A Few Hours Earlier
The afternoon sun hung low over Greenwood Village, its golden light filtering through the starbloom grove, casting a warm glow across the cobblestone paths. The air was thick with the scent of ripe apples and freshly turned earth, but inside Hana's cottage, a quiet tension filled the room. Elara sat on the bed, her silver hair loose, her pink dress rumpled, her green eyes clouded with worry. Her hands fidgeted with a moonbloom crown, a gift from a villager, her fingers tracing its delicate petals. Saya sat beside her, her auburn braids swinging as she wove a starbloom garland, her blue eyes catching Elara's unease.
Saya set down her garland, her voice gentle. "Elara, you're pacing with your eyes. Why are you so worried? Fenwick's with Akira. He knows the Whispering Woods better than anyone. They'll be fine."
Elara sighed, her voice tight. "I know Fenwick's with him, Saya. But Akira's human. The gnomes of Glimmerfen… they hate humans, just like we did before he came here. What if they don't give him a chance?"
Saya tilted her head, her tone reassuring. "Akira proved himself to us when he arrived. He won over Greenwood, Darkwood, and even Durin. He'll do it again. He's got that spark, you know?"
Elara's fingers tightened around the moonbloom crown, her voice soft but heavy. "It's different, Saya. When Akira came to Greenwood, it wasn't just a chance. A week before he arrived, a legendary elf visited our village—Eldrin, the seer. You remember him, don't you?"
Saya's brow furrowed, her voice hesitant. "Eldrin? The one with the silver staff, who stayed two days? Yes, I remember. He was… strange, like he saw things we couldn't."
Elara nodded, her eyes distant. "Exactly. Eldrin spoke to Thalion privately, said our crops were failing, our village was struggling. He told Thalion that in a few days, a human would come to Greenwood, and we had to accept him. 'He's the one who can save you,' Eldrin said. A week later, I saw Akira appear—transported through the Starweave book, right in the grove. The moment I saw him, I knew he was the one Eldrin meant. If Eldrin hadn't warned us, we might have turned Akira away. But the gnomes… they don't have a seer. No one's told them to trust him. That's why I'm scared."
Saya's eyes widened, her voice soft. "I didn't know… that's why Thalion welcomed him so easily. But Elara, what can we do? Akira's already gone."
Elara's gaze drifted to the silver spirit, curled up on a woven mat beside the bed, its translucent form shimmering faintly. An idea sparked in her mind, and she leaned closer, her voice urgent. "Silver, can you help me?"
The spirit stirred, its voice a soft breeze. "Help? What's wrong, Elara?"
Elara's hands clasped together, her tone pleading. "Akira's in Glimmerfen, and I'm worried. Can you go there and see if he's reached safely? I need to know he's okay."
The silver spirit hovered, its form glowing brighter, its voice teasing. "Glimmerfen? That's a long way, even for me. But… I'll do it—for a price. One jar of Hana's apple preserves, just for me."
Elara laughed, her tension easing. "You greedy spirit! Fine, a jar of preserves, all yours. Just bring me news of Akira."
The spirit shimmered, its tone cheerful. "Deal! I'll fly fast and be back before you miss me."
Saya frowned, her voice skeptical. "Elara, how will Silver help if something's wrong? It's just a spirit."
Elara's smile was knowing, her voice firm. "Spirits never lie, Saya. They're pure, untouched by deceit. If the gnomes see Silver with Akira, speaking freely, they'll know he's trustworthy. No spirit would stay with a bad person."
Saya's eyes lit up, her voice hopeful. "You're right. That could change everything."
The silver spirit glowed, darting toward the window. "I'm off! Keep that preserves jar ready, Elara!" It vanished into the afternoon light, leaving a faint shimmer in its wake.
Present Day
The morning sun filtered through the glowing mushroom cap above Fenwick's burrow in Glimmerfen, casting a warm amber light across the cozy room. Akira stirred on a woven cot, the events of the previous day swirling in his mind—the tense meeting with Tilda and the elders, the silver spirit's unexpected arrival, and the gnomes' reluctant acceptance. Thanks to Silver's vouching, he had a chance to prove himself. He rose, splashing water on his face from a basin, the coolness waking him fully.
Fenwick burst into the room, his green cap askew, his lantern glowing brightly. "Akira, hurry up! Wash your face, grab some breakfast—Tilda's waiting for us at her house. We've got work to do!"
Akira grinned, drying his face. "I'm moving, I'm moving! Give me a second."
