When Tarjun dropped Elem and Aja off at their terminal, they noticed a plethora of airships hovering above the asphalted strip. It seemed that even late at night, Lightningrod’s dirigible port was crowded with passengers.
Their town was surrounded by mountains and airships were the quickest and most reliable method to transport goods and travelers. Any citizen of Lightningrod with a faraway place to be, had to take an airship.
They quickly darted through the crowd of travelers and past rows of tightly arranged passenger vessels until Aja gestured at a white gate marking their destination; ‘Alabaster City’.
Elem pulled his boarding ticket from his pocket as he got on line. His mood hadn’t gotten any better but at least his health had improved significantly since leaving the car. Whatever medicine his friend gave him had worked miracles.
“Tarjun got us a good one,” Aja remarked, nodding at a sleek white airship parked before them. The dirigible had two silver winged painted on its sides, matching its massive cabin. It looked large enough to transport hundreds of passengers and still had plenty of space left for luggage and recreational amenities.
“Pegasus Airways is a premier brand. I’ve heard that their flights feature unlimited buffets. ‘Dining among the clouds’ they call it.”
Elem replied with a feigned smile. Nothing really mattered at the moment. He tried to ignore the sight of the other passengers hugging and waving at their loved ones as they got on line.
In another world, his father could have been there to send him off. Ardan should have been there. Without his father, Elem had nobody left. He had no siblings and his mother had died while giving birth to him. His father had never even remarried and now Elem was the last member of his family. An orphan: alone in the world.
“They got fresh fruits. Oh and the desserts! I heard those are top notch,” Aja continued enthusiastically. “They got this layered chocolate cake that’s supposed to be great. And then they have these—”
Elem’s lips curled into a modest smile as his friend went through a list of desserts he had never even heard off. Realizing she was trying to distract him and cheer up, Elem realized he was wrong. He wasn’t all alone after all, he did have someone.
“You’re crazy for coming with me,” Elem told his friend.
“Oh yea?” Aja replied in a provocative tone, raising her shoulders. “What do you want me to do? Stay in school and miss out on an adventure like this? That’s not an option anymore. Neither is going home and dealing with my terrible parents. And besides, somebody needs to make sure you won’t do anything stupid.”
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They walked up the ramp, got their tickets stamped and boarded the airship. An announcement rang as they plopped into their window-facing seats: “Pegasus Airways welcomes you on our flight to Alabaster City, the shining center of the Continent. Please immediately take your assigned seats and fasten your seatbelts.”
The airship rose smoothly into the sky. Elem held on to his chair’s railing as a giggly feeling ran through his lower belly.
To distract himself, Elem kept his eyes fixed on one of the airship’s communal screens. A live showing of the Duel Tower Tournament was playing. Dimitri Troy, the Tower’s current champion, was taking apart some unlucky opponent with his Hydra. The Hydra had grabbed each of its opponent’s limbs with one of its heads, and bombarded the poor Summon’s body with energy beams shooting from its remaining heads.
The battle was over in a literal flash and Elem turned to the window. They had only just ascended but Lightningrod City already looked like a miniature town. He had lived his entire life in Lightningrod City and now he was in the air, it suddenly looked so small, so Insignificant compared to the world’s immense size.
Elem couldn’t help but feel like a fugitive. He angrily clenched his jaw. Yes, he was running now but this wasn’t the end yet. Placing his hand on the airship’s window, he decided that he would return one day.
“I promise you father,” he mumbled “I promise you. It might take long but one day I will become the strongest Summoner in the Continent. I will lick my wounds in Alabaster. I will relentlessly train and keep improving. And then I will destroy Ferran and take our School back.”
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While Aja devoured plate after plate, Elem watched a few more Duel Tower Tournament matches before falling into a deep slumber. After sleeping through most of the night-long journey, he was finally woken by the steward’s announcement.
“Dear passengers, we’ll soon be landing in Alabaster City. Our crew thanks you for choosing Pegasus Airways and for trusting our service.”
Elem opened his eyes and there it was, the parting morning clouds revealed his destination like a pearl inside a clam.
Alabaster City, Elem repeated in his mind. It was the largest city in the Continent. He had seen images of its spectacular skyline and neon-lit streets before, but witnessing the sprawling metropolis and its impressive skyscrapers with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.
Had the circumstances been any different he would have been ecstatic and ready to explore every nook and cranny of the enormous city. But instead he felt a burning focus. He was on a mission now and he couldn’t rest before he succeeded.
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“So why did Tarjun get us tickets here?” Elem asked as they left the dirigible.
“Honestly… I think it was just one of the flights that was available that night. Plus it’s a good place to stay out of sight. Look at the size of this place, nobody will find us here.”
The city proper was a thirty minute transit ride away from their arriving terminal. Elem stared at the city’s vastness the same way he had stared at Thunderbird Mountain before climbing it.
“Where do we go first?” he asked. “Do we know where this place’s main Summoning school is?”
“Not so fast my friend. Tarjun was kind enough to get us a hostel while we stay here,” Aja pulled a piece of paper from her bag. “Might be good idea to freshen up before we go anywhere else.”
“Fine,” Elem grumbled.