Universal Parallels: The Earth
Marina Marli

© Marina Marli, 2025

ISBN 978-5-0065-7502-8

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Universal Parallels: The Earth

A shooting star has always been a harbinger…

From the author

All that we see are the edges. The edges of reality and illusion. These worlds are always nearby. The choice of where we want to exist is always up to us! On which side of the realm?

So choose!

Prologue

There is always a ray of light to be found, even in a world full of darkness. No matter how ominously the storm clouds gather, the light will always find a way. Just as tree saplings always manage to grow and break through the toughest and inhospitable soil.

The inhabitants of other worlds left the Earth long ago, leaving its inhabitants to deal with what they had done on their own. People were divided, and constant battles mowed down the population no worse than diseases and crop failures. This lasted for centuries, until people almost exterminated each other. Only the strongest remained alive, who, despite everything continued to fight for power. They tried to recapture the remnants of habitable lands, and enslave the defeated. Over time the number of people decreased so much that it seemed that there was not only no one to fight, but also no one to save. Then the leaders, having gathered the survivors, left their usual habitats and retired to different corners of the vast lands.

People were divided into three clans. The ones known as the people of the earth inhabited the plains that could still support human life and built defensive walls and ramparts creating fortified settlements. Others went into caves and mountain ranges, where they built stone impregnable fortresses. They called themselves the Mountain Clan. The people who went to the water expanses and built a floating settlement there called themselves the Water Clan.

Ideologies and creeds disappeared as did the society that was previously huge and united. People were divided not only by constant power struggles but by the planet itself. Now everyone was on their own and against everyone else.

Seeing what was happening on earth, the Creators did not intervene. Long have they watched over the people with an all-seeing gaze from the distance: endless human conflict, acts of vengeance and vindictiveness passed on through generations, constant bloodshed, and the merciless hate of humans.

So much water under the bridge… The cause of the conflict has long been forgotten. The tangle of misunderstandings and grievances was too deep. People were not able to come to a resolution and no longer had the strength or willingness to try again. Everyone tried to save what was still possible.

And even though people took a temporary pause of several decades, the confrontation continued anyway. But only until they saw a blinding light, lighting up the silent night sky. This was a sign. A sign sent from the creators up above. They did not want the humans to disappear completely, despite the limitless evil. The Creators only wanted to save humanity and sent to the earth a wondrous maiden, made in the image of human, with the ray of light. She was endowed with knowledge of the earth – or how it was before creation, knowledge of other worlds so she would know that she is not alone in this universe. She was also granted immortality along with powers of healing and vision. However, she was denied the ability to side with or cause harm to anyone so she could not be manipulated by power hungry individuals. The maiden was made to be impartial and unbiased in her judgements. She should not have to make a choice because her mission was to help and unite rules out of taking sides or causing harm. Her destiny was to change the course of history and give the remaining humans a second chance at gaining a new understanding and rebirth.

CHAPTER 1

The dark forest. The silence. Not a sound. Deva opened her eyes and saw nothing in front of her but an abyss of dark sky studded with billions of stars. She lay on the ground, barely breathing, and stared into the very depth of the firmament. She was trying to find the worlds she knew: the world of Preservers, the world of Creators, the world of Defenders. But in vain. Above her, an endless dome hung silently, covered which scattered sparks, shimmering like pearls. A fascinating, wonderful world! And she was lucky enough to observe this splendor.

She couldn’t believe that people had forgotten about such indescribable beauties given to them many thousands of years ago. It was hard to believe that they preferred bloody battles.

She looked deep into the forest, listening to the deafening silence. There was not a single sound around. Deva frowned, trying to figure out how this was possible.

«How strange! Why is it so quiet here? Is nature really dying? Or is she crouching for the time of my coming? Not a breath of wind, not a creak of a branch, not a chirp of birds – nothing,» just arrived to this world maiden was surprised. «I need to get up. But where do I have to go?» The questions kept multiplying in her head. «People are separated and divided. There are constant wars between them. The Earth Clan, the Mountain Clan, the Water Clan… Who of them is still capable of compassion? There are only three clans left from a huge and previously united people. They are dying out. They need help. It is necessary to stop this endless hostility and reconcile them. But who should I start with?»

Deva smoothly spread her arms and felt the coolness of the night forest. The soft moss that became her feather bed could lull any traveler who accidentally lay down on it. She dug her fingers into it and felt the damp earth under it, into which numerous roots clung.

After laying down for a while, enjoying the silence and coolness of the forest, she sat up. Deva took a long look around the place where she found herself. The forest, silence and utter darkness. She peered into the darkness, as if trying to find something in it. Something long ago lost, but still existing, not forgotten, not lost in the endless labyrinths of the memory of time.

She felt the gloom pressing down on her. It was as if it was deliberately pinning her to the ground, forcing her to lower her head in order to grieve together. Closing her eyes and obeying this unspoken demand, Deva was sad about all the vain losses that this once fertile and gracious land had meekly buried in itself.

Taking a deep breath, she got to her feet and looked at her robes. The only light here was her own. The remnants of the beam emanated with a smooth and soft glow from the fabric of the cloak. Raising her head and looking around, Deva noticed the shadows that quickly and silently moved behind the trees. She peered at their rapid movements, trying to catch a glimpse of at least one and figure out who they belonged to.

«Don’t be afraid of me. Come out. I won’t hurt you,» she said timidly into the silence of the forest trees, hoping that unknown creatures would have a conversation with her.

But the answer was silence: the Shadows moved absolutely soundlessly, as if they didn’t notice her presence. As if they didn’t hear her call.

After only a few moments, but it seemed to her that this game lasted much longer, Deva thought that they began to whisper.

«Navi¹!» she gasped, finally realizing who these dark silhouettes were.

Hearing what suddenly burst from the lips of Deva, the Shadows froze. And time itself seemed to stop at the moment when their common name sounded. It’s like they’ve been remembered. As if someone else needed them. As if their deaths were not an empty sound.

They stirred and whispered again. Sometimes smoothly and quietly, sometimes violently and loudly. Deva listened to their voices, which seemed to come from the distant past. She couldn’t make out the words, but she could feel their general perplexity. None of the people had ever seen or heard them before. The Shadows were confused.

What they didn’t feel was fear. They knew that their human journey was over long ago. Now they were just faceless ghosts and wandered restless among the trees of this forest, through vast fields, but they couldn’t go far from the Earth Clan, because this place held them, as if they were sewn to it by an invisible thread.

Finally, the whispering died down, and one of the shadows floated forward and stopped a dozen of paces from Deva. It was probably their leader. His gloomy silhouette with human outlines stood out only a bit against the background of the dark forest and was slightly denser clot, barely noticeable to the human eye. She narrowed her eyes in anticipation, focusing attentively on him. The leader, who would not take long to wait, began to speak:

«Tell us who you are and where you come from. We don’t see you in the world of the dead or the world of the alive,» he asked cautiously.

«My name is Deva. And you are right, I’m not in any of these worlds. I was sent by the Creators to reconcile the inhabitants of the Earth and stop the senseless bloodshed,» she replied bluntly. «May I ask you a question?»

«Ask away. What are you interested in?» the leader became emboldened, finally seeing firsthand the one they had all been waiting for so long.

«How many of you restless souls live here?»

The leader did not answer her immediately. He plunged into painful memories of the last battle for him.

«So many that I’ve already lost count,» he replied bitterly. For year after year their ranks had filled up.

«I’m sorry,» Deva whispered. «Is there anything I can do for you?» she asked, reverently addressing all the shadows, not just the leader.

The Shadows begin to whisper again. They didn’t know how they could be helped to gain liberation and find peace. It seemed to them that they were forever chained to this place and there was no salvation for their deeds.

«Time will tell,» the leader replied dryly, retreating back into the woods, joining the others. He did not believe that after all they had done during their lifetime, someone would be lenient and grant them forgiveness.

As he left, he cast a doubtful glance over his shoulder:

«You can try to save them, but, as we can see, they have not changed over the past centuries. People are doomed, though, just like us.»

