I went ahead and sailed, trying to remember the road. Although, how do you remember it when there are no signs and hangers, the trunks are the same on all sides?
- Xenya! - I shouted out every two steps. My rustling voice scared the shadows sliding by and they flew like a heap of dry leaves from my Echo gusts. I drove my palm and loaded it. My beast of air remained beyond me, and I could no longer feel its usual presence. And I had no power here... And neither did I feel the Archharrion. Inappropriate laughter broke through with a hoarse gurgle. What, a good solution to the question of how to break the merger. It's just to die. I waved my head to ward off bad thoughts.
- Xenya! Where are you, then??
I stopped looking around. The shadows got bigger, they swam by, hitting me with cold darkness, sometimes hanging around. And in each of them I tried to identify my friend, but without success. My heart was silent.
For a moment I panicked again, but I remembered all the strong words that my girlfriend had thrown in her heart and it got easier. Maybe fighting isn't so bad... at least on rare occasions! And I think it's safe to say that my own death can be attributed to such an occasion!
So I've spoken again and with feeling.
- The ass of a dead merino! Dung wrapper! Donkey urine in your kissel! I don't want everybody to die, you fainting shamomah! I hope no one here was offended...
A quiet rustle from the side. A few shadows slipped past, flew away at the sound of my voice. The same clots of darkness...
Or isn't it?
I took a good look at them afterwards. Did you? Or flashed a reddish curl in the dark, a brown sly eye?
- Xenya!!!
I threw myself behind a shadow that was too quickly removed.
- Ksenya, stop! Stop, now! I know it's you! Stop!!!
The shadow shaken and hung. I swam up to it, looking into the blackness.
- Xenya! I know it's you! I exhaled. The shadow swam away a little. I clenched my teeth.
- Ksenya! Don't you dare run away! You're the reason I had to die! Come with me now!
The broken clot of darkness thickened, lightened and formed into a girl. In a brown hoodie we wore to Riverstein, with chestnut curls woven into braids. My heart was compressed. Xenie's soul looked just like it was before her illness, before the ink rot. That's right, that's how she remembers herself.
- Chickenpox? - Ksenka whispered in a little surprise - why are you here?
- I'm going for a walk! - Through my teeth I said, - Ksenka, what stupid questions! I came for you, of course! Come on, girlfriend, there's not much time...
Xenia shook her head.
- Where to, Vetriana? And why? It's good for me here...
- So, I frowned and tried to grab Xenya's hand. My palm passed through her, spilling like water, like darkness.
- Ksenya, come on. - I begged, let's go, time is short! The flywheel has already measured half the time... we must return to the crossing!
- What for? - Ksenia asked indifferently, it's good here... Calm down. No pain... No fear... No suffering...
- There's nothing here! - with despair, I said, because there is no life! Ksenia, wake up! Remember! There's no pain, it's good, of course, there's no happiness, love, joy either! Ksenia, let's go quickly, there is no time to talk. Come on!
The girl backed off a bit.
- I'm sorry, Vetryana, - it's almost her fault, - I won't go. There's nothing to go back to. I don't want to go back...
I tried to grab her again, but again my fingers only dispelled the cold void...
- Xenia!!! - I screamed. The girlfriend's silhouette darkened, becoming nothing but scraps of darkness again, - Ksenia, stop! Please!!!
- Ksenya, stop! - suddenly a man's voice came out next to me. I flinched and stared at Danila in astonishment. The guy stood beside me and looked at the darkness with anger.
- Danila," I shuddered, "how did you get here?
- I come in a dream, Vetritsa," he sighed, "and death is a dream, too. Only eternal," he turned to the figure hanging by the dry trunk.
- Xenia, stop fooling around," he said, "quickly take a normal view and come with us. Or else... or else...
- Or what? - There was a shadow.
- Otherwise, I'll come to you every night, even for Fringe! - and do all the things we did... in the Dark Dole stables!
The shadow has frozen. And then out of the darkness came the uncertain:
- And what were we doing there?
