Destiny Island

Chapter 48

Once their senses returned to them, like disobedient children, Amber and Jade were finally able to move towards the mesmerizing feast that awaited them.

First of all, the whole room where the feast was held was covered in gold and white marble decorations that made everything shine brightly but at the same time unobtrusively that the sight simply took one's breath away. It was at the same time comfortable and mesmerizing which was quite a contradiction in itself.

The huge chandeliers with candles lit in them could be distinguished because of their beauty and grace, and the fact that Amber loved chandeliers. She almost tripped on her own feet a few times simply because she was staring at the magnificently carved chandeliers which were of a material unfamiliar to her. If she had had to guess, she would have said that it was some kind of marble.

There were the most delicate flowers strewn over the room in what felt like the perfect balance of light and colors. It looked to Amber as if the whole feast had been prepared with a lot of magic, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was in their honor or if every feast had the same type of flare about it.

The long tables that seemed to go on forever were covered in a white tablecloth that seemed to have been made from the purest silk. There was a path going down the middle of the table and it was covered in the most beautiful decorations Amber had ever seen.

There were gorgeous pink flowers flaunting their beauty and then there was a candle slowly burning next to it, the shadows giving a special charm to the table. The same dance between light and flowers went on throughout the whole length of the table. It was the most fascinating and soothing sight at the same time.

The plates themselves were decorated in gold, however, they didn't have patterns or lines but the pictures from what Amber assumed to be the elf history. The interplay between the elves and the beings of the island, the secret dance of the past and the present was mesmerizing. It was a wonder anyone got around to eating any food.

Food itself spread the most hypnotizing smell that spoke of freshly baked bread, perfectly brewed stew and the freshness of vegetables. Even before tasting the food or even seeing it the girls knew that what awaited them was an explosion of different tastes and textures and that on its own was mouthwatering.

The elves who escorted them to the feast were finally able to lead them to their seats. Once they sat down, Amber noticed that she was sitting right across from Ignacio while Jade was situated opposite Royce. Amber couldn't help but wonder if it was by chance or by design.

Only then did Amber notice Ignacio for the first time since entering the room. To say that his handsomeness took her breath away, would be a vast understatement. It felt to her like she was seeing Ignacio for the first time in all his glorious beauty.

That was when she started blushing profusely since those kinds of thoughts had never dared enter her mind before. It was in a way forbidden, by her own will, to lose her heart to anyone, to admire anything or anyone so openly, but she couldn't help it. She had known for a while how she felt about Ignacio.

It had nothing to do with his beauty but all to do with the depths of his heart. However, upon noticing the said beauty she couldn't help but wonder... Wonder how it would be to tell him the truth, to have the courage to reveal the emotions that she feared the most. Would she be rejected by him? Or would she had the chance to taste the flavor of his lips and see if it would be as pleasurable as she assumed?

Seeing Ignacio looking at her she suddenly shook hear head in a distinctly unladylike fashion, as if that would shake off the swarm of inappropriate thoughts that attacked her mind when she noticed how excruciatingly well Ignacio looked in the suit. How his eyes became even more prominent, enchanting even.

She could see Ignacio raising his eyebrows as if questioning the look she was giving him. However, for a moment she could have sworn she had felt his eyes roaming over her appearance, appreciating her attire. Still, she couldn't tell if it was just wishful thinking or his eyes held a certain interest in her, even if only in her physical appearance.

Then she noticed that Jade was staring in Royce's general direction with a strikingly different expression, the one of disgust. Curious to find out what could be so off-putting for her friend, and welcoming a distraction from devouring Ignacio with her eyes she shifted her gaze to Royce.

The moment her eyes registered what was happening she could understand why Jade was so repulsed by the situation. Royce was as handsomely dressed as Ignacio and it would have been a sight to behold had he not taken a huge chunk of meat with his bare hands and bit into it like a caveman who knew nothing of forks, knives or table manners.

"What?" Royce mumbled through the mouthful that he was viciously chewing on at that very moment.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Jade said.

Finally, Ignacio had mercy on his friend and showed him subtly to use a napkin. He had to use two. After that little incident, the dinner went on without a hitch. The food was delicious, the company was lively and the drinks were invigorating.

However, before they were ready for the magic of it all to end, there was a sudden commotion among the elves. It felt like there was some big event happening and everyone knew their roles in it except for the poor humans whose eyes kept sweeping the room in search for answers.

"I must apologize. It seems like our visiting with each other must be cut short. There is a storm coming and I fear you are yet not strong enough to weather the storm." Vulluin said.

"Of course we are strong enough. I have been through a magical storm before." Jade said.

"Yes, you have, however, I fear this storm is quite different from the one you had experienced. You see, it is a memory storm." Vulluin said.

"What is a memory storm?" Amber asked.

"Memory storm is nothing more and nothing less than what the name states. It is a storm of memories. You see, in our land, memories are stored in a cloud since we live such long lives and it's difficult to keep everything in our own minds. From time to time, the same way a human world receives a shower of precious water, we receive some cherished memories to freshen up our minds." The elf said.

"Well, wouldn't it be fun for us to experience something like that?" Royce asked.

He was feeling more adventurous than ever and it seemed as if the prospect of reliving some elf memories seemed fun to him probably having in mind all the wonders and knowledge they could contain.

"I am afraid not. Human minds are not so magically inclined to receive the memories as the gift they are. The human mind, as well as the minds of many other magical beings, refuse to accept the memories as their own, their bodies fight against the intruders and some terrible mental conditions might ensue." Vulluin replied.

Upon hearing that, the humans were more than eager to leave as soon as possible, even if it required of them to wear the fancy attire that they had on. However, they were assured that there was enough time before the storm for them to change into travel clothes they were provided with and get some supplies for the road ahead.

After gathering all that, they were led to a huge river which they were told would bring them to the other side of the elf land from the one they entered. Hesitant as they were, they cautiously stepped into the water and the next thing they knew their feet were touching dry land.

They had left the land of the elves just in time and were off to another adventure.