Scarlet concentrated like she'd never concentrated before and... nothing! She could even now hear the sliding doors and rumble of parents and children getting off the sky-jets and cloud transit buses. They would arrive in the next 15 minutes.

"Ok, I know it's supposed to be forbidden," she breathed out shakily.

"Sis, not that one! You know Gramps's story," Cornelius pleaded. "Not that spell, please. I don't want..."

Cornelius's words cut off abruptly as the spell took effect. Of any spell that could have worked, this is the one that did. Scarlet swam before her own eyes and the air crackled with unseen fragments of energy. The words and motions had not even ceased before the spell had taken root. She felt the tendrils of mist cling to them and held her breath... she could sense that Cornelius was also holding his breath. Then the popping sounds and they looked out.

"Sis," Cornelius whispered, frantic, "Why can't I see the Pad? Where is everything? What happened?"

Now let's see where the next parts take us.