Across

Ardiel Elrond

After three weeks had passed, and my friends found their talents, we finally made it out of the valley, and officially drove into Radiver's territory.

The kingdom of Radiver is placed near the valley that acts as a natural border between the two kingdoms, Radiver and Elvedriel. When Loueras told us about this valley, it turns out that one of the reasons that the human kingdom lost the war was due to the valley being a natural fortress. Pair that with the elven capability to better navigate and fight on such terrain, and assault on Elvedriel through the valley is practically suicide for any army.

But as we left the valley, we were met with a beautiful countryside. The land was hilly, mostly grassland, but also with patches of forest here and there. Untouched nature, no farms of wheat fields as I expected, but just land that was not yet claimed by the hand of man.

Unlike within the valley, which was usually sheltered from the breeze, the wind here roamed free, and the gusts were much stronger. Honestly, living in a forest all my life, and then traveling through a valley, I never really experienced some good wind in a whole decade, until now. I really came out into a place I was familiar with. The area really reminded me of grandpa's cottage where my parents took me when I was young in my past life. He used to own a ranch in the middle of nowhere, but the scenery there was absolutely mesmerizing, and very similar. The same grassland hills, and patches of trees. Except there were no cows roaming around here but other than that, identical.

I was overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia from those times, and involuntarily smiled as I saw this scenery once again. How much time has passed before my past life went to crap, and I ended up as an office worker living from paycheck to paycheck on the verge of eviction.

Now I can forget those times, and look at this only to remember the happy memories, and forget the ones that hurt, now with my friends by my side.

I looked over at them, and they were just as wide eyed as I remembered them being when we left the forest and came across the valley. That caused me to smile even more, but this time more in amusement. Loueras was plainly staring, showing no emotion of awe at all. Makes sense, he probably saw even more beautiful sights than this during his adventuring days. 

"This is the territory of the Radiver kingdom," he began, "one more week until we reach our first town."

"What is the name of that town?" Faelar turned to him and asked, intrigued.

"Tralelin."

"Tralelin? Funny name."

"Sure. It is a small town, yet houses a 'guild office' as they call it. Also we will see many more humans from now on. Many of them have not seen an elf, as you guys have barely ever seen any humans, so keep that in mind. Also, humans have a certain…specific view of elves, so when we ever encounter them, let me do the talking and you just sit quietly."

"What kind of view?" This time, it was Tariel who asked.

I did not need to hear what answer Loueras gave her, I already knew. I read way too many novels and seen too many movies to not know that elves are seen as some proper and wise individuals. Some kind of enchanting and mysterious beings. High and mighty if I should say.

It almost makes me feel giddy. Like, look at me, I'm not a human no more, I am that wise and enchanting elf you all revere. It's fun. But honestly, it feels kind of eerie to think that I can no longer really associate myself with the human race. A real reality check that I am no longer a human. There's just this strange feeling to it, something like a mix of anxiousness, confusion, and excitement.

But on the topic of high and mighty, that's an exaggeration in this world. Ok, of course if I compare to how society worked in my past life then yes, high and mighty they are. But the elven society wasn't as perfect as depicted, so I guess my initial expectations were somewhat false. There were the snobby nobles as well, and I really did not think nobles even existed in the elven society. I thought everyone was of equal status besides the monarchs themselves. Regarding snobbism, not everyone was patient and respectful towards each other, so that's also another similarity to humans.

But other than that, sure, I guess elves do fit the depiction of being these calm and spiritual people. I even met some that had spiritual magic, but it was a very passive art. It was more like calming the soul and cleansing your mana channels. I guess spiritual magic is something like healing magic, like those two areas go together as one whole. Haldir is one of those who have it, and he was the very incarnation of your stereotypical elf. Calm, patient, and possessing healing, or spiritual magic. I will need to check it out in a more complex book of magic as opposed to the ancient one I have right now to see the difference between the two.

"Well, shall we get moving?" Loueras said, and with this he snapped me out of my daze of thinking about elves and spiritualism.

Our wagon jerked forward, and we began making our way down the dirt trail that led through the hilly terrain, towards the human town of Tralelin.

***

Two days have passed since we left the valley. And after these two days, we came across the first farmlands. It is just as I expected, massive fields of gold. Hectares of wheat, spanning as far as the eye can see.

It is then when we finally began seeing people. As we rode in our wagon, we saw a human farmer, dressed in a typical middle ages European farmer outfit. A cheap ragged robe, and leather and cloth boots. The man was around thirty years of age, blond, and somewhat slender although not sickly.

When he stood straight up and looked at our carriage, I bet he was expecting just some casual passerby, given the bored expression he gave us. But the moment he saw Loueras, his eyes went wide and his jaw hung.

He scratched the top of his head, and mumbled something to himself while still gawking at us and Loueras as we passed by. It makes sense, what farmer who does nothing but work the fields all life long wouldn't be surprised at seeing an elf for the first time?

