Unconquered Sun (56 page)

- As you dare to speak so with me, the bastard! I - from among Primogenital! I remember time when even Azail and Stella were not married and they had yet no children when they still played dolls and learned to read according to the alphabet, and you who? - Natael - the young man in silver-white clothes cried angrily. - Only also you are able to kowtow to Azail and to lick to him one place - "oh, Wise Azail", "oh, the Elder Brother …", "oh, the Teacher" - as though you do not know other words! One more word - and I will thrust to you a sword in a throat! - In confirmation of the it bared the brilliant silver-white blade, as well as kind one hundred his supporters.

But Snow-white-white did not become puzzled. He grabbed with the lightning movement of a hand a thin silvery spear and threw it in Natael. The spear got to it directly "apple", to deepening at the neck basis. Natael, began to wheeze and, having convulsively waved hands as the winged bird failed on a stone floor of a plateau.

Still a moment, fierce fight was also started. Soldiers led by Snow-white-white attacked supporters of the killed Natael. Other young men started back from the place of fight, having left a handful brave alone. And as at Snow-white there was a considerable numerical advantage - nearly 10 to 1, Natael's supporters were quickly taken in a ring and everything was over soon. All swords which bared after Natael were chopped up on pieces, though it is a lot of supporters Snow-white remained to lie forever on a stony plateau …

Azail stood and looked at the developed events and as though did not see anything. It seemed, occurring in the bottom of it did not concern at all. He thought of something ultraboundary and though a body was present here, but his soul soared somewhere very far …

- Wise Azail also will receive the blessing your name for ever and ever! - with pathos exclaimed Snow-white-white, lifting the spear edge up blood-stained, still smoking from fresh blood which is just pulled out from the killed Natael. - Rule over us, Wise Azail! You opened for us the road to bright future, you led us forward, to Freedom and Knowledge. And I, from all our people, swear to you that we or will die with you, or with you we will win, and we will make bowls for a festive feast of skulls of our enemies! Whether so, brothers?! - and Snow-white-white turned the reddened from fight, furious and blood-thirsty person to crowd.

On concourse the approval rumble but some not really sure and picked up by not everyone was said. Loudly only the first ten hundred young men who stood directly for Snow-white-white shouted and were directly involved in punishment.

And Azail, just now as if regained consciousness from a dream, upraised a hand again and took the floor:

- I thank you, brothers, for the trust put in me in this difficult time of tests. And you - my young pupil - you are already worthy to receive all privileges Primogenital, though do not belong to their number by the right of the birth. Take a distinctive sign from the traitor killed by you, I resolve … But, thanking you for trust, I realize that our affairs are bad. Unless I hid from you, brothers what we cost on the edge of an abyss? Unless I misled you? Unless I deceived you? - Azail made a significant pause, but only death silence was the answer to him. And therefore it continued:

- Yes, brothers, we are surrounded as wolves tags. The tyrannical usurper mode of so-called "Triune Knowledge" with which I solemnly renounce related communications as from the greatest nasty thing, put us beyond the law, our forces thaw. Unless I deny it? And all because to us access to sources of magic energy of our race - to pink clouds is cut and also because the alternative energy source - invented personally by me, through the Moonstone - is also foully destroyed … And fairies, meanwhile, have unlimited access to pink clouds and they are strong more than ever. At the same time their forces constantly grow, and ours - constantly decrease. As a result, brothers, threatens us not only full magic powerlessness, but also fast aging and decrepitation which symptoms we can already observe on ourselves - at us at all appear the first wrinkles and the first gray hair … But even we will not live up to an old age - surrounded in these lifeless mountains, we will just die of hunger. Here nothing grows - neither vegetables, nor fruit, nor even acorns which pigs eat! And for the last six months of fights - any of which we did not win - we every time lacked magic force to constrain a violent pressure of the opponent who had it in excess supply. We lost two thirds of the best soldiers … - with these words Azail bent the fine courageous head and on his cheeks two avaricious man's tears spread. All other soldiers also sadly bent the heads. The bitterness of losses and abasement was still so strong … On Azail's face wrinkles were sharply designated, and in his hair the streaks of gray could distinguish, scars from the got wounds were sharply bared. But here he raised again a face and the right hand on which two fingers were not enough.

