THE PATH OF RENUNCIATION

10

It was cold in the bedroom. Through the window that opened from another gust, debris piled up on the windowsill. After drinking the potion, Leah took out a bag and, laying out the textbooks, carefully put away the icon and the icon lamp taken from the wall into it. The oil had to be poured out the window. There was nothing else to take, and knowing her brother, she was sure that Karl took care of everything.

Neatly folded on the pillow were new things: a hat, thick leather trousers, a thin cotton shirt, and a black doublet with a red ribbon at the left shoulder. A little to the side, with the fur up, was a long black cloak rolled up. It all looked so fabulous and ridiculous that Leah chuckled nervously and stood indecisively for a minute, not knowing whether to change now or take clothes with her. Finally, as if waking up, she looked back at the unlocked door and quickly unbuttoned her blouse. 

The suit fit, but looking at herself in the mirror hanging opposite the table, Leah involuntarily recoiled. Tall and thin, she now looked more like a clumsy young man. Black didn't suit her at all.

A short knock interrupted his thoughts. Quickly removing her hat, Leah hastily turned away from the mirror.

  –  Yes? Her voice, despite her efforts, sounded frustrated and quiet.

Apparently not having heard, Mark carefully looked into the room, and then quickly entered and closed the door behind him. His hair was still wet, and his face was so pale that there seemed to be no blood left on his cheeks.

  Sitting silently on the edge of the bed, he hunched his shoulders and lowered his head.

  “He leaves the house for me and my mother… He said that you won’t come back here anymore.” 

  I told you, but you didn't believe me. - Leah turned away and, putting her hands on the windowsill, leaned her forehead against the cold glass. - Go away, Mark. Still, I can't explain anything.  

  “Carl already explained, but this is kind of absurd, Lee. And I think Christian thinks the same way. Tell me the truth, what's going on? Standing up with a jerk, he approached and almost by force turned her to face him. Where are they taking you? For what?

  “I won’t say anything new,” she said, barely able to keep from crying, and looked away. - Let go. 

  No, you must listen to me! Mark blurted out with some strange anger and shook her, forcing her to look at herself. I understand that you will do as he says. But, my God, Leah, I love you so much!

Biting her lip until it bled, she tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but couldn't.

  “I know, I know…” Her voice sounded muffled and unnatural from swallowed tears. - Believe me, even if you can ...

  - Shut up. Pulling her close to him, he frowned. Don't say anything, I'll never forgive myself anyway. If not for mother...

“It wouldn't change anything, Mark.

  Pulling away abruptly, he bent his head and kissed her. 

– Now you will live and remember that I am waiting for you, do you hear? Always! You can't forget even if you want to.

  “Wait…” she answered mechanically and frowned in confusion. It was their first kiss, and it evoked so many feelings in her that she was lost in them.

Tearing the wet collar of his shirt, Mark took off a thin silver chain with a cross and, asking Leah to raise her head, fastened it around her neck. 

  “May the Lord keep you and return you alive and unharmed,” he said with some inner anguish and impulsively hugged her, so that she suffocated for a moment.

Heavy footsteps were heard from the hallway. Shuddering, Leah hurriedly stepped aside.

  – Hamali, for a couple of minutes. Entering the room without knocking, Karl gave them a quick glance, and a shadow of displeasure flickered across his face. We've sorted out the details.

  Nodding, Mark straightened his shoulders and left the room without looking back.

Left alone, Leah stood motionless for a while, trying to put her thoughts and feelings in order, and then turned back to the window. It was still raining, but the wind changed direction and blew not from the north, but from the northwest, along the coast. The sky had already turned black and purple and almost touched the tops of the trees. Sighing, she leaned her forehead against the cool window and closed her eyes. The cross worn by Mark clinked against the glass and gleamed dully in the reflection. Her own, torn off by a stranger in the corridor, was never found.

“It is unlikely that I am destined to return,” she thought with regret, touching her still hot lips. Tears welled up in my eyes again. Wiping them away, she tried to smile and couldn't.

A strange premonition once again touched the soul, forcing them to close their eyes from the surging fear and aching anguish. At some elusive moment, the future seemed to lift a misty veil, and there, far ahead, Leah did not see a hint of happiness and peace. Her path burned in the darkness with a blood-red flickering light. 

  - Not true! - Shaking her head, she whispered and, swinging, hit the dirty windowsill with her palm with all her might: - I don’t believe it! 

