The Quest for Normania #1: The Door of Andrios

5. The Lost Eurin

The day after their rather abrupt arrival in the Viseral Palace of Silone, Norin sighed as he closed the fiftieth book in the royal library.

It was already noon, as was evidenced from the sunlight filtering in through the window, and they still hadn't even come close to finding out where the Door of Andrios was located.

"Are you sure that's how she left?" asked Mithra irritably, as she used her magic to seek out the books they wanted. "The Door of Andrios is mythical. No one really knows if it exists."

Norin nodded thoughtfully. "According to my seekers I sent out last night, the eurin of Sofia hasn't been anywhere out of this kingdom. Not for more than a kilometre, I'd daresay."

"Well then, don't you think we should start canvassing within the kingdom boundary?"

He shook his head. "It's going to take a long time to scour through twelve thousand acres for a girl we may or may not recognise."

"Well, she's the eurin – surely, somebody must've seen her."

Norin pursed his lips, trying not to badmouth in front of a girl. "Can you hear yourself, Surita? If somebody found her, we wouldn't have to be here!"

Mithra realised what he meant. "Oh right," she murmured quietly. "Carry on. Oh – I say! Where did you send your seekers?"

"To the other countries across Ahala. Why?"

"Why don't you send them within Silone? Then, we can be sure of where she went!"

Mithra's rare show of intelligence was a delight for Norin. He grinned. "Thanks. Yes, that makes sense. Let's go!"

He walked towards one of the great windows of the library as she dug into his pockets for his seekers. He took out two – one from each – and set them on the window sill; they were the size of his thumb. His friend joined him at the window. He bent forward and commanded in gentle tones, "Search for the girl we seek – Ayesha Sinhala, Eurin un Regnum, Sofia Dynasty, Silone."

The seekers turned around and flew away. Norin pursed his lips.

"And now," he declared, "we get back to finding out more about this Door of Andrios."

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In just a few minutes after they resumed their search in the royal library, a maid had arrived to announce that lunch was ready.

After having their fill, they respectfully took their leave from Eura Ansari, but he insisted on coming along and help if necessary. Norin and Mithra didn't think it'd be a hurdle.

Eura Ansari still looked harassed, but a lot more confident than he had the previous day. The young mages hoped it was a good sign.

Just as the sun began to set, the two little seekers arrived back at the library and sat in front of their master at his side of the long table. He patted them gently on their insectile heads.

"Good seekers, you came back – though a little later than we expected." Norin closed his eyes and placed his hand on the metallic seekers, covering both at once. With his magic, he willed them to show what they had seen.

The two little seekers had chosen to go in two directions at a time. At first, when one went North, the other went South. They didn't any traces of Eurin Ayesha. They came back, exchanged reports, and went East and West.

The seeker that went West had no luck at all, but the one that went to the East suddenly felt a sensation and changed course to Northeast. It went on and on, until it arrived at a moor, partway in a high mountain.

Norin gasped and shifted his hand away from the seekers. His eyes were wide with fear and his chest rose up and down as his heart raced. At once, Mithra, sensing the sharp tug in her own chest, leaped to hold her friend's hand.

"It's all right, it's all right," she whispered quietly in his ear. "It's all right, it's all right, it's all right..."

Eura Ansari got to his feet, too, but he knew he had to be patient for the boy to gather his wits and be able to speak again. He was seated at the same table, but at the far end, desiring not to become a burden to the mages.

At long last, Norin took a deep breath, as instructed by Mithra, and let it out. He calmed enough to be able to speak again.

He turned to Eura Ansari. "Eura, I know exactly where your daughter went. Do you know the Silour Ranges in the Northeast of this kingdom?"

The older man slowly nodded his head. "Yes, I do, of course. No Man's Land, that one."

"Exactly. Now, as you know, there is some magic abound there, or so some sources say."

"Yes. What of it?" The eura still spoke slowly, a feeling of dread creeping up his spine, as if in his heart of hearts, he knew where this was leading.

Norin had recovered by now and squared his shoulders. "Eura Ansari, your daughter, the Eurin un Regnum, has found the legendary Door of Andrios. I don't believe she's in this world at all."

Ansari Sinhala had nothing to say except some words that sputtered unintelligibly from his mouth.

"Bu – Wh – H – Whe –"

"If I may, your majesty," Norin interrupted. "With your leave, Surita and I will arrive there at once to see it and gather intel. Will that be fine?"

The eura nodded helplessly. He had nothing to say. 'Does she really think we all hate her, so she had to risk her life to get away? Oh, Miva, what did I do? Where did I go wrong in raising her?' He sighed. 'Not that I did much of it – that evil-minded second eurana of mine –'

"We're waiting, your majesty," Mithra's voice cut through the cloud of his thoughts. He stared at the youngsters and nodded again. "Yes, yes, you have my leave. Just go and do what you need to do. But please, if you feel you need more reinforcements, do not hesitate to let me know – I'm more than willing to send in my entire force to get my daughter back." He choked back the tears that suddenly threatened to rise to the surface. "Then again, if she doesn't want to be found –"

"Eura!"

He looked up; it was Norin who had a shocked expression on his face.

The eura gave another sigh. "Sorry, child. It's just that – Well, I made some poor decisions, which is probably why she ran away. Was there anybody else with her, do you know?"

"She was alone," replied Norin confidently. "So, you let us leave to find this Door, won't you?"

"Of course, please go. And come back soon. It's night-time now and who know what's roaming outside to ambush you."