The portal opened into the vast emptiness of the desert, dozens of miles outside the glowing walls of Dawnstar City. The air here was still and sharp, the dunes broken only by the jagged crowns of rocky mountains that rose like black teeth against the stars. It was the perfect place to vanish as it has natural barrier that could block some sensory detection.
As soon as Emery and Annara stepped onto the uneven rock, the ground trembled faintly. From the cracks between the stones came a series of strange, high-pitched clicks.
"Ku… ku… kuang…"
Figures began emerging from the shadows. The chizpurs. At their lead was Livi, the Baphomet. Around her stood over three dozen figures—men and women, magus and mortal alike, all weary and dust-covered, but alive.
