The crisping of the leaves burns into ashes and chimes into our ears. We can no longer see its verdant tinge in the forest, as it deliberately becomes black like the charcoal. Many birds and insects lie hot on the soil, burnt by the same flame, consumed by the forest. We, who stood still from the outside, could not hide our anxiousness and quickly jolted inside the Elven village.
"Grer!" Izz and I scream at the top of our lungs, wishing for our friend to be safe from the wildfire.
As we venture inside the gates, hundreds of Elves welcome our eyes. For a moment, a glimmer of hope eases our mind, reverting ourselves to our composed characters. However, as we draw closer to their figures, their lifeless eyes glare at us with their spearlike crater on their chests.
We shifted our gaze over to the environment, observing the heatwave devouring the once beautiful forest. The elves' well-built tree houses collapse in an instant, spreading its ember.
Shrieks coming from the distance abruptly alerts us, as we make our way to the trail towards the origin of the sounds.
As we grow closer to the scene, a little boy greets our fazed presence, together with her mother miserably thrusting the log with only her right hand. Looking from above, we noticed the debris keeps dropping to the ground, which explains the severely cut limb of the mother's left hand.
"Don't fret, elf lady, we're here to rescue you," I vocalised my thoughts while hurriedly casting water jet and water sphere at every direction from my palms.
The fire enveloping our vicinity is steadily getting put out from my abilities. However, as time passes by, a thick smog surrounds the room, obstructing my view. Fortunately, Izz and I are already in the scene, trying to make use of my comrade's strength as I keep the fire off from our sides.
With the use of her amplified strength, Izz carries the log clamping the boy's midriff and frees him right away. The little kid eagerly runs to his mother, waiting for his loving arms.
"Arthur, you're okay," The elf woman said, with her tears bubbling over like a waterfall from her cheeks. She then meets the benefactor of her child-us goblins-with a beam sculptured beneath her face.
"Thank you," The elf lowers her head and expresses her gratitude to us, green goblins, despite knowing our existence.
"Don't thank us yet, dame," I refuted, gently sliding my shoulder for her to grab hold.
Unfortunately, her weak stature refuses to pick herself up, especially with her limb still bleeding.
"What should we do?" Izz utters a question while pulling the brave kid, Arthur, to give space from her mother.
"We need to control her bleeding first,"
It was difficult for us to give her immediate care with no suitable materials. I am hardly confident that I can relieve her pain using my surface knowledge that I have learned in my school.
I study the cleaved arm with its blood still oozing from her hand. My body froze up, unassertive of the things that I must do to ease her condition. Suddenly, I recall a random article that I have read during my pastime.
"Do I need to freeze the arm to stop the bleeding, or should I wrap it around the amputated part with a clean cloth and apply the ice?"
I ponder, unable to come up with a solution. Izz, who has a mammoth-sized question mark cropping out from her head, could not follow my course of thought. It was what I had expected from her, and I cannot even find a solution to this problem.
"It's all or nothing," I conjured my water sphere and shaped it like a blade while eyeing at the excess fabric of the enfeebled mother. With a single, careful slash, I cut the cloth apart just enough to cover her gushing wounds.
"This might sting a little," I confessed, letting her know I was about to swathe her dissever left limb.
She immediately bites her lips as soon as I touch the reddened area, bearing the ache swelling in her body. After covering her damaged part, the stuff soaks the scarlet liquid, halting her body to lose more blood.
"It feels better already," The mother thankfully said while looking in my direction, pleased from what I had done.
After hearing her words, I cast another set of magic that could somehow improve her state.
I imagine the sprinkle of water from my ability circle around her thighs while lowering its temperature; not to make it solid, but enough to feel the cold temperature. Then a thought entered my mind, and soon it turned into action.
'Can I set the durations for my spells?' I wonder to myself, while nonchalantly adding it in my system.
[Congratulations! You have unlocked a new skill!]
-Unlocked skill
"Hail!"
Just as the word implies, a whirlwind of ice flutters around my hands, letting itself get controlled by my raw arcane and focus. However, despite its icy name, I reduced its power and only applied enough cool air to help the wounds heal faster than normal.
[Hail]
-Depending on its arcane usage, the user summons a temporary cyclone at a designated area within a set of time (minimum for 5 seconds-maximum for 60 seconds). The direction of the wave of ice is uncontrollable, and it can attack both enemies and allies within its radius (10 metres minimum-15 metres maximum).
Costs 60 Arcane
"Everything can always be better with magic," I said, giving her a cheerful wink.
"You're not so bad after all, goblin," She added while delicately giggling to herself and eventually accepted my shoulder for her to lean on.
Her son watched the entire scene, amazed at what he had witnessed in my performance. After all, I saved her mother, making me their benefactor for keeping their life once again.
"Hurry!"
All three four of us raced towards the road, where I believe it was the safest place that we can go to. It turns out, my hunches proved me right, as I saw a platoon of guards searching far and wide for any survivors along with the disaster.
"Hey! Over here!" Izz yells while waving her hand. She still has some energy to spare despite walking along the track with the little boy on her shoulders.
"Cease, goblins!" Having to discern two monsters-carrying their species-the army of elves' arms themselves and pointed their bows and quiver at my direction. Without a second thought, I materialised my magic once more and shielded ourselves, creating both earth and water walls.
"We wish not to fight," I formally announced while enhancing the torrent of liquid to impel their strike if necessary.
"How can we trust a fiend?"
"But we are innocent!" Izz pleaded, not wanting to hurt such guiltless long-eared elves.
It became challenging for them to believe our words and eventually disregard our claim. With their focus dedicated on attacking us, a battle is inevitable to avoid. Realising the situation, I released the two elves from our hands and guided them to the infantry.
Their eyes soon widened from astonishment, recognising that I indeed brought no harm to their disastrous state. At once, the two footmen charged at their aid. They provided everything they need so that the mother and child can ameliorate from their sensations.
"The kid is fine, but his mother-," Izz remarks, wanting to run towards the two elves with a worried look still glued on her face.
"Step back!" A familiar, deafening voice joins in from our conversation, commanding the cards with two words.
Right away, the militia salutes at their rear, where they have heard the voice. Well, except for those who are transferring the survivors to the shelter.
"Lake, Izz, I'm glad you are all safe." He said whilst letting his army back at ease.
"These are my trusted friends. Do you not remember them?" King Elanor asks, browsing the eyes of those who were eager to discharge their bolts a while ago.
"We are terribly sorry, sire. We cannot distinguish their appearance,"
"Excuses!" The king could only growl at their ignorance.
"Resume your posts and save our villagers!"
"Aye, your majesty!"
All the guards dash through the woods and treehouses, searching for any elves that they had left behind. We arrived a little soon from when the calamity happened, and on time to save the two citizens.
"Thank you, Lord Elanor," The kind mother, whom we had saved, kneels in front of Elanor, followed by her child imitating her gestures.
"Raise your heads," Elanor said. "I am the one who needs to say sorry for losing your arm,"
He palpates the missing body part of the lady with his expression bath with sorrows and regret. 'If only I arrived a minute early, then I could have saved more of my people' is what was running inside his head, evident from his face.
"Go join with the others and please be safe on your back."
"Yes, your majesty."
The parent and child wriggle behind Elanor's back, accompanied by two soldiers waiting on standby. After their exchange, Elanor goes to me, grabs my hand, and gazes into my eyes.
I can nearly see his tears attempting to slide over his eyelids, but decided not to let them out to keep his image.
"Please help me save my daughter, Natalia."