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THE OUTLAND 155
Another jump. Four meters down, six more left. With a running start, it was probably possible to fly over - but not balancing on one leg with a heavy brick on the backs. So turn for three hours - there the bot found another cobblestone with the sun half-hidden by yellowed grass.Turning at ten o'clock - three stones in a row, located so close that you can just go from one to another."Ooda retya," the elemental underfoot worried.— Ik. I answered him sternly.Two more meters down. There are four left. And the planner showed that somehow I would have to flap my wings and fly three meters forward! Oh well. It is clear that they were made for people. Although…"Level…"Shut up.Trying on by eye, I pushed the brick up and forward away from me with all my might. The heavy stone did not fly far - a meter and a half and landed on the surface of the earth with a frightening roar.— Ik.Taking a wider step, I stepped onto the island that appeared, from there to the last stone, and a moment lat
THE OUTLAND 156
In general, I was not even surprised when the feeder spat out a new headline from admirers of the avatar of humanity. Another god from the Younger Pantheon has died. Chandr, under whose wing they gathered the bulk of new players - southern latitudes, mild climate, not the most biting monsters. Well, who did he hurt? What mighty creature mowed down the entire pantheon? - the topikstarter asked with woeful bewilderment, and in the comments, of course, trolls of all stripes frolicked.The second most popular news unexpectedly turned out to be a debriefing with a deliberately spoiler name: "Chaos Academy raid wipe", in which a brave seven daredevils with blue-white-blue coats of arms and one rich "car" advanced against a strong raid boss, but slightly overestimated their own capabilities . Experienced fighters, all with the prestige classes of breters and nobles, none below the fiftieth level, have been swinging and collecting things with maximum characteristics for the whole month accord
THE OUTLAND 157
The fel knights themselves looked as if the weapon could not harm them at all - but one of them hesitated, and was immediately cut to the waist by a giant rusty two-handed weapon along with armor ... And then he got up - the wound healed, first on the body, and a moment later and on a cuirass!- Here you have to tinker. I grumbled, wondering where to start.Probably from skeletons. Of course, they can then try to get up, but with broken bones, there is little danger from them. Then the hounds, and after them we will deal with the Filth. Don't care about zombies.- You won't have to! Removing the familiar vial from her belt, the girl swung it hard and threw it into the thick of the battle.Inaudibly behind the noise of the battle, glass crunched - it seems that none of the combatants noticed this - and immediately the girl was nearby, hugged her shoulders, pulled down.- Lie down!And then it SHUTTER!A huge tongue of flame struck first at the level of heads, blooming like a flower, an
THE OUTLAND 158
And I wouldn't leave it, but, I'm afraid, even with the slander of a Chernobog, I won't be able to get anything vital from this colossus. Just because he doesn't have anything vital, damn it! Well, I will cut off his back and arms, mark him - for a long time I won’t roll like that! A tired warrior will definitely make a mistake that will cost him his health and life, and for several minutes now we have been swinging weapons at speeds exceeding all human capabilities.Kick, roll, kick, dodge. Corrida against a metal bull. Slipping, hitting, another scratch on the giant's shoulder. Torro, torro!The beak got stuck in the bronze and hung, and I flew back, receiving a crushing punch to the face.“Fight,” boomed the bronze.Fight. How? How? Fists? Or, it is ridiculous to say, a club? What can she do against metal?I rolled across the floor, dodging a heavy foot descending, jumped up, out of hopelessness, grabbed a club, glowing no worse than the crystals with the essences of the younger pa
THE OUTLAND 159
I just swore helplessly and soundlessly, staring into the darkness. Went to the fucking store for some bread. I mean, saved the world. Now start the character again, develop it. It's a shame! In terms of pumping, this one has moved much further than the previous ones.Okay, now let's come to Limbo beach in the close and warm company of Agnis, chat while the rollback and registration of the death of the next game character takes place. Maybe we'll cross paths with Yolka.Or not?The darkness did not recede, the fussy notice forbidding to beat your deity, blinking, nevertheless disappeared.But the timer has not gone anywhere:"Your character is in an unconscious state. Game session time has been suspended."So Ware didn't kill me? Seriously?!What happened to the bloodthirsty god of the Redskins, who once brought the whole world to its knees with passion and hooting? Soft, old? Opponents no longer kill, but simply cut down?I aimed at the timer, focused on it - an additional hint immed
THE OUTLAND 160
- First.“But…” “Honestly, I thought she herself had already tried, but it didn't work out, or something like that. - What about the status?No, no, I've never been here. My powers have been handed down to me. Here they come. Hey you two! The nearby alabaster figures turned their heads towards the voice. - Come here.The Corrupted obediently approached and froze.- Here's the rope. Hold on and don't let go. When I say, you will slowly, step by step, approach the edge. Do not let go of the rope.Silence.- It's good that you understand. Put it on, - she threw the already familiar cradle. - Make sure it holds up well.“I don't like all this.- Stop whining, time is running out! Put on.- You have a character, of course ... - I obediently began to entangle myself with belts.— Yes, not over the head, bastard! It's under your feet!“Since she was so smart, she would have gone down herself.- I can not. - The girl busily tied a rope to the protruding iron ring of the cradle, checked the st
