The Grain

"We must go there and save him!" - the barely quiet steps of the young magician hiding in the distance Arsi spoke with the confidence of the empress, sending faithful servants to the battlefield. None of Glam's students liked this.

- Fuck off! - Grank simply turned on his side in his bed. Now the rest could only see his back in a rumpled T-shirt. He was definitely not going to continue the conversation.

"This is a clear trap," Kiass explained calmly . "Besides, we don't even know whether this" experimental "will really be there." And even if he was there ...

The golden-skinned shrugged, not wanting to say the uncomfortable truth aloud - everyone did not care about the stranger from Arsi 's past life .

"I'm afraid we still have to go," Ink said thoughtfully . "Not a mage just came to see us." It was Narkert. I managed to mark it earlier - the final exercise of the second stage and all that ... Why did he turn and try to send us to unknown distances? There are two options ...

"Is he our enemy or is this another test from Glam," Kiass concluded . "And how do we know that this is not the first option?"

"Nowhere, but," Ink clenched and unclenched his fingers several times, trying to gather his thoughts, "do you remember the reason we liked the mentor?"

"He considered us crazy to match himself?" - the golden-skinned one raised his head in surprise.

Earlier, Ink quickly thought about the situation and it turned out that they were really being checked.

- Grank , do you have time to recover before the evening?

"Listen, horny ... do you really think that such strikes can be easily avoided?" Of course, I said that tomorrow I would show everyone, but let's be honest - I would have to fall off for a week to fully recover.

- So you can't count on you? - clarified Ink .

" Something else ," Grumble grumbled , "of course I will go with you." Do you have any plan?

"Yes, we will threaten them and try to get out of there alive and with a prisoner."

"This is not a plan," Kiass's voice was filled with reproach. - I would like to know for sure that this is not a trap and Narkert did not go over to the side of the enemy.

"And how do we find out?" Let's go ask everyone, does Narkert have a tooth on Glam, are they really friends? You can run into other "conspirators" if it is a setup from the arena workers.

Ink thought about the chances of successfully completing his plan. Thoughts quickly jumped from an ever-displeased guy to beads with divine blood, and it was her specimens that were hidden under plastic - Ink was sure. For some reason, I wanted to immediately return the Cross of Alzuria. It was felt that there was no reason and motive for him. There was no greed, thirst for strength or curiosity or anything else. This was alarming. The conclusion was obvious - desire was inspired. Memories obtained from beads said that the truth will be revealed to the descendant only after the fulfillment of a dream and the transition to the world of reflection. Apparently, the amulet somehow influenced a person, forcing them to cherish, provoking an unwillingness to part with a thing.

"This should affect only descendants of higher powers, right? Thought Ink . "If the first generation fails, then one of his children can inherit more divine blood ..."

Thoughts seemed correct, but much more encouraged by the fact that in some way you can leave the suggestion. Ink believed that he would soon be able to better navigate the world of his mind. Somewhere there must be something responsible for the imposed desire. Learning to make such bookmarks for yourself or for other people was the same as becoming a hypnotist ... or a mental magician, in terms of fiction and universe of RPG games. The very abilities gained in the world of reflection, Ink considered the same bookmarks in the mind. It turned out that the study of inspired desire could in the future lead to an understanding of the force field, blood control and micromanipulation. Not blindly using the gifts, but understanding them at the deepest level is what Ink now desired more than anything else.

"Glam didn't show up, but he can follow us," Kiass broke the silence . "It really can be a test." It is dangerous to risk, but this may well be the right decision.

"We need a retreat," Grumbled grumbled . - If everything goes wrong, then where will we run away? I'm sure they will block our way here.

"My fencing coach ..." Ink said . "He wants to make me his debtor." Why not give him such an opportunity? Will work as an escort.

"Yes," Kiass nodded , "that would be great."

"We can escape to the buffer from the arena," Arsi spoke seriously, without the usual playfulness.

- Yah? - Grank turned on the bed to see a golden-skinned fan. - I didn't notice the windows there.

"I can lead us all through the wall," the girl's seriousness quickly ended, and she again began to smile at Kiass with embarrassment. - There my lover is oriented quite well, right? Did your clan prepare you?

"Yes," the metallic one pretended not to notice the flirtation of Arsi . - I know many areas of the buffer. It is great, but it will be possible to get some guidance.

"Why don't you go to the buffer right now and see what is there and how?" Suddenly, we find ourselves in the middle of the water?

"I would like to, but my accumulated strength will be enough only once." My suggestion is for emergency only.

"That is, if we can get here from Michaelon ..." Ink scratched his head and nearly hooked his horn. "Then ... Let's try?"

Kiass nodded, Grank snorted, but did not mind.

Agreeing with Trosh, depositing Yuvi's sickles (in debt, because Ink had nothing to pay for the weapon booking service ), collecting morally and having a bite before leaving — all this took some time. When the time came to go, the students of Glam and the appendage girl were noticeably nervous.

The troch brought them to a place on a minibus - similar to the one used by Glam, but of a different brand. During this time, Ink managed to somewhat structure his knowledge from beads. It turned out that the man and woman he saw had divine blood, which was somehow different from ordinary. Similar rarities and owners of a pedigree of this type were very appreciated, since they could almost always give birth to the corresponding child. The exception was cases when the father also became the owner of divine blood. Two strong pedigrees came into conflict, blood enhancement could only be a slow process, and two gods are almost incapable of giving birth to a superstrong creature. This is too rare, so both families opposed the marriage of the couple.

