AN: I have been sick lately and therefor in no condition to write something enjoyable or enjoying writing. Anyway i would be interested in your opinion on the timeskip.

ANN: Edited some errors

Chapter 7

Much had changed in the life of the forest elves. In their home world they had lived in small tribes. Each elf of age had his own hut, which they had used as a sleeping and storing space. For everything else the whole tribe shared bigger function oriented buildings. In their old world that tactic had been rather successful, as building space was hard to come by, especially big patches of it. The reason for that was that the wide open places tended to hold the most danger and the Qun had been the least of their worries.

So they had made due with what they had had, every big enough space between trees or atop a solid patch in the swamp had been used to build a snug little hut on it, or if it was big enough a workshop or communal hall.

But all that changed, when they had been transferred. All of a sudden they were in and ideal place for a village. It was easy to protect and offered big safe hunting grounds and an abundance of food. There were none of the old feared predators around, beside a handful of Quns.

The tribes soon had flocked together and with the discovery of their magic they had built their first ever city. Their society hadn't left unchanged by that. Once they had lived solitary in their own huts and shared living space with the other tribe members, but now they had began to adapted the family system from the neighbouring races.

Theirs were families of choice, which lived together, sharing houses that singularly offered more living room than some of their old villages. Their families were still big and rather flexible, when compared with those of other races, but this system had spread like a wildfire through their community.

Alec's and Quini's relationship had been one of the first instances of this kind of living arrangement. At first some looked with contempt upon this steady couple, that broke tradition and stayed together, even going so far as to raising their children by themselves. But the emptiness of the ever growing city and houses soon had filled them with loneliness.

For most of them it started with friends staying over for a night and then another and another, until the question arose why they would have to leave the next morning and didn't stay all together. They were a very social race after all, that had been conflicted by the sudden increase of living space, that had been built because of tradition.

The ten years since the birth of Alec's and Quini's children had drastically changed the face of the city and community. Rather often Alec had been consulted about his race's take on things. Now there existed schools, libraries and many other institutions to manage the ever growing populace.

Just in front of one such institute, a school to be precise, there stood a group of people, patiently waiting and talking among themselves. Most of them were covered in sweat, since it was a hot summer day and they already waited for over an hour.

“What do you think they will have? Will they be swordsmen like you or mages like their mother?” An old elf asked a man that stood out in the group through his sheer size.

Alec answered, “I don't know, they both have talent in swordplay, but you should be as aware as I am that their magical aptitude is unknown until midnight today. But if I had to guess I would say that Ellie is more inclined towards healing magic, she always loved playing doctor and she has always been a gentle child.”

Quarc interrupted, “Yeah, I can't see her inflicting pain on any living creature. Although she always liked the sword practice for its artistic katas.”

Alec continued to speak “As for Robert, he is rather hot headed and he loves to practice with weapons of any kind. But he isn't quite ready to learn the advanced intricacies of swordsmanship or warfare. Neither of them are honestly.”

They waited for another hour in silence, until the schools gates were opened and they were allowed to enter. The school's court had been turned into a small festival. Everywhere were booths that offered different services for sale. From small snacks, over full sized meals, to handmade gimmicks and entertaining games, everything was available.

Students in their last school year were operating the booths, while the younger children were swarming towards their parents and eagerly told them where they had helped in the preparations or pulled them along towards a booth they were interested in.

Alec's children were no exception from this behaviour. Almost over zealously they pulled him in the stream of people and from booth to booth. They loved their school life and rather often Alec had found himself admiring them for their social life. They only looked slightly different from the other children and were almost always in the centre of attention of the whole class, although they rarely seemed to notice that.

Soon their small group had been joined by other parents and their children and together they strolled through the festival.

“A pity Quini can't be here right now.” Quarc said while he watched the kids fooling around.

Alec replied “Yeah, she would surely love this atmosphere, but somebody has to prepare the ceremony and as the strongest mage here it has always been her duty. And just imagine what it would be like without it.”

