III - The Dark Forest

Justine fell silently into contemplation. Alex stared into the dark night sky – it was cloudless and the stars shone bright, clearly visible, but in spite of this, the night was dark and deep, for there was no moon to brighten it with its light.

The road they were following lead them to a gate on the other side of the city walls, where from beyond the pale stones one could see the black treetops rising against the night sky. The gate was nowhere as fortified as the one that barred entrance to the city – it seemed more of a formality than something meant to provide defense against an enemy; or perhaps a decoration, for its shape reflected great craftsmanship, its silver bars gnarled like branches of an aged tree, metal vines curling around every one of them, dynamic and yet so motionless, so dead, in their cold beauty. In the spaces between the bars, one could see the forest that lay on the other side. A sign hung on the stones above the peculiar gate, dark letters engraved on it forming the words DARK FOREST. Two guards in armour similar to the main gate’s guard’s bowed their heads as the two girls rode past. The gate was big enough for three to four shire horses to pass riding alongside each other, so Justine’s wyvern had no trouble getting through, either.

Apart from the two guards and themselves, there was no other living soul anywhere nearby and the dark treetops rustled menacingly. The forest in front of them was so dark that a few yards away from the torch-lit gates of the city it was nearly impossible to see anything.

“Not that I have something against the idea, but are you sure about this?...” Justine asked without confidence.

“Of course I am,” Alex replied without hesitation. “I thought you trusted me? I know these woods as well as anyone, you should know that. As long as you are with me, there’s nothing to worry about.”

That’s what I’m worried about, Justine thought, what I will do if I lose sight of you in this darkness.

The gate closed behind them with a crank. As they entered the forest, the darkness swallowed them whole like a wave in an ocean of shadows. There were no lanterns along the forest path, only a distant flicker of the city lights behind them.

Alex rode on without any pause and Justine wondered how she could discern anything in this darkness. She was almost expecting her friend to reach for her silvery wand, but instead, Alex simply snapped her fingers – immediately after she had done it, a bright, pale-blue flame burst into existence above her fingertips. It looked like fire at first sight, but its flames burned slower than a normal fire and had the consistency and smoothness similar to that of smoke. And in addition to that, it shone brightly and flickered like no other fire on earth. Alex remained silent as the flame swelled and grew larger, forming a great shining sphere, as if the flame of a torch separated from its handle, and a lot bigger in size. With a gesture of her hand, she directed it to the side of her horse so that it would illuminate the path before them.

“There’s no need for bragging, you know,” Justine grimaced.

“If I wanted to brag, I would’ve done something more spectacular.”

“Like what, for example?”

“I don’t know…” Alex thought for a moment. “For example, I would’ve lit the whole forest up like a candle if I wanted to.”

Justine laughed out loud.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to do that!”

Alex was not amused.

“Oh, and I’m sure you would?”

“Yes.”

She knew she shouldn’t do that, but she was also tempted.

“Show me, then. I want to see such a thing.”

Justine seemed taken aback a little. She must have realized she had uttered a few more words than she should have. Was she actually able to fulfil her side of the wager and light up the whole forest? She had never before tried anything of the kind, but it was too late for her to give up now and admit her bluff. Her pride, the pride of the whole Order, would not let her. She focused her thoughts as much as she could. If this was possible, it would take a lot of her power to accomplish, for sure.

Alex observed her golden-haired friend with visible curiosity. They halted, forgetting for a moment that they were to hurry. After a minute or two of silence, Justine flung her arms into the air, a wand of white gold in one of her hands, closed her eyes shut and recited loudly:

“Swirl, my stars, swirl at my plea; light up the darkness surrounding me!”

Nothing was happening. Justine thought that it must have sounded a little silly even. And then – with the suddenness of a missile golden star-like lights burst out from the tip of the wand and flew up high towards the heavens. The poor girl was thrown back in her saddle from the impact and she cried out in pain as it dug painfully into her lower back. The two girls watched then as a pleiad of golden stars hung high above the treetops, growing and swelling. When it finally reached the shape and size that reminded of a great fiery bomb, it exploded with a bang, scattering its pieces everywhere around the surrounding forest, like a gigantic starry fountain of light. Every part of the forest, every tree and every bush were lit and there was almost heavenly brightness surrounding them. It looked as if they suddenly found themselves between the branches of a Christmas tree.

Hessan reared, neighing wildly, forcing his mistress to desperately try to calm him down. They could both feel the stir that this all caused to the forest’s inhabitants, and Alex did not like it. Nevertheless, she could not help but open her mouth in amazement when she finally managed to retake control of her horse. Justine, who had been hiding her face behind her forearms since the starry ball’s explosion, now lowered them a little and was staring at the changed landscape around her. Everywhere in sight, golden flame-like spheres hung in the air, like some kind of Jack-o-lanterns on moors where unfortunate travellers met their miserable end.

“Beautiful! Splendid! I wouldn’t have done it better myself!” Alex in vain tried to keep her cool.

“T-thank you… I had no idea I could do something like this…” Justine was still dumbstruck and was looking around in disbelief.

A few memorable moments later, the stars began to fade and darken, and soon disappeared completely. Darkness retook the forest again. Once more, the only source of light was the silvery-blue flaming sphere that Alex had conjured earlier.

“That was amazing,” Alex praised Justine as they resumed their ride. “You’ve given me much to think about, Justine. I won’t be able to rest until I’m able to top what you have just done, you know.”

“Just… promise me that you will know what you’re doing.”

Because I didn’t, Justine thought.

“Don’t worry about it, it’ll surely take a long consideration. So, anyway,” she changed the subject, “what did you want to ask me about back there?”

“Oh, yes. Those two vaimares standing guard. What are their names?”

“This time the guard duty falls on Flier and Scalewing. Flier was the one to our right, Scalewing to the left.”

“So, the time for Flier has come finally? I’ve heard so much about him from you over time and the last time I was here he was but a pup. No wonder I didn’t recognize him.”

“The time comes for every vaimare to serve as guardians and, believe me, they really grow fast. But yes, this term the visitors to the city have a chance to see the Superior’s own vaimare.” Alex smiled.

“He looks very dignified,” Justine complimented.

The forest path wound its way among the trees, illuminated by the silvery sphere of flames casting a glow on the grim trunks the riders were passing. The silhouette of the Silver Castle drew nearer and nearer – they were not far from the entrance gate now. The terrain rose steadily under their mounts’ feet, leading them to the plateau on which the great structure was standing.

Chatting about the great welcome feast that was to come, the girls did not even notice when something black cut through the air above their heads. Only loud cawing that followed made them realize they were not alone. When the cawing sounded again, Alex directed the sphere of light in its direction.

A great black raven, almost undistinguishable among the darkness, swayed on one of the branches of an old, fallen tree, some few feet above the ground. Alex goggled her eyes, but Justine remained baffled by the sight. The raven flew from the branch and onto a large rock by the side of the road. A moment later, a tall, slim, black-haired man stood before the two girls. He bowed in front of them, but before he was able to say anything, Alex spoke instead:

“Did I not write that we do not require any escort?”

The young man appeared a little confused, but quickly regained his composure.

