There was nothing special about the small curio shop.  Old  English  lettering on the plate glass window proclaimed "Antiques and Curios."
Desiree stopped.  "Wait," she said, "let's take a look at what they've got here."
Sheila rolled her eyes upward.  "Are you serious?  I can tell you what they've got. Crummy junk, that's what.  Just look at the dump."  She tugged her sister's arm .  "C'mon.  Let's not waste our time here."
Desiree was only half listening.  "I have a gut feeling that this place has something I can use in my act."
"You and your gut feelings will do me in.  First you get a gut feeling to come to this run-down part of town, and now you want to go in this run-down joint.  Let's get outta this area before we get mugged."
"No, wait.  I mean it.  I want to check this place out.  It'll only take a few minutes."
Sheila shrugged and rolled her eyes.  "Whatever you say."
Desiree laughed.  "C'mon, let's go in."
It was a small hole-in-the-wall shop, and there wasn't much to see.  It was dingy, dimly lighted, and the items weren't displayed attractively.  A thin, stoop-shouldered woman behind the counter looked up as they entered.  Her bespectacled eyes widened and her mouth flew open.
"Why…aren't you Desiree, The Mistress of Magic?"
Desiree smiled.  "Yours truly."
"We watched your TV special last night.  We think you're great."  She chuckled.  "My grandson's got a crush on you.   Raves about your raven hair and violet eyes.  Me, I think you look like a young Cindy Crawford."
"Well…maybe a slightly toned down version," said Sheila.  They all laughed.  After promising her autograph and assuring the woman she needed no help, Desiree proceeded to browse through the shop with Sheila in tow.  She saw nothing but the usual items such as statuettes, vases, jewelry boxes, and such.
"Some really nice stuff," Sheila muttered, "We shoulda brought a shopping cart."
Desiree ignored the sarcasm, but was about to admit that Sheila was right when she spotted the black leather case.  It was about eighteen inches long, and about two inches on each side.   It held her eyes like a magnet. 
Without looking inside, she said, "That's what I'm looking for." 
Sheila stared at her in disbelief.  "Are you out of you're ever-lovin mind?   You have no idea what's in there and you're buying it?  I should have you committed."
 But Desiree would not be swayed.  She knew that she must have the item inside that case.  She purchased the item and they headed home.
***
"A magic wand?"  Sheila rolled her eyes.  "A child's toy and you paid  two hundred bucks for it.  That little old lady will probably go home tonight and brag that she ripped off Desiree, Mistress of Magic."
Desiree wasn't listening.  She was studying the wand that she held in her hand.  It was silver, or perhaps silver plated, about fifteen inches long and one-half inches in diameter, and had a small five pointed star attached to the end. 
Sheila went on, "If you're going to use a wand on your next show, you could have found something a little more spectacular.  And cheaper.  Sheesh."
Desiree was always searching for supernatural  things she could work into her act.  But she had no such plans for the wand.
"No.  I'm not going to use it in my act.  It's just that I've always wanted a wand that could do real magic."  She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. 
"You've always been fascinated by magic, Sis, and you believed in fairies, elves and stuff when you were a little girl.  But you're a big girl now, and you've become one of the best illusionists around.  You, of all people, should know there's no such thing as real magic."
Desiree sighed.  "Of course I know that.  What I meant was that the wand is merely symbolic of real magic.  I see it as a sort of fulfillment of a childhood dream.
But Desiree knew that was only a half-truth.  She had always dreamed of having real magic at her command--not merely the illusion of magic at which she had become so adept through years of study and practice.  But it wasn't her dream of magic that had led her to the little curio shop.  In fact, she did not know what led her there.
 
That night, when she went to bed she placed the wand on the night stand beside her, for she found that she felt uneasy when it was out of reach.  It seemed to be taking control of her mind, which made her uncomfortable.  She tossed and turned, unable to sleep.  Tomorrow, she decided, she would get rid of the wand.   She smiled.  Ha, that will give Sheila something more to gripe about.
As she was finally drifting off to sleep, something awakened her.  A voice was whispering her name.  Was Sheila calling her?  No, the voice was in her mind.  It was her imagination.
