Chapter 1

When Eliana first set out from the elven lands, she would never have guessed where the journey would leave her. She'd never have imagined that one day, in the not-so-distant future, she'd be too fat to reach down and touch her toes. It would have seemed inconceivable that she could become so out of shape that she'd be panting for breath just crossing a room. It'd have been absurd to think she could grow so lazy that she'd no longer be capable of providing for herself. Yet here she was, ruined by her own desires.

In all fairness, the blame wasn't hers alone. A portion of it could certainly be placed on Anorae. Without her influence, Eliana would never have fallen so far. Even so, Eliana had to acknowledge that every decision on the way to destruction had been made of her own free will. She could not pretend otherwise. Anorae had warned her about what would happen, though for all the good it had done, she might as well not have. Words could not have stopped Eliana. She was consumed from within by her deepest fantasies, her lust for the pleasures dangled before her, and her love for someone she should have known better than to pursue.

At times, Eliana would reflect back on the twisted, winding road that had brought her to this fate. Perhaps she could have made different choices. Maybe, if she had, she'd still be able to go for long walks in the forest and swim in the mountain lakes. Maybe she'd still be able to sit in a chair without rolls of soft fat spilling across her lap.

Such speculation did not matter now, of course. There was no going back. Besides, as crazy as it might sound, even if she were given the chance to do it all over again, she wouldn't dare change a thing. After all, Eliana ended up with everything she wanted. There was no reason to rewrite a good ending.

---

Eliana's tattered coat stood no chance against the biting winds sweeping down from the mountains. The cold sliced through her, leeching warmth from her slight frame. At times, she worried a particularly strong gust might blow her away. With the sun dipping low on the horizon, she knew there was not much time left to reach Greensvale before nightfall. She'd be in real trouble if she was still on the road when darkness came. Gritting her teeth, she pushed on against the wind, hugging her arms tightly around herself in a desperate bid to retain every scrap of heat.

She trudged forward for another hour. The sun finally descended below the mountain line, bathing snowy peaks and expansive pine forests in a soft, golden glow. Under different circumstances, Eliana might have paused to appreciate the scene.

She regretted attempting this final stretch of her journey in one day. She could have stopped at the last hamlet, but the thought of spending another sleepless night filled with uncertainty had been unbearable. One way or another, she had to know whether her years of travel had been worth it.

Her spirits lifted as she crested a hill and caught her first glimpse of Greensvale, just a few miles ahead. She could see lanterns flickering to life in the town, holding back the encroaching shadows. A small smile broke through her exhaustion. One more night of not freezing to death. Not a bad reward for a hard day of travel.

There was no guard to challenge her when she arrived at the gates. The town's walls were flimsy wooden structures, likely intended only to deter beasts and marauding monsters. She tried pushing against one of the doors, but it remained unmoved. Raising her voice, she called out, "Hello? May I enter?". Only the howling wind answered her.

"Great," she muttered. "Maybe I'll just freeze to death right outside the walls."

Resigning herself to a long, cold wait, she huddled against the palisades, drawing her knees close to her chest. Cupping her hands before her, she focused her mind, pulling at the mana around her. A moment later, a small blue flame flickered to life in the palm of her hand. It radiated a meager but comforting heat, allowing sensation to creep back into her numb fingers. She had always loved this spell, ever since she was a little girl. It felt like a friend, one that she could call on at any time.

It was nearly half an hour before Eliana heard movement behind the gate. Hastily, she snuffed out the flame and shouted over the wind, "May I enter town? I'm in much need of a warm bed."

This time she got a response, though the man's voice was hardly audible over the wind. "Who seeks entry to Greensvale? State what business you have here."

"I'm a student and traveler seeking shelter for the night. I have an apprenticeship starting tomorrow." Not true, strictly speaking. Though she certainly hoped it would be before the day was over.

"Right, stand clear," came the gruff reply. She heard the sound of the gate being unbolted from the other side. As the doors swung open, Eliana quickly stepped through. She passed the guard, nodding to him in thanks before hurrying on. For the first time, she was grateful for the cold; it gave her an excuse to wear the hat that so conveniently concealed her pointed ears.

Eliana navigated through the dimly lit streets. Despite the hostile weather and late hour, she was determined to find the place tonight. She had to know. Passing by the inn, she turned down a side street that led northward toward a spot where the town drew close to the forest. Her anticipation grew; she must be close now.

A large, somewhat dilapidated building caught her eye. Its facade bore the image of a staff with an elaborate letter Z at its head. This had to be it. The building was dark. Perhaps its owner had already retired for the night. Apprehension stirred within her as she took in its condition. It was not the nicest place, but she reminded herself that any mage who might be willing to teach a half-elf was not likely to live in the lap of luxury. She was in no position to be picky.

As she approached the building, she noticed a note fixed to the door. She drew near, but the dim light made it impossible to discern the letters in spite of her excellent sight. Summoning her blue flame once more, she held it close to illuminate the words.

"
By order of the Talorian Council of Mages under the Arcane Conduct and Licensing Act of 928 PD, Zelrin's Magic Academy of Greensvale is hereby directed to cease all educational activities for operating without a license.

