"The Spinner" by Alexey Pekhov and Anastasia Parfyonova, summary

This fantasy novella, written in 2005, is a dramatic tale of revenge, the price of human error, and the inexorability of cosmic balance. The most remarkable detail of this text is the subtle interweaving of classical sorcery and the unique magic of witches, based on threads, patterns, and the maintenance of cosmic balance. The authors show how the blind greed of people collides with the ancient laws of nature, where every action inevitably entails retribution.

The origins of the tragedy

The events begin in the Cursed Mountains, where a band of experienced mercenaries, marksmen, and battlemages sets up camp on a high plateau. These men have endured many dangerous expeditions, but in these cliffs, they feel marked. A young sorcerer, Christopher d’Erieux, expelled from the Academy for non-payment, keeps night watch. He possesses a unique sense of magical artifacts, which has helped him make a fortune. During the night, Christopher detects a strange, piercing female voice singing a prophetic song about spinning and inevitable death. The mage attempts to track the source of the sound with a magical pulse, but the power fades, plunging the entire camp into nightmares.

Meanwhile, the backstory of the conflict unfolds. The archer Charlize informs the mercenary commander, Jean, of her departure from the gang. The mercenaries are angry, considering her a deserter and suspecting her of wanting to single-handedly hunt down a rare black griffin with white feathers on its chest. A quarrel breaks out, Charlize strikes Jean across the mouth and takes up her bow. The situation is further inflamed by the presence of the dark elf Delde, a dangerous marksman who merely watches the human squabble with amusement. The conflict is interrupted by Monsieur Le Taupien, an arrogant, certified wizard who has hired the group to extract valuable griffin body components. The wizard despises Charlize, calling her an illiterate witch, and threatens to destroy her if she stands in his way. Charlize silently endures the insults, knowing that academic sorcerers are blind to a true understanding of the universe.

The Witch’s Path and Weaving the Web

Charlize takes a secret, winding, and dangerous path through the gorge, a fifth the length of the main road. The mercenaries’ horses won’t make it here. Fifteen years ago, a black griffin attacked her family, killing her husband and young son. Since then, Charlize has lived only for retribution. Guided by her late grandmother’s teachings on the Law of Balance, she has spent all these years weaving a special magical web of death. Every thread of this lace was imbued with memories, pain, blood, and experience gained on campaigns with mercenaries. Charlize deliberately immersed herself in cruelty to perfect her weapon. To complete the spell, only the foundation was missing — the life force of the griffin itself, which must be trapped alive.

Having reached the twin-peaked peak and ascended to the nest, Charlize discovers a horrific scene. A group of six mountain goblins has already killed the black griffin, throwing a metal net over her and hacking her to pieces with axes. A plan for revenge that had been brewing for years is ruined. All that remains in the nest is a giant egg, which one of the goblins raises an axe to smash. Fury compels the archer to act immediately.

Unexpected birth

Charlize dispatches the goblin near the egg and the enemy shaman with well-aimed shots. The remaining creatures rush to attack. After shooting two more, Charlize engages the last brute in hand-to-hand combat, rolls down the slope, and kills him with a dagger. Wounded and battered, she returns to the nest. Desperate blows are heard from within the egg. Using the goblin’s axe and dagger, Charlize helps the chick escape.

The creature that appears bears little resemblance to a formidable predator — it’s wet, clumsy, and meows pitifully. Charlize draws a net of death over it, as destroying the cub will also prevent future attacks. However, the newborn griffin nestles trustingly in her lap, channeling wild, pure, and primordial magic. The witch despairs; she cannot kill the helpless creature. Charlize decides to wait for the chick’s father to cast a spell on him. But the little griffin, quickly drying and turning into a golden, fluffy ball, begins to follow her relentlessly, purring and demanding food. Charlize is forced to feed it the flesh of its dead mother. That night, dying from the mountain cold, the woman falls asleep in ambush, and when she awakens, she discovers that the griffin has snuck up to her and is warming her with its body. The witch’s hardened heart finally thaws.

Collision at the pass

The next day, Jean and Monsieur Le Taupien’s squad arrives at the nest. Charlize realizes she can’t escape — Delde the elf has surely tracked her. She mourns the fate of the chick, which the mercenaries will take to the Academy for experimentation. At that moment, a jagged elven arrow pierces Charlize’s chest from behind. Delde fires without warning. The mercenaries begin their ascent to the platform, believing the witch dead.

The baby griffin, sensing the death of its adopted mother, lets out a terrifying cry, filled with anger and pain, shaking the rocks. In response to this call, the father griffin drops from the sky like a stone. The enormous reddish-brown male unleashes a bloodbath. He instantly tears apart Jean and Victor, then destroys the remaining men and horses below. The mercenaries stand no chance against the enraged creature’s primal magic.

Charlize, using her remaining strength and the enchanted cord, temporarily stops the bleeding. She rises, supported by her faithful chick, and unfurls the black net. The adult griffin descends onto the platform, searches for the hidden Delde, and freezes before Charlize. A dialogue ensues between them. The sentient being recognizes the woman as the Spinner and begs for mercy for the baby. He explains that his deceased friend destroyed people, exacting vira under the Law of Balance, as human mages had previously destroyed their first nest.

Completing the pattern

Charlize understands the viciousness of the cycle of vengeance, but her spell has already been activated and demands a sacrifice. She casts the net upward. The great mage Le Taupien, hidden in ambush on the upper cliff, attempts to burn the web with a wave of fire, but the black threads absorb the flames, growing only stronger. The net envelops the wizard, plunging him into an abyss of nightmares and dreams. The spell closes, completely destroying René Le Taupien and dissolving into thin air. This black magic forever envelops the ridge, making it Cursed for anyone who would harm the griffins.

A dying Charlize lies on the rocks. The Griffin-father, honoring the Law of Balance, utters the phrase "a life for a life" and drops a drop of his healing blood on the Spinner’s face. Charlize loses consciousness.

Three weeks later, a distraught Christopher d’Erieux comes to the shepherds. The sole survivor of the expedition, he laughs, cries, and clutches a pack, claiming it contains griffin feathers. When the king’s soldiers retrieve the pack, they discover nineteen human scalps inside — all that remains of the detachment.

Years pass. The now-adult black-and-red griffin, Petty, and Charlize, who has remained strong and youthful thanks to her griffin blood, guard the peace of the mountains. Shepherds tell legends about the Mountain Witch. Charlize knows that the spell she wove will only be broken when people finally understand the value of balance and learn to live in harmony with the world.