Chapter Three: The Run AwayZ

He contemplated whether he really wanted to run away. He had sort of an idea of where he was going. “Northish,” he guessed.

But he couldn’t bear to part with his brother or mother. Nor could he leave behind the friends he had made along the way, the teachers at the Magic Academy whom he admired, the familiar faces he had known all his life—neighbors, even the dog down the street, Rubin, and the elders who had scolded him so often. He would miss them all, and even this place he had often deemed "stupid." Though he had imagined this moment a few times before, he never anticipated how difficult it would be. His heart felt as though it might break. From this point forward, he would be venturing into the unknown, unsure of what he was going to eat and where he was going to sleep. From here on, he wouldn’t know where life would take him.

Aze unfurled the scroll in his hands and read from it.

“Goodbye. From here to there, the big city is where I will bear, and the next place I travel to is where, I will handle my future fruit."

A portal opened in his room—a ripple in space-time. On the other side, an unusual world completely different from the one he knew was in plain sight. The door opened to his room, his heart about jumped from his chest at the thought of his mother.

“Aze?” Noel said from behind in a low voice, “You're leaving?”

There wasn’t a need to lie to him. He felt like if there was one person he could confess to, it was his brother.

“Yes.”

Noel shut the door behind him, interrogating his brother. “Where will you go? What will you do on your own?" Aze walked to his desk, grabbing a crystal that lay on top of a stack of papers. He showed Noel who said, "A tele-crystal? What’s going on here?”

The object glowed blue, emitting an array of colors in lines outward from itself. These lines of light converged and fused together, forming a holographic video. It displayed an exterior view of a vibrant city: flying cars zipping through the sky, throngs of people rushing in and out of buildings, crowded streets, and children gleefully flying on hoverboards above the sidewalks. Noel was incredulous at what he saw. The rapid pace of the city overwhelmed him. Unlike the small, quiet village where nothing ever happened, this vibrant metropolis never slept. The town that never sleeps, City K.

A voice over the crystal began to play: "City K is the realm of opportunity, where dreams defy impossibilities and become reality." Noel felt a surge of questions, but he was too engrossed to utter a word. "Whether you aspire to explore deep space as an astronaut, advance technology for the betterment of humanity, or wield your powers for protection and understanding, Alt University awaits as the path to your aspirations. Here at Alternative Learning and Technological-AdvanRobo University, better known as ALT.” The holographic film showcased the school campus with an ice person turned the water fountain by the cafeteria into a solid block of ice. The video cut to a racetrack, where speedsters raced miles within seconds. The video cut again into a classroom where a student was lifting a flask that held red liquids, and with the student's mind, he poured the flask into another bottle combusting the instant it was mixed, turning his face yellow. He created sulfur, and he was immediately sent to the hospital.

The voiceover continued, "Only the brightest, strongest, and most powerful individuals gain entry through a rigorous ‘Entrance Examination’ designed to filter out the weaker applicants. So why not take a chance and join us? You could be the future the world awaits." The video concluded as the crystal reverted to its original state. Aze put the crystal back on his desk.

Noel glanced beyond Aze, catching sight of the portal and catching a glimpse of the city he saw in the video. "Are you really going to this... City K?" Noel inquired, seeking answers from his brother. "And enrolling in Alt University? But what about your ceremony?"

Aze explained this to his brother, not in defense but to express his inner self. "I don't want to be a magician, Noel."

“Then, what if not a mage?”

“I’m not entirely sure, to be honest.” Aze rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

Noel should have expected an answer like this from his brother, indecisive as usual. What was said next came out of left field: “But I want to find out!” This struck a chord in Noel. He may have felt the same way, ever so slightly. He was content with this life, but what about a new one? “I don’t want to be stuck in Tamari forever. I want to see the outside world for myself and meet people based on my own accord. I want to prove everyone here wrong. That they can leave this bubble, to trust in others!"

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Noel asked. “It seems that you have already made up your mind, haven't you?”

Aze nodded his head up and down and said, “Yes.”

Noel uncharacteristically yelled out, “Let me go with you!” Noel didn’t base his decision on pure logic; instead, he followed his emotions; he was living in the moment, encouraged by Aze's speech. He was following his brother’s footsteps in some way.

Aze said it disheartenedly. “I can’t let you go, Noel.”

“And why is that, huh?” Noel said in anguish, “Is it because I'm too young? Or do you think I can't handle my own beyond the boundaries?”

Aze clarified, “No. You’d be better off here. With me gone and my father’s continuous absence, mother will have no one left.”

“I won’t have you.” Noel responded, “I’m not like you. I don’t have any friends; I'm not strong, and if you leave, I won’t have anyone to talk to.”

Aze walked over to his brother, hugging him.

Aze felt his brother's heartbeat resonate within his own chest. Now, he comprehended the significance behind Noel's words: Noel didn't wish to embark on this journey for his own sake like Aze did, but rather to remain by his side. Without hesitation, Aze stepped back into the portal, carrying his brother in his arms. The chaotic surroundings twisted and distorted as they leaped into the stationary rift; objects fluttered, wagged, and wobbled. They spun and twirled before vanishing into the multi-colored opening, reminiscent of Abdul's portal emergence.

They hurtled through space at excessive speeds, no longer upright nor in their room. They were carried headfirst through a current in space. The collective colors at the gate they saw from the outside were now indistinguishable from the inside. Streaks of color surrounded them, seeming to be alive and moving freely. It must have been in conjunction with their movement through the tunneling, but Noel couldn’t be certain. He was frightened to the core. It was the first time in his life that he was unsure, relying purely on emotion rather than logic. Everything was happening so fast, but it was now or never for Aze, and so it was for him too. He didn’t know what would happen in this city if the people on the other side were friends or foes, if they were to face death or imprisonment once more. Noel's uncertainties blitzed through his mind a million miles a minute.

"AWESOME, HAHA!" Aze exclaimed with delight. Noel couldn’t fathom Aze's excitement; the situation didn’t seem to warrant it. He glanced up at Aze to find a wide grin plastered across his face. Once again, Aze proved to be full of surprises. It wasn’t about analyzing the circumstances. It was about the adventure.

“THIS IS FUN!” Noel yelled out, copying Aze but crying on the inside, trying to live a little or die in the process.

Ahead of them was a bright white light: ‘the end of the portal,’ Aze thought, preparing for whatever was to come next.

Inching closer to the end, not knowing what was to be, Aze and Noel grasped each other tightly, yelling, “AHHHH!” They close their eyes from the tad bit of fear that comes from the unexpectedness. Their screams echoed longer than they'd hoped for. "Ahhha! Aha... Ah?" Both Noel and Aze cautiously opened a single eye to assess their surroundings. They found themselves face-to-face, still locked in their tight embrace. Quickly, they pushed away from each other, straightening their clothing and patting themselves off.

Aze said nonchalant, “Okay, so where are we?”

*Back in Tamari, In Aze's room, a knock is heard at the door.

"Honey?" Herra said nicely. She kept knocking on his door, and after 5 minutes, she got mad from being ignored and kicked open the door. "Aze!" She surveys the room. She gasped, went next door and saw her other boy wasn't there either. In a panic she went to Elders of Tamari. And the search for the disappearance of two boys begins. A group of red robed magicians entered Aze's room. They find one single item of importance, a Tele-crystal. That idiot Aze forgot the artifact that tempted in the first place.

*Back to City K, where Aze admire skyscrapers that went pass the sky.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something...." Aze thought but not too hard because this place was totally rad, "Oh, forget about it. I love this place already!" He said aloud.

"Are you talking to yourself?" His brother said right beside him.