- But we will revenge, brothers, for our troubles and abasements! We will revenge, and our revenge will be terrible! We so will leave in a huff that all their full and stupid world will be shaken!

On crowd approving grumble, but some uncertain hooted. All waited for specific proposals.

- Yes, brothers, hope are. Two last weeks I as you know, was in a lock, and thought. I made a series of experiments, and I managed to open one more alternative source of magic energy. In the neighboring mountains I found deep caves with the long courses where we can hide, and no tow-haired letun will reach us - they are such
"mollycoddles"
! - here his face writhed a contemptuous grimace.

Explosion of pleasure shook a stony plateau. For the first time for long months of fruitless fights and humiliating defeats they had a hope …

- But what we will eat there and how we will live in outer darkness? - some daredevil (after punishment over Natael it was actually the feat) cried out.

But punishment did not follow. On the contrary, Azail turned to questioning the courageous, covered with scars face and softly answered:

- And this problem is solved, the brother. I managed to open unknown properties of the magic mirrors invented by me in Skies hitherto. Mirrors can transform animal energy, energy of life, to magic. Besides than more young, and, therefore, an animal full of vital forces, and the more it is reasonable, the in is mute energy more. We will bring together cubs of animals and even if carries, and human cubs too, and by means of mirrors we will receive new, really perennial spring of energy. From now on we will be engaged in hunting! (explosion of delight). Yes, brothers, real hunting! (explosion of delight bigger). And blood of these animals will become, in addition, our source of food because in it there is a lot of, it is a lot of life! (shouts of delight pass in lingering howl, something reminding howl a hungry pack of wolves). As for darkness, I think, we quickly adapt, our organism at the use of blood will inevitably mutate … and very much, is very strong and unpredictable … - he pronounced the Last several words almost in a whisper so already nobody heard them.

The plateau blew up from shouts of delight. Soldiers, rattling magic staffs and the saber, thanked heaven for Azail's knowledge, blessed his name on many summer and sent damnations to "tow-haired letunye" which will pay for everything now! Then the Snow-white-white, already advanced to fasten on itself new distinction - the silver little man with wings - a sign of all Primogenital, and some other, rushed on an eminence, seized Azail and put him on a scaffold from the boards lifted up, and incurred it through all crowd on a plateau. And the others shouted, shaking by naked blades:

- Slava Azailu Premudromu, to the Savior!

- Azail is our leader forever!

- Azail is our creator and the master!

- There is no Creator, except Azail Premudry!

And then on his head dressed from where the undertaken gold wreath and, having dropped before it to knees, cried out:

- Rule, the Lord, rule over us, our Knowledge, our Lord and our Creator!

Silk!

Shots run, run without stopping … Stop!

Here in darkness of caves altars are built, stinking and smoky torches burn, on altars the spread-out firewood burns. Streams of blood flow on them. There is Azail dressed in all black, takes a black knife with the black handle on which end - a disgusting mug with canines and a long tongue. Here he cuts a throat small an olenenka and sucks its blood …

Azail's eyes flare a flame, pupils - in all eyes, and snow-white teeth are painted in blood-red color, the part of blood flows on lips directly down, on a floor. The wild laughter escapes from his lips from the pleasant and exciting feeling as wild, animal energy pours his muscles as its force gets stronger! Wings become more and more flabby behind the back - just about will fall down as autumn leaves from trees. Here, others follow its example …

Shots run-run, run … Stop!

Azail goes more and more deeply on the bottom of a gloomy vault. Here he gets up at narrow pass in perplexity. What to do? Darkly, narrowly … Azail gets up on all fours and creeps. Wings were hooked for a low ceiling, do not prolazat. Azail twitches and … wings fall down as the yellow autumn foliage from branches of trees broken by a flaw and remain on a floor - crumpled, crumpled as dirty bed linen.

