Mariel woke up on one of the stone benches in the tower. She felt unsure if it was morning, but the waiting for the serum to finish had at first felt like a while, then blown itself up into what felt like an eternity. Finally, fatigue had taken hold of her. Her body hurt from sleeping on the bench, but it still felt refreshing to have closed her eyes for a while. A quick look at the mirror nearby confirmed she was back to normal

“Good morning… Or rather. Afternoon.” Siravin approached her carrying some bread and water.

“It’s that late?”

“Yeah. The serum’s finished by the way. From the looks of it, we’re going to be going back the same way we arrived…”

“What do you mean?” She threw him a sceptical look.

“Oh you’ll love it. Yvrain made a sort of round floaty hole in the wall. He took a lot of kilden, and made a way home.”

“No. No I’d rather swim.”

“Serious?”

“…”

Siravin shook his head and sat down next to her, handing her the food which she ate with vigour. As she ate, she continued to observe the elves going back and forth across the floor. Some carried large store boxes, while yet others read books while making their way through the mess of elves, in eerie silence. In any other place, so many people would be making quite a bit of noise, but the whole hall was strangely quiet.

“We’ll go and meet with him.” Siravin jumped to his feet. “But before we do that…” He looked over his shoulder. “We get to carry some stuff.”

From the other side of the hall, Damri, flanked on both sides by a pair of scribes, approached them carrying a small wooden chest.

“Finally awake! This is the serum you’ll need. The effect is long-lasting… I estimate some three months… Maybe four if you can use it sparingly. The pain effects should be dealt with too. A fair word of warning though...” Damri looked at one of the scribes, which immediately produced a small bundle of letters. “Your kind is being persecuted on the human continent. Going there is… Extremely dangerous right now.”

Mariel nodded, seeing for a moment a hint of concern in Damri’s eyes. “I have to go there anyway. Is it possible to return here later?”

“Should be fine… The portals are linked to specific places. If you can access the place freely, then you can return. Your friend already knows the process.”

She nodded.

“Safe travels you two. Take a few guards with you on the way back.”

They left the tower back outside to the familiar ruined city. The usual noises of war continued unabated in the distance. The whole area had however been secured, so their small detail of guards seemed unnecessary. From good vantage points, sentinels were keeping vigil of the surrounding area. Occasionally, a thudding crossbow was followed by a agonized scream in the distance.

Arriving at the previous day’s battlefield, the whole area had been completely cleared of rubble and battlefield debris. Some significantly stronger fortifications were in the process of being erected, and the area bore more of the likeness to a construction site.

“Wait a bit…” Mariel stopped Siravin, before quickly heading over to the familiar face, locked securely behind bars in a sizeable cage.

“Kisando?”

“Hm? Mariel?”

“I… I just came to say goodbye. And to thank you for all that you have done for me. If not for you, I’d have frozen to death for sure.”

The elf smiled and reached out his hand between the bars which she immediately shook.

“What’s going to happen to you?”

“Well, that really depends I suppose. If my nephew finds it in him to let me go or not. What I do know, is that there’s no justice to be found with any judge.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No. I appreciate the thought though. Rest assured, the case against me is unlikely to come up before whatever end is to be had in this war of ours. Perhaps what I did will be viewed differently then.”

She nodded and bid her farewells, making a vow to at least try to speak Kisando’s case to Yvrain when she got the chance to see him again. Siravin had apparently found someone familiar, and was chatting actively with the person. Upon closer inspection she realized it was Girverin.

“Ah. Mariel. Allow me to first express my regret for having you paired up with my now renegade colleague Relvizet. That said, your performance I hear was admirable. The ones you brought back all reported that the success was thanks to you.”

“Then they lied in their reports. The children deserve the praise. They had found a path, and even undertook great risk to ensure victory…”

“I heard. My lord Yvrain has already taken them both under his wing.”

“We’re actually on our way to see him right now… So please excuse us.”

“Certainly. It was an honour to fight alongside you both… I pray we’ll never meet as enemies.”

“You should. We’d defeat you outright.” Siravin inclined his head politely, and led on as they continued towards the main building. Once inside the doors, the temperature rose sharply, and it felt pleasant to once again be out of the cold. The massive hall was also bustling with activity, and even scaffolding had been erected where masons were busy mending holes in the ceiling far above. Around the floor were scattered a great many broken items. Some were clearly destroyed purposefully to acquire whatever had been inside. Other contraptions had simply been crushed under heaps of stone, some rocks visibly carved to be fired by means of siege craft.

Siravin led her through the hall, and down a passage at the end of it. The passage led downwards by means of large, unusually wide steps and culminated in a long, thin corridor with rows of heavy, reinforced doors on either side. At the end stood a much larger door, with visible signs of having been attempted blasted open, with several more craters into the nearby walls. He walked up to it and knocked five times. The heavy door creaked, and then swung inwards, letting them through.

“There you two are! Welcome to the Hall of Wonder! I apologize for the mess; a lot of our exhibits are in the process of restoration! However! We have managed to get the entry to the Conflux working!” Yvrain approached them, greeting them with open arms and with an unusual childishness in his demeanour. From what she gathered, he seemed very happy to be in this place.

“So far, there’s been no word of your friends, but rest assured that by using the conflux, they’ll surely turn up on no time… Moving swiftly on. I have seen to the preparations of your travelling gear, and all we need is for you to say go.”

“Then let’s get started.” Siravin replied.

“Okay, time to show these two what’s what!”

Yvrain clapped his hands, and immediately, under the feet of some thirty elves, all standing in a semi-circle before what seemed to be empty space, a set of glowing symbols appeared. A low hum filled the room, and a small orb of what looked like water, began to grow.

“Isn’t it beautiful? Raw magical power, knead and shaped into a tool of travel as easily as baking a loaf of bread. A long line of my ancestors maintained this method of travel to further the prosperity of our kind. Ever since the first drop of my kin’s blood was spilled, the system collapsed. But now, those days can come again. Our kin can grow strong again, to uphold our ancient duty…” Yvrain stepped forward, and as he did, the strange orb began to reach out towards him with watery tendrils. Presenting his hand, he swiftly cut his palm, letting blood seep into the orb, which immediately began to swirl and almost boil.

A few moments later, she stood staring in disbelief at the portal. Through it, she could see a familiar set of walls in the distance.

“There it is… Good luck over there. If you want to return, break this glass cylinder on the portal stone. I wish you would stay, but I suppose I’ve used you for my purposes for long enough.”

“You have… That said. In the end, you kept your word. I apologize for my distrust.”

“Don’t worry Siravin. I would expect nothing less… Now go.”

“Thank you Yvrain…” She looked back at him as she approached the portal.

“Thank you, Mariel. Give me a few years, and I’ll surely have restored peace…”

“Send word first please.”

“I shall.”

“Oh… And please reconsider your uncle? I’ll call us even if you will at least consider it.”

“Very well… Safe journey home.”

With that, she took Siravin’s hand and stepped into the portal. Darkness surrounded her immediately, took hold of her, and flung her into the streams of magic.