Academy of Balance. Born of light

Chapter 1

By inertia, I took another step and, hearing a strange sound, not at all like a heel meeting the asphalt, I froze in place. Okay, stop. Where am I anyway?!

Instead of the supposed asphalt, stone paving stones were found underfoot. Quite flat, but still very similar to the medieval one. It was scary to look up. Slowly, very slowly, I took my eyes off the pavement and looked around with a sinking heart. Maybe I'm dreaming, huh?

Brick, mostly two-story houses stood on both sides of the street. Sharp, triangular roofs, dark window gaps. It was generally dark around, because it was night outside. Lanterns located along the edges of the road cast a yellowish light along the street. There were no people nearby, probably because it was late. But now all this was not so important. The worst thing was the clear understanding that this was not my city. And, most importantly, I had absolutely no memory of how I ended up here.

It was scary to go somewhere, but I didn’t see much point in staying where I was. Having gathered her courage, she nevertheless moved forward along the street, diligently trying to step as quietly as possible. Despite all efforts, the heels clicked loudly on the paving stones.

How did I end up here? I don't drink! I hardly drink at all - I couldn’t get so drunk as to wake up in an unknown place! But even if this suddenly happened, you never know how many nasty things you meet at parties; I’ve heard more than once stories about how they add all sorts of nasty things to soft drinks that completely blow your mind. So, even if you got drunk and passed out, there are no such places in Russia! And if they drug our girls in order to take them far from their hometown and sell them into slavery... Well, my awakening would definitely be different if this happened to me.

While I was thinking, I came to a small square, the only attraction of which was a fountain. Naturally, he didn’t work at night, but I still went to him. True, I didn’t have time to get there. With some strange rustling, a figure suddenly appeared between me and the fountain. At first - I definitely distinguished it! - just a shadow. I swear it was just a shadow! But then, in a fraction of a moment, it acquired materiality. It gathered, compacted, like wisps of fog pulled together. And then a man collapsed on the pavement.

I froze in shock. It seemed to me, didn’t it? He was probably hiding behind the fountain, and I just didn’t notice how quickly the man jumped out of there. Or am I still dreaming? Considering the strangeness of what is happening, the latter option is quite likely.

After thinking a little more, I still risked approaching the man who had fallen on the pavement. As I approached, he moved slightly. Startled, I stopped again and looked at him warily. The strange man showed no more signs of life - he just lay motionless on his stomach. The face was hidden by some rags mixed with dirty hair. Maybe some homeless person? Or a maniac luring a future victim in my confused face?

Hesitantly, I stood still and took a cautious step forward. Then another one, another one. Having reached the man, she squatted down. Yes, it looks like he's dressed all in some rags. And... what is this dirt? Wincing, I lightly touched his shoulder. Damn, it's cold! Is he already dead?!

True, before I had time to be frightened by the realization that I had touched a corpse, a more compelling reason for fear appeared. The corpse moved. Well, that is, it turns out that it’s not a corpse after all. The man suddenly twisted around and with a deft, subtle movement grabbed my hand. I squealed.

And I really didn’t expect that a half-dead person who couldn’t even stand up would have enough strength for such a thing. He pulled me sharply by the arm and turned me around, pressing my back to his chest. At the same time, he somehow managed to move towards the fountain and lean against it in a sitting position. Placing his hand over my mouth, the man hissed:

Quiet. Vagrags are nearby.

I froze, afraid to move again and provoke the abnormal person into even more inappropriate actions.

And then they appeared. Large, two meters at the shoulder, vaguely wolf-like monsters entered the square from behind the houses.

Long black fur bristles in different directions, on the back of the neck there is a necklace of thorns, along the flexible ridges there are also strips of thin needles with thorns. Saliva drips from furiously bared jaws. They sneak around, crouching on their front paws, preparing for a deadly jump. There are two of them. And there are two of us. True, I almost don’t feel my body because of the horror that has shackled me.

Vahrags? Are these monsters Vagrags? Lord, where am I?! This is definitely a dream! This doesn't happen! Dream! Terrible nightmare!

Trying to wake up, she desperately closed her eyes. And I almost hit the stone corner of the fountain when the man’s body suddenly disappeared from under me. I put my hands back so as not to fall, my eyes widened in shock. Mommies! I wanted to howl and rush away from here when shadows, blurred by incredibly rapid movements, flashed ahead, three at once. Among them, it was only difficult to discern a human figure. Here he darted to the side, avoiding the attack of one of the monsters, then he escaped the fangs of the second and struck him in the back with some kind of black clot that fell from his fingers.

