After Mahya and Al left, I returo the meadow. I o recalibrate before tinuing the journey. Rue picked up on my mood and was extra affeate, sh me with licks and tail thumps. His warm body against my leg was nice, reminding me I was ruly alone and keeping me grounded. Sitting under “my” tree, I let my mind wander, just experieng the thoughts as they came, letting the familiar feel of the bark against my back remind me I was still here. I missed Lis, especially now. He always kly what to say to make me feel better, and his absence was especially promioday.

  I opehe Archive to check for anything new, but saw nothing. It made me feel eveier inside, making my chest feel even hollower. On top of that, there were even more questions and ents from Travelers at the bottom of his messages. Some of them were cursing him out for not answering, which made me ugh despite myself. I imagine Lis ughing out loud when he read all those curses.

  I wao talk to him openly and tell him things we hadn’t shared yet, but I khe Archive wasn’t the right pce for that. My hands ched into fists as I tried to think of a solution, the frustration of being uo eawing at me. Then I got an idea—he loved the first book I gave him to read, so I gave him the whole series. I’m embarrassed to admit I never fihe first book. When I first got The Gate Traveler css, the thought of fighting monsters scared me, so I abahe book around the tenth or twelfth chapter. When we were book shopping in San Francisco, I ordered the entire series again, hoping to finish it one day. So basically, we had the same series of books that I wouldn’t have to mention by name in the Archive. I grabbed the third book, and ope to a random page. As I sed the lines, I started pying with code ideas, the words blurring slightly as I trated. When I nded on a good one, I wrote the instrus in the Archive:

  Tr. JR

  “Clueless, Ior”

  Remember the first fi book I ever gave you to read? The one you thought was ridiculous but eaining? Open the series’ third book to page 125 and start with the sed word on each line. For each liake the first letter of that sed word and use it to represent a letter in your message. To encode, shift each letter in your message forward in the alphabet by the position of this letter. For example, if the sed word on the first liarts with ‘A,’ leave the first letter of your message unged. If the sed word on the sed line begins with ‘R,’ shift the sed letter of your message forward by 18 letters. tihis pattern with each letter in your message. To decode, reverse the shifts based on the same letters from the book.

  After I had the cipher, I started writing my message to vert it ter:

  Maya and Al returo Earth to pursue their desired csses while I stayed behind in Lumis. Even though they’ve only been gone a short while, it feels different—quieter. I’ve been on my owy of times before, but after traveling with friends for so long, it’s strao be solo again. I didn’t expect it to hit me like this.

  I paused, thinking about how to tinue. But then, I decided to write whatever came to mind.

  I’ve found myself missing you—more than I thought I would. Our versations, stretg from die into the night, were always the highlight of my day. We talked about everything and anything, and I miss that easy flow between us. Yh had this way of lifting everyone’s spirits, mine included. It wasn’t just a quick chuckle, but one of those full-hearted ughs that made the entire room feel lighter. Even if I didn’t catch the joke, it still made me grin.

  And your stories—Spirits, I miss those too. You had a knaaking every pce sound so vivid, like I could picture it perfectly in my mind. Whether it was about your wild adventures or the people you met, you always made it feel like I was beside you.

  Then there were ys. At first, I wasn’t sure about them—where I’m from, it’s not something people do, especially not men. But I came to see it as your way of showing you cared. It wasn’t something I was used to, but after a while, I appreciated the gesture. It was just who yenuine and warm.

  I stopped again and took a deep breath.

  I know I’m not really alohere’s you, even if you’re off chasing dragons. Mahya and Al will return soon, and I’ve always got Rue. But right now, it’s tough. I’ve gotteo having you and the others around, and now that it’s just me, I feel adrift. It’s not like it’ll st forever, but things feel a little… off at the moment.

  I leaned back briefly, closing my eyes as a wave of fatigue washed over me. The loneliness settled in my bones, making everything feel heavier and slower.

  I guess what I’m trying to say is that I miss your pany. You have this way of making things better just by being around, and I’ve noticed your absence. I’m sure it’ll pass, but I wanted you to know you’re missed.

