It was the best sleep of my life. In the morning I woke up fresh and spirited, but completely starved. I stood up from the bed, changed my clothes and went to the hygiene quarters where I urinated and washed myself up. Others were there as well, but I didn't see Antonia or Otho.

Then I went to the dining hall. It was empty for the most part, and the few people that were there ate in silence. Again I looked for Antonia and Otho, but couldn't find them, so I sat next to Cassius. He smiled at me and I smiled back.

“How’s the food?” I asked, eager to eat. Before he could answer a plate appeared in front of me, filled with eggs, vegetables and bread. I looked behind my back and saw an old sage, pushing a cart filled with food, serving the new arrivals.

“I was jealous, you being picked for the mission, but I’m not anymore,” said Cassius with a distant voice.

“Oh… How nice of you. Why the change of heart?"

He shrugged his shoulders. As a joke, I did the same and started eating. We ate without talking. The hall, except for the voices of people chewing, was silent. There was no usual chatter and whispers. Everyone was in their heads, trying to decipher the experience from last night. After a while curiosity got the better of me, so I asked Cassius:

“So, how was it?”

He looked at me with his green eyes, trying to come up with words. Finally he uttered:

“It’s personal... I can’t go there.”

“I understand.”

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“What about you?”

I wanted to tell him all about it, but lacked the words for it. Finally I blabbed:

“It was. I can’t say much more than that."

I could still sense the warmth on my forehead where the woman had kissed me. I could vividly remember all those people I saw, as if I had lived their lives, as if I was them.

I sighed and looked around the dining hall. Everything felt different. The colors of the world seemed more crisp, the sounds more clear. I could also sense people’s feelings around me. Wonder, melancholy, curiosity...

The hall had filled up by the time I finished eating. Otho and Antonia came last and sat not far from me. They were both absorbed in their thoughts and didn’t acknowledge me.

One of the sages came into the dining hall, a young handsome brown haired man with dark, almost black eyes.

“A moment of your attention, please… Yesterday you all had a unique experience. I urge you to meditate on what you saw. The Elixir is one of the greatest gifts we have received from the Giants! Cherish the experience. I suspect the world seems brighter to you... Voices sound more clear and you feel connected to everything around you and beyond. All this will fade away. But don’t worry! Whenever you feel trapped by circumstances or by the state of your mind, the brew will be available to you. I’d strongly suggest meditating daily. You were taught different ways of meditation at Academy, so I won’t bore you with how’s and do’s...

Now you will receive scrolls with further orders. And a small gift from our Temple. I wish you well.”

He walked out and in came two men sages. They asked for our names to find our scroll they carried in an ugly bag. We were also gifted a small book. I immediately opened it and recognized the title “Everything Flows”.

The book was yet another gift to Vetulonians by the Giants. It was composed of one hundred and two short sayings of leadership, existence, creation and reaching your inner self. My grandmother used to own a copy and we glanced through it at the Academy.

Then I unrolled the scroll. It said:

“Report to the main Cohort Temple in Lux as soon as possible.”

And that was it. I looked at Otho and Antonia. They looked back and grinned. We were going home.