The Quest for Normania #1: The Door of Andrios

8. The Door of Andrios

Norin couldn't understand how someone could stay away from royalty and riches for as long as four days.

Then again, Eurin Ayesha of Silone was known to be a simple girl, brought up by herself, with only her tutor to guide her in the right direction. Maybe she had been thinking of saving the world by getting rid of herself. She had a reputation of being selfless and generous.

The evening after he and Mithra found the possible route that Eurin Ayesha took to reach the mythical Door of Andrios, thanks to his seekers, they had rushed to examine it, but not without some weapons and a bodyguard.

The Door of Andrios was just like Norin had imagined when he read about the mythology of Ahala in Yela Rumin's vast library. She had all sorts of books, some even looking like they lived a life longer than him! It made him wonder how old Rumin really was.

There was a grandfather clock on the door, though not huge as the Door itself. It ticked away like it had no care in the world – like nobody had ever intruded upon its isolated existence.

'Well, it is an inanimate object,' he told himself.

"What intricate design it has," gasped Mithra as she touched at the Door lightly.

Norin was afraid that it would open with a touch, but was relieved when it didn't. 'Of course it wouldn't. That clock—it has something to do with the Door... opening or closing or both. Or, to function where to go.' From his cloth-bag, he took out the large encyclopaedia of magical items he found in the library and put his hand on it.

"Does that book actually have anything to do with this Door?" asked Mithra. She was staring at him now.

He shrugged. "Only one way to find out." With that, he placed his palm in the centre of the large volume. "Andrios ostium!" When he felt a wave under his hand, he removed it and the book instantly hopped once and fell back, opened to a certain page.

The title of the page read something in ancient Ahalan.

"What does it say?" asked Mithra.

"'Portal to Any World: The Door of Andrios'."

"I'm beginning to understand the situation better now," mused Norin.

Mithra crouched down beside him and looked up to ask, "How do you mean?"

"Eurin Ayesha Sinhala is probably a very intelligent person," replied Norin. "She knows about this book and it's how she even found this place. I'm sure of it." He could feel a slight tug in his stomach, as if a knot in it has started to come free. "And knew exactly how it functioned, too."

"Makes sense. How does it work?"

"Let's see." Norin leaned forward to read. "It's ancient Ahalan, but it roughly translates to... Okay, listen: 'The Door of Andrios was made by an ancient witch or wizard by combining the knowledge of a witch, the power of another wizard, a lock hair from a kingdom's heir, and –'"

"Kingdom's hair?!" Mithra's face turned to confusion.

"Well, heir to a kingdom."

"Right. Sorry, I thought this hair." She pointed to the top of her head.

"That also, but yes, I understand what you mean. Never mind." He turned back to the book. "So, knowledge of a witch, power of a wizard, a hair from the heir to a kingdom, and the bones of an oracle." He looked up, trying not to grimace. "What a delight, don't you think?"

Mithra grimaced for him. "I'm sure. Now, what does it say about opening it?"

"Ha, it does talk about opening it, all right." Norin scratched his head, trying to put the bad news in some form of not-to-kill words. "Okay, so, what it says is... 'By the strike of midnight, at a time when night begins to turn to day –'"