ACT IVThe Beginning That Wasn't

The unicorns were already saddled, and when we mounted them, they submitted to our will without hesitation, as if we'd been riding them forever. Before leaving the castle gate, we turned our winged mounts around and gazed out at the lovely courtyard. There was a comfortable silence here. One we weren't used to on the crowded streets of the world we'd come from... the world surrounding us now was completely different, completely unreal...

"Are you afraid?" Owen asked.

I shifted my gaze to him and smiled faintly.

"A little," I nodded. "But Mitra said that if we acted according to our beliefs, the spirits of this land would guide us. And I don't worry about all this as much as I did before," I said as we pulled out onto the wide road leading to the orchard. From there, we went back to that strange city where we saw the races Peorth had told us about, but from time to time we also encountered other strange creatures of the Sunsword Land...

"We have to go to that hill from where we first saw this city.

" "Okay, Owen."

I left Clonasia with a heavy heart. Because now, as we drove along that country road between the roaring sea of ​​tall grass, we didn't know what awaited us or what we should prepare for. Now we were on our own, and we didn't know exactly what to do or where to go. We rode toward the rising of three suns. It was an incredible sight. I couldn't take my eyes off it. The sky shimmered with the strangest colors. One moment it was purple, then navy blue, then dark green, then dark purple. This incredible spectacle lasted for less than half an hour. Owen wasn't as impressed as I was, but he, too, stared at the sky for a long time. Soon we reached the steep hill we'd last descended. If I was right in my calculations, it was about 60°, and it wouldn't be easy for our unicorns to climb.

"Shall we fly?" Owen wondered, reining in his horse before the steep drop.

"I don't know if that's wise. We've never done anything like this before!

" "We've never done anything like this before, Marron. We have to try it out.

" "And how are you going to get them to fly?"

Owen smiled mischievously at me and spurred his horse on with a shout. The unicorn began to run at a dizzying pace through the tall grasses of Clonasia. I watched, calming my mount, who eagerly wanted to run with them. For now, however, I waited for the results of my brother's experiment. When they reached the open meadows, Owen gripped Pegasus's flanks with his heels and pulled the bridle toward him. In an instant, the mount unfurled its powerful wings and beat them into the air. A little unsteady, Owen grabbed the horse's mane and shouted at it to fly. Soon they were both hovering majestically above us.

"Marron!" he exclaimed, waving from above. "I'm flying!"

I watched, stunned. I couldn't believe what was happening. It all seemed so unbelievable. I, too, urged my horse through the vast meadows surrounding Clonasia, the first city built by our grandfather, the lord of the Sunsword Land. Unicorns ran much faster than our horses, and their gaits were so smooth that the ride was completely imperceptible. I loved riding, but I had never in my life dreamed of galloping so fantastically through the meadows of the strangest world known to humanity. For the Celts, it was Sid; for the inhabitants of this land, it was Avinlion, or the Sunsword Land. And for us, it was the strangest adventure of our entire lives...

My Pegasus already knew I wanted to take flight, so it did the same as the previous mount, spreading its enormous wings and rising on the rising wind. My heart leapt into my throat. It was an incredible feeling. I couldn't comprehend it; it was all real. Owen, already feeling confident in the air, flew up to me with a broad smile.

"Tell me I'm not dreaming!" he exclaimed. "This is amazing!

" "Owen, look over there!" I pointed to the grassy hill we were flying towards.

We had to raise our Pegasi to reach the very top of the valley surrounding Grandpa's city. I felt safe on the back of the unicorn, which glided gracefully through the air, but the sharp wind that constantly blew against us was a real nuisance. Once at the top of the hill, we lowered our mounts and landed softly. We didn't want to tire our Pegasi. We still had a very long way to go.

"That was awesome!" my brother shouted, raising his hand in victory.

"I can't believe it..." I nodded in disbelief.

"And it will definitely get even better. Avinlion is a land ruled solely by Magic." If we manage to tame it, we will be the strongest rulers in the entire universe! And imagine what our friends will say!?

"Will we go back there, Owen? We have a chance to go back, but who knows how long our journey will last, what we'll experience along the way. You understand, there's a great unknown before us. Will we undertake this not knowing what awaits us? Or will we return to the Water Gate knowing where we belong?

" "Marron! I never thought I'd hear such words from you. You shouldn't think like that!" Owen looked at me in surprise.

"Oh, but I'm just worried.

" "Don't be afraid, sister! Everything will be alright!"

Avinlion was a land without many trees. What's more, they resembled upside-down pine cones. Tall, rustling grasses reigned supreme, stretching to the very horizon. To our left, as we headed east, though I'm not entirely certain of this, as both our watches and our compasses had stopped working here, were towering mountain ranges. Their vastness terrified me, because even though they were very far away, we could feel the vastness of this element perfectly. There were mountains there, and we moved calmly between snow-white mogotes, which rose perpendicularly from this vast expanse of grass, creating an incredible spectacle...

We kept trotting, but we preferred to slow down between the mogotes. The wind roaring between them was deafening, and we preferred not to take any chances. When we emerged from between the enormous rock outcrops, we found ourselves once again on a wide, stone road leading through the endless expanse of grass that constantly surrounded us.

"Owen..." I said, as the silence slowly became unbearable. "Look, there's not a single cloud here.

" "Indeed. No birds, no animals..." And look. Only here and there are small hills, otherwise just plain... And there are no rivers, ponds, or lakes here either...

"And what will we do if we run out of water?" I asked him.

"The spirits of this land were supposed to guide us. Let's rely on their protection..."

Without any surprises, we arrived late in the evening. When three suns began to set behind us, we looked up at the sky simultaneously. The unicorns stopped, lifting their graceful heads. We both gazed at the sky, which sparkled with billions of stars. I'd never seen so many stars in my life, such an incredible spectacle. But that wasn't what surprised Owen and me the most. Suddenly, out of the darkness emerged the enormous, immense, red-orange disk of some planet. It was massive. We saw massive craters and ravines on it. But there was no life on it. Although it looked that way. For a long moment, we said nothing. Everything here continued to surprise us. Nothing resembled Earth. I mean, I don't know if we were still on Earth or just in another dimension. Nothing here quite matched our norms; it was a world so completely different that it was incomprehensible...

I swallowed hard, opening my eyes even wider than before. Then I pinched myself for what felt like the hundredth time to check if I was dreaming, and when it turned out I wasn't, I breathed a sigh of relief. In that moment, I wished this "dream" would never end.

"We're going on, Marron," I heard my brother's somewhat strange voice.

He, too, couldn't quite get his bearings. It was all so completely new to us that we still couldn't quite grasp it all, and the whole truth wasn't sinking in. Maybe it was for the best, because how much more can one endure?! How much...? We didn't yet realize what awaited us, how many more adventures lay ahead before we reached our destination; all of this was yet to be revealed to us, in the strangest visions of the world.

"And where will we stay? There's just an open field here...

" "Do you have our tent and equipment in your saddlebags?"

"I didn't bring everything, but we have a tent, a change of clothes, comfortable sneakers, matches, food, and water. Everything else was left at the castle.

" "That should be enough."

We pulled off the road a bit and looked around for something we could tie the unicorns to so they wouldn't run away. But we didn't find anything.

" "Then we'll tie them to the tent, okay?

" "Okay, but now help me with it."

After setting it up, we put up a small, blue igloo—that's the shape of our tent. We tied the pegasi to it by their bridles, so they still had some freedom. But what were we supposed to do with the fire? We didn't need it! The nights were apparently quite cool here, and the fire always provided some warmth and light, even though the red moon provided some light.

"Maybe that grass is burning?"

Owen tore some grass, placed it in a circle of stones we'd collected, and set it on fire. My jaw dropped to the floor. Even though the grass was green and fresh, it burned perfectly, and just a few weeds were enough to create a rather large fire that simply wouldn't go out.

"I'm getting more and more surprised by all this..." Owen shook his head.

I smiled as I entered the tent. After changing into some sleeping clothes, I put a pot of water on the fire, of which we had quite a lot. We also gave the horses water; we didn't give them much, but we decided to catch up. We went to bed very late. The fire burned at a safe distance, giving us a considerable sense of security. We each ate one of those Chinese noodles they advertised so much on TV. I often compared the world we were in to the one we were in. The differences were impossible to miss; they were obvious. As we lay quietly listening to the crackling of the fire outside, Owen flinched.

"Marron..." he whispered. "Do you know that we could be on a completely different planet. Far, far away from Earth?!

" "I've thought about it... But it seems impossible... How could we possibly get here?

" "After everything we've been through, I can believe in anything, and nothing is impossible for me anymore..."

Unfortunately, with a heavy heart, I had to admit he was right. We could be in another dimension, but we could just as easily be very far away from Earth. Separated by millions of light years, or even worse, entire galaxies...

ACT IIIMysterious Meeting.

