Part 19: Chapter Five - pt.3

Petr Stamatin was looking at Klara expectantly. Her attempt to make him reject Utopian ideals was not going great. The twins were sharing one mind, and in order to bring one to her side, Klara would have to bring both. But when she talked to Andrei earlier, he was completely deaf to her arguments, and she had a feeling that so would be Petr.

Well, what did my brother say?
He said he wouldn’t accept that.
I appreciate your honesty! Take this twyrine and my blessing – it’s all I have to give... And don’t feel sorry for my brother and me... I know that we won’t tread this vengeful earth for much longer... We’ll sink in it soon... Like in a swamp...
If you were still alive, you would have embraced our faith. But you are dead already.
Am I? Why? It seems like I’m still alive...
You call this life? You’re seeking death yourself!
Why would I do such a thing? Death... I’m terrified of death. True Death... This is all a game... it’s not for real, right?
Death shouldn’t frighten you... Especially you of all people... Oblivion and nothingness are what’s daunting... Repent.
You make it sound so quick and simple... But you are scaring me... No. Even painful death would be better. I’d like to go out in flames, like a martyr... but the thought about nothingness and oblivion is unbearable... I can’t take it.
Accept our faith. See? I’m turning my back on you, leaving you here alone. I am your angel of death. You summoned me, so I came to comfort you. Make your choice before it’s too late.
Wait...
I’ve come for you. But you just won’t listen... Farewell.



As she had suspected, Stamatin brothers were hopeless. Another setback. She was honestly trying to help Katherine save the town, but it just didn't seem to be working out. One would think she would meet less resistance trying to restore the natural order of things. What if the entire plan was flawed? After the whole rat affair, how could she be sure Katherine's ideas were really sound?

No, Petr understands it all... The truth appears double, the world falls, I’m walking on both surfaces of the lunar path simultaneously! Have the Utopians really managed to mock the belief of the Humble? But there is a bigger picture to consider. One battle doesn’t always win a war...



Katherine already had a pained expression on her face. Klara didn’t want to see her when she would learn what a disaster that the day’s quest turned into.

Brush your doubts aside, daughter! Every impudence gives way to obedience, the sooner the better.
I’ve talked to Petr...
...Oh... The pain! ...I’m sorry. Well? Is there any progress?
Do you need Morphine?
Hmmyes. I have taken some already.
Do you want me to make the pain go away?
Nnno... Don’t touch me. So what happened?
Andrei ruined everything. He yelled at me and threw me out of his pub.
You idiot! What inexcusable stupidity! Why did you have to bring Andrei into this? He is Maria’s lover, a killer, a brawler; he will never let it go. He’ll start protecting them as a rooster protects his henhouse! Oh! The pain! It’s as if tiny hooks are tearing my temples apart... God you’re worthless, Klara... and getting more worthless with every passing day!
I’m sorry! ...What did you say? Tiny hooks? Are you all right?
I don’t know what I’m saying anymore. Forgive me... I’m going to be all right. Don’t mind me.
You need to rest... Get some sleep.



She ran out of the house in shame, even forgetting to grab the 5 bottles of twyrine she had brought from Petr.

What a day! Why have they changed their attitude so, what was it that I did wrong? Yes, I didn’t make much progress these two days – but I have a feeling that it couldn’t be helped... They are probably just tired, my foster parents... I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it is for them.



Suddenly she remembered about two handwritten notes she’d picked up back in Stem.

I have a visitor that wishes to speak with you. People think it’s Shabnak, the man-eater, but I’d say it looks friendly... There must be some sort of mistake.
It wishes to talk to you.

Laska, your friend.


Come to Clot as soon as you can; we need to talk. I’ve seen a prophetic dream. It was about you, I’m afraid.
Something terrible is going to happen tonight.
You might be the only person who can prevent it.
Waiting for you,
V.O. –jr.



V.O. was such a versatile signature. The initials could mean literally any Olgimsky living or dead; thankfully, it said «-jr» so that narrowed it down to younger Vlad and younger Victoria. And Vlad was no prophet.



Hmm... man-eaters or terrifying prophecies? What to choose? The day was refusing to take a turn for the better.



Since Klara was in the part of town called Land, where the cemetery was located, she decided to see Laska first.




I’m so glad that you came... A beastly creature is haunting my graveyard! It looked into my window last night. It didn’t look angry, just unhappy... but as soon as I saw it, I identified it as a child of the earth... It was made of clay... and... and bones.
Was that Shabnak-Adyr?
Oh, I don’t know... It’s just... wrong somehow. It looks like something only the earth could mould. The earth doesn’t really understand what we look like. It would never be able to create a natural-looking female... I also used to think that a girl with sharp bone splinters instead of feet really exists...
Why did you think it was unhappy?
Because of its face... Because of... everything. It wants to talk to you. It begs you for protection from some danger.
What if it is a trap? The monster may want to punish me for everything I did for my new family.
I don’t know...
Very well, how shall I find it? Will it come here tonight?
It will come to Raga’s burial mound after dark. It has been going there for a long time. I think that mound is where it first appeared from. Something special must have been buried down there... Wait for him. But be on your guard!
Why?
I’ve been seeing so many terrible people around here lately... There are more and more of them... They kill, they torture, they stab... They seem to be everywhere... I’m afraid it’s not long before they start unearthing graves!
I’ll be careful.



Klara decided to go and locate the burial mound while it was still light.



It turned out to be fairly close to the cemetery. But trying to stumble upon it blindly in the dark would have been much harder. Especially with all the «terrible people» prowling about.



When she approached the mound, she noticed a short figure on the hillside. It started running down towards her. Then more appeared from around and the top of the hill.



They were wearing bandanas over their faces; there was no doubt about their intentions. Escape was not an option – another second and Klara’s clock would get a cleaning.



It was the third time she had to use her hands to kill. By contrast, she had only performed a healing once since coming to town. Was Katherine right? Was the town descending into hell under the weight of all the sinners?



At the top of the hill she found a few torches lit by the bandits, and not much else.



The creature would show up later; there was still time until dark to talk to Victoria about her prophecy.