*Cranny, why didn’t you warn me?*
*There’s no Air Scan in this aspect,* Cranny yelled back, defensively.
Danny could only shiver as the troll turned its cursed black eyes toward them. Another horde of goblins, this one on foot, flowed around the legs of the troll. Danny spotted a pair of hobgoblins leading them from the rear.
“Change of plans. We take on the troll, and you four run once we have it distracted,” Arya ordered. While she did her best to sound confident, Danny could see her control slipping. Turning to her husband, she said, “Wizard, the troll is all yours.”
Wizard Basalt slung his hammer over his shoulder and smiled at them as if they were on a quiet woodland stroll. “Try to keep up this time, Honey,” the wizard teased his wife. Turning, the man unflinchingly jumped the rear wall and charged toward the troll which was many times his already impressive size. As the wizard landed, stone spikes in a straight line in front of the him parted, to fall to the ground as the earth raised slightly upward. The Basalt women quickly rushed to protect him from the mass of goblins that had already reached the rear of their fort.
Ivy didn’t wait to watch, yelling, “Let’s move out.” Leading the way as Brooke. Jade and she jumped over the wall while Ivy turned back to check on Danny’s progress.
Danny knew the wizard and his wives could take care of the troll, but those hobgoblins were already in position, preparing to cast. Dark magic filled their hands, and Danny reacted before they could cast. Earthen spikes burst forth from the ground and impaled them from multiple directions. Certain that the hobgoblins were finished, Danny cast as many spikes as he had at the wolf riders which were in a crescent formation behind the troll. He didn’t want to accidentally impale the Basalts. Danny was pleased to see the flow of goblins come to a halt.
*We are down to thirty one percent mana, Danny. We need to stick to casting nearby.*
“Danny, we need your help, and then we have to get moving again,” Ivy called out in frustration from somewhere below him.
Danny turned to find the wolf riders had made it around to the rear of the fort and were now engaged with the three teenage girls. Brooke was taking the brunt of the attack by the wolf riders while Ivy and Jade did their best to support her. Spears littered the ground around the girls, and even more wolf riders were moving to flank them. Danny didn’t wait and just raised even more spikes from the ground. The rear of the fort was now a forest of deadly stone spikes, except for where the girls still fought those wolf riders which were lucky enough to be nearest them.
After helping kill and push the remaining wolf riders back, Danny turned and jumped the rear wall to create a safe path for the girls to reach the river.
Brooke was limping, and Jade’s arm was visibly bleeding from a cut somewhere under her shirt. Jade had run out of arrows and was doing her best to assist with her short blades. Her weakened state and the prolonged battle had obviously slowed down her movements.
As Danny ran behind the three girls through the pathway he had created, Danny turned to see the Basalts fighting from on top of the now dead mountain troll. The wolf riders had already given up on getting to the teenagers and raced over to join the goblins trying to reach the Basalts. Danny started to stop to help them, but Ivy, knowing his thoughts, just pushed him on.
They didn’t travel much further through the forest before they came upon a river that had to be well over 200 meters wide. The part of the river they needed to cross was not the least bit calm. White water rushed around rocks and fallen trees stuck up from the rough waters.
Turning at an all too familiar crashing sound, the four watched in dread as another mountain troll tore through the trees behind them. Danny took a step toward the troll, intent on taking it on, but a hand gripped his shoulder.
“Don’t, Danny. Just get us across the river,” Ivy pleaded with him.
The troll was momentarily distracted as it struggled to fight its way through a particularly dense copse of trees, though the trees didn’t seem to stop the flood of goblins that had now caught up with the giant creature.
Ivy stopped Danny, who was now focused on the approaching goblins, commanding, “Bridge, now! We will take care of the goblins while you summon it. Hurry, before the troll gets here.”
*Danny, we are down to fourteen percent. I calculate we barely have enough to stop the goblins and troll. That would leave us stranded on the wrong side of the river.*
Danny looked behind Ivy to the advancing enemy and reluctantly turned to the river. Convinced he was going to do his part, Ivy began to bark orders to Brooke and Jade.