“Indeed, but the Highest Priest sent me nevertheless to inquire as to the nature of the fireworks from not long ago,” he answered. “Now, I would greet our distinguished guest. In the name of all members of the Order of the Half-Moon Servants it would be my honour to welcome you, my lady, at our humble doorstep,” he added, bowing before the representative of the Star Prophets.

“Justine, let me introduce to you Armand,” Alex broke in. “I assume we are to hurry then?”

“Yes, of course. I will not delay you and your noble guest any longer, my lady,” Armand said, glancing at Justine from time to time. “It is a great honour to have met you, my lady,” he added towards her.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Justine smiled back. In times like these, you could truly see the grace and majesty of her grandfather shine through her seemingly fragile disposition. “However, I must agree with my friend here – the forest is making me feel uncomfortable and I would much like to have this journey over and done with as soon as possible.”

“You can tell my father and the rest of the council that there is nothing to be worried about in what you saw. During our travel we had to entertain ourselves in some way and at one point mere words turned out insufficient in our debates, so a little magic had to be used. We are safe and sound, however, so deliver our apologies to whoever it might have been of annoyance to.”

“As you command, my lady.” Armand bowed before them once again and in the blink of an eye the sleeves of his coat darkened and became wings as his form shifted into that of a raven. Flapping his wings nervously, the bird took flight and soared above the trees and towards the castle, disappearing from the girls’ sight.

“A charming fellow. Is he French by origin?”

“I’m afraid not. Though his name is Armand, he does not have the same origins as you, Justine. If I remember, his mother was deeply interested in France and its magical orders, hence she named her son the way she did.”

“It’s a nice thing to hear. Maybe my grandfather has heard of her.”

“I doubt it, to be honest.”

In the light of the flaming sphere leading them, Justine looked at her friend’s face. The girl’s eyes blinked with a reflection of gold, as if reflecting the light, but before Justine could ponder this occurrence any longer, it was gone, as quick as it appeared. Seeing her friend’s facial expression, Alex turned her head to look for whatever surprised Justine so much, then turned back to her. The golden shine came back for a second, again, and then it was gone. Justine opened her mouth to speak, but Alex was faster.

“Are you okay, Justine?”

The golden-haired girl snapped out of her surprise.

“Yes, I’m fine. Tell me,” she hesitated. “You know, never mind.”

“You can ask about anything, it’s not a problem.”

Justine was silent for a moment, trying to think of what to say. Somehow, she didn’t feel like asking about something that might have been just a trick of her own mind. After all, she was tired from the long ride and in this light her eyes may have well been playing games with her.

“So that boy, Armand,” she said instead. “Is he a theriomorph?”

“Indeed. It’s not an easy thing to learn to become one,” Alex replied, “but once you do, it means you have a lot of potential.” The golden reflection, there it was again.

Justine decided to ignore it and not ask about it, but somewhere in her heart some kind of unnamed doubt appeared. What was that supposed to mean?

The line of trees was becoming scarcer by the minute. The road they were following had become wider and more suited for travel. They were approaching the castle walls. After one more turn the edge of the Dark Forest appeared. The wooden path shifted to a straight, cobblestone road leading up to a silvery entrance gate. Engraved with many elegant ornaments, the gate was tall and wide, suitable for any kind of creature, Justine thought, from a horse to a dragon.

Seeing the lights in the castle windows brought Justine relief; they had finally reached their destination. She was weary of riding in the saddle atop the wyvern’s back already, she wanted to feel the earth under her feet again. A welcome feast awaited her now – an astounding thought which she always relished in, whenever she visited this place, for she knew that there were few places in the world where there would be a greater feast prepared for her than here. She was a member of a great French order, more importantly yet, the granddaughter of its Superior, an esteemed guest by all means, so she deserved nothing less. Pride was an inherent trait of the Star Prophets.

They rode up to the gate. Alex knocked on it with the heavy rapper that hung from the jaws of a carved wolf head with sapphire crystal eyes. In the flickering light of the torches on either side of the gate it almost seemed as though the wolf’s head had moved in response. The gate opened with heavy, metallic creaks – and yet another sound, as if under the first layer of sounds, deep, as if muffled, and dark reached their ears. The two of them rode into a square with a fountain in the centre – three wolves that sat on their hind legs, jets of crystal-clear water flowing in three arches from their mouths.

In the corner of her eye, Justine noticed large, burly shapes moving slowly in the darkness, but before she could take a good look at what they were, a number of stable hands jumped to the girls’ sides, which distracted her. Bowing, they helped Justine dismount from her wyvern, while Alex swiftly hopped off Hessan and passed his reigns into the hands of one of the boys. The others tended to René and they all took their leave soon after to accommodate both animals. When Justine looked back, there was no sign anywhere of the shapes she had seen, or thought she had seen, before.

In silence, the two girls made their way towards the entrance. From between the open doors warm, golden light flooded onto the steps outside. Accompanied by the mages waiting for them outside, Alex and Justine entered the spacious Main Hall. Its size always amazed Justine, ever since she had come to the Silver Castle for the first time so many years ago. A wide, sapphire carpet covered the great stairs rising up at the back, while big and tall as trees stone pillars ran on both sides of the room, silently supporting the weight of the castle. Atop the wide stairway, five narrow-shaped stained-glass windows stood, each with a star above it. Justine knew these windows – they were the Windows of the Five Stars, whose beautiful stained-glass was known all over the magical societies. Now, however, there was nothing to be seen in their glass but for the darkness of the deep autumn night. To the left and to the right of the windows, there was another pair of stairways, leading to the upper floors.

On the walls of the Main Hall there hung numerous old paintings in thick frames that showed famous members of the Order of the Half-Moon Servants, and scenes of some great battles of legend where wolves mingled with silver-clad warhorses and swords shone with the power of magical spells; great sapphire banners with silver wolves and crescents hung from the pillars on each side, majestic and proud, all in the light of dozens of magical torches.

Many members of the Order had already gathered in the room to greet them. A sea of shiny, sapphire-and-silver coats waved and stirred around them as the younger wizards tried to get at least a glimpse of the long-awaited guest from behind the backs of their elders. Alex lead her friend all the way to the foot of the stairway, every pair of eyes following their every step, where the Superior of the Order stood waiting to address them.

He himself and the two of his most trusted guards looked just as Justine remembered them, though many years had passed since the last time she saw them. Clad in silver armour over dark garment, the two guards wore helmets that resembled menacing wolf heads, with two smaller lupine heads serving as pauldrons, their sapphire cloaks attached to their shoulders, falling loosely behind their backs, their hands in clawed gauntlets resting on the hilts of their sheathed swords, ready to defend their master at any moment. Battle mages, Justine thought, one of the fiercest and best warriors there were – able to wield both white weapons and magic, a deadly and extremely useful combination. By custom, the Superior of the Order of the Half-Moon servants had his own private guard of battlemages, ready to serve him in any way at his command.

The Superior stood in-between them, proud and tall as always, almost unchanged by the passage of time, only a few greying hairs on his temples, a confident and stern look on his face. Ezekiel Arian, who served as the Order’s Superior since the coming of age, was a warrior only when he was required to, however he still donned his masterwork armour on special occasions – similar to that of the guards beside him, plated silver, with snarling wolf heads as pauldrons, but much more beautifully ornamented, with jewels for the wolves’ eyes, his magnificently embroidered cloak attached to his shoulders, but in a way that it freely encircled his collar at the front, with additional two pieces of material hanging loosely from the brooches, the embroidery glistening in the light of the torches. Unlike his two guards, he did not have his wolf helmet with him.

