With his plans in motion and Neith occupied with the computer, Ethan left the laboratory and headed to his office. There, he found Sara, who was looking at him with a mix of concern and relief.
"Mr. Blackwood, are you alright?" she asked, her voice full of genuine worry.
"I'm better. Thank you for everything, Sara. I don't know what I would have done without your help," Ethan replied, smiling slightly.
Sara nodded, knowing that Ethan wasn't the type to show gratitude easily. Her concern hadn't completely faded, but she trusted that Ethan was on the right path to solving the problems that had taken them to Egypt in the first place.
"If you need anything else, you know I'm here to help."
"Wait, before you go, sit down. I want to talk to you about something."
Sara watched Ethan with curiosity as he prepared two cups of coffee. Ever since he had returned from Egypt, she had been intrigued by the mystery surrounding her boss.
"I'm glad you're here," Ethan said, taking the cup of coffee. "We have many things to talk about."
Sara took the other cup and settled into her seat. Ethan was sitting in front of her with a serious but calm expression.
"I know everything we've experienced recently has been hard to understand," Ethan began, looking Sara in the eye. "But there's something I need to share with you. Something that goes beyond what you imagined."
Sara nodded, sensing that the moment was solemn. Ethan had always been enigmatic and a boss difficult to relate to, but now he seemed willing to reveal his secrets.
"Sara, the world we live in isn't just what we see," Ethan continued. "There are forces, energies, and knowledge that most people are unaware of. I'm talking about magic."
Sara's eyes widened in surprise, incredulous at such words.
"Magic?" she asked, trying to absorb the information.
"Yes," Ethan replied. "And I want you to be part of this world. You're the most talented person I know and the one I trust the most. Not just as my assistant; if you can learn magic, then you'll be of great help to me."
Sara felt overwhelmed by Ethan's words. She had always admired his business acumen and determination, but she never imagined that he considered her so valuable. Even so, it was hard for her to believe his words, even from someone she admired so much.
"Why me?" she asked, still processing what Ethan was proposing to her.
"Because you have incredible potential," said Ethan. "And because I trust you. I need someone by my side who can watch my back, and I believe that person is you, but first, you need to understand and master these forces."
Ethan stood up and walked to the side, pulling a skeleton out of thin air. This was something Sara had never seen before. She was open-mouthed and almost screamed in surprise. Ethan had to spend a long time explaining everything necessary.
"Here, this is the Mysticweb," explained Ethan, handing her a tablet with the website already open. "It's a marketplace for buying and selling different artifacts and objects related to magic."
Sara examined the Mysticweb carefully, feeling a strange sensation in her stomach. It had been a long time since she felt nervous.
"I want you to review it and think about what kind of magic you'd like to learn," Ethan said. "You don't have to decide now, take your time."
Sara nodded and began to explore the Mysticweb. There were categories of magic she had never imagined: telekinesis, healing, time manipulation, among others. But one in particular caught her attention: pyrokinesis. Since she was very young, she felt an inexplicable attraction to fire, a fascination she had repressed until that moment.
After a long reflection, she looked up and met Ethan's gaze.
"I want to learn pyrokinesis," she said with determination.
Ethan didn't comment on her choice.
"I didn't think you'd choose something so… aggressive," he said. "Alright, I'll ask Yassmin to help you with everything you need."
With that decision made, Ethan purchased everything necessary for Sara to learn pyrokinesis and left Yassmin to teach her the first steps. Ethan was willing to spend all the resources needed on her, knowing she had enough talent to excel in this new area.
While Sara practiced, Ethan refocused on his own plans. He needed to secure a stable source of income to finance his activities and at the same time continue with his magical research. The money from the agreement with Yassmin was running out, and his company had already made many undue expenses.
Previously, he had thought about selling his AI-enhanced skeletal warriors, but he realized they were too powerful and didn't offer enough benefits compared to the risk of revealing that technology to the world.
Therefore, Ethan came up with a new plan that followed the same line of combining magic and science but in a more accessible realm. With his supply of lithium, his company already produced cellphone batteries. Although this gave him a very good income, it wasn't nearly enough to cover the expenses he was making on the Mysticweb. So, he decided to modify these batteries using a simple enchantment that would increase their efficiency and reduce the amount of lithium needed.
He worked tirelessly in his laboratory, integrating small enchantments into the battery manufacturing process. The magic used wasn't complex, but it required precision and knowledge. Finally, after several attempts and adjustments, Ethan managed to create an improved battery that offered longer duration and efficiency with less material. This new battery, although enhanced using magic, was undetectable to ordinary humans, so it could be sold without the risk of being pursued by those who wanted to keep magic hidden from the public.
The product eventually became a commercial success. The new batteries were not only more durable but also more eco-friendly. Demand grew rapidly, and Ethan ensured he monopolized the market.
One night, while reviewing sales reports and profit projections, Ethan received an unexpected communication. Malakai, after nearly three months since the events in Egypt, reached out through a private channel.
"Hello again, Ethan," said Malakai, his voice resonating with mysticism.
Ethan thought he'd never hear from him again. He had previously tried to contact Malakai to claim the reward for the fight with Ra, but it was impossible to reach him.
"Do you have my portal ready?" Ethan asked, focusing the conversation on the only thing he was interested in from Malakai at the moment.
"Of course, I'll send it to you as soon as we finish this conversation," replied Malakai. "I thought you might be interested to know why it took me so long to contact you. As compensation for the delay, I'll give you a hint: it has to do with Ra's soul and his original world."
"Are you trying to reach his world?" Ethan asked. "Is that why you needed it?"
"That's all I'll tell you. If you want to know more, you'll have to pay a very, very large sum, although I believe you can afford it with all the money you're making now," Malakai said in a somber voice.
"No, thanks. Even if I knew why you're doing what you're doing, it wouldn't be of much use to me. Well, send me the portal and the coordinates as soon as possible. Goodbye."
After ending the communication, Ethan remained thoughtful. But before he could even think about the call, he received a notification that a delivery package had arrived at his house. Although it was something unexpected, Ethan was satisfied that all his effort in Egypt had not been in vain. Until that moment, he thought it would all be just a bad experience, but thanks to Malakai, he now had what he had long desired.
The portal wasn't small; it was a large metal frame three meters high and three meters wide. It wasn't easy to place it in an ordinary location. Ethan had thought long and hard about where to place it completely safely, but there was no suitable place, neither in his company nor in any of its branches, nor in his house. But it wasn't impossible to build a new place now that his income had increased, and Ethan had already thought of the perfect location.
That night, while watching the city lights from his window, he felt more determined than ever. His plans finally seemed to be moving in the right direction, filling him with motivation.