THE CRYSTAL HOUSE

¶Mareike¶

The first thing Mareike noticed was the impossible amount of creatures moving around them. The animals had long beaks, and bead-like eyes perched at the top of their heads but the similarities to regular birds stopped there.

These ones had three wing pairs, two on each side of their body and the last pair at their backs, she guessed, to propel them forward. Their beaks were attached to furry faces, and limbs currently being used to drag their vehicle down towards ground level.

Priya raised an arm in question. "Are these...things supposed to be dragging us down?"

"Oh, yes, don't worry. We wouldn't be able to land otherwise. Ace's vehicle can't handle the momentum needed," Tihan explained, still grinning widely.

Mareike looked on, a hand clutching her chest as the animals–she counted eight–moved them downward till the vehicle hit the earth with a soft thud, and continued going down automatically. All around them now was black soil and earth, lit dimly by a light too far to know its source. The strange animals had vanished, leaving just the seven of them again.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she turned wildly to Ace and Tihan. "What is happening? Where are you taking us?"

"Relax, everyone. We can't land on top or else Jeshan officials will spot us. I...we can't take that risk, so the vehicle will land underground instead." He clasped his hands together and turned to Mareike, "You're safe."

"Okay...okay." She muttered under her breath, and grabbed a bottle of water emptying the content almost immediately.

"And we're here," Tihan said once the vehicle stopped finally. He pushed a button and the door slid open, revealing a narrow and empty hallway.

"Come on, let's go." Ace urged, moving forward to stop beside his friend. "The sooner we go, the sooner you can get your answers. And see Meissa."

Eryk stepped forward and when he beckoned to the rest of them, Mareike suddenly felt a wave of familiarity at the action. He had led them into the house that first day–nearly three weeks ago–and once again, here he was, urging them to follow.

For a second, she felt wary of his presence but the others nodded, and started to move while Priya linked their arms to push her forward. There was no other choice.

Immediately they stepped out of the vehicle, it made a loud noise–like a breathy gasp–and closed behind them. The lights that had given Mareike solace and comfort during the first hours of the trip blinked once and tripped off, curtains draping along the exterior of the vehicle.

"Crystal House has shut down. It's fulfilled its purpose, anyway." Tihan commented, breaking the heavy silence.

Ace gave a sigh and continued walking, picking up a dim lamp from the entrance of the hall. "Yes. Now let's go."

They went on in the soft darkness, soon entering a single file as the hallway became more narrow. She heard a soft flick ahead of her and the hall burst into blue light, snuffing out the power of Ace's lamp. Now that she could see more clearly, she relaxed her shoulders and breathed out fixing her eyes on the walls.

There were drawings and carvings of humans like her (somehow she thought Crisiants would be different, with pointy ears or beaked noses and green skin), animals with odd shapes and odder names and inscriptions that looked like prophecies about elemental abilities. She traced her finger along the ending lines of a clear writing. 'Twins unite as one again, but they may lose the very one they used to call friend.' She shuddered and looked away, still feeling a tingle in her spine.

Behind her, Chiara noisily dragged her feet and muttered inaudibly. Mareike sighed and nudged Priya who glanced at the third girl and shrugged a shoulder, batting her eyelashes twice. Her sign for 'Try talking to her.'