Azail creeps further. Darkly, nothing is visible. Suddenly in his eyes red sparks light up - he begins to see in darkness! Its predictions based on the scientific analysis of the nature of Celestial beings were confirmed! The mutation went - and went extremely in high gear! It is unpredictable fast … And it inspires confidence that they will survive in these stone labyrinths, unadapted for life! But here, when narrow pass ended, and it was possible to get on feet, Azail of it could not make for some reason - and remained to run on all fours …

Shots, quicker, run-run quicker … Stop!

Azail got drunk blood seventh on the account of the victim. It is happy. His face expresses satisfaction. He wants to test the new forces. He begins to jump directly on all fours. Oh, a miracle, its jump to 10 human Rostov! To the very top of an underground grotto! And well, we will try to be hooked for a ceiling, to turn out suddenly? Hop, Azail jumped up and, having turned over in air, caught hands and legs a ceiling as the real insect! Miracle! Mutations occur more promptly, than he thought!.

Shots run-run … Stop!

Creator! At Azail all teeth dropped out! We have neither pink tooth-powder, nor pink paste … All decayed, all fell out … What to do? How to eat food? Ah, here and the clothes were scattered on threads, decayed on a root from dampness, and an armor rusted and broke up in a red crumb … Ah, have not to unbend hair, legs any more, grabbling! And fingers so were double up that it is impossible to unbend, and unbarbered nails already remind claws …

Shots run-run … Stop!

As there are not enough couple more of pads - with four so inconveniently to run! And over the head there are so much stones and any roughnesses - how to recognize them - some sensitive bodies and for this purpose are necessary! Akhkhkh, here and skin blackens, without receiving light from the sun … Grows with hair - here cold, so cold! And here from dirt instead of skin - a crust … Well, not a crust, the real armor, as at a bug - and impenetrable!!. And as if there was a wish to look in several parties that around to see all - in front at once, and behind, and in the parties!!!

Shots run-run … Stop!

Huge hall with columns, in the center - a big black round table with a black stone in the middle. On a throne before the black table decorated with human skulls - a terrible arachnoid being with three heads, six paws, the nasekomy facet, dimly shining in darkness eyes, predatory, zhvala keen as a razor and sensitive moustaches-vibrissami. It looks in a stone and sees the reflection in it. Several moments hang a heavy pause, and then …

The terrible cry shook the arches of a cave and such that from above stones nearly fell down!

- Not-e-e-e-et, ne-e-e-e-et, ne-e-e-et!!! Not I, not I, not I, AM NE Ya!!!! I did not want it!!!! Did not want!!!! Be they are damned, be all of them are damned! Cheats … yes-ssss, mean obmanshch-shch-shch-shchitsy-ssss! Nenavizh-zh-zh-zhu, nenavizh-@-@-at! Belobryss-s-s-sye letun, nenavi-@-@-@-at!!!

Silk! Vision disappeared.

The fairy lay one, on the bed. The head - on the pillow which is carefully shaken up by someone, wrapped up with a blanket up to the chin as the child. Who would be able to do it? Azail was not. Anywhere. Perhaps all this dreamed it?

5.

All next morning the Fairy was shipped in thoughts of an event with her yesterday - about strange behavior of Prinze, the Invincible Sun and stranger conversation with Azail and absolutely to mind not conceivable vision …

This concern was not concealed from the ubiquitous Invincible Sun.

- Good morning, expensive! How did you sleep? Nobody disturbed you? - as in water looked, the Yellow Witch!

- No, no, your Perfection, - tried to drive away any thoughts of night visit from the head that they were not read by It, - everything is all right …

- Pra-a-a-avda-a-a-a? - suspiciously asked the Voice. - You, by the way, look shaky …

- The bad dream … a nightmare just dreamed me … Probably, it from shocks of the last two months of a way. Nothing, will pass, - the Fairy quickly spoke, continuing to drive away any dangerous thoughts from the head and trying not to look in Mirrors.

- I said to you, the darling that you too early got up. You have a poor health … - tone of careful mummy said the Invincible Sun. - I advise you immediately it will help to accept the calming bathroom with aromatic oils and massage - you. I will dispose! And then - to walk in the fresh air on the Gold Garden, well?