Elundor 3000 Years Ago
Xarion and Sealen now found themselves in a foreign world – without a gate that could lead them back. They had closed the only way to their home themselves – out of fear, out of curiosity, out of a thirst for knowledge, or simply due to the unknown. But what had happened, had happened: They were stranded. Trapped in a world alien to them.
Thalandir, the Guardian of the Forest of Elundor, received them with dignity. With a small unit of Elven warriors, he offered to take them to the King of his people. Together they journeyed through Elundor, and Xarion and Sealen marveled at everything they saw.
The forests were vast and full of life. The grass shimmered in a rich green, trees rose like wooden cathedrals, their bark veined with silvery lines. Animals they had never seen before crossed their path – unlike anything they knew. Even the sunlight seemed gentler here, as if touching the world with care.
Sealen noticed something special: Crystals, hidden among stones and roots, glowed faintly. They radiated magic – but neither that of the Elves nor that of the mages from Azura. It was something different, something unique. And of course, that immediately piqued his curiosity.
The march lasted two days. Then they reached the capital – the King's city. They stood before the walls of Thalas Aelin – a city of stone, wood, and light. The walls were so high that giants from Vorgath could have walked through. The gates were massive and artfully adorned, with patterns telling stories, carved in stone like memories. And yet the city was not an alien body in nature – it seemed to breathe with it, to grow with it, a part of the forest itself.
When they faced King Alenion, the guards were vigilant. The foreign mages were watched closely. But Thalandir stepped forward, placed his hand on his chest, and spoke in a firm voice: The two strangers were not enemies. And his words carried weight.
The King, wise and watchful, finally nodded slowly. Xarion and Sealen were permitted to stay in the city as guests. Thus began a new chapter.
Days passed. Then weeks. Xarion and Sealen learned about the Elves' life – and the Elves about the mages'. They understood that they came from different worlds but were not as different as they once thought. The Elves' magic – grown from nature itself – merged in conversations and studies with the arcane power of the mages. Knowledge was exchanged, thoughts shared. It was as if two streams united to form a new, more powerful river.
And yet... as more time passed, the call of their home grew stronger. As welcome as they felt, as deeply integrated as they became – a part of them remained distant, restless, searching. They wanted to return.
Over time, trust also grew between the mages and the King. Alenion was a wise ruler, deliberate in his decisions, but open to new ways. Again and again, he sought conversation with Xarion and Sealen – about magic, about responsibility, about what connected their worlds.
And so came the day when the two mages openly expressed their wish: They asked the King for permission to create a new portal – hoping to find the way back to their home world.
King Alenion remained silent for a long time, his thoughts hidden behind a serious expression. He knew the power of such magic. And he knew the danger that could arise from ignorance. But he also saw the longing in their eyes – the connection to their world that they could never quite let go of.
Finally, he nodded slowly. "Under one condition," he said. "Thalandir will accompany you. And other warriors. The portal will not be created in the city – too great is the unrest it could bring. It will be created far away. Protected by the forests."
The mages accepted. A place was chosen – an old clearing, deeply hidden, far from Thalas Aelin. Where nature seemed especially strong, where the magic of the earth could gather. Thalandir, loyal as ever, took command of the guard unit. He trusted the two – but his duty was to his people. And a second time, there could be no surprise.
The preparations began. Xarion and Sealen gathered energy, drew runes, spoke ancient words. Everything was as it had been – and yet completely different. For this time, they knew what was at stake.
A rift tore through the sky. The new portal appeared – stronger, more stable, more powerful than anything they had created before.
Sealen was the first to notice how a crystal connected with the portal. It lit up – a randomly discovered crystal, like those scattered everywhere on Elundor. Xarion saw it too. He went to Thalandir and explained that it would take a few days for the portal to fully open. They knew that they would be able to look through after six days and pass through on the seventh day.
Six days passed. During this time, the crystal began to change. On the sixth day, the portal began to manifest. It was as if it was opening a window. They could see the other side. The crystal split – and a second crystal formed. An exact copy. No one understood how this was possible. But the hope of creating a new, stable portal – and the curiosity about where it would lead – prevailed.
On the seventh day, the time had come. The portal opened completely, revealing the view of the other side, which they could now enter. A landscape of sand. Not Azura. No magic hung in the air, no arcane energy permeated the atmosphere. Instead, only barren plains. Black earth, red sky. Dead.
Xarion, Sealen, Thalandir, and two Elven warriors stepped through. No life. No trees, no water, no wind. The world was empty. A place where nothing could survive. They returned.
Thalandir looked at the two mages seriously. "Close the portal," he said. They did. But immediately, they began building a new one.
This time, however, something strange happened. The two identical crystals did not connect with the new portal. They simply stood there, glowing faintly – their color had changed, shifted slightly to bluish. Sealen collected them. They felt... different.
Then – a new rift. Again, they waited six days. And when the gate opened, they looked into a massive, dense forest. Lush. Alive. Full of magic. Trees rose hundreds of meters into the sky, so dense that hardly any light reached the ground.
