Sizilen was curious from the beginning about just how many types of people lived in Canada. In a single city, she saw people of all sorts of different skin colors and features. It reminded her of the traders from the United Trading Company that came ashore in Tyrant’s Fall, delivering goods and spices from across Nakrea, the western continent, past Giturnian Peninsula, where the people resembled what the Canadians called Asians.

Then there were the Indians, the people from which Kia came out of, which bore the same features as those of the Dasha’an Dominion and the Holy State of Ne’anda.

The similarities between their worlds didn’t end there. The men and women of Aursha and Bjaria, for instance, resembled those of African ancestry on Earth, while the people of Embrayya and Cayde were most like people of European ancestry.

“What about First Nations?” Jared asked, breaking her train of thought. He pulled up a picture of an older man with pale-bronze skin. 

Indeed, they resembled the people of Geiss and Mennesia. Sizilen nodded. “There is some… overlap between our worlds,” she admitted.

The concept was very overwhelming to her. When she’d heard that they had discovered they shared common ancestors, she hadn’t wanted to believe it at first. In part because she didn’t know what to think of a people that had the ability to read her blood and discover her ancestors. But also in part because it cast doubt on everything she’d learned about history.

It was conceivable that Earth had been populated by those from Ayndir. It was conceivable that demons once roamed the lands of Earth, and captives from Ayndir had persisted, bred, and overthrown them.

But she was disturbed to find that Earth had a long history. Much longer than Ayndir. Ayndir’s history spanned perhaps ten thousand years. But Earth? Earth’s history spanned billions. So many years that she could not conceive of it, and their science had identified the relationship between man and animals.

The concept of evolution, when introduced to her, first made her laugh as if it was a silly notion. But then seeing images of strange animals, the likes she had never before seen, disturbed her.

Earth had so many different kinds of animals. Hundreds. Thousands. Perhaps even millions. She had personally encountered insects in Canada the likes of which she had never seen. Mosquitoes! A flying insect that fed on the blood of men! The platypus, which appeared to be a rodent with a bill. Such things had no allegory in Ayndir.

Likewise, however, there were animals from Ayndir that had no counterpart on Earth, save for how they existed in legend.

Wyverns, for example. And Direwolves. There was precedent for them, but they were extinct. Even Goblins and Trolls existed in myth.

Oddly, even after questioning Jared thoroughly about Earth mythology, there did not appear to be any creatures even remotely resembling the Dai’ani. The dark-dwelling beasts with their elongated limbs and teeth like the blade of a saw that would hunt in the night for human prey to drag beneath the surface.

But all in all, she was beginning to doubt her own history. It was looking more and more likely that the human beings of Ayndir may have originated from Earth. The theory, although she first rejected it, seemed to make more and more sense with every passing day.

“So how long does it take to get to Nakrea?” Jared asked, pen-in-hand.

Sizilen thought about it for a moment. “Perhaps twelve days by ship to Giturnia,” she said. “But the center of trade is Bolmoen, in the territories controlled by the United Trade Company. That’s where most traders go. Giturnia engages in trade, but they’ve strict taxes, barbaric practices, and it is a crime for visitors to go beyond their port districts. The United Trade Company is welcoming and does not tax traders, however.”

“So that makes it a more desirable place to trade?”

Sizilen nodded.

“So what are the major holiday destinations?” Kia interjected.

Sizilen cocked her head at her. “Holiday destinations?” She couldn’t grasp the term. She understood each word individually, but when put together, she couldn’t make sense of them. What did a day free of work have to do with a destination?”

“You know, like… vacations. Places to visit for fun.”

Sizilen raised an eyebrow. “I do not think anyone would subject themselves to travel for… for fun.”

“Why not? There have to be some places to go there worth seeing.” She said. “Like, if I was going to be a tourist in Embrayya, what are the coolest spots I would have to go.”

Sizilen thought about it. “In Tyrant’s Fall there are many beautiful buildings. The Sunshod Palace is of grand design.”

“Okay, so that’s culturally enriching. But are there any good… uhh… taverns? Famous events? Fancy hotels where you can kick back and relax?”

“There is the Font of Nudrin in Ar’Vedai. There is a year-round celebration there. Wine, music and dancing. Many make the pilgrimage there once they are of age. Many meet their future partners there. Each settlement across Embrayya also has a House of Vandima, where for an offering to the Goddess, her priests and priestesses will be one with you for an evening.”

“Wait, like a brothel?” Kia asked.

“Brothel?” Sizilen asked.

“Like a place people go to pay for sex,” Kia explained.

“Ah. Yes, but it is not simply for sex. Vandima is the goddess of love and fertile union. It is in her house that people are wed, and children cry for the first time.”

“So it’s like a brothel-chapel-maternity ward?” Kia asked. “That’s… well, I guess that’s kind of convenient.”

“Were the gods and goddesses real?” Jared asked.

Sizilen shrugged. “Perhaps,” she said. “Perhaps they were. Perhaps they are symbols designed to keep our traditions intact.” She stared out the window wistfully. “Is your Jesus real?”

“Depends who you ask,” Kia commented. “I’d… I’d actually keep that question to yourself. It’s sort of a controversial topic among most people. Let’s just say that some believe, some don’t, and most people just prefer not to talk about it in polite conversation.”

Sizilen smirked. “Yes,” she began. “My people are much like that as well. Some think belief in the gods are foolish. But they honor tradition nonetheless.”

