《The World of Strife》


 Chapter 1. Unexpected afterlife

    There is a vast world surrounding us. A world that still holds an unmeasurable amount of secrets. So many, in fact, that our very imaginations struggle with its comprehension. There are wonders and horrors we cannot imagine, even after a lifetime of learning and searching. The only thing we apparently become aware of is our lack of knowledge.


    What is life? A simple question that echoes through the winding path of human lives. But what is the answer to such a question? Is it love? There was a time I believed it to be so, but that time passed, along with so many other things. That I have lost count of all the things I have lost. If it¡¯s not love, could life be described with a goal to strive for? For a time, maybe¡­


    Those and similar questions are the ones that forever haunt us along the path of crossing the river of life. Most of the time, we have an answer to those questions based on our momentary struggles and desires. An answer that changes along the road, as naturally as the night, is followed by the first rays of dawn. Until the time we inevitably reach the end of our journey and we are reminded of the cruel truth that we are just as clueless about those questions as the day we took our first step.


    Is there even a purpose? I wondered as the last of my strength slipped away from my old and battered body¡­ then the darkness after seventy-two years of searching, eventually claimed me.


    There was darkness for a while, then the darkness was parted by an ethereal stream of light. The warmth radiating from those purely white rays engulfed me. Before I knew it, my consciousness was traveling through the endless universe with incredible speed. Stars on all sides of my vision blurred past me as the world whirled around its axis.


    As the stars blurred into a single continuance, my consciousness snaking through the gaps among the stars. The sight kept reminding me of a river, a silver river of stars.


    My mind was in disarray as I tried to understand the implications. I have died; yet my mind remains a whole. It felt sharper than the last few decades of my life. I was sure of it. Above all, death was truly not the end of things. I could hardly ask for a better proof, seeing what I was seeing.


    An excited smile filled with anticipation appeared on my face as I gazed in awe at the world from a perspective I could never before experience. Greedily taking in everything, every glint of light, every bit of warmth circling around my body, like a protective layer of mysterious energy.


    Then¡­ the speeding universe came to a sudden halt. My eyes fixed at the planet hovering before me, a lonely world surrounded by the dark space. There was a star in the distance and a pair of moons circling the mysterious world. It was a world much like Earth, as it was mostly covered by water, with vast continents that rose above the water level.


    Then a voice filled the surrounding vacuum. A firm voice of a man, a voice that felt¡­ amused.


    "I heard your strife, soul, far from a distant realm. I decided to answer your plea." ¡ª The incorporeal voice spoke to me.


    I gasped as I tried to understand what was happening. Alas, no matter how much I tried to come to a reasonable conclusion¡­ The only feasible answer seemed to remain the same. I was talking to a God, a God that had summoned me.


    The feelings of warmth followed by a friendly chuckle filled the surrounding space. As if trying to soothe my internal debate.


    "I see that you understand the gist of your situation. It¡¯s a curious thing, those fictions your people tend to enjoy in that world of yours, isn¡¯t it? I suspect that some of my brethren have a hand in that¡­ It becomes a bother to explain the same thing repeatedly, after a few eons."


    I listened to the words of the being that summoned me. His amusement was clear. As it filled the surrounding space, brimming with playful excitement, filling the emptiness with sparkling energy.


    Seeing this, I looked around in awe, but a small part of me started to feel confused. What did this God want from me? He clearly has gone out of his way to bring me here.


    "Yes¡­" ¡ª The voice spoke, answering my thoughts in a baleful tone. And the excitement slowly dissipated, letting the darkness take back its territory.


    "I brought you here, for a reason as you already expected." ¡ª The voice paused for a while, uncertain as if he was trying to find the right words.


    "This world you see is called Rixa, a world that is filled with struggle and injustice. It is also a world of magic, filled with many races and even more fantastic beasts. A wondrous plane for a soul such as yours."


    I swallowed hearing those words. Could it be that this God intends to reincarnate me into this mystical realm?


    Another chuckle echoed through the darkness.


    "You are not too far from the truth. It is indeed something I have considered. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to wait for your new body to grow up. Also, I don¡¯t think you would desire such an experience either. Definitely not after those years bound to bed in that hospital." ¡ª The voice quietened and a solemn mood took over. I found myself silently agreeing with his words.


    "You wanted a purpose in your life before, isn¡¯t that right?" ¡ª He questioned, the same amusement in his voice as before just a tad bit more serious.


    For the first time, I actually opened my mouth and spoke without him needing to read my mind to get an answer.


    "I¡­ yes."


    The voice remained silent for a while before speaking again.


    "You have searched for a purpose, and you have found many. One was as good as the other, but you were never satisfied with either of them for long. Allow me to ask a question. Would you consider your last life as a purposeless one, or would you consider it as one with many purposes?"


    I thought about his words¡­ it was true that I have many times thought that I found a purpose, but with the passing of time, most lost the novelty and the satisfaction it initially provided.


    The voice sounded again.


    "What is a purpose you wondered? What is the goal of life you asked to this very day? Even on your deathbed. What if I say to you that there isn¡¯t a specific purpose to life, not in the sense you envisioned?"


    My eyes widened as I stared into the surrounding emptiness. What does he mean by that?


    "Freedom to choose your own purpose, the spark to create new things, a desire to achieve a goal, the sense of fulfillment you feel after climbing another step. To grow wiser on the path. Isn¡¯t doing those things worthy of being a purpose to your life? Why do you desire a God given purpose above all of those things? Isn¡¯t that pure selfishness?"


    I opened my mouth, but couldn¡¯t argue with the simple yet powerful logic.


    "Your purpose is but the desire to do something. No matter which fancy word you used to describe it. That is why you have always needed to find something to desire, because without desire, there is no life."


    "That said, you must also realize that the path to your desire is much more important than the goal itself. Yet you have allowed it to blind you, an unfortunate mistake."


    Silence filled the surrounding space. As I thought through the words of the mysterious being. A chuckle much like his coming to me at the realization.


    "¡­ Did I overthink it after all?"


    The voice spoke chidingly.


    "That is one way to put it, and it is not necessarily a bad thing or rare. After all, life is so many things, at the same time. It¡¯s a lot similar to a river in its intrinsic workings. Your way of trying to understand it is like pointing at a fish in the water and stating that the fish is the river. When only a fool wouldn¡¯t know that that particular fish is but a small insignificant part of what we call a river."


    "As the fish can¡¯t leave the water to look at it with the eyes of humans. Destined to think of the river as the entire world. So humans can¡¯t step away from the borders that contain their lives to look at it with the eyes of a God."


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Only mortals would even attempt to describe life¡¯s meaning in such simple phrases." ¡ª Another chuckle buzzed through the world, as God continued his monologue. ¡ª "Alas, that doesn¡¯t matter anymore, since I have decided to give you the purpose you longed for."


    "What?" ¡ª The question broke out of my throat, as it felt entirely unexpected after such an introduction.


    "The world you see in front of you is one of my original creations. It has served as an inspiration to my creation, mine and those of who I have created. A world that I have grown quite fond of over the passing of the ages. That is why I have decided to lend you a fraction of my power and send you to this plane as my chosen. A divine messenger, so to speak."


    I was overwhelmed by the new information God dumped on me so abruptly.


    "Wait, a second! Divine messenger? Me? You must be joking, my lord? You mentioned your brethren previously. Why don¡¯t you ask one of them to help you out? I am nothing special, especially not someone destined to be a divine messenger. And even if I am¡­ What is the problem in this world that I am supposed to solve, or what message should I bring?"


    The Godly being completely ignored my attempt to dissuade him.


    "There is a growing darkness in this realm, a plague that threatens to consume all that I created. I send you as an aid to guide the races of my realm under a single banner. In an attempt to banish the darkness."


    That¡¯s¡­ well, that¡¯s quite the standard trope, but how am I supposed to do that?


    Another amusing chuckle sounded as the voice of God answered.


    "Well, that remains to be seen, isn¡¯t it? Even a creator cannot foresee every action of his creations and that is how it should be."


    "You will call me Axis. It is the name of your patron and the original creator of this realm. From now on, your name shall be Selora. I will remake your body as a white elf, a race believed to be extinct. It is also one with a natural longevity that rivals the Gods themselves. Your title shall be Witch of the Silver River. May it remind you of your origin, that you come from the other end of the universe."


    My initially excited smile turned into a wry one as a sense of awkwardness filled the surrounding space.


    "¡­ I must have misheard it¡­ Selora, you say? It sounds quite feminine¡­ since it¡¯s elven it must be a cultural difference, right? And what do you mean by witch?"


    Awkward silence followed my questions.


    "¡­There is a popular prophecy in the land that God¡¯s chosen will appear in times of great strife. She will come in the form of a white elven woman from a race long thought extinct. Wielding mystical powers. She will come from a distant realm bringing the promise of hope."


    I listened to the words attentively, feeling a growing sense of discomfort.


    "The original prophecy was entirely made up by a bunch of miscreant priests that desperately tried to bolster the morale of their troops. They could never foresee how successful their deceit was. Nor did they live long enough to see its effects on the world. One thing led to another, and the prophecy was highly regarded all over the civilized realms. You see, even a God can¡¯t ignore such an opportunity, and I decided to use it for my plans, making you appear exactly like the prophecy described you. This will no doubt provide immense help to your task."


    Another awkward pause later, I blurted out.


    "That¡¯s¡­ all fine and good¡­ but I am a man¡­ though."


    "No, you are not." ¡ª The being stated between a snort and a chuckle.


    I was speechless.


    There was an unusually long and awkward silence following my statement, but before I could speak again, the world blurred around me, my consciousness drifting away, along with my unanswered questions and fears.


    Somewhere underground on the planet of Rixa, a powerful magical anomaly occurs. White lightning dances in a few meter wide perfect circle. Carving out the uneven rock surface and dissipating it into the air. The white magical lightning slowly began to form a humanlike form. Flesh, bones and veins were growing rapidly into a singular entity seemingly made out of thin air at the command of a being far exceeding that of mortal minds.


    The entire process took but a few minutes, and the roaring thunder that kept the dark realm awake disappeared just as suddenly as it arrived. Only the powerful echo of the continuous thunder strikes were still lingering in the underground cave system.


    Well, that and the humanoid figure standing in the epicenter of the anomaly.


    There stood a pale-skinned elven maiden. A petite thing, with silk like black hair flowing down her shoulders. A small face, with sharp yet tender facial features unique to the elven races, favored for their peerless beauty. A pair of elongated ears pointing upwards at a mild angle encircling a pair of pure silver eyes reminding those who caught sight of them of the twin moons of Rixa.


    The girl was looking around the cave with a scandalized expression.


    There was a long staff in her hand made of a silvery material that seemed to passively exude a silver light that pushed back the darkness surrounding her on all sides. Her body was covered in a thick gray robe decorated with silvery embroidery, likely made from a similar material as the rod. The robe was reaching down to her knees. Parts of it were covered in heavy chain-mail to provide even more protection to the mysterious wearer.


    Otherwise, she was wearing dark gray long gloves and tall boots tightly wrapped around her limbs. There was also a cowl skillfully sewn to the back of her robe, allowing her to protect her head from the whims of nature if necessary.


    The next time I opened my eyes, I was standing in the middle of a dark and eery cave. My head hurt, and I felt confused and lost. I tried to remember how I got here, or what I was doing here at least¡­ Then the memories of my meeting with Lord Axis flooded my mind and I slowly calmed down, attempting to get a firm hand on my spiking emotions.


    Yes, I have met a God, a God that chose me as his messenger. He entrusted me with the task of gathering the races of this realm and defeating the darkness that threatens its continued existence. It was a mission of great importance, also serving as the purpose behind my existence here.


    That was one thing¡­ then the prophecy came to mind, and I shuddered.


    I looked down at my body. I was covered in a typical mage robe. Nothing extreme, if you disregard the patches of chain mail that covered certain areas providing extra layers of defense against physical attacks. There was a moderately sized backpack hanging from my shoulders, its straps pulled over my coat.


    That wasn¡¯t what bothered me, though.


    My eyes ticked in frustration as I caught sight of the long black hair flowing over my shapely breasts covered under the gray robe¡¯s material. An unfamiliar tight sensation surrounding my chest. Is that how wearing a bra feels? This is getting ridiculous¡­


    I felt like cursing, but held back, too scared to actually do it. I was supposed to be some sort of divine messenger¡­ Seriously, I just met with an actual God and got recreated by him, with a mission in mind. I wasn¡¯t eager to figure out how it might react to such blasphemous acts. I had a feeling that it wouldn¡¯t just endure it in silence like the ones back on Earth did. Those guys must have been burned out already.


    "Ugh¡­" ¡ª I sighed heavily, leaning on the metal staff that was already in my hand when I came to be. I almost jumped from the sound of my voice, looking around the cave like a fool before realizing what was going on.


    It was too damn different from what I was used to. This was the voice of a girl, no, an elf-girl. It felt soft to my ears, filled with an inner warmth and a sense of power, which I couldn¡¯t quite capture at the moment. Could it have something to do with me being a witch, of all things?


    Still¡­ among all the strange experiences, I kept glancing around the cold and dark cave, seeing nothing familiar, just darkness and the occasional outlines of rocky walls. Slowly, I began to feel a sense of despair.


    "Seriously¡­ as if turning me into a girl wasn¡¯t enough¡­ he had to drop me into a cave completely alone without any sign of nearby civilization¡­ Its not like this world is peaceful, from what he told me it is much more dangerous than Earth was even back in the middle ages."


    The girl sighed, sitting down on top of a nearby rock, trying to think over her situation.


    "Come on Selora¡­ think¡­ you have the experience of a whole life you can surly figure something out¡­ wait¡­"


    Since when did I start to refer to myself as Selora so naturally? My name was¡­ ugh? I can¡¯t remember? Is.. is this the Alzheimer''s disease I heard of? No-no-no-no-no¡­ that can¡¯t be. I have been reborn as a young girl. There is no way¡­ Let¡¯s calm down for now¡­ yes. I clearly know that I was an old man, and died on my hospital bed¡­ but, how is it that I can¡¯t recall my name? What the hell?! Everything else seems to be alright¡­ At least I can¡¯t find anything unusual going on with my memory. But if that is the case, then it doesn¡¯t make sense!


    "How could this be? I can¡¯t recall my old name¡­" ¡ª I spoke up in sheer frustration. My left leg was shaking with excess energy. Then a sudden thought came to me as I mumbled to myself, with a dazed look in my eyes. ¡ª "This, this must be the will of Lord Axis¡­ well, if that is the case, it should be fine."


    My thoughts cleared, and I froze as the words left my mouth without my intention.


    I jumped up with an inexplicable rage filling my chest.


    "Like hell is that fine!" ¡ª I shrieked into the darkness, shaking my head frantically while walking up and down in the dull cave, attempting to work out my annoyance with the general situation. ¡ª "This guy clearly messed with my head and didn¡¯t even warn me ahead of it¡­ not even talking about my body! He obviously did it intentionally just to frustrate me! Damn it!"


    The girl stomped her feet in a futile act of defiance. Alas, nobody was there to bear witness to her anger, and so it quickly dissipated. As a result, she slumped down back against the rock she was sitting on just now. Feeling empty.


    Why am I acting like a pompous child? I am such an idiot. Being a girl is the least of my problems. It might be uncomfortable at first, but the momentary discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of being dead. Above all, I am a white elf. That means I won¡¯t ever die from natural death, nor will I get old if I can believe what Lord Axis said. He has given me such incredible longevity, and I was picking at the details, acting like a complete idiot.


    I felt like crying as the realization dawned on me. This was a literal God I was talking about, one that was clearly capable of retribution, and wasn¡¯t likely to allow such disrespect without punishment.


    I crawled to my knees and prayed from my heart, driven by fear and shame in equal portions. I was pleading to my Lord to forgive my foolish behavior.


    It didn¡¯t take long until I felt a peaceful and accepting aura surround me. The relief that filled my soul was like a bite of fresh bread to a starving man. My tense body relaxed, knowing that my prayers had been accepted, and I was granted forgiveness. Just like that¡­ It was beautiful in its simplicity.


    My face flushed, and soon enough tears began to run down my cheeks as I was overcome with my emotions.


    "My Lord¡­ you are too kind¡­ thank you. Thank you so much¡­ for your generosity."

 Chapter 2. A man of small stature

    After Selora managed to calm down, she felt a fresh wave of energy fill her body. The shine of her metallic staff immediately doubled in its intensity. She stood up, grasping the weapon with a grateful smile appearing on her face.


    "Axis¡­" ¡ª She murmured to herself as she stared at the almost entirely enlightened cave.


    There was a saying back in my world¡­ If God is with us, then who is against us¡­ well, it sounded something like that. I am starting to understand what they meant.


    Selora thought to herself while beginning her long walk across the dark cave system.


    I walked aimlessly into the darkness. I didn¡¯t know where I was or where I was headed, yet I felt a certainty in my heart¡­ One that I had never experienced in my previous life.


    It was the absolute knowledge that I was not alone. A man, well¡­ a woman with a purpose, a mission, entrusted to me by a God none the less.


    So I walked and walked, on uneven terrain, leaning on my staff occasionally. It was double functioning as a walking stick and a light source, since its weight was too much to hold all the time.


    Over my painfully slow traveling, my mind has cleared completely, and I realized that there were other memories added to my original collection. The thought that my mind was tweaked even more than I originally realized made me feel quite annoyed.


    However, that sense of frustration quickly dissipated as I focused on the strange memories.


    I squealed in pure surprise and excitement as I understood what they were.


    "Spells! I am an actual wizard, or witch¡­ whatever¡­ Its like being reborn as Gandalf, but a girl and an elf and younger¡­ Ugh¡­ Now that I said it out-loud, it doesn¡¯t sound that similar anymore¡­"


    Still, the thought of actual proper spells has kept me excited for the time being.


    As I recalled the memories that were clearly inserted into my mind thanks to Lord Axis, I understood something that I should have questioned far earlier. The light emanating from my staff was already a spell that I was using instinctually. Since it was one of the simplest ones that could be activated by a fickle thought or the desire to see. I only needed to have physical contact with my staff as a requirement.


    Without the staff, I could still use the spell, but then it would be weaker while consuming more power.


    There were many other spells that could be useful. One could create a shield of light, while another could unleash a raw force of energy. Those were the ones that could be used with a powerful intention. And so I focused on those for the time being¡­ The reason for that was simple, more powerful spells needed a long incantation, one that had to be recited carefully to achieve the desired result all that while focusing on the place and exact way of the spell¡¯s manifestation.


    The specifically chosen words served as the designs to focus the careful intention in creating the spell structure. It helps the visualization process and allows enough time to channel the raw power into the spell of choice. It is quite hard to do that while simultaneously chanting. At least I won¡¯t have to memorize the chants, as they were burned into my mind quite vividly.


    While lost in my thoughts, I stepped into a wider cavern.


    Standing on the edge, I raised my staff, focusing my intentions to empower the light even further. A powerful burst of light filled the darkness, showing me the ridiculously wide and tall cave for a short time. I could see many paths connecting to this particularly enormous cave leading towards other similar places, no doubt.


    Just before the burst of light dissipated, changing back to its modest glory, I saw a curious glint from the corner of my eyes. Having nothing better to do, I decided to head towards the direction of that small twinkle.


    I didn¡¯t have to walk far before I saw the cause of the anomaly. There was a sword, laying on the ground, its blade covered in a black, ominous substance. It looked like congealed blood, except it was black.


    "That¡¯s definitely a real sword¡­" ¡ª I probably shouldn¡¯t be surprised by that since it¡¯s supposed to be a fantasy setting¡­ but still.


    I didn¡¯t like the discovery or its potential meanings, but decided to still look around more. There might be other items around here¡­ something that I was willing to bring along and might even provide some use, like a knife. Come to think of it, I never checked the contents of my backpack.


    As I thought about it, memories I didn¡¯t know I had come to the forefront of my mind. Containing a visual image of a water flask, a small knife, some simple food and a change of undergarments put inside my backpack just above the small bag of gold.


    I blushed, feeling embarrassed from the image of similar looking female undergarments being on me just under my robes. I shook my head, chasing off those thoughts. Refocusing on my current situation.


    I was already struggling with the staff. There was no way I could drag a sword with me on top of that. This body might have an above average fitness level, but it was nothing extraordinary. Not even mentioning that that black substance might as well be poisonous.


    While I was searching around, my eyes were constantly focused on the ground in my vicinity. That was the reason why I didn¡¯t notice the unusually small yet thick form sitting against a nearby wall. Not until an unfamiliar, gruff voice reached my ears.


    "Eat my beard¡­ it¡¯s an elfmaid loitering in the deep roads, of all places. Now I have seen everything¡­ cough¡­"


    My entire body shook in fright. I was taken off-guard by the unexpected voice. Jumping in my place, grabbing the staff tighter while looking around menacingly.


    An amused chuckle greeted me, and I finally found the location of the mysterious speaker propped against the crook of a nearby wall.


    "Calm yer tits, lass¡­ I ain¡¯t bite, no longer." ¡ª The man¡¯s overly cheerful voice was strained and tired. He was clearly making an effort to not scare me away. Not that running was the first thing on my mind¡­


    A light blush sneaked onto my cheeks as I blatantly lied to myself, just remembering that there was a God possibly reading my mind and snorting at me at the very moment.


    I shook my head. It was not the time to think about that.


    I raised my staff, focusing more power into it, to see the figure in a clearer light. I squinted my eyes and said suspiciously, my voice barely shaking from the excitement and fear of meeting someone in this godforsaken place.


    "My name is Selora, an elf, as you clearly noticed. But who might you be, good sir?"


    My voice echoed through the darkness. It left behind an uncomfortably long silence. I was just about to repeat my question when a loud exclamation made me flinch.


    "Hah! I can¡¯t help but wonder if I have died without noticing it. An elf with manners was thought to be a legend. Cough-cough¡­ argh! That must mean¡­ you have come here¡­ to reap my soul, isn¡¯t it? I am already seeing the light of the afterlife¡­"


    What is he talking about? I wondered to myself, then understanding dawned on me. He was either injured or magic was not as common in this world as I initially thought. Could be both.


    "Ah, you must mean my staff. I am a witch of sorts¡­ It¡¯s an instrument of my craft."


    I tried to calm the wheezing man while slowly walking towards him. I didn¡¯t have to wait for his reaction half as long this time.


    "A witch? Hah-haha!" ¡ª He burst into a maniacal laughter. ¡ª "That¡¯s my luck¡­ should have known that a long-eared, leaf chewing bastard with manners would be the death of me. Fine¡­ get it over with¡­ feed me to your frogs or whatever evil you can conceive. I have already accepted my death hours before you crawled into this god-forsaken place."


    I froze for a second, hearing the ridiculous statements of the man. Then slowly continued to walk towards him, when I finally could see him completely. My eyebrows shot up to my hairline as the strangely proportioned man appeared from the darkness.


    "You are dwarf?" ¡ª The question left my mouth without thinking.


    The man leered at me as if I was stating the obvious.


    "No, I am a short-necked wyvern, you ignorant, pompous fool. Get it over with, a dwarf should face death with a spring in his step!"


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    I ignored the half crazed ramblings of the man of short stature and kneeled down next to him. He was clearly heavily injured, incapable of posing me any threat at this point. Yet his mouth was quite a dangerous weapon, even in this state.


    "You have misunderstood me, good dwarf-sir¡­ I have no intention of feeding you to any frogs, I assure you. I come with good intentions. What would you say if I offered to make a deal with you?"


    The man seemed relieved hearing my words, and not finding any deception in them. He relaxed slightly, until he heard the word deal, at which point his suspicions came back twofold.


    I could see in his dark expression that if I mentioned anything about his soul, he would curse me to hell and back. Still, understanding that he didn¡¯t have much choice in the matter, he made a more conscious move.


    "What sort of deal?" ¡ª He grumbled, sounding annoyed, but I could see the barest hints of hope reigniting in those dark brown eyes of his.


    I showed him a warm smile, one that I hoped would be innocent enough to make him believe me.


    "Well, as dwarf-sir has already suspected, I am indeed lost¡­ Would it be too much to ask for you to be my guide through these tunnels after I healed you?"


    The dwarf looked at me, his hard expression morphing into that of shock and pure disbelief.


    I waited for the half minute that took for him to gather his wits. Then he spoke up in a surprisingly companionable voice.


    "I might have seen elves in the deep before, some even had manners occasionally¡­ But a humble witch¡­ I must have gone nuts from the blood loss¡­ Do what you will, lass. If by some miracle you actually save me. I won¡¯t give a rat shit about you being a witch or whatever. I will lead you wherever you want to go in this cursed place. I will burn my beard off before I break my word!"


    The man said, in a tired voice, dropping any previous pretense. Showing me how tired and injured he truly was, which I already expected. Seeing his battered body covered in bloodstains, both red and black.


    "I see¡­ than I will take your word for it. Now try to relax and stay silent. I shall focus on the incantation."


    I quickly retreated into my mind, searching for the healing magic I had previously browsed over. As I pulled it into the forefront of my mind, I could feel the ingrained memories come to life. As power swirled in my stomach and chest, buzzing with a readiness to follow my orders.


    I took a deep breath, envisioning the effects of the spell. Trying to imagine the dwarf in a healthy condition. As I started the incantation.


    "By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command thy wound, heal!"


    As the words left my mouth, I could feel an amalgamation of power gathering in my chest and stretching it from the inside. Then the moment I spoke the last word, the energy began to flow towards my right hand. As more and more power concentrated into my palm, a luminescent glow began to radiate from it. Becoming hotter and hotter by the seconds.


    I was startled from the growing discomfort, then a new intuition came over me and I slowly hovered my glowing hand above the injured dwarf¡¯s body. As if the spell was just waiting for the opportunity, pure white spider web like tendrils started to flow between my hand and the dwarf''s body. Effortlessly finding their ways into the minuscule cracks of his armor.


    The dwarf, in the meantime, was staring at the process with comically wide eyes and a statue like rigidness.


    The entire process took about five minutes, which we spent in complete silence. I was focusing on the spell, not even realizing that the dwarf¡¯s skin had gained back some of his healthier color. When the last of the spell¡¯s energy waned from my palm, I sighed and suddenly was glad to be on my knees as a wave of nausea hit me. I was sure that I would have ended up on them, anyway, possibly scratching them in the process.


    I sat down completely next to the dwarf, only now realizing how drained I was. My skin was drenched in sweat, my breath quickened, not even mentioning my heart beating in my throat like a sledgehammer.


    I must have unknowingly overexerted myself¡­ great. Even the magical staff¡¯s light seemed to dim to a shadow of its former glory.


    I heard shuffling next to me as I tried to calm my breathing. I looked up and saw the dwarf standing up. His expression was still that of disbelief. I tried to stand myself, seeing this, but couldn¡¯t will my legs to do the heavy lifting. They felt numb. Upon this realization, a knot began to form in my throat.


    I¡­ might have made a huge mistake¡­ if the dwarf decides to turn on me for whatever reason¡­ I am done for!


    My breathing hitched with a tinge of panic as I desperately tried to will my legs to move. The dwarf''s attention finally caught onto my struggle. He stepped in front of me, looking down at me with an imposing aura as the shadows ominously circled his silhouette. I gulped audibly as I looked up, trying to search for his expressions, only to realize that his features were shrouded in shadows and I couldn¡¯t see anything.


    I suddenly felt two powerful arms wrap around my shoulders, pulling me closer into a bear hug. My face plummeted into a spiky, reddish beard bush. I yelped while being showered in kisses of gratitude all over my face.


    A fierce blush appearing on my cheeks, running along my elongated ears. I pushed against the man, who was clearly overcome with emotions.


    Luckily, he eventually caught onto my discomfort and backed off, looking quite ashamed of himself.


    He coughed this time out of awkwardness instead of injuries.


    "Sorry about that¡­ I thought I was a goner¡­ and¡­ is everything alright, miss?"


    I looked to the side, my face still burning with frustration and embarrassment. I mumbled.


    "Think nothing of it¡­ but¡­ I am afraid that I will have to rest for a while after that stunt I pulled off¡­ my legs are throwing a tantrum, you see¡­" ¡ª I added with even more embarrassment leaking into my voice.


    The dwarf, whose name I was still yet to know, looked at me with a troubled expression.


    "Unfortunately, we can¡¯t have that." ¡ª The man stated with dire certainty.


    I was surprised. My ears twitched, a new habit that I was still getting used to. I watched as the dwarf walked around the cave looking for something, which he found in a few minutes of aimless walking.


    It was the sword I had seen previously. He put it into his scabbard and the weapon slid in, showing only a little resistance, no doubt thanks to the blood still smeared over it.


    Under my confused stare, the dwarf walked back to my side, kneeled down, put a large hand under my bottom¡­


    "Hey! Where do you think you are touching?" ¡ª I hissed at the man, my face flushing to a deep crimson.


    The man chuckled lazily. Waving off my frustration with almost no reaction.


    "Stop squirming about. I am trying to lift you up so get a hold of your staff. We will need the light."


    I stopped moving for a second, which was enough for him to find a stable hold under my legs and back, lifting me off the ground in a fucking princess carry¡­ I would imagine that I had a dead inside expression, because I definitely felt a small part of me die at the realization.


    The dwarf seemed to sense my strained mood and wisely chose to remain silent for the next ten to fifteen minutes which we spent traversing through the dim place at a surprisingly quick pace. Especially if you consider that he was carrying me all along.


    As my emotions calmed down, I realized that my body still felt numb, but it was better than before. Maybe in another half an hour I could walk on my own again.


    Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, metaphorically speaking. I sighed and accepted my situation. Letting go of another part of my past male pride seemed to be less problematic than anticipated. Well, the fact certainly helped that my last years were spent mostly bound to a hospital bed. And in that state, humiliation was the daily routine.


    Instead of boiling in my discomfort, I decided to focus on the environment. I saw that the dwarf was walking with a purpose. He clearly knows this place and has an exact idea of where to go. I was almost certain of it and the thought filled me with a greater amount of relief than I thought it would.


    While still not willing to look at the dwarf directly, fearing that my embarrassment would come back twofold, I asked.


    "You seem to be in a hurry¡­ what is wrong?"


    The man faltered for a fraction of a second, then marched on without care. His gruff voice whispered to me, which surprised me since I figured he had a loud personality.


    "Lass, you pulling me leg or what? If we stayed in that place after all that ruckus we made, then you might as well could have fed me to the frogs."


    My neck whipped around, facing him with a pale expression.


    "What!?" ¡ª I hissed at him, trying to keep my calm, and succeeding only partially. ¡ª "If that was the case, you shouldn¡¯t have shouted all the time!"


    The man made a disgruntled noise, along with a sour expression.


    "Well, sorry for that lass¡­ But I wasn¡¯t in my right mind back then, thought I was seeing things and stuff, and you didn¡¯t make it easier on my mind either girly!"


    I looked at the shameless fool with a scandalized expression.


    "What?! So it¡¯s my fault now!"


    "I didn¡¯t say that, girly¡­" ¡ª He sighed. ¡ª "Look, what¡¯s done is done. Now we have to get as far from that place as we can before¡­"


    My ears twitched¡­ and my body shivered instinctively, in the arms of the dwarf, who, noticing my reaction, turned eerily silent.


    My ears twitched again. I was sure of it. There were sounds of running steps echoing through the tunnels somewhere ahead of us. The trampling sounds didn¡¯t belong to people. It reminded me more of a pack of dogs or wolves.


    "Do you hear that?" ¡ª I whispered fearfully to the dwarf while staring into the darkness ahead.


    "What? What do you hear" ¡ª He asked impatiently, panic leaking into his gruff voice.


    I felt annoyed by his reaction.


    "What do you mean what? Just listen, there are sounds of trampling feet ahead of us. It¡¯s getting closer."


    The dwarf, hearing my words, immediately turned around and bolted into the opposite direction.


    I flailed my arms, trying to get a hold of him in a panic as the unexpected wild movement surprised me.


    "What are you doing?" ¡ª I asked as a sense of fear dropped to the bottom of my stomach.


    The man practically growled at me.


    "Stupid girl! You should have told me the moment you noticed them!"


    I tried to defend myself, taken aback by the sudden tongue lashing.


    "Well¡­ sorry I thought you heard them too¡­"


    The man snorted disbelievingly.


    "Do I look like a long-eared prince to you? Your kind have thrice the hearing of mine! I have no way to hear them from that distance¡­ how can an elf be this ignorant?"


    I blushed furiously as I realized the issue.


    "¡­ It¡¯s my first time meeting a dwarf¡­" ¡ª I mumbled reflexively, trying to find some sort of excuse, but the man ignored me.


    Damn it¡­ I might be an elf now, but I was still used to living in a world where only humans lived. That meant everybody had the same sensory standards, mostly. I never even thought about it¡­


    I was shaken out of my thoughts as the dwarf spoke to me.


    "Listen, lass, tell me when you notice any change, so I can keep track of where not to go. Can you do that?"


    I pressed my lips together and said.


    "I will do it."

 Chapter 3. Outpost

    The moment I said that, the dwarf unceremoniously threw me over his shoulder, much like a bag of potatoes. I swallowed back a painful groan as most of my weight concentrated on my stomach and hip area, which was pressed against the man¡¯s armor, in an extremely uncomfortable position.


    One of his arms was hooked under my thighs, trying to balance me on the run. While I attempted to listen to the sounds of the beasts, it was much harder to achieve results in my current conditions. So much in fact that I couldn¡¯t hear a thing as the noises we made easily overpowered the distant sounds of trampling feets.


    I hissed, feeling frustrated from the dull pain coming from my abdomen, but didn¡¯t complain.


    We ran for another ten minutes, which I spent occasionally reminding the dwarf that I still didn¡¯t hear any pursuers. They must have gone to the cave where I healed him, or were chasing a different prey altogether.


    Eventually, we came to a stop, only when I assured him that I still didn¡¯t hear anything, even in silence. Did he decide to put me down as he collapsed next to me.


    I winced. Could practically feel the forming bruises on my abdomen. Grateful for my thick robe over the simple chemise under it, which dampened the contact. I wouldn¡¯t wish to imagine how that experience might have gone without that extra layer of protection.


    As we sat on the rock floor against the wall, listening to our heavy breathing, I realized that the earlier numbness I felt was almost gone. I could likely stand up and walk now, with some effort.


    I turned my head and looked at the dwarf, who was clearly a lot more tired from that stunt than he wanted me to see. Thinking back to his earlier words, I realized that he wasn¡¯t joking with the dangers lurking in this place. Not that I doubted him much, but experiencing the panic in his voice when I spoke about those noises was a very different thing.


    I took a large breath of air and asked him when his breathing somewhat stabilized.


    ¡°What¡­ what were those things exactly?¡±


    The dwarf looked at me and shook his head.


    ¡°¡­ How would¡­ I know that, lass¡­ from what you¡­ told, I ¡­ wager¡­ dire wolves, perhaps¡­ wargs¡­ leech hounds? ¡­ Could be something completely different¡­ like goblins, any manner of darklings, even orcs¡­ It doesn¡¯t really matter. Neither of them was planning to pat you on the shoulder. If you were lucky, they would only eat you alive¡­ if not¡­ that¡­ well, I think you get the gist of it¡­¡±


    I shivered from the thought, and couldn¡¯t help but stare into the dark corridor we came from. Being eaten alive didn¡¯t sound lucky to my ears. I gulped down a mouthful of saliva as I connected the unspoken dots inside my head, adding that to me being a girl now¡­ Lets just say my legs were pressed tighter together for the time being.


    I kept sharpening my ears and praying that nothing had followed us here.


    To my great relief, I still didn¡¯t hear anything other than our own breathing and the occasional natural echo of the environment.


    ¡°I think we are safe here, at least for now¡­¡±


    The dwarf shook his head, almost amused by my statement. A notion that didn¡¯t give me the solace I secretly hoped for. I expected him to scold me again, but for some reason, he asked an unexpected question.


    ¡°How old are you¡­ girl?¡± ¡ª The bearded man asked. The gesture took me off guard and out of habit, I answered with my previous body¡¯s age.


    ¡°Seventy-two, why?¡±


    The man looked at me, a spark of realization ignited in his dark brown eyes. Then he facepalmed and sneered, at the same time disgracefully.


    I realized the mistake I had just made, and was steadily growing red in my face, expecting that he would call off my obvious bullshit at any moment. I did not look like a seventy years old for sure.


    However, the dwarf was exasperated for a different reason.


    One that made my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.


    ¡°I should have expected that!¡± ¡ª The dwarf grumbled in disbelief. He seemed almost ashamed¡­ Was there a rosy tint appearing above that red beard of his? ¡ª ¡°Of course I ended up with a long-eared girl-child saving my hairy ass, one that shouldn¡¯t even be old enough to leave the forests, especially not alone! There is no doubt about it, since you are so ignorant of the dangers here! How the hell did you get to a closed off section of the deep roads, I cannot fathom!¡±


    The man exclaimed, looking much older all of a sudden.


    I was taken aback by his words. Staring at him, mystified.


    I looked over my body with a complicated expression. Then asked, hesitatingly.


    ¡°Do¡­ do I look like¡­ a child to you?¡± ¡ª I was genuinely confused. I mean, my tits were small for sure, and I didn¡¯t have that much womanly curve to my hips either... I wrote those off as elf characteristics.


    The man snorted.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you look like! But what you are¡­ do I have to spell it out, kid?¡±


    I stared at him, completely clueless as to what he was speaking of, and it must have been written all over my face seeing how he reacted, scratching the back of his head in distaste. Eventually sighing and doing it, anyway.


    ¡°Stone, help me! Look, Selora right?¡± ¡ª I nodded. Signaling that he remembered my name correctly. ¡ª ¡°Elfs don¡¯t change much visually after reaching the age of sixty. Except in certain places¡­¡± ¡ª His gaze wandered to my chest and hips. Oh! I-I see¡­ ¡ª ¡°At least not until you get to the last sixty years of your lifespan when visual aging begins. Which, based on the type of elf you are, can range between five hundred to a few thousand years. However, what is common among all of you leaf chewing bas-¡­ cough¡­ I mean, your cousins is that no elf under the age of a hundred years will count as an adult. That¡¯s common knowledge!¡±


    As the dwarf-man finished his ramblings, I fell into a thoughtful state. A hundred years of being a kid? Seriously. Elven parents must be crazy, but well¡­ maybe it¡¯s the same for them¡­ time is relative to our perception of it after all. And since their lifespan is equally larger¡­


    Still, this discovery definitely puts me in a unique position. Who would have thought that I would be treated as a child with my actual age in this world? How amusing. But why a hundred years?


    I decided to ask about it.


    ¡°Is there a reason why it¡¯s a hundred years?¡±


    The dwarf growled something nasty under his beard. This time, he was obviously embarrassed by my question.


    ¡°Ask your parents and stop pestering me with this!¡± ¡ª The man barked at me. I wanted to argue, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.


    ¡°Shut it! Focus on walking instead of flapping your tongue. We have a long road ahead. Since you seem to have so much energy to ask stupid questions, you might as well walk on your own¡­ I hope you didn¡¯t expect me to haul your arse all the way!¡±


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    As I was pulled to my feet, quite forcefully, I had some trouble finding my balance and wobbled a bit, before the dwarf stabilized me with one of his hands grabbing my shoulder.


    When it was clear that I wouldn¡¯t fall over the moment he let go of me, he did so.


    ¡°You good?¡± ¡ª He asked grudgingly, and I nodded, probing my legs. They felt stiff, but walking should be fine.


    ¡°Thank the paragons for small mercies.¡± ¡ª The dwarf added turned on his heels and started to walk into the darkness. After a few steps, he stopped, looked over his shoulder and said in a low growl.


    ¡°Move!¡±


    I hastily nodded, moved to his side, and tried my best to keep up with him, which was surprisingly difficult even with my longer legs, all thanks to the uneven terrain and the lingering numbness in my body.


    The next half hour was spent in companionable silence. I was too focused on trying to not trip in the dim light my staff provided, while also having to keep up with the dwarf, who already slowed down for my sake.


    Unfortunately, it was getting harder to do it, since I was still suffering some sort of mana exhaustion, and the fact that I still had to keep up the light didn¡¯t help at all. I was way too reckless pulling of that healing magic earlier¡­ I am not sure if all higher magic is that draining, or healing is an especially tiresome art.


    I also realized, while browsing some of my memories, that I made a fundamental mistake in my assumption of how the healing touch spell worked.


    I thought that the spell would use a fixed proportion of my mana and continue until it runs out, and then, if I am not satisfied, I will have to cast another one. It was not the case. The spell was one that continuously channeled power from my reserves until I canceled it or my reserves ran dry. At which point it will automatically cancel itself as my body¡¯s self preservation functions kick in, closing off most of my mana emission.


    That was exactly what happened. I figured that my body¡¯s natural rate of gathering mana was higher than the rate the glow of my staff consumed it, otherwise it would also shut off completely.


    Still, I could feel my power dribbling into the staff, as if it was leeching it away, causing a mild headache on the way. My concentration slipped, and I almost tripped on a protruding rock, only able to catch myself thanks to leaning on my staff.


    I stopped. I needed rest, feeling the accumulated sweat on my forehead. I looked at the back of the dwarf and called out to him.


    ¡°Dwarf-sir¡­ I think I need to rest. It¡¯s getting hard to keep up the light, and walk at the same time.¡±


    The man stopped, looking at my tired expression. He nodded, stepping to my side, hooking an arm around my hip, giving me the opportunity to lean on him. I didn¡¯t object. However tired I was, being held like a princess again was still less desirable than this¡­ Not even mentioning being carried like a bag of potatoes over his shoulder.


    I didn¡¯t want to think about the palm sized bruises on my stomach.


    I winced as the dwarf''s armored fingers accidentally brushed one of said bruises. I couldn¡¯t help but ask him.


    ¡°How far do we have to go? And come to think about it¡­ where are we even going?¡±


    The man, noticing my pain, wordlessly repositioned his hold and said.


    ¡°The closest dwarven fortress is about four days of travel from here.¡± ¡ª I paled as the words took root in my head. A sense of despair churned in my guts as the man continued. ¡ª ¡°But there is an outpost not far from here. It¡¯s where I am stationed, along with others of my kind. We are heading there.¡±


    I felt an immense sense of relief hearing those words. He was not done with the explanation, though.


    ¡°The reason behind the outpost is to attempt to reclaim this abandoned section of the deep roads. As you can see, our attempts were yet to bear fruit. Especially after being ambushed by a large group of hobgoblins half a day ago. I am unsure if others from my patrol managed to survive the attack. I have my doubts about that. But who knows? I survived alone and separated until you saved me. They had their chance as well.¡±


    I listened to the man, feeling his muscled arm curled around my hip and feeling his unfaltering steps, even with my added weight.


    ¡°This didn¡¯t feel like I was the one saving you¡­¡± ¡ª I mumbled, dispirited from the reality of the situation.


    The man chuckled lightly next to me.


    ¡°Girl, you might not realize how close I actually was to kick the bucket for good¡­ Don¡¯t underestimate the help you gave me¡­¡±


    I nodded, a sheepish smile coming to my face, along with a fluttering sensation in my stomach. It felt nice to be appreciated¡­ Back in the hospital¡­ well, let¡¯s just say I almost forgot what it felt like to be useful, or even treated as a complete human being. If the powers Lord Axis granted to me could be used for good, and that seemed to be the case¡­ Then this entire journey might not be as problematic as it sounded first. After all, it¡¯s not like I would stand aside and watch without helping to begin with.


    My ears twitched as we took a turn, entering into a smaller tunnel. We couldn¡¯t have stood side by side without leaning on one another. As we moved through the suffocating darkness, I noticed something unexpected. There was a warm light blinking at the end of the tunnel.


    I looked at the dwarf, catching his relieved expression in place of the usual stony one.


    So that is the outpost he was speaking about.


    While we got closer to the light, I could see a metal door appearing at the end of the tunnel. It blocked the way completely. A single torch was burning hooked above the doorframe. Giving the tight place a burnt, oily scent. The flames coming from the torch have discolored the ceiling directly above it with thick black soot. The sight was a testament to the age of the outpost, and a proof of how often said torch was changed down with another¡­


    The dwarf let go of me and went ahead, hammering his fist against the door.


    In the meantime, I leaned on my staff, closing my eyes, and willing the light to disperse entirely. As the last of the magical light disappeared, my pulsing headache almost immediately lessened in its torturous intensity.


    I sighed, relief flooding my mind. Followed by a sense of drowsiness. I was sleepy, that much I realized. I would happily fall asleep if an even more threatening sensation wasn¡¯t gnawing at my belly right now.


    I was ravenous.


    A metal part of the door slid aside, revealing another pair of similarly dark brown eyes as the dwarf¡¯s¡­ whose name I still didn¡¯t know have.


    The eyes widened in shock as they focused on my escort.


    ¡°Emrum! Is that truly you!?¡± ¡ª The words of the unknown dwarf were filled with genuine disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s me¡­ Tymur¡­ Just open the door already. I would rather have this conversation inside¡­¡±


    The shocked dwarf quickly nodded, not even noticing my presence, and began the complicated process of opening that ridiculous door, which was a lot thicker than I anticipated.


    Its thickness was similar to that of bank vaults back on Earth. At first I thought it was an overkill, but looking closer and seeing the few centimeters deep claw traces scratched into the metal, I reevaluated my thoughts on the matter.


    The door eventually opened, and I was rushed inside by Emrum¡­ As I finally got to know his name.


    The next thing I knew, I was standing in a much similar tunnel than the one I just left behind. Yet it was more taken care of. There were more torches on the walls, even a few braziers in the distance.


    The temperature was a lot warmer too. Compared to this, the tunnel outside was freezing. A thing I didn¡¯t even have the chance to feel bothered with, not until I realized how cold it was just now.


    I stood in the comfortably warm corridor, another wave of drowsiness assaulting me as a result of the warmth.


    Before I could think much else, a loud exclamation interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°Emrum! Is that what I think it is?!¡±


    My escort didn¡¯t seem to react to the loud question, as if he was expecting the drama beforehand.


    ¡°You brought an elf into the outpost! The commander will throw a fit about this, I can tell already!¡±


    ¡°Oh shut it, Tymur¡­ I owe her my life!¡±


    The man seemed even more scandalized by this knowledge, his otherwise red cheeks becoming even redder.


    ¡°You must be joking with me¡­ she looks like the one who needed to be saved¡­¡±


    My ears drooped unconsciously¡­ right¡­ that was exactly what I was talking about.


    However, Emrum showed a disapproving look at the other dwarf. Who clearly got the underlying meaning which was probably along the line of shut up.


    We headed deeper into the outpost and in a minute or two; we went through another similar metal door. This had far less claw marks on it. Still enough to make me raise my eyebrows. The implication was that the first door was not enough to keep out all the threats lurking in the darkness.


    I gulped and walked through the second door. Which led to a wider cavern, covered in simplistic decorations. A row of bunk beds on both sides of the hall, chairs and tables put into every nook and cranny to make the best use of the provided place.


    A dozen dark brown eyes focused on me, most of them filled with surprise, suspicion or downright hostility at seeing my appearance. Then as the gazes wandered to Emrum, following me in a step most of those glares turned into relief, disbelief and confusion.


    I stood, leaning on my staff, unsure of what to do in this situation. Emrum gave me a side look, then pointed at a chair next to a round table beside the door. I understood and nodded with a weak smile, sauntering over to the table and slumping down into the chair, closing my eyes in a heavy sigh, completely forgetting just about anything else the moment my bottom hit the stone chair covered in some unknown creature¡¯s fur.


    I hugged my staff, propping one of its ends against the bent behind my ankle, then the upper end. I leaned over the crook of my neck. With that, I dozed off. Not even noticing the shocked stares directed at me.


    My hunger was forgotten as the warm temperature of the room whisked me away to a dreamless sleep.

 Chapter 4. Welcoming committee

    I couldn¡¯t sleep for long, when I heard a frustrated grumbling voice, followed by a vigorous shake to my shoulder.


    I drowsily opened my eyelids and glanced up. Seeing the face of Emrum standing in front of me was quite a surprise. I looked around, startled by the dwarf, quickly realizing that I was no longer in the hospital.


    I could see a dozen curious brown eyes glancing in my direction while pretending to do anything but that. My memories slowly came to my help as I recalled my arrival at the outpost, then falling asleep on the chair.


    What was more important was the fact that all of this wasn¡¯t just an extremely long and realistic dream after all. I have been truly recreated as an elf by a god none the less. A God I now own my allegiance to. It was such a strange feeling, being young, if not exactly energetic in my current state, but I was still filled with life, and my body actually listened to my orders like it was back in my younger days.


    In the midst of all those strange experiences, I didn¡¯t even have time to enjoy my regained health.


    My thoughts were distracted by the arrival of another dwarf. This one seemed older than the others in the chamber. He seemed a lot meaner too, and equally imposing. A huge claw shaped scar was running along his left cheek, crossing over his nose and left eye, which on a second glance was completely white, likely blinded by the same injury.


    His sole, healthy brown eye glared daggers at me and my drowsiness immediately scattered, finding myself sitting straighter in the chair.


    Aside from his scars, he had the longest beard among the dwarfs that I could see. Opposed to that, the top of his head was completely bald. His beard was of the color of black weaved into a single large braid in the middle and a few smaller ones on both sides. It was even decorated with large metal rings.


    I gulped as I looked up at the intimidating dwarf. The man looked me over. I found it hard to not squirm under his frosty glare, but somehow managed.


    Emrum spoke up at my side.


    ¡°This is the commander of this outpost. His name is Balgrun Rekaven.¡± ¡ª Emrum stated in a professional tone.


    Realizing that I was being introduced to the commander in front of his man, I forced myself to stand up, using my staff to give me the necessary support. However, the moment I stood up, I saw that there were much more of the dwarfs in this place than I initially thought, every one of them looking at me curiously, as if they had never seen an elf before.


    ¡°Cough-cough¡­¡± ¡ª As I stared at the dwarfs in surprise with a little bit of fear. Emrum gave me an impatient reminder of the ongoing conversation.


    I looked back at the black bearded dwarf whose name I already completely forget, more like never even memorized it since I was still half asleep when Emrum introduced him. Unsure of what to do, I decided on a mostly universal greeting.


    That is to say, I bowed my head and introduced myself in a humble way.


    ¡°Greetings my good-dwarf-sir, commander?¡­ I-I am Selora, I am grateful for your hospitality.¡± ¡ª My words had quite the effect on the dwarfs around¡­ As wild murmurs and whispers were exchanged among them.


    Even the commander seemed to be affected by my words, his strict I will crush you expression mellowing out to a you might yet live one.


    The man glanced around the barracks and stated a firm order to the men.


    ¡°Silence.¡± ¡ª His demand was met immediately as order came back to the room.


    The man stepped closer to me now, only having about a meter of distance between the two of us. Even Emrum seemed to step to the side, leaving me to face the black bearded dwarf on my own. A task that I wasn¡¯t eager to do at all.


    As I looked into the heavy eyes of the battle hardened warrior, I tried my best to not look away, but it was a futile attempt as my gaze again and again slipped to my feet.


    The man seemed satisfied by this reaction. A lingering smirk appeared on his face as he spoke up.


    ¡°What does an elven girl-child want in the deep roads?¡± ¡ª The man asked, in a dry tone.


    It was an uncomfortable question I couldn¡¯t really answer. Especially that I had no desire to be here in the first place. I blinked and shook my head, mumbling the only believable answer that held some truth.


    ¡°I¡­ lost my way¡­ sir¡­¡± ¡ª My words were followed by an awkward silence. Then another wave of murmuring between the dwarfs.


    ¡°Is she an elf child?¡± ¡ª One voice asked.


    ¡°I never saw one before¡­¡± ¡ª Another added.


    ¡°Of course, you never saw any. They are not supposed to leave their precious forest before adulthood.¡± ¡ª A new voice lectured the previous ones.


    ¡°But then, how did she come here?¡± ¡ª The baffled voice of a dwarf appeared, and there was no immediate answer to his question.


    After some time, a slightly confused voice joined in, unsure of his own words.


    ¡°She got lost. Didn¡¯t you hear it?¡±


    A few snorts were the most distinctive reaction to those particular words.


    ¡°Lost, my arse. We are in a deeper section of the lost tunnels. And they go far deeper than the roads we are used to. There is no way a surface child could get to this depth on her own¡­ I would sooner believe that she was born here than accidentally wandering into this damned place! On my beard, not even I could come here on my own! None of us!¡±


    A thin layer of sweat began to form on my forehead when I heard those words. What the dwarf was saying is technically true¡­ even if I wasn¡¯t born by natural means. I had absolutely no intention of revealing that fact to either of them.


    I wasn¡¯t planning to act like some messiah, that usually makes you end up on a cross. I can¡¯t reveal that I was sent by a God until I know enough of this world to not make some critical mistake in the process.


    My attention focused back to the present.


    Just in time to see most dwarfs nodding to some argument, which I missed while lost in my own thoughts.


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    The commander seemed satisfied by the conclusion of his men, even if he wasn¡¯t going to comment on it. Instead of that, he continued the questioning in a sarcastic voice.


    ¡°So you got lost, girl? That¡¯s too bad. You must have been terrified¡­ A young elf, so far from the forests. How fortunate for you then, that you have run into one of my lost men. I find it curious that said man is coming at me with an unlikely statement that you were the one who saved his life. Tell me, how would you achieve such a feat?¡±


    I could feel the tips of my ears getting hot from the suspicious stares directed at me.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ well¡­¡± ¡ª I clasped, then unclasped my fingers unconsciously. Should I say it? Emrum must have already said it, so it would be foolish to lie at this point. They might decide to kick me out of the outpost and I wasn¡¯t likely to survive that.


    The memory of Emrum''s reaction to me being a witch was still heavy on my mind, though.


    ¡°I¡­ I might have used a magic spell¡­ called healing touch¡­ Unfortunately, I miscalculated and used too much of my power¡­ ending up as the dead weight in the process¡­¡± ¡ª Seeing the surprised expressions around me, my voice trailed off.


    Whispers, both curious and fearful, traveled through the room. Arguing about me truly being a witch, or trying to deceive them for whatever reason. Dwarfs seemed to be unusually suspicious towards elfs, I did not know if they were like that towards every race or if this treatment was specifically reserved for my kind.


    ¡°So, you are admitting that you are a witch?¡± ¡ª The dwarf man with a black beard stated with surprise he couldn¡¯t hide.


    I nodded. What else was there to say?


    There was a moment of silence, then the commander burst into rambunctious laughter.


    My fingers tightened around the shaft of my staff as the unexpected noise made me jumpy. Ears twitching while trying to figure out what was going on. Slowly, more and more of the dwarfs joined in the laughter and I was getting frustrated by being on the receiving end of a bunch of dwarfs laughing outright.


    After a minute or two, the laughter quietened, and I found myself staring at the dwarf commander, a wry smile plastered on my face. They say elfs have bad manners¡­ right, these guys were laughing at me straight on for two minutes.


    The commander was clearly amused by my annoyed expression. He smirked at me good-naturedly. The previous coldness was nowhere to be found. I guess that was good news.


    ¡°You were right, Emrum, she is nothing like a witch¡­ I am starting to understand why those long-eared fools guard their young so closely. This one is as clueless as she can get!¡±


    The commander gave me one last through look and said.


    ¡°She can stay if she wants, give her one of the empty beds. I hear there are a few that became ownerless this morning.¡±


    The thought of a proper bed was such a promise I had no way of resisting in my current state.


    ¡°Thank you, sir...¡± ¡ª I said without thinking about the second part of his sentence.


    A worried protest came from one of the men behind him.


    ¡°But commander? Do you want us to sleep along with an elf? How can we trust her?¡±


    The commander was unbothered by the question.


    ¡°If she can trust you enough to sleep in the same room as the lot of you, you have no reason to protest, either, Regmir. Except if you mean to say that you are more delicate than an elf maid?¡±


    Another wave of laughter burst through the room. This time it wasn¡¯t directed at me, thankfully.


    The dwarf who asked the previous question turned red as an apple, trying to deny any notion of said accusations.


    ¡°No, commander¡­ of course not.¡±


    The black bearded boss dwarf laughed and barked at the man.


    ¡°Thought so.¡±


    Still, another voice of protest formed in the far back of the room. I couldn¡¯t even see the speaker.


    ¡°But she is a witch. She said it herself!¡± ¡ª Unlike the previous question, this time there were a number of worried expressions on the dwarfs. Some even nodded along, showing their similar thoughts on the matter.


    The commander also turned more serious as he stated.


    ¡°A witch that saved the life of one of our comrades. While risking her own in the process. Dwarven custom has always cherished battle bonds above all else. Because only when your life is on the line will one¡¯s inner value come to the surface. Only then can we see if our inside is full of mud, or there is a diamond waiting to be polished, a diamond that holds tighter than the best of our steel.¡±


    There was a solemn silence as some of the dwarfs nodded proudly, while others looked to the side with a shameful expression.


    The commander continued.


    ¡°This girl, as far as I am considered, has shown what she is made of. Above that, Emrum made a battle bound with her.¡±


    This statement clearly surprised the dwarfs, as multiple gasps filled the room in a short time.


    ¡°I trust you all to know the weight of such words. Yet for those who are unfamiliar with the custom.¡±


    The man gave a side glance in my direction. Then continued.


    ¡°It means that he guarantee¡¯s your trustworthiness with his reputation, even taking responsibility for them to a certain degree. It also means he would proudly march into battle by your side. This is a dwarven custom, and while it isn¡¯t exactly a promise of friendship, it is also a kind of similar to that in your culture. Truth is, it is more and less at the same time.¡±


    With that said, he turned back towards the crowd.


    ¡°She might be young, but in the dwarven kingdom, such connections are not taken lightly. No matter her age, the length of her ears, or being a witch of all things. Until she doesn¡¯t give us reason for distrust, she will be part of the Bronze Company.¡±


    ¡°Selora, I welcome you in our company. Anyone who has any more arguments should come forward now and say it.¡±


    Seconds ticked by, but nobody seemed to have anymore opposition. The words of the commander had great sway over them. I, too, felt touched by his words. At least if I disregard the constant reminders of me being a kid or a girl.


    Two facts I was struggling to acknowledge.


    ¡°Now bring her some food. She is as thin as a twig, then after she ate let her rest. If you have questions, young Selora, ask anybody in this outpost. The Sons of the Stone are not a rag-tag bunch. They are disciplined soldiers of the allied dwarven kingdoms. You are as safe with us as if you were back in those forests of yours.¡±


    Listening to the words of the gruff-looking commander, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the man. He might have been a strict leader, but he was also reasonable and kind when it was necessary.


    I nodded to him, who waved me towards the chair where I was sleeping a few minutes earlier. With that said, he turned around and left unceremoniously.


    A curious buzzing went over the crowd in the barracks.


    As I stopped being in the center of undesired attention, I sat back down and in a minute or so, some men brought me a plate of cold grilled meat, much more than I could reasonably eat on my lonesome.


    There was also whole bread and a large mug of warm milk at the side.


    I took in the mouthwatering sight of food. Looked up at the pair of dwarfs who brought it to me and were looking at me with knowing smiles.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡ª I said to them, then turned my focus back to the food. Not seeing any cutlery in sight, since the meat was already cut into smaller parts, I reached for the closest one. Grabbed it and raised it to my face, taking a greedy bite.


    The meat was cold, true, and a bit chewy, but the taste was pretty good even if it didn¡¯t remind me of any meat I''d ever tasted. It had a sweet tinge to it, but not as strong to make it uncomfortable.


    I took another bite, gulping it down with the milk, then reaching for the bread to break off a large piece of it and send it after the rest. I ate quickly, relishing the moment. I couldn¡¯t quite remember when was the last time I ate with such a healthy appetite.


    I could sense the lingering glances from the dwarfs and hear the occasional chuckle. I didn¡¯t mind it. I was far too occupied with my current undertaking.


    About fifteen minutes later, my stomach was full, and I was pointed to a bed without fuss. Being so tired and stressed, thanks to all the excitement of the day. I somehow managed to take off my gray outer robe and backpack, drop it on a nearby chair, kicked off my knee-high boots with decidedly more struggle and finally crawled under the thick wool blanket, almost immediately falling asleep.


    I didn¡¯t mind the curious glances, nor the amused whispers. I felt relaxed and safe among the dwarfs. It reminded me of the time I spent in the army as a young man. It was tough, but a rewarding experience, one that I happily remembered, probably because I never had the experience of going to war.


    Reminded of my youthful days, I was overcome by a comfortable sensation and eventually fall asleep.

 Chapter 5. A much needed distraction

    I woke up after a good amount of sleep this time. My mind felt clear and responsive again, making the previous day¡¯s drowsiness feel like a bad dream. I sighed and stretched my body still under the blanket, popping a few bones in the process. Then slowly sat up, looking around curiously, trying to rub the lingering sleep from my eyes.


    The air was comfortably warm in the barracks, just like yesterday. I also realized that I was sleeping in the lower part of one of the bank beds. I didn¡¯t even notice it until now. I must have been truly out of it.


    There was another thing that I needed to take care of¡­ I had to find the toilet.


    I crawled out of bed, looking over my body for the first time without the thick robe covering it. Seeing the outlines of my new body, the first thought coming to mind was ¡°slim¡±. Not slim, in a visually attractive way. But slim in the: you might fall over from a stronger breeze way.


    I mean¡­ I could see the outline of my breasts through the thin fabric of my chemise. Could literally see the white bra under the shirt¡­ Thinking those words in my head felt awkward, but it was high time to assess the situation¡­


    I am a girl now. Better to accept it sooner than later, because this is not going to change.


    A light shiver ran up my lower back as I, for the first time, looked at the world around me with the conscious understanding that this was going to be my new reality. In fact, it already is.


    I looked around the room suspiciously. Not seeing or hearing anybody, I carefully cupped my breasts with my hands.


    A pink blush grazed my generally pale features almost immediately. They felt soft, a bit more sensitive than I was used to, but nothing extraordinarily unusual. Yet the entire action somehow felt wrong for me to do. I quickly let go of them as if burned by something. I felt dreadful from the thought that someone might see me in this awkward situation.


    I might have looked like a teenage girl from the outside, but I was definitely not a girl on the inside. I was an old man who lived an average life, made a lot of mistakes, did a few things right and accepted the hand which life gave me a long time ago.


    When you are young, full of energy and spite. You tend to believe that the world will always bend to your will and sometimes it may seem that it does. However, as you get older, accumulate more experience, and widen your understanding of the world, you begin to slowly realize that most of your actions were meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Then, after a certain amount of time, you start to lose things, at first only partially, then more and more, family, friends, health, purpose¡­


    There will be a time when you look around and realize that you barely recognize the world that you live in. That there are fewer and fewer things you remember or feel a connection to. That will be the time you begin to lose hope.


    Yet my thoughts lingered on the topic for a while.


    My breasts, just like the rest of my body, were petite. My hips had not much shape to talk about either, my bottom was a bit better in that regard. As I looked at my thin arms next, pulling up the sleeve of my shirt, I realized that there was some misconception to my earlier observation.


    I gasped with genuine surprise, seeing the feminine layers of slender muscles running along my forearm.


    Was this an elven body characteristic, as well? I smirked, seeing the strange muscles work as I kept clasping my fingers into a fist, then releasing the grip, only to do it again in a second.


    A rebellious thought appeared in my mind. Maybe I won¡¯t end up as a pushover in the end. Not with the strange layers of muscles covering my body.


    Unfortunately, my bowel rebelled against further investigation. I hastily straightened my clothes as much as I could after a night of sleep, pulled on my boots, and left in search of a toilet.


    It didn¡¯t take long until I ran into a pair of dwarfs just returning to the barracks. From a side corridor. I asked them about the toilet and one of them pointed me in the right direction. Which I followed and found the place easily.


    The closet was a positive surprise. Just like everything in this place, it too was carved into a rock surface covered with a wooden seat. This was the first time I saw wood in this world. Even the torches were made of metal. All in all, it was a simple thing: a hole dug into the ground, really.


    Ten minutes later, I left the toilet, surprisingly unaffected by the experience. Maybe I was over-dramatizing it in my head, or maybe taking a dump as a girl wasn¡¯t much of an experience after shitting myself or, in better cases, into a bedpan for two years in a hospital.


    Humans tended to get used to everything over time, be that good or bad. I thought while washing my hands in a bowl of water along with a bar of soap that was prepared in a corner outside of the closet. I tried to not focus on the idea of how many others had washed their hands in that water already, but washing it with soap was still better than not doing anything.


    Let¡¯s say I trusted that soap with my life now. Was that also considered a battle bound? I chuckled from the thought, imagining Emrum¡¯s expression in case I asked him. Which I was not planning to do by all means.


    Done with washing my hands, I dried them in one of the few towels hanging on the wall. That done, I remained standing in the same place, staring at an empty spot in front of my feet.


    Suddenly, not having anything to focus on, I sighed heavily.


    Yep, there were no remaining doubts of it. I am a girl now, through and through. It¡¯s actually funny that the change in gender is the part I struggle the most to wrap my head around. Among all the changes surrounding me.


    A good explanation could be that this particular change had the most immediate effects on my life. Next would be the existence of gods and magic. All of which was both refreshing and terrifying.


    While walking back towards the direction of the barracks, I struggled to adjust to my surprisingly long chemise. Tugging it back into my black leather pants was a chore in itself.


    While on my way to the barracks, I run into a familiar face. The man with a reddish beard looked at me and smiled.


    ¡°Morning¡­ I would say, but this is more like early afternoon.¡± ¡ª The man noted with an amused smirk. ¡ª ¡°You must have really overworked yourself trying to heal me, lass. I would be inclined to lecture you about it, if it wasn¡¯t my hide we were talking about.¡±


    I looked at him, a smile gracing my lips. My presence in this world has already proved useful by saving his life. There is no denying that, and the feeling was wonderful.


    ¡°I did not regret it, Emrum, and would do it again without a second thought¡­ even more so since we became battle bound.¡± ¡ª I added teasingly.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The dwarf scratched the back of his head and mumbled something behind that beard of his.


    My ears twitched, catching the whispered phrase.


    ¡°Kids these days¡­¡±


    A bout of annoyance came rising in my chest. I looked at him and said.


    ¡°By the way, Emrum, how old are you?¡± ¡ª I asked innocently. The man, taken off-guard by the abrupt change of topic, answered without much thought.


    ¡°Me? Eighty-four, why?¡± ¡ª The moment he saw my evil smile, he paled slightly and began. ¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t even start, I can see what you think just from looking at you. Let me state it right away. It¡¯s not the same!¡±


    I felt annoyed and immediately argued.


    ¡°Why? You are barely older than me! Why do you get to treat me like a child?¡±


    The man looked at me and spoke slowly, like I was a fool to even ask the question.


    ¡°Because, that¡¯s what you are.¡± ¡ª Seeing my frustrated expression, he quickly continued before I could muster another argument.


    ¡°Look, Selora¡­ Dwarfs and elfs age very differently. Dwarfs are like sprouts jumping out of the ground compared to elf children. Which tend to be rare and guarded so closely that I never even considered one to be outside of elven cities. Not even mentioning the deep roads.¡±


    ¡°Dwarfs are considered adults after their twentieth birthday. We live around two hundred to three hundred years at best. It¡¯s not just the mentality, but the physical side of it. You are not as tall as an adult elf. Which I should have noticed immediately, but I was not in my right mind, as you already know.¡±


    ¡°Come on, that¡¯s just racist!¡± ¡ª I said, because it was. The dwarf looked at me like I was some strange bug and eventually said.


    ¡°I am not sure what you mean by that, but¡­ if you haven¡¯t noticed, we do not belong to the same race girl. Do you think that your twig like body can pass as a dwarf? Even if you are not much taller than me for now. Not even a blind man would take you for a dwarf. Your voice is too melodic for that.¡±


    My ears drooped slightly, the wind taken out of my sails. I couldn¡¯t find any breach in his logic. Maybe being racist in a world that was filled with intelligent races that had actual differences and not variations of the same one was considered common sense?


    Why was I even arguing with him about this? I must be more frustrated with everything than I thought.


    Letting out a deep sigh, I conceded.


    ¡°Fine¡­ but don¡¯t call me a kid all the time. At least call me Selora. It¡¯s annoying¡­¡±


    The man laughed, then added happily.


    ¡°I was just teasing you, girl. No need to make a big deal out of it. I will stop if it bothers you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡ª ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    There was a moment of silence, then the dwarf remembered something and said.


    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ You must be hungry. I intended to show you to the dining-room.¡±


    My eyes glinted with interest as the memory of yesterday¡¯s supper came alive.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡ª I asked, attempting to hide my eagerness. Then added, hastily seeing his growing amusement. ¡ª ¡°I would like that¡­ thanks.¡±


    He shook his head slowly, then turned around and went into another side corridor. I followed him wordlessly, walking through a much larger complex than I initially anticipated. Thinking back to it, there was a reason to put the barracks so close to the entrance. In the case of actual invasion, every minute counts. What better way was there to gain precious moments than sleeping just next to the doors? Those bunk beds could even be used to barricade the place, come to think of it.


    When we got to the dining-room, it was already empty. I wasn¡¯t surprised since it was supposed to be around two to three hours in the afternoon based on what Emrum told me.


    ¡°I asked them to put a plate aside for you, lass. It wouldn¡¯t be good for you to go hungry after tiring yourself out yesterday.¡± ¡ª The man mentioned lazily.


    ¡°Thank you for being so considerate, Emrum¡­¡± ¡ª I started, but the guy waved it off.


    ¡°You elfs and your fancy words. Think nothing of it. I owe you way too much already.¡±


    I looked at the man curiously as he placed the spared plate of meat similar to yesterday¡¯s menu between us on the stone table, sitting down as well.


    ¡°You owe me nothing, Emrum¡­¡± ¡ª I said as his constant reminder of my thoughtless action started to feel uncomfortable.


    He stopped in the process of throwing meat and boiled eggs between my plate and his own.


    ¡°You have an interesting interpretation on the value of my life, girl. Allow me to differ on that note. To me it means quite a lot.¡± ¡ª He said with a cunning smile curling at the edge of his lips. Barely visible under the rich combination of reddish facial hair.


    I choked on the piece of meat, hearing his words. A cold sense of panic growing in my belly from the unfortunate misunderstanding.


    Then I heard him snort. My ears twitched in annoyance, coughing with a flustered expression.


    ¡°Cough-cough¡­ you are such a¡­ cough! Bastard!¡±


    He passed me a mug of milk from the side of the table and I grabbed it, lifting it to my lips and gulping down most of the contents in one go.


    When I put down the mostly empty mug, I felt much better. And my attention quickly wandered back to the plate of food.


    ¡°Easy, girl. Nobody is going to eat your food.¡± ¡ª The man chuckled at me, slightly shaking from the effort to contain his jovial mood.


    My eyes ticked.


    ¡°Then stop spouting nonsense. You know what I meant!¡±


    He became serious for a second and nodded.


    ¡°You meant that I have to bring you along after you overexerted yourself.¡±


    I nodded, glaring at him suspiciously.


    He continued his speech.


    ¡°However, you also misunderstand me, Selora. The fact that you even considered healing me should have been enough for you to have my favour for a lifetime. Yet you went so far as to put yourself into grave danger while being alone in the deep roads. I genuinely cannot fathom what was going through your head.¡±


    Was that so unusual to do? Hmmm¡­


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± ¡ª I began to answer. ¡ª ¡°I did what everybody would do¡­ it¡¯s not that much¡­¡±


    I was interrupted by a maniacal laughter filling the empty hall.


    Startled by Emrum¡¯s unexpected reaction, I jumped in my seat. Blinking at the man with a confused expression.


    The moment he stopped laughing enough to look at me, he froze.


    ¡°Wait¡­ you serious?¡± ¡ª I continued to stare at him wordlessly. Causing the dwarf to furrow his brows in a fit of anger and disbelief. His expression was making me worried.


    ¡°The fuck is wrong with your head, kid?¡± ¡ª I winced as his words came out with an unexpected edge. One that I never heard before, not from him.


    ¡°Out there are the deep roads. Miles upon miles of tunnels build by our ancestors and their ancestors going back to the beginning of the first mountain formations appearing on the face of Rixa.¡±


    ¡°Not even the wisest and most knowledgeable dwarf would underestimate its danger. Even with the help of your unique magic, you are just as vulnerable. That should be clear by now¡­¡± ¡ª He looked at me seriously, and I couldn¡¯t help but nod vigorously. ¡ª ¡°If you go any deeper than this, there will be creatures living in the darkness, creatures that no mortal could dream to face. You can only hide from them and hope they won¡¯t notice your presence.¡±


    I gulped down another bite of the strangely sweet meat. Listening eagerly to Emrum¡¯s words.


    His brown eyes wandered to mine, a spark of irritation filling his gaze. Just before he barked at me.


    ¡°Take this more seriously, girl, would you!?¡±


    I quickly swallowed the piece of food in my mouth and said.


    ¡°I do, but I am hungry¡­ please continue.¡±


    His face darkened for a second, then he huffed, slumping against his chair¡¯s backrest.


    ¡°Nah¡­ I don¡¯t think so. Not if you continue disrespecting your elders¡­¡±


    I grind my teeth from the snide scolding as I hissed at him between two bites.


    ¡°You are barely older than me!¡±


    He looked at me, ignoring my comment.


    ¡°We are done talking about this.¡± ¡ª The man said with a strange gleam in his eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡ª What a bullshit!


    He then added in a sarcastic voice.


    ¡°Oh, and you might want to do something with that white mustache of yours before making an even bigger fool out of yourself.¡±


    I stared at him, confused. Then my thoughts returned to the mug of milk¡­ My eyes widened with new apprehension and my face burst into bright crimson. Quickly attempting to rub off the excess milk stuck to the skin just above my lips.


    All the while haunted by the gleeful laughter of Emrum coming at me across the table.


    I can¡¯t believe I looked like that through the whole argument¡­ I am such a fool!

 Chapter 6. Worldly conflicts

    After that, we finished eating our meals in relative silence. I didn¡¯t eat half as much as yesterday, and still felt satisfied. We put away the remaining food to an easily spottable place in case there was someone else who came later for lunch.


    I looked at Emrum, unsure if there was something expected of me while staying at the outpost. I was thinking about how to ask that when he turned towards me. He clearly noticed my hesitance, glancing at me questioningly.


    ¡°Out with it.¡± ¡ª He demanded in the most charming dwarven way.


    ¡°I am wondering if there is something I should help with while staying here. It doesn¡¯t feel right to eat your food while not helping out at all.¡±


    Emrum regarded me with a knowing look. A hint of pride hidden in his gaze.


    ¡°Have you rested enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes. More than enough.¡± ¡ª I answered confidently. To which he nodded curtly.


    ¡°Fine, what can you do?¡±


    Came the somewhat unexpected question.


    ¡°Well¡­ I can cook pretty good, but I have a hunch that I am unfamiliar with most of the ingredients used here¡­ Aside from that, well¡­ I am not sure what is considered useful around this place, could you describe a few common tasks here?¡±


    He nodded again. A ghost of a smile gracing his features.


    ¡°Of course, cooking is one of them, as you expected. There are a few similar tasks around the outpost. Cleaning the halls and washing clothes, for example. They always need more hands in those as nobody likes to do them. Unfortunately, I believe that even these good for nothings wouldn¡¯t allow a young girl, especially an elf, to do their laundry. They would never live down the shame.¡±


    I nodded, not that I would volunteer myself to such tasks if I had a choice. Cooking was one thing, since that was an old hobby of mine back on Earth. Cleaning the halls was also acceptable, if boring.


    Emrum continued his explanation carefully, watching my solemn look.


    ¡°Standing guard at the gates or going out on patrols in large groups is the main part of our job here. We are tasked with finding new locations for building outposts. We need at least two more active strongholds to have enough presence to gain control over this section of the lost roads.¡±


    He looked at me and stated confidently.


    ¡°However, you don¡¯t have to waste your time worrying about cooking and such matters. I am quite surprised you didn¡¯t think about it already. Your help would be greatly appreciated as a healer. Having a witch¡¯s help would ease our burden immensely. It¡¯s no doubt part of the reason the commander allowed you to stay here so easily.¡±


    I looked at him, my mouth opening slightly, eyes widening for a second.


    ¡°So when you asked what I could do, you meant spells¡­?¡±


    The man chuckled. Shaking his head in amazement. I was beginning to suspect that state of his going to become a constant around me.


    ¡°I see that we are on the same page now. Yes, that was what I meant. I was thinking you were trying to mess with me while you genuinely misunderstood.¡± ¡ª He chuckled again. ¡ª ¡°You are one of a kind, Selora¡­ I would have never dared to suggest a witch, especially not one who saved my life to do our cooking. Such mundane tasks should be given to those with lesser abilities and status. Magic was a rare and miraculous skill, after all.¡±


    I was barely embarrassed by this. I think I am getting used to being roasted, not sure if that is a good thing to be happy about. Still, I pondered over his question.


    ¡°I knew quite a few spells in theory. Healing is only one of them.¡±


    Emrum seemed very surprised by this.


    ¡°Quite a few? Can you give me a rough estimation in numbers?¡± ¡ª He asked curiously.


    ¡°Around thirty, I would say¡­ maybe even more if I consider spell combinations. However, I would need to practice those before using them in actual scenarios.¡± ¡ª I spoke thoughtfully, stroking my chin slowly with my thumb and pointing fingers as an old habit of mine came to the surface.


    Emrum, in the meantime, completely froze, staring at me with eyes like saucers. He looked quite comical, to be honest. I had to restrain myself not to laugh him in the face.


    Then he sighed. A long soul draining sigh left him as his right hand reached up to his face, grabbing the bridge of his nose between his now closed eyes. A strained expression sitting on his features.


    ¡°You are telling me¡­ that you know more than thirty spells at your age¡­ Please stop lying Selora¡­ It¡¯s not funny anymore.¡± ¡ª As he said that, he looked up at me, seeing my confused and slightly angry expression. He froze again. This time his mouth was the one that dropped open.


    ¡°You are not lying?¡± ¡ª He said, more of a statement than a question. Which somewhat eased my frustration with him calling me a lier for no reason.


    I straightened my body, gaining one more centimeter on him, and said in a clear voice.


    ¡°Of course I am not. I wouldn¡¯t lie about something that important¡­ ¡°


    He wheezed, grabbing me by my right wrist and began to pull me along in a random direction. I felt startled by his unusual reaction, but followed him none the less.


    Walking out of the dining room and into a side corridor, eventually ending up standing in front of a metal door. Emrum knocked on it with his fist, then walked in, pulling me along when a deep but slightly familiar voice said enter.


    Inside the room, I saw a large stone table and a few bookshelves along the side of the wall. The shelves were made of metal. They were filled with rolled up scrolls and a few books here and there. The table was entirely covered in a giant map, which contained a half finished draft of what I assumed to be the cave system surrounding us.


    It was nothing short of a labyrinth. The thought of wandering it all alone suddenly seemed like a terrible idea.


    Behind the map sat a familiar face, which I now could connect to the voice I heard earlier. It was the commander, of course. His face turned solemn seeing us enter, especially when he noticed that I was practically dragged along by my wrist.


    He gave us a cursory glance, then spoke.


    ¡°I see that our new friend has awakened. It is good to see you getting accustomed to our outpost. It is the only one in a few days of travel.¡± ¡ª He said to me directly. I nodded with a polite smile and he continued.


    ¡°I was intending to find you in an hour or so to finish our conversation in more private circumstances. Since you are here, we might as well get done with it, but first. What do I owe your sudden visit?¡± ¡ª This question was pointed at both me and Emrum. Who finally jerked out of his strange trance, let go of my wrist and said, pointing into my face.


    ¡°She says she knows more than thirty different spells!¡±


    I stepped to the side, feeling uncomfortable with his finger flailing in front of my face. Is he still on that? I thought with a new spark of annoyance.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Annoyance that seeped out of me as the icy glare of the commander turned to me.


    ¡°Is what he says true?¡± ¡ª The man demanded with a strict expression that carried the seriousness of the situation.


    I straightened myself once again and said with a firm voice.


    ¡°Yes, but as I said to Emrum. I need to practice them to avoid getting over-exhausted by accident.¡± ¡ª I had a feeling from the tone of this conversation that it wouldn¡¯t be wise to state at this point that I actually never cast those spells. They would ask how I knew them then, and that was a question I wasn¡¯t ready to answer yet.


    The commander looked at me, searching my expression for any sign of deceit. When he didn¡¯t find what he was looking for, he sighed.


    ¡°Tell me, Miss Selora, how did you end up in this cave? I warn you, don¡¯t even bother with that lousy story of being lost¡­¡± ¡ª I was surprised by the change of topic, but thinking back to the way I got here, I could only say one thing without telling too much or speaking against my visible inexperience with dwarven caves. And so I braced myself to tell the best half lie I could make up on the spot.


    My ears drooped slightly as my nervousness rose under the dangerously furrowing eyebrows of the commander.


    ¡°Well¡­ I-I¡­ messed up a teleportation spell¡­ sir¡­ It was nothing but an accident!¡± ¡ª This lie was made with the knowledge from my recent overlook of my spells¡­ There was actually a teleportation spell among them, but it was only effective on short range. That, however, they wouldn¡¯t have to know.


    The commander and Emrum looked at one another with a worried expression.


    Emrum¡¯s eyes widened with new realization. He spoke silently, his voice shaking with excitement.


    ¡°Then those sounds of thunder were caused by your spell?!¡±


    I looked at him, confused, then remembered the echoes of thunder lingering in the cave when I first arrived here. And nodded slowly.


    ¡°I-I guess so¡­ I recall noticing a similar echo when I appeared in the cave at first¡­¡±


    This time, it was the commander who spoke up.


    ¡°Echo, you say? Hah! The entire cave was shaking with the earsplitting tremors of continuous thunder strikes. Half of our men thought that it was the world¡¯s ending¡­ and now you say you caused it by¡­ by accident!¡±


    I winced, feeling the sheer frustration radiating from the commander, as I shrank under his heavy glare.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ I, ugh¡­ sorry¡­¡± ¡ª I looked at the carpet covered floor, trying to will myself to disappear from sight. It was a pity that invisibility was not among the spells I received from Lord Axis.


    The commander sighed again, letting out some of his pent-up frustration, mustering up his courage to ask another question, which he predictably didn¡¯t want to hear the answer to.


    ¡°So¡­ what kind of elf are you? Based on my luck, you are going to be some lost princess of the wood realm kingdom. I swear if this ends up causing further misunderstandings, thanks to your accident, I am going to pull out all your hair! One by one!¡±


    I shivered from the mental image of such cruel punishment¡­ and quickly shook my head.


    ¡°No! I am not! I am definitely not from the wood realm, nor am I a princess, I mean it, just look at me!¡± ¡ª I denied both accusations vehemently.


    The commander looked me dead in the eye for a few seconds, but seeing that my determination did not waver, he nodded, then asked in a calmer voice.


    ¡°So you are not a wood elf, eh? Figures. You weren¡¯t arrogant at all. Then what are you!? Not a dark elf for sure, since then we wouldn¡¯t have this conversation to begin with, then a high elf maybe? Those pricks have the most talented spellcasters. You could be one of their apprentices? Hmm?¡±


    I shook my head exasperatedly.


    ¡°I am not affiliated with them either¡­ I am a white elf¡­ sir.¡± ¡ª I said, wishing to close this discourse as fast as possible.


    ¡°¡­ A what?¡± ¡ª Both men demanded at the same time.


    A strained silence filled the room as I suddenly recalled Lord Axis saying something about white elfs being extinct or something along that line¡­ My blood ran cold at the thought of accidentally digging myself into a deeper hole.


    Damn it, I can¡¯t help it! When you die only to travel through the universe and hover in the middle of space while conversing with a god, you naturally become quite distracted¡­ So what if I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the details?


    None the less, that lack of attention was still biting me in the ass. Standing silently in front of two intimidating dwarfs wasn¡¯t good for my nerves, either. Before I knew it, I was stupidly fiddling with my fingers, making it even more obvious to my onlookers of how nervous I was.


    Emrum was the one who eventually broke the silence with a dry cough.


    ¡°Lass¡­ I hate to break it to you, but I never heard of white elves before¡­ What about you, Commander Balgrun?¡±


    Oh, so that was his name. I made a quick mental note, trying to not forget it this time.


    The black-bearded and scarred faced commander glared at me suspiciously, with a darkening expression. That was creeping me out.


    ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t say that I have¡­¡± ¡ª He intoned the words, while staring at me. Then out of nowhere, he hit his fist against the stone table and I could swear that I heard it crack¡­ Yes, I meant the table¡­ Even if there were no signs of visible rupturing.


    I stepped back instinctively as a pair of furious eyes stared at me.


    ¡°Girl, you must take me for a fool to come at me with such an obvious lie! White elves? Really¡­ You might as well be queen of the earth wyrms then. Just because you are a witch, don¡¯t think I will believe every ridiculous tale you pull out of your sleeves! I won¡¯t ask again. Are you a wood elf attempting to deceive me?¡±


    My chin dropped, my mouth hanging loosely in the air.


    ¡°I just said that I am not!¡± ¡ª I said, feeling confused by the exchange.


    The man''s glare sharpened as he demanded.


    ¡°Prove it.¡±


    I glared back at the bald fool, completely baffled by this outcome.


    ¡°I would if I know how? And what is your deal with wood elfs, what if I am one? Would you treat me differently?¡± ¡ª I asked, feeling a growing sense of fear and uncertainty.


    The dwarf boss clearly didn¡¯t expect this question. But he nodded stubbornly anyway.


    ¡°I personally might not treat you differently since you have saved my friend here, but that couldn¡¯t be said about most of my men. If you haven¡¯t noticed, they are already keeping their distance. Above that, I might have to take you into custody. An elf child, especially one with magical knowledge, has a great value in leveraging your kind. But, that is not because of what I personally want, but because of my duty towards the Kingdom demands it.¡± ¡ª He gritted out the words. ¡ª "That is, if you are a wood elf." ¡ª He added.


    I blinked, unsure what to say to that.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed.¡± ¡ª The man began seeing my confused expression. ¡ª ¡°There is a recent conflict among our people that caused more than a few skirmishes on the surface. About a hundred or so of our people have died in those small scale battles. Tensions are running wild, and many of our people hold a grudge against wood elves, some going as far to dislike elven kind all together. Of course, these minor battles are not the only reason for those feelings. Wood elves and dwarfs had a strained relationship for a long time now.¡±


    He sighed, tapping on the table with his fingers.


    I looked at him, my eyes widening as understanding dawned on me.


    No wonder the dwarfs treated me so superficially. At least most of them did. There were a few who were less biased and showed me a toothy smile or even said a few encouraging words. The situation was much more complicated than I initially anticipated. With this new knowledge, I felt even more gratitude towards them.


    Feeling quite solemn thanks to this new revelation, I attempted to share my genuine feelings.


    ¡°I am truly sorry for the suffering your people went through. I have no idea what caused this unfortunate conflict, but I am really not a wood elf. You must believe me. I don¡¯t think that using me as a leverage would have any effect either. They do not know me, and I don¡¯t think they have a reason to trust you having an elf whose name they are not familiar with in your custody.¡±


    The man looked at me, then nodded.


    ¡°Ay, you might be onto something there¡­ Fine, I have decided to trust your words for now. I will tell my men that you are a white elf. Since some of them are getting anxious about your true affiliations.¡±


    I blinked, then nodded towards him.


    ¡°Sir Balgrun, can you tell me how this conflict you mentioned started?¡± ¡ª He gave me a measuring gaze, waiting for a few seconds before agreeing with a silent nod.


    ¡°Since you seem to truly not know this... Yes, I will tell you what I know. We made a deal with the forest king. We were requested to transport a large convoy of precious metals to the heart of the elven forest, and we did.¡±


    ¡°However, we never heard of the convoy again, nor did the elves received the metals. What our investigators found was a clearing filled with signs of a battle and an enormous bunch of orc arrows. This led us to believe that the orcs ambushed them inside the wood realm¡¯s borders.¡±


    I was getting more and more confused by the situation. I couldn¡¯t help but interrupt Lord Balgrun¡¯s words to question him.


    ¡°But¡­ if that is the case, why are you fighting the elves instead of chasing down the orcs together?¡±


    He snorted at that.


    ¡°Hah, I am starting to like you, girl. But why, indeed¡­¡± ¡ª Balgrun wondered aloud.


    Emrum chuckled seeing the antics of his commander and friend. Taking over the conversation.


    ¡°That was the first thing we have suggested after the investigation was finished. Unfortunately, the forest king disagreed.¡±


    Balgrun nodded with a sour expression.


    ¡°King Glynmaer Teidraxa, that ancient and conceited idiot, says that there is absolutely no way that orcs sneaked into his forest without his notice. Because he payed foreward for the metal supply. Now he had the face to accuse us of acting out an ambush inside his borders just to deny him his rightful metals for no reason, aside from old spite. Whatever message we send to him, he does not seem to listen to reason.¡±


    I nodded slowly, unsure how to react to this news. While similarly feeling a sense of accomplishment.


    I managed to clear my name after all, and my hair was safe from being plucked out.

 Chapter 7. Gold rush

    After the pervious argument, we continued our conversation. This time in a much friendlier atmosphere.


    ¡°So you are a white elf, is that it¡­ Tell me, what is the difference between the rest of your kind and white elves, then?¡±


    Figures¡­ Now that they are more inclined to believe me, they want to know more about my race¡­ Lucky for me, their lack of other information source gives me the full control of the information I want to show them. And I am going to take full advantage of it. It¡¯s not like they will run into other white elves to prove me wrong. I chuckled to myself.


    ¡°Well¡­ first of all, you were wrong when you assumed me to be a child. I will say this only once. I am an adult elf, and we do not have the tradition of a hundred years to be called an adult. It¡¯s actually fifty years¡­¡± ¡ª I was rudely interrupted by Emrum.


    ¡°Drop the act, kid. One only needs to look at you closely to see the baby fat on your cheeks.¡±


    I glared at him and said with absolute certainty. Even if I didn¡¯t once saw my mirror image since coming to this world and having this new body.


    ¡°There is no baby fa-¡­¡° ¡ª Then again, I was interrupted by Balgrun, this time.


    ¡°Stop antagonizing her, Emrum. We should give her the benefit of the doubt.¡±


    Emrum made a grimace, as he said under his beard.


    ¡°Says the one who just freaked out because of the possibility of her being a wood elf¡­¡±


    The commander purposefully pretended not to hear that snide comment. Or maybe he actually didn¡¯t hear it and it was my elven hearing doing the heavy lifting again. I couldn¡¯t be sure anymore. What was certain was that he continued with his words.


    ¡°So in case if I accept that you are indeed a grown woman, what does that mean, a difference in stature?¡± ¡ª He questioned aloud. Emrum adding his own two cents from the side. ¡ª ¡°And a difference in curves no doubt¡­¡± ¡ª An act that earned two pairs of furious glances to himself.


    I turned back to the boss dwarf, nodded and said firmly.


    ¡°That is indeed the case. White elves are smaller in stature. However, it is also true that my body is yet to reach its full potential.¡± ¡ª Emrum snorted at that.


    ¡°Meaning that you basically admit that you are not an adult.¡± ¡ª He asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­ no! Wait, I thought you are going to say not a child!¡± ¡ª Emrum laughed, again. After that, however, he forced himself to turn serious.


    ¡°Look¡­ Selora, if you really want us to treat you like a grownup, you don¡¯t have to make such elaborate lies.¡±


    I stopped, looked at him, confused¡­ as the question popped out of my mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t?¡± ¡ª You can¡¯t really blame me for that since they were giving me quite a different vibe until this very moment. Unfortunately, the next words reaching my ears weren¡¯t what I expected.


    ¡°Got you¡­ kid, you need another hundred years before you can trick me.¡± ¡ª Emrum stated, a wide smirk spreading across his face. Eyes filled with raw glee.


    My chin dropped to the ground, my eyes comically round, as I realized that I had just admitted I was trying to trick them.


    This seemed to cause Balgrun to lose the rest of his patience with both of us. He hit the table once again and shouted at us in a demanding tone.


    ¡°Selora¡­¡± ¡ª I squeaked a yes, hearing the ominous tone. ¡ª ¡°If you don¡¯t stop wasting my time, I am going to teach you the manners your parents clearly failed to do.¡± ¡ª I gulped loudly, imagining being slapped by those log like arms.


    I conceded in front of superior arms. Quite literally, so to speak.


    ¡°¡­ Yes, commander¡­ The only actual difference I know of is the length of our natural lifespan¡­¡±


    He seemed thoughtful at that, stroking his beard slowly, then asking.


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    I gulped, not comfortable sharing this kind of information but, seeing the twitching eyebrows of the man in front of me made me reconsider.


    Fuck it, I might not like being treated as a kid, but compared to people who live three hundred years and above, on average I might as well be a child¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ sir, that we don¡¯t really¡­ die¡­ ever¡­ at least not without receiving grave injuries or some type of sickness.¡±


    Now both of the dwarfs gave me a long look, unsure what to do with that information. The commander sighed and slowly began to stand up.


    My eyes widened, raising my hands in front of me in a calming manner.


    ¡°Hey¡­ hey! Stop! Listen, I-I swear on my magic that is the truth¡­¡°


    Emrum looked at me and asked.


    ¡°You mean to say your kind is immortal?¡±


    I nodded frantically, half an eye focused on the commander¡¯s frozen form.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it, but only to natural death¡­ it doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t get sick or die from injuries¡­like anyone else.¡±


    The dwarfs exchanged a meaningful look, then nodded to each other, seemingly accepting my claim quite easily.


    The commander sat down back into his chair which was placed next to the stone table. And I could feel relieved at last.


    Balgrun began to speak after a few seconds of silence.


    ¡°I see now. There were ancient tales of an elven race that had the gift of immortality, but the name of the race was mostly lost to the time by now. Only a precious few aside from the long-lived elves know detailed knowledge of them by now. So they were called white elves. How unimaginative.¡±


    ¡°Sir, maybe there are records in the Royal library?¡± ¡ª Emrum added from the side and the commander nodded to that.


    ¡°There are, most certainly. We might look for them when we get back home, after we finish our tasks here.¡± ¡ª The commander stated. Then turned back to me.


    ¡°So what do you say, white elf Selora? Will you help our cause so we could help you find information about your race and possibly a way to get home? Of course, only if you have no better way to do that¡­ how did you call it, teleportation?¡± ¡ª He smiled meaningfully at me.


    I shook my head vehemently.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t ever try that spell again¡­ I could have ended up in a rock wall¡­¡±


    He chuckled at that, saying like a smart ass.


    ¡°Maybe you should think about that before you cast the spell next time.¡± ¡ª I looked at him unimpressed, which made his smile grow wider. ¡ª ¡°Are your other spells similarly volatile?¡±


    ¡°They are not. I was only in the learning phase of the long distance teleportation.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope you are right about that. You mentioned that you wanted to practice your spells. Right?¡±


    I nodded, adding a suitable explanation. ¡ª ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I said. Some of those spells I never really used since learning them. I would imagine my abilities became rusty.¡±


    The dwarfs seemed to be satisfied with that explanation.


    ¡°So you need a place to practice. That¡¯s what you are saying, right?¡± ¡ª Balgrun asked, and I nodded. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s not much of a problem. We have a separate room for honing our combat skills, along with archery target practice. You can aim at the dummies. Just warn the others on the field beforehand. Oh, and don¡¯t try anything stupid that had the slightest possibility of bringing down the cave on our heads. Because if you do, I will kill you.¡±


    I gulped, then nodded with a strained smile, adding a few innocent words. ¡ª ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, sir.¡±


    The dwarf boss nodded. ¡ª ¡°So back to my initial question. With these measures put in place, are you willing to help us finish our task here?¡±


    I thought about it. I didn¡¯t have much of a choice, really, but I still wanted to make the best of my situation. I smiled back at him, saying.


    ¡°I will help with whatever I can, but in exchange, you will have to treat me as an actual member of your company, and give me a suitable payment, too.¡±


    The bald dwarf smirked with a victorious expression. And I felt a small lump forming in my throat all of a sudden. I had an awful premonition about this, then a vague memory swam to the surface of my subconsciousness. Back on Earth, dwarfs were known for their acute sense in trade and barter, along with haggling.


    Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard the endless flow of confident words coming out of the commander¡¯s mouth. And I immediately realized. I was doomed.


    ¡°You will receive the same wage as an earthshaper apprentice. They are dwarven mages capable of bending earth and metal to their whims. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t give you the wage of a full-fledged shaper since you would have to go through an official assessment in front of a shaper already holding the title.¡± ¡ª He explained, and I heard an impressed whistle coming from Emrum.


    The commander continued his explanation without stopping.


    ¡°That means three medium-sized bags of gold coins, yearly. Each containing two hundred gold coins. You can also choose to accept payment in the form of gems or accessories, exchanging the gold with a small bag of gems or exquisitely crafted dwarven accessories equal in worth. Meaning that your monthly wage is fifty gold pieces without deducting the Royal tribute, which is a five percent of every payment for soldiers in service of the allied kingdoms, that in your case means five gold per month, sixty gold a year, by current standards.¡±


    I felt dazed by the amount of precious metal names thrown above my head and hesitantly looked to Emrum for help. He smiled, noticing my plight, and came to my help. I thanked the heavens for that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fair deal, I can assure you, girl. You are going to be rich before you know it. In comparison, I make twelve gold per month, along with most of the company members.¡± ¡ª My eyes bulged slightly, hearing the ridiculous difference in pay. Alas, before I could ask for an explanation. It was already on the way. As Emrum continued his words.


    ¡°As you are no doubt aware of it, magic casters are incredibly rare among all the races. Even more so among the dwarfs, to the extent that there are only three accomplished earthshapers and seven apprentices in the entirety of the allied dwarven kingdoms at this given moment.¡±


    ¡°To be considered an apprentice, you have to showcase the ability of successfully using at least one spell. That could be done in front of any official of the kingdom above a certain rank. Since dwarfs have an unusual affinity towards earth, most who strive to become an apprentice try to learn various forms of earth manipulation. Henceforth the title, earthshaper. There had been no dwarf receiving the title of apprentice who wasn¡¯t able to manipulate the earth in our records of history till this very day. Even if casting earth magic isn¡¯t an actual requirement for the title.¡± ¡ª Emrum smiled at me, nodding in a friendly gesture. Trying to signal that I should accept this offer.


    I looked to Balgrun, and asked one last question.


    ¡°If I accept your offer, will I be bound to the kingdom and unable to leave when I feel like it, because of this contract?¡±


    Balgrun shook his head. ¡ª ¡°No, since you are not a citizen of the dwarven kingdoms. If you decide to annul the contract for whatever reason, you will be required to serve until the end of the month or forfeit payment for it, then you will have no legal obligations towards us.¡±


    I nodded, understanding his offer. Which sounded very similar to an actual job interview back on Earth.


    ¡°Deal?¡± ¡ª He reached out his arm in a gesture of a handshake.


    I grabbed his hand. Mine was soon completely engulfed by his much larger hand.


    ¡°Let me officially welcome you to the Bronze Company, Selora.¡± ¡ª Balgrun stated cheerfully, shaking my hand to seal the deal. ¡ª ¡°Our agreement will not be in full effect until we sign the required documents. I will have to prepare them first, though. Come back tomorrow around this time and they will be ready. I am overjoyed to welcome you as the eighth shaper apprentice of the dwarven kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°One last thing before you go, I am aware that spellcasters consider their magic as a lifeline therefore, I won¡¯t ask specifics. But could you tell me in general terms what kind of magic you wield? Aside from light creation and healing spells.¡±


    I looked at him and nodded. ¡ª ¡°Yes sir, well, to be fair, most of my spells fall into two categories based on the way I use them: destruction and support spells. Aside from that, I can wield all basic elements to a certain degree, be that fire, earth, wind, or water. I think I am quite battle oriented, be that in a defensive or offensive scenario. I guess you can consider me a battle-witch. Not¡­ that I have any actual battle experience¡­ please don¡¯t throw me in front of the¡­ the lions¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the strange gleam reflected in those dark eyes of the commander. It was too late to realize¡­ I messed up big time¡­ again.

 Chapter 8. Spells and incantations

    Over the last few days, I have managed to accustom myself reasonably well to the dwarven outpost. Most of the dwarfs treated me fairly but superficially. Others outright ignored me. They were a distrustful bunch and the few days I spent among them weren¡¯t enough to make up their minds about the fresh addition of the Bronze Company.


    No doubt the fact that I appeared out of thin air, and now was earning four times the money they get, didn¡¯t help my case either.


    Commander Balgrun had announced my new position among them as an earthshaper apprentice, which caused quite the uproar. Revitalizing the gossip machine of the outpost at least threefold.


    Along with my new position, I also received my own room. A welcome addition. Since the dwarfs tended to snore quite liberally and when I wasn¡¯t dead tired like the first day of my arrival, it proved to be a true challenge to fall asleep, one that was threatening to drive me mad.


    Aside from that, I liked the atmosphere of the barracks. The dwarfs were courteous enough, in their own blunt way, and it was always lively. Much livelier than the small solitary room I have now. Still, I could sleep through the night, and the wake hours of the days I spent outside of my room. All in all, I was happy with the new setup.


    Seeing the generally awkward way the dwarfs handled me. Emrum couldn¡¯t help but intervene.


    He introduced me to one of his close friends. His name was Tymur, the same dwarf who opened the gate for us when we got to the outpost. He, just like the majority of the dwarfs, had a brown beard, brown eyes and a brown hair combination.


    The dwarfs who didn¡¯t share these most common characteristics had some variety of black or red and I think I even saw a few blond ones, but those were very rare.


    Tymur was practically the same age as me, seventy-five years old, to be exact. He had an honest personality and wasn¡¯t half as superstitious as most of the dwarfs. I wasn¡¯t sure if that was thanks to Emrum talking to him beforehand, but I definitely appreciated his presence.


    I even joined him at the gates occasionally, just to spend the time with lighthearted conversation.


    I had quite a lot of time on my hands as the outpost gave little means for entertainment. I was getting around though, since having a lot of free time wasn¡¯t exactly new to me. Back in the hospital, it was the same, even worse, since I couldn¡¯t just stand up and walk around the building.


    My usual afternoon routine here was actually quite exciting. Practicing some of my spells in the specifically assigned chamber got my blood pumping every single time. In fact, I was just about to head over for today¡¯s session.


    I began my walk over the corridors, my staff tightly grasped in my right hand.


    The outpost was built into a tight, circular rock formation. There were two entrances to it, one was the main entrance, and there was another hidden from prying eyes serving as an evacuation route.


    The inside of the outpost contained a plethora of corridors connecting three large main halls. One was the dining-room, another the sparring room and at last the barrack. Aside from those already mentioned, there were a lot of smaller rooms.


    These usually functioned as small storerooms for the daily necessities of the soldiers, and a few armories close to the barracks. There was also the headquarters room, where I made the deal with the commander, my new room, which was most likely a repurposed stock room. A number of toilets, a washing room, the freshly washed clothes of the occupants were hung on metal lines across the upper half of the corridors oh and there was a kitchen too next to the dining-room.


    I didn¡¯t even mention the well built into the middle of the entire complex.


    The outpost was nothing short of a small fortress; it was supplied with all the necessities to stand a few weeks long siege.


    This was basically what the dwarfs considered an ideal place for an outpost. According to our orders, we need to find and accommodate two more similar locations in strategic positions that have a stable source of water. That was a mission much more complicated in this hostile and unknown environment than one would initially anticipate.


    I stepped into the sparring hall, immediately noticing a few curious glances turn in my direction, just to look away with the same momentum.


    I sighed and walked towards the archery field that was put along the longest wall of the chamber and was separated by two layers of metal fishing nets of sorts. The net¡¯s purpose was to catch any stray arrows shot at the wrong angle. Since the outpost had little space to spare, even with the ingenious measures for using as much of the space at hand as they could.


    I walked along the shooting field. There were already two soldiers practicing their aim. They gave me a curt nod, which I reciprocated with a smile and a nod of my own. I took one spot, careful to leave a few empty ones between me and the archers, in case one of my spells got out of control. Not that it happened before, but I wasn¡¯t willing to endanger anybody from my lack of caution.


    I put my left leg slightly forward while placing my right one behind it, feet turned in an outward angle. Both of my hands grasped around the staff in a stiff hold. I figured this to be the most stable way to stand for casting destruction magic. It had quite a recoil. I was forced to figure that out yesterday when I came to the practice field for the first time. I was lucky that I already knew healing magic and could heal my injuries this morning. Otherwise, I imagined that my wrist would still hurt from the strain. At least I had the idea of using my healing magic to heal the annoying bruises on my stomach, too.


    At the second attempt, I was much more comfortable with the healing touch spell. I also realized that if I actually touch the injuries, instead of hovering my hand over them, the healing effects multiply. Jokes on me, the spell name is not for show after all. Turns out I wasted most of my magic for nothing last time. Healing with that spell without taking off the armor of the patient is out of the question.


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    I blinked and focused on the distant target. It was a large piece of rock, brought specifically for my spell-casting. Since I completely blew away the straw dummy with one spell yesterday¡­ They told me that I won¡¯t get anymore straw dummies since it was ridiculously complicated to replace them here. I guess not much grass grows at this depth underground.


    I looked to the side, realizing the unusual silence that engulfed the training fields. It was usually filled with a variety of noises, grunts and even the occasional shout from newly received sparring injuries.


    To my horror, the moment I turned towards the other side of the hall, my face paled even more than it usually was. Believe me, even on better days, my skin tone looked like I was raised in a refrigerator. White as a damn sheet. Some dwarfs even asked me if I was feeling alright.


    However, back to the present, seeing that most of the men stopped doing their thing and were currently watching me prepare to cast the same spell as I did yesterday¡­


    I gulped, the sudden sense of stage fright getting the better of me momentarily.


    I shook my head, looking back at the rock, focusing my mind on the process of spell casting. It shouldn¡¯t matter if they were looking at me. I am a witch. I will have to cast magic in front of others all the time¡­ If I become distracted from something so simple as people staring at me, then I will be completely useless.


    That said, I could still feel the sweat starting to dribble down my forehead.


    I took a deep breath and released it slowly while calling forth my ingrained impression of the spell called lightning blast. This time, I was prepared.


    Yesterday, after accidentally exhausting myself once again. I was forced to spend most of the afternoon laying in my bed so I had time to think over my memories of mana manipulation in detail. That¡¯s why now I was aware that I had to manually separate an amount of magic power which I intended to consume in the process of spell casting.


    I also needed to separate it before I cast the spell. The reason for that is simple. There was no maximum amount of mana you could channel into a single spell. There was only a minimum amount for it to work. If you don¡¯t separate your mana into a smaller portion, the spell will automatically use up all of your magic. At least if it¡¯s a single cast spell and not something like the healing spell I used, which drains your power continuously and you can easily cut it off whenever you feel like it.


    All spells that are single cast spells could be overpowered with excess mana, making them more potent.


    However, it was not the time to reminisce on the past. I cleared out my excess thoughts, concentrating on the rock surface that was serving as my impromptu target practice.


    I envisioned the arc of the destructive lighting energies, the way they would snake through the air, biting into the unsuspecting rock on the other end of the hall, and began my chant.


    ¡°Ancient storms of the ethereal planes, I Selora servant of creation, summon thy power to eradicate my foe!¡±


    The moment the words began to leave my throat, I felt as if the separated mana inside my body began to turn into a volatile energy threatening to lurch out at any given moment.


    Just as I did yesterday, I had to make an effort to contain said energies. This time, it was much easier since I used only one fifth of my mana.


    When the last word responsible for unleashing the magic slipped off my tongue, I felt the volatile energy snake up my arm into the staff. All of that happened in a fraction of a second. Then the recoil came, and I saw the yellow lighting dart out of the tip of my staff and bolt across my line of sight, followed by the earsplitting sound of thunder and the now somewhat familiar smell of burnt ozone lingering in the air. The violently coiling lightning bit into the rock, sizzling out almost immediately. Leaving behind a charred black spot in the middle of the rock, as small broken off pieces scattered across the field like shrapnel.


