After the failure at the Academy, Amon wandered through El-Farrah until evening, considering his next steps. The sorcerer had long noticed that the best decisions came either during meditation or on the go. Anger had left his soul.
'Fighting a mage in the very heart of the Academy is not an option; I did the right thing here. And he most likely doesn't leave much...' the Chaos Space Marine thought coldly. 'And I failed to persuade him, though the analogy was quite fitting. Emir-Emperor... Of course, I've heard all sorts of things in the Ocean of Terror.
Many former legionaries are sure that Horus sent the Wolves against us, and the Emperor had nothing to do with it. Nonsense. Why would the Warlord destroy potential allies? In any case, Horus is long dead, and I'm far away, so I'll never know the truth. But to Chaos with it! Now the question is how to get inside. Alexander won't help me, Camilla is too weak. Where can I find allies?'
His legs carried Amon through the streets, lost in thought: past the governor's palace, through the artisan quarters, along the city walls.
At one point, he had to divert his attention. Two people rode toward him: a mature man with a calm, authoritative gaze, and a worn saber handle, and a slightly near-sighted old man in a black turban.
Passersby gently parted before the riders, firmly sitting on black horses, whispering as they passed:
"Ygdarbek... with his servant... Our glorious Ygdarbek, may the Goddess and the Prophet protect him, peace be upon them both..."
Amon also stepped aside. Just in case, he remembered the local military leader. Then the sorcerer continued his way.
He could take him hostage, force the mages to lift the spell, but he doubted it would work. People like that die before they break. Deceive the local authorities? How? In these primitive societies, where everything depends on lineage, getting to the governor would be practically impossible.
And even if I succeed, how long will it take? A month? Two? Three? And then Fallen Goddess will come for me for breaching the terms of the contract?
Amon thought of the Goddess, and the image of the girl appeared in his mind in all its detail. The Space Marine waved irritably and almost crushed a young boy underfoot. The boy was lucky; he ducked just in time.
Amon didn't want to think about Fallen Goddess. He had more important matters. But the image didn't go away. The girl smiled seductively and whispered something tender. The sorcerer shook his head.
"To Chaos with the Goddess and her priestesses! And the mamono...," he muttered aloud and stopped suddenly, a wicked smirk spreading across his face.
'Monsters! Of course!' Amon thought cheerfully, raising his clenched fist to his face. 'Camilla told me she passed through the mamono kingdom and promised to scout for them. So they must have some plans regarding El-Farrah. And I have... Perfect. Camilla will return to the monsters. And I'll go with her. Of course, it's dangerous, but I think I'll wriggle out of this once again. I'll throw some more fuel on the fire. The conflict between people and monsters will flare up, consuming both.
The only one who will benefit will be me! The mamono will make an excellent battering ram for taking the city and the Academy. The mage complained that their spells had weakened, and the monsters will be able to overcome them. It's as if he saw the Warp, ha-ha-ha!'
Amon laughed. He hadn't wasted those hours wandering aimlessly. The sorcerer turned and headed to the inn.
***
Amon entered the room, his face full of sorrow and disappointment. The mercenary was half-lying with her back to him. The girl was doing push-ups, lifting off the ground in a burst and clapping her hands before each landing.
Camilla sat nearby, counting the reps and holding Alexander's long tail.
"One hundred thirty, one hundred thirty-one," the priestess said, secretly braiding the tail.
"You're off track," the warrior girl huffed. "This is the one hundred and fortieth time."
"One hundred forty," Camilla obediently agreed, continuing her work.
Amon cleared his throat to grab their attention. The mercenary stopped her exercises, and the priestess stopped working on the tail. At the same time, Alexander's face flushed, as if she was really glad Amon had caught her training.
"It's great you came," the girl said, breathing heavily, and smiled. "I just started. A warrior has to keep in good shape, you know... Don't you want to join? By the way, how did it go?"
The sorcerer sighed. The mercenary's smile immediately faded.
"You're so gloomy!" the priestess exclaimed, raising her hands. "Did someone offend you?"
"No," Amon answered. "They tried, but they failed. Local traditions, nothing to be done. I'm not offended."
