– Yes, everyone except her. She is a servant here. She needs to be saved. One of the friends leaned against another opening and tried to climb higher to see what was happening inside.
– I think I see her.
– What does she look like?
– Standing in the very ring of the hall, all in rags and holding some sort of sieve in his hands.
– That is her. Did she guess me wrong?
– Maybe she just cannot come to you. She cannot.
– «You’re right. How will we proceed?
– «I don’t know.
– Probably, when the holiday begins, we will merge with the crowd and try to approach her.
– Good idea. What will happen to us if this snow queen enchants us? Will it cover with a crust of ice? Alternatively, whatever.
– Yes, I agree too. As a child, I listened to fairy tales about Koshchei, but I did not know that he existed. In addition, I heard that the great wizard, magician and sorcerer. He is immortal. And, how will we be saved?
– I understand you. However, you got here with me, just like me. Therefore, staying here is already a danger. We are in hell. However, we have every chance to get out of here.
– How, if it is not a secret?
– I do not know myself. I am sure that my grandmother knows about it for sure.
– «You’re right. It is necessary to save the grandmother, and she will solve all the problems.
– It is a pity that our friend ghost has left us.
– Yes, it is a pity. He has helped us well enough.
There was aВ deathly silence inВ the hall, and everyone froze inВ anticipation ofВ something special. IВ was staring intently at the center and for some reason IВ did not see anyone. How my friend could see something there. Looking back, IВ saw that the palace was not standing still, but moving through theВ air.
– How is this possible?
– What are you talking about?
– Look back.
– Oh, my God. When it all stops. How are we going to get out of here?
– Where are we anyway? Underground or in the sky?
– «I don’t know. We walked away from the hall and walked down a narrow corridor, since we came here. When we reached the steps, we looked down. We were actually floating through the air. The view from the top was quite beautiful. The icy mountains, the snowy plains, it all seemed so small. The air was icy and my feet stuck to the steps. The air was clear and transparent, and a blizzard was blowing below.
– How is this possible? I am scared to imagine what she might do to us when she gets to us.
– Do you think he will get there?
– And you think she does not know that the three of us are here. In addition, how do you think we all got here? By her grace.
We went back toВ continue watching the holiday that had not yet begun. The corridor was crowded with people inВ the flesh. They appeared out ofВ nowhere and stood up waiting. There were not aВ large number ofВ them, and they continued toВ appear. We froze inВ amazement.
– «My God, they’re corpses. This was actually the case. The corridor was crowded with living corpses.
– What are you doing here? In addition, who are you? I asked this question so boldly, forgetting that I am still alive.
– We are servants of Mara Marena. Every year we are called here from our chambers to serve at the feast. We are the ones who are not worthy of the light. Now we live in a world of darkness. In addition, those who are now in the hall, they are honored with these ice palaces of the goddess herself. They have the right to stay there with her until spring.
– Why before the onset of spring?
– In the spring, the great goddess ends her rights to rule on earth, and she retires here to her Palaces. In addition, she prefers to be here alone with her husband. These spirits arrive every year for the holiday, and every year they become more and more, but not by much. Not everyone manages to make friends with her. In addition, we are just servants. I learned useful information, and it became easier for me.
– What will you do?
– You will see.
With these words, I finished my story. My listener did not miss a single word. The room was dark. It was already late at night. However, I knew that my friend was listening to me carefully. A blizzard was howling outside the window, and a lantern shone dimly. This picture reminded me of the window in my friend’s room when the room I was in was covered with ice. I remembered with horror everything I had experienced. Although I did not regret it. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
Early inВ the morning, my neighbor greeted me and imploringly asked me toВ continue my story.
– Tell me. I said seriously. Do you really believe that?
– Yes, I do. In addition, I will soon provide you with physical evidence that this is true.
– OK. I will continue my story after breakfast.
– I will be sorry to part with you. He said with bitterness in his voice. I do not even know what you are going to do next. However, you had better not come back here anymore. My friend’s words scared me. I could not imagine what he meant. However, he said them seriously enough. After breakfast, I continued my story.
