- Home, of course, home! - I was glad, - I hope it will be soon...
And again, running down a narrow corridor.
- The Hall of Light," Antashar swept.
This hall, I would call a mirror one. The whole room, all the walls were covered with pieces of shiny amalgam, creating the illusion of an endless corridor.
- Why aren't we reflected? - I was surprised.
- They're not mirrors," the Faceless said, "they're doors...
The first to appear in the mirror corridor were the dusky hyenas. Black skinny bodies, shining muzzles, leathery as bats, wings. Terrible creatures of the Abyss, living in desert gorges at the edge of the earth. They sneaked down the mirror corridor from their terrible world and their eyes shone with anticipation and deadly anger. And almost immediately fire bastards crawled out of the left mirror from the red-hot wasteland, and from the right - water white snakes living in the bottomless sea depths ...
- Iron will not help," said Antashar, "only magic...
Lord Darrell nodded, looking at the looking-glass with his usual squint of nut eyes.
- Go," he said, "and don't waste any time. I'll put you in a corridor...
I was scared to look at him.
- Spider, your reserve...
- It's all right," he looked me in the eyes and smiled gently, "go.
Lord Darrell threw his hands away, weaving a spell. The Force sparkled on his palms, creating a protective cocoon around us.
- Let's go..." Antashar whispered and pulled us to one of the mirrors. The shiny surface turned out to be a dark cloud that hid the emptiness. The last time I looked at Schader, I saw the monsters throwing themselves at him, and the blinding white light of his palm...
The glowing runes of the corridor again.
- The Hall of Darkness... Followed by the valley to the throne of the Lord of Souls.
The Dark Cave was empty at first sight. There were no runes and their ghostly glow, a huge dark hall seemed hollowed out in the rock. Only in the center was a pile of land dumped.
- Khanthor... The last in the underworld," said the Faceless quietly.
I wanted to ask something, but I didn't have time. The pile of land in the centre moved, crawled upwards, forming a crack, and from there a grey long body of an ancient monster stretched out. I never imagined that there was such a terrible creature in our world. A terrible descendant of the original darkness that came into our world in the days of its creation, a creature so different from others that caused hurry and rejection. The blurry body of earthy grey, as if it had no bones at all, but was filled with some kind of liquid slime, which caused the creature to roll like a piece of thick kissel. Four pairs thin as a spider's paws. A round head with moist kidney growths. And on the flattened muzzle long elongated eyes with no pupils, all flooded with shimmering purple. The creature had no resemblance to its mouth or nose.
It's creepy. But I was even more scared when I feverishly remembered information from Schyder's enchanted book.
Khanthor. A strange creature with an otherworldly consciousness filled with darkness. It cannot be killed with any weapon and cannot stand against it, because Khanthor feeds on life force, taking it and filling his sacrifice with the darkness. Horrifying purple eyes have turned to us. And I cried out. Danil's moaning. Even Antashar began to stir... because she was weak and her head began to fill with a sticky horror, as if all that can be in the world of light and good had disappeared at once. The Ancients were feeding.
The archpriest spied something evil through his teeth and, walking quickly to the khanator, struck him with a blade on his face. The beast swayed silently, turned his grey body and stared at the demon. And immediately let go, it became easier, because the Khanhantor switched his mortal attention to the Dark One.
- Rion... I whispered.
- Go," he said without turning around, "I'll catch up with you.
I took a bite of my lip, looking as he stood, with my hands down with the akanaras, and looked steadily into the eyes of the ancient. And the walls inside him became so strong that no echo of feelings or emotion reached me. An emptiness that made me want to scream.
- Rather," Antashar whispered, "we go while the Dark One distracts him...
Danila was the first to rush to the breach in the wall and, shaken, I ran after, forcing myself not to look back.
Chapter 23.
The corridor ended so unexpectedly that I didn't immediately realize that we were no longer standing in a rocky aisle, but in an open area where the wide steps were being pushed out. And then the road, laid out with light stone, shone brightly and smoothly, as if it were icy, leading to a beautiful white castle on the lake shore. There were no trees here, only the grass was silver, and white flowers glowed gently. The moon was still hanging in the sky, and I was surprised. I thought it was morning long ago...
