David began to cast nervous glances at the empty windows facing the street. Outside, the last vestiges of twilight were fading; The fire seemed very small and dim. Mextumsila frowned, lowering her head, listening, concern in her eyes. "An Obur amongst the ruins and this far to the South" turning to Mextumsila Obur, "What's your name?" “Psefit,” said the Obur. “What brought you here?” The Obur stammered, “I saw it. We were in the uncanny forest. There were three other Oburs with me. They arrived in an icy cold air and killed the other two. I ran away. I saw the two of them while I was running. There were two breaths. They and the blue dragon… When one of them touched the blue dragon, it disappeared. Then they came. Black rider and their shadows, there were two more. Min and Tin..” Mextumsila grabbed Obur's arm. “Are you sure of these names?” “Yes,” the man muttered confidently. “It was them, I felt it, their energy was absorbing me,” he said. Mextumsila was thoughtful, “Did they, Min
Yelis's arms and legs were like lead and her eyes wanted to close on their own, but sleep didn't come right away, and as soon as she woke up she dreamed muttering and kicking her blankets. It happened suddenly when he awoke, and he looked around for a moment before remembering where he was.The moon had risen, everyone was still asleep. Erendiz, Tumaris, and Uras curled up and muttered inaudibly. David's once mild snores were interrupted at times by half-words. There was still no sign of Ewin. He suddenly felt that the building offered no protection. Anything can happen in the dark. He added wood to the last embers of the fire, telling himself he was being silly. The flame was too small to give much warmth, but it gave more light.She had no idea what had woken him from this unpleasant dream.She felt like a little kid again. She thought of the games Abigial and David had played on the farm. For a moment she remembered the dream; she was running through the empty streets, followed by Y
Yelis lifted her head from the thick body of the mist, licked her lips, and met her friends' eyes. Everyone was nervous. Night and fog had taken them captive. The Narqs were out there somewhere, and the Yilbes were perhaps in the next corner. The mist was approaching them. Yelis forced herself to stop thinking. They would follow the red star. She could hold on to the thought. They had to back up three times down a street that was blocked from side to side by a hill of stone and brick that the horses could never cross. Yelis could hear the others' short, sharp breathing, she was simply afraid of panic. She grit his teeth to stop his own breathing. At least to make them think you're not afraid.They turned the next corner. A street of fog covered the wall with a bright light. Shadows shot towards them. Nobody expected this. Turning, they galloped away. In front of them, ten inches away, two Ñarqs came out into the street. They looked at each other for a moment, each more surprised than
Suddenly, Uras galloped from behind, but "Ride !" He slowed down enough to shout. A second later, hunting cries and rumblings from the bushes behind her announced that something was up behind her. Yelis and Tumaris heeled their horses. Yelis wondered how to get to the river without Mextumsila and Ewin. Uras seated his horse in the shadows, watched the open passage just a short distance away, and absently ran his thumb on his sword. it looked like a clear way out of the ruined city, but he sat there for five minutes studying it. The wind blew Uras' long raven hair. He thought of the horns he had just heard in the city. “Yilbe and Jerzaklar” looked at Uras, Yelis and Tumaris. He couldn't do anything by himself if they were caught. Yelis could not fight and could die while Tumaris fought to the end.They would go to the river, as Mextumsila had said. Even if Mextumsila and Ewin were dead, Uras would do whatever it took to deliver Yelis.Uras went back to examining the door. His careful c
Yelis fell to the ground when the arrow released Jerzac to the ground. Psefit agilely jumped off his horse and mounted Yelis back on his horse. Tumaris rode beside them on his horse. “Drive towards the river,” he said. Their horses rummaged through the trees. Jerzac and the Yilbes followed as they ran towards the River. They bent their horses to avoid the Jerzacs' whips. Tumaris on his horse continued to shoot back, looking over his shoulder. Yelis's face was almost buried in his horse's mane.Tumaris managed to hit three Jerzacs and one Yilbe behind them. Yelis and Erendiz looked at him, Tumaris smiled and muttered, "Not my best shots." Tumaris did not return to retrieve his arrows. “More will come. I hope the river isn't too far away." Instead of saying what else he hoped for, he nodded and set off at a rapid gallop. Erendiz and Uras went behind him.Soon they came to a low, undulating shore among the trees. Tumaris could not see the other side at all. He didn't like the idea of c
Jerzac“You must be from Karagol,” Psefit told Tumaris. “Yes,” Tumaris said simply.“The Yilbes have done this before, I've seen them go after the Bürkut sword many times, but they never cooperated with the Jerzacs.” “Everyone sees and hears things for the first time,” Tumaris shrugged. Erendiz “What do you think happened to Uras, could they have caught him?”"Uras should be the last thing we should worry about," said Tumaris, "I hope he can take care of himself," muttered. Yelis said, “I understood the story of the Yilbes. Turkin has slain a dragon, and some kind of magical sword is a brute sword, But what are Jerzacs?” Erendiz was excitedly thrown. “Do you think the weapons here are man-made weapons, these weapons are special weapons, an ordinary Ice people person cannot kill these creatures with a casual weapon. Ordinary weapons are for ice folk only,” he said. Elise rubbed her head. “This world is more complex than I thought,” he said. Erendiz grinned. “Even so, I'd like to hear t
