Traverse The Fog

"I could talk about them all day," Lady Dílis said smilingly. "But let's explore your new home first."

Home? Cyrus agreed without correcting her.

On they went. By foot, they walked through moss-covered alleyways and crop fields. And as the hours passed by, Cyrus was able to gain an understanding of where he was.

The city was enormous, to the point that hours of walking would not cover a fifth of a fraction. But that was a good thing. What more surprised him was how grounded it was in reality. It was a city of magic, with its occasional bright lights and occasional floating boxes, but the lack of spell-flinging and levitating buildings disappointed him. But that was fine. Minor as it was, the tour momentarily sated his curiosity. Although Cyrus wished he could split off from Miss Dílis, as she was the barrier between him and the true face of this city.

Click

And Cyrus took, oh, so many pictures.

Hours passed. When the skies began to dim, the two stopped at a small alley square and sat on a vine-covered bench overlooking a small water reservoir. Such places were strewn about the entire city, meant as a fresh source of water for the local community.

"Thank you for the tour," Cyrus said, gifting her a genuine smile.

"It's no trouble at all." Lady Dílis smiled in return as she played with one of the vines mired around the bench. "I never feel tired just walking here. It's so.... tranquil."

They fell into a momentary silence as their attention was drawn to the pond, where a mother and son were drawing water from it. Maybe now was a good time to ask about these Wayfarers.

"I've found some notes on them," Cyrus said, his hands playing with his camera. "But I didn't have enough time to read more."

Chest puffed and prideful face, Lady Dílis spoke as if attempting a recruitment speech.

"Wayfarers carry the torch of civilization deep into the fog. We are the first to explore the lost parts of the world, searching for lost cities and knowledge. And through our blood and sweat, new city-states are built up."

That... honestly sounds highly appealing to someone like Cyrus, tailor-made for him even.

"Incredible," he muttered, leaning on the bench's armrest, arms pressing on the vines. "Have you explored any lost ruins or cities yet? Are you a veteran?"

She flushed pink and diverted her gaze. "N-no, I've only been on duty for three years, and my team mostly patrolled the outskirts of the city." —her following words shot quick like bullets— "But that's only because of Teamleader... I—I'm ready to go out right now!"

Cyrus arched his brows in response as he committed her reaction to memory: It seems like the opinions of others matter to her.

"Oh, I see. Then, tell me. Why do you do it?"

Back straightening, Lady Dílis seemed to relax. "My father." She bloomed into a beautiful smile. "I want to follow in my father's footsteps."

Cyrus hid the pang of disapointment that rang in his thoughts. It was a shame, for he wanted to find more like-minded people to share his enthusiasm for exploration. Not some... 'Daddy's little girl.'

"Your father must be pleased," Cyrus stated, removing his gaze and sweeping it back onto the pond.

Lady Dílis giggled. "Anything but. He would rather have his daughter work as an administrator or stay in the academy." Her gaze followed his. "But he does not stop me and always smiles when I return."

Splash

Their attention was drawn to the child playing with some carved boats as his mother fussed over him.

"What do you know?" Cyrus eventually asked after a dull of silence, watching a boat wade through the waves.

With a knowing look, Lady Dílis pulled over a vine and toyed with it between her fingers.

"Not much. My father told me that you came from somewhere phenomenal, but not to get my hopes up." —Her voice lowered word for word— "But I want to know. Does the sun really shine up above where you're from?"

Slightly squirming under the weight of her gaze, Cyrus turned to meet them head-on. He could see the yearning in her green eyes while she tightly twisted the vine interwoven with her fingers. From her perspective, how incredible would it be to witness a millennia-old myth? Somewhere—someplace, the warm sun soared high and scorched all the aberrations away.

And yet, Cyrus wished not to acknowledge that gaze. After all, yearning meant expectation, and expectation wished for results. How was he supposed to take these people to this 'promised land'? There may have been mages or magical constructs that could make another passage. But if so, why now and not earlier? There were too many unknowns—too many dangers.

