We had dinner in relative silence. I had the feeling all of us were focused on tomorrow, me perhaps even more so than the rest. I blamed all the teasing.
After dinner, it was time for Velariah and me to retreat to our room. I shuddered at the prospect of being her guinea pig when it came to strength training, but I imagined the soreness would get better over time. She was a harsh teacher, but she did love me.
That’s what I thought. I started to doubt that after she put me to work with the dumbbells. As I was suffering, she had the evilest smile on her face. She was enjoying this far too much.
And then there was Minia staring from the wall, a stream of confusion coming from her. Her new size made it much harder to miss her. I would have never thought it, but I was thankful she’d grown bigger. Accidentally squishing her would break my heart…
After I finished, Velariah did the repetitions as well, but with some added weight plates. I watched with admiration and slight jealousy while she performed. She didn’t seem to have the same kind of soreness that I got from the job, which sparked my ire even more, but I’d get there… eventually.
Moments later, we were lying in bed, me cradling her in my legs as usual.
“I swear, if this festival isn’t as good as you’ve made it out to be, I’m going to tie you up for a day.”
“El,” Velariah said softly. “I’m not sure what you’re trying here. I’m looking forward to that now.”
“You’re just impossible, you know that?” I said, smiling.
“I know,” The elf replied before she used her hands to pull in my head, and pressed her lips against mine for a deep kiss.
“I really hope you'll like it,” She whispered.
“I’m sure I will. It’s going to be my first event in a new world. One with magic, unlike my old one. I’m very excited to see what’s going to be there.”
“There will be magic, alright,” Velariah said, a hint of teasing in her voice. “But come, let’s go sleep. We’ll have to get up, before first light, after all.”
“Before first light?” I asked.
Velariah smiled warmly. “Tomorrow, you will learn about the origin of this village’s name.”
“Alright then,” I replied before giving the elf another kiss. “Looking forward to it. Good night, Vel,” I said as I clapped out the lights.
“Good night, El.”
----------------------------------------
The sound of knocking on the door woke me up, but only slowly, as I was still groggy due to how early it was. My internal clock was definitely disrupted by this.
The knocking sounded again, and with it, Velariah shook me with enough force for me to moan without actively trying to produce sound.
“It’s time,” She whispered to me. “We’re coming!” She then shouted to whoever did the knocking.
She struggled to escape from my grasp but managed to do so and practically jumped out of the hammock to get dressed.
“Better hurry, El.”
“Just gimme a few minutes. You can go have breakfast, I’ll join in a sec.”
“There’s no breakfast today,” She said, putting on a shirt before walking back to the hammock. She pulled one of my arms as she continued. “Up, El!”
“Fine, fine,” I said, scrambling to get up, rubbing all four eyes as I slowly made my way out of bed. A quick face wash helped, but what I really needed right now was coffee. Sweet delicious, energizing coffee…
“Seems like you’re having a terrible start to the day.”
“It’s not even day yet. That’s the problem here,” I moaned.
“I promise you, you won’t regret it.”
I nodded, trusting that what she said was true, and put on a shirt and my tag. I then said a quick goodbye to Minia as Velariah then led us into the living room, where Elly was present. Footsteps followed from the stairs and soon, Seralyn, Draco, and Nira, with Gray on a leash, were there too.
“Thank you, Elly,” Velariah said. “Would you be so kind to take care of Gray for the day?”
“With pleasure,” Elly reacted with a smile.
“Hope it’s not too much trouble on your day off,” The white-haired elf added.
“Not at all.”
“Thanks a lot,” Velariah said, before turning to me. “Let’s get armored up, minus the helmet, and head out. You can leave your weapons here. I doubt you’ll need them.”
“Hope I won’t need the armor either, but okay,” I replied.
Velariah chuckled as we entered the hallway. Several minutes later, we entered the village, Elly behind us, taking a different route to walk Gray first. The streets were still covered in the darkness of night, but illuminated by the many standing torches along the streets.
I wondered how Velariah would react to the idea of street lights that would turn on and off by themself and not use any conventional fuel. If I were honest about it, I didn’t miss it. Seeing all these torches, and experiencing their physical warmth brought a certain coziness that no lighting in my old world could.
Even so, there were still poorly-lit areas, which made me slightly wary, but the short route towards the center of the village had an abundance of guards, keeping track of each and every movement.
Once there, the little worry that I had was just washed away by a flood of light. I’d completely forgotten about the bonfire, and now that I saw it, it was breathtaking.
A fire burned in the middle of the village, far enough away from the tree to not, by accident, set it alight. The stands that were previously placed at the outer edge of the center were slowly being filled with all kinds of food. Among them were pastries of many different kinds, sausages, cheese, and about anything I could imagine that could be produced here.
