Difficult questions!

“Where is Lily?” I exclaimed, surprised.

Al’Reeza shook her head, a sad look on her face.

“She still has a hard time talking about her kin. It is a brief, but very tragic tale, and it should be hers to tell. I’m sure, in due time she will open up and share it with you too. Just promise me one thing:”

Her gaze got intense.

“Don’t press her under any circumstances! Despite her often rough and rugged demeanor, on the inside she is soft and vulnerable. Don’t ever exploit that or harm her in any way!”

Her look was as unwavering as menacing.

“It’s a promise!” I said. “I would never intentionally hurt anyone by any means, and Lily is no exception!”

“Just do your best, and don't do it unintentionally either. Your curiosity is sometimes kind of a loose ballista!”

The last bit she said with a smile and I didn’t take it personally. After all, it had given me vital information!

You see, on earth the ballista was an antique weapon, used by the Greek and Romans in the first two to three centuries before and after C.E., long before explosives were invented. Al’Reeza’s use of the word now told me, ballistas were presently fairly common (and powerful) weapons on Liyúra. Therefore I could assume, the level of technological development was roughly equivalent to the hellenistic world on earth. The girls' awe at the mechanical accuracy of my Munchie just contributed to that.

But it made me think and reflect on the earlier words of the golden dragon: What would the combined cultural and technological impact of the Munchie and my knowledge do to this world? What would happen with the present cultural traditions and how would they react? What would I be forced to do to ensure my personal safety? I could easily imagine a scenario where a local dictator would pressure me to build him weapons that might even overpower the best adventurers and magicians. I knew I was capable of that, coming from a world with terrifying weapons that could easily level any existing fortress or city. And I’m not even talking about nuclear weapons!

The result would be an arms race that could easily spiral into an international war of unimaginable consequences. Never would I contribute to any of that!

Of course I also knew that nothing was more desirable than a slow, quiet life in another world, …and nothing so hard to achieve! I’d have to find a liberal culture that wouldn’t care about my knowledge and the technical marvel of my Munchie at all - or would gladly accept the positive benefits of such knowledge boost, without all the negative consequences.

In the lands of humans, I was sure, the danger was at its maximum. One too ambitious and clever fellow with enough ruthlessness and I’d be in clutches I could never escape. The better option for society would be an ambitious but stupid bloke who’d let me behead before I could divulge too much information to derail whole cultures. Obviously that would be bad for me, so that was out of the question too!

Of course I could also hide or dismantle my Munchie entirely and live with my head down as much as possible, but I didn’t have the heart for that. I wanted to drive through the lands and enjoy the beauty of the world without having to worry about being pressed into anything or having to flee from dark forces.

Perhaps a society primarily based on magic would be better? That would mean to travel to Æthyëra, the ælven continent, or Ah’ru, the daimon continent. But would that actually be better, as a stranger having no magical power in a society heavily leaning on magic? Wouldn’t I be an outcast there? I just didn’t know enough about all the societies in this world, and frankly, initially I’d be an outcast everywhere!

And there was one more thing to consider: my search for a way back to earth!

Someone must’ve summoned me here - the golden dragon’s telling indicated that - for a certain purpose that was still shrouded in mystery. That someone must be incredibly powerful, perhaps even more than the golden dragon. Was he the only one capable of doing that, or could it be that in the lands of the daimon or ælves someone else had such powers and capabilities?

I felt that I needed to talk with someone about it, so I took a bar of chocolate from my belongings, went back to Al’Reeza and offered it to her. Her face lit up with delightment after she tried it, and together we devoured the whole thing in mere minutes. After our sweet feast I told her about my thoughts and concerns and she listened in earnest.

“Me and Yára, we have shared thoughts on that topic too.”, she told me at the end. I was almost certain, she meant that literally, not just figuratively!

“The thing is, we have to concentrate first on accomplishing our mission. But I agree, especially in human lands you need to be as inconspicuous as possible. When we arrive in Tóràbun that won’t be much of a problem, but afterwards we have to think of a long term solution.”

