They lived not far from the industrial district, to be more precise, to the east of it. And unlike other poor districts of Agernox, there were always trees growing in this area, roads were cleared of garbage, and people were not in a hurry, everyone lived quietly, peacefully and calmly, going about their own business.

The head of the family forged knives in a small shed behind the house, built by himself, and in which he started a small workshop for himself. He was assisted by his son - a boy of seven, very thin, but thanks to the blacksmithing work, his hands were strong beyond his age. The father looked like a giant: tall, more than two meters high, his arms were as thick as his son's body, his face was all wrinkled, and he had a long gray beard. The clothes of the father and son, as well as the skin of the face and hands, were all covered with dirt and soot. It had been several hours since they had gotten up early in the morning – about five o'clock - and gone to work without really eating a breakfast. The wife had already prepared the food and was calmly watering the flowers in her small garden.

This family was hard-working. No one was lazy. They took care of the house: they cleaned, washed the dishes; nothing was ever scattered around the house, everything was in its place; the beds were made, the chairs were pushed under the table, the shelves were never dusty. The facade of the wooden house looked as if it had just been built. But in fact - this was far from the truth, because the house was built several centuries ago. The secret of such success was in the head of the family, who knew not only blacksmithing, but was also good at carpentry. Once every few seasons, or even more often, he and his son painted the house, and repaired what was broken inside. And if the doors or locks fell into disrepair, he bought new ones.

To say that the family lived poorly is a lie. They were a middle-class family that spared no expense, and spent everything to build their own lives.

On the morning of that day, the wife, after watering the flowers, returned to the house, took the laundry, breathed in its freshness, smiled with her blue eyes and went out to the plot. Not far from the fence, she began to hang pillowcases and clean clothes. As she hung up a few crystal-white pillowcases, she heard people running in the street, neighbors slamming doors, and a commotion. The wife put the remaining laundry in the basin, opened the door and saw three people in dark robes walking at the beginning of the street. She looked closer, gasped, and covered her mouth with her hand. Then she smoothly closed the door, went into the barn to her husband and told him what she had seen.

"Ignore it and mind your own business," he told her, in his rough, deep voice.

The wife nodded and went back to hang up the laundry. There was a light knock at the front gate. She approached, expecting to see a neighbor trying to hide from the eyes of the inquisitors, but instead it was the ones she feared most – three troublemakers with a strange red mark on their black robes.

The one in front of them looked short, about a hundred and seventy meters tall. His eyes were clear, his features stern, his body lean. He bowed in her direction and greeted her politely:

"Good morning, Miss Sainte, right?"

"Th-th-that's right," she said, and looked at the other two.

To the left stood a tall inquisitor, as tall as the woman's husband, and she couldn't see his eyes because they were hidden under his hood. But she could see the rough lines of his chin and the long, taut neck. To the right stood the inquisitor with a smiling mask. They also both bowed.

"Miss Sainte, I would like to ask you if your husband is at home right now, eh? I'd like to talk to him."

She looked at him, clearly unaware of what was happening.

"Ah! I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Alba. This young man in the mask is Thomas, and the taller one is Attila."

"Nice to meet you," she said, and without anyone noticing, she grabbed her right wrist to stop her hands from shaking. "Please come in. My husband will be here soon."

Mr. Sainte went to the window, and through a gap between two curtains he saw his wife talking to the inquisitors. He dried his hands, washed his face, stretched his neck, and looked at his son.

"Let's go to the kitchen."

The son got up from the machine and followed his father.

"Slow steps, no sudden movements."

"Yes, Father."

When the husband entered the kitchen, he saw only his wife and the little inquisitor, who immediately turned to his direction, smiled and held out his hand, coming closer and closer. He held out his hand in return, but didn't move.

"My name is Alba."

"Nice to meet you," the man said. "My name is Andrey, and my son is Alexander."

"What extraordinary names you have for these places."

The man shrugged. They sat down at the table. Alexander and his wife, Maria, stood side by side.

"What do you do if it's not a secret?" Alba asked, very politely.

"We forge knives."

"Wow, that's interesting. What kind of steel?"

"The Damascus one."

“High-grade steel! Where I work, we have to make do with the most ordinary iron knives, and I'll tell you honestly, they cut oh-ho-ho, how bad.”

