And I must admit, by using the icy air currents of these tunnels, I could get ahead of you on the way to the exit from the Ice Abaddon, but I would prefer to stay nearby, protecting you from a distance from your thermal shield”. 

“Thank you, Om,” - she responded. - “In truth, we once again immensely need your support. Your help, as always, is absolutely essential for us.” 

“Yeah, exactly!” - Berta confirmed, jumping up and down. - “You’re just like that genie from the lamp, Om! Only instead of granting wishes, you make sure everything is okay with us. In short, you're as cool as ten of my favorite bones!”

Bertyona, are you an angel in the flesh today? Where are your usual ambiguous compliments? - Diana teased, barely holding back a smile. - Are your "little needles" hidden today?

And the little one, comically rolling her dark little eyes, depicted a picture of absolute meekness on her bright muzzle. Such an angelic expression of submission, as if made for a Christmas card! Simply a model angel, only without a halo!

“Well, Little Bun, it’s time for us to use the power of the pearls,” - Diana said softly. - “Right now, they are our key to salvation. Every grain of their energy is worth our lives.”

Berta straightened her little muzzle, on which the comical expression still remained, and Diana, carefully detaching the yellow beads from the sky-blue thread, took the necklace from her neck and handed them to the little one's paws. Everything repeated itself just like that time, when they arrived at the Ice Abaddon and needed a protective thermal sphere around them. 

From Bertyona's first touch, the pearls responded with a bright flash, as if miniature suns had collided with each other, tiny sparks flared up between them, and the little one felt a slight vibration, as if they had come to life in her paws. The golden glow from the necklace became more and more intense, until it turned into a dazzling halo. The air shimmered slightly, like a haze over a hot land, and in the next moment, a powerful stream of heat poured out, forming a pulsating sphere of amber light around Diana and Berta. Now the air trembled even more from the released energy, radiating an increasingly strong and hot breath. It became clear that this protective thermal shield had incredible power, capable of melting the most severe frost and withstanding any ice attack. 

Now between them and Om there was again a protective thermal shell, pulsating with invisible life, like a living barrier, just like during their first meeting. 

“I would not like to repeat myself, but still allow me to remind you once more directly before the dangerous road - this is very important,” - Om’s voice held a caring note, even a fatherly admonition. - “Your path to the exit from the Ice Abaddon lies by the shortest route, straight ahead, cleaving the icy expanse with the heat of your yellow pearls like a fiery blade piercing the darkness. And how significant their reserve of heat is - remains a mystery. Consequently, whatever lies in wait for you beyond your thermal bastion - be it frosty spawn generated by snowstorms or cunning ice witches, remember: avoid their direct gaze, so as not to feed their power, which seeks to break through your defense, and to stop is death. And as I have already said, we can only believe that the power of your necklace will be enough to break through the icy obstacles.”

“Yeah, very convincing,” - Berta snorted sarcastically and shook her head, as if trying to shake out what she had heard. - “After your ‘pleasant’ reminders about the icy fauna, my last bit of enthusiasm somehow evaporated. I can literally feel my inner hero desperately looking for an escape route, preferably in a completely opposite direction. So your ‘forward and with a song’ isn't really very song-like at all. In a word, you, Om, are so... encouraging. Like a toothache before a trip to the dentist.”

“Hey! - Diana said to her, with a barely noticeable smile. - So you're staying?”

“Oh, no-no, I didn’t mean that! I just…” - Berta began. A look of confusion appeared on her little muzzle and she began to wag her tail quickly, as if trying to generate a new, less offensive version of her barb on the fly. 

“Bertyona, it’s nerves, I know,” - Diana said. - “We’re all on edge right now. Believe me, no one has any illusions about the ease of this path. No one expects a walk in the park. But let's hope that its brevity will translate into the speed that we so lacked on the way here.” 

