Bright sunbeams glided through the spreading crowns of trees and lay like a sparkling cobweb on the clearings. Rainbow light seemed to saturate the entire forest, filling every emerald green leaf, every fragile twig, every drop of dew. He was everywhere, often giving a particularly bright and joyful look.The sun flickering between the swaying branches also illuminated a small hill, inside of which a deep hole was dug. Four wolf cubs were scurrying about near the round entrance. They clumsily rolled over on plump paws, jumped up and attacked each other, trying to knock their brothers to the ground.Their house was not quite usual for wolves, inside the hole was more like a dugout. The ceiling and walls were reinforced with thick smooth boards, four pillars served as supports for the roof. There was also a round window that let in the light. There was a table and chairs by the window, and beds against the walls.But now the family did not sit at home, but basked under the warm rays of
So we are prisoners! - exclaimed the Vistolet.– Did you expect something else? Yarsi was surprised. He sat down on the couch and leaned back against it. Vic paced the room nervously.- And you seem to have been waiting for this from the very beginning? And what was supposed to happen in the tower? Was it just me or were we going to be sacrificed?The werewolf shrugged.- They were going.I don't understand, why are you so calm? Isn't it time for us to get out of here somehow?- How, for example?Vic waved his hands in disgust.- If you knew everything in advance, then you should have an answer to this question too! - the Vistolet suddenly stopped pacing the room, came closer and squatted down in front of Yarsi. “Somehow I didn’t attach any importance to how you are sometimes called before - that werewolf at night when the delonchi attacked, then the sorceress in the forest who refused to give her blood. King. They called you king!Yarsi, who had previously been staring at the ceiling
The thickened evening darkness turned into a network of sounds and smells. They showed him the way, he too easily read this invisible book of shadows, too easily perceived the space torn apart by magic.A familiar smell hit his nose, a cage, three wolves silently follow him with their eyes. Yarsi slowed down his run, without stopping, he cut the bars with his sword. The white blade ripped open both the metal and the magic barrier unhindered. The werewolves howled, broke through the resulting hole and, once free, caught up with their king with huge leaps.Yarsi looked around, voices were heard very close. He looked at the wolves.“Hold them,” he ordered.Werewolves readily stopped, bared their mouths. Their eyes shone with a deadly light. Yarsi nodded curtly and ran on. A growl was heard behind him, astonished cries, quickly filled with horror, the sound of torn fabric and a crunch .... Short delay, they don't stand a chance. Magic swept over the fighting wolves, threw them out of the
The huge moon, which had barely begun to wane, silvered the tops of the trees with a cold, lifeless light, played with crimson reflections on the red leaves. But its insistent light could not break through the tangled branches and reach the low undergrowth and grass. However, they were not in this forest. Thick crooked trunks with cracked bark rose from the stone-hard, bare earth, covered with a layer of black ash. Grass did not grow here, young trees did not grow here, there were no mushrooms and berries. Darkness reigned here for centuries...The inhabitants of this forest did not need light, their eyes could see perfectly in the darkness. The night was the time that stirred their frozen blood, bit into their essence, forcing them to rush through the thicket of the forest, in the vain hope of finding food for themselves.Gray humanoid creatures glided between the black trunks of forest giants with swift jumps. That night, their movements did not resemble their usual convulsive throw
A wave of strong wings, under which jets of cold wind obediently fall. The wind blows against, but does not interfere, does not interfere with the flight. The wings confidently cut through the cloudless, transparent sky, which seems inaccessibly high. Below, the forest rustles, rolls over in crimson waves, gnarled branches stretch upwards with a creak and rattle, as if they are trying to catch, stop ... Far ahead cold lifeless light shimmers with iridescent rays. It does not illuminate, does not give a part of itself to this world, its rays dig in and rip reality, tear it with sharp blades, crush it and draw it into itself... And they call, they call...Yarsi came to an abrupt halt, nearly dropping Vic. The Wistolet had been complaining for a long time that he was tired of hanging upside down. The werewolf didn't seem to hear him. His gaze flew up, simultaneously covering a huge space from all sides. Many vivid images flashed through my mind. They overwhelmed him, squeezed, not wantin
There are questions to which it is better not to know the answers. Perhaps this is true?Vic woke up with the sun high overhead. All this time, Yarsi sat nearby and tried not to think about anything.The Vistolets moved with difficulty, tried the net. Yarsi wanted to help, but Vic pushed his hand away.“I’ll manage,” he muttered, and nearly fell over. His body was trembling, his head was spinning from weakness, but he stubbornly began to rise, leaning first on his elbows, then kneeling.Yarsi did not look at him, only heard hoarse, heavy breathing. The Vistolets was still a living being. Now he can no longer die from hunger and wounds, but this does not mean that he will not suffer, experiencing all human desires and pain. The werewolf gave him a quick glance. Vic's face was deathly pale, his eyes shone feverishly, his parched lips were cracked and oozing blood.- What?! he exclaimed defiantly and winced involuntarily. - I look great, don't I?Yarsi shrugged. He couldn't change anythi
Pottery was neatly arranged on the table. In the center stood a large deep bowl intended for soup, in which lay a ladle, next to four flat oval dishes, on which game and snacks are usually taken out. Two jugs with narrow long necks and carved handles immediately attracted Yarsi's attention. And ten plates, arranged along the edge of the table, next to each lay a spoon, four of them were quite small.The dishes were shiny clean, there was not a trace of dust, as if a large family was about to sit down to dinner. Only the aroma of ready-made dishes does not hover over the table, wine does not splash in jugs and the voices of household members sitting on the benches are not heard. Emptiness.He stretched out his hand for the jug, the earthenware was quite strong and without a single crack. An angry hissing was heard from behind the stove, a quick shadow darted along the wall. Pressing the jug to his chest, Yarsi turned his head. The nostrils did not catch the smell, only the eyes noticed
It was cold here, but she wasn't about to leave. The piercing, gusty wind kept opening the thick cloak, penetrating under the thin fabric of the dress and digging into the skin. She shivered, held the cloak with her fingers, which made them froze for a long time and almost did not obey her. But she stubbornly remained on the roof of the tower and peered tensely into the distance.Nearby, streams visible to the naked eye, the dome curved and flowed, threads of energy neatly bypassed a large ragged hole near the ground, not wanting to fill it or at least block it from above. The black road cutting off in front of the hole, as once upon a time, was again just an empty, lifeless stone, in which there were no more souls. There is no Great Power left.It is useless to get angry, it is useless to hate and blame everyone around, and above all, yourself. She did not see him, could not understand his essence, and now she could only wait. Wait…Robis approached almost inaudibly from behind, hugg