Mechanic

– Peter Orro and two new arrivals, to dean Dassay! – he said loudly.

The gate swung open and we entered. I trudged a little behind. Inis looked around in silence, as did Dinah. She opened her eyes, which were already round, like two saucers, wider. The academy was pretty far away. The gate locked behind us and Peter stopped.

– Are we waiting for someone? Are there carriages here too? – I asked and stopped, contemplating a light cloud of dust that arose in front of us.

I rubbed my eyes. Dinah coughed slightly. Only our attendant didn’t budge.

A female figure emerged from the dust.

– Pete! You have completely abandoned your trainings. Does the ruler want you to remain an ignoramus? – the voice of a dark-skinned girl about Peter’s age rang out. She threw herself at him. – I had a presentiment of your appearance.

– Aha – the charioteer squinted slyly. – Or rather, you’ve interrogated the dean…

The interlocutress waved him off and snorted.

The girl’s hair was strange: curly, most of it was braided in pigtails in several partings.

Snub nose, sensual lips, chocolate color of skin, this is the first time I’ve seen such a thing. There were holes in her earlobes. I’m not sure, but it looked like golden washers or rings glittered in them. I couldn’t find out.

And her clothes! A brown, almost black scarf on the forearm, with iridescent splashes of gems. A form-fitting shirt in a strange fabric with a stitched diamond pattern. Long sleeve with thumb slits and high collar that covers the neck. The girl also wore black men’s trousers, by the way, also form-fitting. Holy cow! I looked up at Peter embarrassedly.

– This is Eris. She is a magician of earth – Peter introduced us.

The girl lifted her chin proudly.

– Well, and your outfit. Pete, you urgently need to change! And what kind of country bag do you have? Did your grandmother give this gift? – she clicked her tongue.

– Eris, you know perfectly well, I don’t have a grandmother… – Peter dropped her hand. – It is normal travel bag. It belongs to this fiery girl, whose name is Dinara.

The magician grimaced.

– A magician of fire?

– Yes! – Dinah replied boldly.

The girls clearly disliked each other’s company. But I was wondering why.

– Demon, then… – Eris stated.

– What? – Dinah was indignant.

I wanted to object by standing up for her, but…

– Hush, Dinara. This nickname is inoffensive. At the academy, all the Fiery ones are called so, – Peter hastened to calm down her. Dinah frowned and folded her arms across her chest. Eris glanced at my friend.

– Okay. And who is this cutie? – she poked in my direction.

Well, she obviously wasn’t talking about me. I was definitely not cutie. Especially now, after two flights in the monstrous air sphere, disheveled, tired and dusty.

«I think it’s about Inis. He’s definitely a cutie»

– Inis? Ah, a bird… – the girl said and laughed. – You’re funny. Not. I am indifferent to birds, but you are handsome! She patted my cheek and winked.

Demons, I said some of my thoughts out loud again… Loose lips sink ships! I mentally howled and blushed. Peter smiled and Dinah chuckled. Inis made a quacking sound and leaned against my shoulder.

– And what is your name, cutie! – Eris was ingratiating, walking around me in circles.

– I’m not a cutie. My name is Nicholas, – I grunted, setting my bag on the shoulder.

– And, what’s about your family? – she purred.

– He is Lodesco – said Peter. – Listen, Eris, maybe you can take us to the academy. And as you know, movement by air on the territory is prohibited, and walking is pretty far away. And we are tired. Enormously tired.

– Hey you, wait! Lodesco you say? But isn’t…

– Yes. Phirin Lodesco – is my father. Lady Eris, will you help us? – I asked politely.

– Lady? Oh, thanks, honey! Of course, I’ll help. But you need to join your hands, or else you will fall – the girl waited while we hastily joined hands, grabbed my palm and cast a spell.

Dust rose all around. But it didn’t trouble us. I felt a little dizzy and the dust cleared away. By the way, it didn’t interfere with breathing at all and didn’t settle on clothes, as if it was just an illusion. We found ourselves in the middle of a round courtyard by a three-tiered fountain with sculptures of fishes. Water was pouring from their mouths, and in the fountain itself the red backs of carps were flashing. Boys and girls were walking by. Someone was reading books on a bench by the fountain, someone was sitting on the grass, some people gathered in noisy flocks and were zealously discussing the most pressing issues. They looked at us with indifference and without an ounce of curiosity. Well, students, so what? I noticed that almost everyone was wearing bandages or scarves around their necks. The colors were different. Some students waved to us.

– Marsha! – Eris called out to the blonde with a silver scarf around her neck.

She looked back. Blue eyes and elongated ears. Elf?

– Well, bye! See you later! – our new friend said. She took her friend’s arm and blew me a kiss.

