Under the Light of the World at War: Early Chapter 38

The Elf Gate, the final piece of the Ban’dinoriel, the front gates of Silvermoon that was practically impenetrable as the sunwell itself powered the shield protecting the city opened before us. 

It wasn’t closed, there was no threat outside the walls, and so the people of Silvermoon had free access to the city and countryside.

Walking underneath the massive gates, which were utterly ridiculously big, it was honestly awe inspiring.

The Elves knew how to work stone, no doubt there. 

Once inside, the stone road became utterly smooth, each flagstone looked polished and gleaming, glowing as the sun struck them, but not reflecting it, giving it a warm color. The flagstone work was so fine. The cracks showing between stones was more artistic than damage. Wheeled carts pulled along the road didn’t even rumble as they traveled so smooth was the road.

And that transitioned to beautiful blue flagstone sidewalks, and then into the artistic buildings, which half of them were floating over my head, some even above the road. Each connected through artful staircases or rope bridges that weren’t rough, but made of gold filigree rope.

It was without a doubt, a paradise of the elven making. 

Green was everywhere, trellises with private gardens popped out of every building, long hanging vines from the second floor. But the trees were all red and gold, an eternal autumn, creating warmth against the blue and gold highlights everywhere.

Blue really was everywhere. If anyone wondered what the favorite color of the High Elves, they wouldn’t ask after a single glance at their city.

Streetlights glowed with blue Arcane magic, blue and gold was everywhere, High elves wearing such deep blue, an ultramarine, matching their gold, and silver. The crowds walked along, only a few showing any interest in the little horde of us entering, mostly looking at our roughness. Days of hard travel hadn’t left many clean clothes, even with bits of magic to help.

And yet, we split off. Most of the convoy went down one road, and Mama, Papa, El’Tela, and I went down another. 

Her flying carpet wasn’t even getting more than a second glance, and it wasn’t even the only one flying overhead, or down the streets. A broom floated by, and I watched as it stopped, landed on the street and started sweeping up the normal dust of travel, pushing it into the gutters as it went.

We traveled through the city for a long while, under constantly shifting shadows as buildings floated overhead, and the sidewalks were packed with High Elves, walking to and from their destination, it was a busy city, the general chatter of people and the sound of animals, Hawkstriders shrieking, or Dragon Hawks flying overhead were common. 

There was no sense of unease, no one seemed to even care about the Troll attack currently ongoing. Children played in the streets, chasing balls, or running with weird arcane devices. 

Silly little toys and games their only interest. Completely innocent.

“Don’t fall behind Dorah.” Mama called out, and I jerked away from watching how innocent and uncaring everyone felt to hurry up

We traveled far into the city, and through gates, still wide open, but they had actual guards outside of them, but no one stopped El’Tela as she floated through.

“This is the Court of the Sun. We’ll be using the home here until this is over.” She finally spoke as she landed in front of what looked like a shop that lined the streets, but not like minor merchant shops, but some high end place boutiques only the truly wealthy would even think of entering. 

“This?” I asked, but only in a whisper. It certainly didn’t look like a house.

El’Tela groaned lightly as she gathered herself from the carpet as it landed, and I almost hurried over to heal her, but she walked over to the entrance of the shop without waiting and stepped inside

“What’s this then!? A bunch of layabouts wasting time!?” Her voice practically shouted from inside, and I felt myself jolting at what she had just said, I could scrambling from inside.

Mama and I shared a look but Papa just walked in after her. Seemingly not bothered?

“You boy! Go out there and get my carpet, it will need to be fully cleaned!” El’Tela yelled again, and a moment later a teenager came scrambling out, stopping only because he nearly ran into Mama.

“Excuse me!” He yelped, and danced around us as he ran to get the carpet, starting to roll it up, before noticing Mama and I.

His eyes glanced over the two of us as he did so, obviously curious about what was going on.

