The grey mist swirled as an image of the city of Luna began to materialize.
The world solidified in a sudden jolt. He found himself on the steps of the great sandstone structure that formed the city’s hub. His senses reeled. A recall spell was different; eddies of magic would surround you, caressing you as they lifted and carried you to your destination. This was sudden, violent. There were no words, no reagents, only his will that propelled him through the ether.
Unaware of his presence, the people around him continued on with their business. A knight, his horse in tow, passed through his body as if he didn’t exist.
He turned his head; looking past the folds of his hood he surveyed the surrounding buildings. A riot of activity unfolded before his eyes; dragons roared from the stables, the sound of coins clinking drifed from the mint, merchants peddled their wares while they screamed their deals into the streets. Seeing the obvious benefits of building inside the city walls, the citizenry had crammed their homes and businesses between the inner and outer fortifications, filling in every inch of available space.
He had been to several worlds, all of them the same in the most fundamental of ways and different in every other. “Is this one mine?” he whispered.
“It is,” a voice responded. “Tell me what you see.”
He nodded and closed his eyes. Images began to flash through his mind: a terrible demon, Virtuebane; the city of New Magincia, rebuilt from the ashes of old Magincia; an alchemist hell-bent on revenge; a privateer seeking adventure and glory. These people would know tragedy, sorrow, anger – but glory, triumph and Virtue would be theirs as well. His eyes opened.
The voice returned. “You will see them through the times ahead. Are you prepared?”
“I am.”
As the voice began to fade, it sounded amused, “we shall see.”
The world solidified in a sudden jolt. He found himself on the steps of the great sandstone structure that formed the city’s hub. His senses reeled. A recall spell was different; eddies of magic would surround you, caressing you as they lifted and carried you to your destination. This was sudden, violent. There were no words, no reagents, only his will that propelled him through the ether.
Unaware of his presence, the people around him continued on with their business. A knight, his horse in tow, passed through his body as if he didn’t exist.
He turned his head; looking past the folds of his hood he surveyed the surrounding buildings. A riot of activity unfolded before his eyes; dragons roared from the stables, the sound of coins clinking drifed from the mint, merchants peddled their wares while they screamed their deals into the streets. Seeing the obvious benefits of building inside the city walls, the citizenry had crammed their homes and businesses between the inner and outer fortifications, filling in every inch of available space.
He had been to several worlds, all of them the same in the most fundamental of ways and different in every other. “Is this one mine?” he whispered.
“It is,” a voice responded. “Tell me what you see.”
He nodded and closed his eyes. Images began to flash through his mind: a terrible demon, Virtuebane; the city of New Magincia, rebuilt from the ashes of old Magincia; an alchemist hell-bent on revenge; a privateer seeking adventure and glory. These people would know tragedy, sorrow, anger – but glory, triumph and Virtue would be theirs as well. His eyes opened.
The voice returned. “You will see them through the times ahead. Are you prepared?”
“I am.”
As the voice began to fade, it sounded amused, “we shall see.”