They were nearing Meereen, Garth could tell, as he noticed small patches of greenery emerging defiantly from the cracked and sun-baked ground. He could also see trees in the distance. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his new friend walking towards him.

“By the Seven, the man moves like a tortoise,” Garth muttered.

He continued walking, looking around for a place to sit and rest. After a while, he found a large rock surrounded by what the Ghiscari called Neem trees. There was ample shade, so he walked towards it, waiting for Jason to catch up.

The last two days had been life-changing for Garth. He was almost sold into slavery, only saved because of the man trudging towards him in the distance. Jason was not what he expected. Garth didn't know what to expect when he went to help him, leaving the safety of the caravan.

He thought the man to be a practitioner of mystic arts from a faraway land, a traveler like him, maybe even a native of Essos, a member of a secret cult hidden from the rest of the world. The answer he received from Jason when he questioned him was inconceivable to him.

Jason claimed to be from another world, and his powers, well, he himself didn't know much about it either.

At first, Garth believed Jason was making a fool out of him. When he was fit to travel, they decided to travel together to Meereen.

He continued to question Jason, yet the answers remained unchanged. Frustration grew within Garth. Did Jason believe him to be some peasant to believe his fanciful tales? But how wrong he was. It was the same day when they stopped for the night that Jason produced enough evidence for him to believe his claims.

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"Enough of these absurdities, Jason!" Garth exclaimed, his tone edged with irritation.

"Another world? Am I to believe such rubbish? Are you jesting, or has the desert sun addled your senses?"

“That is the hill you’re choosing to die on – the fact that I am from another world?” Jason said, seemingly irritated by his questioning as well.

“Unless I see proof of your claims, yes, I find it hard to believe you,” Garth replied.

Jason seemed to think for a while. “Aha! I have the perfect thing that can convince you,” he exclaimed as he opened his strange satchel.

Garth watched as Jason brought out a peculiar object. It was a shiny cylinder painted red, and there was something inscribed on it.

"Behold, Garth!" Jason exclaimed, standing up and striking a dramatic pose. "I now hold in my hand something your primitive mind can't even comprehend," he said, grinning.

"Primitive... did you just call me primitive? I'll have you know that I am a fully trained maester," Garth retorted angrily, his brows furrowed.

Jason chuckled, holding the shiny cylinder aloft. "Oh, apologies, Maester. I didn't mean to offend you, but I doubt you have ever seen anything like this."

Garth squinted at the inscriptions on the cylinder. "Coca-Cola… what is this Coca-Cola?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Oh, my friend, you are going to love it. I doubt you will taste anything like this ever again,” Jason said as he handed the object to him.

“Taste,” Garth repeated in confusion. He was even more perplexed when he took hold of the cylinder; it was smooth and made of some kind of metal.

“This is fine craftsmanship,” Garth said, examining the object. He then realized there was something inside it.

“There's something inside it,” Garth muttered as he began to shake it.

“Wait, don't shake it,” Jason said, grabbing hold of Garth's hands.

Garth shot him a questioning look. "Why not? What is this strange container, and what is its purpose?"

"See the tab on top of it, the small metal piece."

“Yes,” Garth responded, locating the tab.

Jason grinned. “Open it by pressing down.”

Garth hesitated, but curiosity got the better of him. With Jason's guidance, he carefully opened it and heard a faint hiss as the tab was pressed down. Suddenly, the air was filled with a burst of fizzing sound, and a strange aroma wafted out of the can.

“What is this strange liquid?” Garth asked as he smelled it.

“Drink it,” Jason replied, excitement evident in his eyes. Garth, still wary but curious, brought the can to his lips and took a cautious sip. The effervescence and sweetness burst on his tongue, creating a sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced.

"This… this is unlike anything I've ever tasted! What kind of magic is this?" Garth exclaimed, forgetting his initial skepticism.

“Glad you enjoyed your first and last time tasting a soda,” Jason said, putting his hands on Garth's shoulder.

Garth took another sip, trying to comprehend the combination of sweetness and bubbles. "It's a marvel, truly. How is it made? What are its ingredients?"

Jason shrugged.

“What is this can, as you call it, made of? It must have taken a blacksmith days to make something this smooth and shapely, and what is this metal? It is not iron or steel….”

“Whoa, whoa, slow it with the questions. We can make like millions of cans every day; it doesn't take days, Garth,” Jason said, chuckling at the poor man's expression.

“Millions,” Garth said in a small voice. “You people use magic, then, like you possess,” he added.

“No, no, I already told you; it's new to me as well,” Jason said, emphasizing his point.

“What else do you have in that strange satchel of yours?” Garth asked, looking at the said object.

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Garth was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Jason approaching; he could hear his shallow breaths as Jason slowly made his way to him.

Garth reached into his satchel and took out the object that finally made him believe Jason’s claims. It was a tome or a book, as Jason called it. Garth couldn't stop marveling at it.

The tome was something he had never seen before; the words were written neatly, and the parchment was smooth.

Jason had explained to him the process called printing, and the pages were not parchment but called paper. When Garth heard about printing, he wondered why the great maesters of the Citadel, his peers, never discovered it; it sounded so simple.

He read the title of the book, 'Warfare in the Seventeenth Century.' Jason had no knowledge of what was in the three books; he had told him that he was simply bringing them to his friend.

The book contained knowledge of military advancements and strategies of the seventeenth century in Jason's world. It also contained a map of his world. They had mapped the entire world. It was this that finally convinced him.

The other two books were about philosophies and scientific discoveries of the same age. He was aching to get to Meereen so he could properly examine them.

Garth turned his attention from the book to see Jason stumbling towards him.

“Missing your horseless carriages and flying vehicles, Jason?” he quipped. He couldn't help but poke fun at Jason’s struggle.

Jason seated next to Garth and took a moment to catch his breath; he was wearing a cloak on his head, his lips were dry as he tried to wet them with his tongue.

“Walking…. is…. Overrated,” Jason said, shooting Garth a mock glare.

Garth handed him his waterskin, from which Jason drank greedily.

“Why do you look so tired? The heat isn't that bad,” Garth asked, examining the man from another world.

“I was practicing,” Jason replied.

“That was incredibly stupid, Jason. You haven't completely recovered from your last 'feat' yet,” Garth admonished him.

“It's fine; it wasn't for nothing, though,” Jason said, grinning.

“What is it? Have you found something new?” Garth asked, curiosity evident in his eyes.

A spark of excitement lit up Jason's eyes as he glanced at Garth. Rising from his seated position, he extended his hands towards the ground, focusing on the sand and stones beneath. The stones and sand stirred and lifted, forming a swirling dance in the air.

Jason seemed to be in great concentration as the stones and sand turned into even finer particles. Garth watched all this in astonishment; he was still not used to seeing Jason using his abilities.

Jason made the particles into a cohesive shape, a solid rectangle. “All done,” Jason said, taking deep breaths.

Garth reached out and grabbed the floating rectangular object; it was solid and perfectly shaped.

“Amazing,” Garth muttered under his breath.

“Great is’t it imagine me with more control I could build a fucking castle out of nothing,” Jason exclaimed.

“Yes, yes it is,” Garth replied, wondering what new abilities Jason might discover next.

“Come on, if we keep the same pace, we will arrive at the outskirts of Meereen by tomorrow morning,” Garth added as he stood up.

“Oh great, more walking. Why couldn't I have the ability to fly or teleport?” Jason said as he stood up.

“Who knows, maybe you will. Come on, the sooner we get to Meereen, the better,” Garth said as he led the way, with a tired Jason following behind him.