Skulduggery Pleasant: Books 7 – 9: The Darquesse Trilogy. Derek Landy

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      “A force field of this strength can’t be teleported through,” Skulduggery said. “If Fletcher tried it, his atoms would be scattered all the way across existence. Don’t worry. We don’t need anyone else. We’ve got surprise on our side, and a deliberate tendency towards extreme violence. We’ll be fine.”

      Ghastly sighed. “Try not to kill anyone, at least. Remember that Lament’s sorcerers are not in control of themselves.”

      Valkyrie put her phone away, and Skulduggery looked at her, and took out his gun. She nodded. They stole round the corner, ignoring the blue wall and the people on the other side, focusing all their attention on the doorway to the Accelerator Room. No one guarding it. No voices from inside. Valkyrie readied the shadows as Skulduggery counted down on his fingers.

      Three... two... one—

      They ran in.

      “Hello,” said Argeddion.

      Lament and his sorcerers were on their knees in a circle around the Accelerator, their heads down. The Cube rotated slowly within the Accelerator itself, an empty cage. Argeddion hovered in mid-air above the remains of the Tempest, smiling at them. Residual energy crackled around his body, and his eyes were glittering orbs of power.

      Valkyrie didn’t know what to do.

      “Hmm,” Skulduggery said. “This is... disappointing, I don’t mind telling you. I thought we’d arrive in the nick of time and stop this from happening. I blame myself, of course. And other people. Mostly other people. In particular I blame the people in this room on their knees. I blame them an awful lot. I don’t suppose shooting you will do any good at this stage, will it?”

      Argeddion smiled again.

      “But it couldn’t hurt to try.” Skulduggery went to fire but the gun disappeared from his hand, and reappeared in Argeddion’s.

      “Violence,” he said, turning the gun over and examining it. “Why do you always resort to violence?”

      “Could I have that back?” Skulduggery asked. “It’s my favourite.”

      “I don’t like violence.”

      “All the same, that gun has sentimental value, so...”

      Argeddion released his hold and the gun floated back to Skulduggery.

      “Thank you,” Skulduggery said, and went to put it away. Apparently as an afterthought he aimed and fired and the bullet bounced off Argeddion’s head. “Yeah, that’s what I thought might happen.” He holstered it.

      “Skulduggery Pleasant,” Argeddion said, “pleased to meet you. Valkyrie, I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. I’ve been inside your head. You have such wonderful thoughts.”

      Alarm shot through her body. If he could read her mind, then he’d know—

      “Yes,” said Argeddion, “I know who you are. We’re alike, you and I. We are as alike as we are different. We have both discovered our true names, we both have access to unimaginable power... but where you have so far used this power to hurt and destroy, I have used it to explore and learn. What makes you this way, do you think?”

      “You can read my mind,” Valkyrie said, “so you tell me.”

      Argeddion smiled. “You think you’re a bad person. You think that behind the heroic acts and the bravery and the good deeds, you’re evil. It’s the only thing that makes sense to you, the only way you can explain it. You think every good thing you do is part of an act that you use to fool yourself. That’s what you think.”

      Valkyrie didn’t answer, and Argeddion looked at Skulduggery. “I can’t read your mind. Your thoughts are configured in such a way as to confound my attempts. But I know you. I have seen you through Valkyrie’s eyes. Do you want to tell her the small and simple fact that she is overlooking?”

      Skulduggery hesitated, then looked down at her. “It’s all an act,” he said. “For everyone. We’re all acting good and noble because acting good is what makes us good.”

      “And now she’s wondering, If that is true, why has Argeddion used his power in a peaceful manner and I have used mine to kill? The answer, Valkyrie, is because I’m special.” Argeddion laughed. “I’m a pacifist. Non-violence is what I believe in above all else. But you believe in violence. You believe that, as terrible as it is, it’s necessary. And in your world, dealing with the things you deal with, you might be right. In my world, it is not, and I refuse to allow it to be.”

      “If you’re a pacifist,” Valkyrie said, “explain Kitana and Doran and Sean. They’re killing people with the power you gave them.”

      “And that is regrettable,” Argeddion said, “but I must see this through to the end.”

      “See what through? What’s all this about?”

      Skulduggery tilted his head. “They’re test subjects. This is an experiment.”

      “Indeed it is,” Argeddion said. “And most of the mortals I picked have not hurt anyone – at least not intentionally.”

      Valkyrie frowned. “But why are you doing this? What’s the point?”

      “Maybe someday you will be able to see what I have seen,” said Argeddion. “In fact, should you ever find peace within yourself as Darquesse, I would love to be able to show you. Then you can glimpse, as I did, the realm of magic. It is a breathtaking experience. It will change everything within you.”

      “Sounds lovely. You didn’t answer my question.”

      “Magic is a wonderful, joyous thing, and it should be shared, but sorcerers have been hoarding it since the birth of mankind. If the mortals knew of its existence, tests could be carried out to identify those who could wield magic. They could be trained, taught. We would have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of mages and they could elevate this world to a true Age of Enlightenment. No more wars. No more pettiness. Peace and love and the search for knowledge. Paradise.”

      “Your idea is not new,” said Skulduggery. “But if you were to prove to the world that magic was real, mankind would tear itself apart. The mortals would feel threatened and they would fight back with everything they had.”

      “Only if there were any mortals left.”

      Valkyrie paled. “You want to kill them? You said you were a pacifist.”

      “I don’t want to kill the mortals,” Argeddion said, chuckling. “I want to change them. My test subjects are paving the way for the entire mortal population of the earth to be gifted with magic.”

      “You... you could do that?”

      “By myself, no,” Argeddion said. “But with the Accelerator and the help of my surprise guest, it will happen.”

      “Your surprise guest?”

      Argeddion smiled gently.

      “This is insane,” Skulduggery said.

      “You СКАЧАТЬ