“Sorry, but my Munchie isn’t really what you’d call ‘inconspicuous’. Just look at it!” I exclaimed, pointing dramatically in its direction.

The daimon smiled.

“Don’t worry. Yára and I still have our cloaking abilities, remember?”

I fool!

“The plan would be to reach Iyexis, the capital of Tóràbun, in the evening or at night. Iyexis lies on an island in the Amæa lake and has the biggest harbour in all the lands of the Tóràya. It’s vital for their trade with the southern kingdoms and empires.”

She paused for a short moment.

“We need to inform the guild when we are in the vicinity and place you and your ‘Munchie’ under its protection. The king and the government preferably shouldn’t know anything about you, but I don’t know how long this’d be possible.”

“Sounds like a hassle.” I commented.

She nodded.

“For sure. It’s important that all information about you and your circumstances should be conveyed to just a few trusted people. But we need access to the amplifiers of the guild, so Yára and I can contact our confidants at home. I’m sure they’d have some beneficial suggestions.”

“You don't know anybody who could transfer me back to earth, do you?”

I knew I might’ve already asked that question, but I just had to slip it in.

Al’Reeza shook her head.

“No. Such a monumental task not only needs an incredible amount of energy, but also nearly impossible magic abilities, skills, knowledge and experience.”

“And yet, somebody had done it.”

Again she shook her head, but this time in disbelief.

“Yes, and I can’t understand how and why.”

“Do you think the golden dragon could be capable of such a feat?”

Seeing her distress I quickly added, “...or somebody like him?”

She visibly fought for her composure and shrugged deliberately indifferent.

“Yes, it may be possible. Why? Did he say something to you?”

“He said he wasn’t able to do it and would search for the person who was.”

“Then why are you asking me?”

“Do you think his words are trustworthy?”

She actually laughed, a deep, warm, albeit still a little bit stressed sound.

“Only an otherworldler could ask such a question! If his words are trustworthy! Oh Yurá!”

She shook her head, then got serious again.

“Never in all history of Liyúra was a lie from a golden dragon reported.” she emphasized. “And it also doesn’t make sense. You only lie to equals, either out of fear or for a temporary gain, but a golden dragon towers with such might over all other sentient beings that it just wouldn’t make sense.”

“I understand.”

I paused, thinking.

“Yet there seems to be an unknown entity even more powerful and/or capable than the golden dragon. And it seems to keep itself well hidden.” I said after a while.

She shuddered.

“Don’t remind me! I can’t even begin to imagine such a being! It truly must have transcended the realm of life up into godhood!”

That piqued my interest.

“Are there any gods in this world?”

On earth my question must’ve sounded quite naive - depending on the place and culture of course - but here, where magic was real…?

Al’Reeza didn’t answer immediately, looking pensively into the vast ice plains, gathering her thoughts.

“It is believed that every sentient being can ascend through vigorous training and refinement of its magical and spiritual abilities up into godhood, where it discards its physical body and transcends into a realm we mortals can’t imagine, let alone access.” she finally said.

“Some lore claims of gods in some way still walking among us, whereas others tell the story of gods and goddesses ascending towards the stars and living in the empty space amongst them, and again other ones say that gods transcend the material world entirely and enter the spiritual realm, where no matter exists anymore, just esoteric, ethereal energy.”

She shrugged.

“The priests just know the truth their holy scrolls tell them, the mystics don’t care, and the scholars don’t know.”

Well, that was some summary! Despite that I asked:

“Could it be that my summoning was possibly the act of a god - or a godlike being?”

Again a nonchalant shrug.

“The realm and the possibilities of gods and godlike beings are so high above us that right now it’s not separable from speculation - even if it may be true.”

But she added:

“And yes, it could be possible you were summoned by a god, or a goddess. But don’t ask me, what that implies for all the religions and their priests!”

Good god, I had no intention of becoming a prophet or messiah of some sorts! I’ve seen ‘Life of Brian’ much too often to aim for something like that!