He wolfed down a breakfast of roasted potatogems and crusty bread, the earthy flavors grounding him, then followed Fenwick through Glimmerfen's winding paths. The village was alive with activity—gnomes tending mushroom gardens, polishing lanterns, their chatter a soft hum. They reached Tilda's burrow, its indigo door gleaming under the mushroom's glow. Tilda stood outside, her white braids neat, her emerald eyes assessing but less hostile than yesterday.
"Good morning, Akira," Tilda said, her voice measured. "Did you sleep well? What do you think of Glimmerfen?"
Akira smiled, his tone genuine. "Not too well—too excited, I guess. Your village is incredible, Tilda. It's so different from Greenwood, Havenbrook, or Darkwood. The burrows, the glowing mushrooms—it's like a dream woven into the forest."
Tilda's lips twitched, a hint of warmth in her eyes. "I'm glad you think so. We've worked hard to keep Glimmerfen hidden, safe. But enough talk—let's see the fields. You need to know what pests are plaguing us, what's wrong with our soil."
Akira nodded, his voice eager. "Yes, let's get to it."
They set off, Fenwick and Tilda leading the way, but Akira's brow furrowed as they approached a barren stretch of land shrouded in a strange, thick fog—not like the Whispering Woods' mist, but denser, almost cloud-like, blocking all view ahead. "I thought we were going to the fields," Akira said, his voice puzzled. "Where are we headed?"
Fenwick chuckled, his lantern glowing. "We are going to the fields, Akira. But Glimmerfen's fields aren't like Greenwood's or Darkwood's. You'll see."
Before Akira could ask more, they stepped into the cloud-like fog, the air cool and damp against his skin. As they passed through, the fog parted, revealing a long, winding staircase of stone steps stretching upward into the sky, their edges moss-covered, their surfaces gleaming faintly. Akira's breath caught, his mind flashing to a story Hana used to tell him on Earth—about a staircase to the heavens, leading to wonders unseen. His heart raced with excitement, his voice awed. "How… how is this possible?"
Tilda laughed, her voice lighter than before. "The Whispering Woods' magic, Akira. It hides wonders like this—fields in the sky, cradled by clouds."
Fenwick grinned, his cap bobbing. "Told you it's different. Come on, up we go."
They climbed the stairs spiraling higher, the fog thinning to reveal a breathtaking sight—a vast platform suspended in the sky, like an island floating among clouds. Lush fields stretched across it, dotted with trees heavy with glowing fruit, a sparkling river winding through, and patches of vibrant grass that reminded Akira of football fields back home. The air was crisp, scented with fresh water and blooming flowers, the horizon a swirl of mist and sky.
Akira's jaw dropped, his voice breathless. "This… this is impossible. A river? In the sky? Where does it go?"
Tilda shrugged, her tone matter-of-fact. "No one knows. We've followed it, but it stretches on forever, vanishing into the clouds. The Woods' magic keeps it flowing."
Akira shook his head, his voice awed. "This is a dream made real. I'm standing in the sky, and it's… It's unreal."
Tilda's eyes softened, her voice proud. "We call this the First Layer. There are other platforms higher up, but this is all we need for our crops. It's hidden, safe from the world below."
Akira's excitement steadied, his focus sharpening as they approached the fields. Rows of crops stretched before them, their stalks tall but marred with bite marks and wilting leaves. Akira knelt, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the plants and thought, These… they're rice. Back on Earth. Akira's voice was eager, "You boil them, eat them as a staple."
Fenwick's eyes lit up, his voice curious. "You know them? We call them Dhan. Boil them, eat them with stew and other things. We don't trade them outside—they're ours."
Akira nodded, his voice eager. "Yes, rice...Dhan is huge where I'm from. We cook it the same way. But these…" He ran his fingers over a stalk, studying the jagged bite marks. "I know these marks. These are from nocturnal insects—rice...Dhan planthoppers, maybe other pests are working together. They feed at night, which is why you never see them."
Tilda leaned closer, her voice urgent. "Nocturnal insects? You're sure? Can you stop them?"
Akira stood, his tone confident. "Yes, but it'll take work. We need to make traps—specific ones to catch planthoppers and other night pests. I'll need your help, materials from Glimmerfen, maybe some of your magic."
Fenwick clapped his shoulder, his voice excited. "Whatever you need, Akira. We've got tools, herbs, even gnome runes if it helps."
Tilda nodded, her skepticism fading. "Do what you must. If you can save our Dhan, you'll have our trust—and your glass."
They descended the stairs, the cloud-like fog enveloping them again, Akira's mind racing with plans. Traps for planthoppers… sticky baits, maybe nets infused with gnome magic. I'll need sap, herbs, and something to lure them. The challenge thrilled him, the sky fields were a testament to Arathia's wonders, and the greenhouse was one step closer.