Текст книги "Immortal"

Автор книги: Tina Bright

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Eyes could not catch where this hall ended and where another one began. People, or rather creatures that looked like them but in a different way, were walking around. I knew right away that they were the Guardians. They had the same sheath on their belts as Eugene had, and their hair shimmered in different shades matching the weird eyes. Some of them were fighting. It was difficult to call it "training", as everyone was making shrill warlike cries, beating at full strength, and some were even injured. Certainly, these guys had a serious attitude to their job!

Finally, we turned the corner and found ourselves in a small room. There was nothing but a table in the room, at which a man was sitting, reading the manuscript.

In a few minutes, I regretted that I did not bring a notebook and a pen, because it was impossible to fit in my head all the raising questions. The new ones kept coming, and the old ones kept disappearing.

"Eugene?" the man at the table was surprised in earnest. "What are you doing here? Why did you bring a human here?"

I smiled, secretly hoping that Eugene would get a good scolding.

"Tol, with all due respect, I would not be able to tell her everything she needs to know and explain the rules. That's why I brought her here. I'd like you to help. Moreover, we also need a place to train. The streets of Boston are not meant for it!"

"Look, he's not that silly! He knows the name of the city!" I said sarcastically.

The man at the table, whom I had not been introduced to, but apparently his name was Tol, stood up and approached me. He offered his hand and said,

"My name is Tol! I am the Commander of the Guardians! You have nothing to fear. You're safe here"

"What is the "Commander"?"

"That means I'm in charge here."

We shook hands, and I couldn't resist remarking,

"So, not everyone's a savage like this one over here, right?"

Tol laughed. He looked like he was in his early thirties. A small spot of black hair, which could barely be called a beard, made him look older, and one could think that he was forty already. His eyes were purple-rimmed of a completely unusual color. He was slightly taller than Eugene and seemed to be very intelligent. All the Guardians whom I saw in the hall, including these two, were overly muscled, like weightlifters and sprinters.

"Tol had been living with people for many years. He studied them and looked after the demigod, who managed to fall in love with a mortal," it was said with particular disgust.

"Eugene is still young. He has not come into contact with people of this century. And I had the privilege to live in human society for a few decades of the last century when people were a bit different. I'm not thrilled with what you're turning life into, but it's your choice and I respect that. The younger Guardians are much more categorical about your race…"

"I've already figured that out. Wait a minute. Did you say "the last century"? How old are you then?"

"I'm a little over 400 years old."

"Wow! Are you immortal like vampires? To be honest, I did not really believe in the supernatural until this day. And now everything looks like a dream, but if it's real then it's amazing that you can live for so long! And there's so much to learn!"

"We're not immortal! But we live several times longer than people. Vampires don't live as long as they do on TV."

"Are they real too?"

"Sure! How else would you know about them? But they are simple parasites that are even lower in the hierarchy than people."

"It's nice to hear we're not at the bottom!"

Tol and I laughed, and only Eugene pursed his lips in dissatisfaction. It was amazing how beautiful he was on the outside and how absolutely disgusting he was on the inside. I wish I met someone else as the first person of this world.

"Can we stop wasting time and tell her everything?" the guy clearly wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible. It would be better if he went about his business and left us alone.

"Yes!" Tol coughed. He put his hands behind his back and pondered. "What do you know from Greek myths?" he started from afar.

Chapter 3

«Wait, wait! Are you telling me now that everything in the children's books is true?»

"Most of it. There are some differences between the works of fiction and reality. As you know, we have supreme Gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Persephone, Hephaestus, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, and Dionysus. All of them, besides the last two, reside at the Heavenly Palace on Olympus but rarely descend to the Earth. The reason is that they can only remain as mortal on earth. The Gods in this guise can be killed, and many creatures know that. They wait for the right moment to attack, so the Gods don't risk anymore. They seldom come to us in the form of spirits or voices. Hades is the only exception. He spent many thousands of years to adapt to the world of the living and the dead, so he can wander on the Earth in his usual form. As a rule, his visits are accompanied by global cataclysms.

