“We’re going on a trip!”

That’s what I told Tedet, first thing in the morning, when I got to work with Martin. Trisd and Salev, our employees, had never met my boyfriend and were ecstatic to finally meet the person I nauseatingly boasted about. It was embarrassing for me to hear them say things like: ‘he talks a lot about you.’ As if I didn’t already know much I did, when I had Tedet tell me it was dizzying hearing me go on, and on, about Martin ever since I met him.

‘You don’t say. Really?’ Martin had responded, while looking at me, his smug smile widening the more they went on. ‘I didn’t know you liked me this much, Eddy.’

“What now?” he asked, and I tried imagining him sigh.

“Well,” I said, searching for the best way to put it. “The Cabal has summoned us. You and I. So, I need you to come with me.”

“And Martin?”

“I’m coming along,” he said.

“But he’s staying in the car. He’s starving for a trip with us.”

“We’ve barely talked, Tedet. All I know from you is what Eddy tells me.”

Tedet turned to watch me. “What have you told him?”

“Nothing bad! Sweet Mary, it’s like I’m not trusted.”

After explaining and leaving the workshop to the kids — that is what I’ve decided to call our employees — we took Tedet’s car to the alley where we’d do our usual tour to open the Way.

I heard Tedet complain with several harmonic chirps as we reached the end of the ritual. Finally, we crossed the two Ways and I watched Tedet crash-landing twice. I wasn’t sure what the Way did to Tedet’s sense of equilibrium that made it go haywire. I believe hadtherad use their version of the Way as well to travel, but I’m sure they don’t get disoriented as they cross it. Do they train with it? Or is their spell fundamentally different, producing something similar but that acts differently?

A question I won’t ever be able to answer unless I ask or experience it first-hand. I’m sure Shkadaur would not entertain this thought and would deny me a test.

Walking through the main hall we reached the entrance to the Cupula. Next to the door, there was a figure pacing to and fro the door and a nearby column. I saw him since we were approaching, glancing at the Cabal’s entrance every second, but it was only after we had trod a few meters that he noticed us. As we approached, he stood still, handling his hands like they were made of plasticine.

I recognized the man, a Senior Wizard by the name of Pyordre Odrichienk. He served as a professor when I did my apprenticeship. He was a man of will and stern familiarity; he would slap you back and smile, calling you by your given name in an arpeggial salute. He had taught me all about rituals with lessons. Today, he was looking desperate. I could see bags under his eyes and his forced smile told me all I needed to know. This was not the teacher that I used to have… something severely wrong had happened to him since last I met him.

“He doesn’t look good,” said Tedet beside me. Even he was aware of Odrichienk’s terrible condition.

‘He looks terrible,’ I held those words just for myself.

As we got close, Professor Odrichienk saluted both of us by simply lifting his hand, palm facing forward. A depressing resemblance to how he used to greet us. This man was a shell of the professor I used to know.

“Professor Odrichienk,” I finally greeted him. “How are you doing?” I asked in the usual manner, trying to hide from him how awfully exhausted he looked.

“Edwhite, boy. It’s good to see you. I’ve been doing better,” he said while cocking his head sideways. “What about you? I heard about your parole. You seem to be doing fine now.”

Despite the usual type of casual conversation, his voice sounded empty. It was like he was in auto-pilot; none of his words carried any pleasing or even depressing emotion. He simply spoke for the sake of speaking; his tone, a spine-crawling-cold neutral.

“Much happened. Senior Yand-Una helped me out a lot. You haven’t seen her today, have you?”

“No. Not today. I saw her last week. She seemed to be doing fine.”

I winced at his void speech. Did he notice?

Just a passing glance at his empty stare was enough for a complete answer.

“Glad to hear that. But you seem under the weather,” I decided to bring it up.

There’s never a good moment for these kinds of problems. But it’s better to bring it up when the person seems more relaxed than from the very beginning.

He sighed, the first time I noticed a sign of emotion in anything he did or sound he produced.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t greet you. My name is Pyordre Odrichienk. I used to be Edwhite’s instructor years ago.” He moved his hand forward, towards Tedet, who grabbed without hesitation.

Tedet’s face was a nauseous green. And Odrichienk didn’t seem to notice either.

“Tedet Galieta,” my best friend answered. “Alchemist. I’m friends with Ed.”

