A little time to enjoy eternity

«Absolutely

not. The last thing I remember was a call about

border violations. I rushed there, and there you are, a small demon,

playing tricks, «his voice took on a serious note. —

I decided to make a proper impression, I even took out my sword,

read out my rights, everything is as it should be… You should have seen your

face then… " Damiel smiled, but then his gaze returned

he became serious. – And then there’s a terrible pain in my chest, and we -» —

Tim. I don’t see how this is possible. It turns out that

in that second I became a mortal. My powers were gone. I couldn’t

do anything. He

paused for a moment, took a sip of his juice, and then continued: —

I’ve been working on Earth for a long time. That’s how I felt,

as a last resort, I found myself a battery and made

a portal to it. But I couldn’t activate it there, couldn

’t move.

Damiel slapped the man next to him on the shoulder and

nearly knocked him off his chair. «Oh, I’m sorry!»

Hey

,hey, what are you doing?» Keep it down, big guy!

Xia Keijigen snapped, rubbing his shoulder. – Our forces are gone, but there

is still something left.

I wouldn’t call us ordinary mortals.

– So you were an angel?» Reana asked.

«Yes,» Damiel said. – Still, I’d say I still am,

to a certain extent, «he

said, and then turned to Keijigen.

Reane, who are you, I think she should know who

she’s dealing with.

34

– I am a demon of the fifth circle, the 12th cauldron…»

«Or rather, I was, and now I don’t even know… a de-

mon of greed and despair… was… now I don’t feel that

he’s capable of drawing out people’s baser passions, and I

don’t understand why. What could have happened? I can’t

even imagine! He got up and began pacing the kitchen

. – Do you know that there is a meridian elevator on your land

?

«… It was through him that you brought another

demon into the world… by the way, that’s when it all started… who

was it?

«Arfimaino?» No, he’s hardly connected with it, I’m his ho-

I know Rosho, he’s a guardian.

«Why did he get out?» You risked a lot for

him, you know, illegal immigrants and other violations…

Keijigen didn’t mention that Arfimaino had

cheated on him like a schoolboy.

– I think we can ask him about it ourselves.» He

didn’t really explain anything to me. He’s in Frankfurt,

staying in a hotel somewhere. In general, you can use the Internet

to break through and visit him.

«Can’t you talk on the phone?» Reana asked.

«No, you don’t discuss such things over the phone,»

Keijigen explained.

«It’s a four-hour drive to Frankfurt!» Reana gasped.

«We must go!» Definitely! Damiel said. —

He seems to know something! More than we do.

– great! Keijigen agreed. – But

we’re not going anywhere in this state!» He pointed to the sack

Damiel was wearing and looked at Reana. – I do not know what

Arfimaino will think if he sees me in his company,

but if he does, I will be ashamed of myself.»

«I probably don’t have these sizes of do —

ma clothes,» Reana said. – And even close to… shops

they will open in a few hours.

35

«This is Hoverstein, isn’t it?» Gorodok

near Mapples? The ex-demon asked.

«Yes,» Reana said.

«Okay, I must have left my car nearby…

what luck! I think I’ll just get her back and we’ll go to my place.»

To me, at the Grand Paradise. We’re just on our way.» I have

My own casino, I didn’t tell you right away… I also work part

– time here…

Damiel leaned back in his chair

and frowned. «Grand Paradise!» You’re kidding me, roga-

ty!

– Just don’t applaud! he quipped back

Keijigen. «Okay, I’ll be quick. Don’t be naughty here, guys.

And ignoring Da-miel’s disapproving looks

,he left the house, whistling

to himself.

36

CHAPTER 8. TOWARDS

ENJOY YOUR ADVENTURES

Closing the door, Reana returned to the kitchen. The visitor

looked out of the window that overlooked the part of the garden where

the cabin was visible. So strange. It was the first time she had ever seen this man

,and he claimed to know everything about her. And indeed,

he said things that she

had never told anyone before.

– Do you really know all about me?“ – What is it? „she ventured

to ask, to break the silence.

«I think so,» he said. – At least all of them

until last night. I knew everything about everyone within

sixty kilometers… I think so. But you

don’t like these roses, and you want to dig them up in the fall.

