"How much further until we reach Myrdin?" I asked, a small bead of nervous sweat running down my face. "The gate is just over this next hill," my brother answered, pointing down the path. "Feeling anxious, are we?" he asked, noticing my expression. "Yes and no. I think it's a bit more nervousness than anything else," I said, not wanting to address the root of my anxiety.
"You're nervous about mom, aren't you? What does she look like? How does she sound? What will she think of you? I've noticed you haven't mentioned her once since finding out she was still around from grandfather," Bernar noted, almost as if reading my thoughts. "Am I wrong to be nervous? I haven't seen her since I was four, and even then, I remember very little of her," I replied, scratching my cheek and shifting my eyes away from my older brother.
"No, I don't think you're wrong to be nervous. I was, too, when I first came to Caegwen to train," Bernar said, gazing off into the distance as if peering into an old memory. "Still, I don't think you'll have much to worry about. Shit, I don't think you'll even have the time to think too hard on it, once we arrive," he said, chuckling lightly.
He knows what to expect already, doesn't he? I thought, observing his demeanor.
"I guess you're right," I conceded. I knew that at this point, there was nothing left to do but accept whatever happened. "The only advice I can give you is this: She's fast. I mean, really fucking fast. That's all," he said, his tone a little more ominous than I thought he intended. "I'll keep that in mind," I said, trying to figure out why he was warning me of that. When nothing that made any sense came to mind, I just shut up and observed the final changes to my surroundings as we approached the main gate.
The entrance to the capital of Caegwen, Myrdin, was a true sight to behold. We were still about a kilometer away, but even through the dense forest, I could see it as clear as day. Towering high into the canopy was a gate formed of molded titanwood trees.
The deep, brown hues of the smooth bark almost made it look like it had been polished as it reflected the few rays of sunlight that shone through the canopy. These trees, from what Bernar told me, could be manipulated through mana to create all kinds of intricate structures.
"Is that the same kind of mana manipulation that made those huts in the sequoia trees we saw earlier?" I asked. "That didn't take you long at all to piece together, did it? But yes, you're right," Bernar replied. As we drew closer, I began to see the detailed, titanwood constructs that formed the walls surrounding the capital. While perhaps not as densely packed as a brick and mortar wall, the sturdiness of titanwood was not to be underestimated.
Atop the walls, I could see guardsmen doing their rounds, scouting for potential threats that might be borne of the forest. Their metallic breastplates, pauldrons, and greaves had their shine muted by a dark green dye that helped accentuate the leather components that made up the remainder of their armor, fitting closely against their bodies. Their barbuta helmets had cutouts for their ears to protrude without hindering their hearing.
While many of them wore the same armor, there was one who cradled a frogmouth bassinet and horse-tail plume who stood out from them all. He spotted us, raising his gauntleted hand to halt his archers from shooting at us. I hadn't noticed it until now, mostly due to my distracted brain focusing on how their armor looked, but I finally noticed that it wasn't just the guards atop the wall who withdrew their arrows, but also ones hidden in the canopy.
How the hell did I not even sense them? I thought as I watched a pair of archers disappear behind a branch far above me.
"Are you two the Codrean synners?" the elf with the frogmouth bassinet called out. Whoever he was, his armor clearly stated that he was in charge of the situation. "We are, indeed," my brother answered the call. "By moss and stream, is that you, Bernar?" the elf asked, a tinge of excitement evident in his bright, crisp voice. His ashen hair, bright smile, and emerald eyes all complimented the immaculate set of armor he wore.
"Yes, it is, Vesryn. Alive and in the flesh," my brother replied, a smile growing across his face. Vesryn, as I gathered was the elf's name, laughed heartily as he watched us dismount. "It's good to see you again, my friend! It has been many moons since you were last here, as is evident by your growth," the elf exclaimed, moving towards us at a leisurely pace.
"Is there an elf you don't know?" I asked in a whisper. "When you live and know each other for as long as they do, meeting a new person could be the highlight of their year, maybe even their decade. You'll see what I mean soon enough," my brother replied. "Well, when you put it that way…" I muttered, lifting my eyebrows and scrunching my right cheek.
The two bowed in greeting, as the elf turned to me. "Thoma, I presume?" Vesryn asked with a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Vesryn," I replied with a low bow. Just as I rose, I felt an odd, overwhelming pressure exuding from him. It wasn't like anything I had felt before, almost like my entire body felt heavier and sluggish, distorting my vision like I had suddenly become drunk and carrying the weight of a small house. I struggled to maintain my footing, feeling the fogginess in my mind grow increasingly stronger.
What the fuck is this? I thought, fighting to stay awake.
"Oh? He's holding out alright and staying awake," I could hear the elf say. "I'm not sure his eyes rolling into the back of his head is considered awake," I heard Bernar's muffled voice grow clearer as I regained my focus. I could still feel the weight of the strange pressure on me. "What the fuck is this?" I asked, barely able to form a coherent sentence.
Just as suddenly as it came, the pressure was gone, like it had never happened in the first place.
"I apologize for that, but I was curious to see if what I'd heard about you from Anwill was true," Vesryn said, putting one hand to his chest and bowing his head. "If what was true?" I asked, genuine confusion strewn across my features.
"Anwill said you were quite an interesting person in a number of ways, though he never quite specified which ones. That pressure you just felt was a sort of test I like to do on those I meet for the first time," Vesryn said, a small hint of amusement in his voice.
"And what did this… test reveal to you?" I asked, still a little shaken and confused at his way of meeting new people. "Let's just say today will be interesting for all of us," he replied mysteriously. I turned to look at my brother for a potential answer, but all he did was shrug. "I'm not saying a fucking word," he said before I could even ask a question.
This piece of shit… I thought, shaking my head.
"Well, you know who I am, but aside from your name, and the fact that you also happen to know my brother, I know little about you," I said, trying not to let my tone sound annoyed. "Ah, quite right. I am Captain Vesryn Morlen of the Myrdinian guard, loyal servant to their majesties Elhael and Aurae Phrys," he bowed once more, the plume on his cradled helmet matching his hair both in color and movement. "The honor is all mine, as you already know who I am, apparently," I returned the bow, though this time without the immense pressure.
"True enough, but there is still much regarding that yet to be revealed," Vesryn said. I couldn't help but wonder why he was speaking so cryptically, but then again, it must have been something he either wasn't allowed to tell me, or couldn't because it wasn't his place to. "Come, allow me to accompany you to the palace. The king and queen are anxious to meet you, and have been expecting your arrival for some time, now," the elf said, gesturing for the massive gate to open.
Nothing, not a book, dream, or legend could've prepared me for the beauty that was Myrdin. Everything, from the houses to the carriage guards that lined the streets, was formed of the same type of mana manipulation that formed the gate and city walls. As far as I could see, the houses both grew from the ground and up into the tall sequoia trees like some sort of grapevine wrapping itself around the titanic trees.
Each structure seemed to flow into each other, as if grown from the same seedling. It was difficult to determine where one house ended and another began. It all flowed so naturally, as if the elves were truly one with nature and its mana.
Those who walked the streets were also generally clad in the same style of clothing, though variations in color could be seen throughout. Their flowing robes were either tied or tucked into each other at specific points, forcing the fabric to fold multiple times near the chest and waist areas at varying angles.
"It's… beautiful," I said, unable to keep my jaw from slamming into the floor in awe. "Yes, it is. It's been too long since I've been here, but I still hold fond memories of this place," Bernar said dreamily. As we walked, a few of the elves caught sight of us being led by Vesryn. Apparently, he held a decent amount of respect, as not a single elf who caught sight of us failed to bow in respect.