The morning air was still crisp as Aeris and I made our way through the palace grounds toward the front courtyard. My heart was a storm of emotions - excitement, uncertainty and dread. The weight of my first adventure, the responsibility to not be a burden forced me to push myself forward. This was beyond my wildest dreams when I lived in Briar’s Hollow. I was going to be leaving the enchanting Feywilds today, journeying to the Duskfang Mountains. A place no sane person would dare to even approach in my old life.


    The party had gathered and were already waiting for us. Aeris had given me a brief overview of the group as we went to meet them.


    Two soldiers from the Winter Court stood at rigid attention, their dark armour shimmering under the light of the morning sun. The taller of the two, Arvwyn, had sharp, angular features and eyes like chipped emeralds, a warrior whose reputation preceded him. His companion, Lirien, carried a quieter presence, her dark hair neatly braided beneath her helm, her expression unreadable save for the occasional flicker of curiosity when she glanced my way.


    Perched on the low wall was Rylwehn, a scout of the Spring Court, his form lean and wiry, his attire a patchwork of greens, browns and blues that blended seamlessly with his surroundings. He absently twirled a dagger between his fingers, a glint in his eyes suggesting he found amusement in everything, even the gravity of our mission. “Let''s go find us some old dwarf ruins, ‘ey?” he said with a fearless smirk.


    Beside him sat Elara, a healer of the Summer Court, her pastel yellow robes flowed like rays of light. Her warmth was immediately noticeable - radiating in both presence and personality. “Ignore Rylwehn,” she said, her voice calming against the cool morning air. “He’s convinced that we’re going to strike gold in the mountains.”


    And then there was Nivara, her arms crossed as she observed Aeris and I with that same stern gaze she always wore. She held her staff in one hand and was carrying another wrapped up neatly in her other hand. Clad in pale blue blue and silver, she exuded an aura of quiet power, her ice-blue eyes reflecting none of her thoughts. Where the others had already revealed glimpses of personality, Nivara remained an unsolvable puzzle. She had tested my magic for the Queen, I couldn’t help but be curious if it was really Aeris’ father who insisted she join us.


    “Good morning everyone.” Aeris said, greeting everyone.


    There was no turning back now.


    Aeris grinned, taking the wrapped staff from Nivara. “Before we go,” she said, “my father insisted you carry your own weapon.”


    I took the bundle hesitantly and unwrapped it, revealing a weapon unlike any I had ever seen. It was a swordstaff - dark, polished wood reinforced with veins of silver made up the staff section, a silvery-blue, single-edged blade resting at the other end. Deep-blue leather bound the grip, providing a handle that was much more comfortable than the swordstaves I had wielded in the Winter Court’s training grounds. As I held it, a faint hum of energy thrummed beneath my fingertips. It felt right in my hands.


    “He said you would need something suitable,” Aeris said, watching my reaction closely. “It’s forged from moonsteel, with a pretty powerful enchantment to withstand even the harshest magic.”


    I ran a hand along the shaft, the reality of it settling in. “Thank him for me,” I said, my voice coming out as a whisper.


    “You can do that yourself,” Aeris smiled.


    As we made our way toward the entrance to the city, I saw them - Aeris’ parents were standing in wait. Her mother looked concerned, but with resolve as she pressed her lips tightly together as if holding back words that might break her composure. Her father, the Crown Prince, stood beside her, his measured gaze darkened by reluctance to let his daughter leave the protection of the Feywilds.


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    When Aeris reached them, her mother pulled her into a tight embrace, her fingers clutching the back of Aeris’ purple cloak as if to savour the moment. “You are always chasing the horizon, my little star,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Just promise you will come back to us.”


    “I promise,” she muttered, nodding her head in her mother’s embrace.


    Her father exhaled slowly, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. “You are headstrong, who knows where you get that from. But it’s your greatest strength, and what keeps us awake at night.” He glanced toward Nivara. “Keep her safe.”


    He then turned to me, his eyes searching. “I fear my daughter has met her match. No matter what you face together out there, remember that you may doubt yourself. But strength is not found in certainty - it is forged in the moment you rise despite it.”


    “I will do my best and thank you for the gift,” I confidently met his gaze and nodded.


    He placed a hand on my shoulder. “I pray you don’t have to use it.” Then, with a final glance at Nivara, he stepped back.


    With nothing more to be said, we left the city behind.


    The stone gateway stood tall, I hadn’t noticed when I first came to the Feywilds but the stonework held ancient carvings that hummed faintly with magic. I turned back one last time, taking in the wonder of the Feywilds - the impossibly vibrant colours, the sky painted in hues that shifted like paint in water, the towering trees that held magnificent structures highlighting the perfect harmony of nature and civilisation. The very air pulsed with life, the hum of magic so deeply woven into everything that I could feel it within me, like a second heartbeat.


    For the first time, I understood that I had become part of this world in a way I never had before. And yet, stepping forward through the gateway, the beauty began to slip away, the bleakness of the ordinary world settling back in like a forgotten burden.


    The moment we crossed the threshold the world felt heavier. The magic that had once surrounded me so effortlessly in the Feywild was now distance, muted. Veilwood Forest stretched out before us, the canopy of trees overhead casting long shadows. And it was still - too still.


    As we moved further away from the Feywilds, Elara the Summer Court healer ran a hand over a nearby tree trunk, her brow furrowing. “The corruption is spreading,” she advised. “The forest is beginning to decay.”


    Rylwehn moved ahead, his eyes sharp as he scouted our surroundings. The Winter Court soldiers remained silent but were watchfully on guard, their hands keeping close to their weapons.


    Despite the unsettling quiet, we encountered nothing out of the ordinary. The forest didn’t stir to our presence, I wasn’t sure if this was due to the path Rylwehn was leading us, but I got the lingering sense of something missing - where was the wildlife?


    By the time we emerged from the forest, the sun had reached its peak in the sky, casting golden rays over Briar’s Hollow. The village, with its simple rustic homes and dirt paths, stood in stark contrast to the Feywilds. Here the world felt void of colour and life - grayish or copper rooftops, weathered fences and buildings, and the smell of damp earth and woodsmoke clinging to the air. And yet, as I looked at it, the warming sense of familiarity filled my chest. This was home.


    The rising plumes of smoke from chimneys curled lazily in the sky, mingling with the steady clang of the blacksmith’s hammer from the center of the village. Every sound, every scene, every similar sight brought back fond memories. Running through the fields as a child, laughing down by the river bed, of my mother calling me in as the sun dipped below the hills. The Feywilds had enchanted me, awakening something new within me, but Briar’s Hollow held everything I had ever known before a couple of weeks ago. I hesitated before turning to Aeris.


    “I need to go back,” I said. “Just for a bit.”


    She looked at me curiously. “Eldrin?”


    “Yeah, he must be beside himself by now.”


    The group exchanged glances, but Aeris simply nodded. “Don’t be too long, we’ll wait here.”


    I set off toward my village, my heart pounding. It had been weeks since I had left. I wasn’t even sure what I’d say. But as I neared old man Edrin’s farm, I knew one thing for certain - he deserved to know I was still alive. My satchel, still filled with the feverfew I had been gathering for him in the forest, bounced lightly against my side, a reminder of the life I had left behind.