Читать бесплатно онлайн книгу автора  Anna Alexander: Master of the void. Part II

Alana K. Solomo

Contents

Chapter 1.
An important conversation

Soon, two brothers, so different in age and temperament, yet bound by blood and a common goal, Ruvars and Stefan found themselves at the foot of a palace that seemed more like an ancient castle than a building erected atop mighty pyramids.

Their hurried arrival startled the servants and the peacefully dozing guards, who scattered instantly like a flock of frightened birds. Countless maids and nannies holding infants seemed nothing more than shadows of human children. Their pale faces, reflecting the cold sunlight, resembled masks devoid of feeling and life, than people. The movements of the maids were perfectly precise but lacked warmth and maternal tenderness. The children resting in their arms seemed merely precious cargo, a symbol of wealth and the continuation of lineage, rather than living, breathing beings in need of love and care.

The youngest of the brothers, consumed by simmering anger and bitter disappointment over Anna’s absence, felt his carefully planned scheme to bring the girl back from oblivion sinking into a swamp of endless waiting, forcing him to stay close to his overly slow brother.

Stefan, on the other hand, was jubilant. Cheerfully handling his triangular dice, he mentally offered thanks to unknown forces for the generosity in the form of Ruvars and for the fact that his thousand-year-old problem seemed finally on the verge of being solved!

He eagerly absorbed the beauty around him: the bright sun, sand dunes, and the azure sea, which seemed here to be a miracle, an exotic adornment of this place.

Stefan bitterly thought about the harsh and cruel world in which his remaining brothers were left, and the heavy trials that still awaited them.

— I want to know exactly what you need from our father?! – Ruvars suddenly interrupted his thoughts sharply. After all, he once cursed you! Do you really believe that his resentment could have faded so quickly?

Stefan was certain that there had been no curse. Their father, sitting at the top of the demonic hierarchy, had only managed to hold onto power with the help of those words about the curse, and few knew about it: only the two of them, Stefan’s late mother, and Agrat.

— I don’t think so, my craftiest and wisest of brothers! And now you will see it for yourself! – replied Stefan, reaching for the handle of the nearly three-meter-tall golden door.

Agrat stepped forward to meet the brothers. A beautiful woman, whose light curls cascaded like a waterfall onto her white shoulders, was the very embodiment of a clear sunny day. Stefan couldn’t take his eyes off her, she was so beautiful.

Once, in her already female incarnation, this being had taken the place of his mother, but now she had become even more beautiful and dear!

Ruvars, following Stefan, bowed in reverence. They greeted her as if she were a deity, who she indeed was: a bright star destined to illuminate the paths of humans, beings, and creatures, when necessary, dwelling in the realms of light and darkness.

Agrat knew that people expected a miracle from her, some kind of deliverance from the oppressive everyday life, and she was ready to become that miracle. After all, she felt the power pulsing through her veins, the knowledge that penetrated every cell of her body. Agrat understood that she carried on her shoulders the responsibility for the future of her children and beyond, for their possibly bright future. But this “bright” future was only visible somewhere beyond the horizon, hidden by the fog of uncertainty and fear of Samael.

With a light movement of her hand, she summoned silence. And then, in the ensuing ringing silence, her voice sounded – pure, strong, and full of hope. A voice capable of conquering hearts and inspiring feats. She was an echo of justice and their love for her, guiding toward dreams that were bound to come true.

— I am glad to welcome both of you and welcome home! – the woman replied, slightly stretching out her words and giving them a warm smile.

— How beautiful you are, the greatest of all living goddesses of the universe! – Ruvars exclaimed in admiration, unable to restrain himself.

The woman, like a blossoming bud, radiated wonderful grace, knowing that she was the highest being of her kind, a being dwelling between two worlds and the void. She could calm the elements and partially heal illnesses, drive away pitiful and helpless enemies, and grant strength to the beings of their world. Agrat, a magnanimous and peace – loving goddess, who once knew neither mercy nor fear in the underworld, had suddenly become the gentle and loving wife of the most cruel and powerful demon of the underworld – Samael.

