The view they encountered as they floated through the portal almost made Quinn forget to hover. She hadn’t expected to step into a mountainous region that looked like it was taken directly off a postcard from Switzerland. There was a slight hiccup in her hovering spell, but she managed to regain her equilibrium and thus did not, in fact, fall flat on her face on the other side of the portal. Instead, she took in the beautiful scene before her.
They were in a tiny valley, and she watched as the beautiful rolling hills with their differing shades of green and bushes and trees scattered all about spread out before them into beautiful, soft mountains. Some of them in the distance had snow-tipped peaks that sort of looked like marshmallow topping over lime sherbert or mint choc chip ice cream. It reminded her of places she’d always wanted to travel to, the things she’d wanted to save for once she finished her degree and got a job.
Now she could just open a door and step out into this.
It was magical, really, and literally.
She could make out herds of what looked like sheep and goats and yaks, although upon closer inspection, she was pretty sure the sheep had multiple horns, all the way from their head in a stripe down their back. And the yaks had two heads, so they weren’t exactly the same as earthen creatures, she guessed, but the air was fresh and thin and reminded her of mountainous regions back home. There was an undercurrent of pine mixed with eucalyptus that gave the whole area around them such a clean and undisturbed smell. She drank it in, feeling the breeze kiss her cheeks, ruffle her hair. The gods knew her ponytail was already as untidy as it could get. She sighed. A bit of a beautiful, mountainous breeze wasn’t going to hurt her.
She paused, several steps down already, almost wanting to fling her arms open wide and burst into song, yet she knew no one would understand the reference. When no one appeared next to her, she frowned. She’d thought the others would have spilled out of the doorway and be appreciating this by now too. That’s when she noticed the sounds. There were shuffling sounds and some whisperings that she could hear over the breeze when she concentrated. Slowly, she turned around and realised immediately that all semblance to Earthen Europe stopped with the mountains, because the people in front of her were nowhere near human.
Quinn took them in. No wonder she hadn’t seen them. They’d been standing to the side of the door entrance. She noticed that the rest of her party was even with her already turned around, gaping at the people. They were stocky with angular features and indeterminate gender, all different colours of hair ranging from green through red and oranges, yellow, blacks and blues. There were probably about two dozen of them standing there. They ranged from about four to six feet tall and their skin was a dark brown that reminded her of clay that had already been textured, as if it had coarse brushstrokes drawn through it before the refining process was finished.
The system called them Narae Nomads of the Naka region, and this was indeed Gate 73.
She frowned. They weren’t affiliated with the Library in any way, shape or form. It made it extremely awkward because she had no idea if they were even aware of the Library or the Librarian and it was the first time she’d encountered this since coming to the little portal dimension. How did she go about introducing herself?
“Ah,” Jasper said, stepping forward to greet them, her exuberance a calming force for Quinn. “Excellent to see you all. I did warn you we’d be coming soon.”
One of the smaller members of the Narae stepped forward and bowed their head. “Well met, Jasper. We have prepared food and supplies. They are hearty and will survive the trip to the top.” Her words were slow and deliberate. As if she wasn’t used to speaking out loud.
“Excellent, thank you. Ara, that’s very kind of you.”
Ara bowed their head and backed away. Quinn thought that was the end of it, but then Ara simply paused and spoke again in halting language. Quinn assumed that the system was translating for her, but at the same time, perhaps they just didn’t speak much.
That’s when Malakai’s voice brushed her mind. They’re a telepathic species, Quinn. They aren’t used to speaking out loud, but it’s rude to speak into the minds of people you don’t know.
Good thing you know me, then, isn’t it? She commented and smiled as Ara began to speak.
“We do caution you to approach the Death Mountain.”
Death Mountain had such ominous overtones, especially given everything they were here to prevent. Quinn raised an eyebrow, but she listened anyway. “It is known so because we have never been able to traverse it.”
“It’s hundreds of miles away,” Quinn said, squinting at the looming black monstrosities in front of them. “Why would you want to traverse it?”
Ara looked at her and shrugged. “For the challenge, which is why we do most things.”
Quinn nodded very slowly. “You didn’t seem surprised by the magical door we walked through.”
Ara chuckled. “We are not a magical people ourselves. But the world around us is filled with it. And we understand that we do not comprehend everything.”
Quinn nodded. She thought that was pretty sage of them. Pretty wise. “Okay,” she said, examining the distant mountains again. She could tell that if they simply walked there, which she knew they wouldn’t because they all had flight and means of travelling fast on their side, would take days. It would take a while by car if she had a car with her. And still, the dark mountains made of what looked like igneous rock rose up so high she couldn’t even see the peaks of them.
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There was such an ominous vibe emanating from them, even this far away from them. Death Mountains seemed like an apt name. Far away and out of reach, and foreboding. And they still managed to cast a shadow that almost reached the settlement.
She looked around at the rest of her group. Jasper simply raised an eyebrow. Hal and Malakai were obviously taking everything around them in. Eric and Geneva hovered, waiting. They were all waiting for her. Aradie settled on her shoulder.