“Right you are, about one hundred children suddenly gaining their magic prowess, that are most probably more potent and awake than those of their parents would be rather disastrous.” Quarc answered and shuffled forward to follow Ellie and Robert.

The two children and some of their classmates were playing tag and had begun to run rather far away from their parents. Ellie and Robert were slightly bigger than the other children and had slightly sharper, more refined or simply more human facial features. Except for the ears and their green skin colour, both obvious heritages of their mother.

Thanks to the open mindedness and the original biological differences between the tribes they hadn't been discriminated against by the other kids or adults. They had been treated just like any other member of the community.

“Hey! I think its about time for the ceremony.” Alec shouted towards the distant playing kids. Nervously the children returned to their parents. Ever since they learned about the significance of the ceremony they had been nervous about it, increasingly so when the date it would take place came increasingly closer. Only when they were occupied by something else had this nervousness faded into the back of their minds.

“Being nervous won't change a thing, so you might as well not.” Alec reassured his kids.

“But it will influence our future!” Ellie replied frantically.

Alec knelt down, hugged his daughter and said. “No and yes. It won't limit what you will be able to do, but determine the amount of effort you will have to exert in order to achieve what you want. And like I said, you won't have any influence in what your natural gifts will be. We aren't certain in any of the gifts any of the children will receive this year. After all yours is the first generation that has never seen the old worlds.”

“Is it true that last year there were some elves with something else than nature affinity?” Richard asked when Ellie reluctantly freed herself from her fathers hug to join the throng of children and parents walking towards the auditorium.

“Yeah, we were rather surprised, when last year one third of the children had a different natural gift than their parents.” Alec answered.

While they walked he further explained, “They weren't the first batch of children with such anomalies thought. Most think that its connected to the percentaged time they have lived in this world. But in regard to the wide variety of abilities among humans, I think it is connected to what influenced our lifes the most.”

“I can't really follow that thought.” Robert admitted openly.

“No problem. It isn't important for you anyway, yet.” Alec replied. He had never scolded his children when they failed at something, but he demanded honesty, based on the thought that he can't guide them if he doesn't know their problem.

Finally they entered the big hall, its stage was veiled by a thick heavy red curtain, which was normally used for performances of the schools very own theatre group. The ten year old children walked towards the stage and formed a queue in front of it.

Shortly after the curtain was lifted and revealed Quini who stood in front of an elegant stone basin full of what looked like shining water. Alec knew that although the substance in the basin had quite some similarities with water it was far from such a mundane substance. In fact it wouldn't have been able to exist outside of this basin.

It was after all pure mana, collected from the very children that today would gain access to their ability. They had been bound by blood to this object, to delay their awakening, which normally happened rather sporadic and was rather dangerous. This binding was impossible to replicate on older beings, as it was based upon the lack of control and integrity of the mana in ones body.

Behind Quini and in the shadows of the stage stood a conglomeration of mages. They could be easily identified by their blue sashes. They would immediately take the children under their care after they had been released from the basins influence.

Without any form of introductory speech the ceremony began and the first child stepped forward. The petite girl was led to the basin, where Quini gave her a small cup filled with some of the liquid mana. Which the girl immediately drunk. She had drunken it with such haste that she would have choked on it if that had been possible.

Under Quini's watchful eyes the girl staggered and fell unconscious. Which was a perfectly normal reaction. Tenderly she caught the girl in her arms and guided the mana through the girls body and stabilised it. This collapse was the price they paid for the control they gained through the ritual.

The children had been constantly drained from all excess, and biological unnecessary, mana for the past years. Their body simply wasn't used to handle such amounts of mana. But this method was still gentler than the natural course.

She lifted the child and brought her to one of the mages, who carried her to a carriage that would bring her to the mages guild, to teach her what she would need to be taught. That process would take up to a whole year, in which she would need constant supervision.

The process repeated itself in quick succession and only very few managed to resist the mana enough to not faint, not that this feat indicated anything. As silent as it had begun it came to an end. The parents would only learn of their children's affinities the next morning.