“Sorry about her, she’s cranky today.” I said apologetically, earning a bit of a surprised look on the older boy's face as I finally walked forward into the shop.

It was… Pretty. All along the walls magical items rested, enchanting, and alchemy, there were even Flying Carpets stored on one wall, right next to a few tailored magical items, including what I was pretty sure was a Runecloth set of bags…

Eeee bag of holding! Every adventurer needed a bag bigger on the inside than the out!

But I shook that off, and focused on what was going on.

El’Tela was taking the place by storm, a woman at the counter was bowing low, wearing a uniform similar to the boy outside… So they were just workers?

“Well where is that little fool?” She snapped as she looked around and obviously didn’t see who she wanted.

“Master Arkhana’Shola, is up stairs in the sitting room, Magistrix.”

“Hmph. Making me walk up stairs to talk to him. Rude boy.” She grumbled as she walked past into a back room.

Papa followed after her slowly, seemingly quite hesitant… Ah no, he was just looking at the enchanting work done to the items along the wall.

Silly Papa.

Mama and I followed, and it looked like the worker was going to say something to stop us, but Mama just walked us right past.

The back room was set up partially like a workshop, obviously work was done here, and I definitely had my eyes on some of the equipment. I could do some crazy tailoring with all that, and over there was some leather equipment, and-

I was tugged along, towards the back door, but instead of going out, El’Tela turned and walked up a set of stairs that were mostly hidden curving up to the second floor.

Papa followed, his eyes showing no interest in the stuff back here. 

El’Tela took the stairs slowly, and I could hear her grunt as she walked up them one at a time. I’d definitely be offering her a heal when she made it to the top, but we all slowly followed her up, and then into a small landing, which seemed extra quiet, until I realized it was both built, in a way to reduce noise from downstairs, and probably had some spellwork. The noise was still coming in through the windows letting in the afternoon sunlight after all.

Grumbling, she walked forward a bit stilted, and opened the door at the end of the landing, and then like it was a new world. The room was fancy, a large entrance way, with a sweeping windows along each side, led to a tiled area with a water fountain of all things, then into a very open floor plan with sunlight leaking in through openings in the roof that led to small gardens along the left and right, and stairs leading to a third floor straight ahead.

But under the stairs was another large door, and this one was open already, and El’Tela walked forward around the fountain glaring at it in dislike as she passed and then forward. There was a sitting room, or maybe a dining room? 

I don’t know, our home was a fairly normal tree house. I don’t know what High Elves would call this, but sitting on a couch in the room, looking over a bunch of papers was a man that reminded me of Papa, and yet wasn’t like Papa at all.

His eyes were sharp, and he had a resting bitch face, which made him look like he was sneering, or maybe it wasn’t resting at all, and he really was just sneering as he rose up.

“Grandmother.”

“Boy.”

“We expected you at the main house.” He said calmly as if it was a minor thing.

“This is my house. Unless you forgot.” She grumbled at him, but to my surprise she walked forward into his space, and reached up, touching his face and twisting him left and right a bit.

Much to his irritation.

“You’ve started greying? You are far too young for that.”

“It is a distinguished look.”

“Ah, some foolish fad again? Still following nonsense like that?.” She grumbled at him, and then the man looked past her, the sneer on his face was very real then.

“Alna.” The worth was pointed directly at Papa. “Brazen to return here.” He spoke just as calmly.

Papa was silent for a while, before finally he spoke.

“Unfortunate circumstances.” I snorted, because that was very unlike Papa, and he was obviously just as unhappy to see the other elf, as he was to be seen.

Which of course brought his attention to me.

“Hmph. “Bele’Din. Your granddaughter, Alah’Dorah Dawnspear.” El’Tela of all people introduced us, seemingly almost amused until she said my last name. “Or at least she would be your granddaughter if you weren’t such a fool.” 

My jaw slowly dropped as all the attention was back on El’Tela at her words, and Bele’Din was glaring like he was about to erupt.

