Axor opened the door with the symbol of the Torak above it. He entered the small room and stood silently for a moment.
“Hand me the torch,” Axor said.
Temiker handed the torch to the Chula shaman. Axor held the torch close to the back wall and ran his free hand over the surface. He repeated the procedure on each of the small side walls and found nothing. He shook his head in puzzlement.
“Maybe it is some type of mechanism that is only activated with the door closed,” shrugged Temiker.
Axor nodded and pulled the door closed. He repeated his check of the surfaces of the walls and found no difference in them. He sighed in frustration and opened the door.
“It is no different with the door closed,” he said to Temiker. “Take the torch and check on the door with the Astor symbol above it.”
Axor held the torch out for Temiker to take, but Temiker did not take it. Puzzled, the Chula shaman stepped out of the door to find out what Temiker was doing, the Alamar mage was nowhere in sight. In fact, the door to the library was closed. Axor frowned with concern. He wondered why Temiker would abandon him, and why he would close the secret door behind the library shelf. Knowing that the closed door could mean possible trouble in the library, Axor moved silently to the latch that would open the door behind the bookshelf.
The Chula shaman slowly eased the door open a crack. A bitter cold wind invaded the enclosed space. His senses on alert, Axor pushed the door open a little further so that he could slide his body through the gap. He stepped into the library, his eyes opening wide as he stared at the empty shelves and rotted fragments of wood. The room was freezing cold. Axor recognized the room, but he couldn’t bring himself to believe what he was seeing. He moved cautiously through the old library and along the corridor beyond it. Only when he stepped completely outside the temple did he believe the truth of his discovery.
The Chula shaman ran back into the temple and raced to the library. He moved behind the bookshelf and gently closed the secret door. He turned and reentered the door under the symbol of the Torak, pulling the door closed behind him. When he reopened the door, he heard Temiker’s voice.
“I thought you had fallen asleep in there,” Temiker grumbled sarcastically. “Did you discover anything?”
“More than you can imagine,” Axor said with wonderment. “The doors are portals.”
“Portals?” questioned Temiker, all traces of humor instantly gone. “Portals to where?”
“The Door of the Torak goes to the sacred temple in Changragar,” announced Axor. “I can only assume where the others go, but my guess would be to the temples in StarCity and the Qubari village. Is it not strange that each of these temple are built amazingly identical?”
“I did notice the similarities between this temple and the one in the Qubari village,” nodded Temiker, “but I have never been in Changragar. Are you saying that you exited that room into a different land?”
“That is exactly what I am saying,” Axor nodded enthusiastically. “I know Changragar very well. It was no illusion. I walked out of the temple onto the holy grounds. The freezing air alone would convince me of its location. Changragar is high in the mountains. Even the air is thinner there. It was not an illusion.”
“Perhaps we should try the other doors,” suggested Temiker. “Let us know for sure where they come out.”
“I would advise caution,” Axor shook his head. “The temple at Changragar is isolated and empty. The other two are not. For us to appear in the temple in StarCity would announce these doors to the world. I do not think that is wise. We should inform the Three and let them decide upon what is to be done.”
“You are right,” nodded Lyra’s uncle. “Let’s tell them.”
The two mages unlatched the lever behind the bookshelf and stepped into the library. Lyra, Marak, and Rejji waited to hear what had been discovered. Axor explained what he had done and where he had gone.
“We explored no further,” Axor concluded. “We felt that you should decide who tests the doors.”
“I will test the Door of the Star,” declared Lyra. “Seldom is the temple occupied at night, and even if it is, I can demand secrecy from whoever is there.”
“I can do the same,” nodded Rejji.
Emperor Marak waited with the two mages while the Star and the Astor disappeared behind the bookshelf. A few minutes later, Lyra and Rejji returned.
“It is as you suspected,” Lyra stated. “I can step right into StarCity from this temple. It is most amazing.”
“And the Qubari village,” interjected Rejji. “What is the purpose of these doors?”
“Did anyone see either of you two?” asked Emperor Marak.
Rejji and Lyra shook their heads.
“So all three temples are empty right now,” nodded the Torak. “Axor go back to Changragar, but instead of returning here, use one of the other doors. Determine where you are and then use the third door before returning here.”
“You want to see if the three doors all lead to the same place?” asked the Star of Sakova.
“Exactly,” nodded Marak. “If that is the case, that means that the three of us can meet in any of the locations whenever we want.”
Axor nodded and disappeared behind the bookshelves.
“That also means that Kaltara expects us to need that capability,” frowned Lyra. “Those doors were not put there merely for convenience. What would cause the need for such portals?”
“I am not sure,” frowned the Torak. “We must give this a great deal of thought. I feel as if Kaltara is trying to tell us something here, and we are not understanding it.”
“Each door leads to its respective temple,” Axor declared as he stepped into the library and closed the bookshelf. “To return here, one must use the door for the temple that they are currently in.”
“This is something that we must think about later,” declared Rejji. “It will be morning in a few hours. We must get some sleep before dawn.”
Marak and Lyra nodded, and all five of them moved to the entry foyer and bedded down for the night.
* * *
Morning came early for the Star of Sakova. Lyra rose and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Wyant was on sentry duty. He saw her rise and immediately got a mug of coffee for her.
“Any problems during the night?” Lyra asked.
“Not a one,” answered Wyant. “Should I get the rest up?”
“You should make some fresh coffee first,” Lyra said as she took a sip of hers. “I am going to the prayer chamber for a few minutes. Get them up as soon as the coffee is ready. It will be light soon.”
Wyant nodded as Lyra took a torch and headed for the prayer chamber. Once inside the chamber, the Star of Sakova knelt in prayer. She prayed for strength during the coming conflict, and for wisdom concerning the use of the doors. When she was done, she returned to the entry foyer. Everyone was up and moving about.
“How do we approach this confrontation today?” Lyra asked Emperor Marak.
“Temiker, Axor, and LunarSigh are upstairs on the balcony now,” answered the Torak. “Temiker is creating a fog that will encompass the entire plaza. Axor and LunarSigh are using air tunnels to broadcast their voices far to each side of the temple. The intent is to draw the hellsouls between here and the center of the plaza off to both sides so that we can march up the center without getting killed.”
“Good,” nodded Lyra. “In the center of the plaza we will create the diamond?”
“Yes,” nodded Marak. “As we discussed in the village, you will face the palace, while LunarSigh faces this temple. Temiker will face the city gates, while Axor will face away.”
“A diamond of mages,” smiled the Star of Sakova. “The hellsouls will not be able to approach from any angle.”
“Exactly,” nodded the Torak. “Rejji and I will stand in the center of the diamond. If any Hellsouls do reach the mages, we will strike out at them.”
“And our warriors will not come into play until the Qubari army has the hellsouls on the run?” questioned Lyra.