Unconquered Sun (58 page)

The rack No. 34 consisted of orange and pink spheres. Oh, these spheres were the most favourite at the Fairy when she was still a schoolgirl! At this rack the Fairy stopped for a long time. They reminded her youth. Then, having hardly waited for the day off, she ran from the room of "Beehive" (on their girlish slang the school hostel so was called) to Pools that for half a day to plunge into the dreams cast by such spheres …

Orange spheres offered love stories of the premarital period. There were first appointments under the moon, the first recognitions, love notes, adventures on the love soil - everything is beautiful, romantic, chaste. Usually all of them came to an end with a marriage (if it is only not orange spheres with dark patterns, of course, for fans of love tragedies). They were especially loved by the Fairy in youth.

Pink spheres are life after a marriage. There were family holidays, joint household life and all other. If you choose monophonic (without blue or yellow patterns) a sphere, then family life without children and without the known scenes of matrimonial life is shown there.

Can seem surprising, but at the Fairy School watched dreams only from orange spheres. Once, however, she looked at a pink sphere with blue patterns (but not with yellow! - them at School nobody was given), but it then not really was pleasant to it. For some reason there the husband reminded the footman, than the real man more - set the table, made a bed, all the time kissed handles … - it then fine enraged the Fairy. And children was two there - the boy and the girl. The girl still anything - such clever, mobile. And the boy turned out some mentally retarded, weakly. Did not study, was not able neither to write, nor to read, ran on a grass more and more as a playful tender kid, and all … - it brought the Fairy then to a hysterics. The most interesting that though the sphere was transparent, but at the same time the Fairy could not affect behavior of the husband and boy in any way - on anything, only not on them! Since then the Fairy always watched only orange spheres.

And here orange spheres contained especially interesting dreams. In one history on a graduation party at School where to you on a lot has to dance with the graduate of School of pages was shown - such luck can be only in dreams, it precisely! - in five it is less pages of times, than graduates of School of Fairies … In another just a meeting with the young man in the wood. In the third - at business visit to one of wards of sovereign kingdoms of the Commonwealth. There reception at some king was shown and at reception there was a meeting with the king's son - the young prince … Generally, all stories were extremely successful here, romantic so the Fairy even thought that it will be necessary to visit this Pool once again, already really …

So the Fairy passed a rack behind a rack, trying and probing on couple of tens of spheres from everyone until with a sinking heart, reached the 38th.

This rack was filled with spheres of opaque gold color. The Fairy did not see such spheres earlier. She touched one of them and saw that the speech goes there about … Gold Hall. Here it was possible to get acquainted with all sights of the Hall. In other sphere war between the Invincible Sun and fairies because of the Mirror was in detail described, and it was possible to take part in it only on the party of the Invincible Sun. In the third construction of the Hall is in detail described. The fairy was struck by tens of thousands of slaves - golems and dwarfs - working on its construction. In the fourth - with scarlet patterns - fighting campaigns of army of the Invincible Sun on neighboring inhabitants - on flying monkeys, cave dev, ogr, monsters of various look were in detail described. At last, time "absolutely incidentally" came to touch a sphere No. 38-69.

The fairy touched with the shivering hand a sphere, nothing in appearance not differing from others on color, but … saw nothing. The sphere was closed for previously viewing. And it just also demonstrated that it was an alien element in this collection.

- You made the choice, madam? - the mechanical voice at the left ear was right there distributed.

- Yes … perhaps … - the Fairy thoughtfully spoke. - This, please.

- As you will order, madam, - the golem also passionlessly said and special magnetic gilded nippers picked up the necessary sphere and incurred it to the transformer which is already started by the first golem. The fairy went to a locker room. There it, without hurrying not to give the impatience, threw off a precious dress - a gift of the Invincible Sun - and came downstairs to the Pool.

