When I woke up, my throat felt raw and scratchy, as if someone had rubbed it raw. I experienced a piercing pang in my throat with every cough, and swallowing became rough and uncomfortable. It didn’t feel like the onset of illness, but a persistent irritation that lingered despite my efforts to soothe it. The discomfort gradually eased after casting two Healing Touches, allowing me to breathe and speak more easily again. I couldn’t make sense of what was going on.
When I greeted Mahya and Al good morning, they were startled and spun to me. They exchanged a glance, then turned back to me, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“Your voice sounds different,” Mahya replied.
“Different, how?”
“Richer, deeper.”
Huh?!
I vocalized different sounds, and to my surprise, it sounded different, even to my ears. Since I didn’t have a recording of my speaking voice, I turned to the next best thing–my singing voice. I opened YouTube, played one of my songs, then sang and recorded it on my phone. When I played back the recording, it shocked me. My voice was a revelation! It was like velvet, smooth and resonant, captivating in its richness and strength, and with a perfect pitch.
I remembered a video Lyura showed me on YouTube of a singer vocalizing “Ave Maria." Intrigued, I searched for the video and played it, attempting to vocalize along. I recorded my attempt on my phone to assess the result. What I heard delighted and amazed me. While I knew I wasn’t yet at Dimash’s masterful level—he was truly exceptional—it sounded pretty close. My voice was deeper and lower, but it sounded great. A wide grin spread across my face as I sank back onto the sofa, my eyes wide with joy. I couldn’t help but throw my fist into the air and shout, “Yes!” It was amazing. I felt like a legit bard.
After breakfast, we sat by the pool and felt the Traveler approaching the hotel. We didn’t want the meeting by the pool, so we ran up to the suite and left the door open for him. I felt him approach and a young man entered the room. He was of average height, a little taller than me, muscular, with red hair and beard, and freckles. And like all the Travelers, he had glowing green eyes. He felt a little stronger than me, but weaker than Mahya.
As Sonak entered the room, his eyes darted around, taking in every detail. His face contorted with clear signs of dissatisfaction, deep furrows creasing his brow and accentuating the tension between his eyebrows. He pressed his lips together in a tight line, the corners down-turned, and his eyes narrowed slightly. There was a noticeable clenching of his jaw, and his fists balled up at his sides.
“What is the reason for the luxury?” he spat, his voice dripping with anger and contempt. “This is a rescue mission, not a vacation.”
Mahya and Al exchanged wary glances, their bodies tensing at the hostility from the newcomer.
After closing the door, I cleared my throat, trying to defuse the tension. I stood up straighter, meeting Sonak’s gaze. “Hello, my name is John Rue, and my origin is Gaia, the planet we are on right now.”
Mahya shifted in her seat, her posture becoming more formal as she spoke. “Greetings, I am Mahya Num, from the world of Eldorus.” Her voice was calm, but her eyes never left Sonak, watching for any sudden movements.
Al leaned forward slightly, his hands resting on his knees as he introduced himself. “Greetings, I am Alfonsen Holerand Mirbit VII, from Leylos.” His tone was cordial, but there was a wariness in his eyes.
For a minute, Sonak stood rigid, his jaw working as if chewing on his words. Finally, he let out a long, exasperated sigh, his shoulders dropping slightly. “I am Sonak Susil, from the world of Zenitheer,” he said, his voice still tight with barely contained frustration.
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“Please sit down,” I invited him, gesturing to an empty chair.
Sonak’s nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply. “You did not answer me,” he growled, his eyes flashing angrily. “What is the reason for the luxury? My friend is held captive, and you are enjoying lavish conditions.” His voice rose with each word, his body trembling with rage.
I felt my patience wearing thin, my jaw clenching as I snapped back, “Because I don’t like squalor. If you need to live in shit to feel you’re supporting your friend, you’re free to find your own accommodations.” My hands gripped the arms of my chair, knuckles whitening.
Sonak’s face flushed red, his body coiling like a spring about to release. I felt Mahya tense beside me, her hand inching towards her side as if reaching for a weapon.
