But for Elizabeth, or for any of us, there were just some very small carvings or just tree stumps, where if you couldn't manage to place your foot very carefully, you'd certainly get back to the start, only more banged and scratched.
As if it wasn't enough that these "steps" were too small, they were also placed in a chaotic zigzag, and in some areas you had to jump at least a meter in height to reach the next step.
The girl plucked up the courage and tried to climb the steps, using her hands and feet, like an alpinist trying to climb a steep mountain. But after not even three steps, she slipped back from where she started.
She struggled once, twice, even three times ... under Pmyrie's eyes showing the wonder of a child who didn't understand why another child, older than him, struggled to take the first steps.
The elf girl went down those steps quickly, with no problem, especially since she knew how to walk for more ... lives. Seeing the ease of the elf girl flying on those "stairs", Elizabeth only now realized that if she hypothetically could manage to go up to the top, it would be impossible for her to go down. It would be like she had to twist her legs before she could come back.
"Pmyrie ... don't we go to my room better?" Elizabeth tried to get rid of that torment, tired of so many attempts to climb those steps.
But the elf girl didn't listen to her, but took her by the hand, threw Elizabeth behind her and began to float on those steps with the same ease with which she had first climbed, without counting that "baggage" ... Elizabeth.
Until Elizabeth was able to breathe again, the girls arrived in the elf's room.
Inside that room there was no furniture, but still the room was more than furnished. The walls were made of twigs carved in a beautiful pattern, such as the carved panelling in the palaces of the kings or the wallpaper in the room of a mansion. The magic windows of the room opened as if enchanted at the mere touch of the leaves of the tree by Pmyrie. After this simple touch, the branches of the tree slightly twisted, in a sound mix of broken twigs and crackles, to create an opening that would allow air and light enter the room.
"Sit down," the elf girl urged Miss Edwards.
Elizabeth sat down on probably what the elf's bed should be. That bed seemed like a hand on that tree, as light as a real palm, so it seemed to Elizabeth when she sat down. The leaves were soft and pleasant to touch like a slightly refreshing silk. The girl almost felt like sitting down there to sleep.
Pmyrie looked for something in a beautiful opening in that huge tree. A hollow that seemed to be a cupboard whose doors were made of live twigs and leaves, part of the same tree, which also easily fell apart when touched. And which, after you ended your job in that hollow-closet, got back in place.
"I have a book about powerful potions that could help you. Many of them are impossible to create, considering the necessary materials can only be found in the Sacred Tree House, back home. But surely you'll find some that might be useful to you to finish this test well and maybe the following ones.
Pmyrie sat next to Elizabeth on twigs sprouting from the same tree, beautifully twisted into a comfortable chair. Also, the same kind of braids in the form of a pleasing pattern of royal wood was there as a beautiful desk in that room.
"And I offer you these two bottles with tears of lake fairies, taken from their pillow, on the stealth, even before they woke up, because they only shed tears at night and those tears disappear pretty quickly. They cure any disease or eliminate the effect of any poison."
Pmyrie picked up the other bottle and showed it to Elizabeth.
"And fire baby dragon hair. Very difficult to obtain, because you can snatch it only in its first moments of life, because after that they catch fire and disappear forever. And what is more ... his mom is there too," Pmyrie smiled. "Dragon hair is for creating our strongest potions. It's very rare."
The elf girl after giving Elizabeth both bottles started reading from the cover of the book:
"Ig ma C´estrale etiun sibo", or as you say: Unusual ancestral magicians.
"Thanks. I also received this book from someone ... just I don't know from whom yet. And unfortunately I don't know your language."
"Ataraa'sa mu I'tes" ... and the language in which you want to be translated. If you say these words, you'll be able to read everything, without counting to what race the words belong. You just have to know the letters of that language in which you want to read ... know the art of reading the letters and words of your language ..."
Elizabeth smiled in gratitude to the elf girl.
"Ataraa mu sites"…
"Ataraa'sa mu I'tes" Pmyrie uttered, touching the book with Elizabeth's hand.
And everything appeared in English. Elizabeth was extremely amazed that she could read the unusual ancestral ma…
But something interrupted her. In one of the walls made up of branches and leaves, the leaves of the tree began to move, as if a light breeze blew, but only at that point.
"All the students are awaited at the place where the first test will take place," the very clear Ehm'il's voice was heard, as if he was there next to the girls.
Elizabeth got up and saw through that little opening, as Ehm'il finished his training. The boy then stopped and looked at the window where the two girls were, to check if his message was understood exactly as it should.
When he saw the two girls appeared at the window, he considered they just heard what he had to say so he went to prepare for that meeting of the competitors.
"Can you help me get down the stairs?" Elizabeth asked, taking the book in her arms.
"Of course."
And the elf girl began to descend with the same speed, without counting that she had the human girl in her arms.
Able to feel the ground under her feet again, Miss Edwards felt much better. She greeted her new friend again, took the book and left for her room to get ready. She now had some special ingredients that could help her in the tests that followed.