Reflection of the Shattered Mirror

I search the whole kitchen, hoping that grandma isn't passed out anywhere. She is quite the old lady.

I find a note lying on the counter and read it. "I'm buying some groceries. I'll be at the store - Grandma."

Now, what? There's the option of going after her and asking her, but knowing her, she won't say anything about it.

I leave a note for her, mentioning the mirror. I then take some things with me and go back to my room. I touch the mirror, going back to Elarion.

I go outside the tavern and notice Merle waiting there, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. Is he resting?

He opens his eyes, his gaze turns towards me, and a gentle graces his already handsome face. 'Seriously... How can a man be so pretty?'

I curse him silently in my mind and walk towards him. "Finally back, I see." He says, patting my shoulder once I get closer.

'How suspicious...' I think and look him over. "What do you want from me, Merle?" I get straight to the point and cross my arms. He can't fool me with that handsome face.

"You saw right through me." He admits with a small shrug and smile. However, his gentle smile disappears and puts on a more serious expression and looks into my eyes.

"The Village Elder wishes to meet you. Your skills piqued her interest." He says, making my eyes widen.

'My skills? Does she mean my dagger fighting style or my ability to identify different plants?' I think it through, but I can't wrap my head around it.

"What exactly does that mean?" I question him, but Merle simply shrugs and grins mischievously. "Exactly what I said." 'Tsk. That bastard.' I frown a bit and just let it go.

"Alright, you rascal. If she wishes to meet me, so be it." Despite my positive words, my tone implies that I'm not too happy with this turn of events.

Merle just gives me a snicker, and I scoff at that. My nerves...

He leads the way as I follow him. Suddenly, Hewie chirps in out of the blue. "This halfling is quite sly!" She says in an almost excited and amused tone.

I raise an eyebrow at that but decide to ignore it. I have a feeling that I don't want to know what that means...

Once we arrive at the elf village, I'm once again taken aback by the view. 'This world is really built differently.'

I smile a bit before I glance at Merle, and we lock eyes. He flashes me a smile, and I grimace a bit, trying to figure out what's running through his mind to make him smile like that. 'He's really odd.'

"Welcome to Silvailia, Alaire." He says and shows off the breath-taking village in front of us. Is it just me, or is the air a bit different here?

I look around, noticing all sorts of forest beings here. I can see elves, presumably half-elves, spirits, faeries, deers... everything.

I enjoy the surrounding view while blindly following Merle as he leads me somewhere. All of a sudden, he stops, and I bump into him. "Sorry." I apologise as I look at him.

He randomly hands me a solid wooden bow, and I cock my head in confusion. "What's that fo-" "Archery." I frown at him as he cuts me off once again.

'Like I don't know that.' "You'll be learning it from now on." He says, catching me completely off guard.

"The reason?" I ask him, but he doesn't give a reply and just takes a bow himself. He takes an arrow and aims at an old target.

He lets go of the bow string, and the arrow swishes through the air. "..."