Immortals. Dead Princess from the Forbidden Island. Seven stories about Elga

© Sergey Solovyov, 2026

ISBN 978-5-0070-0019-2

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Immortals. Dead Princess from the Forbidden Island. Seven stories about Elga

Preface

The great river Ob carries its pure waters to the sea-ocean, and a long time ago a people lived on its banks, about which there will be a story. These people lived not only on the river, but also by the Jellied Sea itself, and among them were both the strongest magi and the witch, whose power did not know the limits. The islands of the sea are also full of secrets, and on one of them was the refuge of the great sorceress, the Dead Princess herself, and her faithful servants and assistants — the Seven Dreams. They were intercessors and patrons of these lands and people, although people were not able to look at them. The Gray Wolf, the faithful servant of the Dead Princess herself, Elga, also lived with them. But there were great magi before them, those who were doomed to difficult service by the Great Guardians of the World themselves.

Dead bees don’t buzz

The first story. Beginnings

A little girl standing next to the porch of the house, enthusiastically played with the same small ferret. She stamped on him with her foot, he also stamped in response, jumping up, with all four paws at once, and spun around her with a young one.

— Elga, — shouted to her mother, walking from the barn, with a wing of milk in her hands, — again picked up someone?

— This is not someone, this is Ryzhik, — the girl answered, reaching out her hand to the pet to stroke, and he, instead of biting her, just sniffed his fingers and allowed himself to be scratched on the head, only raising his ears up, and carefully looked at her with his bead eyes.

Mother just shook her head, and calmly passed by. She is already used to the fact that none of the animals will offend her daughter, and she drags everyone into the house. There was a good thing about it. In the barn, when Elga came, the cows behaved decorously, and did not try to push her or anyone else against the wall. And with her alone it happened, and only the whip helped from severe bruises. Well, a ferret? Ferret as ferret. It’s also good, there will be no mice.

“Let’s go for lunch, everything is covered,” she called her daughter.

— And Ryzhika?

— Find the old bowl, with the edge beaten off. I’ll pour him milk.

The girl ran to the basement for an old wooden bowl, and the ferret jumped after her.

A large family sat at lunch, mother, Gita, father’s name was Kuvar, brother, Takai and sisters, Zarena and Tara. Elga looked at them again, over her bowl, closed her eyes, and again saw a dark stripe on Zarena’s chest. She sighed, and again looked into the bowl, eating boiled fish, drinking yogurt from a wooden cup. Everyone ate, and the girl approached her mother, and looking into her eyes, pulled the sleeve of the dress.

— Mom, listen, it’s bad with Zarena. she said, looking straight into Elg’s eyes, She was sick. Let’s take her to the witch. And then suddenly she has a fever? Gita asked her daughter.

“I thought again. — the woman frowned, — Do you want to go to Kara, dig into her stones?

“No,” Elga replied with her head down. “It’s great to look at the pebbles though, ‘the girl sighed.

— Well, let’s go to the healer today, — she shouted to Zarena, — And you will go with us, — she looked into her daughter’s eyes, — we will finally find out what the matter is.

Gita prepared gifts for Kara, and put everything in a basket. We dressed in everything elegant and Zarena and Elga, in the guides took the dog from the yard. The witch’s house was not far away, but not in the village itself, the healer explained that it was hard for her to live with people next to her. And they walked along the path, and sometimes Elga, playing with the dog, overtook her mother. Flowers grew with might and main, and there were many bees, it is a pity that not only bees flew in the air, and unloved mosquitoes, and horseflies came across. The gita fanned itself with a twig, driving away mosquitoes, and the daughters also behaved, maybe only waving much stronger. Around the house of the sorceress stood a wattle, almost human in height, and beautiful carved gates with a gate, a gift, as the healer herself said, of one person cured by her, covered the entrance to the courtyard. Geeta knocked on the wicket, and as everywhere, the dog barked, either greeting the guests, or showing her service to the owners of the house. Soon there was a noise of footsteps, and the bolt of the opening wicket creaked.

— Hi, Gita. Glad you, and came with your daughters? Come in.