Alba smiled. He looked straight into Andrey's eyes, saw the perspiration on his forehead. However, he was very confident.

"Alexander, pour Mr. Alba some water," said Andrey.

The boy was about to go to pour water when Alba turned around in his chair and grabbed the boy's arm tightly, he was in pain, but he did not show it.

"Since you're forging knives here, bring me one of your works, okay?"

The boy nodded, and Alba let go of his hand.

"Andrey, you're not from around here, are you?"

"That's right."

"Judging by your names and your accent, you're from central."

"That's right."

Suddenly, Alba spoke in his native language without a single accent.

- В детстве, очень давно, я изучал культуру вашей страны со своим преподавателем, и когда я услышал музыку вашего языка я понял, что он просто изумителен! Что же привело вас в наши края? Путь ведь не близкий.

- Наша страна совсем обнищала. Когда нет денег, нет и спроса. Мы решили переехать сюда.

"As a child, a long time ago, I studied the culture of your country with my teacher, and when I heard the music of your country, I realized that it is simply amazing! What brought you to our region? Your homeland is quite far."

"Our country is completely impoverished. When there is no money, there is no demand. We decided to move here."

- Правильно решение! - The smiling Alba laughed. - Очень правильное!

"Good desicion!" The smiling Alba laughed. "Very good."

"Amazing! Excellent! How did we miss such knives!"

"Take it," said Andrey.

"A gift?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, thank you!"

Alba put the knife down on the table and leaned toward Andrey.

"Could we talk in private? As you can see, my men are standing outside."

"Of course."

Andrey nodded, snapped his fingers, and his family was about to leave when Alba grabbed Alexander again, picked up the knife, and handed it to him, hilt first.

- Отдай этот нож тому, что в маске, хорошо?

"Give that knife to the one in the mask, okay?"

Alba smiled.

"Yes, sir, of course."

Alexander took the knife and left the house. When Alba and Andrey were left alone, Andrey said:

“I am pleased that you have visited my home, but frankly, I do not understand the purpose of your visit here.” Andrey said, without taking his eyes off the thin and small inquisitor and the small wall carpet behind him.

"I've heard rumors that the Metentises are hiding in this district. Last day, they attacked the guards, and also killed a few innocent people who were calmly going to their work. Have you heard anything about it?"

"Yes, of course, but I don't understand the connection between me and them yet, Sir Alba."

Alba took out a small notebook and pen from under his robe and began to write, simultaneously conducting a conversation.

"How many were there?"

Andrey thought a little. He looked once more at the Inquisitor, who was staring at his notebook. Then he looked at the carpet behind him, where the three Metentises were hidden in a secret wall, with horror in their eyes. One of them saw through the crack who had come for them and could hardly contain the trembling in his body.

“Кажется, трое. Oh, sorry, three, I think.”

Alba wrote it down.

"Like all Metentises, long blue robes."

Andrey leaned back in his chair, rubbed his nose, and lit a cigarette.

“Do you smoke?”

“No, Thank you.”

“Then ... you don’t mind if I ...”

“Of course not! This is your house, Andrey, smoke as much as you want!”

“Thank you.”

“Have you noticed anything unusual, like strange sounds or something suspicious from neighbors at night?”

Andrey took a drag on his cigarette and said:

Alba made a note in his notebook again.

"Any manifestations of metovis or illogical events that seemed strange to you?"

"No, sir, nothing like that. Em... if I would see something like this, I would report it right away," Andrey answered, nodding as if in agreement.

“Okay. All right.” Alba put down his pen and put away his small notebook. “That's all! Thank you for your help!”

"Yes, of course. High Inquisitor, Alba."

"Can I have some water? My throat feels dry."

Andrey nodded.

"Andrey, do you know what I do?"

"Rumor has it that you are currently fighting on the front lines in the war against Porhol land."

"That's right. Only yesterday I was on the battlefield, I fought side by side with our soldiers, I never understood the commanders-in-chief who sit in their tents waiting for the result. Such people are usually doomed to lose. And after another successful battle, a messenger came to me, all clean, in a new SEM car, and today I am here. The governor told me that there were metentises in the city and instructed me to personally catch them."

