“Adept Lasart, what a… dark you are!”

The exclamation of Alsar of Riola, Master of Martial Illusions, made me smile. Of course, I was mentally grinning, but in fact I was diligently squeezing tears out of myself. The respected master should not have guessed that I was failing the profile exam of my own free will.

And the master continued to rage and explain to the world that I was a dark disgrace, spoiling not only the progress of the entire course, but also the reputation of my native school. I nodded, actively agreeing with everything. Yes, and how could I disagree, if the school really became my own, after all, I’m studying for the second year in my fourth year. Graduation, by the way, from which they do not deduct. But failing the exams became more and more difficult. The respected master had already given the ticket number in advance, and slipped the scrolls with answers in the midst of the exam, but this time he acted meanly - he enchanted the pen. The cursed infection itself solved all the problems, drew diagrams, and all this in a couple of minutes! Yes, I barely managed to throw an illusion on the scroll! And so, in fact, the master stared at this illusion, repeating for the twentieth time that I was dark.

Yes, dark! What I am infinitely proud of, but I have to hide my main gift. According to the decree of the emperor, all rootless dark magicians were sent to study with higher demons. It sounded tempting, but in fact, training turned into the most banal slavery. The Demon Disciples were completely dependent on their mentors. So I was in no hurry to acquire a teacher of demonic blood, and I was not a rootless person. But there was no one else to confirm it.

“Adept Lasart, what would you like me to do with you?” The Master of Martial Illusions, who is also the Chairman of the Examiners Commission, stared at me sadly.

“Shall we give her another ticket?” suggested Mrs. Orton, a professor who teaches a course in everyday illusions.

All the adherents howled from this lady, and how could they resist, if the failures on the control turned into the most unpleasant everyday illusions, spoiling the life of all those lagging behind. I've been suffering for a whole year because of the migrating furniture and the bleeding mirror. An excellent stimulus for the development of inner vision, which allows you to see through the illusion. And as soon as I mastered the protective spell, Mrs. Orton stopped bullying me altogether. Of course, exclusively in the territory of my room and the restroom adjacent to it. It seems to be a trifle, but for a specialist of her level, a sensitive click on the nose. Therefore, I perfectly understood the desire of Mrs. Orton to get rid of me, but I still said:

“Will you give me one more chance?” A small one, about a year long. You still have a shortage of paid seats. I learned.

“Adept Lasart, I don’t want to endure your antics for another year. - Master Riolsky quickly descended from the pulpit, came up to me and whispered: - Do you think I don't know who wrote the thesis to Voisky? Who passed the pre-graduation tests for Lady Mirt, bringing her phantom to the test site?! Yes, for theoretical calculations on the creation of this phantom, I am ready today to sign you a diploma with honors!

The Magister unambiguously placed a blank sheet of paper in front of me. I got up from my seat and answered just as quietly:

- I don't understand what you mean.

“But I don’t understand why you do it!”

“Studying at the School of Illusions and Transformation is an expensive pleasure,” I chuckled grimly.

I received my legitimate failure only half an hour later, after listening to a long lecture from Professor Blacks about the inadmissibility of a dismissive attitude towards magic. Teaching history at the SHIP, he literally poured out these very stories from the life of magicians who did not give a damn about the gift and ended in tears.

“Power is given to us by the Gods, and they perfectly see how the chosen one manages it, and draw the appropriate conclusions ...” The professor's voice dropped to a tragic whisper.

I admit, I got goosebumps. I didn't understand at all that a spellcasting mage of his level had forgotten in our school. No, I was not afraid of the wrath of the gods, because none of them was responsible for the awakening of the dark gift. Only the presence of the blood of demons opened access to the dark source.

Following Professor Blacks, Mrs. Orton took the floor and announced that she no longer wanted to see me at her lectures. Her statement split the examination committee into two camps: the members of the first offered to give me a chance, while the rest demanded an amendment to the SHIP charter and the removal of the ban on the exclusion of fourth-year adepts.

