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     It was one of the most gloomy travel in full of adventures 
Lives Ljugera. The night cold and dampness scolded him through. But is worse 
In total there was a darkness which has absorbed the world, — absolute and gloomy in all 
Directions. Perhaps, Witches also used any reference points, but 
Ljuger did not see anything. 
     Somewhere nearby the dirt under paws of dogs deafly champed. All smells 
Muffled the sepulchral stench dominating in a cloud. 
Slot for a long time already did not distinguish a cloak of the old man, as, however, and 
All the rest, however felt its presence and in panic 
Was afraid not to lag behind... 
     His feet started to grow numb. Not to think of it and 
Approximately to define the passed distance, it became 
To consider steps though Witches could and deviate a direct way. 
     After approximately ten thousand steps he has felt, 
That has again stepped into the firm earth. Magic clouds, which 
He named about itself(himself) "the squirrel wheels", should be, 
Have disappeared, because under soles of its boots it was rumpled and rustled 
Something very similar to autumn leaves. 
     The darkness did not become less dense, and still Ljuger felt round itself 
Presence of a primitive and infinite life. Something like the internal 
Light drew to it strange and wonderful pictures — blue fountains, 
Majestic as the emerging moon, beat from dark plain, and everyone 
The fountain was the tree of the improbable sizes lifting to other plain — 
To the sky — streams of the branches. There islands of crones entirely shone, incorporating 
With each other in millions arches and suspension bridges... 
     Ljuger it has appeared in Wood of Witches — a place about which anybody could nothing 
To tell. Now it was not threatened with  destruction in a bog. But to lose the way in it 
To wood it was equivalent to death. Therefore he did not try to run at all. 
     Eight more and a half thousand steps on wood... Witches 
Silently slid between trees, not touching leaves and not 
Breaking a bush. The grass there and then rose behind them, scattering 
Drops of a night moisture. Another's, dark life raged around. In darkness ripened 
Something, and expectation of it was frightening. Ljuger almost envied the 
To the fellow sufferers staying in a trance. 
     When there were green fires, it has accepted them for 
Stars but then it turned out, that it falls directly in the middle 
ispeshchrennego sky stars. His head broke up for weariness, 
Stench and rising heat. It seemed to an Egyptian vulture, that someone presses 
Fingers on his eyes. The trance really would relieve it of the painful 
Sensations, now he paid for doubtful pleasure to be 
Conscious victim. 
     Separate fires were dissolved in the greenish light similar on 
Luminescence Kzarna. It was cold and safe for trees, a crone 
Which gave to light a green shade. 
     The back of the old man-mokshi till the certain moment closed Ljugeru 
The review and when light has unexpectedly spilt on him from above, it has seen, 
That is in really magic place amazing the human 
Imagination. 
     Here huge trees, a trunk of each of which hardly grew 
Could clasp, having joined hands, fifty persons. Crones of trees 
Merged in hardly distinguishable domes at unimaginable height, where, 
It seemed, clouds could float. Under this green sky of a branch formed 
Set of the circles similar to islands, dozing at illusive ocean. 
     Light, the equal and not blinding eyes, have been poured everywhere, as 
Infinite silent music. Then Ljuger has seen some trees, 
Transformed into openwork palaces and reminding outside of a basket of the most thin 
The weaving, shined from within. Each such palace rejected hundreds 
Sliding shades; the most complicated vjaz their not man-made walls continuously 
Changed the drawing, as if a world pattern in the first day of creation, and all 
It seemed vopoloshcheniem life-giving magic... 
     Here and there bosks of the grass reaching of human growth rose, 
And the yellowy-brown monstrously broken roots growing upwards. In 
Spaces between trees lakes with stagnant water gleamed. Everywhere 
There was a depth, green and sucking in. Here it was not audible singing of birds, 
But any being terribly shouted in the distance. 
     The inaccessible thicket of notorious Wood of Witches and Ljuger was that, 
Probably, remained the only thing from people who saw it and realised it. 

