It was a lovely day in Brussels. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, the flowers bloomed ever so bright. For once, maybe he would be able to do something mellow. Though he tried, it was hard to expect mellow when your life has been adventure after adventure by simply doing the right thing or accidentally getting yourself into trouble. Regardless, such papers made him very well-known.
"Come on, Snowy. I bet there's a fresh bone in the market today."
"Yip!" Snowy replied, his tail excitedly wagging.
The walk to the farmer's market was quaint and very quiet until he actually reached the market. There was a mundane commotion but one fairly new to any pair of ears and eyes.
"Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Norwegian ambassadors are set to arrive in Belgium! Prime Minister of Belgium has not stated why!"
Norwegian ambassadors? Here?
"You hear that Snowy? Looks like we're getting some visitors in Belgium."
Snowy rolled his eyes as if he didn't have a hutch that there was another adventure on the way. Tintin bought a paper but didn't read it yet. Right now, he had a bone to buy and a walk through the fresh market. A little meat here, a few fresh fruits and vegetables there, Snowy was even more than happy with his little bone bag. As Tintin walked through the usual flea market, he spotted a strange necklace. Around the sides were runes he could not read, however, the symbol at the center was familiar. A crocus, he thinks it's called.
He's had the same dream since weeks ago. He and Snowy are in a safe blizzard ( as odd as it was to admit that) and were fighting for whoever was at the center of the blizzard. With a sword in hand, all three managed quite well! Suddenly, the ground below their feet disappears. Tintin extends his hand out to the woman falling below him and then he wakes up. With each dream, he tries to see something new and different. Anything to figure out this dream and what it meant. A few days ago, he noticed the strange symbol on his sword and the color scheme of the woman in the blizzard once he is back to back with the woman.
"Ah, you have good taste!"
Tintin would re-frame from rolling his eyes playfully. All flea market merchants said the same in order to bring joy to their hopeful clients.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yes but I strangely don't recall seeing any symbol like this in historical records."
"A family heirloom. No one knows where it came from but it is priceless."
"Priceless?" Tintin asked. "Do tell."
The merchant paused, unsure what to think of next. He was probably a newbie, trying to work out the vibe of this city.
"Very well. I see you know more than most. It was sitting in my grandmother's attic for many years. The jeweler along the south end said it's heavy but doesn't seem to be made of anything valuable. Thought the flea market would be the place to go."
"Honesty is the key to winning people over. How does 45 work?"
"Works. Take it."
After the exchange, Tintin returns home with Snowy. Once all the food was stored, he sat at his desk, admiring the necklace. The symbol, he saw it in his dream and now it became a reality. What did it all mean? He pulled out a journal from his desk, opening to the pages describing the dream and sketches of the enchanting woman in the blizzard. Not many dreams were a reality, let alone are to be perceived as a reality. So was this something for the future ahead or was this a warning?
"Ah-ha!" He pulled his journal closer along with the necklace. He was right to bargain for it. The crocus was also seen in his dreams on the mysterious woman. Sometimes she wore it around her neck, sometimes the symbol appeared on her clothes, the point was that she is connected to the crocus.
"Of course. So this crocus means something more than just a symbol. The color patterns must be a clue themselves. What were those colors?" He turned a few pages back. "Of course. Green, yellow, and purple. The crocus is always yellow thus far." He recalled. So a crocus, a color scheme, surely it was related to a country, a flag even. What kind of country has these specific details? "Looks like we're heading to the library, Snowy." He grabbed his journal and necklace, pocketing them both in his jacket.
Though he wasn't a moron leaving his apartment building, he noticed that shadow in the alley. He had way too much experience dealing with criminals waiting for him to be exactly where they want him to be. Usually, they would try kidnapping Tintin right outside his building, what was different this time? Regardless, he continued to the library with Snowy right beside him. He was going to continue feeding into his curiosity. At the library, he went through his usual routine. He found a long table to lay his jacket over the chair and fill the table with all kinds of books. Though, this was very different research as he wasn't sure where to even start. A crocus crest, a specific color scheme, what country would that flag represent? Tintin pulled books about countries, flags, countries and their flags, etc, etc.
