Before his eyes, Ink a blurred spots of different colors. He did not understand what had happened, but his thoughts were confused, leaving him feeling soft of a huge downy feather bed. A very pleasant feeling, but if you want to get out into the cold, you will be surprised to find how difficult it is to do it. Softness was like a prison, but without trying to get rid of it, you would never understand.

"Happy ignorance," thought flashed in an incoherent stream of images. "Fools are happy in their stupidity, but to drink the bitterness of wisdom is not so simple."

Ink thought about the source of this opinion. Why did he think about it? Doubts and questions remained unanswered, dissolved in a murky veil of entangled particles of consciousness. It is not known how much time passed before he distinguished between two things: a huge thundercloud and an ore-covered mountain. There was a thing that surprised Ink a - the cloud was not above the mountain, but to the side of it. I wanted to look around what was above the cliff - almost a monolith - but nothing came of it.

Eyes? Head? Something else? Whatever Ink tried to move, nothing came of it. At some point, the cloud and the mountain gave way to darkness, which, turning into obscure twilight, distorted, melted, shuddered, adding two images from the mosaic.

" Grank and Kiass ..."

Only after returning the images disappeared again. The mess of images broke up into many small sickles with handles almost imperceptible on the background of the blades - a vestigial, and not an important part of the weapon. Were the midgets of a suitable size here, they would not have been able to use such blades.

Cloud. Mountain. The hiss of electrical discharges is not thunder. Light flashes of light, as from a beast sleeping in a foggy cocoon. While he just wakes up, not trying to scare anyone. It flips from one side to another, invisible to the observer due to the dense curtain of a dark gray inhomogeneous color of cloud mass. And against this backdrop - a motionless rock. The image has moved. Ink saw a blue man. A kind of fairy. Feminine features and silhouette. Consider in detail does not give the surrounding figure a flow of soaring liquid. Ink w required to make considerable efforts to look at the sitting Arsi with a usual look .

Suddenly two images were imprinted in his head. For some reason, he considered this very important. Reality and dreams are mixed. Ink could not understand what he was seeing, even though some things remained in his mind. Suddenly he saw the world of his consciousness. White threads spilled from the luminous center. They multiplied and shared, until they became like a three-dimensional network, covering almost the entire area of ​​the transparent world. The light in the center has become smaller, the ability of thinking has worsened, but many things have appeared before my eyes.

The strands of light went further beyond the border marked by the mind, and there, the remnants of Ink's consciousness collided with many small sickles.

"Protection!"

A thought with a touch of joy flashed in a transparent world with a flash of lightning and disappeared just as quickly, leaving behind a barely noticeable echo. Everywhere within the limits illuminated by thin threads, currents and oscillations were noted. The mind absorbed information, adapted and corrected itself. At some point, it became clear that space is not monolithic. With increasing clarity, Ink saw individual crystals of irregular shape, between which was a solid and impenetrable medium. His threads of consciousness could neither penetrate her nor illuminate. It was from this medium that small dark sickles with too short parody of the hilt were released at the edges of the inner world.

A thread of light touched one of the sickles, then, another, third — they all brought Ink the same feeling. Each of the sickles blew regret. Unfulfilled hopes, lost faith, lowered hands. These little sickles seemed insignificant toys, but every touch undermined the spirit and deprived of self-confidence, their strength and the correctness of the chosen path. Light threads darkened and almost collapsed.

Not Ink , but a certain instinct made the threads come off the sickles. Time has passed. How many? In this world, it was unclear. One of the strands of consciousness began to move again. Gently touched the heel on the handle of the sickle. The small crescent moon looked like the tip of a long weapon - it immediately stuck to the thread. The light from the latter stopped scattering, but flowed into the sickle.

The young guy sat and recalled what happened a week earlier.

"... fired. You are a good worker, but I have to think about everyone. Do you understand? Yes, he is wrong in this situation, and I will make sure that this does not happen again. The problem is that you are already incompatible with the others in the group. Where can I transfer you? To the supply department? There is nothing to do with your education there. You are a great specialist! Sit at home, my friend just has a shortage of people of your profile. Day after tomorrow. Come introduce you. Agree on the conditions ... "

Now he understood that the former boss really wanted to help, but at that moment he flared up. He was filled with regret. A week of searching for a new job and ... no result. So little time and so much a blow to confidence. This time was enough to understand how small the chance is to get a good place in the specialty. The diploma on the table seemed to taunt itself at its naivety.

It would seem, come back, apologize, admit the mistake and, perhaps, the former boss will help to get settled. Only now ... Pride does not allow. Is he an ordinary person? He regretted, but understood that he was not ready to put up with unfair things. Going under the visor, a person should bow his head. Simple truth, but if he tolerates it now, will he not tolerate it in the future? And then what? How can he fulfill his goals? A moment of determination was washed away by a wave of despair. There are no possibilities. In this world, the chances are really zero.

Ink looked through the eyes of the unknown. I saw my hands drop, but emotions still remained strangers. He did not take them personally. Only a faint hunch flickered in consciousness - this man is the one he was in the past. Before ascension and falling into the world of reflection.

The second thread merged with another sickle, and the picture changed.

The red animal jumped along the branch, briskly moved from one place to another, until he climbed onto a cage with a large cell. A small finger reached for the squirrel, but she was not afraid. The animal looked curiously at the finger, but after a moment it lost interest and began to move along the large cells of the fence in the opposite direction. Disappointment. There were incoherent thoughts in my head with the desire to take such an interesting creature home, crashed on the understanding of the impossibility of this.