«I will try. I will definitely try to help! The Creators see everything and always give a chance even to those who have long been lost in their path,» she told enthusiastically and selflessly.

The Shadows disappeared into the forest, grinning at her ridiculous plans, but mentally wishing that everything would work out for her.

The oppressive silence fell again. Deva raised her head, gazing at the night sky, as if looking for support there or waiting for a clue. But the only answer was silence and the occasional wink of the stars. The first creatures she met in this world were the Navi, and a short conversation with them did not bode well. Her enthusiasm and zeal melted and dissolved, like the Shadows disappearing into the forest.

Soon she heard a dull noise. It rolled across the earth, covering her like a huge wave. It slowly crept up, filling the entire space with itself, and threatened to cover Deva with a giant shaft, burying both her body and all her aspiration under it. The sound of approaching hooves grew louder. It was inescapable, as if fate itself had gone hunting.

Despite the possible threat, Deva was not afraid. All she felt now was sincere curiosity and a great desire to do everything in her power to establish peace and prosperity in these lands. She was glad that people were moving towards her, but worried that the clans might arrive at the same time, and then she would become a new reason to fight. These thoughts made her uneasy. A chill ran over her skin, making her shiver, Deva felt her breath catch, vague images swam in front her eyes, and the stars rattled as if someone had hit the dome of the sky, wanting to get rid of them. A bit more and she would have fainted from all the thoughts that raced through her head, exciting her with the enormity of the conclusions.

«The Earth Clan,» said a raspy voice behind her.

Taking a deep breath, Diva quickly returned to the reality of what was happening. She turned slowly in the direction of the voice, but to her great surprise, she found no one.

Only giant trees and scattered fir-trees stood black against the sky. They looked at her speechlessly and shook their crowns in unison, as if they agreed with her perplexity.

Deva froze in anticipation. She didn’t understand what was going on or who this voice could belong to, which brought her out of her heavy thoughts.

Meanwhile someone spoke again.

«Look down,» the voice said hoarsely and irritably, as if Deva had already offended him.

Slowly lowering her eyes and stopping at the level of a human waist, the maiden screamed in surprise:

«Oh, who are you?» She covered her mouth with both hands so as not to say anything superfluous and not to frighten the creature unknown to her.

His normal-sized head was covered with disheveled thick hair. A well-proportioned body sat on stubby legs. A small rounded tummy bulged out from under a long shirt, belted in the place where it marked the waist. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and arms were covered with thick hair. The wide palms resembled saucers. Knee-length trousers covered even more hairy legs, and bare shaggy feet were twice as long as her own. Despite his small height, he bravely stood right in front of her.

«My name is Echo² and I live here,» he said proudly and possessively. «I see everything, hear everything and keep order in the forests.»

«Do you often have to bring order?» Deva asked without a trace of irony.

«Right now, for example. It’s such a mess and I’m the only one to deal with everything,» Echo muttered with displeasure.

«Please forgive me for disturbing you. I’ve never met creatures like you,» the maiden sincerely confessed in an apologetic tone.

«Creatures? Well, tell me too! I am, one might say, the Lord of the forests, and you called me a faceless creature,» Echo said resentfully. He furrowed his shaggy eyebrows and slightly protruded his lower lip, showing his displeasure with what he had heard.

«Forgive me, please! I didn’t mean to offend you. I was waiting for someone from the human clans to appear, but you emerged so suddenly that I was confused. However, you are just in time, for what I thank you very much!» Deva spoke quickly, realizing that the conversation had started on the wrong note.

Despite the apologies she had made, she tried hard not to smile, being touched by Echo’s appearance.

«I don’t know, I don’t know,» he shook his head doubtfully. «Who are you and where did you come from?»

«My name is Deva and I come from the Creators’ world,» she introduced herself, slightly bowing her head in reverence to a creature half her height.

«The Creators themselves sent you to us!» he opened his mouth and widened his eyes in surprise.

«That’s true. They entrusted me with a very important task,» the maiden switched to a mysterious, intriguing whisper, trying to interest Echo.

«Of course, I would be happy to ask you more details, but I have to go.» Echo backed away when he heard the sound of hooves, which was already very close.

«Wait a minute. Maybe you can tell me about the clan that’s coming?» she pleaded, taking a step forward. From the sudden movement, her robe began to shimmer with silver, blinding Echo. «I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. My garment, it’s…»

«Magical. Like the world itself, where you came from,» he finished the sentence, removing his like a saucer-hand from his eyes. After a little hesitation, he nevertheless decided to ask a question: «Did you do something wrong, angered the Creators that they decided to send you here?»

«I was not sent away at all, but sent to help.»

«To help? I’m very curious,» Echo drawled and turned his head towards the noise coming closer. «They are riding so fast, clearly they are in a hurry for help.»

«Is something wrong? Do you think they don’t need help?»

«Who am I to argue with the Creators? If that was their decision, then that’s the way it should be,» said Echo, anxiously peering into the darkness behind the trees. «So, it’s good to be here with you. But I have to go now. Lots of things have to be done.»

«Well, I hope to see you again soon.» the maiden said cordially. «And thanks for telling me who to expect. I appreciate your help, Echo.»

The Lord of the forest only nodded and silently disappeared in the night, which like a thick curtain closed behind him, leaving no trace of his presence.

Deva was left alone again. After all these meetings, the feeling of faith that there was a chance to fix everything began to fade gradually. Her enthusiasm was no longer as fiery as it had been a few hours earlier.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing the lump of disappointment rising her throat. Her temples throbbed with a mixture of feelings and emotions, but the inner strength and will inherent in her by the Creators were always here. No one and nothing could shake them. Deva was full of determination and courage to continue on a path that did not promise to be easy.

Having subdued all her worries, Deva hid deeper in the delicate fabric of the shining silver cloak and turned her face in the direction from which the rumble came.

She was ready for the meeting.

CHAPTER 2

A bright flash, and then a tail stretching across the entire sky, was seen in all corners of the Earth. People couldn’t notice or miss such a phenomenon that attracted their attention. Someone was frankly scared, someone was interested, someone was upset, some were angry and indignant. The people of the clans didn’t know its origin and therefore had no idea what such a sudden message from heaven could threaten. They’ve been fighting all their lives. The eternal confrontation has left a mark on each of them. Everyone wore scars. Someone had them hidden under their clothes, and someone hid them deep inside. And so they lived side by side: wounded in heart and soul, along with the physically mutilated. This night was a turning point for everyone.

«Sire! Stephen! Urgently report about the incident to the head!» a terrified guard shouted from the watchtower.

The news spread among the inhabitants quickly. The head of the Earth Clan didn’t sleep well at night. Tossing and turning in bed from the evening until midnight, he did not fall asleep at all. After all, he pulled off the covers and got up to stretch his legs. Stephen paced back and forth and measured his chamber nervously. His head was full of thoughts that didn’t let him go to rest, and his heart was beating rapidly, as if he had a premonition that something was wrong. «And how can I fall asleep if there are only enemies around? I can’t rely on anyone in this clan. My son is also up to something. But anyway. I keep them all here,» he clenched his fist and shook it at the window. Suddenly, a flash lit up the dark sky. It illuminated everything around. The head recoiled, covering his face with his hand. As soon as the flash went out, turning into a long tail, he looked out through the glazed frames again and followed with its gaze. «This is it,» he said dryly, as if he had been waiting for a sign from heaven itself for a long time. «It’s time for action.»

Stephen was determined. As soon as the star fell into the Dark Woods and disappeared, Stephen called the guards and commanded them to assemble the council. The decision to send reconnaissance detachments to the crash site was made unanimously. No one knew what they would have to face, but Stephen understood that the Mountain Clan would also rush there to get what had been sent to them by the Highers.

«It doesn’t matter what awaits us there, the main thing is who will arrive first and who will get this something unknown. The Mountain Clan is located further from the forests and the place where the ray landed. But that won’t stop Conrad. They are also ready to fight for the right of primacy. However, the head of the Water Clan has not been involved in wars for a long time. Having isolated themselves on the expanses of water, they chose to cowardly hide. Well, let them die there in oblivion and loneliness. We will get more,» Stephen mused, pacing the lonely corridors of the castle in a wearisome expectation of news.