I stared at Danila with interest. He was drunk.
- Think about it," he burst out, "think about it, and you'll remember!
The dark silhouette shuddered, lightened again, and turned into a girl. This time with short, unevenly cut curls in his pants and shirt. And with an akanar on his belt.
- And there's no rest for you, you dumbass," said Xenia.
- Let's go home," Danila called.
The girl waved her head stubbornly.
- You know what," suddenly the boy yelled. He did scream, all over the forest, so that Xenia and I jumped up nicely," he said, running into the crossing. We followed you to the Fringe! Yes Vetryana because of you know how much she's been through? She died for you! And you are a nomad here? Shame on you! I thought I fell in love with a beautiful, strong and kind girl, and you... and you're a moron! Do you understand? So sit here, if you're afraid to live!
- Oh, Ksenia once said it in a childish way, but did you... love me?
- Idiot," Danila said with a feeling. He looked at me from the bottom," he said. "Are you coming?
Xenia nodded and leaned fearfully on him. I sighed with relief. The handwheel showed that there wasn't much time left. We hurriedly slipped between the trees, returning to the foggy mare.
- This way," I exhaled at the crossing. Xenia leaned against Danila again, and stepped into the mist. Danila gave her a frowning look.
- Do you want some chicken? I have to wake up.
- Of course, - I smiled at him - now we'll be fine, Danila! Thank you, Danila! Wake up...
The guy smiled lightly and melted in the air. And I turned to the dark trees. For some reason, I didn't even want Danila to see her. The blue-eyed keeper, my mother, who had long gone beyond her soul.
She stood and smiled at me as only a mother could smile at her child. Warm and sad at the same time.
- Tyara," she said tenderly, "my Wind of the North...
I froze near her, greedily staring at someone else's face. Eyes of the same shade as mine, a similar oval face, features... Only hair is different, dark. I guess I'd have one, too, if life had been different.
- Tyara, what are you doing behind Fringe? - She's worried, why are you here? Are you dead?
I shake my head.
- Not yet...
She smiled.
- My girl is so grown up. And a real beauty... it's a pity I can't be around you...
I ate my lip. And suddenly I screamed.
- But the crossing is open! You... you can come out with me! Get out of the Boundary! Please, come with me...
She shook her head.
- No, Tyara. Even if I go out, my shadow will not find shelter in the world of the living. I'm sorry. I've come a long way. My place isn't there...
- But I need you so much! - I shouted out, I need you... I don't understand anything, I don't know who I am... I don't even understand my power! I don't know how to control it! I opened the Source you sealed, but I don't know what to do next! And... I dream about you. I don't even know if it's a dream or a memory! There's so much I have to ask you, understand... Just talk to you! I need you...
- Honey, don't cry," said the keeper with tenderness, "that's how Eternity ruled... Each of us has its own path and destiny, remember that. And know that you are not alone... I am always with you. In your heart, in your memories... Remember... us.
I rushed to her.
- I want to stay with you! - I said, I want to stay. I want to stay with you.
A strange numbness gripped me. The edge still caught me in
its nets of indifference, enchanted me with silence and calmness. I confused myself with a web of blissful emptiness. I was surprised to notice how easy it became for me, how clear in my head. The pain was gone.
All that remained was the desire to stay here. I looked at the round medallion completely. The red stone almost made a full circle...
- Tyara, you need to leave," said the keeper.
I shook my head easily. Now I understand why Xenia wanted to stay here. The facet is tempting...
- Thayara! - The keeper was getting more and more worried - leave now! You don't belong here! It's too soon. The equilibrium's broken, and your path hasn't been cleared! Go away, Tyara.
I smiled. Why is she worried? It's so nice here...
The white mist is not a fog, but a pleasant morning light, calm, caressing... And what makes me think the forest is dead? Buds swell up on maples like early spring, and the sweet, fresh smell of young, slightly sticky leaves is already floating through the air. From under the ground look sharp grasses, and in some places even passed the northern forests, gentle messengers of new life ... And there, behind the trees, I see a house with a straw roof, to him leads a trampled path. And there's a tall dark-haired man on the doorstep, my father...
