The portal to another world

Ronu put his hand on his head and Liam passed out. Everyone looked at each other suppressed. None of those present knew the man. The Marshal, as the oldest in age and rank, addressed him.

"What have you done with the Head, and who are you?

"I only put him to sleep because he is not himself. If you want to leave, leave, but if you want to help him and Zhu-Er and that man lying by the healer, join us."

Nood and Rashid willingly stepped forward in agreement. Marshall was still incredulous, and then suddenly realized that Liam wouldn't risk his life for anything.

"Who lies at the healer's?" He asked excitedly.

"Leon," said Nood, "he was sick this morning, delirious. "

"And then the Head and the Twelfth Elder took the Seventh Elder to the Academy because she was attacked," Rashid added.

"Damn," muttered the Marshal, "well, who are you?"

"I know something about the apprentice's illness, and I persuaded the Head to go for a cure. But something went wrong, and instead of dragons, monsters sprang from the lake, and Zhu-Er could not procure the needed plant. None of this could be explained. "

The man got to his feet with determination and stared angrily at the surface of the water.

"I have to check what's wrong with the lake."

After his words, the man stepped into the water and soon plunged completely into the maelstrom. The marshal picked Liam up and carried him away from the water and the stinking pile of monsters. On the way, he kept shoving off tentacles, severed limbs, and heads.

The moonlight made the surroundings of the Rebirth lake look like one big nightmare from a dream. While the marshal was looking for a place to put Liam, Ronu emerged from the water. He came ashore and headed in their direction. As he came closer, he said:

"I'm afraid something terrible has happened," he took a breath and continued, "What you see is not a lake of Rebirth."

"What?!"

"How can it be?!"

"Unthinkable!"

"Some time ago a portal to another world was opened at the site of the lake. But apparently whoever made it isn't strong enough to keep it open for more than an hour."

The man leaned over to Liam and put his hand on his head again. The head slowly opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he looked at the people around him in confusion.

"Don't worry," Ronu said, "but say me, do you remember who deployed the poisonous fog over the lake?"

"The Fourth Elder brought the other Elders, I don't know any of them, and they asked everyone to leave..."

"I realized it was a diversion. By covering the lake in fog, the intruders were able to block the action of the lake. And they left you a gift, a portal to a place crawling with horrible creatures."

"Then Zhu-Er? Is he... out there?" Liam asked, lifting himself, and his gaze grew hard.

The man nodded and turned to everyone:

"Look, we can't leave the portal open. I'm going to need your help to get to the other side and close it. If it works, we can go back."

"And if it doesn't?" The marshal asked incredulously.

Liam got to his feet, he seemed to pull himself together.

"We'll make it, but, if we cross there, will we find Zhu-Er?"

"Most likely, yes. I think that portal leads to one of the captured planets. Marshal, you know where we're going, don't you?"

"Yes..." Pittsu said grimly, glancing doomfully toward the black lake.

"Let's not waste time!" Ronu said and went to the lake.

"Wait," Liam protested, "it might be dangerous for the students, I can't take them with me."

Nood and Rashid immediately took a step toward him.

"Master! You have taken us to other scary places, moreover, we have a Marshal with us and you are also very strong!"

"Please, Master, you must take us, we will obey you in everything. How can we stand by when we know such terrible things!"

Liam didn't want to bicker. He was used to doing things alone, but sharing this mission with his friends wouldn't that increase the chance of success.

He looked sternly at the students and the others.

"Did everyone think it through?" Liam asked, "Pittsu, and you?"

"Me too," the marshal replied and clenched his sword.

Liam nodded his thanks.

"Mr. Defoe!"

The man waiting by the lake looked back.

"You may call me Ronu, that's my name, I am comfortable with it, and if you may, please, without formalities. The "you" word suits me fine."

"Okay, Ronu, can we secure this place so no one gets hurt?"

"Yes, I'll do something."

He stepped aside and started calling someone's name. From the glowing space above him, dragons descended to the ground, dozens and hundreds of them, filling the entire valley.

The astonished witnesses were speechless and watched in silence this extravagant parade of dragons.

It was obvious that they all knew Ronu well, and when he pointed them to the boundary of the valley, they wouldn't cross it.

"Well, we're all set, we can go," Ronu said as he approached them.

The others stepped back a little and dared not say anything to him. Even the Marshal, who always shone with eloquence and confidence, shunned Ronu thoughtfully. Liam spoke first.

