A puppet among researchers

Wanderer 5

Thinking of reasons to not go was more difficult than Wanderer had originally thought it would be.

Homework? No

Upcoming test? No

Sickness? No they would be all worried

A family emergency? Impossible! I'd have to leave for months to make it believable.

For all the lies he has told over the years, he couldn't think of one.

He thought of just not showing up. But knowing these idiots they would probably worry.

Wanderer sighed. He was back at the sanctuary of Surasthana. Both Tighnari and Kaveh had agreed that there was to be no more work done this week due to it being Friday and the party on Saturday. But he didn't have anything better to do so he started reading up on Ley lines. The Librarian gave him a look when he asked for books that were clearly for the Spantamad Darshan. People in the Akademiya are always like this. They may act like you can study whatever you want. But they will judge you if you step outside of your Darshan's line of study.

Which raised a massive question.

He was from Vahumana

Kaveh was from Kshahrewar

Tighnari was from Amurta

Why was there no one from Spantamad?

Ley lines were their main study. Why would Kaveh not have anyone from there?

'Something on your mind?' A voice cut through his thoughts.

Wanderer glared at Kusanali. She currently has company. And she had decided while I was away that speaking to me through a mind channel is perfectly acceptable.

'Don't you have more important things to do than question my thoughts?' He asked.

Kusanali waited until her visitor left to reply.

"Well you have been very quiet since you returned home." Kusanali said.

Wanderer rolled his eyes. "What's there to say? Some pathetic conversation about nothing that has any value and wastes my time?"

"You haven't told me how the project is doing." Kusanali said.

"We barely got anything done. There's not much to say." Wanderer said.

"I thought you were sent home because you guys were taking a break." Kusanali said.

"Well you thought wrong." Wanderer said.

Kusanali and wanderer sat in silence for a moment.

Until Wanderer felt a mental hand reach out to try to get the information out of him.

"I thought traveler said that it was intuitive to sneak into people's minds?" Wanderer said.

The hand vanished.

"You could just tell me what you are keeping from me." Kusanali said.

He just glared at her.

She glared right back to let him know she would not give up.

Wanderer sighed. " Kaveh and Tighnari are going to a party and they invited me."

She was down in an instant.

"WHAT KIND OF PARTY?!?" Kusanali asked excitedly.

"Some guy's birthday!" Wanderer answered.

"What are you gonna get him?" Kusanali asked.

"You're kidding right? I don't even know the guy." Wanderer stated.

"Wanderer, you can't just not go. It would be rude." Kusanali said.

Wanderer started to protest more "But wha..." "oh lesser lord Kusanaliiii." A voice from above said.

'You are going! end of discussion!' Kusanali said through the mind channel then flew up to handle the person upstairs.

~

Wanderer realized that he had no clue where this party was going to take place so he went to Kaveh's place.

He knocked on the door and a man answered the door.

"Can I help you?" The man asked without looking up from his book.

"I'm looking for Kaveh! I was told he lived here." Wanderer said.

A hand which didn't come from the guy who answered the door grabbed wanderer's arm (being careful not to touch the scars on his hand) and dragged him inside.

"WHO TOLD YOU?!!" Kaveh said as soon as the guy closed the door.

"My roommate!" Wanderer said.

"Oh? And How does your roommate know?" The guy who answered the door said.

"SHUT UP ALHAITHAM!" Kaveh yelled.

So that's his name.

Alhaitham just shrugged then turned the page on his book.

"My roommate works at the postal service." Wanderer lied.

Kaveh bought it but Alhaitham didn't seem to.

"What brings you here? Shouldn't you be getting ready for the party?" Kaveh asked.

"I don't know where it is! So I came here hoping you knew." Wanderer said.

"Why not get your postal service roommate to tell you where it is?" Alhaitham asked.

"SHUT UP ALHAITHAM!" Kaveh said.

"I don't know the guy's name!" Wanderer said flatly.

"Don't worry, I was just about to head out!" Kaveh said. "We can go together!"

"Oh ok." Wanderer said.

~

The three of them (because Alhaitham was also invited) made it to Cyrus's house early.

When they knocked, Cyrus answered the door.

"Kaveh, Alhaitham, and you must be Wanderer." Cyrus said.

"Happy birthday Cyrus!" Kaveh said as he walked in the house.

Alhaitham just nodded and walked in.

"It's a pleasure to meet you sir! Are you sure I'm not intuiting?" Wanderer said. He hated being fake like this but if there was a way out of this...

"Of course you're not intuiting. The more the merrier." Cyrus said.

"Great!" Wanderer said not hiding the fact that he didn't even want to be here.

He set the gift on the table by the door then sat down.

It was mostly silent until Tighnari arrived.