The world was indescribable, Herbert. My mind pictures it perfectly, but my words fail me. Imagine a floating planet, without atmosphere. The stars of galaxies lie all around. The culture was very intellectually based, the people appearing similar to our own, but with strange additional features. Their proportions were more elongated, yet refined. The statues I saw in the tomb of Tin Hinan were also present there. However, the familiarity I felt when first seeing those back in Algeria continues to trouble me.
We traveled through that world and several others. Before they sent me back, we had returned to the first world on our journey.
It was Alexander's homeworld. Hear me out on this, Herbert.
He had been banished from it for centuries, and thus, required the Orbs to go back. What motivated him above all was his love. *His words are almost sad. While he still held to the belief that Alexander deserved to die, his love did not deserve the subsequent lonelinss she would now forever have.* Torturing prisoners gave a steady supply of vitae, a life-giving substance that kept him alive through all these years.
I questioned this reality multiple times, but after the magic I have seen, accepted it. Alexander was not human.
*As Herbert interrupts to give his apology, the young man's heart feels heavy. The professor very rarely expressed himself so openly, showing just how much Daniel was valued as a friend. Without thinking, he placed a hand on the older man's shoulder.*
Of course I forgive you, Herbert. I never held it against you to begin with. So many things were on your mind at the time.
*Although the sudden presence of Daniel's hand surprised the professor, he remained silent, allowing himself a moment of recovery. There had never been a doubt in his mind that Daniel was a good man, yet the forgiveness he gave in this very moment both surprised and impressed him.*
Ah, well, Daniel. That's kind of you, and I appreciate it.
*Silence filled the solemn air for a long moment. With a blink and the slight shaking of his head, Herbert straightened up again, his usual mood seemingly restored, the teasing glint once more in his eyes. A much more comfortable silence filled the room as he mulled over what Daniel had said, his voice sounding only when he had taken in all of the other Englishman's words.*
My, my, Daniel! For a place so 'indescribable', you did a.. erm... *His voice fell away, mind unable to find a word fitting Daniel's description.* Well, a... a fine job. *Another gap in conversation began, although it was ended without delay as Herbert moved on, still slightly serious, and for once not in the mood to press unrelenting jokes... although he wouldn't have been opposed to a couple.* I can picture this other world, to some degree... Although I daresay that such a place would be nothing far from difficult to describe.
*There was naught but a sliver of surprise in his brown eyes as Alexander was brought up. Herbert had spoken with the baron prior to the expedition, and although the thought of the man being 'alien' had never even crossed his mind, he had found him to be a bit eccentric. After all he had witnessed in a short amount of time, the professor, although doubtful still, was not shocked by such accusations. Either that, or perhaps he was deeply stunned, and his mind had simply done away with reason and logic in an attempt to stabilize his remaining sanity. He didn't know anymore, nor did he care to. As long as he was free from the terror and insanity he had experienced in Algeria, Herbert was satisfied, at least to some degree. Pushing his inner confusion and arguments aside, he reflected on the conversation, as well as all of its implications. It sounded nothing short of insane. He believed Daniel, at least in some things, hard to accept and strange as it was, yet this entire exchange warranted some teasing.*
... I worry about you sometimes, Daniel. Not from this world, not human? The man is strange, I will most certainly give you that, yet otherworldly is a bit much to swallow. Your story is already one of impossible realities, yet to accuse the baron of all this is... perhaps pushing it a bit too far, non?
*He allowed a smile to play across his face, hoping that the other had learned to lighten up a bit, and was aware that his friend did in fact believe him. Daniel always took him far too seriously in times of teasing, however, and Herbert waited for a protest in reply.*
