Сергей Лукьяненко - Day Watch

Gesar stood up to speak for the Light Ones. He spread his hands in a broad gesture. "The Night Watch of Moscow has no… personal charges to bring against the accused. In addition, we believe that the leadership of the sect of the Regin Brothers was provoked into committing its crime by a certain… a certain unidentified Dark magician."

"That has not been proved," said Witezslav.

"Only the identity of the provocateur has not been established," Gesar said with a smile. "The fact of his existence is in no doubt."

Witezslav nodded and turned to face his six colleagues. For a few moments the Inquisitors shared their thoughts with each other without speaking. Then Witezslav looked back to the four motionless Finns. "In the name of the Treaty, bearing in mind the clement attitude of the Night Watch, the absence of any grave consequences, and the other extenuating circumstances, the Inquisition offers you the right to choose your punishment. The first option-you are condemned to death by hanging but your civil rights will not be affected…"

The large young black man sighed heavily and the Chinese and the Finn grabbed his elbows and held him up.

"The second possible punishment is that from this day until the end of your lives you will be forbidden to use magic. You will have the right to live ordinary human lives, without using magical means to prolong or improve the quality of those lives."

The Finns looked at the Inquisitor, stunned. Zabulon giggled shrilly, but immediately assumed a serious expression.

"The second… the second!" Yukha Mustajoki said in a choking voice. The others nodded.

"Does anyone present have any objections?" Witezslav asked.

Gesar got to his feet again. "As a small gesture of goodwill… we consider it possible to permit the accused to use magic… minor magic… with inanimate objects." It seemed as if Gesar had to struggle to pronounce every word, that he was forcing himself to show mercy. "Say, to find some… small item… that's been lost… a key or a coin… To drive the flies out of a room… according to the regulations, flies are regarded as inanimate, are they not? To clean the carburetor in a car…"

The vampire's face expressed faint surprise.

He doesn't understand , Edgar thought.

"The Inquisition has no objections…" the vampire said eventually. "Apply the seals to the accused!"

Two Inquisitors raised their right hands, and fine threads of glimmering energy streamed through the air toward the accused. The seals were applied permanently, leaving the condemned prisoners capable of only the very weakest forms of magic. Probably the Inquisitors really hadn't understood that Gesar's unexpected kindness had only made the punishment worse. It was one thing to be completely deprived of all magic and gradually come to terms with life as a human being. It was quite different to feel every day that you were a helpless cripple who had to manage with a pale shadow of your former abilities.

But then, the Finns hadn't thought about that yet. They were led out of the hall, absolutely crazy with happiness. Yukha kept trying to break away and shake everybody's hand, but the vigilant guards forced him to walk out simply by nudging and shoving him.

Edgar shook his head. He actually felt quite glad that the Dark Brothers had been saved. But what a price to pay… He would probably have preferred a quick death.

"The next matter for this hearing to consider has not been announced in advance," said Witezslav. "The Inquisition requests the leader of the Night Watch of Moscow, known under the name of Gesar, to step into the circle of the accused…"

Zabulon smiled in triumph.

"And also the leader of the Day Watch of Moscow, known under the name of Zabulon."

Edgar was delighted by Zabulon's slightly perplexed expression. But just how genuine was it?

"The Inquisition's first question is for the Great Magician Gesar." Witezslav was speaking politely now, but very firmly. "Gesar, have you carried out interventions in the Book of Destiny of the Great Enchantress Svetlana Nazarova, here present, with the intention of compelling the said Great Enchantress to become the mother of a Light Messiah?"

The hall fell silent.

"Rephrase your question, Witezslav," Gesar said in a soft voice. "Or I shall take offense."

The vampire bared his teeth in a smile. "Answer the substance of the point, Great Magician Gesar."

"Very well," said Gesar with a nod. "I was not expecting these accusations, but… I will explain for the Tribunal."

You were expecting them , thought Edgar. You were expecting everything, you cunning old schemer …

"An intervention of that kind is impossible in principle. Even for me," Gesar declared modestly.

Witezslav seemed confused by that.

"But, Great Magician Gesar, Svetlana Nazarova's Book of Destiny…"

"Shows that she will become the mother of the greatest of all Light enchantresses; in poetical terms a Light Messiah." Gesar smiled happily. "This is a great joy for the Night Watch of Moscow… and, indeed, for all Light Ones! But the respected Inquisition must understand that such things cannot be written into a Book of Destiny. Absolutely not. There is no way. Not even by using a certain artifact familiar to you which belongs by right to the Night Watch."

"But interventions were made in Svetlana Nazarova's Book of Destiny?" the vampire continued to insist.

"Yes," Gesar said, and nodded. "As everybody, or almost everybody, knows, it is possible to make a new entry in a Book of Destiny, but it has a direct effect on the balance between Light and Darkness. It is fairly simple to introduce trifling changes in the destiny of an ordinary human being. It is rather more difficult to make even insignificant changes in the destiny of an Other. And the more powerful that Other is, and the more serious the change, the greater the disturbance suffered by the Light and the Darkness. Respected members of the Tribunal, can you calculate the consequences that would ensue from introducing into a Great Enchantress's Book of Destiny an entry that would make her the mother of a Messiah?"

No one replied.

"Any one of us… all the Others taken together, would be dematerialized if they attempted that kind of meddling. We'd be reduced to dust! The world would collapse! And you accuse me of committing such acts."

"Light magician Gesar, what changes were entered into Svetlana Nazarova's Book of Destiny?"

Gesar shrugged. "Nothing but trifling details. I am obliged to be concerned for my colleagues' well-being, am I not? A trip to some Italian resort or other… a course of lessons in a driving school… and something else… I can present a detailed list, if you wish. There's nothing serious. Just the small pleasures of human life."

Witezslav thought for a moment and asked, "Where were the new entries made? Before or after the entry about the birth of the greatest of all Light Enchantresses?"

"I think, before …" Gesar said with a smile.

"And in that way, you adjusted the time of the event." Witezslav was not asking-he was thinking out loud. "You maximized the probability that Svetlana's future daughter would be a Messiah of the Light…"

"Possibly," Gesar agreed. "But what of that? All I did was to improve the daily life of one of my colleagues."

"And could you not have used other methods to improve Svetlana Nazarova's living conditions? Free vacations, bonuses, friendly advice?"

Gesar looked genuinely offended now. "I made use of what came to hand. The Inquisition has a right to be surprised if I hammer in nails with a microscope… But there's no way you can charge me with that."

The Inquisitors exchanged glances. This time the silent consultation lasted for almost a minute. Edgar felt a trickle of cold sweat running down his back. It would really cause a ruckus if the Inquisition charged Gesar. The dematerialization of a Great Magician was not such a simple proposition as dealing with the four Finns…