How heavy are the eyelids. He had not slept for three nights now, and now wearily watched the young morning set fire to the sky. Fiery red clouds enveloped the pointed mountain peaks. The burden of power was heavier than ever. Alvs refused to fight for the world they created, and distrust and discord reigned among the brothers. The sky serpents were supposed to be the protective rampart of Alvenmark, but deep cracks snaked along this wall.

The dragon stretched, his joints crackling. He was as old as the world, which he guarded along with his brothers in the nest. Sometimes it seemed to him that Alvenmark still meant something to him. He tirelessly explored the facets of the future. So many paths led into the darkness... He saw castles built by human children rising on the passes of the Lunar Mountains. How a banner with the image of a dead ebony on a white background flutters above them. Alf children have disappeared from this world. Their world is completely devoid of magic. How could this happen?

But no matter how much he looked into the future, he could not understand where in the present lies the root of all evil. Could it be that immortal who makes wiser plans than all the rest and who could manage to make the devantars act in accordance with his desires is guilty of it? Or is he in Nandaley, a dragon rebelling against the established world order? Three fruits ripened in her, but she would give birth to only two children. And, despite this, all of them will affect the future of people and children of alves. And this was one of those mysteries that he could not solve in any way.

The blazing sky reminded him that he needed to act, that he couldn't just watch and think. Once the Devantars eluded them when Nandalee and Gonvalon were defeated. Now it was necessary to again create a trap for the gods of the children of men. They can only be destroyed by the common dragon fire of all heavenly serpents: a weapon more powerful than which is not found in any of the three worlds. And it was created not only to threaten someone. It must be used before the Devantars come up with a weapon of similar power. War between the two powers became inevitable. There will be many dead. Cities and entire lands will be devastated. However, the time for negotiations is over. The goals pursued by Alvenmark and Daiya are too different. Whoever has the courage to strike first wins. Despite the fact that this victory will undoubtedly be bitter.

The old dragon spread its wings, enjoying the warmth of the first morning rays. It all starts with cunning and intrigue. It is almost as deadly a weapon as the breath of the heavenly rulers. But, in the end, everything will be decided by fire and sword. He pushed off the rock and flew towards the fiery scarlet dawn. It's time to fight.

Nevenill Rock was considered a cursed place. They tried not to come here at night. And even more so on the full moon, when the power of the spirits was strongest. A more secluded place could not be found in all of Uttica, so Bidayne loved it. During the day, she played the role of a nanny, looking after both daughters of the merchant Shanadin. Nobody knew who she really was. Everyone knew her only as a timid elf of indeterminate age, who tried not to make eye contact with anyone and always dressed in the white clothes of virgins - although her skin was already beginning to fade, which could mean only one thing: she had lived for more than a century.

Bidine stood on a sheer chalk cliff and looked down at the sea. On its dark surface sparkled a magical silver web of lines drawn by paths of moonlight. Far to the east, a sailboat silhouetted against the horizon. The night breeze ruffled her thin, voluminous sleeveless dress, caressing her aging skin. How quickly she lost her elasticity! Bidine hoped she could live with this human skin for at least a few years. But that hope was shattered like all the others. Soon something would have to be done... Whom should she kill? One of the girls that Shanadin had entrusted to her?

The wave crashed against the base of the cliff. The elf looked down again at the bubbling foam, its white fingers clawing at the bone-coloured rocks. Maybe you should put an end to your mortal existence? She is a dragon, but for so many moons she has not heard anything about the dragon, to which she devoted her life. There were rumors of a coming war. It was said that Alf children were gathered from everywhere to send them to fight in Nangog. But here, in Uttica, recruiters have not yet come.

Is it true that the battles will go on in the Forbidden World? Why, then, does Golden not sprinkle after her? She looked contemptuously at her hands. Even in the light of the moon, a gossamer of fine wrinkles was visible. Maybe this is the reason? Maybe he hates her too?

Sometimes it seemed to Bidine that she could smell the sepulchral smell clinging to her. She bathed twice a day. enjoyed expensive soap scented with rose oil, but the scent came back again and again. The smell of decay... Who knows if it exists only in her intense imagination? Maybe out of self-loathing, she invented it? Do others smell it too?

