- It seemed to me that the library is the weakest fraction.

The auction has ended. Ink, the motorcyclist, the metal, and the appendage were in a small room. A sofa, a pair of armchairs, as many chairs and a table pushed to one of the walls. Furniture from roughly planed boards did not make an impression of sophistication, as did the house itself, which the man who took them with him took off.

Impeccable clothing in dark colors - trousers, a shirt and a familiar bathrobe for the locals - here and there was diluted with shiny accessories. Ink found it difficult to say what sparkled more: cuff links, a tie clip and polished shoes to shine, or yet the hair of a man who called them his new mentor.

- Before asking such provocative questions, you should introduce yourself.

- My name is Ink Fate.

- Good, - the sleek nodded. - You can call me Sugoi Glam, Glam's mentor, or just a master.

- Crazy Glam? - marveled at the metal. Ink for all this time did not see from him as many emotions as at this time. - Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. My name is Kiass Letu.

- Clan Letu prepared you well. I even chose a name from those that are popular in the first world. Great move. After the incarnation, you can pass for a local faster if the rest of your training is just as thorough.

- What does it mean to marry a local?

- Listen, girl...

- Master Glam, my name is Arsi Nocry.

- You don't have to call me a master. You just got in touch with us. I had no desire to take you with me. Anyone can join the library, but become my personal student? This is not the same. I will say directly: I do not need you. Try not to interfere in the process of our acquaintance, otherwise you will get to the library on foot.

- I get it.

Ink looked and did not believe his eyes.

"Not a drop of pretense. She simply accepted his demand. "

In Ink's mind, such complaisance is associated with a loss in a "moral battle", but Arsi did not seem to be "beaten" in this field. It didn't even look like a draw.

"She defended her right to be here and listen to the conversation. Arsi in this situation obeyed, but achieved her goal - to open ears for the words of the person who came to the auction, broke the system and left with the air of a complete master of the situation. Am I jealous of her?"

It seemed to Ink that his bluff looked like a childish prank against the background of what an uninvited fellow traveler does.

"Is this the difference between an amateur and a pro? A nightmare ... it seems, I'm starting to understand why I had only twelve points, and she had eight thousand. And after all, she is reborn! With a new personality, she has to re-learn to use the experience gained in life on Earth. For her, the story of the life of a completely different person. She so cleverly arranges everything... I begin to feel pressure. Climbing to the top will definitely not be just a walk."

- You can call me Grank Raus, - the rider fell apart in a chair, arms crossed and legs stretched far forward in heavy boots.

- Now we know each other, great. Ask your question, Ink.

- I was about to leave for the library, but the rest could join other groups. Why has none of the "buyers" at the auction tried to stop you? If the library is weak, as we have been described, can its follower behave so defiantly?

- Of course it can, if he is as strong as me, - Glam smiled. - You heard my nickname. I do not like it, but I have to admit that there really are reasons for its appearance.

- This is not what I wanted to hear.

- Then articulate your question more clearly, Ink.

- How do we become the same? To make sure that even without joining other factions we have the strength and independence?

The atmosphere immediately became tense. The motorcyclist frowned again and pursed his lips, while the metal one leaned forward slightly in his chair. Arsi turned her head to Glam and stepped over several times near the table. Ink did not notice other signs of impatience in her behavior.

- It seems that everyone was interested in this question, - Glam shook his brush and a glass appeared in his hand with something like wine. - First of all, you should understand that initially I was one of the main members of the force, which is one of the five best in the open spaces of the buffer. There I gathered many abilities and resources, which allowed me to significantly increase. Unfortunately, clans are not just called clans. Unions, guilds and other associations are much simpler, but clans are special. Whether you are a descendant or an accepted follower does not really matter, because incarnation awaits you all.

Glam took a sip of the drink. No one dared to ask new questions. Everyone was waiting to continue.

- Clans own their recipes for creating special bodies. This is their calling card, a feature that only they can develop. Being a member of a clan means being proud, but also obeying certain requirements. They may be different, but something remains common to all - the blood line. One of the members of the small circle is the clan of golden dragons. Their direct descendants inherit the ability to transform into scaly monsters. This ability is artificially inculcated to affiliates. They must gather enough resources to gain such skill during the incarnation. After that, they become official members of the clan. Sometimes, as in my case, a certain failure occurs and the clan's ability is not transferred. When this turned out, I already had quite a lot of savings. The clan was going to use certain materials to cause the desired mutation, but I refused.

Glam got up from the couch, went to one of the two windows in the room, pushed the curtain back.

- Our transport is already visible, we will move forward soon, - muttered the newly minted mentor, Inca. - You must understand that you cannot go my way. I grew up in a fairly wealthy environment. To make you strong without any indulgences... doesn't it look like some kind of stupid dream, divorced from the reality of man?

- You want to say...

- That's right, Kiass. What is the point of going with the flow? Do the same as everyone else? Isn't it better to be so crazy as to refuse clan help for the sake of being able to go your own chosen path? I got a little confused, reached a bottleneck in my dzintu. It's time to become a mentor and through helping you understand your own path. Therefore, I chose you as my students. You're crazy too, aren't you?