Though he did not change much on the outside, the tragic death of his beloved wife had caused him to change greatly inside. He sealed his former self off from the outside world and, people said, didn’t talk longer than needed and on informal subjects with anyone but his daughter. Some claimed he had become very eccentric, some claimed he had gone completely mad, but neither was fully true. Even consumed by the desire for vengeance as he was, he acted consciously, with characteristic deliberation and meticulous planning, and was still a greater mind when it came to ruling his Order than many that would take up arms to try to overthrow him. But one thing, above all else, was certain for the entirety of the Order – the Superior did not smile as often anymore as he had used to.

Having approached the three, Alex bowed and Justine followed in suit. With a nod of her head, she left Justine with the Superior and she herself stepped aside and joined the crowd’s first row where other prominent members of the order were standing. With a gesture of his hand, Zeke, as he was more commonly known, ordered all those gathered to be quiet. Immediately, far and wide across the room there was silence, every rustle and cough clearly audible.

“On behalf of the entirety of the Order of the Half-Moon Servants, it is my great honour to welcome our long-awaited guest – the envoy of the Order of the Star Prophets, an order which we had waged war with for many years in the past, and whose member we now have the privilege to host in an atmosphere of peace and joyfulness!” Zeke spoke, his voice echoing among the walls of the Main Hall. “Thus I greet you, lady Justine Maud Artois, granddaughter of Victor Artois, the Superior! I wish you a pleasant stay within the walls of the Silver Castle, as well as beyond them. Welcome!”

The crowd exploded with applause and cheers when he was finished, while Justine thanked everyone with a smile on her face. Noticing that it was her now who wanted to speak, the Superior raised his hand again, silencing the gathering.

“Your Excellency, lords and ladies of the Order, all Servants of the Half-Moon who have gathered here today – please accept my deepest gratitude for such a warm welcome as this. I wholeheartedly believe that my stay in your hospitality will be splendid, as long as I am surrounded by such wonderful people as you,” she replied and her words were also rewarded with cheers of applause, even longer than before.

The Superior spoke once more.

“Now then, there remains nothing more for me to do than invite you to our great welcome feast which will be held in your homage when the bells strike eight in the Feast Hall. You must be tired from your journey; I will appoint you your handmaidens immediately, so that you can go and refresh yourself before the festivities,” he spoke to Justine. “To all others I extend my gratitude for coming to greet our esteemed guest and ask that you make room for the preparations.”

The younger and less-prominent members of the Order were then shooed away, while some of the more important ones and officials lingered in order to exchange at least a few words with the granddaughter of the French order’s leader. More guards like the two that had stood with Zeke appeared and surrounded Justine, reminding the other wizards that there would be time to talk later and that the lady needed rest.

Alex approached her father and bowed her head slightly.

“Go on with her, make sure that everything is done properly,” he told her. “I will see you later at the feast.”

The girl nodded in acknowledgement and watched for a moment as her father turned around and began climbing the great stairs. Unexpectedly, a guard approached her, which made her attention shift to him instead.

“My lady, it is said that Vincent was looking for you,” the guard said.

Alex appeared confused.

“I thought he knew that I’d gone to escort Justine?” she asked rhetorically. “Do you know what he wants from me?” she asked, but the guard shook his head hopelessly.

“I do not, my lady, but it is advisable that you seek him out. The maids have reported that he had torn the curtains in the Sapphire Chamber from his anger.” With a meaningful look the guard bowed and hastily took his leave of her.

Alex frowned and then rubbed her temples with her fingers. As if she wasn’t tired already, there always had to be more trouble. Standing at the foot of the stairway, she didn’t notice Justine had approached her.

“So, you’re one of my handmaidens then?” she asked in jest.

“Don’t be silly,” Alex snorted. “There they are,” she pointed at three women walking quickly towards them. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a matter to see to. I’ll join up with you as soon as I’m done, alright?”

“I don’t know who this Vincent is, but don’t hurt him,” Justine answered with a wink as she too began walking up the stairs, escorted by her three maids.

“Don’t worry, we’re pretty much immune to each other after all those years!” she said in a louder voice so that Justine’s ears would reach her and the golden-haired girl got the impression that her friend regretted a little that it wasn’t otherwise.

Justine, led by her maids, took the stairs to the right, which lead to the part of the castle called the Eastern Towers. Having climbed to the top and having passed a spiralling staircase to the side, they found themselves at the beginning of a long corridor of chambers. The first floor was taken up mostly by chambers for visitors. Hers was the largest and most luxurious one of all, situated at the end of the corridor, she was told. When they reached the window next to the chamber’s doors, one of the maids took out a key, but Justine’s attention was focused on a painting illuminated by the light of a torch of white flame that hung next to it. Like many other paintings found in the castle, it pictured an elderly man with a cautious look and white, unkempt hair. But what drew Justine’s attention most was that next to his silhouette there was the emblem of the Star Prophets – a golden star weaved in among violet petals.

“My lady?” one of the maids asked when Justine did not move even though the doors to her chambers were now open.

“What is the emblem of my order doing in such a painting?”

The maid who spoke earlier approached the canvas herself.

“It is one of the former Superiors of the Order, my lady,” she replied shortly after. “Aureus Arian. During his leadership, the great war with your noble order had ended, which is why he is usually depicted with your emblem by his side to commemorate his contribution to bringing peace between the two orders,” she explained.

“You know a lot,” Justine complimented.

“Thank you, my lady. It is a virtue of our Order that even the lowest-ranked members know who they serve.”

I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Justine thought, recalling what Alex had told her earlier. She smiled and entered the chamber without a word. Immediately, she felt the warmth emanating from a large fireplace on the wall to the right. The room was spacious, blue carpets covering the floor, a large wooden table with a silvery cloth and freshly prepared cutlery and fruit standing next to four slim windows with dark-blue curtains, and three big and comfortable sofas to relax on. On the far side of the chamber, stood a large canopy bed with pelts (Justine somehow doubted they were wolf pelts) and fresh linen. Next to it stood the few luggage chests brought in by the servants after they had been unfastened from René’s back. The Guest Chamber hadn’t changed a bit in its splendour over the years, she thought. This was where the Order accommodated its most prestigious guests.

“That will be all for now,” Justine said with relief. She wanted to rest alone. “I will call on you should I need anything.”

When, bowing, the maids left the chamber and closed the doors, Justine took one more look at her surroundings and fell onto the great bed. She wondered about where her friend was right now and about the mysterious man by the name of Vincent – was he her friend’s secret flame that she hadn’t told Justine about earlier? Her eyelids felt heavy from the fatigue. She mustn’t fall asleep lest she missed the feast, but a little comfort of lying her head down for a while wouldn’t hurt, she concluded.


