Silver Cathedral Saga: Observer Chronicles, Book 1

On

Ematay returned to his fellow group with a whistling sound you would hear from a kettle being ready on a stove.

A blue blur swooped in through the portal to the Madam Mansion, before he returned to his former human body with a white flash that was quite hot if you stood near, like Eleanor.

"I have to admit that I love doing that. Such a rush. Pun intended," said Ematay.

Eleanor and Christian laughed where none of the others did, clearly he had used this before, maybe too many times.

"Time to go get our swans then carry on to the Heart of the Mountain," said the Star-caster; they all went behind single file whilst going through the portal to the outside where their War Swans laid. They then all split and were in a row, walking towards the stable.

There was a weary presence now inside the children. It gave them time to think of everything happening. In much more detail. Which anyone would know is not always a good thing.

This lull of worrying about everything became all the more real, but they knew they all had to go; press on into the Heart of the Mountain. No matter what.

They each sat upon their swan. And took off. On this side, Eleanor and Christian noticed that the portal to this secret place on the inside was a dark, big rock that looked as if it belonged here underground.

Their numbers all sank through the portal with a sound of a single splashing wave ascending upon the rock itself.

Ematay's group flew through the air with a fast grace, War Swans being one of the few creatures that can do such a thing.

The hours seemed to merge together the farther they got to the Heart of the Mountain.

Ematay flew in front as he had the map, and led them all the right way. He had the map strapped to the swan's neck with a thick rope. It wasn't hurting the swan, but held the map curved around its neck near the spot the destination was at. He was more used to travelling by swan back than walking like he did three days ago with Eleanor and Christian, and the children could see this by just observing his movement at this time: Ematay seemed more comfortable, keen and confident about this situation.

Maybe the riddle didn't help, but his geographical intelligence was not very good on land either. From a bird's eye view things would look so much different, thought Eleanor, I think I understand why he was a little lost on foot. From using the swans so much it would have become a part of him—more than walking to his location over far distances anyway.

Ematay screamed through the air when he turned around and stood up a bit to gain height. "We will be there in twenty minutes."

It was several seconds until Eleanor saw the landscape she saw just three days ago with Christian, yet this time there was no sun to help as it was night. It had gone past four o'clock already in the afternoon, and that is when night takes hold over this world.

"Look, there's Silvarian," said Eleanor to Christian. Only when the time came to getting closer, Eleanor felt uncomfortable pointing it out because it was crumbled, darkened and clearly not where life lived anymore, or at least not the life Astorians had come to know and were fond of.

There was a foul stench of a fire, though they couldn't see any smoke from the city, only the dark night that it affected. All of the Spell-casters and children just tried to keep their eyes open, remembering the place; the people it housed for many years, not to mention the big businesses of trading there.

They all bowed their heads remembering those that lost their true homes. It spiralled into those that also lost their lives as they knew it in Sunndira and Hiva Aura: Eleanor. Christian. Ematay.