Akif POV

What is that look on Sera’s face? She seems happy? Is that happiness?

She has a mix between a smile and a grin on her face. On anyone else that look would probably be slightly terrifying, but on Sera it is unusually… charming?

She got that look after Eliyon came over to her and they started to quietly chat. I have no idea what they are chatting about, but I find my attention to be drawn there quite often. You know those curious squirrels that are slightly scared, but let their curiosity win over their sensibilities?

That is me right now. Akif the curious squirrel.

“What do you think, Akif? Like the place?”

Atre started beaming with joy when we entered the greater forest, as he calls it. That is where the capital of Felis is located – Elynn.

There is a cobble road going from the border to the capital. The road is flat and without bumps. Even roads in Alymor aren’t this nice and flat. No bumps at all! Quite impressive!

What stunned me was the giant white walls surrounding the city. They were at least 60 meters tall. Apparently the outer layers are made from Telekinesis infused marble. An army could bombard those walls for days and not get past that outer layer. He didn’t want to tell me what the inner layer of the wall is made of. Apparently it is an elven secret, so I don’t ask any further question.

As far as my eyes can see the curved wall stretches over the horizon. I never appreciated how much space a city of 2 and a half million people need to live in comfort. The city is huge!

Inside the white walls the elves made a man-made mountain. That’s right. They MADE a mountain for them to place their buildings on. When I asked why, Atre looked at me funny.

“Well… The first reason is that it makes the surface area inside the city got bigger when they made the mountain. I am not going to explain why, but trust me, we couldn’t fit everyone inside this city in comfort if we didn’t. The other elven villages and minor cities have done the same, you know?”

He looks back at Eliyon and flash a small smile.

“The second reason is because of hierarchy. You have three “Circles” inside the city. The outer circle, the inner circle and the royal circle”.

“The outer circle is the biggest one. That is where everyone without a title is living. The inner circle is where you will find nobility and knights. They are in charge of ruling the outer circle, and the royal circle is overseeing the nobles. Of course it is a lot of job for Eliyon’s father to do that, but he has advisors he trusts to help him out. He had some “spring cleaning” inside the noble court a few years ago. A few noble families grew quite… arrogant for the lack of a better word. You should talk with the king about that! He will be more than happy to fill in the details. He still bitches about the arrogance of some of those nobles”.

Somehow I don’t think I will be doing that. I have a feeling I will have to spend the night listening to Eliyon`s father complaining about things I don’t even understand the concept off…

In that regard I think I have progressed a lot! Eliyon and Sera has been very helpful teaching me new stuff. I can read people better after some intensive training with the two of them. There were days they refused to speak with me, and only showed what they wanted with body language. Those days were challenging…

They also taught me what is ok and not ok to say or do in social conventions. Apparently, when I chucked the man through the door I should have gone over and tell the man I am sorry. I did that, but apparently not the right way.

According to them, the man was too afraid to say anything when I came up to him. Oooh well... what is done is done.

Eliyon have explained in no uncertain details to behave myself when I meet her father. She wants him to approve of me, but Atre told me afterwards that just be myslef, and he would do just that - approve of me. Apparently the king is sick and tired of being treated like a king. Though… mouthing off to the king in company of others is still a no-no.

The queue to enter the city is surprisingly quick. The elves really are speeding through the visiting merchants and travellers. I can’t help but think that it also creates a huge security risk. The humans have their fingers in a lot of different pots, and can easily make a traveller gather information about the layout of the city. Any activities can be coordinate inside the city, since all they need to do is to disguise as a merchant to get in.

I hope my worries are unfounded.

“Akif! We should drink some of that mead when we get to the royal circle! I can ask some of the major and lieutenant- generals to come and greet you! Some of them are quite proud, but they lower their head to me. They know that they will get their asses kicked if they try to be too proud around me”.

Why is he telling me this? AAAH! He is bragging! Cool!

“Generals? You seem very close to them, for some reason?”

“Aah! Didn’t I tell you? I used to be the boss man when I was younger! Even though I relinquished my title as general, not major or lieutenant general, but general, or what I like to call it; Boss man. I still have some pull in the army, you know. And! It helps being a prince huhuhuhu”.

I don’t understand much about the ranking system in the elven army, but it sounds impressive and that is what he wants, right?

“Sounds like a plan, Atre. Let me familiarize myself with the city first though”.

“Familiarize yourself with the city? As in discovering where everything is? You will be 60 years old, and not have covered half of the city if that is you goal, Akif…”

“Seriously? That big?”

“Yup!”

I can feel two soft hands wrapping themselves around me from my back. Sera`s mango sized breasts are squeezing themselves against me and a big wet kiss can be felt in my neck.