The further we drove, the more people we encountered, and all of them gave similar reactions as that farmer. Shock, awe, confusion, surprise, and curiosity most of all. Not just at Loueras, but us, the children too. 

Some tensed up, especially the men. Probably all those stories about elves being some all powerful spiritual beings and excellent fighters made them wary of Loueras. Although the man was slender and looked almost sickly, he exuded an aura of authority for most, or even danger for some, and I knew first hand just how powerful of a warrior he was. 

Now that I think about it, I never even saw what a human warrior was capable of. Perhaps the novels from my past life, and whatever stories the humans in this world heard about elves are true, and that elves truly are more powerful individuals. Or it could just be the tales of the Radiver kingdom embarrassingly losing the war that caused this tension. Whatever it was, I could only guess and make assumptions as I gawked right back at the people.

Even though I lived with humans my whole past life, and I met a few a while back, seeing so many of them once again was so incredibly nostalgic and memory inducing that I almost teared up. I just wanted to hop out of the wagon, run over to the farmers, grab a sickle and work with them. Anything to once again indulge myself back in the workings of human society.

But I knew that was impossible, so all I could do was stare, just as my friends did, at the farmers who stared back at us.

Loueras Elvedriel

The children were awestruck, that was not surprising. Neither was it surprising that the humans had the same reactions on their faces. I am completely used to such stares. It is unusual to see an elf out of their forest. We are seen as secluded hermits, high and proper individuals that rarely make contact with the outside world. That is why our culture and people are shrouded in mystery, and why all these farmers were wary of us.

As we drove, the sun was beginning to set, but I already had a plan, and kept an eye out for the farmers working the fields, until I saw him, and he saw me.

"Huh? Is that…well if it isn't Loueras!"

A man around sixty years of age with a beer belly and a white beard exclaimed my name and waved his hand at me. I smiled back as I returned the gesture.

Robert Lesley. I remember meeting him over forty years back when he was just a beginning adventurer. Robert was a promising beginner, and I met him in a guild office when he was just sixteen. That day he just registered as a "C" rank, quite good for just a boy, and the moment he saw me, his jaw went slack and his eyes went wide, and he begged me to allow him to join my group. I always journeyed by myself, found it better that way, but something about the eagerness and innocence of that boy drew me to him, and for some reason unknown to me, I accepted.

Through the years we traveled the world together, he made it up to "B" rank, was a capable King level swordsman of the water sword style, and a King level earth and water mage. He could also cast Intermediate level barriers. 

His humor, positivity, and courage, made him an excellent companion. Although I usually faced humans with nonchalance in response to their frequent reverence, or, sometimes animosity, this man I actually began to consider a close friend instead of just a companion.

"Much time has passed, old friend."

Robert grinned brightly as he made his way through the wheat field towards the path. "Heh heh, that phrase has two meanings."

It sure does. When you know a human, it is saddening to see the lifespan difference between them and elves. Physically, I barely aged a day, but for him, he already became an elderly man. What is only a fraction for an elf, is a whole life for a human.

"Ah, dear sir Loueras."

"Uncle Loueras!"

His wife, Melinda, and son, Theo. Robert married after twenty years of becoming an adventurer, and settled down as a farmer as per his wife's request. They had a son a year later. He should be twenty three right now. I remember him ever since he was a baby.

"Greetings Melinda, Theo."

"It has been five years sir Louras, how've you been?"

Melinda was always a kind and gentle woman, a complete opposite of the fiery Robert. The two supplement each other so to say.

"Fine, thank you for your concern. And how have you been, Theo?"

"Great, uncle Loueras!"

"Well, that is good then."

"Five years have passed old friend Lou," Robert chimed in, "say, where ya headed, I…and uh, who are they?"

Robert and his family have just noticed the children peeking out from our covered wagon, which I placed to hide the children from the sun, now that we were out from the shade of the valley.

"Hey uh, Lou, you certainly got busy since the last time I saw you huh?"

"Busy?"

"Well, look at all those kids behind there."

I looked at him with confusion before it finally clicked what he really meant by "getting busy".

"Oh, no no no no no, you got it all wrong old friend. I just took all of them along as per request of a certain someone."

"Oh, and who is that?"

"An aspiring pupil I took in to train."

"You gotcha self an apprentice? Wow, just how much have I missed sitting here on this farm eh? Say, how have you been traveling all this time? Just sleepin on the side of the road?"

"Quite a blunt way of putting it, but yes."

"Well I certainly can't allow that, and nor will I allow you to disappear again. Why dontcha head inside for the night? Catch me up on some stories, eh?"

"It would be my pleasure. Melinda, would that not trouble you?"

"Certainly not sir Loueras. I and my son would definitely like to spend some time with you, and those children you have brought with you."

"Much appreciated."