                        *    *    *

     The Egyptian vulture has looked round on the parties and has counted nine 
Threefold figures at the left and to the right of itself. Having looked narrowly, it 
Has found out among them the dead soldier and the old man-cannibal, it is obedient 
Going after the dog who has lost the owner-mokshi. Then it has lost 
Them from a kind — all of them have dispersed on huge settlement of Witches. It 
There was the strangest settlement of that he had to see. 
     On its internal hours for a long time already there has come morning, but 
Many-tier crones of trees did not pass sun light — and 
At all did not pass a daylight. Here, below, nothing reminded 
About existence of an external world, the present sky, a wind, change of day 
And nights. Ljuger felt shipped in a crude, dark bowl, 
The life in which flew under other laws. 
     The old man has led to its live wood house which has been grown up 
Without what application that was tools and tools. The house was 
In a trunk of a tree-giant and continuously grew and changed together with 
It. Emptiness served in a trunk and the bottom branches as rooms, corridors and 
Transitions; from wood the ladders, new floors and shaking accrued 
Doors from flexible branches. The shone leaves growing and in a tree, 
Dispersed darkness. 
     This house-tree something reminded the Egyptian vulture live and 
Eternally mobile labyrinth "Brojndzaga", the flying ship, 
On which it also has appeared as the captive. It was 
It is stunned by magic force of Witches — they so have deeply got in 
Secret of a life that could change essence of creations of the nature. 
     The tree has not been crippled by rough intervention. Already 
Hundreds years it grew, submitting to hourly influence mokshi and 
Changing according to the plan which is distinct from the plan of the Founder. 
Behind this influence there was a frightening force, and at Ljugera does not remain 
Doubts in that the bad glory of Witches is quite deserved. 
     After the old man it has risen on mossy steps, which 
Have appeared acting parts of roots, and has entered into a crevice 
Trunk of the correct vaulted form. The dog mokshi remained outside and 
Has dragged away behind itself fetid "the squirrel wheel". A veil from 
Branches and leaves it was softly closed behind the back of Slota — as if 
Someone's huge mouth has slowly slammed... 
     With Ljugerom the such occurred for the first time — it has suddenly felt 
Tree "presence" as felt in darkness presence of the animated 
Beings. To it it became terrible, as though he has heard call of any awful 
The creature who immured in a wall and have become by this wall... 
     The old man has spent its narrow corridors, along which walls 
Leaves were dimly shone. Occasionally on eyes Ljugeru came across 
Fellow tribesmen mokshi, but nobody showed to it the slightest interest. 
All whom he has met, were men of average or advanced years. 
He did not see any woman and any child. Besides, in dwelling 
Witches (if it was dwelling, instead of a ritual place) have not appeared furniture, 
Neither the weapon, nor art subjects. 
     The old man has stopped in one of deadlock rooms, in the middle of which 
There was a lake of wood juice, and in him the big white slugs floated. 
Directly from walls shone leaves grew; a colony of pink mushrooms in a corner 
Rooms exhaled strange, but attracting aroma. 
     — While you will remain here, — the old man has told. — both of us 
Let's prepare for Resettlement. Do not try to run — wood not 
Will let out you. Everything, that you see before yourself, is edible. Not 
Set questions. Eat, sleep and, maybe, something you learn from dreams... 
     With these words it has turned and has disappeared behind a live green veil. 
Ljuger was really hungry and was ready to drop from weariness. Mushrooms 
Looked a little bit more attractive than slugs, and he has preferred them. 
Having inclined over them, it has plunged into the fragrant cloud, to which hypnosis 
It was difficult to resist. 
     The Egyptian vulture has broken one of pink mushrooms and began to chew 
It, feeling as in a mouth any elastic bubbles burst. 
Perhaps, he has made a mistake, and to it followed nevertheless choose 
From lake — about it already anybody never learns slugs... 
     It did not remember, how much mushrooms have eaten, before has felt 
Itself full also has plunged into a dream. And whether there was its new condition a dream? 
Anyway, its stay in a captivity at Witches has appeared too long 
For a dream and too short for a life. 

