The next day, Monitor sent for Hall, telling him to come alone. The rest of the crew were welcome to explore New Glorin, but the Zen Garden, where Onestar was being laid out, was off limits. Hall followed the escort from the Wanderer to the glowing tube at the end of the dock.
"Just step in sir," the escort, a human female, told Hall. "It will lift you up to the main building. Lord Monitor is waiting there for you."
Hall entered the tube, and his feet left the ground. He watched the Wanderer in the distance as he began to ascend through the cavern. A rough hued section of rock had been dug for the tube. It took Hall one full minute to travel through the cavern and passage to the castle above.
When the tube stopped, it was an massive courtyard, paved with stones for paths. The courtyard was large, almost like an indoor park. High above was a opaque dome, and to the north was a large stone portal leading to a well appointed hallway. The walls were well hidden by trees, brushes and other illusions. To the south was a small, oddly shaped building. Near them was a water fountain with a marble bench. Lord Monitor sat on the bench, watching as Hall 'popped' up out of the ground. Hall hovered there for a second, trying to figure out what to do next.
"Just step off, Hall, into the grass in front of you." Monitor stood, and walked over next to the bard. Hall did what the magi suggested, and found himself on solid ground.
"Interesting, yes?" Monitor motioned at the shimmering tube extending another 10 feet off the ground. "I saw something like this when I was on Krynn, except they used air to move around the passenger. I thought a few gravity/reverse gravity spells would work much better."
Hall started to speak, but Monitor cut him off.
"I know, I know." Lord Monitor motioned for Hall to walk with him toward the small building. "You have ten million questions you want to ask. I am willing to answer all of them, but please, keep them one at a time?"
"Very well," Hall replied, clearing his throat. Hall thought for a moment, trying to decide which to ask first. "Well then, what is this place?"
"Good start. It's my new home. I, ah, borrowed an uncharted island from Toril, transported it through wildspace (I won't bother you with the details) to here. While en route, I used several planar construction firms to build this castle, the spaceport, the weapon emplacements, everything."
"That...hand that brought us here. What was it?"
"Oh, that," Monitor paused. "A variation on one of Bigby's old hand spells. I just juiced the power up quite a bit."
"What about that diamond on the bottom?" Hall asked.
"There's a rather nasty fire demon trapped within, I'm afraid." Monitor stopped to smell a rose. "While passing through Greyspace, one of the planar creatures I employed in the construction of this base decided to go out and have some fun on its own. It landed on Oerth, near the ruins of the old Greyhawk Library. Before I could retrieve it, the demon managed to torch the remaining ruins, as well as another ten blocks of homes."
Hall said nothing for a moment, collecting his thoughts.
"A lot to take in, eh?" Monitor asked.
"I'm having enough trouble even beginning to picture a wizard powerful enough to move an island, let alone transport one through two spheres."
"Three spheres," Monitor replied deadpan.
"THREE!" Hall paused for a moment and leaned against a large vallenwood tree. Vallenwood. Of course. Krynn. The bard looked up at the opaque covering overhead.
"That's not sunlight overhead, is it?" Hall asked. "Or are you trying to tell me you're so powerful that you can have a sun burning in the Phlogiston and not destroy everything in sight.
Lord Monitor chuckled. "Heh, heh. No, Hall. The dome's magical properties make it look like day and night. At night, It even looks like there are stars above us."
"And this is all in this castle, right? No dimensional pockets? We're still in the phlogiston?"
"We are still in the phlogiston, Hall. All the normal laws of nature apply. I've merely set up a base and a home here, and I wanted to be comfortable."
"Why?"
"Careful, bard. You're beginning to sound like Meridian."
Hall couldn't help but smile at that one. "I mean, why here in the Phlogiston? Why did you leave Omnispace?"
The pair had reached the smaller structure, an odd-shaped building. There were no windows, and only one oaken door. Outside, there was a bench. Monitor sat down at the far end, leaned forward and folded his hands between his legs.
"I've been afraid someone was going to ask that question, and not because I don't know the answer. I know the answer all too well. It's just something I don't like to think about. Sit down, Hall."
The bard sat down at the far end of the bench, looking over to Monitor. The magi didn't return the look.
