Revelations (3)

Maxwell looks at Ben torn back and forth his emotions a raging sea of feelings. `All of this is supposed to be an illusion, so even Dad, Mom and Sis don't exist, according to Maxwell. With some of his theories he is right.

I have no friends and no one of my relatives has ever really talked to me, and if they did, it was only for a short time. Also I have never left the village and I mean never. It has often seemed strange to me. No wandering merchants has ever visited the village or even the food just seems to exist. Likewise, there have never been any attacks from monsters but an outpost of the adventure guild is here. Even my father has never really been to work. He has said he goes to work but I have never seen him sweaty and smelly.

The more I think about it no one smells of sweat like I do and no one uses toilets. Even though I can't remember what they're for, something tells me everyone needs to use the bathroom.` Ben moans softly to himself and takes a hand to his mouth and slowly strokes it as he continues to think.

`Also Maxwell is right about the cards. The reason why they don't work is more plausible than damage to my soul. Illusion or not I feel fine. Ugh, what am I gonna do? Think, Ben. Let's say I am in an illusion and I am to be enslaved.

Why is Maxwell helping me? There must be more to it than that. This should be one of my questions. What next. So I am trapped somewhere and not even Maxwell knows where. Then how did he do the ritual and how did he give me the second awakening card or the other 3 cards.

More questions. Anyway so he destroys the illusion I'm trapped and I'm supposed to use the teleportation card and then what happens next?"`

Ben looks Maxwell in the eye and raises three fingers " First why are you helping me? What are your reasons for doing so?" Maxwell nods "The order I belong to was founded many centuries ago by freed slaves. Many members of the order were slaves themselves or have family who were once enslaved.

So was my mother. I was raised in the Order and have been serving them ever since. Our primary goal is the destruction of all slavery. The Askai family is one of the big players behind the illegal slave trade in Synthri. My main task was actually to find out and forward the routes of the slave traders and there backers but the council of elders felt the "projects" being carried out were more important.

The Order can bust the slavers without my help only the hintermen remain." Ben nods and takes a finger away " secondly how did you perform the rituals if you don't know where the place is I'm at. Same with the cards." Maxwell's eyebrows draw together at the question " the question is much more complicated but do you remember any of the basics of mana and space magic?"

Ben nods he has read all the books in the library on space magic since two of his cards are based on it. "I performed the ritual in the place where I am, using the illusion to create a bridge between our two places. The purification ritual is simple in itself.

It involves highly concentrated pure mana, which I channeled through a small dimensional hole directly into your body. Hence the pain and the strange feeling. With the cards, it was easier. I only had to connect a tiny dot and was able to give you the awakening card and the other 3. The cards you see is just a physical manifistation of them. The cards are much more. The problem as you should know is that such a connection is complicated and the bigger the opening the more complex the ritual.

The illusion itself serves as a bridge between the two of us. This is not designed to serve as a connection and I must say I have no idea what happens if the illusion breaks during that." Ben nods again satisfied with the answer even if he is not sure what to believe since the complete knowledge comes from Maxwell.

"Third question and that is what do I do after the illusion ends and I use teleportation card." "You try to survive Ben. I have no idea where you are. The teleportation card is the only chance you have. Knowing Chris, your prison will be loaded with all kinds of traps and defenses. At least I know there is no defense mechanism for teleportation spells. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to give you your cards, and the frequency of the shielding unit would have tipped off my orders."