🍁Nine Ancient Obelisks

- Well, listen, now that we've decided, - he said, sitting on the floor of the chamber, instinctively reaching for a pack of cigarettes, but finding none, and grimacing at his already haggard face. - I suppose we're all here for the same reason, right? To compete in the tournament, show off our skills, and see what others can do. I really did see that woman during the day. "The Flower Girl." I'll never understand why anyone would need her, but she has a cool spot, I've never seen anything like it anywhere else. And she's quite attractive. I talked to those guys with the swords on the way, and I really liked seeing that familiar weapon with someone else. And as for that short guy... - Genz spat out the words with disdain. - I saw him once before, and now he's here again. He's very strange, he annoyed me at first, but then I felt sorry for him. He looks like a half-corpse, his eyes are as if they're just waiting for death. He told me right away that he was cursed, can you imagine? He found something to sharpen, but who among us isn't cursed... He was bustling around the arena, back and forth, you know why. I lost all my money on a bet, I only had one coin left. I'm still sure that this dog somehow rigged it, there were too many strange fights there. Surrenders, losses, - he cast a distrustful glance at Erika, but didn't linger. - And then they stabbed that one, - his fist clenched, and the stumps began to bleed. - I wanted to get at least something from him in the end. A trump card, by the way. But he started to stall, saying, "let's think about it, let's look," and so on. Okay, forget it, he left somewhere. Before leaving, we went to the hospital with the kids - just to see what happened to the little one. Sisandra. I think the astronaut is lying about what he said there, he's trying to mislead us, he's nervous and wriggling around. She's unconscious and barely alive, there's no one to interrogate, and he wouldn't risk it. But if something happens... I think fate will deal with him one way or another.

Zibaba was slightly distracted by these thoughts, but quickly regained his composure.
- Yes. Okay, now for what you all want to hear. We got to the city, and that scoundrel showed up again. He-he, ha-ha, a little walk. We're walking past the park... that was the first critical moment, I don't know what made me look in there. The tournament was a disaster, there was no winning, no watching - just a mess. I lost all my money, my face was cut up, maybe I can at least breathe normally, chat with that flower girl, and calm my soul, so that at least that memory remains. Aha - here are my memories, I'm reliving them. I didn't even have time to say hello when all hell broke loose. Noise, chaos, a fight, smoke billowing - you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I still don't understand why. That old woman also felt bad, she collapsed. Well, somehow I managed to get out, with two of us, but not three. And then came the second, final critical moment, or maybe not yet final, I'm not sure, - a bitter smile flashed across his face. - Something stirred within me, you understand? How could I just stand by? Maybe they were robbing and killing, some kind of robbery. Is that why I've been training all these years? But my advice to you young ones is - don't get involved if the situation isn't clear, sometimes you get lucky, but sometimes you end up in the same mess as I am. And I also wanted to find that sailor, we're acquaintances, we made a deal, maybe he's lying there with his stomach ripped open. And I still have nothing in my pocket. This guy went with me, wearing a creepy mask. And all I saw of the blond was his back disappearing quickly. What a cool guy. We entered the area, and there were four thugs, all in gold, with those big clubs - and they were coming at us. I shouted at them - guys, calm down, let's figure it out, but they didn't give a damn. Of course not. You can't play the wandering knight with that face. We had to defend ourselves, what else could we do? They were trying to kill us. Well, somehow we managed to fight them off, and then that geek with the glasses showed up, with a whole squad, he was shaking all over, breathing fire. It became clear that there would be no reasoning with them, so we ran as fast as we could. I'm not proud of it, but I'm not ashamed either, everyone would have done the same in my place. I haven't seen that guy since, and I ran as far as I could, but it didn't work, those bastards caught me. No conversation - interrogation, beatings, nails. You know the rest. Ah yes, and by the way, when I went in the second time, I didn't see the old woman or the robber anymore. Maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe someone knows? That's the story, and now I'm on the shitlist. I tried to explain all this to that pig, but he doesn't care. He's banging his face on the table, shouting "where" "where" is she. I don't know where! On your beard. I'd tell you if I knew. And I won't incriminate myself, I'm sick of this place.

He leaned against the wall.
- But you know what I think. He and his cronies control the whole region, he'll search, sooner or later he'll find her. I don't know why he's so nervous, but the pliers made it clear to me that she's an important person.