![\"\"](\"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/maite-and-kepa-v3b.png\")
Maite turned to look at him. \u201cYou think this is all some kind of game?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kepa shrugged. \u201cNot a game, exactly, but maybe it\u2019s all some kind of program, some kind of Matrix-like virtual world. And I inadvertantly tapped into some parallel world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen some scientists argue that we are living in a simulation,\u201d mused Maite. \u201cI personally never believed it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garuna rumbled in the back of Maite\u2019s head. \u201cThis is no simulation. Of that I am sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maite repeated the AI\u2019s words outloud for Kepa\u2019s benefit. \u201cGaruna says this isn\u2019t a simulation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOk,\u201d replied Kepa, \u201cbut then what does this mean?\u201d He waved his hand in the general direction of Amalur. \u201cShe\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHas she said anything since you conjured her? Besides \u2018agur\u2019?\u201d asked Maite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kepa shook his head. \u201cTo be honest, I really haven\u2019t tried to engage her. She barely appeared before you got home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maite nodded as she turned to look at the dazzling form of Eguzki, her beauty almost painful to look at. \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was summoned,\u201d replied the unearthly figure as it slowly morphed into Ilargi, a visage that was equally as beautiful but easier to behold. At times, Maite couldn\u2019t tell if there were three distinct beings or if they were all three present all the time and the one she saw was a matter of how her eye focused. It reminded her of those optical illusions where you saw either a duck or a rabbit depending on how you focused on the image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d asked Kepa. \u201cWhat happens now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy was I summoned?\u201d asked Amalur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo reason,\u201d responded Kepa. \u201cI summoned you by accident.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen I will go,\u201d replied Amalur as she began to fade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEz! Wait!\u201d exclaimed Maite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The floating vision wavered for a moment, almost flickering, before it again solidified. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBai?\u201d it asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maite didn\u2019t know what she should ask but she didn\u2019t want Amalur to leave yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you magic?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat is magic?\u201d asked Amalur in reply. \u201cThere is no magic. There is simply the manipulation of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnergy?\u201d Maite sat, pondering for a moment. \u201cDo you mean the conversion of energy from one type to another?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnergy is energy. There is no difference. Just how it is manifested.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maite turned to Kepa. \u201cIn physics, there is a theorem that all energy is conserved, that if you lose one type you gain another. Maybe magic is way to change that balance?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo break conservation?\u201d asked Kepa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot exactly,\u201d replied Maite. \u201cMaybe it is to control the flow of energy, to overcome entropy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not following,\u201d interjected Kepa, looking thoroughly confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnergy is always conserved, but entropy is always increasing. This means that energy is converted into forms that are less useful, like through friction, that increases entropy. Maybe magic lets us control or even reverse that loss. Think about it like this. Maybe magic lets us take energy from the air around us and turn it into more useful forms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLike light and electricity?\u201d asked Kepa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maite nodded. \u201cMaybe.\u201d She looked up at Amalur who appeared to her now in her earthly mother form. She was smiling at Maite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n