Other stands held glasses of drinks and fruit, and yet others displayed cookies, shaped like leaves.
The place was completely packed, and I was only able to observe all of that because I towered over everyone, especially when I lifted my torso.
I had never before seen this number of people together in Dawnleaf. They all seemed to look at the tree every now and then while socializing with others. When I looked at the dark silhouette of the tree, I could feel an immense amount of magical energy surrounding it. It far exceeded what I felt previously, and I couldn’t help but stare and take in the sensations that it brought.
“Soon,” Velariah said from my side when she saw me looking. “Want something to eat?”
“Not really hungry, but those cookies do look delicious.”
The elf chuckled and took my hand. “Let’s get some then.”
I was surprised to find out that everything available was free. Apparently, everything had more or less already been paid for by a fund that was set up specifically for this event every year. I couldn’t complain, though. Snacks for breakfast, who wouldn’t want that?
Shortly after that, Valtheril came into view. I noticed him talk to some of the guards before he stopped at a stand with some small barrels on it.
I smiled as I watch him have a pint. I didn’t think he’d be the type for alcohol considering how serious he came across, but who could blame him? This was a day of festivities. I was sure he was able to contain himself. Besides, I did like the ever-so-serious general’s lighthearted smile today.
He finished his drink and made his way over to us, his face unusually relaxed.
“Hey,” He greeted us warmly, his attention mainly fixed on me. “How’s it going? Enjoying the festival so far?”
“Everyone seems so happy,” I said. “It’s hard to not enjoy that.”
“That’s good to hear. The main event is going to start anytime. Please do enjoy all that Dawnleaf has to offer.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “I’m sure we will.” I turned my attention to my party members, who nodded.
“We’ll make sure to do just that, Sir Valtheril,” Draco added politely.
“Good to see it,” The general replied. “Today is a time of joy and celebration. I like to say that this is what we fight for. Let today be worth all that we’ve sacrificed.”
I nodded in admiration at his words as he walked off to the bonfire. From the corner of my panorama vision, I noticed a group of elves carrying instruments towards an unoccupied area near the it. I’d not seen any before, but it would make sense for this world to have them. Drums, violins, guitars, and trumpets were among the ones I recognized. They were laid down on benches that seemed to be prepared specifically for them, and left behind for later use.
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I took in the air of joy that surrounded us on all sides. People were talking, laughing, and filled with anticipation, as was I. Our party’s attention was on the tree, and the bonfire in front of it, which warmed me to the core.
More food and drink were brought to the party, and I was happy to see Elly appear after some time as well. She joined us together with Gray, who was more than happy to circle my legs and receive Nira’s affection.
“It’s starting,” Seralyn called out, grabbing my attention as I looked to see what she was looking at. She had her head raised high, to view the crown of leaves of the central tree. A quick look around made me realize that more and more people did the same.
“It is,” Velariah added, staring in awe with her.
I looked and was unable to see, but I felt the immense amount of energy in the tree suddenly spike and expand tenfold, sending waves of pressure from its trunk through the crowd. I had trouble breathing, but only very briefly as the dense magic was suddenly absorbed by the tree and flowed upward, to its crown. A tear was left in my eye from the phenomenon.
“Easy, El. Just relax,” Velariah said as she stood at my side and watched me struggle.
I did as she said just before another wave washed over me. This time, it was easier to endure, and the sudden ripple of magic filled me with an strange burst of energy. I allowed it to envelop and warm me in its embrace while I looked at my party members who seemed to experience the same feelings.
It was… beyond magical. This feeling, it transcended anything I’d ever felt before. Power and warmth spread through every fiber of my being, making me feel like I could take on anything, making me forget about all that bothered and threatened me.
Velariah took my hand, adding to the comfort I was experiencing when I noticed the very first rays of sunlight pierce the darkness on the horizon. Shortly after first light, I felt the incredible amount of magic that had manifested at the tree’s roots flow upward, more steadily now compared to the very first burst.
I stared at its leaves and was mesmerized as more light fell over the village. The leaves, one by one, slowly changed from their usual green into a vibrant, blue, their margins sparkling with a light blue, almost white color. As the sun continued its ascent, more and more leaves turned, changing the tree into a majestic spectacle to behold.
I, like everyone else, was speechless, causing an odd, but tranquil silence to fall over the village. All that could be heard were the embers of the fire, and the slow, rhythmic pulsating of magic that flowed through the tree, its branches, and leaves.
There were no words to describe what I was watching, and I was sure my mouth was wide open, as we all stared at what was unfolding high above us. Viridescent made place for enchanting turquoise which lit up the settlement with its potent glow.
“Unreal,” Was all I could say, barely, whispering as the moment was surreal.
