The Last Queen of Lemuria (23 page)

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"Greta! Greta! You're alive!"  Tears flowed down Tamil's soot-stained face. "What are you doing here? You aren't allowed to be here!"  Confusing his words, he embraced her, kissed her face, and arms...

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"Something happened to the flüg," said Guria, coming to herself, "we've lost control. We must repair it immediately if we want to catch the ark.

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“We knocked it out," explained Tamil. "We mistook you for Gorr's army."

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"Weapons?!"  Came Guria, in shock.  "Lemurians with weapons?!"

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"Yes," answered Aleur, proudly raising his head, "we can go to war as well!"

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"You allowed the city to be bombed to ashes, and had weapons all along? Why?!”

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“Oh, God!"  Suddenly Greta fell to the ground. Everyone turned to her. She clutched at her stomach.  "It seems..."

Guria rolled her eyes.  "You can't be serious!"

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"Maybe it will pass?"  Asked Yuma.

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"No," said Greta, looking at her legs, down which water was beginning to flow, "it will not pass. My boy is begging to come out..."

Tamil embraced his wife.

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"All the same, we need to try and take off," frowned Guria.  "If that eager beaver is really trying so hard to get out, let him be born in the sky..."

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"Guria is right," said Yuma.  "Greta, let's get in the flüg."

They set Greta down on a couch covered with animal skins. Guria closed the hatch.

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"Take off!"   The flying machine grumbled, gave off a piercing clang, and went silent.  The motor stalled.

Guria opened the door. Everyone went out. The flüg had been hit by the vimana ray right next to the instrument responsible for height control.

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"Aleur! Maybe you can fix it..." asked Yuma in horror, looking at the smoking flüg. Together with the smoke, their hope of being saved disappeared.

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"I'll try," said Aleur, climbing inside.

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“Tamil!"  Shrieked Greta, "Tamil, I'm afraid! We're gonna die..."

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"No, Greta! Think about the little one," said the husband, comforting her.

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"Agghhh!"  Came Greta, huddled in pain.

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"Lord! Does anyone know how to deliver a baby?"

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"It's easy," said Guria.  "I've seen lambs delivered.  Tamil, give me your shirt."

The Black Princess took a small knife from her pocket.

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“Tamil!" Sit next to Greta, take her by the hand.  "Yuma! Don't make a fuss!"

Yuma looked angrily at Guria, but said nothing.

- "I forgot the water... Blood, fire and water!"

The Keeper squinted from the unbearable light. A shining star emerged  around the Chintamani. The Stone became even brighter, the rays became wider and wider. The air began to vibrate. There came a dull roar...

The bright light ripped through the walls and began to ripple over everything  in waves. Soon it had covered the whole island, crossed the channel and reached the castle walls of Groix. A flüg,that had been flying toward Lemuria tipped and fell into the water. One after the other, Gorr's soldiers fell, struck by the deadly rays of the Chintamani.

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"This is the end of the sorcerers," smiled the Keeper, barely able to speak. Those were his last words. The cobra's poison reached its target.

Chapter 29. There Is No Death

Greta had a son. The baby, wrapped in his father's shirt was quietly suckling. And everyone who was there for his birth looked on in silence. Greta was exhausted, but happy.  Tamil was bursting with pride, and Aleur, Yuma and Guria were surprisingly confused.  They had been witness to the birth of man on earth. War, fear and death retreated. The miracle of birth was stronger.

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"We'll call him Shonith. In honor of the Keeper. He will become a hero of the Lemurians," said Tamil.

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"For that to happen, we'd want to go back to the ark," exclaimed Yuma.  "Aleur, how's the machine?"

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"I'm trying..." answered Aleur, disappearing once again in the belly of the ball.

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"What was that sound?"  Asked Greta.  "Do you hear it? Something is buzzing..."

Tamil and Guria looked around.

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"I don't see any sorcerers," said Guria.  "It's as if the sound is coming from under ground..."

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"Look!”  Exclaimed Yuma, pointing to the Sanctuary at the top of the mountain.

The Keeper's chapel grew in size before their eyes, and began giving off a bright violet color.

Aleur poked his head out of the machine:

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"There's some kind of vibration..."

And just then, everyone felt waves go across the earth as if from a strike.

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"Earthquake!"  Shouted Yuma.

The earth trembled and disappeared from under their legs. The remnants of the palace colonnade collapsed, and the iron flüg fell onto its side. The earth trembled and began to crack under them. Aleur's vimana fell into the crack. Greta  began to weep, the child did as well. Yuma threw herself to Aleur, trying to help him get out of the flying machine. Greta jumped with her baby in her arms and fell. Guria lifted the legless Tamil out of the cabin. After the first shock, a second followed, stronger, then a third, stronger still.

