Space Wizards

28. Return

They arrived covered in slimy plasma. It clogged their noses, blinded their eyes, and plugged their ears. Mr. Grimble climbed out of Melock's bag wearing a makeshift gas mask and respirator. He pulled it off and looked around a room filled with magical runes. 

"Where's this, then?" he asked. 

Melock wiped his hands repeatedly until he was able to snap his fingers. In an instance, the entire party was cleaned from head to toe of the gooey material that made up the dimension they had recently inhabited. The exotic element was collected in a large glass specimen jar on the floor. 

Sister Murphy felt joy. She smelled where she was before her vision settled on the interior of Melock's portable tower.

"It's good to be home," she said taking a deep inhale through her nose. "We're back in your tower, are we not?" 

"You have a fine olfactory sense, my dear," said Melock as he picked the fluid-filled jar off the floor. "This multidimensional material will make for an interesting chemistry experiment, to say the least."

"We're on Abraxas?" said de Martín. 

"On its moon to be precise," said Melock confirming their location and feeling all his faculties return. 

"In the teleportation tower of Fawriin the Traveler," said Tykö, "though there are so many new symbols."

"I've been the keeper of the tower this last millennium. Ever since she left on her quest to find the connections between universes."

Tykö rubbed his chin. His left eye twitched and glowed red. 

"We must return to the Green Star immediately," said Tykö. "If there is any chance they could follow us, I won't be responsible for the Makina learning the location of Abraxas." 

Melock set his jar on the steps leading up, walked to the wall, pressed a stone, and a secret compartment opened. Tykö joined him at the wall with a grin. 

"Would you care to make an addition to the tower?" asked Melock gesturing to materials in the secret safe. 

"I would."

Tykö's arm was now spotless and cleaned and looked like it was manufactured yesterday. The complexity of its mechanical structure replicated inner human arm musculature. He gripped a small part of it and removed the piece.

"Nanobos transferendum."

The tiny part multiplied and grew into a blocky shape with a barrel, a trigger, and a loading mechanism. Tykö took a small glass vial from the secret wall compartment, pulled back the bolt on his newly formed space gun, loaded the vial like it was a bullet, and aimed at a blank spot on the wall. The weapon powered up with a high pitch whirl and a sharp click as Tykö pulled the trigger. A small green circle, not more than an inch around, splatted on the wall.

"Nanobos returnum," said Tykö, and the gun systematically shrunk back to the tiny part to be replaced on his arm. 

"Your nanotech is very impressive," admired Mr. Grimble.

"Thank you. Look closely." 

Melock and de Martín leaned in to inspect the green splat. It was a slowly tuning miniature holographic image of the Green Star of Uz. Tiny runes floated across its surface far too small to be read clearly without the aid of a magnifying glass or enhanced vision. 

"It is our duty to protect Abraxas. We should go and return him to his home," said Murphy whose eyes easily saw the image at a distance. 

"Very well," said Melock. "If you're all ready?" 

"I'd very much like to go down to the planet," said Sabastian. 

"That will have to wait for another time," replied Melock.

"C'est la vie." He threw his hands up in a disappointed acceptance. 

"Other than losing my boots again, I'm ready," said Murphy looking at her feet.  

Melock wiggled his bare toes next to hers with an approving grin. She picked up Grimble and everyone reached forward and placed a fingertip on the green image. In a flash of green mist, they vanished from the tower. Traversing such a vast distance instantaneously gave them a feeling of taking a dream-filled nap. Upon arrival, they experienced the sensation of awaking and not knowing entirely where they were? 

The group stood upon fine sand with a large emerald symbol inlaid below their feet. They were surrounded by a well-groomed vibrant green hedge wall with two vaulting archways for exits. The area was open yet felt closed in at the same time. Out of one exit entered a massive creature with the body of a strongman and the head of a bull. Pointed curled horns grew out of its head and a big brass ring connected one nostril to another. 

The Minotaur snorted, lowered its horns, and charged forward on heavy hooves. Sister Murphy stepped between it and the wizards as Sabastain vanished from sight. She wound up her gravity hammer and dug her toes into the earth. The bull rushed her with glaring brown eyes and was smacked dead center between its horns. The force sent the animal sailing back into the hedges. 

"Please, don't," said Tykö placing a calming human hand on her weapon. "He is the defender of the maze. He's only doing his job. We're in my garden. Do follow me." 

The shirtless wizard led them out the opposite side and through a series of winding and confusing turns. 

"This way. The exit is near. Do keep up." 

They followed Tykö to the end of the maze and there waiting for them with sparkling eyes welled with tears was awestruck Abeba. The barefoot travelers, one in leather pants, one in white body armor, and one in an ascetic robe stepped away from the forcefield barriers of the hedge maze.

"Master, you're so young!"