That way... We should go that way...
- No! Tyara! - suddenly the guardian shouted out loud, you're going to Shadow World! Stop it!
Her blue eyes suddenly flashed and filled with strange light, as if the heavenly stars were shimmering, and sheaves of power burst out of her hands. I looked back at the white mirage of the transition. There were dry trunks and black shadows behind me, and a sunny morning and blossoming flowers ahead. Wasn't my choice obvious?
- Tyara, go away! I can't hold the transition! - The keeper screamed out in despair.
- Vetriana," the darkness next to me thickened, and the Archarrion came out of her, "Come.
I detached myself from him.
- No, you didn't.
Immediately I was swept by a fire noose as if by a snare.
- I don't want to! - I shouted, leave me alone! You can't take everything away from me again! I want to stay with them!
Something fluttered in his dark eyes as if I had hurt him. But is that possible? The Archarrion looked over my head.
- Take her away, Dark One," the keeper said, "she doesn't belong here. Not now...
He nodded. The fire noose got stronger, pulled me away from the lovely house, from the light, from my family...
- Let go... - I moaned.
But, of course, the demon didn't listen to me again.
* * *
She came to her senses from the cold, opened her eyes, lay down looking at the marble vault. Except they wouldn't let me rest, of course...
- Chickenpox, at last! - I was pulled up by Danila, - Xenia is not recovering! What's the next step?
I sat down, shook my head. Everyone was staring at me. Faceless frownless, Antashar with a joyful smile, Danila - worried. And then there was Lord Darrell, pale but alive. And the Archarrion. As always, nonchalant.
I sighed and groaned in pain. Still, it's not so easy to come back to life...
Xenya's body was lying breathlessly on the floor.
- I don't understand why I was opening the Edge," said Ram Saa Ten dryly, "you brought a departed soul from the Shadow World, but it is impossible to return it to the body. The only thing you can do is to enslave the Shadow, to make it serve itself in this world...
I crawled up on my friend without listening to the necromancer. I took her cold palm. Xenie's shadow stood beside me, looking at me with sadness. I took up more air and pulled the Force. There was no source nearby, but did I need it? Perhaps not... I remembered the fire noose with which the Archarrion of the Shadows dragged me, and began weaving a similar one. Only from the light, from life, from the wind... From the love that lurked in my heart, from the memory of a little girl that met me on an autumn afternoon at the gates of the terrible Riverstein Castle... The world disappeared around me. The sounds were hushed, thawed. All that was left was me and the dark shadow that I wrapped in a golden net...
And at some point the net melted and the shadow disappeared, and Xenia took a breath and came back.
I joyfully squeezed her warm palm. Her friend's aura became perfectly light, without the slightest shred of darkness.
- Chickenpox? - she exhaled and rose uncertainly, looking at the astonished faces leaning towards her. And suddenly she cried, - Vetriana... Thank you...
I wanted to cry too, but I couldn't, because the Lord of Souls grabbed my hand.
- The Keeper of the Balance," he exhaled, looking at me with his broadened eyes... Get her! - He commanded his shadows.
Three of the Lord's shadows rushed to me, but Antashar and Archarrion were ahead of them. The faceless pushed away the nearest necromancer, and the demon shut himself down, grabbing his blades with lightning speed. Lord Darrell and Danila stood next to each other.
But there were more and more Faceless. Dozens of dark figures were already sliding along the marble hall, they were flocking from all sides, obeying the order of their lord. We were surrounded by a ring...
Lord Darrell scolded through his teeth.
- The portal would be now," he whispered.
I watched in astonishment as the demon of darkness crawled across his arms, as the darkness twirled at his feet, as if a torn cloak was pouring down behind his back. And in a moment, there was no man standing in the marble hall. A demon. Black wings opened up, closing us down.
- Rion," I whispered.