                    The chapter the twelfth 
                   THE CAPTIVE OF PEOPLE MOKSHI 

     ... Its skull increased in sizes, promptly absorbing all 
New and new spaces, yet has not reached Universe borders. Inside 
It was darkness and silent crackling with which mushrooms burst, 
Throwing out a cloudlet dispute. Everywhere flashed and gasli violet sparks, 
As though his head was punched by a meteoric stream. From everyone disputes was born 
Star round which the dead balls rotated, sparkling the reflected 
Light. Ljuger could take them in hands if remembered WHERE has left the 
Hands. All time he heard ringing and absolutely inhuman music, 
Consisting of claps and a ring with which disputes were released... 
     It had the monstrous body which has been turned out in its huge 
Heads. It has developed the eyeballs, huge, as two Moon, and such 
Heavy, also "has looked" at the skin, streaming an iridescent wave, 
As if a snake skin. Here and there from it the trees shaking in already grew 
Blackness of thousand golden leaves-ships. In full sail the ships 
Rushed to a black pharynx — to a unique place in this world, which Ljuger 
Was afraid. He has felt, what exactly there hides its main and unique 
The enemy — somebody without a name and, unfortunately, indescribable. He has seen for a moment 
Only the shade of the enemy which has fallen outside on the darkening sky which was it 
Own skull. 
     The shade, reeling, wandered outside of reach, 
And therefrom the far interstellar crunch which it is sharp reached 
Dispute discorded with gentle music, — the shade devoured the gold 
The ships... The Enemy has been connected with Ljugerom, as the woman to the man 
Or as a fruit with a belly of mother. Slot has seized an umbilical cord suddenly 
The found out hands also has felt an asthma. Huge and cold 
The fallen out language has concerned his backs, and he has shuddered... 
     Old red stars, swollen agonal bubbles, 
Crept on the orbits, tormenting with its pricks of the painful 
Light. It was captured by a panic but where he could run? From heavens 
The rain has gone — he has understood, downwards its own what is it fall 
Hair. They turned to rain streams and on the contrary — them it is impossible 
Was to distinguish... 
     The hands deprived of bones and the size, it moved apart a rain before itself(himself) 
Also flied over infinite wet landscapes. The rain sang to it a long story 
Regrets... Sounds reached the ears which were ugly sticking out of zenith and 
Profaning the absurd a sad landscape. Music has come to an end for a long time. 
Now everywhere there was a rumble similar to noise of a wind in a pipe, but 
Monotonous and ugly. The shade of the enemy overtook Ljugera behind, 
Treading fields of magic mushrooms. 
     The Egyptian vulture began to search urgently to itself for a haven in the 
The head full of dying stars. It has found a place, dark, as 
Tomb, and silent, as ocean depths. Here he has come across 
On a casket weaved from human edges, and immediately 
Has opened it. 
     The casket was vystlana a green velvet and is empty. Than more low Ljuger 
It was declined over it, this velvet seemed especially suspicious to it — 
It was crude and... The live. 
     Slot has turned away and has stretched immensely extended 
Hands in a black pharynx own drinks, and then brushes has groped 
The person turned outside, — in a cold and emptiness of other world. 
     The person has been covered by hoarfrost and consequently the slippery; and still 
It has grasped one hand the bottom jaw, having felt the stuck 
In a hand a rocky ridge of a teeth, and the second — for hair, 
Hanging down inside, and, painfully straining from a pain and shuddering 
From a crash of cranial bones, began to turn a head inside out, 
Coming back to pity malosti existence... 
     When the head has taken the place, it has brought a casket to 
To muddy eyes from a pain also has tried to consider a velvet through 
Veil of tears. The casket all increased, and its bottom all kept away 
As Slot immersed in it a head. 
     At last he has heard behind rustle — terrible rustle, with which 
The faceless enemy came nearer. Around there was a protogenic darkness, and 
Ljuger any more did not deliberate. It has rolled over through a wall 
Caskets also has departed downwards, to a green velvet, having left above 
Decreasing rectangle of blackness. A smell of leaves and dampness 
Has deafened it, having gushed a powerful wave but before it has reached 
The first circle of wood, it has lost itself(himself). 

