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Mom got nervous. Her heart accelerated the rhythm.
She sat down on a bench and, leaning against the wall with a rug made of colored ropes, rubbed her forehead.
– This year Ruby has tripled the energy tribute. Pontiar was outraged and he refused to pay. They got angry and declared war.
When mom said this word her voice quivered. No, she’s not coward, she’s a war magician. And my mom wasn’t afraid of death, death was just a door to a new life. She knew that war brings destruction, pain, tears and losses. How many fathers and mothers won’t return to their children, how many people the war will leave homeless, how much fear is caused only by the thought of losing the loved ones. A shiver ran down my spine like an icy avalanche. Varya and Alice covered their lips with their hand, drowning out exclamations of horror. Grandpa Marash sat down on a stool by the door. Only I stood in front of my upset mother, not knowing what to say in such cases. My father was a general in the royal guard of magicians. He will be the first to enter the battle. But I also knew that he was a strong water magician, like my mom. It’s not easy to defeat him. Almost every inhabitant of Pyramid knew dad’s heroic deeds in repelling enemy attacks. His achievements paved my way to the glory. But alas, I won’t follow his footsteps. I have my own way of the hero.
– Mom, everything will be fine! – I cheered her up. – I think Pontiar made this decision for some reason. He is the ruler and knows what we don’t know.
She nodded. Only now I noticed the circles under her eyes. Probably mom cried, and my father sent her away from the capital because of the child. Mom hugged me, and now I stroked her hair. It was such an unearthly, pleasant feeling of care. What a birthday present I’ve got! Only the news of the war spoiled the moment of happiness.
– I love you! I won’t let anything happen to you! – I assured.
In the history of our world, I’ve heard about only one war. The leader of Phaeton’s army was a magician who, like my father, had the gift of controlling the element of water. Alice said that then the whole sky was illuminated by lightning strikes that reached the ground. Many settlements were burned down, and even the Ellenian and Weirian elf forests were harmed.
Now I’ve decided that I can protect our house, and grandpa Marash will help me, because without magic it will be difficult. As the saying goes, together we are stronger.
Mom expected hostilities to unfold from day to day. Now I had the tools and I knew what to do. Grandpa Marash and I pulled half-meter steel rods from the old hangar. A year ago, I traded them for a rare typewriter that was aging in a bunch of scrap metal in a closet under the stairs. Alice said that it wouldn’t be useful to us even in working order, but for the merchant Paco it’s just right.
From the rods, I made an umbrella-like structure, covering the tip with liquid silver. I proceeded with the rest. Of course, I didn’t have any rope, and even more of this length. And I was thinking how to replace it.
– Master, will the liana fit? – a skein of green vegetation hung on the old man’s shoulder.
I clapped my hands happily.
– It will perfectly fit! And where did you get it?
– I grew it, – Marash smiled. – Only a little. Is it enough?
– Well, not enough… Maybe we can stretch it out with magic? I asked uncertainly.
– Magic? I think we can! – Marash agreed.
It’s been two days already. Mom watched as Marash and I fiddled and tried. The spiers were installed, the liana conductors soaked in saline were hung and grounded. I threw the ends into the lake. We are ready. We will only need to raise the spiers, by means of magic, just above the highest point of the roof during hostilities. And then the lightnings won’t scare us.
I looked at an oak tree in the very center of the backyard garden. It is too dear to me. I also put a spire next to it and connected everything with one liana.
In the evenings my mom and I had tea. But not in the living room, but in the kitchen, with the servant. Mom missed the simplicity of life. According to her, the arrogant urban society was annoying. She wanted coziness and warmth.
We spent time together like before. We walked and laughed. We baked cinnamon rolls. We were happy, I was… I enjoyed. We often came to our oak tree. And now I was lying, closing my eyes with pleasure, under the tree crown. I wondered. An oak tree in a coniferous forest. It is also a tree. All magicians – are people, even if I am not a magician, but I am a person! And I’m not afraid to be an outcast.
The whistle and heavy boom shook.
– It’s started! – my mom exclaimed, jumping up sharply, and grabbed her belly.
Water ran down her legs.
– Mom? – I looked wondering at the wet sand.
– Waters have broken. Nicholas, your little sister decided to be born at the wrong time… Help me!
Mom screamed and bent down as if someone had hit her in the belly.
– Mom! – I ducked under her arm and let her lean on myself.
From the house a governess and a young maid were rushing towards us.
– Alice, waters have broken. Reemay is asking to get into the world… – Mom smiled bitterly.
The sky was covered with thunderclouds. It darkened abruptly around. Marash raced from the stable at full speed.
– Hostess, go inside, quick! Niko, tell me what to do!