Cyrus hated the idea of spending a single moment on the idea of returning. He wanted 'to boldly go,' but that required foundational knowledge and help, so Cyrus made a decision there and then: He would play friendly and helpful in hopes of benefits from the city lord.

"I... I think I can tell you some things," Cyrus said, his cordial smile never quite reaching his eyes.

Surprised, the noblesse quickly nodded, twisting the vine interlaced between her fingers. "If you don't mind. It must be incredible."

Cyrus considered what to say. And with Lord Dílis' little trick yesterday, there was no point in lying about arriving from a different continent. Still, he did not have to admit his otherworldly existence outright.

"There's no magic where I come from." He sat up, his hands fiddling with his camera. "Instead, we focused on technology. We could bring down mountains and create rivers; We could even reach the skies above, no, farther." Ignoring Lady Dílis' expressed incredulity, Cyrus shifted his gaze onto the mother and son pair. "Imagine all of the world's information in the palm of your hand. You could even spea—" Cyrus paused, widening his eyes from what he had just witnessed. He abruptly stood up and focused his camera on the mother.

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Click

Magic. With a flick of the mother's wrist, water pooled, floating before her. Smiling at her child's laughter, she commanded it to coil and swim in the air like a serpent, willing it like a kite just barely above the child's desirous hands—power beyond Cyrus' wildest imaginations for a game of catch. And the sight compelled a wistful sigh to escape from Cyrus' lips. Why couldn't he command magic?

"Sorry. I was taking a picture for documentation." Sitting back down, Cyrus spoke straight-faced and without shame. "It's for research."

He could see the struggle on Lady Dílis' face. "Pfft, O—Of course, you're very dedicated to your work."

Thick-faced, Cyrus was about to continue his defense, but a sudden thought stopped him. He subtly glanced at her pointed ears and oval eyes. She was a part of a whole new species. Why not ask?

Slowly, he pointed at his ZoomZephyr. "If it's okay, do you mind I take an picture? I'll understand if you say no."

Lady Dílis tilted in thought. "Sure."

"Great. Give me a moment to prepare."

Click

Once taken, he showed her its screen: a beautiful young woman wearing a dark green uniform sat on a vine-covered bench before a moss-covered brick wall as a backdrop. Her eyes were bright and verdant, while her smile remained radiant.

"Not bad." Cyrus turned off his screen. "Maybe I'll be able to print this out for you someday."

"Oh, Really?" Miss Dílis tilted her head. "Something I could keep forever?"

"Yeah."

Highly improbable. In any case, the now satisfied Cyrus returned to his homeworld speech. He spoke of anything he could think of, minus the threat of nuclear weapons and artificial intelligence. Who knows what would happen if she spoke of it to her father?

Meanwhile, the gushing Lady Dílis asked questions without restraint, twisting the vine in her hands. Between the two, they spoke question after question, word after word, until the skies darkened and the lampost emitted a pale, ghostly light. Maybe in another life, she would have appreciated the world he had not.

"We should head back." Suggested Lady Dílis as she stood up.

Cyrus frowned. "Couldn't we stay to check out the nightlife of the city?"

Her smile subdued somewhat. "It depends on the night. We could head out later in the week, but the streets and stores will be closed and empty for the next few days."

Confused, Cyrus eventually acquiesced to her suggestion. As the two headed back, he asked more about Avalorn's situation. Where was the city located? Is it independent?

"It's located in the southern part of the continent, called 'The Wilds.'" She looked at the endless haze above. "And it's part of a coalition of city-states outside the central states. Stàilinn is our closest neighbor."

Oh? This could help should I ever need to escape. Cyrus pressed on. "Is Stàilinn close by?"

"Hardly," She snorted, glancing back at him. "Even if it were safe, it would still take an entire month of travel."

Oh.

