The appointed time arrived and Tristan, in slightly disheveled clothes and not-quite properly strapped on armor, stood outside his room. Felicity was laying on his head in her fairy dragon form, snoozing, whilst he spun his crucible to fuel their travel.

Bertram and Rory exited their room. Bertram gave him a glance up and down, "You enjoy yourself?"

Tristan let the faintest of smiles grace his lips, "Ready to go to the Fey Realm?" he asked the duo.

"Yes…please," Rory said, adding the last word as if she had been reminded to be nice. "I look forward to these Nymphs and the hot springs."

"They have warm water here, but those baths are not big enough to fool around in," Bertram commented.

Tristan waved them over, "Gotta be within arm's reach, or able to touch me, or someone touching me." The duo came over, and Tristan activated the spell in the ring. The Fey Realm arrival point was very different – with trees having been grown and molded to create a series of dividers. The ground beneath their feet was covered with grass that had been tightly woven together and was still pulsating, teeming with life and essence.

The market area had been shifted and altered – instead of a bunch of covered work benches, there were signs with markers and indications of what type of goods would be available. Plants had been moved and re-planted in more sheltered areas, away from those who may want to make off with a few sapphires from the altered berry bushes.

Felicity yawned and woke up, "Morning already?"

"No, just Fey Realm," Tristan replied as he went toward the Queen's Wood. Several Nymphs were lounging next to the pool – scantily clad but still clad for sake of appearances. "Excuse me, ladies." They turned, and he gestured to Bertram and Rory, "My half-brother and his wife are interested in…spending some time with you all, if you'd have them."

Rory walked forward and looked down at the comparatively smaller women. "Well?" she asked.

The Nymphs glanced at each other then began offering various pleasurable activities which caused Tristan to blush, and he walked away as Bertram and Rory got into a conversation with the Nymphs about lewd activities that Tristan wanted no knowledge of.

Felicity chuckled, "You look like a cherry!"

He ignored her and went into the Queen's Wood, traveling up the spire to emerge on the top boughs. The Matriarch was up there, at the Astrologer's Glass, and she glanced backward to the duo as Tristan's greaves made decently loud thuds on the wood.

"Ah, you return."

Tristan nodded and walked to the edge of the platform, surveying the Fey Realm around the Queen's Wood. "Give me the run down of what changes have been made, please."

The Matriarch walked over to him and began pointing and explaining. "The Training Field is still as it was before; but we have put up a wall of trees surrounding the space." She pointed next to a series of winding paths through the trees with glowing lights inside bulbous-shaped tree houses. "We have relocated residents to clusters of housing. We can expand the pathways and add more housing if necessary."

Next, she pointed to the area Tristan had arrived, "We plan on having the portal open on the far side of the Queen's Wood clearing, but want a nice, open space where we can let my children put on a show – they have been getting excited at the idea of having new people to subject to their jokes and pranks."

"None harming people, I trust," Tristan said as he glanced at her.

"Correct," The Matriarch replied.

"Aww," Felicity added as her tail swished back and forth, tickling the back of Tristan's neck. "Some of the best pranks come with a little bit of pain."

The Matriarch continued, "We have guest housing on the far side of the clearing which is hemmed in by impassable woods to prevent roaming. In fact, if you go in any direction, without a fairy dragon guide, the woods are shaped in such a way that one will find themselves back in the main clearing." She smiled at that, "A little trick with illusion I implemented. We can't have guests wandering off, can we?"

"No, that wouldn't be good," Tristan replied. "And it looks like the crafting area is set up to look like an actual marketplace."

"Correct. The Gnomes have fully taken charge of the market along with some of the residents. Oh! That reminds me." She turned to face Tristan, "They are permanent residents in name, but not in binding. In order for them to be a part of the Fey Realm, they must drink of the sap at the heart of the Queen's Wood. Just a little thimble-ful. I can begin distributing it if you desire."

