Seraphin looked up: he wasn't sure he'd ever seen a ceiling higher than that.

Seras had replied to his email inviting him to her office, and now he and Marti were walking through the enormous white atrium of the Alkahest Tower, the highest building in the city constructed from the ground up.

The interior of the Alkahest Tower was airy, at once ethereal and solid, with white walls so shiny and clean they were reflective, steel frames, and literally transparent doors made of polymethyl methacrylate. Everyone who worked there was dressed in white.

«Do you think she'll give us uniforms?» Marti asked quietly

«I hope not, if I have to be sincere».

To reach the upper floors, there were two options: an elevator whose walls were made entirely of glass, or a huge white spiral staircase, which rose like a monolithic creature in the center of the hall, so large that the people walking on it looked like ants.

«What do you think Mrs. Alkahest's favorite color is?» Seraphin asked, grinning

«Cobalt red, obviously» Marti joked, then added «I feel like I'm on an alien planet. A corporate alien planet...»

«It does have a sci-fi feel to it»

«If anyone falls down that staircase, that’s definitely a way to kill themselves. And I don't see a handrail»

«Let's try to climb up, staying in the center»

«No, seriously, how come they let her build something like that?»

Beneath her heels, the spiral staircase steps made an unexpected, crystalline sound.

«I'm afraid I'll slip and die» Marti confessed, moving slowly.

«I think there must be some safety measure» Seraphin said, but with a worried expression, taking care to put the entire sole of his foot on each step «Otherwise, we'd be reading about accidents every day, right? And this is like one of the biggest companies in the country»

«I think they cover up all the accidents. After all, this is one of the biggest companies in the country».

A woman coming down passed them, giving them a strange look. Seraphin smiled with the most perfect embarrassed, angelic look.

«They seem used to it» Marti continued, frowning «Maybe it's not as dangerous as it seems»

«Maybe they're paid really well»

«Let's hope we get paid really well, too. I'd probably seem used to it and relaxed, too, if I were paid really well»

«Um, what floor were we supposed to go up to?»

«The sixth, I think»

«The sixth. Well, the sixth...».

Once they exited the gigantic spiral staircase, passing through a spacious arch, they entered a maze of white corridors.

«Luckily, there are signs» Marti sighed, pointing to silver plaques, on which the names of the various offices were written in dull gold. The largest plaque, adorned with a stylized drawing of octopus tentacles, read "OFFICE OF PRESIDENT SERAS ALKAHEST," along with an arrow pointing to the left. The brother and sister followed the sign.

«What a crazy place» Seraphin commented in admiration «I never thought it would be like this inside»

«And it's huge» Marti added

«Oh, look, an aquarium!».

Built into the corridor wall was a massive marine aquarium, over ten feet long. The blue lights illuminating it gave it a serene and otherworldly feel, yet somehow out of place in the even more alien architecture of the building.

«They're damselfish!» Seraphin exclaimed, leaning down to peer into the aquarium «No one ever breeds them, but they're so cute! Hey, hello!»

The small, dark, agile fish with large eyes darted away from his face to hide behind a large rock covered in madrepores, corals, and sponges.

Seraphin straightened his back, looking down the corridor. A pristine white door, almost unreal and slightly larger than the others, was labeled, once again, "Office of President Seras Alkahest."

«It looks digital» Marti said «It doesn't look real, that door»

«Do you think it's real?» Seraphin asked, raising his eyebrows «It could be a projection. I think. It looks realistic, but... could be, no?»

«It's a beautiful, beautiful door»

«Oh yes, it's a beautiful door».