Answers and More Mysteries

Danielle stood in front of the mirror. Maybe if she stared at them for long enough, they would go away. Her reflection peered back at her; messy dark hair framed intense eyes.

Nope, she thought, they're not going away.

On top of her head poked two tiny horns, rising just half an inch above her dark hair. They lacked the ridges or color variation she'd seen on the other pair. Shiny and smooth the horns stood. Danielle eyed them.

OK, she thought, my options are to cry or break something.

Her eyes stung a little bit. It had been a rough day, even before all this.

"Hey, who's taking so long in this tent?"

"I dunno, some strange woman."

Danielle gripped the side of the cabinet that the "sink" stood on. The sink was a bowl fastened to the cabinet. This cabinet wasn't fashioned to anything, just left on the grass of the ground. Glowing lines covered it and remained the only offering of explanation for the continuous appearance of clean water in it. Two holes midway cycled dirty water eternally back into the cabinet. Danielle gritted her teeth. The toilet looked closer to some ancient Roman one, but at least the tent's walls divided the room into a small stall. It did not keep out noise.

"Hey, lady! Did you die in there?"

Danielle covered her face with her hand.

"Aren't there about fifteen of these things?" She said. "I'm having a bit of a moment here."

"And I'm going to have an emergency!"

Danielle stumbled across the grass.

Thank God for shoes, she thought.

She pulled open the curtain door, her fury only stopped by the knot holding it shut.

"Who needed this?"

A man pushed by her. She shook her head as she walked by the group of Rovers waiting. Clothed with reds, yellows, blues, and greens of various lines and diamond patterns, Danielle felt at a disadvantage in her pink pajamas. She power-walked away with short-lived dignity.

I'm gonna kill that Mel guy, she thought. It all ties back to him. That hellhole of a place, how he was congratulating himself when I arrived. If he isn't the sole cause of this mess I'm going to be actually dreaming.

She couldn't stop herself from reaching up to touch the horns.

"Oh, you're back," Melorandious said.

He sat outside where Danielle had left him, sorting the assortment of cast-off clothes and blankets into satchels. He hadn't begun on the food, only put it onto a blanket.

"Want to help?" He said.

Danielle looked down at him, ordering her thoughts into the tightest lines she could. Fury made it difficult. Although, as much as Danielle had enjoyed thoughts of raging at him, once in front of him she found herself too restrained to carry out such fantasies.

"Right, you probably think you're still in a dream," Melorandious said. "You're welcome to sit here if you like."

"I'm in the middle of it, dream or not," Danielle spat.

He wanted to talk earlier, she thought.

She lowered herself awkwardly, trying to pick a good place to sit.

"I guess?" Melorandious said.

Would now be a good time to press her with reality? He thought.

Danielle looked directly at him.

"You," she said. "Mel-whatever. It's your fault I've got horns, isn't it."

"Well—

"Isn't it."

"Yes," he said. "It is my fault."

"So what does that make you, Mel?" She said. "A kidnapper? With disgusting tastes?"

"Wait a moment—

"Because from where I see it, you're some kind of hellish monster."

Melorandious sat, his smile stiffening.

"Pretty bold thing to say to somebody you think is a monster," he said. "But you seem to want to talk?"

"I'm willing to give myself a chance to figure things out," Danielle said. "How about you talk? Since you're the one who knows what's going on."

I need to resist the urge to completely blow up, she thought. He's the best shot for figuring out what the hell is going on right now.

"All right," he said. "Do you have any leading questions? Or should I just start rambling?"

Danielle pointed to her horns.

"Eh?" Melorandious said. "I already explained the purpose of horns—

"How did I become a fiend!" She said.

"That! Well, fiends are created not born—

"Did you make me into this?"

Melorandious sat up a bit straighter as Danielle leaned into her words.

"Yes," he said.

"Why?" She said.

"Uh? Because you wouldn't survive just being summoned across dimensions? Although I summoned you into that pocket dimension, which is probably what made everything possible in the first place."

"So it is a kidnapping, just a 'magical' one," Danielle said. "Great."

"I didn't kidnap you!" Melorandious said. "Or at least that wasn't my intention—

"I don't see how your intention matters in this case!"

"There should have been a letter!" He said. "With a choice! You had to choose to come!"

"A choice?" Danielle said.

She looked away as vague memories of that strange legal notice on the character creation screen.

Could that be? She thought.

"Maybe it didn't arrive?" Melorandious said. "But then the entire sequence of spells should have failed."

Melorandious held his chin, the clothes and bags beside him forgotten.

So it was partially my fault if he's telling the truth, Danielle thought. It's difficult to prove that for certain since I didn't read it, but him saying it might not have made it anyways makes this even more of a mess.