"What's it do?" Tristan asked, as the same sap pit had been his mothers' grave, and was also how he could take some trial to increase his fortitude and physique.

"Being a permanent resident, like my children or the other Fey Realm species, just means that when they die their soul returns here, to my care. Then, I can create a seed pod, and they can come back as a fairy dragon."

Oh. Interesting. I guess I know what happens when a person dies, then. Seems like Obadai's theory was correct that Realm Protectors take custody of a person after they die. Tristan nodded, "Give it to any who desire and have been here for at least half a Season. I trust you to vet them appropriately."

"Will do."

Tristan looked down at his feet, "Do I need to do the same?"

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"No, Lord Tristan. You merged your crucible with the Realm. That is akin to the same effect."

"When I die-"

"If you die in the Fey Realm? I can take custody of your soul and rebirth you as a fairy dragon…though I sincerely hope that doesn't happen." She said the last with a sad but resolved sense of quietude.

Felicity bopped his head, "Want to go see what the Gnomes were working on? See if your armor is done?"

"Yes," Tristan replied. "But first-" he waved for The Matriarch to follow and began circling the top boughs. From up above, he could see The Undermount off in the distance, as well as the shimmering pools of the Summerbalm Springs. Reaching the back side of the Queen's Wood, he saw the vast fields of green, purple, and pink grassland. "We are due for another area of the Realm being unsealed, are we not?"

"Two Seasons at the most," The Matriarch replied. "Before you must unseal another section."

"Tomorrow, we unseal the Springthaw Meadows," Tristan stated as he crossed his arms and looked out at the landscape. "Unicorns, yes?"

"Correct. They were responsible for carrying Elves across the Fey Realm – they can go much faster on foot with a passenger than Fairy Dragons with one. Also conveying messages."

Tristan spotted Onyx and Midnight being chased by their fairy dragon handlers, darting off across the plains. "I want to unseal the whole Realm," Tristan muttered. "But bit by bit."

The Matriarch knelt slightly to be on his level due to her height, "It would be wise to spread out the unsealing by a Season at least. Let the residents get to know each other as they once did. Plus, remember, you do not know what may have happened in the interim. We could have another Delve issue like with The Undermount."

Tristan nodded curtly, "I know. I agree." He kept walking the perimeter of the tree top, "Then we have the Spriten?"

"Spriggan!" Felicity corrected. "Forest shepherds and tree shapers."

"Right, them." Tristan looked out to the forest farther in the distance. "Fallthorn Forest. Once that is unsealed, that's all of the main seals done."

"Correct," The Matriarch confirmed. "Then there are sub seals which can be dealt with if you desire."

"How many in total?"

The Matriarch's face screwed up in confusion, "I don't recall."

Tristan sighed, "Well, you have lived a long time. I suppose a bit of memory loss is usual. Thank you." He walked to the edge of the tree above the market area. "I will glide on these mighty wings!" he tensed his legs, squatting down, and spinning his crucible, pushing it into his shoulders, he leapt up.

The spectral wings appeared behind him, rooted in his shoulder blades, and he rolled his shoulders back, accelerating down to the ground before rapidly rolling his shoulders forward to slow his descent and come to a jogging stop on the ground.

Felicity had clung to his head, and he could feel the little claws in his scalp not unlike a cat clinging on for dear life. "You can fly?!"

"Glide," Tristan replied. He began looking for the Gnomes and found them all seated in a circle around a pit of glowing, cherry-red stones that crackled like a campfire. They had casks of starberry wine and were sipping from cups as they quietly spoke to each other. "Gentlemen," he stated.

They turned and Dorni, the Courtier and their Underboss, stood up as he held out a hand to shake Tristan's. "Ah, young lord. Welcome back. We finished the work, if you want to see it."

"I do. And I have another request."

This earned a smile from the Gnome, "We'd be happy to do it for you. All this metal you brought – the raw materials. Even Pieter, over there, has been able to whip up some amazing food with them spices."

