The Dreaming Land

Chapter 6: Red Moon Rising

The newfound trio reached Kalya City just after midnight. Immediately they found an inn, and got two rooms. Imara and Misha stayed in one together, leaving Orius by himself in another. Each of them slept soundlessly all night. The next morning, over some breakfast, they discussed their plans to find the mage called Quintir.

"So where do you suppose he could be?" Imara asked.

"I'm not really sure." Orius shrugged, "Kalya's an academic city. There are many universities here, and I'm sure each of them study moon shards in some way."

"Actually, only Luna Astra does." Misha added between mouthfuls of her breakfast.

"Luna Astra?" Orius asked, "You know about the schools here?"

"A little bit." She nodded, "I've been living around here for a while now, I've just never been."

"Do you know where it is?" Imara asked.

"No, sorry." She shrugged.

"Well, someone must." Orius said, "We'll find it."

The three of them finished up and got straight to searching. They didn't have time to waste, the people hunting them would figure out they went north soon, if they hadn't already. Finding Luna Astra Academy was easy, though. It was on top of a hill just on the west end of town. It could actually be seen from the town square, the academy's observatory peaking out over the tree tops.

As they walked, Orius kept an eye out for guards from Gigas City, but also found himself watching Misha carefully. She seemed nervous moving through the crowd, staying close to him and Imara. He wasn't sure why this was, until he looked around at the faces of those passing them. Everyone was staring at them, at her. Their looks ranged from confusion to disgust. Her dirty cloths did make her look like a street urchin, but he couldn't help but feel that perhaps these people knew her.

"You say you've never been to Kalya City, right, Misha?" Orius asked.

"Yup." She nodded.

"Then why did you want to come here?" He asked.

"I just did." She shrugged, "I've always been interested in coming to the city."

"Then why not come here sooner? Or go to Gigas on a passing caravan?" Orius asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"Misha..." Orius sighed, "Are you planning on staying in Kalya, or were you just going to keep following us?"

"I'm not sure yet." She said.

"Misha, where are your parents?" Imara asked, tuning into the conversation.

"They're dead." Misha said flatly, looking at something across the street.

"I..." Imara stuttered.

"Whoa! Look at those!" Misha said, pointing at a trinket shop, and running off towards it.

Somehow, Orius had figured as much. The looks, the way the people back in Gatsenton had treated her, turning her away but with a hint of sympathy. They didn't tolerate her, but they knew something about her that made them feel sorry for her. That's why he'd found her in sleeping in the barn, and why she wanted to go with them. He'd known it the moment he saw her, but didn't want it to be true. She was orphan, abandoned and left to the streets, just like he had been.

"Go make sure she doesn't get in to trouble." Orius said, turning and walking down the road in the other direction, "I'll be back. Meet me at the gate in front of Luna Astra."