Prologue

A cloaked figure sat astride, watching from the trees, her face tight with anger.

A wisp of black smoke rose from the remains of what had been a thriving village only a week ago when she'd last visited. Survivors were picking silently through the ruins, searching for anything they could salvage and at the edge of the village, she could see three shrouded bodies laid in a row.

The thrice-damned raiders were getting bolder! Two villages in less than a month and the Guild did nothing!

She gritted her teeth. Someone had to do something. If the Guild refused again, she would have no choice. She would have to take matters into her own hands.

She turned her horse and rode determinedly away. There was someone she had to see and this time she would accept no excuses.

Miles away, in a small hut, a grey-haired man was gazing into a mirror. At least it looked like a mirror at first glance. It was a silver disc, a perfect circle—paper thin and lighter than silk. At the moment it was reflecting his face but as he stared, the surface shimmered and he caught a glimpse into another world. A world where metal birds flew though the air and people merely pointed a stick to kill someone. A world of powerful magicians, far stronger than anyone he'd met, including himself. If only he could tap into it, bring a warrior from that world to this...

His heart beat faster. He was so close... the book he'd found in the old library held the key, he was certain. That book, and the silver disc he was looking at now.

If he dared.

London (present time)

Silas (Sy) Martin took his tablet out of his bag and turned it on. Hopefully he'd be able to get a signal down here. He was squashed into the corner by a young woman carrying a large shopping bag and looking like a refugee from a sci-fi convention, but at least he had got a seat. The train was rattling along from Kings Cross towards Baker Street, deep underground, on its way to Uxbridge, the nearest tube station for the Pinewood Studios.

Pinewood Studios. And his first audition for the small screen. His lips moved silently as he re-read the script. "Used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea. Then they died, took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed."

He was surprised how nervous he felt. One would have thought years of performing live before theatre crowds would have toughened him up, but he was as nervous as if this was his first time. God, he really needed this job. He tuned out everything except the screen in front of him.

Dani Black, took her compact out and checked her appearance. Dark brown hair framed her face, a long fringe stopping just above her eyes. Embossed leather bands circled each upper arm and her metal wrist guards looked as genuine as she could make them. But the leather corset and pleated skirt was the real highlight of her costume. Expensive, sure, but worth every penny of the hire fee. She was going to be the best Xena this year at the convention.

She glanced down at the large shopping bag between her feet. She'd wanted to wear the sword and scabbard strapped to her back, but Robin had pointed out she probably wouldn't be allowed to board the train wearing a weapon, even a fake one. "You'd be arrested or at the very least they'd confiscate the sword." Reluctantly, Dani had agreed and the sword, wrapped carefully to disguise its shape, was in the bag.

Dani flicked a sideways glance at the man sitting next to her. He had bleached hair cut close against his head, and a strong face, with a square jaw and high cheekbones. He was wearing a black leather jacket over a black tee shirt and jeans. He looked pretty hot considering he must be over thirty, but he didn't look as if he was going to Comic Con. His blue eyes were focussed entirely on his tablet.

She leaned over a fraction and the word "Tardis" leapt out at her. Hmm. Maybe he was going to Comic Con after all.

She leant back in her seat and looked out the window, or rather at her reflection in the window. She tried to look beyond the glass. It was dark, just an occasional glimpse of a pipe or heavily insulated cable running along the walls. She wondered whether she could see the mouth of a tunnel whizz past if she concentrated. A passage leading to unused stations and hidden underground worlds. She smiled faintly at the whimsical idea.

The tunnel brightened and the train slowed and pulled into the Baker Street Station. "Mind the gap," warned a soulless metallic voice. The doors slid open and passengers got in and out. The doors closed. The train drew away from the station, gathering speed.

Still focussed on the window, Dani was blinded by a blazing light, coming out of nowhere, barrelling straight toward her. What the-?

There was an excruciating, screaming sound of crashing metal, a hard jolt and then everything went black.

