‘I’ll try.’ Laromendis first started by imagining he was halting and suddenly the image around him was motionless, as if he hung a few feet above the ground. He saw a meadow, with trees that almost looked familiar but were still enough different to inform him that this was not a world he knew. He willed his mind to the vale near the burned out shell of Villa Beata on Sorcerer’s Isle, where he had been reunited with his brother.
There was resistance, as if the device did not wish to go somewhere not already known to it, or so far away, but then he felt a wrench and was suddenly speeding among the stars. He felt an almost overwhelming sense of vertigo and his stomach knotted, but he kept his grip on the device and his eyes closed. He saw a world hurtling at him, then abruptly it seemed as if he was instead falling towards it; he could see a vast ocean, two great landmasses and a sea, with islands at its centre! Then he was heading straight for a small island, northwest of the coast, and he willed himself to slow down.
Fearing to open his eyes, he softly said, ‘I think I’ve found it.’
His brother spoke in hushed tones. ‘Open the portal, Laro.’
He willed the portal to open, imagining a way between the worlds, and felt a shock run up his arm, not a sharp warning, but a physical vibration as the air made a loud whooshing sound and sizzled with energy. He opened his eyes.
‘You did it,’ Gulamendis said softly.
Laromendis said, ‘This is amazing. This portal device is better than our own, many times over. Better even than those of the humans from what I’ve seen.’
‘Their builders were humans,’ reminded his brother.
‘I mean the humans on Home.’
‘Home,’ said Gulamendis. With a look of profound relief, he said, ‘Let’s go home.’
He stepped through and Laromendis followed.
They walked out upon another world and for a moment were startled by the change in air pressure; they had come from high mountains straight down to sea level and their sensitive elven ears protested. The smells were different, too, changing instantly from the acrid stench of the volcanic blasted lands to the salty air of this green island.
And there was also the matter of a dozen determined looking magicians forming a half-circle before them, with Pug at the middle.
Gulamendis held up his hands, palms out. ‘It’s us, Pug.’
Pug motioned for the magicians to step back. Turning to the two elven brothers, he said, ‘How did you do that?’
‘We found a portal, ah, rift device on another world and knew if we turned up in E’bar, we’d be—’
‘Explain that later,’ said Pug. ‘I want to know how you got the rift to open?’
Gulamendis looked at his brother, indicating he should answer.
‘I just told it to bring us here.’
‘And it did?’ said Pug in amazement.
‘Yes, is that so odd?’
‘Very,’ said Pug, looking concerned. ‘I have placed wards on this island since the last attack, which is why I knew you were coming. We were alerted only a second or two before the rift punched through our defences. We located the source and were here as you emerged.’
‘Defences?’ asked Laromendis.
‘You should not have been able to get through my barriers without magic of incalculable power.’
The two elves glanced at one another and Laromendis said, ‘I know the portal, I mean rift gate, was better than what our builders have created, but I didn’t think it was that much better.’
Pug put out his hand as if reaching for the rift through which they had stepped and then, looking concerned, let his arm fall. ‘Nothing. It closed a moment after you stepped through. Where did you come from?’
Gulamendis gave a brief description of their travels and said, ‘If we can deal with the demons and get safely back to Hub, I can get you to Can-ducar on the world of Telesan, and from there I can find that portal again.’
‘That will have to wait, but I will take you up on that offer. That design explains why a lot of things have happened over the years that shouldn’t have, especially attacks on this island that overcome my defences.’
‘Could we go somewhere and sit down?’ asked Gulamendis. ‘We are both rather tired.’
‘Yes,’ said Pug with a forced smile. ‘Forgive me.’ He motioned to the other magicians, ‘We’ll meet you back at the keep.’ He put his hands on the shoulders of the two elves and suddenly they were in Pug’s private study in the tower.
Laromendis said, ‘This is a prodigious conjuration, Pug. I’m impressed.’
Pug smiled. ‘You are good at your craft. I have two rooms occupying two different locations and anyone who steps through the door without knowing how to control entrances comes here. My office, and I do work here, is in a different location.’
Laromendis glanced out the window. ‘The view?’
‘Another illusion, reflecting what you would see if you were looking out of the tower.’
‘Again, impressive.’ He glanced around. ‘The other room, the one you enter if you do know what you’re doing?’
‘That is for another time. Please, sit.’