I fell to my hands and knees and vomited. The meagre contents of my stomach sprayed out of my mouth and nose, spattering across a cool stone floor. My vomiting caused me to cough and splutter, and I shook as the veneer of yellow light peeled itself away from me. I remained on all fours, trembling, after some shaky breathing. I gathered my strength and managed to kneel up. I saw the others had similar experiences, except for Eggs, who was gently sniffing me. Probably for the best, it wouldn’t do for Eggs to chuck up bits of partially digested hatchling.

  I wiped my mouth on the ruined palm of my glove and looked around. I could see Leech watching us from behind his soulless-looking lenses and beaked mask. The rest of the room was stone as well, with wooden ceiling beams and panels that must be supporting another floor above us. There were diagrams, maps and paintings on the walls, the most notable of which looked like crosscut drawings of various bastard Lizards of different types, with flowing script annotating different parts of the sketches.

  “Sorry about the mess,” I said as I stood up.

  “Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are to be expected with portaling. Follow me, the Doctor will want to see you.” Leech turned on their heels as they clicked their fingers. I heard fizzling where I had just been kneeling and saw that my mess was dissolving into air. Leech wielded strange powers, but he’d be damn helpful in a tavern.

  I sighed when I saw the smear of sick and spittle across the leather of my palm, and the acrid scent filled my nostrils still. It seemed whatever magic Leech had used to clean up our sickness didn’t extend to our bodies or attire. I wondered if it was deliberate. I wiped my palm as best I could on the stone floor and smeared my mess on it. To my satisfaction, it began fizzling away. I had half a mind to rub my face on it, too, but didn’t want to risk it.

  “Come on, Tull, stop feeling up the stone floor,” Gertha said as she followed Leech, Sayo and Sila just behind her.

  “I was cleaning my glove,” I grumbled as I rested my clean hand on Eggs' neck and we walked after Leech.

  We travelled a short way down a corridor large enough for thirty soldiers to march shoulder to shoulder. I was mesmerised by the different sketches on the walls. I could make out the common Lindwyrm, Drakes and Dragons, but there were rarer types too, as well as many I’d never heard of. I paused to look at one drawing, the Lizard in this one had three sets of wings and a long, slender body that reminded me of a viper. A second drawing next to it showed what appeared to be a Drake with at least five heads. I shuddered; these beasts must be from the Outlands, or even further, perhaps. The fact that there was this trove of information here meant we were somewhere important and maybe incredibly helpful. I resolved to learn as much as I could here.

  As we got closer to the end of the corridor, a blue, glowing outline spread on the wall opposite to match our party’s overall width, including Eggs. My mouth began to tingle ever so slightly, and I snapped around to Gertha, who just looked at me and nodded.

  “This…this building has got to be Arcuzane surely?” I asked.

  “Correct,” Leech said, before Gertha could open her mouth.

  The wall peeled open, and a shining white light blinded us all, and we were yet again frozen in place, this time by an invisible force holding us in place. I tried crying out but I was unable to move even an eyelash, let alone talk or shout. I was staring at the floor, so I couldn't tell who Leech was talking to.

  “Leech! Is that a bloody Dragon? Who are these people?” The voice was feminine, full of life; I could hear the smile in it. They seemed shocked, but in the way a child might be when you hand them something sweet.

  “Neutrals I found near our ninth test site, they are not hostile, but note the markings on the armoured Male.”

  “Physic’s sphincter! The Dragon is…it’s a Wyvern?”

  “Yes, Doctor. It is quite placid. It appears to be bonded with the armoured male.”

  “Right then! Let me meet our guests.”

  “The unarmoured male is injured. Three broken ribs, cracked sternum. Various bruising and tissue damage. Slight bleeding.”

  “Internal or external?”

  “Blood is blood…Doctor.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Leech…”

  “Yes, Doctor, sorry, Doctor…it’s internal.”

  The force gripping us in place suddenly released us, and we all stumbled forward at once as our momentum continued. The bright white light faded, and the room we’d stepped into was revealed. I looked to see where Eggs had moved to, but they were still rooted in place. A coiling tendril of anger wrapped around my heart in that moment. This lot would free my Wyvern, or they would have to deal with me.

