Or at least I would like to say I did so easy at least, but no. Needing in the end quite a bit of effort to even make it budge, I only managed to open the massive door partway. A gentle breeze warmed by the light making its way through the closely knit buildings of the household as I stepped outside. A slight metallic scent on the wind hinting at rain telling me of the storm just recently passed.

 Across from me there’s a wall, but upon looking up I see just beneath the wooden blue roof a window similar to mine that would have shown the morning light if not just a bit later in the day. Looking now to my left the breeze grew stronger the walkway curving after the buildings end and the railing upon the end indicating an edge. 

With a quick glance behind my curiosity grew as I walked on my toes over to the edge of the corner, the railing much too high for me to even try looking over. Further along the pathway seemed to curve downward and then take a steep right, but the railing was always just the same height which prevented me from seeing anything new. 

Disappointed I turned back realizing as this moment.

That I, am really short.

When I opened the door, my head had just barely reached the lock. Now that I’m walking around, all the walls loomed more than the trees had. Maybe that was why the trees had seemed so menacing, and the wolves stomach so big. I just hadn’t thought about it.

But if I’m this small, how did I outrun the wolf.

Technically I didn’t, but now I could confirm that even if just a little I was definitely smaller than before along with all the other mysterious changes. While these ones were obvious, my insides still felt empty even if less than before. 

This is kinda depressing, being short. Something tells me it is at least.

Reaching the right side of the building it ended in a T intersection. To my left now multiple rooms with doors that unlike mine led into two large and semi connected courtyard gardens. Each one with a bronze nameplate beside them. On the other side of the courtyard larger buildings sat, but my interest stretched to follow the instructions Wender had left on his now Illegible note. 

I turned the corner, my confidence now as fragile as glass as I walked beneath the wooden overhang. The wooden floor beneath creaking as the recently painted wood seemed to hide its years of age. As I walked another room lay before the end of the courtyards, the name plate as I looked up at it reading an illegible name. I scratched my upper arm, the smooth metal giving no response. But as I blinked up at it, the word suddenly made sense.

Tirus.

I frowned Looking away from it, a sudden feeling piercing the back of my head like the gaze of a powerful monster.

I froze turning slowly. At the next crossroad just before the edge of the buildings a woman sat, wooden decorations meant to cover the thick wooden pillars branched out between them blocking most of her body from sight. Seeing her, I took a cautious step forward, my short legs making me have to do it a few times to finally get her all within view. And by this point I was almost beside her. Even if I was as far to the outer edge as I could get. Her attention never seeming to waver from her hands until just the moment I fully came into view.

As she looked up, the feeling from before returned. However now it was warm as if before I had startled her. She smiled waving for me to come closer, I suddenly remembered Wenders letter and took a few cautious steps not forgetting my instincts I stayed just out of reach. 

She frowned, but nodded as she put down an intricate working of metal threads. The golden glow almost natural as if it was filled with life. So similar if not different in only its color to myself in the dark, but unlike mine which brought forth fear of the unkown, this was mesmerizing. The almost battered and dull needles that she used making such a piece of art as it flowed like water from he hand to her side out of my view.. 

My gaze shifted as she moved, her eyes seeming curious as I followed hers. My own curiosity for her work of art fading unnaturally quick as if it had been trying to capture my interest. She didn’t speak, maybe realizing that if she had I might have run. Which at this point my instincts were telling me to if she did.

I blinked, the next moment I opened my eyes I gasped my silent sound in surprise. Before me the old women held an intricate plate, on it three sweet smelling pastries. The slight breeze that carried their incorporeal entrancement to my nose vanishing unnaturally quick, its cause obvious as I felt the hair upon my arm stand.

I blinked again for good measure looking her in the eyes and then back to the very different confections that lay before me. She nodded to them indicating for me to take one.

The first to the left was a vibrant silver egg, the smell was rich and a slight hint of the orange fruit from before resided within.

The second to the right was a golden cookie with a drizzle of honey, inside of the viscous liquid flakes of an orange colored zest resided.

But both of these to my eyes seemed to glow with a very slight, but prominent energy that my instincts rejected. Upon another whiff of the breeze I found their smells overwhelming.

The last, foremost, and closest to the women was a plain biscuit. Upon its top a darker and more dense breading lay. In it I found no sense of attention grabbing that the others strived for, instead I found a calm.

I reached for it without hesitation, withdrawing my hand as my fingers clasped over its dense edges as fast as I could. The woman's gaze curious at my every move. I stepped back feeling the smell of the other two almost overpowering, as if they were trying to force themselves upon me. A pressure began building in my nose causing me to blink as it spread.

My thoughts hurriedly brought about a way to express my thanks.

I bowed slightly and turned to my right not quite running, but moving fast enough to get away from the smell. To which I may or may not have stumbled as I turned the corner.

That was weird.

