When he first rose from unconsciousness, Jollis believed he was caught in some sort of strange limbo. He did not dare open his eyes for fear of seeing nothing but a void. Only parts of his body seemed to exist: one arm, his hips and rear, one leg and part of the other. He could not tell if his head were still attached to his body, as he could not feel his shoulders or his back.

Sounds came to him, vague and muffled. Something in his mind insisted he was sitting up. He stirred, and suddenly footfalls raced to his side. Then, thickly, as if spoken through mud, he heard a female voice. "You are awake. This is a good sign."

Jollis risked opening his eyes. He squinted at the light, and everything was fuzzy.

"Do not try to move too much, Wanderer," said the pleasant female voice near his ear. "I have numbed much of your body to spare you the pain of recovery."

Jollis let out a slow, relieved breath; he was still with this world. His vision cleared and he tried to turn his head. It responded, though slowly. His eyes fell upon the soft face of an Inonni Healer. "How badly was I injured?" Jollis' voice sounded strange to him, as if echoing in his head rather than projecting into the room.

"You sustained some trauma to your limbs, but I assume you know about those injuries."

Jollis paused, his thoughts flowing like molasses. "Yes, I remember." He managed a tiny smile. "May I assume that is a good sign as well?"

The Healer smiled. "Indeed. The worst of your injuries, however, was your back. You suffered a very severe burn. I need to regenerate the skin of your entire back, shoulders, and part of your neck. This will take some time, perhaps as long as a moon."

Jollis nodded and tilted his head. "My hearing is dulled."

"Yes, that should clear up sooner, perhaps within a quarter to half moon."

Jollis bowed his head. "You do me great honor in treating me, Healer."

"There is one who wishes to speak with you upon your awakening," said the Healer in a more serious voice. "I believe you should be given more time to recover, but I will respect your wishes if you want to see him now."

"If it is Master Kyllos, I will see him, if it will not upset the goddess."

Jollis was pleased he remembered himself enough to give the proper traditional response. Healers were as well-respected as priestesses, as it was believed the Healing Arts flowed from the goddess herself. Thus most Inonni Healers were women, as they connected more strongly with the goddess.

The Healer nodded once. "I believe she will approve. I will summon him at once."

Jollis watched the Healer leave, her robes swishing around her bare feet. He closed his eyes and tried to feel a connection to the gods once more, but nothing came to him. He hoped he was simply weakened from his injuries, or the heavy influence of the goddess exuded a sort of interference. If his environs had been arranged as a proper Inonni Healing Chamber, a tapestry of the goddess would festoon the wall above and behind his head. Yet he tried anyway; he had to know if his actions had met with approval.

He heard soft footsteps approach and opened his eyes to the tired but relieved face of his Master. Kyllos said nothing until he had reached the side of Jollis' bed and paid homage to the visage of the goddess with a short prayer. "It is good to see you on the mend, my Wanderer."

The heartfelt, fatherly voice made Jollis' chest clench, and he paused to gain control of his emotions enough to speak. "If I may ask, Master, how did I get back? How long has it been?"

"It has been only a day. You have an Oceanus Mage to thank for your return. When you had passed out, she discovered the Farviewing pearl on your person and used it to contact me."

"But I had more than one with me."

"Indeed. I can only hope the gods had guided her hand to select the one to me and not Elder Iridus."

"And what of the Oceanus Mage?"

"She has been sent back to her Guild Hall. I daresay she was surprised to be allowed to leave unharmed and unquestioned."

Jollis had to pause to fully understand both the words and the heaviness of Kyllos' tone. He glanced towards the door.

"We may speak freely in here," said Kyllos. "The room is warded for privacy."

Jollis looked at Kyllos' face; it seemed more lined and weary than ever. "Then the former Overlord Portals which were being used by the Holy Order--?"

"All destroyed," said Kyllos in a flat voice.