In the morning, Owen woke me. He was wearing a light shirt with a suede vest, black trousers, and high leather riding boots. I really liked him in that outfit; he looked truly fantastic. I got up quickly, not wanting to prolong the wait for breakfast. The look on Owen's face, as I looked in my long dress, told me he was enchanted. For the first time, he probably looked at me like a girl. He hadn't done that before...

We went down to the dining room together, where a well-laid table awaited us. Peorth came to greet us and immediately informed us that after we had eaten, we should come to the courtyard, where he would be waiting for us.

Owen and I ate more leisurely this time, as we weren't as hungry as the previous evening. We regretted a little that we couldn't thank the chefs for the wonderful food, but we decided to return the favor some other time. Right after breakfast, we went out into the courtyard. Peorth was saddled up our Pegasi; he probably didn't need a mount.

"Look over there!" I whispered, pointing at a woman dressed in white with seven eyes and dragon wings.

She had long, pale blue hair that flowed down to her ankles. She had no nose, and her face resembled a simple mask rather than a human face. Peorth noticed her too. When she approached us, it looked as if she were floating in the air just above the ground, Peorth greeted her in a very strange way. He touched his forehead with three fingers, then his lips, and finally circled his hand in the air and on the ground...

In response, the mysterious creature nodded solemnly and turned an inquisitive gaze on us. A chill ran down my spine as I looked at her. Her seven eyes simply terrified me. Without hesitation, we bowed to her, sensing her authority and dominance.

"Henry raised you wonderfully, dear children," the woman said in a voice that echoed many times. "You may go, Peorth. They will go on their own..."

Peorth bowed low to her, then to us, and headed toward the castle's exit gate. In the courtyard, we were left alone with the mysterious being.

"Forgive me!" she smiled, sitting on the edge of the pool. "I didn't introduce myself."

She was silent for a moment, stirring the fountain with her hand. After a moment, she looked at us and said, "I am Henry's wife."

Owen's eyes widened in surprise, while my jaw simply dropped to the floor. We probably didn't look very intelligent at the moment, but it was such a surprise to us that we experienced quite a shock.

"Grandfather and she...?" I thought, astonished. "

I come from the Fihlandion race. Henry and I met in a temple, when I danced a sacrificial dance in honor of our highest god, the god of light." Your grandfather wanted to meet me later, and that's how we met. We had a great time together, understood each other perfectly, and we married. Have you seen the Fihlandions yet?

I shook my head, speechless.

"I thought so," she nodded thoughtfully. "Our race is close to extinction... Because we are beings who, alone among all races, can communicate with the Deities. We have always served as priests and druids. We were people who could communicate with higher powers. You understand that this isn't the easiest thing in the world, and it's very dangerous. Deadly dangerous... You must forgive me... Your grandfather and I had many problems with the Deities, and that's why I often had to contact them." It wasn't that easy..." She was silent for a moment. "Henry and I loved each other very much, but his duties, my duties at the temple, often interfered with us and created incredible difficulties. However, this didn't stop us from our nightly trysts. We have many children of different races. You're probably wondering why," she smiled softly. "Your grandfather had enormous energy; he could have directed it to choose his own race... Surprised, eh? Don't worry, you'll soon get used to it..."

I was enchanted by her manner, the way she spoke. I felt confident and calm around her. My initial fear passed, and when I got to know her better, I realized there was nothing to be afraid of. She was so kind, and such a pleasant warmth and kindness radiated from her that I simply couldn't believe everything that was happening around us. It was like a beautiful, incredible dream that wouldn't end. Mitra was so kind to us, and I wouldn't mind if she were still my grandfather's wife, because that's the kind of grandmother I always wanted. Only, the term "grandmother" didn't quite fit Mitra. I was inclined to call her only queen, and not, as my grandson calls her, "grandmother," because I simply couldn't imagine her in that role...

"My name is Mitra. That's what your grandfather called me, because one of your earthly religions says Mitra is the deity of the Sun. And I am in contact with the highest god of the Land of the Sunsword." This god is named Nuadu.

"These are Celtic names!" Owen exclaimed in surprise. "Do you have anything in common with them?"

"Yes, my love. The Celts recognized us as the only Earthly tribe. We gave them the chance to explore Sid. That is, the divine world, which lies on an enchanted mountain far from humans...

" "I've heard of that before..." Owen added. "Apparently, the inhabitants of Sid wander the valleys as guardian spirits, or ghosts...

" "Excellent. I see you're well prepared for your trip to the Land of the Sunsword.

" "Alone?" I groaned, frightened.

"Of course! But you'll manage. To properly rule this land, you should learn about its inhabitants and customs. You should know how the different races behave and find the right allies; with them, you'll easily be able to take control of this land. You can't forget that. And the spirits of this land will guide you.

" "I...

" "Don't worry, Marron. You'll meet friends." But remember, and never forget, that Sid is not a land of eternal peace. You should be very careful. If you allow Magic to guide you, nothing will happen to you...

"Where should we go?" Owen asked.

"To Jyxabor. There you will learn what you will need for the future. And when you succeed, you will go to our capital, Futuria. There you will decide what you wish to do next...

ACT II:A Journey into the Unknown

We descended the hill in silence, gazing in amazement at the incredible sight of the city spread out below us, enveloped in a silvery mist playing with the sun's rays. I was so happy to see this city. It seemed to me a wealthy and carefree city. And indeed it was. We found no defensive walls there. There were no guards either. We entered the main street, where a multitude of people were milling about. Or rather, these creatures could not be called people. Some of them looked more like animals than men. Peorth approached us and began to tell us about the city's inhabitants.

"These are Ogres," he pointed to a tall, stocky giant with bluish skin, enormous paws, and an unpleasant appearance. He wore dirty animal skins. His eyes were small and narrow, regarding everyone suspiciously. They moved sluggishly and slowly, but they seemed eager for a fight.

Owen nodded. I could see he was absorbing this information. He was probably very curious about all this. I was too.

"And these are Angemons," he pointed to beautiful creatures with four pairs of angel wings on their shoulders. They moved lightly, calmly. They wore strange clothes. With metal parts, however, it didn't resemble armor; on the contrary, it resembled decoration. We couldn't see their eyes, as half their faces were obscured by handsome helmets shaped like bird heads. I really liked these creatures.

He was silent for a moment, selecting individual breeds from the crowd. After a moment, he pointed a huge paw at another creature.

"These are Onyxes..." They were tall, humanoid creatures, yet their bodies were covered in metal.

They had no hair, and their eyes reminded me of a narrow strip of red light. The metal covering them didn't represent any clothing. It simply looked like a naked human, without detail, but like a human. They moved with grace. As if they weren't machines.

Soon we saw creatures similar to Peorth. They looked like a fusion of human and animal. Some had horns, others tails, others hooves or paws instead of feet, and instead of hands, they always had claws. And their pupilless eyes glowed red even during the day.

Peorth explained that this was a race of Denpons. Guide beings. Their task was to guide visitors through any land, for only they knew this place as well as anyone else. Their animal ears and the way they moved helped them in this. They derived endurance and strength from animals, making them incredible allies on the journey...

Immediately afterward, Peorth noticed some incredible creatures in the crowd that made my heart leap into my throat. They were half animal, half human. For example, the creature we saw first was half spider, but where its head should have been, it had a belly and then a human body. It was a woman with black hair and eyes, long black claws, and wore nothing. Then we saw a man resembling a centaur from some mythological film. There were other representatives of this race as well: half lion, half tiger, and other felines, then there were the bodies of ibex, zebras, enormous dogs, and the like. This race was called Gizmans; they were unpredictable monsters, from which you never knew what to expect. Because their connections to animals were particularly strong, they often behaved like them, adopting their customs. Peorth said it was one of the worst and at the same time the strangest races. I couldn't recognize anything normal here. Gizmans lived in the forests, but some of them had moved to towns and villages, which is why we encountered them here.

"And these are Lifaty," Peorth pointed to the shrunken, small creatures slinking among the other creatures. They were very small, dressed in black rags, and only a round, misshapen head with large eyes peeked out from under the rags.

We watched the strange creatures pass by us. The din of people speaking various strange languages ​​surrounded us. On both sides of the street stood white houses, without windows. Sometimes, various creatures sat against such walls, closing their eyes and muttering under their breath. Peorth focused my attention this time on a green creature covered in scales. It resembled a fish. It had webbing between its fingers, gill lobes on either side of its neck. Its eyes were covered with webbing, and it looked out at the world in a strange way. They wore ruffled linen dresses. They had very long green hair that flowed freely down to their ankles. They moved calmly and gracefully.

"These are Oceans," he said. "They live in all waters. However, they can stay on the surface for a while, like they do now...

I really liked these Oceans. They seemed nice, at least.

" "And these," our guide said again, "are the Trensfans."

These creatures were already fully animals. Unlike animals, however, they walked only on two legs and wore clothes.

Soon we reached the orchard and gardens surrounding the square castle. Less than fifteen minutes later, we found ourselves in the courtyard. It was surrounded on all sides by marble arcades thickly covered with blue ivy that cascaded down. In the center of the courtyard was a huge fountain resembling three dragons breathing water. On the other side, in a vast corridor, where blue fire burned, stood a door. We dismounted our unicorns and followed Peorth.

