Sorcerer… Cyborg???

[Come on Kothar, just do it, we can always build you a new arm.]

[Silane! As much as I love being a cyborg, I'd rather not recklessly lose parts of my body!]

[Come now Kothar, this is in the interest of science.]

[Yeah, like I never heard that one before, this is just like the time the Alliance scientists removed my-]

[Alright, alright. Let's not talk about that, look, isn't it better to get this done now, rather than losing a part of your body during a battle.]

Kothar sighed and reluctantly pushed his left arm through the portal hovering in front of him.

His arm passed through with only a slight buzzing noise from the portal. Realizing he could still feel his arm, Kothar sighed, releasing a breath he didn't even realize he had been holding.

He flexed his fingertips, and pushed his arm further, brushing the rough fabric of his training shirt.

Being able to touch his own back by extending his arm straight in front of himself was a surreal experience, it felt almost as if there was some disembodied ghost tickling his back.

[Why would you suggest this Silane?]

[Well, I know how you humans have trouble scratching your own backs, so I thought we might try it out. It's like a really good back scratcher, but with magic.]

[Truly a great way to end weeks of research in creating and holding open portal, huh Silane?]

[ I think so, it's innovative, useful and fun!]

[I'm not sure how much of a fan I am of your newfound sense of humor.]

Thud. Thud. Thud. Three heavy knocks resounded through the tower, interrupting Kothar's enjoyable back scratching session. He came to his feet, almost forgetting to remove his arm from the portal, narrowly avoiding shearing it off on the edge of the portal by mistake.

[Anyone knocking like that on Krieg's door must have a serious reason for it.]

Silane observed as Kothar rushed down the winding stairs of the tower.

Kothar pulled the heavy blackened steel door open, revealing the sturdy frame of the Gatekeeper, wearing his riveted battlemage coat, standing in the dripping rain.

"Kothar. Just the person I needed to see." The Gatekeeper spoke in his slow solemn voice.

"Please come in." Kothar beckoned the Gatekeeper indoors.

"Thank you, but this shall not take long. I have other duties to attend to also." The Gatekeeper drew a small piece of paper from one of his numerous pockets. He peered at it closely.

"I have some bad news for you, I'm afraid. Your uncle Simon, who brought you to the Academy, has been taken prisoner by the Republic of Kalun. That is all the information that was available. I thought you might like to know. I'm sure you will soon get word from your family." Without another word, the Gatekeeper continued on his way, heading toward another mage tower, further in the distance.

[What was that? That's all he had to stay? No information about how or why or even when he was captured?]

[Kothar. Calm yourself. I'm sure that's all he knew, otherwise he would've said more.]

Silane comforted Kothar, as he took a few breaths. Now that he had calmed down, Kothar was surprised by how he had been swept up by his emotions.

[Alright Silane, what are we going to do?]

[As terrible an idea as it seems, I think that we'll have to go to Kalun ourselves. Tam and Rotan have their hands tied, they can't afford to start a war with Kalun over Simon. They'll likely be in negotiations with Kalun for months trying to get him released. With no idea of how he is.]

[You're right, at the very least we could find out more about how he's doing and return to Balin.]

Now calm, and with a clear goal, Kothar rushed up to his rooms, where he had only moved in a month ago, and began to earnestly pack his travel pack and gear.

[Aren't you going to let Krieg know you're leaving?]

[I'd rather not interrupt his research, and he leaves his labs so rarely that who knows if he'll even notice I'm gone. I'll leave a note here so he'll know whenever he decides to check up on me.]

"Kothar, good to see you my friend!" Lester called out as he saw Kothar stride in.

"What have you got for me today?" Lester hauled himself to his feet and waddled over to his counter.

"Unfortunately I haven't got anything for you today Lester, I was hoping to get some gold from you. I know I said I'd be happy for it to be credit at your store but an emergency has come up." Kothar spoke quickly, unlike his susual measure tone.

"No problem at all, my fine young friend. How much do you need? If you need more gold than you're credit I'd be happy to lend you some coin." Lester smiled at Kothar, eager as ever to get in his good graces.

"No that's fine Lester, 200 gold should be enough for my needs." Kothar took the heavy pouch that Lester procured with a speed that clashed with his huge pot belly.

'Thanks Lester."

"No problem young Kothar, see you soon!"

Kothar hurried onwards, now heading towards Utna's smithy; she had sent him word almost a week ago, but he had been too immersed in mastering his portals.

The open door of the forge radiated heat out onto the street, and loud cleaning and clanking echoed out onto the busy street.

"Utna!" Kothar yelled out, seeing her leant over a large breastplate. Realizing she would be hours, he decided to risk it and interrupt her smithing.

"I need the mana storing component, I have to leave it's an emergency!" Kothar yelled out, quickly explaining himself, eager to avoid her wrath.

Utna nodded, sparks flying past her face, she lifted her hammer and used to gesture toward an alcove at the back of her forge.

"In the wooden box." She grunted out, then returned her full attention to the breastplate, smashing away.