I coughed and scratched the back of my head in embarrassment.

Eris disappeared from our sight, and Dinah was clearly glad and sighed with relief.

A guy with a blue scarf around his neck was standing with his back to us and casting aloud a spell by the water. A balloon like a soap bubble soared in front of him and burst right next to his face.

– Demons… – he swore.

– Sheg. I see you’ve already left the hospital? – Peter turned to the magician.

– Oh, Pete, yes, the other day. I’m recovering now. Are you back for a long time? – the guy asked, drying himself off with the hem of his shirt. Dark bangs covered half of his face. A sad look, house-shaped eyebrows, a small mouth. Although, in combination with delicate features, it looked harmonious. But, as for me, he looked more like a girl, and not like a war magician of Water. Although who am I to judge. My mother is also delicate and fragile, but among the Royal Guard she is one of the strongest.

– Until Pontiar calls. Okay. We need to see dean Dassay. See you later – Peter waved and led us to the academy building.

– And what kind of colored bands do the students wear? – I inquired.

– It is for teachers to distinguish faculties. The elders will you give them to you. You need to wear them only on the territory of the academy.

But magidemists sometimes forget about it.

– Magic… who? – I asked.

Magidemists or magids – are magicians of the academy, – explained Peter.

I nodded as a sign that I got it.

– Is brown the color of earth magicians? – clarified Dinah.

– Yes. Faculty of Terra. Yours will be a Firemen’s, the color is red. I have a blue, faculty of air – Kaelli. Those guys over there, – Peter pointed to the students with silver bands. – are Healers. Dark blue – are water magicians, faculty of Liquidus. And the golden – are Lightgivers, under the auspices of our goddess Sherida. There are few of them among the students, as, indeed, on planet Pyramid as a whole, you know. That’s why the Lightgivers were even given a separate building in the garden, near the canteen. Over there.

Peter gestured toward the ball-shaped trees.

– Everything is extremely clear and informative – smiled Dinah.

We entered the hall. There was a statue of Sherida in the center. She was truly beautiful with flowers in her hair. The sculptor did his best. Her penetrating gaze looked into the very soul and gave hope, faith in yourself. Peter called me, and I hurried to follow him. The ceilings were decorated with stucco moldings of grape-vines. And in the spherical ceiling there was a map of the universe. Seven worlds-planets that circle one by one in an endless universe around an unnamed star-sun, the mother of all seven deities. Opening my mouth, I climbed the steps. We walked along the art gallery of all known rulers of the history of Pyramid. There were also heroes of battles. I saw my father among them. He stood proudly to the right of the ruler’s throne. The throne was partially depicted. I read the inscription on the metal plate: «Phirin Lodesco. Guardian, war magician, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Guard. Let Sherida protect you and all your family!»

Wow. It will be hard for me to get away from my father’s glory. But I will try very hard. Although. I think when the students find out that I am not a magician, the glory of Phirin Lodesco will be washed away from me like rainwater…

We kept walking. On the sides there were several high doors to the halls and classrooms. And at the very end of the corridor there was a double-leaf gilded door. Against the background of dark blue walls, the door seemed to lead to different reality.

Peter knocked.

– Come in, – a man’s confident voice sounded from the study as if this door didn’t exist at all. To our surprise, the door opened itself.

The study smelled of tobacco and mint. It was a nice combination, at least I liked it. There was an antique furniture, apparently, very expensive. One wardrobe to our right, with intricate carvings of ebony was something! And it was filled with ordinary books. I swear some of them were more than one hundred years old. And what about the carpet! I read that these are made by the masters of the world Vitem, where the magic of healers comes from. This is a masterpiece of hand-made creativity! The table, of course, is massive, made of the same ebony as the rest of the furniture, but it is ordinary, rectangular, only the legs are made in the form of the paws of a feline mirses. These animals can be found in the northern forests of the Pyramid. Oh, and they are very dangerous beasts. If you meet one, it won’t leave you alive.

There was also a pair of armchairs with emerald velour upholstery and curtains on the window of the same color. Several vases with fresh flowers. Lilies. Mom loves them very much. And the portrait of the dean with the king over the fireplace. The fire was kindled only in the cold season, judging by the empty hearth. While Dinah and I were looking around, open-mouthed, Peter stepped onto the carpet.

– Greetings, Christian. At the behest of the ruler Pontiar, I brought new magidemists. Let me introduce them. These are Dinara Lezy and Nicolas Lodesco.

The dean was studying something in the yellowed manuscripts, so we couldn’t see his face.

– Yes, yes. Phirin’s son, – he raised his head. – You may not have a magical gift, but the mental energy in you is very powerful.