2003-2005

II - The Star Prophet

The wide, crowded street was filled with the last warmth of October sunshine. On either side, along the well taken care of curbs, stood high trees whose sickly-green leaves with the remainder of their strength tried to resist the incoming winter. On the pavement beside the cobblestone road lay differently-sized heaps of those that had lost the struggle. They were all waiting for another breath of autumn to take them far away from their familiar places.

Dressed in robes of various colours people were crowded around the displays of shops and stalls. Some were queuing to the Dragon Scale Bookstore, others admired the beauty of sparkling fireworks created by a young witch from a stall on the right; others yet would look down on all these products, magical in nature, offered to them from everywhere they looked.

Through the middle of the road, in the free space created by people getting out of the way, on the back of a black horse rode a girl. Something in her appearance made the passers-by hurry to the sides of the road so that she could pass among the great crowd. Some of them risked pushing a neighbouring pedestrian into a nearby stall. Angered by it, such person would try to fight back but at the sight of the rider, fell completely silent.

The girl was young, perhaps in her early twenties. Her long black hair tied in a ponytail cascaded down her shoulders, reaching more or less halfway down her back. Blue eyes, lost in thought and looking out from beyond silver-framed glasses, were fixated somewhere far away. She appeared to be trying to avoid the strange looks of the wizards and witches surrounding her.

She wore a sapphire, silky coat embroidered with silvery half-moons, while an equally rich, navy-blue cape covered a part of the horse’s backside, falling lightly from her shoulders. Under the coat, she wore a black turtle-neck and dark trousers. Against the black background of the turtle-neck a silver necklace in the shape of a half-moon with a star shined in the afternoon sun.

The horse she was riding was huge and heavy – by the look of it, it must have been some seventeen hands. Its well-groomed jet-black hide gave off a healthy shine, while a long marking on the head and the fluffy feathers of its feet dazzled with their whiteness. A long, black mane fell richly to the side of a powerful neck and fell up and down on the wind.

At the sight of the silver bridle adorned with blue crystals and silver reins and saddle the witch selling fireworks held one for too long – it exploded with a bang right in her face, dirtying her all black. The girl on the horse turned her eyes towards her when the children near the stall began screaming at the noise. Seeing that the saleswitch was unharmed, they burst out into a roar of laughter. Above the witch’s soiled face there hung a tablet which read: Charm Alley, the words fitted between two stars on each side.

A smile appeared for a short while on the face of the rider.

In one place, the cobbled road began rising up. The great horse seemingly without any effort made its way to the top of the hill and with its rider passed a friendly-looking pub by the name of Little House on the Hill. Beyond the rising the road stooped down and from the top one could clearly see a picturesque square with a fountain in the middle. The square, together with its benches, trees and surrounding houses reminded one of an old, beautiful town market.

The girl stopped her horse and took out a silver pocket watch. The shiny chain rattled lightly when she withdrew it from her pocket. She always liked such antiquities and that watch had at least a whole century behind it – it was a priceless heirloom from one of her ancestors who had bought it during one of his frequent visits to the Victorian London. Having given its face a glance, she hurried the animal, and the next moment trotted already towards the square.

At the centre of the square paved with greyish slabs of stone, stood a beautiful fountain in the form of a rearing winged unicorn. Water flowed pleasantly from the tip of his horn and landed in the oval pond underneath with a splash. The girl mused at the alabaster unicorn’s ruffled mane for a moment, then after checking the time again ordered the horse to a halt.

Pegasus Square – as it had been called for years – was the central point of Hexville. It was here that everything related to its public life began and ended. Some of the older inhabitants of the town claimed even that it was here that a settlement which later on evolved into a town had originally been built. Nobody, however, knew where its name really came from. For although the square was that of a ‘pegasus’, it was unclear what occurred first – whether the unicorn had its wings attached or the pegasus given a spiral horn. But the fact of the statue being a mixture of the two remained and the square was still Pegasus Square and no-one seemed too bothered by it.

That afternoon only a few people were sitting on the benches. Ever since they heard the clatter of horseshoes, their eyes were fixated at the figure of the girl. They were looking at her as if she was about to burn the place down. The passers-by seemed to be glancing at her discretely as well, but it appeared she didn’t make much of it, intently gazing into the blue sky filled with fluffy sheep-like clouds. The clock hanging from one of the lanterns showed three o’clock sharp.

Suddenly, one of the women raised her voice, mumbling something about a  monster and pointed at a place somewhere in the air. Others also looked up in anxiety. The girl took notice of that and lifted her head up, blocking the sun with her hand. Unlike the people surrounding her, a wide grin appeared on her face.

In a space between the clouds there appeared a small dark dot that drew closer and closer, very fast. When it neared the ground the people scampered from the middle of the square, leaving it empty. Above their heads sounded a powerful roar. Soaring above the square, a great reptile was lowering its flight. It circled it like a vulture to finally hit the ground with its hind legs. A cloud of dust rose into the air at the impact and because of the waves of air beaten against the surface by the creature’s filmy wings.

At first sight it reminded one of a small dragon. This, however, was deceptive, for the creature was a wyvern – a species similar, yet totally distinct from dragons. Its great, beautiful wings were not growing out of its ribs – like they did in case of dragons – but were part of their front limbs, like the wings of a bat. From the middle of its body, its legs were covered with white feathers, eagle-like talons shining at its feet. The beast swiped the surrounding air energetically with its scorpion-like sting-topped tail. Along the spine, from the tip of its reptile head to the sting on the tail grew cone-like spikes. The creature’s body was covered with small, dark-golden scales. Ruby eyes cautiously observed the brand-new surroundings.

The reptile lowered its wings and propped itself on bent front limbs. In a specially attached seat on its back there sat a bright-haired girl. In the light of the afternoon sun her white-golden robes sparkled and fluttered lightly in the wind. Long, braided hair fell down her back in a golden plait.

A smile on her face, the dark-haired girl dismounted from her horse and started walking towards the wyvern. The girl with pale-golden robes sitting in its saddle was searching the square with her eyes until she saw the incoming person. A smile appeared on her face as well and a moment later she too was on the ground.

“Alex!” she exclaimed gleefully, opening her arms in a greeting.

Yes. The girl in the sapphire coat was Alex Arian and she belonged to one of the most distinguished orders of the magical world – the Order of the Half-Moon Servants. And in addition, she was the daughter of its superior, the Highest Priest.

“How good to see you again, Justine!” Alex replied when they fell into each other’s arms.

The crowd that had already gathered by that time on the square was distrustfully eyeing the wyvern clawing at the ground and at two friends greeting each other. When the two girls finally finished their hug, Justine looked around at the old buildings around the square and sighed.

“So nice to see Pegasus Square again! I haven’t visited these parts for so long…”

Alex threw a fleeting glance at the golden reptile next to them.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect you’d fly here on a wyvern,” she said as she approached it. She looked at it closely and then gasped. “Is this Rene?”

“In person,” Justine replied and stroked the creature’s neck. “How’d you know?”

“I read a lot about wyverns in the past. Rene’s supposed to be the only one with such beautiful ruby eyes remaining,” Alex said, admiring the creature before her. “Wow, he must be very old.”

“Yeah, he is. But he’s still in quite a good shape,” replied Justine. “My grandfather told me to take him because Derek became indisposed…”

Derek was the name of Justine’s favourite, and only, Pegasus.

