CHAPTER 24: SHIFTING STONES

Elyssia collected her camping supplies very quickly. After, she dragged Tiss and I over to a clearing nearby her camp.

[Elyssia] "Stand next to me while I cast my spell. Don’t get too far from me or you’ll be left behind."

Tiss and I huddle closely behind Elyssia as I watch her equip he same staff before. Ivory-white staff and the large blue crystal at the top. Elyssia charges the staff with magic and begins wave it around in some sort of pattern. She reminds me of a dancing summoner from one of my favorite game series.

A few moments pass. She doesn’t speak a word, only makes these gestures with her staff like she’s dancing. When she finally comes back to a neutral position, Elyssia stamps the butt of her staff onto the ground and a magic circle spreads out around us, originating from that point. The circle shines with a bright magical light. I can feel the presence of an immense gathering of mana.

Tiss wraps her arms around my waist and pulls herself close to me. We don’t have the best experience with being teleported. I put my arm around her shoulder and offer a confident, but cheesy smile and a thumbs up. Tiss’ face tension eases up just a little. I’m glad. Jiji pokes her head out from the other side of my head and offers her usual encouraging clucks. Not that Tiss can understand that anyway.

In the next moment, bright lights take over our entire existence. I can only see a myriad of red, blues, yellows, green, white, purple, and every other shade and hue that you can think of. I swear that I can see colors that have never been named before. But this ends quickly as well. It only lasted for a disorienting few seconds.

I rub the blurriness from my eyes and, when I open them again, I can see a change in scenery. We are still standing in a rich and lush environment, but this place is definitely not the same place we were just in. We’re standing on top of a floating island. The whole thing must only be a couple acres in size. In the center of this floating island is a small pond. A short walk away from the pond and you’ll come across a quaint home.

The house is a log cabin. It reminds me of a hunting cabin my grandfather had. I used to love going there to escape. But just like back then, this place before me isn’t some place to just hide away from the rest of the world.

[Elyssia] "We’re here, dearies. Welcome to my home, the Shifting Stones."

Tiss leaves the comfort of my side and steps forward slowly, gawking at everything around her. I try to follow her aimless gazing. She stares at the sky. We see a few birds in the distance. She looks to the right and sees the edge of the island we’re all standing on. To her left is the same thing. Behind us, we can see a bunch of other islands of around this size just floating in the air, seemingly to slowly orbit and avoid crashing into each other. Some islands have trees. Some have a large amount of water and it’s drains over the side like a waterfall.

I take a peak over the edge of this island only to see a sea of clouds. They have a soft hue, like the color of gold, but pale like beige. As I keep staring, I can almost sweat that I can see something moving beneath the cloud layer. A large body. Serpentine. But it doesn’t reveal itself to me. Well, as long as it’ll leave us alone, I’m fine with it. Big monsters needs places to live, too.

[Tiss] "This place is so... unique! I’ve never heard of or seen anything like it, Ely!"

[Elyssia] "It’s just a little hideaway for me. I enjoy my peace and quiet here, study whatever new project I’ve started. Come, I’ll show you the inside."

Elyssia unequips her staff and then gracefully walks towards her home. Tiss follows behind closely. Jiji leaps off from my shoulder and waddles behind Elyssia. I take one more look at the cloud sea below us. The thing that I’ve seen down there is honestly intriguing. But since I can’t catch a glimpse of it at all anymore, I stand up and jog over to the girls to catch up.

We watch Elyssia enter her home, but instantly disappear as she goes through the frame of the door. Jiji sees this and still continues to walk through. I instinctively reach out to grab Tiss’ arm and pull her back to me before letting her just go through the door.

[Tiss] "Whoa, hey!? What’s wrong, Wade?"

[Wade?] "Sorry... I just freaked out a bit when I saw Elyssia and Jiji just vanish into darkness."

[Tiss] "Well you can calm down, then. The doorway is just the entrance to a Personal Dimension. It’s an item Elyssia’s had for a long time. Just follow me."

Tiss breaks free from my grip and then turns it around on me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me forward. Together, we both go through the boundary of this all-black shadowy doorway. I can’t help but close my eyes in the instant that I pass through. I don’t feel anything strange. I had closed my eyes because of the feeling that I was about to hit a wall, but when I open my eyes, I see a lovely cabin. The inside is gargantuan compared to the outside. Must be how that spell works.

[Wade?] "Wow, this place is nice."

There’s a complete living room directly ahead of me after the foyer. A large couch, a loveseat, and two sitting chairs. A coffee table. Nearby is a dining table that looks preset for the next meal. After walking inside a bit more, I can see the nearby kitchen. It has all the standard amenities that one might need in a simpler world than mine, and there’s even a fridge.

...

