The leviathan-like aircraft carrier cut a path through the night skies. It was a marvel of Efea engineering: Large enough to fit five hundred people and house more than two hundred workers. Yet, also fast enough to keep up with travel competitors.
This was possible because of discrete thrusters that allowed magic from the atmosphere to propel the aircraft. Unlike the rigid constructions of Grand North, the elven country had woven untamed natural magic into their technology. It made for more efficient ships.
Inside the interior of a private cabin, Rod, Oliver, and Catra sat on a couch while vibrations of the huge "Thundra Engines" passed softly through the ship's structure. Catra lay asleep beside the window. Oliver and Rod rested across.
Slowly Rod's eyes fluttered open and saw a TV screen embedded in the wall. It displayed a continuous stream of infographics about the cities of Efea. Then, as if on cue, a small infographic detailed the wonders of their destination.
"The magnificent O'Clock City! Part of the initiative by the 12 kings and queens of the nation! O'Clock City is the newest metropolis of the bunch with top-notch technology and the newest self-sustaining hydrogen-magical core that powers its three levels. Viewed in the air like a clock structure, the three levels move depending on the time of day, letting its inhabitants know exactly what hour it is without the need of a clock! Starting with the third level, the industrial sector, where thousands of factories are working day in and day out to push the booming economy of the city forward. Then there's the second floor-" the TV spokesman's voice continued in the background.
It didn't take long for Oliver to point at the screen and join Rod in his waking hour.
"That's where we're headed. South of the third floor."
"Yeah…" the Hero responded flatly.
The way he said it caused an awkward silence to settle.
"Look, Rod… I'm sorry for what I said," the doctor finally said, "It's in my nature to ask questions when people are in need… and well… I think you need help."
"It's okay, Oliver. Let's just… not talk about it anymore."
"But Rod, if you don't get help, you'll never be able to move on and-"
"Drop it."
The Hero's voice was a sharp command… Oliver sighed.
"Alright… I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"Are we good?"
"Sure."
Their conversation reached its end and rays of the morning sun pierced through the cabin window, painting their faces in a soft gold: A gentle touch of sunshine that woke Catra.
She yawned until the outside view caught eye. There it was… the beauty of O'Clock City.
"DAD, LOOK! WE'RE HERE!" she exclaimed while her tail wiggled and her cheetah ears perked.
Rod leaned forward with curiosity, only for his expectations to be completely blown away.
Nothing compared to it. The morning sunshine reflected off skyscrapers that soared into the sky from the city. Below them, elegant airships descended towards the two designated city airports on the second level.
"Woah…" he murmured.
It had been more than ten years since he last set foot in this place, and seeing it felt like stepping into a dream: A mechanical paradise where citizens from every nation journeyed to witness real magic. And soon, they too would be able to see it.
Rod, Oliver, and Catra headed to the exit soon after docking and were halted by a refreshing splash of cool air.
Natural wind magic: A unique characteristic of O'Clock that circulated throughout its expanse. In other words: A balance of magic and atmosphere that guided the city's multi-layered design.
Entering the airport, the group found themselves amidst a throng of people even denser than in Naya. Every individual seemed to have a precise destination, and so did they.
The three passed through an efficient customs checkpoint, and left the building. Suddenly they were greeted by a welcoming group of elves.
"Welcome to O'Clock City!" one of the elf girls excitedly said.
"We hope you all feel at home here!" an elf boy continued.
"If you need any assistance, we have some bulletins that can help guide you towards your destination," another offered, holding out a stack of translucent papers.
Catra gently grasped one. Then, a soft white glow emerged and intricate words appeared on its surface. Such was a display of controlled mana.
"Woah!" she gasped.
"That's natural magic for you, the same one in my newspaper," Oliver responded, "Simply astounding."
"This is so cool! Dad, why didn't you bring me here before?"
Rod's nervous face chuckled because of that question.
"Well, I wanted you to be older so that you could enjoy it fully. There are a lot of places you wouldn't have been able to see because you were too young."