But he acts in the framework of the Balance that is above all the things. If the Balance is broken, the Chaos will awaken and swallow the whole world, including the Gods. It just so happened that the Balance depends on many factors. We are working day and night to protect it, but there are moments when things get out of control," while Tol was speaking, we wandered through the spacious corridors of the Guardians' Abode, and Eugene trailed somewhere behind.

"I understand what you mean by the Balance, the Chaos, and all the rest, though it's challenging to accept this, but can't we move further to the part where you're going to tell me of my role in this story?"

"Be patient! I'm about to get there. A few days ago, Charon, the Guardian of the River of Times, or Styx as you call it, escaped from his post. During his absence, several souls, which still haven't found peace, also escaped. That broke the Balance, which should be restored in the near future until the irreparable damage is caused," Tol stopped.

"I still don't get how this is connected to me."

"Charon had already run away before and had been brought back. He was punished but it didn't help. He left his post again. All this happened because of the awakening of his humanity. The only way he could find to free himself was to give away his Force. No one had ever done this before. However, he managed to improve his Force in order to perform this ritual. Prior to that, he was able to take powers from those who were dying and transfer them to the Repository. Now you have this Force. In fact, you're just unlucky enough to get in his way, but you'll have to pay his debt."

"What debt are you talking about? Can't you get that out of me?"

"Only Charon can. He is now invisible for us because he became a mere mortal, having given up his Force to you. Now it's your debt to pay. You must take one hundred souls from the impure ones to restore the Balance. The only way to relieve you of the debt is to kill you, thus, the Force will pass to another person. But it's unnecessary. You certainly don't want to die, and the other person might not agree to such a life either."

"What will happen if I disagree?"

"You have no choice. If you do not restore the Balance, the Chaos will absorb everything. Haven't you listened to me well?" Tol began to lose his temper but, seeing my expression, relented. "It will be hard for the Guardians to maintain the Balance without your help. But if you do not go the destined path, then everyone will face irreparable consequences. It means death to you. The Force of Charon is too great for the mortal woman. It will consume you, drive you mad. You will become dangerous not only for yourself, but also for your family. Eventually, you will die. But it doesn't end there. You will be hunted by all creatures to acquire what is inside you. Neither mortal nor immortal has the ability to take the power of others, only Charon does. That's why you, or rather what's inside you, are of great value. You will be either killed or tortured for the sake of the Force. The attack can happen at any moment and liquidate those who are close to you. The Marker that you killed is the lowest creature with almost no power. You're lucky he was the first. Otherwise, you'd had already been dead."

"Who will carry the souls down the River while I'm hunting the impure ones?"

"No one is allowed to be carried until the debt is paid. The doors of the Shadow Realm are sealed, and only you can open them."

I looked at Tol. And he looked at me expectantly. I still could not believe what was happening. Could one blame me for that? I was a realist and never believed in the existence of such things, considering myths to be nothing but a beautiful fairy tale. And now I was a part of it. In fact, I had no other choice, and it was pointless to think of any. My life and the lives of my loved ones were at stake against the payment of some debt. Back then I did not realize how serious and dangerous it was.

But I got the feeling that Tol was not telling me everything. Did I want to know what he was hiding? For now, there was more than enough information!

"So… Tell me what I need to do."

Tol nodded and looked at his subordinate.

"Teach her everything. Answer all the arising questions. Protect her if necessary. You know what's at stake…" the last phrase was just too suspicious, but I decided to leave it there.

Tol left the two of us alone. Eugene was thinking about something, clearly not noticing my presence. And why did I get the nastiest of all the Guardians?

"Let's start with training," he stated and went somewhere to the side.

I winced. I doubted that we would be doing backflips or practicing supports. I could not do anything else. I was not a sharp shooter. That's why I did not even get into the school lacrosse team. One could even barely call me strong.

But after some thought, I decided that it was a great idea because, finally, I had the opportunity to center out this cheeky fellow and spoil his smug grin. If everything that Tol had told me was true, at that time I was very powerful. I just had to figure out how to use that power.

"What powers did the Marker possess?"

"Almost none… He was able to refract the space."

"How's that?"

"He could walk upside down, using air as steps."

