"Are you ready? Then let's go!"
"Do you know where the dining room is?"
"Of course. It is on the same storey as the storehouse. There is an appropriate signboard near one of those tunnels."
At the exit of the tunnel their attention was caught by a pair of elves, a boy and a girl (her costume, unlike his, was peach color), discussing some text carved in the wall under the 'clock'. It was the school's Code of Conduct, mentioned by the Principal. Despite the objections of the tilfing, who was afraid of being late for the dining room, Tim still decided to at least glimpse the document. It would be quite reasonably to cite it here in its entirety:
1. The Jelshah School of Magical Arts is the only school in the universe that teaches all kinds of magic.
2. Only those chosen by destiny, whose ability to magic is unquestionable, can receive an invitation to study here.
3. The house rules are set by the Principal of the school, and the pupils must abide by them.
4. The administration of the school provides the pupils with everything they need for studying and living.
5. Pupils have to attend classes. In case of unauthorized absence or inappropriate behavior the teacher has the right to impose disciplinary measures at his/her own discretion.
6. At day-time pupils have the right to move freely within the school territory excluding the places that are clearly specified.
7. At night-time pupils must stay in their rooms.
8. In the case of misbehavior the inevitability of punishment is guaranteed. Nothing escapes the Magical Eye!
9. Disciples that are succeeded in sorcery mastering may be stimulated with early school graduation. In exceptional cases they are given a pass to the Academy of sorcery with the prospect of becoming a teacher of magic.
10. May the magic be with you!
"Why do I have to be cooped up at night? What if I have to pee?" the elf girl was indignant.
"Well, they'll probably let you go there!" the boy with the pointy eared answered her laughingly. "I'll keep you company if you're afraid."
"Thanks, I'll make my own way somehow!"
"How do we know when it's night and day?" Tim asked diplomatically.
"Maybe one of the ghosts will tell us?"
"Fie! They are so unsympathetic!"
"You don't like them either?"
"Totally. They're undead! We, elves, love living beings!"
"Me, too," said Tim, and Ri-Bo nodded in agreement.
"There's stone all around!" the elf girl complained. "How can we study the magic of Nature if there isn't even any grass here?"
"May be a greenhouse is in one of the caves."
"Let's ask the teachers! For sure they will be present at the dinner!"
"Nice idea. At the same time we shall find out about change of day and night!"
"Most likely blue and violet eyes are corresponding to night hours, yellow and red ones – day hours accordingly," Tim noticed thoughtfully.
"What makes you think that?"
"Just guessing."
"So, local clock looks that way?" the elf girl was interested in.
"Not all watch the time on the chant of birds and moths flittering. I wouldn't be surprised if neither birds nor moths we meet here."
"Oh, it will be very sad! It's a pity I didn't think to take Yulluk with me!"
"It's her pet. Now she'll think of him every day and cry for him," the elf boy explained humorously.
"You'd think you wouldn't care what happens to Uppigi!" the elf girl retorted indignantly.
"Of course, no. Well, let's hope our clones will take care of them just as well. By the way, my dear, after such a long conversation it would be impolite not to introduce ourselves to our new acquaintances. My name is Eliavin, and this is my twin sister Eliavel (they do look a lot alike, though different sexes, Tim noted to himself). And who are you?"
"I'm Timothy."
"And I'm Ri-Bo."
"I'm sorry," Tim coughed. "When I arrived at the school, a black-haired, long-eared girl with crimson lips was next to me. Is she an elf, too?"
Eliavin and Eliavel's faces twisted in disgust.
"Drowes! Dark elves! Cruel and vicious creatures who are worse than even orcs!"
"You're no saints, either, my so-called light brethren," a mocking voice came from behind them.
A drow, dressed in a peachy uniform, looked in their direction with a challenge.
"You were passing by, so keep walking," Eliavin replied coldly.
"Cute in appearance and rude in communion – that's it, the true face of a light elf," the drow needled him with a flirty smile.
"Don't try to molest my brother, or you'll regret it, creature!" Eliavel was furious.
"Really? I wonder, how?"
"Now see!"
A swarm of distastefully buzzing insects, hybrids of large flies and hornets, appeared in front of her and moved to the drow. But it didn't have time to cause any harm: the ghost flying nearby immediately shattered the sorcery.
"Attacking your mates is the serious violation of the Code," it said with a nasal twang. "I shall report it to the administration and you'll be punished accordingly."
"It wasn't Eliavel's fault!" Eliavin stood up for his sister. "It was the drow!"
