The Spindle of Fate. Defeating the Dark. Sergey Bilarin

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.