We made it all the way to the castle without meeting anyone. True, the Lord of Souls was so sure of the deadly power of his caves that he did not need additional protection. However, he was almost right.
The spark of life in Xen was no longer flickering, smouldering, and pale in the wind of eternity... And Daniela was already running along the road, clutching the girl to herself, and clutching her lips stubbornly. Antashar was sliding beside him. I couldn't keep up with them, but I always ran badly, and the hem of my skirt stirred me, I got confused in my legs. So I had to pull him up so that I could see his naked knees, but now I didn't care about all the rules of decency that they had been so hard on me since childhood.
So I flew into the palace of the Lord of Souls, the Ruler of the Dark, just like that: with a shattered scythe, a skirt pulled up, and a crazy look. I only glimpsed a large hall of white marble, the far wall of which was absent, opening a charming view of the water mirror.
And it froze stunned... because the children were coming to meet us... children. Not for long, no more than twelve springs from birth. There were four of them, boys with serious smooth faces and a slight smile on their whimsical lips. All four of them dressed richly as children of noble families or even royal heirs. Each boy dressed in his own color: gold, blue, red and green. And each has expensive sheaths on his belt, thickly decorated with sparkling stones.
Danila and I had a confused look, and Antashar suddenly bowed down.
- Greetings, Lord of Souls, the only ruler of the Boundary to the World of Shadows. I salute you, faithful to the Shadows of the Ruler, may Eternity be good to you...
The boy in blue came forward and looked at us dissatisfied.
- What kind of weird visit? - He asked in a brittle poleudet voice, "And at the hour of the beast, when the Lord is about to rest, and the Abyss is at his doorstep? Why did you bring guests to the Castle of Night, the Second Shadow?
Antashar has straightened. And to my astonishment, the black cloak is gone, and from the Shadow came a boy with blond hair, dressed in silver clothes.
- The companions passed through all the halls in the Rock of Grief," he said, "and they have earned the right to your mercy.
- Did they? - The boy in blue smiled contemptuously," and what do the intruders want from me?
I stepped forward and, as I could, sat down in a curtsy. What can I do about what I've always done badly?
- My lord," I said, "we have come a long way to get to you with only one request: I beg you to open the Shadows' Edge for me.
All the boys laughed harmoniously.
- Foolish people," said the boy in red.
- They are fools," added the golden one.
- All that's good for food," the green yawned.
Antashar frowned a little.
- Lord, it is their right," he recalled, "everyone who passes the Rock of Grief has the right to make a request.
The boy in blue was slightly clouded and in an instant turned into a turquoise dragon. And in an instant there were also four other dragons in the white room, each in their own color.
- And how did the strangers pass the Halls, the Second Shadow
? - How could the turquoise lizard, stepping on the silver one, overcome the traps of the ancients, of which no one had come out alive?
A yellow flame burst out of the lizard's mouth, leaving black soot on the light marble.
- They passed," Antashar answered, "you must help! Open the Fringe!
The lizard was laughing, and his shadows were laughing after him.
- Chickenpox," Danila said quietly, "the spark of life goes out...
- Do you see the aura? - I was amazed to forget about the lizards.
- Only at Kseni's," the boy sighed. Tears were shaking in his blue eyes," she went out, Vetriana...
No!!! We didn't come all this way to give up at the last moment! It is not for that reason that Shider and the Archharrion are now standing in the caves of the Rock of Grief and fighting monsters, even though they did not believe in the success of our journey from the very beginning! I will not let Xena go! I won't let go.
- Stop it! - I screamed. My voice swung under the vaults of the marble hall, a wounded bird hit the walls. Echo saw around us, raising a vortex... An ice wind flew from the tips of my fingers, and right under the ceiling began to gather in a sinister cloud of darkness...
The lizards looked around surprisingly, rippled and faded into tall identical figures in black cloaks.
