Бесплатный фрагмент - Bloody Dawn

Prologue

The red color seems to be a mixture of fire, poison and blood. Is wearing red a privilege? The red is color of cardinals. He noticed her, because she was in red. No, not only therefore. In fact, she was more beautiful than everything you can only imagine. But she posed a danger.

Her fast swift gait resembled a flight. A scarlet cloud around her shoulders resembled both the flame and blood. In combination with the gold curls, it just suggested the thought of the sunrise. But now was sunset.

He looked at her again. It should be like a punishing angel. In her beauty there was not the slightest hint of kindness or condescension. Light strands are more reminded of gold left in the darkness than the sun’s rays.

«Sun, gold, and a dawn which are frozen in the gold coins. Is it all not a part of one whole? Fold all together and discover from whom all this is?»

Someone said these words or did it seem? They have a hissing echo reflected from the walls, filling out all the space. The view of the stranger suddenly appealed to him. She did not open the lips, but he clearly heard a single word.

«Dennitsa!»

It echoed not from the walls, from his own heart. Nothing more frightening and attractive and imagined it was impossible.

«Dennitsa is the source of all the wonderful, which is only on the Earth.»

He was amazed

.In front of the eyes, it seemed to flash lightning, brightly illuminating evil and hypocrisy around him. He, the servant of God, the only one who is sinful here. So told her eyes. And then something flashed in them, as if the image of the unearthly battle. He saw a piece of blood-red sky between the massive columns, the supernatural creatures were fighting, they screamed and throw lightning on each other. Meanwhile, the girl approached. He did not immediately notice the dagger in her hand.

Already later, settled on the floor in the blood, he thought that he had just seen an angel. This moment turned into unbearable pain in the eyes and wound in the heart. The blade entered deep into the flesh. And all… There was no living angel near. There was a winged statue in the niche, but it was not alive. He lived until his blood was absorbed into the marble floor.

Chosen

«Why every time when I close my eyes, it seems to me that you betray me, my angel…»

A beautiful statue in the niche, of course, did not answer. He always prayed to her silently. So today he did not say these words out loud, they sounded somewhere deep in the subconscious, but, as before they burned. It was true. Every time he looked at his heavenly patron, for some reason he had come to the thoughts about betrayal.

Beautiful angel affects impassively. Ferdinand always looked at her carefully, from the bottom up, with endless respect, but the heart fluttered. In front of him in the Majestic Cathedral was his only earthly love for many years. She was from stone. The statue always caused a thrill in him. Infinitely beautiful, elegant, deified. Not a young man and not a girl, but feminine it was much more than even painted the imagination. Reviving, this angel could naturally become only a girl.

Ferdinand shook his head, and blond hair slightly lasted the neck. Someone seemed to whispered him on the ears of the upcoming betrayal. What are thin annoying voices!

Obsession, so would it be called by his order. To hear the tempting voices is obsession. He is tempting by the devil. It is better not to believe him. But words in the brain have always sounded like a prophecy.

Just a few words. And they did not have anything to do with the creature which he prayed.

How can an angel betray him? Or how can he himself betray his angel?

«It’s time!» The harsh hand of the mentor laid on his shoulder. Not for the first time he shuddered from its gravity. It was time to accept the honorable purpose. This time he was chosen.. And it was an unheard honor, because the following elections will take place only after a few centuries.

Ferdinand silently nodded. He knew that it was time to go. The moment of initiation has come, but the statue as if did not let him go. He asked permission from her. He needed her blessing and, perhaps, even help. So that his hand does not flinch into a decisive moment. But it seemed to him that the angel whispered «Go! … with my curse!»

How terrifyingly calm was a voice that was echoed in his brain.

Ferdinand could not understand anything. After all, it is assigned a sacred mission. He will be the right hand of God hitting the devil. Is an angel should not encourage him?

But time has already come. It was impossible to postpone longer. Ferdinand went behind the mentor. He had to feel joy and pride, but did not experience any other. Only emptiness. The feeling that everything is already predetermined and his choice will not change anything, pressed by unbearable severity. He felt sentenced, and not chosen.

«This is an evil spirit tempting you,» said his mentor. «This is he suggests his demons to chip different tricks. So you will see the truth as in the mirror curve.»

They all had a worthy answer. The devil tempted the people of the centuries ago and continued to do it now, naturally and the answers to eternal questions remained those themselves. The religion itself was built so that it was impossible to suspect a lie. But some kind of false was. Ferdinand just could not understand what it was.

Some danger hovered inside these walls, and not from the outside. What is a pity, because he is used to that these walls have become sheltered from the wrongness of people. The outside world is full of sins, and here reigned a blessed peace. But the darkness invaded it.

The heads of the Order explained his condition by the fact that he feels the approaching only an emerging danger, with which they were obliged to fight every few centuries. Therefore, chose him. At least, so he was told. Only he suspected another.

Ferdinand was walking through long corridors and felt something like the wings. They spoke, these are pigeons nest under the roof. It was forbidden to drive them from here. White pigeons! But recently Ferdinand remarked several blacks. They looked at him for a long time, and, it seemed, their tiny red eyes silently laugh.

In any case, the birds were very small, and he heard the rustle of some huge wings. More than the wings of eagle. There were the wings with a size as a human body.

As a nobleman he himself hunted on birds with a bow and arrows. Now he was in a cassock, but the vision of hunt, still did not leave him. In these visions, he often pursued a huge bird, and shot a creature similar to a person with huge black wings. The winged creature is dead on the sand. He woke up with the feeling that his hands are in the blood and a greater heaviness was on the heart, than even if he killed an ordinary person.

«Dream is nothing!» the voice of a priest whispered to him through the cover of the end of confessional. Once Ferdinand looked and saw in this end, instead of a wrinkled face of the priest, an elegant face of an angel statue with bleeding eyes. It seemed to him that it was not marble, but alive. And it was not a dream.

«Keep silence, if you think that others will not understand you,» said the beautiful creature. And the words crashed into the brain as the island of blades.

And yet Ferdinand did not have to talk to another about his visions. He just needed to find someone who would understand it. Many honored elders in the monastery listened to him with attention, but could not really explain anything. From him, he was always separated only by common phrases, and in the air remained a feeling of innocence.

After a long conversation, which did not know anything, he had a strange feeling, as if something was hidden from him. It was better to be silent.

Today, he did not need words. It was the night of initiation. The chapel resembled a hall for solemn meetings. Candles, crowd, official clergy robes, a bowl for communities filled with the blood of his fellows. Today it was blood, and not wine. On the ranks was a ritual knife. Each of those present was supposed to make an incision on his wrist and drop into the bowl of their own blood. Thus, they all gave their strength to one vessel. From this vessel is intended to start to someone who is elected to fight evil.

All the assembled should have supported one favorite. He could alone not cope with the mission entrusted to him. So read the sacred prophecy. But why then assign such a responsible task to someone? And rather to him.

Well, everyone dedicated to the Order was obliged to consult that he was on self-sacrifice. Only here to sacrifice themselves they did not want too much. Ferdinand saw how reluctantly they raise the sleeves and bring a knife to the wrist. They did not want to sacrifice even a drop of blood. But it was originally believed that on the altar of struggle against evil they would bring their own life.

The bowl was filled with their blood mixed with consecrated wine, and Ferdinand felt like a dizziness covered him.

Somewhere on the choir were heard the sounds of the anthem of a terrible court.

«And God will put forward his son against the devil…»

Ferdinand nodded to the head of the order. It seems to be to say «Amen», but he forgot… he forgot that he needs to do and say.

The name of order was a palm of god or Order of Dawn. They were called so and so, and the ordinary brothers called the faithful to God. He used to like it, as it sounds. Previously… Now something has become different, as if the winged shadow laid on the altar, and suddenly he was afraid.

Ferdinand bowed his knees before the altar. The bowl with blood has already passed in a circle to the head of the Order, the older Donatello. It was he who had to make the deepest incision and fill to the edges the remainder of the bowl. So he passed his strength and ancient wisdom. Together with blood. Ferdinand was not right to object to it. To his surprise, he did not feel the disgust with the thought of the taste of blood and that he would have to drain the whole glass. Only the feeling of inevitability.

«Every year we are waiting for the appearance of a star, which will indicate the proximity of the execution of the prophecy,» the stern voice of Donatello cut silence. «Every year we live in the thrill before it appears. But when it is done, our Order is waiting for several calm centuries.»

«The devil comes to our world every pointed period,» Donatello nodded on the bas-relief of unusual clock with many circles inside. «Only we know the boundaries of this period, and only as long as we act, the clock closes the circle. The devil is in the circle until we expel it. And while we are, the circle will not interrupt. Satan will not break out. We are elected to fight the main enemy of God, thirsting to break into our world and subordinate it to yourself. You are chosen!»