As Danny continued to focus on the river, he asked, *What kind of bridge do we build?*
*We don’t have time for anything fancy, and I suspect we will have to forgo railings in order to be able make it all the way across,* Cranny advised.
The natural flow of the river water started to change as stone columns, with large round balls on top, rose up at intervals across the river. Once they had reached a meter above the water, the balls on top of the columns elongated to merge together. Water in the river was displaced, and quickly flooded up near the bank where they were standing. The surface immediately grew slippery with all the spray from the river. Danny was surprised that the whole undertaking hadn’t taken but a minute.
The earth shook, and Danny turned back to see the girls behind him fending of the goblin’s swords, clubs, and spears. The river bed dropped down enough here that the goblins in back couldn’t get a clear shot to throw any of their spears. The troll had gotten free of the trees, and the ground continued to shake as it closed the distance between them, one of the previous offending trees in its enormous paws. This proved enough of a distraction for Ivy to be pierced in the side by a stab from a goblin’s sword. Ivy yelled in frustrated anger as she took the goblin’s head from its shoulders with her sword. The movement from her attack caused something to give out in Ivy’s body.
Moving forward to support Ivy, Danny yelled, “It’s done, hurry!”
Jade and Brooke both braved a glance back at the bridge and started retreating. The bridge was barely wide enough for two of them to stand side by side, and Danny took the lead while helping Ivy across.
“How much left, Cranny?”
*We are down to three percent.*
“Use up the last of the Earth Aspect so we can heal Ivy and be prepared for anything else.”
As the four made it up onto the bridge, two dozen stone spikes rose from the ground to block the goblins from following. Danny could already feel the Earth Aspect slipping from his body. Spears clanged off of Brooke’s heavily dented shield, and her limp from before became more noticeable under the strain of the blows. A few spears sneaked around Brooke’s shield, and the other three had to duck to avoid them while trying to maintain their footing on the slippery surface of the bridge.
Danny heard what sounded like bees flying past his ears. Many of the goblins crowded on the other side of the bridge collapsed to the ground as arrows sprouted from their bodies. Before Danny could figure out the identity of their saviors, the troll smash its tree of a club through the end of the bridge. The structure collapsed under the raw power of the blow.
As the four teenagers flew through the air and into the river, Cranny grumbled, *I knew I should have used the rest of the mana to reinforce the bridge some more…*
CHAPTER 8
The weightless feeling was a sweet alternative to the past few days of seemingly endless walking through the forest. While there was sound, it came across almost like a loud white noise. Just as soothing as the feeling of weightlessness. Even the sudden movements pulling from different directions did not hinder the overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquility.
*…anny!*
*Danny!*
Danny opened his eyes to find himself underwater. The current of the river was strong enough to keep him from floating to the surface. Danny bumped against something in the river but was surprised when it didn’t hurt.
A change washed over him and Danny could suddenly feel his aching body. Apparently, the river had thrown his body around quite a bit, and the cold of the river had numbed his senses enough for him to not even notice.
*The girls, Danny!*
Danny used his new aspect to effortlessly spin in the water.
*Danny, don’t move around unless necessary. You use mana whenever you do. Now save the girls. We only have a few minutes to get them out of here before they drown or freeze to death.*
Danny looked around, but despite his best efforts, he could not see through the churning waters. Then suddenly, two white outlines appeared, hovering in his vision.
Cranny interrupted, *Alright, I was able to come up with a water scanning ability in this form. I am picking up all three of them. One of them is behind you.*
Danny effortlessly moved through the turbulent waters and grabbed the first outline. Even this close he couldn’t make out who it was, he didn’t linger to try and figure it out. When he grabbed the arm of the second outline, the arm’s owner began to fight at first, then go still. Knowing how people panic when drowning, Danny knew stopping, especially when under water, wasn’t normal. Danny turned and slowed down to let the third outline bump into them.
