***

  Roman, Nephil, and Bryt shared a glance and a smile as they watched their students disappear into the rift between worlds.

  As the last student passed through, the lights flashed aboard the ship and regulated themselves at a much dimmer, almost brown level.

  “Shut it down,” Bryt said.

  Roman’s hand hovered over the kill-switch for the portal. “We’re in agreement, then?”

  Bryt and Nephil nodded. When the purple window was closed, the lights on the ship brightened a little more.

  “Godspeed,” Roman muttered under his breath.