It was quiet in the library. Also it was very dark there, even darker than in tunnels at night hours. Reading in these conditions is direct way to lose sight. And what else is to do in library where nothing but books?
Therefore being inside Naar-Tam decided not to wait when vision will be restored, once again resorting to the help of the fireball. Directly in front of them was a green cloth-covered library desk, and beyond that were rows of stone shelves going down into the darkness. There were hundreds if not thousands manuscripts on them: ancient, iron-bound, with time-darkened pages; may be wisdom of all worlds inhabited by sentient beings had been gathered here. Legends, myths, tales about greatest rulers, invincible commanders, glorious heroes of the past, whose deeds and exploits chroniclers deemed worthy to save for posterity - all this Tim was fond of almost from the cradle. Maybe that's why he was invited to study at the school of magic. Although there are millions of children on Earth who read fantasy stories, what is so special about him?
"Have you come for knowledge?" a voice full of wisdom and sadness distracted Tim from his thoughts.
From somewhere on the side a flying carpet emerged from the darkness and stopped behind the desk hovering half a meter from the floor. An old man sitting on it looked as if he had been taken from the pages of 'The Arabian Nights': with a turban on his head, a long white beard, a full-length oriental cloak and pointed suede shoes on his feet. The likeness ended on it, though: the old man's skin had steel hue and the eyes were emerald green.
"Why else would we have come here?" said Tiis-Mir with a laugh. "Not to have lunch, of course!"
"We had class on Light Magic today," Naar-Tam added.
"You don't have to go on," the old man smiled. "Frexg, 'Magic of Light is my favorite magic', am I right? Master Aerg is surprisingly consistent and always recommends just this textbook, though there are other tutorials, not worse. All right, I'll give everyone a copy. But at first I should register you, that's the order."
From a box on the edge of the library desk the librarian got pile of notebooks resembling their grimoirs but several times less in size. There are service lists, Tim guessed; just in them their names and taken books will be recorded. And after it a funny small octopus, pink with black shiny eyes, leapt out of the box.
"Oh, how cute!" Chilajt admired. "Who is it?"
"It's Luguk. It was created by Migraim, the greatest wizard of his time, and it is serving faithfully to its masters for nearly two thousand years. I inherited it from the previous librarian, and when I am ready to retire, I will pass it on to my successor."
"Created? You mean it's... undead??"
"It is depending on what you mean by 'life'. Trees can't move, but they're alive, right? The ghost guards, on the other hand, though they can move and talk, they're certainly not alive. Luguk is a magical elemental. Have you heard of such elementals?"
"We are aware of the existence of the Elementals," Naar-Tam said, and Tiis-Mir nodded in agreement. "In our land a lot of people can summon elementals of Fire, its animated incarnations."
"That's right," the librarian confirmed. "The Elementals are intelligent and with patience can be tamed and even become your companions. Many sorcerers of the past used them as bodyguards; very effective bodyguards, by the way. Magical elementals have their own features, but it's better to let the Masters tell you about them."
The little 'octopus', meanwhile, sprang up on its hind tentacles, peering intently at his master for further instructions.
"He's a long-lived creature, though! What does it eat? Or doesn't it need anything?"
"Why nothing? He needs food from time to time too. He finds colorful balls here in the library and that's what he eats."
"Such as this?" smiling Tiis-Mir demonstrated the red crystal.
Taking it as offer to have a snack Luguk in a few leaps approached to her and catching the 'present' by its front tentacles forwarded it inside itself. A second later its coloring became brighter and it started to jump about joyfully.
Such a show worth a crystal, Tim thought. It seems the similar idea also had crossed Ri-Bo's mind because he offered to funny creature the black tetrahedron. But after sniffing round the 'octopus' didn't take it.
" It's probably already fed up," Naar-Tam commented cheerfully.
"It doesn't like the black crystals," the old man shook his head. "Do you not know that their color isn't random?"
"No, we only were informed about possibility of their application for improving of magical abilities."
And for some reason the kobold didn't enlighten them on the matter. May be any crystal is suitable for him.
"In the world of magic every sorcery has its own color," the old man said solemnly, "For Light magic it is, as you can easily guess, white. For Mind magic it is yellow, and for Elemental magic it is red, the color of Fire, though Fire is only one of the Elements."
"Then Nature magic must have it as green as grass," Tim suggested.
"Quite true! Blue is the color of Transformation magic, which allows you to turn one thing into another."
"Will they teach us that?" Chilajt inspired.