Skia

Danika rolled her shoulders, settling the scabbard into a more comfortable position. Her brown leather boots were pinching and she felt hot and tired, as if she had been walking for hours. How much further? Where-?

A sudden wave of dizziness caused her to stop in her tracks. She bent over, resting her hands on her knees for a moment. Wow, that was weird. Maybe she should take a break.

She straightened and gazed around. Jagged cliffs topped by emerald green grass surrounded her on both sides. A narrow path of beaten earth wound through the valley and in the distance she could see mountains. Tall white towers stretched into the sky from the top of one of them. A city? A fortress? Surely that must be her destination... Danika shook her head as another wave of dizziness swept over her.

Then the sound of rushing water caught her attention. Thirsty! She was so thirsty. Without hesitating, Danika left the path and followed the sound of the water. In a matter of moments she found the source, a stream gushing and frothing, flowing from the mountains. She knelt down and looked into the clear depths. She could see right to the stony bottom. It looked clean enough. Eagerly, Danika scooped up handfuls of cold water and drank her fill. That felt much better! Maybe now she could remember where she was going... and why.

~~~

Skyler felt the coldness of the stone windowsill seep into his forearms. The air was clean and crisp and he filled his lungs. Looking down, he could see small figures moving around the courtyard at the base of the tower. He took another deep breath, then focussed his gaze down the mountain to the misty green valleys beyond. Beautiful. But cold, he thought as a gust of wind ruffled his short hair and flattened his black shirt against his chest. He stepped back inside the room, drawing the shutters closed behind him.

The room was lined with bookshelves filled with books that looked older than Skyler himself. A large table stood in the centre, covered with glass tubes, metal tripods and jars containing unidentifiable substances. A small fire burned cosily in the grate, warming the room now he had closed the shutters and three lamps added to the gentle light. Skyler strode back to the table. He frowned. Now, what exactly had he been doing before he went to the window for a breath of fresh air? What had he been working on?

A wave of dizziness caused him to grab the table. Damn. Maybe he'd inhaled one too many of his concoctions.

~~~

Down in the valleys, tucked in a narrow gorge away from the road, stood an old stone hut. From the front it looked derelict, but there were two horses tethered at the rear and purple smoke billowed from its chimney. Inside, two people were picking themselves up from the dirt floor.

"Did it work, Iazor?" asked the young woman impatiently, coughing and waving smoke away from her eyes.

"Well, it seems Kira and Jael are gone," replied the grey-haired man, peering around the room as if fearing to find them still there, hiding in a corner.

"So where are they, then? The warrior and the magician?"

"I don't know, Tyla. They should be here. The exchange worked, I'm certain." He looked from the book he held in his left hand to the slight hollow in the floor, lined with a silver disc. "Two from Skia, for two from the Other world. It should have been straightforward."

Tyla was beginning to look anxious. "Maybe they're lost somewhere in between. What will we do?"

"I don't think there's anything we can do, except... get out of here. We have to assume the Guild marked our use of power. Someone will be here soon to investigate and we can't be found." As he spoke, Iazor twitched up the reflective cloth from the floor and tucked it, and the book, away in a pocket inside his jacket. He grabbed a straw broom from against the wall and ushered Tyla out of the hut, sweeping the dirt behind him as they went to cover their traces.

They mounted quickly and trotted down the path, turning away from the mountains. "We'll go separately," Iazor told her. "We can't be seen together. If all goes well, I'll send word in a few days time."

"But what about Kira and Jael?" asked Tyla, following.

Iazor frowned impatiently. "They knew the risks and if they'd stayed here they would have died of their injuries. In any case, there's nothing we can do about them now. As far as we know, they are in the Other world."

He cast a quick look up at the sky. "Let's go! We can talk later," and he dug his heels into the side of his mount and galloped off down the narrow path.

