GNOMISH HOSPITALITY
Sefaloy was in a state of shock as he ran through the dense forest. Since the red-haired elf had surged out of the sky on her snowy owl and chased after him, his mind had been entirely concentrated on escaping her.
He felt he had little chance of escaping as her long strides and her ability to tree-skip would allow her to travel much faster and catch up to him. Yet, he had been overly critical of his skills, for what he hadn’t fully considered were his survival adaptations.
Sefaloy used his keen ears to determine how far behind him his pursuer was. Despite her agility and grace, she elf still made distinct sounds, which Sefaloy could recognize, allowing him to keep track of her location.
Using his knowledge of the elf’s whereabouts, Sefaloy made sharp turns, using his agility and speed to his advantage and confounding his pursuer.
Suddenly, he stopped hearing the elf. He wondered if she’d jumped back onto her owl. Sefaloy didn’t slow down and kept making unpredictable turns, unsure whether he was still being followed.
Every so often, he had turned back to check. When he felt he hadn’t heard the flapping of wings for long enough nor seen any signs of their pursuers, he finally stopped to lean against a giant mushroom, exhausted. He was reassured to see the mushroom as it confirmed he had entered Idal.
Though elves generally respected an ancient law which prohibited them from entering the gnomish region, Sefaloy doubted their pursuers would follow the old traditions. He had been in a handful of difficult situations with the elves, mainly when he first began travelling through the forest, years before, but never had he been hunted by elves. These elves seemed not only to be pursuing him and his companions, but it appeared they were intent on killing them.
In the distance, Sefaloy spotted Korlak and Vos, running toward him. His ears perked up and he looked around in a skittish manner, searching for signs of their pursuers. He saw nothing, however, and had hope that they had noticed the change in vegetation which served as a border. He knew this was wishful thinking and chose not to take any risks. They needed to venture deeper into Idal before he could truly relax.
“We need to keep moving.” Said the harekryn as Korlak and Vos finally arrived, panting. “We were a bit sidetracked in our escape, but I think Sigi’s village isn’t far from here.”
Korlak drank the last few droplets of water from his waterskin, shaking it desperately. He tried to speak but his throat was too dry. He simply nodded and turned to Vos.
The foxkryn was holding his arms, blood dripping down onto his hand. The great falcon’s talons had made a deep cut into Vos’ arm, just below his pauldron, and he was losing a lot of blood. It was surprising that he hadn’t lost consciousness and had been able to push on and run for so long.
Seeing this, Sefaloy quickly pulled some rags from one of his packs and rushed over to Vos, pouring a strange, brown liquid onto the wound before dressing it.
“The falcon’s talons dug deep in your arm, Vos.” Said Sefaloy. “We need to find you a healer soon.”
As he waited, Korlak opened the small leather pouch in which Sedri slept and let the flying squirrel out to stretch his legs. The squirrel jumped out, gliding for a split second and landing on a nearby rock. It turned and looked back at Korlak.
I appreciate master. Said Sedri, telepathically. I can run?
Korlak, who only ever received the small creatue’s thoughts, had always imagine his voice to be that of a joyous child. His large eyes and fluffy coat of fur also reminded him of the chinchillakryn with whom he spent much of his time, adding to the though that the squirrel’s voice ought to be soft, high pitched and child-like.
You can run, and you can fly, Sedri. Answered Korlak. But I do have a task for you.
As he spoke, Korlak stepped forward and crouched, his face just a few centimetres from that of the squirrel. His golden eyes looked into the animal’s large, black eyes.
Sedri’s grey and white fur, which had changed to a winter coat, was slowly shedding and becoming less fluffy as they travelled south, to warmer temperatures. He tilted his head sideways, confused as to what Korlak required of him.
As he communicated with his pet, Korlak wondered if the owl’s crystal was improving his abilities. He had felt the presence of more animals around him since he had received it, but perhaps that had simply been because the forest was filled with a dense population of animals.
When it came to communication with Sedri, he did feel it required less energy to communicate. He had felt mentally drained after previous conversations, as the telepathic connection required his full focus and tired him out.
I need you to look for signs of gnomes. Continued Korlak.
Sedri’s head went from tilting to the left to tilting to the right, his neck outstretched to show he was even more confused.
Short-folk, like me. Clarified Korlak. We’re looking for a village.
