A Wanderer sat across from Colin. Both of them sat in an airship, decorated with plants, broken tiles, and other bits and bobs. Paperclips and paper stars hung from the bottom of the deck above. A table stood between the two, made from a stop sign held up with a stack of books, a plastic water bottle, a comically small chair, and several mason jars. Two mismatched cups steamed with tea.
"You survived death?" Despite the appearance of the room they sat in, the Wanderer was dead serious.
"Yes. I came back from The Edge."
"The Edge." The Wanderer thought, and manifested a book, quickly reading through it. "That shouldn't be possible. You're a mortal. Just a normal person." They pointed to Colin with the book. "No offense."
"None taken." Colin shrugged.
"But now that you survived, other mortals are gonna think you're important, and then the whole thing justifies itself!" The Wanderer waved their hands around. "Why?"
"Ummm, Mr./Ms. Wanderer...?" Colin began.
"No. None of that, please. Just Wanderer." The Wanderer cut him off.
"Right. What if something's wrong?"
"What do you mean?"
"What if there's something wrong with reality? You said reality is like a lake, right? What if something caused a ripple?" As he spoke, The Wanderer's frown turned upward.
"You're smart." The Wanderer stood. "And probably right. Follow." They began to walk away, motioning to Colin to follow them. They walked down a hallway, to a map room. Many odd-looking instruments and maps decorated the shelves and walls. In a jar nestled in a corner, a strange disc sat in water. Small runes were carved on it. "Don't touch anything. You'll mess up the course." The Wanderer spoke over their shoulder. They picked up the disc out of the jar and pulled up a yellowed map. They placed the disk over their eye, despite the strange fog that covered their entire face. They spread out the map and pulled it into the air, showing many 3d topographical maps. Runes glowed along the edge of them, same as the ones on the disc that the Wanderer now wore.
The Wanderer collapsed the map and replaced the disc. "Thanks." Colin stared. "You were right. Something affected reality, and in turn, affected you." The Wanderer walked upstairs to the first deck. It was a sunny day as they sailed through the clouds, the rolling plains and forests below them rushing past. Snow-topped mountains framed the ship. "We're gonna track it."
"Don't you have a city, or a lover, or something to get back to?" Colin asked, eyes adjusting to the sun. The Wanderer stared at the mountains for a moment.
"No." They answered. "I hope you got everything you need. You can eat Polyvules, right?" The Wanderer ran up to a console centered with a wheel. They spun the wheel and pressed some yellow, red, and orange buttons. The airship did not move.
"Was that supposed to-"
"It'll move."
"So then, where are we going exactly?"
"Nowhere, the originator of these weird waves." Colin blinked.
"So, we're just realm hopping?"
"Yes."
"Fun."
"I'd know."
+-- And So It Begins.--+
