Stage woven out of surturi plant was placed on top of the Town Hall. Surface of stage measured about ninety square feet. Our heroes were placed there. All branches of all trees that were surrounding Town Hall were crowded with Hul Termians, and more people were coming. Whole city came out to greet heroes. Ulan clan houses were floating above them, all of Ulan warriors were on the roofs cheering. The mayor of Hul Term had to order a few more stages to be set on the surrounding trees to accept all incoming spectators. Hul Termians were bringing some sort of swings and were hanging them on the branches of trees, sitting in it like in chairs. Crowd was really colorful, there was everyone from babies hanging in the hands of their mothers and watching around interested or crying or sleeping, to the hundred years olds supported by their younger brethren, while they were slowly moving. Some traders sent their slaves to go through the crowd and sell beverages and food carefully packed in wicker baskets. Pointing at one of those baskets Urmead said “You see that basket, in old ages before people know about surturi plants, we were making our houses out of wattle. They used to cover walls with mud at that time. It was at the time when Hul Termians were often descending to the ground. To walk on the ground, it is so barbaric…” He waved his head in disapproval. Urmead was with our heroes on the stage, he was now commander of the citizen militia. Lillium suggested him for that position remembering his desire to get position in government. She also failed to mention that Ulans are walking on the ground all the time. Instead she decided to let him enjoy his idea of superiority. Subito pointed his eyes at the sky before he started his speech. Crowd was demanding him to speak. Sky was beautiful pale blue with few white soft clouds slowly moving across it, like they were chasing each other. Sky was also silent, refusing to help him to choose the right words. He had a vague concept of the speech, but he was not sure how would it sound when it leaves his head and enter the ears of others. So he started, only way to actually check how well it is, was to do it “Honorable Hul Termians, dear friends, because we are friends now. The best friendships are built on a foundation of commonly shed blood and common sacrifice. And we have sacrificed the best among us to bring freedom to this town. Spirits of those who had fallen stand as guardians of eternal friendship that is going to connect us from now on. Dear friends expect visits from Ulan same as we are expecting visits from your town at least once a month. In order to boost cooperation and grow our friendship further on by the means of trade and cultural exchange. We came here not by our own will, but by the desperate move of nation in dire need. I am glad to say we are leaving this place a lot richer than before we even know it exists. You should know that the greatest treasure of all treasures is true friendship, and we are leaving this place with thousands of new friends.” He was interrupted by applause, as one of Ulan warriors descended on the rope from the Ulan clan house carrying Ulan flag. Descending into the crowd, he took one of Hul Term flags and tied one flag to another. After that he was elevated to the top of the highest tree and positioned two connected flags over there. Crowd was in delirium. They were shouting names of our heroes, and “Eternal friendship of Hul Term and Ulan from now on, and never to be interrupted.” Lord Aenead whispered to Subito “They love you.” “It is all nice, especially the feelings in my heart, but mobs are known for changing their allegiances in a split of a second. I better not get too carried away with these cheering” Subito replied. “You are a really smart young man. So smart you don’t even need advice from an old man like me, you already know them. After all best advice is always one you are giving to yourself.”

Crowd was calming down. Subito let them settle completely before he continued. “Thanks friends for such enthusiasm you are showing to us, for such a support, because without your help all of this wouldn’t be possible. If you haven’t firmly decided to change yourself all of our work would be in vain. We are pleased with your gratitude, but there are more people you should thank to. You should also thank to the Wind Wizards who brought us here and protected you from the fog for centuries. You should thank to the mayor who destroyed corruption, which was eating flesh and bones of this city. And finally, thank to yourself because you made all of this possible. Without your strong will to fight, thugs would still rule these streets. So shake hands to the next person to you, he deserved it, and you deserve it too. Everyone who had been robbed can petition for returns of his goods and money, by addressing our officer in charge and providing an accurate description of stolen items and naming witnesses of robbery. Every stolen item will be returned to the rightful owners after investigating the case.” Another round of applause interrupted him. He was patiently waiting for them to finish, looking at his feet. After even longer time than a last time, applause finally stopped. “After we receive reward for our endeavors we will be recruiting mercenaries for our war in Land of Moving Hills. They will be paid half year in front. Everyone interested should report in our camp on the edge of the woods tomorrow. I have done my best to express those feelings that are deeply embedded in our souls using mere words. And I hope I managed to do it to a certain extent- thank you our friends, for listening and for existing.” He retrieved backwards among his friends followed by thunder like applauses.

