"John Dalmas - Yngling 4 - The Yngling in Yamato" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dalmas John)

Aibek looked up immediately in alarm. Overhead, at some uncertain distance, an object shone like a brilliant
oval moon.
His shout came unbidden from his throat, at the same moment as the other guards, and as he stared, it
seemed that the glowing object was slowly lowering. Then two bright fingers of light speared down from it, focusing
on the tent of the khan, and at once Aibek's skin rucked with chills. It was all he could do not to duck inside to
hide. Other shouts followed, as men emerged sleepily from tents and looked upward. They stood transfixed, no
one drawing a sword or stringing a bow, for surely this was a very powerful god, perhaps even great Tengri
himself.
Finally, a short stone cast overhead, it stopped. And spoke! Then Aibek knew fear beyond imagining, his knees
quaking so that he almost fell. He was aware of the khan standing beside him now in his sleeping robe.
"KAIDU!" called the glowing god, much louder than necessary. "I AM THE NORTHMAN, COME TO
SEE MY ANDA, ACHIKH! BRING HIM OUT TO ME!"
Aibek remembered the Northman, a giant wizard, hugely muscled. He'd been impressed then. But now, to
see his true form!...
Kaidu called out that Achikh be brought forth. Haifa minute later, the Mongol veteran stumbled into the light,
impelled by a guard. Achikh's neck was bent from the yoke he wore, and his hands were tied to it, as they always
were at night.
"IS THIS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MY ANDA? YOUR BROTHER?"
Kaidu's voice cracked, but he answered. "He drew his sword in rny ger, which is against the yassa, and killed a
man there,
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the Chinese ambassador, which is also against the yassa. The law called for his death. I have spared him."
"YOU LIE TO ME! YOU COULD HAVE EXILED HIM! I WARNED YOU ABOUT THE CHINESE
AMBASSADOR. HE WAS AN EVIL WIZARD, WHO'D COME TO YOU ONLY TO BEGIN THE
ENSLAVEMENT OF THE BURIAT. ACHIKH DID THE BURIAT AND ITS KHAN A GREAT FAVOR BY
KILLING HIM, BUT AFTERWARD YOU WELCOMED ANOTHER CHINESE VIPER TO YOUR
BREAST, A NEW AMBASSADOR. DO YOU STILL HOPE TO ALLY YOURSELF WITH THE
EMPEROR?"
Kaidu gathered himself in defiance. Squinting upward against the light, he called, "I have already allied
myself with him."
"AH, KAIDU! MISGUIDED KAIDU! YOUR ALL-POWERFUL ALLY DIED IN HIS PALACE
LAST MORNING AT DAYBREAK, ALONG WITH HIS TROLLS AND MOST OF HIS CIRCLE OF POWER.
THEIR BLOOD SPRAYED THE WALLS, AND RAN ACROSS THE FLOOR LIKE A RIVER!
"NOW! FREE ACHIKH!"
The khan stared a long moment, then turned to the keeper. "Free him," he husked. The man slashed the thongs that
held Achikh's hands, then drew the pins that held his head enyoked. His torso bare, Achikh stood like some mythical
mountain troll, his thick body knotted and sinewy, his neck and back crooked. He had to twist and look sideways to
see the glowing god above them.
"EVERYONE BUT ACHIKH AND KAIDU! FLAT ON YOUR BELLY NOW, THAT YOU DO NOT SEE
THAT WHICH MIGHT BLAST YOUR SOUL FOREVER!"
Aibek dropped on his belly without hesitating, wrapping his arms around his head that no light should get in.
Only Kaidu, with Achikh, remained standing. He'd known the Northman was a powerful wizard, but he'd
never imagined such power as this. The glowing light settled to the ground, and now he could see what form it had. In
shape it was somewhat like an oblong ger, but smooth as steel. It had stubby legs to
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stand on, and a stalk stuck out the top. Two great eyes stood out on shorter stalks; it was from them that the fingers of light
came. It settled on its feet with a hiss.
"Achikh, come here." The voice was softer now, but still not truly human. Kaidu saw Achikh walk toward it, unfaltering,
and wondered if he could have done as well himself. He saw a mouth open in the side-no, a kind of door!-and the giant
Northman stepped out. Perhaps not a god then, but a magical vessel. The Northman helped Achikh into it, then turned and