Aridan’s parents, though touched by time with silver streaks adorning their hair, still maintained a youthful vigour. His mother’s eyes instantly welled up with tears at the sight of her son. She rushed forward to envelop Aridan in a tight embrace. Aridan’s father maintained his composure, but not without difficulty; a slight tremor in his clenched jaw and the moisture gathering at the corner of his eyes betrayed his stern façade. Kaiden stood slightly apart, feeling awkwardly out of place during such an intimate family reunion.
After a few intense minutes, Aridan’s parents seemed to become aware of Kaiden’s presence. “Oh, how rude of me,” Aridan’s mother said, hastily wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. She gave Kaiden a look of mild embarrassment mixed with curiosity.
Aridan’s father fixed Kaiden with an intense, scrutinizing gaze, that made Kaiden feel as though he was being stared at by a predator. Scars lined his muscular arms, a testament to countless battles. “This is Kaiden, a human who was trapped with me at Gul’Gormeth,’ Aridan introduced. “He’s the one who freed me from the Dragonborn city.”
Aridan’s mother stepped forward, her eyes brimming with tears as she grasped Kaiden’s hands. “Thank you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “Thank you for bringing my son back.” She bowed deeply.
Kaiden, feeling somewhat overwhelmed and slightly embarrassed by the intensity of the moment, managed a modest reply. “Anyone would have done the same in my place,” he said, cheeks flushing.
Aridan’s father, after a long moment, finally nodded in approval and stepped aside, gesturing them into the house. “Come, both of you must be exhausted,” he said, his tone softening as he led them inside.
As Kaiden stepped inside, he found himself in a neatly maintained foyer. Sunlight streamed through large windows, brightening the whole space. The house was surprisingly spacious, with a staircase that revealed it spanned at least two stories.
Aridan’s father, extended his hand, his piercing gaze assessing Kaiden. “Welcome to the Everclear household. I am Janos, and this is my wife, Sana,” He introduced, his voice carrying a resonant authority.
Kaiden shook Janos’s hand, expressing his gratitude for their hospitality.
Aridan chimed in, his tone light despite the fatigue that edged his words, “Mother, father we’d really appreciate a bath. We’ve been in these clothes for so long, I’m worried they might have fused with our skin.”
His mother, Sana, offered a polite smile, “Yes, you boys do carry quite the aroma. Freshen up first. Your old clothes are still in your room, Aridan.” Turning to Kaiden, she added, “And feel free to wear anything that fits you.”
“Thank you, your hospitality is very much appreciated,” Kaiden responded, relieved at the prospect of a warm bath and clean clothes.
“My room’s this way,” Aridan said, leading the way toward the stairs. Kaiden nodded politely and followed. The staircase opened into a hallway lined with paper sliding doors, their design reminiscent of Japanese Shoji.
Aridan entered his room, rummaging quickly through the wardrobe. He selected several items, then tossed a bundle to Kaiden. “Here, these should fit you,” he said.
Kaiden caught the bundle, the fabric felt luxurious in his hands – thick yet supple, clearly of high quality. The clean scent of the fabric was refreshing.
“These items are amazing,” Kaiden said, admiring the craftsmanship.
Aridan snorted. “You’ve been wearing rags for years, anything would look amazing compared to that, but I’m sure my mother will appreciate the compliment anyway,” he replied.
“Your mother made these?” Kaiden asked.
Aridan nodded “My mother’s class is tailor. She made that for me years ago, her work has only gotten better, you’re lucky elves are naturally so tall.”
Kaiden grunted in agreement, he hadn’t realized it before, but Aridan was almost as tall as him. During his captivity, the elf had hunched a lot, as if the walls of the prison were bearing down on him. Now free, his posture had straightened, making him almost as tall as Kaiden.
Aridan led him to the bathroom and showed him how to operate the bath. He was surprised to see that the place had plumbing and hot water, and he idly wondered how it worked most likely enchantments.
