Robert stood before the rebuilt arch, A door to anywhere in this world, maybe beyond. The Door of the Dagda, named for the Good God. People believed it was the very structure etched into the stars by Dagda himself. Since that celestial event, more and more had started to believe in the Good God. Even those who weren't religious began to acknowledge Dagda's power, not out of worship, but out of respect.
When the settlement's name illuminated the sky weeks ago, "Doras Dagda," it was translated to mean "The Good God's Door." It felt like a blessing, though at the time, no one understood why the city was named after a door. Now, Robert knew. Everyone knew. This massive arch, 9 meters high to the capstone and 9 meters wide at its base, was that very door. This site was where it was originally built and enchanted to enable travel across the world and to Albion with ease.
Activating his magical left eye, Robert saw a faint mist spraying inward beneath the blocks, forming the outline of a shimmering silver door. It wasn't fully functional yet, but he could see its magical foundation gradually coming together.
Glancing down at his nine-point mana core, Robert checked his reserves. Twenty-five thousand out of fifty thousand. He could fill most of the arch himself if he wanted to. The temptation was strong, but he knew this moment needed to be bigger than him.
This should be a shared effort, a day the entire clan would remember as the start of something bold and new. For Albion and Earth to survive, they needed to be a part of this, investing their blood and their lives into the world they call home.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, painting the sky with deep blues and soft golds, Robert thought of a tale from Celtic mythology. This was the time between times, the fleeting moments when boundaries blurred, like the shore where the ocean meets the land or the twilight between day and night. These were the times when magic felt most alive, when the veil between worlds grew thin. He could feel it in the air, a charge of crossing-over sparking around him. This was the perfect moment.
Summoning his magic, Robert focused and shot a beam of air into the sky, infusing it with purpose as it ascended. He concentrated on creating a specific mix of air: pure oxygen and hydrogen. High above Doras Dagda, he formed a massive, invisible pocket of gas, one highly flammable yet carefully contained. For a moment, Robert considered binding the gases with earth to form a solid or water to make them liquid, but he quickly dismissed the idea. He had no intention of turning Doras Dagda into a fiery explosion. Instead, he used what he remembered from high school chemistry. He carefully crafted the flammable gases in their lightest form.
Using his magical sight, Robert observed the transparent cloud floating high above the city, an amorphous mass shimmering with energy. With precision, he sent the faintest pulse of fire magic up the beam. The flame zipped toward the cloud and made contact.
FWOOMPH! A burning cloud appeared overhead as the two gases fused together and ignited, forming a brilliant, fiery explosion in the sky. For dozens of yards above the arch, flames rolled to and fro through the sky, creating an unavoidable sight and a mildly explosive sound.
Water began to fall too, the droplets glistening like scattered diamonds as they caught the light of the fiery cloud above. The interplay of water and flame created an ethereal display, the falling drops hissing softly as they evaporated near the lingering heat.
The gentle rain drew the attention of everyone in Doras Dagda, their eyes lifting skyward in awe and curiosity. The clansfolk, upon seeing the fascinating sky flames, began to walk toward the arch in cautious curiosity.
When they saw Robert waving, beckoning them over, word traveled quickly to everyone else, inside or outside. Shouts called out, "Robert summons! He wishes to speak! To the arch!" and also exclamations of surprise, "Oi, would ye lookit that! The Door is rebuilt!" Everyone began to gather, as the sun threatened to dip below the horizon.
Robert gazed out over his people and waited for them to settle down. When he had all eyes upon him, he stood under the archway. He could feel the faint tingle of his skin as the invisible magic danced along his arms and body, reaching toward the opposite stones.
"My people! My brothers, sisters, of Clan MacEwan!"
The clanspeople replied in unison, "Robert, of Clan Lamont! Ally and friend, we are here!" Their loud and clear voices rang as one, causing Robert to smile at them. "I would ask a boon of you all. You have given much, and more, yet I would ask more still. If you would be willing."
The voices murmured curiously, glancing about for Ewan or Sorcha. Perhaps even Rauri to speak for them. But it was the lovely Sorcha who stepped forth, limber as a cat, her youthful form and sleek curves belying her actual age. Eyes lingered on her as she called forth to Robert, "Your people hear you, Robert Lamont. What would you ask of us, so that we may set your heart at ease?"