On the seventh day, five of them passed through. Barely on the other side, they had to cut a path through the thicket with blades and magic. The portal had opened in the middle of the forest – without a clearing, without a path. Insect-like creatures swarmed around them, curious but not hostile.
One of the Elven warriors climbed one of the giant trees to get a better overview. But even from above, he saw nothing but green. No villages, no mountains, no river. Only endless forest.
Then it began to rain. But not as usual. It was as if they were standing under a waterfall. Within seconds, they were soaked to the skin. The masses of water poured down as if the sky itself wanted to flood the world.
They ran back to the portal. But the water followed them. Like a rushing torrent, it shot through the portal to Elundor – pouring over the clearing, streaming through the camp. Soaking wet, exhausted, confused – they closed the portal. And with it... again a possible way home.
They opened many more portals to new worlds. But not all of these worlds were peaceful. Some reacted immediately with attacks – demonic beings from Drax'Enor, shadowy creatures from Mor'Kael, ash beings, golems without intelligence from Gorgarn. Some of these creatures even passed through the portals and reached Elundor. Only by using great power and suffering heavy losses could the portals be closed again.
The Elven King Alenion watched the events with increasing concern. He recognized the danger – not only for his people but for the entire world of Elundor. Finally, he drew the conclusion: No more portals would be opened. The risk was too great, the responsibility too heavy.
Sealen and Xarion were disappointed – but they agreed. Years passed.
Sealen dedicated himself entirely to researching the mysterious crystals. Their connection to the portals, their behavior – all of this fascinated him. Xarion initially helped him. But inwardly, he became increasingly restless. He wanted to return to Azura. He wanted to see his world again. And he sought a way to overrule the King – without betraying him.
During their time with the Elves, Sealen and Xarion learned much about their culture – and their existence. The Elves reproduced, like most known peoples. But it was different for the mages of Azura. There, the life cycle was tied to magic. When a mage had completed their time, they went to the Stone of Knowledge, an ancient place of contemplation. There they lay down – and disappeared.
After three days, a child appeared in the same spot. A baby. Newly born – but with an aura reminiscent of the deceased. These children were taken in by the Keepers of Light, a secret order that protected them and prepared them for their future. For Xarion it was a riddle – for Sealen a miracle.
But in both grew a thought: If birth and rebirth were possible, perhaps... was return also possible? Perhaps... the key was not in magic itself – but in the crystals?
Xarion had a plan. He asked King Alenion for permission to create another portal – but this time with additional security measures. The portal was to be created deep inside a secluded cave. Only one entrance, only one possible exit. And Xarion swore: Should it turn out on the sixth day that the portal did not lead to Azura, he would close it immediately – even before it fully opened.
Should he not be able to close it in time, the cave would be made to collapse by a prepared magical tremor. The King listened silently – and finally agreed.
But Sealen had another idea. He wanted to test his research. His work with the crystals had progressed significantly, and he was convinced that they were more than just magical amplifiers. He believed they could build a bridge to other worlds.
They went together into a deep cave, accompanied by Thalandir and several researchers who had assisted Sealen in recent years. This time it was Sealen who created the portal. Xarion only observed.
Sealen placed a crystal – the copy of the originally duplicated one – on the cave floor. He held the original crystal in his hand. And he strapped another one – a rare, yellow glowing crystal – around his neck.
A rift opened in the ceiling. The portal began to form. The group prepared for a waiting period – but after just two days, the time had come. The portal stabilized much faster than expected. And it opened completely.
Everyone looked in – and immediately recognized it. It was the dead sand world, the same desolate plain of dead earth, black sand, and red sky that they had discovered during their very first portal attempt.
Xarion looked at Sealen. "It worked," he said quietly. Sealen nodded. "The stored magic of the crystals accelerated the process. The theory holds true."
Joy was written all over their faces. But Thalandir stepped forward. His gaze remained watchful. "That is not your world," he said seriously. "Close it."
Xarion raised a placating hand. "One moment. This world is empty. It poses no threat. We just want to test something."
Together with Sealen, he stepped through the portal. In the lifeless expanse, they knelt and placed the second crystal – the copy – on the dry ground. Then they returned. The portal was closed.
The Elves and researchers looked at each other in confusion. What were they up to? Sealen remained silent. He opened a new portal – this time with the copy of the crystal in his hand.
As soon as the rift formed, the portal flickered – immediately and completely. It showed the same world. Exactly the same landscape. And in the center: the crystal they had placed there. It was the dead sand world again, the first portal they had ever opened.
A cry echoed through the cave. Not a warning cry. A cry of joy. "We did it!" Sealen exclaimed. "We found the anchor!" "We can now travel precisely!"
They laughed. Tears streamed down their faces. Joy overwhelmed them. They jumped, they leaped, they embraced each other. The Elves – who had understood nothing of this – looked at the two mages as if seeing them for the first time. Never before had they experienced Sealen or Xarion like this.