Outside of the auditorium Alec met up with Quini and together they took a carriage, in which their children were sleeping, home. Tenderly they each carried one of their children to their respective beds. As the cities grand mage Quini enjoyed the privilege to be able to take care of her own children's magic tutoring.

Exhausted Quini sat down on the couch in their living room, where Alec had already waited for her. Remaining silent he hugged her and she snuggled against him. Alec knew from experience that the ritual always greatly drained her, and this years batch had been bigger than the last.

“You will need some help next year won't you?” Alec asked after some minutes of cuddling.

“Yeah, luckily Kana has mastered almost everything I can teach her.” She replied.

Alec said, “I am sure she will do a great job.”. Quini silently agreed.

After some more silent cuddling she asked, “Did your dwarven contacts send any new informations about the missing traders?”.

“Sadly not. Only that there are no traces of any bandit activities en rout, especially none that would have been able to let such a big caravan vanish without trace.” Alec replied concerned, “Even the ambassador went missing and no one came to demand a ransom.”

“Strange. And yet nobody intercepted the second group, nor did someone try to frame us. So I don't think that someone wanted to hinder our alliance. But this whole thing doesn't match a simple robbery either.” She thought aloud.

“Right. We can still hope that this is just a case of some really stupid or scared bandits, but I fear that something else entirely is going on.” Alec replied. They sat together for some more, until Quini's rhythmical and calm breathing indicated to Alec that she had fallen asleep in his embrace. Carefully he picked her up and carried her to bed.

The next morning the two of them leisurely sat in the kitchen eating breakfast, the kids still weren't up. It was rather normal for those that went through the ceremony to sleep for 12 hours, so they would probably wake up around lunch.

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“Quarc wants me to take over training the new warriors, so I will head towards the training fields.” Alec said.

“He is getting old after all, huh? But I am sure you will be a great teacher. Then I guess I will stay home and wait for our sleepy heads to wake up.” Quini answered.

Alec had quickly reached the training field and soon after his new trainees arrived, all of them were elves, which wasn't surprising at all. No big communities of other races existed in this city, although the elves had welcomed many to live together with them. But the settlers never stayed for long, except an ordinary life nothing could be gained here. The elves still rejected all forms of currency, so no riches could be amassed and whatever was produced was distributed among those that had a need for it.

It was the way they had always lived like, but this lifestyle drove away all potential settlers, who mostly longed for a possibility to establish themselves, to become rich and important. But all this city could offer them was a normal life without worries about food, clothing or tools.

They couldn't fulfil their ambitions here, so they never stayed for long.

First of all Alec separated the overly enthusiastic young men and women from their weapons. They wouldn't need them for their first month of training. Then he began to train them with the same hellish drills he himself had absolved under Quarc's tutelage.

Just as he let them rest, after they had finished their first afternoon set, a dwarf jogged towards them. When he reached Alec he was so out of breath, that he couldn't bring out a single word. After a minute of him gasping for air, he finally managed to speak. “Urgent news from Beoldar. We found one of the missing dwarfs. He was found near Alderich, by your friends Marie and Peter. They found him in a forest, covered in rags and wounds. He had only managed to say four words 'They know the key', before he passed away.”

“The key? What key and why did you rush here?” Alec asked.

“We have a horrid speculation that with 'Key' he meant the device to open a dungeons shell. The only key of importance anyone in the group of abductees knew about was this very device.” The dwarf said, “Ambassador Geodun is one of the few that know of it, but luckily he doesn't know entirely how it is made, nobody does. Still we would appreciate your help in searching for him in the city of Alderich. You are one of the few humans we can trust with that matter and that is strong enough to make a difference. Also we can't investigate some of the suspects because they are wary or even openly hostile towards our kind.”

“Alright, but I will need some time to arrange everything for my leave. Wait at the gate for me.” Alec said. He didn't waste any time and immediately searched for Quarc to inform him and arrange for a new trainer for the new warriors. Then he hurried home.