"But she wasn't the one who cast the attack spell," the ghost was adamant. "Please be tolerant of each other."
And with winner's step she moved away. Tears came to Eliavel's eyes.
"It's not fair! If I am guilty then she too!"
"Only don't cry! No need to give drowes occasion for sneer!"
"I knew that they are insidious and love to provoke, and succumbed nevertheless…"
"Until meeting them face to face you can't grasp it completely."
"They look a little like vampires," Tim remarked.
"Who are there?"
He had to explain it.
"Spot-on!" Eliavel cheered up. "I wouldn't be surprised if they really drink a blood!"
"Hey, are you going to have dinner?" two other elves hailed them from the stairs.
"One moment!" and twins hurried to join them.
"We must hurry too!" Ri-Bo was slightly nervous. "While we were chatting with the elves a lot of people passed by!"
"Excuse me, please, will you tell me which eye is burning right now?" a gray-skinned girl with ashy hair turned to them - the same one who stood in line first.
Tim looked back at the circle of the eyes. The pink eye was glowing at full power. Had the dinner really started already? They really had to run! Nevertheless, he deemed it unseemly to simply brush off his classmate.
"The pink, of course. Don't you see it?"
"Alas, I can distinguish only hues of black and white."
"Then how about this: you draw a circle with your eyes and I'll sign each one so that you will always know what time it is."
"Oh, thank you! Why didn't such a simple solution cross my mind?"
On the way to the dining room the girl had time to tell that her name was Chilajt and she was a gorgon.
"And of course you turn people to stone with your gaze," Tim joked remembering the myths of ancient Greece.
"Oh no, just paralyze them for a while," the girl replied in all seriousness.
"It can't be," Ri-Bo said disbelievingly.
"Are you doubt?" Chilajt smiled archly. "Then look into my eyes."
"Oh, no, no, better another time…"
The dining room met them with festive atmosphere: the colorful twinkles shone here brighter than anywhere else, cheerful music played and the ghosts transformed into funny little men danced in a ring. Most of the seats were already taken, they indeed turned out to be among the last. There was a teacher's table against the wall opposite the entrance, and all five of them were already here. Noting Tim and his mates the goblin waved impatiently - get in, don't be long, we were waiting only for you. Then he seated himself at a separate table off to the side of the teacher's table, sitting nearby Agyg already licked his lips in anticipation of the meal.
But someone else was even later - the last one to arrive was a blue-skinned boy whose lilac hair was sticking out in different directions. The door slammed shut behind him that meaning all festive dinner participants are inside. And it was the signal for Sir Pulsok's Speech from the Throne.
"First of all, let me congratulate you on the beginning of your studies at our school! Here you will learn everything connected with sorcery and our teachers will help you to do it! By the way, since they are also present here, you can ask them questions, but only one for each teacher. Everything else will be afterwards, in drab existence, and now we have a celebration! Here, in the dining room, special 'kitchen' magic is present, and today it is working at full capacity. Just imagine any dish, and it immediately appears in front of you! Everything you could only dream of at home, begging your parents to give at least a bit - no limits now!"
Several students clapped their hands, and soon the rest, including Tim, Ri-Bo and Chilajt, joined them. As Tim finished applauding, he felt hungry.
To imagine what he want most of all? Without problem! Roast turkey with all the fixings and, of course, with a crisp, just now extracted from an oven. Even at thinking about it any mouth will water!
"Wow, you did it!" Ri-Bo was happy with his friend's success.
His own view of a feast for the stomach was expressed in a wooden basket filled with biscuits resembling oat ones. But the dish that appeared in front of Chilajt almost made Tim sick - a porcelain bowl filled to the top with earthworms! He had to enjoy the turkey without looking in its direction and thinking about the gorgon's tastes. And at the same time he looked at his new classmates. One of the girls seems to have horns - Ri-Bo would have someone to butt with. And that one had ashy hair: Chilajt wouldn't be without company from her countrymen, either. Most of them were elves, maybe a dozen. But drowes are in sufficient quantity, too; taking into consideration their attitudes conflicts are inevitable. Five anzimars, it will be no picnic for tilfings. Besides it, three tattooed persons are here, a boy and two girls. Three orcs are heartily eating big pieces of fried meat. A few of the red- and lilac-haired boys and girls are sitting together; despite the difference in color not only hair but also in their skin they are chatting with each other in a friendly way. The freckled boy at the next table looks like an earthling, but for sure it had to talk with him.
"Pupils, I'm warning you at once: don't take the dishes out of the dining room! As soon as you cross the threshold, they will disappear and return to the kitchen!"