It was hours later, Tintin had read all kinds of books and now he wasn't any step closer. No country had all four particular aspects. Either it was all in his mind thinking this would lead him somewhere or this country didn't exist. So why did he have such a strong urge to follow what little he had? He grabbed another book from his pile, opening it with such tiresome eyes. All until a strange paper floated onto the table from among the papers. Tintin gingerly picked the paper up, reading it under the lamplight. The paper looked ancient. It had a very delicate texture to it and a strange smell from being trapped in the book for so long. Curious to think that one book in this library was pulled for centuries and therefore no one found the paper. Or perhaps... Someone left it in there. Nevertheless, he continued reading on.
There are three things you need to know before you read this. One, change has happened merely days ago so reading such strange information may seem rather silly or looney. Two, you must at all times keep this to yourself. Whether you believe me or not; doesn't matter, this information will get you killed or kidnapped by people of another world. Three, trust no one.
Dearest reader, so much will be lost in time as humanity changes and develops. One of the most important things to know is that magic does exist. I am sure this alchemy will become much more in the future to come. However, that does not change the fact that too many questions can never be answered by alchemy. We can not always explain what magic is or what can be done with it. Reader, magic is impossible and yet it exists as much as you and I are. Some magic is as invisible as the air we breathe, some magic is as solid as fire warming our bodies and heating up our food. It exists whether you can see it or not.
Long ago, we as humans used to coexist with another race full of magic. These people were born with magic and yet taught us that many more could learn how to wield magic. It took skill and willpower but also extreme sacrifice. They had a saying, "All magic comes with a price". As the years went by, something strange happened. I am not sure to this day, however, I am certain it caused a rift between those magical and the humans who disliked magic. Since then, wars were common and many lives were lost to terrible actions on both ends. I believe this is when those of the magic side decided it was time to disappear. All I truly know is that those born or learned of magic wielded multiple relics of great power to pull this world apart. Not in the sense of actually pulling the world into pieces but rather constructing two different worlds on top of each other. For that which was made and grown of magically, properties were taken away from the world to reside on the magical world, the rest that was non-magical stayed on our world.
I believe this is when we took up the term "realm". You see, realm better describes how one coexisting world became two existing platforms on top of each other. Our realm is known now as "the modern realm" as it has advantages in technology and alchemy. The other realm constructed by the pieces of our world was named "the magic realm". This is also when we few believers began to find strange portals that allowed easy passage to and from each realm. I say strange because they are either in specific places or quite random. For example, there is a rumor that one of the many portals across our "modern realm" exists in the middle of the North Sea.
If you find this, you know now of a greater world beyond what our human eyes can see. You see farther than many others like us could possibly imagine. Take a deep breath and stray carefully from now on. Such knowledge is power in this world and I fear the more we forget, the more greedy we humans will be once we have concrete evidence that magic exists. Be different from the rest of us humans, stand with the magic realm, and protect their secret of centuries. Magic or not, humans have caused far more wars with little more than a rumor. Imagine if those in power knew of a world where anything could happen. They would stop at nothing to obtain such evidence, such power where we can only dream.
Dearest reader, be safe. Be strong. Never let anyone tell you you are crazy or stupid to believe such matters. You know the truth. Use it or do not. The choice is yours.
Tintin found himself with his eyebrow furrowed reading the faded signature of the writer. What he mad? Frustrated? Sad? He wasn't sure at this time. Whoever this was, they didn't seem to write it as a fictional novel. The passion for truth seemed far too intense for something crafted of fiction. He leaned into his chair, examining for clues, something more on the paper. There, in the far corner, was a faded symbol. A rune perhaps. He glanced at the book where the paper had fallen from. The Book of Runes. How wise. Tintin slid the paper carefully between the pages, grabbing his coat and signaling Snowy to follow.
"I think I got my research. It's not exactly what I was intending but I don't feel as if it's leading me to a dead end. I'm checking this book out and we're going on."
It was night by the time Tintin and Snowy left the library. There was no one on the streets, not even a mouse wandering for crumbs. He paused walking down the sidewalk, there was a stranger feeling in his gut. Something he hadn't felt in all his adventures before. He dove behind the corner as he heard clicks coming from the other street. He and Snowy carefully peeked around the corner, watching as two figures emerged.
One had orange hair tied into a lace braid over her forehead and a bun. She seemed to wear trousers, boots, a button-down shirt, and a brown leather vest. There was some sort of belt over her shoulder coming across her chest and under her hip. Wait... Was she carrying a sword? The other woman had white, silver hair tied into a waterfall braid. The clicks echoing in the streets told him she wore heels along with a circle skirt, a long trench coat, and a pair of gloves. Who were these women and why were they out so late? Why in the great snakes did the orange-haired woman carry a sword? At night? Snowy growled towards the other side.