Bidine knew what they were talking about. They gossip about the strange old maid that Shanadin took into his house. The elf looked back at the foaming waves. The abyss beckoned her. Just two steps and everything - doubt, disgust - will be behind. She will give freedom to her soul and be reborn in a new, flawless body. Bidayn took a step towards the abyss. Behind her, on the hillside lawn, the crickets stopped singing. The wind died down. Even the sound of the surf became quieter, as if nature held its breath. And then the elf heard voices and coarse, guttural laughter.

Bidayn turned away from the abyss. Three fauns were climbing up a narrow, well-trodden path. The slick fur on their goat legs gleamed in the moonlight. They were dressed only in dirty loincloths, and their hairy torsos were bare. On the forehead grew small, curved back horns. The one in the middle rested on a necklace. Bisexual creatures, the fruit of the Fleshsmith's diseased imagination, they always aroused a particularly strong disgust in the dragoness.

“You are standing too close to the cliff, beauty!” the one with the spear shouted to her. - Come closer to us...

Both of his comrades burst out laughing with bleating laughter, as if their friend had just composed best joke for the whole evening.

I would like to be alone,” she said in the obsequious tone she used to use in her role as a nanny. Looked down. - And I want to politely ask you to respect my desire and leave.

“There is no need to be afraid of us,” said the faun, who was standing to the left of the spearman, picked up the wineskin with wine and shook it. We are here to have fun. And you can have fun too, I promise you. But first you need to know who's here.

The bleating laughter sounded again, as if the goat-legged had come up with another great joke about her.

“Nonnos is a poet,” said the spearman, snorting. “I am Dion, and this healthy silent man to my right is Krotos,” with these words, he poked Krotos in the ribs with his fist, and his comrade grinned at him in response.

"Isn't it a wonderful night for love?" Nonnos exclaimed in a deliberately solemn tone, as if quoting some well-known text. At the same time, he grabbed his heart with his left hand, raised his eyebrows and gave Bidayn a fake smile through and through. Nonnos had a short pointed beard, while his comrades had beards reaching to their chests. “You are too beautiful to spend such a warm summer night alone, elf lady.

The distance between the three and her was reduced to five paces. Apparently, they were absolutely sure that they could just take what they wanted for themselves, and that the intimidated, aging nanny who stood in front of them would not put up serious resistance. Bidine suppressed the anger that boiled in her soul. Golden ordered her to wait in Uttica. She had no right to forget about her mission, she had to hide at all costs who she really was.

A very long time ago, when the whole earth was still a single whole continent, a flourishing civilization of magicians lived in this world. The first - so they were called in all the ancient forgotten writings. They were subject to not only the five elements that current magicians can control. They could change the surrounding space as they wanted, they could create anything from nothing and turn it back into nothing. They were practically omnipotent, only the passage of time and all-seeing, or divination, as it is also called, were beyond their control.

Ordinary people also lived next to the First, who worshiped them as gods and presented them with all kinds of gifts. The first tried to convince people that they were not gods, but the same mortals, albeit endowed with special abilities. But seeing the miracles that the First Ones could work, people could not equate them with themselves and continued to idolize. In the end, magicians stopped trying to convince people and began to take it all for granted. For hundreds of years they lived in peace and prosperity, people worshiped the First, and those, in turn, helped people with their magic. But, over time, among the magicians there appeared those who believed that simple people are lower beings that can be used as cattle. They really believed they were gods. Some of them even decided that in order to achieve omniscience, magicians needed human gifts, but not simple gifts from the fields or crafts of local residents, but the people themselves, sacrificed. Hearing this, the First Ones expelled a handful of apostates.

As time passed, the First began to forget about what happened, continuing to live a normal life, while the apostates, hiding, accumulated their hatred and strength. One day they returned and announced that the First were blocking their path to the goal indicated by their ancestors - the path to enlightenment and all-seeing. The apostates ordered the First to give them all the people at their disposal, whether it be sacrifices or other purposes, otherwise, they promised that they would not leave alive a single magician who would stand in their way. But the First did not give up. Thus began the first war of magicians, which consisted of one battle.

The unrelenting battle went on day after day, but no one could win. The forces of the parties were equal. And then the Apostates, having united their efforts, created the Darkness. Not the one that comes with the onset of night, but the true Darkness. They combined all the malice that they accumulated, all the hatred and envy that burned them from within for years, all their black essence with the matter of this world, and Darkness covered everything.

