City of inheritance

4

What did the water say? Dorana asked.

"It's going to rain soon, and two people are coming north of here," Khiyat replied. Appeasement was slipping from his face like melted make-up, gradually being replaced by the usual readiness to fight with everyone and everything and a slight touch of stubbornness.

— What kind of people? Liiran asked. After all, he is in charge here, which means he is responsible for this whole crazy company.

“I have no idea,” Khiyat said indifferently and shrugged his shoulders, demonstrating that those people were of little interest to him. “I just thought it was better to know about their presence than not to know. And also, a little to the left of the mountain, along which people roam, a terrible thing is hidden. Just don't ask which one. Water cannot answer such questions.

"The benefits of your water," Dean snorted and proudly turned his nose up as he walked towards the fire.

- Definitely more than from you, - Khiyat did not remain in debt.

“Shut up, both of you,” Dorana asked very kindly.

“The meat will burn now,” Tiyan groaned. I'd rather eat it myself. As soon as it's ready. I tried so hard...

Marika, who was still sitting on the sidelines and reading something, tore her eyes away from the book. She looked carefully at everyone. She nodded to some of her thoughts and began to pack the book into her bag.

Liiran cast a wistful glance over the landscape.

Well, a very friendly team. There is someone to rely on. Haha.

But now Liiran absolutely knew why he never dreamed of becoming the head of the team. The premonition was bad. It is still there. He hangs behind his back and quietly whispers that it is easier to hang himself, less and less torment.

And I really wanted to bang my head against the nearest tree. But you can't. This will damage his reputation in the eyes of the team. Unless, of course, there is something to do harm. Liiran doubted that very much.

At the age of sixteen, Khiyat, as expected, said goodbye to his native school and received a distribution to continue narrowly focused education. The element is water. Rank - Warrior. Why exactly a warrior, Khiyat frankly did not understand. No one taught him anything particularly destructive. Maybe it was just too early. Or he did not understand what a warrior is from the point of view of a real waterman. And in general, the training turned out to be of little interest. Or rather, rather boring. At times, it even began to seem that he was not being taught at all. They are just trying to drum some common truth into his head, which he manages to let past his ears over and over again.

And there were many more books in the attic, as if someone had specially brought them there. There were even quite old ones. Khiyat had as much free time as he wanted. It was understood that the students at this time would train hard and perfect what they were taught. But realistically, most teenagers spent that time on other things. The ones that were more interesting to them. They went on dates, arranged picnics, toiled with foolishness, or simply slept off after nightly vigils in nature. For some reason, all the teachers believed that at night it was easier for novice magicians to tune in to their element. Khiyat did not see the difference. He didn't like picnics. The girls diligently avoided him, or he did not understand from which side to approach them. He managed to get foolish while studying at school. And I didn't want to sleep. Therefore, he read books and conducted experiments - at his own peril and risk.

And at some point, everything that he managed to learn, everything that he managed to do, everything that he succeeded or did not succeed, weaved into a single pattern. And Khiyat saw a clear picture. The world has finally found its balance. Elements and weaving ceased to be a set of rules. He began to see what needs to be directed and where to get this or that result. I began to understand how this or that pattern affects reality. It turned out that it is not necessary to be able to quickly count and keep a pile of rules in your head. It is enough to know what you want to do, to see how you do it, and to understand what exactly and why you are doing it.

Khiyat found his direction, his rank. On one's own! And it wasn't a warrior at all. He enjoyed creating much more than destroying.

And the character? Yes, he's just a set of reactions to circumstances. Had these circumstances been different, the character might have been different. If they try to beat a person, he learns to defend himself. If they try to humiliate him, he learns to respond in such a way that he will be considered anyone, but not a creature that can be humiliated with impunity. If a person is firmly entrenched in the reputation of a complete idiot, this does not mean at all that he cannot be smart. At least alone with yourself. When there were a lot of people around, for some reason Khiyat couldn't be smart.

And where did it all go?

***

Rain

The rain promised by the stream, with which Khiyat communicated, began in the late afternoon. He did not add a good mood to anyone. In general, Liiran felt like cowardly sitting on the nearest stone, complaining about his fate and sending a challenge so that a portal to the city would be opened for his group. Let someone else deal with this damned river. Someone more competent. Or at least eager to work and adoring the mountains. There are few idiots in the city.

