"Are you sure that this travel is wise, Shalafi?" Dalamar asked as his master's magic gleamed before him, fire growing and forming into the shape of a door. "Your health is improving, but with so many things needing attention here…and Highlord Kitiara still making trouble…Can you really risk leaving?"
The black robed archmage remained silent, leaning on his staff. His face, hidden by the hood of his robe, showed no hint to what he thought of his apprentice's worries. His attention remained riveted to the forming portal in the middle of his laboratory. The light of the flaming gate threw everything else into shadow, including the varied potion vials and spellbooks lining the walls of the room, even the silver bindings of the more powerful spellbooks dimming in comparison to the fire of the gate.
The fires flared brightly once, twice, and then settled down to the glow of a meager campfire. From its once splendidly fiery, amorphous form, it had settled down until it looked little difference from a door one would find in any shop or building on the continent of Ansalon. Of course, standing closed in the middle of the room spoiled the effect of normalcy, as did the presence of the slowly moving flames over the 'wood' of the door, as did the small window at eye level on the door. Or rather, what was seen through that window.
The window showed things that never had existed on Krynn, things that wouldn't exist in the lifetime of anyone now living. Shining metal beasts walked on legs of circles past the window, and the clothing of the few people in sight looked nothing like what people wore, even here in Palanthas. Even the stone houses in the background departed from Dalamar's view of normality, and, he suspected, from the way any dwarf would carve stone. Standing over ten feet in height, they did not even have the smatterings of decoration that the stonecarvers of Ansalon used to make the homes a little more palatable to the eye. Surely his Shalafi wasn't heading to this world of barbarians?
"Dalamar."
The black robed mage turned just enough to reveal his part of his face, his hourglass eyes and cunning smile lit by the flickering flames of the door. "You think louder than most drunkards talk. I would have thought you had learned better than that under my teachings."
"I apologize, Shalafi," the elf whispered, bowing his head and fixing his eyes to the floor. "I did not mean to question-"
"No, you wished to learn. As always. But to answer your question," the archmage said as approached the door, his golden skin seeming unharmed by the heat that blew off the portal, "this world is tied with ours. Someone there…someone there knows of the future here." Raistlin shook his head a couple of times, his hand tightening on his staff as he gripped the handle of the door-portal. "Nuitari himself told me this…you know as well as I how significant this must be if he is taking a hand in events."
Dalamar nodded, remembering the few times that the God of dark magic had descended from the moon that bore his name and spoken with his master directly. Despite having listened at the door, he never heard so much as a whisper of what was said until his Shalafi told him what had transpired. It was not due to the magical skills of his master that this would happen, either. It was simply that Nuitari and Raistlin could speak to each other in such soft voices and still be heard and understood by the other.
"I shall watch the city for you, Shalafi, and will tell you what has happened upon your return," Dalamar whispered, his eyes still glued to the floor. Out of the corner of his eyes, the elf could see his master's robes touch the flaming portal, and then start passing through. By the time that he raised his eyes, Raistlin was already almost completely through the portal. Merely a second later, the most powerful mage on the face of Ansalon had disappeared, as had the glowing portal behind him.
Dalamar remained in place for a few moments before gesturing to the ashes on the ground, making them vanish with a few muttered words. "May the gods of magic bring you home safely, Shalafi," he whispered again.