The figure walked out on to balcony, wrapping his robe a little more closely about him, raising his gaze upwards towards the moons. It was near time. All these years.... All his work. A small creeping smile came across his features. Soon they would all see.

He took one last look towards the moons then quickly whirled around and made haste towards his laboratory. An underling ran across him in the hall and with a wave of his hand, quickly fell in to a deep sleep. None would know of this, not yet. Surely they would presume, and some would wish to stop him, but for now none would get in his way. With another wave of his hand the doors to his laboratory flew open and promptly shut behind him. He whirled around the room quickly, searching for the one key thing that he needed to bring all of his years of research and study to the final conclusion, and with a grin he quickly gathered the crystals he required and rushed his way back up to the top of the spire. Waiting patiently for just the right moment of alignment.

He placed the crystals where he needed, drawing an archaic symbol upon the stones around his feet. Now came the true moment that he had waited for. Uttering a few words, the wind swirled and the area before him began to warble. He spoke a few more words and a great flash of lightning struck the ground near to him, but he would not falter. A brilliant light flashed and he quickly guarded his eyes, and as he drew his hand from his face, before him was the portal that would bring him to where he needed to be. The future.

As he stepped in to portal, several strikes of lightning occurred within the near vicinity. Portals opening in random places within his time, drawing individuals through it before they could even react. He took care entering the portal, for the spire where he stood in the past did not exist in the present. He gazed around to see the outlay of the lands before him. Lightning strikes landing within the lands, similar to the one that had opened his own. A slight feeling of concern came over him, but he quickly brushed it away.

*******CURRENT TIME*******

Great flashes of lightning and brilliant lights flashed within the major cities, a space in time shifting and contorting as portals began to arise in them. Citizens quickly screaming in alarm, then ceasing their outcries to stop and gaze on in wonder. Questioning where they had come from, with a bit of trepidation as to what or who may come through them.

Their questions were quickly answered as bewildered people fell through them. Bewildered looks upon their faces as they gazed about, wondering as to what had just occurred. People quickly surrounded them, questioning and asking as to who they were and where they had come from. It was quickly discovered that they were people from the past. The world of Algoron before those of this time knew of it. These 'visitors' from another time, quickly surmised that there was only one person that could have construed and managed such an act. The old Conclave mage, Seanan.

They did not belong here, it was far too risky. Too many things could alter from them being here. Lineages destroyed, the world altered for them. They had to return, there was no question about it. They had to find Seanan, for certainly he had come here as well. For what purpose, they did not know and where to look they had no clue. But perhaps this world had advanced enough that someone amongst them might know the answer.

At that same moment, lightning struck near one of the portals, a figure forming deep within the portal. The citizens of Althainia shrieking and standing back. A great roar echoed through the air, and several people quickly drew their weapons, wondering just what was on the other side. With a mighty gush of wind, several people ducked, as out of the portal flew the largest red dragon any had ever seen. Dwarfing in size even the mightiest of the gods. The dragon swooped across the sky, his roar shaking and trembling the ground. People screaming and rushing to hide within doorways as quickly as they could.

The dragon recognized this world, yet it was somehow different. The lands different than where he had just came from. He made his way across the oceans, his curiosity mounting as he flew in to one of the nearby cities. Soon many came to flock towards him, men and women of the darkened auras. Several in awe of him. He could grow to like this place.

A man named, Reklah Kayen made his way towards him, accompanied by another named Jaerlach Kesepton. They quickly introduced themselves and just as quickly wondered as to who this dragon was. Amidst their conversation, it was quickly learned that the name he went by was Maylstrom and that he too had come from the ancient past. Things were vastly different here, he could feel it... Sense it. This world was much weaker than his own, and he would revel in it.

Word spread quickly across the land of this other arrival, and the other 'visitors' to this world cringed in fear and dread, many around them questioning as to their reaction. They had to warn them, they had to tell them what they needed to know, even if it meant altering what might be. Maylstrom, was no ordinary dragon. He was a god.

The followers of the light, scoffed at such things. A dragon a god? Even if it was true, they would ensure it's death. They were soon to find out otherwise, as armies gathered to fight this new god within their amidst, and falling just as quickly before his might. Even the mightiest of the gods in this time, learned quickly that it was no match for this one. Yes, he would like it here... And he would claim these lands, one by one, for himself and the darkness.

The others quickly gathered with their new acquaintances and made haste and plans to find someway back to their time. If only they could open a rift in time back to where they belong, perhaps Seanan and Maylstrom would be drawn back as well. So they searched for the mightiest of the mages in this time, and the oldest. Sinarous and Nagash. Neither were quick to help mind you, for they thought perhaps this would be quite interesting to see what might occur, but they had soon relented and gathered what was needed. With no guarantee mind you, that it would work at all and send them precisely to where they came from.

They gathered within the Vale, the one place upon these lands that had never altered through out all of time. It was here that some of the oldest magics were the strongest. It was here that the rift needed to be opened.

Word quickly got to Maylstrom, and he set out himself to quickly find a way to prevent himself from leaving this world. This was too good of an opportunity for him. Here his power was great. With the aide of a man named Itamar Schwartz, he quickly found what he needed, then he had but to wait for just the right moment to close the portals and the rift, before he was drawn back within it.

Just as he had predicted, the portals opened once more, drawing everything near it back in to them. All but himself, as he cast the magic he needed to shatter the portal in to small shards of ice He was not going back and to ensure that fact, he had to find Seanan. Seanan was here somewhere, he could feel it. As for the others, they vanished back hopefully to their own time.

(written by Kyri)