The best warriors were equipped with the best weapon; the fastest horses were prepared. Everything was done to get what was sent to the earth with the ray of light. Stephen planned to use it for his own purposes, of course, related to the conquest of the enemy clan and the development of new, habitable lands. Deep down, he hoped that they had been sent something that could overcome the enemy. But if this something was aimed at destroying the Earth’s Clan inhabitants, the warriors were ready to deal with it without sparing themselves. Stephen gave the command to get the ray at all costs. With such guidance, the warriors set off under the cover of night. Urging their horses on, they moved quickly and smoothly, wanting to get to the crash site before the glow faded. Nothing could stop them, not even the surrounding Dark Woods. The brave warriors were ready for anything: either to kill a creature that invaded their lands uninvited, or to fight with an enemy clan if it arrived first.

However, the Earth Clan had the advantage. The Dark Woods was very close and it didn’t take long for the warriors to cross the valley and invade its gloomy lands.

It has been a long time since the common people came here. All the animals were killed, the birds were caught, there was no one else in these lifeless thickets – that’s what they thought. Only the trees still kept their green robes, though not as rich as they once were. Perhaps, somewhere behind them, the remaining birds or small animals could hide by occasion. Now, passing the gloomy trees, the guests felt the dead spirit of the local places. However, it didn’t touch them. As they made their way through the thickets, drowning in blackness, they were guided only by a faint glow, which grew brighter as they approached. Finally, they came to a lawn and stopped at the very edge of the trees. They saw a young maiden. That was the falling ray they were hunting for.

Shocked by the purity of the radiance emanating from her, they lowered the weapon they held ready. Absolutely. Perfect. The flawless light emanated from her, who was clad in a weightless cloak. It was a remnant of a gradually fading glow and the people of the Earth Clan continued to stare at it with widened eyes and their mouths slightly open. They couldn’t even imagine that a person could look so innocent. Everyone already forgot that people not from another clan may not be dangerous, that they are not in danger. But even this picture could not melt their hearts.

After a while of silent contemplation, they raised their weapon again. Spurring their horses, the warriors broke from the edge of the meadow and rushed headlong to the uninvited guest. Surrounding her, they didn’t slow down, moving around, pointing the swords at her. She was motionless and silent, as if she had already resigned herself to her fate, knowing the ending in advance. They stared, grinned, growled, whistled, as if they were intimidating a trapped animal. A beast who wished to sacrifice its life. The maiden still remained humble and silent. It could seem that the fear was unknown to her.

Finally, having finished their demonstrative but meaningless race, they stopped, surrounding her in a tight circle.

«Who are you? Tell us!» Without ceremony, one of the warriors commanded her. He was sitting on his horse and looking down at her, which made Deva seem tiny and vulnerable in his eyes.

«My name is Deva,» she replied meekly.

«Look at me!»

She lifted her head and looked straight into his eyes. In them, in these blue bottomless oceans, he saw a child who trusted him and was not afraid at all.

«Why did you come here?» another warrior asked her menacingly, seeing the pause that suddenly occurred.

«To help you,» she replied softly, shifting her eyes to him. The warrior also felt something strange. It was as if his mind was covered with nets and he was drowning, sinking into the bottom.

«Help,» the other warriors echoed and laughed.

Deva was beautiful in this radiance. Her dark skin, blue eyes framed by thick and long eyelashes, her curly hair darker than night. She looked like a star that had descended from heaven, and this modesty and meekness only made her more beautiful. Realizing that she was harmless, the main one got off the horse. Maybe he was still under the influence of her charms, or maybe he really understood what kind of treasure had fallen into their hands. He commanded the circle to be broken. The warriors stopped laughing and obeyed his leader. For a moment, everything was quiet again, only the occasional snuffling of horses disturbed this newly established idyll. There were seven of them. Seven people who intended to destroy something unknown to them.

Deva watched them attentively, noting the clothes created for battles. Their swords, arrows and knives. But most of all, she noticed their similarity to the environment they lived in. Hair and beards stuck out in clumps from under helmets, shaped like scalps. The clothes made of leather, reliably protected their bodies. Metal rings of armor covered it from above, as if the thinnest haze covered the earth from a stranger’s eyes. Of course, everything is as it befits hunters who went out in search of prey.

The leader finally finished examining her and breaking the silence that hung, said:

«You are going with us.»

Even the air was shaken by his loud voice.

«The cloak,» he commanded, looking at one of the warriors and moving his head in the direction of the maiden.

The warrior did not take long to wait. He quickly jumped off the horse, took a cloth from a bag strapped to the saddle and threw it over Deva’s shoulders covering her silver cloak. In this attire she became just like them. Just like an Earth clan inhabitant. Only a fading glow coming through in some places from under the fabric, revealed her as a stranger.

«Here,» the leader pointed to a place behind him.

The warrior grabbed her by the elbow and led to the horse. The maiden looked at the leader and shook her head, making it clear that she did not know how to handle horses and had never ridden them.

«Nursing you,» the leader snored with displeasure, clenching his teeth and angrily exhaled.

«Hands here,» the warrior pointed to the saddle straps, then pointed to the stirrup. «Put your foot here. Understood?»

The maiden nodded.

«Thanks heaven,» he breathed out in relief, while the leader silently watched all the actions of Deva.

Grasping the fastenings, she unsuccessfully tried to get her foot into the stirrup, which was running away from her, and her foot got tangled in the long fabrics of her clothes.

«She just arrived and is already pissing me off,» the leader muttered. «Help her!» he commanded the warrior standing next to him. He hastily took her by the waist and, like a piece of fluff, threw her into the saddle in one easy movement. Deva settled behind the leader, who was still threatening, muttering and swallowing words.

Spurring their horses and wasting no more time, the squad set off on their way back. The road to the Earth Clan lay through the Dark Woods and a Burned Valley, which in the morning light were preparing to emerge in front of Deva in all their ugly beauty. However, neither terrifying picture, nor these conquering warriors, nor the twisted trees, nor the trip to the unknown somewhere, intimidated her. There was only one thought in Deva’s head: to fulfill her mission.

Throughout the journey, Deva didn’t just observe, she felt the poison-soaked earth on her skin. There have been many wars. A lot of blood was spilled. She inhaled this poisoned air and, riding out of the forest into the valley, with great sadness in her eyes and pain in her heart, she looked at what was left of the once flourishing land. She closed and opened her eyes. She thought it was all a dream, that it can’t be like that. But no matter how she wanted to hide herself from all that – it was the current reality. With a depressed and contrite look, she stared at the leader’s back and tried to hold back the tears rolling into her eyes.

The first rays of the morning sun, breaking through heavy leaden clouds, illuminated what remained of the former beauties. The maiden peering out from under her hood felt a sharp stab in her heart. She held her breath as if someone attacked her from behind and unexpectedly stabbed her with a knife. She bitterly thought about the awful treatment of nature. «How could people have created all this? These little, uncomprehending people… They don’t just kill each other, they destroy all around.»

The valley was scorched, sprinkled and powered with death. For a moment, it seemed to her that there was nothing left to save on the Earth and she was sent here in vain. From such terrifying views and heavy thoughts, she again buried her lifeless gaze on the back of the man who sat in front of her. Her fingers clenched involuntarily, and she felt the warmth of him. Deva remembered what was hidden deep in the hearts of these people who were bringing her to their clan. The realization of this gave her hope, fragile as the first autumn ice. The maiden’s doubts were interrupted by a sudden stop: the gates of the Earth Clan towered in front of them like iron guards. Deva finally got distracted and, squinting her eyes, looked with interest at the gate and the huge stone wall surrounding the settlement.

The giant wall was so high that the peaks of the observation towers touched the sky; so wide that a pair of chariots could ride along its top. Four identical towers rose along the edges of the settlement, forming a regular square, and four more were visible inside it. There were two more small turrets on each side of the gate, where sentries hid in narrow loopholes. The whole structure seemed to her an impregnable fortress, and it seemed impossible to conquer it. However, the huge gate began its movement with ease, rising. First, a thick iron rod began to move. Its ends were sharpened. Then, the cloth itself. It was chained in an iron frame. Deva saw just an ordinary settlement, where common hard working people lived. They met their brave warriors and she stared at them curiously.

