Unconquered Sun
Page 78
- You remember, darling, our mad break? You remember the soldier with wings with a board and a sword, you remember?
The prince nodded.
- You, probably, thought that I it caused it, admit? I bet, also all fairies so thought, - Poured triumphantly smiled.
And then continued:
- No, it not I … I really prepared strong blow - on Triune Knowledge - that if to die, and on a next world to drag off it too … But this soldier … he spoiled all game … both mine, and its …
- AI … what you want to tell these? - with a sinking heart Prinze as if being afraid that this terrible soldier will hear their conversation whispered and again will appear.
- And that, - in a whisper, in exactly it to what children tell each other "sekretik" at night, - that this soldier … was … from the Creator … You understand, the Creator did not want my death … contrary to fairies … contrary to Knowledge … - here on her lips a snake the ironical smile slipped. - It is visible, not all will of the Creator is expressed by their Knowledge …
- AI … you then believed?
- Yes … then … After that to me such rest, such world got into soul, as it is impossible to describe … and I then understood that I will go to It … … there soon that it is not necessary to oppose to it … Also you know still that? That He forgave all to me, all my sins, all … The fact that his "servants" acting from his name cannot forgive me He forgave … - and from unseeing eyes of Lily on pale hollow cheeks tears swept.
The prince wiped tears a scarf, and Lily meanwhile continued:
- And I reconciled with It, understand? Therefore I am not afraid, to leave … And now I am blissfully happy … Yes, I am blissfully happy … I lie, and near me the person loved to me who loves me which holds me by a hand, and my little little son … Thousands and thousands of years of loneliness led to such happy final, unless it is not good? What to us after that to despond? - And Lily tried to smile poorly.
But her words made opposite impression on Prinze. Just shook it from sobbings, he convulsively seized her by a hand and hotly whispered as a spell:
- Do not leave … do not leave …. Do not take in head to leave me, Poured … do not take in head …
But Lily angrily frowned a forehead and tone of the strict mother lecturing the disobedient child told:
- And well stop the road! Well be a man! You what example set our son? And suddenly he will remember everything and will be the same crybaby, how are you? And well stop, immediately!
The next explosion turned out such force that the door flew from loops, and covered all blanket as confetti, a gold crumb from a ceiling, one more case failed, frames from a window took off, even the bed moved almost on three steps aside, and Lucifer's cradle nearly turned over. But also now the child, having woken up, did not begin to cry.
- There now and end … The ant hill stopped the existence … - is hardly heard Lily spoke, - the outcome approaches …
2.
The outcome really approached. Work of thirty "moles" on excavation of blockages came to the end quickly enough - all in a couple of hours. Sand was soft, ladles worked quickly, golems helped, having armed with iron shovels. They managed to dig out one more or less escaped pass and to start there the first party of "moles". Pass was low, it was necessary to be torn, strenuously working with the drill and ladles. Behind there were golems with flame throwers and shovels atilt. And in the tail, covered from all directions with protection, there were five fairies from "STING" scanning vaults analyzers. So far signs of life of a wreck were not given.
Through some time the first search group reached to semi-filled up with stones and sand of the central compartments. Signs of life were not. Everywhere the remains of altars which broke up into pieces, the crushed Murin, the remains of some rolls semi-broken, which are not giving in to identification of objects - a terrible picture of death and destruction, more precisely, than catastrophic suicide and self-damage rolled.
- No. 1-406 reports, the congestion of forces of the opponent in the central compartments is revealed. Signs of life are not given. Huge number of artifacts. All passes are filled up, except one. What instructions will be?
- Order to begin excavation, the sister. To bring together all archives, artifacts too. To transfer to personally Elder Sisters of the 5th and 6th departments for studying, strictly to code information. Privacy No. 1 degree. To progress in searches of pass to the Gold Hall. To try to find Azail - live or dead. How understood?
- Yes sir, sister.
Having left in half-ruined central halls thirty golems, five "moles" and three fairies intelligence agents of "STING" with five operated lamps, the others went further, breaking through half-ruined transitions further. All suspicious cracks generously poured down liquid fire and gas, but life signs were still not observed.
