The sorrowful melody faded away as it should: measured, calm, and dying out in this wilderness that had long since forgotten the sounds of human fickleness and frenzy. The flute slipped back into
the backpack, while it’s not - so - happy - but - still - proud owner jumped to her feet. She had seen a head rise from beneath the water’s surface.
Grofo and Roman were already bouncing around, saluting the surfacing swimmer who reached the shore in a few powerful strokes of breaststroke. As he noisily inhaled lost oxygen, hopping on one foot and slapping at his ear to drain the water, Suzy walked over calmly.
There was no need to run. This man had to catch his breath before he could pour out his soul and confess what he’d seen down below.
The boys didn’t share that mindset. They swarmed Drury with questions, completely forgetting the fear they used to feel toward him - they were just too curious. And remarkably, the odd man wasn’t shivering at all, though his entire body was flushed bright red. Apparently, he truly was immune to low temperatures. What an incredible creature!
He was clearly waiting for her, since he ignored the boys’ questions entirely and only began speaking once Suzy joined the group.
- No damage done! The spear couldn’t pierce the stone androgynous
- Who is he, and why was he left down there to suffer? - Suzy The Murky Man placed a hand over his heart and replied earnestly:
- I do not know. The creators shaped a sculpture that symbolizes for them… what? Some kind of something. - He turned and looked out over the - It lies there, in the center. It carries features of different people, none of them alike. Makeup, facial hair, even long nails sticking out like miniature obelisks from its hands.
- There’s some kind of monument down there? - Grofo frowned, and the man grabbed his shoulders and shook him:
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- There most certainly is! I saw it with what I’ve got instead of eyes!
Roman stepped in and, to everyone’s surprise, took Drury by the arms, peeling them off his brother.
- Don’t touch him! You’re scaring
Drury immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head low - very low:
- Ice is neither evil nor It simply is, for nature creates it. I beg your pardon. The boy answered, puzzled:
- Okay, okay… just stand up, We don’t want to fight you. Just keep telling us - and maybe try to make more sense?
That didn’t help much. Drury dropped to both knees now and slumped forward in a pose of deep shame:
- It’s unbearable to forgive myself, for the idol wanted to live - but I gave up, out of breath, and didn’t free its belly from the terrible weapon!
- What weapon? - was all Grofo could manage to blurt
- The emerald Made from wood of the highest order and finest grain. It bonded with the stone and created a strange union of materials.
- What is he even talking about? - Grofo rubbed his temple, but Suzy brought her hands prayerfully under her chin - her signal for intense thinking. The ripples on the water turned into thoughts in her head, and her brain, freshly returned from vacation on ?vrekj?la with its bags still packed, suddenly unpacked one:
- She figured out where the wood came from. Suzy had seen it before and knew the place it was taken from - and planted on the lakebed. We need to hurry there, because she has a feeling that’s where the story ends.
Grofo and Roman flanked her immediately, firing off a barrage of useless questions: - What are you talking about? You know where we’re going? How do you know?
- She’s been there - Suzy replied simply. And… no thunder clapped to mark that the puzzle was starting to come together. The girl had never put together puzzles. Her fine motor skills were already occupied with rune bones, so she didn’t even approve of the metaphor. She’d have pondered that for a while, if not for one thing.
Someone was approaching from the forest - gliding almost as if on skis, though no such equipment was visible beneath his feet. He wore a classic monk’s robe down to the ankles - not just medieval in cut, but fluorescent green in color. The heavy hood drooped over his face, concealing everything down to the chin. As he neared the group, his face still did not reveal itself - the figure kept his head bowed low the entire time.