I understood that while the monsters and the strange man were busy with each other, I needed to escape from here. But the naughty legs refused to obey and, when trying to get up, they moved in different directions, and the hands also trembled. The only thing I could do was crawl away a little to isolate myself from the monstrous picture with the ledge of the fountain. It’s stupid, of course, to hope that one dish is enough for the monsters for dinner and they won’t notice me, but what if? What if I'm lucky to survive today?! Or I’ll still have time to wake up.

For some time I listened to growling, strange crackling and rustling sounds. But I couldn’t hide for long - not seeing and not knowing what was happening there was much worse. Finally plucking up the courage, she ventured to look out from behind the fountain. Just in time! Right before my eyes, next to his brother, a defeated monster fell onto the pavement. The strange stranger did it. My God, he dealt with two huge monsters! The man froze for a moment and turned around. He took a couple of hesitant steps towards the fountain and, swaying, collapsed on the pavement not far from the dead warriors.

Crap. And what should I do now?!

Despite the wild desire to still escape, I, on half-bent legs, because they still had not straightened from the horror I had experienced, reached the stranger and almost fell down next to him. I was shaking violently, and the presence of two bloody corpses made me feel nauseous. And I really, really hoped that there were two corpses, and not three!

Sitting down on her knees next to the stranger, she carefully reached out to his shoulder. Yes, the scene is repeating itself! True, the first time was not so scary. And now... he did not move from my touch and seemed to become even colder than before. Plucking up courage, I nervously bit my lip and, not without difficulty, with a fair amount of puffing, I turned him over onto his back. She peered into the white face, devoid of any color. Sunken cheeks, pale, bloodless lips, dark circles under the eyes. A couple of scratches on my forehead, a bruise on my chin. Tangled black hair, seemingly long, was lost under the hood. In a word, he did not look very encouraging.

I thought for a moment. Okay, we need to check your pulse.

I didn’t even touch my wrist, because it could very well not be found there even in a living person, and I don’t need any extra nerves right now. Placing trembling fingers on the man’s neck, she sighed in relief. The pulse was palpable! Something strange - strong and intermittent - but it was palpable! He's alive.

But further examination showed that he was not alive for long. Having picked apart the rags, damp with blood, which already poorly covered the body, I was horrified by the number of wounds. Yes, the stranger’s whole body is a continuous wound! It was as if someone was trying to chop it up.

So, what is next? Leave him here in company with the carcasses of dead animals and go exploring? Should I knock on someone's house? So people heard me scream. Even though the sounds of the battle with monsters were surprisingly quiet - only an unidentified crash and the evil growl of monsters, but the locals might have looked out at my scream! Although, if you think about it, who runs out of the house when we scream? That's right, no one. Rather, he pretends that he does not hear anything and is generally not aware of what is happening. But this doesn’t make it any easier for me now!

Again... the unfortunate person can die at any moment. Judging by the blood-soaked rags, there weren’t many living places left on his body.

Forcing herself to her feet, she trudged across the square to the nearest house. She knocked carefully. Without waiting for any reaction, she knocked louder.

Hey, is anyone there? Aw! People! I'm wounded! He needs help!

She hurried from one house to another. Soon I was rushing between houses and banging on all the doors that I met along the way. But no one, no one at all, opened it! Silence and darkness were my answer. Damn, what is this?! It would be nice to shout: “Maniacs, they kill!” - but they should have responded to the request to help the wounded!

Have you all gone crazy?! - I lost my temper. - A man is dying here! Bastards! Freaks! At least someone would help!

Panicked even more by her own words, she rushed back to the square. The man was lying where I left him. In the same position, still battered and bloody. It’s just unknown if he’s alive. I knelt down next to him and felt his pulse again. I was convinced that I was alive. She breathed a sigh of relief. And I went into panic again.

Hey, wake up, please... - I begged and burst into tears from an overabundance of emotions right over my unconscious body.

Everything was mixed up in my hysteria. The realization that this is not a dream, because you cannot wake up. Fear, confusion, misunderstanding. How did I end up in this strange place, completely alone, without things? After all, I have absolutely, absolutely nothing! Then these terrible monsters appeared, which definitely do not exist in our world. And now the only person who saved me from a painful death, the only one who could possibly answer my questions, at least explain where I ended up, is dying before my eyes! And I can’t help him in any way, because there aren’t even simple bandages, let alone treating the wounds properly!