Tyla followed, however, when Iazor took the first fork to the left, she continued on the main path which wound through the cliff valley. She risked a glance over her shoulder and thought she saw a puff of dust in the distance. Was it possible the Guild's Enforcers had found them already? Surely not. Gritting her teeth, Tyla urged her horse even faster. Frantically, her eyes scanned the path ahead. Was there anywhere she could hide? There was a large grove of trees a couple of hundred yards further on, would that be enough?

She followed the path into the grove and slowed her horse to a trot, peering between the trees to find somewhere that would provide cover. To her dismay, the undergrowth was thick and tangled. A horse pushing through would leave an obvious trail. She twisted in the saddle to look over her shoulder again and turned back to find her way blocked by three rough-looking strangers. Dirty hands reached up to catch her reins on each side, dragging the horse back on its haunches.

The third man grabbed Tyla around the waist and pulled her from the saddle.

"Let's see what we have here," grinned the man, feeling for her pockets. "Are you carrying any coins?"

"This gear will fetch a fair price," commented one, unbuckling the saddle.

"And the horse. If we don't eat it first!" chuckled another.

"Let me go!" Tyla protested, struggling. "I'm being chased by the Guild's Enforcers! They'll be here any minute!"

"Haha!"guffawed the man holding her. "A fine tale! What would Enforcers be doing chasing a pretty young thing like you?"

"It's true! Look for yourselves, if you don't believe me!" cried Tyla.

One of the men gave a quick glance back down the road.

"Empty!" he snorted.

But there was someone coming from the other direction, striding through the trees. She wore a leather tunic and carried a sword on her back. In a flash, the sword was in her hand and she was walking toward them.

"----- --- ------?"

The brigands looked at each other but no-one understood the strange words. However, the sword pointing in their direction was very clear. Imperiously, the woman gestured them away from Tyla.

The men smiled. The two not holding Tyla, reached for their own weapons. One picked up a large wooden staff from where it had been resting on the ground and twirled it expertly. The other pulled out a long dagger. They approached the stranger together, one from each side, their weight on the balls of their feet. The man with the staff lunged forward, trying to knock the sword from the woman's grasp, while the second hung back, waiting to rush in once she was disarmed.

Danika stepped forward into the move, without hesitating. She might not remember where she was going—or where she had come from, for that matter—but the fighting moves came to her as naturally as breathing.

She knew nothing about this place or these people, but when she saw the young woman struggling with three men, she had no doubt whose side she was on.

Danika thrust her sword under the man's guard, pricking him in the side before he could bring the staff down on the blade. He must be new at this, she thought, he was moving so slowly. She danced forward, moving quicker than the eye could see, slicing the staff in two pieces. She saw the second man stabbing upward with his dagger and spun to face him. A quick thrust and his blade was spinning away into the undergrowth. Both men's faces were white and staring.

Danika shrugged. Had they never been bested by a woman before? They had been so slow to move, as if they were wading through water, it was one of the easiest fights she'd won. The man holding Tyla suddenly pushed her forward, seeking to knock Danika off balance and then all three ran away as fast as they could. What the-?

Danika caught the young woman before she fell and set her on her feet. "Are you all right?"

"--- ----- ----?"

Danika could not understand the words. She spread her hands and shrugged again.

For some strange reason, a look of hopeful amazement began to spread across the other woman's face. She pointed to her own chest. "Tyla," she enunciated in clear tones. It was obviously her name.

Danika smiled and did the same. "Danika."

The sound of horses approaching broke into their exchange. Tyla gasped and spun around.

Two men wearing bright green uniforms and mounted on sturdy bay horses came into view, only a few yards away.

"---!" called one in firm tones.

"------- --- -----!" said the other.

For one wild moment, Tyla considered running, but where would she go? They would catch her before she got more than a few yards. No, better to appear to go quietly, and look for chances later.

"Put down your weapon!" repeated the Enforcer, his hand going to the rod at his side.

Tyla moved protectively in front of Danika.