For some they were fathers, for others they were sons. Men in dark brown trousers and long shirts the color of wet sand, tied with sash. Older women hide their hair under shawls, the ends of which encircled their heads. Their loose, straight-cut, plain, thick green dresses were probably comfortable. The dresses of young girls are long and layered, it seems that they are standing in the clouds. Over the dress, strict linen vests are worn, the length is till the layered clothes. The girl’s hair was gathered in thick braids, and a ribbon in the color of vest was on their head.

The inhabitants were completely different from the stern warriors who accompanied her. This contrast made a strong impression on her. On one hand, she was glad to see that not all people are the same, on the other, she did not understand how, with such similarities, some kill, while others calmly did what they usually do, leading an ordinary life.

She saw the villagers standing on the other side of the open gate looking curiously at her. Deva lowered her eyes and tried not to look at anyone else as they gazed at her. Meanwhile, the warriors accompanying her were so inspired by their brilliant work that they completely forgot about caution. It seemed to the leader that they were already at home and nothing could threaten them here. Losing his vigilance, he decided to dismount from his steed right in front of the open gate to enter the settlement victoriously, holding their prey tightly by the hand.

«To help or by yourself?» he asked Deva almost in a friendly way, as an absolute master.

«I’ll try it by myself, thanks.»

«Okay,» he replied indifferently and, turning away, stared at the open gate, where a mass of people was crowding, waiting for the return of the squad.

Meanwhile, Deva was throwing her leg over the horse’s back, jumping lightly to the ground.

«Nimble,» the leader quietly commented on Deva’s successful leap, squinting at her.

All the other warriors from the escort also jumped off their horses one by one, being proud of themselves, slightly puffed out their chests.

Deva smiled faintly. She heard the praise that inadvertently fell from the lips of the stern warrior and which, probably, she should not have heard. Suddenly, something whistled by her ear and the warriors started to fall. One, two, three… The inhabitants of the clan started to scream and run around. The arrows whizzed past her again and again, piercing the bodies of the warriors. Their carelessness was not forgiven. The horror was imprinted in her eyes. She couldn’t move. Meanwhile the remnants of the warriors were hiding behind their horses. They sacrificed then and began to fight off the attack from the back.

«The Mountain Clan! Everyone gets to the shelter! Close the gate!» the lookouts shouted. They were angry at themselves for having overlooked the approach of the enemy while watching the victorious march of their warriors.

Never before had other clans come so close to the Earth Clan and stood at the open gates of the settlement. Never before…

The warriors of the Mountain Clan found only trampled grass at the place where the ray fell. They followed the trail then, which led to their eternal enemy. And now, in full readiness and determination to win back their prey, they suddenly appeared from the forest, immediately going on the attack.

Dozens of arrows sliced through the air. One flew very close to the Deva’s head and miraculously didn’t graze her. In this general mess, she felt someone’s hands grab her by the waist and drag towards the closing gate, literally shoving her there. On the other side were left all the warriors who had recently celebrated victory in their minds. Now they were fighting to the death with the enemies who had attacked them surreptitiously. They had no fear of imminent death. They were always ready for battles. They knew that sooner or later, a sharp blade or arrowhead would catch up with them, and so they fought desperately, paying the price of their unforgivable carelessness. Even the archers, who by coincidence were not on the wall at that time, got up there and realized that there was no one to help. All seven warriors were dead, putting their lives on the chopping block, protecting one.

Catching the enemy off, the squad of the Mountain people dealt with them quickly, but they didn’t get the main prize they were hunting for. After taking minor losses, their warriors were forced to return home empty-handed. The surviving warriors turned their horses and headed back to the woods, where they hid behind shady trees and stood for some time watching the movements on the wall of the enemy clan.

CHAPTER 3

People rushed in disorderly crowds in front of the gate, bumping into each other and knocking down. But Deva didn’t lose her head and run to the wounded young woman whom she noticed first. She didn’t have the gift of resurrection, but she knew the secret of healing. When she reached her, she examined the wound.

«Everything will be fine,» Deva promised, realizing that the arrow only grazed her tangentially and the bleeding wound only looked scary.

Deva looked deeply into her eyes, trying to inspire confidence. The woman, frightened and bloodied, immediately trusted her, holding her breath, took her hand away from her shoulder and winced at the terrible pain spreading in jerky impulses throughout her body. Deva brought her hand to the wound, stopping just a couple of inches from the split skin. A soft light poured out of her palm, and the bloody laceration healed. It took only a few moments, and the incision was already gone. The woman no longer felt pain and seemed to be more shocked by what had happened than by the dastardly attack on the clan.

«Thank you,» the woman said.

Deva barely smiled, thanked her in return and helped her get up from the ground. The woman nodded and started backing away from her. Deva sensed her fear. She was afraid of what had just happened. The fact that Deva appeared at the moment of the unexpected attack caused even more fear in the woman. Tears began to roll into her eyes, she turned away and disappeared into the terrified crowd. The maiden looked at her, following her with a sad look. She saw the feelings that overwhelmed the sufferer, but had no right to intrude further with the help. Among the warriors who died behind the wall was her beloved, whom she had come to meet. She will never see him again in the world of the living. Deva wanted to shout the words of regret after her, but she remained silent, realizing that it was much easier to heal a physical wound than the one that damaged the heart and pierced the point into the soul.

People did not see this miracle of healing, they continued to scurry randomly under the walls of the settlement. However, a little further away, a boy was hiding around the corner of one of the houses. He was watching from his shelter everything that was happening at that moment in front of the main gate. Early in the morning, he took up this position, preparing to wait for the solemn return of the warriors with the loot in their hands. He believed that it would be the people of his settlement who would be the first to get the burning ray that fell from the sky that night. He had noticed her from the very beginning. From the moment the gates were raised and she appeared surrounded by warriors in front of the people of the settlement. And even after the attack happened, he was not afraid and did not run away, but continued to stare at the girl with wide eyes. He had never seen anyone like her before, and he couldn’t leave and miss everything. His eyes saw not only the bloody and dead bodies of the inhabitants, who did not have time to escape from the nimble arrows, but also the miracle of healing the wounded.

Without even touching them, she healed their wounds, putting them out of their misery. His eyes, the color of fresh spring green, grew wider and wider in surprise. As if mesmerized, he continued to marvel at what he saw, without leaving his place.

Gradually, people came to their senses. Helping the wounded, carrying away the dead, they cleaned the cobblestone paths, washing away the traces of grief that this morning had brought them. Deva did not stay away. She also helped the residents and now, taking an elderly woman by the elbow, lifted her off the stone floor. She fell when she tried to escape from enemy arrows, but got off with only fright.

«Thank you, sweet heart,» the woman groaned, barely getting up, leaning on the Deva’s hand.

In response, she just smiled, trying to hide the pain that was tearing her from the inside. The universal heaviness that covered all the inhabitants of the clan this mournful morning. The woman, as if not noticing anything unusual in the appearance of the maiden, dusted off her dress and hobbled on, hiding in the alleys of the settlement. Among the warriors who remained behind the wall, the old woman did not wait for anyone, but simply came out of habit to meet her people who returned home alive.

Left all alone, Deva looked around, trying to figure out what to do next and where to go. There wasn’t a soul around, and she was turning her head in confusion. A little further away stood the main castle, with many windows and fancy turrets crowning the building. Deva would like to take a walk here and admire the simple architecture.

Suddenly, the guards appeared around the corner. They walked in a perfect square, and Deva had no doubt that they were coming straight to her. Their bodies were covered with finely forged shiny armor, and their chiseled step ricocheted off the stone surface. She looked at them and did not understand for what reason they put on this iron armor. Did she really pose such a danger? Was she a great threat to the peace of these people? She brought death with her. People died because of her, although Deva did not want this to happen at all. She wanted peace on this earth and came here only to establish it. But are they interested in it? Those brave warriors only laughed at her answer when they asked the reason she had come. And now they will join the Navi and be forever chained to the ground by their own evil deeds. The Creators will never allow them to get even into the transitional worlds.