“What’s wrong with him?” Alex became worried. Although she never had had a chance to meet the famous Pegasus, from Justine’s stories she knew quite a lot about him and, in a way, liked him. Pegasi always amazed people, regardless of the circumstances in which one would come to see them. Just like unicorns.

“Funny thing, I don’t even know! I had to depart early to make it in time. I hope it’s nothing bad though and that he’ll come round quickly. Flying a wyvern is very… specific.”

About that Alex knew something, in a way. When she was small, her father would sometimes allow her to ride on the back of vaimares.

“I don’t think the people here are used to them, too,” Justine said, glancing at the townsfolk that were suspiciously eyeing her. Weird, she thought, they never behaved like this. Was it because of the wyvern?

Alex was still examining the long-forgotten reptile up close. In spite of the crudeness of its features, the wyvern was still a truly amazing creature.

“But let’s not talk about my Pegasus, Alex!” Justine waved her hand. “There are so many interesting things that require discussing. Tell me what’s up with you! Anything new in the Silver City? And then I’ll tell you the news from the Parisian jungle.

“Let’s do it along the way. Father asked that we reach the castle before sunset and it’s a long way from here to Silver City.”

“But of course. Is there something special happening in the castle?” Justine smiled slyly. She simply loved parties. Especially the ones thrown specifically for her.

“Naturally. Well, like every time an honourable guest like a Star Prophet pays us a visit.”

“Ah, you’re flattering me.”

Alex took a look around the square and whistled, raising her hand. The shire horse drinking water from the other side of the fountain raised its head and walked up to its owner.

“Hessan, meet the granddaughter of the Great Superior of the Order of the Star Prophets, and my friend – Justine Maud Artois,” Alex said and her words sounded as momentous as if she was introducing Justine to the Queen herself. Yet it was but her faithful steed, Hessan.

Justine suppressed a wave of laughter with difficulty, while Hessan bent one knee and bowed before the visitor.

“I see he’s quite smart,” observed Justine.

“That’s the fruit of our Equuologists’ hard work. Thanks to their research, our horses are very smart and can understand nearly everything you tell them.”

Hearing this, Hessan rose and held his head high as a sign of pride.

“Equuologists?” Justine had heard such a term for the first time, even though she had heard many bizarre terms before in her life.

“Horse experts,” Alex explained. “Well then, meet my friend, exceptional steed, faithful servant and animal brother, the offspring of stallion Black Lightning and mare White Blaze – Hessan II Whitepatch.

“I feel honoured,” Justine bowed, a little in jest, reciprocating the horse’s previous gesture. The girls laughed and didn’t take any notice of the people around making weird faces at the sight of someone bowing before a horse. “He’s really pretty, I’ve got to give him that. And huge!” she added. “I didn’t know you had a horse of your own, though,” she looked suspiciously at Alex.

“I got him as a birthday present from my father two years ago after passing the Exam of the Second Faculty.”

Having said that, Alex mounted up and Justine climbed on top of the wyvern’s saddle. She rode off a little and observed as her friend spoke to the great reptile for a moment. Apparently, the creature understood her instructions, because a while later, shaking its head like a real dragon would, began making its way towards the horse in front, using its forelegs like a bat to move on the ground. Just like a bat also, it looked a lot more clumsy on the ground than in the air.

The two characters, very distinct in their looks from the townsfolk, made their way back towards the hill. Justine observed the surroundings with curiosity. When they finally reached the top, she turned her head and opened her mouth in happiness.

“Little House on the Hill! We haven’t been there for so long, Alex! Do they even remember us still?”

Justine and Alex had known each other for seven years. They met for the first time when the first ever delegation of the Star Prophets arrived in the Silver City after the end of a war that lasted almost half a century. Justine had at that time arrived with her grandfather and befriended the daughter of the Highest Priest immediately. She had been visiting the Silver City frequently until she had begun running out of time because of her studies. Then her visits had become limited to vacations and winter holidays. When Alex was still studying at the Lunar University, they both frequently came to Hexville and sat for long enough hours in the Little House on the Hill that the service already remembered them well.

“I bet they do. Though recently I prefer to spend my time in the Half-Moon Inn in Silver City. Especially recently…” Alex lowered her voice.

“Why’s that?” Justine asked, surprised. Unfortunately, she didn’t get an answer. Strange.

They rode into the crowd of pedestrians. People fled from where the horse and the wyvern were walking. Justine noticed the weird expressions on their faces at once. Frowning, she asked:

“What’s up with them?”

“Who?”

“These people!” she exclaimed with irritation. “Why are they looking at us like we were some kind of terrorists?”

“Because they think of us as such. At least of us,” Alex replied.

“What…?”

“Forgive me, but I prefer to not talk about it here. I’ll explain everything to you later.”

She took a look around the townsfolk.

“See, this isn’t the best place to be explaining such things…”

Justine couldn’t understand a thing of this. Terrorists? She looked at Alex who was riding beside her with a little annoyed expression, but in the end she accepted her friend’s decision. They didn’t speak much more until they found themselves beyond the metal gate with the name of the main trade alley of Hexville engraved on it. They took a turn left. The street perpendicular to Charm Alley was considerably quieter, with only occasional groups of wizards passing by. The withering greenery gave the street a miserable look. Justine could but imagine how beautiful it must have looked during springtime.

“Can you finally tell me what’s going on?” Justine asked when another group of staring youngsters passed them.

“Later,” was Alex’s short reply, but she felt forced to add something more seeing Justine’s dissatisfied expression. “I will tell you, just later. Don’t get so angry with me.”

“I’m not, but you were supposed to tell me after we left Charm Alley.”

“Yes, because I thought it’d be emptier here.”

“If you ask me, it is quite empty here.”

“I’ll explain everything to you once we’re on the path to the Great Gate. Until then, please don’t ask me about it anymore,” Alex cut the discussion short.

Justine was intrigued by her friend suddenly hiding something from her. Even more so that this something seemed to be relevant to the Order of the Half-Moon Servants and, judging from the faces of the townsfolk, rather unpleasant for them. Curiosity, and impatience at the same time, began rising inside her. Alex would usually never hide any public affairs of the Order before her. Perhaps then it was something else?

In silence they stopped in front of the gate of a spacious park.

“We’re riding through the park?”

“Exactly.”

“May I know why?” Justine always liked to know everything beforehand. She claimed that knowing everything inside-out had never before caused her trouble.

“Because that’s where our destination is from where we’ll get to the Land of the Half-moon,” Alex answered in a bored voice and rode off before Justine had a chance to ask about anything else.

She rode into the autumn-ruled park, leaving her companion behind with a surprised face. Bare trees, warmed by the afternoon sun, cast gnarled shadows on the greyish pavement. After a moment, Justine too had passed the gate and followed behind the black horse and its mistress. The park was very spacious and exceptionally… deserted. Justine looked around, but there was not a soul anywhere in spite of good weather.

“Is this place always so empty?”

