Chapter 25

“I propose that we create a portal into the spirit realm—a dimension of magic,” Sol said.

“Perhaps there we’ll find the answers that keep eluding us in the physical world.”

“Sol, you’re assuming such a dimension actually exists,” Archer said.

“Yes,” Sol replied. “Let me explain.

“During the four centuries you were gone, there was a time when I contained more than a thousand measures of existence factor within myself.

“It was a unique experience.

“And I believe that, during that time, I could sense those other dimensions. I could feel that there was a realm of subtle matter existing alongside our physical reality.

“I could sense that world, but I never entered it.”

“It’s worth a try,” Archer said. “A portal into the dimension of magic.

“Sounds simple enough.

“I’ll try painting one, and we’ll see what the brush decides—whether such a thing is possible or not.

“But I suggest we create the portal somewhere safe.

“The royal castle in Arkonia, for example.”

“I agree,” Sol said. “And while we’re there, we can ask King Akbert whether his mages have discovered anything.”

Archer took out the brush and created a temporary portal to Arkonia, inside Pogrimar Castle.

One by one, the four flew their motorcycles through it and emerged in the castle’s inner courtyard, where the permanent arched portal to Trinity stood.

Once Galsius, the last of them, had flown through, the Painter used the brush to close the temporary portal.

Only then did the Painter notice that several people had gathered in the courtyard: Dola Ray and a number of people dressed in the space-age clothing of Trinity.

Dola Ray spotted Archer and his companions and walked over to them.

“What did you manage to learn?” the ambassador asked.

“The Erians believe in the prophecy too, but in their own way,” the Painter said. “They have a different interpretation of it.”

“You managed to decipher the Erian language?” Dola Ray asked in surprise.

“Yes,” Archer said. “How are things going here?

“What’s happening with the diplomatic mission?”

“The diplomats from Trinity arrived as a team of ten,” Dola Ray said. “Your ambassador is speaking with King Akbert right now.

“And our diplomatic delegation is being received in Trinity.

“The process is moving forward.

“But it’s still too early to speak of any results.”

“I see,” the Painter said.

“What are you planning to do next?” Dola Ray asked.

“We want to open a portal into the dimension of magic,” Archer said.

“But you aren’t mages,” Dola Ray said, puzzled.

The Painter remained silent.

“Archer, you can’t go into the dimension of magic,” the woman said. “You aren’t prepared.

“You could be seriously harmed there. You might not come back alive.

“Even experienced mages only enter after careful preparation.

“You should speak with Master Kronveld, the King’s magical advisor. He’s your best hope of learning anything from the magical dimension.

“But ideally, you shouldn’t go there yourselves at all.

“Leave this to the mages.”

“Could Kronveld prepare us?” the Painter asked.

“I think so,” Dola Ray said. “But you’d be distracting him from important research.”

“Where can we find him?” Archer asked.

“In the mages’ tower,” Dola Ray said, pointing toward one of the castle’s tall towers. “I’ll have a servant take you to him.”

It took about five minutes to reach the upper levels of the tall tower.

When the four were led into the main hall beneath its dome, they found themselves witnessing a strange ritual.

Five mages stood in a circle, repeatedly chanting the words of a spell.

Master Kronveld hovered in the air within their circle, his hands held close to a golden sphere the size of an apple that levitated before him.

Kronveld immediately noticed the visitors and gently descended to the floor.

The five mages stopped chanting.

“Yes?” Kronveld asked the uninvited guests.

“Master Kronveld,” Archer said. “We intend to create a portal into the realm of magic—the spirit realm—and search for answers there.”

“What an absurd idea,” the magical advisor replied. “You aren’t even mages.

“Creatures of pure energy will tear you apart in there.

“And what answers do you imagine you’re going to find?”

“We want to find the mage from the Dreurg prophecy,” Archer said.

Kronveld laughed.

There was something distinctly arrogant about it.

“Amateurs!” Kronveld said. “You’re complete amateurs!

“Tell me you’re joking.”

“No,” the Painter said. “And we were hoping you would personally help us.”

