I suppressed the joyful smile. There was such a clear feeling in the silver eyes of the Faceless that only a blind man could not see him.
- That's why we must open the Edge," I returned to reality, "if there's even the slightest chance... I'll take it.
- Well... Then let's get on with it," said Faceless.
Shyder stood completely white, and I tried not to look at him. Solmeya, too, frowned, which was not normally a cold-blooded siren; one Antashar smiled. He wasn't much fun, either.
We locked ourselves in the office, hoping that none of the demons were listening to us.
- Hold the chronometer, remember you have to get back before it goes full circle? Ready? - asked Faceless. I nodded insecuriously.
Antashar exhaled and hit me sharply in the chest.
And I fell to the Fringe.
* * *
A dead forest with shreds of white mist already familiar to me. Behind my back, a haze of transition hangs, and the chronometer clicks, begins its movement in a circle. I hurriedly got up and walked between the trunks. Shadows slipped by, touching me with clots of darkness. I was in a hurry because the time in the face was moving surprisingly fast.
The red ball was almost in the middle when I finally saw it.
- Tyara.
The trees, with their twisted dry branches, parted, opening up a path that went farther away, and a blue-eyed keeper stood on it. My mother. Behind her, flowers bloomed and the spring forest gently rustled, a little further away was the familiar straw roof house. The sun was shining there and birds were singing.
She stood on the border between Granny and the world of Shadows, and her eyes froze anxiety.
- Tyara, what are you doing here? You've not come your way.
- I know," I hurriedly said, "I need answers. Do you know why the Sources of the Underworld are dying? Where did the scheets go? How do you fix it?
- Tyara," she shook her head sadly, "the shadows have no right to interfere with life beyond Fringe. We can't change its course or disrupt the course of events, sorry.
I came closer in despair, looking into the eyes that were so similar to mine.
- Please, help me! I was so hoping you could give me a hint... mother...
She clouded, the image of the keeper swam... Then she became clear again, but her blue eyes now shone with tears.
- Ah, my girl, what a joy to hear it. Even here, on the edge. I really want to help you... - she's quiet, thinking, - you must remember, Tyara. To see what only scheets see. To come to the place where it all started. Do you understand?
I blinked my head negative.
- Where to?
- Bright spirits, unicorns, they already showed you! Remember!
- But I didn't understand anything in their mind! It's too different from the human mind!
She sighed.
- Tyara, I can't tell you any more. Remember, everything is back to normal. We have to go back to the beginning and start over, it's the only way.
- Mom! You sound like crazy Amalia the Seeing and her followers! They call for the destruction of our world to the ground! This is ridiculous! I don't understand anything!
- It's not crazy, Tyara, it's the law.
- So the Sources must die out? All of them?
- Yes, it is.
I looked at her with terror. That's not the answer I was waiting for... The chronometer was ticking, counting moments.
- Tyara, you need to leave. Look where no one else is looking. Somewhere they can't look, and you'll see the way.
I picked up the chronometer, the little ball was shaking at the end of the road. I looked behind the guardian's back, where wild roses bloomed, braiding a wooden fence.
- Tyara, don't look there," she frightened, "you can't drag it out.
I shook my head with a smile.
- No, not anymore. I have something to go back to. And who, I looked at her a little bit guilty, and she nodded understandingly.
- The weaving threads of Destiny are wiser than we are, my beloved girl. Trust your heart and do not look back. Go on.
I stood still looking at her for a moment. If I could hug her, feel the warmth, the beating of her heart... Feel my arms in my hair like I did when I was a child. But, alas... she's only a shadow. A memory, my beautiful dream in which there is all this: parents, maples, a house with a straw roof... Where I am a little girl and run along this path laid out with white stones...
But I've grown up already. And that little girl, let her stay in my bright dreams.
I turned around and, without looking back, went back, almost ran, hurrying back to the haze of transition. I managed at the very last moment, when the red ball snapped dry, making a full turn.
