Darkness into Light - Espresseleine

Chapter Nineteen ~ Time Flies in Cerulean Skies

Espresso wandered the streets alone. It was late afternoon, almost sunset, but the sky was still as bold and bright as ever. The mage walked past a cafe, stopping to peer into the window.

"The dark mage!" he heard someone gasp. Espresso ignored the stab.

"Hurry along children, keep your heads down, don't look at him." He heard an old lady usher some children past him quickly, trying to get away.

Espresso turned to face two cookies who were sat at an outdoor cafe table. The two cookies looked up at him, fear in their eyes. Espresso attempted a smile, reaching up to adjust his glasses. The two cookies yelped in fear, scrambling out of their seats.

"Please! We'll do anything, don't hurt us!" they wailed.

The mage stopped, staring at them in bewilderment.

They're.. afraid of me. Of course they are.

"I'm not going to--" Espresso started, but was cut off when the two cookies shoved past him. The mage's back hit the wall of the cafe with a thud. Espresso grimaced in pain.

"Haha! Eat my dust loser!" The two cookies sprinted down the street, cackling.

Espresso glared down the street, watching them turn a corner and disappear. He sighed and continued to trudge along, distracting himself from reality by thinking about what his next move is going to be.

I need to look for a map to the chamber..

Where would a map like that be?

A library perhaps?

Ah, yes. I should start by searching the local libraries. Maybe they will provide me valuable information. But how am I going to get access to a library without some cookie on my back the whole time?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden eruption of laughter nearby. He stopped, turning his head to the source of the noise.

Espresso exhaled softly as he realised that the noise had come from a group of children running around and playing in the grass. He glanced upwards, reading a tall metal sign that looked weathered and rusted as if it's endured a thousand storms. 

'White Lily, Local Park'

Huh. Somehow that sounded familiar. The mage shrugged it off, entering the parkland.

The rubble crunched under his shoes as he entered the little park, walking past the group of hyperactive children. As soon as he got closer, the kids all stopped what they were doing, staring at the mage in shock. One kid pointed at him and screamed.

"It's the scary coffee cookie!!"

Espresso scowled, eyes darting to the ground as he hurried off to avoid any unnecessary punches to his pride.
He took shelter under a large willow tree and sat down, leaning against the broad trunk. The mage rubbed his temple, muttering to himself.

"Think, Espresso, think. What library..."
His voice trailed off as he caught a glimpse of the towering building that peaked over the line of trees that bordered the main village.

The castle.

"Of course! The castle library! Now the problem is how I'm going to get in.." he tapped his chin in thought.

He glanced up, distracted by the sky above. It looked like an ocean, a beautiful cerulean, identical to his bed sheets. Espresso tilted his head, partially mesmerised. But the blue didn't remind him of his sheets... it reminded him of something else entirely..

What a pretty colour.

Espresso smiled.

He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice two pairs of footsteps racing towards him. Espresso whipped around, startled, but relaxed when he noticed it was two young children. One of which he recognised and another that looked very unfamiliar. The unfamiliar cookie had vibrant blue hair, shaped into a shark's fin, and pirate themed attire. It was kind of cute.