“Let’s not waste anymore time.” Came Sefaloy’s loud voice from behind Korlak. “They could be here any moment and Vos is in dire need of a healer.”
Korlak turned to the harekryn and nodded, following as he and Vos began to run once again.
“We won’t find a healer proficient enough to help Vos in Sigi’s village, but Sigi can transport him to the capital on his great hummingbird, Fislarus.” Added Sefaloy as he ran.
As the group hurried down the path, Sedri ran off to the side, choosing to jump on the roots, large mushrooms and rocks rather than simply running on the flat, dirt path.
He then jumped onto larger and larger mushrooms, making his way onto the branches of the regular trees above. From there, the flying squirrel could leap from tree to tree, gliding through the air above the three companions and taking small detours to investigate potential evidence that gnomes were nearby.
As he looked around, Korlak noticed just how different Idal was to the Avanurian regions they had crossed. He was surrounded by a plethora of different, colourful mushrooms of all shapes and sizes, giving him the impression that he was walking through a strange dream.
Many were tall, reaching twenty meters in height. The tallest ones were thin and had small caps, but there were huge mushrooms with ochre-yellow caps and white stems that grew to a diameter of seven meters and were fifteen meters high.
Sedri quickly began reporting back to Korlak about seeing gnomes in the surrounding area. They soon passed some of the large mushrooms which had been carved out into homes, creating small gnomish villages.
Among the forest of colourful mushrooms, there were many strange creatures, the likes of which Korlak had never seen. They too were colourful and had all sorts of strange characteristics. Some were hairy, some scaly, others looked like they had smooth hairless skin while some had rough, leathery, or bumpy skin. A few skinny creatures with red eyes had a mix of wrinkly grey skin and odd patches of black hair. They would stare at Korlak as he passed, but the halfling couldn’t seem to speak to them telepathically. He likely lacked the skill to connect with their advanced minds.
As he looked to either side of the path, Korlak could see dozens of creatures in each little corner of the forest, running, jumping, flying, socializing, and sleeping. This kept him entertained as he asked them simple questions along the way. He felt as though establishing a connection with these animals had become easier, a change he attributed to the crystal the owl had given him.
As they made their way west, the group crossed over a wide river, called the Finur, choosing to swim across it in an area where the current wasn’t so strong rather than spend time searching for a bridge. Furthermore, any bridges might have been patrolled by one of their pursuers as they were still in the border region with Avanur.
Once they had crossed the river, Sefaloy was able to lead the group to Oxodnif, Sigi’s village, without requiring Sedir’s help. He spotted a few familiar landmarks, mainly odd-shaped mushrooms, and small streams, from which he deduced that they were southeast of the village.
Twenty minutes later, the group reached Oxodnif, feeling exhausted from their long run.
The true name of Sigi’s village was Erehtratsuloxodnif, but foreigners called it Oxodnif as it was quite the mouthful for them.
Many of the gnomish cities were given different names by outsiders. This was due to the fact that gnomes loved to give their settlements long, detailed names and other races often found them hard to pronounce or too long to mention in conversation. The true name of Idalkinmiro was said to take several minutes pronounce as it reflected the city’s rich history.
Oxodnif was composed of about seventy homes on the eastern shore of the river Finurmal, a small river that branched off the much larger, Finur. The Finurmal split off from the Finur just north of Oxodnif and flowed south, to the gnomish capital of Idalkinmiro.
The citizens of Oxodnif had built their homes among the roots of the gelvors as well as around their trunks. The gnomish houses were made of the brown wood of the local regular trees, which were rarely white in this part of the Northern Region. The gnomes seemed to prefer working with the wood from regular trees, which was mainly due to the gelvors being hard to cut down due to their size.
Gnomes cut down living trees when needed, always making sure not to exceed a certain rate and to keep planting new ones. Elves, on the other hand, were said to wait patiently for gelvors to die and cut them into smaller pieces in order to transport them to nearby rivers, then bring them to their cities using a log-driving method.
This was considered a particularly special event as gelvors seldom fell and it allowed the elves to expand their cities considerably. Those who participated in the log-driving would train their skills in balance and agility by skipping across the large pieces of wood as they floated. The city would later reward them with several days of celebration.
