That's really enough for today, Tim thought, once he was back in his room. Too much adventure for just one day. Allowing himself a couple of minutes to admire the stars that shone brightly against the purple-black sky of the alien world (three stars were much larger than the others - probably the satellites of the planet where their school was located), Tim undressed and dove into bed. As he did so, something round fell off the blanket onto the floor, immediately rolling under the wardrobe.

  After sneezing a few times from the dust that had gotten into his nose, he finally pulled out the thing. It turned out to be a small green ball, slightly warm to the touch. So, crystals really can be found! In a fit of treasure-hunting excitement, Tim examined every corner of his room, but found nothing else. Well, enough is enough.

  Having climbed under the blanket again, he fell asleep almost instantly. And woke up from the fact that someone was rather persistently pounding on the door. Tim jumped up to open it, but halfway there, realizing where he was now, gave a mental order. A second later Ri-Bo appeared in the room.

  "Still asleep? Hurry up, the light green eye is already lighting up, soon there will be a class on Light magic!"

  Hmm, that's what it means to have no alarm clock.

  "By the way, look what I found this morning!"

  Tilfing had two crystals in his palm: a yellow ball and a black tetrahedron.

  "Cool! Two at once! I've only found one so far, and that was by accident. It rolled off the blanket when I went to bed."

  "I found mine in my nightstand. Probably, the previous owner has left them as a memento. It’s a pity, I don’t know his name, otherwise for sure I would say to him “Thank you very much!” With such a success we’ll be able to pay off the kobold no later than today! Especially if our friends can find at least one each. Anyway, when you're ready, knock on my door! Naar-Tam will go too!"

  Alas, there was no time for breakfast. Fortunately, after the festive dinner hunger has not yet had time to wake up.

  Taking their grimoires and wands all three of them set out for class. Fingor, as it turned out, had left earlier, and the mysterious inhabitant of room 27 still refused to show himself.

  "Maybe there's no one there?" Tim doubted.

  "Actually, someone is. I heard quiet footsteps behind the wall," Naar-Tam reported.

  "Maybe he's afraid of us," Ri-Bo summed up. "But we're not scary at all! Well, just let him go to the toilet and we'll meet him at the exit from there and get acquainted!"

  There really was a class schedule on the door of the classroom. Next to it was a calendar, similar to the one in Tim's room, but ten times larger. Seven of the nine squares were blacked out; they arrived here at the very beginning of a new month. The year was 2740 since the school's founding, meaning the previous tenant of his room had graduated a year and a half ago. Almost certainly early - it was unlikely that the administration would wait that long before accepting new students.

  The classroom was directly opposite the stairs. As a matter of fact, there were only three rooms on this tier - the classroom, the Main Hall and a museum. The tunnel to the Main Hall was decorated with statues; it was where they all arrived the day before, having agreed to study. The tunnel to the museum, on the other hand, was blocked by a brickwork and the words 'Repair works' painted diagonally in red.

  "It’s a pity that we won’t be able to admire the local curiosities," Naar-Tam sighed.

  "Maybe it will be opened soon," Ri-Bo tried to encourage him.

  And seeing the girl with ashen hair, called out to her:

  "Chilajt, hello!"

  "I am Mikpir. So, my countrywoman’s name is Chilajt? I saw her but had no case to become acquainted."

  "Hey, Naar-Tam!" a red-haired girl with light-orange skin hailed their company in turn.

  "Meet: my compatriot Tiis-Mir," Naar-Tam introduced her to Tim and Ri-Bo.

  The girl clapped her palms on theirs in turn.

  "Glad to meet you. How do you like our school? I can't wait to learn how to do magic!"

  "Then let's not keep the teacher waiting for us. I think he's already inside."

  Master Aerg had indeed already taken his place at the rostrum, to which rows of stone desks descended in a semicircle. The elves and anzimars occupied the front seats, and the others sat behind them. Tim and his friends settled down on one of the upper rows, at the left end, so they could see everything, and not in front of the teacher's nose. After waiting another five minutes, Master Aerg decided to start the class.

  "Did everyone bring their grimoires and wands? Very well (if anyone didn't, he didn't admit it). You must have them with you at each class. Today you’ll need rather grimoires than wands because we are beginning from the ground up. Light magic includes three main sections: Healing, Super-Abilities and Protection from the dark sorcery. Successful passing the exam assumes that you have mastered at least one of the sections and are confident in the other two."