– You know. Raise the spiers just above the roof and secure them. How long can you hold on? – while I was talking to the gardener, Alice took mom into the house.
– I will hold on as long as necessary! Don’t worry, master, I only look old, but the magical powers don’t age, and I have a soul…
I smiled. I love grandpa Marash! He was always on my side. And he believes in me, unlike my father.
Whistle. Pink-purple flashes above the clouds. A net of lightning lit up the entire sky. The discharges began to fall on the ground here and there.
– It’s time, Marash! Come on! – I shouted.
A scream was heard in the house. It was mom. I rushed into the house. Dinah grabbed me just in front of my mom’s bedroom door.
– Let me go! – I snapped.
– Where are you going? Aphelia is giving a birth. You can’t go there! – a friend scolded.
Another puffy scream. The door flew open. I saw a large wooden tub. Mom was sitting in it up to her chest in water. The white shirt was soaked, she had an oak branch in her teeth. She gripped the side of the tub tightly, so that the knuckles of her fingers turned white.
– Well, step aside, men shouldn’t be here! – Alice snapped up mildly.
Varya hurriedly rushed behind her with a pile of towels.
– Niko, don’t bother! Do something useful. Heat some water. Dinara will help you!
Varya kicked the door to my mom’s chamber with her foot – and again there was a scream. But not so loud.
Mom realized that I was at the door and, apparently, she restrained herself so as not to frighten me. In the street, the noise increased. The thunderstorm became worse. Dinah pushed me on the shoulder.
– Let’s go. Come on! – She commanded.
I almost rolled down the stairs when another thunder shook the walls of the house. A flash of lightning came streaming with blinding light in through all the windows that weren’t shuttered.
Dinah staggered back.
– Why should I heat the water? – I didn’t understand.
He grabbed two clean wooden buckets from the stove and put one under the tap.
– Well, of course you didn’t understand. It’s for your sister and mother. The water is needed to wash them after the childbirth. You should listen open-mouthed and carry the water!
Dinah grabbed the buckets from my hands and poured the water into the pots. She threw coal into the stove and tied her skirts. I could hardly hold a laugh, she looked so ridiculous. She looked like a goose, only her neck should be longer, and she will look exactly as a goose.
– Don’t grin, do you think it’s comfortable to run up the stairs in a dress? I’ll tell you! No, at all. You should try and only after that you can smile! – the girl muttered resentfully.
Her words erased my smile. There was such thunder clap that my ears were plugged, and then came the crack of a falling tree that was very close. I looked out the window. A burning tree fell on the liana that was connected with my oak. Grandpa Marash stood right there, wet of the pouring rain, without his raincoat. I rushed outside.
– Where are you going? – I heard in pursuit.
But I was already rushing to Marash.
– What happened?! – shouting over the rain, I tried to clarify the situation.
But everything was obvious. Two spiers, between which the liana was stretched, tilted.
– Lightning hit the tree! – Marash shouted in response and shook his head towards the oak. – It is without protection now! What we are going to do?
I grabbed my wet head. Streams of icy water flowed down the temples.
The sky was lit up with flashes of light, the battle was just at the height. Our war magicians didn’t back down. They held the defense firmly. I think they gave a powerful rebuff.
The fallen tree was consumed by fire. It whistled and crackled, emitting death moans. The smell of ozone and pine burning thus mixed. Oak. So, what to do? Now the liana will burn out, and I can throw its ends into the lake. But, will I make it in time? The liana was almost burned out, I was about to dash to it, when suddenly a bright flash fell like a column on the oak tree.
– Nooo! – I screamed so that I even lost my voice. My throat ached, and I whispered. – No, no… Please. Rain, extinguish it…
But the oak was burning, splitting in two. The merciless fire tore off the leaves withered from the heat, gnawed at the branches, and bit into the pliable wood. The oak seemed a two-headed torch on the hill. I moved towards it, but what could I do? I am nothing without magic… I couldn’t run to extinguish this gigantic tree with a bucket of water. My legs gave way, I fell on my knees and grabbed the ground. The dirt seeped between my fingers, munching sadly. As if it was sobbing with me. But no. Only I sobbed here, like a mute fish, opening my mouth. The vocal cords only emitted a hoarse groan. Marash didn’t move. He kept his defenses. The flashes in the sky stopped, as did the rain, which until now was ruthlessly whipping me with rapture. Is it enough? No, get more! Maybe the magic will wake up? After all, it happens that in the case of affect, the gift awakens. But not in my case… Damned lightning burnt my memories. Completely and mercilessly. The oak wasn’t glowing so brightly now. In the silence of the crackling fire and the echoes of the passing thunderstorm, I heard a child’s cry. It was Reemay who announced her presence. I smiled bitterly.
Marash came up and patted me on the back.
