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‘Sounds plausible enough,’ said Voreese, having hovered up next to Hector, just ahead of Roman. ‘Our world is one in which the physical and spiritual intersect. I don’t see how that theory is supposed to confuse us. Seems pretty simple to me.’

Caster regarded her for a lingering moment. “Well, it is part of a greater theory. The Theory of the Three Rivers. Perhaps you are familiar with it?”

‘Perhaps I am,’ said Voreese. ‘But tell it to me, anyway.’

“Heh. It is probably too much to explain in a single conversation, but when boiled down to its essence, the idea is that all of existence AND non-existence can be conceptualized as part of three great rivers, one of which would be the Veil. The other two are, supposedly, the Great Conduit and the Infinite Current. The hypothesis is that, at the beginning of time as we now perceive it, the Great Conduit and the Infinite Current collided, creating the Veil, wherein this mortal realm might exist.”

‘Uh-huh,’ said Voreese. ‘I’ve heard about this so-called Infinite Current before. Is that where you’re from?’

“Oho,” laughed Caster. “You ask that so casually, as if that very question has not plagued me and my brethren since time immemorial. Were we born of the Current? Or did we merely end up there, after first being born here, as mortals, in eons past? None of us know for sure.” He bobbed his head and breathed another quick laugh. “Though some claim to.”

Hector felt the need to interject now. “I was under the impression that the Infinite Current was an aspect of the Void. Like Chaos is. But you make it sound like the Current is... the totality of all non-existence.”

“I am just repeating the theory as I have seen it told,” said Caster. “In truth, while I do like it, I am also uncertain about its truth value. It does not make complete sense to me, either. But then, when contending with the subject of infinity, that may just be inevitable.”

‘I’ve never heard of the Great Conduit,’ said Voreese. ‘What do you know about that?’

Caster chortled again but also sighed. “Not much. But must we go over this now? We will be here all day, and I yet have matters to attend to. Let us stay on task, shall we?” He looked to the Gate again. “This monument of yours was how you were able to pull me here, yes? Would you like me to examine it for you while I am here?”

Hector didn’t even need to think. “That won’t be necessary.”

Caster turned and blinked at him. “No, I suppose not... but you do have plans for it, yes? And quite... risky ones, I sense? Guarded as you are, I do still see your uncertainty.”