"Senior, why do you suddenly want to go to the Star Gate Council?"
Thor still remembered Kismet's advice from back then: treat the Star Gate Council as his last stop. That was why he hadn't gone with Byron.
Kismet might be unreliable, but he also knew many secrets. More importantly, Thor had plans of his own.
Byron answered honestly. "The Half-Elf mentioned that something seems to have happened over there. It might help me advance, so he told me to go take a look."
"The Half-Elf?" Thor didn't like the consciousness of the Half-Elf hidden inside Senior Byron. But Byron needed the Half-Elf to guide him along the path to advancement.
"The Star Gate Council has been quiet for so many years. Clearly, they've been doing more than just studying how to cross the Star Gate. The situation over there is probably complicated, too." Thor could only remind him, "Stay safe."
Byron nodded.
Danger was everywhere. As long as they wanted to continue down the Wizard's path and pursue that elusive, forbidden knowledge, they couldn't be afraid of danger.
In that regard, they were alike.
After seeing Senior Byron off, Thor received an urgent letter.
It read, "The Black Tide will arrive in one month."
Thor pinched the letter between two fingers. It crumbled into fine gray dust and fell to the earth.
He turned to Keli, who was still waiting nearby, and said softly, "The Black Tide is coming soon."
Keli nodded. "I'll go with you."
Thor nodded, and the two of them immediately began preparing to leave.
This time, they weren't going to the Eternal Night Empire. They were heading to the Wall of Sighs.
That was where Thor had chosen to find the Fourth Target for his Symphony of Fate.
There was no Ultra-Long Distance Teleportation Array