"OK," Danielle said. "So, from what you're telling me, you moved me from one dimension to the other. And then we both went somewhere else."

"It would be more accurate that I pulled you to a half place, and then moved fully to another place."

"So where the hell is this?" Danielle said. "A game?"

Melorandious looked at her as his face scrunched up.

"A dream makes sense," Melorandious said. "But what kind of game could this possibly be?"

"Are you sure you don't know about any creation myth that has to do with the gods splitting domains because they're bored?"

"I don't know of any such legend," Melorandious said. "But some people somewhere in this world might have a story like that."

"Damn," Danielle said. "No systems either. Do you have any idea how to reach someone from another world?"

"No," Melorandious said. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Danielle said. "Why don't you back it up with actual action then?"

Melorandious stiffened.

"Well—

"NO!" Nimus said.

He stormed out of the tent, stopping as he saw Melorandious and Danielle sitting in the way.

"What are you doing?" He said.

Danielle stood up, wiping off her pajamas. They were even worse off in stains.

"I was waiting for her," Melorandious said. "And I started sorting out things well I was waiting."

Melorandious remained sitting, just tipping his head up at Nimus as he spoke.

"Ah, speaking of what you gave us," Melorandious said. "There's too much. Is there some way we can return it to you?"

"Is this really the time?" Danielle said.

"Sure, I can take back anything you don't need once you're done sorting," Nimus said.

Gram popped out next.

"Oh, you two," she said. "You should come inside. No reason to leave everything laying around out here."

Great, Danielle thought. Now I'll have to bring total strangers into it if I want to have my talk. Bastard.

"Thanks," Danielle said.

She shot a glare at Melorandious. Which he ignored.

Nimus nodded and left. Melorandious and Danielle watched him. Danielle looked back at Gram, who smiled.

"He'll be back in a bit," she said.

What's going on here? Danielle thought.

But it was none of her business, and Danielle had bigger concerns. At Gram's behest, she and Melorandious carried the gifts of the Rovers back into the tent. The same large singular room that held a small stove and numerous blankets masquerading as a bed. The same gaudy colors with geometric and linear designs she'd seen on the clothes. However, much of the walls also had beautiful embroidered birds and dragons. A more realistic design clashed with abstractions as the tent's walls were a patchwork display. Yet over it all, were more mysterious designs with their soft glow. Danielle wished she could ignore them.

"Nimus seems to enjoy fishing," Melorandious said.

"He's not going fishing!" Gram said. "How silly. He just needs to cool off. I guess nobody likes listening to an old lady nag all the time."

She sat by the little table. Danielle followed her to it, putting her load on it. Melorandious stayed, futzing over some of the clutter. A collection of shining glass ornaments hung from one of the tent's upper poles mesmerized him. Danielle watched him with irritated eyes.

Acting like a weirdo, she thought. Just put the stuff down already.

"You and Nimus don't look related," Danielle said. "Was he adopted?"

Melorandious glanced at Danielle before looking up at the ceiling.

Very... direct, Melorandious thought.

"Oh, no," Gram said. "We're not related. Most of the youngsters in this band call me Gram. You can if you want! But Nimus is still a bit of a special case. How about you put your pile over here, Mel?"

"Mel? My name is Melorandious," he said.

He sat down at the table too, now that he'd been invited.

"Hmm, doesn't seem right to sit you down at the table without food," Gram said. "Do you want some food?"

"Oh my god, you are the best," Danielle said.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Melorandious said.

"OK, do you want some biscuits?" Gram said.

"Sure," Danielle said.

The older woman bustled her way to some bags. Inside the bags were tins. Gram brought a few of these to the table.

"Looks like I'm out of flour," she said. "Here, snack on these crackers until I get back."

She poured them both a glass of water from a jug with more mysterious glowing sigils on it as well as put the promised crackers before them. They sat in the tin, colored greenish and smelling odd. Danielle could see the lack of uniformity even as she saw the level of craft in them.

Melorandious took three and swallowed the glass of water whole before pouring himself another. Danielle shrugged. It tasted odd, but not bad at all. A kind of bitter-sweet flavor permeated her tongue and stuck to the back of her throat.

"Hey, aren't you worried about making our host go back to the well?" She said.

Melorandious was on his third glass of water. He finished it off and poured another glass.

"No?" Melorandious said. "These glyphs ensure that the pitcher will refill itself. Although it takes time. These Rovers really seem to enjoy closed systems."

"Well, at least leave some for me," Danielle said.

She grabbed the pitcher and poured the remaining half a glass into it. Glaring at Melorandious, she drank.