«Exactly…» said Reana sadly. «How

strange… living like this, living like this, and then it turns out that someone is

watching you all the time…

«Hey, no, I didn’t mean to upset you!

Damiel started to hug her, but she

took a couple of quick steps back. He looked at his empty hands and didn’t

come any closer. «I’m sorry. I can’t believe

this is happening. You weren’t supposed to find out. And I

wasn’t watching. I just existed, and if I existed,

I knew everything about everyone, such a job, or something… I don’t know how

37

He sat down on a chair near the window and

stared thoughtfully into the distance. Then he got up abruptly and went into the room. —

To be honest, I am very concerned about what is happening. I

’ve lost my sword, and I can’t feel my brothers. It looks like

something serious has happened.

Moving to the spot on the parquet floor left by the wreckage

of the black arrow, he added —

«And this is… It’s not from Earth. And not from heaven. He looked

at Reana excitedly. —

It seems that everything that is happening now is somehow connected. Will you

help us?»

«Yes, of course… I’ll help you in any way I can. But what can I

even do? I’m a small person, I

have nothing. «Reana sat down in a chair and hugged a pillow. – I don’t know how I

cured you. I couldn’t do it before.

And she held out her hand and showed me the half – healed

cut. «I was the one who swung the knife badly the day before yesterday… and it didn

’t heal at all! There was a lot of blood…

«Reana,» Damiel began to explain. – You are a creative

person, your inspiration and talent have always replenished

my strength, expanded my opportunities, this is a special energy,

in your world you do not see it, but we, energy,

if you can say so, entities, perceive it

differently. I’m stronger around you. I was hoping you could help

I need to get better, and that’s what happened. But there were no such

precedents before. I also don’t know how it all

works now.

«I see…» said Reana, although it wasn’t entirely

clear, what was happening just didn’t fit in her

head. – As always, everything is complicated. Does this

energy also strengthen Keijigen?

– Perhaps… you were able to heal him, too, as I

understand?

– Yes… but he wasn’t as seriously injured as you… Oh,

Is it okay that I call you «you»?

38

– Nothing! This is definitely better. I

don’t even feel comfortable – " Damiel smiled.

Reana thought again that these strange

adventures that had found her so unexpectedly were probably

dangerous and could cause a lot of trouble. But in the soul

of settled some joy because it is boring and not enough

someone’s life has changed, that someone needs her

help, and this time she is really able

to do something, perhaps important and necessary. It was as if she had been asleep

all her life, and this night she woke up full of energy

and the desire to do something absolutely out of the ordinary

,exceptional.

– I want to understand how I can be useful,

and I probably need to train myself somehow, «she said to Dami-

el.

«I just need you to be around.»

– I’m close enough as it is.

Damiel stood up, put his right hand on the bottom of the sofa

,and lifted it as easily as if it were made of styrofoam.

«But people can’t, can they?» – he asked.

Reana rolled her eyes and shook her head.

At least I’ve never seen anything like this before!

– Go out to the garden, let’s see if something changes.

The girl ran into the garden, right up to the gate.

Damiel came out a moment later.

«Nothing’s changed,» he said, and

looked down thoughtfully. – I do not know what to say and how it should

be…

– What if it is?» Reana touched a finger to his

arm, and then a light flickered around him.

«Oh, it seems to be working! Reana said happily, and lowered

her finger.

The glow was gone.

39

– Well? – What is it? «she asked happily. – Something to the feeling-

eat?

Damiel looked perplexed.

«No,» he said, sighing sadly. – I don’t know, I don

’t feel anything.

Reana poked him in the shoulder again

,and he glowed again. She removed her finger and the glow disappeared.

At that moment, a car approached the house from the front entrance

.Keijigen stepped out of it. He got

a pair of dark glasses from somewhere and, without taking them off, opened the gate and said

,« Oh, we have a Christmas tree here?» Have you ever met Santa

Claus? The team is ready, please sit down!

Damiel sighed and went to the car, while Reana

hurried inside to change into something more suitable for

the trip.