"They refused you," Alexander stated firmly.
Amon nodded.
"In this Emirate, people are as vicious as dogs!" Alexander exclaimed heatedly. "But why?"
"I'm a foreigner," Amon explained sadly. "No one wants to lend me a helping hand. I offered gold, I begged them to lift my curse, but it was all in vain. The mages threw me out of the Academy under the absurd pretext that the very walls of the place were expelling me."
"Bastards!" the mercenary shouted hotly. "How dare they?! But don't worry, we'll move on. We'll definitely find good mages!"
Camilla looked at Amon with confusion, and he shook his head thoughtfully.
"I've learned that the local sorcerers know how to lift the spell but aren't willing to share their knowledge. I don't think anyone else has the same skills. Sad, but the hearts of the people of El-Farrah are as dry as the earth beneath their feet."
"I know how to soften them," the priestess readily offered. She didn't understand what was being discussed but clearly wanted to help. "For you, I'm ready to preach to the mages in honor of Fallen Goddess! Then they'll understand that the most important thing is love and happiness, which must be shared. They'll become kinder and tell you everything," Camilla bounced happily, paused for a moment, and then bit her lips in confusion. "Oh, what are they supposed to tell?"
Alexander stood up.
"It doesn't matter. They'll kill you, silly," she said to Camilla, causing her to pout. "What shall we do?"
"I don't know."
"Wait, wait! I know!" the priestess cried, throwing a triumphant look at Alexander. "I'm a weak mamono, but there are strong ones: pharaohs, apophises. They'll be able to convince the people!"
"Convince?" Amon raised an eyebrow in surprise. Inside, he was triumphing. The conversation was heading in the right direction.
"After marriage, men easily submit to their wives," the priestess explained, lowering her eyes and blushing.
"I don't know..." the sorcerer trailed off.
"Why not?!" Alexander snapped angrily. "These boors are pigs! If the monsters take them, it serves them right. They deserve it! They just drive me crazy!"
"But is that the right thing to do?" Amon feigned doubt.
"Of course it is! To deny the suffering one. Forgive me, but evil must be punished, even if it's not very noble. Let's send the priestess, and we'll stay in the inn. She'll arrange everything."
"I won't leave Amon," Camilla quickly said and added passionately, "It's the will of Fallen Goddess!"
The sorcerer crossed his arms. Alexander frowned, trying to resolve the situation. For a moment, the three of them were silent.
"Since I have no other choice," Amon finally said darkly, "I'll have to ask for the monsters' help. Let's go to them together. It's risky, but I'll try to convince them to help me."
The mercenary stopped her futile attempts to think of something suitable.
"Then the main thing is to reach the apophis," Alexander replied with relief. "The serpents are obsessed with expanding their kingdom. No one will force you into marriage with her... For some time. But we shouldn't linger, because monsters will always be monsters. They have only one thing on their minds."
"Then it's decided," Amon interrupted her. "Let's go to the mamono, the three of us. El-Farrah has decided its fate, and it's not my fault their evil will return to them a hundredfold."
Camilla clapped her hands in joy.
"Hooray! I'll repay Netikerti for the hospitality!"
"A journey to the demon realm is no easy task," Alexander commented authoritatively, showing by her demeanor how well she understood such matters. "I know what will be needed to prepare for the trip. Tomorrow we'll go shopping."
'It's so easy with her,' thought the sorcerer fondly. 'No, it's decided! If there's a chance to leave the world together, I'll take the mercenary with me. In the Ocean of Terror, loyalty is a rare and expensive commodity, and Alexander is loyal to me body and soul. She'll have to witness many horrors, but I hope she'll endure, and then she'll make a great adjutant.'
"Agreed," Amon said, taking off his sword harness and throwing it on the bed. Inside, he was triumphing. "I'll skip the training, but it's time for dinner."
'The sorcerer will get a wife and children,' Amon thought sarcastically, sitting at the table with the girls, 'But I'll get magic! New magic. New power that will bring me back to the real world. Watch out, imperial dogs, for when I return home...'