Sophia - Into the Realm

Tyana opened the door at Sophia's nod, Dry air, laden with the scent of old dust and stone, filtered into the room. Outside an enormous cavern vaulted overhead, above a large stone platform, sitting on a tongue of rock, over a vast chasm. Tyana wavered, sagged, and would have fallen if Sophia hadn't grabbed her. "What's wrong?"

"Too much damage. I can't maintain outside with this much damage."

"You there! You, near the strange building, where did you come from?" A tall woman, wearing silver and grey leather and metal armor, called as she strode toward Sophia.

"Us?" Sophia asked puzzled.

"Yes, you. Are you touched or something, girl? Who else would I be talking to? Why did you bring me here?"

"I didn't..."

"You did. I saw your building shimmer and fade then some type of magic wave crashed over me and I woke up here."

"Field and nav system damage. It must have been worse than I thought," Tyana whispered, sinking lower. "Get me back inside, please." Sophia turned to help Tyana back through the door.

"Oh no, don't you leave me here with no answers!" the woman shouted, running toward Sophia.

"Oh alright, come on in then," Sophia snapped over her shoulder. "Tyana, where are those stone doors and that chamber we saw?"

"I don't know. Echoes from the nav sys maybe. With the power systems as damaged as they are, it might be almost anything," Tyana replied as Sophia helped her to one of the battered old chairs in the entry room.

"Who the hell...holy hells, what kind of magic do you have here?" The woman staggered as she cleared the door, sinking to the floor and clutching her head. For a few moments she huddled there before slowly easing herself onto a low stool. "Who are you, how did you learn to control such powerful magic, and why have you brought me here?"

"I'm Sophia and this is Tyana. I..someone brought us here against my will as well. I don't know what is going on, other than this thing, that supposedly brought me here, is damaged."

"I've been waiting for days for you to come out of your little house. My world is being ravaged by a mad-man and I won't be able to stop it."

"Who is this mad-man?" Tyana whispered from the chair.

"Lord Shalmar, one of the Wizard Lords of my world, and he is seeking to conquer the other Wizard Lords and enslave everyone under his rule. I was trying to acquire a powerful artifact that would have let me defend against him, until your magic brought me here. Please, you must send me back!"

"What do I have to do to convince you that there is nothing I can do? I was brought here, just as you were. This thing is broken, it can't go anywhere."

"Liar!" the woman screamed. She pulled a dagger and threw herself at Sophia, only to be stopped in a pillar of harsh red light. Tyana groaned and Sophia staggered as exhaustion ripped through her.

Sophia staggered to the woman, pulled the dagger from her hand, and collapsed to her knees on the floor. "Stop," she called in a ragged whisper. "Stop or it will kill you." For long moments the woman stared defiantly at Sophia before relaxing slightly. Instantly the light snapped off and she stumbled forward a step and slid down to sit on the floor. Sophia rocked back until she was sitting cross-legged facing her.

"What happened to you?"

"She is bound to this item. Everything that happens to it, happens to her, and happens to me," Tyana answered. "It is damaged, so we feel the damage as pain and weakness. You are lucky. If you had tried that under normal conditions you would have been turned inside out without having a chance to reply." Tyana almost smiled at the shock on the woman's face. "You know who we are. I think it's time you returned the favor."

The woman hesitated long moments, the replied slowly, "I am Lady Ayrthane."

"Dorotea, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Sophia said without thinking. In her mind she saw the character data for Lady Dorotea Ayrthane, wizard lord of Formnought Holding, on the world designated as Wizilandria, world after the wizards went to war.

Dorotea stiffened, "How do you know my name?"

"Oh, um, oh..." Sophia trailed into silence, shocked back from her memories.

"Names have great power in many realms, mistress," Tyana added. "You would be wise to be careful in the sharing of ours and the mentioning of others."

"Where do you come from to know of realms? What matter of sorceress are you and what have you studied?" Dorotea asked.

"Sorceress? I know nothing of magic," Sophia answered.

"Mistress, I must rest. Please excuse me," Tyana rose slowly and stumbled toward the hanging at the back of the room.

Dorotea's eyes followed her, then turned a puzzled gaze on Sophia. "I thought this was a single roomed hovel."

"I am remiss, now that I have invited you in, I should offer hospitality. Come, let me offer you food and drink," Sophia said as she struggled to her feet. Dorotea rose and followed her through the hanging, into the throne room.

"This..this is the Hut of All Worlds," Dorotea whispered. "The oldest myths speak of this room and its curious ceiling. Forgive me mistress. If I had known I would never have spoken so harshly to you." She dropped to her knees in a deep bow.

"Get up!" Sophia said sharply. "I don't deserve to be bowed to." She turned abruptly and shuffled toward the door in the wall to her right. She crossed the richly appointed dining area to the far corridor and then to the kitchen. She pulled a bottle of wine from a place on the counter and laid out the bread and cheese she had found earlier. "I am sorry I cannot offer more, however, I don't know where the store rooms are yet. Please, eat, drink, and relax," she explained as she sank onto a stool. "Soon I must rest. I am sure there are guest chambers in here somewhere if you would choose to rest here instead of at your camp."

"You are treating me well, mistress. I will accept and enjoy your hospitality and remain so you cannot slip away without me."

"Tyana, where would we find rooms for our guest?"

"The door on the fifth landing of the Central Stair has the least oddly decorated bed chamber."

"Thank you, Tyana." Sophia waited until Dorotea had finished then conducted her to the chamber. "If you wake up before me, you can get something in the kitchen, wait in the dining room, or take the stairs down to the fifth door, cross the cloisters to any of the inner doors and wait in the library. I'll join you when I wake up." She then turned to her own chambers and fell into dreamless sleep.