«That’s it, I’m ready!» Where should I sit? —

Stop it! «she shouted as she ran out into the street.

Keijigen reached across his right si-

denier and opened the front door for her.

She sat up and buckled her seat belt. The leather seat was

cold, but very comfortable.

– All right, let’s go. The ex-demon switched on the radio and

stepped smoothly on the gas.

41

CHAPTER 9. ZERO

«Our world… our home… our cosmos… our light… our

darkness… our glory… our world…» whispers sounded everywhere.

The large circular room was dimly lit. Its

uneven walls looked like a tangle of vines,

so thick and dense that it was impossible to

see what was behind them. But these were not

plants, but the proper structure of these walls.

The «creepers» were gathering in the center of the room, where a

huge red crystal, as if made of a single ruby,

was hanging as big as a man. «Vines» wrapped around it

from above and below and held it so that it hung exactly

in the middle, between the floor and ceiling. The crystal gave off a

slight glow, and if it wasn’t for that, the room would have been completely

dark. Standing next to him was a two-meter-tall creature

that vaguely resembled a huge black Gothic

gargoyle. It was looking at the crystal.

«Our cosmos… our light… our darkness… our glory…

our world… we are emptiness, we are abundance, we are nothing and

everything is different… we are others…» the monster whispered, and the whisper carried

on the walls, carried on in all directions.

One of the walls opened, and another similar creature entered the room

.It knelt and bowed

its head.

42

– The Great Swarm, – the words echoed around the room

and dissolved in it. – We continue to register

minimal traces of divine energy activity

on Earth, in various parts of it. A few, but they are there.

– Find and collect everything…

The creature rose from its knee and walked away.

– …We will destroy them all… in the name of life… in the name of

prosperity… in the name of perfection… for the sake of a great goal…

43

CHAPTER 10. " GRAND

PARADISE»

At first we rode in silence. Everyone was thinking about their own things. Damiel

struggled to remember what had become of the silver sword. Kei-

jigen was trying to figure out the best way to talk to Arfi-

mino. Reana began to wonder if she

was doing the right thing by jumping into such an adventure – going

off somewhere with strange strangers. After all, if

something happens, she will not be able to stand up for herself, and no one will look for her

will not be. The enthusiasm has passed, the desire to perform feats

has become dull. Despite the cheerful music, I felt a little

sad and restless.

Keijigen was driving very fast, exceeding all

possible limits. Reana couldn’t stand it:

«Is it okay that this is the fifth time you’ve flown here?»

How many penalties have you already collected…

He grinned:

– It’s all small things, I can afford!

«Uh, look at the road, please,» she said worriedly.

Reana. – It’s already too fast…

«I’m a pro,» the ex – demon grinned. – Tell

us better, did you learn anything new?

«We didn’t understand it ourselves,» Reana began.

44

«Yes, yes,» Damiel nodded from behind. – It is not known what

it did. I didn’t feel that anything had changed.

Try it out, «he suggested, pointing at Keijigen.

«Is it okay that he’s driving?» —

Reana decided to rebuild.

«Nothing,» the ex-demon said cheerfully. «Come on, just

gently.

Reana didn’t appreciate the joke. She silently touched ru-

ki, who was holding the steering wheel. And nothing happened. That one didn

’t even light up.

«Do you feel anything?» Reana asked.

Keijigen wanted to joke again, but held back.

«I don’t think so,» he said honestly.

Reana took her hand away.

«Maybe I broke down?» – What is it? «she asked. – Or a charge

is it over? Or I do not know how it is at all… sorry, of course

…sorry…

«By the way,» Keijigen said suddenly, meaningfully

,and turned to face Damiel for a few seconds. —

It doesn’t look like a battery.» I just remembered that we had some cases with canaries

,everything is banal there… Well, a surge of strength and all that

…but to treat-not once.

Damiel clasped his hands together and said thoughtfully —

«That place has always been a battery… always… but

something strange is happening right now… I agree that the treatment is

too much, but I do not know how to explain it. Previously, everything was

simple. Now I can’t get any advice and I’m at a loss

to guess… what other energy substances

on Earth do we know?