Quini and the children were sitting in the garden and were just amidst a magic control lesson.

“Why the hurry dear?” Quini asked her sprinting husband.

“They found one of the missing dwarfs and the situation seems to be dire. They requested for my help, because they suspect that the captors are humans.” He answered.

Alec rushed inside and began packing his weapons, armour and some necessities. When he left his armoury Quini blocked his path. “I will come with you this time.” She said.

“What about the kids?” Alec asked.

“I sent them to Kana. They will be her first apprentices.” She answered, “And don't worry, I already have a cover story. I will be there as an ambassador of the elven race.”

“I can't convince you not to come, can I?” Alec asked.

“Of course not! I would be worried sick otherwise!” She replied while hugging him.

“Alright. Do you have everything you will need?” He asked.

“Yep. I had a travel pack prepared all the time, old warrior habit.” Quini replied.

Together they hurried towards the gate, where the dwarven messenger awaited them with a couple of horses. “Ahh now I know why they gave me three horses.” He greeted them.

“Three for the lot of us.” Quini said, “Pleasure to meet you, I am Quini Alec's wife, high mage of my people.”

“The pleasure is all mine high mage.” The dwarf replied.

The street they took was the same Alec had taken at his trip to Alderich, but the road's condition was worlds apart from the past. Where the path had once been uneven and had avoided all obstacles, like small waterways or steep banks, the street now took a mostly direct route to the major street between Alderich and Cerfort. The same distance that once took twelve days, now would only take six.

Thanks to their horses they were able to travel even faster and at dusk they reached the crossroad between the three cities. The place that once was nothing more than a path, that wasn't much more than a simple path meeting an ordinary road, was now a lush village. Its signs boasted with an inn a smithy a small marketplace and even an exercising area.

Overall it was a place that was dependant on merchants and adventurers travelling through the area. Merchants obviously travelled to and from the big cities, the adventurers though came mostly from Alderich and hunted the creatures in the forest. The lack of any kind of monsters or beasts to slay drove the adventurers away from the capitol, but the beginners among their ranks weren't able to travel far away.

As such this small settlement had become their best option, living expenses were cheap, equipment was available and most importantly there was something to hunt. The forest was full of game from different worlds and also quite some predators. Even the elves didn't bother with trying to kill the lot of them anymore, it were simply too many. Luckily the beast had quickly learned that most humanoids weren't a good prey and left the dangerous creatures and their steel teeth alone.

As they entered the inn the three of them got quiet some curious glances, after all their small group was rather uncommon. After all, how often can you say 'A man, an elf and a dwarf entered a bar...' without it being part of a joke?

As they waited for their food, they discussed their future plans. First of all they would have to stay for one or two days in this village. Their group would simply catch too much attention if they arrived on their own, so they would accompany the next caravan travelling towards Alderich. But right now there was none here. Luckily the next was scheduled to pass through here tomorrow afternoon.

As they chatted a group of curious adventurers came to their table and asked all sorts of questions about elves and dwarfs. Even though it has been about eleven years since the disaster that transported them here, many still hadn't seen other races. That wasn't limited to human societies though.

It just wasn't very common to travel through this mostly unexplored land. Why would a farmer or a carpenter travel far? They have no need to, nor is it considered particular safe. Especially since there had been alarming discoveries of wildlife mutating because of high mana concentrations in their flesh.

The attention from the adventurers was actually rather useful for the three of them, since they could use it to spin a tall tale about their reason to enter Alderich. So when someone came here to investigate about them they wouldn't find a suspicious lack of information, but instead highly misleading tales about them. The story they created was one of adventurers that met while travelling and just sort of stuck together while travelling throughout the land.

After hours of joyfully chatting the three of them went to bed.

The next morning Quini and Alec woke up slightly before sunrise, as usual. Following their normal routine they ate breakfast and left the inn towards the exercise place and began a slow sparring match. It wasn't much of a fight thought, it was more of a constant lurking and shifting through different guards and occasionally a swift exchange of slashes and stabs.

