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«These are the rules, Mr. Stambor,» said the round-faced man in a tuxedo. – I ask questions, you answer. All clear?
– Yes!
– That’s good. Do you use magic?
– No.
– I protest, Mr. Judge! – said the bandit. – I personally saw the opposite yesterday.
– The protest has been accepted. Do you, Mr. Stambor, have the right to use magic in the human world?
– What right?..
– Only answers! I ask questions! – shouted the nervous Judge.
– No.
– Great. The court will not even retire for a meeting. In the name of the Anti-Witchcraft League, endowed with authority by the Master, I declare Eleon Stambor guilty of illegal use of magic. There is only one punishment for this – expulsion from this world. Touch the mirror!
Everything happened too quickly for Al to understand anything. The surface of one of the mirrors in the room suddenly sparkled with white flashes, and an image of distant lands appeared inside. Forest. Endless green trees.
One touch. Flash Light…
It feels like you’re being turned inside out.
***
– That’s how I ended up in Seisil. Later I met Ilan, who began to teach me magical techniques.
«What a strange story,» said the Herald. – I have never heard anything about this country where mechanisms replaced magic!
– Ilan said that I could return home through the royal portal. If he’s still there.
Dorian perked up at these words.
– Is there a way home? And you were silent about it? So, I will walk this path to the end! I have a lot to tell Angel. After all, we parted in silence. I was so angry with her then. But don’t think, I still love my beauty.
He took her photo from his breast pocket. Esmeralda took the portrait from his hands and said:
– Beautiful.
– I think so too.
– What is this? – Esmeralda exclaimed, stopping abruptly. -Did you hear that too?
– What? – the Herald asked.
«The trampling of horses,» said Esmeralda.
«You never know how many travelers you meet on the road,» Dorian remarked.
– No, Esmeralda is right. «We better not stop or hesitate – the inquisitors are still prowling this forest,» said Eleon.
– Five inquisitors. We won’t be able to do anything to them if we meet face to face! – Esmeralda exclaimed.
– Already four! – Herold smiled. – I was able to avenge my son!
But the clatter of hooves kept getting closer.
– Quickly, get off the road! – exclaimed the Wolf.
As soon as our travelers disappeared into the dense thickets of briars, two people appeared from around the corner on black horses and in black hoods.
– Maybe they went a different way? – said one of the executioners.
– Rob and Stephen explore another part of the forest. And we have to search everything here.
The horsemen galloped further along the path. And the fugitives stood up, but were no longer so careless. Their idleness almost became the last mistake in life!
– The magical forest is already close! – Herald commanded. – The main thing is not to stop!
They followed further. The danger seemed to have passed, but the feeling of constant presence did not leave them for a minute.
– Let’s take a break already! You can’t imagine how tired I am! – said Dorian
– I agree with Dorian. It’s time to look for a place to stay for the night. But we won’t make a fire,» Eleon said.
– Eh! Now I’d like some fried doe! – exclaimed the Herald.
– And I wouldn’t refuse!
«But you’ll have to be content with little,» said the Wolf, examining the contents of the bag behind his back. – There is dried boar, some crackers and apples. Of course, it won’t be possible to arrange a feast. It’s good that the bag was behind us yesterday! Otherwise we would have been left without provisions at all.
Having eaten, they went to bed.
***
Here Eleon is making his way through the thicket of the forest, and a pack of wolves is still running after him. You can’t stop for a second! There are more and more wolves, they surround him…
And suddenly they run away. Ilan stands in front of him.
– What did you do, my student, to save the king? I trusted you!
Suddenly, a silhouette in a black cloak peeked out from behind a tree. The Inquisitor raised his hand and the teacher fell to the ground.
– You are sentenced to death! – shouted the anti-mage…
***
Eleon has been having nightmares a lot lately. He went to the stream to wash himself, washing away this obsession. Then he took out a small coin from his pocket. He placed it on the surface of the water. A moment later, the silhouette of an old man looked out from there.
– Greetings, young sorcerer!
– Hello, master.
– What’s bothering you? It’s not too early.
– Sorry. You were probably asleep.
– No, no, what are you talking about! What a dream at my age! About two hundred years ago I could afford to take a nap. But life is too fleeting to waste a third of it on stupid activities!
– And lately I keep having the same dream. That I cannot fulfill the teacher’s last wish.