"So, he couldn't fly, right?"

"No, but getting to the top floor wouldn't be a problem. He also has amazing regenerative abilities. He can even regrow his limbs."

"Can I do this?"

"We can check if you want," he grinned again, and a smug smile appeared on his flawless face.

"I think we shouldn't. I want to get home safe."

"What do you mean? You're going to live here now!"

"No way! I agreed to play by your rules, but this does not mean that I'm going to sleep here. I have a family, a job, studies, and I'm not going to give it up!"

"You don't get it. You're a danger to your family. You can be attacked in broad daylight: at the bus stop, in the supermarket, at the lecture. The demons won't stop until they destroy half of everyone present. The killed people won't be able to find peace until a new Carrier appears. You'll have to explain yourself to your boyfriend, of course, if you survive using the Force. Do you want to make the headlines of newspapers and magazines? Then your life will definitely become a nightmare."

"I'll take the risk, but won't leave my family and my life! Especially since my loved ones can be turned into the bait to get to me. I'd rather be there to protect them."

"Then, you have one option left – to hunt them down."

"Well, it's a good idea! Darsy the Murky Shadows Slayer. Sounds great!"

"Oh, Gods! Help!" Eugene theatrically raised his hands to the sky, but the corners of his lips twitched in anticipation of a sincere smile. "How old are you? You're acting like a child! Even by human standards."

"I'm sorry, of course, but don't you think it's a little illogical to accuse a human of being a human? Is it my fault I was born this way? Did you have a choice whom to be born? A Guardian, a Marker, or a Human?"

"No…" Eugene frowned.

"And I didn't have that choice either. I was meant to be born a human, you were meant to be born a Guardian, someone was meant to be born a dog, and so on. It's nobody's fault. That's why I'd ask you to restrain yourself, and not for the reasons of basic education, which you are not aware of here due to its uselessness. Deal?"

Eugene did not answer but only nodded. It was possible that he did not quite understand what I had just said. But that point was in my favor.

"By the way, how old are you? Since we're talking about age…"

"I'm 232 years old."

"Wow! Is that much? Well, I mean for the Guardian."

"Comparatively not. It's like being a human of 24-25 years old. We spend half of this time learning the art of fight and strategy, observation and technique. Only then we take up the post."

"What's the name of this place, by the way?"

"This is both a training camp and home for all of us – the Guardians' Abode. This is where we spend all our time when our parents give us away."

"Wait… Will I have to learn everything you've been taught for centuries for a few days?"

"You don't need to learn everything. But, yes – it's not an easy task."

He shrugged and wanted to add something, but suddenly a young woman rushed up to us.

"Eugene! Are you nuts? Where did you get that from?"

She certainly meant me by "that". I could examine a stranger in a second. Judging by the presence of the sword in her sheath, she was also a Guardian. And even though it seemed strange to me, I did not ask any questions. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her long hair was braided as a fishbone and tied at the back of her head in a tight knot, apparently not to get in the way of the daily routine. The hair, like everyone else's, was of two colors: the lilac smoothly shifting to the black. The almond-shaped eyes, framed by thick, long eyelashes, were of the same color. Her body was slim, graceful, and feminine. The facial features were correct, and the skin was flawless. If I were a man, I would fall in love with that woman.

"This is Darsy, the human to whom Charon gave his Force.”

"Eugene, why did you bring her here?"

"I need a place to train her! Or do you want me to do it on the streets of Boston?" this guy sounded like a broken record…

"Anywhere but not here. That's gross."

"Hey, guys, I totally get you're not fans of people but I still can hear you talking…" I tried to defend myself, but the young woman went on scolding Eugene like I never existed, and my words meant nothing.

"Get that out of here now before anyone sees."

"Milena, Tol has already seen her and approved my decision. Moreover, he's the one who insisted on her staying here. Though, Darsy resists and wants to go home."

"Does this creature have a brain?" she was surprised.

I had only one thought in my head: why was this creature so beautiful on the outside and so ugly on the inside? Now even Eugene seemed sweet to me.

"Let's talk later! Now we need to train!"

