Elana felt overwhelmed. Her Patriarch was dead. James had stepped into the portal and was gone. Both Celeste and Erik Blarneysson looked towards her as if she knew what to do next.

Elana looked down on Oakleaf Gilderwood’s crumpled body and tears welled in her eyes. She alone could save his body, but how? The winds of Taubra were all but extinguished without the assistance of the Sunstone. She cast her gaze towards the inert gemstone, which exhibited not a glimmer of light. The only light was a remnant pale blue glow from the sludge pile, and the red emanations from the Astronomical College’s light stones.

There were other problems as well. The air was terrible. A metallic smell filled her nostrils, so strong that Elana could taste it. Oakleaf Gilderwood’s protective spells had dissipated. And then there were the Dwarfs.

All five of the Chaos Dwarfs had picked themselves up and appeared completely overwhelmed by what had taken place. Their prison guards and torturers were gone, but they were all in terrible shape, mentally and physically. They gathered up their mining tools, pack sacks and all the while kept a sharp eye towards Celeste, Erik and Elana. It was as if they feared the next wave of attacks would be directed at them.

Elana made a decision, “We must transport Sir Gilderwood to the surface, immediately,” stated Elana to Erik and Celeste. “I can do nothing for my mentor without sunlight, and unless we can change our position to a healthier location, I fear for our lives. I do not have the power to purify this toxic air. Erik, is there any way out of this cavern?”

“Aye lassie,” replied the Dwarf. “Up there and to the left,” he said as he gestured with his battle axe. “Aye kin gitch you out up thar! But we’el require the assistance of these bastards!” he stated, now pointing his axe towards the injured Dwarfs.

“Git over here, you good for nothing Waagerssons! Time fer yees to pay yer restitution fer all the troubles ye’ve caused! Git over here, before I come to git yees! Ye’ve brought shame on ye’re entire family! Come do as yer told afer I make an entry in the Blarneysson Book of Grudges!|

With that, hanging their heads and clearly shamed by Erik Blarneysson’s words, the Waagersson brothers gathered up their tools and packs and approached the remaining questers.

“We must git this man to the surface asap!” barked Erik. “Build him a stretcher, and a safe one.”

It didn’t take long and the Waagerssons had assembled a satisfactory stretcher, upon which they gently transferred the lifeless body of Oakleaf Gilderwood.

“Looks dead ta me! Why’s we wasting ar time movin im?” commented Luke Waagersson, the smallest of the brothers.

“Smack!!!” rang out the impact, so loud there was an echo. Erik Blarneysson had cuffed the recalcitrant Dwarf on the side of his head. “Shut yer trap and do something werthwhile fer a change ya daft Waagersson! Now lift im up, careful now.”

With that four of the brothers, one on each handle, lifted the crushed Wizard and Erik Blarneysson directed the group upwards in the direction he had previously used to scale the side of the chamber.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Up here, follow me,” he ordered and the Dwarfs responded with obedience. Behind them was the fifth Dwarf, followed by Elana and Celeste.

As the group climbed Elana noticed that their route would not take them very far before it ended at a sheer and apparently impenetrable wall. However, she also noticed that to one side of the wall was not made of stone, but rather was an accumulation of dirty ice.

“Here!” stated Erik Blarneysson. “Put Sir Gilderbutt of to the side, where Elana and Celeste can tend him. You boyz will be workin ta git us outa here. War thars ice thars a way out. Start diggin boyz!” he ordered pointing his axe at the black ice.

Elana was aware that Dwarfs were capable of astounding feats when it came to digging and mining work but nothing had prepared her to observe what five determined Dwarfs could do in such a short time. Tons, literally tons of ice, often mixed with coarse gravel and rocks, was excavated and discarded down the slope into the cavern. It wasn’t long before there was some light emerging from the tunnel they were constructing, and not long after that a welcome gust of fresh air pushed down the passageway and over the adventurers. Elana eagerly breathed in the healthy air.

Erik Blarneysson inspected the work and returned back down the ice tunnel. “We’er through!” he informed Celeste and Elana. “Thar’s sun out thar and we’er gonna be comin out on’ta the glacier.”

Four of the Waagersson’s lifted Oakleaf Gilderwood and with some care, pulled him up and through the route cut through solid ice. Eventually everyone emerged onto a glacier surface with a steep overhanging peak directly to the south. Fortunately the midday sun was high enough in the sky that their location was illuminated by bright sunlight. The fresh mountain air combined with that light invigorated Elana. She could feel the Winds of Taubra blowing powerfully. Elana also noticed that Ragnar was unusually large and easily visible in the deep blue mountain sky.

“Could you please level this area off so that I can work?’ requested Elana, pointing to a spot on the ice.

Once that was accomplished Elana opened her pack sack and produced two thick woolen blankets which she rolled out onto the freshly excavated ice. Elana then directed the Dwarfs to place Oakleaf’s still body onto the blankets. Next she reached into her pack and removed two dozen different packages of medicinal herbs and tinctures. Elana considered her options, eventually settling on a combination of five powerful healing herbs from her collection. She produced a clay mixing bowl from her pack and filled it with measured amounts of all five substances, stirring the concoction and humming a lyrical melody while she worked.

The Waagersson Dwarfs stared intently, transfixed by Elana’s actions.

Slowly a mist began to arise from the mixture, and Elana inspected the bowl carefully, then added an additional small amount of the green tincture to the bowl. Satisfied she turned to Oakleaf Gilderwood’s body and pulled back the robes which covered his damaged chest. Celeste gasped as the full extent of damage was revealed. The center of Oakleaf Gilderwood’s chest was concave, with three broken ribs visible emerging through the skin of the ancient Wizard. His skin was grey and lifeless. Congealed blood stained his body. His eyes were closed.

Elana applied the mixture to the wounds, speaking words of power. She had studied her whole life for this moment. Oakleaf must be saved. The order of Emerald Wizardry depended on Elana’s actions on this day. Never in her life had Elana ever attempted to heal such serious wounds.

Oakleaf’s chest began to knit, and inflate. The broken rib bones retracted into his chest cavity. The skin began to heal over. Color started to return to the ancient Wizard’s skin as internal organ damage was reversed and healed. Elana observed the progression of the healing of Oakleaf’s body and was pleased with the results.

“Will Sir Gilderwood return to the land of the living?” asked Celeste gravely.

“I have healed his body, but only James can return the Emerald Wizard’s soul to this world. “We must wait to see the results of his efforts.

Three hours passed while the company waited. Elana never left Oakleaf Gilderwood’s side, not even for a moment. Not even when the sun passed behind the peak of Mount Issabella and sank below the ridge line, leaving the questers in the cold shade. Elana and Celeste took turns encouraging Oakleaf to return. Celeste prayed to Theodor, and Elana sang healing songs of Life Magic that she had learned in her childhood at the Emerald College.

“Cough,” came from the lips of Oakleaf Gilderwood. “Cough, cough”. His eyes opened.

“Sir Gilderwood!” gasped Elana. “Are you really there my Patriarch!”

“Indeed Elana,” Oakleaf responded weakly. “I have returned to the land of the living!”

“What of Sir James, Master Gilderwood?” asked Elana. “Has he returned to his world?”

“Sir James is in the process of returning to his world as we speak Elana. It is my hope that he will be successful in his endeavor.”