A couple, having unwillingly lost countless opportunities: to live for their own benefit, to create the human family everyone dreams of, or simply to live happily, turned away from all of this. However, they gained something greater than mortal bodies, power, and riches of the earthly world! Samael and Agrat acquired dominion over non-human beings! And while their family did not need worldly goods and was an ideal in the eyes of other demon-gods, envy and slander toward them were as great as their kindness and truth. The whisper of envy crept through the corridors of their palace like a poisonous asp, curling around every corner and penetrating the most hidden recesses of their flawless world. Their union, which seemed unbreakable, became a target for malicious schemes. Intrigues were woven behind their backs, and even the most loyal servants could turn out to be traitors, bribed by the thirst for power and the desire to dismantle the mighty family. But Samael and Agrat remained steadfast. Love and devotion to each other served as a shield against envious and slanderous people who sought to destroy their family. They knew that the truth would always prevail and were ready to fight for their ideals until their last breath. After all, even in the very heart of darkness, there is always room for light.

But now, Agrat didn’t notice the sad look on her younger son’s face and focused all her attention on Stefan, who was radiant with joy at just the sight of her.

— Since our last meeting, you have changed so much, my dear Stefan! – she said.

The man blushed like an ordinary person. He wanted to kiss the hands of the woman who had not abandoned him during one of the hardest periods of his life, when his mother had passed away.

— Oh, lady Agrat, you are even more beautiful than you were before! I cannot help but admire your otherworldly beauty! You are truly a goddess! – Joe began, then faltered when he saw the silhouette of the father behind the woman.

Samael, the proud and ageless demon, was happy to see his son but did not show it. He knew that the humanity within him was a beautiful part of what even darkness could serve for the good!

— Father! – Stefan whispered barely audibly and bowed.

Ruvars followed his brother’s example, and both of them, standing at his right hand, felt the effect of an irresistible force, surpassing all the powers they had known before, but…

— My son, my kindest and most humane son! How did you dare to come to us, knowing all that has been done against you and your mother?! – Samael asked, not hiding his guilt.

Stefan blushed again. The flush of awkwardness from the father-son exchange spread across his cheeks, which caused surprise and displeasure in the elder of the brothers, that is, himself.

— I knew you needed to save your power! After all, you would have lost everything if you hadn’t taken that step! I knew you never truly wanted to curse me along with mother, but back then we also had no reason to return! That’s why I decided not to show myself to you! But now your son, my younger brother, wished for this, which means I am here! – Stefan blurted out in one breath.

Samael was struck by the wisdom of his older son! He wanted to ask him about life, about what he had been doing all this time, but instead he approached him and hugged him. At this, Ruvars, eyes wide open and not understanding what was happening, interrupted them with his nervous voice:

— Perhaps you can hug each other another time?! At the moment, I have a lot of things to do, and I would like to leave this place with Stefan as soon as possible!

The youngest of the brothers did not heed the words of his brother and Samael, for his thoughts were entirely absorbed by Anna, and her return meant everything to him! The youngest of the brothers longed for the girl to return to his embrace as soon as possible, for he could not imagine any fate for her other than coming back.

— And here is my other son, now the most magnanimous and cunning of the seven and a half demon brothers. And anyone who knows him understands that he did not take this decisive step without reason – he became mortal for the sake of the beautiful Anna, didn’t he? – Samael looked at his son questioningly, causing him to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Everyone around started whispering. Foreign footsteps, shouts, and cries were clearly heard. The sound of trumpets greeted Ruvars, and then Stefan, in that exact order, for the elder brother was still not taken seriously as the younger one was. And even though Ruvars was no longer the rightful master of his circle, not one of the favorite sons, and not even a polite master to his former servants, the hope for his transformation still lived on in Samael.

A long, gold-embroidered tapestry in the huge throne hall depicted scenes from the heroic past of their lineage, ancestors who had served the dark power for centuries, but for some reason, Ruvaras saw in it only a reflection of his own inadequacy. And it was a certain contrast between the bright future foretold for Stefan and the dull present in which he was caught.

His gaze involuntarily slid toward the throne, on which Samael was seated. His face, as if carved from stone, revealed no emotion. Ruvars knew that his father was expecting some kind of sign from him, a confirmation of his readiness to accept his role. But what could Ruvars offer other than disappointment in himself?

Meanwhile, Stefan was handing out smiles left and right, displaying his confidence and charm. He knew how to play to the audience, how to win hearts, having been half – human by birth.

Ruvars felt a wave of envy rise in his chest but immediately suppressed it. After all, envy is the fate of the weak.

The younger of the brothers took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. In the end, he was still Samael’s son, and the blood of their lineage flowed through his veins. The hope for Ruvars’ transformation was just an illusion, but his father would not allow it to fade completely, and that was exactly what Samael intended to show his son.

