The wanderer and Jeb approached the end of the trail. The flora smelled of fresh rain, an enticing scent to him. The entrance of the path, served as an overwatch to the city, providing a beautiful scenery. Kenneth Striker and his son arrived, meeting with a few other guardsmen that remained posted.
That's a lot of guards waiting for us, the wanderer thought.
"I take it, everything turned out well," Kenneth asked, looking at the cradled half-elf. "Ah, she did it again? What happened?"
"She saved us from a bear infected with necro-bytes," Jeb said, looking toward the wanderer. "He helped her. If it weren't for him, we'd all be dead."
"A necro-byte infected bear? Christ. I suppose it couldn't be worse."
"You'd be surprised by how much it can alter genetic makeup," The wanderer spoke. "It all comes down to the host."
"Eh, right."
Kenneth looked saw the smoke rise into the clearing clouds. He could only imagine how the fight went down. Bears were rare in the area, but to know necrobytes infected one was an unsettling prospect. He wondered how the mayor would feel about the unimaginable destruction that took place. The old guard couldn't be bothered.
"All's well, ends well, I guess," He continued. "We can take them from here, Jeb. I hope your brother is doing okay. We saw him off to the hospital. I'm sure he'll do fine."
"He lost his arm," Jeb said. "But we barely got away with our lives. We came across your search party."
"A hospital?" The wanderer uttered, drawing their confused looks.
"Uh, we'll be on our way," Kenneth said. "Good thing her residence isn't too far."
Jeb and wanderer parted ways as the guards escorted him to Enne's residence. It was to the north of where they were. Billy guided Enne's horse along as the wanderer carried her. There was a long silence amongst them. The wanderer absorbed the greenery in all its beauty. Kenneth thought it was too quiet as he cleared his throat.
"So, wanderer," He said. "Where you from?"
"The shores," The wanderer replied.
"The shores?" Billy responded. "I heard it's quite a sight."
"Eh, it's okay," The wanderer said. "Nothing but pirates and dangerous sea creatures. Trust me, you aren't missing much. Do you get visitors often?"
"We're the best-kept secret," Kenneth answered. "We do get some commerce from traveling merchants, but we get just as many refugees from the outliers towns. We try to accommodate them the best we can, but there are problems trying in doing that."
"How so?"
"Disagreements in our city council. Enne and I have permanent seats, but we get pushback. That's a whole other story. But you wanderers are a rare bunch. What brings you to Gardenia?"
"Well. We are sort of like hermits. But, what I'm doing here, I'm just passing through."
They were going further up the hill, seeing the sea of rye blow gently against the calm wind. He wondered if a place could exist beyond this region. Every town or settlement he visited was a hellhole in comparison. Battlefields, trafficking, and oppression marked their modern world.
Hell, sure missed a spot, He thought.
"Enne lives further from the town," The wanderer noted.
"It ain't too far, Kenneth said. "They lived in the manor for centuries."
They crossed a bridge onto the other side, where a mansion stood; Its old southern structure was appealing to him. The wanderer looked on while guided by the father-son duo. The lawn and bushes were well-trimmed. A pair of armed guards by the entrance greeted them with automatic weapons and well-constructed armor.
"Lieutenant Striker," The guards greeted with a salute. "Lady Enne?"
"How are you fellas doing," Kenneth asked. "Enne is unconscious from a necrobyte attack and we have a-um, guest of honor."
A guest of honor? The wanderer thought.
"You saved Enne. That's no small feat. I'm sure her brother will have questions… And give thanks."
Wonder what he's like? The wanderer wondered.
"I swear that woman needs to be a little more careful."
"I would've done what anyone else would," He said.
"No need to be modest."
"You may enter," The guardsmen said.
They allowed them passage, opening the double doors for them. The wanderer observed how well polished the details were. The old-style Victorian mansion was an impressive size, bigger than it looked in the distance. A young Elven maid greeted them. He recognized her as a full-blooded elf, by her distinct iris and angled ears. Her jet black hair was tied back in a low ponytail with a modern maid uniform that fit snuggly against her body.
Her baby blue eyes enveloped the cat-like irises, which narrowed to the sight of an unconscious Enne. The maid gasped as she looked upon her slumbering master. She rushed toward the wanderer, taking her away from him.
"Oh my," She asked him. "Master Enne? What happened?"
"A fight with a necro-bear," He answered, surprised by her range of emotions.
"I'll take her from here. Thank you for bringing her back."
The maid carried her master up the stairs. Her diligence assured the wanderer she would be fine. He continued examining his surroundings while waiting for her brother. The entrance area had two sets of stairs running along the walls, spiraling to the third floor. The furnishing was pristine, as he imagined a dwelling would be for elves. Footsteps drew closer as they looked up. Walking down the left stairs was the owner of the mansion, Enne's younger brother.
