Chapter 7.
Abandoned house met Flora smell of damp and icy breath of emptiness. The darkness seemed to be completely enveloped the room, penetrated into all the cracks, every cell, completely displacing the light. Some time fairy stood blinking rapidly, trying to see anything in the seemingly impenetrable blackness. Gradually, my eyes adjusted, and in the darkness began to emerge some vague outlines of rectangular objects. Slowly but surely, the darkness is no longer seem so impenetrable. In the gray wall was visible stairwell, perhaps the only truly black and a mysterious stain in the surrounding area.
- We have to go somewhere - Flora said to herself, staring at the doorway, and involuntarily shuddered at the sound of his own voice, so clearly sounded in total silence.
"So the stairs definitely should not go!" - Thought fairy, gently moving from place and with outstretched arms heading for the wall. "There's too dark. Suddenly there staircase collapses? Or do some more nasty hiding?"
Stepping forward, she heard a strange crunching. Head down, looking closer, fairy quickly covered her mouth with her hands, giving shout escape. The entire floor was covered with the bones of living creatures, small and large, even lay somewhere very similar to human. "Mommy!" - Flora almost screamed from such a spectacle. "What kind of attack is this?! Damn, looks like there really any abomination lives! Or am I mistaken?"
C barely looked up from the floor, the girl stared again into a frightening dark hole in the wall. "All I have no choice," - she said to herself. "Either get out and get into the clutches of monsters, or stand there and wait until they would not enter here, or go ahead."
Somewhere behind yet heard The soft growl and the sound of broken walls.
"I'm coming!" - Flora said to herself and ran into the unknown darkness, pre-firing forward hastily created by the energy sector.
green ball immediately lit up a small portion of the space, giving Flora see the old, dilapidated staircase of gray stone. Nothing thinking fairy set off up the stairs, and then jumping over gaps and sloping stage.
"Only not to fall!" - Flora thought, almost stumbled. "I have to get to the top. And then we'll move on to the roof of another house. There's something I hardly caught these creatures!"
She ran with all speed, barely keeping up with the glowing sphere, illuminating a very small piece of space, suddenly faltered on something and fell on the cold stone, rolled a few steps down, tattered jeans and knees, while barely managing to stop the reverse movement, somehow clinging to the ledge on the wall. And in time. When she mentally lure sphere closer to him, fairy, looking back, I almost cried, it was right behind the hole through which it was quite easy to jump, but just as easy to please and fly down there and, at the end of shattering on the stone floor. All trembling with shock, fairy rose and ran away again, this time trying to be careful not to fall into the same pit.
"Faster, faster!" - Repeated itself Flora. "Just do not run into the openings floors. Better not run there!" - She thought, when suddenly something tenacious grabbed her leg and fell to the floor, dragged into the darkness.
- Do not touch me! - Flora screamed and hurled into the unknown creature's energy sector.
Green ball landed in the back, a couple of moments, illuminating a small room, but it was enough to make a fairy scream in horror. Creature grabbed her was ugly black dwarf with long claws at incredibly outstretched arms, short legs and a terrible toothy jaw. Creepy white eyes without pupils looked at Flora with a perfect hatred.
- A-A-A-A-A! Get an abomination! - Cried the girl, throwing a monster triple charge.
Spheres one after another hit on the monster, throwing him against the wall. After breaking in stone hole, leading to another room freak slightly twitched and lay still.
Convinced that the creature is no longer moving, Flora stood up and headed for the exit, again conjured a sphere. Is almost coming to the doorway leading to the stairs, fairy corner of my eye caught a movement behind him and turned sharply, putting a protective sphere around yourself. At the same instant from a hole in the wall rushed the crowd of black dwarfs, with wild shrieks jumping Flora, so well had time to create a shield.