Still in the same hysterics, almost not realizing anything, she hit him on the cheek. Then again, and again.

The stranger's hand suddenly shot up. I didn’t even have time to figure out how I found myself on my back pressed into the pavement, and he was hanging on top. By what miracle I didn’t scream, I don’t know. Probably because the impact with the paving stones knocked the air out of my lungs. The stranger had red eyes. Bright as rubies. And I looked into those eyes with horror, feeling the cold spreading through my body. Or is it not the cold that spreads, but the warmth that leaves me? My fingers gradually go numb, it becomes difficult to breathe, I inhale again and again, desperately gasp for air, but it’s still not enough. And this cold. Lord, how cold it is! Red eyes fill everything around...

No! Something exploded inside me and came out in a blinding flash of golden-white light. The man was thrown straight towards the fountain. Hitting his back against a stone abstraction, he collapsed like a limp sack into an empty bowl, in which there was not even water now. That's it, now he's definitely dead - I finished him off, well done.

I didn't get up right away. It was difficult to move - the body tried to spread across the pavement like liquid jelly. My head was spinning, my shortness of breath was in no hurry to return to normal. But with an effort of will, I still forced myself to get up and, staggering a little, sadly trudged towards the red-eyed stranger. The thought that I was either in a psychiatric hospital under tranquilizers or in another world, and the stranger was quite possibly not a person, drove me into some kind of apathy. Well, in another world - so what? You never know there were such hits before me. Look, all the literature is replete with them. Well, monsters are walking the streets - so what? Maybe this is not just fantasy, but horror. Well, it’s not a man lying by the fountain - so what? There are more chances to survive. Maybe he hasn't died yet due to his racial characteristics. And I absolutely don’t care what race he is. Now I wish I could at least hobble over to it, otherwise my legs are starting to give out suspiciously, and in general it’s quite stormy.

I finally reached the stranger. She looked into the bowl of the fountain and felt the pulse for the third time. She phlegmatically noted that she was still alive, despite all my efforts. She pulled her hand out of harm’s way and sat down on the stone side to think.

My thoughts stubbornly ran away, not wanting to make me happy with a brilliant solution. So for the most part, I stared mindlessly at the paving stones and sank deeper into apathy. The sudden sounds of fussing behind me did not frighten me one bit. The guy is lying there alive, but the living are supposed to move. If he decides to kill, so what? I'm tired of it already. Tired. I am sleepy.

After some time, the stranger climbed out of the bowl. The movements were clearly difficult for him, but he did not make any moans or any other sounds such as groans or sighs. Only rustling sounds broke the silence.

Sitting down on the side next to me, he was silent for a while, trying to catch his breath, and suddenly asked:

Where are we?

We've arrived. What the hell is this? Are we in some kind of hell for lost souls? And those creatures that attacked us are punishment for grave sins?!

“In the square,” she answered the only thing she was sure of, and squinted her eyes at the man. Shabby, with matted hair, an unnaturally white face and red eyes burning with some kind of fire, he could well pass for an inhabitant of hell, tortured by demons for more than a hundred years. His sunken cheeks gave him the resemblance of a dead man who had slowly begun to dry out.

“How could I not have guessed it myself,” the man grinned mockingly.

So he’s already dying, and he still manages to mock?

You're being ironic in vain. Perhaps we find ourselves in an otherworldly world in which our souls are doomed to suffer again and again. - The phlegmatic tone did not fit with the meaning of what was said, but I could not help myself. Stress, probably. Or maybe everyone here becomes like this, that’s why no one revealed it to us. Or the house is the second level. Until you pass the first one, you will not enter the house. Although after the epic battle of the red-eyed stranger with two monsters, they could have given the third level right away! Hmm... maybe we've ended up in a LitRPG?!

And why such conclusions? - the man asked curiously.

They only made the body suffer,” the stranger winced.

For example? - it seems that the stranger was seriously interested.

Is this not counting the numerous wounds? Your eyes are red. And you move very quickly. In general, you are no longer human, congratulations. This hellish world must have had such an effect on you.

I don’t want to upset you, but, in my opinion, I have never been a human being.