“You’ll of course need to resolve this before you embarrass me any further. I was forced to send a spell to the Hall of Theory about my own theory, without my name on it. Dawnspear of all things!” She scoffed, not even sending an apologetic look at Mama as she spoke. Then she sighed. “Besides. They’ll be staying here until this Troll situation is resolved, and I know how you are. Resolve it, so there will be no problem. So the rumors you are so afraid of will quiet.”

“I will not.” Bele’din said, looking at Papa. “My word stands. He is not my son.”

“Then I’ll do it. I’m sure that won’t cause any rumors… Or maybe I won’t. It won’t matter to me. They are staying here, that is the end of it. The rest is up to you.” She waved him off, walking back over and looking us over. Papa wasn’t looking happy, but he wasn't angry, just irritated. 

“You’ll have the west hall. And of course the grounds are yours to do as you please-”

“Grandmother.” The word was instant but not loud, he had obviously taken a moment to regain himself looking quite frustrated with El’Tela’s words. “The West Hall is occupied.”

“Who?”

“Does it matter? There are the properties on the west side of the city that are open.”

“Those are properties for servants and the like. Don’t be a fool. Since you’ve gone ahead and rented my home out to others, then the east hall will be cleared.”

“Grandmother.”

“Is there another issue?”

“The East hall has been used for storage for over a century.”

“Then it had best be cleaned out quickly. They are moving in today.” She grumbled, and finally sighed. 

“Dorah, I could use your assistance. Walk me up to my room. Until they get my carpet cleaned I’ll be facing these damned stairs.”

“Sure.” I said, understanding what she meant as I followed after her, and I noticed leaving Mama and Papa alone with Bele’din.

That was probably purposeful.

“Don’t look so worried. The fool boys will get over their quibbles. Honestly… I shouldn’t have let it go on like I had.” She grumbled at herself, as she walked out and looked over the stairs.

“I think they had Flying Carpets downstairs? I could probably get one?”

“No, I don’t know who wove those things, and I wouldn’t trust them. I’ll just walk until my carpet is cleaned and brought up.” She huffed and started up the stairs, but I didn’t hesitate, and prepared Holy Light, she was only a few steps up when it washed over her, and her movement evened out becoming less painful as she then managed the rest of the steps, but even at the end she didn’t look happy.

I cast it again just to help.

“That spell of yours is quite the little treasure. I never had any luck learning Healing.”

“It’s great! And it wasn’t that hard.”

“Hmph. You’ve got the talent to say that.” She scoffed at me, then reached out and patted the top of my head, obviously teasing me.

“Are you sure they’ll be okay? Papa was looking annoyed, and he’s never annoyed, unless someone ruins his enchantments.”

“He’ll be fine. They need to perhaps remember they are father and son… But if not, then Bele’din will simply ignore the issue, and your father is the type to be happy to be ignored. Probably why they split apart in the first place.”

“Yeah.” I agreed. Papa was kinda like that. As long as he had enchantments to do he was happy… Well and time with Mama and I.

“Now let’s see what mess they left me with.” She grumbled, right ahead were large doors, and as she walked up they creaked open, instantly earning a look from her. 

“They didn’t even oil the hinges.” Then she looked out, and I did as well. The room was definitely a sitting room, couches and chairs and all the furniture had white sheets covering them, and yet… Picture frames on the walls showing elves I had never seen before. 

Then with a single snap. The entire room jumped to life. The chandelier above the room lit up, somewhat weakly but it brightened the room, as the cloth all whipped itself off, dancing for a moment before falling into a bundle in the corner.

“How’d you do that?”

“Oh? Do what?” She asked, and I realized she was teasing me.

“Hmph! I’ll find out myself then!” I wandered over to the sheets. Seeing if something had magic wasn’t as easy as you’d think as nearly everything did, but I did have a special trick.

“Dispel.” I whispered, grinning as I kept the facade that that’s what I was using and not Spell Steal.

