PORTAL BEAST SLAYER

"What or who did you dream about?" Zee asked, and Alrik sighed.

"I don't think it was a dream, else, you would have been able to follow me to the dream realm. I don't think it was a trance either. It felt different. As for what I saw, it was similar to when I first saw the red ones. But at least you were there that time. This time, I couldn't hear or see you. And I saw a new species of beast. A black one. It had no form or defined shape, just a blob of goo. But then it devoured a human and took that human's shape."

"A black one?"

"You didn't know one like that existed?" Alrik asked.

"No. Only greys and reds are supposed to exist. Reds are very rare and strong. No normal sword can destroy them, so Amreth fought all reds. That's probably why there is no information about red ones available after years of washing away his history. But during Amreth's time, that was the last any reds were seen."

"Which bags the question, why now? Why am I having dreams of reds, and why is the portal changing? Has the veil between worlds thinned so much that evil Magic is now strong enough to make mutations? It's not like there's any library where we can find more information about all of this. It's like fighting blind. I need to be more prepared to be able to win against these beasts when they eventually leave my dreams and manifest in reality."

"There is a library. But not in this world. It existed on Faeri long ago. I have not been able to reconnect with my home world in so long after losing my bond with Amreth, but now that I'm bonded to you, I might be able to reconnect at least long enough to find the Library of Baldeur. Every tome, scroll or book ever written will definitely have at least one copy there. Even forbidden books on evil magic. But crossing worlds isn't the only problem, the library itself is not easy to find."

"I understand that a long time has passed since you've had even a glimpse of your home world, and a lot must have changed since then. I also don't know how directions work on Faeri, but locating a library shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Someone will definitely know, it just takes asking the right person. Who knows? Maybe a world filled with Magic, Mana and paranormal beings might have advanced in technology more than humans have." Alrik responded, but Zee's amusement could be easily felt through their bond.

"The library of Baldeur does not exist, at least not as you know it. Faeri is unlike the world you are used to. A lot of what you would call abnormalities are normal on my home world. What normal library could possibly have a copy of every book to have ever been written if some form of magic isn't involved? The library exists because it protects itself. It is a being of its own whose primary aim and function is a keeper of knowledge. It is not a physical place until you are accepted within it, and to be accepted, you must send a summons. The problem is if it will be accepted. And how desperate you are for the knowledge you seek."

"It's my fault for assuming any part of this would be easy. I should know netter by now." Alrik sighed, and Zee chuckled.

"With great power comes great responsibility. You could decide to be selfish and leave Velmorra to fight its own battles. You could decide to relocate permanently and find a country that isn't plagued by portals to reside in. We're bonded, so I will follow you regardless. But I know you're not that type of person. It's why I chose you in the first place, and probably why you were gifted with the Mana in your veins."

"I may be angry at the rulers for their sad choices, and I may be suspicious of their possible involvement in all this, but the rest of the citizens are innocent. If I leave, they're the one who will suffer the most. And even after relocating to a different country altogether, if beasts overrun Velmorra and Valderra, they sure won't stop there. I'm sure they'll devour everything in their path till they've destroyed all that exists on earth. Better to handle the problem from the root now, than wait till it grows branched and start trimming them off."

"We're here." Gaya said as the car drove up to the security outpost.

Alrik had to cut off his mental communication with Zee to focus on the situation at hand. They went through various armed checkpoints and their car was scanned for anything dangerous. When they stepped down and walked to the entrance, their bodies were scanned and every weapon confiscated. They tried to take Zee away until Alrik showed that it was the Zerdon heirloom sword. The fact that no one tried to take Zee again after that confirmed Alrik's suspicion. Even the guards must know that their superiors were interested in taking Zee away. He was never letting that happen, even if they decided to detain him here.

"This way. The high commander and the others are waiting in the conference room to your left."

Alrik and his two companions were directed the right way, and he couldn't help the frown on his face. He knew he would be facing the rulers and military heads eventually, but he hadn't expected to be meeting more than just the High commander for this first summoning. They clearly planned this to ambush him, make him be off his game, or just to intimidate him. Too bad. He was past that.

"Ladies and gentlemen. It seems I was the only one not informed that I was being called to a court trial." Alrik said as he walked in through the doors. "I was under the impression I was meeting just the high commander today."

He stopped a few feet away from the door, and looked around to all the faces seated. Of course, there were no seats provided for him and his two. Another way they were trying to throw him off and make him anxious, so they could gain the upper hand.

"We didn't want this to feel like an ambush…"

"And yet, that's exactly what it is. I'm sure you've already had a meeting amongst yourselves and decided what action to take before the summons for me to come all the way over here was even issued. I'd like to state from the very beginning that I have no interest in being part of whatever games, political or militarian." Alrik interrupted the High commander's second in command, and it was clear that the man was pissed about that.

But this was a battle, despite the lack of weapons, and Alrik refused to cower and let them have their way. He had to show them from the beginning that he wasn't there to keel over and accept their demands without any push back.

"At ease, soldier. You're right about this being more of a formality, but it's still not a hostile meet." The high commander addressed Alrik.

"I am not a soldier anymore. I only responded to this summoning because I planned to speak to you even before that. I just hadn't expected a physical meeting to be requested. I know how important sharing information is to be able to keep Velmorra safe." Alrik paused and looked around.

The table was filled with high ranking military and political officials. About seventy percent of Velmorra's ruling power. Some others might have been intimidated, but Alrik was just suspicious. There must be a reason why the top dogs gathered just to meet with him. They must know more about the portal's opening, and the beasts that they shared, and that must be why they came together like this.

"But I doubt I'm here to receive any useful piece of information from your end, so go ahead and ask all your questions. Then make your demands or give the orders I'm sure you've already prepared for me to accept without any argument."

For several seconds after Alrik spoke, the room was silent. He had obviously stunned them with his boldness, and the fact that he wasn't even a little bit intimidated.

"As you wish. We have no questions except how the Zerdon sword ended up in your hand. You were accused of stealing it previously and you were discharged because of that. You claimed innocence and now hold the same sword. You can understand why your claim to innocence is now made false." Faran, one of the camp commanders that had been in charge of the war camp when Alrik had been there, spoke.

He had been one of the ones who cast him out without proper investigation.

"We're willing to overlook it, as long as you leave the sword behind. Is that straight forward enough?"