Didn't upset me. In general, I don't care. You will die anyway.

Intuition again? - Oddly enough, the stranger reacted to my statement absolutely calmly.

Your clothes are all soaked in blood. And a huge wound from the chest to the waist. It is likely not the only one.

“And I thought it was the warriors who undressed me, but in the heat of battle I didn’t notice,” the stranger continued to mock, clearly hinting that his clothes didn’t wrap well after the inspection. But, frankly speaking, there is almost nothing to plow there, because everything is torn. And in general, I don’t care anymore, because I lost my phone somewhere and I can’t call an ambulance. No one will open the door for us. Accordingly, the stranger is doomed. To a painful death, by the way. If not from the wound itself, then from blood poisoning.

Oh, listen, maybe you have a phone? - a brilliant thought came to me.

Otherwise these sick idiots don’t open the door.

Telephone? - the man asked in bewilderment. - What is it?

Is it clear now. It’s a dying thing for him, a dying thing!

What's your name, remember?

The man thought for a moment.

No. I can’t remember,” he winced again, either in annoyance or in pain. - And you?

What am I? I still remember.

Strange name.

But at least I remember mine!

Yes, my classmates, classmates, and all the people I met were surprised and said that the name was unusual. At least before. Strange names are now in fashion, so a couple of my former classmates, who instead of going to university started a family, gave their children strange names. Ariadne and David - how do you like it, huh?

But let's return to our problems. So, I have several options. First, we are not in Russia, but in some Prague or Riga, or in any other European town where medieval streets remain. Accordingly, the local residents simply do not understand my screams, and there was no one willing to open the door at night to some kind of rabid crazy woman screaming in an incomprehensible language. Why do the stranger and I understand each other? Everything is simple here - either he is also Russian, or he simply knows Russian. In the Czech Republic, some speak Russian. But then the appearance of monsters called varags remains inexplicable.

Option two - we ended up in a new show filmed with a hidden camera. Survival show. Fantasy show! Then the Vagrags are quite understandable - they’re just not real. By the way. My stranger acquaintance may well turn out to be a fake actor. To make it more fun for me, and for the audience at the same time.

Option three - I'm still sleeping. The dream just turns out to be very believable.

Option four - I'm crazy. Unfortunately, it can happen to anyone.

Well, the fifth option - I found myself in another world! In fantasy, most likely. Or is this fantasy? Dystopia, for sure. Distant future. We were thrown into this terrible place to awaken special genes. Now only we can save the world from the zombie monsters inhabiting it, into which most of humanity has turned. No, so what? I liked the movie! I even wanted to read the book, but never got around to it. Now at least I’ll take part.

Where are you going?! - I jumped up from my seat and hobbled after the man. My body also ached mercilessly after he slammed me into the paving stones.

Perhaps it would be worth leaving him - let him go wherever he pleases. Recently he attacked me himself! Or didn't he attack?

But the thought that these could be survival games invented by crazy show business completely discouraged the desire to be alone. If we're in another world

Especially. A fitful stranger is definitely better than no one!

Look for a place where you can rest and recover,” he explained without turning around.

“And you somehow walk quickly,” I noticed, catching up with the man. - And you recover quickly. - No, really, I was just ready to die, and now I’m walking calmly, just think, I’m carrying him a little. “It’s somehow implausible,” I squinted suspiciously. - Admit it. Are you an actor?

“I doubt it,” he chuckled.

So you don't remember anything at all? - I didn’t know whether to believe this statement or not, but I decided to support the game.

I don't remember the name. I don't remember myself. And I think I recognize the city.

So it’s only with self-identification that he has problems?

And what city are we in? - I was curious.

If I'm not mistaken, then... in Valgona.

What a wonderful, fantasy name.

Yes, exactly,” the stranger nodded with satisfaction, after several blocks stopping in front of a low grayish two-story building.

And what is it?

Tavern. I wouldn't stay on the street. There may be more Vahrags nearby.

I shrugged my shoulders and a shiver ran down my spine. No - I definitely don’t want to meet these creatures again! Besides, I’m not sure that the stranger will be able to survive this meeting and save me from the sad acquaintance with the claws and teeth of the Varags.

Before the man opened the door, I grabbed his torn sleeve.

Can I come with you?