By the way, the ban was still archaic and dates back to the time of the formation of the Dark Alliance, when only adherents who entered into force preferred to arbitrarily leave educational institutions in order to gain the missing knowledge in battle. This happened, as a rule, after the third year, when the adept already had a sufficient baggage of spells. Having fought for a year or two, no one, of course, was eager to return to his desk and was expelled. Now, no one was eager to go to war, since the Dark Alliance no longer had obvious enemies, and the secret ones preferred to behave quietly and modestly, but the adherents of the SHIP with great pleasure would limit themselves to three courses, especially since many were not going to work in their specialty.

"So can I go?" - She carefully pressed to her chest a scroll with a deuce, bred personally by Alsar Riolsky. A failed profile exam did not allow me to defend my diploma and was guaranteed to leave me for the second year, or rather, for the third.

— Go, adept Lasart. But don’t think that next year you will be able to make us look like a bunch of idiots again,” Alsar Riolsky announced gloomily.

The other members of the examination committee also looked, to put it mildly, unkindly, everyone was already thinking about how to provide me with a fun life. No one understood that the worst thing had already happened to me: I had lost my only loved one, my home, and even my own name. Only freedom remained, and I could only keep it within the walls of the School of Illusions and Transformation.

The results of the exam were waiting for the entire fourth year. Classmates crowded under the door of the audience, and as soon as I appeared in the corridor, a friendly sounded in the silence:

— How much?

- Bad! I proudly announced.

Solemn music sounded, rose petals fell from the ceiling, applause was heard. Everyone knew about my desire to fail the undergraduate exam. Someone silently twisted at the temple, someone whinnied, anticipating the future torment of teachers, there were those who were quietly envious. Mostly offspring of noble families. The gods had deprived these poor souls of a magical gift, so that the THORN was their only chance to receive a diploma and a mage's wand. Now the graduates had to return to their family nests in order to soon get married, marry, and then join the high society of our empire. Free days were coming to an end. But my fate could have turned out just like that ...

Now you are ours! squeaked an unfamiliar girl in a golden dress, the cost of which was equal to two months of study at SHIP. In expensive outfits, I understood, I myself once wore no worse. “Lady Merridith Wares, your future classmate!” And an admirer of talent ... - it was added quite quietly, but the guys still heard it and laughed without malice.

I had enough admirers of talent this year, thanks to which I was able to pay for the year of study at SHIP and save up for the next one. Illusions are a toy for the rich, in a modest provincial town you can’t make money on them. But I made life easier for those for whom magic was just fun, and the mage's wand was an appendix to the title of an aristocrat.

- Nice to meet you. I shook the outstretched hand.

I saved up for my studies, but I need to take money somewhere for clothes and various household trifles. Scholarships were not paid at SHIP, our educational institution has long been fully self-sufficient, or, to be more precise, on the provision of students.

I just wanted to clarify if it's true...

— Dinara will solve, calculate, dispel and weave an illusion of any complexity at a fair price! Georg Voisky announced solemnly. - And he will also write a diploma, pass the exam for you and level any punishment ...

- Well, you know, this is already arrogance! Mrs. Orton was standing in the auditorium door. “Discuss future misbehavior in the presence of teachers!”

"So you wouldn't be eavesdropping," I muttered.

- Punishment for adepts is assigned to encourage the craving for knowledge, and not for you, a cunning person, to fill your pocket!

I tactfully kept silent.

Everyone knew perfectly well how much in SHIP one could get rid of the appointed punishment. I just redirected the financial flows. Who is to blame that it is more pleasant to deal with me than with the same Mrs. Orton? I’ll smile, help, and even make a discount, instead of taking out the brain with an educational conversation. But let's not talk about essentials. Three whole months of vacation ahead!

- I'm sure Dinara will think carefully about your words and draw the right conclusions. - The military man grabbed me by the elbow and persistently dragged me away from the examination room. - Don't be rude. You know, she has the power to make your life unbearable.

She can try.

“Dinara, marry me,” George suggested for the tenth time.

“As soon as the emperor legalizes bigamy.”

We both knew perfectly well that a bride was waiting in the capital of Voisky. Pretty girl, she saw the portrait herself. Voisky wore him in a medallion, admired him ten times a day, kissed him, which, however, did not prevent him from hitting on all the adherents of our group.

- Let's celebrate the change!

- And wash future diplomas!

"And it's time to eat." It's lunch time.

Rational suggestions came from the guys.

- So protection is only two days later.

- You have to get ready.

And you have to prepare for graduation.

They are already girls.