Lillium stepped forward “I will not repeat Subito’s words, but I also have to thank you. Thank you not only for shedding your blood with us and not only for the gift of friendship. Those were greatest gifts we received from you, but not the only ones. We also received a gift of knowledge. Your existence was unknown for us, and now we have widened our horizon of knowledge far beyond its previous borders. There is also great esthetical gain, since your culture is pure diamond which shines in our eyes and within reach of our hands, offering itself to our thirsty spirit. Thirst that tortures us is the same thirst human kind sensed since the beginning of time, thirst for beauty and thirst for knowledge. Two greatest needs of any human are to love (and be loved) and to know (and be known). Thank you for love and knowledge that you are giving and receiving from us. Greatest gift for me personally was the gift of your magic. Magic is greatest of all secrets and most powerful of all arts. In the magic, I am certain, lays both doom and salvation of mankind. Maybe if we cooperate and have a lot of luck, we will be able to use the ability of your wizards to use their own bodies instead of stones as conductor of magic. And make them be able to use magic willingly instead of intuitively as your wizards do. That way we would have totally autonomous magical wielder with great power, which would certainly be of great help to both of our societies. Thanks again friends.”

Next to talk was Alma. She cleared her throat couple of times “It is a great honor standing in front of you and be greeted as a hero. Not a day ago you considered me to be a monster. You children were afraid and running away from me. Now you are going to mention me in stories, but as a hero, not as a creature you use to scare your children when they are restless. It is good news not only for me, but for my entire race. Humans will start to consider Utrikats more reliable and trustworthy. Maybe this event will even improve position of us Utrikats in Ulan society. I came here following Subito who is like a brother to me and a friend since childhood. Following one brother and a friend I got a whole town full of family and place where I could come in time of need. I am happy now, my heart is full.” She stepped backwards greeted with applause and a few children who were carrying bouquets of flowers for her, she bent down to pick them up and kiss them. There were still traces of fear on children’s faces, but they were not bursting into tears at the sight of her.

Miratur stepped up carefully “Dear Hul Termians I had come here carried by wind of love. My heart belongs to your hero standing next to me” she pointed at Subito “and as you could see he is worth to be loved by any woman in the world. I can see many young girls who look at him with desire and admiring. Back off, he is mine!” The crowd laughed gaily at her joke. “So as I was saying my heart belongs to him. But the heart is strange, no one knows how much love there is in it. My love for Subito is enormous. Sometimes I wonder how so much love can fit in such a small body as mine is, but there was also enough free space in my heart to fit all of you.” She was sending kisses into the throng. Crowd was throwing rose petals on them till they were ankles deep in it.