The water at the edge of the far side of the river bulged as it seemed as if the turbulent waters were giving birth to a mass of wiggling human arms and legs.
Danny struggled to get up as he maneuvered himself away from Jade and Brooke who were busy coughing up river water. Across the river, Danny saw only the seemingly endless forest, and no sight of his bridge, Basalts, or the battle. Danny turned to ask Ivy a question, only to find her lying pale and still on the ground.
Alarmed, Danny frantically asked, “Would harmony mana help?” He started to use the last of his water aspect’s mana so he could heal Ivy.
*No, try touching her in this aspect!*
Not having time to argue, Danny reached out his hand and placed it on Ivy’s chest, just below her throat. Danny briefly noted the flesh of his hand looked like that of a jellyfish before he refocused back on the pale and unmoving girl beneath his hand.
Danny was surprised as he could sense all the water inside Ivy’s body. Given water is what most creatures are made of, he should have thought of this. Danny’s fears were confirmed when it dawned on him that if no water was moving around in her body, then her heart wasn’t beating and thus blood wasn’t circulating.
Focusing on where her lungs should be, Danny found them full of water. Drawing the water out, Danny watched as it bubbled up and out of her mouth, flowing down onto the ground. Then Danny thanked whoever decided that his laboratory back on earth would require annual first aid training, specifically including CPR.
Rising up above her chest, Danny started chest compressions. After singing a song he had been told to use, so as not to go too quickly, Danny bent down to pinch her nose and breathe deeply into her mouth. It was on his second horribly out of tune rendition of the song that Ivy jerked, coughing, and tried to sit up.
Jade and Brooke appeared on either side of him and quickly fussed over Ivy as she tried to get her breathing under control.
”Simply amazing! I have never seen such a technique used before. Please allow me to check you all over for injuries.”
Danny’s head jerked around to find an ancient looking male elf and a younger female elf approaching slowly and trying their best to look nonthreatening.
The ancient elf had a face that was heavily wrinkled and had extremely long, drooping ears. He was wearing robes made from some material that mimicked the bark of a tree, and in his long pale hair, he wore a laurel of vines that looked to be made of a metal.
The female elf was young and beautiful, like all of her kind seemed to be. She wore armor that looked to be crafted to camouflage her in the forest. She also carried a longbow and sword.
The older elf moved forward toward Danny, but Danny quickly gestured to Ivy, “She just drowned,” and suddenly remembered, “and was stabbed in the side!”
Danny inspected Ivy’s side, but there wasn’t any sign that the wound was still bleeding. The older elf bent down to cast magic over Ivy. The girl’s color seemed to slowly return and her breathing sounded stronger. After healing Jade’s cut arm and Brooke’s injured leg, the older elf turned to check Danny.
They were interrupted by the arrival of the Basalts and a squad of elven soldiers. The Basalts looked worse for the wear. Danny realized that their clothing was torn in a few places and blood was drying on their clothes, but they showed no outward signs of injury.
A female elf in a long robe like the ancient one’s stepped around the Basalts and bowed, “Elder, they had some injuries but nothing I wasn’t able to handle. The goblins have either been put down or retreated.”
Danny looked out across the river, but the girls had apparently had floated a ways downstream before he got them out.
The ancient elf smiled and nodded toward the other robed elf.
The Basalts noticed Ivy still lying on the ground and rushed over. Arya asked, worried, “Ivy, are you alright?”
Brooke responded, “She wasn’t breathing, and Danny did something to remove the water inside her. Then, he pushed on her chest until she started breathing again. This kind elf here healed the wound on her side.”
Arya looked again to Ivy, who nodded and, speaking with a croak, answered, “I’m fine.”
Arya didn’t looked convinced but was interrupted.
