The Voyage In The Blizzard - Chapter 30
Sharp rocks resembled the back of a long-dead dragon, which forever turned into a stone statue that served as a haven for other dragons. But that was only in imagination. In fact, they were just rocks with a frightening look. Like a thousand daggers, the edge of these rocks cut the hot air into pieces.
Finally leaving the forest behind, now a view opened up in front of them into a world where there was no cold, but where there was intense heat.
It was unbearable to keep going in warm, fur-covered boots and lined pants. Thirst, fatigue, everything fell on them. But this did not stop them either. After all, what was in the hands of Ju Long did not give them rest. The secret they had created together was now moving them. Forcing them to go forward. To the very center of the bloodthirsty dragons..
When Lei reached the first rock, he took off his backpack and took out a small knife, several small stones of a reddish hue and an iron flask of water and said, “Leave all things here. They will only interfere. Take only the remaining water.”
“How I wish I could leave the clothes here.” Longwei said happily taking off his vest.
Throwing all the things inside a small cave where the dragon would definitely not fit, they moved on.
Now, the horror hanging over the rocks foreshadowed the coming of night. The incomprehensible color of the sky finally began to be covered with darkness.
And with the advent of darkness, the sounds coming from all sides became louder and louder.
Lei gripped his sword tightly as he was ready for battle, and whispered viciously, “Where is your sword?”
“In our clan.”
“What is a soldier without a sword? Do you even know that you are breaking the rule of the first clan? And how Xing Fu accepted you.”
“I don’t need a sword. I have a mind and a heart. They will tell me exactly the way where the sword is not needed.”
Lei walked up to him with a grin on his face. Slowing down, he reached into his pocket and taking out a shiny knife from there said, “At least take this. Protection should always be with you. You cannot rely on your mind and heart. When you are scared, they sometimes betray.”
Pushing away his hand, Longwei was about to say something, but then something strong pushed them and before they could recover, they were already lying on opposite sides of the rocks. Longwei hitting his head against the stone, felt severe pain throughout his body. Opening his eyes, he raised his head but immediately dropped it to the ground. It was hard to move. Weakness and earthbound took all his strength away. And all he could say was Lei’s name.
Gathering his strength, Longwei sat down and lifted his trouser leg so to check his leg. Moving his leg and making sure that it was not broken but simply wounded, he touched the wound from where the blood was slowly flowing. Several fragments of stones, tearing the skin, were deep into his thigh. Trying to pull them out, Longwei involuntarily shouted, and then Lei’s voice replied to his cry that sounded somewhere in the distance, “Longwei! Where are you?”
“Lei! Lei!”
“I’ll find you. Are you okay? Not hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Feeling severe pain in his leg, he mustered all his will, slightly opening the wound with several movements of thin fingers, and now was able to get one of the sharp stones out of the wound.
Waves of sweat washed over him and the weakness in his body told him that a little more he would fall into a swoon.
“Hold on Longwei.” he said to himself, and at that very moment the wide wings of the beast spread over him, the fiery breath enveloped him from all sides. And the next, a loud, piercing scream, scream, growl, all this together, sounded so that he could not resist and fell to the ground.
Noticing him, the dragon flapped its wings and directed its clawed paws at him. An evil gaze full of fire, full of destruction, was directed at Longwei.
Grasping the sharp stones lying around, he slowly tried to get up, but the dragon, releasing several sparks of fire, left a weak burn on Longwei’s bare arm.
Without holding back a cry of pain, he sank to the ground.
Taking out a knife, he whispered, “Why are you so angry.”
Studying him, the dragon bent its head and stared intently into his eyes. And it was safe to say that this creature possessed a high intellect that gave him wisdom, but the power that was in his body made him what he was – a dangerous beast.
Longwei, staring into the eyes of the beast, tried to follow the lead of the mind and heart. He said, “How beautiful you are. If you weren’t so dangerous, you could be drawn for the illustration in the books.”
The dragon, as if understanding him, bent it’s head even closer. The burning breath was unbearable. But Longwei did not show it.
He continued, “I know you are angry. Yet we disturbed your peace and your brothers’ peace. But we do not want to hurt you. We are here to gather some warmth.”
