Exams, no girlfriend, a cantankerous grandfather - George has it tough. And that's even before the assassins come for him, he discovers the magical sword stashed in the attic, and finds out he's responsible for saving a world he didn't even know ex...
With a groan, Kowolski sat up and glared at the rock face, upon which he'd tried to slump. Clearly he was even more tired than he'd realised, because apparently, somehow, he'd missed. Whilst he summoned the energy to stand, he allowed himself a few moments of silent reflection on man-eating birds, lethal cutlery and possible alternative career choices, but then found himself taking a closer look.
It was not the same rock face. Oh, it was certainly similar, and seemed to be covered in the same runes. But it was different, nonetheless. The rock wasn't quite the right colour, and its irregularities, its lumps and bumps, were not the same; Kowolski was sure of it. He should know, he'd spent long enough staring at the bloody thing. Warily, he reached out and touched the surface. Cool, solid, and unquestionably rock. It was just the wrong rock.
A quick glance around the cave provided further confirmation that strange happenings were afoot. Technicians had set up lighting and a work-station, but of these things, there was no trace. Gingerly, he got to his feet, rubbing his backside, which had taken the brunt of his fall, and made his way to the entrance of the cave. Blinking in the bright mid-morning sunlight, he found himself looking out onto a lush, heavily-forested mountainside, nothing like the barren landscape he'd apparently just left behind.
He swallowed. It had worked. Somehow, someway, through magic or science or alchemy or who the hell knew what, he'd been transported somewhere else. Somewhere other. Where exactly that was, he didn't know, and frankly, that was a question that could wait. For the moment, his priority was making sure that it was a two-way process.
He was already back inside the cave before he remembered that he'd thrown away the translation.
On the other side of what was now a seemingly impenetrable wall of rock.
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"Are you sure your know where you're going?"
"Hmm?" Reluctantly, Arnutz dragged his calf-like gaze away from Marie's face and turned to look at Laya, stumbling on the narrow staircase as he did so. "What's that?"
The young woman sighed. She'd been reluctant to accept the alleged guard's apparent change of allegiance, but stuck on the rooftop, with it only being a matter of time before the barricaded door was broken down, there really hadn't been much choice. Although now, looking at his glassy eyes, and mildly vacant face, she was beginning to wonder whether maybe jumping might have been a better alternative. "Is this definitely a way out?"
"Oh, yes," replied Arnutz, his gaze wandering back to Marie, causing him to miss a bend in the staircase and walk straight into a wall. He paused to push his helmet back above his eyes. "There's all kinds of secret passages running through the castle. I found that hidden trapdoor we came through ages ago, so sometimes I go exploring. You know, when I haven't got a book to read, or we're meant to be polishing our armour, or if I'm in trouble with the squad captain."
"Can't imagine why on Volanda you might get in trouble," muttered Laya.
Arnutz's awareness of sarcasm appeared to rank alongside his grasp of guarding. "I know, right? The captain's always on my back over the tiniest things. 'Arnutz, why aren't you wearing any pants? Arnutz stop cracking those nuts with your helmet. Arnutz are these your socks in my soup?' I don't know, sometimes I wonder if guarding is really my true calling. Maybe I should have listened to Mother and gotten into bonking. I bet I would've been a great bonker. I can just imagine myself, bonking all day. I bet nobody would ever tell me I was the worst bonker ever. I'd bonk with the best, if I was a bonker. People would come from miles around, to bonk with me. I'd bonk in ways nobody has ever imagined. I mean, traditional bonking has its merits, but I've got all kinds of ideas about new ways of bonking. If I was a bonker, I'd show everyone just how to bonk. I'd bonk like a..." He trailed off, as he realised the rest of the party had ground to a halt, and were all staring at him. "What?"
