The Apprentice's Journey

Business Partners

We've left what I would consider civilisation. We walk across a giant plain of grass that stretches on for miles.

"Are you going to tell me where we are going yet?" I ask him.

"Nope." He smiles. "We're nearly there. You're know soon enough."

I sigh. The area is bare. I don't understand how anything can be out here. Duncan never mentioned anything out this far. How can anything possibly be this far away from everything else? It's like we've left the world behind. Though I can't see the castle anymore which I suppose must be a good thing.

Though, I still am wondering why I trust Sips again. To follow him all the way out here into the middle of nowhere considering what he did to me last time seems a little stupid. But I don't have many other options. I just have to go on the hope that whoever we are going to see knows what they are doing, that they can save Duncan.

"So you're Duncan's apprentice now then."

"Yeah." I reply."Though it didn't take me that long to lose him."

"I always forget you're with him now."

"Well," I say smiling, "I wouldn't be there if it wasn't for..."

I stop smiling. So does he. With that we both go back into our little worlds again. I decide to just take in my surroundings. Out of the corner of my eye I swear I see something move. Behind the tree.

"Sips, I..."

It's gone again. I can't see anything. It must just be my imagination playing tricks on me.

"What Kim?"

"Nothing. Don't worry."

***

Later that day, we begin to approach the edge of the plain. It seems to lead off to a steep drop down a cliff face, apart from a small path that goes down the side. Sips leads me closer to the edge and I almost can't believe what I see.

A giant door is built into the cliff. Giant letters adorn it.

"Yoglabs." I mutter to myself before thrusting myself back into reality. "But how? But what? But...?"

"Yoglabs, one of the worlds best kept secrets." He says.

I finally land on an appropriate question. "How can something this big be kept this secret?"

"Because it's so far away from everything else." He replies. "Plus, I think they have some contract with the government, but also have stolen government technology. I think it's a complicated relationship."

"Oh." I say."I have another question. How do you know about it?"

"I'm rich. I provide the money and they provide the tech. We're business partners." He explains. "It is where half the cooler technology from Sips Co comes from."

"I think I understand." I say, looking down the cliff again. "Do you think they will help us?"

"I think." Sips say. He starts to walk down the small path.

I take a closer look. The path is thin and narrow. It looks very unstable. It looks dangerous. I feel myself get nervous just from the sight of it.

"Do we have go down this way. Isn't there like a secret lift or something?" I ask, still looking down at the winding path.

"Why, are you scared." He asks me, smiling.

"No." I say defiantly, though I can feel the butterflies in my stomach.

"Well, if there is one, they never told me."

My eyes fixate on his. I know I will have to go down there eventually, yet I am terrified. I don't like heights, I don't like thinking about heights. I turn around once more and again I see something move. Though it is fast, so fast I think I must have imagined it. Yet I wouldn't do that twice would I?