  Sakes alive! There's also the exams to take? Although what kind of school is that without final exams?

  At that moment, a girl ran into the classroom, breathing heavily.

  "Excuse me, please, I had to go back for the grimoire..."

  Tim looked around - it was Chilajt and - what a tragedy! - in her gray daily clothes! If she'd come earlier, she could have hidden behind the desks, and maybe the teacher wouldn't have noticed it. And now...

  "Ha-ha, look at what she's wearing!" It was heard from the front rows, and the whole class turned around and looked at Chilajt as if in her place was some outlandish critter. The girl's cheeks turned black, - this is how gorgons express extreme embarrassment when you're literally ready to fall through the ground from shame.

  "Silence, you lot!" Master Aerg exclaimed. "I realize that your race doesn’t distinguish colors but it’s no reason for lateness. Go change your clothes and come back. Minus three points for a starter; if it happens again, a few hours of community service is usually a good thing for correction."

  Chilajt ran off and the class resumed.

  "And now a little theory, without knowing which you can't even become a junior assistant to the most untalented wizard. What is the point of possessing magical power if you don't know where and how to use it? You will have to memorize dozens, if not hundreds, of spell formulas, the very key phrases that are able to realize your desires. It is not difficult for those who set a goal to learn at least one per day. You'll find the formulas you need in Frexg's textbook 'Light Magic is my favorite magic'. And at the next class I'll check to see if you've read it and what you've learned from it. A little later there will also be practice, first of all on healing, as it is the most noble and necessary occupation. But first... what do you think is the difference between a strong sorcerer and a weak one? That's right: their potential. Each spell requires a certain amount of mana to be successful, and if it exceeds your reserve, you can wave your wand around all day, muttering keywords - nothing will work. So in addition to memorizing your formulas you must work tirelessly to expand your mana storage and its continuous replenishment. How? With the help of meditation, of course! The meditation technique is described in detail in Abalug's brochure 'Gaining Power' which can also be borrowed from the library. In short, it is enough to sit down, close your eyes and concentrate on pronouncing certain phrases without thinking about anything else. The influx of mana is not very fast, and only those who are diligent enough will be able to reap worthy fruits from this tree."

  After a brief silence Master Aerg took a few steps back and forth across the rostrum. Taking advantage of the pause Tim opened his grimoire and wrote down the authors and titles of the books. Ri-Bo didn't bother with that.

  "I'll copy it from you later. I better be a listener now!"

  Chilajt also seized the opportunity slipping quietly as a mouse into the classroom and sitting down on the very top desk behind their company.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "For those who are not so diligent there is another way," the voice of Master Aerg became stern, "sometimes on the school’s territory you’ll come across multi-colored crystals of different configurations; in real they are concentrates of the magical energy. It is enough to touch a crystal with your wand and say 'Eflirg toakt', and it will dissipate transferring its energy supply to you. I see some of you are impatient to go looking for one right now. I warn you: don't get too enthusiastic about using them, there are a lot of pitfalls there."

  "Have you written down the right words?" Ri-Bo asked Tim.

  "The words for the crystals activation? Of course."

  "But what danger is there in using them?" Tiis-Mir wondered. "I found one and I didn't know what it was for."

  And she showed them a small red ball.

  "He's probably trying to teach us discipline so we don't take the easy ways," Naar-Tam explained with a laugh.

  "I am sure: when he was our age he was also looking for the crystals, and now he's moralizing over us!"

  Ri-Bo said the last phrase too emotionally - several classmates looked in their direction, forcing the teacher to put an end to 'disorder'.

  "You must not engage in extraneous things during class! If I notice any of you chatting with neighbors or sleeping I'll immediately impose a penalty!"

  Ri-Bo got frightened and stayed quiet for the rest of the class (which required considerable effort from him). Fortunately, he did not have to suffer for long: after telling them a little more about how honorable it is to be a White Wizard, Master Aerg let them go, in the end one more time scaring them with severe punishment for those who will not be zealous in sorcery studying.

  "Not so much teaching as intimidating," Ri-Bo commented as they left the classroom. "Well, at least he gave details about the crystals, the only benefit from the lesson."

  "You already knew about them?" Chilajt was surprised.

  "A little... but it's better not in front of everyone. Otherwise the whole class will rush to search for them and we won't get anything."

