The first sight that greeted Dee on the other side of the portal gate was endless snow. The dark sky was heavily overcast and it was snowing just enough to qualify, but not enough to actually add to the thick layer of snow on the ground. As she observed the gate they had exited, it was quite different compared to the gates on Pantheon. The structure was made up of four stone arches that came together to a point at the top, leaving all four sides open. The stone arches and the ground was covered in runes, or at least it was to her sight. To everyone else, it looked to be covered in ice that seemed to have become a permanent fixture, probably not having melted for centuries. The temperature was also frigid, but the trio barely noticed that inconvenience.

There was nothing living around, and the gate was the only structure she could see, and she could see quite far. “Not what I expected.” She commented.

“Agreed. This is very different from Pantheon.” Moirai agreed. She was still morose and serious, but at least she had managed to push her grief aside to become functional.

Araqiel gave a small chuckle. “That’s because both of you only have experience with gateways on Pantheon. Most of the universe does things very differently. Part of it is also because Dee picked the furthest location away from Pantheon our entry gate could manage without any care for the nature of the destination. I’m not sure this world is even inhabited.”

Both Dee and Moirai looked questioningly at Araqiel on hearing the last part. The angel continued. “You have to understand that the gateways between worlds are generally used for very different purposes in places other than Pantheon. Pantheon has almost endless gates between different inhabited areas and frequently uses them for trade and simple travel. That’s why their gates are relatively small and less guarded. The other worlds use gateways mostly to move armies.”

“This doesn’t look any more guarded than gates on Pantheon.” Moirai commented rather pointedly due to the lack of any life around them.

“Correct, which is why I’m not sure if this world is even inhabited. Look, the gates on Pantheon can reach pretty much any other gate on Pantheon, but travel between worlds is more challenging. Also unlike Pantheon, the ambient mana is often thinner, even when the gates are mostly built on ley-lines. When we use the gates between worlds, we more often than not have to provide them with our own power. Even with that, the gateways can only reach a limited number of other worlds. Also something of note, unlike on Pantheon, there’s often a separate gateway for entering and exiting a world. This one is strictly for entry into this world. It can’t be used to travel to another world without serious tampering.” Araqiel explained.

“What the point in that?” Moirai asked rather miffed at the wasted time and effort they were likely to run into.

It was Dee that answered. “I think she already said it. Most of the gateways are used to move armies. Often hostile armies. I’m guessing we are in an area that could be considered to be a border between large factions? Judging by the lack of a garrison, this is a world used as a relay point to extend towards actually interesting worlds outside the range of other gates. The people who built these gates didn’t want to make things too easy for enemy armies.”

“Pretty close actually.” Araqiel agreed with a nod of her head. “Thing is, most of the border areas place the entry gates in difficult locations to make invasions harder to pull off. Depending on how often they use the planet themselves, they might even place the outbound gate on the other side of the world to make things as difficult as possible. Worlds that are in safer areas often have the gateways in more convenient locations and even have gates for travel around the world itself. Those gates get more common as the level of development on the particular world increases or if the value of the planet when it comes to resources and trade increases. Peaceful worlds often also have gateways that work both ways as there’s less need for precautions like this. On the borders though, the gates are placed with invasions in mind. Some inbound gates are surrounded by fortifications on all sides to make invasions a near impossibility. Any incoming army will be slaughtered as they exit the gate.”

“So should we expect death traps with only an inbound gate and no way to leave? Or worlds where the entrance is heavily trapped?” Moirai asked, liking the idea less and less.

“No to the first question. The gateways can usually be modified to allow for outbound travels as well, though it takes some work and skill. As for the second one, the entrances are almost never trapped, because even the fortified border worlds have incoming traffic of their own, either in the form of supplies or just messengers. It also happens to be forbidden, but that rarely stops anyone from doing anything. It’s just not practical most of the time as most worlds see at least some traffic. However, we should be prepared to run into guards and forts, many of which are not going to be all that friendly. Not that they’ll want to tick off immortals usually.” Araqiel replied with a shrug.

“I think the more important question is; how do we find the outbound gate on a ball of ice like this? Even assuming it’s a small world, it’ll take a lot of time to find the gateway.” Dee pointed out the obvious dilemma.

