Chintamani Chronicles. Crystal of Truth

Chintamani Chronicles. Crystal of Truth

Anastasia Sergeevna Bondarenko

“The world piles up such mountains of evil!

Their eternal oppression over the heart is so heavy!”

But if you tore them up! How many wonderful

Shining diamonds you would find!

O. Khayyam

“I’ll wake up one day, and around the world is different

Bright, pure, infinitely beautiful …”

N. Noskov

“To J. Lafazanos, A. Rickman and M. J. Jackson

with thanks for the endless inspiration.

May the Force be with you!”

Author

© Anastasia Sergeevna Bondarenko, 2022

ISBN 978-5-0056-7524-8

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Prologue

…A flash of dazzling light that lit up the sky made everyone gathered frightenedly cover their eyes with their hands. It was followed by a terrible rumble, and then the earth trembled violently. Not understanding what was happening, people ran out of their houses, looking in horror towards the sea. Pressing the frightened girl close to her, the young woman, frozen, did not take her eyes off the blinding fireball, which was getting closer and closer with every moment…

– Queen, hurry, we must leave…

The girl who ran up to her looked inquiringly at her mistress. However, she just shook her head.

– No, Rada. I must be with my people at this hour…

– But… queen, the city is doomed. Come on, the gates will open soon…

The young woman seemed to hesitate for a moment. But only for a moment… Then she shook her head, and resolutely said, turning to the girl:

– No, Rada, I can’t. Please, take care of Darina…

– Mother, what are you talking about? – firmly squeezing her mother’s hand, the girl, eyes full of tears, looked at the queen. She hugged her daughter, but immediately released her from the ring of her arms and looked intently into her eyes.

– Darina, do you remember what I taught you?

– Y-yes, b-but…

– Then you also know that nothing in this world disappears without a trace. I’ll always be with you. But remember – now you have a big responsibility, as a future princess… Please, fulfill my last request – do not step on the path of chaos and darkness, try to bypass it… For I do not want you or your children to repeat the fate of Daaria…

Sobbing, the girl hugged her mother, but she resolutely stood up and looked up to where the flame flared up. Having made up her mind, she, having kissed her daughter, took out a pendant from behind the collar of her dress and put it on her neck.

– It will protect you. Don’t take it off, never… Promise?

– Yes mom…

– Rada, please. As soon as I leave, run to the grove. There you will find my father. Here, give him this… He knows what to do.

With these words, the Queen gave the girl a sealed bundle and with a firm step went to the stairs leading down. The earth shook violently. Grabbing the princess in her arms, Rada rushed to run away from the palace. Hugging the nurse tightly by the shoulders, the girl hid her tear-stained face on her chest. She did not see how a terrible roar was heard, and the palace collapsed. But already when she stood at the Star Gate, she remembered a huge wave that was rushing towards the city, sweeping away everything in its path. Then something incredible happened: a bright ray of light rose over the city, from which the night became clearer than day. The wave receded. And then there was a blinding flash of light and everything was enveloped in darkness.

Volume One

Chapter 1 Message from the Ancients

A deafening rumble of thunder made the girl flinch and open her eyes. Trying to catch her breath, she ran her hand over her eyes. Again this dream. He so often dreamed of her, all the time supplemented with new details and details… Getting up, she went to the window and opened it. The wind that blew into the room refreshed her flushed face. The ringing Skype call distracted her from her thoughts. A familiar number popped up on the screen…

– Arthur?

The holographic image that had taken the form of her colleague looked oddly confused.

Anna, we need to talk.

– I’m listening to.

– No, could you… could you come? To me.

– What, right now? Have you looked at the time at all? In fact, there is a curfew in the yard and it is strictly forbidden to leave the house at this time…

– As you wish… I thought you were the person I could rely on when… Well, I guess I was wrong.

Anna hung up the phone in anger. What the… She walked around the room, trying to calm down. How dare he turn to her, HER, after everything that happened?! “I thought you are a person I could relied on,” the girl chuckled. Who would have said… But still, the tone of the man’s voice alerted her. Why did he call her and not one of his girlfriends? Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, the girl went into the dressing room…

At night, the city was almost deserted, so the light train quickly brought her to Arthur’s house. Stepping outside, she breathed in the fresh air with pleasure. How she loves the night. Her acquaintances, who were not so sensitive to the change of time of day, did not understand this passion of hers, because the girl was used to wandering alone. Especially now, after the end of the Third Cold War and the constant supervision of the Patrol, such walks have become absolutely safe. Under the vigilant control of the Watch and the Guard of Order, humanity was finally able to forget about the fears of the past. Tougher punishments and rules common to all have reduced to nothing the ridiculous and cruel behavior of people. But still, due to the silent confrontation between the two superpowers and the incitement of opposition factions, absolute calm was still very far away…