Something beside my thoughts spoke of the judgement the women had, as if she had been testing me. But looking down at the biscuit in my hand despite its plainess it looked just as appetizing as the soup from before. Taking a bite, I found it sweet. Not as much as the others, but just right. However it was as my teeth pierced the darker section that the word “Cake” came to mind. It was smooth like a full and powerful wind, the outer layer giving a groundwork for the slight bitterness. 

I smiled feeling the ground beneath me suddenly change just as the first bite dissolved. The feeling pure and refreshing like water. Not quite draining my strength, but relieving and balancing it. 

I took my short breath, suddenly wishing it could be deeper if not for my lack of strength in doing so. Even earlier when I had been smelling the old ladies sweets it had been hard. I shrugged my ears twitching in agreement.

Oh the wo, such sorrows of me.

Finally moving past the final building that the lady had been in front of, I found myself in a larger more open space. The path Wender wrote about curving its way around the mountain to my left. Looking down I found it was made of worn river stones that while gentle on my bare feet, were odd to walk upon as each had an intricate inscription of bronze upon the top. Making me feel like I was walking on rougher terrain than I really was. 

This feels like a test.

I ignored my thoughts taking another bite, and even as I felt the curious gaze of an unseen onlooker I continued on my way. Looking ahead I found the tree mentioned immediately, but while it was big I found the tiny forest the lined the pathway and the mountain wall to be unnatural. Between some of the larger and abnormally shaped trees, I stopped once and leaned down to investigate a tree no taller than my own knees. 

Its bark was grey and it had tiny branches that while small held their strength, the leaves small and finely trimmed like a bush. 

I’m taller.

It was a very tiny tree. And just from that one notion I instantly felt better about myself.

I poked its tiny trunk in a somewhat childish manner surprisingly feeling the bundled up energies inside. I pulled back quickly realizing now that the many other tiny trees that dotted the pathway were of similar stature, the larger trees spaced between giving them cover from heavy weather and supporting them with their roots like a house. 

Or a family.

I turned away walking to the other side of the path, the daylight shining down the moment I cleared the mountains looming slope. Its shadow rapidly vanishing as the day moved on. With the light beaming down I pulled back my hood feeling like I was back in my bed’s embrace as a feeling of warmth spread through my body.

With the railing here only as tall as my chest I clutched it in awe as I looked out over the massive valley of seemingly floating islands. Each plot of land whether a farm, a town, or a single house each lay between giant ravines. Grand bridges of stone that shined in the light connected each, even the few that loomed higher or had dropped farther than the rest. But it was these inconsistencies in the terrain as they stretched to the horizon that drew in all my attention. Squinting my eyes I could just make out the movement of people, sporadic and yet precise as each moved about their day, all of them being unknowingly watched from above. 

I could get used to this feeling.

Leaning on the stone wall I looked over the edge, and sure enough, the cliff face divided further down separating me from a farm that seemed to be growing the orange plant used in the soup. Looking around, the island stretched quite the ways along the cliff face.

A man inspecting the plants in heavy blue robes seemed to notice my gaze. He smiled looking up and waved, his hands huge compared to the delicate plants he was handling. The many rows of chest high terrace’s like a maze from above.

I waved back, my hand seeming to resist shyly. I pulled back as he continued on his way hearing the sudden sounds of weapons clashing. The sharp ping of metal colliding ended in an unfamiliar sound like a strong wind. The pacing fast, but in step with each other as if two adversaries were giving a demonstration of skill rather than a fight to the death.

I jumped past a large engraving in the path made of polished jade, not wanting to touch the maleficent face it made in the ground. With a moment's hesitation I peeked around the corner, pulling my hood up with my other had just as another amazing sight fell before me.

Wow!

Wow what, I wished I could ask just so I could say. Everything.

Before me a massive courtyard. The ground, while laid of a dark grey brick seemed to carry the morning dew still left behind for the light to whisk away. The darker colors showing a massive scene of warriors fighting on the ground and skies, welding either weapons or unkown energies to fight in the ever inward spiraling image.

Huge contraptions of wood and bronze covered many portions of the image hiding its full tale from view as the training yard stretched on across the unnaturally circular space. 

On the mountain end, however, the circle cut short. Looking up a massive structure built into the mountain extended out in many places by intricate design. Like a massive wooden tower intermixed with the stone of the mountain. Some barred or opened windows, while other levels were open air decks with various people looking down upon the spectacle. Multiple conversations and the sounds of weapons clashing, rang out across the mountain making it very lively despite the morning chill and slight bit of tension in the air.

Just a quick jog away, four massive wooden platforms taller than me lay spread out across the ground. The opening floor of the mountain inlaid temple was filled with a large crowd of youths, each watching with various degrees of enthusiasm. 

Just as I was focusing on the main event, the flutter of a vibrant orange dress above attracted my eyes. Looking up I saw a woman dressed in a somewhat fluttery, but equally sturdy robe glance my way pointing to the arena with a smile. I shied away not understanding at first, but at the sight of Wender. I was truly drawn back in without a second thought.

Place.

I need to go back and fill this chapter in more. But for now its good.

Also WENDER! Weird name, but equally awesome.