The old fingers of Donatello touched the chin of Ferdinand to raise. Their eyes met, and the young man flinched. Donatello gave him a sign. Now he had to repeat. And he repeated. Their voices sounded a chorus, uttering the same oath.

«I promise to bring my life to the altar of my creator.»

«I never tell anyone how great my purpose is and how close is the devil to the servants of the Lord.»

«I know that I have to fulfill my destination before the term marked in the last on this day the cycle of prophecy.»

«The clock of the Lord is already hitting and before they come together on the last figure, the devil will be dead… from my hand.»

Did Donatello pronounced these words with the same frightening insensible intonation? Was he in fighting the devil himself? Probably not. After all, he is old, but not dead. And the one who fought with evil in the past his appearance in this world has already dead. After all, it was without a small century ago. Each cycle is a few centuries. It is precisely such intervals (not hours, and the years and centuries) mark the dial of the divine clock.

Lot to fight evil fell a melancholic young man who was used to talking to the statue of angel and dreams that it answers him.

What is evil? What should he fight?

«You’re a palm of god now,» Donatello said.

Ferdinand knew. He nodded.

Behind stood a crowd of his silent fellows. The hand of each was bleeding. And Donatello has already brought the bowl to his lips.

«Are you ready to take the mission entrusted to you?» the last question. It was no longer needed, but such was a tradition. While he will not officially agree, the rite will not be completed.

The golden edge of the bowl was so cold and unpleasant to the touch. He had to drink the blood of his companions and to hope that thus the power of the whole Order to unite in it by one, making it invincible. It was absurd, and yet Ferdinand said, as it was:

«I’m ready!»

And immediately he pierced the feeling that his favorite marble angel looks at him right from this altar, in front, from behind, from a height, from everywhere. It was also absurd, but the angel was not encouraged.

«A traitor!»

He began to be afraid of this word, but it sounded in the head, pronounced by the lips of the angel.

So the angel called him. Why? Because of the blood, which he had to drink? Ferdinand drank, trying not to feel the taste. It was too unpleasant.

«She goes!» said Donatello.

«She?» Ferdinand was amazed, but the cold ritual dagger was already in his hands. He took the mission to himself.

Rite of darkness

Angels do not roam at night through the streets. But today it happened. The creature, which seems to be just from heaven, thoughtfully moved forward, drawing a bloody line on a dirty wall. Her beauty frightened. It was worth just once to look at such a creature to lose the mind.

Nicolette did not even think about the golden strands, in which Pixie was confused. They fell in love with her even stronger than people. Her body seemed made of marble: absolutely bloodless, insensitive, white and cold. Cool twisted curls, like yelling gold, if you cut the curl, it would become gold, eyes, like a azure, body, like marble. And to top off all the wings behind her back.

Today she found out who she was. Today was the night of all accomplishments. On this night, she went to the river to reduce scores with life and get rid of the consciousness that the devil is no longer behind her back, but lives inside. A sharp knife walked through her wrist, all the blood flowed into the river, but life did not leave her. On the contrary, a new dark essence came. Behind the back were wings. The devil reflected in the water.

The beauty of the devil captives, but only not her.

Love and passion is not in her nature. Hunger and thirst too. She did not feel them. And what about the future?

At the meeting, she was already waiting. Curious creatures crowded in the gloomy hall. They had to wait long. They did not count on this. Well, they were here. Nicolette entered the hall, as if she was a queen. And it does not matter that clothes on her are torn, and in indifferent eyes, they were frozen the fragments of hell. She is really the queen of these creatures. And then she will become their deity.

«Where?» She asked the monster who was the main thing here in her absence. At the entrance she had to reveal the palm and show the label in her hand. This is no longer required. She was recognized in the face. Here is Dennitsa, expelled from heaven to grab the power on the ground…

The monster pointed to a narrow arched pass. Really there! Nicolette immediately felt his presence. He is waiting for her, like all of them, only much longer and more tense.

She went slowly. She saw the statue with wings. Huge, gloomy, black and frightening. There were only wings in it, and the monster began under them. Nicolette looked indifferent and long. She was looking for something in his empty eyes and found. She should be sank in front of him, but pride prevented. Nicolette folded her hands at the forehead and bowed only one knee in front of the statue. That’s all. Now it’s time. Probably, she had to kiss him… But this did not need it. Claws of statue began to move. Then shuddered wings. She came. The dark waters of the river did not accept her. She was waiting for something more terrible.

Her father. Its reflection. The monster came to life. The very monster who pushed the initial angel to the borders of the uprising. Her essence, her character, her pride — everything was embodied in it. Her soul. The soul of angel. And a beautiful shell to cover the soul. One single creature broke on two. Nicolett had to see her reflection in it, but saw only the winged monster.

He looked at her, shook out the tracks of stone sleep, like dust, smiled and suddenly spoke. Beautiful words from terrible mouth. Something about the fact that it was time for them to reunite.

«It’s time!»

«I know,» she threw off his claws from the shoulder, so angry annoying insect. But he was not offended, he was accustomed to her bad character. In the end, they are one.

«Let’s go!» Nicolette turned to the exit. She was waiting for a meeting of terrible subjects. It’s time, probably, to please them with your presence.

He did not reach her in the head of the fire, although he could. He could do a lot, but waited. He got used to long and patiently wait for her every appearance. And every time we passed the century. This time, a new error should have happened, which again brings them. It is necessary to behave more carefully. His thoughts became her thoughts, that’s all. She just thought like him. With him.

Their new union, as always, began without dating. You just need to remember that het is behind you behind your back. It is normal that he keeps behind, like the winged Iphith, who emerged from the ancient fairy tale. He is her black soul.

Nicolette looked at him only a moment, was accustomed to what he saw. He was much superior to her size. Nicolette went ahead, he kept behind, like a bodyguard or guard. Nicolette did not hurry. She knew that the most powerful and terrible creatures of the universe were now patiently waiting for her. They did not stay anything but to worship. After all, all of them, in the end, originated from her dark soul, from the devil. She was stronger than all. Almost… And the term of her greatness was noted no longer every year, but with every second.

Nicolette took the edge of the dagger in her palm. A huge clock mechanism at the entrance to the hall waswaiting for her blood. She felt a quiet persistent whisper emanating from an unusual dial. Strange symbols and divisions were vaguely familiar to her. She recalled what they mean. Time could not wait. The clock needs her blood. It’s time to drown the whole world. It’s time to give the whole world into the power of those who fell here long before the emergence of people. This will be fair. Her terrible army will make this world as beautiful and insensitive as this clock. Nicolette squeezed her hand in a fist, squeezing more blood. The clock greedily absorbed each drop. It seemed that living beings, and not the details of the mechanism, reveal the mouths, alcohol demanding more.

Blood is life! This is said in the Bible. Only the Bible appeared on the back long after her. Nicolette should have thought about it with her own dignity, but did not feel anything.

Nicolette was indifferent past the shipping charm of the golden mechanism. The cut on her hand was immediately dragging. An eerie meeting below in the hall did not even have time to catch the smell of her blood. But their supernatural blood has just shed. Everyone had to be injured and drop into the bowl, which went around the rows. To do this, it was necessary to apply a truly deep wound, since all injuries of these creatures were too fast. To squeeze blood from them, efforts were required. It’s good that, getting it, they did not devour each other.

It was an old rite — to present a part of his blood spent Mr. as a guarantee of loyalty. The devil stood beside, but Nicolette had to drink blood. After that, she will be able to control each of them. They will be connected with her blood closer than chains.

The human sacrifice was also brought to strengthen the effect. A beautiful slaughtered young man stayed on the floor. After holding a rite on the body, a feast will arrange, it will tear thousands of claws. For some reason, the victim was always chosen with typical appearance: long blond hair, clean face, azure eyes. A pale shadow of Dennitsa.

She looked around the hall with a cold look. It was full of all sorts of creatures: winged, horned, with hooves or tails, with ridges of dragons on heads or many clawed limbs. And once all of them were beautiful…

Nicolette did not feel her guilt for what happened to them. They got strength. It was necessary to think about strength, and not about beauty. That’s just a black monster for her back did not think so. The shadow of huge wings fell on her face. Here was the temple of evil. And the deity in it also had to be evil, but it was indifferent.

The clawed hands of the creatures of the knees before the steps of a small elevation stretched her a gold bowl. The taste of blood filled in gold, almost came to her soul. Almost, but not quite. Something lacked.

The crowds of ugly creatures were waiting for something from her.

You need to say something. But she is not a speaker. Nicolette knew that they were not tangled with words. Therefore, she brought speech to a minimum.

«You waited for me, and so I’m here.»

