I squeeze the red tomato and focus on the target. Stone blocks, flaming rings, trained birds and tree trunks move in front of the course. While one blocks the pass, the other returns, making straight hitting impossible. That's the point.

  I prepare my posture, breathe in, and just like all the elves beside me, I channel.

  I intensify strength and speed, increase the lightness of the tomato and its endurance so that it does not burst. Then, I manipulate the wind with a breath, throw the vegetable like a projectile, and the red becomes a burning figure.

  The speed makes him overcome the first obstacle, but his target is hundreds of meters away; a mere white dot among the myriad of objects. Two other tomatoes accompany him, Nia's is enveloped by water; Wander's, controlled from the inside with a small bone.

  They get too close. I increase the weight of my tomato, it slows down and falls narrowly from the eagle's claws, then I change its trajectory back to the skies. He makes a bow over a wall and I propel it with fire. The target is only a few meters away, so-

  Eyes hide in the darkness. Dreams prophesy daggers and prisons. Walking on the lilies and sunflowers, the scent of flowers contrasts with the odor of blood. How beautiful is tragedy, which enchants me and takes away my senses; it helps me to remain calm, it transforms the quiet peace into the so sweet despair.

  Still, it's empty.

  Mutilated bodies on the ground. I've been stepping into the unknown. Battles in dreams, combats with the golden hero—since the fall of Aldwyn, my power has increased. Still, I did not find much about the desolate lands. Still, even if it prostrates itself upon the Earth, the wretched fairy still dares to face me. Still, my aching body is not able to destroy it.

  You shouldn't be here.

  The tomato explodes.

  Red spreads across the dirt track before hitting the target. My hand trembles, paralyzed in the air. It's been a while since my power got out of control. For a second, I feel a chill grow through my belly. Then, as if grasping an invisible leash, I clench my fists and resume calamity.

  Nia inflates her pink cheeks like a balloon when she sees that her tomato has only reached the outer circle. When Wander's hits the center, the girl beats him with pillow fists.

  The brothers leave the cabins next door to let the next elves have their turn. I do the same, and we meet on the quadrangular stone toad. It is impressively smooth despite the split texture of the floor.

  Not that they cared—most elves flatter using elemental magic than walks. I imagine their lack of interest in sensations—and therefore, less appetite—is the only reason they're not all fat.

  “You went well…” Wander says after surviving the attack. He wears a blue robe and red pants. I noticed that elves are not very fond of black, so I dressed in white and green. Not my favorite colors. “In a way.”

  “Is everything okay?” Nia says. The girl wears an embroidered pink shirt and a skirt that goes beyond the knees, wrapped in the white wool that was already stained from the other activities. “You look paler than usual…”

  She seems well aware that I am not a human, but still keeps some distance. Maybe it's because I fought by her side for a few days and the explanations calmed her down. Wander doesn't need them.

  “… Well, it's …”

  Ordinary humans shouldn't get involved in matters that don't belong to them—or, in this case, with beings like me. Approaching the Demon King would cause them to be caught in the crossfire and killed for no reason, just as it was in the past. Even if it saved them from Hilda's initial hunt, there's no reason to risk becoming a target now.

  “What are we doing here anyway?” I say. “There is a battle coming up, and we are wasting our time.”

  Wander shrugs. “You heard Hoffstein. It's not good to be stuck doing nothing.”

  “We could be helping them plan the battle.” I say.

  “We are teenagers without knowledge, they are not going to allow something like this.”

  “Cloud is.”

  “He is a separate case. You must not be doing anything important. Hoffstein should just be keeping him with some guard so he doesn't try to kill you.”

  I hope it fails.

  “Besides…” He continues, “We have time until the battle.”

  “Time that could be useful.”

  “Orders are orders, Sieg, and not even war will make me disobey him.”

  “Are you afraid of him?”

  Wander spits out a laugh. “I'd be a fool if I didn't, have you seen his size?”

  “I thought we were ignoring it…” Nia says. “He's very strange for a human. I heard they get sick if they're too big…”

  “A byproduct of gigantism.” Wander says. “But Hoffstein is not sick, just tall.”

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Don't worry, Hoffstein won't scold you if you let me go.” I say.

  “His warning is for the three of us.” Wander says. “It's good that we do what he asks, and rest has never killed anyone.”

  But I did, just a few days ago. The voices want to isolate me to devour me. Hoffstein and Morgana won't be by my side forever, and during the Blood Moon, there will be no one to stand by me.

  I frown. He knows.

  It was because of Elron and the little kindness I saw that I decided to save Dufae. Even if they don't go to Solace, Hoffstein still argues for empathy. He knows I try to stay away from them. He created this situation precisely so that I can fit in.

  “He planned all this.” I say.

  “Who? Hoffstein? Of course I do. He gave us the money. Are you having a bad time?”

  But that doesn't work. I cannot obey the voices and isolate myself as a coward—it was my hesitation to do right that caused Aldwyn's trouble; but the right thing puts them in danger. An inspiration came to me a long time ago, when I was still wandering in the unknown and assuming my divine role.

  Demons were once beings of light, now corrupted. I do not know if by voices or by the divine, but I consider a way out that does not trap me in the painful weakness of humanity or destroy me in the already extinguished flame of cowardice.

  The dichotomy between necessary duty and desired love exists only for humans; and this I am not. The King who separates heaven from earth does not need peasants.

  Wander snaps his fingers in front of me and pulls me out of the trance. “Can you hear me?”

  “Huh?”

  “You're acting strange.” Nia says.

