The Quest for Normania #1: The Door of Andrios

12. Communication Channels

Norin looked up when the doors of the library boomed open all of a sudden, but was relieved when it turned to be Mithra, Eurin Cassandra, and Teresa.

"Hello there," he greeted them genially. "Welcome back! Had your break?"

The three blushed with guilt. "We're sorry we left you alone to dig through," Mithra spoke up.

He shook his head, his smile still on. "No problem. I suddenly looked up to see I was alone. Figured you'd gone out for a break. It's not lunchtime already, is it?"

"No, no. But it will be in another couple of hours. Come, let's gather more books." She turned to the other women who'd entered with her. "Eurin, you will catch the books I throw down and Teresa, you'll be beside Zura, to see if see needs any help." A crooked smile lifted the corners of her mouth. "You may have to feed him, too!"

Sure enough, Norin had gone back deeper into his books than ever, not hearing a single word uttered in the room,

"Wow, he really is a scholar, isn't he!" remarked Teresa incredulously. "Anyway, come along, let's do as Mithra says."

Mithra cast a spell on herself and began to glide up. She recalled the location she was searching before, then moved slightly to the left, and began to throw down books she thought might help with the research. Cassandra caught them deftly and handed to Teresa, who in turn, piled them all up one-by-one beside Norin, who seemed too absorbed in his reading. When he was dissatisfied with a book, he'd patiently put it aside, away from the unread stacks, and take another one and continue the cycle.

It seemed to be taking a long, long time...

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It was only when Cecil called her name did Ayesha realise she had been staring at the clouds too long.

She gulped. "Coming!" She willed herself to turn around and walk away from the window. On the table, a mass of fruits and vegetables were spread out for breakfast and her mouth watered upon seeing them. Her stomach growled as she settled in a chair opposite Cecil.

The man handed her a leaf, then a couple of apples. "Aren't you hungry at all?" he enquired. "Tell me if you want more."

"No, no, I am hungry. In fact, my stomach has been growling." She offered him a sheepish smile, before examining an apple she picked up.

"I've rinsed the fruits, don't worry."

"Oh, thank you!"

"So... anything interesting outside?"

She thought of the vision she saw about the Door of Andrios and the Blue Moon that had been lucky enough to appear for her the day she had decided to leave Ahala. "No," she replied. "Certainly not interesting."

He nodded; he seemed to have got the hint, since he didn't prod her further about the issue.

"Hey, you promised to take me to a water to wash myself. I feel like going directly after breakfast. Is that okay?"

Cecil nodded. "Sure."

"Thank you so much."

For the rest of the time, they ate quietly, only the sound of the birds' chirping sounding in the air.

"Wow, this place is so beautiful!" Ayesha exclaimed, looking around her in awe.

Cecil had led her to the lake he and his sister usually used to bathe every day. Ayesha wished she, too, had remembered to do so. At first, she had been too wound up at having arrived at a new world and committing an unintentional crime; then, she had been scared and reclused ever since her visit to the founder of Ashisa.