Part 31: Chapter Eight - pt.3

The conversation with the Elder went fairly well – Klara wasn’t killed after all. But now she was on another assignment – from Oyun himself this time. Klara tried to trace her way back to where she had entered the Abattoir.



But when she passed the sphinctre, she found herself in a completely different place. It seemed that those granite corridors were not as linear as she thought.



It was the place called Raw Structures, and the rails were the same ones that connected Abattoir to the train station, past the cemetery, the factory and the warehouses.



It was, conveniently, the same part of town where Ospina lived, so she ran towards the nearest cluster of houses.



Far to the right, next to the wall of the Apiary, stood a circular animal pen surrounded by torches. A burning circle... Klara suspected that she had once again stumbled upon a clue by accident. She came closer to investigate whether it was indeed the arena for punching butchers.



The pen was empty. A solemn worm was standing at its entrance.

This is the Circle of Suok, the gulp of blood. The more blood is spilled on earth, the better you serve Suok. You fight hand-to-hand, you can not use weapon. You can use teeth.
Is this how you serve Suok?
It is. The earth is fed with blood, the earth feeds us in return. It is an ancient custom. Everybody knows.
What happens inside the circle?
A son of Bodkho and another son of Bodkho. Fight to death without mercy. No one shall leave the circle until the fight is finished. The winner gets the blood of the loser. Suok gets the fluids, Bodkho gets the flesh and bones. So it has always been.

So Steppe people got their sustenance from the earth. They were, as the saying goes, «like the treesy». Klara wasn’t sure what the Bachelor was supposed to be doing there. Did he need a lot of blood?



The sister had written «From my window I saw each of them defeat a butcher in the burning Circle of Suok».



It was fairly obvious where that window would be.



Klara circled around the house, right into the street choked with green vapours. Ospina’s house awaited at the end of the street, but it would have to wait a little longer. The Impostress entered the house overlooking the Circle.



She found the twin on the second floor.




Your eyes, they are so... different... Nothing like mine.
You have to leave this place!
No, I won’t, my sweet sister... I’m staying here. It feels better to be here. Nobody wants me out there.
Well, then... Stay here if you want to. Don’t go anywhere. Stay right where you are...



As she spoke to the thing, Klara had what she thought was a brilliant idea. If the plague bearer didn’t want to leave the place, there were people who could probably make her stay less than pleasant... and maybe even pay her for the chance to do so.



She would go and visit Burakh once more. But first, she needed to finish what she had come to Raw Structures for. See Ospina and verify the legitimacy of Artemy’s claims.




You and me, we are birds of a feather. You win... I won’t jeer at you any more.
Tell me about Burakh, Ospina.
What should I tell you about him?
Did he seize the inheritance by force?
Nonsense! Why would he steal something that is his by right?
Who is he?
He is a votary. He is from a Menkhu family. His farther was a surgeon. I respect him. He will soon overthrow the usurper and head the Order; and a new era will start. Then I shall go back, disappear into the earth.
So you’ve come from the earth?
Yes, just like you.
What for?
I don’t know. But I feel that I must carry out the will of the Law... destroy the damned Utopia. The place that doesn’t exist and must not exist in the world...
What utopia?
There are three nodes that are feeding our town. The town had been growing, developing until the nodes closed up. The earth was giving birth to animals. The animals were feeding the humans. The humans gave birth to the settlement. The settlement was feeding the children. The crown of this tree was consuming too many juices. The plague closed up those nodes. Everything has been restored.
What do you mean?
The settlement is crushing the earth. The Utopia is destroying the settlement. The scourge will destroy the Utopia. Sand Plague is the will of the Law. I used to think it was my fate. Now I know it’s yours.
No it isn’t! And what is this utopia?
Utopia is a whim. Desire for the impossible. Children take presents for granted. They don’t know that happiness is transient. They want it to be complete and eternal. Life would always teach them a lesson in the past. But now a trap of mirrors protects them from the laws of reality outside. A pestilence had to break out to put an end to this.
But now everybody’s suffering! Why not just destroy the tower?
The town and the tower are already inseparable. The town is feeding it, feeding it with its children. The town is living for the tower. Just listen to them – now all they are talking about is the new construction. Led by blind rulers, they see it as their new mission. A dream gives them a reason to live their worthless lives.



After receiving her answers, Klara hurried back to the Curriers’. With any luck, the Haruspex would still be there.






He was, despite her warning and despite becoming defenceless after her earlier visit.

I know who you are looking for. Why are you staring at me like that? My sister is the one you need, not me. You’ve heard about the sister, haven’t you?
Well then... I guess the sister will have to do... I have something special for you if you help me find her.
Excellent, Burakh... It’s a deal. Now look – I’ll mark her location...



