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The starry sky, the full moon, my snow, as well as the bodies lying on this field. I don't know how the others experienced their return (they were much more experienced than me and had been in various situations), but I laughed heartily.

    Survived no matter what! How many variables were against me, how many situations because of which the whole squad could die, not just me alone, but still! I survived, as did the whole squad (well, almost...).

    I don't know exactly how long I laughed, but I laughed for a long time, tears welled up in my eyes, but I was rudely interrupted. In an instant, a ball of snow flew into my face, like a snowball in common parlance, only much larger, about four times.

    Such rude treatment of my face somehow instantly took away the desire to continue laughing. Having wiped away the snow with my hand, which so successfully covered not only my mouth, but also my eyes, I stared at the tired face of our fighting gnome.

    "Little one," Og said somehow tiredly, as if through force. - Shut up, will you? It's sickening without you," having said this, he turned around on the spot and returned to his golem, where he tiredly sat down on it.

    Having followed his movement, I again turned my gaze to the sky. At the edge of my consciousness, I noted the sound of a bottle opening, and after it the sounds of sips. Clearly, Og decided to drink away his grief. Or maybe I just wanted to wet my throat. Although in terms of emotions it's more likely the former.

    Eh, Ed. Why did he do this? No, the reasons are clear, because he himself said them. These reasons may seem insignificant to us, and in particular to me, but for him they carried more than significant weight. That is why he decided to take these actions. But the question is different. Who inspired him to do this? Who was in these lands before us? Who is this "Master"? Should we expect retaliatory measures?

    Questions and questions, continuous questions without answers. I have accumulated so many of them that it's time to write a book with a self-explanatory title: "Questions for which there are no answers. Volume one." I am sure there will be even more such volumes in the future.

    Okay, thoughts and thoughts, but I still have work to do. With my hands on the ground, I finally got up and walked over to the others.

    Curiously, I was thrown a little further than everyone else. I wonder why? There are no traces of my sliding in the snow, which means I was immediately thrown out here. Maybe this has something to do with the timing of the transition? Hmm, probably not. The difference in our passage through the arch was not so great as to make any reference to this.

    "Everyone who has any serious injuries, come up, but only one by one," he addressed the entire squad after checking Sol's condition.

    The elf was in a stable and serious condition; under the influence of the spell, she would be able to hold out until the doctors arrived, or until evacuation.

    Within an hour, all members of the squad passed through my hands, with the exception of Croco. Because of his nature, as well as the prana that he developed throughout his life, all his wounds had already practically healed; my help was not needed here.

    The rest had very different wounds. From cuts all over his body, to a broken arm, and hypothermia from ice spells. Well, don't forget about the arrow holes. No matter how strong the shields against external influences are, they simply cannot withstand hits from more than several thousand arrows.

    Having finished with everyone, I returned to the Elf. She may be able to hold out, but since I can, I will help. Practice never hurts. I listened out of the corner of my ear to the conversation that began to flare up.

    "Well, what can I say," Og began, not letting go of the bottle. "What the f*ck just happened to us?" Why the hell did the bloodsucker lose his mind?

    "You have to calm down first," Croco said, examining his sword. "Each of us is not in the best condition. Don't take your anger out on your squad members.

    - What do you want me to do, huh? — the dwarf answered, almost breaking into a scream, but without waiting for an answer, he continued. - They are also my advisers. Ugh.

    Hidden pain, as well as rage mixed with anger, hmm. This doesn't seem like a reaction to losing a friend. I thought sadness, or grief, should prevail. Either I still don't fully understand people's emotions, or our gnome is reacting this way to something completely different. Perhaps the words of a dragon?

    - Well, I think Croco is right. We all need to calm down first. "I would even say to relax," the half-goblin took the floor with a slight grin. "We returned safely, our mission is completed." And about Ed, - here he, unexpectedly for me, looked in my direction (even though I was sitting with my back to them, I clearly felt it). Hmm, why would that be? Or it just seemed to me. "Now is not the best time, or place, for such conversations."

    "We shouldn't linger here," the Fox perked up. "My sister needs urgent help, and we're sitting here talking about all sorts of traitors," she spat out in the end, angrily.

    -Who did you call a traitor here, big-eared one? - the dwarf roared like a wounded beast. - How can you say such things about...

    "What should I tell him about the bastard who almost killed my sister?" — the Fox answered, jumping to her feet with a hiss. "It was only thanks to luck that she didn't go to the next world."

    "You heard the words of that mountain of bones." It was because of him that he was in such a state. It was the dragon that drove him crazy! - Og said, also jumping to his feet.

    - And this, in your opinion, should justify him? Let me remind you that he went there himself! He himself started this mess - because of the rage that overwhelmed her, the elf's mana got out of control and began to flow outside her body. Because of this, the hair on the eared head began to rise up, creating an ominous picture. - You know? Let me tell you what, that bastard got what he deserved. And if he hadn't died, I would have finished him off myself. And you couldn't stop me!

    - You! YOU! - Yes, he's about to explode. The face is red, the veins are bulging, the beard dangles as if in the wind.

    - What am I? Are you saying I'm wrong?

    - Yes, I...

    With a hiss, a sword stabbed into the ground between them, attracting everyone's attention. Without realizing it, the two began to move closer to each other. And if the Fox "breathed" mana in all directions, then Og, on the contrary, concentrated it to such an extent that a crust of stone began to appear on his body.

