Тейлор Поттер и философский виал / Taylor Potter and the Philosophical Vial: Глава 14. Тайное Измерение

Chapter 14. Dimension of Secrets

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 09:48

Taylor felt very sick, but she shook herself and pulled herself together as best she could. There were practically no insects around, except for those in the pockets of her suit, but an attack wasn't on her agenda just yet.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 10:02

“Again?” she repeated slowly.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 10:24

"Have you brought the Hero's sword?" the robot asked.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 10:24

Taylor pulled the cylinder from her pocket and silently threw it, but missed, sending the sword flying high and to the left. The mannequin silently swung its hand forward, the chain unwinding behind it with a soft grinding sound, and intercepted the cylinder.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 10:25

"Do you know where we are, Taylor Potter?" the mannequin asked suddenly, still holding the cylinder in its hand.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 10:25

Now he reminded Taylor of the robot general with a lightsaber from an old movie.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 10:25

"No, I don't know," Taylor answered honestly.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 10:26

There were caves all around, and more robots, but that was all. Taylor's power didn't reach anything familiar, though Potter didn't rule out the possibility that it simply lacked the range. The word "again" and the robotic mannequins around them hinted that they were in the cave where the philosopher's vial had been, or near it, but in any case, somewhere beneath the Sphere.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 11:48

"This is the Dimension of Secret," the mannequin replied dispassionately, "and that means none of you will leave here until I want you to."

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 11:48

"What would it take to make you want it?" Lockhart asked unexpectedly, taking a step forward.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 12:50

"Potter will give me the stolen power, Weasley will help me master the new body."

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 12:51

Taylor involuntarily took a step back, realizing what the robot was saying. He was going to possess her, but how? Amy might be a master of biology, but surely a robot is made of circuits and electronics?

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 12:52

"Of course, you can refuse," the mannequin continued in a dispassionate voice, "but then the consequences will be far more severe. I will kill you, absorb your power, and release the Endbringers straight into Wormwarts."

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:06

"Endbringers?" asked Niceguy in a casual tone.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 12:53

“All nineteen of them,” the mannequin responded.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:06

And then Taylor felt a stirring in the adjacent cave. What she thought were huge chunks of rock began to move forward. Granger thrashed in her bonds, arching her neck so hard she almost broke it, trying to look behind her, where heavy footsteps were already coming from.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:08

Without the Hero's sword, Dumbledore is powerless, which means everyone in Wormwarts will die, and then the Endbringers will destroy the country around them.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:08

"There is no need for such sacrifices,” Taylor stepped forward, clenching her fists.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:56

Figures… Endbringers emerged, some almost brushing the cave ceiling with their heads. Some resembled humans, others were bizarre chimeras, and a couple looked like geometric abstractions. The only thing they had in common was a sense of power and inhumanity, heightened by the dim light and diffused floodlights in the cave. It was as if the elements came to life before Taylor, embodied in figures and awaiting orders. The robot raised its hand, and the Endbringers stopped, frozen like statues.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 09:00

Taylor noticed Lisa's face. Despite her gagged mouth, Granger was miming something, grimacing as if she were actively rehearsing the part of a monkey. She even tried to mimic something with her body, but the restraints binding her to the metal chair-like object were getting in the way. Victoria, sitting to Lisa's right, seemed asleep, motionless and staring at something in the stone ahead.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 10:44

Something about all this didn't add up, but Taylor was too tired, too exhausted to quickly figure it out. Her thoughts seemed to buzz and vibrate like bees, darting back and forth across her head, pausing for a second before darting off again.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 10:45

“Then come closer,” said the robot, extending his hand, which consisted of sections.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 10:45

Taylor glanced at Amy, who was shaking. Then, as if deciding on something, Amy lunged forward, pushing off from Victoria in a magnificent leap, ducking under the mannequin's outstretched arm, and jabbing a finger into its chest.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 10:46

"You make a mistake, Weasley," the robot said dispassionately, grabbing her by the throat.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:57

Amy wheezed and tried to tear the Hero's sword from his hand, but to no avail. The mechanical grip on her throat and the sword were irresistible, at least for Amy.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:58

"Come here, Taylor Potter, or she dies!" the robot raised his voice slightly.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:58

Taylor stepped forward, her throat dry. What could she do? Her brain couldn't find an answer, and all she could do was sacrifice herself.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:58

"Free the others!" she said, taking a few steps forward.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:59

The robot, without a word, threw Amy mercilessly onto the rocks that lined the cave floor. Blades emerged from its shoulders, cutting through the ropes around Lisa and Victoria.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 11:07

"Not a word, or everyone dies!" he growled at Granger.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 11:14

"There's nothing organic about me, stupid Weasley!" the mannequin addressed Amy. "Make me a new body!"

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 11:13

"Heh-heh," Amy tried to get up, rubbing her neck, "heh... I need material..."

