And so, later that morning, we rallied up upon the city of the timberlands. Along the way, I have told them the majestic events that have unfolded the past dawn.
“That was beauty, through and through.” Said Adonia
Who could deny that? For it was nothing short than a sensation. But I have a bonfire of questions flickering through my head. How in the world can he do such a thing? Are these people indigenous to this land? Do they share the same magical blessings as us? I do have an obligation to ask now since I now share this language.
Gentle flutes whistle in the far end of the city, where their music resonates through the woods and leaves. Perhaps whoever is playing that melody is innocently ignorant of the fact that our very hearts and souls began to dance in grand delight. The denizens of the canopy smile at our appreciation. It as if they have been abused by outsides before and are finally relived that their latest guests are just as humble and wise as them. But would that sentimental feeling last, or will our nature and motives ever so slightly cross at one point? But in any case, everyone is happy to have a definite sign of civilization after trekking for months now. Dringol stand by the inner city gates with a few modestly dressed young adults and a shaman of some sort flanking him. Every step we make, every curve of gratitude made, every ounce of faithfulness shown, seems to be shown and judged by the eyes of our woodland hosts. And they are quite pleased.
“Adraman, welcome back. I see that your camp as arrived bemused and in respect. All will be arranged soon enough”.
“Lord Dringol, I thank you for accepting us weary martyrs of Christ. I am sure that you can sympathize with us, as your kin seem so dedicated to your own faith. Whether through Christ or an Elven equivalent, May God Bless you”
Dringol gave a hearty laugh and then patted my shoulder.
“What a dedicated and wholesome priest you are. Caring for the meek and the oppressed, and always holding out a hand to new people. From the start, Adraman, I knew that you have a heart of gold and needs pure and simple. I trust in you that you will pay all respects to our culture, our beliefs, and people.”
“By the gentle benedictions of the Holy Archangels, I shall!”
“Right then, Mydho, Jar, please escort these people to their living quarters. As for you Adraman, I like you to meet Allue, high priest of Kingdom Eythertlarn.”
I turn over my shoulder and spot Adonia coming to me.
“Hey how did they know your dream?” she puzzled
“I wonder if it would be too much to have my dear friend, Adonia, come along.
Allue nodded no and we followed him towards his temple.
Allue had a robe with a dark forest green background with patterns of swirling and twisting vines in white. The cuffs and hemps of the robe are trimmed with lighter shade of forest green. He resembles a man in his late 18th year. He carries a large tree branch for a staff with a curled knob on the end. He seems reluctant to speak and the journey had an unnerving moment of silence. Adonia was the one to break that silence.
“As him what is your kind’s name?”
“They call themselves sun elves.”
“How did you even know what they said?”
“I will tell you later”
“We are here” said Allue, ending our conversation
The temple had a large effigy of a beautiful elven woman holding up the sun carved into the bark. The air was thick with the mist of magic and medicine floating about in the room. There are bed with sick elves laid, waiting patiently for their cure. Shelves of jars filled with reagents and organic ingredients are labeled and organized neatly. There are a few book cased placed neatly to the end of the room, ajar to a workbench. A young apprentice was just mending a broken arm with a flick of his wand and aromatic leaves covering the arm like a cast. He was modestly dressed; his attire is blank for any sort of badge or emblem of observations to his work. He seems to stumble on his words as his master arrives.
“O-o-o-h welcome back…Master.” I was just finishing this one job.
“Darronuth, fetch me some more salamanders by the river” ordered Allue. There was not a hint of anger in his voice, but there was a strong sense of order and duty. He was concerned with nothing else but Zen Buddhist like perfection. Darronuth slipped out obediently with a jar filled with water.
“Apologies for that. I hadn’t realized that my apprentice was still here mending the sick.”
“Quite the noble work you have here”
Adonia looks at us with utter confusion.
“Thank you, thank you, now Lord Dringol has told me to explain to you the phenomenon that occurred this morning.”
“I have experience merging magic with prayer before, mind you. But these months here were mind boggling to me. I know there is more out there to magic. Please Allue, teach me.”
“Would you just tell me what is going on here!” Whined Adonia. Both of our eyes
darted, feeling disrespect, at Adonia.
“Keep quite Adonia!” I snapped at her
“Anyways, its quite simple, given your experience with magic. You know very well the soul, body, and mind. Well what has happened during that resurrection was by some unknown force, you were forged a new body with your soul. What that force is I have no clue. But for some reason or another, you ended up here. However, this new body is prone to magical interfrerence. It is up to me as master in general and healing magic to teach you what we know about magic. I won’t make you catch salamanders, that’s for sure. But what I do ask of you is up most dedication to the skill. Given your previous deication to your people, it shouldn’t be a problem.
“What about Adonia?”
Allue gives the same bodily language to Adonia as with his apprentice. She backs away a bit in fear.
“We can manage”
“One last question. May I know how Drignol allowed me to speak the elven language?”
“Well, the language has to be used often in casting grand spells. With a mind altering spell, he implanted a sort of celestial ball made out of pure mind magic, inside was a copy of his knowledge of the Elven language. All it takes is to implant the language encoded energy to be implanted into you success. All will be reviled about magic soon enough. Perhaps you can write a spell in your native tongue soon, Adraman!”
“Thank you Allue, I shall return soon enough tomorrow to start.”
Adonia is now as anxious to leave as a toddler. I shake my head in disappointment.
We left the temple, about ready to slap her wrist for this childish act.
“What is with you Adonia! Have some self-respect and learn patience! Patience Adonia! That is what you seriously lack! Sure you might not understand them, but at least speak to them through manners!”
“Well sorry I am not as perfect as you are!”
“Just hurry up, I can see where guardsmen are pointing to where our group is.”
We climb up the spiral stairs to come across a small cluster of houses nesting
together under one canopy. They are mostly empty but we can make do without material pleasures. There is a small temple nearby where a young priestess offers her minor blessings to this part of the neighborhood.
“Alright everyone, I know that none of you here can speak Elven and no one here speaks Latin. However, we share a similar unspoken language, morals and manners. Give them the utmost respect and listen carefully to their words. Match what they associate with. The key here is respect and patience. Right Adonia?”
“Right” sighed Adonia
“I recommend most of us start off as farmers because that is seems to be the
easiest job we can do as foreigners. This should solidify our connection with these people. Above all else, be thankful for them. Welcome home everyone.”
