Chapter 47 - Debts Repaid
General Summary
Plamen's two remaining horses carry the three survivors out of Yarozersk, and back toward the giant's cave. Treasure Finder has warned the Yokels to stay away from the subterranean book, but Vasilisa feels strongly obliged to do what she can to bring Sasha back after her unfortunate attempt to defuse the conflict with Treasure Finder went horribly wrong. Her wolf trots along behind the horses, oblivious to his fate.
After arriving at the back entrance to the subterranean book, the Yokels look around to make sure they haven't been followed. When Vasilisa concludes that they haven't been pursued, Plamen and the rest hitch the horses to their rope, and have them drag the slate cover, off the top of the back shaft. After Plamen dismisses them, he hails some crows on a nearby tree, and asks them to watch the area to make sure no one approaches in exchange for some food and some shinies. Plamen then summons two huge spiders, has then wrap him and Vasilisa into web cocoons, and descend down the shaft. The spider carrying Plamen nearly drops his cocoon from the very top, but Chonkorchuk, who foresaw this in the previous night's dream, secures him at the last moment, and the half-polevik is lowered safely. Vasilisa and Chonkorchuk, and then, the wolf, and Sasha's body, are brought down without incident.
From the shaft, they follow the tunnel to Sunduk Sundukovich's haunt. The chest is still there, and demands to know whether they have brought the Alatyr. When he learns that they are still fetching it, he accuses them of being dishonorable, but they Yokels assure Sunduk that it's just a matter of time. They then climb up the ladder into the room with the sacrificial enclosure. Here, Vasilisa utters an apology to the wolf, and slices at his throat with her daggers. The poor beast, not expecting such treachery at the hands of his mistress, attempts to fight back, but in vain, and soon, Vasilisa, her hands dripping red with her companion's blood, is making her way to the Tree of Paradise, while her companions carry the body of their fallen comrade. The prophetic birds are still there, and still singing about the vanity of mortals, and their inability to leave the Apples of Paradise alone after they have found them. Apprehensive, Vasilisa reaches out her hand, and plucks an apple, which snaps off its branch. The payment has been accepted, but Vasilisa doubles over in pain: she must now pay the cost.
Just out in the hallway, Chonkorchuk and Plamen squeeze a dribble of the apple's juice into Sasha's mouth, and place the rest on her abdomen - the center of her living being. Soon, she coughs, and opens her eyes. Memories come rushing back, of being surrounded by snakes, then a sharp pain in her leg, and then, nothing. She now just feels exhausted, and bound to the world with invisible chains. She reaches into her bag, and pulls out her jeweled mirror. Staring back is an old crone. Groaning, Sasha begins to feebly pepper her companions with questions about whether she looks older, but all they see is some pallor and bags under her eyes.
The four companions now return to the shaft, past a still-complaining Sunduk, and, with the aid of the waiting spiders, emerge back out onto the surface. The crows have nothing to report, so it is time to decide what to do. Drazhan Dragomirovich has been left to Treasure Finder, but there seems little willingness to try to recover him and to do with him what has just been done to Sasha. In any case, it may be too difficult. Chonkorchuk looks into the other world to see where the chud' might be, but sees only black. He is puzzled, but then remembers that this has happened before. Not wishing to risk going back to Yarozersk, the Yokels head north, hoping to find some place to rest and take stock. Soon, they see Lake Saiga, and Vasilisa picks up the tracks of a large group of peasants - likely, refugees the chud drove off from the village. After negotiating their way past a series of brambles, the Yokels decide to take break camp, hoping that the next day brings a more clarity.
The following day, Plamen summons more horses, and they continue to follow the tracks around the edge of the lake. But at one point, one of the horses tumbles into quicksand, and Plamen just barely manages to jump off its back and avoids going into the muck after it. The horse is able to struggle free, but as it comes up, it catches a bast peasant shoe in its mouth. Chonkorchuk peers into the bond with his mystic eye, and sees two bodies submerged in the quicksand. One of them carries something magical. At that point, Plamen changes himself into a large reptile he has heard about in tales, and after his companions attach a rope to him, dives in. The reptile struggles a bit, but is able to negotiate the muck with facility, and soon brings up two bodies. Sasha conjures a magical scrub-brush and cleans them off. One, wearing a fine red shirt and leather boots, has a scar across his face. He also has a purse with a few rubles in it. The other, wearing a bast shoe, has whip marks across his back. The finely dressed figure clutches a rosary, with beads emanating the magical aura Chonkorchuk perceived earlier. Sasha examines them closely, and determines that they provide blessings to their bearer - too late, apparently, for their former owner (though one bead seems to have been used up).
Vasilisa guides her companions further up the lake, and just past midday, they reach another shorefront village. It appears to be a little larger than Yarozersk, and actually has a clump of huts, along with a church, in its center. Across from it there is a large household that serves as a tavern, and a fair number of Yarozersk villagers are assembled in front of it, having a mid-afternoon brew. Among them, the Yokels recognize Ruslan Anatolievich and his family, who tell them that Filipok did indeed drive them from their homes. They also relate the curious tale of Yefim Yakovlevich - the local boyar - who inexplicably went to meet them as they traveled along the lake, but then, along with the slave he brought with him, drowned in quicksand. Suspecting Treasure Finder's hand behind this, the Yokels head into the tavern. There, among more refugees, are two armed men - one a particularly large fellow, around eight feet tall.
Rewards Granted
- red shirt
- pair of leather boots
- purse with 5 rubles, 42 kopecks and 50 pulo
- rosary with 8 beads (7 allow one to cast Bless)
Missions/Quests Completed
- Sasha brought back to life with an Apple of Paradise
Character(s) interacted with
- Sunduk Sundukovich
- Some crows
- Ruslan Anatolievich and his family
- Other refugees from Yarozersk
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