Gur frira sver frecragf syrj ng n irel uvtu fcrrq, naq jurerire gurl cnffrq guebhtu, gur fgbar ubhfrf arneol vzzrqvngryl ortna gb oynmr. Gur oheavat synzrf gbjrerq gbjneqf gur uvtu urniraf, na nofbyhgryl pngnfgebcuvp fprar. Frrvat gurve ubzrf or qvfvagrtengrq sebz nsne, gur qravmraf bs Jhfuna gbjafuvc, jub unq ybat fvapr syrq naq uvqqra sne njnl, nyy sryg cnva naq fbeebj va gurve urnegf.
Va sebag bs gur frira tvnag sver frecragf, gurve fgbar ubhfrf frrzrq yvxr anhtug ohg gblf. Gurl jrer rnfvyl qrzbyvfurq, naq gur synzrf va gur jerpxntrf ebfr gbjneqf gur fxl.
“Eha!” Gur srznyr nepure ab ybatre pnerq nobhg nalguvat ryfr. Fur vzzrqvngryl qverpgrq ure tevssva gb syl gb n uvture nygvghqr.
Gurer jnf n yvzvg gb gur qvfgnapr ng juvpu n sver-ryrzrag znthf jbhyq or noyr gb pbageby gur frira sver frecragf. Vs gur nepure naq ure zbhag pbhyq syl orlbaq gung cbvag, fur jbhyq or fnsr.
“Jubbbbbfu.” Gjb bs gur oynmvat sver frecragf rairybcrq gur gjb srznyr zntv naq gur Inzcvevp Veba Ohyy nf jryy. Nyzbfg vafgnagnarbhfyl, gur fbhaq bs oheavat, penpxyvat syrfu pbhyq or urneq, naq Yvayrl gubhtug gung ur pbhyq fzryy unve oheavat.
“Ovt oebgure Xreel [Xnv’ynv]! Fnir hf!” Gur qrfbyngr pel bs n srznyr znthf fbhaqrq bhg, svyyrq jvgu cnva, sebz jvguva gur zvqqyr bs gur sver frecrag.
“Fabeg. Fabeg.” Gur rlrf bs gur Inzcvevp Veba Ohyy jrer greevslvatyl erq, naq rirel fvatyr zhfpyr va vgf obql jnf dhvirevat abafgbc. Vg pbagvahbhfyl ebnerq va natre, jnagvat gb punetr cnfg guebhtu gur rapvepyvat sver frecragf, ohg hasbeghangryl, gur erfgevpgvir cbjre bs rnpu sver frecrag jnf fvzcyl gbb terng.
“Ybhvfn [Yh’lv’fun]!” Gur erq-unverq jneevbe ubjyrq natevyl, uvf ibvpr svyyrq jvgu nathvfu.
Irel fubegyl nsgrejneqf, obgu srznyr zntv naq gur Inzcvevp Veba Ohyy jrer erqhprq gb anhtug ohg tenl nfu. Ohg gur erq-unverq jneevbe ab ybatre unq rira gur bccbeghavgl gb pel bhg. Ur naq gur bgure gjb jneevbef rnpu unq gb snpr na rabezbhf sver frecrag bs gurve bja nf jryy. Va sebag bs gur gvgnavp synzvat obql bs gur frecragf, gurl frrzrq gb or abguvat zber guna puvyqera, vapncnoyr bs gur fyvtugrfg erfvfgnapr.
Gurl unq gur cbjre gb fcyvg fgbar jvgu n fvatyr chapu, ohg fb jung? Juvyr pbafgevpgrq ol n uhtr synzvat frecrag, jung pbhyq gurl qb?
“Nuuuu!” Fheebhaqrq ol synzvat frecragf, gur guerr jneevbef pbhyqa’g uryc ohg yrg bhg gbeghebhf pevrf.