- So! Gathered, - came a loud female voice. Children began to flock to the young plump woman. - Everyone came to me, to me, to me!

Ink found himself looking through the eyes of one of these children. They all gathered for a group photo, but at a key moment he turned his head to the side. After that, the group hurried onto the bus, it was time for them to go on. The woman showed someone the resulting frame. Ink also came closer and saw in the picture a head turned in profile with hair pulled in a short ponytail. Disappointment and resentment erupted - he was the only one who did not look at the lens.

The remnants of a capable of thinking consciousness noted that the current appearance and the one that was before are very different. There is something similar, but the difference is very large. They will never be considered one person.

…Sorry! - a blurry image of a woman's face and a voice overwhelmed with sadness.

Garbage ... Failed talent test ... Shame on their parents ... Cripple ...

Many whispers around merged into a single hum. For a moment, Ink thought that before him was a fragment of the memory received from the Cross of Alzuria, but the light threads that covered the whole space immediately dispelled this assumption. All the memory received from the amulet was only a relatively short message and did not contain anything more. Ink even noticed a small clot that provoked a desire in him to grab and not let go of the amulet with the blood of the gods.

Negative emotions continued to explode in small firecrackers, but as if they were behind thick glass and were unable to shake Ink a. Not at all as if it touched the blades of sickles.

We will send it ... Live a quiet life ... It is enough to know that he is happy ...

Ink wanted to look at the woman's face more closely, but the picture was too blurry. It's like a drawing that has been erased for a long time. Meanwhile, he faced a new image

Tiger face. A flash of panic and disappointment in his weakness. The wool on the face of the beast sparkled and shimmered. With a closer look, it became clear that it really turns into flame in separate places, and then again breaks up into thin strands of hard hair. The beast turned away. The proud animal moved. Ink realized that he was much lower than the beast. Adults stood nearby, towering unattainable mountain peaks. The beast found wings on its sides. The folded they were already impressive in their size, but if they had opened ... How big could they have become? Behind the winged tiger was a young man in white clothes. Gold bracelets on hands sparkled invitingly. A large rodent was found in the palm of an unknown person - either a mouse or a jerboa. Easy movement and the body of the animal was thrown forward. He wriggled in flight when the tiger tail twitched. Its end split and squeezed the still twitching victim.

Snake! Eyes appeared on the tail of the tiger. He swallowed the prey and gradually pushed it inside. Looking at the thickening in the body of the snake-tail that moved to the tiger's hips, Ink was struck by this strange sight. Soon he experienced a sharp blow of loss and non-fulfillment of dreams. He will never get such a beast! Do not tame! Do not rush through the sky! Bitterness surged through the gigantic tsunami, from which the "protective glass" in front of Ink's mind almost collapsed.

A new vision came immediately.

- Do not you know?! Seriously?!! - the surprise mixed with mockery unpleasantly cut through the heart. - Yes, all the children went with this. He even had it!

The teenager's finger poked at an untidy guy nearby, to which he answered with a nod of satisfaction.

"You're like from another planet," the source said more calmly. - In general, why look at the window. Let's go to battle punch on the net. Adrenaline-courage, down with the mantle ...

The teenager began to blur out the words in a torn rhythm, imitating a song.

"I don't want to," Ink answered . - Want adrenaline, go down into the forest. This world is not as kind and calm as it seems to many. In cities it's safe, but in other places ... everything is completely different.

- Yeah, yeah, this world. Well, yes, - the interlocutor again began to speak with mockery. "But in other worlds, how is it?"

- Fuck off. What other worlds, he simply said so, " Ink waved languidly , but fear and shame for an unrestrained tongue spread like thick molasses.

"I was afraid? What? "

A group of people could be seen through the gap in the window. One of them stepped forward and twisted an almost two-meter metal column. Then the hand abruptly stopped the rotation. The sign touched by the fingers flashed and the man disappeared.

"Found! - beat the thought in the head. "Finally found!"

Joy and glee quickly gave way to fear and disappointment when Ink's eyes noticed a man looking at him, one of the leaders of this group. With all the strength he rushed away, campfire himself in every way. Due to slight negligence he was noticed. He may lose this chance.

Horror and mental self-flagellation disappeared along with the vision. Ink suddenly felt peace and tranquility, and a calmed consciousness was finally scattered by thin, weakly luminous threads around his surroundings, plunging everything into a dream.

When Ink woke up his nose caught a pleasant smell. Without a word, Grank broke off a piece from the unevenly roasted carcass of some beast. Ink took the extended treat and was about to bite his teeth when he lost his balance. He jerked sharply and tried to keep himself in the same position, but everything became more confused. The loud rustle from a hail of small stones beating on the sides of a small cave, loud sharp pops and some strange sensation ... This was not enough for Ink to distract from a piece of meat that had almost fallen from his hands. Only after calming down a little did he realize what strangeness was. The sense of balance failed. The body pulled to the sides and a little back.

Wings. Matte black feathers did not give glare and it was very difficult to see them, especially in the raised dust. Ink was so carried away that he did not even immediately notice an unusual fact - they grew from his back. Blond hair dangled from the side, reaching the waist, and clothes were torn in many places, unable to hold on to the mighty muscles that would have been more suitable for some bodybuilder.

"Eat," Grumbled grumbled . - While you were once again changing, we got a bunch of news here. I'll start right away with the bad. You will have to meet this archdemon again, "the motorcyclist sighed. - There is simply no way out of this ass.