"Should we finish our conversation that was interrupted?" Melorandious said.

"Do we have time?" Danielle said.

"Probably, why are you hesitating?" Melorandious said.

"I, just don't want everyone to know my stuff when it doesn't concern them," Danielle said.

"If you want to back to your world, you're going to have to get used to begging for help," Melorandious said. "Because I can't send you back."

"Are you sure that's not just a 'won't'?" She said. "Shouldn't somebody who can cross dimensions be able to send me back?"

"I told you," Melorandious said. "I pulled you across dimensions. I don't even know where you're from. And well I'm flattered about your belief in my abilities, the spells I used weren't of my own creation."

"If you can pull me from someplace unknown, then you can send me back to that unknown place," Danielle said. "Just reverse the spell."

Melorandious took a moment to rub his brow.

"Reversing that spell wouldn't send you back to your own world," he said. "At best it would send you to the first world I had it check for. At worst it would send you into the void."

"Weren't you taught not to do anything you couldn't reverse as a kid?" Danielle said. "That should be a major tenant for you magic freaks."

"I'm not a freak," Melorandious said. "I'm a fiend. And I wouldn't have gone to such drastic measures if it wasn't important to my life."

"So I saved your life?" Danielle said. "How? I'm pretty sure I just stood there and looked pretty."

Melorandious squinted at her.

"Well, you were an excellent source of mana," He said. "Really, everything wouldn't have been possible without it. But even your mana is reaching the end of its limits."

Danielle put her hand over her heart as if her mana had been stored there.

"Wait, so you used my mana?" She said. "Shouldn't I be feeling sick or something if you used it all? Not to mention being turned into a monster--

"A fiend," Melorandious said. "And since you had no connection to your mana, you didn't even notice it was gone. Once your body gets used to knowing it's there and directing it to your horns, then you will feel it if all your mana is drained. But we aren't magi. We're not as sensitive to it. The horns will take the brunt of any damage."

"So how does it feel to break your teeth?" Danielle said.

Melorandious didn't immediately reply. Taking the chance to inhale another cracker.

"A pretty good price to pay for escaping the egg," Melorandious said.

Danielle shivered.

"Don't call that place an egg," she said.

"The egg was actually a protective layer from the void," Melorandious said. "But you're missing the most important question."

He pulled out a familiar glass orb. It was a deep purple, almost black, with an orange streak going through it.

"You haven't asked how I was able to get your mana," Melorandious said.

Danielle eyed the orb in his hand. She crossed her arms.

"I bet it has to do with that, doesn't it?" She said.

"Yes, it's the physical manifestation of our mana chain," he said.

Danielle grabbed at the orb, but Melorandious didn't let go.

"When did I agree to this?" Danielle said.

"You didn't," Melorandious said. "I took the opportunity to get back to life while you were still in shock."

Danielle tried to tug it away, but Melorandious held onto it like his lifeline. The red tattoos on his hand warped as it strained. Danielle let go.

"So how does it work?" Danielle said.

"To put it simply, whoever is touching it can draw mana from the other," he said. "They're usually ribbons, ropes, or chains for ease. But I used what was on hand at the moment."

"Then why didn't I feel any reaction?" Danielle said. "I felt something from back then, and why is it tiny?"

"Because I'm broke when it comes to mana," Melorandious said. "And again, I'm broke when it comes to mana."

"So, you're going to give it to me, right?" Danielle said.

"No?" Melorandious said.

"Let me put it this way, buddy," Danielle said. "If you want me to trust you, you need to give me the thing that lets you steal mana without my permission."

"Sure, why would I show it to you if I wasn't willing to give it to you?" He said.

Danielle held out an open hand. Melorandious stared at it for a moment. Finally, Melorandious dropped it into Danielle's palm.

"Keep it safe," Melorandious said. "We're vulnerable without it."

Danielle picked out a small satchel that she hung over her shoulder.

"Let's finish sorting out our supplies," Melorandious said.

"I still have questions," Danielle said.

"You haven't squeezed hard enough?" Melorandious said. "I'd like to get these bags sorted. I don't like how long it's taking out hostess to get flour."

"Fine, how do you want to sort these?" Danielle said.

The two spent the rest of their time organizing a few extra clothes and the least worn blankets into bags that they could carry. Melorandious also split the food between what was dried and what was fresh. When Gram arrived, Danielle helped her out the flour into the assorted sacks. A similar bag sat in it already.

"It's been so hard to get flour," Gram said.

She was speaking to Melorandious.

"We haven't traded with a city in months."

Might be sugar, Danielle thought.

She finished pulling the bag closed.