The man looked a little older than my father. Wide cheekbones, high forehead. Penetrating eyes, meticulously studying me, a long, slightly curved nose, like a kite, and the ears are enormously huge!

– Hey-hey, young man. Please, don’t comment my ears! – the dean grinned and folded his hands behind his back.

«It seemed I didn’t say it out loud. How did he…?» – I felt uncomfortable and ashamed.

– Your mental protection is weak. But, don’t worry. I will teach you to put up a mental shield. And you will stop thinking out loud as a bonus. Yeah, extremely wide mental field, extremely… – the dean grunted, thinking.

The clothes emphasized his status. Black shirt, burgundy vest with drawings of the sun about seven colored rays. Probably, it is a coat of arms of the academy.

– What kind of bird is on your shoulder? – the dean asked thoughtfully, bowing his head.

I shivered; I didn’t want the dean to read my thoughts. Inis, who all this time had been sitting quieter than a mouse, stirred and pinched my ear.

– Hum. Young man, you are a quick learner. Great shield! Not every magician magister the mental barrier so quickly, much less an ordinary person. I’m delighted, – the man praised.

Strange, but I didn’t do anything. Probably, Inis did. I looked at the phoenix, he tilted his head to one side. No? Does it mean no? But how then? Okay. We will figure it out.

– This is a phoenix, sir… – I decided to answer his question.

– You can call me Christian, young man. Phoenix? But this is a fabulous bird, they do not exist anymore, just like…

– Dragons? – I suggested.

– Well, I’m not sure about the fire-breathing. But the phoenixes… Where did you get this miraculous bird with multi-colored eyes?

He’ even noticed! I set my bag with tool.

– I had made him out of metal, stones and feathers, and Dinah revived him. But something went wrong, and he completely revived. He transformed into a real bird.

– Very interesting. Have you tried to repeat it?

– Yes, – I sighed. – In the palace of king Pontiar. But in vain. The pigeon remained mechanical.

– So, you, Dinara, are a young magician of fire? Little demon – the dean smiled.

Dinah grimaced, but she didn’t correct it. Peter said that within the walls of the academy this nickname was inoffensive. She apparently believed him.

– Yes. I was a housemaid at the Lodesco’s house and studied on my own from the books in their library. Nicholas crafted the necessary mechanisms, and I brought them to life. Now I have come to your academy and I can study and become a war magician. I’ll try very hard, Mr. Christian, – Dinah blurted out.

– I believe you! Peter, send Dinara to the curator of Firemen. – Rita Lumiere. Let her allocate the girl. Preferably with someone of her age. And Lodesco… to which faculty did the king recommend him?

– Mentalistics. He wants Nicholas to become a diplomat at his Majesty’s court in the future.

– Ah. Yes, of course. Perfect! So, we will do that. Show Nicholas to curator Dominic Karre. I think he will give us something good. He’s talented. And the magic gift… – the dean waved his hand, – the world does not revolve around it. Am I right, boy?

I nodded in confusion.

– You will reach your full potential! I feel it! You are very… how to say? – Ah, ambitious and you will achieve a lot! See you in class! – the dean said goodbye and sat down on a high chair, burying himself in the tablets.

The door shut behind us.

– See you in class? – I asked Peter.

– Yes. The dean is a professor, he teaches subjects of astral movement and mental protection. He is one of the most powerful mentalist-magicians. But the king doesn’t resort to his help too often.

– Why? – I showed interest. And Dinah was listening very attentively.

– In one of the battles, enemies with equally strong abilities damaged his defense. He even lost his memory. The healers managed to recover almost everything. But they’ve warned: if another hack occurs, Christian’s memory will not return. That’s all.

– I see! Can I ask you one more question?

– Yes, ask.

We followed Peter over the hallway. Turning to the right and left, not remembering the way. We will have time for it.

– Since he is such a powerful mentalist-magician, he must have joked about my shield?

– Christian jokes about a lot of things, but hardly about that. I am not friends with the mentalists, I have other spheres of magic. However, I’ll be honest with you. It’s impossible to get his praise. And I don’t think that he was joking.

– But, Peter, I’m not a magician. I don’t know what I have done and how. I’ve just thought: «I don’t want him to read my thoughts». And that’s all. Really. Maybe he has praised me because of my father?

Peter stopped with a serious look

– He doesn’t care who your father is, even though is Pontiar himself. He respects the personality, not the title of the parents. If he has said that you will achieve a lot, don’t doubt that! You will achieve! – the magician slapped me good-naturedly on the shoulder.

– I have no doubts! Niko, you are more talented than any magician at this academy, – Dinah glanced quickly at Peter. – I’m sorry, no offense. Nicholas has more than just golden hands; he can fix anything.