— And to your good health Cara, “Gita bowed back,” come on in, ‘she told her daughters.

The guests entered the courtyard, Elga tied the dog, and Kara took them to visit. The house was ordinary, made of logs, on a high basement with a gable roof. The porch was rich, decorated with wooden carved lace. They climbed the stairs to the house, and the witch opened the door to the upper room. Elga eagerly looked around, hoping at least here to see the unprecedented. But nothing like that — wooden benches in the corners, a table, four lamps, two large larks for clothes and

things, a couple of shelves on the walls, with all sorts of things, small pots, a silver bucket, wooden cups, bowls and spoons.

— This is for you, — and Gita gave the basket to the mistress of the house, — look what happened to Zarena. — and approached the witch, looking back at Elga, who was considering pebbles with signs and sniffed at the bunches of herbs lying nearby — look, do mercy that with the youngest.

Kara quickly cast a glance at Elga, and in response nodded, and approached Zarena.

“What is your girl?” the witch looked into the girl’s eyes.

“I don’t know. — and she shook her head, — The sister saw something, so they came to you. I coughed a little.

Kara again looked into the girl’s eyes, listened to her heart beating. She sighed and said:

— Remove the cape and sleeveless jacket.

And she leaned her ear against her chest, listening to something, listening for a long time.

— Dress up.

Vedunya went to Gita, poured kvass into her cup, and served it to her, then poured drink and daughters.

— Everything will be fine, they came on time. A month to brew herbs and drink decoction — and she served two bunches of herbs — her sister saved, — the witch Gita smiled. And how old is the youngest?

“Seven,” the mother looked anxiously at her daughter playing in the corner.

— Elga, — called the witch girl, — sit next to her. What did you see at Zarena’s?

And the girl, a little confused in words and suffocating with excitement, told the hostess about the black stripe on her sister’s chest, and that she had been seeing this for more than a week, every night. And yesterday and in the afternoon it happened. And Elga burst into tears

— What’s wrong with me, Volkhovitsa?

— Everything is fine, girl, — and she kissed the girl on the forehead, — the gods chose you to help people. Your fate is like that. In the meantime, go with your sister to the yard, play there.

And Zarena and Elga ran out of the house, and Gita sat next to Kara, and waited for her words, with a stone on her heart.

— Will you spread the bones on Elga? — asked Gita, — I will call her.

Cara moved away from the guest after these words and fell silent for a long time.

— I’m afraid, — and hung my head, — At the age of twelve you will send Elga to Alatyr. I did not guess her, I’m sorry, I’m afraid that I will see the wrong thing. Once a week, send her to me, teach, talk about what you can, and take care of her before leaving. — and looked carefully — and if something does, it will help someone, but go blind, do not tell anyone, run to me right away. This power is growing in her, and blindness will only be for a while. — I sat as if I didn’t want to say — don’t be afraid, Gita, neither her nor me. There is no evil in us, not a single drop.

More than once, but a couple of times a week, Elga ran home to the healer, learned to learn the powers of herbs, see diseases, and feel the weather. Glory in the villages around Varta scattered about the mighty healer. But not about the little girl, no. Not yet. Everyone talked about the mighty Kara, who sees all the ailment, but she can help. But the baby helped her — just take a look, and already sees what ailment happened. All Lukomorye and Obdoria knew about miraculous healings, Kara, the great healer.

***

And it happened that it was supposed to happen. Once the children of Gita and the neighboring children played, Elga had already grown up, she was almost twelve years old, and she watched the little ones. The summer was hot, the children were fiddling on the shore of the lake, Takai, the younger brother, was only nine years old. They splashed in the water, and they suddenly howled, and the whole gang ran to her, only waving their hands.

— Takai drowned! Takai drowned! — shouted the baby.

