‘Look!’ Nora’s call drew Eva from the wheelhouse of the Rex Ventorum to the railing. Her ship had broken through a layer of clouds and before them lay the castle of a thousand spires: Windhold. “I didn’t imagine it would be so… impressive,” Eva said to her friend. The monumental structure rose up before them, almost shimmering golden in the low sun. A long stone staircase led up from the harbour, flanked by flags and ribbons dancing in the wind. Colourful kites circled in the sky and all kinds of flying devices could be seen everywhere. Some floated lazily along, while others performed daring manoeuvres. Thrilled, Eva watched a whizbox that weaved at breakneck speed between the towers, rolled over several times and then plunged into the clouds. ‘Enough looking,’ Finn interrupted the spell that the view had cast over the two girls. ‘We’re docking.’
Dear Reader, I don’t know if you’re interested in flight manoeuvres, but if you are, then you can visit Windhold – oh, what am I talking about, you have to! The ‘Castle of a Thousand Spires’, as it is known, is an aviation marvel, a place where a sense of adventure and fairytale-like beauty come together. It floats gracefully above the clouds, with elaborate flags flying everywhere, swaying in the winds. They say the air currents around Windhold are the best of all Cloud Islands, as calm as a still lake and at the same time strong enough to carry flying machines of all kinds. Windhold is famous for its annual Wind Games, a week of festivities and competitions that bring together flight enthusiasts from all Cloud Islands. Prizes are awarded for flying with replicas of ancient gliders that defy gravity in the most absurd ways. Of course, the aerial acrobatics and freefall competitions are a particular thrill for spectators. I have experienced the celebrations a few times myself, and each time they are a spectacle of colours, shapes and daring manoeuvres.
Oh, and don’t let me forget: the view! From the top of the castle, you can see the islands in a panorama that is second to none. Believe me, my friend, once you get there, you will understand why this place attracts adventurers and dreamers from all corners of the Cloud Islands like a magnet.
The Rex was safely moored in the harbour when the group made their way to the main gate. It was very crowded. Aerial vehicles were everywhere, either standing around or being loaded onto carts. Groups of tourists were being shown around by locals in the traditional costume of the castle, which could be recognised by the strong colours and the decoration with feathers. The captains of the large excursion boats were standing together at a snack bar, a large bottle of Firebreeze on the table, their heads wrapped in a cloud of pipe smoke. Here and there, dock officers and port guards could be seen checking cargo and directing daring individual pilots to the official take-off sites on the island. ‘It’s pandemonium here,’ said Nora, puzzled, as the crowds in the streets of the castle did not decrease. ‘You should come here during the Wind Games,’ replied Finn, ‘then you can hardly move.’ Nora nudged Eva: ‘That would be something for you! Flying around for days in a pimped-up whizbox, only landing to eat and sleep!’ She laughed. ‘That would be the dream.’
They had arrived in the courtyard of the castle. ‘What now?’ asked Finn, planting his arms on his sides. ‘I think we all thought that the next clue would jump out at us,’ laughed Nora. ‘Let’s figure it out, then,’ said Eva, leading her friends to a quieter corner where they could spread out the map. ‘Our next destination is Nightshade, as you can see from this line. The question is, what will we find there? Do we have to take a special route again? Or is something hidden here that we need for the onward journey?’ “I’d say we can use just about anything for a visit to Nightshade,” Finn explained with a sniff. “But Windhold is huge,” said Nora. ’Where should we start?’ ‘There are three of us,’ Eva said aloud, “so how about we split up? Each of us will explore a different part of the castle and meet back here at sunset tonight.” Her friends agreed to the idea. Finn agreed to investigate the harbour area, while Nora took on the interior of the fortress. Eva would mingle with the pilots.
The girl let herself drift with the lively sounds and bustling atmosphere of the take-off and landing areas. The clanking of tools mixed with shouts that echoed across the grounds as mechanics worked on their aircraft. Metal, colourfully painted surfaces and white canvas shone in the sun everywhere. The special wind that blew over Windhold, which everyone here was after, was a gentle hum in the air and set the fabric panels of some gliders in motion.
She strolled along the alley, taking in all the impressions. Her gaze was caught by an aircraft that stood out among the others: a narrow glider with wings that looked like the spread wings of a mighty bird. The delicate metal springs on the wooden frame shimmered in the sunlight, as if they were real feathers. Fascinated, she approached and looked at the details: the joints of the wings, the precise connections that made the flying object appear robust despite its graceful appearance.