"There isn't much to teach, just one formula plus imagination. You should distinctly realize final goal of your transformation otherwise the result may be not what you want. Also the other complexity is there: transformation spell require enormous amounts of mana and only highly gifted students can cast it immediately after beginning of the education. But a couple years later, I think, you will be able to do simple transformations, too!"
"What kind of magic does black color correspond to? Twilight one?" Ri-Bo asked, slightly disappointed that his crystal had been rejected.
"Not really. Shadow magic and Occultism are just different shades of gray. True black color belongs to the magic of Annihilation, which Master Ven'A'Sash will teach you. I don't know if Necromancy is part of the general education curriculum right now, but it corresponds to brown color."
"Necromancy - what kind of magic is it?" Naar-Tam asked.
Tim knew the answer in principle - from his experience in computer games, of course, but decided not to intervene in the talking.
"The science of reanimating the remains of living beings," the librarian readily explained. "With the appropriate spells you can revive a corpse and force it to execute your orders. Experienced necromancers can even trick death itself by performing the Eternal Night ritual and becoming liches, powerful undead sorcerers."
The expression of disgust appeared on the faces of Naar-Tam and Tiis-Mir.
"Dead bodies are bad things! They must be incinerated!"
"Therefore not every magician can be a necromancer. However I've been talking away instead of loaning the books," the old man became slightly worried. "The other pupils may come too!"
"We also were recommended to take something about meditation technique," Chilajt remembered suddenly.
"Abalug's booklet?"
"Yes," Tim peeked into the grimoire.
"Also one example for each? Well. While I am seeking the books, you, Luguk, please register the new readers and make a record in their service lists: Frexg, 'Magic of Light is my favorite magic' and Abalug, 'Finding Power'."
And the flying carpet with its 'driver' disappeared into the darkness between the racks. 'Octopus' grabbed one of the 'notebooks' and with funnily moving approached Tiis-Mir with it. A questioning glance, and her name appeared on the cover, and on the first page - the authors and book titles, quickly and neatly done with a tiny stylus. By the time the librarian returned, Luguk had already managed his errand and was pacing back and forth victoriously on the tabletop.
"Did you register yet? Well done! Then you can go for a walk, I'll take it from here."
'Octopus' didn't have to beg twice: he jumped down and disappeared under one of the shelves. In exchange of the books they had to put thumbs to each of the records in their service lists – something like signature on the Earth.
Leaving the library Tim recalled: he had going to take some entertaining reading! Well, maybe another time, no need to detain the friends, I'll come back when there's no hurry, Tim decided.
There was an unpleasant surprise waiting for them at the exit from the tunnel: Sir Pulsok, accompanied by Agyg and a couple of ghosts.
"Apprentice Chilajt," the goblin began solemnly, without any preamble, "you are charged with assaulting your mate. In vain you thought: if nobody had seen it you would escape unpunished. Nothing can escape the Magic Eye! That's exactly what it says in the eighth paragraph of our school's Code of Conduct."
"Only about it I was thinking all the time," Chilajt answered sarcastically. "And I don't believe that I was wrong."
"Yeah, so you admit your guilt?" The goblin almost jumped for joy. "And you're not even remorseful? In that case, the punishment is double. Ten hours of community service. After the class on Nature magic you should come to the storekeeper and report him. He will determine exactly what you will do. In the case of failure to appear the punishment will be more stringent. Is that clear? Do you promise not to do it again?"
Chilajt was stubbornly silent.
"She had no choice!" Tiis-Mir boldly stepped forward. The others followed her example blocking the gorgon in front of them.
"You don't know why she had to do it!"
"Please don't punish her!"
"May be I won't," the goblin smirked. "If she publicly and absolutely sincerely asks for forgiveness to who was offended."
"Forget it! No way!"
"Well," the goblin sighed affectedly. "After sixteen hours of community service, next time you'll think twice before launching your wizardry."
"And I don't advise to intervene," he added, dismissing any further objections. "You were all there together and you didn't even try to stop her. For complicity there is penalty too; it would be nice to prescribe a couple of hours for each of you. But I am kind today, therefore for the first time I forgive you. Or to prescribe it, eh?"
No one dared object this time, not even the peirots, who were staring down at the floor.
"That's right. Mind you for future: if you were there and didn't interfere and stop it, you were guilty too. Don't worry, when the tournaments begin, there will be a place to vent your aggression. For now, you should obey the Code!"
On it the conversation was ended. Pulsok went away taking along his henchmen and leaving the pupils to clench their fists in powerless rage.
"Take courage! Let's all go together and explain to Rugud how things were," Naar-Tam generously suggested.