The instant of silence, and the triumphant noise became her answer. They could still rejoice something. Or at least did the view. In the end, they all came to bow the devil. But it was something else. It was almost a religious rite..

Just suddenly she felt something else. Alien presence here. Nicolette’s eyes flashed like ice, and noticed in the crowd the stranger. She felt the presence of the enemy.

He was hiding behind the column, a tricky man who thought he managed to spend a whole crowd of hellish creatures. He told his strange prayers, but she saw him.

«A servant of God!» Her pointing hand immediately attracted hundreds of hellish views. Words mean a death sentence, and a person hiding behind the column understood it. He tried to escape, but who can escape from the hellish army rushing after him. Now they will have exactly the day. Screams, chasing, crunching bones and blood, from which Nicolette will no longer require its share.

The head of the monster, standing at the back, bowed to her face. Huge wings fucked, like the shadow. This is a good sign, he reported without words, the enemy himself came to fold his bones on your greeting. Almost faithful victory sign.

Maybe you are right. Nicolette indifferently finished blood remnants and threw the bowl on the floor. Feast so is a feast!

Prophetic dreams

Ferdinand rushed on a narrow bed in his cell. Silky blond strands were scented over a rigid pillow. Luxury on a bench canvas. The appearance of the young man remained his only treasure. Human beauty burns like a candle in a poor gray atmosphere. Well, another rose’s aroma behind the beautiful binding of the firmware also reminded about the brilliant world in which Ferdinand lived sometime. Everything remained in the past. In addition to the memorable person, which many could learn. Would you laugh at the same familiar or shuddered from what he saw? The brilliant young aristocrat with excellent condition and pedigree brought himself sacrificing for the sake of faith. Well, isn’t it hurt and not funny? Who else did it? Many would find Ferdinand stupid, not chosen. Or even insane. But did the saints who donated from all and those who went to torments on their own will were not madmen for the world?

Contrary to the convictions of the world, in which Ferdinand was ready to be ordained not for the sake of promotion on the social staircase, as it happened for many cardinals and bishops. In contrast, he was not the younger or the second son of a notable family. He was the first and only one child. Would his parents be alive, and they would come crazy from the recklessness of the son and the heir. But they died… Ferdinand perceived their death as a sign. He considered himself created in order to bring himself sacrificing to the ministry of God. And God embodied for him in that marble angel at the altar.

And today, after taking the fatal decision, this angel was, as if very close. It seemed to be just a stretch of his palms, and he would touches something living and sacred, not marble.

It is said that evil can also be sacred. Ferdinand did not even remember who of the holy fathers said it to him and for what purpose. Perhaps it was just a metaphor. The deep and cruel words were very fascinated in the soul. Ferdinand almost saw them with burning fire on the bare wall of his cell. The situation around seemed such wretched, but his dreams were invariably remained Divine. Sometimes they were even more beautiful than dreams. After all, he almost did not allow himself to dream. He tried to not distract his thoughts from prayer.

And today in a dream, he finally got the desired response to all his long posts and prayers. He dreamed of… more precisely, he dreamed of a marble angel from the cathedral. Only in a dream the statue came to life. She left freely the pedestal. The movements of the angel were feline. There are in her something from predator and at the same time something majestic, he wanted to fall on his knees before her. Only in his dream, Ferdinand could not move his hand or a foot. He could not even talk. But marble in front of him has gained flesh and continued to undergo the most fantastic changes. Of course, the angel was a girl. She was a divine creation with smoky ash wings framed by golden border. She looked at him impassively. And yet it seemed that in her eyes there was a light reproach, even anger.

«I worship you,» he still found the strength to whisper her. It is a pity that enthusiastic words sounded rather as an excuse. «I worship only you. I am idle you. And you are my only deity.»

«So Judas said,» said a clear angelic voice. Ferdinand felt as if he was struck. He did not even immediately realize that for the angel he is Judas.

He woke up in cold sweat. Probably he shouted in a dream, because in narrow corridors, concerned the steps of the brothers were heard. The night guard have already hurried to him.

Ferdinand cast back strands from his forehead. How terrible! The angel compared him with the most disgusting traitor in the history of mankind. Did he deserve it?

And this happened not for the first time. A voice in his head broke his consciousness, and it was like burning fire. The feeling that the dragon, about which is stated so much in Scripture, burned all his brains and thoughts. Inside, too, everything was burning. He reached out for the jug and spilled water. The transparent puddle spread over the table. It seemed to him that this was a blood again, which he was given it today. After the overthrow of the rite, it did not break it away. Although he was sure that this would happen. He mentally prepared for the fact that he would be sick of all night, but nauseous was not. Instead, inside everything was burned as in fever. It is too unnatural — drinking the blood of other people or any living beings. Man should never do so. They explained to him that God wants so much, and he obeyed. Perhaps it was not worth…

Inside the hell was expressed. There was no fireplace in the cell or even a tiny furnace to warm up in the cold. The fever proceeded from his own body. It is said that if you drink the blood of the dragon, then all your insides will simply burn. He felt as if he had just drank the blood of a fire monster, about which so much was written in the secret books of the Brotherhood. And here the dragon burned him from the inside. It was exquisite torture.

He remembered the fireplace in the old family mansion, it was made in the form of a wounded dragon. As a child, this grand subject of the interior did not seem to him terrible. Now even the memories of it brought the wave of fear.

It seemed that the dragon was here, not just inside this room, but inside him. The dragon entered him, merged with him, and it was a merger to death. Now he will just burn.

His brothers broke into the cell. They did not even knock. They just came running on his cry. It was quite explained. He shouted as if he was torn by the claws of living dragon. If they heard this cry, they understood everything. The Order Brothers should have known what nightmares were tormented him.

Someone stroked his hair. Tonio, a beautiful brunette was his friend before the brotherhood and here too. He also followed the brotherhood for him by a certain only him known reason.

Ferdinand barely distinguished the faces of his fellows. There were just white spots, not the faces around him. He recognized Tonio in a voice. Tonio told something comforting. The sounds calmed as a lullaby. Clean sounds. Tonio is the most beautiful singer here in church as before he was the most beautiful singer in the sophisticated salon of the palace. Then he was just a poor aristocrat, now he is an equal member of the community, which was and respected, and secret. They were in secret above all religious communities, but no one knew about them. They were just shadows in dark capes or cassocks. A strange fraternity that was allowed to have weapons, track, kill and call it all the God’s judgement. It was all allowed. They did not change their names, entering the brotherhood, as was customary in most monasteries. They did not have tonsure, the taking of monastic vows was purely symbolic. But the terrible rituals were not symbolic. Today, Ferdinand was convinced that everything was very really: the blood of his fellows in his tongue, a flame inside and an accusing angel’s voice.

He wanted to ask his senior and more experienced brothers, what could mean when an angel calls you Judas. But he did not dare. He suddenly became scary and ashamed.

In addition, it was only their mystery: his marble angel. And in general, the statue was silent. It did not say anything. He heard the voice only in his head.

«You will be better,» Tonio whispered in his ear long ago, but the meaning of words began to reach him only now. «It will soon pass. Father Donatello says it’s just one night.»

One night may seem like an eternity in such agony. It was easier to die immediately. Ferdinand suddenly remembered the ritual dagger, which he now had to be with him. Do not reach the handle. In addition, there were observers nearby. It will not be allowed to him to cut himself and to release something burning out of his blood.

«He has it stronger than others,» someone said. Ferdinand did not recognize the voices.

«So he will have more strength than they had.»

The pain inside remained fiery, and the outlines of the world have lost all clarity. It is said that in this state it is easy to hear the voices of supernatural creatures, but he heard only the dialogue of people.

«How do you know how it passed by others?»

«But there are records…»

«What if they understood the degree of suffering, so as not to scare the upcoming generations?»

«Then they would have broken a vow. After all, we swear to transfer only the truth in the scripting on paper. Future generations should be aware of what they expect. Otherwise they could not fight against her?»

Against her! Again, someone said that, and Ferdinand did not like how they uttered it. Why not call the devil with his own name, whatever his new shell was. After all, the devil always remains the devil. In any kind. It would be more difficult for many brothers if the devil turned out to be a beautiful young man, which he was by the time of his fame. Many here believed that the young men are much more seductive. Here is Tonio, for example. How gentle is his touch. In the presence of a girl, he would become stone, but he felt some kind of attraction to a friend. Maybe it only seems to him… Never in his life he did not experience passion to anyone. Therefore, he was chosen to fight the devil. He will have the final victory over him. Others are easy to tempt, he is not. He just won’t feel anything. He makes a blow and that’s it. And the walls of the monastery will again hide him from the eyes of people, from all the passion that people can experience to him. And maybe someday he will be proclaimed a saint. For many, he was already so. First, because he did not want to know the sin, secondly, due to the fact that he was chosen to win over the devil.

