Nelee turned at chirped once before disappearing before their eyes.

Marla and Remalyn stopped and looked at each other. They had found it—the hidden sanctuary. Marla reached her hand out until something hard pressed back.

"How do we get through-" A mirage-like image appeared. In front of her was not the village she had imagined. She stepped forward, hypnotized by its beauty. A towering city covered the land and took over the sky. Floating buildings hovered here and there. Magical creatures of all shapes and sizes passed by.

A long wiggling snake floated by. Its body was larger than Marla's entire body. Its head looked at them. Blue multicolored feathers stuck out from its eyes, like eyelashes.

"Wow." Remalyn gasped. They exchanged glances.

"You were right, Remalyn. Nothing like I imagined."

Nelee appeared beside them. It took them through the city.

They watched a ginormous mushroom shuttle people up into the sky and shuttle people down to the ground. None seemed to pay any attention to the two foreigners that walked through their busy streets.

"Sky pie?" A lady in a blue apron gestured to a stand layered with white cloud-shaped pastries. Marla took a big whiff and sighed. It smelled amazing.

"How many times do I have to tell you all?" A bearded man holding two large chopping knives opened the door across the street. "We don't cook fish here. I sell fish. That's it!" He threw his hands up in the air.

Four green penguins with brown bellies wobbled out of a fish shop with wiggling cod in their beaks.

"Marla? Where did Nelee go?" Remalyn grabbed her shoulder. They had gotten distracted. Their owl friend was nowhere in sight. "How did you lose it?"

"Me?" Remalyn had lost track of it too. So why was she blaming Marla for it?

Marla walked up to a pink checkered booth. "Excuse me, but we are looking for the wizard Illias. Could you point us in the right direction?"

"Master Illias?" A lady carrying boxes paused. "Did you hear that, Frankie?"

"Yes, darling." Next to her stood a man tending to a hot grill. His tongs rotated a skewer of red meat, garlic bulbs, and cubed yam.

"If you are asking where he lives, then that must mean you aren't from here," the man named Frankie looked up at them.

"Yes, you are right." Marla laughed lightly. Remalyn embowed her in the side. "Ow. What was that for?"

"We shouldn't tell people that. It might cause panic. I don't think many people are allowed in here." She whispered.

"In any other case, you would be correct; however, Master Illias made it so only those approved by the Great Magoia can enter. So if you are here, then we will welcome you." The lady smiled.

"Master Illias lives in the castle to the north. It sits on the top of a hill. You won't be able to miss it." Frankie took a meat skewer and handed it to them. "We hope you enjoy your time in the city."

Remalyn took it and bowed.

"Thank you."

The couple waved as they went on their way, but Marla's attention remained on the piece of food locked in Remalyn's fingers. The juice from the meat slowly dripped down the stick. She couldn't help but lick her lips. The city smelt so good. It had made Marla so hungry.

"I think that is the tower they were talking about."

Marla looked up. A beautiful stone tower appeared from behind buildings of blue and yellow. It was much taller than everything else.

"Come on." Remalyn pulled Marla, who was in awe of everything she had seen. As they walked, the castle grew larger and larger until it cast a vast shadow upon them. Brick after brick lined the wall. It towered into the sky, farther than the eye could see and higher than any cloud sat.

"BARK!"

Marla knelt to meet the small fuzzy dog that greeted them but immediately jumped back up, realizing it had horns.

It growled.

"What now?" Marla asked.

Remalyn pointed at a sign that stood behind the bison dog. It read, "Payment for entry."

"I wonder..." Remalyn held out the meat stick. Marla watched with big eyes as she tossed the appetizing skewer to the dog.

"Aww. It looks so good too." Marla frowned as it was devoured in front of them.

"We aren't here to relax. Don't forget why we are here." Remalyn scolded.

"I haven't." Marla crossed her arms. "I'm just hungry."

The bison continued to bark.

"That's all I have." Remalyn apologized with open palms.

It jumped up and began running around them in circles, refusing to quiet. The grass below them began to shift and wave. Leaves jumped into the air and danced, following the direction of the sprinting dog.

Suddenly they found themselves at the entrance of the castle. A carved wooden door stood before them.

Marla approached and knocked. Nobody answered. She tapped it again, but still nothing. Remalyn pushed past Marla and opened the door. A tiny bell jingled as they entered. An extensive library greeted them, and at its center sat a tall podium.

"I will be with you in one moment!" They heard a voice call out to them over the piles of books that lay around the room.

"I don't think I've seen this many books in one place." Marla picked up the closest book. It read, "Coughing Coal. Symptoms, Types, and Treatments." What was coughing coal? She hadn't heard of that sickness before.

A head popped up from ahead of them.

"If coughing coal is your problem, I can prepare some soothing tablets to help." A young man appeared. He looked between Marla and Remalyn before putting on a pair of purple spectacles. "Oh my. How did you get into the city?" He looked so young for being an old wizard.

"We've come to ask for your help." Marla took out the rose. "Please. Estarosa sends us. Queen Damari sends us."

"Oh. I see. You have traveled far. Where are my manors? Welcome to Estchester, a safe sanctuary for all who praise the Great Magoia." He bowed. "Please let me show you around."

He took them down a long hall. Pictures of villagers covered the walls. Each format was the same. A group of people stood at the center of each image. Only one individual remained the same in each one; it was an older man with a speckled-colored beard.

"You must be famished." He clapped three times. Two standing dogs, about half their size, appeared. They wore crystal white tuxes and held small linen towels on their forearm. "Please prepare our guests your finest meal." The upright hound dogs bowed and trotted off.

"I am so happy to see that Estarosa kept the rose after all these years. Ahh." He gave a dramatic sigh. "What a lovely lady. It is a shame to think that she is quite old now. If only she had immortality as I do. Surely she must have realized that our love would only last so long, though her heart does remain close to mine. She was my favorite maiden. But as I do not grow, I must look onward for another lover who can satisfy my needs."

Marla followed, dumbfounded. She hadn't expected the wizard to be so bold and brash. Had her grandmother fallen for a womanizer?

"Estarosa is my grandmother."

The man turned to Marla.

"And what a beautiful niece she has." He winked. With a twist of the wrist a yellow lily appeared in his hand. "Here."

"Thank you-" Marla chuckled hesitantly as she took the flower. It smelled sweet at least.

"Ah, here we are." They entered the door at the end of the hall.

"It was a pleasure to meet you both. I am sure we will speak again soon." He bowed and shut the door behind them.

"What?" Why had he left?

"Marla and Remalyn, it it?" A deep voice echoed through the room.

They turned to see a man in a black robe. A tall purple hat sat upon his head. It was the old man from the pictures Marla had seen.

"Who are you?" Remalyn rested her hand upon the hilt of her sword.

"I had thought you would know that. After all, you did travel all this way to meet me. Did you not?"

"But-" Marla pointed to the door they had entered from.

"That was my apprentice, Solen. Please forgive him. He enjoys being a tease. You shouldn't take anything he says too seriously."

"Then you-"

"Yes. I am the Magician and Great Wizard, Illias."