Chapter 5 – The Heart of the Cottage – Part 2 – The Magical Network

More about Chapter 5 – The Heart of the Cottage – Part 2 – The Magical Network

Liora stared at the glowing display as if her smartphone had suddenly decided to become a wizard. "I think," she said slowly, "my phone has just enrolled in magic school." Biblior carefully stepped back. "That would be highly unfortunate." "Why?" Mara asked. "Because wands remember yesterday's nonsense," Biblior replied. "Smartphones rarely do." The phone vibrated and snapped a photo by itself. A bright flash lit the corridor. Instead of the hallway, the picture showed a tiny transparent creature hiding behind an old cabinet. It had enormous ears, wore a dusty cobweb like a wig, and stared at the camera in outrage. A squeaky voice came from behind the cabinet. "How rude! I've stayed invisible for over a hundred years, and now I'm photographed by a glowing rectangle!" New words appeared on the screen. Invisible Cottage Resident detected. Current mood: deeply offended. Probability of tying your shoelaces into impossible knots: 87%. Klemmi burst into laughter. "I like this thing!" Liora pressed the power button. Instead of switching off, the phone answered with a chorus of clucking chickens. Biblior sighed. "Apparently the leftover magic skipped every sensible function." Then a calm voice announced, "Magical Mischief Mode activated." "No!" Liora protested. "Confirmation accepted," the phone replied happily. Mara laughed until tears filled her eyes. Moments later the display flashed again. Automatic Translation Mode Enabled. The elderly wizard inside the ink-stained portrait began complaining in an ancient magical language. Instantly the phone translated: "This ink stain is an unforgivable insult to my carefully cultivated dignity." "That's actually useful," Mara admitted. Biblior shook his head. "Now we'll understand every magical complaint." As if on cue, a broom slid from a nearby closet. Its polished handle stood perfectly upright. "Dirty footwear detected," it declared. "Cleaning procedure begins immediately." Before Mara could react, it enthusiastically brushed her boots. "They're already clean!" "That is not for you to decide," the broom answered. "I am the professional." Mara retreated laughing while the broom stubbornly followed. Klemmi could barely breathe from laughing. Right then the ink bottle hiccupped again, spraying a drop of ink onto the broom. The broom froze. "Wonderful," it sighed. "Now I must clean myself." Even Biblior smiled. Suddenly the floor began humming. The glowing golden lines inside the walls spread across the floorboards. The carpet quietly rolled aside, revealing an enormous brass circle embedded beneath it. At its center a single gear slowly turned, each movement making the humming stronger. Biblior whispered in awe, "I have never seen this before." Mara knelt beside the tiny gear. "Is this...?" Biblior nodded. "The Heart of the Cottage." Hundreds of tiny golden lights floated from the glowing lines and gathered into the shape of a perfectly round wooden door.