Danny and Willow landed in the guest atrium to find everyone already eating lunch. Jade waived for Danny to come sit in the empty spot between Brooke and her. Danny smiled to the princess before heading over to the table, trying his best to ignore the thought that he could easily outlive every single person at the table. Danny noted that Willow went to sit in the empty seat next to Ivy.
As Danny was sitting down, the queen asked, "How was flying? You two were up there for a bit longer than I thought you would."
Willow beamed, "It was awesome, and Danny took me so high we could see the whole city!"
Jade looked over angrily at Danny.
Smiling, Danny leaned over and whispered, "If I have enough mana I will take you and Brooke later tonight. I don't think Ivy will be up for flying again anytime soon."
Jade seemed slightly mollified by this. Turning to Brooke, he found she had heard what he said to Jade and was smiling excitedly.
Danny hurried to eat so he wouldn't keep the elders waiting. He was about to take another bite when Ivy and Willow suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. Looking over he saw the two of them look his way before huddling together and laughing quietly again.
Cranny grumbled, *I hate when they do that...*
Danny looked over to see Brooke shaking with silent laughter. Danny tried to give her a menacing look but it only made her laugh out loud. Reaching under the table cloth, Danny squeezed Brooke's leg, right above her knee, as hard as he could. Brooke shot up in her chair and glared daggers at Danny. He could feel her hand reaching for his leg.
Danny jumped out of his chair and grabbed his drink to take a last swig, "Excuse me everyone, but the elders are probably already waiting for me. I just need to grab my bag from my room."
Danny heard Brooke mutter, "Coward..."
"Danny, I want to come too!" The princess jumped up from where she sat next to Ivy.
Danny's eyes grew like saucers, "Uhhh, that's not necessary, your highness. It will probably just be boring druid talk all afternoon." Danny flew down to his room to grab his things, but he could still hear everything in the room like he was still standing there.
*Danny, I figured out how to pick up vibrations in the air from far off and convert them to sound. I am pretty sure I can do the same thing but in reverse. That would be better than the loud speaker spell the Archwizard used. We can totally freak people out with this!*
*Awesome! Well, not about the freaking people out thing.*
Danny heard Jade speak up in the other room, "I want to come too..."
The queen sounded apologetic, "I am sorry Jade, but this really something that only Danny has been allowed to participate in. No other humans are authorized to know about what they are doing."
Jade spoke quietly, "Yes, your majesty."
The queen’s voice gained some excitement, "How about I take you three girls shopping! The Basalt ladies can come as well."
Then there was too much talking at once for Danny to try focusing on it anymore. He grabbed a bag he had requested from the servants. Placing an extra pair of undergarments in his bag Danny wondered how much it cost to have his own servant. Then he remembered he had Cranny.
*Hey!*
*Cranny, how much magic is left?*
*About 1800. That's like 30 minutes of air aspect. Don't know how much we will be able to do with nature. Oh, we reached level nine affinity with air affinity!*
*What, really!*
*One more and we will have mastered air affinity. I wonder if something will happen?*
Danny reached the atrium and saw that things still hadn't died down. Danny floated up to the ceiling and started inching towards one of the windows when he noticed something was off.
*Cranny, how much mana is left in air aspect? Now, that I think about it I am going to try and sneak out the window before they spot me. No way can I make it to the hallway past all...*
Danny, fell to the ground on top of a small table in the sitting area opposite the dining table. The room went deathly silent as Danny stood up and groaned in pain. He instantly healed himself before grabbing the bag off the floor where it had fallen.
*Cranny... you bastard.*
*Whaaa, what did you do! I just noticed something... I will tell you about it later. Why can't you just check on your mana on your own?*
Before anyone could rush to his side, Danny addressed everyone, "I ran out of mana and fell. It happened. I am alright. I am going to the meeting with the elders now, and I will be back later."
Everyone was quietly watching his progressed with different degrees of the same worried look.
When his path to the door came close to where the queen was standing, he stopped and bowed, "My apologies for breaking your table your majesty. Please let me know how and I will repay you as best I can."
