Page 61 of Cerulean Truth
I grabbed her sleeve, my eyes widening in shock. "James is going to be the Leader of all there magi in there US?" I gasped, abandoning all decorum.
"I'm going to venture a small guess and say you know James Walker personally?" she replied rather dryly.
I swallowed, not particularly eager to admit to Enya that I was developing a (purely physical) crush on her future president.
"We've met," I muttered, avoiding eye contact.
"Ah... well, as I mentioned, James Walker is a first-cycler, around his thirtieth Earth-year, I think," she continued, "But he's now on the fast track for Leadership, considering his innate abilities."
Of course he is.
"So, him being trained as a Leader at thirty is..." I hinted.
"Extremely rare, yes. You'll notice his humility has adapted to that notion equally well," she added wryly. I knew right then and there her and I would become friends.
She turned to me, casting me a watchful gaze. "Be careful of him though. He's... not someone you'd want to cross."
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
She bit her lip. "It means he won't hesitate to kill you if you get in his way."
I laughed, but Enya's expression remained serious. Surely she was being overly dramatic?
She pivoted again and descended the stairs. I had so many questions. What exactly were these Offensives, anyway? I ran after Enya and pulled her sleeve again but before I could even utter a single word, Enya silenced my curiosity with one dark glare. I swallowed hard, released her sleeve and realized I would have to find someone else to ask. Enya darted down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. I hurried after her, like a toddler after its favorite teacher.
“Levels one and two are also for food and drinks” she shouted from below, her voice echoing up the stairwell, “but are more personal. There are a few kitchens you are welcome to use, though only use the one assigned to your section. I’ll get you a map for now but walk it a few times and you’ll get the hang of it.”
I was starting to pant, struggling to keep up with her pace.
“Okay wait a minute,” I managed to say, leaning against the railing to catch my breath. “Just to make sure I’ve got it straight. Levels one and two are kitchens for personal use, levels three and four we missed, five to ten are dorms and bathrooms, eleven and twelve training rooms for recreational use, thirteen and fourteen restaurants and fifteen an indoor swimming pool. So where are we now?” I huffed.
“We’re on three,” Enya replied dryly opening a door, revealing a long corridor.
"Levels three and four are the exciting connection levels," Enya droned on. "These two floors are a constant in every Palace, serving as the links between the four of them. You mosey on through these levels to travel from one Palace to another. Of course, you can always choose the high-tech route and portal your way out through the red standing portals, but remember, you can only return via your personal portal."
I felt a tinge of self-doubt creeping in, as I realized I probably should have studied up on the details of portal usage. Yet, Enya's less-than-welcoming demeanor didn't exactly encourage me to seek her guidance. I silently vowed to find a more approachable mentor in the future to ask about portals.Not James.
Enya's brisk pace led us through the remainder of Winter Palace, which was starting to feel like the oddest luxury hotel I'd ever stayed at. It was becoming increasingly evident Enya was eager to bid me adieu.
"And that's pretty much the living area," she concluded, cutting our tour short with a sense of urgency. "There's a lot more to discover, but..." she glanced quickly over me and raised a brow, "you look like you're quite the resourceful one. I’m sure you'll figure it out as you go along."
Sure.
"I'll leave you to your own devices for the day. Tomorrow, we'll embark on another thrilling journey to explore the Spring Palace. Should you require any assistance, don't hesitate to reach out."
And, just as swiftly as she appeared in my life, she vanished through a portal, leaving me standing alone in the corridor on the third level. Our entire interaction had barely spanned twenty minutes.
With exhaustion weighing me down and an indifference toward my surroundings which was rapidly growing, I retraced my steps, located the stairwell, and ascended to level seven.
Finally back in the familiarity of my dorm room, I nearly collapsed from sheer fatigue. Without even bothering to change my clothes, I surrendered to the inviting embrace of the bed. Within moments, I was lost in a deep and dreamless slumber, the whirlwind events of the day fading into the oblivion of rest.
Day two: The Spring Palace
I woke up the next day with an overwhelming sense of anxiety.
Trying out one of the restaurants on the fourteenth floor of the Winter Palace, I found myself pretty much alone. I ordered some scrambled eggs, and to my surprise, they tasted exactly like regular eggs. Had I expected these eggs on some level to levitate and fly directly into my mouth? Maybe. But any disappointment quickly vanished as I enjoyed the gorgeous view overlooking the rest of the Universitas.
Enya met up with me around eleven in the morning on the fourth floor between the Winter and Spring Palace, her grumpy demeanor intact.