I blinked now holding a spell, and with a grin I looked it over. Simple. Very simple. The cloth itself had been spelled, not an enchantment exactly, but…

The spell was layered into the weave of the cloth and it would…

“Don’t destroy the animation spell on those, it’s annoying to place. Put it back.”

“Yes.” I agreed, I was already looking at the spell, and with a grin. I placed the spell back onto the same cloth I had grabbed it from.

Then I reached out.

It was simple, surprisingly so. A second spell layered onto the cloth and… I tilted my head. That part of the spell had been about the order for the animation, so if I just told it to do this?

I cast the spell, and then snapped.

The cloth jumped into the air and then floated to the ground.

That’s all I could properly figure out what to do.

[Spell Learned: Animate Object]

But with that I had everything I would need to do more. 

“If you are done having fun playing with the linen.”

“You know you’re impressed.” I said smugly, only to instantly have another sheet slam into me covering me entirely and sending me right back onto the pile of sheets.

“Hardly.” Said with all the amusement she ever showed. “Now stop playing. You’ll make a mess.”

“Who is playing exactly?” I grumbled, pulling the sheet off me, and seeing she was walking around the room slowly, examining things, and pulling a few more sheets of cloth from things with a snap.

I hurried away to avoid another sheet that she had just sent over.

She’d definitely just tried to hit me with it again.

I patted myself off and walked over. Then jolted to the side, as another snap caused a tall and thin cupboard to snap open, and a broom to nearly rocket out as it started sweeping buzzily.

“Is that the same spell as the sheets? Just more complicated, I mean.”

“I show you my drawing room, and you are focused on the broom?” She snarked at me, and then waved me over. “Your father.” She pointed, and I perked up. There was a picture of a little elf boy, in silly little noble clothes, standing straight, but even through the little painting he looked like he wanted to leave.

“Heh. He’s cute.”

“He was a frustrating child the few times I met him. No interest in anything but his own little world.”

“Yeah that’s Papa. The trick is to becoming part of that world, instead of trying to force him into yours.” I said, looking at her with a bit of judgement for saying mean things about him.

“Hardly reasonable.” She snarked at me. “I’ll expect you to come by once a day. We’ll figure out the best time, and since we are here, I might take you to the Hall of Theory. Might be interesting to see their reaction.”

“Okay?”

“Hmm. Go on now girl. I need to settle in.” She shooed me off so I turned and headed out of the room and back down the stairs. I found Mama and Papa both together looking into what was probably the East Wing. It had been used for storage for a while from the looks of it, since there were crates, and barrels and things filling up parts of it.

“Well it’s better than trying to find a hostel.” Mama said to Papa and he just hummed. Not seeming to mind it.

“Which rooms are going to be ours?”

“All of them.” Papa said. “The wing is ours while we are here… But we should pick one. Come on let’s see if we can find a mostly empty room? I’ll need one for enchanting as well.”

“Of course.” Mama said exasperated fondness in her tone.

Most of the rooms were covered like El’Tela’s drawing room, but they were also full of stuff. “This is extra stock from the shop. I don’t know why they put it up here, and not just in the storage downstairs.” Papa grumbled, sounding irritated at the mess.

“Maybe they didn't have any more room?” I wondered aloud. There was a lot of stuff, more than would even fit downstairs in the workshop.

“Hmm. That would be odd. Did we expand so much?”

“We have actually.” The voice startled all of us and I turned. Gasping a little.

“Grunkle Zo’Talana!” I greeted him, smiling at the man. He stopped practically flat as I spoke looking confused as I’d ever seen him.

Hehe! 

“Grunkle?”

“Grand Uncle! Grunkle. It’s funny.”

“Definitely not.” He said. But I just kept smiling. Yep going to keep calling him that. He looked away from me at Mama and Papa. “I heard about the situation, Grandmother continues to be unreasonable, but that is just her way. The store rooms will be emptied. I’ve called up the workers from the shop to take care of it.”

