If anyone had walked into the house and looked at the faces of the three people they would have laughed. Their mouths were hanging open as miracle after miracle had been happening since that afternoon. Starting with the very strange phone call and mention of horses, then the very drastic change that was quite visible on the prodigal son and that was all before he had started talking about magic.
Carol was sitting at the edge of her seat looking at Minerva as she handed Ursula a very strange looking flower, none like she had ever seen before. John was holding in his hand a glowing bulb that was clearly not connected to any source of electricity. People change and two years is enough time for that to happen but what was in front of her eyes was a little bit unbelievable. So many question had surfaced on her mind that she didn't know exactly where to start. For the moment she was glad that her son: whom everyone had seemingly abandoned had finally come back to her.
"Besides that very vague statement you just gave, you said that if you showed us this it would be easier to explain..." Malik said gesturing at the glowing bulb. He tried to but it was quite difficult to mask the surprise and general curiosity on his face. John placed the bulb on the coffee table and it went off immediately. Ursula who was seemingly unconvinced grabbed it as if to inspect it.
"I have always been a believer in the logic of all things and natural physics of the world, so this is quite hard to take in, explain in detail." she said after she put the warm bulb down.
"Magic doesn't actually exist, well not in this world anyway." John placed his hands in his pockets and wore his gloves again. He was so used to having his arms covered in a layer of magic and cloth that it was quite uncomfortable to have them exposed.
"I have to cover them all the time, otherwise someone might get hurt." he said when he saw everyone regarded every one of his actions as deeply significant.
He then begun to narrate the story to his family starting with the day he arrived at the gallery and they strange sensation when he approached the large sensation. Ursula had shrunk back into her seat at this moment because she recalled she had stood as close to the same painting as he had. Naturally John didn't mention all the details that he had received from the old man about the painted world taking you if it wanted you.
After this was the part of the story where he ad passed out and proceeded to tell the story leaving out the things he felt would only worry them more. Like how they had been captured by slavers and had relied on their new found powers to run away. He had left out the part the part about cutting off the hand of his assailant. He had also left out the part about the swords themselves not to mention the bizarre name and very vampiric powers. Noira was also left out of the story.
The most important part of the story was the fact that by the time they made their way to the exit only three months had passed from the time he was rescued which were necessary for his recovery. The remaining year and nine months passed while they were in the actual exit which was a shock to everyone in the room as this was the only question that would remain unanswered that night.
"So that's why you haven't aged all that much." Malik asked rhetorically.
"If you have any questions ..." just as he said this the doorbell rang. Everyone viciously looked in thad direction before they realised that it must have been the delivery man. The sound of neighing horses was heard outside followed by a more intense rap on the door. John stood up and went to the door to ease the guys mind. The look on his face was priceless though. It was the first time he had delivered pizzas to a house with horses outside. He gave John a look who had just realised that he had no money.
"Dad, I don't have money and I doubt he accepts gold coins," he said with a smile on his face.
John carried the pizzas to the table as Malik paid the pizza guy who had a perplexed look on his face. He looked like he wanted to ask some questions but then decided not to. The pizza's were still hot as John opened the cover and took a slice, but and chewed with his eyes closed. A moment later he opened them and looked at Minerva with an extremely satisfied look on his face.
"This was what I was telling you about, have a taste." he said this before realising that he was the only one eating in the room. "I haven't eaten pizza in two years, I can't help it."
"Oh please its only been three months and about that you still have to answer our questions." Ursula said rolling her eyes as if she couldn't believe that she had just acknowledged it.
John quickly finished his slice and rubbed the crumbs off his hands and beckoned for the questions to come.
"So what is this world like?"
"If you went there you would basically think that you have travelled back in time to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century,"
"How many magicians are there?" John hadn't told them about the differences between magicians and elementalists hence Ursula who seemed to ask most of the questions just referred to the lot like so. John looked at Minerva beckoning her to answer.
"Not many, anyone can practice - magic - but since its mostly peaceful at home there are not many who flaunt their power in the open."
"Then where did the slave traders come from."
"Our kingdom has a strict policy that protects its citizens hence the practice has died down, Mostly only those who join the military train and other free spirits and curious people. The neighbouring kingdom does not restrict slavery, it's a savage place with more ele - "cough" magicians than home and unfortunately our citizens end up as the target of these savages since very few people can defend themselves." the slight cough in the middle did not escape Ursula's notice.
No matter where one went the cruelty of humanity followed them, just like how darkness offsets the light and vice versa. These were the kind of thoughts that currently lingered on the minds of the people in the room. There was a long silence as everyone pondered their own thoughts. John grabbed the box and took two slices of pizza and handed one to Ursula. This action seemed to grab the attention of his mom who had calmed her mind enough to overcome the surprise that her son was home again.
A singular tear rolled down her cheek when she recalled the sadness she felt during his absence compared to the joy she was currently experiencing. Her joy was like there was no water in the taps and then the tanks suddenly became full making the water to gush out. She was naturally curious but at this moment she didn't care at all about where he had been only that he was back. Malik had noticed that she seemed to have regained her lustre and smiled inwards.
John was currently looking at Minerva to ask her what she thought about the pizza to which she had given a thumbs up. He glanced at Ursula whose face was raging between happiness and confusion. He shook his head silently understood that she was a very logical person and if what John had said was true then it had defied logic completely shattering her beliefs. She had been second only to Carol in terms of the search for John. She had taken some art classes to better understand and possibly interpret or decipher john's artworks that is if there was even a code.
She seemed to have recalled something and suddenly faced John and asked, "You never did say when you became so talkative, you barely said two words to me the day you went missing."
"What can I say, you have to do thing you don't want to survive. I know you still have questions but I want to know how you have been. Its been longer than expected so naturally you all must have changed as well."
"And coincidentally why is my room in such a mess. my stuff is well doesn't look like my stuff anymore." There was no anger in his voice just a faint curiosity.
"Well your sister expended a lot of effort to look for you, I'm sure she will tell you all about it." This was the first time that Carol had spoken since they sat down.