The buildings in Oxodnif were connected with small, stone pathways, leading to large staircases which spiralled around the gelvor trunks. These connected the houses on the forest floor to those which had been built on the side of the tree trunks. Staircases, walkways and all buildings that weren’t on the forest floor had been painted in a cream white colour to blend in with gelvor trees, making the town less noticeable from a distance.
The gnomes had found ways to create large holes in the gelvor trunks without causing them much harm. This had allowed them to built houses within the trunks with large portions that protruded from them and were further extended with balconies. This meant that they needed far less support for the buildings they created along the gelvor trunks, as a large portion would be within the trunk itself.
Some buildings on the forest floor were made of stone and had roofs which were covered in a blanket of green moss. Others had been built below large gelvor roots which rose up in a large arch, before dipping back below the ground. Such buildings would fill in the gaps between the roots and the ground below, following the shapes created by the roots.
There were many gnomes walking around the town, their tall, pointy hats making them easy to track. Korlak watched them go about their daily business as the exhausted trio slowly approached the village, unable to run any longer.
Vos’ consciousness seemed to be fading as they slowed and Korlak had him throw his uninjured arm around his arm for support as they made their way into the village.
The gnomes were walking around, carrying various vegetables and roots, building new homes, collecting water from the river, fishing along its banks, sitting and smoking their pipes and stopping to look at flowers or butterflies as they through the forest. Korlak was happy to see a lively town once again. The gnomes seemed to be a joyous race.
Sefaloy turned back to look at Voss, his expression grim as he saw the foxkryn’s tense face, the pain less obvious as his consciousness continued to fade and his face relaxed, leaving a blank stare.
“Hey, where can I find Sigi?” Yelled Sefaloy to the first gnome they approached, a stout, white bearded worker who was heading out of the village with a shovel on his shoulder and a large bag in hand. The gnome wore brown pants, a long, light blue shirt, and a long, red pointed hat.
“Well, hello, there!” Answered the gnome, smiling. “I think I’ve seen you around here before, harekryn. ‘bout two harvests ago, if my memory serves me.”
“Yes, that’s quite possible.” Answered Sefaloy, speaking quickly to show he was in a rush. “Now, I’m sorry to be a bit rude, but we’re in a rush to find Sigi. Where is he?”
“I’m not sure.” Answered the gnome. “Ask his wife, Milva. She’s teaching the children today!” he suggested, pointing to a large, stone building with a dark green roof.
Sefaloy thanked the gnome, who nodded with a smile, and continued walking, then headed toward the building, which he presumed was the school.
As they approached the building, the trio spotted a large group of gnomish children, following a young gnomish lady with a baby blue hat and a dark yellow shirt. Her light-brown hair and white skirt floated about her as she skipped forward in a playful way, singing along with the kids.
A smile appeared on Korlak’s face as he saw the joyful schoolteacher leading her class back from an excursion outside the village. The cute, gnomish children were skipping, singing along with their teacher.
Quite a few of the kids turned to the trio of adventurers, intrigued by the odd group. This caused the teacher to notice Sefaloy, Voss and Korlak.
As she recognized Sefaloy, she turned back to the kids and urged them to head to the building so she could greet the travellers.
“Milva, it’s good to see you!” Said Sefaloy as he approached the gnome.
Milva stepped forward and held the harekryn in a tight embrace.
“I am also very happy to see you, Sefaloy.” She answered. “But none will be happier to hear of your return than Sigi. It’s been too long.”
“Indeed.” Answered Sefaloy before being reminded of the urgency of the situation. “Unfortunately, we’re in a bit of a rush. Where is Sigi?”
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“I see.” Answered Milva. “He’s just north of here, where the great veiled lady mushrooms grow. He should be picking chanterelles, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s taking a nap at this time of day.” She added, causing both her an Sefaloy to chuckle.
“I hope to see you again soon.” Said Sefaloy, looking around to find the quickest route north. “My friend Vos, here, was injured and needs a powerful healer. I’m guessing Sigi and Fislarus are the best way for us to accomplish that.”
“Yes, of course.” Answered Milva, shaking her head in agreement before turning back to her students, who hadn’t followed her instructions and were standing, staring at the three companions in awe.
“I wish you the best of luck, Sefaloy.” She said, turning back to look at the harekryn. “Come back to us soon.”