"Your grandfather used to come here quite often; he said he felt connected to this place like no other in the whole Land, and for that, we were always very proud," Peorth explained. "Although our castle is the smallest building of Henry, our lord and master, it was here that he came most often..."

We entered through the door and found ourselves in a vast corridor with a semicircular vault. On its stone walls hung golden tapestries depicting unicorns in greenery, dolphins playing in the water, galloping horses, eagles soaring over mountains, lotuses, and other interesting things. I really liked them. After a while, we entered the dining room, in the center of which stood a table with two chairs. On the table stood a variety of dishes, all illuminated from above by a crystal chandelier. Peorth clapped his hands twice, and a blue fire began to burn in the wide fireplace. There were no windows, yet you could feel the fresh breeze coming in through special fans that quietly whirred from the ceiling. We both dove headfirst into the food. Our stomachs had been growling for a while. We devoured the food without even realizing what we were eating, but we agreed on one thing: everything was very good. Crunchy, square bread. Some round purple fruit, and other foods we hadn't tried before. Afterwards, we sat on a comfortable couch in front of the fireplace, sipping some strange, sea-green beverage, and began to talk.

"How do you like it, sister?

" "It's amazing here; you know, I still can't quite believe it all. It's so wonderful. And think that it all belongs to us.

" "Exactly," he agreed with a smile. "I wonder if we'll go anywhere else?

" "I think so, because this is only Grandpa's first city, and as future rulers, we should know the most important ones.

" "Right. We'll ask Peorth later. And what did you think of the races of the inhabitants of this Land?

" "Apart from the Ogres and the Gizmans, they seemed very nice. I'd like to get to know them all better..." I mused.

"We'll probably have enough time for that, don't you think?

" "I really hope so!"

Someone cleared their throats cautiously behind us. We turned toward the door.

"Would you like to go to your bedrooms now?"

We looked at each other.

"We're going," Owen replied. "I'm dying of tiredness."

We rose and followed our guide. He led us to the rooms on the fourth floor. They were two enormous bedrooms, each with a four-poster double bed and curtains on all sides. There were tall mirrors, fireplaces, and, like the hallways, various tapestries and paintings. There were also elaborate, heavy wardrobes and bookshelves. We thanked the escort and went to wash up. The bathrooms were accessed from our rooms.

When we returned, pajamas and new clothes for tomorrow were laid out on the deep, high-backed armchairs. I saw it was a dress. I didn't particularly like dresses, but after all, I was now in a world that had little in common with our world in the twenty-first century. Laughing, I jumped onto the soft bed and snuggled under the covers. The soft pillows that had been strewn all over the bed fell to the ground. Soon, I fell asleep peacefully.

BOOK OF THE DRAGON IWILL-O'-THE-WISPVolume OneAct IThe Sound of an Incredible Story

My name is Marron. I live with my parents and twin brother in a small town in southern Japan. We're a happy family with no major problems, except those everyone else has. Yesterday, my brother and I turned nineteen, and that day, my grandfather came to visit us. It was a very big event in our family, because my grandfather had been missing for over forty years, and no one had the slightest idea where he might be...

That evening, when the doorbell rang, no one expected to see my grandfather. My brother, Owen, and I, of course, didn't know him, but my mother and father cried with joy for a long time afterward. My grandfather is a very kind man. But I immediately noticed he was hiding something and that not everything was as he wanted it to be...

When, late that same evening, my grandfather and I were alone, because our parents, as they often did, were away on business, he told us his story of the past forty years... It was so incredible and so fascinating that, in accordance with his wishes, we decided to see if it was truly true...

Several weeks had passed since that conversation. Unfortunately, our grandfather died of a massive stroke shortly thereafter, and so we were left alone again. It was a very difficult experience for us, losing him again, but nothing would ever be the same again. My grandfather had instilled in us a story so incredible that we simply had to test it and see for ourselves if what he told us was true...

On that cloudy day, we slowly descended the enormous boulder fields stretching along the high face of the uwaj. Trees grew at the top, but we had no way to cling to them to descend safely. Owen and I had been hiking for quite a while, intending to reach the distinctive landforms created by karst processes later today. We were descending the steep wall of the field, which was about 400 meters in diameter. I was leading the way. I had a neat hiking backpack on my back, stuffed with everything we'd need later. My little brother, Owen, already had more luggage. We both look so much alike; from a distance, you can't tell us apart. Because we're twins.

"Finally," I stopped at the bottom of the field and looked around. There was nothing but tall grass.

"I saw a few sinkholes here from above," Owen said. "We'll have to be careful, Marron.

" "Isn't it wonderful here?" I asked, delighted.

"Let's go, it's getting dark."

I followed him. Along the way, we passed numerous sinkholes, both large and small, where water collected. Owen looked at the card. It was very old, having been drawn by our grandfather. He had once told us that when we were adults, we were to travel to the River Valley to find the way to Avinlion. Owen had promised this to his grandfather, who always told us about the strangest things to be found in that land...

Suddenly, during our journey, my leg slipped. I squealed, feeling myself sliding rapidly downhill. Owen bent down to catch me, but it was too late, and he himself slipped after me into a large sinkhole. For a moment, we glided at tremendous speed through some kind of stone tunnel until we fell into deep, cold water. Fortunately, we were both good swimmers. We managed to swim to the shore, where we sat down, exhausted. Then we looked around. We had clearly found ourselves in a vast cave. There were numerous sharp stalactites, stalagmites, and even draperies. A bright beam of light streamed through the cauldron through which we had fallen, so we could see that there were no windows or cavities, as are typical of these caves. The whole scene made an incredible impression on us. Owen rubbed his forehead, helping me to my feet. He was wounded and scratched, just like me.

"Look over there!" I squealed suddenly.

Just above the smooth surface of the water, three small lights gleamed. One was green, one purple, and the third red. They swirled above the water for a moment, then sped straight towards us. Just before us, they stopped suddenly. A green light hovered just in front of me, a purple one at the entrance to a tunnel we hadn't noticed before. Without a second thought, we followed suit; we didn't know what to do with ourselves anyway.

Walking through the narrow tunnel, with stalactites hanging from almost every corner, proved even more exhausting than swimming with heavy backpacks... suddenly, we reached a siphon. This was a place where a very low ceiling plunged into an underground river, through which we were constantly wading. Three mysterious lights dipped into the water and floated down until they disappeared from sight.

"So what now?" I asked my brother uncertainly.

"Let's go, Marron. Just take a deep breath..."

He waited for me to jump into the water, then followed me. We both took a deep breath and dove in. The lights showed us the way. But the siphon was very large, and I was slowly running out of air. Owen was also starting to get worried; I saw it when he looked up anxiously. In an instant, our guides disappeared from sight. I was terrified. But it was only a current that threw us to the surface with incredible force. I was breathing hard. Owen helped me swim. The lights were waiting for us, for we were somewhere else entirely. And it certainly wasn't the Dinaric Alps...

The sky here was a mixture of blue and lilac. Three suns, lined up side by side, shone with a blinding silvery light. We sat on the shore of a stone lake situated right next to a high, almost vertical rock face. We gazed open-mouthed at our new surroundings. The trees here reminded me of pine cones, pointing upwards, and were beige in color, with round fruit growing vertically here and there. Everything else was covered in tall, green grass. In the distance, we spotted mogotes—isolated, steep-sloping white outliers. It was a truly incredible sight. Owen was utterly fascinated.

"There are no fires. They've disappeared!" I whispered, astonished.

"Are we in the Land of the Sunsword?"

Owen stood up, and at the same moment, a fierce wind sprang up, carrying with it a vast number of tiny red flower petals. When we dared to open our eyes, two gray unicorns with large wings at their sides stood before us.

"It's really happening, Marron..." my brother whispered in a choked voice. "We really are in the legendary Land of the Sunsword!"

I looked at him and felt how happy he was, and of course, I was happy for him. But perhaps all this hadn't quite sunk in yet, because it was simply impossible for the human mind to comprehend. Owen was a very, very handsome young man. He had unruly brown hair cut in a pageboy style. Large, green eyes that looked at people and the world with a cheerful and daring gaze. His dark complexion and broad chest with protective shoulders—it all created an incredibly fascinating blend of noble features and handsomeness. I smiled at him. Until then, we hadn't believed Grandpa's stories, and only because we'd promised had we gone to explore this field, hoping to find the entrance to Avinlion. Now we stood here. We didn't know how or why, but it was truly real, and we still couldn't quite believe it...

"A map!" I exclaimed unexpectedly.

Owen dropped his backpack and began searching for an inconspicuous scrap of paper, but since it was in a waterproof box, it was unharmed. He spread it out on his knee.

"Look," I pointed, "We're here.

" Grandpa said something about a lake.

"He called it the Water Gate," I added, reading the inscription on the paper.