“You two seem to enjoy each other’s company! Mind us to joining you?”, she whispers in my ear.

“Well… I am certainly not going to shake you off when you are squeezing yourself against me like this!”

A cute chuckle can be heard behind Sera.

“Good! Oooh? Our time to be examined is soon!”, Sera exclaims.

“Examined?”

“This should be good”, I can hear Atre mumbling as we walk to the squads of elves barring the main gates. They are wearing studded leather armour and have half-moon shaped swords. Well… not exactly. If the half-moon was sleepy and let the lower half of his body slant slightly it would be accurate. They have blue linen coats hanging loosely from their shoulders. They look pretty impressive if I must say so myself!

One guard goes to each of our traveling companion. Eliyon and Sera`s guards look pretty relaxed, but I am forced to stand face to face with the angriest looking man I have seen in my entire life. The anger radiating from this elf dwarfs anything I got exposed to in the arena.

“Stand still please. I will be using some Menskinesis to search out your intentions and motives behind entering the city”.

Menskinesis?

I look questioningly over to Atre, and he whispers to me;

“It is a branch of telekinesis. They send telekinetic energy into your brain to read your thoughts and intentions. I will explain more later”.

I just give the man a nod, and he gets to work. I can see his face growing sterner and sterner before his shocked emotions are sent surging through my system. I can feel things “break” in me, so I send a light wave of telekinesis and knocks his hand off my head.

“Are you meant to damage the ones you search? I am very happy living in the woods you know? It makes my job protecting these two a lot harder, but I don’t have to enter”, I tell the man with blistering bloodlust. The feeling of something inside me getting damaged pissed me off beyond words, but according to Eliyon I can’t attack these men.

A man steps up and grabs the mumbling soldier by the neck and throws him back to where he was standing previously. Then he turns to me and says;

“I am sorry for what the private did. I will have a stern word with him later on. Do you allow me to search you out? I can promise you will not feel any discomfort”.

I look over to Atre, and he gives me a nod. The look in his eyes tells me he knows the man, so I trust Atre`s decision.

This man doesn’t have to touch me, but I still ready some light terakinesis to knock the man away and break his concentration.

It would have been so much better for your well-being if you were touching me with your hand. If you fuck up, I will send you flying.

“I know. Don’t worry. I am done soon”

What? You can hear my thoughts?

“Yup! Atre will be telling you more later”

You know Atre?

“He was my commanding officer for years. Of course I know the man. He is very hands on when he commands”.

He flashes a smile and steps back to where he was standing. The private has gathered himself now, but he still has a shocked expression on his face, and catches quick glances to Atre and the Eliyon.

My theory about how menskinesis works is that they send a tendril of telekinesis to another man’s brain, and latches onto it. I may be doing something stupid now, but I decide to try out my theory with Atre’s friend.

Hey! Make sure you tell that “private” to keep his mouth shut. It will make my job protecting these two A LOT harder if everyone in the city knows they have arrived.

I think the man heard what I said since he turned around and gave me a short nod.

The rest of my traveling companions are finished, and a path is opened up through the ranks of soldiers blocking the main gate.

Well that was interesting…

“When did that pipsqueak become a colonel… You know, the last time I saw him he was fresh out of the institute. He had just gotten his two stars”.

“Ok… Atre… I have no clue what you are talking about…”

“Aah… forgot about that. It means he just became lieutenant”.

“And that means?”

“Fuck it! He was in the army, and did shit in the army”, Atre bellows out, scaring the living shit out of everyone on the street leading to the inner circle.

After shoving his palm to his face, he looks at me through spread fingers and says;

“You have a lot to learn. I wonder where I should start”.

Of course Sera had to get in on that comment, and replies;

“Now you know what I feel”.

She has been doing that a lot lately. Quipping in with a smart reply wherever it is acceptable to do so. I wonder if it is one of her ways of endearment? She doesn’t mean any harm about it. Actually I don’t really mind it. She seems to enjoy making a bit of fun out of me.

And of course Eliyon isn’t any better. The two of them are like two peas in a pot. Never away from each other. I think Eliyon is one of her best friends at this point. Actually… I think she IS her best friend. I can hear the two of them whispering to each other every time we go to sleep. I just close my eyes and fall asleep, so it doesn’t really bother me.

I am happy for Sera. She has found herself a friend she can talk with. I very aware that I can only offer limited support. If she needs someone to hug – here I am! If she needs someone to talk with and discuss her issues with… I can only do so much. I am a great listener, but I have no idea what to tell her if she starts asking questions.

That is something I want to work on. I want to be a better man for not just myself, but everyone around me as well. I have never thought about this before. I have never thought about what kind of man I am. I just was. I lived to kill in the arena. Now I have responsibility – which terrifies me. Now I have a person I care for. Now I have friends – and the closest thing I have ever had to a family. Atre is like my brother. The same brotherhood the other gladiators had.

