Inside the cabin where Ruora led the young man, it was warm and smelled of herbs.
“Take a seat,” the girl said, nodding toward a stool by the table.
“Thanks,” Alexei replied, looking around with curiosity. The wooden cabin had a small kitchen, with a white stove in the corner and a stack of firewood nearby.
Outside, it had grown completely dark. Ruora walked over to the wall and released a burst of energy from her hand into a wooden torch. The room instantly became brighter and cozier.
“Where am I?” the guy asked. “Don’t you have gas or electricity here?”
“Elec-what?” Ruora didn’t understand.
“Electricity powers the lights,” Alexei tried to explain.
“We light our homes with magic. It’s a basic household thing. Every kid can ignite a torch. We cook food over a fire. See that stove over there?” She pointed to the corner of the room. “In winter, it also keeps us warm…”
“Where I’m from, things haven’t been like that for a long time,” Alexei shrugged. “What is this place?”
“The United Lands of Adar. Troll territory. Where did you even come from, you poor thing?”
“I’m from Simferopol,” the guy answered, trying to figure out if she was messing with him. He knew the geography of his country and the planet pretty well, and he’d never heard of a place called Adar. How could he have ended up here when he’d been hiking a tourist trail in the Crimean Mountains?
“Simfer-what? Never heard of it. What lands are those? You don’t look like a dwarf or a dragon. Not even one of those troublemakers, the Light Elves, who started this war…” Ruora scrutinized him and sighed.
“It’s the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine,” Alexei began to explain.
“Never heard of those lands either,” Ruora said as she started lighting the stove. “You must be hungry, right?”
“Maybe a little,” Alexei said, settling more comfortably on the stool and opening his backpack. “I’ve got some bread, condensed milk…”
“I’ll whip up some potatoes,” she interrupted, grabbing vegetables and slicing them into strips. “While I cook, why don’t you tell me where these lands of yours are? How did you end up here from your Simfer-whatever?”
“Simferopol,” he corrected her. “I’d like to know that myself. You said there’s a war going on here?”
“Yeah, for almost a year now,” she nodded.
“We’ve had a war too,” Alexei sighed. “We just recently celebrated Victory. I returned to my hometown in Crimea, where I spent my whole childhood. For many years, the peninsula was under occupation. But finally, we liberated it. I missed my home so much that I headed into the mountains. I wanted to climb one of my favorite peaks, to take in the views from Chatyr-Dag again, but while descending the trail, I slipped and tumbled down a slope toward a cliff… I remember tripping over a branch and banging my knee hard. Then—nothing… Just darkness. When I came to and started calling for help, you showed up.”
“That’s wild. Sounds like you somehow got thrown into our Adar. I’m guessing our worlds are kind of parallel or something. I’ve never heard of real people crossing over before, though there are mentions of it in our history.”
“And how do I get out of here?” he asked, looking at her.
“If only I knew,” Ruora said, placing a large skillet on the fire, adding potatoes and a splash of oil. Within minutes, the kitchen was filled with aromas that made stomachs growl.
“So, what do I do now?” Alexei scratched the back of his head.
“Stay with me,” she said firmly. “At least for tonight. There’s no point wandering around the village right now. We’ll figure out how to help you tomorrow. Sure, times aren’t the best here with the war going on, but since fate decided this…”
“Fate’s got a weird sense of humor,” Alexei grinned. “How’s that potato coming along?”
“It’s ready,” Ruora said, tasting a piece straight from the skillet. “Tasty and crispy.” She scooped some onto a plate and set it in front of her guest. “Enjoy, Alexei.”
She also placed two cups of fragrant tea on the table, along with some cheese and sour cream, then sat down across from him. Alexei noted to himself that the food here seemed familiar enough, so he didn’t have to worry about getting poisoned or starving.
“Now it’s your turn to tell me where I’ve ended up,” Alexei said, looking at the girl across from him. She was a striking young woman, about his age.
“Adar is made up of several territories, each belonging to a specific race, but we have one Lord. For centuries, power has belonged to the Dark Elves, and the Dark Lord is our ruler. He’s wise and just. But the Light Elves aren’t happy about that. This isn’t the first time they’ve tried to seize control and hold the whole world in their grasp. I’m sure they won’t succeed this time either. They’re arrogant and selfish, thinking only of themselves and not of all the people of Adar. The Dark Lord has managed to build understanding with all the races and their leaders.”
“How many races are there here?” Alexei asked, intrigued.
“Five in total. Dark Elves and Light Elves. Their lands are in the North of Adar, split roughly evenly between the two peoples. The West belongs to the Dwarves, the East to the Trolls. The South is Dragon territory—a mountainous region. Then there are the neutral lands, also called the Enchanted Fairy Forest, in the southeast.”
“What makes this forest so enchanted?”
“Fairies live there. That’s why it’s called the Fairy Forest. They’re Forest Spirits, dwelling among the flowers and trees.”
“So, they’re not a separate race?”
“They’re magical beings. Enchanted. That’s why their territory is considered neutral. But they charge a toll for passing through their forest, and it’s different for everyone. Plus, they can change their appearance, so no one really knows what fairies truly look like.”
“Wow! Magic, fairies… This is all so unreal. So, what race do you belong to?”
“I’m a Dark Elf,” Ruora replied.
“Next, you’ll tell me you’re the daughter of the Dark Lord,” Alexei smirked, studying her. He noticed her ears, which did have a distinct shape—slightly pointed at the tips.
“Would that change anything?” she asked, puzzled. “Why would it matter?”
“For me, not really. Well, maybe a little. It’d be a bit much for one day. Otherwise, I might start feeling like the hero of some modern fantasy novel. A guy who stumbles into another world and meets a princess…”
Ruora burst out laughing.
“Then you might as well start writing that novel. Who knows, it could be a hit when you get back home.”
“Wait, so you’re really the Dark Lord’s daughter?” Alexei stopped chewing and stared at her intently.
“Relax! My father may be the Lord, but he’s not a monster! And this status doesn’t change anything. My brother is the one who’ll inherit the throne,” she said with a smile. “We were raised to live just fine in the simplest conditions. Among the Dark Elves, there’s no obsession with power…”
“Man, I’ve really gotten myself into something!”
Ruora couldn’t quite grasp what her unexpected guest meant by that.
“Alright, it’s late. We should get some sleep, and in the morning, we’ll figure out what to do next. We’ll go see Sara and stop by the tavern. We’ll ask around—maybe someone local knows how to get you back home.”
“Thanks,” Alexei mumbled. “Dinner was great.”
“You’re welcome. If you need to freshen up after your journey, the shower’s down the hall to the right,” she said, pointing in the direction. “I’ll get a room ready for you. Luckily, there’s a spare one in this cabin.”