The Pirate’s ship landed with a splash in the water, Jonah and Diana nearly fell over as it settled into place. Kalyah had been in her room for the last few hours that it took to get to the city of Alpha, the common name. She returned now with a somber expression, in her full vestments, including the pillbox hat with the goddess’s symbol, and her white cloak that stopped jingling on her command. Diana greeted her with a nod, still unable to speak. A deep set redness had overtaken her eyes, and blossomed around her nose. The tiger was at her feet, having recovered from its injuries with Diana’s help.

Kalyah tried to remove the tear stained markings from the princess’s face, but Diana jerked her head away, signing “No” as Jonah had taught her. He had been concerned that he should have done something more or less in the heated exchange. So she asked to learn the basics, and signed simply that he was not at fault.

A light chuckle came from Kalyah as she heard about the lessons. “Sweetie, I don’t think you should let them see you hurt like this,” she countered.

Grabbing Jonah’s arm, Diana typed out, “I don’t care, I just want to leave this godsforsaken ship.”

“You know that they’ll make you go through the front gate,” Kalyah said, a deep contempt rising in her voice. “You’re not going to escape a Grand elf greeting. Did she explain that to you?” She turned to Jonah.

“Yes,” Diana signed, nodding her fist.

Jonah checked his notes. “The Grand elves explain their whole life story,” he said.

“Yep, they can live ten thousand years, a brief summary of their life, which might take an hour might as well be their name,” Kalyah said, sighing.

"They just have no concept of time?” he wondered, grimacing.

“That and they look almost exactly the same,” she said shamelessly. “The Goddess didn’t see fit to change up their bone structure for a while, but then by the time they started to look different, they were already dying out. I’m guessing you didn’t tell him that.”

“It seems rather cruel.” was Diana’s reply.

“It’s rather true,” Kalyah said, lips drawn into a line, holding her hands tightly in front of her. “There’s less than five thousand of them left, and we’re entering their oldest city, their most empty. Last I heard there’s five hundred Grand elves here, in a city that was meant to fit nearly a million people.” She shook her head. “I’ve never been in Alp’a Linn, but I knew some that were, especially during the war. It used to be a wonderful place, so safe with its walls, then bombs fell from the sky.” She shivered in horror. “All those poor people stuck in there.” She signaled to them. “Come on, the sooner we leave the better.”

The three crossed the gangplank to a dock of polished glass. A solid structure that tinked softly with every step of the elvish dock workers, and loudly at Jonah’s metal boots. Through the wavy surface was the clearest body of water he had ever seen, that continued on to a spanning lake and river so large the other sides were smudges in the distance. The dock warped everything, including schools of fish that shifted the shades of their scales as they swam hive-like around and up to the surface. The crystal continued until it reached a silvery stairway to the front gates, which were set into a wall made of coal black marble. Etched into the sable stone were murals inlaid with precious metals and gemstones. The Grand elves had an innate ability for alchemy, and they made every object and surface into this sparkling ideal. At the top of the several hundred foot tall wall, an eerie pinkish glow rose up.

There was a stink of wet metal in the humid air. He understood the desire for beauty, but he didn’t feel it. The elves on the docks were Wood and plain bloods, according to Kalyah’s comments on the inherently attractive dock workers in dingy tunics and trousers.

The Heroes came down the docks, bathed in the early morning sun, a crisp yellow tint. The fanciful clothes and pale faces of the Witch and Pirate were washed out. They looked like fakes in stupid costumes and he wondered if they had always appeared this pathetic.

“If you're ready to behave, we’ll be back in a few weeks to pick you up,” Angelina said, hands on her hips.

Diana stood in silence, holding Jonah’s hand, her familiar taking up her other side.

“The hex is lifted, you can speak, and we both apologize for it,” Angelina said, quietly, leaning into the princess. The Witch showed no solidarity or remorse for what had happened.

In one quick motion, Diana spat directly into the Pirate’s face, hitting her blue eye.