Diana gently hugged Berta to herself, feeling the soft fur of her back under her hand, and stroked it, as if drawing additional determination from this touch. Then, picking her up, since she was holding the necklace of yellow pearls with her front paws, she said: “Well, let's go!” - and her voice sounded confident, full of inner strength.

As if challenging the icy elements, they, slightly stooping to narrow their field of vision from possible threats beyond their thermal barrier, moved not towards the saving exit, but directly into the icy expanse, burning it with fierce heat. Monolithic blocks of ice, surrendering to their onslaught with a dull crack, melted with a hiss and a groan, enveloping them in a dense, damp shroud of fog that blindly enveloped their sphere, narrowing their view to a minimum and almost completely depriving them of visibility. Thin streams of meltwater, flowing down the surface of their protective cocoon, like tears of ice, barely cleared the cloudy veil, hinting at the direction of further movement. The feeling was as if they had entered a gigantic steam bath, where instead of fragrant herbs, clouds of icy vapor rose into the air from the contact of cold and heat. There was so much enveloping thick steam that even inside their thermal sphere there was a feeling of a sultry steam room. The only thing they heard was the deafening roar of melting and collapsing ice. They did not see Om at all; he had disappeared, as if dissolved in this raging cauldron of the elements.

“It's too stuffy…” - the little one barely whispered. Weakness was audible in her voice. - “The air has become so thick, like that time we were running from the explosion in the Civilization of Stones in the Underwater world… Ma, do we have much further to go? Will we get out of here soon?” 

Diana was silent, her heart was squeezed by uncertainty, and her breathing was constricted, caught in a net of anxiety. She herself did not know how much longer they would have to fight their way through this veil and endure this grueling heat? And would they meet ice monsters on the way back or not? The answer came in the form of a powerful, sharp blow that shook their thermal armor. Diana’s gaze darted to her Hidden Belt, but its surface shone with an almost blinding whiteness - not a hint of blue, not even the most ghostly. This meant there was no threat from the silent Ials. What was it, then? The jolts became more and more furious, as if someone gigantic was trying to break the fragile shell. And Diana suddenly realized the horrible reality: ice giants or snow witches, or maybe both, attracted by their heat, were trying to break through their protective shell. After all, the glow emanating from their thermal sphere, like a lighthouse in the night, was clearly visible in the icy labyrinth, a bright pulsating dot against a dark background. 

The only thing left for Diana at that moment was to hold Bertyona even tighter, because it was impossible to even quicken their pace. They moved forward with the relentless speed with which the heat of their protective barrier devoured the blocks of ice. 

In extreme conditions, the line between an instant and eternity is blurred, and it was impossible to understand how long this trial had lasted. Suddenly, Diana caught a strange relief: the air inside the thermal sphere no longer burned, and the humidity seemed to have subsided. The realization of the reason hit like an icy dagger: they had almost stopped! Yes, yes! She was not mistaken and it was not an illusion - their progress had really slowed down a lot. The yellow pearls were losing their strength, the heat was fading, the ice was melting more and more slowly and, as if coming to its senses, was resisting more and more, slowing their escape. Diana thought with horror about the inevitable stop in the middle of this icy hell. And outside, in the frosty darkness, the icy creatures were just waiting for this, sensing their weakness. 

Understanding the criticality of their situation, but hiding her fear so as not to sow panic in Berta's little heart, Diana watched with feverish attention the trickles of meltwater running down the thermal sphere, trying to read the distance to salvation in their ghostly dance. How far was it still to the shimmering hope called the exit from the icy captivity of Abaddon? 

“There is very little left. The path is almost complete,” - Om’s voice sounded, emerging from nowhere, dissolving into the frosty air. - “I see light.”

His voice sounded like a message from the heavens. All the weight of what they had experienced instantly washed away from Diana's shoulders, and she even reproached herself for having completely forgotten about his invisible presence in the maelstrom of despair. From the unexpected joy, her heart beat with new strength, filling it with such a welcome relief. 

