Warning! The following may contain bad spelling, grammar, punctuation, cardboard characters, cheesy plots, offensive NSFW material, and / or puns. Reader discretion is advised.
“No trick. It’s science.”
Erlenmeyer went back to the front side of the portal. The warriors followed. He reached his hand through the opening into the other world. His skin tingled as it crossed the barrier.
“See? On this side you can go back to your world.” He brought his hand back through.
Thara reached her hand through back to her own world and brought it back. Tyrie grabbed Erlenmeyer and put her knife to his throat. “He is in league with dark powers and uses magic!”
“No, wait. It’s not magic. It’s science.” Erlenmeyer seemed to have a light bulb go off in his mind. “Ah, I finally grok Clarke’s Law. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
“Do not pray to your dark God or I will slice your throat as I would a fatted calf.”
Thara grew cross. “Tyrie! Let him go. We are wasting time. The Trantor beast is loose. We must finish the hunt. Bring him along. We move now.”
Thara headed across the lab to the door leading out. It was still blocked by Dr. Hartmann’s body. When Erlenmeyer saw the mangled form he nearly wretched.
“Have you not faced death before, male?” Tyrie taunted.
“Not up close and personal like this. And my name is Earl. Earl Erlenmeyer.”
“As I expected from a male, Earl In Mire.”
The group entered the street. It was early evening, and the street lamps were on. Seeko looked at them in approval. “You have small watchfires to show the way. A clever idea. But don’t you use a lot of wood to keep them going?”
“They aren’t fires. Well, they are in a way. They are light bulbs. They run off electricity.” He struggled fro an analogy. “Like you get from a lightning bolt.”