- No. Everything has a price. Including losing. You've lost, and now it's time to pay the price. Blood oath or we fight! - The vampire hard pressed her to make the right decision, a mage devoted to vampires in body and soul would not be superfluous at all.
- Is the oath for the ritual standard?
- Yes, - Alexander did not dare to compose a new text on his knee, it would be better to use the words familiar to this world, especially those proven by centuries.
Martha Tap stood up and walked out into the middle of the office. Tears were streaming down her face, but this time they were sincere. A magic circle flashed around her. Four runes took their places - sincerity, duty, faith, and oath.
A fifth rune flashed outside the circle - source. The vampire rose and stood on it, it was not necessary at all and usually an object symbolizing the one taking the oath was placed on the rune. The magess swallowed the lump that came to her throat and barely moving her unruly tongue, said the ancient words of the ritual of submission, and then added them to the oath.
She was strong enough to hold the circle and didn't have to spill any blood, but when she was done, Martha slashed her palm with magic and spilled a few drops of red liquid on the floor, then walked briskly out of the office. The only thing left burning on the floor was the single rune "source" on which Alexander stood. The ritual was complete.
The return to the camp dragged on indefinitely by the vampire's standards. The convicts could barely drag themselves. Dead horses could barely pull the ore carts. The soldiers, as if caught in the aura surrounding the convicts and horses from the mine, did not try to set the pace, but moved their feet along the frozen roadbed with great reluctance.
Martha Tap, who had fallen into a depression after the ritual, did not react at all to external stimuli, and Alexander had a strong desire to order her to be cheerful. But he restrained himself and silently cursed the whole world and rode at the head of this "dead troop," as he called the army he commanded. When at last the wagon reached Zalon, the vampire himself had already become despondent, having succumbed to the general feeling.
Archmage Dukun, who was receiving the report of the raid, was in high spirits. While the knight had captured one mine, other units had managed to distinguish themselves and captured five. Though Zalon still stood firm, it was no longer a shame to turn back. The insurgents had suffered considerable damage and their chances of success were fading by the day, as were the city's food supplies.
- All units are assembled, - proclaimed the archmage at the general meeting of officers, - the despicable traitors are punished and in the spring we will surely return and finish our just cause! And now I order to begin preparations for the return to Savoyardi. Soon the first snow will fall and we have no reason to stay here any longer. We leave day after tomorrow.
The officers nodded amicably and even cheered up a little. The army, which was not ready for the cold weather and had already died of illnesses, needed to go to winter quarters.
The vampire, who was amused by the archmage's pathetic speech, put on his hood and left the tent. His mercenary squad was still standing on the outskirts of the main camp and was still busy guarding the convicts who had been driven from the captured mines.
The latter had long since outnumbered the army, and if it were not for the regular supply of provisions along the goblin-free road, there would have been hunger riots here long ago. The mercenary commander, who had come out of the tent after his employer, stood not far from him, waiting for orders.
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