Mira yawned and adjusted her leather armor. She couldn't wait to get out of it. She'd been on watch for the past few hours but had left when Alic had arrived early with a cup of tea. There were flowers floating in the brew, giving it a delicious floral flavor. She sipped it, grateful for the warmth this early in the morning.

She was supposed to be on watch for a few more hours, but Alic had surprised her by taking part of her shift so she could get a few hours of extra sleep. They'd recently moved in together, and she and Alic had very little between them. They'd cobbled together some furniture, but it amounted to little more than a table, two chairs, and a lumpy mattress. They had some money between them, but most of it had been used to rent their little cottage. Not for the first time, Mira wondered what in the world she had agreed to here with Alic. He was a good, funny man with an ego the size of a mountain, but he also had his share of tender moments.

Mira hadn't even intended to stay in Everspring when she'd rolled into town with Doan, Caden, and Varix. She didn't have family here, didn't know many people at all, but had somehow fallen in love with the village, which was going to be named a town if it continued to grow.

If it continued to grow.

Baron Swiftwood continued to be a foil in Everspring's future. He'd tried running Varix out of business, and now he was beginning to spread rumors about the orc fort being poised for a new uprising, with Everspring being the first of their goals to take over the local area, which was a complete fabrication. The man simply had no shame.

Mira walked along the dusty road, the morning sun warming her face. The Shadow's Respite came into view, and a smile tugged at her lips. The formerly dilapidated tavern was coming along nicely. The interior was in good shape, but the exterior still needed work. A fresh coat of stain would do wonders for the wood, but some of the timber could stand to be replaced.

Mira approached the entrance, and spotted Urzan and Moktar crouched near a hole they'd dug by the door. They were tossing stones, each trying to outdo the other. The clatter of rocks echoed softly in the quiet morning.

Mira came to a stop and said, "Morning, boys."

Urzan looked up. "Mira! You come to play knuckle game?!"

She chuckled. "I think I'll leave that to the experts."

Moktar grunted, eyeing the hole as he shook the pair of stones in his hand, although Mira suspected they were chunks of bone with runes carved into the surface. She crossed her arms, leaned against the wall, and peered at them.

Urzan tossed his stone, missing the hole by a hair. He grumbled under his breath. Moktar smirked, then swung a fist at Urzan's jaw without warning. The impact was solid. Urzan's head jerked back. Moktar examined his knuckles with a satisfied nod.

"You call that a punch!" Urzan roared with laughter. "Baby wild seracat have more bite!"

Mira shook her head, amused. She was grateful she didn't have to face them in battle anymore. It frequently took a few fighters to bring down just one hulking orc. Her advantage had been in her size. She was lithe and knew the perfect place to stab a rampaging orc in close-quarters combat.

Off to the side, the strange metallic oval frame left by Triolux had a faint, mirror-like sheen that seemed to waver. In front of that knelt what had drawn her attention. She nodded at the huddled figures kneeling before the portal. "How long have they been there?"

"Come with dawn!" Moktar said, regarding the trio.

Mira approached and walked around the two huddled figures. One of them looked up and his hood fell back to reveal Grix'gnash, the gnoll shaman.

"We see and greet you, friend Mira," Grix'gnash said as he inclined his head.

"What are you all doing here?"

"We await. Soon, the entrance will open."

"How do you know? I would have guessed it wouldn't open until Triolux was back."

Grix'gnash looked toward the sky. "The scent is different. We will find the birthplace of our god, Chromidus."

"I see. I need to have a chat with Lady Churl about, um, some stuff. Is she up and about?"

Moktar and Urzan shrugged and returned to their game. Grix'gnash pulled his hood back over his head. The other two gnolls didn't even move.

"Don't tear the place down before Varix returns," she told the orcs.

Urzan waved a dismissive hand. "Why tear down? What do if nice place tear down?"

"It's a figure of speech. Don't worry about it."

She smiled and pushed open the tavern door. Inside, the air was cool and carried the smell of new wood and the plethora of spices Varix had acquired. She had eaten at many a tavern over the years, and the food had, for the most part, been acceptable, if not bland. Varix always had layers of flavor, even in the simplest dish. The common room was quiet, with chairs neatly arranged, awaiting the day's customers.

Lady Churl poked her head out. "Reckon I know why you're here."

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"If it's okay with you."

Lady churl waved her hand. "We're both partial owners. Ain't gots no problem."

"Thank you, Lady Churl. How's business?"

"Reckon it's alright. Varix needs to be here for all the fretting about this and that. That new bard's gonna be a draw tonight. If he wakes up in time. Reckon that one don't get no sleep 'afore noon. Then it's a long one. Had to bang the door down yesterday."

"Bards…" Mira shook her head.

"Aye. Bards. Go on up, then."

"Thanks, Lady Churl."

Mira headed toward the stairs to take a long hot bath in Varix's incredible bathtub.

Mira dozed in the tub, the hot water soothing the ache in her legs. Steam rose from the surface, filling the room with warmth. She let out a contented sigh and allowed her mind to drift. Her thoughts often fled to former battlegrounds. Fighting in the mud. In a trench. Avoiding a blast of power from a rival wizard's staff. Or simply wondering where her next meal would come from. She'd been so excited to join the war effort. However, the reality of fighting had soon set in. She'd made a friend named Neera on the first day. Neera Linas had died with an orc spear through her chest in less than a week.

