**
Two weeks passed. Andin was at the Solstice Festival, the celebration of two planes peacefully connecting. The festival was a jovial formality, it traditionally signaled the opening of trade between two planes. However, negotiations and trade agreements had already been finalized before the festival. The exchange of goods, services, and students had already began. Though the exchange of goods, services, and students had already been underway, the festival was a jovial formality. The opening festival was held in Ventisma. Eleven weeks later, the closing ceremonies would take place in Beldur.
A small group of officials gathered around the two gods, Andin joined them. “I first heard of the fire prince when our portal opened to Kato five years ago,” said Crepus to Andin. Andin bowed in respect. “Seeing you now it is obvious why your father cherishes you so much,” there was a thin suspicion in Crepus’s voice.
“Ladies and Gentlemen if you’ll excuse us,” said Bellos. “Come with us son,” he added. The trio walked from the crowded portal site towards Crepus’s temple. “Lord Crepus has convinced me over the last few days of negotiations to include you in one of our experiments,” Bellos paused to add weight to his next statement, “From now on any time the three of us are together working you must be sworn to complete and utter secrecy, even from Svoi.”
“Yes father, I understand,” answered Andin.
“As you may have suspected, I have been working on a new type of magical discipline, one that has been explored in the past to no avail,” said Bellos. He continued, “But in the last few years we have had some breakthroughs.”
They ascended the steps of the temple. “What are you two working on?” asked Andin.
“Portal magic fire prince,” answered Crepus.
“I thought that was impossible,” said Andin.
“We thought so too for the last nine hundred years, but finally our efforts are bearing fruit,” answered Andin’s father.
“Your training will start immediately, if we’re lucky, and you are as good as your father claims, we might make some real progress during the short summer,” said Crepus. Bellos nodded. They explained what they understood about the discipline to the prince.
“A demonstration will illustrate what we have just explained,” said Crepus.
“When we start the spell, pay attention to the way the energy is shifting,” instructed Bellos.
“Yes father,” said Andin.
“I will begin,” said Crepus to Bellos.
In a shallow basin atop the temple were the jumbled bones of a serpent. Crepus’s eyes seethed black and blue smoke as he reanimated the snake; it neatly assembled itself and began to consume its own tail. It levitated and spun slowly. Bellos ignited the snake in a bright purple flame. Bellos worked to destroy what Crepus worked to reanimate. It spun faster.
A pale white fog formed a disc in the center of the snake. The massive strain of the magic was evident on the two god’s faces. The disc steadied for a moment as a dark blob moved across its surface. The disc collapsed and the bones fell back into the basin.
Between panting breaths Bellos spoke, “That son… was a portal… we think.”
“Undoubtedly,” said Crepus. The two gods were pleased, after a few minutes they had recovered fully. “I underestimated the value a second discipline would add, that was the clearest window I’ve ever seen” said Crepus.
Bellos nodded and asked, “Andin do you need another demonstration?”
“No, I think I understand the push-pull action going on,” answered Andin. “My earth magic is far from fully developed but I think I can help,” he added.
“Well let’s get started, Andin you will jump in last – Bellos and I will adjust to your input,” said Crepus eagerly.
As before the snake’s skeleton reassembled. Bellos ignited the creature. The misty disc began to grow. “Now son!” shouted Bellos over the swirling wind. Andin cut a ring of stone from the lip of the basin. It crumbled and joined the blazing serpent. The disc heaved and bulged with energy as it widened.
Andin’s contribution was greater than Crepus had bargained for; the dark blobs moving on the disc began to sharpen. The three held on as long as they could until the strain became unbearable. Crepus, Bellos, and Andin finally relented. The disc remained. “What’s happening?” yelled Andin.
“It’s sustaining itself!” shouted Bellos. The disc pulsed powerfully and burst fully into existence. The explosion threw Bellos and Crepus off the top of the temple. As he fell Bellos could see his son being sucked into the portal. He was too exhausted from the spell to intervene.
Andin hurtled through the portal. Crepus watched in horror as he fell, he caught a glimpse of something through the doorway. Was that Lin? He thought to himself.
Still falling, the two gods smashed through the nearby structures. In a fury they returned to the top of Crepus’s temple. The disc was gone. Andin was gone. Bellos cursed aloud.
“You’ll be reunited friend,” said Crepus trying to comfort his friend, recounting what he had seen.