Chapter 33.
I woke up in Riverstein, in my office, and immediately felt the pressure and ominous silence. And when I opened my eyes, I immediately met the very evil look of the dark eyes.
- I'm all right," I said frightenedly and sat down.
The archpriest stood by the window, flames raging in his dark eyes.
- Uh," Antashar stretched out, "we should probably go.
And he and Solmea slipped out the door. I gave them a slightly offended look, the friends called... But Lord Darrell didn't seem to be leaving and looked at Rhinema with a tense, dark look. So I asked him to leave.
- Spider, please, I begged you.
The Archarrion was silent when he looked at me, and he didn't even notice my friends' movements. Lord Darrell grumbled dissatisfactorily, but he came out. I corrected my skirt in a confused way, afraid to face him. Rion was silent, and I raised my head carefully. Awkwardly, I came up.
- Rion, don't be angry, please, I want to help.
- Chickenpox, I sometimes think that you intend to finish me," he said through his teeth, "do you know how I felt when Khar reported that you had entered the Shadowshed?
- Is the Khar watching me? - I was outraged.
- He's not. He's watching. And it's justified.
He has drawn me to him with anger.
- I should not have locked you in Chaos for nothing," he said grimly.
It was my fault I smiled and wanted to say something, but the Archarrion suddenly raised his head as if he were listening. He let me go, put his hand to my chest. Shreds of darkness crawled across his body, his pupil stretched out in his dark eyes, and they began to turn yellow. Rion turned quickly.
- What's going on? - I got scared.
- True blood... Saarhard entered the labyrinth. I have to go," said the demon. Behind his back, darkness opened and space broke. At the last moment I grabbed his hand, and together I fell into the transition.
In a moment, we were already standing in Chaos.
* * *
The archharrion opened the passage, which led directly to the maze, the red spiral burned with flashes of fire, and inside it was a demon. But it did not burn as it had already done with others, but on the contrary, it was recovering. Sutulaya figure with each step became more even and higher, the black wings were spreading, the skin became darker. Saharhardh was returning his strength.
And there were no guards near the labyrinth. There was no one here at all.
- Chickenpox, I'll beat you," Rion said through his teeth, watching the demons in the labyrinth cautiously, "when I'm free. Go back to Riverstein.
I nodded and bit my lip scared, because Archarrion tried to open the back passage, but it didn't work. He tried again and again, but the transition didn't open.
- Rion, don't," I whispered, "Saarhard was almost in the middle. He has to be stopped! Go, don't worry about me.
He answered me with the frown of his yellow eyes. I opened my palms, wrapping vortices around me.
- I'll be all right," I said firmly.
He grinned, shook his head, and walked away, where fire was burning the entrance to the labyrinth of chaos. I gave him a frightened look, as I was not awake, I was afraid.
Now there were two figures in the fire spiral, two demons. At one poi
nt Saarhard turned his head in my direction, and I squeezed with the look of my red eyes. Yes, Saharhard and Rion were undoubtedly similar, the same dark hair, build, black drawings on the body. But at the same time, they were completely different...
The archharrion passed through the labyrinth faster, he did not need to recover, he just walked through the flames, catching up with Saarhard. Tongues of fire were soaring in the air, enveloping two figures so that sometimes they were not visible behind the fire, and the heat of the labyrinth made my eyes tear.
The bell went to my ears deaf, muffled. I blinked and looked. Saarhard was standing in the heart of the spiral, which meant that he had fully recovered and held the blades in both hands, reflecting the beating of the Archarrion. The movements of the demons were so fast that the roaring flames were sometimes blurred, blurred, impossible to follow.
I watched them with my heart sinking, biting my lips with tension. If I could help Rion...
I looked closely at the aura of Saarharda and frowned. Red-black, she was blazing with iridescent stains... I've seen it before, at Lord Elwon, one of the thirteen guards of the Circle of Light. His aura was colourful because the guards thus hid the true guardian.