The ancient elf coughed to get their attention, “We welcome you all to the elven lands. I apologize that my people did not find you sooner. You traveled further east than we expected. I am pleased, though, to find the story that was brought to us of the human sorcerer was indeed true. Using water magic to heal someone who has drowned is not a simple task.”
Danny and those in his group who were able to stand, since they had discussed elven customs the night before, stood and bowed low to the old elf.
Arya replied, “Greetings to you Elder. I thank you and your people for their most timely rescue. Please, let me introduce my family.”
After Arya introduced their group, the old elf nodded his head, replying, “I am Elder Rising-Breeze-Felt-On-The-Wings-Of-The-Falcon. As I have been warned beforehand by our scout, Leaf, you may call me Elder Breeze. Unlike Leaf, I would rather choose my own name than have your young sorcerer pick it for me.”
The young female elf next to him turned, alarmed, “Elder Rising-Breeze-Felt-On-The-Wings-Of-The-Falcon, this is unheard of and you deserve...”
The Elder raised his hand and interrupted her, “It is fine. I am old enough to choose what I do and don't deserve.”
The female elf bowed at his words.
An obviously nervous Arya stepped forward, “Elder Rising-Breeze-Felt-On-The-Wings-Of-The-Falcon, we have no intentions of circumventing decorum, and I apologize for my future nephew if his actions have caused any disrespect to you or your people.”
The Elder turned to her with a small smile on his lips, “Your ‘future nephew’ has caused no disrespect. In fact, in the short few days since my grandson's return, Leaf has become the talk of the forest. Now, all of the elves, especially the younger ones, have taken it upon themselves to create their own informal names.”
Danny couldn't help but ask, “Elder Breeze, I am curious. If your people have not had a custom of using informal names, then are you always formal, even in front of friends and family members?”
“No Danny, instead of using a proper name, we would just call them 'friend,’” Elder Breeze gestured toward the female elf next to him, “or ‘granddaughter.' Isn't that right, Sparrow?”
The female elf just blushed and nodded while smiling at her grandfather.
Danny looked thoughtful as he nodded in his understanding and bowed, “Thank you for the explanation, Elder Breeze.”
Elder Breeze smiled at Danny, only for the smile to fall from
his face and be replaced by a look of alarm. Walking over to Danny, Elder Breeze grabbed his hand, and the elf’s vision slowly traced up Danny’s body and into Danny's eyes. The elder just stood there for some time, still holding his hand.
Danny was unsure what was going on, but Arya had not covered this in the ‘Elven Customs for Dummies’ discussion. He was honestly getting very uncomfortable with the invasion of his personal space.
*Danny, you are still in Water Aspect!*
Danny’s eyes widened, as he anxiously replied, *Well, get rid of it for me. I am trying not to freak out with Old Man Handsy here.*
The water still covering Danny, Ivy, Jade, and Brooke flowed off their bodies to pool on the ground below them. Now that he was dry, Danny realized how cold he was and noted that the girls had been also shaking from their little dip in the river. A few of the elven soldiers immediately gave them cloaks to cover up with.
As Danny’s form returned to normal, he couldn’t help the annoyed sigh that escaped him, *Cranny, couldn’t you have picked a less conspicuous way to do that…*
Noticing the water falling off the teenagers seemed to bring the ancient elf back to his senses. The Elder quickly let go of Danny’s hand, saying, “Ah yes, my child. My apologies...”
As Elder Breeze stepped away, he looked down deep in thought. Sparrow looked on at her grandfather’s behavior with deep concern.
Turning suddenly back to Danny's group, the Elder distractedly spoke, barely loud enough for everyone to hear, “Everyone…welcome again, and please follow us. We are not far from the road where carriages are waiting to take us to the palace…where the queen and the rest of the elders are patiently awaiting your visit.”
The rest of his group looked to him for an explanation, and he could only shrugged his shoulders.
Unsure of what had just happened, Danny followed the others as they traveled further into the elven forest. Wizard Basalt didn’t wait for Ivy’s permission and simply picked her off the ground.
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