Growing Lilies

“How are the animals at La Mancha?”

“We went yesterday, in the morning. Master Zero dispelled her dead human things.”

“Dead man switches.”

“Yes, those. The animals are well. The water spells were still working well. There are too many eggs, but we have been letting the pack eat the excess. Master Zero is angry she still hasn’t gotten milk figured out.”

“Huh. I bet I could find a farmer and ask some questions, right? Even if they don’t have cows, they probably… milk…something.”

Lily grimaced thinking about it. Time to change the subject! She and Star had been walking for only about five minutes in the direction she remembered going yesterday, when she had stopped to work out a spell and talk for a bit. She was pretty sure she knew the way to town and back, but had an idea of how to make sure. So, here she was, still in sight of Sunica’s cabin, albeit just barely, crafting a pair of spells.

The idea wasn’t complicated at all. She’d gather mana here, and set up a mana compass like she had used to find spooky spots before the split. But, she still took the time to doodle in the snow with a stick to work out the magic before casting something strange. She needed to make sure it didn’t overcharge like the paper in her living room had a long time ago. In the meantime, she was talking to Star through Bay.

“What is that world like? You mentioned to Lady Flamewalker Zero some things I did not understand.”

“It’s really interesting, honestly. From like, even an anthropological standpoint. Among other things. For starters, there aren’t many humans around here. I hear there are in other parts of the world, but everyone around here is Balaur. Which is… Hmm.”

“Like Miss Sunica?”

“Yeah! She is too. Uh, how do I explain. She looks like a human woman in a lot of ways. But she’s a fair bit taller than me, and she has scales. Bright red beautiful scales. And a tail! And horns. Some balaur seem to have even more of those traits. I’ve seen a few people with full on claws rather than human hands, or different horns, I even think I saw clothes for people with wings in the tailor’s shop now that I’m thinking back through my panic. Though I didn’t see anyone like that.”

“So, they are some kind of hybrid?”

“I’m really not sure. They seem to be their own thing. Back on Earth I would have been sure they came from a common ancestor, but my gut tells me it doesn’t need to be that way in a world with magic. Honestly, I find that easier to swallow than the idea of humans existing here too.”

“I do not understand.”

“Well, like, humans on earth… ugh, I can’t explain evolution quickly, I’m sorry. Suffice it to say, every living thing on earth shares a parent, somewhere back in history. Dogs, humans, even plants. We’re all very, very distant relatives. I can accept that it’s different here pretty easily. If it is. But what bugs me is that if that’s the case, things from earth shouldn’t exist here. But I’ve seen a number of things that definitely do exist on earth already. I couldn’t tell you if these exact trees exist on earth or not, but they’re pretty similar to trees that do exist. But, I can tell you for certain that at least humans, chickens, and dogs exist here. So, I think things from earth are just here. Which makes very little sense.”

“Maybe it is a quirk of earth that things exist that way here, and not the other way around?”

“Huh?”

Lily finished up her mana gathering spell, and picked up Bay to continue her walk towards the town of Veni.

“You are talking like Earth is the default, and it is possible that designs of plants and animals were copied over to that world somehow despite the rules being possibly different. But, is it not also a possibility that the beings on Earth are the ones that are mimicking that place?”

“That– Hmm. I guess I didn’t think of that. It seems unlikely, because things on earth have such a logical progression to them. Evolution is an observable and in controlled situations predictable process. So, it seems like one hell of a coincidence for it to have replicated things from elsewhere. And I can explain this place replicating earth with magic. But, I can’t rule it out. Thanks for looking out.”

“Of course, Master. I will also point out that Earth does have magic.”

“Well, yeah. But only after everyone vanished.”

“Is that certain?”

“What do you mean? Of course! People would have found it a long time ago if it existed before then.”

“Why?”

“Because… Because… super smart people have existed through all of history and no one has even mentioned a discovery like that!”

“Maybe they did not discover it.”

“Spooky spots are all over the place. Of course they would have.”

“Those places where mana gathers so abundantly that natural spells occur may be the new phenomena after everyone vanishes. Not the existence of magic itself. Is it not possible that the mana level of the world was raised, but magic existed before then?”

“I. I guess that’s possible. It’s an outside shot, but I’ll consider it.”

“I do not necessarily believe these things myself, Master. I want to point out potential gaps in your thinking.”

“Yeah, I know. When did you get so smart anyway?”

“I am your companion. I must be smart, to keep up with you.”

“Hah, you flatterer. But thank you. I’ll try to absorb the compliment.”

“What else is different about that world?”

Lily made it a ways down the road towards town, but had to sit again. She could see now that it was a sort of road. Well, more like a trail than a road. Along the path she had taken with Sunica there was a narrow area that the trees were less dense in. It was as if two forests were touching, and she was walking along the seam. It was beautiful. Cold as hell, even with her nice new clothes. But beautiful.

“That’s going to be hard to explain without context too. But, I’ll give it a try. It seems like depending on what kind of person you are here, and the things you do you get given a class. It’s like a title or a designation or category or… something. Like, someone who hunts might become a [Hunter], or someone who cooks might be a [Cook] or [Chef] see?”

“Is that different than Earth?”

“Well, yeah. Because rather than just calling yourself, something uh… assigns it to you? I’m unclear on what that something is. But I get a little voice in my head when I’m falling asleep that tells me.”

“I see. Are you stuck doing it? If you are assigned something you do not like, must you continue?”

“Nah, it’s not like that. Though there are benefits to sticking with it.”

Lily yelped as she stepped in snow that was somehow much deeper all of a sudden. There must have been a hole there, because she fell in up to her thighs. But, she was able to climb back out. She vaguely remembered Sunica stopping her and having her walk around a point in the path on her last trips. Did she know the hole was here? How often has she walked this path…?

