When they got to his tent, Galen immediately went to where he’d hidden the pack that contained his pistol.

  Still here… he mentally sighed with relief as he pulled it out.

  It was strapped to a holster with its magazine taken out and packed separately.

  He showed it to the others, making sure to keep the barrel pointed away from them all just in case.

  “What is that?” Tufani asked with a frown.

  Galen looked to Aleksi, Lusha, and Komdar, “Would any of you happen to know what this is?”

  The three Rebellion leaders studied the pistol for a moment before they all shook their heads, though Galen noted how Komdar seemed itchy to grab it and study it up close.

  “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, lad.”

  “I guess that confirms it then,” Galen nodded, glad to have proven one of his theories, “if none of you recognize what this is, then that means that this world, at least, the Dominion, doesn’t have firearms.”

  “Fire… arms?” Tufani asked, slowly frowning.

  He’d said the term in English since Durainese didn’t have an equivalent term for it, so it was no wonder she was confused.

  When he’d first noticed that the weapons used by the Dominion’s soldiers were swords, shields, spears, and other such weapons, he’d wondered if firearms existed in any capacity. The first thing that tipped him off to the fact that they didn’t was that Durainese didn’t have an equivalent word or term for guns.

  He thought it would be too weird for the Dominion to have modern Earth technology like television, air conditioning, etc, but not firearms. So, he’d figured that perhaps guns were something only a select few were allowed to use and know the existence of. While that was still a possibility, the fact that Aleksi, Lusha, and even Komdar didn’t know what his pistol was made that highly unlikely.

  He looked at Tufani and the others and wondered how he was going to explain the concept of firearms to people who had never before seen or heard of them.

  “Firearms,” he began, “is a term for a specific kind of weaponry from my world. Guns is another name for them. They’re… damn, how do I explain this to people who’ve never heard of them… They’re like bows and arrows in a way.”

  Lusha and Tufani gave him a confused look, with Tufani asking, “How? It looks nothing like one.”

  “Let me explain,” he continued, “the gun itself is like a bow. It’s a device used for shooting a small projectile at very, very high speeds. The projectile in question is called a ‘bullet’. And the bullet is to the gun what an arrow is to a bow. You following so far?”

  They all nodded, Komdar especially paying attention.

  “Now, a gun, as you can see, is very different in design to a bow. Imagine a small, metal tube. Inside this tube, we place a tiny explosive powder, and the bullet.”

  “An explosive powder?” Aleksi asked, “like black powder?”

  “You have that here?!” Galen yelled, shocked, “I figured you wouldn’t considering you don’t have guns… and I haven’t seen explosives either… But then, why would you have black powder, but not firearms?”

  He realized everyone was staring at him, so he shook his head and continued, “Anyway, yes! That works for this example. Only unlike black powder, the explosive used is much smaller and far more controlled. When you ignite it, the resulting explosion causes an expansion, which pushes the bullet out of the tube with incredible force and speed. A bow and arrow can’t compare, at least, by the standards of my world. Bullets travel farther, faster, and can be aimed very, very well with practice, with the bullet’s path being determined by the angle and direction of your aim.”

  “What kind of Art is that?” Tufani asked with a frown.

  “No Art. No Ether. None of that is involved,” Galen smiled, “just physics. And there’s many different kind of guns too. A pistol like this one is rather common and mostly used for self defense or as a side arm. It’s sorta like having a dagger in case you lose your sword. There are also shotguns, which are insanely lethal atclose range. There are rifles too, of which there are several different kinds. Such as the sniper rifles, which specialize in being able to shoot a target from extremely long range. There are also exists fully automatic firearms, which can shoot bullets consecutively at extreme speeds.”

  “And… anyone can use them?” Lusha asked with her own frown.

  “Yes. Though they do take practice to use, it’s much easier to learn than a bow and arrow.”

  “I have trouble believing that,” Tufani huffed pridefully.

  Aleksi and Komdar were more contemplative, however. They gave each other a look. Komdar scratched at his chin, looking impressed while Aleksi looked uneasy.

  “Such a thing could change warfare as we know it,” Aleksi muttered, “while I’m certain of the answer, I’ll ask it anyway. Lad, based on what you’ve seen of the Dominion’s technology so far, are they capable of producing such weapons?”

  “Easily,” Galen immediately answered, “heck, my world had developed firearms long before we made more modern wonders like air conditioning and televisions. The Sentient Weapons on their own have technology that arguably surpasses what even my world was capable of with Artificial Intelligence.”