“Ah, that’s easy. There’s about a dozen ways to find the other gate. The most obvious one is that most travelers carry magical items that help them locate the gateways.” Araqiel pulled out a compass looking thing that pointed towards the two gates and showed the distance. She had assumed this was coming, so she had acquired extras for Dee and Moirai. She tossed these extras out right away. “In case that one gets damaged or destroyed, you can use the entry gate to ping for the exit gate. Or, well, I can. You both are psions. I think Dee’s holy power can do it as well, but the gate creators didn’t really bother accommodating psions. You can also make educated guesses with some experience and knowledge. Follow the ley-lines and find the spots with thick ambient mana. Other such things. I’d use the item if I were you though, at least until you get some experience.”

“Are you sure your portals wouldn’t work, Dee?” Moirai asked.

“I mean, if I got a decent idea about our destination, then yes. We could travel between worlds with my ability as I’m part Astral Dragon. The problem is, even with that it would take weeks and months to travel between worlds. And if I’ve never visited a world before, it would be almost entirely random where on our destination world we end up. It might be alright, but it might land us in some trouble as well.” Dee replied.

With her improved portals as an Astral Dragon, they could relatively effectively use the portals to travel between worlds. Her completed totem also improved all her abilities, this one among them. She didn’t even require that specific of a destination anymore, assuming she had at least a general idea where she wanted to go. The Astral Sea also had the interesting attribute where they would not age nor grow hungry during the trip. But even with all the improvement from her totem, that travel method would still take a long time. If they didn’t have to worry about time at all, then the portals would be an easy solution, but none of the three wanted to spend years on travel that could be done almost instantly with the gateways. Not unless they had to.

“It’s not so bad once we get out of the border areas. Pantheon was specifically placed in a central position between the four participants of the War in Heaven so it could function as a refuge for all parties. Even with the demons out of the struggle, this is still the heart of the border zone. I’m half surprised we didn’t end up surrounded by fortifications on all sides. Changing the subject slightly, where exactly are we going?” Araqiel rushed to agree with Dee. She wasn’t as confident with Dee’s portals and had much more experience with the gateways.

“That’s actually a good question.” Moirai also looked at Dee. She didn’t really have a destination in mind, as she was just along to grow stronger and to get away from Pantheon. Of course, she was also here for Dee, but that went without saying.

Dee considered their situation for a while. “Well, for several reasons, we simply need some time for now. I have a…shall we say a source of power to draw on to grow stronger.” Dee had almost exhausted the first container of the souls from the destroyed hells, but the third door inside Croestia had plenty more of the same. “It will just take time to utilize. Besides that, it might be better for us to lay low for a while and gather information. I also want to travel the universe a bit. That has always been one of my goals, and now it’s something I can do.”

“Well, if you can hide your identity as a Fallen, then that would not be a problem. If we can hide both our wings, then we can go pretty much anywhere. Like I said, immortals are rarely bothered unless they are clear enemies. I’d like to get into contact with the Archangel if that’s fine with you.” Araqiel said, mostly agreeing with Dee’s plan to lay low for a time.

“You do that. She should have some information for us by now as well.” Dee pointed out. The Archangel had promised to find out the whereabouts of Selvaria’s sealed and guarded spatial pocket.

“I should be able to do that at any major world with decent development.” Araqiel didn’t bother arguing the point. Personally she would be more comfortable in the angel controlled parts of the universe, but she also realized that might lead to some bad things considering Dee’s nature and personality.

“The Assembly.” Dee suddenly declared her decision.

“What?” Araqiel asked, thrown off by the sudden declaration.

“We should go to the areas controlled by the Assembly. My mother was a part of them, and they are supposed to be very magically developed. You should be able to find your means of communication easily, and I should find plenty of things to eat, to see, to fight and to eat. Also, we won’t stand out as badly even with our wings out. According to what I heard, the Assembly takes in pretty much anyone with enough power.” Dee explained with a small lick of her lips.

Moirai couldn’t help but smile at Dee’s gluttonous nature resurfacing. Her old student hadn’t really had the chance to enjoy her vice for a while. The years spent on the elementals planes were not exactly filled with delicacies despite the provisions they had taken along, and after that, they had seen almost constant battle. “Assembly it is then.”

“I’ll accede to your wishes, but are you sure you wouldn’t do better in the dragon controlled areas? They aren’t exactly backwater places either, and with you being an Astral Dragon and everything…well, it might allow you to let that part of yourself out a bit more.” Araqiel suggested, genuinely curious about Dee’s reasoning.

“Perhaps later. See, while I’m part Astral, I’m also part Abyssal. That’s going to raise some eyebrows. Scalebrows? Whatever.” Dee had plans to go to the areas controlled by the dragons as well. Just not yet. She was also a little worried about how the dragons felt about dragons that were mixed blood with other races. The dragons on Pantheon seemed to take it well, but that might not be the common reaction.

