"Really so fast?" Khani said, confused, not believing his eyes. "It can't be… One moment – and there's no one left."
The Rainbow Gorge was now hard to recognize. It was all covered with numerous black-green puddles. Clouds of dirty steam swirled above them, making it seem as if the surroundings were shaking and even the rocks were trembling. But under the hot sun the puddles quickly evaporated, the steam evaporated, and only a thin, dully glittering greenish film, similar to moss, remained on the rocks. And from above, in the gorge, from the eastern side, Ryubi, Chani and Toril descended. The galley arrived in time.
"Unfortunately, it's not over yet," the princess sighed. "There are still Pearls left."
Indeed, at the far end of the gorge, where the descent had recently been, unwittingly destroyed by the Griffin, a detachment of warriors stood pressed against the rocks, bristling with spears. Above them fluttered the blue banner of the Ice Star, although it was not the Ice Stars who stood there, their shields raised. Next to this banner was raised a small flag of red with a yellow shell.
"Yes, the Pearls are still there," said Diamond, who had come up. "And we'll have to deal with them, they won't give up so easily. But they won't leave alive either."
"But these are your brothers," Chani objected hesitantly.
"They are traitors," came the quick reply.
Toril, mortally tired, barely walking, approached him and extended her hand.
— Sword.
"Which one?" Diamond asked.
"Give me the sword," the princess demanded.
Diamond chuckled.
— And if not?
Toril looked in confusion at the useless golden stick she still clutched in her fist, all that was left of the Golden Torch. Unable to withstand the terrible tension, it had melted.
"You'll regret this," she croaked. "The sword!"
Diamond grinned again and handed her the hilt, on which the dragon's eyes once again gleamed with a peaceful green light.
- Take it, take it...
The princess, her hands trembling with excitement, grabbed the hilt with the clear intention of never letting go of the Black Sword again.
And Diamond, already turning away from her, said something to the messenger who had run up, and soon the phalanx of Rubies, putting forward heavy spears, slowly moved to attack. But a drawn-out cry sounded, the shields of the Pearls closed, long, slightly curved swords flashed above them, and the gray-silver formation rolled, picking up speed, towards the phalanx.
"Stop them," Chani demanded of Diamond. "Stop them, try to come to an agreement amicably. We've already won, why have extra victims?"
The prince shook his head.
"Then do something," Chani said to Toril.
"No," she snapped, pressing her lips tightly together.
The armies collided, there was a clang of steel, desperate cries, pieces of broken shields and helmets flew, a cloud of dust rose, whipped up by hundreds of feet. Then everything was silent. When the dust slowly cleared, the halted phalanx became visible. The Pearlers, lined up in a tight triangle, again pressed themselves against the rock that protected them from the rear. Only on the trampled space between the armies were a few bodies lying outstretched - in simple red armor and in patterned silver-gray ones.
Diamond raised his hand imperiously, and the riders on huge horses, clad in blue armor, moved forward at a slow pace that made the earth shake. Now they would accelerate, and the monstrous ram would strike the Pearlers' line…
"Stop it!" Chani shouted. "If you don't want to, then let me negotiate with them. I'm sure I can do it."
Diamond made a sign and the trumpet signaled the Sapphires to stop.
Holding up a white handkerchief, Chani approached the wary, frozen Pearlers. Their luxurious armor was dulled by dust, cut and hacked by the swords and spears of the Rubies, but no hesitation, no fear was visible in the warriors' eyes. They were ready to continue the battle.
"Call your commander!" Chani shouted.
The line parted, and a tall warrior in armor decorated with gold inlay came out.
- What do you want?
- I want to talk to the King.
— Speak.
"I want to speak to the King," Chani insisted.
The warrior threw back his steel mask, but his face seemed to Chani no less ugly and ferocious, although perhaps this expression was given to him by the wide scar.
- Talk to me!
Chani, after thinking for a moment, suggested:
- Give us the King and go away.
"No," Tennen snapped.
- Otherwise, you will all die. You have lost the battle.
- We understand that.
- Then why the unnecessary bloodshed? Surrender.
Tennen laughed hoarsely.
"You will die," Chani repeated uncertainly.
- But it will cost you dearly. We know how to fight well.
- If it's any consolation.
Tennen looked at Chani sullenly.
"We have sworn allegiance, and we will not betray our oath. If we were faithful to the King when he was strong, we must not think of betrayal when fortune has turned against him."
- Then let me talk to him myself.
"No," Tennen said categorically. "He is weak and can betray himself."
"Why are you so stubborn?" Chani asked in despair.
"We are fulfilling our oath," Tennen said stubbornly, as if he hadn't heard him.
Somewhere behind him, in the ranks of warriors, a scuffle was heard, blows were heard, indistinct cries, then the warriors parted, and the disheveled and rumpled Sea King pushed forward. He looked a little crazy, and under his right eye a good lantern was slowly swelling and filling with blue. Yes, now he was not the same as before.
The king shook his head in confusion, as if testing whether it was still firmly attached to his neck, and with dignity straightened his torn mantle.
Having caught his breath, the king immediately began to puff himself up with arrogance and soon began to look almost like himself.
With a smile on his lips, Tennen bowed respectfully and stepped back.
"Were you talking about something here?" the King inquired suspiciously. And without waiting for an answer, he hurried on: "I would like to talk to you about the conditions under which you will let me pass with my guard, dear boy."
