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THE OUTLAND 95
Perhaps one of the nicest things about religion, from my point of view, is that going from a devout believer to an atheist is actually a breeze. It is enough just to stand before your god. When you know that the object of your prayers does not sit somewhere in the heights, controlling the fate of the whole world, but rather sits on the edge of the fountain and, waving his arms, arguing about something with another god, you involuntarily stop believing. For how to believe in something about the existence of which you know absolutely exactly, saw it with your own eyes, and so on.Complex issue. But it seems that the same Spider Astrix did not care about worship at all, he turned out to have other goals, other values. Ware, even before his sleep, preferred to raise children in a house on an island, and not pretend to be an evil uncle on a cloud. Yes, they should be like that, if you approach the issue with the utmost honesty. Thoroughly mundane, solid, once people, and now they have beco
THE OUTLAND 96
— And die at every meeting with Thomas and other avatars. Ware interrupted.- Why would you?“You spoke so confidently about your plans that for a second I even believed that you were fully aware of the consequences, ready to constantly run and hide.- Who are you hiding from? Why would?"The spider didn't tell you?"Astrix chuckled.“He’s been hinted at so many times today… I’m afraid if he doesn’t guess everything himself, I’ll be very disappointed in him.”Me too, my enemy.Both gods gave me a sympathetic look, and I felt like an idiot. Once again, it's time to start getting used to it.Yes, of course! Enemy! Okay, I'm sorry that I was a little tired, upset, plus I was shocked by the old man's statement that the Amri village would soon be replenished, and I was involved in this.But now it's time to start thinking! A blind priest, acolytes, in the end, Warcraft himself… They all knew, they saw the mark of the Enemy on me — another god, despite the fact that I didn’t praise Astrix a
THE OUTLAND 97
The old priest, beside himself with happiness, unmistakably found my shoulder and laid his withered palm:- My boy. My boy…” he repeated, looking past me and smiling. “I’ve been going to this for so long, I’ve been waiting for so long ... Will I really be present at the awakening of Warcraft!”“Well, well, father,” I embarrassedly looked away, although it was clear that there was no eye contact at all, “I came here for this, remember? “Yes, but the act of awakening is an act of good will. You yourself must call God to our world, home, no one has the right to force you. And you may not want to.— Yes, I understood everything.“Come, I will take you to your chambers so that you clear your thoughts and leave a letter to the executor.” - The old man let go of my shoulder and, turning around, trotted to the corridor leading to the guest wing.- Soul ... What?“Of course, there are far fewer servants of the couple now than fifty years ago, and we will not be able to hold a holiday worthy o
THE OUTLAND 98
"Rob, don't sleep! Now is your way out!"“The Stranger calls for Warcraft, we call for Warcraft!” The amazingly strong and clear voice of the blind priest easily interrupted both the muttering of the novices and even the hum of the wormhole. - Wake up!— The Stranger is calling. The hall immediately became crowded from the feeling of some irresistible force, similar to the one that crushed me to the ground under the gaze of the bone dragon. Psychic attack? - Wake up. I muttered.We are a slave, we have no name. We have always waited for the return of the one who will give us strength and purpose, arm us with knowledge and lead us forward, burn cities and build our temples on their ruins. We are a slave, we have no history.Somewhere I have already heard this."Rob, then everything is behind you," whispered in consciousness again."Vessel of the Void and Unbreakable Bonds. Did you know from the beginning?!""Of course I did, you bastard! Do you think you just got those abilities just
THE OUTLAND 99
Yes, mere trifles, like Roza, who destroyed the department, and Edik, who has been collecting himself piecemeal for a month now. And the second one is fine - he himself was at risk, but what about the girl? Unclear.Shrugging my shoulders, I dived into the underground passage leading to the subway and half an hour later I was at home.Home Sweet Home. Boxes with protein bars, batteries with mineral water and a comfortable chair, where you can lie down to sleep if necessary. Nothing fancy, perfect place for a loner like me.Actually, I'm going to sleep now.— Run DP4, direct connection!And I dived into an unprecedentedly real and alive, in comparison with the previous episode, the world of "Far Search"!"Commander," Frost reported. - The squad is fully equipped with weapons and protection! Some fighters wished to keep their more familiar gunpowder weapons, I allowed it, since they are not embarrassed by the extra heaviness.- Accepted. How are things with psi-defense?- Built into the
THE OUTLAND 100
I sighed and ordered:- Open it.Antey was the first to run into the test, carefully clutching the printer to his chest, other fighters followed him.Thirty seconds.Enough to activate the emergency flooding system, attach explosives with a timer to the control panel and installation ring, and, escaping from the rising water, jump!And immediately dive, roll away from the offensive grenade that flopped into my place!— Conquista, damn it. How did they find us so quickly!“These are back with protection!” Faye screamed. They all seem to be like this now!“Nothing, you won’t take us so easily!” Antaeus?“Twenty seconds to reload!”Here is the main difference and minus in all other respects of a wonderful weapon. Extremely low rate of fire.I looked around the building we were in. Or rather, ruins. Once there was a school or some kind of house of creativity, but time and war did not spare him. The ceilings, riddled with bullets and burns from weapons like Manyuni, held only miraculously,
THE OUTLAND 101
- What is it?— Exo-skaf! - Antaeus answered, knocking down the lock with a blow of an armored fist. - Armor like a tank, servos and heat dissipation systems that almost double Manyuni's rate of fire!“So, super-protection?”- Yes! That is, no. It will not protect against psi, and if they take control of me, you will have a very sour.— He, Froze, look at our friend's armor? We don't need a juggernaut in the rear.Let's see, Commander. Fros nodded. “But first, let’s mend the wounded.” What are our resources?- In excess of carbon, iron and aluminum. Fay said. - For the initial deployment of the base is enough, but for something more serious you already need to look.- Will you stand on the unloading of drawings?“If you promise me a shower and a piece of meat for dinner.”— There is stew in the refrigerator. Antey responded, examining the new thing with loving eyes.- It will do. I'll start with the hospital, perhaps. Faye nodded to us and disappeared from above. Soon, a thoughtful bu
THE OUTLAND 102
Only now did I pay attention to what was happening around, to shapeless piles of meat, blood flowing in rivers on the paving stones ...And folded in half in a fit of nausea. I hadn’t eaten anything yet since morning, and the surgical operation cleared what was of the younger gods, so I had to vomit bile - bitter, sour, which made it even worse.“Wow, what a sissy,” Ware grinned dismissively, pulling himself into my chest. Also a blood mage. How are you going to reach the heights of mastery if you are sick of flesh and blood?“I… Kh… I'm not going to achieve anything. I would like Foma. — The flimsy man went.Warcraft clapped his hands, and a wave ran in our direction from the open ocean. Unusual, too tight, too fast. She looked at us and saw!- What is it?- Where?- Wave.- Cleaner.The water reached the very pier and, ignoring all the laws of physics, climbed up the piles, along the walls, with a contented rumbling, pounced on the scraps of meat, acting quickly and with pleasure.