"Still," She added, a yearning look on her face. "From what Father told me, Avalorn is considered one of the smallest cities he had ever seen. And it's nothing compared to Comraich."

Cyrus drank in her words. If Avalorn could be considered a small-lit match, would these clustered cities be torches within these murky lands?

As they moved through the streets, Cyrus noticed the thinning crowd. It seemed like his tour guide was telling the truth. But why? He had so many questions, but what could he ask and what not? His silence brought a lull in the conversation.

After rounding a street corner, their carriage appeared where they left it. Playing the thoughtful man, Cyrus opened the door for Lady Dílis, earning a smile from her. And it wasn't until the clattering of buck hooves coming outside that their conversation continued.

"As for Avalorn itself," Lady Dílis began, watching the lanterns pass by. "Grandmaster Eolas, Father's mentor, previously ruled over Avalorn for over two hundred years." —her voice lowered into a mutter— "Not that he was any good at it."

Disrespect. Something Cyrus should have picked up wasn't for the other half. Two hundred years? Can a man here live beyond two hundred years?

"He would've much preferred letting the 'nobles' run the city than deal with it himself," she continued, voice envenomed with disdain, arms crossed. "And after my father became a grandmaster mage, Eolas ordered him to take command before disappearing to gods knows where." She sighed. "It was such a mess."

This information was interesting but inconsequential.

"So you weren't born here?" Cyrus watched the lantern's ghostly white flames move past them. "Are you from the Central States?"

He heard no response. One minute. Five. Only when the silence grew awkward did he turn to face Lady Dílis, where he met her verdant eyes, staring intently into his.

Cyrus flinched in response. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offe—"

"—I don't think I was born in the Central States," Lady Dílis cut him off with slow, somber words.

A breath of silence hung between them.

"Is this because of—" Cyrus hesitated. "Sorry, I mean—is it because of your... features?"

"Does it bother you?" she asked, leaning in closer.

"What?"

"Does it bother you that I look different?" She repeated, a voice whispered. "Do I look strange? Is it awful?"

Cyrus wondered about the thoughts hidden in her intense gaze. Did she expect him to express disgust? Had she grown up hearing whispers despite being the city lord's daughter?

"Actually, no," he said, hoping his words would shake her out of her current mindset. I don't think you look strange or awful; in fact, it's quite the opposite." Cyrus shamelessly smiled. However, his motivations told a different story. Anything is better than both her and her father thinking I'm a racist.

As he intended, Lady Dílis fell into a fluster. "O—opposite?"

"If anything," Cyrus continued, striking while it's hot. "I want to ask you questions." Without waiting for a response, he launched a barrage against the unsuspecting woman: "Are you human? No? Do you have any special abilities? Is there a book about your culture that I can read, if possible? What about a history book?"

Lady Dílis remained silent as the questions bombarded her, watching the curiosity and appreciation hidden within his eyes. And it broke down her building walls.

She betrayed a smile, nearly chuckling. "I am human, well, half of one. I'm a half-elf."

Half-elf? Cyrus blinked. His homeworld had a word with that meaning. A connection? His gears began churning.

"Thank you." Lady Dílis said softly, bringing him back to reality.

Cyrus nodded. "It's no problem. And don't worry, I'll drop my questions if they bother you."

Still, he considered sneaking into the manor's library.

"It's just that..." She said, glancing away. "Humans... don't really like elves. Half-breed or not."

"So you asked me how I felt." Cyrus traced his finger along his camera. "This was all for a test?"

She shrugged. "Well, better to get it out now than later. And if I was wrong, at least I got to vent a little."

Oh, an opening? Cyrus tapped the windowsill. "Venting is good." Smiling at her, he squashed the building repulsion and reached out for a handshake. "If you ever want to talk, feel free to chat with me about anything. Deal?"

Lilie smiled softly and shook it. "Deal. You as well."

The two then fell into a peaceful lull to the wheel's clattering. The carriage headed back with happy passengers... both content for very different reasons.