I don’t even have any money with me, except for a couple of paper ruble bills lying around in my jeans pockets, but they’re unlikely to work here. Something tells me that this is not at all a provincial Russian town, lost in the wilderness, and therefore completely unfamiliar by name.

I'll be lost! I'm sure I'll be lost alone. Therefore, I grabbed onto the man quite vigorously, ready, if anything happened, to hang on his shoulder so that I wouldn’t pull it off at all! With one hand...

True, the look that the red-eyed man gave me tempered my ardor and shook my confidence slightly. Brrr, how creepy he can look.

Here's how. With me, then,” a smile played on his lips. Looking me over with a thoughtful look from head to toe, the stranger suggested: “If you help me recover, stay.”

Wash the wounds and apply brilliant green? No problem! I'm not even afraid of blood... well, almost...

I'll help! - I nodded enthusiastically, not letting go of the piece of clothing, which, it seemed, was already held on by a couple of threads. Or maybe just one word of honor.

Fine. Let’s go,” something predatory flashed in his red eyes, but next to him, who heroically put down two giant monsters, I still felt calmer.

The man turned away and knocked. The same hand whose sleeve I was holding. The stranger may not have noticed at all, but the piece of clothing still came off, because it remained in my palm. Crap. Now, on top of that, I ruined his clothes. Well done, Theis, you are doing wonders!

For some time after the knock, nothing happened, then on the other side of the door there was a fuss mixed with quiet muttering. Finally they opened it for us. A broad-shouldered bearded man with a strange lamp in his hands stood aside.

Hurry up, gentlemen, hurry up. “I shouldn’t have opened it at all,” he hurried grumpily. “Tonight something strange is going on, the Vahrags are lurking around the streets.” Well, hurry up! Oh, I feel like this is a showdown between the Arcachon lords. It’s better to sit quietly and not stick your head out.

As payment, having demanded six Finns from my nameless acquaintance for bravery - apparently this was too much for such an establishment - the owner of the tavern took us to the second floor.

Everyone is sleeping now, but if you really need it, I can bring what was prepared for dinner. The food has cooled down, but is still fresh,” said the tavern owner, who looked visibly better after receiving the money. Whether my companion remembers anything or not, he found money - he fished out six small coins of a dark bronze color from his belt. Whether he had a pocket there or a wallet, I didn’t have time to see because of the folds of his cloak.

No no need.

The man took the keys and went into the room. I hurried after him, mentally surprised that the owner of the tavern did not even take an interest in the strange appearance of his new guests. Well, maybe I still look normal in jeans dusty after crawling on the cobblestones, but my companion, shabby, dressed in rags, should definitely arouse suspicion. Or did the owner decide that we had stumbled upon the Varags?

With a snap of his fingers, the light turned on. I didn’t pay much attention to the lamps, but something about their appearance seemed strange to me. And the interior in our room looked very much like a room in an old village house with wood darkened by time. Even though the tavern was still a stone building, everything inside was decorated with dark, almost ebony wood. The same wooden, roughly knocked together, squat furniture added gloom to the interior. In addition, there was very little furniture - a table, two chairs, a bed (one, but a double), a wardrobe and a door, apparently leading to the bathroom.

Having looked around the dull surroundings, I turned to my acquaintance. After all, you already know each other, right? Still, we have to spend this night in the same room, and I will probably have to somehow help him treat his wounds. I wonder if there is a first aid kit here? Crap! I should have asked the tavern owner about the first aid kit.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” the man announced and, still staggering, moved towards the supposed bathroom.

I shrugged, finding no reason to object. If he needs help, he will call. If he tells me to run for the first aid kit, I’ll run. Well, since he doesn’t say anything yet, I’ll just wait.

He washed himself for quite a long time - I had already managed to walk around the room in a circle countless times, mark time, sit on the bed and even lie down. At some point, I suspected that my acquaintance had died there, feeling safe and allowing his body to relax. Maybe he was holding on with his last strength, not wanting to become a harmful night snack for the enemies. Or he lost consciousness and choked. When I was about to get up and knock, the man himself came out of the bathroom and looked thoughtfully at me, who at that moment was lying on top of the blanket and looking at the ceiling with almost glass eyes - from fatigue, from confusion, from the horror experienced, in the end, and concern for his life!

What? Why are you looking like that? - I sat down. I didn’t like the light that lit up in the red eyes at all. I remember he tried to finish me off with the same fire, or whatever he was going to do.