"Well, well, well. Look who we got here."
His eyes darted as others emerged from the shadows of the nightly streets. They didn't look like anything he's seen before. Although they were dressed like people he knew, their bodies told a different story. They weren't humans... They couldn't be.
"I thought I sensed your presence." said the white-haired woman. "You reek of blood magic."
"Not my fault these bastards have way more delicious blood than the humans back home." said one, whose laugh crackled more animal-like than Tintin would want to agree. "Less magic in their blood. Never knew how different their blood could be."
"We don't want trouble." said the orange-haired woman. "We're just looking for our relic and leaving, promptly."
"What relic?" said another, hissing as all four circled the women. Though the orange-haired woman went to grab her sword, the white-haired woman lifted a hand to her side, signaling the other to not unsheathed her sword.
"A thief from the modern realm stole our relic. Mimir's ancient book of knowledge. The very one which contains the spell. The one that would destroy both realms if no stopped."
"You lie!"
"If we did, why do you think we are here instead of back in Arendelle?"
Arendelle? He didn't recall any country of that name. Wait... Realms? The spell? No... It couldn't be.
The odd-looking animal people didn't say anything in reply. The white-haired woman tsked.
"We shall leave you alone. However, do tell us if you find or hear of anything about the relic or preparations. You know as well as us that these humans can not perform the spell. Our worlds will shatter."
"Where will we find you?"
"The prime minister of Belgium has us staying at the Louise Hotel. Climb through the back and knock five times, we can let you in."
"Our master will not like us meddling with royalty such as yourself."
"Don't care. Tell your master to either help us or give us a human who can help us. Our normal wars and fights must be pushed to the side. If he has a problem, tell him I'll give him an icy understanding." Tintin noticed a glow from her eyes. "Got that?"
The four scattered, leaving the women alone.
"Why doesn't anyone believe us?"
"Because none of us want to believe the modern realm humans know. Let alone are truly stealing relics of power to complete the spell. It has been scattered and lost in time. Not even our realm remembers the weight of the spell. Otherwise, so many villains would have used it."
"Not really, sis. Villains may be evil but they aren't stupid. This spell won't bring them power or revenge. It'll just bring destruction upon everyone."
"Then perhaps we all mistook the mortal realm as idiotic or simple."
"Agreed. Now, let's continue on. I just want to go home."
The women continued on their way. Tintin let out the breath he didn't realize he held. So much happened and yet he didn't understand any of it. He and Snowy returned home but Tintin couldn't sleep. His mind raced about seeing what happened, hearing what they said. So the paper in the book wasn't a lie. Whoever it was, they wrote the truth. A warning to people like Tintin who were (as always) stumbling into this world he didn't understand. He picked up that paper and his mind finally clicked seeing the headline picture.
"It's them..."
The women in the streets were the Norwegian ambassadors. And the white-haired woman... Seeing her face closer now. It was her. The woman in his dreams. Tintin wasn't one to believe superstition very much but this was beyond any explanation he could think of. And with what he witnessed, he had to believe it.
The next morning, Tintin sat at his table with a pencil in hand and scribbles all over a pad. Snowy began to growl again just as his doorbell buzzed. He rose from his chair, his gun carefully behind his back as he did for protection.
"Can I help you?" He asked, not opening the door.
"We were told you are great at solving mysteries and finding what has been lost."
That voice! He opened the door, revealing the two women he witnessed at night. The news got back fast to them. His grip on his weapon tightened, his guard was up higher than ever before in this territory he was debating to jump into.
"Sorry to disturb you this morning." said the white-haired woman. "But it is urgent we tell you everything. You see, we are looking for "
"-Your relic, right? Mimir's ancient book of knowledge. "
His body stumbled back as the oranged-haired woman shoved his chest, forcing their entrance to close the door swiftly behind. Snowy barked, growling as he stood between his best friend and the strange woman. He made a protective stance as the oranged-haired woman unsheathed her sword tucked in her clothes from behind, in response, Tintin pulled out his gun from behind.
"How did you know?" said the white-haired woman with no weapon in sight.
"I heard you two in the alley last night. You were talking to strange people and about some spell, you can't let people cast."
The women exchanged a look.
"Answer me this. Who are you and what in great snakes is about to happen?" Tintin firmly but passively demanded.