But David didn't answer me. His brows were creating wrinkles on his forehead.
At the exact same time as he said, "We have trouble within the pack borders." I heard the voice of The Great Goddess say, "It's time."
Without being in control of my body, I found myself running (to what place, I had no idea), I could hear the Goddess saying a messenger would arrive and I must speak to them.
Less than 10 seconds later, David was running alongside me. "Where are you going?!" he asked me.
"I have no idea. I was just told that I need to talk to some kind of messenger."
"Really? Is that what comes through those black- hole-like things?"
"Black- hole...What are you talking about?"
But I was never destined to get an answer from him. At that moment we ran into a clearing and my body stood still. David skidded to a stop.
In a large clearing, (that I later found out was for combat training) stood some people in exercise clothes with practice weapons, and about 40 more people who all seemed to be wearing the same kind of uniform.
They were all staring at the centre of the clearing. The air was heavy and electric, and I knew if anyone came close to this place with a compass right now, it would break. The magnetic field just kept shifting and shifting.
I knew, looking at the swirling vortex with its' kaleidoscope of colours, exactly what was happening. The ball of blackest, black at the centre was the size of a softball.
"It's a portal." I said in a wondering voice.
Every head, including Davids' turned to look at me. I chuckled nervously and looked at David. "I don't suppose you are expecting anyone?" I asked in a hopeful tone. He only shook his head no.
"Since you know about these things," he began and gestured at the portal. "Would you mind telling me what this means for us? Is this a bad thing or a good thing? Should we be worried? Are you expecting anyone?"
"Me, personally? No." I took a few steps closer to the portal.
"But The Goddess said there was a messenger I had to speak to." I paused doing my best to assess the situation.
"I don't know if that is good, or bad, or what. But I can tell you that the portal is opening fairly slowly. So, whoever is channelling the magic to create and sustain it, either isn't very powerful or is very new to portal creation." I turned to smile at David.
"Any portal I have ever gone through, it is like that". I snapped my fingers "And there is a portal and that" I snapped my fingers again "and it is gone."
I noticed the fierce intensity with which David looked at me. I turned to face the still growing portal and continued talking. "I suppose it is good news for us that items cannot travel through those portals."
"Really?" David asked, sounding surprised.
I laughed lightly. "Oh, yes. You should have seen the surprise on my face the first time through one. I came through with nothing but the clothes on my back." I smiled for a moment at my memories and then continued.
"My money, my bag, my weapons, food- everything was left on the other side. My theory is that if something is from a specific realm, it cannot cross to another realm and is somehow molecularly bound to it."
"Hmm." was all an impressed sounding David said.
"Well, at this rate, another 15 minutes and we'll see what the deal is with this portal." I turned back to face David.
I took a few steps towards him and gently laid a small hand on his arm. "We will be ready. Everything will be alright."
Then, before he had time to respond I walked away from him and sat myself cross-legged several meters from the portal, but directly in front of it. "Now, I need to prepare.", is all I said as I shut my eyes.
Soundlessly, I spent a few minutes, clearing my mind focusing my breathing on a super- quick meditation. Then I prayed to the Great Goddess of All. I used my prayer to set my intentions and focus as I dragged an enormous amount of energy out of the earth and large trees surrounding the area.
I knew it was time when I heard some gasps.
I opened my eyes and saw the large centre of the portal shimmer like light on the surface of a mirror. Then the surface allowed everyone present to see to the other side.
It was a castle turret. Proceeding through the portal was a group of ten soldiers and someone who looked like an official.
I noticed at a nod from David, the 40-odd people who all looked to be wearing some sort of uniform came closer and positioned themselves around him all facing the portal.
"No." I said loudly, still seated on the ground.
David turned to look at me. "What?" he asked.
"No." I repeated. I then gestured with my hand. "Do not block my line of sight."
The others looked at David. He only seemed to pause a moment, then the others all readjusted their positions so I could have a clear line of sight to the portal.
By this time, the small mob of strange men had made their way through the portal. They all stopped suddenly on our side and broke ranks slightly as they all turned to consult with one another.
The confusion was evident to everyone, it was something that didn't need translation. The language they were speaking, on the other hand, would be foreign to any inhabitant of Earth.
"What just happened?" One man asked. "Where are our weapons?"
"This must be the work of that idiot conjuring the portal!" another man exclaimed.
I giggled. 'David?' I thought to him.
'Yes?' He answered with his thoughts.
'I am going to have a little fun. Watch my translation skills.' I thought.
I worked up a spell and sent it shooting across the space between us.
The man dressed in the garb of an official took off his hat and used it to swat at the soldiers like they were pesky flies. "Listen, you lot of…" But his words stopped as abruptly as they began. He clapped a hand over his mouth, looking like he was horrified at the jumble of noises that just came out of it.
I giggled again. With my spell, their words would come out of their mouths as English, in perfect translation from that language to one most here would understand. "What is wrong?" I asked them politely. "Do you not like the Earth language of English?"