Хроники Аскета: Вторжение / The Ascet Chronicles: Invasion: Глава 11

Chapter 11

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 09:42

The next evening Olga was waiting for me in one of my classes. Student fulfilled his promise: Chizhov allocated us time for extra classes and gave us this room on the condition that it would not be damaged. I wonder - what did he imagine when he set such a condition? I sat across from the girl.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 09:59

"What do you know about your aura?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 09:49

Maybe I shouldn't have started with a straightforward question, but this was my first time as a mentor-guru, and I was a little off my game. The girl was clearly not expecting the class to begin so quickly.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:00

"Uh, it's an energy field that surrounds every living thing and most objects. It is the source of the energy we use to create signs."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:00

"Not entirely right. Aura is a very complex natural component of our body, without which nothing living can exist. We psions differ from ordinary people by the size of one of the components of the aura, the so-called shell. This is the outer layer of the energy body, and the larger it is, the more often you can create signs. We are not interested in the shell right now: it's not your problem."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:01

"Aura strongly depends on the physical and spiritual state of a person, and this connection is two-way. A man has a toothache, and his aura turns blue in the same place. If you cut the aura opposite the heart with a psychic impulse, you will have a heart attack. The same is with emotions: the stronger they are, the more they affect the aura and vice versa. For example, if you experience dark, negative emotions such as pain, fear, or hatred for a long time, your aura will not only turn dark: it will start to deteriorate.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:03

"There's an analogy to be made here. Dark emotions act as a stimulant, causing a temporary surge of power, but if you take it permanently... You know."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:07

"Something similar happened to you. You were wrapped up in your grief, unable to think about anything but it. It would be nice if you could just rest, relax, but we don't have time to rest. So we'll go the other way around. You have to caulk the cracks in your psyche, which is a long and tedious task. You have to do the exercises I'm going to show you all the time - keep that in mind - you can't concentrate on anything else."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:08

"Are you ready?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:08

Olga nodded hesitantly.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:08

"Then first..."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:09

We began with the simplest things, with concentration. At first we just imagined a ball resting between the palms, and then this ball grew, enveloped the entire body, and turned into a kind of cocoon. Then I ordered Olga to count from one to ten while continuing to hold in her consciousness the resulting image of her energetic body without disturbing its integrity. Sooner or later the girl's consciousness had to reflect her real state to the imaginary aura. The method was crude, I had to prompt her all the time, but there was no other way. So far, there was none. Gradually we moved on to more complicated exercises.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 10:12

Actually, the fact that I distracted the girl from thinking about the dead was enough to make her well again. It was necessary to make her not think about the dead family, and in time she began to communicate with her classmates, to speak not only the necessary phrases and one-liners to answer questions, she gradually re-learned how to joke and laugh.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:29

The hatred of the aliens had not disappeared, but Olga was no longer bathed in it, reveling in suffering and pain: she accepted them as part of her life.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:29

A week before the third assault in my psionic career, unpleasant news reached us. Sergachev had failed to fight off the headquarters "well-wishers. And as the object of the cleanup was chosen Nest near Pskov. A three-tiered one. On this occasion, the senior group gathered in the recreation room.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:31

Student moved his palm in the air setting up the Shroud of Silence.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:32

"You don't want us to be disturbed, or are you just trying to avoid eavesdropping?" The Shroud allowed us to turn off bugs and other electrical devices - now we were sitting in the dark. It was the only sign we knew of that didn't have a direct attacking or defensive function. We should find out from Korobok where it was copied from and what the aliens were doing with it. Masking the aura, I guess.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:33

"More like the first. Even if someone overhears us, we're not conspirators. So if the guys listen to Wicked's foul language, so what?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:49

It was really worth a listen. Wicked wasn't sitting in one place - he was pacing the wall, piling up aliens, Gnezdo, officers, Sergachev, higher-ups, and smart guys from the rest of the department. Any philologist, listening to him, would have had material for at least a dissertation.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:52

"Wicked, sit down! If you have something to say, say it, not cry as pregnant moose."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:52

Wicked stared at the Executor:

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:53

"A pregnant moose!? I'm the pregnant moose!?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:53

Beerbrewer quickly set up an Air Wall between them. The two men were finally pacified, and once again Student spoke:

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:56

"As far as I understand, we can't change the situation: the order has already been issued. So all we can do is figure out how to clean up the Nest without any casualties. Give us some suggestions, if you have any."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:56

"I think the first two tiers should work in the old way, with three groups," said Whip. "On the third tier, we'll go with one or two, just to be sure. Once we storm the cell, we'll see how things go. It would be good to see the kids - maybe there's someone ready?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:57

The "kids" had been practicing for two months. Given their previous experience, they could really be taken with them to the Nest. A trial run, so to speak.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 11:57

"No need," said Student. "There's no reason to interrupt the learning process, Sergachev won't let them go, and rightly so. Who will come with us, ordinary Special Forces?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:01