CHAPTERВ 2
The gods greeted each other and took their places. The hall was empty, it was very dark and there was aВ deathly silence. This silence did not bode well. The hall was huge, and it seemed toВ me that it would be heard even if aВ snowflake fell. That is what happened. First, aВ fire lit up on the suspended chandelier, which was swinging, and then aВ whirlwind ofВ snowflakes began. Again, there was aВ deathly silence. The fire went out. Only the outlines ofВ the gods were visible.
The same old woman appeared, her appearance was still terrible. My friends were surprised toВ seeВ her.
– Is it really your grandmother?
– Yes. I replied dryly.
The old woman began toВ build aВ fire. She brought dry brushwood, and tried toВ set it on fire, but she could not do anything. The brushwood was too cold and saturated with moisture. This process took time, and everyone silently waited for the result. The fire began toВ flare up and went out. Mara was amused byВ this, and she sat silently and smiled, IВ could see aВ grin inВ her eyes. The fire went out before it had time toВ ignite. The old woman bent down toВ light it again. Bat, she was thrown away byВ an invisible force, and with such force that she hit the ice wall, but immediately stood up briskly and looked inВ the direction ofВ the gods. No one moved, everyone was looking at the extinguished fire. Mara laughed, it amused her. The flame broke out, ofВ course. InВ addition, it flared up like aВ pioneer bonfire. The appearance ofВ this flame was not natural, more like an artificial one. While the flame was burning, IВ wanted toВ get toВ my grandmother, but my friends stoppedВ me.
– It’s not time yet. Wait.
– She’s right here, she can hear me.
– «She’s not the only one who’ll hear you. I listened to my friend and stayed where I was.
Then the souls flew away and took seats for the guests. Devils teamed up with trolls. The chandelier made ofВ ice began toВ sway, the flame ofВ the fire burned evenly. Nothing-foreshadowed trouble. Gradually, one byВ one, the dead who were standing next toВ us began toВ disappear. It was not known where they had gone. The cold hall turned into aВ taiga, it was the summer time ofВ the year. The thickets parted byВ themselves, forming aВ flat clearing. The fire continued toВ burn, all the evil spirits began toВ come out ofВ the thickets, ghouls, goblins, demons, there were so many ofВ them that IВ could not see them and even find out which ofВ them, who. They all climbed out ofВ the darkness, came up and bowed toВ Mara. This ritual did not last long. When all this was over, and they disappeared, dark gods began toВ come out into the clearing, who had aВ direct connection with the dark world and expressed their respect toВ Mara. Mara received them kindly, and they went back toВ the depths ofВ the taiga. The flames ofВ the bonfire subsided. It illuminated the holiday. Then the taiga parted, forming an abyss, and the whole picture collapsed, and the hall took on its former appearance, and the same lighting, the chandelier continued toВ sway. Then one ofВ the dead men appeared and removed the remains ofВ the fire, after which he disappeared along with the remains.
It was the turn ofВ the invited guests, they lined up inВ pairs, devils and trolls did not part. They flew up toВ the gods and gave them the skulls they came with. It was more ofВ aВ gift for Koshchei. He decorated his home and even furniture with them. After these events, it was the turn ofВ her favorite guests. She accepted them generously. The pile ofВ skulls disappeared, at the snap ofВ two fingers ofВ their owner. The servants brought tables and chairs for dead souls toВ sit at them, only inВ human form. They took the form ofВ sitting down at the table, and did it byВ seniority. First the male elders sat down, then the female ones. Only then, inВ the order ofВ dying, the bodies and souls mixed up and sat down as they had to. The sight ofВ these bodies spoke for itself. It looks like they died aВ long time ago, and are already used toВ being inВ the dark. They did not pretend toВ be anything more, they liked their existence. Their eyes shone with aВ transparent light, and the shell around their eyes betrayed the absence ofВ life. Their bony fingers were like skeletal bones, their hair was lifeless, and they were not breathing. They were just sitting at the table.
The guests took their seats and sat waiting for something. We continued toВ watch. An old woman appeared, she appeared out ofВ thin air and splashes ofВ frozen water scattered inВ different directions. InВ her hands, she held the pot from which IВ managed toВ drink the magic drink. The servants carried wooden cups, one dead man carried aВ tray with dishes, and another poured this drink and distributed them toВ the guests. There were several ofВ them, and they did their job quickly. One ofВ them made aВ mistake and was immediately deleted. The scattered like flakes ofВ snow, and inВ his place was another. Then all the servants quickly disappeared.
