The sound of Lohan’s gelatin sliding across the smooth, white wood of the guild headquarters was different now.
There was no longer that rough friction against the dried-out bark; instead, it felt as if he were gliding almost over living, vibrant marble.
Descending from the former Boss’s room toward the ground floor, Lohan noticed that the structure of the Astralis tree continued to transform in real time.
Veins of luminous sap, pulsing at a calm rhythm, now adorned the interior walls, casting a bluish light that made the atmosphere hypnotic.
On the ground floor, the main hall was bathed in this new light.
Lisa stood in the center of a small circle formed by the Players who had decided to log in today, despite the day off they’d been given, along with Elle and Pip.
The white fox was finishing her explanation of the systemic changes the guild had undergone following the core merger, a satisfied smile on her face, while Dee, Justin, and Samantha listened intently, though their eyes frequently wandered to the walls, marveling at how beautiful the place had become and at the new sense of comfort they felt just by being there.
Lohan rolled over to Lisa’s side, and Elle immediately flew toward him, her butterfly wings leaving a trail of silvery pollen in the air.
The little fairy was brimming with contagious joy, circling the blue Slime at a speed that showed just how at home she felt in this new environment.
"Mr. Halon! Did you see that?! The tree is... it’s smiling!" Elle exclaimed, her voice ringing like a crystal bell. "Elle feels life rising through the roots in a surge that Elle has never felt before in Mythlorien. It’s as if the tree has been rejuvenated by several years in just a few minutes. Look at that crack over there!"
Elle pointed to a mark on the wall that had once been a deep, dark crack, a remnant of the destruction the beetles had left behind.
Lohan watched, fascinated, as the edges of the white wood slowly expanded, closing the wound slowly but smoothly, as if the tree itself were healing from a superficial injury.
The texture of the inner bark was becoming smoother and more resilient, losing its porous appearance and taking on a pearly sheen.
"Elle is very impressed," the fairy continued, landing for a second in front of Lohan. "But now that the Home of the Stars has become so beautiful and luminous, these moss flowers that Elle planted at the entrance no longer match the aesthetic here. They look... dull. Elle will need to talk to the sisters from the old Village of Petals and get some Silver Seeds. Astralis will need flowers that glow under the moonlight to match the guild’s new look, to better complement this stellar splendor!"
The more she spoke, the wider the smile on the little fairy’s face grew, completely infecting everyone around her, even though practically no one understood aesthetics and gardening as well as the little girl did.
Lohan vibrated his membrane, pleased with the little gardener’s enthusiasm. "I trust your taste, Elle. Make this place the most beautiful garden in Elysium. Astralis Requiem is now a sanctuary, and we want everyone to feel that when they step through our portal."
Pip, who was standing a bit more reserved beside Lisa, also nodded, feeling protected and grateful.
Lisa then signaled that the informal meeting was over, allowing the Players to take their leave.
After the warm goodbyes and Elle’s promises to transform the tree’s entrance into a visual spectacle, Lohan and Lisa were left alone for a brief moment before deciding to walk to Thalendor.
The trip to the elven capital, which had once been a dangerous journey, now felt like a stroll through a private park.
The effect of Star Walking made their movement easier, and Lohan, who could now walk on his own without completely holding up his companions, took advantage of this moment to stretch while feeling light, observing how the forest surrounding the headquarters seemed calmer.
As they passed through the gates of Thalendor, Lohan noticed a subtle change in the city’s atmosphere.
The elven citizens, who had previously stopped to stare at the white fox and the blue slime with obvious bewilderment, now looked at them with a touch of surprise, but with much greater ease.
Not only because the duo’s fame had already spread through the rumors of Intervar and Aeliana, after all, this elven capital was extremely large, and it would be impossible for everyone to know them as was now evident, but because the city’s demographic landscape was changing drastically.
Thalendor was no longer the exclusive stronghold of these ancient and peaceful beings.
As they walked along the suspended avenues, Lohan and Lisa observed small groups of people who behaved differently from the residents of this world.
They were definitely Players. They could be identified not only by the starter outfits they still wore or by the way they looked at the buildings as if they were in a museum, but also by their restlessness and lack of etiquette as they walked among the elves.
These groups usually had one or two Half-Elf or Pure-Blooded Elf Players leading the way. They were, most likely, those who had been lucky enough to spawn in nearby villages or who had already earned the right of entry and were now bringing their other human friends to this metropolis from the newbie villages.
The diversity of races at the gates was greater than ever, and the buzz of conversations in human languages and slang was far more common in the air than before, when it had been dominated solely by the sound of harps and the wind rustling through the leaves.
"Things are changing fast now, Halon," Lisa said privately, her golden eyes sweeping over a group of five Players who were loudly arguing over the price of a sword in the window of a leather shop. "Thalendor’s tranquility has its days numbered. In less than a week, the open world has been flooded. I wonder if the noble Elves are ready for what the behavior of humans from our world might do to this place."
Lohan wiggled his jelly in a sign of concern. "To be honest, Lisa, I feel the same way. From what we’ve gathered so far, for the Elves, this has been a sacred home for tens of millennia. For most of these Players, this is just a trading hub with pretty graphics and NPCs they expect to hand out easy quests. Culture shock will be inevitable, and I fear that Astralis might get dragged into the middle of this mess if we’re not careful."
They continued on their way, trying to ignore the excited shouts of some Players pointing at the crystal towers, until the reality of what Lohan feared manifested right before their eyes, in one of the side squares near the Horizon Grand Bazaar.
A young elf, carrying a heavy basket filled with exotic fruits and magical flowers, was walking peacefully down the white-stone street.
She wore a simple dress made of beautiful green leaves, but woven in a very elegant style, typical of Thalendor’s civilian citizens.
Near her, a human Player, wearing basic leather armor and a short sword at his waist, stopped talking to his group and fixed his gaze on her.
His gaze was heavy and lecherous, sweeping over the elf’s body with a lack of respect that was almost palpable in the air.
He wasn’t just admiring her beauty; he was looking at her as if she were a piece of meat he was dying to devour.
The elf immediately sensed the discomfort and quickened her pace, trying to get past the man, but the Player continued to follow her with his eyes, muttering a low comment to his friends that elicited muffled laughter from the group.
Visibly upset and feeling threatened by the persistence of that gaze, the elf stopped next to an elven guard who was stationed near a crystal fountain.
She complained subtly, whispering a few words and discreetly pointing at the human. The guard, an elf with an upright posture and an icy gaze, didn’t hesitate. He raised his hand and signaled to another group of guards patrolling the area.
Within seconds, four guards surrounded the human player.
The squad leader, an elf in silver plate armor that glinted in the sun, addressed the human loudly, so that everyone in the square could hear.
"Stranger, your actions are disturbing the peace of Thalendor. Why do you insist on dishonoring the dignity of a citizen with your inappropriate behavior?" the guard asked, his voice laden with an authority and power that made the air around him vibrate.