The earthy scent of pine needles surrounded the tall pines that loomed over the small flickering campfire. It was a younger forest than the forest of the ancient library ruins Jack had become accustomed over the last month. But unlike the forest on the Zilinth world with its comforting shadows and a feeling that the ancient forest was watching over those that lived there, this forest was alive with a newness that did not feel welcoming. Long shadows moved across the ground, often in opposition to each other, crossing and fighting each other for supremacy. The moon was in the east, which should have had the shadows lying in a westerly direction, but instead, the shadows fell easterly in defiance of the moon. “I know, I feel it too,” said Climber. “Something is wrong about this place. We’ll sleep in shifts.” “I drank some of the water from the river,” said Jack. “How much?” “Just a couple mouthfuls.” “You should be fine,” said Climber. “If the water was bad, your bio-augments will filter out any bacteria, but let’s not eat any of the fish we caught, just to be safe.” Jack poked at the fire with a stick. The embers sparked and rose up with the smoke. “After you leave, how do I get back to the paths of the dead?” “I’m not leaving yet,” said Climber. “Our deal is I take you to a safe world, and I don’t think this is it.” “I still need to know how.” Climber nodded and tossed another branch on the campfire. “You have two options. Dash can take you, or you can do it yourself. It’s very easy. Close your eyes and imagine you’re back in your mother’s womb, reach out with your hand and feel the inside edge of the womb, and push your hand through.” Jack gave Climber an incredulous expression and cocked his head to the side. “That is the worst analogy I’ve ever heard. Now I have a vision of a demon baby clawing its way out of its mother’s belly, like in those space horror movies.” Climber shrugged. “It works though.” “How did Dash know how to get out of that ocean world he fell into?” “The same way you know not to stick your tongue in a light socket?” replied Climber. Jack rolled his eyes. “You’re really bad at analogies.” “I’m not sure that was an analogy,” replied Climber. Jack stroked the little tiger’s head. Dash was cuddled up in his lap and snoring softly. “How long will Dash live?” “The Mara’s live to fifteen, but they can reset. The cubs born here live to around twenty-five, but they can’t reset.” “That’s not fair, an Aeden lives a little over three-hundred years, and we can reset.” Climber shook his head. “Get that three-hundred out of your head. We only lived that long because of our medical technology. A cloned organ transplant was as easy as getting a haircut back in Aeden and Ruk space, but here, we don’t have that, your life-span here is only 93 years, because that’s when we have our heart-attack and die without our advanced technology. Reset in your late 80’s at the latest.” “I know you’re physically sixteen right now, but how old are you really?” Climber sighed. “I’m not sure you’ll believe me, time worked differently on the first Crystal World I lived.” “Tell me, I’ll believe you.” “I’ll let you do the math. Mara and I fell into one of the Crystal worlds after we arrived and found a cave at the base of a cliff. I used to make a mark on the cliff wall every day. I didn’t know about resetting yet, so when Mara passed away, there were enough marks for 12 years. About two years later I met a trader that taught me how to reset. When Jack-Humor found me, there were 9 reset marks on the wall, and we were only up to Jack 42.” Jack did the math. “I… umm… that’s 800 years on your first world, and from Jack 42 to me is probably around 600 years, so, you’re around 1,400 years old?” Climber smiled. “You don’t believe me.” “I didn’t say that… it’s just… you know, that’s like four normal Aeden lifespans, you’re old enough to be my Great-Grandfather.” “That sounds about right.” Jack was only half paying attention, he was busy flapping his shirt sleeves that were now over his hands and hanging like broken wings. “I was playing with Dash earlier, he must have stretched my sleeves out.” “It must be,” said Climber. “If you and Mara were alone, who gave you your name?” asked Jack. “Mara gave me the name because I would climb the cliff to get bird eggs.” Jack pushed Dash off him and laid down on his side. Dash grumbled at having been disturbed until Jack was curled around the tiger. Dash must have been in a growth spurt, he seemed bigger than Jack remembered. “I’m sleepy.” Climber fell silent and stared into the embers as Jack drifted into sleep. He hadn’t expected to have to actually take care of Dreamer, or have an adventure. He’d thought he was done with adventures and wanted only to slip away to the Gates of the Living and leave behind the endless struggle of the Jacks. He drifted into a half-sleep state, still aware, but also resting. He didn’t bother waking Dreamer to take a turn at watch, it was better he stayed alert than chancing whether Dreamer would know danger if it came. And Dreamer was in no condition to be pulling a watch. Climber had seen the changes