Tim gave a start of surprise: he didn't even have thoughts to 'borrow' the plate on which the turkey was. But it seems that someone had such ideas since on some tables there were utensils and cutlery of yellow metal. Of course, it may be bronze…
"I want to ask," the first who dare to trouble the teachers was one of the drow girls. "When we become powerful sorcerers, will we be able to conjure up as much gold as we want?"
"Oh, certainly, you will," red-haired Master Saag-Kof answered cheerfully. "If such trivia will excite you to that time."
Some laughs were heard and the dining room got noise.
Immediately after it an elf stood up from his place; Tim couldn't say for sure if it was Eliavin or someone else, because he was too far away. Moreover, the same uniforms and traditional for all elves light-brown shoulder length hair – it was a tough nut to crack, however!
"I'm sorry, Masters, but the Code claims that in night hours we must stay in our rooms. Alas, not a word there when they are beginning and finishing."
"There's nothing complicated about that, and I wonder why Sir Pulsok hasn't enlightened you by now," Master Aerg said rigidly. "Night for all of us is beginning when the violet eye lights up and finishing when the rifle-green eye goes out."
"And how to use the wand?" one of the orcs wondered. There were smiles and laughter again in the dining room.
"Very simply," Master Nimikel took the floor this time. "Those of you who looked at it closely almost certainly found out bulge. If you press it and say the key phrase, the spell will work. We will teach you exactly what words are needed for this."
"Will it work if I say some jabberwocky?" Ri-Bo commented mischievously. Tim and Chilajt shrugged.
"It probably won't do anything."
"We'll have to give it a try!"
"Only don't blow the whole school to pieces!"
Having eaten more than half of the turkey, Tim felt a thirst attack. A glass full of cold cola would be come in handy, he thought, and he got what he wanted immediately. Just like in a fairy tale!
Seeing this Ri-Bo and Chilajt also provided themselves with beverages suitable for their races.
"It seems that the best place in the school is dining room," Ri-Bo joked. "If only the lessons also take place here!"
"And if in addition to set here beds, it would be great at all," Chilajt spoke ironically. "You'll get bored of even the tastiest dish if it is served every day. By the way, would you like to try some of my food?"
Having coped with his emotions Tim politely declined the offer, and Ri-Bo put some worms on his plate.
"It's pretty delicious though the taste is unusual," he mumbled with mouthful.
"Roots of phiolt plant are one of the most exquisite dainties for us."
Roots? With effort of the will Tim forced himself to glance at her bowl again. Indeed, 'worms' didn't move and at closer examination had little in common with earthworms.
"Well, then I also want to taste it," and he put a couple of 'worms' on his plate.
After it Ri-Bo treated Tim and Chilajt with tullku from his basket. Biscuits had fruit candy consistency and bittersweet taste. In his turn Tim summoned another dish of the roast turkey specially for his new friends.
In the meantime someone decided to ask why the Principal is not with them.
"The Principal is very old and rarely leaves his quarters," Master Ven'A'Sash explained coldly. "But don't worry, he's always with us in spirit."
There was another round of applause, which puzzled Tim: was it because the Principal is very old, or because he's always with them in spirit?
He was much happier when one of the lilac-haired boys asked what magic was.
"That's a good question," Master Iskitt answered; the color of his hair indicated the same ethnicity with the boy. "For thousands of years the greatest sages don't stop to argue about it. If anyone is interested in the details, I may recommend taking the book 'A bit about sorcery'. In short, the generally accepted point of view today is the following: magic is the ability to do paradoxical things by the appropriate influencing on the universe structure. The core of this influencing is just the phrases you should pronounce for required effect obtaining, and success is guaranteed with enough amount of the mana."
"And," he added a second later, "I think, my colleagues will not object if I present two points to so serious disciple for promotion of his thirst for knowledge."
This time the applause seemed to Tim more deserved and he with a pleasure joined to it. Although, as he noted not everyone was happy about their classmate's success. But there was a whole crowd of people who wanted to earn points, too.
"No, no," the goblin intervened. "One question for each teacher has already been asked, the rest is not today. Now, each of the Masters will demonstrate something of their art, simple but quite illustrative."
The noise in the dining room subsided, all present were waiting for continuation.
"Since Light magic is undoubtedly the most honorable, I'll start first," Master Aerg declared. "Something simple? Well, let it be True Light."
And with a wave of his wand he created several blindingly white orbs in the air. The ghosts, still dancing carefree, scattered frightfully as they appeared.
