Here is the second builds in my prize series for the Portalborne Collaborative category of the 2025 Summer Joust. See more details and submit your entry in the flickr group or Discord server.
Lyra had expected cold but was unfamiliar with the beauty of snow. Exiting the portal was like stepping into a different world altogether. This was her longest trip yet, and the abrupt change was a lot to take in. So this was what winter in the mountains was really like. The old monastery had a steady, peaceful presence and she was relieved that there was no cries of alarm or fear from the old monk who waited in the gateway.
She hadn’t brought much, a note from her parents and the precious case of writing supplies they had saved so long for. Would the monks be willing to let her study in their vaunted library, to examine the ancient scrolls so carefully preserved and recreated? The thought of so many books and records awaiting pushed Lyra ahead despite her anxiety.