The queen smiled weakly, "Think nothing of it. I didn't like that table anyway, so I should be thanking you instead."
Danny bowed to her again and continued towards the door.
"Danny, wait for me I am coming with you!" Willow ran up next to him and smiled like nothing untoward had just happened.
"I thought you were going shopping with everyone else?"
The princess put her hands behind her back and rolled back and forth on her heels, "Nope."
"Are you sure you’re as old as you claim?"
The princess's only response was to stick her tongue out at him.
Danny and Willow walked into the elder’s wing to find Elder Breeze waiting for Danny in his seat at the council table to one side.
Elder Breeze noticed them immediately and stood to walk over to them, "Danny, I hope you had fun with your new aspect. Did you have time at all for lunch?"
"Yes, sir."
The older elf smiled, "Good, now let's go this way. You will only be working with a few of the elders as we have many responsibilities. I apologize, as I have already taken too much time away from my duties and won't get to assist you personally."
"Of course, I understand, elder. I tend to prefer working alone anyway, but will welcome any assistance the elders can provide."
Elder Breeze took them down a hallway to a large room that appeared to be set aside for training. The two elders who validated Danny's ascendancy the day before, were waiting inside.
"Danny, I apologize we didn't have time to introduce everyone yesterday. This is Elder Frost, who is our most senior member, and her expertise is in the use of nature magic on plants. I am sure you remember Elder Cardinal, who is in charge of our library. Elder Cardinal is also a descendant of the last ascendant.*
Danny bowed to both of the elders introduced to him.
Elder Frost spoke first, “Hello Danny, I will help you as much as these old bones can.” The elder had more wrinkles than any elf Danny had seen so far. Danny could easily imagine there was a sharp mind behind those tires eyes.
Elder Cardinal nodded his head hesitantly, “My apologies again for my actions earlier today. I was told that was something they could only do with my grandfather. I should have warned you, and I was in the wrong.”
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Princess Willow spoke up, “Uncle what did you do!”
Danny bowed again and interrupted whatever was about to be said, “All is forgiven, I hope I did not injure you when you fell?”
Elder Cardinal smiled genuinely, “Thank you for your concern, Danny. I am healthy as can be expected for one my age.”
The princess looked at both of them, as if to say they would be explaining later.
Elder Breeze clapped his hands, “Good, now that introductions are in order. This room is for your use, and so that others can find you while you are working. The two tables by the door are for any research material you wish to keep here. Please use the small dining table over there for any food or drink you bring in. We want to prevent any damage to our library records. Lastly is the area through the wall here.”
Danny was confused, they seemed to think this would take a while. He should be able to take this in a few hours at most. Growing a new tree had never been hard for Danny, but he decided to be polite in case they knew something he didn't.
Elder Breeze led them through an archway and into what Danny could only describe as an indoor yard. Water ran out of one wall and through a small stream into a pool. Danny realized there was soil here as grass was growing wherever there wasn't water.
Elder Breeze explained, “We keep this training room simple so those learning nature magic can show off their creative abilities to their fullest. Before I leave Danny, I was hoping I could see your nature aspect. We have only heard stories past down from those that survived.”
Danny nodded, “Sure, but I am afraid I am a little low on mana.”
Princess Willow admitted sheepishly, “I might have begged him to take me flying for far too long.”
The three elders chuckled at this.
Elder Frost gestured Danny over to one of the walls, “Danny, put your hand on the tree here and reach out and touch its mana.”
Danny hadn't tried this as it never occurred to him that it would do anything. Any attempts he made in the past to affect someone else's mana resulted in nothing happening. Though, this time when his mana came in contact with the trees, he was surprised to find his mana flowing into his body. The rate was about three times his normal regeneration.
Danny couldn't help but exclaim, “Wow, this is amazing! You do this all the time?”
Elder Frost nodded, “Yes, and you have been approved to use all the mana you need for this project.”
Elder Breeze added, “Though please keep all recreational uses to your own personally regenerated amounts.”
Danny nodded while keeping his hand on the tree.