- "Faster! To the square! Get to an open place!"  Shouted Yuma. Aleur grabbed Tamil in his arms. They ran out to the clearing in front of the palace and looked up to the source of the boom. There, at the very top, Shonith La's Sancuary exploded and broke into pieces, and became enveloped in the magic purple light of the Stone.  The glow covered the mountain, the waterfall, the destroyed walls of the castle, and the sky... Everything around acquired a sinister look. The people below, looked up in silence as the ancient cliff was destroyed- Lemuria's defense against the winds and waters of the high-mountain lakes. And just then, new waterfalls began to flow in the huge gaps created by the explosion. They grew right before their eyes, turning into muddy torrents, sweeping away everything in their paths.

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"My boy! My poor boy!" Cried out Greta, looking at the water approaching from the mountain.  "It's the flood! Just as the sages prophesied!  All has been fulfilled!

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We have vimanas!"  Exclaimed Aleur.

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"One vimana!"  interrupted Guria. - "And there are five of us, probably six at this point.”

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“Greta and the boy! They must be saved! Greta! Fly!"  Shouted Tamil.

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“No! I won't fly without you!"  Wept Greta.

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"Greta! Save the child!"  Ordered Yuma, pushing Greta on the board. Greta hugged Tamil, laid the boy on the vimana and stood next to him, staring at the blue triangle. The board remained on the ground.

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"I can't," exclaimed Greta. "You try, Tamil!"

Tamil sat upright on the vimana.  It wouldn't move. Everyone tried to take off in their turn, but Guria.

- "Our souls are too heavy..." said Aleur, stepping off the board. As soon as he got off, the vimana shook and raised up the baby into the air. Greta grabbed her son. The board crashed to the ground.

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"The vimana lifted the child," said Guria.  "It's a sign, Greta. He can be saved."

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"Faster, Greta! Set him down..." cried Tamil, ripping the bundle from his wife, and setting him down on the vimana, blinded by tears. Just then the board took off, and slowly picking up speed, flew toward the sea.

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"My son! My little son!"  Sobbed Greta, not breaking her glance from the flying baby.  Tamil patted her on the head and pressed her to his chest...

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"He'll make it, Greta! Rigden-Djapo himself is taking care of him! He will be happy, Greta!  He will be a great Lemurian..."

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"The water! It's already so close!"  Whispered Yuma.  "Aleur!"  They embraced. Guria clenched her teeth until they creaked and said:

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"Forgive me for everything!" And, looking into space, she added "now I know that love is stronger than everything on earth, mom!"

Aleur lowered his eyes and hugged Yuma stronger.

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"Forgive me, Yuma! I always loved only you," he said, taking a pearl necklace from his pocket, and put it around her neck. "This is my wedding gift."

Yuma closed her eyes, breathing in the smell of his hair.

- "We will die together."

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"If only! There is no death," called out Guria. Her black eyes looked at Aleur and Yuma with sorrow.

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"Water! The water is getting close!"  Cried out Greta.  "Tamil!!”

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"Don't look there, Greta!  Hug me!"  Tamil squeezed his wife stronger.

Guria stared right into the face of death. Her face was bloodless.  Anyone who knew the Black Princess would hardly recognize this pale, beautiful woman. One thousand emotions flashed in her eyes. They contained found and lost love, the premonition of death; the courage of a soldier, and the weakness of a baby. She watched the water eating up the earth, moment by moment, bringing with it stones, pieces of houses, and trees... The inevitable end was approaching.

The terrible, thunderous wave hit Guria first, then picked up the earth under the others. Their desperate cries sunk in the torrent. The newborn river turned, stormed and swallowed everything, not even noticing that it was carrying away human lives...

Yuma began to choke, released her arms and lost Aleur. She opened her eyes and saw a dull green haze, and bubbles raising up. She figured it was the last thing she'd see in her life. She was surprised to find that she wasn't afraid, and fell into the abyss.

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“Nastia! Nastia!  Called out someone's voice, "open your eyes!"

Nastia tried, but her eyelids were completely stuck together. Her head was throbbing, and her throat was dry.

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"Give her some water!"  She heard, then began to smell tulips, then felt clammy hands on her face. There was wet fabric lying over her eyes. Nastia pried her eyelids open, and discovered that she was laying down, and before her was a swarthy, familiar woman in yellow on her knees. She was holding a jug and a towel.

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“Nastia! Can you see me?"  She asked. Nastia lifted her head with difficulty and recognized the museum of Shambhala.

