8 The Yak Shack

Walking away from the giant tree where the elders of the village met, Alreya talked to Brand about where villagers could eat outside of their own home. It seemed there were a couple of small taverns and one popular restaurant that elves would use to eat at and socialize on a daily basis. She told him that occasionally they would hold a festival where they would bring in some exotic foods not usually found in this area of the Ostish Forest, but that there wouldn't be one for another month.

Eventually they decided to eat at the restaurant as the taverns were mostly for drinking, and Brand wasn't ready to try alcohol just yet. Alreya showed Brand the way towards the restaurant and as they approached Brand saw that it was built in between two trees that looked like they were curving towards each other. The building in between looked like it was about 3 stories. There was a sign hanging outside that read "The Yak Shack". Brand almost face palmed at the corny name, but resisted the temptation.

The two of them went inside and were shown to a table near a window. Sitting down, the elf that was serving them started to list the different meal options they were serving that day. Most of them contained klon yak meat. Alreya ordered the yak stew with bread and yak milk and Brand said he'd have the same. The waitress then turned and flew up towards the top floor which Brand assumed was where the kitchen was. Thinking about his encounter earlier in the day, Brand asked about the yak. "Is that monster that I met in the woods the meat that we're going to eat? It had 4 horns and was as big as a small tree. And if I wasn't hallucinating, it looked like it multiplied."

"Yes, they have a tendency to do that when they get excited or frightened." Alreya told him. "It is called a klon yak, and it is the main source of meat on the continent. It is the main prey of wild dragons and it is used by every country to feed the dragons that are part of the Guild of Dragons. They are very useful beasts since it is not very difficult to get them to multiply and create an abundance of meat."

"Wow." said Brand. "That's convenient."

"Yes it is." Alreya agreed, not noticing the small eye roll of the boy sitting across from her.

"Are all of the animals in this world magical? And what about the plants? Are there magic rocks and things like that?" Brand asked while they waited for their food to arrive.

"As far as I know," Alreya began. "All the animals on the continent have at least some magic. There are quite a few magical plants as well, but there are far more plants that don't have any magic whatsoever. As for objects like rocks, inanimate material can be imbued with magic, but there are no naturally occurring magical objects."

Brand nodded gaining another small insight into this world he was currently living in.

After getting their meal, they ate and Brand had to admit that it tasted better than he had expected. He had read in a few history books back on Earth that the food quality in the middle ages was poor at best. But it seemed that in this place that looked straight out of a fantasy story set in the middle ages, the food was definitely at a higher standard. He assumed it might have something to do with magic.

"So Alreya," Brand said in between mouthfuls. "I never really thanked you for saving my life from that plant bowl thing earlier, so thank you."

"You are welcome for saving you from the bidoo." Alreya then grinned mischievously. "I am relieved I found you when I did. It is nice to have someone owe you a life debt. I will have you pay up sooner or later." she laughed.

Brand grinned back and thought to himself that he wouldn't mind owing something like a life debt to the beautiful elf in front of him. Thinking that, he suddenly realized he had no idea how old Alreya was. Thinking of her grandfather, who appeared much younger than he actually was, Brand asked "How old are you Alreya?"

"I will be 15 in about a month." she answered. "Why the interest?"

"Just curious." Brand said as he stuffed another spoonful of stew in his mouth.

Finishing the meal, Brand and Alreya left the restaurant and headed to the guest house that Brand was to stay in for the coming night. They arrived at a smaller looking house that was built into the side of a small tree. Alreya beckoned Brand inside and showed him around. There was a main room, a kitchen area, a bedroom, and a bathroom with what Alreya told him was a magical toilet that shot the waste deep into the soil that would then fertilize it. "Thank you magic!" thought Brand joyfully. There was also a wooden tub that could be filled and heated with magic from the occupant, but seeing as he didn't know how to use any magic, he figured it would go unused for now.

Seeing the sun outside getting low, Alreya told Brand that she'd be by in the morning to take him back to the elder's tree, wished him a good night, and then turned to head back to her place. He had offered to walk her home but she said it was unnecessary as she lived in a house at the top of a tree.

After Brand saw Alreya off, he immediately went to his bedroom, slipped out of his clothes and shoes, and crawled into the surprisingly comfy bed. He sighed in content as his aching feet finally had some relief from running and walking around all day.

Laying there, Brand looked at the ceiling and his mind drifted to his home on Earth. What had become of his foster parents? Hopefully they wouldn't be blamed for the explosion that sent him here and created that crater. Would he be presumed dead?

Then Brand's mind started wandering to less serious matters, like that if he wasn't able to go back, he wouldn't be able to see the 4th Revengers film that was supposed to come out next year, or the new Kamizilla: Emperor of the Kaiju that also came out next year. He wondered if he had missed his chance to see his favorite football team, the Jacksonville Snow Leopards, win the Terrific Bowl. He even thought about what new music and books he would miss out on if he never went back to Earth.

These thoughts depressed Brand a little bit, but he also took solace in the fact that he was in a land filled with magic and dragons and a ton of mysteries that he had yet to figure out, and that thought excited him. With these conflicting thoughts still rattling around in his head, his fatigue finally caught hold of him and he fell asleep.