"Yeah," Whip hissed, "I hear they're training a whole unit using our methodology, only those guys have small shells. But they haven't finished their training yet."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:01

"What do you mean by our methodology? All of our training is based on signs."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:02

"So they took what they could from us and use it."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:02

"I agree with Whip. " The conversation began to drift away from the main topic again, which Executor didn't like. "Although the previous scheme had proven itself, it would have to be changed on the third tier. Two groups, no more."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:03

In the end, we couldn't think of anything more productive, and Beerbrewer's timid suggestion to give up escorting the Special Forces was quickly suppressed. Maybe someday it will, but right now we're still too weak, we could use the extra help. The escort will exist until it becomes a burden, which will not happen in the foreseeable future.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:36

We went to bed unusually late that day, in the second hour after midnight.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:43

* * *
And here we are near Pskov. The area is densely populated by Russian standards, there are a lot of roads, and journalists and local gawkers are constantly trying to get into the cordoned-off area. Idiots.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:47

"Why is there a three-tiered Nest here?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:47

"The locals missed it," Hawk cracked an apple. "Lots of swamps, so they blamed the loss of people on them. They start moving when the creature got hit by a truck."

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:48

After the lifting of the veil of secrecy, people were flooded with information about aliens. And naturally, numerous sects, prophets, societies for study, contact, and other charlatan organizations began to multiply around the world like mushrooms. They greatly hindered the work on the detection of the Nests because the hysteria in the mass media fueled by all kinds of alarmists led to the fact that the aliens were seen even near the Kremlin. It was physically impossible to verify all the signals coming from frightened citizens - responsible bodies were overwhelmed by the flood of calls. As a result, things got messy often.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:50

But still, three tiers is too much. The Nest should take at least a year to develop to that level. The locals really missed it.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:53

Compared to last time, there were considerably more people on the site in front of the entrance to the Nest. Korobok explained that the lower the level, the better the chance of finding something interesting. By "interesting" he might have meant the most monstrous nastiness. That's why, unlike us, the scientists loved the multilevel Nests.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:57

This time the plan of the assault was developed entirely by Chizhov, which suited us fine. The escort - old acquaintances from the previous cleanup - also knew and trusted our abilities, thereby calming our nerves. After all, it's better to work with people you've known for a long time.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:58

"Who's that?" Brewer pointed a finger at a group of priests in silver and gold embroidered robes, standing near the tunnel to the den of aliens.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 12:59

"The Church has sent them to bless me." Whip jerked his liquid mustache. "What the hell do we need them for, if there is father Athanasius?"

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 13:02

Since the first Nest in Russia, Father Athanasius had comforted and instructed the fighters who fought the creatures, went with them on sweeps, and gave the dead a post-battle funeral. The presence of the new priests was somewhat out of place. Of course, we understood that the Church could not help but keep track of events related to outsiders, but we would have preferred to dispense with the unfamiliar faces. I didn't care much about the Orthodox religion as any other, and some of the guys took it seriously. The Executor, however, was a Muslim.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 14:43

The first tier was easy to clean - the experience was a factor. Problems began on the second tier. Almost immediately the Executor's group came upon a third-level creature that had managed to hide its aura. It tore into one of the fighters and spat an acid cloud at Whip, corroding the thick fabric of his jumpsuit. As a result, Whip went to the hospital, where he lay for four days, and I was transferred to the Executor.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 14:44

An hour after the incident, Wicked and the Beerbrewers noticed the transition to the third level. Luckily, they managed to retreat in time. Their group returned to the temporary camp, where Executor and I were resting at the time. And with a reinforced formation, we managed to take down the guards - two creatures of the fourth level. The first looked like a wild hybrid of a shark and a scorpion - at any rate, the fluid escaping from its tail was definitely poisonous. The second looked more like a pillow with wings, which is used to defend itself against our signs. All the spells it created were somehow deflected to the side, causing the creature no tangible harm. Against firearms, the alien used the Wall of Air.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 14:46

We had to chop the enemy to pieces with our swords - thankfully, his speed was not much higher than a human.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 14:47

The rest of the creatures encountered on the second tier did not cause much trouble, so after mining the passage to the third tier and making another round of the cleared area, we went to bed with a clear conscience.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 14:48

Before we cleared the third tier, we got a day to rest, to pull our strength. Daniel was stuck in the lab. My friends were scattered. I didn't feel like practicing, so I just sat under a tree and relaxed. To avoid the attention of onlookers, I hid my aura. It's an old trick, the first one Phantom showed us: a completely relaxed and calm person is hard to spot. The eye glides over the figure without noticing it, making the seated person completely invisible. He is seen, but not noticed.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 14:50

Nevertheless, someone came up and stopped in front of me. It was an interesting aura - as if braided by a subtle shadow, and intentionally braided. I could have sworn that the person standing in front of me was unfamiliar to me - it was hard to forget such a distinctive feature. And when I looked at him, I had the strange feeling that someone else was standing behind him - someone invisible. I opened my eyes.

Camrad_RIP 25.05.22 в 14:52