Family As the sun was rising along the river, Abigial was leaning against the trunk of a young oak tree, eyes closed. Her horse was resting with his legs spread wide. Abigial had her reins around her wrist. When the first rays of the sun fell on the horse's eyelids, the animal opened its eyes and, pulling the reins, raised its head. Abigial awoke with a start. For a moment she couldn't see where she was and looked around. When he realized where he was, he looked around frantically. He untied the reins and stood up. He climbed out of the hole he was in and twinned the surroundings. Realizing that no one was there, she stood up, dead leaves rustled. Between her and the river were no more than a few trees. Cracked bark and bare branches made them look bare. Beyond her, vast blue-green waters flowed. There was nothing, just empty. On the far shore clumps of green willows and firs lay scattered. Abigial looked like there were more trees around him. She thought the others might be anywher
In a small tree grove, David slumped in the dark among the tree branches. The needles that pricked his body pulled him out from the depths of his dreams. When he opened his eyes, there were sweet-smelling branches woven over his face. Sunlight was filtering in through the gaps. He looked at her, not knowing where she was. Most of the branches fell as he stood up in surprise, but some casually hung from his shoulders or even his head, making it look like a tree. The memories came back quickly. Abigial had lost him in the fog. Out of breath, he frantically emerged among the piles of tree branches. Holding his breath, he looked around carefully. Nothing moved. The morning was cold and still. He took a deep, calming breath. The small evergreen woods that surrounded him were the first refuge he had found last night. It was sparse enough to offer little protection from the eyes that followed him when he stood up. He ripped branches off him head and shoulders, pushing the rest of her thorny
When Akjan finished his story, Ewin's horse suddenly neighed in fear and began to jerk to free his reins. David stood up slightly as shapes appeared around them in the darkening forest. The horse reared and twisted, screaming.“Silence the horse,” Akjan said. "They didn't come for him, they won't hurt him, they won't hurt you either." Ewin held up his wand, Akjan said, "It won't be necessary." As if the humans were not there, the horses walked towards the fire and lay down among the humans. In the darkness among the trees, the light of the fire reflected from the eyes of more wolves on all sides. As Ewin raised his wand, Akjan said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, they're friends," Ewin said that the four wolves were looking at him. He lowered his staff. He slowly sat down. David followed suit. The horse had stopped yelling and rearing. Instead, he stood trembling and fidgeting to keep all the wolves in sight, occasionally kicking to show the wolves. The wolves waited comfortably,
Abigial's horse walked calmly under the weak sun. Uras and Mextumsila were riding right in front of him. He had had little real conversation with her since the next morning, when he found Mextumsila and Uras on the banks of his river. Of course it was talked about, but as far as Abigila saw, it was nothing major. She did not trust Mextumsila and wanted to find David and Yelis, certain that they were alive. Otherwise, Mextumsila wouldn't still be looking for them. She had to keep good relations with Mextumsila unless she had to. The cursed woman said nothing to her! Finding them hadn't even opened his mouth to her people."As I told you," Mextumsila replied, not bothering to turn to look at her, "I would have known if we had gotten closer to them." Abigial had repeatedly asked her if there was a sign. Mextumsila also felt Abigial's gaze on her back. "Will you really know when you get close to them?"“I can know”“What if Yelis is already dead”“I know you are not dead, Girl, Erendiz a
The next day, Captain, Psefit and Erendiz were chatting among themselves. Erendiz was telling Psefit about the mischief he did in Karagöl. The captain looked at him slyly. "You're already thinking of home, young man, and are you new to the world? What will you find when you get home?" Erendiz was startled. How long had it been since he thought about his house and Karagöl? What about his mother? Days passed. It felt like months to Erendiz. "I will go home one day, I don't know when I can do it. But I will return home. Then I'll find my mother there, we'll forget that all this even existed” Psefit “Isn't this all for going home? Real and” Erendiz, with a visible effort, moved away from looking up the river after the disappearing rocks. “What? Ah. Yes, of course. We'll go home. Of course. To the real home…” As Erendiz turned to go, Psefit heard him mutter softly.During the four days of their journey down the river, Erendiz found himself sitting on the blunt end atop the mast, his legs wr