But where did the iridescent stains on the demon aura come from?
She lifted her eyes, carefully looking at the threads of power, and awoke. And as if in response to my fright, the space around the maze envibrated, dimmed, and then cleared up. The cover-up spell ceased to work, and I saw the renegades standing around with their hands raised. And there were not two of them, there were nine. The threads of power and their aura were woven with the aura of Saarhardh, nourishing him with the power and magic of the apostates, increasing his strength and ability. I pressed my palm to my lips in terror so as not to scream. Because Alara was still here, she smiled as she looked at me, and Xenia and Danila were bound together at her feet.
I felt sick. It seemed like time had turned back and everything started over. As when the Archarrion was burning in the fire of the pentagram, and the village of Alira threatened to kill my friends. So that's why the Archharrion couldn't open the crossing... The Priestess provided for that.
Alira saw my look and laughed.
- The silly little Vetriana," she stretched out, "is when we meet again. As you can see, I always have trumps, unlike you. You were as naive a fool as you were, and you stayed!
I took a glimpse into the centre of the spiral, where demons were spinning in a deadly dance. Saarhard had stepped forward, but the blue blades of Archarrion were moving so fast that there was not a single scratch on his body yet. I took a breath and focused on Alira again.
- And where is Rogneda? - I wondered, I thought you were inseparable now.
- Oh, Rogneda... Another silly one. Thought I needed you. Although her strength has served me well, but when you can take the strength, the shell is no longer needed.
Alira smiled bloodthirsty and I sighed a bitter sigh of pity for the foolish novice who was comforted in the Riverstein corridor after her meeting with the ghost... How long ago it was.
- Alira, why do you need my friends? - I asked, anxiously examining the auras of Xenia and Danila. They were alive, though they seemed unconscious - what do you want? Let them go.
- In exchange for you, Vetriana," Alira laughed. Her hair broke, and the priestess looked like a madwoman, don't you understand? Come here, and I will let them go.
I froze. If I go near Alira, she will kill me without hesitation. And even more likely, she'll distract Archarrion. What will Rion do if she sees me in the hands of a priestess? Oh, holy elders... what shall we do?
- The world is on the edge of the end of the world, Alira, and you're still fighting for power? - I said, taking a little step in her direction, - The Sources are dying, it will soon become irrelevant who rules Chaos or the Empire, because there will be neither left!
- So that's great! - The priestess stretched out her arms as if she wanted to embrace the world, only your poor mind can't understand it, silly! The world, our underworld will disappear, will fall into the Abyss! It's beautiful!
- But what's the point?
I took one more step and looked quickly into the maze. I bit my lip because the Archduke's body was dark with a bloody furrow. But there was blood on the Saharhardt as well. I turned my back.
- What's the point of that? What are you fighting for if everything goes away? Without the Sources, you too will die!
- Not so fast," she kept smiling, "unlike everyone else, I know a way to gain strength not from the Source, but from living beings! It will last for a long time for Saarhard-me and myself. Until we find the original source! And then... Then we will be its keepers, and that means almost gods! This world will be ours! And for a start we need Chaos, demons are strong and their strength will last Saarhard for many years!
- Are you going to sacrifice demons? You're both crazy... I was terrified.
- Demons, elves, people... who cares? They're just shells that contain power!
I couldn't help but look away again. Saarhard's strength seemed to be increasing, his aura was already burning with colour, a purple power. The nine renegades were giving him their magic generously. The archharrion was weakening. There was another wound on his chest.
The villages also looked at the spiral.
- He cannot stand," she said with vengeful pleasure, "despite all his power! This time, Saarhard-Hard will win.
- Will he win this time? - I asked him again and took another step, taking advantage of the priestess's not looking at me.
- Everything repeats itself," she stretched out thoughtfully, "six hundred years ago, the Archduke defeated Saarhard-and imprisoned him in the Citadel of Death. This time it will be different. We do not need prisoners.
