"Hey Ed! You there? Where'd you go out last evening? I wanted to come talk to you about this, but you weren't there, so..."
Zorro abruptly stopped his monologue as he seemed to hesitate a bit.
"Come in, Zorro!" I quickly shouted back as I signaled Valeria to get into my gigantic dressing closet, which can easily fit a person, and she did so instantly.
I quickly pulled a robe over myself and opened the door. "What is it? And why did you wake me up this early in the morning?"
Zorro was dressed in his regular attire rather than his royal outfit. "The matter at hand is really, really important, and I thought that you, Hagen, and me should talk about this." Zorro had a very serious face, and that had grabbed my spotty attention.
"What is it?" I inquired as I placed my hand on my chin, very curious about this important matter.
Zorro raised his hand, about to say something, but he dropped it instantly. He then walked over to my study table, pulled out a chair, and called me over, "Sit."
I closed the door immediately complied, came up to him, and sat down.
"Ed, do you know about the Astral Nexus alignment ceremony that is going to take place in a month in Mythria?" He asked me, pulling out a massive book that was titled "Harmony of the Arcane: Unveiling the Secrets of Alignment Magic".
I was just gawking at this massive monstrosity when Zorro tapped on the table again, bringing my attention back to him.
"Do you know what an important event this is?"
I've heard of this ceremony before; from what I know, it's some festival-like thing that happens once every 100 years.
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Well, we have to partake in this ceremony as part of the Heraklean royal family. This is a global event that happens once every 100 years where the best mages and special sorcerers known as "Nexalysts" show up to the ancient underground city of Astralon to perform the alignment ceremony."
I intently listened as Zorro continued, but I had a lot of questions of my own.
"What does this ceremony accomplish exactly?"
"You can read the book for everything you need to know. That is why I brought it here, but if I have to be very simple about it, look at this crystal."
He pulled out a purple crystal from his pocket and placed it on the table. I looked very confused as he pulled out another crystal and placed it some distance away.
"Watch this." He told me as he placed his hand on one of the crystals and quickly moved his hand across the table, moving the crystal around erratically.
I watched in awe as the other crystal, which was totally untouched, started to sway and move in sync with the crystal in Zorro's hand.
"Now that is a very small demonstration of how the astral nexus works. Think of it as an energy that connects everything in this world together in some way or another, physical or purely spiritual."
I nodded along to Zorro's explanation. "So moving that stone there can cause a stone that has been untouched to move?"
"In short, yes. Those two stones are connected to each other via a specific ley line. Think of ley lines like a web that connects literally everything in this world together, and each and every thing's action and reaction has a ripple effect. Like you dropping a pebble into a pond, affecting everything else that is connected to it."
Zorro said that, with a smile on his face, he seemed to enjoy doing this.
I turned my attention back to Zorro, nervously stealing glances at the closet in which Valeria was hidden. Zorro quickly noticed my nervous demeanor and had an inquisitive face.
"What's up?"
I nervously shot back a glance. N-no, it's nothing. My closet is a mess, and I was rearranging it." I looked down and started to fidget nervously. I did not want Zorro to check the cupboard.
Zorro wasn't buying my excuse, and he glanced around the room. My stomach dropped as he spotted the wine bottle peeking from the corner of the bed.
He looked back at me, concerned. "Are you drinking?"
"No, it wasn't mine; it was Valeria's! She gave it to me!" He got up, walked to pick up the bottle, and started inspecting it.
"That is some really expensive wine, Ed. Where'd you get it?" He looked back at me.
He totally didn't listen to me. At all. My mouth broke into a wide grin again, and Zorro noticed my nervous tic and instinctually knew something was up.
His face broke into a smile as he turned to face me. I knew all too well what that smile meant.
He turned to me and started walking towards me, the steps in his stride indicating he was determined to figure out this little mystery.
Zorro got on my face with a menacing look and a broad smile, hiding, "Valeria drinks? She's been in the castle for over a year, and I've never seen her drink once. What are you talking about?"
"I swear, she did drink when we went out yesterday night!"
The expression on his face tightened, and he took a literal step back as he couldn't comprehend the words I had just blurted out.
"You guys.. went out?"
"Yeah. Why do you ask?" I replied, not knowing what Zorro thinks of this.
"In a time like this, you guys found time to go out?" He sounded pretty pissed, and I didn't know why. Perhaps he likes Valeria too. Wasn't he a bit old for that? I wouldn't judge, though. She's just bewitching.
"That woman, goofing around on during times of crises like this.. why did I even make her the vice commander and ask her to help you out?" Zorro let out a sigh as he placed his hand on his forehead, visibly frustrated.
"Actually, we went out to meet someone who is going to help us find our queen," I quickly interjected, trying to save Valeria's reputation.
"You went and told a random stranger that our queen was abducted?" Zorro was wide-eyed.
"No, I just told them that someone important to me went missing, and I went under the guise of a businessman, not as a prince." I replied as I adjusted my robe as it started to loosen and fall off, and Zorro quickly turned away, facing the cupboard as I fiddled with the robe, tying it together properly.
*bonk*
Both of us turned at the sound from the closet. Zorro pointed towards it, about to investigate, when I scrambled for a distraction.
"Wait, Zorro, don't—" I began, but Zorro's determination to uncover the truth was clear.
He turned back to me, a knowing smile playing on his lips. My stomach sank as I realized he was going to find Valeria.
He leaned in, his expression warm yet pressing. "Come on, spill it. I know there's something you're not saying."
I held my breath, not really knowing what to say.
*click*
Did Valeria just unlock the closet?