Zann and his friends careened through the vortex.
They were moving so fast that the passing wormholes all blurred together.
Seconds later they crashed into another world.
There had been no chance of holding onto the edge of the wormhole this time.
Zann felt himself fly at least a dozen yards into the new world.
Splash!
"Drat!" Zann sat up and looked around.
The first thing he saw was the bright blue sky overhead.
Then he noticed a wormhole winking right beside the stream he was sitting in.
That was weird. How could it still be so close?
"Zann!" Perda cried. "Look!"
She pointed at some houses nearby. They were no taller than Zann's knee.
"Yes!" Zann cried. "We're here—oof!"
He was yanked off his feet. Mother's spell was still working!
The message stone pulled Zann and the others through the forest at such speed that Zann felt dizzy.
Thump!
"Ouch!" Zann blurted out as he bumped into something.
"Hey!" a disgruntled voice complained. "Watch where you're going."
Even before the person turned around, Zann knew exactly who it was.
"Wyssa!" He gasped. "Oh no!"
"What are you kids doing here?" Wyssa demanded.
"You?" Perda frowned at Wyssa as she brushed herself off.
Zann felt his heart sink as he realized the mistake.
"Mother's magic brought us to the stone's rightful owner—the last person who possessed it."
"Wyssa," Darb said, realization dawning on his face.
Zann nodded, feeling crushed. "I can't believe I got my hopes up," he mumbled.
"Stupid spell!" He tossed the message stone away.
Perda grabbed it. "You should keep the stone. It could still be a clue."
Zann frowned. "I never want to see that thing again."
Perda shrugged and tucked the stone into her own pocket.
Wyssa was glaring at all of them. "Well? Why aren't you kids in Magica?"
Gliss took a step backward. "Um . . ."
"Oh, never mind." Wyssa waved a gnarled hand.
"I don't care. The important thing is I've found him!
I've traced Morb to this world!" Her eyes glittered angrily.
"Really?" Zann still felt disappointed. But maybe all hope wasn't lost.
At least they'd found Wyssa. And if Morb was here, maybe Zann's parents were too.
"Is this World X?" Gliss asked.
"I believe so. Look!" Wyssa snapped her fingers.
Dozens of wormholes instantly winked into sight all around them!
Zann glanced into the nearest one. "That is so weird.
I don't see the vortex at all. Just a bunch of trees."
"I see a dragon through this one!" Gliss said.
"It's true!" Perda looked awed. "The wormholes here lead directly into other worlds."
"Wow." Darb said. "So we could step straight back into Magica if we found the right wormhole?"
"Yes!" Gliss sounded excited. "I wonder how we could find it?"
Zann ignored them. "So where's Morb?" he asked Wyssa. "How do you know he's here?"
"I have my ways." Wyssa looked grim.
"When I find him, I'm going to drag him straight through to Fardark, where I'll feed him to the first scatter beast I find!"
Zann gulped, thinking back to his time in Fardark.
For a second he almost felt sorry for Morb. Almost.
Just then a tiny man hurried into view. "Wyssa!" he exclaimed.
"I have news." He stopped short when he noticed Zann and the others. "Oh, you have company."
"Never mind them," Wyssa said. "Tell me what you know, Whistlefeather. Is he here?"
"Yes," Whistlefeather said fearfully. "Morb is indeed here in Rood.
And we've heard that he's brought prisoners from Magica with him!"
"Prisoners from Magica?" Zann blurted out. "That's got to be my parents!"
He grabbed Wyssa's sleeve. "We have to find them!"
"Thank you, my friend," Wyssa said to Whistlefeather.
She shook off Zann's hand. Then, snapping her fingers, she zapped out of sight.
"No!" Zann cried.
"It's okay, Zann." Perda reached into her pocket. "We still have this, remember?"
Zann and his friends barely had time to grab one another before they were whisked off again by Mother's spell.
They flew through the forest and up a steep hill before coming to an abrupt stop at a wall of rocks.
"You again!" Wyssa didn't seem pleased to see them. "Hush, or he'll hear us."
Zann glanced around. The rocks led to a gorge, on the other side of which was a massive waterfall.
Over the roar of the water, he could hear voices.
Zann peeked over the rocks and gasped. It was Morb!
"Keep your head down!" Wyssa hissed.
Another person stood between the evil villain and the edge of the cliff.
"Oh!" Gliss whispered, peering out beside Zann. "Is that Venna?"
Venna was staring at Morb, looking terrified.
"You can't do this!" she cried. "It's not right!"
Morb lifted a hand and rubbed his fingers together.
"I'm the one who decides what's right around here," he sneered.
"Now prepare to go for a little swim."
Venna glanced fearfully down at the water behind her. "No—p-please," she stammered.
"Why is she so scared?" Perda whispered.
"She must still not have magic," said Gliss.
"But she doesn't need magic to swim." Perda sidled closer to the cliff's edge.
When she looked down, she saw why Venna was so scared. "Oh no!"
"What?" Zann moved over to peer down as well. "Oh, wow—is that a gulper?"
"I guess now we know why Morb went to Skellia," Darb said grimly.
"You have to stop him!" Zann urged Wyssa. "You have to save Venna!"
But it was too late. Just then Morb snapped his fingers.
Venna screamed as magic energy shot from Morb's hand, sending her tumbling down into the gulper's waiting jaws!