Gaselirot: The investigation - part 11 (1)

Ivan got up from the bed, put Barsik aside, and staggered, with barely open eyes, dressed and went out into the corridor. Merion was already there, as if waiting for him to appear.

-Hello, Ivan, master of Dosia told me to tell you that today you were ready to intensive training. Merion said.

- Enhanced?! Ivan exclaimed in surprise.

"And this yesterday was not yet enhanced training?! It seems to me that I will not live to see the sunset today..."

"All right, let's go, you need to get enough." Merion prompted.

-Yeah... - he Responded to Ivan and walked after him.

Ivan went down to the dining room and joined Tuli and Resh at the table.

- Hello, Ivan! Tullius said loudly.

"Hello," Resch said.

- Aha, hi... - Ivan answered listlessly.

"You're a bit broken, like a squeezed lemon!" Tullius taunted and nudged Ivan.

-Yesterday, after training, I could barely stand on my feet, and today I have more intensive classes... Ivan moaned, lowering his head to the table.

"Oh, I don't envy you... Tullius encouraged, with a slight smile.

"I'm so hopeful, so hopeful..." Ivan muttered under his breath.

"Ha-ha, Oh, that cryon again..." said Tullius, looking back at the red-haired bully. "And why does he always look at you like that?"

"I don't know... He's always so grumpy - replied Ivan, looking at kriona, evil looking at him.

So Ivan was sated and went to training.

"Damn it! I can never make this thing become more than a spark! - cursed Ivan looking at his hand.

"You still can't concentrate!" With this move, you won't be able to become a mage at all! - scolded his Dusia.

"I already know! Damn... - shouted Ivan getting up again in a magical stance for the shot fire.

Ivan's hand glowed slightly, and at last a little fire came out of it. Not just a spark, but a real light! It flew a short distance and went out.

"Hooray! - Ivan was happy about this seemingly simple event. "It worked!"

"That's something... - lowered the head of Dusia from exhaustion. "My mana is coming to an end... It's time to go back.

- Yes, teacher!

In the office Dutiea Ivan tried to learn writing system of this world.

"Here, look at this word. It means "conjure"

-Only 3 characters?! But why?.. Shouldn't there be six written symbols at once?

- No! What did you learn?! Here, look: the first symbol means "use", then "Mana" and finally "spirit" and what's so complicated about it?

"Ah, well, if you look at it that way... How difficult it is! Ivan moaned almost in tears.

- Woe is the disciple... said, looking at it simply through the eyes of Dosia.

Resting after training and learning the writing of this world, Ivan, along with the knight Zagok and the hare-filletar Barsik, passed along the houses in a residential area. Ivan was thinking of his own. "How boring... And what do people do here in their free time? He can walk around the blocks... Precisely! I've hardly been anywhere here! You need to view the structure so that you don't get lost yourself! What do... Where should I start? I don't know the least about the shopping district, which is probably where I'm going now." Ivan had already changed his direction towards the gate to the stairs to the shopping district. After passing through them with the help of the Eruon sign, they were already standing in front of a lot of shops and passers-by. Every now and then animal ears and tails flashed everywhere, and even various kinds of fantasy fads. Ivan tried to squeeze through all this huge hype and at one point was finally able to get into one of the more or less empty alleys. " Hmm... And where I am now... We need to look around and see where we can Orient ourselves. I'll go to the left."

"Sir, maybe we should stay on the busier streets." asked Sagok, looking around.

"Don't worry, I don't think anyone will attack a man accompanied by a knight in broad daylight. - Ivan answered, passing between the houses into another alley.

But they can surround us, after all this is their territory, and my sword is not suitable for use in such narrow locations, if something happens, I am unlikely to be useful as well. - again concerned about Sagok.

-Ha - ha, I still have this blade-Ivan tapped on the scabbard on his leg and smiled - I can at least scare them, and with me the teachings of uncle Duzei, I can test my magic in action.

-I hope You know what you're doing... "what is it?" said the knight, but he was still alert, looking in all directions, trying to catch any movement.

Ivan walked on and on, never stopping until he came to a certain place... Here the houses were replaced by broken fences and small mounds of garbage. It was a transition to a squalid zone, a slum. Ivan looked straight into this other world. "He spoke about the ban on entering here... No, I shouldn't be in a hole like this... We need to get out of here..."

"All right, we'll go the other way. Ivan muttered and turned around.

- Huh... the knight gasped and followed Ivan.