"Within this building behind us is something from my past. It's a zen garden, a place I visit occasionally to meditate on things beyond my control. I built it with my bare hands and spells over seven hundred years ago, Hall. It's the last piece of Omni I have left."
"Omnispace is dying, Hall. In less than a month, it's going to be destroyed."
Hall stared at Monitor, trying to comprehend his words. The bard tried to ask questions, but how can you ask someone who knows that much of the future.
"There must be a chance to save Omni! There has to be!" Hall argued. Lord Monitor shook his head.
"None. It's been foretold." The magi stood and looked over a redwood tree near him. "The gods have removed themselves from the sphere. They took Sphereworld and left for parts unknown."
Monitor turned to face Hall. "I know what you're going to ask, save your breath. Sphereworld was created by the old gods of Omnispace as a plaything. Long ago, during the First Magical Age of Omni, mortals made a huge mess of the world. They held magical wars, holy wars, technological wars, wars to end all wars, you name it, they had it. The invoked the names and powers of the old gods to justify their beliefs. To that end, most of the citizens of Omni were nearly destroyed by the end of the 'First Magical Age.' That led to the Chaos Times, times when humans and demihumans were forced to live like animals. It was during the Chaos Times that the old gods decided to remove themselves from human affairs. They were willing to let mortals venerate them, but would do nothing to intervene."
"But there are clerics in Omni today?" Hall commented.
"They are not clerics of the old gods. Those gods have been 'imported' from other spheres. Prior to the dawn of the Second Magical Age, spelljamming clerics of other deities arrived in Omnispace. With them making a beachhead in the culture, their gods began to arrive and bestow powers on their priests, but only if they were accepted by the old gods. The old gods needed to devise a test to see if the newcomers were worthy of Omnispace. It was at that point the old gods created Sphereworld."
"Sphereworld was the chessboard of the old gods. A sphere created within a sphere, the old gods devised a challenge for any new god to the sphere. If a god's champion could survive and thrive in Sphereworld, then the god could develop a following in Omnispace."
Hall thought for a moment. "But that still doesn't explain why Sphereworld disappeared."
"Think about it, Hall," Lord Monitor replied. "If you knew you were moving, wouldn't you want to take your prized possession with you?"
Hall thought on it for a second, then decided to put it out of his mind. Instead, the bard looked at the oaken door leading to the zen garden.
"So," Hall began, "why bring me here?"
"There is something in here you must see, something you can't ever tell anyone else." Lord Monitor reached over and waved his hand in front of the door. A magical sigil flared for a moment, then faded from view. The door opened a crack, and Monitor pushed it open completely.
"I want you word of honor, bard, that nothing you see or hear within here will ever be mentioned again. None of it!"
Hall stood and bowed toward Lord Monitor. "I swear it."
"Very well." Lord Monitor pushed the door open. Inside was a zen garden, sand groomed to appear as waves and rocks placed within the sand. Simple bonsai trees, groomed and well cared for were placed near small benches. Directly between the door and the garden was a small meditating area, a wooden floor. Sitting lotus-style on the floor was a man, his back to the pair, wearing a loose-fitting white robe. His long black hair was loose, flowing just below his shoulders. When the door closed behind them, the broad-shouldered man turned to look at who was entering. Hall's face turned white.
"I was wondering how long it would be before you arrived," the man spoke with a very slight oriental accent.
Hall could say nothing, but ran over and grabbed the man with both arms, tears running down his face. Onestar returned the embrace slightly, not fully understanding what was going on.
"Hall, please," Onestar spoke, patting his friend on the back. "You know I'm spoken for. What would Crystal say?"
Hall finally let Onestar go, having to wipe his eyes. "Damn you!" Hall cried. "You know I hate getting emotional!"
"I don't understand," Onestar said. "What's the matter?"
"'What's the matter?' I'll tell you what's the matter. It's not everyday my best friend comes back from the dead!"
Onestar's eyes narrowed. "Dead?"
"Gentlemen, if you would join me," Lord Monitor finally said. He motioned for the men to sit down at a simple table where tea and biscuits were waiting. "There is still much you need to know."