- The Locker? - one of the Faceless.
- But there's no Source," the other one outraged.
- Impossible," said the third one.
A hissing lightning flew over their heads.
- We have come for help! - I shouted out again, feeling my hair soaring in the wind, and white vortices beating around my head. My fingers burned as if liquid fire was spilling over them," and you're spoiling with dirt and deception! My friend is dying! Her soul has gone beyond the Fringe, I must find her! You must help me, you hear!
- Crazy lady, one of the shadows has whispered.
I raised my head with despair. The lightning bolts were already kissing the white walls with a hissing ball. Their eyes were wrapped in evil tears. If the Lord of Souls doesn't open the line for me, I'll tear apart this marble palace with its inhabitants... Only Xena won't help.
At that moment, the Lake of Oblivion was swollen, rippled, excited and three pale faces appeared above its surface. I woke up wonderfully. Mayira, the lady of the lake, proudly raised her chin, came ashore. Silver hair of the siren was crowned with a hoop with a lonely transparent stone, like her eyes. Algae hugged her thin body with a live dress and settled down next to her, forming an incredibly beautiful trail. Her pale lips were tight, and her eyes looked so haughty that even I wanted to fall down in front of her.
Behind the siren were living cold shadows of Solmei and Aya.
A shiver passed along the row of the Faceless, and at one moment the shadows disappeared. In their place grew powerful grey figures, hung with weapons and dressed in black military uniforms. To the approaching sirens turned disfigured scars and black drawings of the Whispering, a clan of ruthless desert killers.
The faceless have changed their masks again.
- Why did you come here, Mistress of the Lake Eternal Forest," one of them asked indifferently. Mayira looked at the Faceless as cold and arrogant.
- You will open the Shadow Edge to those who ask," she said.
There was a shiver on the frightening faces of Whispering.
- Why should I listen to you, Mistress?
- You will open the Edge, Ram Saa Ten, you will open it, and you will let yourself in! - the siren took a slight step forward, looking into the face of one of the Faceless. Now I didn't know which of them was Antashar, who was the Lord and who was his shadow. But Mayira didn't seem to have any doubts. The mermaid's eyes sparkled with an icy shine.
- Or did you forget that Lake of Oblivion also belongs to the sirens? - she arrogantly asked, "For three centuries we have not disturbed the peace of the valley. Your peace. But things can change, Lord of Souls!
Ram is silent. Slowly he stepped forward from the circle of his shadows.
- Your time is running out, Mayira," he said quietly, "and it's flowing through your cold fingers like lake water... I can feel it.
Serena bowed her head a little.
- Everyone has their term, Lord of Souls," she said quietly, "and I'm not afraid of the world of shadows.
- I'm not afraid of the world of shadows," she said. You're not afraid.
The Soul Lord's cloak was rippled again, and the Faceless were worried. Because the cruel murderer disappeared, and a man appeared in his place. Tall, dark hair with gray hair, pale skin that had not seen the sun for a long time and calm blue eyes. He was dressed in simple cloth pants, boots and a white shirt.
And I froze in amazement at the true appearance of the Lord.
And after his ruler, all those immersed in darkness changed their appearance. Four Shadows became men. All tall, with cold, perfect faces... Antashar threw his head up looking at me. A blonde with silver eyes...
Mayira nodded slowly, like she was greeting.
- I didn't think you still remember your true face, Ram," she said quietly.
He stepped towards her," she said quietly.
- And you, Maira? - Just as quietly, he asked, do you remember him?
She didn't answer. She just stood there and looked into the face of the Lord of Souls. And she smiled a little. Ram swayed at her like he wanted to touch her, but he stopped. He stood still, looking at the mermaid's face. And he turned his back.
- I'll open the Boundary," he said, "the girl can come in. But no one knows if she can come back. I have no power over it. Go back to the Eternal Forest, Mistress of the Lake. And no longer disturb the peace of the Valley of Oblivion.