Elga was both in a dress and dived into a whirlpool, and grabbed her brother’s hand, you can’t grab your hair, there’s nothing to grab — several curls on your head. I pulled it out, and my legs almost gave way — I’m not breathing anymore. She began to beat him on the cheeks, squeeze his heart, still, his brother did not breathe. It darkened in her eyes, and as if fire came to her fingers, they became hot, as if they were puffing with fire, and she put her hands on Takaya’s forehead, not paying attention to the screeching children who, seeing this, all ran into the village in a crowd. Elga managed to breathe only three times, her fingers got colder again, and she heard her brother coughing, spitting water. But before her eyes it was dark, completely dark. Elga grabbed her eyes, thought that sand had hit them, she rubbed them fiercely, trying to see at least something. She stretched her fingers forward, feeling only the sand on the shore, then brought her hands to her face, again groping her eyes with her fingers. Elga wept in fear as she led her hands in the air.

“Sister, what’s wrong with you,” my brother shouted, and took her hand.

— I don’t see… — she whispered, — take to Kara, — she quietly asked, — not only home…

The brother looked at her face and did not recognize her. Her face became piercingly pale, as if from ice, her lips turned blue, and her eyes turned black, instead of her blue. She looked sideways, past him, turning her head on his voice, not seeing anything, only holding his hand. He could not answer, only nodded his head, only then realized that she did not see this.

— Come on, sister. Hold my hand.

He led her, as he saw one blind old man in the village. Takai tried to look at his feet so that Elga would not stumble, and walked slowly, she gullibly walked with him, stepping foot in leg. Brother squinted at his sister, all hoping that she was joking, now she would laugh, and say that here, they say, and you believed? But no, all the same scary black invisible eyes and the same bluish lips. Only all hope for Kara now. His legs themselves became cotton with fear and fatigue, and his stomach was reduced, and he walked barely — barely, but nevertheless brought his sister to the cherished place and shouted that he had strength:

— Help! Help! — and drummed his fists on the wicket boards, — Where are you all? Help!

Kara came running, opened the gate, and when she saw her brother and sister, she just said:

— Elga… Poor me, — and picked up the girl in her arms, and Takai closed the gate, and sniffing his nose, followed her. The witch headed up into her house and put the girl on the bench. Elga raised her head a little and asked:

— Drinking… Don’t tell mom… — and cried again.

Kara poured kvass, and gave both brother and sister a drink.

— Sit down, — the Volkhovitsa called the boy to her, — tell what happened.

— Yes, I, — the child began confusedly, — we played in the river, and then I began to sink… I don’t remember further… He opened his eyes, and his sister seemed to be icy, and his eyes were black, and his lips were blue, and showed with his hands, — she did not see, did not see anything, and put her hands out, tried to find me with her fingers… Then she called me, and I brought her to you. Cure her, Cara? — and he sighed heavily, already without any hope.

The witch sighed heavily, took the empty dishes from Elga’s hands, smoothed her hair.

“Don’t hang your noses, swan geese. Soon she will come to life, do not twist. She revived you, Takai. You see, has not died yet, but she spent a lot of effort on you, so she went blind. Now he will lie down, and I will take you home.

“Are you saying that?” the boy swallowed, and the paint began to return to his pale face.

— Yes, much more true. Did anyone else see how she treated you?

— Yes, — Takai turned white again, — they all ran home…

— I’ll go down the dogs in the yard, but I’ll hang the pole higher on the gate.

— Why? — the boy was surprised, clutching his hands in the shop.

— Everyone was frightened, which means that their relatives will soon come running here. Fear he is… You will not understand what people are pushing.

Kara ran into the yard, returned, and just as quickly closed the door to the house, and closed the inside and shutters on the windows. I checked if I closed everything tightly by pulling the bolts. The light now made its way only into the holes in the shutters, and it became gloomy in the upper room.

— Light, light, I see light! Elga shouted, looking at the beam passing through the hole in the shutter. She stood up and sat on the bench, held on to it with her left hand, afraid to fall, and put her right hand forward, in front of her, trying to see her fingers.

“And I don’t see any more…

— Soon everything will pass, — said the witch, sitting down next to the girl, and stroked her hair, trying to calm her down, — soon, until night you will heal, you will see everything as before.

— Exactly? Elga asked hopefully.

— Of course.

But then there was a strong crash in the street, blows to the gate, and screams were heard:

— Open, witch doctor, where is the witch hiding?