“Om... dear Om,” - Diana whispered with relief, as if breathing fresh air after holding her breath for a long time. - “If you only knew, your voice, like a ray of light, pierced the approaching hopelessness. Seeing how our progress was relentlessly slowing down due to the depletion of the yellow pearls' power, I literally began to drown in the depths of despair.” 

“Uh-huh,” - Berta grumbled, but an unaccustomed warmth was in her voice. - “Usually your voice is like an alarm clock on a day off for me, but now… now it's as if someone said ‘go outside!’ after a long time sitting at home or I lost my favorite toy and then suddenly found it. I never thought I’d say this, but… I’m glad to hear you, Om… I’m in shock myself!” 

“Thank you,” - came his brief reply. But behind his brevity, a sincere pleasure could be felt, which he was perhaps trying to hide. 

Suddenly the stream of meltwater, which had been flowing down the thermal sphere in a raging waterfall, completely dried up, and through the transparent shell of the protective barrier they saw the familiar outlines of a long corridor - the very one that had greeted them at the entrance to the Ice Abaddon. 

Diana breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that the icy labyrinth was behind them, and she said to Bertyona: “The ice monsters are no longer a threat, let’s give up the thermal protection for now to save as much of the yellow pearls’ heat energy as possible. I don't think the exit from this icy captivity will open easily for us. I feel that we will need all their power to crush the icy fortress that seals the exit from it.” 

As soon as she uttered these words, their sphere was shaken by a powerful blow, the same as they had experienced in the icy labyrinth. Then another followed, and another, and another... 

“Om! What's happening?!” - Diana cried out in fright.

“The ice giants are slow and were left behind in the labyrinth, but the snow witches are still pursuing you,” - he immediately answered. - “I did not take their cunning into account: they can crumble into snow dust, and then, regaining their form and attracting your attention in any way, try to make you look into their eyes to freeze you into blocks of ice. How wrong I was to believe that their power did not extend beyond the icy tunnels! Stay inside the thermal sphere and do not stop for a moment! And also, since you don't need to spend much energy melting ice now, try to get to the exit as quickly as possible. Do you see the dark spots where the impacts hit? This means that the energy of the yellow pearls is weakening and the sphere no longer has enough heat to instantly repair the damage caused by the icy breath of the witches. And I can't stop this. Hurry!”

Under the hail of blows that shook their thermal barrier, the exit from the Ice Abaddon was gradually becoming closer and closer. The simple thought that they would soon be on the other side of the icy citadel gave them the strength to move on. The anticipation of a quick liberation grew with every step: it would be enough just to touch the frozen walls with the hot sphere - the icy gates would fall and the path would be open. 

But everything turned out completely different than expected!

From the contact of their thermal barrier with the icy 

gates, there was not that violent, gurgling evaporation that had accompanied their path in the labyrinth. The melting occurred, but with such an ominous silence that a thought timidly crept into Diana's heart: “Is this really the end?”

All this happened under the invisible, but palpable cold of the snow witches’ piercing gazes. It became frighteningly obvious: the power of the fading yellow pearls was not enough to melt this impregnable main seal in the frosty stronghold. 

Intuition unerringly whispered to Diana that the necklace needed to be recharged. They needed either external energy capable of destroying the ice wall, or a spark of new power to breathe life into the pearls. But where, in the very heart of the Ice Abaddon, could such a source of additional energy be found? It seemed simply unattainable. 

She looked down at the little one. Bertyona, like a little sage, was quietly sitting in her arms and, with her tiny paws, was diligently sorting through the shimmering pearls, trying to awaken their fading power. 

“No,” - Diana whispered, as if afraid to break the silence of despair. - “To resign myself and wait for death - that is not my choice. Om!” - she cried out, - “Are you here? Why are you silent? This frightens me!” 

“I am here,” - he answered, and bitterness was in his voice. - “It’s just unbearable to realize my own helplessness… not knowing how to help. What a pity that Passiflora's gift has exhausted itself. I remember you saying, when you used its magic to lift the ice ring in the center of the Abaddon, that it was the second and last chance to use the power of that leaf. Yes, now its magic would be a salvation!” 

