I decided to help Maddie, for her own sake. The story was clearly the product of her stressed out mind, but she was my longest and dearest friend, so if I could help put the matter to rest, I would do so. "Ok, we'll check out this spot in the forest if it'll make you happy."
Her brown eyes widened and she smiled happily. "Thank you so much!" She jumped towards me and gave me a tight hug.
"Well, this must be serious," I chuckled, hugging back, "because this is first time you've been this affectionate since kindergarten!"
Maddie groaned, and gave me a quick pinch on the arm.
"Ouch!" I laughed, releasing the hug and pretending to be mortally wounded. Maddie merely rolled her eyes.
Turning to the mysterious book, I scanned the cover and flipped through a few pages. I could sense some apprehension from Maddie as I studied the strange writings and pictures. "T'Calu, huh? So just what do you think we'll find in the forest?"
My shy friend turned away, shaking her head. "I think it's where the old Tribes used to gather for their ceremonies. It may be a site of a portal that allows T'Calu to break through into our world. Or it may simply be the last place the Cult was seen. I don't know."
I nodded, still looking at the pictures in the book. I fixated on a page that had a detailed illustration of a... something. It looked like a cross between an octopus and a crab, but because it was drawn several centuries ago, I wasn't sure if the artist was merely exagerating or trying to replicate something he had seen.
"But no matter what the purpose of the site, we should be able to find artifacts that can prove what the Priestess was up to." Maddie continued, seating herself on a nearby box.
"Right," I said, as encouragingly as I could. Flipping to another page, I saw a detailed drawing of a strange structure. It looked like a city built on the ocean, but the angles were all weird... not straight and rectangular like most buildings, but rounded and curved in organic ways. How could buildings support themselves into such odd shapes?
"The only question is," Maddie said, her voice thoughtful, "will anyone else be there? If the meteor is the symbol of the return of T'Calu, then maybe some remnants of the Cult will be there as well, preparing for a new ceremony. We should be careful when we go."
I closed the book, somewhat alarmed by the few pictures I had seen. I can see why Maddie had been so obsessed with this writing! I was enthralled by it, and only just looked it over.
"Well, I suppose," I said, placing the hard-bound book carefully onto a box. "Is there anything else we should do before we go?"
Maddie ran a hand through her frazzled hair, and quickly glanced at her frumpy sweater. "I guess I could clean up a bit," she smirked at me.
I winked back. "Oh don't be silly. I'm sure the 'cultists' will love to see a little munchkin come to see them!"
Maddie growled at me in a cutely sarcastic way. "Okay, I'll get ready. If there's anything you need in the house, feel free to grab it. We'll head out soon."
And with that, the black-haired girl bolted towards the stairs and began to prepare herself. Meanwhile, I decided to...
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