- What is it? - Flora cried, seeing collapsed on the floor freaks, do not expect to meet resistance potential dinner. - How many of them here! - She said at seeing even got out of the breach squad abominations.
monster immediately flew energy sphere, knocking them down and throwing back to the wall. And then exposing shield Flora quietly relegated to the stairs. Suddenly, right above her head and there was a nasty squeak teeth clatter. Without lowering the shield she lifted her head up and was dumbfounded. It turns out that the creature filled and stairs, and now hopped on board Flora, hoping teeth and claws to break the energy barrier. At the same moment he heard a familiar roar and the sound of collapsing under the weight of considerable speed. These were the same nightmarish lions-flowers, still managed to squeeze in close lane and rushed here. Creepy creatures were coming from all sides. There was no escape.
"Is this the end?" - Fear Flora thought. "No. You can not. You can not give up, I must survive!"
Monsters were coming closer, surrounding dense ring girl and strive to break through the protective sphere. "I have to survive. Must."
Monsters growled softly, staring bloodshot eyes on the fairy. "I know what to do." For a moment the girl's eyes become even greener than usual.
- Full power plants! Fight your way through walls!
At the same moment all around the dazzlingly lit up in green, and then there was an explosion. House broke into pieces, along with some immediate, huge stalks almost tore him apart. All collapsed and fell down. Powerful stones knocked monsters to death, causing mangled body to fly down to be buried under the rubble. Blood, rubble walls, plants, corpses of monsters, groans, cries - all mixed up in a single stream of nightmarish mash.
Nobody saw the light green balloon flying on the roof of the nearest house escaped and disappeared, revealing a world battered, shaky, but live Flora at the last moment had time to conclude themselves in a protective sphere and move away from the blast.
- Oh! - She sighed, sitting down on a stone. - Hardly had time! Forces certainly well spent, but at least remained alive!
little after sitting and breath, she carefully looked down. From what he saw to the throat of nausea and fairy hurried to turn away.
"God, what a mess!" - She thought, trying to clear out of my head kind of mangled bodies freaks. "Nehilo bombanulo ... Although, what am I regret them? They want to eat me! That's got to know ours, we also have flower spikes!" - Flora smiled contentedly and thought. "And what do you do? Where to go?"
little unsteadily, she rose to her feet and walked to the opposite side of the roof. With a height of almost the whole city was in full view, and it was very clearly visible, as illuminated by orange light of the setting sun, as if stuck in the sky ("Or is there a day longer?"), Yellow houses go on a strict path straight up the mountain. Green eyes narrowed, fairy thought that there is also some construction. In my head all at once cleared up.
"Aha!" - Rather, she thought. "Apparently, the building - the main thing, and everyone else is already moving away from him, well, or built around it so it would be protected. Turns out, I have to go there! Something seems to me that there shed some light on this whole madhouse . "
She looked around. "Stop! And how do I get there?" - She asked herself the question. "Descend down - no way, will not see, where to go, and few there be someone else hangs out?" - Fairy shuddered. "What do you do then?"
Suddenly her eyes stumbled upon growing along the wall of the house opposite the vine. And at the other house. And more. And so not at home, under the roof of which there would be some strange vines and hooks. At the head of Flora as if something clicked.
"That's the idea, I will call on the vines and fly forward, towards the mountain! That just would not fall on the road ..." - she thought, exposing the forward hand.
