Chapter 6: The Journey Begins

The cavern's dim light faded as the family made their way toward the entrance, each step echoing with a mixture of uncertainty and resolve.

The cold air clung to their skin, but the promise of the new world, however terrifying, urged them forward. Daniel led the way, his mind swirling with thoughts of Elmstree’s sacrifice and the heavy burden now placed upon them.

As they emerged from the cavern, the sight that greeted them was nothing short of breathtaking. The forest beyond was unlike anything they had ever seen—trees that towered like ancient oaken sentinels. Leaves shimmered in hues of emerald and gold.

The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, mingling with something sweet and floral, almost intoxicating in its potency.

“Wow,” Izabelle breathed, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the landscape. “It’s… beautiful.”

Diana and Felix, still too young to grasp the enormity of their situation, clung to their parents but seemed equally captivated by the vibrant world around them.

Felix babbled happily, reaching out to touch a nearby flower that seemed to pulse with a gentle, inner light.

“Where do we even start?” Jamie asked, his voice tinged with awe but also a lingering disbelief. “This place… it doesn’t make any sense. It’s like we’ve stepped into a fantasy novel.”

Daniel chuckled dryly, the sound edged with a trace of nervous energy. “Tell me about it. I half expect a dragon to fly over at any moment and I swear to God if we find out there are Elves, I'm done. Anyway we have to keep moving. Elmstree said Sylvana is deep within the Shadowgrove. We need to find some kind of road or trail and head in that direction, I guess.”

Jamie nodded in consternation. "Which direction might that be then?" He queried with the raise of an eyebrow, a familial understanding that Daniel's sense of direction was akin to a blind person that had been spun on an office chair 40 times and told to sprint north.

Daniel confidently began to speak before furrowing his brow and hesitating. "Well it’s… it should be... Um... Yeah, he never actually said... Oops. We'll sort something. Believe it!" Daniel added, planting a cheeky smile across his features and extending a thumbs up like he was Naruto.

Izabelle nodded, though her expression was still one of wonderment as she gazed at the strange flora around them. “We should be careful. This place may look like paradise, but we don’t know what dangers might be lurking. There's bound to be some kind of sus wildlife knocking around.”

As if in response to her words, the forest seemed to stir, the leaves rustling with a faint, almost musical breeze. It was both enchanting and eerie, a reminder that they were indeed in a world far removed from the one they knew.

The family began to move cautiously through the forest, the soft earth beneath their feet muffling their steps aside from the odd crunch of branches.

The sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting dappled patterns on the ground that shifted and danced with each movement of the trees.

Despite the beauty surrounding them, there was an underlying tension, a sense of being watched, though no eyes were visible among the leaves.

After what felt like hours of walking, the forest began to open up slightly, the trees thinning just enough to reveal a narrow path winding through the undergrowth. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

“This looks like it might lead somewhere,” Daniel said, relief evident in his voice. “Hopefully, we’ll find a road or something soon. We can’t be too far off from civilization, right?”

Jamie shrugged, clearly sceptical but willing to follow. “Yes, based on our extensive knowledge and experience in this world, I'm sure you're correct... For all we know, we’re the only ones in this entire forest and it expands for six thousand miles.”

Izabelle shot him a look as Felix tried to pick her nose. She dodged his tiny, invasive finger. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. We’ll keep following the path and see where it takes us.”

The group pressed on, the tension easing slightly as they found some semblance of direction. The path wound through the forest, taking them deeper into the heart of what they assumed was Shadowgrove.

The further they went, the more the landscape seemed to shift—trees with twisted trunks and roots that glowed faintly in the dim light, flowers that hummed softly, their petals moving as if in response to an unseen rhythm.

As they rounded a bend in the path, the sound of creaking wood and the soft clopping of hooves reached their ears. Daniel held up a hand, signalling for the others to stop. They listened intently, the noise growing louder, closer.

“Sounds like horses,” Jamie whispered, a mixture of hope and caution in his voice. “Maybe we’ve finally found someone.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Maybe a centaur-spider God has come to feast on our souls," Daniel added unhelpfully, shaking his head at his own inability to say anything constructive, ever.

The family edged forward cautiously until the source of the noise came into view—a large wooden cart, laden with goods and drawn by two sturdy horses.

The cart was driven by a tall, slender figure, their features partially obscured by a wide-brimmed hat but their attire was particularly fanciful for what one would expect of a simple cart driver.

Walking alongside the cart was a second figure, smaller and more animated, their hands gesturing wildly as they spoke.

As they drew closer, the cart driver spotted them and pulled the reins, bringing the horses to a halt.

The smaller figure immediately bounded over, a wide grin spreading across their face, the sight of a family with two young kids was evidently not too intimidating a sight.

“Well, what do we have here?” the feminine figure called out, their voice light and musical, tinged with curiosity. “Travellers lost in the woods, perhaps? Or just new to these parts? Not homeless due to tragedy, I hope?”

Daniel stepped forward, offering a tentative smile. “A bit of everything actually, I think. We are so glad to have found you... Or you found us. Either way. We’re trying to find our way to Sylvana or something like that.” Daniel shared a quick glance with Izabelle.

Both parents were unsure whether or not to trust the newcomers. They were also acutely aware of the fact they didn't really have a choice.

The smaller figure’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Ah, you mean Sylvara! You’re in luck, friends. We’re headed there ourselves! How fortunate that our paths should cross.”

The driver of the cart, a tall elf-like man with sharp, angular features and a calm, composed demeanour, nodded in agreement. “It’s a fair distance from here, but we can offer you a ride, if you don’t mind sharing the space with a few barrels of ale and some crates of vegetables.”

