The Journal of Barry Walls - Year 11, Day 137.

Sister has found a way to utilize Blue Gas even further for weaponry. It took a few years, but she has developed a sort of Alchemical Grenade along with several other explosives. The council that leads the Tower on the central star was surprised, to say the least. She continues to improve not only in magical ability but also intellect it seems. Her master is growing more proud of her, and the two are closer. It is nice that Sister is able to move on from the death of Doctor Arthur, I did not realize how much it hurt her back then. I didn’t know my own feelings at the time.

I am not lacking behind, I find myself drawn to Alchemy though that is a passion, a curiosity Master has caused in me. He seems to have a bad memory, one of a man who escaped the confines of the Border of Consciousness; Master is not sure if he escaped to the Primordial Chaos or to the other place, what a few in the Centralis call the Dao. I can not comprehend either, I do well but I am not my sister when it comes to these concepts. Perhaps that is why I love Alchemy so much, it helps give me an extra angle to explore, an edge on her in terms of understanding a piece of the world.

In truth, I have not fallen that far behind. The Central Tower is impressed with my work in the medical field. Though it is partially unfair to claim all my knowledge as my own. Not only was I the Doctor Arthur’s student for a while but I am Master’s as well. He has a fondness for War. It's thanks to his collection of accolades, fighting for the tower against many races and worlds, and allowing me to collect bodies that deepen the understanding of the anatomy of the entirety of the Border of Consciousness. Others and I, yes, myself often join him on these expeditions.

A small note: Doctor Arthur’s birthday is approaching, and one of my new comrades loves painting. I am thinking of getting one made for Sister, she is fond of his memory. It would be nice for her to have it hanging in that bare room of hers in the Central Tower.

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The Journal of Giselle Walls - Year 42, day 28. — (The Event later known as: “The Second Collapse of Central Tower”)

Master has fallen Ill. She contracted an age-related disease, or so I am told, though I cannot see how; Neither Barry nor I have aged a day since we each turned twenty-six (26). I have been left with Master’s task while they attempt to help her recover. But I have long noticed something is off. She recovers in Central Tower and all reports of her come from the East and West towers closest to Central. East says she will die, West says they will heal her in time. Neither speak to each other or enter central, at least not when I am there.

Worse, Central is closed, and every room, dorm, or facility moved elsewhere for the time being. All of my stuff was moved as well, even though I am in a position of privilege due to my contributions which the Tower drools over. Stranger yet, Barry is barred too, he had a few years of quiet, but now he joins me on expeditions, it's nice to be around my Younger brother again. He has changed, not all in bad ways, he is a great healer now, and few compare to him, but he has an odd attachment to Alchemy, proclaiming he is: ‘looking for the door, the whirlpool in the soul’. His Master ascended to a member of the central council years ago after he had a tirade on many worlds. Many call him ‘Warshout’ to his face and ‘The Salted Wounds’ to his back. Even he will not let us into the tower.

This expedition will end today. I have killed countless young warriors of a tribal species. A lizard race with great potential for warring and shamanistic rituals and spiritual magic. I do not know why the council wants them dead, and I refuse to wipe them out. They are mostly peaceful, though rude and markedly crude of breeding in the open for all to see. They also freely defile their own ancestral graves to summon the ghost of those passed in times of turmoil… Once this is all over, I hope to drink some warm tea in the tower and get advice from the master.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

If I return and cannot visit her I have a plan, and as Barry’s master has grown distant and strange, more than Barry himself somehow; he is willing to partake. I wrote him a heal or a ‘Body Reconstruction’ Alchemical transmutation. I can create it, but only Barry is the one who can attempt it. No one is his equal in the knowledge of two of three parts that make an individual, flesh and soul. Luckily no one is my equal in the study of the third, the spirit, and laws of the Border of Consciousness.

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I ended up left with less regret than if I did nothing, but the actions of the two of us would haunt me for a while. It was my plan, and they had worked but to devastating effect. The transmutation worked, at least primarily in its effect; Master is alive, but we left her behind to recover fully, her hair turned white, and she was struggling to speak and walk. It was better to leave her there, as she would not be blamed for my crimes.

They would blame Barry as he cast the spells of my design, drew the circle, and changed the energy of the world the way I told him so. The Central Tower turned to ash. So I asked him to come with me, he seemed overly happy when I asked him like he had been waiting for it for a long long time.

We would not have made it out if it was not for the guidance I did not expect. The voice I had not heard in a long time. More than forty (40) years at least. It calmed my heart while making it race, it was nostalgic yet terrifying. It made me realize it was impossible to know a person, perhaps Barry beat me to this lesson after spending time with his Master. The voice at least as I heard it was the man long dead, and killed my times over at Barry’s hand; Teacher, Doctor Arthur Fletch.

Now Barry and I wander about the void, thanks to the teaching of the Centralis we can move around in the void of the Border, though we have yet to find its edge, it seems that is Barry’s dream, to find either side to determine its nature and so on, he goes on for days if I bring it up. For me, perhaps one day, I would like to find out more about Teacher. But, right now. I am content with helping the people of the worlds we land on, instead of killing them.

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The news on Liro via Blue Gas TV-box, Plane 8, Year 0, Day 14.

“It is a tragedy that continues to unfold, the burial of Doctor Arthur Fletch was preceded by reports two of his students went missing. The world was still questioning the events around the Doctor’s death. Now the world is in outrage.”

“The only question I can provide you until we have more information is the answer to the question; Who were Giselle and Barry Walls?”

“After the Doctor created his Airship safety protocols and devices he took in orphans who had parents die in a similar tragedy in which his parents passed. The small impoverished town was plagued with deaths surrounding Airships, one crashing into one of the last operable mines.”

“Two siblings lost their parents in such an Event that was Giselle and Barry Walls. Giselle was a happy girl with an athletic streak and a bright mind, getting a Steam and Gas certification before leaving the doctor's class. Barry was freer, living out his dream as a dog owner with ambitions to open a candy shop according to friends.”

Kzzt, zzzzuuu.

“Hey, why’d you turn it off.” A man sat up from his couch pulling the coffee table closer with his feet.

“We don’t need to hear this news again…” A woman with blonde hair and a red-bronze ring on her finger looked back.

“It was about Barry and Giselle.” He said.

“And what does the news know about them that we don’t? There is no new info.”

“Well, it's not like we knew much…”

“Enough, let's go for a walk, we need to get the dog used to the neighborhood.”

“Who names their dog Grifter?”

“Hehe, well we knew a few things about the two the news doesn’t. Barry probably didn’t know what Grifter meant and Giselle was mean enough to name the dog that.”

“Haha, that sounds about right.” The man laughed as he crouched, clapping his hands, “Come here boy, it's nice and early a good time for some sun.”

Roof! A bark followed by the tap of little wooden feet filled the room as a green stem tail raged like a storm.

“Well, he doesn’t seem to be distressed about the whole thing…” The man said, scratching the dog's woody back.

“He might know where the two went off to. Maybe the conspiracy theorists are right this time around, he was found around Teacher’s house. Do you want to take us to your old master's Grift?” The woman said.

“Oh stop, let's go, come on Grifter let's go for a walk.”