“No. It’s because most of the people are probably on Charm Alley and are heading for Pegasus Square. I think there’s some kind of festival to be held there or something…”

Alex finally said something that wasn’t a refusal to answer, which somehow cheered Justine up. The clatter of the wyvern’s talons and the steady pace of the shire horse were the only thing that sounded in the park’s emptiness. Inevitably, autumn was giving its signs – golden and orange leaves were falling from the branches of those trees that were not yet bare and were landing softly on the withered grass. Combined with its emptiness, the park felt very grim.

They reached a round, moderately-sized square with a tree planted in the middle, empty benches places all around it. With no other path connected to it, it looked like a dead end. Behind the tree there was some free space and that’s where Alex stopped her horse, Justine next to her.

Alex positioned her horse so that she was approximately within an arm’s reach of her friend. Seeing Justine’s curious look, she reached into her coat’s pocket. She took out a tiny emerald sphere with some glittering particles inside. Perhaps they were little bubbles of air, floating in whatever substance that surrounded them. Although the sphere’s surface seemed made of  glass, or crystal, its inside appeared fluid or even volatile – the particles were moving all the time at a steady pace, unlike those in regular glass balls that would drop down once the ball stopped moving. Their movement was mesmerizing, making one almost unable to turn their eyes away from the emerald abyss.

Alex stretched out her hand towards Justine.

“What’s that?” Justine asked at the sight of the sparkly sphere.

“One of the newest inventions of our enchanters. They named it the Returner. The way it works is pretty simple – it makes use of teleportation, basically.”

An inarticulate expression of acknowledgement came from Justine’s mouth.

“Thanks to this its owners are able to travel pretty much wherever they want to, in the ordinary and magical world alike.”

“Pretty clever,” nodded her head Justine. “Especially in the case of your little, hidden in the far, wild reaches world… So how does it work?”

“To reach the Land of the Half-moon you also have to know a special formula, known only to members of the Order. Alright, in order for us all to be transported, you need to put your hand on it, like this.”

Justine put her hand on the crystal ball obediently, curious what would happen next since never before had she travelled with the use of such a gadget.

“Now, prepare for a small flight.”

Alex focused her eyes on the ball and murmured a verse in a language Justine couldn’t understand nor identify. Inside what she had called the Returner appeared a single tiny spark and then all the bubble-like spheres began to glow and started swirling faster and faster, losing shape and blurring into a single cloud. At first they looked like snowflakes during a blizzard caught inside the sphere. Then in the centre appeared a vividly green light, swelling like a cloud of fog, or smoke. Then the fog parted and from within it came a view of a tall, gothic castle standing on top of a green hill. Justine drew back her hand quickly and the sphere rose from Alex’s hand like a bubble into the air. She felt a pleasant heat first only in the tip of her fingers, then around her whole hand, seemingly coming from inside the sphere. With a tingling sensation, it crawled up from her fingers to her wrist and then rapidly quickened, enveloping her whole arm and finally the rest of  her body. The landscape around blurred and pale-blue sparks surrounded the wyvern and the horse along with the two girls riding on their backs. The sparks swirled and swirled, faster and faster, as if they were transported to within the Returner, making Justine feel dizzy. She could hardly do anything about the wyvern bolting nervously under her. The light which the sparks were giving off shone brighter still and just when Justine started feeling nausea coming over her and shut her eyes tight, they flashed and the next moment suddenly went out. Gasping for breath as though she was extremely tired, she opened her eyes again.

They were standing on a pretty large islet covered by a thick forest. In its middle there was a shade and only through the spaces between the treetops of the pine trees shone rays of the setting sun. Just beyond the tree-line soft waves stirred the waters of a peaceful lake, the sunshine dancing on its surface, creating an impression of numerous jewels having been thrown into its depths.

“So here we are,” Alex announced, shoving off the last of the lingering sparks from her shoulders.

Justine took a look around. In a space between the trees above she could see a high mountain hill, all covered with a lush forest.

“I don’t remember this place…”

“I wouldn’t remember it either if I arrived straight at the castle gates on the Superior’s Pegasus each time I visited,” Alex said in jest. “It’s high time you got to know a little of the Land of the Half-moon. Welcome, Justine, to, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful places in all of Scotland.”

All around them reigned silence, broken only by the occasional sound of birds or the whisper of the wind in the trees.

“I wouldn’t be able to live here for more than a few months,” Justine passed judgement. “Maybe because I got too used to the lavish aristocratic life in France…”

“Possibly. Well, anyway, our Order had made this land their home.”

Alex glanced at her watch.

“And you will have your chance to act all-aristocratic pretty soon. Let’s go, we need to cross onto the other side. Follow me.”

“So, will you finally explain everything to me on the way?”

“Yes… I will,” Alex sighed, looking towards the mountains stretching before them.

The islet narrowed so that they now had to ride one after the other. They made their way across in a place which Alex deemed suitable. They rode through the forest, but still they could see the lake from between the trees. Having looked around the scenery for a while, Justine eventually turned to Alex:

“So what’s up with all that back there?”

“It’s a long story,” Alex sighed again. “It reaches back to one fateful day sixteen years ago. That’s when it all began.”

She went on to tell Justine of the fatal winter’s night, of the delegation, the murder, her father, everything.

“I was four back then. And ever since I’ve had no mother…” she added at the end with sorrow.

“You… You never told me about this… Forgive me.” Justine was saddened. “But what does this all have to do with what I asked you about?”

“Everything, Justine – everything,” Alex continued. “On that night everything began. My father, already the Superior, proclaimed war against all werewolves. Ever since that time he’s been tracking down both singular lycanthropes as well as whole groups of them. Everyone who he regards as suspicious. The wizard community has grown to call him a madman. For the goal of a Half-Moon Servant is to study werewolfism and lunar science, not to eradicate them! Even other members of the Order are rebelling against what he’s doing, but without the judgement of the highest member of the Order’s Sage Council nothing can be done specifically. And Master Lunarius remains as silent as a grave.” Alex paused for a while. “I have to tell you, a very difficult time has come for us. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but we’ve already been named the ‘exterminator of lycanthropes’ and my father has secretly been dubbed ‘Wolfsbane Arian’. But what infuriated him the most was when people started referring to us as ‘night-walkers’ – that’s the common way the people of Hexville refer to the werewolves of the Horde. Mention that to him and you’ll probably end up on his black list for the rest of your life – in the best case scenario, that is.”

“The Horde? And what the hell is that? I’ve never heard anything about it,” Justine broke in.

“Oh, forgive me, I keep forgetting not everything that is of concern to us actually gets outside into the wide world. The Horde is the largest organized pack living outside of the Order, which my father could never and can’t to this day track down. The rumour has it that their hideout is situated somewhere in Hexville, but nobody knows anything of value. There’s no point deceiving ourselves, Justine – our image in the eyes of others has worsened drastically in spite of my father being an excellent leader and Superior. The people are so much afraid of us after a few Hunters captured a good and respected man who in reality turned out to be a werewolf. Have I ever told you of the Hunters?”

Justine shook her head in response.

“The Hunters are a group of specially trained people under direct supervision of the Superior. Twelve experts in the field of lycanthropy, hunting werewolves. Extremely clever and deadly effective. Once upon a time my father even offered me a place among them. Funny, isn’t it? Obviously, I refused.”