Opening her bag, Diana thoughtfully said: “You know, Om… there is no other way out anyway. Why not try. Maybe it has at least some residual magical power? Even just a little…” 

With determination, as if repeating an already performed ritual, when they had to open the passage into the Abaddon, she took out the treasured Passiflora leaf and placed it on her palm. Then, without hesitation, she stretched her hand through the shimmering sphere, touching the icy gates with the entire surface of the leaf, as if trying to move this icy mountain with that touch. Om and Berta, holding their breath, watched Diana's every move. Everyone understood: if even a tiny spark of magic still flickered in the faded leaf, it could become a life-giving impulse for the fading power of the yellow pearls. 

Meanwhile, a furious hail of blows from the snow witches fell on their thermal sphere with such force that it seemed to leave not a single living spot on it. The time of their protection was slipping away like sand through their fingers. The last drops of heat in the shell were almost gone, portending the imminent fall of their invisible fortress, and it was perfectly clear that the existence of their thermal shield was now measured not in minutes, but in pitiful seconds.

And then, at that very moment when the last faint glow left the yellow pearls in Berta's paws, when the protective barrier around them finally dissolved into the frosty air, and Diana’s palm with the leaf pressed against it touched the icy mass, it let out a deafening, prolonged groan and split in two at the place where the magic of the Passiflora leaf touched it. The crack soared up to the icy heavens, disappearing into the height, and in its opening, the saving exit was revealed. 

Diana and Berta, as if torn from icy captivity, simply fell out! 

Aware of the fragility of their position, stripped of their protection, Diana and Berta, lying on the cold snow, looked with apprehension at the gaping hole in the ice wall, fearing the sudden appearance of snow witches. There, inside the Abaddon, an unrestrained element raged behind the gaping breach, as if a real icy hell had opened up, and it seemed as if a snow fury and a frost demon were dancing in a frantic dance. Diana was even afraid to imagine what would have happened to them if they hadn't broken out. 

“What about Om? Where is he?” - an anxious thought flashed. - “Has he remained there - in that icy grinder? Or have the embraces of the Ice Abaddon closed on him?” - aloud she called to him, and her voice was full of worry and fear of the silence. - “Om, are you with us?” 

“Turn around,” - he responded in an everyday tone, as if everything they had experienced was only their personal adventure, and he had joined them just a moment ago. - “I am behind you.” 

“Oh, Om,” - Diana exhaled with great relief. - “I am so glad that you managed to get out with us before this Armageddon that is now raging in there.”

He glanced into the dark mouth of the breach: “That is 

the snow witches in their fury, their powerless malice from the fact that you slipped away. They have arranged a real snow apocalypse in there: a prickly blizzard, a blinding storm, and a furious hurricane - all in one icy madness!” 

Diana looked at the frozen Bertyona with concern. She stood nearby, silently immersed in contemplating the frantic snowy kaleidoscope playing out in the icy womb of the Abaddon. 

“Little Bun, are you okay?” - Diana asked with concern. - “Are you very scared? This is shock… Don’t hold your emotions in, let them out, you’ll feel better,” - Diana said, gently holding her close. 

“Well, yeah, that's exactly why I'm playing statue of silence,” - Berta grumbled, moving her little ear discontentedly. - “I’ve got my own ice age going on inside after this nightmare. And I’m certainly not a professor of ice sciences to describe this bedlam inside, but my nerves are currently experiencing something like a personal end of the world. I would even say it’s something between the fall of the Tunguska meteorite and a locust invasion,” - and she looked around with apprehension before adding, - “and if I can’t say it was ‘It's a total finish,’ then I have no other words. Yeah. So that's why I'm sitting quietly, accumulating impressions and saving my censored words,” - she crossed her paws, puffed out her cheeks and looked at the gates of the Abaddon as if expecting someone to climb out and apologize.

