Chapter 394 - Day MDCCXCVI, Part III

The pontons with reflectors were stationed on the lake, just like police cars all around the gate. All with lights on to illuminate the gate.

Some police officers were still talking with Jayadeva, others gathered around looking at me, and speaking among themselves. Then the local politicians showed up, all in nice suits. I didn't really hear what they spoke about, but they talked with him for a long time, and eventually one of them patted me on the shoulder, interrupting my trance.

I turned towards him. He was an older man, shaved cleanly with a very square face, dark eyes, and hooked nose. He was wearing an elegant suit, without a tie, and a slightly unbuttoned shirt because of the heat. 

- Hello, my name is Sudhir Dhananjay, and I'm the city president - he introduced himself. - I just spoke with mister Jayadeva. It's hard to wrap myself over what is going on here. I've been told you disarmed police officers.

His accent was thick. but I could understand without any issues.

- They tried to arrest me, and I have to put up a barrier to protect the gate here.

- Is it true, that there is another world there? - he pointed at the gate.

- Yes. A world full of wonders, and soon you will be able to go there and witness them by yourself, but I need to finish this first.

He was clearly struggling to make sense of any of this, although he was trying really hard. The first impact must have come when he spoke with Jayadeva, and now he seemed like he connected at least some dots. I didn't blame him, I wouldn't believe my eyes either in a similar situation.

- I've been told that there is a machinery of some kind there that can heal people, and create food, yes?

- Yes.

- Ok.. good... - he took a deep breath. - There are reporters on their way. Some are already here, but there are locals. Governor will be arriving tomorrow.

- Please tell them to spoke with Jayadeva here. I have to focus on the barrier - I said and returned to overcharging mana.

He clearly wanted to talk more, but he didn't make me talk with him again, instead spoke again with the head of the craftsmen. In a couple of more minutes some other people came and talked with them. From the microphones and notebooks, all blurred by my unfocused vision, I assumed they were the local reporters.

Some took pictures, others kept asking questions that I couldn't understand trying my best to make the set of barriers functional as soon as possible. I really wanted to take down the inner one, preventing everybody from getting past it, so I would be left alone, and those people could go take a look at the city.

They soon made the first attempts to touch the invisible wall, and their hands passed the first lier in the making, to stop at the inner one. They had hundreds of questions and were really making it hard for Jayadeva.

Fortunately for him Hatta, Aisha, and Will showed up to help with answering the questions. Two more hours passed like this, and finally, I stopped the trance, to turn off the inner barrier.

Everybody looked at me, when I touched the wall, and made it disappear, which they couldn't see by the way.

- You can go inside now - I said, pulling another can of tuna out of the vault.

They bombarded me with questions, but I ignored them shouting on top of each other.

- Please live him alone. We will answer all of your questions, but how about we start by showing you our city? - said Hatta, making an inviting gest towards the little crowd.

They all became quiet, as I folded the lid of the can into a spoon, and slowly attempted to pass through the barriers. They learned the hard way that electronics was somehow blocked, and would get stuck on an invisible wall, so they left everything behind, and followed my friends. Jayadeva explained to them how the barriers work.

I could see the shock in their faces as they were taking the first steps. Mister Sudhir Dhananjay followed them quickly, with a few police officers who had also leave their guns.

Then they passed through the gate, and entered the dark hall, I went few steps after them, and as soon as I passed the gate, I created a few firebirds, to fly closer to the high ceiling, and illuminate the inside, since the light coming from all the reflectors was barely able to because of the size of this building.

My magic scared them, and some ducked unconsciously as the living flames flew through the air.

Hatta looked at me, asking a silent question: 'Seriously'?

- What? - I replied with my mouth full of tuna.

He just shook his head. The birds were more interesting for the locals than anything else, and they spend few minutes looking at them.

- Please, follow us - said Aisha eventually. - There are more interesting things out there.

This made the reporters finally switch their attention to her. The whole group left the hall, and I quickly dispelled the birds, then passed through the gate again, to join the curious police officers gathered around. There were more people. Some just came from the city to have a look. I noticed more boats on the lake, and crowds just gathered around on the shore.

This made me realize it. We succeded. We made it. We were back on earth. A smile crawled on my face, as I put the empty can back in the vault and find myself a spot inside the barrier to return to the process of overcharging my mana, and inserting it into the barriers.

I couldn't wait to go back to my mother and bring her here, to show her the city, to let her use the device for the first time. To introduce her to everybody, Will, Ki'rai, Nobuo, Boris, Hatta, Aisha... I just couldn't wait. The excitement was building up inside me. I was about to change everything I hated about myself. I was to become somebody in the eyes of my family. 

The day came to an end with 3 847 049 points remaining on my account, and 19 class points.