In Justine’s eyes there appeared a spark of anxiety. She had always thought that the Half-Moon Servants were one of the most orderly and peaceful communities in the magical world. After what she had just heard from Alex this whole vision crumbled into ruin and Justine realized that this situation hadn’t lasted for a week or two – but for a whole sixteen years!

“A public execution didn’t act in our favour, too, you know,” Alex continued. “All the magical newspapers were raving about it for the whole last week! The folk back there probably thought I was sent to spy on them by my father or even that I came for one of their friends or relatives, that I am a Hunter. That I support what he does…”

Justine had been in Scotland for the last time four years before, tagging along with her grandfather, the Supieror of the Order of the Star Prophets. Herself and Alex had been always writing to each other on a regular basis, but in none of those letters had there been any mention about a war of this kind. On second thoughts, she wasn’t surprised that Alex hadn’t mentioned any of this. She must have been devastated by what was happening.

Alex had always loved magic and loved to study the secrets of lycanthropy. Justine could only imagine how difficult it must have been for her to bear all of this alone, what must have been happening within the Order, especially that the centre of this terrible storm was none other than her own father.

“And I don’t support what he’s doing. Hunting down and eradicating werewolfism is the contradiction of our nature, of everything that we stand for as an Order. It’s as if people have forgotten why we are here for, it’s like trying to root out what is inherent to us…”

A gurgling growl came from Rene’s throat. Justine didn’t feel like asking about anything else for now. She became very much saddened by what she had heard and it had to take her a while for it all to sink in. They both stayed silent for quite a long while.

The two girls rode out into a wide forest path that lead them onto a high hill. Their eyes were met by a beautiful landscape – the path they were following, surrounded on both sides by lush wild ferns, cut intbetween the trees that covered nearly all slopes and hills they could see. The mountainous terrain seemed unchanged by humans and full of wild nature, the primordial beauty that is more and more rarely found in areas touched by humanity.

The path they were following lead along the edge of a large mountain lake, biting into the foliage and the green hills that separated it from the water. It disappeared somewhere on the edges of another forest that covered the slopes of the hills; it was also where the loch had its end. A bit further beyond was a gently sloping valley surrounded by a chain of dark mountaintops.

In the valley, some distance from the lake, encircled by mountains, stood a great and majestic gothic castle, dozens of towers of various size adorning it, rising above the thick forest that seemed surreal to Justine at first glance. The light and soft stone once used to build it gave it a magical and a little fairy-tale-like look, the impression strengthened by numerous bizarre lights which the castle sparkled with in the evening sunlight, as if the whole structure was some kind of jewel. In fact, the dancing colourful lights were caused by the light being reflected by a great number of sapphires that adorned the castle walls, whose shining light was almost hypnotic if stared at for a longer time.

It was an illusion which the castle was able to produce. The Half-Moon Servants knew that like a giant being the castle had the ability to draw people towards it like a single glistening jewel in the eyes of a captivated magpie. But it could also be terrifying, like a sorcerer’s keep, grim and menacing, with towers spiky like poisonous thorns. The enchantment which lived within the castle walls was of great power and it was not known if the wizards themselves had full control over it.

Beneath the towering silhouette of the castle, beneath the soft light stone and dark rooftops, lay a great city surrounded by a strong wall with a large entry gate visible from afar. It was the city’s image Justine had seen in the Returner. Autumn, in its full sway, had covered the slopes with gold and orange that beautifully contrasted with the bright countenance of the Silver Castle.

“It is said that the look of the Land of the Half-Moon is dictated by the seasons,” Alex spoke finally. She gave Justine a quick look. “Don’t be bothered by what I told you earlier. You surely have enough of your own troubles and I’m sure we can handle our own just as well,” she said, but there was not much confidence in her voice.

“Tell that to the werewolves,” Justine answered with irony.

“The crisis will pass, I’ll tell you that. I can feel it won’t be long now. It’s all gone too far to last. Let’s not speak of it any further.”

Justine frowned.

“You know what? Although I come here every few years, although we’ve known each other for a while, however, I feel that I still don’t know anything about you and this place,” she said with resignation. “You guard your secrets well.”

“That’s our nature,” Alex replied. “We have many secrets, so being enigmatic and being good at keeping those secrets is a must.”

“Oh, you can’t have more of them than the Star Prophets,” Justine retorted half-seriously and half in jest, with a hint of pride in her voice.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Alex smiled. It seemed she returned to being in good spirits once again.

Justine smiled back at her friend. Having once again entered the forest, they made their way towards the castle as they still had a long ride before them. They began talking about other topics – they discussed various other events in both orders, they spoke of what had been happening in Hexville during Justine’s absence and of similar matters. They finally laughed and jested like good friends that had not seen each other in a long time should.

Alex took a look at her watch and stated that they were taking their time more than they should and since the clock wasn’t standing still she would be in trouble if they didn’t pick up the pace. Justine did not take this information passively.

“Come on now! It can’t be that bad. You’re escorting a guest –”

“And a very important one at that,” Alex broke in.

“Which is all the more reason for me to have my way. I can delay my arrival if I deem it necessary.”

“Alright. But remember that it will be you who will be explaining yourself to the Superior – not me.”

“I’ll think of something, don’t you worry.”

The sun had slowly begun to fall towards the west, so Alex and Justine hastened their ride. Rays of sunlight tore their way through the branches of trees, creating all sorts of distorted patterns on the ground and yet still most of the area was covered in shadows due to the thickness of the surrounding foliage. The road went on and on and the Great Wolf Gate had long since disappeared from their sight. Eventually, they came to a crossroads. A second, narrower path protruded from the main road and led right. The shadows of the forest were already so thick that only the beginning of the path was clearly visible. They were nearing the city.

With a breeze of the evening wind, it seemed as though the trees were communicating with each other with the rustle of branches. If listened to closely, the sounds produced among the treetops could almost be put together into words of some unknown language, a phenomenon that evoked anxiety in the hearts of many visitors.

“Where are we? Alex?”

Justine looked around nervously. The jet-black hide of the shire horse and Alex’s dark coat had almost melted into the darkness of the forest and if it wasn’t for the snow-white feathers on the horse’s pasterns Justine would have thought she had lost sight of her friend. She must not have noticed Justine stopping and rode off a small distance from her friend.

“Calm down,” Alex said, turning to face the disoriented Justine. “It’s just the trees. If you listen to them closely enough, maybe you’ll hear what they’re saying about you. They must be debating about the visitor from beyond the valley.”

“I beg your pardon?” Justine seemed even more confused and anxious than a moment before.

“The Dark Forest has always drank from the magic of the land – they say it grew here after the castle had been built. Ordinary people do not see it, nor do they see us and the whole Land of the Half-Moon. To them, this is a barren mountainous land.”

“You can understand what they’re saying?” Justine asked, looking around at the moving branches. The Dark Forest was made up of various species of trees, not only the most commonplace pines.

“No, I can’t, but my mother could. When I was still small she would often bring me here and showed me to old trees, or so I heard from father. I don’t remember much of it myself, but even though the memories of those days are blurred, I sometimes remember single words she taught me to distinguish,” she answered and closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on the sounds made by the forest. “See, now, for instance, they were speaking of your heart…”

“Let’s ride from this place, Alex. Where does this road to the right lead?”