"She doesn't understand. She doesn't speak our tongue," she told the Enforcers.

"Impossible! Is she mute?" Even though there were plenty of local dialects, every Skian learned Standard.

"No. She can speak, but it's a different language."

"One of the mountain dialects?" asked one, looking curiously at Danika's strange tunic.

"No," answered Tyla. "At least, none that I've ever heard."

Seeing that Tyla was talking calmly enough to the new arrivals, and no-one appeared about to attack her, Danika lowered her sword and slid it back into the sheath, snug on her back.

Both Enforcer's stiffened, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Tell her to surrender her weapon."

"Why? She just defended me from three brigands. She's no threat to you," retorted Tyla, her courage returning. She knew who she would bet on if it came to a fight with normal weapons but the Enforcers were armed with rods. A rod could render someone unconscious, if they were within its range.

"Three thieves? Where are they, then?" asked an Enforcer, looking around.

"Danika disarmed them and then they ran off when they heard you coming."

Tyla could tell they weren't sure whether to believe her or not.

"Well, be that as it may, you need to come with us. The Guildmaster wants to see you." One of the Enforcers reached across and grasped her horse's dangling reins. "Put that saddle back on the horse and mount up."

Tyla turned back to face Danika, knowing she had no choice. At least for the moment.

"I have to go," she said, despite realising the words were meaningless sounds. She pointed to herself and then to the two Enforcers, and picked up her saddle.

Danika repeated the gesture, pointing first at herself and then at the others. She wanted to go with them. Tyla didn't know what to do. With no common language, there was no way that she could explain to Danika that it might be best if she didn't. But then, where else would she go? How would she manage alone in a strange world? At least if she came with them to the citadel she would be safe. She might be a six-day wonder, a strange phenomonen to be marvelled over, but no-one was likely to hurt her. Not once they knew where she came from. Tyla made up her mind.

"Danika should come with us," Tyla told the Enforcers, firmly. "The Guildmaster will want to welcome her. When she fights, she is faster than anyone I've ever seen. It's as if her opponents were standing still. I'm pretty sure she's the Warrior I helped summon from the Other world."

~~~

Skyler stood at the tower window again, welcoming the cold wind, though his eyes were blank and unfocussed. What had happened to him?

He had picked up an open book from the table, hoping to take up where he had left off and he couldn't read one word, not one. The letters were a series of jumbled symbols, totally alien. He'd picked up another book and another, but they were all the same. Completely unintelligible.

A commotion in the courtyard below finally caught his attention. He looked down. A small party of three horsemen had ridden in and were dismounting. He saw then that one of the horses was carrying two riders, two women. He stared. The first woman meant nothing to him, but the second-

He'd seen her before. That hair, that costume... "a refugee from a sci-fi convention." His own words seemed to come back to him from a great distance. Everything went grey-green before his eyes and he keeled over in a dead faint.

~~~

Two men and a woman, each wearing a long white robe and a stern expression, were already waiting outside the base of a tall white tower when the three of them rode into the courtyard. They waited in silence as the two Enforcers dismounted quickly then helped Tyla and Danika down from their horse. The Enforcers took up position on either side of Danika, though careful not to touch her, as Tyla walked forward to the waiting group. She bowed her head curtly in brief acknowledgement, then launched into speech. Her tone, defensive at first, soon transitioned into excitement, her hands waving expressively in the air.

While Tyla talked, Danika took the opportunity to study her surroundings. They had come through a huge wooden gate, set in a high wall which enclosed the stronghold, into a cobbled courtyard.

Five white towers stood independently of each other, grouped in a loose semi-circle behind the wall. Behind them, she could see smaller buildings, more like tall narrow houses, stretching back toward the steep mountain slope. She heard Tyla mention her name, and as one, all four turned to look at her.

"----- -- ---?" asked the white gowned woman.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," replied Danika. She ventured a polite smile.

