The Tenth Chapter | The Cloven of Trelves
The moment the ball ended, Alvera slipped out of her ball gown and into something more practical. Something similar to what she had worn the first time she went, but this time it was a pale purple instead of sapphire.
"How long do you think it'll take for me to be able to Crossover myself?" Alvera asked as she sat cross-legged on her bed. The exact same way as the first time. Cedrick followed suit, occupying the seat opposite her.
"It supposed to be easy for people from Ravensfield. Almost like muscle memory at a point. You, however, have never tried before. You've only been there for a few hours at most. It might take a bit of practice for you to get there."
That didn't answer her question directly, but she also understood that there probably wasn't a set time period sort of affair. It was most likely a thing of skill.
"So are you going to teach me?"
"Maybe, but I have something else in mind. Anyway, don't worry too much about it, it's taken care of. Now, hands please, let's get going," Cedrick answered, as he held out his hands for her.
Alvera closed her eyes, slipping her hands into Cedrick's, and waiting for that same empty feeling from last time to wash over her. She opened one of her eyes a bit, secretly wanting to catch a glimpse of Cedrick's wings again. He closed his eyes, his head falling ever so slightly as wings sprouted from his back, just as gracefully as before. A couple of the feathers fell to the ground as the wings flapped. They wrapped themselves around the two, and just like the last time, she felt like she was being lifted off the bed.
She tried to brace herself for what she was about to experience, but her attempts were futile. It felt just as bad as the first time. She felt like she was being spun around uncontrollably. Everywhere was dark and empty. It felt terrible. Alvera had to resist the urge to throw up as she hoped it would end sooner rather than later. Once she felt her boots touch the ground, she opened her eyes, trying to find her bearings.
That plan immediately failed. Within a few seconds of glancing around, Alvera realized that she didn't know where she was. She looked up at Cedrick, expecting him to explain.
"We were supposed to go in order, but I guess that's out the window now. Alvera, welcome to the fifth Realm: The Cloven of Trelves."
Before her stood a village. A very small village. The houses were shorter than what would be considered normal height, or even average. The village was clearly made for small people. They actually looked more like mushrooms than houses. Abnormally large mushrooms. Which, in fact, is exactly what they were. Large mushrooms with rectangles cut for doors and squares for windows. Some were stacked on top of each other, but most were only one mushroom high. There were some stores with signs littered around. The entire ground was paved with gravel, and small magical beings were roaming around. Most just gave her a passing glance before continuing on their way. In the distance, Alvera could spot a windmill, a rather large water wheel, and a big rock.
"They're so small," Alvera remarked.
"Yes, they are rather tiny, but they're quite powerful."
Height-wise, they were, on average, no taller than Alvera's waist. That explained why the houses were so small. They looked more or less like pixies, except for the fact that they lacked wings. Not a single one of the beings she saw had wings. They did, however, have pointy ears. Skin that was covered in cracks covered every one of them, making them resemble stone. Some even looked like molten lava was seeping out.
"So they're stone beings?"
"Exactly. They're also the only one of the Realms that have races, two to be exact. I'll explain on the way. We need to go find Lord Thornton, he has a few things to explain to you."
As they walked towards the big rock Alvera had seen in the distance, Cedrick explained his earlier statement.
"They are two main races for the Trelves: the Stone and the Molten. They stem from the same ancestors, but the bloodline separated centuries ago. Their magic is mainly healing magic, but each bloodline possesses different kinds. Those with stone skin are natural-born healers. Magic flows through their veins, and they can heal with a single touch. Those with molten skin are potion makers. They can heal with the use of elements and science. Both bloodlines are very powerful and mostly complement each other. Certain things can't be done with magic so they use potions and vice-versa. Honestly, it's surprising they don't hate each other."
"So I'm assuming they're the ones that healed me when I blacked out?"
"Precisely. I had to fly you all the way over here for help. You wouldn't wake up even after Lodema and I tried pouring water on you. I thought you died for a second."
"What exactly happened to me?, Cedrick?"
"Lord Thornton can answer that. He's the one who healed you after all."
As Alvera and Cedrick approached the large rock, she could see someone standing outside, talking to a few trelves. Purely from the fact that he had stone skin like the rest, Alvera assumed he was Lord Thornton. He was closer to her height than the other trelves, and he had a set of dull gray eyes. A brown cloak adorned his body, the hood hiding a bit of his face, and a pair of leather shoes covered his feet.
