The desk was a complete mess with all those scattered scrolls, which half were still blank, and the other half was either covered with almost indescribable scriptures, erasures everywhere or even scrapped at the corners. Most of the pens were nervously gnawed on one side, and just not usable anymore on the other, but never threw away because the trash can was out of sight. Plus it was a pain to look for it every time he consumed a pencil, and one day started to not look for it anymore.

Looking at all this hugger-mugger in front of him, Friture was a bit inspired, reminiscing himself of all those days he spent in his room. Those hardworking hours he spent, writing down words and numbers and overclocking his brain, trying his best to link them with any scientific proof he could find with his experiments. Those were the good old times he always wished for. Then, everything changed the day he made this discovery.

Yes. Everything changed, for the better or the worse. Things happened, crazy and unbelievable things, shattering the common sense of many spectators. And then, reality came back. Being at war with the neighbouring kingdom of Galette, it was a given that both party would send spies at each other for information gathering. And, of course, assassins would also be sent in the same ship. He just… Friture was just too focused on his hobby, on his studies, and made the mistake to not feel connected anymore to all those troubles.

Should he feel responsible for this incident? Shouldn’t he? Maybe he should, but under what pretext? The arrogance of the youth, who believed that everything would and will goes smoothly, despite the many obvious warnings and risks that were presented? His lack of understanding of its surroundings, of his role in this grand organigram?

“Ahhh… Let’s just tidy this mess. I’ll think of the rest later.”

He still had to meet with the First General, a special appointment to graduate him into a project leader or something maybe. Was his actual laboratory outfit fine, or should he change for a more formal uniform? The young researcher never got the chance, nor the will to go and watch such ceremony unfold. Maybe he should have, just to help give himself an example of what was awaiting for him.

Then, while rearranging his stuff, his ears picked up the sound of the door being opened. There stood two guards in their clean and familiar armour. One of them was staying slightly behind, while the second entered with a document in his hand, unsheathed in front of his eyes.

“Are you Friture Elmar?”

His tone was a little rigid and cold, but that was what you would expect from a certified soldier. Friture was startled at first by their show of high discipline, before telling himself that it was pointless to get complexed by such trivial matters. He simply nodded, giving an affirmative answer to their question.

“By order of the First General, you are under arrest.”

“… What? “

The guard stationed behind had already prepared the handcuffs, waiting for Friture to deliver himself.

“We will escort you to your cell until further instructions.”

“What do they mean…? I’m… A criminal?”

By why? What did he do? His visage was pale and his ears dropped, shocked by the turn of events he was facing. Livid, his mind was stuck in disbelief as he tried to find the pieces of this strange puzzle. That’s right, this must be some part of the super confidential trait of the ‘Project: New World’.

“Do not put up any futile resistance. Now follow us.”

… He didn’t do anything wrong… He didn’t have any logical reason to be convinced that they really were here to throw him in prison. Yeah, that’s right. Why would they hurt him? He was the last person on this world who knew how the divine energy worked. He was an invaluable hidden card, no one would dare to dispose of him. Right?

But the guards were not as patient as him.

“We said follow us!”

“Ugh!...”

Suddenly, his comrade fell flat on the ground, as a puppet whose strings has been cut. And standing next to him, was the only kindred soul who could save his doomed fate.

“Friture! Stand back!”

Taking advantage of this surprise attack, Dragee focused all his might in a direct hit to the head of the last soldier, smashing the pan right on his nose, knocking him for the day.

He then ran toward Friture and grabbed his shoulders, hoping it would be sufficient to make the young researcher land back on earth and regain his spirit.

“Friture! The First General! He ordered your execution! You must run, quickly!”

“... Why would the First General do that?”

“Hurry, you need to get out of here!”

Without letting him have the time to reconsider everything that had happened so far, Dragee grabbed Friture’s hand and dragged him toward the corridor. He checked for any incoming reinforcements, then went toward a chosen direction. He knew nothing of the National Research Institute, and had no idea where he was running toward. All he was trying to do was running away from the entrance, which would soon welcome the rest of the regiment who came to pick the newly declared heretic.

Luckily, it looked like only the military department received the order, as the fellow researcher were apparently still busying themselves with their own things. Some of them looked curiously at the running Dragee and the frightened Friture, but thought nothing of it. It only looked like a weird scene for them, nothing less and nothing more.

Meanwhile, Friture finally regained some of his senses, and could restart analysing the situation he was thrown in.

“But why? Why did the First General give this order?”

Following his instinct, Dragee hastily turned right at the intersection.

“The First General… I don’t know! He suddenly said that your project was heretical, and demanded you be beheaded…”

“What?! He wants to behead me?!”

“I don’t know! Stop asking me questions!”