    There were surprised yelps and exciting gasps coming from my audience, and I couldn¡¯t help it as a satisfied smile spread across my face. I grinned like a fool, looking at the destruction I unleashed. Feeling the lingering adrenalin pumping through my veins. This was the power of magic. It was beautiful. And I knew many similar spells. However, today I came here with the intention of mastering this one.


    I could cast it four more times, but since I don¡¯t enjoy being bound to a bed, it brings back quite the turmoil of emotions, so to speak. I decided to only do three more before taking a break.


    Before I could start another chant, I heard an annoying voice from the side.


    ¡°Oh, my¡­ it seems our resident elf-witch managed to not knock herself out this time. And here I was getting ready to bring the stretcher.¡± ¡ª I turned my head towards the annoying man. My previously joyful expression turned into an embarrassed frown.


    ¡°Regmir, I thank you for bringing me back to my room yesterday¡­ and as I already said it, I am sorry for bothering you with such menial task¡­¡± ¡ª The man was really annoying about it, but the fact that he carried me back to my room yesterday couldn¡¯t be denied. He was also the guy who got reprimanded by the commander when I arrived at the outpost. Saying that he was more delicate than an elf maid or something. I heard a few times that the others teased him with it, and it clearly got to the point when he was annoyed with me.


    The brown-haired man glared at me, as if he was waiting for some sort of insult, and only when he realized there was not going to be any did he nod.


    ¡°Huh, you can keep your gratitude.¡± ¡ª He said in a gruff tone. ¡ª ¡°You owe me one for that witch-girl. You better not forget it.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that, but thinking over the whole situation, it should be evident that Regmir wouldn¡¯t help me out of the good of his heart. I won¡¯t say that he is a bad dwarf overall, but he is definitely biased towards elfs, and maybe women in general? I don¡¯t know enough of him to know that, of course, but the occasional sneers I get from him is probably a good indicator. Maybe I am simply overthinking it. After all, my presence caused him daily frustration.


    Thanks to the general boredom of this place, the occupants turn to ceaseless gossip, teasing and even occasional pranks. All just to attempt to break everyday routine. The outpost had been lying low since the last conflict with hobgoblins. Without the sense of duty coming from the half day long patrols, the people were getting restless. It showed in the number of dwarfs flooding into the training hall. Well, I might also have something to do with that¡­


    I looked at the dwarf and nodded.


    ¡°Fine¡­ if your request is reasonable, what do you want?¡± ¡ª I asked, and he waved off my question.


    ¡°Right now? Nothing, but you will know it when I figure something out. Try to not knock yourself out this time than I won¡¯t have to haul your arse again.¡± ¡ª He said and walked away, going back to sparring or whatever he did before coming here.


    I could only blink, flabbergasted by the situation. And I used to think women were hard to deal with¡­


    I sighed. I would have rather gotten over his request, but it was not to be. Anyway, I turned back to the charred rock and was ready to repeat the process of spell-casting.


    It was impossible to figure that dwarf out anyway¡­

 Chapter 9. Among dwarfs

    A few more days passed since the start of my magical show at the practice field, adding up to about an entire week spent inside the dwarven outpost.


    All this time was spent in relative solitude, occasionally overhearing one or two ridiculous rumor circling my magical person. I heard them while spending time in the sparring room or dining hall. Those rumors were not that rude, and I thanked Axis for that every morning and night when I quietened myself to pray to the Lord.


    I was grateful to receive this new life. A life with unmeasurable potential. Just think about it. I am a magic caster, which was a rare and respectful position. Beyond that, I took immense pleasure in activating the magical spells I was gifted with, while also being practically immortal.


    Yes, I am still getting used to being a girl, and I am fairly sure that will be an issue for the foreseeable future, but aside from the inconvenience of getting used to that, this was a deal that favored me immensely.


    That was the reason I prayed earnestly to Lord Axis, showing him my genuine appreciation.


    In this world, praying to a God was quite different. The action didn¡¯t feel sterile, as it often was back on Earth. However, I will say, even back then along my long life, on rare occasions I felt the hand of Divine Providence, but it always remained vague. You could describe it as a miraculous coincidence or find some other explanation.


    Yet when I prayed to Lord Axis here, I could constantly feel his welcoming presence surrounding me in the barest of his radiance. I was certain that he was listening to my words, that a real God was listening to my foolish attempts at a prayer.


    It was both a terrifying and a humbling experience. It also filled my chest with a sense of bravery that I never felt in my previous life. A bravery that frightened me, since it made me nonchalant and careless. It was something I couldn¡¯t allow myself to do while being in the deep roads, or in an unfamiliar world in general.


    Anyway, I was content with the assurance to feel the presence of a divine. Since it reminded me that I didn¡¯t dream all of my previous life while actually being an immortal elf in this world.


    It might sound stupid to feel like that after a mere few days here. However, that was how I felt. This place was both familiar and unfamiliar to me, since so many myths told about fantastic elements in this world were actually facts here. That strange familiarity made me think about possible explanations. The mind always tried to explain things, especially those which it could not comprehend.


    Mine was no different at all. Even after crossing through the river of stars to get here.


    I would love to ask someone¡¯s opinion on this, but I was not half as foolish as to come up with such questions for any of the superstitious dwarfs here, or anyone else, in fact. And since Lord Axis didn¡¯t wish me to do otherwise, I will not reveal my close involvement with a God to anybody here. That could cause unforeseeable repercussions, which I was not ready to endure.


    Not that I had anyone to talk to¡­


    I sighed, understanding that I was at least partially the reason for creating the current situation.


    Aside from that, it was simply an unlucky combination. Being an elf and a witch didn¡¯t really offer you a promising social life among a bunch of stereotypical dwarfs who were around a hundred years old each.


    Why do I mention their age? Well, have you ever dealt with a bunch of elderly people? I have, for god¡¯s sake, I was one until recently. And you know what? Old people, respect for the exceptions, which obviously exist, are not that agreeable. There are many reasons for that. Let me share a few examples.


    If you injure yourself in an accident and now you have pain to endure for all day while unable to partake in activities that were so natural to you as breathing, your mood would sour. Now try to imagine living that way. When your body aches all day for no reason or doesn¡¯t work the way it used to be. It¡¯s really frustrating and annoying to the point that you would like to scream it out to the world but nobody would care or worst think of it that you are crazy.


    There are many other issues on top of that, which I won¡¯t get myself into¡­ Yeah-yeah, I know that it¡¯s not fair to say that some old people who are angry at the world just because they can be are right. I didn¡¯t say that, but try to be a bit more understanding.


    So¡­ where was I? Ah, yeah, what I meant to say, that old people tend to be suspicious and uncooperative in general, especially towards strangers. That is a thing that comes with age and experience. And no matter how long you live, eighty years of experience will do that to you¡­


    What I am trying to say, that these dwarfs here, who are in general above seventy years, are not going to warm up to me in a week or so¡­ Even if secretly, that was what I expected¡­ or hoped for? If I take human lifespans to a hundred years, they live thrice as long. So probably from their view point spending a week together in the same outpost equals for spending a few hours in the vicinity of a stranger to me?


    I know¡­ I know that I am supposed to be an immortal now¡­ but I spent my last seventy-two years thinking that, in the best scenario, I will have a century to fool around. So telling me that I am an immortal now means basically nothing. I can¡¯t comprehend it. I feel the same. My mind couldn¡¯t stretch and integrate this supposed eternity. Which I was gifted. I don¡¯t think that I even believe it as of now. It sounds like a fairy tale, expect that I actually live in a fairy tale now¡­ haha¡­ I think I am starting to drift into an existential crisis right now. I don¡¯t really want that, so let¡¯s track my thoughts back to being an old, angry bastard.


    Now, to be fair, I liked to think about myself as a pretty open-minded old person. Seriously, I really enjoyed fantasy books, movies and even video-games. Those things are shockingly good outlets for the elderly to get back into life.


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    Playing a video game your age, gender, the fact that you are bound to bed or having any other debilitating sickness or injury simply disappears to be a bother. Well, at least, until you have functioning arms and can see well enough. Which I, thank providence, had until the very end. It gives you a way to express yourself and mingle with other people from many generations while not being necessarily tiresome.


    It¡¯s really entertaining. Obviously, it doesn¡¯t even scratch the surface of casting magic in real life, that¡¯s just ecstatic. In fact, I think I got hooked from the start. Throwing around lightning strikes like a basketball in front of an audience of century old dwarfs does that to your brain¡­ I guess¡­ I-I think I started to cackle up half way around¡­ then they began to hastily leave the practice room¡­


    Now that I think about it, isn¡¯t that the time those weird rumors began spreading?


    Giggling like a fool was also a side effect of my daily magic show in the early afternoon since then.


    Since I began to practice some of my spells publicly¡­ the dwarfs witnessing my power stopped seeing me as a cute elf girl who was lost in the deep roads and miraculously survived.


    Instead, they were starting to see me as someone who very much belongs to this place. I could sense a growing wariness. There was fear in some of the dwarf¡¯s eyes¡­ but above all, respect.


    Well, it was still a lot better than being treated as a good-for-nothing kid. So I decided to treat this change as a win on my part.


    Unfortunately, this also sealed my chance to leisurely mingle with the dwarfs.


    Regarding my magical practices, I believe I have done a marvelous job. In the span of a few days, I managed to master the lightning blast spell. I was accustomed to its use both with or without my magical staff, which served as a conduit to my magic.


    I could cast it five times with my staff and three times without it. It took a lot more effort to do it without my staff, but it was doable.


    To be fair, after I explored the outpost a few times, realizing that most dwarfs were avoiding me like I was a plague, I had little else to focus on than my magic¡­ And that accidentally backfired even more. Since then, the dwarfs were starting to regard me as some sort of superior.


    I felt like a teacher walking in the class whenever I entered the dining room or the sparring fields. Every head turned in my direction, conversations died down wherever I went.


    It was funny at the start, but now it was only frustrating. The obvious discrimination has caused me to spend more time and effort in practicing my spells. Which caused the unintended side effect that the dwarfs had witnessed more of my power. Making things more awkward than they were at the start. It was an evil cycle.


    At least Balgrun, Emrum and Tymur were still there to talk whenever I felt too bored and didn¡¯t have anymore magical powers for the time being. Speaking of which, I also mastered the three basic abilities that didn¡¯t need incantations.


    Meaning my basic defensive ability called light shield, which could create a sphere like defensive shield made of condensed magical particles surrounding my entire body or parts of it if I wished so.


    I could even separate it as a barrier and close off a tunnel if I wanted, but I needed to remain in proximity to it to be effective. Therefore, it was not the ideal spell for permanently closing off tunnels, for that I was preparing a much better choice. I had the earth wall spell, after all.


    It is going to be the one I practice next. I had to choose spells that weren¡¯t going to bring down the ceiling on our heads after all. And so firestorm and earth spike forest were out of the question. No matter how interested I was in those.


    But¡­ back to the topic. I also mastered a spell called telekinesis. It didn¡¯t require incantations, either. The spell was exactly what you would expect from such a power. I could move objects from a distance or if I injected enough magical power, I could push people off their feet or throw them into a cliff. It didn¡¯t require that much magical energy, but the strain it put on my reserves and mind grew considerably by the size of what I attempted to move.


    As it is now, I could probably lift a grown man in full armor off the ground, but that would be the extent of my current capabilities. Oh, by the way, I was clearly feeling my magic power grow with the extreme practice sessions I was putting myself through. I was pretty sure that with this rate of growth, I would be able to cast another lightning blast in a week or so.


    That made me quite happy, to say the least.


    I heard a sudden knock on my door, which jerked me out of my daydreaming. I raised my head off the bed, looking into the direction of the metal door.


    My ears were twitching as I focused on my surrounding. I was getting used to the feeling by now, and only made a side note of the common occurrence.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I guess Emrum came by for a chat.¡± ¡ª I whispered to myself, halfheartedly. Not seeing any other reason for the sudden visit.


    Tymur never came by to talk on his own, and this time he was still at his guard post, so it was impossible for him to be here. The commander would never come to my room since he had to keep up the appearances and all. So it was obvious that Emrum was the one knocking.


    I heard another knock. This time it was harsher, a sense of urgency emitting from the rhythm.


    I hastily stood up. I was clothed in my usual wear. I even washed it recently, and damn, that made me feel blessed for the room I received. I didn¡¯t have any other clothes, so I spent a good chunk of that day walking around wearing nothing else than my spare undies.


    Obviously, I didn¡¯t leave my room. I was not in the twenty-first century. I had a pretty good reason to believe that walking around half naked in a dwarven fortress filled with male dwarfs would invite quite the disaster on my head.


    For a start, I was considered underaged. Beyond that, I am far from being comfortable in this body to think about anything like that. Even thinking about it felt wrong¡­ like seriously, how did Lord Axis expect me to just go along with the flow?


    I was once again reminded of my current situation with a loud banging on my door. I yelped, covering my ears slightly, shaking my head, frustrated by the sudden scare. I stepped to the door and opened it from the inside.


    I was already preparing to lash out at the impatient Emrum, but those intentions immediately dispersed as I saw a vaguely familiar dwarf standing in front of my doorstep. I could not recall his name, but I definitely saw his face at one point. He was one of the rare blond dwarfs among the soldiers present in the outpost.


    ¡°Miss Selora, I am sorry to bother you, but the commander requires your presence immediately.¡± ¡ª The man stated in a no nonsense tone of voice. He was here in an official business and nothing else.


    I looked the man in the eyes, slightly surprised that this man had blue eyes. I believe it was the first time I had seen blue eyes on a dwarf since I came here.


    I nodded to him, feeling blessed that this didn¡¯t happen the day I cleaned my clothes that would have been awkward beyond belief. Focusing back on the present, I spoke to him. ¡ª ¡°I understand. Allow me to pull on my boots, and get my staff¡­¡±


    The man nodded uninterestedly, and I dived back into my room, closing the door in a swoop.


    I did what I said and went out of the room, meeting up with the blond dwarf once again. I nodded to him, and he began to lead the way straight to the commander¡¯s office.


    We didn¡¯t talk, and I was fine with that. I could see that the man wasn¡¯t interested in conversation right now, and I wasn¡¯t planning to strain myself with a small chat if it wasn¡¯t appreciated. I am not in my teens anymore. I could appreciate silence when it was offered.

 Chapter 10. First mission as a shaper

    The doors of the commander¡¯s office closed behind us with a heavy thump. I looked around, slightly surprised, seeing the unusual number of dwarfs staying inside the place. It was filled with the somewhat familiar faces of the outpost¡¯s soldiers. I could easily recognize most of them, since they were usually at the sparring hall doing their solo weapon wielding practices or fighting mock battles at the specified location.


    They were the people who watched my spell casting on a daily basis, but I barely talked to them aside from saying hello and receiving a curt nod.


    I won¡¯t lie. I felt a bit overwhelmed seeing that at least thirty dwarfs were staring at me as I entered the hall behind¡­ I don¡¯t even know how this guy is called? Let¡¯s call him blue eyes for now, since there are other blondes, but I never saw another blue-eyed dwarf yet.


    Among the large group of dwarfs, I saw two friendly faces¡­ Well, aside from the commander¡¯s, but that couldn¡¯t be called friendly seeing his strict expression. The others belonged to Emrum and Tymur, of course. Oh, and I even saw Regmir, whose lips immediately moved into a position ready to sneer at me, but before that could happen the commander¡¯s strong baritone boomed across the large room, which strangely enough felt quite stifling with all the dwarfs inside.


    ¡°Now that our resident witch arrived, we shall begin the discussion about capturing the second base position. The location is about a day¡¯s travel from here to the north-western region of the cave system. This part is well mapped thanks to your work and would have minimal risk.¡±


    The dwarfs around the room nodded agreeingly while I glanced around, a sense of foreboding coming over me. The commander continued his explanation.


    ¡°We have long since found a somewhat acceptable position, but until now we decided to not act on the opportunity. Because it had far too many openings for a future base, it would never be well defensible. There were too many entrances leading into the crux of the base complex, and it would be too much work to close them off.¡±


    The dwarfs nodded, simultaneously murmuring words of agreement under their beards.


    I, on the other hand, was starting to feel a light sheen of sweat forming on my pale skin. Gulping down the excess saliva in my mouth, I realized the commander¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°What do you say now?¡± ¡ª The commander asked while pointedly looking at me who was standing out like a sore thumb among the hairy and muscular dwarfs.


    The dwarfs following the gaze of the commander looked at me, then exchanged thoughtful glances among themselves. Soon the room was filled with the unruly sounds of whispering dwarfs.


    The commander waited for a few minutes until his men once again turned mostly silent, then looked at them questioningly.


    One dwarf I many times saw watching my spells blast against the rock spoke up in a confident voice.


    ¡°If the young shaper is willing and capable of closing off some of the excess tunnels without weakening the core structure of the cave partition, then I see no reason to not do it. Bless the paragons, finally we are getting somewhere after being stuck for months without any real progress!¡±


    Another dwarf spoke up in a similarly eager voice. ¡ª ¡°Yes, if we prepare another outpost, we can call in another company to help our progress. If this goes as it should, I might get to see my wife before the end of the year.¡±


    A third voice spoke up excitedly. ¡ª ¡°Then what are we waiting for? We should leave right away and get it done!¡±


    More and more eager and energized voices filled the hall, and I saw as Balgrun smirked behind his black beard.


    He clapped his large hands, to which the room slowly came to order. Then he spoke again, looking me straight in the eye.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I agree with you all. That¡¯s why I decided to call you here to begin with. But you shouldn¡¯t overlook the most important part of this plan.¡± ¡ª The dwarfs, realizing what their commander was speaking of, turned towards me with conflicted expressions. Some looked at me with hope, others even pleadingly, but most weren¡¯t sure what to expect. I could feel that distance slowly coming to the surface, the sense of frustrating shallowness.


    I understood the game the commander was playing here. Even if I wanted to shout at the bastard for luring me here without warning me previously.


    If I accept and succeed, the dwarfs will owe me one, and no doubt stop treating me like a stranger, borderline enemy, but if I fail, they will probably dislike me even further, saying things like what did they expect from an elf to begin with and so¡­


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    This was no doubt a tough situation, but there wasn¡¯t a real choice for me here. I need to try my best¡­ On top of it; I was actually planning to practice the earth wall spell¡­ So there is no reason to complain, either.


    The moment I made up my mind, I looked back at those scheming eyes of the commander and nodded firmly.


    ¡°I will do my best, sir. However, bear in mind that I need a few days to practice the required spells to close off said tunnels¡­ also, depending on their size, I might not be able to fulfill this task¡­¡±


    Balgrun smirked, and I could feel as the dwarfs in the chamber once again became excited, the atmosphere became a lot warmer too as the people began to talk over one another once again.


    A familiar voice shouted over the people, getting the attention of most. It was the voice of Emrum.


    ¡°The tunnels in that cave partition are similar to the corridors of our current outpost. Is that doable Miss Selora?¡± ¡ª He asked, and the people looked at me again.


    Recalling the general description of the earth wall spell from my mind, I quickly nodded.


    ¡°Yes, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem at all¡­ I meant spaces of the height and width of chambers, like the sparring room or the dining hall. Remodeling such places would likely prove too much for me and take up a lot of time, even if I managed to do it.¡± ¡ª The dwarfs chuckled after hearing my answer. One of them slapped me on the back good-naturedly, even if I had to step forward to balance myself under it.


    An amalgamation of voices filled the office. My ears twitched rapidly and most of the voices slowly blurred into the background while one particular conversation was lifted out of the throng, seemingly randomly. The voices came from the back of the room, and I couldn¡¯t see their faces, not even the ones who were speaking.


    ¡°This girl got some guts for sure¡­¡±


    ¡°No surprise there. I can still hear those maniacal giggles she did back at the sparring room. I could hardly sleep, afraid that I might end up turned into a frog or something¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha! I would love to see that¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up! She might hear us, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°She is a witch. Fool! What did you expect? Still, fair enough, I guess¡­ I didn¡¯t think she got what it takes either, not after she collapsed, barely stepping foot into the outpost¡­ Apparently she was like that because she had to kick Emrum¡¯s ass back from the other side.¡±


    ¡°Did you see those lightnings she wields? Her talent with magic must be extraordinary. Especially since lightning is called the most volatile and hard to manipulate energy. I wouldn¡¯t think raising a few earth walls will cause much of a challenge to her after that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? And tell me, wise lord, since when did you become such a master of magic?¡±


    ¡°There was an earthshaper in my family line back in just about eight hundred years. We still have some of his notes and textbooks guarded as a family heirloom. And since paper tends to rot away, after a few hundred years, I was asked to make a few new copies of it a few decades back.¡±


    ¡°Wait what? Is that true? Then where did you pull out that stupid idea with frogs? Like¡­ seriously, there is no way you can turn someone into frogs, right?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just it. There are known curses and hexes that can do that, idiot! And those curses are one of the favorite of witches, that is known by everyone!¡±


    ¡°Hell¡­ Now you have got to show me one of those copies when we get home.¡±


    ¡°I just might do that when we get back!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a promise then.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    I shook my head, my ears twitched again, and the cavalcade of voices came back. I didn¡¯t know what the heck that experience was just now, but I had a hunch that my ears were much more terrifying than I initially expected.


    The commander shouted at the people.


    ¡°Well then, you get today, and tomorrow, to practice your magic, Selora. And the morning after that, you march out under the command of subcommander Groolgaet Lavacoat. Who you have already met.¡± ¡ª The man waved in the direction of the blue-eyed dwarf who brought me here in the first place.


    The man nodded to me once again, which I robotically reciprocated.


    ¡°I expect you to follow his orders for your own safety and the succes of this mission. Remember, you are also one of the members of the company, even if that might change in the future. You also get paid from the dwarven kingdoms, and you asked me to treat you like the rest of my men, so don¡¯t even try to complain. Is that clear!?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ yes sir, I understand, sir! I was already planning to practice the earth wall spell, sir.¡± ¡ª I quickly stood at attention towards Balgrun, while saying that. My old military experience is coming back to me like it all happened yesterday. The strange action caused a number of raised eyebrows around me, and I could feel a light blush climbing up on the back of my neck while struggling to keep a straight face.


    Eventually, the commander nodded and dismissed me with a quick wave of his right hand.


    ¡°I am happy that you are motivated, but I hope for your own good that you didn¡¯t intend to practice such a troublesome spell inside the outpost, right?¡± ¡ª Hearing that question, I sweat dropped, since that was the exact plan¡­ of course I still denied it without blinking an eye.


    ¡°Of course not, sir.¡± ¡ª I said.


    He gave me a skeptical look, saying. ¡ª ¡°Of course¡­ Emrum and Tymur, along with Tum and Skod, will escort you out of the outpost right away. They will lead you to a nearby cavern where you can practice your magic without risking a cave in. Go to the kitchen for your rations and get out of here already.¡±


    With that said, the five of us were rushed out of the office while the rest of the dwarf remained inside, discussing the plans for the main operation, most likely.

 Chapter 11. Prolusion

    I felt very self-conscious as I stood in front of the office door surrounded by an awkward silence between the four wide and muscly dwarfs. Some of these guys were probably easier to jump over than walk around them, and that¡¯s not even a joke.


    I felt like a thin weed among wide oak trees to make a more elf like statement. Well¡­ not that I had any real idea what elf like statements were¡­ since I didn¡¯t even meet a genuine elf in this world, aside from myself, which doesn¡¯t count for obvious reasons. I was a human back on Earth, so I will act like a human, not an elf by any means.


    To be fair, I have a reasonable suspicion that I wouldn¡¯t really blend in among the humans of this world, even if I was looking like one. Earth was simply way too different from anything here. While I seem to know the languages of Rixa and can read without trouble too, since I could easily understand the words written on the map inside the office. I managed to sneak a peek at it when I joined the Bronze Company a few days ago.


    Anyway, it was not the time to think about such things. I shook myself out of those thoughts and turned with a somewhat strained smile towards the two new additions to my small circle of friends. Well, hopefully.


    ¡°Hi, allow me to introduce myself again¡­¡± ¡ª I started, but was cut off immediately. At this point, I was almost expecting that to happen. Wasn¡¯t that just pitiful? I wondered¡­ but allowed the thought to pass, not feeling the strength to delve into that topic. These dwarfs were getting on my nerves by interrupting almost every single sentence I began¡­ Even Emrum did that, and he seemed to be one of the most polite of the bunch.


    Still, I kept my strained smile and listened to the dwarf.


    One of my new companions, I think it was Tum; he had the typical brown hair-beard and eyes combination of dwarven genes was the one that cut into my words.


    He placed his one handed axe on the ground between his feet with a thump, standing it on the metal handle¡¯s point. Causing a sound that made me wince slightly, ears twitching in protest of the loud clanking sound.


    Even if the man noticed my discomfort, he didn¡¯t seem to care about it.


    ¡°Ay, spare your words lass, we know who you are well enough. Yer name is Selora, right?¡± ¡ª I nodded to that. ¡ª ¡°Let me make a point here. I don¡¯t really trust or like magic in any way, but I still acknowledge its usefulness. So do your thing while I do mine and we will be just fine.¡±


    The man stated in a matter-of-fact tone, giving me a seeking glance, no doubt to ascertain my reaction.


    I had no trouble with that and only nodded with a solemn expression. To which he smiled and said in a friendlier tone.


    ¡°My name is Tumnus Goldbraid, but you can call me Tum. Everyone does.¡±


    ¡°I dipped my head lightly, black locks of hairs sliding in front of my face, which I had to comb back in a frustrated movement. I wasn¡¯t used to long hair, and it was almost as annoying to deal with it as having a pair of occasionally twitching ears.¡±


    The man, seeing my frustration, chuckled warmly, reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out a black ring like, wait¡­ is that a hairband? My eyes widened slightly, as he carelessly grabbed my left hand and pushed it into my open palm.


    I looked at him questioningly, and I think I caught a glimpse of embarrassment before it disappeared.


    The man grumbled, silently. ¡ª ¡°What are you staring at lass, take it. You wouldn¡¯t want to get blinded by your hair of all things outside of the outpost.


    I felt genuinely touched by this track of thoughts, showing him a genuine smile this time. ¡ª ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s very kind of you to give me this. I will use it right away.¡±


    And so I tied it around my hair with nimble movements. I might have been unused to having long hair in my past life, but my daughter and granddaughter both have, and tying their hair was something I cherished to do.


    This little action made me remember them so vividly. I was struck with a whirlwind of emotions which I had a hard time containing, still managed it though.


    Thoughts of my family, which I decidedly tried to not think about in the past week, brought back precious memories. It was a pity that I passed so suddenly, they couldn¡¯t make it to the hospital to be there with me, and while I would love to see their faces for a last time, I was also glad they didn¡¯t have to see me pass.


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    To think I ended up having a similarly long hair as them, and now among other things have to tie it for myself. Sure enough, fate has interesting ways of teaching us useful skills.


    Meanwhile, the other dwarf watched our friendly exchange and grunted loudly.


    ¡°Skodrar Ingotshoulder, that¡¯s the name. Call me Skod if you prefer.¡± ¡ª I turned towards him and did a similar light bow towards him as well. Enjoying the lack of hair falling into my face with a snide grin. He slightly reminded me of the commander. He had the same characteristics: black hair-beard and dark brown eyes. Except, of course, he wasn¡¯t bald.


    The last name was completely different, though, so it¡¯s likely that the similarities were caused by chance.


    ¡°It is good to be your acquaintance, Tum, and Skod.¡± ¡ª The two of them nodded, and grunted appreciatingly.


    I heard a light cough coming from behind my back and turned around, looking at Emrum standing, arms crossed over his chest.


    ¡°Now that the initial introductions are done, we should get to the kitchen for our rations and move out to find a good enough spot for her to practice. Don¡¯t forget though, even if we don¡¯t go far, the deep roads are just as deadly even a few meters outside of the outpost¡¯s metal doors. I expect everyone to be on high alert. That includes you, Selora.¡± ¡ª He said in a strict way to which I straightened my posture and nodded firmly.


    ¡°Good.¡± ¡ª He stated. ¡ª ¡°Then, get moving, we have to get back here at night.¡± ¡ª Every one of us nodded, and we began our walk towards the kitchen that was built next to the dining hall.


    About ten minutes later, we stood at the outer gate of the base, which served as the last barricade between the deep roads and the sense of safety that the outpost created.


    I could feel the tension lingering in the air surrounding us. The dwarfs wore stony expressions while waiting for Tymur to manually open all the ten locking mechanisms that were built into the door.


    No wonder it took so long for him to open the gate when we first arrived here.


    There was another dwarf in the corridor between the two gates. This time it¡¯s probably his turn to be the gate guard, especially since Tymur is coming along with us.


    He gave me a hesitant nod when he noticed that I looked at him, which I reciprocated instinctively. It was another dwarf thing which I got used to over the week. Dwarfs tended to simply nod as a way to greet one another, at least if there was no major difference in rank.


    Of course, some tended to be more talkative, like Emrum, but that could also be reasoned as a sense of familiarity because we were battle bound.


    While my thoughts wandered all over the place, I heard the familiar sound of the slowly opening gate. My sense of alertness went through the roof. Fresh anxiety clawing into my stomach as I stared into the completely dark corridor while having to listen to the uncomfortable noise created by metal gritting against metal.


    The eery noise echoing through the cave like ancient whispers of dark promises.


    The single flickering torch attached above the outer part of the gate was the only source of light. It could barely enlighten a few meters of the cave before everything plunged into complete darkness. I felt like looking into a vertical hole in the ground, ready to consume us all.


    My body tensed up, suddenly having second thoughts about this whole mission. When I came here a week ago, I was still dazed about all the things going on, and couldn¡¯t quite comprehend the dangers lurking in this place, or how deep exactly I was under the ground.


    Unfortunately, that blissful state of ignorance was over, thanks to Emrum and Tymur, who, out of some sick entertainment, believed it to be their duty to tell me all sorts of horror stories about the creatures living in these tunnels.


    I felt a warm hand push against my lower back and I had to step forward, closer to the open maw of that terrifying darkness if I didn¡¯t want to fold over. I turned around and glared at Tymur, who was the perpetrator of said action.


    The man smirked at me knowingly. ¡ª ¡°Having second thoughts, girly?¡±


    I felt ashamed, realizing that my reaction was that obvious to the surrounding dwarfs. I looked down, avoiding their gazes.


    Tymur stepped closer to me and said with that easygoing smile of his. ¡ª ¡°Good, that¡¯s very good. It seems our hard work to instill some sense into that thick head of yours paid off, at least. Ain¡¯t that the case, Emrum?¡±


    I blinked, looking at Tymur, then Emrum when I heard his agreeing grunt. ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me, did you lie about all those horror stories you told over these days?¡± ¡ª I asked with a sense of hope coming back to me.


    A hope that was instantaneously dispelled when I heard their firm reply, which was spoken simultaneously by both of them.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I thought so¡­¡± ¡ª I said meekly as I turned back towards the darkness.


    Tum stepped up to us, pulling out a torch from his backpack. There were many more poking out of it in a way that he could easily reach up for one without taking it off if the need arose.


    He reached up the torch, igniting it on the one that hung above the gate. Tymur followed his example, igniting a torch of his own.


    Then he turned back to us. ¡ª ¡°Tum will lead the group, then Emrum, Lora, Skod and I at the end. This way, we can spare some of the torches.¡± ¡ª With that, he once again focused on me. ¡ª ¡°However, if things go off the deep end, I expect you to use your magic to lighten the corridors.¡±


    I was still a bit surprised by the new nickname I received so unexpectedly, but nodded to confirm his request.


    Then we formed up the way he told us and began to head into the darkness. My thoughts jumping between the potential dangers in the depths and my newly given nickname, Lora¡­ It didn¡¯t sound that bad. Selora always sounded alien to me, but this was much more approachable, more Earth like.

 Chapter 12. Going with the flow

    We headed into the darkness, walking through the ancient tunnels with nothing but our steps and the stifling silence surrounding us along the path. My hands stiffly clutched onto the shaft of my silvery metal staff, which I, over the time of this week, genuinely began to recognize as my primary weapon. At first I tended to leave it back in my room when I went walking around the outpost, but in the second half of the week I was bringing it with me everywhere I went. Even the toilet¡­


    I felt as if an amused smile stretched across my face in the wake of the strange thought.


    It turns out magic is even more addictive than smartphones.


    We would have been already traveling around half an hour if my instincts didn¡¯t lie to me. I had a hard time following the passing of time in this environment. To my amazement, the dwarfs seemed to be the complete opposite in that regard. They could even tell if it was nighttime or daytime, which I had absolutely no idea how to attempt.


    I was guessing that they were simply pulling my leg, but the certainty and lack of humor in their voice when they talked about that seemed to suggest it otherwise.


    Still, nothing of note happened over this short time period. Not that I expected to run into anything dangerous this close to the outpost. Even if the scouts were called back from the farther reaches of the caves since the unforeseen battle with the hobgoblins, the primary patrols circling the outpost were still at work.


    The dwarfs were not keen on allowing some dangerous creature to make a nest near the already regained territory of the deep roads. Neither was I, come to think of it.


    The immediate area surrounding the outpost was considered relatively safe, after all.


    We came to a sudden stop.


    I looked around but didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. My ears twitched as I strained my hearing, but even then I couldn¡¯t pick up any suspicious noise in the surrounding caves. Instead of that, I listened in on their conversation.


    Tum was asking Emrum in a low whisper. ¡ª ¡°There is a cavern to our left and one to our right as well. The one on our right is closer, but it is in the direction you and your group run into those bastards a week ago. What do you suggest we use?¡±


    I could see that Emrum¡¯s expression darkened momentarily. He sighed and spoke in a steely voice. ¡ª ¡°We should go to the one on the left. There is no reason to tempt faith in such uncouth ways.¡±


    Tum nodded with a solemn expression and turned to the left, where I only now noticed a narrow gap in the rock wall. If I was alone, I would simply walk by it, never even noticing its existence. I envied the confidence with which the dwarfs traveled this place. I didn¡¯t even attempt to convince myself otherwise. I decided to give voice to my thoughts.


    ¡°You guys move so comfortably in this place¡­ while I struggle to not trip over even with the help of my staff¡­ I can¡¯t help but envy the lot of you¡­¡±


    My words were followed by a few seconds of surprised silence, then the narrow cave was filled with chuckles and snorts. My ears twitched, and I felt embarrassed. Was it really that funny? I was talking genuinely, though¡­


    Skod, who was right behind me, spoke up in a disbelieving tone. ¡ª ¡°What are you rambling on, lass? Of course, we are used to caves. We live the majority of our lives in similar caves as this. I for one never even set foot on that surface of yours and I am sixty-seven years old. Besides, most dwarfs would feel lost in those wide places, not even mentioning the forests. We have our own elements¡­¡± ¡ª The others grunted agreeably.


    I gaped when the words registered in my mind and couldn¡¯t help but turn around looking at the somewhat shorter dwarf with a mystified look.


    The black-haired man looked at me, clearly surprised by my reaction. ¡ª ¡°What now?¡± ¡ª He asked since he couldn¡¯t walk by me thanks to the narrowed corridor.


    ¡°You have never been on the surface? Never saw the sky or the Sun?¡± ¡ª As a former human, I couldn¡¯t quite imagine something like that.


    The man seemed a bit uncomfortable with my stare and questions, but he nodded, taking on an uncaring attitude.


    ¡°Ay, nor am I particularly interested in them. How you find your way in such wide spaces I can¡¯t fathom. Without the corridors or tunnels, to lead you to places¡­ no, my head hurts from the thought alone. That would mean you can go in any direction¡­ nah! I would get lost in a second. It¡¯s just confusing. How you surface folk find your way is a wonder.¡±


    I blinked, then blinked again. Attempting and failing to understand the deeper implications. I felt like my worldview was flipped on its axis, suddenly imagining the world from the perspective of a dwarf.


    Who would have thought that they were confused by wide places of all? Yet it was so logical, since they lived their whole lives in narrow caves¡­ hah, this world was much weirder than I ever anticipated.


    I was grabbed by my shoulder and forcefully turned forward, also receiving a not exactly gentle shove in said direction. ¡ª ¡°Now if you stopped your ogling, we can get back on the move, lass. Believe me, you don¡¯t want to spend the night outside of the outpost with our current numbers.¡±


    I barely caught my footing from the unexpected shove when I heard those words. I looked over my shoulder at the rude bastard¡­ the words flowing out of my mouth without any filter. ¡ª ¡°I wasn¡¯t ogling you¡­¡±


    The dwarf snorted at that and was about to push me again. But seeing his movement, I skittered out of his way, catching up with the rest of the team that was waiting for our conversation to end a few meters ahead.


    With that done, we continued on our way. My thoughts traveling along with the shore of our previous conversation.


    We had our own elements, was what Skod said. Right¡­ I wonder what my element is? Metropolitan streets probably, in a way, they count as a different kind of forest¡­ hah¡­ I have a feeling that there are not many places like that here¡­


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    We walked, following the narrow passage for another half an hour. It was at that time when the passage unexpectedly ended and we found ourselves in a larger cavern, so wide that the simple torches brought along by my companions weren¡¯t enough to assess the width and height of this new chamber.


    Emrum patted me on the shoulder, and I turned towards him.


    ¡°Selora, would you be kind enough?¡± ¡ª I looked at him for an empty second before realizing what he meant.


    ¡°Ah, of course!¡± ¡ª He was the only one who knew the range and strength of my light creation since he was in the cave when I did it a week ago.


    I stepped past Tymur and Tum, who stood at the side, torch in his hand.


    They followed me with their eyes, curious of what I was getting at. I raised my staff in the air, turned back to them over my shoulder, a playful smile sneaking up on my face.


    ¡°You probably want to cover your eyes for a second.¡± ¡ª With that I looked forward confidently, channeling power into the spell I could use with a mere thought.


    A silver light began to radiate from the staff, growing stronger and stronger with every second. Soon enough, the cavern was covered in a moonlight like glow. We looked around, taking in the sight.


    ¡°I guess we arrived.¡± ¡ª I said, seeing what was far the biggest cavern since I came to this world.


    Emrum stepped up to my side with the rest of the group. ¡ª ¡°Ay, your guess is right, Selora.¡±


    I turned to the dwarf, who I considered my first friend in this world. ¡ª ¡°You can call me Lora, Emrum. I¡­ consider you a friend¡­¡±


    The man looked at me, a surprised glint crossing his dark brown eyes. I turned back to the cave, staring at the effects of my magic, an action which filled me with a sense of comfort. Something I needed to replace the lingering doubt in the bottom of my stomach.


    There was a moment of silence before Emrum answered in a warm voice. ¡ª ¡°Ay, its Lora then.¡±


    Tymur chuckled from my other side. ¡ª ¡°I guess you liked that little nickname I got you.¡±


    I smiled, surprisingly not embarrassed by his words anymore as I said. ¡ª ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡ª That elicited another snort from the grumpy dwarf.


    Tum and Skod wordlessly listened to our interactions. The moment we turned silent, Tum stepped in front of us and said with a strict tone. ¡ª ¡°We should proceed with our plans. We will pierce a few lit torches into the ground towards the middle of the cavern. So you will see enough to cast your magic.¡±


    I nodded, and the small group got to work. In a few minutes or so, the impromptu training field was created, and I stood at its edge.


    Emrum waved at me from the side of the lighted field. Signaling that I can start my chanting.


    I grasped the staff, taking a deep breath, clearing my mind of unnecessary thoughts.


    This time, I utilized all the information I painstakingly learned over the many attempts at spell-casting throughout this week. I separated a large enough chunk of my magical pull based on my ingrained knowledge of this spell, envisioned the precise image in which I desired to change the surrounding. Then brought forward the chant itself from my memories.


    This time, I placed the staff on its pointy edge in a way that it touched the ground between my feet. Grasping its shaft with both hands, I closed my eyes while speaking the words of power.


    Each syllable was filled with a sluggish but powerful energy, unlike lightning that was unruly and ready to burst out of control at any second. Earth was much more comfortable to mold to my will.


    ¡°Heed my call and come forth, sleeping powers, hidden beneath my feet. I, Selora, servant of creation, demand your obedience, raise!¡± ¡ª I shouted, in a slight daze, and euphoria. Casting magic was nothing short of an intoxicating sensation, as I no doubt mentioned before.


    As the last word left my mouth, I felt a solemn but continuous shake resonating through the cave just under my feet. Soon enough I saw the upper layers of the cave¡¯s floor magically peel off, snaking or downright flying towards the slowly rising earth wall forming in the image of my previous intentions.


    When the shaking stopped, I gazed upon the three meter high and five meter thick cuboid rock formation perfectly capable of closing a medium-sized tunnel.


    Ugh? Is that really it?


    Were my first thoughts, after casting the spell perfectly at my first attempt. I mean¡­ I really struggled with the lightning blast spell. Was that actually true, what those random dwarfs argued between themselves? Maybe it was beginner¡¯s luck, or I have a talent with earth magic¡­


    The nearby dwarfs, seeing that my spell went perfectly well, exchanged curious glances. Then gave me a bored stare.


    ¡°Lora¡­¡± ¡ª Emrum began with a judgemental tone.


    ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡ª I bit my lips in frustration. ¡ª ¡°It wasn¡¯t that I wanted to stretch the time¡­ really, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could cast this spell, okay? It was years since I last used it¡­¡±


    Tymur shook his head with a disbelieving expression. ¡ª ¡°I find it hard to believe that someone so obviously enamored by magic as you wouldn¡¯t find the opportunity to cast spells for so long¡­ What is that you are not telling us, girl?¡±


    I looked at Tymur with a pair of wide silver eyes. Then I realized something¡­ Since I came here, I spent almost every day at the shooting field, casting spells until I was too tired to do anymore. Based on that impression, saying that I didn¡¯t cast certain spells for years really seemed fishy.


    I was beginning to panic internally, trying to figure out some believable lie to explain it, but since the unexpectedness of the question, I didn¡¯t come up with anything.


    Seeing my nervous expression, Skod chuckled loudly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to himself. ¡ª ¡°Haha¡­ based on that ugly face she is making, I bet she was punished by her teacher. Were you a naughty girl, Lora?¡±


    I felt a mix of emotions, a sense of relief, reluctance, and embarrassment because of the way Skod worded that particular question. Relief since this provided the perfect explanation to get out of this situation, a reluctance to admit something that will clearly bite me in the ass sooner than later and embarrassment because¡­ well, that one I think is obvious.


    The others carefully analyzed the variety of emotions appearing on my face in quick succession.


    I bit my lips again as I spoke in a low voice. ¡ª ¡°¡­ Was it that obvious¡­?¡±


    Skod seemingly took pity on me after seeing my flushed cheeks. ¡ª ¡°Girl¡­ if you didn¡¯t forget, you came here via using some forbidden teleportation spell which you were clearly not ready to attempt. Most of us suspect that you are a hell of a student to teach anything. No matter how talented you might be¡­¡±


    The dwarfs grunted in confirmation.


    A snarky smile stretched on Tum¡¯s face as he asked. ¡ª ¡°So, what was it?¡±


    I looked at him, confused. ¡ª ¡°What was what?¡±


    The man rolled his eyes, a rare sight on a dwarf. ¡ª ¡°The thing you did to be punished by forbidding to cast magic for years, girl.¡±


    I looked down to the ground in thought, before saying the first thing that came to mind and could cause such strict punishment among a bunch of tree hugging elves. ¡ª ¡°Oh¡­ well, I accidentally burned down a chunk of the sacred forest¡­¡±


    Emrum glared at me, his mouth falling wide open, unable to speak coherent words. ¡ª ¡°¡­¡±


    Tum froze, with the previous smirk on his face, saying. ¡ª ¡°¡­Shit¡­¡±


    Tymur shook his head slowly, with a grim expression while grabbing the bridge of his nose. Murmuring to himself. ¡ª ¡°¡­ I can see how that might do it¡­ yes¡­ You are lucky to be alive, no doubt the only reason for that is the fact you are a clueless kid.¡±


    Skod ¡ª ¡°¡­ Shouldn¡¯t we just¡­ I don¡¯t know, leave her here before she does that to our outpost?¡±


    I looked up with a sudden burst of fear. ¡ª ¡°Ahaha-ha¡­ it was but a joke¡­ you know? Of course, I would never do¡­ such a thing¡­¡±


    I was rewarded with four pairs of dull stares, and I quickly shut up.

 Chapter 13. The blessing of Creation

    After that awkward conversation, during which I desperately tried to convince the dwarfs that what I said was but a foolish joke, I think I mostly succeeded, and was promptly scolded for spouting nonsense. Emrum, to my great embarrassment, practically ordered me to reflect on my behavior while repeating the earth-wall spell until I could barely walk.


    He did not think through that punishment half as much as he should have. Because after raising two more similarly sized earth-walls, I somewhat reached that spot and it didn¡¯t take more than ten minutes. Naturally, between casting spells, there was little time to reflect upon anything else than magic.


    After the third earth wall that I raised in rapid succession. I noticed that my vision was swimming at the edges from the intense focus I did and couldn¡¯t help but sit down on a conveniently placed rock nearby. I was taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm my slight anxiety as I recognized the first signs of mana exhaustion.


    I felt a large hand grasp onto my bony shoulder, my head naturally turning in the direction, noticing the slightly worried visage of Emrum leaning over me.


    ¡°You good, lass?¡± ¡ª His voice questioned me with a playful tone that masked his sense of nervousness.


    I stared at him, looking at his ruddy beard and hair the latter put into a single braid, a dead giveaway, even in the midst of this gloomy cave only lighted by a few distant torches.


    I nodded slowly. My vision was still stabilizing.


    ¡°I am fine. Just hit my limit a bit faster than expected.¡± ¡ª I grimaced. Seeing Emrum¡¯s confused expression, I started an explanation. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s much easier to manipulate the earth than controlling lightning, but at this quantity, it is deceptively draining compared to the lack of effort on my part. The earth almost seems to lean into the spell, while I had to wrestle the lightning element on every step.¡±


    His eyes glinted with new understanding, and he chuckled while listening to my description. He patted my head in a friendly gesture, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice that I wasn¡¯t half as embarrassed by the action as a week earlier.


    ¡°So that means you are done with the practicing for now? Knowing that your current limit is three subsequent earth walls is a crucial information for planning out the operation. We will have to report this to the commander right after we get back.¡± ¡ª Emrum stated in just loud enough for the rest of our party to catch onto it.


    Tymur came over and began to unpack our rations from his seemingly bottomless backpack. Meanwhile, Tum and Skod monotonously pulled out the torches that were used to light the cave. Bringing them over and piercing them into the ground next to us. They only allowed a few of them to remain burning. Blowing the rest out with the help of a curious metal cap that they pulled over the burning end of the torches, cutting them off the oxygen and suffocating the flames in a matter of seconds.


    Tum plopped down next to me on my right. Sort of, but instead of sitting atop the rock like I did, he sat on the cave''s ground and leaned against the rock as some sort of improvised backrest. Skod set down to his right while Emrum walked over to Tymur¡¯s side, helping him with the unpacking.


    I could feel my stomach rumbling in anticipation as I waited patiently next to the two dwarfs. Fortunately, I did not have to wait for long. Emrum pushed a metal food container into my waiting hands, along with a small knife used for cutting meat.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡ª I said with a genuine smile and accepted the food, while the rest of us received their own portions.


    At last, Tymur and Emrum, grasping their own food containers, sat down on the ground across us.


    Tymur coughed lightly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to himself, and said. ¡ª ¡°Ughm¡­ well, bless the paragons for this food that is provided for us so far from our home.¡± ¡ª His words of a prayer rolled off his tongue with a well-practiced ease.


    The rest of the dwarfs nodded and repeated a part of the prayer in a similar fashion. ¡ª ¡°Bless the paragons.¡± ¡ª The words were whispered in quick succession.


    I decided to join in with their thanksgivings. Closing my eyes, I spoke in a clear voice. ¡ª ¡°Bless the paragons for providing this food. And also gratitude to the God of creation, who gave us the chance to experience the futility and joy of existence.¡± ¡ª I felt the familiar warmth surrounding me in an invisible cocoon for the briefest of moments when my prayer ended. Feeling part of the previous tiredness lifting from my body.


    I opened my eyes, feeling a genuine sense of gratitude and peace, then opened the small box of food.


    The rest of the dwarfs followed suit after exchanging a curious look among themselves. The moment I opened the container, I was taken aback by the scent of freshly baked bread and roasted meat that looked like it was picked right from the fire in mere seconds.


    My stomach grumbled loudly, which shook me out of my confusion. There was even some sort of sauce next to it. I broke off a part of the small loaf, feeling its softness and warmth that was just right for consumption.


    I lifted it to my mouth and swallowed it without hesitation. My ears twitched with joy. I always loved fresh bread. I hummed satisfied, while continued shoveling some of the meat dipped into the mushroom sauce into my mouth with my other hand. The food was simple, yet it tasted great, since we were hungry and it was just the right temperature.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    While I was stuffing myself thoughtlessly. I sensed a few hesitant glances from the rest of the dwarfs. Which caused me to look up somewhat reluctantly. Then I realized that all the dwarfs were frozen in their position as they opened the food containers.


    I looked over at Tum¡¯s food. It looked similar to mine, the same sort of food with that strange sweet meat I was yet to identify. Next to a small loaf of bread and some mushroom sauce.


    Skod was the first who started eating. Right after, he gave me a thankful smile.


    I nodded to him out of courtesy.


    Then I heard Emrum direct a strange question at me. ¡ª ¡°Selora¡­ did you heat up our food with some sort of strange spell?¡± ¡ª His gaze narrowed at me, but there was a hesitance mirrored in his eyes, as if he wasn¡¯t entirely sure if he should be angry or happy about this outcome.


    I looked at him, unsure what he meant. ¡ª ¡°What do you mean, Emrum?¡± ¡ª The man shook his head disapprovingly, while taking an experimental bite of his bread. His eyes widening comically. Then he looked back at me with an exasperated look.


    ¡°Paragons help us with this impossible child¡­¡± ¡ª He murmured while taking another bite of the bread, making his frustrated act look quite comical. Still, he did give more context to his supposed annoyance, eventually.


    ¡°It tastes as if it was just taken out of the oven. Yet, I am pretty sure it was made at least half a day ago. This is incredible. Magic is truly a marvel.¡± ¡ª Emrum said with a joyful expression. It seems he was too tired to be surprised anymore.


    My ears twitched. I looked at him, asking with little thought, my mouth still full with the tasty food. ¡ª ¡°Eh? But, I didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡± ¡ª Hearing my careless answer, I was suddenly hit on the head, in a playful gesture, which startled me out of the blissful gorging I was doing.


    I turned towards Tum, who, to my surprise, was the culprit. ¡ª ¡°Now what was that for?¡± ¡ª I asked, my voice sounding genuinely unsure and that strangely startled the dwarfs. Making the ever silent Tymur snort loudly. Then he began to cough violently. As if by some divine punishment, some of his food went down the wrong path.


    Tum raised his hand, waving his finger at me in a lecturing way. I leaned away from him, my confusion only growing with the seconds. ¡ª ¡°Wh-what? What is it now¡­ you are all acting weird¡­¡±


    Emrum, was the first to realize I genuinely didn¡¯t understand their problem. Also that I was getting uncomfortable with the situation. He raised his hand to calm the others. Which only partially succeeded. All thanks to Tymur who was coughing on the side like a mad-man unwittingly raising the tensions with his antics.


    Emrum glanced at his friend, who was currently gulping down water from his waterflask. He then turned back to me, lifting up one of the white bread slices like it was some sort of damning evidence of my misdeeds.


    ¡°Then how is our food warm?¡± ¡ª He asked.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be? Anyway, it¡¯s probably because of the containers. They are quite well crafted, likely capable of keeping the food warm for a long time¡­¡± ¡ª I answered.


    Emrum shook his head more violently this time.


    ¡°Selora, stop playing games with us!¡± ¡ª He eventually snapped at me. I winced thanks to my extremely sharp ears and continued to stare at him, stupefied by the situation.


    My expression must have been a marvel to look at, since it had an immediate effect on the dwarfs.


    Tymur, who finally came back from his coughing spree, took over the conversation in an explanatory way.


    ¡°Look Lora, you can say it we are not angry. Just stop trying to deceive us.¡± ¡ª I looked at him, like he was out of his mind.


    ¡°I am not trying to deceive any of you. But, since you are so convinced, tell me then, when would I cast such a spell at all of your foods? I didn¡¯t speak a chant and above all, I don¡¯t have that kind of mana to spare right now!¡± ¡ª Tymur sighed, finally realizing that something didn¡¯t add up.


    Emrum chose that time to speak up. ¡ª ¡°You did speak a chant though, right before we started eating, girl.¡±


    I turned to him, thinking back at the short prayer made up on the spot. ¡ª ¡°That wasn¡¯t a chant, just a prayer to the God I¡­ wait, could it be?¡±


    Suddenly realizing what was going on¡­ I quickly tied the loose treads together, coming to the single possible explanation¡­ It must have been Lord Axis¡¯ influence, a divine gift of sort and I didn¡¯t even realize it. He must be annoyed¡­


    ¡°¡­ Ugh-hu¡­¡± ¡ª Was the only sound that left my mouth after the uncomfortable revelation. It was clear to me that Lord Axis was the one who blessed us with this food. As a thanks for my honest prayer. Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t in a position to say that out-loud, since that would lead to further questioning, causing quite a lot of problems for me.


    Therefore, instead of explaining what had just happened, I lowered my head and said in a small voice.


    ¡°I-I see¡­ well, I am sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t quite think it through¡­¡±


    Seeing my pale expression, the dwarfs nodded, turning back to their meals one by one.


    Emrum sighed again. ¡ª ¡°Still, to imagine that you can heat up food without even thinking about it properly¡­ I am beginning to doubt that your story of burning down half of an elven forest was that much of an overstatement after all.¡±


    I felt like a pincushion while the dwarfs threw another wave of piercing glares in my direction while continuing to eat their food happily. The hypocrites¡­


    This was getting ridiculous, I thought, hugging my bowl placed in my lap. Eating the contents in thoughtful silence.


    I looked through my spells. There was fire manipulation, all right. At least I could explain what happened in a roundabout way when we get back. After all, what is the chance that this is going to be forgotten when we reach the outpost?


    I wondered. The answer was pretty obvious. Well¡­ Lord Axis, I hope you will lend me your aid, if others also desire to eat their meals fresh. Because¡­ I might be able to heat them up, except this food wasn¡¯t just heated up, it was really fresh¡­


    I winced, feeling a sharp pain inside my head, dropping my cutlery back into my bowl, and reaching up to my temple with a trembling hand, but it was already over before the movement was finalized.


    I looked around, blinking sheepishly, unsure of what had just happened. Then a fresh memory jumped to the forefront of my mind. A series of complex magical theories swam across my vision, leaving a dull throbbing in their wake which jolted across my skull. My mind tried to dramatically catch onto the strange yet somehow familiar diagrams, only managing to catch a single pair of words. Which I, in my lapse of concentration, spoke out loud.


    ¡°Ancient magic of creation¡­¡±


    Hearing my words, the dwarfs froze once again, and a heavy atmosphere started to fill the cave. One that I was oblivious to, being submerged in the whirlpool of magical theories implanted into my mind.

 Chapter 14. The futility of magic

    Emrum spoke up in a surprisingly shaky voice. He was staring at me, mouth loosely hanging in the air, the latest bite of food visible inside. ¡ª ¡°Did youh shay, creathion??¡±


    Tymur chuckled nervously by his side, ready to translate his old friend¡¯s words. ¡ª ¡°He asks if you said creation magic just now? Is that how you made our dinner here, lass?¡±


    I nodded, feeling the curious gazes lingering on me. ¡ª ¡°I, yes¡­ you can say that. It¡¯s a very complicated magic. It¡¯s equal part science and magic theory to be fair.¡± ¡ª I said while still struggling to comprehend the tremendous insight I gained into the essence of the surrounding matter.


    I could suddenly understand a number of molecular structures, which I had not, or only possessed the barest of knowledge before and I could do it seemingly instinctively now.


    However, there was a problem.


    When I thought about actually creating something from scratch, I couldn¡¯t see a successful way for the current me to do that. The mana drain of this spell was out of this world. At best, I could modify certain properties in their molecular structure of already existing things. Just like¡­ heating up something¡­ Was that why? Oh¡­


    I shook my head, amused by all of this. And I always thought that God lacked a sense of humor. Jokes on me, I guess.


    As I continued to search through my new memories, I gained more and more insight into the exact workings of this spell.


    Which eventually left me with a deep sigh. I couldn¡¯t use it at all, not for anything meaningful. It wasn¡¯t called ancient magic for nothing; I guess.


    An empty dinner-can flew across my vision, landing half a meter to my left, hitting a protruding rock. A sharp clank echoed through the cave like the sound of a bell.


    I looked up at the dwarfs, startled by the noise. It was my time to glare at the idiots. Somewhere along the path, they ended up in a heated argument about the possibility of me creating an endless amount of gold for them.


    The idea of me literally becoming a golden egg laying goose didn¡¯t sit well with me. I glared at them, disgusted with the very idea. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t notice the change in the atmosphere, being too involved with their argument.


    I coughed lightly to gain back their attention. My attempt succeeded, and they turned towards me, paling slightly, no doubt sensing my anger at last. They slowly walked back to their places, sitting down without a word.


    I see¡­ now they were acting like a bunch of children caught red-handed. I felt a tug of a smile pulling on the edge of my lips.


    ¡°Sigh¡­ don¡¯t get so heated up because you are going to end up with disappointment.¡± ¡ª I said as a warning.


    Skod hit Tum on his shoulder victoriously. ¡ª ¡°See, I said it. There is no way she could create gold out of thin air, or even rocks! Get off your high horses, fools!¡±


    Tum looked at me, rubbing his shoulder frustratedly. Still, he didn¡¯t miss the chance to ask.


    ¡°Is that true, Miss Lora?¡± ¡ª The brown bearded man asked with a hopeful look in his eyes, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice that I suddenly became a Miss the moment the possibility arose that I could create or transmute gold.


    My left eye twitched.


    I sighed again and began to speak. ¡ª ¡°Look, it¡¯s not that¡­¡±


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    Loud laughter broke out on the other side of our circle. Emrum and Tymur pointed at Tum while practically screaming with laughter.


    ¡°Look at his face, Emrum¡­ and he supposedly dislikes magic! I bet he didn¡¯t know magic could create gold!¡±


    Emrum laughed, rubbing his eyes and slapping his thigh rhythmically. ¡ª ¡°Ay, Tymur¡­ He got those stars in his eyes again¡­ He is a Goldbraid alright.¡±


    Tum, in the meantime, turned quite red in the face. I suspected that it was from embarrassment, but since I didn¡¯t see a dwarf actually turn red with embarrassment before this, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure.


    I waited for the dwarfs to calm down somewhat. And picked up my words where I got interrupted.


    Over the last week, I learned that being interrupted among dwarfs was one of the natural phenomena you just had to live with. If you wanted to stay among them, that is. After all, they interrupted each other with the same ease.


    ¡°What I wanted to say is¡­ that I theoretically can make gold, silver and a large variety of common metals from materials that have somewhat similar structures. The more similar a material is, the less mana needs to be used to convert it into a new form. The greater the difference, the greater the amount of mana needed.¡±


    Skod¡¯s eyebrow shot up to his hairline as he asked me with a mystified look, similar to that of Tum¡¯s earlier expression. ¡ª ¡°So, you are saying that it¡¯s possible to create gold from mud?!¡±


    I bit the edge of my lips. Even if being interrupted was some sort of cultural thing, it wasn¡¯t making me feel less annoyed about it.


    ¡°If you would care to listen¡­ I would have already told you.¡± ¡ª I snapped at the black bearded dwarf.


    ¡°Ah, sorry!¡± ¡ª He patted his beard, then asked right away. ¡ª ¡°So how is it, can you?¡±


    I took a deep breath and released it slowly. They are fricking impossible!


    ¡°¡­ Whatever, the spell works fine, but it is literally useless since even with using all my mana, I could barely make gold dust from somewhat similar metals.¡±


    ¡°It is an ancient and powerful spell, but my mana reserves are too miniscule for now. I can barely use it. Maybe that will never change. This spell is better suited for the realm of the Gods after all. Still, I can at least make our food taste better or heat it up like it was just picked off the grill."


    I smiled at them weakly. ¡ª ¡°And who knows, my magic is still having a long way to grow. Maybe in a few years, I could actually use this spell properly.¡±


    Skod gave me a long look, one that was starting to creep me out honestly. Then he slowly opened his mouth and asked very consciously. As if he was tracking a wild beast.


    ¡°So you know¡­ I have this boy around twenty years old, right about your age if we convert it¡­ I was thinking that I might introduce him to you sometime¡­¡± ¡ª He asked, gaining three pairs of disbelieving looks from the rest of the dwarfs.


    I looked at Skod, surprised by the strange question. It felt weirdly nostalgic¡­ At this age, to be introduced to a potential friend by one of his parents.


    Still, I didn¡¯t really think much into it, and said.


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t see why not¡­ getting a few more friends could hardly hurt.¡±


    Skod chuckled at that. ¡ª ¡°Yeah, friends¡­¡± ¡ª But he didn¡¯t say anything else, leaving a somewhat awkward atmosphere behind his words.


    Emrum scratched the back of his head, along with the other dwarfs. All of them looked quite annoyed for some reason. Emrum gathered his thoughts at last and asked.


    ¡°I think I understand what you are saying¡­ but how can you change our food so easily while being unable to do the same with a rock? Are you suggesting that living beings and creatures are less complicated than immaterial objects? I have a hard time believing that.¡±


    The question took me by surprise, but I quickly gathered my thoughts and answered.


    ¡°No¡­ of course not. When I spoke about the structure of certain materials, I didn¡¯t simply mean how complex they are. Living beings are millions of times more complicated than immaterial objects.¡±


    Tum stretched his back, shoveling the last of his dinner into his mouth. ¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think friends, but I believe that I will continue using my handy pickaxe to look for gold. Magic is just too complicated, for me-head.¡±


    The other dwarfs nodded, clearly having the same thoughts about the matter.


    Tymur spoke up at last.


    ¡°Finish yer meal quickly, bastards, we should be already on our way heading back. It¡¯s getting late, damnit¡­¡±


    With that reminder, we quickly stuffed ourselves and got to our feet, heading back towards the outpost through the ominous darkness.


    Unknown to us, there were other presences watching our steps, lying low just behind the dense curtain of darkness.

 Chapter 15. First encounter

    <div>


    We treaded through the dark narrow corridor with the same formation that led us back to the wider passage which we left behind to get here. We didn¡¯t talk, only the occasional grunt could be heard in the tight space.


    My ears twitched anxiously, but I couldn¡¯t catch any unusual noise, which somewhat frustrated me. Yet in the end I brushed it off, as being paranoid or me being unused to my new body.


    After traveling quite some time, we could finally see the entrance to the main passage that led back to the outpost.


    My ears twitched again, catching the pitter patter sounds of kicked up gravel. An ominous sensation took root in my stomach and I instinctively grasped onto the shoulder of Emrum, who was walking right in front of me, just behind Tum.


    I whispered into his ears in a serious tone. ¡ª ¡°Something is wrong¡­¡±


    Emrum immediately grabbed onto Tum¡¯s shoulder, stopping him from moving forward. Our entire column stopped descending into a nervous silence. The dwarfs grasped the handle of their weapons or shields, glancing either behind us or forward to the end of the narrow tunnel.


    Skod spoke up behind me. ¡ª ¡°There is nowhere to go, but forward. If we turn around now, we won¡¯t find our way back to the outpost before night.¡±


    I heard Tymur voice speaking from further back. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s true, but walking into an ambush doesn¡¯t sit well with me either.¡±


    Tum said to that. ¡ª ¡°There is no certainty if there is truly an ambush though.¡± ¡ª He paused, then added a few more words. ¡ª ¡°Still, she is an elf. If anyone among us could sense it, it¡¯s her.¡±


    Emrum smiled, ominously. As he turned around, half way grabbing my shoulder and pulled me closer. I was quite surprised by his action and didn¡¯t really know how to react, only blinking stupidly at him.


    ¡°¡­ Say Lora, have you rested enough to repeat that burst of light thing you did back in the cavern?¡± ¡ª The man whispered into my ear and my eyes widened with a new realization.


    Nodding quickly, whispering back. ¡ª ¡°Yes, I think so.¡±


    He squeezed my arm and said. ¡ª ¡°Then do it when I say so.¡± ¡ª Then he turned to the rest of the team, whispering a few words to them before we resumed our progress..


    I had a good enough idea about his plan, grasping my staff in my sweaty palms. Heartbeat surprisingly steady for the circumstances. I was too focused on casting my spell right, didn¡¯t have the spare time to panic.


    As we neared the end of the narrow tunnel, I heard the loud voice of Emrum, cutting through the still silence of the cave. ¡ª ¡°Lora, now!¡±


    I raised my staff above our heads and channeled a burst of power into the silver rod, which immediately reacted with a silvery burst of light.


    Right before we entered the wider corridor, filling it with a sharp, blinding sphere of light so alien in this constant darkness.


    As if on cue, I heard the unholy screeches of various humanoid beings. The sounds made my skin crawl, and I was immediately overcome with goosebumps. I looked around, seeing the small thin figures grasping their faces in an attempt to hide their eyes from the sharp light.


    Then I was pushed out of the way, as Skod and Tymur ran past me, straight into the line of struggling creatures.


    I looked after their silhouettes in a daze, noticing that Emrum, and Tum had already run ahead. Then the first earsplitting screams cut through the musty air.


    ¡°SCRAAAAAAAAAEEEE!¡±


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    Heavy slashes of metal clashing against skin and meat, screams followed by the numb sounds of falling bodies, and sounds of death were the only things that surrounded me in a matter of seconds.


    I grasped my staff, with all my strength channeling my waning reserves into the powerful light spell. That was the only thing which held back the strange gray creatures. Which I suspected to be goblins. There were at least ten of the deceptively human like things armed with surprisingly sophisticated weapons. Their bodies were even covered in crudely made leather armor in most places.


    Luckily, half of the goblins were already laying on the ground in their own pool of black blood.


    I shuddered seeing the familiar poisonous looking substance. I saw it on Emrum¡¯s sword when I first ran into him a week ago.


    Cold sweat covered my body as I noticed a tight feeling growing around my temples. Then, just like that, my spell gave out, my knees crumbling under my weight. I slid down to the ground, grasping my staff desperately for support.


    ¡°Oh¡­ shit, no-no-no¡­ not right now! Stand up!¡± ¡ª I commanded my legs, but it was for naught. They didn¡¯t budge.


    I glanced around the suddenly much darker and much scarier cave. Only now realizing that a few lit torches had been thrown down to the cave floor, allowing the dwarfs just enough light to continue their battle without pause.


    I didn¡¯t even notice when that happened. None the less, I heaved a sigh of relief.


    Pulling myself together, I decided to crawl behind a nearby rock in an attempt to get out of the enemy¡¯s sight. Since the disappearance of my spell, the battle wasn¡¯t half as one sided after all.


    The goblins or whatever they were fought back with the ferociousness of rabid animals, except there was a cunning intelligence glinting in their black eyes. Still, they knew when to back off, at least to some extent.


    Six of the goblins were dead, or were soon to be. The remaining five didn¡¯t seem too eager to take on the four dwarfs, who clearly had the better equipment in every sense of the word.


    I felt a chill run up my back, peeking around the rock which I used as a cover. I looked around, ears twitching in anxiety until my eyes met with one of the goblins. He was looking straight into my eyes, a white skull like pattern painted on his face, making those hollow black eyes look like I stared right into the face of death.


    The creature made an unmistakable gesture towards me when he pulled his bloody thumb in front of his throat in a cutting motion while grinning at me with dripping rage and blood thirst.


    I gulped while leaning back into the cover of the rock, unconsciously.


    Then the remaining four goblins retreated. In the meantime, another one was cut down through the combined effort of the dwarfs, making it to a total of seven.


    I didn¡¯t know how long I was staring after the escaped goblins. The next thing I remember was that I felt a heavy hand grasping my shoulder, and a soft voice talking into my ear.


    ¡°Lora, are you all right?¡± ¡ª Emrum¡¯s familiar voice spoke to me. I nodded rigidly. Still staring after the goblins, as if they would come back at any moment. ¡ª ¡°Look at me, girl.¡± ¡ª Yes, I am a girl now¡­ I felt a gentle hand grab my chin and turn it towards the man.


    I winced seeing the blood and dirt covered sight of my friend, then the possibility of them being injured came to my mind and I tried to stand up, with little success.


    ¡°Are any of you injured?¡± ¡ª I asked quickly, unsure if I could do anything about it even if they were.


    Emrum, smiled, seeing my reaction, and patted my head, which I barely noticed at the time.


    ¡°Calm your horses, lass. We are fine. Only superficial injuries, expected from any combat. Once again, thanks to you.¡± ¡ª I blinked but nodded, appreciatingly. I have seen firsthand the effect of my light spell on those creatures. This situation could have easily ended up with us being the ones laying on the cold floor of the cave.


    The image of that terrifying goblin jumped to the forefront of my mind, and the possible things that it might do to me¡­ I was a girl now, a thing I still tended to forget¡­ I felt bile coming up my throat, but I forcefully swallowed it back.


    I felt a pair of hands slip under my knees and back, lifting me off the ground with familiar ease.


    This time, I didn¡¯t struggle against his hold.


    ¡°You are shivering¡­¡± ¡ª Emrum noted in a low tone, but turned silent after I gave him a warning glance.


    With that done, the others picked up some of the useful gear from the killed goblins and cut off their right ears.


    Tymur, catching my disgusted glance, explained monotonously that proof of a killed monster could be exchanged for extra payment, both in status and money.


    Only then did we head back to the outpost. The rest of the way was thankfully uneventful.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t shake off the sensation that something was watching us from the darkness.


    Also, with recent reminders of my new gender¡­ I finally realized what Skod meant by introducing his son to me¡­


    Then I felt like crying.


    <div>

 Chapter 16. Being a girl

    We got back to the outpost without further complications. I thanked Lord Axis for that.


    I was helped back to my room by Emrum, I had enough dignity as to not allow him to carry me into the outpost at least.


    I wouldn¡¯t live that down. Even if my body cried out in protest. Most of the dwarfs were counting on me as a powerful witch. Seeing me in such a state would likely shake their trust.


    The sole thought that kept me going was that beyond the next door, I could finally rest. The negative effects of mana exhaustion were always severe, this time it was especially so.


    I turned to Emrum, who was supporting me, and thanked him properly, giving him a half hug. Then I pushed myself off of him and struggled to my bed, practically dropping on top of the mattress.


    I felt Emrum¡¯s worried gaze follow me until I reached my bed and heard his voice call out to me.


    ¡°Rest, girl. You deserve it. Tomorrow there won¡¯t be another excursion. The current circumstances are too dangerous, and you don¡¯t really need the practice either. Now I will have to report everything to the commander, along with the others. I will come to visit you later.¡±


    I grunted like a dwarf to that, not even attempting to lift my head off the mattress.


    Then I heard the soft closing of the door and listened to the heavy steps slowly disappearing at the other end of the corridor.


    In the meantime, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the slight similarities between the symptoms of mana exhaustion and a much more mundane hangover. I didn¡¯t like it. It wasn¡¯t fair that I didn¡¯t even drink and had to suffer this fate.


    I turned towards the wall, hugging my staff to my chest. I thought about taking off my boots. Then I remembered that these were skin tight knee-high boots which were a pain to take off and the effort simply seemed too much for the current me.


    Soon enough, my consciousness slipped away, and I was lost in a dreamless sleep, but not for long.


    I was standing in a dark cave surrounded by darkness on all sides.


    I tightened my fingers around my staff. I got used to the boost it provided to my magical capabilities, and I already felt vulnerable without the familiar weight and the smooth touch of warm metal channeling my power. I could feel the light pulsation under my fingers and it calmed my nerves as I faced the suffocating darkness.


    I glanced down at the magical weapon. It was a very simplistic item in design. A smoothly polished metal surface, with occasional metal rings. Placed in equal distance to one another along the length, welded into the shaft of the rod to give a better grip to the wielder.


    There was a metal globe at the upper end serving as a weight for potential clobbering while the lower end was pointy to gain a better grip on the ground while walking or pierce someone in the leg if the need arises.


    At first I thought that the globe was some sort of crystal, like I have seen it often in magical fiction. Unfortunately, it was made of the same metallic material as the rest of the staff. Still, it was where the magic channeled through the staff concentrated. It unleashed the destructive powers from there.


    Except in the case of earth spells. When I used earth manipulation, I deliberately pierced the pointy end of the staff into the ground, which enabled me to channel my magic directly into the ground under my feet, giving me superior control.


    At least the magic of this world seemed to follow some sort of logical principles. I wasn¡¯t sure how much I would enjoy it if that wasn¡¯t the case.


    I looked up from the lightly glowing staff in my hands and turned my attention back to the cave system.


    I knew that I was dreaming. It was an interesting thing, but since I arrived to this world, I only dreamt two other times, and I was also completely aware of the fact that I was in a dream.


    It was either an elf thing, or it was connected to being a mage. Maybe the fact that I am a messenger of Axis? That couldn¡¯t be ruled out either.


    Even so¡­ The knowledge in itself wasn¡¯t enough to end the dreams. That was another unfortunate thing I had already accepted. The previous two times, the dreams ended when I got scared or woke up on my own after waiting long enough for it to end naturally.


    Still, I wasn¡¯t really planning to wait too long in this damn creepy cave. I pushed the globe end of my staff into the darkness, attempting to channel more power into the light spell.


    To my surprise, the staff¡¯s light, instead of shining brighter, simply extinguished.


    My knees buckled under me simultaneously, and I ended up sitting on the cold ground in complete darkness. I gripped the staff, trying to reignite its light, panic pulsing through my body, shaking my limbs.


    My legs felt numb¡­ it was the same as back in the cave. Did I overuse my mana again? No¡­ I have to focus¡­ this is just a stupid dream¡­


    I knew that it was a dream¡­ I knew it, and still¡­ I couldn¡¯t move¡­ The bone-chilling coldness of the ground felt so real¡­


    ¡°This is a dream¡­¡± ¡ª I whispered to myself, clutching my staff with shaking hands. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s a dream¡­ there is no reason to panic.¡± ¡ª Yet my voice sounded more and more unsure of that fact.


    Then¡­ I felt something cold slither across my leg. My heart skipped a beat. I immediately began to crawl backwards, away from the disgusting sensation¡­ I was mostly relying on my hands to pull me backwards, since my legs still felt numb.


    Then I heard a cackling laugh somewhere above me. When I looked up, I saw that white skull mark with the hollow black eyes painted on the roof of the cave right above me.


    In my panic, I didn¡¯t notice that my hands touched empty air, and the next thing I knew¡­ I was falling backwards towards a bottomless abyss.


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    The sharp wind whistled in my ears, bringing the sounds of maniacal laughter from the distance. As I stared upwards while falling through the darkness, I caught sight of the same white skull hovering above me, making a throat slicing gesture with its bony fingers. It was grinning at me, an insatiable hunger mirrored in those pupilless eyes.


    I screamed, overtaken by the terror.


    A terrified scream shook my body as I bolted up on the bed. Chest heaving, skin covered in sweat and grime, which I didn¡¯t even bother to wash off after coming back to the outpost.


    I placed my right palm above my left breast, feeling my frantically beating heart and the half drenched undershirt and underwear even below that layer.


    I could feel that even my hair was drenched somewhat. The usually neat ponytail came loose in my sleep and the long, unruly strands of hair were sticking to my sweaty skin and face.


    I glanced around the small but familiar room. Concluding that this was not a dream anymore. I was happy about that. Truly¡­


    I let my head drop back on the mattress while releasing a long, tired sigh.


    ¡°Sigh¡­ what the heck is up with those dreams¡­¡± ¡ª As I lay there, my breathing slowly stabilized. I considered the idea of going back to sleep. I wasn¡¯t exactly well rested yet. Alas, the moment that slithering sensation came to my mind, new goosebumps started to run up my arms¡­


    Thanks to that, I decided against said idea.


    With a purposefully elongated groan, I sat up on the bed, my legs in a loosely spread position. I couldn''t care less. There wasn¡¯t anyone here, and it¡¯s not like I was wearing a skirt either.


    Even the thought felt ridiculous. Being a girl was one thing, but I wasn¡¯t intending nor capable of acting like one. I lived seventy-two years as a man. The ingrained habits, way of movement and slight gestures are not going to just disappear. It is impossible to cover it up, therefore I didn¡¯t even attempt to.


    I was acting the way I would in any circumstances. The only difference was that I put extra emphasis on my speech. To communicate more politely and avoid cursing. This way, I didn¡¯t put myself through extra torture, and the dwarfs who were not the epitome of etiquette were satisfied.


    In their eyes, I most definitely look like a tomboyish girl. Or who knows, since I didn¡¯t meet with any dwarf woman yet, it might turn out that I fit in more seamlessly than I imagined.


    I didn¡¯t have to struggle to force myself to speak politely that much, either. It was my bread and butter after working in the car sale industry as a salesperson for over forty-five years.


    I slowly looked myself up and down. I felt sticky from the excess sweat, numb from the lingering tiredness, and even smelled of all those things which slightly disgusted me.


    I sniffed my armpits tentatively my features distorted as a direct reaction. ¡ª ¡°God¡­ I stink and feel like shit!¡±


    My eyes turned towards the washing basin placed onto a nearby nightstand. A pair of clean towels were prepared next to it. ¡ª ¡°I guess it¡¯s high time to clean myself up, again.¡± ¡ª I spoke to myself as a way to motivate my protesting muscles.


    ¡°I should have at least taken off the coat before going to bed¡­ That¡¯s the reason I sweated this much¡­¡± ¡ª With that said, I peeled myself off the bed, with considerable effort and began to take off the layers of clothes one by one¡­


    A few minutes and a lot of awkward movements later, I was standing in my underwear, in the middle of the room. I looked at my body. The sense of novelty was far from gone, but my mind was beginning to create a concept of familiarity with the new way I was.


    The idea that this young-fresh body I was seeing was mine, that it was me, in fact, was slowly starting to take root in my psyche. The thought created a lightheaded sensation. It was not the straight burst of vertigo that I felt a week ago thinking about the same thing. That feeling of panic has degraded to mild disbelief over the past week. The adaptability of the human mind was simply fearsome.


    It¡¯s not the first time to clean myself¡­ since turning into a woman¡­


    I did not touch my body at indecent places more than necessary¡­ The change was too much and I felt too intimidated to really think about such things. Not even mentioning that it felt wrong and shameful. Mostly because I couldn¡¯t really accept that this is my body. Even if I lived in it¡­


    I believe, not being willing to face this problem was the other reason which caused me to bury my head in the sand¡­ Well, figuratively speaking, what I actually did was to focus on learning and practicing my magic not letting myself to think about anything else. Magic was based on logic, rules, and concepts, even if a bit outlandish in nature. I could work with that¡­


    However, that was not the case with turning into a young girl after dying in my sick bed as an old crook.


    Being young again was as big of a shock as changing gender. A lot more appreciated one though, but experiencing both at the same time was simply ridiculous.


    Oh, yeah¡­ I saw a few of those gender bender isekai-hentai stories way back¡­ Let me tell you something¡­ If your entire life turns the inside out, both idealistically and physically. Your first fucking instinct is not starting to finger yourself until your mind blanks out. However surprising that might sound, such a thought is not even in the scope of actions that came to your mind¡­


    I mean, the aesthetics of this elven body were clearly good. I was used to seeing such girls in magazines or printed on giant posters across the city, ah, minus the long ears, of course¡­


    However, I was definitely not used to seeing it when looking down at myself. No¡­ I shouldn¡¯t go there¡­ these types of indecent thoughts shouldn¡¯t be entertained any further. I just said¡­ a minute ago¡­ Damn it! This just feels wrong.


    Suddenly, I heard a series of knocks on my door, which jolted me out of my thoughts. I felt my heart jump, and a feeling of guilt lingered in my chest. As if I was caught in the middle of some indecent act.


    I didn¡¯t even hear their steps getting closer¡­ I was used to noticing people far before they got to my door. Was I lost so deeply in my thoughts? Am I turning into a pervert¡­


    Just then, I heard the metal click of the doorknob. And the door was pushed open.


    ¡°Lora!? Are you still asleep? We are coming¡­ in¡­ oh¡­¡±


    I stared at Emrum, who was the one who opened the door, standing right in the doorframe, wide eyes like circles gazing at me. A step behind him, with a similar, quickly reddening expression, stood Tymur.


    I looked at them, blinked, then looked down, taking in my current attire or the lack of it. A half drenched in sweat, white panty and bra.


    The idea of someone seeing me wearing women''s underwear jumped into my mind and I momentarily forgot that I was a woman, therefore completely in the right to wear such clothes.


    The idea of having found out by my friends as a man that I wear woman¡¯s underwear was an entirely unacceptable scenario. That meant I imagined my seventy-two-year-old self wearing¡­ in front of my friends¡­ no¡­ I would rather die¡­ this whole experience felt like a nightmare material.


    Rest in peace, last remainders of my dignity¡­ The thought jumped across my mind chaotically¡­


    I felt blood rushing into my face as if I was turned upside down. A deep red blush quickly reaching the tip of my elongated ears.


    Avoiding any type of eye-contact, I gritted my teeth while reflexively covering myself and said.


    ¡°¡­Haven¡¯t you learned to wait for permission to enter, after knocking on someone¡¯s door!? Get out you bastards!¡±


    As if burned by hot iron, the two dwarfs jolted out of their stupor, mumbling a swift apology and shutting the door with so much force that I feared for a second that it might break off its hinges.


    God willing, that did not come to pass.


    And so I found myself once again alone between the walls of my room, with the images of the absolutely stupefied and panicking faces of those two, usually so annoyingly confident dwarfs.


    A dry chuckle shook my body as the memory played again and again in front of my mental eyes.


    I attempted to stifle my snort, hearing the anxious apologies shouted from the other side of the door.


    ¡°¡­Ah-ha¡­ maybe¡­ this isn¡¯t going to be all bad after all¡­ kuh-hu¡­ no, definitely not. Those faces were marvelous¡­ There might be unexpected positives of being a girl.¡±


    Even if that was so embarrassing that I want to die...

 Chapter 17. Everyday struggles

    After that incident, I received a few handfuls of apologies through the closed door, then I heard the dwarfs practically running away, likely fearing some sort of retribution. Yeah, like I am going to run after them in my sweaty undies to beat them up. Fat chance!


    I sighed¡­ Walked over to the door and locked it from the inside. Something that I evidently forgot to do before falling asleep. It was at least halfway because of my lack of attention that led to this situation. The other half being the thick headed dwarfs tendency to open a door right after knocking on it.


    Seriously, what is the purpose of knocking if you don¡¯t wait to be let inside either way? Might as well come in¡­ Stupid, thick headed idiots¡­


    Still¡­ I need to change¡­ it¡¯s quite a pain to only have one pair of spare underwear¡­ I will have to wash this one again. How dull.


    I took off the dirty underwear while walking over to my personal washbasins, one larger for the clothes and a smaller for cleaning myself. I requested them from the commander a few days ago, since I didn¡¯t know who else to ask.


    Anyway, he had it delivered to me right away, and since then I was getting familiar with the process of handwashing my own clothes.


    I quickly realized something crucial. Washing machines are awfully underrated devices. Seriously¡­ If you don¡¯t believe me, just go ahead and attempt to wash your dirty clothes with nothing but your hands and some used horse brush.


    All that in ice cold water, just to make it interesting. Thank god I only had to wash my stuff and nobody else¡¯s. I would likely pull out my hair from the sheer frustration.


    While I was focused on the monotonous cleaning procedure, my thoughts began to run wild.


    It was impossible to not notice that the dwarf¡¯s standoffish behavior had begun to change since the commander announced that I would play a crucial role in the capturing of a new outpost.


    With the change in attitude, however much appreciated, there was a fresh trouble, one that was completely unfamiliar to me.


    I felt extremely uncomfortable as I recalled recent attempts at conversations, unprecedented praises to my looks or straight up pick up lines that were thrown in my direction haphazardly. Well¡­ at least I think those were supposed to be pick up lines? In their own dwarfish glory¡­


    I am starting to understand the deeper reasons for the age long conflicts between the dwarfs and elves in this region.


    Telling someone in the face as a complete stranger that you have a nice heart shaped ass is not exactly what elves would consider flattery¡­ At least I believe so¡­


    Yes¡­ in short, I was being hit on by a bunch of dwarfs¡­ And in most cases very badly¡­ Being the sole female in a cave with a few hundred veteran warriors would likely cause your average woman to feel pressured.


    Luckily, the dwarfs, aside from their eccentric behaviour, were genuinely honorable people. Thereafter, I didn¡¯t have to feel that way around them. Even Regmir, who hates my guts, gave me a hand in need, even if he complained all the way and now I supposedly owe him a favour or whatever.


    On the other hand¡­ if I had run into a bunch of goblins before meeting with Emrum¡­ Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t really want to think about that outcome. It would only serve as further nightmare material. Which I don¡¯t really need at this point.


    The only reason I wasn¡¯t constantly hit on even before this was me being considered too young and an elf. While being this mysterious witch who appeared out of nowhere.


    I suspect that the real reason was only the last one, though.


    Fear can only postpone things so much it seems¡­ The dwarfs are quickly realizing, no doubt thanks to Emrum and Tymur¡¯s secret efforts, that beyond having access to powerful magic, I am nothing more than another person.


    My expression became strained as I recalled Skod¡¯s recent attempt to match me up with his son¡­


    Which wouldn¡¯t be half as annoying if his reasoning wasn¡¯t so obvious¡­ The idiot just wants my ability to make gold secured in his family¡­ How can someone be so tactless and pebble minded? Worst of all, I let my guard down and actually agreed to it without understanding what he truly meant.


    ¡°Sigh~!¡± ¡ª I hope he forgets about it before we get back to the Dwarven Kingdoms.


    This is so embarrassing¡­


    But it couldn¡¯t be helped! I lived for so long being a man that I keep forgetting that I am not anymore. I have to literally force myself to constantly be aware of that, and it just slips my mind occasionally. It is too different, the way people look at me and treat me¡­


    Well, not just different¡­ but also awkward.


    The sneaky stares I get occasionally¡­ the whispers behind my back¡­ The conversations I am left out¡­ probably for the better.


    I even heard one guy boasting about that he supposedly slapped my ass while I was standing a few meters away. He clearly knew that I was in hearing distance and still went through saying it. What an actual jerk!


    Let me tell you¡­ it didn¡¯t happen. But¡­ well¡­ I guess that¡¯s nothing compared to the one who walked up to me and praised my arse while smiling into my face, like it was the most natural thing ever¡­


    I looked down at my naked body while continuing to wash off the sweat and dirt from my skin with a wet rag.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡ª I kind of understand where they are coming from¡­


    This girl, ugh¡­ well, me¡­ She-me, am¡­ this is so stupid¡­ Sigh¡­ to be forthcoming, I am below average in the chest department¡­ It doesn¡¯t really bother me, it¡¯s kind of a relief even. Since there are fewer things to get used to, and it¡¯s not like I am completely flat either.


    I feel little difference from the time I was around fifty and got into this serious eating habit, well minus the beer belly, of course. At the time, I successfully cultivated those famous men''s tits, as some people tended to call them. Except I didn¡¯t wear a bra back then, for obvious reasons. Haha!


    What? You know how it is¡­ there were way too many delicious things to eat¡­ or drink! As I used to say, if you were never fat, you never truly lived, my friend.


    Anyway, my lack of tits is probably the main reason they believe me to be underaged¡­ Aside from my lack of knowledge and tendency to blabber too much.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    You see, those are probably genetics and at least partially elven characteristics. On closer inspection, there is no way this body belongs to a child. I am definitely a grown elf. There is no doubt about it.


    My main reason¡­ well¡­ this is really awkward to even say it in my mind, but¡­ Jokes on me¡­ I got a real heart-shaped butt. That dude was correct about that¡­


    My left eye twitched from the effort to acknowledge such a statement¡­ As a reward, I sneaked a peek at my¡­


    I looked down in a sudden streak of shame¡­ Just what am I doing¡­ am I seriously this pitiful? Drooling over myself¡­ how embarrassing. I guess it shows that I was a straight man my whole life. I didn¡¯t mind gay people, not that I had anything to do with them in my everyday life.


    Seriously, I don¡¯t get the entire basis of the argument. The whole world was going nuts and people were arguing about who can marry who? The fuck do I care¡­ Do whatever you want until you abide by general law.


    That said¡­ I strongly believed in the natural order and biological parental roles of a standard family.


    I still do, in fact. Women should play the roles of women while men should commit to their own part. That was how we developed, and even if such roles hold little difference anymore, especially in modern society¡­ eh?


    Wait¡­ I am not exactly in the modern world anymore¡­ On top of that, what does this make me¡­with that mindset at hand? Should¡­ should I commit to the role of a woman now? I mean¡­ I am a woman as much as the next girl. I have checked it a few times¡­ I mean¡­ cough¡­ Since I believe myself to be a straight ma-¡­ cough¡­ a straight girl, that is¡­ Do I have to like men now?


    I raised my hand to my temples, massaging them slowly.


    Yeah¡­ I am not sure if it works that way¡­ I should probably observe my body''s reactions from now on¡­ Ugh? Now that I think about it¡­ I felt strangely warm when I was carried by Emrum earlier¡­ I believed it to be from the embarrassment, but what if it wasn¡¯t?


    ¡°Nah¡­ no¡­¡± ¡ª That couldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s not like I am gay now¡­


    On the other hand, I am a girl¡­ so that reaction would be perfectly normal?


    ¡°Nah, no¡­ nope, don¡¯t think too much into it¡­¡± ¡ª But what if he feels the same? What am I going to do then?


    ¡°No¡­ I am thinking too much into this¡­ I saved his life, he saved mine¡­ twice¡­ that¡¯s it¡­¡± ¡ª That sounded like the most typical romance trope in any movie, doesn¡¯t it?


    ¡°NOAOAAH!!!¡± ¡ª I throw up my arms.


    ¡°This is ridiculous. What am I thinking?¡± ¡ª I grasped my head, trying to contain those frustrating thoughts.


    Still¡­ his reaction when he saw me in my undies¡­ No¡­ that doesn¡¯t mean anything I would react the same walking on a half-naked girl¡­ And this world is like the middle ages¡­ people probably have a much lower stimulus-threshold.


    ¡°¡­ Anyway¡­ lets¡­ lets calm down! Ehehe¡­ I am getting hot from all this excitement¡­¡±


    ¡°Seriously, why am I feeling this hot suddenly?¡±


    I was freezing up just now¡­ As my thoughts focused on the logical side of the strange phenomenon, the sense of warmth quickly slipped away and I was left feeling the coldness once again. With a sense of lingering, incomprehensible listlessness.


    The sensation was completely different, yet still familiar enough to ring a few bells in my mind.


    Then my eyes grow wider with new comprehension.


    ¡°Wait, was this?¡­ Was I horny just now?¡°


    It¡¯s embarrassing, but I don¡¯t even know what it feels in this body to be aroused. I wouldn¡¯t even know if that was the case¡­ Maybe¡­ s-s-should I¡­ try to figure that out?


    My fingers thoughtlessly slid upwards along my glistening, watery thigh. One of my cold fingers accidentally hit something sensitive between my legs, and I was jerked out of my thoughts with a yelp.


    ¡°maAH!¡± ¡ª A shiver run across my body as I pulled back my hand.


    My face turned a deep crimson red. The sound I just released kept ringing in my ears.


    I stepped closer to my personal washing basin and, in a panic, pushed my head under the cold water. I was already postponing that hair washing too long, and the situation was getting out of control.


    While keeping my head under the sobering embrace of the ice cold water. I kept rocking my head in denial. Trying to shake the sinful thoughts out of my mind¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on with me, but I refuse to think that I was always this wacky in the head.


    I pulled my head out of the water and took a few deep breaths. Feeling relieved, noticing that my arousal was successfully pushed back.


    ¡°Seriously¡­ that was scary¡­ I almost couldn¡¯t stop¡­¡°


    So yes¡­ I am pretty sure that Lord Axis actually created an adult body for me. He had no reason for not doing so, since he even mentioned not having time to wait for me to grow up, in case I was reincarnated.


    My first thought was probably spot on about the unusual lack of fat proportions while having a considerable amount of lean muscles being elven characteristics.


    If I didn¡¯t blabber about my age on Earth to Emrum, I likely wouldn¡¯t be treated as a child¡­ His sense of having or not having curves is some sort of cultural difference based on dwarven maidens having the general shape of a log, no doubt.


    Or him simply wanting to annoy the hell out of me.


    Aside from that, why do I think my body is actually mature? Well¡­ my hips and chest are well developed.


    I have hair where I should have¡­ Let¡¯s just silently cross out that hairless elf dream... done. Elves are still mammals, after all. Aside from that, there are no signs of pimples on my body. Taking the rest of my body as a base, it clearly means that I long passed puberty.


    My body is well proportioned. It doesn¡¯t feel awkward, like it had recently gone through some growth spurt either. There is absolutely no baby fat on my cheeks, as that fool claimed.


    Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t see my reflection quite well since there were no high-quality mirrors inside the base. I used some sort of polished metal plate as a mirror to get the first look at my unfamiliar face, and it wasn¡¯t really that clear. Still better than the water surface, though.


    I got the general shape of my face, which was surprisingly sharp and thin, giving off a sick-looking aura combined with my extremely pale skin tone. All in all, I was surprisingly witchy looking.


    But well, ending up considered a child in retrospect wasn¡¯t a bad thing. It allows me a childlike freedom to learn the ways of this new world. Giving me valuable leeway to make mistakes without real consequences.


    I watered my long black hair once again in the basin, then squeezed some of the extra out before repeating the procedure a few more times. It¡¯s not like I had a bottle of shampoo at hand.


    Sadly, but not surprisingly, there were no proper baths here. And since the water was cold and when I say cold, I mean it... I wasn¡¯t half as mad to attempt to take a bath in a tub like some crazy ass dwarfs did.


    I was pretty sure that I would catch some serious cold afterwards, and that was the last thing I needed right now.


    I finally got to wash my hair¡­ I didn¡¯t wash it since coming here, and that was a week ago.


    It was stuck together from the sweat and grime. The feeling of dirtiness was quite¡­ horrible. Not even mentioning the itchiness and irritation. I couldn¡¯t help but scratch it at times, making it even worse.


    The thought of having to wash my long hair in cold water¡­ well, it bothered me. I hated the idea of it. Since coming to this world, I have been much more sensitive to the cold¡­ At first I ignored it, thinking that I was imagining the whole thing. Then seeing some dwarfs actually having a cold plunge in a tub a few days ago, while I was shivering while walking by in my coat and all. Let¡¯s just say I reconsidered.


    I believe that it is partly an elf thing, because of the lesser amount of body fat stored compared to humans and dwarfs. The other is because of my new gender. It was a known fact that women tended to be more sensitive to cold back on Earth. I didn¡¯t see why it couldn¡¯t be the same here as well.


    Unfortunately, as I already mentioned, it was not allowed for the soldiers, that included me, to waste coal on heating up bathing water. For one, dwarfs were quite accustomed to the cold since living underground and all. Two, the coal was transported one time in a month from the kingdom with the caravan that supplied this expedition with every type of consumable.


    The caravan could only bring a fixed amount of necessities, and coal apparently wasn¡¯t the top priority here. It was only used for cooking. Aside from the use of coal is heavily restricted in the deep roads. Turns out smoke is much more bothersome and potentially life threatening if blindly released in a deep and complex underground tunnel system than on the surface.


    I decided that the next spell I am going to learn is a fire spell that could potentially be used to heat up water.


    Well¡­ I better get over this hair washing stuff quickly before I actually catch a cold.

 Chapter 18. What is going on?

    Half an hour later, I was once again clothed. Wearing my long-sleeved white chemise, black pants and dark gray knee-high boots. All that while being on my way towards the kitchen, which was the warmest place in this godforsaken cave thanks to the hearthfire going on.


    When I stepped into the slightly familiar place, I immediately felt better feeling the warmth that seemed to be a constant of all active kitchens, no matter the world.


    Before I could bask in the sensation, I heard a gruff voice shouting in my direction.


    ¡°Which good-for-nothing bastard is this again? I swear if anybody else asks if dinner is ready yet I am going to snap their¡­ oh? It¡¯s you, lass? A rare sight to see you here without Emrum or Tymur tailing you around.¡± ¡ª I heard the familiar voice of the outpost¡¯s chief cook.


    He was a short brown-haired and shockingly beardless dwarf. The very first one I saw without an obscenely large facial hair crown. That was the reason I could remember his face somewhat, but that wasn¡¯t something I could say about his name. Of which I have no idea.


    I nodded to him, deciding that introductions were in order. ¡ª ¡°I am Selora, it is a pleasure to meet you, sir?¡± ¡ª I leaned my head to the side questioningly.


    ¡°I see. My name is Yulmulir Dimbrewer. It¡¯s the first time we officially met, but I have seen you and heard a lot about you, young witch. Believe me, I would love to spend my time with idle chatter, but unfortunately I have a lot of work along with this bunch of dimwits. There are a lot of preparations to finish until dinner is ready to be served. So I have to cut it short. What can I help you?¡±


    I looked at the dwarf and decided to be straightforward.


    ¡°I, well¡­ it happens to be that I just washed my hair¡­ and aside from maybe the barracks, this is the only place that came to mind which is warm enough to dry it. Can I sit next to the fire? I promise I won¡¯t be in the way¡­¡±


    As I spoke, the man finally noticed my wet hair. He showed me an ominous smirk before saying.


    ¡°Fine. But I have a rule here¡­ only people working in the kitchen can stay in the kitchen. Lucky for you I have just the right thing, lass¡­ a bag of potatoes waiting to be peeled.¡±


    Great¡­ just what I needed after all that ruckus since I woke up¡­ but the idea of going back to the cold corridors wasn¡¯t really appealing. Catching a cold before having to go on a large scale underground operation doesn¡¯t sound good either.


    I eventually nodded. ¡ª ¡°Fine, anything better than freezing in the corridors¡­¡± ¡ª The outpost is warmer than the outer cave, but it is still far from comfortable. Just not freezing.


    ¡°There are spare chairs in that corner. Behind the table there¡­ yes, pull one next to a fire¡­ Oh, and you can find potatoes in that direction. I need an entire bag peeled and ready.¡± ¡ª The man stated in a bossy tone. ¡ª ¡°Ah, and call me over when the water is starting to boil in the pot.¡±


    I nodded then asked. ¡ª ¡°Do I need to cut up the potatoes in a preferred way?¡±


    The man smiled, waving my question off nonchalantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, the boys will handle that part.¡± ¡ª That said he went back to the other side of the kitchen, and I lost sight of him. However, I could clearly hear various sounds associated with the process of cooking and the occasional shouts or curses leaking out of the inner section of the kitchen, where most of the work was actually being done by a bunch of dimwits as the chief cook called them.


    I sighed, once again getting the short end of the stick. My mood only worsened when I saw the ridiculously large potato bags. It will be a challenge to haul it over to the fire, not even mentioning peeling them.


    Another of those moments when you are better off being a man, it seems. Or just not this short and thin as me. I was barely taller than the dwarfs¡­ What sort of joke is that, seriously? Not that the dwarfs were as small as you would expect¡­


    Based on my observations, I am at best 160 centimeters tall. However, I had a feeling I didn¡¯t even reach that height in reality. It was something to get used to since I was around 188 centimeters tall in my previous life.


    The dwarfs were generally around 150-155 centimeters while I was objectively somewhere between 155-160 centimeters.


    I imagine that if I wasn¡¯t surrounded by dwarfs, who were still around ten centimeters shorter than me on average. Everything would feel strangely tall and intimidating from my new point of view.


    I sighed¡­ no reason to worry over spilt milk. It¡¯s better to focus on my current task. And there are no advantages of being tall in a cave, proportioned to accommodate dwarfs anyway.


    I tugged up my sleeves with a weird sense of determination¡­


    ¡°I might be short now, and a girl, but I won¡¯t be bested by a bag of potatoes. You better prepare yourself, my old nemesis, back from the army days.¡±


    With that said, I grabbed one bag and began to painstakingly drag it over to the fire, where I placed the chair earlier.


    I opened the bag and picked up the uppermost potato.


    ¡°Oh! This is pretty nice, a surprisingly high quality crop. This will be tasty, at least.¡±


    The light in the darkness was that I really loved potato based food. Every type.


    A few hours later, I was sitting alone at a dinner table placed into a corner of the kitchen. Lazily looking at the hustle and bustle of the kitchen staff. The dinner was ready, and they were serving it to the people gathered in the dining hall, which was right next to the considerably smaller kitchen.


    My hair was now dry enough. It didn¡¯t bother me anymore. Still, after the recent incident with two particular dwarfs, I didn¡¯t feel like eating in the dining hall. It would have been a foreseeably awkward dinner, anyway, and I don¡¯t want to think about those things.


    I heard a pair of heavy steps getting closer. I looked up, seeing the chief cook coming over with two plates of food in his hands.


    He placed one in front of me, and I got distracted by the flavourful scent of roasted meat covered in distinctly foreign seasonings. I also saw a tasty pile of mashed potatoes at the side of my plate while I accepted it gratefully.


    Just noticing how hungry I was. Before I could dig in, I felt a warm hand patting my head, going as far as to playfully tickle the elongated end of my left ear in a single smooth movement.


    The tingling sensation was completely foreign to me. My ears were never ticklish before.


    I attempted to move my head to the side, while short bursts of giggles left my mouth unconsciously.


    ¡°Ah, stop that!¡± ¡ª I shouted at the man, but there was no edge to my voice. Still, he stopped teasing me and sat down across from my seat.


    ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡ª The man chuckled, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me¡­ It¡¯s a foolish little thing, but you reminded me of my daughter. Stupid girl is over forty and still tends to get into these moping phases at times.¡±


    ¡°Even so, she gets that starry look in the eyes when I bring her dinner, just like you did now. I guess I miss her more than I thought. She is such a willful child, no doubt that is the reason why she isn¡¯t married yet. I was already married at her age for three years. Can you believe it? And I am a man. Men tend to marry later, at least in the dwarven culture you see. But, enough about boring stuff. We should eat before our food gets cold.¡±


    I nodded, glad that I didn¡¯t have to continue that sort of conversation. Marriage was not something I could think about in my current situation. Well¡­ more like I couldn¡¯t bear to think about it.


    I took a bite from the now already familiar slightly sweet tasting meat. The taste was just like back in the cave when Lord Axis blessed our food.


    I didn¡¯t dare to pray now, fearing that he might do something outrageous once again. Maybe creating grilled fish out of thin air? Who knows¡­


    I got the feeling that he didn¡¯t like my attempts to hide the true extent of my association with him. Still, I prayed for him to understand the reasons behind my actions. I didn¡¯t know enough of this word to make such outrageous statements. It was doomed to fail without extensive preparations.


    Based on his mild aura, he reluctantly accepted my pleas, at least for now.


    We ate our food in content silence for a while, then I heard Yulmulir¡¯s voice once again.


    ¡°Come to think of it, you wouldn¡¯t have any inkling why Tymur and Emrum look so suspiciously pale, right?¡±


    I coughed, my face blushing slightly as I recalled the potential reason for that.


    ¡°I thought so.¡± ¡ª The man chuckled at the other end of the table. ¡ª ¡°I just hope that you didn¡¯t curse them¡­¡±


    My eyes widened at the audacity. ¡ª ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing! It was just an accident, and they overreacted¡­¡± ¡ª I mumbled the last words.


    Yulmulir showed a cunning smile. ¡ª ¡°Ah, I am glad to hear that¡­ because it was getting on my nerves to deal with their constant pestering¡­¡± ¡ª He said in a louder voice, towards the left ajar kitchen door that led into the mess.


    I noticed two familiar people peeking over the corner. Both of them jerked nervously, realizing that they were being exposed.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell them that too, lass? Oh, and you are welcome to peel potatoes any time. I was quite satisfied with your work today. These good for nothings, only understand how to chop things up, be that with axes or knives. A woman¡¯s hands are undoubtably indispensable for any quality kitchen. This is the first time I dared to make mashed potatoes instead of baking them without peeling. All thanks to your presence.¡±


    I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was attempting to drop some ill-mannered joke on me. It was not the case, though. With that realization, my annoyance from having to peel those vegetables seemed to soften considerably. I decided to give a reluctant answer. ¡ª ¡°Well¡­ I might think about it when I had the time. My fingers are still numb from peeling so much at once, you know.¡±


    The man burst out in jovial laughter, and I myself couldn¡¯t help but smile at his antics.


    ¡°You know my rules lass, if you want to stay in the kitchen, you have to work in the kitchen. And since I don¡¯t see anyone of you working right now, get out of here before I put my boots to your asses.¡±


    I caught his amused smirk, but did not think for a second that he wouldn¡¯t follow through with that threat. Therefore, I gathered my things and quickly skittered out of the kitchen, once again welcomed by the solemn coldness of the dining hall.


    Next to me stood those two dwarfs who were similarly thrown out, squirming in their visible discomfort.


    I sighed¡­ It was seriously not that big of a deal that they saw me in my underwear¡­ Back on Earth, people didn¡¯t even blink anymore seeing women walking around in swimsuits.


    I was just about to turn towards them and explain that I wasn¡¯t bothered by what happened when Emrum grabbed me by my hand and pulled me out of the dining room, right into an abandoned corner of the nearest corridor. Tymur followed close by, a few steps behind us.


    I was a bit startled by this strange turn of events, mostly because it was so uncharacteristic for them. My mind was already rowing in circles that something serious must have happened. Was it considering the expedition? Maybe it was postponed because of some unforeseen issues.


    Or could it be that the commander didn¡¯t react well to my creation magic? Is that it? Oh, god¡­ I hope they didn¡¯t intend to capture me as an endless source of gold? Well¡­ more like gold dust¡­ since probably that was the extent of my power now.


    Wait¡­ was that another lecture from Lord Axis? How did I not see it before? It was I who thanked him in my prayer that he showed us the joy and futility of creation. Right before, he gave me a powerful ability, knowing that I wouldn¡¯t be able to use it meaningfully. Having the knowledge to create while lacking the means to do so. It¡¯s like being tasked with making a sculpture without the ability to move your limbs.


    The futility of existence. It seems that Lord Axis knows much more about that topic than I would ever anticipate from a God of creation. Thinking about it more deeply, it should have been obvious.


    Why does a God of creation need a messenger in the first place? For one reason or another, he must be unable or perhaps unwilling to directly influence the flow of this world. I dare not think that I understand the extent of a God¡¯s domain, but all proofs seem to point in this direction.


    I might try to ask him tonight through a prayer. Even if I couldn¡¯t converse with him in the general meaning of the word.


    Satisfied with my plans, I refocused on the present, realizing that Emrum was in the middle of talking about something.


    Ah¡­ it seems I kind of zoned out without realizing it. It¡¯s better to listen in and attempt to figure out what he was talking about.


    ¡°¡­-ke responsibility, but to do so we need to know which one of us you choose?¡±


    I blinked slowly.


    Come again? Choose for what? Oh, they must be talking about the expedition. Do we have to pair up beforehand? It¡¯s like in those games, when you go on a raid in pre-made groups. Well, sorry Tymur, there is no way I would turn on my battle body in that regard. ¡ª ¡°I see¡­ In that case. I choose you, Emrum.¡± ¡ª I said with a polite smile.


    The man froze, whetting his throat before asking again. ¡ª ¡°Are you sure? There is no going back on this¡­¡±


    I was a bit surprised by the serious tone. Thinking about it for a while, I realized that it wasn¡¯t that strange, though. This expedition into deeper sections of the cave was quite dangerous. It was a matter of life and death.


    I nodded with a determined expression. ¡ª ¡°Yes, of course. I am sure of it.¡± ¡ª I turned towards Tymur with an apologetic expression.


