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The next morning Cole awoke abruptly and almost hit Mateo in the face.
“Sorry, I thought you were someone else.” Cole said as Mateo fell over.
“What do you mean? Were you planning on smashing Doma’s face?”
“No, I thought…never mind.” Cole and Mateo both exited the tent clumsily and looked around the cavern. Doma sat on the same boulder that Sirius had been on the night before, brushing her hair and humming her favorite song. Cole looked specifically for their mysterious ally but he was nowhere to be found. Quickly he motioned for his friends to follow him and headed for the tunnel that they had entered the cavern from.
“Come on, we’re leaving.” Cole said.
“Why? We may not have much here, but it offers protection from the army and shelter from nature. And Mr. Degas has been kind seems so nice.” Doma said as she tried to catch up.
“He is the reason why we’re leaving.” Mateo put a hand on Cole’s shoulder and stopped him.
“Wait a minute. What do you mean by that? Did something happen last night?” Cole pushed Mateo’s hand off and started walking again as he said,
“Let’s just say that he isn’t exactly what he appears and he has been hiding something from us.”
“He’s right actually. I didn’t exactly tell you everything about myself last night, but I had reasons for it.” Sirius said as he came out of a side tunnel.
“Reasons? You told me yourself that you were responsible for what happened in the town yesterday!” Cole shouted as slammed Sirius into a wall and tried to hold back his own tears.
“Is this true?” Doma asked.
“Partially. What I said was that I might have caused it. I don’t know for sure.”
“Bullshit! You know exactly what you did to have caused it or you wouldn’t have even mentioned it.” Cole spat out angrily as he released him. As Sirius was dusting himself off Mateo pulled out his knife and pointed it him.
“Explain yourself before I drive this through your chest.” Sirius sighed and leaned against the tunnel wall.
“Where should I start? Probably at the beginning of this whole catastrophe. What Cole said about me not being what appeared to be is true. I am not one of you.”
“You sure got that right. Come on, let’s go.” Cole said as he started down the exit tunnel. Suddenly a portion of the wall rushed forward and blocked his path.
“I wasn’t finished yet and you’ve misunderstood what I’ve said again. I am not from this province, I am not from this country and I am not even from Zeragu itself.” As a look of confusion passed over the trio’s faces he sighed again. “This is going to take a while. As I said, I am not from this world. In fact, I’m not even from this universe. Ah, you probably don’t even know what that term is. Anyway, as I said before I am a traveler, but I am not limited to walking or horse riding to get around. Perhaps later I’ll show you how, but for now, just know that I can go to places that you could barely imagine, in ways that you don’t understand. Maybe later you will, but that will be up to you.” Doma raised a questioning hand and Sirius paused.
“What do you mean? Are you saying that you’re a Küba?”

“Küba? Küba, now where have I heard that before?” Sirius said as he rummaged through his pack and pulled out a black sphere. He held it in his palm and twisted it, then set it on the ground. Slowly a blue light shimmered above it and formed a face.
“Please state data request.” The face said.
“Küba, definition.”
“One moment please.” The sphere responded then hummed for a while before responding. “Seventy-five definitions found. Please refine search.”
“Local definition, planet Zeragu, Aethrix Zee-Plural-Alpha-Delta.”
“One moment please. Küba, a mythological race of beings that travel across the stars in search of amusement and knowledge. This race is divided into two classes, the Kulta Küba and the Kutla Küba. The Kulta Küba were often known for tricking natives into doing silly tasks that humiliate them, with a humorous reward in return. However anytime that a Zeragun intentionally contacts them and amuses the Kulta Küba they will offer the native any one thing they wish for. The Kutla Küba however were known from their non-active stance on their viewing. They also would offer wishes for amusement, and also new knowledge, but would not trick Zerauns into being the brunt of their jokes.”

