“There’s some kind of reaction in it,” Yulia remarked.
Jean-Pierre watched the scientists and David; when he saw the stone turn red, he shook his head:
“We have to go back!”
“Where?” said Debby, looking around frightenedly.
“To the cave,” Jean-Pierre wanted to give the obvious answer, but realized his own mistake.
There were large stones scattered on the ground all around, but nowhere to see the entrance to the cave. He rushed back, but realized that this would not help.
“Where were we moving from?” Jean-Pierre began to calculate the direction.
“From those boulders, I think,” David doubted.
Jean-Pierre took several steps in that direction – nothing. He was thrashing around, looking for the entrance to the cave. The others looked at him.
“Jean-Pierre!” shouted the doctor.
“What?”
“This is not Earth, do you understand?” the doctor shook his head, looking into the Frenchman’s eyes from twenty meters away.
“What are you doing here?” a high, unfamiliar voice sounded.
Jean-Pierre perked up and began to look around, ready to protect everyone. Everyone jumped to their feet and piled back to back.
“Who are you?” the squeaky voice repeated.
“Who are you?” Jean-Pierre shouted very loudly.
“Me?” someone squeaked.
“Yes!” shouted Jean-Pierre again. “Where are you? Show yourself.”
“Why are you yelling like that?” said the voice. “I’m right in front of you.”
Jean-Pierre slowly lowered his eyes and saw someone very small standing right in front of him. The creature was the size of his thumb and looked up at everyone with undisguised contempt. Jean-Pierre knelt down and tilted his head even lower.
“Who are you?” Jean-Pierre rounded his eyes.
“Humans,” the creature said in a disappointed voice. “I am Van. Valikhilya.”
“What?”
“Aaah,” Van said, shaking his head in displeasure. “You are humans, and I am Valikkhilya. My name is Van, and you are…” he paused.
“What the hell is that?”
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s not a name,” Van muttered.
Jean-Pierre shook his head and put his palms to the top of his head, trying to get rid of the obsession. He looked back at the others; they were squinting their eyes at the creature, expressing complete incomprehension.
“You are in the kingdom of His Grace the great Vivasvan, King of Light,” the little man squeaked.
“Vivasvan?” Dr Capri said, coming out of his stupor. “I know who Vivasvan is.”