Yikes! Almost immediately her palm landed strong green vine. Flora looked at her in surprise. "There must be strong enough to withstand ... Should my weight. So, right now we must somehow leg roll up, run and ..." - YUHUUUU! - Enthusiastically squeal Flora flying in the wind flow on the bungee, past yellow houses, sparkling in the light reddish sun. Fly proved not scary - along the roofs blew as if specially concentrated stream, which did not give deviate from the intended path, and if they themselves creeper throws meet fairy into her hands, one after another. - I LECHUUUU! Flora flew faster and faster, farther and farther away, free as the wind, even without wings, but flew. The setting sun was beating in his eyes, hair blowing in the wind, my heart was so easy and good. "Still Fly - a vocation each fairies!" - Thought flashed in my head of Flora, but soon faded, washed off in a stream of emotions overwhelms Woman. Being crazy, dangerous, but such a joyous flight, fairy and did not notice how the city came to an end, the buildings began to get smaller, but the trees were taller and stronger and also in vines. Mentally changing course capture Flora flew past the trees, not too thick grove, so beautifully lit and orangish reddish sun makes this place look like a fairy tale. It has long been left behind vile creatures, there was nothing unnatural and contrary, all sang and lived again. Birds were chirping, flying next to a girl, green rodents jumped from branch to branch, some ungulates like yellow-green spotted deer sprinted across the earth beneath, among the thick grass, waving colorful butterfly wings and magic ... the beauty of nature, seemed only to reinforce an incredible flight experience and makes the heart beat faster. Finally, Grove ended. Mentally releasing vines Flora fell on soft grass and looked around. She was on top of the mountain or hill. Sky has already acquired a light purplish hue, pink has become more sun finally painted in red and slowly began to lean toward the horizon, casting shadows on the great white columns standing in a semicircle on top. Inside the colonnade was a stone altar, on which lay a big book in a dark green cover. Trailing obscure instincts, Flora slowly stepped inside the semicircle, where the floor was covered with stone instead of grass, and approached the stone. The book was enough to look at ancient and cover made of genuine leather. Trembling with excitement Flora hands touched the book and opened it. His head suddenly began to appear whole series of paintings seemed to have occurred in antiquity. Thick virgin forests, the first settlements - how long ago it was! Conquest, battle, blood, calm, the first united kingdom ... "Yes this is the first king of Linfen!" - Flash thought flashed in my head of fairies infinitely successive visions. "Rosemary First!" Population growth, progress, discovery of other planets, the base of the royal dynasty ... As if it was not just history, but someone's memory and knowledge. Are stored in this book and need a new owner. - chtooo? - Flora screamed in surprise and slammed the book dramatically. Panting, she stood leaning against the altar. All these pictures belong to the history of Linfen and flashed before her, as if alive. And Flora is strained. "No creature can not remember all that!" - She shook her head. "Except, perhaps, Mother Nature. Something is wrong here. Something else happens ..." Suddenly I heard someone right next steps. Sharply raised his head, looked up from the book Flora and then blinked at the dazzling flash of bright light, inertial closed head in his hands. A little later, a little fairy opened one eye and was astonished by what he saw. If the whole world began to thicken, gradually shrinking to the size of the doorway, slowly approaching from the outside world blurred silhouette of a man. Flora stood, as if spellbound, being unable to move, and only looked round eyes like a bunch of concentrated netoropyas out people. It was a woman of medium height, slightly tanned, fair-haired, green-eyed and dressed in green uniforms Linfen with elements of armor. Behind his back fluttered two major feyskih wing, similar carved leaves, hung between them, slung on his belt behind his back, the laser gun. Flora involuntarily shuddered gasp when the stranger looked straight at her and went to her. The woman was young, twenty-five years, maybe a little younger or older, but her eyes seemed dormant wisdom of centuries, perhaps even millennia. She moved slowly, quietly and confidently, her face is not expressionless. Flora stood, paralyzed with fear, not being able to look away from a mysterious fairy. Meanwhile, she stopped in front of the witch and said: - Hello, Flora. - Oh-oh-where in-you know my name? - Stammered asked deeply affected girl. - And-and-who are you? woman issued a weak chuckle. - I know everyone on Linfen. And not just people. Every beast, every bird, every flower. I know what happens in each part of the country, I feel pain, joy and fear of each resident. stranger Every word echoed in my head like a flower fairy hammer blow. In memory surfaced dramatically similar words spoken recently by another person. And then it dawned on Flora. - I know who you are! - She exclaimed. - You - the embodiment of Linfen! Its essence! But, something I never heard that in Linfen was her personification of ... - she wondered. woman smiled approvingly. - You said it all right, Flora. Here are just a material embodiment of Linfen not.
Unavailable.
Flora cautiously raised an eyebrow.
- How's that?
- Do not you remember what happened recently? - Just head to one side and asked Linfen. - These pictures showing the history of your country, since time immemorial until today incurred, cost you only touch the book. You do not say anything?
Flower Fairy only shook her head.
