Chapter seventeen. A conversation with a healer

"I'm glad to see you again," said the mermaid, looking more cheerful than the last time.
- We are too!
- I see you have a serious matter, - said Verena, - I think I can take you to the healer, only you somehow need to breathe under water...
- I know one spell, - Ira said after thinking, - my elders taught me, and she formed an air bubble around her head with a deft movement of her wand. She did the same for Kolya.
"Then let's go," Verena said, and the friends slowly entered the water.
Oddly enough, the warming effect of clothing spread under the water, but it was much harder to move. Verena took them by the hands and pulled them along, thanks to this, their speed of movement increased significantly. The lake was transparent, but the depth of its waters hid many secrets from curious eyes.
After about twenty minutes of movement, they abruptly deepened and saw a kind of huts at the bottom, while one of them was larger than the others, and stood on the edge.
Verena swam up to her and told the children to wait outside.
All this time, the friends were looking with interest at the underwater village, around which a lot of giant algae were swaying like a forest.
A couple of minutes passed and the mermaid surfaced back, saying that the healer invites them to his place.
Kolya and Ira, consumed by curiosity, stepped into the shadow of the hut.
The space was lit up by a fish swimming under the ceiling, and staring at the newcomers with its big eyes.
A healer was lying decorously on a stone that looked like a sofa. He was similar to Verena, but the color of his tail was closer to purple and he was much larger and more muscular.
Long greenish hair, straight, strong-willed features ...
for a couple of minutes he looked at his friends and said:
- Irin, what Nikolai said is absolutely true, so you can not worry. By the way, you don't need an air bubble, because thanks to the artifact, you can breathe calmly under water.
"I didn't know about it," the boy replied in surprise.
- I understand. I see that you have mastered the artifacts by the right of blood, but have not learned how to use them... Ignat was right when he advised you to see me, of course I don't know many subtleties, but I will tell you some details.
- We understood that the artifacts are very ancient, - said Kolya, - but we would like to understand exactly what they will allow us to do, and who can hunt for them.
- I'll tell you everything I know.
Let's start with the most important thing: there are sorcerers who profess the old faith and want to revive the ancient deities, so if they find out that you have mastered the amulets, they will try to attract you to the ranks of allies, or kill you and take the amulets. The last time, about a thousand years ago, they did not succeed, it was a glorious battle then, and he plunged into memories...
Nikolai suddenly saw a picture, as if he were an involuntary witness to those events: a couple of dozen figures in black robes with gold signs on their chests were fighting with the same number of others who were not wearing any specific clothes, among them Ignat was clearly guessed, who controlled the attacking trees and animals, bright flashes flashed every now and then when spells hit each other, there were losses on both sides, wizards died defending each their faith in the future.
Shaking off the vision and realizing that the healer had been silent for a long time, the boy looked at Ira, watching him.
- Here is another ability of amulets-the ability to read or transmit thoughts to the right person -you have mastered it yourself, without my help, which is commendable. To what you already know about the capabilities of the amulet, I want to add that it also allows you to fly without any improvised means, very quickly learn new skills, heal, maybe there is something else, but I can't know everything.
"Thank you for your help," Kolya said.
- I am always happy to help you, if you suddenly need something, you can apparate directly to my hut, now you know exactly where you need to move.
- Good!Kolya replied.
They said goodbye and left the hut.
Verena was swimming nearby, training a small red fish that swam behind her like a dog.
-Did you find out everything you wanted?!"What is it?" she asked happily?
- Yes, the children answered.
- Did you manage to make friends with that guy who made you cry?
- Yes, we are together now, - the mermaid replied, and her expression took on an even happier look, maybe somehow I will introduce you to him...
The mermaid accompanied them to the shore of the lake, and although friends could apparate there, they just wanted to stay longer in her company and ask about the life of the underwater people.
After saying goodbye at the water's edge, the children went to the castle with a leisurely gait, Kolya had to visit Arina and tell everything that he had learned new.
When he came to his room, he asked Barsik to give his sister an urgent message about a meeting in the library, and after collecting a couple of books he had recently taken, he went there as well.
In the evening, the library was empty, it should be noted, it was not particularly crowded there during the day, and in the evenings there was such silence that you could hear a mouse. Here those who were tired of the hustle and bustle of people found peace, and one of them was the old librarian Peter. They rarely saw him, because he usually liked to sleep in some secluded corner of the library, and he considered noise and fuss the worst crime, especially if it woke him up, he didn't really care about books, since they couldn't disappear any further than the students ' rooms, and from there they could be returned to him in a moment by the busy brownie Kuzma. So today, he was sleeping somewhere in his favorite rocking chair, which he apparated behind him everywhere.
Kolya sat down at the far table, he was not alone in the library, another couple was sitting in the opposite corner and under the pretext of studying some book, they were kissing.
But then the door opened and Arina appeared with a Badger.
She smiled happily when she saw her brother and sat down next to him.
- What have you learned new?!- she said in a whisper.
- I have good news and not so good!- said Kolya, and told what he found out from the healer.
- I don't even know whether to be happy or worried, - said the sister.
- If the sorcerers really come, as in the past, then you and I don't know combat magic, and we have amulets, but we don't really know how to use them either ...
- Ignat should return tomorrow from our father, and perhaps he will tell us what to do...
- Did you manage to calm Ira down?!
- Yes! But you can't imagine what it cost me!
She is really very kind when she is not jealous!
- Perhaps we will become friends again ...
- I really hope so...
For some time, the brother and sister tried to communicate telepathically with the help of amulets, having put a lot of effort and diligence, they finally succeeded, at least partially they began to understand each other.
- I think over time we will be able to do it easier, at least we can already call each other unnoticed from others, - said Arina.
- I agree.
Since it was already dark, they left the library and set off in the direction of their rooms, having agreed to go to Ignat tomorrow after classes.