The four guards were gradually approaching her. The maiden sighed sadly and looked up, once again preparing to meet her fate.

«We were told to bring you to the council,» one of the guards said sternly and calmly, approaching the maiden at arm’s length.

She silently bowed her head, not intending to resist. The guard surrounded her and took to the castle as if she were a criminal who deserved the most severe punishment. After walking through the labyrinths of cobbled and similar streets without stopping, they reached the main castle and went inside. Then they went through a side door, crossed several passages and climbed two floors up. For some reason, they did not meet any residents along the way. Apart from the ones she had seen earlier in front of the entrance gate, none of them caught her eye anymore. «Maybe they were afraid of me and decided to hide all the people?» she wondered, standing in front of the elegant wooden doors, waiting for them to be allowed to enter.

She paid her attention to the carved curls of leaves hanging from a tree, on the branch of which a wonderful bird was sitting. Deva stood behind two broad-shouldered guards and saw little ahead of her. She tilted her head to the left and to the right to examine the wooden door in more detail.

«What a beauty,» she whispered.

The guards squinted at the girl, who did not know at all where she had been taken, and instead of being afraid, admired what had long lost its meaning to them. What they had stopped noticing. Surprised by the behavior, they already thought that she was simply distraught with fear and did not know what she was talking about. They even managed to feel sorry for the poor girl and sympathized with her future fate, which clearly will not be bright after their best warriors died by her fault.

Raising her hand to the door, one of the warriors knocked on it, and the doors instantly swung open. Deva fearfully but curiously craned her neck to see what was hiding behind them. Obviously, this was the council room where the elders were sitting, led by a man in a steel crown. Under their gaze, the maiden lowered her head and stared at her feet. The guards marched in together, urging the maiden on, and then parted to the sides, revealing to the eyes of the head and the council the culprit of their sleepless night.

Raising her head, Deva began to examine the room and the elders. In the center, on a throne, sat the head, who was surrounded by other elders at two semicircular tables – three on each side of him. Their clothes were embroidered with gold and jewel stones. White cuffs and collars stuck out from under the satin fabrics of the doublets³. Someone had them lined with fur, although Deva did not quite understand why this was necessary in such warm weather. These were not the warriors or the inhabitants she had seen before, but completely different people. Each of them had swords studded with gems in their scabbards. They were all fair-haired and green-eyed, except that the shade of the iris was slightly different. Even at the first meeting with the warriors of Earth Clan, Deva noted their identical eye color and thought it was a simple coincidence, but now she was amazed at such a feature.

The man in the center was crowned with a steel crown, which showed others: no matter how high you climbed, your head would always be with the common people, and it would serve them for good, and his sword was also quite plain. Deva was even more surprised that she literally «stumbled» over this man – she could not read him, could not look into his essence. It was as if he was locked away from her, locked with locks of all worlds, and the key she possessed did not fit. Deep in thoughts and having finished examining these majestic persons, she bowed her head and lowered her gaze.

With undisguised curiosity, the elders examined the young creature placed in front of them for demonstration, like a statuette. Her exuberant black-haired hair and dark skin, the blue of oceans of eyes, modesty and timidity greatly distinguished her from all the people they had previously known. Even the cloak of their clan, which she was still wearing, did not save the situation. She was another one, descended from heaven, sent to them by someone unknown and for what purpose. The maiden still stood without raising her head, her eyes fixed on one point. She felt their curious glances running over her, felt their smirks on her face and their antics. She replayed in her head what had happened to her over the past few hours and did not understand how, with all such human hatred and aggression towards own kind, she would be able to reconcile the inhabitants of these lands.

The man in the steel crown was the first to break the silence.

«Let there be a trail!» he boomed, and his voice echoed reverberate throughout the room.

«The court? What have I done wrong?» The maiden was surprised. Lifting her head for a moment and casting a glance in the direction of this man, she again came across an invisible wall surrounding him with a protective bastion. «Why is he hidden to me? I can’t see him clearly. What is his secret?»

The head of the elders surveyed the girl with a slow and meticulous gaze from head to toe. Realizing that his words had made no impression on her, except for that sharp look, he decided to continue testing her strength.

«Introduce yourself!» he commanded so loudly that even the glass in the windows rattled.

«My name is Deva,» she replied calmly and, raising her head, tried once again to look behind the veil where this man was hiding from her.

«You cost us seven of our best warriors, Deva. What do you say in your defense?» he didn’t take his gaze off her and didn’t even seem to blink, frozen waiting for her answer.

«I’m sorry that they paid such a high price for my presence here,» she sighed bitterly. «But it was probably you who gave them the command to go into the forest.»

«Hm,» he snorted, clearly not expecting to receive such an answer. «Why are you here?»

«To help you,» Deva was sincere, still trying to get into his mind to look at his thoughts, but in vain.

The head of the elders raised an eyebrow, surprised at the boldness and even impudence of such a statement. The other elders chuckled at her answer, and someone laughed outright.

«And what kind of help do we need?» he asked with obvious mockery and looked around at his elders, picking up the general cheerful mood.

«To escape from extinction,» she replied seriously.

Everyone instantly fell silent and frowned. The fun ended as quickly as it began.

«What are we going to do with you, savior?» Stephen tried to straighten out the situation, which clearly did not suit him.

Rising from his throne of perfect cutting, he descended a step lower, coming closer to Deva. He stopped just a couple of feet from her. She was silent and did not move, but kept her head submissively bowed. For a while, she felt his nagging gaze on her.

«To the tower her!» one of the elders shouted. «She will sit there all night, think it over and maybe will say something more intelligible.»

«Will the tower frighten her, Oleo?» the head drawled thoughtfully, walking around Deva and examining her from all sides.

«So, we will check it out,» another elder supported the proposal. This one’s name was Meatraw.

For a brief moment, Deva raised her bowed head and caught the gaze of this elder. Instantly penetrating into his essence, she saw what challenges were in store for him. But for now he didn’t stand out much from everyone present here. Only their leader remained a mystery.

«Hmm-m-m-m. Maybe she has to go straight to the dungeons, just to be sure?» he said, stopping at the side of the maiden, looking at her intently.

In the silence that followed, someone could be heard loudly swallowing saliva.

«And if she doesn’t come back, Stephen?» his own right hand cautiously addressed the head.

Deva was silent and listened attentively. She was very curious about how this meeting with the people of the Earth Clan would end. No, they didn’t scare her, although they tried very hard to succeed. The main purpose of this meeting for her was to study their behavior. She did not want to say anything, and this desire turned out to be completely justified.

After a moment of silence, Stephen finally answered:

«You are right, as always, Harold,» he breathed, and pulled his sword from its scabbard. He put it against the thin neck of a young girl.

The elders held their breath for a moment, and Stephen wanted to see the reaction of the unexpected guest to it. The maiden was standing still. Not a muscle moved on her face. Stephen was amazed at her calmness. He pursed his lips, removed the point from her neck and hooked the ropes on which the cloak was tied. He cut them in one easy move. The fabric tinted in the Earth Clan color fell heavily on the floor, freeing of its shackles, the shoulders and the fragile figure of Deva. A startled «oh-oh-oh» echoed through the room. Even the calloused and hardened elders admired such beauty, which was previously hidden from them, and now shone with a starry sky right in front of their faces. Stephen, pleased with his escapade, returned to his throne and, sitting down comfortably, he coolly gave the command:

«Take her to the tower.»

The guards did not take long to wait. They approached Deva and wanted to take her by the elbows, as they used to do, but stopped near her, afraid to touch her. This charming cloak, covering the girl, both attracted and repelled with its beauty. It seemed that their hands weren’t below them, and their brains stubbornly resisted obeying their master. Seeing this hitch, Stephen, who was already pretty tired of all the events of the day, roared:

«What kind of ceremony?! Take her away!»

The guards, frightened by the anger of their leader, still found the strength to move. But as soon as they held out their hands, the girl recoiled. Turning around and looking at each of them, the maiden said in a firm voice:

«I will follow you whenever you say.»