  "Then let's go to the Main Hall, there is no one there, and I'll show you a board with our names on it. I had been so tired from cleaning yesterday that it was no wonder that I mixed up my costumes. When I came back after changing clothes, at first I was afraid to go in again. For gathering my courage I looked into the Main Hall. And then I waited for the moment when Aerg was distracted, and slipped inside.

  "The board with our names? That's interesting! Let's go there!"

  On the way Tim looked with interest at the statues they passed by. The greatest sorcerers of the past were staring blankly into the distance, indifferent to what was going on around them. But as soon as he looked away, there was an immediate feeling of 'sight in the back', which disappeared when he turned his attention to them again.

  In the Main Hall opposite the entrance there was indeed the board, although it had not been there yesterday. Fifty names, Tim took the trouble to count. Near most of them were zeros. Someone named Patpako had two points, probably that one who had asked about the essence of the magic during the festive dinner. Eliavel had minus four points for attacking the drow girl; minus three to Chilajt was the ‘present’ of Master Aerg. Some of their classmates also had minus two or three points: probably they decided to do night walking too but were unlucky to get caught. Thanks to Ri-Bo, otherwise the number of names with negative points would have been significantly larger. Two of them, Taeron and Zur'U'Fes, got minus seven points, probably for fighting in the dining room. Couldn't they have done that without being seen?

  "Come on, tell us what you wanted to say!" Chilajt turned to Ri-Bo when the interest in looking at the list of names had faded a little.

  "Just between us, there's someone here who can exchange crystals for various alchemical potions like Invisibility. He's the one who told us about them."

  "Why didn't you say this earlier?" Tiis-Mir lit up with the idea. "Let's look for them right here! We'll find at least one!"

  Indeed, one crystal was found - a white tetrahedron. Naar-Tam was also lucky to come across an object that at first appeared to be a shard of porcelain saucer. Fortunately, its edges were not sharp and could not hurt the skin. On one side of the shard was half of a green leaf, drawn very carefully - you could even make out the veins. On the other side was a symbol made up of two letters 'K' joined together.

  "That's what the kobold was talking about," Ri-Bo whispered reverently. "A piece of a mosaic. If you put the pieces all together, you'll get a present."

  "Which one?"

  "Nobody knows it yet, but it's almost certainly valuable enough."

  "Where else should we look?"

  "Probably better not now," Tim said. "I didn't have time to have breakfast this morning, and now I would be happy to have a snack. After all, there's another class ahead of us today. If I'm lucky, I'll visit the library as well."

  "That's right! We also need snacks and textbooks! Let's go!"

  However, at the exit of the tunnel they were awaited. Three Anzimars, lazily looking at the statues and pretending that nothing else interested them.

  "They're after me," Ri-Bo babbled fearfully and stopped.

  "You speak as if they are going to arrest you," Chilajt grinned.

  "No, but they might beat him up a little," Tim said in all seriousness.

  "For what??"

  "Just like that. Well, for example, because they don't like guys with horns."

  "This is nonsense," Tiis-Mir snorted. "Is that a reason?"

  "For someone it’s so."

  "Three against one, is that fair?"

  "Three against five will please them much less," Naar-Tam declared decisively. "Go with us and do not answer if they call you."

  When their company reached the anzimars, one of them said:

  "Tilfing, we need to talk to you."

  "Well, talk, we won't interfere," Tim replied with a sneer in his voice.

  "The conversation is not for prying ears."

  "I'm sorry, in that case we have business to attend to. Perhaps he'll have a moment for you later."

  "It is in your interest, tilfing, to do this now," the anzimar said with emphasis, not paying attention to the taunts. The authority in his voice and the unshakable confidence in his own power made Ri-Bo bow his head; a little more and he would agree to go voluntarily with his tormentors. But at this moment Chilajt came into play.

  "You were answered – later! Clear the way!"

  "Wow, what a bold statement! For a start learn to distinguish colors! How do people like you even get into a school?"

  "Do you really want to know?" Chilajt asked in a deceptively soft voice. Their gazes met for a moment, and her eyes flashed with a piercing gleam. With a muffled cry the anzimar tried to turn away, but froze with his head bowed to his side.

  "Anyone else want to know this?" she turned to his pals, and they all backed away in fear.

  "So, the matter is settled. Don't worry about your comrade: he will wake up soon. And we, if there are no objections, will continue on our way."

