From Sheina's diary... (45)

... (seventh month, second week, fourth day)

"From the balcony there is a beautiful view of the entire gorge. In the setting sun, the water shimmers in more subdued colors. But tiny droplets of water floating above the waterfalls still reflect light. Until the sun sets. Part of the canyon looks as if night had descended upon it. But that didn't make these places dark and inaccessible. One by one, lamps or torches were lit. Although the glow they produced didn't resemble fire. It was more like a giant firefly enclosed in a glass vessel. During the day, I passed by more than one such lamp. And there was nothing inside – an empty space. They looked like bushes with yellowish leaves, with a glass ball between them. I wonder how it works. Besides, I've noticed that most things here function in a way I can't explain. For example, in each room there's a tiny corner, With a mirror and the same ball hanging above it, and a mysterious device from which water flowed. It didn't seem strange. You'd think it was some kind of well. But in every room? Besides, I didn't see any pumps anywhere that could pump the water. I remember how the elders of my village once wanted a fountain in the middle of the market square. It wasn't very big or impressive. But the problem was that in the exact spot they had envisioned, there was no water. Even the nearest well was quite far away. It was quite amusing to watch half the town pondering how to constantly supply water to this fountain. And finally, they came up with an idea, but besides the beautiful decoration, a huge pump appeared in the market, which didn't always work either. Here, however, I didn't notice any mechanical devices. You simply move a small lever slightly, and the water flows into something shaped like a bowl attached to the wall. A very pretty one, by the way, with floral motifs. Besides, there were plenty of them everywhere, and the whole room It smelled of flowers. I was incredibly happy when I could finally lie down and rest.

In this place, which in the human world I would call an inn or a guesthouse, a few travelers stop, journeying deep into the elven realm for some purpose. Most are merchants or messengers. Our arrival was rather unusual. Immediately after opening the gate, Neiwa, for that was the name of the elven woman who greeted us, informed us that our rooms were ready and that she would personally escort us to them. This place is located in the human part of the city, so to speak. The elves didn't even want to see the Dark One, let alone host him under their roof. Therefore, few of them came to the gate. Most were humans. They stared at us with such strange concentration. And suddenly, one after another, they began bowing in our direction. I felt very uneasy, especially since everyone was staring at me!

"Riviln, what's going on?" "I'm afraid of you," I whispered, tugging at his sleeve like a small child would when they're scared and desperate to attract attention.

"This is for you, Guardian," Shae murmured.

"Everyone here knows who you are and the burden you carry," Riviln added.

"Exactly. You won't hide, nor will you slip away unnoticed," the Dark One finished sarcastically.

"Great," I said.

I wasn't planning on running away or anything. And with people bowing their heads to me most of the way, I felt like I could just sink into the ground.

"Why wasn't it like this in Sul'lasill?"

There was a moment's silence, broken by the High Elf.

"Because no one knew you were a Guardian. We kept it a secret.

I can't say I wasn't surprised. I was actually surprised.

"Why?"

Riviln smiled.

"You'll find out someday."

I shook my head. This is getting weirder and weirder. Secrets, no one knows why. I decided not to worry about it. I wanted to get there. And rest.

Our guide turned out to be an exceptionally chatty person. First, she chatted with the Zavierzihniers, always smiling pleasantly. Then she approached us. She told us a bit about the place, about the customs. Of course, she mentioned that Shae was the first Dark One to ever enter the city gates. She also mentioned that there had been a heated debate about whether to let Him in at all. Fortunately, common sense prevailed, as she put it. However, we'll have to stay away from the elven part of the city. And Shae is strictly forbidden from leaving her room. The Dark One only smiled grimly.

"Who's going to stop me?" he asked in a tone that suggested he didn't care.

Neiwa didn't answer, but several elves ahead of us turned away and after a moment, began a discussion among themselves.

"Better not to irritate them," she added.

And we walked the rest of the route in silence.

We passed beautiful gardens, with beautiful, multicolored flowers, with trees strewn with blossom. A delicate, yet very pleasant scent hung everywhere. Despite being in the city, there was no noise. The sound of the wind hung in the air, carrying with it the melodies of waterfalls and soft music. And the bells. They seemed close, yet far away. One moment they chimed right next to my ear, and a moment later they were barely audible. Interestingly, I couldn't see any of them. I guess they were hanging among the trees. This was another element that made me feel like I was in some magical place.

We passed elven dwellings hidden among the trees, but I didn't see a single one of their inhabitants. It seemed somehow deserted. Finally, we began to climb upwards. We completely bypassed the main part of the city, which was situated on a cliff ledge. Neiwa informed us that the place we were going was exactly between two waterfalls, right next to the edge of a gorge. This indicated a long climb uphill. This was the beginning of a part of the city shared by humans and several other races. Suddenly, I had the feeling that the city had come alive. People, goblins, and creatures I didn't know began milling around us. They all watched us curiously. Children ran around, shouting loudly. I looked up – there was still a long way to go. I already felt quite tired. A lot of impressions for one day. With each step, I became more and more drowsy. I no longer remembered exactly what we had encountered on our way to warm beds. I only remember a large, beautiful, and well-maintained building that I would never call an inn, but rather some kind of residence. I also remember a few steps, which I had to climb with great difficulty. And my room, where the most important thing at that moment was the beautiful, large, and soft bed. I must have fallen asleep very quickly. The last thing I remember is a feeling of relief and exhaustion.