– Well, not everything, you’re exaggerating, Dinah! – I interrupted in embarrassment.

– Everything! You are also very smart, – Dinah continued to praise me in front of Peter. – He knows the languages of the seven worlds and he is well versed in history! – she finished admiringly.

– Really? – Peter didn’t hide his surprise.

– I just have a good memory.

– I would like to have a part of your memory – chuckled Peter. – Will you share?

With a smile, he pushed the door with his foot, since in one hand he had a bag, and in the other – Dinah’s palm. And when did he manage to take her hand?

– We came. The building is divided into buildings by faculties. This is the wing of the Firemen.

– Elder! Where is the elder? – Peter put Dinah’s bag down and walked over to three boys a little older than me.

So, it’s cozy. A large room with high ceiling, all walls are lined with shelves of books. In the middle there is a wide sofa with dints from the very places on which they sit. And the same three armchairs. But it was obviously comfortable to sit in them, an example of which was the guy who ran onto one of the above-mentioned interior items. Dinah smiled. She seems to like this place. Dimmed shades of orange and yellow created a warm atmosphere. There were two doors to the right and left of us. Probably in the female and male halves, judging by the faces painted on these doors: one with long eyelashes and a fiery mane, the other – with a smile all over her face and thick black eyebrows. On the opposite wall from us there were a pair of windows with external wrought iron railings. Several pillows lay on wide wooden window-sills, on which there were magicians with a pile of books. They were deep into reading, not noticing anyone or anything. Even the guy who rushed under their noses. He yelled so loud that the deaf man would have turned around. But not these two girls. What a moderation!

– Aaah! H-help! W-water! – the magician really needed help.

His dark red shock was smoking. The smell of burnt hair hit the noses. Dinah widened her eyes, looked around and, without thinking twice, grabbed the nearest vase of flowers. And when the magician was running by in search of salvation, she splashed water on him.

Peter and the boys he spoke to froze, scanning the mute scene.

The red-haired guy with flowers on his head and shoulders, with wet hair, but now safe, gave Dinah a puppy look.

– Th-tha… – he began.

– Thanks? – helped Dinah.

The guy shook his head. There was a dark spot of burnt hair on the crown of his head.

– S-saver! – squeezed out the magician.

Dinah put down the empty vase, and I helped to clean up the fallen flowers from the guy. Inis jumped on my shoulder. The soaked magician froze, peering at my phoenix.

– Wow, he h-has eyes of different c-color – the guy perked up.

– Patrick! – Peter called. – And I’m looking for you. Are you learning new spells again? I see, as usual.

– It’s okay, they will fix everything in the h-hospital – the red-haired guy smiled at us and held out his hand. – I’m the elder of the Firemen this year. My n-name is Patrick.

– Just Patrick? – clarified Dinah.

– Aha! No one here call you for your family name, except the magisters. What’s your name?

– I’m Dinara, Dinah for friends,

– I’m Nicholas.

– Nice to meet you. D-do not pay attention to my speech. I stutter sometimes. Since I was a kid. Healers say congenital defect cannot be healed.

– And I’m not a magician. This also cannot be healed – I chuckled, but now it sounded not offensively, but even funnily.

– At all? – Patrick was taken aback.

– At all? – I laughed.

Dinah nodded in confirmation.

– He will study at the faculty of Mentalistics. Patrick, I hand Dinara to you. Introduce her to curator Rita.

The elder winked and took Dinah’s weighty bag. The friend looked sadly at Peter, then at me, squared her shoulders and asked:

– See you later?

– Yes. You settle in and I’ll take Nicholas to the Mentalists’ wing.

We went out and headed towards the hall. Peter was laconic, reserved, looked very mature and intelligent. He was about seventeen or eighteen, but I could be wrong.

– Peter, how old are you?

The magician pursed his lips.

– And for what purpose are you interested? – he narrowed his eyes.

– Well, you look so serious and focused.

– I’m eighteen.

– Like Dinah – I said thoughtfully.

– I have been studying at the academy for only three years. But sometimes I have to go to the palace.

– I didn’t know that Pontiar called students into service – I had to be honest.

– Well, I’m kind of special, even though I don’t like the term, – he saw the question on my face, exhaled and continued: – I am the fastest among the magicians of air. Formerly, I did it reflexively, but after a year of training, I began to control my speed. Even the court charioteers give me a dirty look. And Pontiar, as luck would have it, emphasizes my abilities.

– So, you need to rejoice! – I remarked incomprehensibly.

There were a lot of people in the lobby, judging by the bags, they were newcomers, Peter fell silent. We walked into a hallway that led along large arched windows. Behind them there was a garden, flower beds, among which the magids were scurrying. When no one else bothered our conversation, Peter gave me a tired look.

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