3.
The Kitten and Puppy together with the dwarf Krum - as always, in a white scrub and points rushed into Lily's room. At doors twenty gold golems with the prepared stretcher and naked light swords for reflection of possible attack remained to stand.
The kitten as always ordered.
- So, you, gold frying pans, quickly - the child on this nosilka, the fairy - on this, and Prinze …
- Who else raskomandovatsya here? - regained consciousness as if from Prinze's dream and angrily looked at the Kitten. - Who granted to you such right?
- The owner, you not in yourself, sit here, but do not know what here will be soon, - the Kitten unperturbably parried, - and there will be a fight in which the child and my patient, and an indestructible precept of any Zverenk at any cost will suffer …
- … to obey owners! - Prinze bellowed. - And, well, from here, you with the gold frying pans!!! - and Prinze pointed a finger at a doorway, but the Kitten got up as driven, having propped up sides plush gray pads and, indignantly shining glass button eyes as the real cat lashed on each side, being going to battle up to the end. Golems stayed in indecision as its Highness was their direct military chief whom they could not violate the order.
- Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!!!! Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!!!! Without - with - with - from panic-sss, panic-sss bez-ss-s-s-s!!! There is-sss no time for baz-z-z-z-z-zar, not, yes-sss at all!!!!
Both Prinze, and Kitten, and all others with astonishment looked in that party from where the sound was heard, and saw …
The arachnoid monster got out of a ventilating outlet under a ceiling. The look it was really awful. Two heads from three were crushed and flattened out and lifeless ugly lumps dangled on the remains of necks as the heads of dead chickens. Nedostovalo of one paw. A belly splusnuto, from a scorpion tail there was only a bleeding scrap, one facet eye on the escaped head flowed out. Limping, the covered with wounds Azail went down on a wall to a bed.
- Zh-zh-zh-e spoke, zh-zh-zh-e said … Pomresh-sh-sh-sh-sh … and nas-s-s-s-pogubish-sh-sh-sh, fallen in love duroch-sh-sh-sh-shka!!! Silly devchonka-s-s-s-s-s, f-f-f-faugh!!! Az-z-z-zail not o-sh-sh-sh-shibayetsya, never, yes-sss … - hissed the spoiled monster.
- Azail, a vile animal, you after all survived … Pleasantly … - trying how before cynically to grin, Lily whispered. - And where all your crowd, disappeared, I hope?
- With - with - with - with - with - gninuli, s-s-s-s-sginuli-sss, yes-sss, almost vs - with - with - with - se s-s-s-s-ginuli-ssss … Whom raz-z-z-z-z-orvalo on pieces kickback, os-s-s-s-s-stalnykh raz-z-z-z-zdavilo-sss … Flung away-sss me a wave from epicenter-sss …
- Well and it is remarkable … Blood-suckers died, at last … Innocent your victims are revenged … Here and I now - too …
- Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!!!! Silly!!! Give at least it, yes-sss!!! Obeshch-shch-shch-shch-shchannogo!!! - having stretched forepaws as the mantis in the begging gesture, Azail hissed.
- And you will teach him to all? You will constrain an oath?. Take … To it all the same not to find the best tutor … My Prinze - decent rokhlya, though I love him, I do not know for what … - Lily whispered and powerlessly hung the head on a pillow.
- Well not to you, darling … You will not save it from fairies, and Azail - will die for it … However, Azail? It - your last hope … It will bring to your race light … to those who else survived … - whispered is hardly heard Lily and closed unseeing eyes.