— Father, Stefan and I had a serious talk about you! But, as I see it, there’s no need for that anymore, since there’s no feud between you, – Ruvars said with interest.

Samael felt triumphant inside: he had managed to sway the whole family to his side! After all, their father’s word was law for them! And while the brothers had only heard of Joe by reputation, just a few years ago he had dared to appear in their “lives” and show that he was worthy of their attention.

Stefan was the eldest of the brothers, older than Nestor by nine months, nine days, and nine hours. Some of the brothers had disliked their half-brother from the very beginning, but Stefan, thanks to his human nature, did not see this as enmity. After all, above all, they were blood brothers to him, which meant that nothing else mattered.

— Ruvars, the plans that swarm in my head are incomprehensible to you! For centuries I have ruled the circles of the underworld, our family, the boundless flow of souls, assigning those who came to me, keeping track of all living and non-living things in our abode and beyond. For millennia, the existence of the underworld has rested on my tireless work, on me, as the sole master of the place where now your four brothers reign! I have never lost a battle and have preserved everything for you! – Samael’s voice thundered.

Joe lowered his head, and Ruvars stared at his father, ready to renounce everything just to get to the essence of their visit.

— And now you are here, beside your parents, and only Sardo’s absence prevents me from accepting that you three have broken your vows and left your circles for humans! How could you dare to do such a thing?! – Samael roared.

At that very moment, the space above them blackened, and fiery drops rained down on them.

Ruvars frowned and turned to his mother, expressing his displeasure. Agrat noticed her younger son’s confusion and immediately understood the reason for his anxiety – after all, Ruvars rarely showed such emotions! She did not want to interrupt Samael, because then the outcome of the conversation would lead to certain consequences, which Agrat was keen to avoid.

The fiery rain intensified, and the gloomy veil above the heads of the gods and creatures once again transformed into a nightmarish scene, repeating over and over.

— I lived with the thought that you would become my heirs for millennia and continue my work! – Samael shouted.

Stefan stood silently, lowering his head, and, like the most obedient son, did not dare to contradict his father. He was displeased with himself, but what outraged him most were his brothers, who lived in perpetual darkness, counting the hundreds of years of their existence to become the last judges for humans.

The elder brother felt compassion for all living things on earth, whether animals or people. He despised gossip, envious people, and slanderers, destroying monstrosities that, under the guise of “purity”, misled living creatures, appearing to them in the form of good. Joe was afraid to admit to himself that his strengths would remain undiscovered, and that he would vanish without ever knowing how wonderful it is to live where any magic is within your reach!

As for Ruvars, his demonic distrust of everything living, except his main goal, had disappeared. Now he was a man, even if only partially, and carnal pain was something he knew firsthand! And sometimes the horror that lurked within him awoke with its former strength, when his existence could become fatal or extremely dangerous to others…

At that moment, the desire to disappear, to forget about his purpose, was so strong that the demon wondered: should he refuse his older brother’s help and just leave, vanish in an unknown direction? But then he wouldn’t be able to bring Anna back, without whom he saw no meaning in continuing to exist.

Joe glanced stealthily into Ruvars’s eyes and was struck by the strength of the emotional bond between his younger brother and Anna. Even having turned to dust, her life hadn’t ended! After all, she wasn’t being let go by the devil himself – what more proof is needed that demons can feel too?

— Father, with all due respect to you and to the noble queen Agrat, my mother, allows me to fulfill my mission here and now! I do not wish to argue with you, let alone ignite a conflict, but I long to reclaim that wonderful beauty you yourself spoke of and to live in happiness, rather than endure a colorless existence! Six centuries is enough time to fulfill one’s destiny, isn’t it? – said Ruvars, putting all the strength of his determination into every word.

Samael was astonished by his son’s selflessness, his zeal to renounce immortality and bear the burden of mortality. He was struck by Ruvars’ unyielding will and the dignity with which he expressed his request – not demanding, but sincerely asking! The head of the demonic lineage could not help but admire the fact that Ruvars rightfully deserved the title of the wisest among the brothers.

— I will ask you only one question and demand an immediate answer! – Samael’s voice sounded like a clap of thunder.

Ruvars tensed, sensing a trap in his father’s words.

