Thursday, December 23, 2021 - Near Húsavík, Iceland

The both of them followed Jóhanna as she led them down a corridor silently. She walked elegantly, almost floating, but somehow managed to maintain a quick pace.

They entered another room, Jóhanna ducking through the short doorway, and found their bags were already there. It was a small sitting room, like a hotel suite.

“Let’s sit here” and she promptly sat down and gestured to the other two chairs.

“Our people are a fallen one. Many ages ago, we were part of the world and we apparently numbered among the powers of this world. But now? We only remember a small part of our history, many died or left, we take human names and speak human languages. And all we have left is this…” she made a broad wave of her hand, “a strange remnant of a place. Connected to the world through that tunnel you entered, but were I to dig in any other direction, we would come to a dark void where nothing exists. And I do not know how this came to be, because I was very young when it happened and many died on that day when this place we were staying in, just a stopover, suddenly broke apart.”

“Our hosts, they did not know, and eventually they succumbed to age. A strange people who looked like rock, but kind in their way.”

“So we hide here and live out our days, venturing onto the ice and into human cities without any purpose.”

Her far off faze sharpened and she brought her attention to Jae-Young, “So what purpose brings you here? To this forgotten cavern with a forgotten people just eking out their existence?”

Jae-Young closed his eyes but was quick to respond, “I wanted to find out what being an elf meant. I wore this ring every day and when I closed my eyes and dreamed, I was human in those dreams. I wanted to know more.”

Without pausing he went on, “But we aren’t here because of that. I might never have worked up the courage to look for you. I did because of what happened to Ella.”

“You found this tooth? And what else?” Her gaze sat expectantly on Ella.

Ella decided to play a bit coy, “The tooth is part of it. I also met a, well, a dwarf. Based on your description, this was their home before.”

“A dverger? That is what I always thought. But I was the eldest left alive and, as I said, was very young. I had not even started our schooling then.”

“Well this dwarf told me that a long time ago, an emperor, he saw magic was fading and broke apart the magical lands into small pockets to save those he could. Many of these pockets lost all connection to the wider world, but it appears that some still had an attachment. Like this place.”

Jóhanna took a moment, “This is more than I was able to find out in millenia of searching. Almost all the People were gone in the wider world. This dwarf? I would love to speak more to him.”

Jae-Young broke in, perhaps less suspicious of his great-grandmother, “Ella can introduce you. Can’t you?”

Ella nodded yes. “He hasn’t told me much. He says his own small world, his hidden kingdom, only reconnected with the wider world twenty years ago.”

“We came here to know more and learn more. But it seems that you know as little as we do.” Jae-Young sounded despondent. Neither of them wanted to rely on contacting the mysterious banker.

“Hold on there. I do not have a sense of what happened those many ages ago. But, we aren’t entirely without lore. Very recently, in fact, we invited another elf to live with us. They have been here a mere two hundred years. But he is older and wiser than us. And knows some of the old magic. He may have some advice around that tooth at least.” Jóhanna looked at Ella and her hostility was gone, “may I see it again.”

Ella gingerly reached to her neck and hesitated a moment before pulling it out. Jóhanna shuddered when it came out.

“I never had much aptitude for our magic, you see? So it merely is blindingly bright and painful. Those that fell down are much more sensitive.” She paused and looked at Jae-Young, “what do you see?”

He confused, “it glows and gives me a headache.”

“Well that is unspecific. I suppose I’ll have old Kertasníkir take a look at you as well. Now put that away dear. It is quite uncomfortable to see.”

Ella dropped the tooth back into her blouse.

After another pause, Jae-Young said, “I have so many questions. Am I like, a half-elf? What does it mean? How long am I going to live?”

Jóhanna laughed a bit. “Why don’t you come with me and you can talk to the others. We don’t know a lot about it but we may have some answers.”

Ella said, “I’m going to rest a bit. Have fun.” and as she leaned into give Jae-Young a kiss she whispered, “Keep the crown quiet for now please.”

He nodded and left the room.

That night, Jae-Young sat in a chair talking about what had happened. He was excited to have not worn his ring all day and the litany of names of those he had met and small bits of elven lore he had gathered he shared excitedly. Ella had spent the time napping and was now working off nervous energy doing a mix of intervals of airboxing and burpees leaving her mostly out of breath.

“Why didn’t you want to talk about what happened? I kept your secret but maybe Jóhanna would know more.”

Ella hopped back up to her feet panting lightly, “You saw how they reacted to the tooth. And I still don’t know what that is about. I know she is family to you and an elf too, but I just want to keep this close to the vest.”