At another intersection, Dragee halted himself, giving a little more thoughts on his next destination. But again, where should he run? He only knew the area around the entrance and Friture’s room, nothing else. And being a protected place, the institute provided no non-barred windows, nor other doors leading to the exterior. No escape was at their reach.

Finally giving in, the apprentice ran in another direction, expecting to tumble on some good news. He was about to follow the lane when his eyes met a small group of soldiers who were also running toward their position. One of them spotted them, pointing his finger and loudly shooting at everyone.

“Here! He’s here, the heretic!”

This surname… Sure hurt the feelings of Friture. His heart sank at the idea of being ostracized by his own people, by his own country.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Dragee ran the way back, choosing the other hallway, only to meet another group of soldiers. Cornered, the duo had no choice but to run again. Where to go? Where to hide?

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“I… I think I know… A way out…”

“Really? Where?”

“At the library. The building… Is older than the center… The windows are high and, but… That could help us… Bypass… The guarded entrance. However… It’s located near… The entrance…”

“Great! Let’s go!”

“What? Waaaaah!”

Located near the entrance of the center. This meant there was a very high chance that they will meet other soldiers in their way. But it was still better than having to cross the entire castle’s territory, filled with knights and servants everywhere.

“Stop right there!”

Following behind them, were a dozen of soldiers. They hadn’t drew their weapon, probably because they wanted to capture Friture alive, or because it was forbidden inside the building and they were reminded of that.

“There!” told Friture, pointing at a large door.

Another dozen of guards were standing still next to the entrance, a couple of meters away. They still haven’t noticed them, but that will soon change when the pursuing group will arrive here. The only problem that resided was…

“Why… Can’t I open this… Door?!”

“It’s because… You need a pass… Oh jeez I can’t breathe anymore…”

Feeling like lying down and losing consciousness at any time, Friture looked for the said pass in his pocket, then inserted it inside the interface. A gentle voice kindly told him that he was welcome inside the library of the National Research Institute, before opening the door for them.

“Hurry, and close the door behind!”

After entering the library, Dragee quickly pushed the door to lock it, preventing their pursuers to follow them inside. Then… Everything became quiet all of a sudden. The library, a calm and serene place, was currently the safest place for both of them at the moment. But for how long…

Pairs of eyes laid on the newcomer, but paid no mind as they were busy searching and reading books. Most of them were researchers, while a few were even younger people, students eager to study their preferred subject, nobles’ child who’s got the privilege to be permitted here. The silence amazed Dragee, who was always surrounded by his comrades panting and his superiors shooting.

“This… Really is calm, around here.”

“Let’s not disturb them, and look for an exit.”

Friture was already accustomed to the sight of this place and didn’t look anymore at its charm, but for someone like Dragee, this was all new for his eyes. This was no sweat candy, however the grand shelves shouldering thousands of books still succeeded in overawing him. The amount of knowledge stored here was accumulated since the foundation of the kingdom of Biscotti, it displayed ancient words from their ancestors and even newly edited books from more recent names.

The hall welcoming them was so large you could easily install six large pieces of their best artillery, and still have room to share with a regiment of knights to hold the front. The main hallway seemed to never end in front of them, as it was surrounded with immense bookcases that required anyone to use the ladders in order to reach the higher floors.

This time, it was Friture’s turn to lead the way, Dragee was only absentmindedly following him behind as his eyes rested on the few people silently sitting there, and the astounding number of books resting at their place.

“Look above.”

Whispering in Dragee’s ears, Friture showed him the previously mentioned windows they will have to use to escape the place. However, another problem rose at this instant.

“… Why are they at the ceiling’s level? Isn’t there some we can reach without wings?”

Even the walls had to be covered with books, as the stock was overflowing. To welcome the most possible amount of books while also providing enough natural light inside the library… Was to open windows at the top of those same walls, unfortunately out of reach for the duo, even if they used the ladder to climb on top of the bookcases.

They were suddenly alerted by a loud noise, coming from the entrance of the library. Someone was ramming it to force it. The soldiers were ramming it to enter and chase after them.

With no more time to leisurely find of a plan, Dragee hurried Friture to climb on the ladder, following him just behind. What could they do? What should they do? The door finally opened thanks to a kind student who couldn’t take anymore the insufferable hubbub, letting inside the small army of soldiers.

“We are under the order of the First General! Nobody is permitted to leave the library until further notice! Now, go and find the heretic!”

“Yes sir!”

The many soldiers quickly invaded the quiet place, establishing a heavy atmosphere that instilled fear in everyone present here.

“Quick, climb faster!”

Pushed by Dragee, Friture refocused on reaching the top of the bookcase. When they were about to do it, a voice under them crushed even more their hopes.

“Here! Over here! They’re climbing on the ladders!”