**
Kenneth and Billy bowed to his presence as he looked upon them. The wanderer was unaccustomed to authority figures as he stood before him. Kenneth and Billy glanced over at him, puzzled by his indifference. The half-elf wasn't an imposing figure. He was 6 feet tall with a slender build. His short white hair was cropped and his complexion like his sister. He wore a particular uniform that didn't seem to belong to a particular organization the wanderer was aware of. It looked like an old uniform from a bygone era. He glared at the wanderer with a nod.
"You must be the wanderer she keeps gushing over," he said. "My name is Mathias Bouvire, what's your name?"
"Uh," He responded hesitantly.
The wanderer was wary of giving a name, but considering everything that happened, he made the exception. The half-elf had a commandeering tone.
"No need to be reserved, wanderer."
"Alejandro Gaitan."
"Alejandro Gaitan?" He repeated, as though processing his name. "Lieutenant Striker, you are dismissed."
"Be seeing you," Billy said to the wanderer as he stood up.
Kenneth and Billy bowed before exiting the doors. Mathias and Alejandro waited for the doors to close before continuing. Alejandro found it amusing the whimsical woman would speak of him when he knew little about him.
"So, she spoke of me?" Alejandro said, meeting Mathias's frown.
"And she wouldn't shut up about it! On and on, about you possessing knowledge of the world! I swear she gets excited over the smallest of matters!"
But we hardly spoke, He thought.
"What has she done this time?" The lord continued.
"Necro-bear."
"A necro-bear? She just couldn't hold her excitement in for a battle."
The wanderer nodded, unsure what to say.
"Thank you for bringing her here in one piece. Last night, she insisted I make you a guest of honor. So you can stay for as long as you need to."
"Need to?"
"She rarely goes out her way to make a demand, although she is the one in charge."
I thought he was in charge, Alejandro wondered.
"What seems like you're confused," He asked.
"No, it's just that, she's quite hands-on with local affairs."
"I can't say whether meddling with local affairs is wise. She does her own thing, and as long as she plays by the rules, I don't care."
"I have so many questions."
"As I'm sure you do. But let's talk more outside, shall we?"
The Elven lord guided him through the mansion, leading toward the back. He saw old paintings adorn segments of the hall as they passed the dining quarters. It reminded him of the old setup of medieval royalty. As suspected, the lights were being generated from some unknown power source. Electricity was challenging to maintain, and considering the size of the town, it was an incredible feat.
Toward the back, the entrance was a flourishing fountain of an unknown design. The sliding doors slid open on its own as they approached it. Through it, he found beautiful scenery to their left looking well beyond the town. The wanderer found it breathtaking as he walked over to the intricate concrete railing. Mathias joined next to him. They looked off into the eye-catching vista.
"It's beautiful, don't you agree?" He asked.
"It sure is," Alejandro agreed. "I've gotta ask, what generates the power to the town?"
"That's a secret."
"Just curious."
The Elven lord looked upon the city, conjuring up old memories.
"I remember," He spoke. "Our father had passed away. Enne and I were uncertain about the future of this town. According to Elven customs-"
"The eldest female offspring decides what to do with the family legacy, regardless of overall status."
He was surprised the wanderer knew of such a particular tidbit. Elven customs were something humans knew little of, let alone understood. Elves segregated from their human counterparts, creating obvious disparities between a human dwelling and that of an elf. Alejandro witnessed this in many of the occupied settlements the Elven Kingdom ruled.
"That is true," Mathias acknowledged. "We both wanted something different. Our father arrived in Gardenia centuries ago as a refugee, ceding power from the Kingdom. His strength established prosperity in Gardenia. However, his legacy is a bit of a controversy."
"Don't mean to be rude," The wanderer said. "Why tell me any of this?"
"I'm sure you were curious, anyway. I'm proud to say Gardenia stands above all others. We have a unique position that others could only dream of."
"The outliers exist free from the Kingdom's control. At first glance, I see much they don't have."
"Not our jurisdiction. People should choose their own destiny, wouldn't you agree?"
Can't say I agree, the wanderer thought.
"Our father was a strong-minded, logical man. Even though he saved this town, it was because of our mother that allowed their freedom today. Our mother was passionate and made compelling cases of doing the right thing. She was human, and humans still very much cling to their emotions when making ethical decisions. But as a human, she died a ripe old age. I wonder how it must've felt seeing your children unable to age like a human."
"I can't imagine," Alejandro said.
Mathias appreciated his sentiment.
"It was especially hard on Enne. She inherited the heart of our mother, but has that unmistakable strength from our father."
"They sound like great folks."