The trio left Oxodnif via the northern road, making their way through the crowd of gnomes who were walking in either direction. The gnomish hats resembled a field of colourful flowers in the wind as they bobbed back and forth along the road.
Some gnomes were travelling on large, white tailed deer, packing their tools and provisions on them. Korlak passed a deer and attempted to communicate with it, but he wasn’t able to make a connection. Perhaps its simply blocking me out. Thought the halfling. Or, perhaps, I don’t have a strong enough mastery of the gift to establish a connection with such a complex creature, even with the crystal.
The trio soon pushed passed the crowd, travelling much faster than the gnomes, who were generally laid-back and didn’t have any reason to rush.
After a while, Sefaloy turned back to tell the others to follow him on a path that branched off. As he spoke, he noticed that Vos seemed to be in a daze as the halfling urged him forward. He worried that they wouldn’t get him help in time, his body tense as he realized this may be a fatal wound. The harekryn decided to focus on finding a solution rather than allow the fear and stress distract him.
The path they took had fewer and fewer gnomes on it as it split multiple times, going in different directions. Sefaloy was worried he may have forgotten the way as the paths continued to branch off, but he was relieved as the trio entered a region filled with greyish brown mushroom which grew long, white skirts from their caps which resembled veils or nets made of lace. These were giant, veiled lady mushrooms, a staple of Idalian cuisine which could each feed a large gathering.
They searched the area, calling out for Sigi, but found no sign of him. Sefaloy was beginning to wonder if his friend had already left the area and panic began to set in.
After a few minutes, Vos lost consciousness completely, the pain becoming nearly unbearable. Korlak caught him, bending to one knee to get under the foxkryn and hold his weight.
Sefaloy ran back to help the halfling and grabbed Vos, leaning him against a great werewere-kokako, a bright blue mushroom that was about two meters tall, the stem hanging above the harekryn’s head.
Korlak feared the worst as he watched Sefaloy try to bring Vos back to consciousness. His attention was caught elsewhere, however, as he noticed a slight movement on top of the mushroom.
He soon realized it was a gnome as he spotted the dark-red, pointed hat that rose up high above his head. The same, conical hat worn by all the other gnomes Korlak had seen in Oxodnif.
As his gaze went down to the long, light-grey beard that flowed down from his face, Korlak noticed that the gnome seemed to be fast asleep and unaware of the three companions. He could only see his little, round nose protruding from under the hat, just above his beard.
“Look there!” Said Korlak to Sefaloy and Vos, who was slowly regaining consciousness. “A gnome! Is it Sigi?”
Sefaloy stepped away from the mushroom in order to see above its cap. A wide smile appeared on his tired face as he looked upon the sleeping gnome.
“It is!” Said the harekryn, his ears perking up. “Sigi! Wake up! We need your help!” Yelled Sefaloy as he turned back to the gnome.
Sigi jumped up, startled by the harekryn’s shouts. He quickly pulled his hat back from his face, revealing kind brown eyes. Despite being a bit smaller as he had just woken up, Sigi’s eyes looked disproportionately large compared to the gnome’s pudgy face, a trait common among his people.
Sigi wore large, black, leather boots, which covered his black pants and had unusually long, pointed toes that curved upwards. He had a thick, long-sleeved, ochre-orange shirt which fell down, covering the top part of his thighs, and was attached with a large, brown belt.
His dark-red, pointed hat was so tall that it nearly doubled his height. Just over half-way up, the hat began curving gently, taking on a slight “s” shape as it curved once more in the other direction, the tip pointing sideways.
“We need your help, Sigi.” Repeated Sefaloy. “My friend here is wounded and needs care from a healer.”
“Then he needs to be brought to Borgrag in Idalkinmiro!” Answered Sigi. “I’ll can take him there on Fislarus. You can rest in Erehtratsuloxodnif and head south tomorrow. Milva will take good care of you.”
Sigi blew a small, wooden whistle and a great rufous hummingbird came flying through the canopy above. Unlike most hummingbirds of the northern forest, it wasn’t purple but rather an orange-brown colour with a white chest.
The hummingbird landed and Sigi held on to one of the straps on its leather saddle to hop on. Korlak and Sefaloy carried Vos over, handing him off to Sigi. The gnome pulled the foxkryn up in front of him and grabbed the leather reigns.
“I’ll send someone to fetch you in the morning!” Added Sigi as he flew off.