“You know, Berta,” - Om said with respect, - “you have shown yourself to be a true hero. And I remember how Diana called you… her loyal companion. And that is fair. You are a reliable companion with whom you can entrust both an important task and your own life. And no matter what raged around you, you invariably fulfilled your duty with amazing responsibility. After all, the stability of your thermal protection depended precisely on your diligence. And you did not disappoint. You coped with dignity. Wonderful! Well done!” 

Berta's little white head slowly lifted, and her trusting gaze met Om's eyes. His praise clearly warmed her, like a ray of sunshine after a long winter. She relaxed her constrained paws, the tension began to fade, and the little white tail with a caramel tip wagged from side to side with contentment. 

“You are absolutely right. And that is indisputable,” - Diana confirmed Om’s words with confidence, gently touching Berta’s nose with her own. 

The cold embrace of the wind was becoming stronger and stronger, piercing them with its frosty breath. 

Diana, shrugging her shoulders with a shiver, glanced at the motionless figure of the defense-sentient, frozen nearby, then her gaze slid to their Hidden Belts, which still maintained a serene whiteness. It was certainly strange, but the Ials were not around! 

With a heavy sigh she said: “Well, the moment of farewell has come… Yes, it seems the time has come to say ‘goodbye’,” - her voice trembled, but she held back and continued, - “Bertyona and I too often have to leave behind those who were our support and helped us in difficult moments. And it is always agonizing for me to say ‘farewell’ to those who truly became our friends. But now… honestly, I am filled with such feelings that there are simply not enough words to express all our gratitude for your invaluable help, support, and protection. But…” - her voice trembled like an autumn leaf in the wind, - “if gratitude could be measured, the needle of our feelings for you would have gone off the charts long ago! Thank you, Om!” - she paused, gathering her thoughts, - “and also… I would like to say a little about the coexistence of the Ials and the eli. I am sincerely sorry that in your world, in the World of the ials, there are so few who share your wisdom about the senselessness of enmity with the eli, those who see the unreasonableness of this eternal war with them, as you see it. After all, your worlds, in essence, breathe the same air of the Third Level. And I believe that you could be good neighbors, if not friends, then at least coexist in a world of mutual understanding and compromise. I hope that someday your two existing realities will choose the path of peace and harmony. And, as you once said so well, that you will be able to see the starry sky with one look…” - the overwhelming emotions still took over, and two bitter tears rolled down her cheeks. 

“Thank you,” - Om replied. - “For even the slightest chance of peace between the Ials and the eli, I would be ready to risk everything or, without hesitation, unafraid of any obstacles, set off on a journey, no matter how thorny it might be.”

At that very moment, the little one, who was listening carefully to their farewell words, gave a little sniff. 

“Listen, Om,” - and from me a huge ‘thank you’!” - and I’m serious now,” - Berta said. - “You helped us without even knowing who we are, and, for all intents and purposes, you couldn't even be sure whether we had good intentions when we appeared in the Ice Abaddon? You know, I'm sorry for my teasing,” - she squinted mischievously, - “although, I confess honestly, sometimes you were such a real drag that it was just funny! Ahaha-ha-ha… too bad you can't see the look on your face right now! Ahaha-ha-ha… you are so sincerely surprised by everything! Well, you’re just always in a state of ‘I’m in a state of eternal bewilderment’ Ahaha-ha-ha… Okay…” - she became more serious, if that’s what you can call it, - “maybe I just wanted to capture your signature ‘I'm in eternal confusion’ look one last time… or maybe not the last time!… Yeah, your facial expressions are a whole separate comedy! No, seriously, how do you manage to be funny without saying a word?! Alrighty then, just so you know, I consider you my friend!” - and she gave him a cheerful wink.

“Yes,” - he answered, as always succinctly. - “You also demonstrated to me the concepts you call irony and sarcasm. And, based on your actions and reactions, I have formed an understanding of friendship. In my world, there is no analogue of this phenomenon. The Ials do not have such a concept as ‘friendship’,” - and he turned his gaze to Diana, - “did I correctly interpret that friends are characterized by mutual care and a readiness to provide support?” 