"Well, at least you're less known here, so being the Gun Hero won't be an issue."
She suddenly remembered Lofo wasn't there and her smile dimmed. The last time they were on a date, the crowd interrupted them a lot… And now that it wasn't an issue, her boyfriend was too far.
"And that's how she realized…," the doctor laughed.
"NO… WHY?… The world hates me! We could've had the perfect date!"
It didn't take long for them to start walking towards the closest express elevator leading to the industrial floor.
And as they moved, Catra's focus was constantly drawn left and right by the wonders unfolding without stop: Flying buildings moved through the air, people used wind magic to jump from building to building, teleportation portals instantly whisked people from one city block to another.
She was accustomed to more mundane technology rather than the forces of actual magic, which was captivating from the first second.
"Wait, are those construction spells?" she asked and pointed to a nearby site where a group of elf workers chanted.
"Affirmative," Alf explained through the Telyglass she wore, "Unlike Grand North or even Ihari, Efea really likes using natural magic in everyday life. It makes it more comfortable for people."
The workers finished their chanting and the spell took effect. All sorts of raw materials— metal, stone, glass—seemed to come together and assemble themselves one after another.
From the looks of it, it wasn't something normally seen outside of Efea. That didn't impress Rod though. He was more focused on the mission at hand and decided to just continue walking.
"Come on, guys, we can't waste time," he murmured.
His gaze swept his surroundings and saw elves wearing a special type of Tellyglass strikingly similar to Catra's. They seemed enchanted with a magic that subtly glowed… and curiosity got the best of him. There were more than 30 people wearing them. What were those things? What did they do?
Unlike him, Catra focused on the beautiful elf girls walking around. All were clad in cutting-edge fashion: from flowing green dresses with flowers to crop tops paired with stylish greenish jean pants.
She looked at her own simple blue t-shirt and jean shorts and felt incredibly mundane. She seemed so… boring compared to them.
"Hey dad! Could we maybe…" Catra stuttered.
"… Just say it… You wanna go shopping," Rod answered.
"COULD WE?!"
The man simply waited for an explanation.
"Come on dad… this is the first time I come here! I wanna experience what the city has to offer as a whole, and that means shopping too… and… well, I wondered how Lofo would react if I sent him a picture of me in a dress…" she rushed.
"Well, you had me in the first half… Now we're definitely not doing that."
"Dad, come on!"
The girl's cries prompted Oliver to step in.
"Come on, Rod, we still have to wait a few hours until nighttime. We have the time to spare."
"We gotta scout the area and secure the entrance point," the Hero countered, "That's gonna take some time."
"I told you, I've got that covered. Come on, your daughter really wants to explore a magical city she's never seen. Think about how you felt the first time you saw this place."
Rod looked at Catra's child-like plea. He knew that "puppy eye" stare from when she was young… and it completely shattered his resolve.
"Alright… we'll stop at a cafe for food, and maybe, AFTER WE FINISH THE MISSION, we can go shopping," he murmured, "Buying Alex something might make her forgive me for the Lofo thing too..."
"YES!" Catra exclaimed.
"I am pretty hungry, to be honest," Oliver added before pointing south, "I know the perfect cafe to stop by and read the newspaper."
They walked for a few minutes and reached a corner cafe bustling with a diverse mix of elves and vampires.
"Family Gully Cafe?," Catra asked, reading the sign above its entrance.
The sweet inviting smell enveloped them from the outside and it intensified when entering. It wasn't just the smell though… inside the large interior was a scene straight out of a book.
Pure magic was being utilized by the staff: Enchanted brooms swept the floors on their own, windows were cleaned by staff who manipulated water, and waiters brought orders using hover magic, making the food float.
"This is amazing…" the cheetah said, inspecting the floating brooms.
Watching the magical spectacle made her completely miss how a couple of elf girls walked past and stopped right behind her.
"OH MY GOD!" one of them gasped.
Catra quickly turned around and saw them.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she answered, assuming they wanted to pass.
"You look so cute!" another elf girl exclaimed and inspected the cheetah's clothes.