The mermaid roared in fury, wiping at her face. Under the glass docks, the water rose, sliding up around it threateningly.

“There, I finally got you,” Diana said, wiping at her lips. “Go on, attack me more, give me more evidence against you.” She tapped her staff loudly on the docks, ringing clear. “I’m sure that these fine elves would like a show. I would lose, but I would win the war against you, bitch!”

Many heads turned, crates and barrels set down, and the railings of ships were leaned upon. Here was something to watch.

The Pirate stepped back, the water sank back down, and she grinned with satisfaction. “Three Grands are waiting at the gates, and I think a dozen more are coming. All of them are waiting to meet the only living princess of the Magi kingdom. They were confused as to why she would be here, when her sister was just murdered, but I told them you weren’t cut out to be a Hero. Probably never will be.”

Diana tightened her grip on Jonah at the mention of her sister, but she held her chin high. “If you’re a Hero, then I am glad to be unworthy,” she said plainly.

“Exactly,” Jonah added.

“Shut your fucking face!” Fia snapped at him. “Take them to the gate, I’m fucking tired of dealing with them. At least Haildrin doesn’t mope or talk as much as these two fucking children.”

Jonah stood taller alongside Diana, and Aiko brushed protectively across his legs, the tiger rumbling at the Witch. Fia’s eyes went wild behind her glasses, but Angelina moved her ahead, pushing her roughly at the shoulder. The couple and the tiger followed, stopping as they noticed that Kalyah hadn't moved.

The healer was staring at the ship and her empty deck. “None of them came to say goodbye to me,” she said in a low voice. “Fia did that, I’m sure of it…” Her lip trembled, tears streaking down her face. “They loved me, I’m sure they did. They wouldn’t go without saying goodbye to me on their own.”

Diana let Jonah go to the small woman and hug her.

“We’ll free them,” he said in a whisper.

She nodded, taking a shaky breath as she dabbed away her tears with her own handkerchief. “Let me take your bag, honey,” she said. “I need something to distract me. It might as well be a test of my dwarf strength.” She had a quite large bag on herself, increased in size by magic. He wasn’t fortunate enough to have a spare holding bag, so his was the heaviest by far. Even though he protested, she insisted, and added it to her back.

The two of them met up with Diana, who had the Heroes waiting at the top of the silvery stairway to the gates. Kalyah offered to take the princess’s luggage as well, two separate bags. To Jonah’s understanding, they were both enchanted by her Wizard father, and filled to the brim. She thought it was too much for the Pixie elf, but they went on her back anyways. The Pirate called with annoyance, and the three joined them, Kalyah walking as if she had nothing on her back, instead of around a hundred pounds or more.

The grit of each stair were finely cut rubies. Jonah couldn’t help but stop and stare as dust brushed off of them on its own accord. Diana and Kalyah hurried him on.

Before the gates, Jonah craned his neck up at the several hundred foot tall doors. There on it was depicted a battle of such immense scale it made him dizzy. Thousands and thousands of people on one side, while the other were demonic creatures. Some of the largest were ten feet tall in the illustration. Bat winged beasts flew about their heads, and at their clawed and deformed feet crawled three legged things, whose single eyeballs were a third of their body. The entirety of the mural was done in such stunning detail, that he could see the notches of a commander’s irises in his tiny emerald eyes, as the man stood atop a hill calling for a charge.

The guards by the doors were tall elves of olive skin. They wore harshly angular armor of bright gold and silver, like the mural warriors, trimmed with hard lines of sapphires and rubies. However, under the helms of wide winged hawks, they didn’t have a look of determination or a stoic sentry. They looked extremely fucking bored. One even yawned as he talked to the Pirate, leaning heavily on his spear, whose head was cut diamond.

“I can’t imagine working for the Grands as a plain blood,” Kalyah said, shaking her head. “At least they ignore dwarves…”

“Why?” Jonah asked, looking over at the Heroes shuffling paperwork with the guard.

