"Where are we going?"
"Where you said you wanted to go, I'll get you to meet glasses."
Keith kept a close distance and guided me ahead. I, of course, did not miss the downer look on him. Half because Titania did not let me.
It was very clear that he was facing a giant shock. I meant much more to these guys than I realized most of the time, I had felt it back when I had gone to be an adventurer. Keith held faith in me, thinking it nothing more than a young and hotblooded action.
But now that I had presumably died, the narrative had changed and spiraled out of his hand. He could not keep himself with a straight face, how could he?
I wouldn't be able to myself.
I wrapped my hand around Keith's shoulder.
"Hah. You've grown as tall as me now, Young Master."
"I have, huh?"
"You were still a couple inches shorter last time. You won't grow more though, twenty two is old."
"Twenty two is old."
Just not as much as him. He was already in his thirties. On average he still had about a hundred and fifty years of life yet, but since he was stronger than most he would likely live two or three.
I wondered what that useless glasses was doing outside the city, but did not bring it up.
I had not grown stronger to worry so much. It did not suit me.
Strength came with authority. I could do whatever I wanted.
I just didn't want to ruin many people's lives to fulfill my whims of power. Not anymore. The more of them could be happy, the better it was.
But I wasn't going take on needless worries for that note. It would be defeating the purpose. Maybe the strong would have to choose, but the strongest could keep it all.
"What are you doing in this place?" I asked Keith. "Why in the land of elves… what do they call it?"
"Avalion."
As we crossed a few more of the narrow paths, the space between the dense trees in the forest grew wider and wider. In the middle of each of them were not houses and huts made of trees.
Many elves entered my sight as they walked by with their daily lives. Some brought back game and fruits from deeper in the forest, others processed it.
It was stunning how everything was this deeply connected in the world of the elves. Where bridges of branches connected one house on the trees with another and routes passed by from one block to the other.
The elves looked our way and smiled, some even bowed and I tipped my hat at them.
"It must be hellish for them," I said to Keith.
"That is the issue, young master. You invade people's homes, you separate them from their families, you push them to the brink each day while speaking of a war, and the war never comes."
The sensitivity amongst the soldiers must have been great already. People may have been ready to put their lives on the line for a month or two, maybe half an year or two, but what then?
What about when it became three years, four, five? All without any sign of the threat that, as luck would have it, many had not even witnessed with their own eyes. People from my world were just one of those. Very few lands were able to witness the power of the Outer Gods first hand like Earth.
The constant missions inside, the influx of refugees and survivors, all of them helped keep them together. But a string that's pulled form both ends is bound to break today or tomorrow.
One had to loosen one end before it broke apart. Anxiety had to be replaced by fear and fear by certainty.
"Why are you here, you never answered."
"I keep an eye out on Lady Charlotte. Duke's orders."
I couldn't help but feel a sense of distance from his words. The five years must have been hard on him too.
"The duke and many others blame themselves for your death. Maria and Lily, they were both swooped up by her. They are working with Charlotte at the moment."
"You jest."
"That is just how it is, young master."
We soon passed by the village of the elves and found a giant tree sitting at the center of the forest. Blue fireflies fluttered around the tree, lighting the dark green grass up with their ethereal dust.
"Come here," said Keith. "Toward the tree."
I followed Keith closer to the tree and looked around it. The enormous tree was about five or even six times my size, it's girth wide enough to fit a staircase inside.
Keith gently touched the hollow in the tree and placed his hand inside. His energy flew out of his hand and covered the tree.
In the next moment, the back of the bark popped open like a door.
"The fuck?" I yelped.
A smirk covered Keith's face.
"Get in."
I peeked at the back of the gate, the mark of a Dark Moon was drawn on it as it opened to the innards of the giant tree, a staircase stuck on it from the side of the hollow that went deep underground.
A chuckle left me as I hopped straight down and Keith followed.
My hair rose up against the gravity as we fell straight down. The drop was fairly large and before I knew it.
I opened my eyes to another place below the ground.
Where the roots of the trees thrived with fruits and flowers down below, stretched a wide land of people and their homes.
Elves, and humans, dwarves and dragonewts, all the races I had seen back in the World Tree were here once more, albeit in exponentially fewer numbers, they were still numerous enough to fill this entire underground town.
Falling after me, Keith grinned wide and whistled out loud.
"This," he said. "Is the land of the Dark Moon."
I looked back at Keith.
"Eugy! Dodge!"
The man had a giant smile on his face as he swung his hand, his punch came hurtling straight toward my head as his cheerful tone returned.
"Welcome back, Young master!"
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