The head of the Order believed that he had already won. Donatello was sure that he made the right choice, as many and many heads of the Order were confident, when every few hundred years of their pointing finger snatched from the crowd the next favorite. Many of these people were canonized after death, but they themselves simply went into the shadow. The terrible stories came to Ferdinand that these people just went crazy after the devil have looked into theirs eyes. They killed him, but they became his slaves. He died, but he mastered their consciousness, and they were forced to stay alone until the end of their days, struggling with terrible urges inside themselves.

Donatello promised that this would not happen to Ferdinand.

«You’re too clean,» he explained. «Not a drop of wine, not a single night with a courtesan and not at all because in your pockets you didn’t have money. You lived among the temptation and did not succumb to them, because you just didn’t want. Such and there are real chosen, they simply do not feel the desire to sin. God created you morally very strong. You will do your job, but your reason will remain untouched. If such as you were more in our ranks… But someone is special, like the devil, is born only once a few centuries. Such is the idea of the Most High.

In the prophetic gift of Donatello did not doubt no one. Ferdinand had to believe him for word. And he believed until the fire began to burn his blood from the inside.

Their order was also similar to the dragon, just at the same time, almost sleeping. Each cycle they expected the appearance of the catch.

And here it appeared. After the rite, Donatello took him to the hall at the very top. A strange hall with columns, but without glasses and balustrade, blown by all winds. From there, the sea and the sky were visible, and there was an amazing clock under the ceiling.

«This is a clock of the Universe,» Donatello explained. «Devil’s clock! When the hands meet at the very top, and this happens only once in a few centuries, at the time of the sunrise, which is clearly visible from here, in this moment you will have only one second to strike. Only in this moment the devil is vulnerable. Just one — the only second, and it should be enough for you. Do you cope?»

It was not a question, rather a statement. Nevertheless, Ferdinand nodded. The clock consists entirely of gold plates and monograms, firmly crashed into memory. It seemed that they had a living face as an ornate sun disc. So far, it dreamed, obviously, it will wake up only when the decisive moment comes. In this moment, the devil either dies from his hand, or remains in the world already forever, only no longer as a ghost creature, but in the form of a real and only ruler. It all depends on the determination of Ferdinand.

It is stupid to hang such responsibility for a single person, but he will have helpers, a whole order.

This thought was not easier. The image of the clock pursued him, recalling the sleeping supernatural creature with two hands, gears, musical ticks and an ominous golden glitter. How can the creation of the devil be the most beautiful thing that you saw in your life?

«Remember that the mechanism of the Evil One only one second for the centuries works against him himself,» Donatello inspired him.

Now Ferdinand dreamed of this clock, but in dreams they were huge from the floor to the ceiling and further. In dreams they lived. The golden face was smiling. Ferdinand concerned the hands and felt the blood of the cuts immediately flows on the dial. The clock seemed to drink this blood.

Donatello explained to him about this clock not all, but in some of the books stored in the monastery, it was recorded that they mean all divisions, symbols and letters on the hellish mechanism. So far, he knew that one of the hands measures time in the supernatural world, the other in human, and both of the same length. Only one of them moves into the past, as if giving tribute to each cycle of the devil recovery, the second hand moves into the opposite direction. When both hands will meet, the decisive moment comes. Ferdinand instinctively squeezed his hand. When it is time, he will not shake.

Silence. Obviously, the brothers decided that he fell asleep, and left him alone. Only he did not sleep. So the heat drops after the fever: the body is still trembling, but there is no more fire in it. Ferdinand hardly rose. In this state it was madness, he felt very weak, but he wanted to read about the clock now. It did not remain so much time to the decisive blow. Now there was a deep night. Well, night is the best time for prayer. At night, nothing will distract you… Is it only except for lechery thoughts, but Ferdinand did not have them. He could not call any object: neither female, nor male, which would attract him.

Although the exception was. Just one thing. The statue in niche. But his love for it was far from physical. It was some kind of piercing spiritual aspiration that could not describe any words. It was his God. It made him morally strong. It deprives all the desires towards people.

Someone from his cousins would laugh, saying that the feeling towards sculpture stands between him and all the brothels of the Universe. The cousins were sad about nothing. Ferdinand left them his titles, estates, land. Many would call him crazy or blissful. He was still. He chose his destination in life.

The strange clock was waiting for him in the hall. Since the initiation, he had the right to all. He could choose those who will be his right and left hand in the fight against evil, could give orders, Donatello temporarily moved to the shadow. Ferdinand was allowed to enter where the other was forbidden. Therefore, he was extremely amazed, noticing someone else’s at the clock. The man fell down as a shadow, and more resembled an unearthly winged creature. Actually, there was nothing surprising in meeting near this clock a supernatural creation, but someone was not. The fact that Ferdinand at first accepted for the wings was only the folds of the monastic hood. Just the gray robe was slightly open, hence the feeling of the fact that the wings winks over the old monk.

Ferdinand froze in indecision. In his life, he did not mention the word with his brother Ernesto and was already accustomed to consider the old man a dumb.

Silence came for a long time. Ferdinand began to study the symbols on the clock, and then noticed that there were some wounds and scorched lines under the folded collar, like after torture. Maybe he only seemed that the scars on the Ernesto body add up to the same symbols as on the clock.

He managed to see a little. The lines, for sure, were burning out with fire, such deep and inflamed, as if their carved the dragon burning claws right on the human flesh.

Ferdinand heard that the devil skillfully tortures people, but never saw anything like that. Ernesto smeared the gray robe too quickly. He was gloomy and inconspicuous, as a touching ghost, but in his eyes it was frozen something inexpressible. Suffering, pain, longing, a whole range of negative feelings. Only fear was not in them. Last Ferdinand respected. Full fearlessness.

He suddenly felt sympathy to a gloomy monk.

«I always think about it as the beginning of the world. The devil has so much power over us, because we all started with him. From the moment he became himself, as we now know him,» said Ferdinand

Ferdinand himself did not know why he was set in revelation.

«Sometimes he is not like himself,» Ernesto said. «Sometimes he can become closer to us than God. Be careful, boy!»

There were already many such warnings. Ferdinand got used to them without much attention. He was aware of what risk goes, and it was not scarecrow. But the words of the monk hung like a black cloud. It seemed that he invested in them some kind of special meaning.

He left, went into darkness as an imperceptible shadow. The clock was purely gold, but it seemed that all the darkness of the universe was accumulated within it. It had no eye, nor lips, but Ferdinand felt that they were laughing at him.

It was a fair laughter. They left him just one moment for victory or defeat. Here is really a devilish trick. Ferdinand wanted to move away from it and could not. It seemed to measure the term of his own life. And this term approached the end. But then, how can he be able to defeat the evil, if he will not live.

«Stupid, just one moment,» the clock stated. «To wait for a single moment, you do not have to live for a long time.»

Aspiration

«Why not now?» said James.

«Let the clock are not in a hurry, and we hurry,» it was the moral of three scouts. Bob, James and Renault hurried to him with news. Father Donatello naturally did not know anything. He would not allow anything like that. Ferdinand also had doubts. He himself would not be ahead of the events, but three young people kept their principles. For a long time they collected information about a certain sect that worshiped the living embodiment of Dennitsa. They even had to pretend that they would like to join it. They said that it was risky, because the head of the sect can read thoughts. But so far everyone has been intact, which gave them a lot of courage.

Only Tonio doubted.

«What if it’s just heretics or is it easier swindlers? Suddenly they are not connected with her, and we will only spend time in vain?»

His claims almost did not hear.

«We will pretend that you also want to join their ranks,» said James. «You are both…» He measured Tonio and Ferdinand with quick glance. «Fully fit, there welcome only young and beautiful. This is the sect of the devil. Physical beauty for them is in the first place. In addition to loyalty, this is the only criterion.»

«Loyalty?» Ferdinand frowned. He already gave his loyalty to God.

«Rather, obsession,» James suggested. «Everyone becomes some kind of crazy and cold as statues.»

Statues! The word caused unacceptable associations. They can not know how he belongs to the statues. More precisely, to only one of them. He did not tell anyone about it yet. And not going. It was his secret. No one should know it. His feeling to marble sculpture was too sacred.

Ferdinand reached for a dagger with a graceful gilded handle in the form of the dragon. Here is his new sacred relic. The dragon will be defeated, said Donatello, when he gave him the blade.

«It’s too early to see the enemy territory,» Ferdinand concluded reasonably. «We are now vulnerable, not an enemy. We must wait.»

His argument was supposed to sound weighty. Now he takes the post of head, although temporarily, only until the evil is not destroyed by his hand. He had to feel strong, and all the order’s brothers secretly obey him. However, James and Renault began to objected. Usually they behaved more restrained, but now they burned to rush into battle, track, destroy.