"And we're supposed to go here now..." He pointed to the mogotes in front of us. "And that's probably why these unicorns are here."

I looked uncertainly at the animals grazing peacefully in the meadow. Owen wasn't convinced either, but we decided to give it a try. Indeed, we managed it without any problems, and since we'd known how to ride since childhood, riding wasn't difficult. The unicorns were remarkably obedient and responded to even the slightest command...

It was already completely dark when we started riding. However, we didn't know where to hide from the rain or the wind. We were also afraid of wild animals, but apparently there was nothing here but vegetation.

After the long ride, I was quite tired, and I was starting to get annoyed by my brother's stubbornness, who was determined to reach the white outcrops on the horizon that very night. I didn't want to say anything, though; my brother was a sweetheart, but his impulsiveness sometimes scared me senseless.

"Owen..." I said uncertainly. "Have you noticed there are no animals here?"

"Yes... Look how quickly the fog enveloped the entire landscape.

In fact, almost instantly we found ourselves in a milky veil, through which we could barely see anything.

"Let's stop," he said, before I shouted.

Near one of the first fields, I saw the red eyes of an animal. My Pegasus was startled, neighing fearfully and rearing up on its hind legs.

"Owen!" I squealed. "Owen..."

The horse began to prepare to run, but when I opened my eyes to realize where we were, my Pegasus was suddenly rearing again. In a single moment, a giant suddenly appeared before him, holding the loose bridle of the mount, simultaneously halting it. Soon, Owen reached us. Terrified, I sat down on the ground to rest for a moment, staring in amazement at the huge man, probably two meters tall. He was an extraordinary creature, or perhaps a demon, I couldn't quite tell. His eyes were completely red, gleaming in the night. He had ram's horns on his head, and instead of feet, he had lion's paws, which was why he wore no shoes, and we couldn't hear him as he crept up to us. He wore only dark trousers made of light material. His face was elongated, with a slight stubble. His hands were broad and large. And his chest was hairy. He looked at us, observing us intently.

"Who are you?" Owen asked, kneeling on the ground beside me.

"They call me Peorth (i.e., initiation)," he replied in a deep, masculine voice. "I have come for you.

" "For us?!!" I was surprised. "For what?

" "Our lord and ruler, Henry, once foretold that you would come.

" "Grandfather?" we asked together.

"Our ruler wanted you to know his kingdom and take charge of it. Please forgive my behavior. I'm not used to talking to people; you are a very strange race..."

The same could be said of you, I thought, rising from the ground and mounting my steed.

"It doesn't matter, I just got terribly scared..."

During the ride, as Peorth silently walked ahead of us across the grassy plain between the enormous mogotes. At one point, I couldn't contain myself anymore and asked Owen quietly:

"Our grandfather was supposed to be their ruler? They must have made a mistake, after all, grandfather..."

"Quite possible, Marron. You know he wasn't home for 45 years... he could have been practically anywhere for that long. Even here in Avinlion. I wonder what life was like here...

" "Grandpa told us about it so often, but I never believed it. Now I'm ashamed.

" "Me too, Marron. However, since we're here, we should make the most of it...

" "All right, Owen. We've fulfilled Grandpa's last will. Now it's all in our hands, what we do with the entire country."

"Marron, tell me I'm not dreaming..." Owen whispered suddenly, staring at something below us.

When I glanced after him, I was speechless with the impression that took my breath away. A vast valley suddenly stretched out before us, and at the bottom lay a beautiful city, with red, steep roofs like those on Chinese temples. And in the middle of it all, a castle. It had four towers, was square in shape, and was built entirely of stone. Peorth looked from the city to us.

"This is the first city your grandfather built. Here before you—Clonassia.

2

In Nerv, the institution protecting humanity from extinction, a red light flashed, alerting the pilots to the danger. Now everything faced the threat posed by the Angels once again.

"Shinji, you and Asuka will take care of the Angels, and Rei will prepare for takeoff in half an hour..."

Misato ran up to them as they were changing in their cabins.

"How many are there?" Asuka asked.

"Two, we haven't seen them yet. Too much fog and some strange anomalies related to the magnetic field and light...

" "It's probably something new," Shinji remarked.

"Hurry up."

She rushed to Misato's side and went to the room where the Evangelions were.

"Katsuragi, what about the pilots?"

Commander Ikari asked, sitting on the balcony.

"They should be here soon, Commander..."

Ikari nodded and looked at the Eva heads poking out of the liquid. Shinji then ran up, and his father could watch him calmly. It was hard to say what he thought of this inconspicuous boy now boarding an Evangelion. After all, so much had happened recently...

" "Cooling is finished." Docking positions checked," a male voice boomed over the speakers. "Entry plugs and pilots are already in the cockpits..."

A moment's pause, and then Misato's assistant spoke up.

"Number one ready! Number two ready!" Maya read the data from the computer and signaled to Misato that they were ready to begin.

And after a few minutes, the Evangelions disappeared onto the elevator walkways. It didn't take long before both bio-robots emerged onto the forested surface of the city.

"Shinji!"

The boy heard Asuka's voice and looked at the display.

"I'll go first, you give me a good shield.

" "OK."

The pilot nodded and looked around with interest. He couldn't see anything of interest, however, as everything was shrouded in thick fog. He didn't like it, as in such conditions it was easy to attack without being noticed. After a few minutes of waiting, both Evangelions moved forward to move away from the walkway leading to Nerv.

"What's going on, Misato? Are you sending us for nothing?" Asuka asked nervously.

"The target is approaching, be careful..." she heard in response.

"Be careful..." Shinji added.

"I always watch out!" She huffed proudly and ran forward, disappearing into the fog.

"Asuka!!!" Misato screamed. "What are you doing?!

" "I'll follow her."

Shinji replied, and leisurely walked in the direction Asuka had headed. And since quite some time had passed, Rei soon joined him.

"Did you see number two?"

"No. Nothing's known at headquarters yet either." Asuka didn't respond.

The boy swallowed, and the two continued on their way... But then they also heard an unsettling rustle. Something moved ahead of them, as the light was obscured by two enormous silhouettes of beautiful Evangelions, striding towards them.

"This... This is supposed to be our target?!" Shinji groaned.

But at that moment, he saw Number Two crashing down on one of the newcomers with a thud. The two robots slid down the slope, and the other watched them without moving. The boy even thought the other was surprised. Number Zero also entered the fray, shielded by his laser pistol fire. The new Evangelion didn't react at first, only retreating a few steps under the powerful and accurate fire. He didn't wait, however, when he realized that Rei was indeed attacking. He leaned forward, grabbed Number Zero as he ran, and then lifted it high above his head.

"Rei!" Shinji shouted in terror. "Rei!"

Number zero flew violently into the nearest building. "Oh no! What do I do now?! What do I do?!" the frantic boy thought as he fired at the target approaching him. And suddenly something grabbed him from behind, so tightly that he couldn't move. The rifle fell to the ground with a crash... He screamed in frustration, trying to break free, but his attempts were futile. Suddenly, on his monitor, through which he communicated with the other Evangelion pilots, a blurry image of a human face began to flash.

"Shinji!... Shinji...

" "Who are you?!" he said, surprised.

"We're Evangelion pilots, you attacked unnecessarily..."

The boy stopped struggling, and then the Eva holding his arms from behind released him. Number seven, standing in front of him, offered him a hand and glanced at the Evangelion standing behind him.

"We came to Japan specifically, and you're preparing this kind of welcome for us!?" He heard the amused voice of the other girl.

"What did you do to Rei and Asuka?

" "They're fine, they should be here soon..."

"Shinji! Shinji!!!" Misato's voice interrupted their conversation.

"Everything's fine, we'll be down soon." He explained flatly.

"Didn't you do anything to them? They're from America...

" "I know, it's all clear now."

Shinji looked at Rei getting up from the building and Asuka climbing the hill. "They beat us up real bad. I didn't expect it at all..."

"What's the matter, Shinji?!" Asuka screamed. "Attack!

" "They're friends..."

He replied calmly.

"I don't believe it, they attacked us!

" "You attacked us!" He heard the amused voice again.

"Let's go, the walkways are open.

" Rei suddenly spoke, and all five Evas entered TOKYO-3. Downstairs, after all the Evas had been rehydrated, the pilots emerged from their Entry Plugs to observe the new arrivals. They were two tall girls. One had short brown hair and blue eyes. Beautiful curves, and an earpiece attached to her ear. She also wore special, tall, blue glasses. The other girl had longer, dark cherry-colored hair, bordering on brown, tied in a high ponytail. Her eyes were dark, and like the first girl, she wore strange glasses.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Achika,"

the first girl said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you too, my name is Ryoko.

" "I'm Shinji...

" "We know almost everything about you, you don't need to introduce yourselves," Ryoko smiled.

"Konnihiwa."

They heard Commander Ikari's voice. Rei and the others watched as he walked across the walkway toward them. He had clearly been expecting their arrival. Achika approached him and, shaking his hand, said politely,

"We didn't expect such a welcome, Commander. You really keep too much under wraps.