- Why do you need to prepare? Who do you want to fool? — Voisky, who turned around, grinned and almost got hit in the forehead by a pulsar.

I didn’t get it because the pulsar turned out to be an intangible illusion that went through the head of an illusionist magician.

“But I have nothing to wash,” I remarked melancholy, with difficulty suppressing a smile.

- So let's change it! - Voisky barked, and our well-coordinated company rushed to the exit.

The guys prepared souvenirs for me and handed them to me before sitting down at the festive table. It was so touching and unexpected that I could not hold back my tears. She sniffled without hiding. All of them were here.

Cheerful Tiana of Savoy, daughter of an impoverished baronet, whose property was about to go under the hammer if she did not marry a terrible relative. Tiana had long ago resigned herself to her fate and was going to wrap her husband in illusion, especially at piquant moments. The girl handed me a silver storage pin:

- As tenacious and sharp as your tongue.

Joker Georg Voisky, the only guy in our group with a strong magical gift, who was completely uninteresting to the owner. After receiving his diploma, George planned to start breeding fighting griffins. He presented the griffin figurine to me with the words:

- Good luck.

Beautiful as a porcelain doll, Aria. She rushed headlong into the pool of illusions in the hope of drowning out the ancestral magic of soothsayers. Aria presented a mirror with a wish, creepy in its veracity:

To always remember who you are.

The always gloomy Icarus, who loved to create phantom monsters, as creepy as his personal nightmares. Icarus was a deserter, and the gift of an illusionist remained for him the only chance for a new life. The guy gave me a dagger:

- To be able to protect herself.

When I was handed the last gift, I was already sobbing out loud. How good are they anyway!

“You see, the proper commemoration for the ruined diploma is planned,” Georg grinned. “And now I ask everyone to taste the ritual dinner!”

A table for twenty people was set for us in a separate room. Judging by the dishes laid out on the snow-white tablecloth, the innkeeper knew in advance that we would come. There was a whole roasted pig, and three kinds of stuffed quails, and fried sausages, and the aroma of the freshest pies made my head spin. Still, I didn’t have breakfast before the exam in vain.

— Dinara, what are you doing? Georg put his arm around my shoulders and shook me gently. - It did work though.

Yes. Happened. It was just very sad to leave.

Suddenly one of the quails was covered with feathers, stood up on its paws and squeaked in a thin voice:

- Guys, come on!

This was the signal for the next outrage. Illusionists have always and everywhere turned any event into a farce. Despite the fact that they were never poured. The magic itself, running through the veins, intoxicated like sparkling wine. Soon we were no longer sitting in a tavern, but on an ice floe drifting in the sea, polar bears and dolphins swam past. Aria has always been not very good with geography.

Flowers bloomed in illusory vases, colorful butterflies created by the guys fluttered above them. One of the winged charmers was just dragging a piece of cake in her paws, flying heavily, in jerks - levitation did not come out of Icarus as well as illusions.

The waiter who looked in to us squealed loudly and dropped a jug of non-alcoholic herbal tincture. Georg had to apologize for all of us. The ladies' man easily reassured the girl, giving her a bouquet of illusory flowers, and Kasmina, dreaming of her own beauty salon, turned the waiter's thin hair into a luxurious mop in a couple of seconds and put on makeup. Insanely happy girl ran to the innkeeper to beg for a day off.

The spleen again rolled over me, but I wrapped my face in an illusory mask so that they would not notice that my eyes were shining from unshed tears. With these guys, I not only studied for a whole year, I came back to life with them. Although it wasn't easy at all.

The only and beloved daughter of the dark lord of Twilight, I have never been denied anything. Traditionally, dark children were educated at home, but when I wanted to enter the School of Illusions and Transformation, my father did not dissuade me. Moreover, he personally helped with the installation of an illusory mask, under which I went to storm the walls of the educational institution. Naturally curvaceous, dark-haired, with skin to which the tan did not stick at all, I turned into a slender blond girl. Moreover, it was dad who worked on the figure, mercilessly erasing all roundness. When I complained that now I looked like a boy, dad calmly said that he was so calmer, and then added: if you learn, you will remove the illusion. As a matter of fact, this task has become our unspoken symbol of my successful completion of training. A problem that I haven't been able to solve until now. And there was no one to help me. Now there is no one.