The fairy was drenched by a wave of pleasant heat, she felt tart sweetish aroma of just blossomed roses. In the head pleasantly rustled and there was a wish to sleep. The water raging from the pool of air given from a floor pleasantly caressed and massed a body. One of golems approached the Fairy and accurately fixed a special collar that it incidentally did not roll in a dream on her neck and did not choke in the pool. With its help the head always remains on a surface. And at this time other golem already put a sphere in deepening on a transformer cover, and the long pink cord from it shipped in pink water of the pool. The sphere was lit by beautiful golden light from within, and water began to rage even more, from it tumbled down clubs of pink steam. The head and eyelids of the Fairy became heavy, and she began to fail in a deep, deep sleep …

Suddenly clouds of steam dissipated. The fairy woke up early in the morning, till the dawn, from a hot touch to the cheek - it was burned by some invisible flame. She shuddered and was sharply drawn aside aside.

- More quietly, more quietly, Prinze, - sounded in her head a voice, is I, your Empress. It is time for us, dawn soon, it is time to join the Stream … - And the Fairy understood that for some time she became Prinze, and to her it became terrible, terribly curious - and not only because now she learns what happened to Prinze, but also because for the first time in life it is given an opportunity to stay the man …

1.

The prince woke up early in the morning, till the dawn from a hot touch to the cheek - it was burned by some invisible flame. The prince shuddered and was sharply drawn aside aside.

- More quietly, more quietly, Prinze, - sounded in the head a voice, is I, your Empress. It is time for us, dawn soon, it is time to join the Stream.

The prince unwillingly got up, put on and followed the ghost which is reflected in magical mirrors on a ladder - on top of the Gold Tower. Thoughts in the head were confused. It as sentenced execution, convulsively tried to present what to do to it. But nothing went to the head - the Invincible Sun is absolutely impregnable and it is impossible to escape from it, and therefore there is only one - at the resolute moment to run up properly and to rush from the rock that at least thanks to death to remain the living person...

- If you think that you will stop being the person - you are mistaken, - having impudently read him think, told the Voice. - You will remain the same person, at you will even be, unlike me, a body. I improved technology of merge to the Stream and eliminated all defects. Moreover, you will be more than the person - the superperson, Chelovekom-Solntsem, you will have unlimited opportunities: you will be able to fly, burn and scorch everything that you will want, to control consciousness of mortal and to read their mind, you will be immortal and eternally young, generally, you will be god of this world, same as I...

- But you have no body … - noticed Prinze.

- So far... But this problem is solved... - mysteriously said the Voice.

They did other way silently. The prince was indrawn and did not want to speak about anything.

Soon rise ended. They appeared on that place which Prinze for the first time saw in a magic mirror of the dwarf Hnum: flat as a saucer the observation platform at the top of the Gold Tower. It hung over the region of the Bottomless Gorge. Directly on an observation deck the huge gold mirror to which several gold chains were attached, coming to an end with bracelets, too from gold, respectively for a neck, a forehead, a wrist, ankles towered. Near a mirror there was a throne, from gold too.

- Well, here we also came, - solemnly sang a melodious voice of the Invincible Sun. - In half an hour dawn will begin. My magic mirror will focus beams and will transform them to magic energy which thanks to chains will get into your body and soul and will burn in it all imperfect, perishable, fallen, having filled you with new life, new force. You will become the first person of new race, Race of Gods and Misters, Children of the Sun, the new type of the person - HOMO SOLIS will be born, and I - the Invincible Sun - the Most perfect of Tselestiya's beings will be his Foremother! Miraculously sounds, isn't it?

- But you told, - Prinze puzzly asked, - that merge to the Stream can be only voluntary?

- And unless it not so? - parried the Invincible Sun.

- Yes! Not so! I do not want to be any new person, I want to remain that who I am is - Anonymous Prinze without Kingdom! Here!

And with these words the Prince ran. He calculated truly, to a low parapet on the Observation deck of the Gold Tower there were only five steps. Still the step - and it is free, is forever free …

Heart stood with horror when his body a stone departed down, directly on the Gorge bottom. Wild wind deafened Prinze violent we howl, breath intercepted as though someone's hand pulled together to it a throat, heart in a breast trembled as a wounded birdie.