“I wonder what time is it?” As soon as she thought about it, the time flashed before her eyes, pointing to half past one at night. Hmm, it’s still too late for walks and visits. The girl frowned as she looked around. Still not enough to arouse the interest of the Night’s Watch! She did not want to spend a couple of days in a punishment cell and receive a reprimand from her superiors. Approaching the gate, the girl pressed the call button. Passing through the opened gate, she quickly crossed the dark courtyard and knocked on the door. Footsteps followed her…

– Anna you are here. Come in.

The behavior of her colleague was more than strange. The girl frowned – something was clearly wrong. She glanced at Arthur, but he averted his eyes. The girl took off her coat, and they went into a large room that served as both a living room and a dining room. But this time there was complete chaos on the table, there were some maps, books… Books everywhere?!

– Arthur, what the… Where does all this come from? Do you know how much paper books cost now? Have you robbed a museum?!…

The young man interrupted her.

– Sorry for the mess. But first, give me your word that what you learn will remain between us. Promise?

– Yes, of course, – the girl looked at her friend with growing astonishment. Always so calm, confident, now he looked very strange (she would even say “excited”, using the old vocabulary), and his blue eyes were shining, as if in a fever.

– Arthur, are you okay? You’re acting strange… Where are Sarah and Boris?

– She and her son are in some kind of vacation… I didn’t want to… involve them in this.

– What are you talking about?

– Long story. Do you remember Professor Johansen from the University of Berlin, the one who replaced Dr. Karpatov?

The girl closed her eyes, the memory of the loss still fresh.

– Oh sure. He came to our forum two days ago…

To be honest, she never liked Johansen, nor did many of those dark and slippery personalities with whom Arthur interacted. But it didn’t seem to bother him at all.

– That’s when we met and talked to him. It turned out that he knew my father well and even more than that, they were friends in their time. In general, he said that he would like to invite me to Berlin to work with rare manuscripts in the archive of the institute, since they are written in Latin, and this is precisely my profile. You know my passion for learning languages.

– Oh, yes… Who else could master French in a couple of years, – the girl looked at the man with irony, but he did not notice this, immersed in his thoughts. – And what? Did you agree?

– That’s not the point… Later, in the evening, Skype rang. I was surprised when I saw the professor. He seemed extremely excited and asked me to come to his university immediately. You should have seen him at that moment! He seemed to be out of his mind. Glancing back at the door, he took out something wrapped in a thick green cloth and handed it to me. But just as I was about to open the bundle, behind the door, in the corridor, someone’s heavy footsteps were heard. Opening the window (the office was on the second floor next to the fire escape), the professor ordered me to leave, but first he asked me to take care of the bundle that he gave me, even at the cost of my life. There was no time to think…

Rising from his chair, the young man went to the secretary and, pulling out one of the drawers, took out a bundle. For a moment he seemed to consider whether he should give it to the girl, but then he handed it to her.

– Look. But keep in mind that this secret should not go beyond this room.

– Okay, – the girl took the bundle, it felt like something weighty was wrapped in it. Opening it, she froze. – Arthur, it’s…

– Shh… Quiet, calm down, – the young man grinned and put his finger to his lips. The girl nodded, unable to take her eyes off the stone. – Yes, this is something that should not fall into the wrong hands in any way. Now do you understand how important it is to keep what you just saw a secret?

– You can be sure, I understand. I will be dumb, like… walls.

– Agreed, – Arthur smiled. – But you can barely keep up. I’m sorry I dragged you out of bed at a time like this.

– Nothing, I…

– Night bird, I already understood that.

The girl snorted – no sarcasm anywhere – but then the sound of an approaching car was heard outside the window. The door slammed. The young man rushed to the window. Anna noticed how he turned pale and, out of habit, bit his lip.

– Arthur, what’s going on?

– What a night! We have guests…

– Are you waiting for someone? – the girl looked at the man in disbelief. He shook his head.

– No, but some people have a habit of showing up without an invitation, – under the girl’s blank look, he quickly took out a travel bag and put a tablet and a computer in it. It’s good that I always keep things ready. Thanks to the eternal business trips, – he zipped up the bag and, throwing it over his shoulder, looked at the girl. – Are you going?

– Wait, but where?

– All questions after, we have little time!

