The Peculiar Map

Astra, who seemed to be totally unconcerned that - whilst Ardua was now clothed - she herself was still naked, was standing in an alcove that Fred had not examined during his previous time in the library. She pointed at the desk next to her. On it stood a large globe. "It looks like a map," she said. "I recognise the mountains and seas that surround Aqualaria, though our country's border to the west and south seem to be shown as they were hundreds of years ago. But why would anyone put it onto the surface of a sphere, rather than leave it flat? It seems a peculiar thing to do."

"I remember once talking to someone who called himself a scientist," Fred responded. "He claimed that the world was really round rather than flat."

"But that's ridiculous," Ardua protested. "Everything on the underside would fall off."

"I know," Fred said. "It's just that seeing this reminded me of him... The depiction of the known world seems to agree with our own maps back in Allaria. But if you can believe what is shown here, the known world is only a small fraction of the whole."

"It may have the known world right, apart from making it curved," Ardua said. "But you can't believe the rest, surely? If it even has the shape of the world wrong, how can you give any credence to anything else that it shows?"

1. "I'm not so sure," Fred said.
2. "I suppose you're right," Fred conceded.
3. Fred didn't bother to answer this. Instead he said: "Where's your friend Mist got to? I hope that he hasn't evaporated."

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