– Niko, don’t cry. We will plant a new tree. I will help to grow it faster – he tried to cheer me up.
– It will be another tree. Another memory, not mine – I whispered.
Getting up slowly, I trudged into the house. The boots got stuck in the mud somewhere along the road. Well, and to the demons of Ruby them. I went to the kitchen barefoot. Dinah stood in a daze, silently swallowing tears. Marash followed me, shaking his head. He was chilled and asked some tea to warm him up.
– Niko… – Dinah called me.
I waved of her and went up to my room. The clouds in the sky parted, but it was already evening, and the room was in semi-darkness.
I sat down on a chair without undressing and, folding my hands on the table in front of me, dropped my head on them. My shoulders were trembling. I was painfully hurt. I thought of everything so well, and these lightning rods, but I didn’t foresee that a tree could fall on the liana. My oak. It’s gone. Well, okay. The outcast among the coniferous forest disappeared. Maybe it’s a sign. Should I disappear too? I couldn’t protect my memories. What am I worth then? Maybe my father is right. A blank, I am just a blank…
Someone knocked at the door.
– Niko, babe – Alice looked into the dark room.
I didn’t even move.
– Are you sleeping? – the aunt asked uncertainly and walked over to me. – Marash said that lightning hit the oak. I’m sorry, I know how dear it was to you.
– Alice… – I whispered. – Why did Sherida give me this life? I’m a worthless blank. Without a gift, completely useless!
The woman sighed excitedly.
– Niko, you are very talented! And your gift will manifest itself, but later… You have protected the house from lightning, you’ve built such wonderful lightning rods.
– Not good enough! – I grumbled and coughed. The throat was scorching with fire.
– Excellent! But only the Gods know why this has happened. And you are a precious gift for Aphelia! You are her treasure…
– Yeah. A gift that she has completely forgotten for eleven years… – now the resentment was seething in me. Either at my mom, or at myself. I wasn’t offended at my father. What can you do? He didn’t pretend that he loves me. – I understand my father… He needs a worthy heir. Otherwise, who is he then in the society of magicians? And he got me… a blank.
– Don’t beat yourself up! You’re wrong! You’d seen how happy was Aphelia to see you again! – Alice stroked my head. – Let’s go. Reemay is so cute. Do you want to see her? She looks so much like you, when you were little. But, at first you should take a bathe and get warm as you were chilled in the freezing rain.
Alice tried to calm me down, but I was sick at heart.
– I hope she is gifted, not like me…
Aunt choked and froze.
I got up from my chair and walked slowly towards the exit.
– While you… you’re in the bathroom, I will clean up here.
Aunt clapped her hands carefully, and all candles were lit in the room.
«Magic… why am I bad for you?» – I thought with sorrow.
But seeing as Alice had quieted down, I whispered it aloud.
The water washed away not only the dirt and rainwater from my body, but it also numbed the pain, that tied my heart with tight knots.
I changed my clothes and I went to my mom’s chamber. The wooden tub has been already carried away. Mom was lying on a wide bed with my sister in her arms. Reemay was red and wrinkled like a small raisin. I couldn’t see the color of her eyes as she was dozing, sniffing with her snub, like a newborn hare’s, nose. But her brown curls and thick black eyelashes made her look incredibly cute. I sat down on the bed and looked at her with tenderness. So tiny, fragile, defenseless. Mom took my hand.
– Nicholas, you are so brave! You were able to protect our house from lightning. I am very sorry that the oak has burned down. Dinah told me. But don’t be sad, we’ll plant a new one.
I didn’t answer. I was tired. And my mother was completely exhausted. I silently kissed her on the cheek and headed to the door. With peripheral vision, I noticed a blue scroll on the writing table. The wax seal was definitely royal. I wondered what was the magical message from my father?
Chapter 2
The dreams were grievous: the lightning again hit my oak tree, and then the war, but not the one that was yesterday, but another one, even more cruel. And a girl with dark brown eyes. We stood against the enemy shoulder to shoulder… And the darkness.
The morning was sunny. Warm rays touched my heels. Still half asleep, I buried my face in the pillow and tried to put together all events of yesterday. The war that lasted almost an entire day. Our war magicians defended the boundaries of Pyramid. Otherwise, I wouldn’t lie calmly now in my bed.
The lightning rods that we installed with grandpa Marash did their job. But I didn’t take everything into account. My burnt oak cannot be returned anymore. It was not only a place of my memories, but also a symbol of myself: an ordinary person in an extraordinary society. And now it was gone. I felt an emptiness in my soul. It felt like somebody had turned me off. Now everything is indifferent. The hope, that I could become a hero in the magical world, has burned out with this oak tree…
Somebody scratched softly at the door.
