from one of the street vendors. “Pumpkin spice cake?” he offered.
Ethan shook his head.
“Do you mind if I?” asked MacArthur as he piled the rest of the cake in his mouth.
Ethan ignored the question and had a seat in a comfy-looking chair. MacArthur poured Ethan some tea and then walked over to a large wooden chest with metal workings on the front. It was quite a beautiful piece of furniture. He pulled from it a silk bag that he set down on the table with the utmost delicacy. MacArthur opened the bag and pulled out a scaly snake-like creature. It was rather an odd-looking creature with a dragon-like head, no arms and no legs. The creature was blue and scaly with a black belly that had a peculiar design all the way to its chin. It was in a circle and remained so, because its tail was wedged firmly inside its mouth. The creature’s fangs were inserted into its own body.
Ethan sat up in his chair and marveled at the odd-looking reptile. “What is that? ” he asked curiously.
He was quickly answered. “He’s an Oroborus, Ethan — very rare creature indeed. In fact, he is one of only two that I know of. And, I have not heard anything of this one’s brother for a few years now. But then again, I don’t get out of the hut much,” smiled the alchemist.
He set the Oroborus down on top of the silk bag and sat down across from Ethan. They sipped their tea. The creature slid back its nearly invisible eyelids, revealing black eyes that appeared infinite. It was staring right at Ethan, and for a moment, Ethan felt he could not look away.
“You see, Ethan, this is how you got here. The place in which you come from has a Wegnel, correct? This place also has a Wegnel, which is why I would have you call me by my surname, MacArthur,” explained MacArthur.
Ethan nodded.
“The other Wegnel has been known to give a distraction because some people fear getting bitten by a creature such as this,” said MacArthur calmly.
“THAT THING BIT ME?” asked Ethan in a panic.
“Yes, he certainly did. Right there on your forearm,” replied MacArthur.
Ethan looked down and grabbed his forearm, which did not look like it had been bitten at all. “But there is no mark …”
“No, and there wouldn’t be,” interrupted MacArthur. “You see, the Oroborus is said to be the first creature in existence. He is so perfect that he does not need to eat food, breathe air, or have any senses at all. However, he has been known to get rather curious from time to time.”
MacArthur looked over to the Oroborus, who now had closed eyelids.
“How does it survive without food?” asked Ethan.
“Well as you can see he devours his own tail, but is constantly growing at the same time. He is self-sufficient,” replied MacArthur. “And there is something else that is very special about Dimon …”
“Dimon?”
“Well, he’s got to have a name, doesn’t he?” chuckled MacArthur. “As I was saying, Dimon can send someone from one world to the next — a parallel universe, another dimension, whatever you wish to call it. But the history of these creatures reveals that there are seven different worlds in the galaxy that are meant for men to explore. They are called Athani, Alfhemir, Enterom, Esurio, Inhalo, Prodigo, and Contabesco — you’re in Alfhemir and came from Enterom … god forbid you ever have to go to Contabesco….”
“Ah, ahh …” stuttered Ethan. “I think there’s been some kind of mistake here — first off, I haven’t heard of any of those places. Secondly, you’ve got a giant snake in your kitchen … what I mean to say … is … well I’m not entirely sure what I want to say. I haven’t been sure about anything since the moment I met you … both times.”
“I understand,” said MacArthur calmly. “That’s why I drugged your tea.”
“YOU WHAT? ”
“Hold on now,” soothed MacArthur.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” exclaimed Ethan.
“In my defense, I could tell that you were going to panic.
Ethan shook his head.
“Do you mind if I?” asked MacArthur as he piled the rest of the cake in his mouth.
Ethan ignored the question and had a seat in a comfy-looking chair. MacArthur poured Ethan some tea and then walked over to a large wooden chest with metal workings on the front. It was quite a beautiful piece of furniture. He pulled from it a silk bag that he set down on the table with the utmost delicacy. MacArthur opened the bag and pulled out a scaly snake-like creature. It was rather an odd-looking creature with a dragon-like head, no arms and no legs. The creature was blue and scaly with a black belly that had a peculiar design all the way to its chin. It was in a circle and remained so, because its tail was wedged firmly inside its mouth. The creature’s fangs were inserted into its own body.
Ethan sat up in his chair and marveled at the odd-looking reptile. “What is that? ” he asked curiously.
He was quickly answered. “He’s an Oroborus, Ethan — very rare creature indeed. In fact, he is one of only two that I know of. And, I have not heard anything of this one’s brother for a few years now. But then again, I don’t get out of the hut much,” smiled the alchemist.
He set the Oroborus down on top of the silk bag and sat down across from Ethan. They sipped their tea. The creature slid back its nearly invisible eyelids, revealing black eyes that appeared infinite. It was staring right at Ethan, and for a moment, Ethan felt he could not look away.
“You see, Ethan, this is how you got here. The place in which you come from has a Wegnel, correct? This place also has a Wegnel, which is why I would have you call me by my surname, MacArthur,” explained MacArthur.
Ethan nodded.
“The other Wegnel has been known to give a distraction because some people fear getting bitten by a creature such as this,” said MacArthur calmly.
“THAT THING BIT ME?” asked Ethan in a panic.
“Yes, he certainly did. Right there on your forearm,” replied MacArthur.
Ethan looked down and grabbed his forearm, which did not look like it had been bitten at all. “But there is no mark …”
“No, and there wouldn’t be,” interrupted MacArthur. “You see, the Oroborus is said to be the first creature in existence. He is so perfect that he does not need to eat food, breathe air, or have any senses at all. However, he has been known to get rather curious from time to time.”
MacArthur looked over to the Oroborus, who now had closed eyelids.
“How does it survive without food?” asked Ethan.
“Well as you can see he devours his own tail, but is constantly growing at the same time. He is self-sufficient,” replied MacArthur. “And there is something else that is very special about Dimon …”
“Dimon?”
“Well, he’s got to have a name, doesn’t he?” chuckled MacArthur. “As I was saying, Dimon can send someone from one world to the next — a parallel universe, another dimension, whatever you wish to call it. But the history of these creatures reveals that there are seven different worlds in the galaxy that are meant for men to explore. They are called Athani, Alfhemir, Enterom, Esurio, Inhalo, Prodigo, and Contabesco — you’re in Alfhemir and came from Enterom … god forbid you ever have to go to Contabesco….”
“Ah, ahh …” stuttered Ethan. “I think there’s been some kind of mistake here — first off, I haven’t heard of any of those places. Secondly, you’ve got a giant snake in your kitchen … what I mean to say … is … well I’m not entirely sure what I want to say. I haven’t been sure about anything since the moment I met you … both times.”
“I understand,” said MacArthur calmly. “That’s why I drugged your tea.”
“YOU WHAT? ”
“Hold on now,” soothed MacArthur.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” exclaimed Ethan.
“In my defense, I could tell that you were going to panic.
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