Sonak unclenched his fists with visible effort and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. He looked down his nose at me, his chin jutting out defiantly. “What did you do so far to rescue my friend?” he demanded, each word clipped and precise.
“Nothing. We were waiting for you,” I answered, meeting his glare with a level gaze.
Sonak’s eyebrows shot up, his mouth falling open in disbelief. “What do you mean nothing? What were you doing all this time?” He leaned forward, invading my personal space.
I remained seated, refusing to be intimidated. “As I said, we were waiting for you.”
Unable to contain his agitation any longer, Sonak jumped up and started pacing the room. “When are we going to rescue him?” he demanded, whirling to face us again.
“There are still things we need to figure out,” I said.
Sonak’s face twisted into a sneer. “Like what? What is the excuse this time?”
I felt my last shred of patience snap. Rising to my feet, I locked eyes with Sonak, my voice low and intense. “Listen up. We don’t owe you or your friend a thing. We chose to help free him because we believe it’s unjust for the army to hold him captive. So don’t act like we’re indebted to you, and stop being disappointed because we haven’t moved mountains to find solutions. Get off your high horse. You didn’t exactly go to great lengths to reach him, either. If it were urgent, you would have taken a plane to the US, but you didn’t. After disembarking, you took a week off in New York, a day off in Chicago on the way, and by my count, at least two days off in Los Angeles, judging by your travel time. So lower your tone and speak courteously to us. If you’re not prepared to do that, the door’s right there. Use it, and don’t come back.”
As I delivered my speech, Sonak’s face cycled through a range of emotions—shock, indignation, and finally, grudging respect. His body gradually relaxed from its combative stance, though his fists remained clenched at his sides.
When I finished, Sonak looked at Mahya and Al, his eyes searching their faces. “Are you in agreement with him?” he asked, his voice quieter now, but still tense.
They both nodded, their expressions resolute.
Sonak stood there, his whole body vibrating with suppressed emotion. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. With visible effort, he straightened his posture, unclenching his fists. “Okay,” he said, his voice strained but controlled. “I’ll listen to what you have to say. But before that, if we are going to have a party together, we should explain our abilities. I’m a Fire Mage, a Blacksmith, and a Pyro Knight.”
I mentally asked Mahya, “Think we should do this?”
She nodded slightly. “I am a Bladesinger and a Wood Artisan.”
“I am a Heavy Warrior and an Alchemist,” Al said.
“I’m a Healer, a Wizard Battle Master, and a Bard.”
Sonak’s eyebrows rose in surprise when I mentioned being a wizard, his earlier hostility giving way to curiosity. “Wizard?”
“Yes.”
“What is your specialty?”
“Elements.”
He nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. “Are we going to rescue him tonight?”
“No. We need to scout the base and devise a plan to overcome the mana suppression and get in and out quietly.”
Sonak’s temper flared again. His face reddened, and he stomped his foot like a petulant child. “NO! We need to go in, kill everybody, and get him out!” he shouted, his body rigid with frustration.
“Not going to happen,” I said.
“Why not?”
“Because a cure that kills a hundred and heals one is not a cure. I’m not going to kill a lot of people to get one out. I assure you that most of the people on that base don’t even know about the Traveler, and they don’t deserve to die. We need to do it using our brains, not our physical strength.”
As I calmly explained why that wasn’t an option, Sonak’s expression cycled through anger, disbelief, and finally, a mulish, stubborn look. He crossed his arms tightly, his jaw working as he ground his teeth. “I agreed not to make demands of you, but you do not tell me what to do.”
“You’re welcome to do it on your own then. We’re not going to help you kill a bunch of people,” I said firmly, standing my ground.
Sonak stood there, his eyes boring into mine for what felt like an eternity. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, his fingers digging into his biceps. Finally, without a word, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
We exchanged worried glances, the tension in the air palpable even after Sonak’s departure.
“BAD BOY! NO EAR SCRATCHES!” Rue declared more forcefully than usual.
We started laughing, and the tension broke. My dog was the best in the entire universe.