Neia stared at the wall that had kept her people at bay for nearly a thousand years with anticipation. Today was the day she’d cross over. Entering the lands of the humans. The former lands of her people.

The nervous fidgeting of Ruven, ruffling the grass, ruined the moment. She glared at him. “Will you stop that? What happened to all that stealth you speak so highly of?”

To his credit, Ruven did stop pacing. But, he transitioned into pacing back and forth. “What do you think is on the other side? Also, are you sure we need to wear these stupid hats?” He flicked the wide-brimmed hat the elders had given them both.

In the past, they lived underground. To this day, that is still partly true, but they could function outside because of the tall, shading canopies the Shadowgrove provides them. Out past that wall, it will be clear skies and harsh sun. She’d heard the tales from her father about the blinding daylight, but she’d seen the sun before. It couldn’t be that bad.

She shrugged. “Take it off if you want to. You can always put it back on.”

In the end, Ruven kept the hat on, fearful of the stories told by the elders.

With the smooth sliding of stone, their guide, Thomas Timberson, the human in charge of this enormous wall, opened up the doorway which led into the wall itself. He waved them forward as Neia elbowed Ruven to get his attention. “The time is nigh. Let’s see the human lands.”

Neia led the way, leaving the shade of the canopy as she made her way to the entrance door. Ruven followed along, like he always did when they went patrolling, scanning the surroundings for anything untoward. They were excited, but they were prepared—always.

Neia easily entered the doorway, but Ruven had to duck down to get his seven foot tall stature inside without losing his towering, pointy black hat.

Mr. Timberson coughed, and gestured for them to follow along. Neia walked through the damp, musky interior of the Wall of Shadows. Dark Elves had mastered the humidity of living beneath the earth. So, having this wall be so humid was already a poor sign.

In less than twenty seconds, Thomas opened up another iron door at the far end of the small hallway they found themselves in. The door, like the other, was embedded into the stone. When it swung open on its rusty hinges, it revealed harsh, unobfuscated sunlight.

She shielded her eyes as she walked out of the wall, then, once her eyes did their best to adjust, she saw an endless billowing field of green grasses, small rolling hills, and a winding dirt road.

There wasn’t a tree in sight.

She glanced at Ruven, slightly shocked by the scene, but he was staring mouth agape at the sights. It was unlike anything either of them had expected.

“Welcome to Thexis.” Mr. Timberson said, as they stared at the beautiful, bright, sight.

“We’ve had time to prepare properly for your arrival. You have a wagon ready to depart and a guide to lead you to your destination. It’ll take a month or two, but you’ll be able to stop and see everything our kingdom has to offer.”

Neia nodded along, not really listening to what the man had to say. She knew where they were headed. To be honest, she didn’t even need a guide. She could stalk her way through this kingdom with impunity given her skills… if there was any cover.

“The others are coming in a week. We’re here to scout ahead. Please be ready for their arrival as well.” Neia remarked, causing Thomas to nod.

Ruven stalked off toward the wagon, a hand held high to block out the harsh sunlight. “Let’s be on our way. The quicker we leave, the sooner we arrive. Also, the wagon is covered.”

He hopped into the back, and Neia could hear an audible sigh of relief once he settled down. With him being a ranger and focusing on dexterity more than most, his eyes would be more sensitive than hers. He was probably feeling the pain.

Thomas gave her a salute as she followed after Ruven. As she began climbing into the back of the wagon, Thomas gave her some parting words. “It’s quite cloudy today, but it’s usually bright and sunny. It’s probably going to rain soon, so be careful on the roads.”

As soon as he finished, the wagon lurched as their ‘guide’ started off down the road.

—-------------------------------------------

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“...they're all being targeted, my lord.”

Dendros, Dragon of Woes and Waste, sneered down upon one of his ‘servants’. “And?! Who? Why?!”

His two wyrmlings hissed and nipped at the trembling human, drawing gouges in the wretched thing’s feeble flesh, waiting for the order to be fed another meal.

It was a good thing their robes were red, as all the blood pooling beneath the man would be harder to see. “Heal yourself,” He commanded.

With a faint light of weak, unearned magic, the human healed its pathetic wounds and regained some color in its ugly visage. “Who and why?!”

The human stuttered but managed to get his words out. It was at least better than most of his servants in this regard. “The kingdom itself, my lord. Every single one of our facilities are being ransacked, plundered, and put out of order. Healers are dying left and right. It’s because of that Miracle Worker! I know it!”

Dendros leaned and loomed over the red-robed pissant. “What of this Miracle Worker? Why has this information not been passed to me?”