Korlak and Sefaloy watched quietly as Fislarus made its way up to the gelvor canopy. They feared their friend wouldn’t make it to the gnomish capital alive.
“Do you know this Borgrag?” asked Korlak. “Is he some sort of priest?”
“I do.” Replied Sefaloy. “He is an old friend. No, not a priest, but a powerful wizard, drained in the druidic ways of the forest gnomes. If Vos survives the journey south, Borgrag will be able to save him.”
*****
At that very moment, far to the east, Valryka, Ynarsil and Galawyn rose through the canopy along the Idalian border. They had just fought off a second group of reltigs and completely lost track of the trio they were chasing.
Valryka had sustained a fairly serious wound in her hip as a reltig struck her with a spear, but Galawyn had been able to heal the wound almost entirely in a few minutes, thanks to her advanced mastery of the gift of Renthalas.
They didn’t bother looking for the tracks as they came up with a new plan. Given that Valryka and Ynarsil couldn’t enter Idal, Galawyn would enter the region and disguise herself as a gnome in order to track the three travellers. When they left Idal, Galawyn would fly north on Talo to warn the other two and the hunt would resume.
Galawyn was glad to follow Queen Ynarsil’s orders, seeing this as an opportunity to gain the respect of her new companions. She left her belongings, such as her armour, with the elves. They would be heading north to their meeting place, an Avanurian outpost known as Drishnorgim.
Galawyn entered Idal stealthily, on Talo, sneaking into a large town near the border. The gnomish houses in this city were all carved into giant mushrooms. She had seen similar towns but was impressed by the size of the mushrooms in this one. They were twice as big as any she had ever seen.
She entered one of the larger homes, on the edge of town and quickly made her way up to the bedroom, hoping to find a disguise. Thankfully, the gnomish house was empty, and she was able to find a large closet, belonging to an upper class gnomish lady.
Galawyn put on light, leather pants and an elegant, white, long-sleeved shirt. She copied the style she had seen women wearing as she entered town by putting a small, moss green corset over the white shirt. The corset wasn’t too tight around the waist, unlike the ones she had heard halflings wore in the south. It also accentuated her breasts, which made Galawyn smile as she looked down. She was used to wearing armour and hadn’t dressed in clothes that revealed her curves in quite some time.
Realizing physical attraction might give her an advantage in certain situations, Galawyn even took some time to wash her face and apply a bit of white powder she found near a mirror in the dressing room. It slightly lightened her skin and hid the few blemishes on her youthful face. She always prided herself on her intelligence and her mastery of healing but enjoyed the idea of using her charm as tool for persuasion.
Galawyn then brushed and braided her hair. She took a bit more time and did the best she could to style it in a way that resembled that of the women she had briefly seen walking the streets of the town. She also made sure the braids hid the lower half of her long, pointed ears, pulling them against the side of her head and covering them with a moss green hat that matched her corset. The tall, pointy hat felt weird on her head, despite being light, but Galawyn knew it was necessary to blend in with the gnomes.
She felt ready and made her way down the stairs that lead to the front door. However, she couldn’t justify stealing from these gnomes, despite the urgency of the situation and her wish to gain her new queen’s favour. Thus, before leaving, Galawyn rand back up the stairs and left a small leather pouch filled with silver under the bed. She was still a bit worried the clothes had great sentimental value but drove the though out of her mind as she thought of how happy the gnomes would be when finding such large sum under their bed.
Blending in with the gnomes, Galawyn set out into the streets of the large city, asking them for information regarding a seer.
She was worried her disguise wouldn’t be enough and her knowledge of gnomish culture and customs would be too limited to pass as one of them, but she managed to keep the interactions simple and move on when she felt the gnomes she spoke with were starting to suspect something.
*****
Korlak an Sefaloy returned to Oxodnif and were welcomed into Milva and Sigi’s home. Though, as Sefaloy pointed out, it was more so Milva’s home. Not only did she manage all the cleaning and repairs while Sigi was sent away on missions, but she had also been the one who provided the funds to purchase the house and to pay for its upkeep ever since.
Sigi’s profession as a warrior was to protect Idal from intruders. This was often dangerous and very demanding, but the salary was meager, nonetheless. Sigi had earned the respect of many of the other residents of Oxodnif, who often brought them gifts, but so had Milva, as one of the teachers for the gnomish children. She had thus been the provider for the both of them over the years that they had been together.