“We’d be so grateful,” Izabelle said, stepping forward with Diana and Felix in tow. “We’ve been walking for a while, and the children could use a rest.”

Daniel nodded his head heartily, "Not just the kids, I haven't left the sofa for 3 years. Can't be dealing with all this... Movement nonsense."

The elf smiled warmly, a gesture that softened the sharpness of his features. “Of course. I’m Eldrin Althoros, and this lively soul is my sister, Aelara. We’d be happy to have you join us.”

Daniel gestured to himself and the family with open and familiar body language before providing the friendly duo with their own names. He found himself completely unable to guess the ages of the pair.

Aelara, the smaller figure, gave a mock bow, her grin never faltering. “A pleasure to meet you all. Come, climb aboard! There’s plenty of room, and we’ve got some bread, and cheese if you’re hungry.”

The family exchanged relieved glances before accepting the offer. As they climbed onto the cart, the tension that had gripped them since leaving the cavern began to ease.

Eldrin Althoros was the picture of elven grace, tall and slender with an air of quiet power. His silvery-white hair flowed like moonlight, framing sharp features—high cheekbones, a narrow nose, and piercing blue eyes.

He wore a deep grey tunic, embroidered with silver patterns, and a fur-lined cloak that hinted at both practicality and elegance. His knee-high boots were etched with faintly glowing runes, a touch of magic woven into his attire. Though his appearance was delicate, there was a strength in his composed, regal demeanour.

Aelara Althoros, shorter and more animated than her brother, radiated energy and charm. Her mercury hair fell in loose waves, complementing her lavender tunic that shimmered softly in the light. Silver accents ran along her outfit also, cinched at the waist with a braided leather belt holding glowing trinkets.

Her sleek boots and a light cloak, fastened with a crescent moon brooch, completed the look. Her playful, pale blue eyes sparkled with curiosity, and every gesture, from adjusting her bracelet to flicking her hair, reflected her confidence and wit.

For the first time since arriving in this strange new world, they felt a flicker of hope—a sense that they wouldn’t be entirely alone in whatever fate had in store for them.

As the cart began to move, Aelara settled beside them, her lively chatter filling the air as she spoke of Sylvara, its beauty, and the recent events that had shaken the world just 5 years prior.

She spoke of colossal meteors crashing into the Caeloria and surrounding nations, mass devastation wrought upon the lands.

She also mentioned that Sylvara had managed to weather the storm with the help of elementals who protected the city. "Honestly, the world is just attempting to get back to the way things were, if only slightly, lots of places still struggle with refugees that had their homes or cities destroyed."

Daniel furrowed his brow and his mindset to work. "That's awful, I'm sorry you've had to go through that. Our own... Land, that we hail from didn't have anything like that but we did have a virus sweep the world that shut pretty much all normal life down. That was actually also about five years ago."

Eldrin turned his head sharply towards Daniel with a look of confusion etched into his face. "It can't have been the world, my friend, we didn't have anything of the sort. I've not even heard of anything like that recently."

Daniel glanced towards Izzy quickly as she shook her head with eyes wide open. "Ah, apologies, I guess it was just our... Area... that got hit."

Eldrin looked the group up and down, “You must have travelled quite some distance, friends. That would also explain your… Unusual attire. Wow, I love meeting new cultures!”

Eldrin nodded and moved on from the subject before he added his own insights into the world.

He spoke of the forest city Sylvara's connection to magic, nature, and the benevolent leader who guided its people with wisdom and grace.

Daniel listened intently, trying to piece together the fragments of this new reality. The world they had been thrust into was one of magic and danger, but also of beauty and wonder.

He did, admittedly, struggle to retain consciousness when Eldrin would delve into the topics of socio-economics and the current political climate, despite the Elf's attractive verbiage.

Upon noticing the pointed ears of the siblings, Daniel's eyes began to cross. "This may seem rude but we are incredibly uneducated folk, so please forgive the question. Can I ask what you are, exactly? I couldn't help but notice you have some features that we don't."

Eldrin and Aelara shared a surprised look before peering back at Daniel and chuckling, "Do you mean what race we are? We are Elves. You're humans, correct? Where are you from? You've not seen our kind before, that's highly unusual."

Daniel averted his gaze towards Izabelle and Jamie, wondering how to answer the question before settling on an ambiguous truth to avoid any adverse reactions. "Oh, very far away. There are only humans where we are from but we have read about other races in books, just never thought they were real... It's not a problem though! We are a very open minded and progressive family."

Eldrin smiled and turned his attention to the road before Aelara laughed and nodded her head at the family. "Glad to hear it! You may well need to keep that mind VERY open in the days to come if you've not met anyone else." Aelara turned her head towards the road and engaged in discussion with her brother about the upcoming directions.

Daniel shook his head and looked at Izzy before mouthing "There's actually Elves..."

Jamie and Izzy chuckled before averting their eyes to fall on the bucolic scenery.

Daniel pondered before raising another question. “How is it that we are speaking the same language? I would assume every race had different languages. Even many… uh… tribes… from our area have different languages.”

Eldrin nodded sagely as he considered the question. “Well we are all speaking common, at least that’s what we call it. Every race does have their own language, but it was commonly agreed that having one universal language would make things much easier for all evolved races.”

Daniel had absolutely no clue how ‘common’ was so close to English but was unable to obtain more information without giving away more of their origin. “Ah, I guess that makes sense…” he said, attempting to keep a cheerful tone despite the confusion.

As the cart rolled on, carrying them deeper into the forest, Daniel allowed himself to relax, if only for a moment.

And so, with a new resolve, the family continued their journey, the promise of Sylvara and whatever awaited them there pulling them forward into the unknown.