The Seasons. 4

The thing he picked was tbe map. It was a leather scroll with a drawing of the continent. To the west of the continent on the map, he spotted and counted out five kingdoms. Their names looked weird to him, All the names looked weird but it didn't top those.

To the north was the unmarked and unknown, the east had just three kingdoms that held a huge territory each.

Then south was where he frowned. From the tips of a line, he recognized as a valley to the edge of the map was black. Within it were five broadly written names. Elysia, Themsel, Lionsdale, Ackim's Shire and Hwindor.

Frowning at why that part of the map looked so strange he ignored it for a moment and focused back on tbe center of the map where he noted there were no name tags except one. Midlands.

Looking the map over to find anything he missed he then dropped it after seeing nothing new.

"Where are we?" he asked. That's what he needed to know.

Thinking of various things he should do here while they were waiting and searching for who knew what.

The second thing was to get another map but smaller not in size but in region. It was more like a zoomed-in map. Focusing totally on one region. The biggest words were written above it. Southlands.

The map showed the same five kingdoms in the black part of the bigger map.

Elysia, Themsel, Lionsdale, Ackim's Shire and Hwindor.But this time there were other names and smaller too.

'Seems like these are the important places of each side or region. The only problem is how to know exactly where we are.' Searching through his pile he didn't find any other map. Sighing he focused on the next things.

The first was a book. It seems to be a diary. Since it was from the girl's room he felt weird reading it but shook it off. He needed information and hopefully, important things were written there.

Skipping to the last page of the yellow-paged book he saw what looked to be dates on the edges of the pages.

The last read was "24 Light, Season of Sunless.". Flipping a bit back he saw another date. " 15 moons, season of Celes,". Going even further he found another. "10 sun, season of Hetrax".

Thinking there might be a math to it he went back to the beginning and found the first date. " 2 sun, season of Hetrax.".

Reading the first few entries he figured something out. The season of the sun was somehow the start of a new year or cycle here in this place. There was nothing like months or whatever.

Skipping through the book he went on till he found the end of the season of Hetrax. "97 sun, season of Hetrax. 1 moon, season of Celes."

'Are there just 97 days in that season or is it just the revolution.' Checking the next he flipped to where he found the other.

'68 moon, season of Celes. Is that short good or bad? 'He frowned unsure.

'Which makes it 97 days in the season of Hetrax, 68 in Celes' he then kept on checking and found another date.

"Season of White.' He frowned at the description. It wasn't like he got the other names but this time he felt like white meant something else and not the color.

Reading through the diary several things came to light for him and his jaw slowly dropped with each new information he got.

By the time he reached a certain spot, he stopped and looked up.

" If we don't find a way home. We are so gonna die here". he declared gravely his eyes wide.

*****

The empty courtyard was dark as no light got to it. The platform remained abandoned as it was a while a few individuals were seen lingering around in groups.

Discussions could be seen among many while in a few houses, it could be noted that many had gotten the idea of building fires for light and to ward off the cold.

On a path that led to a large gate, a young man was walking toward the big gate that lay right on the road. If Michael were here he would recognize the teenager as Elrick though at the moment he looked a tad bit different.

A huge sword hung from his hip, a shield of steel in his left hand. In his right, he held a helmet, and his arms were covered by gauntlets that looked worm out.

Elrick got to the gate his mind screaming profanities at him to turn back now. Still, he frowned and marched on. Several others who saw his attire as he passed felt like laughing but the dire look on his face made the situation feel more gloomy than funny.

Without knowing Elrick racked up quite the following as he marched on his heart besting harshly within his chest.

It wasn't till five minutes later that the reason for his hysteria came to sight and Elrick felt the life leave him as its eyes locked with his.

He didn't know what sort of person he or she was. He'd stumbled unto the gate while following the grand path. It had stood still and unmoving as he walked curiously to the gate aiming to investigate.

He could still remember the terror and tingling pain he felt on his head when he narrowly avoided a broadsword descending on his head. A second late and be would have been a proud headless eighteen-year-old.

The first of many to go on this strange land and the first of many to be used to learn a bitter lesson. Keep an eye on supposed-looking statues.

Now his heart pounding he had returned to fight his fear. Since he was young it was something that his mum had drilled into him due to fear for darkness.

Now he was following those teachings literally.

The moment the crowd saw the gate they murmured then everyone began hurrying up to rush forward.

The sound of footsteps increased and the crowd surged to get ahead.

"Get back. The knight is alive!" Elrick's voice thundered. The crowd either didn't hear or refused to listen or didn't even believe him. They weren't to blame after all not a soul had been spotted on the ground since their arrival not even an insect.

It was something very disconcerting.