  But enough of me wallowing in my feelings—let me fill you in on what’s been happening tely …

  I took a deep breath and tinued writing, the familiarity of reti events bringing a sembnce of normalcy bay mind. I told him about the Mushroom Valley dungeon run and how I almost killed myself. About the Spell Weaver ability, I had no idea how to use. The se final guardian and the huge core. I detailed all our experiments with the house to date, including Al’s greenhouse and my dark room. Told him about the book about the long-lived races trying to cim I was still a teenager and my total disagreement with the idea. A quick rundown of the isnd, the sea crossing, and our trip on the mainnd so far. I bragged about earning my adventurer badge holy, not jured. The other two dungeons we cleared, the cores we took, the crocodiles with a toothache, hockey cheats, and now I know how to fly.

  When I wrote about the s with the creatures and the certs I did every day, I started ughing. The sound was rough and raw, but it was a ugh, heless. I could picture him r with ughter, reading about me floating in the air, pying Tchaikovsky on the violin to a bunch of strange marsh creatures who followed me from pce to pce, staring at me with unblinking eyes. That ughter lifted my spirits, and I felt the loneliness start to fade, repced with optimism again. I told him about flying uhe night sky and losing myself in the joy of flight, and I felt eveer after recalling my pure joy. After I finished writing, I closed with:

  I miss you, my friend. And I’m gd you’re enjoying yourself. Don’t feel the o rush to my aid—I’m a big boy, and I’ll manage. I just o reach out and remind myself that I’m never really alone—I always have you.

  And by the way, Rue says hello and wants to hear about delicious things in the dragon world. When I asked him if he wao hear about dragons in general, he asked, ‘Are they delicious?’—you see what I’m dealing with here?

  So ime you write, mention something tasty so I tell Rue.

  Goodbye, for now, my friend. May your journey tio be filled with wonders.

  John, AKA Clueless

  P.S. I’m not so Clueless anymore—I built a spell marble and learo fly.

  Let’s see you beat that!

  After finishing the message, I opehe book and repced the letters acc to the cipher. My hands moved slowly, the task requiring more tration than it should have, but it was a wele distra. But when I looked at my message, it was all gibberish, except for the expnation of how to decode the cipher. I checked a few words, my heart pounding as I tried to uand what I saw. My cipher had encrypted everything precisely as intended.

  I bli the s, utterly shocked.

  Once I recovered from the shock, I looked at the sky and said, “Seriously? You’re kidding, right? You vert a message to a cipher based on my thoughts, but the Archive looks the way it does? How does that even make sense? A’s not even talk about the Guidance user interface. Expin to me how, with these abilities, the entire system and the Archive are one big mess.”

  I felt a wave of embarrassment directed at me.

  “You be embarrassed all you want, but that doesn’t solve the problem. Maybe instead of sending me cryptic vibes iving me a headache, you could work on fixing the mess you made, hmm?”

  This time, I got no response.

  What else is new?

  After sending the message to Lis, I felt lighter, though still not pletely banced. It was like I had lightehe load a bit, but a heavy feeling was still in the background, weighing me down.

  To clear my head, I reached for my usic had always been my refuge, where I could lose myself and, somehow, find myself again. As I started pying, the notes flowed through my fingers, each a lifeline pulli of the dark thoughts that threateo overwhelm me.

  I scribbled down lyrics to a song, the pen scratg across the paper with urgency. It felt like the words were trapped inside me, waiting for an opportunity to break free, and I released them with a sense ency. The result was the lo song I’d ever written—so long that even I, the one writing it, felt like it would never end. I called it An Ented Journey—because that’s what my life had bee: one long, ented journey filled with highs and lows, joy and sorrow.

  An Ented Journey

  Verse 1:

  In a world of loss, I stoodBroken, scarred, misuoodA Gate appeared, a shimmering lightA path to realms beyond my sightWith trembling hands, I touched the veilYearning to escape, to set sailI left behind the Earth so grimTo seek new hope on fortune’s whim

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Verse 2:

  In a gde, where mushrooms glowIridest caps on showGreen guardians with yellow eyesI discover secrets, aiesI listen close, their tales unfoldOf realms fotten, legends oldTheir magic seeps into my coreAs I yearn to explore more

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Verse 3:

  Down the cavern’s shifting wallsWhere reality bends and fallsRed-eyed wolves and serpents crawlA fme-eyed beast, its curses callYet I press on, friends’ light my guideThrough this byrinth, side by sideThrough this maze, their spirit leadsFueling ce for my deeds

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Verse 4:

  Rising strong, with lightning’s grip,Crag power at my fiips.Isnd life now bows to me,As hammocks sway beside the sea.Flowers bloom in vibrant light,Each petal charged a fresh delight.Time bends to my and,For I, the sorcerer, lightning in hand.

