El threw the heavy body of the old necromancer on the marble stairs of the Council Hall in front of the elders. The most respected magicians of all dimensions gathered on the porch of the great building to open portals for their army straight to Terra Terrorem. The whole action only remotely resembled the beginning of the war. In fact, the elders in their richly decorated ceremonial robes, the soldiers in brand new dark yellow uniform, skillful musicians, stunning flowers, and hundreds of spectators – this all looked rather like a festival.

And now El was standing in the center of that grandiose parade. Covered in dirt and sweat, wounded and scratched she was an ugly duckling among this endless beauty. Yet, the witch was standing straight, proudly staring Iduna right in her eyes. She didn’t pay attention to whispers in the crowd and the disgruntled looks of elders. The only thing that mattered for the redhead in this very moment was the man, lying paralyzed on the stairs.

- What are you doing child? – Iduna made an effort to remain imperturbable.

- I brought you the reason to stop this useless invasion! – El answered calmly showing her sharp fangs.

- How dare you call this invasion useless?! HE attacked our home and killed our people! – one of the elders lost his composure.

- I would actually say, he attacked your home… - the redhead pointed at the scarred man.

- What an unsubstantiated claim. We don’t have time for your fantastic theories child. – Iduna waved her hand ordering to open another portal to Terra Terrorem.

- Oh, if the council is looking for proofs, then I do have some. You see, I happened to find the home of this nice man. Everything in that place stinks like his dark magic. And of course, You can also find his monsters there.

The elders looked at each other. The group of the most prominent magicians of all Terras seemed now rather helpless and disoriented. They panicly whispered something to each other not being sure if they can, or to be more precise, if they are allowed, to believe El.

- Stop it! We can’t lose our precious time by listening to those unbelievable stories! Even if this man is somehow connected to the recent attack, in this case, he is just a minion of The Monster above all monsters! – the Head of the council stepped forward.

- If you are so sure, then you can freely send those poor magicians to meet their death but if there is at least a tiny chance, that Deas Dalias is innocent… – the witch felt how everybody angrily stared at her – Innocent this time. Just imagine his rage if we falsely accuse him. Wouldn’t it be reasonable to check everything first?

- What do you want us to check? – another elder huffed thoughtfully.

- I want you to send detective magicians to Terra Silvis, to examine the home of this man. I didn’t notice any traces of Dalias there, but I am no professional. Let the trained wizards go there and tell us if this necromancer is the guilty one and if he has something to do with Terra Terrorem. And we can ask in teleportation department if they know something about the locomotion of our new suspect.

- It is a waste of time! – Iduna frowned.

- But Madam Vesti… If the young Alsinde is right… - an old lady bend towards the Head of the council.

- There is no “If”! Ephir clearly felt HIM here during the attack! – a broad-shouldered, middle-aged man with a neat beard suddenly spoke up.

El closed her eyes trying to calm down. She expected somebody to bring up this unpleasant detail and had already thought of what she could say. Yet, the stubbornness of the elders was irritating her.

- Ephir’s skills are more than doubtful Count Virnenum! I was also there and felt only the presence of this man and unlike Ephir, I followed him and brought him to You! – the redhead bowed in the most insincere way she only could.

- I have no reason to distrust my assistant! There is no point in this senseless discussion! – Iduna turned away.

- You are ruining the fragile peace with Terra Terrorem! You are sending your friends and relatives to the war! To the cruel, bloody war with creatures, whom you yourself fear. Are You ready to deal with all the losses that are coming? I mean now both human and financial losses. And even if You manage to win, what will you do next? What will you do with the people of Terra Terrorem? Will you actually settle them in other dimensions, or will you just leave them there, with all the hellish mutants and without the only person who can control those monsters? I am asking You now: are You ready to start the war without being fully convinced of its necessity or You would still prefer to see the results of the investigation firstly? I want you to vote here and now! Who is against attacking today?

El furiously stared at the elders with her black eyes. She could hear whispers among them and loud discussions in the crowds of spectators. Even the soldiers slowed their marching to portals down and nervously gazed at each other and the council’s members.

Ten figures in ceremonial robes raised their hands unsurely and fearfully. Iduna instantly glanced at them like a cobra at mice, nearly igniting them with her rageful look.

- Ten are against. Seven are for and four are missing. Without their voices, we can’t reach the absolute majority. – the old witch announced triumphally.

- Four are missing including Arcada. And luckily, as his successor, I am his full-fledged representative, and I am against. So, eleven are against, seven are for and three are missing. We are the absolute majority. – El pronounced every word slowly and clearly staring at Iduna without blinking.

- Retreat! Return the soldiers from Terra Terrorem! – loudly commanded a general who was standing next to the elders.

The crowd roared. So many voices merged into one lingering hum that it became impossible to tell if the people were happy or furious. Two soldiers ran to El and grabbed the scarred man from the stairs. The witch remained motionless still closely staring at the Head of the council. Ephir, even more sallow than usually, mumbled something and the elders slowly walked inside the Council Hall.

The redhead breathed out and closed her eyes. Warm wind refreshingly blew in her scratched, bleeding face. For a moment she didn’t care about all the eyes that were gazing at her now, she didn’t care about Iduna who would never forgive her impudence, she didn’t care even about all the wounds that were burning her tired body. She just wanted to breathe deeply and steadily.

The moment of peace was interrupted by a soldier who frightenedly patted on the girl’s shoulder. El rapidly opened her eyes making the young man jump back in fear.

- Could you…Could you proceed with me? – he muttered stepping back – Detective magicians were called to the Hall. They will need a portal to the suspect’s house when they arrive.