Klara congratulated herself on a great decision. She had finally found something useful for Burakh to do.
And the bottle of something that promised complete eradication of all traces of Sand Plague would certainly come in handy. Was it the panacea he and Lara had been mentioning?



But it was time to give Elder Oyun some answers... and get some out of him in return.




I can’t feel any warmth or blood in you.
I’ve seen Ospina.
Is she alive?
She can move and speak, at least.
What does she say?
She honours Burakh. She says that he is the one he claims to be.
...I shall answer your question now. Only one. Don’t make your eyes light up – I won’t lie to you. Save your energy. What did you want to know?
Is this pestilence your fault?
Yes. It is. I couldn’t finish the ritual. I was aware that I didn’t know the Lines of Bos Primigenius. I lied and now I am doomed. I am not a worthy votary.
Is that because you lied?
...Not only that. I am a false Priest, just like Katherine is a false Mistress... It all started because of us. The hunger for power destroys the unworthy and elevates the great... I only manage to keep this position thanks to a conspiracy with Olgimsky... Katherine kept hers by absurd chance.



So Elder was a... and tried to... err... to do... earth knows what, but failed? Klara only listened to the tales of the old bull-worshipper with half an ear. She had her answers. Only a superstitious worm or a butcher would believe that the outbreak was a result of some vivisection gone awry. And whatever schemes Oyun had enacted to keep his post were of no interest to her either.



She was ready to report her conclusions to Aglaea (not guilty; concerned about Burakh). Since she was going through the town centre anyway, she decided to look for the Bachelor and deliver Maria’s message to him.



She went around the town park, searching for rich houses.



But none of them were boarded up. She remembered that only infected parts of town had their windows nailed up; as soon as the air in a neighbourhood cleared up, people would move back in very quickly.



She found one rich house at the edge of a street where the infection was still clinging to yellow air.



Bored youth were walking aimlessly from room to room... clearly Kains’ men under orders to protect Dankovsky. Her quarry had to be nearby.



Klara drew a gun and prepared for the worst, fully expecting them to come after her at any moment.



But somehow, she managed to sneak upstairs unnoticed.




You’re exactly what I need, girl with multiple peculiarities... Do I see tears in your eyes? Looks like one of us is out of luck...
I wanted to warn you. Go away from here, Cold Demon. They’re coming to kill you.
Enough, enough... I am not a psychologist like you, but I can read acute hatred in your eyes. You would only be happy if someone managed to kill me... the cold demon!
...Be glad your life is dear to someone I have my own plans for... Special plans, you understand? Go away, Bachelor.

It was obvious that Artemy had no intention of attacking, but explaining it was not part of Klara’s job.



When the men downstairs saw Klara as she was leaving, they tried to grab her, but she had time to run for the front door and they didn’t chase her outside.

Our conversation with Oyun was short, but all that needed to be said, has been said. I can now go back to Aglaea. I shall tell her my verdict.




Who is standing in front of me this time? Soon I’ll be able to tell you apart by tiny differences in your features...
I saw the Elder.
And lived to tell me about it? Here, let me take a look at you... Let your pupil dilate... Now look at the light... What did you talk about?
About different things. By the way, he has a soul.
Let’s put it down for the record... «...acknowledges that Elder Oyun possesses an immortal soul...» Very good, darling. What else can you tell me?
About Burakh...
About Burakh... Nice... Stick your tongue out and say Aaah...
Aaahhh! ...What are you doing?
What did he tell you about Burakh?
He is afraid of him...
This means he is not as dangerous as I thought. Thank you, good job.
I’ve found Burakh and warned him like you asked. His beast-like bodyguards nearly tore me limb from limb...
I won’t forget it, girl. You’ve done a good deed... I shall reward you and start trusting you a bit more... you may notice that people’s attitude towards you will be better from now on... You are dismissed. Tomorrow at daybreak – be here.



Klara still had to inform Maria that her champion was also safe. She went across the square, to Horns.




A Mistress is telling another Mistress... Look at you; are you really strong enough for honest and unbiased answers?
I warned the Bachelor. Tell me, had you assigned the bodyguards to him?
Yes... What, did they assault you?
Don’t pretend to be surprised!
It’s impossible. I told them to kill children of the earth only: those butchers and worms, slaves of the impious Haruspex!
That was a mistake, Maria... To them, I’m an earth’s child too.



But it was time for bed. She remembered seeing one on her way in, so that wouldn’t be a problem.









After making herself comfortable, she took out her sketch once again.



That smudge on the left... she added heavier outline, turning it into a solid object, a structure overhanging the buildings. Then she was sleeping.


REEL 11: That night at the theatre...