“No, but you really are a real buzzkill. You seem to be alive, but you talk like a robot,” - Berta said, making a funny face with her eyes. - “And I’ve told you that more than once, by the way!” 

Caught off guard by her words, Om immediately added: “If I were to say it more simply, friends show care for each other and are always ready to help.” 

“Oh, you can do it! Was it not difficult?” - Bertyona said, stretching her paw out in front of her. 

Diana's smile was hidden in the barely noticeable shadows at the corners of her lips, betraying her amusement. 

In response to Om's answer, she nodded in agreement: “Absolutely. That’s exactly right,” - then, as if trying to expand his understanding, she continued, - “you see, in reality, the concept of ‘friendship’ is much more than just care and help. It’s a whole canvas of feelings and connections. Its understanding is much broader and more multifaceted. Friendship, for example, makes our lives more interesting and fun. You are never truly alone when you have friends. Because you always know that there is someone nearby who loves and values you for who you are. Friendship is when you have someone with whom you really enjoy meeting and spending time, laughing and sharing your secrets. Sometimes friends can have a little fight, it happens, but because they value their friendship very much, they will always find a way to make up. They will say ‘I’m sorry’ and try to understand each other,” - Diana took a short pause, as if weighing every word to put her thoughts together and emphasize the most important thing. - “Friendship is like a magical thread that connects people’s hearts, and the longer you are friends, the stronger that thread becomes! It is very, very valuable!” - she fell silent again, but a light smile returned to her face, - “you see, everything I just said about friendship, as if an echo, also resonates in a feeling like love,” - but noticing the unspoken curiosity about the word ‘love’ that arose in his eyes, Diana, as if changing her mind about sharing something personal, said: “Although… after all… that's a completely different story.” 

Silence covered them, like a soft blanket, not oppressive, but simply reigning in an instant. Such a sudden silence is familiar to everyone, when each one turns inward, sinking into the well of their own thoughts: perhaps Diana's heart was squeezed by longing for Igor, her husband. After all, here she was in the image of a little girl, but there, at home, she had an adult life. Or how would they look when they met? In fact, this was not the first time this topic had arisen in Diana’s thoughts, and she had already discussed it with Bertyona. But the closer they were to home, the more often this topic haunted her. How much time had passed in their world while she was gone? What if too much time had passed? Years? Decades? What if a whole eternity had passed?

Berta, however, was thoughtfully going over what she had heard in her mind: friendship is similar to love. Was this possible? But her little heart knew firmly: something much greater than just friendship bound her to Ma Diana and Pa Igor, and that was definitely love. 

And what was Om thinking about, immersed in his ethereal silence? Who knows? Perhaps he was also occupied with the echoes of Diana's words, or he was soaring mentally over the expanses of his world, reflecting on its structure and immutable laws. Or maybe, even in his imagination, he was hovering among ethereal creatures like himself - the Ials. Or it is quite possible that his thoughts were gliding in such depths that were incomprehensible to any other mind… 

Diana was the first to break the silence. Questions began to pour from her lips one after another, and it seemed their flow would not dry up. At that moment she was so much like Berta that it seemed she had taken over this gift from her: “Om, what now? What fate awaits you? You won't return to this icy hell, will you? Won't it be worse for you because you are outside the icy labyrinth? And won't this turn out to be an even greater misfortune for you from your warlike relatives? How will you exist here in solitude? And won't this outer world turn out to be even more hostile for you than the ice of the Abaddon?..” 