«We must at least look at,» meanwhile claimed Bob. «You need to know with what we are dealing with.»

«We know,» Ferdinand assured. «The evil will be destroyed.»

«But you can do it today.»

But the clock? Ferdinand again remembered it as a creature that laughed at him.

«Do you remember the residence of Cardinal Lisandro?»

The cardinal did not drink wine and did not go to the harlot, but for some reason he had a terribly negative reputation. It was all the case in his sermons. In his hints and open calls. Someone considered him a prophet.

The false prophet, so called him to himself Ferdinand. Many shared his opinion. But there were followers. A small society gathered around Lisandro. Order of communion! They tried to scare the devil with blood. Lily and blood are their symbols. Both were initially devilish symbols. But Lisandro held beautiful rites and assured that the Fallen Archangel Dennitsa is not so terrible as it seems. He stated even that he could call him and destroy. Obviously, today was the one night when he was going to take it.

Ferdinand would not put a penny on the fact that his intention would succeed. Not everything is as simple as it seems. Lisandro and his Order is really just heretics, blessed by Pope. It is unlikely that their prayers reach the ears of God, and the threats are afraid of the devil. Although it would be so easy to attach the fallen angel on lilies, which once in paradise were considered his flowers, blood, spilled like a bribe for him, and then kill. All weaklings dream of a simple decision of the question. Ferdinand knew that his path would be more complicated. He squeezed the handle of the dagger tightly.

True, now he had to prove himself that he had a determination.

«Not yet time…» It was his last objection. But not already decisive.

«It’s time now,» Bob objected. «They will gather for midnight, as during Christmas and Easter, only it will be a terrible sacrament.»

«Rather, Mysteria,» Ferdinand has long appointed the price to such events and on the experience remaining from his lush secular life, decided that they differ little from theatrical performances. The only thing that are designed to approve in the spiritual authority one specific person who spends them. In this case, Cardinal Lisandro. Probably he believes that the throne of Pope is already secured by him. In any case, hardly enviable place will be free, everyone whose mind he embarrassed, will support him.

Behind meditations, Ferdinand himself did not notice how congregates pulled him on the night of a cozy cell. He firmly pressed the handle of the dagger, hiding it under the cape. Consciousness said that it is still early, but something militant inside himt has already rushed into battle.

The dagger with the dragon on the handle was alarmed only at the beginning.

«You need to kill evil with evil,» said Donatello. The conclusion is too abstract and unreasonable. We need to beat the enemy by his own weapon. Kill the devil with the help of his — a dragon. It is bold, ambiguous and controversial. But it can work.

Ferdinand did not doubt his power. He forbade himself to be afraid. Will’s effort was able to suppress weakness and fear. He was aware that he was elected to die, but to win. His hand in the decisive moment will not tremble.

And what if the decisive moment is still today and the prophecy that there is everything only one moment to strike this just a legend?

Ferdinand did not want to return to the gloomy palace of cardinal Lysandro, but today, as Bob said, the members of the Devil’s Order will be present there. And their lord always comes as shadow with them. We just need to look around and learn him in the face. Ferdinand was well prepared. His companions were also.

When they came, the sacrament with blood and lily petals was in the night assembly over. Through the dark arches of high windows stood an unbearable smell of the same flowers. Garden lilies! Such light flowers were in such a gloomy place, among the black arches and ghostly burning candles. White petals as if symbolized something dead and unnatural.

Lysandro himself reminded the royal person. But pride is a sin.

Ferdinand looked at the gloomy hall. It seemed to him that there was no unity in the Order. The gathered kept in groups. Rather, some of them were collected in groups, leaving the communion, someone as if hid behind the backs of those who stood ahead.

Bob leaned toward Ferdinand and explained in the whisper:

«A conspiracy is preparing against him. He inspired so long to them that the fallen archangel is the essence of everything that they believed in this a little more sincerely than he wanted, and moved to the Order of Darkness.»

Lysandro just pronounced that he is close to the False Archangel Lucifer, and God at the same time. Like many he called himself elected and blessed.

«This is the night of all nights,» his voice sounded monotonously. «Night when he appears to us.»

The last sentence sounded somehow unnaturally. Ferdinand licked the dry lips. It seemed that the smell of lilies became suddenly particularly sharp, as if one of the flowers burned on fire.

He wanted to raise his hand to take a blond curl from his forehead and could not. The creation at the column saw at him. A divine creation! The azure eyes pierced him through, and the hand, squeezing the dagger, froze, and did not have time to rise. So it means that the deity looks like! He had to think about the debt, about the call, but he was able to think only about that he looks at the unearthly creation. Here it is the most sacred sacrament — to see the first angel of God in front of him and know that the angel is alive. Real! Now he is not a statue.

The marble face came to life. It was real, though very insensitive. The eyes that he had got used to see marble, lit with the azure. Cool hair curls were golden. Under the cape behind his back trembling something similar to the overall wings.

Nikolette! The name came from somewhere from the depths, as if the flame candle was lit. The marble angel in niche was not named. In any case, he did not call him, even mentally. Probably, now the niche is empty, because the revived statue stood in front of him. Her cold look studied him. So looks the angel from the height of his pedestal. Eyes shone like azure ice, only they did not blame him.

Ferdinand tried to call a fixed white statue in memory and asked for help, but nothing came out. What he saw now was much better.

Only his hand on the dagger remained motionless. Now he understood what he was warned about. If you do not prepare in advance, when the decisive moment comes, he will simply become not able to strike. So it came out. Only it was no longer important.

He could rush forward, could hit, but did not even try. Although the goal was in front of him. There was no doubt about it. Ferdinand realized that the fallen archangel is here in all its original beauty. For some moment, their eyes met and could not break away from each other.

It means that love arises. Like a knife in the heart. How to hit the head. Consciousness revealed to the unknown worlds, and he suddenly understood. She knows everything. He was sent to kill her, and she knows it.

He squeezed the knife and hid his hand behind his back. It was a chance. The second one may not be introduced. And yet he missed it. He wanted to bow his knees in front of her.

Ferdinand did not immediately notice that an angel with a gold head appeared not one. Next, similar to the shadows stood some people. Just people, not supernatural creatures. But one of them was unusually handsome. The brunette with emerald eyes. He looked at Ferdinand hostile.

Nicolette has already moved towards Lisandro, she was fast as a shadow. No one seemed to see her. None of those who could alert. Obviously, only the conspirators saw her and supported. Lisandro himself, too, did not see her, until she came very close. Face to face. Did he recognized the devil in the face?

Ferdinand regretted at this moment, that he is not able to read thoughts. He could not look into an angel’s consciousness or into a person’s consciousness. But the fatal moment is approaching, he felt it. Now there will be something significant. Only he had no right to intervene.

The bloodless lips of the angel slightly revealed, like a slit in a different world.

«Be blessed!» Nicolette said with some frighteningly cold intonation. Suddenly the knife flashed in her hand. Just on the moment. She managed to put him in the body of the cardinal so sharply that Ferdinand shuddered. Absolutely indifferent, rhythmic, calculating. Nicolette cut him from the bottom of the belly to the throat. Blood spattered her skin and clothing. But the angel himself seemed to be pure, even in the blood. Or is it just an illusion?

Ferdinand watched it as if from afar. Many were in a hurry to run out of the hall. Someone shouted. The most reasonable, apparently conspirators, knew that there was a force from which they did not escape and just watched. Silently. Like Ferdinand himself. In this case, he was not for nor against. This case did not concern him, like his fellows. Their Order did not have the right to interfere if it was not about the direct execution of the order.

Nicolette did not embarrass. She raised the blade in her hand. For some reason, this simple action resembled a mystery much more than the rite spent before.

And then she disappeared. Ferdinand looked stupid on an empty place. The feeling was like that, as if the statue itself went down from the pedestal and just left. He so hoped that she would look at him again. He wanted it insanely. Instead, at the exit, he was pushed by the very beautiful brunette, whom he noticed next to her. Obviously, he did it on purpose. His smile talked so much.

Today he didn’t make his business. There was only hell in his soul.

Chaste

Something was wrong. Something reminded her about heaven, empty after the fall of the devil. Something flourished in the soul like a rose with sophisticated blood spikes. Everything suddenly became like before, on a single moment. But this moment was decisive. Memories came back suddenly with frightening reality. All she could not remember earlier, lay like on the palm. Rather, stood before his eyes. The moment of fall, pain, fire, cuts.

Only one word was in the head. It should have happened. The consciousness burned. But her face remains a calm face of the statue.

Nicolette came out of the palace as a creature from another world. In essence she was it, but the purple cape had already hid the wings. The purple color — the privilege of kings. She was even more than the queen. After all, it is the essence of the king of the kings — the devil himself. Previously, no feelings were reflected on her beautiful face, but now it was frozen anxiety.