The voice grew a little louder.  "Desiree, I am real.  I am not your imagination."
She was alert now, sitting up in bed.  She could hear the voice plainly.  It's that damned wand.  It's causing me to lose my mind.
"You are sane, Desiree.  Please listen to me, for I cannot hold contact much longer.  Please come to the world of Grenair…"
"What…who are you?"
"Please.  I have no time to explain.  Please listen carefully.  If you do not come to Grenair, our world will perish.  We need your help.  Now, this hour.  You have the key to get here:  The Wand of Merlin, which you, and only you, have the power to command. 
"Please listen carefully.  To use the wand, you must first address it, Wand of Merlin.  Second, you state  your command.   Then finally end with,  I so command.
"Your command to come here will be, Wand of Merlin, take me to Arlyn Castle of Grenair.  I so command."
The voice repeated the command, and then began to fade out.  "I must go now, my time is up.  Please hurry, Fair Desiree."
Desiree was stunned.  She had not been dreaming, and the voice was not her imagination.  But what the voice asked of her was staggering.  To save a world from destruction! 
The owner of the voice must have witnessed some of her illusions and assumed that she had magic powers.    But she was a mere illusionist.  An entertainer.  No way could she save a world.  The owner of the voice had also mistaken the wand for that of the great wizard, Merlin.  But in truth it was a mere curio, or a child's toy, as Sheila had called it.
But the voice had been desperate, saying that the existence of his world depended  on her decision.  She decided that at least she owed him a try.  And what harm could it do? 
She got out of bed and pulled on her jeans, blouse, and jogging shoes.   She chuckled.  Don't want to show up in a strange world in my nighties.
She glanced at her watch.  It was almost midnight.
Feeling a little silly, and glad no one was there to see her, she repeated the words as the voice had instructed.  
Wand of Merlin, take me to Arlyn Castle on Grenair.   I so command.
She blinked, and she was there.  She found herself standing in the garden of a walled in courtyard.  She looked up at the surrounding towers and spires and guessed that this must be Arlyn Castle.
She heard voices and became aware of a group of people emerging from an arched gate in the wall.  In moments, she was surrounded by the group, and a strange group it was.  There were what she thought of as normal people, little elves, and a couple of giants at least ten feet tall.
Seconds later, a man appeared.  He was bald, except around the fringes, sported a well trimmed white beard, and wore a toga-like robe and sandals.
"Rest period is over," he shouted.  "Back to your duties."
The group quickly dispersed.
He came up to her.  "Fair Desiree, Mistress of Magic, welcome to Arlyn Castle." 
Desiree, still dumbfounded from her experience, could only gape at him. 
"I am Arlyn, Chief Wizard to the Grand Alliance of Kings and Queens.  On behalf of all the rulers in Grenair, I welcome you and express our undying gratitude for coming to save our world."
She found her voice.  "How do you know my name?  Are you the voice I heard?
"Yes.  And it was I who guided you, through your inner conscience, to the Wand of Merlin."  He chuckled.  "And a difficult task it was, getting through to you on another world.  I am still recovering."
"I hate to tell you this, but your efforts were for nothing.  I have no magic powers.  I am merely an entertainer, and my magic is trickery.  I truly wish I could help you, but I cannot."
He studied her.  "I can understand why you feel this way.  Magic has been gone from your world for so long that it is now nothing but a myth.  The people of Earth scoff at magic.  But I can assure you that my efforts were not in vain.  You do indeed possess power, Fair Desiree, for you are a direct descendant of Merlin."
She stared at him.  "That's ridiculous.  How can I be expected to believe such a thing.  What you're telling me is simply too fantastic to believe."
"You are here in a strange world because you uttered a few words to that wand in your hand.  Do you not find that too fantastic to believe?"
She looked at the wand and took in her surroundings.  "When you put it that way, I guess I should be ready to believe anything.  But why didn't you choose my sister?  If I'm Merlin's descendent, then so is she."
"Yes, and she has the same potential as you, but because of her skepticism she would be very difficult to convince."
