The Other Side: A Second Chance

The door to the cabin creaked and groaned as it slowly swung open. Out from within, a stale, dusty breeze billowed out as if it had never been open in ages. "Don't mind the mess, sweetie; it's been a little while since I've been in here." My mother said this as she pocketed the key and went inside.

I blinked. "But aren't you here almost every other morning? And what about Isa?" I asked as I followed her into the cabin.

My mother giggled softly as we entered the dark room. Something about this interior didn't feel right as I glanced around, expecting to see walls but instead only darkness.

The cabin isn't that big; if I had to guess, maybe only like a fifteen-by-fifteen space.

I rubbed my eyes and looked around once more. Nothing. Yet suddenly, with a clap of her hands, a bright blue light engulfed the room, and I gasped as I shielded my eyes. After a few seconds of adjustment, I slowly lowered my arms and gasped.

This can't be real.

Yet it was. The room was magnificent. An expansive space loomed out before me, and the circular walls of the room reached up like a tower that seemed to go up thirty feet. Decorating these walls were bookshelves, paintings, and other various items I couldn't slap a label onto, and in the center of this room was a large metallic disc with a massive emerald embedded into it.

This is no cabin. Or, well, I think it's not. This doesn't make sense. How in hell could something like this be hidden?

"Amazing, isn't it?" My mother asked me from over her shoulder.

"H-How?" I muttered as I stepped around.

The entrance room was simple; upon entering this cabin tower, there was a large, circular purple rug. By eyeballing it, the room probably had a diameter of about thirty feet or so. Around the edges of this first floor were various bookshelves and tables, along with some dusty sofas. A relatively peaceful-looking living room, if not a bit dusty.

Mother chuckled and said, "With magic, dear." She gave me a smug smirk.

"Aren't we in the cabin still?" I asked her.

She shook her head and then nodded. "Yes and no." She continued to look at me smugly as I gawked. Finally, though, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the key from before, a golden, decorative-looking item. She twirled it in her fingers and said, "It's my Vault of Arcanum key. When I became an Ethereal Archon, I was given one of these by the Concordium. Very few of these exist, Luna." She wiggled the key at me.

"So, like, did it teleport us?" I asked her.

Mother shook her head. "Not entirely. It's a bit too complicated to explain right now, but essentially, this key has the power to open doors to another world."

Ah, okay, I think I get it now. Funny enough, in my old D&D campaigns, I gave my players an item like this.

"So, uh," I said as I tapped my chin. "Any door you use this key on allows you to enter the tower."

"Sort of!" She smiled proudly at me. "But it only works on special doors made for this key. They come in pairs!" She hummed. "When I left the Concordium, though, I thought they'd confiscate the door and key, or one of them, but they never did!" She giggled as she motioned for me to follow her to the disc.

"I hope this isn't illegal." I muttered as I got onto the disc with her.

Is this like an elevator? A teleporter, maybe? I see no console, chains, or anything. What is this for—

"Up!" Mother said firmly, and I yelled as the circular disc on the floor dislodged with a heavy thud and began to levitate upwards.

Holy shit, holy shit! I panicked internally as we began to ascend. No safety rails? No chains or pulleys? This isn't safe! I hate this!

Mother smiled down at me and lightly placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, don't worry." She hummed as we began to go higher and higher towards the stone ceiling, about thirty-some feet up.

"Uh, uh! We're going to get squished!" I yelled, but the stonework began to ripple like water before suddenly vanishing into an open hole, which we slid through and stopped. The disk let off a loud whine as it locked itself into place, securing us on the second floor.

Mother giggled. "Gets them every time." She winked.

"That's a mean joke!" I whined.

My mother laughed and patted me on the back. "It wasn't a joke; it's a security measure." She winked before smirking. "And maybe a little bit of a joke," she giggled before clapping her hands together. "Alright, follow me!"

 

---

 

This place is a maze. A non-Euclidean space that makes absolutely no sense to the point of being unnerving. I had imagined a wizard's tower to be something like this in the old D&D campaigns I used to run. Yet to experience one in person. I can't even begin to comprehend, and when I try, my mind becomes assaulted with headaches.

Don't think about it, Luna. Just… go with the flow.

I kept telling myself as Mother and I walked down a straight hall that made no architectural sense.

