Stella Nova's Journey

Chapter 6- Arrival

We walk into the dark off the forest. Trees loom over me. I jump as I see something move in the shadows.

"Nervous?"

"No, I just saw something moving behind that tree."

"It was probably just a shadow, you get used to it after a while."

"But what if was something?"

"Listen, Stella," he turned and grabbed my shoulders, staring into my eyes, "I'm sure it was nothing."

"I guess my nerves might be getting to me." We continue walking down the rough dirt path. As we walk farther and farther the woods get darker and darker and I see more and more movement out of the corner of my eyes. I tighten my grip on my trident, fearing an attack of some sort.

After a hew hours of walking we stop by a small spring and eat more fish. Between bites of fish I scoop some handfuls of the clear, freezing water into my mouth. The water on my lips is a refreshing relief from the heat and humidity of the surrounding forest.

I pull off my boots and step into the icy water. I bask in the coolness and even lay down in the shallow water as Cygnus finishes his meal. When he does finish I quickly climb to my feet , don my boots, and put my bag on. I quickly stoop down and lift Shadow from the bones and scraps of fish. "Time to keep walking?"

"Yup." We continue our journey onward along the path. As we walk the shadows grow longer and the trees stretch over head. Soon it becomes hard to see the edge of the path to either side. After a few more hours it's hard to see even Cygnus before me.

We round a bend in the path and suddenly I'm blinded by light. I look out into what must be a massive city. It easily had a hundred buildings. There are tall posts with small glass houses perched on top. Each tiny house has a small flame living inside. "Are those the lantern things Father Fosman taught us about?"

"Sort of. Here they call those things street lanterns because they're used to light the streets."

"The stone paths are streets right?

"Yeah, but sometimes they give them silly names along with titles like roads and ways and boulevards."

"Why do they do that?"

"I don't know. It's probably because they have so many there'd be no way to tell them apart otherwise."

"Oh, that makes a fair bit of sense actually."

"Anyways we should find a place to stay for the night." We walk down the street of cobbled stone and into a large square. In the center of the square is a stone statue of the seven dragons. The dragons are perched atop a pile of writhing demons and surrounded by human worshipers.

We walk around it and on the other side is the grandest temple i have ever seen. The steeple stands tall above the buildings, perched atop a great stone dome. The walls are what must be a very expensive, white stone, marbled with black and carved with intricate designs of dragons slaying demons and being worshiped by the people. set into the center of the wall is a pair of massive wooden doors, Each door has a massive metal ring attached to it and is engraved with similar scenes as the walls.

I walk towards the temple and pull open the door.

"What are you doing?"

I spin around and see Cygnus looking at me with a bemused and bewildered expression. "I'm going to ask if we can stay here tonight."

"Every time I've come here in the past the only time I've seen anyone go in there is if it is Sunday. Which it's not."

"Well if you've never seen anyone go in then why don't I be the first." With that I turn around and enter into the temple.