When they noticed Alvera and Cedrick approaching him, the trelves bowed to Lord Thornton and walked away. It was only then that Lord Thornton noticed the two of them. From the part of his face that wasn't hidden by the cloak, he seemed like a rather angry man. His face was moulded into a permanent scowl, and he seemed to be glaring at her. Alvera was hesitant to actually speak to him, but Cedrick showed no fear.
He moved a few steps past Alvera and bowed to Lord Colton. Alvera was a bit confused as to why. Weren't the trusted advisors supposed to be above the Realm Rulers? Was it just customary in that Realm? Whatever it was, Alvera decided it would be wise to follow Cedrick's lead because he actually knew what he was doing. Alvera on the other hand did not. She did a quick curtesy, hoping to appease the angry man, but got nothing more than another pointed look. He did not seem to be very fond of her so far. Was he really the one that healed her?
He motioned for them to enter his... rock house? And they followed without question. Thankfully, because of how big the rock is, it wasn't too hard for Alvera to get in. Cedrick, on the other hand, seemed to struggle a bit more. They each took a seat opposite the grumpy man, and Cedrick spoke.
"Lord Thornton, this is Alvera. I'm sure you recognize her. She came to thank you, for your help and to ask a few questions if you don't mind."
Cedrick looked over at Alvera, waiting for her to speak. She gave a courteous 'Thank you', and proceeded to ask a few questions after he had accepted it.
"Do you know why exactly I blacked out?"
He answered her in what sounded like a mix of Latin and Early Modern English. For once, Alvera was glad that her learning Latin was actually coming in handy.
"The most probable reason is simply that your body was exposed to too much magic in such a short period of time. Unlike everyone else here, in your eighteen years of life, you've never once stepped foot in the Realms, or even so much as witnessed magic. The sudden switch in the environment, coupled with the fact that your magic is most likely just coming out after being dormant for a long time, might have put too much strain on your untrained and unprepared body."
Lord Thornton turned to Cedrick, "You should have prepared her better, Cedrick. She narrowly avoided, entering an over-magic exposure comatose state."
"So, is there any way I can stop it from happening again?"
"Immersion can help. The body will eventually build resistance and it will become less and less likely to occur. It might still happen again, mind you, but if you expose yourself to a bit more every time, the body will build a wall. Training can also be equally as effective, but that can only be done once your powers emerge. Keep in mind, they won't all come at once, and they won't always come in order. You might be able to sense auras before you can see them and vice-versa. Your wings might come first or last, it all depends. You also won't know exactly when they all come, so I recommend trying every now and then to see if they've arrived yet. Cedrick should be able to help you with that, right Cedrick?" he asked, turning to Cedrick once more.
Cedrick, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke.
"Yes, of course. I'll explain all the magic-related stuff to her later."
Lord Thornton replied with a stiff nod.
"Any more questions?" he asked Alvera.
"Ah yes, just one more. I was wondering-" Alvera started before she was swiftly cut off by the loud hoots of an owl.
Suddenly, an owl flew through one of the square holes that had been cut into the large rock, presumably to serve as a window, and perched on Lord Thornton's shoulder. The owl leaned towards his ear and whispered something to him. Lord Thornton's angry demeanor faded, his eyes widening. Alvera sat there, utterly confused, but certain that something was wrong.
He swiftly stood up from where he sat, the owl remaining firmly perched on his shoulder, and headed towards the front door of his rock.
"I'm truly sorry, Alvera, but something very important has come up, and I need to attend to it immediately. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but hopefully, I can answer your question later," he apologized. Without giving Alvera or Cedrick a chance to say anything, he vanished from sight.
They sat there for a moment, each just as confused as the other before they decided to let themselves out of Lord Thornton's home. Alvera was a bit upset that she hadn't had a chance to ask her final question, but it couldn't be helped. All she could do was hope she didn't forget it by the time she could actually come back to see Lord Thornton again.
"That's four Realms, right? Three more to go," she stated, as she stretched her cramped muscles," Where to next?"
"We're going to have to backtrack now since we skipped one. To the Terrain of Giants we go."