Chani, raising one eyebrow in surprise, said:
- I believe that only I can speak about the conditions. And you must listen to them carefully.
The king chuckled.
- You forgot that I have your brother in my hands. And he is a good hostage. I can cut off his head at any moment.
Chani laughed contemptuously.
- That would mean you cut off your own too. Isn't she dear to you?
The king scratched his neck and nodded.
- Darling, that's exactly why I'm talking to you.
- Then let's talk rationally.
"Go ahead," the King said, visibly delighted.
- And what did you want to tell me?
The king mechanically covered the bruise.
"It doesn't matter. We have a hostage," he repeated stubbornly.
Then Chani beckoned him with his finger. The king looked back warily at the sullenly silent Tennen, but approached. Chani whispered in his ear:
- Be careful that it doesn't turn out the other way around. In my opinion, it's not you who has a hostage, but you yourself who are a hostage. They can pay off with your head.
"Yes?" the King asked. "Actually, it is quite possible, although not at all certain."
"So think about it," Chani said. "But not too long, or Diamond's patience might snap. He's burning with desire to settle accounts with the traitors."
He turned and wanted to leave, but the King grabbed him by the sleeve.
- I wanted to tell you that if your brother, my dear, is still alive, then it is only my merit, and no one else's. Tennen has long wanted to kill him, but I have not allowed it yet. Do you understand that?
- Understand.
- And you will let us through if I free him?
- Will you risk continuing to go forward with your guard?
The king hesitated and shrugged. Then Chani added:
- You will go unhindered. But we have our own scores to settle with the Pearls. We will have a separate conversation with them. And even if I give my consent now, I am not sure that Diamond will fulfill our agreement. He does not care about you, but he considers Tennen a traitor and intends to execute him.
"Well, he is not so wrong in his intention," agreed the King.
- And what do you decide?
The king chewed his lips, looked closely into Chani's eyes, wondering whether it made sense to continue bargaining, but realizing that nothing would work, he said:
- You will get your brother. But promise that you will not persecute me, that I will go wherever I want. And take these, if you want.
Chani thought for a moment and agreed.
"That's great," the King rejoiced. "I'll be right back."
He ran up to Tennen, who was standing at a distance, and whispered something to him. Chani suddenly felt someone tugging at his leg. He bent down and saw Krysiuk.
- Old friend! I'll give you a good kick now, you'll go tumbling.
- Well, well, - Krysyuk was offended. - It's always like this: you want to help, but they're going to beat you up. I know for sure that this vile old man wants to deceive you. I heard everything. After all, I've always been against this evil and cruel tyrant. After all, I've always thwarted his vile and dangerous machinations to the best of my modest abilities.
- That's for sure.
But Krysiuk pretended not to notice the irony.
- I always considered the people of Acanton to be the most worthy, the most honest people in the world. The most just and generous. But I have not had the opportunity to prove my loyalty to you. Now I have one, and I want to warn you. The King has lost a significant part of his magic power, but not all. He still has the Golden Talisman.
- What, what?
- The Golden Talisman, - Krysyuk repeated readily. - Do you think why Ten-Winged obeyed him, of his own free will? No way! He has such a ring, with its help he can subjugate everyone who is even a little susceptible to the power of gold, who has a small wormhole in their soul. It is not for nothing that he stuck golden wings on the dragon, just to have power over him. There is a golden spider carved on the ring, which will weave its webs around anyone the king points at. And you won't have time to move. So he decided to use the talisman to escape from here.
- I see...
- Yes. Just don't forget, I was the first to say it. The most honest Water Rat in the world.
- And why did you decide to tell me about this?
Krysyuk opened his mouth to start talking again, but then waved his paw at everything and confessed:
— I want to live...
Chani kicked him away, and Krysyuk rolled right into a puddle. He crawled out of there wet, but extremely happy that no one was paying attention to him anymore, and immediately darted into some crack that seemed like a suitable shelter.
The Sea King was meanwhile arguing furiously with Tennen. The Pearl leader did not agree, but the King finally convinced him. Looking slyly at Chani, who was waiting silently, the King turned the ring he wore on the middle finger of his left hand and cast a spell.
Chani thought she saw the thinnest threads rustling in the air, somewhat similar to the trap of Hvatayla. The threads stretched from the ring to the army of Rainbows. But as they flew towards them, the threads twisted into balls and fell powerlessly to the ground.
The King's face was distorted with fear and anger. Spitting with anger, he repeated the spell once more, but this also had no effect. The King shook his fists in rage, but Tennen, who had quietly crept up behind him, unexpectedly hit him on the head with his shield. The King fell to the ground like a sack.
Trying to smile pleasantly, which made his face take on a completely brutal expression, Tennen approached Chani.
- He wanted to deceive you.
- I know.
- But I prevented this.
- After he was convinced that nothing had worked out for him.
Tennen's cheek twitched.
- It doesn't matter. Either way, I suggest we let you through.
- What is this for?
- At least to keep your brat alive.
- And if we...
"I'm tired of this conversation," Tennen interrupted. "Yes or no? I just want one word."
- Okay, we agree.
Tennen turned to his warriors and waved his hand. The tensely waiting triangle of formation instantly crumbled, the Pearls reforming into a column. Chani waved to Diamond, and, obeying the prince's command, the phalanx parted, letting their recent opponents pass.
"You can take this one too, we don't need him." Tennen pointed at the unconscious Sea King.
The pearl-men disappeared, leaving Khani tied up and lying by the rock.