"~~~ ~~ ~~~?" repeated the woman, but with a slightly different accent.

"Sorry," said Danika. The language didn't sound like anything she had ever heard before. It certainly wasn't English.

A crease formed between the woman's brows. She stepped forward to study Danika's tunic more closely. She reached out a hand, then stopped just short of touching, waiting for Danika's permission. Danika nodded—luckily that gesture seemed to mean the same thing here! The woman rubbed the material between two fingers, frowning harder at the strangeness.

"----- --- --- --- ---?" she asked Tyla.

But before Tyla could answer, a blond-haired man wearing a black tee-shirt stepped out of the tower door behind them. Danika blinked. She knew him. He had been sitting next to her on the train before... She swayed as everything went grey-green before her eyes.

"Do you know what the fuck happened to us?" Skyler asked, as Danika gulped for air, held upright only by the strength of Tyla's arm. "Where the hell are we?"

The Skians, except for Tyla who was still hanging on to Danika, all took a step back, staring at the stranger in astonishment. The Enforcer's drew their rods protectively.

"I have no idea," answered Danika, shakily. "I remember... we were in the train and then—we were here. Are we dead?"

"I don't think so," replied Skyler, pinching himself. "I don't think you feel pain if you're dead." He looked around at the stronghold and up at the bluish sky, tinged with a faint shade of lavender. "But I don't think we're on Earth, either. I think we're somewhere else entirely, another world."

"Where did you come from?" demanded the gowned woman. "How in Skia's name did you get into the Magician's tower?"

Skyler frowned and turned his head toward her, listening intently.

"Can you understand them?" asked Danika.

"I'm not sure. I shouldn't. I mean, I've always been good at languages, but..."

He was interrupted by a clattering of hooves on the cobblestones as a rider in green burst into the courtyard. "Raiders!" he gasped. "In the valley. Heading this way!"

As if following a well-practised drill, one of the Enforcers raced to the belltower and yanked three times on the rope, sending a deep toll echoing through the citadel.

"Look after these three," the gowned woman instructed the remaining Enforcer, then, without waiting for a reply, turned to follow her two companions. All three hurried into the tower that Skyler had just left.

A grizzled warrior, already armed with sword and bow, strode into the courtyard, followed closely by two more armed men.

"Report!" He addressed the rider in green, who was still on his horse. "How many?"

"About fifty, Armsmaster. I counted ten mounted on kaygars. They were just passing Shepherds' Lookout when I spotted them about half an hour ago."

The warrior frowned grimly. "Ten kaygars, eh? Bar the gates," he instructed one of his Armsmen, "and order the rest of the men to the walls."

"Yes, Armsmaster!" They hurried off to do his bidding. The Armsmaster turned to Danika and Skyler, his brows rising as he took in Danika's armour and weapons. "Who are you?"

"They are warriors from the Other world," answered Tyla, quickly.

"What!"

"It's the truth, sir."

"I haven't got time for this nonsense now." The Armsmaster shook his head, dismissively. "If we all get through the next few hours, I'll talk to you later. In the meantime, keep out of my way!"

"Danika can fight, I promise you. I've seen her... " argued Tyla, but the Armsmaster wasn't listening. He left them and strode over to the wall, where a stone staircase led up to the ramparts. Armed men were already in position at the top, with more men streaming out from the houses, many in ordinary clothes, clutching knives and even axes.

Danika and Skyler watched warily from the courtyard, as, with a few short instructions from the Armsmaster, all the men holding bows took front position on the ramparts. Other men pulled and dragged carts and other heavy objects across to pile in front of the wooden gate. Boys ran back and forth bringing arrows and what appeared to be buckets of water up to those on the ramparts. Were they expecting fires?

High in the Magician's Tower, the three Guild members stood at the window that Skyler had gazed out only minutes before. Skyler wondered—were they lookouts or something more?

