“The castle’s architecture is far older than anything we’ve seen in Tempest… other than the temple,” Tucker continued.
His words piqued my interest.“The temple?”
“Yes.”He waved a hand at the castle.“The design of the houses is older than what we know, but this castle isveryreminiscent of the temple.It’s made of the same black stone as the temple.”
“Where does that stone come from?”Ianto asked.
“It came from the mines in Calsar, but it’s been many millennia since they’ve harvested it.”
“Why?”
Tucker shrugged.“I assume it no longer exists, but I don’t know.I’ve never worked the mines in Calsar.”
I shifted my attention back to the castle and the blocks of black stone that had forged it.He was right, outside of the temple, I’d never seen the stone before.
“This castle also has the same style of stained glass windows as the temple, plus all the gargoyles and lightning rods, but it’s mostly the black stone that really dates it asveryold.”
“How do you know all this?”Callan asked.
“My father and I read through all the history of the amsirah stored in the temple.Pictures and diagrams show our old architecture, which has evolved over the years.Some of our older designs can still be seen in the castles of the aristocrats, but the temple always stood out from the others.It’s so ancient we have no idea how old it is.”
“We also had no idea it sat atop a cavern of gargoyles,” Ellery murmured.
“Or that,” Tucker agreed.
There were numerous gargoyles perched all over the castle too.Three hung over the top of the large, double front doors.
Turning, I stared out of the open gates to the colorful town below.The beauty of the vibrant houses wasn’t lost on me as another burst of red lit the land.
This town held more mystery than anything I’d ever encountered, and I had no idea how we would uncover its secrets.Ellery seemed convinced the source of the light would reveal something to us, but I wasn’t so sure.
What could a light have to do with any of this?
“There aren’t as many lightning rods here,” Ianto said.“They cover the buildings in Tempest, but while they have them here, there’s only one or two per home.”
“Most of the lightning rods in Tempest are in place because of the magnetic storms.Yes, lightning bearers are also an issue, but usually not for the common people,” Tucker said.“They’d pose more of a threat for the aristocrats, who will go out of their way to protect their assets, but not for the farmers, townsfolk, and merchants.The magnetic storms make it so everyone has to cover their homes and businesses with those rods.”
“Are you saying the magnetic storms didn’t exist when these amsirah did?”Scarlet asked.
“I have no idea,” Tucker answered.
“This place is enough to drive someone insane,” Ianto stated.
That was the best way to sum up the existence of this town.
“You know,” Ellery said, “now that you’ve mentioned magnetic storms,that’salmost what this feels like.That thing… the feeling I couldn’t quite place,that’sit.It’s the tension in the air, the pulse of the power, and something… something almost magical, even if it is terrifying in its intensity.It feels like a magnetic storm down here… without the storm.”
The second she said it, I knew she was right, and I saw the same realization dawning on the others’ faces.
“We can’t open a portal anywhere down here,” I said.
“And we can’t open one when there’s a magnetic storm,” Callan picked up my train of thought.
“Holy shit,” Ianto said.
“Do you think there will be a magnetic storm soon?”Scarlet asked.
“We never know when they’re coming… at least not aboveground,” Tucker said.