The human smiled, and its breath quickened. “Here up above in Felispar! There is a new healer. A man who can teach others healing. The commoners flock to him like moths to a flame. His prices are affordable to all. The military is camped outside the city, my lord. He’s been teaching their mages healing magics.”

Dendros squinted his large amber eyes. He detected no falsehoods, yet this could not be. He waved a claw, ordering his children to stop their pestering. “Speak more. What is this Miracle Worker’s name?”

—------------------------------------------

“Lee Barnes! I’m looking for Lee Barnes!” A young man shouted out near the entrance of the colosseum of healing, Lee’s new name for the place.

He wiped his wet hands dry on his robes, then waved the young soldier over. “I’m Lee Barnes.”

The young man…

Jod Haberth - Human - Level: 7 Surveyor. (Uncommon)

… Jod, made his way over, carrying with him a bundle of parchment. When he arrived in front of Lee, he stood with his back straight and read off the top paper formally. “General Castana requests your presence in auditorium three.”

Jod relaxed, then skimmed the bottom of the page. “I’m to lead you there.”

Lee did one final sweep across the colosseum with Medical Attention, sweeping to see if he missed anybody. From what he could see, he’d healed everyone nearby to the best of his ability. In the end, three people had lost limbs due to whatever soul damage they’d accrued. He knew it wasn’t his fault, but he did feel a little guilty about not being able to heal them fully.

He extended an arm toward the exit. “Lead the way. I’m done here.”

After leaving the enormous colosseum, Lee was led through the now, once again, loud and bustling streets. As he followed the Jod the Surveyor, around the city, he decided to ask some questions.

“So, Jod. What’s up with Fatalina? Everyone is… different around her. If you know what I mean?”

Jod nodded as he skimmed through several other papers in his hands. From what he could tell, they appeared to be notices or requests. He had a lot of people to talk to today. “Oh, the quiet thing? Fatalina has super hearing. The softest noises sound like a run-away wagon to her. She can get angry real quick. Best not to yell or raise your voice or she might gut you. It happened to my pal Breyor. Big fella. Could run as quick as a—”

“Anything else I should know about her?” Lee cut off the rambling lad before he got ‘Breyor’s’ whole backstory.

Nonplussed about being cut off, Jod rambled on and on. “Oh yeah, she’s got this maid lady. Regina. Scary son of a bitch. Her eyes look like a dead fish. If she’s around, watch your ass, cause she can see your sins… Well, I think she can, at least. I’m still working on that theory. There’s also this theory that she’s Fatalina’s lover. We got a whole betting pool going on in the—”

“Back to Fatalina please…” Lee said while pretending he didn’t hear about Regina being in any kind of relationship. That was asking for trouble. He erased such thoughts from his mind.

“Right. She’s got one ear. Don’t ask about how that happened or you won’t leave the room alive. Don’t speak about her being a half-you-know-what. That’s also a body bag exit for you. She’s got two daggers, sharp as me—So, extremely sharp. They got like a serpentine pattern—that’s not like me, though. I’m straight. She used them to kill that Hossidus fellow a month or two ago. He’s a—was a healer like you. So, don’t think you’re all high and mighty, safe and what not. That’s not a good way to live life, you know? By the way, nice titles. Do you know how I can get one? I got this lady friend, Sandra, she’s a beauty. I think i have a pretty good chance at—”

“Oh look. I think we’re here. Have a nice day, Jod.” Lee said as soon as he spotted the sign labled ‘Auditorium #3’. He sped up the street and awkwardly peaked back at Jod, who had turned around and started speaking to someone else walking back the same way as him.

As Lee entered into the standard, uniform looking building, he realized that the entire building was the auditorium. There wasn’t a lobby or anything else. Going from outside to inside made you inside the meeting room, which was lined up like a college auditorium from Earth.

Up near the front, Fatalina stood with her arms crossed and another member of the military whispered next to her. In all of the seats, various mages sat deathly quiet. The drop of a quill would probably sound like an avalanche if you didn’t register the awkward breaths you could hear in the ongoing silence.

Knowing the drill, Lee strode down the aisle steps and made his way to the stage up front. People twisted their heads and watched him as he made his way down, but nobody spoke a word. Every time his foot hit one of the steps, he felt like an elephant by the way his shoes clanked against the stone. He even got a few worried looks from some of the others in attendance.

As he got up on stage, Fatalina waved aggravatedly to stop the man next to her from whispering. “Teach these people. I’ll be in my office. Come find me when you’re finished.”

With her speedy movement, Fatalina zoomed up and out of the auditorium. Unlike his elephant stomps, she didn’t make a single sound at all.

Once everyone heard the doors clang shut, they all waited about five seconds before giving sighs of relief. Some began chatting with their neighbors and others stretched and popped their fingers.

And Lee stood out like a sore thumb up on the stage.