He turned his horned head, looking at me with yellow eyes and a vertical pupil. And he opened the passage. Behind a window of torn space, I saw Riverstein...
- Go," he nodded to Shider.
Lord Darrell and Danila picked up another weak Xenia and stepped into the portal. Antashar grabbed me. But the Archarrion pushed him away and the Faceless fell into the passage. The space was closed.
The demon silently lowered the acanarians into the scabbard, picked me up and looked coldly at the Lord of Souls.
- Answer for this, Ram Saa Ten," he said. And we entered into the darkness.
And when we came out, I saw the walls I already knew, the white carpet on the floor, the stained-glass windows...
- Finally," said Archharrion, without letting go of me, "Chaos.
Book 3, The Tree of Life.
...and when we came out of the crossing, I saw the walls I already knew, the white carpet on the floor, the stained-glass windows...
- Finally," said Archharrion, without letting go of me, "Chaos.
He took two wide steps and sat down on the bed, clutching me to him. He sat me down on his knees. The black wings closed around us, as if encased in a cocoon.
- Mine," the demon exhaled, looking at my face with yellow beastly eyes. "I want you. I can't do it anymore.
It has fallen into my lips. It hurts. It's hard. His hot tongue burst into my mouth, drowning out the protest. I tried to free myself, but the demon just squeezed my hands with one hand and pressed me even harder. It lowered its head, bit the delicate skin on its neck as if it had left its markings on it. And then he ripped my dress, just ripped it from my throat to my hem, scratching my body. And he threw it away like an unnecessary rag, leaving me completely naked.
- Don't! - I shouted, please.
He murmured. He flipped over and put me on the bed, pressed me on top with his heavy body. I put my hands in his chest, trying to push him away. You're stupid. It's like trying to hold back the red-hot lava...
I didn't realize he was already kissing me or biting me, the skin under his lips was burning painfully. His hands squeezed me, keeping me from escaping or even moving. The horror covered my head, because there was nothing human left in the Archharrion now. I was so used to his human appearance that I had already forgotten that he could be different. The bronze skin is full of scars and strange red and black drawings, a narrow strip of black wool on the ridge is shaken, the vert
ical pupil shakes in yellow eyes. And huge wings cover us, and a little bit of black, like crow's feathers, trembling.
Not human. A beast. A demon.
And he didn't hear my protests, roughly drowning them out with painful kisses and bites, so I felt brackish blood in my mouth... Only Archarrion's taste of my blood seems to have completely drove me crazy... Because he cried again, slowly slipped a dark drop from my lip, and clenched my hips painfully, his knee sliding my legs apart. The black wings swung and climbed above us, lifting both of them above the bed...
I screamed. From fear, from pain, from the strange resentment clenching my throat. Now I hated him...
I did not understand the moment when my body lit up from the Force that was beating within me, and the stream of light just threw the demon away from me with such rage that it flew across the room and hit the wall with its wings. I screamed, rolled over my stomach, and rushed aside. But the demon was too fast... One moment he was again at the bedside, pulling my leg crawling away. Turned it over on its back, crushed it under itself...
- It's mine. I won't let go..." he growled.
- Rion, don't, please... I whispered. I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I couldn't help myself, and the tears rolled out of my eyes. It's just that I've been through too much on this endless day, and the fatigue and emptiness has swelled, flooding me and clenching my throat...
Can't do it anymore. I just can't.
I closed my eyes, trying not to sob. It didn't even matter what he was doing to me. It doesn't matter. Let him do what he wants. Just let it end soon...
- Chickenpox," he called. I didn't even move.
- Vetritsa, look at me. You're welcome.
I don't want to. I don't want to look at him. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll start crying so I can't stop.
- Oh, open your eyes! - ...he growled. I opened it. The demon is gone. There was a man looking at me. Only the eyes are still yellow, beastly.
The Archarrion took a deep breath.
- Why are you like this," he said sadly, "it's just unbearable... Vetriana, don't cry.
Warm palms enveloped my face. He carefully slipped my tears.
The Wind of the North Page 56