" "We apologize, but it's best to be careful here."

Achika nodded.

"So we are, if possible, we'd like to speak with you in private..." Ryoko joined the conversation.

"Yes, please..."

The Commander pointed to the door leading to the exit and, with a quick glance at the bewildered pilots, followed the new pilots out. When they sat down quietly in his office, the girls explained the whole situation to him.

"It's absurd that the Angels would be hunting me!" Ikari said after a long moment.

"This is as much a surprise to us as it is to you. Our command suspected that it was solely due to your position. You understand, don't you?" Achika asked.

"I understand..." He nodded. "And you come from America to tell me about this?"

"From Nerv... Are you surprised?" Ryoko smiled. "It's certainly quite unusual. However, do you perhaps remember your brother, who emigrated to the USA a few years ago? He's the founder of the American organization. So it's no wonder he ordered us to come here and take care of you.

" "But that's nonsense, my brother...

" "Yes, he was at odds with you; but now that he's realized it, he preferred to forget about it and help you." Achika handed him a diskette. "This is a letter for you, please read it."

Commander Ikari reached for it with a trembling hand and after a moment, put it in his pocket.

"Commander!" Misato burst into the room. "An Angel Attack!" Unfortunately, all the Evas are in a cooling state, and it's impossible to resist…"

Achika looked at the terrified Misato for a moment, then turned to Ikari.

"Please send us.

" "But you were in combat just now," Misato said.

"Our Evas aren't built like these. They can be used at any time," Ryoko said.

"Go, let's see what you can do.

" Ikari nodded and headed for his balcony, as the other girls ran toward the Evangelions.

"Ryoko!"

Achika said, turning on her microphone by pressing a button by her ear.

"Yes, sir! We'll get to him.

" "Great."

The girl smiled, and both Evangelions surfaced. Their enemy was already waiting for them there. He was under fire from what looked like miniature helicopters, but that didn't bother him much. Number six, piloted by Ryoko, charged into the fray as Evangelion Achika stood quietly on the sidelines.

"What are they doing?" Shinji whispered, looking at the massive screen projected on the wall.

"A brilliant tactic."

Misato nodded, admiring Ryoko's actions. Meanwhile, Number six attacked an Angel that resembled a robot. Yet, at the same time, it was very different. It had four pairs of long, spiky arms and a tiny head resembling a circle with two holes in the center. Number six didn't hesitate for a moment. He dodged the Angel's attacks for a moment, and when he got close enough, he lifted it high above his head, simultaneously throwing it into the air.

"Now Achika!" the girl shouted.

Number seven swished into the air to strike him with all his might, sending the Angel crashing into the ground. There was no need to finish him off. The blow was perfectly aimed, causing his entire circulatory system to explode, rupturing his heart and internal organs. Clouds of dust rose into the air, covering the entire battlefield. Achika crouched deftly beside the dead body and glanced at Number six, who had carved a piece of the Angel's armor.

"Hide it well..." she whispered to her.

"Sure."

The other agreed, smiling contentedly. When the initial daze in headquarters subsided, the commander looked at the others and took a deep breath.

"They defeated him in less than 45 seconds, and how long will it take you!?

" "I only need 36 seconds," Asuka said indignantly.

Shinji glanced at his father; he'd never seen him so pale.

"It's ridiculous that the three of you couldn't defeat a single Angel. And yet two people managed perfectly well, even without weapons. What's more, they move so agilely, as if they were part of them...

" "Commander..." Misato tried to defend them, but she couldn't find the words.

At that moment, the door slid open for the two novices, who calmly stopped right in front of the door.

"Good job." The commander nodded.

"Thank you. Although it wasn't that difficult." Ryoko laughed modestly.

Achika was pale, and Misato noticed.

"Sorry, you must be sleepy." She looked expectantly at Commander Ikari.

"You may leave; your mission is complete for now." He smiled and waved them away.

Misato got into her car and glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing both girls and Asuka. Shinji sat next to her.

"I'll take you to the hotel first, then we'll figure something out.

" "Okay, our parents should call soon, then we'll find each other..." Ryoko agreed, looking anxiously at Achika, who was clearly not feeling well.

"Oh, so your parents are in Japan too?" Misato asked with interest.

"Yes, they were on the ships that escorted us. They arrived at the port around seven in the morning... We haven't had any contact with them since then. However, they were supposed to call us on their cell phones after completing all the formalities related to our stay in Japan."

Both girls looked with interest at the city they were driving through. Until now, they had only heard about it from their commander, who spoke of it often. "TOKYO-3 is a city composed of a mixture of residential buildings and various structures used to house the Evangelions, especially the large number of exit holes. In an emergency, the residential buildings sink into shelters several hundred meters deep in the ground. Civilians are relocated to these shelters. The first relocation of the capital Tokyo-2 to Tokyo-3 took place in 2016," he said once, and from that moment on, both girls dreamed of one day being able to see this amazing and fascinating city.

"...The hotel you'll be staying in is called Phi Long, and you'll certainly be pleased with it..." Misato smiled, turning the car onto a side street.

"Thank you..."

Achika got out of the car, slamming the door.

NEW GOSPEL>> NGE

"...When I arrived here, everything still seemed easy... I didn't know that my father was here, eight years later, calling me to... Exactly, what am I doing here?! I'm fighting Angels and risking my life, and he hasn't even thanked me yet. I'll probably never understand him... My soul is torn between reality and dream. I long for death so much that the very thought of suicide repulses me. I want to leave here, but I can't. Trapped for better or worse in the hell of fate... Life can be truly cruel..." – thought the boy walking to school along the empty sidewalk, above which only a single tree rustled in the spring breeze. He wasn't particularly handsome, but it was his inconspicuous silhouette that caught the eye. Dark, shiny hair and brown eyes... Now he was dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and dark pants, and he had a book bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hurry!"

He heard a girl's voice behind him. He looked back and spotted a beautiful girl his age, who, as she reached him, took a deep breath. He had time to study her for a moment. The girl had long hair, a color he couldn't quite pinpoint, a mix of blond and red. Her lush bangs fell loosely over her forehead, and she had sparkling blue eyes. He nodded when she repeated her request, and they both set off toward the concrete school building.

"Do you think Ayanami will come today?"

The boy walked for a moment, remembering the face of the girl his companion had asked about. Rei had short, flowing blue hair that fell in streams around her face and deep, red eyes. She was very strange, in his opinion. He felt uneasy around her because she almost never smiled, and she didn't speak unless asked. In short, she was a very mysterious and inscrutable person. This was all the more strange because the computers had no information about her. Literally nothing that would allow anyone to get to know her. He truly never understood this girl, though Asuka was even worse, because she couldn't stand her. The girl next to him was neither calm nor even-tempered, because she had a temper...

"I don't know..." He replied after a moment. "If she has practice today.

" "If only they could get my Eva back on her feet quickly; she took a real beating after the last fight.

" "Yes, it's good that Rei came then.

" "What do you mean?" Asuka snapped, giving him a nudge in the side.

"Nothing, let's go, classes start soon..."

The students weren't in school yet, and the hallways were empty. As they stepped onto the metal floor, their footsteps echoed hollowly against the walls. "I've never harbored any dreams or ambitions. I've never aspired to a career or profession for the future. Until now, for the first fourteen years of my life, things had always been as they had to be. And everything would most likely continue to be that way. That's why I never really cared if I had an accident or simply died..." He remembered his school report, always reminded himself of it, even against his will, when he found himself in the gloomy school building...

"Misato said we were supposed to report to Nerv after school.

" "I remember,"

Asuka muttered as she climbed the stairs. The two of them weren't on the best of terms, but when it came down to it, they knew how to work together. And as long as they did, everything was fine. Classes started promptly, but the rather uninteresting lecture dragged on endlessly. Shinji unconsciously shifted his gaze to Ayanami's empty seat and left it there. Just a few more minutes and he'd be home. Although the boy had never been fond of calling the place he lived in his home. But he always had the feeling that, despite everything, his father was there... Who didn't love him... No! He didn't want to think that way, even though he felt nothing for him except a filial affection, without any feelings. He stood up, his eyes glued to Rei's empty seat, and began putting his books into his bag, then left. Just like every day. Just like always...

