I let out a pained groan as I felt aches across my entire body, my eyes opened to let in an entirely new world of pain that rushed into my body, everything aches in ways that I didn't even know were possible to ache. It felt like even my bones were sore as I lay under an unfamiliar straw roof that let in trickles of sunlight, just enough to pain my eyes and blur my vision. My ears were ringing horribly alongside an immense pressure booming on the insides of my skull.

I tried to take in a breath, tentatively moving my arm good arm around as I tried to sit up, with my vision slowly clearing to focus on the room surrounding me. I was inside of some kind of building, that much was obvious immediately from the carved wooden walls and the hard stone floor I could see. I was left resting on some sort of bed, while it was far from as comfortable as the one back in Arcadia, after laying on stone and dirt for however long it was like laying on a cloud.

I looked down to my shoulder only to hold back some shock as I felt my eyes grow wide for a moment, my entire left arm seemed healed, I was able to freely move it, albeit with a lot of stiffness to the motions. It was still covered in a heavy layer of bandages where I had been cut by the massive Arachnid, still red on the edges, which left me to wonder how I was even alive after how much blood I had lost. Shifting around I threw my legs over the side of the bed, letting my head rest against the wall for a moment before bringing out the will to actually force myself to stand.

I took the time to look around the room further, there was only a single bed, alongside a table, chair, and a small mirror in the corner of the room. A bookshelf sat opposite of them, filled with what appeared to be random trinkets, rocks, statues, and even a strange looking jar that appeared to be filled with a brilliant green liquid. My eyes settled on the mirror, it was facing towards the bed giving me an opportunity to look at myself.

I was wearing some odd, off green clothes that I couldn't even begin to recognize the style of, with the top being close to that of a poncho that tightened just below my chest, there was a thin white shirt that felt like the slightest motions could end up tearing it in two underneath the poncho, while underneath the shirt were of course the bandages covering my left side from my shoulder down to almost the elbow. Alongside them were some honestly really comfortable leggings that sat very loose, tightened just enough to not get in the way without feeling them constantly.

When my eyes moved upwards I let out a slight internal groan, seeing that my hair had been washed, showing its brilliant silver coloration in its entirety alongside my piercing red eyes. I was a little annoyed by that fact but decided to not be petty about it when I was lucky to even be alive, so with a steadying breath I finally pushed myself to stand.

When I impacted the stone floor my legs almost gave out, leaving me to stumble forwards, barely catching the rim of the chair to steady myself, I desperately wanted to go back and lay back down, but I also needed to find Tulip to figure out where we even were. Slowly as I felt strength trying to return to my legs I moved forwards, supporting myself with my right arm on the desk, and then the wall until I reached the door.

The handle was peculiar, shaped like a lever I had to push it at an upwards angle to push the door open. I was surprised when in front of the door was a set of railings opening up into a sheer drop that showed me a much larger room.

The room itself was shaped like a cylinder with a cone-like roof, the walls were all made of the same finely carved wood, and the floors of the same chiseled stone. I could hear a faint sizzling sound like wood burning and liquid boiling, hobbling forwards to look over the rails down I could see the source of it.

In the center of the room there was a large fire with two people sitting around it, I immediately recognized Tulip from the bright silver hair on her head, and the still present manacles that bound her arms and neck. Beside her was a much older, and lengthier woman who I assumed to be near six or even seven foot tall. While her build was nearly as skinny as mine, her ears were pointed like arrows, pointing out from behind her greying hair that was pulled away from her face. She turned her head, gazing upwards towards me with brilliant emerald-green eyes.

"Ah, you're finally awake dear." The elder woman spoke with a kind, almost loving voice that left me stunned for a moment. I just nodded gently as she opened her mouth to speak, Tulip looked up at the same time, her eyes shining with happiness, and seeming relief. "Come on down, food is almost ready."

"Where... Am I?" I forced the words out slowly as I turned towards the stairs that curved around the edges of the room. Using the railing as much as I could to support my weight as I slowly moved down.

"We're in an Elven city, Nime." Tulip answered quickly while the elder woman turned back to the pot that sat on the open flame in the center of the room. "This is Helina, when I burnt myself from getting away with my magic... She found me at the river after all the noise we had been making. We got back to you right when you killed the Crawler, she healed both of us with her magic." Tulip continued to speak, her adoration and thanks were clear in the tone in which she spoke.

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"But she couldn't get the manacles off..." I spoke the obvious out loud, not for lack of thanks for the woman, but just for the little hope that it could have brought if she did.