El didn’t say anything, but the man took the fact that he was still alive for a positive answer and led the witch to the legion’s room. The investigators arrived very quickly. Sure, the council’s clerk repeated minimum fifteen times that it was an urgent case. The redhead threw an appraising glance at the wizards and huffed. She already knew the results of their check: those people will find only that, what El wanted them to find. She opened a portal indifferently and left the room. Today she had absolutely no wish to spend any extra second inside the Council’s Hall.

The redhead slowly went down the marble stairs when the clumsy round man suddenly rushed to her and hugged her happily and tightly.

- I knew there was something wrong with all those attacks! Everybody at the council laughed at me but I knew it! – Theodor exclaimed in excitement.

- Theo, Theo calm down! – chuckled the witch.

- You know, I told them from the very beginning this all was way too strange and pathetic to be HIM. If The Monster above all monsters wanted to attack, he would have definitely done it himself.

- Yes, you were right. Thanks for helping us out that night. – El smiled awkwardly – You got hurt for that…

- Oh, don’t worry! I am weak, so the soldiers often kick me. Nothing new! – Theodor laughed.

- Hmm… Just call me next time they try.

- That doesn’t matter! I knew you had a plan to stop this insanity!

- Yes, hopefully, the detectives will enlighten the elders.

- Sure! I mean, most were already persuaded by your speech!

- Nah, you overestimate it.

- No! But you should be careful now! – Theodor raised his forefinger and stared at the girl very seriously – this tailcoat is definitely male and as I feel is slightly too small to belong Mr. Alsinde.

Only now El remembered about the velvet tailcoat that Deas gave her earlier at the Terra Silvis. The girl rapidly took the piece of clothing off and crumpled it.

- You are very observant Theo… - the witch mumbled confusedly.

- You think so? – the man seemed to be surprised and flattered.

Suddenly Theodor adjusted his glasses and astonishedly looked behind the redhead.

- Great relief to see that all friends escaped the darkness! – Listra approached her friend with her arms open for a hug.

- You all want to press my fresh wounds today, I see. – laughed El.

- H-h-h… Hello… - Theo finally managed to squeeze out.

El raised her eyebrows, gazed at the embarrassed man, and chuckled. An awkward silence hung shortly in the air.

- Theo this is my friend – Listra. Listra this is my… well…friend – Theodor. – explained the witch.

The man nervously touched his glasses once again, adjusted his short blond curls, and held out his hand for a handshake. El awkwardly looked around secretly searching for some salvation from this weird situation. Fortunately for her, the salvation in the person of her old teacher had already arrived at the Nulla Meridianus and was looking for his ward.

- I will leave you alone, okay? – the girl asked pointing at Arcada.

- I only seek for a moment of your attention. – Listra carefully took El’s hand.

- Sure. What’s up?

- You left a chess game unfinished. Be very careful placing your figures. – whispered the young woman.

- Aha… That wasn’t meant literary, right? – the necromancer rubbed her forehead – I will take into account.

- Now you may go with no worries. – the foreteller kindly smiled.

After El had left, the two shortly kept silent and then Theodor, gallantly helping the young woman down the stairs, started enthusiastically telling her about his collection of living butterflies and music boxes. Most people usually considered such dialogs with him rather boring, however, the foreteller seemed to enjoy it. El knew the powers of her friend allowed her to see much further than first senseless conversation.

- You have no idea how on time you are! – the witch walked to Arcada laughing.

The old wizard looked at the girl with sorrow and dragged her to his office, mumbling something about clean bandages, healing salve, and calming tea. The last point interested the girl most of all.

The tea was indeed good. Its mild-warm taste calmed down not only the soul but also physical pain down. Arcada treated the witch’s wounds and sat next to her.

- You are definitely a bad example for the kids… - muttered he thoughtfully.

- What did they do?

- Took part in the battle… - the man rolled his eyes.

- Survived?

- Yes.

- Oh, I bet D was disappointed! – the redhead laughed loudly – But well. If they felt that they could do it. They are already big enough to decide for themselves.

- That was too dangerous! We must not involve them anymore! – insisted the old teacher.

- But what you did was very dangerous as well, wasn’t it?

- It was, but I have lived enough and don’t have much to lose.

- How about me? You think, it wouldn’t hurt me if something happened to you? Considering the fact that I literally have no other family than you?

- I know but I am an old man who is very close to his end. Whenever it happens, you can deal with it.

- You think so? You can decide for me how much it would hurt me?

- Of course no, I didn’t mean that.

- Right. Moreover, would it be better to just let this war happen?

- No. No. But you are risking too much…

- Big man, you can’t lock us in rooms with soft walls. – the witch interrupted her teacher – You yourself brought me up having quite high standards of morals. And you are showing the same example to those three. So, what do you expect us to do? Just like you, we will risk ourselves if it is necessary and sometimes even if it is not. You will have to put up with that, you can’t love somebody without being ready to let this person go. Otherwise, it is no love but possession. And now I am out of my limit of strong motivational speeches for today.

El closed her eyes and sunk in the soft, velvet sofa. Arcada didn’t answer anything. Deep inside he knew the redhead was right and there was nothing to object to. Sometimes it was easy for the old magician to forget how mature and reasonable this small girl actually already was.

Hustle and bustle from outside didn’t let the witch relax properly. Soldiers were running around and yelling something loudly. Distant screams reached the small room:

- Here is another portal!

- Here as well!

- More are coming!

- They are alive! Alive!

The young woman looked at Arcada for a second and then they both rushed to the window. Dozens of portals opened up on the central square returning the captivated magicians from Terra Terrorem and quickly closed back. Bystanders and council’s wizards were helping to untie the soldiers and bring them to the healer’s corpus actively discussing this unexpected act of unprecedented mercy.

- Oh, right. He ordered not to kill anybody. – Arcada pronounced thoughtfully.

- Wow. That’s something new. D is definitely getting old… - El chuckled.