  "Thank you, of course, but now the anzimars will not want to be friends with you," Ri-Bo sighed when their company went downstairs.

  "We don't need friends like that even for nothing," Naar-Tam replied cheerfully. "I am sure we can find more pleasant people for friendship. And now it's really time to have a meal!"

  They decided to take the grimoires and wands with them - it would be an unnecessary waste of time to take them to the rooms first and then take them back for the next class.

  The dining room was deserted. As it turned out later, someone had heard a rumor that the Nature magic class was to be held outdoors, so the exit was already open. As a result, everyone rushed off to explore the world outside.

  It is interesting how effective the kitchen magic today, Tim thought, and ordered another fried chicken for the sake of experiment. And he wasn't too surprised to get a potato side dish with three pieces of meat and a tomato salad instead.

  "Enough is enough," Ri-Bo summed up dejectedly, chewing the pinkish-yellow beans of unknown origin without much appetite. "I hope there's more than one holiday a year here."

  The food of Naar-Tam and Tiis-Mir was steamed, so hot it was. But it didn’t prevent them from enjoying it.

  "We, peirots, like hot things," Naar-Tam explained with a cheerful smile. "No wonder we are called the Children of Fire! And Yusmes, the Children of Water, on the contrary prefer when ice crunches on the teeth."

  From his further story it became clear that both peoples – the orange-skinned Peirots and the blue-skinned Yusmes – live on the same planet, but on different halves of it. On one, where the Peirots live, the sun shines around the clock (unless it is covered by clouds) and it is very hot there. The other half, which has become a haven for the Yusmes, is illuminated by the planet's satellite, there is eternal night and it is very cold there. The Peirots and the Yusmes have never fought among themselves – why, if you cannot live on the enemy's territory? Moreover, each of the peoples has something that the other did not have, therefore, in the Borderlands, where are representatives of both nations can stay for a long time, lively trade is in full swing, news is exchanged, theatrical and circus performances are held, as well as simple games. There are also magic schools – each people, of course, has its own. They mainly teach Elemental magic: the Peirots, of course, primarily study fire magic, and the Yusmes - water magic. In addition, among the Yusmes you can meet empaths.

  "Who are they?" Ri-Bo wondered.

  "Those who are able at barely glancing determine your state of mind: joy, sorrow or anxiety in your heart," Naar-Tam explained. "Strong empaths can even find out the root cause of it."

  "It's awesome!"

  "With such a talent in my world you would have a direct path to becoming psychoanalysts," Tim noted. "The coolest profession: you have a heart-to-heart talk with a person, discover that all his problems is due to the conversation in the parents’ bedroom overheard in early childhood, and make a pretty penny out of it!"

  Naar-Tam and Tiis-Mir laughed heartily.

  "Indeed, very similar! The Yusmes are known lovers to make a mountain out of a molehill. As for us - warm, light, friends nearby and opportunity to do things you like, what else do you need for happiness?"

  The continuation of the conversation was interrupted by the appearance of an orc, who immediately began to examine the floor, especially under the tables.

  "Hey, mate, what did you lose?" Ri-Bo finally couldn’t stand it.

  "Namitil said yesterday that he had seen here a ball under one of the tables but he was too lazy to take it up," the orc confessed guilelessly.

  Luck smiled at the orc at the table where the goblin and his 'bodyguard' had sat the day before. Bending down he picked up a thing and started to examine it.

  "Show what you found!" Ri-Bo hailed him mischievously.

  "It looks like a plate was broken, and one of the shards remained here. A nice picture was on the plate, what a pity!"

  It was a piece of a mosaic with a picture of a snow-covered mountain peak, and the temptation to advise the naive 'treasure hunter' to throw it away and pick it up later was great. Fortunately, no one succumbed to the temptation.

  "If you come across any more, collect them, if they are the same, bring them to us for exchange. "

  "What for?"

  "You can assemble a picture from them. For which you will receive a prize."

  The orc thought about what he had heard for a minute, and then, grinning happily and clapping Naar-Tam on the shoulder, ran away.

  "It's a pity you didn't think to inspect the dining room before we sat down to eat," Ri-Bo sighed.

  "Don’t regret! You'll find a dozen more!"

  Yeah, for the Peirots everything is simple: don’t refuse a gift, don’t accept a blow. On the other hand, it isn’t sadly in their company.