    Hearing my answer, Emrum nodded seriously. Then he took off a ring from his finger, grabbed my right hand and pulled it on my ring finger in a decisive motion. All the while I was blinking and staring stupidly, too confused to say anything. ¡ª ¡°There you go, lass. Welcome to the Dimhollow clan.¡±


    I saw a bluish flicker of light from the ring and felt as it ominously tightened itself around my flesh, becoming a lot heavier. Simultaneously, a large knot seemed to form in my throat. As the realization became crystal clear, I messed up big time.


    As I panickingly whetted my throat to ask the tentative question.


    ¡°... Cough-cough¡­ I mean¡­ does this ring have a connection to the expedition? The one we are planning to embark on?¡±


    Tymur smiled. Then froze for a second. He was clearly expecting a different question. ¡ª ¡°What are you talking about, girl? Of course, it has nothing to do with that. It is the official proof that you have become an honorable member of one of our ancient warrior clans! Haven¡¯t you listened at all?¡± ¡ª The man added with a disbelieving expression.


    How could I possibly admit that I actually didn¡¯t? Especially after this¡­


    I blinked, taken aback by what I just heard. ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ w-what? Why would you do that?¡± ¡ª I asked, with a bewildered expression. Couldn¡¯t seem to figure out any potential reason for such a random event¡­


    Tymur sighed, then repeated his earlier words.


    ¡°You must be still confused. Listen, we were just talking about that as a means for us to be accountable¡­ for intruding on your privacy¡­ We were willing to take you in as an honorary member of one of our clans based on your preference. The chosen clan gains a new member, while also becomes bound to provide a generous dowry for your marriage whenever that will be, which in weight shall balance the damage done to your reputation. It is our way of taking responsibility.¡± ¡ª He scratched the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable and hesitant to say anything more. In the end, he still added.


    ¡°Your elven customs are known to be awfully rigid about such things. We have made a great mistake¡­ it¡¯s our way of showing our sincerity.¡±


    What?


    Elven customs? Like I would know anything about those¡­ Lets just ignore my uncomfortable lack of knowledge regarding my own race and focus on the parts I understand before I make an even bigger fool out of myself.


    What does he want to take responsibility for? Is this because they saw me in my undies? Seriously?


    With that thought in mind, I decided to state my confusion, not caring anymore how foolish it might look.


    ¡°Uhh? I-I think there might be a misunderstanding here¡­ What do you mean by intruding on my privacy? And what does it have to do with your intentions of taking me into your clan? And a dowry? Am I getting married? Since when to whom? For what? I am sorry¡­ but I don¡¯t understand any of your reasonings¡­¡±


    Both men seemed bothered by this statement. They were equally baffled as I was, only for a different reason.


    I sweat dropped seeing how both dwarves slowly shook their heads, clueless about my confusion.


    This is awkward.

 Chapter 19. Before modernity

    Unwilling to handle the awkward silence any longer, I repeated my question, this time less certain of myself.


    ¡°So¡­ why¡­ why did you exactly think that¡­ taking me into your family is necessary again? Ah¡­ not that I didn¡¯t appreciate the sentiment¡­ I don¡¯t have a family¡­ since...¡± ¡ª I said, already embarrassed, more focused on carefully voicing my thoughts than what those thoughts exactly were.


    Emrum¡¯s smile strained as he asked, stepping closer to me.


    ¡°What do you mean by that, Lora? We saw you in a shameful position. Our act of accidental impudence has besmirched your good name as a young maiden. This is a serious matter!¡±


    Wait¡­ so he was seriously talking about that!? ¡ª ¡°Ah¡­ you mean that, it¡¯s not a big deal¡­ you know¡­ It¡¯s not like I was buck naked or¡­¡± ¡ª I shut up seeing the drastic change in my friends expressions.


    They seemed genuinely speechless for once.


    The silence stretched uncomfortably, then Emrum jolted up as if whipped by an invisible person.


    ¡°Selora!¡± ¡ª He shouted.


    ¡°Yes?!¡± ¡ª I squeaked back, hastily covering my ears from the unexpected raise in octave.


    Emrum unleashed a long-winded lecture at my head.


    ¡°Stop acting like you don¡¯t realize the potential consequences! We cannot let ourselves to treat this lightly, especially in the present political situation. If the wood elves hear about this¡­ Aside from that, this could make it impossible for you to find a proper elf man to take your hand!¡± ¡ª Emrum explained, feeling ashamed of even mentioning it. And I sensed an incoming headache just realizing what all this was about. ¡ª ¡°By the way¡­ I thought you had a family. What do you mean you don¡¯t have one anymore? What about your magic-tutor at least?¡±


    I grimaced, just remembering my previous lies¡­ Oh well¡­since the cat is already out of the bag, I might as well say it¡­ ¡ª ¡°Yes, about that¡­ I kind of lied¡­¡±


    ¡°You lied?¡± ¡ª The dwarfs asked simultaneously and I could only nod. Was it that surprising? I blushed under their combined stare.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to say¡­ I was alone in an unknown place¡­ surrounded by dwarfs who I didn¡¯t really know if I could trust.¡±


    I decided to make my actual past from Earth into a carefully woven lie that could potentially explain some of my eccentric nature to the dwarfs.


    ¡°I was afraid to admit that I was alone¡­ or that I never even seen another white elf beside me in my whole life¡­ You see¡­ I was raised by humans in a small village hidden among the mountains. Almost everyone I know of has died from old age years ago. Along with my human magic-tutor. I didn¡¯t want to bother their grandchildren with my presence, nor did I desire to see them grow old and die in front of my eyes while I barely changed. It was too painful to remain there, so I left.¡±


    ¡°In my wanderings, I have searched many forgotten places and found more than a few magical grimoires, some containing ancient and long forgotten magic. Attempting to learn one of those led me to my current predicament. The rest you are already aware of.¡±


    Emrum took a shaky breath, accepting the new truth quite easily. ¡ª ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ now I see why you were so determined to be treated as an adult¡­ if you were raised up as a human, you basically have the mentality of a grandma.¡±


    I chuckled at that. How close, yet how far that was from the truth¡­ If only I could tell him.


    Tymur took that moment to seize the conversation. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s fine and we will talk it out later. However, for now¡­ we should resolve the issue about the clans. You see¡­ we kind of panicked after that incident, knowing that elves, by that I mean elves that are raised by other elves, tend to take this type of things very seriously. Of course, dwarfs do as well, but not to the extent of elves. There were even a few wars in the past caused by similar misunderstandings.¡±


    By that he means attempts at peeking¡­ I am pretty sure about it.


    Now I am starting to understand the reason for their nervousness.


    However, I did not hold such grudges. I came here with the intention of rallying an army against the growing darkness, not to cause further conflicts between the peaceful races of the realm.


    Unfortunately, it seems to me that every stupid thing in this world ended up causing at least one or two wars. Are these people actually complete idiots?


    Tymur continued his words. ¡ª ¡°That is why we consulted with the commander for the best possible approach of this sensitive topic.¡±


    My eyes widened. Disbelief was mirrored in my silver eyes.


    ¡°You did what? You told about that to Balgrun?¡± ¡ª I asked in a somewhat shrill voice. They talked about this with that man. Why do I have a feeling that this could only end up in a catastrophe¡­


    Emrum spoke up, this time somewhat defensively. ¡ª ¡°Well, yes, it seemed to be the wisest course of action. Balgrun is the oldest among us and has the most experience in such delicate subjects.¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    What does that even mean? Is he a repeat offender? I don¡¯t know what to think about that¡­ Balgrun and the word delicate didn¡¯t seem to be mentionable in the same room, or cave, to begin with.


    Emrum continued. ¡ª ¡°He said that we should take responsibility for besmirching a maiden¡¯s honour and avoid any further repercussions by either taking your hand in marriage.¡± ¡ª WHAT? ¡ª ¡°An act that was not possible since we were already married.¡± ¡ª Bless the shapers for small mercies! ¡ª ¡°Or taking you as an honorary member of one of our clans, which would serve as an equivalent exchange to right the wrongs.¡±


    I blushed hearing that ridiculous statement again¡­ B-besmirching my ass! Nobody even touched me. What is that imbecile talking about? Are morals really so different here that I can¡¯t make sense of it?


    ¡°S-stop saying that¡­! Nothing happened. There is no reason for¡­¡°


    Tymur scolded me from the side with a serious expression. ¡ª ¡°You should take this more seriously, Lora. It is a very dishonorable act to look at a young maiden without proper clothing, especially for married men. This crisis is very much alive even if you are for some inexplicable reason not bothered by it¡­ We can be seriously punished for such an action, especially after telling it to the commander. There is no turning back now. If you refuse us the chance to compensate you, our wives will beat us to death, even if we get home alive.¡±


    Emrum added his own two cents when Tymur finished. ¡ª ¡°Aside from that, it¡¯s not like we can change anything now. The magic of the ring has been engraved into your flesh permanently. Showcasing that you have become an official member of the Dimhollow clan¡¯s main branch family. I told you beforehand that we can¡¯t go back on this decision, haven¡¯t I? It¡¯s not like I could figure out that you didn¡¯t pay attention properly! You have already been added to the runic enchantments containing our family tree. Either you like it or not scatterbrain!¡±


    As the entire picture finally stood together in front of my widening eyes. I realized that the only thing remaining for me was to facepalm¡­ while spluttering out a bunch of incoherent curses at the fools, but above all myself.


    Turns out that in this world¡­ sexual revolution was not an existing concept¡­ But then what about the ass praising dude? Should I get compensation from him too? I can¡¯t seem to make heads and tails of this¡­


    ¡°I find your prudish attitude somewhat hard to believe in sight of the fact that I recently heard a guy boasting about how he slapped my ass¡­ than another came up to me with the sole intention of praising the shape of my bottom¡­ right in my face. Should I demand compensation from them too?¡±


    Emrum¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. Giving me a strange question. ¡ª ¡°Did he do it?¡±


    I blushed slightly from the unexpectedly interrogative tone. Quickly denying it. ¡ª ¡°No, he didn¡¯t, but¡­ that¡¯s not the point¡­¡±


    Before I could finish my words, both of the dwarves relaxed. Making me even more confused.


    Tymur spoke up first. ¡ª ¡°But, that is a completely different question, Lora. Especially if he isn¡¯t married. Speaking about such things in your presence merely shows his genuine interest in you. It might be still a bit inappropriate since we are unsure how to treat you with your special upbringing just yet¡­ But that won¡¯t always be the case¡­ you could hardly be treated as a clueless child at seventy-two years old even if we decide to look at you from a purely elven perspective.¡±


    Emrum nodded from the side with a strangely conflicted, even protective expression.


    ¡°Sigh¡­ I should have guessed¡­ another dwarven custom that doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­¡± ¡ª I spoke my thoughts out loud, not feeling the strength to hide it anymore.


    ¡°Whatever you mean by that¡­ It seems perfectly sensible to me.¡± ¡ª Tymur added from the side, almost frustrated by my confusion. Emrum nodded sagely in the back, saying. ¡ª ¡°These are ancient dwarven traditions¡­¡±


    I threw up my arms dramatically. ¡ª ¡±Fine, I give up¡­¡± ¡ª There is no reasoning with these guys¡­ and it¡¯s just when I thought I was starting to understand dwarven culture¡­ How ironic¡­


    I looked at Emrum. Our eyes met halfway. ¡ª ¡°So, should I call you clan-head from now on? Or what?¡±


    He blushed surprisingly, and looked to the side, mumbling to himself¡­ ¡ª ¡°Well, I am not really the clan head just yet. That title still belongs to my great-grandfather. He is two hundred and eighteen years old. You can call me¡­ cough¡­ well, call me as you used to. It doesn¡¯t really matter. Emrum was just fine¡­¡±


    I nodded slowly, staring at the slight redness appearing on his cheeks just above the thick beard.


    I raised up my right hand. Looking at the ring resting around my finger snugly. There were a few words carved into the otherwise standard looking silver ring.


    I read them out load, squinting my eyes to see the carvings better. ¡ª ¡°The bearer of this ring is considered a member of the ancient and venerated clan of Dimhollow.¡±


    Emrum noted in a surprised voice. ¡ª ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you could read ancient dwarven rune writing. How intriguing.¡±


    I looked up, then to the side, mumbling under my breath. ¡ª ¡±That makes two of us then¡­¡±


    The two dwarves stared at me. Just missing my words, I could see they intended to ask about it, so I quickly attempted to distract them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need this ring too, Emrum?¡± ¡ª I asked with forced curiosity.


    ¡°I have more than enough ways to prove my identity, don¡¯t you worry about that.¡± ¡ª He chuckled.


    Tymur added from the side. ¡ª ¡°By that he means he has a necklace with the family crest as well. And they already know his face well enough¡­¡±


    I guess that makes sense.


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­ well, thank you. I will keep this safe.¡± ¡ª I said awkwardly, while giving a last glance to the ring on my finger.


    What a strange ring. I can clearly remember that at first it was too large, hanging on my finger practically. I was about to take it off when the runes started to shine with a bright blue light¡­ The next thing I knew; the ring was snugly nesting around my finger.


    ¡°It is surely convenient¡­¡± ¡ª I mumbled to myself.


    Emrum caught my words and chuckled jovially. ¡ª ¡°Yes, the ring is laced with powerful soul and intent recognition magic. Meaning, only those could put the ring on who are given to by one of our clan¡¯s main branch family members, and even then, the person needs to be above a certain rank.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ Then what happens if someone illegitimate attempts to put it on?¡±


    Emrum¡¯s answer came quickly, and it froze the blood in my veins.


    ¡°They are cursed, and turn into stone. It¡¯s one of the most powerful magic of the shapers.¡±


    What the hell is wrong with these people? I stared at the ring on my finger, with a hitching breathing.


    ¡°You¡­ you might want to say that beforehand next time! IDIOT!¡± ¡ª I shouted at the fool, losing my shit at last.


    Emrum winced slightly, his eyes widening, hearing me curse for the first time.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that would have happened to you either way¡­ So I didn¡¯t think that was important, but well, maybe I made a mistake there¡­ I will warn you next time, I promise.¡±


    Whatever¡­


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± ¡ª Not that there was anything else to say¡­ I was just too flabbergasted by the number of thoughtless actions for one single day¡­


    Both on mine and their sides¡­

 Chaper 20. I want a hot shower, but not that hot…

    After receiving the ring, we went over to Balgrun¡¯s office and told him that the supposed crisis was peacefully resolved.


    He seemed genuinely relieved hearing that statement, even going as far as to personally thank my considerate actions, calling me a level-headed and mature beyond her years elven maiden of all things.


    It seems such stupid misunderstandings could seriously result in actual conflicts in this world. Best to keep that in mind¡­ Before I accidentally end up causing irreparable damage with my twenty-first century world view.


    I would have never expected that keeping up with the changing trends would end up biting me in the ass in such an unexpected way.


    After that quite uncomfortable event, we were let loose, and since the majority of the afternoon was still ahead of us, I went to practice my magic on the shooting field.


    I was wholeheartedly intending to learn that fire magic my heart so desired. A warm bath was something I was dying for, especially in these creepy cold corridors.


    I had just the right spell for it, too. It was called pyroblast. The basic preparations and workings of the spell were the followings.


    I need to procure a simple rock about the size of my fist. Hah¡­ first time I am happy to be in a cave¡­ That is as good as done. What is next? Nothing? I wouldn¡¯t even call that preparation¡­ Jeez¡­


    After the so-called preparations were done, the caster needs to cast the spell on said rock while levitating it with chantless telekinesis magic with his/her other hand¡­ Ugh¡­ Is this a combined spell? I never really did anything of the sort before¡­


    Damn, this isn¡¯t as simple as I hoped for¡­ maybe I shouldn''t try it inside the outpost¡­


    The memory of the goblins from yesterday came to my mind at the thought of leaving the outpost, and I shivered slightly.


    Nope¡­ no way that I am going out there without a small army of dwarves this time.


    My original intentions were to use pyroblast to heat up a few rocks and drop them into my larger washbasin to begin with. Hey, if it¡¯s good enough for my laundry, it¡¯s good enough for me.


    Obviously, I don¡¯t intend to cast the spell properly. I only want to heat up the rock or rocks and throw them into the water via telekinesis, hoping that it would make it warm enough.


    The original spell melted the rock into a ball of pressurized lava and shot it at the enemy, creating a small volcanic explosion at the location of the blast.


    I don¡¯t plan to blow up my room or my bathtub though¡­


    Luckily, most people were resting in the barracks after dinner. So there aren¡¯t going to be more than a few dwarves in the training chamber. Perfect for practicing new spells. I have been scolded a few times for the flying shrapnel after the lightning blasts. So I was told to practice my magic at times when the least people were present.


    Thinking along the line of such thoughts, I arrived at the entrance of the practice hall. Without lingering for a second, I walked inside. I was already used to the place since I frequented it quite often.


    As I walked in, my eyes fell on the frustratingly familiar form with brown hair, brown beard, and brown eyes. True, that particular description could fit half of the dwarfs inside the outpost¡­


    His eyes also turned towards me, noticing my arrival. I could see the automatically forming half sneer on his face. Yes, that was him... all right, Regmir Shatterrock. The biggest jerk of the outpost in person.


    I looked around in the large chamber, hoping to find some less annoying company, only to realize that we were alone in the empty hall.


    Great¡­


    I never seen this place so abandoned before, it was no doubt because of tomorrow¡¯s expedition. The people were probably trying to rest as much as possible before such a large scale operation.


    I heard heavy steps nearing me and I had to chase away my thoughts to focus on the present.


    ¡°I see. The witch is back among the living once again. I have already told the commander that he shouldn¡¯t rely on you so much. Magic or not, you are just a weak little girl, who is only going to be a hindrance to our expedition.¡±


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I leveled my furious gaze at the annoying bastard. ¡ª ¡°I wonder what basis do your clearly objective and astute observations have?"


    The dwarf snorted. ¡ª ¡°You cannot embarrass me with your finicky words, witch. It only proves my point further.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t notice that you had a point to begin with¡­ Please enlighten me, oh wise horse face.¡± ¡ª I added the nickname with a cat like smirk. Knowing fully well how much he hated that nickname I procured for him.


    ¡°Getting personal so quickly? Is it already that time of the year?¡± ¡ª The man asked with a slightly obscene expression.


    I blinked at that. What the hell is he talking about, that time of the year? Is this someone¡¯s birthday or what?


    The man stopped for a second, seeing my confused expression, and asked in a lower tone of voice. ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me? Seriously?¡±


    I remained confused, as I hesitantly asked back, surprised by the sudden intimate atmosphere.


    ¡°¡­What do you mean by that? What time of the year?¡±


    Regmir¡¯s eyebrows rose unconsciously as he thoughtlessly scratched the back of his head. ¡ª ¡°I mean¡­ wait, you seriously don¡¯t know about yearly bleeding? You said you are seventy-two years old, right?¡±


    My eyes widened. Is he talking about menstruation¡­ wait¡­ oh hell no!


    ¡°Of course I know about that, fool! But what does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡ª I said it with a confident air, while in reality I completely forgot that that was even a thing. At the time, I was basically dying inside. ¡ª ¡°Anyway, isn¡¯t that called monthly bleeding?¡± ¡ª I added my question, just to occupy my mind with something besides cruel reality.


    Regmir snorted at my snark, but still explained what he started.


    ¡°For humans and dwarfs maybe¡­ Elves, on the other hand, have it once per year for an entire month straight... From the perspective of an elf¡¯s biology, a human year is the equivalent of a month, I hear. Which is the main reason for your kind¡¯s slow reproduction. I know it because of my sister told me once¡­ and she heard it from an elf¡­ so it must be true¡­¡± ¡ª He blushed suddenly, realizing what he was talking about and with whom. ¡ª ¡°A-anyway, don¡¯t test my knowledge girl, you won¡¯t be able to make fun of me with such distractions.¡±


    The man smiled victoriously. ¡ª ¡°Anyway, what I meant you being a hindrance to the expedition is that I saw that you were practically carried back to the outpost yesterday as well. That makes it the third time in one week. Either you are even stupider than you look, or you were dropped on your head when you were a child¡­¡± ¡ª He stopped for a second regarding me with disdain, before adding. ¡ª ¡°Oh, I almost forgot, you are still a kid.¡±


    With that said, he walked by me, enjoying my slightly horrified expression. No doubt completely misunderstanding the cause of it.


    The real reason for my desperation, opposite of his belief, was hidden in his first argument.


    I am going to bleed for a month straight? There were so many stupid meme about this on Earth, and now I am supposed to¡­


    ¡°This is so unfair!¡± ¡ª I shouted to myself, stomping on the ground in frustration.


    I was enraged by the thought, and since horse face already left, leaving nobody else to vent on. I rushed over to the shooting field and picked up a broken-off piece from the giant rock that the dwarfs gave me to use for target practice.


    The broken-off piece was about the size of my fist¡­ it was perfect. I walked back to the other end of the archery range.


    I raised the rock from my opened palm with telekinesis levitating it in level with my shoulder on the right side of my body and began to channel the spell. Focusing all my rage and sense of injustice into the casting.


    ¡°Fire of the earth, with the power to shatter mountains and blacken the skys. Come forth now, awaken your brightest glory! For I, Selora, servant of creation, demand your obedience!¡±


    As the words flowed out of my throat, like a well-greased machine starting its engine, I felt a sense of warmth flowing through my staff right into the floating rock, which was slowly starting to radiate powerful waves of heat.


    The rock was glowing brightly, its matter melted and became bubbly, only kept together by the careful manipulation of telekinesis. It felt like it was a small chunk of the Sun itself. I felt that the heat that radiated from the molten piece of rock was much more dangerous than I ever imagined. And it was increasingly problematic to hold it together with telekinesis.


    Realizing the new problem, my anger mostly run out, replaced by a sense of panic.


    ¡°Now¡­ what the heck am I supposed to do with this?¡±


    Looking around stupidly, but having no better idea, I decided to shoot it at the rock on the other side of the shooting range, like I originally intended.


    The molten rock flew through the air, creating a whistling sound crashing against the rock surface.


    The second it contacted with the cold rock, huge flame tongues burst out of it, surrounding the rock in a blaze of fire, sending a wave of hot steam across the room.


    The moment I laid eyes on the incoming steam cloud, I froze completely. Then I felt an arm grab me by my hips and forcefully swung me behind a nearby wall that partially separated the shooting range from the rest of the practice field. My face was pressed into the ground with a larger form laying over me.


    It was lucky¡­ because the hot steam was followed by a curtain of partially molten rock shrapnel showering the entire room. The ground shook with the vibrations released by the ridiculous explosion. The overall temperature was raised with at least ten celsius if not more in a few seconds.


    I only now noticed that the person laying beside me¡­ covering me with half of his body was none other than Regmir. I wasn¡¯t even surprised anymore¡­ Nothing seemed to make sense today.


    I pulled myself up shakily, ignoring Regmir¡¯s attempts to push me back down. The storm has already passed. I felt it based on the fluctuations of mana inside the room.


    Across the hall, at the place where the rock once stood, there was only a crater filled with partially molten rock.


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely an overkill for heating up bathwater¡­¡±

 Chapter 21. Punishment

    While I gazed over the scale of destruction, I sensed movements behind me. I turned around, only to see Regmir slowly standing up. The man looked completely dumbstruck as he stared at the crater at the end of the archery range.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be shitting me!¡± ¡ª The man¡¯s breathing hitched worryingly.


    I turned my gaze back at the destruction caused by my spell. It was completely different from anything I had done previously. And I wasn¡¯t even that tired. The spell only consumed about the equivalent of two lightning blasts while unleashing a wide area of damage that is multiple times the destructive effects of two lightning spells. Is that because this spell is not purely magic based, but uses the law of physics?


    A few minutes went by in shocked silence as we stared at the blasted apart and burning remains of the straw men on the other side of the shooting range.


    I uncomfortably scratched the back of my right arm as I stared at the ominously burning targets.


    I am going to be scolded again for wasting perfectly good straw men. Well, that and the hole in the ground filled with lava might be a problem to explain¡­


    I glanced tentatively at Regmir¡¯s silent form. Sighing heavily, I turned in his direction. ¡ª ¡°Look¡­ uhm¡­ I wanted to say, thanks for saving me back there¡­ I totally froze up.¡±


    I heard some incoherent mumble coming from the man. So I decided to step closer while asking. ¡ª ¡°Hmm? I didn¡¯t quite catch th-¡­ EEH?¡± ¡ª He turned around, grabbing me by my shoulders. ¡ª ¡°Let me go, you donkey!¡± ¡ª I shouted while trying to backpedal on full throttle. However, the dwarf¡¯s grasp on me was unyielding.


    Then I heard the words he was shouting and stopped.


    ¡°You crazy, stupid yet magnificent girl¡­ you better be in my group in this rotten expedition¡­ don¡¯t forget that you owe me one, no two times, including this today! You better not go back on your words.¡±


    Wait what? Did he receive a head injury? What is he talking about? ¡ª ¡°Horse face, are you ok? Did a rock hit your head by chance?¡±


    His face strained for a second, then his smile came back twofold. He even chuckled a bit. Seriously starting to creep me out.


    ¡°Horse face¡­ ah, yes-yes¡­ whatever you say witch-bitch¡­¡± ¡ª He reacted nonchalantly.


    For once, he seemed almost amused by the nickname giving me his own. Which I was aghast to hear.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less for your stupid nicknames, girl. Just promise me to send that spell into enemy lines when we need you to. The rest is history¡­¡± ¡ª He chuckled maniacally, finally letting me go.


    I stumbled back a few steps, looking at the man, who was clearly overwhelmed by the power of my spell. I can¡¯t really blame him. I felt the same way, only I was less obvious about it.


    I shook off my stupor and told him. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s goes without saying. I had a run in with some goblins yesterday. They didn¡¯t seem like a funny bunch.¡±


    The man chuckled again. ¡ª ¡°Well, I can hardly argue with that.¡±


    He shook his shoulders. ¡ª ¡°We all have our demons. Believe me, if you spend enough time in the deep roads, goblins will be the least of your worries¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I mean, that there are a lot of goblins in this area, but they are not that dangerous individually.¡±


    ¡°Look girl, traveling the uncharted regions of the deep roads, you eventually will run into orcs or dark elfs among other less intelligent races or beasts.¡±


    ¡°They are the real threat down here. Orcs are incredibly strong, having a primitive culture based on strength. They can create crude but effective armors and weapons while still preferring to fight in small hunting groups.¡±


    ¡°And there are the dark elves. They are our eons long rivals under the mountain. Both having the technology and intelligence to create vicious battle tactics. They like to enslave our people or anyone else that is unfortunate enough to cross their path. They are disgusting slavers who prefer to maim, then drag their prey into the deep instead of giving them a swift death.¡±


    He spat in front of his feet in an act of disgust.


    ¡°They are even worst then goblins. Since goblins don¡¯t have the intelligence to understand human morality¡­ While these wretched things are perfectly capable and knowingly choose to disregard it.¡±


    ¡°Compared to them, goblins are a joke. Their only threat is in their abundant numbers. Just think about it. How far have you needed to travel to run into a goblin ambush? They are basically camping on our doorstep. Can you imagine what is it like when you really go out there? Lucky for us, they don¡¯t seem to attack large groups. The cowards.¡±


    There was a moment of pause, allowing my imagination to run wild before Regmir added. ¡ª ¡°So let me say it again out there¡­ in the darkness¡­ goblins will be the least of our problems.¡±


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    I gulped. Waiting for him to say something else. He was preparing for it when we were distracted by the sounds of a bunch of dwarfs bursting into the training hall.


    ¡°What the hell was the noise just now?¡±


    ¡°Are we under attack?¡±


    ¡°Did something break into the outpost?¡±


    ¡°What the¡­ is that lava in that crater? But that¡¯s impossible. The outpost has no connection to active magma channels.¡±


    We turned towards the commotion, and some of the dwarfs eventually began to notice our presence.


    I heard a familiar voice shouting my name. I turned towards the large culmination of armored dwarfs waving axes in the air. And saw Emrum leaving the phalanx formation running up to us.


    A knot began to form in my throat as I saw his pale face. Emrum clearly realized by now who caused the disruption. I didn¡¯t exactly make it hard for him to figure out. He only had to spare me a glance to realize it from my guilty expression.


    He stopped in front of me, searching my gaze, which I tried to avoid, and said. ¡ª ¡°Do I even want to know how this happened?¡± ¡ª I shook my head as that was a tale I really didn¡¯t want to share with anybody.


    The man sighed, grabbing me by the wrist. ¡ª ¡°Now you are going to come along and apologize from the Commander, but only after you gave a brief explanation to the others.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± ¡ª I said meekly and went along with it. It wasn¡¯t my brightest hour, but lucky for me, most of the dwarfs were more impressed with the scale of destruction than the fright my actions caused.


    They also noticed that I genuinely felt sorry about it and didn¡¯t seem to pursue the topic for long.


    I got a few encouraging pats on my shoulders, and one on my arse, which took me by surprise. I looked around, but I couldn¡¯t catch the bastard who did it. Not in the midst of a bunch of dwarfs heading back to the barracks. I couldn¡¯t even voice is since I was dragged to the commander¡¯s office.


    I wasn¡¯t quite certain how I felt about this.


    Those thoughts were forgotten the moment I laid my eyes on the commander, who didn¡¯t seem half as amused by the situation.


    ¡°What did I tell you about bringing down the ceiling on our heads?¡± ¡ª He shouted at me without reservation.


    I flinched back¡­ ¡ª ¡°Uh about that¡­ I am really sorry.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ so you are sorry? Then that makes everything alright!¡± ¡ª The man began in a sarcastic voice dripping with venom. ¡ª ¡°Except¡­ it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡ª He added.


    Ugh¡­ this is going to be a long afternoon¡­


    ¡°You could have brought down the cave on top of our heads. If you hit the wall at a wrong place instead of the target, you aimed for. You stupid, ignorant elf! You are no longer in a damn forest. There are different types of consequences for explosion in this depth. There is three kilometer thick rock and earth towering above us, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°Do you intend to bury us all?¡± ¡ª He added the question, shaking his head disappointedly.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡ª I really fucked up this time¡­ still, if I think about that unfortunate revelation¡­ My desire to blow up something again kind of resurfaces. Of course, saying that isn¡¯t an option here. ¡ª ¡°¡­ It won¡¯t happen again. I didn¡¯t expect the explosion to be so powerful. In fact, it shouldn¡¯t have been¡­ I must have miscalculated something¡­¡± ¡ª Come to think of it, I was really angry and frustrated back then. Maybe the emotional state can affect a certain type of spells. Did my anger resonate with the fire magic?


    ¡°Oh, it definitely won¡¯t happen again. Because I am forbidding you to use magic inside the outpost from now on!¡± ¡ª Balgrun stated the verdict.


    It was not entirely unexpected. But it was still annoying. I had little else to occupy myself here, and losing my major source of entertainment wasn¡¯t exactly fun. Those thoughts must have been showed on my face as the commander asked in a dare me tone of voice.


    ¡°Do you have something to complain?¡± ¡ª He asked, and I was quickly brought back to reality hearing the ominous tone.


    I shook my head, saying. ¡ª ¡°N-no¡­ that¡¯s only logical¡­¡±


    ¡°Good, then, aside from that, I will deduce the extra costs from your payment. Buying a set of targets and repairing the floor will cost your somewhere between three to five gold. I don¡¯t want to hear any complaints.¡±


    I nodded, accepting the deal easily. I was earning quite the money.


    Compared to my clean 45 gold coins of monthly income. Three to five gold coins didn¡¯t seem like a big deal.


    After I received my through head washing about the potential of me bringing down the ceiling on us, I eventually was let go with that.


    Well, it was probably quite a sum of money for the average soldier. It was nothing extraordinary for me.


    While on the topic of money, I learned from Emrum that one gold coin was worth sixty silver coins, while one silver was worth eighty copper coins.


    The straw targets were pretty cheap even in the mountains, only costing five silver coins each, and I agreed to buy a set of ten even if I only destroyed six counting the one I burned with my lightning last time. Meaning that the targets only cost fifty silver coins. What was more pricy was the transportation. The caravan was escorted by professional adventurers along with standard military escort.


    While the military men were paid by the Kingdom¡¯s coffers, the adventurers weren¡¯t. They were hired by the soldiers¡¯ own money, since it apparently was the sensible thing to do.


    Adventurers were the ones who were familiar with such tricky and often changing areas as the uncharted section of the deep roads. Not even mentioning the lurking dangers there, the road was risky enough on its own.


    Unfortunately, the adventuring society and the official military were never in a seamless relationship. They were competitors on many levels, while in other areas their interests aligned.


    It was a true love and hate relationship.


    To put it plainly. I was asked to pay a part of the adventurers¡¯ fee for the next caravan. For that, the commander will overlook the crater I caused. The final price was around four gold and thirty silver coins. And a pair of ringing ears after all that scolding.


    At least I learned the exchange rate of dwarven money. I consoled myself.


    One gold is sixty silver and one silver is eighty copper. Better to remember it if I don¡¯t want to end up fooled.


    That done, Emrum also scolded me, in a lot lighter tone compared to the commander, but it was still a warning. He told me that as a member of their clan, my actions also represent the clan at large. Therefore, I should be more prudent from now on.


    I nodded, and as an action of circumspect behaviour, I went straight back to my room and packed up my stuff for tomorrow¡¯s expedition.


    Then my eyes fell on the washing basin.


    ¡°¡­ Sh-should I try it out?¡±

 Chapter 22. Expedition

    In the end, I decided against it. I had enough bad luck for one day, and I just washed myself down recently.


    Recalling the scolding I received from the commander and Emrum was just another reason for which I decided to postpone the procedure.


    My gear was packed up, and there was nothing else to do while still having a few hours until bedtime. I was heavily contemplating what to do when a sudden idea popped into my head.


    Should I try out that my newly acquired spell, the legendary creation magic? The answer was a resounding yes.


    ¡°But¡­ what should I create?¡±


    I attempted to find an easy but useful item to make among my memories from Earth. It proved to be a surprisingly hard task. Partially because of the wide variety of possibilities. Well, there were a lot of things that came to mind, but few among them were actually useful in my current predicament.


    My choice eventually fallen on a toothbrush.


    A simple but immensely useful item.


    I have already experienced once what it feels to live with an annoying lack of teeth. I don¡¯t intend to live an eternity in the same manner inside a world where dentists weren¡¯t invented yet.


    Regarding the toothbrush. I wanted it to be as organic and simple as possible. Converting already existing materials from this world and molding them into fresh forms instead of materializing them with magic drained a lot less magic from my reserves.


    For that purpose, I headed over to the dining hall, walked inside the kitchen and requested a small piece of wood from my newest beardless acquaintance. Providing the simple reason that I wanted to carve something out of it.


    Yulmulir gave me one without batting an eye. Then chased me out of the kitchen, since I clearly didn¡¯t intend to peel potatoes.


    After getting back to my room and sitting down on my bed. I placed the small piece of firewood in my lap, thinking about what to do next. Only then did the realization dawned on me. I never even attempted to use this spell before, and not having an incantation, I was unsure how to even begin the process.


    In the end I tried a few different approaches like.


    Stating my intentions out loud to create a wooden handle of a toothbrush. It didn¡¯t work¡­ that was a no go as I expected.


    Next, I attempted to imagine carving out a toothbrush handle from the wood at hand. I was expecting something to happen that time, but to my disappointment, it didn¡¯t.


    Just like that, all the two ways I was familiar with to cast magic were exhausted.


    I huffed and dropped backwards on my bed, exhaling. ¡ª ¡°Damn it, how the hell does this work?¡± ¡ª I mumbled dejectedly.


    It was clearly not the right way to use it.


    On a sudden whim, I straightened up, then kneeled down beside the bed, my knees scraping against the cold floor. I hastily intertwined my fingers and closed my eyes, taking up a typical praying posture.


    ¡°Lord Axis, I wish to wield that power you graciously gifted to me. Yet I do not know how. Please, if you deem me worthy, offer me an explanation.¡± ¡ª As I spoke the prayer, I felt the familiar sense of warmth lingering around me.


    I waited for a few minutes, my body completely still. My knees were starting to hurt, since I was not exactly used to kneeling on the hard stone floor. I didn¡¯t care about it, though. I was attempting to convene with a God. Who would complain about such things right now?


    Then I sensed a wayward thought. It was almost like a burst of intuition entering my mind out of nowhere. If it wasn¡¯t happening in a moment of acute awareness, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed how out of place it was.


    When I focused on this thought, a series of images filled the forefront of my mind, providing a unique understanding to the process of drawing certain types of runes. Runes filled with magic to serve as a conduit to my will.


    So that was how I was supposed to do it! By drawing runes, of course, I should have thought about it¡­ still, there was no way I could figure out these particular runes.


    ¡°So my only option is to draw these runes as a medium¡­ first? Then place the materials in the center¡­ yawn¡­ Then channel my will and magic into the formation¡­ yawn¡­ I guess I figured it out. All thanks to Lord Axis. Anyway¡­ it¡¯s¡­ I have suddenly grown strangely tired¡­¡±


    I climbed into my bed, my limbs feeling like long bars of jelly. I must have been more tired than I expected..


    ¡°I guess¡­ I should sleep¡­¡±


    My fuzzy consciousness slipped away the next second I stated those shaky words.


    Heavy sounds of knocking against a metal door. Followed by a frustrated shout of a man was the next thing I remembered.


    ¡°Lass, if you don¡¯t wake up, I will have to kick in this damn door! Do you hear me?¡±


    I shook, groaning in frustration with a lingering sense of tiredness. The memories of long years of work coming to the surface of my mind. Waking up early, washing my teeth, eating and drinking that morning coffee trying to not be late from work.


    The power of routine was not something to underestimate.


    I slowly pushed myself up, the layers of blankets slipping off my sluggish body. Drowsily crawling out of the magnetic warmth of the bed, I stepped on the revoltingly cold floor. A shudder running through my whole body.


    Awoken from the ungodly cold. My eyes jolted open as I glanced around the barren room, confused.


    Realization slowly came to me. It was not a visit in the hospital wing, no¡­ For a moment, I thought that the entire hospital thing was just a bad dream, and I was still back in middle-school. It was a possibility since I wasn¡¯t in the hospital bed and my waist wasn¡¯t killing me at the moment.


    Then I looked down at my body, and I saw two gentle swellings under the thin layer of white chemise. I blinked, then the memories slowly flooded my mind.


    ¡­ Ah¡­ yes¡­ This was¡­ the dwarven outpost¡­ yes, I remember now¡­


    My thoughts slowly clearing from being rudely awoken from the deep state of sleep. I heard a familiar voice shouting into the room once again. Now I recognized it as belonging to Emrum.


    ¡°Selora, wake up! We are going to have breakfast in the outpost and then march out. I hope you made the preparations yesterday as we suggested? Right?¡±


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    I absentmindedly listened to his words while searching for my left boot, which I somehow managed to kick off in my sleep. Quite an achievement if we take into account that it has a knee high shaft.


    I snorted, finding my target entangled in one of the blankets. A chuckle came to me as I heard Emrum¡¯s worried words¡­ Is it just me, or Emrum starting to sound like my dad or mom? Probably both.


    Where was the last time I really thought about them, my parents? If I am not mistaken, it was around my time of death¡­ Remembering their passing helped me prepare myself for the inevitable.


    Seems like that was ages ago now¡­ But who would have expected that I would be remade like this? They would surely faint seeing me like this. I can¡¯t really blame them for it. I was close to do the same when I arrived here too.


    I wonder what happened to my parents? Did they go to heaven? Or are they living their new lives on different planes of existences like I am? Well, for some reason I doubt that¡­ It definitely didn¡¯t feel like the standard procedure.


    I will make an inquiry to Axis about that and¡­ Well¡­ that and maybe ask if what Regmir said was true or a complete nonsense¡­ no forget the second one¡­ I am not willing to ask something like that from a God. I would die from shame¡­ Still, if looking at it from a purely mathematical perspective¡­ I only have four weeks of anguish in a year, that¡¯s definitely less trouble all in all compared to enduring it for a week in every month.


    My thoughts were interrupted by another wave of impatient knocks.


    ¡°SELORA WAKE UP!¡±


    I shuddered sitting on the side of my bed and shouted back finally. ¡ª ¡°Okay, okay I am getting ready stop screaming at me! Jeez!¡±


    I heard some half coherent grumbling coming from the corridor, then another shout.


    ¡°Get dressed then I will come in to check your gear, just in case¡­¡± ¡ª The man stated.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like I have anything to pack aside from food, water, and some blankets to sleep on.¡±


    ¡°Alright then¡­ I leave it to you, girl. Get dressed and come to the dining hall. Bring all your things. The kitchen staff will pack the rations while we eat. I will be there.¡±


    Seriously¡­ if he tells me one more time to get dressed in this minute, I am going to slap the shit out of this idiot. Those were my thoughts at the time. ¡ª ¡°Okay!¡± ¡ª I shouted back, already in the process of preparation.


    Ten minutes later, I joined the others in the dining hall. There were at least a hundred dwarfs eating and talking boisterously. I looked for familiar faces and soon enough found Emrum sitting with Tum, Skod and Tymur. And to my surprise, Regmir, along with a few unfamiliar dwarfs.


    I walked up to them, quickly exchanging greetings and small pleasantries.


    I set down on the last free chair and dug in to the already prepared food while glancing around the hall, and most importantly, our little section of it.


    ¡°I see that the witch finally decided to deem us worthy of her presence.¡± ¡ª Came the sarcastic remark. I did not even look up from my plate, already knowing who said it.


    ¡°Regmir¡­ I see that stick is still stuck up in your ass?¡± ¡ª I told him to fuck off absentmindedly, eliciting a few half-hearted chuckles along the table.


    It was apparently not an ideal time for jokes. I could feel the tension in the atmosphere. It was rare to see so many serious expressions in the generally jovial dwarfs.


    The big backpacks armors and various types of weapons showcased around the hall weren¡¯t exactly normal, either.


    The excitement strangely enough reminded me of my childhood. This felt like we were going on a school trip, only more deadly.


    Emrum, finishing his portion of the food, then immediately started to explain the basic strategies.


    ¡°Captain Lavacoat, who is responsible for the success of this expedition, decided that our group will travel at the middle of the formation. It is the safest place. We are tasked with protecting Selora throughout the entirety of the mission. She is our only means of closing the entrances and quickly solidifying the new outpost, making it defendable in the long run.¡±


    He stopped there, slowly looking over our ten person sized unit.


    ¡°Do any of you have questions?¡± ¡ª He added eventually.


    There were no questions asked.


    As I sat there, eating my fill. I slowly started to realize something. Something that didn¡¯t sink in until that moment.


    My presence here is the reason why all these dwarfs are going on this expedition. Meaning¡­ if I mess this up, I am practically risking the life of eighty to a hundred dwarfs?


    I gulped drily as a sense of discomfort started to build up inside me.


    What if I mess up the incantation? That never happened before, but could that actually result in some unexpected side effects? I thought about it, imagining blowing up myself, stupidly losing control over some powerful spell.


    Aside from that, the thought of sending such destructive energies into the lines of living intelligent beings was quite worrying.


    I served as a soldier, but never actually participated in a war. But even if I would have¡­ There is a vast difference between shooting at someone from a distance with a gun or cannon, not seeing the consequences; or having to bludgeon them to death with a mace while being close and personal.


    A difference which I was very aware of after the encounter with those goblins.


    Burning them alive with firebolts isn¡¯t going to be any prettier. Still, I had little doubt what I would choose between being eaten or worse¡­ and setting them on fire.


    I was getting used to this new life, and wasn¡¯t going to give up on it just like that. An eternity was too precious to waste as a meal for some stupid goblins.


    In the end, there was not much talking through the breakfast, and after we were finished a loud shout resonated through the hall, ordering us to get in position.


    Emrum stood up decisively, looking at us one by one. His gaze lingering longer on my form, which was standing out of the bearded lines of dwarfs like a sore thumb. I could see that he wanted to say something, but decided against it in the end.


    ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡ª He ordered, and we stood up simultaneously.


    The day of the expedition has finally arrived.


    About half an hour later, the small army of dwarfs was standing in an orderly manner right in front of the outpost. It took that much time for us to get outside through the thin corridor, which served as the official entrance to the underground base.


    It turns out that the incredible defensive structure of the outpost had a deep flaw, too. Namely, it was impossible to evacuate in large numbers.


    I probably shouldn¡¯t have been so surprised by this revelation¡­ Still, the thought of being stuck in there. While hordes of monsters were taking siege to it. Is going to shadow my dreams in the future.


    When the last unit of dwarfs left the outpost and took their position in the formation, a familiar voice resounded once again. It was the same one that gave the order inside the dining hall. It must belong to the grim-faced and blond-haired dwarf Lavacoat, or what was his name. He was our leader for the time of the expedition.


    ¡°MARCH FORTH!¡± ¡ª Came the simple command.


    We were finally ordered to move. It was quite a sight, seeing a long armed military formation parting the darkness with their numerous torches. Heading right into the depths of the unknown.


    Well, I knew that the dwarfs were well aware of the place we were heading to. It was even supposed to be scouted and explored in great detail.


    However, for me, it definitely felt like going into the unknown.


    We marched through the cave systems at a comfortable pace. The people seemed relatively relaxed for now; we were still close to the outpost. I believed that to be the reason.


    Still, there were almost no conversations happening around us. Something that seemed to be in contrast to everything I learned about the noisy bunch.


    Dwarfs loved to gossip, however stupid that sounded. It was the truth. Seeing them in such silence and seriousness was a new and worrying experience.


    It made me feel the reality of the situation, made me remember that the dangers that were supposedly hiding in the cover of this darkness were very real and not mere tales designed to scare misbehaving children.


    The memory of my fated encounter with those goblins left a deep impression on me. Luckily, Regmir said that goblins normally don¡¯t attack large formations.


    Let¡¯s hope that he was spot on with that statement¡­ Because through all the noise created by the marching dwarfs. I wouldn¡¯t be able to spot any ambushes this time around.


    We traveled without events for the next four hours. The initial excitement has mostly lost its shine to the constantly repeating dull sight of empty and dark cave walls.


    I normally enjoy traveling on foot, taking long walks in nature. I never really thought about how much of that enjoyment came from the changing sights along the road.


    Something that was basically nonexistent here. Everything seemed to look the same, rock upon a rock upon different layers of dull rock which I had no way of differentiating.


    Therefore, my thoughts eventually started to wander around, while I monotonously followed along with the column.


    At least my feet didn¡¯t hurt that much. Being young again definitely came with its unique perks.

 Chapter 23. The deep roads

    After a long day¡¯s monotone walk, we made camp in a large cavern at a pre-planned destination. I have been told that this place was often used as such by the patrols treading the underground paths.


    The day passed in surprising dullness, earning me a pair of aching feet and a grumbling stomach. It was true that we were still less than a day¡¯s worth of distance from the outpost, but based on all those tales of mysterious horrors residing in the deep, I was expecting something more.


    True, I was practically in the safest spot of the column, and therefore even if we ran into something dangerous, that wasn¡¯t smart enough to run away upon sensing a hundred or so angry dwarfs heading in its direction I likely wouldn¡¯t know about it.


    There were a few scouts heading in front of the military column and even behind it looking for lurking threats that may or may not be intent on attacking our rear.


    Thanks to all those well practiced methods and safety measures, which allowed us to wander the deep roads with reasonable safety, I didn¡¯t experience another encounter with goblins or similar entities aboriginal to this place.


    It was something unexpected none the less; I was relieved by it.


    I sat on one of my blankets, which was draped across a protruding rock. It was folded at least two times to gain enough thickness and serve as a layer of insulation between my bottom and the cold rock surface.


    Oh, yes¡­ Remember me constantly complaining about the cold back in the outpost? Guess what¡­ I was practically shivering in my boots out here.


    It was mostly fine while we were walking¡­ But, that illusion was quickly dispelled after we stopped here to make a camp for the night. Did you know? These dwarves didn¡¯t even care to make a fire¡­ Saying that it was dangerous to allow large amounts of smoke to freely accumulate underground. The smoke could get trapped in small pockets, creating invisible deathtraps.


    Anybody could walk into them without noticing it and dying as a result.


    Emrum raised a questioning brow at me. I glanced at him, urging him to speak. Too frustrated with my current predicament to word it nicely. ¡ª ¡°If you had finished ogling me, you might as well state your thoughts.¡±


    He blinked at me, then shook his head silently. Which only managed to further irk me. Yet I let it drop, pulling one of my spare blankets over my shoulders. Letting it drape over my coiled up form.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ I was just surprised that you, as a witch, didn¡¯t know about such things¡­ It¡¯s basically common knowledge¡­¡±


    I glared at the man and his common knowledge.


    ¡°Emrum¡­ ¡° ¡ª I started slowly, finishing to engulf myself in the protective layer of the blanket. Waiting for its cold material to be warmed up by my alarmingly escaping body heath.


    ¡°Do I look like an elf who spent decades underground to you?¡± ¡ª The dwarf blinked, evidently surprised by my sarcastic question.


    ¡°No¡­¡± ¡ª He said eventually, taking another glance at my shaking form tightly covered in a thin layer of blanket. While no doubt looking extremely presumptuous.


    He shook his head slowly, chuckling to himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare laugh at me¡­ Emrum¡­¡± ¡ª I hissed from the side. The man in question covered his mouth sneakily and turned away from me, attempting to hide his merriment and failing miserably.


    ¡°I hate you¡­¡± ¡ª I said without an edge¡­ The beginnings of a smile curling at the side of my lips.


    Regmir, who had been strangely quiet since the start of the expedition, chose that particular moment to remind me of his vindictive presence in my vicinity.


    ¡°I heard that on the surface people tended to burn witches on pyres¡­ They couldn¡¯t have been wronger in their assumptions. It is cold that your kind hate the most, not fire.¡± ¡ª He finished with a smug expression plastered across his horse face.


    There were a few subdued chuckles traveling across our little circle. The entire group of soldiers were separated into units made of ten individuals, which were coordinated by an officer in our case, Emrum. Who was receiving his orders directly from Lavacoat, the expedition leader.


    That also meant that we were camping together with our unit, for simplicity¡¯s sake. If everybody went to sleep wherever they wanted, it would be chaos to make heads and tails of it every time we broke camp. Or in the worst-case scenario, we got ambushed in the darkness of the night.


    I listened to the sounds of snorts, with a darkening expression. I was really not in a mood to be made fun of right now. I was hungry, tired, and about to freeze to death.


    I gritted my teeth and hissed back at the bastard. ¡ª ¡°Is that so? Coincidentally¡­ I also heard that on the surface horses walked on four legs instead of two¡­¡± ¡ª There was a moment of tense silence following my words, just enough for me to question my wit, then a burst of genuine laughter traveled across our little group.


    Seeing and hearing the unmistakable reaction, I felt a sense of relief wash over me, along with a sense of satisfaction.


    Skod, who was sitting on my left, slapped me on the shoulder playfully. ¡ª ¡°I can see why Emrum took a liking to you lass, your tongue is as sharp as any dwarven blade. A trait that is worthy for a member of a warrior clan such as the Dimhollow. Only if I realized that you were willing to join in a dwarven clan sooner, I would have made you an offer myself.¡± ¡ª He chuckled, giving me a sidelong glance.


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    From the weight put behind his playful backslap, I almost rolled off the stone that I was using as an impromptu chair.


    I glared up at the idiot, creasing my brows in frustration. He kind of did¡­ or still does, in fact¡­ He totally intends to introduce me to his son¡­ if I remember correctly.


    Tum spoke up at the other side of our circle. He just chunked down some sort of alcoholic beverage that made his face flush red.


    ¡°By that, you mean you too would attempt to take a peek at her while she is dressing?¡± ¡ª He stated with a wide smirk.


    I pulled tighter the blanket around my shoulders, sensing a shiver running up my lower back suddenly.


    Wait¡­ could it be? Did Emrum and Tymur do that intentionally? That¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s impossible they wouldn¡¯t do something like that¡­ right?


    Regmir, no doubt seeing my disturbed expression, decided to rub salt into my wound by choosing that moment to comment. ¡ª ¡°Witches of your caliber bring prestige and wealth to any clans, no matter its size and history. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising to resort to unorthodox methods of recruitm-¡­¡± ¡ª He couldn¡¯t quite finish his words, as another much harsher and colder voice interrupted his insinuating tone.


    The voice belonged to Emrum, and he was clearly seething with anger. I never heard his words sound so ominous as they were now.


    ¡°One more word, Regmir Shatterrock, and I am going to smack in that annoying face of yours.¡±


    My eyes widened, head snapping towards Emrum.


    Seeing his uncharacteristically cold expression. I gulped, slowly massaging my slightly numb shoulder at the place where Skod touched me. These dwarfs couldn¡¯t seem to contain their strength for the love of¡­ Not everyone¡¯s bones are as thick as a mammoth¡¯s.


    Aside from my internal annoyance, I was very invested in the ongoing conversation. The possibility that I was deceived and brought into a dwarven clan by intention made my stomach churn with a sharp sense of revulsion and disappointment.


    I mean¡­ it¡¯s not like I had anywhere else to go if they would simply ask. I would most likely accept the offer and go along with it. There was no reason for such deceit¡­ not that they were aware of this at the time¡­ damn¡­


    With those swirling thoughts at the forefront of my mind, I glanced at Emrum tentatively.


    Seeing him overcome by barely contained fury, I decided that it was impossible for his character to willingly participate in such underhanded dealings. He was always kind and forthcoming with me to begin with.


    Also, his actions were too consistent and contrite for me to believe in anything else.


    It was not me alone who came to this conclusion. Several pairs of angry glares were pointed at Regmir in a matter of seconds.


    Regmir realizing this, quickly raised his hands with a disarming smile. One of his hands holding a broken-off bread piece making the situation somewhat comical.


    ¡°Of course, of course¡­ It was merely a bad joke.¡± ¡ª He stated.


    My eyes were drawn to the piece of bread, my hunger climbing up on my internal priority ladder. Then I realized that the bread piece I was staring at was getting bigger¡­ no, it was flying towards me!


    I barely managed to catch it in a panicked flurry of movements. Causing a few good natured chuckles to appear around the camp.


    Slightly embarrassed, I looked at the offending bread. Then I glanced up, my eyes refocusing on Regmir, who was sitting empty-handed once again.


    The man winked at me, a gesture that made the small hairs on the back of my neck stand up in protest. Catching my disturbed reaction, he looked at me with a knowing smirk.


    This¡­ this bastard was actually teasing me!


    ¡°A peace offer, if you will, lass.¡± ¡ª My initial revulsion dispersed somewhat. Being surprised by his seemingly genuine kindness. I was really hungry, after all. In the end, I nodded hesitantly. Then took a happy bite out of the bread. It was at that moment when the man added another unsavory opinion.


    ¡°Thank the paragons. I could hear your grumbling stomach from a mile away. If things continued down that path, you would end up luring every sort of darklings right atop of our camp by morning.¡±


    My ears twitched as the words were slowly untangled and made sense of in my mind, still distracted by the blissful taste of food after a day of marching.


    Then I heard the laughter crashing through our section of the camp and I was jolted back to the present.


    ¡°Wait¡­ what did you just say?¡± ¡ª I looked around exasperated, seeing how the others practically roared with laughter.


    Skod laughed along with the unfamiliar dwarfs of our unit, saying in between fits of laughter.


    ¡°¡­Lass¡­ you would have been a fine¡­ a fine dwarf I say!¡±


    I blushed, sitting with downcast eyes, feeling genuinely embarrassed for once.


    In the end, I decided to ignore the fools, and picked up the remainder of the bread, munching on it feeling embarrassed.


    ¡°What was so funny about being hungry¡­¡± ¡ª I mumbled to myself, trying my best to ignore the dwarfs. Which, for whatever reason, caused them to laugh even harder.


    Tum shouted over the heads of the merry band. ¡ª ¡°If you eat the whole bread alone, you won¡¯t have space for the rest. We are just about to unpack the rations. I hope you didn¡¯t think that we only brought bread with us for a week¡¯s long expedition?¡±


    My eyes grow wide, realizing what the problem was at last.


    My chin dropped down as I glanced up at my overly jovial party. I slowly closed my mouth, gulping down the recent bite, feeling my chin bursting with an additional layer of red blush.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡ª I couldn¡¯t even say anything they burst into another fit of laughter.


    ¡°¡­ What the hell¡­¡± ¡ª I whispered to myself, realizing that I had managed to make a complete fool out of myself once again.


    I guess that¡¯s just part of my new life.


    I looked over at the laughing dwarfs. My harsh gaze slowly morphed into a soft stare. As I took in their merriment.


    I sighed¡­ the day¡¯s accumulated tension finally leaving my shoulders.


    This reminds me of my young days, the days that we spent huddled among a close group of friends, playing the guitar around a simple campfire. Complaining to each other, whose parents were the bigger jackasses. Needlessly exaggerating pitiful squabbles. Telling each other our dreams that were so unrealistic, they were bound to never become reality.


    That sense of freedom, that sense of rebelling filled with dreams and a strong will to live. The sheer sense of potential that life was offering to us. A chance to show it to the world¡­ Those days¡­ I thought, they will never return. I thought that I had grown out of it. I became old.


    I glanced at the people around me once again, seeing the dwarfs laughing with a juvenile energy. Who would actually believe that these guys are over sixty and more?


    Seeing them laughing with such simple joy, I was beginning to really feel my age. As the memories of long dead friends, forgotten among the distant layers of time and space, bubbled to the surface of my calloused soul.


    Still, against all odds at that moment, something tightly bound, gently loosened up inside the deep recesses of my subconscious. For the first time since coming to this world. No¡­ for a long time, even before that. I felt a sense of serenity settling over me.


    At last, I felt at home.


    Soon enough¡­ I found myself laughing along with the dwarfs, sharing in the unperturbed merriment. Enjoying the momentary peace that the night offered to us.

 Chapter 24. Distant cousins

    I expected that I would have trouble sleeping in these unusual circumstances. Alas, the accumulated fatigue that followed a day¡¯s worth of walking seemed to be more than enough to put me out of consciousness right after my head hit the wool blanket that I spread out on the floor to sleep on.


    The next thing I remembered was the uncomfortable soreness in my muscles, particularly in my legs, and the slightly frustrated grunts of Emrum attempting to rouse me from my sleep.


    ¡°¡­ -ra, ¡­ -lora, Selora¡­ wake up girl, it¡¯s time to eat and get moving¡­ ¡°


    I opened my eyes, startled by the not so gentle nudging on my shoulder. I spring up to a sitting position, even more startled by the thick darkness around me. If you ever had the experience of opening your eyes expecting to see, only to be greeted by a similar darkness, then you would know that it is a very disturbing sensation. It happened to me just then.


    ¡°Oh-ho! Slow down, lass, you almost head-butted me just now!¡± ¡ª Sounded the slightly annoyed yet patronizing tone.


    Now, as I was sitting, I started to notice the flickering light of a lit torch nearby. My mind began to clear, and I remembered where I was.


    I am traveling with the dwarfs. I am on the deep roads about a day¡¯s travel from the outpost. On the way, to capture another outpost. A crucial mission which we must not fail.


    My thoughts were gently disrupted by something being pushed into my arms. I looked at the offered bowl and nodded to Emrum absent-mindedly, then I grabbed onto the bowl of food without question.


    ¡°Eat.¡± ¡ª He said, sounding more like an order than a simple suggestion. Not that I needed much motivation, as my stomach seemed to grumble at the sight of the now familiar variety of simple dwarven cuisine.


    I sat tight, adjusting the sliding off blanket occasionally while eating the cold portions. Just like the rest of the camp was doing. We didn¡¯t speak much, aside from the rare whisper followed by a half-hearted snort. Sounding more like a friendly gesture than a genuine reaction.


    Older people tended to be more grumpy in the mornings. It seems that includes dwarfs as well¡­ Well¡­ that or it could be the result of being on the deep roads. I noticed that they were a lot more serious out here.


    ~oOo~


    The next half hour passed with monotonous eating and packing. We cleared the camp, put away everything and lined up in order to continue our march.


    Everything seemed to continue in the same way as yesterday. Dull caves following one another. The only actual difference was in the tallness and wideness of the tunnels. Well, aside from my aching legs, that kept reminding me that we were actually moving.


    We had barely traveled for three hours straight, and my feet were hurting quite a bit. I knew that if this continued until nightfall in the same manner, I could expect some serious blisters on my feet.


    I didn¡¯t worry about that too much though¡­ I was not on Earth anymore, and I was a witch, one that could use healing magic capable enough to bring a dying man back to life.


    Surely healing a few blisters wouldn¡¯t prove a challenge.


    Wincing slightly from the spike of pain coming from my feet, I have decided to not wait with the treatment until nightfall. I will do it the next time we pause for a break.


    ~oOo~


    We traveled for two more hours than stopped for lunch break. At the time, I felt a lot worse for wear. The thought of having to continue this until nightfall, with the already forming blisters appearing on the bottom of my feet, was a thought that filled me with dread.


    As we stopped, sitting down on the side of a random tunnel, pulling out our rations, I sat down with an impatient thump and began to forcefully pull off my boots. Silently cursing the idiot under my breath who thought it was a good idea to create knee-high boots¡­ It was a chore to take it off or pull it up every single time.


    The only reason I didn¡¯t decide to just cut off the elongated upper part was the otherwise welcomed extra insulation it gave me in these damn tunnels.


    After I managed to wrestle the clingy thing off my right leg, and took a look at my feet, I hissed with alarming disgust, seeing multiple already burst blisters. The sight looked more like a burn injury than something caused by walking.


    I didn¡¯t dare to touch it, instead delved deeper into my mind and pulled out the necessary spell. The first real spell I cast after coming into this world.


    As I brought forth the necessary mindset and intentions that the spell required, I spoke slowly, whispering the words barely loud enough for the nearest of dwarfs to hear.


    ¡°By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command mine wound, heal.¡±


    As the warm magical energies condensed inside my right palm. I slowly hovered it above my injured feet, seeing the spiderweb like tendrils hesitantly connecting to the ravaged skin.


    A sensation of warmth filled my chest, a side effect of the light spell, while a comforting sensation of soothing coldness seemed to seep into my sores. Calming and visibly mending the flaring injuries.


    I felt my tense body relax, mesmerized by the sight and sensation of my own skin knitting itself together in the span of ten seconds.


    This time, I was careful to cut off the mana supply of the spell when I deemed myself healed.


    The webs of white opaque energies slowly pulled back into my opened palm, disappearing into my flesh. Ready to be called forth whenever I deem it necessary.


    I glanced at my previously barely recognizable right sole. It was once again in pristine condition. Healthy white skin, showing no signs of injuries. I rubbed it with my hands just to make sure, banding it this way and that way. Placing pressure here and there with my fingers.


    It didn¡¯t hurt. At last, I allowed myself a satisfied smile, especially after realizing that the general soreness which had annoyed me since last night was gone as well. I should have done this in the morning already.


    I pulled back the boot on my right leg, then repeated the entire process with my left.


    Only after sighing in relief at the end of the process did I notice the silent stares pointed in my direction. My group mates watched the silent display of magic with a curious glance.


    Regmir¡¯s familiar disdainful voice appeared calling out to me from the other side of the tunnel. He was resting across from me, leaning against the wall just like I did and anyone else.


    ¡°Those were quite the nasty blisters. Without proper treatment, they would no doubt cause an infection¡­¡± ¡ª He stated in a slow voice. He was right about that. It looked horrible. I don¡¯t think I ever had such blisters in my previous life. Well, it¡¯s also true that I never walked so much in such harsh circumstances in one and a half days.


    My skin was not used to such strain.


    On another hand, my muscles took it well enough. Maybe considering that I have quite a well-toned body, it might not be that much of a surprise. Anyway, after hovering my healing magic over the sore parts of my body¡­ Of course, only after I healed my other sole. I felt like the travel never even happened.


    Healing magic was amazing.


    With that new sense of freshness, I answered Regmir with a frustratingly simple.


    ¡°Yep.¡± ¡ª I annoyingly popped the p at the end of the phrase. Knowing that it will no doubt irk the man to no end.


    Just as I expected, he slowly shuffled in his place.


    ¡°I never really considered the power of magic¡­ but seeing it up close times and times again through this past week, I couldn¡¯t deny the immense potential and variety it provides.¡± ¡ª He stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Then added drily.


    ¡°I still think that you are too soft for the deep roads¡­ but your magic is no doubt a useful asset.¡± ¡ª He stated.


    I snorted at that. ¡ª ¡°What a pity that you can¡¯t have my magic without me tagging along¡­¡± ¡ª He smirked at that, which once again surprised me. The man seemed considerably less vindictive since my accidental presentation of my pyroblast. How curious¡­


    Seeing that he ignored me after the brief exchange, I decided to turn my attention to more pressing matters. Like eating my food. Therefore, I fished out some of my food from the upper layers of my backpack and started to eat it.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ~oOo~


    The rest of the day went similarly, and we made camp just as planned in an eerily similar place like we did the previous night. The travel was as smooth as it could be, considering that we were on the deep roads. Which place as I gathered wasn¡¯t exactly the most friendly ones. Sarcasm intended¡­


    I decided to cast my healing magic on my legs once again before going to bed. It did not use up a lot of power. Since the nature of my muscle strain with all the discomfort it caused was still considered superficial.


    My mana reserves were almost full, as it had naturally regenerated since noon, when I previously used it.


    Things were going as smoothly as possible. We ate in silence, joked around a little, then went to bed early. I easily fell asleep wrapped tightly in the embrace of my comforting woolen blankets.


    With those content thoughts lingering in my mind.


    I was getting used to the deep roads, quite well¡­ it didn¡¯t seem half as bad as I initially expected. This much I could handle, all thanks to my practical healing spell.


    ~oOo~


    Frantic sounds of a bell resonated through the darkness. Its rhythm was uneven and panicked. Yet the ominous noise could only be heard for a few seconds before it abruptly disappeared.


    My ears twitched, eyes opening wide in the soot like darkness.


    I sat up suddenly, my instincts flaring, cutting through the lingering drowsiness of my sleep. As the realization hit me in full force. The origin of that sound was one of the alarm bells. I glanced around the camp, seeing by the weak light of the few torches that remained lit throughout the night. Some of the other dwarfs had also heard the noise and started to rouse from their deep slumber.


    It was at that moment when the pace of things changed.


    A horrible scream cut through the darkness, a pained, inhuman sound of a man resembling more to a beast as his voice was contorted by suffering and terror. The scream promised a similar pain to anyone who heard it. My limbs grew heavy, my stomach felt like lead as the blood itself seemed to freeze in my veins.


    What was I doing here? Am I going to end up like that? Was that even the sound of a man and not some horrible creature?


    Thoughts like those seemed to fill my mind while the entire camp came alive around me. Torches were lit, weapons were drawn left end right, while the cave was slowly getting brighter. It was still too dark for us to effectively locate the enemy.


    I felt a heavy hand land on my shoulder. I looked to my right and gulped drily, seeing Emrum¡¯s worried expression.


    He shouted at me, shaking my shoulder.


    ¡°Selora, light, now!¡± ¡ª Came the order, and I remembered that I had promised him to use my magic to light our surroundings in case of an ambush or emergency.


    I raised my staff, which I was already holding in my sweating hands, and willed the spell into existence, not trusting in the strength of my voice.


    Almost immediately, a bright white light parted the suffocating darkness, causing the entire cave to come to a momentary pause.


    I saw many of the nearby dwarfs glancing in my direction with a relieved expression, just for them to turn away, looking around, their expressions morphing into icy contempt and rage.


    I looked in the direction where the dwarfs were glaring. There were small groups of lanky figures covered in black armor from head to toe. They were locked in brutal combat with the dwarfs at various places in our camp.


    We have been infiltrated. This in the current predicament could cause chaos and panic. It was already doing just that, at least until my light filled the hall.


    Now, as the dwarfs could direct their rage to the outnumbered enemy, the tide was about to change.


    At least, that was how it was supposed to be.


    Then I saw as one infiltrator pointed at me with his bow and¡­


    ¡°SHIELD!¡± ¡ª I shrieked, seeing the glint of the arrowhead bouncing off the white layers of magical energy manifesting mere inches from my face. The only thing that stood between me and a certain death.


    I heard a frustrated shout over the battlefield. In an icy voice, and a tongue I had never heard before, yet I could perfectly understand.


    ¡°KILL THE WITCH! CUT OFF HER TONGUE SO SHE CANNOT USE HER VOICE!¡± ¡ª The cold, merciless command made me shiver with fear as the possibility itself shook me to my very core.


    The reality, that someone a complete stranger fully aware of the consequences intended to kill or maim me without a second thought.


    I felt two more arrows shatter against my shield. Then, before anymore could appear, I was harshly pulled behind a wall of shields held together by a bunch of dwarfs.


    I realized that most of them were familiar. They were my group, the ones that were entrusted to protect me. The thought filled me with as much relief as it made me cringe when I first heard about it.


    ¡°You alright lass?¡± ¡ª Came the familiar voice of Tymur from my right.


    I nodded, crouching down behind the shield wall, holding the staff above the impromptu circle for it to provide light to the fighters around.


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask in a shaking voice, hearing the sharp pattering of deadly arrows hitting against the metal shields.


    ¡°What is going on? Who are they?¡± ¡ª I asked the most stupid and typical questions.


    Tymur didn¡¯t even glance at me, being too focused to hold his shield in the formation, but he still gave me a curt answer filled with disdain.


    ¡°Dark elves.¡± ¡ª The simple words made me remember Regmir¡¯s recent description of dark elves, being the ancient enemies of dwarfs. An entire race founded upon slavery and cruelty.


    I gulped, cold shivering running through my body.


    I looked up at the light radiating from the peak of my staff, praying silently that this would be enough to win the battle.


    Then¡­ just above the focused light of my staff, a dark, terrifying shape seemed to manifest.


    My pupils shrunk in terror as the giant black spider like shape plunged into the middle of our ranks. Dropping off the ceiling, like the five or six meters of height was nothing.


    I barely managed to cast a shield around me before the beast crashed down and I was shoved aside by one of its hairy legs. I rolled on the ground two or three times before stopping about five meters from my original position.


    I saw that some of the other dwarfs ended up in a similar situation, while others were already locked in a fierce combat with the monster¡­ I glanced up. Slightly dizzy from the previous tumble, and saw that the spider was ridden by a black armored man wielding a bloody spear.


    The only thing I could think at the time was, you are fucking kidding me.


    I was awaked from my daze as one of the dwarfs who I was yet to familiarize myself was shot in the back by an arrow and dropped on his side with a pained expression.


    Then, before I could do anything, another one was grabbed by the disgusting pincers of the spider¡­ only to be executed by a swift strike of its rider¡¯s spear.


    I quickly glanced around, assessing the situation.


    I couldn¡¯t see Tum or Tymur, but I saw Regmir, who had a bleeding wound on his forehead, almost making him blinded by his own blood. He managed to cut off one of the legs of the spider while it was too occupied holding its current prey, then also saw Emrum delivering a deep cut into the abdomen of the beast. Causing it to erupt in a terrifying screech and whirl around with alarming momentum in a blurry of legs. Throwing his now limp prey into the line of dwarfs attempting to encircle it.


    Pushing back the dwarfs with its frantic movements and intimidation tactics.


    I raised my staff, pointing it towards the creature, and began to chant without a second thought. There was simply no time to think about moral implications. I knew that there was a monster towering in front of me, one that had already killed some of my companions and was attempting to kill my friends and me just the same.


    It was a simple decision, one that wasn¡¯t even a proper choice. It was something I had to do.


    I focused my mind. The chaos of the battlefield seemed to retreat for a precious few seconds as I spoke the magical incantation.


    ¡°Ancient storms of the ethereal planes, I Selora servant of creation, summon thy power to eradicate my foe!¡± ¡ª As the words left my mouth in a flow, I felt the familiar sensation of electricity coursing through my veins and erupting at the tip of my staff.


    A bright yellow lightning followed by the overpowering thundering sound that was known to split the very heavens darted across the short distance in the fraction of a heartbeat.


    The spider¡¯s abdomen, hit by the destructive magic, was blown up in a single burst of green pus. Its rider falling off its back, thrown by the residual energy.


    My eyes widened with disgust and surprise. The spell was a lot more effective than I initially expected.


    Before I could enjoy my momentary victory, I felt a sharp pain in my right thigh. I saw stars filling out my entire mind as white hot pain pulsed through my mind in powerful waves.


    I must have blanked out from the pain as the next thing I realized was me laying on my side.


    I whimpered pitifully, clutching the side of my leg, with both hands, my staff nowhere to be seen. Slowly realizing the immense pain that was radiating from my leg, I eventually gathered the courage to look down and see a black arrow stuck in the flesh of my right thigh.


    It hurt so much¡­ I have never felt such pain in my entire life before this¡­


    Tears were flowing freely from my eyes. While I was looking at the horrific injury with shock and disbelief. Wishing for all of this to be a simple dream, yet I know better than that. This was not a dream, but my new reality.


    I needed to heal this wound¡­ but for that to be possible; I had to take out the arrow.


    I knew that it would hurt, but I couldn¡¯t allow myself a moment of hesitation because if I did, I would never even attempt it.


    In my adrenalin fueled panic, I grabbed the arrow shaft, which gesture alone sent sparks of pain across my mind. Yet I didn¡¯t stop there, instead I pulled on it with all my might.


    As the pain rippled through my leg, I saw white once again. I screamed, feeling every slight movement of the loosening arrowhead wedged into my thigh bone. It came loose and was pulled out of my leg with small bits of flesh and red blood clinging onto it stubbornly.


    My body was shaking violently. I dropped the arrow beside me and started to look for my staff. My body felt numb, and I was covered in sweat and dirt. Feeling bile climbing up my throat, I vomited a few mouthfuls of my dinner. Then continued searching for my staff, unbothered by the revolting taste of stomach acid on my tongue.


    To my great relief, I managed to find it laying beside me on the ground. I closed my fingers around the smooth metal that naturally lost its shine the moment I let it out of my hands.


    However, I couldn¡¯t care less about that for now. I simply wanted it to amplify my magic, as I cast the healing spell in a broken whisper.


    ¡°By the power of¡­ li-li-light, en-trus-ted¡­ upon me¡­ through m-my holy patron... I Selora¡­ co-command mine wound, heal¡­¡± ¡ª To my relief, the spell came to life, even as it seemed less stable than usual. The incantation was one of the most important parts of spell-casting, after all.


    Still¡­ it will have to do¡­ Instead of hovering my hand over the heavily bleeding wound, I pressed my palm, containing the mending energies right over the wound, causing a burst of stars to dance across my eyes.


    I hissed, grinding my teeth silently.


    Thank God¡­ the pain started to turn into a sense of numbness, followed by a soothing sensation focused around my injury.


    I hesitantly raised my bloody palm and saw the mostly mended scar under the ripped fabric of my black pants and the thick layer of blood.


    The sight was far from relaxing, but it calmed me down enough to finally look at my surroundings.


    Based on the sounds of the world around me, the battle seemed to slowly come to a conclusion. I hesitantly grabbed my staff again and channeled into it a minuscule amount of mana just enough to light my closest vicinity.


    I didn¡¯t intend to become a new target while being injured after all.

 Chapter 25. A dreamless sleep

    I clutched my staff tightly in my hands, leaning on it slightly since the phantom pain was still present in my leg. It seemed that my nerves couldn¡¯t quite cope with the sudden disappearance of my injury.


    I looked around, searching for my comrades and it didn¡¯t take long before I managed to find a familiar face, or more like he managed to find me, thanks to my once again flickering staff showing them my location.


    I released a sigh in my relief as I recognized the familiar dwarf limping towards me with a lit torch. It was Emrum.


    ¡°Selora!¡± ¡ª Before I could say anything else, I was embraced in a bear-like hug, squeezing me tightly. ¡ª ¡°Thank the paragons you are alright¡­ We heard your screams, but couldn¡¯t find you in the chaos as your staff¡¯s light went out¡­ Are you hurt?¡±


    I was surprised hearing the genuine worry in his tone, while he himself was clearly far from being unscathed. Still, I patted his shoulder awkwardly, signaling that I was mostly alright.


    He stepped away somewhat reluctantly and took a long look at me from head to toe, searching for injuries. His gaze stopped on my torn and bloodstained pants. Luckily the material was black, therefore the blood wasn¡¯t easily perceived.


    Still, it didn¡¯t deceive the dwarf. He saw my reluctance to put my weight on said leg and quickly realized that something was wrong.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured. What happened? Speak!¡± ¡ª He demanded, there was no more leeway to wiggle out of this for me.


    In the end, I stated with reluctance.


    ¡°Fine¡­ I, I got hit by an arrow¡­ but it¡¯s fine now¡­ I healed the injury. The only reason I don¡¯t stand on it is the lingering numbness. What about you? You seem to be limping as well.¡± ¡ª He stared at me, listening to my words carefully. Eventually he nodded, accepting my answer and getting over it surprisingly quickly. Even as I expected some sort of lecture to be more aware of my surroundings¡­ or some more fuss. Still, I guess it was only natural. In this world, being shot by an arrow isn¡¯t that unusual.


    Now that he was sure that I wouldn¡¯t keel over any minute, he visibly composed himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. That damnable abomination shoved me out of the way as it crashed into our line. Anyway, you did great, girl. Killing an Arachne knight¡¯s steed is nothing short of incredible. I am proud of you! All of us are! It would have taken a lot of casualties to take it down by regular means.¡± ¡ª He told me that while pulling me behind the nearby cover of a rock-formation where others had already waited for the skirmish to end.


    As the others saw me, I received appreciative nods and glances while I was practically forced to sit down by Emrum. ¡ª ¡°You stay there, and don¡¯t take a step out of this cover. There are still a bunch of archers roaming around.¡±


    I blinked, surprised by his statement, and decided to question it. ¡ª ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I use my light spell to help the others?¡± ¡ª It was one of my main priorities previously. I didn¡¯t know what to think about dropping it so suddenly.


    Emrum bit the edge of his lips in frustration as he stated. ¡ª ¡°No¡­ you did more than enough already, the rest they could handle. It¡¯s too risky to give away your position once again. Not with those bastards lurking around.¡± ¡ª He sighed, placing his callused hand on my shoulder sympathetically. ¡ª ¡°Rest.¡± ¡ª He added in a solemn tone.


    I looked at the four or five dwarfs leaning against the outcropping rock surface. Among them, I recognized precious few faces. I realized that all of them were injured in one way or another.


    Aside from Emrum, the only familiar face belonged to Skod. Who was sitting right next to me, clutching his left shoulder with his right hand. Pushing down on the fresh wound with a recently ripped off rag already drenched in red blood.


    I turned towards him, pulling my legs under me and settling in a kneeling posture, looking at his bleeding shoulder at the dim light of my staff.


    The man was clearly wired, an understandable reaction seeing how the bleeding didn¡¯t seem to slow down no matter his efforts.


    I looked into his dark brown eyes that resembled little black orbs in the darkness of the cave. He stared at me, his features strung with a terror slithering in the depths of those eyes.


    My gaze softened at the sight. I recognized a dying man when I saw one. Back in the hospital, death was a daily occurrence. Patients were brought in and they rarely left, at least on their two feet.


    Judgment, death, fate¡­ call it whatever you like, it makes little difference. It was always hovering just above our heads. Every hour, every minute of our fickle life could be the last, and we wouldn¡¯t know it, not until the moment it happened. A blessing and a curse at the same time.


    Like criminals waiting for their verdicts, such are our lives. A verdict that could only be postponed. And postpone we do, as much as we can, yet nobody managed to run away from it forever. That didn¡¯t change in this new world, either. I might be immune to death by old age, but there are so many other ways to die. At least now I know that there is something else beyond the limits of human understanding. A small island of peace. That was all I ever needed.


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    Maybe¡­ maybe that was all the difference between me and most of this realm. I already knew of what they only hoped for, or suspected.


    I looked at Skod once again, realizing that he also knew how dire his situation was. I could see it in his eyes. And yet still he forced a brave front on himself. ¡ª ¡°That bastard elf got me good, eh? But I showed him in the end¡­¡±


    He was losing too much blood. The cut must have reached an artery. He needed an immediate operation, which was impossible in the current circumstances. Well, at least that would be the case back on Earth. Here, on the other hand, there were other ways to create minor miracles. Magic to name one of them.


    I grabbed his hand, helping him to push down on the wound.


    These dwarves were a rough bunch with harsh, stony personalities. Still, they were the ones who first accepted me here. I don¡¯t intend to give them a cold shoulder either.


    ¡°Skod.¡± ¡ª I called out to him, grabbing his hazy attention right away. ¡ª ¡°I will chant a spell now. A healing spell. When I finish the incantation, you will have to raise the cloth from the wound, so I can heal it properly. Do you understand?¡± ¡ª I asked seriously.


    He glanced at me, uncertainty lingering in his eyes for a few seconds, then he nodded.


    ¡°Good, now get ready.¡± ¡ª I said that, and started the incantation right away. ¡ª ¡°By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command thy wound, heal!¡± ¡ª I felt a sense of peace settle in my breast as the spell came to existence. Skod, as previously agreed upon, raised the cloth from the deep cut and I gently placed my palm over it.


    The man hissed in surprise, eyes widening, seeing as his flesh seemed to knit itself together under the influence of magic.


    It only took about twenty seconds, and the damage was repaired. The once life-threatening injury was now nothing more than a thick scar.


    And so, the verdict was postponed successfully.


    I let the spell disperse in the air, starting to feel the drain on my magic. It seems that I have used up at least half of my power. I will have to spare as much as possible. There is no doubt there will be other life-threatening injuries. With that thought in mind, I finally realized something.


    My eyes widened slightly as I looked at Emrum, who was watching silently while standing guard.


    He nodded to me, then turned away, glaring at the darkness of the cave like an unmoving statue.


    I see¡­ So that¡¯s why he brought me here. He wants me to spare my mana to use healing magic on the seriously injured. He could have told me so¡­


    I never wanted to become a medic, a doctor, or anything of that sort. Yet, it seems, fate put me in such a situation that I am now some sort of healer. It feels¡­ strangely undeserved. I didn¡¯t really earn these powers for myself. They were given to me by Lord Axis. Still¡­ I shouldn¡¯t look a gift horse in the mouth. I will use them to the best of my ability, for the good of these people.


    ~oOo~


    The sounds of the skirmishes quieted down even more from that point onwards. Our little group of injured didn¡¯t get involved in any of those fights, thankfully. However, there were new injured brought or led to us, over time.


    The measly group that consisted of four to five people now has grown to fifteen members. All of which were mildly injured, I took a look at each of them and told them to rest if their injuries weren¡¯t life threatening.


    I had to heal two of them, though. One of them was slashed at the throat, narrowly escaping a certain death by leaning back from a strike. He was bleeding out much like Skod was and was brought here by his comrades.


    I healed the man without hesitation and now he was sleeping by the wall, covered in a bloody blanket.


    The other person I managed to save was with a similar injury which I received, only he was shot in the stomach with one of those ominous black arrows.


    It was a painful process to take out the arrow, and thanks to my recent trauma with a similar injury, I kept tensing up, arms shaking lightly from even thinking about the pain he was going through.


    In the end, I had to ask his comrades to push him down while one of them pulled out the arrow in my place. Then we had to remove the front plate of his armor and only then could I start the healing process.


    The screams were quite terrible, just like the bleeding. The injury would no doubt prove deadly without this miraculous healing magic. And even with that, I was getting woozy from the sight alone.


    True, spending so much time in the hospital in the twilight of my years taught me to handle the sight of blood quite well. Still, dealing with three life-threatening injuries in half an hour was clearly more than enough to get me paler than a freshly whitewashed wall.


    After healing the second dwarf, I decided to get out of sight, sitting at the edge of our impromptu cover, attempting to calm my shaking hands with little success.


    The now drying red blood on my palms wasn¡¯t helping in that attempt, for sure. Still, I couldn¡¯t quite wash it in these circumstances, could I? I had absolutely no idea where my stuff was, and taking a walk to search for it was out of the question.


    I heard steps behind me, my ears twitching slightly. I turned around halfway, noticing the familiar silhouette of Emrum and Skod walking over in my direction.


    Emrum the worrywart gave me tentative glances, noticing the slight trembling in my arms.


    ¡°You alright Lora?¡± ¡ª He asked, after reaching my side, a question which had been clearly on the tip of his tongue for a while now.


    I wanted to say yes, but stopped since I actually wasn¡¯t sure if I was alright. It could be the side effects of the adrenalin rush I recently experienced, but now that those hormones were mostly gone from my bloodstream, I was getting a sense of deep tiredness.


    I blinked heavily, as it took an unexpected effort to open my eyes after closing them. Why did I even bother opening them, by the way? I was tired, so I should sleep. Wasn¡¯t that logical? It definitely seemed logical to me.


    I mustered a tremendous amount of energy and said it in a sleepy voice. ¡ª ¡°No¡­ I will sleep now¡­ don¡¯t bother me¡­¡± ¡ª With that said, I leaned against the wall and began to nod off almost immediately.


    I could somewhat recall a good natured snort and a snide comment about whether she was alright or something along the line, but it wasn¡¯t clear who said it.


    In the end, the accumulated tiredness and the excitement seemed to overwhelm me, and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

 Chapter 26. The thoughts of a dying man

    I didn¡¯t know how much I slept, but I was still feeling like shit when I was roused by Emrum once again. I was starting to recognize the repeating nature of this strange morning ritual of ours. He was trying to wake me up, while I attempted to persuade him to let me sleep.


    This time, however, I seriously felt like I skipped all the sleep in the night, which was far from the truth, since the entire confrontation probably took like fifteen minutes another half an hour to chase down the escaping forces or something like that.


    I was kind of surprised that the brutality of the previous night didn¡¯t create any type of horrible nightmare. I must have been too tired to even dream.


    I was pushed once again before I could fall asleep. I sighed and proceeded to sit up, already filled with a good amount of frustration for the day.


    ¡°Alright¡­ alright¡­ I am awake¡­¡± ¡ª I practically yawned out those words.


    ¡°Give her some food, Emrum¡­¡± ¡ª Sounded a somewhat familiar voice, with a steel to it that was clearly forged through many battles, battles such as the one I recently experienced. ¡ª ¡°She must have suffered mana exhaustion once again¡­ Stupid elf.¡± ¡ª The voice was filled with disbelief and a sense of amused disappointment. ¡ª ¡°She should have only healed the injuries so much for them to not be life threatening¡­ instead she healed those three completely. What is wrong with her head? I wonder¡­¡±


    Emrum couldn¡¯t seem to have an answer to that question, nor did I, as a matter of fact.


    I didn¡¯t even think about doing something like that, since I was too afraid that I would overlook some part of the injury, causing the situation to worsen over time.


    I blinked my eyes open and stared up at the offending dwarf.


    My gaze meeting with sharp blue eyes paired with blond hair and facial hair. A name seemed to come forth in my mind, Groolgaet Lavacoat, sub-commander of the Bronze Company, which I was also a member of.


    I gulped, sensing those sharp eyes burrowing into me, but before I could jump to attention, a warm bowl of food was pushed into my arms by Emrum.


    My thoughts were drawn to the offered food as the waft of the freshly cooked meat reached my flaring nostrils, generating a distant grumbling in my stomach.


    Using a lot of magic always ended up making me famished. I have already realized this back in the camp, while practicing some of my magical spells.


    Just before I could dig into the food, I remembered that the commander of the dwarven army was still standing right in front of me, likely awaiting some sort of response which I completely ignored.


    I gulped¡­ Slowly looking back at the strict man, who counted quite tall among dwarfs. He was definitely an intimidating dwarf, if there were any.


    There was a heavy awkwardness in the air, as I couldn¡¯t quite remember what his question was. Did he ask something from me, actually? Ugh¡­


    ¡°Ugh¡­ may I ask what brought you here, sir?¡± ¡ª I hesitantly asked in the end.


    The man seemed to consider my question, then he eventually said.


    ¡°The Witch named Selora, I came here to personally thank you for your help in yesterday¡¯s ambush.¡± ¡ª He offered a disarming smile. I was surprised by such a polite gesture based on our first encounter. He didn¡¯t seem like someone who cared about such things. ¡ª ¡°Some of my men seemed to be unable to stop spouting praises of your heroic deeds. Which I find highly amusing, considering those same people were so suspicious of your person a mere week ago.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes on me, then added with a sigh.


    ¡°I can hardly fault them, since I am one of those people myself. Still am, in fact. Considering your overly convenient appearance near our outpost in the present political situations¡­¡±


    His words trailed off before continuing.


    ¡°However, in light of your recent deeds, I must give you the benefit of the doubt. In the name of the allied dwarven kingdoms, I offer you my sincerest thanks and the title of Fiend Slayer. A title most deserving for a new member of the Dimhollow clan, I believe.¡±


    Emrum, hearing the words of the sub-commander, was overcome by joy. He couldn¡¯t even hide his smile while offering a light bow to the man.


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    ¡°We are most appreciative of it, your grace.¡± ¡ª Emrum stated, and I followed his example, giving the man a polite bow while still sitting on the woolen blanket spread out on the ground.


    The strange way Emrum called Lavacoat made me freeze up slightly. I glanced up at the man, who was standing next to us with a certain sense of regalness to his posture.


    Is he actually some sort of prince? It could be¡­ I was curious, though, and without much thought put into it, I decided to ask.


    ¡°Are you a prince, by any chance?¡± ¡ª I asked the man.


    Lavacoat turned to me with a strange look mirrored in his blue eyes. Emrum started coughing violently next to me.


    I glanced at Emrum, then back at Lavacoat, coming to the conclusion that I must have asked something impolite.


    I looked down, staring right in front of my feet. ¡ª ¡°I am sorry, I didn''t mean to be rude.¡±


    Hearing my honest apology, Emrum started to calm down. While Lavacoat continued to stare at me, he seemed to be amused by my question.


    ¡°Yes, I am a member of the Lavacoat royal family line, but not someone who is viable to inherit the throne. I am quite surprised you didn¡¯t know this. Still, there was no harm done with your question, so no need to apologize.¡± ¡ª That said, he straightened himself a bit and stated in a firm voice.


    ¡°I am the seventh prince of the Northern Kingdom. My name, as you already know, is Groolgaet Lavacoat. This mountain is divided between two allied dwarven kingdoms. The Kingdom of the North, and its twin, the Kingdom of the South. We have a close relationship, developed over hundreds of years of intermarriage between our royal and noble families. Which you yourself have become an honorary member of.¡±


    I did? Oh¡­ I guess I did¡­ I keep forgetting that I am considered a Dimhollow now. A member of a prestigious warrior clan. I guess, after last night, I am actually living up to the name! That¡¯s definitely something to be proud of, something that I achieved. True, it was through the abilities that Lord Axis provided for me, but I was the one who used them in such circumstances, nobody else.


    I straightened my back a bit as this understanding solidified inside me, filling me with happiness and solemn pride.


    This feeling in itself is already worth to be revived in this world. Able to be of real help to others on my own volition was one of the things I missed the most in my last years.


    Often, it is already too late when you realize that something so bagatelle. Such like how much helping your immediate surroundings in everyday tasks throughout your life truly makes up your daily human interactions.


    That you realize how much of your life¡¯s integral part is made out of that.


    Now imagine being bound to a bed, all day, all night with rare exceptions, of momentary escapades in the hospital yard pushed around in a wheelchair.


    No freedom, no feasible goals, when the best help you can offer to the world around you is not doing anything. Living from one day to the next like a plant, withering away in an elongated silent scream. Passive euthanasia, they call it. And it is definitely passive. I only wish nobody would realize how truly passive it is.


    There was a time when I envied the animals, you know¡­ They seemed to be treated with more consideration, from both God and men. It seems that the saying truly holds true that God made humans in his own picture. Especially in this particular case.


    Animals don¡¯t know what is waiting for them at the end of the road, and animals could sleep off death through euthanasia. They can just sleep off the scary part¡­ quite ironic, really.


    We definitely got the short end of the stick.


    At least I believed so before I met with Lord Axis. Now I am only confused. I feel a sense of gratitude towards him¡­ but aside from that, this entire thing feels like a strange fever dream.


    I exhaled a long sigh. I glanced over to Emrum and Groolgaet, talking animatedly beside me. It was clear to my eyes that the two men were close friends, or at least held mutual respect for each-other.


    I was now an elf girl, and a witch among dwarfs. Fighting evil dark elves riding monster spiders, who knew how deep under this mountain. Also¡­ there were earth dragons supposedly roaming freely somewhat deeper than our current position.


    Can you really blame me for grasping at the tip of my rope? This situation was not something you could simply cope with, or as the infamous saying stated. Walk it off.


    Every single one of these things was a fricking mental mudslide that hurled you along, burying you completely or leaving you neck deep in mud somewhere if you were really lucky.


    Naturally, it wasn¡¯t all bad. Being young again was a shock, but a good one. I also got used to it ridiculously easily. Like pulling up a well-used pair of boots, but not as used that your toes were sticking out between the ripped material, or its soles being so thin that it felt like walking barefooted on a cold flooring.


    Just like my old body felt¡­


    Becoming a girl was a novelty in itself¡­ but in a different race, so similar yet so internally different from what a human woman is, was something on a new scale of magnitude entirely.


    With all that, I am still far from being uncomfortable in my body. It¡¯s not that different, while also being sort of¡­ I am not much help with these descriptions I imagine¡­ Sigh¡­ It¡¯s a lot more like being uncertain about how certain, somewhat even outlandish, things that are completely normal to this body function.


    I have absolutely no idea what to expect from menstruation for starter¡­ I know some of it obviously¡­ Like hey¡­ I managed to get to an old age in my previous life and picked up a few things along the road¡­ Still¡­ I was not a biologist, and aside from the more obvious things I have no clue how this whole thing would work on a regular human woman, but I was an elf.


    Only if there was an elf woman here who, or any sort of adult woman who I could ask these things¡­ It would be fricking awkward obviously, but still better than being left in the dark like I was, and no¡­ I am not going to ask Lord Axis about this¡­ I wouldn¡¯t live down the shame.


    Lord Axis was my patron, a God of unimaginable power¡­ and who knows what else¡­ One thing, however, he definitely was not. That thing, being my personal gynecologist. Don¡¯t even think about that!

 Chapter 27. A call of duty

    I eventually remembered the bowl of food I received from Emrum and got to eat it with that same momentum.


    The dwarfs opposed to their own creed decided to make a few fires to cook something tasty after the deadly ordeal at the previous night. They needed some motivation, and the present cavern was judged to be tall enough for the poisonous gasses to be overlooked, at least in moderation.


    I have overheard from Emrum¡¯s and Lavacoat¡¯s conversations that there were nine dead on our side. It would have been twelve if I hadn¡¯t interjected with my healing magic.


    I also heard that most of the unfortunate casualties were killed silently as the dark elves infiltrated our base. Along with some of the guards being on a night shift.


    The nine deaths were a shocking revelation to me¡­ once again, reminding me that this world was not like Earth anymore. Here, people didn¡¯t need elaborate reasons to kill others like they were nothing more than animals for slaughter. And in that regard, this world was absolutely terrifying.


    I clearly remember what that dark elf ordered of his men with literally zero hesitation. He wanted to cut out my tongue¡­ so I cannot use it for spell casting¡­ What a vile person¡­ because no matter how much I tried to forget that fact¡­ that those orders were not belonging to another intelligent being. The harsh truth couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    And that knowledge was what it turned it into such a terrifying experience.


    That and the news that a large part of the dark elves managed to retreat and essentially get away unscathed after causing so much mayhem in our camp.


    Well, unscathed was perhaps not the best way to describe it. After all, they have lost about the same amount of people as we did. Seven in all, among them the Spider Knight or whatever I should call that crazed individual who was riding that beast of his own free will.


    I was not arachnophobic, as you probably already devised, since in that case I would have most likely pissed myself instead of sending lightning at it. To be fair¡­ I almost did that anyway¡­ but¡­ seeing that thing in person even with a regular mindset was utterly terrifying. So probably you wouldn¡¯t hold it against me even if I did...


    Anyway¡­ killing a spider rider was considered a huge thing. Even if I wasn¡¯t the one who actually killed the rider¡­ that honor belonged to Skod, who delivered the final strike while also getting mortally wounded in the process.


    He has thanked me personally since then. Right after, the sub-commander Lavacoat left. By the way¡­ he also gave me a tight hug, which was awkwardly long, starting to make me feel slightly uncomfortable. The way my thin body seemed to be swallowed by the wide, muscled man¡¯s surprisingly gentle arms aroused a plethora of strange, mostly unwelcomed feelings inside me.


    I received similar, but briefer hugs from the other two men who got saved by my magic¡­ Aside from the little discomfort. The sheer level of gratitude I gained in one day has seemed to fill my withered reserves to the brim end beyond.


    I will admit it like a man¡­ well, a woman¡­ whatever! I might have teared up a little. Maybe that was the reason I got extra long hugs, I am not sure... But I was not used to it¡­


    I expected them to leave me to my own devices to gather myself in peace like it happens usually. Instead of that, I got squeezed in a bear hug, by Skod, and then Emrum.


    I think I saw a few tears in Skod¡¯s eyes as well¡­ tears of relief and gratitude based on his gentle expression.


    After I calmed down from the emotional situation, I decided to enquire about what they were going to do with the dead bodies.


    Emrum, winced slightly, as he heard my question, then eventually said with evident discomfort in his voice strained with underlying anger.


    ¡°We will leave them here, laid down by the wall¡­ The rock is hard here, not enough soft soil to dig proper graves. Their souls are with the paragons now. Drinking at the same table as their fathers and their fathers¡¯ fathers. The mountain will embrace their remains on its own soon enough.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, then he continued with his words.


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    ¡°The paragons have blessed them with good deaths. Fighting against one of the most hateful foes under the mountain. The only pity is that we couldn¡¯t take down all of them.¡±


    ¡°Now¡­ they will know of our movements¡­¡± ¡ª Emrum¡¯s eyes suddenly widened with a new fearful realization. His face slowly turned to look at me, as he mumbled words not meant for me to hear, but I still did thanks to my elven hearing.


    ¡°They will know about you¡­¡± ¡ª Was what Emrum murmured before his already whispered words trailed off completely.


    I couldn¡¯t help but stiffen as the underlying meanings of those ominous words seeped into my consciousness.


    Next time¡­ I am going to be targeted from the start.


    The image of a cold blade pressing against my throat in the murky darkness, or a silent arrow piercing through the thick suffocating tunnels only to find its mark between my shoulder-blades. Just like it did with one of the dwarfs fighting against the spider rider. Someone who was no doubt among those nine dead, which Lavacoat counted.


    Before I knew it, I was already shivering slightly as fear grasped my heart. The memories of that goblin attack, and the promise of retribution, sprang to the forefront of my mind once again, along with the new promises of suffering and death.


    It was just a bit too much on top of all the other shit I was already handling.


    I took a long slow breath, then again¡­ clutching my shivering left hand to my chest. Trying to bring positive thoughts to the forefront of my mind. It was an old coping mechanism that I learned back on Earth. Something that was simple, and perhaps exactly because of that, it tended to actually work.


    By focusing on my breathing while thinking about harmless, everyday things, I slowly managed to calm myself.


    I looked around, after I deemed myself calm enough, expecting Emrum to be already hovering over me with worried questions on the tip of his tongue. Only to realize that Emrum didn¡¯t even notice my predicament. He was lost deep in his own thoughts, which were clearly similarly dire as mine were mere seconds ago.


    His eyes were unfocused, staring right in front of himself with a distant look imprisoned in those dark brown eyes. A sea of contempt and suffering that long since grown numb to the cruelty of this world. And I managed to glance at the man behind the defensive layers of jovial facades.


    And I saw that he was like any other, someone struggling with the things life was throwing at his way. Searching for a purpose in the swirling chaos and disorder.


    And then, I remembered the purpose I was gifted with in this life. A God given purpose.


    I was brought here to help the people of this world. To turn their lives for the better. Doing something like that was pointless, without getting to know the people here, and so, that should be one of my main goals.


    And then it hit me¡­


    I was a messenger of God. One that could theoretically live forever¡­ I had the chance to get to know the people of this realm as much as their time allowed. Not mine¡­ it was never my time from here on. I should give as much of my time to the people of Rixa as I could.


    Since that was the only thing I had in true abundance.


    Time¡­ endless amount of time¡­ The thought felt strange and its contents didn¡¯t feel real to me. I myself didn¡¯t quite believe in what I knew to be true, at least if I wasn¡¯t willing to directly question a God that didn¡¯t give me any real reason to doubt his words.


    Alright¡­ I will grow up to be your messenger, Lord Axis¡­ Now that I have seen a small fraction of the darkness that you have described to me, I believe that I can understand the weight of the situation.


    Now that I personally saw what this darkness was capable of.


    While I am not willing to condemn an entire race based on a single encounter. I believe that based on what the dwarfs told me, and what I have experienced last night. There is a good enough chance that these dark elves are indeed as evil as they sound to be.


    I slowly stood up from my little corner and walked over to Emrum. This time, it was my turn to place my palm on his shoulder comfortingly.


    He looked up at me, rousing from his thoughts, surprise followed by a wisp of a smile filling out his tired features. We exchanged a long look between us, then got to work. It was time to move on, to continue our ill-fated journey. A journey that has barely begun.


    ~oOo~


    The next two days passed in welcomed monotony. The tensions were still high from the ambush. There were double guards at night, and the vanguard of the army was also similarly reinforced.


    The mood was a lot more solemn. If I thought that there was little talk among the men after we left the outpost, now there was practically none outside of the camp, which served as a moment of respite after the strenuous day.


    We are supposed to reach our goal in a few hours. Then I will be called forth to make the appropriate changes, closing off certain tunnels and such. I knew that I could do it, as I had already proved that to the dwarfs around me and myself as well.


    Alas, I was still getting unreasonably excited about this task. Must be, because of the sheer responsibility that was now weighing on my shoulders. The memory of that nine dead wasn¡¯t something I could simply overlook.


    This entire situation was thanks to my presence here. Now, if I failed to do my part, those nine deaths would become my personal responsibility.


    Something for which there was no excuse.


    We continued our march in the intended direction, while I attempted to prepare myself for the important task waiting for me ahead.


    Everything will be alright.

 Chapter 28. Cornered

    In a few more hours, we have indeed reached our destination. Something which I wouldn¡¯t have realized if Emrum didn¡¯t state that fact aloud while walking next to me.


    In my eyes, this place looked like any other cave which we passed along the road, not even sparing a second glance at them.


    I guess that¡¯s just one of the many differences between dwarves and surface elfs which I counted myself to be.


    Our military column stopped, and Emrum, along with the other officers, were called away for a discussion. Leaving the rest of us to our own devices while we waited for the meeting to end and receive new directions.


    Silent minutes passed as we stood in an orderly line.


    I fidgeted absentmindedly, glancing curiously at the surrounding soldiers, robbing off a splotch of pesky dirt from the silvery shaft of my staff, lifting my weight from one leg to the other, then back.


    Usually I wasn¡¯t bothered by waiting, not even in the slightest. Alas, this time around, it was different. I wanted to get over my task as fast as possible. To finally get rid of the weight of responsibility and the haunting possibility of failure.


    It was getting the better of me and now standing next to our target caused my anxiety to climb into a previously unknown height.


    Luckily, it didn¡¯t take a lot more time for Emrum¡¯s silhouette to reappear on the horizon, and we have received our long awaited orders along with a bunch of ominous news.


    The moment Emrum stepped beside us, he began to explain the situation.


    ¡°Our scouts have found traces of recent activity in the chambers ahead of us. Based on the found marks, they suspect that a tribe of goblins took residence here for a time.¡± ¡ª He stopped for a second, his eyes hovering over me for a few redundant moments.


    ¡°While the found traces are at least a few days old, we cannot know for sure if the goblins are still here or if they have left for good. The expedition commander decided that we would send in half of our forces to clear out any potential danger, while the rest would stay on guard outside of the cave¡¯s main entrance.¡±


    Tymur asked the next question.


    ¡°So, which group are we in? The one who goes in or the one who stays outside?¡± ¡ª Based on his expression, he was already suspecting the answer to that question.


    ¡°Since our main objective is to keep Selora safe, we will naturally stay outside.¡± ¡ª Came the immediate answer.


    To which everyone nodded if a bit reluctantly. They wanted to fight. They were warriors, after all; I have already summarized as much, but they were not so undisciplined as to drop their given orders in search of personal glory.


    None the less that didn¡¯t stop them from emitting an aura of annoyance. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t directed at me, not even in the case of Regmir. Come to think of it, the man hadn''t spoken to me since the spider incident. That could hardly mean anything good.


    It took about ten more minutes for the two halves of our forces to organize themselves, and for just about half of our men to disappear into the main entrance of the smaller independent cave system.


    While our side of the army has created a defensive perimeter around the main entrance.


    I was standing in the deepest part of our formation. From where I could also see most of the coming and goings. All thanks to the fact that I was a bit taller than the average dwarf.


    Which offered me the comfort of peeking over their heads, especially when I strained my neck and stood on my tiptoes.


    A sight that managed to elicit a few smirks from my closest companions.


    Tum getting enough of my antics called out to me. ¡ª ¡°Stop straining your neck lass, you are making a fool out of us all with those actions of yours. Do I have to tell you again how unlikely it is for us to actually get attacked here? OUCH?!¡± ¡ª Tum shouted, rubbing the side of his head.


    Everybody froze for a second, staring at the man who himself seemed quite startled by what had just happened. Then he noticed a small round pebble dropping down to the ground.


    He picked up the small stone. Then pointed an enraged stare at the stupidly chuckling Regmir.


    ¡°You?¡± ¡ª Tum demanded, nostrils flaring with anger.


    The other man didn¡¯t seem to be flustered by his dangerous reaction. Instead, he decided to pour oil at the fire. ¡ª ¡°Oh come now, it was but a joke¡­ only if you have seen your reaction¡­ I bet you would be a lot more appreciative!¡±


    Tum didn¡¯t seem to accept that explanation, as he slowly stood up from the rock which he was resting on and began to walk ominously towards Regmir.


    ¡°I will see if you are equally appreciative of me when I smack off that retarded smirk from your face!¡± ¡ª He said while starting to roll up his right sleeve.


    Regmir mirrored Tum¡¯s movements as the two men slowly began to circle one another.


    ¡°Lets see if you can, Goldbraid. You are still ten years short to beat me in a real fight.¡± ¡ª Regmir attempted to rile up Tum, clearly unsuccessfully for the time being.


    I decided to step between the two men, attempting to smooth over the confrontation, which has proved to be a huge mistake on my part. Even before I could attempt to clear the situation, Regmir¡¯s chuckle sounded.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I see¡­ Now you need a woman¡¯s help to keep your honour, Goldbraid¡­ I never knew that you can sink deeper in my eyes¡­¡± ¡ª I saw as the edge of Regmir¡¯s lips twitched slightly, seeing that his bait had worked.


    ¡°Selora! Stay out of this, damn girl! I am going to teach this bastard a lesson once and for all!¡± ¡ª I stepped back from the intensity of his angry glare¡­ there was clearly a history between these two which I wasn¡¯t aware of. Still, I wasn¡¯t really surprised by the news since Regmir wasn¡¯t exactly the type of man who was easy to get along with.¡±


    At this time, Skod, Tymur and Emrum, among other dwarfs, have also noticed the growing commotion and hastily arrived at the place with the same intention of smoothing things over.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡ª Emrum demanded, breaking down the conflict in a matter of seconds as he pointed his death glare at the two troublemakers.


    I felt a sense of relief wash over me, sensing that the situation passed over without stupid injuries, which I would have to heal in the end based on their seriousness. While I also realized something important through this event.


    It was not the same to interrupt a conflict between testy men as a girl as it was while I was also a part of the male gender¡­ The situation could easily become more uncontrollable, through my mere presence. Just as it did now.