*  * *

Picking up the phone, Christian quickly dialed the number and immediately hung up when he heard the door creak behind him.

  “We are only waiting for you,” Karl said displeasedly. We have half an hour, hurry up. The car is already there. 

  “I need to make a phone call,” he said coldly, without turning around. - Go out please log out please get out please. 

  - Who are you going to call? If it's for work, then I've already settled everything.

  Gritting his teeth, Christian barely restrained himself and, squeezing the pipe in his palm, exhaled slowly.

  - Go away, Carl. I'll catch up with you.

  The door creaked again, and the kitchen fell into a rainy silence. Having dialed the number, Christian waited for half a minute. Long beeps seemed endless ... Maria did not pick up the phone for the second day. He waited in vain for it in the archives, bored with the descriptions of clay tablets.

  "Well, not fate." Chuckling, Christian pressed reset and, looking at his watch, went out into the living room.

  Vullis had already left, taking Mark with him: they needed his mother's consent. Only the old red-haired Bama remained in the house to wait for new owners. As if anticipating that they were seeing each other for the last time, the cat approached Christian and rubbed his disheveled side against his legs. 

  Take your bag and let's go. There was tension in Carl's voice. - Wind?

  Startled, her sister looked away from the carpeted floor. 

  "I'm ready," she whispered in a barely audible voice, and, coming up, took his hand. A leather cloak, gleaming with fur, hugged her thin shoulders and emphasized the unnatural pallor - she looked like a frightened teenage boy.

  Are you sure it's worth it? Christian demanded, defiantly meeting the twin's piercingly wary gaze. Are you sure it's now? 

  - Yes. - Turning sharply towards the exit, Karl pulled Leah after him, and she hesitated for a moment, obediently scurried after him.

  I didn't want to leave. Taking the keys from the bedside table, Christian turned the keychain between his fingers and reluctantly stepped onto the porch. Twenty-eight years of life were inextricably linked with this house... My father once left here. Now he had to leave. Did he want it? No. Not now, never. He was quite satisfied with the life that they had: friends, work ... Only Karl, it seemed, was not interested in anyone's opinion - he decided their destinies as he wished and was sure that he was right, sure, as always, and in everything. It was annoying. Christian did not understand how they would be able to survive in a completely unfamiliar world that had once killed their father, did not understand why they even interfere in the past, which had long been covered with time, and what they cared about a place that they had not even seen in their eyes. Yes, Liramel was the heiress and Head of their Family, and her father gave the order to help her return what was due, but one should not try to do the impossible. The sister was still too young and weak, and they - what could they do against the Council, if even the father himself could not do anything?

  Seeing that he hesitated, Karl gently took the keys and locked the door.

  “Someday you will be ashamed of your thoughts,” he said softly. “Someday you will be grateful to me.

  Let's see, brother, let's see...

Raising a column of spray, the car braked on the embankment. Seeing that Karl had already left, Christian put his hand in his pocket to pay the taxi driver.

  “Everything has already been paid for,” he hurriedly said without turning his head, and, looking in the mirror, smiled: “Good luck to you, Mr. Vallor. 

  Frowning silently, Christian let Liramel pass and, taking his bag, stepped into the rain. 

  “Keep in touch with Vullis and the Keeper, Hanswede. Leaning down, the brother shook the hand extended by the driver in a friendly manner and, quietly adding something, closed the door. A sharp gust of wind tousled his hair and beard. As if realizing that they were now defenseless, the rain intensified and after a couple of seconds it poured like a wall.

Taking his sister's hand, Carl waited until the car had disappeared around the bend, then turned and silently pointed in the direction of the beach. 

The sea was furious. Huge waves hissed and crashed against the stone breakwaters, throwing dirty white foam high into the sky. The strip of dry pebbles that the water did not reach was so narrow that it looked like a path.

  - How long do we have to go? – Stumbling over a stone, Christian grabbed the rough wall of the embankment, and his voice was drowned in another burst of roar. 

Clinging to the sheer wall of the stone embankment, they walked along the shore, trying to make out the place where the Eastern path touched the ground. Karl confidently led them forward, and occasionally looked back. The black leather cloak fluttered behind him with such force that Leah had to keep her distance. 

Small grains of sand, along with splashes, flew into the face, forcing them to squint. It was dark and cold. From time to time, crooked branched lightning flashed silently overhead. 