“Who are they looking for?” — the girl was surprised, staring at the wall of the house with blind eyes.

The rumble did not last long, there was a stomp of dozens of legs in the yard and, having broken the gate, they began to break into the door of the house. Deaf blows to the shutters, from thrown stones were heard again and again. First, once or twice, and then as if the hail was poured into the windows. Suddenly there were screams, and the roar of blows on the door died down, and there were no more screams in the yard.

— Probably, Seven appeared, — reassured the children of the healer, who was sitting next to them, — All the magicians of the tribe, and maybe the leader, our Umbevar and the elders came, — and kissed both on the forehead, but began to lay Elga’s braid to calm her down so that the girl would not tremble anymore.

Below, there was a knock again, but already quiet, and then repeated again and again. Takai again grabbed his knife by the boot, but did not expose the blade — a bad omen without the need to get the knife. Cara went down, and got up already accompanied by eight adult men.

— Hello to you, Kara, — the leader greeted, — came to you to see how you live. Without an invitation, do not hesitate — and he smiled taut, and, as it were, accidentally looked around the upper room. His eyes settled on Elga, who was sitting on the bench. The healer then recalled all her life how Umbevar’s face changed from tanned to milky pale. But then the Seven Magi of Warta entered, with carved staffs in their hands. Urgabaz, Ratag, Silk, Atamas, Purusha, and Nurchat with Respa. All Seven of the Chosen Tribes came to the witch’s house.

— She needs to go to Alatyr, — the eldest of them, Urgabaz immediately said, — and he sat down next to the girl, looked at her face and eyes, — soon she will see. Not for long, but I spent a lot of effort on healing.

“Exactly,” Ratag muttered, “make no mistake, Umbevar, she’s not one of the icy people. And it’s easy to check — and he took out a dagger from behind the belt.

— I won’t! Takai shouted wildly, taking a small knife out of his boot, and rushing to shield his sister.

— Calm down, kid, — Umbevar intervened, — a small injection in the finger, because we only need a drop of blood.

— Everything is fine, Takai, — Kara approached him, putting her hand on the boy’s shoulder, — no one will offend your sister here. I will check Elga. Give me your knife.

The boy, biting his lip, extended the handle to the healer. The woman took the knife in her right hand, and, taking a deep breath, and remembering herself and Ilios and Leto, she carefully approached the girl.

“I heard, Cara,” and she reached out credibly.

Mara grabbed her wrist with her left hand, cutting the girl’s ring finger pad with her right. It seemed that even time had stopped, and in the upper room, as if the air had thickened with tension, everyone was not breathing, but now, a red stream of blood ran down the finger. A noisy sigh was heard in the upper room, a sigh of relief from frightened people who did not know what to do next.

— You were right, Ratag, — Urgabaz’s colleague approved, — but still, the girl needs to drink more, honey will do, Kara. That would be faster.

The healer brought honey, and buckets for everyone, bottled the drink and distributed it to the guests, and took special care of the girl, putting the drink in her hand. Another couple of hours passed, and Elga’s eyes began to glow, and she, as the magi said, already saw her fingers held up to her eyes. And she looked at them happily until she calmed down.

“We’ll go,” Umbevar said, relieved to tell Kara, “I’ll send the masters to fix the gates for you.” Don’t grumble at them, “he sighed. “Scared. But the dogs were not touched, and the farm was not damaged? People thought that the Seventh Witch was born — and laughed, looking around those present. But the faces of the Magi seemed to be petrified.

Cara only shuddered, remembering the unsheathed bones.

