"Elisen, I should have known you would get involved in this. Don't you have your hands busy with that new baby of yours?" asked the old elven man as he stepped out of their way.
Luan held tight to Gia and Vonn as they made their way towards Elisen.
"Grand Mystic Malthren, I greet you in the name of the forest. Don't you think the prolonged warmth we've had this late autumn is quite beautiful?" asked Elisen calmly, patting her child gently.
"Yes, it is a bit unusual," he said softly as she smiled at him and nodded, holding a hand out for Gia and Vonn to lead Luan away from the stone pit alter.
"Safe travels, humans," called the elf before they were far enough away.
Elisen didn't stop until they were standing on the stone path in the village again, and even then, she motioned for them to proceed to the building where Gia's family waited for them. Spying the bag Vonn had dropped earlier, holding the rations from the store keeper, Gia stooped to pick it up before climbing over the vines.
Stepping into the doorway of the building, Elisen turned to them and said quickly, "Get your things, we need to be out of this town before dark. I don't trust Malthren as far as I can throw him, and right now, that wouldn't be very far."
Gia and Vonn nodded, rushing to her parents who were calmly sitting at the table finishing a cup of tea.
"Is everything all right?" asked Carla, her eyes narrowing. "Gia, you look like you've been crying!"
"There's no time, we need to go," said Gia, shoving things into her bag and putting it on.
"Alright," said Tom, grabbing his walking stick and standing up. His bag was on the ground behind him, in easy reach to grab and put on.
"Mom had us getting ready while we waited for you," said Mikey, appearing with his bag on as well. "The elven lady told us we would be leaving as soon as you guys got back."
"What elven lady?" asked Elisen, confused.
"I believe it must have been the mayor," said Luan. "I think I saw her briefly when they dragged me away."
"So, she saw us get pushed off the edge, and didn't come to help us?!" exclaimed Gia in surprise and anger.
"Wait, what!" cried both her parents.
"There's no time," said Elisen. "We really need to be going. I'm sure Malthren will be thinking up something to cause us grief on the way."
"You will explain everything, in great detail when we get a moment!" growled Carla, throwing her bag on after dumping the last of the tea out of the cups and shoving them in her bag.
"I intend to," said Gia, hurrying to the door with everyone else.
"I can't believe you guys did that for me," said Luan, following along.
"Did you think I would let you just die?!" exclaimed Gia in horror.
"Everyone else would have," muttered Luan. "Except Elisen! She always said she would find a way. I never imagined it would be like this, though!"
"I try very hard not to break my word," said Elisen with a soft smile.
"We don't have to go on those dreadful tree branches again, do we?" groaned Carla as they stepped outside.
"Absolutely not! The twins must have brought you, if you came that way. They are the only ones I know who would brave those branches this time of year," said Elisen.
"Yes, and Kilyn used her vines on the branch, too!" pouted Luan. "The poor thing had moved a whole six feet from the edge of the ledge! I was able to get it moved back, but it wasn't happy about it."
"Control yourself," said Elisen, giving Luan a thoughtful look. "I don't think Kilyn will be causing any trouble again, any time soon. Let's go the back way. There's not cliffs or trees to climb, and should be much easier for your father."
"Thank you," said Tom, holding tight to Carla's arm as they made their way along the stone pathway.
"What do you think Malthren will do?" asked Luan after they had been traveling for a while.
"I don't know, but have you noticed how quiet the forest has become? That is very unusual," said Elisen.
"I had noticed, but I wasn't sure if that was normal over here. I haven't been this far south before," said Luan.
"What sorts of things do you think we might encounter?" asked Tom, patting the ground in front of him with his stick to make sure he didn't trip on any branches as he walked.
"In the forest?" asked Elisen, glancing around. "There is a giant deer that travels the forest, but I have only caught glimpses of it. The thing is very elusive to everyone. There is a troll that lives closer to the satyrs, and mermaids and nixies in the waters. They are all dangerous to encounter, and I would strongly recommend you stay away from them. The pixies can be annoying, but generally stay away from us elves."
"So, nothing we haven't already encountered," said Vonn.
"You've run into all of those?" asked Luan.
"Gia's the only one who saw the giant deer, but yes, we have," he said, giving Gia a proud smile.
"Wow, Gia. Even I haven't seen the giant deer," said Luan, impressed.
"Don't feel so bad, Luan," said Tom, deadpan. "I haven't seen hardly anything this whole trip."
"Oh you!" laughed Carla, gently slapping his arm.
"Is he always making comments like that?" asked Elisen to Gia.
"Yes," Gia said. "Do you know any way to heal his blindness?"
Elisen looked over at him and sadly shook her head. "To cure his blindness would take a regenerative magic that I am not capable of. Luan might be able to do it when she is older, but her magic is too new to her right now to be able to pull it off without any problems. The queen might be able to do it, but it takes away life force when cast, and she only does that in extreme cases."
"What sorts of things do you think we might expect on our travel south to the cleft in the mountains?" asked Vonn, changing the subject away from such depressing news.
"You will travel along the coast, where the feet of the mountains reach the sea. I have personally never traveled further than that. There are beasts that live along that stretch, and you must avoid the waters as best you can, as there are creatures that lurk in their depths and are not afraid to lung out at you. I do know there are lizard people living in the cleft of the mountains but I have never seen them myself. You will need to be very careful when traveling that area, as they are known for eating people," cautioned Elisen.
"Thank you for that news," said Tom with a nod.
"Now that we are away from that accursed town, tell me what happened!" demanded Carla.
"No, wait until tomorrow before bringing that up," said Luan quickly. "We may be away from the town, but I have no doubts we are being followed."
"Luan is right. It is not safe to speak of the recent past just yet," said Elisen, glancing back behind them.
Gia and Vonn sighed in relief, looking at each other.
There was a large commotion behind them a few moments later. Gia and Vonn both dived to push people up against trees. Luan grabbed Mikey and held him up to a tree, to scramble out of the way. Gia held her mom and Vonn held her dad. Elisen crouched in place, holding her baby against her as a large group of wild pigs appeared. The boar snorted once, then charged. The rest of the pigs quickly followed.
With a grunt of her own, Elisen jumped straight up into the air, avoiding the tusks of the boar by inches.
"Climb!" cried Luan, scrambling into the tree after Mikey.
Gia just about pushed her mom into the tree they were hugging, her arms screaming in pain and fatigue after the past day's activities. Jumping for another branch herself, Gia felt something grab her and pain erupted on her ankle as she jerked it away from the boar. Sitting on the branch trying to catch her breath, Gia looked over towards where Vonn had her dad.
Tom was clinging to the trunk of the tree with his feet up off the ground, while Vonn hung from a branch, kicking at the boars that were trying to bite and tear into him. Gia watched with bated breath as he pulled himself up onto the branch and out of the reach of the boars.
"These animals should not be attacking us like this," said Luan to Elisen.
"No, they have been enraged by the mystics. Give me a moment to calm them down," said Elisen, holding out her hands towards the pigs and muttering in a soft tone.
"That won't work," chuckled Malthren, stepping out from behind some bushes. "These have been blessed by the Mystics to take out those who oppose the forest. By harboring humans, who are not allowed to live in our forest, you will find that all the forest animals are opposed to you and your little group."