Suddenly, the clattering and noise of the courtyard was drowned out by a guttural roar, followed immediately by a deafening clamour of swords banging on shields. Danika and Skyler froze, hearts thudding wildly. The raiders were at the gate.

Arrows flew from the ramparts but the roaring continued, sounding for all the world like lions at feeding time.

"What's that?" Danika asked Tyla, forgetting they didn't speak the same language. But Tyla understood.

"Kaygars." Her face was pale.

Tufted ears appeared above the ramparts for a split second before disappearing under a hail of arrows. Then the gate shuddered as something pounded against it from the other side. The pounding continued until a huge tawny head thrust over the top of the gate and the newcomers got their first glimpse of a kaygar. Bigger than a lion, thought Danika, more orange, and no mane. Did that mean they were female? She was drawing her sword and rushing forward, even as these thoughts flew through her mind.

"Get Skyler a sword!" she ordered Tyla over her shoulder.

Danika ran to meet the kaygar, which had leapt down into the courtyard, sending everyone else running in terror. It carried an empty saddle on its back, but Danika couldn't tell if it had lost its rider on the way or been sent up alone to wreak havoc. The kaygar roared then bounded toward Danika, its topaz eyes blazing. While she was staring into its eyes, a huge paw swiped her from one side, knocking her to the ground. Head ringing, Danika scrambled to her feet and gripped her sword tightly. Screams filled the air around her.

With the feel of the sword in her hands, once again everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The kaygar dew back, preparing to pounce, and Danika stepped forward, thrusting her sword up under its breastbone as it leapt, and pierced the creature's heart.

She darted back as the kaygar fell to the ground, its giant paws twitching. If she had been underneath, its death throes might still have killed her.

She was briefly aware of Skyler staring in amazement before she raced up the stone stairs to the top of the ramparts. Men were fighting hand to hand where the ramparts had been breached. In between, defenders continued to fire arrows down at the raiders, but it was hard to tell who was prevailing in all the chaos.

Skyler followed uncertainly. The sword felt awkward and uncomfortable in his hand. Still, Danika had never fought before today either, right?

Screams from the wounded on both sides made it hard to think. A raider lunged at Skyler, easily knocking his sword out of his hand. He was going to die, thought Skyler, here in this alien world. But even as the man drew back for the killing blow, Danika stepped in and stabbed the attacker in the stomach. He screamed and fell to the ground.

"Stay back!" Danika shouted, before vanishing along the rampart in the direction of the heaviest fighting. Skyler didn't hesitate. It was painfully obvious that whatever extra fighting skills had been given to Danika, he hadn't got them.

He stood trembling with reaction, braced against one of the battlements, and looked down at the invaders. Although most of their forces were concentrated here attacking the defenders, he could see two more kaygars, this time with riders in their saddles, getting ready to climb the wooden gate again. He looked along the battlements but no-one else seemed to be paying attention, too involved with what was right in front of them.

Where was Danika?

"Danika!" he shouted. Naturally enough, no-one heard him above the battle noise. Where was that voice that had reached the back row of the second gallery?

Skyler took a deep breath and tried again, "DANIKA!"

His voice boomed and echoed over the valley. Skyler could have sworn he saw the distant treetops ripple but the effect on those nearby was even more startling. Everyone clapped their hands over their ears, raider and defender alike. He saw blood dripping from the ears of the men nearest to him. Burst eardrums.

Every kaygar went belly down and howled miserably.

Skyler drew in his breath to shout again and the raiders turned tail and fled. Even the defenders cringed away from him, their hands hard over their ears.

"Well then," said Skyler in his normal voice.

~~~

The train crash was the worst disaster London had seen for some years. Volunteers were still searching the wreck for bodies when one called out, "Over here! These two are still alive! Get an ambulance."

"What on earth are they wearing?" asked the paramedic as he eased the first person onto a stretcher.

The volunteer shrugged. "Some sort of costume, I guess. They must have been on their way to Comic Con."