Until the very last moment, a worm of doubt gnawed at him. What if he's special? Various options were possible and I didn't want magicians to be a few among vampires as among people.
- Now we can throw fire like magicians in the battle that the foreman remembered?
The Orodsky foreman was once a participant in a small but extremely intense battle in which magicians played a decisive role. At that time, not ordinary "fiery arrows" were flying over the field, but "fireballs"; "fiery rain" poured in several places at once; a couple of enemy units were burned up in a "blizzard of fire." Orodsky royal troops, with the support of the archmage, suppressed the revolt of one count.
- But this is how we cannot, - as proof, Alexander created a fireball and threw it. He, as before, disappeared as soon as he moved away from the person.
"It seems that we, like those paladins, are not" real magicians, "but personal.
"And now we'll see who the" fake "ones are," Konstantin created a ball of lightning in his hand and sent it flying.
The ball slowly flew a short distance and melted into the air, like the previous spells, leaving no trace. But Kostya did not look upset.
- Interesting. Sasha, take a twig.
Resignedly obeying the demand of his friend, Alexander lifted the first branch he came across from the ground.
- Now stand and hold her upright.
Konstantin stopped half a meter from the branch and looked intently at its tip, looking at the sky. A light flashed there. The branch caught fire.
- Extinguish, - said Kostya.
Alexander put out the fire. The experimenter took a step back and focused on the branch again. The flame flared up again. Without waiting, Alexander extinguished this fire, and at that time his partner took another step back. This time, nothing worked. No matter what efforts Konstantin made, he could not kindle the fire. As well as none of those present. Through small experiments, they found out that the area in which they can influence objects and perform magic is a sphere with a radius of about one meter. In this volume of space, they could almost everything, outside of it they could not do anything. It also turned out that magical abilities are not at all "free" - Konstantin, who tried a huge number of different magical techniques, ranging from combat and ending with everyday abilities. Returning twenty minutes later, he was full of strength and ready to cast spells again, and in his hand was the carcass of a fox.
- Girls on a fur coat, - he joked.
"You're not a scoff, you'd better do something," Eugene was relentless.
It was necessary to find out whether some kind of "special" energy was spent on spells, or whether the one that the blood gave to the vampires was enough.
In response, he received a whirlwind and a tornado in addition to a flying animal corpse.
- Yes, really, everything is fine. Hunger somehow manifested itself strongly, apparently, I spent all the energy of the blood on spells, but now I am in perfect order.
Eugene, having made sure that everything is normal, decided to end the experiments.
- Let's go back to camp. There is still a lot of work to do, not all huts are as reliable as those of your boss.
- That's for sure, he built himself royal mansions.
- Yeah, and next to him there is a family - a father, mother, and son of about ten years old. So they have a hut - one name, they just fixed the pole like a crossbar between two trees and threw branches on it. On the one hand, everything is well covered, and on the other, everything is open. They huddle there.
- Where are you looking?
- Sasha, what have we got to do with it? Alexey Gennadievich is our chief. This guy had a falling out with him - well ...
- Come on, let's see, - Alexander hastened his pace, - And let's not dwell on magic yet. Tell ours to everyone, but the others do not need it yet.
Affirmative nods were his answer.
*****
The sought-after hut was found quickly. Its inhabitants were nearby. With grim faces, they worked to make it a safe hideout. Even a ten-year-old boy was serious and worked on an equal basis with adults.
- Do you need help?
The man looked at the visitors rather angrily.
"We will not refuse help," the woman said quickly, glancing at her husband.
Alexander examined the place of work. The hut was a typical structure, which was erected on the first day by people abandoned into the new world. A railing fixed in some way transversely, on which branches were thrown, forming a sloping roof, spruce branches under this canopy, and a fireplace nearby. The roof itself protected only the direction that was the most dangerous, all the other sides in the hut were open. Throughout the camp, such structures have long been turned into much more solid buildings, some even yesterday. This same hard-working man, for some reason, until now had only a miserable semblance of shelter, and realizing this fact, furiously worked to improve it. After evaluating the scope of work and making sure that the main transverse log was installed very firmly, Alexander decided to lift the inclined poles, making a semblance of a roof over your head. It was only necessary to put the X-shaped struts parallel to the main log and reinforce another transverse beam on them, constructing a slightly sloping roof from inclined poles. Having told his idea to the owner of the hut, he only stumbled upon an angry comment.
"Do you think I don't understand ?! That's what I wanted to do. But you see, there are no "additional poles" in the camp and I have to cut them myself if I want to build a "palace" for myself.
Having understood where the legs grow from, Alexander did not even begin to develop the issue further.
- Well then, the guys and I will now chop them up and bring them, while you collect leaves and spruce branches.
