- Did you use all the seeds? - With my heart sinking, I asked.
- Unfortunately, yes, Tyara," Laran said very quietly, "so we don't know what to do next or what to hope for. If you'll excuse us...
- How long will the Tree of Life last?
- We don't know that either. Probably not for long. The tree's currents have almost stopped... - Laran smiled bitterly, - we only have to wait.
- And we believed so... Maybe it's time to go home," I said sadly.
- We hope that you will stay in Alarania," the keeper said warmly.
- Yeah, we've got to build up our strength before we go back across the Line," I mumbled, shuddering at the need to walk across the black sand again.
The schemata looked surprised.
- Tyara, but why do you have to walk across the Devil? We were surprised to see you in the sand.
- How could you not? - I didn't get it and I was happy, oh, you have a portal?
The scheets looked up and smiled again.
- She doesn't know," said the bearded man on the left with a childlike delight.
- She doesn't know," Laran nodded with a smile.
- What don't I know? - I was almost angry.
- Tyara, you're a child of light," Laran answered fondly, "you can pass wherever there's even the slightest ray of light. Everywhere. You just have to want it.
I looked at them in astonishment, Spider whistled.
- Wow, mumbled Xenia.
The Archarrion just smiled. And I sat astonished.
* * *
After much talk, we did split up. It was decided to stay in Alarania for a short time, I wanted to learn a lot from the Scheets, but still, I found my relatives. Shader asked permission to examine the runes that had remained with the elders, and sat under the Tree of Life all day studying them.
And we also had a very joyous occasion.
Xenya and Danila decided to become a couple and wear marriage bracelets at the Tree of Life. This event and the upcoming alliance seems to have shaken the whole of Alarnia, the schemata, many centuries living in seclusion and giving strength to maintain the current of the tree, rejoiced at the upcoming holiday, like children.
Solmeya volunteered to help Kseni with her dress and hair, and from the morning the girls locked themselves in the far house from which Danila had been kicked out. But the guy was taken by Antashar and Shaider, so they were not bored either.
I wanted to help Xena, but I was just hanging around the room silently, and when Echo broke through the window with the flowers carefully laid out on the table, they kicked me out so I couldn't get in the way. So when I sighed, I went to my cabin to clean up. Rion had gone somewhere else, too, and I bathed in a thermal bath alone, brushed my hair, and wore a white dress. All the women and girls here wore these dresses, white or other light shades. When I thought about it, I left my hair loose and attached a red flower on the side. In Alarania, as in our underworld, red was the color of the marriage.
By lunchtime, the women had set up festive tables near the Tree of Life, and there were a pergola with flowers and comfortable sofas for rest. Music and laughter were heard from the houses, and joyous revival prevailed. At this difficult time, we all wanted a holiday.
I stood by the window, looking at the beautiful blossoming garden with a smile as I was hugged by strong hands and Rion kissed me on the neck. Then I turned around and there was this expression in my dark eyes that made me embarrassed.
- You're so beautiful, Vetriana," he said, pressing my palms to my lips.
- So are you," I said in embarrassment.
The Archarrion smiled. He wore a simple white shirt and dark pants, the usual clothes of the locals.
- Are there many people gathered? - I asked to distract myself from his eyes, which I simply couldn't look at in peace.
- At least a hundred," he grinned, "and that's not all. Shall we go?
I nodded, and he had already squeezed my palm as usual.
Near the Tree of Life, indeed, a great number of people gathered, all dressed up, women with flowers in their hair, and even some men decorated their heads with blossoming wreaths. Music was coming out of the gazebo and there were musicians with instruments similar to elven flutes.
Danila was already standing there, a bit pale with excitement and serious. He stood at the Tree, staring intensely at the white path that led to the house where Xenia was now.
- He was whispering, and all the heads were turned in the same direction.
I opened my mouth in amazement. Just because I didn't recognize my girlfriend in that amazing beauty that was coming to meet us now. Ksenia's curls had grown back and were now tucked into a beautiful hairstyle, her eyes shining and her dress... It was a real miracle, Solmeya had surpassed herself. It was a real miracle, Solmeya surpassed herself. A live dress of white and red colors, a blanket of a thin figure of a girl with a bizarre pattern and long trails stretched behind her. Xenia was so beautiful that everyone kept silent, looking at her with delight, and could not take her eyes off the girl.
As if she hadn't seen anyone, she went forward looking only at Danila and smiling at him. She came up, and stopped next to him, took Danila by the hand.
Laran came forward, as the Source Keeper, he had the right to bind their union. Laran picked up two marriage bracelets in front of him, saying ritual phrases for binding the union.
To love... To believe... To trust... To think no evil... To defend... To take his last breath. To the last drop of strength. To the last ray of light. And even in darkness.
Danila took the bracelet, put it on Xenia's hand, kissed her palms. Then the girl put the bracelet on him. Wonderfully executed wedding decorations were a gift from the elders of Alarania.
In the crowd of schemes someone clearly slammed his nose, and I myself touched, it was impossible to look at happy friends without a stupid smile of affection. When the bracelets were worn, the Tree of Life flashed a white light for a moment, the Source of Power sealed the marriage.