“Puck.” Sirius muttered. His face showed annoyance for a brief moment before he finally answered the Doma’s question. “No, I am not Küba, but I believe I might just know one. As I said earlier, I am a traveler, and while I do enjoy immersing myself in various cultures, I don’t like to interfere with them. I do not try to make puppets out of less advanced beings, and I do not generally offer any direct aid either. In fact, I can count on my hands the number of people who have been taken into my confidence, and you three, despite my intentions, are among them. While I do have powers and technologies that could rip this world apart, I do rather enjoy the sunsets and flora here.”
“Wait, you mean that you could have killed me when I pulled out dagger? You don’t even look like you how to cast a simple flare spell.” Mateo said smirking. Sirius narrowed his eyes and in a hushed voice replied,
“Like your friend said, I’m not exactly what I appear to be.” As he let his gaze return to normal he pointed to the teen’s weapon and said,
“By the way, your blade is on fire.” Immediately after he looked at it, Mateo saw that the dagger was indeed ablaze and dropped it. He and his friends backed away from Sirius slowly as he stepped forward. Sirius stooped over and picked up the knife by its blade, still ablaze, offering the hilt to Mateo. As he grasped the hilt the fire went out and Mateo said,
“What kind of sorcerer are you?”
“As I already told Cole last night, I am not a magician. What I do is not done through magic, but rather science, technology and a bit of creativity. And it is my powers that may have doomed your town.”

The group stood in silence for what felt like hours before Doma meekly spoke.
“Although you claim not to be one, what you are able to do is so far beyond my comprehension that you might as well be a Küba. Regardless of what you may be, how could you have caused this tragedy? I thought you said that you do not interfere with the cultures you immerse yourself in.”
“As I said, I try not to, but where I come from there is a theory that even a single flap of a butterfly’s wing may set a chain of events in place that causes a hurricane. Although the idea seems ridiculous, it is an undeniable fact that everything on Zeragu is interrelated. As farmers, you know that to grow a crop you need to plant seed in fertile ground and with the right conditions a crop that is larger than what your family needs. You sell surplus to those who do not farm, thus feeding them so they can live to produce other things that you town needs or wants. With the profit earned from selling the surplus you are able to buy more land, more seed and tools to improve your next crop.”
“I think we all understand your analogy, but where do you fit into this?” Cole asked irritated.
“I’m getting to it. Now, you have your crops and your inter-related town is able to flourish, but what happens when you introduce a foreign element to the mix? Something like a weed that is persistent?”
“The weed steals the crops’ fertile ground, nutrients, water and grows to overshadow the crops and kill them.”
“But you aren’t trying to cause any problems like the weed, so how are you like the weed?” Doma asked puzzled.
“I’m not. What happens that allows the weed to grow? The farmer gets lazy and doesn’t separate the weeds out of the regular crops until it is too late. I should have researched this place before coming here and found a way to divert this catastrophe. But I didn’t want to interfere because it was caused by people. With a natural disaster I usually will plot out the possibilities, and then choose a way to solve them that is most beneficial to the society. Sometimes I make it appear to be the working of the local deities so as to remove any possible suspicion from myself, but in human-centered problems I usually step back because they might make the people worship me, which is that last thing that I want. I merely... A month ago I gave a family on the edge of the valley some precious stones in exchange for food, seeing as they seemed to be in dire straits, and the food was well worth it to me. Obviously someone of great greed has heard of their newfound wealth and must assume that a local source has been found of value if even a simple farmer would have such baubles. I hadn't considered that before I gave the gems to them. I should have used local currency and not of such extravagance. I set a chain of events in motion. That is how I am partially to blame and for that I am sorry. I didn’t create these realities, these worlds. Someone, or something else did. I merely explore and study them. I could have stopped this from ever happening if I hadn't acted on an impulse.”
“But you didn’t, and because you didn’t my parents are probably dead. Thanks.” Mateo said as he picked up a lit torch and stomped off down a corridor.
“Mateo!” Cole shouted and started after him.
“Let him be, he’s right about this.” Sirius said as he held him back a moment.
“I know that, but even you can’t control everything. Things happen. Granted, I’m still mad because you didn’t stop it, but I think I understand a bit more what you meant. Besides, the path he went down isn’t the one we came into this cavern by.”