“You bath first, I’ll have one after,” Aridan said closing the bathroom door.
Once the bath was filled, Kaiden eagerly stripped off his ragged clothes and tossed them into the corner. He stepped into the warm water, sighing in relief. Leaning back, he allowed the heat to seep into his bones, soothing the weariness from his muscles and melting away the tension accumulated from their journey.
After some time, relaxing in the warmth, he reached for the bar of soap. As he scrubbed vigorously, the water quickly turned murky from the dirt and grime. Satisfied with his thorough cleaning, Kaiden climbed out of the tub, drained the water, and slipped into the fresh clothes provided by Aridan. Clean and dressed in fresh garments, he felt reborn, almost entirely human again. His favourite part of the outfit was the cloak. Crafted from thick, sturdy material, with a deep hood, it offered protection against the elements.
Kaiden picked up his old clothes in the corner of the room, instantly gagging at the smell. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath, realizing just how polite the elves had been to tolerate his presence earlier.
He disposed of his ragged clothing, handling them as minimally as possible. He then descended the stairs to find Aridan and his parents deep in conversation, catching up on years lost. Kaiden hesitated at the threshold, reluctant to interrupt the family reunion. Janos, noticing him, gestured invitingly, “Come sit down, Kaiden,” he offered.
“I don’t want to intrude, “Kaiden replied, his voice low.
“You’re not intruding at all,” Sana assured him, her voice soft.
“Aridan was just telling us about you,” Janos added, his tone grateful. “It seems we owe you a great debt for returning our son to us. Life as a slave… that must have been incredibly hard.”
Kaiden moved to join them, taking the indicated seat. “It was tough, but Aridan helped me as much as I helped him, I wouldn’t have survived without him either,” he said, sharing a glance with Aridan.
Aridan then stood up, glancing down at his worn and stained clothing. “I need to go clean up,” he said. “I’ll return shortly.”
Kaiden watched as Aridan ascended the stairs, his stomach tightening with nerves. What if he messed up and said something wrong? What would they do if they discovered he was a Dragonborn?
Turning back to Janos and Sana, he noticed Janos’s inquisitive look. “Aridan tells us that you’re from one of the Human nomad tribes?” Janos asked.
Kaiden nodded, hoping his nervousness didn’t show. “Yes, that’s right, though it’s been so long since I was captured, I can scarcely remember anything about them,” he said, managing to keep his voice steady.
“Oh, you poor thing. Are you going to find your family once you leave here?” Sana asked, her tone laden with sympathy.
“I don’t have any family left,” Kaiden replied, a hint of sadness threading his words. “I was thinking of staying here a while with Aridan, figure out what to do next.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Sana exchanged a glance with Janos. Kaiden noticed the brief, silent communication between them and felt a twinge of concern. “What is it?” he asked.
“Did Aridan not tell you?” Sana replied, her brow furrowing slightly.
“Tell me what?” Kaiden asked.
Janos cleared his throat, a serious expression on his face. “It’s just that it’s very difficult to get a permit to stay in Emendel.”
Now that they mentioned it, Kaiden couldn’t recall seeing anyone other than elves since he’d arrived.
“Oh,” was all he managed to utter.
“Maybe you could help him dear,” Sana suggested turning to Janos with a hopeful look.
Then elf grunted, rubbing his brow thoughtfully. “That’s not really my department, but maybe I can pull some strings.”
“Don’t worry Kaiden, I’m sure Janos will take care of it,” Sana assured him, her gaze fixed on her husband with an expectant smile.
Janos met his wife’s eyes, shoulders slumping slightly as if resigned to the task. “Yes, dear, I’ll see what I can do,” he agreed, shifting his focus back to Kaiden, “Aridan tells me you’re a knight class? That’s quite an achievement.” He continued, changing the subject.
Kaiden nodded, “Yes a Dragon Knight,” he confirmed.