"Not all hope is lost for that child." Helina spoke with a smile on her face. "I know a smith in the city who may be able to help. However, we do have the issue of you both being human, and I am one of the only Elves who sees past race and class these days." She sighed as if disappointed in her people while I walked over, thankful to sit down on something else with padding when I found a spot beside Tulip, a small pillow giving me a spot to sit.

"What do you mean... Race and class?" I asked slowly, looking at Tulip for confirmation on it just to see her gesture to the woman for her to answer.

"We Elves are petty. Using any little thing to find a superiority of each other. Those without magic are regarded as 'Low Elves', countless of us enslave other races to prove supremacy through the wealth they bring, and nothing is more shameful than to be a mage bound by Mana Steel." Helina spoke without any praise for her own race, sighing a little as she stopped stirring the pot, with a turn of her wrist the flames underneath it began to die down from wood spreading across the open fire to suffocate it.

I was so amazed by the casual use of magic that it left me stunned until she laughed softly.

"My you weren't kidding, she truly does act like a child to see magic used." Helina spoke in her soft laughs as she scooped some of the soup into a trio of large bowls clearly carved from the same wood that the home was.

"I never saw magic growing up... Outside of guards using it to punish someone. But suddenly being told I can use it, and then being brought into the world of it, yea I'm impressed by it still." I replied gently, turning towards the bowl I had been offered. Tentatively looking at it, it looked amazing, it was a warm soup that I could see a large amount of different ingredients in, varying from meats to vegetables.

I couldn't hold myself back from the tantalizing smell before me, so I began to dig into the soup rapidly. I completely abandoned the wooden spoon offered over, opting to just drink it straight from the bowl which got a handful of giggles from Tulip, and a satisfied 'humph' from Helina. I largely ignored the reactions while I enjoyed the portion I was given, probably far too quickly.

"I didn't think you had that much of an appetite..." Tulip spoke, sounding almost amazed as I practically inhaled the entire bowl, when I took in a deep breath she gawked with her jaw open at me. It probably only took me about five or six seconds to eat the entire thing.

"Would you like another bowl dear?" Helina asked, while she seemed less stunned by, what I had just done, she did seem a bit surprise.

"Uh... Yes please. Thanks." I spoke quickly as I offered her the bowl, which she took to quickly refill for me before she could even sit to eat hers. When the bowl was returned back to me I just sat watching it, my hunger subsided for a moment. "Also, if you healed me using magic, why am I still in bandages?"

"Ah, that is simple dear." Helina spoke between sips from her spoonful of soup. "My healing magic is very limited, it only speeds up the natural healing process to seal wounds. You are very much wounded and healing underneath those bandages for at least a few more days, but you are capable of functioning." She looked over to me with a warm smile, showing her faintly yellowed teeth. "It gives me a chance to train you, even if my friend cannot get Tulip here out of her shackles, I will still train you in the ways of magic. Where I can. You both have a long journey, with the most dangerous through the Great Desert being soon ahead of you."

"Great Desert?" I asked, dread already audible in my voice.

"The Great Desert is one of the two major regions the Elves live in. The region known as 'Ellidon', where the 'Low Elves', or Elves that lack magic, live. We're about in the center of the Jungle, if we went North we would go into the uninhabited Northern wastes. Pretty much nothing lives up there other than the occasional settlement of tribal creatures." Tulip spoke in place of Helina, giving her a chance to eat, I began to slowly sip away at my second bowl of Soup, properly taking in, and enjoying the taste this time.

"How are we even supposed to traverse a desert... We don't have any skills for that..." I looked at Tulip with genuine concern showing on my face, I could feel it, and Tulip's own face reflected that.

"That is where I come in. While I cannot leave my home, as the city here relies upon me as their only real healer. As such, I will be training you." Helina spoke with a gentle tone. She slowly sat down once more, her eyes falling back towards me. "I cannot teach much for magic, but I can teach enough for you to survive."

"So we're just assuming that Tulip won't be able to get out of her shackles..." I spoke the bitter truth, Tulip just nodded softly in agreement to that assessment.

"Indeed we are, once you're finished why don't you go and rest up a bit more dear? We can begin to properly train you in the morning. As you still seem exhausted." Helina offered a kind, somber smile once more towards me. I was just thankful and took it with a nod, I already felt ready to fall over. Having a full stomach certainly wasn't helping, even while I still sipped away at the second bowl I had been offered.

The evening continued in silence, with Tulip and Helina having friendly conversations back and forth. I listened in silence unsure what, if anything I could add to the conversation. Once I had finished my bowl, and let it set for a few minutes I stood up, excusing myself to go and rest for the evening.