'I don't believe it – I've lost the rucksack!' Drew his voice as he walked to his tent. In the distance he could see the rucksack lying on the dirt path. It looked exactly the same as it did a few minutes ago, except now it was a tiny dot against a distant landscape.
'I've got to get back to it – it's important!' he shouted to himself.
Unconsciously, he took a couple of steps forward and then stopped. He was staring at the end of the world. No, it wasn't the end of the world – it was just the end of the world he was looking at. In front of him lay a steep slope, leading to a precipice so deep his eyes refused to believe what his mind was telling it.
A few minutes ago, he had drank a potion for healing wounds (his bag contained over three hundred magical potions of different colors, each with a unique and useful effect). The potion now lay beside the rucksack in the field far away.
Drew stared at the sight in shock until the pain in his arm reminded him he was still in danger. He forced himself to walk away from the cliff's edge.
He was lucky. He didn't have to spend many minutes walking around the edge of the cliff; he found a narrow path that connected two large plateaus. Using a rope that was positioned near the entrance of the path, he quickly climbed to the plateau above. He found a flat spot to rest on and looked around. The view was breathtaking. The sheer depth of the plateau made the ground look as if it was floating in the air.
Drew loved the feeling of being on the clouds.
A few meters away from him he saw another person. To his surprise, this other person also appeared to be traveling in the air. He couldn't see his face, because of a hooded mantle he was wearing.
'Hello,' Drew called.
The other man jumped. 'Are you following me?' the stranger asked.
'No... I mean - yes.' Drew was confused by the question. 'No, I'm paying you a visit. I need to talk to someone.'
The man stood up and pulled the hood off his face. He was about the same age as Drew and held a wand in his hand. He was handsome, with a sharp face and dark hair that was parted down the middle. He was wearing dark leather clothes and stood out with his bright blue eyes.
'What do you want to talk about?' the other man asked.
'It's about my secret technique.' Drew's heart pounded in excitement. He knew he could trust the other person.
'Oh,' the stranger said. 'You will have to explain to me what that is.'
Drew took a deep breath and gave an explanation as simple and short as possible. 'You're seated on a capsule and are shooting behind the planet Madoopalus.'
The other man frowned and twisted his head from side to side. 'So you know my technique?'
'No. I don't yet.' Drew thought for a minute. 'What's your technique called?'
The other man smiled for the first time. 'I'm him, Dragon. Thank you for paying me a visit, but we should talk over a drink and you'll be able to understand much more. It would be better if we sat in the middle of a building instead of the end of nowhere.'
Drew looked at the stranger's wand. He knew immediately that the guy was a powerful magician. He also knew that he could trust him.
He followed Dragon through the plateau in the direction of the plateau's edge. As he walked, he noticed that the spot that was a few minutes ago far away was now right next to him. He had been right, he already knew the technique of flying; sensing the power of the earth's gravity and rising above it.
When they reached the edge of the plateau, they sat down on the grass. Dragon pulled out a flask from his bag and refilled his cup. He handed it over to Drew.
'You know, I've drank a healing potion an hour ago. I'm already on the way to healing,' Drew said as he held the cup.
'I know much more about you.' Dragon paused and raised his eyebrows. 'Stop talking and drink. It is perfect for you.'
Drew felt a bit scared. He had no idea who Dragon was or if he wanted to kill him. But he realized he had no choice. He forced himself to touch the cup with his lips and allow Dragon to fill his mouth with the strange liquid. He swallowed the liquid with a gulp.
'Now it is time to talk.' Dragon grabbed the bottle, stood up and stretched. 'I know what you are up to. Space travel through spells and potions, exploring the universe... that is going to be exciting. And I can help you.'
'I'm going to Madoopalus to investigate the past.' Drew stood up.
'Wait,' Dragon said and pulled Drew by the arm. 'I may give you some help, but don't be disappointed. I'm a type of magician; I travel in the air using a special scarf. I can't go to Madoopalus with you.
'And the last thing – I don't know how to fly well. Do you know how a diving needle works?'
Drew replied with a 'no'.
'A diving needle has a needle made of iron. The hollow needle passes through a tube of iron and one realizes that it is possible to keep the needle straight despite the force of the water's motion. Do you understand?'
'No,' Drew replied.
'My soul is a needle made of iron, it passes through the earth's space and I keep myself straight in the parallel space. The needle can move in both directions and I'm dragging myself with the needle. And, before you ask, it is possible to pass through the earth's space.'
Drew took a moment to realize what he was being told, 'You are a magician.'
'I try to keep a low profile,' Dragon said, as he rolled his eyes.
'Please explain the technique again,' Drew said.
'Oh, you are talking about penetration? My soul is a strong needle made of iron and the earth's space is a tube of iron that I swing myself around. I'm transferring my soul through the earth's space. It is the same way a needle passes through a tube of iron. And to connect two points, I can enter the needle into a tube from both ends. Just like when one uses a needle to drill holes, we can also think of it as drilling holes through the earth's space into a tube. And that's why I can keep myself from moving; moreover, I can pass through a tube made of iron.'
Dragon winked one of his blue eyes, 'But a probe that creates holes will always make a hole.'
He stretched his hands in the air and flew up with his whole body. There was no higher emotion for him than a deep excitement for learning new things.
Drew sat by himself and was filled with deep emotion.
Drew understood Dragon. He also got to understand Dragon's power. He was a magician; a person who can travel through the air and charge artificially manufactured flying vehicles that use the earth's gravity to fly.
Dragon plunged into the air, he did not have to worry about his wings rust. In the air, he was light, moving freely, and he knew all of his abilities.
Drew stood up and followed him, but Dragon's flight was faster than a speed of a man. He was right behind Dragon, trying to catch up, but the course of Dragon's flight was too fast for him.
Dragon looked down at Drew, smiled and waved at him. 'Go to Madoopalus. The results will be amazing.'
'Why?' Drew shouted.
Dragon turned his face away, looked into the distance, smiled and said, 'I've seen the future. You'll be famous. Millions of people will try to follow you.'
'Who will?'
Drew continued to ignore Dragon and began to sprint.
Dragon had descended from the sky and was standing by a tree. He glanced at Drew and said, 'These people will fly. They'll invent suits that let them fly, then they'll be able to fly even more in the air. The evidence of your discovery will be solid. Your discovery is a gold mine. You're going to be famous.
