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Necroline slightly unwound the bandage and showed part of the lower leg. The skin was mutilated, burns mixed with bloody streaks from claws and swords.
The girl looked at it all with irony and smiled strangely. Rewinding the bandage, Necroline clicked her tongue thoughtfully.
“All the wounds were inflicted by a magic blade, and therefore such scars remained,” the kunoichi girl snorted. So now I have made a vow. I will leave the Haya ninja clan if I really find someone who loves me and is willing to risk everything for me. But this doesn’t happen in real life. These are fairy tales.
Necroline smiled openly. She was beautiful, and now it seemed a crime that the girl rarely smiled. Most likely, only on special occasions and for special people.
The wood in the fire crackled softly. The birds didn’t sing. Old cemetery. It created a terrible atmosphere – a cursed place. Once upon a time, there was a war between vampires and humans. People imagined themselves above all and challenged the vampires. There are no winners in this war – only corpses.
The bushes stirred. The company of ninjas twitched. Necroline and Dale were already preparing to launch attacks, and Zander suddenly stood up and calmly walked somewhere to the side.
– Hey, what are you thinking? Caroline asked fearfully, standing behind her friend.
– What about girls? The elf purred softly.
Dale waved his hand and explained:
– Zander dreams of appearing heroically, saving some beauty. But, alas, every time he has a bummer. I think this time…
The shaman did not have time to finish, because the pointy-eared elf flew out of the bushes at the speed of a rocket.
– There was a mistake. There are vampires,” Zander explained.
There really are vampires out there. Slender with pale skin and black robes. The unnatural eyes glowed with a bright scarlet, almost uncontrollable, bloodlust. Without thinking, Necroline tossed the head of garlic. The nearest vampire grabbed him and swallowed him in one fell swoop, not bothering to chew his food, causing the ninja girl to make a displeased face.
– So you choke, – Necroline said, somewhat offended, realizing that the mutations are affecting, and the old weapon does not work so effectively, which means there was only one left.
***
They fled from the vampires briskly, overtaking each other. The fact is that over the several thousand years of their existence, vampires have adapted and are truly afraid of only two things: holy water and sunlight.
Our heroes “flew” and “jumped” to the village in such a short time that any Olympian-athlete would envy.
When only three hundred meters remained, the whole four stopped together, hiding behind the trees to take a breath. They are still ninjas, and they need to look decent, and not like out of breath siskins.
It has already dawned, and the air is unusually fresh, invigorating and raising morale.
– And we would have reached the village only tomorrow evening, – Caroline shook her head sadly.
– A peculiar plus, – Zander forcedly smiled.
The village of Khaya turned out to be small, with a dozen houses, but quite strong in appearance. All houses are made of stone from two to three floors. Joyful and smiling children ran through the streets, dogs walked, adults went about their business, old people gossiped on the benches.
The little girl rushed towards the kunoichi girl and hung on her waist demandingly.
– You’ve come! The girl exclaimed.
Necroline looked at the child somewhat puzzled, as if bewildered. She obviously did not know the girl, and was not used to such treatment from children.
– Will you save me?
At first glance, the girl was about six years old, in her hands she held a small wicker basket with flowers. She handed a chamomile of these flowers to the “dark one”. Necroline’s violet eyes showed such incomprehension that Caroline involuntarily giggled.
– My deceased mother predicted that you would save me tomorrow.
“I’m a mercenary and I don’t do anything for free,” the kunoichi replied coldly. It might even give the impression that the girl has no human feelings, only “money”.
“If you don’t save me tomorrow on the roof of the fourth house, then I will die with my head held high, and I won’t regret my life,” the girl’s voice was serious. “So just remember me. I am Lesya.
Leia turned around and ran away. She didn’t look upset at all. Rather resolute and confident, but what??
Dale, who took a step forward and caught up with Necroline the fastest, noticed a strange understanding in the eyes of the ninja.
– Necroline, well, how long can you wait? BUT? The voice that called out to the ninja sounded loud and demanding.
On the threshold of one of the houses stood an almost exact copy of Necroline, only a little taller and older, and most importantly – the eyes. Melania’s eyes of an unusual green color looked at the world harshly and demandingly.
Necroline smiled and rushed to her sister.
– How do you feel?
Thanks, you saved my life.