“Why pay attention to a race that always digs for the real thing, when you can just alchemize it?” she replied, gesturing at the gates.

Diana was watching the Heroes, the Witch glaring back. “It’s more than that, isn’t it?” she asked. “A different design philosophy on everything. The dwarven gods are all different kinds of builders, always perfecting their craft. This much waste would drive them mad.”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Kalyah, who was staring straight ahead, not trying to look at the ship, he figured, nodded. “Once we get settled, I can give you the days worth of rants on why my mother’s people dislike elves, Grands most of all,” she said with a smirk.

“We aren’t far from your mother’s homeland,” Diana added, gripping onto her staff.

“They won’t help your war effort, Diana. They still despise making the war machines for the last one. I have to hear about it every time I visit. Which has been a while now,” Kalyah said, a grief in her voice and crestfallen face.

Jonah, who wanted to know more, felt a bug bite on his neck before he could speak, and on reflex slapped the skin. However, in the weeks of being awake, he had yet to receive a single bug and his metal hand was harder than he expected. He felt the strike down to his spine, gagging at the pain, as it echoed through his throat. The two women were immediately checking on him.

Kalyah had the bags down, gloved hands radiating white magic. The pain quickly faded, it wasn’t more than a jolt, and he didn’t feel tired from it. He was more embarrassed than hurt as they asked over him.

“Does it still sting?” Kalyah asked.

“No…”

“I don’t see any insects. Did you feel anything go in it?” Diana asked.

He turned to her in deep concern. “Is that a thing? Are there deadly bugs here? Like elvish ones?” he asked.

“Honey, don’t worry, I have you warded. I'm sure I included pests in it,” Kalyah said, still feeling around his neck.

“See, she has you managed,” Diana added, rubbing his shoulders.

"I can scan you once we get a place to rest. It takes a while, but don’t worry, you are warded against any normal illnesses,” Kalyah said, urging a smile on him.

The click of heels and the Pirate's heavy sigh came up behind him. The two Heroes looked at them with smug satisfaction and annoyance respectively.

"I hope you change your mind, princess," Angelina said.

"It will not happen," Diana said quickly.

Fia scoffed. "Your sister will never be avenged then?"

"I don't like repeating myself to the likes of you, so I will repeat Jonah, fuck you," Diana spat, whipping her hand off her chin and holding out her two fingers.

"What a classy princess," Fia jeered.

"Enjoy your greetings, the guards won't let you pass where we're going," Angelina said, turning on her heel.

Diana glared at the gates as a great shifting began in them. A dust cloud burst from the seam and they started to separate. The mighty doors moved at a snail's pace, a beam of light wasn't even visible until a full two minutes had passed.

"They haven't upgraded them since the bombs dropped," Kalyah commented.

Diana took a deep breath, the light a column down the center of her body, slowly illuminating her entirely. "They have me trapped, in shame," she said quietly. "The princess waddling back home with her tail between her legs. The airships hardly come here. I could have one, in an emergency. I would have to admit my failure"

"They failed us," Jonah said, squinting as the light hit him. "We can leave, your mom will understand."

Diana shook her head. "No, I think we are safe here, safer than with the Heroes." Her voice caught. "All I wanted was to hunt Blodwyn down, but the Heroes dismantled in less than a month." She rubbed at her face. "Why was I not mentioned on that tape? Did even Blodwyn know that I wasn’t a threat?" She paused, she had yet to say anything about that since they heard it. "I'll become a threat to her."

Jonah stood with the other two in silence as the doors slid open. After ten five more minutes, they hit some kind of grove, and opened much faster. Behind them were three staggeringly tall people with brutally sharp faces. Their visage's were stretched and long, a foot and a half of their ten foot height. They had nose bridges like thin knives coming down between their eyes. They stood for a moment and scanned them, grayish pupils moving their clouded orbs under translucent veiny skin, their eyelids sliced lines with long bristle lashes. Both eyes formed an arrow-like shape, their cheekbones holding the wedge. Their robes billowed over them and sticking out of their sleeves were lengthy spider leg fingers and their stretched flesh hands, the joints like fat ball bearings. There was no sign of shoes or feet and they skated forward rather than walked. Such alien people drawing near, Jonah couldn’t help but feel scared.