“That’s incredible,” Janos remarked. “Securing a standard knight class is challenging enough, but a rare variant, I’ve never heard of a Dragon Knight.”
The conversation thankfully stayed around classes until Kaiden heard footsteps descending the stairs, turning, his eyebrows rose in surprise. Aridan looked so different that Kaiden almost didn’t recognize him. The removal of dirt and grime had taken years off his appearance.
“That feels much better,” Aridan remarked, rejoining them at the table.
“The servants have prepared dinner. You boys must be starving,” Janos announced.
Dinner was delicious – the best meal Kaiden had eaten since coming to this world. Fresh boar meat paired with a variety of vegetables graced their plates. Conversation during the meal was kept light, yet Kaiden occasionally caught a glimmer of tears in Sana’s eyes as she looked at her son.
The atmosphere was warm and comfortable, reminding Kaiden of his family back on Earth. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as he realized he would never again have dinner with his parents like this.
After dinner, Kaiden excused himself stating that he was tired. He wanted to give his friend a chance to properly reunite. He retreated to the spare bedroom, where a futon had been set up for him. Despite his exhaustion, sleep eluded him. For the first time in years, his mind wasn’t preoccupied with immediate survival; allowing his thoughts to drift back to Earth and everything he’d left behind – family, friends. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he lay in the dark room, marking the sense of loss that washed over him.
Kaiden awoke to the sunlight streaming through the curtains, illuminating the modest room. Outside, the cheerful chirping of birds and the soft murmur of elves going about their morning routines filled the air. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, feeling slightly disorientated by the peacefulness of his surroundings. Despite waking up later than intended, the extra rest was welcome, as it had taken him a while to drift off the night before.
He rose out of bed and descended the stairs to find Aridan seated at the table, which was laden with a variety of foods.
“Ah, you’re finally awake,” Aridan said greeting him with a smile.
“Where is everyone?” Kaiden asked, taking a seat and scanning the otherwise empty room.
“Mother and father needed to work,” Aridan replied and spread some jam on some bread.
Kaiden helped himself to a plate of food, appreciating the fresh fruit and warm bread – a luxurious change from the dried meats and scarce rations of the wastelands. “So, what’s the plan for today? “ he asked.
“I need to report to headquarters, we can start your EEP there too,” Aridan said.
“EEP?” Kaiden asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Emergency Entry Permit,” Aridan explained, taking a sip of his juice. “There are different types of permits required to enter the Elven Federation. Most of them require approval before entry into our nation. However, the emergency permit allows you to enter without approval, however, you must apply for the permit within 24 hours of arriving. It’s a bit of a process.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize it was so strict,” Kaiden commented, his brow furrowing.
It’s an unfortunate reality that there’s tension between the allied races. The dwarves are the most isolated, but whether that’s because of their temperaments or the natural barrier created by the mountains they live in – who can say? Humans have the least strict policies, though I do believe this may be due to more geological and economic reasons.” Aridan said.
“What do you mean?” Kaiden asked.
“While the human empire is vast, it’s mainly farmland, the empire produces a lot of food such as wheat, but the iron it mines is of poor quality, they only have a small adamantium mine, and their lumber is nothing like the Ashen Sorrel. For better quality materials they rely heavily on trade.” Aridan elaborated.
Kaiden nodded absorbing the information. “Makes sense.” He said, as he thoughtfully chewed on his breakfast.
After breakfast, Kaiden followed Aridan out into the cool morning air, as they walked to the military branches of the city.
The garrison itself stood imposing, its structure harmoniously integrated into the surrounding forest. Towering walls of interwoven branches fortified the perimeter, with watchtowers strategically placed along the wall.
As they approached, Kaiden noticed something peculiar about the walkway leading to the entrance. Unlike the usual pathways of the city, these walkways were segmented and featured heavy counterweights and pulleys at its side. “What’s with the walkway?” he asked Aridan.
“It’s designed for defence,” Aridan explained. “If needed we can retract the walkway,”
Kaiden peered over the edge, his gaze dropping to the ground far below, it formed a formidable obstacle, deterring any direct assault on the garrison.
