Theo wrapped his jacket tight around himself, trying not to shiver. Out on the open ledge, it was even colder than on the Blue Sky's deck, where the medusid's bell provided some shelter.
At least the Levia pulsing from the Star shard in his pocket warmed him up a little. He walked faster, hoping to get inside as soon as possible.
Though it might not be that easy. As their group approached the entrance, the two sages standing guard crossed their staves in front of it.
"Announce your name and business, skycraft crew," they declared as one.
To Theo's surprise, Cay stepped forward and lowered his head in a bow, hands clasped at his chest. "I am Dedicate Cayelci, here with the crew of Prince Darian of Miria."
The guards exchanged glances, then lowered their staves and returned Cay's bow. "We welcome you back to Mount Neym, Dedicate Cayelci."
Next they bowed to Darian, who looked taken aback. "Welcome, Prince Darian."
Darian blinked a few times before straightening with her usual haughty grace. "So you've heard of me even all the way out here."
"Of course they have, my liege." Guntar smugly puffed out his feathers. "Do you think your valiant efforts against the Infernal Legion have gone unnoticed?"
"What is your business with us, Prince?" asked the sage at the right, stoic as ever. Quite a far cry from the high-strung Cay. And unlike him, both sages had swept back the hair from their foreheads, revealing their diamond-shaped tattoos.
"We've come to seek information about the Star of Miriel," Darian said.
The sages reacted at that, their shoulders stiffening and hands tightening around their staves. "Where did you hear that name?" asked the one on the left.
"It's more than just hearing the name." When Darian nodded at Theo, he started.
Realizing what she wanted, he pulled the Star shard out of his pocket. Just like in the mess hall yesterday, everyone's eyes burned into him – and this time it wasn't just the crew, but the two sages as well.
The one on the right actually took half a step forward. "Is that…?" he breathed.
His companion nodded firmly at him. "There's no mistaking it." Facing the crew, he stated, "Very well. If you will follow us inside, we will bring you to the Elder."
Cay sucked in a sharp breath. His throat convulsed like he wanted to say something, but he bit his lip and shook his head.
Before Theo could wonder about it, the two sages had already swept inside. When Darian followed them through the entrance, Theo forced his legs to move as well.
It was all he could do not to sigh in relief once inside. While not exactly toasty, it was a lot more comfortable than out on the frigid ledge.
The guards exchanged posts with two other sages before entering the hallway beyond. Theo had to work to keep up with their long strides, but he still tried to get a look around. The hall was surprisingly high-ceilinged, and unlike the plain mountain exterior its walls were covered with intricate carvings. They passed by too quickly for him to make out much detail, but he thought he glimpsed falling feathers, cities floating amidst clouds.
He saw it all clear at day thanks to the globe-fish bobbing at the ceiling like a carpet of bubbles. Their light remained bright and strong even as the group went deeper into the mountain.
Judging by the flights of stairs they climbed, it seemed they were heading up too. On their way they encountered a few other sages, who exchanged quick greetings with the guards but otherwise didn't pay the strangers much attention. Some of the sages wore white robes, but others – the younger ones, it looked like – wore black. All of them bore the diamond on their forehead.
Sometimes they passed open doorways, though Theo only managed a quick peek into each one. Inside, he saw sages gathered at stone tables, seated on the floor in meditation, reading books and scrolls. Shouts and clatters rang in the distance, as if people were sparring too.
He didn't see anyone outright using their Levia, but there was no mistaking how the mountain's Levia deepened the further up they headed, pounding in his bones with an intensity that almost ached. In response, the Levia from the Star shard flared so hot he was kind of amazed it didn't burn a hole straight through his pocket.
But overwhelming as this mix of Levia might be, it gave him surprising strength. By the time the group finally stopped in front of a doorway covered by a plain woven curtain, he didn't feel tired at all in spite of the long trek.
One of their guides knocked on the edge of the doorway. "Excuse us, Elder Tabitt, but we have arrived with guests. Among them are Prince Darian and Dedicate Cayelci, and they carry with them a shard of the Star of Miriel."
