Return to Jorgaldur

The journey through the jungle was calm and pleasant, since Maldoa was at level 75, although she still had more energy to assimilate. Undoubtedly, the speed of her growth was astonishing, but she also needed time to absorb and stabilize her body, to let her get used to it. Therefore, that level was all that she had been able to force during the time she had been waiting for the return of the elf.

True, Goldmi and her sisters could face dangers a few levels higher than theirs, but the presence of the drelf made it unnecessary, and smoothed their journey.

They allowed themselves to visit various villages. Although impatient, they weren’t in such a hurry that they didn’t enjoy the company of the elves. They could also trade with them, share recipes and food, or buy supplies.

When there were no villages, they simply slept in the jungle, while protected by plants. They rested in the tent, with which Maldoa was impressed every time she entered.

It could be said that it was a simple and placid excursion, but the elf was becoming more and more nervous. Although she was sheltered by her sisters, friend and fairy, she couldn’t avoid the anxiety, the fear of losing what she didn’t even know if it was real.

Therefore, when they reached her destination, Goldmi stood for several minutes in front of the door. She was petrified, unable to make a single movement, while her companions were watching and silently cheering from afar.

Next to them, there was an elf named Elenksia, who was looking at Goldmi with a beaming smile. She was the one who had given them the address of the house, and someone Goldmi was familiar with, though she didn’t know exactly when they had met. She supposed they had met in the game, but she didn’t remember where or when.

Elendnas sighed again. He had just come back, and had sat down to rest, but soon he got up. Being idle made him think of her, and he was being eaten away by it.

The uncertainty was so deep that he didn’t know what to do. He would probably never see her again. It was perfectly possible that everything he had experienced was nothing to her. Even if she came back, maybe he wasn’t someone special to her. In fact, even if he was, Elendnas feared he wasn’t worthy. He was stained.

Worst of all, the elf couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t go out looking for her, as he didn’t know where. There was no way of knowing if she would return to his world, to that village, if waiting for her would do any good, if he should try to forget her.

“Knock, Knock.”

The soft knocks on his door made him forget for a moment his suffering, while wondering who they must be. It was evident that they weren’t her sister, as she would have just walked in without knocking, no matter how much he had complained. They didn’t seem to be any of his friends either, as they used to call with much more forcefulness, and with a different rhythm. Those knocks almost seemed done with fear.

He walked to the door. Just in case, he carried his weapons on his belt. Whoever had attacked him in the past might still be looking for him. Although it was difficult for her to find him there, or for her to enter the village, he could never rule it out.

He opened the door abruptly. He was ready to act if necessary, but couldn’t react to what he found. Incredulous, his eyes became lost in those deep blue eyes that he had never forgotten. In that blond hair that fell in a beautiful braid at her back. In that beautiful and delicate nose that seemed to culminate a work of art. On those lips he couldn’t look at without shaking. In those delicate ears, whose peculiar pointed shape had always seemed singularly beautiful to him.

He was speechless, unable to utter a single word as he looked at her, not quite believing it. Elendnas could clearly recognize that face, that body, that gaze that was piercing him.

He wanted to reach out and caress her cheek, to have that silky hair between his fingers. Although it was something he had never done, and that he didn’t even know if he was allowed to. Elendnas wanted to say something, but he was incapable, he was paralyzed. His body didn’t seem to respond to him. He could only stare at her.

She didn’t say anything either. She was totally absorbed by his sudden appearance. He was how she remembered him. Not how he appeared on the game screen, but how she actually remembered him.

His eyes were blue like hers. His blonde hair was slightly lighter than hers, and was tied in a ponytail. His pointed ears were fully visible. There was also the peculiar shape of his face, or his body, that was visibly trained but not overly muscular.

She felt her cheeks burn at his penetrating gaze. However, although she wanted to turn her face away, to hide it, she was unable to move either. Only a slight smile appeared on her face when she felt his gaze. She could feel that he recognized her. That he was blushing too.

At that moment, Elendnas was about to manage to say something, but that slight smile had the effect of leaving him completely spellbound.

“Hello,” she finally said, shyly, almost in a whisper.

“He… llo!” he replied. He felt uncomfortable, even ridiculous.

“Do you… Do you remember me?” she asked with some fear.

“Of course! How could I ever forget you!?” he exclaimed, and was immediately embarrassed by his own words.

However, if he turned red, it wasn’t because of it, but because of the huge smile that appeared on her face. She was too beautiful. Too dazzling.

She also got redder. Without realizing it, unconsciously, he too had smiled. Although looking at him embarrassed her, she couldn’t stop.

“Thanks goodness. I was afraid that it hadn’t been real and…” Goldmi didn’t dare to continue, to express what she really felt.

“Of course it was real! But… I wasn’t sure if it was also for you… If you… If you came back…” Elendnas expressed his fears.

They both stared each other for a moment in awkward silence. The situation was embarrassing to them, but no for that reason did they stop feeling in a dream from which they didn’t want to wake up.

“Seriously. This brother of mine… Isn’t he going to let her in? Is he planning to keep her at the door?” criticized the red-haired elf.

“Aren’t they cute? They’re both so shy. They look like teenagers,” the drelf scoffed.

Elenksia had recognized the elf instantly, and she had moved closer to the group. Goldmi and the drelf’s attitude had made it easy for her to discover why they had come for, which had excited her. She loved her brother very much, and she knew how much he had suffered in an uncertain wait.

The drelf and the sister had hit it off right away, understood the situation, and plotted behind Goldmi’s back. Now, they were watched, relieved but somewhat impatient.