    ¡°What was the reason for this commotion? Answer me!¡± ¡ª Emrum shouted, but before there could be any sort of explanation coming from the two men. The impromptu interrogation was cut short by distant sounds of commotion and the resonating bell of alarms going off around the defensive perimeter.


    Emrum, just like the rest of us, turned around simultaneously in apparent bewilderment. Searching for the cause of the alarm.


    With an annoyed grunt, Emrum started to push through the still flabbergasted soldiers heading towards the front-lines. His sudden movements served as a waking call for the other soldiers, jolting them out of their daydreams as they similarly hurried to their premeditated positions.


    I attempted to follow Emrum, but was stopped by a hand closing around my right wrist.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going, elf?¡± ¡ª Appeared the still very much annoyed voice of Tum. He was clearly frustrated with my earlier actions, and likely just as annoyed by the current ones.


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    I slowly turned around, attempting to pull off a clueless smile, but he didn¡¯t even listen to what I intended to say.


    Instead, he turned around and pulled me along to a nearby cover of shields where we had made our defensive position. He finally let go of my wrist but remained standing by my side, way too close for comfort. As if he was expecting me to try to slip away. Something that has annoyed me deeply.


    The man nodded towards Tymur, who was eyeing us from the shieldwall. He nodded in our direction, then looked forward.


    Tymur called out to the soldiers. ¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t forget, men! One eye always stays on the ceiling! We don¡¯t want a repeat of the previous incident!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± ¡ª Came the simple answer from the five soldiers. Aside from Tymur who gave the order, Emrum who left to investigate what was going on, and me, who was too overwhelmed to realize that I should have reacted to that too.


    Well, obviously not counting the two fallen soldiers that we have lost facing that Arachne knight. I didn¡¯t even know their names¡­ I mean; they introduced themselves but it took some time for me to remember these strange dwarven names and we didn¡¯t really speak much in the short time we traveled together.


    I glanced at the back of the other two dwarfs. They were standing in line, tightly holding their weapons and shields. I silently decided that I will get to know them after this. If I remember correctly, one of them was usually called as Kol, while the other¡¯s name was something along the line of Ali, or Oli? I wasn¡¯t entirely sure which one¡­


    Ugh¡­ whatever¡­ I will ask them later.


    While I peered over the group of dwarves, I noticed some movements in the distance. I narrowed my eyes and tried to make out what exactly was I seeing.


    Then I heard multiple warning shouts resonate through the forty something dwarves. ¡ª ¡°Goblins!¡± ¡ª ¡°Goblins sighted!¡± ¡ª ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± ¡ª And many more similar statements.


    A cold shiver ran up my back as the memory of my previous and so far only encounter with goblinkind came to mind. I narrowed my eyes, staring over the heads of the dwarfs, preparing to engage.


    Indeed, now I too could see the small group of goblins appearing at the other end of the chamber.


    Meanwhile, the dwarfs closed their battle-lines in front of us, preparing to face the enemy.


    My heart raced with a sense of fear, seeing how the initially small group of goblins continued to grow in number, as more of them appeared out of the tunnels connecting to this larger cavern, which we currently occupied. In a matter of minutes, there was a horde of goblins with the occasional hobgoblin standing in front of us, encircling our position and cutting off our way of retreat.


    The enemy was mostly made out of smaller, dwarf sized goblins and some tall goblins, which could only be the so-called hobgoblins.


    Luckily, there were a lot less of this type among their ranks. Because the tall, heavily armored creatures proved to be a fearsome sight. Some of those beings were at least a hundred and eighty centimeters tall, the height of an above average sized human male.


    The ragtag armored goblins were slowly closing in on our positions. They were surprisingly well coordinated.


    I suspected that there was something like a goblin commander as well.


    This whole situation might have been a carefully laid trap to split up our forces. Their timing was too perfect for it to be coincidental.


    I definitely hoped that was not the case, but every reasonable proof was pointing in this direction.


    There were at least a hundred goblins and more than ten hobgoblins forming the core of their forces slowly marching towards us.


    A sudden idea popped into my mind, seeing the encroaching enemy lines.


    I started to look around the cave floor, searching for a rock at the right size. Expecting to find one laying about right away. To my utter dismay, I couldn¡¯t seem to find a single rock that was larger than your average pebble.


    ¡°Curse it¡­¡± ¡ª I can¡¯t believe there isn¡¯t a right sized rock to cast that stupid spell. How is it that I can¡¯t find one at the only stupid time I actually needed it? I have seen countless rocks that would be ideal on the way, here argh!


    ¡°Ah!¡± ¡ª I squeaked unintentionally, covering my ears with hasty movements as the cave was momentarily filled with terrible animalistic shouts. The entire chamber seemed to shake with the beastly roars, and soon enough, it was filled with the tremors of incoming footsteps and approaching battle-cries. The battle had begun as the goblins charged at our lines with enraged fury.


    ¡°Curse it!¡± ¡ª I stomped my leg in distaste. Realizing that the perfect opportunity to launch a pyroblast at the cursed beasts had already passed. I couldn¡¯t quite send such a destructive spell into the lines of enemies while they were intermingled with our men.


    I would be skinned alive afterwards, aside from that my self consciousness wouldn¡¯t accept such a drastic measure.


    I was already struggling with the thought of actually killing pseudo intelligent creatures. However, the blood thirst with which they were throwing themselves at our people was giving me the necessary motivation to do it anyway. I will have time to be worrying about moral questions later.


    Not even mentioning that Emrum has never come back from the front lines. Meaning that he was fighting at the very core of the chaos.


    Constant sounds of metal hitting against metal, shouts, screams, and animalistic growls filled the air. It was loud. Much louder than I could ever anticipate it.


    We stood at the back of the line, meaning there were about ten meters between us and the frontline, but it was impossible to communicate with each-other without shouting into each-other¡¯s faces.


    The experience ludicrously reminded me of my younger days, when I was still going to the disco at weekends. The only difference being that instead of banging the bass and axing down drinks, here, people tended to bash in each-others head and spill their blood.


    The battle only began, but the ferocity with which the two sides were crashing against each-other was shocking. I could see some of the hobgoblins attempting to break through the tight formation of dwarven shield walls with delivering powerful strikes through the use of their two handed maces.


    One tall hobgoblin flanked by regular goblins on both sides managed to push back the dwarfs at the left wing, only for it to be pierced in the neck with a swift and precise spear strike. Thanks to a nearby dwarf warrior.


    Still, the smaller goblins immediately pushed into the breach no matter how hard the recovering dwarfs tried to beat them back.


    Soon, panicked shouts filled the air, screaming over the all-consuming noise of war. ¡ª ¡°Reinforce the left flank!¡± ¡ª ¡°We need reinforcements!¡± ¡ª ¡°The enemy is breaking through!¡± ¡ª ¡°We need more men at the left flank!¡±


    Tymur, hearing the panicked shouts, called out. ¡ª ¡°Regmir, Oli, Kol and Skod! Go reinforce the left flank!¡± ¡ª His voice made it obvious that this was not a suggestion, but an order.


    It only took a few seconds, then the four soldiers gathered themselves and, as a group, rushed towards the left flank of the battlefield.


    I wasn¡¯t a military specialist in no sense of the word, but even I would have figured out that the situation wasn¡¯t looking any good if we were already sending in the reserves.


    I was anxiously thinking over any possibility that could potentially help out in this battle.


    Pyroblast, my only area damage spell, was already out of the question, not even mentioning that I still lacked one important ingredient to the spell.


    Aside from that, I couldn¡¯t really use lightning blast in this situation, since there was no curve to the lightning, it flew in a straight line. Meaning, I couldn¡¯t aim it above our soldiers¡¯ heads and hit the enemy with it.


    I even thought about aiming my lightning at the ceiling. There was a forest of stalactite hanging from it at a certain part. Yet I once again had to dismiss the idea, since I couldn¡¯t be sure what else might decide to fall on our heads from the consequences of the spell explosion.


    I wasn¡¯t willing to attempt to pull off spells that I didn¡¯t practice beforehand, since there was a lot of unknown detail to every spell that needed to be learned through experience.


    I only knew how to cast the spells and had a general knowledge of magic. I did not know how they exactly functioned after all. If I fail, I could be injured, or worse, hit my comrades, but at the minimum, I would waste a sizable chunk of my mana for nothing. As a result, my choices were quickly exhausted.


    I stood anxiously at my spot, watching helplessly as our lines were slowly but surely pushed backwards, herded towards the cave entrance.


    Something wasn¡¯t right about that¡­ what were they planning with this move? There were multiple exits from that cave. If they wanted to corner us, it would never work. That was the reason I was brought along to begin with.


    Just then, a memory swim to the surface of my subconscious. As if to warn me of an overlooked danger.


    I remembered how much time it took us to leave the dwarven outpost. It took around half an hour just for the soldiers to get outside, not even mentioning the luggage¡­ All because the main entrance was so narrow that only one, or at best two people, could walk side by side at one time.


    Still, this cave entrance was a lot wider than that. In this case, five people could walk side by side comfortably. However, this was the widest tunnel leading into the future outpost. The other exits were narrow tunnels, based on what they told me. If we are headed into that part of the cave, and panic breaks out, we will end up separated in a minute, then the goblins will pick us off one by one. Or simply guard all the exits from the outside and lock us inside.


    My eyes widened, new beads of sweat appearing on my face. So that was their plan¡­ I realized as the growing fear gripped my soul.


    I couldn¡¯t see a positive outcome from that position.


    If we were cornered into that place, then we wouldn¡¯t be able to leave as a unit. Our mobility and battle formations would be completely useless.


    If we attempted to leave through such narrow passages, we could be easily ambushed on the other side. To top it off, we might actually get attacked in the middle of passing through from both sides while we are the most vulnerable.


    There were many such examples in medieval warfare. When battles and even complete wars were decided by ambushing an overpowering enemy in such a vulnerable moment.


    Not even mentioning that we are the ones who are outnumbered here. At least until we manage to reconnect with the other half of our army.


    Come to think of it, where are the rest of our soldiers? Shouldn¡¯t they notice by now that all hell got loose out here?


    Except, of course¡­ if they are struggling with their own problems.


    I turned around and stared into the darkness of the corridor right behind us.


    I had a really bad feeling about this.

 Chapter 29. High level magic

    I stood frozen beside Tum and Tymur, watching helplessly the slowly encroaching enemy lines as our soldiers were constantly being pushed back.


    I grabbed Tymur¡¯s arm, shaking it in an attempt to get a reaction from the sweating man. ¡ª ¡°What should we do? We are about to be overrun!¡± ¡ª I shouted at the silently staring man.


    Tum on my other side placed a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back. ¡ª ¡°There is nothing else to do than join the fight! My axe has been thirsting for black blood!¡±


    I twirled around, eyes widening with terror as I stared at Tum like he was some fricking idiot. What the hell was he suggesting? There is no fucking way I am going to smack those goblins with my staff, of all things¡­ I don¡¯t even have proper armor!


    I was pretty sure that my abilities to fight in melee combat weren¡¯t anything mentionable either!


    I started sweating from the idea alone.


    I was not some secret black belt karate master nor a Shaolin monk. Anything short of that and I would be massacred in seconds.


    I wrecked my brain thinking about any other solution and, not finding anything else, I finally forced myself to focus on spells that I had never used before. Either because they seemed way too terrifying or I just didn¡¯t have the opportunity to practice them. Sometimes both¡­


    My mental eyes hastily hovered over anything that wasn¡¯t battle oriented or simply couldn¡¯t be utilized in this situation¡­


    Storm summoning¡­ no-no¡­ it¡¯s a fucking cave. How would I change the weather here? What else¡­ Earth spike forest¡­ ah, no, based on my luck, I would kill half of our men too¡­ B-blood magic¡­? What the hell is that even good for? Sounds dangerous too¡­ Wait¡­ uses life essence instead of mana to cast spells¡­ Makes the user capable to freely manipulate blood? Sounds useful, but what does it mean by life essence? Do I need to sacrifice a goat or what? It¡¯s too complicated for now¡­ Next!


    After some panicked searching, my gaze finally focused on a single spell.


    Ugh¡­ I really don¡¯t like this, but it¡¯s still better than having to fight goblins with a glorified stick!


    I dug my heels into the ground, pulling against Tum¡¯s hold on my wrist with all my strength. He was just about to jump into the fray, pulling me along, the crazy bastard¡­ I got that you are picking on me for interrupting your dick comparing session, but don¡¯t you think that this is going too far?


    ¡°Wait, wait, waiiiit~!¡± ¡ª I shouted at the fool. That finally managed to stop him. He glared at me over his shoulder, urging me to explain myself. ¡ª ¡°I might have a spell that can help, but I need you to defend me while I prepare it!¡± ¡ª Tum turned towards me completely, anger flaring in his eyes.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us that sooner? People are dying around us can¡¯t you see it! Stupid elf!¡± ¡ª He shouted in my face, but I was already too fed up with this shit and to his surprise I shouted right back at him with the same intensity.


    ¡°I KNOW! So would you please shut up for once and let me concentrate!¡± ¡ª I said to him, trying to control my emotions and only succeeding partially.


    Tum let go of my wrist, then said with a flicker of anger. ¡ª ¡°Do whatever you want, witch! You are not my responsibility from hereon!¡± ¡ª With that said, he turned around and left me without sparing another word, joining the ongoing battle.


    I ground my teeth with helpless anger as I stared after him for a few seconds, then I realized that Tymur was still standing right beside me.


    I turned to the man and quickly noticed the slight strain in his expression. He was definitely disappointed in me, not mentioning this so-called spell earlier¡­ I felt a sense of fear at the possibility that he might also decide to leave me in the middle of a bloody battle, and in sight of that possibility I quickly offered an explanation.


    ¡°¡­ I-I never successfully performed this spell before¡­ That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bring it up¡­¡± ¡ª I paused for a second, searching his gaze, and seeing the slight softening of his features and the barely perceptible nod, as a sign of accepting my explanation. Seeing this filled me with a sense of relief.


    ¡°So what spell is it?¡± ¡ª Was the next thing he asked. ¡ª I turned away from him, too focused on the task ahead while speaking a single word as an answer.


    ¡°Golem.¡±


    I didn¡¯t look at his face, so I didn¡¯t see what expression he had made. I didn¡¯t even know if he realized the concept of a golem at all. It was a mystery which I couldn¡¯t spare the energy to worry about.


    I single-mindedly focused on the shockingly long incantation while attempting to close out the sounds of battle around me. Grasping my staff with both of my hands that were shaking in anticipation. Casting a new spell for the first time always made me feel like that, but this time, it was a lot more nerve wrecking.


    If I mess up the spell, I will lose the majority of my mana. I needed to succeed with this¡­ or else¡­ well, that possibility I didn¡¯t want to think about. Piercing the tip of my staff into the ground as a focal point, creating a bridge between the earth and my mana. I began the incantation.


    The ease with which I cast the earth wall spell was nowhere to be found. Golem summoning was on a completely different height of magic. Some difficulty I had anticipated, but nowhere near to this degree.


    The words of the incantation felt strangely heavy on my tongue. I have never experienced something like that while casting spells before. Like every syllable was a rock waiting to be pushed out of the way for the incantation to work. Like¡­ like I tried to speak with a mouthful of mud filling my cheeks.


    My words became heavy and fragmented, but they were unmistakingly overflowing with tremendous amounts of mana.


    ¡°From mountain¡­ to rock, from rock¡­ to pebble¡­ from pebble to sand¡­ and sand to mud.¡± ¡ª I felt as the rock surface which I was standing on started to tingle under the soles of my boots with vigorous energy. But I didn¡¯t allow the feeling to distract me for more than a passing second.


    ¡°The world¡¯s foundation¡­ Earth is¡­ the one, that carries all life on its rigid back¡­¡± ¡ª This time, I could feel a sharply isolated tremor and as a result, an approximately five meters tall, and two meters wide earth spike burst out of the ground, effortlessly splitting the thick rock surface in front of me. I almost fell on my butt from the completely unexpected and terrifying event, which was coupled with powerful tremors that shook the entire cave with it.


    Aside from the fear, confusion and excitement, I was sensing my mana being practically ripped out of me. Every magical word I had to form was becoming harder and harder to pronounce as my magic was being absorbed by the construct. Small white spots of light were dancing in my vision, like the ones visible in a really old movie footage. My thoughts have become sluggish and a general sense of confusion has started to weigh down my mind.


    ¡°The one¡­ which we trample, ¡­ the one¡­ that we use¡­ and the one¡­ that shall shake the world anew¡­¡± ¡ª In the wake of my words, the recently roused rock stalagmite began to break and mold into a statue like form. Resembling that of a human man holding onto a giant staff made of magically compressed rock.


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    I was drenched in sweat, my body shaking from the sheer physical and mental effort it took me to speak the incantation this far.


    And I still had a sentence to add.


    I gathered the rest of my strength and pushed forward, attempting to get to the end.


    ¡°Pray¡­. pray that its ancient anger¡­ may never spark¡­ with blind fury.¡± ¡ª The moment I spoke the last word, I felt as if an immense pressure was lifted from my body.


    As the tooth grinding pressure let up, I became lightheaded. My stomach churned and my eyes became blurry¡­ Still, I grasped onto the shaft of my staff with sheer stubbornness, somehow managing to keep myself on my feet.


    I will not collapse this time around¡­ If I allow myself to collapse now, I won¡¯t be able to get back on my feet again.


    I stared up at the imposing sight of the giant magical construct towering far above me. It was a mesmerizing sight.


    I simultaneously noticed that the battlefield had become suspiciously silent around me.


    I glanced around curiously, a tired yet happy smile finding its way to my face seeing what was going on.


    Everybody seemed strangely shocked, but appreciative towards my friend here. They were staring at the golem with wide eyes and open mouths. Even the goblins froze to gaze upon my summoned towering above the battlefield.


    I tiredly glanced up at the golem¡­ It was truly marvelous¡­ It looked like a stereotypical knight from the middle ages wearing a full body plate armor. Its face couldn¡¯t be seen through the closed helmet, though, a pity. Also, it was clearly made of rock, therefore its color was a dull dark brown which dispersed some of its glory.


    As I said that, the construct¡¯s head slowly turned in my direction.


    Oh¡­ he is looking at me now! Does he recognize me? The golem stared at me, as if it was waiting for something.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡° ¡ª The realization eventually hit me. I probably need to give him an order. I pointed in the general direction of the goblin forces and said in a hitching voice. It was strange to talk normally again, without the strange feeling of mud filling my mouth or the panicking sense of constant drowning. ¡ª ¡°Go¡­ kill the goblins¡­ and¡­ protect the dwarfs, please¡­¡± ¡ª I told him in a somewhat uncertain tone of voice.


    The golem didn¡¯t show any sign of understanding at first. Then it surprisingly fluidly turned towards the bulk of the goblin forces grasping its staff¡­ Wait, not quite¡­ since said staff had morphed into a halbert while I didn¡¯t look¡­ How truly convenient...


    Anyway, it grabbed the giant at least seven meter long weapon made of magically compressed stone held together by my magic. Then started to walk towards the front lines, shaking the earth with every step. The dwarfs that stood in its path were quickly scampering out of its way. Even if that act threatened to break battle formations. Apparently afraid that it might step on them. It didn¡¯t matter though, since the goblins were frozen by the sight of the incoming abomination as well.


    Lucky for them. The golem seemed to abide by my commands, since it carefully stepped around the confused and panicking dwarfs.


    Its steps sent slight tremors through the ground as it advanced, completely unhindered by the chaos.


    I was numbly staring after the golem, wondering if it would be enough to turn the tides, only to realize that I had absolutely no idea about its actual fighting potential.


    Yeah¡­ I hate using spells that I couldn¡¯t even try out previously¡­ what if the goblins simply overrun it without it being able to do any actual damage¡­ Well¡­ In that case we will probably die anyway so there is no reason to worry about potential repercussions¡­


    I chuckled to myself at the thought, my mind too tired and muddy to comprehend the weight of those possibilities. Unknown to me, my antics have drawn quite a few judgemental glares from my surrounding, among them Tum¡¯s and Tymur¡¯s.


    Alas, my worries seemed to be unnecessary. The next moment, the golem raised the halbert into the air with slow, measured movements. Moving it in a wide arc to take momentum safely above the head of the dwarfs.


    The air seemed to freeze for a second, as both goblins, dwarfs and a single elf girl watched the events with abated breath.


    The heavy atmosphere was broken by the ominously whistling sound of a giant weapon cutting through the air, so powerful that it created a slight breeze in the wide cavern.


    Then a ground shakingly devastating strike slashed into the enemy lines. Ripping up the toughened earth and sending it as shrapnel even further into the encircling goblins lines.


    The sounds of violently squashed goblins filled the cave for a terribly long second. Eerily similar to the sound of a meat cleaver chopping down onto a carefully prepared slab of meat and bone.


    As the powerful tremor passed, it was followed by the disgusting sounds of flying bodies and body parts hitting against cave walls and lastly¡­ The inhuman screams of death, pain and complete animalistic panic that swept over the battlefield.


    My jaw fell open as I looked at the sight of a biblical colossus wreaking havoc on the battlefield and sending waves of panic in a single stroke of its devastating weapon.


    Seeing the absolute destruction many folds above any of my estimations, I felt my expression becoming even paler as a sense of horror coursed through my blood like freezing ice.


    Oh, my God¡­


    I watched the terrifying events repeat once more in a similar fashion and saw that the goblins that were previously about to overrun us now were just about to run away.


    I, for the first time since I came to this world, felt a sense of genuine terror and disgust towards magic. Magic, that was anything but interesting and wonderful to me, now started to feel like a burden, and a heavy responsibility.


    The golem I just created was nothing short of an emotionless killing machine¡­ one that was more than capable of turning the tides of a battle in the matter of seconds.


    Another tremor shook the ground, laying waste to tens of goblins in a single stroke, and the colossus was already preparing for a followup.


    The goblins at last were roused from their shocked state and began to run away in waves. Escaping blindly in the face of overwhelming power. As if death itself descended onto the battlefield, wielding its deadly scythe, harvesting souls with the indifference of a gardener cutting out useless weeds.


    The thought, that¡­ that thing, was something I summoned. Therefore, it was my responsibility¡­ everything that it did¡­ it was revolting¡­ Even with the thought that it was all in self defense, that otherwise we would be the ones killed and laughed at.


    The thought alone, that I could summon a golem that could lay waste to armies¡­ What¡­ what if I lost control over it? The idea itself filled me with even more terror, as I imagined the dwarfs being the ones sent flying, crashing against the walls like bugs flattening on the windscreen of a speeding car.


    My stomach flipped over and I felt bile gathering in my throat, but I swallowed it back, forcefully.


    No¡­ I shouldn¡¯t look aside¡­ I did this¡­ because I didn¡¯t want to die here¡­ nor did I want to allow my new companions to die. It is how this world functions¡­ The sooner I accept it, the better.


    With considerable effort put behind the simple motion, I raised my head once again and looked at the running goblins being trampled over by my golem.


    I struggled with the lingering dizziness and bursts of nausea, but I held out through sheer willpower.


    At last, the goblins disappeared into the dark side tunnels from where they had emerged. The golem stopped chasing them, unable to leave the large cavern thanks to its sheer size.


    Instead, it slowly turned around and started to walk back in our direction.


    This has caused the dwarfs to stiffen up. Some going as far as to run into the narrow tunnel behind me, following the example of the goblins.


    I gulped, seeing how the golem had practically skipped through the distance of the enormous cavern in a matter of seconds.


    The dwarfs respectfully made a wide path to the golem, seeing with relief that it did not intend to attack them.


    Soon enough, the deadly construct was standing at my attention right in front of me.


    I gulped dryly, craning my neck to look up at the towering golem. I couldn¡¯t overlook the black blood staining parts of its body and weapon turning it into an ominous black. A slight shiver passed through my body from the sight alone as the golem seemed to stare into my soul with its cold eyes hidden behind the visor of its helmet.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ g-good¡­ good job!¡± ¡ª I said, eventually. Unsure how to interact with a magical construct that could snuff me out with the same effort of me extinguishing a candle.


    I didn¡¯t know how long the golem would stay here to begin with, it might remain active for another hour, or eternity¡­ I had absolutely no idea about that. Still, I will have to give it an acceptable order.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ p-please¡­ w-w-would you w-watch over this a-area? In the c-case of in-invading b-beasts¡­ or g-goblins?¡±


    The golem straightened up without a word, or any sign that it understood what I said. Then it walked out of the way, standing next to a wall, unmoving like a giant statue.


    A moment of silence has fallen over the enormous cavern that just recently was considered an active battlefield.

 Chapter 30. Goblin nest

    The golem had long since stopped moving and was standing by the wall like a statue, but the thick silence of the hall still remained. I was being stared down by dozens of dwarfs and I was getting unusually self-conscious about it.


    What¡­ what is their deal now? I did help, right? Could it be¡­ did the golem step on someone and I didn¡¯t notice? Oh shit! Anything but that!


    I stared back at the dwarfs with a frightened look as the potential punishments for such actions played through my mind.


    Alas, the uncomfortable stalemate was broken by the sounds of running steps coming closer from the inner cave, where the other half of our troops left. Led by the sub-commander to explore the previously found signs of goblin activity.


    The newly added presences immediately drawn the eyes of the shocked dwarfs who were expecting a new threat. This coincidence allowed me precious time to gather myself.


    After all, I knew them to be dwarfs, as my hearing was much more sensitive than any of the others. Therefore, could easily differentiate between goblin steps and those belonging to dwarfs who I have been traveling with.


    Two dwarfs appeared soon enough, their pale faces shining by the torchlights held by one of them.


    ¡°Ambushed! We¡­ have been¡­ ambushed!¡± ¡ª Shouted one of the dwarfs, his breathing erratic as he tried to speak while simultaneously gulping down as much air as it was dwarvenly possible.


    One of the older dwarfs, who I didn¡¯t really know, stepped in front of the two men and shouted at them. ¡ª ¡°We have already suspected as much, our side has been attacked as well! The battle just ended seconds ago!¡±


    The soldiers in question seemed shocked by this revelation. The two of them looked around with wide eyes, quickly catching onto the bloodied or ripped armors and fresh injuries. Seeing the few unfortunate dead dwarfs alongside of the brutally crushed and dismembered piles of goblins who have fallen in the short but ferocious battle.


    The second dwarf spoke up this time. ¡ª ¡°The commander sent us¡­ to ask for immediate reinforcement¡­ The goblins have surprised us while we were searching through the caves¡­ they have managed to further separate our forces¡­¡±


    ¡°Curse it! Did this place turn into a goblin nest without us realizing it?¡± ¡ª Shouted one of the nearby dwarfs.


    Tymur, who was still standing by my side, seemed to have come to the same thought. ¡ª ¡°That might just be the case. Normally, goblins don¡¯t attack large forces, but they will fight back ferociously if their homes are threatened.¡±


    Another dwarf spoke up. ¡ª ¡°That would also explain the unusually high goblin activity which we have encountered in recent weeks.¡±


    Most of the present dwarfs seemed to agree with this observation. Grunting in agreement.


    ¡°What shall we do now?¡± ¡ª Someone worded the question which everybody seemed to be thinking about.


    At that moment, Emrum seemed to make his way back here. Flanked by Skod and Regmir on both sides.


    My blood ran cold as I saw him being carried like that. Before I could say anything, Skod caught my gaze and spoke up, stopping my incoming flood of questions.


    ¡°He is all right, nothing life-threatening. His leg was already injured, and it got hit again. Some rest and a dose of your magic will do him good though¡­¡± ¡ª The man offered a weak smile. To which I nodded, eyeing Emrum questioningly.


    ¡°As he says¡­¡± ¡ª Emrum answerd grudgingly. ¡ª ¡°Aside from that¡­ It is obvious what we have to do¡­ We need to go and help the others.¡± ¡ª There was a momentary silence, but nobody seemed to argue with his statement.


    ¡°Good, then¡­ Those who are too injured to fight shall remain here¡­ the... Golem is still functional, right, Selora?¡± ¡ª I looked up at the towering golem. Its head, as if it noticed my gaze, no¡­ it definitely noticed it had slowly turned towards me.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡ª I said, causing another wave of worried, or uncertain, looks to be exchanged among the dwarfs.


    Dwarfs were already distrustful towards magic when they were witnessing low or medium level spells¡­ They were clearly deeply disturbed by the display and capabilities of high end magic.


    I can¡¯t even blame them¡­ I, who was supposedly the master of this spell, were similarly disturbed by it, or even more. The golem which I have called forth felt more like a force of nature, then actual magic.


    It was something that gave off the eery feeling that it shouldn¡¯t exist even when it was standing right in front of me.


    Seeing how its material was practically painted with splashes of black blood, I was starting to feel a sense of vertigo, and had to rip my gaze away from the deadly construct.


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    Emrum eyed me carefully, similarly to some of the other dwarfs. He eventually questioned jokingly. ¡ª ¡°I suspect you are not up for the task of healing me or some of the others?¡±


    I immediately turned a shade paler as the idea of spending even more mana was brought up. And shook my head, feeling the forming of a tight knot in my throat.


    I blew all my mana on that golem, and now it was impossible for me to provide aid in any way that was even remotely magical in its nature.


    At least it was effective¡­ Without the golem, we would have much bigger problems.


    The veteran dwarf, whose name I still didn¡¯t know, but who has clearly held quite a bit of respect among the soldiers, stated at last.


    ¡°It¡¯s decided then. The golem cannot enter the tunnels either way, it is best for it to stay here and guard the injured. That way, we can focus on the battle ahead. Regmir and Kol, you are both from the witch¡¯s group, right?¡± ¡ª They nodded. ¡ª ¡°Good, you stay with her and assist the injured. Everyone else who doesn¡¯t feel to be a burden in the fight ahead, on your honor, onwards!¡±


    With that said, the majority of the dwarfs released an angry battle-cry and practically charged into the inner cave.


    The sounds of hasty footsteps were slowly becoming distant echoes as the soldiers went farther into the cave. My elven ears could still hear them, though, and soon enough, sounds of distant war cries resonated through the walls, followed by animalistic screams and wild clashes of weapons.


    I was reminded of the horrifying sounds of squashed goblins, the sharp sounds of simultaneously snapping bones under the destructive weight of the stone halbert.


    As the previously felt sense of vertigo appeared once more, I did my best to distract myself from the sounds of warfare and the thoughts that were haunting me, which most likely will continue to do so for the rest of my life.


    Which thought¡­ in itself felt almost suffocating as I realized that said thing meant decidedly more than a handful of decades this time around.


    I leaned on my staff heavily, ripping my thoughts away from such prospects. Instead, trying to focus on something else, anything¡­ My eyes running over the surface of the empty cavern until it stopped on a mangled pile of black gooey mass of limbs and¡­


    ¡°Bleagh!¡­¡±


    I keeled over, unable to stand any longer, the bile that had been repeatingly threatening to leave my stomach gaining its long desired release in the form of fresh vomit.


    "Lass, you alright?¡± ¡ª I heard the worried voice of Emrum. Which was followed by the uncharacteristically serious voice of Regmir.


    ¡°Did you see what her golem did? I bet she is revolted, even disgusted with herself after causing such a bloodbath. Elves tend to act all sophisticated¡­ especially female ones. I have told her times and times again¡­ she is too soft for the deep roads.¡± ¡ª Stated Regmir, smugly, like he was some sort of oracle.


    Between bursts of vomiting stomach acid and my dry heaves, I was even forced to endure the boasting of this smug bastard. I was seriously about to burst a vein in my head from the sheer sense of anger and helplessness which I was feeling from the merciless waves of vertigo.


    ¡°¡­ -ut¡­ your ¡­-ap¡­ -tard..¡± ¡ª I attempted to say to the cretin, but my words seemed to break off at the worst possible moments.


    ¡°What was that? I didn¡¯t hear you clearly¡­¡± ¡ª Asked the man in a condescending tone.


    ¡°Emrum¡¯s expression was thoughtful for the time being, as he measured the truthfulness of Regmir¡¯s words, while giving me worried glances.¡±


    I felt a hesitant palm being placed against my back, drawing calming circles into it. I had no idea who was doing it, but I felt grateful for it none the less.


    The voice belonging to the third person sounded deeply reluctant as he spoke up, scolding the two men. The voice was somewhat familiar. It belonged to Kol, I eventually realized. A member of our group. ¡ª ¡°Emrum¡­ you should be focusing on stopping the bleeding on your leg instead of worrying about others¡­¡±


    I looked up at the man kneeling beside me and saw as his gaze turned towards Regmir and became a lot sharper as he glared at the man coldly.


    ¡°Regmir, I believe that you have caused enough chaos for one day¡­ you should help the other injured instead of flapping your mouth needlessly. Should I remind you that the girl you are currently insulting is likely the sole reason you still drew breath?¡±


    Regmir¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but his proud demeanor came back almost immediately. ¡ª ¡°So what? The girl owed me one already. I saved her skin from being blown up by her own stupid spell. This just means we are equal once again.¡±


    My breathing was calm enough to speak this time, and I shouted at the idiot with a new burst of anger and a returning sense of nausea.


    ¡°That!¡­ That was all your fault, to begin with!¡± ¡ª I shouted at him, already full of his bullshit.


    The man dared to blink at me innocently. Then he asked in a confused tone. ¡ª ¡°Whatever you mean by that¡­?¡± ¡ª I caught sight of his genuinely confused expression which he was trying to suppress, and I realized that he seriously didn¡¯t know what I was meaning¡­ Maybe that is for the better¡­ Still that expression was irking me terribly.


    ¡°You¡­ you are insufferable! Just go and die already!¡± ¡ª I said, anger coloring my cheeks red as I turned away from the idiot, in a vain attempt to calm myself.


    He seemed genuinely baffled by my feisty reaction, blinking at me with a clueless look. The three men seemed to exchange a long look above my head, deciding to not pursue this matter any longer.


    ¡°Alright, I will check on the other two, but both of them are unconscious after receiving head injuries from hobgoblin maces¡­ It¡¯s not like I can do much to help¡­ To make it even worse, we have lost five more men which is better than I anticipated¡­ That golem of yours is quite effective¡­¡± ¡ª Regmir stated then walked off to check on the other injured.


    I finally managed to sit up, getting the better of my lingering nausea.


    ¡°Will you be alright?¡± ¡ª Asked Kol, and I nodded, assuring him that he could also go and check on the injured.


    But before he left, I said to him. ¡ª ¡°Also¡­ uhm¡­ thanks for the earlier¡­ I really appreciated your words.¡±


    He turned back to me and smiled. ¡ª ¡°Just¡­ as I, no¡­ we do. If your golem didn¡¯t interrupt the battle at that moment¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be here now¡­ So thank you for doing what you did, Selora. You might be an elf, and a witch, but you are a¡­ surprisingly kind one.¡± ¡ª With that said, he turned around and walked away to check on the other injured.


    I gulped drily as I looked after him. Aside from the remark on my race¡­ I got to say he was a nice guy? Well¡­ based on my experiences, most dwarfs were kind if you warmed up to them. Even Regmir¡­ which was a statement in itself.

 Chapter 31. A will to survive

    It took about an hour to receive news about what had exactly happened in the inner cave system. A few people came back to notify us that the dwarfs had successfully defeated or at least pushed back the goblins for now.


    I was not familiar with the dwarfs that came to explain this to us, so I didn¡¯t really ask them any extra questions, only listened to their tale.


    It seems that the goblins have previously spotted our forces heading this direction and fully intended to corner us inside the inner part of the cave systems.


    Unfortunately, it also came to light that this cave was not actually a goblin nest. The goblins would never endanger their nest with such bold tactics, after all. It also means that the source of the threat was not annihilated and we are going to see them in the near future.


    The only reason the goblins have attacked us in such an underhanded method is that their nest must be in the vicinity, and if we actually gained a footing here, it would be in danger.


    The goblins, after all, cannot win a straightforward battle against the much more superiorly armed and trained dwarfs.


    However, as I have personally seen it multiple times, they are still a very formidable enemy. The goblins¡¯ strength is in their numbers and their cunning tactics. They work together and never enter into a conflict that isn¡¯t tilted in their favor.


    This encounter was also a dangerous one. It once again could have ended tragically for us if I hadn¡¯t summoned a powerful golem which has taken the goblins off guard.


    Even if that was true, I felt a sense of relief since the current crisis had been averted. At least for now.


    I was sitting on the side of Emrum, who had fallen asleep in the meantime. We have managed to stop the bleeding on his leg, but it took a considerable amount of effort and bandages since I was fresh out of mana. Once again, showing how useful my healing spell was. I probably should have expected that he would downplay the severity of his injury, or maybe he himself wasn¡¯t aware of it.


    It didn¡¯t matter anymore since he was resting peacefully now. I looked over at him, hooking my arms around my pulled up knees. It was still frustratingly cold here. Especially without a blanket¡­ I wasn¡¯t willing to unpack all my stuff just yet, since I wasn¡¯t sure if the camp will be made here, or somewhere else. Well¡­ Maybe I should do that either way¡­


    Aside from that, I have realized something important about the golem''s functioning. The damn thing was constantly draining my magic. Making that thing was a huge pain in itself, but it kept sucking on my mana even when it wasn¡¯t doing anything.


    I also realized that its mana drain multiplied many folds if I ordered it to move. I was getting paler and paler by the minutes until I couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. With an elongated sigh, I was forced to cut my connection to the golem.


    I didn¡¯t know what to expect and was preparing myself to see a crumbling pile of rocks any second now. However, that didn¡¯t seem to happen. The golem remained standing and unmoving, just as it was previously.


    I simultaneously felt the pressure on my tortured mana reserves ease.


    On a sudden whim, I tried to reconnect my magic with the golem, and it succeeded. Easily revitalizing the giant construct, as if the connection had never been cut. The golem curiously turned its head in my direction, and the familiar pulsing in my temples appeared once again.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± ¡ª I cursed in a whisper. If I had realized this previously, I would have already gathered back some of my mana instead of wasting practically all of it.


    Also¡­ with this, my dreams of having an army of these golems were destroyed. Since each golem continuously drained my mana. It was impossible to control more than a couple at the same time, even if they were summoned beforehand. Well¡­ definitely not with my current abilities.


    I sighed, letting a part of my annoyance disperse. It¡¯s not like it would be worth it here¡­ This spell is simply not suitable for cave environments. The golem cannot leave the cavern in which I have summoned it because of its size.


    I have used up about ninety percent of my mana, or even more. I knew it since I recognized the signs of mana exhaustion. I had already gone through it a few times and I knew that pushing it any further would cause me to faint. Meaning that it was unlikely for me to cast any new spells in the next few hours.


    There was nothing else to do here but wait for the others to come back.


    ~oOo~


    I have been staying there next to Emrum for about an hour, occasionally helping out Kol and Regmir with treating the injured, not that I could do much, since I was out of mana.


    I have become aware of a group of people walking towards our direction. Based on their familiar strides and leisurely tempo, I didn¡¯t worry about them. They were most definitely part of our returning forces.


    Just as I expected, a group of dwarfs walked out of the tunnel. I had to blink and take a double glance at them to recognize the rag-tag, dirty and bloody group of dwarfs. It seems that the battle which ensued inside the cave was of equal ferocity.


    I gulped as my eyes hovered over them, mentally counting the number of dwarfs. Of course, it was impossible to count them accurately while they were walking around. However, it was obvious that our numbers had dropped significantly. Well, at least if there weren¡¯t any others left behind.


    Counting the dead on our side and the seriously injured, I estimated that the clash with the goblins had caused us to lose about one fourth of our fighting capability. Most of those men were dead or injured so much that it was lucky for them if they lived to see the next morning, not even talking about the possibility of bearing weapons again.


    As the returning army settled down, I found myself in the ring of a few unfamiliar dwarfs filled with worried expressions. I felt a hand grabbing my shoulder, turning me around on my axis.


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    I was just about to protest when I saw who the person doing the rude action exactly was.


    ¡°Sir? Lavacoat?¡± ¡ª Those surprised words left my mouth without thought.


    His eyes narrowed slightly, but didn¡¯t comment on me calling out to him like that. Instead, he demanded in a slightly accusatory voice. ¡ª ¡°What are you gawking around, woman? Why don¡¯t you go and help the injured like you did previously?¡±


    I felt that suffocating knot immediately reforming in my throat. I glanced around, taking in all the worried expressions, suddenly realizing that everybody was waiting for me to do that miraculous healing magic.


    I gulped. Glancing around quickly, a sense of panic sneaked into my overly pale expression. My throat tightened unnaturally, and I felt short of breath.


    It took some effort and a few deep breaths to form the words. ¡ª ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ I am out of mana¡­¡±


    I heard a few sharp intakes of breaths around me, and saw as some of those worried expressions turned into dejected acceptance, while others flared with a blind sense of anger.


    However, nobody seemed to dare to talk up while in the presence of the expedition commander.


    Lavacoat¡¯s expression seemed to tense up after hearing my response, but to my surprise, he accepted my words with a simple nod after a few seconds of thinking.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unfortunate¡­ Do you mind me asking how exactly have you managed to use it all up? I thought my orders were clear¡­ your job was to close the entrances of the outpost¡­¡± ¡ª He followed up with his interrogative tone.


    I straightened myself under his judgemental glare, my fingers tightening around the shaft of my staff unconsciously. ¡ª ¡°We have been attacked and were about to be overwhelmed. In case you didn¡¯t notice. I judged that it would be wiser to use my magic instead of keeping it for the afterlife, my liege.¡±


    I expected a burst of anger as a reaction to my snappy tone, but I was tired, felt guilty for not being able to heal anyone, worried for my friends, and I didn¡¯t like to be interrogated like some criminal.


    True¡­ maybe I should have just shut my mouth since I was apparently talking to a prince, but that didn¡¯t really mean jack shit for me¡­ I have never had to deal with actual princes and I was supposed to be a member of a powerful warrior clan now so fuck yeah.


    The man seemed surprised for a second, then asked from one of the nearby dwarves. ¡ª ¡°Is what she states true?¡±


    Said dwarf shuffled in his place nervously. ¡ª ¡°Ah¡­ yes, my lord¡­ the goblins have set a trap for us, and we walked right into it¡­ I didn''t mention it since it wasn¡¯t a priority¡­¡±


    Lavacoat interrupted him. ¡ª ¡°I find this hard to believe¡­ your forces were barely injured or tired¡­ What happened to this army of goblins you have mentioned?¡±


    A number of dwarfs present gave me a pointed look, then simultaneously turned to look at the huge golem that was still standing in the background, completely still while being covered in black blood, which gave it an ominous aura.


    The golem cut from my continuous mana supply was little more than a perfectly carved giant statue at the moment, albeit one that had the potential to come alive at my command. Those who weren¡¯t present at the battle mostly overlooked its added presence standing by the wall.


    Lavacoat¡¯s eyes followed the gaze of his soldiers. His frustrated blue eyes widened into large saucers the moment his brain connected the silent implications. Seeing the perfectly carved, five or six meter tall plate armored human form covered in black blood definitely left an impression on the dwarf prince.


    His head snapped back towards me, and a slight shiver ran up my lower back as I seemed to catch an ominous glint in those crystal blue eyes. A question followed almost immediately. ¡ª ¡°Is that a golem? Your creation, I assume?¡±


    I nodded slowly, feeling a sense of danger looming over me. I felt that the man who was acting utterly disinterested in my direction was starting to become worryingly interested. And I didn¡¯t like the change in the slightest.


    ¡°But to be able to raise a golem of such power on your own accord¡­ and with earth attribute¡­ this is an incredible achievement.¡± ¡ª The man stated, his eyes staring at me with a possessive glint mirrored in them.


    I slowly stepped back, feeling uncomfortable. ¡ª ¡°Ah¡­ uhm¡­ not at all¡­¡± ¡ª I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. ¡ª ¡°This is¡­ it was actually my first time to¡­ even attempt this spell¡­ so¡­ It can¡¯t even leave the cavern¡­ because it¡¯s size¡­ and all¡­¡± ¡ª I blabbered on, while trying to get out of the encirclement.


    ¡°Whoaa!?¡± ¡ª ¡°That cannot be!¡± ¡ª ¡°She says, it was her first attempt to do that spell!¡± ¡ª ¡°She must be lying, how could that be true?¡± ¡ª An argument broke out between those who were on my side and those who accused me of shamelessly exaggerating my achievements in front of the prince.


    I choose that particular moment of chaos to slip away. Leaving behind those arguing fools.


    I rolled my eyes, heading towards the place where the injured were brought. I still had this sense of guilt for not being able to help them with my magic¡­ Only if I have figured out earlier the exact nature of the golem summoning spell, I might have enough mana now to heal some of their injuries¡­


    Alas, that was not the case now, and the precious little I still had was not something I was willing to waste on healing spells. I needed to spare some in case the goblins came back with reinforcements.


    When I got back to the impromptu campsite that was made for the injured, I found a lot of dwarfs already doing their best to ease their comrades¡¯ injuries. I quickly realized that without my magic, I wasn¡¯t really that experienced at giving first aid. I had nothing to do there.


    Before I could slip away once again, I noticed a waving hand among the throng, and realized that Emrum had woken up thanks to the general cavalcade created by returning soldiers.


    I also saw the rest of my companions sitting around him, being immersed in their general banter. Seeing them, even Regmir, made me sag with relief. They were a lot worse for wear, true. Covered in a special mixture of sweat, blood, and dirt. Their armors were more damaged than before. Ripped chain mails and partially broken, or chipped away plate armor dotted with a plethora of new dents. Some parts loosely hanging on untied or partially cut leather strips.


    What was important, though, was that they were without life-threatening injuries. Seeing them like that finally allowed me to loosen some of the highly strung tension which I had been struggling with since the start of the battle.


    I took a deep breath, realizing that my arms were shaking once again, not that hard like when I healed those dwarfs a few days back, but it was still worrying.


    When I looked down at my hands, a flashback of a memory appeared. A memory containing dismembered flying body parts hitting against the wall, followed by those dull distant thuds. Then another memory of a giant halbert crushing into the lines of goblins creating the sound of that sickening scrunch. The small hairs were standing straight on the back of my neck as those memories flashed in front of my eyes.


    A cold icy thought dug into my heart, as the terrible realization occurred to me. I have killed them. I have massacred a bunch of intelligent beings¡­ creatures that were just as aware of their life and inevitable death as I was. True¡­ they were little more than barbarians in their general ways of living, and they were the ones that attacked us first, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that I, in cold blood, have killed such creatures without blinking an eye.


    And¡­


    That was not the true reason I felt so shocked. The real reason was slightly different. What worried me the most was the fact that I didn¡¯t feel anything about it.


    True¡­ I threw up from the combination of sight, sound and smell¡­ but aside from disgust¡­ there was no regret, or an enlightening sense, that I had stepped into some mysterious realm of killers from which there was no return.


    No¡­ nothing like that¡­ I felt normal, safe¡­


    Should I be feeling like that, after doing such a horrible thing? Is something wrong with me?


    Those questions from that day onwards were going to haunt me occasionally, and I didn¡¯t have an acceptable answer to them¡­

 Chapter 32. Interesting arguments

    While those thoughts were haunting me, I have monotonously joined Emrum, and the others. Half heartedly listening to their banter as they welcomed my presence with uncharacteristically large cheers. Cheers which threw me off my gloomy track of thoughts.


    ¡°Lass!¡± ¡ª Shouted Emrum, and I could see it in his eyes that the man would jump on me to squeeze me in a suffocating hug if his injured leg wasn¡¯t screaming at him to do otherwise.


    His glinting eyes turned towards the towering golem and pointed at it with his thumb while sitting backward towards it. ¡ª ¡°That thing¡­ I swear on the beards of the paragons¡­ I have never seen a golem like that before! It looks like a work of art, a statue of all things! I thought that someone hit me over the head with a hobgoblin mace when I saw it wreaking havoc across the battlefield. It¡¯s shockingly agile for a golem as well¡­ no doubt thanks to its unique¡­ humanoid shape.¡±


    The other dwarfs grunted in agreement, and Tymur took over the conversation. ¡ª ¡°I was there when she made it¡­ the thing has practically burst out of the very rock, I tell you! The whole cave shook with it!¡± ¡ª He added with pride radiating off his face to be able to regale this incredible moment.


    I have noticed that some dwarfs from other units were also gathering around, listening into the ongoing conversation.


    Kol, along with the others, nodded along with Tymur¡¯s words, adding his own two cents to it. ¡ª ¡°I was just about to be flattened by a hobgoblin¡¯s mace, when the golem''s first strike landed, cutting through the greenskins as if they were nothing more than wheat at the mercy of a scythe.¡±


    Another wave of awed sounds resonated through the dwarfs¡­ Some of them going as far as to pat me on the back appreciatively.


    I didn¡¯t know how to feel about this happiness so openly showed around me, since I was still struggling to accept what I just did. Therefore, I could only smile awkwardly at the gestures.


    An angry, accusatory voice appeared among the dwarfs, making me flinch with its intensity.


    ¡°If she is such a powerful witch¡­ why didn¡¯t she use that spell earlier? Some of us would have still been alive if she did.¡± ¡ª An accusatory voice among the dwarfs appeared.


    A stony silence descended on our little circle, as the enraged eyes of Emrum hovered over the nearby soldiers. ¡ª ¡°Who said that? Step forward, now!¡±


    There was a moment of silence, then a relatively young looking dwarf stepped out of the line, somewhat hesitantly. Emrum¡¯s eyes stuck to him, anger slowly replaced by deep disappointment. ¡ª ¡°Shame on you, Dorhul son of Yozzok. What would your father say about this?¡±


    The young man was clearly not in his right mind, stricken with grief, most likely. He became livid hearing Emrum¡¯s words.


    ¡°My father just died because of¡­¡± ¡ª He directed a fiery gaze at me, and I gulped seeing the raw hatred reflected in those earth brown eyes.


    Skod stepped in front of me. He was tense; anyone could see it, but he still tried to handle the situation with reason. ¡ª ¡°We are sympathetic towards you. Please accept our condolences. I was a friend of your father. He was a great warrior who has seen many battles.¡°


    Skod allowed a few moments of silence before he continued.


    ¡°Your grief in itself, however, isn¡¯t reason enough to blame your father''s death on someone who has nothing to do with it! If you want to blame something, then blame the goblins who have taken his life.¡±


    ¡°Alas, not just your father, but many of us have died today¡­ We have walked straight into their trap, having no idea about what awaited us. There isn¡¯t anybody to blame about this¡­ Things like this happen from time to time¡­ None of us spotted anything out of the ordinary until the last minute. To be honest, we are lucky that we still draw breath after being separated and ambushed by hundreds of goblins.¡±


    There were grunts of agreement and solemn nods among the little circle that gathered around us.


    ¡°Your father knew what it meant to be a soldier of the Bronze Company. He was aware of the dangers just as each of us.¡±


    The young man balled his fingers into fists as he shouted back. ¡ª ¡°You speak easily¡­ You got to be healed by her after the darklings struck. My father wasn¡¯t so lucky!¡±


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    There were sharp intakes of breaths, and the relatively young dwarf seemed to regret his own words as a handful of stony stares were pointed at him.


    Skod, on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders and said stoically.


    ¡°It is as you say. I was lucky. But if I weren¡¯t, I for sure wouldn¡¯t blame anybody for my death, aside from my own incompetence.¡±


    ¡°Selora, might be an elf, but she has proved herself to us repeatedly. She is a powerful witch, that is true, but magic is far from being omnipotent! She did her best and saved more lives than any of us could ever reasonably expect from her, not even considering how young she actually is.¡±


    ¡°Lives were at stake, as you yourself stated. She was forced into a situation where she had to decide who to help. To spare her mana for healing, or use it in a way to prevent injuries all together. She has made her decision an incredibly tough decision. She didn¡¯t know who will be hurt in the conflict and was fully aware that she won¡¯t be able to heal anyone after summoning the golem. Are you seriously surprised that she was hesitating?¡±


    There was no answer coming from Dorhul this time or from anyone else.


    Regmir snorted. Drawing the dwarfs¡¯ attention to himself.


    He was sitting on the side, currently cleaning off some dried blood from his weapon. The elongated scar which he got from the battle with the Arachne knight was still covering a large part of his face.


    I have offered him to heal it multiple times, but the stubborn bastard was treating it like some battle trophy.


    He looked up from his task, glaring at Dorhul like he was some sort of interesting bug, and said.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ The girl probably also expected that some snot-nosed bastards, like you, were going to deflect their own inability at her on the first chance. Fine, since we are doing that anyway, tell me where were you when your father was mortally wounded? Why didn¡¯t you save him instead of pointing fingers at others? Hah?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Regmir¡­ he is not in his right mind!¡± ¡ª I called out to Regmir, who was needlessly provoking an already emotional and probably shocked soldier.


    It was enough that they stood up for me. I didn¡¯t want to escalate the situation any further.


    Another cold voice spoke up from the slowly growing audience. This time it was an older dwarf. Based on his facial features, he was at least a hundred. Which was considered quite rare among the soldiers of the Bronze Company.


    ¡°¡­ Regmir Shatterrock¡­ ¡° ¡ª Stated the icy voice. ¡ª ¡°Of all the people, I would never have taken you to be an elf-lover¡­ The Dimhollow clan was enough of a disappointment, but to think the Shatterrocks also become soft in the head. Or maybe just too stiff in the groin, heh?¡± ¡ª He stated coldly. Then added with a sigh. ¡ª ¡°Alas, I shouldn¡¯t have been that surprised. There were more than a few rumors saying that you and this elf tended to meet up on your own. So you have become infatuated with an elf witch, of all things! I even heard that you once brought her back to her room all on your own. How bold. I guess she did set a tent in your pants, after all¡­¡±


    The air seemed to turn completely still as those words were spoken in the dim cave. So much so that even the occasional sizzles of the torches held by the dumbstruck dwarfs could be heard.


    I blinked, the gears slowly turning in my head. Well¡­ yes¡­ we have run into each other a few times, but¡­ that was only by chance, right? Wait¡­ what if it actually wasn¡¯t? Is he really? Was he following me all this time? That¡¯s¡­ fucking creepy and just¡­ just disturbing¡­ alright¡­ let¡¯s go with that.


    I glanced at him and saw that the man was surprisingly red in the face. Before I could come to the wrong conclusion, however, he had burst into scandalized anger and shouted at the older dwarf.


    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense, you senile old bat! It was only a coincidence!¡± ¡ª He defended himself vehemently.


    The old man didn¡¯t react much to his enraged shouts, and added thoughtfully. ¡ª ¡°A coincidence? So you don¡¯t deny it¡­ Your boldness is admirable¡­ have you laid together yet?¡±


    My jaw dropped, blinking rapidly¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure which part of that idea horrified me more¡­ the part that we were discussing this in front of the entire company or the very idea of me¡­ well, you know.


    I felt as if a healthy amount of blood surged into my face thanks to my embarrassment from accidentally visualizing something I definitely shouldn¡¯t have.


    My reaction was interpreted very differently by the nearby dwarfs, though.


    Emrum, for starters, took a glance at me, then attempted to stand up, shouting like a madman. ¡ª ¡°Regmir! She is still just seventy! You disgusting bastard!¡± ¡ª Tum and Kol moved to Emrum¡¯s side, trying to push him down before he could reopen his injuries.


    Regmir¡¯s reaction was spectacular to watch. It was the first time I saw him overtaken by genuine panic. He was trying to explain that it was a complete misunderstanding, but the more he tried to explain it, the more suspicious he became.


    In the end, I decided to join in on the explanation, since I wasn¡¯t going to deal with an enraged Emrum for something I definitely didn¡¯t do.


    Eventually, things somehow were smoothened over, and everybody went back to do their own things. Leaving us sitting around the fire in an extremely awkward mood.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how easily the dwarfs could switch from one topic to another and doing that with topics that were containing such emotionally contradicting contexts.


    It seems that I have been destined to be forced to reevaluate everything that I have learned of the dwarven culture each time I dared to believe I was starting to get the hang of it.


    Sigh¡­

 Chapter 33. Life and death

    We have rested in the cavern for a few hours, but we were reluctant to make a permanent camp there. On the other hand, we couldn¡¯t just leave, with all the injured.


    The reason we didn¡¯t want to camp there was pretty obvious. The entire place was filled with death, and so was the inside of the inner cave, which we intended to turn into a base of sorts.


    The sight of the deceased was both sobering and disturbing at the same time. Even as most of them out here were goblins. What was the worst, however, was the smell of blood and scattered intestines filling the air. It was the real cause for worry.


    There were simply too many dead and splattered goblins to easily clean them up, and the ground of the cave was impossible to dig up by normal measures to make graves for that purpose. Therefore, nothing stood in the way of the slowly spreading stench of death.


    I contemplated the idea of burning the dead, but I realized that doing that would most likely only quicken the spreading of the stench, along with a vast amount of suffocating smoke.


    I have been told by the dwarves multiple times that setting large fires in a cave environment wasn¡¯t a wise decision. So I dropped that idea silently.


    In the last few hours of rest, I managed to regain a bit of my mana. I decided to help a little with the most serious injuries. This time, I didn¡¯t even attempt to heal them completely. I didn¡¯t have that kind of mana. I just gave them a push in the right direction and it seemed to be enough. Turning the injury from a lethal one to a survivable one.


    Alas, that was the extent of my mana.


    I still needed to spare a fraction of it for the golem, but I just couldn¡¯t simply stand by and watch the soldiers suffering. I had been bound to a bed more than enough at the late stage of my previous life, and I knew what it meant to be suffering silently, helplessly watching your body deteriorating overtime.


    It was not something I could simply ignore, not while having the power to give them at least a chance. However slim it might be.


    Either way¡­ Our situation was dire.


    We needed to do something with the dead, and do that quickly.


    The smell of blood was bound to lure more dangerous creatures right on top of us. Our spotters have already reported a few sightings of dangerous beast lingering in the shadows surrounding the perimeter of our impromptu campsite.


    It was not the news one was hoping for after a day of marching and fighting. I can tell you that much, as it could be plainly seen on every dwarf''s tired expression as they stubbornly stared into the occasionally moving shadows.


    It was bound to develop into a flight or fight situation if we don¡¯t resolve the issue around the dead bodies.


    Retreating from here was a possibility but, it would leave many more soldiers vulnerable in case of an ambush.


    We would have to bring the injured with us, and I was starting to understand that in the deep roads every encounter was an ambush.


    Aside from that, it wasn¡¯t wise to expect soldiers that fought a battle after marching half a day and were currently beaten, shocked and tried to carry their brothers along into the depth of the unknown.


    Especially that the area surrounding the would be second base was less ideally mapped than the caves we used to get here.


    It was on the far edge of the scout¡¯s patrolling range. Which is partly the reason it was chosen as an effective base location to expand the area of patrolling.


    Alas, the biggest reason why we still didn¡¯t leave this place, even though various beasts have begun to appear, was the fact that the golem couldn¡¯t come with us.


    With the help of the golem, it was likely that we could eventually repel anything small enough to get to this section of the cave. This knowledge gave us a sense of safety, which one could rarely experience so deep in the deep roads, days away from any dwarven outpost or fortress.


    In the end, I have realized that the golem magic I utilised was probably a high level defense magic. Which was likely impractical to be used for offense.


    The summoning process was extremely taxing on the caster and took time. Moving the golem with magic consumed a lot of magical power as well, therefore one that is summoned is bound to be only effective near the area it is summoned. It was a great thing that I could easily recreate my connection with the golem at will. Otherwise, the spell would be immensely unpopular, seeing how it wastes a day¡¯s worth of mana in minutes.


    However, if golem¡¯s of such destructive powers are premeditatedly placed in key positions and activated at the threat of incoming enemies. I could see this kind of magic being some sort of ultimate defensive magic.


    ~oOo~


    While I was lost in my thoughts, sitting by the barely burning campfire. Well, yes, the dwarfs decided to once again broke their sentiment of no fireplaces. I wasn¡¯t surprised, though. They needed to boil water for the injured both to clean their injuries and to keep them warm.


    I blinked heavily as I stared into the fire. The spontaneously dancing flame tongues had a calming effect on my mind.


    The events of today were not something I could easily make peace with. I didn¡¯t regret my choices. That¡¯s true¡­ and part of the problem. I couldn¡¯t help but play around with the thought.


    Would I feel nothing if I killed people as well?


    Or is this lack of emotion caused because I killed goblins? Goblins that were believed to be fantasy creatures in my understanding therefore I wouldn¡¯t feel guilt about eliminating things that were not even supposed to exist?


    What about elves, then? Elves aren¡¯t supposed to exist either, nor dwarves, not as an entirely different race at least.


    While I was contemplating, I felt a presence walking up to me. I left those dire thoughts where they belonged in the deep recesses of my mind and looked up, welcoming the distraction.


    I was slightly surprised when I saw Tum standing a few steps from me, evidently waiting for me to offer him a seat. Which I did, waving at the blanket covered spot right next to me.


    The man gladly accepted my offer and took a seat beside me. We sat like that for a while in comfortable silence, neither of us willing to break it.


    Eventually, I seemed to spy a cruel smirk on the man¡¯s expression, barely blinking through the thick layers of dark brown facial hair. There was a glint of glee in those brown eyes as the man began to speak.


    ¡°So¡­ you and Reg¡­¡± ¡ª I saw the slight curve at the edge of his smile, and I instantly knew that the bastard was purposefully annoying me with this topic.


    I cut him off immediately before he could finish those thoughts.


    ¡°Just shut your trap, Tum¡­ seriously¡­ before I activate that golem and throw you out of the camp for good.¡± ¡ª I said in mock seriousness. ¡ª ¡°Who was that fool who came up with that idea to begin with?! It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡ª I complained aloud, unable to believe that such rumors already existed among the dwarfs¡­ No¡­ that¡¯s not quite true, I even expected it at some point, what I was unwilling to accept was the fact that such rumours were aimed at my person.


    While being forced to experience them from the perspective of a girl, that is.


    Tum attempted to swallow down his chuckle, and only half succeeded in the process. I stared at him, feeling quite unamused for once.


    The man somehow managed to straighten his expression, raising his arms defensively. ¡ª ¡°Hey, calm down, girl¡­ I will stop¡­alright?¡± ¡ª He smirked once again, then added, with a more serious expression.


    ¡°Anyway¡­ I came here to apologize about the¡­ well you know¡­.¡± ¡ª The man said with some embarrassment and a bit of shame.


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    My eyebrows shot up for a second, unsure what he was getting at, then the memory blinked into my mind, and my expression morphed into that of understanding.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I see¡­ Well, it¡¯s alright, just don¡¯t try to force me into any sort of deadly melee combat with notoriously dangerous races in the future and we will be fine.¡± ¡ª I said with a humorous attitude, but was dead serious about it behind the sarcastic facade, and I knew from Tum¡¯s serious nod that he also understood this.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ well, that wasn¡¯t the best of my ideas¡­¡± ¡ª He chuckled while scratching the back of his head with his right arm.


    I shook my head lightly, a sense of amusement coming back to me. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s definitely one way to put it¡­ Well, all is good in the end, so let¡¯s just clean the slate.¡± ¡ª I offered with a smile and a stretched out hand.


    Tum chuckled at the sight, shaking his head in amusement, then grasped my offered hand and shook it.


    ¡°You are a strange elf, Selora, but¡­ that is not a bad thing, I believe.¡± ¡ª He thought for a second, then added with a hesitant smile. ¡ª ¡°Say¡­ could you tell your golem to dig a large hole in the cave ground? It is too tough for us to manage, but your golem shouldn¡¯t have trouble with it, seeing what it did to those goblins and all¡­¡±


    I listened to his words thoughtfully, quickly connecting the dots.


    I looked up at the man with a dark expression and asked. ¡ª ¡°Is that an inquiry from the commander?¡±


    Tum looked into my eyes and said. ¡ª ¡°Something like that¡­ yes.¡±


    I took a deep breath and answered honestly. ¡ª ¡°I can¡¯t see why not¡­ that¡¯s actually a good idea. I should have thought about that.¡±


    ~oOo~


    Death¡­ death, as so many of us hoped and still hope somewhere in the distant realms of the vast universe on a planet called Earth, is not the end of everything¡­ I have witnessed it, crossing through the unmeasurable distances, across the silvery realms of stars and galaxies all in but a few heartbeats.


    I had the pleasure of receiving an audience with a god, a god among many, who referred to himself as the God of Creation, and who, for some reason, seemed to entrust me with a task.


    A task to help the races of his favoured planet unite against the so-called darkness, growing and threatening to destroy the world of Rixa.


    This task, or so-called divine duty, had currently brought me to uphold a strange occupation, one that I definitely not expected to ever become, especially after my own passing.


    It seems¡­ that I have become an undertaker.


    It was not that bad as it sounded¡­ since I wasn¡¯t actually required to personally do anything, only command my golem and watch over its work while providing the necessary mana.


    I mean¡­ yes¡­ aside from the danger of beasts being lured on top of our heads. The presence of unburied bodies wasn¡¯t desirable by anyone. They may contain diseases and sicknesses, not even mentioning the smell.


    Since we intended to make an outpost here from the beginning, it was not a battlefield that could be conveniently left behind.


    And so the slow and monotone process of gathering the dead have began.


    Luckily, with the help of my golem, that had easily dug out two large mass graves, one for our soldiers and one for the goblins, the task was at least doable.


    Even so, it took several hours to accomplish it. Even with our combined effort.


    In the end, we have lost twenty-four men in this battle alone. The numbers were quite sobering to us all. Adding that to the nine dead in the previous skirmish against the dark elves, and it turns out that we have practically lost a third of our army in a few days. When we left the outpost, we counted ninety-five people, including me. Now it was only sixty-two. Not even speaking of the eight more seriously injured and about twenty more that were with moderate injuries, most of those could still fight but were obviously not so effective.


    ¡°This is terrible.¡± ¡ª I voiced out my thoughts, standing at the edge of the grave made for our fallen.


    The dwarfs standing close enough to hear my words grunted in agreement. I noticed that aside from rare exceptions; they remained calm and collected. Even as the last of the fallen soldier¡¯s body was placed into the grave.


    They must have been used to such scenarios. Which was a telling sign of how dangerous the deep roads were...


    When the last body was lowered into the grave.


    I ordered my golem to bury the remains with the shattered combination of rocks and earth that it dug out previously and was currently towered up by the edges of the graves.


    It followed my order with silent motions.


    Giving the entire process a solemn atmosphere.


    I stole a few glances at the mostly unfamiliar faces of dwarfs surrounding the place. Saw as they watched on with their stony exteriors. Watched as their long time companions vanished under the accumulating layers of earth and rock, shoved over their lifeless bodies like a cold, dark blanket engulfing them for eternity.


    I glanced down into the dark hole as my thoughts wandered back to Earth.


    For the first time since I came here, I entertained the thought of what might have happened with my original body. I was most likely long since buried similarly as these warriors were. That or maybe my body was cremated?


    I guess I will never know¡­


    One thought, lead to another, and many of my memories from Earth, along with my family, or what was left of it, came to mind.


    I felt myself tear up. Those memories, memories which I intentionally avoided in the last two weeks, were unwilling to stay ignored anymore. They burst at the surface, breaking through the shock and trauma of my death, and seemed to come at me with a force never before witnessed.


    I stayed there, among the circle of grieving dwarfs, and couldn¡¯t quite stop my flowing tears. I raised my arms to dry my tears, only to realise that my arms were once again trembling.


    My eyes widened slowly, as a realisation came over me.


    I should have expected this¡­ The overaccumulation of stress in the last few weeks began to show its effects. I might be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. All because of the immense tension my mind was exposed to.


    Dying and being reborn in a different world as a different race and opposite gender wasn¡¯t so easy on the mind in the end¡­ Even if I didn¡¯t feel the mental strain, it was still there, and its effect couldn¡¯t be ignored forever.


    I definitely need rest, and a lot of it.


    I shouldn¡¯t have accepted this task to begin with¡­ I am not of this world, and need time and effort to adapt to it. However, I couldn¡¯t quite turn their request down since I didn¡¯t tell the dwarfs the truth, nor do I intend to. Aside from that, I am a part of the company now. Which is kind of necessary since I need money and they offered me a generous amount.


    It was a pity that I couldn¡¯t just go and visit the local psychologist. Even if I could, I believe that it would be unwise to share the exact nature of my problem¡­ It would likely only achieve to provide me a ticket to the loony wing.


    I sighed¡­


    Then I felt a hand being placed on my shoulder compassionately. I turned towards the owner of that hand, and couldn¡¯t help but offer a serene smile as I saw that it belonged to Emrum.


    ¡°¡­ You shouldn¡¯t be walking around yet.¡± ¡ª Was the first thing that came to my mind and I spoke it without a second thought, lightly admonishing the stubborn man who was the closest person to me in this new and terrifying world.


    He took in my appearance, giving a light squeeze to my shoulder. ¡ª ¡°It is not your fault.¡± ¡ª Emrum said matter-of-factly. No doubt believing that I was crying because of the fallen dwarves and what the young man said to me back then.


    Maybe¡­ I was, in a sense.


    Thinking about that young dwarf, I realized that I could see him.


    His eyes were red from the tears and his expression dark, but there was no longer that startling frenzy filling his gaze.


    Our eyes met accidentally. I might have stared at him a bit too long¡­


    I saw his eyes widen seeing my state, then his expression was overcome by shame. He eventually gave me a slow, hesitant nod, then looked away, avoiding my gaze.


    He was not in his right mind back then. I knew that¡­ and easily accepted his subtle apology.


    Emrum silently watched our exchange and gave another brief squeeze to my shoulder before lifting his hand. ¡ª ¡°He is a good lad, don¡¯t hold it against him¡­ Terror, grief, but among all guilt could drive a man to do unprecedented things. His father died to save the boy¡¯s life. The old crook took the blade in place of his son willingly. I asked around a bit. It turns out there was nothing for you to heal to begin with. He died almost instantly.¡± ¡ª Emrum whispered in my ear.


    I nodded, a bit surprised by this statement. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been, since the man was clearly in shock, he might didn¡¯t understand or wasn¡¯t willing to accept that his father died.


    I accepted Emrum¡¯s words and nodded while the grave was slowly filled to the brim. Then the golem went over to the other hole and started to fill it, too. After all¡­ even goblins deserve to be buried if there is an opportunity to do so.


    I tightened my grasp around my staff. Gathering the courage to share a knowledge about what lays beyond the last exhale of man. My palm felt a bit sweaty, tensing around the magical staff.


    Then I spoke up.


    In the silent, almost suffocating atmosphere, my unusual feminine voice started to softly echo through the cave. ¡ª ¡°Up, on the surface¡­ and even above that, there is a strange thing which we call the sky¡­ In daytime, it has a soft blue color stretching above us as far as the eye can see. At the hour of dawn and twilight, it turns to many shades of red and orange. While at night, it becomes black, filled with countless twinkling lights. Lights that we call stars.¡±


    ¡°The sky is not the end of things, however. Far beyond the sky among the curtain of twinkling lights, a Silver River flows, connecting everything with creation¡±.


    ¡°Death may be the end of one journey, but there is another already waiting beyond the horizon. We just cannot see it until we step over the boundaries of our mortality.¡±


    As my speech ended. It left behind an exalted atmosphere lingering inside the dark cave. The dwarfs appreciatively nodded to my words. A sense of warmth returning to those stoic expressions.


    I believed that most of them didn¡¯t take those words for more than my way of expressing sympathy.


    I didn¡¯t mind it¡­ I myself have searched for the truth for so long, and I couldn¡¯t just believe whatever people said, not until I could experience it.


    Words, after all, no matter how flowery or powerful they were, were unable to carry the true essence of those same experiences which they struggled to describe.


    There was a limit to human empathy.


    When both of the graves were buried, I silently ordered the golem to move back to its original place, as its actions were quickly draining my reserves.


    I, along with my golem, quickly excused ourselves. It was high time for a long awaited rest.

 Chapter 34. Settling in

    Ancient Magic of Creation, otherwise known as Divine Transmutation. A ritual based rune type magic whispered to be the language of the gods.


    One of the few magic types that is widely acknowledged to have a direct connection to the divines.


    In theory, it is capable of creating anything. While in reality, the magic consumes so much mana to create the simplest of things, that it has never actually been utilised in any meaningful way outside of the realm of the divines.


    Aside from that, the magic runes which allow one to wield such power are extremely complicated and, above all, are considered closely guarded secrets by the precious few magical organisations that were old- and prestigious enough to have gathered some of the working runes.


    It is true that the holy syllables hold little to no practical value, but they are still hunted zealously by various religious organisations solely because of their connection to the divines. Priests of various religions also believe that the runes can be used to communicate with the gods.


    Naturally, there are also those that intend to learn from the magic the runes doubtlessly contain, hoping to further their own magical understanding.


    The language of the gods as of today still remains to be incomplete.


    Extract from the Encyclopedia of Magic. Assembled and published by the Red Tower under the leadership of Archmage Thuridan.


    ~oOo~


    I sat down next to the barely blinking flames of one of our campfires. Light streaks of smoke were gently billowing from the remaining cinders.


    Both my body and soul felt drained as I once again disconnected my magic from the golem. It was a serious strain to use that thing. My shoulders sagged as a long sigh escaped my chest.


    What a day this was¡­


    Sitting there, taking deep breaths, I attempted to relax and clear my mind of today¡¯s turmoil, only to be distracted by the itching sensations all over my body.


    I glanced down, grimacing as I saw in the dim light of the dieing fire how ragged and dirty my recently washed clothes have become.


    It seemed ludicrous to be annoyed by such things as being dirty after such a day. Yet, that was exactly what I was feeling right now. Not that I could do anything about it in these conditions.


    I attempted to scrub off some of the mud and dust from my black pants with my fingers, and succeeded in a measure. Yet I soon decided to stop the futile attempt, as the results were not worth the effort.


    The mood was depressing around the campsite. The previously jovial and excited conversations following our victory have long since faded into nothingness. Giving way to the sober reality of loss and grief.


    Only the occasional whispers and the pained grunts of the injured broke the silence of the cave.


    I took one last look at my thin and feminine arms and legs. Those pristine white fingers¡­ now were covered in grime and blood. Yet, the gentle curves of the limbs kept giving off a sense of soft flexibility. Alas, all those subtle differences and curves were just at the wrong places compared to what I was used to.


    The sight was still disturbing to me.


    Especially when I allowed myself the luxury to think about it.


    No matter how I tried to come to peace with this situation, it was not something one can so simply accept. This was not my body, but at the same time, it was. It was created specifically for me. Therefore, it¡¯s not like I stole it from someone, like it often happened in one of those stories I read back in the hospital¡­


    I opened and closed my thin fingers while staring at the repetitive movement, deeply lost in my thoughts.


    I was unwilling to doubt the decisions of a God, who I have personally met and saw some of his dimensions of power. Which so clearly has regarded the planes of life and death.


    I have often wondered about this question back on Earth. The question of what made a God into an actual God. Was it the belief that people put into such entities? Or was it the unusually high ethical sensitivity that it introduced us to?


    Some believed that gods were created by men, and therefore they were a manifestation of belief. Which meant that gods were not actually immortal, and they died just like men did. Look at the ancient greek gods, for example, or the egyptian ones.


    All those gods have died with the last people who believed in them. Even in the time of their existence, those gods were bound by their human nature, and often committed human mistakes.


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    Alas, with some of our modern religions, this was a lot harder and more complicated question to contemplate.


    I shook my head as a stretched out yawn broke loose from my throat.


    ~oOo~


    By the words of Emrum, bless the paragons for their mercy.


    The next two days went by in a rush.


    I thought, while crashing down on my sleeping bag. I was utterly spent, already feeling the distant pulsating headache which has nested itself into the back of my head and seemed to become my constant companion these days.


    The now way too familiar sign of mana deprivation.


    I was constantly low on mana, being forced to use it up every time some of it gathered back.


    Alas, it was over now. We have closed the last of the unnecessary entrances into the new outpost. We eventually did it.


    A long relieved exhale left my mouth as I stretched out on my sleeping bag. This great sense of accomplishment managing to brighten my mood against all my weariness.


    Between closing the tunnels, and occasionally healing the injured, my mana was being drained quicker than I could say. Oh, hell no. I didn¡¯t mind it, though; it had to be done, and it was finally done. There were no more heavily injured dwarfs waiting for my assistance, nor tunnels that had to be buried.


    The rest will be handled by the dwarfs, which means I have nothing else to do now or tomorrow.


    I grimaced, feeling something stuck under my back. It was no wonder I practically dropped on the sleeping bag with my fool gear on.


    I groaned and turned over to my belly, as the discomfort was too much to ignore. Only to be reminded why I recently forgone sleeping on my stomach entirely as now it was my chest¡­ well, breasts that felt uncomfortable.


    After another burst of frustration and some effort, I rolled over to my side, finding an acceptable compromise.


    I sighed in satisfaction when I finally found myself in a reasonably comfortable position.


    Yet, my mind was not ready to rest, it seems. My memories of the last two days danced before me between the narrow line that differentiated sleep from consciousness.


    Reliving those memories, I had but a single thought.


    We were lucky¡­


    After the battle with the goblins, we weren¡¯t bothered by them again. A reasonable choice on their part, I would say since the first defeat proved quite devastating and my golem was still standing in front of the main entrance to our new outpost.


    Of course, our scouts have spotted many goblin scouts, but there was no sign of their army, meaning that they didn¡¯t intend to attack as, not yet at least.


    With my help, the dwarfs have managed to reinforce the outpost, and while it lacked the comforts of the other outpost, it was reasonably safe.


    They have even installed two metal doors, closing off the inner caves for good.


    Of course, these metal doors were not as powerful as the ones set up in the other outpost, not much of a surprise, since these were brought along by the dwarfs while being disassembled in smaller parts and only put together recently.


    Seeing this, my curiosity was piqued, and I asked Emrum how they intend to transport those other doors here, to which he chuckled at me good-naturedly.


    Then he grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me to an empty section of the inner caves. Where he pointed at the rocky wall that was filled with dark grey spots glinting in the torchlight, with the occasional rust like discoloration.


    Iron veins, he told me.


    Then explained that those doors are not brought into the deep roads. Because of their weight and the difficult terrain here. Instead, the iron is mined in the outposts or near them, and forged right on the spot. There will be a smithy here, and a mine as well, set up inside that very chamber.


    First, however, we have to secure the road between the two outposts. And for that, we will have to get rid of that goblin nest.


    We have already sent men to report back of our success. First to the main outpost, and from then the news will travel back to the kingdom through the caravans. In the best-case scenario, we will receive a new company of dwarfs as reinforcement, but at the very least, more soldiers and new equipment.


    Our forces will be reinforced in a few weeks.


    With those happy thoughts lingering in my mind, I eventually closed my eyes and fell asleep.


    ~oOo~


    Selora¡¯s personal notes on magic.


    1. Light creation, no incantation.


    2. Light shield, no incantation.


    3. Telekinesis, no incantation.


    4. Healing touch: ¡°By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command thy wound, heal!¡±


    5. Lightning blast: ¡°Ancient storms of the ethereal planes, I Selora servant of creation, summon thy power to eradicate my foe!¡±


    6. Earth spike forest: ¡°I call forth the power that laid dormant since ancient times. Awaken now, the hour is due to unleash your righteous fury. I, Selora, servant of creation, shall witness thy inexorable rage!¡±


    7. Firestorm: ¡°Blazing spirit of hellfire, molten fury and dragon storm. Hear my woe and obey my command! Burn the darkness which opposes creation. Let their ash scatter through thy baleful wind. By the name of Axis, God of creation, I Selora, Witch of the Silver River, open thy gates of hell!¡±


    8. Earth wall: ¡°Heed my call and come forth, sleeping powers, hidden beneath my feet. I, Selora, servant of creation, demand your obedience, raise!¡±


    9. Pyroblast: ¡°Fire of the earth, with the power to shatter mountains and blacken the skys. Come forth now, awaken your brightest glory! For I, Selora, servant of creation, demand your obedience!¡±


    10. Golem summoning: ¡°From mountain to rock, from rock to pebble, from pebble to sand and sand to mud. The world¡¯s foundation! Earth is the one that carries all life on its rigid back. The one which we trample, the one that we use and the one that shall shake the world anew. Pray, pray that its ancient anger may never spark with blind fury.¡±


    11. Storm summoning:


    12. Ancient magic of creation: rune drawing


    13. Blood magic

 Chapter 35. Talk over breakfast

    The next day started unusually slow for me. Especially after those chaotic days. I slept about twelve hours straight. At least, that was what Emrum told me.


    I was willing to believe it, since I, for the first time in three days, didn¡¯t have a pulsing headache to torment me.


    To be honest, I felt quite great, like I was overflowing with energy. It was a strange, but a welcomed feeling. On a whim, I focused my mind internally, attempting to feel up my mana.


    The moment I did, I smiled at the joyful discovery.


    My power has grown considerably under the pressure. I have already noticed that draining my magic daily, or perhaps simply using it, has previously expanded my capacity.


    That still seemed to be the case.


    The difference was not tremendous, but noticeable. Where I would have faltered after six lightning blasts previously. Now I could manage seven, maybe even eight.


    This has further strengthened my suspicion that magic capacity worked somewhat similarly to muscles. It grows stronger under strain and weakens when unused.


    I smiled at that, a sense of satisfaction and comfort filling my soul.


    I feared that my powers will be constrained at my current state. Now, I knew that this was not the case, and even if there is a limit to my magic, it was not yet reached.


    My spells were undoubtedly powerful, but they left me winded and weak too quickly as they were now. However, if I can but double my current power pool, it will open entirely new perspectives to me.


    Seeing my growth in but a few weeks, I have almost already doubled my magical capacity once. In sight of that, doing it one more time might not be entirely impossible.


    And even if I can¡¯t, I will have to stretch it to the furthest.


    Be that as it may, I have absolutely no intention of bringing another torturous headache on myself right now. When you got to my age, you learn a few things about patience, at least most of the times.


    Rushing things without taking a proper rest rarely ends well, and I have no such intentions when not pressured by circumstances, at least.


    I have also heard that the guys managed to set up the well yesterday. This means I am going to finally rid myself of all this dirt.


    Gods be praised!


    ~oOo~


    An hour later, I was sitting in the main chamber of the new outpost in the company of numerous dwarves. I felt refreshed. Being clean and rested for the first time in about a week was heaven on Earth¡­ well, Rixa¡­ I guess.


    My hair was still wet, and I was wearing one of Emrum¡¯s spare clothes, so I don¡¯t have to wear my dirty clothes, at least not before they dry up. I have already washed them and placed them out to dry on one of the recently set up drying rack.


    Apparently, it wasn¡¯t only me who wasn¡¯t enjoying being covered in dried blood and mud for days.


    Since the place had a natural source of water, which wasn¡¯t considered rare around here. Even in our travels, we often walked by minor water sources. One time, I even saw a real underground river.


    The water here was shockingly clean, to the point that you could straight out drink it and would likely get away with it. In case if you even boiled it, then you had nothing to worry about.


    I would have never even consider drinking water like this back on Earth. In my younger days¡­ the water was a lot clearer, but even then it wasn¡¯t clean enough. In my grandparents¡¯ time, however, it was different.


    Actually, it was a relief seeing that this world wasn¡¯t covered in plastic waste. Nature was still thriving in this world, unsullied from the marks of industry.


    ¡°Oy lass, have you eaten anything yet?¡± ¡ª An unexpected shout scattered my thoughts.


    I looked up and saw Tum and Skod walking in my direction. I was sitting on a rock that was covered with a thick blanket and placed around a larger rock, which was serving as an impromptu table.


    There were many similar formations in this chamber. No surprise there. Rock was practically the only thing, aside from dangerous creatures, that we had in abundance here.


    Therefore, it was a tendency to use them for any possible purpose.


    Of course, in time, those rocks will be sculpted by the hands of these dwarfs into shapes that at times could be considered quite artistic.


    There is much beauty in such simplistic forms, which are perfectly capable to fulfill their given purpose, while lacking unnecessary elements. Based on what I have seen from dwarven architecture, it is intrinsically minimalistic in nature.


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    One could also say that dwarven buildings from grand to small are made to last. It¡¯s not that surprising, since they are either melted from metals, or carved from stones.


    I wonder how an actual dwarven city looks like? Is it similar, or those minimalist styles are nothing more but the consequences of circumstances?


    I guess I will find out when we eventually get back to the kingdom.


    Anyway, it was not the time to linger on such thoughts. I shook my head sideways towards my companions, indicating that I had yet to eat anything.


    Skod snorted at that, saying to Tum intentionally loud enough for me to hear it. ¡ª ¡°Of course she doesn¡¯t. Just look at her, an elf princess, through and through. She obviously preferred to be hungry while clean instead of eating while being covered in grime.¡±


    Tum mirrored his friend¡¯s snort while shaking his head in amusement.


    I was less amused by their banter. Just about to argue with them over that frustrating title, but when I spotted the plates of food they were bringing along filled with the familiar sweet meat which I have grown quite fond of over these weeks. I decided to do otherwise.


    ¡°I see that the hunt was finally successful.¡± ¡ª I stated with a smile. It has been a chore to get used to the new surroundings for the hunters. The men kept complaining about having to eat the less savory rations even two days after getting a foothold here.


    Tum nodded with a satisfied smile, while dropping down heavily on one of the blanket covered rocks placed around the larger rock serving as our table.


    ¡°Aye, it has. But don¡¯t get used to it, lass. Those pests have practically hunted this region clean. It was sheer luck that we managed to capture two earthworms, big enough to feed us for a few days if we pair them up with rations¡­¡±


    I was already eating from the plate that was generously tossed in front of me when my hand froze before reaching for the next bite.


    ¡°Earthworm?¡± ¡ª I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. ¡ª ¡°Is this meat from earthworms? Now that¡¯s quite interesting¡­ I have never thought that earthworms would have such a sweet taste.¡±


    The two dwarfs sitting across me exchanged a look, then I saw a few coins changing hands. Skod looking quite smug while Tum acted like he didn¡¯t care at all.


    I blinked slowly, realizing what was going on. ¡ª ¡°What was the bet?¡± ¡ª I asked while biting into another piece.


    Skod chuckled hearing my question, but answered just the same. ¡ª ¡°Tumnus over there, was pretty sure that you will freak out when we told you what was the menu today. I told him that you are not that type of girl, and I was damn right about it. Earning me a fair bit of coin, too.¡±


    Tum scoffed at the other end of the table, finally allowing his sour expression to be seen.


    Skod turned towards him with an annoying smile. ¡ª ¡°I told you, that someone who mends wounds like that won¡¯t care about this stuff.¡±


    Tum crossed his arms over his chest and said. ¡ª ¡°And I told you, that this has nothing to do with that. My cousin Esli works as a body mender in one of the Marble Halls and she is still afraid of bugs. Last time she found a spider, I almost went deaf from the shriek.¡±


    Skod chuckled at that, and even I snorted, listening to the man¡¯s retelling of the unfortunate event.


    ¡°To be fair.¡± ¡ª I started. ¡ª ¡°I was quite surprised that this food was harvested from worms. Especially because the texture doesn¡¯t have any similarity to regular worms. I would think that it has to be softer, almost gelatinous?¡±


    The two dwarfs laughed at that, drawing quite a bit of attention to our table.


    After they stopped their unexpected fit of laughter, Tum attempted to explain while fighting down his jovial mood what was so funny.


    ¡°Lora¡­ these beasts have nothing similar to regular worms¡­ aside from their shape, maybe. Their length varies between ten and a hundred feet. A great source of food they are, since most of their bodies are made up from muscle and fat.¡±


    Skod chose that moment to join the explanation. ¡ª ¡°Aside from that, they are not too dangerous. You just have to watch out for the teeth.¡± ¡ª He added with a smile.


    ¡°The teeth?¡± ¡ª I asked, unable to contain my surprise.


    "Aye,¡± ¡ª Tum continued the explanation. ¡ª ¡°they have a circular mouth with hundreds of sharp teeth. Dark elves tend to use them as arrowheads.¡± ¡ª He stated with a grim smile. Then continued. ¡ª ¡°They are quite easy to kill, the worms I mean¡­ What is hard about capturing them is to find them. It requires specific hunting gear and a secret method to lure them out.¡±


    I gave the man a look and said. ¡ª ¡°A secret method, really now?¡± ¡ª I complained, thinking that I have shown them quite a few secret techniques as well regarding my magic spells.


    He was mercilessly elbowed in his side by Skod.


    He squirmed for a while under our unified stare, then nodded slowly. ¡ª ¡°Well¡­ if you are really interested I might teach you sometimes.¡±


    I smiled at that and said. ¡ª ¡°Thank you.¡±


    To which Tum looked to the side and coughed lightly. ¡ª ¡°Anyway, as you have noted, the taste is quite nice with the right seasoning, so it is a favoured dwarven cuisine even back in the capital.¡±


    I nodded, accepting the explanation. ¡ª ¡°Your culture is quite interesting. I must say, it¡¯s a wonder how well you have adapted to these inhospitable mines and tunnels.¡±


    They smiled at that.


    Skod spoke up next after we silently continued our breakfast for a while. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s nothing unusual. I bet you would have a few things to teach us regarding living in a forest as well.¡±


    My smile flattened hearing Skod¡¯s expectations. I must have made quite a sour face since both of my companions noticed how uncomfortable I have become.


    I coughed lightly, seeing their worried exchange of looks. ¡ª ¡°I wonder about that¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be that surprised if it was the other way around¡­ You see¡­ I have lived in a town most of my lifetime. Obviously, I have seen forests and even walked in them, but was never put into a situation that I had to forage for a living. Well, if you ignore the occasional fishing trip, or the opportunistic raiding of a blackberry bush, anyway.¡±


    The men exchanged a surprised glance, then Tum asked with a teasing tone. ¡ª ¡°Are you sure that you are really not a princess?¡±


    I rolled my eyes, unable to contain my annoyance.


    He smacked his palm on the table with a burst of laughter, seeing my reaction.


    Skod chuckled as well, then added with a light shake of his head. ¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it girl, it¡¯s not like she elves regularly track the forests and stuff. It¡¯s not that they can¡¯t, more like they prefer to stay home. It¡¯s quite common, actually, aside from the wood elfs and the dark elves, as far as I am aware. Since you weren¡¯t exactly raised by elves, but humans, I would say it¡¯s even expected.¡±


    ¡°Either way, you are young, and have a literal eternity to learn.¡± ¡ª Tum added.


    I stared into the middle of my mostly emptied plate. Let¡¯s hope that you are right about that Tum¡­

 Chapter 36. Unexpected news

    A few hours have passed since our conversation at the dining hall. In the meantime, having nothing important to do, I was aimlessly loitering around the inner caves. Checking out my drying clothes, and looking at the dwarfs going around like ants.


    The metaphor was quite spot on, being underground and in tunnels. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought, kicking up my legs unconsciously while sitting on the side of a natural outcropping protruding from one wall.


    It was a strange thing, brimming with energy like this. I have almost forgotten what it felt like to be young. The times when I had trouble with containing my energy. It was a struggle to sit in one place, having so much energy felt almost wasteful.


    I also understood that I have grown used to many items of convenience. Among them one was my laptop. In times like these, I felt a strong urge to just open it up and spend my time surfing on the web, watching movies, or just reading some novels or news.


    I was considered an old man, but I was a modern old man, at least. Well, I still disliked smartphones, like any old guy worth its salt. I mean, seriously, every damn icon was so small, and clicking on anything with my thick fingers was a pain in the¡­ well. Anyway¡­ Just who the hell thought that using your fingers to click on anything on a screen is a good idea? You literally cover your field of view with your finger, not even knowing what you are activating¡­ I didn¡¯t even mention writing a message, the autocorrect¡­ ah¡­ Let¡¯s not go there.


    I sighed, shooing away the disturbing thoughts.


    Still, at least my half cast pyroblast worked as intended. Throwing a pair of heated rocks into my bucket of water has managed to warm it up.


    It was not a real hot bath, since there were no bathtubs here, not yet at least, but it was the best I managed since coming here.


    My ears twitched lightly. I think I have heard my name called just now. I focused my hearing, the echoes of my immediate surroundings quickly faded into the background. This elven hearing was extremely useful, even if I only started to grasp the top of the iceberg.


    It was nothing short of magic, and I believed that it actually was. I mean¡­ there is no way that the slight difference in my ears¡¯ shape and length compared to human ears could make up that much of a difference.


    I focused my mind. There, indeed; I caught my name somewhere a few chambers away from my current location. And if I am not mistaken, at least based on the voice, then it was Emrum who was currently searching for me.


    I opened my eyes, dropping my hyper focus, while simultaneously pushing off the ledge, my feet touching the ground comfortably more than a meter below. I straightened up, brushing my black hairlocks out of my face.


    I turned halfway back, looking up at the height from which I had just jumped off leisurely.


    I have to give it to Lord Axis. The body of an elf was something else. My ears twitched again as I heard the familiar voice impatiently calling out my name.


    I turned forward and started to walk into the direction of the sound, while fishing out my hairband from one of my pockets and putting my black locks into a simple tail.


    I was getting the hang of it. In times like this, I felt that it was not so different. Being a woman, I mean.


    ~oOo~


    A few minutes later.


    ¡°Ah, there you are, lass! I was searching for you all over this damn place. One would think that you can¡¯t lose someone in an enclosed tunnel, haha!¡±


    I smiled at him, waving towards Emrum in a friendly gesture. ¡ª ¡°I know, I heard you shouting my name. You would have been searching for a while yet if I didn¡¯t come in front of you.¡±


    Emrum¡¯s eyes widened a bit before he waved my words off. ¡ª ¡°Aye, those ears of yours are sharp as ever, lass.¡±


    I nodded with a smile. ¡ª ¡°Why were you looking for me?¡± ¡ª I asked.


    ¡°Oh, well¡­ I just remembered that I have taken you in the clan and all¡­¡± ¡ª He blushed like a torch at the memory of a certain encounter. I had a suspicion of what that might be, but thought it wiser to ignore it.


    He coughed awkwardly, then continued. ¡ª ¡°What I mean is that I didn¡¯t have the right opportunity to tell you what being an honorable member of our clan entails. There are a few things you should know. The rules are quite straightforward, nothing unreasonable, I assure you. Hmm¡­ why don¡¯t we find an empty spot and talk it over, feel free to ask any questions after I explained the basics.¡±


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    Oh, yeah¡­ That was a thing that happened¡­ I honestly forgot about it in all this chaos. More like¡­ I tried my best to forget about it. The whole situation from start to the end was awkward.


    Even so, I understood the necessity to talk this over, and nodded, signalling Emrum that it was alright.


    He smiled at that and beckoned me over. ¡ª ¡°Wonderful, now let¡¯s find a nice spot and get this over with.¡±


    ~oOo~


    Not long after, we found a silent place in the corner of a mostly empty chamber. Sitting down on the edge of a pair of boulders.


    I looked at Emrum, waiting for him to start his explanation. I didn¡¯t have to wait for long.


    The man whetted his throat lightly while brushing his long red beard in a habitual way. ¡ª ¡°As you know, the Dimhollow clan is a warrior clan. Meaning, our clan has provided skilled warriors to the dwarven armies for many generations. For which service we have received the noble clan status over five hundreds years prior to this day.¡±


    ¡°What you need to know about our clan members is this. They are straightforward in their approach, quite stubborn and can be pretty harsh with their words. So don¡¯t take anything they say too seriously. They will mellow out in time, I promise you that. I am a bit of an exception regarding my manners, you see¡­¡±


    I nodded, waiting for him to continue.


    ¡°You being a part of our clan¡­ Where should I start¡­ Ah! The ring, yes¡­ The ring I gave you is enchanted, as you know. It is part of a system of enchanted items interconnected with one another. A bunch of rings and similar trinkets connected to an enchanted stone tablet.¡±


    I nodded, furrowing my brows as I focused on the explanation. This was starting to sound like some sort of wireless connection created through magical items.


    ¡°Well, what matters is this. When you put on the ring, your name, race, gender, age and a few of your characteristics appearance wise, have been stored by the magic, and sent over to the tablet. Showcasing your addition to the clan for all to see¡­ Ah, you see¡­ The stone tablet is hanged over one of the walls of the main hall. It also serves as a tool to watch over the lives of the main branch members. If someone falls in battle, or dies in any other way, their name will darken, as if covered in black soot.¡±


    I nodded, with a surprised expression. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s quite a useful magical enchantment.¡± ¡ª I stated, my words filled with a genuine sense of awe. Every day, I seemed to learn something new about magic, even when I didn¡¯t even try.


    Emrum smiled at that, a sense of pride warming his expression. Before he continued his explanation. ¡ª ¡°Yes well, thank you¡­ but the thing is¡­ When the elders noticed your unexpected addition to our family tree under my name, and saw your race and age, it caused a bit of a commotion. The sort that ended with flying tables and a few broken bones.¡± ¡ª Emrum stated with a grim expression.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the joke. My laughter quickly stifled out when I saw his serious expression, though.


    ¡°You mean¡­ that was not a joke? Seriously?¡± ¡ª I gulped.


    He gulped and said, a bit of sweat covering his forehead. ¡ª ¡°Aye¡­ Regarding the current political situation with the elves¡­ it¡¯s not really that big of a surprise¡­¡±


    We stayed silent for a bit, thinking through the things with complicated expressions.


    I took a shaky breath and asked. ¡ª ¡°So¡­ they didn¡¯t take it well?¡±


    Emrum snorted. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s one word for it¡­ I just got a letter. We have been ordered back to the Kingdom, immediately. It is a first priority order, given by the authority of the king. Our clan elder wants to see you, and my wife is probably going to skin me alive.¡± ¡ª He added the last part in a whisper, probably not intended for me to hear, alas my elf ears were on autopilot now.


    I blinked, processing the unexpected information, and asked. ¡ª ¡°Why is that?¡±


    His eyes widened slightly, surprised by my question. He cursed, then said eventually. ¡ª ¡°I guess it¡¯s high time for me to tell you this¡­ I hoped that we could get to know each-other a bit better before, but that¡¯s no longer an option. You remember me mentioning that your name appeared right under my own?¡±


    I nodded silently, already expecting which way this conversation will go.


    ¡°It means that I have taken you as my adopted daughter, Selora. Without asking my wife. When she gets to know the story of why I exactly did this, there will be hell to pay. You being a smartypants can probably put together the rest¡­¡±


    I stared at Emrum, imagining what my old wife would have done to me if I adopted a child out of the blue without even mentioning it to her. My face paled rapidly as cold shivers went through my body.


    I slowly stepped over to the troubled dwarf and placed my soothing hand over his large shoulder. He looked up at me while I looked him in the eye with a sympathetic gaze that only those of married men could understand.


    We shared a moment as I patted his shoulder gently. ¡ª ¡°It will be alright, Emrum¡­ I will be there and try to help you out, I promise.¡±


    He sighed, listening to my words. ¡ª ¡°She will probably beat you as well, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Wo-would she now, really?¡± ¡ª I asked, in an unusually high-pitched tone, even for my current voice.


    The answer was quick and honest.


    ¡°Aye¡­¡±


    I gulped heavily, finding my worries turning in an unexpected way. Those goblins looked a lot less dangerous all of a sudden.


    My smile strained as I asked. ¡ª ¡°When are we going?¡±


    Emrum sighed. ¡ª ¡°Tomorrow morning, we are heading back with the caravan. It is waiting for us back in the main outpost. They even sent us spare mounts with the messenger.


    ¡°Mounts?¡± ¡ª I asked bewildered.


    ¡°Aye, mountain goats, the only mounts capable of travelling these terrains. I hope you are comfortable in the saddle, lass. Because we are going to ride as fast as we can.¡±


    I sweat dropped hearing those words. I steeled my voice as I spoke up with deadly seriousness.


    ¡°Emrum¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡ª He asked taken aback by my fearful tone.


    ¡°I¡­ actually have never ridden a horse¡­ or anything like that¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 37. A silent goodbye

    The Intelligent Races of Rixa.


    There are many such races living on the surface of Rixa. This is common knowledge even among the less educated populace.


    I do not intend to include all the minor races such as pixies, dryads, various nature spirits, etcetera. Those will be mentioned in a different study, as their numbers are so vast it would be impossible to mention all of their species.


    However, I will write about the major races. Let¡¯s start with the more sophisticated ones.


    Humans, High elves, Forest elves, White elves, Dwarfs, Snake folk and naturally the Guardians.


    While the less sophisticated races, which undoubtedly hold some sort of intellect raising them out of the common rabble, are the followings.


    Dark elves, Orcs, Goblins, Leeches, Trolls, Ogres, Darklings and the Devils.


    While there is a distinct line between the two groups, that does not mean that the members of the two groups always see eye to eye. There have been various conflicts and wars recorded in history to establish this claim.


    However, it shall be stated that in times of great disturbance, these groups tend to put aside their differences and rally under the same banner.


    Extract from the book titled ¡°The Intelligent Races of Rixa¡± written by human scholar Viscanu Winfred.


    ~oOo~


    After a long and anxious night with little to no ideal sleep. I was standing outside of the newly captured outpost and currently looking into the eyes of an unusually large black goat that had a saddle on its back and a few more backpacks hanging from its side here and there.


    This particular specimen was the calmest of the three goats at hand.


    After my unfortunate revelation yesterday, I was immediately put through a crash course in the literal sense. Since I had fallen off the goats¡¯ backs more times than I could count.


    It was indeed fortunate that I had that healing magic, otherwise I would be covered in bruises and probably have a minor concussion right now.


    In the end, it turned out that this black goat was the one that was most compatible with my inaptitude.


    Of course, after the second time I landed face first in the dirt, I complained to Emrum if we couldn¡¯t just ride the same mount. Only to get dispirited by his explanation.


    Goats are not horses. The fact that these can be used as mounts at all is already an extreme achievement. Carrying two adult riders was even beyond the capabilities of these uniquely strong ones. Apparently, goats have weak backs compared to horses. How would I know that?


    Therefore, I was forced to climb back into the saddle with a disgruntled expression.


    I sighed. Glaring at the goat won¡¯t resolve anything, and I didn¡¯t want to think about the torture I went through yesterday. It has completely ruined my supposedly calm afternoon.


    I carefully reached into my coat, searching through my inner pockets until I managed to find the item I was looking for. With a slow, hesitant movement, I pulled out a small sized carrot.


    The moment the goat saw it, its lazy and otherwise uninterested gaze focused on the carrot. It¡¯s eyes following it as if hypnotized by the sight¡­


    I whetted my throat and spoke to the beast.


    ¡°Look¡­ I know that we don¡¯t exactly see eye to eye¡­¡± ¡ª ¡°Me-e-e-e-eee!¡± ¡ª ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t interrupt me, I know, okay? Let¡¯s make a deal. I will give you this carrot and you won¡¯t leave me in the dirt, because there is more from where this came from! Alright? I will give those to you when we arrive, I promise!¡±


    The goat seemed to consider my offer for a while. When I didn¡¯t hear more protest, I finally offered the carrot, and it quickly bit down on it and swallowed the vegetable in a few bites.


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    I couldn¡¯t help but smile and pat its side gently while it was too focused on eating. You can be surprisingly amiable at times like this.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I hope you liked it because that carrot caused me quite a headache yesterday.¡± ¡ª I stated in a whisper.


    Since there were no carrots among our rations, I had to use my creation magic to manifest one. The remainder of my mana, after using quite a few healing spells on myself, was only enough to create a small one, though. I hope there will be carrots in the other outpost because I don¡¯t really want to waste more mana on such a miserable exchange.


    Using a third of my mana for a small carrot after drawing runes in a circle for an hour sounded too shameful for me to even tell to Emrum.


    Well, at least I know that the runes actually work. It is high time to create that toothbrush rinsing my mouth with water only goes so far after all. I also need some toothpaste, probably.


    I have drawn the runes on the back of the letter which were brought to us by a runner, along with our mounts, since I had no other paper at hand, and Emrum gave it to me either way.


    The thing was folded in my pocket with a circle of runes drawn on its back that filled with enough magic can create carrots. If I wanted to manifest something else, I will have to draw a new array of runes for the magic to follow my intention. It takes quite a time since the runes are finicky and you have to precisely write down what you want them to do.


    The runes were characters of a language after all. If I wanted to translate down what I was writing into the array, it would sound something like this. Transmute air into carrot, permanent transmutation, complete transmutation.


    Before I drew the runes on the letter, I read it as well, not that there was much to read to begin with. The whole thing was made from a few lines of hastily written words that practically ordered us to get back to the kingdom immediately. There were a few large stamps on the lower side, turning it into an official order.


    Emrum told me when I asked that the emblem with the pair of interlocked crowns was the emblem of the dwarven twin kingdoms when referred together. Consisting of the Kingdom of the North and the Kingdom of the South. While the emblem with the simple black circle left empty on the inside is the emblem of the Dimhollow clan.


    Now that he mentioned it, I have noticed this marking on his armor and shield. It was so simplistic that I didn¡¯t think that they were actual clan markings.


    Emrum told me that I will get my equipment after the misunderstandings were handled back in the clan. I didn¡¯t have a problem with my current clothes, but the idea of getting an actual armor with unique clan markings have excited me.


    Aside from that, simply having more spare clothes was already good to hear. That way, I won¡¯t have to loan one or stay half naked while the rest dried. That was seriously starting to grate on my nerves. Especially after that infamous incident.


    I shook my head, then hauled myself into the saddle, seeing how Emrum and the runner did the same in front of me. Emrum threw a worried glance over his shoulder in my direction.


    I offered him a hesitant nod, unwilling to let go of the reins even for a second. I have learned my lesson yesterday, falling off the saddle in the most imaginative ways.


    I really felt my age back then, while the mocking saying echoed in my mind. An old dog doesn¡¯t learn new tricks.


    I shook my head, clearing my mind from the memories of my most recent humiliation. My cheeks burned as I remember the roaring laughter of my audience.


    My eyes ticked from the memory alone.


    Well, yes¡­ It seems that the elves are known of their horse and elk riding skills. The sight of an elf that can¡¯t ride is like a dwarf that never held a pickaxe.


    In short, my repeating failure garnered quite a bit of attention and provided a unique entertainment for most of the outpost. At least between the fits of laughter, the bastards shouted some useful tips as well.


    With those memories on my mind, I confidently nudged the sides of the goat, urging it to move forward, following Emrum and the runner, who was called Gror. He had the typical look of a dwarf with a brown beard, hair, and eyes. I attempted to talk to him, but he was unwilling to speak beyond basic pleasantries. Mostly ignoring my questions or giving half hearted grunts as an answer.


    I got the message and left him to his own devices. Most dwarfs needed time to get used to new people, especially to elves. Luckily, after they warmed up to you, they were genuinely kind. Even Regmir had his enjoyable moments, no matter how annoying and self-absorbed he was in ninety percent of the time.


    We were about to depart. I glanced back at the silent chamber, my silver eyes hovering over the intimidating golem that still stood silently by the side of the entrance.


    Without my presence here, it won¡¯t come to life again. However, that was not something the goblins knew. It was a painful reminder to their recent loss.


    With that thought, my eyes turned towards the two mass graves. The silent reminders of the true nature of this world, and even my previous one.


    I whispered a silent prayer to Lord Axis before I looked forward and rushed after the others.


    We departed. It was as simple as that, no long goodbyes or happily waving friends slowly disappearing in the distance. Dwarven warriors did not say goodbye to each other.


    Emrum explained to me yesterday that the finality of saying goodbye was considered a bad omen among the soldiers. Only those who know that they will never meet again told each-other goodbye.


    Just as he said, nobody came to escort us out, and nobody said goodbye to us. No matter how strange the local custom felt to me at first. Now it filled me with a fluttering sense of warmth.


    We were expected back.

 Chapter 38. Thoughts on the road

    In light of our previous mental exercise, today¡¯s subject will be one of those already mentioned races. Namely, humans.


    I believe that detailed explanations are not needed, knowing that the majority who will read this book will share that very same racial aptitude, but for those of different racial origin I will still include a brief explanation.


    Humans are among the short-lived races of Rixa. A trait that those of the long-lived races often seem to treat with an unusual importance and a sense of badly veiled disdain.


    The reason for such a reaction is originated from the simple truth, that our very existence seems to remind those with an elongated lifespan to the inevitable end.


