One Night

Chapter Thirty Two

Alara

What I come face to face with is not what I had expected. The most incredible buildings I have ever seen.

I'm almost out of breath by the time we finally reach the peak of the incline we had been walking up.

The guards walk along the roads like it is completely normal, as do the other people who walk past—but wow.

The three buildings are made of the same white material as all the other houses. The three buildings seem to curve around a fountain and from that fountain there are different streams on the floor that all lead off in different directions.

It's the same streams that divide the road from the sidewalk; the same water that connects the whole city, it seems.

This is so cool.

I've never seen anything like it. It—It scares me, because if something like this existed in Qadura or any of the lands nearby, it would be something everyone knows about.

But then again . . . The lamps in Diyar, that blue light, wasn't known by anyone in Qadura or Wadi.

I glance up at the sky. The silver sky. How is that possible?

For a moment, I stop and stare. It's so far away that I can't figure it out. Even back at home, most of nature is a mystery, but this . . . it's impossible.

My mind feels scrambled and exhausted, trying to figure out what question to ask Akilah first.

I am lead towards one of the buildings. They are all different: one is smooth and without markings or indentures, one is made with lots of angles and edges and has a lot of glass windows looking out. The last of the three is the most beautiful one I have ever seen.

It's unexplainable. Whoever did this is unbelievably talented and dedicated. There are the most intricate details of the ocean and it's unknown creatures which I've never seen. It must have taken years to complete.

The guards take me towards the second one; the angled and jagged looking one.

The texture of the building's exterior is rough, like the bark of an ancient tree. Each angle and edge seems purposefully carved, as if the building itself is a work of art. I reach out and run my fingers along the rough surface, feeling the intricate details etched into the walls.

One of the guards turn to give me a stern look, because I am already touching things I am not supposed to, so I quickly pull my hand back to my side.

The people here all seem perfect and beautiful; the guards who have perfectly angled faces and clear skin. Their hair is all dark. They seem very clean, but it could be because they wear white.

As I enter through the massive doors, a surge of excitement mixes with my nervousness. The interior is a stark contrast to the outside. Soft, warm lighting illuminates the spacious foyer, casting a gentle glow on the polished white floors. Looking closer, I notice that the floor is made of stone and there are pieces of different coloured rocks and crystals mixed into the white.

The air carries a faint scent of something unfamiliar yet inviting. It's is like fresh ocean air and vanilla ice cream. Strange. It feels like a memory.

I take hesitant steps forward, my eyes darting around, trying to absorb every detail. The walls are adorned with screens that move and project different images and tell stories of their own.

This—What? How?

The nervousness in my chest gradually gives way to a sense of wonder as I continue deeper into the building.