The rain managed to thoroughly wet everyone, while wandering to the cave marked on the map. And it didn't seem like he was going to stop. Of the whole group, only Kalar received pleasure from the rain. Khiyat was indifferent and thoughtful. He might not hear what was being addressed to him, he might stare as if he saw it for the first time, and then smile wildly and try to disappear somewhere.

Liiran was strained by this behavior of Hiyat. Water workers should not react to rain like that. They are always good when it rains.

A certain Liiran Vue seems to be paranoid.

Also a team leader.

The simplest task, if you think about it. Climb up the mountain and see what happened to the source of the river. And he panics and suspects everyone of something. This group was not assembled at all in order to catch and neutralize someone. What idiot would sit on this mountain, waiting for individuals interested in his art? Even if people come who are unable to do anything to him, still no one will wait for them. After all, if something happens, professionals will definitely follow the novice magicians. And now they just needed magicians of different directions. To be sure. For at least one to feel something. Feeling is not enough, it's like grasping a thread. And then the ball will unravel, it will not go anywhere.

More precisely, unravel. And, most likely, without the participation of those who found the end of this ball.

But Liiran had a premonition... Such a strange premonition. Inappropriate.

Who would silence this inner voice? He often panicked for no reason. Yelled, called and demanded. And then, after much thought, it turned out that someone just said something at the wrong time. Empty words that do not have the slightest meaning.

Liiran nodded to himself and very carefully looked at Hiyat, who was staring thoughtlessly into the darkness. It's annoying. Khiyat is generally a strange guy, but today his oddities have overcome all possible limits.

It looks like he's up to something. Something that, in principle, can not please everyone else.

It's probably paranoia.

And an ever-erroneous premonition.

Hiyat, he's harmless, just a little out of this world.

Liiran really wanted to believe it.

The rain fell for two days, as if mocking. It's slow and sad. That is a downpour. Those rare drops that seemed to be about to end, but instead foreshadowed the beginning of the next universal flood. Go somewhere in this weather? Unreasonable. Looking for something in the water when other water is pouring from the sky is simply pointless. And no one wanted to get wet. Even the watermen.

Dean seemed to be going crazy. He went so far as to alternately accuse Khiyat and Kalar of the fact that it was they who called for this rain. Liiran at first tried to prove to the scorcher that they would not be able to do such a thing. For something like this, you need a huge reserve or several dozen drives. The watermen who were sitting in the cave had neither one nor the other. Then the head of the group got fed up. He resigned himself, waved his hand at the fireman and began to wait for the moment when Dean decided to start a fight. It is pointless to appeal to the mind of this person. He has no mind.

Luckily, Liiran never got to fight.

On the third day, the sun came into the cave. Liiran couldn't believe his eyes at first. Then he went outside, watched a little how far below, at the foot of the mountain, a whitish haze gathers and spreads in foggy tongues, clinging to bushes and trees. Squinting, he smiled at the sun, and went to wake the others. The cave had time to annoy everyone. Waiting for the wind-blown soil to dry out? Ha! And we are stones, stones. How far to that river? Empty distance. And there are a lot of stones. But first you have to eat, otherwise Tiyan will not forgive. He's tried, he's prepared.

It turns out that when you understand what you want to do, figuring out how to do it is not so difficult. You just see what you lack and start looking for it. Collect crumbs of information, try on, look from the side until the picture becomes whole. Yes, at first it takes much more time than standard weaving or constructions from the elements and pure power pulled from the aura, but what ends up being stronger and more perfect. And when you are fully aware of them and remember them, they intertwine instantly. Elements like to be themselves.

How about explaining something? Hiyat tried, honestly. He just didn't have enough words to describe his feelings. In the end, someone just decided that the guy had good intuition and a strong connection with the elements. Perhaps he is right. It's just a weird intuition. Distrustful. Requiring a thousand times to double-check everything and search a little more: what if for this puzzle some fragment is much more suitable? Making you think, work, stay awake at night until all possible options are tested.

It was interesting at times. At times it drove me to madness, and Khiyat beat the sandbag, feeling like a real psycho. At times, I really wanted to share another problem with someone. But the person who could listen and understand was far away, he had a lot of his own problems. Problems, the solution of which helped him to live and feel worthy of this life. To impose theoretical research on him? The height of arrogance.