"Do you see? No creature from the netherworld can harm those who have mastered the magic of Light to perfection!"
"Light makes no sense without darkness, they are two sides of the same coin," Master Ven'A'Sash intervened. "Let the apprentices see the other side, and bow before its power!"
The blindingly white orbs suddenly turned dead green, and Tim found himself sitting at the same table with zombies. The empty eye pits, black cleft instead of mouth and pus oozing through cracks in brown skin looked so naturally that his blood run cold.
One of the girls shrieked in fear; her scream almost caused a general panic. Master Iskitt's intervention saved the situation.
"Dear colleague, you applied rather magic of illusions, which is within my competence," he mildly rebuked the drow teacher, at the same time liquidating aftermath of her sorcery, "and frightened children into fits."
"If I'd applied the true transformation, they wouldn't have slept through the night," she snorted in answer. "Of course, we shall start our lessons with relatively innocuous things; let them get used to it."
"Well, illusions are illusions," Master Iskitt agreed melancholy, not really listening to her anymore. "May be I shall be able to create something more optimistic."
And those present were delighted to find their tables standing in the middle of a green meadow, surrounded on all sides by a forest thicket. Putting his hand aside Tim touched stone wall. It meant that actually they stayed where they were; around them was merely an illusion. But how believable one, up to impalpable details like chirring insects and aroma, well known to walkers in the woods on a sunny summer day!
"I think the scenery can be enlivened a bit," Master Nimikel stepped in.
A unicorn appeared at the edge of the grass-plot, and those who had desire could make certain that it was real by touching. Tim also dared to do so when the unicorn was nearby. The beauteous beast went around the dining room in a circle and disappeared waving its tail goodbye. All students were in rapture, especially elves: as was turned out later, just in their forests unicorns dwell.
"And now it is my turn!" Master Saag-Kof cheerfully announced taking his wand in hands. "Nistorg denztirr augrumme!"
Leaden clouds immediately covered the sky and heavy rain poured down. The pupils climbed under the tables to escape. Fortunately the downpour soon ended; sun began to shine again and warm wind quickly dried their bodies and clothes. Tim even felt regret when wonderful vision passed away: after sunny summer meadow the dining room seemed gloomy to him.
"Cool!" Ri-Bo admired. "No one I know has ever mastered so powerful magic. Excepting illusions, but those were not so impressive."
"Not without reason they are Masters," Chilajt smiled. "With such a power I could move their table closer to our one, with all the teachers, too."
"Really?"
"Of course. Because I have an innate gift for attracting things. Here, look!"
And one of the biscuits moved through the air from Ri-Bo's basket directly into her palm.
"Awesome!" the tilfing admired again. "You can take things from anywhere, even from under teacher's nose when he can't see it. And I thought your gift is paralyzing by sight!"
"No, this ability is inherent to all representatives of my race. People say that once it saved us from the ruthless kelgogs."
Tim pricked up his ears. There is a mention about a gift again. What if he has one too? But why doesn't he know anything about it?
"Those who liked the performance give thanks to your teachers!" the goblin's voice broke him away from the thoughts.
After roaring cheers the junket was continued; or, more precisely, gradually came to end. Pupils already had time to line their stomachs and not so much ate as talked. One by one the teachers were leaving the dining room disappearing into the air. Soon after it Sir Pulsok obviously hinted to them to finish the meal.
Sitting nearby the entrance door Tim, Chilajt and Ri-Bo got out the dining room among the first. And because of that they missed the most interesting event: brief, snatchy scream followed by the thud of a falling body, and immediately after it stomping of huge feet. What the goblin was talking after it was not clear, but it was not difficult to guess - the disciples, who had hesitated in the doorway, shot out, and in the corridor appeared Agyg holding at outstretched arms a pair of elves - light and dark. Pushing back one of tattooed girls he carried them somewhere.
"They're fighting again," Ri-Bo commented merrily. "What the people elves are, can't be in peace!"
"Maybe it was a matter of principle."
"Gradually they get used to each other sitting on the same classes," Chilajt didn't give it much importance. "Thanks for the company, but I have to go. I want to do cleaning my room before nightfall. There is a terrible dirt in my room! It's as if the girl who lived there before me didn't even think it was necessary to clean it once in a while! So I'll see you tomorrow!"
"My room is clean, just a little dusty," Ri-Bo boasted. "The former lodger had time not only for magical tricks."
"Mine, too. Well, at least we don't have to hurry to do the clear-out."
And among others they walked to the stairs.