[Wade?] "Elyssia, how did you get a refrigerator?"

[Elyssia] "A what?"

[Wade?] "Refrigerator. It’s a device from my world that keeps food cold."

I walk over to the kitchen and approach the tall, white box. It has a familiar handle, a course, but sleek enamel touch. There’s metal lining on it. I can’t hear the motors running inside, though. Maybe there’s no power to keep it operational?

[Wade?] "This thing right here. It’s really odd to see one in this world."

[Elyssia] "Oh, so you call them refrigerators, hm? It’s not a bad name. I just call this my ’Cold-Cold Box’ and through all my food in there."

Elyssia opens the door to the fridge and I can see inside that there’s plenty of preserved food. A rush of cold air smacks against me as the door swings open.

[Wade?] "These things need a power source in my world. How did you get it to work?"

[Elyssia] "I just cast an enchantment spell that cools the nearby area. It’s a low-grade enchantment, but it lasts forever until dispelled, making it perfect to preserve food."

We close the door and I’m still left wondering a few things about this wonderful ’Cold-Cold Box’ that Elyssia has.

[Wade?] "So, where did you get it?"

[Elyssia] "You sure that you want to here how I got it?"

I nod my head and give her a serious look. It’s not like it’s a matter of life or death to know about it. Unless...

[Elyssia] "Well... I killed a reincarnated person and took it from his Item Box."

[Wade?] "You what!? Oh, that poor soul..."

[Elyssia] "You don’t worry about me at all? He attacked me and was going to do some absolutely vile things to me. So we fought."

[Tiss] "When was this, Elyssia"

[Elyssia] "Oh maybe 10 years ago? I found out he was after me for my bounty. But he said he ’wanted to have some fun before selling me’ and that made me rather upset."

[Wade?] "... People from my world are generally idiots with bad morals."

[Elyssia] "I’ve heard many stories, don’t worry. You’re honestly the best behaved reincarnated person in our world’s history. At least from the stories that I can recall."

[Wade?] "Are we really all that bad?"

[Elyssia] "People are reincarnated to this world and usually gain a lot more power than they ever could have held in their own world. One would hope that this would lead people to heroism, but instead it leads people to abuse their power. They lie, cheat, steal, kill, r*pe, and enslave. And it’s impossible to tell who is reincarnated without learning about it from that person. So people like that are only ever taken care of after they’ve caused a lot of damage."

[Tiss] "Well, it’s fine with Wade. He’s not like that at all. He’s lied a little bit, but I don’t think he’s capable of being evil like that."

[Wade?] "You have a lot better judgement of my character lately, Tiss."

[Tiss] "I-!" uh..."

Tiss hangs her head low and blushes like usual.

[Elyssia] "My judgement of you has gotten better, too. You’re a pretty good guy, Wade."

[Wade?] "I’m just trying to do my best, one day at a time, so that I can live a fun and awesome life."

Elyssia turns around and then leans her back against me, resting her weight onto my chest. I have no choice but to hold her in my arms since she’s throwing her weight back onto me. Playfully, Elyssia looks up and strokes my cheek with one hand.

[Elyssia] "Well you can stay here as long as you want. And if you want my help with having a fun night, then just call on me, okay?"

[Tiss] "Ely!"

Tiss’ embarrassment has now grown into anger. Her cheeks are no less red than before.

Elyssia just chuckles and pulls herself back up and out of my arms.

[Elyssia] "And you’ll both have to get used to my teasing if you’re going to stay here."

The tall, dark-skinned elf walks away from the kitchen and is heading into a hallway on the other side of the living room. She must be going to get changed or freshened up now that she’s home from travel.

I let out a sigh. Sometimes that woman exhausts me, but she’s actually very kind. She’s just a tease. I prepare myself to walk into the living room and take a seat, but Tiss stands in my way. Her arms are crossed below her chest, her face is flush, and her expression is serious. She’s embarrassed by something right now, surely, but it looks like she’s trying to push through.

[Wade?] "Tiss, is something wrong?"

[Tiss] "No, just... Thank you. For... you know. For bringing me back. I’m sorry for getting upset before."

[Wade?] "Well it’s true that I hid some things from you. I have my reasons, but I think you still have the right to be mad."

[Tiss] "No... I don’t. You did so much for me. Even lying... it was for the best not to say anything while we were trapped. Just don’t lie to me anymore, okay?"

[Wade?] "Never again."

[Tiss] "Promise?"

[Wade?] "I promise."

Tiss steps forward, lifts herself up on her toes, and plants a soft kiss on my cheek before turning around and running off into the same hall that Elyssia had gone. I find myself standing still in the kitchen, my hand placed over the place where Tiss kissed me. I have no words.

But my cheek feels warm. I like it.