- What is this nonsense about the lack of poles in the camp? He asked as they left the camp in search of suitable trees for building material.
- Yes, I say, this man, his name is Slava, got into trouble with Alexei Gennadievich. Just yesterday. He swore heavily. After all, yesterday, at first, like a damned one, he harnessed himself to the common work and plowed for two, and by evening he discovered that something like a wigwam had been built for him and his family, and they threw a couple of branches from above, they say, further - as you want. What you saw - it was he rebuilt in the evening. After he fought with our "great" leader.
- And what did he do today for half a day?
This time, instead of Eugene, Konstantin answered:
- And in the morning they again harnessed him to work for the common good. I heard how your Gennadievich was driving him over the ears. And this Slava is a man one of those who will move mountains for the sake of the team.
- And what?
- Nothing. When he saw that all his social workers had brought nothing to him personally and to his family, he again went to sort it out and again had a good quarrel with this peacock. He did not even give him the poles that were prepared and drove him to chop them on his own, away from the camp. Like, since you don't want to work for everyone, then we don't owe you anything either.
- Yes, this bastard can do that. I remember that I brought one girl from the technical department until she quit, and all because she told him that she had her boss and she would not listen to the advice of amateurs, - Alexander stopped, - And why the people, not even said anything about such behavior of Gennadievich?
- Well, of course, not everyone was happy. But they kept silent.
- And you?
- And we also kept silent. Tired of swearing with this idiot.
To this Alexander just shook his head and went on.
When they returned an hour later, loaded with a significant number of poles and sticks, they were greeted by the man's enthusiastic and grateful gaze. It was evident that he rather expected another disappointment and meanness, and did not count on real help. With so many helpers and prepared material, the hut very quickly began to resemble a normal shelter - both from the sun and from bad weather. All that was left was to throw in more branches, cover it with moss, and build a screen for the fire - and it was possible to exist quite tolerably.
Eugene, taking the remaining poles, carried them to the common warehouse, and Alexander, after talking a little with the peasant and listening to the gratitude of him and his wife, went for a walk around the camp to assess if anyone else needed help with the arrangement. After wandering around the camp from one hut or dugout to another, he helped wherever with advice, wherewith deed.
In general, he could be proud of both his work and the work of people who were in distress with him. In less than two days, people settled in a new place - and not only had beds but also sometimes erected serious buildings for themselves as shelters. Naturally, it was too early to celebrate the victory, but what was done inspired optimism.
Already being almost near his dugout, he heard a growing dispute and even a quarrel. The rumor reported that Constantine was cursing. What had to be done to infuriate a calm and phlegmatic guy, Alexander did not even imagine. Going to the sounds of a furious verbal battle, he expectedly found her next to the "staff" hut. Ears did not fail, this time, for the sake of variety, it was Kostya who argued with Alexei Gennadievich, and Evgeny stood on the sidelines and said something quietly to one of the girl's accountants.
As it soon became clear, this time the conflict was not caused by organizational issues. Having slightly moved away from the first shock and having adjusted their way of life, some were drawn to romantic adventures. This was largely due to the lack of clothing for everyone except Alexander. Sparkling with naked parts of their pretty bodies and charmingly smelling, the girls were an excellent catalyst.
Head of the planning department, Maxim Ivanovich Krapivin, a friend of Alexei Gennadievich and nephew of the chief accountant of the company. Even in the best conditions of his former life, he did not have a strictly moral character. Here, having fallen into such frivolous conditions and seeing around so many previously desired and familiar objects, he could not control himself and pressed one of his aunt's subordinates to a tree. The girl, of course, did not appreciate such signs of attention. She timidly and quietly refused to caress such a "prominent" man, removing his hands, all the while pawing her. This went on exactly until the moment when the whole scene was revealed Aleksandr's comrades-in-arms, who had come to the "headquarters" hut, were assaulting. And everything would have ended with a couple of harsh words spoken to a sexually preoccupied man, but only Alexei Gennadievich watched the whole process of courtship, which looked more like violence.
The friends could not endure such an attitude, which threatened to destroy the team. Maxim Ivanovich, having received a strong blow from Eugene in the chest, flew several meters away, and Konstantin made a loud squabble with Alexei Gennadievich, who, as it turned out, saw nothing wrong with this. And among the excuses for his friend's actions were those for which it would have been worth trying his sides and himself.
- Yes, she is twisting her backside all day! And what, the normal male reactions have already been banned? Nobody was going to rape her. I would like to - gone!
- And now I have a natural male reaction to fill your face ...
Mutual claims have become abnormal. Having listened, Alexander realized that Yevgeny was reprimanding the girl, not at all what should be said in such a situation.
- Yes, I would beat him between his legs and head on a tree, you have strength now - no less than in him!