The four girls gathered around in fascination… Yet, what caught Catra by surprise was that, unlike her, they were all wearing intricate dresses.
"You look amazing! Where did you get your clothes?" another asked.
"Oh, thanks! Well, this is just a plain old t-shirt and some jean shorts. You all are the ones that look great!"
"AWWW! Thank you so much!" all four chimed in unison.
While the girls chatted by the entrance, Rod and Oliver got their food and sat at an empty table close to a TV screen. There, a news report was broadcasted.
"According to inside sources, Spellex Enterprises has been suspected of conducting illegal experiments all around Efea, from dangerous weather control spells to even resurrection spells. Nothing has been proven so, and the head CEO issued a statement that these accusations are all untrue. Authorities have not finished investigating the matter, but public opinion has leaned towards negative reviews for the famous company-" the elf lady on the screen explained before Rod's hunger caused his attention to drift away.
He took a bite of his sandwich. It was VERY good… So good, in fact, that his food was devoured in less than two minutes. Oliver wasn't even halfway through his own meal.
"And you didn't wanna have a coffee break," the doctor said.
"You were right. I didn't realize how hungry I was. And the food was also really good."
Rod put his utensils down and looked towards his daughter, who was still engaged in a lively conversation with the elf girls.
"Yeah! I'm from Grand North. It's the first time I've come here to visit!" he heard her say.
"That's great! We've always wanted to visit up there in winter to see Ice Bunnies and the auroras. It just costs quite a bit of gold," one of the elves responded.
"Well, when our parents let us, we usually go to Elis or Ihari and play on the beach," another explained.
Knowing she was having fun relaxed him. His view switched to a large window on their left. There, a vampire passed, wearing those strange magical glasses.
"What is that?" Rod finally asked.
"What?" Oliver responded, slightly muffled by his newspaper.
"Those glasses. A lot of people have them. I didn't know telyglasses were in style here."
The doctor turned his head and saw what he was talking about.
"Oh, those are telyglasses infused with mana. I don't know the specifics, but people usually use them to change their view of reality."
"Like, changing the color of buildings or something like that?"
"Maybe. I think the user can change whatever they want. That's why the product is pretty popular with the young today."
They both watched two young friends walk by wearing those strange glasses, lost in their own altered reality.
"I wonder why they would do that," Rod whispered and took a sip of water.
"I don't really know. I could make a couple of guesses though. Maybe it's a way to make life more exciting, as if you're playing a video game… Maybe it's to pass the time after work… or maybe it's because some people think living in a lie is better than living in reality," the doctor explained.
"What do you mean?"
They both analyzed the people outside.
"Well, these types of products are normally bought by individuals who recently lost a pet, like a Linderwolf or just classic dogs and cats," Oliver responded, "They make it so that the pet is alive, or at least make the pet seem to be there. It's only a vision after all."
Rod to look at Catra, who was now finishing her conversation with the elves. He saw the bright and innocent smile on her face… and he shivered.
"To people like them, they use it to escape the cruel reality of life," the doctor continued, looking directly at Rod, "To make them feel better… At least until they can move on from their pain."
Silence…
"To escape reality, huh?" the Hero murmured, "Have you used them? I mean, how do I know they aren't just brainwashing the youth with magic?"
"I doubt that would happen, especially with the rising rate of false lawsuits about such matters. Imagine if a case was actually true."
"Woah, I didn't know that was happening here."
"Yeah, parents get confused when the actions of their child seem odd and tend to blame mana devices for it. Especially natural magic. Here, they use it more than anywhere, but magical neural interaction is kind of a new science. Still safe enough to be sold to the public if you're wondering," Oliver was explaining until Catra reached them.
"Hey, I'm back. Did you get my cream latte?" she asked her father.
"You would die without it."
"You seemed to be having a good time with those elves," Oliver casually jumped in.
"Yeah! They were great! We exchanged contact info, and look! They're a group of famous international travelers that go on mountain expeditions! They have more than one million followers on Manalife!"