  “… Sorry, I was just reminding myself that Hoffstein disagreed with an opinion of mine. I'm still not sure why. Still, have fun for me. I have to do something else.”

  “What do you have to do? Where are you going?”

  “Sleep.”

  “Sleep? You can't sleep all day. You're going to be vulnerable, and where are you even going to find a place with the house being locked?”

  “I'll find a way.”

  “Your sleep will become deregulated.” Nia says. “What is so important about this dream?”

  A nightmare with a flowering field bathed in blood. Violence without necessity or morality. Progress by overtaking floors. The discovery of a vast former world.

  “Not that the festival is bad, but I see no point in staying up like that in the middle of a war. Better save my energy.”

  Wander laughs. “Coming from you, I would believe in any other reason than energy.”

  He wipes the glasses on his blouse and arranges his clothes. Wander looks around for a brief moment and crosses his arms, arranging the words in the short time he doesn't decide to leave. When I turn around, he finishes and says:

  “Cloud said that human festivities are noisy and dirty. I was impressed. This is profane. You men who handle iron do not understand the importance of beauty or harmony. Rest, entertainment, training—what we do is not just for fun. It was through beauty that we were able to resist the chaotic madness of the fairy world; we became part of it, and it of us. It was contemplation that allowed us to shape Alfheim.”

  I thought I'd hate them for it. I'm afraid I will one day. But that would be a concern for another time.

  “I have a different method of rest. Why do you care?” I say.

  “It is my duty as a physician to cherish the health of my companions, and there is no duty greater than necessity. From the last one I checked, humans are made of flesh and blood, and they still need rest.”

  “Duty is not always what is necessary for the one who fulfills it.” I say. “And I am not human.”

  Quiet.

  I look around. I feel the gaze of some people. A pause in the heartbeat, an extra drop of sweat. At the top of a vine, one of the guards watches the city below and stares at me.

  “Sorry.” I say.

  “It's understandable. You saw what you shouldn't. I want you to forget it.”

  “… Ah. Is that why?”

  “It's one of the reasons, only. It's a big part. You've been hurt. The macabre death that lurks in the forests should no longer hinder us.”

  I'm tired of trying to figure out what people say. Is he trying to compensate me? Or, in a worse situation, reinforce that I will not open my mouth? I don't know. Not that I didn't believe in his good will. I don't think he's a bad person, but if beauty was a parameter, Morgana would be a goddess. Fortunately, she's not.

  The girl frowns and divides her attentive gaze between us. Wander must have lied to her when they escaped Hilda's troops. No. She must know. She must know, but she doesn't want to admit it to herself.

  I don't want to dampen the girl's spirits, much less, paradoxically, worsen the awkwardness in the air.

  I exhale. “All right.”

  After all, I doubt I'll have another opportunity like that. Maybe I'll find Hoffstein's answer if I let myself be carried away by the tide. A festival won't kill me.

  You're terrible.

  “What are we going to do then?” I say.

  “I want to ride the Bears!” Nia says.

  Without Hoffstein around? “Pass.”

  “I don't think it's a good idea, either.” Wander says. “Maybe we can bet a race on one of the tracks?”

  “It's not fair, you two will win!”

  “We can try to use some weaker element.”

  Nia folded her arms. “It's not worth it because it's not real.”

  I spit out a laugh. “And what are you better than us at competing in?”

  Nia inflates her cheeks. “On being weird.” She says. “Hmpf!”

  The girl turns around and start walking sulkily down the street. The emotion of the elves is distinct, distant; their expressions are simple and measured. Mostly. Nia doesn't seem to fit the rule that much.

  Wander expires. “Great, we'll have to calm her down now.”

  “Sorry. But she doesn't seem to be so difficult.”

  “It's a fine line between waiting for the right time and spending the right money.”

  It's still early afternoon. The crown of trees protects us from the sun, the air is humid, and the wind refreshes the streets. I breathe in.

  “Okay, let's go to the bear.”

  *

  The rest of the afternoon passes quickly. I hypnotized my bear so he wouldn't get agitated when he saw me. The elves didn't seem to like it, but luckily we didn't stay in the attraction for long. The girl's emission is much lower than mine, but she is better at influencing other creatures than I am. Wander could have won, but using her flute, the girl managed to surpass him.

  We also climbed a giant tree and flew over the city. We eat half the time, and I can say that the cuisine of elves is not so different from that of humans. They're made with other ingredients, in different ways, but I didn't find anything magical or crazy enough to be amazed by.

  Now, we finished the last game. Nia hugs a giant teddy bear, and Wander carries four purses with the girl's gifts. Unfortunately, I carry three others. She approaches us and for a moment I fear for my arms. But instead of giving me one of the bags she carries to balance the amount, she pokes through the useless trinkets until she finds something.

  Then the girl extends her arm. In her hand, a white hardcover book, with the symbol of a red feather. “So you won't be left with nothing.”

  “… I also have gifts inside these bags.”

  “Accept it.”

  I take the book. It is light, its pages white. I feel its texture on my skin, and I remember that it must be the first gift I receive from someone. I lack the words at first.

  “… Thank You, Nia.”

  “You're welcome!” She says, turning around and heading towards our house.

  The sun is already setting, and the afternoon begins its end. The laughter silences over time, and the night expands its influence across the sky. It would be a crescent moon.

  Wander walks behind the girl, I put the book away. I feel the mana light up and go out at the limits of my perception: eyes on my back, silent words and gestures. Flames in the crowd.

  “Are you coming?” Wander says.

  But that would be a concern for another day.

  “… Yes.”