“Did you take over the shop? I don’t remember you caring about this place.”

“No, but you know how my brother is. If I left this issue to him, he would ignore you and that would cause issues. He decided to hire on a few workers to handle most of the work, over the last century They’ve ended up increasing our production, but in turn we hold onto things longer.”

“I heard about that even at home, the expansion of the Arkhana’Shola reached me.”

“Well they’ve expanded our options considerably. Not just enchanting, and spell work. Alchemy, and more tailoring options.” Despite not being being in charge, Grunkle sounded fairly proud of it, I noticed.

“Quality has dropped.” Papa said bluntly, and that seemed to splash some ice on Grunkle mood.

“Hmm.” Grunkle Zo’Talana hummed, not disagreeing. “Despite everything, you are guests of El’Tela, and the shopkeepers have been informed you are to be treated as such. If you need them to do something, don't hesitate to ask. They are quartered in the west hall.”

“We won’t abuse the trust.” Mama said as Papa seemed uninterested in the whole thing.

“Good. In turn, of course, if someone wishes to do some work for the shop, there are freelance options.”

“Where are you coming with this Uncle? You’ve never cared about the shop, you left it to… Him, and never cared before.” Papa said, surprisingly on point, but then again Papa looked… Frustrated. He was a little wound up.

“It is our family's source of wealth… And while your circumstances removed you, I’ve never doubted your ability towards enchantment. You would do well for improving the work we are selling.”

Papa nodded, relaxing a bit. “I’ll think about it.”

“The Shopkeeper… I forget her name, contact her if you wish. Now, on other matters… Child.”

“I have a name Grunkle.” I replied back.

“Alah’Dorah.” He responded obviously more willing to get on with it, by just accepting my wishes. “You have kept up on your training?”

“Nope! There isn’t anyone else to fight with.” I said honestly, and he looked disgruntled. 

“Disappointing after all the work I did.”

“Oh I’m still just as good! I didn’t forget anything!” I argued and he just scoffed. 

“Perhaps, we’ll have to see about that.”

“Want me to beat you up again?” I teased, eyes narrowed as I smirked at him knowing it would piss him off.

“Come along then and I’ll see-” He stopped himself. “Brat. Another day, since you just arrived. While you are here, I won’t let your talent go to waste.” He looked at Mama and Papa, for a while then nodded at them.

“Welcome back to Silvermoon.”

—--

My room ended up the first door on the left down the east hall. It was one of the smaller rooms, and I think it was originally a servant quarters or something, but frankly it wasn’t that big a deal. It was just the easiest room to empty out. Everyone focused on that one for me, while Mama, Papa, and the workers of the shop would continue moving things around until Mama and Papa had space.

I flopped back on the bed. The sheets were fresh and clean, and despite just being full of crates the room felt well cleaned. 

But it wasn’t home.

I lay there for a while luxuriating in the feel of a real bed after so long of sleeping in the woods running from Trolls, after chasing Trolls.

So much had changed. Silvermoon sounded different. The noise coming through my window was constant people walking, carts passing by. The noise of a city.

I’d never wanted to come to Silvermoon. Even gotten pissy with Zo’Talana about it so long ago, and yet here I was.

The Trolls would continue to be a problem, probably for years. I felt my fist squeeze tight as I thought about them. The horrors they were doing, and the evil of it all. 

I needed to grind, to get stronger and stronger, so that I could fight them. As an elf, I wouldn’t reach my full height until I was about sixteen, and even then it would be another decade until I stopped looking like a teenager. 

But four years? Well more like three and a half? 

Three and half years to prepare myself for war.

I punched my fist towards the ceiling I was staring at. Blessing of Wisdom washed over me as I did. I would fill every moment I could with grinding over the next few years.

And in between I would have to get used to living in Silvermoon. Until the Trolls were gone, I wouldn’t be able to get home.