The effect was instantaneous, the glass shattering, the shards disappearing into stardust as it neared them.

They shot up through the hole, revealing the land as it stretched out for miles beyond, the platform ceasing its climb as they reached a few feet above the atrium. Nemo pulled himself to his feet, breathless.

The land stretched like a carpet before them, fields of crops glittering golden hues in the evening light. It rippled with the wind, a movement that made every inch of the world that could be seen feel as though it were breathing.

As though all of it was alive.

Tilo sat down. “Isn’t it just brilliant up here?”

He pointed down towards the mansion, quickly changing the subject. “The atrium is at the mansion’s center - you can see that from here. Unless you saw a blueprint, you’d never guess that it was the mansion’s heart. For the most part, it acts as the central activation point for many of the magic circles this place contains. And, while most of the magic circles are well tended to, the plants, not so much. They’re pretty much self-sufficient and I won’t touch them, not even for testing purposes. I’ve killed one too many that way.”

He chuckled. “I haven’t talked about it much so I’m sure you’re unaware, but I have a terrible history with the non-magic sciences, or, rather unfortunately, any sort of experimentation. They all seem to end in absolute disaster, which is particularly painful because it’s one of my preferred courses of study. Due to my ineptitude, my current skill set is limited to ‘the application of magical studies regarding the flow of magic, especially the world’s alteration as a result.’” 

Tilo stated this phrase robotically, as though he’d had to repeat it hundreds of times before. “I won’t be making any discoveries any time soon, though I’ve certainly been trying. The carpets were my most recent endeavor and a failed one at that.”

“Magic flow… Every time you mention that term, you never explain it properly.” Nemo responded, still slightly distracted by the sudden display of power. “It doesn't seem possible that something ‘flowing’ could create something more concrete like fortification magic.”

Tilo glanced towards Nemo with appreciation. 

“You’d be surprised. Magic is all about flow - if you can follow it, you can determine where it will go. A sword enchantment, for example, is about directly forcing magic to flow into a sword. Enchantment in particular is interesting because it doesn’t require any magic circles, though as far as I’m aware they do help. The effect the enchantment will yield is dependent on the way the magic is forced to flow into it. The same thing is true of large structures where magic circles have been applied - the magic circles alter the flow, causing changes to the world depending on the way they’ve been created. 

Tilo sighed, resting his chin on his hands. “With sciences that don’t even dip their toes in magic, I can’t follow at all, like biology or physics. I only understand them if someone relates it to magic and usually they seem to have very little correlation, so comparisons are… difficult. It’s as though I’m just not made for non-magic scientific research, though it’s the non-magic sciences I’m interested in. Hence, the atrium.” 

Tilo’s eyes widened. “I apologize. I’ve been talking at you this entire time.” 

“No, it’s alright. I noticed a lot of graduates from the academies speak like that - a lot of information, all at once - though, you’ve always seemed to want my understanding. Everyone at home’s understanding comes from action as opposed to words, so that’s what I’m most used to.”

“A case of ‘I can do it’ but I can’t tell you how or why?”

“That’s exactly it.”

“I attended one of the academies for a little while. Most students are the exact opposite. They can tell you everything there is to know about something, including how to do it, but when putting it into practice they can scarcely lift a pot,” Tilo laughed. “I’d prefer to be able to do something instead of talk about it.”

“Agreed.” Nemo hesitated, planning his next statement carefully. “About the position in your new company you mentioned last time we met-”

“Ah, that’s right! I forgot! I haven’t received any applications since I sent flyers out around here, so I was considering rescinding it, but if you want-”

Nemo’s eyes sparkled. “I think that would be fantastic.” Tilo watched as apprehension crept into Nemo. “But I’m worried my qualifications aren’t exactly what you’re looking for.”

Tilo felt it was his duty to dissuade Nemo’s worries. “I’ve just started the company and currently there’s only one other employee, but they’ve joined begrudgingly so I wouldn’t count them. Elsewhere, the requirements are probably more rigorous, but my credentials aren’t exactly sparkling either. Rather than your abilities, I’m more concerned about whether or not you think I’m befitting of being your associate.” 

Tilo furrowed his brow, considering, then finally settled on a course of action he appeared to have been contemplating for a while. “Why don’t we just disregard the position title and continue as friends? You can join my company and we do the same things we would do if you were my associate, just without the unwarranted title.”  

Nemo moved to sit beside Tilo, brushing the bits of remaining gravel away. He turned to Tilo, a single eyebrow lifted.

“I’m a bit confused.” 

“I’d like you to continue to be a friend to speak with casually; I’ve figured out that I learn more from friends than associates. Once the title of ‘associate’ is added, it usually becomes a barrier, and I quite like the relationship we’ve built so far. I don’t need competition to challenge myself and I don’t want someone afraid to speak up. Associates and assistants often do one or the other. They can be friends, yes, but that’s only after interaction and competition and so on and so forth.”

Nemo scoffed. “I don’t think you’ll learn much from me.”

“Come on Nemo, have a bit of confidence. I’ve learned a lot from you and it's only been a year or so since we’ve met.”

“Friends it is then,” Nemo affirmed.

“On that note, right now, the company is just me travelling and doing odd jobs in search of whatever catches my attention. I’m not entirely sure what it will specialize in, now that I think about it. Exploration, perhaps? The company doesn’t have a name yet either, so we’re going to have to work on that as well.”

“So we’re building this company, from scratch, together?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Alright, I’m in.”

Tilo pointed to a mountain range jutting up in the distance, craggy and jagged. Even from the many miles away they were, a tower of brilliant white, merely a speck from this distance, could be seen between two peaks.

“Ah, soon I'll be travelling to one of the big three academies - Stonehall, the sciences academy, it’s just on the mountain over there - for a brief visit before heading to Furvoe. The packages you brought were bought for someone I know attending there. As a new affiliate to my unnamed company, would you like to join me?”

Nemo smirked.

“Delivering packages has been my job for the past decade - it’s only right that I finish my duty. Besides, I have to thank you for letting me join the company.”

Tilo smirked. “Nonsense. I’ve not had a friend over in a while, and certainly not one who's saved me.”

“Really, that was nothing. You’re not going to let it go, are you?”

“Never. You, however, should accept my gratitude and move on. Ah, and one last thing. There’s a particular motto that I chose for the company." 

Nemo’s eyebrows knitted together.

“And that is…”

“In medias res.”

“In the midst of things. Latin,” Nemo noted.

“I believe it implies that one should live life as though they turned to a random page in a book - always searching for situations that put you in the ‘midst’ of the action. I know it isn’t really a motto, but it, ah, explains a lot of the choices I make.”

Nemo slid over to the edge of the platform, hopping from it agilely. The glass thudded under the newly applied pressure. “I’ll keep it in mind” 

With hands planted on hips, he glanced back towards Tilo.

“Now, uh, how exactly do we get down?”

“Ah. Right.”