Robert found Sorcha quickly, her eyes glimmering in the fading light. "The people of Scotland mourn, and weep, and call out for justice. Their capital has been attacked and burned, disease has spread in the streets, and hordes of demon dogs sniff out people by the minute, and drag them to their foul lord, the Nuckelavee! I would reach them and bring them to safety if I can. I would bring them here, and provide them sanctuary."
The people murmured angrily to each other, word having spread of what had occurred in Edinburgh, the Nuck and his Cu Sith wreaking havoc and death at every turn.
Sorcha scowled grimly at his words, the dramatic way of the formerly nomadic tribe, and inquired to Robert, "We, the people of life, agree with your mission, Robert! What would you require of us?" The people all around the arch, watching the discussion, nodded their heads and grunted in solid agreement. "Save them, Robert!" "Aye, we must rescue them! What can we do?"
Robert lowered his eyes momentarily to the ground, then his gaze to the setting sun, the upper tip nearly behind the horizon. "Look! To the west! The sun lowers itself to its rest from warming this blessed land, and the time between times begins!" Everyone looked to the west, marking the time between times. Stunning waves of multicolored light spread across the sky, darker toward the east, with dark blues, oranges, pinks, and amber gold painting the heavens. "I require your power, your support, and your magic. Reach out as one, brothers and sisters, and release your mana to the arch, empower it and help it open the way to places near and far!"
Sorcha was first, returning her eyes to the arch and turning her palm toward it. Her mana core in her chest flashed with power, releasing its reserves in a silver wave toward the arch. The wave split into glittery fireflies, each one sinking into different blocks, infusing every stone with magic.
Following her example, dozens of hands joined in. In a broad circle of people, hearts beating as one, they lifted their palms likewise. Streams of mana poured forth and into the arch, causing the stones to begin to glow with restored energy.
Further they pushed what they had into the stone, and the trails of magic, once invisible, began to reveal themselves, shooting forth to connect with other stones in the arch.
Robert lifted both palms and shared over ten thousand of his own power to infuse the archway. As the numerous streams blended together, pure unaspected aether flowed into the arch, and the ground trembled with power. The arch began to sink its roots deeper, seeking a mana ley line or perhaps crystalline magic crystals to fuel its awakening.
The arch began to pulse with a silent beat, its light flashing at the pace of a human heart. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. As it absorbed the power, the stones themselves began to glow with a deep blue light. The time between times made the absorption easier, and sparks of bright light began to flash from the stones. Across the arch's opening, hot flashes streaked across it, as if the 9 stones with runes were attempting to communicate with one another in an unknown code. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump thump thump. Faster it thumped, until the thumping seemed to be continuous. And at some indistinguishable point, the entire arch lit up, solid blue light shining out across the people of Doras Dagda.
With the sound of a soft woosh, the archway was alive once more, and a shimmering portal stood within. A location was visible through the portal, as 4 out of 12 of the runes lit themselves up, showing an icy landscape beyond. Everyone stood shocked at the sight. Beyond the portal was a frozen white glacial land, jagged mountain peaks beyond. Flurries fell through the archway, some landing upon Robert's clothing.
They stood spellbound at the impossible wonder before them. A doorway to another realm. This wasn't just a small portal to the sanctum. It was huge. Several stoneskin brutes could walk through shoulder to shoulder, 7 or 8 at a time, and not even need to duck. A window in space to... where exactly? Robert felt the urge to walk through and explore where the gate had opened to. One of the stones of the arch had redirected its rune tracking magic trail to bend and curve into and through the portal, aiming at a mountain in the distance.
The murmurs and discussion began throughout the gathered crowd. Then Robert turned and spoke, "Clan MacEwan, we have done it. We have rebuilt this arch and see a land worthy of exploration." He gestured grandly at the arch and the portal.
"Alas..." His arms drooped somewhat. "That is NOT Edinburgh." Several people chuckled at Robert's wry sense of humor.
On impulse, Robert flicked small bolts of light at one of the runes, and it lit up. Tempting fate, he flicked tiny bolts of darkness at lit runes, and they shut off. With a flick of light or dark magic, they activated like switches. Robert found this immensely fascinating.