The group had already moved a few meters away, but a sharp and unpleasant cry was heard. A child's exhausted moan. There was pain and a plea for help. Ivan could clearly hear the notes of crying in this sound. "What horror... I never thought I'd hear this... God, I hope I didn't hear you... I have to check it out." Ivan turned on the spot and with a quick step, almost breaking into a run, headed in the direction from which the scream was heard.

"Master?" Don't tell me you're going to go to the slums... " the knight clearly didn't like Ivan's idea.

"Yes, if I can't even help that child who is so obviously begging for salvation, what kind of man am I?" - asked a rhetorical question, Ivan.

-You... You're too cocky... Sagok shook his head and headed for Ivan.

Squeezing through the debris they found themselves in narrow streets and continued to go to the sounds that became more and more muffled. Coming to a small area, Ivan and the knight behind him opened a disgusting picture of the beating of a small boy. A large man was striking a child lying on a dirty stone slab, his muscles rippling under his skin, playing in the sunlight. Poor child, with a mean of thirteen, also looked very emaciated and it was obvious by the bruising and bags under that it has many times beaten, reflecting patches of light brown eyes, alwayshas tears faded and short dark brown hair. Another kick in the stomach threw the small, fragile body to the side and blood from the mouth and nose spread on the cold stone pavement. Time after time, again and again. This brutal beating that was happening in front of Ivan began to anger him and he could not restrain himself.

"Hey, you bitch! - Ivan shouted everything that boiled in his head and rushed from the place raising his fist in the air for a blow.

The man, who did not expect to be attacked, did not have time to jump back in time and Dodge felt the pain from the punch on his face. His face contorted in surprise.

"What the fuck are you?" I didn't cross anyone! Maybe we'll pay... - the man smiled, holding his hand to his cheek, seeing the knight with a sword behind Ivan.

"You think we can make a deal?"! Ivan shouted in anger, glancing at the beaten boy lying there bleeding.

"Huh?" Are you here for this stuff?! He's just an orphan from the slums! You forget about this beast! There are still many poor people on the streets, but leave this one to me. - tried to justify the man with a grin, it seems that he thought that everything was already in his hands.

"You can't just walk away, you freak!" Ivan snapped.

"Hell, I meant well. The man finished his sentence and pulled his knife from behind his back.

Ivan took the dagger out of its scabbard, and the knight was left with his bare hands, because the sword would have just stuck in the wall when it hit, while Barsik stood ready at the side of the whole mess. The man was the first to strike and hit Ivan's hand directly, causing it to pull back and the dagger missed the target. Fortunately, the armor saved from a cut hand. The man kicked Ivan on the Shin and was able to jump back, increasing the distance between himself and the target. Ivan didn't like the change in distance, but a second later he was smiling. The man with the knife couldn't make sense of Ivan's expression. The knight stood behind him to come to the support in time. However, Ivan no longer needed help. He reached out and released the fireball. The man immediately tried to cover himself with his hands and jump away, but the light quickly went out and the blade of a dagger flew straight at his leg. Ivan stabbed his opponent's thigh, then yanked the blade out and pointed it toward his chest, while the man in pain opened access for the blow. Hit in the lung. The enemy fell to the flagstones, choking on his own blood, and soon let out a final wheeze. "And another murder... I'm getting used to this damn thing... The shoddy world and its people are changing my character... I hope the boy is still alive" after catching his breath, Ivan went to the lying beaten child. Leaning over him, Ivan spoke softly.

"Hey, boy, are you all right?" Ivan asked.

"Don't hit me!" I'll pay you back! Please forgive me! - moaned the boy covering his face with his hands.

- Don't be afraid, I saved you, he won't come back... - Ivan began to calm the child.

"W-really?" the boy stammered.

"Yes, I talked to him.

"W-who are You?" You want money? the boy lowered his hands to see my face.

"Ha, ha!" No, I just saved a little life... I did what I had to do.

-Not understand... Unfortunately, I have no money... But I will try to repay You, I will do whatever you want! the boy shifted to his knees and pressed his forehead against the flagstone.

"I don't need it... Ivan tried to refuse.

"Please don't reject my offer!" I don't want to be proper! the boy's hands trembled slightly.

-QA... okay, fine. Then show me around! Ivan smiled slightly and offered to pay for a tour of the slums.

- Yes! Please follow me. I'll show you my house. - with a happy smile, the boy said and limped off into the old streets.

"Of course!

