Chapter 14

Weeks blurred into one another, filled with the grueling, relentless training imposed by Quindle and Aedric. But finally, the moment arrived. We were going to the city. After so long, I was finally going to witness a metropolis on the side of magic. It would be a week-long trip: Aedric, Hina, and me.

In the days leading up to our departure, Aina helped me prepare, ensuring I packed everything I lacked into a travel case. When the morning came, we ate breakfast at our usual hour and got ready to leave. Quindle and Aina came out to see us off, and the three of us set out.

"Are we walking all the way to the city?" I asked, unable to curb my curiosity.

"Normally, we’d take a car to avoid drawing attention," Aedric replied.

My disappointment must have been written plainly on my face because he immediately grinned.

"But," he continued, "since I figured you’d be let down by a mundane road trip, we’re taking the 'magic route.'"

"The last time we took that path, we almost died," Hina muttered, terror evident in her expression.

"What kind of path is it?" I asked.

"By car, if we traveled all day, we might arrive by tonight," Aedric explained. "This way is much faster... but considerably riskier."

Aedric started walking, and Hina and I fell in line behind him. Hina’s reluctance was palpable; she looked as if she were marching to the gallows.

"Is it really that dangerous?" I asked her.

"It’s not that it’s inherently dangerous," she said, "it’s just that things can get complicated. Very easily."

"Don’t be impatient, you’ll see soon enough," Aedric cut in.

We headed into the forest.

"This forest has a bit of everything, doesn't it?" I joked.

"It’s the place with the highest concentration of mana in the area," Aedric said. "That’s why I moved here."

We eventually reached the mouth of a massive cave. Aedric and Hina entered with purpose, and I followed. Inside, the darkness was absolute until Aedric conjured a sphere of light to guide us. We ventured deeper until we arrived at a subterranean lake that glowed with an ethereal brilliance.

"We’re here," Aedric announced.

"What are we doing at a lake?"

"Take Hina’s hand," he ordered. "It’s best to take precautions the first time. Do not let go of her."

Hina offered me her hand. I felt a flush of embarrassment, but I took it firmly.

"Stay behind me and don’t stray too far."

Suddenly, Aedric leaped off the edge.

"Let’s go, before he gets too far ahead!" Hina cried out.

She started running, dragging me with her, and we jumped together. To my surprise, I didn’t splash or float to the surface. The lake swallowed me whole. Yet, I wasn't drowning; I could breathe, and I could see perfectly.

Deep below, I saw a light. I watched Aedric pass through it, and we followed close behind. As soon as we crossed the threshold, the current intensified violently, dragging us downward. I lost my balance, flailing, but Hina gripped my hand with surprising strength, managing to stabilize me.

I realized we were caught in a river of water that was floating in mid-air. Far below us lay solid ground—a vibrant, glowing landscape teeming with nature. Creatures were everywhere, but nothing like I had ever seen: goblins, fairies, trees walking on two legs, centaurs... it was like a storybook come to life.

The airborne river took sharp, rollercoaster-like turns. I struggled to stay upright; if not for Hina, I surely would have been flung out at the first bend. Ahead of us, Aedric seemed to navigate the chaos without a worry in the world.

Suddenly, the path bifurcated into three separate rivers. Aedric glanced back and pointed to the left. Hina gave a thumbs-up to show she understood and yanked me toward the left stream.

The moment we entered that current, a deafening roar shook the very air around us. I looked to the side, and my eyes refused to believe what they were seeing.

It was a dragon. But not a dragon like the one I saw when Aedric first found me. This was a colossus, larger than a mountain, entirely covered in pristine white scales. I glanced at Hina and saw pure panic on her face—this must have been what she meant by things getting "complicated."

The great beast spread its wings, generating a gale so powerful it smashed into our river, blasting us out of the water completely. Before I could process what was happening, we were free-falling, my hand still locked in Hina’s. I could see Aedric falling nearby as well.

"Hold on tight!" Hina screamed.

I gripped her hand with every ounce of strength I possessed. She squeezed her eyes shut, and a gem on her metal bracelet began to glow.

"Tromnath, come to me!" she shouted.

Out of nowhere, a magnificent black bird with gold-tipped wings materialized. It snatched Hina with its talons, leaving me dangling from her arm. The bird strained, clearly struggling to support the weight of two people.

"We’re going to fall!" I yelled.

"Just hold on!"

The dragon began to move, and every step it took made the earth below tremble. I scanned the air for Aedric and finally spotted him a bit below us. He was standing on the empty air as if it were solid ground. He glanced up, realized we were plummeting, and knew we wouldn't last long.

His hand glowed, and he began to ascend. I felt a massive updraft—a wind current so strong it caught us and pushed us upward. We rose rapidly, high enough to crash back into the floating river. We stayed in the current for a few more minutes until it surged upward, shooting us through another blinding light like the one at the entrance.

The water expelled us with force, sending the three of us flying onto the rocky floor of another cave.

"I knew that was going to end badly," Hina said with resignation, dusting herself off.

"It was fun," Aedric commented with a grin.

"What was that place?! And what was that massive damn thing?!" I shouted, still on the floor, heart racing.

"That was the Realm of the Fairies," Aedric explained calmly. "And the massive dragon was Albion, a Primordial Dragon. It’s actually quite rare to see him."

"The Fairy Realm is underground?"

"Something like that," Aedric said, dodging the specifics.

"Every time we go through there, we have some kind of complication," Hina complained.

"Is this the path all mages use?" I asked.

"Only lunatics like him," Hina said, pointing an accusing finger at Aedric.

"It’s faster," he shrugged. "A journey of hours done in minutes."

After a few moments, I managed to pick myself up, and we proceeded to the cave exit. We emerged onto a hill overlooking a sprawling city in the distance.

"Is that the city?"

"Yes," Aedric said. "But we aren't going to that one."

"Could you speak clearly for once?" I groaned.

"It’s better if you see it for yourself. If I just tell you, it ruins the surprise."

I sighed, exhausted by his cryptic answers, and followed him.

There was a main road connecting to the city, but we ignored it, entering through the outskirts and navigating a maze of back streets until we reached a dead-end alleyway containing a lone elevator.

"What is this?" I asked.

"This is our destination."

My expression must have betrayed my mistrust; it felt like we were walking into a trap.

"It’s safe. Just get in."

I stepped into the elevator. The panel only had buttons for upper floors. Aedric’s hand glowed as he waved it over the panel. A new button materialized, glowing softly. It didn't point up; it pointed down.

We began to descend. We went down for a long while, the car shuddering occasionally, until finally, it ground to a halt.

They let me step out first. To my astonishment, we were no longer in an alley. The aesthetic of the city had shifted entirely. It was medieval in architecture, yet it didn't feel ancient or primitive. Above the streets, people zoomed by on broomsticks, and fairies of all kinds flitted between buildings.

"Welcome to an Inverted City," Aedric said, spreading his arms. "This is the territory of mages."