“What kind of benefits?”

“Well, for one, you have a level in your class. It goes up as you do things related to that class, and you get Skills as rewards. Which are just like… things you can do? Almost like spells, but sometimes just traits on you and stuff like that. Honestly, that part is really cool! I can’t help but wonder though…”

“What is on your mind?”

“Well, like, what is giving us classes and levels? They don’t exist on earth. So there’s some force here doing it, right? Is it an ambient effect? An entity like my Entity A and Entity B? Entity C? If we are getting an Entity C, I need to come up with a better name for them. But just, why are things like this here? It’s been driving me nuts.”

“I do not believe this is the case, Master. But you have a tendency I’ve noticed. Have you thought that maybe there is something preventing it from being that way on earth, rather than the other way around?”

Lily stopped in the snow for a moment and looked up at the sky. Blue skies. Just like at home. So many questions. Does air have the exact same composition? Why? She took a deep breath, and started walking again. 

She was making good time with Star. Maybe she’d gotten a little stronger, maybe she was just keeping her mind off her body. She was quite tired, but pushing herself. If she could just get her body in good enough shape to get to Veni and back without taking rests, it’d be good exercise. But having to take high steps because of the calf deep snow was tiring. Didn’t they have snow shoes around here?

“No. I don’t think that’s it. Good boy pointing out things I might have missed though.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Lily smiled. Star was Star, in any world.

“I’d think you had a valid point in most circumstances. But, the system here is too… I don’t have a word for it. But, I can’t make myself believe it wasn’t designed with intention. I don’t think there’s a natural way for this to come about. And if it was created by someone or something, then it not being on earth makes sense. I guess what I want to get to the bottom of is just this: Is the entity that created these things still around, or is it some kind of self reinforcing system? Is there an Entity for me to watch for, or no?”

“Does it really matter? That world works the way that it works.”

“I guess so. I just don’t like giving up. I want to know everything, you know? Not to mention, if I’m working together with a bunch of copies of myself across the universe, I ought to figure out why things are the way they are. Take notes, create hypotheses and when I find ways to do so, test them.”

“What is that?”

“Oh, right. We gotta do a lesson on the scientific method sometime too. I wasn’t a huge science nerd in school, but it’s not like anyone else is gonna be doing these things out here.”

“That did not explain anything.”

“Sorry, we don’t have time for the lesson right now. We’re here.”

Lily crested the hill, and was suddenly looking down on the town of Veni. City? The residents seemed to use the two interchangeably. Lily wondered how many people actually lived here. Probably she could ask, if she got up the nerve. It didn’t look huge, but looks weren’t everything. Plus, there were in the hundreds of houses at least, and if each one had an average of more than two residents, she assumed the population must be in the thousands.

A shiver of fear went through her just imagining all the people down there. She could even see a good few, although they were far away. She just had to walk in there for a little bit. Just a few minutes even! Just enter the gate as a lone human, take a stroll, and then leave. Yeah. Simple. Her heart rate was spiking. This would be fine. She had to get past it. She clenched her fists a few times.

“Master?”

Lily startled.

“Huh? What?”

“You went quiet and stopped responding.”

“Oh. Yeah. Well it’s just, I can see the city now, and I’m starting to get a little worried.”

“Everything will be fine, Master.”

“Easy for you to say! You can’t see it!”

“What does it look like?”

Lily made an effort to breathe slowly and deliberately.

“There’s a river. Between me and the river is a town. Er, city. Whatever. There are hundreds of buildings. Smoke is coming from a lot of them. They’re almost entirely made of wood and stone. People are going about their daily business. Around the city is a wooden wall, with several gates watched over by guards.”

“Are they hostile?”

“Huh?”

“They are strangers. Will they attack you?”

Lily chuckled.

“What? No! They’re all nice. At least, all the ones I talked to last time. Not that I did much talking.”

“So, they are friendly?”

“Yeah, I think.”

“Then you are scared to talk with them?”

“And just… be around them I guess. Be perceived at all.”

“I see. Well, I will be here with you. For support.”

“Thanks Star. That actually helps a lot.”

It did. She might have to explain away a talking stuffed animal, but that was still much easier than being alone! Alright. She had this. Her and Star against the world! Although she was starting to wish she had brought Sunica too. No, no. She had this!

Lily started down the hill and got in line. The balaur woman in front of her turned to look at her for a moment, and then turned back to face the gate. Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

“What is happening, Master?”

Lily tensed up.

“Shhh!”

“But I can not see.”

“I’m in line, shut up!”

“Fine. But if you do not tell me I will not know.”

The lady in front of Lily was staring at her with a confused look now. Lily waved and smiled and tried not to scream. Fortunately, the woman turned back again.

It took a few agonizing minutes for Lily to make her way to the front of the line, during which she stared at the ground and tried not to pay attention to her surroundings. Finally, the last person was waved forward and she found herself face to face with Avea again, who looked surprised to see her.

“Woah! It’s the strange human again. Hey Miss Outsider, where’s Sunica?”

“It’s uh, just me today.”

“Huh, weird. Well, don’t go doin’ anything that’ll get her in trouble okay?”

“I won’t!”

Lily almost yelped. She swallowed and tried again more calmly.

“I uh. Actually. I don’t mind waiting, but I’d like to talk to you a little if I can.”

“Yeah? Guard business or personal?”

“Uh, a little of both?”

“Well, hit me with the guard business first.”

Lily looked back at the line nervously. The balaur man behind her had his arms crossed impatiently, but wasn’t glaring at her. Lily laughed nervously and tried to give Avea a smile.

“Well, you don’t have to look for my dog anymore.”