For the first time, he saw a worried expression on Jake's face for himself. Which said that Jake was being serious right now. He really was worried that something might happen to him if he was gone. He did not need Jake to be worried for him. He already had a lot on his plate. Jaffer tried to console him and encourage him to leave without worry.
"Don't worry about me, I will be fine. You just go and find your family, is that not the reason that you have been fighting for all this time?"
Jaffer was right on the mark when he read Jake's face. Jake was indeed worried for his friend's well-being. In the twenty-odd years that Jake had spent in this world, he had made a lot of friends and a lot more enemies. Among those friends, Jake was particularly close to Jaffer and they all knew it. Jake was worried that after he was gone his enemies would try to take a shot at Jaffer instead of Jake.
Jake and Jaffer had been good friends for many years. They recognized each other's strengths and held great respect for each other. Even this bickering was nothing serious rather they were fighting to divert their attention from the real issue at hand. That it was time for them to part. That after today they would probably never see each other again.
Jake calmed down and looked toward his friend who was still working at the altar. He sighed and then asked the same question that had annoyed him before but this time his tone showed that this time he was not messing around with him.
"So, what do you think, will this work?"
This time Jaffer did not get angry or annoyed but was rather calm. He could tell from the voice of his friend that this time he was not being mocked. He really wanted to know what would happen now.
"Honestly I have no idea what would happen. This could very well be a success but it could go sideways in a matter of seconds."
Jake wanted just a little comfort in knowing that this would work. He just wanted to hear from his friend that this would work because this was the only way back home. But he knew that at this time instead of false promises he needed to hear the truth.
"Jaffer, kidding aside you are the best Magus alive in this day and age. What do you think? Will it work? Would I finally be able to go back home to my family? Back Home? To Ellen and Sylvia?"
Jake was at his wit's end at this point. He had done everything that he could possibly do. He had fought to survive in this world for twenty years and had reached the top of the chain. He tried to find any way possible back home and finally by chance he had come upon this method. He just wanted it to work.
Jaffer understood what his friend wanted to know. He thought about lying to him and encouraging him that everything would be alright but that would not work. Jake would be able to see through his lies. Besides he did not need lies at this point. He was not a kid he could take it. So he decided to give it to him straight.
"Do you remember the first time you asked me to help you find a method to transport you to another planet? When the first time you asked me that, I was intrigued by the idea. Being a Spatial Magus, certainly helped me broaden my perspective on how to see the world. That this world did not just consist of our planet. That there could be more out there.
At first, when I thought about your story it seemed like total bullshit. But slowly your stories grew on me and won me over. I mean for a lunatic who was raving about having come from another world your details about this imaginary world were just so detailed and perfect."
"Hey, I wasn't a lunatic. I know what I said was hard to believe but did you really think of me as a lunatic? That's really harsh man!" Jake was hearing Jaffer's perspective on him for the first time and wanted to defend himself.
"That is not the point I am trying to make you fucker. What I am trying to say is that your story although absurd, was just so much bizarre, unique, and different that somewhere in my heart I wanted to believe it. So I joined you in your adventures as you wandered through the planet trying to find a way back.
The knowledge of this fictitious world of yours was also top class. Especially when you explained to me the laws of Physics. The laws of motion, gravity, energy, and matter and their relationship. I don't want to admit that such high-level information came from your empty bird brain but this info helped me grow by leaps and bounds as a Spatial Magus. So I had no other choice but to believe you."
Jake was looking all smug in front of Jaffer which pissed him off more than he thought it would.
"Wipe that grin off your face you jackass. The only reason I believed you were because there was no way you could come up with all this information on your own. I refused to accept that a hairless monkey like you could have such a vast understanding of your world.
Another reason which helped me believe your story was your strength and that weird healing ability you have. I mean I can heal the same way you do but that ability does not follow the laws of this world. It allows you to cast healing magic even if you don't understand the basics of healing magic.
It made me think why would a man of your stature and strength, consistently continue to lie to me? What could you possibly gain from these made-up stories? Then we heard some rumors about this ancient civilization and their ways of bending space and time.
So we set off on this journey. We found this spell in an ancient temple. We translated it and lo and behold we found a spell that could prove what you had been saying all along. To make it work we needed to gather multiple ingredients for this spell. This spell's requirements were so high that it made me think it was probably a trap. I mean the heart of a Dragon King? Which fucker can get that? I mean we got it in the end sure but you know seriously who else would be able to get it besides us?"
Jake was again smug by showing the bulging biceps that he had developed over the years. Then after the end of the whole story, Jaffer came to his conclusion.
"You ask me if it would work? to tell you the truth, Fuck if I know! We gathered all the ingredients that were required. I have built the altar as instructed. Now, all we have to do is do the spell and see if it works. In another 10 minutes, you could be back with your family and would have forgotten all about me.
Or after I cast this spell nothing will happen. We will find out that this was all just a big 'Fuck You' from that ancient civilization to the newer generations. You will be depressed and we will go get wasted at the bar.
And finally, It will work but instead of transporting you back to your family, you will be caught in a void where your body will be torn apart on a molecular level. Making you experience pain that I would not wish on even my enemies. But you wouldn't stop even if I say all that would you?"
Jaffer looked at Jake to see his reaction and as expected he just cast a smile toward him with a nod.
"Well, whatever I say does not matter to you at all. Even if I try to stop you, you wouldn't listen so let's just get this over with. I am ready if you are. Shall we?" Jaffer looked toward Jake and asked for his permission. Jake got up and gave his answer.
"Let's do this! I just hope this doesn't go tits up like the last time when you failed to cast a simple spell. " Jake grinned at Jaffer trying to ease the tension. Jaffer then turned towards the Altar and said
"Even if it does go tits up it will be at your expense so nothing I can do. Whew well, here we Go!"