Elsewhere: Alfheim

Chapter 10: Exchange

This town is breathtaking. I've never seen a mountain town before. There are children playing on the sides of the gigantic mountain with shops on the outskirts of pathways that look too natural to have been made by physical means. Laughter fills the air along with the sounds of blacksmiths and the sizzling of food being prepared. 

"If the Dresden are people of the forest, does that mean the elves here are people of the mountain?"

Sophia turns to me with a mischievous smile. "Are we people of the mountain?"

They repeat as we reach what looks like an entrance to a cave in the mountainside. "It's more like the mountain is our mother. So, in a way..." they step through the entrance.

"We ARE the mountain."

I was wrong about the entrance being the entrance to the cave. As if to demonstrate the meaning of Sophia's words, the entire inside of the mountain is a city. The outside of the mountain now seems rural compared to the inside. 

"What...is this?" Is the only thing I can manage as I'm captivated by the fact that the inside of this mountain has an artificial sun, houses, temples, and- wait.

"What was the process of putting all of this in a mountain. This had to have taken hundreds of years, which I understand is no problem for an elf, but it's still a tremendous amount of work."

"That's an interesting question. The answer requires you to question which place is the true home of the elves."

Before I can respond, someone approaches us smiling. 

"Found another stray, Sophia?" They say with a laugh.

Silvia glances at me and then back at them suddenly, looking grave.

"No." They respond flatly.

The demeanor of the unnamed elf also changes.

"Wyrd." They say.

"Wyrd." Sophia agrees solemnly. 

"Wow, never thought I'd see the day." They walk off shaking their head, laughing softly.

"Is it really that weird that someone comes here? Or is it weird that I'm not a stray?" I ask, confused.

"No, not weird. It's Wyrd. As in fate or destiny."

"Hm. I've heard that pronounced as word not weird."

Sophia snorts. "Just another way that they've tried to separate them from us."

"Hm..." I consider the schism between the two groups of elves as we continue walking. 

"I guess it does feel like a fateful encounter." I say after a few minutes pass.

We approach a door to a house before Sophia speaks again. 

"We're about to find out." They say as they open the door.

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Part of me was expecting someone to be waiting, but instead, it's an empty home. There's a floating round table in the circular room we're in, and the walls look to be literally filled with books. The only areas that there aren't any books in are the doors that no doubt lead to the bedrooms.

"I've never seen a floating table before." My attention shifts back to the table.

Sophia glances at it while lifting their hand, causing the table to float until it's flush with the ceiling. "What can I say? I have curious taste." They say proudly before their demeanor returns to be serious.