Lord Aenead and the mayor got out of the Town Hall and climbed up on the stage. Aenead took the word “Thanks for this wonderful banquet. I am sad to inform you we have to continue our journey in the next few days. You will have to protect your city by yourself from now on. We had trained you and explained you how, rest is up to you. As an old saying goes: it is hundred times better for both of you to teach your child how to hunt than to feed him. We will check on you when we return from the war, of course if we return at all. I wish you the best of luck.” The mayor said: “Thank you all for such nice words, and thank you again and again for your valuable help. You are our saviors. In your honor city of Hull Term decided to make statues of you that will stand next to our rulers and heroes in Town Hall.” He pointed at the soldiers who were removing white sheets covering statues in front of Town Hall doors. There they were in their natural size made in wood colored in green Schnew, Subito, Lillium, Miratur, Alma and Lord Aenead. All of them were represented in traditional Ulan lamellar armor, holding a scythe in one and scroll in the other hand. At the scroll were written basic information about them and merit for the city’s well being. Military music was playing while two soldiers were carrying one by one statue into the Town Hall. When music was done and the crowd was silenced mayor continued: “In sign of gratitude we decided to decorate you and hundred sixty three more warriors from your army which had shown exquisite bravery with two arm bands. Also fifty seven Hul Term warriors will also be decorated. First arm band is made out of the skin of regultani snake and is a traditional medal for merit in Hul Term. Regultani is green snake three feet long. As soon as it is hatched out of the egg she starts to eat her own tail, and spends the whole life feeding on it. She is a symbol of modesty and being the total opposite to other members of her specie she is symbolic of the ability to change no matter from which kind of environment or family you are coming from. Also it symbolizes self-sacrifice in order to make this world a better place. Second band was specifically issued for fighters in the Days of Black Wings war, because this was a real war despite the absence of outer enemy. It is made out of pearl necklaces which used to be worn by Altar’s gang members, and coat of arms of Hul Term made in iron attached to them.” The mayor turned toward heroes and attached bands to their arms. He addressed Subito “you will carry medals belonging to your dead friend to.” He attached Schnew's medals to Subito arm. Subito was holding his hand on Schnew’s medals, touched, with all his feelings showing on the face. One soldier was reading names of Ulan and Hul Term warriors, one by one and they would climb on stage to receive medals, returning back in the crowd afterwards. Mayor added “Please accept this modest sum as compensation for your great work. Not that any sum of money can pay you for what you have done here.” Lord Aenead took a heavy chest full of btaris. After that, they descended among the crowd sharing drinks with them, clan houses hovered very close to trees in order for Ulans standing on their roofs to get down. Town Hall opened its wineries sharing wine in glued leaves to the people in the crowd. There was also some Utili meat. Orchestras played on every twelfth tree, and every one of them different song, some of the songs were specifically composed for this occasion. Poets were making poems about the brave deeds in this war and recited it to the crowd. The painters made paintings right there on the street. Lillium gave Urmead some money “Can I buy off painting you made of us a few days ago? It’s the only thing left after Schnew.” “Sure, I will send somebody to go fetch it right away.” “Thanks it would mean a lot to me.” After a while painting was in Lillium’s hands and she hung it above the front doors of her clan house. Party lasted deep into the night. At some point Lord Aenead ordered his warriors to pack up and get ready to depart for a camp site. For a long time they were saying goodbye to their Hul Termian sweethearts, several of them already married city girls and were now taking them to the Land of Moving Hills. Some of them on the other hand had to run away from furious fathers of girls they were leaving. After hour or so all of them were at camp sleeping. I mean all were sleeping except the guards, who had to fulfill their duties even after such a long day.

Early in the morning, Lord Aenead opened his doors for incoming Hul Termians who were applying for mercenary service. Out of the great number who applied he had chosen five hundred who were the best, testing them in strength and weapon skill. It took his entire day. Warriors were free to go into town if they have some unfinished business there. Subito and Lillium left to search for Schnew's body. They tasked Alma and Miratur to gather logs with other warriors from Lillium’s clan house, and to set big pile on the meadow. When they bring body, they will be able to immediately burn it. Burial is not complicated ceremony amongst Ulans. Members of the clan would gather wood and leave it on the meadow. Closest friends and family of the deceased person would then burn the body and gather ashes to dispel it in the wind on the Ashfield. Ashfield is the big field east of White Mountain and the Gathering point, where ashes of all Ulans were given to the winds. Before the burning ceremony body is wrapped in wolf’s furs. Closest friends and family would write their names on some part of the body, believing that when their friend gets reborn again, he will have birthmarks on those places, where they have written their names and they would be able to identify him that way. Many burial fires were burning that day for warriors that have died in the fight against gangs or by the poisonous animals in the woods. Fifty four Ulans gave their lives, and even more were wounded. The ashes of dead were gathered in a big pot and left at an honorable place to be given to the winds when they finally reach meadows of the Ashfield.

Lillium and Subito raid on their dogs into the woods below the town. When the city was directly above them, they climbed up the tree and walked into the town. There they were greeted by the mayor. “Hello my friends, I had already arranged for a guide to lead you to Altar house. That’s him, just follow him and he will take you there.” “Thank you.” “You’re not going to visit my office?” “No we are in a hurry.” They followed the guide, who wasn’t talking too much. With every step anxiety was growing in them. Thousand thoughts clashing with each other made real hurricane. Pain was spreading all over the body from their sore hearts, making them numb and insensitive. Most of the horror was coming from just one question, which was in what state are they going to find his body. How much will it be eaten, how much rotten? Would they be able to recognize it or it will be reduced to a bloody pile of bones and rags? Would they be able to separate Schnew from other misfortunate people who shared same destiny as he had, to be thrown to worm, to end up like a meal. None of them spoken, but they were able to determine what the other one was thinking, and that they are sharing the same fears. Both were startled by the sudden voice of the guide “That is Altar’s house.” They accelerated the pace to reach it as soon as possible. Several walks around the house were needed for them to find a wormhole carefully hidden behind imitation of tree bark. On the entrance in the hole there was number of iron bars blocking the way in. Three of them used iron pole as a lever to dislodge iron bars. After a lot of effort they succeeded in their intention. The guide tried to provoke a worm to get out by drumming on the walls of the hole with a stick, but with no success. After that they took several thick branches of the tree and wrapped them with clothes dipped in oil, using those makeshift torches they slowly entered a worm hole with weapons ready in hand. They were attaching torches on the wall as they were moving in, leaving a way out lightened. Hole was a very dark place, and the stench was almost unbearable, some kind of mix between rotten meat and wet sawdust. Some scratching sound echoed from within the lair, frightened guide started to back up. Subito was signalizing with his hand that they should keep on advancing, but he waved his head and rushed out. Subito and Lillium followed after him slowly securing safe exit. “What happened there?”