– How are you going to save her if she appears and disappears? It can turn into flakes of snow at any moment.
– Yes, you are right. I do not know myself anymore. Can I approach Mara herself?
– «What are you going to tell her?»
– Let him take me, and let the grandmother go.
– You are stupid! Why. You still have your whole life ahead of you; you are only twenty-five.
– I know. Bat, it is also my fault that she is suffering.
– I do not think so. It is her fault that you are here being alive. She told you fairy tales. Our argument was interrupted by a third.
– Quiet. Do not collect troubles. We are already in hell. Her husband will also make skulls out of us. Let us wait. Maybe the grandmother actually knows something. We must wait for the moment.
– «You’re right.
The guests were sitting peacefully at the tables; the hosts ofВ the holiday were talking about something among themselves, or even not talking, but exchanging glances. The house cleaner collected the empty dishes from the guests and disappeared. Trolls came out into the hall and began their single dance. They were dancing something beautiful, trying toВ please the guests, something like aВ ballet. InВ my opinion, this ball was nothing special. IВ had more idea how toВ do my job faster and get away from here. IВ looked away and thought for aВ second, closing my eyes. As soon as IВ did that, IВ heard aВ sharp sound. It was like aВ creak. IВ looked into the hall. Guests, devils and tables, everything was cleaned. The guests took their seats as before. Devils and trolls were sitting inВ their places. The tables disappeared.
Mara Marena was standing inВ the middle ofВ the hall. She stood tall and began toВ change her appearance. Her hair looked like the sun, it was golden, aВ light beautiful dress complemented the image ofВ spring. Having taken the form ofВ summer, the color ofВ her hair remained the same golden, and she was even more beautiful. InВ autumn, she looked like aВ decrepit old woman inВ old clothes and aВ hump on her back, and with the arrival ofВ winter, she turned into aВ young beautiful woman. Her beauty was fatal. IВ could not get enough ofВ her. Her hair was decorated with aВ crown with precious stones; her gaze was stern and proud. She was aВ great goddess.
The festive hall changed its beauty with her. It all started inВ spring, despite the time ofВ year there has never been light here. The light was aВ bonfire on which people burned an effigy ofВ spring. At that moment, Mara wrinkled her face and clenched her hands into fists. This picture ended abruptly.
Then summer came. The picture changed its screensavers the way IВ had seen it before when IВ came here and saw the abandoned dwellings ofВ the gods. It was dark enough here for the summer season, and the black sun served as the light. Spring and summer left quickly enough, but autumn was delayed. It was aВ damp and cold picture. There was aВ dark and gloomy street inВ the hall. Gray wooden houses stood inВ an abandoned state. There was no light inВ them and the street was illuminated byВ aВ lantern. It was drizzling outside, but no one felt it from those present, the rain did not touch them. The trees stood like gnarled guards.
The picture began to slowly change its screensaver. The water began to freeze gradually, turning into icicles. The raindrops turned into flakes of snow and a blizzard began. Mara was coming into her own. The blizzard rose stronger and stronger until it turned into a tornado and abruptly stopped. After the stop, the picture disappeared, and the inhabitants of the hall, all except the gods, were covered with ice. All the servants, devils, trolls and guests in human form. They all turned into ice statues. This picture has already surfaced before my eyes. I remember this moment well. My grandmother was standing in a half-bent state and held a shaman’s tambourine in her hands. The Winter Palace was fabulously beautiful, as was its owner. Winter frowned. Mara has come into her own.
IВ finished my story. AВ doctor came into the room and interrupted him. The doctor was doing his rounds. He said rather sad words for me. My friend should be discharged soon. IВ had already become attached toВ him and IВ did not want toВ part with him. InВ addition, after the experience IВ was afraid toВ stay inВ the ward alone. The doctor left the room. There has been no talk about my dischargeВ yet.
