Precious moments passed as Vandor adjusted to the blinding brightness and pain surging through his head. He hoped to see a familiar village full of familiar buildings and acquaintances. But only trees, scrub, and grass greeted him. A hawk’s shrill cry had him wheeling around to witness his only link to Evie lose its energy and dissolve into nothingness.

The gravity of the situation landed on him with the weight of a mountain.

“No! What have I done?”

He had to return before Evie awoke! She would never forgive his leaving. He betrayed her trust just by thinking about it yesterday. Leaving without her would be unpardonable. His confidence in his ability to handle any situation blinded him to the consequences of using this type of travel. He worried only about the destination, not any possible debilitating effects. His desire to test his theory overrode common sense.

Vandor snatched the second potion from his belt, inserted the gum-encased shavings, and dropped it five paces in front of him. In less than a minute, the bottle shattered, and the expected magical blue portal formed. He leapt through without hesitation. His only thought — get back to Evie.

The trip took mere seconds, but it came at a cost. Another massive headache slammed into him, blurring his vision. When his eyes cleared, what he beheld crushed his spirit. Instead of Calderon’s sleeping village, he stood in an uninhabited clearing.

Vandor spun in circles, desperate to glimpse something familiar. But with each rotation, his stomach churned, his blood pressure rose, and his hopes plummeted. He spied nothing familiar. Only the pulsing blue gate which faded into nothingness once again. He fell to his knees; numb, disillusioned, and broken.