"I can understand that," she said.  "Even I, much less a skeptic than she, was hard to convince.  If you'll explain all this to me and tell me what I must do, I'll try my best."
"We don't have much time," Arlyn said, "so I must be brief. 
"Earth was once a magical place," he began, "and Merlin was the greatest magician on Earth, or for that matter, any other world.  Even though Merlin passed on  before my time, the great wizard is still remembered on Grenair.  On his home world of Earth, he is now but a myth.
"Magic needs faith.  With the passing of Merlin,  the practice of science grew on Earth.  In science, everything must be proven, and so magic  was all but forgotten.
"During Earth's magical time, there Was a portal between Earth and Grenair.  Anyone with magical powers could pass freely between the two worlds.  Beings such as ogres and fairies came and went through the portal, and the myths of those creatures persist on your world even today.
"But as the magic on Earth faded, the portal between our worlds closed.  I am considered  the most powerful  wizard on Grenair, but even I cannot pass through the void between Earth and Grenair.  Merlin, who was still around for a while after the portal closed, was the only wizard with the power to travel between worlds after the portal closed.  How great were his powers!
"Before his passing, he bequeathed his powers to his direct descendants through the medium of his wand.  You, Fair Desiree, being his direct descendant, and in possession of his wand, have the power of Merlin."
She interrupted him.  "But how can you know that I am Merlin's descendant?"
"I can't travel between worlds," he said, "but I have the power to observe events on Earth, and with some difficulty, to project my thoughts there.  My ancestors before me also observed Earth and kept records of Merlin's descendants."
"How long have you been watching me?"  She asked.
"Since your birth," he said.  He chuckled, and added quickly,  "You needn't be concerned about me eavesdropping or peeking into your intimate moments.  I only check occasionally to keep track of your whereabouts, and some of your public activities.  For your information, I have long been aware that your shows are merely illusions, and not real magic.  
"But the wand you hold in your hand gives you true magic.  You have the power of Merlin himself.  As long as the wand is within your sight you have the power to control it."
Desiree nodded.  "I'll accept  all you've told me.  But what can I do to help?"
"As I mentioned, the portal between Earth and Grenair has closed.  But another portal has opened--a portal between Grenair and a world called Volna.  Grenair and Volna are not in harmony with each other, as were Grenair and Earth.
"Because the two worlds are not in harmony, they will destroy each other if the portal remains open..  The buildup of stress against the portal is increasing, and eventually the portal will collapse, allowing the two worlds to rush in on each other.  Neither Grenair or Volna will survive.
The magic of both Grenair and Volna are useless against it.  Already there are strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the vicinity of the portal, and the destruction is spreading rapidly.  A complete collapse is only hours away."
"But if your magic has not worked, how do you expect me to succeed.  I've never performed real magic in my life."
"You hold the wand of Merlin in your hand, which will respond to no command but yours.  The magic in that wand holds the only power strong enough to close the portal."
Desiree held the wand up and looked at it.  "Do I simply command it to close the portal?"
"There are limits to magic, even Merlin's.  You must be near enough to see the portal before you can work your magic.  A wizard can work trivial spells from afar, but for a spell requiring great power, the wizard--even Merlin--must be as near to the object of the spell as possible.
"We cannot waste more time.  The portal is three Earth hours away if we fly."
"Fly?  You have air travel?"
"Not the mechanical things you have in your world.  We will go in a chariot drawn by  winged horses."
"Can't we use the wand?  That would get us there instantly."
"To do that we would need to pinpoint a location.  We can't pinpoint because the landscape there is constantly changing, and we could  be deposited inside a volcano or a burning forest."
As they approached the portal, Desiree could see the destruction ahead.  There were fissures in the ground and a number of craters were belching smoke and fire.  She could make out the ruins of a castle.  The sky was filled with smoke and dust and rocks sporadically shot into the air.  The horses balked at flying into the chaos.
"It has grown much worse since my last visit," said Arsyn.  "We'd best alight and travel on foot from here on.  We should get near enough to see the portal within a half hour."