The fear was gone somewhere. The feeling of wild delight captured his soul - at last, it is free, rather free! And Prinze wildly laughed … The only thing what he regretted at that moment about that he did not meet the Fairy and did not say goodbye to beloved kids …

Suddenly, when to stones at the bottom of the Gorge there were only a few moments of flight, the speed of its falling suddenly sharply began to be slowed down - as if, some titanic force pulled it back. And here - literally in three steps from stones its falling finally stopped. As the ball attached by a rope to a tree trunk if to throw it from the mountain, will stop over time, and Prinze's body stopped, having nearly reached edge of a chasm. Some hidden rope as if kept it from further falling.

The prince looked upward and saw the illusive gold figure at rock top which imperiously stretched to it the hands. For a second it seemed to it that he even sees her face - imperious, quiet, executed greatness and force, absolutely fine and - ruthless as the scorching sun of the desert. The movement of hands from below up - and Prinze's body began to rise obediently back. And in the head the triumphing voice sounded:

- The fool, really you could think that I will not provide it? You are forgotten, the madman, your pathetic cerebellum is only a million share of my reason. However, and you will become such as Ya. Uzhe very soon...

The prince, being lifted on rock top by some titanic magnetic force, it was flat-out pushed to the platform floor.

- Why you torment me? - with groan Prinze whispered - the voice refused to serve it.

- We go, - instead of the answer the Voice was distributed. - I will show you something.

Some force lifted it from legs and led it back to Tower top where there was a damned magical mirror.

- Look.

The prince hardly razlepit eyelids and saw that the gold polished surface of a mirror trembled as a water smooth surface if to throw a stone into it. On it pictures of some mountains appeared. Having attentively looked narrowly, Prinze saw some familiar figures...

"Creator! Yes same my Fairy with Animals!"

The prince as if grew to the Mirror, greedy watching what it shows. He saw how the Beautiful Fairy powerlessly beats off the terrible arachnoid monsters attacking her as the Kitten and the Puppy for her brittle back shy hide as monsters slowly but surely go down from the rock. And then - weeds it to the mouth of the gorge, everything entangled by sticky rubbish, both tens and tens of these creatures of the rocks surrounding the Fairy which appeared at tops …

- What does it mean? - not knowingly Prinze whispered.

- Your wife and your friends - two steps away from death. Murin are unusually steady against sorcery, only the magic of the Invincible Sun is capable to overcome them. They are hungry, very hungry … Your friends can become an easy mark of these ruthless creatures!

- Why all this?! Why you tell all this to me?! Why you show?! - in a hysterics Prinze cried.

- I think, their destiny is not indifferent for you, that's all. Your wife decided on a mad act. It went to this hopeless travel, to a certain death, for the sake of you. And now her life, as well as life of her plush friends - in your hands, my Kind Prinze, - and metal hand bells rang out in his head triumphantly.

Inside at Prinze grew cold.

- But what I can make?! - in despair he threw up the hands.

- You? Anything. I - all. Once I send them a signal - and Murin will make nothing by it. They are my faithful sentry dogs, and sentry dogs always respond to call of the hostess!

At this time Murin began to jump off with the rock. And one already jumped on a back of the Fairy when that flew up, having strong clasped her thallium with thin black spidery pads.

The face of the Prince turned white as paper. Legs began to tremble it, and it fell on knees.

- I agree to all … - the fallen voice Prinze whispered. - Only rescue her and my friends. My life - for their life. I beg … - and fainted.

Prinze already on a throne regained consciousness. On his head there was a gold hoop similar to a crown. Hoops were on a neck, wrists, ankles, and behind tops of mountains the first golden beams of the sun already appeared. Never dawn inspired in Prinze such horror!

The first beams of the sun, having got on the gold polished Mirror surface, caused blow of unusual force. The heat burning a body and soul was intolerable, and light blinding eyes, still neperenosimy. Dazzling light and burning heat filled all its being - a body, soul, reason. Pain was so intolerable that he could not shout but only he convulsively opened a mouth as the fish who is thrown out on the land. The body convulsively shuddered under all new and new categories of a solar flame. Eyes went blind, and did not see anything, except the yellow flame flaring everywhere any more. Gradually behind sight died off also other feelings. The prince ceased to hear, ceased to feel. It seemed, he lost everything, than was earlier. Only fire, only light from now on filled all its being!