Jollis remained silent. He closed his eyes and tried again in vain to know the will of the gods. "I have committed a grave crime in allowing it to happen."

"Then I share in the guilt of the same crime, as I did nothing to stop it either."

Jollis drew in a slow, deep breath. "Master, I do not know if what we have done is right."

"Nor do I. Such wisdom, sadly, must wait."

"I sense nothing even from the gods."

Kyllos hesitated. "Perhaps ... perhaps they do not know as well."

Jollis stared at his Master in shock.

Kyllos smiled softly in return. "My Wanderer, one of the things I have learned is that even the gods cannot know the future. They, too, must sometimes wait to see how events play out before they can judge."

"But surely their wisdom can tell if--"

"Jollis, I understand your need for answers," Kyllos said in a firm voice. "But some simply cannot be rushed, and you must not punish yourself in anticipation of what you think they may be."

"But I must have guidance," Jollis said, his tone almost petulant. "I feel once more I am in the dark stumbling around as a blind man."

"And even the blind man can feel his way to the right path."

Jollis said nothing, his mind in turmoil. The future had never seemed so uncertain.

Kyllos uttered a tired sigh. "I wish I could advise you, but, officially, you are not here. No one knows of your presence except myself and the Healer, and she is concerned only with Healing you."

"What is the official word about me?"

"That you are either dead or a fugitive. Some believe you escaped the destruction of the former D'yoran Manor by hiding in the thicker forests to the north. I am encouraging that thinking for now."

Jollis nodded. "I must ask this, Master: did the other Portals explode with as much force as the one which injured me?"

Sadness clouded Kyllos' eyes. "Information from the other Manors is only trickling in at the moment, but that alone makes me suspect the answer is yes."

"I had never experienced anything like it. Words do not suffice. It was as if the sun had touched the surface of Narlass."

Kyllos nodded once before he forced his face and voice to a more businesslike tone. "There is another reason for my visit. I fear I must call upon your help once more."

Jollis smiled. "As long as it is something I can do while sitting upon this bed, as I am told I will be here for some time."

"It is. Our attempt to obtain Gedric V'riis from the Oceanus Fleet in Urisi custody has failed."

"I do not understand. Are the Urisi refusing?"

"No. They simply do not have him anymore. Apparently, he has managed to escape." Kyllos paused. "There is a rumor -- which, officially, the Urisi vehemently deny -- that a slave girl purchased from Oceanus was involved."

Jollis stared, then slowly broke into a wide smile. "My apologies for my reaction, Master."

"I understand. But to return to the point, the Urisi are not very forthcoming in the details of what transpired but instead wish to make restitution in some manner. Naturally, we have expressed our displeasure with this situation."

"I know what you wish of me. You wish me to make contact with Ambassador Norlan and see if I may learn what happened."

"Or, if the gods smile upon us, to where Gedric has made his escape so we may intercept him."

"Yes, I understand. I will make contact as soon as Yonlas can return the pearl to me."

Kyllos hesitated. "There is something you should know."

Jollis' eyebrows rose slightly.

"Originally, Gedric was one of three men who would provide enough memories to allow us to properly target a Portal to former Lord Tarras. One of those is Emperor Duric Z'garon. The second man had since escaped before his memories could be properly read."

Jollis paused for a long moment. "I see."

"But the Holy Order still wishes to use Gedric."

The words felt heavy even through his muffled hearing. "And they will turn him over to Mage Verano, assuming he survived the Portal destruction."

"He has already made contact. He is safe."

Jollis gave a slow, grave nod of his head. "So if this man Gedric is retrieved, I will be condemning him to death at the hands of Mage Verano."

Kyllos said nothing. Jollis took the absence of denial as confirmation to spare his Master from saying words which may haunt him later even spoken in a warded room.

"I will contact Ambassador Norlan," said Jollis in a stiff voice. "And then ... I will take the appropriate action."

"I trust you will, Wanderer," said Kyllos. His eyes shimmered. "I have faith in you as always."

