Magic Discovered

Chapter 24

When he opened his eyes, there was a moment of confusion before James remembered the events of the previous day. He sat up, stretched, and then looked around the small room. His friends were lying next to him, still sound asleep. James yawned, and stood up, shrugging on his coat from where he had tossed it before going to bed.

Stepping outside, he noted that the air was bright and the morning sun was shining through the trees. It was a stark contrast to the darkness they had witnessed in the jungle, now much more cheerful and alive. Many Ikirian were already making their way around the city.

A buzz drew his attention upwards and he saw Captain Aur descending to meet him.

"Ah, you're finally up!"

"Finally? Have you been waiting a while?"

Aur shrugged, which looked funny on an insect. "Not really, but I didn't have anything else to do. One major difference between my people and yours is that we only rest once every several days."

That would explain the bustling outside, James though. His stomach growled suddenly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the previous day.

"Sorry for asking, but do you have anything to eat? I'm a bit starving."

Aur made a sort of clicking laughter. "The Queens anticipated you might need sustenance before embarking to the temple. Follow me; a meal has already been prepared."

James was led across a series of bridges that connected the various structures in the trees. Each was made out of wood and was very sturdy, although he still felt uneasy due to the lack of a railing. The Ikirian would save him if he fell, but it still would not be a fun experience.

Luckily, they made it to a large central building with no issues. This was a meeting hall of some sort, judging by the large amount of Ikirian walking in and out. It even had a large hole in the roof to allow them to fly directly inside if they couldn't be troubled to take the bridges.

Entering, James was surprised to see that the interior was much smaller than he had expected. Then he felt a bit silly, as most of the buildings in Rioyda and the Arcane Quintessium were augmented with Celestial magic.

"Jeez, I've come such a long way, I've forgotten what 'normal' Earth-buildings even look like."

James was led through the halls of the building by Aur, stopping every so often as the captain said hello to a fellow Ikirian. Eventually, he walked into a small room that had several stumps placed in a circle.

"There are several fruits that the Queens picked for you and your friends," Aur said, pointed towards a set of wide wooden bowls that were placed at the edge of the room. "The rest of your party should arrive shortly; when you are finished I will take you once again to see the Queens."

He began to leave, but James stopped him hesitantly.

"Um, not really trying to sound rude, but... is it alright for us to eat this stuff? I mean, being of a different species and all?"

Aur nodded. "The Queens thought you might have that notion. Be assured, it is not our first time hosting mages. As such, the food is perfectly safe. Enjoy with a sound mind."

He left and James walked over to the bowls to see what was for breakfast. Inside were a multitude of tennis ball-sized fruits, each with purple skin and several fluffy green leaves coating the top. Picking out one, he noted that they were very plump and surprisingly heavy for their size.

"Oh well," he thought, shrugging. "It can't taste that bad. Down the hatch!"

He took a large bite. It was delicious, melting on his tongue and tasting sweet, but filling. Spying a stack of carved cups nearby, he took one and filled it to the brim before sitting down on one of the stumps. He began to eat eagerly and waited for his friends to pull themselves up.