Milena snorted and walked away, not even looking at me. It's not that I was against it, but I had not felt something like this for a long time, as if dirt was thrown at me, and dirt was not the worst part in this mix.

"Well, I see you are all so friendly that I'm already going to miss you," I said sarcastically. "Eugene, are you sure you're the good guys? 'Coz it seems that I'm in the wrong team."

"Milena's just not in the mood. And when she's like that she can be pretty harsh. She didn't like your presence, and she used it as an excuse to fight with me. She'll chill out."

"Is she jealous?" I assumed.

Eugene laughed as if he heard an excellent joke. I had to wait long for him to calm down.

"You are funny!"

"It was not a joke…" he raised his eyebrows, as if not understanding what I meant. "I thought you are close with her."

"Yes, it's true. She's my soulmate. Why would she be jealous?"

"That's what usually happens with people: when the bride sees her fiancé with another girl, she gets angry and freaks out."

"Oh! That's where you're getting… You know, it's just impossible. She can't be jealous of you."

"Why is that? Since you're so truthful, then tell me: am I a freak?"

I wanted to punch him in the sore spot, and then kick Milena's ass. I, of course, was not as stunning as his girlfriend, but to treat me like that was just beyond normal.

"No, you're not a freak. By human standards, you're quite attractive. That's not the point…" I suddenly felt better. However, it was not clear why I was so interested in the opinion of the Guardian. "Let me put it this way. I've already told you that people are the inferior race for us. Any relationship between you and us is abnormal. It can be compared to the love of a human to a dog, and not just as an animal but as a partner for life. I can't physically have feelings for a human, so it would be weird to be jealous of you. I really don't know how it works with people," Eugene looked at me.

"Interesting! Though, now it's hard to call me just a human. What are your rules about this?"

"I don't think there is a significant difference. Right now, you're just a Vessel into which the Force was placed, but, essentially, you remain a human. And it's not you who absorbs the taken abilities, but what's inside you. Sooner or later, this all can be pulled out, and you'll be a normal person again. But I'd like to warn you of the future. If you kill the immortal and absorb his immortality, you will become immortal. There will be no way back. You'll become a part of our world forever. Immortality can't be extracted. People will cease to be significant and cherished… Even your parents."

"But you're not immortal…Why can't you accept people for who they are? Why do you consider us the inferior race?"

"I was born this way. Not all higher races are immortal. But you can only become a part of our world by gaining immortality. Everything else must be returned to the Source to restore the Balance. Everything but immortality."

"How will I know the enemy is immortal?"

"It's hard to tell. Unless you study the races. But even Tol doesn't know them all, so it just must be luck… Tremendous luck."

"Are there any exceptions?"

"It's more like a pathology for us. Puzzling and strange. So be on guard."

"Nothing will change for me. They'll always be my parents. It's impossible to stop loving someone who is related by blood."

"Believe me, anything is possible. Now you know this. One can't fight immortality. It's either there or not. If you become immortal, you won't be able to prevent what's coming. Your mom and dad will no longer be the most important creatures, and your cute brothers and sisters will no longer seem dearest and closest. You'll be sick of the memory of kissing your beloved, and there'll be nothing you can do about it."

"Can I ask you something? Please, help me not to kill the immortal one and not to take his Force. I don't want to become a part of this world."

"Okay! I will help, but my abilities are not limitless."

Eugene decided to train in a small hall away from the rest of the Guardians. They always frowned and glanced in an odd way at me, as if I was a rat that had accidentally run into the kitchen of the expensive restaurant.

When we arrived at the place, Eugene threw me a sword, which was too heavy, and began to take off his leather jacket. And when he turned around, I screamed in fear. His eyes lit up as if someone had set them on fire. One could most likely see them in the dark as well.

"Your eyes…" I muttered.

"Get used to it. The Guardians always light up their eyes before a fight. That's how we warn the enemy of danger and intimidate it."

"Oh! Okay! It works," I muttered.

I could not take my eyes off those eyes: they mesmerized and horrified at the same time. Most likely, that was the purpose. But when Eugene took his sword out of the sheath, and I understood that his eyes were not the biggest problem of the enemy, that's me at the time. It was not like the laser sword from The Star Wars, I could clearly see the contours of the steel. However, the glow coming out of the weapon was unearthly. It looked tangible so one would want to touch it. The sword seemed to radiate the sunlight. The scene was fascinating!