THE OUTLAND 161
So, stop yelling.- I brought you a smoke so that it would not be completely dreary. he said, holding out a plastic box. - Lost your cigarette? If the doctor allows, I'll drag something to wipe the soul. I know from my own experience how dreary it is to lie down all day.- Thanks. I thanked. - Truth.- Nothing. I see you are already in the memory, in the mind. It is unlikely that you will be kept here for long. Maybe we’ll even roll up a corporate party! He smacked his lips. - "Flying" one of these days will again call at the port, so you yourself understand. New modems should not be put into business without preliminary testing.He slapped his throat so eloquently that it became obvious that he would have to test at least a liter.Okay, you have my number. If you suddenly need something - just dial! I'll take you any time of the day or night. In the meantime, I leave you - I see you need to whisper. With a wink at me, the chief left.Funny, so funny, of course. I remember that some s
THE OUTLAND 162
A long time ago, almost ten years ago, there was a breakthrough in the field of information technology - and we stepped out of the world of neural networks and adaptive algorithms to something that already had the right to be called a semblance of artificial intelligence. Of course, science fiction writers long ago predicted the emergence of machines with self-awareness, but the reality again outran all forecasts, being both more amazing and more ruthless than any human dream.We have always followed the path of least resistance, looking for the shortest and fastest paths. But in fact, it turned out that the universe is arranged differently, the most important processes never happen suddenly and instantly. Gene therapy and CRISP cured most of the ailments, extended life, but acted slowly, unhurriedly, throughout the life of the owner of the implant. The cloning of living beings did make it possible to grow exact likenesses of the donor - but at the stage of the embryo, which had yet t
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- THE OUTLAND
Epilogue
And then ... Everything went - as it went. And may there always remain worlds where people are lonely, where it is dark, and icteric palms of maples fall from the sky. One day Avdeyka and his mother... Aunt? The devil will break his leg in their difficult relationship. One way or another, they will definitely get there. Maybe one day they will get to the chair where my reader is bent from loneliness. Who knows, the universe is merciful and loves its children. But it is not exactly. But it is known: today the very first seven testers-gods got up from sleep. Eduardo, Shelly, Alexey, Umbra, Erebus and Nyukta, Selina. Alive, absolutely. Skinny, of course, like a spring rook, but quite sane. Shelly even tried to pick up her son from the distributor, but she was quickly explained that he would definitely be better there. Astrix also did not go away, although he got out from under the dropper. From time to time he walks into other people's dreams, treats him to strange drinks and cigare
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181
Rob, hurry up! Astrix's voice called. We won't be able to hold him back for long!The scarlet bloody whip in the air was overwhelmed by several multi-colored energy flows at once, trembling with tension. The thaumaturge, gaping, stopped bombarding me with new spells for a change and stared at the doomsday reigning in the sky.Who are you boy? Why did you decide that to treat you the same way as everyone else is the greatest injustice? Where did the thoughts in your head come from that people should be connected by feelings and affections, and not by common interests?I understood what all this battle was about, what the road had led to until now. The boy remained alone all his life, believing that he was just very unlucky, and that somewhere there must be friendly hands, a warm smile and hope for tomorrow - you just need to look properly. About the fact that the world is dying of loneliness, he learned much later, becoming much older.A world that didn't need a boy. A world that aband
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180
- Un-life. Why don't you rein in your robbers then? - I almost believed it. Nearly. “The corruption is preparing for a massive raid on the lands of the living, which means…- I know. But I'm still an avatar, my abilities are limited. And I can't go anywhere from here. To become a goddess in the fullest sense of the word, I need...— Believers! I slapped my forehead. - Well, of course. Followers, believers, own church.“We can start with the first knights. So... How do you look... - She blushed, looked away. - Well…“Become one of those ugly strategists?— Rob! You are to blame for their appearance! You can look whatever you want!- Nevermind. But you yourself understand - there is some complexity. If I'm next to you on Limbo right now, it most likely means that I'm dead. And a corpse cannot be turned corrupted. An undead connecting rod - you can, but not with Filth.- It's true. But something has changed.- Yes?“You see, two people from the same account came into this world. And one
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179