Jollis heart both swelled and ached. He gave Kyllos a bittersweet smile. "I ask that you entrust Yonlas with the knowledge I am here and alive and well. He will not spread this information if you tell him not to."

Kyllos nodded once. "I will do so and have him bring you the Farviewing pearl."

Kyllos turned and headed out of the room without another word. Jollis felt as if the conversation were incomplete, as if his Master had wished to say more. Or Jollis was simply still impatient for answers.

And yet, when he thought of what Amanda had done, he smiled again.

Katla tried and failed to suppress a sigh as yet another crystal was slowly passed over her body by the slim, white-haired Healer of the Oceanus Mage Guild. "I'm fine, Tallia."

"I will be the judge of that if you don't mind," said the cool voice of Tallia G'jossa. Her intense eyes were narrowed and focused on the crystal, which flashed in hues of blue and blue-green.

"Really, I'm much better since I've had a night's sleep."

Tallia completed a sweep of the crystal from head to foot and started back before she spoke again. "Most of the residual Portal energies are gone, it would seem."

"And all the little scrapes and bruises are healed already."

"Yes, you were extremely fortunate in that regard if what I have heard about the explosive force of the Portal devices is at all true."

Katla thought she had seen Tallia glance at her face for a moment as if seeking confirmation. Katla said nothing, and Tallia's gaze returned to the crystal.

Katla maintained the same stony silence through the rest of the examination. She had not wanted to talk about what she had done. The rest of the Guild treated her as a hero, but she could not consider the death of so many people to be grounds for hero worship. Uroddus had spared her that pain; he had given her a low key "good work" and nothing more. For once, she was grateful for an underwhelming emotional response.

She heard footsteps in the corridor and lifted her head. As if in response to her thoughts, Uroddus stood just past the threshold. His eyes betrayed concern, but he dared not step further into the domain of the Healer without permission. "Is she doing well, Healer G'jossa?" he asked after Tallia had withdrawn the crystal.

Tallia turned towards him. "She still has a tiny bit of Portal energy mingling with her biomagical aura. I would prefer to keep her here a little longer, but I fear I would have to physically restrain her to accomplish it."

"You got that right," Katla said as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Tallia's hand fell on her shoulder when she tried to stand.

"You will see me once every morning until I tell you the remaining energies are gone," Tallia said in a crisp voice. "And if you miss an appointment, I will use whatever means possible to drag you here."

Katla sighed and rolled her eyes, but said in a contrite voice, "Yes, I understand."

Tallia lifted her hand. "Make sure that you do. This is nothing to be fooled with. You are fortunate it was Inonni Portal technology which brought you back to the Guild Hall. If you had actually made it through our Portal, the energies in your body may have reacted with those of the Portal and made your journey ... unpleasant."

Katla nodded and tried not to shudder as she rushed past the Healer. While accidents were rare in modern times even with the more "primitive" Oceanus Portal technology, when they did happen, they invariably lead to the death of the one in transit. Or rather, death to the individual parts of the traveler after they arrived at slightly different times.

"It would appear we have the Inonni to thank for Katla's safety in general," Uroddus said.

"I still don't get that," Katla said as she stepped up to him. "Why did Jollis protect me? He nearly died doing it. He was so badly burned he may still have died. And that elderly man I spoke with who wouldn't even tell me his name simply thanked me, then sent me right back through the Portal to just south of the Guild Hall. He seemed to be in a hurry to get rid of me."

"Yes, there has been some thought and much debate on that point. Please, let's go to my office."

Katla fell into step beside the Guildmaster. She avoided the gaze of her fellow Mages in the corridor.

"Some of your peers wished to organize a celebration this evening in your honor," said Uroddus. "I strongly suggested it would be ... inappropriate."