"Yes, sir, High Inquisitor, I hope you'll catch them all."

"It used to be my main line of work, if I may say so. And what is even more interesting, these metentises have been successfully hiding for a very long time. They walk around our streets every day; at the central gate, right before the eyes of our guards, bringing their friends. And now there are a lot of them, like a hornet's nest. If you, Andrey, have heard what I am doing now, then you probably have heard what my name is among the people."

"I've heard it."

"So, why are you still so silent? Tell me my name!"

"The bloody crystal."

The Metentises, who had been in the wall all this time, heard the name of someone who was sitting a meter away from them. The girl who was hiding in the middle started to cry, but she held on and didn't scream, only silent tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"An amazing name, don't you think?" And how much sense it makes. Crystals are essentially empty, with only vitavis in them, but we endow them with elements: fire, water, earth, or air, and then use them in the latest technologies throughout our country. This helps us develops the economy, supports science, and most importantly it makes life easier for all of us, don't you agree? And if the Metentises hunt for the elements, I hunt for their blood. Hence the name."

Andrey nodded in agreement. He took one last drag on his cigarette and put out the bull. He felt a shiver run through his body. Alba took a sip of water.

Andrey nodded in agreement.

"Andrey, to be honest, your knives are great, I would really like you to make some for our organization."

Andrey nodded.

"Of course, how many do you need?"

"At least fifty, so that our cooks don't suffer so much in the kitchen."

"I'll do it in a week."

"I wish there were more hard workers like you in Agernox! We'd be thriving by now."

"Thank you."

Alba gets up from the chair and heads for the door. Andrey continued to sit on his chair. The Inquisitor touched the handle and stopped. He looked at Andrey, and then looked around the room.

- Я не разговаривал на Вашем языке очень долго, вы не откажите мне нескольких минутах разговора, хорошо? Просто ради практики. Прекрасный у вас все-таки дом. Знаете, я уже ни в одном доме побывал, собирая информацию. И у всех дома одинаковые: старые, гнилые. Внутри разбросан мусор, воняет гнилью. А у вас тут уютненько. Даже как-то жаль уходить. Стен даже, кажется больше, чем нужно, да и сарай за домом, не у каждого это есть, я бы даже сказал, что вы первый у кого я все это увидел. Вы часто делаете здесь ремонт?

"I haven't spoken your language for a very long time, so you won't deny me a few minutes of conversation, right? Just for the sake of practice. It's a beautiful house, after all. You know, I have been to some of house before, collecting information. And all the houses are the same: old, rotten. There's garbage scattered inside, and it stinks of rot. But you have a cozy place here. It's kind of a pity to leave. The walls even seem to be thicker than necessary, and the shed behind the house, not everyone has it, I would even say that you are the first one I saw to have it all. Do you often renovate it?"

- Я постоянно улучшаю свой дом и слежу за тем, чтобы он был в полном порядке.

- Это правильно. Так и нужно делать.

"I am constantly improving my house and making sure it is in perfect condition."

"That's good. That's the way to do it."

Alba turned back to the door, raised his hand to the level of the handle, then nodded his head and turned around:

- Знаете, давным-давно существовала цивилизация наполненная метентисами. Они просуществовали совсем недолго, знаете почему? Потому что та огромная сила, которой они обладали, та власть, которая давал им метовис, заставила их иначе посмотреть на мир. Тот мир определяли не законы, а сила. Если ты можешь кого-то убить, то почему ты должен кого-то слушаться. Что привело к тому, что огромная цивилизация рухнула. Уцелели лишь немногие. И, казалось, нужно научится на ошибках прошлого, жить дальше. Но нет. Они не изменились. Все также гонятся за силой и властью. Они готовы убить Вас, меня и всех, кто вам дорог для достижения собственных целей. Вот если бы в Вашу дверь постучали и предложили поучаствовать в кровавом перевороте, Вы бы согласились?

"You know, a long time ago there was a civilization filled with metentises. They didn't last for long; do you know why? Because of the great power they possessed, the power that metovis gave them, made them look at the world differently. That world was determined not by laws, but by force. If you can kill someone, why do you have to listen to someone? Which caused a huge civilization to collapse. Only a few survived. And, it seemed, they needed to learn from the mistakes of the past, to live on. But no. They haven't changed. All of them are still chasing power and authority. They are ready to kill you, me, and everyone you care about in order to achieve their own goals. Now, if someone knocked on your door and asked you to participate in a bloody coup, would you agree?"