The tower was round, yet we were going straight. For how long? We've been walking for multiple minutes now—stop, stop thinking about it.

"Mother," I asked her as we meandered through the winding halls, nearing a set of stairs. "How long have you had this tower for?"

Mother hummed and fell silent for a second as we began to climb the stairs. "About forty-four years."

Goddamn, despite knowing their ages, hearing them casually throw out big numbers still stuns me.

I shook my head. "And how come you never told Varis and me about this? Does Father know?"

Mother glanced back and nodded. "Yep, your father is well aware. We used to spend many, many hours in this place in our younger years."

Whelp, I don't trust anything I touch here now.

She continued, "I did plan on telling you kids at some point, possibly on your first century birthdays."

Oi, what? Century?! Come to think of it, yeah… I am an elf now. Boy, this is going to be weird to get used to, but still, a century?!

"That's a long way away," I said as we reached the top of the staircase, and my mother began to pull out some more keys as we stood beside a metal door.

"It is, but I wanted you and Varis to live a happy, healthy childhood. Many elves first centuries are usually chalk full of learning and other work; very rarely do they just get to y'know… live!" She hummed.

Other elves? Now that I think about it, I haven't seen too many other elves around here. I frowned. But that's also because I don't go outside often. One trait I still haven't shaken yet from my past life, ugh.

"Why would telling us about your past and this place mess up Varis and mine's childhood?" I asked as Mother pulled out a silver key and slid it into the door.

As she did this, she glanced at me. "Lots of hard-hitting questions, dear." She chuckled as the door unlocked and she opened it. "Truth is not much. Part of me just wanted you kids to see me as a normal, beautiful, and strong mother." She posed in a silly way, and I couldn't help but snort at her cringiness.

Though she did take on a somewhat serious look. "And the other half was that I wanted to move away from my old life," she said, motioning for me to follow her into the next section of this bizarre tower.

The other room was what looked like a workshop. Tables full of tools and strange arcane gizmos lay strewn about; machinery for twisting and shaping metal hung nearby in clearly not safe positions.

Wow, this place is just screaming OSHA violations. I wondered as I glanced around at all the bizarre devices.

"Careful, much of this old junk hasn't moved in ages." Mother instructed as she began to walk to the far end of this elongated room. "Stay close to me."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." I laughed nervously. "What're we doing here?"

"We're here to grab some supplies and things I think you'll like." Mother hummed as she began to snatch random objects off the tables as they went by and stuffed them into another bag she had reached over and taken off another table. Some of the items didn't even look capable of fitting, yet somehow, they just plopped in.

Bag of holding? Marry Poppins? I blinked and glanced around. How many other magical items are around me?

"Mother, are you not just a wizard?" I asked her as she reached the back of the room, where large tables full of gadgets, schematics, and other blueprints lay.

"I dabbled in a bit of artificery, though your father did most of the actual building."

"Wait, father, builds stuff?" I blinked.

"He did…" Mother hummed as she scanned over the items on the table and began to snatch up other bits I couldn't quite make out. "Most of his firearms are hand-made. As well as his mag rounds. A bit too crude for me, but he gets a kick out of them." She smirked.

"Were you guys like adventurers and stuff?" I asked her as I glanced around.

Mother didn't respond right away, but after a moment, she said, "Sort of. Mommy doesn't really want to talk about that, though, sweetie." Which made me glance back towards her as she held a solemn look as she gazed over the items on the table.

Nodding my head, I chose not to press the issue and turned around. Yet as I did, my eyes widened as I walked over to one schematic on a leaning table, which depicted a massive cylindrical machine with cogs and pistons lining its edges. Yet what confused me was that the language written on the schematics was not one I recognized.

I wonder if this is one of my mother's ciphers.

I turned back to my mother; she was standing directly behind me, and I yelped with shock and stepped back onto the table.

She laughed and bent down. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you." She hummed as she held up a little bag, no larger than that of a coin purse. "Take this."

I blinked and looked over the small leather bag. "It's a little bag…" I took it. "Is anything in it?"

"Not yet, and it isn't an ordinary bag. It's an enigma pouch." She hummed. "You saw me sticking items away in this bag, right?" She patted the leather bag tied to her waist.

I nodded. Holy shit, receiving a bag of holding? Hell yeah, whatever God is the DM of this world, you're amazing.