"My sister and I have our disagreements. She believes in diplomacy, which is fine. But, we need to strengthen our borders from outside threats. We are aware of other settlements and the elves that govern them. But humans and diplomacy? Peace can only last for so long. If humans truly desired peace, they'd set aside their meaningless bickering."
"So, the Elves opted to conquer the land?"
"The necrobytes consumed our homeworld, ransacking our resources. The portals tampered with the laws of nature and threw your world into irreversible disarray."
"Yeah, that's how the story goes. The progenitor wanderers wanted to offer an olive branch for our survival. It's unfortunate the xenophobia dismantled those hopes. Those that carried the title of wanderer carried the sins of those that dared to dream."
"It's unfortunate that's how history played out. But, I must ask, what do you plan to do?"
"I'm a wanderer. I have no plans."
"No need to be so forthcoming. Someone with your vast knowledge can help guide Gardenia. That's what she believes, at least."
"Enticing me with power, are we?" Alejandro grimaced. "Not interested."
"Surely, you must have some desire. You are human."
"What a way to undermine the will of your guest."
The Elven lord was surprised by his response. Alejandro smirked, recollecting his experiences in the world. It wasn't easy living on the fringes of society, but this was the first time they had offered him a place anywhere.
"I've watched instability everywhere," He said. "Failed revolutions, sloppy coups, witch hunts… You name it. I've seen all the worst aspects of humanity, with sprinkles of kindness. Yet somehow, a half-elf is offering a place in their world."
"Is there something wrong with that?" Mathias asked.
"No, not at all. I just still find it hard to believe that a wanderer could be more hated than elves. And you offer me an extension of acceptance… It matters much to me."
"Oh?"
"Us wanderers don't care for bonds, so we're stigmatized. By putting knowledge over a human connection, we only hinder ourselves."
"Then why choose the path at all?"
"Sometimes, the path to ascension is the most difficult to take."
"I see."
Mathias nodded, sympathizing with the wanderer. He realized a foul odor coming from Alejandro as he sniffed.
"You stink," Mathias' face contorted.
"Don't know what to tell you there. I've been on this path for a long while."
"Feel free to use our washroom. Please. We'll be having supper in a few hours."
"Thank you. But, I have to get my belongings from the abandoned house I was in."
"No need to worry. I'll someone to get it. You can relax for the time being."
The maid that took Enne from Alejandro emerged from the entrance. She stood by, awaiting his orders. Mathias walked up toward her.
"Iscah, right on time," He said. "Please show him the guest room, will you?"
"Yes, sir," Iscah acknowledged.
"That won't be necessary," The wanderer insisted as he turned toward them.
"You are in no position to decline Master Mathias-" Iscah responded before being silenced by a single wave from the Elven lord.
"He's made his choice, Iscah," Mathias said while locking eyes with him. "If he so chooses, he will always have a place here so as long as my sister says so."
"As a wanderer, I can't let luxuries blind the way I see the world. We are minimalists in that respect."
The Elven lord nodded, accepting his beliefs.
"Mathias!" A woman yelled, bursting through the door.
A middle-aged woman looked at everyone with deep brown eyes filled with fury. Her darker skin tone contrasted the room. Her curly, black hair was tied into a bun. Her white blouse was tucked into her black trousers. The casual jacket she wore bared an insignia reminiscent of something on Enne's clothing. The wanderer thought it to be the seal of the Elven house.
"What happened out there today?" She yelled. "Who the hell destroyed one of our biggest tourist attractions?"
"You should ask my sister," Mathias answered. "Or the wanderer can better explain."
She redirected her scrutiny toward the wanderer. He knew the kind of person she was as he dealt with them in so many settlements.
"Wanderer?" She spoke.
"Necro-bear," He answered.
"Uh-huh?"
"Necro-bear, go boom."
"Oh, he's a smartass too. You and him look like you'll get along well, Mathias. Whenever sleeping beauty wakes up to her, I need to talk to her. This neanderthal won't do."
Before Mathias could respond, the double doors slammed. Mathias turned to the wanderer with a grin. Alejandro was still processing what happened. She came in like she owned the manor, but he suspected she played an important role in the city.
"Well," The Elven lord said. "That is Gardenia's mayor, Rita Salazar."
"Wow," Alejandro responded.
"She's a good leader, just a pain to work with. I advise you to stay out of her sight. She doesn't take kindly to wanderers."
"Much like most of the city."
"Not my fault your kind acts belligerent."
"I suppose. I'll be taking my leave."
Alejandro walked toward the door as they watched. Mathias saw he was set in his decision. The wanderer was unlike many he encountered. Enne's judge of character was exceptional and understood why she wanted him to join.
"I implore you to consider my sister's offer," He insisted, seeing the wanderer's glance.
Alejandro didn't answer.
I can't go around breaking people's hearts, He thought as he exited.