                        *    *    *

     Ljuger wandered on people settlement mokshi which has appeared 
It is more Elizenvara and which borders it and has not reached. For 
It nobody watched, and nobody tried to keep it. It was 
It is free, short of that out of settlement to it not on 
That was to count. And whether probably to be the captive in 
The strange light slumber, subordinated to itself its consciousness? Time and again to it 
It was necessary to wander in live labyrinths of trees-palaces, and then 
It was found by dogs of Witches and deduced outside or resulted 
In a room with lake and a colony of mushrooms. 
     From a reality remained too consecutive and continuous 
Events, from dreams — the knowledge coming from anywhere, absence 
Requirements for food, water, rest. Ljuger it has appeared in the world of green Mirages, 
Crystal music of drops, meek beings with ancient eyes and 
Trees with sensitive souls. He travelled on the infinite 
To circles as if on paradise heavens, but these heavens for ever remained 
For it strangers. A lot of strange he has seen here, and a magic veil 
Invariably hid from it sense and the event purpose. 
     It does not mean, that it did not try to make runaway, in 
Opposite case it would not be Egyptian vulture Ljugerom. When 
It seemed to it, that period of validity of wine Roderusa has expired for a long time, 
He has tried to resort to transformations, but its experience has ended 
Failure also had no consequences, except strong pains in 
All body and long nightmares during which time it appeared terrible 
Hybrid of the person, various animals and birds with all accompanying 
Sensations. The magic of the people mokshi suppressed its magic, and it has learnt him 
To patience and expectation. 
     He waited for event which mokshi named Resettlement. 
It meant, that the ancient beings which have reached decrepitudes, 
Will find new young bodies. Cruelty of this custom, which 
Was, in essence, murder, there, in wood, did not reach it 
Also seemed quite natural. Moreover, he did not feel 
Victim. He waited for Resettlement resignedly as fanatically believing waited 
When the God will tidy up his soul. 
     Unique mokshi which sometimes condescended to conversations 
With it, there was that white old man who has resulted it in 
Settlement. It were the strange conversations more similar to immersing 
In the joint dream sated with visions and stunning knowledge. 
     From old man Ljuger has learnt, that Witches change the bodies already during 
Several millenia, nobody bringing into the world and not dying, 
Owing to what their number remains constant and small enough. 
About knowledge and the magic force, saved up for so long period of time, 
It was better not to think; however, the old man also did not give Ljugeru possibility 
To think of it. 
     Pictures the disappeared landscapes and ancient fights broke up for a long time, 
As soon as the Egyptian vulture started to distinguish details, words escaped from 
Consciousnesses, replaced visions each other too often that he could understand 
Them up to the end. At Ljugera there was only a sensation of deep secret, 
Surrounding occurrence on a planet of the first mokshi and their original way 
To continue the sort. 
     Now among them almost there were no women as was absent 
Necessity to give birth. The female body was considered not such "convenient", as 
Man's, because of smaller force and endurance, impracticality to fight and, 
Certainly, menstruatsy. Exceptions made cases, when a female body 
It was necessary mokshi to play on human weaknesses. 
     It proved, that Witches nevertheless were not absolutely indifferent to 
To event in the western kingdoms also used the unusual 
Properties for achievement of own purposes. Thus, mokshi-women 
Showed certain sacrifice for the sake of any incomprehensible general 
Interests. Ljugeru have let know, that some influential persons in 
Elizenvare and other capitals actually also belong to a tribe 
mokshi. 
     And still Witches did not aspire to the power — at least, in 
Human understanding of this word. Probably, the reason for that 
There was an eternal life. Within millenia they stored in isolation 
From other world the secrets. A place where trees-giants grew, 
Remains their nest which they did not hurry up to leave. Time here 
Flew differently, and the reality was concept rather and rather 
The relative. 
     Ljuger has tested it on itself when once has met Gella Gangleti 
Near one of grassy groves. Despite consciousness displacement in area of dreams, 
It fine remembered, that Gella has completely disappeared from its estate together 
With his father after was lost Verched Hommus. But least 
The Egyptian vulture expected to see it again in Wood of Witches. 
     Now Gella was in a leather cape over ball 
Dresses, and she did not learn Ljugera. On its strange toilet it has turned 
Much less attention, than to her face. In Gella was 
It is difficult to learn the woman terrified for horror and exhausted 
Orgies Vercheda. It again had a blossoming and very attractive kind. 
Ljuger even has felt something like melancholy on a female body, though mokshi 
Tried gradually and to transform it into a sexless being gradually. 
     It has caught up Gangleti and wished to start talking to it. In him 
Does not remain to hatred, however it has forced to stop 
Creation sight mokshi which any more was not the person. A head 
Gellas has slowly turned, and on the Egyptian vulture motionlessly 
Two small reddish moon in black depth have stared 
Pupils. It was a deathly, ice and indifferent sight 
From emptiness which actually is not present also which feel 
On themselves the people, beginning to go mad... 
     Having stopped short, Ljuger gauging with an open mouth, and has then turned and 
Has rushed away from the former mistress. Nevertheless he has recollected 
About this meeting when it has once again appeared in a society white 
mokshi in the heart of its green lock. 
     From a chaotic stream of images and sensations which has overflowed 
Egyptian vulture, he has taken again a vague image of the father — something like 
Hint on presence. It was similar to painfully imperceptible dream, 
Dreaming simultaneously Ljugeru and mokshi. For this reason the dream was obscure 
And frightening. 
     Echoes of words and a shade of subjects slid by and disappeared in the booming 
Twilight of hostile wood; a figure of the person in which Ljuger guessed the 
The father, appeared for a short while, and the person always remains dark. Near to it 
The pale image of the female longing and pity simultaneously was showed... 
     As usually happens in dreams, the knowledge has come to Ljugeru from the inexplicable 
Source — he has understood, that the Ljuger-senior has visited Wood of Witches long before 
It also has given or has sold mokshi Gella Gangleti's body. Despite unsteadiness 
This dark knowledge, at the Egyptian vulture does not remain the slightest doubts in that, 
That Gella has appeared here so. 
     At it has dried up in a throat. His father was whom then? A monster, 
raspostranjavshim on the world angrily, or the weak-willed intriguer who for a long time has got confused 
In another's networks?. 
     Mokshi, appear, has been satisfied, how much can seem 
Satisfied the sated animal. Its strange games with the former convict 
Approached in the end. 
     According to a calendar known to nobody mokshi, came nearer 
Resettlement date. The white old man risked, hoping by means of a body 
Egyptian vulture to get properties of werewolves. So anybody did not risk still from 
Its ancient people. Till now Witches were familiar with zemmurskim 
Sorcery only indirectly. Instead of the slave resignedly waiting 
The fate, mokshi has found a being through penetrated anonymous and 
The alien force directed from the past in the future. 

	[...............................................................] 

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