could trust the old man with his life. Nermall, the son of a Belzuvian nobleman, received a good education, even studied for several years at the University. But women broke the fates of many. So at twenty-four he found himself on a pirate ship. In four countries, he would have faced a death sentence if he had been caught, of course. In two more countries he would have spent the rest of his days in prison. That is why he spent most of his life in the ocean. But Dinor’s people managed to catch the old robber. Dinor was then suffering from terrible back pain, and Nermall was a doctor on a pirate ship. He just happened to have zaneeris lying around, a medicinal plant from the Unknown Lands. In gratitude for his health, the king gave the man life. Dinor made him a court physician, and then a teacher to his youngest son.
Dinor is generally a strange person. Usually hot-tempered, in moments of insight he did noble deeds. So, for example, he picked up a bastard boy during the attack on Lorraine, and in general more often he chose officials based on real talent, and not on noble origin.
– So what’s bothering you, student? – asked Nermall.
– Teacher, tell me about the elven dictionary!
– I don’t know much. Maybe it’s just a legend? Who knows!
– Tell me everything you know!
– Okay, listen!
Chapter 3. The Legend of the Elves.
– They say that elves came down from heaven. They once had wings and roamed the clouds. Then there was a war between the high elves. It was led by Zaymond, a fallen elf. He declared himself equal to the Creator. Some joined him, others went against him. There were also those who realized in time the mistake of joining the army of the fallen. They stopped participating in battles. After the war, those who swore allegiance to Zeymond were overthrown. And the elves who remained on the sidelines were exiled to earth to serve their punishment until the end of the human race.
So they lived in the forest, which is now called Clearings. The ancestors called it the Magic Forest. Their village is hidden behind trees from prying eyes; no one disturbed their peace.
Until one day, a Morellian, General Dartel, wandered here. There is no end to the war between Morelia and Lorraine. It began in those immemorial times, and ended literally half a century ago. And that truce can be broken at any moment.
The elves picked up a thin man, in rags and scars. Dartel was hungry and dying of thirst. But you can’t stop – the enemies were on your heels. The elves had never met people before. They did not know about the cunning of the human race. Herberolden, the king of the elves, gave the man the juice of zaneeris and applied leaves of the medicinal plant to the wounds. Then he whispered magic words, and the wound instantly healed.
Dartel watched the elves for a long time. He tried to understand their language and customs. The words spoken by the elven priest immediately became the truth. The words of a rare person carry weight. You can promise anything, swear by your health, your father, brother, mother, and even the immortality of your soul, and then betray. We have lost the habit of believing words. But not the elves, they remembered the true power of words, so they did not waste the seeds of words to the wind. But when they say, the earth shook and new worlds arose. They gave birth to true magic; it has long been absent from our lands. All the greatest magicians of past eras are only a shadow of the elven priests, in terms of strength and greatness. In the elven language there are no such words as «pain», «death», only «love», «light», «joy»… The dark side of elven magic was invented by people.
– Don’t you see, Herberolden, your strength? – asked Dartel. «You can rule the world if you want.» People will fall at your feet. They won’t be able to do anything against your strength!
«Don’t say such words,» said Herberolden. «Otherwise I will have to expel you.» One of us is already rotting in hell for such words!
They forgot about this conversation. But Dartel never parted with parchment and quill. He caught every rare word of the priests, tried to understand the meaning of the shade of each emotion in order to better translate it into the language of people. He created the elven dictionary – a tome. It contains a huge collection of elven spells.
And then Dartel persuaded some of the priests, and they went with the man. Dartel with a handful of elves conquered Morelia, then with a small army of soldiers trained in magic, he conquered all of Eldoras. His empire expanded, but his thirst for power could not be quenched so easily. He captured two-thirds of Sanem’s lands and almost all of Enni’s lands. I wanted to move east, but again I came across an abandoned elven village.
– Your Majesty, we cannot leave unconquered lands behind. The empire must be intact! – one of the advisers said to Dartel.
– Gerberolden, obey me, the only true ruler of these lands! – Dartel said then. But the elven king laughed in the man’s face. What can a self-taught magician do in a battle with a native elf? Maybe he would have stood on equal terms against one of his children, but Herberolden is a true elf, he was born somewhere in the upper world.
Then the war between elves and people began. The forest was burning in magical fire. On that day, the magic of people was born. Elvish words did not disappear, like human ones, having fulfilled their purpose. They solidified into a viscous substance among the trees and saturated the air. After that battle, the forest became magical, enchanted.
There is no trace left of the elven settlement. Elves and human sorcerers tormented each other. And those who survived decided to hide the book in a place where no one would find it.
– Maybe we shouldn’t look for the book either? – asked Still. – She carries so much evil within herself!
«It’s not that simple,» said Nermall. – Who knows what Silver found in the ruins of Antimonik? But now he is one of the most powerful magicians on earth. If he’s not stopped, who knows how far he’ll go? And the book can give us a chance in the war with Morelia.
– Nermall, how do you know so much about this book?
– I read a lot. I have traveled and heard many stories.
– Hey, Still, what are you doing here? – Lewis shouted out of nowhere. – Everyone is preparing for a feast in your honor, and here you are walking in the park! You know, friend, I don’t have much good. But I want to give you a gift for coming of age.
Lewis took the pendant from his neck and placed it around Still’s neck.
– This is the little that remains of my mother. This amulet should protect you from many problems!
– Truly a royal gift! – said Nermall. – This pendant cannot be stolen or taken away by force. It can only be received as a gift!
– Thank you friend! – Still hugged Lewis.
– Happy holiday to you!
The friends did not know what surprise Fate was preparing for them.
Chapter 4. Feast
Thousands of candles and torches were lit, so that not a trace remained of the usual twilight of the castle. The musicians played pipes and lutes. The dancers danced. The aroma of meat baked in spices