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 12:16

The robot didn't answer, but several robots on the edge of the cave rushed up and quickly dragged several boxes, from which a barely perceptible cold emanated.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 12:17

"You can use your friends if you're not satisfied with the material," the lead mannequin said dispassionately.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 12:17

Amy muttered something under her breath and began working her magic on the organic matter. Granger, biting her finger, twisted her head back and forth, as if trying to take everything in. Taylor glanced back one last time, noting that Victoria was still lying on the floor to the right, and Professor Niceguy winked at her. Encouragement? A hint? Taylor didn't know, but she had no choice anyway, and she took another step, stopping about four meters from the mannequin. Usually, the nearby robot guards of the Sphere looked even more terrifying, with their three-meter height and featureless white ovals where their faces should be, but now Taylor seemed to have crossed a line, lost the ability to fear. Was it the result of fatigue and exhaustion? She didn't know.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 12:35

“Okay,” the mannequin raised his hand.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 12:34

Taylor half expected the robot to shoot out its arm and grab her by the throat, or stick some kind of transmitter on her forehead, but it did nothing.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 12:33

"Why do you need my power?" she asked. "What's so special about controlling insects?"

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:18

"Control... a-ha-ha-ha-ha," the robot suddenly began to shake, bursting into clanking laughter. "Insect control! A-ha-ha-ha!!"

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:18

Somewhere in the midst of that laughter, Taylor felt a connection being established between her and the robot, like an invisible rope or cable she can't feel but knows is there. And then, along that cable, something hot and elastic, like pulsating globs, rushed from Taylor to the mannequin, in jerks and jolts. Not physical jerks; Taylor didn't know how to put it into words, and she had no time. The connection was two-way. While the mannequin was drawing power from Taylor, Taylor was able to touch its memories and find herself absorbed by them.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:50

Light and pain, suffering and collapse, separation from the host. Jack stood before Taylor again, grinning into his goatee, raising his knife to strike. A piece of Dark Cape, not his physical body, a fragment of his powers, fused into some kind of pseudo-mind, darted to the side and seized control of the nearest mannequin. It was an agony of struggle and suffering, every second, the energy draining, and the robot disobeying. Jack struck, but a part of Dark Cape refused to give in. It wanted to live, and managed to hide in the depths of the cave complex beneath the Sphere.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 17:15

Jack didn't pursue, and the Dark One lay low, overcoming his weakness, working on himself. The mannequin was too damaged to escape on its own. The robot didn't need food or water, but it couldn't get up or get outside, so all that was left was to slowly work on itself, trying to make repairs.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 20:21

“Good,” the mannequin suddenly declared in reality, “the power flows within me!”

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 07:58

He took a step closer, and Taylor was able to peer further into his memory, as if the depth of the mental penetration depended on her physical proximity to the robot. The darkness opened, and another robot — a mannequin — appeared in the cave. It pulled its damaged companion out, not out, but into some hidden compartment. He deposited it there, saying, "Don't go anywhere," and disappeared. The Dark One was suffering; it was powerless to influence the incoming robot; some form of artificial intelligence circulated within it, primitive yet at the same time uncontrollable by the Dark One. He threw all the dominance powers this piece of the Dark One possessed into the battle, disregarding the losses, and yet he was unable to accomplish anything. If he approached with the powers of a Tinker, the enemy felt like an organic mind, but if he resorted to the powers of a Master, then to them his enemy was a robot and a piece of electronics.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:47

Then came the weakness, pain of submission, and the wasted energy.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 08:48

"Hurry up!" the robot shouted at Amy.

Camrad_RIP 26.01.26 в 07:59

Taylor managed to turn her head. A body lay before her, roughly human-shaped, as if chopped with an axe. Two more robots were supervising the work nearby, as if monitoring Weasley. Taylor's adversary revealed itself even further, and Taylor suddenly understood why it needed the body. Having split from the Dark One and gained independence, the piece had acquired consciousness and sentience, deciding to live and act independently. It was a very important piece, significant to the Dark One, and that's why it had sent the virus, that very primitive artificial intelligence, to take what was his.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:12

The virus entered Wormwarts along with the students, spreading itself among their tablets. It then infiltrated the school's systems, subjugated several elfs, and set about its task. The Dark One Taylor encountered last year hadn't expected the fragment that had broken away from him to gain independence and hadn't accounted for this, which is precisely what led to the lion's share of events. Perhaps the incident on the train platform was the virus's own doing, thus managing to bypass the defenses. False positives, the initiation of attack protocols, and so on—Taylor felt her head spinning from trying to understand and comprehend them, for she was receiving nothing but memory packets from the robot, and it was driving her crazy. What appeared to the robot, to the fragment of the Dark One, as mere memory, drove Taylor insane, and she hastily discarded that portion of memory, attempting to sever the connection.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:14

But instead, she only stepped deeper.

Camrad_RIP 25.01.26 в 16:14