Mayira nodded again and turned to the water without looking at us. Only Solmeya, passing by, winked secretly at me. In a moment the lakes closed above the Mistress and her companions, hiding sirens in their dark depths. The Lord of the Faceless looked at her thoughtfully until the last circles had subsided on the disturbed water surface. And then he turned to us.
- There's only one way to enter the Fringe," he told me harshly, "are you ready for him?
I nodded silently. Antashar came up and took my hand.
- I'll try to help if I can," he quietly said, "only connected souls can know each other in the World of Shadows, of the Vetriana. Are you connected with this girl?
- Yes. I'm the one who broke her soul. I'm the one who recognizes her.
- Well," sighed the Faceless, "you won't have much time, here, take this.
He hung a chain around my neck with a round medallion. There was a little burning ball on the edge.
- When you enter the Edge, the flywheel will start moving," Antashar explained, "you must return before it makes a full circle. After that, the Edge will close and you will no longer be able to get out. Do you understand everything?
I didn't understand anything, but I nodded.
- Chickenpox! - suddenly Danila screamed. I shuddered and turned sharply towards him. The spark of Ksenia's life flashed and faded.
- It's too late," whispered Antashar.
- Open the line! Open the line now! - I shouted to the Lord of Souls' face. Ram Saa Ten smiled and punched me in the chest with his open palm. Pain exploded inside, and then a poisonous black flower bloomed...
- There's only one way to enter the Fringe," he said quietly. As I sat down on the floor and felt Antashar's strong hands pick me up, I wondered how I hadn't guessed it before. Of course, there was only one. To die.
* * *
It feels weird, like I'm hanging in the air. I opened my eyes cautiously. Dry branches of trees were intertwined above my head, and a lazy white mist floated through them. I sat down and looked around.
I was in the forest. Only it was a dead forest, dry trunks and empty branches, without a single leaf. I don't know if the Edge is the same for everyone, or if it's only for me... There was a muddy veil of transition hanging near one of the trees. Something clicked on my chest, and I look
ed at the round locket that Antashar gave me. The glowing ball began its movement in a circle, so we must hurry.
I got up, trying to figure out which way to move and trying not to panic. From all sides I was surrounded by the same dry trees and white fog, no landmarks. Where to go? Where to look for Kseni's soul?
I took a deep breath out of habit. And I was surprised. There was no air. Or there was no me... Right, only a shadow can enter the Fringe. So, my body is lying in the marble hall of the Lord of Souls...
All right. I got it all out of my head. You can't think about it, it's too scary.
And I went ahead in a hurry. Where, unknown, but the handwheel measured the moments I was allowed to go and I had no right to waste them on fruitless fabrication.
The first shadow slipped past, making me wince. The ethereal silhouette swam nearby, touching me with the other side of the cold. I twitched as I walked with his gaze.
- Ksenia? - I squeaked. The shadow swam away, dropping shreds of darkness at the barrels. The second one swam out from behind my shoulder and hung as if looking at it. Not even a silhouette, a piece of darkness, a clot of night... I looked at it carefully, listening to myself.
- Xenya? - I whispered. It's okay. Silence.
- Ksenia, honey, where are you? - I forgot under my nose so it wouldn't be so scary.
- I'll find it, I'll find it! - I whispered and stepped forward. No, you didn't. Yes, you did. Like everyone who entered the Fringe, I was only a shadow. I looked at my hands, all the same skinny wrists and a little dirty palms. I could still see myself. But the farther away from the transition I was, the more dense I felt. Like I was dissolving.
I was still frightened by indifference. I began to feel the waves, the strange emptiness of feelings and thoughts, the indifference of a departed soul...
I shaken my head. We need to get it together. And I smiled at my own thoughts. Yeah, it's not easy to pull yourself together if you're dead and just a shadow. Maybe I should scream. I'm in the woods, though, in the beyond.
- Xenya! Ksenya, where are you? It's me, Vetriana! - I screamed.
Or rather, I thought I was yelling. Because there was only a quiet whispering in this terrible forest instead of shouting. And the flywheel is still rolling, rolling... And the ball is crawling to the quarter circle...
The Wind of the North Page 55