– Meet me. My new companions are Shiro Dale and Tan Zander. And this is my older sister Melania, – Necroline smiled slightly.
Why isn’t the ending “line”? the elf asked.
– My real name is Meline, but I like Melania better, – the girl explained.
– Understood.
– Remember Verdandi? Melania asked her younger sister, who immediately nodded. “She wants to challenge you and enter the Best Ninja competition. From today on, you will be training. We can’t fall on our faces. And we can’t do it with a face, either.
“Okay,” Necroline nodded obediently.
During lunch, the shaman became more and more surprised at the oddity in Necroline’s behavior. She was completely different. Before that, the kunoichi seemed rude and insensitive, but now, on the contrary, she demonstrated unprecedented obedience, bordering on submissiveness. Of course, a person is not unambiguous, but here the principle is different. At home – a good girl, and outside the threshold – a bully. Maybe the girls call it romance, maybe stupidity, maybe something else… it turns out ambiguously.
Melania or Meline turned out to be cheerful and sociable. It turns out that their parents were slaughtered by the Hounds. Then only a few children survived. The Haya settlement was preparing ninjas in order to take revenge on the Hounds and revive their kind.
The reason Melania didn’t like her real name was only known to Necroline. In fact, the name Melaine reminded her of the former wars with the Hound and Shinigami clans.
“Dark” also gave hope that it would help to exterminate the enemies and return the clan to its former glory and power. Her “brake” was Caroline, who constantly fought for the “light side of the soul” of Necroline, tuning in to world peace.
***
Caroline, Zander, and Dale woke up almost at the same time, three seconds apart. After breakfast, Caroline took everyone to the place of training – a picturesque rock with a waterfall.
Necroline, dressed in a blue cotton miniskirt with a black top, was concentrating, putting her thoughts in the proper order necessary for magic. On her feet were excellent suede boots with open knee-high heels. Only a leather bracelet on the right wrist, a metal bracelet on the left shoulder and a chain with a pendant in the form of an ajar book remained unchanged.
The girl was preparing for some kind of spell. On the rock stood a huge cobblestone, four times the height of a man, in which there was one minor dent. Such boulders were often used to practice powerful techniques. Necroline clenched her hand into a fist, and it glowed with grave blue light. Necroline ran up and struck the cobblestone with a light blow, leaving a decent-sized dent with a network of large and small cracks.
– It seems that this is your maximum, – Melania said thoughtfully. “Unfortunately, you can’t hit harder. But Verdandi was able to split a similar stone. Oh well, absolute strength is not in magic and not even in physical training.
This phrase alarmed Dale. He just thought that if he became the most powerful ninja, then only then would he be able to know Absolute power.
Necroline dropped to one knee wearily, her clothes and hair dripping as if she had taken a dip in a waterfall. Caroline smiled involuntarily. She realized, as always happens in such training, it was the fall into the waterfall that took place. For training, Melania forces Necroline to wear the most uncomfortable clothes. In a skirt, you don’t especially jump up and take a step (you have to mince). That’s why every time Necroline slips and cannot keep his balance when he runs across a log or at the moment of casting another spell on the move, well, you have to fall and “swim” over and over again.
Necroline’s legs and arms shook. The girl was barely holding on. But still, Melania was satisfied with the training and its results.
Necroline dropped to her second knee, panting, trying to catch her breath.
– And this brat wants to stop me?! Thundered furiously over the waterfall, and a moment later another observer of the training process appeared.
Cute and according to the complexion of the figure, it is immediately clear – kunoichi.
– Get out! Necroline instantly jumped to her feet, becoming cold and hard again.
– Fi, how rude. I challenge you! The girl waved her hand.
– Verdandi, leave in a good way. I gave my word to my girlfriend that I would not kill for no reason and I do not kill crazy people. But you interrogate, and I will have a serious reason.
Verdandi rushed forward, preferring action to dialogue. Violent hand-to-hand combat ensued. Both girls did not spare each other and fought seriously, trying to get each other out of the “civil war”. They moved quickly, almost imperceptibly to the human eye. Suddenly, Verdandi tripped and Necroline collapsed, and her opponent used…
– Perfect capture!!! Caroline exclaimed.
Calm in such a situation remained only Meline. She hoped that Necroline could get out by some means or a miracle. For example, strongly kick Verdandi with a knee in the stomach or chest.
