INFONIX INSTITUTE

alongside a few others hung on separate cables. The foggy hills and fo

king view." Uwa had her head presse

ed down and saw the hills, valleys, settlements, e

is place?"

orms," Uwa said. "We are headed t

large," Maranna said, pressi

to Ailo's place as soon as p

s to see other cable cars

contain alfes from ot

Uwa said. "The one by the right s

" Bala sai

images of those in the car after theirs. S

"Chill, girl. You'll see a lot of them whe

e, then," she sa

h the cables were fastened. They were still far from the tow

ough a fitting hemispherical chamber from which they descended down

PARTMENT mounted on it's roof. They enjoyed the view of the sky, the green fields, and flowery shrubs they passed by. The car finally got to a halt in the inte

ving distinguished looks, complexions, and heights. Shortly, an electronic voice called their attention, instructing them to line up before the recepti

ets while they walked. "Neptar, Pl

looks of some of the beings Maranna had seen at Mamadiya's place. Her hair spikes w

her left and she saw a male alfe with his eyes fixed on her, smiling. He was good-looking; a polished, brown skin, l

The alfes on the left, wh

ide. "They are from

you mean

what's before you fo

na ca

ce and the receptionist handed her a double-strapped satchel. She did same t

d during your stay. You'll find ten Infocoins in there, too." She winked.

satchel and hea

saw the knots of alfes that stood at designated points with their satchels on, awaiting their Infoguardians. Her

g sleepy, Bal

Still surpris

noids at the gate. "Those are th

n the institute," a femin

aming at them. Maranna found her relatively y

fully said. "You

strated. "And I see a rep

na sm

"We found her prior to the

She led them towards her car; a brown sedan with an open roof. "Rangee anticipates obl

r," Uwa said. "We anticipate obl

ome things that needed

via?" Marann

n we get there," Uwa said, w

ong a tarred path flanked by

thling Affairs, where you and your colleagues will run some manual registrations that'll fully qualify you for the session. It's j

row building, surrounded by supermarkets and other minor establishments. The building, as was pointed out by

aining files and their admission cards, Ailo took them into a supermarket beside the building and got them beverages, fruits, and co

vealing a clearer view of the interior. Maranna marveled at the looks of the place. It was quite spacious. The bungalow was flanked by a line of neatly-trimmed ixora plants by the left and a wide lawn by the right, in the middle of which a tree with crescent-shaped fruits stood, littering the lawn with brown leaves and tiny, yellow flowers. Ailo parked her car

worked, and they were greeted by a

ein," Ailo

and towered a

very month,

ded like he spoke through a pipe. "Uwa, Bala --

lau

nna, she's ne

hem thing' when I heard them had arrived." He paused and clipped his brows. "But, Ai

u don't know what joy it brings stepping on them." She r

f Uwa's cheerfulness. "Guess that tree is one

pect relishing your taste buds with

rom the ground. They looked down and saw the dim

d. His canines were

good-looking, but trust me,

to play oblivia. Do you

hing she hasn't played be

aranna asked. "

And my mother could be very accommodating," she said. "H

aw him grinning, and he appe

y oblivia, frien

ld learn," M

"You all need to have a

uld say this. Lastein has n

s his abilities, and he just sits beneath the tr

y," Maranna said. "Wha

f Albert Einste

hy hair and a smoking

im, Lastein is a thought-form that b

d the names ring a bell.

number of thought-forms got their names

at birthed the first nuclear weapons,"

Lastein's abilities,

Rangee said, revealing his scary teeth

t light from us," Uwa

told you severally, you shouldn't dictate wh

gain," Rangee sa

blivia?" M

be after you must have refresh

ft to t

the door open, allowing the cold air that tarried in

oth old and young. The largest of them all was that of an elderly

lindrical radio rang. Ailo pressed a button atop it a

Malacoid,"

resh Infonts would be having the continuum practicals tomorrow and you all have a duty there. Remember to come with your admission cards. Also, bear in mind that the Monsoid Infonix Institute upholds academic purity and fairness, illegal transactions like gi

d. "A respected staff in the faculty

't get some terms he

ome ribbons

host-forms,"

ould secretly spawn for an alphene, with which the alph

thing you could do for an alphene. T

be harmful," Ailo said.

could get an alphene to weave her a ghost-form. And it's quite interesting." She nudged Maranna. "You co

lfes could spy on other institutes or regions with

d I won't do any of that," Marann

ther. "I prepared three different delicacies prior to your arrival. There

aid, with an expression of disgus

noodles,"

ecial guest. Whi

gnaled the sway

oodles," Ma

n." He left f

ith humans on Earth? Heard they'd

They all

" Uwa

said. "Moshood has done a l

hat you're talking about," M

ringing this up. Thought I needed you

to know," Ma

to know,"

"Those books Moshood took back to Earth to share among

the kitchen. "Your sway noodles here. Move ove

here soon, Ran

cover them u

alright,"

ir eyes on Ail

Moshood did a perfect timing there," Ailo said. "You know, the Infonix Lore is a book that automatically inscribes happenings in the institute. A week late

y are?"

rity between the planets," Ailo said. "It gave an outline of how a human who w

owed hard, li

e involved in suicide, through sp

ped, shakin

ay, Maranna

of those he gave t

e," Bal

the institute back to Earth? I n

already. To be reopened in s

self a ghost-form, y

that," Uwa said. "After all, a ghost

restless,

he moment, you need not worry much. We don't see t

as some of those fables she had come ac

the way you spoke about your sister during the trainings,

n extent. "But why would Moshoo

was said the book instructs humans on how to race up their level of civilization to par with tha

a peek into the books before

is," Uw

is the author. How could he sit to wri

Ailo said. "A senior staff in

e kitchen door. "Food's on the

." Bala left them f

to be my mother's clos

's picture one more time and the rese

lfes that used to visit here some years back. He was so interested in Earth people and their

be distributed to Earth people.

f other planets and alphenes close to them. When done, it was lunched and kept i

said. "How did he even do it? Stealing from

"Baraki stopped visiting after my mother'

cture?" Maranna said, lo

lo," Ailo said.

s caught at the sp

rar raised the alarm a few weeks later, after she

len," Maranna said. "She could be

o," Uwa said. "

Have you seen the ne

new one?"

defiled the old museum's library," Ailo said. "On a second th

"I'd love to

the new Infonts in the practic

problem,"

week's time and all the alfes would be there.

"Would like to see the

ut first." She gestured to the din

ous entanglement of colorful, edible ribbons w

to them. Inside their room, they saw the same device that Infolord Malacoid spoke to them with. Uwa c

be part of it. When the game started, Maranna sat at the staircase leading to the doorpost, watching them. They had already briefed her about the game. It was a kind of hide-and-seek game which involved Lastein using his light-shifting ability to make a player invisible by wrapping

closed while Uwa and Rangee searched for invisible Bala, whom Rangee later fe

e to them. It was Rangee who always fished the invisible player out. The way he gripped them with his crooked fingers when they never expected it w