    Naturally, I do not say that all of elven kind shares in this condescending attitude, but it is an unfortunate truth that had been overshadowing our races¡¯ interactions since many eons.


    Even with our short lifespan, we have been proud and productive part of the world. We have mages, kingdoms, political and economic powers rivaling those of the long-lived races and sometimes even overcoming theirs.


    Our ingenuity is acknowledged as one of our strongest points. Only second to our ambition, which is a sight to behold and often criticised by the long-lived ones. Those who can allow themselves to linger for millennia will hardly understand the ambition of humanity.


    In our long shared history, humans have founded close friendship with the dwarven race. A sense of deep kinship has been established between our people.


    While dwarves can have a lifespan that is thrice of those of men, their honour-bound lifestyle rarely allows them to reach such an age. Nor do they desire. Even if they did, they do not meet the categories of long-lived races which start from the milestone of five hundred years. A preposterous milestone that was created by said long-lived ones.


    Beyond the deeper workings of humanity, our kind shares three types of main human groups. Their traits appearance-wise varies between dark, white and yellowish skin color. There are other minor differences, showcased by the following pictures, but they are insignificant. All humans deserve the same level of respect as any other.


    We are the same in every way that counts.


    Extract from the book titled ¡°The Intelligent Races of Rixa¡± written by human scholar Viscanu Winfred.


    ~oOo~


    Our journey back started a bit slowly. The others intentionally gave me time to adjust.


    When I got used to the rhythm of the galloping and occasionally skipping mount, later one being a unique trait of goat mounts, also, it was the reason that caused me so much suffering yesterday.


    Apparently, the key to ride a goat mount was to learn how to anticipate when it is going to skip. No matter how many times the dwarfs told me to notice when the goat slightly tensed up, which naturally signalled that it was going to jump. I continued to miserably fail to do so. It took me the better half of yesterday afternoon to figure it out.


    The issue was that I was too afraid and too tense myself to notice such a subtle change in the goat¡¯s behaviour. After I got used to the ride and fell out of the saddle so many times that I simply stopped caring, I finally noticed the change, and simultaneously realized what the issue was.


    From then onwards, learning how to direct the mount was a walk in the park.


    Anyway, after I have grown accustomed enough, we decided to add to the pace.


    The goats to my surprise were equipped with a strange magical contraption. It worked like a sort of lamp or a large flashlight. It concentrated, focused magical light that had a pale blue shine capable of lighting the tunnels in front of us.


    It was a fascinating contraption that was absolutely necessary for swift travel through the dark caves. To my shame, I didn¡¯t even think about it until now. It would be suicidal to travel with our current speed through the suffocating darkness under the weak light of regular torches.


    We would be practically running into darkness, not knowing when we crash into a wall or run off the edge of a crevice, ending up falling into our death. The thought itself made me shiver in the saddle.


    Instead of thinking about such things, I decided to urge my mount to run up to Emrum¡¯s side.


    When I got there, I was welcomed by the cheesy smile of the dwarf.


    ¡°I see that yesterday¡¯s practice did not go to waste. Not at all. Some of the boys started to doubt that you were truly an elf after seeing how bad your attempts ended at first, but seeing that you practically learned to ride in a day made them shut up for good.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at that before adding. ¡ª ¡°You know, I am pretty sure that your mounts are way harder to ride compared to regular horses.¡±


    A glint of mischief could be seen in Emrum¡¯s eyes before he ended up snorting good naturedly. ¡ª ¡°You are not wrong about that either, but they are considered gentle souls compared to your kind¡¯s elk mounts. I heard that elf riders need to spend years in their mount¡¯s company before they are allowed to even touch them. I cannot fathom how that pays out for your kind.¡±


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    I blinked at his inquiring look, before he seemed to remember something and shaking his head slowly. ¡ª ¡°Not that you would know about that, being raised by humans and all.¡±


    I nodded at that before deciding to state my own questions. ¡ª ¡°How much time will it take to reach the outpost? I mean, with our current speed?¡±


    Emrum furrowed his eyebrows, doing a quick calculation in his head. ¡ª ¡°I believe that with our current pace we will reach it before nightfall, maybe a bit later. Our speed is good, and the goats don¡¯t need much rest after a good night¡¯s sleep in the secondary outpost.¡±


    I felt relieved hearing that. It was a known fact that staying outside after nightfall was not a good call on the deep roads. Especially now, when we didn¡¯t have an army of dwarfs to back us up. Our sole advantage was in our speed. Still, my eyes reluctantly took in the pale blue light that colored the tunnel walls wherever we went.


    In this deep darkness, such a light show was essentially painting a target on our back.


    I shared my concerns with Emrum, and he nodded grimly before launching into a brief explanation. ¡ª ¡°You are right, lass, but there is no other way to travel fast here. It is how our scouts can roam the area, managing days of regular travel in half a day.¡± ¡ª He paused momentarily before deciding to continue.


    ¡°Anyway, the idea is that, even if we lure something to our current location, we won¡¯t be around when it eventually gets here. Same with the ambushes, they won¡¯t have time to set one up except if it¡¯s a completely random ambush, which is rare to come by. Either way, the light is a necessary risk. Right now, we cannot spare the men to travel back in a regular way, nor will the caravan wait for that long.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± ¡ª I stated calmly. It was then when a bothersome thought that was haunting me for a while came to me and I decided to ask it, even if it felt awkward.


    ¡°By the way,¡± ¡ª I began while staring forward stiffly, unwilling to look into Emrum¡¯s eyes. He quickly caught onto my discomfort and I could see at the edge of my vision that he turned towards me with a frown. ¡ª ¡°do you¡­ I mean, how should I call you when we get back to the clan?¡± ¡ª I spared a quick glance at his features, seeing his confused expression.


    Emrum furrowed his brows deeply, uncertain what my question meant. After being unable to make heads or tails to my question, he, in a straightforward dwarven manner, declared his confusion.


    ¡°Whatever you mean by that, lass?¡±


    I stiffened slightly in the saddle, being uncomfortable under the man¡¯s questioning glare, by this time already regretting that I even asked the awkward question.


    However, since I have got to this point, it would be even more annoying to drop it, therefore I hesitantly pushed out the question.


    ¡°I mean in front of the rest of your clan¡­¡± ¡ª I grumbled incoherently to myself when I saw that his confusion only grow stronger. I bit my tongue in frustration and decided to come clean with a sigh. ¡ª ¡°Since you accepted me into your family, wouldn¡¯t it sound strange if I continued to call you Emrum, instead of father¡­?¡± ¡ª I stated, a sense of embarrassment and discomfort lingering in my words.


    This was such an impossible scenario, and while I didn¡¯t consider myself someone who got embarrassed easily, even the thickness of my skin had a limit.


    Who would have imagined that after seventy years I will have to call someone father again? Especially someone who is not a priest.


    It was at this time, when I noticed that the dwarf¡¯s expression went through a dramatic change after finally realising what I was getting at. His face above the lush beard turned a shade darker that could be seen even in the blueish light that was reflected back at us.


    He looked left and right hastily, clearly unsure how to react, before eventually he turned back to me and spoke with a sense of uncertainty. ¡ª ¡°Well¡­ ugh¡­ you have a good point there¡­ I didn¡¯t even think about it.¡± ¡ª He coughed, in an attempt to whet his throat or stretch the time, possibly both, before saying. ¡ª ¡°I would not demand you to call me that¡­ You have helped me, no the entire company, far more than I, we helped you¡­ Not even mentioning the shameful circumstances leading to our current predicament.¡±


    I cut him off right there. I was beyond fed up with their stupid reaction regarding that ridiculous situation. ¡ª ¡°I told you a bunch of times that I don¡¯t mind that. It was an accident. Stop bringing it up all the time! At this point, it¡¯s just annoying.¡±


    Emrum sheepishly blinked at my small scale outburst. Clearly surprised how quickly I lost my cool compared to my regular behavior.


    ¡°Well¡­ Alright¡­ I promise you that I won¡¯t bring it up again¡­ Except when I will have to report to the clan head¡­¡± ¡ª He whispered the last part to himself, then moved on continuing his previous explanation.


    ¡°Regarding your original question¡­ no, I don¡¯t think that you need to call me that, and after making my report, the clan will not blame you for it either.¡± ¡ª I nodded to that, accepting his answer. What I wasn¡¯t expecting was the silent, barely audible whisper coming afterward.


    Even with my elven ears, I strained to make out the words.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind it, though.¡±


    My eyes widened for a second, staring at the dwarf stupidly.


    Luckily, he didn¡¯t notice it, otherwise he would definitely know that I heard what he whispered. He couldn¡¯t see my reaction, since he was looking ahead, buried under a mountain of distant thoughts.


    I felt a sense of warmth filling out my insides, that was quickly reined in with a sense of icy dread and uncertainty. I quickly whipped my face ahead, following the dwarf¡¯s example.


    What the hell¡­ Did¡­ did I hear it correctly? I mean¡­ I liked Emrum and all, but I have never thought that our relationship meant so much for him, that he would ever genuinely consider such a thing¡­


    I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on in his head. Back on Earth, I rarely had such a deep connection with people, if I ever had at all. A lot of times, even the ones with my family felt fickle. I mean, we were there for each other, and we¡¯re on good terms by all means. But¡­ I sighed¡­


    Nobody ever had time for anything¡­


    No, that is not true, and I knew it in my heart. I just didn¡¯t want to accept it.


    With the tech that was present on Earth, saying that someone didn¡¯t have time to make a few minutes call was all but a blatant lie. One that people tended to use surprisingly often.


    Most of the time, the people who spoke it weren¡¯t even aware of what they truly meant.


    Because what they said basically meant that you are not worth even a few minutes of their time. It was shocking to realize that people who I considered my best friends in certain parts of my life quickly turned into complete strangers when our basic living or working environment separated from each other. Through a change of workplace or after finishing a school.


    I could count on one hand how many of those relationships actually survived over the passing of years. I often times attempted to reach out to rekindle those old relationships. I am proud to say that sometimes it worked, but more often than not, people simply didn¡¯t care beyond the concerns of their immediate surroundings.


    Scientist tend to call this behaviour the clan instinct. It means that humans will subconsciously consider their most immediate social environment as their priority and everything else will be secondary.


    It is an interesting concept. However, I am not entirely sure that the reason for such behaviors wasn¡¯t originating from a much more mundane reason, otherwise known as negligence.

 Chapter 39. Staying on the road

    Regarding the races of Rixa, it is only natural to continue my explanation with the race with which we have such a good relationship. The race of dwarfs, otherwise known as the Children of Stone.


    Dwarfs, as their names suggest, have a slightly shorter stature than humans, but also possess a stronger frame compared to their height, that is. While the average human male has a 1.7 meter height. Regarding the dwarfs, their height will only reach a 1.5 meter.


    Similarly, female humans on average reach 1.6 meter, while female dwarfs tend to be at 1.4 meter height on average.


    Naturally, as to every rule there are exceptions to this as well, but the greater the difference is the rarer the occurrence.


    The Children of Stone, as their name suggest tend to live in the lack of a better word inside the stone. They relentlessly tunnel their way into the hearts of mountains or, on extremely rare occasions, build their cities on the surface at the top of such mountains.


    Dwarfs, thanks to their small stature, are innately weak towards cavalry charges or fighting in open plains where their lack of mobility becomes their weakness and can be played against them by enemy archers or previously mentioned cavalry units.


    It is believed that this weakness was the original motivator behind their tendencies to delve into the depths of mountains, where they create their own environment ideal for dwarven characteristics.


    Dwarfs to this very day mostly rule the underground regions of the world, where their strength has been unchallenged by other sophisticated races. Meanwhile, aside from human kind and maybe the high elves, they only keep trade based connections with the other races.


    Humans being the sole long-term supporters of dwarven interests in the surface world, while dwarfs allow us access to rich and rare metals on favorable terms. Our nations also have an open exchange policy regarding various technological advancements between our wise races.


    Thanks to this harmonious exchange of knowledge and resources, it is no surprise that many humans live in dwarven cities, or travel there for many reasons. Such as education, trade, politics and even sightseeing. While similarly dwarfs visit our surface cities in the same fashion.


    Dwarven metalwork is an art in itself, from which humanity has learned a lot. While dwarfs tend to visit our magic towers in hopes of expanding their shapers¡¯ repertoire, which tends to get stuck at various levels of earth manipulation.


    While human mages are far behind those of elven kind, magic being one of the few fields where a longer lifespan keeps providing unfair advantages. We are proud to tell that humankind¡¯s magicology has advanced by leaps in just the last century.


    Regarding the appearances of dwarfs. Most of them tend to have a pale white skin tone which is explained by their habit of staying underground. In contrast, those dwarfs that live on the surface, or at least frequent it have an easily tanned skin. Often humorously referred by their own kind as ¡°Sun Touched¡±.


    Such a nickname, however, does not come with any negatives, as dwarven laws do not forbid their citizen to visit the surface or live there. It is merely an innocent statement, as Sun Touched dwarves tend to stand out among their own like a striped horse would stand out placed among a stable of regular horses.


    As the above mentioned little anecdote suggests, dwarven culture is heavily filled with boisterous humour and questionable attitudes, placed upon shockingly straightforward statements.


    As the famous saying goes: A dwarf is as subtle as a rock thrown into one¡¯s face. Which is not much I would imagine, never being thrown in the face with a rock. Not that I would desire to be placed in such an unfortunate circumstance.


    Because of this integral cultural difference, dwarves are often misunderstood as uncivilised tactless brutes, having a less than savoury reputation among the sophisticated races.


    Alas, if one can look beyond their eccentric behaviour and is patient enough to learn about their culture. That one would quickly learn to appreciate their straightforward honesty and innate friendliness, even in the fields of politics.


    Beyond the stony exterior of dwarven people lies a warm friendliness which is built on a rock solid foundation.


    To the dwarven people, honour and friendship are the most important things.


    Extract from the book titled ¡°The Intelligent Races of Rixa¡± written by human scholar Viscanu Winfred.


    ~oOo~


    We have travelled through the darkness for hours, my sense of time once again failing me miserably in the dull repetitive environment.


    In our travel, we have taken more than a few breaks, but generally we were on time. At least based on Emrum¡¯s judgment.


    I wouldn¡¯t really know about that, as I said. My mind isn¡¯t up for the challenge of judging the passing of time in these dull and dark tunnels.


    Aside from that, even if it was, I would get distracted. My bottom and legs were practically killing me for being in the saddle for so long. I have even used my healing spell to alleviate some of the discomfort, but it quickly reappeared after continuing the journey.


    My muscles were starting to cramp up again, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice that the healing spells seemed to have less and less soothing effects on the strains.


    It goes without saying that I was not used to such type of traveling methods.


    At the bottom line, riding a goat mount is tiresome. I had the unfortunate chance to realize it many-many times throughout the day.


    The saddle wasn¡¯t that comfortable to begin with. There was no back seat to lean on and you had to catch yourself with your legs strictly placed in the stirrups every time the goat acted whimsically by jumping for absolutely no reason.


    Oh, and it jumped as much as it could.


    My knees were screaming at me every single time.


    Aside from that, the entire ride was shaky, and I was starting to feel like someone who has fallen asleep in a massage chair.


    Therefore, when Emrum said that we were almost there, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief.


    It was a long and dangerous journey, but knowing that we were at the end of it somehow managed to fill me with a sense of unfiltered joy. After getting back to the base, I couldn¡¯t wait to crash into a proper bed.


    The thought of it alone made me smile.


    In the end, no matter the age of one¡¯s body, it all has a limit. I was either beyond that limit already or quickly approaching it. I wouldn¡¯t even mind if I never had to ride a goat ever again. A whimsical wish at best, but a girl could dream.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I felt surprised by my own thoughts. It seems I have grown used to unconsciously referring to myself like that. Took a few weeks, and a few hundred dwarfs to continuously treat me like a girl, after turning into one, but I got there in the end.


    It didn¡¯t feel wrong anymore. Not in the way I would expect. Strange, yes, but not necessarily wrong.


    This body was simply me, a part of me, that served as my anchor to this world.


    You know, I have been thinking for a while, what makes old people old, and young people young? Beyond the obvious outward appearance.


    A question to which my unique circumstances offer an unusual insight.


    The answer I came up, while not necessarily poetic, or groundbreaking, feels acceptable, at least for me.


    People truly start to get old when they stop looking forward towards the future and subconsciously stare back into the past in their search for comfort.


    When our hopes and desires are stifled in the smelly swamps of reality. Being turned into mere memories, lost in the corners of our mind, hidden even from ourselves. Rarely, if ever, visited. Faded colors shadows of those distant memories, painful reminders of could be possibilities.


    When one unconsciously turns to the past in search of happiness over the future. Then that person accepts that the future does not hold joys equivalent to those of the past.


    And as time continues to move forward relentlessly, so does the scale began to favor the past over the present.


    In my seventy-two years, I have learned one thing with absolute certainty. In the end, no matter how we struggle, time wins. And there is nothing time cannot take from us. It is a game that we will continue to lose until we have nothing else to give.


    I found myself smiling in the saddle as the final conclusion came to my mind. There was a new chapter even behind the falling curtains.


    It was not the end.


    With my present clarity. I could say without a sense of guilt.


    One needs to be kind and patient when the circumstances allow for such luxuries, while being swift and firm in their own beliefs, when not.


    Everything else should be judged by one¡¯s own conscience. Because the goal does not always justify the means. Nor the extent in which we fulfill them.


    And now, once again¡­ I found myself looking forward the future.


    ~oOo~


    We continued our travel in much the same manner for approximately another one and a half hour. It was at then we slowed down, noticing strange flickering torchlights right ahead of us.


    They were in abundance.


    We slowed our pace and approached the lights consciously.


    Initially, I was a bit alarmed by the seemingly thoughtless decision, but soon enough, I became aware of the sounds of grumbling and cursing dwarfs.


    My ears twitched, as I realized with a tremendous sense of relief.


    We have arrived.


    I could hardly believe it. We arrived safely, without incident. Last time I made the same travel I had almost died twice and got shot by an arrow.


    Since then I could hardly sleep, at least when I was not dead tired. Otherwise, my dreams tended to be filled with flying goblin parts and giant black spiders.


    Ugh¡­ now-now¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be remembering that part right now. Not before going to sleep, at least.


    We closed on the discussing dwarfs in a measured pace, allowing them enough time to notice our presence without spooking anybody unnecessarily.


    Soon enough, a harsh loud sound pierced through the darkness.


    ¡°Who goes there?!¡± ¡ª Demanded the gruff voice of a dwarf.


    Emrum shouted back in a much similar way.


    ¡°Its Emrum Dimhollow coming from the second outpost. We have been called back post-haste.¡°


    ¡°Aye, we have been waiting for your arrival. You guys surely took your time.¡± ¡ª The man grumbled.


    Emrum gave me a sidelong glance before shouting back to the man once more. ¡ª ¡°There have been unforeseen complications.¡±


    He stated, and I had a feeling that he was actually struggling to hold back a smile.


    Then I realized by complications he must have meant my lack of riding experience. I suddenly felt an urge to just elbow the bastard in the guts. Unfortunately, he was too far for me to attempt such action. Not that it would do much, since he was wearing damnable armor.


    The previous voice sounded once again, cutting through the dim light of the cave. ¡ª ¡°Complications you say? Are you alright, injured?¡±


    Emrum shouted back in a lighter tone now, realizing that his words had been misinterpreted. ¡ª ¡°Nay, we are fine, just tired and had to go on a slower pace.¡±


    The man answered with a new cheer in his voice when he heard Emrum¡¯s response. ¡ª ¡°Good then! Now, don¡¯t let me hold you up. Go ahead and join the caravan. They are ready to bail out the moment you arrive.¡±


    My ears twitched as I worriedly creased my brows. Did he say what I think he said?


    I throw a questioning glance towards Emrum, but seeing his troubled expression, I was certain that he was just as surprised by this development as I was.


    We shared a confused look, then decided to move ahead.


    It didn¡¯t take much more time before we found ourselves in front of a long caravan made out of carts, four of them in total. I counted them mentally. The wagons were surrounded by dwarfs, and, to my surprise, humans, if my eyes weren¡¯t playing tricks on me.


    The caravan was standing right outside of the outpost, and there were many people talking and shouting about, clearly frustrated for whatever reason. It was just as the earlier man had said. The caravan was ready to move out.


    Our sudden arrival caused quite a scene, actually. A large quantity of the people seemed relieved seeing us, while the other half started to grumble twice as loud.


    I looked around, unsure what to think about this unusual reception. Feeling my sudden uncertainty, my mount seemed to grow frustrated as well. Before I could be thrown off the saddle, I quickly decided to leave the sinking ship, climbing down from the saddle with surprising agility after the tiring journey.


    I winced, feeling my stiff and prickling legs. While holding onto the goat¡¯s reins to stop it from running away.


    One of the nearby dwarfs walked up to me and took the reins from my hands. I didn¡¯t protest and let go of it immediately.


    I glanced at the dwarf man and spoke hastily. ¡ª ¡°Uh, could you give him some carrots later? He deserves it¡­¡± ¡ª I said while petting the side of the goat gently.


    The man gave me an unexpected toothy smile with a quick nod before leading the goat away.


    I looked after the pair for a while, then my attention was drawn away by a heated argument happening just a few steps to my left. I turned in the direction, noticing Emrum and an unfamiliar dwarf shouting at each other.


    I decided to listen in on the argument, having nothing better to do.


    ¡°¡­and I said, you are crazy if you want to travel after nightfall!¡± ¡ª Shouted the familiar voice of Emrum.


    ¡°We are late because of you! We have wasted two entire days of travel because we were waiting for your arrival. You should be happy that I didn¡¯t just left you here long ago!¡± ¡ª Shouted the unfamiliar voice of a bulky dwarf man.


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± ¡ª Emrum started, but was cut off quickly.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t care about your circumstances. I have my own troubles to deal with, so either get on the damn cart or leave me be. We leave in five minutes, like it or not!¡± ¡ª The man stated with finality.


    ¡°You stubborn idiot! Fine then, Selora!¡± ¡ª Emrum shouted in my direction, the anger still palpable in his voice from the recent argument.


    Hearing his voice, I quickly pulled the straps of my backpack over my shoulders and rushed up to Emrum¡¯s side.


    My sudden appearance seemed to garner some attention from the nearby people, both human and dwarf. I could feel the eyes of the soldiers following me around.


    When I stood in front of Emrum, he huffed and puffed with frustration, cursing under his breath, then pointed at one of the nearby carts.


    ¡°I assume you have heard our argument¡­¡± ¡ª I nodded, to which he only reacted with a frustrated grunt. ¡ª ¡°Climb on that cart and bring everything you have to. Don¡¯t worry about the food they have packed enough for all of us, at least.¡±


    I nodded, waiting for him to say anything else. Which he did eventually.


    ¡°I will join you later. I have to drop my report on the goings of the new outpost to one of the soldiers stationed here. Also, I want to get updated on the present situation. You might as well rest, if you can. We are going to travel the entire night because of that stubborn fool.¡±


    With that said, he stormed away, leaving me standing next to the cart with more questions than answers.


    In the meantime, I was growing increasingly self aware about the gazes that were thrown in my direction. I decided that I had enough of being stared at. I turned around and climbed into the cart.


    Once I was hidden behind the thick layer of dark cloth covering the back of the cart providing a basic layer of protection, I heaved a relieved sigh.


    As the novelty of my situation faded, the aches and pains of my muscles seemed to redouble their protest. I quickly found myself leaning on my staff, already calling forth the memory of my healing spell.


    It was at this moment when an unfamiliar voice called out to me.


    ¡°And who might you be, pray tell?¡± ¡ª Came the voice of a man from the dark corner of the cart.


    I blinked and started glancing around, only now realizing that I was not alone. Now, when I looked, I could easily see three silhouettes already sitting in the cart, along with a few backpacks and various items of necessity.


    I blinked hard, taken off-guard by this situation.

 Chapter 40. Adventurers

    I froze on the spot. I was tired and too surprised to react before the man repeated his question with a bit more pronunciation, as if he was thinking that I didn¡¯t understand his language well enough.


    ¡°So¡­ who might you be, girl?¡± ¡ª Sounded the question once again. It managed to shake me out of my stupor.


    ¡°Ah, hello¡­ I am called Selora. It¡¯s nice to meet you all.¡± ¡ª I said with a thin, but genuine smile and a quick wave of my hand.


    The inside of the covered cart was quite dim compered to the outside where a bunch of people were still running around with torches and similar magical lights like the ones equipped on our mounts.


    There was a pair of candles placed on top of a wooden case that seemed to serve as an improvised table placed into the middle of the compartment.


    I couldn¡¯t help but glance at it, as the dancing light naturally drawn my eyes in. Almost immediately, I noticed a few pieces of glinting coins, along with a handful of dice upon the surface of the box. Were they playing some sort of gambling game? Interesting, I wasn¡¯t a gambler in my previous life, but I loved playing cards.


    I did rarely play it for actual money, and when I did, it was with meager stakes. It was the thrill of the game that seemed to catch me. Of course, winning was the goal, but I preferred not to ruin my carefully built friendships over a simple game. Therefore, I played in friendly contests with fake chips.


    When I was young, we tended to sit together and play such games almost every weekend. I really enjoyed those times. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t quite remember the last time I had the opportunity to play such a game. It was years, if not decades, prior.


    It was not the time to reminiscence over old memories, as the conversation continued after a short pause.


    The human man from before spoke up again. It was strange to see someone as tall as him, even in a sitting position after getting used to all those dwarfs. ¡ª ¡°Selora, is it? It¡¯s a nice name. Are you coming along with us? Back to the northern kingdom, I mean.¡±


    I nodded, as that was pretty much the plan.


    ¡°Alright, allow me to welcome you among our little circle. We are part of the adventurers who were hired as extra guards for the caravan. Why don¡¯t you come closer and take a seat on the bench? You look tired, you can put down your gear wherever you find an empty spot.¡± ¡ª The man beckoned me over with warm gestures, and I didn¡¯t have to be told twice this time around.


    Soon enough, I plopped down on the bench, my backpack placed next to me, as there was a lot of free space. I stretched out my tired legs while leaning against the side of the carriage with a relieved sigh. There was a limit to how much healing magic could alleviate a strained body, no matter how miraculous it was. I suspect that using healing magic tends to drain the body¡¯s vitamin reserves. Resulting in a lack of effectiveness after frequent exposure. It was only a hypothesis at this point, though, and I could be wrong.


    Sitting next to me was this human man whose name I still didn¡¯t know. Nor did I know the other¡¯s name, come to think of it.


    I glanced over at the trio with a thoughtful expression, one hand still resting on the chiseled shaft of my staff.


    There were two dwarfs and one human.


    ¡°So¡­ what are your names?¡± ¡ª I asked, but before an actual answer could be formed, another person jumped into the cart parting the dark textile material with quick wide hand-movements.


    For a second, I thought that it was Emrum finally joining us on the ride, but I swiftly dismissed the idea, remembering that he went to deal with other matters, and it was unlikely that he would finish so soon.


    My suspicion proved well founded. It turned out that another human, this time a young woman, stepped into the compartment.


    ¡°Hey guys!¡± ¡ª She spoke with excitement. ¡ª ¡°I heard that we are finally heading out, and so suddenly! I was half asleep when I got notified and barely had enough time to pack up my stuff! Damn, I thought that we will spend one more night in¡­ and who is this girl?¡±


    The young woman¡¯s gaze suddenly focused on my form in the middle of her rant and her eyebrows creased as her eyes quickly moved between me and the staff that was still held in my grasp while simultaneously being leaned against the side of the bench.


    The man sitting next to me answered with a bored tone while throwing a few more copper coins into the bet. Which movement was soon mirrored by the dwarfs sitting opposite to us. ¡ª ¡°She is Selora. She will be traveling with us back to the northern capital.¡±


    The man paused for a short time, rolling the five dice under the shadow of an upturned metal cup. His eyes glinted with excitement the moment he lifted off the cup and saw the three-six, one-one and one-five on the table.


    The other two dwarfs merely grunted in annoyed acknowledgement as he took the bet with agile hand movements before continuing his previous explanation.


    Making the woman¡¯s annoyance at least double in the meantime.


    ¡°You were just on time for the introductions, Camilla. You can go right ahead, since you are clearly eager.¡±


    She didn¡¯t need to be told twice, either. The woman once again turned back to me with a scrutinizing glance, and I couldn¡¯t help but gulp under the intensity of her look.


    ¡°Are you a mage?¡± ¡ª She asked right away.


    It seemed that the game stopped as the question sounded through the air. Both dwarves and both humans were focusing on my answer, creating a slightly suffocating pressure in the small compartment of the cart.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    My fingers unconsciously tightened around my staff, as I remembered Emrum¡¯s reaction the first time I told him that I was a witch back in the chamber not long after my appearance in this world.


    Still, there was no reason to deny it, since too many dwarves knew that I was a magic caster, anyway. It was completely impossible to hide such truths for long.


    Therefore, I decided to be forthcoming, while carefully exempting the fact that I was a witch. I heard from listening to the conversations between the dwarves in the outposts that witches among many types of spell casters had quite a bad reputation overall.


    ¡°Ah¡­ well yes¡­¡± ¡ª I stated, a bit still surprised by the direct questioning.


    To my further surprise, the young lady¡¯s reaction was quite different from her initially harsh tone.


    Her expression blossomed into a wide smile, as she stepped closer to me with an excited glint mirrored in her dark green eyes.


    ¡°Fantastic!¡± ¡ª She exclaimed with an outstretched hand which I reflexively shook.


    ¡°My name is Camilla. I am overjoyed to meet you! It was getting on my nerves to be the sole woman among an entire outpost of men. It¡¯s a relief to see another girl at last!¡± ¡ª She chuckled heartily while taking a seat next to me after pushing my backpack out of the way.


    My eyes widened a bit seeing how comfortably she acted with my stuff, but I didn¡¯t have the heart to complain, as she was clearly excited to talk with me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough that I finally got some more refined company, but it turns out that you are a spellcaster as well. Damn, it must be my second birthday after suffering their dull company for weeks on end. I mean, just look at them. They are doing this stupid game whenever they get some time off. It drains my soul even to look at it.¡±


    One of the dwarfs snorted at that, causing Camilla to narrow her eyes at him. A reaction that said dwarfs shrugged off with a practiced ease.


    Camilla, who was sitting next to me, rolled her eyes while pulling out a short but polished stick from her overcoat, showing me it with an expectant expression.


    I took a hesitant look at the item. It reminded me of a magician''s wand, the kind the illusionist used in tricks back on Earth. Then it finally set in.


    My eyes widened with surprise as I pointed my own question to the energetic woman. ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ are you a mage as well?¡±


    The girl seemed to react quite sheepishly, seeing my genuine surprise. Which may or may not have been filled with a sense of disbelief.


    She turned to the side with a sense of embarrassment radiating from her expression. It was the first time I had the opportunity to actually take in her form.


    She was wearing armor like the others, but her armor was made from a mix of leather and heavy textile. It was a welcomed change from the overly metal based dwarven armors I have been seeing.


    Aside from that, she had a pale white skin much like the dwarfs. A telltale sign of a person spending way too much time underground.


    She had a bright red hair, that based on how the light reflected off of it could be considered blonde. Combined with her dark green eyes and energetic behavior, she looked quite sweet.


    I also realized that my reaction to her showing me that wand was most likely inappropriate, and I quickly tried to save the situation.


    ¡°Eh¡­ I was just surprised, because of the armor and all¡­ It¡¯s not that you-¡±


    She smiled while clapping her hands. ¡ª ¡°Ah, so that was it? I see, but it is quite common for mages to wear armor in the deep roads, though. I am more surprised that you don¡¯t have one.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow at me in a questioning manner. Before jumping to another topic.


    ¡°Anyway, Selora, right?¡± ¡ª I nodded. ¡ª ¡°How did a girl like you end up in a lost section of the deep roads? Are you an adventurer as well? No, that couldn¡¯t be. Even adventurers aren¡¯t allowed to stay in conflict zones like this, aside from missions.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know about that.


    ¡°Oh, well¡­ I am enlisted with the Bronze Company. Aside from that, it¡¯s a long story that I would prefer not to talk about right now¡­¡±


    One of the dwarfs whistled at that.


    While Camilla turned towards me, surprise visible all over her face, she didn¡¯t even bother to cover it up before saying with a teasing tone. ¡ª ¡°Oh my, someone got friends in high places. The Bronze Company is one of the best armies this kingdom has to offer. Their ranks are filled with accomplished warriors and high-ranking nobles. I heard that the seventh prince of the Lavacoat family is currently enlisted in their ranks.¡±


    She paused to take a breath before continuing.


    ¡°On top of that, he just led a charge into the deep roads with a small army and managed to capture an outpost that was guarded by an army of goblins and hobgoblins with almost no casualties. His military prowess must be out of this world!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but snort, listening to her talking about the prince like that. Some things didn¡¯t change, no matter which world you are living in.


    I didn¡¯t see anything outstanding about that man aside from his ego. But that was something that shouldn¡¯t be spoken out loud in my current company. Also¡­ my opinion is likely biased since I am still pissed off at the guy¡¯s attitude ordering me around right after he was saved.


    I believe that he must be a talented warrior to be placed in such circumstances, and now that I think about it. I never saw him losing his cool. That couldn¡¯t be said about me¡­ then again, I was only here for a few weeks. While he had ample time to grow accustomed to this world¡¯s cruelty.


    I shook my head lightly, then cried out in surprise when I was unceremoniously elbowed into the side by Camilla.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡ª I shouted, more surprised than in actual pain. ¡ª ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡ª I turned towards the smirking woman, who was clearly enjoying my reaction.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like that smug face you were making there. So why don¡¯t you tell me how you managed to wiggle your way as a human lass into one of the most accomplished dwarven legions?¡±


    She gave me a long look.


    ¡°Even if you are a mage, without official acknowledgement from shapers under the service of the king, you won¡¯t be allowed to enlist in dwarven military without exceptional talent.¡± ¡ª Her eyes hovered over me up and down a few times before adding. ¡ª ¡°Based on your look, you are barely of age. Are you telling me that you are some sort of prodigy, but if that is the case, why would you come to the dwarven kingdoms? Human kingdoms are better suited to train your magic. So what is it? I can¡¯t accept being left in the dirt without a proper explanation, at least!¡±


    Ugh¡­ I rubbed the side of my ribs while listening to Camilla¡¯s rant. A long lock of black hair fell into my face, reminding me that my hair came undone on the ride here, and I was yet to tie it up. Being too afraid that if I attempted such a thing in the saddle, I would end up face first in the dirt.


    I pulled off my hairband that was currently hooked around my left wrist for safekeeping and started the process of tieing up my hair while thinking over my answer.


    Just when I was about to finish the procedure and start talking, a sharp intake of breath caught me off-guard from the side.


    I turned towards the desperate sound, only to be welcomed by the quickly paling features and horrified expression of Camilla staring at me wide eyed, like a deer caught in headlights.


    I heard similarly exasperated reactions from the other side of the cart. When I turned around questioningly, I noticed that the human man was hiding his face in his palms while eliciting a long sigh. Even the stoic dwarfs sitting on the other side showed an obvious reaction while looking at me, no¡­ at my ears with round eyes.


    The cart had slowly started to move ahead. The familiar sounds of goat hooves clacking against the cold rock ground were gently filling the compartment while the silence stretched.

 Chapter 41. An accident

    The third race that I am going to introduce is none other than the elves, and among their distinct races, the High Elves. High Elves which are considered being the most tolerable of the elves. Be that as it may, they are still generally arrogant and condescending towards humans and dwarves.


    However, some of their members have proven capable of putting aside eons old prejudices and willing to look into the heart of men and dwarf.


    A trait that is not to be underestimated. Especially not if you understand that most elves you will come to meet in your lifetime are older than the very country you likely own allegiance to. Of course, I do not say that every human kingdom is short-lived, but we all know that such a tendency occurs more often than not.


    High elf lifespan can naturally reach the absurd one-thousand-five-hundred years. The reason for this is that their bodies are naturally rich in mana, expanding their lifespan. Those high elves that are magically talented often become trained mages even further expanding their lifetime.


    When dealing with such beings as high elves, and generally all elves, some more than others. You have to understand that no matter the deceptively young outward appearance, your communication partner is most likely ten to twenty times of your age.


    To make this strange fact properly sink in. I will tell you that elven cultures across the lands of Rixa won¡¯t consider their children adults until they reach one hundred years. Furthermore, as elven children are considered extremely precious to their kind, even young adults aren¡¯t allowed to walk freely. They are not allowed to leave elven territories, at least not without escort until they reach two or three hundred years.


    Young elven men will go through extensive training in battle and will pick up an occupation chosen by themselves. Which they will attempt to master over the centuries of their lives. In peace times they will live off from the earning of this occupation.


    Only after reaching two hundred years of age will they be considered proper adults and allowed the freedom to move on their own.


    In the case of young adult women, the restriction is even stricter. Young women are not allowed to roam freely outside of elven territories until they reach three hundred years and go through basic self defence training. Which is otherwise not mandatory for high elven maidens.


    High elven women are considered being the most beautiful in all races. Their tall, slender frame is indeed aesthetically pleasing¡­ that much, I will admit.


    This fact is also the reason for such restrictions. There had been many attempts to kidnap young high elfs in the past. More than a few of such events were successful, resulting in centuries old grievances and hatred between certain races.


    Aside from wood elves, who do not use such gender-based separations, and made combat training mandatory for women as well. Practically treating their women as men. A presumptuous idea if I have ever heard one.


    However, what I wanted to say is that because of these restrictions, you will be highly unlikely to ever run into an elfmaid on their own outside of elven kingdoms, which¡¯s are considered being the safest places on Rixa.


    Regarding the training of young adult women in high elven society.


    Women similarly to men can choose a desired occupation on their own, while in place of battle training they receive training in childcare, sewing, and any type of household chore that anybody could possibly think of. Which often includes the use of several musical instruments and whatever else they fancy.


    It is also important to note that while high elves do not demand their women to fight for their countries; it is far from being forbidden for them to do so.


    If a woman decides that she wished to learn the art of war, they will receive the same rigorous training as any men would. If they prove their prowess, they will be allowed to roam freely after they reach the age of two hundred, same as men.


    I do not understand the need for such specifications and special exceptions from perfectly reasonable rules. Alas, high elven laws are filled with such finicky and complicated twists.


    Look at me, I have been talking so long and were yet to explain the basics of the race.


    High elves are tall. The tallest of the elven races. On average, high elven men reach the height of 180 cm, while women tend to reach 170 cm. However, it is not unusual for accomplished warriors to reach the astonishing height of two meters.


    Aside from their height and high aptitude for magic. High elves have a strange skin which could be best described as white with a none intrusive tinge of golden radiance. The intensity of this golden hue in a high elf can be a direct indicator of the person¡¯s magical capability. However, this characteristic has been long since perceived as a weak spot and since then high elves tend to hide the true strength of their radiance with specifically designed illusion magic.


    For a high elf to show his or her natural radiance to an outsider is the utmost show of trust and respect.


    Regarding the height of high elven warriors. It has been speculated that, because of this racial feature, high elves, while undoubtedly very talented in magic, still prefer the art of physical warfare. They use their magical abilities to boost their body¡¯s already highly trained abilities and skills through magical means. One of the most famous and terrifying example of such a combination of magic and mundane warfare is the creation of the terrifying magically trained elite warriors.


    Imagine an army of soldiers with supernatural reflexes, battle experiences that could fill out several of your lifetime, while also capable of infusing their weapons with magical energies. They are rumored to blink out of existence, dodging out of the path of incoming weapons. Only to reappear behind you with a burning blade ready to strike you down.


    The last one being an utter nonsense based on my opinion¡­


    Regardless, we are lucky that such thorough training takes more than a few centuries. There are only about a hundred of such brazen warriors in the entire high elven kingdom, at least officially. They are serving as the elite guard of the High Elven Royal Family.


    Extract from the book titled ¡°The Intelligent Races of Rixa¡± written by human scholar Viscanu Winfred.


    ~oOo~


    Suddenly, one of the dwarfs, more specifically the one sitting closer to us, slapped his thigh as if he had just remembered something.


    ¡°Ah! So you must be the lass Commander Balgrun told us about. Now I remember! I didn¡¯t realize that you were an elf until now. You must have just arrived back from the expedition. I heard you even received a title straight from the prince, Fiend Slayer. If I remember correctly.¡±


    Oh yeah, there was that too. I completely forgot about that one. Still, I nodded, verifying his statement.


    ¡°It¡¯s true then. Well done, lass. I also heard you caused quite a meat grinder on the battlefield with that golem of yours. Damn, I would have loved to see it. I am not surprised the king called you back after a performance like that.¡±


    ¡°I wager there will be both titles and rewards waiting for you in the capital.¡± ¡ª He winked at me, then turned back to the game, preparing to roll the dice once again.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    After he stopped speaking, the cart fell into a strained silence. This time, it lasted considerably longer. I could feel the piercing glare of Camilla practically burrowing into my side. It was obvious that she wanted to ask me a hundred and one questions, but was too intimidated and ashamed to do so for whatever reason.


    It must have something to do with her recent realisation that I was an elf. Well, that and the story that the dwarf dropped. There might be some sort of prejudice or mayhap a misunderstanding that went over my head.


    Therefore, I decided to turn back to the girl and nudge her out of her newfound shell. ¡ª ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so stiff, Camilla¡­ I didn¡¯t mind your previous shenanigans by the slightest. You seem like a kind-hearted young lady, one that I would love to get acquainted with.¡±


    Hearing my words, she deflated even further. ¡ª ¡°Ugh¡­ calling it like that only makes it worse¡­¡± ¡ª She whispered to herself, clearly not intending for me to hear it, but my elven ears have picked it up just the same.


    As if realizing just that, her eyes grow wider once again, throwing a conscious glance at me.


    I smiled at her softly, trying to act clueless to calm her down.


    It failed spectacularly. That made her groan out-loud. ¡ª ¡°Argh! Curse it! I already made a fool out of myself. Might as well dig as deep as I can get¡­¡± ¡ª Her previously pale features were getting a rosy tint now out of embarrassment.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s the first time I meet with an elven mage. I heard that they are the best spell casters in the world, and I always wanted to get to know one.¡±


    The human man sitting on my other side sighed exasperatedly, saying in a dead-pan tone. ¡ª ¡°What she means by that is, that she will haunt you until you agree to show her some magical tricks. She is not an actual mage, barely an initiate, who picked up a few tricks through terrorizing any spellcaster that was unfortunate enough to cross her path. She even earned herself a nasty nickname as the Le-¡­¡±


    Camilla jumped to her feet, pointing an accusatory finger at the man. ¡ª ¡°Langley, if you speak one more word, I am going to make you regret it!¡±


    The man, who I now know was called Langley, seemed to consider the threat for a few seconds. Eventually, he decided to drop the subject, clearly deeming it not worth the trouble, and turned back to his game.


    Camilla slowly set back down, turning back to me and said. ¡ª ¡°Ugh¡­ so sorry about it if I told anything stupid previously, or that I have assumed you to be a human. I didn¡¯t mean to annoy you or anything like that¡­¡±


    I blinked at the strange apology. Still, I guess it must be quite a social mistake in this world to misinterpret someone¡¯s race. Not that I particularly care about that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, it was an honest mistake anybody could have done it, and who would expect an elf this deep in the deep roads, anyway?¡± ¡ª I smiled at her.


    Camilla straightened herself out a bit. ¡ª ¡°Right? I mean¡­¡± ¡ª Cough! ¡ª ¡°Right! Exactly as you say, it was an honest mistake. Allow me to make up for it and introduce us properly this time around.¡±


    ¡°I am Camilla. As you already know, the lanky one with the blond hair is called Langley. Regarding our dwarven friends, the one with the shorter beard is called Thurmir Hardboot, and the other is Murmir Hardboot. Yes, they are brothers before you ask.¡±


    I nodded, taking a closer look at the trio.


    Langley had a pale blonde hair, similarly pale skin tone as Camilla. He was indeed tall, as I already mentioned, at least above 180 cm when standing up and he had a pair of grayish blue eyes.


    Meanwhile, the dwarfs had the basic dwarven characteristics, with brown hair and facial hair paired with similarly brown eyes. It was the most common among dwarven populace.


    After I took in the appearances of the people, I will probably spend the rest of my journey with. I shook their hands one by one, once again introducing myself.


    ¡°It is nice to make your acquaintance. My name is Selora, but you can call me Lora if that is more to your liking.¡± ¡ª I stated once more with a genuine smile. I was a bit excited to meet with humans so unexpectedly.


    I was curious about them. How would they act here compared to the ones I know back on Earth? Obviously, they wouldn¡¯t know about modern things, like computers and television¡­


    My right hand was grasped between the hands of Camilla, pulling my attention back to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s Lora then! I can¡¯t believe that you actually received a title from a prince! You look so young, and already getting such honours¡­ What did you say? How old were you again?¡±


    This time, I was more conscious about my answer. I clearly remember how annoying it was to be treated as a child by all the dwarfs. I do not know much about elven culture, but the first hundred years seem to be the general age from which you are considered an adult.


    Based on that logic, I formed my present answer.


    ¡°Oh, I am around a hundred and ten.¡± ¡ª I stated firmly. My palm sweating a bit as it was currently captured in Camilla¡¯s hands.


    This incidentally caused me to feel Camilla¡¯s entire body becoming very stiff at the mention of my age.


    I started to feel anxious now. Did she realize that I was lying?


    I sensed that my response caused quite a stir in the cabin. Once again, all the eyes were focused on me.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡ª I grunted, starting to get fed up with the awkward silence. They must have some sort of magical ability to sense deceit.


    I thought and said with a gradually growing discomfort. ¡ª ¡°¡­ F-fine¡­ you caught me, that was a lie¡­ I am a bit younger than that¡­¡° ¡ª There is no way in hell they will get me to admit that I was younger than a hundred, though. That¡¯s just not happening.


    ¡°WHAAAT?!¡± ¡ª A loud shriek was elicited into my right ear, sending cold shivers up and down my spine. I winced in pain, attempting to cover my ears, alas Camilla didn¡¯t seem to want to let go of my hand.


    She was completely out of it, staring at me with those eerily wide, dark green eyes.


    ¡°YOU ARE PRACTICALLY A CHILD!¡± ¡ª The woman exclaimed. ¡ª ¡°Not to mention being in the dwarven army¡­ how are you outside of the elven realms? This is huge!¡±


    Being unable to cover my right ear, which was suffering the brunt of Camilla¡¯s outburst, I instead attempted to lean away from her as far as my captured hand allowed.


    Luckily, Camilla seemed to realize that I was being overwhelmed with the intensity of her reaction and promptly let go of my hand.


    Alas, I did not expect her to let me go at that moment. I was still focused on desperately trying to pull away from her. This unfortunate combination of events caused me to crash sideways into the small table in the middle of the compartment.


    The table, that in all honesty, was more like a chair hosting the men¡¯s game, was knocked over instantly, having no chance to stand against my weight as I crashed into it from the side. Sending the dices and coins flying all over the place in a chaotic manner.


    I heard curses and surprised shouts rousing around me while I slowly peeled myself off the wooden floor.


    I blinked sporadically, unable to see much as the darkness returned to the room. Confused by the loud arguments happening around me, I somewhat remembered that there was a candle placed on the table, serving as the sole light source in the room.


    I massaged my side where I hit the table, a small hiss leaving my mouth, finding the quickly forming bruise.


    I listened into the chaotic argument for a second.


    ¡°THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU FOOL!¡± ¡ª Shouted Langley. I winced. For a second, I thought that he was shouting at me, but it quickly became obvious that that was not the case.


    As a different voice appeared protesting to the accusations.


    ¡°Eh!? It¡¯s n-not my fault! It was but an accident!¡± ¡ª Sounded the panicking voice of Camilla attempting to defend herself, and failing miserably, which based on her meek tone she herself realised as well.


    ¡°What¡¯s not yer fault, lass? You just catapulted her into the table! And I was on a winning streak!¡± ¡ª Sounded the flabbergasted voice of one of the dwarfs. If I had to guess, then it belonged to Thurmir.


    ¡°How would I know that she was trying to jump up?¡± ¡ª Camilla spoke, panic grasping at her mind.


    ¡°Of course she would try to jump up. You were literally screaming her head off! Idiot!¡± ¡ª Langley¡¯s voice cut through the room once again.


    ¡°What? I wasn¡¯t that loud though¡­¡±


    ¡°She is a damn elf, Camilla. I would wager it was loud enough for her!¡± ¡ª Sounded Murmir¡¯s voice at last.


    Camilla sniffed, unable to refute any of those remarks¡­ ¡ª ¡°W-well¡­ I-I am sorry¡­ Is s-she alright, at least?¡±


    To which the room once again descended into a suffocating silence. As everybody just remembered about my presence.


    I sighed. Sitting up on the floor, sending a few droplets of mana into my staff. Thin streaks of silver light glowed through the compartment.


    I took in the squinting and worried gazes of the surrounding people, and couldn¡¯t help but smile in amusement.


    ¡°Calm down already¡­ It¡¯s not like I died or anything¡­ I have been hit by worse than a chair. True¡­ it might have hurt my image a bit¡­¡± ¡ª I added, as a wisp of a blush started to color my cheeks.


    That seemed to jolt the men out of their daydream, and I was quickly helped to my feet, then practically forced to sit down on the opposite side from Camilla.


    She wanted to come over, but was immediately stopped as she received a meaningful stare from the dwarf brothers.


    I massaged my side subconsciously while watching the men as they hastily gathered the scattered coins and dices.


    Seeing their obvious anxiety, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the absurd scenario.


    Hearing my soft giggles in the corner of the room at first surprised the others, but they quickly and readily joined in the blossoming laughter.


    Without our notice, the previous tension has dissolved and eventually left the room.

 Chapter 42. Camilla

    It took us some time to calm down, but it happened eventually. The men have reset their game. Camilla sneaked over to my side, apologizing once again, and everything seemed to move back to its original course.


    I was asked to recount some of my adventures with the Bronze Company, especially the story where I received my title. My suspicions about how big of a deal receiving an actual title from a prince was, had to be reevaluated seeing their reactions.


    The title, which I originally thought to be a cheap way to avoid giving out actual rewards, seemed to be quite useful. Official titles like these held power and prestige. Things that I could use in the dwarven cities, especially in the capital.


    At least, that was what Camilla and the rest told me. We have talked for hours, sharing some of our experiences and stories, along with a lot of useful information.


    After I so easily overlooked Camilla¡¯s banter, the adventurers seemed to open up and readily accept me into their company. I could feel that they were amused by my easygoing nature, but they were accepting it gladly.


    Based on what Emrum told me in the past two weeks, elves were not exactly the easygoing type. Of course, there were exceptions, but it was rare and such sides were only showed after knowing the individuals for a very long time.


    While I was very much an elf right now, my worldview and understanding was still belonging to that of a human. It will probably remain that way for a few centuries if I truly get to live that long. A concept which my brain was struggling to accept or understand in its entirety.


    Anyway, hours went by in heated discussion and finally I finished telling the stories of the expeditions. Describing the battles really took the wind out of my sails, and I was feeling extremely tired right now.


    The long travel and the excitement finally caught up to me and it was high time to excuse myself. Lying down on the bench and taking a quick nap was all I could think about right now. Not even mentioning that Emrum was still nowhere to be seen.


    It was not a comfortable sleep. The cart was moving, jerking around sometimes. True, there was a surprisingly modern suspension built on the carts. As without such things, it would be completely impossible to traverse the deep roads. Of course, the technology level was far from what we known back on Earth.


    Still, my sheer level of tiredness allowed me to fall asleep. My sleep was not ideal. I was often awakened momentarily before returning to my hazy and troubled dreams.


    It turns out that retelling stories of bloody battles in which you recently participated and still were yet to come to acceptance was not your ideal good night charm.


    Quite the opposite, in fact.


    I was plagued by nightmares. The general sense of discomfort, lack of familiarity and background noise would have done it already, but with the recounting of so many traumatising events caused me to flow from one nightmare to the other.


    I was drenched in sweat, dreaming about being chased by goblins only to be caught in a giant spider web and being unable to escape while a huge black spider creeped closer and closer¡­


    My eyes snapped open. I looked around, heart beating in my throat like a sledgehammer as the intense memories were still very much present in my mind.


    I sat up, breathing in the cold air of the cave. I noticed that at some point; I was covered in a blanket. Must have been one of my new acquaintances doing. I thanked them silently, considering the possibility of simply going back to sleep, then stubbornly shaking my head as I remembered those horrible nightmares.


    Immediately dropping the idea, even if I was far from rested.


    I channeled a bit of mana into my staff, creating a stable stream of light in the otherwise dark place.


    I raised my staff to look around, noticing some of the others in similar sleeping positions. Except that they were sleeping on the floor instead of on top of a bench.


    They have also placed down their sleeping bags and stuff.


    I frowned at that. Should have done that too¡­ yet again, I was not really intending on falling asleep. It just happened after being overwhelmed by the sense of tiredness.


    ¡°I see that you can¡¯t sleep after all¡­ You were having some nightmares, quite obviously.¡± ¡ª Camilla¡¯s voice appeared next to me, and I jerked a bit in fright. I didn¡¯t notice her still sitting by my side.


    I glanced at her, nodding to her, heart skipping a beat or two at her unexpected presence.


    She bit the side of her lips anxiously before saying.


    ¡°Should have realized it previously¡­ asking you to describe those scenes, the way your golem¡­ Tsc¡­ it¡¯s my fault again isn¡¯t it? I guess I was too excited to actually meet an elf mage¡­ I keep messing up.¡±


    I turned towards the girl. She was quite depressed, and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her conclusion.


    Of course, talking about that was partly the reason for my unusually troubling nightmares, but it was only partly the reason.


    I tended to have these nightmares either way, not this intense usually, and not every night, but it was hardly rare.


    ¡°Yes¡­ you are a handful, I will admit that.¡± ¡ª I said teasingly. Camilla glanced at me, a flicker of annoyance mirrored in her dark green eyes.


    ¡°You were supposed to tell me otherwise, not agree with my self-loathing.¡± ¡ª She complained.


    An amused smile spread across my features in the pale light of my staff. I moved my shoulders and arched my back a bit, feeling stiff after sleeping on a bench. My muscles and bones were popping and stretching under the strain of my movements.


    Camilla wasn¡¯t amused by being ignored and throw a frustrated glance at me from the side. ¡ª ¡°You are a weird elf. I would take you for a dwarf sooner than an actual elf, except I have seen your ears, and you are way too thin for a dwarf either way.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks I guess.¡± ¡ª I answered, unsure how to take her words.


    She chuckled heartily at my uncertainty. ¡ª ¡°Just as I said¡­ a weird elf, if I ever known one¡­ not that I did. Still, I would hardly believe any elf would take it in a good light if they were compared to dwarfs.¡±


    There was a moment of comfortable silence, then Camilla¡¯s eyes widened in realisation. She asked in an excited whisper, careful to not disturb the other sleeping adventurers.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I have never asked what sort of elf were you?¡± ¡ª Camilla stated all of a sudden.


    ¡°You are not a dark elf obviously, you lack that sense of wildness from wood elves, and you are too short to be a high elf, even if you are barely adult, and aside from that your skin color isn¡¯t quite right to be a high elf either. Another mystery¡­¡± ¡ª The girl noted with a sigh.


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    I turned towards her, a serious expression coming to my face as I also just realized that I never mentioned my actual race. I did not intend to hide it, since too many dwarfs know about it already. It simply didn¡¯t come to focus.


    ¡°Oh¡­ well, I suppose you are right about all that.¡± ¡ª Not that I would know any of those particular details about those elven races. ¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t belong to any of those. I am a white elf, the last of my kind, as far as I am aware.¡±


    I said solemnly while redoing the combing of my hair, which came loose in my sleep.


    Camilla stared at me. There was a thoughtful and somewhat doubtful expression mixed on her face. Something that I have already anticipated.


    ¡°A white elf? You must be pulling my leg, right?¡± ¡ª The girl said, and I could feel her eyes wandering all over my body. Searching for any signs of joviality or dishonesty.


    I pointed my deadpan look at her. Trying to give off an air of annoyance.


    My attempt must have succeeded because Camilla, seeing my glare, coupled with my tense body language, quickly deduced that I was not joking around. At least not anymore.


    The girl fidgeted slightly before continuing our conversation.


    She began with a frustrated huff. ¡ª ¡°I thought that white elves have gone extinct a few millennia ago. They were a race of true immortals that were blessed equally with mana and wisdom. Their knowledge regarding magical practices challenged even those of the Great Guardians. If indeed true, this would explain your incredible aptitude with magic even compered to your young age.¡±


    I bristled at that. ¡ª ¡°Would you finally stop speaking to me in such a descending tone? I might be considered young as an elf, but you are still a quarter of my age!¡±


    To my surprise, the girl didn¡¯t act bashful or apologetic after hearing my perfectly sensible demand.


    She instead grown a wide smirk over her face, grinning at me like I was a fool. She mock twirled her non existent beard as if she was contemplating some great mystery. Standing on the precipice of a weighty choice that had to be made with complete commitment.


    I was momentarily mystified and simultaneously taken aback by her antics.


    It was at that time she stopped her act and stated in a teasing voice. ¡ª ¡°What about, no?¡± ¡ª I blinked, flabbergasted by the sudden turn of events.


    She continued with a huff. ¡ª ¡°I mean¡­ how often do I get to baby an elf? There is absolutely no way I would miss this chance. Aside from that, since I already messed up my first impression big time¡­ And seeing that you didn¡¯t run away in terror, I might as well swallow this bitter pill and act as myself from now on. Shamelessness included.¡±


    I felt my jaw loosen a bit as I stared at the young woman sitting by my side, mumbling to herself while staring into nothingness.


    I realized, perhaps a bit too late, that the previous accidents caused quite the damage to her mental state. I guess something like that was comparable to throwing up in front of your role model.


    Camilla was quite young herself. I guess I should say that, unlike me; she was truly young.


    I guess it was time to call on my seventy-two years of life experience.


    I turned towards Camilla sideways and placed a gentle, reassuring hand on her shoulder.


    Realising that I was up to something, she looked up. Her dark green eyes met my own silvery ones as I stated with a serious expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I promise I won¡¯t mention those previous incidents to anybody.¡± ¡ª I nodded, listening to my own reassuring words, feeling quite pleased with myself.


    The sensation of satisfaction didn¡¯t last for long, though.


    The sound of a snort cut through the dim room, and my expression quickly morphed into something unsightly as my ears picked up the following words.


    Camilla was giggling while praising me in a mocking tone. Something that felt overly familiar compared to how short a time we actually known each other. ¡ª ¡°Oh, look at that, someone is trying to act mature! How cute."


    I grimaced, feeling infuriated by her antics once again. I couldn¡¯t figure out if she was intentionally leading me by my nose from the very start or was genuinely this spontaneous and moody.


    That said, I continued to glare daggers at her, something that eventually managed to shut her up.


    After a few minutes of heavy silence. Which consisted of me glaring at Camilla, who was trying and failing to act innocent or just generally ignore my piercing eyes.


    She coughed, clearly unable to keep the awkward silence any longer.


    ¡°So¡­¡± ¡ª She glanced at me tentatively, trying to figure out if I was still angry, and if I was, how much.


    Lucky for her, I was also relatively bored. The lack of the internet¡¯s convenience leaving a large sense of emptiness behind. A space that I was struggling to fill in.


    Casting magic was quite entertaining in general, but there were times and situations when it was unwise to waste mana or, just like in my present situation, the effects of practicing magical abilities could lead a horde of monsters right to our location. In other words, it was not an option.


    Anyway, seeing that I didn¡¯t immediately cut short of her attempt at conversation, she continued her words.


    ¡°You mentioned that you are the last of your kind, yes? How can you be so sure? I believed that white elves were already extinct just recently.¡±


    I shrugged at that. It was not like I could be sure or that I really cared about it right now.


    ¡°True, I cannot know that. There might be others roaming about or hiding away from civilisation.¡± ¡ª I said indifferently.


    Something that made Camilla raise an eyebrow. ¡ª ¡°Why do I get the feeling that you don¡¯t really care?¡± ¡ª She asked, half jokingly.


    I turned my head towards her and said. ¡ª ¡°Well, because I don¡¯t. They are elves, like any other. It doesn¡¯t really make a difference for me, befriending dwarves, humans, or elves. At least not until they want to put my head on a pike. Something which those deranged dark elves seemed to be quite keen to do.¡±


    My own words slightly surprised me.


    I guess I was holding a grudge for that, aren¡¯t I?


    Camilla winced, listening to my words. She paused thoughtfully before deciding to continue.


    ¡°I see¡­ and I completely agree. As a matter of fact, dark elves are quite horrid.¡±


    The memory of that Arachne knight still lived vividly in my mind. I was starting to doubt that the picture would ever dull, not even mentioning forgetting it entirely.


    ¡°So¡­¡± ¡ª Camilla continued. ¡ª ¡°What is it like being a white elf?¡±


    I quirked an eyebrow at that. It was a surprising question, yet something I could quite easily explain given my own unique circumstances.


    "Well¡­ it¡¯s quite similar to being a human. Except that my ears are a lot sharper, and my eyes can somewhat see in the darkness, not perfectly mind you, but the difference is still noticeable.¡± ¡ª I said.


    Camilla was listening to my words with an interested expression. Waiting for me to continue.


    I thought about it, then decided to share a few more details, but it was all I could scrape up.


    ¡°Aside from the obvious difference in my ears¡¯ shape and size¡­ I have a leaner body shape, and a surprising amount of muscles.¡±


    Camilla snorted, poking me into the side. ¡ª ¡°Now you are just boasting needlessly about your body-shape, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You were the one who asked the question¡­¡± ¡ª I answered, covering my side under my arm in a defensive sort of way. I didn¡¯t like being poked, something that clearly amused Camilla to no end.


    ¡°Anyway, thanks for your explanation.¡± ¡ª She said with a sigh. ¡ª ¡°Even if it was unexpectedly boring.¡±


    ¡°¡­You are quite rude, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡ª I pointed it out. To which she only laughed.


    ¡°Took you long enough to realize, you are a bit slow regarding these things, but that¡¯s alright sweety.¡± ¡ª She playfully slapped me on the shoulder. ¡ª ¡°Anyway, it is high time for us to swap with the other guards. Why don¡¯t you go back to sleep in the meantime? Your bloodshot eyes are starting to creep me out, anyway.¡±


    I blinked, lightly shaking my head while suffering her witty retorts. Adventurers were something else indeed. If anything, they had a free spirit. A complete opposite of what the Bronze Company was all about, but their lack of discipline made them into natural conversationalists. At least if you could endure their sharp tongue to actually listen.


    While I was spacing out, Camilla already left my side and started to wake up her companions. It was too late to form my own retort, therefore I decided to drop it.


    Her words were still lingering on my mind.


    I thought about sleeping¡­ While the chance of having another nightmare wasn¡¯t that alluring, it couldn¡¯t be denied that I needed more rest.


    I nodded to myself, slowly stretching over the bench once again while Camilla began to wake the other adventurers.


    I felt a harsh pull on one of my hair locks. I looked up, seeing a flustrated Camilla pointing at her own sleeping beg which was still placed on the floor. ¡ª ¡°Get over there and use my sleeping bag, stupid elf! I can¡¯t bear to see you toughing it out on a stupid bench for no reason.¡±


    I blinked and nodded, quickly following her instructions.


    She spared me one last disbelieving glance and left, following the others.


    This time, the nightmares seemed to avoid my dreams. If only temporarily.

 Chapter 43. The Fall of Chrysantheum

    The next time I woke up, I felt a lot better. It seems I have actually managed to sleep well, no doubt partly thanks to the soft bedding I laid on.


    I stretched my back, my right arm prickling slightly as the natural circulation returned into my limb. It seems I accidentally managed to lie on it somewhere along the night.


    I felt the familiar rocking of the carriage under me while gently massaging my arm to help it get rid of the numbness.


    We have been on the road the entire time, as far as I could say. Now that I was not dead tired, I started to feel curious about this entire situation.


    I am on my way to one of the dwarven capitals, because Emrum intends to introduce me to his family. A noble warrior clan of dwarfs, the Dimhollow clan.


    It¡¯s quite funny to say this, but I didn¡¯t really have time to realize the subtle implications of what that meant for me specifically. Especially that I am now considered an honorable member, therefore being part of this family.


    I sighed¡­


    I have no idea how to act like a noble lady. I can barely act like a girl, and that is mostly thanks to the natural gracefulness of this new body of mine. I hope that such things as etiquette aren¡¯t taken seriously by a dwarven warrior clan. Because if they are, then I am screwed.


    I shook my head. Thinking about such things is entirely meaningless. It won¡¯t help me out and worrying over it will only make it worse.


    I shook myself out of my stupor.


    I needed some fresh air, well, as fresh as you can get here, kilometers under the surface. I crawled out of the soft bedding, the somewhat familiar scent of Camilla lingering on my body. I was too tired to notice it before, but now it was almost too obvious.


    I sniffed my arm. There was this somewhat familiar herbal scent mixed with the underlying sweat and day¡¯s old dust. Was this the scent of dried chamomile herbs?


    I snorted at the ironic idea. Camilla using chamomile herbs as a type of perfume felt really funny for some reason. The girl was just precious under all that uneasiness.


    Only if I wasn¡¯t thrice her age¡­ I looked down at my body and added as a solemn afterthought.


    And a woman¡­ apparently.


    Another sigh left my mouth. Why am I even thinking about these stupid things? I scolded myself internally and straightened up with a grunt.


    I also grabbed my staff that was resting alongside my bedding, patting down my clothes in a halfhearted attempt to make them look presentable.


    Then I stepped up to the end of the cart and slowly pulled aside the thick textile material that was covering most of the carriage.


    I squinted my eyes as a pair of burning torches filled out my sight, which have grown accustomed to the darkness by now.


    A few seconds passed by while I focused on keeping my balance on the moving carriage, grabbing the side of the overhead construct as an anchor.


    My eyes eventually grown used to the new levels of light and I focused on the familiar figure walking behind the carriage.


    It was Emrum. He looked drawn-out, not physically but mentally, if that made sense?


    Before I could speak up, he waved at me with a smile.


    ¡°I see you managed to rest a bit after all. Good!¡± ¡ª He started, then added with a nervous chuckle. ¡ª ¡°I also realized that you made a new friend. This adventuress called Camilla kept asking me all about you after one of the company soldiers pointed her towards me, saying that I was your stepfather, of all things.¡± ¡ª Emrum winced silently, while remembering some predictably uncomfortable misunderstanding which I was not keen to discover. At least for now.


    He stayed silent for a few seconds, clearly searching for the right phrase.


    ¡°The girl is a bold one¡­¡± ¡ª He stated at last, and I could sense a mountain of frustration accumulated behind the simple expression.


    Emrum sighed, his gaze turning back to me. ¡ª ¡°She also made me realize that I barely know you, aside from your general personality. What things you like and dislike¡­ Simple things like that. We will have to talk about these¡­¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that, while my mind was already trying to figure out what Camilla did in the last few hours, or however much I spent sleeping in the cart.


    Based on Emrum¡¯s expression, it was more than enough to traumatize him. I locked eyes with the dwarf and nodded slowly. Accepting his newfound desire to learn more about me. To be fair, I also wanted to learn more about him. There was simply no ideal time to do that, being constantly on the road or in battle. The awareness of soldiers couldn¡¯t be spent on small chatter while walking through the lost sections of the deep roads. When any moment can lead to another ambush.


    Still, my words seemed to calm Emrum¡¯s mind, and he finally noticed my intentions to get off the cart.


    He stepped closer to the end of the carriage and reached up one of his arms, offering it to help me climb down.


    I felt a burst of annoyance at the gesture and almost refused the help outright.


    The cart wasn¡¯t going that fast, but the road was uneven and my mage clothes weren¡¯t ideal for such athletic feats. Aside from that, I barely woke up, meaning that I was not in my sharpest moment.


    I begrudgingly accepted the help in the end, grabbing his hand while carefully climbing down the back end of the cart. Just realizing that I also had to carry my staff in the meantime. Which made the entire maneuver much more finicky.


    Soon enough, I was standing¡­ well, walking on solid ground once again.


    ¡°Thank you for the help.¡± ¡ª I said to which the dwarf simply grunted in acknowledgement.


    I looked around the column, seeing both dwarfs and humans escorting the small gathering of carts.


    I immediately noticed that while the tensions were still high, it was nothing compared to the constant high levels of awareness which were demanded around the outposts. I realized that those were considered the front lines, while these places, while still highly dangerous, were already beyond our immediate lines of defence.


    ¡°I hope Camilla didn¡¯t bother you too much, she can be a handful¡­¡± ¡ª I started, to which Emrum first paled slightly, then added in a snort.


    ¡°Oh, I noticed¡­ Sometimes I forget how disquietingly energetic some humans can be¡­¡± ¡ª I blinked, hearing that particular statement, and I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Dwarven children are different in that regard?¡±


    Emrum glanced at me, then answered after a few seconds of thinking. ¡ª ¡°Nay, it seems that I tend to forget that as well¡­ It will be strange to get used to the capital once again, after so much time spent on the deep roads. Hah, not that I plan to stay there for too long.¡±


    I thought about that, then asked another question with a subtle smile still lingering on my face after hearing Emrum¡¯s previous answer.


    ¡°How long were you exactly on this mission, Emrum?¡±


    He seemed to think about that as well¡­ Which was an uncomfortable sign on its own.


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    ¡°Not that long, honestly. I was there for six months when we first met. Now it¡¯s getting closer to seven. Thanks to you, who saved my hide back then.¡± ¡ª He paused while I gasped silently. I would definitely not call six months spent on the frontline not long. Even if this was not your typical warfare. More like raiding groups clashing with one another occasionally. The danger was still high, mostly because of the harsh environment.¡±


    Emrum took in my expression and smiled almost nostalgically. ¡ª ¡°I have spent a third of my life in active military service, and I am eighty-four years old. Compared to that, a few months is really nothing to gawk at.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t quite hide the strained smile on my face as I said. ¡ª ¡°Well¡­ when you put it like that, I can¡¯t help but agree. I think I just didn¡¯t realize how militaristic the dwarfs were.¡±


    Emrum snorted good-naturedly. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s not just the dwarfs, most nations of the intelligent races are quite militaristic, as you said. The world of Rixa had seen many conflicts and wars along the ages, and only those who rose above the chain of events remained to tell the tale.¡±


    I listened carefully. I noticed a spike of guilt in the voice of Emrum. He coughed lightly, then asked in a more gentle tone.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ being raised by humans and all. I wonder if you have heard the tale of the fall of Chrysantheum? The capital of the white elven kingdom.¡± ¡ª Came the unexpected question.


    I glanced at Emrum questioningly. ¡ª ¡°I did not.¡± ¡ª I said. ¡ª ¡°I am surprised that you know such a tale¡­ How come you didn¡¯t mention it before?¡±


    Emrum scratched the side of his beard, looking embarrassed. ¡ª ¡°I¡­ kind of forget about it¡­ Either way, at this point it¡¯s more like a legend or a child¡¯s tale, which dwarven mothers keep telling their misbehaving children. Nothing to get overly excited about. The royal library will have much better literature on every topic.¡± ¡ª He rambled on.


    I chuckled at his antics, waving at him to focus his attention back to the topic. While consciously ignoring the subtle hint of Emrum being said misbehaving kid, whose mother often bored him with this very tale as a punishment.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡ª He stated with a sigh. ¡ª ¡°Where do I begin?¡±


    ¡°At the start, if possible.¡± ¡ª I said with a ghost of a smile.


    ¡°I see that you have slept almost too well, feeling funny and all.¡± ¡ª He sighed, seeing me struggling to hold back my laughter.


    ¡°Whatever¡­ But girl, this tale of mine is no laughing matter. You might want to stifle that grin before I continue.¡±


    I schooled my features and nodded to Emrum to go on.


    He whetted his throat, swallowing a quick gulp from a small flask hidden in a pocket sewed onto his left sleeve. ¡ª ¡°The fall of Chrysantheum, the symbol of magical accomplishment and longevity, also known as the seat of the eternal kings. Each ruling precisely one millennium before stepping down and giving the throne to the next ruler before retiring into the Everdream. Don¡¯t ask¡­ I don¡¯t know what that is¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway¡­ It was a kingdom which¡¯s foundation was built on magic, therefore its fate has been intertwined with magic as well.¡±


    ¡°Powerful magics never before or since then witnessed on the face of Rixa were used to reinforce the territories of the white elves. So powerful were those spells that they could no longer be harmed by invading forces. All because of their magical shields encircling their entire kingdom. A kingdom that was otherwise small, as the white elves¡¯ power never lied in their numbers, but in their individual proficiencies.¡±


    ¡°Yet the white elves, in all their wisdom, have made a crucial mistake.¡±


    ¡°They have isolated themselves from harm via their magic while their people grown complacent and petty. Almost never leaving the safety of their kingdom, aside from a select few. They were too afraid of losing their precious immortality.¡±


    ¡°While magic was a solid foundation, it was not without its own drawbacks. For example, that it worked too well, when it did, and when it failed, it often did so catastrophically.¡±


    ¡°No matter that the kingdom was built to last for eternity. As it happened with so many other kingdoms and even empires. One day it, too, has come to ruin.¡±


    ¡°The kingdom¡¯s capital that focused its magical properties mysteriously disappeared overnight. In its place was nothing more than a giant crater. A place that since then was filled with water accumulated over many rains. And it is today called as the White Lake as in remembrance of the elves that once lived in the region.¡±


    I blinked, surprised by the abrupt end of the story. Without properly thinking it through, I already formed a question. ¡ª ¡°What happened to the rest of the elves? Their kingdom might be small, but I doubt that it consisted from a single city?¡±


    Emrum sighed as his features darkened. ¡ª ¡°Understand, girl, that this has happened thousands of years ago. It is rumored that the world was in a turmoil. It was a lot more chaotic than nowadays¡­ even if the activities of the darklings are starting to get out of hand, it is still far from being considered as an all out war among the forces of light and darkness.¡±


    I gulped dryly as the original intentions of Lord Axis came to my mind. As he warned me of a growing darkness preparing to engulf the world anew.


    Was it perhaps connected to the unusual activity of the darklings? I might have to pray for an answer, and do that soon enough.


    Meanwhile, Emrum continued his tale. ¡ª ¡°To answer your question, Lora¡­ Many races have grown frustrated with the White elves, as they sent numerous envoys practically pleading for their help, to teach them magic and knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Back in the time, magic was not common, not even among the other races of elves, as the white elves guarded their secrets well. Only a chosen few were given the chance to learn magic, and it was always a small fraction of their knowledge that was thought to them. And it was never done freely either.¡±


    ¡°Long story short, many have grown hateful of the white elves¡¯ indifference to their plight, and opportunistic nature. Even more were envious of their immortality. A gift sought after by all other races and the gift that in the end inadvertently caused the fall of the white elves.¡±


    ¡°When their shields fell down, following the destruction of their capital, which by the way nobody truly knows how happened, and is only suspected to be the result of a backlash of some powerful magical spell failure that disintegrated the entire city and its surroundings.¡±


    ¡°What I want to say is that most of the elves inside were no longer powerful battle mages that once were. You might ask why, since white elves are supposed to be immortal. The answer is a bit more complicated than usual. Those white elves who sought the trill of battle have gone on adventures, unable to sit behind the shields for too long. However, with such lives comes risks and eventually most of them fell on those adventures or in battle as they participated in wars of now mostly forgotten kingdoms for one reason or another.¡±


    ¡°The elves who remained were not used to war, with precious few exceptions to matter in the grand scheme of things.¡±


    ¡°Without their magical shields, surrounded by enemies on all sides, the outnumbered white elves were overrun in a matter of months by the dark races. First and foremost, the dark elves, which have garnered an age long hatred towards them.¡±


    ¡°The fallen and burned cities of the White elves have become twisted battlefields for all races that sought their secret knowledge of magic. Resulting in the quick spreading of magic in the following centuries to all races. While also simultaneously leading to the loss of a lot more magical knowledge in the wake of the violent raids and battles.¡±


    ¡°That was the tale of the fall of the white elves. What do you say, lass?¡±


    I was staring at the wagon moving in front of me while deeply lost in my thoughts. What Emrum told me just now was a piece of history regarding my new race. I would hardly call them my people since I had little to no cultural connection to them. Still, I could learn a lot of things from it. Even if it was only partially true.


    First of all, I never even considered the idea of being envied for my immortality. When it was so obvious that it practically slapped you in the face.


    The main reason for not thinking about it was that I didn¡¯t quite believe it myself to be possible. Actual immortality was such an outlandish idea to the people on Earth. At least nobody truly believed that it would be achieved in our lifetime or ever. Elongating lifespan was different, but from what I know, that also had a maximum expected range around two-hundred-forty-four years.


    I mean, that¡¯s nothing to scoff at, but still far from possible at the time I passed away.


    While I struggled to understand or believe the possibility of my own immortality. The people of this world had no such problems. In fact, they were hard-wired by their very history of the opposite.


    For them, immortality was very much possible if you were lucky enough to get born in the right race.


    While being an immortal, but an immortal that could be killed just as easily as any other person meant that it brought the wrong kind of attention.


    Seeing that where this very envy brought the white elven race has startled me to my core. Because I was not stupid, not entirely at least. There was no way that I was willing to straight out believe everything that a few millennia old tale told me.


    It was hardly the elves¡¯ mistake to be unwilling to participate in meaningless battles that random idiots started. The nations can hardly fault them for not sharing their hard earned knowledge of magic outright either. The idea that they actually were willing to teach any of it to certain people for a certain compensation was already showing a lot of goodwill towards the other races.


    It was their sole advantage against them, after all.


    The real question was what truly happened with their capital? Was it indeed an accident that it blowed up? Or was it premeditated sabotage done by one of those few people whom they taught their magic to?


    One thing is certain, the lack of aid coming to help them after the fall of their shield array was very suspicious.


    How come not a single white elf sought refuge among the other elves? Did they have a hand in it? Or were they simply too isolated from potential allies?


    I cannot say since I have no detailed knowledge of the world yet.


    "You alright lass?¡± ¡ª Came the worried question, and I was jolted out of my thoughts.


    ¡°Ah¡­ hm, yes. It was¡­ a very interesting, eye-opening story. Thank you for sharing it with me, Emrum.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s nothing lass, I should have shared it already¡­ Camilla just reminded me of it accidentally in our previous conversation¡­¡±


    He chuckled, while scratching the back of his head this time. ¡ª ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t take it too seriously. It¡¯s an old tale, and I have hardly told it perfectly.¡±


    I nodded, while already about to get lost in my thoughts, analysing the story from start to the end once again.

 Chapter 44. Surprise

    After Emrum¡¯s tale, we continued our journey silently. I was lost in my thoughts, just like the others were.


    It was intriguing to hear this world¡¯s history, especially one regarding my new race, even if it was more than likely that I won¡¯t meet with another one of my kind. Still, I guess it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible.


    There were multiple lessons hidden inside this tale, some I could take to heart while others I could not.


    One thing was crucial. My immortal blood was a precious commodity in this world. Based on the tale I just heard, I very much suspected that if I ever run into other elves, they will be inclined to tie me up and carry me back to their capitals on the basis of my safety.


    I didn¡¯t like that thought. I had spent enough time tied to a bed in my previous life. I do not intend to spend this one in a golden cage.


    Thanks to my magic, I was not defenceless, still the amount of my mana was quite frustrating. I was practically a genuine glass cannon. It was funny enough to play such roles in video games, but reality seemed to be less exciting in this regard. More like an anxious streak of fear and worry.


    As a result, I half-mindedly looked through my spell list in my mind in search of a spell that could potentially alleviate some of my worries.


    My mental eyes eventually concluded that aside from the light shield, I had no dedicated defensive spells. Yet¡­ there was something that, with enough creativity, could potentially become one.


    The name of the spell was Ice shaping. When I focused my mind on the spell, it called forth the briefest of description of the spell workings.


    Channeling magic. After the finished incantation, it allows the wielder to grow and form ice. The ice won¡¯t melt until the magic inside it remains to be connected to the spellcaster. It will feel warm to the caster¡¯s touch while for others it will feel biting cold.


    ¡°This could be good¡­¡± ¡ª I whispered to myself, while thinking about potential ways to use this spell as a defensive measure.


    Let¡¯s see the incantation.


    Winter of the coldest north, frozen rivers and blinding snow. Hear my woe! For those who do not fear, the coldest grasp of nature shall be the first to learn of its apathy.


    I played over the incantation a few times in my mind, then decided to speak it silently, whispering the words while walking behind the cart.


    ¡°Winter of the coldest north, frozen rivers and blinding snow.¡± ¡ª I felt my breath becoming alarmingly cold as the words left my mouth. ¡ª ¡°Hear my woe! For those who do not fear, the coldest grasp of nature shall be the first to learn of its apathy.¡± ¡ª As I finished the words, a prickling sense of coldness run over my entire body, causing me to shiver and gasp thanks to the uncomfortable surprise.


    Damn it! This cave was cold enough as it is!


    What surprised me most was the fact that even after the incantation finished, I didn¡¯t feel my mana depleting as I was expecting. I thought about it. Was the incantation a failure? It never happened to me before, since the magic is ingrained into my mind.


    I dismissed that thought. It didn¡¯t feel like a failure. Then I realized. Of course, I had formed no ice yet. That must be the cause.


    A burst of excitement filled me at the thought of playing around with a new spell. This was my favorite fantasy world activity yet.


    I thought about how to use the spell. My eyes wandered to the tip of my staff, which I was currently using as a walking stick. A wild grin formed across my face as the thought solidified. I shall act on this instinct.


    I envisioned a scythe blade forming on the upper end of my staff. To my fascination, I saw the blade manifesting out of thin air in a matter of seconds. It attached to the staff growing into a glistening ice blade. The sight in itself was overwhelming.


    I simply couldn¡¯t get enough of the sight.


    Another excited gasp shook me out of my momentary trance. I turned towards the noise and noticed a pair of familiar dark green eyes boring down on me.


    ¡°Selora!¡± ¡ª The words were filled with mock hurt. ¡ª ¡°You would cast spells behind my back, while refusing to do so earlier! How mean!¡± ¡ª The ginger headed girl stared at me then chuckled, leaving behind the act with a natural ease.


    She walked up to me, staring at the polished icicle blade that formed on my staff.


    ¡°Wait¡­ is that made out of ice!? She stated all of a sudden. Is it solid enough to actually use it in battle? Or would it break on contact?¡± ¡ª The girl wondered aloud, while proceeding to reach her hand with the intention of touching the blade. Clearly uncaring for the waves of coldness that were practically radiating off the ice shard.


    I hastily intervened. Grasping her wrist with my left hand while pulling the weapon away with my right.


    ¡°Stop that! I am still testing this spell out. I am not sure what it is capable of.¡± ¡ª I lectured her with the intention to temper her overzealous behaviour.


    She nodded at that excitedly. Without the smallest noticeable sign of remorse.


    ¡°Then test it. What are you waiting for? I can¡¯t wait to see if it will break or not.¡± ¡ª I opened my mouth to retort, but closed it soon enough, realising that Camilla was right. I scratched the back of my head, looking for a potential target.


    I noticed a large rock not far from the caravan and decided to walk over Camilla, shadowing me all the time.


    As the first trial, I gently touched the blade to the rock surface, watching in shock as a thin layer of frost started to coat the rock growing out of the point of contact.


    Camilla whistled right next to me, seeing as numerous small spiky icicles spread around in a circular manner. I could feel a gentle tug on my mana pool, but it was practically frivolous.


    I lifted up my scythe with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°Camilla, would you stand back a bit? I want to hit it for real now.¡± ¡ª The young woman smirked at my words, but followed suit and stood back a few meters.


    I lifted my staff, or I guess my current scythe, over my head in a wide arc and delivered a strong downward cut on top of the rock. I felt a strong resistance at the other end of the strike. I was satisfied, as I could immediately tell from the feeling that my blade did not shatter on impact.


    Just as that thought formed in my mind, I heard the sharp sound of something cracking and felt as the blade of my weapon slipped inward. My eyes grow wider as I stared animatedly as the rock slowly gave way to the frozen blade, which slid into the crackling and shattering stone.


    The blade must have frozen the water inside the rock, which started to break it apart from the inside out.


    I hastily pulled out the frozen blade, fearing that the rock might explode in a thousand deadly shards, remembering the last time I explored a new magic spell back inside the dwarven outpost.


    As the powerful explosion of molted rock played in front of my mental eyes, I whispered another spell name with a frown.


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    ¡°Light shield.¡± ¡ª I stated fearfully, eyeing the rock until the familiar sight of a glittering transparent wall of light manifested in front of me and Camilla.


    The girl stared at the rock, then stared at the light suddenly appearing in front of us.


    Her lips moved like a fish on the shore, but no words seemed to leave her mouth. As if just remembering where we were, I suddenly turned around once again, grasping the shocked girl¡¯s wrist and started to pull her along, following the caravan that naturally didn¡¯t stop for our momentary antics.


    I could see Emrum¡¯s silhouette waiting for us at the side of the caravan. He must have thought that we went to take a piss or something. A thought that quickly turned into confusion when he saw Camilla¡¯s shocked expression. Then he noticed the icicle blade attached to my staff and frowned even deeper.


    It was at that time when Camilla decided to come back to the living with a burst of energy; she said.


    ¡°That¡­ it cut, no shattered the damn rock! Am I dreaming? How could ice shatter rock!?¡± ¡ª I throw her a sidelong glance, which she promptly ignored, or genuinely didn¡¯t notice, and turned to Emrum, who was not amused.


    Grasping the bridge of his nose, the man said with a tired voice. ¡ª ¡°Girl, how many times do I have to tell you to not waste your magic when you don¡¯t know if you might yet need it!¡±


    My previously content smirk quickly dispersed into nothingness as I sensed an incoming lecture from the frustrated dwarf. He did not sleep much in the last two days, and that clearly started to strain on his nerves.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I well, this doesn¡¯t really cost a lot of mana¡­¡± ¡ª I started explaining when I felt Camilla¡¯s hand suddenly grab onto my own, which was still holding her wrist and with a nervous, no panicked jerk, she pulled me to the side with great force.


    I was not prepared for her sudden antics and toppled over with little resistance, falling on top of the young woman. Doing my best to keep the sharp blade of my scythe away from accidentally injuring either one of us.


    She pushed me into the ground, and I was about to complain when I heard the eerily familiar sound of arrows hitting against metal, rock, and wood.


    There were sounds of cries of pain and surprise all over the cave. Followed by sounds of war-cries and rushing steps.


    ¡°AMBUSH!¡± ¡ª Emrum¡¯s voice cut through the cacophony of noise as it traveled through the tunnel, soon followed by other similar sounds. Among them, one has confirmed my fears.


    ¡°DARK ELVES!¡± ¡ª Shouted one unknown dwarf. Confirming my initial thought, as the only race I encountered that used bows even in this suffocating darkness.


    While I was lost in my thoughts laying on the ground, a familiar looking black arrow bounced off the hardened rock floor half a meter from my head, causing my stomach to flip on its own.


    Before I could do anything else, I was grabbed by the back of the collar of my robes and harshly pulled under the nearest cart. Realising that the person pulling me was Camilla, I decided to not complain and followed her lead wordlessly.


    Just realizing that the girl probably saved my life a few seconds ago¡­ I mumbled a thanks towards her. ¡ª ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°You can thank me later if we survive by teaching me that ice spell of yours¡­¡± ¡ª She snapped back as we rolled under the cart as the chaos engulfed the tunnel. Sounds of battle cries and slashes of metal against metal filling the cave in a deadly symphony of voices.


    I throw a conscious glance towards the goats, wondering why the animals didn¡¯t run away with the carriage. Only to realize that the poor souls were already dead, downed by multiple arrows sticking out of their bloody hide.


    I gulped solemnly. The initial shock of the new ambush slowly began to wear off, giving way under the waves of fresh adrenaline pumped into my bloodstream.


    Camilla and I rolled under the cart while arrows continued to rain down around us, while the other side of the cart remained free from arrows. As I crawled out on the other side of the carriage hastily pulled to my knees by Camilla, we finally got a moment to organize our thoughts and get a hold on the situation.


    It didn¡¯t help much. There was utter chaos in the tunnel, people screaming and the noise was simple, deafening with the natural echoes of the environment.


    Camilla looked genuinely horrified by the unfolding events. Glancing left and right with a nervous jerk of her head, seeing her panic for sure wasn¡¯t a good sign for me.


    I crawled to the edge of the carriage and sneaked a hesitant glance over it, tightly squeezing the shaft of my staff.


    I saw two dwarfs motionlessly laying on the ground, next to the carriage, multiple arrows sticking out of their bodies. Further away, more dwarfs were engaged in a brutal melee with the familiar lean forms of dark elves. One thing was immediately obvious. This time, we were being outnumbered and ambushed to make it even worse.


    A cold shiver went through my body as I saw another dwarf cut down by the swifts and agile blades of a dark elf. The cold blade finding its way into a weakness between the thick plate armor only for him to meet his end as he was showed in the side with a double handed axe of a nearby dwarf. The elf was practically thrown off his feet from the sheer strength of the impact, clutching its side in a blood-curdling scream of defiance. The dwarf¡¯s victory was short-lived unfortunately, as he was immediately engaged by other dark elves slowly surrounding him.


    I gulped drily. As the realisation hit me. I needed to do something or we are going to be cut down one by one.


    I was trying to find a spell that I could chant in time, only to realize that my ice shape magic was still very much active. Seeing as the unfamiliar dwarf was about to be slain by a third elf sneaking up on him from his back, I fuelled my desire to defend him into a spell.


    A giant spike of ice burst out of the floor behind the dwarf, just before the dark elf could strike him down. The icicle formed on the rock floor and stretched upwards in the blink of an eye, effortlessly gutting the attacker in multiple places.


    I could see the disbelief and horror contorting his pale face that was becoming bluer and bluer by the seconds. Settling in the familiar features of rigor mortis as the icicle frozen over his body before he could effectively bleed out.


    The nearby dark elves were similarly shocked by the gruesome death of one of their own. In their shock, one of them missed the incoming axe of the dwarf, which cut into its stomach, jolting the other out of his stupor with a painful scream as he toppled over.


    The third elf was ready to face the dwarf, but he was not ready for the arrow that pierced his chest. As his hands tightened around the embedded arrow¡¯s shaft in a vain attempt to pull it out. He looked up, searching for his attacker, just like I did. We both stared at the sight of Camilla, who was leaning over the cart with a short bow in her arms, its string still shaking from the recently released arrow.


    ¡°Nice shot!¡± ¡ª I couldn¡¯t help but word my thoughts in a burst of euphoria. The very notion felt ridiculous as it momentarily made me forget about the deadly reality of the situation, like I was watching some sport game. Still, I was quickly reminded that this was not a game as fresh arrows rained down around me, and Camilla who hid behind the carriage.


    One such arrow barely missed my face. I could feel the wind as it passed mere inches from me. Just as I could hear the swishing sound that sent cold shivers up my back.


    I immediately followed Camilla¡¯s example and hid behind the cart. My arms shaking from the adrenaline. My brain locked in a permanent cycle of deliberation between running or fighting.


    I don¡¯t want to die again¡­ but where would I run in this place? There is nowhere to run on the deep roads. Even the dwarfs couldn¡¯t survive here alone. Then I remembered Emrum¡­ he was standing there with us when the attack started¡­ yet I didn¡¯t see him since then. I can¡¯t leave him here, but what if he already died?


    I shook my head while such thoughts continued to haunt me.


    My heart was beating in my throat when a terrified scream reached my ear. I snapped out of my daydream, looking for the source of that worryingly familiar girlish voice.


    Camilla was on the ground, her bow thrown across the floor as a tall elf with black leather armor stood over her. Blood-red eyes, two blades coated with fresh blood ready to strike her down as the woman desperately tried to crawl away from the deadly assailant.


    The elf had a victorious grin on his face as his blade was already on its way to finish his prey.


    I reached out with my arm with the intention of stopping the strike, but I was on the other end of the wagon. It was a futile act, if anything. Yet, to my surprise, mana was consumed as a result of my action.


    Before I knew what happened, the elf started to yell in pain and surprise as his striking arm was covered in quickly spreading ice, making it rigid and halting it in its attack.


    Camilla, realising the opportunity, quickly draw a knife from somewhere and plunged it into the howling man¡¯s stomach.


    In the meantime, I locked eyes with the elf.


    ¡°Witch!¡± ¡ª It growled in its vile tongue, which I understood, like any other. Yet seeing the raw hatred emanating from his red eyes made me freeze with fear. I saw as his lips curled into a vengeful smirk as he ignored his freezing arm and the knife in his gut as he decided to throw his other sword at me.


    Camilla must have realized what the man intended, as she, with a surprising burst of force, kicked the man¡¯s left leg, effectively dis-balancing him and causing the sword to embed itself into the side of the cart a few inches from my chest.


    I jumped away from the bloody blade with fresh fright and a girlish scream of terror. Being the third time brushing with death in a few minutes was too much for my nerves.


    Camilla pulled out her knife from the collapsing man¡¯s guts and with a scream of her own, she pierced it into the still struggling man¡¯s neck, who delivered a few heavy strikes into Camilla¡¯s gut before finally drowning in his own blood.


    I saw as Camilla too collapsed on the ground, clutching her bruised side with a pained expression. I winced at the sight of the girl, as she was partially covered by the downed man¡¯s blood.


    I crawled over to her side to check on her and maybe heal her, if it was necessary.


    As I kneeled next to her, grabbing onto her hand in an instinctive attempt to comfort her, I saw her eyes grow wider and focus on me¡­ no more like something standing behind me.


    I turned around swiftly, catching the last glimpse of an armored fist.


    Then there was darkness.

 Chapter 45. Captured

    Dark elves.


    A society built upon the pillars of slavery, rape and murder.


    Among the elven races, dark elves are the most hated. The reason for such disparity is quite simple. While in all sense and capacity, dark elves are just as intelligent as any other elven race, they have willingly chosen to embrace brutality and all kinds of dark practices. The only language which they seem to truly understand is the language of power and violence.


    Since thousands of years, dark elves have retreated to the forgotten places of Rixa. Such as the lost sections of the deep roads, faraway forests and deserts. Places so hostile to human life that no one even entertained the idea of living there permanently. Yet, they build their cities in such places. It is believed that they specifically chosen those very places, because the harsh environments provide an ideal place to create a state of constant struggle.


    True or not, it is unquestionable that dark elves are rumored to be the most brutal and feared warriors and battle magic casters walking the surface of Rixa. They are the ones used in the tales to scare the children at night. The stories that soldiers tell each other over the light of a dimming campfire.


    However, the main reason for the one sided hatred of dark elves is hidden in their well-known tendency to often raid towns or smaller cities of civil races. Doing that in the midst of the night. They slaughter or enslave the innocent denizens, taking the survivors back to their black cities.


    For a long time, nobody knew what fate awaited the captured souls, then through a few miraculous escapes, we slowly learned about the sobering reality. The enslaved people are used for various purposes all to fuel the workings of dark elven society, which is innately dependent on slavery.


    Men and women are used in fighting pits for entertainment to make bets or settle disputes. They are also used as common labor. Women are often beaten and raped, then chained and kept under close watch in the breeding houses. Where they are cared for and essentially forced to give birth to their owner¡¯s children. While being threatened and humiliated on a daily basis.


    The bodies of the ones who die are fed to the spiders which are the dark elves preferred mounts, while those who survive the beatings and humiliation are sold as processed slaves to the noble houses, where their nightmare continues.


    There are six known castes in dark elven society. Among these six, the three upper castes are considered being the so-called noble castes, meaning pureblood dark elves. The first caste is naturally the ruling caste of dark elves, including the emperor himself. Unfortunately, there is little to know about this caste, aside from the emperor likely being a most powerful magic wielder. Since otherwise he could not rule over other mages in a society that only respects power.


    The second caste is made from all kinds of magic wielders, whose primary focus is on battle magic, each of them holding a powerful influence in dark elven society.


    The third caste is made from pureblood dark elves who are not blessed with magic.


    It is important to know that aside from open wars, pureblood dark elves are rarely seen on battlefields. Since dark elves share the slow reproduction of all elven kinds, they rarely participate in common raids, where a lucky arrow can cut their life short.


    Dark elven culture, as I said, is heavily dependent on raw strength and showcasing such strength in public as often as possible. Still, pure blood dark elves are considered very precious. Therefore, duels to the death among noble dark elves are strictly regulated by law. Such duels are only allowed to happen on extremely rare occasions, usually fuelled by grave insults or ceremonial occasions.


    Such events are very rare, and necessitate the presence of a member from the royal house. Most grudges and rivalry among the nobles are dealt through slaves fighting to the death for the cause of their masters.


    Outside of specific conditions, openly assaulting other nobles among dark elven society is considered a grave deed that is heavily punished by the higher aristocracy. In contrast, mock battles and battles to first blood are common sights among the nobles.


    Most of their time is spent on training fields, hunting and on attempts to undermine other nobles in their castes as the internal workings of dark elven politics expects from them.


    One step below in the fourth castes are the half-elves. They are children of dark elves that forced themselves upon kidnapped women and conceived a child through vile means. The children are taken from their mothers and raised to be members of dark elven society from a very young age. They are the equivalent of common citizens, in case if we compare them to human society. They can live a good enough life under the leadership of their noble house. They often lead raiding groups made up of fifth castes who make up the majority of dark elven military.


    The fifth castes are partially made out of processed slaves, specifically picked out from survivors of the fighting pits and the children of first generation slaves with some aptitude in bloodletting. If they are not elves, their ears are mutilated to be similar to those of dark elves. An act that is considered being an honor and a sign of acceptance. Members of this caste are also chosen from the ranks of children of enslaved women unfortunate enough to be raped by half-dark elves or fifth castes who usually share a third or at least a quarter of dark elven blood. Therefore, sharing the natural characteristics of dark elven features. They are still considered being a step higher compared to trained slaves even if they are in the same caste.


    The last caste, which is the lowest caste of all, is made out from first generation slaves. People who have no rights. They can be killed, raped, humiliated and beaten by practically any member of the other five castes and nobody would blink an eye. It is no surprise that most of them die in the first months of their capture, but there are always new slaves that the dark elves bring to fill their cities with new victims.


    General dark elven characteristics:


    Dark elves are leaner than humans and more agile by nature. Pure dark elves can live about a thousand years. Their height is about the same as humans, while having a pointy ear and skin color that ranges between black to pale white and all shades of grey between. Dark elves usually have a red or orange eyes and on rare occasions black. Their blood is rich in magic, which means they have an abundance of magic casters. Most of them are only capable of using a few spells, but that already makes them fierce and unpredictable enemies. Since you can never be sure when will they throw a fireball or a fistful of acid into your face.


    They also have an impeccable dark vision that makes it almost impossible to face them in their own environment. The thought of dark elven arrows piercing through the suffocating darkness and finding their targets easily makes many war hardened veteran burst out in a cold sweat.


    Extract from the book titled ¡°The Intelligent Races of Rixa¡± written by human scholar Viscanu Winfred.


    I slowly came to consciousness, awakened by the tormenting headache that was splitting my head in two.


    When I opened my eyes, I was welcomed by the familiar suffocating darkness of the deep roads. Yet this time, it was even more intimidating, as the darkness seemed to be absolute.


    I felt a sense of panic lingering on the edges of my mind, but I tried my hardest to rein in the dreadful sensation. Knowing that panicking in an unfamiliar situation would only make things worse.


    Still¡­ the sharp pain in my face was killing me. I could feel that the left side of my jaw and eye were swollen and bruised. My left eye only opened partially, and moving my jaw sent sparks of pain up and down on the side of my face.


    I whimpered silently. Taken aback by the vivid pain that assaulted me as I gently touched the bloody contours of my swollen left eye and cheek.


    Just then, I heard some movements not far from me. I looked around hesitantly, but of course, I couldn¡¯t see anything in the stifling darkness. I instinctively felt for my staff, only to realize that I could not find it anywhere.


    This realisation filled me with a fresh wave of anxiety. I have grown attached to my staff over the short time I spent in this terrifying fantasy world. It was a symbol of my magic, providing a source of safety and stability in this vortex of chaos. The sudden loss of it filled me with uncertainty and dread. It made me feel vulnerable, as if half of my strength was lost overnight. The staff passively reinforced my magic, becoming an extension of my being, and now I couldn¡¯t find it however I tried.


    I bit down on my already bruised and swollen lips in my anxiety. Fueled by a panicked attempt to find my stuff, I decided to use my light magic to look for it. Taking a deep breath, then creating a small floating orb of light in my palm. Thankfully, I could cast spells without the staff, but it was a lot harder this way.


    When the magic came to life, there were two things I realized.


    First, I was in some sort of tent, and second, I was not alone.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Two surprised gasps sounded in the small place. Causing me to freeze up. I slowly looked around with wide silver eyes, afraid to find whom those voices belonged to.


    As I looked for the other presences, I suddenly locked eyes with a pair of pristine blue eyes that were narrowed to thin slits, being on the receiving and of my light magic.


    I stared at the woman shamelessly as I took in her ragged appearance. She had bronze skin color and a well-toned body shape. Strange tattoos were marking her body, slithering over her naked arms and even reaching the sides of her face in the form of black, thorny vines. The woman was wearing dirty and ripped clothes, which one¡¯s once might have been considered well made. Seeing how detailed they were in some of the still recognisable areas.


    Then¡­ I saw her ears¡­ they were pointy, just like mine.


    ¡°An elf?¡± ¡ª Those words left my mouth as a result of my surprise.


    Which caused the woman to frown at me, her eyes slowly getting used to the new source of light in the tent.


    While we stared at each other, a different and this time familiar voice sounded behind me. Immediately reminding me of the other presence.


    ¡°Is¡­ is that you, Selora?¡± ¡ª Camilla¡¯s voice sounded relieved, yet missing the cheerfulness which I was beginning to associate with her. It took me a few seconds to recognize her voice being so serious as she continued emotionally. ¡ª ¡°Thank the gods,¡± ¡ª She sniffed. ¡ª ¡°I thought that you died, being so still all this time¡­ You wouldn¡¯t wake no matter how hard I called out to you.¡± ¡ª Sounded the familiar voice, and I immediately turned around to find Camilla on the other end of the small tent.


    The moment I looked at her, she gasped in worry, staring at me with a pitiful expression. I winced at her reaction, immediately reminded of my injury. It must be a sight to see.


    As I thought about that, the memories of the ambush and the glimpse of the incoming armored fist blinked into my mind, and I quickly put things together, coming to the conclusion that we were in a world of trouble.


    I was not na?ve¡­ I watched enough war movies and read more than enough history books to easily answer the potential reasons for why women were captured in violent raids.


    I pressed my lips together, forming a thin desperate line in the wake of this realisation. I was not going to sit around and wait for them to pop my cherry.


    Driven by this very decision, I stood up and almost fell back to the ground with the same momentum, as my legs felt numb and shaky under my weight. Still, I managed to stay on my feet and attempted to walk over to Camilla. Only to be halted by the pull of a clanking chain locked around my right ankle. I caught myself miraculously a second time, almost falling on my face again. I was surprised seeing the chain, as I didn¡¯t even notice the existence of it until now, because of the numbness in my legs.


    As I examined it further, I quickly saw that the other end was tied to a thick pole which was pierced into the ground, holding me in place. I glanced at the other two women, quickly asserting that they were tied down similarly or even more in case of the fierce-looking elf.


    I shook my head in disgust. I was not entirely sure about dark elves until now. I mean, based on one encounter, you can hardly judge an entire race. However, seeing that my second interaction with them has gone south quickly, and now they want to enslave and probably rape me. It was enough of an indication for me to make up my mind for good.


    Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice called out to me in an excited whisper.


    ¡°Child¡­ I see now that your human friend didn¡¯t lie¡­ You can indeed conjure magic. Are you capable of breaking the chains without the help of your conduit?¡± ¡ª The elven woman asked. I could see a spark of hope ignited in those blue eyes of hers.


    ¡°Oh god, yes! Please let that be the case! I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to end up like this¡­¡± ¡ª Camilla pleaded, her breathing heavy and slightly wheezy.


    I winced, remembering that bastard who pummeled her side. It was more than likely that she had at least one broken rib, which needed to be treated sooner than later.


    The elf immediately scolded the panicking girl. ¡ª ¡°Breathe slowly, human, as I told you earlier. Just focus on your breathing. Our fate is in your friend¡¯s hands now. For the dark ones have no pity to spare.¡±


    Camilla swallowed another whimper as she listened to those words.


    I couldn¡¯t help but raise my eyebrows turning towards the elven woman. I didn¡¯t like the way she treated my friend, but I suppose it was not the time to argue about it. Also¡­ it seemed to help Camilla rein in her panic, which was good.


    I focused on the ice spell, which I was getting quite familiar with quickly realizing that the effects of the spell dispersed over time, likely when I was knocked unconscious.


    I gathered my focus, preparing to cast the magic for the first time without my staff¡¯s aid.


    ¡°Quickly, break the chains if you can, child!¡± ¡ª The elf urged me in the background and I only grunted affirmatively while focusing my magic.


    It was harder to concentrate the power without the conduit, or more like I was simply unused to do so and the constantly distracting pain didn¡¯t help either. I swore under my breath in my frustration that I will not be so dependent on my staff if I survive this.


    I finally started to chant the spell, whispering the words. I recently understood that it did not make any difference in the power of the spell, if I shouted the words or barely spoken them in a whisper, until the words were properly spoken.


    ¡°Winter of the coldest north, frozen rivers and blinding snow. Hear my woe! For those who do not fear the coldest grasp of nature, shall be the first to learn of its apathy.¡±


    The words left my mouth with the same familiarity, as if I have cast this spell a thousand times prior. Props of it being engraved into my mind, I guess.


    As I endured the familiar cold shivers running through my bones after the spell came to be. I immediately turned towards the chain that was shackling me to the pole. I scrutinized a place between two links where the material was the thinnest and focused a burst of my magic into freezing it.


    Soon, a concentrated ice crystal formed on the ground, fixing the metal in place. I pulled on the chains harshly, but it did not break. I huffed, then I conjured an axe made of ice next to it and slowly grasped its handle. To my surprise, touching the ice indeed felt warm. No matter how my mind expected it to feel freezing cold. It was a confusing sensation that made you dizzy if you truly thought about it.


    Which I did not, as I lifted the axe and delivered a powerful strike on the frozen chain, causing it to snap in a loud clink.


    ¡°Incredible¡­¡± ¡ª The elven woman watched my display of magic and commented on it in barely withheld awe.


    I decided to ignore her for now. As I walked over to Camilla, the now cut chain dragged behind me as I repeated the same process on her chain, this time trying to cut it as close to her ankle as possible.


    The dangling chains were already getting on my nerves. Not even mentioning the constantly pulsing pain coming from my head and face.


    After the process was done. I helped Camilla to her feet. She was clearly roughed up. There were bruises on her face and neck. At least they were not swollen like mine, but she was clearly beaten up badly. Probably the result of trying to fight back after I blacked out.


    ¡°Can you walk?¡± ¡ª I asked her, seeing how she flinched with every step.


    Now that her chain was cut, she seemed more of her regular self, giving me a hesitant smile with a bit of warmth. ¡ª ¡°I think I have sprained my ankle, but I will manage¡­ what about you? I don¡¯t want to scare you, Selora, but your face looks like you stuck your head into a beehive and then forgot about it.¡±


    I froze for a moment, and throw a horrified glance at her¡­ ¡ª ¡°¡­ It can¡¯t be that bad, can it?¡± ¡ª I asked in a wheezing voice, to which the girl broke eye-contact with a hesitant chuckle and started to stare at the ground in front of her feet.


    I gulped down my saliva as a knot started to form in my throat. I cut off the excess chains from my ankle as if to distract myself from my injuries. Then shook my head and walked over to the other elf in the room.