It was so, vampires, as it turned out, were creatures whose physical strength did not depend on their gender, but only on the amount of blood drunk and its "energy". The one who used the "best" blood more is stronger. And the presence or absence of something between the legs did not affect the strength at all, as did the muscles in other parts of the body. Realizing that it was time to take the situation into his own hands, Alexander went straight to the disputants.
- So. Stop it, hot Finnish guys! Zhenya, Kostya, you have something to do, and seeing the incomprehension of colleagues, he hinted, "You need to do something important with your hands.
It immediately dawned on Eugene that it was about magic and the need to finally tell the rest of their team about it. Kostya, on the other hand, did not understand the hint and, heated by the argument, had to be dragged away by force. Alexander took his place opposite Alexei Gennadievich. A lot of people gathered around. People attracted by the noise kept piling up and piling up.
- You understand, Alexey Gennadievich, that Krapivin's behavior was beyond what is permitted to us now. Current conditions require ...
- The current conditions require the establishment of a rigid hierarchy and absolute subordination to elders, young men. And they don't demand anything else! And we do not need this sanctimonious moralism. What is natural is not ugly! But your inappropriate behavior and your disobedience to my orders are just a blatant disgrace!
- Nobody chose you in charge here, Alexey Gennadievich so that I would blindly obey your orders.
- I AM! I'm in charge here! - the leader shouted right in his face, - I am the most senior boss of those present!
- Well, if we speak logically, then we were vacationers, and the most senior boss who is responsible for all of us is the director of the sanatorium, not you. After all, you are the leader of only half of those present here. For the rest, you are as much a vacationer as they are. And the management of the sanatorium has priority.
- And the entire management of the sanatorium completely agrees with me and supports me!
- I still remind you that you were not appointed or elected by the people. You have not been empowered by any other means. I did not give you such rights over myself! Therefore, let's you behave more appropriately to the situation!
- You, brat, are you going to talk to me about adequacy now?
- Yes, you! Since I am responsible for my future myself and do not need your valuable instructions!
- Your future is in my hands. As I say - that's how it will be! I'm in charge here! And you will follow my orders - both now and in the future!
This dispute could have gone on for quite some time, but it was interrupted. Orlov Mikhail wedged himself between two people.
"Stop scaring the people," he said good-naturedly.
He was unexpectedly supported by Olga Viktorovna, who agreed that "Mishenka is talking," dragged Alexei Gennadievich to the hut.
Alexander, too, did not linger and went to his dugout. Halfway there, he found his entire company.
- Are you listening?
"We keep our finger on the pulse of the social life of our tribe," Sergey joked.
Already in the dugout itself, they began to discuss really important issues. Although at first, of course, I had to listen to the enthusiasm of the female part of the company about magic and how great it is. Then the conversation turned to the recent incident.
- We need to remove him from the chiefs, we will not cook porridge with him.
- And who instead? The director of the sanatorium? So he looks into Gennadievich's mouth and does not reread it!
The director of the sanatorium, in which they never had a chance to rest, was indeed a completely spineless person. Finding himself in a new frightening environment, he could not come up with any ideas and soon began to simply follow all the instructions of the Deputy General Director. Moreover, judging by his feelings, he did not like the instructions themselves, but he needed them since he could not make any independent decisions.
- Why another director? We've got Sasha. A born leader, no worse than this Gennadievich of yours, and even better in everything.
- You, Olga, do not get angry, - no matter how unexpected it may be, but the main generator of radical ideas in their company was exactly Olga, - Better imagine how it should look.
- And what is there to represent something, we take power into our own hands and tell everyone what to do, period!
- And how will we differ from the current leadership?
- And we are better!
Realizing that even here everything can go far, Alexander decided to smooth the corners.
- In our conditions, the leader should be someone who is trusted by everyone, or at least the majority. I agree that now we do not have decent leadership, but I do not agree that we take power by force. I wanted to do this myself yesterday, in case the situation escalated. But now there is no urgent need for this. The situation is idiotic, but starting a fight for power is the last thing. If it will be necessary - we will take everything into our own hands, it will be necessary - we will choose the leadership of the vote, if it will be necessary - the leader will be nominated in some other way. Time is running out.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
- I'm even glad that you are not against the use of force, if necessary. Our man, - Olga smiled contentedly, - And do not think to get out. Now we do not have a single leader for everyone. Even my Zhenya doesn't pull, and for the most part, you are not only your own, but they also respect you ... - seeing the attempt, she will not agree, she made a soothing gesture with her hands, - Respect, respect - don't argue, I talked with the girls. You are appreciated!
The further conversation slipped to the discussion of pressing problems, already only of their small team. The girls wanted to improve the interior of the dugout and had many more ideas. I had to discuss, and then still go and do, putting them into practice. This continued until darkness fell.