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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
THE OUTLAND 77
Top-top, top-top. Breathing should have gone astray about five minutes ago, there should have been a noise in the head, saliva became viscous, and the liver responded with a chip. I know this because the mage is not in his own right a creature with the most outstanding physical fitness. And yet, top-top, top-top, back straight, arms like pistons, and lungs like bellows. I do not get tired, as if I have turned into a car, barely touching the pavement with my toes, and therefore more flying than running."To the boy who took the Word: you must not blindly follow the precepts of the teacher. There are no axioms, there are no truths without proof. Doubt everything, check everything, for what suits your teacher may not suit you, and what suits you can kill your teacher.Try everything yourself, and until you are convinced that it works, do not dare to memorize, memorize and turn it into a habit.- Stop! - From behind came numerous screams, the clang of metal, heavy steps and reckless swear
THE OUTLAND 78
For you can try to lift the stone with your hands, or you can use the lever. You can fight without a weapon, or you can take a sword. Know thyself, child."At Askolta, as usual, there was a huge queue of those who wanted to get outside the city walls - cheese and fish merchants, coal burners, mercenaries ... The port city attracted not only beautiful views, but also the opportunity to earn extra money. So people from all over the area were drawn here. I didn’t have a goal to make money, in fact, I brought the money myself - but whether it’s enough to charter a ship to Exod remains in question.Either way, if you don't try, you won't know. It will be extremely funny if I don't have enough money. I did not understand the local exchange rate yet, I only knew that the exchange rate was going on, as is customary in medieval worlds, at a hundred coins of a low denomination for one coin of a high one. One hundred coppers - silver, one hundred silver - gold.If the captain asks for gold for t
THE OUTLAND 79
I don’t know what rules the world around me works by, but since I don’t believe in blind luck or the evil eye, I find it difficult to answer directly why, in the case of Warkart’s gift, I chose the least suitable assistant, and planted in this race on the tail of the worst rival.The city was buzzing, people were talking:- You heard? The sorcerer is back!What sorcerer?“The one that dived off the Blighted Cliff.“But none of those who dived survived!”— Sorcerer. - Philosophically answered them. Probably used some kind of magic. “So it’s him being chased through the streets?”- Yes.— I don't understand anything. Why run? Can't you just take a few mounted patrols and grab him?It is forbidden. The word about movement extremely intelligibly conveyed that in any of its actions, both forces should be used - both external and internal. The inner strength carried me along the cobbled streets, and the outer strength helped me not to get caught. Of course, I didn’t grow up in this city, I
THE OUTLAND 80
— He ran to the warehouses! - It is clear that the conscious population is again on the side of the guard. - Right.I looked around in a hunted way, trying to find at least some way out of the unexpected impasse. Is it all? Will my luck finally fail me, my magician will be burned, and I will have to start all over again?No I do not want to!Noticing a gray painted door, I jumped up to it and hit it with my shoulder with all my strength. Almost broke a bone."Idiot, the door opens on itself," the voice of the director was heard. Yes, I remember that joke too. And it's true. The gray door swung open easily on well-greased hinges, letting me into a dimly lit warehouse. There was also a thick beam, ideally located on steel hinges.Well, I have a few minutes in safety. But what's next? I did not just look into Askolta to run a race with the guards. I need a ship to Exodus!True, I'm afraid it's not in my current position to roam the port and bargain. I don’t know if Rick alone is able to
THE OUTLAND 81
I woke up in the dark, under the lulling splash of the waves, feeling the floor swaying under my feet. Slowly, melancholy - up, down. There was a smell of the sea, shouts, whistling, laughter were heard from somewhere. Am I still in the box? Probably not. To hide in breadcrumbs, I had to bend over three deaths, and now I was clearly standing."Movement of the hands is limited. - The system reported. - Status: chained."“What the…” I stretched my arms forward, took a step, and stumbled upon a thick, cold metal bar. There is another one nearby. Lattice?It is not clear where to tie up with such awakenings. On the rack, under a bush, now - here, in the dark with chained hands and a sore head. Well, leaving a hero in such a vulnerable state was a lottery on either side. And I've never been lucky in the lottery. I'm sure I'm far from being the smartest, and certainly not the only one who has tried to optimize a gaming session by ending it a few minutes before midnight, and resuming it ri
THE OUTLAND 82
— Commander! - A fighter, it seems, of medium distance interrupted my thoughts. Nameless.Nevertheless, we must eliminate this annoying moment and get acquainted with the available forces.Yes, fighter?- That. Federal Laurasian Protectorate, Branch K9, Subdivision of Communications and Cyber Security. - the fighter minted.- That?— Call sign. Ashur Mitsak if according to the metric.- Well, let him be. What did you want?“I overheard your conversation a bit, and it looks like we have the coordinates for the Conquista Capital World!”- Where?— Yes, I messed around with your navigational equipment. Gorgeous technique, I must say! Taking into account Antey's map, we managed to lay the shortest route almost to the Xolotli temple itself!“Are you also impatient to bomb everything there?”Thoth's face darkened.“They brought a lot of pain.Did they shoot your dog? - Antey flaunted knowledge.Not a dog, but a friend! It's as if they took away from you and broke your Manyunya!- Hey, hey