– Don’t be sad. We will meet again, you will see. I took a deep breath in response. How quickly you can get used to a person, I thought. I was sad because so many things happened to me in such a short period, I met a person, now everything is ending, and we will have to part. What a pity. Alternatively, maybe I really dreamed everything and nothing happened. I thought and went out into the corridor.
– Where are you going?
– Just to walk. Walk to the bathroom, I joked.
– Let’s go together. My friend never let me go alone, and I did not even think about why. We walked down the corridor, drank coffee, and I continued my story.
The inhabitants ofВ the castle assumed their former forms. Many guests disappeared, turning into splashes ofВ snow. So they got rid ofВ unnecessary guests. Everything took its former form. The ice thawed aВ little and became much warmer, although no one felt the cold. Mara threw her gaze at my grandmother, and she turned into aВ young girl. Beautiful enough for her age and position, but no one could compare with Mara. The girl straightened up toВ her full height and carefully looked inВ the direction ofВ Mara. No one dared toВ look her inВ theВ eye.
AВ moment later, the castle disappeared, and we found ourselves inВ the winter garden. Everything took its former form, only instead ofВ the old woman there was aВ girl standing and shamanizing byВ the fire. The guests separated, the trolls and devils separated from the spirits and lived byВ themselves. Only the chosen guests remained, and this final part ofВ the holiday was for them. They were facing each other and they were separated byВ fire. Only the chosen guests remained, and this final part ofВ the holiday was dedicated toВ them. The gods sat invariably, as they sat originally inВ the castle. Koschei, did not take his eyes off his wife, he admired her beauty. His eyes glittered greedily; his bony fingers fingered the handle ofВ the throne, lined with skulls. Mara looked with her icy eyes at the fire; her gaze was cold and ruthless, and still changed color.
The old girl was still brewing aВ miraculous drink; it was already the third pot. My friends and IВ were standing under aВ tree and continued toВ watch what was happening.
– You should have approached her in the castle. However, it will not work out here. See how it turned out.
– I see.
– Then she will disappear and that is it.
– We need to catch the moment, as soon as the moment succeeds, I will immediately use it.
– We all believe in you.
The effect ofВ the drink was beginning toВ end, and we began toВ feel cold.
– Do you feel the same as me?
– You will not believe it, but yes! Same as you.
– She is brewing a new potion. If you drink it, then the action will last.
– And how will we do it?
– Let’s hope for a miracle.
The girl continued toВ cook and shamanize at the same time. InВ addition, every time the shamanic words intensified, she became older. First, it was aВ girl, then aВ girl-woman, then aВ young woman, and so gradually, she turned back into aВ poor old woman. She stood hunched over byВ the fire and continued toВ brew aВ potion.
The drink was ready. The old woman poured it into the same wooden cups and distributed it toВ the servants. They drank and assumed human form. Then the servants carried it toВ the others. First toВ souls, then toВ demons and trolls. Everything went smoothly. IВ saw how the drink remained inВ the pot. Fumes were coming from it. After drinking the drink, the Sabbath began. Demons, trolls and souls were having fun. The old woman and the servants stood aside, they could not take part. The fun was inВ full swing. InВ addition, IВ decided that this was aВ chance and IВ should takeВ it.
We walked around the tall fir trees, the holiday remained ahead. After walking aВ little forward, IВ got as close as possible toВ the grandmother. The three ofВ us were shaking from the cold. She had her back toВ us. IВ plucked up the courage and called her inВ aВ low voice. She heard me from the first call, but did not dare toВ look back. IВ realized this and waited. She exchanged aВ glance with one ofВ the servants. This dead man sneaked into our Christmas trees and brought aВ cup ofВ drink. We drank it one for three, forgetting that we were drinking from the hands ofВ aВ dead man. The gods were watching the Sabbath and did not notice what was happening. The fire was blazing with aВ bright flame and we were not visible. The old woman took aВ few steps back and without turning toВ face us began aВ dialogue.
– Why are there three of you here?
– We do not know ourselves. A friend replied.
– Well, he is fine, and what are you doing here? With three, it will be more difficult.
– «Don’t they know we’re here?»
– I think they know; only the three of you will be more difficult to save.
– How to understand?
– It means that he died alone and dragged his tail behind him. You should not be here.
– And what should I do now?
– Rescue drowning people.
