World of Karik: A Game of Villains 45 New Union

Hearing this, I looked at our swordsman. He was breathing heavily, eyes unnaturally bulging, and mouth stretched in a mad grin. Did he finally snap? To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. He was in such a frenzy that he had cut opponents with his sword.

"We need to take Marina's and Boris's stones anyway," Semyon said thoughtfully. "We'll have to get in there."

"Hey!" Petrovich shouted, coming to the entrance of the hut. "Can you hear me over there?"

"I can hear you," the voice was muffled, but discernible. It was probably Vlada's.

"Who's talking?" Petrovich asked.

"Vlada Vasilyeva, the leader of the squad." Yep, it was her.

"Tell you what, Vlada," Petrovich leaned toward the entrance, unceremoniously pushing away Marina who has already started to hiccup from crying, "I have a proposition for you."

"Speak," the woman's voice sounded hopeless.

It was crowded near the hut; our whole squad had gathered, silently and greedily catching every word. Somewhere in the background, Boris was whining and Marina was sobbing.

"Everyone who got here has one goal — to get out of here," said Petrovich. "Right?"

"Yes," said Vlada.

"Don't listen to him!" came Innokenty's voice. "They'll kill us all, don't listen!"

"Shut up," Vlada didn't even raise her voice, but he immediately fell silent. "Continue."

"It's impossible to get to the exit alone." Petrovich spoke, and his every word was like a nail in the coffin. "It's impossible to get out if there are five, ten, or even twenty of you. The farther you go, the stronger the monsters and the more severe the weather. You know what I mean?"

"Yes," she was laconic.

"It's a pleasure working with you," Petrovich grinned widely. "Only a strong army of united people can reach the exit. And the more of them, the better."

He paused, but no one answered. Petrovich waited a little and then continued:

"Here's what we'll do. I'll let you out, but on condition that our troops make a truce. We do not bother each other and forget all resentments."

To be honest, there was a chance that Petrovich would just kill everyone and smash their tombstones to erase even the memories of these people. Boris and Marina, of course, would remain as they had been loyal. But the lancer, apparently, decided to expand his power.

"You will still be the leader of your squad," he told Vlada. "But the general command will be mine, and our base becomes the HQ. How's that?"

"And we'll go to the exit point together?" there was sincere interest in her voice.

"Not immediately," Petrovich replied evasively. "Firstly, we need to recruit more people, and, of course, decide what to do next. Even our two squads combined aren't enough to feel at ease in the distant forest."

Dmitri told me that people had built whole cities close to the exit point; cities that were almost like the ones in the old world. Maybe he lied, of course, how would he know? But it was true that there were settlements with several hundred people. I wondered if anyone ever truly left this place. Was it possible that a detachment of, say, five hundred people wasn't enough to get back? Or was it a whole different matter entirely? For example, could it be the majority was satisfied with staying here, and that nobody wanted to return home? Probably for the first time since coming here, I thought how it would be if I returned to my world. Will I be arrested on suspicion of murder of all those people in the supermarket? How would my appearance be perceived after all this time? Years could've pass by now.

"So that's a deal!" Petrovich's loud voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Semyon, open the door."

The cop pushed aside those who stood before him, and hobbled to the entrance of the hut. Going down, he shouted, "There are bars!"

"The key is in my hit," came Vlada's low voice. "Why are you yelling?"

We sent Marina, still hiccupping and sobbing, to get the key. She was finally starting to calm down. Thank God, because I thought the girl had suffered a mental breakdown.

"Be ready," Petrovich warned. "Fight without mercy, if necessary."

But there was no need for fighting. The surrendered squad, led by Vlada, came out, hands showing open palms in front of them. Apparently, while I was reflecting, they discussed the issue and reached a consensus. Or…?

"I won't do this!" Innokenty yelled and knocked Vlada to the ground with a powerful blow. She didn't even have time to shout.

Two tall men, Pavel and Nikolai tried to hold him, but Innokenty scattered them like a bowling ball through pins and rushed to Petrovich who cursed and pierced the guy's stomach with the tip of his lance. Innokenty instantly slowed down, grabbed the lance with both hands and hung on it.

"Break his tombstone," Petrovich ordered.

"No," Innokenty croaked and jerked. "Don't... Please…"

Pavel and Nikolai helped Vlada get up. She was white as a ghost.

"He kills minor creatures with one blow. Luckily I'm not a weak monster," the woman tried to crack a joke, but it was clear that Innokenty took away most of her health.

"So his skill is hand-to-hand combat?" Petrovich asked.

"It is," Vlada nodded and staggered. "He's not a bad guy, don't kill him."

Petrovich grimaced, threw Innokenty onto the ground, rested his foot on him and pulled out the lance. The guy curled up and groaned.

"This 'not a bad guy' tried to kill you," said Petrovich and spat. "Personally I don't need him."

"Val, would you...finish him, or something…?" Dmitri said. "Why torture the boy? We'll lock him up somewhere with the tombstone and let him sit there."

"No," Petrovich refused. "We'll just kick him out."

The crowd murmured.

"We'll give him the tombstone, so he can go to hell," the lancer added. "If he does not know how to compromise and if he does not want to listen to his leader," he pointed at Vlada, "then let him survive alone."

"Please..." Innokenty whispered.

"Maybe we could just leave him..." Lina squeaked.

"You can go with him," Petrovich glared at her. The girl immediately fell silent.

"You're right," the iron tone sounded in Vlada's voice once again. "We'll kick him out. But he must leave fully restored. It's only fair."

The crowd cheered.

"No objection," said Petrovich and stuck his lance into Innokenty's twisted body.

Chapter end