“Akif? Felis to Akif! Do we have a signal?”.

I can feel Eliyon’s hands gently slapping my face as she looks me in the eyes with a wide grin on her face.

“Aaah! It seems like we have contact! Hello there, Akif. How are you doing?”

“Hmm? What? Did I do something weird again?”

“If you mean walking mindlessly through a group of ladies without even noticing their presence as weird, then yeah… you were acting weird”.

I look behind me and see a group of elven ladies staring at me with confusion.

“AAH! I am sorry, my ladies! I was in my own world!”

Sera chuckles at my side and squeezes my hand. She somehow managed to sneak her hand into mine without me noticing. That leaves me impressed.

“My man can be a bit foolish sometimes. He frequently ponders about stuff, and if left alone he can probably walk through a wall without noticing. I hope you ladies will forgive him”.

The ladies eye me up, and with a smirk they say;

“Only if he buys each one of us a drink!”

A drink? I have like 20 kegs laying in the carriage Atre is leading. Lets give them one of those.

“Ok! A drink it is!”

I backtrack to the carriage that is slowly making its way through the city. After grabbing one of the kegs, I walk back to the group of ladies.

After placing the keg in the hands of the lady that asked me for a drink, I flash her a smile and says;

“There you go!”

The group of ladies bursts out in laughter, and Eliyon is practically rolling on the floor laughing.

They were hitting on me, weren’t they? It wasn’t the drink they wanted…

“I am sorry… but were you ladies hitting on me?”.

Sera breaks her laughter, and yells out a;

“Of course they were!”

“Aah… Sorry then… Let me buy you a drink when we have found out where we will be sleeping, ok?”

Sera yells out again, but this time it wasn’t in humour;

“Nope! You are mine”.

The group of ladies laugh at me as they walk off with the keg of mead I gave them. I am swiftly hoisted back in by Sera. She grabs my hand and the death grip she is holding in me tells me that she isn’t intending on letting go.

“And here I thought I was making progress…”

“You are, Akif. Don’t expect to read every nuance of human nature in a month. Remember what you said when we first met? You are a blank sheet of paper, and it is just starting to fill in. Give it time, Akif”, Sera tells me with a sweet voice.

I guess…

The walk to the Royal circle is a long one. Shops of all sizes and shapes can be seen, and stalls selling all kinds of bits and bobs can be seen and heard. The steady hammering of a blacksmith is heard in the distance, and the smell of food reminds me how hungry I am.

The houses are made out of formed trees. You don’t have the rigid edges of our structures. Everything is smooth and connected. Not a single nail can be seen in the wood. A small stream runs on either side of the street. Clean fresh water for the animals, apparently.

The buildings look pretty interesting. The trees themselves are twisted and turned into the shape of house, but every edge is round. As I said earlier, no rigid edges. The round quartz windows make the houses look even… smoother?

I don’t know. All I know is that the intricate patterns engraved in the wood is very well made. I am not even going to pretend I know what it is and what it means. It just looks beautiful. The only place you don’t find grass and small bushes here, is where the main road and the sidewalk is. Berries of all sorts can be found, which is surprising since a city this size should have a lot of waste, and waste kinda kills off all prospects of having berries growing in the city.

Fuck it. I am sure they have some kind of system for it.

The green streets and beautiful houses stand in great contrast to the white walls that can be seen bordering the city.

The sound of people chatting merrily while eating in taverns and restaurants makes this place feel… calming.

I feel calm here. Maybe it is the soft architecture of the streets or the sizzling water heard. Maybe it is Sera? I don’t know.

I just know I feel calm.

As we advance towards the top of the city, I start to see the sheer magnitude of the city. It is as someone sent a city falling from the sky, and it landed in the middle of a giant forest. The only thing separating the forest and the city is the giant wall and the curved trees making up the buildings.

It is a beautiful place. Yes, you have the sizzling streets surrounding you, but you also have the calmness nature protrudes.

“Akif! STOP WALKING INTO PEOPLE!”

“huh? What?”

“You have been waltzing into everyone on this street, and no matter how much I push or pull on you, you won’t move, you idiot!”.

A slightly miffed Sera continues to tell me that I should focus on where I go. Apparently we even entered the inner circle, and the nobles I walked into seems pissed. I give them a wave, and waltz back to the carriage to grab another keg. After chucking the keg to the most vocal of the nobles, I grab Sera’s hand and start walking again.

“Are you planning on bribing everyone with mead?”

“Yea? It works, so why not?”

Sera looks at me in disbelief and starts dragging me faster to the royal circle.

“MY DAUGHTER! YOU ARE BACK!”