"Anything you can fit past this opening will go into the bag. I was meaning to have this be next year's birthday gift. But I think you can take it now." She patted my shoulder.

Already planned next year's gift. It makes sense. Mother does seem like the kind of woman to start planning Christmas gifts for next year on Christmas day.

I smiled and bounced up and down happily. "That's so cool! Thank you, Mother!" I hugged her, and instantly, my mother melted into me.

"Oh, you're welcome, cutie!" She beamed and kissed me on the head. "I love you!"

I giggled and let go of her as she lightly patted me on the head and said, "We're not done here yet. Just stay close to me while I go and grab a few more items."

With a big grin and a firm nod of my head, the two of us continued our walk around the workshop.

 

---

 

The trip through the cabin tower was interesting, to say the least. Not what I was expecting in the slightest. Yet seeing this place simply raised more questions than answers. If Mother was once part of this Magus Concordium, which I recall was a sort of council, why would she leave it? Why would this council be okay with her keeping this pristine tower? Most of all, why does she want to hide her adventurous life from us?

I felt that if I were a cool, powerful wizard and adventurer, I wouldn't shut up about it. Yet maybe something terrible had happened. Memories of Mr. Blaxen's visit came to mind, and how Mother told me a friend of hers got killed because of that man made me bite my lower lip.

I think I'm sort of getting it now. Terrible memories. Anime and books always made adventuring seem cool and fun. That look Mother had when she told me to change the subject… almost reminded me of what you see in people with PTSD.

I shook my head at those thoughts as Mother and I stepped onto the lift from earlier. "Down!" Mother ordered as she hoisted the backpack over her shoulder and helped me adjust my bundles of sacks and bags, which I had loaded up on myself.

Half the junk—or, well, things I don't know about—we gathered were all stuffed into the bags. Most of the items Mother mentioned were to help us travel and for convenience's sake. For other items, she just said, "Handle this very carefully."

I don't know why, but that scared the shit out of me.

We left the cabin tower in silence. Stepping outside, Mother turned around and shut the door, locked it, then took out a silver key and unlocked it again. This time, when she opened it, it opened to a proper-looking cabin.

"Okay, what?" I said it out loud. "How does that work?"

"Don't worry your little head, Luna." Mother giggled. "You'll give yourself a migraine."

I blinked multiple times before shaking my head and following my mother into the cabin.

Inside, we were met with a bakery, large bread ovens, and countertops with pots and pans, as well as a nearby range sitting off to the side, all nice and spotless. "So, this is where you do all the baking," I muttered, and Mother smiled.

"And see how clean it is?" Mother smiled. "As much as I adore you kids, you guys are messy; upstairs, you'll find Soza's quarters. But please do not enter her room."

I sighed and nodded my head as Mother went over to the little bakery. "What are we doing in here?" I asked, admittedly feeling a bit bored.

At least the Cabin Tower was interesting. I huffed.

"Hold on, Miss Impatient." Mother teased. "I'm getting something for you."

My head perked, and I looked over at her as she was bent over in some wooden bin. "For me?" I asked.

Mother grunted as she pulled out a tray from the wooden bin, though she kept her back facing me, so I couldn't quite see as she placed it on the counter. "Yep. For you and your brother. It was something I stayed up last night doing."

Curious I began to shuffle towards her, and just as I got close, Mother turned around and prepared a cute vanilla cupcake with pink frosting.

"Tadah! I was just using a little magic to warm it back up." She beamed.

My eyes widened as she held the cupcake out to me, and my eyes blinked rapidly. "Wo-woah!" The smell of vanilla and strawberry made its way to my nose, and my mouth watered as I looked up at Mother and asked, "But why?"

"Are you questioning a dragon's gift?" Mother smirked before answering, "It's because I love you, and I know that on your birthday I didn't get to make a cake this year."

I took the cupcake and smiled. Damn childish emotions, I'm fucking about to cry! I sniffed, and I wiped my eyes as I held the cupcake close.

My mother blinked, her eyes widening. "Wh-what's wrong? Do you not like it?"

Why am I crying? Why do I feel like this, dammit? Why is it now, of all times, that I'm getting shown this place or learning about all of this? Why is everything moving and changing so fast all of a sudden? Why do we have to leave? I want to stay, learn more, and hang out with Mother in this cool tower. Or see what Father used to make! Why? Why is this happening to us?