If someone saw her in the dark, he would not have resisted. Subconsciously people understand that there is a danger in front of them, but no longer can take a look from the destructive beauty of the magical creature. The first victim was not far off. Judging by cassock, it was a cardinal, for some reason remaining without satellites. Probably, he was also going to a secret meeting today, but he decided on the way that wine is much more important and so he was significantly late.

Well, he met the desired deity right on the road and did not even understand what he was honored. He was splashing, holding over the wall, but he saw suddenly Nicolette and an almost empty bottle with a rumble fell out of his hand. Why is a broken glass in the moonlight so much like precious stones? Nicolette’s face has been crushed repeatedly in every fragment, as if illuminating them from the inside.

It is not surprising that various dubious night creatures immediately stretched to the glass.

The cardinal did not look at them, he looked at her. His wallet was not entirely empty, but the search for courtesan today was not crowned with success, but the fallen angel stood in front of him in his entire beauty. A seductive insensible face in disturbed in a light disgust.

The unfortunate drunkard looked at her with such a lust, as if he had yet the strength to fit into the loop, if she would not satisfy his passion. Well, if from dissatisfaction, he will want to dye, she can help him. Nicolette felt than nails on her hand unexpectedly turned into gold claws, as if she became a dragon.

«If you know that the devil is in front of you, what prevents you from running?» She almost exhaled him into his face a stream of fire, not a word, but he was not even frightened. Her beauty prevented him to think rationally, as well as many others.

«Gold!» He took the velvet wallet on the ribbons, where the coins were. «Emeralds, rubies,» cardinal tried to take off the rings from his thick fingers, but was too drunk for this. «At least my cassock, everything you want for this night.

«All I want? And what if I want your soul? Didn’t you give it already to your God?»

«Oh, a lovely girl,» he touched her face with his fingers. «Who will not forget about God at the sight of you?»

«The one who believes in Him,» the face of a wonderful young man at the meeting did not leave her head. He was even more inflexible than she. That is why for a moment she confused him with her former heavenly fellows. His faith in God was even harder than her connection with the devil. He was indebted as a rock, dangerous as the blade dagger and at the same time absolutely innocent. This innocence did it somehow special. At the thought of him, everything was suddenly empty and nasty.

Nicolette pulled away from the greedy fingers..

Now she had no desire to play. She just became disgusting.

He waited. He was ready to begging, almost whine, but the angel’s face was left adamant.

«Lust is a sin!» Coldly said Nicolette and extended forward a clawed hand. Her fingers clutched right into the throat. The victim fought in convulsions for long. Nicolett easily tear off the fat body from the ground and pressed against the wall. He could not shout, just fought in agony. And his blood flowed on her claws.

Her wings trembled in the premonition of how the soul will spin from the dead body. In the meantime, he is still alive, let his sins wash off with blood.

Ferdinand came out of the empty residence with the feeling that the apocalypse was already accomplished. In his soul turned his blood pressure.

How could this happen? He always considered himself immaculate and suddenly… Consciousness was clouded.

The effect of a strong impact on the head moved into something fiery. It was not only the body, but also consciousness. He seemed to be trapped, there is no exit.

The gold creation still stood before his eyes. The heart beats like a caught bird.

His statue! His deity! Perhaps he himself created from the shrine an idol. And here is the punishment. The devil took the appearance of this idol.

It seems that this time the devil won. Ferdinand left only one desire, go to his beloved statue of angel, rush to her knees and reveal the veins. Let the blood wage the sculpture, flushing all his sins. And pain and desire to sin then simply will not remain. But how then the Order will have time to find and dedicate the next favorite. He cannot let down everyone. Can not! Nevertheless, the image of gold creation firmly sat down in his brain. He looked in the night, and saw Nicolette. Her lips moved slightly, like fading snakes.

«I am your death, and you are mine,» the words also sounded in the brain, almost burning.

«Do you not have little things for the needy?»

Ferdinand did not immediately notice some a beggar, but obediently put him a coin. Only a strange cut-off beggar in a torn cape not immediately left him.

«Gold!» He turned the coin in clawed brown hands. «Do you know that all gold in the world is from the devil?»

Ferdinand didn’t see the monstrous face under the hood, but saw only the scandal curls of Nicolette, the golden beauty of the fallen angel.

«Yes, I know,» he said with difficulty.

A strange creature suddenly laughed.

«Do not fall into trouble!» It warned and left.

«I already got,» he wanted to say, but could not. It was not just a trouble. It was the end of the world! For him one! And this is just some days before the end comes for the whole world.

If Nicolette survives and comes to power, the devil will own the whole world.

But how can you think about the elimination of the creature, without the beauty of which, the world seems to cease to exist?

How can you split the shrine to that you are praying?

All the paths suddenly became curves and wrong. And all because of this meeting. It was impossible to look at her earlier than you bring a ritual knife, but he looked. And everything suddenly changed.

Ferdinand returned not to himself in the cell, and broke into the chapel, fell on his knees before the altar, not far from the niche with a statue. He could easily pass for a madman. He asked all the saints about forgiveness and strengthen, he almost sobbed, because the prayers did not help. From the inside it seemed to burn fire.

He stood on his knees an hour, maybe more, and could stay night all night, if anyone’s hand suddenly did not lie on the shoulder.

The young man flinched and turned around.

«It happens with everyone,» said the old monk.

«With everyone?»

«All who are struggling with the evil, renounced from their own desires?»

«And how to deal with them?» Ferdinand strains, but nothing came to mind.

«Only killing the flesh,» the monk slightly moved the cassock, showing terrible scars.

Ferdinand nodded as a sign of understanding. When the monk went out, he took out his dagger. Beautiful thing with dragons on the handle and a deadly blade. This blade was designed to the devil, not him, but now there was a special moment. Ferdinand put the blade on the left palm and spent them on the skin with all his might. The cut was deep. Blood spoke immediately, but it did not make it easier. Probably because his desire was not physical. The soul suffered from it. And the angel in the niche greedily looked at his blood, and as if he was smiling.

Dreams of a Dragon

The feeling was as if her suddenly cut off. Nicolette looked at the left palm. Nothing! But the feeling that the blade passed by hand, cutting the skin to the blood, was so real. She already did not remember when the last time she made rituals with an admixture of her own blood. The estate in the forest has long been moaning from the number of victims. Surely, so many ghosts lived here that they were not counted. But none of them would not dare to disturb her. But one living creation dares. Nicholette frowned again, remembering the azure eyes and silky strands. What still in this young man was so special. Something that was not even in lost heaven. The feeling of some secret kinship. As if everything you had to find was already found.

Nicolette came home. Under the guise of a cold statue it was impossible to see the hellish fire. But the fire monster was sitting inside and waited.

This hour will come soon. Hell’s watch will beat soon. Nicolette felt like lips burned from her own inner flame.

«You are like Edwin,» unexpectedly she heard a voice from the dark hallway. Nicolette did not even turn. She knew who was there.

«Have you been familiar with him personally?»

«Perhaps, but only without officially presentation,» said Brett

«They say, he has a damn at the courtyard, it’s hard to get an audience,» in her voice, sarcasm was barely distinguished. She never was at this court, often described only in fairy tales. Over the court of evil spirits rules that whom she could well consider as her brother. Or almost such. It seems to be so beautiful as the devil himself, in the days of his fame in heaven. Therefore, Nicolette tried to do not particularly look at him. She needed to avoid the temptations. It was impossible to admit rapprochement with any living being, which will be valuable for her. And Edwin could become just like that. His name seems to be made by magic symbols, and blood was the same self-turning, like her. He could turn into the real dragon with golden scales. Maybe, so he too rarely left the limits of his empire, invisible for mortals. For people, he was also too a big temptation: beautiful and dangerous.

Today’s night was a moment of celebration. She killed not for the first time. But the last victim has especially a black soul. But the blood was sweet. Nicolette was grinned. Lips as if still in the blood are sweeter than raspberry juice.

«Have you ever thought about meeting him?» Soft baritone of Brett echoed in the ears.

Nicolette was amazed. What’s this? Jealousy? Previously, he did not allow himself this. Perhaps so before she did not think about who he was actually so. A friend who did not make up for a year, although when she was a child, he was already an adult man. Since then, wrinkles have not appeared on his beautiful face. He froze into the state of his youth, as a perfect picture, only without dust and cracks. Nicolette did not surprise the fact that a person may not grow old at all. For creatures, it seems to be natural. Only Brett was not such a creation. He was something else, but so far he became her faithful companion and mentor. This situation suited both. Dark friendship. Union in the darkness. Therefore, they lived together, not counting those moments when she spent the nights in the crypt. An abandoned estate, lost in the forests, belonged to both of them equally.

