"Константин Бояндин. The Guardian ("Истории Ралиона") " - читать интересную книгу автора

Murti's grove and go away with it !" She searched the grove for some time
and found nothing. Nlaminer waited while she prayed briefly to Murti and
then left the dead grove.
"The more I see here," Nlaminer added, "The more I think this place is
accursed."
"You are right," Rhissa nodded. "And we should be very, very careful
now."
Stepping carefully, the two of them entered the dark and sinister inner
yard of the lighthouse.

* * *

Nlaminer cast the spell of warning, but nothing, nothing was around.
After they had walked a bit around the main building, Nlaminer offered to
search other buildings, hidden inside the outer wall.
"It is unlikely we find something here," he indicated, "So let's browse
through these rooms first. We have no weapons, no tools. Before we enter the
lighthouse," and he pointed at a formidable iron door that blocked the
entrance into the lighthouse, "we should find some equipment."
Rhissa nodded and they left for different doors. All were ajar, no
sounds except for the whining wind came out of them. If some danger was
hidden in the lighthouse, it lurked somewhere deeper.

* * *

Nlaminer did only superficial searching. His thoughts were far away, in
the day and place they first met, in the depth of Wasteland dungeons, under
the barren and lifeless surface of the devastated island.
...He lost all three companions when a flock of blood hawks, terrible
vampire birds, attacked them by surprise. Only Nlaminer, with his superior
unarmed combat skills, smashed three of the lightning-quick birds and got
away with no more than a scratch.
His three friends, though, were ripped to pieces in several blinks of
an eye and before the hungry monstrosities were off for him again, Nlaminer
was forced to flee, with sharp cries of the blood hawks following him close.
He jumped into an old passage, closed the squeaky door after him and sat for
a moment to think how he would find his way back.
Tears did not come, though Nlaminer grieved very much; Marrkes race
never exposed their feelings in this way. In any case, they always were
aware of death that can come in any moment. This dangerous journey was a
great risk and they had lost. The only thing he could do was to find the
remnants and bury them.
That meant he would confront the birds again. He walked through
deserted streets of underworld city for some time, then crawled into some
room, set up his protection spells and lay to sleep. His powers were very
depleted, and now, alone and lost in the deep maze, he had no other choice
than to hide and crawl. These dungeons did not forgive the mistakes.

* * *