The Map

As planned, we met in the library, Lucian and I, and Aestral, who I had earlier allowed to read the myth I had found. I had decided to tell her as well, but had refused to tell her in the falls.

By the time they arrived, I was carefully spreading out and smoothing the fragile map, once again noting the holes. What I thought had been holes made by insects and time, upon closer inspection, did indeed seem to have been placed there on purpose. And then I realized I recognized a constellation. Lucian had been right.

But as I continued to unroll it, I was quickly despaired. Part of the map was missing, along with the legend that ran along its bottom edge.

The map was far too delicate to be lifted above one’s head, especially outside where even a slight breeze would have probably crumbled it to bits. So while I explained to Aestral my predicament, and what the myth had to do with me, Lucian began a strange process of copying the map, warning both Aestral and I to step back until the liquid dried.

I began thinking out loud again, going back to the first passage I had found in Port Cos, the page that had Cos written in the corner. Could the amulet be there? I think we call came to the conclusion that perhaps the other half of the map could be found there, though Lucian did offer further information.

It seems that during, and after, the reign of Lurius of Cos there was a sect of scribes that held certain knowledge, which was kept from both the powers that be as well as other castes. Some of this information included medical.. and some included spies. Could there be a connection? He thought perhaps that was a possibility, being as I had found the passage in Port Cos. He has only recently found out another fact about his family, which he had learned from one of their former members.

I’m hoping he can put me in touch with this former member. Even more I wish he could accompany me there, but there is still so much to do here. Perhaps after Bonnie’s baby is born we can all travel there.

We looked for a date on the map, but could find nothing, though I did spot a mass of small hilly lumps which I assumed to be mountains. A starting point. The Sardar.

With the liquid on the new map dried, he rolled the map up and handed it to me, all of us journeying outside to see if we couldn’t try and line it up with the stars.

I did hold it up, but soon handed it over to Lucian, since he had a better grasp of the stars than I. After several twists and turns in direction, all of seeming to move at once which must have seemed some bizarre ritual to anyone that would happen to glance out way, he found what he thought was the proper alignment, even with the overdraft of stars that had moved. He studied it for a moment and before he told us he thought he had the direction in which to look. And it wasn’t Cos.

But since we were still missing a crucial part of the map, all he could say for sure was that he suspected it was in the direction of Gordon Heights, Kasra and the Tahari Region.

It looks as if I will soon be making travel plans.