‘Beautiful, isn’t it?’ a voice suddenly said behind her. Eva turned around and saw a woman in a light cloak, which was designed in a similar pattern to the glider. Her face was covered in freckles and her bright eyes sparkled when she noticed how Eva was studying the device. “Yes, incredible,” she replied. ’It almost looks alive. Is it yours?‘ The woman nodded proudly. “I’m Airis. The glider is my own design. Inspired by hawks and storm petrels. They are nature’s best flyers, don’t you think? So why not learn from them?” Eva walked around the aircraft and took a closer look at the wing construction. ’How does it move? It looks like it can flap its wings.’
A smile crossed Airis‘ face. “Very good observation. That’s exactly what’s so special about it. The joints here” – she pointed to the sophisticated mechanism made of metal and wood – “enable the wings to adapt to the wind currents, almost like real feathers. I believe you shouldn’t fight against the wind, but dance with it.” “Very impressive,” Eva praised. ‚Of course! The air currents here on Windhold are perfect for such experiments. But enough about me. You’re a pilot too – where is your aircraft? Eva laughed. “It’s in the harbour. I – well, we – have a ship.” “Are you a tourist?” For a brief moment, Airis’s face showed genuine dismay. ‘No,’ Eva hastened to say. The woman breathed a sigh of relief. ‘’Phew, I’m glad! I haven’t had any good experiences with tourists, even though they finance our lives here on Windhold. They always want to touch and try everything, and the harbour crew are constantly having to fish someone out of the air. But if you’re not travelling, what are you doing here?‘
Eva hesitated for a moment, then decided to ask the question. ‘My friends and I are looking for something – a clue that is supposed to be on Windhold. Do you have any idea where particularly old records or artefacts are kept here?’ Airis thought about it. ‘Hm, let me see… the oldest place on Windhold is the observatory on the western bastion. Every child learns that at school. You could try there. But what exactly are you looking for?’ ‘Unfortunately, I can’t say,’ Eva replied, as Greybeard’s warning still rang in her ears. Airis laughed. ’Oh, so you’re on a secret mission! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. As I said, take a look at the observatory. Hardly any visitors find their way there because most of them find it too boring.’
Darkness had already fallen when Finn finally appeared at the meeting point. The two girls had been worried that they had lost their navigator when he staggered out of an alley. ‘You’ve been drinking?’ Eva hissed at him. ‘Maybe … just a little bit?’ Finn replied with a slight slur. Nora reached into his coat pocket and took out a bottle. She uncorked it and a small green flash shot out. „Galedrops! Have you lost your mind?“ she shouted and quickly plugged the brew back in. “This gives just the right kick – a good crack between the ears, so to speak,” Finn laughed. Eva fixed him with a furrowed brow. ’Why are you so talkative all of a sudden?’
Finn hesitated, but his smile was as broad as Windhold itself. ‘Because life…’ he began, making a sweeping gesture that almost knocked him off balance, ‘has so much to say if you just listen closely! And I lived so much of it and tonight I just felt like telling all about it.’ ‘Excuse me?’ Eva interrupted sharply. ‘Who were you talking to? What did you say?’ He blinked at her in confusion, as if he hadn’t understood the question. ’What did I say? Oh, just a little… little stories, big stories… of storms, of maps, of…’
‘’Our mission?‘’ she interrupted him again, her voice an octave higher. She grabbed him by the shoulders while Nora took a step to the side to avoid accidentally ending up in the line of fire. ‘’Missiooon?‘’ Finn repeated, as if he had to dig through the convolutions of his drunken mind first. Then his face lit up. ‘’Oh, that! Nooo, I’m not that stupid. Just a few hints. You know, a little spice for the story. Some pizzazz for the plot. Like there’s a mysterious artefact that guides us through the mists…‘ “Finn!” Eva was now red with anger. ’Please tell me you haven’t told a stranger about the map or the Orbis.“ Finn raised his hands defensively. ‘Oh, don’t worry. Just a few details. I didn’t even mention the map! Maybe… the box. But nobody asked what was in it. And I definitely most surely didn’t say where we were flying next!’
Eva let go of him and took a deep breath, as if trying not to explode with rage. ‘You’re putting us all in danger if you don’t keep your mouth shut.’ ‘Oh, danger,’ Finn waved it off. ‘Danger is just a word used by people who don’t understand fun.’ ‘You’re right about that – I’m not having any fun at the moment,’ Eva replied icily. „You’re more like dead weight than a navigator if you don’t pull yourself together. And dead weight is thrown overboard.“ Finn looked shocked for a moment, but then he gave a cheeky grin. “But you have to admit that I’m a very charming piece of luggage.”
Nora, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, folded her arms. ‘Eva’s right. There are people who would kill for what we’re looking for. You have no idea who’s listening, even here on Windhold. We have to be able to rely on you to keep quiet.’ Finn sighed and raised his hands. ‘All right, all right. I’ll keep my mouth shut. A navigator’s word of honour.’ “I hope so,” Eva murmured, squinting at him. ’Now move. We have to keep going before we attract even more attention.’