"Please, don't worry about anything. Ronu has sheltered many dragons, and they have coexisted peacefully for many years.

Liam smiled at the man.

"Ronu, it's a great idea to keep the dragons guarding the valley and the Academy, thank you."

The man nodded.

"Shall we go?" The Marshal stepped forward and everyone else followed him.

Once in the lake, the men felt a strong current. Ronu opened the passage with his power and they were drawn inside. As they passed through the impenetrable darkness, they fell to the stony, dark ground. The air reeked of fire, and black ash swirled everywhere.

Their throats instantly felt clammy, and the men began to make bandages for their faces. They looked around as they went, but so far all they could see was fire and smoke.

The marshal led the way, and the others followed him. They descended carefully from the cliff they had just climbed and decided to head east.

"Why to the east?" Liam asked.

"Look closely," said the marshal, "see the dark spots among the fire?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"The beasts."

"Let's go," Liam said firmly, and beat the marshal to it, but he pushed him back and continued to lead their party.

As they made their way past the fire and rifts, they barely stayed in one piece. It seemed as if the planet itself had become aggressive and hated all living things, seeking to destroy it.

The dead landscape was full of nasty little creatures with long teeth. They hid quietly between rocks and bit into travelers' legs and arms.

They had to turn their backs on each other to be constantly on guard because even such a toothy little thing could harm them if given the chance.

Gradually, dead things began to appear along the way. Liam's spirits brightened: perhaps this is the work of Zhu-Er.

"Mentor, can you summon your dragon here?" Rashid, who seemed disgusted with the walk and glanced around squeamishly, asked.

"I have tried, but he cannot hear me. Perhaps he's unconscious, or…" The Head becomes speechless.

Marshall turned around and patted him on the shoulder. No one believed the dragon could be dead. Otherwise, they would not have gone to this place. Suddenly there was an earthquake near them.

Dashing away from the overhanging rocks above, the men witnessed the hideously screeching and snarling monsters fall into a huge rift in the ground.

"The more of them that die here, the better," thought Liam, barely able to keep his balance. The others were balancing, too, and moving forward.

But they all had to crouch to the ground as the big, big beast with glowing red eyes loomed up ahead.

"Reapers ahead," the Marshal reported quickly, "it's a recently invaded planet and the core hasn't been destroyed yet."

"Because we can still breathe," Liam confirmed.

"Who are the Reapers?" Nood asked.

"This is beyond the scope of your training, such things people learn only on the front line," replied the marshal, closely following the movement of the monster.

"When they attack young planets, they devour their core, and the earth dies, beginning to bring death and destruction," Liam explained, "but as long as the atmosphere persists, there is hope. Pittsu, can you get the regular army here?"

"It will take at least a day to assemble," the marshal replied.

"Then do it, the planet can still be saved. And the thousands of people who created it are probably still here somewhere. Let's try to find them and help."

The mission suddenly took on a broader meaning, and everyone felt an exhilarating sense of responsibility and a rush of courage.

"Liam, where is a creator settlement usually located?"

"Usually near bodies of water, but I don't know anything about this planet," the Head replied.

"You two," the marshal turned to his students, "call up your dragons and fly around. Look carefully for a dried-up river bed, and then come back."

"Aye!" the students moved to a safe distance and summoned their dragons.

The marshal helped them armor the beasts before releasing them. Once they were alone with Liam, they did not stray too far away, lest the apprentices lose them.

Once they were sure that the tremors had stopped, they crawled into a crevice of a rock. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, and everything around them was hot and hostile.

Marshall leaned against the hot rock beside Liam and looked at him.

"What had happened in this short time while I wasn't looking out for you?"

Liam frowned and briefly explained the situation.

Marshall didn't look shocked.

"So little Cal didn't take the Transfer well, I could feel it!" He slammed his fist into the rock and immediately blew on his flushed knuckles.

"I feel so guilty for him, why did I only agree to this?" Liam grieved.

"Hey..."

"Don't console me, I'm so mad at myself," the man nervously clenched his fists.

"Liam..."

The Head exclaimed at the limit of his strength:

"What?! Who could have known it would turn out like this? I'd hoped Cal would be stronger, but... I'm such a jerk..."

Marshall gave him time to grieve, but then he shook Liam and called out again:

"Hey, Liam!"

"What?"

"Where's Ronu?"

"!!!"