her freckles. She shivered slightly and sneezed:
«Boris, you keep forgetting that I am not barbarian. I have been here before. You don’t have to try to impress me by acting the part of a gallant gentleman. Your manners are impeccable. I am already spoken for and I will be faithful to my chosen one. Yes, we live a lonely life in solitude. Dwellers of other dimensions are very rare visitors. We are not cave-dwellers. We live by our own rules. However, now we need help but not teasing or light flirting.»
«Oh-ho!» That was the only thing the demon could have out.
«What a rebuff! This is our style,» Poryvayev was fascinated and thought to himself: «It’s not going to stop him, though; it’ll just encourage him.»
Marina thought indignantly:
«Why is he trying so hard? Why, just yesterday he was practically pledging his undying love for me, and now… He is acting rather strangely. In fact, everything about this whole situation is rather weird. Aloud she said as calmly as possible: «Borya, I seem to recall that in Praya’s world, there is no sun. She might get sunburned.»
«Oh, no! I will save you, lovely priestess! Let’s go, I will concoct a sunscreen cream. I know a wonderful ancient recipe,» he led Praya into the house. «Don’t worry, we’ll help you.»
When Poryvayev and Marina were alone, she looked at the young man, her eyes narrowed, and slyly asked:
«Tell me, Grisha… this ring you gave me yesterday… Where did you get it? Did you buy it at a flea market?»
Poryvayev responded angrily:
«At a flea market? This is not some little trinket. It can tip you off about the presence of evil nearby. The skull’s eye sockets will start glowing.»
«Why are they glowing now? Is there a demon somewhere around? No! That scares me!» Marina started shivering.
«No, hold on… It must be the little vampire, you know, the guardian.»
«Look, the pendant is glowing as well. Borya said that it reacts this way in the presence of heavenly beings. Could there be an angel around? How interesting!!!» Her fear had suddenly been replaced by curiosity.
«Hm, maybe that’s your guardian angel? Or maybe that’s Praya. After all, she is human and there is a particle of God in her.» Grisha had no desire whatsoever to confess.
«She is gone, but the glow remains, and it’s even brighter,» Marina persisted.
«Well,» Grisha said resolutely, «sooner or later you must be told the truth. I am an angel.»
«You?! You can’t be. I don’t believe you.» Marina didn’t expect this.
«Look into my eyes,» the young man said quietly.
Marina did as she was told and saw Potyvayev’s eyes change color, his whole body was filled with a light from within, his hair grew longer and started fluttering as if in a breeze. Two enormous snow white wings unfurled from his shoulders. Grisha’s entire frame was glowing with an ethereal light; he radiated a divine grace. The pendant was throbbing with a pristine light.
«It is not fair!» The demon shouted from the doorway. «You took advantage of my absence to…»
«To do what?» Marina asked. Grisha was quickly transformed back into an ordinary young man. He eyed Zimin with a certain curiosity and ran his fingers through his hair.
«To gain attention, Marina, your attention. By now you have, of course, realized that we are not ordinary people. We are messengers. We both have been dispatched to help you. We will be accompanying you wherever you go.»
«It is so bizarre, but mostly pleasant. Thank you, guys.» Marina was touched.
«Our pleasure,» the demon bowed ceremonially.
«You can count on us,» the angel echoed.
Kid appeared in the doorway and announced that everything was ready for departure. Zimin and Poryvayev went down to the basement. Marina was about to follow them but the guardian stopped her:
«I know where you are going and I hope you will find this gift useful,» the guardian said, offering Marina a golden cigarette lighter.
«But I don’t smoke!» she exclaimed.
«It will help you in the most unexpected moment. Take it,» Marina relented and took the proffered lighter.
A few minutes later, the young girl joined Zimin and Poryvayev waiting for her in the center of the pentagram. She stood between them facing the priestess.
«You are in the army now, oh-oo-oh you’re in the army now*», Boris sang jokingly, «Darling, this is your first interworld trip, isn’t it? Here, you’d better take my hand.»
«Is it necessary?» Praya was nervous and tense and didn’t know what to do with her hands.
«A vacation in a foreign land*, let’s all join hands, friends,» Poryvayev chanted playing along with Zimin. The girls had no choice but to obey.
«Step back! The doors are closing! Train leaving for Damramir!» Kid chimed in, just as playfully as the travelers.
Marina wasn’t at all nervous; she realized that her friends were trying to shift her attention away from the upcoming transition. She was grateful and, playing along, said:
«Let’s go. The sergeant calls «Stand up and fight!«*»
***
She wanted to examine everything very carefully. What will the transition between the worlds be like? However, when the world beyond the circle blurred, speechless delight overwhelmed her, made her clench her hands, and groan. Her knees buckled and she would have fallen, but her admirers caught her and kept her standing. The weakness Marina felt lasted just a minute and then she pulled herself together and calmed down.
They looked around and found themselves surrounded by small houses that, thanks to the bamboo poles used to construct them, looked as if they were made of matchsticks. Looming over this cheerless landscape was an openwork tower belching flames into a sky roiled by black clouds.
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