And Azail already ran up to a cradle and forward pads accurately took the baby and gently put him to himself on a back. The child did not burst into tears, was not frightened of a monster, on the contrary, smiled and tenderly pulled the handles:
- Well sh-sh-sh-shto, maly-shsh-sh-sh-sh, derzhis-s-s, prokatim-s-s-sya with a breeze, yes-sss, with a breeze-sss …
- Look, Azail, - without opening eyes hardly Lily spoke, - run on the most confidential transitions … do not come to light … you know, a dokuda … let my blessing will be on you and the child … Bring up from it the soldier and the great wizard … It is my last will …
All witnesses of this strange dialogue did not stir - dwarfs and golems blindly obeyed will of madam, and Animals and Prinze were so struck with Lily's decision that not in forces were to contradict. It is obvious that Lily's conversation with Azail was end of the agreement reached earlier.
And what they could offer in exchange? To depart with the child somewhere? But where? Fairies will find for it, and hardly its destiny - the son worst enemy Podnebesya - will be iridescent …
And meanwhile Azail already got into an air shaft with the child on shoulders who strong seized the remains vibriss - apparently, he was happy with prospect "to drive with a breeze" when it was overtaken by a weak voice of Lily:
- With solar juice that?
- It is evacuated, vs - with - with - with - with - se as dogovorilis - with - with - s, gospozh-zh-zh-a …
- Well and it is good. Run, Azail, run, do not linger …
And Azail disappeared in a ventilating outlet as though it also was not.
And only the Kitten said, rubbing a pad a greyish plush forehead:
- Well dela-a-a-a …
4.
Search and retaliatory groups continued the advance deep into of the semi-filled-up Ant hill.
The further they moved ahead, the corridors were less injured from a collapse. And here the separate survived groups Murin already began to come across to them. There, here they hid in cracks as cockroaches, there, here it was necessary to apply fire and gas. Mercy was not and could not be - the directive of their Fidelity ordered to destroy all, at the roots, without the rest.
Murin showed resistance. There, here, golems failed in traps, were caught in a spidery net, and sustained losses. But behind reinforcements approached and waves of fire and a cloud of sulfuric drakony gas quickly suppressed the isolated resistance centers.
At last, the tunnel slowly but surely began to rise up. Fairies felt considerable improvement of quality of air - it convinced them that the direction was chosen by them truly. Now they were faced by a question - that will be when they reach the lower tiers of the Gold Hall - the board from magic mirrors will prevent them to get there …
Having left four search and retaliatory groups to finish hiding Murin and to scan remained Muraveynika Square, the first group as a part of three "moles" and twenty golems, led by two fairies of "STING" went just climbed that tunnel which is prompter than others upward and soon at the end of a tunnel they saw a weak spark.
Golems took flame throwers at the ready and hid for armor of "moles", fairies mentally sent beams of analyzers forward, but they did not mark any magic presence.
They did not manage to give the order "set aside" as figures - them was two - took a step forward and waved some white objects in air:
- Do not shoot, do not shoot, madams fairies, do not shoot, these are the!!! Meow!
-, do not shoot!!! Av-av! These are Animals!!!
Fairies telepathic transferred the order "set aside" and golems lowered barrels of flame throwers.
From a twilight two figures - the Kitten and the Puppy - with white kerchiefs in plush pads really seemed. They it is shy, nearly on tiptoe, approached the fairies who left towards and bowed to them to the earth.
- What do you do here, Animals? Whether and place to Animals here? Too dangerously … - having gloomy shifted eyebrows, one fairy told.
- Oh! Yes same servants of the former Keeper of the Limit No. 3! I recognize them! How you appeared here? - with astonishment the second exclaimed.
- Oh, mercy madams, - important having acted forward, the Kitten told, - history of our adventures and disasters will hardly interest such important ladies as you, and therefore we, with your permission, will lower it. I will tell only that we are sent here as truce envoys by our owner - Kind Prinze - and he asks to give you something and to deign to lead you to us, to our Hall …
Fairies exchanged glances from surprise. After such heavy and full dangers of fights in the Ant hill, they obviously did not expect that now they will be seen off and invited somewhere.
- And what your owner asks to transfer?
- He asks to stop war and not to blow up as you probably plan, the Gold Hall from below as already to show resistance to you there is nobody. War terminated …
Fairies puzzly exchanged glances.
- And what then happened to the Invincible Sun?