“I thank you, Ara, for your hospitality,” Quinn said finally. “It’s much appreciated.”
“Jasper mentioned it was a very important thing.”
Quinn nodded. “That it is. Do you have any advice?”
Ara’s eyes grew big and round for a second before returning to normal. “The grounds toward the mountain range are treacherous. Watch out for lava pits and other sinkholes. There are also different air currents streaming through the area - hot and cold. Be wary if you fly.”
Quinn frowned. She turned a full 360 degrees, taking in the beautiful, luscious grass and the absolutely gorgeous, idyllic setting in the other direction. She paused when she got back to Ara, absolutely certain of the type of terrain they were about to traverse. “How is that volcanic rock?”
“Volcanic?” Ara paused for a second before continuing. “Yes, yes, that is the correct term. Very long, dormant, but the rock formations are still igneous rock.”
Hal smiled and stepped forward. “Igneous rock. I happen to be an expert.”
Ara’s gaze narrowed, and they stepped to the side. “Expert in volcanic rock. You look very much like our history’s mentioned satyrs. Is that what you are?”
Hal grinned. “Haven’t done much interdimensional travel, have you?”
Ara shook their head slowly. “As previously mentioned, I have not done any interdimensional travel. It is not what our tribes do. We are here to take care of the land and ourselves and to live with the land, not against it. It is what we do. The magic that floats in the air that you feel and smell. It is a part of all of us. We simply take it and give back to the earth.”
Quinn loved the speech. Absolutely adored it. Hal smiled and his expression softened. Quinn could tell just from the way he stood and his body language shifted.
“Well,” Hal spoke, “maybe one day you will consider traveling.”
Ara raised a very thick eyebrow and shook their head ruefully. “I do not foresee this, but I am not a farseer and so perhaps one day you will be right.”
The group jostled together and headed out from the small tented settlement. They walked a ways. Quinn didn’t think it was a good idea to just fire up good old magic right then and there. It felt disrespectful to the way these people lived their lives and to the reverence that they had for the earth and the world around them. And so she made sure they kept walking until they could pull to the side in a very small copse of trees.
She waited till everyone was gathered. “I just don’t think that we should flaunt the fact that we’re avid users of magic, consuming the magic that they would otherwise give to the earth right in front of them.”
Hal chuckled, “That’s very kind of you, little egg. But you do realize they could never hope to use all the ambient magic that is floating around, especially in this world. I don’t know if you’ve noticed it.”
Eric snapped, “Well, they have enough magic. They should just donate some excess to the Library.”
Quinn laughed, “What, like a fine because they don’t go?”
“Exactly!” He said, “Everybody should go to the Library. Why haven’t they traveled? Why wouldn’t they want to travel?”
Quinn raised an eyebrow, but Malakai was the one who spoke. “Not everybody is discontent,” he said. “You know, I think we all seek something beyond where we’re born. These people are fully happy the way they are. I kind of envy them.”
Jasper sighed. “Well, it took a lot to find this place. I had to jump to a plethora of worlds around this, but as is now obvious, this one seemed to be the closest.”
Quinn eyed the mountainous region. “I refuse to walk however many hundred miles it is to the destination.”
Hal chuckled, “Why not? You could get fit, little egg. You need to experience some hardship.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I’ve experienced plenty of hardship, thanks. I grew up without parents in the foster system, so thank you very much.”
Hal’s expression changed ever so slightly. “You’re right, I apologize.”
“Good, so you should,” she said. She turned to Malakai as the others began discussing between themselves. “You okay?” she asked.
“Yep, just, you know, not really...” Malakai had a far away look in his eyes.
Quinn prodded him gently. “I’m sure you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
“Yep,” he said, but now he was flashing her a cheeky grin. “I will.”
“Gonna tell me what you and your grandfather were talking about before we ventured here?”
“He just reminded me not to use magic yet. My time limit isn’t quite up.” He seemed very irritated by that fact.
“I’d like you to promise that to me too,” Quinn said, suddenly serious. “Just don’t. We’ll get through it. We’ve got enough of us to do this. But you? I’ve only got one of you and you just need to take care of yourself.” She hoped she didn’t sound too desperate for him not to get hurt. Desperation was never a good look.
He glanced at her and finally nodded. “As long as you take care of yourself, too.”
“Well, of course, there’s only one of me.” She grinned.
Geneva sighed. “I think flying is the best. It will get us there sooner. All of us can fly. And those of us who can’t,” she eyed Hal, “have other means of transportation.”
Quinn turned to Malakai. “Isn’t your flying magic, though?”
“Actually, no, it’s one of my sword techniques, so this won’t harm me.”
“Okay,” Quinn said, confused for a second by several of the sensations her senses were picking up.
Jasper said, “I got the right place, right? We’re good?”
Quinn nodded emphatically. “Oh yeah, we’re headed to the right place.”
“And how do you know that, little egg?” Hal asked.
“Because, just like when we found the blood tree with Machmüller’s book, I can sense it. It’s pulling me. I know it’s there.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. There is at least one Library book stuck in that mountain.”