Thief in the Twilight

Sifting Sands

Many of the people I work with say I'm odd for one reason or another. Usually, they have issues with my personality, often with my magic, and on every job someone will have a fit when I don't pay the proper amount of respect to an almighty being. Those who know me best tell me I seem at my oddest when traversing between realms. And it's mostly because I close my eyes while doing so.

No-one ever knows what they'll find when entering a realm, even ones that they travel to regularly. Most are stable, some aren't, so they prefer to go in eyes open, prepared for danger. I put my trust in my abilities and those I'm with to trick me into forgetting my bad habit on the day I will need to be aware. Until then, I like to experience a realm with my other senses.

Today is no different and as I step through the gates, the first sensation is the change in air temperature and pressure. The pores of my skin instantly open, and a sheen of sweat breaks out as the humidity skyrockets. Conversely, my skin dries out from the change in elevation I know we've experienced. The noise of a market in full abandon crashes against me, all but drowning out the gasp of surprise and awe that El lets loose as she steps through. Cardamon, turmeric and cumin are the first scents to assault my nose, followed by the more subtle tones of sand, old cloth and the heavy musk of beasts of burden.

I bathe in it all for a moment, letting my mind and body adjust before finally opening my eyes, knowing that there is no chance El will have recovered from the shock yet. The canvas sides of a large tent greet us, pillows and rugs in a rainbow of patterns and colours strewn all around the central pole. A brazier sits beside it; a copper kettle settled neatly on top and the scents of rose tea waft towards us. Through a flap in the side furthest from us, I can just make out a bustle of people in silks and robes hurrying about, shouting to each other in a foreign language, bright sunlight beating down upon them.

I turn to face El and mentally flick the chord I created when opening the gates, letting them shut behind her. They don't need me to maintain the connection, since Old Shadi does so in order to move back and forth anyway. I give my charge a few more moments to adjust before moving us along.

"Ready for some ground rules before we head into the market? And a makeover?"

El's eyes seem unable to settle on anything, skipping from point to point, the internal struggle evident on her face. I know that struggle all too well, the one that attempts to weave your notions of the explainable and what you're experiencing into a unified whole. Good luck with that. I may introduce her to a few philosophers on top of a mountain one day. I doubt it helps that her glasses are still perched on her head and the realm we're in is a kaleidoscope of resonances at the best of times.

"El, do yourself a favour. Lower your screens and filter out the resonances. If you don't, you'll be useless for the rest of the day. And you'll end up with a pounding headache." I say as I motion to the lifeline on top of her head.

Shaking off her wonder, she does as I say, becoming more aware as her senses cycle down from the overload. "We aren't in Kansas anymore, are we?"

"Nope, and I'm not wearing ruby slippers, so it's not Oz either." A grin starts creeping across my face. "We aren't that far off. Though, that's my secret for the moment." I push back the sleeves of my jumper and give El a good once over, in that critical shop assistant way.

El's eyes narrow at my continued strange behaviour. "I thought you were laying out ground rules."

"Oh, right, yes. Not much to say actually. Imagine you're a kid in a candy store. You want to touch, taste, see and do everything. I'll bet that is how you'll feel once we step outside this tent. Try not to. Please. I'd rather not have to call in favours when things go tits up. Kris is persona non grata after our last trip here for that exact reason. I'll get him to tell you about it later.