"Thank you," Katla said in a voice barely above a whisper. She glanced at Uroddus' face and could tell he was still worried about her. When she had broken down in tears the night before lamenting over what she had done, Uroddus had told her: "I almost lost you once; I don't want to lose you now because you chose to destroy yourself."

Katla had not wanted to admit she had entertained the notion that dying in the final blast would have been easier than dealing with the aftermath of guilt.

"I do feel I must relay to you the results of your effort," Uroddus said in a somewhat stiff voice, his eyes darting to Katla as if to observe her reaction before he continued.

"So long as it doesn't involve body counts," she said in a quavering voice.

"No, nothing of the sort. We have confirmed all ten Portal devices were destroyed. We have dispatched Mages to the remaining Portals not under Inonni control to destroy them in a far more sedate manner. By sunset, there will be no Overlord Portal devices left for Inonni experimentation."

Katla nodded and forced herself to let out the breath she had been holding. "And we don't need to worry about any devices left in Noble Lord palaces?"

"All of their Portals, as far as we know, were built by Guild Mages. The records indicate none were adapted for transdimensional use. That requires Guildmaster approval, and no Guildmaster would have approved such an upgrade for anyone other than an Overlord."

Katla tried to find comfort in this, but it was a struggle.

Uroddus looked at her troubled face. "You will not be called upon to this again," he said in a low voice.

Katla remained quiet until they reached the Guildmaster's office. Q'kollan was waiting for them, and he gave Katla a small smile. "It is good to see you on your feet again, Master Q'yoona."

"Thank you," said Katla. "I was getting tired of looking at the inside of a Healer's office."

"So what have you for me, Master Q'kollan?" asked Uroddus.

"There has been much vociferous debate," Q'kollan began. "And a few Mage Elders are still thrashing it out, but the general consensus is that there may be dissent within the ranks of the Inonni."

Katla's eyes widened. "What?"

Uroddus nodded. "I would tend to agree. It explains Jollis' actions, and the way Katla was sent back without so much as a cursory interrogation."

"But ... wait, that doesn't make sense!" Katla said. "Jollis made the invasion possible in the first place, at least according to what Roquan had told us."

"Nevertheless, there is historical precedent for agents, soldiers, or even leaders to change loyalties if they lose faith in their cause."

"There is something else you are not aware of, Master Q'yoona," said Q'kollan. "We have spoken with Mage Marlon of the expatriates. His peers have discovered evidence that someone had recently skulked about right outside Marlon's quarters. No trail leads to or away, which could mean the person was delivered and removed by Portal. Only an Inonni Portal could be so precise and so clandestine."

"So the Inonni were spying on Marlon?" Katla asked.

"It would appear so, yes."

"We believe some among the Inonni had discovered our plans," said Uroddus. "Then allowed it to happen."

Katla's eyes widened. "But that's insane! Why would they do that?"

"Because, as we hope," Q'kollan began. "There are those among the Inonni who have taken issue with their brethren's actions and did not wish them to acquire the knowledge from the Overlord Portals."

"But this could be just another Inonni trick!" Katla cried. "So now they have an excuse to hit back at us harder!"

"Yes, we considered that. In fact, I was the one who suggested it so we would consider all angles." He paused a moment and inclined his head towards the Guildmaster. He pretended to scratch an itch at his temple to hide from Katla the significant look he gave Uroddus. "We decided this did not quite fit with what we know of Inonni methods."

Uroddus gave Q'kollan a tiny nod. "I would tend to agree. Katla, consider how long it took you to keep the Portal adjusted until you were sure the energy surge would reach all targets."

Katla swallowed and nodded. Part of her wanted to rage at him for using such cool and calculating terms, and part of her wanted to thank him.

"Consider further that the Inonni were already observing you. If they had a Mage with them, they would have detected your purpose the moment you began to release the energies. There would have been more than enough time for them to break through the remaining wards and stop you."

"But Jollis was there," Katla said in a weak voice.

"Perhaps to ensure you were allowed to complete your task," Q'kollan said, his face carefully crafted into a neutral expression."