- Нет.

- Потому что не хотите подвергать опасности себя и свою семью, верно?

- Да.

- А подвергать опасности Ваших соседей хотели бы?

- Нет.

- Вы очень законопослушный гражданин.

- Спасибо, сэр Альба.

"No."

"Because you don't want to endanger yourself and your family, right?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to endanger your neighbors?"

"No."

"You are a very law-abiding citizen."

"Thank you, Sir Alba."

The inquisitor came closer to Andrey and asked, looking down from above:

- Как вы думаете, сколько метентисов я убил за свою жизнь?

- Много?

- Более пяти сотен. А знаете сколько из них скрывалось?

- Не знаю, сэр.

"How many Metentises do you think I've killed in my life?"

"A lot?"

"More than five hundred. Do you know how many of them were hiding?"

"I don't know, sir."

- Все. Каждый из них где-то от меня прятался. Андрей...

"Everyone. Each of them was hiding from me. Andrey,"

Alba put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it tightly and began to speak very seriously, his face no longer smiling.

- Сюда мог прийти молодой инквизитор, не уважающий Ваш дом. Он бы запугал Вашу семью, все бы тут разрушил, но ничего бы так и не нашел. Потому что голова забита деньгами и шлюхами. Поэтому вызвали меня.

"A young inquisitor who does not respect your house might have come here. He would have intimidated your family, destroyed everything here, but he would never have found anything. Because his head is full of money and whores. That's why they called me."

Alba pulled up the table and looked into Andrey's frightened eyes.

- А как вы думаете, сколько из них укрывали люди?

- Я не могу знать.

- Процентов 80. Они дали им кров над головой, потому что боялись, что их убьют. И я это понимаю. Поэтому я спрошу один раз, а вы ответите мне честно: Вы укрываете в своем доме метентисов?

"How many of them do you think were sheltered by humans?"

"I can't know."

"80 percent. They gave them shelter against their will because they were afraid, they would be killed. And I understand that. So, I will ask you once, and you will answer me honestly: Do you shelter the Metentises in your house?"

Andrey's body shook, he nodded his head, and his eyes filled with tears, and he answered:

- Да.

- Они прячутся в стене за ковром, не так ли?

- Да.

- Раз они на нас до сих пор не напали, значит ваш язык они не знают, верно?

- Да.

"Yes."

"They're hiding in the wall behind the carpet, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"If they haven't attacked us yet, then they don't know your language, right?"

"Yes."

Alba shook his head.

- Сейчас мы перейдем снова на местный язык. Вы мне подыграете, вы поняли?

- Да.

"We will now switch back to the local language. You'll play along, do you understood?"

"Yes."

"Well, Andrey," Alba continued in his courteous voice with a smile on his face, "we'll do the standard procedure, my two assistants will inspect your house, and then we'll leave, okay?"

Andrey said nothing. Alba knocked three times on the door and two inquisitors entered. He nodded his head toward the wall. They both drew their swords, blazing with black fire, and slammed into the wall, killing two Metentises at once. The third broke the wall, folded his hands in a prayer pose, and shouted:

"Disappearance." (rank 5)

Alba smiled. Thomas ran into the back room, broke the window, and ran out of the house. He said something and a black needle flew out of the sleeve of his robe.

"Split" (rank 2), Thomas said louder, and laughed.

The needles flew in all directions, Thomas caught the faint sound of a needle scratching the Metentis' skin, and he leaped into the spot and caught the enemy. The Metentis was no longer invisible, and the last thing he saw was a smiling mask and a phrase:

"We'll talk to you a little longer."

A few minutes later, the two inquisitor's assistants left the house, and Alba paused in the doorway and looked at Andrey.

"What did you see today?"

"Nothing."

"Correct answer. Tomorrow, a messenger will come to you with the contract and we will place an order. The news will appear in the newspapers, you will read it and tell everyone that this is exactly what happened, do you understand?"

“Yes.”

- До новых встреч, Андрей!

"See you again, Andrey!"

Alba went outside and closed the door behind him.