Even more incredible, he discovered that changing the combinations altered the location beyond the portal instantly, redirecting the doorway to other ancient sites around the globe. One combination revealed a deep jungle where it was still daylight, facing an ancient Mayan pyramid surrounded by a manicured lawn. A jaguar's scream echoed through the portal, causing tourists to look in its direction in alarm. Reassured by guides, they resumed taking pictures and exploring, apparently unable to see the portal from their side.
Another combination showed the Great Pyramid of Giza standing in the distance, with moonlit sand fluttering in ever-shifting dunes. Its slowly crumbling form was familiar to Robert from his visits while earning his master's degree. As he tried more combinations, the portal resembled a giant television screen made of thin air, each setting a different incredible place on Earth. With hundreds of runes, just how many combinations could there be?
He turned off all 12 runes with tiny pulses of dark magic, closing the portal. The arch stood aglow and firm with a deep blue light. The clan remained transfixed, struggling to grasp the enormity of its meaning. Robert decided to activate just the vertex tile, bearing the rune he had retrieved from Langston during his first visit to Doras Dagda, when Langston had resisted his efforts to gain support from the Kilrain villagers.
The portal flared to life, but this singular tile left it blank and empty, opening to a grey, neutral space. There was no ground, no sky, no trees... just grey emptiness. For some reason, this gate terrified Robert deep in his heart, like a gateway to nowhere, an empty place unwritten by creation.
He turned to the crowd and put it out of his mind, He asked, "Which group was sent toward Edinburgh? Even if you didn't reach that far, the closest tile to it may be the one." Several people began searching for the adventurers who had retrieved the runes.
It was Jackson who spoke up. "That was me, Robert. That one there, third one up on the right pillar. It was about 10 kilometers away; the broken sanctum had it." Robert thanked him sincerely and turned to the tile.
It had a strange angular shape with a broad streak above, like an inky black sky or perhaps a body of water in the shape of a long, inverted arc. Within its boundaries, faint lines curved and crossed, mimicking the contours of the water north of Edinburgh and the city below. The rune seemed alive, its faint glow flickering like ripples on a still pond. As Robert focused his Prismatic Magister eye on it, the outlines shifted slightly, as if responding to his gaze, aligning to mirror the region's map.
Robert raised his hand, sending a small pulse of mana into the rune. It resonated with a soft hum, the glow intensifying. A faint image of Edinburgh and the surrounding waterways shimmered in the portal for a fleeting moment before fading. "This must be it," Robert murmured to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. Turning to the crowd, he gestured toward the rune. "This rune, tied to the broken sanctum, is the key to reaching Edinburgh."
He flicked a pulse of light magic at the rune, and the portal sprang to life once more. The crowd gasped as the scene beyond the arch shifted, revealing a flickering image of Edinburgh in its battered state. The city's dark streets were cloaked in thick smoke, their familiar outlines distorted by the destruction. Crumbling buildings leaned perilously, and the faint glow of fires burning in the distance cast an eerie light across the ruins.
The sound of the monstrous canines' howls weakened the knees of many. Their unnatural cries attacked the resolve of humans as the beasts hunted for victims in Edinburgh. As they peered closer, a shadow darted across the portal. A Cu Sith, hunched and menacing, sniffing at the ground as it moved with an eerie precision.
The portal wavered slightly, its surface rippling like disturbed water. Robert turned to the crowd, his expression somber but resolute. "This is where we must go, where they need us most! We'll ferry survivors back to Doras Dagda. Who's with me? Only those with the spark can repel the Cu Sith. We will avoid the Nuck, as much as possible, perhaps lead it to the sea. Those who remain behind, prepare the supplies. We will guide the survivors to the gates in the fields near us until the Arcoplex is complete."
People sprung into action. Adventuring teams came forward, already grouped together and ready to act as strike teams and rescue operatives. Gathering before Robert, he smiled at them warmly. "You fine warriors and mages will make a statement today, that Doras Dagda is a place of refuge, and ready to stand against chaos and oblivion. Bring any who are willing to come, but do not force anyone. We cannot save those who do not wish to be saved. If you encounter soldiers, keep peace with them, but do not let them stop your entry. Healers, shield your team and stay together, so that the famine of the Nuck doesn't claim you. Go now, and return safely. I will be joining you soon." One group after another, they entered the portal, ready to put their powers to the test. Over half the population of Doras Dagda, 140 men and women trained for such battles, mustered their courage and stepped through the portal to a point 2 miles outside Edinburgh's city limit.