    She was already frustrated by us chatting about meaningless stuff, and was just about to call out for me when I got to her side.


    I thought about not letting her go for a second. I didn¡¯t know anything about her and she could be dangerous and probably was. Based on the fact that, unlike us, she was tied down by two chains instead of one.


    Then I decided to take the risk. Seriously, fuck it. I am not going to leave her to be a plaything of dark elves or whatever those bastards were. I was still very much shaken by the thought of being taken for such purposes.


    Living as a man until a fine old age while never having to fear about such stuff was a luxury I have taken for granted. Regarding the new experience¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t funny. I was disgusted from the very idea of imagining myself being put in such a helpless position.


    Not even mentioning my still very much present problems with accepting my new sex. I was pretty sure that if such terrible things would have come to pass¡­ well, best not to think about it. I refocused on the task at hand.


    It took a minute to cut both of her chains. Thankfully, the entire process consumed a low amount of mana, even without my staff.


    Thinking about said staff, after I helped the woman to her feet, I inquired about the possibility if she had any idea where my staff might have been stored.


    To my surprise, the one who answered was Camilla.


    ¡°They did not bring your staff with them. I kicked it under the cart after you fainted. It should still be there, under the broken down cart.¡± ¡ª I frowned at Camilla, about to question her decision. Seeing my expression, she added hastily.


    ¡°Which is lucky, because if they realized that you were the mage that killed a few of their men, they would have either cut out your tongue by now or stuffed your mouth with something that would have stopped you from chanting incantations.¡± ¡ª I paled at the revelation, my expression immediately morphing into a thankful one.


    Seeing the drastic change, Camilla¡¯s features softened as she bumped me on the shoulder in an attempt to lighten the mood.


    The other elf stared at the light-hearted interaction between us, then cut in with a flustered voice. ¡ª ¡°If we manage to escape this place, I will be looking forward to the explanation of what a high elf girl-child is doing in the lost parts of the deep roads¡­ especially one that could wield such dangerous battle magic without the help of a conduit while didn¡¯t even breaking a sweat.¡± ¡ª The woman spoke in an ominous tone.


    Great¡­ that was just what I needed¡­ I sighed, but nodded to the overbearing woman, who seemed to appreciate my agreement.


    Unlike Camilla.


    ¡°She is not a high elf¡­ can¡¯t you see that she is a w-¡­ uhm!?¡± ¡ª I stepped closer to her and¡­ clasped my left palm around her mouth, effectively stopping her from finishing that sentence.


    The elven woman watched my actions with a pair of suspiciously narrowed eyes, giving me a silent promise that this topic was far from over.


    I sighed, while Camilla¡¯s eyes furrowed into the back of my head. ¡ª ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡ª The girl demanded after I lifted my hand from her mouth, but I ignored her. She should learn to not spout other¡¯s secrets left and right without a thought.


    ¡°I will heal you later¡­¡± ¡ª I added, in an attempt to appease her.


    ¡°Would you two cut the crap at last and focus on escaping? I fail to understand how the two of you keep getting distracted...¡± ¡ª Came the annoyed whisper that brought us back into reality.


    I thought about that and began an explanation.


    ¡°¡­ Well, both of us are kind of beaten up. I think I have a concussion and probably Camilla has one too, among other things.¡± ¡ª I said, being completely serious about it. I was feeling strangely lightheaded and distractible. Occasionally catching myself staring into nothingness for seconds before realizing it and moving on.


    I noticed that the woman was now staring at me with disbelief.


    ¡°Oh¡­ you didn¡¯t expect an answer to that¡­ sorry.¡± ¡ª I added after realising that it was, but a poetic question.


    The woman shook her head, saying, ¡ª ¡°Children¡­¡± ¡ª under her breath, but in a tone that made it sound like a curse word.

 Chapter 46. Escape and small talk.

    It seemed that our antics were not appreciated by the older elven woman, whose name I still didn¡¯t know. Either way, it was plain to see that she took over the lead with a natural ease after I cut off her chains.


    I didn¡¯t protest. I wasn¡¯t exactly the leader type, so I was actually quite happy that the responsibility was taken off my shoulders.


    Of course, I suspected that the main reason for it was that the woman thought of me as a high elven child. Probably because of my shorter stature. I heard that high elves were very tall, so her conclusion was quite reasonable.


    Also, nobody would expect me to be a white elf.


    The elven woman waved me closer while inspecting my ice axe.


    ¡°Sweet child, can you make a weapon like that for me as well?¡± ¡ª She asked, only for me to show her a wry smile.


    ¡°I can, but it won¡¯t do any good for you, ma¡¯am. Only I can touch my ice magic without being injured. Sorry¡­¡± ¡ª I added, seeing her troubled expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright girl, in that case, do you think you can cut open the cover of the tent right about here?¡± ¡ª She asked, after listening carefully to our surroundings. She was probably searching for stray guards walking near the tent.


    I nodded to her, walked over to the suggested spot, and easily cut through the thick layers of textile materials.


    As the materials parted, she pushed me behind herself right next to Camilla. Whispering a few warnings to us offhandedly.


    ¡°Alright, we will try to sneak out of the camp while most of the guards are occupied with chasing some dwarves. You will follow me as quietly as possible along with your human friend. Help her since she is injured. Make sure neither of you lag behind.¡± ¡ª She said while locking eyes with me with a meaningful stare.


    I gulped and nodded. Then I realised something. Dwarfs! They must be the same dwarfs we were traveling with. Emrum¡¯s image came to my mind, and a sense of worry filled my soul.


    Were they trying to save us?


    ¡°Those dwarfs, I think I knew them, we were traveling together until recently¡­¡± ¡ª I spoke, and the woman blinked in confusion.


    ¡°Why would you travel with a bunch of dirty dwarfs¡­¡± ¡ª I winced at her tone. ¡ª ¡°Regardless, based on what I overheard, they are hardly in a situation to worry about you. They have been ambushed and suffered serious casualties before managing to escape with their tail between their stubby legs. The dark ones are chasing them even as we speak. But enough of this, follow me unless you prefer to stay here and be abused by this filth.¡± ¡ª With that said, she moved through the rip in the tent¡¯s covers and we followed her without a word.


    When I stepped out of the tent, I felt relieved, as it was no longer that dark. A distant fireplace and the occasional torches allowed some level of light. Seeing this, I let my light magic fizzle out to not draw unnecessary attention to our presence.


    I was about to look around more carefully. As I heard distant noises, laughter, and talking. Coming from somewhere on the other side of the tent, which we just left behind.


    Camilla pulled my arm, waking me from my momentary daydream and reminding me that this was hardly the right time for sightseeing.


    We followed the elf woman. All three of us crouched down, staying low and hopefully staying out of sight as well.


    We half circled around the back of another tent following the older woman. The tent was much similar to our own. I thought about the possibility, if there were other women in similar situations. Tied down to a pole beaten and helpless but seeing the way the elf walked passed it, completely disregarding the tent. I decided to do the same. Trying to not think about the possibility made me feel like an utter coward, and maybe I was.


    We sneaked around the back of some more tents, then halted, finding a thin path snaking up the side of a rocky protrusion. My eyes followed the path upwards, then my heart skipped a beat when my eyes met with a pair of just as surprised red ones, staring right back at me.


    Time seemed to freeze. As our eyes widened, I saw as the man was about to shout an alert, then I acted on instinct. There was no time to think.


    My arm holding the axe whipped upwards, pointing towards the man. My axe shattered on its own, creating hundreds of shards of thin icicles, which burst forth towards the shocked enemy, the shards being propelled by an involuntary pulse of my telekinesis.


    The deadly needles left behind silent whistles as they cut through the air. Most of them successfully hitting their target, while some embedded into the rocks lying around.


    The man¡¯s voice was cut off as the deadly hail of icicle shards hit the upper part of his body. I could hear the distant collapse of his body, the gentle roll of small pebbles. Then there was silence.


    My body was shaking from the sudden burst of adrenaline. Heart throbbing in my throat and ears drowning out any other noise.


    All three of us were holding our breaths. We still didn¡¯t know for certain if there was another guard, just about to sound the alarm and simultaneously sealing our fate.


    After a minute or so passed and the silence remained, we sighed in relief. The minute felt like an eternity in our heightened sense of awareness.


    I felt Camilla¡¯s grasp locked around my left wrist in an iron grip. Poor girl¡¯s anxiety couldn¡¯t have been more obvious.


    I also noticed a pair of blue eyes looking back at me with an acknowledging expression. Then the owner of said eyes looked forward again, following the previously mentioned path up to the elevated rock surface overlooking the camp.


    I gulped and followed her, climbing up to the top of the rock wall. Pulling Camilla along the way, letting her to lean on my shoulder.


    It took us some time to climb the steep slope, but we managed, helping each other whenever it was necessary.


    We panted slightly, reaching the top. I was half carrying, half pulling Camilla. I decided that this could hardly go on any longer. ¡ª ¡°I will heal your ankle now. You can¡¯t keep up like this.¡±


    The girl opened her mouth to protest, but I cut off her words. ¡ª ¡°I know that I need to spare mana, but you can barely walk like this¡­¡± ¡ª I reprimanded her, and she nodded eventually.


    ¡°Alright, let me help you sit down, then I will do it.¡±


    After I helped Camilla to sit, I kneeled down in front of her. Helping her to take off her boot. Luckily, the metal shackle was on her other leg, otherwise it would have been quite a challenge considering that it was locked over it.


    As I removed the boot, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. The ankle was bruised and slightly swollen, but it was not that bad. Nothing that my magic couldn¡¯t handle.


    I took a deep breath and started the incantation. ¡ª ¡°By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command thy wound, heal!¡±


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    Gentle golden rays of light pulsed through my arm, focusing inside my right hand that gently touched the ankle. To my surprise, the warm energy didn¡¯t only focus around my hand. Part of it seeped through my body, concentrating on my face and head, healing my own injuries as well as Camilla¡¯s.


    I heaved a sigh of relief. The burning-pulsing pain was overcome by soothing coldness. I let the feeling wash over me, while still channelling my magic, which was being drained with an alarming rate.


    As it dropped below half of my current mana pool, I regretfully cut off the stream of healing energies, ending the spell in a strained sigh.


    My face was no longer pulsing, and my mind felt a lot clearer. It was much easier to focus my thoughts without getting distracted.


    I blinked and looked at Camilla¡¯s injury. The swelling has disappeared and only faint yellow discoloration was visible on the skin. It was on its way of complete recovery.


    I also realized that I could open both of my eyes without trouble. I lifted my hands and gently touched the side of my face. It still hurt, but the horrible swelling I felt previously was mostly gone and touching it didn¡¯t hurt anymore. Only when I pushed down on it did I feel a dull pain.


    It was at that time, when I felt the shaky hands of Camilla cupping my face in both of her hands. The skin of her palms felt surprisingly rough, no doubt a sign of a harsh adventuring life. I was a bit startled by her unexpected action, looking up into her green eyes with a questioning glance.


    Then I softened my gaze as I saw the sheer wonder in her eyes, as she continued to stare at my face, gently patting the injured side of my cheek.


    ¡°This¡­ I have never seen¡­ healing magic like this¡­ you are the real deal, Selora¡­¡± ¡ª The girl mumbled under her breath, while seemingly bewitched by the sight of my partially healed injury. Now that I think about it, she definitely saw the entire healing process, gross¡­


    I showed her a gentle smile and pulled my head away. It was no time for sentimentality. We needed to get away from here, and fast. Especially now that my magic was half spent.


    ¡°Your ankle is mostly healed. You should be able to walk and even run if necessary. Now stand up, we have to bail out of this cursed place.¡± ¡ª With that said, I stood up and pulled her to her feet as well.


    When I turned around, I caught the bewildered stare of the other elven woman. She seemed conflicted, confused and suspicious at the same time, and she didn¡¯t even attempt to hide it. Based on the open stare down, I was subjected to.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are¡­ but you are no mere child, that you have made clear. My assumptions have been wrong about that.¡± ¡ª She narrowed her glare even further, before sighing and turning away.


    ¡°Be that as it may, I owe you just the same. I could hardly escape this place on my own. I have taken the dead man¡¯s weapons and some of his gear. Seeing that you have healed your friend¡¯s leg, there is nothing stopping us from running away.¡± ¡ª With that said, she started to move towards a dark tunnel leading out of the cave.


    We followed her without a word.


    We sneaked around for a while, then after I summoned a bit of light, we decided to break into a run. We run and run as long as our legs could take us blindly into the suffocating darkness of the endless cave system.


    The lifeless corridors passed by us, one after the other, yet we kept going.


    I was already familiar with the terror of the deep roads¡­ but I was still more comfortable with the unknown than staying with the dark elves. A notion that seemed to be shared among all three of us.


    Only when my legs screamed for rest, my lungs thirsted for air and my heart was threatening to jump out of my chest did we eventually slowed down¡­


    We walked, taking deep, desperate breaths, walking into a narrow side tunnel and sitting down next to each other, leaning against the rough cave wall. Only when our breathing stabilized somewhat did the elven woman break the silence. ¡ª ¡°So¡­ your names¡­ girls?¡± ¡ª She breathed out, still grasping for air.


    Before I could answer, Camilla stepped in and said. ¡ª ¡°How about¡­ you? Why don¡¯t you introduce yourself first? Since we were the ones¡­ who saved you¡­ and all?¡±


    The woman snorted. ¡ª ¡°Saved?¡± ¡ª She shook her head lightly.


    ¡°Oh, please¡­ We are not saved¡­ they must have already noticed our escape¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the rest of the bastards were already on our tail.¡± ¡ª The woman said, with a darkening expression.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t¡­ shouldn¡¯t we run, then?¡± ¡ª I formed the words with more effort than I was willing to admit.


    The woman raised a single eyebrow and pointed a simple question at me, one that shut me up immediately. ¡ª ¡°Can you?¡±


    I looked at my feet silently, while placing my chin on the top of my pulled up knees, hugging and resting them against my chest.


    Seeing my pitiful state, she mumbled something under her breath and turned back towards Camilla.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not like immediate death is a good reason to throw aside my manners.¡± ¡ª She narrowed her icy blue eyes at Camilla, who quickly retreated from the conversation, just as I did seconds ago.


    The woman, seeing our antics, sighed, and spoke with a less annoyed tone. ¡ª ¡°My name is Ariawyn Virdithas, you can call me Ariawyn. I am a wood elf spear and bow wielder and a member of the Tree Guard. I was shamefully captured alive in the defence of a border settlement, which was raided by dark elves. A small part of that army brought me here. They were taking me back as a trophy. I won¡¯t sugarcoat it, since you girls seem capable enough to handle reality. You have indeed saved me from a fate much worse than death.¡± ¡ª She said with a tired voice before turning to me. ¡ª ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you introduce yourself as well? There is no need for hostility among us. Not in a situation like this¡­¡±


    I sighed and nodded. She was right, something that Camilla also have realized by now, seeing how her vehement demeanor changed to a mild and apologetic one.


    I have only known her for a short time, but I could already read some of her antics. Not that it was hard. Even a blind man could read some of her rapid mood changes. She was a lively person, full of strong emotion. One moment bright as a star, while the next shy as a clam, just to become annoying again in the next moment.


    The freshness and simpleness of her spirit was something I considered precious. Especially in contrast of my own murky one. Then again, she was truly young, while I was only young in body, and not in my soul.


    Thinking like this, eternity seemed quite a long time indeed. As the weight of measly seventy-two years pressed down on my shoulders. What would eternity feel like? I wondered. The idea itself was incomprehensible.


    I snapped out of my thoughts, being poked by Camilla. Reminding myself that I was supposed to answer a question.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ well, I am Selora¡­ magic caster¡­¡± ¡ª I started, double thinking every word I spoke. I never had so many secrets in my previous life, especially the kind that could shake me upside down if told to the wrong person.


    I was playing with the light in my hand as I tried to give a proper explanation without giving too much away.


    It was then, when the women sitting next to me decided to grab my hand, turning it upside down while peering at the runic ring around my finger¡­ uh-oh¡­


    I panicked and pulled back my hand, but it was already too late. As a pair of piercing blue eyes burrowed into my own.


    ¡°A bloodline ring¡­ of the Dimhollow clan? Those things can¡¯t be stolen¡­ only, given, willingly. What is the meaning of this? Are you in leagues with the dwarves?¡±


    I sighed and nodded tentatively.


    Based on her previous comments, I expected her to react poorly to this. No surprise there, since the dwarves and the wood elves were on the verge of a full-blown military conflict. That was why I tried to hide it, but as expected, I failed. I wasn¡¯t exactly the best lier, I rarely needed to lie in my previous life, and when I did it was regarding meaningless or petty stuff. Nothing that truly mattered, and I was finding out fast that lying under pressure was very different.


    Camilla was quite annoyed by seeing Ariawyn¡¯s slightly disgusted expression. I could feel her body tense on the other side of me as I was sitting between the two.


    ¡°Hey, what with that face of yours, miss there shouldn¡¯t be any conflict between us, heh?¡± ¡ª Camilla stated sarcastically. Her snarky attitude surprised me. I expected her to be meek in front of another elf. She was supposed to be someone who idolized elves not too long ago. I guess a life and death situation cured her from that excitable attitude, or maybe she was just annoyed by this particular elf.


    To my surprise, Ariawyn seemed actually embarrassed by Camilla¡¯s remark. Which created a slightly awkward atmosphere as she scratched the back of her neck.


    ¡°You are right, forgive me for letting my emotions getting the better of me. It¡¯s just that the current situation between our nations is quite tense.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t say!¡± ¡ª Camilla continued. ¡ª ¡°If your king would just see reason about the dark elves attacking that damn caravan, we might not be in this situation at all!¡±


    Ariawyn was about to retort, but instead of that, she bit down on her lips and swallowed back her words. She shook her head in shame and said, eventually.


    ¡°¡­ You might be right about that¡­ I cannot deny the dark elves¡¯ presence in the wood realm. Not after what I have been through¡­ The dwarves¡­ it is possible that they have been true to their words all this time and we were simply blinded by our arrogance. Still, it remains to be seen what the truth might be. Even if the dark elves¡¯ presence can¡¯t be questioned any longer, it doesn¡¯t mean that the caravan was indeed attacked by them.¡±


    ¡°Oh come now, you are just making excuses at this point.¡± ¡ª Camilla snorted. I placed my hand over her pulled up knees in a calming gesture. There was no need to push the older elf more than it was necessary.


    She huffed getting my message and cockily turned her head away from us, towards the entrance to the side tunnel of our momentary hiding place.

 Chapter 47. Argument and resolution

    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡ª I attempted to speak up, carefully feeling out the proper atmosphere and words to use.


    Ariawyn was clearly troubled by her recent realization about the political intrigues between the dwarves and elves. Yet, it was not exactly the right time to be consumed by such thoughts.


    ¡°We might be able to clear up the misunderstanding with your help? Let me introduce myself. I am Selora¡­¡± ¡ª I glanced towards Camilla, noticing that her attention was once again focused on me. I sighed and continued either way. It¡¯s not like it was my most important secret, and she would learn about it one way or another.


    ¡°I am a witch¡­ and an apprentice shaper of the Bronze Company. I am also a new member of the Dimhollow clan, as you have noticed. Emrum¡­ that is, my adoptive father¡­ We have been traveling towards the capital after a successful recapture of a lost section in the deep roads on the King¡¯s orders. That was when we were ambushed.¡±


    ¡°We fought, but in the end Camilla,¡± ¡ª I pointed towards the girl on my side. ¡ª ¡°she is an adventurer by the way who was hired for extra protection. Well, she was cornered, and I tried to save her and we succeeded to fend of the enemy¡­ but I lost my focus, and was eventually knocked out from behind.¡±


    I hanged my head in shame, as I remembered the stupid mistake I did¡­ To think that I was this close to get killed. I was pretty certain that if I wasn¡¯t a woman now, I would have been simply cut down. Well¡­ not that being kidnapped with the intention of¡­ well, let¡¯s not go there for now. I squeezed my legs together as a cold shiver run over my spine.


    What I wanted to say is that I made a huge mistake, and was yet to escape the consequences.


    Even if we get away from the elves, which I doubt to be that easy, we would still have to survive the deep roads with practically nothing on our hands. That seemed to be like an impossible mission. Our best chance was to reunite with the dwarves. Let¡¯s hope some of them are still around.


    ¡°Wait¡­ you are a witch?¡± ¡ª Camilla said with a burst of excitement. Her reaction was not what I expected, but it was just like her. I smiled lightly at the girl, a gentle sense of warmth spreading over my body. I realized that I was a lot more worried about the people¡¯s reaction for me being a witch than I initially thought. The way Emrum reacted to that at first must have left a deeper impression on me than I originally thought.


    ¡°A witch, you?¡± ¡ª The elf asked with a shocked expression. I gulped, sensing the sharp contrast between the two women. She slowly looked me over from top to bottom. I waited anxiously for Ariawyn¡¯s reaction, which she clearly noticed. There were a few more tense seconds passing by before the woman burst out in subdued chuckles.


    ¡°I will be damned¡­ I would sooner take you for a moon priestess than a witch¡­ you do not live up to any of the various stereotypes or genuine facts about your kind.¡± ¡ª She stated trying to calm her giggles. After she managed to do so, her expression slowly became more serious.


    She took a deep breath and released it slowly.


    ¡°Did you say that you are a shaper apprentice, and a member of the Bronze company? Forgive me for asking this, but how old are you, girl? Wait¡­ wait, don¡¯t answer yet¡­ what did you mean by being a member of the Dimhollow clan¡­ Is this Emrum your adoptive father? Is he a dwarf? Why would a dwarf¡­ adopt you? How in the fiery woods did that happen? I can hardly follow¡­¡±


    I stared at the woman with a solemn expression.


    ¡°Yes, to the first two¡­ My age¡­ I am about a hundred¡­¡± I lied awkwardly, feeling ashamed to have to result to such childish behaviours. Saying that I am older than I was originally strangely reminded me to the old times when I had to fake my age to get a few bottles of beer at the corner shop down the street.


    My words were cut short as the woman whirled on me, practically jerking me out of my thoughts and causing a subdued shriek to leave both mine and Camilla¡¯s mouth.


    We exchanged a quick glance with the human girl, becoming terribly embarrassed by getting scared for no reason.


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    Still, my mind couldn¡¯t linger for long on such topics, as I was pulled into a suffocating hug.


    My body stiffened as my face landed between two firm mounds, completely engulfed by soft warmth and the less attractive but understandable smell of sweat and grime.


    I stayed there, frozen, expecting for something else to stiffen, only to remain permanently disappointed by the lack of that something. As the realization flow through me, my body slowly relaxed, letting the woman¡¯s hands to caress me gently with the protectiveness of a mother.


    I expected a sort of excitement, a familiar desire and drive to arise, but there was no such thing. At best, there was a shadow of what I have known, and it felt different. More akin to an underlying simmering thirst, which was deep and a lot harder to connect to.


    The tightness of the hug slowly loosened around me, and I could finally look up to the elven woman¡¯s expression.


    I was surprised by the gentle eyes as the woman took in my form with a protective love radiating from her blue eyes.


    ¡°For such a young child, to be so far from home. How could those disgusting dwarves force you into military service¡­ This¡­ such insult shall not go unpunished¡­ The high elves will hear about this, there is a line that should never be stepped over, and these fools have crossed it so brazenly!¡± ¡ª The woman spoke with an alarming fervor. The previous distrust and hatred towards the dwarves seemed to redouble in intensity.


    I pushed against her shoulders, trying to struggle out of her grasp while protesting vehemently. ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ what sort of story are you making up in your mind? It was me who asked them to accept my help¡­¡°


    The woman ignored me¡­ ¡ª ¡°You might be thinking that, and it might be even true, but adults should know better to not send children on a frontline. This is unacceptable, does they not know the tradition of elves? Do they try to insult us where it hurts the most? No wood elf or high elf would let such treatment go unpunished!¡± ¡ª The woman fumed.


    ¡°How did you end up in such a dangerous place to begin with? You should be with your family, or with your own kind at least! To learn the ways of the elves¡­ What good could you learn from dwarves that is relevant for your life? Drinking and barfing in public?¡± ¡ª The woman started to lecture me with a natural ease. I was pretty sure that she was used to bargaining with children, not that I was one, but her righteously descending tone reminded me of my own parents, bless their souls.


    ¡°If the elven races learn about this¡­ there will be consequences!¡± ¡ª The woman promised with a snarl. Something that sent shivers down my lower back. This was not good. Obviously I can¡¯t neutralize her, even if I could I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Yet¡­ I was supposed to mend the disagreements of the realm and not cause even more! I cannot create another destructive misunderstanding.


    I heavily pushed against the woman¡¯s shoulders, and finally managed to wriggle my way out of her grasp. Just noticing the smirking Camilla sitting by the wall and watching the show with interest.


    I blushed and turned away from her, looking back at the elf. ¡ª ¡°Look, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. Don¡¯t get ahead of your horses! The dwarves have actually saved me from the predictably dire consequences of a failed teleportation. Yes, that¡¯s how I got into the deep roads in the first place¡­¡±


    Both women gasped, one in shock while the other in excitement. I throw a pointed look at Camilla and said. ¡ª ¡°No, I won¡¯t teach it to you, since I can¡¯t do it properly myself.¡±


    The girl mumbled something obscene under her breath, and made a face, but continued to listen to my explanation with the focus of a hawk.


    ¡°They saved me and took me in. I wanted to help them out and so I did¡­ Things happened and it turned out that my magic was more useful than they initially anticipated. They offered me rank and payment for magical service, and I accepted.¡±


    It did not persuade the older elf.


    ¡°Accepted? The imbeciles dare! They should have sent you home with the first caravan, instead they sent you deeper into the deep roads, and a lost section of it! I¡¯m going to strangle the bastards one by one!¡± ¡ª The woman cursed, in a barely contained rage. ¡ª ¡°Tell me Selora, are you a wood elf, or a high elf?¡± ¡ª Her expression was strict. I could tell that my answer would either doom or partially doom Ariawyn¡¯s thoughts regarding dwarves, possibly permanently.


    I gulped and decided to come clean. Unable to bear the responsibility of needlessly ruining an entire race already questioned reputation. Especially with something that had no basis at all.


    ¡°Neither¡­¡± ¡ª I said, eventually accepting my fate.


    Ariawyn opened her mouth and was just about to retort with something, before she froze¡­ opened her piercing blue eyes and focused them on me.


    ¡°Explain.¡± ¡ª Was the only word she said to accompany her measured words.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡ª I started, unsure what to say. Thankfully, there was a sarcastic companion to help me out.


    ¡°She is a white elf, can¡¯t you see? She differs from your kind, high elves, and obviously she is not a dark elf¡­ so that¡¯s the only reasonable explanation.¡± ¡ª She stated with a satisfied look, drinking in the shock and disbelief that the older elf showed hearing the unexpected revelation.


    ¡°White elf?¡± ¡ª The woman said in a questioning tone, her voice hiccuping at the end. ¡ª ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± ¡ª Camilla snorted at her expression. ¡ª ¡°It obviously can.¡±

 Chapter 48. Terror

    ¡°You¡­ a white elf? That is impossible¡­ they went extinct since millennia.¡± ¡ª Ariawyn grabbed my shoulders once again, and pulled me closer, holding me in a way for the magical light I was still keeping alive to shine over me easily.


    ¡°I cannot argue with the similarities that are written in the history books of elven kind. You have a pale skin, unlike any other elves I have ever seen, and silver eyes, which are very rare in other elven races, but were a common eye color among white elves.¡± ¡ª She paused for a while, then added thoughtfully.


    ¡°Yet the strongest proof of your bloodline remains your unlikely talent in magic. Even if you are a pact witch, the strength of the magic you can manifest is still based on your body¡¯s natural talent. No matter how powerful your patron is, the magic you can unleash always relies on the wielder¡¯s endurance and capabilities.¡± ¡ª The woman stated while taking in my appearance with as much detail as possible.


    ¡°I concur.¡± ¡ª She stated at last. ¡ª ¡°The human girl does not lie, I would have noticed it myself if we were not in such a hurry. However unlikely that sounds, I cannot deny your claim based on what I know.¡±


    There was a tense silence lingering in the side tunnel for a while before she continued.


    ¡°This¡­ this has changed everything. The possibility for a true immortal to still walk the land of Rixa. It seems that the Gods have smiled upon us at last. The king must be notified of your existence.¡± ¡ª The woman stated with an emotional tone.


    I sighed, already expecting a reaction along those lines. It was quite mild for what I assumed to happen.


    Ariawyn shifted lightly, those gentle emotions quickly overcome by raw fury. ¡ª ¡°And to think that those stubby bastards dared risk your precious life in some meaningless task.¡±


    Now, that was closer to my expectations.


    ¡°No! Stop that already¡­ don¡¯t you understand that I wanted to help them?¡± ¡ª I said loudly. I was losing my shit with this woman¡¯s logic.


    She turned on me and said with a disregarding tone. ¡ª ¡°Of course you did, child. You are too innocent and na?ve to know any better. A fine prey for opportunist bastards like humans and dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Hey?!¡± ¡ª Camilla cut in but was promptly ignored.


    ¡°But-¡± ¡ª Just like I was, when I tried to complain.


    ¡°Silence! Those fools can¡¯t even begin to comprehend the true worth of your eternity. Princes from west to east will be lined up for your hand, girl. For the chance to share a fraction of your light with them.¡±


    My stomach flipped at the thought, and my face turned slightly green as I imagined just that. ¡ª ¡°Like I care! They can jump in a river head first and drown themselves.¡±


    Camilla started to laugh in the back, hearing my reaction, no doubt. Seeing our frantic banter didn¡¯t help either, probably. Witnessing us in a situation that was everything but graceful, as all elves were generally described by humans.


    Ariawyn, looked at me harshly, which shut me up.


    ¡°You are still a child yet, but you will come to desire a man¡¯s companionship soon enough.¡± ¡ª She smiled knowingly and added with a cat like smirk. ¡ª ¡°You will hardly refuse when offered to choose from the finest of men among our fair race. No women could refuse such an offer.¡±


    No women¡­ but am I really a woman, as you said? As I remembered my lack of reaction to her touch, I felt my heart skip a beat. A fearful realization that lingered in the corners of my mind came to the surface.


    My lips parted, then closed, forming a thin pressed line. My left eye ticked occasionally under the suffocating weight of stress that pressured down on my psyche.


    What if I was?


    Could I actually look at a man with the same desire as I used to look at women? Was such an attraction more of a bodily thing than that of the mind and soul?


    Another possibility came to mind, one that was more worrying in its nature. What if¡­ what if Lord Axis messed more with my head than I initially thought? What if it was not only my original name that he changed, but my orientation¡­ And if that was the case, what would that imply about said God? Come to think of it, for some reason I never even entertained the thought about Lord Axis not being the generous God he told himself to be.


    I swallowed drily, trying to clear my head from such thoughts.


    ¡°Anyway, this is no time to talk about such things. We need to focus on surviving first.¡± ¡ª Said Ariawyn with a sigh.


    ¡°The dark elves should have already realized what we have done. Have you rested enough? Because we need to move on. There is no more time to waste.¡±


    We exchanged a glance between all three of us, then nodded and moved towards the opening that lead us back to the main tunnel. When I was about to step through the opening, a hand grasped my shoulder and held me back.


    My awareness immediately skyrocketed as I focused on the outside of the cavern. Just as I did, I noticed the sounds of distant shuffling and the occasionally kicked up gravel clattering on the rocky floor.


    ¡°They are here.¡± ¡ª I whispered towards Camilla, who was desperately trying to catch the sounds of movements, sensing our sudden tension.


    The girl nodded grimly towards me, then looked to the older elf with a questioning glare. Ariawyn took in her glance, then nodded while pulling out a short dagger and handing it to Camilla.


    ¡°Get ready.¡± ¡ª The older elf said, while sneaking closer to the entrance of the side tunnel, ushering me and Camilla towards the shadows. She was standing by the entrance with a sword ready to strike.


    I stepped back a few times, readying my ice spells in my mind. The previous incantation was still active, and I could call forth its destructive power whenever I wanted. That is, until I had enough mana.


    We waited like that, stiffened with tension while the inevitable creeped closer. I have weakened my light magic, hoping against hope that they won¡¯t find our hiding place.


    My eyes focused on Ariawyn¡¯s form crouched low by the entrance, hiding behind a small protrusion that hid her body, at least partially. A shadowy form appeared in the entrance. It was tall and agile, based on his contours, but I could not see the person clearly because of the low level of light.


    There was the sound of a dark chuckle, followed by a blur of movement.


    As the figure stepped towards me and Camilla confidently, Ariawyn¡¯s sword struck out with vicious precision. The shadowy form was completely overtaken by the unexpected ambush, his hands reaching up to his throat from where a viscous liquid was dripping down to the ground.


    It was not the end, though. The dying man¡¯s body was pushed out of the way as two new shadows appeared in the entrance. This time, they were ready to face the threat.


    Sounds of clashing swords and grunts filled the narrow tunnel, shaking me and Camilla out of our trance. Everything was happening so fast, I was not sure if I could ever get used to such an experience.


    The sword fight that played out across the narrow tunnel was not something I have ever seen before. Even through the darkness, I felt its intensity. Over the few seconds that passed since its beginning, numerous strikes were exchanged. The precision and viciousness of the attacks were as shocking as they were mesmerising.


    There was calculated deadly intention behind the smallest of movements between the three elves. They were not simply using their swords to kill; they were using every part of their bodies. Doing it with an eery proficiency and coldness. Like a dance practiced a thousandth time. A dance of life and death.


    Kicks, fist strikes, attempts to grab or push the other out of balance... There were no rules here, and there was no time to hesitate.


    Realizing that there was no more hope for us to get away without a conflict. I empowered my light magic. Blinding rays of light shined through the tunnel, momentarily distracting the enemy that was facing towards us.


    I saw as their dark contours lighted up. Two dark elves were standing in front of us, Ariawyn being the only barrier keeping them from us.


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    The moment my light magic pulsed, both dark elves froze for a second, their eyes blinded momentarily, just as I intended.


    The wood elf woman leaned in as fast as a striking snake. A flash of a sword crossed the distance between the two combatants, and soon enough, another body collapsed to the floor clutching its throat, followed by inhuman gurgling sounds. Leaving a slowly growing pool of dark blood on the cold ground.


    An enraged snarl filled the tunnel as more intense sword clashes happened. The sharp ringing of metal against metal filled my ears, causing the occasional twitches going through my entire body, and not just my ears this time.


    The intense exchange of sword strikes paused as suddenly as it began.


    ¡°I see¡­ I see¡­ now, that explains a lot.¡± ¡ª The sole standing dark elf said while hungrily glaring at me and the light globe held in my left hand. He was walking slowly from wall to wall, blocking the exit, while keeping a distance from the wood elf¡¯s blade. His voice was deep and ominous. ¡ª "So you were the caster we were looking for all this time¡­ Would have never expected you to be so young and tender¡­ To think that the master wanted to feed you to his spider, it would have been a waste indeed. The beast loves the taste of young supple flesh¡­¡±


    There was a dangerous glint in those red eyes as the man continued with a strange hunger in his gaze. One that sent shivers down my back and prickled my skin. ¡ª ¡°Who knows, I might take a bite myself? He-he¡­¡± ¡ª I shivered as the man¡¯s red eyes snaked over my body. I was still covered in sweat from the run, but I could almost feel as a fresh layer of sweat appeared on my skin.


    Our rest did not take up more time than fifteen minutes. To think that they have already caught up to us, we had no chance to escape without a conflict to begin with; I realized with icy dread.


    Still, I was not going to go down without a fight. I narrowed my gaze at the man and said in its own vile tongue.


    ¡°You will have to kill me first.¡± ¡ª The man¡¯s eyes rounded slightly. He was likely taken aback since I knew his language. One of the strongest gifts I received from Lord Axis was knowing this world¡¯s languages.


    I saw both Camilla and Ariawyn stiffen lightly. Hearing me speaking in the dark elf¡¯s tongue. It must have been a surprise to them. After all, they do not know of my extensive knowledge of languages.


    ¡°My-my¡­¡± ¡ª He cackled in cold amusement. A spark of interest appearing in those deep red eyes, causing me to immediately regret my previous decision. ¡ª ¡°I wonder¡­ how did a small thing with such tender flesh learn the tongue of the dark ones? You might be worth more than nourishment for spiders or meat to fuck.¡± ¡ª I winced hearing those vile words. With every spoken word, I felt my fear growing, molding into a barely contained terror.


    It was one thing to die in a bed among pillows, and it was another to be brutally murdered and raped. Death was bad enough on its own, but I had absolutely no intentions of experiencing the other. Especially in a combination.


    My rebellious thoughts scattered hearing the following words of the dark elf.


    As he added casually. ¡ª ¡°Of course¡­ I will still enjoy breaking you in. After all¡­ every wild dog needs to learn its place, and get used to the weight of the collar or the sting of the whip.¡± ¡ª The man licked his lips, his eyes practically stripping me naked, making me shiver in disgust and fear.


    ¡°I am already excited to hear your screams¡­ To see your body slowly submit to me. Yes, first your body, then your mind.¡± ¡ª He chuckled darkly, and a tight knot began to form in my throat.


    ¡°Based on the way your legs shake, I give you a week before you break completely. By the time I am done with you, you will know who is your new master.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I might make you my personal whore¡­ who knows? It will be an interesting change to understand your futile pleas, since you already know our language. Most only learn it when they are little more than husks, unable to resist. All that incoherent crying can get on one¡¯s nerves. I tend to beat them until they learn to stop squealing all the time, or until they can¡¯t any longer. It¡¯s effective, but tedious after so many times.¡±


    ¡°You, however¡­ you offer something new, and I will give you special attention.¡±


    ¡°Your friends will be watching it too¡­ They will see every step of you descending into the pits of hopelessness, from where you will never see the light again. Then, they will come to the same fate as you. How is that? Aren¡¯t you excited for your upcoming performance? Who knows, maybe if you satisfy me, I might decide to simply kill one of them. Of course, it will be you to decide which one. A clean death compared to what awaits them and you is a genuine gift.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you swallow your own dick and choke on it, you sick fuck!¡± ¡ª Camilla shouted from the side, shaking the dagger angrily in her hand.


    The man completely ignored her, likely not understanding her words as she spoke in a human tongue. He instead continued to focus his gaze at me.


    ¡°Did you know that our esteemed master lets us play with troublesome new slaves?¡± ¡ª He leaned his head to the side with an ominous smile. ¡ª ¡°We are to teach them a lesson. In case if said slaves try to run away, otherwise we are not to touch them. Not before bringing them back to the city.¡±


    I shivered at the realisation, and the man continued just as I expected.


    ¡°You seriously thought that it would be so easy to escape from the dark one¡¯s grasp?¡±


    I felt Ariawyn¡¯s body shift uncomfortably in front of me, and could even sense Camilla¡¯s stiffening body by my side as she felt the growing tension in the air. Even if she doesn¡¯t understand the conversation.


    Shit¡­ I realized with a sudden burst of terror. We have walked into a trap, not that we had any other choice¡­


    In a moment of panic, I reached up with my right hand an open palm towards the grey-skinned man and willed a thin blade of ice into existence, propelling it forward with my telekinesis.


    A ten centimeter long icicle manifested at my command, followed by a small explosion of compressed air that sent my hair into a chaotic dance and propelled the ice towards the surprised man.


    There was another flurry of movements playing out in front of my eyes. I could barely follow what happened, and half of it was a guess on my part.


    The man seeing my manifesting magic froze for a second, his eyes widening in surprise and fear?


    The icicle was sent towards him, yet the man, to my complete shock, parried the ice shard in midair with a perfect strike to its side with his sword. Just enough so that the shard didn¡¯t hit him in the middle of his chest and instead moved by, causing a flesh wound on the upper part of his right shoulder.


    The dark elf howled in anger, and from the sheer effort he had to make to pull that move off. Yet he had no time to rest because he needed to block an incoming blade that was aimed at his neck with cold efficiency.


    He locked his blade with Ariawyn¡¯s shouting into the woman¡¯s face, his expression twisted in rage.


    ¡°A bunch of whores will not best me!¡± ¡ª The man snarled, spitting into Ariawyn¡¯s face which caused the woman to revolt in disgust. It was enough for the man to plant his fist into her stomach, which caused her to fall to her knees, trying to breathe between dry heaves.


    ¡°A fitting place for a tree hugger whore like you¡­¡±


    I was about to send another icicle towards the man, but his cold words stopped me.


    ¡°If I were you, little sluts, I would think twice about my next move.¡± ¡ª Just then, I noticed that he was holding his sword against the throat of Ariawyn. Grasping her hair roughly in his other hand, while pressing down on her sword with one of his feet. Not letting her to pick it up.


    The man smiled in a disgusted, toothy way.


    ¡°Is this wood elf whore your friend? A relative, perhaps? Maybe if you start begging, I will consider going easy on her.¡± ¡ª There was a revolting smile spreading across his face as he added. ¡ª ¡°You, on the other hand, are a different topic...¡±


    ¡°That spell of yours was quite dangerous. Look at me, you sluts¡­ I am bleeding¡­ How long has it been since someone spilt my blood in a fight? As a reward for that¡­ I am going to rip you apart. You will squeal like a pig as I rape you, and I will squeeze your throat until you faint, then do it again and again. After the whole camp is done with you, you won¡¯t even remember a single word of your precious spells. To think that three dirty whores managed to kill so many of my men. I guess they deserved it being so useless.¡±


    ¡°So what will it be, sluts, fist or cock?¡± ¡ª The man shouted, jerking me out of my fear induced trance. ¡ª ¡°You better start stripping now before my hand slip.¡±


    He shook the wood elf by her hair to emphasize his words. Ariawyn was still occupied with trying to refill her forcefully emptied lungs. She could barely fight back, and I know that we could not rely on her help now.


    My skin was covered in fresh layers of cold sweat, my limbs were shaking, heart hammering in my chest painfully as I faced with the impossible decision.


    Both choice, that were offered to me filled me with utter disgust. What should I do? WHAT!?


    ¡°I am losing my patience whores, on your knees or I will cut her from ear to ear, then do the same to you after I had my fun.¡± ¡ª The disgusting leering smirk sent shivers up my spine.


    What should I do?! If I try to attack him, he will kill her¡­ without my staff. I couldn¡¯t manifest my magic fast enough. Yet again, I¡­


    I gulped down my saliva as an idea came to my mind. It was risky, no it was ludicrous, but this was a world of magic, and it sometimes required unorthodox solutions.


    Well, at least that was what I told myself. As the alternative option, meaning stripping and begging to be raped while being suffocated and possibly killed didn¡¯t sound that alluring.


    I glanced at Ariawyn as if seeking her permission. In truth, that was merely an act. At the time, I already decided that I will do it. I will commit to my disgusting plan. As the alternative was condemning all of us. Our eyes met, and she nodded with the briefest of nods. Sensing my intentions. A strange calm seemed to smoothen her pained and dirty face as she accepted her fate.


    My insides squirmed and quivered from the wrongness of what I was about to do.


    I sent a quick prayer towards the gods, then acted with decisiveness. A decisiveness driven by an instinctual level of terror and sense of self preservation. My body moved and I could see it, as if I was sitting behind a glass wall. Seeing everything playing down in front of me with unusual clarity, while all the noises drowned out into an incoherent mix of sounds. My body seemed to move on it''s own, as I watched everything with abated breath.


    I focused my power silently, forming two icicles this time. The moment the man saw my action, he snarled with a surprised anger. There was a gasp coming from Camilla¡¯s direction as the ice shards launched towards their target.


    I tried my best to not focus on the sight as the man cut Ariawyn¡¯s throat without hesitation. Only to be pierced by both of the icicles in his chest. He gasped, touching his chest with a strange fascination. Seeing his own blood pulsing through the open wounds.


    ¡°Heh?¡­ Killed? I¡­ by whores¡­¡± ¡ª With that said, he fell to the side, slowly fading from the extensive blood loss.


    I run to the side of the wood elf, shouting to Camilla to cover me. She nodded, shaken out of her momentary disbelief, and jumped to my side, holding her dagger in a defensive position. Meanwhile, I desperately started to chant the first real spell I have learned in this world. Only if the world wasn¡¯t all that blurry¡­


    Only if I wasn¡¯t crying that much, under the weight of my own actions, and the unbearable guilt I felt. Oh, and the fear, the suffocating fear whispering in my mind that I did not possess the power to right it.

 Chapter 49. Consequences and Camilla...

    I did not remember when I uttered the last word of the incantation. What I knew was only that a golden ray of light engulfed both of my palms as I pressed them down on the bloody injury.


    The stifling smell of blood filled my mind, coupled with the sight of red.


    I looked down at her body writhing on the ground, her dirty and bloody face contorted in pain and terror, tears prickling down her eyes. She was trying to process the present horror with a childish disbelief, blinking away the involuntary tears, hoping to wake up at the end of this nightmare.


    This was not a dream, however. The woman was choking on her own blood, and my mana was ebbing away with every passing second. Black spots danced in front of my eyes as I poured almost every bit of mana into the wound in a desperate attempt to heal it.


    Only but a shred of mana did remain in my body when I lifted my blooded hand to see the results of the spell.


    I had to squint my eyes to see the thin scar under the red carpet that covered everything. Ariawyn¡¯s hands, too, were grasping against the scar. Her body jerked as she turned on her side and started vomiting. Blood mixed with stomach acid sprayed against the ground and the distant smell of ammonia slowly filled the cave.


    I was staring at her shaking body as the woman vomited until there was nothing else in her stomach and throat. Then, with an inhuman effort, she flipped on her back, stopping herself from falling into her own vomit.


    Violent shivers run through her, one after the other, physically shaking her body like a plate of jelly. She coughed, spitting bloody spit as she crawled backwards until she could lean her head against a wall. As if she was afraid that she might drown if she dared to lay her head on the floor.


    Then and only then did she truly looked back at me. Her blurry blue eyes once again felt clear as she stared back. A mountain of words shared in a simple glance.


    I was shaking too, back stiff as a tight string. The pressure was only released at the sight of her survival. Like a marionette cut from her strings, I dropped on my butt. Barely enough strength remained in me to keep sitting upright while I stared back into those pristine blue eyes.


    Her shaky hand was clutching against the skin of her neck, right above that scar.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± ¡ª She tried speaking, her lips moving rigidly, her voice surprisingly strong yet cracked. ¡ª ¡°I am¡­ alive?¡±


    Her words were only answered by silence. As nor me or Camilla seemed to believe that very statement.


    ¡°H-h-how?¡± ¡ª The woman asked, disbelief and shock filling out those blue eyes that never left my own.


    It was me who broke the eye contact at last. Looking down at my bloody coat and hands. My magic has worked? My mana was just enough. The thoughts swirled in my mind, yet I was too afraid to state it out-loud. Fearing that what I was seeing will turn into an illusion and scattering the moment I voiced that observation.


    There were shuffled steps hovering next to me as Camilla¡¯s voice rang in the suffocating silence. ¡ª ¡°Eh¡­ I can¡¯t actually believe that worked. For a second there I really thought you lost your mind Lora¡­ Speaking dark elf and all that shit out of the blue. I mean¡­ even I understood some of the words that jerk said, but speaking it without an accent while knowing your age is just messed up.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t help it¡­ it¡¯s one of my patrons¡¯ gifts¡­¡± ¡ª I said, honestly. I was too shocked to even attempt a lie at the time.


    Camilla froze for a second, then asked in disbelief. ¡ª ¡°Your patron¡¯s power is to teach you dark elf? I don¡¯t know but, your patron sounds like a bastard to me¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but snort at the ridiculous idea. I was lightheaded and tired, both mentally and physically, but for whatever reason, the thought of Camilla calling the creator god a bastard caused a deep and absurd snort to break out of my throat.


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    Maybe¡­ because at the time I had the same thought, even if I couldn¡¯t quite put it into words yet.


    Seeing me dissolving in a state of giggles, Camilla raised a questioning eyebrow at me. A snarky smile tugging at the edge of her lips. ¡ª ¡°Oh, my? To think that the boys kept lecturing me how insensitive I was¡­ Finally, I found someone who appreciates my humour.¡±


    Even Ariawyn¡¯s strict expression seemed to smoothen a bit at the sight of our antics.


    Camilla, seeing that I was yet to finish my maniacal giggling, turned to the older elf. Posing a question to her, a question that seemed to freeze the air in the cavern. ¡ª ¡°So, what now? I don¡¯t think those were the last of them? I loath to be the voice of reason, but seeing the state of the two of you, someone had to make a reasonable call.¡±


    I quickly swallowed the forceful laughter that was shaking my body and stared at the dark ground, as the shadows stretched and shrank based on the position of the single light source. My still active light magic that at some point jumped out of my hand was gently circling above my head. Providing the briefest of light in the absolute darkness of the tunnels.


    I shivered at the idea of being here without a shred of light. My heart rate quickened from the thought alone.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡ª I groaned, miserably. Unable to answer Camilla¡¯s question. I would have rather ignored it altogether. The thought of seeing more dark elves caused my inside to quiver. I was feeling physically ill. An ancient, instinctive fear was planted in me that reinforced the shaking in my hands.


    I was seriously questioning the wisdom of Lord Axis. Did I look like someone who could unite nations with so many differences under the same banner? For fuck¡¯s sake, back in the day I could hardly win a fucking argument on the internet, and there was no physical threat.


    I felt desperate tears flood my vision once again. ¡ª ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t do this¡­ this is a fucking mess!¡±


    I felt a hand grasp my shoulder as Camilla tried to comfort me awkwardly. ¡ª ¡°Eh-uh, don¡¯t cry¡­ I mean¡­ I didn¡¯t understand most of what that creep said to you¡­ What I did, wasn¡¯t nice¡­ but, what I want to say is¡­ Ugh¡­ just don¡¯t listen to him, he is dead and I won¡¯t let any of them touch you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I mean¡­ not just that¡­¡± ¡ª I pulled myself together and answered hesitantly. A fresh burst of shame coloring my ghostly white face. What was I thinking here, being comforted by a girl a third of my age?


    It was at that time, when both of us were suddenly engulfed in a bone squeezing hug. One that pulled the hovering Camilla down to her knees right beside me. I realized with a startled expression that it was Ariawyn who ¡°attacked¡± us.


    This time, I didn¡¯t protest. Even Camilla accepted the hug, only showing meek resistance, wrinkling her nose reluctantly.


    We stayed like that for a time. I was listening to the still frantic beating of the wood elf¡¯s heart. In a strange contradiction, the sounds of her fluttering heart seemed to calm me. It meant that she was still alive, and that I didn¡¯t fail.


    The woman whispered into our ears with a serious tone, one that did not leave any place for argument. ¡ª ¡°You did what you have to. There was no other way, and I am proud of you for that. Both of you, girls.¡± ¡ª She shook us a bit.


    Camilla looked aside with a wrinkled nose as she was unintentionally covered in blood from the hug. Still, contradicting her outward reluctance, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the way she clung to the older woman. She couldn¡¯t be honest even at this time¡­ what a fool.


    I thought, but was immediately proved wrong in my assumption.


    The girl sniffed, her features contorting in disgust, as she added as gently as she could.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ quite alright¡­ but you smell of piss and vomit¡­¡± ¡ª There was an awkward pause before she added hastily. ¡ª ¡°¡­ Blood too¡­ I mean, I have nothing against hugs, but¡­ we could continue, maybe, another time? After you washed up, preferably?¡± ¡ª The girl offered with a hesitant smile, somewhat aware of the absurdity she just stated.


    Now that she mentioned it, I noticed the smell, too. Curiously, I didn¡¯t notice it before. Probably because I was so used to it in the hospital.


    The older woman slowly let up her hug and leaned away with a dead inside expression that somewhat scared me. Her previously lively eyes felt empty as she sniffed the air. ¡ª ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡ª She said in a small voice. ¡ª ¡°I guess, I have pissed myself¡­¡±


    There was a long silence after that, as all three of us stared at the dark floor between us.


    At last, Camilla jolted out of her stupor and said in a high-pitched voice filled with panic. ¡ª ¡°I-I-I-I-mean¡­ nobody is criticizing you for that¡­ If there is a right time for an adult to piss herself, it is when¡­ I mean¡­¡± ¡ª Her eyes darted around in the dark tunnel, trying to find anything that could help her out of this mess. ¡ª ¡°I mean¡­ I would definitely piss myself as well, if I was in your place I-that is¡­¡°


    A flashback of Langley from Camilla¡¯s adventuring team burrowing his face in his palms with a deep sigh blinked into my mind. I suddenly felt an unspoken connection to the man, even if we only ever spoke a few words. At that time, it seemed that we understood each other¡¯s suffering, connecting through time and space.


    There was a faraway look in my eyes, while in the background, a stifling silence fell over the cave partition. Camilla fidgeting next to me, unable to look into the eyes of the wood elf.

 Chapter 50. The pride of a mother

    It took us some time to calm down and get our bearings. We realized that indeed, we couldn¡¯t stay in this place longer than absolutely necessary. Simultaneously, we couldn¡¯t just continue our escape empty handed.


    There was one way we could get items in the present situation. There were three killed dark elves in front of us, laying in their own pool of blood. Alas, the very idea of looting dead bodies felt gruesome and disturbing to me.


    I asked Ariawyn to rest while I, and Camilla, started to check over the bodies. Of course she protested at first, but I was adamant on this. Partly from the deep guilt I felt for risking her life selfishly. Because it was a selfish act, no¡­ not even that. It was a cowardly act. I was so terrified from getting into the hands of that man that I so easily disregarded her life.


    To think that my mana was barely enough¡­ if I used, but a little more previously, then she would be dead now. The worst part was that I just knew deep down that I didn¡¯t regret my decision, especially so, since she survived. If a similar situation would appear again, I would likely do the same.


    Honestly¡­ I never thought about feeling such terror after dying and coming back to life¡­ How foolish and arrogant that thought was.


    I clenched my teeth while searching over one of the dark elves¡¯ bodies for anything useful.


    The deeply ingrained fear of death which all living beings struggle with while still present it lacks the factor of the unknown in my case. Naturally because I have already experienced it once, and in fact I know that it¡¯s not the end of the line, so to speak.


    That being said, I should have realized that in the process of dying, the actual state of death is often less terrifying that the process itself. My metaknowledge hardly offered any comfort against torture, rape, humiliation or beatings.


    Understanding this fact was difficult. It made me look at the world with a certain sense of fear. Where previously lay nothing but curiosity, now it was tainted by suspicion. The entire world seemed to darken and become more threatening and ominous.


    I bit down on the edge of my lips with a quickly growing anxiety as I continued to search the still warm body of the dark elf. I have found a few daggers, a half-eaten piece of bread, and a skin of water that was almost full. Undoubtedly, the last bit was the most important of my findings.


    Camilla searched the other body and found a handful of gold coins, some nuts that are probably edible and a one handed crossbow with a quiver of arrows on a belt that she attached around her hip. There was also a gracefully designed short sword hanging on her newly plundered belt now. She also slipped the dagger that she had got from Ariawyn previously into the back of her right boot.


    I remembered that at the ambush of the caravan she got a dagger from seemingly thin air at the most opportune moment. Now, I knew where she got it. Smart girl, I often forgot about the fact that she is an adventurer, someone who is used to this life, at least as used one could get.


    With that done, she moved over to the third body, while I was still struggling with the first one.


    Ariawyn slowly stood up and moved over to me with a hesitant smile. The woman was clearly expecting me to order her back to her place sitting next to the wall. For god¡¯s sake, her throat was cut not even fifteen minutes ago! Even if I ignore the mental trauma, she lost a lot of blood. She was almost as pale as me, which was saying something, especially since she had a deeply tanned skin shade.


    Still, I realized how pitiful I was at looting. I could hardly find anything on the man that wasn¡¯t put in an obvious place. Realizing how hopeless I was in this, I lowered my head and allowed the woman to help me. Well, if that was her intention to begin with.


    The woman kneeled down next to me. I glanced up at her, only to be surprised by her embarrassed expression.


    ¡°Selora¡­ listen¡­ could you help me get off his armor¡­ and clothes?¡±


    I blinked, surprised by the suggestion. ¡ª ¡°Sure, but? May I ask why?¡±


    She looked aside, as if unwilling to look into my eyes. Something that was quite unusual for her, based on her actions until now.


    ¡°I-well¡­¡± ¡ª She sighed, as if being annoyed to have to spell out her every intention.


    ¡°My clothes are ruined.¡± ¡ª She said sharply. Her lips pressed into a thin line barely visible from the pressure with which she squeezed them together. Coupled with a reluctant frown that she pointed at me. There was a burst of annoyance in those ice-blue eyes, and it finally hit me.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Oh!¡± ¡ª I blushed under her stare and immediately started to strip off the man¡¯s wrist guards.


    I could hear her desperate sigh next to me, and soon after she joined helping me and giving a few pointers on how to actually take off a leather armor along the line. I never had to wear armor before, so it was entirely new to me. My clothes were hardly considered proper armor, and they were actually put on like any other clothes. There was nothing to figure out for me there. Well, nothing except these long-necked boots that were a pain to take off, not even speaking of putting them on.


    To be fair, I should have understood the wood elves¡¯ intentions a lot sooner. Her clothes were little more than rags, even before¡­ well, before the incident.


    My hand paused in the middle of the process of untying the laces of the chest part. I just realized that I didn¡¯t even apologize from Ariawyn.


    There was immediately a tight knot in my throat from the idea alone. Yet I knew that I needed to do this, if I don¡¯t want to feel like utter trash for the rest of my life¡­ Well¡­ it¡¯s best if I get over with it fast.


    ¡°Cough¡­ um¡­¡± ¡ª I stared at my hands, still clutching the leather strips that pulled and fastened the individual pieces of the chest armor together.


    ¡°I¡­ I wanted to say¡­ I wanted to apologize for what I did¡­ It, it was cowardice¡­ I didn¡¯t want to, I couldn¡¯t let him get his way with us¡­ no with me¡­ I was terrified, and I am sorry for putting you through all that. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me, but¡­ I still wanted to say that I am sorry¡­¡±


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    The shuffling from the other side of the body stopped for a while since I started to speak, but I couldn¡¯t look up, even when I clearly felt two pairs of eyes lingering on my form.


    There was a small sigh next to me as the woman prepared for a long-winded monologue.


    ¡°Young one¡­ of course you were terrified. You are but a hundred years old, barely an adult. I would call you an arrogant fool if you weren¡¯t. That man, the one you killed, was at least a half-elf. Based on the way he fought. Seeing how easily he bested me, redirecting all my strikes and even your magic once. I am certain that he was one of the leaders of this raiding group.¡±


    ¡°One thing is certain, he was definitely older than a hundred years, maybe even two or three. To imagine how much evil that one person must have caused in all that time. Especially to achieve such proficiency in fighting.¡± ¡ª The woman added with a thoughtful expression. ¡ª ¡°None the less, he will not cause more suffering, thanks to you.¡±


    She sighed, then said with a serious tone.


    ¡°As I have mentioned it before. What you did was a reasonable decision. That was why I nodded to you when you sought out my gaze at the moment of the crisis. I have been captured and to save me, you would have to doom your fate as well. I have already told you that I would rather die then to be enslaved to the dark ones. Therefore, I could hardly fault you for your decision. I would not desire a life where my existence doomed yours to such a dire fate. Not even mentioning the fact that you saved me in the end.¡±


    Camilla suddenly invited herself into the conversation.


    ¡°By the way¡­ I am curious about your age. How old are you, Aria?¡±


    The wood elf¡¯s expression tightened the moment she heard Camilla¡¯s voice. There was clearly a grudge on her part from the human girl¡¯s previous cheek.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ariawyn to you, ignorant girl. I don¡¯t remember letting you to act so casual with me?¡± ¡ª She said, turning back to me in an attempt to ignore Camilla¡¯s retort.


    ¡°You can call me Aria, if you want. I don¡¯t mind it, in your case.¡± ¡ª She heavily punctuated that one, yes she did.


    I could see that Camilla¡¯s jaw hanged loosely in the air as she stood right behind the wood elf.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even answer my first question¡­¡± ¡ª The girl mumbled to herself, clearly dispirited by the open discrimination.


    It seemed that her sad tone managed to get to Aria, as she hesitantly answered after finally taking off the dead man¡¯s chest armor.


    ¡°Well¡­ if you must know, I am in my six hundred eighty third spring.¡± ¡ª The woman said with a bit of reluctance seeping into her voice. As if admitting the ridiculous number was uncomfortable for her. Come to think of it, it most likely was.


    Especially as both me and Camilla stared at her in disbelief.


    ¡°What?¡± ¡ª She asked sensing our glare.


    It was, once again, Camilla who answered first. ¡ª ¡°How is that someone a third of your age got the better of you so easily?¡±


    Hearing those words, I instinctively slapped my forehead. ¡ª ¡°Camilla¡­¡± ¡ª I groaned in a warning tone.


    ¡°What?¡± ¡ª Aria¡¯s eyes widened at the accusation. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s not like I spent all of my time fighting and raiding villages!¡± ¡ª She said defensively, with an uncomfortable shift in her posture. ¡ª ¡°There were three of them, and I got two! Why are you criticizing me when you didn¡¯t do anything? Useless lass!¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah! I bet the other two were small fries. I could have taken care of them easily.¡± ¡ª Camilla said with a challenging smirk.


    ¡°You what?¡± ¡ª Aria blinked, unable to comprehend the absurdity of this argument. ¡ª ¡°Look kid, if you don¡¯t remember, I am a spear wielder, not a sword master! Nor am I in my best condition¡­¡± ¡ª She was cut off by Camilla.


    ¡°Excuses-excuses¡­¡± ¡ª She started, but suddenly shut up as the wood elf turned on her, sending a death glare in her direction, one that made Camilla take a step back.


    ¡°Okay-okay¡­ my bad¡­ sorry! Damn¡­ no reason to get all pissed-¡­ I mean¡­ Uhm¡­¡±


    There was a moment of silence, then Ariawyn said slowly, but with a steel in her voice that wasn¡¯t there before. ¡ª ¡°Come here.¡±


    Camilla stepped from one leg to the other, as she asked with a tense tone. ¡ª ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I have raised two girls. Both of them were in their own league of troublesome and cheeky. So I will tell you this only once. Get your sorry ass over here so I can teach you to respect your elders properly."


    The girl gulped, then pointed towards a dark corner next to the entrance of the side tunnel.


    ¡°I-I think I have seen something there¡­ yes! Definitely! I will go and check it out while you finish. I will be just over there if you need anything¡­¡± ¡ª With that said, she skittered away hastily.


    ¡°You may run now¡­¡± ¡ª The older elf said while sending a chilly glare after the escaping human. ¡ª ¡°but I will get you later¡­¡± ¡ª Aria swore under her breath, with cold fury while turning back to the task at hand with a lighthearted smile. The sharp shift in her mood sent cold shivers down my spine, and I immediately decided that I shall never make her angry at me.


    ¡°Where were we? Ah, yes¡­ As I have said previously. You did what you had to. As you know my age now, you also know that I have lived quite a life. While I was still considered middle-aged among the elves. I can seriously say that I tried most of the truly important things that life can offer. Aside from that, I was ready to die from the moment the dark ones captured me. As a Tree Guard, I would have preferred to fall in battle in defence of my people, then to live in terror under the torment of the dark ones any day.¡±


    She said, and her words felt quite reasonable, if a bit hard to accept. What made it worse was that I could feel in her honest tone that she wasn¡¯t simply trying to comfort me with empty words. She truly meant what she spoke, and it made me feel worse. For one, the concept of so willingly giving away your life was new to me. While movies often depicted such an act, reality lacked the frivolous context that it was often engulfed with in movies. It was as simple as that, and this very simplicity was the real thing that made it so powerful of an act of pure selflessness.


    I was simply stunned, struggling to process the entirety of what I owed to Ariawyn. Because I was not a man¡­ and definitely not going to be a woman who doesn¡¯t pay her depths in full.


    Ariawyn continued with her words.


    ¡°That would be my advice for you, too. If they ever capture you, kill yourself while you have the chance. Don¡¯t believe for a second that you will have a second chance to escape like it happened to us now. One time is a miracle already, and I don¡¯t trust in the consistency of miracles.¡±


    I nodded, knowing that her words were true.


    In the meantime, we mostly removed the armor and clothes of the man. Piling them up in a small hill next to the mostly naked body.


    The sight alone left a lingering distaste in my mouth. As I glanced at the empty glassy red eyes that were so similar to a living being, yet so unmistakably different at the same time. It made the small hairs stand on the back of my neck and forearms.


    Seeing my discomfort, Aria gently ushered me towards the entrance of the side tunnel. ¡ª ¡°That said, I believe we have far overstayed our welcome. Wait for me alongside that snake tongued friend of yours while I change into these new clothes and armor.¡±


    I nodded, then asked hesitantly. ¡ª ¡°Will you be alright?¡±


    She stopped for a second, then said over her shoulder. ¡ª ¡°Meaning, will I be able to get clothed on my own?¡± ¡ª She snorted in distaste. ¡ª ¡°I might be a patient woman Selora, especially towards young ones¡­¡± ¡ª She stopped for a while, as if to think over her words, then added anyway.


    ¡°Still, if you insist on humiliating me any further, I will whoop your ass the same way I will beat that human girl¡¯s. She should have been born seven centuries prior if she wanted to get away scot-free with such an insult.¡±


    I shivered from her tone and stuttered out a response quickly. ¡ª ¡°I-I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡ª That said, I bowed, and left to join Camilla guarding the entrance. I didn¡¯t dare to say anything about Aria¡¯s plans to her. My cowardice once again running free, but this time I didn¡¯t have a sense of suffocating guilt about it.


    Honestly, the girl deserved what was coming for her.

 Chapter 51. A narrow escape

    We waited outside of the side tunnel in nervous silence, the terrifying knowledge that at any given moment more dark elfs could attack us lingering above. Eventually Ariawyn joined us in our waiting. I won¡¯t lie. My heart skipped a beat from fright when I spotted her wearing that ominous, dark, leathery armor belonging to the dark elf¡¯s. Even if I knew that she was the one currently wearing it, it made me feel. I don¡¯t know, disturbed? Maybe I was simply too much on the edge after that impossibly close call.


    It wasn¡¯t just me, either. I could feel as Camilla¡¯s body tensed unnaturally since we were sitting closely side by side. I suppose no matter how Camilla acted, all nonchalant and stuff. In the end, she was just as shocked by recent events as any other reasonable person would be. The fact that she was an adventurer could hardly protect her from such disturbing events. Based on their group, I very much suspect that such brutality and coldheartedness weren¡¯t exactly the norm on their average excursions.


    Ariawyn¡¯s slightly frustrated voice broke our trance with her sobering, strict tone. ¡ª ¡°What are you gawking at, stand and get your legs moving, or do you expect me to carry the both of you?¡±


    We didn¡¯t need more motivation, especially now with the armor added intimidation. The woman was much more intense looking with a proper armor in place of her barely holding together clothes. I already felt a sense of pity towards Camilla, as the girl still anxiously avoided any sort of eye-contact with the wood elf.


    It took us, and by that I mean Aria, about ten more seconds to decide in which direction we will go. Then we continued our previous run, alas this time it was a more subdued pace, one that I could keep up for a considerable amount of time, even in my tired state.


    We didn¡¯t talk while running across the halls. My hovering magical white orb which seemed to dutifully follow me on its own wherever I went, being the only source of light in the darkness.


    ~oOo~


    Two and a half hours. That was how much we run, according to Aria¡¯s estimate. I had no idea if that was true and had no way of checking it myself. Aside from the burning ache in my¡­ well, suffice it to say that all of me hurt at this point, one way or another.


    What made it worse was that we were still going. At this point, my entire body felt either sore or down right numb. From the two, the latter was the one that kept me worried. That and the now dull pain that traveled up my leg coming from my soles and feet with every step.


    Honestly, I never really thought into it, but those movies showcasing the training of special forces were damn right. It was truly possible to run so much that you just wanted to collapse and cry or vomit your literal soul out of your body. Damn me if I wasn¡¯t close to it right now. I considered this body to be in a very good shape, truly it was, which is evident from the sheer fact that I wasn¡¯t lying dead on the ground for an hour and a half now. Still, after all that happened, and now so much more running, I knew that I have been pushed far beyond my capabilities. Of course, I was not the only one.


    Still, the others didn¡¯t have to burn their mana as well while running. Regarding mana¡­


    Ugh¡­ initially, I was afraid that my mana will run out, leaving us in complete darkness, but to my enormous relief, it seemed that the light magic was consuming a smaller amount of mana than my body was naturally creating. I guess my magical training and all the difficulties I endured in these precious few weeks weren¡¯t going to waste. That was definitely good news, and a much-needed boost to my morale in my current circumstances.


    Still, the situation hasn¡¯t truly changed. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder in silence, while listening to the sound of our steps echoing through the hopefully empty caves.


    When will the next awful challenge find us? And it will definitely find us, since we were in the deep roads, no matter if this was a more controlled section, closer to the dwarven kingdoms. While the other question that truly struck the fear in my heart was the more pressing issue. How are we going to deal with it?


    I have literally no more mana to spend and with the constant use of my light magic while it indeed won¡¯t run out, it won¡¯t really fill in either. My mana pool feels somewhat stagnant at the moment thanks to the two opposing effects.


    Meanwhile, Aria was still shocked and weakened from the blood loss and the trauma she suffered. No matter how she tried to hide it from us, likely in a vague attempt to not scare us more than necessary. The truth was plain to see to anyone who had eyes. It was all showed in the occasional hobble of her steps or when she literally dragged her feet kicking up gravel. Not that I was any different on that front. Still¡­ I think that the two of us being elves and all seemed to have a natural constitution towards long distance running. Something that Camilla evidently lacked.


    That¡­ or we were simply in a better shape. I wasn¡¯t sure about that, it could be anything really. Because the girl looked straightout desperate at this point. I knew that Aria noticed it too¡­ it was impossible not to hear her wheezing. Based on the noise she made, I was starting to feel genuinely worried for her life. I just knew that she couldn¡¯t possibly go any longer without a serious amount of rest. I suspected that I could run about another thirty minutes before ending up like Camilla. While between all three of us, it was Ariawyn who had the most balanced breathing, which caused me to realize that the woman was probably only tired because of her injury and blood-loss.


    That¡­ well, that sent a shiver down my spine. For God¡¯s sake, the woman was a monster.


    Apparently, it seemed that Camilla wasn¡¯t prepared to die yet, as she spoke up between her chaotic breathing. She spoke in a jittery tone that was a lot higher than her usual voice.


    ¡°¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be¡­ a good time¡­ to rest noW?!¡± ¡ª She squeezed out the words.


    I glanced at Aria, who looked back at Camilla over her shoulder, not slowing down in the process. It was then, when I noticed that shady grin at the edge of Ariawyn''s mouth, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of shock and disbelief by this new revelation. Was she¡­ was she solely doing this to punish Camilla?


    I shook my head¡­ because that would be impossibly stupid and irresponsible from the woman, and it didn¡¯t suit her character one bit.


    I thought about it for a while, then realized what was going on. Aria must have understood that we wouldn¡¯t survive another encounter with the dark elves, just as we all did. Therefore, she pushed us to our limits in the hope of avoiding that very scenario. Of course, she wasn¡¯t above to make it look like she was intentionally torturing the big mouthed lass.


    ¡°Oh? Did you say something, Camilla? I didn¡¯t hear it clearly. You must be hinting that the pace is too slow for your superior human abilities.¡± ¡ª The wood elf stated in a sweet playful voice that made us shiver, and I really hoped that my previous evaluation was correct about Aria¡¯s true intentions.


    Because Camilla definitely didn¡¯t realize the deeper implications one bit, I am not surprised about that since the girl lacked proper air circulation in her brain at the moment.


    When she heard Ariawyn¡¯s answer, she looked both struck and ready to burst into tears. There was a few seconds of silence as she processed what was going on, then answered in a pitiful tone.


    ¡°¡­ Uh¡­ I got it¡­ I am sorry! I am really sorry, I mean it! Just¡­ let me rest a bit¡­ Please¡­¡± ¡ª Camilla literally pleaded with the woman, dropping all sorts of pretense along with her usual haughtiness.


    At last, Aria seemed to come to a stop. Her shoulders loosening up from the constant strain of running ahead of us, dictating the pace and looking out for trouble.


    ¡°Fine¡­ Since our resident human can¡¯t go any longer, I guess it will have to do.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I hate you¡­¡± ¡ª Camilla whispered silently and I almost immediately slapped my forehead in exasperation. Seriously, how stubborn can one girl be?


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± ¡ª Came the instant retort from Ariawyn. Echoing through the caves in a steely voice.


    Camilla¡¯s momentary boldness dissipated as fast as it appeared, leaving behind the stuttering girl. ¡ª ¡°¡­ I uh, I-I just said¡­ I-I am sorry¡­ Please don¡¯t kill me?¡± ¡ª Added Camilla hastily, the last part in a barely whispered jumble of words as she collapsed on her knees, unable to stand upright any longer.


    Aria, who obviously heard both of her remarks just as I did, regarded the girl with a newfound levity. As if reminded of an old memory. She shook her head gently, saying in a smug voice.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°You are tenacious and proud. I will give you that. Apparently, you also know when to back down. A good trait to have as an adventurer.¡± ¡ª She sighed and added. ¡ª ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t kill you. I won¡¯t say that it didn¡¯t cross my mind, though.¡±


    Camilla tensed and asked with a bit of panic. ¡ª ¡°It¡­ It did?¡±


    Aria looked at the girl¡¯s befuddled and scared expression. Then her strict features slowly melted away, giving way to a tired chuckle. She shook her head in amusement once again and said. ¡ª ¡°Only for a second.¡±


    I crouched down next to the wall, giving way to my own muscles weary protest. I didn¡¯t want to sit down, as the ground was cold, but the next thing I realized was my butt hitting the ground as my legs gave way under my weight. I hastily shoved some of my long coat¡¯s thick material under me, hoping for it to be enough against the creeping cold.


    And while I half heartedly listened to the others¡¯ banter, I also focused on my own personal crisis.


    I didn¡¯t really notice it until now¡­ but the moment we stopped running; I felt a gnawing hunger assaulting me, seemingly out of nowhere¡­ and it was wild. While my previous life was far from being a jolly ride, one thing was certain. In my entire life, I had never had to go hungry for a longer amount of time. Even when it happened, it wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t have anything to eat, but because I was otherwise occupied.


    It is safe to say that I never truly went more than an entire day without food.


    That, however, also meant that I wasn¡¯t used to hunger. And it slammed into me with the weight of a sledgehammer. I felt feint as my stomach convulsed on itself. I closed my eyes as I was getting nauseous from the slowly circling caves around me, but all it did was make me focus on my hunger.


    Suddenly I remembered of that half-eaten piece of bread that I found on that man. With a new purpose, I searched my coat¡¯s inner pockets, where I stored some of the looted items. It didn¡¯t take too long to find what I was looking for. As I held the bread in my hand, I could swear that the damn thing looked a lot smaller than the last time I looked at it.


    Whatever¡­ I shrugged my shoulders, and was just about to take a bite out of the food, when I accidentally looked up and noticed the others staring at me. I immediately felt the rousing sense of guilt, just realizing that I completely forgot about them.


    I took in a deep breath as a hasty attempt to collect myself, then offered the bread to Camilla. ¡ª ¡°Could you cut it in three equal parts? I don¡¯t really have a knife anymore¡­¡± ¡ª My backpack was either stolen by those bastards or it is still back in the cart where I left it.


    Either way, it was no use to me right now.


    Camilla took the bread and nodded, pulling out the knife from the back of her boot while concentrating on the task.


    Aria, after some hesitation, decided to sit down right next to me. I could literally see the tension leaving her muscles the moment she relaxed. Naturally, she was also tired from the run. It baffled me how she looked the most relaxed from the three of us.


    In the meantime, Camilla finished slicing up the bread and shared it with us.


    I grabbed my share and, without further hesitation, took a large bite out of it. It tasted like bread. Dried bread to be precise, but luckily it was not so dry that we couldn¡¯t chew it down with some effort. It was a kind of relief, truly, since at this point I genuinely didn¡¯t know what I could expect from these crazy dark elves. Who knows from what they made their bread. Alas, it seemed like a completely ordinary brown bread.


    Thank Lord Axis for small mercies.


    We ate our portion in silence, while trying to catch our breath. The last two and a half hours were gruelling. I could see and feel it in my continuously shaking and twitching legs. I was starting to suspect that I won¡¯t even be able to stand up after finishing the food. Still, I couldn¡¯t really care about it, it was future me¡¯s problem while my present focus was solely concentrated on attempting to consume the remains of the bread.


    It was not a large piece, but since it was quite solid and dried, it took both effort and time to actually eat it. Even so, we managed. It took about fifteen minutes, but all three of us finished their portion. Damn if that bread didn¡¯t make me crave for water, therefore I hooked off the waterskin from my belt and took a few large gulps. The water felt cold and refreshing on my tongue. It soothed both my body and soul with every gulp.


    When I finished, I offered it to Aria, who followed my example, taking measured gulps, then offered it to Camilla, who greedily drunk the rest.


    Neither of us blamed her for it. It wasn¡¯t that large of a waterskin, not for three people.


    Now that we all drunk and ate something, we realized that there was nothing else on our hand to do. Sitting in a small triangle, we stared at each other awkwardly. The previous events and the conflict between Ariawyn and Camilla clearly left some tension in the air. Alas, the two women seemed too tired to continue it at this point. Leaving a subdued tension behind.


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice the gentle, coercing tug of the dreamworld. As it attached to my consciousness with numberless strings. I resisted for a bit, then decided that it was all futile.


    Alas, my arm was shaken by Aria as she spoke to me in a worried tone. ¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to fall asleep on us now. Your magic light will dispel the moment your consciousness fades away.¡±


    That jolted me up as I glanced at the floating orb above us. Damn¡­ I completely forgot about that. The realisation also sent a burst of panic across my body.


    Wait¡­ does that mean I am not allowed to sleep? What the hell!


    I saw as Aria stood up. Her features contorting with frustration and tiredness. She looked at us and spoke in a no nonsense tone. ¡ª ¡°We have rested enough, stand and follow me.¡±


    Both me and Camilla sent disbelieving glares at the women. I wasn¡¯t even sure that I can stand up now. How does she expect to go further after, like, what, twenty minutes of rest?


    To my surprise, Camilla slowly started to stand up without saying a word. While I couldn¡¯t help but stare at them like a fish thrown on the shore. ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ are you serious? I am not even sure if I can stand up yet.¡±


    In the white light of the magic orb, I saw the familiar glint of a sword, its tip freezing right under my currently dropped chin. My heart hammered against my ribs in a panicked frenzy, pumping fresh blood across my body mixed with adrenalin.


    I felt as my body shook from the fright that coursed through me, and I couldn¡¯t help but shout at the wood elf for scaring the shit out of me. In my momentary confusion, I only managed to squeeze out a few coherent words. ¡ª ¡°¡­ You! What are you doing!?¡±


    The cunning smile she gave me was quite uncharacteristic of her. Yet the answer that followed was even more baffling. ¡ª ¡°Look at that, it seems your legs are quite fine after all. Now come along quietly before I decide to slap you awake, foolish girl.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what she meant by that, not until I looked down and realized that I was already standing. I genuinely didn¡¯t know when I stood up. Was it when she attacked me? I wasn¡¯t sure, but there could be no other answer¡­ I glanced over to Camilla, who looked just as shocked and pale as me. Yet, based on her subdued expression, she seemed to completely accept this to be our fate.


    She must have been too traumatized from that run to once again argue with Ariawyn, and I could completely understand why. The woman could be quite terrifying. The more I know of her personality, the more I realize that it is not a good idea to get on her bad side.


    I felt a hot glare run over my skin and I instinctively started to follow the angry-looking wood elf. This time we weren¡¯t running, only walking at least.


    She must have realized that running was truly out of the question in our current condition.


    It didn¡¯t take more than a few seconds and both me and Camilla were once again following the wood elf, like ducklings following their mother. It was quite a comical sight from that particular perspective.


    None the less¡­ it was definitely far better than being stuck with dark elves. Even if my leg muscles cried with every step.


    We continued to walk across the dark corridors for another painfully long hour. It was then that suddenly both me and Aria became aware of the distant sounds of heavily armored footsteps heading straight towards our location. Based on the noise generated by the men, there were somewhere between fifty and a hundred armed men, at least. A small army donned solely in heavy armor in the middle of the deep roads.


    My shoulders relaxed with a heavy sigh of relief. A gentle smile was tugging at the edges of my lips, hoping to finally encounter with the patrolling dwarfs.


    Well¡­ at least that was so until I heard the warning shout of one of those same dwarfs. ¡ª ¡°Dark elves ahead!¡±


    My smile froze, stepping forward and raising my arms in a surrendering gesture. ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ it¡¯s just a misunderstanding, we are not dark elves!¡± ¡ª I went ahead of an incoming soldier who looked quite confused as he clearly never saw a dark elf surrendering. It was then, when I heard the previous voice shouting once again.


    ¡°It must be another of their conniving tricks! Capture them and we will beat the truth out of them later.¡±


    I saw as the previously hesitant man¡¯s features steeled and he reached for my wrist, immediately bending my arms behind my back. I heard the alerting sound of weapons being unsheeted behind me as Aria took a fighting stance, ready to spill blood at any moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to touch me, you measly little bastards, or I will shorten your stature with another head¡¯s worth!¡± ¡ª She hissed at the approaching dwarfs who immediately jumped back, surprised that the presumed dark elf in front of them spoke the common tongue. Alas, the surprise quickly waned off as they simultaneously readied their axes and hammers.


    It was at that time, in the midst of the spreading chaos, that I finally remembered my ring. I shouted over the dwarfs in a shrill voice, drawing their attention to me. ¡ª ¡°No! Stop this, please! There is no reason for further bloodshed among us. I am Selora, Selora of the House of Dimhollow. Daughter of Emrum Dimhollow. We were taken by the dark ones, and managed to escape, barely¡­ They might be still on our tail. We also stole some of their gear. That is why Aria is clothed in a dark elven armor.¡°


    There was a moment of silence among the dwarfs, which was followed by hushed whispers.


    I waited for a while, then added with haste. ¡ª ¡°I can prove my identity. Just look at the ring on one of my fingers. It is the bloodline ring of the Dimhollow House.¡±


    There were another series of whispers. Then I felt as thick, coarse fingers prodded my hands that were still forced behind my back by the same dwarf.


    At last I felt the tight grasp loosen on my wrist as the man standing behind me shouted out loud. ¡ª ¡°The girl speaks true! She is one of ours.¡±

 Chapter 52. Brief Respite

    The following hours passed by in a frenzied blur. While I was cleared of any suspicion after the dwarfs found my ring, it was not the case with Ariawyn or Camilla. Still, the main issue was undoubtedly with the older elf, who was so wise in her over six hundred years of life experience, that she practically threatened the dwarfs at a moment¡¯s notice after our arrival.


    Thanks to that, I had to go to some lengths to try to clear her name of any suspicion of potential collaboration with the dark elves. Not that being a wood elf made things that much better, at least not in the current political situation. I was trying to force the point that she was a victim of the dark elves as well. One that helped me escape, and it seemed to smooth things over to a degree. Of course, I did not mention her initial reaction to finding out my connection to any dwarven clan.


    That would have been unwise.


    The dwarfs eventually accepted her presence as a victim seeking asylum, even if it was done with a lot of reluctance and with the non-negotiable terms of relinquishing her weapons immediately.


    She wasn¡¯t amused by that demand.


    That led to the current situation, where I was literally pleading to the stubborn woman to act sensibly before the dwarfs decide to kick us out of their camp. Yes, by pleading, I meant that I was throwing a tantrum at her, while being on the verge of ripping my hair out, all because of her ridiculous stubbornness.


    Gods in heaven, I was too exhausted for this stupid argument after all the mental and physical strain I went through in this last few hours.


    I was seriously about to give up when she finally seemed to come to her senses and shoved her sheeted weapons against my chest. In my surprise, I struggled to get a hold on them. When I finally managed to hold them in an awkward manner, she was already halfway towards our tent.


    A deep sigh of relief broke out of my throat while I gazed after her stomping silhouette.


    Suddenly, she stopped for a second and threw a nasty look in my direction. One that promised serious consequences if anything would go awry.


    I gulped silently, watching as she entered our tent while being followed by the curious looks of the surrounding dwarfs who were undoubtedly witnessing the entire argument.


    We were not alone in this military camp after all.


    The dwarfs, seeing our ragged state not long after our initial encounter, decided to set up their camp and discuss what to do with us. A decision made out of necessity, no doubt. There was no way for me and Camilla to walk much longer in our tired state.


    We were still in the deep roads and that means they couldn¡¯t just direct us to the nearest town, nor could they drop their mission and escort us to one. They had their own obligations, after all. While on the surface, we could have been pointed into the right direction and would have a reasonable likelihood of getting there alive on our own. The dwarfs couldn¡¯t simply leave us here, as it would mean certain death, especially in our current state. Even Aria have acknowledged that much.


    I slouched my shoulders slightly as I released a tight-knit sigh.


    I tightened my hold around the blades that were rudely dropped into my arms and turned towards the largest tent in sight.


    I talked with the leader of this dwarven strike force, which was meant to eliminate or at least chase away the dark elfs¡¯ in this section. The dwarf leader¡¯s name was Tharnil Frostgrip. He was the one who told me that their group was essentially sent here to confront the very same dark elves who kidnapped us. Apparently, the dark elves sneaked past their patrols and traveled through this region while killing and raiding anyone who was unfortunate enough to cross their path.


    I shivered from the thought.


    Now that things had some time to settle down. I had to accept an uncomfortable truth. Apparently, I was traumatized from the entire incident. Now, I¡­ I have this fear¡­ Which I wouldn¡¯t call unreasonable by all means, a fear of dark elves. Even the mention of them sets me on high alert. The thought that the dwarfs were here to hunt them down was ringing various warning bells in my mind. I was already unconsciously looking for ways to get the hell out of here if they tried to bring me along on a dark elf hunt, or whatever they called these excursions.


    Goblins were bad enough, but there was no fricking way that I will go after dark elves, especially not after my recent terrifying experiences.


    Then again¡­ it¡¯s not like I had a lot of choices here.


    I mean, aside from blindly running into the deep roads, which was probably suicidal, but in my humble opinion, still less of a risk than facing a bunch of murdering-raping maniacs.


    My skin run cold with sweat while I was thinking about my shitty options. I shook my head and tried to chase away those dire thoughts, if only for a brief respite.


    Anyway¡­ I was probably overreacting to begin with. This much even I could sense based on my wildly jumping thoughts and fluttering heart-rate.


    Here I thought that I was starting to get used to life underground, but now I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of these tight corridors and low ceilings. They felt suffocating, making my skin crawl. My tired mind seemed to constantly find new ways to conjure maliciously glinting eyes leering at me from every shadow, stripping me naked with their hungry gaze. Reminding me of the disgusting words that dark elf told me, one of those utter maniacs¡­ I shivered again¡­ My body twitching with the urge to fight or flight, ready to spring to action, even if there was no real cause for that, at least not at the moment.


    My stomach flipped as my legs became weak under me. The fear and tiredness combining into a numbing sensation. I bit the inside of my cheek, desperately trying to focus my thoughts.


    It was a pity that I couldn¡¯t so easily escape from my own haunted mind.


    ¡°Fucking hell¡­¡± ¡ª I whispered to myself. My otherwise gentle feminine voice felt strained and raspy as I was trying to rein in my slowly raising panic.


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    First there were those dreams of being chased by goblins and now this¡­ I was starting to realize that my sleeping schedule was about to go haywire for a while again.


    I sighed¡­ passing by the tent in which Camilla and Ariawyn were already resting. The dwarfs offered it to us as a place of momentary respite. I wanted to go and sleep, to just forget about everything for a while¡­ Then I looked down at the scabbards of swords that I was still tightly clutching in my arms.


    I reluctantly accepted that it was not the time to rest yet. Not even mentioning that after our argument, it was likely unwise to run into Aria immediately. I circled the tent and continued my way towards my initial goal.


    After a few more minutes of walking, I arrived to my destination.


    Ahead of me was the largest tent in the camp. Two armed guards were standing by its entrance. I nodded to the guards. They nodded back, acknowledging my presence, while pulling aside the tent¡¯s layers to let me in, seeing that my hands were already full.


    The moment I stepped into the tent, the somewhat familiar voice of the captain reached my ears. It was an overly smug voice that annoyed me to no end.


    ¡°Ah, the Dimhollow¡¯s elfmaid have returned. I see that you have succeeded in your task and did so without getting permanently maimed to boot! Quite a wonder, truly.¡±


    I stared at the annoying man, who I now knew to be the same bastard who intended to put us through with a sword, not even allowing us the chance to clear our name. Then when he saw us surrender, he immediately suggested beating us up for attempting to trick them. I was pretty sure that if I didn¡¯t have Emrum¡¯s ring on me, we would be in a very different situation right now. One I didn¡¯t want to envision.


    What was this idiot talking about now? He only sent me to take Ariawyn¡¯s weapons and bring them to him. It was a tiresome task, but I wouldn¡¯t call it dangerous. I didn¡¯t know Aria for long, but I couldn¡¯t imagine the woman to seriously hurt me, at least not intentionally. Then again¡­ the same probably wasn¡¯t true for the dwarfs, so that¡¯s what he meant.


    In the meantime, said dwarf seemed to sense my confusion and decided to elaborate without prompting.


    ¡°No sane man or woman would so brazenly confront a member of the House of Virdithas, demanding to relinquish their weapons in enemy territory. They consider it quite an insult. That means¡­ you are either incredibly brave or an ignorant fool. Based on that expression of yours, I suspect the latter.¡±


    I blinked at the man, my expression turning paler with every second as I recalled Aria¡¯s unusually ferocious protest against my request. Captain Tharnil, in the meantime, continued his explanation with an easygoing smile, slowly curling up at the edges of his lips.


    ¡°Their spear dancers are amongst the most infamous warriors of the wood realm. They are considered being at par with our Gold Regiment, the finest of all dwarven armies. Well, aside from the Royal guards.¡±


    ¡°If you knew that it was considered such an insult, why would you send me to do it!?¡± ¡ª I demanded, my tiredness pushed back momentarily by a sudden spike of anger.


    The brown bearded man blinked, then a bellyful of laughter burst out of him.


    ¡°It worked, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡ª He added with a snort after seeing my sour expression.


    Just great¡­ Now I have to apologize from Aria once I get back to the tent.


    I decided that I didn¡¯t really care anymore about who or what they were arguing or laughing about, at least not now, maybe after I had my fair share of rest. I walked up to the still chuckling captain¡¯s desk and put down the confiscated weapons on top of the table.


    I found it strange that there was a large table inside the tent. Do they disassemble, then reassemble it every time they break camp? I wondered for a second, but in the end I didn¡¯t ask about it.


    Instead, I turned around and started to walk towards the exit. Ignoring the still laughing dwarf.


    I was about halfway to it when I heard his cracked voice call after me.


    ¡°Before you leave, I thought that you might ought to know that our scouts have made contact with a rag-tag team of dwarfs and human mercenaries wandering the nearby caverns. Apparently, they belong to the Bronze Company. I thought that they might have been part of the group which you and your human companion traveled with. I sent a word to them describing your features, and they already sent an answer. They are coming to pick you up. They will arrive to our camp somewhere in the middle of the night and they will escort you to the capital tomorrow morning as it was originally intended. Good riddance, I say, as we can¡¯t exactly babysit you. We have our own duty.¡±


    I froze in my steps, listening carefully to every word that the rude dwarf stated, my heart beating heavily against my ribs.


    I desperately hoped that Emrum will be alright. All of this happened just when we were starting to get to know each other. I know that this might sound stupid, but I was genuinely worried for the man. He was the first actual person that I met in this realm, and he was the first one who accepted me and treated me with kindness and levity.


    I felt closer to him, then I felt to a lot of people, who I knew for years or decades in my previous life. Because of the way you were forced to depend on each other in this chaotic world made that connection to be so much powerful. Seriously, in these few weeks, more things have happened to me than half of my previous lifetime. I don¡¯t even know how I didn¡¯t go completely crazy by now¡­ It¡¯s a marvel of human, no, elven adaptability.


    I whirled around, feeling a burst of energy upon hearing the news.


    ¡°Tell me, are they alright? Is Emrum fine? Is he alive, injured? When will they arrive, exactly?¡±


    The man focused his dark gaze on me, scrutinizing my reaction for a while. Then, as if pleased with what he saw, some of the tension slowly lifted from his tight expression.


    ¡°Yes¡­ your father is alive. He was heavily injured however, but from what the report said, his life is not in danger. Predictively, he will spend a lot of time away from the front lines, recovering.¡±


    The man with a well-practiced hand gesture straightened the tip of his long beard. Meanwhile, I stared at the tent¡¯s grey textile wall, the momentarily forgotten sense of dread doubling in intensity as my mind processed the dire news.


    As the silence stretched in the large, but mostly empty tent, Captain Tharnil stated with an almost gentle voice. His unlikely change of tone jolted me from my thoughts.


    ¡°I had my doubts about you¡­¡± ¡ª He started with a long look. ¡ª ¡°What sort of elfmaid would treat dwarfs as her family?¡±


    ¡°And yet, I saw no falsehood in your worry. Based on that reaction of yours, the two of you must be pretty close, huh? Still, an elfmaid in a dwarven house is such an exotic thing¡­ You can¡¯t blame me for being suspicious about it.¡± ¡ª He stated calmly, most of his previous hostility disappearing.


    I looked at the man in a new light as well. It seems that he was still suspecting us of being agents of the dark ones. I wondered what sort of tricks did the dark elves used for the dwarfs to be this careful around us.


    I lifted my arm that had the bloodline ring around one of its fingers, and raised a questioning eyebrow at the man.


    It was enough to get my meaning across.


    He waved with one of his hands and said in a frustrated voice.


    ¡°While bloodline rings might be hard to temper with, hard doesn¡¯t mean that it is impossible. There had been times when our enemies used this well-known safety measure against us.¡± ¡ª He stated coldly. ¡ª ¡°We have long since devised a different way of recognizing their agents. One that you just passed. Because no servant of the dark ones have ever shown genuine worry or empathy towards their enemy.¡±


    ¡°A critical weakness born from a life of cruelty and selfishness. Still, there is a poetic justice in using what they consider their greatest strength against them in such fashion.¡±


    I took a deep breath and released it slowly, feeling my lips tremble in the process out of pure frustration. ¡ª ¡°If you are done with your tests¡­ I would like to excuse myself. I wish to have some rest while I can.¡±


    The man chuckled, waving me off nonchalantly. ¡ª ¡°Do as you will, Miss Selora Dimhollow. It¡¯s not like I enjoy keeping you from your well-deserved rest. If you wish, we will notify you when your companions arrive.¡±


    ¡°Please do so.¡± ¡ª I said, while walking out of the door and heading towards our tent.

 Chapter 53. Self-made pit of dread

    After that, I went back to our tent, where I found both of my companions fast asleep in their sleeping bag. Well, at least that was what I believed until Aria pointed a predictively dull question towards me.


    ¡°So you are back? Did they demand to relinquish my armor as well?¡± ¡ª She asked sarcastically. I swallowed back the sigh that was threatening to escape me and turned towards the fuming elf. In the meantime, my eyes wandered over the unconscious form of Camilla.


    The girl was asleep from the moment the tent was set. Ignoring any and all responsibility regarding negotiations. I genuinely envied her for it. It was clear that she felt right at home with the dwarfs, while we elves stick out like a sour thumb. Humans, on the contrary, had a longstanding good relationship with the dwarfs.


    Either way, it was not the time to think over such things. I reminded myself, while focusing on Aria once again.


    ¡°No, they seemed to be content with the current deal.¡± ¡ª I stated in a neutral voice.


    It earned me a mocking scoff as a response. I looked around inside the small tent, searching for my sleeping bag, only realizing now that here was no place for another one to begin with. The tent was simply too small. I had a sinking feeling about this.


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡ª I began diplomatically. ¡ª ¡°Where can I sleep?¡±


    Aria looked up at me, then looked around the inside of the small tent, as if it was the first time she too considered that question, and most likely that was exactly the case.


    There was a moment of silence, then she sighed almost inaudibly, even with my elven hearing. She slowly shuffled over in her own sleeping bag, patting the beast''s skin covers right beside her. I felt my cheeks heating up a bit. It was one thing to be hugged by the elf for a few seconds, and another to sleep with her in the same sleeping bag. For god¡¯s sake, I was a girl now. I already checked it multiple times, but I was still a man for seventy-two years. Can¡¯t I get a break?


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡ª I began, not sure how to voice my concern without being rude. My reluctance seeping into my voice and body language.


    Aria¡¯s sharp eyes momentarily focused on me, expecting some sort of mischief. When she didn¡¯t find any, she shook her head and said in a parental tone, that was not to be questioned, even if she was clearly confused with my initial reaction.


    ¡°Stop standing around and get into the sleeping bag.¡± ¡ª She rolled her eyes at me, which genuinely surprised me. ¡ª ¡°You are too shy for your own good, aside from that, where do you intend to sleep if not here? We are both elves and all of us are women here.¡± ¡ª She stated with an unquestionable authority.


    I stared at her dumbly for a second too long, then gulped down my saliva and said with a thin voice. ¡ª ¡°Right¡­¡±


    She gave me a suspicious look for a second that froze the blood in my veins, but she quickly shook her head and instead waved at me to come closer.


    I gulped one more time, then ambled over to her side. I decided that it was high time to embrace my feminity, before she requests me to strip to prove my gender.


    After a not exactly quick struggle with my boots, it was a challenge to get the damned things off of me every single time. My pathetic display even managed to arouse a few chuckles from Aria, who was trying her best to not stare at my fumbling attempts.


    I didn¡¯t fault her for it. I was well aware of the underlying comedic value. I would definitely enjoy it too, if I was not the very person suffering.


    In a few minutes that felt like half an hour, I finally got rid of the pair of long-sleeved booths that were occasionally haunting my dreams, and turned back to the other issue at hand.


    Aria was smiling innocently up at me as I stood awkwardly by the side of her sleeping bag.


    ¡°Then¡­ if you excuse me¡­¡± ¡ª I said, while climbing into the cozy sleeping bag feet first. It was warm and comfortably made from some unknown animal skins. When I settled in the now unsurprisingly tight spot, I felt Aria¡¯s arm gently circle around my stomach, eventually settling right under my breasts, locking me in place through a devious half hug.


    I shivered from her touch. A strange tightness taking hold of my body, but as she didn¡¯t do anything else, it went away as quickly as it appeared. I relaxed, and my anxiousness slowly melted away, giving way to the comforting warmth that seemed to completely engulf me for the first time since I came to this cold world.


    I was frustrated with the situation, maybe even scared of it, but I shook off my concerns as my tiredness quickly caught on and buried my unladylike thoughts regarding the two firm mounds flattened against my back.


    All this time, my obvious frustrations and indecisions were closely watched by the amused Ariawyn.


    ¡°I can see, girl, that you are not exactly used to sleep in the company of others.¡± ¡ª She noted. ¡ª ¡°Still, you can rest easy tonight. I will wake you if anything comes up. You are safe here until then.¡± ¡ª She pressed a gentle kiss on the back of my head. The kind gesture surprised me, but among all the other sensations, it was just another spot of warmth that pushed me further into the world of dreams.


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    I could hear her whisper in my ears. ¡ª ¡°Thanks for saving my life, again. I hope you have sweet dreams, Selora.¡±


    It did not take much longer for me to nod off among the smelly animal skins in the half embrace of Ariawyn, who I knew could trust with my life. I didn¡¯t have any nightmares that night.


    The next time I awoke, it was to the gentle shuffling of our tent¡¯s entrance. My eyes snapped open at the suspicious noise, yet my mind was immediately distracted from the original cause that woke me by the suddenly tightening embrace around my middle.


    I was being squeezed by Ariawyn¡¯s arm, her body squishing against me in a warm protective body hug. It was also a hug that threatened to push all the air out of my lungs.


    My still somewhat groggy mind from having far from enough sleep tried to find a probable reason to explain what the hell was going on here. The process was evidently cut short by another squeeze on my ribs, which this time elicited a tight-lipped gasp from me.


    The sound of my gasp alerted Aria, who immediately lightened her hold on me. I didn¡¯t need any more cause to launch myself into a rant, already forgetting the original reason that woke me.


    ¡°Wha-¡­ umm? Umm!?¡± ¡ª Before I could convey any of my completely justified frustration¡­ no¡­ even before a single properly formed word could leave my mouth. Aria¡¯s hand whipped up to my face and clasped around my lips, forcefully ending any discussion.


    I felt shocked, and completely speechless, not that I could speak even if I wasn¡¯t. Was this how it felt to be manhandled? It wasn¡¯t bad, not bad at all¡­ I joked internally as the funny thought crossed my mind, yet to my surprise instead of the usual apathy, I felt my heart-rate quickening with anticipation from that thought.


    My jaw would have dropped if Aria wasn¡¯t forcing my mouth shut.


    Wait, seriously? Is that the reason I feel so excited all of a sudden? Am I this kind of girl now?


    It was then, when I felt Aria¡¯s breath on the back of my right earlobe as she leaned closer to me. My heart fluttered in my chest as uncertainty and anticipation mixed with a bunch of other emotions.


    I heard as Aria hissed into my ear. ¡ª ¡°Ssshhh!¡± ¡ª It was clearly a warning to stay silent, and it sent a series of shivers down my spine. Was it because she didn¡¯t want Camilla to wake up? Are we really going to do it? This doesn¡¯t make any sense!


    I panicked internally.


    My sleep deprived and presently befuddled mind continued to struggle to comprehend the unlikely situation. I mean, why would she harass me like this? N-not that I mind, of course, but still, I didn¡¯t take her to be this kind of woman¡­ once again, not that I mind, but something doesn¡¯t feel right about this scene.


    In my chaotic state, I spotted the parts of Aria¡¯s dark elf armor piled up into a small hill in the corner of the tent. My brain froze at the sight.


    Oh¡­ she took off her armor, but of course she took it off. How else would she sleep well? Is she¡­ no-no-no-no-NO! She must have only removed the outer layers, it would make no sense of her sleeping naked in the middle of a camp filled with dwarven men. Right?


    Calm down, you fool, there is no reason to get so worked up¡­


    I took a deep breath through my nostrils in a desperate attempt to clear my head, as my mouth was still clasped shut.


    It lead to another realization.


    I could smell her body odour. It was quite strong, not much of a surprise after what we went through. Still, the smell wasn¡¯t that bad, it however had a strong primordial quality to it that seemed to snap something in my brain. Blood, sweat and grime mixed with the potent scent of earth and the distant tang of a dew covered forest. That one actually took me by surprise. Was that simply how wood elves smelled? I wondered, thinking about how I might smell to other people as a white elf.


    White chocolate or vanilla was probably not the right answer to that particular line of thought, especially given my recent history of activities.


    While I was completely lost in my own world, the hesitant voice of a dwarf sounded just outside of our tent.


    ¡°Ladies¡­ If you are awake, please respond.¡± ¡ª Appeared the slightly annoyed voice, which finally put an end to the whirlwind of chaotic thoughts my imagination conjured on the spot.


    My body went rigid and my insides turned cold with a special mix of shame, dread, disappointment, and newfound anxiety. I-I¡­ I completely misunderstood everything! I screamed internally, as I remembered the original reason I woke up in the first place. Someone was shuffling around the entrance of the tent. How could I forget such a simple thing?


    As if to prove my suspicion, the steely voice of Ariawyn filled the inside of the tent, surprising me by its coldness and stifling in the bud any lingering doubt about my misunderstanding.


    ¡°Why do you bother us in the middle of the night, dwarf?¡± ¡ª A heavy atmosphere started to grow around the tent.


    ¡°Miss Selora Dimhollow has requested to be woken up when the party of the Bronze Company arrived. I merely did as ordered. It is up to her, if she wishes to meet up with the members, or continue to sleep instead.¡± ¡ª The nameless dwarf finished his statement and waited silently for our answer.


    I felt Aria¡¯s eyes burrowing into the back of my head, as her words sounded once again. ¡ª ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡ª Came the question, and her palm finally was pulled back, allowing me the opportunity to speak.


    ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± ¡ª I confirmed, sheepishly. ¡ª ¡°That was what I requested.¡± ¡ª I attempted to swiftly clear up the growing tension that seemed to take root inside the tent, and yet for whatever reason I was growing uncomfortable with Aria¡¯s annoyed glare. My sense of guilt from my internal shameful misunderstanding obviously played a role in this.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ sorry that I didn¡¯t mention it earlier¡­ I wanted to! Alas¡­ I must have dozed off accidentally.¡± ¡ª I admitted with a bit of reluctance. A crimson blush coloring my cheeks bright red. It was lucky that nobody could see it in the darkness. Aria shook her head lightly, a sigh parting her dry and scarred lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, girl. I will get ready in a few minutes, then we can go.¡± ¡ª She said, and I blinked in surprise.


    ¡°Do you intend to come with me?¡± ¡ª I asked, to which she merely pointed a tired glance at me.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let a young clueless girl wander alone in the night while surrounded with dwarven men on all sides.¡± ¡ª I parted my lips with the intention to argue, but she cut me off.


    ¡°I will have none of it. You would better be focused on smartening your appearance instead of bickering with me, while you can¡­ Well, at least if you do not intend to scare away whomever you wish to meet with at this ungodly hour.¡±


    I closed my mouth, deciding to do just that¡­ It was clearly not the time to argue with Aria. Her no nonsense aura is at the highest level.


    Aside from that, she was right. My hair was a mess¡­ My hairband must have fallen off at some point in my sleep. I decided that the first step might as well be looking for the damn thing.

 Chapter 54. A strange reunion

    It took some time for my sleep deprived and evidently confused mind to clear up properly. However, once it did, I felt twice the fool that I already was. What was I even thinking? The idea of having sex with Aria seemed almost surreal, especially in the present situation.


    She treats me like a little sister and therefore obviously thinks of me as a child. I cried out internally, right there and then I was feeling like some sort of disgusting freak that stole itself into the body of a girl to sleep with other women. I was seriously frustrated by the entire misunderstanding. I wanted to clear things up, but how would I do that?


    Telling her that I am a human man, who lived seventy-two years, then got thrown into the body of an elfmaid, was properly and entirely out of the question. I have no intention of getting crucified so early in my new life. There is plenty of time for that later.


    That was what caused the crux of my present annoyance. I wanted to explain myself, because I felt guilty while having no chance to explain myself, because it would be either completely unbelievable, or in the worst case she actually believes me, but that would bring other kinds of consequences which are far less desirable than simply shutting up and enduring my guilt.


    I mean, this is some kind of middle ages setting. At best, they would try to exorcise my evil spirit. At worst, I would get broken into a wheel, publicly impaled on a pike, whipped to death or maybe ripped apart by tying my limbs to horses that are urged into opposing directions.


    I shivered from the thought and decided to stay silent for good while Aria lit a candle and helped me with my hair. She was currently combing through it with her fingers, giving me suspicious looks occasionally. She could see my brooding expression, and that faint hint of pink that still remained from my previous blush.


    Oh, thank god she didn¡¯t see that one¡­ I can imagine my head being red as a paradise.


    Still, why would my body react the way it did, and so strongly? While there was no reaction at all previously¡­ Was it because of this body¡¯s preference? Are white elves some kind of masochistic race? I shook my head. That reasoning was too cheap, even for my current mental state.


    Let¡¯s look reality in the face. It was not because of my race¡­ My gender might have something to do with it, but it¡¯s obviously not the main reason. It must have something to do with my personality, then.


    I stopped there for a second, thinking about the hospital where I spent my recent years. Being helpless, entrusted on the nurses¡­ I gulped, feeling an internal spike of discomfort. I could feel that my line of thoughts were way too close to the truth of the matter.


    At the same time, I also knew that this truth would be too much for the current me to accept as a truth or anything even close to that.


