Druveus, an old wizard with a long beard, flowing robes, and a pointy hat, poured the contents of a smoky beaker into another. He had a whimsical charm. “Frog’s breath. Now!”
Omazz, his assistant, rushed to grab it. She was awkward, but endearing in spirit. “Right, er— Yes, I’m... just...”
Omazz stumbled and almost slammed into a collection of glass tubes but managed to catch herself and hand the wizard what he’d asked for.
Alessia, Ex Vis, and Korr watched. Alessia whispered, “This is the guy?”
“He’s the best,” Ex Vis said. “He robbed that Dragon Mafia. And makes a pretty mean whiskey.”
Smoke poofed out of the jar Druveus was working on. He looked satisfied—concoction made. He turned to see the crew. “Ex Vis?”
“Druveus, I’d like you to meet my friends—”
“Damned rabbit, dragging in gods know who. This is supposed to be a hideout, you know? What the hells do you want?”
Alessia held up the ring. “I need you to tell me what this can do.”
Druveus glanced at it. He flipped it back like a coin.
“Teleportation ring. Its wearer can transport themselves wherever they’re looking in the blink of an eye.”
Alessia was crestfallen. “Nothing to do with restoring magic?”
“I don’t even know what that would mean.”
Alessia looked at the ring, heartbroken.
Druveus added, “Oh, and be careful. Each time it’s used, it takes a year off your life.”
“I thought the curse was removed,” Korr said.
“There’s still a cost. Always a cost...”
“Year of your life...” Korr shook his head in disbelief.
“You knew that quickly. Impressive,” Ex Vis said.
“Reckoning spell. Omazz could’ve done that.” Omazz beamed. “And if it’s easy enough for an idiot—” Omazz frowned. “—then I’m guessing you didn’t come all this way for me to check a ring.”
“Yeah,” Korr said. “Why do we need him?”
“We need someone that can open a rift,” Alessia said.
“Intriguing. To where?”
“The Spirit Realm. To find the source of corruption and heal it.”
“Most intriguing.”
“Sounds impossible,” Omazz said.
“What makes you think you can do this?” Druveus asked.
“We have a Seraph.”
Druveus sat down, deep in thought. “Ah, an Angel. Haven’t been many of those over the last couple of hundred years.”
“How do we even know this guy can do it?” Korr asked.
Druveus casually tipped over the beaker he and Omazz had been working on. A small portal opened to a tavern. Druveus reached through and stole a beer as he was thinking.
A barkeep looked through the portal. “Hey!”
The portal closed.
Druveus took a sip and leaned forward. “Now, tell me about your plan.”
Druveus finished his beer. “I think I’ve got just what you need.”
He showed off magical runes, hand-inked in a leather tome.
“I can give you an hour in the other realm. Opening will be nearly impossible. Keeping it open, somewhere so dangerous, hopeless.”
“We’re going to have a protection spell around the rift,” Alessia said.
Druveus mused. “Still seems a little...”
“Reckless?” Omazz offered.
Druveus ruffled. “Yes, thank you for interrupting my dramatic pause.”
“All I know is,” Ex Vis said, “if we pull this off, bards will be singing your tale for the next thousand years. And you won’t have to use a portal for free beers. Only need to show your face in a bar.”
“You in?” Alessia asked.
Druveus stroked his beard for a moment. “My master used to always say, ‘The past is something we can run from. With enough progress, we can protect ourselves from its shame.’”
“Is that a yes?” Korr asked.
Druveus looked at Korr like he was an idiot.