It was quite luxurious here. Although they did not hold mortal servants. Their servants were invisible.

There was a small dragon on her desk. Absolutely gold, with another transparent wings and tail. He looked more like a toy than a dangerous creature. But soon he will become so. He will not even need to grow. When the clock points the fateful hour, he will throw off his visible vulnerability as the egg shell. In his eyes, similar to two living topaz, already sparkled the premonition of the soon rebirth and full power. Therefore, the look seemed dangerous.

The little dragon itself is placed in the forest, as well as many other creatures, crossed the line between the worlds. They felt Nicolette and stretched to her, like to a magnet. They knew that their place was at her throne.

Brett found a dragon in the forest and brought here. His hands were burned, and burns did not pass instantly. Nicolette hardly managed to understand such a vulnerability. She herself did not remember that any wound on her hesitated longer than a moment.

Even in such a miniature form, the dragon was great.

«I need a whole army of such,» Nicolette noticed. «I love them. Little lights of fire. But when they grow up…»

There was a legend in the world that after the fall of the devil, his beauty was not destroyed, but it remained to live by itself. Every few years, it was formed into a living creature, which is no suspect of a wandering somewhere her dark half. This creature was not born like a baby from people, it simply appeared like a silhouette created from the moon’s light. And here is a little girl with gold hair wandered in the forest, surrounding the light, and the dark creatures of the nights ran out from her. It was the first thing she remembered. Brett found her. He seemed to be eternally looking for her and not almost surprised when he finally found. He brought her to an abandoned estate, put in front of the mirror, combed her hair, offered a cup with blood instead of wine… and since then they were inseparable.

People might say that they became a family. But their kinship was somewhat different. In each time she had a trustee. He was always very beautiful. Brett had silky dark hair and pleasant features. He could be a prince for some mortal girl, but he preferred to live in the forests and serve Nicolette.

It is strange that with each year spent together she began to appreciate him less and less. But at the first meeting, he seemed surprisingly attractive. But over time in him, as if something was dying. This is all the power of the clock. It called her. It was a living creature owning this world. Only that moment was depended on her, when the scattered hands connect and start moving in one direction, and not in two different. Two worlds will unite, becoming her kingdom. But it is worth skipping one moment, and everything will be old. The hands will again disperse. Between the worlds pierce the same border. The clock will remain compounded formerly measured graph. And it is already tired of them. Live mechanisms of the golden creature have been lightened by freedom and discharge. The voices of the clock sang so sweet. Slim siren.

Nicolette listened to silence.

«I still hope to catch a whistle of the wings of Edwin, see how he flies across the sky, illuminating darkness,» she frowned. «But I can’t approach close to him, it’s impossible to look at him anymore… Our meeting will not lead to good. Bye!»

Up to the fatal dawn, when everything will change. Then she needs to fear anything. Once, she watched Edwin from afar, leaning against the column in his castle. It was impossible to watch him for a long time. Too great was temptation to forget about everything.

Therefore, she kept away. But it was impossible to forget about him anyway. It is better for Edwin not to see her, otherwise the fragile balance in his country will be broken. He is generally better not to know that there is someone above him in the world. Let him consider himself the only descendant of the devil and enjoys melancholy. His cargo is not so great.

«Until now, it seemed to me that there is no one who is seductive, there is no one,» Nicolette shook her head, diligently running the memory, flashed, like lightning. Assembly, night, dozens of gloomy faces and a young man with a surprisingly innocent face and a killer dagger hidden in the cassock. An innocent killer?! In the name of the Lord! Simple as that! Religious fanaticism. So it is called people. And any atrocity is justified by the fact that they make it in the name of God. They feel saints. Will they burn in hell?

Nicolette tried to drive a young man’s face from memory and could not. It was nice to look at him and at the same time hurt. He will die soon. She felt the seal of death on his smooth forehead. Suicides! They always seemed to especially attract her. There was some kind of mystery in them, not even a devil. What makes people go to death in the name of their faith.

That young man was ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of good deed. He did not know what would create. Nicolette presented how the dagger cuts into his own guts. It was so easy to eliminate him right now, but she slowed.

Why? What for? Is it worth keeping his life. He himself chose death. Rather, self-sacrifice. So he calls it. He is ready to kill himself to drag what he believes evil.

She easily shrugged. Heavy velvet curtains with brushes dropped themselves on the windows, closing the night. She silently told it to do it. She did not want to think about Edwin or see him. She wanted to see the young man once again.

Rejected

Joselin waited in vain. As once a long time ago in the spacious hall of the palaces and now at the fine binding of the lattice. The chapel was empty. Ferdinand did not hurry for a date. Probably, he will not come at all. But she waited anyway. Her outfit was strict and how it should be to a widow, black, but still luxurious. Expensive fabric, efforts of seamstress, jewelry, shiny in black taffeta and black hair, elegant ridges, earrings, hairstyle, even tastefully selected lacy mantle — and all this is just to attract the attention of a young man who would prefer to be a sexless creature.

Sometimes she began to be angry. It is a pity that monks from this order could not be whipped. It is a pity that the father of Ferdinand died. He would not allow the only direct heir to finish like this. In this grave. Here people are buried alive.

Previously, the smell of jasmine, who fled the hedge, calmed her down, but now no longer. To see flowers in a dream is bad. Now she understood it. Recently, she often dreamed of yellow roses, bright and lush, similar to the multilayer sun. And after these dreams, the painful outbreaks of jealousy were coming. It seemed to her that someone settled in the cell of Ferdinand. A certain creature similar to an angel. It was not a dream. She saw her everywhere, it seemed that her sharp claws were about to cut earrings from her ears. In dreams, they often did it. In her recent dreams, worms crawled out of yellow roses. And Ferdinand was anyway.

He prayed to himself… as a person who considers himself close to God may be at the same time so insensitive? Why did he never notice the suffering of women who went on him crazy? After all, then he was not yet a monk. And then as if something called him, and he disappeared from the world.

Crazy, but so desirable.

Her fingers dug into the twisted binding. Iron rods crashed into the skin to blood. How long can you go down the steep monastery stairs to reach the one who came to visit you? The time that has already passed seemed eternity. She was no longer hoping to see in the distance his blond head. Ferdinand almost passed by, without even noticing her. She had to verify him several times before he looked in her direction and nodded dryly.

Has he remembered at least something from his former life, seeing her here? Will regretted what left?

Wealth. Request. Heritage. Lovers. Bind-free life for which he was born. For what could be left all this? Any other would have dreamed of being in his place. Is there something great for which you can throw and forget all earthly goods?

She almost asked him about it out loud. You need to be more careful. He did not like her attention.

«How are you?» She had a lot of questions that she asked in a hurry, but Ferdinand seemed to not listen.

«Things are good!»

And it was all! One sole phrase, obscured by chance. In addition to a beautiful nape, removing from her, Josselin could no longer consider anything. He seemed to not notice her. Rather defeated than praying. She suddenly felt wild evil. What power keeps him here? Far from her. Far from the world. Around everyone, except for something secret that he was completely swallowed and turned away from all alive.

Josselin was in despair. How she did not want to put up with the thought that he was lost forever. But today he will definitely return. You will need to choose a more favorable moment. And now she was waiting for a groom and a black carriage, which would be fit more for the funeral. In such a place in the other and you will not come. She was not even let to visit the territory of the monastery. Everyone who saw her was turned away from her as from the plague. Madmen who pray on the statues and do not want to notice living people! Josselin looked at one of the winged sculptures in the altar and felt suddenly such humiliated, as if she was crawling on all fours under the pedestal, and did not go on two legs. The greatness of this thing as if turned her into a worm. She wonder if she will faint right now, will her servants find her? Or anyone can consider that her body seemed to crush a marble block?

Holy evil

It is a pity that there were weaknesses in the prophecy. She needed to worry about how to survive a dangerous period. But Nicolette was calm like a stone.

She felt her strength in the cathedral sculpture. There are no feelings or sensations or weaknesses. Nothing but devotion to your goal.

And oddly enough, that young man at the meeting was similar to her. It seems so naive, and inside as if a stone. Neither feelings nor desires or weaknesses. Nothing but loyalty to his debt. The same fanatic like her. Only he was a fanatic of God, and she was a devil.

When the clock has achieved the fatal point, night and day will be in one thing, solar eclipse will occur. And in the literal, and in the figurative sense. Nicolette waited, the clock was quietly sang.

«Come to us! Soon! We also wait!»

«Do not look at the fanatic! Just kill!»

Nicolette caught a slightly pointed ear, even dropped into the direction of the golden curl, to better hear, but the clock mechanism was already silent. After all, she understood everything, but she wanted to think that she was heard. They meant the guy. Probably, it was worth turning his neck. She did not do it only from respect, in the end, he is the same fanatic of God as she is of a devil. No good memory of the Most Him has no longer left, but a persistent belief of this young fanatic, as if was ready to create a miracle.