Without even bothering to close the door (they would break it anyway), the young people hurried to the car parked behind the house. Arthur started the engine, the light engine roared, and the car started abruptly. Stripes flickered outside the window, into which the lanterns flying past merged. Finally, as they pulled onto the freeway, the girl decided to break the silence.

– Maybe, of course, I’m interfering in other than my own business… But what’s going on?! And, in case you forgot, my house is on the other side.

– Sorry, Anna, but you won’t be coming home today.

– What?! The girl looked dumbfounded at the man. But he did not react to her indignant exclamation, still continuing to follow the road. – Arthur, is it a joke?!”

– This is not a joke, Anna, everything is much more serious.

– Yes, it’s much more serious when you are pulled out of bed at dawn, thrown into a car and taken away to no one knows where. Arthur, if you decided to kidnap me, you could say so.

Despite her, the young man stepped on the gas, and his black jaguar, easily maneuvering, overtook a couple of cars in front. The girl chuckled.

– Yes, once again I am convinced that my intuition does not fail me. All because of this cobblestone? – having received an affirmative nod, the girl leaned back in her seat with a sigh. – That’s what I thought. And now what? Although… you can stay with me for a while. True, the apartment is rented, but…

This plan won’t work. Besides, you too have been figured out for a long time.

– God, Arthur! What have you got me into?! The Night Watch will not leave it like that… – the girl looked at her friend with anger. Couldn’t you have warned? And where are we in such a hurry now? Well, yes, of course, the airport… Where to now?

– I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that. But as long as you are with me, nothing threatens you.

– Yes? Oh well…

Without answering, the young man got out of the car. The girl clutched the arms of her chair with helpless fury. Although she herself is to blame… He always acted on others, like a boa constrictor on rabbits. That’s why she went to him, she could have guessed… She would be lying in bed now, watching the tenth dream.

Opening the door, the man looked at the girl impatiently. Looks like she got kidnapped. Without uttering another word, Anna got out of the car, slamming the door with force. Ignoring Arthur’s indignant exclamation, she moved to the airport entrance and looked at him. She understood that something irreversible was happening, but curiosity prevailed over fear of the unknown.

– If you want to incinerate me with a look, that won’t work. Although I’m not holding you, you can take a taxi and go home. True, you are unlikely to expect a warm welcome there, dear Anna… But now we are late for the plane. And you’ll have to keep me company.

Taking the girl by the elbow, the man led her into the building. There was no point in resisting…

Chapter 2 Secret Expedition

On May 14, 2050, the Moscow Institute of Geology sent an expedition to the quarry of the taiga river Vilyuy under the command of the famous scientist Professor Alexander Karpatov. This place has long attracted scientists from all over the world, but natural conditions did not allow the planned enterprise to be carried out. However, a group of enthusiasts, led by a professor, decided to defy the difficulties and, taking with them the necessary equipment, kindly provided by the sponsoring company JSC Zaslon, set off. The cars that they planned to get to their destination had to be abandoned halfway, the helicopters also had to be abandoned due to strange interference that prevented them from contacting the base, and the unusual behavior of all navigation instruments. Therefore, the expedition members had to rely only on the strength of their legs. terrain, how, unfortunately, it turned out to be completely overgrown with forests, in places almost impassable, as well as covered with unsteady quagmire of swamps and marshy marshes. But on one of the cloudy days, the tired and exhausted detachment stumbled upon the parking lot of local residents – Evenks, who allowed them to spend the night with them. The professor, wasting no time, went in search of a guide. All the nomads knew these places and especially the river, but they refused to show the way. The fault was, as always, legends. Others argued that the terrain is very difficult and there are only swamps around. All the nomads knew these places and especially the river, but they refused to show the way. The fault was, as always, legends. Others argued that the terrain is very difficult and there are only swamps around. All the nomads knew these places and especially the river, but they refused to show the way. The fault was, as always, legends. Others argued that the terrain is very difficult and there are only swamps around.

Of course, it was a pity for the wasted efforts, and the management would not have liked it, but there was nothing to do. It was necessary to turn back… But in the evening an elderly man unexpectedly approached their fire. It was an old Evenk, an old-timer. He listened to the stories of the expedition members and requests for help in finding a place where, judging by the geophysical map, there was a huge pool of minerals. Without thinking twice, he agreed, adding that in his youth he wandered a lot through these forests. And when the professor asked about the strange behavior of the nomads, the Evenk only grinned and shook his head.