Description
The next morning Cole awoke abruptly and almost hit Mateo in the face.
“Sorry, I thought you were someone else.” Cole said as Mateo fell over.
“What do you mean? Were you planning on smashing Doma’s face?”
“No, I thought…never mind.” Cole and Mateo both exited the tent clumsily and looked around the cavern. Doma sat on the same boulder that Sirius had been on the night before, brushing her hair and humming her favorite song. Cole looked specifically for their mysterious ally but he was nowhere to be found. Quickly he motioned for his friends to follow him and headed for the tunnel that they had entered the cavern from.
“Come on, we’re leaving.” Cole said.
“Why? We may not have much here, but it offers protection from the army and shelter from nature. And Mr. Degas has been kind seems so nice.” Doma said as she tried to catch up.
“He is the reason why we’re leaving.” Mateo put a hand on Cole’s shoulder and stopped him.
“Wait a minute. What do you mean by that? Did something happen last night?” Cole pushed Mateo’s hand off and started walking again as he said,
“Let’s just say that he isn’t exactly what he appears and he has been hiding something from us.”
“He’s right actually. I didn’t exactly tell you everything about myself last night, but I had reasons for it.” Sirius said as he came out of a side tunnel.
“Reasons? You told me yourself that you were responsible for what happened in the town yesterday!” Cole shouted as slammed Sirius into a wall and tried to hold back his own tears.
“Is this true?” Doma asked.
“Partially. What I said was that I might have caused it. I don’t know for sure.”
“Bullshit! You know exactly what you did to have caused it or you wouldn’t have even mentioned it.” Cole spat out angrily as he released him. As Sirius was dusting himself off Mateo pulled out his knife and pointed it him.
“Explain yourself before I drive this through your chest.” Sirius sighed and leaned against the tunnel wall.
“Where should I start? Probably at the beginning of this whole catastrophe. What Cole said about me not being what appeared to be is true. I am not one of you.”
“You sure got that right. Come on, let’s go.” Cole said as he started down the exit tunnel. Suddenly a portion of the wall rushed forward and blocked his path.
“I wasn’t finished yet and you’ve misunderstood what I’ve said again. I am not from this province, I am not from this country and I am not even from Zeragu itself.” As a look of confusion passed over the trio’s faces he sighed again. “This is going to take a while. As I said, I am not from this world. In fact, I’m not even from this universe. Ah, you probably don’t even know what that term is. Anyway, as I said before I am a traveler, but I am not limited to walking or horse riding to get around. Perhaps later I’ll show you how, but for now, just know that I can go to places that you could barely imagine, in ways that you don’t understand. Maybe later you will, but that will be up to you.” Doma raised a questioning hand and Sirius paused.
“What do you mean? Are you saying that you’re a Küba?”

“Küba? Küba, now where have I heard that before?” Sirius said as he rummaged through his pack and pulled out a black sphere. He held it in his palm and twisted it, then set it on the ground. Slowly a blue light shimmered above it and formed a face.
“Please state data request.” The face said.
“Küba, definition.”
“One moment please.” The sphere responded then hummed for a while before responding. “Seventy-five definitions found. Please refine search.”
“Local definition, planet Zeragu, Aethrix Zee-Plural-Alpha-Delta.”
“One moment please. Küba, a mythological race of beings that travel across the stars in search of amusement and knowledge. This race is divided into two classes, the Kulta Küba and the Kutla Küba. The Kulta Küba were often known for tricking natives into doing silly tasks that humiliate them, with a humorous reward in return. However anytime that a Zeragun intentionally contacts them and amuses the Kulta Küba they will offer the native any one thing they wish for. The Kutla Küba however were known from their non-active stance on their viewing. They also would offer wishes for amusement, and also new knowledge, but would not trick Zerauns into being the brunt of their jokes.”