In Nerv, he encountered no surprises, cold walls sheathed in iron and concrete. Endless corridors and announcements from the radio station... Nothing new, nothing interesting. Just some pipes hanging from the ceiling, and someone had just walked through. He must have been in a hurry. Upon reaching the room where they were changing into their pilot uniforms, he saw Asuka's belongings lying on the floor. "She must have arrived already..." he thought, placing his things in the locker. Putting on the uniform wasn't easy, but it was possible to get some practice after a few months. The plug suit was a type of costume that every pilot must wear when piloting an Evangelion. It enhanced the pilot's synchronization with the Eva, and the only thing necessary for piloting was to attach a transmitter to their hair. It resembled hairpins. From behind the metal wall, he heard Asuka talking to Kaji. The man must have been quite nervous to have taken care of her in Germany. Shinji smiled ironically and stepped outside, cast a quick glance their way, and continued on his way. It was there, behind that door, that he controlled... The magnificent Evangelion. Truly, those who had never been here have no idea of ​​all the things that affected his well-being. The door slid open with a soft hum in front of him, and then he saw the Eva's head. It was enormous, somewhat resembling a human face. With a long metal "horn" protruding from its forehead and a long beard. If he remembered correctly... This robot had a body similar to a human, with long, thin arms and legs, and an exceptionally narrow torso. When he first came here and saw this head in the water, or rather, swimming, he was shocked. He was supposed to get into this monster... Him?!... And now he knows that this is "the most powerful multi-purpose weapon ever created by man..." The Evangelion bio-robot, and that it is he, Shinji Ikari, who will pilot it.

"Shinji!" He heard a cheerful cry from a woman behind him.

He turned and looked at Misato, his guardian. She truly was an amazing person, with a magnificent figure, dark hair, and brown eyes. He lived at home with her, and she, even though she was only 29, was never averse to beer. Perhaps that was why he often couldn't talk to her calmly. Although he wasn't sure if he really wanted to...

"Shinji!" she said, standing beside him. "Just starting practice for now, try your best, then...

" "Okay, Mrs. Misato." He nodded, walking up the walkway to the Entry Plug.

He slowly slid inside and sat down at the controls, which resembled two handles. After a few seconds, a fluid began to flow in, a familiar one... He felt strange every time the substance filled his lungs and allowed him to breathe.

"Synchronization rate abnormality 0.89%. Number one is ready..." Maya filled in the data and looked expectantly at Misato.

"Begin."

The woman nodded. Shinji easily entered the room where they always practiced during the quiet hours upstairs. Now he could let off some steam.

"The target is set..."

An Angel appeared on the wall, the one the boy was supposed to shoot at. Slowly, unhurriedly, he aimed and began to attack. He hadn't had any problems with such exercises for several months now, so his guardian praised him profusely for them. And he didn't know if he was doing it for her, for the praise, or for himself...

...Another day, I wasn't at school because they were practicing for the starting exercises for number zero. As I sat in Eva, I thought that if she weren't here, I wouldn't be here... I wouldn't have anything to live for, because I was born for her. I'm a part of her. What a strange feeling, being a part of something so perfect, but am I worthy of such a wonderful job!? Is this my place, by her side? As if it could be any other way, I don't know any other way to be. I live for her, and she's only mine, and even if I died, no one would cry for me, because... Yes, yes... No one knows, but I do, and when I think about it, I want to cry. But can I cry? I can't laugh either, because I don't know the feelings others have. I'm myself, a very strange me...

Rei's room was relatively tidy, or rather, tidy, because only the things she truly needed were there. The mailbox was piled high with unopened letters. Perhaps she didn't need to open them, or perhaps it hadn't occurred to her yet. She didn't live in Nerv; she preferred the huge apartment building with gray windows and walls filled with gray. After returning from the competition rehearsals, she hadn't even had time to make herself a cup of tea; now she'd rest and get a good night's sleep. She'd start school in a few days. Time flies, after all. She didn't know what was happening in politics, even in the city, and she didn't even care, because why? Commander Ikari told her today that she did a great job, even though number zero wasn't syncing as expected. She looked in the mirror and stared at it for a long time. That's when the commander helped her, and now she bears these terrible scars on her hands... back when they lost control of the Evangelion.

Oh, Evangelion, just her... What would she do without him, would she be here, would she even be alive?! These questions constantly swirled in her head, every time she saw the commander's broken glasses. There's another story connected to those glasses... That time when Shinji came to me and brought me a renewed ID card. And me? I was just getting out of the shower... And I didn't react, I was the same as always, and then... He dropped the glasses to the ground, and I went to pick them up, and Shinji fell on top of me... It was a very strange feeling. Although I didn't experience it the same way Ikari did. He acted somehow... I don't know... I have no opinion on it, although he probably does. I wonder what he thought of me. It was all quite unexpected... Rei put the glasses on the table and took off her shirt to change. She wasn't going to wash them as long as nothing was happening in the city, no one would come to see her. That's how it always was. First of all, no one knew how to talk to her or behave around her. And she didn't exactly seek out company. Even though she was a very introverted girl, she waited for someone to melt the ice around her. You could say I have some rather strange thoughts for a fourteen-year-old. Besides, it probably wouldn't have changed anything, and it doesn't... She sat on the windowsill of the wide window, which she never opened, so as not to hear the roar of cars passing nearby... I was selected based on the Marduk Institute's report as the first test subject, the "first children." And yet, I should be proud of that. Yet somehow I can't and don't want to be proud. I only feel grateful that Evangelion gave me purpose for my miserable life. Because it only exists when I'm needed to save humanity. But it doesn't matter to me anyway, I'll do what they tell me, because Commander Ikari gives the orders... "In this world, I only trust Commander Ikari..." She thought, a strange feeling filling her heart. Okay, maybe I'm an introvert and don't show my feelings outwardly, but that really shouldn't matter to anyone... Or maybe? Ayanami rested her forehead on her knees and pondered. "This body, this is me... This, this shape that makes me. But I feel as if I'm not myself... Very strange..." They should be pleased with me, after all, I've never disobeyed anyone, I've always followed their orders. Oh, let it be true, let them praise her... She missed this so much... My Eva, my dear Evangelion, to whom I owe my existence. A huge, human-like figure, yet in reality, a bio-robot, part of the whole. Her Evangelion looked very much like Shinji's, only with a different head. Because her robot had one round eye and the same deviating shape of a human face. The eye was therefore protected by a long, pointed visor. And the similarities werethat, just like in number one, number zero had a long beard. Rei liked her, Eva, because she was her only friend in life...

The days passed very quickly, so she decided to go back to school and finally change her thoughts. Everything was starting to get too complicated. When she got there, she noticed a strange commotion in the classroom...

"Did you hear that!? Toji's going to pilot an Evangelion!

" "Impossible!

" "That's right! He told me himself today!" Kensuke shouted excitedly, standing on his desk.

"I don't believe you!

" "But when is that? He's not at school today because he stayed for the launch tests and went to Nerv, can you imagine!?"

Rei sat with her back to them, but she listened to their conversation with interest. She hadn't known Toji would be accepted so quickly... Sure, the commander had mentioned something to her, but she didn't want to believe that he... It seemed unlikely. But if they were to become friends, she wouldn't mind. Not her! And anyway, I wonder how he's doing back at Nerv. After all, number four had never been tried before. And when there were exercises with number zero, there were terrible problems, even though she was promised it wouldn't happen again... And that was indeed the case, but with number four, there's no telling what will happen, hopefully nothing as terrible as she'd experienced... A violent silence fell, so Rei decided to pull herself together and finally gather her scattered thoughts, although it wasn't all that easy... Toji, will we ever meet again? She thought about it rather strangely, because she couldn't even imagine what tragedy would unfold in the near future...

How much longer do we have to sit here? I don't want to anymore... How boring is this, it's impossible to listen to such nonsense... They could start talking sense... I wonder what Shinji is doing again, he's not at school again, and I'm sitting here instead of going for lemonade with Mr. Kaji, it's so hot...

The professor was lecturing on the history of the Second Impact, which changed the course of human history.

In the final year of the 20th century, a massive meteorite struck Antarctica. In an instant, the icy continent melted, causing sea levels to rise by as much as 20 meters. Weather anomalies began to occur around the world, and an economic crisis ensued...

The kids gathered here will surely believe such fairy tales, but I don't. It's completely different! "Because fifteen years ago, a human-shaped object was discovered at the South Pole—the first 'angel,' as they called it. While it was being studied, for unknown reasons, a huge explosion occurred, and this is the truth about the second impact"... And not some nonsense... When will this finally end? I want to go home, I have to endure these stupid ten minutes... Ayanami came today. I wonder if her launch tests were successful, but it's best not to talk to her, she's terribly strange. Sigh... Finally, Kensuke! Where did he go again?

- Kensuke! Come here!

- What's the matter, Asuka?

- Can you lend me a diskette for tomorrow?

- You didn't write?

- That's none of your business! Will you give it to me?!

- Yeah... Yeah...