– We recall the textbook for the tenth grade… – smiled-

Xia Keijigen. – Vorman?

– No! they both answered in unison.

– Svetoch?

– Nothing at all…

«I agree!

45

– Limiantis?

– It doesn’t look like it, and the ocean is far away…

– Excelsior?

– What do you mean?

– Ingentusa, of course!

– The last call was almost a hundred years ago…

Reana listened to their conversation and had absolutely no idea

what these unfamiliar words meant, it was all very

mysterious and interesting, but she did not

dare to ask. The fast ride rocked her, and soon her eyes began

to droop – because she hadn’t

had much sleep that night. Reana stopped struggling with herself and

dozed off.

«We’re here!» A voice roused her.

The car stopped near a massive building that glowed with a bunch of different —

colored light bulbs and other illumination

.The main part of it was circular,

with many large and small turrets with

sharp pyramidal roofs at the edges, people crowded at the entrance

,and a huge sign above the doors with an even greater variety of lights

and neon tubes: Grand

Paradise.

«Good afternoon, Mr. Oxenhorn,» he blurted,

and took the keys from Keijigen.

They got out of the car.

«Follow me,» he said to his companions

Keijigen pushed his way through the crowd.

«Max, hi, these two are with me,» he said to the guard

.

«Yes, sir,» he said, and his eyes widened

in surprise. He’d never seen the chief look like this before

in poor condition: the right leg hung

in tatters, soiled and torn in several places.-

46

ka, the strange satellites – it all looked incomprehensible,

strange, but Max, of course, did not dare to ask about what had happened

.

They passed through the vending machine room and went upstairs. The

main elevator was surrounded by mirrors in beautiful gold

frames with intricate patterns, flowers, and birds. Ryo-

ana started to stare at them, but after a few seconds

the sound of a bell announced that they had arrived.

Keijigen strode confidently down a narrow

corridor with many closed mahogany doors.

There were paintings on the walls, and electric

candelabra decorated with intricate designs glowed.

Suddenly, a small bald man

with thick glasses came out of one of the doors. He ran

a few steps behind Keijigen and called out,

«Mr. Oxenhorn, I’ve been calling you all morning, where did you

go?» You should definitely take a look…

Keijigen stopped and asked him,

«Tommy, have you seen Oksana and Liliana?

«No, sir… not since last night, which is very

strange – neither you, nor Mrs. Wizzle, nor Mrs. Tarden-

I’m sick, and the phones aren’t available. I was afraid

you’d all gone somewhere…

Keijigen frowned, a faint

trace of sadness showing on his face.

«What have you got there?» he said softly.

Tommy glanced at his companions.

«Speak in front of them,» the chief said.

«Mr. Oxenhorn,» Tommy

said, opening the folder and pulling out some papers. «The IRS

requires us to -" he began running his finger down the page. —

Keijigen snatched the paper out of Tommy’s hand and quickly scanned

the page with his eyes.

47

– Pick up the documentation for the last five years,

do everything the same as we did then. Tommy, I’m going to be

very busy for now – " he pointed at Damiel and Reana.»

Family problems,» he added with a sigh. – I believe

in you, you can do it, «and, patting the employee on the shoulder,

he went further down the corridor. «The seal is in the big safe.

Then you can sign for me.

After a couple of steps, he opened the right-hand door and

nodded for his companions to enter.

Tommy watched them go with a sympathetic look.

The place they were in was more like

the museum. Reana immediately had associations with the castle of the vo-

seventeenth century: the interior was made in the style of such

a lush Baroque in red, black and gold tones, which

at the same time caused both admiration and bewilderment.

Thick curtains covered the windows, creating a dimness

that faded into the silence of the room. Keijigen turned

on the light, opened a cabinet that ran along one wall, and silently

looked at the contents.

Damiel suddenly broke the silence:

«Guys, I think I have a problem! The lower

abdomen is so heavy! This is getting very uncomfortable…

Is this normal? He looked at them with surprised eyes

and batted his eyelashes.

The ex-demon rolled his eyes. – Let’s go quickly… and then there’s a Persian carpet.