Yelis was shaken and opened his eyes. A dark, pale light faded slightly. He didn't move anything except his eyes, barely breathing. A coarse woolen blanket covered him up to his shoulders, and his head was in his arms. He could feel the smooth wooden planks under his hands. The deck gnashed like the teeth of a monster that wanted to eat him. He took a long breath. The wind was blowing strong, inflating the sails of the raft like a balloon. The raft was moving silently through the dark waters. “There is no rock to be afraid of, there are many shallow areas where the raft can land,” said the captain. However, they did not approach the shore for days, neither during the day nor at night. Sometimes the wind blew from the opposite direction. They traveled for two days, bouncing with every jolt of the raft. At the end of the second day, the impact of the attack on the ruined city and forest began to wane. The captain spoke to them about the dangers of stepping on land in the dark and of run
The man opened one eye and stared at David's hiding place. “You and your friend can sit down and have a snack.” David hesitated, then stood up slowly, clutching his knife tightly. “Are you going to invite him in, or are you planning to eat the whole rabbit yourself?” said the manDavid raised his voice. "Ewin! No problem!" He stretched out his hand and added in a more normal tone: “My name is David and my friend's is Ewin.” He paused before the man said his name. “My name is Akjan. I come from the North, from beyond Mount Elbrus.” Ewin cautiously emerged on his horse.He tied the mare's reins to one of the smaller branches of the oak, and David introduced her to Akjan. “It is surprising to see one of the Abzka people this far south,” Ewin said. " Mine. It's amazing to see some of the Kutsk people in it this far north,” he said, looking at David as he said this. “And encountering a false witch,” the man was still quite kind. David's eyes were constantly on the rabbit in the fire. When
In a small tree grove, David slumped in the dark among the tree branches. The needles that pricked his body pulled him out from the depths of his dreams. When he opened his eyes, there were sweet-smelling branches woven over his face. Sunlight was filtering in through the gaps. He looked at her, not knowing where she was. Most of the branches fell as he stood up in surprise, but some casually hung from his shoulders or even his head, making it look like a tree. The memories came back quickly. Abigial had lost him in the fog. Out of breath, he frantically emerged among the piles of tree branches. Holding his breath, he looked around carefully. Nothing moved. The morning was cold and still. He took a deep, calming breath. The small evergreen woods that surrounded him were the first refuge he had found last night. It was sparse enough to offer little protection from the eyes that followed him when he stood up. He ripped branches off him head and shoulders, pushing the rest of her thorny
Family As the sun was rising along the river, Abigial was leaning against the trunk of a young oak tree, eyes closed. Her horse was resting with his legs spread wide. Abigial had her reins around her wrist. When the first rays of the sun fell on the horse's eyelids, the animal opened its eyes and, pulling the reins, raised its head. Abigial awoke with a start. For a moment she couldn't see where she was and looked around. When he realized where he was, he looked around frantically. He untied the reins and stood up. He climbed out of the hole he was in and twinned the surroundings. Realizing that no one was there, she stood up, dead leaves rustled. Between her and the river were no more than a few trees. Cracked bark and bare branches made them look bare. Beyond her, vast blue-green waters flowed. There was nothing, just empty. On the far shore clumps of green willows and firs lay scattered. Abigial looked like there were more trees around him. She thought the others might be anywher
Jerzac“You must be from Karagol,” Psefit told Tumaris. “Yes,” Tumaris said simply.“The Yilbes have done this before, I've seen them go after the Bürkut sword many times, but they never cooperated with the Jerzacs.” “Everyone sees and hears things for the first time,” Tumaris shrugged. Erendiz “What do you think happened to Uras, could they have caught him?”"Uras should be the last thing we should worry about," said Tumaris, "I hope he can take care of himself," muttered. Yelis said, “I understood the story of the Yilbes. Turkin has slain a dragon, and some kind of magical sword is a brute sword, But what are Jerzacs?” Erendiz was excitedly thrown. “Do you think the weapons here are man-made weapons, these weapons are special weapons, an ordinary Ice people person cannot kill these creatures with a casual weapon. Ordinary weapons are for ice folk only,” he said. Elise rubbed her head. “This world is more complex than I thought,” he said. Erendiz grinned. “Even so, I'd like to hear t
Yelis fell to the ground when the arrow released Jerzac to the ground. Psefit agilely jumped off his horse and mounted Yelis back on his horse. Tumaris rode beside them on his horse. “Drive towards the river,” he said. Their horses rummaged through the trees. Jerzac and the Yilbes followed as they ran towards the River. They bent their horses to avoid the Jerzacs' whips. Tumaris on his horse continued to shoot back, looking over his shoulder. Yelis's face was almost buried in his horse's mane.Tumaris managed to hit three Jerzacs and one Yilbe behind them. Yelis and Erendiz looked at him, Tumaris smiled and muttered, "Not my best shots." Tumaris did not return to retrieve his arrows. “More will come. I hope the river isn't too far away." Instead of saying what else he hoped for, he nodded and set off at a rapid gallop. Erendiz and Uras went behind him.Soon they came to a low, undulating shore among the trees. Tumaris could not see the other side at all. He didn't like the idea of c