Stefan mentally said goodbye to that corner of the underworld where he was allowed to feel happy, certain that his younger brother’s answer would provoke Samael’s anger.

— Why do you want to resurrect a mortal, when you have everything it takes to be immortal and rule your circle for many millennia? – Samael asked, fixing his son with a gaze that seemed to burn right through him.

Ruvars realized that his father was deliberately trying to draw words out of him, to convince him of the futility of rejecting his inheritance. But the desire to be near the one that teetered on the edge of life and death was stronger than any argument.

He heard her voice in his mind, felt her breath nearby, as if speaking with her in reality. Without these sensations, he could no longer imagine his existence.

— I have gained a heart and I wish to remain mortal, because Anna has appeared in my life! The visions of the underworld no longer bring me joy, and I do not intend to remain your prisoner for another eternity, or even longer! – Ruvars replied firmly.

Samael was so stunned by his son’s words that he momentarily lost the power of speech. Agrat smiled faintly and shifted her gaze to Samael, who seemed to be experiencing a personal betrayal and deep disrespect for his authority.

— Say what you need and leave! I do not wish to converse with those who chose the beating of a mortal heart over immortality! – suddenly exclaimed the head of the great family, and fiery drops once again streaked the space above their heads.

They drummed on the roofs of majestic palaces and buildings, where resided rulers no less noble than Samael and Agrat. But none of them dared to complain or object to the fiery rain. After all, Samael’s name was on the lips of all the gods living nearby, for some forbidden, for others sacred.

Chapter 2.
Awakening by voice

The deserted plain where Anna lay was surrounded on all sides by four giant royal cobras. Frozen in their warning postures, they seemed to watch for prey that had strayed into the thickets of tiny cloudberries. This ominous sign warned all living and non – living entities of the dwelling of evil that no creature capable of harming the fragile being or disturbing its rest could penetrate the world of darkness.

The girl’s ashes floated in the air, as if oblivion wrapped the mind of someone who seemed on the verge of disappearing. Anna had been shattered into the tiniest particles, barely discernible to the eye. They swirled in the air, performing their whimsical and perhaps final dance. The girl was not a whole, but existed in a state of disintegration, splitting into billions of particles, with her entire being on the brink of complete physical annihilation. The pain inside was no longer merely physical; it penetrated every cell, every atom of her body, like a poison corroding the very foundation of her existence. Her consciousness flailed, distorting reality, turning familiar outlines into nightmarish visions.

Memories surged in waves, sometimes scorching with icy cold, sometimes burning with hellish fire, demanding an end to these torments. The faces of loved ones, fragments of phrases, and moments of happiness now seemed like a distant dream, almost erased from memory. She felt the connection with the world her friends inhabited slipping away, as the threads linking her to reality tore one by one.

But in this chaos, in this agony of disintegration, a new spark flared up – the very spark of hope and will to live. Something inside, buried deep beneath layers of pain and despair, refused to give up.

Clinging to this spark, she held onto it mentally and painfully, returning piece by piece from oblivion. It promised a long and arduous journey, but she knew there was no other choice.

Perhaps, in her oblivion, Anna was saying farewell to her friends: Azazel and Triiter, or perhaps she was thanking Lion and Anastasia for the emotional thrill they gave her…

Most likely, she did not blame Mark for his action, possibly done against his will. But more than anything, she longed to see the younger of the brothers and work alongside him, like with a being that had saved her life twice. The girl was bound to Ruvars by a single strong thread, and that very thread was his demonic power, which did not allow Anna to disappear in the triumph of reason over chaos…

On the bier of her silence, Anna controlled nothing: neither life nor death, neither malice nor joy…

Now she was at the mercy of the younger of the brothers and his power, which, like a wild beast, did not know what to do or how to exist in a “body” that did not exist. In a state, that could not be recognized by either the higher beings, which dwelled on her level or the lower ones inhabiting the flow of darkness.

Anna’s power seemed as if it had been trapped in a cage, and she could only break free from the snare through the demon and his assistance. Selfish and once self-absorbed Ruvars could not find peace, watching the dust motes floating inside the vacuum sphere. He forgot all his problems and shut his eyes to everything happening around him. His thoughts were only where there was still a glimmer of hope for the salvation of a person who had become a breath of fresh air for him.

Ruvars didn’t know what to do next or how to move forward! He was afraid of making the wrong step, just as Anna once feared, and of harming his friend.