As they approached the entrance, two guards stationed on platforms flanking the walkway halted them. One of the guards, a young elf, glared at Kaiden.
Aridan pulled out a token and flashed it to the older guard.
“We don’t allow your kind here, human.” The younger one sneered at Kaiden.
Aridan’s expression darkened as he regarded the young elf with visible contempt.
“Back down, Elion,” the other guard ordered the grizzled-looking veteran, nodded to Aridan with respect. “Sorry about that, Aridan. This one’s a little green.”
The younger elf sneered, not quite ready to let the matter rest, “We don’t need any other races.”
Aridan stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous, as he spoke to the young guard. “That’s enough, Elion was it? We already have enough issues with our ongoing war with the Dragonborn. We also lose thousands to Arachnid ambushes, and I hear the dwarves are struggling against Krustallonian crusades while the humans fight against vampires. Do you really think we should be alienating our allies when we’re so clearly surrounded by enemies?”
The younger elf opened his mouth to reply, but the grizzled guard intervened. “Enough, Elion.” He said sternly, his voice full of authority. “perhaps we can hear more of your opinions after you ‘ve faced a Dragonborn in battle.”
A flush of embarrassment and anger rose in Elion’s cheek, but he stepped aside, allowing Aridan and Kaiden to pass.
Aridan gave a slight nod of thanks to the older guard as they passed through the gates, leaving the tense atmosphere behind them as they moved deeper into the military complex. “I apologize for that. It appears tensions have continued to rise since I’ve been away, and unfortunately, not everyone sees the value in cooperation between the races.”
They proceeded along the main walkway, bypassing the smaller branching paths. Soon they arrived in front of one of the largest buildings Kaiden had seen in Emendel. Its structure embraced the typical elven design, resembling an acorn seed, wrapping around the entire trunk of a massive tree, and stretching up to at least five stories.
“Is this the barracks?” Kaiden asked, craning his neck to take in the structure.
Aridan chuckled, shaking his head. “No, this isn’t the barracks. The barracks, where the soldiers sleep and shower, were those clusters of buildings we passed earlier.”
“The two-story ones?” Kaiden clarified.
“Yes, each floor accommodates a platoon, which consists of about 50 troops,” Aridan explained.
“What’s this building then?” He gestured towards the structure before them.
“This is Headquarters,” Aridan revealed.
“Guess it takes a lot of paperwork to keep an Army running,” Kaiden remarked.
“You have no idea,” Aridan muttered under his breath.
Aridan led Kaiden through the labyrinthine headquarters, up staircases, and along corridors, finally reaching a large administrative area. Clerks busied themselves at tables scatted around the room, their quills scratching on parchment, while others hurried by with stacks of documents.
They entered a smaller office set aside as a reception area, furnished minimally with a few chairs along the wall and a desk where a single elf was stationed. The clerk looked up with a slight frown. “The general was expecting you over an hour ago.”
“We required a little extra rest,” Aridan replied casually, unfazed by the clerk's demeanor.
The clerk's frown deepened. “Just wait there. I’ll see if the general is ready for you.” He then stood, knocked, and disappeared through the door behind the desk.
Kaiden shot Aridan a questioning glance, “The general?” He asked a little nervous.
Aridan simply grinned back, “You’ll see.”
A moment later, the clerk returned. “The general will see you now.”
The office they entered was unexpectedly spacious. The walls were unadorned save for one entirely covered with meticulously organized strolls, and another plastered with maps detailing military things that were above Kaiden’s head. Kaiden’s gaze was drawn to one map of the continent, which colorfully detailed the various territories of the races. He was about to take a closer look when a familiar voice called out.
“You took your time getting here.”
Turning towards the source, Kaiden’s eyes widened in shock. Behind the desk, wearing the crisp uniform of the elven military, sat none other than Janos, Aridan's father