"This is the Guardian's Sword. Each of them serves only its master, and no one else can touch it. It's hardened with Zeus's lightning, so there's no equal opponent for it – any steel breaks, bends, or crumbles in contact with it. The sword isn't given right away. One should deserve it through trials that often end with death, so each Guardian values it. Newcomers, of course, don't have such a weapon. They fight with swords like the one in your hands. We specifically invented this weapon, the one of its kind that can withstand the impact of the Guardian's Sword as the recruits have to train not only with each other, but with experienced soldiers to improve their skills.”

"Now I get it. But there's only one issue: I've never held a weapon in my life, except for a kitchen knife. How am I supposed to override blows of an experienced soldier?"

"Stop thinking and follow your instincts. The Force inside you will do the rest."

He nodded and took a stance. Instead of following the example, I focused on the feelings raging inside me. And rather a few accumulated over the past few hours. Fear, resentment, hopelessness, distrust, fatigue, and anger fought inside with no means of relief. I could feel the Force they all were talking about. It seethed, flowed the same way as emotions, and longed for release. And I let it out. A powerful flow of energy formed a sphere, took the form and crushed the Guardian with the black mass. I thought it would take Eugene long to get from point A, where he was standing, to point B, where the hall walls were, but this did not happen. He did not even move. The ball just flew through him and hit that same wall, making a hole in the next room. Those, who trained close to us, looked back in surprise and long could not figure out how half of the wall of one meter thick was blown away.

"Not bad!" Eugene said. "But I didn't tell you one thing. The Guardians are immune to almost all the Forces, except for the physical impact. We protect the Balance and must resist even the Gods, who may want to ruin it. So, your tricks won't work."

"Great! What am I supposed to do when attacked by one of you? Not knowing how to fight with swords, not having any weapon to withstand your blows and without your protection, I will become an easy prey! How will I protect myself from someone who can't be killed?"

"Firstly, the Guardian can't attack you because it will directly affect the Balance, and this is contrary to our purpose. Secondly, we can die since we are not immortal. Tol has already told you this. Thirdly, that's why I'm warning you not to go home! You're unable to protect yourself, and especially those around you. Think about it!"

"Okay! So, I need to learn how to use this thing!"

I got the sword and took a stance, awkwardly repeating the movements of Eugene. He nodded, and in an instant, the halos of his pupils lit up and scared me again. The next moment, Eugene lunged, forming an arc in space, which left a light trail. I narrowed my eyes, putting my arms forward without the slightest hope to withstand the impact and expecting that my sword would break like Eugene warned, but nothing happened. Having opened my eyes, I found that my weapon stopped the Guardian's Sword, and Eugene was smiling. He began to walk around, playing with his Sword and drawing spheres in the air. He moved so fast that it was impossible to keep track of his movements. I could only marvel at the dexterity of maneuvers and the caused hypnotic effect. It was pure grace.

"Now it's your turn! Attack!"

It was easy to say but not to do. I closed my eyes and lifted my arm, but could not even get close to Eugene, who only stepped aside. My sword dully whistled, cutting through the air.

"You're too predictable and clumsy. Stop thinking! Use your powers! And don't close your eyes before the attack."

"I've been living in the body of an ordinary person without any super abilities for almost 19 years, so I'm sorry that I don't know how to use them."

"Focus on your inner feelings. Shape the Force. Imagine how you control it. In fact, this substance is like water. It's in your powers to give it the necessary form like it was with that ball!" he nodded toward the destroyed wall. "You won't be able to harm me, but you'll be able to use dexterity, refract space, move faster, and hit harder. Do not act like a human. Do not give commands to the muscles but control the Force. Or let it control you."