Milva was the one who remained in Oxodnif and took care of the home. She always remained in the village as felt her calling in life was to shape the minds of the future generation. Thus, Sigi and Milva both did their part for the future Oxodnif and Idal in their own way.
Their home was comprised of three stories with several rooms in each, both carved into the tree trunk and protruding from it. The wood on the outside had been painted white but the walls, floors and sealing on the inside, as well as all the furniture, were still a beautiful mahogany brown. The house was decorated with many dark-green items, such as rugs, tapestries, curtains tablecloths and bedsheets.
Overall, Korlak felt it was very cozy and inviting space, the smell and sound of the fireplace made him feel comfortable as he entered the main room.
Milva made dinner for the two guests, with Korlak’s help as he insisted on cutting vegetables for the soup she prepared. They ate dinner and spoke for a while of Sefaloy’s adventures in Idal.
The conversation was entertaining as he mentioned the exciting moments, he had spent with Sigi, as well as the ridiculous situations they had found themselves in. Milva’s house was filled with laughter and full bellies, just the way she liked it.
As the exhaustion caught up to him, Sefaloy made his way up to the room Milva had prepared for the two companions on the top floor fairly early, hoping to get as much rest as he could before departing again in the morning.
Korlak soon followed, after finishing his camomile tea. Both companions had mentioned how difficult finding sleep might be as they worried for Vos’ well being and Milva had prepared them the honeyed tea in hopes of calming their nerves and minds.
Korlak entered the large bed, wishing harekryn a good night but Sefaloy was already fast asleep. The halfling closed his eyes, going over the stressful day he had just experienced and wondered how Sefaloy could possibly have fallen asleep.
He tried to fall asleep for almost an hour, then decided to get up and go for a walk up the stairs that connected the different gnomish homes.
Korlak couldn’t stop thinking about what happened to Vos, reimagining the moment he was attacked by the falcon over and over again and thinking about what he could have done differently to help him. In a way, Korlak knew he had done all he could, but he still wondered if he was somehow at fault.
He walked up the stairs, spiraling around the trunk of the gelvors and passing several homes, before reaching a large platform among the branches. There were opening in the railings on every side, leading to branches. Korlak picked one at random and stepped onto the branch, walking along it to find a place to sit. The halfling stopped where it split and sat on one of the two branches, looking down at the forest floor below.
Sedri soon caught up to him and the halfling sat quietly, petting his small head with his right hand as the flying squirrel ate dried berries and nuts from the palm of his left hand. The flying squirrel had once again been spooked by a spider. Korlak had spotted spiders which were much larger than any he had ever seen in the Terkin Mountains.
Korlak was felt a certain comfort in Idal and was fascinated by the region. At night, the many phosphorescent plants and animals illuminated the forest floor with a mix of different hues of light, creating an incredible visual display that would have likely caused him a headache had the light not been so soft and gentle.
The young halfling could still see gnomes travelling below, the paths illuminated by plants. He noticed that the streets of Oxodnif were illuminated by mushrooms that glowed green, accentuating the many green banners and awnings on the side of its buildings.
The air just above the lower canopy was filled with different coloured fireflies which slowly flew between the large mushrooms.
Korlak was admiring the incredible display of light when a voice called out to him from the platform, startling him.
“May I join you?” It was the sweet voice of Korlak’s host, Milva. “I saw you leave the house and was worried you might get lost up along the many staircases.”
“Of course.” Answered Korlak, cheerfully. “Thanks for looking out for me. Although, I do have Sedri here to show me the way. He’s exceptionally gifted at retracing his steps.” Added the halfling, pointed to the small squirrel, who was too busy feasting on dried berries and nuts to pay attention to Milva.
“Well, perhaps you could use someone to talk to.” Said Milva, smiling as she sat beside him, giving Sedri a kind look.
Korlak smiled as he thought to reply that he could talk to Sedri as well but appreciated the gnome’s gesture and didn’t want to seem rude.
“That would be nice.” He chose to answer as he gently slid his hand along Sedri’s fur, the flying squirrel arching his back and wiggling his tail as it enjoyed being pet. The gluttonous squirrel had just finished eating everything out of the palm of his hand.