in Dreamer’s face since late afternoon. He could have reset and stopped it, but he wanted to see where it went. It was possible it was Dreamer dreaming a way to survive. Morning would know for certain. The early morning light brought shape to the forest, and then the sunlight broke through the trees. Jack woke slowly, warm and safely cuddled up with Dash. Jack sat up in the tangled pile of his clothing. His shirt hung on him like his father’s shirts had hung on him, a long time ago. Something was wrong. He stood and his trousers fell from his waist to his ankles. He pulled them back up, but these couldn’t be his trousers, and his legs were… “What the heck! I’ve shrunk!” shouted Jack. “…and what’s wrong with my voice?” Climber was awake and watching. “Either the water you drank did something, or time works different on this world – maybe both.” “What…?” “Look at the shadows, they’re moving the wrong direction.” “What’s that got to do with this?” Jack waved his arms wildly up and down his body, and in the process, his trousers fell to his ankles again. He quickly grabbed them and pulled them back up. “I’ve been miniaturized!” Climber shook his head. “Not so much shrunk as you’ve aged backwards. I’d make a guess you’re around six or seven, and a cute little guy too. I never knew we were that cute. Look at them big ears sticking out from that mop of red hair.” “This isn’t funny!” shouted Jack. “We need to reset!” “Now hold on, don’t panic. You need to think about the up-side to this.” “What up-side, I’m six years old!” “And maybe that’s a good thing, remember I said magic is real here.” “Magic isn’t real, that thing that happened on the path was just science we don’t understand yet.” “There’s a handful of Jacks that would say different. I’ve seen things that science can’t explain. Think about it, every time you get in a bad spot, your dreamer magic kicks in and you walk away like you’re on a picnic.” Jack was struggling with his trousers and trying to find a way to keep them up. “How does being six years old help me?” “You picked this world, not me. I only said it didn’t look dangerous, and of all the worlds you could have picked, you picked the one that turned you into a six year old. You know my plans are to leave, and then you’d be on your own to survive, and surviving alone in the Crystal Universe is very difficult. People aren’t going to help a nearly full grown man, but they will help a six year old. Get it? You picked the one world that made you into what appears to be a helpless kid. You can walk into any village, camp, fort, whatever, and you’ll have people tripping over themselves to feed and shelter you. That is a very powerful magic.” Jack’s trousers slipped on one side and he yanked them back up. “I get your point, but it’s just coincidence.” Jack waved his arm in the air and that side of his trousers slipped down again. “Abracadabra, make me a plate of pancakes… see, nothing happened. I can’t believe you really believe in magic. We’re all about science and facts.” “You don’t have the kind of magic where you wave a magic wand. You have the kind of magic where you dream of the impossible and it happens.” “Okay, I’m dreaming of a plate of pancakes and some pants that fit.” Climber laughed. “You need to fill your flask with water from that river. If you have to reset, you can drink some and age yourself back to cute and cuddly so someone will give you pancakes.” “You were alone on that Crystal World with the cliff too long, you’re crazy.” Jack heard a noise and turned around, a man driving a wagon pulled by two horses was coming. “Who’s that?” “That’s a Trader, you’ll see them out here occasionally traveling around the Crystal Worlds. They drop by the Jack Camp all the time with supplies, but I have no idea where they come from.” Climber raised his arm and waved. The Trader pulled his wagon in next to the campfire. “Well, would you look at this, by the stars if it isn’t a Jack Aestar, and a miniature Jack Aestar to boot. You two lost?” “We reset and lost the Zilinth world,” said Climber. “Looks like that one reset back a little too far, never seen that before.” Climber nodded. “Just a glitch, I’m sure, but I don’t want to risk another reset. We’re looking for a human village we can wait for our brothers to come rescue us.” The Trader hopped down from the wagon. “Welp, as it so happens, there’s a friendly human village in the next world over. I’m headed that way if’n you want a ride.” “That would be greatly appreciated,” said Climber. “Gonna make me some breakfast first, sure could use some company.” The Trader jerked his head towards Jack. “Looks like you’re little brother is having problems with his britches. I got a box of clothes on the wagon my boy has outgrown. I was gonna give it to the human village, but looks like this little buckaroo needs it more, you’re welcome to it.” “I am in your debt, Sir, thank you,” said Climber. The Trader smiled at Jack. “So, whatcha say, you and your tiger friend want to join me for some flapjacks and fresh maple syrup?” Jack stood open-mouthed while Dash nudged his leg. “Hurry, dream me some sausage.”