The next morning the detachment set out. The road was difficult, and besides, everyone had to be very attentive and careful, while the guide was looking for a safe path through the marshy swamps, or to wade through the thicket, where the fir trees strove to stab the travelers more painfully with their needles. Finally, a small clearing opened before them, where it was unanimously decided to make a halt and kindle a fire. It turned out that the Evenk, whose name, by the way, was Loko, was not only a first-class guide, but also an interesting storyteller. Here is the story, word for word.

“I was young then. The year was calm, the winter was mild. I remember they sent me somehow to fish in the river. You call her ‘Vilyuy’. I mean, I’m walking through the forest and suddenly I see a clearing. But not the usual one, but this one, quite even. And then I look, and in the clearing there is a large round stone. Did Satan put it there? Don’t know. I hung the fish that I caught in the river on a tree, so that he, therefore, would not be angry with me. And when I approached the ball, I see that it has lichen and moss on it. So it’s been here for a long time. Well, I touched it, and the ball is warm. Believe it or not, it’s winter all around, there’s snow on the trees, but there’s no snow in the clearing and it’s even warm. Well, of course, I decided to get out of there as soon as possible. But I still remember the way to this place and I will show you.”

His story made an impression. Many, including Professor Karpatov himself, were eager to see this clearing. The next morning, having collected things and thrown a fire, the detachment set off. However, they had to make a small detour, because of the trees felled by the storm, as a result of which a lot of time was lost and they managed to approach the clearing only late in the evening. But even then, no one regretted that he had come all this way. An absolutely flat area opened up before the travelers, surrounded by a ring of trees, and in the very center of it a huge ball overgrown with moss was installed. It had such an ideal shape that there was an assumption that it was deliberately made and left in the thicket of the forest by unknown craftsmen. But by whom and when? Nobody had an answer to this question.

All this seemed so unexpected and strange that people froze, not daring to step into the clearing. Loko actually moved away and muttered something under his breath. Probably asked for the protection of the spirits. The most daring, to everyone’s amazement, was Professor Karpatov. He, without hesitation, approached the stone and began to study it carefully.

Suddenly, a loud scream came from behind. Turning around, Karpatov saw that Stas, a geologist, in some unknown way soared above the ground and hung, helplessly looking around. The scientist, of course, wanted to rush to his aid, but he felt that he himself was tearing himself off the ground. He did a somersault and, flying up to his comrade, grabbed his hand. At that moment, an unknown force loosened its grip, and they fell to the ground. The professor most likely lost consciousness from the blow, because when he opened his eyes, he saw that he was lying in a blanket by the fire, surrounded by the team, and Dr. Savchenko was watching him carefully. Noticing that he was awake, she breathed a sigh of relief and urged him to refrain from asking questions and try to sleep.

Karpatov woke up very early. The entire detachment was still fast asleep, the fire went out and twilight reigned around. But then he noticed a barely noticeable glow from the side of the clearing. This surprised him very much, and at first he even thought that everything that was happening was just a game of his imagination, but he decided to find out what was the matter. Carefully, so as not to wake his comrades, he got up and, trying not to lean on his sprained leg, took his lantern and moved into the light. It turned out that a soft bluish glow emanated from the ball. Most likely, it could be brighter, but a thick layer of lichen prevented this, which made it seem as if the ball was glowing from the inside. Without taking his eyes off him, Karpatov left the path and stepped into the clearing. Immediately, the ball exploded with a blinding radiance, and an unknown force threw the scientist many steps back. Rising to his feet with difficulty, the professor noticed that the light

Returning to the camp, Karpatov saw that they had all woken up long ago and had been looking for him for half an hour. It was unbelievable that he couldn’t stay in the clearing for that long. When the professor told them about what he had seen, everyone was struck by the behavior of the Evenk. So wary of anything out of the ordinary, he looked quite unperturbed, but complained that the professor had probably angered the forest spirit and that he had warned them about the secret forces guarding this clearing. And then he said that such phenomena are not uncommon in these places. Sometimes, for example, the sky lights up with an unusually bright radiance, or such a heavy fog rises that nothing can be seen even at arm’s length. Once, having fallen into such a fog, the Evenk got lost there for a minute, but it turned out that he had not been in the village for half a day. Furthermore, he reported rumors and legends among the tribes about mysterious iron circles and caves in which it is warm even in the most severe frosts. When asked why he did not report his observations to his fellow tribesmen, Loko replied that it was impossible, since they would simply leave these places.

Words cannot describe how impressed everyone was by his story. Several people from the team even wanted to go in search of these amazing and anomalous places, but there was no time, as the council was waiting for a detailed report on the expedition. Therefore, it was decided to postpone the campaign and go to the quarry. Safely arriving at the place and taking a few pictures, the team was forced, having receive