...About four hours passed. The old woman woke up and realized she had fallen asleep. Artes stood before her with a proud look and a smile on his face.
— Why are you laughing? — the old woman asked, embarrassed.
— Oh, just that her fever has subsided. And you looked so happy when you were holding her hand and fell asleep, — Artes replied.
The old woman quickly wiped her sweaty hand on her clothes. Then she looked back at Gerda. The girl was sleeping peacefully, and the cat Shisi was curled up on her chest. A joyful expression appeared on the old woman's face. She got up from the sofa and sat down at the table that stood in the middle of the room. Artes, not understanding anything, sat down opposite her and began to wait for an explanation. The old woman scratched her head and became lost in thought.
Silence fell in the room, which was broken by Gerda's cough. The girl coughed up blood; the burns on her face had not yet healed. She opened her eyes slightly and woke up. Above her was an unfamiliar orange ceiling. She was lying on a soft sofa, and a cat was nestled under her chest. Gerda tilted her head and saw the old woman and Artes.
— You're awake, granddaughter, — the old woman said.
— cough Where am I? And who are you? — Gerda asked.
— My name is Agathia, and you're in a dungeon, under the city of Fieri Di, — the old woman replied.
"Oh, she's awake," a voice echoed in Gerda's head.
— Who's that? — she asked.
— Oh, that's Artes, a worker... — Agathia began, but Gerda interrupted her:
— No, not him, I'm talking about the voice.
"Are you talking about me?" — the voice echoed again.
— What voice? — Agathia asked again.
— I'm talking about you! — Gerda exclaimed.
"I'm Shisi, you can just call me Shi or Si," the voice introduced itself.
— Shi-si, — Gerda repeated calmly.
— Shi-si? Oh, you're talking about the cat? She's here... Wait, how did you know her name was Shisi? — Artes stammered.
— She told me herself, — Gerda replied.
Artes again assumed a threatening pose, but this time he did not have a revolver in his hands. He merely pointed his index finger at Gerda.
— You... you... are cool! You are very cool! — Artes exclaimed with admiration. — And your ears and tail look very cool too!
— He-he, — Gerda chuckled, looking at the ceiling.
— Hey, so who are you? — Artes asked nervously.
— Me? Gerda, call me Gerda, — the girl replied.
— Gerda, so... which means "Protector," — Agathia said thoughtfully.
Artes sighed with relief and relaxed. He sat down at the table again, stretched his arms forward, and laid his head on the table, looking at Agathia and Gerda with a smile. Agathia felt uneasy, she clenched her fist and punched Artes in the face with all her might. Her fist hit his cheek. The blow was so strong that the table cracked and broke in half. Agathia shook her hand and took off her heavy coat. Powerful shoulders and toned muscles were visible underneath; her tank top barely held on.
— Oh, follow me, I'll wash you up! — Agathia said in a completely different, youthful voice.
Gerda, leaning on her hands, rose from the floor with difficulty.
— How old did you say you are? — Agathia asked.
— I haven't said yet... but I'm sixteen, — Gerda replied.
— Sixteen, so... — Agathia put aside the k-pop style clothes and began to rummage through the closet again. She pulled out a black cloak with green shades at the ends. Her age and body changed again; she became a little older than she was before. — I think it will fit. There are no special new M-line, Strabl, and Egh technologies, so don't be offended.
— M... Stra... E... What? I don't understand, — Gerda said.
— So you're not from around here. Where are you from? — Agathia asked.
— From Bakirton, — Gerda replied.
— Bakirton? Oh, I remember that city, — Agathia said.
She turned to Gerda. A completely different person stood before the girl: with smooth skin, chubby cheeks, golden pupils, dark orange hair, and lines resembling triangles near her eyes. Her height was 163 centimeters. The muscles on her body were toned and in harmony with her proportions. All the clothes on her began to sag.
Agatha, as the old woman was now called, approached Gerda and gave her the cloak. As soon as Gerda took it, and Agatha removed her hands, the girl became 10-15 centimeters taller, her chest and hips became larger and firmer, and all her clothes became tight.
— And it suits you, it looks very interesting with your hair color, — Agatha said.
— What kind of clothes is this? — Gerda asked.
— It's a "Synchronizer." You put on clothes — and you become older or younger, depending on who it's intended for. Well, enough with the questions, let's go to Chage, — Agatha replied.
— To Chage? Who is that? — Gerda asked.
Agatha turned around and sighed.
— Well, I asked you not to ask questions. Oh well, I'll answer. Chage is a mythical creature that lives at the very bottom of the dungeon, right by the Earth's core. Every fourteen days we bring him a sacrifice, for which he rewards us with water and food. And we can ask him for anything for thirteen days, and on the fourteenth day, he accumulates energy. What you saw today is the sacrifice, the "Gaida" ritual, in short. Come on, let's go to Chage.
— I'm coming... pain oh, — Gerda groaned.
— Did you say something? — Agatha asked.
— It's okay, I'm coming, — Gerda replied.
Agatha left the house and stopped five meters away from it, making it clear that she was waiting for Gerda. The girl, moving with difficulty, reached the door and grabbed it tightly. The first features of the dungeon appeared before her eyes: dark, damp, and cold. A narrow path, lit by torches, stretched straight ahead. Small shacks stood on both sides of the path.
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