"Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."

-Miriam Beard

"Who lives sees much. Who travels sees more."

-Arab Proverb

Raven's clock rang at 5:30 A.M., but the Young Mage turned it off. She had been up for nearly an hour packing. Despite Kresk's numerous warnings, she still hadn't actually packed anything beforehand. Like some wanderer from one of the legends in her musty old tomes, Raven was merely stuffing items into a sack that was easy to carry. "It's best if you travel light." Kresk had told her earlier.

Raven started by packing her clothes, stuffing leotards, cloaks, undergarments, socks, and a spare set of shoes into the bag. Than, in no particular order, this was followed by makeup, the dress Kresk had given her ("Never know when you'll need something formal."), soap, tea, spell books, component and foci for incantations, her magic mirror, potions, scrolls, wands, a dagger, the bag of gems her father had given her, a pillow and pillowcase, and finally blankets. A normal bag would have burst by now, but the one Raven was using was no ordinary container; it was none other than a bag of holding, a legendary item, a friend to all adventurers, travelers, thieves, and tomb robbers. The bag was rough and leathery, and Kresk had hinted that it had been made from dragon stomach. 'Serves them right.' The shadow-dancer thought to herself, remembering a certain dragon whose entrails she would enjoy ripping out…

But Raven tried to forget her old prejudice. Besides, if Kresk was right, two of his friends she was about to meet were dragons. The old demon was as jittery as a little bird about this trip. He was moving around most of last night, after the other Titans had gone to bed, making preparations for the odyssey. Not two hours earlier, Kresk had woke Raven up and said, "They're ready." He told her to get packed (once more), and then let out a stream of gibberish before he handed Raven a list and left the room and…

The list! Kresk had muttered out that the items on his list were the most important of all; the ones Raven's life might depend on. She scrambled her hands on the surface of a table until she found the old squared up piece of paper and unfurled it. On it was scribbled

"The Planewalker's Essential Traveling List"

The following items are no doubt essential to any and all beings that intend on traveling the planes. Make sure to pack at least one of each of the following:

A Towel; The single most useful item in all the multiverse. Always have a towel. Always.

Something sharp; Essential for combat, cutting, digging, marking down, and other things a basher's got to do. After a towel, your best multipurpose friend.

A good, sturdy pair o' boots; The thicker, the better. You'll be walking around in a lot of stuff you don't want your feet touching, believe me.

A blindfold; Lots o' things out there will drive a cutter barmy or blind if he keeps his eyes open- especially in the Inner Planes where all that energy and radiance will burn your eyes right out. Furthermore, a wet blindfold can be held in front o' your bone-box to act as a breathin' filter. This'll protect you (at leas a little) from noxious fumes, smoke, and other breathing hazards. Also see 'Towel'.

Earplugs; There are almost as many sounds you don't want to hear as sights you don't want to see.

Rations and water; Don't go expecting to find something to eat or drink out in the planes. More likely than not, most cutters ain't gonna want to eat what they've got there.

Rope; If you think that everywhere on the planes has nice, level ground, you've got a rude awakening ahead o' you, berk.

Oiled tarp or tent; You've got to carry your shelter with you when you travel the planes. Sometimes even the rain of a plane is dangerous- acidic, poisonous, or worse.

Torch, lantern, or magical light (best!); Like to see where you're going?

Journal; On the planes, it's easier to record where you've been than try to figure where you're going, so a journal is easier to keep than a map. Distances can change, berk. Some planes, space has little meaning. Keeping track of what you've seen to provide reference points is a good idea. It's also a handy place to jot down portal information, like the kind of key a basher needs to use one.

Money; Just like at home, a little jink goes a long way. No matter where you go, everybody speaks the language of gold. If you're not accustomed to giving out bribes- change.

DON'T BOTHER BRINGING:

A map; The maps that you find on the Prime regarding anything on the planes are wrong. Even if they were right once, things change pretty fast on the planes, and they change big. Cities move, planes shift, mountains sink- you get the idea.

Minor magical weapons; Magic's tied to the place it was formed, so only the best and most powerful weapons work on planes other than their own.

A narrow-minded focus or superior attitude; Keep an open mind. Things out here aren't always like they were at home. Hardly ever, actually. And while you're at it, drop your attitude. Powers and their proxies live on the planes, berks, and no matter how tough you think you are, you ain't as powerful as they."

ALL SPELLCASTERS SHOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING SPELLS AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES:

Light; Plenty of planes don't even have a sun or normal illumination. Like seeing things?

True Seeing; To tell friend from foe and pick out shape changers.

Breathing spells; Have all variants ready for earth, air, water, and fire. Better yet, learn how to not breathe at all.

Tongues; Not everyone speaks your language!

