to war.

 

And on this mind he sighed from fatigue

- 5 -

LINIAS walked out of Vintos Castle , his scarlet cloak rippling behind him due to his swift steps. He passed through ten statues standing in front of the castle gate. The statues were in the form of knights, three meters tall.

-"She's crazy. They're all crazy. That magic must be the reason? He changed their minds. He made them crazy!" LINIAS was speaking, walking in the pitch-black night alone. For a moment the castle gate opened, and lights leaked from inside. LINIAS turned to her to see someone sticking his head out spying. It was Celine. 

LINIAS snarled : _ 

"I said I don't want anyone to follow me!" Celine shook her head in panic and the gate automatically closed.

The gate opened again. to get someone out. For a moment LINIAS was going to scream, but he fell silent when he saw a man over two meters tall. It was Hicros. LINIAS watched him as he walked towards him and said, stammerly : 

" At last someone who listens to reason and logic." 

Hicros and LINIAS stood staring at each other silently for several seconds. And if someone else was looking at them; He would see nothing in this black darkness but the glow of their eyes that were looking at each other.

- " Hicros . Have you gone crazy like them?!"

Hicros laughed .

" What are you saying, Commander?" The commander's speech made LINIAS regain some of his calm and said: 

"Let's take a walk, Hicros."

They walked silently for a while. Hicros could not stand the silence.

"Is there something wrong, Commander? What is the cause of all this anger?"

"What is this question? Isn't that quite clear?"

"I really don't know what you mean, Commander."

LINIAS exploded in anger.

"They are crazy! Everyone in this castle is crazy!...all of them!"

Hicros, with a sudden shriek, said in confusion :

" Maybe...why? What did they do?"

-"What did they do?! Say what they didn't do. People ask for permission to kill themselves for me. Others ask to become carpets and stairs so that I can walk over them!. Others ask to be punished for not standing respectfully before me!... Some even ask to be flogged for reasons!" Petty.

What nonsense. This castle came out of Hell. It is the den of Satan. They are all masochists!” 

"Calm down, Commander. I've never seen you so upset before."

LINIAS took a few breaths and walked away. Hicros catches up with him and says:

-" Well, I know this sounds strange to you. But... it is expected of them...they see and think that you have made them with your magic, to be of use to you. They truly love you. This is perfectly natural and expected. Are they loyal to you? It's like that, we've talked about it before." 

"Are you making fun of me , Hicros ? Which of these is normal!"

"I never make fun of you. But, I don't think you're just mad at that, are you?"

LINIAS said, rubbing his eyes.

" It's Rivera , Rivera ." 

"What about her? What did you do?"

As if those words were fuel poured directly over the burning embers in LINIAS' chest to explode in rage over Hicros: 

-"She's crazy. I swear she's crazy. She's acting weird, and she's asking me weird, weird things, I'm even ashamed to mention them!!. This isn't Rivera. Like she 's become a Wonder Girl!! Queen of the Night Rivera Nightmare who dominated the continent and brought nightmares and terrors six thousand years ago?!!..No. I don't think, I don't believe it!!. She must have been lying when she told me. In fact, she must have been a guard of the stables at that time!! !".

 Panting , he grabbed Hicros by his white jacket. Hicros was astonished at what he saw. But he remained silent. LINIAS continued to say, starting to regain his composure:

"It must be that ominous magic? I'm absolutely sure of that. Also.. ENTUS .. ENTUS .. ENTUS . " He laughed tiredly and said:

"But this one is more than the word madness itself.. I swear , Hicros, that her madness frightens me.. She looks at me with eyes that do not belong to a living being. As if her eyes were coming from the depths of the graves."

She uses her black magic, to watch me everywhere. Even in my room I see the shadows dancing and I feel them.. the fool. She thinks I don't know she's watching me through the shadows.

Every time I walk, I find her face stuck right behind my head like a terrifying ghost. This makes me anxious...I swear she's going to put her teeth in my neck one day...I can't believe it."

 - "Ha, ha ha ha ha!!". Hicrosburst into laughter. His body shook with laughter. LINIAS said with a sullen face:

-"Laugh. Laugh.. that's just what you like.. did you know I was watching Sirius ?. I pray to God he doesn't go crazy like them. But it was as normal as before.. stop laughing like that.. looks like you're crazy. STOP."

Hicros did not stop laughing, but only shivered. Then, without any reason, LINIAS burst out laughing. They laughed until they staggered and had tears in their eyes.

 After a long laugh, Hicros said solemnly:

" You don't have to keep thinking about this too much, or you'll lose your mind.. Rivera , it's still the same.. But when you're with you it changes completely, if you understand what I mean.. As for Entus ..." 

LINIAS let out a deep sigh.

"Right.. you're right.. I'm almost mad." And he rubbed his eyes.

"What do you mean by masochists, Commander?"

-"Uh. It means people who like to feel pain and torture. But.. I don't know the correct name for it. Maybe masochists or masochists, I honestly don't know." 

"I understand... where do you want to go? Do you want to go back to the castle?"

You mean the den of the madmen. LINIAS pointed to the fire burning away. And he said : 

" I want to go there. Have you been there before?" . 

Hicros said :

"No. I have never been to the settlement."

- "The settlement? Is that what you call it? Well, let's hope they don't throw stones at us when you see us."

Hicros said, confused.

-"They throw stones at us? Why is that? They should be thankful for you first. Secondly I won't allow it." LINIAS raised his hand to make Hicros stop talking .

"Hear me well, Hicros. Don't do anything to them what they did.. also.. they should be thankful to you, not to me. I have done nothing to them, and answer your question. People have always thrown stones at their corrupt rulers. Are we not their rulers now?" This is the history that I know."

"I've never heard of such a thing. Did Sirius or Rivera tell you about this, Commander?"

"No. I know that very well now. Anyway... I tell you not to do anything to them. Also, I need to see some things with my own eyes, for no one who hears is like one who saw with his own eyes." 

Hicros replied :

- " Concept". 

- " What would you like to say about Entus now?”

Hicros stared at LINIAS for a long time, then let out a heavy sigh.

" Nothing. You're right, she has a problem." And he stared back at LINIAS, as if he wanted to convey an idea with his eyes. But. Hicros knew that LINIAS would get very stupid about these things. Or rather, he never imagined, that Entus, could hold him the feelings of a woman's love for a man. 

-"What's wrong? Is there something?"

"No, nothing. Let's go, Commander." And they walked in the dark of the night.

 

- 6 -

The settlement looked like a slum in hell.

 Messy wooden houses with worn-out fabric doors, which have lost their original color for a while, giving the feeling that they will fall off with a touch. Stone houses half missing, ready to fall at any moment. Tents made of animal skins. Houses with four columns embedded in the ground in the form of a square, and above them many branches. 

Pools of black smelly water everywhere. Mosquitoes and insects of all shapes, floating about like clouds. The ground is wet and muddy as swamps.

 But even so. It