Chapter 45:
Heart Dream - How I Got To Chase My Dreams and Myself In Another World!
The four travelers walked more and finally reached the city of Mercuropolis. It was a very peculiar place, the buildings had mixed architectures, the usual cobblestone and wood structures of the kingdom mixed with stone constructions that seemed from another world.
- "My friends, a head's up, this city is out of my territory" - said Isabella - "and this is a historical site, it was a city of a previous civilization we know very little about. We call them the Erevites."
- "That's very interesting!" - replied Richard - "do we need to have any concerns?"
- "No, I just thought you'd like to know."
- "Nice, always good to absorb some of your knowledge" - Richard said, while Caoilainn suspiciously looked at both of them. Isabella continued:
- "So, let's find some high ground. Apolopa's mound should be good." - Isabella pointed at a small mountain on the edge of the city. They all consented. - "let's go!"
After climbing the mountain, they could view the city very well. The old and new structures blended in a organic way with the mildly dry environment and the sparse trees, so that one could be convinced it was planned that way. Caoilainn didn't come near the edge, despite that, she took a look at the city and said:
- "Wow, it seems like a cozy place to live."
- "Isn't it?" - replied Isabella. - "well, let's now think, we have to find this so called 'rovente'. Have you got any ideas?"
- "Well" - said Caoilainn - "it's odd, I feel there is a pattern, but I cannot put my finger on it." - Richard hesitated but did not answer. He knelt down and started drawing on some paper. They kept observing and thinking as Richard was working. Then, he stood up, gave the paper to Isabella and said:
- "Does that make sense now?" - the paper contained a drawing of the city, but a bit different.
- "No" - Isabella said and gave it to Caoilainn. She looked at the paper and at the town many times. She asked:
- "Richard, how did you do that? That is amazing!" - Richard replied, not looking at her.
- "Well, I drew the city, but removing the newer structures. I felt maybe the pattern was obscured in recent times."
- "Congratulations, really!" - Caoilainn continued - "this looks like one of the constellations I used to watch as a kid, the hummingbird. And" - she smiled - "it's brightest star is called 'rovente', it is on the point of its beak" - she pointed on the drawing - "here!"- "There!" - said Isabella pointing - "it should be on that small hill" - from there they could see a small structure similar to an altar. Richard, who was close to Isabella pointed at the same place and asked:
- "Shall we go?" - all consented and went there.
On the small hill, they found a yellowish stone altar with most of its features like inscriptions and statues decayed and unrecognizable. Next to it, on the ground, was a single suspicious stone. Caoilainn didn't ask anything to anyone, she simply removed the stone with effort and then removed a wooden box from the hole it hid. Caoilainn presented the box to her comrades:
- "Do you know what this is?" - Richard, who usually got interested said nothing. Isabella noticed the issue and replied:
- "No, I don't" - Caoilainn also noticed it, but hid her reaction:
- "This is a chest, but without a lid and a lock. This is a problem" - she paused - "nevertheless I have a solution: citrinitas. It is the alchemic process of construction, and with that and some nigredo, I will create a cover and a lock for this chest." - Mazanlold smiled with the result. Isabella asked:
- "Can't we simply destroy the box?"
- "Well, we could" - answered Caoilainn - "however we risk destroying the contents, specially because some chests have magical protection to destroy their contents if violated."
- "That's really great" - said Isabella - "do you need anything?"
- "Just some water. It will amplify the power of citrinitas." - Caoilainn knelt in front of the chest supported by her staff. Isabella poured the water on top of the alchemic circle Caoilainn drew. Caoilainn took a breath, touched the circle and the chest. The others could see a faint yellow glow on her fingers and the circle, Caoilainn's hair floating, and in instants, the wooden box turned into a chest. Caoilainn opened it and it only contained a piece of paper with yet another riddle:
The altar's path now blurred
Is known by the red-eyed bird
The secret of the grove
Will be yours to hold
Once you claim your prize
Open up your eyes
Unite all pieces, be wise
Anima Mundi will arise
Caoilainn couldn't contain herself:
- "We are finally reaching it! It is unbelievable!" - Isabella said:
- "Let's keep calm and solve our first puzzle. There are some woods here, which is probably a grove. There we must look for the red-eyed bird."
- "Let's go!" - said Caoilainn already going. The others followed her quickly and Richard whispered to himself:
- "So impatient" - he was heard by Isabella who kept quiet.
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