A sudden, loud banging on the door jolted her from her relaxation. "What?" she yelled, irritated.

"Reckon you oughta come see this," Lady Churl's raspy voice called through the door. "And hurry!"

Mira groaned, realizing her peaceful moment had been cut short. She quickly toweled off and ran it over her shoulder-length hair several times. She glanced in the mirror and muttered, "Good enough for mercenary work." As she hastily pulled on her clothes and armor, she silently cursed herself for not thinking of bringing a fresh set of clothes. Mira pondered asking Lady Churl if she could stash a set until Varix got back.

She rushed down the stairs. Lady Churl stood at the back door, gesturing for her to come quickly. Mira hurried over, curiosity mixing with a sense of urgency.

As she stepped outside, Mira found the ferrokin portal's surface shimmering with light that kept fading and coalescing into a crystal clear view of a very alien city in the distance. The gnolls were on their feet, studying the phenomenon with great interest. Even the orcs, Urzan and Moktar, had abandoned their game and seemed intrigued by the development. They both stood, Moktar scratching his head, Urzan scratching his butt, with mouths agape.

Mira approached the group, her brow furrowed. "What in the world is happening?" she asked.

Grix'gnash turned to her, his eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and reverence. "We heard a cry from within. It sounded as if a child were lost," he informed her, his voice filled with conviction. "We intend to investigate."

"I don't think you should do that until Triolux returns," Mira said but faltered and shook her head gently. "A child? If one is missing, we cannot allow them to wander below."

"You have been here for how long? Are you telling me none of you saw a child walk by and enter the portal?"

"I saw none," Grix'gnash replied. "We cannot wait," Grix'gnash said. "A child could be lost, frightened. What if they wander too far from the portal? What if they fall?"

The gnoll's worry seemed genuine. Mira tried to think of a way to dissuade them, but she couldn't find the words. She'd had enough underground adventures to last a lifetime.

The sound of boots on wooden planks drew her attention as Lady Churl emerged from the tavern's back door. The goblin wore a thick leather belt with twin blades secured in well-worn scabbards.

"What are you doing?" Mira asked.

Lady Churl adjusted her belt. "Reckon I'm going with ya. Can't leave no kid lost down there, can we?"

Urzan and Moktar stopped their game, tucked their shaved-down knucklebones into leather pouches, and stood. They'd placed weapons against the wall. Both picked up swords and slid them into scabbards. They approached the portal, their expressions unusually serious.

Grix'gnash stretched out his hand and pressed it against the portal's surface. His fingers passed through as if dipping into water. He pulled back his hand, studying it with wonder.

The gnoll shaman stepped through without another word, followed by his companions. The portal rippled around them as they vanished into its depths, then reappeared on the image inside, but they were at least a hundred feet distant.

"Damn those two," Mira muttered under her breath, even as she noted the weirdness of the entrance.

She moved closer to the portal and peered into its depths. The strange city beyond seemed both beautiful and alien. Geometric shapes rose in impossible formations. There was light there, but she couldn't locate a source.

Mira considered running to fetch Alic. However, he could be anywhere right now. By the time she returned with help, the others could be in trouble - or worse.

"Orc help look for small child!" Urzan declared. "Urzan and Moktar help!"

Through the portal's surface, Mira observed the gnolls carefully examining their surroundings, taking measured steps forward into the strange environment. The orcs exchanged a quick glance before charging through the portal with their typical lack of hesitation. Their massive forms disappeared into the shimmering surface.

Mira took a cautious step toward the entryway, her hand instinctively resting on her sword hilt.

Lady Churl's small hand found Mira's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Can't let those idiot orcs have all the fun."

Mira appreciated the goblin's attempt at lightening the mood. Together, they approached the portal's threshold. The surface hummed with an energy she could feel on her skin.

"Ready?" Mira asked.

Lady Churl nodded. "Ready as a fresh batch of spiced ale."

"That's a new one." Mira grinned.

Lady Churl went first, with Mira behind her. The sensation was strange—like walking through a cool morning mist. Mira's breath caught in her throat when they emerged on the other side.

The air felt different here. Thinner somehow, with a metallic taste that reminded her of blood. The ground beneath their feet was smooth and solid, made of some material she'd never encountered before.

Ahead, the orcs and gnolls had already spread out, their voices echoing oddly in the vast space as they called for the child. Geometric towers rose around them, their surfaces decorated with intricate patterns that seemed to shift and change when viewed from different angles.

"This place gives me the creeps," Lady Churl muttered, her hand resting on one of her blade handles.

Mira nodded in agreement. "Let's stick together and find this child. If there really is one."

She turned to verify the portal was still open behind them, and gasped.

"Hey! Look at this!" Mira yelled.

The others turned to see what the commotion was about.

Where there should have been a shimmering surface, the portal was flat, and looked like it had been cut into a solid piece of rock wall. There was no ripple or movement. The way back was solid stone.

Mira spun this way and that, rubbed her head, and wondered why she was such an idiot. Not only had she failed to scout, better yet, get one of the orcs to scout, but she and Lady Churl had just left the Shadow's Respite in the hands of a drunken bard.