Once again, having stumbled, Christian looked at the wave creeping towards them and froze. Among the rebellious elements, a completely motionless sunny path shone. Almost five meters of smooth water surface with yellow highlights looked so improbable in the midst of the gray chaos that it was not immediately possible to believe ...

  - Stop! He yelled, taking in more air. – Carl!

Hearing it, the brother turned around and looked in the direction of the path. His lips curled into a contented smile.

  - Entering the buffer zone, be careful. Approaching, he nodded encouragingly and, putting his arm around Leah, pushed her forward. Holding her hat with her hand, she cautiously looked at another dark wave and took a couple of uncertain steps, almost touching the foam that licked the sand ...

After ten heartbeats, an impenetrable silence descended on the world. There was no sound or movement of air around, as if someone had covered them with a huge glass jar. In this unnatural silence, strange, frightening music was heard, as if from afar - the many-voiced piercing chime of hundreds of bells and drawn-out groans ...

  - What is this? Leah asked in a whisper, clinging to Carl.  

  Gently pushing her away, he took a couple more steps forward and stopped. 

  - Friction of a viscous halo against oncoming flows. His voice echoed off the invisible walls and died away, as if dissolving. - Phenomenon of the Singing Winds. Leaning down, Carl picked up a small stone and threw it forward. Having flown about two meters, the stone disappeared. - Before the trail you need to take two more steps - very quickly, but not running, otherwise you can fall. Remember: the hard layer is only about five meters wide - and this is at best, since the trail is uneven. As soon as you touch it, you will be knocked down. The main thing is to fall forward. 

  Why can't we go together? Leah asked quietly and glanced at Christian, as if looking for support.

  “Father warned you to travel alone,” Karl repeated patiently, looking at them both. - The density of the wind does not withstand a lot of weight, and given the force majeure that may occur during landing, the interval should be at least two minutes. That is why I will go first, and you, Veterok, will follow. Just hold on to double spacing... I'll need time to look around. The transition itself will take a little less than ten hours: the trail will make several turns around the Kingdom - in a spiral and, when the clouds color the sun, it will approach the earth. The fog will dissipate suddenly, the forest and the field will be visible. Wait until you are at the horizon, and then immediately jump to the side, otherwise it will blow you into the trees. That's all what I know. - Approaching Christian, his brother patted him on the shoulder in a friendly way: - Be especially careful: do not try to improvise.

  - What if they meet us? - quietly, so that Leah would not hear, he whispered in his ear. Have you thought about it, Carl?

  Karl nodded.

  “That's why I'm going first.

  Chuckling inwardly, Christian looked at Leah. Water trickled down her dark gray hair, and her eyes gleamed feverishly.

Turning around, Carl hugged his sister tightly and kissed the wet top of her head. 

  - Do not be afraid of anything! he said confidently. Sometimes it will be difficult to breathe, this is normal. The viscous layer balances the pressure and draws enough air from the lower layers of the atmosphere ... But it's better to lie down and sleep. The cold will wake you up when the time is right. 

Smiling at them both again, he lurched forward and vanished into the darkness. Christian immediately took out his watch and began to count the time.

  “It's time,” he said after four minutes, and lightly pushed Leah forward.

The second hand indifferently continued to run. Looking at the gleaming dial, Christian tried to breathe calmly and measuredly, but his heart stubbornly beat the rhythm. It was not too late to change everything - to turn around and leave, to continue the old life, to try to forget ...

  - You knew! - Angry at his brother, he said loudly, squeezing the watch with such force that the glass cracked. “I left it on purpose so that I would think I had a choice!”

  Throwing a bag over his shoulder, Christian crossed himself three times and, closing his eyes, stepped forward. 

The second step was harder. The space around became viscous and dense, like water, and this slowed down the movement a little. Leaning instinctively, he felt a sharp blow and, unable to resist, fell, mechanically putting his hands forward.

After a few long minutes, the chime became quieter and the air colder. Slowly opening his eyes, Christian looked around.

The Misty Path floated through the black-blue sky above the highest clouds, and above it the stars shone with bright white fire. The air was viscous and scaldingly fresh, which made him a little dizzy and squeezed his chest. He had never seen such a sky: it seemed that he could touch it with his hand. Consciousness became clear, thoughts cleared, the body seemed almost weightless. 

“Someday I'll draw this…” Christian thought, reverently running his hand along the misty transparent surface of the Path, feeling the anger leave his heart. - Some day…"