Another Gnome waved a hand, "It's been good eatin!"

Dorni chuckled and waved for Tristan to follow him over to the smithing area. "Here you go, young lord."

Tristan was taken back by the sheer level of beauty of the armor he was presented. The design was similar to his old armor, in that it had protective plates on the chest, back, shoulders, forearms, shins, and thighs. The plates were made of a silvery metal with golden shimmers that caught it when the light hit from the right angle. Between the metal plates were tiny articulated scales that had been stacked atop each other – a shimmering curtain that felt like running water as he pulled his fingers across it. Inside the suit of armor was a thin layer of a deep, black metal.

Dorni spoke while Tristan traced his fingers along grooves which depicted imagery of the Winterbloom Elves along with draconic symbols. "We decided against the dragon scales, given the overall final product and not wanting to restrict your vision. So, you have this dragonslayer design, with the wonders of Gnome crafting – the smoothest, silkiest scale mail you'll find across any Realm of existence." He walked around the back and pulled on a coif, "This can slide up over your head to provide some protection – but your fancy spell should also add something special, I'd imagine."

"What's it made of?" Felicity asked as she landed on top of the mannequin's head.

"Aegisium, which is one of the best metals for defensive properties; it's flexible until struck, at which point it hardens to absorb the impact. We mixed it with Wildsteel so that it never rusts or corrodes. You could go swimming in this stuff." He chuckled, "And we even mixed it with some Starmetal so that its lighter than ever before! The inside has a Soulsteel inlay, which can disrupt death spells so you don't get your soul sucked out by a nasty beastie!"

Tristan began doffing his grandfather's armor, setting it on another mannequin, "Make sure my grandfather's weapon and armor get back to him."

"Will do. Now! For the finale." The Gnome leader went to a small chest, opened it, and pulled out a cloth-covered blade. He pulled back the cloth to reveal a light, silvery-white blade with deep bronze coloration near the hilt and pommel. A lengthy blade – much like his old estoc style sword, with a wider profile for slashing and cutting. The hilt was elongated to allow for two-handed swings if needed, and a cross guard protected the hands. All along the blade and down the hilt, designs of Winterbloom – cascading vines and branches with flowering buds – were etched.

"It's made of alloyed Starmetal and Wildsteel, for lightness, immunity to rust, and keeping the cutting edge. The blade has a core of the same material, but also an outer forge-weld of Vorferr which is the hardest metal you had for us to use. This thing could cut clean through a boulder and still be razor-sharp." He pulled out a sheath and clicked the weapon home.

The sheath was a masterful piece of art itself. Made from Adamant Wood with Goldwood veins running through it – all with the iconography of dragons along it. A blend of his two heritages. Tristan was gobsmacked, and he felt a tremendous sense of thankfulness rise up in him. "This is…beyond anything I imagined."

Dorni's chest swelled with pride as he puffed himself up, "Happy to serve you, Lord Tristan. And these are only the first iterations. Give us some time to practice the designs, perfect them, and you'll have even better arms and armor."

Better than this? Tristan thought as he went back to the armor. I don't know how that's possible. "Oh! Before I forget, Felicity has lightning dragon parts."

She turned to the countertop and opened her storage dimension, and Tristan helped her remove the various pieces of dragon hide, scale, tooth and claw. "All good!" she said as she closed the space. "I'm going to go see if some fairy dragons want to play hide and seek! See you in a few hours!" she flew off and into the canopy above, vanishing in a flash of feathers and gently-descending leaves.

Tristan looked back to a now-deep-in-thought Dorni. "You okay?" he asked.

"Lots of dragon bits and bobs. We'll have to play around with it." He glanced at the armor, "Don't think there's much I can help with on improving that. Maybe a shield? Ah, but you don't use one." He shrugged, "Keep bringing them, I'm sure eventually I'll work out what to do."

Tristan tapped the sword, "I need to artifice these items. Sword, sheath-"

"Way ahead of you, young lord!"

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