    Alas, it was already too late, as one thought led to another.


    I pressed my lips into a thin line, nervously chewing on the lower lip while my expression hardened into a stony exterior.


    For fuck¡¯s sake, god is really cruel. Bringing me back to life and all, only to realize that I had turned into a pervert in my previous life. This better stay¡¯s between us Axis, don¡¯t you dare to mention it to any other of your followers!


    There was no answer to my silent demand, no sense of wrongness or warmth of acceptance, as I have become used to it. After all, Axis have become a constant companion for me, a lingering presence, a silent judge that gently nudged me into the right direction.


    Yet there was no judgement, no brush of coldness or depressing aura appeared.


    Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t feel Lord Axis¡¯ presence for quite some time. I still prayed regularly to him, praised his name just the same as previously. Yet his presence was becoming weaker by the day. Now¡­ now I couldn¡¯t even sense it, as if he disappeared entirely.


    That particular thought left a deep sense of disturbance in my soul.


    It¡­ it might also have something to do with my tiredness¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right¡­ I must be too tired and also too frustrated to commune with Lord Axis right now. I am practically still half asleep. That must be the reason¡­ Lord Axis wouldn¡¯t abandon me just like that, especially not without a simple warning or a word of advice. I swiftly persuaded myself that this was but a momentary occurrence, while deep down, I still felt an ominous sense of doom.


    I found myself eagerly turning back to my previous thoughts, that suddenly felt a lot less uncomfortable than they were before my new realization.


    To be fair, my body had this strong sense of discomfort for a while now. This sense of tightness, occasional sensitivity in certain places, with the sometimes occurring burst of heat and excitement from the slightest touch. I wasn¡¯t sure what might have been causing it, but now I think I have a reasonable guess. I might be wrong about this, but I think that I am starting to have some sort of sexual frustration. Yes, in retrospect, I admit that this was quite obvious. Still, in my defence, I wasn¡¯t really sexually active in my recent years¡­ let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s just leave it at that.


    What is important is that I kind of forgot what it was like, aside from that I am a girl-woman now! While I will admit that there are similarities¡­ it¡¯s still quite a different sensation, all in all! I mean, you can¡¯t misinterpret a boner in the morning, can you?


    On the other hand, being a girl, the general sensation wasn¡¯t focused on a single spot. It was spread out on your entire body, and it was at least for me a lot harder to understand. Especially that the strangest of things seemed to turn me on.


    I felt feint while thinking about this.


    I knew deep down that some serious changes were happening in me since I arrived to this world. I didn¡¯t want to admit it, but I have caught myself more than one time staring at the dwarfs doing their stuff around the camp.


    For fuck¡¯s sake and fucking hell on top of that! I have been staring at their muscular built, especially their trunk like arms. At first I simply shrugged it off, writing it off as a manly appreciation for their effort. Today, however¡­ it was different. It pains me to admit, but I noticed myself stealing glances at¡­ well, there.


    At least staring at Aria¡¯s buttocks while she run in front of me was still entertaining in a way. I still noticed that it didn¡¯t really do it for me now. Then again¡­ when she took the initiative¡­ I gulped¡­ I can still feel a wet spot down there¡­ perhaps I didn¡¯t turn into a complete faggot just yet. Yes, let¡¯s focus on the small victories for now. I will¡­ I will deal with it later.


    I felt a harsh pull on my right earlobe, sending a burst of pain through my body, simultaneously a shameful excitement traveled through me. ¡ª ¡°Ah?!¡± ¡ª A surprised shout left my mouth on its own accord. It sounded kind of erotic, even to my own ears.


    The following silence that filled out the inside of the tent was like the silence before an execution. I felt my cheeks turning red the moment I realized what I have done. I felt exposed and panicked internally while the silence loomed over us, like a cat caught by its tail.


    The silence was broken, not by Ariawyn¡¯s but Camilla¡¯s mocking voice.


    ¡°Oh my, wasn¡¯t that a cute sound you made there? I guess the rumour about some elves having a sensitive ear wasn¡¯t complete bullocks for once.¡± ¡ª Camilla¡¯s voice cut off there for a second as she tried to meet my cast down eyes as I tried to hide my embarrassed expression. ¡ª ¡°I would pay a whole silver coin just to have a glimpse of what you were thinking about a few seconds before, girl.¡± ¡ª She added and I finally looked up at her as a burst of fear jumped through me.


    I never thought about the possibility of someone having the ability to read thoughts through magic, but it was entirely possible in this world. What the hell will I going to do if I run into someone with such talent?


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    Staring at Camilla, who was sitting up in her own sleeping bag with a shit-eating grin plastered across her face, was not helping my situation, especially with such thoughts circulating inside my mind. I, however, caught Camilla¡¯s gaze, that was focusing on my own, then switching to somewhere behind me to my right.


    Before I could say anything or turn around, I felt a fist hammering down on the top of my head. I cried out again, and this time there was not a hint of pleasure in my voice.


    The hit wasn¡¯t that hard, of course, but it was still painful enough to startle me out of my stupor. I blinked rapidly, instinctively covering my head and massaging the place where I was attacked.


    It was not the end however, my ear was grabbed once again as Aria shouted into it, practically using it like a damned microphone.


    ¡°EEEPP!¡± ¡ª I screamed in frightened protest as she shouted into my ear.


    ¡°Young lady, I have told you five times by now that I am done with your hair, and we can go after you pulled on those ridiculous boots. So if you are ready to scavenge up that scattered brain of yours, we might as well head out. I do intend to still sleep after you are done with your deal.¡± ¡ª She pronounced that last part with a barely hidden hint of a threat.


    I nodded along with every word of hers like a frightened chicken. Which reaction evidently resulted in an openly laughing Camilla rolling on her side while pointing at my face in the background.


    I didn¡¯t have the luxury to care about her reaction, and instead jumped on my boots, pulling them up faster than I ever did, or thought it to be possible.


    All in all, the whole ordeal took me about one and a half minutes. Then I was out of the tent, walking along Aria, who was following the dwarf who, instead of the bored expression that I imagined him with, after hearing his apathetic tone.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡ª Well¡­ let¡¯s just say that he had an eerily similar grin on his face compared to the one that Camilla showed me previously. I chewed on my lower lip anxiously. As the man¡¯s brown eyes glanced towards me, our gaze accidentally met. It was enough for me to notice how the wrinkles around his eyes smiled, or the way his brown eyes glinted with barely contained laughter.


    I knew immediately that he heard everything.


    I entertained the idea of asking Aria if we could simply go back to the tent and sleep, but a simple glance at her was enough to realize that saying such things after waking her up wouldn¡¯t be wise. Since I didn¡¯t intend to get spanked by the annoyed woman, no matter how my insides twisted in excitement from the possibility. I instead shut my trap and stared ahead as if my life was on the line.


    In the meantime, we were actively being led by the grinning bastard of a dwarf towards the main tent of the camp. It was clear at a glance after we neared the place that a bunch of new dwarfs had arrived recently.


    After all, there was no other reasonable way to explain the large amount of people lazing around the captain¡¯s tent.


    I began to search those faces, looking for anyone familiar, not that I knew that many of the people I was traveling with. We got separated before I had the chance to get to know them. In retrospect, maybe that was for the better, as looking at the number of them, it was clear how many we truly lost in that unfortunate encounter.


    If I said that less than half of the original number were present, I would be vastly exaggerating the number. At best, it was a third of it. Not even mentioning the pitiful state they were in. I highly doubted that we will in any realistic way truly start our travel towards the capital as originally intended.


    These people needed rest, and by rest I didn¡¯t mean a half night of sleep, but an entire day at least.


    While I was once again lost in my thoughts, I felt a strong hand lock around my wrist. I instinctively turned around to see whom the offending hand belonged to. Alas, before I could get a good look at the person, I was already engulfed in a bone-crushing hug.


    A hug that I instinctively reciprocated the moment my eyes fell on the familiar sight of Emrum. I felt a great sense of relief passing over me when I saw him in one piece. He had all his limbs, and everything important seemed to be in the right place.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to hope for, when I heard that he was heavily injured, but it seems that it was not as critical of an injury as I thought, or was simply not in an easily spottable place.


    I was not a man of tears in my previous life, but I will admit that I felt the edges of my eyes water a bit as we stood there engulfing each other in a warm embrace, that shared every feeling between us that words couldn¡¯t convey.


    Emrum was truly alive, and relatively well, and what was more important, we were back together once again. The suffocating pressure of this dark cave, the one that seemed to press down on my psyche, lessened quite a bit at the comforting thought.


    ¡°You will be the death of me, you stupid lass. Still, I would rather cut off my beard than to deny how good it is to see your face!¡± ¡ª The familiar grumpy voice that I have long since started to associate with Emrum stated joyfully and I chuckled at the thought of a beardless Emrum.


    ¡°Oh, well! That would be a sight to see!¡± ¡ª I added with a wide smile while looking slightly down to meet his gaze.


    ¡°I bet you would like to see that! Sorry to disappoint, this beard is not going anywhere!¡± ¡ª I smiled even wider than I finally stepped back, breaking our celebratory hug.


    ¡°It is so good to see you, too. I wasn¡¯t sure if we will ever see each other again.¡± ¡ª I admitted the harsh truth, a statement that seemed to sober up our momentary jovialty.


    ¡°Aye¡­¡± ¡ª Emrum admitted. ¡ª ¡°I thought that I have lost you to those beardless beasts!¡± ¡ª That statement seemed to freeze the surrounding air, as a low seeping anger filled with bloodlust leaked out of the dwarf¡¯s exterior. His gaze momentarily unfocused, stuck in a distant memory. ¡ª ¡°Even when we regrouped and went back to the destroyed caravan. We could only find your staff, laying under the cart that was surrounded by half frozen darklings. When I saw the scene¡­ I-I could hardly think of anything, but the worst.¡± ¡ª Emrum admitted, a dark shadow passing over his pale expression. One that once again turned into rage at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°I warned that fool, multiple times, I did! I told him that we cannot travel the deep roads like it¡¯s some backyard kindergarten! The deep roads don¡¯t care about profits!¡± ¡ª He shouted, angrily gesturing with his hands. ¡ª ¡°Look where profits got him, struck by three arrows, couldn¡¯t even see it coming. The stubborn fool!¡±


    While focused on Emrum''s explanation, I was grabbed by a gentle yet firm pair of hands and with a sudden pull; I was involuntarily straightened up and pulled back a few hesitant steps to keep my balance. Creating a slightly wider space between me and the dwarf.


    This, of course, didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Emrum, who, just like I did, turned towards the perpetrator. Based on his skyrocketing eyebrows, I would wager that he was surprised by what he saw.


    ¡°Those clothes!? What in the molten hells is a dark-¡­¡± ¡ª His sentence was cut short in a familiar and very effective way which I have so many times experienced in our short time of acquaintance with the wood elf.


    ¡°Dwarf sir, this armor is little more than what your people tend to call war spoils. Aside from that, it does not showcase any of my inner values or association. Therefore, I would ask you, in good faith, to not group me together with such lowlifes. I will now overlook your misunderstanding, given the circumstances, but do not make that mistake once again. I am a proud member of the Wood realm, after all, and demand to be treated with the expectable dignity. Especially as your people so often boast about your famous hospitality.¡±


    Emrum¡¯s initial surprise was quickly overcome by a sour expression, and to be fair, even I was surprised by Ariawyn¡¯s viciousness and the widely different way how she acted around dwarfs.


    If her actions were any indication, I wasn¡¯t surprised at all that the dwarven people thought of elfs like stuck up fools.


    Still, Emrum quickly overcome his situation and hid his expression behind a neutral mask.


    ¡°Forgive my rudeness, my lady, but there is a saying from where I came. If one drapes herself in wolf¡¯s clothing, then she shouldn¡¯t be surprised to get chased down by dogs.¡± ¡ª Emrum stated with a slight grin at the corner of his lips.


    Alas, the elf was not phased by his comeback, and instantly uttered her own response. ¡ª ¡°Yes, indeed, the wisdom of the elders are quite intriguing¡­ Still, I find myself somewhat shocked by their willing association with dogs. Looking at you now, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find a colony of fleas nesting in that beard of yours.¡±


    Emrum snorted at that, then pointed into the elf¡¯s face. ¡ª ¡°Oh yes? Why you aren¡¯t that much different in that regard? There might as well be a nest of lice hiding in that precious grime covered hair of yours, elf!¡±


    This, to my surprise, caused Aria to develop a light blush across her cheeks, and there was no apparent comeback prepared on her side. Which resulted in an awkward pause in the heated argument.


    In the end, Aria came back to her senses first.


    ¡°I believe,¡± ¡ª She started with a stiff tone. ¡ª ¡°that much public show of emotion was more than enough for one night.¡± ¡ª She spoke, grabbing onto my shoulders with an unrelenting intensity. It¡¯s needless to say that I felt very uncomfortable in this entire situation, like a child that was forced to listen to her parents¡¯ arguments.


    Not that I was all that surprised by the outcome. Knowing the two¡¯s personality, I was fairly certain that if Ariawyn came along, an argument was mostly unavoidable. Still, it was surprising how quickly, and in which direction the argument went, resulting to low blows about one¡¯s appearance without even knowing their names, it felt idiotic to be honest.


    Without further argument, I was pulled along by the enraged wood elf, right back to our tent. I was barely able to shout a hesitant good night to Emrum while being dragged away.


    I also saw the dwarf facepalming behind Aria in his apparent frustration.


    At least for once, it was not me who caused the commotion. I felt surprisingly smug about this.

 Chapter 55. Bal Dorahl

    The rest of the night was spent without incidents.


    At the morning, I was awakened by the general sounds of the rousing campsite. Well¡­ as much as one could call it morning, while being hundreds of meters underground. It doesn¡¯t really make a difference in my eyes, but the dwarfs seem to notice it, just as easily as I can point out the sunlight coloring the horizon at dawn while being on the surface.


    I nestled closer to the warmth beside me, in an attempt to close off the familiar sounds of packing dwarfs, which was becoming impossible to ignore. There were definite negatives to having such a sharp hearing as an elf.


    While I leaned closer to said warmth, a gentle chuckle appeared above my head. The next thing I knew was the rough sensation of a hand shuffling through my hair.


    ¡°Someone have gotten quite bold after a single night, I see.¡± ¡ª Aria¡¯s voice whispered into my ear teasingly, causing my eyelids to snap open in sudden realisation. I could only stare up at the smirking woman as I was forced to understand that instead of her hugging me, it was now me who was hugging her greedily, snuggling into her side like some shameless cat.


    I drowsily let up my embrace, while trying to blink away my embarrassment and failing spectacularly. Which resulted in another amused chuckle from the older elf. Instead of continuing to fight a losing battle, I looked up again and smiled at her bashfully. What else could I do in such an absurd situation? It was time to swim with the punches!


    My reaction seemed to appease Aria as she gently began to smoothen out my black locks, instead of further entangling them. I gladly accepted the help, as I was still unused to treat a long hair with the necessary attention. Not even mentioning that I didn¡¯t even have a proper comb on my person.


    We both sat up in the sleeping bag. I was sitting in front of Aria while she sat closely behind me, combing through my hair with her fingers. It was some sort of habit on her part. After all, she clearly enjoyed doing it for me. I could see it by the gentle smile and the light aura surrounding her. I wondered about that and realized that it must have reminded her to the time she spent with her daughters. If I remember correctly, she mentioned that she already raised two daughters. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that; I mean, me reminding her to her daughters of all things.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± ¡ª She said, after tying my hair up in a single long braid that fell down over my back, reaching as far as my waist.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of discomfort, because of the way I was treated¡­ Like, like a girl, even if I was one. I was ready to admit the truth. I am utterly confused by the responses of my body and my personal feelings. It was turning into an undecipherable mix of opposing emotions, and I didn¡¯t have the mental strength, especially after the recent days, to try to understand it.


    I had to let loose on the reins for now if I didn¡¯t want to go mad.


    Therefore, I pushed aside those feelings and thoughts, as it would only ruin my mood. Instead, I looked around the small tent, searching for Camilla¡¯s familiar form, but the girl was not present. Then, I finally remembered last night, and our short meeting with Emrum and the others.


    I have immediately realized where Camilla must have gone; the girl was clearly looking for her comrades, the group of mercenaries she traveled with. I felt a similar urge to visit Emrum and talk about what happened in the time we spent separated. Aside from that, I also wanted to get my staff back and potentially apologize for Aria¡¯s snark. Regarding my staff, I still felt powerless without its comforting presence. The stupid thing indeed became an extension of my body, a lot faster than I could realistically anticipate.


    Still, thinking about it, it was only natural. How many people became addicted to their mobile phone back in my original world? I mean, phones couldn¡¯t even help you to cast ridiculously powerful magic.


    ¡°Whatever is on your mind, Selora, it is not the right time.¡± ¡ª Aria¡¯s voice sounded behind me, waking me from my thoughts. When my attention focused on the older elf, she continued. ¡ª ¡°We have slept in, I didn¡¯t want to wake you unless absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, that also means that now we don¡¯t have much time on our hands before we continue our travel towards the dwarven capital.¡±


    She paused, waiting for my reaction and when there wasn¡¯t any, she continued with a sigh. ¡ª ¡°You should visit the loo, eat something, then help with taking down the camp. Based on the nearby conversations that I overheard, we are supposed to head out in an hour or so.¡±


    In just an hour? Well, we must have indeed overslept quite a bit, then. To my genuine surprise, aside from some annoying muscle soreness and the occasionally spiking pain in my feet, I was relatively fine. What I mean is that I expected a lot worse.


    I blinked, looking down at my elven body with a thoughtful gaze.


    Honestly, I wholeheartedly expected to have to struggle with such bagatelle actions as sitting up in my sleeping bag this morning. Yet, to my disbelief, here I was with moderate to heavy soreness in my body and the occasional pain in my feet, all that after that insane run we pulled off yesterday.


    Is this how it felt to be young?


    Before my thoughts could go down further in that direction, I felt a gentle tap on the middle of my forehead. ¡ª ¡°Stop staring into thin air and get ready for the road. We do not have time for your antics.¡±


    I nodded hastily and started to pull on my boots, feeling the slight weight of my newly braided hair between my shoulder-blades.


    Alas, I stopped when I noticed the ridiculously sized and partially burst blisters on the bottom of my feet. I swallowed back the rising disgust and instead closed my eyes, preparing to cast my favorite healing spell.


    I whispered the familiar incantation in the corner of the tent, as I didn¡¯t want to alert Aria with my injured feet. ¡ª ¡°By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command mine wound, heal!¡± ¡ª The reassuring warmth coursed through my body with a slow intensity, traveling from my chest through my right arm and finally exiting my body as tentative tendrils of light manifesting at the tip of my fingers.


    I stared at the sight of purely manifested magic literally at the tip of my fingers. It was a sight that I will never quite get used to, the undistilled wonder at the sight of a miracle appearing at my command was not something one can simply get used to. Maybe if I didn¡¯t live previously in a world where magic did not exist, or at least I did not know about its existence.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡ª Appeared Aria¡¯s voice right above me, and I instinctively looked up to meet her gaze, that was already focused on the slowly pulsing light that by now entirely engulf my palm.


    Yep¡­ it was doomed from the start to hide such a flashy spell from her in such a small place as this tent was.


    ¡°Err¡­ I, my feet are a bit hurt so¡­¡± ¡ª It was then that Aria¡¯s gaze turned from the spell to the bottom of my naked feet, resulting in a horrified gasp.


    I winced at the sound, entirely expecting her reaction. ¡ª ¡°You stupid girl, why didn¡¯t you mention this yesterday? We should have treated it immediately. Now there is a chance that it already became infected!¡± ¡ª She scolded me with a paling expression that was starting to scare me.


    ¡°Uh? I mean, it¡¯s fine¡­ I will just heal it with this spell. I have done it many times already.¡± ¡ª That said, my palm was starting to get hot from the accumulating light magic, therefore I slowly hovered it above my injured feet until it finally touched it.


    There it was, the now familiar sensation of itchiness mixed together with ticklish, prickling, sometimes numb and occasionally painful irritation.


    Both me and Aria, watched as the healing energy coursed through my feet, traveling in circular motion from the point of touch. Leaving behind freshly healed smooth pink skin in place of the alarming blisters.


    I lifted my hand from my left feet and repeated the action with my other one. When done, I carefully cut off the mana stream that was feeding the spell, and the golden glow of light slowly faded from my palm.


    I chuckled happily, picking up a large piece of scarred dead skin that fell off thanks to my abnormally quickened healing rate and showed it to Aria. ¡ª ¡°See? It¡¯s fine now! No need to worry.¡±


    I smiled up at Aria, who was looking at the effects of the magic with a pale expression. I noticed her fingers gently grazing along that scar on her neck, and I blurted out. ¡ª ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    She jolted out of her stupor and turned her gaze back to me. She was clearly uncomfortable with the sudden traumatic reminder of yesterday¡¯s incident, but she quickly covered it up. Instead, she pinched my cheek and told me. ¡ª ¡°Since you have time to worry about me, why don¡¯t you start to worry about yourself? Foolish elfling! Aren¡¯t you a friend of dwarfs? Why don¡¯t you get a pair of socks from them? Not wearing one is the main reason you get such nasty blistering on your feet.¡±


    That¡­ that¡¯s actually not a bad idea¡­


    It took a few more minutes, but when I was ready and about to exit the tent, Aria called after me one more time, while being in the middle of putting on her own armor.


    ¡°Oh, and tell that human friend of yours to get back and help out with the packing, at least if you see her moping around. She left an hour ago, and I didn¡¯t hear of her since then.¡± ¡ª I nodded to that as well and finally left the tent.


    ~oOo~


    When I stepped out of the tent, I was welcomed by the sight of bustling dwarfs in the middle of taking down their tents and packing up their things.


    I took a quick glance around to orient myself, then went to the direction of the loo, which I was familiar with since yesterday. I indeed needed to relieve myself.


    After finishing my business, I went on a wild hunt to find something edible. My search led to the middle section of the camp. I could still sense the lingering scent of recently cooked food circulating in the air. I decided to follow my nose and soon found myself in an open field between the tents. There were a bunch of blankets and sleeping bags thrown around the small clearing, where people sat in small groups talking animatedly with their companions.


    The occasional rambunctious cheers of laughter could be heard over the general murmuring of the people. What was more important for me at the moment was the bowl of food held in their hands. I looked around and noticed a pair of enormous cauldrons and a short line of people standing in front of each of them.


    I decided to head over there, following the people¡¯s example. I barely stepped into the line when a grumpy-looking dwarf stepped up to me and pushed an empty bowl into my arms. I instinctively took a hold of the bowl, and before I could ask anything, the man also dropped a crudely carved wooden spoon into the empty bowl. With the same momentum, he turned around and left.


    I stared after him for a few seconds, then shrugged my shoulders and focused on the quickly advancing line. In a few minutes, my patience was rewarded with a bowlful of lukewarm stew, then I was quickly shooed away to not hold up the line.


    I found myself standing in the middle of the clearing filled with happily eating dwarfs. I turned around, looking for anyone familiar. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t seem to recognize anybody among the dwarfs and the occasional human sitting among them. Just when I was about to give up, at the far edge of the clearing I spotted the familiar form of Camilla hunched over herself, in the company of Emrum of all people.


    I cheered internally and headed towards the two.


    When I got closer to them, I quickly became aware of the heavy atmosphere that surrounded the two. My smile faltered when my gaze met with Emrum¡¯s, who was the first to notice my arrival. His eyes glinted with the now familiar relief that I saw in him at our recent brief meeting. There were still dark shadows under his eyes, and it was obvious that his joy at seeing me was heavily overshadowed by the present predicament.


    I gently stepped closer to the two.


    It was then that Camilla also noticed my presence. She looked up at me with a startled realization, and I could see her dark green eyes reddened with fresh tear stains running down her cheeks.


    I felt a knot forming in my throat as we stared at each other, unsure how to react or what to say. In this silent pause, I quickly put two to two, realizing what might have caused my new friend to end up like this. There was only one option that could serve as a proper explanation, and after I looked through most of the refugees without finding any familiar figure aside from Emrum and Camilla, the probability of that possibility was extremely high.


    I took a deep breath, walking closer to my friend and sitting down next to her. I put down the bowl, my appetite already forgotten as the cold reality of this world once again reminded me how close we truly brushed with death. I offered a hesitant hug to Camilla, which she immediately accepted, leaning into my side as silent sobs traversed through her body.


    ¡°They¡­ my friends are¡­¡± ¡ª She began explaining her pain between her silent sobs. I squeezed her shoulders, telling her that I have already figured it out.


    ¡°Shhh¡­ I know, it¡¯s going to be alright.¡± ¡ª I said the words in a vague attempt to comfort Camilla, while knowing all too well that my words were not the entire truth. They left an uncomfortable aftertaste in my mouth and I felt my years of life experience weighing down on my mind, forcing me to add another sentence. ¡ª ¡°It will never be the same again, but you will survive, you must.¡±


    We sat there in sober silence, while the rest of the camp roused around us. The occasional chuckles and relieved laughter coming from the happy survivors of the dark elf ambush lingered around us as a distant reminder that life always goes on, no-matter what terrible things may happen.


    ~oOo~


    The rest of our travel towards the dwarven capital was uneventful, if incredibly tiring. Unlike my expectations, we have indeed started our travel in the morning, just as intended. Turns out that dwarfs were a lot tougher than I gave them credit for, and just as stubborn. Seeing how some of the heavily injured dwarfs forced themselves to travel in their current condition, I went along and readily offered my healing arts as a way to heal, but at least partially heal their worst injuries. While most of them were wary at first, with the help of Emrum¡¯s assurances, they eventually accepted my help.


    It was a long journey, filled with dangers, but it was finally behind us. All those thoughts were pushed into the back of my head as we neared the awe-inspiring sight of a towering metal gate, filling out the entire tunnel surrounded by fortifications and a lot of heavily armed dwarfs.


    Emrum¡¯s eyes glinted with pride as he gazed upon the enormous gates.


    ¡°Bal Dorahl, the outer bastion of the northern kingdom of the twin kingdoms. You can see the interlocked crowns molded into the gate itself. Bless the stone¡­ it¡¯s so good to see it again!¡±


    There was a wave of joyful relief traveling through our company at the sight of the gate.


    Another dwarf shouted from the forefront of our traveling formation. ¡ª ¡°Riders are coming to welcome us from the garrison! We are safe!¡±


    There was another ripple of relief and elevation from our tired group.

 Chapter 56. Dwarven Capital

    While the overall cheerful atmosphere spread across our traveling group like wildfire, I quickly gathered my wits and looked for my friends among the joyful people. While I hastily walked among the group, looking for Ariawyn and Camilla. The two had been walking along the back of the column last I saw them, therefore I headed in that very direction.


    I was just apologizing for the fifth time after once again colliding with one of the celebrating people around, when I finally noticed Camilla¡¯s pale red hair glinting through the throng. I immediately headed in her direction. Meanwhile, the sounds of distant hooves were getting closer by the minute. The riders must be close by now, I concluded silently while pushing towards my friends.


    I squeezed myself between a few bulky dwarfs, and the occasional human that was mixed among them. I guess there were times when it was good to have a smaller body type, because I quickly found myself standing in front of Camilla and Aria, who was looking down at me with a scrutinizing gaze, while Camilla was simply watching me with amusement.


    Suddenly becoming the focus of their undivided attention, I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    I mean, I couldn¡¯t quite admit that I rushed to their side, because I was afraid that Aria might cause some sort of commotion once again, like threatening them to shorten their stature with a head¡¯s worth or¡­


    Aria¡¯s focus intensified while I was trying to figure out what to say. ¡ª ¡°Did you get bored with your dwarf friend? Finally deciding to say hello to us?¡± ¡ª Aria teased, but there was an edge to her words which could not go unnoticed.


    Yeah, well¡­ unsurprisingly, Aria and Emrum didn¡¯t see eye to eye at all. Especially after Aria casually mentioned to Emrum along our trip here, and did so without discussing it with me previously, that she intends to take me back to the wood realm. After all, I should be raised among my own kind. Obviously, this resulted in another argument among the two, as Emrum stated that he already decided to take care of me as her own daughter, of all things. He even stated that he owes me so after saving his and his companions¡¯ lives.


    To which Aria only laughed, and stated that by that measure her life was also saved by me, therefore it nullifies his argument.


    There were quite a few threats and curses exchanged between them, and this time, it was not the sophisticated type. All in all, I had to step in multiple times to calm the waters, while feeling extremely uncomfortable and occasionally humiliated by my own forced role between their arguments. I have never imagined that after being reborn in a fantasy like world, my major headaches will come from serving as a buffer between my companions.


    Life was truly cruel sometimes. I sighed.


    Well, at least I have my staff back. Unfortunately, Emrum could not save my backpack, which was apparently stolen by the dark elves after the raid. It was truly lucky that Camilla kicked my staff under the cart, or it would have been stolen, too.


    The familiar hum of the white metal, its smooth touch against my fingers as my grip encircled it, filled me with a sense of courage. I could feel my mana circulating around and inside the staff as it reinforced my magical capabilities, soothing my emotions and helping to focus my thoughts. I have realized, after spending so much time without the staff, that it was a lot more than what I initially believed it to be. Its presence affected my mind in subtle but important ways. Directing my thoughts away from fear and self-doubt, towards productive and comforting thoughts, it was a pillar of confidence, sort of.


    Unfortunately, now that I knew of those particular effects, they seemed to lose a lot of their effectiveness. Since I tended to question my decisions, exactly because I was afraid that the staff was influencing my thoughts.


    Anxiety was a special kind of jerk, after all. It always found a way into one¡¯s thoughts.


    I was poked in my forehead, after my friends have grown annoyed by my lack of attention. I looked up at Aria, who was shaking her head in a disappointed fashion while Camilla was snickering by her side. I could still see the dark circles under her eyes. It¡¯s not really surprising, merely a few days have passed since we were told about the cruel fate of her friends. Such a short time is not enough to handle the grief, even if the people of this realm were a lot more used to that sort of thing, especially adventurers.


    I will admit that the girl took it surprisingly well. I suspected that it was not the first time she lost some of her close companions. Adventuring life in the deep roads of all places didn¡¯t sound like a life insurance. At least, she and Aria became fast friends after the incident was revealed to the older elf. She quickly took it upon herself to welcome the crying red head under her motherly wings. Seemingly, all of their previous differences were immediately forgotten and likely forgiven. It was good to know that at least some people were getting on well.


    Before I was once again poked in the forehead by Aria, I coughed lightly and said.


    ¡°Well¡­ I just wanted to see you. Nothing particular¡­¡± ¡ª Aria beamed at that, while Camilla chuckled from the side, commenting about how much a scatterbrain I was for an elven magic caster.


    I smiled at her, unwilling to retort. It was good to hear her laugh once again, both me and Aria worried about how silent she became recently, for obvious reasons. Getting back to the capital seemed to have an effect on her, that or all the cheerful atmosphere around us.


    Alas, the joyful pause have come to an end, when our column slowly but surely started to move towards the gate once again. I stepped in line next to Camilla, gazing over the slightly smaller dwarfs around us, and noticing a few goat riders moving along, escorting us back to the gate. Everything seemed to go well for a change. Let¡¯s hope that it keeps that way.


    ~oOo~


    An hour and a half later. We have finally gone through the gates. Yes¡­ gates. There were three giant gates built, one after the other, with increasing levels of security. There were side tunnels after the first and second gates that lead to different dwarven cities or outposts. Emrum, who have joined our trio at the back of the column, explained to me eagerly, while ignoring Aria¡¯s cold glares.


    Still, I was happy for his presence, as it resolved any lingering issues about our presence when we were inspected at each gate. Dropping the Dimhollow clan name clearly held a lot of influence around the garrison and the gate guards, as it is expected from a noble clan of warriors, I suppose.


    Even so, Ariawyn have received quite a few unfriendly or simply surprised stares from the dwarfs. She was getting twitchy, and I had to remind her multiple times that she was still wearing a dark elf armor, therefore she shouldn¡¯t take it personally and change to a different gear as fast as possible.


    She snorted at that, reminding me that she wasn¡¯t exactly swimming in money right now. To which I offered her, quite smugly if I may add, that I could pay for it, since I was still officially under the service of the Bronze Company, and was already due to a full paycheck which was around fifty gold, if I remembered correctly. The woman shook her head in disbelief, but didn¡¯t say no to my offer.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Anyway, out of the one and a half hour of time, we spent a full hour in front of the third gate, the one that lead into the city itself. Obviously, it held the strictest security measures and even with Emrum''s presence and authority we, by that I mean me and Aria, had to offer a detailed explanation about our presence here, and general intentions in the city. I reminded Aria to not screw us over with her temper tantrums, to which she simply scoffed and slapped me on the back of my head.


    Still, in the end, it seemed to work out, and we were let into the city with some reluctance.


    Camilla and Emrum was already waiting for us at the side of the road. They were let through almost immediately. While Emrum was treated with high regard, Camilla seemed to be almost shooed into the city, as if the guards were annoyed by her very presence. It was clear by a glance that they had some sort of history, not that I was going to ask.


    Anyway, when we all were standing on the other side, I couldn¡¯t help but huff in disappointment.


    ¡°All that waiting and there are more tunnels to walk by? I expected a spectacle of the city¡­¡° ¡ª I complained, and earned a friendly pat on my shoulder from Emrum.


    ¡°Come now, lassie, you will have your spectacle after a few more tunnels and turns. I can promise you that.¡± ¡ª Emrum added with a warm smile, while Ariawyn was glaring at him and his lingering hand placed over my shoulder.


    ¡°If you are looking for a true site to see, the endless forest of the wood realm are especially beautiful at this time of the year. Now that autumn is closing in, the forests will dress themself in a variety of colors, all ranging between red and yellow. The sheer beauty of nature is truly overwhelming, don¡¯t you think, Selora? Unlike these dirty mold infested tunnels and caves.¡± ¡ª Stated Aria. Throwing a challenging glance towards Emrum.


    ¡°I¡­¡± ¡ª I began to form my answer, but was immediately interrupted by Emrum.


    ¡°Oh, yes. The forest is quite a sight indeed. It¡¯s a pity that is so infested with poisonous snakes, giant spiders, and swarms of mosquitoes.¡± ¡ª Emrum added, with a barely hidden spitefulness that was so unlike compared to his general warm personality.


    I stepped between the two, sensing another upcoming argument and simultaneously attempting to cut it short before it could truly start. ¡ª ¡°Please, stop arguing like a married couple. Is it so hard to accept the possibility that I might like both of the places, and might also want to visit them if the chance arises?¡± ¡ª I said and was rewarded with the sight of their gawking expressions.


    ¡°Married couple you say?!¡± ¡ª Emrum shouted in disbelief. ¡ª ¡°Child, I am already married! Stop saying such scandalizing things before someone overhears it! Especially with that vindictive elf!¡± ¡ª Emrum added with finality, his face turning slightly red with both fury and embarrassment.


    Of course, hearing his exclamation, Ariawyn was even more scandalized.


    She sputtered like a kicked cat, turning red in the face, quite similar to Emrum in that regard. ¡ª ¡°Married couple!? Have you lost your mind, and to believe that he has the gall to be exasperated by such sinful comparison? I might as well marry a keg of beer with little legs!¡±


    Emrum blinked at that, and throw a confused glance at the elf. ¡ª ¡°What are you talking about, woman? I don¡¯t even drink, at least not while traveling in the deep roads. That would be suicide!¡±


    "Hah! So you do drink, when you are not on the road!¡± ¡ª The elf pointed it out, still clutching onto her previous argument.


    ¡°I am a man and a dwarf, of course I do drink! What is wrong with that?¡± ¡ª Emrum demanded in a childlike confusion.


    ¡°What is wrong with that? He asks! Is that what you will teach to poor Selora here, to drink like a man? That¡¯s exactly why you should let me take care of her!¡± ¡ª She finally got to her real argument there, causing Emrum to scoff at her with a dirty look.


    ¡°I told you, that¡¯s not happening, and I don¡¯t see the point of your argument, either.¡± ¡ª Emrum said back, offhandedly, while all of us continued to walk towards the city, following the wide and well-lighted tunnel carved into the rock.


    ¡°Well!¡± ¡ª Aria shouted, almost overcome by her restrained fury. ¡ª ¡°I won¡¯t leave that girl here, alone with a bunch of barbarians, so you better figure something out, dwarf! She is too pure and exceptional to be taught by brutish dwarfs alone! She might as well be the last of her kind. Aside from that, you have showcased your ignorance and stupidity regarding the real worth of her immortality by letting her participate in extremely dangerous situations! By the gods, if the elven races realize that you stupidly risked the life of a pure being such as her, they might as well come together and lynch you!¡±


    Emrum stopped and turned to Aria with a shocked expression. We all stopped seeing this turn of events and silently waited for the dwarf¡¯s reaction. The tension was palpable in the surrounding air. ¡ª ¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t leave? Are you implying that you want to stay in my home, along with Selora?¡±


    Ariawyn stared at the dwarf, a series of vivid emotions traveling across her face in rapid motion. It was clearly not the part she expected him to react to. In the end, she glanced at me. Seeing my stupefied expression, she took a deep breath and stated with certainty while gently massaging her temple. ¡ª ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Emrum''s head shot backwards as he erupted in a grandiose laughter. It took him at least a minute to calm down after that, while we stared at him in shock.


    When he gained back his ability to speak, though still occasionally shaking with laughter, he waved his large hands in a sign of surrender while once again starting to head towards the city. ¡ª ¡°Women!¡± ¡ª He shouted, looking towards the ceiling, then added with a sparkle of amusement. ¡ª ¡°Do what you want. It¡¯s been a while since our house had an elven guest, but you will have to work if you want to stay for long. Of course, it will be easy to find you a place among us, seeing your capabilities as a warrioress.¡±


    That said, Emrum suddenly turned towards Camilla and asked her with an unexpected seriousness. ¡ª ¡°What about you, lass? Do you have a place to stay, after¡­¡± ¡ª His words strayed off, unwilling to rip open the barely healing wound. ¡ª ¡°If you are up for it, as a thanks for saving Lora¡¯s life back when the caravan was ambushed, I would like to offer you a permanent place among our ranks. We can work out the details later, of course, in the case you accept my offer to begin with.¡±


    Camilla¡¯s eyes went wide like saucers as she stared at the dwarf with a shocked expression.


    I had to poke her in the ribs to get her out of her stupor.


    She bristled, then started to nod as if her life depended on it. ¡ª ¡°I-I¡­ I would very much like that! If-f you would have me!¡± ¡ª The girl stammered her words out at last, her pale expression getting some color.


    Emrum chuckled again, adding nonchalantly. ¡ª ¡°Of course, at this point, the more the merrier!¡±


    I glanced at Aria¡¯s sour expression, then took a look at the beaming Camilla. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh, shaking my head and feeling amused. Still, I was thankful to know that our unlikely group, with all our differences, seemed to find a way to stay together. It was truly heartwarming.


    While my thoughts seemed to swim along the shores of my unlikely predicament, the always present anxiety of my uncertain future hovered in the air with the fickle warmth that filled my heart. The tunnel which we have been following for quite some time now, have reached its abrupt end.


    My painfully numb feet, after the seemingly endless walking, stopped, rooted into the ground. My mind was overcome by the spectacle of lights and shapes spreading out in front of me, filling the wide cavern that seemed to have no visible end. There was a steep slope following the now tunnel turned road downwards. However, my gaze was not focused on that.


    In the middle of the enormous cavern that filled out my vision, between the towering natural stone pillars cascading like waterfalls from the distant ceiling down to the bottom of the cavern. There lay before our eyes the city of Bal Dorahl, one of the capital of the dwarven twin kingdoms.


    It was breathtaking.


    At a first glance, the city was filled with tall buildings, most of them three to five floors tall while being surprisingly narrow in width, somewhat reminiscent of the giant stone pillars that surrounded them, but in miniature size compared to them. Its streets were well lighted by either mechanical lights or those of magical origin. It was impossible to discern anything concrete from this distance. The warm golden lights of the city glinted through the many glass filled windows, causing a shimmering effect that reminded me of the playful glint of an earth covered gemstone. It shined through the silence, ignoring the suffocating darkness that surrounded it on all sides.


    A monument of stubborn defiance against all the terrors that thrived in the deep.

 Chatper 57. Layers of the city

    It took us about twenty more minutes to walk down the steep slope and actually reach the city¡¯s perimeter. As we got closer, there were more and more people moving around. They were tending to the strange mushroom farms that seemed to encircle the city. I stared at the farms wide eyed, as it was quite an unusual sight for me to witness, while simultaneously being a pretty solid choice regarding that we were being underground.


    Naturally, some people that worked at the farms noticed my stare, and stared back at me with the same intensity, if not more. I didn¡¯t notice it at first, since I was too occupide with my personal gawking, but after the initial effects of surprise wore off, I couldn¡¯t help but feel my skin prickle under the vivid looks I received.


    I was feeling self-conscious about my ears, for once, as that was where most of the nearby dwarfs¡¯ glares seemed to focus.


    I was starting to feel sorry for Ariawyn. If I was gawked at this much, I could only imagine how she might have felt while wearing a dark elf armor. I sneaked a peek towards the older elf, noticing that she was marching forward with a determined expression while ignoring everything else around her. Figures, I sighed inwardly. She didn¡¯t seem the kind who actually cared about being stared at.


    While my thoughts jumped around in a circle, I noticed that we were passing by the first houses.


    They were the houses that stood right at the edge of the city. They were mostly normal looking, if a bit run-down. They were made from stone, just like the previously seen multi floored buildings, which were uncommon at this part of the city. As I studied the shapes and materials of the buildings, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the general cube and sometimes cuboid like shapes.


    The buildings had no roof structure, at least not in the way surface buildings had. Instead of the triangle like roof structure covered in potteries that would protect the house from rain and the elements. Here, the top part was made from metal that was usually covered with a raised up layer of metal threaded net.


    Emrum, noticing my confused glances towards the roof structure of the nearby houses, offered an explanation.


    ¡°Ah, you noticed the nets, lass. You are quite observant, I must say.¡± ¡ª He chuckled, then added. ¡ª ¡°As you likely already figured out, there are no regular rains this deep under the earth. Especially under a mountain. The water just slides off the mountainside and gathers at its foot, effectively protecting us from flooding. That is part of the reason why we tend to favour mountains, you know.¡±


    I nodded along, seeing no reason to argue about his explanation.


    ¡°Aside from that¡­¡± ¡ª He continued, some reluctance seeping into his voice. ¡ª ¡°The nets and the metal roofs are serving as layers of protection from the occasionally falling debris or stalactites.¡± ¡ª Emrum admitted.


    As if just waiting for this opportunity, Aria immediately interrupted the conversation.


    ¡°Are you saying what I think you are saying?¡± ¡ª Emrum remained silent while avoiding Aria¡¯s glare. The woman seemed to interpret his reaction as a confirmation to her worst fear.


    ¡°Am I just supposed to accept that there is a chance a deadly stalactite just drops on my head any time of the day?¡± ¡ª She demanded in disbelief.


    To which the dwarf seemed to perk up slightly. ¡ª ¡°Ah, it¡¯s really unlikely that it would drop on you. I mean¡­ it¡¯s a rare occurrence, mostly reserved for the occasional earthquake, outside of that the number of deaths yearly stay under the three-digit mark.¡±


    ¡°Earthquake?¡± ¡ª I asked, my face paling considerably from the idea.


    Ariawyn gasped as she processed the dire news. ¡ª ¡°A hundred people die from falling debris yearly in just this city and you call it a rare occurrence!?¡± ¡ª She furrowed her delicate eyebrows, her lips slightly parted as she struggled to get over the shock. ¡ª ¡°You people are crazy.¡±


    Emrum scowled at the woman as he said. ¡ª ¡°Is that so? Well, what about your cities then? How many people drop off your tree houses yearly, hmm? I bet it¡¯s a lot more than a hundred.¡±


    My gaze sharpened as I looked at Aria, hoping for her fierce denial. Alas, it seemed that the woman, for once, did not argue back. My eyes widened as I searched her eyes, while she uncomfortably squirmed under our combined look.


    Emrum¡¯s lips turned upwards at the edge as he enjoyed the elf¡¯s silent discomfort.


    ¡°Is that true, Aria? Are your cities built on the top of trees?¡± ¡ª I wondered while trying to accept the dangerous implications with which such homes would come with.


    She nodded, a gentle smile lighting up her face, as I intentionally redirected the conversation.


    ¡°Some of them, but not all of them, just about one-third, are built that way. I hope to show you once the mesmerising beauty of the tree palace. You will never want to leave its sight once you gaze upon its remarkable beauty. Imagine a palace hosted among the crowns of ancestor trees, its foundation rooted in our very history. The magical trees fed with the blood of our fallen warriors. If you listen carefully, you may hear the whisper of the trees as they commune among each other. If you are truly lucky, you may catch sight of a wisp playfully flying through the ancient branches. They are beings of pure magic, healing and tending to the forest on their own. They are believed to be a lucky omen. I only seen them a handful of time in all my years. Can you believe it?¡±


    There was a wistful silence as I got drawn into the precisely painted picture. I couldn¡¯t deny the desire to see something like that, after spending my last years on a hospital bed, then wandering the barren tunnels of the deep roads for almost two months now.


    Camilla spoke up in a thoughtful voice, as she too imagined the miraculous sight. ¡ª ¡°I wonder if I could see it once too.¡± ¡ª Aria smirked as she managed to draw away our attention from the dwarven city. ¡ª ¡°You might as well come along. When we visit it in the future with Selora, I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± ¡ª She said with a warm, almost motherly smile towards the human girl. Camilla suddenly jump hugged the surprised elf from the side while giggling with childlike happiness. It was an action that the older elf clearly not anticipated, and now struggled to stay on her feet. Her features morphing into a gentle smile with a hint of longing.


    When did they get so close to each other? I wondered to myself.


    I shook my head lightly, stepping next to Emrum while the other two were distracted. He noted my presence with a nod, then added with a bit of hesitation.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about falling debris once we reach our compound. The Dimhollow clan, as many other noble clans, have extra precautions against such things. I assure you it¡¯s as safe as it can be, just like the noble district. We have multiple steel nets forged by the best of the dwarven smiths spread over its entirety.¡±


    I nodded to him, looking up in search of such precautions in our current location. My eyes could only see darkness and the rousing columns of rocks being swallowed by the same darkness. Beyond the all-consuming shadows, those columns were continuing their travel towards the distant ceiling. Yet, without the necessary light, I could only fantasize about the true height of this mysterious cavern.


    Emrum naturally caught my glance and said in a whispering voice. I leaned closer to him, not to hear him clearly, because my elven ears were just fine with the distance, but to reassure him that I was listening.


    ¡°We are on the outskirts of the city. Only the poor and the unfortunate live here, it¡¯s not exactly the best impression for our first stroll, but since we came from the southern gate¡¯s direction it was inevitable to go through it, at least if we didn¡¯t intend to circle around the whole place.¡± ¡ª He whispered into my ear and I nodded with a frown.


    Well, no matter where one lives, it seems that there will always be a gap between the rich and the poor. The people living in this district clearly could not afford more protection from such hazards as falling debris than the very nets placed on the individual houses. Net¡¯s that often had more large holes in them than I would like to admit, coupled with sign of patchwork.


    We traveled through the district with hasty steps. As we got deeper into the city, the streets became a lot more crowded and lively with the bustling folk. The people here were made up from mostly dwarfs, but it was not unlikely to spot the occasional human group wading through the sea of dwarfs, especially so that they tended to tower over them with a head¡¯s worth, and therefore stuck out like sore thumbs.


    Now that I mention it, one such distinctly human group seemed to head in our direction, and I didn¡¯t like the look on their faces.


    I felt Camilla¡¯s warmth as the girl unconsciously pressed against my right side. Her gesture further solidified my suspicion. Those people were clearly here to cause some sort of trouble. The question was, what kind?


    Emrum and Ariawyn, being as perceptive as they always were, quickly noticed Camilla¡¯s tension, just as the closing group of sneering humans clothed in similar clothes as Camilla and her companions were. May the poor sods rest in peace. I truly hoped that they got a next life just as I did, or something just as good.


    Anyway, it was not exactly the right time for such thoughts as the group of sneering humans stood in our way.


    The four of us stopped, keeping a few meters between our groups while reciprocating their unfriendly stares.


    There was a few moments of silent stare-down. It was just enough for me to take in the appearances of the other group. There were three men and a lone woman. All of them were armed and armored, but not to the level of the dwarfs I traveled with. They were wearing armor made from leather. It was a light or medium armor that still preserved a high mobility for the wearer while offering moderate protection.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    One of them, a tall man with a pale and thin face, spoke up in a ridiculing voice.


    ¡°Hah! And here we thought that our dearest Camilla was lost to the deep¡­ We should have known better. Cockroaches such as her have one retaining quality, they are hard to kill.¡± ¡ª The group of humans started to laugh at the words of their companion.


    I glanced towards Camilla, who seemed to be embarrassed by the open humiliation. I also noticed that she was gripping the hilt of one of her hidden knives.


    Who the hell are these idiots to begin with? I wondered silently.


    ¡°Is this your new team, then?¡± ¡ª The sole female of their group stepped closer while hovering her unimpressed gaze over the rest of us. ¡ª ¡°Let me guess, the other one met an unfortunate end, again?¡± ¡ª I felt Camilla¡¯s body shook next to mine. While the unknown woman¡¯s smile widened with glee. ¡ª ¡±What a pity. I warned Langley that you were bad news, he should have never let you join the group.¡±


    I glared at the woman, feeling enraged by her words. What the hell is wrong with these people?


    ¡°You might want to take back those words of yours.¡± ¡ª I warned them, unwilling to listen silently any longer. ¡ª ¡°There have been a dark elf ambush. We lost a lot of good men, but it has nothing to do with Camilla¡¯s ability. In fact, I owe her my life.¡±


    The woman¡¯s smile quickly evaporated as she once more registered my presence. She focused her sharp gaze on me, measuring me up by the look of it. Her eyes lingered on my elongated ears a few seconds, then her eyes widened slightly as she undoubtedly realized that I was an elf.


    ¡°An elfmaid, here? How unusual¡­ So you say this girl saved you? I highly doubt it. She is a¡­¡± ¡ª I cut her off right there and then.


    ¡°Are you saying that I am lying?¡± ¡ª I asked sharply.


    The woman narrowed her eyes at me, a dangerous glint in her dark brown eyes. I subconsciously strengthened my grip on my staff.


    She sighed condescendingly.


    ¡°Allow me to warn you, elf, as a member of the adventurer guild. Get rid of this girl while you can. She is bad luck, I tell you. She lost two adventurer teams in half a year, while she was the sole survivor. I guess this makes it three now. There was always an unlikely and convenient explanation for her. ¡±


    I blinked at that, somewhat confused by her line of thoughts. Emrum was the one who spoke up this time, before anyone else could interject. ¡ª ¡°Undoubtedly those are unfortunate tragedies, rare but not exactly unlikely. You should be happy that she survived instead of finding fault with it, woman. What does any of this have to do with ya, anyway?¡±


    The woman''s face whipped towards the dwarf, as she said in a half sneer. ¡ª ¡°Not unlikely? Hah, you dwarfs are all the same. One member of those groups was my brother, who is now dead. An orc ambush appeared on a routine patrol! Isn¡¯t that familiar, hmm?¡±


    Ariawyn was the next who spoke up. Her words carried a bitter tone that seemed to leave no further place for argument. ¡ª ¡°If you are implying that Camilla has anything to do with the dark elf ambush, then you are a fool. Now step aside, before I drew my blade and cut you down where you stand.¡±


    The woman¡¯s expression paled considerably, seeing Ariawyn, who was currently wearing a bloody dark elf armor. She instinctively stepped back a few times before managing to get a hold on her emotions.


    Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment that quickly turned into anger.


    ¡°Another damned elf, what is with these long-eared freaks climbing down the trees all of the sudden?¡± ¡ª She cursed silently, clearly not intending us to hear it, but we did anyway, at least me and Aria did, based on her darkening expression.


    The tension was growing with every second between our groups, but before it could have gotten out of control, Emrum stepped in, stating with a clear voice.


    His first words were directed towards Aria, who was about to draw her blade. The blade that Emrum gave back to her just after she entered the city.


    ¡°Ariawyn Virdithas, as a guest of my clan, I expect you to have more self control. Step back, and do not draw your blade in the city of Bal Dorahl, not without proper reason. You should realize the potential diplomatic drawbacks your actions might arouse in this situation.¡± ¡ª That said, his face turned towards the human group that caused the entire confrontation.


    His voice was cold, losing any semblance of patience that was there previously. His dark brown eyes were piercing through all four members of the opposing party, one by one, finally stopping on the lone woman of their group.


    ¡°Those words that you spoke of are heavy accusations. You would better have proof to state such blatant words in front of noble members of the Dimhollow house. If you do have proof, I advice you to take the matter to court, but in the case if you lack such evidence, you would better step aside and not speak of this matter ever again.¡± ¡ª His eyes narrowed even further. ¡ª ¡°Now get out of our way, before I decide to report your names to the authorities.¡±


    Emrum¡¯s tone of authority seemed to work, as the four human quickly stepped aside, after they heard the Dimhollow name. It clearly carried a lot of influence in the city. That said, I could feel them staring daggers into our backs while we walked past them hastily.


    We marched across a few more streets that were becoming increasingly more crowded with people. Camilla suddenly decided to broke the freshly descended silence that seemed to engulf our little group.


    ¡°I¡­ sorry about that. Those guys have been quite hard on me since, well, you heard what she said¡­¡± ¡ª Camilla was still tense from the recent encounter. It was also obvious to see that she felt guilty and embarrassed. Still, she clearly didn¡¯t finish her words yet, therefore we waited for her to continue.


    ¡°It had been almost impossible for me to get into a proper group in the guild. All because of their meddling, they spread hateful rumors about me, and they even tried to intervene with me joining Langley¡¯s adventuring party. Thankfully, they were one of the rare people who tended to cast aside such rumors. They deserved better¡­ all of them.¡± ¡ª There were glistening tears appearing at the edge of her eyes, but she quickly dried them up with the sleeve of her blouse.


    A weak smile sneaked onto her features as she pulled her pale red hair out of her face, green eyes glistening with a sense of acceptance as she turned to us.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think that I could get into another adventuring group after this disaster of a mission, especially not with them around, and being alone in the deep roads are practically a death sentence. I was pretty sure that my adventuring days were over, at least until you offered me that position, Emrum¡­¡± ¡ª She chuckled forcefully, then added in a shaky voice. ¡ª ¡°So, that¡¯s it mostly. I would gladly accept your offer of service if it still stands. If not, I¡­ I can understand that, too.¡±


    Emrum nodded, slapping the girl on the back gently, well as gently as a dwarf seems to be capable. ¡ª ¡°Of course it stands. We owe you quite the favour after you saved Selora. From what I have seen of you, you are quite the talented scout, lass. I will personally ensure that you have a position that can utilize your skills while learning and expanding them.¡±


    Camilla stiffened with surprise, then she smiled a grateful smile. ¡ª ¡°Thank you Emrum, I will never forget this¡­¡±


    The dwarf seemed to become quite fidgety under the emotional gaze of Camilla. He was clearly not used to such open gratefulness, as he scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed expression. All the while relentlessly leading us through the many streets and layers upon layers of people.


    I smiled warmly while silently following their interaction. It was good to see that Camilla¡¯s expression finally started to lighten up a bit. In retrospect, it was no surprise that the girl was becoming so depressed in recent days. Aside from losing her friends, she was about to lose her livelihood as well. Adventuring was a hard and dangerous work, after all, and it was more so in the deep roads.


    While adventuring also paid especially well, compared to other jobs, it was basically a freelancing job, meaning that you could either get a lot of money, or basically nothing from a failed endeavour, while also paying for the repair of your own gear and every daily necessity. It was unsure if Camilla was even getting paid from this escort mission, seeing that the caravan was destroyed and the leader of the caravan was shot dead by arrows.


    I guess it is the least of her worries right now.


    ~oOo~


    As we continued to walk across the crowded streets of Bal Dorahl¡¯s merchant districts, the lively streets have become richer in both design and style. There were many multi floored buildings around us now, often painted in rich and lively colors that formed a strong contrast compared to the blend and stone colored buildings of the less fortunate section of the city.


    Among the colorful buildings there were those which were decorated by masterfully crafted statues, or covered in virtuous layers of marble showcasing the wealth of their owners. Buildings decorated with beautiful metallic carvings or murals painted on the walls of houses depicting certain historic or potentially religious moments could be seen occasionally.


    There were shops in every corner of the streets, vendors shouting over the intensely haggling dwarfs. The occasional curse could be heard from time to time, before those voices too became lost in the general rumbling of a sea of people.


    My lazy gaze, have long since turned into a desperate focus, as I did my best to follow Emrum across the chaotic streets. My heart was racing in my throat, as I feared the possibility of getting lost in this throng. I would never find my way again. To my surprise, Aria seemed to be struggling the same way, if not even more. She was glancing left and right, a troubled frown etched into her features.


    While being afraid of getting lost was one very realistic thought on my mind, there was another reason why I was so tense. Seeing this many people in every single direction, I turned to. Feeling them brushing against me as we squeezed past each other after spending so much time in lost tunnels and before that, in a hospital bed for years, was quickly making me feel alarmed and kind of dizzy.


    I was not used to so much people being around me, at least not anymore. My newfound anxiety was starting to get the better of me when Emrum suddenly stopped in front of us.


    I looked around, noticing a tall metal gate with beautiful carvings forming the shape of wingless dragons facing each other on both sides of the gate, their mesmerizing forms laced with actual gold based on their unmistakable rich yellow glint. The gate itself was as tall as the buildings nearby blocking the entire street, and it was guarded by heavily armed soldiers.


    Emrum stepped up to the guards. They seemed to recognize him immediately. There were a few words exchanged, but I couldn¡¯t hear it from the hundreds of voices shouting in the background. I noticed the guards glancing towards us quite often while Emrum talked to him.


    At last the man nodded, then barked to the other guards to open the gate. We were allowed to walk through without further issues, but I could still feel the intense gaze of the guard prickling my skin. I didn¡¯t know what to think about that, since I was pretty sure that this was the first time I saw the man.


    My thoughts have slipped through my mind the moment we stepped through. I stood rooted to the floor, surprised by the disparity. While the street behind the gate was far from abandoned, it felt almost empty compared to the chaotic nature of the merchant district.


    I couldn¡¯t help but blink rapidly while turning around to ascertain the truth.


    Emrum watched my reaction with an amused expression, then he snorted, drawing my attention to himself. To my surprise Aria, and Camilla wasn¡¯t reacting any better to the sharp differences either.


    Emrum shook his head in amusement. Then suddenly straightened up himself, while saying in a warm, almost relaxed voice. ¡ª ¡°My dear ladies, welcome to the noble district of the northern capital of the twin kingdoms.¡± ¡ª Waving his arm in a flourished and intentionally over-exaggerated motion towards the inner city.


    His antics were rewarded by our silent stare.


    Well¡­ at least my stifling sense of anxiety was quickly retreating with having some space to breathe. Still, I wasn¡¯t looking forward to experiencing that again.


    There must be other exits from the noble district, since that particular one didn¡¯t seem to get a lot of use either way.


    Just as that thought passed, my stomach seemed to do a summer assault at the realization.


    Damn¡­ I am about to meet my new family, a family of dwarven warriors that have a history of not getting along with elfs.


    What could go wrong?

 Chapter 58. Connections

    The noble district, unlike the merchant district, was surprisingly minimalistic in style. In place of the colorful design of the merchant¡¯s, the noble district was less provocative. The true attention here was focused on subtle details. Every carving, every statue, or decoratively hung banner was made with incredible attention to detail.


    There were hidden beauty inside the various arts and styles that could only be coaxed out of them with the necessary time dedicated to studying them.


    The houses here were different too, unlike the multi floor and relatively thin buildings. The ones here had large gardens and most of them only had a ground floor.


    Based on Emrum¡¯s explanation, because of limited building space and the occasional cave in, people were forced to build multi floored buildings with thin frames. The idea behind such a structure was that this way the buildings have a smaller chance of being hit by falling debris while also taking up relatively small place. Only those of the noble class, except, of course, royalty, were allowed to own, buy, or sell land in the noble district. Even if they could afford the price, only nobles were allowed to own land there.


    Knowing all this, it is not surprising that the utmost sign of influence and luxury in such circumstances was to own a ground level building with a wide structure, taking up as much place as possible. Then again, the multi layered metal threaded nets that were indeed stretched above the entirety of the noble district allowed the nobles of the city to do so without suffering the negative effects that the less fortunate worried about.


    After all, having individual nets placed on top of buildings could only deflect so much, the falling debris could still damage property, if they fall in an unfortunate angle, or rip through the net.


    Alas, no matter how beautiful the noble district was, I was too worried to truly enjoy the sights.


    Step by step, we were getting closer to the Dimhollow estate, and by that it meant that I was getting closer to be introduced to my unlikely, and new family. I was getting increasingly fidgety.


    One would perhaps think that there was no point in getting frustrated over this. After all, it was out of my hands at this point. While there was some truth to that, it was also complete bullshit. I have never been adopted before, not even saying that this was a noble warrior clan with a heroic history.


    However, the thing that truly put me on my toes was the sheer wealth that surrounded me. Like seriously, some of the statues were made from pure gold and were even decorated with valuable gems. While being left in the middle of the streets, you could literally touch them, and nobody gave a damn about it.


    People were walking by it, while not even giving a second glance. As if they were simply walking by a stick or simple rock. The rich surely had a different set of values. It also explains why the gates leading into the noble district were so heavily guarded. If they would let any people inside, those statues wouldn¡¯t survive the following night. I would bet my immortality on that fact.


    Damn, even I thought about trying to pocket one of those glistening blue sapphires that was used to imitate an eye on a certain statue, animating some sort of proud dwarven ancestor.


    Yeah¡­ I probably wouldn¡¯t get too far with it, then again half a palm sized chiseled sapphire was still half a palm sized¡­ sigh, let¡¯s drop this topic before I decide to go back for it, and get myself locked in a cage.


    I shook my head while closely following Emrum, who was still energetically explaining everything and anything that caught our interest. It was obvious that he was excited and happy to be home.


    ~oOo~


    It took us another half an hour of walking before we finally stood in front of the large metal gates of the Dimhollow estate. The familiar house emblem with an empty black circle proudly hanging from both sides of the entrance, declaring its presence to the world.


    To my slight surprise, the gates were already opened widely, and there were no guards standing by the doors. Emrum happily ushered us inside while continuing to lead our little group. We were marching through the garden, cutting straight towards the estate building that could be easily spotted right from the gates. I wondered if this was a show of confidence, not having guards positioned at the gate.


    On our way here, we passed many similar estates, and in almost all cases there were at least one guard stationed at the entrance, unlike here. Then again, it would be seriously stupid to attack an estate that belong to people well known for their prowess in blood-letting.


    By the way, I have failed to mention it until now, but what I meant by ¡°garden¡± in the case of these estates were not quite what one would call a traditional garden, or any sort of garden, really.


    There were no flowers here for starter, not much of a surprise considering the fact that we were underground, and flowers along with most regular greenery needed sunlight to remain¡­ well alive. What I meant by gardens here, were in truth, meant something different if similarly exotic in nature.


    There were carefully cultivated giant mushrooms of vivid colours. Their size varied from the size of people to that of smaller houses. While their lively colors indicated that they were very likely poisonous, the soul lifting effect of the unexpected burst of color they showcased could not be ignored. Aside from that, said mushrooms were artistically surrounded by slightly phosphorescent blueish-green moss, which created the biggest part of the gardens, while also giving the estate an otherworldly glow and a sense of mysticism. Some might even compare the spectacle created by the special moss to the sight of a starry night sky.


    All in all, it was quite beautiful.


    My gaze lingered over the strange sight. Alas, we were interrupted as we neared the entrance into the estate building itself.


    An older dwarf exited the building and seemed to walk towards us with a sense of urgency. Emrum, of course, wasn¡¯t bothered by this and continued towards the entrance while we followed him close by.


    The older dwarf had quite a few wrinkles edged into his face. His long hair was more grey than black, which was its original color once upon a time. Now it only kept a shadow of its faded glory. Its ominous presence was paired with onyx black eyes that seemed to look into one¡¯s soul.


    Still, the aged man was far from being helpless. His body held a steely rigidness, which only well-disciplined soldiers shared. His step was determined, his presence authoritative, his eyes sharp, tempered by many years of wisdom and experience. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of respect towards the man, while simultaneously becoming wary of him.


    I nervously looked around our little group. Aria¡¯s eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar presence, her body tensing in subtle ways, while Camilla was openly chewing on her lips, her hands shaking slightly from the sheer nervousness she was enduring. I couldn¡¯t help but allow a small smile for myself. The girl was acting like one would expect from a person preparing for an important job interview.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    My smirk was quickly evaporated when my brain registered the unexpected sight that had happened in front of us. The old dwarf, with a shocking agility, delivered a fist strike onto Emrum¡¯s cheek.


    There was a sound of surprised and painful shout from Emrum, who stepped back a few times, clearly confused by the unfolding events, while his left hand was covering his freshly bruised cheek.


    There was a suffocating stillness descending upon us, as nobody knew what to do.


    As the painfully uncomfortable seconds passed, Emrum finally gathered himself and asked in a hesitant tone. ¡ª ¡°Grandpa?¡±


    My eyes widened unnaturally, listening to that statement. That man was Emrum¡¯s grandfather? Meaning that he is basically my great-grandfather now? Oh, hell no! This was definitely not going the way I would hope for.


    The old dwarf¡¯s words cut through our shocked surprise with an edge that I did not expect, even after the unusual welcome he so readily delivered.


    ¡°You fool of a dwarf! How dare you bring shame upon our esteemed clan! To think that you were almost killed multiple times on a single mission!¡± ¡ª His black eyes suddenly focused on me, a barely contained fury burning in his dark gaze, that sent cold shivers up my spine. ¡ª ¡°And to think that you were saved by elven women, of all things! No, not even a proper woman, but one that is barely not a child! The shame!¡± ¡ª He spat as I shrunk back under his intense gaze. What was this old bastard¡¯s deal, anyway?


    I felt my cheeks burn with fresh anger as I shouted that very thought at the stuck up idiot. ¡ª ¡°Since you are so hung up on shame, how about feeling ashamed of your own disrespectful actions! Is this any way to treat your grandson when he comes back from a missi-¡­?¡± ¡ª ¡°SILENCE! How dare you disrespect your elders!¡± ¡ª The man shouted over my voice like a rabid dog, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°What elder and what respect!?¡± ¡ª I shouted back at him. ¡ª ¡°Elder my feet! Maybe start acting like one, then I will consider treating you as such! A person that hit his injured grandson the first time he lays eyes on him could hardly be considered anything deserving my respect.¡± ¡ª I narrowed my silver eyes on the man who was staring daggers at me.


    There was a heavy silence following our rapid exchange, the others apparently still in shock, unable to interject in any meaningful way.


    It was at that moment when I noticed a tug at the edge of the old dwarf¡¯s lips. At first I ignored it, but when it has grown apparent, I couldn¡¯t help but focus on the forming smile on the old man¡¯s face, then eventually turned into a full-blown grin, radiating something akin to pride.


    ¡°Feisty and loyal to her companions, while not afraid to speak up when suffering injustice. Good, very good. I can already see you adjusting to life in our clan. My fool of a grandson for once did something right with bringing you home. Yes, indeed¡­¡±


    At last, it seemed that the utterly shocked Emrum, who was staring at the enfolding events with a half opened mouth, finally came to his senses. ¡ª ¡°You! She?! I mean¡­ What is wrong with you old man!? Did you go senile while I was serving the king¡¯s cause? I will tell this to grandma, first chance I get!¡± ¡ª Emrum stated with a still shocked, but clearly angry tone.


    The old man sputtered to that, as his expression turned a few shades lighter, before adding his own comment, an ominous glint appearing in his eyes. ¡ª ¡°Oh, but you would have to first survive your own wife, to do that¡­ She is all ears to hear the specific reason of why you so suddenly adopted an elven maiden barely a century old without consulting with her about such matters. By that I mean our sweet Nerha already has her own ideas. I suggest you find her and start explaining before she finds you first. Because if she does, your bruised cheek will be the least of your problems.¡±


    Emrum hearing those words paled considerably. His panicked expression wandered to us, then back to his grandpa, then back to us until it finally hovered over to the large mansion. A conflicted expression settling over his face, morphing his features into a scowl.


    ¡°Just go.¡± ¡ª The older dwarf stated with an unexpectedly gentle voice. ¡ª ¡°I will take care of your guests.¡±


    Emrum nodded with a relieved nod, waving us a hasty good bye heading towards the nearby entrance.


    The older dwarf suddenly turned on his heels and shouted after Emrum one more time. ¡ª ¡°Oh, and before I forget. My father wants to see you right after you spoke with Nerha. Don¡¯t make him wait more than necessary. You know how the old man is.¡±


    Emrum snorted at that and spoke in a hushed tone that was intentionally loud enough to be heard by everybody. ¡ª ¡°Like you are one to talk¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard that.¡± ¡ª The man stated in an annoyed tone, but didn¡¯t react any other way. Letting Emrum to disappear in the estate¡¯s corridors.


    With that done, the old man turned back to us. This time, there was a friendly expression settled on his face, while still maintaining his commanding presence to a certain degree.


    ¡°I believe proper introductions are in order, especially after our unfortunate misunderstanding.¡± ¡ª He droned on.


    Camilla beside me gulped fearfully, while murmuring under her breath. ¡ª ¡°Misunderstanding? The understatement of the year¡­¡±


    Both me and Aria nodded to Camilla¡¯s whispered words that we could only hear because of our elven hearing, which she at this point was very much counting on.


    ¡°My name is Dalorsaer Dimhollow. I am the only living son of Emir Dimhollow, who is our current clan leader.¡± ¡ª He points a meaningful look in my direction. ¡ª ¡°That also makes me the grandfather of your adoptive father, and your great-grandfather¡­ Oh and before you ask, I am 186-years-old. A life that I mostly lived as a warrior, managing to outlive all nine of my brothers who have lost their lives in the service of various branches of the royal armies. I believe that is something worthy of your respect. Isn¡¯t that right, girl?¡±


    I nodded, gulping down my saliva apprehensively.


    ¡°Now your turn, lass.¡± ¡ª He stated with a smile.


    I coughed lightly and started my own introduction. ¡ª ¡°Well, my name is Selora, and I am a witch¡­¡± ¡ª I wondered how much should I exactly tell, but before I could make up my mind I was interrupted, which really didn¡¯t take me by surprise at this point.


    ¡°You are a white elf, exactly a hundred-year-old. Your hair is black, you have a pair of silver eyes and pale white skin, while having the height of 159 centimeter.¡° ¡ª The old dwarf said in a matter-of-fact tone, while the rest of us stayed silent listening to my personal informations being thrown around like it was the most natural thing to do.


    ¡°How do you know those things about her?¡± ¡ª Camilla spoke up, for the first time, pointing a curious question to the dwarf who side-eyed her, while saying with a huff.


    ¡°The ring she wears. It is connected to an enchanted family tree so we can watch over our family¡¯s fate. It is a powerful magic that aside from informing us of the wearer¡¯s state, by that I mean alive or dead, it also provides us basic information about the wearer. That is how I know that you are exactly a hundred years and several weeks old.¡± ¡ª He nodded towards me once again, then his gaze turned back to Camilla.


    ¡°While I do believe that, we do not yet been introduced, I am quite certain that I have heard some rumours about you.¡± ¡ª Camilla¡¯s lips thinned into a straight line, as she listened to the uncomfortable words of the dwarf.


    ¡°Alas, I am too old to be concerned about such things. At this age, I have seen and experienced most of the things life can throw one¡¯s way, or at least I like to think that. I do not care about rumors. Be honest towards us, and you will be treated in kind.¡± ¡ª He stated with conviction, and Camilla smiled joyfully towards him.


    Aria was still staying silent, which I was starting to grow suspicious about. The elven woman usually was anything but shy, and I doubted wholeheartedly that to be the case now, either.


    I glanced towards the still quite tense woman and unknowingly started to chew on the edge of my lips.


    As if on cue, the old dwarf turned towards the silently staring wood elf, finally meeting the woman¡¯s gaze head on. There was a few seconds of silence, then the man stated with a neutral tone. ¡ª ¡°Ariawyn Virdithas, an unexpected guest. One that I did not expect to see walking these halls once again, at least not in my lifetime.¡± ¡ª The man paused, then added with a teasing smile that made him seem younger with a century.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed one bit, girl. Seeing you wear a dark elf armor as a trophy brings back a lot of memories¡­ Adventures long past, but never truly forgotten. I will say seeing you like this makes me envy your long lifespan. While at the same time, it also makes me glad for not having to share its burden.¡±


    Ariawyn smiled almost gently at the dwarf. Seeing her expression made me pause.


    ¡°Dalor¡­ it¡¯s been a while.¡±

 Chapter 59. The Elden Orchard

    We have been led inside the mansion while listening to the friendly banter between Ariawyn and Dalorsaer. It was quite a surprise to find out that they were old friends of some sort. I only listened to them speaking with half an ear, though, as my attention was more focused on the inside of the mansion.


    There were many portraits covering the corridors made of dwarven figures clothed in armor or sometimes in celebratory clothing. The general style of the house and its furnishings were surprisingly minimalistic. Evidently, they were more focused on functionality and long-term usage. The tables, chairs and cabinets were made to be robust and held little to no unnecessary flourish. Most of those things were made with metals, but I could spot the occasional wardrobe or table that were made of wood.


    That in itself was a telltale sign of the true wealth and influence the Dimhollow house held. Wood in general, but items made of it were definite signs of luxury in the dwarven realms. The reason for that came from the obvious lack of trees growing underground. Aside from the obvious, the sheer chore of bringing such items here was on its own a considerable feat. Not even mentioning the fact that the wood elves that lived in the forests at the feet of the mountain were extremely protective of their woods. Meaning, that if one wanted to purchase such items, they either needed to buy them from the elves for ridiculous prices, or they had to visit another kingdom.


    Well, at least if they didn¡¯t want to risk ending up with an arrow or several stuck in their back while attempting to illegally cut down trees.


    We have been led to a well furnished and considerably more decorated room compared to the corridors and the ones that we walked by on our way here. It was most likely a room purposed to welcome guests.


    Dalorsaer offered us some of the seats in the room, while he himself took a free sofa that was placed around a round wooden table. We accepted the seats without protest, since we were quite tired from the long road and all the excitement of seeing the city¡¯s different layers.


    I felt Camilla¡¯s presence as she gently tugged her own seat closer to mine. The girl excitedly leaned over to me while whispering into my right ear. It was making me feel slightly embarrassed while at the same time also a little envious about how touchy and freewheeling this girl was when she was not depressed. None the less, I listened to her words. ¡ª ¡°I can¡¯t believe that we are here, Lora. I mean, look at this place, it¡¯s the real deal! I bet this very table is worth more than an entire year¡¯s worth of my savings in the adventurer guild.¡±


    I offered her a smile while getting a second look at said table. Was it really that pricy? It didn¡¯t seem anything special to me; I mean, aside from the fact that it was made from wood. I decided to whisper back to her that very question. ¡ª ¡°Is it really so pricy? I mean, it doesn¡¯t look anything special.¡±


    Camilla snickered at that, while happily providing an explanation. ¡ª ¡°You are not very observant, then. Especially not for a witch.¡± ¡ª She teased with a satisfied smirk. ¡ª ¡°Reach out towards it with your inner eye. Well, at least that was what one of my magic tutor liked to tell me.¡±


    Just how many magic tutors did this girl had? I wondered, but knew better than to ask such a thing.


    I turned back to the table with a raised eyebrow instead, then I sneaked a careful glance towards Aria, noticing that both she and Dalorsaer were still lost in their own world. Talking about old stories and consistently repeating hundreds of names that didn¡¯t tell anything particularly interesting to me or Camilla, since we had absolutely no idea who those people were. What I have managed to understand from halfheartedly listening to their banter was that, that in the distant past the both of them have been adventuring together, traveling on the surface to achieve some secret mission, but they have agilely danced around any mention of what the goal of their mission was.


    Realizing that no, I will probably not hear anything useful from them, I turned back to the table and just as Camilla said, gently reached out with my magic towards it.


    The sensation was spectacular. The table seemed to channel my magic almost as easily as my staff did. I turned back to Camilla with a questioning look, and she leaned even closer to me while whispering into my ear conspiratorially.


    ¡°These are made with enchanted trees. An acquaintance of mine told me all about them. They are the same material that mages use to create magical focuses. Making tables out of them is considered almost blasphemous by magic casters. Still, it is hard to deny that anything made from enchanted wood will be incredibly tough and naturally long lasting. Also ridiculously pricy, meaning that I wasn¡¯t exaggerating when I said this table was likely worth more than my yearly savings.¡±


    I nodded to that with new understanding.


    ¡°Ah, young ladies, please forgive our antics.¡± ¡ª Dalorsaer¡¯s lively words brought our attention back to the ongoing conversation. ¡ª ¡°It was such an unexpected meeting among old friends, we got lost while revisiting some old memories. Please accept a few drinks as an apology for leaving you out of the conversation.¡±


    With that said, the man stood up and walked over to a nearby cabinet, from where he pulled out a tray of empty crystal glasses. He walked over and gave each of us a beautifully crafted glass. Mine even had a winged dragon carved into its surface, with superb craftmanship. While the man headed back to the same cabinet, Camilla took the opportunity to show me her glass. It had the carved image of a griff. It was indeed a sight to see. She was almost squealing into my ears with all the excitement she was feeling.


    It must have been different, to live in this city for years, while never being allowed into the vicinity of the nobles district, then suddenly being welcomed in one of those prestigious noble houses. I could hardly blame the girl for her honest excitement. While on my part, I was mostly feeling numb to it.


    Aside from the glitter of gold and various gems and arts, nothing that I have seen could truly compare to the convenience of my modern lifestyle back on Earth. Of course, I am hardly complaining, and I definitely do not miss the hospital, but regarding regular everyday life, I did miss some of those aspects. Like my music compilation, my washing-machine, the opportunity to watch movies and play games, however ridiculous that sounded in my current situation.


    It seems the knowledge and ability to cast actual magic doesn¡¯t replace all the modern world¡¯s conveniences and entertainments. It merely adds onto them as another way of enjoyment or release of stress. I mean, I shouldn¡¯t be that surprised by that, in all honesty. Back on Earth, people still played football and basketball games among all sorts of video-games on the computer even if they could do it in real life.


    Above all those things, now that I was no more in a life-threatening situation, and maybe because of the particular circumstances, I find myself thinking about my family. The one that I left behind.


    It hurt to be thinking about them, about my daughter, and my sweet-sweet granddaughter. What would they think if they saw me like this, in such an unusual situation? Would they tell me to embrace my new life, to move on, or¡­? That said¡­ I wonder if my wife, who have passed away before me, have encountered a similar fate? Was she turned into the opposite gender as well? I wondered silently once again about that idea, attempting to imagine her with a mustache or a beard still left me quite conflicted¡­


    While succumbed to my momentary musings, I didn¡¯t notice when the dwarven man¡­ I guess I should consider referring to him as great-grandfather have came over with a bottle of some kind. What I noticed, however, was the half filled glass of red liquid placed in front of me. Its cherry like color felt quite tantalizing to my eyes, and so I lifted the glass to take in its aroma.


    My eyes widened lightly when I took in the somewhat familiar scent. It was something like a Ros¨¦e, but a touch more sweet. I tilted it to my lips and took a taste. It was indeed quite similar, but it surprisingly left a spicy aftertaste. It was an overall pleasant experience though, and it definitely had more kick to it than you would expect, at least based on the sense of warmth that traveled across my body.


    Camilla seemed to enjoy it too, which was evident from her rosy cheeks. On the other hand, Aria had an expression of recognition crossing her face. Then she too tasted the drink, a soft sigh leaving her lips after she placed the half emptied glass back to the table.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I can hardly believe it.¡± ¡ª She began. ¡ª ¡°You have managed to acquire a glass of wine made in the Elden Orchards. To be offered with such a treat, it demands a gift equal in proportions.¡° ¡ª Aria started, but she was put down with a dwarfish grunt.


    ¡°Ah, for the love of the Guardians, can¡¯t you put aside your elven politics and enjoy a drink with an old friend? Look at me, woman! Who else am I going to drink this with? I am old. Most who still remember are either dead or insufferable. Sometimes, reminiscing about the good old days is worth more than any treasure. Just as the dwarven saying goes, a splendid company demands an excellent drink. Either way, dwarfs usually don¡¯t like sophisticated drinks like this. It would have been a waste to offer them.¡±


    Ariawyn seemed conflicted at first, but eventually she nodded, accepting the glass with a warm and grateful smile. ¡ª ¡°I have missed this taste, more than I care to admit.¡± ¡ª She said after taking another, this time, measured sip.


    The dwarf across the table grunted in accordance. ¡ª ¡°A damn shame it was. What happened there¡­¡±


    I was quite intrigued by the way they were talking about the wine, and decided to ask about it.


    ¡°Did something happen to the orchard?¡± ¡ª I asked with a curious undertone.


    Both elf and dwarf looked at me with incredulous surprise, while Camilla remained just as clueless as I was.


    The dwarf frustratedly glared at me and Camilla before saying in an annoyed tone. ¡ª ¡°I swear one would think these young ones spent the last century in a cave.¡±


    Camilla seemed to smile at that, her previous anxiousness already forgotten, none small part thanks to the strong wine, which she has already devoured. I noted while sparing a glance at her emptied glass still clutched tightly in her scarred hands. ¡ª ¡°Ehe-he¡­ like you are¡­ one to talk about living in a cave!¡± ¡ª She giggled like a schoolgirl, ignoring the glare from the dwarf.


    Eventually, the man dropped his glare, and started to shook his head with a bit of amusement, then added almost defensively. ¡ª ¡°It was, but a figure of speech.¡± ¡ª He said, while discreetly taking the rest of the wine bottle from the table and placing it back into the cabinet.


    I took a long look at Camilla, whose cheeks were quite red at this point. Well¡­ no surprise there. We didn¡¯t eat anything in half a day. It was no shock that the wine went straight to her head. Especially with the nervous speed with which she gulped it down.


    It seemed that Dalorsaer also came to the same conclusion as he spoke up with a nonchalant voice. ¡ª ¡°Ah, but where are my manners¡­ You must be famished from your journey, which was quite dangerous if the state of your clothes are any suggestion. Allow me to bring you something to eat. I will just head over to the kitchen.¡±


    I was surprised by this, wondering if they didn¡¯t have any servants or maids here. Still, it didn¡¯t feel right to ask that question, therefore I wrote it off to the list of things I intended to ask from Emrum later.


    While Dalorsaer was doubtlessly heading towards the kitchen, Aria was staring at the remaining wine at the bottom of her glass. Then she started speaking, with a distant look in her eyes. ¡ª ¡°The reason we cannot drink this wine anymore, at least aside from special occasions, is because it¡¯s no longer made. The Elden Orchards were destroyed, burned to the ground and tainted with dark magic, so its soil will never nurture life again. It was taken from us by one of the most vile beings to ever walk the surface of Rixa. A lich.¡±


    That word seemed to startle Camilla out of her drunken daze. Her face snapped towards Aria, a horrified expression plastered over it. ¡ª ¡°Are you saying that liches are real? I-I thought they were mere legends¡­¡±


    Aria chuckled drily at the girl¡¯s reaction. ¡ª ¡°I wish they were just that, an ill-fated legend¡­ But no, while incredibly rare¡­ they do exist. For what evil god has conceived such madness, I cannot tell, for they taint all that they touch, and bring calamity where they set foot. Bringing legions of undead along their path centered on them like a swarm of all-consuming locusts. Their thirst for power can be only rivaled with their hate for the living. They are born from the most powerful of mages, who have willingly cast aside everything that ties them to life, while feeling deep revulsion to life itself. So they may become dead while still being alive. In service of some unknown Dark God.¡±


    ¡°Such feral beasts!¡± ¡ª Camilla hissed, visibly disturbed by the very idea.


    Aria, however, looked up at her with a serious expression. ¡ª ¡°Do not make that mistake. We have made that mistake once¡­ you shall not make that mistake again!¡± ¡ª She hissed at the girl, who was quite taken aback by those words. ¡ª ¡°Liches are no mere beasts, nor should you confuse them with leeches. While both are dangerous, the latter will only rob you of your magic, while generally leaving your life intact. Liches, on the other hand, have all the intelligence and knowledge of a grand mage that shares the cruelty of the undead, while simultaneously commanding legions of those very undead. They are more dangerous than any beast could ever dream of becoming.¡±


    ¡°I-I..I won¡¯t¡­¡± ¡ª Camilla admitted quickly, under the cold gaze of Aria.


    Aria nodded to that, letting some of the heavy atmosphere lift from the table. ¡ª ¡°Truth is¡­ it is not always easy to tell apart a lich from a human, or other intelligent races, solely based on their appearance. While some of them might look like ghostly figures, skeletons or other undead abominations. It is not necessarily the case. There have been recordings about liches that preferred to masquerade as mortals, wearing their skin like clothes over their skeletal body. Some of them have preferred to find ways to preserve their original one. What truly matters is to know that no matter how they look or how they act, they are not people. They are monsters. They have no concepts of pity or mercy. Never forget this, but I will say no more, not now at least.¡±


    There was a heavy atmosphere left behind those words, one that I felt the need to break as quickly as possible. ¡ª ¡°I wonder¡­ uhm¡­ can¡¯t you make this wine somewhere else? I mean, even if you lost the receipt, until you have the wine itself, it should be possible to recreate it close enough, no?¡±


    Aria actually smiled at that, as she started explaining once again.


    ¡°Oh, no. We have the receipt, and it will be remade in the future. That is, without doubt.¡± ¡ª There was a strange fragility mirrored in the elf¡¯s blue eyes, one that reminded me to the one I saw on her after I managed to heal her mortal wound.


    I was confused by this, but still decided to give voice to my thoughts. ¡ª ¡°Then it is not that much of a problem, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I heard the familiar voice of Dalorsaer appearing from the corridor with an enormous tray of various foods, made up from mostly meat and mushrooms with a large helping of a familiar blueish-green moss. Isn¡¯t that the one that grows in the garden?


    ¡°I am afraid that it will be too late for us by then.¡± ¡ª He placed down the tray with a loud clatter, then he refocused his gaze on me.


    ¡°The Elden Orchard¡¯s soil was saturated with elven magic for over two thousands years. It was a unique environment that allowed the plants to grow in a special way, becoming mana rich in the process and giving them a spicy aftertaste. The raw taste of undistilled mana.¡±


    I perked up at the mention of that strange, uncharacteristic aftertaste which I myself noticed while struggling to tie it to the rest of the drink¡¯s proportions.


    Dalorsaer continued in the meantime. ¡ª ¡°You see, this drink is essentially a mana potion and a luxury wine at the same time¡­ Still, above all of that, the orchard was a symbol of unity among the sophisticated races. It was created after the defeat of the dark ones and their following exile to the cursed lands. Its loss was¡­ more of a symbolic one, a blow to our morale and sense of unity. Recreating it would take several generations of elven lives, not even mentioning any other races.¡± ¡ª He squinted his eyes at me with a mischievous thought. ¡ª ¡°We will be long dead by then, except maybe you sweetheart, if the tales of your kind¡¯s longevity has any merit to it.¡±


    I offered a sheepish smile to that. Since I was equally curious about that question. Still, a world filled with so many dangers as this¡­ I wondered if my longevity was worth anything when, wherever I turned, there were monsters waiting to sink their teeth in me. With this realization, I suddenly looked at both Aria and Dalorsaer in a new light. Both of them managed to reach an impressive age in such a world, while being warriors to boot. This fact alone demanded respect.


    Dalorsaer paused for a few seconds, waiting for a response, when I didn¡¯t say anything. He started thinking over his next words. In the end, he decided to speak his mind.


    ¡°The dark ones were exiled into the cursed lands, whence they still try to crawl back every once in the while¡­ I tell you, there is another wave coming. I can feel it in my bones.¡± ¡ª He hesitated for a second before continuing. ¡ª ¡°The deep roads are silent, they are too silent, there is an ominous tension in the air. This sense of something watching.¡±


    I immediately remembered that very same sensation, which I have experienced so many times by now. I thought that was how the deep roads felt. After all, it was my first time entering them. Was that not the case?


    ¡°It is never a good sign when the stone stays still for so long.¡± ¡ª The man rambled on. ¡ª ¡°It is like the silence before the storm.¡± ¡ª We shifted uncomfortably in our seats, as the conversation once again drifted towards darker topics.


    There was a stifling silence left behind the old dwarf¡¯s words.


    Thanks to the heavy silence, we grew aware of a pair of footsteps echoing through the corridor behind us. They were nearing our location and, with their presence, effectively ending our conversation.


    That so, they could not distract me from the icy dread that seeped into my bones. The old man¡¯s words echoed true through my mind. How could they not, when I have known since the moment I came into this world? I have known that the dark ones were gathering their strength with the sole intention of setting the world ablaze.

 Chapter 60. New family

    After our ominous conversation was cut short, with a heavy heart, I leaned back against my backseat and waited for the new arrivals to enter the room. I fully expected Emrum with her wife, who was called Nerha, if I remembered correctly, to walk into the guest room. What I didn¡¯t expect was the small child that practically burst through the door, ignoring the frustrated calls of a woman behind her.


    I was slightly startled by the sound of quick footsteps and the thrown open door, but before I could react, I was already under heavy scrutiny. By none other than the small dwarven girl standing next to my seat while bouncing on the balls of her feet. She was pointing wildly towards my face, then my ears, then my hair while making surprised gestures and shouting out her happy observations to the world.


    ¡°Your eyes are pretty, just like the moons in my picture book. I always wanted to see the real moons, but mommy says it¡¯s too dangerous. Have you seen them yet?¡± ¡ª She giggled. ¡ª ¡°But your ears are funny, you look kind of like an ant with antennas, but backwards, hehe! I really like your hair, but it could definitely use a combing. Did you lose your comb? I can comb it for you later. I hear we are going to be sisters. Are you really my big sister now? I always wanted a big sister, but mommy said I can only have younger sisters. I guess she was wrong, W-R-O-N-G, do you know how to spell it? I learned it just yesterday! Oh, my name is Nadwabella, but you can call me Bella, since we are sisters now and everyone says it¡¯s too long, anyway. What is your name?¡±


    I stared at the girl with slowly widening eyes, as the flood of questions were thrown at me mercilessly. There were a few that sounded quite rude among the throng, but I was not going to get angry for a young girl¡¯s curiosity.


    Based on her appearance, she was somewhere between six to eight years old. It was hard to place it right, since dwarfs were shorter than humans, but based on what I knew, they grew at a relatively similar pace, disregarding their life¡¯s length.


    The little girl was staring up at me happily, clearly waiting for my responses. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t really remember all of her questions, and because of that, I decided to start with the ones I clearly remembered.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ hi, my name is Selora, and I guess I kind of lost my comb, yes¡­¡° ¡ª I offered her a shy smile.


    She gasped, patting me on my arm as if to comfort me for a great loss. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s horrible. I will give you my spare one later! Since we are sisters!¡± ¡ª I gave a genuine smile at the unexpected offer. No matter how old you get, you can never get accustomed to the simple honesty of young children.


    I took a closer look at the smiling girl, who was supposed to be my sister, of all things. Yes, it was easy to see the resemblance between her and Emrum. The girl had the same reddish hair, while her eyes were also dark brown, if a shade lighter than his.


    It was at that moment, when a somewhat embarrassed looking woman stepped into the room. When I looked up, the first thing I noticed was that she had the very same shade of dark brown eyes as the girl that was bouncing around me. She even wore her brown hair in a similar singular braid as the little girl. If all that wasn¡¯t enough to ascertain her position, the furious look on her face that was mostly focused on the happy little girl dispersed any remaining doubts.


    ¡°Bella!¡± ¡ª The exasperated voice of the woman easily filled the guest room. ¡ª ¡°How many times did I tell you to not run around the corridor¡­¡± ¡ª She started then froze in mid speech when she noticed that the girl was presently combing through my hair with her fingers. ¡ª ¡°And stop bothering our guests already!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We are going to be sisters, anyway!¡± ¡ª The girl shouted back, which resulted in the formation of a momentarily speechless expression on the face of her mother.


    It seemed that Dalorsaer could only watch the spectacle silently for so long, as he suddenly burst out in jovial laughter, startling all of us in the room. I looked around hastily, noticing that Camilla was similarly struggling to keep down her laughter, snickering next to me, and to my surprise Aria didn¡¯t seem to hold out any better either.


    I felt my cheeks blush lightly under the other¡¯s stare.


    Luckily, the situation was resolved by Bella¡¯s mother, who stormed up to her daughter, grabbing her by her scarf and pulling her to the opposite side of the table where she forced her to sit down as she took a position behind her chair.


    There was a moment of flustered silence, then the woman gathered herself and began. ¡ª ¡°I apologize about my daughter¡¯s antics. She is usually a well-mannered child, but she has been all about getting a big sister recently. It caused her to get uncharacteristically excited. In fact, she was the one who first spotted the change in the family tree¡­ At first I dismissed it for an innocent prank, but she was unusually vehement about it, so I went to check the family tree next morning. You can imagine my surprise at finding the results.¡±


    ¡°Mommy called me a lier, but she was wrong, W-R-O-¡­¡± ¡ª The girl was easily dismissed by a light slap to the back of her head from said mother.


    ¡°Ow¡­¡± ¡ª She complained, but didn¡¯t continue her previous sentence, she was evidently too engrossed with pouting.


    The woman sighed deeply, and continued speaking hastily, as if wishing to put this behind her back as fast as possible.


    ¡°Now, I do realize that I am yet to introduce myself. I am Emrum¡¯s wife, Nerha Dimhollow and this is her daughter, Nadwabella Dimhollow. My son is unfortunately not home at the moment, so I will have to introduce him later. To cut to the chase, I believe I have managed to get most of the truth out of my oaf of a husband, and I believe we owe you an apology, or several.¡±


    I wanted to say something, but the woman cut me off preemptively with a raised hand and a short glare.


    ¡°I do realize that this is a very fragile matter, so before you answer, I ask you to let me finish first.¡± ¡ª I closed my mouth and nodded curtly, which was enough for her to continue with her hasty monologue.


    ¡°I know that my husband have wronged you with continuously dismissing your attempts in clearing up the misunderstanding about your actual age. Insisting that you must be under a hundred, which is quite lucid considering that at the same time, he was in possession of the knowledge that you were of a race believed to be extinct. Therefore, it could be hardly considered well documented. Judging you solely based on appearance was inexcusable, and I do apologize once again.¡±


    She took a deep breath than continued.


    ¡°I am not entirely sure how the process of your adoption went, or from where the idea was born to begin with, since Emrum kept being suspiciously vague about that part.¡± ¡ª She paused for a short time then turned to me with a suspicious look.


    ¡°Would it be alright for you to enlighten me about it?¡± ¡ª She suddenly turned the table on me, further narrowing her eyes.


    I was startled by the sudden questioning, which paired with the image of that memory appearing in my mind, resulted in a downcast look and a light shade of pink crossing my cheeks.


    ¡°I¡­ ugh¡­¡± ¡ª I peaked up momentarily between my sudden wave of embarrassment and glimpsed the passing storm of emotions on the woman¡¯s face.


    I gulped silently, my heart skipping a beat in fright. Sorry Emrum, there is no way I won¡¯t throw you under the bus in this situation, even if I said it otherwise. It¡¯s your fault anyway¡­ you should be the one who deals with it.


    There was a moment of heavy silence, then Nerha continued. ¡ª ¡°I see. I believe I have a certain suspicion of what might have happened. We will have to talk about this later, in private.¡± ¡ª The woman directed a frosty glare at me, one that was making me squirm.


    My eyes widened with another burst of fear, as I suspected that she might have misunderstood something, and I started to speak in an attempt to clear up the misunderstanding. ¡ª ¡°Ugh, I swear it¡¯s nothing like that¡­¡±


    She smiled sweetly, an ominous glint playing in her eyes. ¡ª ¡°Nothing like what?¡±


    I froze, hearing her sarcastic words, then I finally remembered about the rest of the people in the room. First noticing Camilla¡¯s shit-eating grin, then Aria¡¯s infuriated expression, and then I promptly shut up, not even daring to look at the others.


    The woman, seeing this, sighed again, then continued her words.


    ¡°Putting that aside, I do realize that most of this issue was caused by my husband¡¯s thoughtlessness. It is only right for us to take a share of the responsibility. While the fact that you are actually an adult, which fact was willfully ignored by my husband, will be confusing in certain situations, your adoption into the family is not something that could be revoked so easily. The only way to nullify it is to effectively cast you out of the family, but that would come with a variety of uncomfortable side effects for you, both in dwarven and human kingdoms. Therefore, I do not recommend taking that action.¡±


    ¡°While I do not know you personally, after we have cleared all the remaining misunderstandings...¡± ¡ª She coughed politely.


    ¡°I believe that we can create an amicable relationship. Do keep in mind that as a member of the Dimhollow clan, and an official daughter of mine, you will bear certain expectations. For example, you will be required to call me mother, at least in front of people outside of the main branch who do not already know of your unique situation. I expect that it will feel strange at first, but understand that in noble houses, being a mother or a daughter is as much of a title as being a knight or a shaper. Therefore, you are expected to refer to Emrum as father, no matter if the fool says otherwise. You may also refer to your siblings with the appropriate terms, just as the rest of the family.¡±


    ¡°There are, of course, other expectations, but based on the fact that you have already gifted our house a title received from a prince, I don¡¯t think that most of those will place that much of a burden on you. Not even mentioning your magical aptitude.¡± ¡ª She paused, then asked. ¡ª ¡°Is that fine with you?¡±


    I nodded and said. ¡ª ¡°Yes, mother.¡±


    ¡°Good start. Now one last thing. Since you are a witch of sorts, I will warn you only once. There shall be no witchcraft performed inside the mansion or in my garden. Cross me on this and there will be dire consequences.¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡¯s gonna spank yo-¡­ OW¡± ¡ª After another, slightly harder slap to the back of her head, coupled with an icy glare directed at her, Bella was silenced.


    The visibly exasperated woman continued with a light cough. ¡ª ¡°If you want to practice your spells, there are places specially assigned for that reason spread around the compound. They will be showed to you in due time. I believe that is all for now. That will entail me officially welcoming you into our clan. I expect to see you in my room tonight an hour before curfew so we may tie up the remaining loose treads. Do you have any question?¡±


    I blinked up at the woman and shook my head hesitantly.


    She offered me a quick smile, then spoke to the rest of the group. ¡ª ¡°Then that will be it for now. I have to head back for the clan meeting.¡± ¡ª She pointed a narrowed look at the old dwarf sitting by the table, who noticed her glance and straightened himself subconsciously. ¡ª ¡°I expect that, grandfather will take good care of the guests.¡± ¡ª She glanced back at me, then her gaze hovered over to Aria and Camilla taking in our appearances with a frown. Meanwhile, she was already grabbing onto her daughter¡¯s hand and tugging her along. Said daughter enthusiastically waving us goodbye, which caused a subtle tick in the left eye of the woman. ¡ª ¡°For starter, a change of clothes and a bath might suffice, along with some well-deserved rest in some of the guest rooms.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    While on her way towards the door, she noticed the barely touched tray of food, and added. ¡ª ¡°Of course, only after you have sated your appetite. Now excuse us.¡± ¡ª With that said, she marched out of the room, closing the door behind her with a loud bang.


    There was an exasperated silence left behind her. I looked around our group, noticing that the sole dwarf in the room has miraculously conjured a bottle of alcohol from somewhere and was in the process of taking a long chug from it. Making a grimace after knocking the bottle back against the table.


    ¡°She is a sweet woman.¡± ¡ª Was the only thing he said, then lifted off a piece of grilled rib and effectively stripped the bones off the juicy meat.


    We followed his example and started to eat our share, too.


    ~oOo~


    The rest of the day went by in a daze. Each of us were led to our rooms by Dalorsaer, who was quite tipsy by the time and left us there without other instructions.


    I waved to the girls and went into my room.


    The first thing that grabbed my attention was the empty metal bathtub placed in a corner of the room, next to a movable wooden wall placed to help one preserve their modesty. To my surprise, the bath was connected to a built in water faucet that released warm water. This novel discovery left me quite shocked.


    I looked around the room with growing excitement.


    My elation quickly plummeted as I noticed that there were several pairs of female clothing carefully folded on the bed. The various combinations of skirts, stockings and girlish blouses, along with one piece dresses, left me quite uncomfortable. Still¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved at the sight of clean undergarments.


    I took a quick look at my current clothes. Seeing the various layers of blood and dirt at this point practically fuzed with the material, likely on an irreversible level, the sight was quite pitiful. I knew that there was no way that I will be allowed to keep wearing them in this state. Still, wearing a dress or a skirt was a bit¡­


    My eyes kept hovering over the room. Until I accidentally noticed a mirror innocently hung on the wall next to the entrance. It was the first real mirror I encountered since coming into this world. It made me stop in my thoughts.


    Hesitantly, I stepped in front of it, as if drawn by an invisible hand.


    I blinked, taken aback by the image of the woman reflected in the mirror.


    The girl I saw was covered in grime and dirt. Her clothes were ripped in many places, missing small chunks here and there. Her black hair was a complete mess, and her face was still showing signs of a fist sized bruise, one that I thought I had healed completely.


    Apparently not.


    Even under all that damage and dirt, her lithe, feminine form was unmistakable. She looked gentle yet sharp. Her facial structure was pointy, with sharp lines that, thanks to some invisible sculptor¡¯s masterful touch, still managed to keep a girlish softness.


    The round eyes that stared back at me were of a silver grey, that from certain angles seemed almost white while from others shined with the unrelenting color of steel. Unfortunately, it was impossible to ignore the stark, dark circles under the girl¡¯s haunted eyes.


    I bit into my lips anxiously, the girl in the mirror following the action. Seeing this jolted something inside me¡­ A certain recognition flooded me. The last gate that was stubbornly holding to my old self seemed to give way, and I knew that there was no return from this point.


    A deep, deep sigh broke out of my throat as I continued to stare at the image¡­ ¡ª ¡°Why are you still pretending?¡± ¡ª The girl, I spoke. ¡ª ¡°Just look at yourself, you fool¡­¡± ¡ª I said while staring at the image. ¡ª ¡°You are a girl, an honest to god G-I-R-L. Wearing female clothes is the least of your problem if you are worrying about your past male pride. You might as well wear them at this point, and stop complaining.¡±


    I finished scolding myself through the mirror and turned around in a dazed sense of elation. I felt lighter, almost relieved. Also, I found that I wanted to discover the rest of the room now.


    The room was equipped with every standard furniture that a noble girl might need. It took me approximately fifteen minutes to finish my exploration, which time I spent alone, if you put aside the few occasions when Camilla came over to squeal some barely understandable words about hot water flowing from the wall and stuff like that.


    I could imagine Camilla excitedly bouncing around her room with little to no care in the world, while Aria was probably glaring daggers at the wall from her bed, just because she could.


    Unfortunately, I was still too anxious to truly enjoy my situation.


    I glanced into the mirror with a frustrated sigh, locked the door with a key, then started to forcefully peel off the different layers of dirty clothes.


    It was high time to clean up my appearance.


    ~oOo~


    After a relatively quick bath, and a change of clothes, I was walking up and down in my room with a towel carefully wrapped around my head. I was wearing a modest one piece dress with short sleeves and a knee-length skirt. Its color was dark blue, its material soft to the touch, possibly made from silk or something similar. I even pulled on a pair of stockings out of sheer curiosity. I mean, if you commit to something might as well go all the way. I kicked up my legs from the side of the bed. They looked quite charming in the shiny stockings. I could already see that the frivolous type of clothing did little to nothing against the cold.


    Not that it was cold in my room. Come to think of it, the entire city seemed to have a comfortable temperature, which was even more true for the noble district. There must have been some sort of central heating put in place. The fact that I have warm water flowing from the tap only strengthens this opinion.


    Aside from that¡­


    I had a feeling that Nerha was seriously misunderstanding something, and it was putting me into a weird and extremely uncomfortable position. Of course, I hoped that it was all a figment of my imagination, but at the same time, I kind of knew it wasn¡¯t.


    Was this one of those female-intuition things that I have heard about in my previous life? I wondered to myself while waiting for curfew.


    At that moment, I had an unfortunate realization. I had never even asked where Nerha¡¯s room was. Which turned out to be just another thing I could get anxious about¡­ Great. It was one of those times when you really needed a servant to help you out. Alas, this house doesn¡¯t seem to employ any of them.


    ~oOo~


    A few hours have passed, and my hair was mostly dry now. It was definitely good to be clean again, to wear freshly scented clothes, not even mentioning the underwear. The one I have been wearing since the dark elf ambush, where I lost the rest of my stuff¡­ Well, suffice it to say that it went straight into the trash.


    At least thanks to the mirror¡¯s presence, I have managed to properly heal the lingering bruise on my face. I know I told Nerha that I won¡¯t do witchcraft inside the house, but I just couldn¡¯t leave that be. It reminded me too much at a past mistake.


    It turns out anxiety had a limit as well. Thanks to that, I was currently laying limply on the side of my bed, staring at the door like some old philosopher that expected all the inquiries in the world to be answered by a single opening door.


    Just as I came up with that thought, I heard a soft knock.


    I jolted up and rushed over to the door, opening it quickly.


    In a second, I found myself eye to eye with Nerha, who was standing in the door with a lit candle held on a small plate. She offered me a hesitant smile. ¡ª ¡°I realized too late, that I have failed to tell you where to find my room. So I have come instead. May I enter, Miss Selora?¡±


    I stepped aside, opening the door wider and inviting her in. ¡ª ¡°Of course, please come inside!¡±


    Nerha stepped into the room, discreetly looking around, until her eyes found a small table with two chairs in a corner, which I didn¡¯t really notice until now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a seat and put this issue behind us.¡± ¡ª She said with her usual directness and I followed suit sitting down opposite to her.


    Then we stayed like that, for a minute, then another. Not a single word exchanged between us.


    I felt seriously uncomfortable as the woman looked at me with silent judgement in her eyes, right from the other side of the table. She seemed to be uncomfortable as well, even if not nearly as much as I was, or at least hiding it better.


    Unfortunately for me, there was nowhere to hide here, at least not in the literal sense. I internally cursed my rotten luck. Apparently, I managed to hit the nail on the head when I suspected a major misunderstanding.


    Am I going to be bitch slapped like some characters in those ridiculous Spanish soap-operas my wife used to enjoy? I wondered internally, seeing how this situation was turning out for the worst.


    After about three to five minutes of silent treatment, the woman across the table sighed frustratedly and decided to break the ice. She crossed one of her legs over the other with nervous momentum while cursing under her breath. I was pretty sure she didn¡¯t intend it to be overheard by me, so I did my best to not react to it. ¡ª ¡°I am going to strangle that bastard one of these days¡­¡± ¡ª I was really hoping that she didn¡¯t talk about me there. ¡ª She rubbed her fingers against her temple in a desperate move, then looked me in the eye.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ask this in any less awkward way, but I have to know. What is the real relationship between you and Emrum?¡± ¡ª She asked.


    I wasn¡¯t quite sure what she meant by that¡­ More like I didn¡¯t want to know. ¡ª ¡°W-what do you mean? We are friends¡­ comrades, perhaps?¡±


    The woman snorted derisively. ¡ª ¡°Of course you are, it¡¯s completely reasonable to adopt your friends and comrades into your family without talking it over with said family.¡± ¡ª I blinked at the hostile tone, wincing slightly when the woman sneered at me.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop with your bullshit and tell me the actual reason? Or is it that you are ashamed of coveting someone else man?¡± ¡ª She asked in a threatening whisper.