- I don't think that we can be attributed to such people, - metal shook his head.

- Kiass, you bought the metallization ability from the spirit of reflection. How many points did you have?

- Twelve thousand.

- How many? - the motorcyclist got up from his seat. - I came into the world with eleven thousand and five hundred and eighty-three points. Spirit said it was a very impressive result. How did you get around me?

- To ask about this is not polite.

- Kiass is right, - Glam turned away from the window, - but there are more important questions. Metallization ability costs eleven thousand points. The Fly clan also has certain requirements. The minimum package that each of their descendants or followers must buy includes as many as nine abilities, the cost of which is three and a half thousand points. Ignoring the rules of the clan for the sake of a skill that is completely unnecessary to alchemists - is this not madness?

He continued to speak with a grin:

- And you, Grank? Came into the buffer without memory! Laughter, and nothing more. How will your clan find you in this vast space? And if you are not among the followers? Used an alien artifact to get into this world? Incarnation, for your information, is not only useful. The library earns a selection of recipes for changing people. The level of combination of certain reagents, abilities, clan blood - all this requires a lot of time to search for information that is better spent on collecting resources.

After leaving the clan, I personally created such sets. And among them were several who turn incarnated into obedient, powerful, faithful, and also stupid beings. In the experimental part of research there is no such word as failure. Even fatal recipes are in high demand. After all, no one can be completely killed in the buffer. To turn such a bright moment as incarnation into execution - how can clans miss such a powerful tool of influence and intimidation? And here you are ... preserving personality instead of memory, being rude to everyone around. You are crazy! If you fail to prove your belonging to the forces, you will be branded as a miserable thief and the end will be far from joyful.

What about you, Ink. There is nothing to talk about. A representative of one of the higher forces, aimed at the fireplace room ... If you do not leave any traces, then you can not be afraid of your murder. Abduct you and keep you somewhere for the knowledge of the following worlds. This thought, be sure, occurred to everyone who heard your funny conversation, and this is at least half of the city. Do not forget that this is not a zero world - here people are capable of much more. Turning yourself into such a convenient target is another frenzy.

"Did my joke really put me in this situation?" Come on... And if I say that it was just a bluff... Of course, that's how they will believe me. Even the golden-skinned doubted the effect of his ability, although it should be absolute in the buffer. Here at the time to talk not about madness, but about stupidity! How could I have done that? This is completely short-sighted! Twelve points, Ink. This is proof that you received them deservedly. I should no longer let my tongue chat anyhow. Definitely! Silence is gold!"

- Master Glam.

- Yes, Kiass.

- I took all the abilities required by the clan and even a flair for the strength of abilities in points. Although it acts only within the buffer, it is a pretty useful skill. The abilities needed for alchemy are simply weakened. A certain amount of training, and they will become fully operational. Still think I'm crazy?

- Of course! - grinned at Glam. - How exactly are you going to make your abilities stronger?

- Engage in alchemy.

- How wonderful. Flame control, understanding herbs, the voice of metals and more. Are you talking about these abilities?

- Right.

- It's funny... After all, as far as I know, none of these forces can develop in the buffer.

- What?! - metal even jumped up and took a couple of steps. It seemed to Ink that he was now clinging to Glam's immaculate clothing and trying to make him say that he had lied.

- Oh! Did I disappoint you? Making rash decisions isn't it crazy?

Kiass looked lost and confused, as if asking himself: "How could I be so wrong?" Ink felt no better.

"My one-point abilities... This is certainly a chance, but... In the name of the voice, what should I do now?"

- Grank. What abilities did you get?

The knock on the door did not give a reply to the motorcyclist.

- OK, talk to you later. We are already waiting for transport.

Outside is a huge snail. Her shell had a door and several small windows, and at the very top were three pairs of dragonfly-like wings.

- Get inside, - Glam commanded, and set an example.

The room in the sink did not contain a hint of the body of the snail itself. The situation was richer than in the abandoned house, but crowding became a payment for this. For five people, the transport was clearly not calculated. Ink didn't even feel the start, just at some point he glanced out the window and realized that the snail was flying. On a piece of land that replaced the sky, there was a not very dense coniferous forest and even fuzzy silhouettes of some animals.

- Teacher Glam, is this Kailan River?

- That's right, Kiass.

- Don't we need to move with the stream to get into the library?

- Of course, - Glam nodded. - If we were going there. Our goal now is Zirdal.

- A place with access to the zero world? Why do we go there?

- To save your lives and freedom, of course. I just don't see another possibility. - Glam closed his eyes. - Well, finally they started. And then I began to fear...

- Started? - asked the motorcyclist. - Who started what?

At this moment, the snail shook. So much so that Ink did not even immediately realize that there was no more sex under him. He fell, only for some reason, in different directions from the snail. Ink Fate had to learn in her own skin what it means to fall on a stone sky...