After making the proper preparations (which ate up another quarter hour as Raven threw various items out of her pack and stuffed scrolls, new items, a blank journal, and more scrolls into it), Raven felt that she was finally ready to go. There was just one last thing to do. Raven, out of habit or the genetic paranoia signature to all demons, opened her closet and prepared to awaken the Obsidian Minotaur. Kresk had given it to her, so the sorceress had kept locked away in her own private vault that was snugly in her cabinet. She opened the demiplane and ordered the Minotaur forward with a thought. It stepped forward, the floor shaking with each step. Raven spoke in a clear resounding voice to the construct, ordering "Guard this room and attack anybody who comes in here, unless it is me." The Minotaur shook its head in accordance.

As Raven left the room, the Minotaur standing perfectly still, she glanced once more before she took off. Jokingly, Raven murmured to her books, her bed, her baubles and beads, "Goodnight you kings of New England, you princes of Maine." She closed the door and walked away. On the rooftop, something was moving. Raven went up to check on the mysterious noises. The sun was beginning to rise, and all of the stars had faded into nothing. Kresk was sitting and murmuring something, his eyes closed. Raven walked up next to him and asked, "Are you praying?"

The old demon looked up and solemnly said, "We are creatures of the night, child of mine. We cannot afford to pray."

"Than what are you doing?"

"Paying lip service to a dead god."

"What do you mean?"

Kresk pointed a talon up into the sky, into some corner of the celestial dome still black with primordial night. And there, standing there for all of creation to see, was a single, bright glowing star. The morning star, the star that stands defiant to the light. It dimmed second by second, until at last it winked out and fell into the inky abyss. Raven had nothing to say to this. Demons were from the Abyss, so what was in Hell?

"Well, that's all folks." The demon said. He stood up and brushed the dirt off his robes. He looked at Raven and asked, "Are you ready." With a hopeful look, Raven nodded her head. The demon smiled and said, "Good. Now let's see where our companions are waiting." Kresk reached into his robes and pulled out a gold ring with a red gem stuck into it. It looked too small for the demon's finger, but as he slipped it on it shaped itself accordingly. The Fire Demon raised his fist into the air and pointed the ring at the sky. A beam of pure red light shot out and almost seemed to touch the horizon. As it stood glowing, pouring from Kresk's ring, three more lights came from some distant part of the city, about where the suburban areas were. A green light, a blue light, and a yellow light all shimmered in the morning. "That's them." Kresk said. "Well, let's get going. I expect Bert and Nid are already tired of waiting for us."

Raven and Kresk walked side-by-side downstairs. Raven was silent most of the way. And what could she say? She grasped and grappled with a thousand questions, but each one was as slippery as an eel. How could she ask a question? There was no single word for a thousand question marks and all their productive children. And so, Raven stayed silent until the pair reached the water's edge. Kresk murmured a spell and walked across the calm surface, Raven hovering a few inches above. She squeaked, "Kresk, what will this be like?" The demon laughed and said, "I don't think I could rightly explain it to you. You have to see it for yourself. But for me, the first time I saw all the planes, well for me it was like hearing the heartbeat of the multiverse for the first time. It changed me. It changes everybody who goes through with this, even if they don't realize it. The things that happen to them, the things they see; it shapes their being."

"What will I see?"

The Fire Demon started speaking in a thick, country accent, "Well, child' o' mine, I don't reckon I can tell you that. That's for you to find. But I guarantee ya' that you will be beholden to many bizarre sights, laws yes. You're gonna' see the Elemental Planes and the City of Brass. And you gonna' see the Chaos of Limbo and the Order of Mechanus too. I'm gonna' show you the fields of Elysium and the Gray Wastes of Hades. And when all's said and done, I'll show you the most wondrous thing you ever did see with those pretty lil' eyes, I'm gonna' show you Sigil, the City of Doors, the Crossroads of the Multiverse, the Cage. Yes'm, you little lady are in for a treat."

"But what If I don't want to change?"

"Now child of mine, there ain't no use fightin' it. The very simple rule of the multiverse is that things change. Maybe it's just a little, but by gods they do. Now the question is, are you going to embrace that, or are you gonna' run away?"

Raven understood what Kresk was saying. She looked at the patch of sky where a star had disappeared earlier and then looked back. The sun shone through the cracks of the city sky-line. It's beams danced and lapped at the world. Raven uttered a small thank you to the morning-star and hoisted her pack on to her shoulder. She set foot on the shore, and her life began to change forever.

And somewhere in Los Angeles, a star heard a prayer.

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say

- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

FIN

Well, children of the night. It's time for me to say goodbye. I might put in a couple of more teaser epilogues, but not right now. For now, this story is over. Ah, but the Epic is just beginning. Remember, children of the night, that the ending of one story is the beginning of a thousand others. And so I depart for a time, and take the greatest pride in clicking the 'Complete' option for this story.You're support was quintissential to the completion of this tale, and I hope to see more of it in the future. Wipe those tears away, children of the night, the Tygre is only sleeping, and Kresk has only sheathed his claws for a little while. Remember.

Gorgo.

Mormo

And the Thousand Faced Moon.