Now, let's go home. I can't imagine sitting here for a few more hours. I've already graduated from a German university, and now I have to deal with such trivial matters. Well, for a fourteen-year-old, I'm very intelligent, and number two is completely under my control. Mr. Kaji already praised me so much after I came here to Japan. It's true, I was sad to leave my former country, but it's not so bad here, and finally something is happening... Heh, heh... Shinji will probably jump out of his pants when he finds out I've moved to Misato. Besides, it won't be too much of a surprise to him anyway; I'm one of them, a pilot... And I hope Kaji isn't with that nanny of ours, after all, he promised me we'd go out for ice cream. Oh, if only I knew what he was doing. I should hurry; I still have to check on my Evangelion. If only they'd take good care of him; he should be well rested after such a trip. I didn't expect an attack at sea, but that Angel was very easy to defeat. Especially with my abilities. After all, I'm the most intelligent of the three of us, and they'd like to equal me. They won't be able to wait! It won't be that easy for them. I still remember their faces when I took out those guys in front of the arcade the first time we met. I showed them what I could do then, and it wasn't that hard at all, because they barely put up a fight, and I was exceptionally furious... Heh, heh... But I'll never forget when I revealed my secret to Shinji. I don't know why I did it, but it slipped my mind so easily, and now I don't regret it... We were about to go to bed, and the conversation turned to talking about his father, and then about me... After all, I don't have a father; my mother only bought someone else's sperm from a bank, because I'm a test-tube baby... A test-tube baby... The bank my father sold the sperm to conducts very rigorous donor testing—checking if you qualify—education and character... And then I have to be someone chosen and special, I can't be like Shinji or Rei... I was chosen from among many to become an Evangelion pilot. When I defeat Angels in battle and earn the recognition of others, I'm happy. We have that in common, Shinji and I, even though that dimwitted boy doesn't want to admit it... I was called the second child, chosen to fight... Everyone admires me and is proud of me. Although I've had some unfortunate fights, too, in which I had some real problems. But it wasn't my fault! It was Shinji! It was the first time it happened to me with him, and it wasn't my fault. But no! Everyone immediately jumped at me, because it shouldn't be happening to me. And Shinji!? Well, that's my life, and it's probably not much different from other girls' lives... Except I'm special, chosen... But I like this life.If it weren't for my past, which I can't seem to come to terms with, I'd certainly be even better off here... Oh yes, my past... I guess no one knows about it, and no one should know either. Let them recognize me exactly as they met me, let nothing change...

"Miss Misato!"

Asuka shouted into the depths of their guardian's apartment.

"She just left with Kaji...

" Shinji suddenly appeared in the doorway of his room.

"With Kaji!?" Asuka screamed. "He was supposed to go for ice cream with me!!!"

"He told me to apologize..."

Shinji muttered.

"Oh, that's right..."

The girl entered with a spring in her step and, throwing herself into an armchair, began playing with her curls.

"I see you're moving in with us.

" "Yes.

" "Oh no..." The boy groaned in horror.

"What?! Is there something you don't like?!"

"No, no... I didn't say anything.

" "I hope so.

" "I'm getting more and more afraid of you every day..." the boy thought as he entered his room.

4

He rode lost in thought and a little nervous about his reactions. Why was he so concerned about that goat? He wandered through the forest for a while when he suddenly heard laughter and some conversation. He dismounted and tied the bridle to a tree trunk, then cautiously made his way in that direction.

He hid behind an old fallen tree trunk and frowned ominously at the unexpected sight.

Lilii was sitting with three men and two young girls from the village. It was autumn, so they went mushroom hunting together. She was dressed in a modest cloak, so they assumed she was new to the village. They were very friendly and kind, and she enjoyed talking to them immensely. She liked Sylvanus, even though he was mischievous and annoying, but he loved nature very much; the marshes, groves, and orchards were his little world. The villagers used to scare children with him when they played by breaking tree branches. He was handsome, despite his 30 years. Somnus, dressed in black and with dark eyes, seemed terrifying, but he had warm eyes and a sincere smile. He was the God of Sleep, a son of the Night and brother of Death. Pomona was a very beautiful nymph, the protector of fruit and flowers, as she said. Mania was a very fragile girl, reminiscent of the Erinyes, with white pupils, a fact that terrified Lilii when she began to explain her abilities. She possessed a terrible power to awaken madness in those guilty and drive them to mindless acts, murder, and sacrilege. The last was Echion, one of the five men born from dragon teeth.

She didn't even notice Ligolas striding confidently toward them. He stood beside her and replied,

"Good evening," he bowed appropriately, then added, "Lilianna, I've been looking for you... It's late, will you come back to the castle with me?"

She looked at him uncertainly. She had no intention of returning now; she had grown fond of these strange creatures, and now Ligolas had found her and her magical place. She didn't mind that he had found her, but she wanted a place where no one would easily hear about it.

"Ligolas, but I don't want to go back yet... please come sit with us..." "Is he angry with me? Again?" she thought, and after a moment, she made room on the tree stump for him to sit down.

"Thank you..." he replied dryly, then sat down next to her.

Echion lit a fire, and Somnus and Sylvanus brought in the wood. It was already dark, the stars now looking beautiful in the clear sky. As everyone settled around the fire, the unfamiliar, terrifying sounds of some creatures could be heard in the distance in the fog. She groaned at the thought, and now she regretted not going with Ligolas when he asked.

"Don't be afraid... it's just Lamia, or Cyclopes, or..." Sylvanus, who had been staring at her for a long time, replied dryly.

"I'm not afraid, well, maybe a little, but I feel safe with you," she replied with a faint, uncertain smile.

They had a very pleasant conversation, and she felt as if she had known them for a long time. They laughed a lot when Echion began to recount his childhood adventures. She learned that Pomona was engaged to Sylwen, which didn't surprise her much, as they both loved nature and were a perfect match. Somnus claimed he still had time and didn't want to marry at twenty-two. Mania loved Aragorn; he was a very brave warrior, as she said, he fought for himself, beholden to no one. When it came to her, she hesitated to answer. She felt Ligolas's gaze on her, now energetically snapping dry twigs.

"I... I don't think I can love, I don't want to hurt anyone, or love..." She looked up at the sky as if to examine something.

"And why do you think that's so?" Pomona asked, running her fingers through her shoulder-length red hair.

"Oh, well... it seems to me... I'm simply not destined to find my soulmate, and honestly, I don't want to love anyone, I want to be alone. It seems to me that a person who is alone has fewer problems...

" "I also thought that love wasn't worth it, but now... living with such a feeling is something beautiful, don't give up, my dear, anyone can love..." Mania was concerned.

"I don't know, it all makes no sense.

" "I understand you..." Somnus chimed in.

"Aj, Lilii... don't worry about the future, you have us. If your soulmate hasn't found you yet, know that we'll always be there when you need help, and as for those men, it would be difficult for you in this world without us..." Sylwen smiled.

"Blah, blah... But there's some truth in it..." Pomona gently snuggled up to him.

When Sylwen tenderly stroked her cheek, Lilia understood how much he loved her. Even though it might seem he was made of ice, without feeling, he was actually incredibly tender and gentle. She just didn't understand why he was acting so coldly.

When Echion asked Ligolas the same question, he replied hastily.

"I, I've loved this one person close to me for a very long time, but she's terribly childish and doesn't seem to suspect anything... I made a terrible mistake a long time ago... and she... and she... forgave me... back then I thought she loved me too, but now I don't know what to think.

" "Does she have many men around her? I mean, now does..." someone asked.

"Oh yes... it angers me so much that sometimes I want to throw whatever comes to hand at everyone."

A terribly unsettling silence reigned in the forest. Lilia was terrified not so much of the forest but of the silence.

And when something hard and angular landed on her shoulder, she jumped up and sat on Ligolas's lap, doing so as skillfully as if it were a normal reflex, wrapping her arms around his neck anxiously but firmly and glancing nervously around the misty forest.

The group began to laugh at her fear, but Ligolas seemed unconcerned.

"Don't be afraid, it's just a piece of branch..." Somnus wiped tears of laughter from his beautiful black eyes.

"You're so timid... what will happen when you come face to face with Lamia..." Sylwen replied dryly, but he too was amused by the situation; he couldn't help but laugh.

"That's not funny! I was really scared!" She was so angry with herself.

As she spoke, and rage against the others, she felt warm, strong hands gripping her hips for a long time.

"Sylwen, don't be mean, don't tease her..." Pomona shouted, then immediately added, "Forgive us, Lilianna, but we have to get ready slowly. The road is long and night has long fallen...

" "Yes, you're right, it's time to go, we have to get ready too," Echion added

. After these words, everyone said goodbye, and watching them go, she was left alone with Ligolas. They stood for a moment, staring into the distance, then Ligolas replied,

"Let's go." He turned briskly and set off into the forest, not checking to see if she could keep up with his pace.

"Wait! I can't see anything!" She pushed through the bushes, trying to catch up with him.

"Aaaaah..." she fell into some bushes. "Well, I've torn my dress," she thought, and with tears in her eyes, she slowly got up and started walking.

"Ligolas..." she whispered, so afraid of being left alone.

She wandered helplessly through the forest for a while, when at the least expected moment, a hand grabbed her and began to drag her.

"Who are you, leave me alone! Ligolas! Ligolas!" she screamed, trying to wrench herself free from his strong grip.

"Ligolas..." she whispered through her tears.

"What?!" he growled, stopping.

"Ligolas?" she wiped her tears. "You! How can you do this? I thought... You monster, how can you scare me like that!" she screamed, beating his chest with all her might.

He stood frozen, not even defending himself. And as she helplessly fell to her knees, trying to control her anger and fear, she saw from the corner of her eye that he was also kneeling, reaching out for her.