“There is no way I am going to serve myself as a meal to that worm. Just gather woods, we will make a fire that will draw him out and we will wait for it with our arrows ready.” “All right you coward!” The guide seemed unaffected by the insult. “I would rather be a coward than a fool.” They gathered wood starting a big fire at the entrance of the wormhole, waving with the blankets they made smoke go into the hole. As the smoke was filling up the hole, once more they weren’t able to see anything in it. Sudden noise interrupted their waving, something was coming toward them. Guide quickly jumped on higher branches pointing his bow and arrow toward the noise. Subito and Lillium pressed back against each other, Subito with a scythe high above his head and Lillium holding two unlocked swords. As the noise was approaching, they slowly backed away from the entrance to the hole. Something pierced through smoke barrier and fell in front of them. Subito rose up his hand, stopping his companions from attacking. It was a human not the worm. “You two keep your eyes on the hole, if worm appears, shoot him. I will help the survivor.” He wondered how this poor man managed to survive an encounter with the most dangerous animal in this part of the world. Especially since this part of the world was filled with dangerous animals. Subito supported poor pale creature covered with dirt and grime, helping him to get up. In a thin voice man spoke up “What were you trying to do? Kill me?” “Not you the worm…” But man already fainted. Subito took some water and sprayed it on his face and neck to wake him up. Then he washed his face. Man was moving and smiling, with a smile which stroke Subito as a thunder. How could he not see it before? It was Schnew! “Schnew, my friend, you are alive.” It took some time for him to answer “Of course I am. Do you think it’s that easy to get rid of me?” Subito smiled and hugged him. Lillium pushed him away and hugged Schnew, crying and whispering reassuring words.

“Easy, easy you are going to finish up what worm started.” Subito warned her. Schnew lifted her head up by pushing her chin with his finger. “Am I dreaming? Or I died and got in some world way better than my own? Are these beautiful eyes really crying for me? No, I don’t deserve it, stop crying.” He wiped her tears. “Yes you do deserve, shut up.” She hugged him again. Of the branch from the above guide whispered “What about the worm? We can’t spend the whole day petting your friend.” Look in Lillium’s eyes was saying he shouldn’t be afraid of the worm because she will kill him first. Schnew stood up supporting himself on the Lillium shoulder “Worm is dead don’t you worry.” They all gave him a surprised look, waiting for an explanation. “Well you are overdoing the surprise. One small worm is nothing for me.” “Right! One small worm whose size is equal to the size of ten grown men.” “This one was even bigger, they fed him pretty well. I saw more bones than ever in my life, and many of them were human. But when my friend Altar threw me into that pit he didn’t know I had this little thing.” He pulled shiv out of his pocket turning it in his hand. It was made out of stone with thin blue rope wrapped around its butt end making a handle. It was so thin it looked almost like a needle, and was about hand length. “Haven’t they searched you?” “Yes they were searching me, but this one was attached to my belly as a piercing. He lifted his raged tunic showing hole above his belly button and putting shiv through it and back out. “So I meet the poor animal with nice blade. I still had a lot of trouble till I managed to put it down. Having to cover yourself in worm’s feces in order not to be detected and locating his tiny brain to put my shiv in it were not easiest tasks in my life. I fed on worm’s meet all of these days. Its little slimy, but you get used to it after a while. Remind me to pay a visit to his master - we have some old bills to settle.” “I settled it don’t you worry.” Schnew kissed Subito on the cheek “You killed that bastard. That’s my boy! I would still prefer if I was the one who slit his ugly throat. I had some really important things to whisper in his ear, but he is dead and that is good enough for me.” Then he got distracted “Shut up! Your boss is dead. Nobody will feed you again, you little snot.” “Who do you speak to?” “To that annoying worm, I can hear him in my head since I eat his brain. He is driving me crazy.” Lillium and Subito exchanged worried looks. “Are you ok?” Lillium looked him deeply into the eyes. “O no she’s going to cry again. We have to stop it!” He grabbed her head in both of his hands and kissed her. Kiss was long and passionate. She was surprised, so much she didn’t even try to stop him. When she was trying to say something some time later he plugged her mouth with another kiss.