  He sighed, “So, you can imagine why I’m so confused as to why the Dominion seems to lack firearms. I can think of an explanation though.”

  “As can I,” Aleksi said, “I’d like to hear your theory first, though. If you please, lad.”

  Galen nodded, “Well, my theory is that the Dominion, more likely Athanasius himself, is suppressing the development of firearms. In my world, whenever a dictator or otherwise power hungry rulers wanted to take complete and total control of their country, one of the biggest and most important steps they take is disarming their population. An armed populace is a lot harder to rule over with an authoritative, iron fist after all.”

  “They would disarm their subjects?” Tufani frowned, “that seems like an idiotic idea. Wouldn’t that just lead to a mass conflict, if not outright civil war?”

  Galen chuckled, a bead of sweat falling down his head as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Well… you would THINK that’s what would happen right? In my world, however, this was often done by getting enough of the population to willingly give up their firearms.”

  “Why would they WILLINGLY surrender their weapons to those tryin’ to take them away? Makin’ themselves vulnerable like that… are the mud-walkers of your world a special kind of stupid?” Komdar questioned, looking baffled.

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with the dwarf…” Tufani muttered, shaking her head with disbelief.

  Galen shrugged, “You’d be amazed at what people are willing to give up for the illusion of safety. Lord knows there’s countless examples of that in my world’s history. Anyway, getting back on topic, my theory is that Athanasius knows that it’d be difficult to rule over his people with an iron fist if they all had access to weapons like firearms. So, he suppresses the development and advancement of them. If the Dominion makes them at all, then it’s likely only those most loyal to Athanasius can have them. I personally think this theory is the case since, despite the Dominion’s technology, I haven’t seen anything like the Internet here either.”

  “En...tar…net?” Tufani asked, tilting her head in confusion.

  “Uh… oh boy that’s a whole other rabbit hole,” Galen chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, “okay… so imagine an endlessly vast, invisible, library where just about every book ever written is accessible almost anywhere, at any time, to anyone that possesses technology that just about everyone has.”

  Lusha frowned, “An invisible library? How does that work?”

  “Well,” Galen explained, “instead of physical books, the Internet uses something called ‘websites’. Each website can be just about anything. From a book, to a newspaper, or even a marketplace where one can buy and sell goods. There are also sites where one can learn, or connect with others, regardless of location. And we find these websites by using something called a ‘search engine’. It’s like a magical index where you input what you’re looking for, and it finds the most relevant information and websites for you.”

  “And how the heck does this en…tar… net thing even function?” Tufani questioned.

  “Internet,” Galen corrected, “It’s a network of networks. Data travels through cables under the seas, over land, and even through the air using other technology like satellites. It’s like an invisible web connecting every corner of the world.”

  “Uh huh…” Lusha seemed very skeptical, “sure… that sounds too good to be true.”

  “That’s because I haven’t gotten to the downsides yet,” Galen chuckled, “see, the tricky part is that anyone could post information on the Internet. Literally ANYONE. And some like to spread lies and misinformation, either to serve an agenda, or just for the sake of it. So the people of my world had to learn how to verify and check multiple sources. Like anything, the Internet had its ups and downs. I personally think it was more of a curse on man than a blessing. But that’s just my opinion.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  “Why’s that?” Komdar asked, looking extremely intrigued by the concept of the Internet.

  Galen had been about to speak, when Aleksi interrupted him by loudly clearing his throat, “Ahem! Lad, have I ever told you that you have a tendency to get off track and change subjects?”

  He flushed, “Sorry… And… no you haven’t, but I’ve been told that before plenty of times back in my world…”

  Galen cleared his throat, “Anyway, I’ve seen no trace of this world having Internet. So, much like firearms, I imagine its creation and development has been suppressed. In my world, the Internet made it all but impossible for the ruling class to lie to the citizens. There is a country in my world that, much like Dominion, treat their ruler/rulers like gods. And in those countries, information and the Internet is heavily monitored and restricted as to not dispel the illusion imposed by those rulers.”

  Aleksi nodded, “Yes, I think your theory is correct, lad. Though, that doesn’t mean it’s the only reason.”

  “What’s your theory?” Galen asked.

  “If my theory is right, it won’t necessarily disprove your own, but rather, just add another layer to why we don’t have these firearms. And we can test to see if it’s true right now, actually,” Aleksi explained.

  “How so?”

  “It’s simple,” Aleksi gestured to the pistol in Galen’s hand, “use that on me.”

  “HUH?! Why?!”

