As the sun continues to rise over the plains that lay before us, I wish that to-go coffee was a thing in this world. Someone, Dardania, thought it would be a good idea to get started bright and early this morning. She has concerns about Trevor beating us to Inanna.

  The name, like every other town name before this one, sounds eerily familiar. Honestly, I’m not overly well versed in Sumerian mythology, but even I recognize the name and the story that it is associated with it.

  As we move further away from the ocean, the air just keeps getting warmer and warmer and I am wearing way too many clothes and haven’t had enough coffee for this journey. Though, I am eternally grateful that in this moment my attire consists of this little leather daddy harness. As least my torso gets to enjoy the breeze as the temperature climbs.

  As we were making out way out of town this morning, we passed by the Cleric we had a run in with last night. He just stared at us as we passed him, but he didn’t react. Just before we were out of sight, he gave a slight little nod. I can only assume that is his way of saying that he would keep his word and not turn us in. At least, I hope that’s what it meant.

  “I would kill for an iced coffee.” I groan, letting my inner thoughts out.

  “A coffee with ice? That sounds absurd.” Dardania says from several feet in front of me, but doesn’t even turn around to say it.

  “It’s actually quite tasty. It was basically an accessory for gay guys back in our world.” Madison chuckles as she looks back to me. I just roll my eyes at her stereotype, but I can’t deny it. There is something very cliche about it, but also very true.

  “What’s it like? Being gay in your world?” Avis asks. I contemplate the thought for a few seconds before answering.

  “Um, depends on where you are. Though I can say at large it’s better than here. At least I wouldn’t be thrown into a camp for being gay.”

  “Well, not in this decade anyway.” Madison adds.

  “What do you mean?” Prisha inquires.

  “About 80 or so years ago there was a world war. One of the countries that started the war was rounding up different groups of people, putting them in labor camps, and then killing them in gas chambers. Very much like the camps, but it happened rapidly to a ton of different people. Gay people were one of those groups.”

  It’s such a weird thing to think about. Something that I thought was long in the past is now very much my present. It doesn’t seem as prevalent in this world, but there isn’t mass media either. So, the information in regards to the camps wouldn’t travel nearly as fast, so there is no telling how many people are being sent to camps.

  “But, in the present, it’s not as bad. Well, as far as I know. Things were starting to get bad when I left. For all I know, we could be on a path back to the camps. But we could get married!” I turn to Avis and smile. There is at least that. Things may have been moving backwards, but at least in the moment before I left, we had that. I definitely don’t have that here.

  “Really?” Avis says, a big grin forming on his face. He lit up like a child on Christmas who just opened the present they have been waiting for all year. “It’s not something I ever considered even possible, but if it can happen in your world, maybe it’s possible here.”

  I just stare at Avis, with the sun on his face and a massive smile. It was not something I had ever seen before. I’ve definitely seen him smile, but not like this. This single statement seemed like it just gave him hope. That’s a sight I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.

  “So, um, on a slightly different note. I may have somewhat committed a crime this morning.” Prisha says with a hard segue into an entirely unrelated conversation. She slowly pulls a book out of her bag and hands it to Dardania.

  “What is this?” Dardania flips it around, scanning the cover before flipping it open and thumbing through a few of the pages.

  “After last night, I took it upon myself to head to the library first thing this morning. I tried to find any bit of information on these supposed Ancients that I could. With such a vague name like that, it wasn’t easy. The librarians weren’t of any help either.”

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  “Well, the libraries are run by the Order. The librarians are just Acolytes and the Blessed. So, any history of religion apart from theirs is basically impossible to come by.” Dardania hands the book back to Prisha. “How did you find this one?”

  “It’s vague title actually.”

  I reach my hand out for the book and she hands it to me. I flip the book over to read the title, ‘The Magic of The Ancients.’ The cover was warped with age, and the pages soft from countless hands flipping through it over the centuries.

  “The title was vague enough that someone who had never heard their name wouldn’t think twice about it, but enough for me to be suspicious. So I flipped through the pages and discovered it is in fact about The Ancients that were mentioned in the vision.”