“He’s also a coworker and cofounder of our business — a spaceship mechanical workshop. Fix it like it’s magic,” I said with pride, looking for a reaction. Any would be better than what we had here. Cringe was more than welcome at this point.

“Alchemist,” he echoed while nodding his head. “And a workshop. I thought you’d become a police officer when I last taught you.”

Was this alright? Was there something behind those words? Extrospection? Did I at least extract him from his deep well of depression?

“Well, things change,” I explained. “I found something I liked doing. With someone I enjoy doing it.”

“Any—anyone of importance in your life?” he asked, stuttering as he went. Something twitched under that flat smile. Maybe real emotion. “You told me about your last efforts. How—how have you been doing?”

However, with how long this part of the conversation was going, I knew at this point that he was just trying to avoid the main topic.

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“I have a lovely boyfriend,” I answered. “A professor of physics in a renowned university.”

“Beautiful. That’s great. I’m glad—I’m glad you’re doing alright, boy.”

Something was there, I felt it. My magical feelings stirred a little. Something bottled down there struggled to come out beneath the heavy will to suppress it. I tried my luck to push it out.

“What about you, Professor?” I interrupted before he continued. “Are you doing alright?”

He let out a scoffed laughter. There was some evasion of pain, trying to turn it into humor, but I could see that behind those baggy eyelids, there were glossy eyes that begged for help and rest. I had caught it. Real emotions beneath the myriad layers of empty emotions that protected his heart.

“No,” he finally answered, laconic.

I stared at the man silently, just waiting. The silence stretched out for a second too long before its awkwardness did its job and pulled the truth and emotion from his vocal cords.

“My Apprentice, he’s missing.” His voice squeaked, barely noticeable for those who weren’t trying to look for something.

“Could it be related to why I’ve been summoned?”

“Yes.”

Another monosyllabic answer. Professor Odrichienk had no more energy for elaborate or complex answers. He was mentally and emotionally exhausted after holding back for so long. There was strain on that dam of emotions and he seemed to be holding back with as little outside effort as possible.

Before I could continue my inquiry the double doors of the Cupula opened to a voice.

“Is Avarez here already?” S.A.W. Ravan said, peering through the space between the heady door. She saw me and exhaled. “Good. Come on in, the three of you.”

I looked at the Professor, but he had somehow regained full hold of himself and was back to his empty other-self.

Inside, the Cupula was mostly empty. A few people sat at the many round tables of the atrium, inside the amphitheater. During a grand meeting, people would be divided in their respective ranks, and take their place along the Large Cupula. At this time, however, there was no formal meeting, and so, many wizards walked about the Cupula, sitting down on the podiums and the round tables. The only place they left alone was the back podium reserved to be used exclusively for Senior Arch Wizard Council members.

S.A.W. Ravan took us on a little trip around the podiums, away from the entrance and far from anyone who could hear. She placed herself facing a column and asked us to stand in front of her, next to the column.

“Gentlemen,” she began, and eyed Tedet for a second expecting him to correct her. “What we’re about to talk must not be heard or be known by anyone except those involved. That means, none but you three can retell our meeting to anyone else.”

She did not ask for confirmation; all she did was look at each and every one of us. She only slightly took her time with Tedet, who immediately nodded.

“Wizard Analyst and Researcher, Padrict Gleissvissen has gone missing. It was only four days ago that he disappeared after he had completed his research and activated a ritualistic spell. Senior Odrichienk was the last person to see him. He was distressed and it seemed to us like he was escaping from something.

“So far, that’s not of our concern. We have managed to find his whereabouts, and we know that he escaped with the help of the Great Fay Isadal — to whom you have already acquainted, Wizard Avarez.”

This last phrase felt more like a scolding than a reminder.

“Right now, we’re not in the best position to issue an escorting team. This is why Odrichienk cannot go in search of his Apprentice, by orders of the Council. This is where you, Wizard Avarez and Mister Galieta come in.

“To be perfectly honest with you, I’m not confident with your abilities at the moment. And having an alchemist team up with an Official Wizard on an official mission with confidential information is not what I had advised — no offense, Mister Galieta.”

I understood that S.A.W. Ravan was venting her frustration to us, rather than offering context. I could feel the tension and anxiety escalating with every word, until she finally ended her speech in a forcefully relaxing sigh. She took a few seconds to relax before continuing.