    It was a pity that I was too shocked by the implication to answer properly at the time. ¡ª ¡°I¡­ what?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡ª ¡°Do I have to spell it out for you, daughter? Admit it here and now, so we may find an acceptable resolution for this¡­ issue. Believe me, I know how men are, so I won¡¯t skin you alive just yet.¡± ¡ª She narrowed her eyes dangerously. ¡ª ¡°I won¡¯t be so gentle if you continue to play the fool.¡±


    I gulped drily, saying in a thin voice in the presence of the open threat. ¡ª ¡°I-I am honestly not sure¡­ why you are so angry, ma¡¯am¡­ You should calm down and-¡­¡± ¡ª I was cut short with a heavy glare and a hissed question.


    ¡°Fine, play the fool, then. I will ask so even you can understand. Have the two of you slept together?¡±


    I blinked, then blinked again. Feeling dumbstruck by the notion. My mouth opened then closed silently as I apparently could not know where to start denying such accusations.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡ª I fucking knew that there was a misunderstanding here. I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly I expected, but it wasn¡¯t this¡­ It didn¡¯t even cross my mind, since I deep down still tend to think of myself as a man, while that is not true anymore, and should have been obvious based on the direction of this whole conversation.


    Seeing the pretty image in the mirror after I cleaned and dressed myself up was starting to take root in my lizard brain, too. Apparently, I was quite hot, even if I didn¡¯t know how to feel about that just yet.


    Yep¡­ in retrospect, this is not that much of a surprise to be asked by Emrum¡¯s wife, especially considering the specific situation. I mean¡­ my situation as an adopted child hardly made any sense when knowing this body¡¯s actual age.


    Silently making sense of the question, I gathered my scattered mind and answered. ¡ª ¡°¡­ No?¡±


    The woman opposite from me didn¡¯t seem to be entirely reassured with my answer as she leaned closer over the table and demanded. ¡ª ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I nodded swiftly this time, saying with more momentum as the weight of the words finally sank in. ¡ª ¡°Absolutely, certain! Ma¡¯am!¡± ¡ª My face was starting to get red like a paradise under the embarrassing interrogation.


    The woman leaned back into her chair with a relieved look. Alas, she was still not entirely calm. ¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t understand then.¡± ¡ª She stated. ¡ª ¡°Why is he hiding the reason he adopted you, and why wouldn¡¯t you want to explain it back then?¡±


    Hearing her mumblings, I decided that it was time to clean the plate before the situation could get even more awkward between us.


    Therefore, I started to explain the entire incident to her, from the moment Emrum brought me back to my room utterly spent from that misadventure in the tunnels, to me forgetting to close the door with a key, then him appearing next morning along with Tymur and opening it without proper warning with the worst timing¡­ All the things about Balgrun¡¯s advice to them and me accidentally missing that particularly important explanation about getting a ring as a compensation and completely misunderstanding the situation.


    By the time I finished my incredibly embarrassing explanation, Nerha was slapping her thigh, literally crying with laughter.


    Between her failed attempts in suppressing her roaring laughter, she managed to say a few words. ¡ª ¡°Oh, sweet gods¡­ I can literally see it in front of my eyes¡­ You utter bunch of morons! Every one of you! Ha-ha-ha! Are you sure that you are not a man, in fact? To be this much of a bumbling buffoon!¡± ¡ª She screamed, clutching her sides while struggling to stay in her seat.


    I stared at her with a dumbstruck expression. Thankfully, she completely missed the way my entire body went rigid at her last comment. That one really took me by surprise. I guess I can¡¯t underestimate female intuition in the end.


    Either way, my face was still rosy from the recent retelling of my new life¡¯s most awkward incidents.


    At least, based on her reaction, I seemed to be in the green now.


    Was it worth it, though? I wondered internally while listening to Nerha¡¯s laughter.


    I guess it¡¯s better than to get bitch slapped¡­

 Chapter 61. Childrens honesty

    It¡¯s probably needless to say this, but after that conversation ended, we hastily parted ways that night. Nerha felt extremely embarrassed based on her expression and body language. The moment her laughing streak passed over, we found ourselves awkwardly staring at each other in a silent room, unsure what to say.


    She quickly excused herself, practically fleeing the room, no doubt realizing that the composed image I had of her have been permanently damaged.


    Still, we wished each other a good night before parting, and she offered me a gentle smile, which I attempted to reciprocate. I believe that all in all, it was a fruitful exchange on my part.


    After reassuring myself that I won¡¯t be thrown out of the house or stuck in a hateful relationship with my so called ¡°mother¡± I could finally relax. I slept through the night in a comforting deep sleep without interruptions, and it felt so good I could hardly state it with enough emphasis.


    ~oOo~


    I would like to say that the next morning I woke up quite late, but it was not the case. Thanks to my habit of waking up early, I woke about the same time as usual, but that didn¡¯t take away anything from the restful sleep I enjoyed. After all, I went to sleep relatively early.


    Waking up while laying among pillows and thick blankets was quite a strange thing, after living in the deep roads for so long. I mean, even back in the outpost, the quality of beddings were far from the ones here in the heart of the nobles district. I will even admit that for a second or two I thought that I was once again back in that cursed hospital when I opened my eyes.


    It was not a good feeling, something I tried yet failed to forget, and something that soft beddings, and beds in their entirety, seemed to keep reminding me at the most unexpected moments. I would imagine that if you can get traumatized by a bed, this is how it would feel like. Not that I intend to linger on the thought right now.


    I crawled out of the nest of pillows and blankets, walking over to the mirror with a new determination.


    I stood in front of the mirror with the familiar image. Internally reminding myself of the fact that yes, that pretty girl in the mirror was actually me. I released a soft sigh and started to do my appearance some justice. By that I mean I washed up my face and combed my hair that got somewhat tangled after a night¡¯s worth of sleep.


    It didn¡¯t take much time to be done with that, and I quickly turned to the clothes that were prepared for me yesterday. I placed them on a nearby desk before I went to sleep last night, right next to my staff that was leaned against the wall. I picked a relatively simple looking white blouse with long sleeves, and a black skirt that ended just above my ankles. I believe that it was intended to actually reach my ankles. Alas, it was likely made with dwarven women in mind. Meaning that it turned out to be slightly shorter because of the relatively small difference between my height and the average dwarven women''s.


    Regarding footwear, I found that there were three pairs of shoes placed in a cabinet that was right under the mirror next to the entrance. One of them was a pair of sandals skillfully made from strips of leather that were dyed black. Another was a simple-looking, but aesthetic white shoe for more formal occasions in mind, and the last was a pair of dark brown boots with short boot tops.


    After spending so much time wearing that insufferable pair of boots, I literally couldn¡¯t even look at that one and instead I pulled off the pair of stockings that I still had on since last night and went for the simplest option, the sandals. Why did I take off the stockings? Well, this elf ain¡¯t going to accidentally create a sandal and stockings fashion combination in this world. No chance. Aside from that, this place was surprisingly warm, and for the first time since I came here, I don¡¯t have to cover myself in various layers of clothing to stay comfortable.


    With everything finally done, I took one last peek into the mirror and felt a slight sense of satisfaction seeing the results of my dubious dress-up.


    The girl in the mirror looked fresh and happy, a sharp contrast compared to the state in which I yesterday arrived to this estate. There seemed to be a hesitant tug of a forming smile at the edge of her lips.


    One that immediately dispersed the moment I reminded myself that the girl in the mirror was me.


    While the smile disappeared, or more like never truly formed to begin with, the girl, unlike previously, didn¡¯t frown at her own image. There was no sense of shame suffocating her from the inside. She merely acknowledged that it was her now.


    Following a short stare down with my mirrored image, I decided to grab my staff and headed out of the room. It was high time to find the others, and perhaps eat something on the way.


    After all, the girl in the mirror was getting hungry.


    ~oOo~


    A few minutes later.


    After I left my room, I went over to Camilla¡¯s. Her door was already wide open when I arrived and, thanks to that, I walked inside with little thought. Just after I entered the seemingly empty room, I heard pattering foot steps coming at me from behind the shade of the opened door.


    My ears twitched lightly, as I immediately recognized the light footsteps with barreling momentum and prepared myself for the impact.


    Just as I expected, a young girl jump hugged me from the back, and my hips were quickly engulfed in said girl¡¯s arms from back to front. I instinctively reached down to steady the giggling menace that so-so heart wrenchingly reminded me of my true granddaughter. A thought that bore no fruit in this world, only pain, something I wanted to forget, even if I knew that such an act was nothing but cowardice.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    I was, however, rescued from the imminent cycle of self-hate by the bubbly voice of the girl.


    ¡°Did I scare you?¡± ¡ª She asked, with a pair of glinting brown eyes, immediately reminding me of the conversation we shared with Nerha yesterday. If Lady Nerha has such a heart to truly allow me to enter this family, in consideration of everything that happened. Then, who am I to deny such an invitation?


    I crouched down to the girl¡¯s eye-level, reminding myself that pulling off this move would send waves of shivering pain from my waist area in my old body, while offering a warm smile to the girl.


    ¡°This grand-¡­¡± ¡ª Cough. ¡ª ¡°I mean¡­ this big sister got really scared from you. My heart almost jumped out of my chest.¡± ¡ª The girl pouted. Staring at me curiously for the parapraxis.


    ¡°Were you about to say grandma just now? Mommy said that you are older than you look, and that I should be aware of that, but I didn¡¯t think you were that old!¡± ¡ª She chirped thoughtfully. Completely unaware of the sudden wave of sweat her words emitted from a certain someone.


    ¡°I¡­ it was just a bad joke Bella¡­ Don¡¯t think too much into it.¡± ¡ª I said to her while trying to direct the conversation somewhere else. Luckily, young children were fickle, and their attention easily redirected.


    ¡°If you say so!¡± ¡ª The girl smiled up at me, then gave me a quick hug from the front this time, which I gently reciprocated. ¡ª ¡°Hmm¡­ you smell nice, and I see you managed to find a comb after all! Brother will be shocked to see how pretty our new sister is! Oh! That¡¯s it. I will introduce you right away!¡±


    The girl stated in an excited voice, already starting to pull me towards the door. I, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t so sure about that idea. I stiffened up and put my heels into the ground, stopping her momentum. The girl looked over her shoulder at me with a confused expression and I suddenly felt kind of embarrassed by my own actions.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ D-do you know where the girl that slept in this room went?¡± ¡ª I asked quickly to distract her once again and direct her attention towards a question I was genuinely interested in.


    She frowned lightly than said with an annoyed pout of sorts. ¡ª ¡°Miss Camilla went to train with the scouts in service of our house. Daddy told me to wait for you in her room, since you will likely come over the moment you woke up.¡± ¡ª She paused, her frown deepening slightly. ¡ª ¡°I wanted to visit you last night, but mommy told me that she will have you first. She seemed really angry. You can tell when she speaks really quick like! Did you do something bad?¡± ¡ª The girl stared up at me with a suspicious glare that made me speechless.


    ¡°I¡­¡± ¡ª I gulped drily. ¡ª ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ but your mother misunderstood something and¡­ but I did not¡­¡± ¡ª The little girl''s suspicious glare eased considerably as she lightly patted my hand again.


    ¡°I get it! You were scolded for something you didn¡¯t do, just like when mommy told me that I was lying about you!¡± ¡ª Bella¡¯s face contorted into a heavy frown as she continued. ¡ª ¡°It really hurt me when mommy said that I was a lier, but she apologized later when she realized the truth. She gave me lots of hugs and even baked my favorite cookies. She told me that she was wrong and I am a good girl. I bet she will tell you that too!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I am not so sure about that part¡­¡± ¡ª I mumbled half aloud, but it seemed that Bella caught my voice and throw me a dirty look.


    "Um¡­ sorry about that.¡± ¡ª I immediately caved under her glare and she seemed to acknowledge my words, looking at me thoughtfully now.


    ¡°You should feel lucky that mommy didn¡¯t spank you instead of complaining! I wasn¡¯t that lucky when I splashed my new dress with milk yesterday! Right before the elder¡¯s council. Mommy can be really scary sometimes. Grandpa always tells me when mommy and daddy isn¡¯t there that he thinks that mommy wears the pants in our household, but I think grandpa might be drinking too much since mommy clearly always wears a skirt.¡±


    I nodded along, trying to subtly hide the grin that was forming on my lips.


    ¡°Daddy also told me when grandpa wasn¡¯t there that I shouldn¡¯t take grandpa seriously after he had drunk more than three glasses of wine. Because at that point, it is the wine that is speaking. I don¡¯t really believe that, though, I am not a little girl anymore, you see! How could wine speak, anyway? Daddy is plain stupid sometimes.¡±


    At that point, I have long lost the fight against smiling and were openly grinning from ear to ear. ¡ª ¡°You are right about that, Bella.¡± ¡ª I said, struggling to hold back a bark of laughter.


    ¡°See!?¡± ¡ª She shouted turning around hands on her hips and speaking in a bossy tone, looking relieved to finally find someone reasonable.


    I took advantage on the moment and asked her another question. ¡ª ¡°By the way Bella, do you know where the other elf lady is? The one that came with me.¡±


    Bella made a strange face as she listened to my question, but she evidently nodded. ¡ª ¡°The grumpy elf lady went over to mommy¡¯s room in the morning. I only know because I was there at the time. It was really weird, she scolded Mommy. I never heard anyone scold mommy before, then they got into a big argument, then both of them stormed out together to look for daddy. All of it happened in a few minutes, and they spoke in a strange language, so I didn¡¯t understand a word, just what mommy told me before she left.¡±


    I sweat dropped hearing Bella¡¯s explanation. The picture quickly standing together in my mind. Aria must have heard some of the argument between me and Nerha yesterday. Her room is further from mine than Camilla¡¯s, with the walls and doors in place. It is not ideal for eavesdropping, even for an elf. She could likely only hear the parts that were shouted or spoken in a loud voice. I bet she boiled in anger all night after witnessing the disrespect towards me, then first thing in the morning, she went to unleash it on Nerha. The language they used was likely that of the elven tongue. After they evidently cleared their misunderstanding, the two women likely went to look for a common enemy to vent their frustration. The most optimal target for such an excursion was undoubtedly in the form of Emrum.


    A cold shiver went up my lower back in the wake of the realization, along with an immense sense of relief that it was not me that was going to be chewed out.


    I reached out my hand and gently grasped Bella¡¯s, offering her a gentle smile. ¡ª ¡°Can you help this big sister find something to eat? After that, we can play together a bit. What do you say, little sister?¡±


    The young girl showed a victorious smile without reservation. ¡ª ¡°You bet I can! The kitchen is this way. Come quick, then we can play more afterwards!¡±


    ¡°By the way, do you know where are the servants of the house?¡± ¡ª I asked her while walking along.


    Bella chuckled hearing my question. ¡ª ¡°We don¡¯t have any. It is the way of our house, something you will have to get used to.¡± ¡ª With that she started to repeat a well-practiced phrase as if reading it straight from a book. She even lifted her chin with a learned haughtiness that seemed almost alien on the sweet child. ¡ª ¡°We are proud warriors and warrioresses, relying on servants would only make us soft.¡± ¡ª The seriousness crumbled away without any trace as the girl continued. ¡ª ¡±At least that is what the elders tend to say.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡ª I was starting to suspect as much, but it is always good to have it confirmed.


    ______________________________________________________________________________________


    I wish you all a happy and memorable New Year.


    Author

 Chapter 62. Firebrand

    I was led to the kitchen by Bella, just as I requested. On the way there, we have run into three dwarven women covered in fine clothing. They were simply walking by us in the corridor. I didn¡¯t recognize any of their faces naturally, this being the first time I saw them, however; they seemed to know exactly who I was, which felt somewhat alarming.


    They gawked at me when they noticed my presence by Bella¡¯s side. There was a certain sense of hostility in their eyes, but there was also just as much or even more uncertainty. As if they didn¡¯t know how to react to me being there.


    Still, to my slight surprise, after the initial confusion, all three of them nodded towards us, which both of us repeated as a form of greeting. Then we all continued our way without saying a single word, still I could feel the occasional glance directed at me from time to time even after we left that corridor and reached the kitchen.


    Well, regarding that, the kitchen was actually not much different from the one we had back in the dwarven outpost. Meaning there were fireplaces where one could grill or cook. Some of them were built into metal or stone desks positioned over the fire, somewhat similar to modern kitchen ovens. Along with a large variety of cookware and tableware. Last one actually made from silver, which was quite a fancy touch.


    In all honesty, however, compared to any modern kitchen, it was a disappointment. None of the smart and ingenious kitchen appliances were present, and for someone like me, who liked technology and cooking at the same time, the evident lack of an induction cooker felt like a huge loss.


    Only if Nerha didn¡¯t forbid me to use magic in the estate. Now I even left my staff back in my room. It was a very rare sight to see me without it, and it was partly because of my decision to practice magic without my power conduit.


    ¡°Now, what would you like to eat?¡± ¡ª Bella asked suddenly, waking me from my thoughts.


    ¡°Whatever there is, I am not picky.¡± ¡ª I answered while walking deeper into the kitchen, looking around curiously.


    ¡°Hmm... Do you like eggs? We have a fresh shipment from a surface farming settlement. It¡¯s considered quite a treat here. Chickens don¡¯t really like being kept underground, you know¡­ They become sick and stop laying eggs.¡± ¡ª Bella explained in a lecturing tone which sounded particularly cute from the sweet child. I felt an urge to pinch her cheeks, but fought it down since doing so would likely set my ¡°grandma¡± status in stone in the eyes of the cheeky girl.


    I turned towards Bella with a slightly raised eyebrow. Thinking over what the girl actually said. ¡ª ¡°I never really thought about that before, but I guess it makes sense.¡± ¡ª I paused for a few seconds then added, feeling confused. ¡ª ¡°Are the eggs still fresh? Doesn¡¯t they spoil while being carried from the surface? It must have taken a few weeks, at least for them to get here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± ¡ª Said Bella. ¡ª ¡°The merchant carrying them specializes in food products. They even hired a human mage specializing in ice magic to keep the food cold and fresh over the trip.¡±


    I nodded with a slight surprise. Yep, I ought to remember that I am far from being the sole magic caster in this world.


    I continued to look around the kitchen and noticed a large piece of dried bacon hanging from a rope attached to the ceiling, along with several dried sausages and other meat product. My eyes stuck to the bacon, and I immediately decided that will be my prize.


    Bella noticed my gaze and smiled. ¡ª ¡°You want that? I didn¡¯t know elves liked bacon, too.¡± ¡ª She wondered aloud.


    Well, I don¡¯t know about elves, but fried bacon, onion and eggs were something a certain old man very much appreciated in a previous life.


    I pulled over a nearby chair, climbing on top of it and reaching for the bacon, carefully placing it down on the kitchen counter, then picking up a large knife that seemed very well sharpened, perfect for this task. I started to slice off thin and measured slices from the tantalizing food. ¡ª ¡°Would you like some as well?¡± ¡ª I asked the young girl who in the meantime climbed into one of the chairs scattered around the kitchen, watching my actions while carelessly kicking up her legs.


    ¡°What are you making?¡± ¡ª Came back the curious question.


    ¡°Nothing special, I am afraid. It¡¯s an old favorite, so to speak. Fried bacon and eggs, along with some fried onions with perhaps toasted bread?¡± ¡ª I was not so sure about the last part. In theory, I could, of course, grill slices of bread, creating toast in the process, but doing that over an actual campfire is difficult. It might be better to leave the bread be as it is.


    ¡°Uh-hu¡­¡± ¡ª The girl hummed, eventually nodding her head in affirmation. ¡ª ¡°Alright, grandpa also likes to make that combination, but it¡¯s fine since I like it too. Can I help you with anything?¡±


    Just then, I noticed several bags of potatoes placed in a corner, and I immediately smiled at the sight. ¡ª ¡°Of course you can. Why don¡¯t you pick a few potatoes and wash them in that basin?¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Alright.¡± ¡ª The girl chirped. ¡ª She was such a sweet child, I confirmed silently once again, looking after her with an appreciative glance.


    I figured that I might as well grill some potatoes along with the rest.


    ~oOo~


    Approximately one hour later, we have finished all the food we intended to prepare, proudly looking over the finished products. I was about to sit down next to the counter and eat my share, since my stomach was throwing a particularly nasty tantrum as I continued to breathe in the mouthwatering scent of various grilled food.


    Alas, my attempts were thwarted by a pair of furrowed eyebrows stuck to the face of a young redhead girl. Seeing her obvious frustration, I hesitated, then asked softly not to irritate her further. ¡ª ¡°Bella? Is everything alright?¡±


    She pouted, throwing me another nasty glare, but seeing my genuine confusion, she slowly retreated. ¡ª ¡°You didn¡¯t offer a prayer to the Gods, or the Guardians, also I wanted to eat in the garden.¡± ¡ª She added the last part quite sheepishly.


    I honestly couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight. Which, to my surprise, scattered Bella¡¯s frustration as she too joined in the laughter.


    ¡°Alright, then¡­¡± ¡ª I stated, after a bit, straightening my expression. ¡ª ¡°We shall go to the garden, then!¡± ¡ª I lifted the tray of food from the counter, sliding out of my chair and heading towards the door, turning around to see Bella trudging along with a sparkling smile.


    Good gods. I shook my head in subtle amazement. This girl could melt through one¡¯s heart in mere minutes.


    After exiting the kitchen, I reflexively turned to the right, only to feel a small hand grasping onto the side of my skirt and stopping me in my movement. I looked over my shoulder questioningly to see the confused child¡¯s similarly questioning stare.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡ª She asked.


    ¡°To the garden, of course?¡± ¡ª I answered.


    She snorted at that. ¡ª ¡°Well, then you are heading the wrong way. The garden is in this direction.¡± ¡ª She pointed to the left, and I felt a bit embarrassed by my mistake, not that it bothered me too much.


    I turned towards my new direction and said to the redhead girl. ¡ª ¡°Thank you, this big sister doesn¡¯t know her way well in this estate yet. Could you lead the way once again? It would be a great help to me!¡±


    Bella, hearing my praise and the following quest that I entrusted to her, puffed herself up and nodded with new determination glinting in her warm brown eyes. ¡ª ¡°You can count on me, big sister! I know this estate better than anyone!¡±


    I smiled and nodded along, while following her lead. ¡ª ¡°I see. It¡¯s such a relief to have a trusty companion as you.¡± ¡ª I told her, feeling genuinely relieved. While this place was not big enough to get truly lost in it, I didn¡¯t want to wander around for half an hour to find the exit, not when I was this hungry¡­


    ~oOo~


    It turned out that Bella wasn¡¯t boasting at all about her understanding of the mansions nook¡¯s and crannies. We have found ourselves out in the garden in just a few minutes. The now somewhat familiar sight of phosphorescent moss covering a large part of the garden filled out my vision, once again reminding me of the starry sky.


    My apparent gaze over the unorthodox yet still mesmerising garden was cut short by an impatient pull on the side of my skirt. I turned to the young perpetrator who was frustratedly pointing into the direction of a modest sized pavilion placed into the midst of the sea of glistening moss and giant mushrooms.


    Instead of waiting for my response, Bella started to pull me along. I was mercilessly grasped by the side of my black skirt, being forced to move with the needy child if I didn¡¯t want to lose my skirt all along. I could feel the growing tension straining the textile material around the buttons of my skirt at my waist.


    ¡°Bella?¡± ¡ª I called out, somewhat startled by the feeling. ¡ª ¡°Stop that please¡­ You will pull off my skirt if you keep going like that.¡± ¡ª I called out to her, fearing that the girl might manage to pull off said feat in the middle of this garden. I was far from being accustomed to wear such clothing, and didn¡¯t know how much it could withstand from the young girl¡¯s enthusiasm.


    Bella snorted, clearly amused by the idea, but thankfully let go of my skirt and instead sighed theatrically. ¡ª ¡°Then stop being so slow! You keep staring at everything! And I can¡¯t grab your hand because you are holding the tray with both arms.¡±


    I raised both of my eyebrows, surprised by her cheek, which I probably shouldn¡¯t be remembering her antics from yesterday. I had a dreadful suspicion that the young girl was far less innocent than I initially expected, and more of a little firebrand in the making.


    ¡°Now don¡¯t be rude.¡± ¡ª I said to her, while slightly hastening my steps. Almost dropping some comment about being an old man, out of habit, but miraculously catching myself in time.


    She huffed, acknowledging my words. I was sure that she just rolled her eyes, even if I couldn¡¯t see it walking behind her.


    As we neared the pavilion, I noticed the silhouette of a dwarven man reading a thick book already sitting inside. He had short red hair just like the girl possessed next to me, and brown eyes, with a less imposing reddish beard compared to the dwarves I used to travel with. He seemed younger than most, too.


    Bella bolted from my side, running up to the man. The shower of pattering feet immediately gaining his attention. When he looked up, I immediately knew what I only suspected until then.


    The little devil tricked me.


    ¡°Brother! Look! I brought along our new sister!¡± ¡ª She shouted happily from his side while pointing straight at me with an energetic gesture. ¡ª ¡°Look how pretty she is! Even mommy admitted so, but that¡¯s a secret!¡±


    I froze in my step, holding the tray of food in front of me as the man¡¯s curious gaze wandered over to me.


    I sighed. I really didn¡¯t want to start the morning with a tough conversation¡­ Alas, with the tray of food in my hands, I couldn¡¯t even run away. I threw a subtle glare towards Bella, who sheepishly hid behind her brother¡¯s chair, giggling occasionally.


    Fine, you win. I caved silently, continuing my walk up to the pavilion, where I put my tray of food in the middle of the oval-shaped stone table. The man¡¯s intrigued eyes were following me all this time.

 Chapter 63. Dwarven politics

    Now that I walked up to the table and placed down the food, I didn¡¯t really know what to do, or how should I appropriately act in front of a noble dwarf, who at the same time was a member of my new family. My brother, to be more precise. In my previous exchanges between the other house members, each and every one had quite a domineering or eccentric personality, making it easy to talk to them following their lead, but such was not the case this time around.


    The man who was staring at me seemed to finally realize the awkwardness in the air, pulling himself together and graciously waving towards a nearby chair. ¡ª ¡°Oh, please take a seat, my lady, or should I call you sister as well?¡± ¡ª His teasing voice could not hide his subtle annoyance. I did not hold it against him. Bella¡¯s enthusiasm about me was somewhat uncomfortable, even for me. I can only imagine how he feels about her little sister treating a stranger with such warmth.


    I nodded and followed his instructions, taking my place on the opposite side of the table. All while being painfully aware about the strangeness that was sitting down wearing a skirt for the first time in my life. I was darn thankful that there was not much of a wind or breeze in this giant underground cavern while forcefully reminding myself to keep my damn thighs closely together. Wearing a skirt was turning out to be quite tricky.


    As the seconds passed in painful silence, I was starting to seriously worry about this situation. I would have to be a complete retard to not see that this man in front of me hardly enjoyed my company. As he was staring at me with a strict expression that seemed to be less and less amused by the seconds and similarly more annoyed.


    He started to open his mouth to finally say something, when my stomach gave out a loud grumbling noise, causing the man to freeze in his seat, his mouth still halfway open.


    Seeing the disbelief and shock plastered over his face while his chin hanged in the air. It was just too hilarious to witness. I was never good at holding back my laughter, not even back in school in my previous life. This particular trait of mine naturally didn¡¯t change, causing me to burst out in a chuckle that I, with considerable effort, managed to subdue into a loud snort if only for a few seconds.


    As if coming to my help, the red-haired menace that was hiding behind her brother¡¯s chair until now came over to me, giggling erratically, and started to climb into my lap. That¡­ took me by surprise.


    ¡°Hey? Aren¡¯t you a bit too big for this?¡± ¡ª I asked, bewildered by her sudden action. Alas, my inquiry was ignored, and I decided to help her settle in my lap, facing towards the table before she manages to knock both of us over, chair included. Uff¡­ this little girl is not so little anymore, well that¡­ and I am a lot lighter compared to what I used to be.


    This body is far from being weak, in any sense, but weightlifting is definitely not its strong suit, especially compared to the way dwarven bodies were built. Dwarfs in this world didn¡¯t look like what you would imagine a dwarf to be.


    Regarding body proportions, they are very similar to humans. While they aren¡¯t unreasonably thick, they have definitely a more muscular body on average. That includes men and women as well. This means the average dwarf looks like some sort of bodybuilder compared to your average human. The difference is even more obvious when you compare dwarfs to elven characteristics. Elven muscles are built with stamina in mind, while dwarven bodies are built to deliver short but powerful bursts of energy. While humans remain somewhere between the two.


    Of course, there are differences between elven races and specific individuals as well. Not that I know what these specifics are. What I know, however, is that Aria¡¯s body, compared to mine, is visibly toned. I suspect that has to do a lot more about her personal background as a spear wielder than her race, but I can¡¯t be absolutely certain about it.


    Of course, with the now properly settled seven-year-old in my lap, I could not be allowed to be lost in my thoughts for long.


    ¡°Big sister is hungry¡­ we made all this food together in the kitchen just now. You can eat some as well, brother, and stop being mean to her!¡± ¡ª She said while reaching for some of the bacon and bread then placing them on a plate that we brought from the kitchen along with the necessary cutlery.


    She grasped her fork and knife, one in each hand, and said in a loud voice. ¡ª ¡°Blessed be the Guardians who keep us from the forces of chaos, blessed be the Gods who cherish the life of the just.¡± ¡ª She finished her statement and looked at us expectantly.


    Her brother, seeing this, sighed exasperatedly, and spoke in a mild tone. ¡ª ¡°May their light shine even in the depths of darkness.¡± ¡ª Finishing his words, he threw me an annoyed glare. Simultaneously, I was poked in the ribs by Bella, who was sitting in my lap.


    ¡°Ugh, what?¡± ¡ª I asked, rubbing the sore spot, and the girl sighed, rolling her eyes openly. ¡ª ¡°You are supposed to repeat the line¡± ¡ª She whispered exasperatedly, her expression quite similar to that of her brother¡¯s seconds prior.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡ª I realized, and quickly repeated the phrase. ¡ª ¡°May their light shine even in the depths of darkness.¡±


    The man on the other side of the table seemed to become more amused than annoyed by this point. Some of his previous tension was clearly swept away by our antics. ¡ª ¡°It seems the rumors were true after all¡­¡± ¡ª He stated in a thoughtful voice. ¡ª ¡°You are unlike most elves I ever met, and I have met quite a few. Is it because of how young you are, or because you were raised among humans, as my father says? Perhaps the fact that you are a white elf?


    I looked at him, confused, until I remembered the fake backstory I told Emrum on a whim a while back, about me being raised among humans leading to my apparent un-elfish behaviours. Who would have thought that he remembered that part¡­ Great job Selora¡­


    While I internally patted myself on the back, the dwarf seemed to remember something. ¡ª ¡°Oh, but where are my manners? I have yet to introduce myself. I am Erirmun Dimhollow, the sole son of Emrum Dimhollow, currently thirty-one-year-old.¡± ¡ª He paused for a while, looking at Bella sitting comfortably in my lap while gulping down her food. ¡ª ¡°You seem to be well acquainted with my sister already. She clearly took a liking to you. It is quite rare that she acts so comfortably with anyone new, especially on such a brief acquaintance.¡± ¡ª He observed with a calculative look in his eyes. At last he waved towards me with a light gesture.


    It took me a few seconds to catch on, but I did, and so I started to introduce myself as well.


    ¡°I am called Selora, and I am a magic caster.¡± ¡ª I stated, unsure what else to add. He already knew that I was a white elf, and because of that, I found myself hesitant about what to tell him.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    There was half a minute of heavy silence following my words. Then the man sighed. ¡ª ¡°Quite the short introduction for an elfmaid who just squirmed her way into a noble warrior clan, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡ª He stated in a barely neutral voice.


    ¡°Brother! Don¡¯t be rude!¡± ¡ª Bella scolded him from my lap almost immediately, causing his brother to raise his arms in a slightly defensive gesture.


    ¡°What? I am merely stating the facts here!¡± ¡ª He argued back, not letting the topic slide this time around.


    It was my turn to furrow my brows at the man. This was why I didn¡¯t want to start my morning with socializing. There was no way any sane person would so easily acknowledge my addition to this household, well, aside from maybe Emrum and Bella. I already had a strained conversation with Nerha last night about this¡­ I hope it¡¯s not going to become a trend. ¡ª ¡°Look, it was not exactly my intention to¡­¡± ¡ª But I was cut short before I could finish that sentence.


    ¡°Oh, yes. I heard the story in the council meeting as everyone did in this house. They were arguing quite fiercely about you, along with that other elf. They even managed to draw into the argument some of the elders. It was quite the ridiculous sight.¡± ¡ª He narrowed his eyes at me before continuing. ¡ª ¡°Some things, though, did not add up in that story I heard.¡± ¡ª He sighed.


    ¡°The thing is, I know that my father can be quite impulsive, and he undeniably lacks the necessary mindset for politics. Still, he is a great warrior and an honorable man. While he could make awkward mistakes, and these wouldn¡¯t even be the first or last ones. The same I can¡¯t say about Balgrun Rekaven. The commander of the outposts. Based on his insightful advice to father regarding the matter of taking you into the family to compensate you for supposed damages against your reputation.¡± ¡ª He paused for a while, waiting for any reaction on my part, and only after he was certain that I won¡¯t say anything did he decide to continue. ¡ª ¡°I believe that he, by that I mean Balgrun Rekaven, intentionally attempted and succeeded to tie you to a noble house with the motive of monopolizing your magical talent for the dwarven kingdoms. I am quite certain that your accident was less of an accident and more so a premeditated outcome. Meaning that all of us have been played.¡±


    My eyes widened unnaturally while listening to his words.


    My first instinct was to deny any possibility of such ridiculous notions, but the more I thought about it, the more it actually started to make sense. While Tymur and Emrum were indeed honest to the bone dwarfs, with more sense of stubborn honour than survival instinct. That was not to be said about the commander.


    He was clearly a cunning man, which I suppose was a necessary quality for a man in his position. I was initially surprised, too, when his advice to those two sounded so outlandish, almost purposefully stupid. However, I looked over it, not knowing the commander enough to properly judge his character.


    Could it be that he truly orchestrated such an accident? Then again, he was quick to tie me into the Bronze Company as a magic caster, offering me a wage that was considered very generous by Emrum. Still, I can¡¯t seem to think about Balgrun as a man who would wish to harm me. Based on his actions so far, he seemed to be a man of principle. If he truly played a part in this and chose to manipulate the two people who I was closest with to play a hand in, also proves that to be true.


    Goodness gracious, he could have done that with Regmir, and that would have hit way differently. I mean, I don¡¯t want to think about being his adopted daughter, of all people. That man was annoying as hell. I would go mad in a week if that came to pass.


    Considering everything, I looked at the man sitting on the opposite side of the table, asking the only question remaining on my mind. ¡ª ¡°Why would he do that?¡±


    The man in front of me snorted and started to shook his head slowly, taking his time to showcase his amusement. ¡ª ¡°You are an elfmaid of a lost race, barely older than a century, and if I could believe the rumors, you know about fifty individual spells some that have been proved to be never before witnessed and apparently powerful enough to wipe out an army of goblins in mere seconds. Meaning that you essentially possess enough magical talent to, in time, rival the greatest mages ever walking the surface of Rixa.¡± ¡ª He paused for dramatic effect than added. ¡ª ¡°That¡­ might have played a role.¡±


    I opened my mouth and closed it, unable to argue with any of his observations. I had absolutely no realistic expectation regarding the power of average magic casters. I cannot say if what he tells me is true or mere exaggeration.


    Seeing this, the man shook his head again. ¡ª ¡°Still, the main reason was clearly your childlike naivety and gullible nature.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± ¡ª I complained, but was silenced by Bella¡¯s giggles.


    ¡°Big sister is stupid.¡± ¡ª She chuckled, extremely amused by the situation. I was completely speechless at this sight.


    The man in front of me, I believe his name was Erirmun, sighed. ¡ª ¡°You truly don¡¯t know your true worth, do you? An elfmaid with unmeasurable magical talent held by the dwarven kingdoms in a time where a military conflict with the wood elfs seems unavoidable. Your mere presence here can easily change the tides. Even if you refused to join our house, you would have been brought here against your will to be used as a political hostage with the intention to place pressure on the elven kingdom and dissuade them from a meaningless conflict. Naturally, even in that case, you would have been treated well, that is until you won''t attempt to harm us. We dwarfs are not barbarians, especially not towards young women.¡±


    He took a deep breath, then continued.


    ¡°Instead of that, because of your lack of insight and thoughtlessness, you have officially joined a noble house. You have become a noble of the dwarven kingdom, meaning that you are lawfully shouldering all the responsibilities of that of a noble, and even received a title from a prince. There is no better way to tie a person to a kingdom than giving them official titles, power, responsibility and the necessary wealth.¡±


    Well¡­ damn it. I didn¡¯t see that coming¡­


    The man, seeing my paling expression, quickly added. ¡ª ¡°I see that you are finally starting to understand the weight of what you got yourself into.¡±


    He paused for a few more seconds, then added with finality.


    ¡°Well, then. I guess that will be all for now.¡± ¡ª He stood up and walked around the table, giving me one last glance. ¡ª ¡°Please, continue with your breakfast. It would be a waste to let it go cold. Oh, and also¡­ don¡¯t leave the estate without an escort. The city is quite large. You could get lost easily, especially outside of the noble district.¡±


    I stared after the man, feeling quite irritated by everything that he have thrown at me out of nowhere.


    ¡°He is nothing like his father¡­¡± ¡ª I mumbled to myself, feeling quite disheartened. Still, the feast that was placed in front of me managed to distract me momentarily as I started to eat.


    ¡°I wonder if elves can get fat as well.¡± ¡ª I questioned silently, causing the happily munching Bella to look up at me from my lap, a conflicted expression on her face. Her features morphed into that of a focused one, but she dropped it and sighed after a few seconds of fruitless struggle.


    ¡°Nope¡­ I can¡¯t imagine sister being fat.¡± ¡ª She said and turned back to her share of the plate as if the entire issue had been solved by her lack of imagination.


    I shook my head, while patting her¡¯s in slight disbelief. If only life was so simple as children imagined it.


    Still, who would have thought that Balgrun was such a sly bastard? I mean¡­ that was kind of my first impression of him, but still¡­ Being right about it only makes me feel more stupid. So¡­ what am I supposed to do with all these things being revealed?


    I mean, in the long run, being a noble of a dwarven kingdom is not a bad thing, considering what I am supposed to do in this world. Gathering influence and making myself known among the nations as a powerful witch will help a lot in uniting them against the incoming tides.


    Well, that or my presence could cause some major misunderstandings and erupt into a large-scale conflict, engulfing the land in flame even before I could realize what happened.


    Better not think about that part for now¡­

 Chapter 64. Unlikely introductions

    In our study regarding the more prominent races of Rixa, so far we have talked about the races of humans, dwarfs, high elves, and dark elves. As the last two topics were belonging to those of elven kind, I believe it to be wise to continue with the previously set tradition and discuss all major elven races in one fell swoop of the pen.


    Leaving aside the dramatics, in the focus of today¡¯s scholarly escapades, will be the forest elves, more commonly known as wood elves.


    Wood elves compared to their high elven cousins have a shorter stature, which is accidentally similar to that of humans. Meaning that regarding males, they average around 1.7 meter height while females average at 1.6 meter.


    Their skin colors are similar to that of humans having several shades from dark brown to white, while also including more exotic colors like pale grey or pale green and even something that could only be described as lavender. Latter being a most eye-catching and rare skin color among forest elves. As it tends to be with rare features, those forest elves, regardless of gender, who possess the color of lavender, are well sought after among their kinds and undeniably have a natural advantage over their peers. After all, in the forest elven culture, one¡¯s natural skin, eye and hair colors and their various combinations can create the foundation of power and influence. It is an intriguing fact that I find quite similar to the behavior of peacocks and similar birds of feather¡­


    Aside from the color of one¡¯s skin, another unique characteristic of this particular elven race include their vast variety of radiant eye colors. Their natural range of eye colors include all spectrum of a rainbow and even more. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it would take way too much of our time to describe every different color of their existing irises, especially with a goal of completeness, and even then it would eventually turn out that there is more.


    Suffice it to say that whatever color you can think of, there are likely at least a handful of wood elfs who have that same eye color. It is important to note as well that wood elven society treats one¡¯s unique characteristics with high value. The more colorful a person is, in this case colorful is meant to be taken by its literal meaning, the easier one will find to navigate forest elf society on a whole.


    Similarly, the less colorful one¡¯s natural appearance is, and by that I truly mean natural appearance as forest elves despise the use of makeup or any other practices that are meant to manipulate one¡¯s natural look. This unusual tendency of forest elven society is believed to be a result of their deep commitment to maintain nature¡¯s values, and also the fact that certain societal standings are directly derived from one¡¯s appearance. Therefore, using appliances that are capable of manipulating one¡¯s appearance, for example coloring one¡¯s skin to a slightly different shade, would have been undoubtedly an issue in such a ridiculous culture.


    But let us not wander further from our original line of thoughts. I was just saying that the less colorful one¡¯s natural appearance is, the harder it will be for them to achieve a high standing. Because appearances are taken a lot more seriously in the wood realm than anywhere else. Those with a dull natural look have little to no choice but to seek their fortune with different approaches, such as joining one of the various branches of the military, where aesthetics hold little to no meaning.


    I must say, it is undoubtedly a shame and likely similarly daunting for their ilk to know that after such a colorful palette of eye colors, their hair color are as dull as mere humans, sharing only five shades of colors which are being white, black, brown, red and blond. What a pity¡­


    The foundation of forest elven culture is intertwined with the two dominant pillars of their society representing the two sides of nature itself. The first one, which is representing nature¡¯s beauty, is called the Faction of Flowers, while the other showcasing nature¡¯s fury, is called the Faction of Thorns.


    While the Flower faction cherishes the above-mentioned characteristics, the Thorns are the complete opposite. The Thorns disregard any frivolous notion and only take into consideration one¡¯s strength, character and personal achievements. A complete opposite of the Flower faction¡¯s values, the Thorns only focus on what is inside, almost entirely overlooking one¡¯s outer appearance.


    It is good to know that all wood elves are originally born into the Faction of Flowers, from where they could only leave by personal choice. The way that leads to making that very choice is, however, far from being simple¡­


    Of course, while forest elves possess the potential to have a very colorful body, it is not likely for one to be born with aesthetics that are considered pleasant when faced with such unique expectations. Most forest elves, in fact, have a simple appearance considered by human standards. Meaning that only about one among ten will be somewhat privileged by forest elven society. While the more unfortunate tend to be brutally ostracized and frequently humiliated by their peers.


    Those forest elves who are truly privileged by appearance will enjoy all pleasures of life among forest elven society, as they are treated like high nobles in this strange hierarchy created on the basis of colors.


    While in contrast, those who are colorless or less colorful are expected to serve them. While the less colorful can still live a relatively comfortable life in higher positions, the colorless or dull will find no pleasure in this peacock hierarchy. Those at the bottom will endure humiliation as a daily occurrence.


    While most people, seeing such barbaric traditions, will undoubtedly consider forest elves as stupid, and they are perhaps right from a certain perspective, the truth is somewhat different.


    In essence, it is nothing more but a radically different set of values at which they built their society. I bet those wood elves who first encountered with our societal system based on gold and titles suffered the same disbelief and scrutiny as we do witnessing theirs.


    The people at the bottom of the color hierarchy are the ones who tend to leave the Faction of Flowers and join the Faction of Thorns. This action is clearly artificially stimulated by their color based system of humiliation. Leading about two-thirds of all forest elf populace to eventually join the Faction of Thorns. Which name refers to all branches of their military and more, since the Faction of Thorns represent an idea by which its members view the world. It is not simply a gathering of militaristic groups even if indeed that is what makes up the most of them, but civilians too, who do the simplest of jobs and are wished to be judged solely by the worth of their work instead of the color of their skin.


    While normally such extreme ratio between civil populace and the number of military personal is impossible, in this case it is not unwarranted. To understand the necessity for such an active army, one must know that forest elves live in the ancient forests that are used as natural borders between the land of the exiled races and us. Meaning that they are the ones who have the most frequent skirmishes with them, at least on the surface. While the dwarfs share this duty under the ground.


    Aside from that, forest elves are a naturally militaristic race, even those of the Faction of Flowers receive mandatory training in fighting, regardless of gender. While the Faction of Thorns represent the majority of the fighting force of forest elf military, they are not entirely disconnected from the Faction of Flowers. It is quite the opposite. As two sides of the same coin, elven tradition upholds that one person from the ruling royal family must be chosen from the Flowers, while the other from the Thorns. As the rulers, must hold influence in both factions.


    Joining the Faction of Thorns is irrevocably done by fulfilling the Rite of Thorns, which rite consist of receiving a full body tattoo of winy thorns running along one¡¯s skin, permanently disfiguring it and showcasing to the world their choice to be solely judged by merit and merit alone. Onward from that moment, a member of the thorns are considered having a respectable status and could no longer be slighted based on their appearance. Still, it is important to note that they could very much be criticized based on their achievements or the lack of it.


    Basic skin color hierarchy of the Faction of Flowers.


    At the peak: Lavender skin color


    Green skin color


    Black skin color


    Gray skin color


    Brown skin colorRoyal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    At the bottom: White skin color


    Side note: the more intensive the shade of the color and the more lively the color is, the better, aside from that, the pairings of hair color and eye colors are the decisive factors. That is why black is only the third from the top, while white by that I mean similar to that of human white skin color and not actual paper white is treated as the lowest, basically colorless.


    Extract from the book titled ¡°The Intelligent Races of Rixa¡± written by human scholar Viscanu Winfred.


    ~oOo~


    After we finished our impromptu breakfast in the garden, I decided to stick around for a while and enjoy the view of the garden from the slightly elevated view position of the pavilion. I was undoubtedly surprised by my own thoughts, as I honestly found the sight, even with all of its strangeness, quite remarkable and relaxing.


    Thousands of tiny, tingling, bluish lights covered the enormous expanse of the mansion¡¯s garden, all thanks to that strange, apparently edible moss. Aside from those twinkling lights, there were the thoughtfully placed magical lanterns hanging from tall black lamp posts filling the many walkways crisscrossing the garden with warm yellow light. Clearly, those lanterns were the distant lights I could easily see from the outskirts of the city.


    The silence which seemed to surround me in the middle of the garden was both relaxing and comforting. I clearly needed the peace and quiet which this momentary calmness provided for me. Looking back at the memories of recent weeks, I got a cold shiver traveling up the entire length of my spine. Seriously, who in their right mind would think that all of those things were possible, and they actually happened with me?


    I shook my head lightly, a twinkle of amazement and disbelief undoubtedly crossing my expressions, not that there were anybody to see it.


    Well, yes¡­ Bella had sneaked away at some point, while I was lost in my thoughts. I suspect that she feared some sort of retribution from my side after she tricked me into a less than savory conversation with her, well, I guess, our brother. Best to start getting used to the thought.


    I sighed deeply at the memory. I guess I was indeed gullible, as Erirmun said. Still, to be fair, at that time I was still about fifty percent certain regarding this entire experience being some sort of sick dream.


    ¡°I should probably stop moping about and bring the plates and stuff back to the kitchen. I still find it hard to understand how all the work is done in such a large mansion without any servants.¡± ¡ª Well, whatever, I think I mostly remember the way that lead back to the kitchen, let¡¯s hope that I do.


    With that thought, I stood up, gathered the various kitchen utensils, and headed back.


    I did a few wrong turns here and there, but in a relatively short time, I got back to the kitchen. Alas, it was no longer empty. Sounds of conversation could be heard from the end of the corridor. I stopped for a second, then continued towards it with self-conscious steps.


    The door was left wide open as I took my first peek into the familiar room. I immediately noticed two dwarven women who were wearing white aprons, over their relatively simple attire. They were wearing simple clothes, but evidently well made simple clothes created by fine materials. Their hair were well kept, their ears decorated with rich earrings and their general appearance was pristine, faces powdered and all.


    It was clear by a glance that these two women were hardly your average servants. They were noble women, who seemed to enjoy their time while preparing food and boiling several large bowls of food over the burning fires.


    The moment I stepped into the kitchen, both women turned towards me, simultaneously ceasing their conversation.


    While they took in my appearance with surprised expressions and slightly furrowed eyebrows, I could take in theirs.


    One of them had black hair and dark brown eyes. She was a sturdy woman, with a lot of muscle even compared to average dwarven men, but that wasn¡¯t the feature that took most of my attention. Poor woman had an enormous claw shaped scar running across the right side of her face. I couldn¡¯t notice it before, but now that she turned towards me, the unexpected sight completely took away my breath. Through some horrid fascination, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the horrible injury, an icy shiver running up the length of my spine as a reaction to the sight.


    The other woman, fortunately, wasn¡¯t injured like that. She had light brown hair with light brown eyes and a relatively lean figure for a dwarf.


    Unfortunately, my previous and I will admit quite rude staring session wasn¡¯t missed by either of the women.


    Since the next thing I noticed was that their gazes didn¡¯t seem to be particularly welcoming towards my presence. I sighed inwardly; great job, Selora, you have done it again!


    I slightly cringed under their combined glares as they practically dismantled me with those assertive looks.


    I stepped into the hall with a hesitant smile. ¡ª ¡°Ah, good morning¡­¡± ¡ª I sweat dropped seeing their raising eyebrows. Way to go Selora¡­ way to go! ¡ª ¡°Uhm¡­ I mean, I just brought back a few plates and stuff¡­ Oh by the way, my name is Selora and I¡­¡± ¡ª My words were cut short as the black-haired dwarf lady snorted.


    ¡°You must be the girl everybody is talking about since yesterday.¡± ¡ª I nodded silently, eying the large knife with which she was chopping up some sort of meat on the table.


    The women placed down the knife as if catching my glance and started to wipe her hands into a nearby rag, while simultaneously walking up to me. She took the tray with the empty plates and utensils from my hands, placing them down on the counter, then turned back to me.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Jolga, I see you like my scar.¡± ¡ª She reached her hand towards me in the gesture of a handshake, and I accepted it, feeling a bit embarrassed that I got caught glancing at it again, thanks to that I noticed it too late, that there was a suspicious glint in Jolga¡¯s dark brown eyes. The moment her larger hand engulfed mine in an iron grip, I instinctively tried to pull back my hand, only to realize I couldn¡¯t.


    The women seemed to have grasped onto my hand with alarming strength. I glanced down at my hand, unsure what to do, then back up into my unexpected assailant¡¯s eyes as she slowly continued to increase the force of her grip while spying on my reaction with a curious gaze.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the pain to arrive, along with a sense of panic. I took a sharp breath, still dumbfounded by the incomprehensible situation I once again found myself in.


    ¡°Ow! Ouch! I¡­ Lady Jolga?¡± ¡ª I questioned, starting to sweat, seeing the woman¡¯s uninterested look. ¡ª ¡°Could you-Ow! I mean, you are hurting my hand¡­¡± ¡ª I told her, hoping against hope, that the woman will let go of my hand and all of this was nothing but some poor dwarven joke, alas it didn¡¯t seem to be the case.


    The black-haired women cocked her head to the side and stated with emotionless tone. ¡ª ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the magic word, elf.¡±


    I stared at her, dumbfounded.


    Is she like five or what? The thought crossed my mind momentarily, but I shook it off as the pressure continued to grow on my trapped hand.


    ¡°Lady Jolga, you are being unreasonable¡­ OW! Fine! Could you please let go of my hand?¡± ¡ª I said with a strained smile.


    The woman chuckled at that, but she evidently let go of my hand, which I immediately pulled back and started to massage gently with my other hand. While I was too focused on restarting the circulation in my fingers, the woman once again surprised me.


    In a swift movement, she grabbed my chin, pulling me down a few inches to match her eye level. ¡ª ¡°Is that all you got, witch? Twisting your fork tongue, hmm? I will tell you that I got no love for your ilk, family or not.¡± ¡ª She took a disgusted look at me than added. ¡ª ¡°Fiend Slayer, my arse!¡± ¡ª With that she pushed me backwards, while letting go my face, forcing me to take a few steps back to balance myself. ¡ª ¡°Get out of my sight, I don¡¯t have time for weaklings, oh¡­ and next time you stare at my scar, I will break your wrist for it.¡±


    As my initial shock was overcome, I felt a burst of anger coursing through my body. ¡ª ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± ¡ª I demanded from the woman, straightening my back and leveling her with a furious glare.


    She seemed to take in my reaction with more amusement than seriousness, as she added with a derisive tone. ¡ª ¡°Some of us might be soft enough to tolerate you long-eared freaks just for your pretty eyes in this household, but let me tell you this, little girl, if you don¡¯t pull your worth around I won¡¯t give a shit about what Emrum preaches about you, neither will I for some backwater prince¡¯s title.¡±


    I blinked hard, listening to her reasoning. ¡ª ¡°Look¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to stare at your scar¡­ it just happened, kind of hard to ignore it, actually.¡± ¡ª I paused for a second, unsure if I should say it, but I decided to do it, anyway. ¡ª ¡°Still, that is no reason to treat me like this; you don¡¯t even know me¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you raving about, sweet cheeks?¡± ¡ª She turned back to me with renewed anger.


    My eyes grow larger, a hint of a blush forming on my face. ¡ª ¡°What did you just call me? N-no matter, I said you don¡¯t even know me. What did I do to deserve such treatment?¡±


    She took a long look at me, then added while throwing an apron in my face.


    ¡°You have a point there, sweet cheeks¡­ Let¡¯s get to know each-other than. Pull that on and get your fat ass next to the counter. You have already eaten, so you should have the energy to work.¡± ¡ª She added and turned back to check the boiling pots.


    I stood there holding the apron and watching the woman¡¯s back, utterly confused and unsure what to think about this entire exchange. It was at that moment when the other woman walked up to me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder and immediately jolting me out of my stupor.


    I turned towards the woman, who had light brown eyes and hair. I quickly noticed her troubled expression. ¡ª ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡ª The woman whispered, helplessly shaking her head. ¡ª ¡°My name is Dura, please don¡¯t take what she said personally. Jolga is a berserker and can be quite harsh, but she is not that bad usually. Unfortunately, she is especially sensitive to her scar¡­ and people looking at it. You have triggered her without knowing.¡± ¡ª She paused for a second, glancing over to the other women with a thoughtful look, then added.


    ¡°Still, I think she likes you.¡±


    I grimaced at that, whispering back to her in a mocking voice. ¡ª ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    She turned back to me with a serious look, then added. ¡ª ¡°Well, none of your bones are broken.¡±


    ¡°Uh? You serious?¡± ¡ª I paled, seeing that her expression remained unchanged.


    ¡°What are you whispering over there? Get to it!¡± ¡ª Jolga shouted over to us, and we both got to it without a word.

 Chapter 65. Now I did it...

    I stayed with Jolga and Dura, helping in the kitchen for a few hours. True to Jolga¡¯s previous words, we indeed got to know each other in that time. Not like I had much of a choice in the matter, as the woman kept asking me questions in an interrogative tone.


    Well, at least I got to ask my own questions, too.


    Turns out, Jolga and Dura were sisters and they were the daughters of Emrum¡¯s older sister, who was called Yonalda Dimhollow and was obviously a well-respected member of the house. She was also something of a dwarven traditionalist who disliked elves, or at least that was what Dura whispered to me while I was preparing the plates for lunch. I guess I know now the origin of Jolga¡¯s dislike towards me.


    As the clan¡¯s tradition dictates, both of the women were part of the military. Jolga, apparently being the older sister, decided to become a berserker. A type of warrior that channels their rage into a barely controlled fury and fearlessly unleashes havoc across any battlefield. Which I have been told by her words means she gets angry and starts to crush skulls with her warhammer. I could see that working out for her, I guess.


    Dura, on the other hand, was a scout, usually avoiding combat entirely, and focusing on her skills of sneaking and hiding, spying on enemy movements.


    I easily got along with Dura, who was a considerate person and surprisingly easy to talk to, seeing how shy she seemed at first sight. Jolga was a different matter, though. The woman was loud and overbearing, the same in her actions as in her speech. She had a radical view of the world, either hating or loving something, but rarely between the two.


    She made it quite clear that she wasn¡¯t accepting a suspicious witch as a family member, especially not a squeamish elf. Saying that relying on such unnatural powers as magic is a sign of cowardice. Obviously, I argued with her statement, but was easily dismissed after she asked me out for a duel without magic. Which I immediately declined.


    Unfortunately, declining the duel seemed to solidify her view on me, but I wasn¡¯t quite ready to get my head bashed in with a hammer for a childish insult.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t seem to ignore her remarks on my butt. I was starting to feel self conscious about it, really¡­ Was my butt that big? I mean, it¡¯s clearly the most feminine part of this scrawny elven body, but it didn¡¯t feel that large¡­ She was probably just trying to get on my nerves.


    I also learned a lot of things about how the mansion functions without servants. In essence, members of the house are entrusted with the chores and everybody cleans their own room. For example, today Jolga and Dura were the ones who had to prepare the food. Tomorrow someone else will while they will do something else. If too many members of the main house are out on quests, some of the members of the branch houses are asked to help out.


    I also realized why the mansion seemed to be so empty. I mean, aside from the two women, I only run into a few other women in the corridors since I arrived here.


    Apparently, the reason for that was caused by the military tensions between elves and dwarfs. Most of the people have been mobilised to strengthen the border with extra patrols. There were only a handful of people inside the mansion currently, and I already met most of them.


    The ones I did not meet will be introduced to me over lunch, after we are done with the last of the preparations.


    I will be honest, I wasn¡¯t that excited about that fact, after realizing that half of the house dislikes elves to various degrees, and I was a witch on top of that, which clearly didn¡¯t help my situation.


    ~oOo~


    Thanks to my anxious thoughts, the time seemed to barely crawl by, as if it intentionally wanted to let me stew in my misery.


    Eventually, we finished with the preparations and carried everything over to the dining room. Placing them orderly on an impressively sized table that had at least twenty seats surrounding it. I gently reached out with my magic as Camilla taught me and immediately felt the familiar resonance of the magical wood of which this table too seemed to be made of.


    Needless to say, the hall was very well decorated. It had easily the best design in the mansion, at least from those I have seen so far. The floor was made from beautifully cut white marble tiles. The four corners of the chamber held four unique, life-sized statues, in memory of four heroic figures of House Dimhollow.


    I naturally didn¡¯t recognize any of them, but that didn¡¯t take away from the awe I felt seeing the life like statues made with incredible attention to detail. The four warriors looked like they would start walking at any moment. Well, if one ignored their colorless and stony features, that is.


    That was, however, far from the end of things. The roof of the hall was depicting in painstakingly detailed form the short painted history of the formation of Dimhollow House. Colorful murals were covering the entirety of the tall roof structure, among with the crystal chandeliers and various lampions placed upon the walls to provide ample light in the spacious hall.


    However, among all the splendor, the main sight of the place was undoubtedly the enormous and beautifully designed family tree covering the entirety of the wall running parallel to the table¡¯s length.


    Working together, the three of us quickly finished placing the plates and various utensils, along with the different food containers. Dura helped to direct my actions along the way, as only a small section of the table needed to be set. Once again, reminding me that most of the members were out on important missions.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    When we were done with everything, I went over to the tapestry showcasing what could only be the famous enchanted family tree Emrum told me about. Staring at it with a slightly loose jaw, I raised my right hand in a thoughtful gesture.


    I curiously checked the ring with the same dwarven rune writing covering it as it was visible on the tapestry. When I focused on the writing on my ring, I felt a tingling feeling radiating from it. Then, as if to resonate with the subtle magical energy, I noticed in the left corner of my eye, there was a bluish light blinking to life on the ancient tapestry, immediately drawing my attention.


    I walked over to it, concentrating on a particular section of the tapestry at the lower half of it. My eyes glinted with surprise when I saw my name written in those dwarven characters, with a thin line connecting them to Emrum and Nerha Dimhollow¡¯s names, along with Nadwabella and Erirmun Dimhollow, just like that. There was my name, Selora Dimhollow.


    Right under my name, in smaller characters, there were a few interesting things written. My height, weight, age, general appearance, race and even something called status: healthy, alive.


    Thankfully, I didn¡¯t see any information that was especially embarrassing for me. Aside from maybe my weight and height. Being 159 centimeter tall was quite the humbling experience, although, when I noticed my weight, my eyes bulged unnaturally. I was like, 56 kilograms. It was ridiculous; most of my previous life I was around three digits, and this meant that I was basically half of my previous body¡¯s weight. No wonder in this new body I could run for hours.


    I chuckled at the thought.


    I felt my braid being pulled backwards roughly, then just as quickly let go. Causing my head to rock back and forth in an annoying way.


    ¡°What is so funny, elf?¡± ¡ª I turned around, a little surprised, but more annoyed by the voice appearing right behind me. I faced Jolga with a frustrated glare. She was clearly spying on my actions and annoying me, to boot. ¡ª ¡°What are you staring at?¡± ¡ª She question blatantly ignoring my glare.


    While I was getting used to the other woman¡¯s crude behaviour, seeing that she was more bark than bite. I was still nervous around the so-called berserker, if nothing else than solely because of her unpredictable factor, and perhaps her intimidating aura. I mean¡­ the woman was practically covered in scars, the one on her face being the most obvious.


    I looked to the side, trying my best to not annoy the woman once again, as I did not trust my ability to not stare at her scar if I forced myself to look her in the eye. ¡ª ¡°Um, well¡­ I looked for my name and found it.¡± ¡ª I stated the obvious awkwardly.


    ¡°Look me in the eye when I am talking to you, elf, or is that your kind can¡¯t even show that much respect?¡± ¡ª She announced in a derisive tone.


    I immediately glared down at her. She being half a head shorter than me, which fact obviously annoyed her to no end.


    I was a patient person all my previous life, but I will admit, she was starting to get under my skin. Perhaps because of the hormones of this new body, or the fact that I was a witch. I become quite emboldened for a moment as I told the annoying dwarf exactly what was on my mind at the time.


    ¡°Like you are one to talk about respect. You have been nothing but rude and annoying towards me all this time. Calling me names and stuff. I will tell you now, from where I come from, your comments would have been already considered sexual harras-¡­ " ¡ª She grabbed my arm, turning me around halfway. ¡ª ¡°W-what are you up to now? Let go of my arm you-¡± ¡ª SPANK ¡ª ¡°AH!?¡± ¡ª A loud confused shriek left my lips unintentionally, followed by a jolt of pain sparking through my body originating from my butt.


    There was a moment of silence engulfing the hall, as I was staring ahead of me in disbelief. At least until the sharp pain that was still pulsing through my bum jolted me out of said stupor.


    ¡°Did you just!?¡° ¡ª I demanded, doubt echoing through my voice as my mind still refused to accept the situation. In the meantime, Jolga started to rant over me as if it was my fault.


    ¡°Sexual harassment, you say? I will give you sexual harassment, you arrogant little pip-squeak! You just walked into my home and already started to tell me what to do! Let¡¯s see how your sharp tongue gets you out of this situation! HA!¡±


    As it turned out, things didn¡¯t go in the direction I wanted. I shrieked like a girl as several more jolts of pains assaulted my mind. ¡ª SPANK, SPANK, SPANK. ¡ª ¡°AAAHH!!¡± ¡ª I squirmed, pushed and kicked as if my life depended on it, enraged by the sheer humiliation of the scene. ¡ª ¡°STOP IT YOU BASTARD OR I-I SWEAR-¡± ¡ª SPANK ¡ª ¡°AAAAHH! Now you did it!¡±


    I stilled my struggle for a second so I can channel my anger into a raw magical eruption focused at my assailant.


    "Is that it? You already stopped squirming, eh? What are you going to do now, cry? Hah! Don¡¯t think that being on that darn tapestry means anything to me, elf. It doesn¡¯t make you suddenly become a part of this family. It doesn¡¯t work like that. Don¡¯t even dream about it. The only good thing about you is your butt, at least as far as I am involved. I rarely see an elf with such a thick and obscene arse.¡±


    Further infuriated by her words, I unleashed my magic without a drop of remorse at the idiot. ¡ª ¡°GET OFF ME YOU FOOL!¡±


    There was a crackle in the surrounding air, a moment of stillness ¡ª ¡°Wait, what are you do- AAAaaahhhhh!¡± ¡ª which was followed by utter chaos. Everything seemed to blur. My body pulled forward for a second just to be violently thrown backwards right after that. Pain erupted across my body as I collided with various objects.


    ~oOo~


    I think I blacked out for a second or two. When I came to myself, I was lying on the floor entangled with a few chairs and various kitchen utensils. There seemed to be a loaf of flattened bread under my head, too. I could even smell the scent of freshly baked bread thanks to it.


    I raised my head tentatively, only to be assaulted by a wave of nausea; then the pain arrived. I dropped my head back onto the bread, trying and failing to gulp back the voiceless whimpers that were about to escape my throat.


    Half of my body felt numb, while the other shivered in pain. I had at least several pulled muscles and various strains, not even mentioning the stinging pain from my butt.


    It was at that moment, when I finally remembered what had happened. The cause of this catastrophe. I felt a wave of despair settling in the bottom of my stomach.


    Now you did it, Selora¡­ great!


    At last I allowed the softest of whimper to escape me. It was not like anybody could hear it anyway, since the noise of still crashing and falling items were yet to completely subside.


    Then I heard the stomping foots, and alarmed shouts coming from the direction of the corridor and like any responsible adult. I decided to close my eyes and play dead for now.

 Chapter 66. Dwarven family

    The wings of the large double door leading to the main hall were shoved open, causing a deep resonating boom that traveled through the entire mansion. Heavy footsteps rushed into the hall, only to stop suddenly, likely in shock by the sight of the chaos that engulfed the previously pristine room.


    Then the deep and furious voice of a dwarf man bellowed across the hall.


    ¡°By the name of the Guardians! What evil has been unleashed here before I arrived!?¡± ¡ª The unknown voice shouted in bewilderment.


    Then I heard more hastened footsteps as more people rushed to the hall. There were sounds of horrified gasps and mutters of curses as more and more people arrived.


    I felt a hesitant presence standing by my side, then I heard a distant shriek echoing through the hall. ¡ª ¡°My daughter, she has been injured or worse, murdered! Call a physician this instant! Whoever dared to attack her in the heart of our home will pay for this!¡±


    There were sounds of worried murmurs and loud arguments. A few people run by me, but the previous presence still remained at my side as if uncertain what to do. I felt a shaky hand softly touching my shoulder, shaking it gently in an attempt to wake me up.


    I decided that I have played dead for long enough, and slowly opened my eyes to look at the person who was currently kneeling next to me. To my surprise, it was Dura of all people.


    She seemed to be in a panic, her face as pale as a white sheet. Her appearance was quite ruffled to match her state of mind. Still, seeing that she didn¡¯t seem to be injured. I would wager that the girl mostly avoided my spell.


    Thank the gods for small mercies. I wouldn¡¯t want to hit her with that.


    Following that thought, I felt an icy dread forming at the bottom of my stomach. Did I hear it right? Oh God, I hope I didn¡¯t actually kill Jolga¡­ While she was a bitch of the highest order, I still didn¡¯t intend to kill her with my spell.


    Dura seemed to get back some of her natural color, when she noticed that I responded to her touch. She immediately hastened her movements, lifting one of the chairs I got entangled with off my chest.


    There were more footsteps arriving, but my attention was drawn away when I heard the previous woman¡¯s voice screaming with rage once again. ¡ª ¡°This must be the workings of that elven witch! I warned you, didn¡¯t I!? I told you she was trouble, yet you insisted on treating her as family, of all things! Now look at where your bleeding heart got us! Attacked, assaulted in our own home, not even a day after she arrived! Get that evil bitch in chains right now! She is an assassin of the elves! That much has been proven!¡±


    My heart fluttered in my chest chaotically, witnessing the absurd accusations. I attempted to sit up and defend myself as fresh adrenalin pumped into my system, only to get assaulted with another burst of vertigo when I tried.


    Dura, seeing my actions, placed a gentle but firm hand on my shoulder, pushing me back to the ground.


    Then a somewhat familiar voice filled the hall. It was the voice of a young man this time. ¡ª ¡°If said witch was indeed an assassin of the wood realm. She would hardly be caught up in the consequences of her attack. Aside from that, my father has guaranteed her- ¡­¡± ¡ª The voice was violently cut off with another shriek.


    ¡°Your father is a fool, child! You are following in his path when you defend an elf in the hall of your ancestors.¡± ¡ª The woman lashed out, venom dripping from every word.


    There was a heavy pause in the air before the young man continued in a strained voice of politeness. Hearing his sarcastic voice, I finally remembered who those snarky words belonged to. It was Erirmun who was currently defending me. I guess I should have connected the dots when he mentioned his father, but I was still in a bit of a haze.


    ¡°While I admit, my father''s sense of justice sometimes overshadows the potential dangers of certain situations. His judgment regarding people¡¯s nature was hardly ever wrong before. You would be wise to keep your judgmental behaviour to yourself, aunt Yonalda, until we know anything for certain.¡± ¡ª The words trailed off, a silent threat left hanging in the air, filling the place with further tension.


    ¡°Hah!¡± ¡ª The woman now revealed to be named Yonalda, who I immediately realized to be Jolga and Dura¡¯s mother and Emrum¡¯s older sister shouted back in a familiar derisive tone as Jolga used to talk to me not so long ago.


    ¡°So you have finally grown some balls, little kit. I am warning you, boy¡­ Don¡¯t get too cocky, for I might decide to hammer some sense into that thick head of yours¡­ again. I still remember vividly how I sent you to the medical wing after you last dared to challenge me in public.¡± ¡ª The woman spoke in a mocking tone, clearly enjoying the situation.


    There was another heavy suspense, then the boy, Erirmun, spoke up with a similar satisfaction coloring his tone. ¡ª ¡°Oh yes, dear aunt. I remember that just fine, but how do you know that the present state of your dear daughter isn¡¯t just a result of a similar challenge?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± ¡ª Yonalda started, but was cut off by Erirmun this time.


    ¡°Even if that is not the case, who knows? Maybe she just went too far with her usual antics. She might have become a bit too touchy with the wrong elf this time around? After all, we have all heard the rumors surrounding her taste in men¡­ and women.¡± ¡ª There was a sparkling tension in the air now. It was suffocating, but it didn¡¯t seem to bother Erirmun at the slightest as he continued with a lazy tone.


    ¡°Did your daughter by chance mistaken the ancient hall of our ancestors with the red lights district in downtow-¡­¡± ¡ª There was a loud crash as once again chaos engulfed the hall.


    The sound of rushing feet among violently flung chairs and enraged shouts filled the air. Then, just as suddenly as it started, everything stopped in the wake of a booming voice that shook the entire hall.


    ¡°CEASE YOUR IMPUDENT QUARRELING BEFORE I ERASE EACH, AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FROM THIS FAMILY¡¯S HISTORY. YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE DIMHOLLOW HOUSE!¡±


    Everything seemed to come to a stop. If I didn¡¯t know better, I would think that some mysterious wide area spell was unleashed in the hall freezing time itself.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    All attention turned towards the old dwarf, who was the first to reach the grand hall. His presence, while imposing, was just as quickly forgotten by the others. All thanks to the fact that he decided to wordlessly take in the entire picture, at least until now.


    The old dwarf in question had a long white beard, its tip still holding onto a deep red fiery color. A distant reminder of its original shade it once must have held. The dwarf also had white long hair. His aged visage holding many marks of the passing years. He seemed to have just as many scars as wrinkles by now. Still, among the forest of wrinkles and scars, there was a pair of intelligent dark brown eyes.


    ¡°I have not lived past two centuries only to see my own blood biting at each other¡¯s neck like wild dogs!¡± ¡ª The man¡¯s reprimanding words seemed to bring a semblance of order to the hall.


    The fickle moment of serenity was broken by another shriek of rage. ¡ª ¡°But Emir! Can¡¯t you see my daughter¡¯s state!? This is a-¡­¡±


    ¡°SILENCE!¡± ¡ª The old dwarf¡¯s voice erupted once again, this time focused on the screeching woman, who seemed to be physically struck by it.


    ¡°I have heard enough of your screeching for a single day, granddaughter. Choose, get out of my sight, or shut your trap until I tell you otherwise.¡± ¡ª The woman¡¯s face turned stark red with anger, but she nodded eventually with visible struggle.


    Now the old man turned towards the few gathered people and spoke out. ¡ª ¡°Was there anyone here who have witnessed the unfolding events? If there was, I order you to step forth.¡±


    I felt Dura¡¯s body shook with fright. Now that she removed the last chair I was entangled with, the girl was simply tending to my injuries.


    Until those very words were spoken.


    She stood up slowly, panic visible in her light brown eyes, but she still stepped forward, causing the attention to shift to her.


    ¡°Dura my child¡­¡± ¡ª The old man¡¯s words seemed to soften as he focused on the girl¡¯s frightened expression. ¡ª ¡°Tell us what have ensued in this hall.¡±


    Dura hesitated, glancing at me, then towards her older sister who was sprawled out at the other side of the hall¡­ Presently being tended to by some of the women, I recently walked past in the corridor. She was, hopefully, just unconscious. Then she looked at her mother, who seemed to have a furious expression at the time, staring daggers into her.


    ¡°Tell us what you saw, child.¡± ¡ª The booming voice of the old dwarf echoed once again, causing Dura¡¯s attention to flick back to him from her mother''s glare.


    ¡°Um¡­. I, they¡­ There was a quarrel¡­¡± ¡ª She started, pausing awkwardly.


    ¡°Yes, continue child!¡± ¡ª The old dwarf urged. ¡ª ¡°What caused this quarrel?¡±


    ¡°S-she¡­ I mean sister, might have grabbed and¡­ Umm¡­ S-s-spanked the elf¡­ I mean S-Selora¡­ a few times¡­ T-then e-ee-everything started flying¡­¡± ¡ª The girl finished with a shaky voice, but her words caused another heavy silence to fell over the entire hall.


    ¡°WHAT DID SHE DO?!¡± ¡ª The old dwarf''s enraged voice boomed across the hall for the third time this day. ¡ª ¡°What do you have to say about this, Yonalda?!¡±


    Now the attention was turned back to the silently stewing woman on the other side of the hall. There were a few moments of hesitation, as the woman was momentarily uncertain of how she should react to the unexpected accusations by her other daughter. Then, at last, she decided to spoke up.


    ¡°Even if¡­ even if that might have been the case. Is touching her butt in any sense comparable to the destruction which was unleashed in this hall? That elf is clearly unable to control her own magic. She is a risk to the peace of this mansion, and might even be a risk to our life! She could be one of those despicable blood mages!¡± ¡ª There were a series of gasps traveling through the hall. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s right! Did any of you bother to ask her where she practiced her magic? Could she prove her connection to any respectable tower of magi?¡±


    The frantic woman finally seemed to run out of air, stopping her words and waiting for the verdict of the surrounding people.


    I silently stared at the slowly unfolding events, managing to push myself into a sitting position. The previous sense of vertigo has gone away at some point, leaving me with the troubles of this aching body.


    Yonalda¡¯s mention of blood magic seemed to catch my interest. As a matter of fact, I knew that I have seen a particular art of magic among my exotic knowledge regarding spells and incantations. It was back when we battled the horde of goblins. I was looking for powerful battle magic that could turn the table. My mind has thrown up several suggestions on its own. Among those options were one that was called blood magic as well. Of course, in the end, I choose golem creation.


    I remember that I instinctively felt a sense of certainty that blood magic worked fundamentally differently from all of my other spells. I just knew that it was using blood as a catalyst for casting spells in place of magic power. I skipped it at the time, since I wasn¡¯t willing to experiment with an entirely different type of magic casting when my life depended on it.


    Still, what was Yonalda saying about blood mages? That they were despicable? Is that so¡­ I bet anybody that woman thinks as despicable are actually a pillar of morality and valor.


    Now the old man¡¯s gaze at last seemed to turn towards me as he undoubtedly noticed that I sat up. There was a twinkle in his dark brown eyes as he directed his words towards me. ¡ª ¡°Those are heavy accusations. Fortunately, it seems like one of the participants of this incident have woken up. Let¡¯s see what she has to say about this. Tell us, Miss Selora, are you a blood mage, as lady Yonalda says?¡± ¡ª I could feel the subtle joviality in the old dwarf¡¯s tone. Was he finding these accusations humorous? I seem to be right about my previous suspicion. Blood mages could hardly be evil compared to that vile woman.


    I straightened myself slightly and started to form my answer. ¡ª ¡°I¡­¡± ¡ª Cough-cough¡­ ¡ª ¡°I meant to say¡­ well¡­ I a-¡­¡± ¡ª My words were cut off with a loud bang as the sounds of furious stumping seemed to fill the room.


    ¡°EMIR DIMHOLLOW!¡± ¡ª Sounded the terrifyingly infuriated voice of a certain wood elf woman. A shudder went through the audience as the spear dancer, whose hair was still drenched with water, partially soaking her hastily thrown on clothes and armor, stormed into the wide hall.


    She leveled the old man with a fierce glare that sent shivers up my spine even when it wasn¡¯t directed at me.


    ¡°HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT A WHITE ELF OF ALL PEOPLE WOULD PRACTICE THE MOST VILE AND FORBIDDEN ART OF ALL MAGIC?¡± ¡ª There was a heavy pause left in the air followed by the elf¡¯s statement, who likely just jumped out of a bath to get here hearing the commotion.


    The old dwarf¡¯s attention now fell on Aria, a deeply furrowed pair of eyebrows etched into his features. ¡ª ¡°Ariawyn Virdithas,¡± ¡ª The man spoke with a leveled voice. ¡ª ¡°I have hardly accused her of such. You would have known as much if you were here. The accusation comes from lady Yonalda, and I found it prudent to humour her worries with asking the girl¡¯s opinion on the matter.¡±


    ¡°Alas, it is true. It would be unlikely for a white elf to thread such a dark path as blood magic.¡± ¡ª The old man chuckled, while giving me a shrewd glance. ¡ª ¡°And even if she did¡­ it would have been most unwise to admit so, as such would lead to her swift execution.¡±


    I shivered, feeling the color quickly draining from my face. A sharp pain spiked through the left side of my lips as I unknowingly bit down on it with such force that it immediately draw blood.


    What the¡­ did¡­ did I completely misread the situation?


    My panicked thoughts swirled in my mind, just like the room seemed to be swirling around me as distinct waves of warmth and freezing cold seemed to frequently exchange places through my entire body.


    Aria seemed to kneel by my side, speaking to me with a worried expression, but I didn¡¯t seem to hear her words. Funny, my elven hearing should have been better than that¡­


    I smiled at her politely, the furious pulsing of my blood washing away every other noise.


    Did I almost killed myself? The thought crossed my mind, but it felt distant, and I didn¡¯t want to think about that. Yeah¡­ best not to think about what would have happened if my stupid ass finished that cursed sentence.


    Yep-yep¡­ Come to think of it, my butt still stings¡­ But I am not a blood mage¡­ definitely not. Nope-nope, I might be a butt mage, but most certainly not a blood mage.


    With that dubious last thought passing through my mind. I passed out.

 Chapter 67. A blood mages plight

    Blood magic. It is the subject of this unusual and strictly theoretical class of magical education. All of you who are sitting in this classroom today should feel fortunate to be allowed to listen in. It is an especially rare opportunity to participate in such a lecture.


    But, of course, you are the future generation of our country¡¯s most trusted mages. Who else, if not you, are deserving to listen to such dangerous knowledge?


    Before we carry on, let¡¯s stop for a second and think. Why is blood magic considered the most vile art of all magic, but especially dark magic?


    We all have heard rumours and legends surrounding this mysterious magical branch.


    We know that those mages who can research this particular school of magic are precious few. Even for today¡¯s class, the tower needed to receive a special authorisation directly from the crown.


    Now, there are multiple reasons for such caution. Let me help you understand the deeper implications. In a sense, all magic witnessed by the untrained eye are considered a paradox of nature. Something that goes against the laws of the world itself. Just think about necromancy, for example, which is, needless to say, another taboo on the long list of forbidden magical practices.


    Resurrecting the dead to fight by one¡¯s side, to control them and force them to ravage their loved ones¡¯ bodies. It is one of the most disgusting fate a person can suffer in this world.


    Committing such heinous acts is undoubtedly an abhorrence to nature. There is little more to explain about this.


    While most magic we use can harness the power of the elements or mysticism without overstepping a certain civilizational boundary. Those spells we call forbidden magics are considered the ones who overstep all such boundaries, and in their very essence, endanger or harness the sanctity of life itself.


    Blood magic does all of that, and more. Let us look at the cold facts.


    A blood mage has the ability to directly take control over the body of a living being by contorting the blood still flowing in their victims¡¯ veins. They are capable of creating living puppets, who they usually force to turn against their own comrades.


    Unquestioningly, experiencing such control is an explicitly painful and naturally harmful process for the helpless victim. It is rare for a person who was controlled by blood magic to survive the experience, even after the successful subjugation of the blood mage. The released victims suffer from gruesome internal bleeding and subsequent organ failure. Aside from this unenviable fate, in case of the precious few lucky survivors, most of them tend to eventually go mad and take their own life as a result. All because they witness every horror that their body is forced to commit while being under the influence of blood magic.


    This first factor would already be enough to place blood magic on a high level on our forbidden spells list, but this is only the beginning.


    A more dangerous element of blood magic is the cruel fact that it is one of the rare chantless magical practices we have so far discovered. While activating the magic needs a certain incantation, after one activated it, there is no further need for any chanting, the rest is all fuelled by imagination and willpower. This property naturally turned blood magic into a most efficient battle magic.


    Another dangerous factor is derived from its strange nature. This type of magic can¡¯t be used by utilizing mana. Causing it to be the only known magic that doesn¡¯t rely on magic power, while still not allowing people without magic to wield it. The only way one can fuel the power of blood magic is to burn their own blood in the process, or sacrifice other living beings. While this unique nature of the magic has both advantages and disadvantages, its ominous nature in itself is cause for alert.


    Meaning that a blood mage at the very start has doubled the amount of magic casting potential. Since one most not forget, a blood mage is perfectly capable of casting regular, mana based spells beside blood magic.


    In fact, blood mages only in desperate circumstances are willing to solely rely on their most powerful ability. After all, without proper sacrifices, blood mages essentially injure, and eventually kill themselves with relying too much on their blood magic.


    The true power of blood magic only appears when the battlefield has already reaped their first victims. Mages with such abilities are capable to utilize the blood of fallen people. Fueling it into their evil spells. What is most terrifying is that, as long as they succeed in killing new victims and reuse their blood in their rituals. In theory, they can acquire infinite power if the right circumstances are given.


    All of this would have made blood magic into one of the top five most dangerous forbidden magics. However, there is one more substantial thing we have yet to talk about, and this is the core factor that makes this magic into the most abhorrent one.


    Blood magic is capable of transferring life itself. In other words, it can steal the life of its victims and allow its wielder to absorb it in their own body. Causing the abuser of such powers to unnaturally elongate their lives and, in essence, potentially gain eternal life. It is the only known spell on Rixa that can provenly elongate someone¡¯s life. The price¡­ one needs to pay for such powers is immense, however. Because the life that is stolen is not absorbed by the user equivalently. Only a fraction of it can be absorbed. Meaning that killing someone who has approximately a hundred years to live, will only add to the life of the caster around ten years.


    The act of robbing an intelligent being¡¯s entire life only to extend one¡¯s own with a fraction of the stolen time. Is an action that could only be driven from blind greed. It¡¯s an open disregard for the holy sanctity of life and is considered to this day as the most abhorrent and vile act of magic.


    And that is why, my dear colleagues, our duty as the mages of this kingdom is to uproot and persecute any and all blood mages without pardon.


    A highly classified and detailed explanation of blood magic presented by Arch mage Thuridan of the Red Tower. The weathered and somewhat dirty note provides a lifelike experience of the presentation. Going as far to offer a relatively accurate picture of the Arch mage personality.


    Large spots of blood can be spotted at the bottom of the paper, giving ways to the imagination regarding the touchy subject. There might have been several failed attempts to slip the note out of the tower¡­ nevertheless, it still got out somehow.


    ~oOo~


    I woke up in a bed staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. The gears in my mind turned slowly, trying to figure out what happened to me and where I was. My head felt heavy, thoughts sluggy just as the rest of my body felt.


    I slowly moved to sit up, my movement while slow still caused several dull and a few sharp pains to register in my mind. I hissed at the unexpected pain, but still followed through with the movements.


    ¡°What the hell did I get myself into¡­¡± ¡ª I mumbled to myself. ¡ª ¡°This family is completely crazy¡­¡±


    Memories of the encounter with that annoying woman blinked through my mind, only to feel an icy shiver from recalling the humiliating experience.


    Cold sweat covered my forehead. I wasn¡¯t sure if the movement, the pain, or the memory I recalled caused it, but I didn¡¯t really care.


    I chuckled drily to myself, while taking a breather, leaning against the backseat of the bed, which was cushioned with several pillows.


    I will admit, it was partially my fault. I should not have used modern day logic on a dwarf who clearly had several issues with me from the start.


    Another memory came to my mind, the words Dura said back in the kitchen. She likes you¡­ None of your bones are broken. That should have been a good enough hint regarding that crazy woman¡¯s personality. I should not have provoked her¡­


    She likes you. Those haunting words sounded in my mind again, ringing several warning bells.


    I shook my head, trying to get rid of those thoughts.


    Oh, hell no¡­ I seriously hope that she was mistaken. I mean¡­ just no! Like I didn¡¯t have enough shit worrying about goblins and slaving dark elves, now I even got molested by a random dwarf woman. My wife would never let me live this down if she ever heard about this. What the hell is going on in this world, or is this what being a woman feels like? That¡¯s¡­ well, that¡¯s fucked up¡­


    My attention was distracted by the various aches all over my body, especially the back of my head. I must have hit it against the floor or something. Well, at least I had a way to treat myself, starting with my head, then focusing to the rest of my injuries.


    I silenced my thoughts, recalling the sensation and power of my healing magic. The tingling energy of warmth filling out my chest, the incantation automatically came to my lips as I began.


    ¡°By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command mine wound, heal!¡± ¡ª The now familiar warmth traveled from my chest up my right arm, its prickling fiery energy slowly gathering in my open palm. When the first ambling sparks of light appeared, I raised my palm and gently massaged it against the distinct lump that grown on the back of my head.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Feeling the comforting warmth embracing my head was a blissful sensation. It almost immediately dispersed the sluggishness of my thoughts and simultaneously soothed my dull headache.


    I could feel the tension leaving my mind. A soft, relieved sigh parted my lips as the comforting feeling of the rejuvenating energies began their slow descent across my entire body.


    ¡°Uh-huh. I could grow addicted to this feeling¡­ Ahh-umm¡­ It¡¯s like a whole body massage, but better.¡± ¡ª Stretching my tingling limbs, I was happy to finally get rid of the numbness.


    I continued the healing process for a few more minutes, placing my palm to the especially sore spots, and effectively releasing the accumulated stress and discomfort. When I was done, I felt like a newborn babe, even my skin became spotless thanks to the substantial dose of light magic treatment.


    Unfortunately, I had to end the magical massage therapy, as my mana was becoming dangerously low. I cut off the mana supply, effectively ending the spell, a reluctant look lingering in my silver eyes.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that was it for now¡­ Releasing more power would only end up biting me in the butt with a different type of headache.¡± ¡ª I reasoned to myself loudly for no other reason than to be able to hear the soothing elven voice of my new body.


    Listening to my own voice, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in amusement. ¡ª ¡±I will never get used to this¡­¡± ¡ª Shaking my head lightly, I recalled some of the arguments yesterday. As a result, another icy shiver quivered through my soul.


    Everything felt so obvious now with a clear head. I cringed internally at the thought: I almost admitted to be a blood mage in front of the entire house. Even if my memories of the event were still cloudy, which was undoubtedly a side-effect of my recent head injury.


    I pulled my knees up against my chest while attempting to hide my face in it. Effectively rolling myself into an elf ball in a vague attempt to hide from the sheer sense of embarrassment.


    ¡°What is the deal with blood magic, anyway?¡± ¡ª I whined, utilizing my momentary solitude to get rid of some of my accumulated frustration. ¡ª ¡°What is the big deal about knowing some of it? It¡¯s not like I use it carelessly, anyway.¡± ¡ª I mumbled to myself, rolling over to my other side.


    My ears twitched suddenly, there was the sound of movement. What gave me the pause, however, was the fact that it came from inside the room.


    My entire body went rigid. The blood in my veins turned cold as I slowly, very slowly lifted my head and looked towards where those sounds of soft steps originated from.


    My stomach coiled in terror as my silver eyes met with the sharp blue eyes of Aria, who was towering over my body. There was a conflicted expression distorting her features and I could only notice now the cold glint of metal.


    I opened my mouth to speak, but she pounced on me the moment my lips moved.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    I grunted from the added weight of the woman who was effectively pinning me to the bed. I could feel the bitter touch of a blade pressed against my neck. Gulping drily, the weight of my situation pressed down on my entire being as the cold reality crystalized in front of my eyes.


    Apparently, I wasn¡¯t alone in the room¡­ Why didn¡¯t I check it properly¡­ was that also because of my head injury¡­ my confusion¡­?


    Damn it¡­ I felt overwhelmed, stupid, and generally defeated at this point. Why couldn¡¯t a single damn thing work out in my favor in this cursed second life?


    I looked up, searching for the wood elf¡¯s expression. The previous internal conflict that marred her face now have turned into grim determination. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight. That¡¯s my luck¡­


    My dry chuckle only seemed to strengthen the woman¡¯s determination, pressing the blade¡¯s edge deeper into my skin.


    Feeling the sharp pain, my survival instinct must have kicked in. I instinctively reached for my mana supply, only to find it drained from the previous healing session. In a panic, I tried to move, but the older elf had effectively pinned down my limbs using her arms and legs. I realized with dread that I could not escape, and with that understanding, fresh tears seemed to fill my eyes. I tried to blink them away¡­ but there doesn¡¯t seem to be an end for them.


    Completely oblivious, thanks to my state of mind. I didn¡¯t notice that the elf¡¯s blade wavered in her hand as she watched the silent tears wreaking havoc across my face.


    There was a pained, no, betrayed voice speaking to me. ¡ª ¡°Why do you have to be a blood mage, you stupid girl!¡±


    The voice was filled with so much hatred and love simultaneously that I could hardly recognize it to be that of Aria¡¯s.


    ¡°I have made an oath.¡± ¡ª She continued. ¡ª ¡°An oath to cleanse the world from dark magic, and those who wield them. Such powers bring nothing but suffering, did you not listen to the story of the Elden Orchard?¡± ¡ª I shook my head weakly. ¡ª ¡°Then, tell me... why did you have to sully yourself with the worst of them all!¡± ¡ª The woman whispered desperately into my ears, clearly unwilling to draw any attention to our predicament. Yet I felt every word as if it was a punch into my guts.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± ¡ª Aria demanded.


    ¡°I¡­ Agh¡­¡± ¡ª I tried to speak, but the spikes of pain caused by the subtle movement of my throat caused the blade¡¯s edge to cut deeper into my skin. Making me instinctively choke on my words.


    Seeing this, Aria pierced me with a threatening look. ¡ª ¡°I will pull back the blade, but if I hear anything coming out of your mouth that even slightly resembles an incantation¡­¡± ¡ª She let the end of the sentence hang in the air ominously.


    Then she slowly pulled back the knife, just enough to let me breathe, and speak, not a centimeter more.


    I shook under her glare, terrified from the sight of the hovering knifes bloodied edge, which was now clearly visible in front of me. I felt a twisted tug on my insides, a furious rage, helplessness, loneliness, frustration, betrayal, all of those suppressed feelings boiling to the surface in one large package.


    ¡°You cut me!¡± ¡ª Those words flew from my mouth with accusing disbelief.


    The elf seemed surprised by my reaction for a second. Still, it was quickly covered under her cold, disapproving glare.


    ¡°You should be happy that I didn¡¯t kill you yet. I am already going against my oath for letting you speak!¡± ¡ª The woman hissed at me in a threatening whisper, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Fuck your oath! Do you think I care!? You are trying to kill me after I saved your life! Just because I learned a type of magic!¡± ¡ª I cried out in indifference.


    The woman seemed to be completely baffled by this for a second. Then she shook herself out of her stupor and leaned closer to my face with barely subdued anger. ¡ª ¡°Just a type of magic?!¡± ¡ª She stared at me like I was some curious rodent skittering under her feet. ¡ª ¡°You are a fucking blood mage, Selora! That is a forbidden magic, it¡¯s practice is punishable by death in every country. Not even Dark Elves are willing to go that far.¡±


    I shrunk under her burning gaze and the weight of those words.


    ¡°N-not¡­ not even dark elves?¡­¡± ¡ª I whispered out those words in abject disbelief.


    Aria, on the other hand, seemed to grow bolder, witnessing my reaction. ¡ª ¡°Yes! So tell me you idiot girl!¡± ¡ª She snarled at me with so much disappointment in her words that I couldn¡¯t even look into her eyes anymore. ¡ª ¡°Why? Oh-why should I not finish you off, as my duty demands?!¡±


    I looked to the side, feeling utterly devastated, and could only mumble half coherently. ¡ª ¡°Uhm¡­didn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    There was a moment of confused silence. Then the woman erupted once again. ¡ª ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    I focused my gaze at the fool, shouting at her. ¡ª ¡°Are you deaf? I didn¡¯t know it was that much of a big deal?! Okay?!¡± ¡ª The woman¡¯s face for the first time since our interaction seemed to smoothen into sheer bewilderment. ¡ª ¡°I mean¡­ I just learned it along with the rest so¡­ It just looked another type of magic to me.¡°


    There was an air of uncertainty lingering in the room.


    Aria seemed to be weighing her choices for a long time until she suddenly leaned away from me. Taking the knife along with her, just to start cursing like a dwarf. ¡ª ¡°Fuck this! Fuck, f-fuck-fuck-fuck my life! How can a girl of your age be this ignorant of the world? I-I can¡¯t just kill a clueless child, for not knowing any better!¡±


    I stared at the disgruntled elf walking up and down in the room.


    ¡°I am not a child.¡± ¡ª I said in annoyance.


    The woman twirled on me. ¡ª ¡±You might as well be, seeing how ignorant you are.¡± ¡ª Her face darkened for a second then she added.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just appreciate the fact that I broke a four hundred-year-old oath to spare your life?¡± ¡ª She shook her head with impotent rage then added. ¡ª ¡°Can you just shut it for a minute, I need to think this through.¡±


    I rolled my eyes while trying to stem the bleeding from my freshly cut neck. ¡ª ¡°Oh, I am feeling blessed! Thank you for not cutting my head off, like I was a fucking chicken.¡±


    ¡°Language young lady¡­¡± ¡ª Came the unexpected retort, to which I only laughed, but my laughter subsided when I noticed her stare.


    ¡°Are you being serious?!¡±


    The woman gave me a long look, then said in a patronizing tone.


    ¡°I am deadly serious. It seems that the ungrateful duty falls on me once again to ingrain some sense into you, gods, and I thought my daughters were hopeless cases. Now that I have practically become an accomplice in hiding a blood mage, the least you could do is to listen to me, idiot girl.¡±


    I blinked, then blinked again. Oh, for the love of¡­ I am starting to think that the people of this world are just plain crazy, but I am officially done with this shit.


    I rolled my eyes, still clutching my bleeding neck, and said in an intentionally annoying tone. ¡ª ¡°Yes, mother, forgive me for sullying your ears with my vile words. Only if you wouldn¡¯t try to cut my head off previously, we wouldn¡¯t have this argument at all!¡± ¡ª I added with dripping sarcasm, then thrown a pillow at the bastard having nothing else at hand to send flying at her.


    Aria sidestepped the clumsy projectile, then dropped her head and sighed. ¡ª ¡°I am already starting to regret this.¡± ¡ª Thanks to that she didn¡¯t notice the second pillow which hit her straight in the face. Causing the woman to explode in a fresh burst of anger. ¡ª ¡°Would you cut it already? Idiot girl!?¡±


    I froze in the middle of attempting to throw a vase at her. My face turning red with rage that mirror the blond elf¡¯s. ¡ª ¡°Would you stop calling me that?!¡±


    ¡°Not until you grow some brains first. We are in a precarious situation, all because of you being a blood mage to begin with.¡± ¡ª She spat at me.


    ¡°It was you who tried to cut my¡­¡± ¡ª She rolled her eyes, and flicked her hands at me.


    ¡°Would you get over it already? Now we are even at least.¡± ¡ª She said with an angry voice.


    I froze, confused. ¡ª ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    She leveld her gaze at me, than hissed. ¡ª ¡°It was not too long ago, that you let my throat to be cut if I remember correctly.¡±


    I recoiled at the accusation. ¡ª ¡°But!? But that was hardly my fault!¡± ¡ª I protested immediately, to which Aria smirked, she fucking smirked at me.


    ¡°Yes, and I didn¡¯t cut yours in the first place, that¡¯s why we are even!¡± ¡ª She said, then moved on not giving me time to think over what she said.


    ¡°Anyway, get over it, it¡¯s not like we can change it now. We have to decide what to do onwards.¡± ¡ª She continued her frustrated walk, up and down in the room.


    I blinked, feeling confused. I had a certain feeling that she just tricked me somehow, but was not in the right state of mind to figure out how exactly.


    It was at that time, when an unexpected third voice appeared at the barely opened door.


    ¡°Is big sister Selora really a blood mage?¡± ¡ª Sounded the innocent voice of a little girl who was currently peaking her head into the room.


    Time seemed to freeze in the wake of the innocent question.

 Chapter 68. Deal

    Before I could understand what just happened, Aria jumped to action, grabbing Bella by the back of her chemise¡¯s collar and practically thrown her on my bed, right next to me.


    Then she hastily stepped out to the corridor, checking if anyone else was there. Seemingly finding no one else, the blonde elf closed the door, and this time locked it with a key for good. Then she turned back to both of us with a dark glare that made me shiver and instinctively shrinking on myself.


    Bella, similarly to me, was quickly assessing the situation. She was visibly confused, attempting to gather her wits after being planted face first into the bed. However, the moment she noticed the icy glare directed at us, she immediately sobered up and seemed to instinctively crawl behind me.


    ¡°Big sister, save me!¡± ¡ª She cried out, genuinely scared by the look of it then added in a mumbled complaint. ¡ª ¡°The grumpy elf went crazy.¡±


    I froze, hearing the second part of her words. Which meant that most likely Aria also heard them. I turned to her, and based on the emotionless expression she wore, my suspicion was confirmed. ¡ª ¡°A-Aria¡­ she is just a child¡­ d-don¡¯t get mad at her¡­¡± ¡ª I said while hiding the covering little girl behind me.


    The woman¡¯s stone cold exterior held firm for about a minute of staring. Then she released a long sigh, before she practically collapsed into a nearby armchair, covering her face in both of her hands.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­. we are so done.¡± ¡ª She said in a helpless voice. ¡ª ¡°Not even half an hour passed since I against my better judgement, decided to collude with a blood mage.¡±


    I fidgeted in my place, somewhat alarmed by the woman¡¯s sudden turn of attitude. The shift from hostile to hopeless was just too quick for my liking. ¡ª ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡ª I started hesitantly. ¡ª ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    The woman chuckled. ¡ª ¡°We are so dead, can¡¯t you see it? How are you going to make sure that a seven-year-old kid won¡¯t tell that you are a blood mage to literally everyone in the mansion?¡± ¡ª She paused. ¡ª ¡°We either get rid of her, which I am not going to do or suffer the consequences of our actions. I should have closed that damn door earlier¡­¡±


    I thought about what Aria said, while it really seemed like a precarious situation from her point of view. I knew something that she didn¡¯t. I knew that this particular little girl was a very sharp and surprisingly cunning one. There was no way that she would so clumsily reveal her presence to us, not without a plan. The way she curiously peaked over my shoulder occasionally to assess the situation in the room seemed to further solidify my suspicions.


    I slowly turned around, giving the little dwarven menace an assertive look. She didn¡¯t seem to be afraid anymore. Clearly, she didn¡¯t expect to be thrown into the room like that, it must have scared her, but she surprisingly quickly calmed down. Very suspicious.


    I smiled at her gently and asked what made me most curious at this point. ¡ª ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ afraid of me?¡±


    Bella¡¯s large light brown eyes looked up at me, as if she was surprised by the very question. She blinked, then said in a confused voice. ¡ª ¡°Why would I be? Big sister is big sister.¡± ¡ª She cocked her head to the side, her focus moving down my face, stopping at my neck, then her eyes widened as she spotted the bloody wound.


    ¡°You are bleeding!¡± ¡ª She shouted in alarm. ¡ª ¡°You must be treated immediately, you might die, if not!¡± ¡ª She grabbed my arm trying to pull or push me towards the door, likely to get help as fast as possible.


    I felt a fluttering sense of warmth spreading over my soul, seeing her reaction. I sighed, struggling to hold back the tears that seemed to flood my eyes. What a precious child! She would immediately discard whatever plans she concocted in her little head the moment she realized I was actually hurt.


    I patted her head, trying to calm her. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s alright, Bella. It¡¯s just a flesh wound.¡±


    Unexpectedly, my words seemed to only startle the child even further. ¡ª ¡°No!¡± ¡ª She shouted, becoming more aggressive in her attempts to get me out of the room. ¡ª ¡°Grand uncle also said that, then he died!¡± ¡ª She shouted those words, and it quickly sobered me up. I was about to kneel down beside her in another attempt to comfort her when Aria pushed a handful of bandages into my chest.


    ¡°Get yourself treated or even better¡­ sit down and let me do it. She is not going to calm down otherwise.¡± ¡ª The woman said in a definitive tone.


    I gave her a pointed look, then obliged. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, while Aria quickly and efficiently cleaned the coagulated blood around the already healing cut. Then she rolled the bandage several times around my neck, tying its end snuggly with a bow.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    In the meantime, Bella was nervously fidgeting by my side, watching the entire process with a fearful expression.


    At the end, Aria turned towards her, hands on her hips and said. ¡ª ¡°See? She will be fine now. At least until we got publicly executed.¡± ¡ª The little girl seemed to calm down somewhat, but those words seemed to set her pants on fire.


    ¡°I can keep a secret!¡± ¡ª She shouted, then added in a more leveled tone. ¡ª ¡°Better than you, anyway.¡±


    Aria¡¯s eyes widened slightly, she directed a thoughtful glance at me then she quickly covered up her previous surprise. ¡ª ¡°Is that so,¡± ¡ª She began crossing her arms doubtfully. ¡ª ¡°and why would I believe that?¡±


    Bella seemed uncomfortable for a few seconds, then she admitted it somewhat reluctantly. ¡ª ¡°Because¡­ I need sister to teach me magic.¡± ¡ª The girl stated in a soft voice.


    Aria, on the other hand, seemed to be completely outraged by the idea. ¡ª ¡°I am not going to let you make a coven of blood mages under my nose!¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t be a sad stick, obviously I don¡¯t intend to teach her blood magic!¡± ¡ª I huffed. ¡ª ¡°We hardly even know if she can learn magic, I mean, she needs power to cast spells.¡±


    Bella straightened up at that. She stretched her arms towards a pillow that was lying on the floor a few meters from us. The same one I smashed into Aria¡¯s face recently. I could see Bella¡¯s concentrated expression as she focused on the pillow. I was curious about what she intended to do, then I noticed a subtle twitch, then another and again.


    In a few more seconds, both me and Aria were staring at the gently floating pillow, unassumingly swimming through the air, until it eventually plopped back on the bed, where it belonged to.


    Our momentary stupor was broken by the girl¡¯s ragged breath. Both of us turned back to her, noticing that the young dwarf''s forehead was covered in fresh perspiration, her cheeks blushed red from the effort as she practically gulped down the air.


    ¡°Alright.¡± ¡ª I said, smiling towards Bella. ¡ª ¡°I will teach you, if you keep my secret safe.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡± ¡ª Bella said, with some effort, still being unable to catch her breath properly. Her tiredness, however, couldn¡¯t hide the excitement and joy spreading through her spirit.


    Then she jumped into my arms, giving me a joyful hug.


    Aria watched the entire exchange, shaking her head in apparent disbelief. ¡ª ¡°Now, there is two of them¡­ What have I got myself into¡­¡± ¡ª She shook her head, but I couldn¡¯t miss the subtle smile at the edge of her lips.


    Then, as if lightning struck her, Aria¡¯s expression froze. ¡ª ¡°Come to think of it.¡± ¡ª She began her inquiry. ¡ª ¡°Did that dwarf you sent flying also realize what you are?¡±


    Oh, so that was it. I shook my head, patting Bella¡¯s back as she cling to me. ¡ª ¡°No¡­ she was. Well, I don¡¯t really get it, but she seemed to have a problem with me from the start. Then she practically jumped on me when I gave her my peace of mind.¡± ¡ª My expression contorted. ¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t really want to talk about that now¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡ª Aria accepted my answer. There was a few seconds of awkward silence, then she added. ¡ª ¡°That vile woman won¡¯t be bothering you for a while. She will be in the infirmary for a few weeks straight, then she will be sent for two months of patrol duty as a punishment for breach of conduct.¡± ¡ª She snorted at that.


    ¡°I know, that is the best they could do, and even that is likely because that Yonalda woman couldn¡¯t contradict her other daughter¡¯s words.¡± ¡ª She laughed drily. ¡ª ¡°Dwarven culture is very lenient on internal matters of the same family. They have considered it as a simple quarrel, nothing more. After all, both of you are women, so what harm could have been done?¡±


    I sighed. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect it any other way. ¡ª ¡°So¡­ What is my punishment for ruining the dining hall and attacking Jolga?¡± ¡ª I asked.


    Aria blinked. ¡ª ¡°What are you talking about? You have done nothing wrong, aside from defending yourself, well, at least not at that time. You are not punished.¡± ¡ª She paused for a second. ¡ª ¡°I have been, however, requested to watch over you from now on. Which is convenient since I would do that either way, knowing what you are.¡± ¡ª She narrowed her eyes at me. ¡ª ¡°You are my responsibility now. I will not live to see you sowing chaos as a blood mage under my watch, just because I let you live.¡±


    I gulped. Tightening my arms around the snoozing Bella, who have fallen asleep in my arms. She is likely suffering from mana exhaustion. Poor girl, she must have been really eager to prove herself.


    I looked back into Aria¡¯s eyes and said with new determination. ¡ª ¡°Fine. Watch me all you want. You won¡¯t regret your decision, since I didn¡¯t intend to use my powers to harm innocent people to begin with.¡±


    Aria glared at me. ¡ª ¡°I would rather you didn¡¯t use that particular power at all.¡±


    I looked back at her and nodded. ¡ª ¡°I can promise that I won¡¯t use it without good reason.¡±


    She slowly closed her eyes, massaging the bridge of her nose. ¡ª ¡°You are the cockiest blood mage I have ever encountered.¡± ¡ª She sighed. ¡ª ¡°Fine.¡± ¡ª Her expression grow serious once more. ¡ª ¡°But let me tell you this, if I find out that you lied to me, and are harming others behind my back.¡± ¡ª Her gaze narrowed, a cold glint of determination mirrored in those ice blue irises. A distant stare that offered me a silent promise, one that could not have been misinterpreted.


    I gulped down my saliva, my throat feeling dry all of a sudden. The recent memory of the bitter touch of metal against my throat sending shivers upon shivers down my spine. My breathing hitched as I said.


    ¡°If¡­ If I ever go down such a dark path. The knowledge that you would come to kill me is a surprisingly reassuring thought.¡± ¡ª I said those words. Feeling quite strange about the situation itself. I could swear that I have read those particular words in some manga or anime back in my previous life.


    Still, their effect on Aria was quite powerful. The woman¡¯s stony expression softened considerably, as she turned towards the door, looking away from me.


    ¡°You better not make me regret this, idiot girl.¡± ¡ª With that said she opened the door and left.