Читать книгу Universe Аeternov. Book three: A Heart in Ashes - - Страница 6

The test begins.

After their triumph in the Desert of Forgotten Names, where Alexey and Lev not only preserved their memories, but also restored their voice to dying names, the next stage of the «Marathon of Return» awaited them.

A stage that rarely passed in one piece.

The stage where it wasn’t the bones that crumbled, but the oaths.

Mountains Of Broken Oaths.

Of the ten teams that started at dawn, only three made it to the foot of the spurs.:

1. Team of Light – Alexey Mechanic and Kitty the Lion.

2. The Bad Guys’ team is tired but unbroken; they lost the Mad Mammoth in the Lakes of Noise, but they didn’t turn back.

3. The Ghoul Shadow Brothers are ghostly runners whose cloaks are made of black sand and whose compass eyes indicate the enemy’s deepest fear.

The finish is one.

There is only one prize.

And only one team will receive the Eternal Pulse Crystal, which can not only restore the Core Heart, but also restore the lost tomorrow.

Mountains of broken oaths.

The rocks of these mountains were not only sharp with stone; they were sharp with the essence of betrayal. Each fragment was once someone’s promise, broken under the pressure of circumstances or weakness. Each crack is a chrono – wound in which time flowed backwards, forcing the runner to see the moment when he took a wrong turn.

– Careful, – Lev said softly. His laser eyes glided smoothly along the path. «Even your own shadow can seduce you here.»

Alexey activated the Core-Heart shield and stepped in first.

«We’re not running from the past, – he said. «We’re running through it.

Chrono traps.

The first path met them with a sudden lapse of time.

Alexey

In an instant, he became a soldier of the Chrono Galaxy again. In front of him is a tactical selection screen:

on the left is the name,

on the right is the Sand of Time, for which his squad was responsible.

The voice of command thundered in his ears:

«Sacrifice is necessary. You are not the father. You are Aeternov’s shield.

But Alexey, who had passed through the Desert of Oblivion, did not flinch.

«I’m both, – he whispered. «And I choose memory over emptiness.»

From his breast pocket, he took out an old hologram of his daughter – a barely lit face laughing towards the world – and carefully placed it on the stone.

«I remember you.» And that’s enough.

The rock beneath him trembled – and parted,

allowing him to pass on.

His trap was different.

He saw himself – not as a Lion, not as Kitty-9, not as a living plasma creature, but as a cyber-cat from the Mekhanos-9 laboratory, forgotten in a corner of a noisy workshop.

The voice of the inner AI sounded like an icy verdict:

– You’re a mistake. You are not needed. You’re a waste.

But the Lion only snorted – briefly, loudly, defiantly.

«A mistake?» Me? I am the fluffy apocalypse! Even if the whole world forgets my name…“ he switched on his laser eyes, „the dot on the wall will still be waiting for me.

The chrono-trap flared up, then crumbled to ashes, as if admitting defeat.

A trail of glowing footprints remained behind him, as a reminder that laughter is stronger than programs.

The battle at the top.

The peak met them not with the wind, but with enemies.

The Bad Guys and the Shadow Brothers had been the first to climb up here, and now they stood like a wall, as if the mountain itself had decided to give them the last test.

«You won’t get through!» Wrath-9 growled. His saws spun so fast that the air screamed.

– And we are not going to pass, – grinned the Lion. «We’re going to fly.»

Alexey activated the flying boots «Star Dog-9», and Lev activated his legendary «Space Massage» mode, which usually caused existential panic among enemies.

He jumped on Wrath-9’s back and shouted right into his ear.:

– Hey, buddy! Do you want a joke about a cyborg who was afraid of heights?

«There he is!»

And he turned on the laser pointer right above the back of his head.

Anger-9 froze, struck not by pain but by delight. His saws slowed down and then dropped completely. He collapsed to his knees, dreaming of a personal pointer.

The Shadow Brothers tried to disappear into the shadow of the mountain, but at that moment, Vika’s quiet voice – watching the marathon through the mirror of silence – whispered:

– They are afraid of laughter.

Their vow is to remain silent.

Leo instantly took the hint.

And without hesitation, he began to sing. Fake, noisy, but with such joy that even the rocks trembled:

When two Shadows rushed forward,

One stumbled, suddenly… and smiled!

And having stopped being silent, I understood —

Being human is sometimes more important than darkness.…

The Shadow Brothers froze.

And then they burst into tears with butter.

– We… forgot how to laugh,» one of them whispered.

Alexey came over and put his hand on his shoulder, gently, as if he were a brother.

«Nothing.» We will remind you.