On the boat, the sail settled to rest, as though the breeze knew it had reached the goal, and had flown away, to find other sails to fill.

Over the windless water, small waves flowed like the calm vibration of a singer's voice, and then vanished. And across that perfect stillness lay the reflection of the mountain peak, and the blue star above it.

The boat slid gently aground, a few feet from the shore.

The voice, saying, "Huuuuu," seemed to echo from the heart of the mountain, down from the star itself. Hansa raised himself on wings upward, like beautiful white clouds, and flew toward the singing mountain. Then a soft breeze arose, as though stirred by Hansa's flight.

The bird disappeared into the mist at the base of the mountain. As the mist drifted away, Hugh saw the entrance to a cave where Hansa had flown, in a direct path from himself to the peak.

And for a moment, a bright blue light flashed from the cave to the boy.