“The first time it happened to us, we figured it was the hag who we had encountered on our way to fetch a name.” Reed began.

“You had not yet earned your name?” Urath raised an eyebrow.

“My name is not worth earning. I found it where I was found by he who asked us to find the name the hag had hidden.”

“And what name does he who found you hold?”

“From him hangs the name of the Archmage Daniels, although when I met him, he was only Professor Daniels.”

“I am familiar with his power. You truly walk amid great company.”

“I consider myself, in many ways, to be quite fortunate.”

“So how did he find you?”

“By looking for his wallet.”

“You were in his pocket?”

“I had been but was now hiding in a pile of refuse in an alley.”

“What were you doing among all that which was thrown out?”

“Trying to get the enchanted wallet I’d just stolen to stop screaming for its mother.”

“And this was how he found you.” Urath nodded, “Then, as punishment, he sent you to fetch a name?”

“Worse, he enrolled me in his wizard school.”

“You are an alumnus of the Divine College?”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“More of an ejectus, but yes, I did attend.”

“So you know the secrets of the Seering Pools?”

“I know some secrets.”

“Are you guys talking about Reed’s masturbation bowl?” Cthulhu interrupted.

“You use the power to peer through space and time to masturbate?” Urath asked.

“I do not!”

“He puts a blanket over his head and tells everyone to leave him alone.”

“I hear that’s dangerous.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s going to drown one day.” Szarra said, pulling up a chair.

“How is your book?”

“Finished, just like you, every morning.”

“I can’t say I blame you,” Urath said, “if I could see through the many dimensions of reality, I am sure I would see sights that fill me with certain... compulsions.”

“I,” Reed said slowly, “do not use the Seering Pools to masturbate.”

“Not all the time, no, but when we are just hanging out,” Cthulhu said.

“Or after a long day,” Bapho added.

“Or when you know you need to do the laundry but you don’t want to.” Szarra suggested.

“One day we will drink and you will tell me of the many sights you have seen.”

Everyone paused.

“What? Did I fart?” Urath asked.

“Well, you likely won’t remember this.” Szarra said.

“And neither will we.” Reed added.

“What do you mean?” Urathemenon demanded.

“I mean, this, this frozen time, it won’t remain in our memories when the stage returns.” Reed said.

“But how do you know so much about it?” Protested Urath.

“We know about it because we remember the past times that we have been frozen. Once the stage returns, all memory of its absence will vanish.” Reed said.

“It will?”

“It always has.”

“In that case, tell me true while we have time, what is this, ‘Stage’?”

“At first we thought it was some species of inverted beholder.” Szarra said.

“A giant, extradimensional eye from whose gaze flowed magic and time.” Cthulhu said.