And the acquaintance has noticeably freshened up! Dressed in a dirty gray robe, but washed clean of blood, dust and other suspicious stains, he looked noticeably better. Even if the pale skin, sunken cheeks and dark circles under red eyes, swollen scratches and bruises have not gone away, now I would probably not doubt that he would survive. Considering that all serious wounds were now hidden by a robe.

Hmm... have you bandaged your wounds yet? - I clarified awkwardly, continuing to examine my new acquaintance. If it weren’t for the bandages, blood would probably have already seeped through the fabric of the robe.

Bandaged it,” he confirmed with thoughtful equanimity.

Hmm... hmm... what kind of help do you need in this case?

I’m just wondering which one it is, - the man’s gaze made me more and more nervous, as if he was wondering whether to eat me right now, or leave a piece for later?

Are you, by any chance, a vampire?

No, not a vampire. - And, squinting carefully, he suddenly asked: “What do you even know about our world?”

And... - I slowly crawled out of bed, preparing to run away at any moment, and carefully asked: - What makes you think that I’m from another world?

“You’re dressed incomprehensibly, you confuse me with a vampire and you don’t know anything at all about the place where we ended up,” the man listed in a rather calm, slightly mocking tone, without moving from his place and not reacting in any way to my encroachments. -Are you still asking after this?

And you... you don’t even remember your name! And I urgently need to go to the bathroom! - I blurted out and, quickly rounding the man, rushed through the ajar door.

She pulled the bolt shut and took a breath. Okay, you need to calm down. Nothing unusual happens, absolutely nothing. It's all staged. Very skillful, very believable, but staged for the sake of another TV show, something like “survive and not go crazy.” That's why I can't go crazy. Maybe the winner will even be given a prize - a million dollars! I would not mind…

Looking around, I noticed a tap. Yeah! This means that they still did not foresee something. Have you forgotten that in other worlds, similar to the Middle Ages, there should not be water pipes? Or could it very well be built only on magic? The faucet looked suspicious, without the usual handles. But on both sides of it there were strange stones that were not spinning anywhere at all. But as soon as you held your hand on one of them a little, water began to flow from the tap. After rinsing my hands and washing my face with cold water, I placed my palm on the same stone, and the water stopped flowing. Hmm... well, at least some innovation.

I thought about it. If this is a TV show, are there cameras here in the bathroom, which, by the way, is combined with a toilet? And if I, say, start to undress, won’t they stick an “18+” sign on the screen and continue the broadcast? No, they shouldn't. For this, in fact, you can be sued. So, either there are no cameras here, or they will do something.

At that moment, imagining in all the colors that they were now filming me and probably making fun of my confusion, I suddenly got angry. Well, I'll show you again! Hastily undoing the button and zipper, she pulled off her jeans.

Oh, well, do you like it?! - I hissed. - Admire it!

And, pushing her jeans to the side, she danced around the bathroom in some kind of malicious madness, twisting her... ahem... hips in every possible way. Of course, I’m not a fat guy who can really punish with my bare bottom, and I didn’t take off my underwear, but I really wanted to make fun of the film crew. And in general - I'm crazy!

And then I suddenly saw my reflection in the mirror. She froze. She took a deep breath and squealed. Something hit the door from outside, I flinched and immediately fell silent, continuing to stare at my reflection. The next moment, the door flew off its hinges, only thanks to the presence of a small nook in which I stood, without touching it in the cramped room. A nameless acquaintance burst into the bathroom and stared at me with an incomprehensible gaze. He probably thought that they were killing me here, and was very surprised to find no bloodthirsty enemies or some other nasty thing here. But something much, much worse happened to me.

I slowly turned to the man. For clarity, taking long strands of hair in her hands, on the verge of hysteria she asked:

What? What did they do to me?!

And what happened? - Realizing that no one was attacking us, the acquaintance relaxed and even crossed his arms over his chest. True, his gaze on the hair, which I shook in front of me as proof of the blatant interference in my appearance, did not linger and went down a little lower, to my bare legs.

What's happened?! - I was indignant. - Why don’t you understand! The nightmare has happened! I am blond!

Mmm... I see,” his gaze still did not rise above my hips. Although the hair, my pride, ended approximately in the middle of the thighs, so that its ends could be admired at the level where the man’s eyes lingered.