Those, unable to withstand the pressure of her gaze, retreated. One of them nodded to her and went first. She followed him. The second guard closed the chain. He followed the maiden and could not take his eyes off her wonderful cloak, which stretched like a weightless mantle. Stephen, watching this picture, shook his head in displeasure.

The door slammed behind Deva, and she was escorted back through the winding corridors. They were on their way to the prisoner’s tower. She had read it all from the elders’ minds when she was in the room where they sat on their carved thrones. She understood perfectly well where she was being led, but she was still not afraid for herself or her fate. The only thing she aspired to was to understand where to begin the path to reconciliation of people. For all the time she had spent here, she had never seen any spark of desire for change in any person. They were all faded, as if they had frozen and died while alive. Everyone she met that day was not burning with any desire or aspiration related to a peaceful existence. More precisely, they wanted to live in peace, but they wanted to dominate, be above others, be stronger than others. But what could move them, what could help them to change, she didn’t know or hadn’t found yet. Her path was obviously long and thorny. Given the place where she was being led, the future seemed not just shrouded in fog, it was obscured by an impenetrable smoke screen, from which she had to find a way out, both for herself and for all mankind.

Getting higher up the endless steps of the spiral staircase, they finally stopped. Hearing the clang of the key in the keyhole, Deva realized that her path was over at the moment. «Now the door will close behind me and, probably, my mission will be completed,» she thought, giving in to despair, but tried to hold on and not to show it.

The guard opened the door for her, and without waiting for an invitation, she stepped inside with her head held high. At the same moment, the iron door slammed shut behind, leaving her completely alone. The key rattled in the keyhole again. One turn. The second. The sound of retreating footsteps. Deva was left along with herself and the bare walls that stared at her with bulging stones. Only a small elongated window was kindly positioned towards her, offering bird’s-eye views. Looking around, she saw a shabbily made bed in the corner. More precisely, its likeness, made of rough boards. Opposite, was exactly the same bed. The window was in the middle and divided the small room into two halves.

Deva, without thinking twice, walked forward. Ignoring the beds, she went straight to the window, the lower part of which was reaching the floor.

«So, these were the towers… the towers for prisoners,» she said softly and cheerlessly, now understanding the purpose of those four inner towers of the settlement. She stared into the inevitable dusk, and tears gradually welled up in her eyes.

From a height, Deva saw the valley. It stretched like a lifeless cradle for miles. To the right, there were peaks of mountains, probably belonging to a hostile clan. The lands were devastated and deserted. Seeing this whole miserable picture, even with such poor lightning, she was even more deeply struck by all the devastation going on outside the settlement wall. Deva finally allowed herself to exhale. She closed her eyes, and streams of tears poured down her cheeks. There was nothing she could do. She gripped the wall and sank smoothly to her knees. Her heart was almost not beating, and there was a continuous cloudy veil in front of her eyes. She sobbed with the realization of her impotence, swallowing salty tears. «Are they doomed, and did the Creators make a mistake?» she wondered. The tears did not stop running, filling the rivers formed on her cheeks with new streams.

Leaning back against the wall, she pulled her legs up to her and wrapped her arms around them. Resting her head on her knees, she watched as the night mist descended to the ground, taking over more and more new territories. Covering with a dark veil, hiding the ugliness that people have created.

Eventually, Deva falls asleep. It seemed like only a minute had passed since she closed her eyes when she heard the heavy footsteps of a warrior and the clang of a key in the keyhole. She lifted her eyelids and looked towards the opening door. There was the same guard who had brought her here yesterday. The face of the guard was gloomy and tense, but he didn’t say a word. Probably he noticed that the night had passed for the maiden quickly and brought neither cheerfulness nor rest. Deva indifferently turned away from him and looked out the window again. The sun was shining brightly and she squinted. The piercing blue sky appeared to her in its all glory, and, having got used to the light, she opened her eyes wide to enjoy its azure in a golden glow.

Gazing into its endless, she felt hope again. Gathering her courage, she turned her head and looked at the guard. He was still standing in the doorway, steadfastly waiting and not bothering her.

Stealing a curious glance at the girl, he decided to give her time, which was obviously vital for her now. She looked up at the sky as if it gave her the strength she needed after a night spent in captivity. And as soon as she looked at him again, he nodded at her, as if asking if she was ready. The maiden, without saying a word, got up from the floor, shook off the hem of her dress, straightened her hair and cloak and moved towards him confidently. He stepped aside a little to make way for her. The weightless cloak trailed behind her and didn’t even seem to touch the floor. He looked at it again, as if mesmerized, remembering how quiet starry nights can be.

CHAPTER 4

Stephen did not sleep that night again. Tossing from side to side, he ran in his head through the events of the previous day. «It’s already the second night without sleep. An endless stream of worries. I thought a miracle had fallen on our heads that would help us to cope with the enemies, but it turns out that it is of no use. Let’s see if the tower will bring her to reason. But if not? Then the dungeons?» He was full of doubts about what to do with her. «Why did you come to us? To remind us once again of our plight? Yes, we are falling into decline, no matter how deplorable it may sound. I, my elders, and perhaps the people already understand that this cannot be fixed. It is not possible to change or fix something that was broken centuries ago. I’m just trying to save time. I’m trying to slow it down as much as I can. If we win the war, it will probably revitalize the clan, pour new blood, and inspire the exhausted people. And if not? Don’t you dare doubt it! Don’t you dare lose faith! You have a son. It’s not all gone yet. Sleep, Stephen!» he closed his eyes tightly, trying not to let his feelings run away. Tried not to think about anything else. His body, like his head, demanded rest, and he obeyed then fell into a short and troubled sleep.

They wanted to notify him that morning was coming, but he didn’t seem to need it. Coming out of the dressing room and not believing his eyes, Stephen stopped in the doorway. He stared in amazement at the floor, which was covered with weightless golden lights. It had been a lot of time since the sun had looked into their lands. He took the first step, crossing the line, grunted contentedly to himself and headed to the exit of the chamber.

At the same time, the prisoner was taken out of captivity. Deva stopped at the wall and waited for further commands from her escort. The guard was rattling the keys as he closed the door and, having finished with it, he turned to the prisoner, showering her with a wave of derogatory gaze. The maiden shrank a little and lowered her head.

Convinced with his complete superiority, he headed for the stairs. The guard walked steadily down the steps and struck a rhythm with the iron tips of his boots. The maiden followed him noiselessly, and her light tread resembled the breath of a spring wind. The guard was silent, and Deva did not want to bother him with unnecessary questions. She followed him, maintaining their mutual silence.

Quickly descending the stairs of the tower, they found themselves in the corridors of the castle that she already knew. «How easy it is to remember the path that may be the last in your life,» she mused, running her thoughtful gaze over the walls, windows, ceilings and floor.

And here, again, is the very door on which the bird was carved, forever sealed in a tree. Stopping in front of it, she reflected on the vicissitudes of fate, which, as if frozen in one day, decided to repeat this scene.

«It’s just like yesterday,» she thought, walking to the middle of the council room. «The head of the clan is on a raised platform in the center, flanked by his elders. It seems that they didn’t even change their clothes, as if they had been sitting here all night making a decision about my fate. Or maybe about someone else’s.» She ran her eyes over the rich robes of the elders sitting in front of her.

When she stopped her eyes at the head, she tripped over his sword, which she had noticed the day before. Something about the sword seemed familiar to her, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. Stephen also stared at her with a long, tenacious and searching gaze. There was silence in the room from the moment the maiden appeared.

«What an interesting thing,» she mused, not taking her eyes off the sword, which seemed to have especially attracted all her attention. «I remember something, but I can’t get to the truth,» she frowned and narrowed her eyes, looking for a trace in her memories.

The minutes of silence seemed to last forever.

«Well, Deva, how was the night? Tell us,» Stephen finally broke the long silence.

«I’m fine, thank you,» she replied humbly, not taking her eyes off the sword until he covered it with his robe. Then she stared at the floor.

