All three carefully stepped onto the paving stones of an ancient city. Narrow streets were lit up by intricately forged gas lamps. This light was barely enough to distinguish all the complicated decorations of houses in Art Nouveau style that stretched along the streets.

The boys looked around. A couple of men in tailcoats passed by, actively discussing something. Nick and Sam didn't know this language. In fact, it didn't sound like anything they had ever heard before.

- Scio-intelligo! - Ada pronounced loudly and clapped her hands - Now you will be able to understand people here.

- Thank you - nodded Nick.

The kids slowly moved down the street. The brothers looked up and tried to find some stars in the sky. Vainly. The sky was dark and black.

- This is the most important and protected place in all the dimensions. And my grandmother rules it - proudly explained Ada

- Oh really? - Sam slightly laughed.

- Yes! - she puffed out her cheeks - My grandmother is the Head of the council! She maintains the balance in all dimensions and protects us from creatures like HIM.

- Like whom? - asked Nick.

- El has never warned you? - Ada seemed to be surprised - Deas Dalias is an ancient necromancer, a dark magician. Ages ago HE seized power in his home Terra and turned it into a real realm of horror.

- Why did nobody stop him? – Sam seemed to be surprised.

- Oh, they tried. There was a big war. A terrible war, Nulla Meridianus had lost a lot of good magicians...- Ada lowered her eyes - My grandmother still can't forgive herself for giving up that Terra.

Bright light from two small windows distracted the group. They could hear loud conversations and laughter coming from a little house. The brothers looked inside through the window.

It was a spacious tavern full of people, who were apparently already well acquainted with the assortment of this nice institution. Most of the visitors were standing in a circle in the middle of the hall. The boys could see two men standing inside that circle. One of them was juggling with a ball of fire.

- Ah, magicians of elements are competing - Ada tried to sound like an expert.

She had surely already heard about such fun competitions but had actually never seen one. Such primitive amusement was inappropriate for families from high society.

The boys were completely fascinated. Unfortunately, they couldn't see much through the window.

- Can we maybe go inside? - suggested Sam.

- We should be careful - Nick said instructively.

Ada knew, she should have protested. Strangely, she didn't want to and followed the boys with some unexpected enthusiasm.

The trio carefully slipped inside. They tried not to attract any attention and sat down at a little table near the circle of people in the center. A busy-looking waiter placed a wooden blown in front of the kids as he was running through the hall. Sam looked inside: the bowl was full of dry apple rings covered in caramel and salt. All three found that little snack quite good.

Suddenly a brisk little woman with a huge box jumped inside the circle. She took out a bunch of candles from her box and threw them up. The candles hung in the air. The little woman waved her hand and the candles started slowly floating around. A big, bearded man, who was juggling with fire a few seconds ago, took a piece of cloth and tied it over his eyes. The crowd cheered loudly.

- This air magician is moving these candles around and the blindfolded fire magician is supposed to feel their dislocation and light them up - Ada was theoretically familiar with the concept of this game.

The bearded man rubbed his forehead, put his hand forward, and snapped his fingers. A few moments later one of the candles was lit. The man snapped with his fingers again. This time it didn't work, other candles kept floating untouched. The crowd booed. The fire magician bowed his head and grabbed his forehead with another hand. Soon two more candles started to burn. The man bowed his head even more.

- I think, he can see the candles a little bit...- Nick truly thought that he said it very quietly.

- Heee! The kiddo is right! He bowed too much! - screamed an old man next to the trio.

Few other guests turned their heads to the man’s table. The old man mightily threw his glass on the floor.

- Cheater! – screamed some other guest next table.

The bearded fire magician grabbed the piece of cloth on his face and threw it away. His face turned red with anger.

- What did you say? You, piglet?

A powerful, hot flame stream crossed the hall and threw some tables in the air. Heavy wooden furniture landed on the floor breaking with a loud crackle. All bottles in the tavern started to tremble. In a second, they loudly exploded and liquid from the inside flew at the bearded man turning into sharp ice peaks on its way. Nick pulled Ada back just a second before a massive wooden floorboard crashed into a wall near the kids. Sam quickly grabbed the bowl with apples and knocked over the table. All three hid behind it, and in a moment another powerful flame steam charred the table from the other side.

Screams. Hits. Swearing. Loud tavern music. Balls of fire were flying from one side to another. Some of the guests were knocked down by a stone rock that appeared out of nowhere. Strong wind flows were tearing boards from walls, dropping pictures and other decorations. A couple of young men were lying on the floor and trying to release themselves from an ice trap they got into. The bearded man gave up on using magic, grabbed a piece of the broken table, and was smashing everybody who dared to come close to him with the wood. Other visitors also switched to a fistfight.

- Arefaciam! – screamed Ada and a thick liana that was about to smash into kids turned into dry ashes.

- I think, it’s enough of that place – said Nick checking if a way to an exit was free.

- Fully agree – nodded Sam and helped Andara to get up.

All three ran towards the exit as fast as they could. Nick grabbed a board in case they needed to protect themselves. Sam squeezed the bowl with caramel apples tighter. The trio fell out of the tavern door on the cold paving stones. They kept silent for a second and then burst into laughter. After they managed to calm down, all three ran further away from the tavern along the street finishing the apple rings on their way.

They stopped at the river embankment. It took the kids some time to catch their breath.

- And still, that guy was cheating! – declaimed Sam looking at the fast dark water.

- Of course! Did you see it? He couldn’t even master his flame properly! – Ada kept laughing.

- He must be very sensitive to overreact like that – joined Nick.

It was no surprise that the boys had never seen that much magic before. However, for Ada it was also new. Among her family’s circle of friends, it wasn’t acceptable to show such a rampage.

- Children are not supposed to be outside that late alone! – the trio heard a loud strict voice behind them.

A chubby man in some sort of uniform was standing behind them. He examined all three with his cold look, crossed his arms over his chest, and stepped closer to the kids.

- You are going to have some troubles! – warned the man angrily.

- Excuse me! – the trio heard El’s voice even before she stepped out of a portal – Those stupidos are with me.

The witch put her hand on the chubby man’s shoulder and smiled as nicely as she could. Then she moved her eyes to the kids.

- At least two of them – added El.

Ada looked shrilly at the redhead. Her eyes were begging for help. The little girl knew: it was better to tolerate El’s stinging jokes than to explain to her grandmother what she was doing at that time in such a place.

- But I guess, take two and get one for free…- sighed El.

She spent few more minutes apologizing to the chubby man before he finally left. The trio knew, now it was their turn to apologize.

- Wonderful. You two now have your own counter of broken promises. It’s been less than a week since you promised not to create any problems! – the necromancer pronounced strictly.

- I know…It just…We are sorry, Sam and I just wanted to see other dimensions – mumbled Nick.

- Yes, we asked to take us here -his brother nodded.

- And I agreed to take them! – Ada suddenly shouted out.

It was, of course, nice that the twins tried to take all the blame, but she absolutely didn’t want to be a helpless damsel in distress.

- My God... – El rolled her eyes – Okay, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, it’s time to go home.

The witch took care that all three reached their homes safely. She considered that it was definitely enough of adventures for one day. Before going to her apartment, she shortly went down to check her postbox as she always did in the evening. She rarely got letters so the one she found rather surprised her. “From Head Iduna” was written on the envelope. El found a very “touching” invitation from the Head of the council to join the new legion inside. The young woman closed her eyes. She expected something like this to happen. Expected but didn’t want to.