The love (although Ink suspected stubbornness) between them was stronger than the pressure of relatives and a common child was born. Unfortunately, his talent in the development of mystical arts turned out to be nothing - worse than that of an ordinary person in their world. Even pets had great strength and developmental abilities. To give the fruit of their love a chance, the couple sent him to Earth. Because of some kind of agreement, it was impossible to send an ordinary descendant to the zero world, but "crippled" by the standards of the gods - easily.

Passing nine worlds, receiving the blessing of the spirit of reflection and surviving surrounded by those who serve the enemies of the same couple - such was the task facing the descendant of higher powers. At the same time, they hoped that their "child" could find a way to combine their blood and inherit the greatest cultivation methods and martial arts from both families. As it turned out, the blood itself did not mean much if you did not know how to correctly realize the potential. Most importantly, some development methods were contained in beads, but Ink was unable to reach them. In the end, he was not a descendant of higher powers, and the beads themselves reacted to it only thanks to blood control and force field. It was a kind of master key to the amulet, working on the principle of recognition of the pedigree.

Ink was almost certain that Grank was a descendant of higher powers, but some doubts remained. The most important thing that the amulet could give was the preservation of memories. Those gods knew very well how the system works with the spirit of reflection at the head. Therefore, they made sure that the entire memory of their descendant could be transferred to beads, and then gradually restored. The more Ink thought about it, the more strange the explanation given by his voice in the white world seemed strange to him. Clear space for abilities? But if someone gets too powerful abilities, does this mean that they will be weakened? Or will it become a problem for consciousness? Again, all these skills were perceived as certain skills. Shouldn't the ability to play a musical instrument be something like its micromanipulation or force field?

Ink felt like he had been cheated. Perhaps not his one. He could understand if the reason was the denial of past experience to eradicate disagreements, but many clans retained their memory. Was there a reason that their personality itself created obstacles to their development and the spirit intended to give them a chance to start from scratch, to develop the necessary personal qualities for active retention on the path of self-improvement? If so, it turned out that the personality of Ink was already suitable? The version seemed too tempting. If it were so simple, would he have received only twelve points in the ascension?

"Memories can remain somewhere inside my mind. If the spirit sealed them for a stimulus of development in the keenra? Or was she afraid that thoughts about the past would distract from the path of self-improvement? Judging by those notes on paper, I was pretty ... - Ink grimaced mentally, but decided not to lie to himself - petty and naive person. What does the spirit of the reflected world generally want? She's too big and important a figure ... I have to find out. What is holding back other forces from arriving in the zero world? "

"We arrived," Trosch breathed shortly.

"Well, let's go and look at the trap set up by Michaelon," Ink left nervousness, and not a trace remained.

He examined his comrades and noticed that they were still feeling awkward and wary.

"We may have to run away very quickly from here," Ink looked into the eyes of his fencing teacher through the rearview mirror.

- I will insure. The main thing is to get out of there on the street.

Ink nodded. At the door to Michaelon's mansion they were met by a doorman - one of the magician's failed experiments. On the last visit of the comrades, this man was in a cage and was like a beast in a zoo. This time he warnedly opened the door, not expressing a single emotion on his face or in a pose.

The rooms inside have not changed. There were more guests than Ink expected to see . A small body was pressed against his back. Arsi in her childhood uniform turned her head curiously. Kiass seemed wary, and Greck seemed somewhat baited . The big guy was preparing for the battle and did not seem to expect to leave the mage's house without a fight.

Those around him paid almost no attention to Glam's students. So, they will cast a fleeting glance and turn away. Thoughts about the trap scattered by themselves. This was both pleasing and a little scary. The main entertainment of the evening was found quickly.

Cell again, Ink thought displeasedly . "Do they really consider humans a kind of animal?"

The prisoner was not in the center of the room, but almost right next to one of the side walls. Ink came closer, the rest followed them. The man was familiar to him, it was he who was shown by the magician, it was he who was Arsi's lover during his lifetime.

"You did come," Michaelon smiled. - I'm glad I was not mistaken ... This greatly simplifies the whole thing. Once you are here, we can start this little presentation. The best of my experiences ...

Master of Magic did not finish. Mysterious facial expression, sly squinting eyes, half smile - Michaelon seemed to barely restrain himself so as not to laugh into his voice. All this gave such a posturing and false pathos that caused rejection and disgust.

"I wonder what will happen to your experience if I extract that very grain from it," Ink did not consider himself capable of such, but at least wanted to wipe the magician from his face, as if he had stuck a fox muzzle to it.

"I won't be able to put a demon in him for the second time, so it won't be too nice," Michaelon shrugged. It seemed to Ink U that the indifference was not fake and it seemed strange. "Does he really care if the experience ends successfully or not?" The mage took a sip of the drink from the glass and stared at Ink a , not hiding the mockery on his face . He bent down a little and began to whisper in a voice saturated with greed. "But why do you need his grain?" Two in one person does not fit, I said.

"You ..." Ink had a bad feeling.

- Yes ... two can't be placed. Such stuff! Gentlemen, "Michaelon shouted to the whole hall, attracting the attention of the guests," let me introduce the best of my experiences! "

The magician waved his hand; his open palm did not indicate a captive in a cage. There were whispers in the hall, and Ink felt dozens of glances on himself. The views that evaluate not a person, not even a descendant of higher powers - just another exhibit in the collection of Michaelon.