The door to the suite suddenly opened, and Axel McKinley burst into the room walking at a brisk pace. Sizilen watched him as he entered the suite with purpose, quickly tapping Kia on the shoulder and drawing her away. The two spoke quietly in the corner as Sizilen watched.

Miles was originally supposed to be there that evening, but he’d left earlier in the day, citing prior responsibilities. She supposed he had a life outside of being on her detail, and she was curious about it, but was not about to pry too much into her captor’s personal lives.

Kia suddenly squeaked, “What?” aloud, then looked over to Sizilen. McKinley also looked in her direction.

“What is it?” Sizilen asked.

“Colonel Burke is on his way up,” McKinley said. “He just entered the elevator.”

“Colonel Burke?” Sizilen asked. She’d heard the name a number of times, although she’d never met the man. “Is he here to see me?”

McKinley nodded.

As if on cue, a knock came to the door, and McKinley walked over to answer it.

Kia started to putter around the room, picking up dirty dishes and other marks of uncleanliness before giving Jared a warning glare, suggesting he should be helping her.

Sizilen looked down the entrance hallway toward the door. There she saw an older man wearing a dark uniform with a matching cap. He wore a series of ribbons at his breast. As he entered the room, he made direct eye contact with Sizilen, and wordlessly sat at the table across from her.

“We’ve never met,” Colonel Burke said. “But I assume you know who I am?”

Sizilen nodded. “You are the man in charge of the Canadian Armed Forces.”

Burke let out a small laugh. “Not quite,” he said. “But I am the man in charge of operations pertaining to the Shimmer.”

Sizilen nodded in understanding, but cocked her head to one side questioningly. Why was the man here? All she really knew of him was that he was the man who gave her detail their orders, and that he served the Prime Minister.

“For the past few days we’ve been making attempts to gain intelligence on what exists on the other side of that portal. Before we can cross over, we need to know where we’re crossing over to.” He pulled a phone out of his pocket and lay it down on the table. He pulled up a series of still images. “Those were the first images we were able to see. Three still frames before the connection with the drone was lost.”

“We call this place Mercer Keeli ess,” she explained. “Mercer’s Mound.”

“I know,” he said. “I’ve read the reports. For what it’s worth, simply the act of getting a clean image of the other side has been a very expensive problem for us. For the past few days, we’ve sent roughly six drones and two autonomous rovers through the Shimmer, and each time it’s the same.” He pulled up another series of images. “A few frames here. A few there. At first, we thought it was some kind of electromagnetic issue on the other side that was incompatible with electronic devices.”

“E… Electro–”

“Not important. That wasn’t it. We thought it was, until one of the technicians noticed the slower the drone moved through, the more frames we got. Today, we got this by putting the drone only halfway through the threshold.”

He loaded up a video on the phone. It was short, but very clear. Several soldiers were standing beneath the camera, pointing up to it. While in the background stood several other figures.

One, in particular, she realized was a woman. However, she was too far away to make out.

“That’s when we realized it’s not our electronics shutting down. Something about the Shimmer blocks radio waves from getting through, but doesn’t just bounce them off. It’s almost as if it’s just absorbing them,” he explained. “So we tried something else. We sent the next drone through with a tether. Direct power and wired communication with our computers on the other side.”

He pulled up the next video. This one was better than the others. It flew high and caught a wide view of Mercer’s Mound and the fields below. There were far fewer soldiers than there had been when she passed through. Perhaps a twentieth of their former numbers. Suddenly, the image shuddered and started to twirl around in the air, blurring the image.

“We’re assuming it was hit by an arrow. That’s not the important part, though. This is,” he said.

The camera eventually hit the ground and settled upon four figures standing nearby.

She recognized three of them instantly. General Borou, of course. But also General Patria! He must have been ordered to assist by the King.

But the third form caused Sizilen to raise her eyebrow. “Kiar-Mata Duna,” she said.

“Kiar-Mata Duna?” Burke asked. “This is one of your Clan Mothers?”

“Yes… Mother of the Duna Clan, Matriarch of Ar’Duna. Arianell Duna,” she admitted.

“Sizilen, we’re ready to make contact with your people,” Burke said. “Tomorrow morning we’re sending another drone through. But this time we’re sending a message along with it. We’d like you to write that message.”

Sizilen felt a stab of concern. What was he going to ask her to say? “What message is that?” she asked.

Burke smiled. “I want you to invite them over for dinner tomorrow evening,” he said.

“Dinner?”

“That’s the idea,” he said.

“It will not be so simple, Colonel,” Sizilen said. “Arianell Duna will be suspicious–”

“I expect her to be suspicious. She has every right to be suspicious. I would be suspicious. But I will not be sending any personnel through that portal until I know they won’t be attacked or killed on the other side, and I give you my word, Miss Oringard, that we will not harm them or take prisoners. We will allow them to bring armed protection if it makes them feel safer, but if they try to harm any of our people, we will return the favor with prejudice and everything we’ve worked for so far will have been for nothing.” He sighed. “The last thing I’m interested in is more bloodshed. I hope you agree.”

Sizilen nodded. “Of course, but–” she sighed. “Colonel Burke, it will not be easy to convince her to speak with you.”

“Will you try, though?”

Sizilen felt a stab of fear. There was a chance it was all a facade. That Colonel Burke truly meant to take Arianell Duna and hold her hostage. Use her as leverage for demands Sizilen feared might manifest.

But there was a chance that this was the next step on her journey home.

“I will try,” she conceded.