It is better to try to think of something that can help him.

And you can talk about trifles. Telling stupid news. And try to convince either him or himself that everything will be fine, there are always chances, even in such a hopeless situation.

Yes, at that time the situation seemed completely hopeless. But I still didn't want to deal with her. Therefore, Khiyat was looking for a way out. Putting together another jigsaw puzzle. For the first time in my life, not for myself.

Perhaps that is why he was so afraid to make a mistake.

Back then, an eternity ago, Hiyata's mind was thrashing around like a caged predator.

Decision, decision! There is very little time, and there is no solution. Ask someone for help? Not funny. First, they won't help. If they could, they would not have allowed a creature to appear from beyond the edge near the city many years ago. Or, at least, they quickly expelled him without sacrificing the lives of several dozen residents of the city. The principle is the same. The elements have been released, the elements must somehow be stopped and brought back. What difference does it make where to return? And still it is necessary to somehow keep the elusive life. This is also difficult, although you can seal the body in stasis, and then, after healing, revive it. But if you do not catch the elements, it is pointless to revive. It won't be human anymore. The element will take with it the mind, and feelings, and desires. The plant is even more human and alive than what will eventually remain.

Secondly, a cursed oath given out of fear. The only true friend. After all, at that moment he could just leave, disappear. Instead, he came, told and demanded to swear. No matter what happens, no matter what anyone does, no matter how they react, keep silent. And Khiyat swore, swore by the elements. But first I thought to do two things. Close your element on him, and his - on yourself. He didn't even say how dangerous it was, where he read it, and how many survivors there were. A friend, of course, then understood, managed to feel. He stood on the edge, like Khiyat, and also managed to step back, not being afraid of the water he did not understand, holding out his hands to her, allowing her to sniff and remember.

And then he yelled and threatened to kill. And Khiyat hid the burn under his sleeve and tried to figure out how this guy could carry such a thing without harm to his health? Fire. Endless fire. Very bright, no smoke or burnt embers. Hiyat was scared just to stand in front of this element. He closed his eyes when she touched his hand, and nearly screamed in pain as she tried to recognize and remember him. But by some miracle he did not back down, did not shy away and waited for the moment when the fire stopped burning. Strange feeling. You know it must be hot, but you pet the flame like a cat and it's nice.

And now the cursed oath did not allow Hiyat to speak. No matter what happens. And the only true friend, as it turned out, was a prophet. A lot has happened. His father disowned him. Officially. Deprived of home and name. Although, what difference does it make to a friend, he was not going to return. Resigned. Decided to die, very loud and beautiful.

And Khiyat was looking for a solution that does not exist. I clung to his element, stretched across the huge distance that was between them, and told various nonsense. He complained and just talked, patiently listened to his black humor and joyfully shouted somewhere deep inside. Alive! Still alive! There is still time!

But time was becoming less and less, and the solution slipped away and hid. Help was very much needed. Required. Very.

And one day Khiyat received this help. Unexpectedly for myself. Unexpectedly for the whole city. No one could have imagined such a thing, no one would have dreamed of such a thing even in a nightmare. He got help. He didn't even break his oath.

Khiyat was eighteen years old, and he was given an inheritance. Along with it, of course, and a headache. But it is not important. It is important that among this legacy there is a solution that he has been looking for for so long. And the main thing was that the proud stubborn man believed. I just took it and believed again, because there was no time for proof.

He is actually the only one who knows how to trust Hiyata. Unconditionally. The others just don't understand, and when Hiyata doesn't understand, he can't explain. The world is becoming too complex and alien.

Khiyat could not lose a person who knows how to trust him. Selfish of him, right? And unwise. You can't stick to just one person. After all, if this person disappears, there will be no one else to hold on to. And not the fact that someone outsider wants to keep him.

Although, who knows? Maybe that's right in his case. There is no need to report to anyone, there is no need to lie and dodge simply because no one is interested in it. Sheer benefit.

Khiyat knew that this stubborn one would smile in response to all doubts and reflections. So condescending. He is much more selfish, the petty weaknesses of his friend amuse him.

And now the main thing was that this proud man survived. Against all odds. Khiyat believed that he would agree with his decision, maybe he would correct something, but he would agree. After all, there was no choice, it could not have been worse.