Katla let out a heavy sigh. "This is making my head spin."

"It is always possible our analysis is wrong," Uroddus said, glancing at Q'kollan. The older Mage simply folded his hands before him. "But the possibility of internal dissent among the Inonni could be turned to our advantage."

"I hope so, at least," Katla said. She found some comfort in the idea that someone among their supposed enemy had somehow abetted her actions; not all the blood was on her hands.

"Mage Q'yoona, I was asked to relay a request to you," said Q'kollan. "Some of your peers wish to review their formulae with you concerning protections to add to our Portal network. They wish to prevent the Inonni from retaliating by overloading our own Portals."

"Yes, I'll go at once, if we're done here."

Q'kollan nodded, and Katla departed.

Uroddus watched the door close behind her before he turned back to Q'kollan. "Something concerns you, Master Q'kollan, which you did not want Katla to hear?"

Q'kollan spoke in a low voice. "I understand she is a bit distraught, and the celebratory atmosphere among the other Mages is not helping."

"Your insight is as keen as always."

"To be honest, Guildmaster, it is a concern of mine as well."

"In what way?"

"Many of the Mage Elders had had their doubts, but now that they have seen the awesome destruction we have wrought upon the enemy, it is ... inflating their egos. I have heard several side-conversations boasting of the towering mushroom-shaped clouds which could be seen for many leagues."

Uroddus considered and nodded slowly. "Yes, I see where this is going."

"Many details of our ancient history, when Mages ruled as Kings and Emperors, have deliberately been purged from the archives to avoid reminding us of the incredible powers of destruction we could indeed wield if we put our minds to it. There is talk of repeating this feat if--"

"No," Uroddus declared. "We did this out of desperation. Had there been a way to accomplish a more orderly and confined destruction, I would have done it in an instant. And I will not approve such a thing again."

"I believe you, Guildmaster. You are not one who seeks glory or power. But be mindful of what may be awakening in the Mage Elders. They are old men near the end of their days. The deaths of Q'yros and Q'ixanna have reminded them of their mortality, and now they watch their remaining influence ebb away in favor of a generation with very different values. Some see this war as a means to claim greatness for themselves before they die. That is one of the reasons some volunteered to take Katla's place in triggering the cascade."

"Then perhaps it is more imperative we follow through on Lord Tarras' suggestion," said Uroddus. "If the Mage Guild is forced to work with others as equals partners, it may help quell those egos."

"Possibly. But take heed, Guildmaster. There will be those who will not wish to share credit or power. Be very careful how you tread in this area. You still have not won over all the Mage Elders to your Guildmastership."

"I will, Master Q'kollan, and I will be sure to continue seeking your counsel."

Q'kollan clasped Uroddus' arm. "I must say this: It has been a great honor working with you, Guildmaster. I feel you are destined for greatness. But greatness the way it should come to a Guildmaster."

Uroddus understood, and gave him a most grateful smile in return.

Jollis passed his hand over the pearl once and was surprised when nothing happened after some time. The pearl still glowed, thus its Farviewing spell was intact. The time in the Urisi Nation would be early evening. Certainly not too late to be calling.

He passed his hand over it again. It glowed for a few moments and faded when no answer came. Perhaps he had caught the Ambassador at an awkward time, or he had been instructed not to answer. Nevertheless, Jollis waited a bit longer, then passed his hand over it a third time. The glow remained steady, and an image flickered into view before the foot of his bed. "Ah, honored Ambassador, it is good to see you after ..."

Jollis trailed off. Was this Norlan? Dressed in little more than gray rags, he appeared terribly haggard, and his face and arms were bruised. Behind him was drab and dank stone wall.

"Have I Farviewed you at a bad time, Ambassador?" asked Jollis.

Norlan uttered a sigh and shook his head. "The concept of a 'good time' concerning me, Jollis, does not exist," he said in a ragged and tired voice. "And you may dispense with 'Ambassador,' as it no longer applies. I hold no title any longer."