“This mission requires your utmost secrecy. Don’t go blabbering about this with anyone. Not family. Not friends. Not wizards. And especially none who isn’t related to you. A Knight, an acquaintance… torviela.” She stared daggers at me, warning me of my loose tongue.

I audibly swallowed my nervousness.

“Is this understood?” She commanded an answer for which she didn’t wait. “We have procured a ship. You will be departing from the Frisch-Tecklegot Surface Station. From there—”

“Wait! Wait, wait, wait.” I interrupted the Senior Arch Wizard. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry I interrupted. But are you serious? Space? We’re going to space?”

“You’ll be headed towards an abandoned generational ship from centuries ago.”

“The Ark Ships,” Tedet said and I saw his pimples flickering red. There was curiosity and excitement he was trying to hide.

“One of them,” S.A.W. Ravan answered.

“But I thought they were all reclaimed. Turned to scrap to be recycled,” I reproached. “Is one still floating around up there?”

“It was also unknown to us until recently. It seems the Fay knew about it for a very long time.”

Unbelievable. Genuinely unreal.

“Hold on, there’s a slight problem with this plan,” I said and waited for anyone to speak, but it seemed like everyone else was waiting for me to speak. Except for Tedet, who was already clued into my woe.

“None of us can fly,” he finished.

Simple confusion. No complex emotions, just the classic face that denoted interrogatives.

“But you’re spaceship mechanics,” said Professor Odrichienk with a tone that treaded the limbo between affirmation and question.

“That doesn’t mean we can fly the things,” I answered the non-question. “There’s no way we can do this mission alone.”

S.A.W. Ravan furrowed her brow and pressed the bridge of her nose between her index and thumb. Her face produced the natural expression of a heavy headache. She shook her head and groaned. It must have been painful to imagine a plan, that should have been able to work, only to realize that it had already crumbled the moment it was created.

A heavy and painful silence appeared as we all watched the Arch Wizard engage her mental hyperdrives to think of something as quickly as possible.

“Doesn’t your boyfriend know how to fly?” asked Tedet innocently, like he had come up with the perfect solution. “He could man the navigation controls and get us to that ship.”

My eyes began to slowly peel when he started talking. At first, it was a sensation of obvious realization, thinking how I could’ve forgotten something so obvious — today, I had revealed to Tedet, on our way here, what Martin had told me. But as the milliseconds passed by inside my thoughts, I realized the problem: we were going to get my boyfriend involved.

“No, no, no. Don’t involve Martin in this.”

“It could work,” said S.A.W. Ravan. “Do you trust this man?”

“Yes,” answered Tedet.

“Yes, but that’s not the point.”

Although I didn’t have time to react, I was still surprised by his immediate and genuine answer. Tedet really meant what he said and that made me happy.

“I understand your concern, Avarez. But this is a simple mission to escort the man back to Sovail for a trial. There should be no immediate dangers, except the man himself and we very much doubt he’d resort to violence.”

“That’s not the kind of person he is — Padrict,” concluded Professor Odrichienk, and for the first time there were open emotions on his voice and face. “I’m begging you, bring him back.”

“Before I accept this,” I said, trying to buy myself some more excuses. “There’s one more thing I need to discuss with you.”

Both wizards looked at each other and S.A.W. Ravan quickly frowned, expecting something bad from me. It was saddening that I was meeting her expectations. I didn’t want to start a conversation about what I had just learned a couple of days ago and last night.

“I had a run-in with a fay and a torviela.”

----------------------------------------

Tedet and I opened the doors to the car and hopped in.

“How did it go?” asked my boyfriend, who was patiently waiting for us under the autumn sun.

“We’re going on a trip,” I informed again, but, this time around, with little enthusiasm. “The three of us.”

Martin opened his eyes wide. “Me too?”

“You said you could fly a spaceship, right?”

Martin went from surprise to wholehearted elation. I had never seen him smile so naturally childishly. It was like I was calling his most inner desire, resurfacing the kid he had always been, but that he had been repressing this whole time, with a call of ‘ice cream!’

There’s nothing that brings a person more pleasure and satisfaction than making their dreams come true. Sex could compare to such a feeling, but this was more than just physical pleasure. To a person, it’s all-encompassing.

“YES!” he yelled.

I turned to look at Tedet, who didn’t look bothered in any way by anything that had just happened.

As for me, I could only make a bittersweet smile.