*Cranny, do we have enough to try nature aspect?*
*Yeah, this time I want to try starting with a lower amount of mana and adding as needed.*
*Sure, but you are in charge of that. I don't want to break anymore of the queen’s furniture.*
*Oh, Danny. I forgot to tell you. Anything we scan with nature affinity we can mimic with our nature aspect. So we have a sacred tree aspect and an elf aspect!*
*Wait, we can scan with nature affinity? Since when did you start doing that?*
*I tried it on the tree last night while we were experimenting and then while you were holding the princess…*
*Why on earth did you think to do that to the princess? We could have insulted her if she noticed!*
*Don’t worry! I did it while we were flying and she totally missed it.*
*Alright, so let’s use the sacred tree nature aspect then.*
*Starting with 50 mana and adding from there*
*Wait! I almost forgot.*
Danny turned to the three elves, “I don't know how best to say this. Since I do not want a repeat of what happened when I used flame aspect, I am going to remove everything but my boxers. I say this because I don't know how your culture feels about nudity.”
Danny didn't know what they called them on earth in the past, but here they were a loose fitting shorts made of linen, or boxers to him. They came in the fun colors of white, tan, and white.
The elders all looked at each other, before Elder Breeze shrugged saying, “We have no problem with nudity if you would rather remove all your clothing. We don't want you to harm yourself for our sakes.”
Elder Frost chuckled, “Plus boy, it isn’t like you got something I haven't seen yet.”
Elder Cardinal looked at Elder Frost in reproach.
Danny turned to see Princess Willow staring at him with a polite expectant smile on her face. Though, Danny could swear he saw laughter behind her eyes.
“Alright, then. But I am keeping my boxers on.”
Danny went to the other room where he left his bag and stripped to his boxers. When he walked back in he couldn't help looking for Willow’s reaction. She looked a little shocked, but not in the good way.
“Danny, why are you so skinny!”
Danny looked down at his exposed ribs, “Oh, when I healed myself after the battle with the goblins, I had to use a lot of internal resources. I had a good sized hole through my shoulder.”
Elder Frost made a tisking sound, “We will make sure the palace staff knows to give you extra during meals times.”
Danny smiled at her words, unsure what to say.
*Alright Cranny, do it.*
Danny felt a small amount of mana switch locations in his body. He could now describe it best like when one emotion suddenly turns into another. Nature magic is wild and free. Like his other aspects, nothing happened at first. Then Danny felt a change begin at his feet. Looking down, he watched as his flesh became scaled as bark formed on his epidermis. He started worrying as he began losing the sense of touch whoever the bark spread. His feet elongated and dug into the soil. He could feel a pull begin at his feet and spread upwards as his body changed. He was relieved when his boxers stayed on as it spread up his waist. Once it reached his arms and hands it had already covered his head. Like fire affinity, his nature affinity was level six and the bark skin was not as pronounced on his upper chest, shoulders, or neck. Why those were the last to change, Danny couldn't guess.
He could move his body fairly easily from the knees up. His feet were apparently rooted to the ground, which was a tad nerve racking.
Elder Breeze stared at Danny fascinatedly, “Amazing! How does it feel?”
“A bit like I am wearing a thick full body suit.”
Danny felt pressure on his arm and turned to see Princess Willow rubbing the skin there.
She looked up at him, “Did you feel that?”
Danny nodded, “I felt a pressure but no detailed sensation like I am used to.”
The elders all walked up to touch the skin on his arms and hands.
Elder Frost looked like a kid on Christmas morning, “Your bark is like the sacred trees!”
“Yes, anything I observe with my nature affinity, I can mimic.” Danny hoped he hadn’t just lied, with the two tree aspects he had, so he added, “I am sure there are exceptions, but I haven't found one yet.”
Elder Frost clapped her hands together once and laughed happily.
*Danny, I am going to try some things. You keep up the public relations.*
*Sure…*
Danny address the group, “So do we have an idea how to propitiate a sacred tree? I spent last night trying a few things in my room and the courtyard below.”
