Chapter XI

"Hey there!" said a familiar voice, rousing Erdyn from his slumber. "Time to get up! We've got a big day ahead of us!"
Erdyn sat up and looked around confusedly at the unfamiliar room. Where was this place? And how had he gotten here? "Wha?" he said.
"The witch said the sleeping potion might disorient you a bit when you woke up. Give it a moment,"
The voice sounded familiar, but distant, removed. He looked around and finally saw his brother Halyn.
"You were hit by a stray enchantment," he said, "They tried to counter-curse you, but eventually they just ended up giving you a potion to sleep it off. I let you sleep as long as you could, but Xindor made an appointment for the guild to test you today,"
Slowly it was coming back. He was in... Erilliance. He'd come here to be... a sorceror? Yes, and he'd gotten here, and seen the most beautiful elf maiden... what was her name?
"Amora!" he cried out.
"What?" said his brother, "Are you alright?"
"I think so," said Erdyn, as his brain began to solidify. "Yeah, I'm gonna be fine. What time is it?"
His brother stared out the window and squinted a bit. "About four lengths, give or take a twig*,"
"Wow," said Erdyn, "I did sleep in. When's my appointment?"
"In about two lengths. I figured you'd need a little time to get ready,"
"Yeah," said Erdyn, climbing out of his bed, "Where's Tiryn?,"
"She was up almost a fig ago," He answered, "Wanted to see the whole city. Xindor arranged to get her a guided tour,"
"Good," said Erdyn. He looked around, "Where are my clothes?" he asked.
"You're clothes are in that dresser," said Halyn, pointing at a small chest of drawers behind the bed. It jumped a little.
Erdyn approached the dresser cautiosly, unsure of what to do. Eventually, he decided to risk it and get his clothes. He put his hand on the handle, but hesitated.
"What are you so worried about?" asked Halyn.
"I saw it move," answered his brother.
"Quit being such a baby," chided the older gnome, "You're never gonna be a sorcerer if you're afraid of the dresser,"
"I'm not afraid!" defended Erdyn. "I'm just... exercising caution,"
"Just get dressed," said Erdyn, "We haven't got that much time,"
Defeated, Erdyn stepped pulled on the handle. Immediately there was a deafening roar. Erdyn felt the sensation of strong winds blowing past every inch of his body, As if he were caught in a whirlwind. This is it, he thought, I'm going to be torn apart, or carried away and drop from high up, or both or worse. One day in Erilliance and I'm killed by a closet.
And then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was over. He was standing in front of the dresser, and he was dressed, in the green and white vest-tunic ensemble he had picked out for this very purpose.
Halyn was laughing.
'What's funny about this?" asked his brother.
"The look on your face!" answered Halyn.
"What was that?" asked Erdyn, indicating the drawers.
"A dresser," answered Halyn, "A real one. The ones we have back home are just called that. They don't actually dress you. Here in Erilliance, on the other hand... well, never mind. You hungry?"
"A little," answered Erdyn.
"Good," said his brother, "There's a great place across from the Library I've been wanting to try. Let's go,"
Still a bit disoriented, Erdyn followed his brother out the door.

*A Length is a standard unit of both distance and time. Once the two may have been connected, but now they just confusingly share a name. In either case, there are eighteen twigs in a length, and nine lengths in a fig.