“Shhh,” Velariah hushed softly. “Focus on the moment.”
I heeded her words a second time, and just took in everything going on, searing it into my brain, hopefully, to never forget the magic that this moment brought. I couldn’t be more thankful for having the extra eyes at the side of my head. They allowed me to take in everything, not missing a single thing.
I thought I wanted to have my phone to take pictures, but Velariah was right. Living the moment was far more important than looking back on images of this somewhere in the future.
I stared until the sun had fully appeared on the horizon. When its full visage was revealed, the tree reacted once more. The magic flowing through the tree stopped, and the white at the edges of the leaves disappeared, leaving only blue, making them less bright in the process, ending its culmination. Still, the resulting view was breathtaking.
The musicians started playing pleasant tunes, and peoples’ attention was drawn back to the festivities, food, and drink. I was still staring when Velariah poked me.
“Dawnleaf,” The elf said. “Now you know why.”
“Unbelievable,” I said as I had to shake my head to get back to the present. I felt like I’d been floating for the past few minutes as everything unraveled, and just now, I felt my feet on the ground again.
“You okay?” Velariah asked with a teasing smile.
“I’m fine. That was beautiful.”
“I can see you enjoyed it. The tree will remain like this and go back to normal overnight. For the rest of the day, we celebrate. There will be some more entertainment in addition to the music later on. I wonder what is planned for this year…”
“You don’t know?”
“Nobody does besides the people involved. Last year, several members of the guild were invited to see who could climb the tree the fastest.”
“Sounds dangerous,” I replied.
“Nah,” Velariah replied. “We had mages ready to save anyone that fell. Ultimately, nobody did.”
“Beautiful wasn’t it?” Seralyn came between us, addressing me. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you staring. Your jaw almost hit the floor. It was fun to see”
I shook my head at her words.
“It was special. That’s for sure,” I replied.
“You guys wanna get some more snacks?” The white-haired elf asked.
I looked at Draco, Nira and Elly, who’d been quiet so far.
“Sure, why not?” Draco agreed.
“You’ll love the guild’s pasties. They’re the best. I always look forward to this day, just to get my hands on some,” Velariah happily exclaimed. I chuckled as we followed her.
Along the way, we picked up some sausages for Gray who was going crazy over them when we sat ourselves down on the benches that were set up in one quarter. From here, we had an excellent view of everything going on.
Many seemed to have the same idea as us, went to grab some food, and sat down to just enjoy the view. The tree was still beautiful, after all. Even the treemenders who were usually busy seemed to enjoy a day off. I noticed both masters Endomir and Pylanor take seats not too far from us, and just talk and laugh.
“You’re right,” I said as I took a bite of the still-warm, savory pasty that Velariah had suggested. It was filled with meat, vegetables, and onions, but there were spices in it that I couldn’t recognize. It gave the whole both a sweet and savory taste at the same time, something I hadn’t deemed possible. Nonetheless, it was divine.
“Does Elly not know how to make these?” I asked, earning a grin from the maid, which confused me.
Velariah shook her head. “I wish she knew, but it’s a guild secret. One they aren’t eager to share.”
“Shame,” I said.
“I know right,” She replied with a grin.
Valtheril appeared and walked over to the chatting treemenders to share a few words with them, before moving over to us.
“How is my favorite party doing?” He asked as he took a seat. “I believe it was your first time seeing that too, right, Draco, Nira?”
The lizardman and harpy both smiled, and Draco spoke for both of them.
“I feel honored to be able to observe something like that.”
Nira nodded in agreement.
“How about you, Elania?” The general continued. “Did you have anything like that?”
He referred to my old world without actually mentioning it. Even though nobody was close enough to hear it, it was still smart of him to conceal that.
“Never,” I said. “I’ve seen many incredible things, but nothing came even close to what I just saw. Like Draco, I too feel honored to be here.”
Valtheril chuckled. “I am the one who should be honored to have you here. I’ve been able to make some trade agreements regarding the new product, thanks to you. It’s allowed us to partially fund this festival.”
“I’m happy to help,” I said.
“Once again thank you,” He said as he stood up. “Hope you enjoy what we have in store.”
“I’m sure we will.”
He walked back to the treemenders and sat down to talk with them. Apparently, Valtheril knew some good jokes, as, within a few seconds, both Endomir and Pylanor laughed heartily.
“What a day,” I said. “It seems everyone forgets or just doesn’t care. Makes me wish this day could last forever.”
“Unfortunately it can’t,” Velariah said, putting a hand on one of my pedipalps. “Which makes it even more important to celebrate properly. It’s only once a year, and as my father said, this is what we fight for. Make it count.”
I nodded. “I’m sure as hell going to enjoy every moment of it.”