LITMIR.BIZ

      ISBN 978-5-0055-6669-0

      Created with Ridero smart publishing system

      Chapter 1

      In the world of magic, if you don’t have any magical abilities you are like an oak tree in a coniferous forest. It seems that you are also a tree, but an outcast. Alone among strangers. But I could cognize myself and my capabilities. I learned to look at the world deeper, to see what others don’t notice. Appreciate what I have, and most importantly – to find advantages inside of disadvantages. As these disadvantages can be the greatest power that we have. All the puzzles have come together, and now I understand – every event in my life has made me whom I have become. But I could realize it only after a while.

      Since childhood, I’ve heard about the heroic deeds of the war guardian-magicians that protect our seventh world, the planet Pyramid, from the invaders from six other worlds. And it’s clear why. The use of magic leads to a loss of power, and energy can be recovered in two ways: slowly, by the means of rest, or in a quick way, it can be taken away from another magician. Everyone was particularly wary of Rubinians. They are the most belligerent of all, spending colossal energy resources and recovering them at the expense of others. Anyhow, that’s what people used to say.

      I dreamed of becoming one of the Guardians of Pyramid, like my parents. They are respected and honored under Pontiar, our ruler. The father is not just the head of the war magicians of the royal guard, he is the henchman of the king. It is he who decides all diplomatic issues between Pyramid and the rest of the worlds.

      In childhood I was told that one of the seven elements of sacred magic can be manifested in every magician. The seven planets have patrons among the Gods. The Goddess of Pyramid is Sherida – the Lightbringer. And people who have the ability to control the light flows are highly respected. They are considered to be the children of Sherida.

      My parents highly wanted to have children, but the Gods didn’t bless them. Mother daily prayed to the Goddess to gift her a child. And when she was completely desperate, she found out that she was pregnant. I became her miracle. My mother took care of me until I was five. She was removed from service. This was mandatory, since mothers had to raise their children certainly until they were five years old. Precisely at this age the children show their magical abilities.

      The years passed quickly. However, my gift never awakened. Unfortunately, there was no magic inside me, at all, one ounce. Mom wasn’t upset, but my father… he considered me a disgrace of the Lodesco family. Once I accidentally overheard a conversation that turned my world upside down.

      – Never has been that in our family was born an ungifted person. Nicholas – is a blank! – my father lamented and said this with disappointment, as if now I was nobody to him.

      – Darling, he is our son. It doesn’t matter if he has a gift or not, we love him anyway. Phirin, he is exactly your copy: from the chestnut crown to the strong jaw. You will see, our Nicholas will surprise you! – my mother defended me.

      They didn’t even notice the five-year-old boy whining quietly behind the door so no one could hear him. Father’s words cut my soul with a blade. Slowly and painful. I’ve let down his expectations. It’s frightful when you become nobody to your family.

      Mom was called back to the service, and I was left alone. Abandoned by my family. I was transferred to the care of a new governess, Alice, my mother’s cousin. She wasn’t lucky to know the joy of motherhood, but she helped her relatives with the children. Alice turned out to be a sweet woman of fifty-five, kind and honest. A bit prim, she instilled in me a love for order.

      I’ve never seen my parents for eleven years. Alice said that they were very busy. They say that the time is turbulent now, and the magicians of planet Ruby – the first, most aggressive of the magical worlds, have begun to attack the planet Pyramid more and more often. Its inhabitants were deservedly called demons. Ruby was under the patronage of Rotrad, the God of Fire, a horny giant with a thousand sharp fangs and many eyes all over his crimson face. At least he was portrayed in such way in sculptures and book illustrations. This world was considered to be dominant over all, although the magicians of other worlds did not like this circumstance, humiliating their dignity and importance. But this is how it was. They were even forced to pay an energy fee annually to fuel the Ruby world, in order not to start a war. And the tribute grew more and more.

      No one already remembers the history of the creation of worlds, but Alice has told that once all seven of them were an integral system, they interacted, exchanged experience and new technologies. But what has happened? Why do we keep away from each other, and who predetermined Ruby as the dominant one? Nobody knew, didn’t remember…

      Alice took up my training and tried to awaken at least a spark of magic, even if it was every day one. But she tried in vain. However, she saw my impulses for different devices and mechanisms. She pulled all broken items into my room. I disassembled them into parts and created something new and, moreover, useful for household.

      – Of course, this is not magic, but, Niko, you have a talent! I haven’t ever seen such abilities to mechanisms! In the capital, of course, there are craftsmen, but they create everything by means of magic and only partly by hands. And you, you are unique, babe! When parents come, we will boast them! – she said and smacked me in the ear, and then hugged strongly.

      Her love was sincere and pure! She saw in me not just a nephew, but a son. Alice has become family for me. And my parents have almost erased from my life. The only reminders of them were the gifts from my mother – books on magic. But why do I need them? Is she still hoping?

      Sometimes I used to retire under a huge oak tree on a hump among the coniferous forest of our homestead. Mom planted it when I was born. And grandpa Marash, our gardener, used magic, and this oak turned into a giant in a matter of years. This tree has become a part of me. Here my mother and I spent our time playing and talking. Here she confessed that I was her most precious treasure and a gift from Goddess Sherida. I often saw this place in my dreams, returning to my childhood, as I do now.

      I was awakened by the rustle in my bedroom, reluctantly saying goodbye to scraps of dreams. Barely opened my sticking eyes, I stared at Alice. She was groaning and sighing softly under my desk. By the way, I made this desk by myself from burnt pine, which was struck by lightning at the entrance gate of the Lodesco’s homestead a year ago. Above the table there was a stand with homemade tools, as well as a small ax and hammer presented by Marash. We enjoy all that we have. I wrote to my father million times and asked to bring at least any tool from the capital. He didn’t even have the grace to answer any of my request. Mother did it for him. She said that my dad complains that his son is not some kind of apprentice to get his hands dirty in fuel oil. And instead of being stupid I need to start thinking about my future. My parents kept me busy with the studying of seven languages of the magical worlds. The king sympathized with Lodesco, as for the ruler my father wasn’t just the head of the guardians of the capital of Phaeton, but also a friend. Pontiar promised to arrange me as an ambassador to the court after studying at the Royal Academy. Mom once wrote about the king’s proposal: «With such parents, he probably has both the sharp mind of his father and the diplomacy of his mother! Therefore, the faculty of Mentalistics will be perfect for him!»

      They decided for me. I will have to go to study in Phaeton very soon. The economy of the worlds, the relationship between them, the history of sacred magic, except, of course, the magical skills of the Mentalists. But for now… I’m at home, in my warm bed. The bird clamor outside the window, the rays of the golden satellites of our sun tickle my freckled nose and wander in a nest of scraggly brown hair. Alice finally crawled out from under the table, triumphantly holding something in her hands… a wrench! I jumped out of bed and rubbed my eyes. I didn’t imagine what I saw!

      – Is this a wrench?! – I exclaimed so that the poor woman almost fell back

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