Azul agreed, however reluctantly, and they all prepared to leave for the crash site to meet up with the others. While the kidnapping had been fake, the danger was real and time was ticking. However, Selina’s mind was on other things.

“How did she find out about something as incredible as flying gondolas before me?” she complained, “Can you imagine all of the trouble it could have saved?”

“Selina, can you please stop,” James told her, “It is bad enough that we have to walk back right now. I do not want to think about easier methods of travel.”

“Azul offered to have the wyvern give us a ride,” Selina told him, “But you refused.”

“Did you really want to ride in the clutches of that thing again?” James demanded. Selina went silent.

Howard kept his eye on the sky. It was late at night when Azul took them and it was hard to tell when the sun would come up when all three moons set in different directions. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be much of a problem but even if they were in a forest they would need to find or build sufficient cover to protect themselves.

“Will we make it there in time?” Howard muttered to himself.

James suddenly held up a hand.

“What?” Selina asked.

{Be quiet. Something is here,} James told them, switching to telepathy to avoid making noise. He slowly drew one of his concealed guns as something approached.

A few moments later Sanders was visible through the underbrush.

“Sanders?” Selina asked in shock, “I thought you left!”

Sanders jumped slightly. “You guys? Actually, I did leave, and when I tried to get back I couldn’t get into the colony so I have been dropping by a little base I made now and again instead, in case you needed to leave, and then I could join you again.”

“Why?” James asked, “Don’t you have a home of your own to get back to?”

“I do, and I have been. Like I said I have been dropping in here and there,” he replied, “You have certainly changed since I last saw you. Especially Howard.”

Howard grimaced. He had forgotten that Sanders had left before anyone had gone through with the ceremony. Then he thought over what Sanders had said.

“You mentioned something about a base you set up for yourself. Is it nearby?” he asked.

“It is,” Sanders said, “Ah, I see. The sun will come up soon. You can all come and wait out the day there. I will let Jonathan know I found you.”

“You have been keeping in contact with Jonathan?” James questioned.

“I have,” Sanders answered and beckoned for them to follow him back the way he had come.

“Found us?” Selina realized, “Does that mean he was already looking for us?”

“Yes, Miranda seems to have contacted Jonathan first through telepathy after everyone started vanishing,” Sanders replied, “Telepathy is convenient like that and Jonathan was the only one who knew I am still around.”

“That explains why he was so carefree about his research,” James muttered under his breath, “That idiot could have gotten us all killed.”

“I doubt that,” Sanders said, “Then again, that Sage was pretty determined to keep me out so it is hard to say.”

“What does she have against you?” Selina asked.

Sanders thought for a moment. “I don’t know for sure, but if I had to guess it would be my magic. The way I use magic is more or less the opposite of Wisdom.”

“In what way?” Selina pressed, slightly curious.

“From what I have observed of the magic of this world it is the kind that is given by the world itself or at least abides by its rules. My magic tends to be forceful and messy.”

“No wonder that anomaly showed up,” James growled, glaring at him.

Sanders chuckled awkwardly. “Be nice. Aren’t I sheltering you from the sun?”

At that moment the trees opened up to reveal a clearing. In the center of a clearing was a comfortable looking log cabin. It was the most normal-looking house Howard had seen in a long time. In fact, it was so normal, Howard was slightly startled.

“It’s a house,” Selina gasped, equally surprised, “It’s only been a year and I already have that sort of reaction to seeing a house?’

Sanders smiled. “Shall we continue talking inside?” he asked, opening the door for them.

The inside was normal too, in the style one would expect from a log cabin. Everything was simple and made of wood. Howard wandered in and looked around.

“How much time did it take you to build this?” James asked.

“Only a few hours,” Sanders replied, “I cheated a bit. Don’t worry. I made sure to take care of any problems that decided to show up.”

Howard wondered how many near disasters he had taken care of while they were unaware but regretted it.

“I also discovered something interesting,” Sanders replied, “Those with red eyes use magic closer to mine.”

“They do?” Selina asked in surprise, “Did you test this with Jonathan?”

“Yes, but not just him. Jonathan could be a unique case,” Sanders explained, “So I tracked down others with red eyes and discovered the same thing. They seem to call it the Bloodcry here but not everyone with red eyes has killed before. Most of them are forced to escape to the Crimson Colony, but even they think they are cursed.”

“You think otherwise?” James asked.

“I do. A certain annoying person is always telling me that the universe constantly strives for balance,” Sanders explained, “That magic might be different but it isn’t bad. The only reason my magic caused trouble on Earth is that Earth rejects magic as a whole.”