Hoping to hear or feel something approving that might give him confidence in his next step, Ruvars went to… Anna.

Noticing the approaching figure, the cobras reared up, taking on a threatening posture. They hissed furiously, keeping their eyes fixed on Ruvars, opening their mouths wider and wider, like enraged dogs. Two of them stretched to their full length as soon as they saw that Ruvars was crossing the boundaries of their territory.

He leaned forward slightly to look into the eyes of the snakes, knowing they were supposed to recognize him.

— Forgive us, master, but we didn’t recognize you at once! Are you now a human, with a beating heart in your chest? – hissed one of the cobras in a human voice.

Ruvars smiled and once again took the form of his former ‘master.’ He was pleased that they recognized him, but the reptile’s words touched him, emphasizing his human nature, albeit incomplete!

— I hear a heartbeat! – suddenly said the second one, in the same human voice as the first.

Ruvars was slightly taken aback by the tone in her voice, which sounded like a verdict. Could it be that she didn’t understand who was standing before her?

The cobras, as if parting in a bow, cleared the path for their former master, once the curse of their dwelling. He was aware of his duality, accepted it, and understood how tormenting the process of rebirth from darkness into light was for a demon!

Ruvars’ path had been paved with heavy and harsh lessons. Every misdeed, sharp and relentless, pierced his very essence to the core, tempering his will and twisting his morality. Rejected by his family, hunted by the angels of darkness, and misunderstood by humans, he wandered through worlds, gathering fragments of past glory and hope into a bottomless well of despair, that is, of his very existence.

And now he had to learn to see the light in people, the higher links in the unjust chain of life, who had fallen into his circle not by chance, but to “continue” their path.

The demon did not crave praise or guidance. Cruel and stubborn, he yielded to no one in the boundless expanses of the abode of darkness or in the cold void. His name, spoken in a whisper, struck fear even in the most hardened criminals brought before him for judgment, and his gaze, piercing the darkness, made the very foundations of existence shudder. He was the embodiment of chaos, the architect of destruction, an untamed whirlwind sweeping away everything in its path.

In his past – if one could even speak of a past for a being so ancient and beyond time – there were moments of the fall of empires, the fading of stars, and the birth of stories. He was both observer and participant in the greatest tragedies of the universe, a centuries – old witness to the transience of all that exists.

He was surrounded by legions of servants, lower – ranking demons, and ready to carry out his every will, no matter how monstrous it might be. They bowed to him not out of fear, but from the highest sense of devotion, admiring his power and his ability to sow destruction.

But even in this realm of darkness and despair, in the very essence of the demon, there flickered a sense of something else. No, not kindness, but a certain semblance of longing. He saw the worlds he had created crumble, and despite his destiny, he felt a fleeting, painful emptiness.

Perhaps even the most terrifying demon has its own, personal form of sorrow, a sorrow over the fact that, in the end, everything turns to dust. And this sorrow only pushed him toward new destructions, to new acts of vandalism against reality.

Suddenly, a light breeze, fresh as if after rain, brushed against his cheek. The demon shuddered at this touch, for such a thing had never happened before.

Along the blurred banks of a river that seemed to appear from nowhere, one could guess that the water parted before the lord of the dark world. His selfishness slightly receded, but his chest was overflowing with joy at the fact that nature and the elements were still subject to him, as in those times when he ruled over them absolutely.

The closer Ruvars got to Anna, the more his thoughts wandered. A few meters from the vacuum speckled with dust, strange metamorphoses were happening: they thickened into shapeless dark spots, contracted into tiny spheres the size of walnuts, stretched into barely visible threads. Lightning, like spears, pierced Ruvars’ body, unmistakably making it clear that Anna’s space resisted his intrusion.

It wasn’t that he felt pain – the demonic protection shielded him from unbearable suffering – but the tingling caused slight irritation, which made Ruvars flinch.

The youngest of the brothers valued his freedom above all else and did not want to part with it, nor did he want to lose Anna. The demon was being torn apart. Without Anna, he felt like he was crumbling from the inside, and the desire to get her back grew with each passing hour, gaining frenzied strength.

He was subject to strange forces, alien to both darkness and light. His human mind thought differently than when he was a demon. Ruvars understood that these changes were for the better, as they gave him a sense of purpose. He felt that his existence would end when Anna finally disappeared from his life. But he pushed these thoughts away, for he had grand plans for the girl; he was not going to give her up to his soul-hungry brothers!

