The following afternoon the caravan made it to the last portal. Two tall stone pillars that towered twenty feet high separated by the same distance wide. In the lead was Captain Santurin, who leads the caravan by a few dozen yards seated upon a tall white horse. He takes an amulet from around his neck and places it against the pillar, and the air between them starts to shimmer. In a few seconds, the center shows a different scene, the inside of a large compound with the dome of the Grand Bazaar poking above the far wall in the distance. The outriders were circling the stones now as one wagon after the other went through to the other side. Once the caravan is through, the guards ride between the pillars, and a few moments later, the portal closes.

In the compound, the guards open the gate leading out to the short mile-long road to the Domed City of Nadel De-Nar entrance. Its forty-foot-high walls are topped with a sizeable multicolor shield consisting of several energia types forming a translucent tear-shaped dome over the city. Tad had been here before and had seen the great magical building-sized machines powering this dome. He also knows some of the histories of the city, most referred to as the Grand Bazaar.

The caravan continued towards the gate again. The Captain was making his way to talk to the city gate guards to gain entrance.

It took over an hour for the caravan to make it to the great Lefe compound, where most of the wagons went. The carriage and the fifty Elvin guardsmen continued onto Catarine's mansion compound. Where they were going to wish Zanna out of the bottle and deal with the fallout if there was any, Tad's understanding is if Zanna harbored ill will against Catarine or the Grand Bazaar, the magic of the city would repel her far into the beast lands. Hopefully, it would not come to that, he had talked to Zanna many times over the journey, and he had explained there was a sizeable half-fiend population here that she could probably make friends with them and find some sort of employment. He intended to discuss it with the half-fiend Innkeeper he knew if all went well while wishing her from the bottle.

For the last part of the journey, Tad had been watching Zanna as she gazed out the window at all the beings they had passed in the carriage. He was going to miss her company once she left, but he had made a promise, and he would wish her out of the bottle.

"You know Tad, she isn't going to fit anywhere for a long time. You could always ask her to join the Carnival until she knows enough about the none demon planes to travel on her own. "projected Catarine from the other side of the carriage. There were too heavily padded wooden benches in the carriage, Tad had taken to using one side, and Catarine and Zanna were on the other. A few times on the trip, people had bumped into Zanna, sending her back to her bottle for the rest of that day. But for the most part, this was how they had ridden every day for the last couple of weeks on their trip.

"I know, Beothorn thinks she is going to rip my brains out when we release her, though. I'll ask her after I make the wish. She can easily find a job at the Carnival, or I thought the Innkeeper might help her out if she wants to have a place to work and live while she learns her way around." project Tad back. The other people in the wagon could not communicate via projection. Well, not without a lot of effort on the part of the soulmancer using the skill. Many fey could use it though, Catarine and Lamruil could, Beothorn could not, though. No matter how hard anyone tried, Beothorn was a dwarf, and it is not uncommon for dwarves to have a natural resistance to magic. Tad knew from experience nobody was going to read or communicate with soulmancy or mind magic with Beothorn.

Zanna, as far as Tad could tell, could use almost no magic. She had mentioned that the previous genie that had trapped her told her she could not use djinn magic as a demon, and she could not use her demon magic as a genie in the bottle. So, for the most part, her tasks had involved fetching and being a chancellor and showpiece for an Archduke of hell. If she touched or was touched, she immediately went back to the genie bottle. That would all change once he wished her out of the bottle. This is why the Elvin guards were also there.

The carriage arrived in the courtyard coming in slower than usual as the double column of guards were jogging on foot behind them to keep up.

The courtyard to her residence had a giant tree in the center that the carriage circled around, stopping at a wide stairway leading up into the building. There was a leafy canopy that cast shade over the steps and area that the carriage would unload. The structure and walls were all made of light-colored stone, and the buildings were made of marble. There was a large oak tree in the center of the courtyard with a few benches and the area directly under it set up for sitting.