The darkness turned out to be intelligent and refused to obey anyone, even its creators. She hid the sun from everyone and a terrible cold set in. Everything around began to fade, people suffocated, and the magicians, who turned out to be more resistant to what was happening, began to be attacked from both sides by shadows - the creatures of Darkness. The dead rose and attacked everyone indiscriminately, whether it was a former ally or opponent. Each new victim immediately got up and rushed to the still living, who were becoming less and less. Only by uniting, the First and the Renegades were able to cope with the Darkness. To do this, the magicians had to conclude it in people, in each bit by bit, because it was impossible to destroy this essence.

At the dawn of the seventh day, the surviving Apostates went into voluntary exile, realizing what an unforgivable act they had committed and what terrible evil they had brought to this world.

Bernhard Hennen

"Dragon Invasion. Last fight"

UDC 821.112.2-312.9 BBK 84.4GX38

No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

Translation from GermanEkaterina Bunina

The cover design is illustrated by Anton Kokarev

ISBN: 978-966-14-9296-6, 978-5-9910-3313-8, 978-3-453-27001-5

Year of publication: 2015

Publisher: Family Leisure Club, Book Club "Family Leisure Club". Kharkiv, Book Club "Family Leisure Club". Belgorod

Age restrictions: 16+

Annotation:

In the underground city, the dragons are preparing for battle with the eternal enemies of the devantars. They hope that the great warrior Nangog will take their side, but for this they need to find a magic crystal...

And in the dark tower, the apostate gnomes have already forged weapons that bring death to all dragons... Soon the legendary warriors will cross weapons in a deadly battle!

To the secret lotus flower

War is bad , which creates more

evil people than destroy them.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

Book One

Ice Dreams

Prologue

How heavy are the eyelids. He had not slept for three nights now, and now wearily watched the young morning set fire to the sky. Fiery red clouds enveloped the pointed mountain peaks. The burden of power was heavier than ever. Alvs refused to fight for the world they created, and distrust and discord reigned among the brothers. The sky serpents were supposed to be the protective rampart of Alvenmark, but deep cracks snaked along this wall.

The dragon stretched, his joints crackling. He was as old as the world, which he guarded along with his brothers in the nest. Sometimes it seemed to him that Alvenmark still meant something to him. He tirelessly explored the facets of the future. So many paths led into the darkness... He saw castles built by human children rising on the passes of the Lunar Mountains. How a banner with the image of a dead ebony on a white background flutters above them. Alf children have disappeared from this world. Their world is completely devoid of magic. How could this happen?

But no matter how much he looked into the future, he could not understand where in the present lies the root of all evil. Could it be that immortal who makes wiser plans than all the rest and who could manage to make the devantars act in accordance with his desires is guilty of it? Or is he in Nandaley, a dragon rebelling against the established world order? Three fruits ripened in her, but she would give birth to only two children. And, despite this, all of them will affect the future of people and children of alves. And this was one of those mysteries that he could not solve in any way.

The blazing sky reminded him that he needed to act, that he couldn't just watch and think. Once the Devantars eluded them when Nandalee and Gonvalon were defeated. Now it was necessary to again create a trap for the gods of the children of men. They can only be destroyed by the common dragon fire of all heavenly serpents: a weapon more powerful than which is not found in any of the three worlds. And it was created not only to threaten someone. It must be used before the Devantars come up with a weapon of similar power. War between the two powers became inevitable. There will be many dead. Cities and entire lands will be devastated. However, the time for negotiations is over. The goals pursued by Alvenmark and Daiya are too different. Whoever has the courage to strike first wins. Despite the fact that this victory will undoubtedly be bitter.

The old dragon spread its wings, enjoying the warmth of the first morning rays. It all starts with cunning and intrigue. It is almost as deadly a weapon as the breath of the heavenly rulers. But, in the end, everything will be decided by fire and sword. He pushed off the rock and flew towards the fiery scarlet dawn. It's time to fight.

On the edge of a cliff

Nevenill Rock was considered a cursed place. They tried not to come here at night. And even more so on the full moon, when the power of the spirits was strongest. A more secluded place could not be found in all of Uttica, so Bidayne loved it. During the day, she played the role of a nanny, looking after both daughters of the merchant Shanadin. Nobody knew who she really was. Everyone knew her only as a timid elf of indeterminate age, who tried not to make eye contact with anyone and always dressed in the white clothes of virgins - although her skin was already beginning to fade, which could mean only one thing: she had lived for more than a century.

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