Jollis tilted his head. "Indeed?"

"You look worse for wear yourself."

"I was injured, yes, but I am in the care of a Healer. If I may ask, what has happened to you?"

Norlan gave Jollis a humorless laugh. "Surely you have heard of the debacle concerning the man your people wished extradited."

"Ah, yes. Am I to understand you are being held to blame? That is most unfortunate."

"You have an incredible gift for understatement," said Norlan. He fell into a seat upon the edge of a cold stone bed. He leaned against the wall and wiped his face, feeble torchlight reflecting from his pale cheeks. "Are you calling to tell me of the terrible wrath the Inonni will visit upon the Urisi because of this incident?"

"I am calling only to determine what has happened, not to pass judgment."

Norlan considered and scratched his scraggly beard. "Then perhaps there is still some hope to repair the damage."

Jollis said nothing but bid him to continue with a small nod of his head.

"Gedric, when he escaped, was sent by merchant ship to a specific location for a pickup by another ship," Norlan explained, his speech broken by occasional pauses as if it were a struggle to find the words. "Only there is no other pickup, since this was all a political ploy. But if your people could get to that location ... the location ... dammit, I know I remember it ..."

Jollis gestured to the side without taking his eyes from the Farview. Yonlas stepped forward and obtained a parchment and quill from the small table beside Jollis' bed.

"Yes ... yes, I remember them now." Norlan recited the coordinates. Yonlas wrote them down.

"Thank you," Jollis said in a neutral voice. "I am grateful for this information, but has not your own navy investigated these coordinates?"

Norlan shook his head. "Let's just say that the person I gave them to is likely reveling in my misfortune, again for political purposes."

Jollis sighed. "Most distasteful."

Norlan's eyes became intense, and he suddenly seemed more lucid. "Jollis, I no longer care about myself. I care only that good relations continue between our two nations. Please, use those coordinates."

"I will indeed. And I will continue to think of you as Lord Ambassador Norlan, for your actions are those of one who has earned that title."

Norlan drew himself up straight, and a hint of a smile played across his lips.

"This, I fear, will be the last time we will speak. I wish you well, and may the blessings of the gods be upon you."

Norlan nodded once, and his image faded. Jollis sat very still and stared into the space formerly occupied by the Farview.

"Wanderer?" said Yonlas in a tentative voice as he placed the parchment on the table.

Jollis took a slow, deep breath. "You remember what I had said to you regarding re-evaluating your opinion of me?"

Yonlas said nothing and laced his fingers together more tightly.

"Have you done so?"

"I have thought long and hard on what you have done, Wanderer," said Yonlas in a low voice.

"And?"

"I ... I am not sure what I think."

Jollis smiled. "I am honored by your honesty."

"I want to believe you were doing the right thing, but I no longer know what 'right' is."

"It is a small comfort that I do not suffer that conflict alone. I do not have the answer, either."

Yonlas paused. "Wanderer, I believe you would not have done it unless you thought it was right at the time after weighing the possibilities. I do not believe you would have done such a thing on a whim."

"That, too, is a comfort. You honor me once more. I am humbled."

"What will you do now?"

"I will once more do what I believe is right despite having no concrete guidance." He picked up the parchment, glanced at the coordinates, then handed the parchment to Yonlas. "Take this. Allow no one else to see them. Find a means to contact Ne'land merchant clan leader Uridon. Tell him simply that he will find Gedric V'riis there. He will likely know what that means."

To Jollis' continued comfort and relief, Yonlas bowed his head without hesitation and said, "It will be done as you wish, Wanderer," and left with great alacrity.

Jollis closed his eyes. This time he did not seek wisdom from the gods. He finally understood that they were waiting for him to discover that wisdom first. He settled himself into a meditative trance, and truly relaxed for the first time in over a moon.

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