The death of his father shocked not only Twilight, but the entire Dark Alliance. The archmage of dark forces, in whose veins the blood of higher demons flowed, was considered invulnerable. He was adored by friends, respected by enemies. An avid duelist and brother of the emperor himself, he participated in several military campaigns, rose to the rank of master and entered the Council of the Dark Ones. More precisely, he was forced to do this - only under such conditions could he get the hand of my mother - the first beauty of the capital. My father's youth was turbulent, his career dizzying, and his life ended suddenly: one morning he was found dead in the laboratory. Evil tongues whispered that the father decided to jump over his head in an effort to once again demonstrate his own genius and could not cope with the dark forces. I had no doubt that my father had been killed.

And suddenly I was alone. Yes, they didn’t let me on the threshold of my native castle! None of my numerous relatives recognized me as Lady Helena Sator, and there were strong magicians among her. An innocent prank turned into a trap. I had to say goodbye to my father in a crowd of commoners who came to pay the last tribute to their master. After the funeral, I returned to the School of Illusions and Transformation, which from now on I considered my home. It was the only place in Dark Alliance territory where I could hide the awakening of a dark gift.

Illusory magic always spread such a background that the other magicians only gritted their teeth in annoyance. Our magic was like persistent spirits, not clogged by anything, it invariably attracted everyone's attention, at the same time it required mere grains of reserve. Where the fighter mastered only a couple of dozen spells, the illusionist could ignite at least a few days, the main thing is to choose the right limiter condition that makes the spell undamped. The magic of illusions has returned my interest in life, and I will certainly cope with the rest, because that's what I and Sator are for! “No barriers” is the motto of our family.

I shook my head vigorously and prepared to toss firewood into the common fire of fun, conjuring a couple of stunning phantoms when I sensed the presence of extraneous magic. I did not have time to warn the guys, the doors to the hall flung open abruptly, and two subjects in the uniform of the Dark Alliance guards appeared on the threshold.

"Party's over, girls," one of them grinned and visibly flinched as he found the waves lapping instead of the floor beneath his feet.

Thank you, but we'll still be here! Tiana exclaimed fervently.

- Have you looked at our smell? Or what sadness happened? Don't hesitate, we'll be happy to help you! I picked up.

The rest silently chewed pies and drank from mugs of tea, or rather, the phantoms continued to feast - the originals, hidden by magic, were already making their way to the open window. The main motto of the illusionist is: “Create and run! And if you run away, then you'll figure it out ."

We were going to delve into the essence of the claims of the guards only when we reached the walls of our native school.

- So, tell us about your trouble or have you changed your mind? I said affectionately, nibbling on the leg of the quail.

To make the overall picture look authentic, Tiana and I repeated the actions of the phantoms.

“Just keep in mind, we are not healers and not even necromancers, we will not be able to return the lost and mediocrely wasted,” picked up her friend.

“Uh-what are you talking about now?” one of the guards asked dumbfounded.

- We do not return male power! The illusion won't work! I declared, hiding my face flushed with embarrassment behind a mask of equanimity.

The Guardians finally fell into a stupor. The polar bears and dolphins swimming past contributed to the escape, and the escape was almost complete, when suddenly the five adepts who managed to get out were pulled back into the hall, and then the window slammed shut with a deafening crash.

- Get it, chicks! - with a bit of gloating announced a man who had not been observed in the hall before.

A medallion gleamed over the guard's navy blue jacket, at the sight of which I turned to Tiana and found a reflection of my own panic in her eyes. It was an officer! Not a small fry, like those two we just mocked, but the authorities themselves. And in the chiefs anyhow who does not get out. So, at least a talented magician.

- Ege! You pootmechali badly here. – The guard walked along the illusory sea with noticeable curiosity, and also stamped his feet for completeness of perception.

He could not dispel the conjured, which means that he had nothing to do with the magicians of the mind, but at the same time he felt illusions. A very interesting subject, it is desirable to admire it from afar, behind the curtain of the canopy of invisibility!

“Since I spoiled the feast for you anyway, then let me set it off. The guard unfolded the scroll.

And we found out that by the decree of our permanent and, as the rumor was, the immortal commander-in-chief of the Dark Alliance, the entire fourth year of the School of Illusions and Transformation was relocated to Karagat to conduct exercises together with the combat magicians of the Karagat Military Academy.