All this annoyed Stephen very much. He was used to being feared, and all these sickening pleasantries made him unbalanced. He was frowning. The words of the girl about the extinction which she had said earlier were moving in his head. He couldn’t move the word out of his head. After examining her with his eyes to the holes, he thought: «She is not who she says she is. What kind of assistance is she? She won’t even be able to kill a fly,» he was indignant and to some extent upset.

«So, you liked our tower,» he smiled smugly and looked at his elders, who, like him, bared their teeth in response. «Would you like to spend another night there?»

«As you wish,» the maiden replied meekly.

«Why are you nursing her, Stephen?» Meatraw shouted, who was also starting to get mad at this humility. «Send her to the dungeons and that’s it!» he banged his fist on the arm of the chair.

«I agree with Meatraw,» Oleo said. «We are all terribly tired and it seems that there is no escape from this scourge.»

«Who else hopes to find salvation for themselves in the dungeons?» Stephen asked an ambiguous question, looking pressive at the council, but there was no answer.

The elders feared the dungeons like fire. They hadn’t been down there for a long time, and people weren’t sent often to the tunnels. It was all the fault of the legend, the truthfulness of which they were afraid to test on their own skins. So they intimidated all the prisoners who needed to loosen their tongues. And what’s add more, it really worked. They had a special cave where the too intractable were kept – they instantly became silk and soft. But they wanted to deal with this lady once and for all. They did not see any benefit in it for themselves. Nothing supernatural, except for how she got to them, and an unusual cloak.

«And is there any use in them? Will they help us to resolve our issue?» he turned to the elders, nodding towards Deva. «Let’s start it again,» he gave her another chance, without hearing any sensible suggestions or objections from the council. «Why did you come to us?»

«To help,» the maiden whispered, but everyone heard her voice.

«In what way?» Stephen decided to support the absurdity of this dialogue, when suddenly the door of the council room burst open, banging against the wall. The guard dragged the fugitive, unceremoniously throwing him on the floor next to Deva and right in front of the council. Startled, she flinched and jumped aside, and everyone in the room fell silent, watching the scene unfold. The fugitive got all the attention now. The one, who slowly rose from the floor, stood up to his hull height. The one who looked fearlessly and contemptuously at the council.

Standing slightly to the left, Deva had the opportunity to see them from the side. She examined the very young, but already so self-confident man. He was dressed in upscale fabrics that were badly tattered and now looked more like rags, which were hanging and exposing wounded skin. He didn’t have a sword with him. The young man did not notice Deva at all. All his attention was addressed only to the head. He seemed ready to incinerate Stephen, but he clearly lacked the strength to do it. His jaw was clenched, and his hands were clenched into fists every now and then. Rage bubbled and boiled in him.

Stephen was looking at the young man as well. He was not taking his displeased eyes off him. He was obviously very angry, but he didn’t show it so much that it was noticeable from the outside. The head was clearly doing well with emotional control and the ability to put on masks, unlike the young man who had not yet learned this skill. Looking at him standing in this rag, Stephen maintaining complete external calm, said:

«Good morning, son. I am glad that you have returned home,» he said coldly and aloof, showing indifference and contempt.

At this time, Daniel was furiously clenching his fists. His stern gaze was still fixed on his father.

«I didn’t ask to be returned anywhere,» he said through clenched teeth with the hatred he could muster.

«It was necessary,» Stephen answered him harshly, raising his voice. «Do you know what the penalty is for running away?»

«Do whatever you want,» Daniel answered indifferently, lowering his lifeless gaze to the floor.

«What were you thinking about? What prompted you to run away? Is life so bad in your native walls?» Stephen broke up.

«Yes! It’s bad!» Daniel shouted. «And I certainly wasn’t thinking about new conquests. That is all… All is meaningless!» he looked at his father and waved his hand towards the windows.

«Is it meaningless? Meaningless? Come to your senses, son! Are you refusing to defend your people? The future sovereign escapes from the clan, where has this been seen? Well, the mother is not here, she does not see such a shame,» Stephen burst into words.

«It’s good thing she is not here. She doesn’t see everything you do. You are all doing,» he nodded at the hushed elders.

«You can’t judge me,» Stephen snapped. «When the time comes and you take my place, you will regret saying those words.»

«Or maybe I don’t want to sit on a throne drowning in blood,» Daniel snapped.

«You don’t have a choice. You will have to take over the reins,» Stephen answered him unexpectedly calmly. «And I want you to be ready for that.»

«I am always ready, father. But not to fratricidal wars,» Daniel shook his head.

«Then they will kill you first. To whom you will leave your people? Did you think about that before you ran off with your tail between your legs?»

«As you put it, I didn’t keep my tail between my legs. And if I hadn’t been caught, then you wouldn’t have to justify yourself to your henchmen right now,» Daniel answered him defiantly and willfully.

Stephen took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and shook his head. He could not believe that his son could go against his father’s will. That his son does not understand the importance of all that his ancestors have been building for so long.

«Yes, blood. What did you want? To sit on white soft feather beds and soar in the clouds? Did you think it was so easy to hold power in the hands, control an entire clan, protect it and not let it disappear from the face of this Earth?» After a pause, Stephen started to talk with his son again.

«The face of this Earth is kind of creepy. And I don’t want to live like that,» Daniel disgusted him.

«You are not just speaking for yourself!» Stephan roared. «There are thousands of other people behind you. Finally understand this! And stop playing your games. The price for your irresponsibility will be paid by the whole clan!»

Daniel closed his eyes and shook his head. There was silence in the room again. The elders looked at each other, waiting to see how this battle would end. Father and son showdowns have become a frequent occurrence lately, but they preferred not to interfere, giving them the opportunity to solve their problems by themselves. However, after Daniel’s escape, they actually gave up on him, realizing that he will be a lousy head and will not bring anything good to the clan. Daniel, standing in front of his father and the council like an eternal outcast, could not understand why they liked the lifestyle they lead. He couldn’t believe that it was impossible to live any other way and there was only one way. The one that was once laid by his ancestors. The one who, in pursuit of the right of primacy, destroys, sweeps away everything in his path.

After coming to himself, he opened his eyes and turned his head to the left. Suddenly, a wonderfully beautiful cape came into his field of vision. The fabric of it shone silver and shimmered slightly. Interested, he ran over it higher and stopped his gaze on a sweet face bottomless oceans of eyes. Unexpectedly, he felt as if he had fallen through somewhere and was falling down a dipper. Deva stared at him intently, without blinking or looking away and he could not tear himself away – she captivated him so much with her gaze. It seemed to Daniel that time had stopped around him. He even stopped hearing his heartbeat and maybe even breathing. The traps of her eyes caught him as if he were a helpless mouse who had just fallen for the bait.

Deva listened attentively to their entire dialogue and wondered what actions the father would take to pacify his wayward son. Will he relent or give instructions to execute the heir? She looked into the eyes of everyone. She read their minds, all except Stephen. She still didn’t see him. He, like yesterday, was close to her. But when she managed to catch the young man’s gaze, she saw everything that he hid from others, but could not hide from her. Looking into his soul, Deva saw hatred and rage blazing with bright fire, and indifference and hopelessness replaced them, like the colors of multicolored crystals shimmering in the sun. The son hated not his father, but his actions: wars, bloodshed, separation from his beloved from another clan. After reading this, Deva raised an eyebrow. She was pleasantly surprised by the young man’s outburst of feelings for a girl not from his lands. Despite the fact that communication with enemy clans was strictly forbidden, this did not stop any of the two of them. They strove for each other, as if a plant seeks to put down its roots in fertile soil. And it seems that even his father’s will could not stop him. Even now, after all Stephen’s sobering speeches, Daniel was determined. He wanted to escape again, leaving this place forever. «What is the force driving him?» she mused, contemplating his destined future. «A force that will move not only mountains, stop not only rivers, but also go against the father’s will. It’s a pity that he has to make such a choice. He could be a good leader.»

«Traitors deserve only death,» an unexpected phrase that popped up in Daniel’s head intruded into her visions. This was the law of the Earth Clan, which did not bode well for him. At this time, Stephen was closely watching the silent communication between the maiden and his son. For a moment, it even seemed to him that he had seen it somewhere before. These strange, but familiar «peepers» to the point of suffocating pain in the throat.