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"Am I alive?"

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"Of course. You've returned," answered the elder Kriida.

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"Was that a dream? Where's Margo?"

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"Margo will be back," said the elder, calming her, and helping her get up.

Nastia saw Margo, Andrei, Marina and Boris spread eagle on the floor. Samir and Kut Kumi the Teacher where fussing about near them. them Nastia got up on her weak knees and fell down next to Margo.

Samir, pristine, young and healthy said something in an unknown language and dabbed Margo with water. She woke up, opened her bleary eyes to the cave and said in barely audible words:

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"I should be dead. This is all because of me."

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“Margo! Margo!”  Shouted Nastia, shaking her, "wake up!"

Margo stared at Nastia for several seconds before she figured out who she was seeing.

At the same time, the others began to stir and come to life. Marina threw herself into Boris' arms and began to sob. Andrei approached the girls.

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"How are you?"  He asked. Suddenly his eyes opened wide, resting on Nastia's chest.

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"What?  She asked, clutching the collar of her shirt, thinking maybe it had come unbuttoned. To her surprise, her hands found large beads.  "What? What is this?”

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"Pearls," said Margo, "a wedding gift."

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"Yuma!" exclaimed Andrei.  "So that was you..."

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"You..." whispered Nastia, "you were both... there too?! In Lemuria?

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"So, it wasn't a dream," said Margo, looking with hatred at the elders, who were observing the friends from a distance.

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"So, it was a reincarnation!"  exclaimed Nastia. "I thought  I was dreaming. When I realized I was Queen of Lemuria...”

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“You remembered?! You remembered who you were?"  Interrupted Margo, "why didn't I remember anything? "That's not fair!"

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“Margo!”  Shouted Nastia, "Margo! What was your name in Lemuria?!"

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"Guria.. I was Guria."

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“My God!"  Whispered Nastia, recoiling involuntarily.

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“You witch! You used magic on me!”  Exclaimed Andrei.

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"Aleur?"  Said Nastia and Margo in a chorus.

Nastia's heart was pounding like a madwoman's.

When they heard the name, the Soroks turned in their direction.

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"Aleur?"  Repeated Boris.

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"What, you were in Lemuria too?"  Asked Nastia. "Who were you?"

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"We lost a child," sobbed Marina, "we lost him forever..."

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"Tamil and Greta!”

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“My friends!”  Interrupted Kriida, "allow me to explain."

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"Yes, if you would be so kind!"  Hissed Margo through her teeth, "explain it!"

Kriida told them about everything that had happened. Each of the friends had been in a past, Lemurian incarnation. It was the very help about which the Elders had spoken at the Council. The guests from the World Above were supposed to bring the Chintamani back from the past. It was their last chance for salvation.

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"How were we supposed to bring the Stone if we didn't even understand that we were ourselves?!"  Protested Margo.

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"The past almost never changes," explained Kriida, "sixty million years ago, when Lemuria drowned, the young sorceress Guria also died. She is thought to have been holding the Shintaman."

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"I wasn't holding the Stone!"  Interrupted Margo.

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"That's the problem. You preferred the power of love. You changed the past," came Kriida, parting her hands. "We did not see that coming. You, Margo, decided to give the Stone back to the Lemurians and changed the map. The path of time is built such that when you move metals or minerals through it, you do not change their properties. Only stone, metal and human souls can move through time without losing anything.  When we sent you back into the past, we were hoping that the Stone would be in Margo's hands when you got back."

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"So you organized all of this for some pebble!"  Broke in Margo.  "For that, you exposed us to these inhuman tests?!"

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"It's not just some pebble," expressed Kut Kumi, it is the relic, the Chintamani!"

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"Yeah, well screw your stupid Chintamani!"  Shouted Boris, throwing himself at the Teacher, "look what you've done to my wife!" Her hair is turning gray!"

He tried to hit the Teacher, but stopped, bumping into an invisible wall.  Banging on it a few times, he began to sob from helplessness.

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"Calm down!"  Said Samir, "you aren't understanding what's going on. All life on earth is being threatened! And you're thinking only about yourself!"

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“Samir!”  Rebuked the Teacher, "they're only people."

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"Yeah, and they might become the last people on earth!"  Answered Samir.

