Wandering Spark - Part 38
The sun touched the sea. Varan looked at the fire path, along which he wanted to walk and walk, to those lands where the trees grow to the sky.
I must wash myself, he thought detachedly. I, such a fool, got smeared up to my ears in my own blood. What will mother think when she’ll see this? I have to bath and wash my shirt...
He turned back and ran after a few steps.
He didn’t turn to the path leading to the caves; he ran to the edge of the rock and flew down running.
I may fall on a stone, he thought already during fall.
The sea and the sky turned over. The sunset flashed and went out. Varan struck a water surface and again, for the umpteenth time, he thought: it seems like I dived into a tight drum or a tambourine...
The water in front of my eyes blurred a little bit - it was blood which washed away.
He hung, resting, in a whirlwind of bubbles. Then, after striking his feet, he went to the surface. He took a breath and looked around; the cliff hung over the wall. The crowns of the spikeleafs swayed high in the sky.
From here to the land there was only one way - a small grotto, which could be found only be ones who knew about it. Varan looked back at the sunny path and plunged into the darkness.
...He will wait for them! They will certainly sail here, returning to the serpenters’ stall. He will hide in the water, in the shade, and hear their conversation...
…Disgrace. Disgusting. Mean.
...So, I shell sit on a rock like a statue of the Emperor, and wait for the doves?
He didn’t have time to decide anything. In the deep grotto Nila's voice was heard. The sound was distorted, repeatedly reflected from the walls and water, but within a few minutes Varan was able to distinguish her words:
"Kruchina! Go! Go forward Zhurbina, good!"
There was still time to hide.
The water in the cave was poppling in waves. Zhurbina appeared from the dark narrow passage; it swam, raising her horned head high, water vapor bursting from her broad black nostrils. Varan didn’t think that it would be so nice to see this slimy scaly creature again.
On the back of Zhurbina was sitting Gorni in a jacket and pants made of leather - they are sold in the local market. The long wet hair of the rider stuck to the head. It was his mightiness, the Imperial Magician of Round Fang, Gorni Lerealaroon, or whatever his name was. And he put his finger to his lips without any surprise; from the darkness appeared Kruchina with the rider. Varan sat on a wet stone, crouched like a sick toad.
"Oh! Nila said. "How?!"
Varan didn’t look at her. He looked at the magician. He again seemed almost of his age - about nineteen years old. Journeyman…
The serpenters also noticed him. Zhurbina carrying on the back of the magician swam very close.
"And this is my assistant." Neela smiled at the magician. "Varan... I just don’t know how you came here..."
"He jumped off the cliff," Varan said. "and dived..."
There was a short pause.
"I thought you had returned long ago," Varan lied for some reason.
Nila looked at him suspiciously.
"Sit down, or something..."
She held out her hand.
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