The musicians had not broken the solemn silence before, flirted, the songs clapped their hands, and Danila picked up Xenia on his hands and kissed. And red flowers flew into the air, joyful Echo flew in a gust, scattered them aside.
I turned around, met the look of the dark eyes. Rion tilted his head and kissed me, and even now I didn't care who or what he thought. No one really looked at us, though, because everyone around us was dancing, hugging and singing, throwing flowers and clapping their hands. And then the crowd swirled us and pulled us to the covered tables, where it smelled delicious fresh scones and hot fried meat, and there were fruits and sweets, and all sorts of snacks and amber wine in high bubbly jugs.
The festivities lasted until the evening, and after the feast dances and songs began. After a while, I noticed that there was no Shader among those having fun, so I left Archharrion.
- I was quick," I said with a smile.
He looked carefully, but nodded.
I found Lord Darrell closer to the lake and he was sitting on the grass, looking at the water.
I touched his shoulder easily, sat next to him. He turned his head, smiled.
- Don't worry about me, Vetriana," he said softly, "I'll be all right. You know, I want to stay and Alarania, and I'm fine here. And besides, Laran has such a collection of ancient scrolls... I want to study them in more detail. And the school is gonna be able to control Tian, help you. Unless, of course, you keep going to school and move to Chaos...
I sighed.
- I... don't know what I'm going to do next," I said slowly, "but of course you can stay here if you want. If you think about going back, you'll always be welcome in Riverstein, Shaider. You'll always be welcome.
- I know," he said quietly, squinting his nutty eyes, smiling, "you're a good friend, Weterness. Whatever... I'm very glad I met you. Go to Rion, don't make him nervous," he smiled. But the smile was kind.
I nodded, touched his hand again, and left.
* * *
I s
pent the following days walking around Alarnia with Rion or talking to Laran, who told me a lot about the songs and about my family and my mom. The settlement near Riverstein was the only one whose songs didn't make it to the Hell, they were going to, but they just didn't. Listening to the stories of my guardian, my grandfather, it was as if I had seen my family, and my childhood dreams came to life, becoming memories.
And a few days later, the Tree of Life finally died out.
The currents of the tree stopped, and the last thin leaves slowly circled, fell at the feet of crying schemes. We just stood there and watched the branches dry up, and the original source died. The threads of power pale in front of our eyes, dissolving, melting, disappearing...
I cried, too, with my face stuck in Rion's chest. We had come a long way and still found the Tree, but even that could not save our world. There were no more seeds left in the world, no more primordial springs, and the ones of the Schemits didn't germinate...
So the time of the underworld was coming to an end. We stood and just watched until the Source finally died out and the threads melted in the air. There was no more power. And when it happened, a huge, giant tree trembled and began to slowly settle, turning into white ash, which flashed with sparks, touching the ground. And after a few moments, there was nothing left in the place of the original source.
The rumors of silence diverged, wiping tears. Laran wandered slowly toward the lake, tripping a little, and I realized for the first time that the keeper was very old...
The Archarrion touched my hand, and I raised my head. Everybody left, where the Tree of Life used to stand, there was no one left but me and Rion. I squatted down, picked up a narrow silver leaf from the ground, the last memory... I imagined how many people, elves, demons and other creatures are standing now near the extinct springs and are silent with despair, because words are already meaningless. Rion didn't rush me, he just stood there, and I was grateful to him for that.
I spun a thin sheet in my hand, looking at it thoughtfully. A beautiful, narrow leaf like the one on my pendant that Dagamar once gave me.
And I jumped up on my feet.
- Chickenpox? - Rion was frightened when he saw my face.
I think I was moaning. I slowly threw my hand at the gate of my dress, took out the round locket that I had always worn, and I was so used to it that I hadn't paid attention for a long time. As I was accustomed to Echo. Or Archa.
- Rion," whispered, "because I couldn't speak with excitement, I said.
I put the medallion on my hand, on a narrow silver leaf, and it opened with a silent click. And inside, there was a seed.
- Look," I said, looking at it with shining eyes.
The archpriest looked at the seed of the Tree of Life, which lay in my palm, and then again at me. He sighed.
- Chickenpox. I love you," he said, "I love you madly. So much so that this love scared me for a long time, and even to myself, I did not want to admit it. And then I realized that you are the best thing that has been, is and will be in my life, the most precious. You're my light and my life, Vetriana... And I don't care what happens anymore or if it sprout a seed, I just want to tell you that. And you know... It's weird, but right now when our world is dying, I'm happy just because you're with me.
I looked into his dark eyes, I couldn't get away.
- And I love you, Rion," I said, "I love you so much that I don't want and can't live without you. I loved you at first sight, though I denied it, hid behind my fears and resentments, but still loved ... I love everything in you, your power, your fire, and your darkness, just because it's all part of you. And I don't care what happens next either. I'm happy here and now. With you.
I looked into his eyes, his favorite eyes that I couldn't see enough of.
We reached out to each other at the same time, and he kissed me with such tenderness that the world ceased to exist, just vanished, only he, my dark demon, remained.