The knight, who had been standing idle until that moment, followed the two. Passing mounds of garbage and torn tents with poor people in ragged clothes, the group came to a small shed. It wasn't very dark inside, because the holes in the ceiling let in light. There were a lot of scattered wood and a few pieces of cloth on the ground.

"This is where I live... Of course there is and... - Began to tell a boy.

But Ivan had already gone inside the shed and immediately tripped on a stretched rope, falling straight to the hard ground. He felt something land on his back and wrap its arms around his neck. Also, his Adam's Apple felt a cold blade. Barsik was thrown off and now furiously tried to scratch the offender. The knight behind Ivan immediately drew his sword and raised it in the air with a quick wave of his hand, but the rope fell on his neck and almost instantly tightened. The sword knocked the blow to the hand and pushed Sagara on the floor.

"Admit it, you bastards!" These bouncers sent you!? the attacker shouted in his high-pitched voice.

"Damn it! How could I have been caught like this? We need to think of something urgently..." But his thoughts were interrupted by the boy's cry.

"Stop!" It's not what you think! They saved me! Your own! the boy they had saved from being beaten was shouting.

"Your own?" - the attackers were alarmed and the one who was on Ivan loosened his grip and got down.

Ivan got to his feet and turned around. The rope fell from the knight's neck and he was able to breathe again. He gulped air, rubbing his neck. Ivan was able to see those who just a few seconds ago threatened him with a knife at the neck. It was a small boy of about twelve years old in the same ragged clothes as the boy Ivan had rescued. The blond one with gray eyes that expressed nothing but anger and anger, and the second one standing next to the knight had jet-black long hair and dark green eyes that seemed to be a deep abyss, and looked the same age. Looking at these children, Ivan felt that his heart almost stopped. "Their eyes... I could imagine what would have happened if he hadn't shouted those words... They had already suffered, especially the black-haired boy... I think he's already killed..." Ivan did not think long about what kind of guys they were, because the blond man started screaming.

"Who is this?" Why did you bring them to us?! Do you want us to be found and slaughtered?! Now they know where our hideout is! We have to keep them quiet about it! "no," he snapped.

"Cut out the tongues." the black-haired man spoke briefly.

"Wait, I told you, they saved me from a bouncer!" - rushed to explain, the boy saved by Ivan.

- Saved? Maybe it was their plan! Surely they were just looking for us and decided to play this scene! These bitches, they're tricky bastards! the blond man yelled again.

- No! I believe him! He's definitely not one of their gang! - continued to deny the boy, who sided with Ivan.

"You're too trusting... Why would a decent man wander the streets of a slum?.. Do you think he's lost? Don't make me laugh! This is definitely another cold-blooded killer, fulfilling an order from his Guild! We need to kill him before he did it - threw it in the direction of Ivan glaring down at the blond.

- No! the beaten boy shouted desperately.

"Don't you think we'd have done it already if you'd let us go?".. And we all hear it, not very kindly... Ivan joined the conversation.

"Ha! Try it! We are not here for nothing! the blond man bared his yellow teeth and clenched the blade in his fist. "As soon as you move or do anything suspicious, we'll kill you!"

"That's enough... the dark-haired boy almost whispered.

The entire conversation was interrupted by a strange whimper from the corner of the barn. Looking closer, I could make out the outline of a half-bald and sometimes torn dog. The Bunny returned with a single bound on Ivan's shoulder. "Horror... This one is really battered by life... I don't think she can live much longer... Apparently they decided to shelter her here..." There was a heavy silence around her, an atmosphere that grew more and more unbearable, and finally words began to form.

"You could get food, couldn't you?" it was a blond man who spoke to a dark-haired man with a serious and slightly sad face.

-Yes... That's all there was. The boy took some moldy meat from a pouch on his back and placed it in front of the dog in the corner.

- Here, Nyuki, eat... Please - " the Boy tried to make the dog eat.

Looking at this tragic scene, Ivan barely restrained himself from hugging these poor children. "But what kind of place is this..." Seeing that the dog was no longer even reacting to the food in front of him, the boy's face contorted and tears flowed from his eyes. A silent picture that starts to bring tears. The blond man dropped to his knees and stared at the dog's face.

- Nyuki, Nyuki... Wake Up, The Nukes... Please don't leave us! Nukes! the boy let out a hoarse cry.

But it was useless, the dog no longer responded or even twitched, only the muffled snuffling of the blond man trying not to cry, and the roar of the dark-haired man could be heard in the almost empty shed on the streets of the slums.

And so began this tour of the slums of the city "Redir".