Suddenly Prinze felt how his body is filled with some gigantic force alien to it. It seemed, he one wave of a hand can pull up even trees. His reason is filled with such power that, appear, it can count how many in the world of stars and how many grains of sand at the bottom of the sea. And this feeling of power continued to grow. The prince did not feel any more that he is a person. It became more, than the person. He became a god!

And then everything came to an end. As suddenly, as began. Bracelets fell down from his hands, a neck and legs. He got up and was looked in a mirror. It was faced by absolutely unfamiliar being - shining as a star, as the sun - giant, powerful, fine. On his head - a solar nimbus, a crown. On a face it - a mask through which empty eye-sockets streams of dazzling light flew …

- Welcome to the marvelous, new world, my dear solntseoky spouse, - was distributed in consciousness such acquaintance, such darling to it a metal Voice and a stream of reciprocal love to It filled to the brim all his fiery heart and all his solar reason.

The voice meanwhile continued:

- … welcome to the new world, the world of good and justice, the world of beauty and perfection, the world of the Invincible Sun - to our marvelous new world in which we with you will be Lords and Gods. One. It is necessary all. And forever.

The prince turned back, to the Voice Source, and through mask cuts he saw Her face, more precisely, the Face - roundish as a solar disk, is dazzling fine and - ruthless as the scorching sun of the lifeless desert. Saw face to face, directly, not as the ghost reflected in a magical mirror, and it is real as a being to whom it is possible to touch, embrace …

And then he made a step towads to It, not in forces to oppose to the Desire which captured all its being, and embraced her. The stream of indescribable pleasure from a touch to this clot of the concentrated energy captured all consciousness, all being of Prinze. When his lips touched her lips - such present, such real, such we fiery heat - he finally lost ability to control themselves. Fire of pleasure was absorbed by his brain and more Prinze any more remembered nothing … Marriage of two solar deities was made.

2.

Yes, Prinze changed. He felt it at once, he became another …

The first two days after the transformation he felt like just the baby who develops the new world. Everything was new, everything was interesting and is fascinating.

The first that he noticed, is the huge stream of force streaming on his muscles. The prince even caught himself on thought, but whether this force is illusion? Then he approached a healthy boulder on a hillside and from all force punched nothing protected its stone surface - the boulder was scattered on pieces, and Prinze did not even feel pain, on a hand there is neither left bruise, nor scratch.

- And, well, we will try air, - Prinze thought and from everything to scope jumped from the rock. At first his body departed down, submitting to laws of the nature. But once Prinze waved hands, the bird, and mentally to order himself to fly up as it right there promptly soared up into air. He saw soon that to wave a hand and it is not obligatory - rather mental desire: to look at a certain subject and "to stretch" to it will power, - and it right there flew to it as the arrow fired from hardly tense onions.

Flying up back to the stony plateau, he noticed a sickly mountain tree on its suburb. Once Prinze directed a mind's eye to it - and at the same moment the tree turned into the flaring torch which during several moments burned down completely as though poured over it oil.

The prince understood that all these actions he can make only thoughts with a force of one.

Even with once terrible cave dev, the meeting with which
in antecedents
, nearly cost it the heads, Prinze finished without effort. It specially departed one, without assistance, without having at itself(himself) either an armor, or the weapon. It it is easy, without any cards, found
that
cave: he should
have remembered
only it - and the unprecedented power of the sun itself as iron a magnet brought it to it.

When it entered a cave, hundreds of feelers with sharp claws and suckers promptly twisted his body dressed only in a silk tunic. Claws seized a body with intention to inject to it the lulling poison, and suckers - to exhaust blood without the rest. But the injected poison instantly burned down, having got in its fiery as the melted metal, blood, and having tasted such blood, fiery suckers right there flashed and burned down completely. The survived feelers with wild squeal rushed nautek. The fat body of a dev nestled on a far corner of a cave as the scared kitten, but Prinze upraised hands up and flew up under the ceiling.

Black, fat, spherical body, everything covered with thousands of moving feelers in a fright screeched, having a presentiment of the death. And presentiments did not deceive him …