"That's right! Maybe he'll get an easier job or cancel the punishment at all," Ri-Bo supported the idea.
"It seems to me, he isn't in good relationship with the goblin," Tim added.
"Thanks, friends," Chilajt was able to say only it. Her eyes filled with tears.
"And don't believe the story about a lidless magical eye. For sure the golden-haired guys complained," wishing to comfort Tiis-Mir gave her a hug.
"Almost certainly," the tilfing confirmed. "Anzimars, when face equipollent opponent, don't enter the straight fight, prefer to flee for help."
Most likely so, Tim thought, but it would be unwise to exclude completely the presence in the school invisible creatures. On occasion it would be nice to find out what spell allows to detect invisible being lurking nearby.
"Hey, are you going to class?" an elf girl hailed them. "Hurry up, it will soon begin!"
"Where?" Naar-Tam shouted in response.
"Follow me to the exit!"
And she ran away towards there. Our friends were nothing to do but run after her. This time blocking the way stone boulder had been rolled aside and the monsters peacefully slumbered on their plinths not reacting to passers-by.
The first that struck the eye was plenty of light and greenery. The landscape was almost the same as on the Earth excepting the flowers that grew in numerous flowerbeds and looked too unusually. The path starting right after the exit from the tunnel led to the fountain, water splashes of which sparkled on the sun. Further on there was the forest: initially sparse wood gradually turning into the real thicket extending almost up to the horizon. To the right and left of the huge mountain within which their school was located were the rocky ledges that enclosed the plateau where they now stood. The cliffs were almost sheer, even an experienced climber could hardly climb over them and come down the other side. Looking up, Tim noticed a huge circle of eyes at a height of about fifty meters - it would probably have been visible from even the most remote corners of the forest. Quite reasonable for a world where no wristwatch had yet been invented. Some superstructures and small towers were disposed higher; and at the top – a strange structure resembling the Stonehenge. Their balconies apparently from the opposite side of the mount otherwise he would be able to see the plateau just yesterday.
Everyone's mood rose at once, even Chilajt stopped frowning, temporarily forgetting what had happened.
Almost all of their classmates were already here, staring at strange plants, chasing butterflies or busily searching the area for crystals. Some of the peirots were exposing their faces to the sun, and some of the elves were happy enough to stretch out on the grass without even the fear of getting their uniforms dirty.
But not everyone was happy to get out into the fresh air - drowes covered their eyes with their palms for more shade, lilac-haired yusmes also tried not to stay on the heat of the sun. Tim also noticed that anzimars, gathered in a small group under a large spreading tree with long bifid leaves, were whispering about something. For sure they plotted something nasty.
Two girls came running up to them at once. Both were Ri-Bo's countrywomen, as one could easily guess from the small elegant horns peeking out from under the curls of their hair. The horns of one of the girl were silver-plated, of the other – tied with pink bows.
"Hey, why are you ignoring us? We saw you yesterday. And you saw us, but you didn't even come to make acquaintance! You are shy, aren't you? Come on, prepare your forehead!"
Ri-Bo obediently had inclined his head and the owner of silver-plated horns butted him so vigorously that he saw stars before his eyes.
"Sakes alive!" he could say only it.
"And you thought! I have the most firm forehead among contemporaries in my tribe! More firm than even some adults have!"
"What tribe you are from?"
"Senhu."
"And I am from Unagu."
"I know Vi-Si from your tribe."
"That's my cousin," Ri-Bo boasted.
"Oh yeah? She's a cool girl, we had so much fun at dulylu feast last year! My name is Za-Zu, by the way. Well, Zhu-Fi will introduce herself."
So Ri-Bo had to bend his head again. This time he prepared himself to take the blow. But Zhu-Fi only lightly rubbed against it with her forehead.
"How beautiful it is here!" Tiis-Mir exclaimed again and again. "How much greenery we don't have, even in the borderlands!"
"What a pity, I can't see all this splendor ," Chilajt sighed.
"Maybe one of the locals could help you with your grief," Tim tried to comfort her. "In my country, if you can't see well or at all, you wear a device called glasses on the bridge of your nose. And if there are really strong wizards here, what does it cost them to design glasses through which you can see the world in color?"
Chilajt looked at him with admiration.
"You've come up with a great idea again! You're so clever!"
And not shying of those present she gave a kiss on his cheek.
Tim blushed; it seemed to him that all eyes turned in his direction and someone even showed the thumb as a sign of approval.
He was saved from the friendly banter by a melodious voice behind him.
"Come with me, apprentices, it's time for class to begin."