«Well, I hope to see you again soon.» the maiden said cordially. «And thanks for telling me who to expect. I appreciate your help, Echo.»
The Lord of the forest only nodded and silently disappeared in the night, which like a thick curtain closed behind him, leaving no trace of his presence.
Deva was left alone again. After all these meetings, the feeling of faith that there was a chance to fix everything began to fade gradually. Her enthusiasm was no longer as fiery as it had been a few hours earlier.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing the lump of disappointment rising her throat. Her temples throbbed with a mixture of feelings and emotions, but the inner strength and will inherent in her by the Creators were always here. No one and nothing could shake them. Deva was full of determination and courage to continue on a path that did not promise to be easy.
Having subdued all her worries, Deva hid deeper in the delicate fabric of the shining silver cloak and turned her face in the direction from which the rumble came.
She was ready for the meeting.
CHAPTER 2
A bright flash, and then a tail stretching across the entire sky, was seen in all corners of the Earth. People couldn’t notice or miss such a phenomenon that attracted their attention. Someone was frankly scared, someone was interested, someone was upset, some were angry and indignant. The people of the clans didn’t know its origin and therefore had no idea what such a sudden message from heaven could threaten. They’ve been fighting all their lives. The eternal confrontation has left a mark on each of them. Everyone wore scars. Someone had them hidden under their clothes, and someone hid them deep inside. And so they lived side by side: wounded in heart and soul, along with the physically mutilated. This night was a turning point for everyone.
«Sire! Stephen! Urgently report about the incident to the head!» a terrified guard shouted from the watchtower.
The news spread among the inhabitants quickly. The head of the Earth Clan didn’t sleep well at night. Tossing and turning in bed from the evening until midnight, he did not fall asleep at all. After all, he pulled off the covers and got up to stretch his legs. Stephen paced back and forth and measured his chamber nervously. His head was full of thoughts that didn’t let him go to rest, and his heart was beating rapidly, as if he had a premonition that something was wrong. «And how can I fall asleep if there are only enemies around? I can’t rely on anyone in this clan. My son is also up to something. But anyway. I keep them all here,» he clenched his fist and shook it at the window. Suddenly, a flash lit up the dark sky. It illuminated everything around. The head recoiled, covering his face with his hand. As soon as the flash went out, turning into a long tail, he looked out through the glazed frames again and followed with its gaze. «This is it,» he said dryly, as if he had been waiting for a sign from heaven itself for a long time. «It’s time for action.»
Stephen was determined. As soon as the star fell into the Dark Woods and disappeared, Stephen called the guards and commanded them to assemble the council. The decision to send reconnaissance detachments to the crash site was made unanimously. No one knew what they would have to face, but Stephen understood that the Mountain Clan would also rush there to get what had been sent to them by the Highers.
«It doesn’t matter what awaits us there, the main thing is who will arrive first and who will get this something unknown. The Mountain Clan is located further from the forests and the place where the ray landed. But that won’t stop Conrad. They are also ready to fight for the right of primacy. However, the head of the Water Clan has not been involved in wars for a long time. Having isolated themselves on the expanses of water, they chose to cowardly hide. Well, let them die there in oblivion and loneliness. We will get more,» Stephen mused, pacing the lonely corridors of the castle in a wearisome expectation of news.
The best warriors were equipped with the best weapon; the fastest horses were prepared. Everything was done to get what was sent to the earth with the ray of light. Stephen planned to use it for his own purposes, of course, related to the conquest of the enemy clan and the development of new, habitable lands. Deep down, he hoped that they had been sent something that could overcome the enemy. But if this something was aimed at destroying the Earth’s Clan inhabitants, the warriors were ready to deal with it without sparing themselves. Stephen gave the command to get the ray at all costs. With such guidance, the warriors set off under the cover of night. Urging their horses on, they moved quickly and smoothly, wanting to get to the crash site before the glow faded. Nothing could stop them, not even the surrounding Dark Woods. The brave warriors were ready for anything: either to kill a creature that invaded their lands uninvited, or to fight with an enemy clan if it arrived first.
However, the Earth Clan had the advantage. The Dark Woods was very close and it didn’t take long for the warriors to cross the valley and invade its gloomy lands.
It has been a long time since the common people came here. All the animals were killed, the birds were caught, there was no one else in these lifeless thickets – that’s what they thought. Only the trees still kept their green robes, though not as rich as they once were. Perhaps, somewhere behind them, the remaining birds or small animals could hide by occasion. Now, passing the gloomy trees, the guests felt the dead spirit of the local places. However, it didn’t touch them. As they made their way through the thickets, drowning in blackness, they were guided only by a faint glow, which grew brighter as they approached. Finally, they came to a lawn and stopped at the very edge of the trees. They saw a young maiden. That was the falling ray they were hunting for.
Shocked by the purity of the radiance emanating from her, they lowered the weapon they held ready. Absolutely. Perfect. The flawless light emanated from her, who was clad in a weightless cloak. It was a remnant of a gradually fading glow and the people of the Earth Clan continued to stare at it with widened eyes and their mouths slightly open. They couldn’t even imagine that a person could look so innocent. Everyone already forgot that people not from another clan may not be dangerous, that they are not in danger. But even this picture could not melt their hearts.
After a while of silent contemplation, they raised their weapon again. Spurring their horses, the warriors broke from the edge of the meadow and rushed headlong to the uninvited guest. Surrounding her, they didn’t slow down, moving around, pointing the swords at her. She was motionless and silent, as if she had already resigned herself to her fate, knowing the ending in advance. They stared, grinned, growled, whistled, as if they were intimidating a trapped animal. A beast who wished to sacrifice its life. The maiden still remained humble and silent. It could seem that the fear was unknown to her.
Finally, having finished their demonstrative but meaningless race, they stopped, surrounding her in a tight circle.
«Who are you? Tell us!» Without ceremony, one of the warriors commanded her. He was sitting on his horse and looking down at her, which made Deva seem tiny and vulnerable in his eyes.
«My name is Deva,» she replied meekly.
«Look at me!»
She lifted her head and looked straight into his eyes. In them, in these blue bottomless oceans, he saw a child who trusted him and was not afraid at all.
«Why did you come here?» another warrior asked her menacingly, seeing the pause that suddenly occurred.
«To help you,» she replied softly, shifting her eyes to him. The warrior also felt something strange. It was as if his mind was covered with nets and he was drowning, sinking into the bottom.
«Help,» the other warriors echoed and laughed.
Deva was beautiful in this radiance. Her dark skin, blue eyes framed by thick and long eyelashes, her curly hair darker than night. She looked like a star that had descended from heaven, and this modesty and meekness only made her more beautiful. Realizing that she was harmless,