His faith will kill him. Because it is impossible to kill the devil. The devil himself was the creation of God. What is the first and most beloved. And he was created in order to rebel against his creator. The only independent creature in paradise! And God loved him so. Only he no longer loved God.

Ferdinand thought that by destroying the devil, you can plunge evil. Ferdinand! Such an earthly name, in such an unusual person. He will die anyway, like anyone. So why not speed up this moment.

The clock hinted on it. Only now she had much more important things. Nicolette mentally ordered a piece of paper in front of her to turn around. And the subject will restored her how any material thing would be conquered. For a moment, it became alive. The tiny scroll unfolded on the stone. Tonight she brought her unearthly servants. Small demons flew everywhere and saw everyone. Everything was interesting for them. And here is the list of her worst enemies lying in front of her. There were seven names. And almost all were from the Order of Ferdinand. Although Nicolette was sure that the list was not yet completed, but she decided that it was necessary to act immediately.

It is not worth spending blood in vain. Nicolette found a fragment of an iron pen in her pocket. According to legends, this was the devil who concluded an agreement with his victims. She concluded agreements with nobody. Her methods were royal.

Nicolette has collected the blood from the cut with the tip of the stylus. She was with a small piece of paper. Just enough so that it could fit seven names. Her blood slightly burns the paper. it would be easier to write with ink. But the blood was authentic.

Beautiful letters curled close to each other. Seven names, with all their ecclesiastical titles and ranks. Here they are in her power! Those who planned to kill her, must die. Nicolette breathed on the paper and stared as it burns. Together with it was burning someone’s life. Exactly seven lives.

Ashes fall on the stone floor.

Nicolette looked at it with self-satisfaction. She liked to be to people as cruel as they are cruel to her. It was called — right court. God had to do so, but did not act. He spared scoundrels and was blind to the suffering of the innocent. The world just does not remain pure, because there was no one to protect it. God was asleep in his heaven, just as the ancient devil from stone in his niche. One Nicolette worked for the glory of justice. And she liked it! she liked to punish sinners. She liked to take up the sword. She liked to destroy the villains with magic and with weapons.

She has a long list of victims. Nicolette gripped the hilt of the sword and rose from the stone floor. The blade scratched the stone. It tasted so much blood that now would crush and whole cities. What is the dragon’s fire in comparison to her rightful vengeance?

At present she has at least three of her victims. Much more than The religious fanatics are hunting now for one victim — for her. She went out to hunt as coolly as they are. And she, too, had her own gods — silence, darkness and loneliness.

Bloody initiation

There was a place similar to the cave in his dream. Such were the sanctuary of the ancient gods. But what were their rites? It happened here the same thing as during his real initiation. Only those gathered were not monks. They were not human in general. These were strange fabulous creatures, only much more frightening. Probably, the creatures look like in hell. And they gathered around him around. They also sang some psalms or spells, someone laughed. Someone stroked his hair with claws. The clock was alive. He heard its call, almost words. It repeated:

«Ferdinand! Ferdinand! Ferdinand!»

And each time his name sounded with different intonations. For the first time it seemed to him as strange.

The blood of his brothers was burst in him, calling for actions, but he was as if constrained. He tried to see the secret symbols on the walls behind the heads of monsters, but saw only bleeding candles.

And he saw her alive, with dark ash wings, closed around a gold head. Even in a dream he became hot from her view, as if the burning torch was brought to the face.

Nothing amazing. For a person. Naturally they fall into faint seeing her. After all, if you believe a legend, it was exactly that Dennitsa looked long before his fall. The most beautiful creation of God should affect.

She amazed, admired and frightened a little. The beautiful face was surprisingly motionless. The golden strands rushed around it like live snakes. She was pale, but lips were red, as if they were in the blood.

Ferdinand did not immediately notice the gigantic black shadow behind her back. As if the curve mirror behind her back reflected instead of the golden creation a black monster.

It reminded him a initiation. The bloody initiation. Nicolette raised her hand in which the sharpened golden sickle flashed.

Sickle is a sign of fate. And dreams are a maze of consciousness.

Ferdinand tried to turn away, but she had already scratched with a sickle on his palm. It splashed blood, hot even in a dream.

And the dream broke off.

Ferdinand saw himself walking across the field, overgrown with some strange weed, almost above his head. The plants were like alive. He went through them with difficulty. The terrible creatures were hiding in them, grasping at his robes, scratching feet, hands and face. There was a sickle in his hand. In the dream, Ferdinand knew clearly that it is necessary to cut with a sickle both his wrists and irrigate the field with his blood. Then the great army of Nicolette will raise from the dust and poisonous thickets.

«You want to do this for me, her beautiful voice seemed to laugh at him.

There was a statue with her face at the end of the field. The same angel before him he was praying in the church. Only here, under overcast skies, the face of an angel had some sinister expression.

The statue waited, not doubting that he will cut his wrists for the sake of it. And in his sleep he was ready to do it. Only one step separated him from committing a suicide in the name of some unknown satanic deity.

He woke up with the feeling that he felt from heaven to earth. And somewhere before the awakening instead of a statue in front of him flashed the face of Nicolette. The beautiful lips breathed fire. And with fire just one word, which he had heard from her before:

«Judas!»

On the moment it seemed to him that this was his name.

Ferdinand woke up from fear. If he had a mirror in his cell, he would have rushed to him. But to keep the mirror in their community was considered vanity. Therefore, he could only feel his face with his fingers. No tangible burns. But she drove into his face with fire.

Only it was in a dream. The dreamIt is capable only to scare. The palm is not cut, the face is not burned, but the feeling of the reality still remains. He remembered that he read in the scripting on prophetic dreams. They just need to interpret and wait for when they come true. True, to interpret dreams is too difficult. This is a whole science.

In addition, Ferdinand already knew that some dreams come true directly. He dreamed of a really existing devil. That was not an allegory.

And the worst thing is that he felt something to the devil something that he had not to feel.

It’s time to atone for his sins by prayer! He almost jumped up with a wretched bed. Somewhere was lying around the candle’s grinding. Lighting the wick, he saw her face in the flame outbreak again. This is called puzzling. It is impossible to succumb to it. It is necessary to repent, you need to pray, you need to drive an obsessive image of a beautiful devil from yourself.

Ferdinand was confident in his durability. He himself should be unshakable, like a stone to truly serve his God. He will have to be expelled from consciousness all temptations, no matter how hard it was.

It seemed that the walls themselves whisper something to him, and the flowers on the ceiling crawling like live snakes.

Ferdinand moved to the chapel in his familiar path, confidently bypassing the complex maze of the old building. Their monastery was similar to the fortress, available only for birds. Arched windows and high ceilings trample them. Despite the deep night, Ferdinand heard the rustling of wings and sometimes bird’s squeaks. It seemed to be in words.

«Do not go! Do not go! Do not go! If you knew what awaits you ahead.»

He knew. He was going to find a whip and cause himself such a pain that would forever drive away the memory of the temptation from his body and mind.

«Be not stupid, handsome guy!»

Is it really a crow, it is sitting on the arch of the window. No, it can not be. Ferdinand all strained in anticipation of the next disturbing words, but only the bird’s eyes mockingly glittered.

The candle went out in his hands. Nothing, he is almost at the threshold of the chapel, and there the candles are soaked all night. There, among the marble columns, it is easy to get lost and do what intended.

Ferdinand discerned other sounds. Sobbing, crunch of breaking bones, whistling of a whip. Some instinct suggested him that it was better to hide behind the column. So it was wiser. Never disturbing other people’s rites and sacraments, no matter what the monstrous ones they did not seem.

«That’s what you want?» suddenly asked the inner voice, if only it was inner. Ferdinand did not even turn to check it out. He just watched and for the first time felt disgust and fear of what was happening at the altar.

It seemed that the candles were time to bleed, as well as the back of the one who touched there. The wound appeared behind the wound on the skin of the already crossed by some old scars and burns. They seemed to be in the symbols. He as blind could touch them with his fingers and read something on them if not fresh scarlet bands from above. The whip rummaged and lowered and was already unclear whether the monk harms himself, whether it makes someone invisible and black, similar to his own terrible shadow on the floor.

The beaten never cried out, but it seemed that his body would moan for him. Who was that? Ferdinand could not see the face. He saw only repeatedly dissected back, felt the smell of blood and fresh meat. Probably what he felt was horror from what he saw.

«Leave!» as if someone whispered to him, and Ferdinand obediently retreated. There are cases when you must just leave. He also had to forget for a time about his craft. Apparently, other people’s sins turned out to be much more unbearable than his.

List of seven