Before long other adventurers, who too wanted to get some morning practice, appeared on the field and watched their bizarre dance. Among their spectators where those who looked confused, but also some that had a knowing look on their face.

“Why are they moving slowly?” One of the former asked his companions.

“For one they don't wear armour. So they are minimising the risks. Secondly speed is probably irrelevant at their level. Just look at how steadily they move their weapons! The tips of their blades aren't even shaking one bit” The questioned man answered.

“Actually there is another, rather depressing reason.” Alec, who had ended the sparring unbeknownst to the two adventurers, interjected, ”We both are stronger than our races have ever been meant to be and physic has come to bite us in the ass. I will demonstrate it.”

Alec raised his sword and readied himself to strike. None of the onlookers saw his sword move. All they saw was that from one moment to the next his sword was gone and Alec's body was slightly rotated to the opposite direction he had slashed towards. As they looked around they found the sword stuck in the ground.

“As you see, my body was moved. That's because of the Newtonian laws of forces. My friction with the ground simply can't compensate the force created by swinging the sword. I had to let go of it, because of demonstration purposes as if I didn't I would have been turned back in my original position. So you see if we moved to our bodies limits we would slide about the whole damn place, not to mention break our weapons, which are as sturdy as they come already.” Alec explained.

“It gets even worse if we want to run as fast as we can. Its perfectly normal for ones steps to get wider while running, but it gets kinda impractical when ones strength and speed is superhuman. Again the friction is to low and the sprint devolves into jumping repeatedly.” He explained.

“Why don't you just use heavier weapons and armour?” A guy in the crowd asked.

“Heavier weapons would only make matters worse in regard to the spinning problem while swinging them. But the armour could actually work, although they probably would limit the range of motion quite a bit.” Alec answered, “The only thing helping with these issues is to refine ones movements, to reduce all wasted moves and forces and so on. The ideal step for example would use just as much force directed downward as is needed to not fall, while simultaneously generate as much forward momentum as possible.”

“Are you finished tutoring everybody?” Quini asked jokingly, “Our friend must be waiting for us and I really could go for a second breakfast.”

“Ok. See ya all around, although we won't stay for long.” Alec said while following his wife into the inn.

When they entered the inn's dining room their dwarven companion already awaited them at a plentifully filled table.

“It seems my guess was right, when I ordered for some additional servings.” The dwarf greeted them, “All warriors seem to be the same when it comes to food. Regardless of race, they need a lot of it.”

“What surprises me a bit is that a powerful mage such as you is practising the sword.” He continued.

“I was a warrior before all this, and old habits die hard. Also my magic, like earth magic, lacks offensive means. We can create obstacles, that can influence the outcome of a battle greatly, but all that is too slow to effectively bind or constrict an enemy.” Quini explained.

“I don't know much about this kind of magic, but cant you just fling something against them?” The dwarf asked.

“No. I can direct and accelerate the growth of plants or animals, that don't deny my influence. I can't levitate or throw them.” Quini explained, “That would be telekinesis, something Alec and I are trying to learn at the moment actually. It would be useful in so many ways, but its rather hard to grasp.”

“I see.” The dwarf replied.

They spent most of the day leisurely, until in the afternoon the caravan arrived. Then they had a lot to organise and prepare for their further journey.

The next morning they were on their way towards Alderich.

Their journey was uneventful. The bandits that had once lain in ambush on this route had long since been eliminated and constant patrols kept the street safe. Even the system notification didn't occur this time, as the region had been stable for a long time.

Small groups of houses were littered in the expansive fields surrounding the big city. The only blemish in the idyllic view was an enormous pit next to the city. It was a mine, that had been built in order to mine the ores that are formed on the outer shell of the dungeon. Those ores were what remained when the shell was initially formed and could be mined without disturbing the dragon.

They passed the city gates without issue, to the guards they were just another bunch of adventurers serving as caravan guards. They leisurely walked through the city, but always checked whether they were being tailed.

Finally they reached their destination an inn called the “Chequered Cow”.