‘I should add that the three Others were all Higher Ones,’ Geser continued. ‘Well… perhaps not all of them. Perhaps two of them. Together they could have taken the third one down to the sixth level of the Twilight.’
To my surprise, Ilya didn’t say anything. He must have been stunned. I didn’t think he had ever gone any deeper than the third level.
‘This is already unpleasant,’ said Geser. ‘None of us knows what kind of artefact Merlin hid on the seventh level of the Twilight, but there are serious grounds for believing that this artefact is capable of destroying all civilisation on Earth.’
‘Another “Fuaran”?’ Semyon asked.
‘No, Merlin didn’t have the knowledge to transform people into Others,’ said Geser, shaking his head. ‘But it is something very powerful indeed. Security measures to keep the artefact safe have been tightened up: the Inquisition is guarding it now, as well as the Night Watch of Scotland. But the situation is too serious. I have learned that attempts have been made to spy on Watches in Moscow, New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Beijing … in short, at all the key points on the planet. Everywhere the people involved have no idea who hired them. So far all attempts to find the instigators have produced nothing.’
‘Geser, what’s down there, on the seventh level of the Twilight?’ Ilya asked. ‘I know it’s not done to talk about the deeper levels to anyone who hasn’t been there, but—’
‘Semyon will tell you what he saw,’ Geser replied. ‘He’s been to the fifth level. And ask Anton if you like – he’ll tell you about the sixth level. I give my permission. But as for the seventh level…’
Everybody gazed curiously at Geser.
‘I haven’t been there. And I can’t answer your question,’ Geser concluded firmly.
‘Ha,’ said Olga. ‘I was certain you had been there, Boris.’
‘No. And before you ask – Zabulon hasn’t been there either. Nor have any of the Others I know. I believe that only a zero-point magician is capable of it. Someone who possesses absolute Power. Merlin was such a magician. Nadya Gorodetskaya will become such an enchantress …’
Everybody turned to look at me.
‘I won’t let her into the Twilight before she’s grown up,’ I said firmly.
‘Nobody’s asking you to,’ Geser assured me. ‘And … don’t start objecting before I finish. I want to put your Nadya under guard. Continuous guard, round the clock. At least two battle magicians. Second or third level of Power. They won’t hold out long against Higher Ones, but if we provide them with good artefacts, they’ll be able to drag things out long enough to call help.’
Ilya held his head in his hands.
‘Boris Ignatievich! Where will I get that many second- and third-level Others from? Are we going to take our entire fighting force off the street?’
‘No, not all of it,’ Geser replied. ‘We have four second-level Others, after all. And nine third-level. Alisher and Alexander can be raised to third level.
‘Which Alexander? Korostilyov?’ Ilkya asked in amazement.
‘No, Malenkov.’
‘Sasha can be raised,’ Olga put in. ‘I’m prepared to do it in three days. Even two.’
‘Wait!’ I exclaimed. ‘Wait! Would you like to hear my opinion?’
Geser looked at me curiously.
‘Yes, I would. Only bear in mind that sooner or later the individuals who failed to obtain the artefact will come to the conclusion that they need an absolute magician. And there is only one in the whole world. One. Your daughter. So will you agree to her being guarded?’
‘But what will Svetlana say?’
‘Svetlana is a mother,’ Olga said in a gentle voice. ‘I think she remembers how her daughter was kidnapped once already. And she understands that she herself cannot guard her daughter twenty-four hours a day.’
‘Sveta will agree, Anton,’ Semyon said, with a nod. ‘No need for any crystal ball there.’
‘But Boris Ignatievich, what am I supposed to do with the streets?’ Ilya objected. ‘I protest officially as your deputy for the patrol service! Am I supposed to send out fourth- and fifth-level magicians to work on their own? The Dark Ones will walk all over us!’
‘They won’t,’ Geser said, frowning. ‘Zabulon is also allocating his second- and third-level magicians to guard Nadya Gorodetskaya.’
It was my turn to clutch my head in my hands. But Ilya immediately calmed down.
‘Then we only need to supply half of the bodyguards? In that case, I—’
‘No, not half. It’s two of ours and two Dark Ones.’
‘Geser!’ I protested.
‘Anton, this is being done for the sake of your daughter’s safety,’ Geser replied in a firm voice. ‘That’s all – the matter’s closed! Let’s get on with other business. Ilya, you stay behind after the meeting, we’ll discuss who to use as bodyguards and how to equip them.’
I said nothing. I was seething inside, but I said nothing.
‘So far we have only spoken about defence,’ Geser continued. ‘I charge Olga with developing the measures for protecting the Watch against spy technology and a possible attack by human mercenaries. Involve Tolik from the computer service. And Las from the operations side.’
‘But he’s a weak magician,’ Olga snorted.
‘But he has a non-standard way of thinking,’ said Geser. ‘And you know pretty much all there is to know about battles between Others and human beings. You’ve certainly had plenty of experience.’
I gave Olga a curious glance. So she had a interesting background, then …
‘What I need from all of you now is something else,’ Geser went on. ‘How are we going to attack?’
‘Attack whom?’ I protested. ‘If only we knew who it is that’s muddying the water …’
‘To attack doesn’t necessarily mean to go rushing into battle,’ Olga stated didactically. ‘To attack also means to take actions that the enemy isn’t expecting, to disrupt his plans.’
Geser nodded in approval.
‘Then there’s only one thing we can do,’ I said. ‘That is, apart from trying to find the traitors … but I expect the Inquisition is breaking its back on that one already. We have to break through to the seventh level. But if we can’t… the chain of Power?’
‘Zabulon suggested a Circle of Power,’ Geser said, with a nod. ‘But it won’t help, not even if we try, by accumulating each other’s power, or the Dark Ones try, by sucking each other dry – not even with a human sacrifice … The strength of barriers between the levels of the Twilight increases exponentially. We have calculated it.’
‘Not even a human sacrifice?’ Semyon asked in amazement.
‘Not even,’ Geser said drily.
‘That little poem … on the sixth level…’ I said, looking at Geser. ‘Remember, I told you about it?’
‘Recite it,’ Geser said, nodding.
‘The Crown of All Things is here concealed. Only one step is left.
But this is a legacy for the strong or the wise –
You shall receive all and nothing, when you are able to take it.
Proceed, if you are as strong as I;
Or go back, if you are as wise as I;
Beginning and end, head and tail, all is fused in one,
In the Crown of All Things. Thus are life and death inseparable.’
I recited the poem from memory.
‘And what does that give us?’ Geser asked almost jovially.
‘Go back, if you are as wise as I,’ I repeated. ‘There is some kind of detour, an alternative route to the seventh level. You don’t have to go head-on at the barrier.’