***

A girl was sent to Alatyr a week later, just one, with a guide, and with many gifts, if only Mara would accept the girl for training. The boat went along the Ob, with a considerable vataga on board, eight rowers, and the old sailor was controlled by a steering oar. Elga first ran from bow to stern, and from stern to bow, could not see enough on the banks of the river, on the splashing waves scattering in front of the bow of the ship. They passed for a long time on the oars of the Ob Bay, the wind was unfavorable, and they tried to get to Alatyr for a whole week. The gray waves of the Student Sea fought against the leather sides of the boat, knocking the sailors to the Yamal Peninsula, and the feeder with his paddle laid the course more seaside, and managed to get into the bay of the island of Recluse. The sailors raised a pole with a sign that the Chosen would see the messengers from Lukomorye. When the boat began to scratch the bottom of the bay, the Huns, all nine people, jumped out of the boat and began to pull it ashore in their arms. The girl, wrapped in furs so that only her eyes could be seen, sat on a bench and turned her head, trying not to miss anything. The forager hoisted a pole with a sign, and the carpenters began to unload the boat, folding the load under the canopy, and one of the sailors ran to light a fire in the guest house, which was standing next to the pier.

Three women came to them, wrapped in black cloaks, and leaning on staffs.

“Hello, feeder,” the eldest of the women bowed to him a little.

— And hello to you, Mara, mentor. Hello to you and gifts — and he circled the bales and baskets folded under the canopy. — and a message from the leader Umbevar and the doctor Kara, — gave the woman a wooden tablet.

She immediately ran her fingers across the line, reading the cut signs, and her lips whispered something to herself. The woman frowned, and looked preoccupied towards the guest hut, thinking that the new novice was there.

— Where is the called? — asked the mentor and looked at the feeder, not understanding anything.

He, smiling broadly, and adjusting his hat, replied:

“She’s here, Mara.

— Where? — and she was already beginning to lose patience, looking around the hefty sailors standing next to her.

— Yes, here she is, — the man showed his hand to a pile of furs, — she pretended to see.

And then, instead of the expected girl, a very young snub-nosed freckled face seemed from under the fur coat, with a wide smile all over her mouth.

— Hello to you, Mara, — said the young creature, and taking off his fur coat and fur cape, remaining only in a fur jacket. She finally got out of the boat, carefully stepping over the paddlers’ benches.

“They sent me to you,” the girl said in a pleasant voice, “they said that it was necessary,” she added, not cheerfully, and sighed, “I could not stay at home.

— She can’t be here, she’s too young,” Mara replied, and looked at the letter, reading it to the end, and immediately changed her face.

— But they always expected you here,” the mentor said, changing her words and tone, “don’t be sad, and it’s not bad here on the island,” she tried to calm the girl down.

— Well, you are a goose, I made fun of it, — the woman grinned, — Thank you feeder. Go home tomorrow, “the mentor told him.

— Thank you, Mara — and he bowed to her, and the sailors went to spend the night warm.

The mentor walked back light, and Elga and two girls carried the things of the new arrival. The girl all bent over under the weight of her load. Umbevar did not regret good, and his parents put gifts for many years ahead. Two dogs met them at the cave, and the novices, accustomed to everything, were surprised that huskies just did not throw their tails in front of the girl. And Mara looked at it, and just muttered to herself:

“And they didn’t lie to Kara and Umbevar in the letter. Although it would be better to lie.

— Come through, Elga, she told the girl, lighting a wick lamp.

The mentor went ahead, Elga followed her, the novices walked behind. The witch opened the bronze-upholstered door of the chambers, and the girl saw a chamber with ocher walls flooded with gold light, and crossed the threshold. Four girls looked at the guest, not understanding who came and why, and transferred their surprised eyes to the mentor.

— This is our new sister, will comprehend the knowledge available to the elect here on Alatyr. And that age is small, so it doesn’t matter, it will grow up. Her name is Elga. Here is your shop — and she showed a free one — and a chest for things and clothes. “And here we go, girl. Do not go to the far part of the island, there are houses where the Virgins of War live. Only Pryakhi communicate with them.

Elga only opened her eyes wider, but she could not believe Mara. Warrior virgins! Many heard, but no one saw. Here, it means they live on the Hidden Island.

The new student sighed heavily, put the bales, laid out the furs on the bench, put the sheepskin coat in the chest, remaining only in a knitted dress, sweater and fur sleeveless jacket. In such clothes there were other girls who studied with Mary, from among the Seven Chosen, as they all called them.

“My name is Raxa. How old are you? ‘asked one of them, taller than the others.