***

The laboratory was crowded. In the corner two artists were applying paint on the ancestral portraits for the book. First they would visit the clan house and make a sketch marking the colors using symbols, later back in the Temple they would paint it and result of their work was ready for the book. Scattered all over the room were tables, around each table was a group of students and priests analyzing one of the carved sticks. Melessar and three more students were decoding the stick holding pattern copied of Lux clan ancestor’s portrait. Discovering of his ancestor’s real name had great sentimental value for him. But he wasn’t able to concentrate on his work. Not after what happened tonight.

During one of his visits to his father’s house, Red managed to persuade him to make her part of his team. During a day he would work, and during a night he was visiting her chambers. She was familiar with all secrets of the male body and he started to consider these days to be the best period of his life. He was successful in his researches, accepted in the Temple and now he even had regular sexual life. They used to meet before, but it was rare since she was his student and they had to hide and meet in a most uncomfortable places. Obstacles between them were removed and they were free to visit each other whenever they want. Often he would catch himself considering offering her to marry him. His towers built in the air were getting rather high, till last night when they finally crushed with a big bang.

Night started beautifully. He came to her, in her chambers smelling of lily. Both of them were pleased couple of times, her fiery hair spilled over his chests as he was kissing her head. Suddenly she asked the strangest of questions:

“Have you ever considered sleeping with hermaphrodite?”

He was abashed and started to defend himself: “Hremo is just a friend. He did help me, but nothing like that happened between two of us. Who is spreading those filthy lies?”

“There is no need for being all defensive. I was speaking about me. I never had opportunity to be with someone like that, and I would like to try.”

He sat up in the bed: “but you are with me.”

“I am not the girl for just one man. I told you that, several times.”

“But I thought this thing we have meant something…”

“You are great. But I would like to try something new. New things are so exciting. We are going to keep seeing each other, of course. I will try with Hremo in my spare time.” She smiled.

“How you can say something like that? He is just an old half-grandma. Stay away from him!” He hasn’t even noticed when he started to yell.

Her eyes were cold as ice. “Who are you to tell me what to do? You probably already made some silly plans about our future?”

“As the matter of the fact I was thinking…”

“Before you ask me to marry you, I will tell you the answer: No! Nobody will chain me. I am free, and I am planning to stay that way. Why is everybody trying to extort some promises from me so they could blackmail me with them later? Why can’t we just enjoy the moment, not thinking about tomorrow? There is no promise of tomorrow, we could all be dead by then. Anything could happen in a matter of minutes. Life has done me wrong. I shed too many tears. It is my time for a smile. I suffered enough, I want to enjoy and nobody will take that away from me. Get lost! I don’t want to see you again!” She started to cry.

Confused he stood up and walked out the room. He doesn’t remember how he found his chamber. In there he kneeled and prayed:

“… Fighting yourself

Mistake is to fight against yourself, to lose energy you should use to fight others. Do not try to fight yourself, you will lose. Do not consider yourself responsible for all what is happening. It would only drive you crazy. Give peoples everything they want if you want to have well visited funeral.”

With the final words of the prayer he started to sob. With tears in his eyes, he fell asleep.

She was smiling now and whispering something in Hremo’s ear. He couldn’t find any strength to smile, or to look at them so he turned his head away. Someone was shaking his shoulder:

“Do you hear me? I believe we were reading it wrong, there are two words in your ancestor’s name first one is the tittle prince and second one name which is common even today Ang.”

It was one of his students and he was continuing with his explanation: “we know from your deciphering of Zangahar name that the second letter is R and fourth N and last three are ANG. We also know how I and E were written from other decoded names. So I am rather sure it’s Prince Ang.”

“Lovely my ancestor called himself a prince. You would have to excuse me. I am not feeling very well.” And he left the room.

Ancient alphabet