“They’re all very old, but not dangerous,” Diana whispered into his ear.

The three stopped a few feet before them, surrounded in an aura of pinkish light from the city, which was lowered by the other gates, still opening as well. All about Grand Elves’ robes were moving images of battles, monsters being slain, towns saved, lands founded, ships sailed and saved, buildings being built, and anything good and noteworthy that a person could possibly do in several millenias of existence. All these deeds slid along on rows around them. They bowed their heads all at once. Each one had a slightly different shade of graying hair, but only their robes were truly different. The leftmost one stepped forward and took a deep breath.

“Greetings on this fair morning of the autumn's cool and winter’s gathering, your highness Diana Primrose Orchidrin Scholar, Druid Master Elemental, heir to the Magi Kingdom throne, Daughter of Eliza Dahlia Orchidrin Scholar and Augustus Pragium Cherriam Scholar, I am thy humble host and treasurer of Alp’a Linn, or Alpha in thy common tongue, Sir Vallen Croy Vers’in. I began my first career as a lowly soldier at the battle of Cyclops hill in the fifth year of the fifth age, then after the grueling victory I was promoted to commander of some ten men, in our next battle waged in the spring sixth year of the fifth age…” he began and then went on in one long unbroken sentence that devolved into a constant noise like a nightmare where you can’t wake up. He wouldn’t listen when Jonah tried to ask polite questions, or even acknowledge his existence, looking only at Diana, who nodded along, holding his hand tightly in a clear show of frustration. Then Jonah tried shouting and still nothing.

“Don’t bother, the receiver is locked into the greeting by their voice,” Kalyah grumbled, walking around the Grands. They didn’t even look at her as she circled them with her heavy packs. “I don't think I can get any closer or the magic of their robes will rebuff me.” She went over to a guard nearly asleep against his spear, speaking in another language to him. The man pointed, replying in the same way. “Okay, Jonah, I’m going to set this stuff down in a hotel. This one won’t even be done by then. If anything bad happens, which I doubt it will, then keep walking forward and turn at a road called ‘Car’an Drin’. They still have common signs up, follow it until you get to a tall building with one glass face and no murals on it. Got that?”

“Is there nothing we can do to escape this?” he asked, trying to tug on Diana’s hand. She was locked in place. Aiko had laid down in front of her, sleeping.

“They have so much magic on them, I don’t like the idea of you testing it,” Kalyah said. “It won’t be that long, I’ll be right back, okay?”

He sighed, the Grand elf droning on and on. “I have to do something,” he said.

“Just be careful, they won’t attack you, but they don’t like rudeness, they could restart their greeting,” she replied with a frown.

“...in the tenth year of the eleventh age, I served as the council setting trade regulations which brought this fine city a most profitable decade,” the Grand went on.

“Oh good, he’s up to some three thousand years ago,” Kalyah said with a scoff. “I’ll be back, don’t worry honey. I’ll make sure you have comfortable beds to rest after all this.” She shifted the bags. “These aren’t exactly light, but they will be waiting for you.” She left and Jonah was alone with Diana.

There was no way he was staying, he had to figure this out. Sitting for many minutes he thought of plans and escapes. All he could manage was worst case scenarios for a long while and the Grand got closer and closer to the present, at least it sounded like it. He tried to step forward, but past a foot, but Diana held him back. He reassured her that he wasn’t leaving.

He put his headphones on Diana, turning on some music, the Grand speaking to her kept talking. She was able to look around, but her legs were stuck firmly in place. She tried to speak, but she was silenced, the pure aggravation blushed her face. The ancient being still stared at her. Sight and sound, he thought.