He tugged on

Damiel’s arm and led him out of the room, grumbling, «I hope it’s just

a little thing… tell anyone else, because they won’t believe me-

so I can… teach them.»…

The door closed, and Reana didn’t hear the rest of the sentence.

But I just realized what had happened. Poor Damiel.

She felt sorry for him. Everything is new to him, probably

harder and scarier than everyone else, but he just doesn’t show it…

Reana sat down on a gilded chair next

to a huge writing table and examined the items on it.

48

things. Almost every one seemed to be a work

of art: an incredibly beautiful vase, as if with a lively frozen

composition of flowers, a clock with a Roman dial,

which looked like a small palace with towers

and the finest details – they could be

viewed for hours. Table lamp in the form of a wave and a ball —

lamp hanging from it, various figurines…

The largest of them, a golden – colored thirty-

centimeter-tall figure with wings, seemed, on the one hand,

very majestic and refined, on the other hand,

there was something frightening, repulsive about it, as if it

looked through you, looked into your soul. Reana rez-

ko looked away. The only thing that didn’t fit in

was the monitor screen on the desk in the corner. A huge silver

macintosh covered about a third of the work surface.

But then the companions returned. Noticeably cheered up, Da-

miel announced from the doorway,

«We’re doing fine!

«Oh, shut up! Keijigen said softly. —

No one thought to worry…

He went back to the closet.

«Well, that’s not it – » he said, quickly sorting through the hangers,»

that’s for me,» and tossed one of the suits onto a chair.

«Here! I think you’ll fit in. – Ex-demon got it

a large black bag off one of the shelves.

«Should I go out?» Reana asked.

«Not necessarily,» Keijigen said, unbuttoning

his shirt. «Just don’t peek,» he added

,smiling.

Reana turned away and could only hear her sniffling and groaning

Damiel.

«That’s a devilish outfit,» he lamented.

«You just don’t understand,» Keiji —

kyung replied cheerfully. «Everyone goes like this now – very fashionable, ksta —

ti clothes, expensive, designer! At one time, a lot of money for them

49

fuck off. And that’s probably the only thing I’ve got on you right now.

You know, I don’t want to go

to Magazin and waste my time on it.

After a few minutes, Keijigen called out cheerfully,

«Ryoana, look!

She turned impatiently and smiled,

covering her mouth with her hand.

biker in a very cool black motorcycle suit.

The trousers and jacket were sewn with gray protective inserts,

the sleeves and shins were painted with stars and some

inscriptions. Athletic boots matched the suit.

Damiel lowered his chin.

«Laugh, laugh! – with a sad voice, he said

«But I won’t stand for it!» He tore off

the goat’s skull and horns patch on the left side of his jacket

and tossed it aside.

«For God’s sake! Keijigen spread his hands. —

I don’t remember where the helmet is… but I probably don’t need it.»

Reana gathered her thoughts and words, and she really

wanted to cheer Damiel up, to say something nice,

because he really looked cool in this suit,

and many ladies would find him very attractive.

She stepped closer and zipped up the straps of her jacket

.

– Great! – No, «she said. «It suits you very well!»

«It doesn’t matter,» he said. «It’s all

material and empty…» But it was clear from his tone

that the kind words pleased him.

Keijigen, meanwhile, dressed to perfection in a new

three-piece suit, was already sitting at his computer, scribbling

an address on a piece of paper.

«Here,» he said, waving a piece of paper in the air. – Let’s go!

While that rascal is still out there…

They hurried out.

50

CHAPTER 11. GIRLFRIENDS

How reluctant I was to get up! But a school is a school.

The alarm went off at six-thirty, and Lina trudged off, half asleep,

to wash her face.

My mother was already busy in the kitchen.

«Oh, I thought you were at Mara’s,» she said, surprised,

seeing Lina make her way to the bathroom.

The little girl ran to her and hugged her:

«Mummy, I love you so much!» I’m going to wash up and still

make you breakfast.»

The surprised woman smiled:

– I love you too, my daughter. What’s the matter with you today

?

At school, Lina approached her friend during recess:

«I need to tell you something! You won’t believe

what happened yesterday! I saw an angel. And probably a demon.