The unlicensed magical practitioner known in Greensvale as 'Zelrin the Good' has been detained and will await trial in Taloran. These actions are taken to uphold the safety and standards of magical education for the good of all humankind.
"

Eliana read the note three times, as if re-reading it might change the meaning. She stood in the cold, struggling to accept the implications. That was it. There were no more leads to follow. She had traveled the length of the civilized world, and still there was no place for her in it.

She sat down on the steps of Zelrin's would-be academy and buried her head between her knees. What on earth was she going to do now? How stupid to imagine that a half-breed like herself could belong anywhere.

---

A few hours later, Eliana found herself sitting alone at a table in the village inn, absently stacking and re-stacking the last 11 coppers to her name. The other patrons were giving her a wide berth, something she appreciated for once. The choice before her was bleak: these coins could either afford her a decent meal or secure a night's shelter. She glanced out the window at the inn's hanging sign, watching it flail violently in the frigid wind. She would not survive long on these streets. Shelter it would be.

Her stomach growled dully in protest, dissatisfied with this decision. What she wouldn't give for just one bite of those divine pastries from Taloran. She could practically taste them now: the rich, sweet blend of sugar and fruit in the filling. The flavors perfectly balanced and nestled in soft, glazed dough that practically dissolved on her tongue. The memory was enough to make her mouth water.

She thought right now she might be able to demolish an entire box of them. She could definitely manage four or five. Perhaps more, if she took her time. In Taloran, she'd eaten half a box in one go, making herself sick from the rapid influx of sugar. Her body was unaccustomed to decadent human fare. The elven cuisine she'd grown up with was light, almost ethereal, and lacked any substance. Every meal had left her hungry back then. When she was young, she often found herself in trouble for sneaking extra food between meals, earning harsh rebukes from the elders, who told her she was weak and greedy to give in to such temptations. Eliana could never understand how all the elves were content with eating so little.

If there was one area that humans seemed to excel in, it was their culinary prowess. Not that good food was a luxury she'd ever been able to afford. Even those pastries in Taloran had been a stroke of luck, forgotten on a park bench by a wealthy woman. Eliana had not realized before then that food could be something more than sustenance—that it could also be a source of pleasure and satisfaction.

Eliana's daydreams were interrupted by the innkeeper's voice as it cut through the dull chatter to announce last call. It was now or never. Gathering her coins, she approached the innkeeper.

"Excuse me, do you have a room?" she inquired. The innkeeper eyed her warily. Eliana had noticed him watching her throughout the evening. It was possible that in these distant northern lands, none of the townsfolk had seen anyone with so much as a drop of eleven blood before.

"Aye, I do. But not for your kind. Find somewhere else. You're making people uneasy," he responded, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

Eliana sighed, feeling too tired and hungry for this confrontation. "Look, I have nowhere else to go. If you won't rent me a room, can I at least stay inside somewhere? I'll freeze out there."

The innkeeper glanced at her thin garments and tattered coat. He snorted with derision. "What's wrong with you? Coming up north dressed like that. You elf types lack common sense. You lot never had to deal with the real world, I reckon."

Eliana barely registered his words. She'd been distracted by the tantalizing aroma wafting from a quietly bubbling cauldron behind the innkeeper. The scent was intoxicating—some type of rich beef stew. Her keen nose picked out a couple of its other ingredients: Bacon, onions, garlic, and an array of spices she couldn't quite tease apart from this distance. What a delightful meal that would be. It would feel so warm inside of her, filling the void in her stomach with every mouthful. Gods how she'd love to gulp down the whole thing right then and there.

A little unsettled by her vacant expression and lack of response, the innkeeper fidgeted for a moment before relenting. "Fine," he grumbled. "There's space in the attic. But if you steal anything, I'll cut off your hand. Understood?"

Jolted back to reality, Eliana nodded hastily, trying to pull herself together. "What? Oh, yes... I mean no, of course I won't take anything. Thank you for your hospitality."

"That'll be 10 coppers," he said. It was a steep price for a corner in an attic, but it was about what she'd expected. Double the cost of a room for a worse spot; at least he'd been kind enough not to throw her out for asking. She handed over the coins. "Upstairs and to the right, there's a ladder up to the attic."

Eliana cast one more longing glance at the cauldron of soup. According to the board in front of the counter, a bowl would cost just two copper pieces. Not that it mattered. Even if she had two coppers left, she was sure a similar half-breed markup would apply to menu items. And that was assuming she would even be allowed to eat the same food as the humans did. With a heavy heart, she turned away from the cauldron and made her way upstairs.

The attic was chilly but tolerable. Scouring the dusty room, Eliana stumbled upon some old blankets. With them, she fashioned a makeshift nest in the corner nearest the chimney, hoping to catch some fragments of warmth from the fire below.

Eliana settled into her improvised bed and closed her eyes. She tried to put aside the numbing cold, the gnawing hunger, and the heavy weight of disappointment that had accumulated over these past years. She'd been so hopeful that there was something more for her beyond the elven borders. She could hardly believe how badly it had all turned out.

As Eliana drifted off to sleep, lost in regrets over seemingly unachievable dreams, she was unaware that the threads of fate were about to intertwine in a most unexpected way. Unbeknownst to her, she was just days away from meeting someone with the power to forever alter the course of her life.