A “perfect hold” is a hold on an opponent when he cannot move. In this case, Verdandi held Necroline’s chest and left limb with both legs, twisting her palm with her hands. The defeated kunoichi gritted her teeth.
“Move more, and I will break your arm,” Verdandi smiled bloodthirstyly, wanting her to disobey.
As expected, Necroline listened to only two people: Melania and Caroline. Verdandi’s order or request did not impress her, and so the kunoichi jumped to her feet with all her might, throwing off Verdandi, breaking her arm. The left limb limply hung along the body. Without waiting for the opponent to get up on all fours, Necroline slightly threw her back and punched her good hand next to her opponent’s temple. The first left a decent imprint in the ground in the rock, serving as a terrible hint.
“Don’t get in my way anymore,” Necroline spoke softly and decisively.
Rising to her feet, the kunoichi, without looking back at the loser, went to her friend. The medical ninja immediately started whispering a healing spell, unable to bear the pain and violence. Verdandi left silently. They’ve had similar fights before, usually ending as abruptly as they started.
– Stupid! Caroline gave her friend a resounding slap in the face.
Did I break my promise? Necroline’s eyebrow arched in surprise.
– Was it necessary to break your arm with a jerk?!
“We should have done it gradually,” Zander suddenly laughed nervously.
– That’s right, pointy-eared, – Necroline smiled, defusing the situation.
– Listen, can I ask a question? Dale suddenly asked.
Kunoichi turned serious again and nodded in agreement, froze in anticipation of the question.
– Why are you trying to seem ruder than you really are? Dale continued. You are very beautiful when you smile.
– It’s just that when you start treating everyone in a good way, everyone starts to be rude, and it will be bad for me later. It’s better to be afraid then. And what?
– No, nothing, – Dale looked from Necroline to Melania, from Melania to Caroline, and then to Zander.
“Today you can rest,” the elder sister graciously allowed, which could not but rejoice.
Necroline nodded her thanks.
– I still have things to do today.
Together, the company headed towards the house, leaving the kunoichi alone with their “business”. Necroline sat at the very edge of the waterfall, listening to the sound of falling water, and looking down, thinking painfully about something. Yesterday’s chamomile stuck out in her hair. Caroline, on reflection, decided to return, approaching her friend from behind.
– Do you want to talk, – rather affirmatively than inquiringly whispered “fair”.
Necroline nodded. Now she looked very tired.
– Do you think about that girl, Lesya? Caroline asked again.
“Yes,” the kunoichi nodded. – She is very similar to me. Melania was threatened, and then I shielded her with myself. They told me to leave otherwise I would die. And I said that I would accept death with dignity. I was then eight years old, no more. You know, I dream that someday I will live in peace and not be afraid for the lives of my friends. But all these horrors… as if it happened yesterday.
– I understand you, – Caroline laid her head on her friend’s shoulder.
“Although something else worries me now,” Necroline hugged the “fair” by the shoulders. “I think I’m starting to fall in love. For the first time, my heart feels something…something other than anxiety.
– Dale?
– Yes. He looks so much like that guy, but is often silent. I read his mind several times. By the way, he didn’t even block me, but Care, he’s completely clean. Honor, pride and feelings – he has all this.
– You’re just afraid of getting burned. Like then… you’ve been alone for too long, so it’s hard to accept at least some feelings.
Necroline sighed sadly.
“Thank you,” the ninja smiled. You have supported and helped me so many times already.
– Necroline, I’m your friend. You can always rely on me.
They were silent for a little longer. Necroline sighed heavily, and Caroline touched her friend’s forehead with her forehead, helping to cope with mental problems. Whatever one may say, but they are still friends, the most real.
***
Necroline was sitting at the table with everyone. Melania and Caroline cooked well, so they covered everyone in the shortest possible time and forced them to eat a variety of delicious food, cooler than any self-assembled tablecloth. Dale and Zander ate with gusto. Ninja very rarely eat well. Usually they have to eat pasture, not really relying on delicacies. Necroline sat gloomy, darker than the clouds.
– What’s the matter? Caroline smiled sweetly at her friend.
Necroline slammed her hand on the table. The girls jumped in surprise, and the guys calmly raised their eyes.