Only Eugene knew what he was talking about because I, personally, didn't understand how to control something that wasn't mine and that I hadn't even felt until now. I sighed and concentrated, as I was taught to do at the first yoga classes. Meditation was not my strong suit. It always seemed a waste of time. It was not easy to find a hint of the otherworldly inside. I did not feel any special changes at rest. Even hallucinations, which literally drove me crazy in the morning, were gone. The anger that helped me feel the surge of Force just disappeared along with the huge energy ball that had destroyed half of the wall.

"I'm sorry but not today! I can't help it. This is all too much to deal with at once…" Eugene's ironical smile stopped me. "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you know what fatigue is?"

He nodded and then said,

"Look under your feet!"

I looked up and raised my eyebrows in surprise. My body hovered about half a meter above the ground, and my feet clearly felt the solid ground. There was no slightest hint that I was weightless.

"Wow!"

"You have to understand that it's part of you now. As long as the Force is in you, everything you take away becomes yours, and you can use it the same way you use your voice or hearing, for example. You don't have to try too hard, get angry, meditate or something else you've been thinking of. Just act!"

I nodded and smiled. If it's mine, then why can't I give this blockhead some business?

Further on, everything was quite strange. The feeling was amazing like I was a passenger in my own body, an observer. My brain could only perceive the changing images, and the mind hovered somewhere near the body. It was not me, but something inside me that was acting at the moment. I did not really want to be controlled, especially by something lifeless. I needed to find a way to cooperate with that Force and not just obey.

Picking up the sword, I literally came up to Eugene and made an attack, which he easily repelled, but I did not stop there. My feet walked through the air like up the stairs, and I could easily climb higher to hit from above. I began to like it with time. I moved more boldly and hit harder, trying to find a loophole in Eugene's protection. He was too fast, and I barely had time to notice his movements, which were so light that it seemed as if he was playing rather than fighting. Sweat flowed down my back and, pushing away from the invisible wall, I hung in the air perpendicular to Eugene, while swaying my sword. He did not repel the attack but bent down like Neo in The Matrix, and my sword whizzed past him.

In a blink of an eye, I noticed that we were being watched, having lost a few precious moments of attention. When I looked back at Eugene, he was already attacking. With every attack, blows came from all sides, as if there were several opponents. I barely had time to repel his blazing attacks, having the fear of being cut in half by his magic sword. There was nowhere to retreat, and I rested my back against the wall. Eugene was not going to stop the fight, even after cornering me. As if in slow motion, I saw him lifting his hand to strike from above, holding the sword firmly in both hands. I closed my eyes and prepared for the pain, but nothing happened. Having opened my eyes, I discovered that my sword stopped Eugene's blow.

He nodded and stepped back.

"Not bad as for the first time! Not bad at all! But your fear doesn't let the Force get released in full. You don't have to control the fight. In the end, you'll just die!"

"What do you mean?" I asked, getting up and shaking off.

"You have to unleash your inner demon when you fight. I do not think, do not analyze, but obey my inner warrior."

“That's lovely! You have a warrior, and I got a demon! Why is that?"

"The Guardians are neutral. We're created to serve the Balance. But you're a different creature. You'll have to fill the Force with souls and abilities of the Murky Shadows, demons, and other creatures. You can have only their abilities, so you get the inner demon. Let's go! I'll take you to the library! I need to take care of a few things, and then we'll send you home."

The library of the Guardians was amazing. Multi-level cabinets with numerous shelves and breathtaking stairs led to the cherished goal – ancient tomes, scrolls, and even leather scraps of fabric. All the most valuable works of the ancient literature were gathered here. One had to lift up the head to see the end of the bookcase. The territory of the library could be compared to the football field gathering all the most valuable specimens. But there was no echo as if the architect had specially worked on the sound insulation so that every reader could retire with one of the numerous exclusive volumes. There were also massive tables with chairs like in the reading room of the Royal Library. This library could not even be compared with the Harvard Library, which was considered to be one of the best in the world. All that I saw now was a thousand times more amazing than the university library. I even stopped breathing because I was so amazed by the view.

Since my childhood, I was considered a bookworm, and now I happened to be in the juiciest apple in the world.

Eugene led me to one of the tables, put a pile of books in front of me and said,

"Read this. In these books, you'll find the fundamental information about what's happening and where you're now. I'll be back as soon as possible."