A few steps away from the place where Anna’s dust motes swirled in a chaotic dance, Ruvars saw a strange aura, like the glow of a bright beam. He wanted to quicken his pace, but something held him back, preventing him from approaching the girl. Then he cast off his human guise and returned to his devilish form.

The glow intensified so much that the heat of the underworld seemed like a faint spark. Ruvars imagined that he was not the master of hell, but the Master of the Void, still as powerful and almighty as ever. His face remained stern, but the scorching heat brought him back to reality, where he realized that unknown forces were keeping him away from Anna. Ruvars hoped that he could be useful, to fulfill all her wishes and whims…

He wanted to be a true friend to her, caring and honest, but right now that was impossible…

Anna remained unattainable for him, distant, existing outside the world of good and evil. She couldn’t imagine how much Ruvars was suffering because, instead of him, she had been the one to suffer.

The celestial body, resembling the sun, shone dimmer than usual. The icy wind from the east grew stronger with each gust, instilling fear in all living things near Ruvars and his “friend” within the vacuum sphere.

Grains of sand swirled as if driven by a hurricane, scattering with immense force in all directions. It was impossible to keep track of them; their movements were strange and unusual. As Ruvars approached Anna, the sand grains seemed to panic, darting around their “home” – Anna. His presence was something frightening, terrifying to them. How else could one explain their chaotic running, their frantic dashes from side to side, and their continuous movement along a path dictated by an invisible force?

Ruvars was torn by confusion. He least of all wanted to disturb the girl, whose gaze; he felt, could watch him from afar.

The vacuum, seeming strange and ominous, was split in two. One half was black, like a starless night, the other white, like bone. With each passing day, its color shifted to the opposite, and the blackness deepened as Anna’s life force waned in her struggle against the shadows of the underworld.

She was partially surrendered to the power of the Ruvars brothers, where her zest for life had almost dried up. Only a small spark of indomitable will lingered within her, giving hope for salvation if Ruvars decided on a desperate step and returned her with the help of the Root of the Sun’s.

As if in a fleeting dream, Anna wandered down a corridor woven from thick fog, where her steps were slow and uncertain. Dry leaves, freshly fallen from the trees, rustled under her feet. Sometimes, finding herself in a ghostly forest where dense thickets intertwined and the trees whispered strange voices, Anna vaguely recognized the place. She drove away thoughts of oblivion and the possibility that her return might not happen…

Her heart ached for the days when she had joyfully lived among close and beloved people. The longing for a past that could not be reclaimed or relived tormented her. Thoughts of Ruvars – the being who had helped her become what she was now – kept surfacing in the girl’s mind again and again.

Although she could not be called a “living” person, every particle of her broken body felt that she could return to life only through a miracle. She awaited this miracle like the dawn of a new beginning, like the first star in the night sky that would show her a new path.

In secret, Anna dreamed of Anastasia’s return. She had embraced her like a mother and, with all her heart and the purity of her soul, nurtured in her the noble feelings inherent in aristocracy. She understood that the refined manners she had learned from Lion were connected to Anastasia. At this thought, Anna shuddered, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt that she had lost a close person in the figure of her lady, a woman who had loved her like a daughter.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by someone’s concern over the vacuum. She heard the beating of a heart and a swarm of thoughts that she could barely grasp. In that very moment, Anna realized: it was Ruvars.

A trembling voice, full of questions she could not answer, wounded her, causing unbearable pain. Every sound the demon made resonated in her with scorching torment. Anna shouted at the top of her lungs that she could hear him, but he was distant, like an impenetrable mountain peak. She could not help someone who was so far away, even though only a few meters separated them…

The young demon hid from the pain in silence. He tried to seem cold and distant, but it was in vain. After all, now he was human!

— Ruvars! – Anna cried out with such fury and pain that her servants shook their heads, as if they had heard her desperate plea.

He turned toward Anna. The yearning in his chest made the half-demon look around for a familiar voice, but he saw no one and turned away.

“I’m going to lose my mind soon, living like this is impossible!” – Ruvars thought.

Anna screamed again at the top of her lungs, and this time the young demon’s heart seemed to stop. The girl was calling him for help!

The cobras twirled their heads again, as if dancing, showing their displeasure. Their peace had never been disturbed so often!

They were looking for their master, but the Master of the Void was nowhere to be found. He stood with his head down, examining unfamiliar tracks under his feet. Ruvars seemed to dissolve, disappearing from the sight of his former servants.

