Part 42: Chapter Eleven - pt.6

When captain Ravelle was shot in the battle of Karstic Fords, she became an orphan and turned her father’s manor into an asylum. By the way, Olgimsky built that house for Ravelle in exchange for... a certain thing.
Lara is sensitive, but quite sensible as well. Few locals combine such qualities.




There is nobody kinder. Lara taught me how to give gifts – it is actually quite an art form. She considers others first, herself last. She lives for her friends.
Also, I really loved her father. Two years ago, he enlisted and ended up in Fourth army. THE Fourth army.




Klara?
Don’t cry, Lara. Wipe your tears away.



She is a good woman, despite her quirks. Always talks about death. She once asked me, with a straight face, why there was no Saburov crypt in the Stone Yard, and when was it finally going to be built. She honours me as a Mistress, and I appreciate it in the time when more and more of my followers abandon and betray me with each passing day...




Another mysterious creature! Nobody knows how she first appeared in town. She has nothing to be afraid of – she’s immortal just like Simon. Also, people say that when Simon took all that was malicious in his soul and cast it away, the Steppe made a body out of some remains, and that’s how Ospina was born.




So you’ve won, haven’t you?
Yes. I cannot lose. Ospina, listen to me. I’m the harbinger of your death. It is for you to choose what it will be like.
My, aren’t we full of ourselves... You had better hope it’s not the other way around.
Stop your foolish bravado. Are you trying to save face?
No, not at all... All right, just get it over with. Will I at least get a chance to curse you before I die?
It depends on what you shall choose. Do you want to avoid going back into the earth, and become part of the people in the Order, helping Burakh, the new Elder?
Ooh! Sounds tempting! Yes, I’d prefer such death to any other. What do you want from me?
I shall lay my hands onto you and let you die Simon Kain’s death – if you agree to give all your blood to the people as he did.
Simon? Why would I want that? A man who wears a head of a Bos is still human... even if the head fits. We are already one bone and one flesh. Now you want to give me his blood too?
You already know the answer. I can see it in your eyes.
Yes. That seems to be my destiny. Will I be sacrificed right after you have laid your hands on me?
You won’t get a chance to escape. Well? Do you agree?
What choice do I have, Mistress? I have nowhere to run from you...
The sacrifice must be voluntary. It’ll be useless otherwise.
And yet, I agree. I like the idea... Ending it all in such a way seems rather appropriate.
Now that that’s settled... Ospina... Were you indeed the earth’s creation? A magical golem made of clay?
And you call yourself a Mistress? Well then... I wonder what answer you would prefer. How about this: No, of course not. I was born a human and have lived all my life as a human. I just tried to be you. I was a substitute in your absence, an impostor.



I still need to find two one last Adherents willing to give their lives so that the town can live and grow as before.



Julia is so bright; I could never be like her. She is so quiet and modest – but her mind is pure perfection. There’s a special kind of spiritual purity and austerity to her. She’s more critical of herself than of others. And her way of thinking is unique... I could never learn that.




Julia is nice enough, but I just can’t stand her way of thinking. This fatalism is depressing.
It's a shame that such intellect creates its theories based on a fallacy. It is my belief that any predetermination is violation of human freedom. This trait can probably be traced back to the time when she was a member of the Somnolent group.




Here comes the girl that is going to refute all my theories about the Strings of Fate.
Julia, listen to me. I am the harbinger of your death. It is for you to choose what it will be like.
I have already chosen. I will die of podagra at the same age as Simon was when he died.
Joking aside, your days are numbered. Do you want to die useless and unmourned?
I don’t think so... I’d rather have the whole country cry for me. It’d be even better if the colonies of the Far East joined in.
Will you agree to sacrifice yourself for the people and go down in history as a true heroine?
It would be nice... I like the sound of that.
I shall lay my hands onto you and let you die Simon Kain’s death – if you agree to quench people’s thirst with your blood as he did.
Oh, dear... And how many people out there are thirsty for my blood?
You think it’s funny... This is no laughing matter, Julia. Simon’s blood became a cure that saved many from the plague.
Yes, I heard something like this... He had special blood, didn’t he? Now I see what you want. What makes you think I have the same blood?
I don’t think. I just know. Will you do it?
Well, yes... why not? How can I say no to you? Seriously – how? I don’t think it’s possible.
And you won’t go back on your words tomorrow?
That’s not how I do things, Klara. You heard what I said. And now, do you mind me having a little rest?



I still need to find one last Adherents willing to give their lives so that the town can live and grow as before. I have all the volunteers I need.




It was getting dark when Klara entered the Town Hall again.




I’ve found seven people.
Seven more?
What do you mean?
Didn’t you just tell me that you’ve met all the sinners who were willing to sacrifice themselves, and most of them were beginning to show symptoms of the Sand Plague?
I... see... Did I give any names?
You mentioned Rubin, Elder Oyun, the Saburovs... I’ve heard about these... Then there were Anna, Lara, Griff.
Those are all the volunteers I have! It’s all lost now, isn’t it?
There is still time. You can try to treat them tomorrow.



Except that wouldn’t work. There was nothing she could do. According to Rubin, only uninfected Adherents would suffice – even if a sufferer was treated successfully, his blood wouldn’t be usable for some time. Klara sat down. Tomorrow would show which – if any – of them would get sick, but it looked like the choice was being made for her once again.



General returned to calculating the best position to bombard the town from, while Klara started searching for a spot to lie down. Finally she chose a large sack lying nearby, one filled with what felt like bran. It was not the most comfortable davenport, but it was the best she could find in the building. Finding a better bed would require going into the house of one of the Adherents, and she didn’t think she could see any of them right now.



A red coloured pencil was lying on the floor next to her, probably lost by the General when he was charting his attack plans on the map. As it had become a habit, she whipped out her sketch.



She started drawing with red on the previously colourless outline. The stem of the tower that connected it to the earth grew a blood vessel, and the fluid started slowly draining out of the grotesque foetus deep into the ground.


REEL15: That night at the theatre...







Q: Is there anything you can do to stop twin sister (besides make different decisions to change hers)? It seems that this game is fruitless since your/our evil twin is always one step ahead at this point.
A: Nope, this was inevitable!

Q: I have to say, I liked seeing different characters' insights into the potential sacrifices. Where did these come from? Can you ask the town's people their opinions on others?
A: Character descriptions by other characters are a thing this game has. Normally you see these if you click a character's icon during a conversation.