There is a mirror with a tail coming toward him all of a sudden and Valanda's first thought is that it's an illusion. It could also be an alien from another universe with unprecedented alien magic, but no matter, he's confident in his wards. He's got wards for everything.

Except portals to other universes, in his experience those are great news.

Also in his experience, those are consensual and come with an exit.

This is not his usual portal to another universe.

Now there is an alarmed young man with a pen, a necklace of steel discs, and a tunic showing a view of a nighttime ocean, appearing where he didn't intend to be.