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THE OUTLAND 69
Just a boy of about thirteen in a once white, but now rather gray shirt smeared with grass juice and knee-length short pants, barefoot, disheveled. In his hands is about the same stick as the one that the hound had just gnawed. What is he doing here? To the nearest village stomp and stomp.- Guy, leave immediately, it's dangerous here!I wanted to say this, I even opened my mouth, but what happened next happened too quickly - he somehow instantly appeared next to me, hit the staff with a force with a stick, knocking it out of my hands. He buzzed somehow offended, flew to the ground, and I fell to the ground, feeling that for some reason there was absolutely no strength left."Attention, severe blood loss detected! You should get enough sleep and food! Attention, necrotic infection detected! You should see a doctor or get enough sleep!"Thanks, very timely.- Wait here! - The boy shouted and rushed out of sight to the hound, with the same crazy speed, turning into a blur during the mov
THE OUTLAND 70
“It's just,” I began, choosing my words carefully, “I've only seen this before with fighters in a special condition.Combat trance. Or frenzy, if you like.- I'm not a fighter. The boy looked away. - I'm just good at something. Can you get out on the road on your own? I would like to get here. - To the road?No. The victory over the hound, the return of the decoration - all this does not cancel the fact of the hunt for me. And in my current state, I suppose even a lame chicken will defeat me. - Clear. Well, what should I do with you? You can’t leave here, you yourself will definitely die ...The guy was thinking, and out of the corner of my eye I caught some movement in the seemingly disordered dump of bones. Where a dozen skeletons lay, something moved, forcing them to turn, to line up in some common figure.- What is it? I interrupted, pointing impolitely at the skeletons.- It? That's what you did, motherfucker!— Yes, what have I done?Yes, cleaning is cancelled. — The boy hurri
THE OUTLAND 71
- Well, sorcerer, how do you like my home? - Zhdan with a satisfied look looked around the only whole room left in the place of the ruins. Well, as a whole - relatively, of course. All four walls are in place, and as a roof, he dragged spruce branches, which protect well both from rain and from possible frosts. Otherwise, it was really quite comfortable here - a cleanly scraped table, littered with scrolls, the floor was covered with rugs, even glass remained in the window, and in the corner there was a kind of fireplace with a chimney leading to the roof. Well settled, nothing to say.- I like. – I answered without trembling. “But tell me, please, why did you bring me here?” “What, should I have left you to be eaten by a knuckle?” The guy winked. "Or let the staff eat you?"- Of course not. By the way, I never thanked you for...- Oh, it's empty. He waved it off. “I couldn’t leave a man in trouble. Somehow this is not good. But honesty for honesty. Come on, you first tell me how you
THE OUTLAND 72
“Dar… No, not like that. The spider gives not some kind of speed, but a whole doctrine about what is happening in your body, how to control it, and how to use not only your own or divine powers, but also ... - Zhdan cut himself off and looked suspiciously in my direction. “So are you, sorcerer—I don’t feel Warkart’s emanations from you. Why do you need his trifle? Are you looking for Okama's invulnerability? His powers? You know everything has a price, and if you don't pray to Warcarth, the price will be even higher for you.- I thought about it. I confessed. “Just when the hound attacked me. All artifacts obviously draw from somewhere ... let's call it a working resource. That is, they, in essence, represent a kind of magical mechanism with an energy source located ... Here I got stuck, and then a hound attacked me. - Clear. Well, sorcerer, congratulations - you have reached a level of your mind inaccessible to khaang hangers-on. Almost understood how their jewelry works. Nearly.-
THE OUTLAND 73
Yeah.I clearly imagined with what expression the last priest of the Spider would meet me - it must be understood, far from being a herbivore - and with a sigh I abandoned this idea. And what can I find here? Christmas tree birches still at the very least resemble the earthly ones familiar to me, like those that have sprouted through the asphalt in sleeping areas, but what about the berries? What can I find with my no level of herbalism? Now, when I pick up a full handful of some raven's eye or a wolf's bast, then my savior will rejoice."Why did I even agree to this stupid hunt? Isn't Zhdan, as a hospitable host, not obliged to greet the guest, set the table, feed and drink ..."The forest will answer me with another contemptuous chuckle. No, this is where you have to think. Understand causes, effects and logical chains. First, the food I'm getting is unlikely to be marbled beef or shrimp rolls. Most likely, I will not find anything but vipers and rats here. But if Zhdan offered me
THE OUTLAND 74
- Not hazing, but discipline. - Zhdan said instructively. - Look to your right - there should be a salt shaker on the table.“Yes, you have everything here, as far as I can see. Where does the recluse have such wealth?- From corpses. Zhdan answered shortly. Salt, money, weapons."But don't you want to go public?"- Why?- Well I do not know. Find new followers, for example. Expand the teachings of the Spider.- I do not want. I myself will definitely not die until this new trash is overturned into the ocean, I will be able to fight back. And as you can see, the novice was sent to me by the Spider himself when he considered that there was a need for this.“So the Spider sent me.- Exactly.Oh, and a sly look! No, Zhdan looked like anything - mischievous, funny, relaxed - but not like a religious fanatic.Do you believe in Spider yourself?- And what to believe in him? He visits every day. When the red stone was brought to the clearing, he warned that the undead would try to take it fo
THE OUTLAND 75
Returning to the game the next day, I hardly kept a strong word and froze - it turned out that I was standing in the water, and at my feet teeming with vipers. "So I played it," I thought. "Thank you all, let's start over."Or not? There was something strange in everything that was happening - the snakes purposefully crawled, but did not hiss and did not show other signs of aggression. It was like they didn't notice me. And why?I raised my translucent hands to my face - the right one, wrapped in some kind of rag, and the left one, which, it seems, is needed by someone just like that, wounded. Someone - I mean, it's me. Well, the me that stayed in the game while the other me went offline and waited for the session to reset. Very confusing, right? One way or another, even in this absence of mine, the thaumaturge did not sit idly by — the skill of averting eyes rose to five units, boiling blood to three, but the mask remained as it was zero. It looks like the mage only used the skills
THE OUTLAND 76
So I made a contribution, first in the guildmaster's office, and a little later - in the already familiar trap room. And here I am again in a bare room, the only decoration of which was a fresco with Okama, cheerfully brandishing a club.“Hello, hello, dear visitor. - Rolled out to meet Uncle Kornus. - How can I and my library be useful?“The story of the Nameless One, the prophecies of his return, the Church of the Spider.- Wow! Kornus admired. “Outside of this stronghold, you would no doubt be burned at the stake just asking about such books. But luckily we can help you.— Historical section.Have you been to our library before? Kornus was surprised. But I don't remember you! And, believe me, I certainly would not forget the person of your ... complexion.- Long story. - I waved it off.- Well, that's good. The director looked at me strangely. I will send a librarian to you, wait.It evaporated, and I turned to the Yum Nak mural. Okama's eye was already glowing red, which meant he
Latest Chapter
- 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
- THE OUTLAND
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
- THE OUTLAND
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...-