The magical advisor laughed again.

Then he grew serious.

For a moment, he thought.

“Create a portal,” Kronveld said. “A simple portal anywhere.

“I want to see how you do it.”

The Painter took out the brush and painted a temporary portal to the mountain range northwest of the city.

The portal materialized, revealing the mountainous landscape on the other side.

Kronveld waved his hand.

The portal dematerialized and vanished.

“Create a stone golem,” Kronveld said. “You may use stones from the tower wall.”

The Painter used the brush to paint a man made of stone.

It materialized and came to life.

Kronveld swept one hand through the air, and the golem collapsed into a pile of individual stones.

“Create a copy of this golden sphere.”

Kronveld raised his hand, and the golden sphere descended into his palm.

“To create a copy, I need to know what this device is,” the Painter said.

“It amplifies magical abilities,” the archmage said. “It was created through magic.

“An ancient civilization made it—a civilization that disappeared long ago.”

“All right,” Archer said.

The Painter drew the pistol from his hip and erased it with the brush, replenishing some of the brush’s charge.

Then he painted a golden sphere identical to the one Kronveld was holding.

The sphere materialized and dropped into Archer’s left hand.

He held it out to the mage.

Kronveld released the original golden sphere. It began levitating again, rising toward the place in the air where the archmage himself had been hovering only minutes earlier.

He took the duplicate from the Painter’s hand, held it between his palms, and closed his eyes.

The sphere began to glow faintly.

Then the glow disappeared.

“Do you even understand how rare a gift that brush of yours is?” Kronveld asked, opening his eyes.

“Very well. I’ll help you.

“But in return, I’m keeping this artifact.”

“Thank you,” Archer said.

“Thank me when you return safely to the physical world,” the archmage replied.

“One more thing.

“Show me how you deal with enemies.”

The archmage swept his hand through the air, and the fresh pile of stones reassembled itself into a golem.

“Destroy the golem,” the magical advisor said.

Archer put away the brush, pulled the automatic rifle from his back, disengaged the safety, and opened fire on the golem from only about ten feet away.

The golem absorbed shot after shot.

After roughly ten hits, it began to break apart.

The Painter stopped firing.

“Yes,” the mage said. “That will be sufficient.

“Do all four of you intend to enter the dimension of magic?”

“If that isn’t a problem,” Archer said.

The magical advisor Kronveld walked over to one of the wooden cabinets in the tower, opened it, and rummaged through a small chest inside.

Then he returned to the four companions and handed Archer four identical rings.

“You must wear these whenever you enter the magical dimension,” Kronveld said, pointing to an identical ring on his own finger. “They will protect you from many kinds of attacks.”

“We’re going to be attacked?” Archer asked.

“Yes,” the archmage said.

“When do you want to enter the magical dimension?”

“We can go now,” Archer said. “We’re all ready, aren’t we?”

His three companions confirmed that they were.

“But Master Kronveld, I want only you and me to go in first,” the Painter said. “I want to see this dimension for myself before I bring my companions there and put them at risk.”

“As you wish,” Kronveld said.

“Archer, are you sure?” Sol asked. “If you go in there without us, we won’t be able to protect you.”

“Yes,” Archer said. “It’s all right, Sol.”

Kronveld snapped his fingers several times, and a group of five mages approached.

“You five will stand guard here in the physical world,” Kronveld ordered. “If anything comes through that portal other than me or these four people, destroy it.

“Is that clear?

“Now spread out. All other mages are to leave the tower.

“Archer, are you ready?”

“Ready,” Archer said.

Everyone moved aside, clearing the center of the chamber for the portal.

The archmage began reciting a spell that lasted about twenty seconds, accompanying it with hand gestures Archer couldn't understand.

A glowing portal formed in the middle of the chamber.

It looked less like a doorway and more like a tear in reality itself.

Light and heat radiated from it, along with a strange, faint ringing sound.

“No one lose focus,” Kronveld ordered.

“Archer, follow me.”

The mage stepped into the portal.

“I’ll be back soon,” Archer said, stepping through the portal after Kronveld.