He thought about how wonderful it would be to have his former demonic power! How quickly he could find Mark and how cruelly he would punish him for betrayal, sending him to the underworld for the highest judgment. But his full demonic might had faded over time, and having been reborn, he began to realize the tragedy of the situation, why and for whom he had become ordinary!

Ruvars knew that the girl was calling him, that she needed his help, for her strength was running out! She couldn’t control it in a vacuum, and hope for salvation was fading with every second.

Anna and Ruvars were equally afraid of being left alone on opposite sides of the worlds! She didn’t want to fall under the control of his brothers, and he did not want to remain alone in her world! Therefore, the search for the Root of the Sun՚s, the source of supreme energy for Anna, had to succeed. He believed in it with all his demonic heart!

Ruvars was one step away from discovering Anna’s secret, from appearing to her and pulling her out of the captivity of the unknown. Neither of them could have imagined that their separation would last so long. Anna dreamt of Ruvars, of his transformation, and of the blessings he brought to people, while Ruvars was certain that Anna deserved to live in luxury befitting the Queen of Fire. But for now…

Two kindred hearts, thinking and feeling the world alike, were separated! A demon in the guise of an angel or an angel in the guise of a demon – neither is true! And if Anna had inherited a part of his devilish power, his strength had not waned; on the contrary, he felt it surging within him. He knew that soon he would have to rid himself of the excess energy at all costs, in order to somehow tame his unquenchable power and wrath.

Chapter 3.
An unexpected dialogue

Ruvars lived in captivity of silent dialogues with Anna. He questioned, argued, shared thoughts about Azazel and Sardo… about Mark’s betrayal, which had fractured their communication, and about Lion, whose life Anna had once illuminated with a bright, unforgettable light. The younger of the brothers did not know why he was having a conversation about him in particular, but deep down he felt that it was necessary for both him and, possibly, her.

Ruvars understood the chasm that indifference could lead to – the indifference of someone who seemed to be the center of the universe. After all, at one time he himself had shown such indifference toward the girl who was ready to do anything for him. And now he seemed to himself like that very indifferent demon, escaped from the depths of the underworld, which, for now, was passively doing nothing…

The girl, however, despite everything, kept faith in her moment, in her destiny. And it would certainly come, when her presence became vital for the world she was still detached from, even without acknowledging that the arrow of betrayal, shot by Mark, had split her life into “before” and “after”. And yet, so many plans, so many hopes lay ahead…

For a long time, Anna remained in a state of fragile uncertainty, in a quiet haven between worlds. She could not have imagined that the process of purification, that cruel lesson which Mark, Lion’s chief assistant in magic, had decided to teach her, would turn out to be so prolonged.

But Mark had to reveal his true face. Without this, the story would have taken a completely different path…

Lion also realized what a terrible, possibly irreparable mistake the little squirrel had made. For such monstrous transgressions, he mercilessly eradicated any being, whether living or dwelling in other worlds. He eradicated without a trace, erasing them from the memory of the Ruvars brothers, erasing them from the very fabric of the universe, whether it be a world of light or darkness…

Mark, in turn, did not expect such a tragic fate for Anna. After all, his true target was Ruvars. He did not anticipate that Anna would fall under the power of demonic forces he could not overcome.

Doubts tormented the little squirrel. After all, he had made a mistake that neither Azazel nor Lion would ever forgive. He desperately longed to fix what had been done and accept the punishment he deserved…

Mark was afraid to ask Lion for help, afraid of his wrath. He also dared not turn to Azazel, knowing that she was under the vigilant protection and control of Sardo. Only one option remained – to surrender to Ruvar’s mercy and accept any judgment he decreed, for he was the wisest demon of the underworld.

Mark did not hope for mercy. He only wanted to find a way out of the quagmire he had gotten himself into. To become a helper, a savior for Anna, as it seemed to him, for both girls. Mark lived with the hope that soon he would be able to atone for his guilt. He was overwhelmed by a burning desire to talk to Anna, to explain how deeply he was entangled. The emotional pain from realizing what he had done and the trials ahead gave him no rest. And he vowed to himself to get the girl back, even at the cost of his own life.

He reasoned not like a man, but like a being as heartless and cruel as the brothers with whom he had once sworn to have nothing more to do. But as it turned out, those were only emotions and empty words.