- It's too unbelievable - she said quietly. - I do not understand. We were told that if we survive in the Ritual, we will gain a new entity, that's just kind of - I do not know! I do not know whether there will be anything about me human! - She cried in despair clutching his head.
woman came closer to Flora and put his hands on her shoulders.
- You will survive - she said quietly, looking at his incredible eyes focused on Flora. - And you will keep humanity. And the new entity does not cripple you, do not disfigure the body and soul.
Flower Fairy hesitantly looked up.
- How do you know?
- Because I - your new entity! - Told her the embodiment of Linfen.
Fairy froze for a while with his mouth open, staring blankly at the woman and not knowing what to say.
- That's ...
- Your new entity - the material embodiment of the country combined into one basic quality of its people - Linfen explained. - You'll always know what's happening on your site. Will feel all the emotions of each resident and will live as long as the country with the people shall not perish from the face of the earth
- I. .. country? No, I really do not understand! You just said that the incarnation of Linfen - it's you! But at the same time you said that you - my new entity. And then my new entity - the country! How so?
- I - it's you, Flora. Just look at me, look closely and you'll understand.
Flora looked at the woman. Brown hair, tanned skin, green eyes, facial features - how she had not noticed such an obvious similarity? But the woman looked older Flora, which could give a view on about twenty years. At the same time it was and what made them a young fairy is different and that caught my eye fairy nature in the first instant, pushing everything else to the background. Confidence, strength, wisdom and experience of many generations - something that could not possibly be a girl.
- I - it's you! - Flora whispered in amazement. - We - the same!
- You passed all the tests, so, please, be strong and always accept your new character! - The woman told her.
With these words she glowed green light, and if becoming translucent ghost merged with the body of Flora.
Wild pain immediately pierced girl. It seemed as if the body runs strong discharge current, bones are broken and reassembled, every cell reborn. In my head flashed obscure paintings, he heard voices shouting something that Flora was not able to parse. Clutching his head, she fell to the ground screaming, rolling on it and coughing blood. Under the skin, though plunged spikes, air in the chest was not enough, if it bit the strong cords.
- No-oo! I must stay! - Flora screamed in panic, frantically trying to think of something, but the chorus did not help thinking.
pain was getting stronger, like a fairy torn apart again and sutured, his vision blurred, it was impossible to discern where reality and where - the thoughts of others.
- I. .. feel ... all ... in Linfen ... People ... animals ... flowers ... - Flora croaked, feeling strength rapidly leaving her and struggling to not lose consciousness. - Flowers! - Her pupils suddenly races was increasing. - My strength - in colors! - She cried, spitting out his own blood. - Plants, give me strength! Save me!
At this point, unknown energy warm wave enveloped the body of Flora, struggling with pain, warming and comforting. Now if the two forces fought in the body of a girl - the one that rebuilds her body at a known way, and the other that heals the soul and give strength to endure the destruction of the flesh. None of the forces did not want to concede the other, each time hitting harder, though grappled with each other in an unequal battle.
- I should not give up! - Cried Flora. - I want to live! I still have a lot in life was not!
suddenly flashed before his eyes vague image of a man.
- I want to see it! I never did remember his face! - Not appeased Flora, trying to stifle a cry of hellish pain. - I. MUST. ITS. SEE! - She cried every word mercilessly trying to extract from the total flow obscure paintings of the image in a raincoat, clinging to him as for saving straw. - I have to live for. I can feel it.
latest outbreak of pain, and the power of nature has conquered death, expelling it from the girl's body. Fairy lay panting, and did not believe that it was all over. Whole body ached. not have the strength to even lift a finger so.
"What is it to me? do not understand ..."
Suddenly, the girl's head sounded unfamiliar, loud voice:
- It is necessary to increase the area planted ...
- It's all blame the government!
- Again, prices rose !
- Raise taxes!
- Yes, as you can already!
- Get out quickly from the beds!
- Where tractor?
- Mom, where's Dad?
- No, no, no, stop ... - Flora moaned, burying his face in the grass.
It was too weak to cope with such a sudden it struck the information flow, and the consciousness of fairies slowly in darkness ...