They left the horses in a fairly secure area near a lakeshore and set out.  As they trudged toward the portal the ground tremors grew stronger and more frequent.  Desiree's eyes smarted from the smoke and the smell of sulfur filled her nostrils.  An almost deafening roar grew louder as they neared.
Arsyn grabbed her arm.  "There," he shouted.  Her eyes followed his pointing finger.  Through the smoke and haze, she could see an irregular shaped orb in the sky.  It was like looking into the blackness of a cave entrance.  It was a seething, roiling blackness, like boiling tar.  Even as she stared at it, the orb grew larger.
"The wand," shouted Arsyn, "use it.  Hurry!"
She held the wand up, and as she started speak,  she saw a hail of rocks and pebbles falling around them.  As she instinctively threw her arms up, she felt  a sharp blow on her forehead.  She fell to the ground and felt a warm wetness oozing down the side of her face.  She struggled to get up, but when she raised her head a wave of dizziness and nausea overcame her and she passed out.
She opened her eyes to see a shadowy, blurred image above her.  She heard Arsyn's voice. 
"A nasty cut on your forehead, but It doesn't look serious."  She heard cloth tearing as he ripped his robe to make a bandage.
"There," he said.  "The bleeding is stopped.  Can you see well enough to use the wand?"
She could see Arsyn's face coming into focus now.  "I'm OK.  My head hurts, but I can see well enough."
He helped her to her feet.  She faced the portal, and as she did so she realized that she no longer held the wand.  "The wand," she said, "it's gone."
"You must have dropped when you were hit.  It can't have gone far."
Desiree was devastated.  Without the wand she would have no way to return to Earth.  But that thought was meaningless, she realized, for this world was near destruction anyway.  In any case, she would never see home again if the wand was lost.
They started searching, and she spotted it resting on the brink of a fissure.  It was about eight feet away, on the opposite side of the crack.  The ground trembled again, and the teetering wand  began to slide into the fissure. 
She was horrified as she stared at the wand, about to be lost forever.  But suddenly she remembered the words of Arsyn, "As long as the wand is within your sight, you have power over it." 
Wand of Merlin, come to me.  I so command.
The wand was in her hand instantly.  She wrapped her fingers around it tightly.
Wand of Merlin, close the portal between Grenair and Volna.  I so command.
At first nothing happened.  Then the black orb slowly began to disappear.  The chaotic activity gradually diminished until there was an unearthly quiet over the devastated landscape.
Arsyn spoke, almost in a whisper.  "Fair Desiree, our world is out of danger now, thanks to you.  We owe you a debt that can never be repaid.  The Grand Alliance of Kings and Queens will proclaim a worldwide festival in your honor, but at a time convenient for you to attend.
"I know that you are exhausted now and wish to return to your world, but I hope that you will accept our pitiful expression of gratitude and promise to return."
Desiree took a deep breath and exhaled.  "Yes," she said, "I'm exhausted, and I must get back  to Earth as soon as possible--hopefully before I am missed.  But I promise to keep in contact and to let you know when I can be available for the festival."
Her watch told her that it was 6:30.  She left Earth at midnight, so she had been gone over six hours.  She was usually up at seven, and Sheila would be calling her for breakfast soon.
She bade Arsyn goodbye and commanded the wand to return her to her room.
***
Back in the comfort of her room, she became acutely aware of the pain in her forehead.  She held up the wand.  Wand of Merlin, heal the wound in my forehead.  I so command.  The pain abruptly ceased.
Moments later, there was a knock on the door.  "Are you up, Sis?  Breakfast is almost ready."
"I'm up.  I'll be down in a few minutes."
Sheila pushed open the door.  "Shake a leg…omigosh!  You're filthy.  And what's that cloth around your head? 
"It's…it's just a little something I'm thinking of working into my act."
Sheila rolled her eyes.  "Take my advice and leave it out.  You look crummy.  Get under a hot shower and clean up.  I'll warm up your pancakes and sausages in the oven when you come down.
Suddenly, Desiree realized that she was famished.  "I'll take your advice, Sis.  Don't know what I'd do without you."
Sheila laughed.  "Stow it, will ya."