A Monumental Undertaking
By Saliaven Chronotis
Part 3
Shielded Lore

    Gary, Ash and Misty were studying the books on divinity, trying to find an answer.  “You’re sure that the gods were straining to leave, in order to attack the shielded land?”  Ash asked for the umteenth time.
“Yes.”
Misty looked up from her book.  “Without the name of this place, it will be hard to find it in these books.”
Ash didn’t bother looking up.  “Maybe one of the higher magi can help.”
“I’ll go get one.”  Misty returned in a moment with Blaze.
“What’s all this then?”
Gary tried to stifle a yawn “We’re trying to find out why the gods want the shielded land destroyed.” 
“Well, I’ve never seen this place, but I do remember once reading that there was an entire continent impenetrably shielded to keep from being smote.  It seems to me that the whole place had fallen into heresy, and only the magi of the realm still followed the religion.  Knowing what was to come, they put up the shield.”
Ash slammed his book shut.  “That pretty much gives us everything we need to know.”
Misty rose from her seat “I’m going to see Saliaven about this, it doesn’t seem right.  Even with the wrath, we can’t let these people be stuck there in such a terrible state.”
Ash stood “I agree.  Let’s get the others.”
    Gary, Ash and Misty went off to find what had somehow become their group.  Explaining the situation to all of them, everyone agreed something had to be done, and Saliaven was probably their best guess at who could do it.  Mewtwo did take the position of trying to blast the thing themselves at first, but took it back when the fact that it was both impenetrable and kept out angry gods was put forth.  Mew, who had quickly memorized the door to Nu in case, teleported them all into the city.  The doors, as always, were open, so they walked right in.  A quick search showed them that if he was in the city, he was in the temple/lab.  Not having the codes to proceed further than the front room, Ash stepped forward to knock, and then fell over as the door opened by itself. 
“Let me guess, you’ve brought them here to do something about the shield.”
“I have.”
Saliaven looked at the assemblage “How can I say no?  You’ve helped me often enough, I might as well do this for you.”
As they walked in, Misty got along side Saliaven in the elevator. “Why is it that you didn’t do this before?”
“Well, I would point out that I only rearrived a month ago, and I have been quite busy.”
“I see.”
    Pistons moved and they were in the hologram room.  Saliaven sat, and the chair moved him to the computer screen.  He worked for a moment on it, and the hologram faded.  A clear column with a spinning thing inside that looked like a weather vane rose up from inside the hologram projector.  The entire projector began to change, as panels flipped over to reveal buttons, switches, and monitors.  It began to hum.
    The pistons sounded again, and Tochiro walked out of the elevator.  “Ah, the core is operational.  Planning on a test drive?”
“Only through space.”
“But why not test its full potential?”
“If you insist, I’ll throw it a little into the future too.”
Duplica stepped forward “Um, what is this thing?”
Saliaven grinned “A Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, or TARDIS reactor.  A beaut, aye?  I’ve got this thing hooked up to the whole damned city.”
Ash asked “Why do you need this?  Why not just use magic to put a door on the continent?”
“Have you forgotten that only psionics is strong there?”
“Ah.”
“The forcefield won’t stop a TARDIS, we’ll just go straight through.”
    He began pushing buttons and flipping switches.  They all heard a crash as the city doors shut.  The column began to rise and fall, and there was a sound like a truck being dropped onto cement and then trying to drive out of the hole, tires squealing (FWUMP arEEH FWUMP arEEEEH).  This sound came repeatedly, but after the second time, was replaced by a sound like wind whistling through a door on springs. (You know, wheewheewheeee fwump wheeewheeewhee fwump) <Author’s note: To anyone who’s seen Dr. Who, yes I know it’s a terrible description, but I’d like to see you do a better job>  The floor tilted this way and that, and the entire place began to shake, shudder and vibrate violently.  Then, as quickly as it started, everything stabilized, the noise fading to a dull but steady hum.  “We’re on our way.”
Ash helped Misty up from where she fell.  “Couldn’t we have had a smooth takeoff?” 
“A smooth takeoff?”  Saliaven shouted “A smooth takeoff?  What a nerve!”
Author’s note: Consult the “Tomb of the Cybermen” for that last set of lines.  For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s Dr. Who again.