They emerged into a luminous space filled with shades of beige, white, and yellow.

Around them were the faint outlines of the walls and objects in the very room where Kronveld had created the portal.

Archer could see the ghostly forms of Sol, Anka, Galsius, and the five mages surrounding the portal.

But it was Kronveld who drew the Painter’s attention most of all.

The archmage radiated an intense glow, while the golden sphere in his hand appeared to be made of pure light.

More than that, a column of flowing energy rose from the magical advisor, stretching upward until it dissolved into the white expanse above them.

Archer looked around.

He could see beyond the walls of the tower—the castle’s corridors and rooms, the people inside them, and the light radiating from every person.

He could also see small, ghostly creatures that appeared and disappeared throughout the magical dimension.

The Painter tried looking into the distance, curious to discover how far he could see through the castle walls from within this strange realm.

But the farther away the object he chose to observe, the closer the distant space seemed to become.

It was as though his gaze could travel anywhere.

“Don’t get distracted,” the archmage snapped.

Archer immediately returned his attention to his own body.

He looked at Kronveld and had to squint. The archmage’s form was almost painfully bright in the magical dimension.

“Why are you glowing so much?” Archer asked.

“Because there’s no one here stronger than me,” Kronveld said. “The magical dimension is drawn toward magical power.”

Kronveld’s words made Archer think.

He took out his brush.

It glowed even more brightly than Kronveld.

Its light was blinding.

Archer put it back into the mechanical pocket on his left thigh.

“How do we find the mage from the prophecy?” the Painter asked.

“We don’t,” Kronveld replied. “Finding him in the magical dimension is certainly easier than finding him in physical reality, but the search could still take months—or even years.

“And the longer you remain here, the more attractive a target you become to creatures that feed on consciousness.

“Stay here long enough, and they’ll drain every last trace of sanity from you.”

“Yes, but let’s try,” Archer said. “How do I find the mage from the prophecy?”

“Form an image of the mage from the prophecy in your mind and try to see him within the magical dimension,” Kronveld said.

“Then follow your intuition.

“I can’t give you more precise instructions than that.”

“All right,” the Painter said. “How long can we stay here?”

Kronveld sighed.

“I would recommend no more than a couple of hours at a time,” the archmage said.

“A few days at the absolute most.”

“And what exactly is so dangerous here?” Archer asked.

“As long as I’m beside you—nothing,” Kronveld said.

“But the moment I leave you, the spirits of the magical dimension will begin gathering around you.”

“All right,” Archer said. “Thank you, Master Kronveld.

“Let’s go back for my companions.”

They stepped back through the portal—the tear in reality—and returned to the physical world.

The five mages still surrounded the portal, and Archer’s three companions were waiting for him.

“Thank the gods!” Anka said. “We were starting to worry.”

“Everything’s fine,” Archer said.

“What’s it like in there?” Sol asked.

“Interesting,” Archer replied. “Strange. Unusual.

“But it isn’t disorienting.

“I think we’ll be fine.”

“I’ll wait for you on the other side,” Kronveld said.

He stepped through the portal.

“Well?” Archer asked. “Everyone ready?”

“Ready,” Sol said.

“Ready,” Anka said.

“Ready,” Galsius said.

“Then follow me,” Archer said, stepping into the portal.

He emerged into the magical dimension and saw Kronveld there, glowing as brightly as before, but now standing with his back to Archer.

Sol appeared.

Then Anka and Galsius.

They began looking around.

Archer turned toward his companions.

Then he heard Kronveld scream.

“BACK!”

Archer didn’t even have time to turn toward the archmage.

He didn’t have time to understand what was happening.

A brilliant light blinded him.

Unbearable heat engulfed him.

A loud, unnatural ringing deafened him.

Through the ringing, he heard Galsius scream in agony.

Then Sol shouted a command.

“AMULETS!”

The Painter understood.

He had to grab the Amulet of Return hanging around his neck.

But he no longer had arms.

The ringing grew louder.

The light grew brighter.

And the heat set the very air on fire.