บท 2: Chapter 2

As we headed to the dining hall, my grandmother was already seated there. My grandmother was the strongest fairy I knew. She was determined and upright. She took over the role of my mother as well, after her passing. There was nothing in this world I wouldn't share with her.

"Good morning grandma," I said cheerfully while rushing over and hugging her. She kissed me on my cheek and then hugged Zian too.

"Come come, have some breakfast," she said in her sweet melodic voice.

We settled down at the table and helped ourselves to fruits, pancakes and waffles. I love waffles; blueberry waffles are my favourite.

"So, are you excited about going to your new University?" my grandmother asked me.

"Yes, Grandma, I am very much looking forward to it and can't wait for next month."

"Don't you dare forget me there and I forbid you from making a best friend," Zian pouted at me.

"There there now, don't be like that, no one can replace you," I smiled at him and my grandma chuckled at us.

After finishing breakfast we took our leave and headed to our usual spot in the forest. It was an icy blue lake with two huge crystal trees growing on its shore.

These crystal trees were very unique and only a handful of them grew in our world. There were very ancient and no one knew for sure who had planted them. None had bloomed for centuries now.

Different coloured crystals grew on these trees ranging from blue, green, red, pink, purple, white, black and golden. With Black, Purple and golden being rare. These crystals had magical properties and were used in different spells to forge magical weapons out of them. Witches used them to create wands. Non-magical people were the ones who sought them the most because they wanted to create powerful weapons out of them.

Each realm had at least one of these trees and they were the sole owners. They could trade their crystals with other realms for a high price. All of these Crystal trees were unique but ours were most unique as crystals of all colours except black grew on these and they were in high demand in all the realms.

We reached the lake which was the epitome of serenity and beauty. The water was calm with a little fog on top. The shores of the lake were covered with flowers and rushes. Small fairies no larger than a finger hovered over them. This was the most beautiful place for me but then I hadn't seen what lay outside our realm.

We had placed a wooden bench between the trees and it was our usual spot to hang out. I sat on the bench while Zian went to fetch his new girlfriend.

Peace and quiet calmed my senses as I looked at the crystals hanging on top of me. I always wondered why a black crystal never grew on them. As black had the strongest magical attributes and the best swords in our world were created using black crystals and Cramum (the strongest metal in our world). I had only heard of these weapons and I so wanted to see them for myself.

I was lost in my thoughts when Zian called me out from afar. I looked in his direction as he headed my way with his friend.

As Zian and his friend got closer to me. I noticed his friend had red knee-length flaming hair, her eyes were like two large rubies and had beautiful rosy cheeks. She was breathtakingly beautiful. I chuckled inside realising why Zian had fallen for her. She was even taller than me in height and had a delightful smile on her cherry lips.

" Heya, this is Crimzon. " Zian introduced her to me. Even her name matched her appearance

"Heya, nice to meet you." I got up to shake hands with her.

" Heya, it's so good to finally meet you." She replied with a twinkle in her eyes.

" Likewise, " I smiled back at her. " Have a seat please, " I asked her pointing towards our bench.

She sat down with me while Zian kept standing.

" I have never seen you before, are you new here? " I asked.

" My father was from the Folkshel region, my mother is a fairy. They both fell in love and my mother moved to the Folkshel region. Sadly, my father passed away this year, so my mother decided to move back here." she replied.

"Oh, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to dwell on your personal life. I apologise if you felt uneasy." I replied apologetically. I didn't want her to feel uneasy.

"It's absolutely fine, this is nothing to worry about and you have done nothing wrong," she never lost her smile and composure.

I was already liking her.

" So, how are you liking it here so far? And how is our realm different from Folkshel Realm?"

" I am loving it here, everyone has been so supportive and helpful to us. Landscape and magic are the two things which are very different between both realms. Folkshel Realm is a mostly plain area with less greenery and trees. People there mostly rely on cultivation and weapon manufacturing. Both realms have their pros and cons, but I definitely miss Folkshel, it was the only home I had known," there was a certain sadness in her voice.

I wanted to cheer her up. So, I said: " And, how did you meet this crackhead?" pointing innocently to Zian.

" Hold on now, who are you calling a crackhead? " Zian muttered with an angry expression while we both laughed. She had a hearty laugh and it was good to see her sadness had subsided.

" Well, we own a flower shop in the Ibliza Market and Zian is our regular customer. The flower shop used to belong to my grandmother and now she has passed it on to us as she has gotten old and can't look after it the way she used to."

I knew why Zian was a regular customer at a flower shop. Zian's parents had died when he was very young and he visited them occasionally bringing them flowers. He lived with his broody uncle. I disliked the man, he was too tough on Zian. I wished he would come live with us. But, he always refused to say his uncle was his family and now that he was getting old, he needed him. Zian was too kind and pure, sometimes I wished I had that much kindness in me.