“Oh, you don't have to worry about that,” - Om interrupted her stream of anxiety. - “As you know, my imprisonment in the icy mass was the punishment for my intolerance of the Higher Ials' hostility towards the World of the eli, that is, my rejection of their hostile attitude towards them. But the laws of my World of the Ials state: if my exit from here was not the result of my own actions, but came about due to circumstances beyond my control, I am free from further isolation and can determine my own life, and as long as I do not again enter into a dispute with the Higher Ials about cruelty and war, I am not threatened by anything. I am free!” - a slight sadness clouded his gaze, - “but here I am only an observer, my wings are clipped, I cannot take those decisive actions that could sow the seeds of peace between the Ials and the eli. But still - I will not give up! And my inner struggle for the cessation of enmity between our worlds will not stop.” 

The cold gusts of wind intensified even more. It was noticeable that the little one and Diana were already quite cold. 

“Well then, in that case, I sincerely wish you success and good luck! - Diana said, again turning her gaze to the frozen silhouette of the defense-sentient. - It’s time for me to ‘awaken’ our winged helper, to return its former power by restoring all its systems,” - and once again it puzzled her why the Hidden Belt had not given any alarm signals about the approach of the Ials for quite a long time? It was hard to believe that they were not nearby, but reality asserted the opposite. - “And you,” - she affectionately patted Bertyona on the back, - “as soon as the navigation lights flash on, get inside the cabin. I’ll be back, and we’ll take off immediately,” - and she hurried to the opposite side of the defense-sentient, where the distribution panel of its entire energy system was located under the central viewport. 

When Diana returned, the little one was already settled in the cabin. Shivering from the penetrating cold, Diana quickly slipped inside. 

“Hello! Here we are together again!” - she said, greeting their loyal Friend. 

“Greetings to you!” - he responded in his usual metallic voice, as if their separation was only a short moment. - “Now that we have met, can I conclude that the mission was completed successfully?” 

“Absolutely,” - Diana confirmed. - “Everything went surprisingly well. Let’s take off!” 

“To be executed,” - was the reply. 

The engine of the defense-sentient came to life with a powerful hum, and the craft majestically began its journey upward. 

Outside the viewport, like frames played in reverse, the silent snowy landscapes flew by. Nothing disturbed their dead silence: only endless white plains, impregnable ice cliffs covered with snow, and a treacherous frosty wind whistling between them. Overall, the flight went without incident and, to their surprise, without any attacks from the Ials, unlike their journey to the Ice Abaddon.

“You know, Bun,” - Diana suddenly said, - “I’m kind of sad that Om stayed there. I feel that his presence is greatly lacking. I am convinced once again that appearance does not matter, because, even if someone is not like us, but, say, is made of light or air, but they are kind, attentive and always come to our aid, our heart is very quickly drawn to them and becomes attached. This is because such beings give a sense of safety and warmth. They do not judge, they are there when things are difficult, and their kindness feels like a warm blanket on a cold day. I will tell you, as a rule, kind beings are usually very sincere. They don't pretend, their help and care are real. And real feelings always get straight to the heart. After all, when someone is sincerely interested in us, listens and tries to help, we feel important and loved. It makes us stronger and happier,” - and as if remembering something again, she sighed and continued, - “I want to say that when a being shows you attention, care, and understanding, your soul is drawn to them, because they become a source of comfort and joy. It's like how we get used to a favorite toy that is always with us, or to the familiar scent of home - it becomes part of our inner world, something very valuable and dear that we do not want to lose. Therefore, whether it is a person or an ethereal creature, if it gives us kindness, support and understanding, it becomes incredibly valuable. We begin to love it like a part of our family, because it gives us the most important thing - happiness and the feeling that we are not alone. Do you understand?” 

“Uh-huh,” - Berta replied, without taking her eyes off the viewport.

Diana raised her head and looked intently at the little one. This behavior was completely at odds with Berta's lively character. 

“This is probably the after-effects of stress,” - flashed through Diana's thoughts. - “Apparently, such turbulent experiences, accumulating, still make themselves known. Perhaps it is better to leave her in silence - it will be easier for her to come to her senses after everything she has experienced,” - and, placing her hand on Berta’s back, she began to quietly and soothingly stroke her.