  “My theory has to do with how effective these firearms are,” Aleksi explained, “going by what you’ve told me, lad… if such weapons were to be mass produced and given freely, it could change warfare as we know it. Rather, it SHOULD. However, you’ve forgotten one key difference between this world and your own.”

  Galen’s eyes widened in realization, “Ether…”

  “That’s right, lad,” Aleksi slowly stood, “that’s why I want to run a test. I want you to use that firearm of yours on me. That way we can test how effective it will be against an Etherean.”

  The man turned to Lusha, Komdar, and Tufani, and asked, “Would you all mind observing as well? Use Ether to enhance your senses and perception and holding nothing back.”

  They nodded.

  Komdar seemed especially excited, and Galen could only hope it was at the prospect of seeing his firearm in action rather than seeing Aleksi get shot at.

  “Wait, wait, wait!” Galen protested, “I’m REALLY uncomfortable with the idea of shooting you, Aleksi. And besides, when I was summoned to this world, I only had a single loaded magazine with me!”

  Aleksi raised a brow, confused.

  “Ah… magazines are… ah! Never mind! What I mean is that I only have so many bullets with me. And I’d rather save them for an emergency.”

  “I understand your reasoning,” Lusha interjected, “but what if you were to use that weapon of your against an Etherean only to find it far less effective than you expected? Or, worst case scenario, you find it completely ineffectual?"

  Galen had his doubts about that. Sure, he could imagine that some of the more monstrous Ethereans might not be too damaged by a shot from his pistol, people on the level of Tufani’s mother, as an example. But surely it would still be effective against a lot of the weaker ones… right?

  He suddenly wasn’t so sure.

  “I see your point. But I’m just not comfortable with the idea of shooting Aleksi.”

  Aleksi laughed, “So long as you don’t hit me somewhere that will instantly kill me, I should be able to heal just fine with an Art.”

  Galen reluctantly nodded, and looked into his pack for the magazine. He was still uneasy about wasting a round, but he was knew that the need to test his gun’s effectiveness was a must.

  “So,” Komdar spoke up, “where should we do the test?”

  ***

  They’d decided to go the area Galen and Tufani had been using to train to conduct the firearm test.

  Once they got there, Lusha, Komdar, and Tufani went off to the side. Galen grabbed his magazine and began loading it into his pistol as he took several steps away from the others.

  As he did, Aleksi took several steps away in the other direction until he was a fair distance, though still within speaking range.

  “Alright, lad!” Aleksi said, the glowing orange Ether crystals providing plenty of light to see, “whenever you’re ready!”

  Though Galen was currently unable to tap into his Ether senses, he could still feel the pressure Aleksi exerted as the man tapped into the Ether within him.

  He looked to Tufani, Lusha, and Komdar, and said, “You might want to cover your ears. A gunshot is surprisingly loud.”

  They looked to the pistol in his hands, looking skeptical.

  Galen rolled his eyes, “Keep in mind that, though small, an explosion is still an explosion and every time I fire this thing, one goes off.”

  Tufani still seemed unconvinced, but she did cover her ears, as did Lusha and Komdar.

  Galen took a deep breath, and aimed his pistol, grabbing it with both hands. He aimed down the sights, and aimed at Aleksi’s right shoulder. He switched off the safety and slowly put a finger to the trigger. He took a deep breath.

  Then pulled the trigger.

  BANG!

  The gunshot boomed in the air, and Galen felt the recoil from the shot. He saw Tufani, Lusha, and even Komdar jump in the corner of his eye, no doubt spooked by the volume of the gunshot.

  He looked to his mentor after firing the shot, his jaw going slack.

  In that moment, Galen realized the biggest reason why firearms hadn’t been developed in this world.

  Aleksi had a fist outstretched, and slowly opened it. The bullet that Galen had fired at the man fell out of his hand.

  Galen’s arms went slack as he stared in complete disbelief.

  Aleski began to walk towards him, giving him a half smile of sympathy. In his mentor’s eyes, Galen saw disappointment.

  “Well, lad,” the man began, “that was… rather underwhelming given everything you said.”

  “Underwhelmin’?! Talk about an understatement!” Komdar laughed.

  Aleksi looked to them, “Well, you three? Could you keep track of the bullet?”

  To Galen’s relief, Tufani at least looked somewhat bewildered that Aleksi had managed to catch the projectile. That relief was quickly squashed as she said, “I could, yes. But… winds it was much faster than I was expecting…”

  “Do you think you could dodge it?” Aleksi asked.

