28 Casual Conversations

Inside the palace where white orbs affixed all around like crystal lanterns, illuminating the inside with pure light. The palace was more of a tower than anything else, cylindrical with many platforms and mezzanines above that acted as their own floors. The entire architecture of the palace was carved and twisted from the wood of the tree, as if reshaped by magic, with numerous fairies fluttering about all around the place with papers, documents, and everything in between.

Despite the grand allure of the palace, the grand design was more or less a winding mess. The platforms and mezzanines were all floating above, suspended in the air by magic with no clear structure nor pattern. Add to that the absence of stairs and ladders, it was like the palace was made only for fairies with flight. The only way to traverse the place was through wings and magic, something that fairy architecture was infamous for in noble regions.

"Miss Mathis is up there." The fairy pointed above. He then started to ascend the palace, gesturing for the pair to follow.

Delwyn picked up Morgiana again, carrying her in his arms as they followed behind the fairy with bursts of air, unknowingly disrupting the work of the nearby fairies as the wind sent sheets of papers flying all around.

"Watch it!"

"I'm truly sorry." Delwyn bowed to each fairy he passed by, earning a laugh from Morgiana. As they reached the next platform, the fairy then stopped to land. He made his way towards another fairy that radiated pure beauty and masculinity. The handsome fairy was looking over a number of papers in his hand, his blond hair tied to a ponytail.

"Prince Athas." The fairy bowed to the handsome fairy in front. Delwyn and Morgiana landed on the platform then followed behind with the gesture, the fairy then nodding in return. Delwyn caught a familiar face beside the prince.

"Kalista?" Delwyn turned to the female fairy. The girl was also wearing golden robes just like the prince and the rest of the fairies around, but her sidecut and fierce eyes stood out from her neat clothing. "It's been a while."

"Do you know him?" The prince turned to the fairy beside him.

"Yeah." Kalista intertwined her hand with the prince's. "My father was assigned his personal fairy a long time ago. They got along well, that's why I know him."

"You were so small back then."

"I thought you'd grow old by now," Kalista looked him over. "But instead you grew younger- and hotter."

"Perks of rank." Delwyn smiled. "By the way, I saw Hena the other day when I was in Selsine. She's grown into a very fine woman. She didn't exactly remember me, but she's finally out adventuring and about."

"Yeah."

Delwyn glanced to the prince before turning back to Kalista. "How did she convince the nobles?"

"She left on her own."

Delwyn paused and didn't prod any further. He let out a wave before bidding the prince and Kalista farewell as they then climbed further up the palace along with their fairy guide. With a final burst of air they finally reached the highest platform.

The highest platform was unlike the rest, with it being an open area with branches and white leaves dotting all around. Moonlight slipped through the gaps in the leaves, showering the backdrop with a cool hue. There was a large wooden gate at the far end of the platform, with two guards in front staring right back at them. Delwyn guessed Mathis was on the other side of the gate.

The fairy went to talk to the fairy guards while Delwyn let Morgiana down on the platform, then followed behind the fairy. The two guards nodded after a short while, opening the gates with a creak.

The fairy then left them on their own, heading back down the palace with a flutter of his wings. Delwyn gave his thanks to the fairy before turning to Morgiana, with them both now in front of the opened gate.

"This could end really badly." Morgiana said.

"The guild's already traced the magic back to her. We need to confirm their suspicions."

"If so and so happens, do we fight or flight?"

"If things escalate, we run. Don't underestimate Mathis Morgiana, she's a Platinum ranker- a strong one at that. But I doubt things will go the way you think they will. We're not here to fight, we're here to talk."

"Hopefully."

"Hopefully."

They stepped through the gate, leading them to a bridge made of intertwined branches of the giant tree. On the far side of the bridge was a small wooden platform adorned with a white table and a chair where Mathis was.

They paced themselves towards Mathis, pacing themselves over the bridge hundreds of feet high up in the air.

"It's been a while, Mathis." Delwyn said, meeting his gaze with hers.

"What brings you two here?" Mathis stood up. "It's been a long while since you first came here. How long ago was it?"

"It's been twenty years." Delwyn forced a smile. "For Morgiana, It's been fifteen."

Mathis smiled in turn before conjuring a white mote on her hand. Delwyn took this as a sign of aggression, conjuring his own mote in turn. He then stared at Mathis's mote, wary of what she was to do next. He felt a single sweat drip down his cheek.

Mathis then conjured a set of white teacups and a teapot, set afloat in front of her. Delwyn sighed in relief before dematerializing his own mote. 

"You all must be famished, climbing down here from the twentieth floor." Mathis gestured for two teacups to float towards the pair. She then called for two seats to come out from the ground behind them, varnished in white color.

"Thank you." Delwyn nodded to Morgiana, taking the tea then sat himself on the chair. Morgiana followed. The night breeze swept by, tussling both their hair against the wind, prompting white leaves to shower over them like snow. "Now, as to why we are here." 

Delwyn breathed in the cold air. "Have you heard of the god from the other realm?"

"There are many realms, Delwyn." Mathis brought tea to her lips before sitting down on her own seat. "I do not know which one you are speaking of."

"The human realm."

"Yes, I've heard of the human god."

Delwyn glanced to Morgiana before turning back to Mathis.

"You are one of few that has a connection with the god of this tower." Delwyn stared at the tea in between his hands. "Did the tower god tell you anything about the human god and why he's in this realm?"

"I do not know." Mathis took another sip of tea before meeting Delwyn's gaze. "The only thing I can tell you is that the human god wants something from this realm."

"No shit." Morgiana whispered, earning a nudge from Delwyn.

"And what would that be?" Delwyn said.

"I don't know." Mathis said.

Delwyn paused, meeting Mathis' gaze in a lock. It was as if he was choking on his own words, scared to let them out.

"Have you met the human god, Mathis?"

Mathis fixed her eyes to Delwyn as if she was staring right into his soul, daring to take it from him any second. It was for a brief moment- a fraction of time where a faint flicker of ominous green light shimmered inside Mathis' eyes. Delwyn's eyes went wide.

"No."

Delwyn exploded from his chair.

"Thank you for the time, Mathis." Delwyn placed the teacup on the chair with the tea left untouched. "We'll be going now."

"That's it?" Mathis lifted her teacup. "No care for another pour?"

"We're good." Delwyn grabbed Morgiana,  the pair now starting back towards the gates in a hurry. "I know it's been decades since we last met, but an adventurer's life is always a busy life."

Delwyn turned back for the last time.

"Take care Mathis."