She took out her phone and displayed a social media page adorned with travel pictures.
"They also have a lot of clothing deals all over Efea and even Elis. Would you believe me if I told you they've never seen a t-shirt and jean shorts? Isn't that crazy?"
Rod noticed something because of her expression: The only time she made that face was with Lofo or her old friends…
"This is so good! I NEVER WANNA LEAVE THIS PLACE IN MY LIFE!" Catra finished and took a sip from her latte.
Oliver and Rod laugh and also continue with their food. It felt like they were having a good time… though, like everything in life, it came to an end soon.
It was time to get back to the reality of their mission.
"Alright, Catra, I'm gonna tell you the plan for tonight," Rod said in a more serious tone, "Oliver is gonna stay on lookout while you and I enter the Spellex facility. We do not interact with anyone, and we stay in the shadows. Remember the time we went on hunting practice inside the western cave system? Where we hunted those diamond snakes for their healing venom?"
"Yeah, I remember," she replied, "So, stealth first?"
"Exactly. We're there to copy registration files from their smaller database. Is Alf inside those telyglasses you have?"
"Yeah. I have him turned off right now to conserve energy right now."
"Alright, we'll turn him on before beginning our mission. Oliver, if you see anything or anyone entering the facility, let us know by using this communication device."
Rod placed a few small earpieces on the table.
"What are these?" Oliver asked, inspecting one curiously.
"It's kind of like a radio-phone which is used on governmental missions. These earpieces can only communicate with each other by local radio waves, or at least that's what Alf told me."
"What does that mean?" Catra asked.
"It means that no other phone or communication device can detect these signals," Rod answered, "No one will be able to know what we're saying."
Everything was clear and concise. However, a doubt stirred within the girl. She knew what their plan was—yet not the reason behind it.
"Hey, so… why are we getting those registration files? Why are we on this mission?"
Her questions raised a thick tension in the air and compelled the doctor to look at the Hero.
In the past, Rod thought that telling them wouldn't be wise, especially because of its connection to Elena… He considered lying, of course, only being stopped by the memory of their discussion in the Luxia hotel room.
"We're following up on the Ice Giant case,"
"What does this have to do with that?"
"The Ice Giant was… infected by a brain parasite enchanted with a modified magical spell…"
Both of them were stunned.
"A gross parasite?" Catra asked with disgust.
"Yeah… We figured out the spell used for the parasite was originally from Spellex, and we're here to find a list of possible suspects that could have bought it."
"I see," Oliver thoughtfully stated, "It makes sense. I knew it had to do something with the Ice Giant because of the samples Alf gave me, but to think of a brain parasite…"
An awkward silence settled over them once more.
"Well, it sounds simple enough. The legendary Gun Hero won't have a problem with this, right?" the doctor continued.
"Yeah, I've done it a lot, especially when I worked for your boss."
Catra's head snapped towards her father in surprise.
"You… you didn't tell me you were a spy…"
"I couldn't really tell you since these are kind of national secrets," he tried explaining, "It's for security stuff, you know?"
"I guess that does make sense."
"You could say he was a super spy, like in the movies," Oliver remarked.
"Oh please! My dad has such a dumb face to be a super spy," she scorned before erupting into laughter.
"Wow… that actually did hurt my heart a little," Rod responded and subtly chuckled.
Ironing the final details was the hardest part of their conversation, even if done. This allowed them to pay for their food and finally head out.
The sky greeted them with the reddish hue of the setting sun. Minutes had passed so quickly… and it was almost time to do what they were actually there for.
"This place really is beautiful," Catra murmured while she followed Oliver toward the large elevators at the edge of the city.
Unlike them though, Rod stayed behind and looked at the sunset… Maybe it seemed beautiful to her, but for him, it became a reminder of his choices and his guilt…
"What are you doing? Come on!" Catra exclaimed with playful urgency.
He had to stop the person behind this conspiracy… And most importantly, he had to keep it from her.
"Alright, I'm coming!" he said, ready for what the future held.