Korlak lifted his hand and looked up at Milva to say. “Watch this.” He then told Sedri to return to Milva’s home and wait for him there.
The flying squirrel looked up at him, then back down and leaped forward, extending the skin along his arms to glide through the air, slowly spiraling around the gelvor trunk, staying somewhat close to the stairs. Milva was initially shocked but laughed as she watched the squirrel glide and disappear behind the trunk.
That night, Sedri would hunt for prey in the forest of regular trees, honing his skills, which were slowly fading as Korlak provided most of his food.
Korlak’s smile soon faded as he thought back to the reason for which he had left Milva’s home, the memory that haunted him that night resurging into his mind.
“You seem troubled, Korlak.” Said Milva in a soft tone. “I know Vos was gravely wounded but the healers in Idalkinmiro are incredibly powerful. He’s in good hands.”
Korlak was worried about Vos’ wellbeing, but his focus had been more so on his own sense of guilt than on whether Vos had survived or not. Of course, he was anxious to find out if Sigi had made it to Idalkinmiro in time to save him, but the thought of not having done everything he could to protect the foxkryn was as a poison, taking hold of Korlak’s mind.
“I don’t doubt that.” Answered Korlak, choosing not to share his deeper thoughts with the gnome. “I’m just having a hard time calming myself is all.” He added before reaching into his small, dark-blue bag to pull out his ocarina. “I came here to play my ocarina. It helps me relax.”
“Well don’t let me stop you.” Said Milva. “I myself like to sing.”
Korlak first played a few calm and gentle songs he had learned from the chinchillakryn of the Terkin Mountains.
He then paused and turned to Milva, looking at her kind and gentle face. The way she spoke, and her kind look really conveyed how caring and compassionate she was, making the halfling understand what made her such a good teacher.
“Perhaps you’d like to sing now.” Suggested the halfling. “I could try and pick up on the tune and play along.”
“Are you sure?” Replied Milva, surprised by his suggestion. “Your songs were very pleasant to listen to, and they fit the calm night perfectly.”
“Of course!” Replied Korlak. “I can usually pick up on the tune fairly easily and you can stop and let me know if I should be playing it differently. I’m glad you enjoyed my songs, but I think it might be fun to collaborate.”
Milva smiled then said. “This is Sigi’s favourite song. It’s called The Tree of Idal.”
Milva began to sing the tale of a great tree that protected the first gnomes who entered Idal from a group of bearkryn who had been hunting them. The gnomes hid under its roots until the bearkryn moved on and decided to stay there for a while and take care of the tree in repayment. Thus, Idal had been founded and its trees, plants and animals were protected by the gnomes.
With Milva’s help, Korlak quickly managed to learn to play the song, accompanying her voice with his ocarina in a calm, soothing way. His mind was finally freed from the anxious feelings of guilt and Korlak felt relaxed once again as he and Milva practiced the song over and over again, learning to work together.
After almost an hour, Milva stopped to say: “Perhaps we should go back now. You should rest.”
Korlak nodded gently, dropping his instrument from his lips.
“I had fun singing with you, Korlak.” Added Milva. “I hope you can remember this song and play it for my husband sometime. I’m sure you’ll be around him for a while.”
“I enjoyed this too.” Answered Korlak. “But we don’t intend to stay in Idal long. As you know, we’ll be searching for Eilara.”
“Oh, I know.” Answered Milva in a calm, confident tone. “But I know my husband. He’s been searching for a new adventure. He’s been aching to leave Idal. It’s too small for his wild heart. He takes great pride in protecting our people, but he often speaks of serving a greater purpose.”
Korlak sighed as he understood what Milva was trying to tell him.
“Sefaloy and Eilara have helped him on many occasions.” She continued, turning to look in front of her. “Sigi will undoubtedly be joining you quest to save her.”
“I’m sorry.” Said Korlak, unsure how to respond.
“Don’t be.” Said Milva, her brown hair falling across her face as it tilted down in sadness. “I hate to see him go but I don’t wish to hold him back. I can be hope he returns safely. He has always been like this, and I have learned to accept it.”
She then turned back to Korlak and added: “I can but hope you protect him and make sure he finds his way back to me.”
Little did she know, she was adding a tremendous amount of pressure on the halfling’s shoulders. Were Sigi to join the quest to save Eilara, Korlak would now feel especially responsible for his safe return to Oxodnif.