  Tufani thought for a moment, “Well, I certainly couldn’t outright catch it like you had! Void, that was ridiculous… But yes, I think I could dodge it. Certainly if I knew I was being aimed at and about to be shot. It would be even easier if I was facing the one shooting at me directly like you were.”

  Galen stared at Tufani with widened eyes.

  Aleksi regarded Lusha and Komdar, “And you two?”

  “I could probably catch it even easier than you could, given I’m faster than you and all,” Lusha smirked teasingly.

  “I might not be as fast, but I tracked that sucker just fine,” Komdar scratched at his beard, looking extremely thoughtful, “I could probably catch it too if I knew it was comin’. And given how loud it was, I’d definitely know it was comin’”.

  “Well, lad,” Aleksi sighed, “it seems my theory was proven right. Perhaps the reason why the Dominion hadn’t developed firearms is because they found that they weren’t very effective against Ethereans. And considering being an Etherean is rather basic requirement of all the Dominion’s military… well…”

  “Yeah… yeah, I get it now…” Galen sighed.

  While he’d harbored no illusions that his pistol would be just as effective of a weapon in this world as it was on Earth, he’d still thought it would prove to be more… useful.

  Granted, given how fast Aleksi had to have moved to catch a bullet out of the air, a fact he was still trying to process, he supposed the contrary should have been more obvious. No way was he going to be able to land a shot on someone who could move that insanely fast. But if he’d managed to catch them off guard…

  “Hey, Aleksi,” Galen asked the question that popped into his mind, “if that bullet had managed to hit you, say, for example, that I caught you off guard, how much damage would it have done?”

  Aleksi paused, scratching at his beard in thought, “Well, lad… I honestly don’t think it’d have done much to harm me. Especially at full power. I think any Etherean of sufficient strength would come away with only minor damage unless you were to shoot them in a vulnerable area, say the eye, for example. And as I just demonstrated in catching it, some would have the speed necessary to dodge it unless you got in close.”

  “Void,” Tufani chimed in, “even I’m confident that I could dodge them. Given how absurdly loud that weapon of yours is, I’d know to dodge the moment I heard the sound.”

  Galen slowly smiled, “That’s because you KNOW what a gun is now. But what about someone who doesn’t?”

  Aleksi nodded, “Oh, I’m not saying your firearm is completely useless, lad. Far from it. Most Ethereans are not on my level. If you can catch them off guard, which I imagine most would be surprised by such a weapon, then you’d be able to gain quite an advantage. And if you caught one off guard, it’d be quite the lethal surprise. In fact… I’m rather intrigued by the possibilities that something like this could bring… If you don’t mind, lad, could we have Komdar examine that gun of yours?”

  “Oh yes! Please do!” Komdar said excitedly, looking absolutely giddy as he rubbed his hands together.

  The dwarf even went as far as to lick his lips, making Galen take a step away from him.

  He hesitated.

  Aleksi smiled reassuringly, “That dwarf is an inventor. He loves tinkering around with stuff like this. I imagine he can learn quite a bit of useful information from this firearm of yours, lad.”

  Galen frowned as he looked to Komdar, “You better not disassemble it. Not unless you know for sure you can put it back together.”

  “It’ll be fine, ya mud-walker!” Komdar shook his head, “we dwarves are quite the craftsmen, I’ll have you know.”

  “You are?” Galen raised a brow, “I mean… I figured but… I didn’t want to just ASSUME, you know…”

  Tufani frowned, “How would you know that? Did your world have dwarves as well?”

  He shook his head, “No, just humans. But we did have stories about elves and dwarves and the like.”

  Now THAT seemed to confuse everyone present.

  “How?” Tufani demanded.

  Galen shrugged, “Hey, I was just as confused as you are when I learned elves and dwarves were a thing in this world. There’s a lot of potential implications there that I don’t quite feel comfortable considering just yet.”

  Tufani hesitated, then sighed, and muttered aloud, “I seriously need to talk to you about your world sometime.”

  “The feeling is mutual,” Galen smiled, “I’d still like to talk to you about your people’s culture and history.”

  She slowly nodded in agreement.

  “That’s a fine idea, lass,” Aleksi looked to Galen, “if you don’t mind, lad, perhaps we should talk more about your world’s technology. Perhaps we can learn of technology the Dominion might be hiding. If not simply verify what the First Champion was able to pass on of his world’s knowledge.”

  Galen nodded in agreement. Though he knew it was going to be a long, LONG conversation.

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