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Verse 5:

  Adventure’s pulse ignites once moreAales from days of YoreMountains loom, and forests singAs I soar on a mighty windI’ll chase the echoes on the breezeSeek hidden realms with graceful easeFor destiny guides my every turnAs for advehrill I yearn

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Verse 6:

  Into a ge of hungry bloomsAcid arrows pierce the gloomBats weave shadows as they soarSilver caverns to exploreToothy Crocs with ag jawsCurse in colors, rainbow fwsEach sylble a precious gemIn this wild, untamed mayhem

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Verse 7:

  Wiime spent in pyHockey sticks frost’s magic swayGlidiless, pond our stageDog pirouettes with e graceCheaters jump from tree to treeDefying gravity with gleePuck-thieves ugh at every ruleIn this frozen wondernd, so cool

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Verse 8:

  S-bound snakes with glowing eyesRoot lizards scuttle ‘h moonlit skiesGiant is hum their tuo Bad Mozart ‘h the moe fans gather for my songViolin notes pure and strongAs mist desds, a magic veilI lower the curtain on this tale

  Chorus:

  os guide me as I roamDang worlds, no longer homeHis wisdom near, though far he fliesChasing dragons ‘cross the skiesEvery step, a wondrous findStars align, fate iwinedNo longer lost, but magic-boundThis Are path, at st, I’ve found

  Outro:

  Adventures past, yet more to eWilderness calls, a siren’s humBeyond the veil, what wonders wait?I stand ready at an unknooised to leap into the wildHeart alight, joy undefiledJourney with panions tried and trueWhispers secrets ever new.

  As I pyed and sang, the music echoed through the meadow, blending with the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. But it wasn’t enough. I needed something more than just the music. I o feel the memories, to relive them in a way that made them more tangible, more real. I o experience everything again and know it wasn’t a dream.

  I started with the ice hockey se—Mahya using trees as trampolines, her ughter ringing out like a melody in my mind, and Al snatg pucks with telekinesis, his tration so intehat I could almost see the furrow in his brow. The memory made me smile, especially when I jured up the image of the three gold badges and how the big guy had spun around, pletely disoriented, wheried to attack us with his sword.

  I jured the image of the s, with the strange procession of creatures that had followed us from pce to pce while Al collected herbs. I could almost smell the earthy st of the wet ground ahe cool dampness of the air on my skin. And then the sky. The beautiful, endless sky that I’d flown through, feeling the wind rush past me as I soared above the world. I wao capture that moment, the freedom, the exhiration, so I pyed it out in front of me, like a movie.

  Rue, of course, couldn’t resist. He jumped at the hockey puck illusions, and his teeth snapped oy air as he tried to bite into the gold badges. His frustration was so obvious when he jumped through the illusions, and his pints in my mind made me ugh. The sound was light and ued, like the first rays of sunlight breaking through a cloudy sky. It was exactly what I needed. It felt like a release, like I was letting go of the st bit of tension that had been holding me back.

  The music helped me feel more banced and more in tuh myself. It was like eaote, each lyric, iece of the puzzle that was slowly ing together. Yes, I felt lonely at that moment, but it wasn’t the kind of lonelihat ed me. It was more like a quiet aowledgment that, while I might be alht now, I wasn’t truly alone. Rue was here, always by my side. And my friends, even if they were a world away, or in Lis’s case, a few worlds away, were still with me in spirit. I could still feel their presence, like a warm bhat ed around me, remindihey were out there, and we’d be together again soon.

  With that realization, it was time to stop wallowing in self-pity. The sadness I was feeling just a few minutes ago disappeared, and now I feel determined. I was still excited—no, eager—to explore this world, discover its wonders, and face its challehere was so much out there waiting for me, and I would not let a momentary feeling of loneliness hold me back. It was time to move forward, to embrace the journey ahead with open arms.