It only took some seconds for the soldiers to gather at the feet of the shelf, everyone looking at the commotion with a shameless curiosity. At last, Friture succeeded in landing his feet on the roof of the bookcase, quickly followed by Dragee who scanned the surrounding, and the window just over their head. Then…

“Shit! Why does it have to be so high?!”

Their petite size prevented them to reach the window. The cruelty of nature weighed on them, shattering their spirit more and more. Desperate, Friture tried to jump and reach his only way to escape, however it was obvious that he missed only ten or twenty centimetres to achieve this little feat.

“I give you a leg up! Here!”

Friture looked at the stance Dragee was taking, and quickly understood his thinking. With his help, it should be easy to… He stretched his arm and… He did it!

“I did it! Dragee, I…!”

“Now pass through it! They’re coming!”

A quick glance at his back revealed that he soldiers were also using the ladders to catch them. They were only some metres away. In a few second, they’ll…

Dragee put everything he had on this bet, and helped Friture by pushing him with all his strength. Finally, the young researcher managed to attain the exterior. The fresh wind caressed his cheeks in a way to congratulate him. A smile blossomed on his face, quickly replaced by a face of anguish.

“Dragee!! It’s really high above the ground here!!”

“Get them!”

“Don’t let him leave!”

“Damn!”

“Run Friture! Ru-!”

… It was too late to change the plan now. Friture could hear the apprentice taking a beating from the other side of the wall. Could he still hear his voice, or was he submerged? He… He had to…

Friture shook his head to clear his mind, looking for a way to descend without breaking a bone or two. His eyes found a nearby tree, big enough to even surpass the height he was at. It was a bit far from his position, but maybe he can… He had to try. He placed his feet against the wall, then…

… He was afraid. Of course he was, because if he failed, the ground would be there to meet him. He was no aeronautic expert, but something in his head still told him that it would be a deadly fall. He had to push himself as hard as possible to grab the tree’s branches, otherwise…

“He’s… Here! Push me to the right dude!”

At his right side, Friture noticed a soldier’s head, popping out of the window. They were just at this point of catching him.

He had no choice now.

He gathered all his strength in his legs, then pushed himself.

The world… Flew away. At first, it seemed to distance itself from him, then everything quickly came back at his face.

He fell amongst the branches of the pine, colliding with each of them, hurting his head, his arms, his legs, then he fell again, until…

Every part of his body screamed in pain. Was he still alive? He felt no blood dripping, or maybe he wasn’t paying attention to any of it.

He still had to run away from this place. But how? Dragee got caught, and he himself isn’t in a state to sprint. The best he could do was drag himself, using the remnants of his willpower to lose his pursuers.

There were a few other trees on his way, but even from here he could see the vast world expanding in every direction around him. He walked a little bit more, until he reached… A cliff.

“Oh… It slipped out of my mind until now, but… The castle is built on top of a floating island…”

The vast land expanded in every direction around him. But he was way above this land. Landing on a tree was difficult and painful enough, but this…

“Ah ah… I’m so screwed…”

So… What should he do now?

“Halt!”

He looked behind him, and saw a large group of soldiers surrounding him. There was no way out from this.

“By order of the First General, I hereby declare you, Friture Elmar, a heretic, and nullify all your affiliations with the kingdom of Biscotti.”

“… So that means I’m not even a citizen of my homeland anymore…”

Friture lost everything on this day. The Chief Researcher. Dragee Martinozzi. His place in the research center.

His citizenship.

His family.

His home.

Everything.

“You will be executed tomorrow at dawn.”

So it was over? This short and… Empty life, was going to be ended tomorrow? Why would they willingly let him suffer any more like that?

“That’s enough…”

Friture dedicated his whole life for his studies in the energy flowing around the world. He still never published any thesis, but in the end he discovered the miraculous property of divine energy. Handled correctly, it could prevent death! It outclassed all the medicines they knew, it would bring big benefits to the kingdom, to the whole world!

And they called this heresy, stomping on everything he had achieved, while giving him no chance to defend himself.

Everything he had ever done was ruined in one day. There were no more possibilities for him. It was only a matter of hours now for it to end.

His eyes rested on the beautiful landscape, the green yet orange-dyed mountains with the sunset, and the undulating lac over there, encircled by large and dense forests. And just next to it, a large town stood, the big and joyful capital where he was born.

The officer snorted, unpleased by the uncooperativeness of their target, and ordered one of his subordinates to go and fetch him.

“Yes sir. Uh? Wait!!”

Again, the world flew away. But this time, it was much more impressive than jumping at a nearby tree. This time, the tree was farther away. But he didn’t care about that, he only remembered the exciting sensation he felt when the air collided with his face.

The sensation of free-falling was… Divine.

He didn’t care anymore, so he closed his eyes, and waited to the fatal instant.

He just waited. Only waited for his last breath in this world to leave his body.

.

.

.

“Well, what do we have here?”