Explanations

"I am a natural philosopher by choice and a mage by necessity," Vincent begins. "I am a native of a reality - a universe if you will - located only a short distance away from this one."

"A short distance?" The Seeker asks.

"It would take me longer than we can spare to give you a full explanation of what I mean by that. Let's just say that this universe is one that it is comparatively easy for me to keep an eye on, and also to visit if the need arises. For I have invented a machine that allows me to spy on other universes, and another machine that allows me to travel to them."

At this point there is a groan from Stefan. "Can't have him coming round just yet," Vincent mutters, and an arcane gesture ensures that the youth will remain unconscious for a while longer.

"But you didn't come here in a machine," The Seeker protests.

"I was sent here by a machine. But the machine itself remains in my tower deep in the Calamari desert on my home world."

"So how are you going to get home? And how did Sir Boris get here? And why are you both here?"

"So many questions! As to how I get home, the machine is set to 'pull' me back after twelve hours. That's one reason why time is so pressing. I don't know what means Sir Boris used to get here, though I assume that he is here for the same reason as myself."

"And that is...?"

"A little while ago, an alarm rang, warning me that something odd was happening in one of the neighbouring universes that I keep a friendly eye on. That would have been caused by your arrival here. I've been observing you ever since, as you've flitted from one body to another."

The Seeker doesn't feel at all comfortable at the idea that he's been under observation, especially when the observer can apparently keep track of his "spirit" - if that's the appropriate term - irrespective of what body it finds itself in. Then something occurs to him. "But each time I've changed bodies, I seem to have found myself in a new, slightly different, reality," he points out, wondering how Vincent could keep tabs on him in such circumstances.

"Yes and no. You haven't actually travelled to another nearby reality each time, as you may have assumed. Somehow your switching to another body has actually caused this reality - this universe - to change. That has to stop. If it goes on, the ripples of discontinuity will start to spread outwards, and neighbouring universes - probably including my own - will start to change as well."

That is an alarming idea for The Seeker to have to deal with. "But it's not of my own volition," he points out. "How can I stop it happening? Ideally, I'd like to go back home - my real home - but not until I've prevented the New Amazons from getting massacred in the upcoming big battle."

"I know it wasn't your own doing. It seems to have been triggered by an eyeball."

"An eyeball!?"

1. Sir Boris has finished his picnic by this time, and he takes up the story.
2. Dr Vincent says: "Before I go on, I ought to do something about your
3. Dr Vincent says: "Before I go on, I ought to do something about your friends. It wouldn't be good for them to be frozen for much longer."

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