Elder Breeze nodded, “Yes, the guards informed me of your actions, worried you might be hurting the tree. I told them to come get me if you suddenly looked worried or injured yourself somehow...”
Elder Breeze stopped talking to look up at Danny’s head.
Danny nervously ran his hands over his head and was surprised to find thousands of thin pliable twigs growing out of his head. Each twig had something growing out of it at regular intervals. Danny, unthinkingly, plucked one and was surprised it didn't hurt. Bringing it in front of his face, he saw a small leaf like the ones on the sacred tree.
*I think that is your hair. I don't know why it's doing this on its own. I was messing with your roots. Though, I don't know how permanent this “hair” it is.*
Danny was going to reply when he felt a new sensation, mana and something else started to flood his body from his feet upwards.
*Oh, wow! We were just getting water and nutrients from the soils but I had our roots spread out and accidentally merged with the sacred tree below. It's giving us mana and we are directly tapped into its nutrient flow. Your mana regeneration is now up by 20 mana a minute! With what you normally generate that almost seven times your normal rate.*
Danny was shocked and got lost in the sensations coursing through his body.
“Danny!” Someone was pushing on his chest, but Danny was too lost in the feel of his body filling with mana and nutrients. It felt like his was lying in a warm river that was racing past his body.
Someone pushed his face hard and Danny instinctively reached out to them, “Stop that!”
Danny opened his eyes to find Willow trapped in a cage of branches seemingly suspended in the air in front of him. The bark like skin of his left side and arm had grown thicker and swelled, apparently in order to support the weight of the new branches and the princess. Willow looked at him through the branches, scared and in shock.
Once again Danny found himself surrounded by the palace guards, who were always present, but hiding in the background.
One guard in particular stood between Danny and the princess, weapon pointed at him, “Ascendant, please release the princess.”
Danny couldn't see the guard’s face through the helmet they wore. When they spoke the voice might have sounded feminine. Danny took a deep breath and focused on lowering the princess and retracting the branches he had created. He was able to lower and release the princess by growing the branches further, but the branches wouldn't retract after that. Realizing what he should have done form the beginning, Danny released the new growth from his body. He thought his hand had stretched to create the cage that surrounded Willow, but it must have just been how his brain interpreted how to direct the new growth to trap her. He was lucky he didn't try and attack her.
Willow stood up as the branches surrounding her collapsed and turned to look at Danny warily.
Danny bowed as low as his aspect would allow him, “I am sorry I did that Willow. I was lost in all the new sensations and reacted improperly when I wasn't allowed to enjoy them. Can you forgive me?”
Willow crossed her arms, protectively, and nodded silently. A couple of guards checked on the princess’s condition before fading into the background.
Elder Frost and Breeze stood next to each other talking as Frost wrote notes in her journal.
Elder Cardinal had his hand against the wall, “Still, no change in the rate he is siphoning mana, though it is the largest pull I have ever observed.”
Elder Frost stopped writing, “Danny, it is not uncommon for elves to become lost in the power one feels when first drawing on the sacred tree’s mana.”
Elder Breeze walked over to also check on the princess before turning to a dress the room, “I will be leaving you now. Please let me know of any resource you all might need and let's not directly interact with Danny while he is focused, unless it is absolutely necessary.
Danny, thank you for taking on this task for us. Just let someone know what you need, and we will do what we can to acquire it.”
Danny thanked the elder before he left.
Turning to the room, Danny smiled and asked, “So, my esteemed colleagues, what do we know about growing a new sacred tree.”
Danny looked between the two elders. Elder Frost seemed suddenly consumed by her notes while Elder Cardinal gave Danny an uncomfortable look. In a last ditch effort Danny looked to Willow to only have her shrug.
Elder Frost cleared her throat and looked up from her notes, “Due to this being the ultimate secret of our race, it was passed down verbally from ascendant to ascendant. Since they rarely died, except in battle or an accident, no one thought to write it down, even when the cataclysm happened. Our attempts at normal propagation have failed and can only assume it is truly something an ascendant can accomplish.”
Danny looked around concerned, before saying, incredulously, “Seriously! So, we have nothing to go on?”