“Tell me what you need,” said Arosha. “I can adjust this for you—I know how to do it.” The Sentinel indicated he needed help reaching the portal controls and the Conjurer put his arm around the wounded elf’s waist and helped him reach it. Laromendis shot his brother a concerned expression and with a slight shake of his head told him the Sentinel was in worse shape than at first thought. He helped the guardsman stand before the controls, and felt blood drenching his arm where he had held him.

Runes were set in a large patter, and several glowed with a faint light. “There’s magic in the device, independent of the gate power.” He pointed to the crystal Gulamendis held and said, “That will get the gate open…” He glanced around and said, “Let me study this while you look for another stone. The galasmancer should have it.”

“What stone?” asked Laromendis.

“It may be purple or blue.”

Laromendis did as he was asked and a moment later came up with a purple crystal, half the size of the yellow one his brother still held. “What is this?”

“This is what will close down this portal after we go. The gate will be useless and the demons will have to find another way to E’bar.”

“How does it work?” asked Laromendis.

With a slight smile, the pale Sentinel said, “I pull out the yellow crystal, put this one in, hit any mark on the controls…”

“And what?” asked Gulamendis.

“It explodes.”

Both brothers were mute.

The Sentinel said, “We all know I’m dead within minutes. This way is quickest and I serve the People. I can barely stand. You’d better go now, or I won’t be able to close the portal after you. Good fortune.”

Laromendis started to say something, but couldn’t find words. He nodded.

The Sentinel put the yellow crystal in a small depression in the surface of the control panel and it began to pulse with a stronger light. Laromendis repeated the spell he had heard many times, closing his eyes to focus his energies on controls designed to easily receive them. Then he opened his eyes and nodded.

Arosha struck all the runes but one and held up his hand. “I’ve put in the runes for E’bar but one and…” He started to sway on his feet, but gripped hard on the edge of the panel. “Pick any rune save that one.”

Gulamendis didn’t hesitate, just reaching over to blindly pick one and push it. A faint hum was followed by a sudden increase in the pressure in the room, as if they had a huge influx of wind, then a faint thumping sound. A grey void, with colors shimmering across the surface, like oil on water, appeared between the uprights of the portal device.