![Wizard's Blood [Part Two]](https://fs.dianahicksbooks.com/579925/thumbs/152x264/wizards-blood-part-two.jpg)
all their lives and had never seen one work.
“ You know the large stone structures that are scattered around the countryside? There is one here at the College.”
“ Two,” said Ward interrupting. “We have one downstairs. A section of the building is build around it.”
That was good news, thought Jolan.
“ They are travel portals,” he said, continuing. “Once activated they allow nearly instantaneous travel between locations.”
“ Nerila learned how to activate these portals? And you know they work?”
“ We had two of them activated in the desert. One of them is underground next to the library, the other a few days ride away in a nice oasis where we stayed. We used them every day to travel between the oasis and where we were searching for clues.”
Jolan reached into his sack and pulled out the small Mage’s Box. He opened it and pulled out Asari’s book with the maps.
“ This is something Asari’s father found a few years ago. He couldn’t open it, but Ronoran could. We didn’t think it was important until we were able to activate the portals and understood what they did. There are thousands of them throughout the Settled Lands. They all probably still work. We can use them to move people from place to place without the long delays. But there are reasons to keep this secret.”
“ There are some in Ale’ald,” observed Ward.
“ They are everywhere, which is good and bad. We have to be careful and only activate selected portals for our use. If we can keep the secret from Ale’ald, they will be at a serious disadvantage.”
“ You can demonstrate this?” asked Vaen, the awe clear in her voice. “This really works?”
“ You said you have one in the building. I suggest we activate that and see. I’ve only traveled between two that are close together, but I’m certain that won’t matter. That’s one reason I sent people to the other locations. They are supposed to open up paths to those locations. They may have already done so.”
While he was talking, Ward had been paging through the book. He reached the end and studied it carefully.
“ This seems to cover the whole of the Settled Lands, and yet there are pages missing. Do you know why that is?”
Jolan shook his head. “That is something I have been wondering about since I realized something was missing. What could those missing pages have been showing?”
Shortly thereafter, Jolan stood in front of one of the portals. He hadn’t known this one even existed, although he’d been in the Council Building dozens of times. He walked over to the front, and executed the activation spell. He had told them it could be done via the crystals, but this was easier. He could see how the light changed subtly as the portal came on line.
He walked up into the glow, and watched as two destinations came up in the air in front of him. He recognized both of them, since he’d used them both for many days. No new ones had been added. He felt a bit of disappointment, but he’d always known he would most likely reach his destination before the others. He’d just have to be patient. He turned and walked back out to the group.
“ I’m going to give it a try. I’ll be right back.”
Once again he walked into the opening and selected the oasis. As expected, it worked just like before, and he walked out into the bright sunshine, hundreds of miles away from Cobalo. He knew that Nerila and Rifod would still be at the library, so he turned and walked back to the portal, returning to where the three mages waited expectantly for him.
“ Works fine,” he said as he emerged. “Who’s going with me this time?”
Chapter 97
Jolan smiled as he watched Rifod and Nerila come forward hesitantly once they realized who was sitting with him. It had to be a bit of a shock, since the last they had known, Chancellor Vaen had been in a coma. Even when healthy no one at the College had ever known her to travel outside of the city. The choice
“ You know the large stone structures that are scattered around the countryside? There is one here at the College.”
“ Two,” said Ward interrupting. “We have one downstairs. A section of the building is build around it.”
That was good news, thought Jolan.
“ They are travel portals,” he said, continuing. “Once activated they allow nearly instantaneous travel between locations.”
“ Nerila learned how to activate these portals? And you know they work?”
“ We had two of them activated in the desert. One of them is underground next to the library, the other a few days ride away in a nice oasis where we stayed. We used them every day to travel between the oasis and where we were searching for clues.”
Jolan reached into his sack and pulled out the small Mage’s Box. He opened it and pulled out Asari’s book with the maps.
“ This is something Asari’s father found a few years ago. He couldn’t open it, but Ronoran could. We didn’t think it was important until we were able to activate the portals and understood what they did. There are thousands of them throughout the Settled Lands. They all probably still work. We can use them to move people from place to place without the long delays. But there are reasons to keep this secret.”
“ There are some in Ale’ald,” observed Ward.
“ They are everywhere, which is good and bad. We have to be careful and only activate selected portals for our use. If we can keep the secret from Ale’ald, they will be at a serious disadvantage.”
“ You can demonstrate this?” asked Vaen, the awe clear in her voice. “This really works?”
“ You said you have one in the building. I suggest we activate that and see. I’ve only traveled between two that are close together, but I’m certain that won’t matter. That’s one reason I sent people to the other locations. They are supposed to open up paths to those locations. They may have already done so.”
While he was talking, Ward had been paging through the book. He reached the end and studied it carefully.
“ This seems to cover the whole of the Settled Lands, and yet there are pages missing. Do you know why that is?”
Jolan shook his head. “That is something I have been wondering about since I realized something was missing. What could those missing pages have been showing?”
Shortly thereafter, Jolan stood in front of one of the portals. He hadn’t known this one even existed, although he’d been in the Council Building dozens of times. He walked over to the front, and executed the activation spell. He had told them it could be done via the crystals, but this was easier. He could see how the light changed subtly as the portal came on line.
He walked up into the glow, and watched as two destinations came up in the air in front of him. He recognized both of them, since he’d used them both for many days. No new ones had been added. He felt a bit of disappointment, but he’d always known he would most likely reach his destination before the others. He’d just have to be patient. He turned and walked back out to the group.
“ I’m going to give it a try. I’ll be right back.”
Once again he walked into the opening and selected the oasis. As expected, it worked just like before, and he walked out into the bright sunshine, hundreds of miles away from Cobalo. He knew that Nerila and Rifod would still be at the library, so he turned and walked back to the portal, returning to where the three mages waited expectantly for him.
“ Works fine,” he said as he emerged. “Who’s going with me this time?”
Chapter 97
Jolan smiled as he watched Rifod and Nerila come forward hesitantly once they realized who was sitting with him. It had to be a bit of a shock, since the last they had known, Chancellor Vaen had been in a coma. Even when healthy no one at the College had ever known her to travel outside of the city. The choice
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