— How is it in Karagat? I can't go to Karagat, I have a wedding in two weeks! Lady Miranda Mirth was the first to recover from her shock.

“My dear lady, I assure you that after Karagat you will either forget what your fiancé looks like, or separation will only strengthen love. If she's true.

“I still can't. I… I'm pregnant,” Miranda said in a tragic whisper, and I felt a light poke in my leg.

“And I can’t go to Karagat. I have a little one just about ... in five months it will be born into the world. Aria jumped to her feet and showed off her impressive belly.

The girls looked at each other and decided that being a little pregnant is still more profitable than dragging north to the military academy.

- I admit it, I'm guilty! - Georg Voysky cheerfully rapped out and, sighing heavily, added: - According to the law, the future father of many children cannot be recruited for military service.

- Come on. The officer furrowed his eyebrows. On his face it was read: “What, it was possible like that?” - We've gone. It's no longer relevant. So, ladies, you claim that all five suffered from this citizen ...

“Georg of the War, Lord of the Isol Valley,” the adept introduced himself.

The officer frowned again.

“I know one,” the guard cut in. - Quiet, nice place.

- So you think that he really didn’t have enough local girls?

So maybe he's been training.

And the guards stared at us in unison, and I ... I looked in panic at Aria, whose nerves were slipping not only a mask of equanimity, but also a conjured belly! A minute ago, provocatively protruding from under the dress, he noticeably sank, a little more - and he would disincarnate.

- Ouch! I exclaimed loudly. “My friend seems to be sick!

And bravely rushed to help, clasped the illusion of the stomach with her hands, pouring a portion of strength into it.

- Breathe deeply. Breathe in, breathe out,” I panted, diligently following my own advice.

It’s only your own illusions that are easy to create, but taking control of someone else’s is a much more difficult task. First I had to break through the frame, then close the existence on myself and only then work on the form. It would have been easier if Aria had handed over control of the conjured belly to me herself, but she didn't know how to do that.

- Pushing, huh? - the officer asked in a slightly too sarcastic way.

“Aria, are you jogging?” I asked in a tragic whisper, stealthily stepping on her foot. If Aria falls into a stupor, this is for a long time.

- And how! Now I can't stand physical activity very well. And I don't want to go through portals.

- Ouch! And I seem to be pushing!

- This is not a lyalik, but a pie. I should have eaten less! I hissed angrily at Kasmina, worried that she, inspired by the example of Aria, would not grow her stomach. And this is when we were all under the guns of the guards of the Dark Alliance.

- Good. The task is clear. The girls and the lover-hero stay, the rest go out,” the officer ordered.

The guys dejectedly trudged to the exit, throwing envious glances at Voisky. In their place, I would not be in a hurry to envy, the chuyka was downright yelling that we would not get rid of this officer so easily.

After waiting for the last adept to leave the hall, the officer turned one of the chairs backwards and sat astride it, glaring at us sternly.

— Nathan Royce, officer of the Karagat garrison. Have a seat, ladies. Let's talk.

— Right now? Kasmina was still looking at the door hopefully.

- Do you propose to wait until you unanimously begin to portray labor attempts? - The guard pointed his index finger at the girl: - Virgin. - Then he transferred it to Aria, and in the silence a formidable sounded: - And yet, still a virgin.

Aria groaned softly and blushed to the roots of her hair, finally losing the remnants of the illusory mask. Examination of Lady Miranda Mirt and Tiana confirmed the same diagnosis. And then the officer turned to me, glanced at me, for some reason grimaced and chuckled:

This one hasn't even kissed yet.

I don't know why, but it just became terribly offensive and unpleasant. And how could it be otherwise if your personal life is shaken up in the presence of a guy! The trooper, although he was his own on the board, did not pull on a girlfriend in any way.

Will you rate me? the enraged adept gritted through his teeth.

- What are you to evaluate? You are a dog, - Officer Royce graciously gave a characterization.

- And you? I hissed angrily.

- And I'm an incubus, - the incubus grinned in a smile under the friendly moan of the adepts of the School of Illusions and Transfiguration.

This impudent muzzle knew from the first second that none of us was pregnant