With a loud roar, the dragon froze with its mouth wide open.
Without wasting a suitable minute, Longwei remembered that there were several small stones in his pocket.
Holding one oval-shaped stone in his hand, he quickly pressed on it and the stone split in two. Reaching out his hand closer to the dragon’s face, Longwei said, “Breathe a little and I’ll leave.”
Swinging its wings once more, thereby causing a wind so strong that Longwei grabbed the stones so as not to fly away, the dragon screamed and just at that moment, the burning breath completely covered Longwei. Feeling that he would soon lose consciousness, he covered his face with his other hand.
The stone in his hand shook slightly and became hotter.
“One stone is ready.” Longwei whispered and smiled to himself.
The next moment, fire filled everything around and Longwei lost his consciousness.
Not knowing how long he lay there, Longwei opened his eyes. It was already dark around. And only the rocks emitted sparks of fire.
Rising up, he suddenly shuddered. Sharply noticing the tall figure of Lei standing over him, he screamed.
To which Lei replied, “You are not afraid of dragons, but you are afraid of me.”
“When did you come?”
“When you were so stupid and brave with an outstretched hand in front of the fire of the dragon.”
“Let me guess. And you chased him away?”
“You’re lucky you escaped with minor burns.”
“Burns?” Just noticing that he was not wearing outerwear and one of his trouser legs was completely torn, he touched his face and, making sure that everything was in order with his face, he said, “And once again you saved me.”
“And once again you acted stupidly. Here, drink some water.” said Lei holding out his flask.
Studying Lei from head to toe and not noticing a single scratch, Longwei laughed.
“What?”
“How do you manage to stay untouched? The dragon has thrown you aside too. And look, not a single scratch.”
Lei took his arm and said, “Stop chatting. I found a cave.”
It is easy to describe all the colors of nature. All it takes is good observation and an open heart. You can describe the beauties of nature all night long. And forever is not enough. And the feelings of two lovers will not be enough to embrace all the beauty.
But at the top of those three mountains, at the top, in the only world that exists in such wilderness, the beauty of nature can be described only in two words: blizzard and snow-white.
At the top of the mountains where there are three clans, and at the foot of the mountains where dragons, monsters with fangs and long limbs live, nature has only two beauties. And this is an eternal blizzard and ice. A blizzard that carries away somewhere in the distance, carries away the thoughts of soldiers, the thoughts of residents, the thoughts of everyone. And once you think about something, light a spark in your thought, a blizzard will immediately cover it with a thick layer of snow.
Longwei, catching himself thinking about nature, about beauty, often asked himself the question: What if this is not the only world? What if there is somewhere, exist other worlds where there is magic, where the Sun is, where there is poetry everywhere.
And so the questions went on and on, as the blizzard brought more and more snow.
Sitting by the newly lit fireplace, Longwei, peering at one point opposite, fell into thoughts again. Into his dreams. The bright light of the flame fell softly on his long black hair. Still feeling the pain in his leg, he knew that he must remove all the stones from the wound, but he was in no hurry. Before his eyes were now two large, deep dragon eyes.
“Let me take a look at the wound. It is still bleeding.” said Lei approaching him.
Longwei without saying anything just lifted his trouser leg, which was already torn. The deep wound was still bleeding slowly. Several sharp stones were visible to the naked eye.
“And why are you silent? Doesn’t it hurt?” Lei asked, taking a knife from his pocket.
Longwei, without looking at him, remained silent.
“Oh well.” said Lei, and after holding the knife over the fire began to gently but quickly take out the hot stones.
Waves of sweat poured onto Longwei’s forehead, but he did not shudder.
And after pulling out the last stone, Lei tore the sleeve of his shirt and wrapped around the wound and quietly said, “It would be good to sew up the wound, but, I do not have the necessary things for this. I hope it will heal on its own.”
“Thank.”
Hearing strange sounds from afar, sounds reminiscent of the screams of people, Lei seemed to whisper to himself, “These are souls.”
With the arrival of deep night, Longwei sipped water and lay down on the ground and gradually sleep began to carry him away.
One star for some small fraction of a second shone and disappeared again.