My adventures in another world with my brother Chapter 5 The Elves

Now that we were at a safe distance, I brushed the dust off Overon's face. It was strange to see, but it proved that our equipment still had the same properties as in the game, with only the parts not covered by our clothing getting dirty.

"Got to concentrate now," I said seriously, relieved we didn't have to fight the chimera. "We need to be careful with these people. We have no idea who they are, and they don't know who we are."

"All the more reason to go and say hi, don’t you think?" Overon chuckled at his own remark.

I slapped the back of his head, unknowingly using too much force and sending him face-first into the ground. "Oh, that was an accident. I guess I don't know my own strength."

As Overon got up, he clenched his fists. "Hey, let’s not get too hasty now. It was a complete accident, and you know it. You’re stronger than me, and I’m not entirely sure how these wings work yet."

I yelped as Overon stood up. "Well, I guess you’re gonna have to learn the hard way."

Overon smacked me on the chin, sending me flying into the air. I did everything I could to avoid crashing. My wings opened up, and surprisingly, flying was quite intuitive. It was like moving my fingers, although there was a learning curve. Turns out, flying with four wings is more difficult than with two.

As I descended and crash-landed, Overon was lazily sitting under a tree, watching my spectacular failure and grinning in amusement.

"Well, you’ve had your fun. Are we even now?" I asked.

"I guess," Overon replied, "but we need to focus on the elves now that they’ve taken down the chimera."

Perplexed, I turned to see the chimera was no longer in the air, with no sign of it in the forest. It seemed the elves managed to take it down swiftly, possibly due to internal injuries from Overon’s body slam.

"I guess it’s time to head down there," I stated to Overon, who was very slowly walking towards me. It was obvious he was adjusting to his speed, but he walked like every part of his body was broken. As he turned to face me, he had a grin that only someone who thought they had accomplished a great feat would wear. I laughed hysterically at his success and pretended to walk away with extreme professionalism, only to trip over a branch.

A few minutes later, we met up with the group that had been attacking the chimera earlier. The group consisted of about two dozen well-armed elves, standing impressively between 6 to 8 feet tall, all clad in armor and holding what seemed to be wooden bows. As we approached, a tall, silver-haired elven woman separated from the group and came to greet us. Overon was about 10 feet behind me, walking much slower than I was. When I reached out to shake the elven woman’s hand, she spoke first.

"Impressive work back there," the elf said, her voice both authoritative and warm. "I'm Commander Roxana of the High Elven Knight Order. We deeply regret that you got caught up in our attack against the chimera. If I may, who are you, and what brings you to the Great Alvin Forest?"

"Uh, hi," I replied, still a bit breathless from the fight. "I'm Deserter, and that's my brother Overon. We're sorry to intrude, but we were... well, walking and got lost."

Roxana's eyes narrowed slightly. "This area is usually off-limits to outsiders. How did you bypass the outer defenses? There are typically numerous beasts guarding the perimeter."

"I know it sounds strange, but honestly, we have no idea," I admitted, shrugging helplessly.

Roxana studied us for a moment before nodding. "Well, regardless, we owe you a debt of gratitude. If it weren't for your intervention, we might not have succeeded against the chimera. Please, come with us. It will be much safer within the city walls."

"Wait, what do you mean 'if it wasn't for us'?" Overon interjected, curiosity piqued.

"I saw the marks you two left on the chimera's body," Roxana explained, a hint of admiration in her voice. "Your attacks weakened it enough for us to deliver the final blow."

I exchanged a glance with Overon, both of us realizing the gravity of our situation. "Alright, we’ll accompany you then," I agreed.

"Not that you have much choice, being lost and all," Roxana added with a slight smirk.

Overon chuckled, his earlier bravado replaced by a more relaxed demeanor. "Yeah, you got us there."

Roxana motioned for us to follow her. "Come, we have much to discuss."

As we walked through the forest, the elven soldiers formed a protective perimeter around us. I took the opportunity to ask Roxana a few questions.

"So, this forest... it’s part of your territory?" I asked.

"Indeed," Roxana replied, her tone more conversational. "The Great Alvin Forest is under the protection of the High Elven Kingdom. We guard it fiercely to ensure the balance of nature is maintained."

Overon, chimed in. "And what about the chimera? Is it common around here?"

Roxana shook her head. "No, chimeras are rare and dangerous. We suspect something is driving them closer to our borders. That's why our patrols have been more frequent and vigilant."

The forest soon gave way to a well-trodden path that led to a majestic city, its tall spires and elegant architecture blending seamlessly with the surrounding nature.

As we approached the city gates, Roxana turned to us. "Welcome to Elendara, the heart of the High Elven Kingdom. Here, we can offer you shelter and perhaps find answers to your unusual predicament."

Inside the city, the atmosphere was vibrant, with elves going about their daily routines. Roxana led us to a grand hall where we were greeted by a council of elder elves.

"This is Deserter and Overon," Roxana introduced us. "They aided us in our battle against the chimera. I believe their presence here warrants further discussion."

One of the elders, a wise-looking elf with silver hair, stepped forward. "Thank you, Commander Roxana. We shall hear their story."

And so, we began to recount our strange journey, hoping that within this city of ancient wisdom.