  I flip the book open, and proceed to read the first page aloud.

  “What is a god but a man whom has deemed himself so. One who has surpassed all limits held by man, and pushed his way into the heavens. The Ancients were not born titans, but made. When they breathed first breath, they too knew that one day they would perish, until they didn’t. Those who walk the path of the Ancients shall too walk the path into the heavens.”

  “That is… cryptic.” Madison says bluntly.

  “Don’t we have enough ancient history with Tabathia, now we have to add in these Ancients? This is all too much for me.” Avis exhales dramatically. I on the other hand am very interested in the ancient history. It very much dictates where the world is now, whether people believe it or not. The more you know of history, the better you can see the world that stands before you. Personally, I want to know how this world ended up this way. How did it get to a place where a single religion held all the political power in the world and they used it to cleanse people. A single city like Tabathia couldn’t have led to that. It’s much more complicated than that. I knew it had to be.

  “Well, if we learn more about the world the Major Arcana were born into and that eventually collapsed, we can learn about how we ended up here.” Prisha says, speaking my thoughts for me. Saved me the trouble of having to say them myself.

  “I guess.” Avis responds and continues walking. I look back down at the book as we walk, starting to become lost in thought.

  We still at this point have no idea how Tabathia came to be, and honestly I don’t feel like we are any closer to figuring it out. Sirius still stands, much as it did back then, but apparently it’s not the same. When Tabathia stood, the Order didn’t exist, so they weren’t the seat of power in Sirius, so who was? It appears that the Order went to great lengths to ensure that whatever existed prior to their creation wouldn’t be known to the general public.

  Then you still add in the fact that this is Earth. The names that exist in both worlds, like Inanna for instance, are definitely suspicious. Ugh there are just so many things swirling around my brain that I can’t even make sense of it all. Then you add in the fact that Avis kissed me last night and it just feels like my entire world has been turned upside down.

  Hell, maybe it did. Maybe this is some mirror world that’s like quantum entangled to our own, so there histories are similar or some crazy nonsense like that. That would be insane though.

  “You okay?” Madison asks after I had been quiet for several minutes. I hand the book back to Prisha and nod.

  “Yeah just… thinking. I still have so many questions about this world and I feel like every time I learn something, something else pops up that just makes me more confused.”

  “Oh trust, I get it. I’ve been here longer and I still feel like I don’t know shit about this world.”

  “Well, glad I’m not the only one just living in complete confusion and maybe possibly insanity. But definitely confusion, lots and lots of confusion.” I pause for a second. A lump stuck in my throat, I don’t know how to say the next thing. It’s not words I’ve ever uttered out loud. “I feel like, if I find the answers to all this, then I’ll understand it all.”

  “Understand what all?” Madison looks at me confused.

  “Just, everything. Birth, death, why it all happens.” I lower my gaze to the ground, watching my feet as I walk. “If we can find how it all works, maybe I’ll get answers to that.”

  “Do you really think answers like that exist?”

  “These two worlds are the same. The same names. The same sky. Magic exists. If all of that is true, why couldn’t there be answers to the universe?”

  Madison goes to open her mouth, but closes it back before saying anything. What was there to say? I knew that most likely the universe was just chaos and there wasn’t some cosmic answer to it all, but still. If I had the ability to bend gravity to my will, then maybe there was something out there that could help me understand it more.

  Like, why would someone be a serial killer?

  How could someone hate someone enough to throw them in a death camp?

  Why do people hate so much?

  Why do people have to die so young?

  I have a million questions I want answered and if I could somehow find more out about this world and the Ancients, then perhaps I could get the answers to my questions.

  “I get it. Before coming here, I was searching for direction, guidance. I went to all the usual haunts looking for spiritual guidance, I was lost. Going after the Order, that gave me purpose, a direction. Once that’s done, I’ll be asking the same questions.”

  Madison smiles softly at me before turning her head back towards the road. I let the moment linger for a few moments before saying anything.

  “Well for now I suppose we will continue our descent into hell and hope it has the answers we seek.”