"I look into my eyes ... I'll touch my lips. And what to say when I'm gone?" - Asked guitar picks over the black Icelandic beach, and the night was surprisingly warm, not at all suitable for November in the northern latitudes of Limbo.Night again, beach again. Another terrible headache.“Rob, Rob…” Nervous, sensitive fingers stroked my head. “You never get used to the fact that the body is a weapon. Relaxed, believed in the brothers on opposite sides of the barricades. That's what I got. Did you get it?- I cant. I complained without opening my eyes. - I'm tired. Why do they keep killing me? We almost agreed, almost resolved the issue.“We haven’t decided, stupid Robushka. And they couldn't. Understand that from the point of view of Warcraft, it is he who overcomes fifty years of captivity, cut off from his loved one, overcomes obstacle after obstacle, trying to reunite the family. Or at least avenge their deaths. And when he wins, there will be a happy epilogue and everyone will be
- THE OUTLAND
178
He dissapeared."Spider, come on!" I pleaded.A silent prayer burst out of my chest and spread throughout the Oikumene, and when there was no space between me and the fury of the avenging god, a huge black sword, literally a millimeter above my head, was stopped by a blade of sand.“You should look for an opponent in size,” Astrix smiled white-toothed.So you helped him. Ware said slowly. "It's good that both of you are here!"- And what will you do? Ban me too?- Not.Ware waved his hand, and the glow of the font parted, releasing the already familiar crystal, which contained the powers of the defeated gods. Only this one was much larger, and not empty. Zhdan froze inside him with his mouth wide open from a tearing cry!- Oh, you're a creature. Spider said softly. “You do understand that after this you won’t leave here with your own feet?”- Don't care. I don't care at all! I will kill you both!The clapping of his hands fanned the blood around him, and the magician's body seemed to
- THE OUTLAND
177
Closed tightly, I almost completely stopped relying on the light, leaving only my new outlandish vision. It gave the picture with spots, intersecting lines, but the brain quickly adjusted itself, and from the flickering in front of the inner gaze, it independently completed a completely three-dimensional picture of the environment. The steps underfoot seemed new, almost untrodden, although the temple itself is definitely more than two thousand years old...However, this is logical. Only a couple of dozen people have walked this road. The senior pantheon came to the Font when it was still an ordinary cave in the mountain, and, of course, no staircase had yet been built. So consider it an untrodden path.Turn after turn, the levels went past - the sacrificial altar, administrative premises, the household unit, the barracks ... Soon, according to the sensations, the ground level also passed. This was told to me by my vision, since nothing has changed in all other parameters. There were n
- THE OUTLAND
176
The Christmas tree backed away, and I, sinfully squeezing past it in half, stared thoughtfully at my avatar. A savage Amri, a slave by birth, a pacifist by conviction - it was necessary to manage, in such and such a world, to get a lowered pain threshold! Laughter and sin, in general, are obviously cannon fodder, which usually does not survive even the first serious battle.But they survived. And they didn't even get scars. Unless, of course, do not count those inside. And, of course, a snowflake peeking out from under the undergarments. But this is not a scar, but rather a protective mark. Okay, good time to pull, it is already in short supply.- Hey, get up! I called.The spider said something about the reunion of soul and body. But damn, how to implement it? God somehow forgot to mention the technical details - either he really didn’t know, or for him such tricks are so in the order of things that they are not worth clarifying.No answer. Of course."Get up, motherfucker!" I shook
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175
- What?! I barked. - What nonsense! Xolotl is alive, I personally...- Killed her? Astrix raised an eyebrow. “Finished off what little was left of her?”But you are all alive. You, Ware, other scumbags. What happened to Shelly?- She was already unstable at the time of digitization because of the child, you understand? One and a half consciousness, working out of tune. Technique then simply did not provide for such a situation ... And now, you yourself understand. Pregnancy is a vanishingly rare phenomenon these days.“But she gave birth in those two thousand years.- Both in real life and in virtual, yes. But in real life, the process of childbirth is simply the separation of one from the other without any sacrifice on the part of the psychostructure. In the virtual, everything turned out a little differently.And who did she give birth to? Gary?The spider chuckled.- Does not give you a dream of rest, I see. No, not Gary. Who cares. The main thing is that the rejection mechanism at
- THE OUTLAND
174
Agnis exhaled convulsively again, but said nothing.— In general, it all started with Haang as the very first. He went to the abyss, where he deposed the archangel. Now all the Filth is in his hands. They do not touch people yet, but they destroyed one cemetery. Guess which one.“The same thing, without the ankh!” I gasped. “So there is no longer any protection between humans and the Filth!”- Right. Khaang's troops catch all living things and turn them into Filth - they accumulate strength. As soon as they accumulate enough, they move on. We have no idea where, but it is clear now: Haang will not be the only corrupted god at the head of this army. Soon the rest will realize where the game is fatter, and against the seven demons, I'm afraid even I can't resist.- Good. What we can do?- Restore balance. Astrix shrugged. — Return the ankh to its homeland, restore the lich of the plundered cemetery. Even one lich can hold back the Filth indefinitely, and if he summons a bone dragon...-