I shook my head. "N-No! I-I love it!" I sniffed as my lip began to quiver. "I-I just…" I looked up at her. "I-I don't want to leave. I want to stay and learn magic with you here." I tried to wipe my tears away, but they wouldn't stop.

Mother cooed softly and reached out to lightly cup my cheek and stroke my tears away. "It's okay, sweetie. I know everything is scary right now, and so much is happening. But it's okay. Yes, we're leaving, but it's not the location that matters. Just because we're going away doesn't mean you won't stop learning, and that also doesn't mean I or anyone of us is going away. When everything calms down and better days come, we'll come back here. I promise that."

I sniffed. "You promise?"

Mother nodded. "I promise."

Shifting a little, I swapped my cupcake over to my left hand and held out my pinky.

Mother blinked and looked at my pinky, confused. "Pinky promise." I sniffed. "Isa, pinky promised me before. It's a super promise!"

Mother snorted and smiled widely, and I noticed her eyes were glistening a little as well. "You're so cute." She smiled and wrapped her pinky around mine, and we shook. "Okay. Pinky promise."

After our promise, I took a deep breath, feeling strangely relieved, and I smiled. "I'm happy now." I sniffled and grinned, and my mother snorted and laughed.

"You're such a goof!" She patted me on the head and stood up. "Help me take the rest of these cupcakes inside."

As we grabbed the cupcakes and made our way back to the house, Mother opened the back door and stepped inside, and as I followed suit, we noticed no one was in the kitchen. Mother sat the tray down on the table, and I followed behind her as we went into the living room.

In my father's rocking chair sat Varis, and in front of him on his knees, my father gripped his hand. "Like I told your sister, I'll do anything in my power to protect you, boy, just as much as I expect you to protect her and your mother. We men need to fight, but most importantly, we must not break. Do you understand me, young man?"

Varis sniffed and nodded his head. "Yessir."

"I know things are tough, and they may get tougher. But you need to stay strong." He tapped his chest. "Those men outside, those soldiers. They're the real deal, Varis. This is no game anymore. That's why I need you to take this seriously."

Varis nodded. "Yessir."

At this point, Father nodded, stood up, and turned to see us standing in the doorway.

"Are we intruding?" Mother asked.

My father shook his head. "No, I said all I needed to." He looked at Varis, who seemed stunned in the chair.

Father sighed softly and looked at us. "I told him pretty much everything." He turned to Varis and opened his mouth, though Mother stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't we take a break?" Mother suggested.

Father blinked, confused, and looked at her. "A break? Cailynn, I don't think we have the time we have tonight, and tomorrow we don't have—"

"A break, Slyran. We have the wagon, we have Ruby, and everything is packed. Tonight is most likely going to be our last night here. Let's have one final meal before we go tomorrow after I return from my last run."

Go tomorrow? I thought. Are we not going with the Hautchkins?

I knew it made sense to go sooner. Yet part of me hoped to travel with the larger group.

Father bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. Reaching up, he stroked his goatee before running a hand through his brown hair. "Okay, okay… For now, sure, but when we're done, we need to finish up."

"Dear, we have everything ready." Momma reassured him. "For now, let's try to have at least one final dinner, just a normal family meal." Mother looked at him sternly, and Father stared back. For a second, I was afraid they were going to fight. It wouldn't be the first time; they'd bickered before, but Father looked very frustrated.

After a brief stare contest, Father turned away and relented. "Alright. We'll have dinner."

"I-I…" I attempted to intrude. "I have cupcakes for us!" I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. Thankfully, this seemed to work as Father softened a bit and smiled at me.

"Do you now?" He asked, and I nodded and pointed to the kitchen.

"Momma made them."

Coming to his senses, Varis perked up and said, "Cupcakes?" I nodded, and he gave me a shaky smile and got up.

"Where's Isa? We should invite her too!" I said as Mother and Father walked past me.

Father stopped and said, "Isa is in town. She won't be back till tomorrow morning."

"O-Oh." I blinked.

"So, she won't be here for the meal?" Mother glanced back, and Father nodded.

"Yep, as said tomorrow morning. She's out preparing for the road ahead…" To which I faintly heard him grumble. "As we should." Which awarded him a sharp glare from Mother.

I don't know if I'm looking forward to this last meal.