– Don’t be afraid, Eleon! Troubled times are approaching, but the light of hope will never fade as long as its last defenders live. You are destined for a great destiny, you will not die from wolf fangs, but you will be able to defeat the Ancient Evil. It was foretold. Of course, I’ve been wrong before with the Chosen One. Dell was also marked by Fate. But each Chosen One chooses his own path. He took the side of Evil. I hope that you will justify my trust.
The White Wolf heard the crunch of a branch and quickly hid the coin in his pocket, drawing his sword.
– Oh, it’s you…
«You are never calm,» Esmeralda said.
– I can not fall asleep. Constantly tormented by nightmares.
«Dreams bother me too.» I always see them as my savior. But I never thanked you for my life.
She closed her eyes and touched her lips to his.
***
When they woke up, the fire was burning, and the Herald was roasting the lanleys, and Dorian was warming his hands by the fire.
– Good morning, sleepyheads! I’ve already hunted, but you won’t wake up! – he winked at the lovers. Esmeralda understood – her father guessed everything. Dorian also smiled somehow mysteriously
They had breakfast in silence, everyone thought about their own things. Esmeralda kept glancing towards Eleon. Then we hit the road.
***
The executioner appeared from the void. Another appeared behind him. Anti-magicians fought with sorcerers, but they themselves did not neglect the spells. Of course, their arsenal was meager, but even experienced magicians could not cope with the combat inquisitors.
– Illigulus! – One of them exclaimed, raising his hands up.
– I didn’t guess, dog! – Eleon shouted, whom they tried to kill. – Avinius performed the initiation ceremony! I have the right to magic! Run, friends! I’ll try to stop them.
The two uninvited guests grabbed their throats, as they were enveloped in threads invisible to others, and the Herald, Esmeralda and Dorian hurried to hide.
– Damn it, he owns the Elements! – said one, in a black hood. He made a subtle movement with his hand, and Eleon fell to the ground. At this moment, the Herald looked back to see what had happened to his comrade. He returned, and lightning flashed from his eyes. The pursuer fell, and the second ran into the forest.
– A curse! The second one escaped! He will tell others our location! Now we definitely need to run! – the Herald shouted, extending his hand to Eleon.
– You saved me!
– You saved my daughter, White Wolf, and I owe you!
They ran, taking only short breaks.
Somewhere in the distance the clatter of hooves could be heard. Some time passed, and three horsemen appeared.
– Faster! Do not stop! Otherwise they will catch up! – the Herald shouted, and no one began to argue with him.
When the executioners had almost overtaken the fugitives, they suddenly stopped.
– A curse! Why can’t we cross this invisible wall? – asked the anti-mage.
– This is the ancient magic of the forest. You are not welcome here! Go away! – said the Herald, who was on the other side of the wall. Here magic ruled, and its opponents could not cross the line.
– We’ll meet Again! – the inquisitor shouted, and the three horsemen galloped away.
– Now you can relax! – Esmeralda was delighted.
– I wouldn’t be so careless! – said the Herald. – It’s sunset soon. And who knows what awaits here! The forest is full of surprises, and at night you can meet them…
Chapter 5. Magic forest
The sunset kindled a bright multi-colored fire in the sky. The smell of myrtle that filled everything around. This place cannot be confused with anything.
They say that once upon a time elves lived here, and their magical songs imbued these places with enchantments that cannot fade, despite the fact that time does not stand still. Some say that it was here that Antimonik gained power and created the Dark Empire. But if this is true, then those ancient times have passed, leaving only memories and legends.
Four travelers passed through these places.
– This is an ancient forest. It is already several thousand years old, but it still does not fade. The cities that were built of stone to be durable were destroyed, and the lush gardens that gardeners tirelessly looked after did not survive. The mountains are destroyed, the seas and rivers are dry. But even the ancient Evil could not destroy the forest,» said the Herald.
«I’m scared,» Esmeralda complained. «It feels like we are being watched tirelessly.»
– But we broke away from the inquisitors!
– Now I’m not sure that this is really that good!
Eleon gently took her hand.
– Calm down, honey.
– What is this strange noise? – Esmeralda looked around in fear.
– Maybe these are wolves? – Eleon suggested. – You don’t have to be afraid of them. Or the wind is noisy.
– No. It’s them,» whispered the Herald.
– Who are they? – Dorian asked in fear.