The curtain flew open almost the instant he finished speaking. Out poked the head of an old woman, a huge smile dimpling her round face.
The smile grew even wider when her eyes landed on Cay. "Cay! Welcome back! Oh, how long has it been?"
Cay looked rather like he'd been hit in the face with a two-by-four. Meanwhile, a grinning Amaro swept in a bow. "Glad to see you're in good form, Elder."
"Amaro, too! Are Eulyn and Blue well?"
Amaro nodded, but Theo didn't miss how Cay's expression darkened.
Before things could get more awkward, Darian cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Elder…."
When the Elder faced her, something in her bearing subtly shifted; she seemed more serious, less like an indulging grandmother. As she lifted her chin, Theo got a good look at the diamond on her brow – similar to Cay's and the other sages, but filled in with intricate swirling lines.
"Prince Darian. I've heard many a tale about your adventures. I, Elder Tabitt, welcome you to the Sage Temple of Mount Neym."
With that, she lowered into the same bow Cay and the other sages had made, hands clasped at her chest. Darian returned the bow, as did Cay.
Just when Theo wondered if he should do the same, Elder Tabitt straightened and pulled aside the curtain. "Well, come on in, come on in. You caught me by surprise so I haven't the time to prepare any tea, unfortunately...and hm, it's quite a large group, I'm not sure if everyone will fit?"
The crew members exchanged glances among themselves. "That's fine," said an unperturbed Darian, taking charge as always. "Theo, Cay, Sir Zenith, Magistrate Guntar, Meg?"
Ryan looked like he was about to protest, but Sam came to the rescue by slapping a hand over his mouth. Relieved, Theo nodded at her. "Um, I'll tell you guys everything later?"
Sam flashed him a thumbs up. Meanwhile, Tabitt was addressing the guards. "Ver, Mersa, if you'd be so kind as to show our guests around?"
Ver and Mersa bowed before gesturing at the group and sweeping off down the hall. Theo quickly waved goodbye, then followed Tabitt inside.
The round, cozy room definitely could not have fit the entire crew. Aside from a low table and cushion on the floor, plus a few boxes for storage, it was plain and unadorned. Yet like the rest of the mountain, elaborate carvings decorated every inch of the walls and ceiling.
Elder Tabitt seated herself cross-legged on the cushion, robes pooling around her. When she smiled up at Theo, a jolt surged through his Levia. "So you are the one who bears the Star shard, young wizard?"
Theo nodded and pulled it out of his pocket. It might have been his imagination, but he felt like the stars inside it sparkled brighter than ever.
"I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do with it. Only that I have a mission to complete it," he said. "I was told the sages could help me."
"That depends, young wizard, on what you already know," Tabitt said. "What can you tell me about the Star of Miriel?"
"Uh…." Theo felt uncannily like he'd been tossed into a pop quiz he hadn't studied for. "I guess...it has the power to amplify Levia? My mom had a piece, and so did Oliver Enson...I don't know if that means anything to you, they're wizards. Um, aside from that I can't really say?"
It was sobering to realize just how little he knew. All he had to go on were guesses and the vague hints his dreams had given him.
"Oh?" Tabitt tilted her head. "What about its namesake?"
"Namesake?"
By now, Theo felt more than aware of Darian, Meg, and Guntar exchanging glances behind him, to say nothing of Cay's open disdain. Even Zenith was giving him a funny look.
"Well, I suppose as your teacher this is my miss," Meg said, scratching her head. "I'll admit it never occurred to me to tell you the full story of the Rending. It just never seemed relevant? And it's common knowledge among most wizards, so I may have simply forgotten you didn't know it."
"Okay, great," Theo said, more than a little exasperated now. "So can you tell me now?"
"There's plenty that we don't know either," Darian spoke up. "Like how exactly this star thing relates to Miriel in the first place."
"Of course, of course," Tabitt said, her eyes gleaming. "That's where the sages' knowledge comes in. You see, the Star of Miriel is the crystallized Levia of Miriel, the seraphim princess who defeated the Demon Prince and created the Fortresses."