«What’s going on here?» he wondered mentally, noticeably cooled down after a stormy dialogue with his son and heir. «In her eyes I see sympathy, sadness, genuine interest, courage. It’s been a long time since I’ve met such a person, pure and sincere,» he marveled at his own out of nowhere gentleness towards this young lady.

A loud, harsh and slightly shouty voice pulled Stephen out of his thoughts:

«He needs to be executed! He is a traitor, and you know our laws. Stephen,» said Harold, his deputy, who was already tired of the inaction of the leader.

Smoothly and even reluctantly, Stephen turned the head in his direction and calmly replied:

«I have to listen to the opinions of all the elders, given the special circumstances,» by which he meant his son, the sole heir to the throne.

The elders exchanged glances. They understood that executing Daniel was not such an easy task. Even though he broke the law. Although he went against the head, in case of his death there will be no one to pass the reins of government. They supported Stephen, nodding, wanting to take part in the discussion of the future fate of his son, taking into account all that he had done. Daniel wasn’t a bad boy. This strange obsession attacked him not so long ago. As long as they remembered him, he was always easy-going, intelligent, inquisitive and never contradicted his father. Now it’s like he’s been replaced. And after he was caught in the woods and returned home, he was not at ease with himself at all: he was rude, impertinent, and said various stupid things.

After a moment’s hesitation, Stephen coldly gave the command:

«Lock him in the tower.»

Right now, his only desire was to get his son out of sight. He didn’t want to see him, and even more, he wanted to erase from his memory and the memory of the elders what had just happened in this room. «What a shame. In front of everyone, I listened to my son’s nonsense. I raised him, educated him, and he did… Who is he to talk to me like that?» Stephen looked at the approaching guards who were standing at the door. «How could he betray my expectations? Betray the people?» he shifted his disappointed gaze to his offspring. «Where was your head when you ran away from the clan? And what should I do with all this?»

The guards approached Daniel. He didn’t resist. Only twitched once when his hands were put behind his back. Without taking his gaze off his father, who made the decision to lock him in the tower, Daniel did not condemn him for this. Rather, his eyes expressed sympathy and were full of sorrow. A heavy and inconsolable grief for the father he used to be.

«I’m sorry,» his lips whispered, speaking individually and to everyone.

The guard pushed him toward the exit. He did not stand on ceremony, following the command of the head, whom he did not dare to disobey. Unlikely Daniel, who tasted his father’s strength. And, probably, today was the day, when the vessel, which had been heating up for several years, burst, releasing everything that had accumulated. Daniel’s mind was all mixed up. The last point in his relationship with the father was supposed to be his escape, but it failed. And now this drop has become a wonderful witness to his defeat.

«Who is she? Where did she come from? What did she do to me?» he thought incessantly, asking himself questions. But he couldn’t get an answer to them, he was already actually taken out of the council room. Turning his head at the very last moment, he saw the maiden standing with her back to him, with her head bowed right in front of the assembled council of elders. Her cloak was still sparking silver in the rays of the midday sun. «A new victim for the vultures.»

He lifted the corners of his lips sadly, realizing their joint gloom. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving the young girl alone with a gaggle of bloodthirsty people. He had received only a small reprieve from what was undoubtedly waiting for him in the near future.

«I wonder how quickly the scaffold will be erected?» he asked the guards with mock amusement, but they did not even turn their head in his direction, continuing to hold the heir tightly in his arms and lead him through the corridors.

Stephen understood that according to the laws he had to execute his son and that in the eyes of his loyal associates he was now showing weakness by deliberately delaying punishment. But it was their non-verbal communication, Deva and his son… it was that changed his plans for the fate of his only and so long awaited child. «Let the time pass. It takes time,» Stephen thought, looking from the doors closed behind his fugitive son to the maiden.

«We’ve been distracted,» Stephen said loudly. He took a long and hard look at his elders, «I suggest we continue our conversations. Do you think she poses a threat to us?»

«We don’t know anything about her,» Harold was the first to respond. «She’s either silent or talking in riddles.» He threw up his hands. «What if she is a spy and sent by our enemies? Where did you come from?» Harold asked Deva a question, measuring her with a suspicious look. «Who sent you to us?»

«No one sent me to you. I’m here to help,» Deva replied calmly, repeating everything as she had said at their first meeting.

«Did you hear her?» Harold looked at the elders, running out of patience. «She is talking the same thing, mocking us!»

«Calm down, Harold,» Richard said. «Look at this creature. What kind of spy is she? Maybe she means helping to fight other clans?» he said enthusiastically, looking at the girl, trying to find in her the support in his assumptions. But she just kept silent and looked naively at Richard, then at the head of the clan, then at Harold, then at the other elders who had not yet had time to say anything.

Stephen, on the other hand, perfectly remembered the words she had dropped yesterday about extinction, and he, to his complete regret, understood that she was not so far from the truth. No matter how hard he tried to bury this conclusion in the depths of his soul, her presence reminded him again of what the clan was moving towards at the moment. If they did not conquer one of the clans soon, if they did not acquire new lands along with their inhabitants, then his own people would not have so long to live. His son also did not miss the opportunity to rub his nose in those bloody feuds that followed one after another. Stephen felt the noose wrap around his neck tighter and tighter, as the clouds thickened over his head and there was nothing he could do about it. «The clan is falling into decline, my son does not support me, and the elders are about to start plotting. Everything that we have been building for so long is hanging by a thread. Okay. Let her stay with us. Let’s see what happens. It’s going to be harder with Daniel. He is not as accommodating as this assistant. At least she wants to help, not like my son, who decided to just run away, throwing the burden of responsibility off his shoulders,» Stephen reasoned to himself, while his elders discussed the fate of the maiden with each other.

«My dear elders,» Stephen finally said, «do you think we can settle her in the clan without putting our people at risk?»

«I don’t like her,» Harold waved disgustedly, trying to follow the head’s train of thought.

«Or maybe we should throw her out of the settlement, and that’s the end of it?» the assertive Oleo suggested.

«And then the Mountain Clan will gladly take her for themselves. No, it’s better to let her stay with us,» Vero opposed his idea, mindful of the pursuit of their squad all the way to the gates of the clan.

«I think we should give her a chance,» Richard said judiciously. «She is definitely here for a reason, and putting her in a tower or throwing her over the wall won’t achieve anything.»

«It seems to me that keeping her with us would be a much more sensible decision than getting rid of her without knowing the secrets she brought,» concluded the eternal always quite Garner.

After listening to the opinions of all the elders, Stephen said his final word:

«I don’t see her as a threat. My will is to let her live in the settlement under the protection. Give her a house and a couple of guards. May they always be with her. I suggest we end this and disperse.»

Meanwhile, the same guard who brought her here had already approached Deva. He did not take her by the elbow, as they did with Daniel, but only showed her with his hand to the direction of the exit.

«What about Daniel?» Harold asked, to whom it seemed that Stephen wanted to avoid discussion of this topic.

Deva, wanting to hear the decision that would be made on his account, was not in a hurry to leave the council room. She turned as slowly as possible and moved towards the exit.

«Daniel will stay in the tower until we settle this issue,» Stephen calmly replied to him, who was fed up with all the recent events. He wanted to get some rest and recover before passing judgement on his own blood. He looked at the back of the girl, who was slowly walking away, and her wonderful cloak fell in silver from her fragile shoulder, undulating like a morning gaze.

Harold remained silent, casting puzzled glances at the other elders as they looked at each other meaningfully. Meanwhile, Deva was taken out of the council room. Stephen, without saying another word, got up from his throne and almost followed her out. The elders, left alone with themselves, sat for a while longer, exchanging worried glances, and then one by one they also left the stuffy room.

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Примечания

1

Navi – the souls of dead people who died an unnatural death and did not receive rest in peace.

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2

Echo – the spirit and the guard of the forest. He likes to fool people.

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3

Doublet – men’s short lined clothing worn over a shirt.

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