The Quest for Normania #1: The Door of Andrios

26. Back to Where it All Began

Norin Zura finally arrived at the entrance of Rumin Nyagal's shinto.

He stood under the archway that was characteristic of every shinto on Ahala—it signified the beginning of a road... in this case, the road to wisdom and education. Temples had them, too, in a similar fashion, to signify the path to spirituality and being one with oneself and a true peacemaker.

Norin took a deep breath in and opened his eyes. He noticed a figure sitting on the steps to the shinto a few paces away. He smiled, before slowly approaching it.

"Yela Rumin," he greeted, "good evening to you. Or, perhaps morning, as the case might be."

Rumin Nyagal rose to her feet, her eyes on her former student. "It's good to see you, too, Sorcerer Zura, even if after just a few days."

His smile turned sheepish his her addressal. 'Oh, that's right—I've already graduated into a sorcerer now!' Becoming a sorcerer was the indication of his basic magical education coming to an end, and that it was time to continue his educational journey on his own. A sorcerer graduating from a shinto could choose to go on the journey with a partner which would work in every way—to spar, to practice magic with—but Norin had chosen to go by himself, though he and Mithra still hadn't got leave from their teacher yet. She was yet to proclaim they were ready to leave on their journey – or journeys, as the case may be.

"Thank you, Yela Rumin, for every little bit of help you gave me and Mithra until now. And now, I need to ask you one more favour, if that's okay."

Rumin nodded. "I was expecting your arrival any time soon. You came earlier than I expected. It's a good thing I didn't go to sleep."

Norin had suspected as much, for Yela Rumin Nyagal was not only one of the most powerful sorceresses alive on Ahala, but also one who could predict rise and fall of empires.

She finished her study of her student in his one-month growth outside her shinto and got to her feet. "Come with me. We shall go to the Magical Sphere."

The younger sorcerer followed the woman into her home. It had been just like he remembered the last time he had been here. Not that he was expecting any changes in barely a month, but it was definitely good to see it all again. 'Perhaps someday, few more young, eager students will come here to fill the gaps we left.' The thought cheered him.

The door led through a narrow passageway, which had doors that led into a drawing room and three practice rooms on either side. The passage then opened onto a wide hall; to the right was the staircase that led to the bedrooms on the first floor and the weapons rooms on the second floor. To the left, was a kitchen and a scullery.

Straight ahead was a dead-end, but not completely: There were more doors—one led to the communicator room and the other...

"The Magical Sphere," breathed Norin. He remembered coming here, but was never allowed inside the Sphere. It was highly dangerous when unsteady and only full-bred – or, graduated – sorcerers could go in. But for the first few times, until they got used to handling it, they had to be accompanied by more experienced sorcerers.

Yela Rumin eyed him. "Yes, it is. You remember how it looks like, don't you?"

He gulped, but managed to put a straight face and nod his head. "Yes, I do, yela. It's been a while, but I still remember."

From inside his head, he could hear Mithra gasp. So, she was seeing it, too. He didn't realise the veil of the bond had opened up again. He made a mental note of remembering to look up Sanguinous fratus bonds when he went to another library again.