But... I was proud of my beautiful dark brown, almost black hair! And this... what was now on my head was terrifying in its blondeness. Still smooth, still long, but golden honey. Damn it, I never dreamed of becoming a blonde, but here is such an awesome gift! Have they gone completely crazy? I'll sue you! I will sue everyone for what they did to my appearance! And I’ll sue you for bullying too! They will pay me more than one million - three! Or four!

Again... the unfortunate person can die at any moment. Judging by the blood-soaked rags, there weren’t many living places left on his body.

Forcing herself to her feet, she trudged across the square to the nearest house. She knocked carefully. Without waiting for any reaction, she knocked louder.

Hey, is anyone there? Aw! People! I'm wounded! He needs help!

Have you all gone crazy?! - I lost my temper. - A man is dying here! Bastards! Freaks! At least someone would help!

Hey, wake up, please... - I begged and burst into tears from an overabundance of emotions right over my unconscious body.

Well, please don’t die, don’t leave me here...

Still in the same hysterics, almost not realizing anything, she hit him on the cheek. Then again, and again.

Well, wake up! Stop lying around! So you’ll die here if you don’t tell me where to take you! - I shouted, continuing to hit the unfortunate man on the cheeks.

Sitting down on the side next to me, he was silent for a while, trying to catch his breath, and suddenly asked:

Where are we?

We've arrived. What the hell is this? Are we in some kind of hell for lost souls? And those creatures that attacked us are punishment for grave sins?!

“How could I not have guessed it myself,” the man grinned mockingly.

So he’s already dying, and he still manages to mock?

And why such conclusions? - the man asked curiously.

They only made the body suffer,” the stranger winced.

But here, if I were you, I would already start to worry. Something strange is going on with your body.

For example? - it seems that the stranger was seriously interested.

Is this not counting the numerous wounds? Your eyes are red. And you move very quickly. In general, you are no longer human, congratulations. This hellish world must have had such an effect on you.

I don’t want to upset you, but, in my opinion, I have never been a human being.

Didn't upset me. In general, I don't care. You will die anyway.

Intuition again? - Oddly enough, the stranger reacted to my statement absolutely calmly.

Your clothes are all soaked in blood. And a huge wound from the chest to the waist. It is likely not the only one.

Academy of Balance. Born of the light Botalova Maria Botalova

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Title: Academy of Balance. Born of light

About the book “Academy of Balance. Born of the light Botalova" Maria Botalova

I don’t know how I ended up in this world, but I’ll definitely find out! To begin with, I will enter the Academy of Balance - there they will teach me how to manage the magic that has suddenly awakened in me, and I can get useful information, and I will find friends. I'm not talking about the fans! It’s nice, of course, to have the attention of this mysterious and dangerous lord, but what do you want to do with the night guests?! First one will appear, then the other. One conducts strange conversations, the other is completely dismissive. And as soon as they sneak into my room? Or maybe I'm going crazy because of the acquisition of magic? She's kind of strange to me...

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Serial design – Ekaterina Petrova

Cover illustration – Daria Rodionova

Any use of the material in this book, in whole or in part, without the permission of the copyright holder is prohibited.

By inertia, I took another step and, hearing a strange sound, not at all like a heel meeting the asphalt, I froze in place. Okay, stop. Where am I anyway?!

Brick, mostly two-story houses stood on both sides of the street. Sharp triangular roofs, dark window gaps. It was generally dark around, because it was night outside. Lanterns located along the edges of the road cast a yellowish light along the street. There were no people nearby, probably because it was late. But now all this was not so important. The worst thing was the clear understanding that this was not my city. And, most importantly, I had absolutely no memory of how I ended up here.

I didn't sleep at all before this. Seems. One step - and here I am! Damn, how could something like this happen?!

And I really didn’t expect that a half-dead person who couldn’t even stand up would have the strength to do such a thing. He pulled me sharply by the arm and turned me around, pressing my back to his chest. At the same time, he somehow managed to move towards the fountain and lean against it in a sitting position. Placing his hand over my mouth, the man hissed:

- Quiet. Vagrags are nearby.

I froze, afraid to move again and provoke the abnormal person into even more inappropriate actions.

And then they appeared. Large, two meters at the shoulder, vaguely wolf-like monsters entered the square from behind the houses.

Vahrags? These monsters are Vahrags? Lord, where am I?! This is definitely a dream! This doesn't happen! Dream! Terrible nightmare!

Crap. And what should I do now?!