(Untitled)

[rowan_gods]

Above the ground, in the center of the city of Jhelbor, in a room that John has long since vacated, a twisted piece of shimmering metal and glass seems to shrink down down down until it's nothing more than a pinprick, and then the air around it explodes, and the ripples of that much magic being unmade travel out in all directions.

It's too much. Too

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[minthemagician]

Min, who had been stepping away from Bret and Grace and toward the strangers, eyed them both narrowly.

"What village would that be?"

[rowantree_npcs]

"Borheth." Though that would mean little to them if they were not of Rowan. The woman was not who Beren had been expecting to step forward and begin speaking, but at least it was a reaction. He was beginning to wonder if they would have to just carry them all off.

[minthemagician]

"Borheth?" No, that couldn't be... But Min turned and looked up at the tree, remembering what Beren had just said. As the Gate finds its new form.

She turned back.

"Beren, is it...?" She swallowed, struggling to maintain her composure against the headache and the revelation. "My name is Irmingard of Landing. I -- and, all these people, actually -- we've come here from. Rather far in the future."

Yeah. Those weren't words she'd ever expected to utter.

[rowantree_npcs]

Now they were getting somewhere. Beren shot Nestra an encouraging look. "We are aware that the passage of time sometimes behaves differently in the World beyond the Gate. You have traveled here before, then? Has there been a complication on the other side?"

[minthemagician]

"No -- we came from Rowan." Which was not to say that they all were native to Rowan, of course. Min wondered just how many of those who'd been transported were worldwalkers. She didn't recognize everyone. "From this same area, in fact. But in our time there's a city here, and the Gate is..." She wet her lips in consideration, wondering just how much she ought to reveal. "...Different."

[rowantree_npcs]

Beren lowered his arms, because he was starting to feel silly. "But... we have a city." He looked behind him at celebration, then back and Min with a confused expression on his face. "What do you mean by the Gate is different?" What she was suggesting was ridiculous, but at this point every possible explanation was a bit ridiculous.

[minthemagician]

Min's eyes swept over his shoulder skeptically. Some city.

"...I'm not certain how much I should say." Her eyes traveled back to him, now filled with concern. Then again, what was the worst that could happen? He'd either believe her or he wouldn't. They couldn't change the future. Right?

Min's lips pressed tight together and she made her decision. "It's dead. Mostly."

[rowantree_npcs]

Beren just smiled, finding it difficult to believe what she was saying. The Gate couldn't die. You couldn't kill pure Magic. "Perhaps we should discuss this in a more comfortable setting?"

[minthemagician]

She looked behind her, at the others who'd come with her. Some of them were hurt, and they were all -- including Min -- were still a bit disoriented.

"Yes," she said, turning back. "Probably."