She watched him, sobbing. She slowly drew her legs up and unconsciously buried her face in her hands. "How could he? I was so afraid... and now he's asking me to go with him... what have I done to him, why is he taking revenge on me?"

"Leave me alone!" she screamed as he picked her up and started toward the horse.

"No..." he replied, more calmly.

"I can't stand it anymore..." a sob interrupted her sentence.

"What...?" he replied, and he put her on his horse, then did the same himself. He set off at a trot towards the castle. After a moment of silence, he asked again:

"What can't you stand?

" "You're always taking revenge on me! And I don't even know why!

" "What can't you stand..." he repeated

. "Another humiliation..." she muttered and turned her back to him.

She felt relieved that she had finally told him, she trusted him so much... even though he took such revenge on her and treated her so harshly, she couldn't stay angry with him.

"Sit behind me, please...

" "What, am I even bothering you here? But fine..."

Soon she was sitting in the back. Ligolas sat tense, and when she wrapped her bare knees around his hips, her dress riding up slightly, and her arms wrapped around his muscular stomach, he groaned, feeling his manhood growing and that soon he wouldn't be able to contain himself. He so desperately craved her closeness to her body, he was so shocked by the rebellion of his body that he wanted to scream with anger. He had never felt such a feeling, had never been interested in a woman's body... she probably yearned to feel his warmth and closeness just as much as he did, but the thought of what might happen if he started kissing her... she would give herself to him without hesitation, and that blocked her. She didn't want to be easy, but she couldn't resist him if something came to it, and she didn't want it. She didn't want him to exploit her desire.

"I'm really trying... but your closeness is driving me crazy." "God help me, I wouldn't do anything to her beyond her will!" he thought.

"I see..." So I bother him so much, does he dislike me so much that he has to say such things?" "I'm sure I won't be happy in one place, you or I should split up... I'll ask my aunt to do something about it.

" "Maybe... but I don't want to! If I were someone more important to some count, and I asked you to marry me, Lilianna... what would you answer me?" After these words, he galloped away, as if trying to escape from himself and his stupidity.

"I don't know, please don't ask me, I really like you, but it's not love... I don't want to marry someone I don't love." "How can he ask me something like that? I don't know what life is, I don't know what love is, I don't know who he is."

A week passed, Ligolas didn't show up at the castle after their last conversation, and then he left without even saying goodbye, leaving sometime in the middle of the week. She resented him, she'd been so angry with him at the time. Two days later, she learned that orcs had attacked Zuiden, a powerful elven nation in the human lands, and that Ligolas had gone there to defend their lands; she was so afraid for him. Bran and Taranis took over her care, but they didn't become guardians, but brothers. She was so happy when they were with her; when she was sad, they helped her, and God forbid anyone did anything to her; they were truly like older brothers.

Two years passed, she was nineteen, and everyone told her she had grown very beautiful and had become a woman in appearance. She wasn't particularly thrilled by their compliments, but she wasn't angry either. Kiara had taught her many things; she was amazed at how much she'd learned in those two years. Angitia taught her the art of making poisons and antidotes, and taught her snake charms. She wasn't sure if she fully understood them, but she knew the magic words that repelled demons. Sylvan and Pomona had two children, a boy, Alson, and a girl, Frasa. She was very fond of them, and they often met on the swing, where they taught her how to communicate with nature, how to sense anxiety, fear, pain, and how to use the hidden powers of the forest. It was, how should I put it, a very interesting yet also very painful experience. She had never realized how much a broken branch hurt a tree.

One day, as was her custom after dinner, she went for a walk. She was running with the young wolf, Ner, whom Sylvan had given her, through meadows full of flowers. She ran into a dense garden, unaware when a figure suddenly blocked her path. She was so frightened that she jumped back and fell on her butt. The man seemed familiar, but at the same time, she couldn't remember where she knew him from. He leaned over her and offered her his hand so she could stand. He had a slashed scar on his cheek; it was clear he'd been in a knife fight with someone. His figure was very masculine, and his black eyes, peeking out from behind his dark fringe, stared at her with a mixture of regret and anger, a sense of resentment.

"Tari nifat ni pelianneni bad na dail lin si buiad udhan a thar... (I apologize, sir, I was careless. I apologize.)" She curtsied, and as she was about to leave the scene, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.

"Don't you know who I am? Don't you recognize me?" He stared at her face, his hands gripping her waist tightly.

- And I will be happy, I will be happy, I will be happy, I will be happy... (You seem familiar to me, sir, and you even remind me of someone, but he left a long time ago and...)

- Ligolas? - he asked and smiled to himself.

"Iono, benitchno Ligolas hon btlin? Sanadej ni nara dejoni mina salisi siboj kojano mi asanalej..." (Yes. Ligolas, do you know him? He gives no sign of life, I'm so worried, is he..." The mere thought that he might be dead made her dizzy.

"No, he's alive..." he said, pulling his hood from his head.

"No, no... it's Ligolas! It's my Ligolas!" she thought.

"Ligolas!" She hugged him as tightly as she could, tears streaming down her face. She missed him so much, wanted to see him, talk to him, and now he stood before her.

"Yes, unfortunately, it's me..." He pushed the girl away and looked into her face again.

"Denisa? Lini naj kibina jeguna, a nu? Baradi laste, nis!" Giko misu nije werbli ni lubi... (Unfortunately? I was so worried, and you! No letter, nothing! For two years in uncertainty and fear... - she turned on the pole as was her habit and started walking towards the palace.

- Lili... - he took a deep breath - Your parents, they are dead... the evil forces are not idle, we have to leave this place as soon as possible... they will be here soon, I came for you with my people.

- My parents are dead? Will the evil forces come here? - she started speaking in human language now she stood frozen, not understanding, she was sad because her parents died... but she didn't cry, she hardly knew them, but they were so kind and understanding to her.

- My people are getting ready to go, the horses are surely ready for poultry and equipped with food, weapons and blankets. You too go, dress appropriately for the journey, pack warm clothes, autumn is coming and we have a long way home Immortals to our elven land.

After these words, he pulled her towards the castle. There, preparations for the journey were underway. Three wagons stood side by side, loaded with essentials, and countless horses. A moment later, she ran to my chamber, where Saya was already packing her clothes, soap, a brush, and a box of herbs. She changed into her armor and threw a cloak over it. Then she grabbed her bag and armor and set off with Saya, who was carrying her suitcase, sobbing to herself. Outside, everyone was ready to go. Aunt Albunea and Uncle Boreas were also ready. They had already known about her parents' deaths, as Albunea was a nymph with the gift of prophecy and was one of the most famous oracles in the Maenads, the elven forests. So they decided to take over her parents' role and care for her and ensure her future.

Ligolas decided to split up, as if they all rode together, they would quickly catch the eye of invisible beings and others. So Boreas, his wife, and his guards, numbering about fifty, and three wagons, set off. Ligolas and his guards stayed overnight at the castle, wanting to maintain a safe distance between the two groups of riders. So, before noon the next day, a large group of riders left Tara. Ligolas, Bran, Taranis, Lilianna, Saya, Lana, Mania, Echion, Kiara, fifteen guards, and, of course, Nero. The procession looked impressive, even though they had left the carriage at home. It seemed they would travel faster and easier without it. After all, no one knew what roads awaited them in the southwest. They traveled far in the first few days. The girls were brave; by evening they seemed tired, but none of them complained. Even Mania, who always managed to make a scene for the slightest reason. She could dramatically relive an insect bite for hours, for example, was now afraid, afraid of what awaited her. Ligolas was worse; she worried about Lilia. He'd barely managed to get some sleep after one long and dangerous expedition, and another was already beginning. Deep down, she was very happy to be riding with them; with him, she felt safe. Taranis rode up to Lilia on his bay horse.

"So, how's the ride?" he asked tenderly.

"Nothing hurts yet, so I guess it's good." She smiled.

"That's good ," he praised

. He looked around and called to those riding ahead,

"Aren't we somewhere near the river in Elis?"

"Yes, we're getting there," replied Daran and Ligolas, who had traveled this route many times recently.

"Taranis, you know what... I don't want to interrupt our journey, but I'm terribly hungry, and..."

"I understand, to be honest, I'm hungry too..." he called, placing his hand on her wound. "Could we stop here? We're starving!"

It soon turned out that everyone was starving, so when they heard the suggestion to stop for something to eat, everyone was happy. They settled down under a tree and began unpacking their backpacks. Everyone sat down with relief on the grass and began eating. They had no time to think about hunger, and now they were practically swallowing their food instead of chewing it. It was getting dark, but despite that, the group of riders didn't want to spend the night in the forest. And they were right to be afraid; the forest was full of creatures, just waiting for someone to stray from the path. Dark rain clouds stretched across the sky; the mere fact that they would have to ride in the rain didn't bode well; they would have to stop. And just as they thought, it began to rain. With no shelter, they had to seek shelter under large trees in the forest. Not the best place, as the thunderstorm was drawing closer and closer...