The end is getting near, or at the very least thats what it seemed like, because all the four "suns" of Shambhala began to grow dim. Dew fell. Fog rose from  the geysers. The Teacher led the guests into his house. The Teacher's living quarters were quite ascetic. Almost totally empty inside. A table, a few chairs and a low-lying bed was all the furniture he had. There were mats on the floor and the window shutters were closed. There were long shadows on the walls from the light of an oil lamp. The exhausted guests lay down right on the floor. But despite their tiredness, sleep wouldn't come. The last day of Lemuria was turning over and over in their heads. They lay in silence. Margo cried noiselessly, facing the corner. Nastia didn't know what to say. She had never seen Margo cry before.

- "Margo!"  Called out Nastia in a whisper, taking her friend by the arm, "that's enough! 

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“You love him, right?”  sobbed Margo.

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"Who?"  Asked Nastia, swallowing a lump in her throat.

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"Who!"  Mimicked Margo.

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"Don't think of it, everything is over!"

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"Over?"  Called out Andrei, "then why do I fell that I love you stronger than ever before, Yu... Nastia! And I don't care that you have a different body and name!"  He sat up and caught Nastia's glance.

Nastia blushed.

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"Damn them all with their experiments!"  Exclaimed Boris.

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"Hey now, it's a sin for you to complain," answered Margo, "you're still together, and you're more than able to have kids."

Marina let out a sniffle.

A strange noise was heard from outside. They all fell silent and listened. The strange, clacking sound grew louder. Andrei stood up and looked out the door. A strange picture was there before his eyes. The people of Shambhala were stretched in a slender chain going up the the White Tower. They were all dressed identically. They were wearing chain-mail made of circular mirrors on their bodies, and mirror boots on their feet. They had shining helmets on their heads with closed visors. They were each holding two huge, concave shields. Andrei recognized the shields- they were the same ones the Brethren used for training with the sunbeams.

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"Look!”  He exclaimed, "it looks like something's afoot.”

The group poured out onto the porch, gazing in amazement at the fantastic procession. The warriors were walking to the Tower and it was unclear how they would all manage to fit inside. One of them turned. He turned away from the building and got closer to the house, opened his visor and shouted:

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"Don't even think of leaving!"

Looking through the darkness, Nastia saw that it was Samir.

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"Sit in the house. And pray," added their former "instructor," running off to catch the column.

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"Where are they going?" asked Marina.

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"It looks like they're going to battle," answered Andrei.  "Right, but where are they going to? A parallel world or something?"

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"Come on," came Boris, shaking his head, "the Tower comes out above. They can ascend to earth."

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"Above, that means..."

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"Exactly! We can get out of here!"  Came Nastia, finishing his thought.

Chapter 31. The Battle

The Tower's spire blended in perfectly with the top of the mountain. At four and a half kilometers from sea level, this snowy peak had been conquered many times before. But the tourists had no idea that on the highest Altai mountain was hidden a great secret. And almost no one knew that it's name, “the Guard Tower” came from the White Brotherhood of Shambhala.

With the help of the think blue ray from the lithivator, Kut Kumi melted the heap of snow.  A secret exit opened up. The warriors in their mirror armor came out on the peak and made a circle. The moon rose. It's light played on the shining mountain sides. Around it was very quiet and cold. Clouds of steam were escaping from under the mirror armor, causing the shining heights to steam up. The snow crunched under their feet. The defenders of Shambhala were frozen in anticipation.

Only minutes remained until the confrontation was to begin. Frost covered the warrior's helmets. The white pancake of the moon rose higher and higher, illuminating the valley below. The landscape became painted with ominous shadows. Fog hung over the river, flowing from under a glacier in the foothills. The night forest fell silent along the banks. It was as if everything had turned to stone. Tension was felt in the movement of the warriors, in their glances, thickening the air, constraining their breathing.

The silence was broken by a huge ball of snow, hovering over the precipice. It fell with a boom, scattering shards of ice. The warriors shuddered. And suddenly a sound came in from all sides. Wild shrieks, laughter, humming, clanking, whistles and moans all came together in the cacophony. The noise was so strong that the soldiers' armor began to vibrate and rattle. Standing shoulder to shoulder, the soldiers held their shields stronger. After a moment, an explosion rang out from the clouds. A firestorm rushed to the top, throwing fountains of sparks. The enemies of Shambhala came out of the flames. At the head of the Black army was standing the Angel who had come to earth long ago.

At the same time, below in Shambhala, noting that all the people had left the city, Margo, Nastia, Andrei, Marina and Boris decided to follow their example. But, coming into the Tower, they were unable to find the door to the peak. The stairway went up to nowhere. The circular tower walls were absolutely smooth. There was no way out.

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"I wonder what's happening up there," sighed Nastia.  "I can't hear a thing."

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"Yes," nodded Boris, "the silence is deafening."

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"Wait up," exclaimed Andrei, "the map!"