“To the Old Stables. It used to be the place where wyverns lived and was supposedly built for that purpose alone. Later on, when the wyverns were no more, the horses were moved there. After that, new stables were erected in a meadow on the eastern side of the Silver Castle and that’s where our horses live now. The Old Stables serves as home for vaimares now,” explained Alex when they resumed their ride.

“I simply can’t wait to see a vaimare again!” she exclaimed with glee.

Somewhere inbetween the trees the entrance to the city glistened with silvery reflections. Alex pointed into that direction.

“See those two tall, statue-like silhouettes there on either side of the Wolf Gate? Between the trees, on the hill. Those are the vaimares which serve as guardians this year.”

Justine did her best to make out the shapes Alex was speaking of.

“Indeed! I can see them! It’s Silver City already. How’s that? We’re not late.”

“Yes, but we’re supposed to get to the Silver Castle, not the City, which means we still have to ride through the settlement and a part of the forest dividing the castle from the city. It’s still a long way to go.”

Justine’s spirits sank a little as she frowned. While they approached the city walls along the rising road, she took up another subject.

“You said these two vaimares were guarding the gates this year. That means you’ve changed something. I remember that the last time I visited one pair served for only a quarter of a year if I remember correctly?”

“Indeed, it was decided that this be changed. Too much preparation and work was needed to change the guard every quarter. Now the vaimare guard changes once a year and the ceremony is very exquisite. It’s a kind of holiday for us – our counterpart of your New Year’s Eve, you could say,” Alex replied. “The guard changes on the last day of the year, there’s great celebrations accompanying it both in the city and the castle. You should stay to see it, Justine.”

“I just might. Knowing you, it must be beautiful to watch,” Justine admitted.

A few minutes later they rode up close enough to freely admire the majestic guardians. Both vaimares were huge creatures – sitting in an upright position, from their cobalt claws to top of their heads they must have measured some twelve feet. By appearance, they reminded of giant, a little grotesque, wolves. Dark fur covering the heads lightened in places by white patches fell down onto their white breasts in the form of a fuzzy lion-like mane. The rest of the body was covered by light-grey fur, mixed with white patches here and there towards the limbs. Sharp fangs protruded from long canine snouts. The creatures stared into the distance, motionless. Only their eyes moved every once in a while from one point in their surroundings to another as they watched out for anything approaching the gates.

This time, Alex and Justine became such points. Noticing them, the vaimares roared hoarsely, their voices echoing against the city walls. With a violent rustle they outstretched their great wings, effectively blocking the passage. Delicate brown scales and the light membrane glistened in the last evening light. Dragon roots.

In the window above the gate there appeared a man – clad in light armour that shone with silver, with a navy-blue cape over it. Seeing the riders, he bowed gracefully and having turned around, yelled:

“The daughter of the Highest Priest and the Star Prophet! Open the gates!”

At the sound of these words, the vaimares immediately folded their wings, revealing a massive gate of silvery steel engraved with a great wolf head in the middle where the two doors parted, a menacingly snarling wolf with rubies for its eyes. A moment later the Wolf Gate opened, exposing a beautifully arranged city with architecture so mediaeval as if it was the only place on earth where time had stood still for centuries.

Passing the vaimares, Justine noticed that despite great similarity the two creatures were distinct from each other. The giant standing on her right side had a stripe of thick white fur on its head, stretching from the forehead to the muscles of the wings, and its nose was light-pink, thus distinguishable from afar. The vaimare on the other side had a wholly black head and his nose was also of dark colour.

The girls passed two statuettes in the shape of wyverns, standing on each side inside the gate, with small tablets fastened to the stone, which read: In memory, 1959, and subsequently entered the Silver City. The rode along the main road and the light, soft stone which all the buildings were made of was in Justine’s mind reason enough for it to be called the way it was. In spite of the mediaeval feel, it was apparent that time in fact hadn’t stopped flowing in this place. Slim, Victorian-like street lamps ran along the main road, soon to be lit when the dark of the night fell. The numerous  inns, bookstores, shops, pubs and even some of the houses they passed on their way were adorned with silver motifs. Raising her eyes, Justine saw the Castle Hill, covered thickly by the forest. The Silver Castle, the main headquarters of the Order of the Half-Moon Servants, dominated above the Silver City and the surrounding valley.

The remaining inhabitants of the city were slowly heading back to their homes to prepare for slumber. The adults were whispering among themselves with amazement at the sight of a creature long-forgotten in the city – the wyvern René. Children, however, stopped and stared at the magnificent reptile in awe, shouting with excitement.

“Look at the dragon!”

“It’s not a dragon, stupid! It’s a wyvern!”

“Unbelievable! I thought wyverns died out a long time ago!” said a girl older than her friends.

Hearing the children quarrel, Alex gave Justine a look and smiled. She then addressed the passersby:

“Behold! Before your very eyes, a living history! This here wyvern is the last of our famous reptiles, passed in the year 1958 as a gift of good will to the Order of the Star Prophets. Look upon him and learn, for this is the famous and aged wyvern René.”

The group of children fell silent and then gasped in awe. They stood there for a long time, escorting the wyvern with their curious eyes. They scattered only when the girls were out of sight. Alex and Justine kept following the main road, passing narrow streets, most of them already empty.

“Something tells me we won’t make it before nightfall,” Alex frowned. “If only I could…” she began, but suddenly noticed something that didn’t let her finish.

Against the background of the darkening sky there appeared a white dot which looked like a ghost circling above the rooftops of houses. The dot lowered its flight and soon was revealed to be a barn owl that after circling above the girls’ heads landed softly on Alex’s outstretched hand.

“Now, haven’t you fallen from the sky when I needed you!” Alex exclaimed happily, petting the owl on its white, but tinted with golden brown, head. “Has my father sent you to check up on us?” she asked.

The owl hooted softly as confirmation.

“Cute little owl,” Justine interrupted. “Yours?”

“Yeah,” Alex smiled. “His name’s Snowdon. I got him as a gift only last year.”

Justine thought that it was a bit silly to name one’s pet owl after the highest mountain in the nearby Wales – she would never name an owl Mont Blanc… But it also had a certain charm to it, she admitted to herself.

The owl put forth one of its legs, to which was fastened a piece of parchment and a fluffy dark-blue quill. Alex unfastened them, dismounted from her horse and pressed the parchment against the side of the saddle in order to write her message.

“This’ll have to do,” she commented and read the message aloud.

To those who are awaiting our arrival,

I have successfully intercepted Justine from Pegasus Square. Our journey has been pleasant, we are currently approaching the latter part of the Dark Forest. We do not require any further escort. We should arrive at the castle gates shortly. One thing, however: Justine was unexpectedly forced to travel to her destination on the wyvern René. I would ask that appropriate preparations be made to house him in the Old Stables during her stay.

See you in the castle,

Alex

“Take this to my father,” she commanded Snowdon, attaching the folded parchment back to his leg. The owl hooted with joy and shortly after set flight towards the castle. “That’s one thing less to worry about. Let’s go.”

“I wanted to ask you about something, but that owl of yours made me forget somehow…”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll remember. We’ve still got time.”

They rode off, the sun’s last rays disappearing behind the horizon.


2003-2005