<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/99/de/80/99de80dd4fb18a5a2b5229f5fe73ae72.jpg)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;">Twin Oxenbridge</span></strong></span><br/>Human Wizard X<br/><hr/><br/>"Ahm I to know why that is so?" Ithaka asked as she peered at the stone in her grasp.  It radiated with magic, and in the middle, it had an<em>arcane mark</em>that resonated with arcane energy.  Though she could not be certain, Ithaka<em>thought</em>it was like a key.<br/><br/>The wizard nodded, and began his explanation.<br/><br/>"Of course," he said.   "When I first arrived to the Dark Continent, I was... uncaring and unfeeling.  I only cared about my studies.  I only cared about my<em>discoveries.</em>And so, many people died.  The continent is treacherous and it is filled with creatures who can easily devour men, and... they did.  Many died and few survived.  After a long time, I began to develop a soft spot for these people.  Yet they would perish.  Over and over.  Over time, I grew to like them.  I became fond of them.  And so I did this..."<br/><br/>The wizard gestured at the barrier.<br/><br/>"The barrier is a<em>prismatic sphere</em>," he said.   "Old and powerful magic.  It took a great deal of my<em>might</em>to make it so large, and now, I find that I am weakened if I stay too long beyond its boundaries.  It provides numerous defenses against the creatures without, and its perimeter is guarded by men who possess the stone--this stone--to let those within out, and those who seek its shelter within."<br/><br/>The wizard revealed a similar stone to the one now in Ithaka's hand.<br/><br/>"To open the barrier, two people must hold the keystone like so," and here, the wizard lifted the stone,  "and utter the password.  Once done, the barrier shall open, and we will be able to travel in the beyond.  Do you understand why I needed a companion now?"