The seed fell out of my palm, but I didn't even notice it, threw my hands around the neck of Archarrion, tangled with my fingers in his dark hair. And when the white light spread around us, I did not get away from him either, because now there was nothing on earth that was more important than us.
And absorbed by each other, we didn't see a thin sprout appear from the fallen seed. Light became darkness, and darkness became light.
"To take the original germ, which is nowhere to be found, and to find nothing that absorbed time and hid the spirits of the earth. Which will find the one who does not seek, and take the one who does not need." This is how Amalia the Visionary wrote about the seed, and it is true that Dagamar gave me a medallion, because I did not take anything in his workshop ...
"Add marshmallows, once alive and willing to come from eternity. Braided braids, hugging without hands, warming without heat" is my Echo, my marshmallow wind, my leuillet that has been with me for so long. It wrapped around the Archarrion's hand in the warm wind, took shape, hardened and became a blue marriage bracelet, my element on the demon's hand.
"True and Sizzling" is Archa, a drop of fire that slid down and became a red bracelet for me.
"Dilute with that which was solid and became liquid, that which was given as a gift and is the essence." And the last one fell on the sprout a drop of water, the gift of Solmea, her scales, the essence of the siren.
But Rion and I hadn't noticed it. We didn't see the astonished scheets running to us, the iridescent light pouring around us, the shining light of power, the new Tree of Life germinating and rising. How it splashes rays in all directions and weaves new threads that will stretch across the earth and feed all the Sources. We did not know how all the inhabitants of the Underworld cry and shout with happiness, how to hold hands, feeling reborn...
Alarania means beginning.
But we won't know until later, and now it's just us...
* * *
Epilogue
"...my name is Tyara, Wind of the North. And along with the dark demon Archharrion Taa Sel Kra, my couple, I am the guardian of the original Source, the Tree of Life, the strongest Source in the Underworld. For the first time in our history, the same Source has two Guardians at once..."
Rion came up unheard as usual, hugged me, looking over my shoulder, kissed me on the neck. I smiled. Wow, it's been six years and I still can't get used to his kissing, and the fact that he's mine now...
- Will you let me read it? - he asked by looking at the parchment.
- Well... - I was embarrassed, - I just want to record our story...
- Is it about me? - He's interested.
I hurriedly hid the parchment behind my back and blushed. He pretended he was trying to take it away, I wouldn't let him, and eventually Rion just threw me over his shoulder, and all the sheets scattered across the floor.
- Rion, come on! - I laughed as I tried to get away. He pressed me tighter, and my movements only made my skirt crawl and fell on my head, which was hanging on his back.
- What a lovely view it has," said Archarrion.
I wrapped myself up, knowing that it was useless, and pressing myself laughing. But Rion still had to let me go when the ringing voice of our daughter, six-year-old Karia, was heard from the palace corridor. And then the voice of Briar, her brother.
- I'm telling you, it's a fairy!
- Silly, the fairy does not exist! Everybody knows that!
- You're lying! There are fairies! My mother used to tell me!
- You're the one who's lying! You liar...
- Here you go! Ahh...
- And this is for you...
Rion put me on the floor, hurriedly fixed my dress and made a stiff face. I sprayed with laughter. The kids fell into the room, as usual, fighting until they were blue. These two couldn't live without each other. And without scolding a hundred times in one day. They were like light and darkness, and despite being twins, they were completely different. Because Briar was born a demon, and Karia was a socialite. This is the gift that the Tree of Life gave me and
Rion.
For a while, we honestly tried to get into the twins' argument, but they were so into each other that they didn't need their parents. So we waved, left the kids in Albie's care, and went to Alarnia to see our friends.
Many of the scheets returned to the Underworld to regain control of the flow of power and to keep the balance, while the people of other lands began to visit Alarania. For several years, the Underworld was booming, realizing what had happened, and then life took its course.
My school in Riverstein continued to work and teach, and we built a new white stone building next to the old castle because there were so many people willing to learn from us. Xenia and Danila also lived in the school, first studied and then began to teach others. And they grew up with a wonderful son, the same age as our twins and Rion. Now the school was run by Tiana, and Shaider remained in Alarania, actively studied the Tree of Life, wrote endless treatises, and created the Circle of Knowledge, which included the best scientists of the Underworld. And I sincerely hoped that someday he would meet the one who would become his couple.
On that memorable day, when a new tree grew and spread its huge crown over our heads, several seeds separated from it and they were all carefully collected. We hope that the descendants will not repeat our mistakes and will preserve the seeds for the future. After all, everything has its time.
I put my hand on my stomach and smiled and looked at Archharrion slyly. And I thought I'd tell him tonight, after dinner. I melted a smile, anticipation of happiness in his dark eyes... I listened to myself, trembling feeling the beat of a new life. This life was born in me only a few days ago, but I was scheming and felt it immediately...
I took Rion's hand, and we went to our Source, where friends were already waiting.
Now I knew for sure that the circle of life was endless and beautiful, an eternal and unbroken path that carried so many wonders, and that every day began anew.
The Wind of the North Page 78