“Puck.” Sirius muttered. His face showed annoyance for a brief moment before he finally answered the Doma’s question. “No, I am not Küba, but I believe I might just know one. As I said earlier, I am a traveler, and while I do enjoy immersing myself in various cultures, I don’t like to interfere with them. I do not try to make puppets out of less advanced beings, and I do not generally offer any direct aid either. In fact, I can count on my hands the number of people who have been taken into my confidence, and you three, despite my intentions, are among them. While I do have powers and technologies that could rip this world apart, I do rather enjoy the sunsets and flora here.”
“Wait, you mean that you could have killed me when I pulled out dagger? You don’t even look like you how to cast a simple flare spell.” Mateo said smirking. Sirius narrowed his eyes and in a hushed voice replied,
“Like your friend said, I’m not exactly what I appear to be.” As he let his gaze return to normal he pointed to the teen’s weapon and said,
“By the way, your blade is on fire.” Immediately after he looked at it, Mateo saw that the dagger was indeed ablaze and dropped it. He and his friends backed away from Sirius slowly as he stepped forward. Sirius stooped over and picked up the knife by its blade, still ablaze, offering the hilt to Mateo. As he grasped the hilt the fire went out and Mateo said,
“What kind of sorcerer are you?”
“As I already told Cole last night, I am not a magician. What I do is not done through magic, but rather science, technology and a bit of creativity. And it is my powers that may have doomed your town.”

The group stood in silence for what felt like hours before Doma meekly spoke.
“Although you claim not to be one, what you are able to do is so far beyond my comprehension that you might as well be a Küba. Regardless of what you may be, how could you have caused this tragedy? I thought you said that you do not interfere with the cultures you immerse yourself in.”
“As I said, I try not to, but where I come from there is a theory that even a single flap of a butterfly’s wing may set a chain of events in place that causes a hurricane. Although the idea seems ridiculous, it is an undeniable fact that everything on Zeragu is interrelated. As farmers, you know that to grow a crop you need to plant seed in fertile ground and with the right conditions a crop that is larger than what your family needs. You sell surplus to those who do not farm, thus feeding them so they can live to produce other things that you town needs or wants. With the profit earned from selling the surplus you are able to buy more land, more seed and tools to improve your next crop.”
“I think we all understand your analogy, but where do you fit into this?” Cole asked irritated.
“I’m getting to it. Now, you have your crops and your inter-related town is able to flourish, but what happens when you introduce a foreign element to the mix? Something like a weed that is persistent?”
“The weed steals the crops’ fertile ground, nutrients, water and grows to overshadow the crops and kill them.”
“But you aren’t trying to cause any problems like the weed, so how are you like the weed?” Doma asked puzzled.
“I’m not. What happens that allows the weed to grow? The farmer gets lazy and doesn’t separate the weeds out of the regular crops until it is too late. I should have researched this place before coming here and found a way to divert this catastrophe. But I didn’t want to interfere because it was caused by people. With a natural disaster I usually will plot out the possibilities, and then choose a way to solve them that is most beneficial to the society. Sometimes I make it appear to be the working of the local deities so as to remove any possible suspicion from myself, but in human-centered problems I usually step back because they might make the people worship me, which is that last thing that I want. I merely... A month ago I gave a family on the edge of the valley some precious stones in exchange for food, seeing as they seemed to be in dire straits, and the food was well worth it to me. Obviously someone of great greed has heard of their newfound wealth and must assume that a local source has been found of value if even a simple farmer would have such baubles. I hadn't considered that before I gave the gems to them. I should have used local currency and not of such extravagance. I set a chain of events in motion. That is how I am partially to blame and for that I am sorry. I didn’t create these realities, these worlds. Someone, or something else did. I merely explore and study them. I could have stopped this from ever happening if I hadn't acted on an impulse.”
“But you didn’t, and because you didn’t my parents are probably dead. Thanks.” Mateo said as he picked up a lit torch and stomped off down a corridor.
“Mateo!” Cole shouted and started after him.
“Let him be, he’s right about this.” Sirius said as he held him back a moment.
“I know that, but even you can’t control everything. Things happen. Granted, I’m still mad because you didn’t stop it, but I think I understand a bit more what you meant. Besides, the path he went down isn’t the one we came into this cavern by.”