“But still, as far as first steps outside Pantheon go, this place is a bit…” Moirai suddenly said, struggling to find the right words.

“Shitty?” Asked Araqiel rather directly.

“Not the word I would’ve used, but that works. Let’s agree that Dee doesn’t get to navigate anymore. She gets to make broad directional choices, but navigation is up to us. Now, where’s that other gate?” Moirai actually managed to joke.

----------

“Araqiel.” Dee’s voice managed to be both reproachful and somewhat mirthful at the same time. That mirth was a little out of place considering their devastated surroundings, but a little destruction rarely bothered Dee. Her dragon form casually bumped into an already teetering tower, causing it to finally give in and collapse.

“Don’t! No! This is not my fault!” Araqiel was quick to defend herself, tossing aside one of the last people they had kept alive to ask some questions. Questions had been asked and now that person had also lost his life.

“You’re the one that said they wouldn’t bother immortals.” Moirai stated in a high-pitched voice clearly meant to mock and mimic Araqiel.

“You’re also the one who said it would be a good idea to change shapes to hide our nature.” Dee tried to follow Moirai’s lead, although her attempt was foiled by the fact that it was pretty hard to mimic voices as a dragon.

“Look, how was I supposed to know the Assembly had developed an experimental method to return people to their true shape?” Araqiel claimed. “Even this guy said the spell was just developed, and that this was the first test site. It wasn’t even supposed to work this well yet! Look at the spell runes! They’re full of imperfections and small errors. And if they had bothered asking questions instead of attacking us in full, then the result wouldn’t have been so bad.” Araqiel waved her hand around, the gesture taking in the entire devastated fort they had been forced to fight against. A small fort, but still.

“I wouldn’t call this working well.” Dee grunted, peeved that the spell had considered her dragon form her true form.

“This might draw a lot of unwanted attention.” Moirai stated the obvious problem. They had actually tried calming the situation down, but the Assembly forces were not feeling like listening, which was understandable considering this place and the new technique were supposed to be a secret. A bad choice due to the obvious difference in strength between the two parties.

“Not necessarily. According to what I managed to get out of the guy, this wasn’t exactly a high profile project. Sure, a fort disappearing will draw attention, but the project itself was something rather minor.” Araqiel said defensively. She had been the one to question the captive.

“Be that as it may, I don’t think we can let you navigate either. Dee might have picked a frigid ball of ice, but at least she didn’t pick a secret research fort.” Moirai twisted the proverbial knife a little more. “I think I’ll have to pick our destinations from now on.”

“I’m more interested in this.” Dee gingerly picked up one of the corpses with her claws. “The four guys that seemed to be the leaders were wearing identical clothes. It looks like a uniform of some sort. And I think I remember my mother wearing something similar long ago.” The corpse was wearing a black robe with weird fringes hanging from the sleeves. All of the corpses with the robes also had a wide red sash that really stood out from the otherwise black robe.

“Oh, that? That’s the official clothing of every member of the Assembly. To be more specific, only those with a certain rank can wear the black robes. The black robes denote their full membership in the Assembly, the fringes that hang from the sleeves signify the exact rank and the sash signifies affiliation with a certain faction. Lower ranked members also have similar robes but with different color. They may also have the sash, but they might not be affiliated yet. Wearing robes like that is forbidden in the areas controlled by the Assembly unless you’re part of them. Civilians and subordinate groups will obviously abide by that rule.” Araqiel explained.

“So stealing the robes for our own use wouldn’t work?” The robes were actually still in perfect condition despite the death of their owners. The defensive abilities of the robes were pretty notable.

“Of course it wou…actually, now that I think about it, that plan might work. No one actually questions the people with the robes, so that should apply to us. Especially if they can sense our power. An immortal in the Assembly worlds is likely one of them in any case. We might want to avoid relying on the robes too much, but they might make things easier. And if we remove the robes while in cities…” Araqiel had been about to deny the idea outright but talked herself into the idea in the end.

“What does the red sash signify?” Moirai asked, noticing something that might turn out to be important.

“I’m pretty sure it’s the more militant wing of the Assembly. They seek to expand their influence by force. Of course there’s more nuance to it than that, but I’ve been at Pantheon for several years, so I’m not sure how the internal politics of the Assembly might have shifted. Only they can tell exactly what each faction and sub-faction aims for.” Araqiel replied with a shrug. At one point she had been well versed in the Assembly politics, but that was a long time ago and the allegiances had shifted several times since then.

“Why do I get the feeling this might bite us later…” Moirai muttered.