  It was covered floor to ceiling with panels of polished, shining metal, ranging from brass to silver. Strange instruments and apparatus were either attached directly to the wall or strewn across various workbenches, all made of similar metals. In the middle of the room was a large spherical gem that contained what looked like a dull grey raincloud.

  The Doctor stepped forward, and I was able to look at her properly for the first time.

  She wore white robes trimmed with blue, an array of pouches hung around her waist, while a thick leather strap, with different glass vials and bottles slotted into it, was strapped over her shoulder and across her body. The Doctor was approximately my age by my reckoning and wore lenses similar to Leech’s, but she wore no mask. She was also completely bald, her scalp shining under the room's light, which seemed to stretch upward forever. Leech stood in stark contrast to her light attire.

  “I’m Dr Venedia Krumpssig, and I welcome you to our home.” She smiled at us each in turn, before poking her lenses further up the bridge of her nose with a finger, and immediately walking up to Sila.

  “Formalities we can discuss later, but I need to see to your injuries individually. You there, tell me what happened.” She placed a hand on Sila’s shoulder and the other gently on the centre of his chest.

  “His heart stopped, I pushed his chest til it started again.” I blurted out, and the Doctor snapped her attention onto me.

  “How did you know to do that?”

  “I was trained.”

  “You don’t look like a devotee of Physic.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Curious,” She grabbed Sila by the upper arm and stepped outward to point toward a corner of the room where an object which was a cross between a bed and a chair sat.

  “Please sit on that, and I’ll fix you up shortly. What’s your name?”

  “Sila. Sila Fal Herrun.”

  “Pleased to heal you, Sila Fal Herrun.”

  Leech accompanied Sila as he wandered over to the strange chair and clambered onto it, groaning as he sat down. Leech started fussing with some strange vials and devices nearby as Sila lay his head back.

  The Doctor stood in front of Sayo next, looking her up and down before holding out a hand.

  “And you are?”

  “Sayo Fel Herrun.”

  “Ah, Sila’s sister, I take it, welcome, please stand by your brother.” Sayo looked at Gertha, who nodded to her, and Sayo then went to join Sila.

  Gertha approached the Doctor, holding out her hand.

  “I’m Gertha, I’m these two’s Hold Mother,” she gestured toward the siblings.

  The Doctor clasped her hand and shook it vigorously.

  “A pleasure to meet you, Gertha,” She looked down at the bag strapped around Gertha before peering at her mouth, only moving her head back when Gertha pulled away.

  “What the—”

  “Sorry, I noticed you had a coin in your mouth. I take it you’re a Magi?”

  “...yes.”

  “How wonderful! You’ll feel right at home here then!”

  “And just where is this home?” I said as I stepped forward.

  The Doctor looked me up and down several times, no doubt taking in my armour as opposed to my physical form, and she started to circle me.

  “Apologies, Leech doesn’t like to share much information. You’re quite safe, don’t worry. You’re in my laboratory beneath the Hold of the Arcuzane! You’re quite safe from all the evils of the world, don’t you worry. However, that armour will have kept most of the nasty things off you! I’m sure you figured that out already!” Her words turned to laughter before she quieted herself.

  “Wait, we’re at the Hold? We were days away from there!” I was stupefied.

  Gertha raised both her eyebrows at me and held her hands up, wiggling her fingers, “Magic Tull. We made it!”

  The Doctor guffawed before quickly catching her breath, “Yes, quite right! It’s most useful, let me tell you. Anyway, you will all be hungry and need to rest, but let me deal with Sila, and things will fall into place.”

  “What about my Wyvern?” I asked.

  She looked at me with wide eyes, her mouth half open, “Your Wyvern?”

  “I hatched them, we bonded.”

  “Fascinating, and your name?”

  “Tullen Fal Barraz, The Wyvern’s called Eggs.”

  “Well, Tullen Fal Barraz, it is my privilege and my honour to have met you today.” She said, her tone serious, the lightness there previously now missing.

  “They’re a good Wyvern, they won’t attack or anything. Not first anyway.” I said.

  Doctor Venedia Krumpssig took a step closer to me, tracing her finger on the mark of my shame, the inked twin of my beloved Eggs.

  “I believe I will trust your word, Tullen Fal Barraz.”

  She raised her fingers and clicked.

  Eggs exploded into motion and darted straight for us.