“Pardon me, royal highness of the Magi Kingdom, Diana Primrose Orchidrin Scholar,” it said, the others brows knitting with it. “I am trying to speak to thee.”

Jonah slid the headphones down. Kalyah was right, it started the greeting over. No, he couldn’t let it finish, he couldn’t let the others keep going. Aiko stood up, curious and pushing into Jonah, encouragingly.

Sight and sound. He had both, he could do this. Jonah formed a flashlight on his hand and held it up. He remembered Diana talking about dual focus and the difficulty of it. A phone could multitask and this wasn’t that difficult for it. His heart raced as he felt the magic surging through his body up into his hand. He slid the headphones on Diana, drawing the focus of the Grands once again.

His hand flashed brightly and his heart beat against his chest. The elves covered their faces and the flashlight sunk back into his body. The headphones started playing music and he spawned speakers on his arms. With all the flowing magic, his muscles felt weak. Diana put his arm over her shoulders and nearly dragged him as she started to run.

Bursting past the second gate, Diana stomped her foot and a section of the stony street rose up in sloppy patterns, disrupting the murals on it. Jonah’s heart rate evened out as Diana returned the headphones. Ducking behind a towering building with shining rose walls. He rubbed at his eyes to clear his vision, but there was only more glare outside the shadows of the alley.

“They’re more concerned with fixing the street than following,” Diana said, checking around the structure.

Eyes adjusting, Jonah finally saw the true glare of the city. Many buildings were made of pure rose quartz, the streets trimmed with silver and gold. From the sidewalks and walls came the sparkles of precious gems, a million eyes of men and women rushing off to some accomplishment or another. The solid structures of stiff lines and reflective glass was like the sun was stuck on the horizon. It was oppressive and annoying, only gaps between them which were devoid of artwork had any shade. The streets lacked any sign of people living. No rubbish, no vehicles, and no one. An empty city that stretched on for countless miles, full of history, but missing flesh and blood to observe it, save Jonah, Diana, and the growling tiger.

After a brief rest, getting the stiffness out of their limbs and drinking out the dryness of their mouths, they kept going, trying to find the street. The Druid sneered as they passed a planter of metal flowers swaying in the breeze, sounding like wind chimes. The trees of metallic bark brought an even louder sound of revulsion.

“Ah, there it is, finally,” Diana said, looking up at the sign. “Oh gods, I can’t imagine what I would do if I stayed there for every greeting…” She pulled Jonah up into an embrace, kissing him hard on the mouth. The city light, which even dampened the sky, washed out her pale features, but her dark eyes stayed on him. “I’ll take those Heroes down, and it’s all thanks to you.” Her breast plate pushed into him and he struggled to breathe.

“You’re welcome, let’s get out of here,” he said.

“Yes, yes, of course,” she said. “I think we might stay a day or two here and then I will contact my mother.” She thought for a moment. “She won’t lie to me, and I doubt she or my father played a part in any bed thumping. They are both good, and the Ash Makers were not around in such force within the last hundred years. I won’t return home, not directly, but I can return to my Kingdom and from there ruin the Heroes and begin this war properly.”

“Yeah, that’s good, I already hate this city…”

The click of heels came out of nowhere, and both of them turned to see the Witch materializing from a fog in the dim of an alleyway. Diana didn’t hesitate to bring the stoney street up to the woman's chest. The attack shimmered through her form, it wasn’t her physical form.

“I thought you had something on me, good luck using it now,” Fia said, laughing. “Have fun in Alpha, you might be here for a while. Jonah, maybe the rest of your life.” She snapped her fingers with a devilish grin.

Diana checked over him, holding his arms.

Sweat started to blossom out of Jonah’s skin and he felt intensely cold, shivering. He couldn’t speak as his stomach turned and he retched up what little he could eat that day. From the coughing bile came a spatter of blood from his nose.

“Fuck you,” the Witch said with delight.