- It was gone … and now - forever … - the Kitten whispered and silently began to sob.
5.
After leaving Azaila Lily watched some time unseeing eyes in that party where astride a monster her kid sat, and then as if having remembered something, quietly spoke:
- Animals, leave and take away all others from here - I should stay alone with Prinze, I ask you …
Animals were not required to be asked twice and the door which is recently repaired by golems densely was closed behind them.
The prince sat down on edge of its bed again and took almost ice hand in the and was silent. Was silent and Poured. All was already told. There were only feelings and bitter feeling of inevitable parting.
The prince silently cried and his hot tears flew on cheeks and drop directly on Lily's shirt. But this time Lily did not constrain his sobbings any more and did not shout at it - the son already in the room was not - but only squeezed his hand even more strong and - was silent.
How many lasted this silence - did not know Prinze, Poured. But suddenly from that ventilating well into which Azail dived some sheburshaniye was suddenly distributed and to the room the big bat flew and began circles to fly under a ceiling.
The prince with astonishment raised the tear-stained face, and Lily smiled and her face brightened up. She remembered a damnation of the fairy whose body she so inconsiderately stole.
- There now, darling, is also time for me … To the road, there, from where there is no return … It for me arrived, for me …
The prince interrogatively looked at Lily. But it continued:
- Swear to me the road that when I die, you will take this bat and you will transfer her them to Knowledge. Tell that it is the fairy from whom I stole a body. Only their Knowledge owns technology of transformation. Let this unfortunate will find what belongs to it by right and justice will triumph, well?
- Well, expensive, well, - Prinze whispered, bringing her growing cold hand to the lips. - You only live still, still slightly, I beg …
The bat as though understood that it is about her, suddenly ceased to fly around and directed directly on Lily's breast. She accurately sat down, and Poured, having hardly raised thin as a skeleton hand a hand, stroked a mouse on the head.
- She forgave me, - Lily smiled, with relief sighed and exhaled. Last time. Lily's eyes stopped, the look glazed over, and hands powerlessly fell on a breast.
The prince shook as if through him passed electric current and at it from a breast inhuman, almost animal shout what fatally wounded animals shout escaped:
- Lily-and-and-and-and-and!!!! Not-e-e-et!!! Do not leave!!! Do not leave me one!!! - also fell all over on her breast so
the mouse hardly managed to flush, having avoided ridiculous death on an own body.
The door quietly opened and Animals shy, on tiptoe, entered the room, also not in forces to constrain tears. So they also stood and silently cried at a bed of that which once was called is proud of the Invincible Sun.
At the very same time at the same time all magic mirrors went out, all solar outlets were closed and once Gold Hall plunged into outer darkness as if dressed mourning clothes on the late Hostess. Golems and dragons turned into heartless statues, and dwarfs deafeningly howled from a grief.
6.
The triune Knowledge landed on a plateau in the dead of night. It was accompanied by the closest maids of honor of its yard - all dressed in ceremonial long dresses of silver-white color, on their heads wreaths from eternal fresh flowers flaunted. Knowledge shone in the purple dresses embroidered by gold, and their already golden hair sparkled gold from the gold threads interwoven into braids. But is brighter than gold and diamonds shone them Face-sided.
Three Knowledge important went towards the Gold Hall, long purple cloaks bore behind Them maids of honor. At an entrance they were met by the Animals dressed in ceremonial snow-white liveries. Having bowed to the earth to Empresses, they silently invited to follow them.
Magic spheres lit a way. Though night was especially dark, but light continually snatched out from this darkness a picture, a gobelin, a statue or a stained-glass window, a piece of a mirror wall. Even these scrappy visions which were not making a full picture struck Triune Knowledge with beauty, wealth and refinement of monastery of the Invincible Sun.
- "We swear the Creator and this Invincible Sun is incomparable more richly than all Community! How many gold, how many jewels, how many works of art … This trophy is worthy to enter a treasury of Community! From now on there will be a museum, the museum of the Victory and Greatness of our people - the best monument for descendants about this war and will not think up!"