Глава 16

Then stop.

Stop—

Stop it all!

I cannot stop what never began.

What you see is only in your mind.

Mantra stops trying to communicate. She steps forward and tries to steady the trembling red, white and black threads.

As she stretches out her hand—

—Mantra—

Mantra!

What?

You were completely motionless.

I've never seen you like this... what happened?

Did you hear that?

Hear what?

The old woman does not immediately answer.

She looks around and realizes that the remaining miners look different from before. She frowns and glances around herself.

Where is Eloysius?

She heard me and ran outside.

So you did tell us to leave.

Yes, but I don't remember why... this is strange.

Mental Arts.

Are you sure? I've received specific training. I would not be defenseless against such attacks.

Check for short-term memory interference, Raidian.

What sort of interference?

Interference that I can create.

One time, I had Mechanist forget that he wanted to ask you about borrowing Dendie and Axie. Not by wiping the memory, but by blocking its formation.

I remember... that was the first time you tried to use your Arts like that, I think? We forget when information in our brain is not successfully stored in the memory.

Yes. It was your idea. You are far more experienced than I am in the understanding and utilization of human bioelectrical signals.

You think someone here uses the same sort of Arts?

Unsure. Perhaps I just saw and heard more than you did.

What do you mean?

The Yurodstvo of Ursus may be here, Raidian.

Yurodstvo? Why do you bring that up—

The Yurodstvo is here? But the last Yurodstvo was burned alive in Grypherburg two years ago. Could another be born so soon?

I don't know. I'm going to find out.

If it's really the Yurodstvo, and it was hidden in the group, without me detecting it... then it's extremely dangerous.

I'll put the others on alert. Be careful.

The danger is not physical. Not yet, at least.

I'll seek help if necessary.

Don't forget it.

Mantra turns around and walks towards the place where the red was, a few moments ago.

The assembled miners either give way to her, or reach out to her.

Who are you... looking for?

We're still going, to Grypherburg, right?

We'll l-live...

(Nods)

But they look like, they don't want, to leave? I asked Dyadya Volya. He doesn't want, to leave.

He'd rather, his wounds rot, than to run.

But isn't surviving, the most important thing?

You're not, talking...

Stranger.

Are you going to see Nadia? Then go on your knees, and raise your eyes to her.

See her, repent, and be forgiven. Then you will realize how foolish you were, for struggling and failing to find peace.

Mantra neither assents nor dissents. She does not speak to them with Arts. She simply nods and passes them by, staring straight into the deepest reaches of the room.

You will understand... when you are in her presence.

A hunched, tiny grey-white figure sits at the end of the room like a statue.

—Yurodstvo?!

Impossible. It's impossible! The Yurodstvo is dead!

The Tsar granted the madman the mercy of defending himself before his sentence was pronounced.

Seven days! He engaged in sophistry for seven days without stopping, without eating or drinking.

He had the audacity to stand in the middle of the State Council, telling everyone who came to listen—

'I forgive you.'

His Imperial Majesty finally had enough and sentenced him to death, personally, but brainwashed believers attempted to raid the execution, resulting in the biggest riot in Grypherburg in a decade.

We know all that.

If Mantra said it was the Yurodstvo, she must have had the evidence to make the deduction.

All we need to do is protect ourselves and wait to hear from her.

Mantra does not kneel as the miners instructed.

She steps into the shadow, facing forward, as though there are a pair of eyes looking backwards in front of her.

I know you can 'hear'.

I hear your questions.

I hope you're more than just a pale imitation of my Arts and my way of speaking, Yurodstvo.

'Yurodstvo'... if that is the name you need me to have.

Explain.

Gabrielus, Solomida, Bessmert, Aurora, Nadia... or, perhaps, Yurodstvo.

I am all of them.

Why did you hide amongst these suffering people?

Because it is a journey of proselytization.

I shall walk this vast land and redeem the people from their sufferings.

And because I saw and heard her.

I stayed because of her pain.

Who is she?

A suffering soul.

You deceived her and made her call you 'Nadia'?

I never deceived.

You lie.

She asked as you did. I answered as I do.

That was all.

A meaningless response. What are you?

You saw me.

I see shadow without order.

Yes, I am.

But not in the eyes of others.

Explain.

People see in me the reflection of their perception and expectation.

I thought, of all the souls, you alone would understand why I exist so.

After all...

You are the unfinished sculpture. You were once to become—

'Me.'

Mantra keeps her eyes fixed on the strange apparition in front of her, but she is unsure whether she can identify any useful information from it.

A long time ago, you cut away a black piece of rotten flesh.