- The archharrion imprisoned Saarhard? - I was surprised, - but...
- Oh, this foolishness about the elves doing it... - Alir swung away, - no light could have defeated the Lord of Darkness. A foolish story to be told by the elven chroniclers. No... The Archharrion did it. After we destroyed the Shit settlement and came out of the Devil, he summoned his own brother to a duel because he did not agree with the actions of Saarhard. Wow... then we thought it was foolish to oppose the master, it seemed that the forces were so unequal. And not in favour of the Archduke... And he won.
Alira cried out, her eyes dimmed as if she had seen that fight again. I looked quickly into the labyrinth, but this time I saw nothing behind the roaring flames. So that's how it was... Why didn't Rion ever tell me about it? Didn't we have time to talk, talk long and get to know each other? No, we didn't.
- But now things will be different," said Alirah angrily and turned to me, "Saarhard-Hard will win. He is already winning.
I was afraid to turn around, afraid to see what was happening in the labyrinth. At the edge of my eye I saw the demons, the guards. But for some reason they couldn't approach the maze as if an invisible barrier was keeping them out. Unfortunately, that's what Alira had foreseen, too.
The priestess kicked Daniela's foot, and he moaned. I shuddered frightened, I looked at my friends. And I met Kseni's look. A friend nodded at me almost imperceptibly, and I sighed with relief. Thank Mother Forefather, she's all right.
I was wondering if Alira would be able to harm my friends if I let the wind out. I didn't want to take any chances. So I slowed down, looked around, wondering what else to do to distract the priestess and get closer. Although, to be honest, I didn't know what to do next yet.
- You said you'd be strong enough victims until you found the original source? What's that?
- Chickenpox, you're such a curious girl! You haven't been beaten enough! - said Alira. The mad priestess seemed to feel beautiful, her eyes burning with anticipation of victory, her lips twisted in a triumphant smile. She was already triumphant, as if it were over.
- So what is it?
One more careful step. Xenya slowly moved away, led her hands, trying to free herself. I was afraid to look at the maz
e, but I could hear the sound of steel and the flames.
- The primordial source... Oh, that's where it all started, Vetriana! That's where our world began.
- Er...The Abyss? - I asked. One more step. Xenya curled up, twisted her arms a lot, but she hasn't been able to free herself yet.
- Oh, darkness," Alir's insincere groaning, "how hard it is to communicate with the wretched! Our world began with a primordial source! The Tree of Life! How can you be so stupid?
I froze, remembering. So that's what this is about! The Tree of Life! That's what unicorns showed me! The very beginning of life and the Underworld, the first day of creation! First the seed came from the Abyss, from which the Tree of Life grew, and then came demons, elves, dwarves and all the others!
- And the scheets? - With my heart sinking, I asked, do you know where the scheets came from?
- Keeping their balance," Alira spit out, "are the only ones who didn't come out of the abyss. The children of Light... It's a good thing they're not left in this world!
I took another step, already open.
- You are wrong, Priestess," I said, opening my palms, "they are left.
The wind swirled, lifted me up above the ground. I turned around, letting it loose, wishing to oust Alir, to throw it away! But it was very fast... and strong. The power of unawakened magicians and the sacrifices she made did give her magic. The priestess threw her hands up, stopping my vortex, and it was as if he stuck against the wall, roaring, trying to break through!
- That's it! - she screamed - that's why you could come back from the time loop, girl! You're a schemer! Well... I could use your power! Very useful!
Xenya and Danila rose above the ground and hung in the air, obeying magic. Alira laughed.
- Do you think your wind will stop me, silly?
Danila turned upside down in the air and wrapped herself up. I clenched my teeth, increasing the wind flow. The black vortices around me had already grown halfway around me, everything was humming and twirling. Alira kept laughing.
- You don't know the most important thing," she shouted, "being sketched is a weakness, Vetriana! Whatever you do, you can't kill, so you never let go of your power completely! You're weak! There's nothing you can't do for me!
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