"We should do this under the tree, "said Catarine as the others stepped out of the carriage. The guards were taking up positions all around the tree. Most had spears in hand and short swords at their belts. Several unslung bows, Tad noticed one of the Bow wielders was Lamruil. Tad waved him over to the group. He didn't think Lamruil would have done anything to Zanna, but there was no need to wave bacon in front of a bear.

"The tree will be fine. "said Tad, following Catarine, who was already making her way across the path to the seating area under the tree.

Zanna looked at the huge tree in wonder. It was a large tree, and Tad could feel the magic coming from it. He had no idea what kind of tree it was, but he felt confident that Catarine had picked the correct spot for this small ceremony.

Catarine stopped and turned to wait for the others to gather, "When you are ready, Thaddius. "

Tad nodded affirmation to the tall elf, "Zanna, I'd like you to know before I wish you out of the bottle that it has been my honor to help free you, and no matter how this turns out, I wish you well. "

Zanna had been looking at the tree and the flowers around the little area. She heard Tad then turned to him. "I am ready."

Tad didn't know what he expected from her, perhaps excitement or a smile. Then it occurred to him, once he wished her out, she was going to be in a foreign land around people she hardly knew in a world she had never seen before.

Tad took a deep breath walked over to stand beside Zanna, "I wish you free of the bottle and the genie spell upon you. " Tad had discussed this with her a few days ago, he thought this was actually two wishes, but she said this was just defining the first part and would be fine.

Tad didn't know what he should be expecting, perhaps a flash or some magic show? What he saw was the blue glow that surrounded Zanna vanish. The group just stood there. Zanna reached out and touched the bottle, then Tad's hand. Zanna turned and looked at Catarine for a moment, then suddenly, all Tad saw were stars circling his vision as he hit the ground like a felled tree. When he awoke a few moments later, Lamruil and Beothorn were standing next to Zanna, who stood above him. "That was for making me wait so long to leave that damned bottle. "She nodded then went back to looking at the flowers that grew around the outside of the sitting area.

Tad tried to move his nose. There was some blood running down his face.

Lamruil smiled, "That looked painful. "then he chuckled and walked over to talk to Catarine.

Beothorn put out his hand to help Tad back to his feet, "Well, that went better than I expected." said the dwarf, smiling.

Tad shook his head and looked again at Zanna, who was pointedly ignoring him. Then he cast a healing spell and touched his face. The bleeding stopped, and the cartilage across the bridge of his nose slowly came back together as the bruising went away.

Tad stood there looking at Zanna for a few moments. She was obviously ignoring him for a reason. Tad nodded to Lamruil projecting, "You ready to go see the Carnival? "

"Yes, I'll grab my bag," he responded.

Tad and Beothorn started following Lamruil heading to the Inn.

"Where are you going?" said a loud, agitated Zanna.

"Well, we are leaving for the Inn then home to the Carnival across the city. "said Tad.

"Good, I am coming with you," said Zanna.

"What? You just punched me in the nose. Why would you think you are coming with me?" said Tad with exasperation in his voice.

"Because I am, Catarine and I discussed it. I'm going with you. "said Zanna walking over to pick up the genie bottle Tad had dropped. She nodded to Catarine, walked over the carriage, and picked up a bag of clothes the ladies had bought when they had gone shopping several weeks back. Then she came and stood next to Tad and Beothorn, tilting her head as if expecting them to continue.

Tad looked at Beothorn, who shrugged then the dwarf walked towards where Lamruil was standing with his own more oversized bag that contained his armor and other items he had brought. Beothorn had a shoulder pack that included the small chest and other things their companions had picked up while fleeing the demon fortress. Tad walked over to the carriage, picked up his sack, and then made his way over to where the other three were waiting. He nodded to Catarine when he passed her still standing under the tree, "Thank you, "he projected.

"Would you like a ride to your Inn? It's a long walk. "she projected back and pointed at the carriage. Tad wasn't thinking, he waved the others over. Once inside the carriage, it started moving. They watched the Elvin guards getting back into formation as they prepared to leave and report back to Lord Uldreyin.

Zanna once again glued herself to the window, watching the city and Grand Bazaar pass by.

***