    Looking down at the sword, the two slowly turned their attention to the one who sent it flying - Croco.

    - Calm down. "We just weren't enough here," he growled threateningly, his amber eyes flashing.

    After a minute of silence and glaring at each other, the two returned to their seats. The fox sat down on the ground and hugged her knees, every now and then looking at her lying sister, and Og again grabbed the bottle. Regret and sadness filled the space. Still, they regret that they flared up at each other.

    "Well, then, the problems are settled," looking at the two culprits with an attentive gaze, Flitwick grinned again. - I think we should rest. The path to the portal is not close, but we need to hurry. So Og," the half-goblin turned to the gnome. — Will you help with golems?  

    "Uh-huh," Og hummed, taking a sip from the bottle.

    - So it's decided. We rest for half an hour, and then we move out," Flitwick summed up and sat down on the transfigured chair, closing his eyes.

    The next half hour passed in complete silence. Everyone was busy with their own business. I was also busy with useful work - treating Sol. I couldn't cure her in the allotted time, however, I couldn't have done it in an hour. The wound was too complex, and the residual marks from the necromancer did not make my job any easier.

    After half an hour everyone was ready. Together we climbed into the bird golem, like the same one on which we escaped, but only smaller, and we flew towards the portal. If we walked to the curtain for several hours, then it took us about fifteen minutes to get back. Still a flight, and at a decent speed, much faster than walking.

    Our appearance, as expected, caused a stir. It's not every day that a golem flies into a town with a battered team inside.

    The landing and subsequent journey went smoothly. As soon as we landed within the city, the "meeting team" immediately ran up to us. Flitwick talked to them, explained everything to them, he called with a wave of his hand and showed everyone to follow him.

    On the way, the medics who were working here ran up to us. With a nod of agreement from the half-goblin and the elf, I handed over my patient to them, while informing them about the type of injury and the procedures that I had already completed. Judging by their looks, they didn't believe me. Well, okay, so they will do everything all over again.

    "Thank you, Kol," the Fox whispered, hugging me. I have to tell you, it was unexpected. "Having thought it all over, I only now realized that it was you who saved Sol, then in the throne room, when you fell on her - oh!" So here, it turns out, under the guise of a cute elf (sometimes evil and creepy) there is a detective hiding. - And then in the golem and after returning. You helped her, and I..." then her speech was interrupted by sobs and crying. Well, that's just what I was missing.

    After a couple of seconds, she broke the hug. Moving away a little and wiping away her tears, the Fox smiled slightly.

    - Somehow I fell apart. "You probably don't know how to react to this," she slightly faked me.

    "There is such a thing," I nodded at her words. What's true is true.

    "Thank you again," the elf said, sharply approaching and kissing me on the cheek. "Okay," she smiled sharply, pulling away again. - Here I will say goodbye to you. Bye, Col.

    Waving her hand at me, the elf ran away towards the medical block, where her sister was taken.

    Wow, what an emotional person. Well, okay, it's time for me to go.

    Turning around on the spot, I went towards the portal.

    *****

    The return to the guild was somewhat routine. A flash, a feeling of space and we are already in a familiar hall.

    Upon arrival, unbeknownst to us, Sol and Al dropped out, whom she took to the local hospital. After all, I'm physically healthy here, but mentally… so our brave necromancer went to look for the doctor she needed so much.

    We followed a familiar path to the same room in which I met the team.

    "I'll leave you here," Og said, stopping at the door. "I still have things to do, yes," but he doesn't know how to lie at all. - Bye.

    Waving his hand goodbye, the dwarf left.

    The door opened in front of us and we entered the room. Croco, taking his previous place on the sofa, took out tea and began to drink it. Flitwick sank into a soft chair and closed his eyes tiredly. Only I remained standing in place.

    "Croco," I called him, sitting opposite the dragonite. -Can I have a cup of tea too?

    Having glared at me, Croco nodded and out of thin air (really, right out of thin air) took out a cup of tea and handed it to me.

    After taking a sip of a hot and refreshing drink, I sat back with pleasure on the back of the sofa. Okay, now you can rest. Just need to find out a few things.

    "Professor," I turned to the goblin floor after a couple of minutes.

    - M? - he answered, opening one eye slightly.

    - What is the date today? - Yes, it is important. Perhaps I will have time to see the parents and the twins.

    "I must disappoint you," the professor began. - But tomorrow I'll go to school. So you'll have to postpone meeting your parents until the next holidays.

    Closing my eyes, I sighed tiredly. Well, it turns out I'm not destined to meet them. It's bad, but there's nothing you can do about it. So I'll go see them during the winter holidays. True, there is still one more question about your school.

    - How soon can I get to Diagon Alley? I still need to get better at things, by the second year. "And I didn't receive a letter with a list of supplies," I said somehow distantly. And indeed, the owl could not get behind the curtain, which means either today she will bring me a letter, or someone else will give it to me.

    "Don't worry about it," said the half-goblin. "Poppy will take care of everything." And here she is, by the way.

    The door leading to our room opened with a creak. There she stood on the threshold, my teacher - Poppy Pomfrey.

    "It's good to see you, Calder," she greeted me with a smile.

    "And I you," I nodded to her.