Chapter 11 – The Language of the Universe

            Levitas had walked out of the room and gone down to the slime room to see where they were headed. With Zeith being gone and after the small tussle with Xri, everyone on the ship seemed to be on edge. Before, everyone had at least been friendly, save Merick, but now the entire vibe had downshifted. What was once a welcoming and almost homely environment, despite its obvious flaws, had become infected with bitterness. The realization of his situation was hitting Alos pretty hard yet again. He didn’t want to be a part of any of this; he just wanted things to go back to how they used to be, he just wanted to go home. That wasn’t going to happen, and he knew he needed to just accept it.

            In an attempt to block out the thoughts of home, he tried to find something to amuse himself with. This, however, proved rather futile considering how little there was to do on the ship. He really didn’t want to be around the rest of the crew, especially Merick, but with all connections to the Omninet being as weak as they were, Alos quickly found himself walking down to the slime room.

            Down in the slime room, the entirety of the crew was scattered. Dardaños was relaxing on the couch with Bert sitting beside him. Merick was hunched over the display screen monitoring the ship’s gauges and trajectory. Off to the side of the room, Levitas and Xri were conversing; each using rather exaggerated body language. Alos slowly approached the two.

            “You don’t think we should visit the brotherhood first?” Levitas asked, his gravelly voice carrying with a trill.

            “Look, we do need to visit our brothers. They need to know as soon as possible.” Xri responded empathetically. “We need to go to the Guild first though, more specifically to Raszen.”

            It was surprising to see them conversing with ease after such a confrontation but in all honesty, it was kind of nice. Alos stopped several yards away and they both turned glancing over at him. As if he wasn’t even there, they turned back toward each other and continued talking.

            “Are you sure, Xri? The NSR can assist us immediately on this matter. The longer we wait, the higher chance of their resources being used elsewhere.”

            “This isn’t an easy decision,” Xri began, his hand reaching up and resting on Levitas’ shoulder, “but if the Guild finds out too late, council will be broken and a forced elective initiation will occur. My master needs to be returned…”

            Levitas gently nodded his head with a gentle understanding. It seemed clear he didn’t know about the specifics being mentioned, but the urgency of Xri’s request resonated through his voice, and that was enough.

            He then pulled away from Xri, and joined the others on the couch. Xri turned and walked towards then past Alos, continuing along without acknowledgement. Alos jogged to catch up with him.

            “So... where are we headed?” Alos asked half-heartedly.

            “We are going to my home to pay a visit to the Guild.” Xri responded with a low, serious tone.

            “I overheard that much.” Sarcasm crawled out with each word. “What exactly is this Guild?”

            The corners of Xri’s lips curled up into a smirk. Even with all the adversity taking place, Alos’ ignorance and excitement still seemed enough to tickle his amusement.

            “Why, the one and only Wizard’s Guild, of course.” Xri’s face stretched into a full snarky grin.

            Alos paused for a moment, his footsteps halting as he mouthed the words he had just heard. His face was etched with a combination of astonished bewilderment and skeptical laughter.

            “Wizards Guild?”

            Whether it was his reaction, or his genuine unknowing of the subject, Alos didn’t know, but Xri threw his head back laughing.

            “Aye, it is the Guild for Wizards.” Satire poured out like a river from Xri’s mouth, each word like a rock, blocking the flow of his speech with the small hiccups of held back laughter.

            Alos shot Xri a blank glare filled with discontent, but Xri only continued laughing.

            “So you are telling me there is a group of people that nobody knows about, who practice and control magic?”

            “Magic has been so poorly defined through most of history. Would you not agree?” Xri’s electric purple eyes shone out briefly from under the shadow of his hat. “If you mean magic as a supernatural force, then it is only magic to those unable to grasp the available understanding.”

            “You really do have a tendency of dancing around the point.”

            “Clearly such a notion as magical power seems a bit ridiculous, wouldn’t you agree?”

            Alos brow arched up in intrigue and surprise.

            “Yeah, of course I’d agree. Anything that can happen would be natural, for the sake that it is happening within our same universe. We could understand it, taking away the idea of super.”

            “Wow, very good, I am impressed. Such an observation is keen indeed. However, you dissociate your ideas; if what you said is true, and I grant you that as far as my understanding goes it is, would not whatever this unknown magic thing is be natural, and therefore understandable?”

            “Okay sure, but that doesn’t really tell me anything about it. I could say my shoes are natural and understandable,” Alos pointed down at his shoes, “but that doesn’t justify me saying they’re magic. They are just shoes.”

            Xri continued on ignoring Alos’ interjection. “But what is the law that governs both the natural and understanding?”

            “I don’t see how this is even related to my original question.” Alos chuckled as he spoke.

            As if he didn’t hear Alos speak, Xri continued on, answering his own question. “Logic; the language of the universe.”

            Alos hesitated momentarily as if to consider what Xri just said.

            “With deductive and inductive reasoning being the only two means of logical inquiry, one must utilize each fully. Deductive is inherent and it extends forward to a conclusion without any necessary assessment, given it is a correct deduction. Induction, my lad…” Xri halted, glancing up towards the ceiling. His right hand clenched, extending out in front of him, shaking from the applied force of his clenching muscles.

            “Induction is the gathering of knowledge, the discovery of the unknown; the learning of what is to be learned. Our consciousness, our will, allows us to manipulate reality through understanding. Science is the field of inductive inquiry; we, Wizards are its students. We are disciples of science, seekers of knowledge, keepers of truth, truths, and THE truth.”

            Xri and Alos had reached Xri’s quarters and they were now standing directly beneath them. The door spiraled open as Xri relaxed his hand back to its normal state.

            “Well I’m glad I was able to put you in a good mood,” Alos shrugged at Xri who was looking up, through the hole, into his chambers.

            “But I’m not exactly sure if I follow.”

            Xri’s classic smirk pinned up the corner of his lips.

            “You will see soon enough. For one day there will come a time when you will be compelled to join our ranks.”

With a final laugh and a nod to Alos, Xri, quick as a lightning strike, jumped up into his room, the door closing under him.