We head through a portal scroll back to the fortress and Bleach runs off. I know I'm going to hear about him from some of my followers as he has gotten close to going over the line a few times. I have my slimes gather all my generals. Each have been given a companion slime since I've been gone. The slimes were giving the order to climb into someones left hand to alert them to a meeting... Alot of stuff has changed since I've been gone but I don't have the time to go over everything right now. After everyone has gathered I have Blue explain what he is talking about but I can't understand him.

“Calm down and stop shouting. I can't understand you.”

“Red! Red has been captured! The efreet has her under some sort of spell! I went to check and see if she was going to stay there but when I showed up some evil looking red guy had her under a spell or hypnotism or something. She had glazed over eyes and he immediately attacked me.”

“So how did you get away?”

“I took the portal back and ripped it to pieces once I went through.”

That's going to be a problem then. After thinking on it more I speak to all of my generals.

“We… We can't do anything about that right now… Not only is the war quickly approaching which we need to prepare for… We have no way to find where she is without the portal scroll.”

My generals all look at me surprised. I guess they all assumed I would have a solution but we can't do everything. This problem will need a lot of work to solve and we just don't have the time or manpower to solve it right now. It feels bad but Red will just have to stay there until the war is over… Blue is the most disappointed by what I just said. I think he had hoped I could save her but without the portal scroll it would be almost impossible to find her without spending countless hours searching for her in on the extremely dangerous middle continent.

“I'm sorry everyone… Please understand that in order to save her we would need some way of finding where she is.”

Purple speaks telepathically now.

“I think I know someone who would be able to tell us where her she is.”

...Huh!? I don't understand it but I'll hear Purple out anyways.

“Well, the wind elemental lord made a weapon for the fire lord or something. I don't remember all the details but I know he wants revenge of some sort. You should go speak with him, I gave him my scroll to hold on for safe keeping.”

...Well, it isn't exactly what I had planned but with a lead we might be able to rescue Red before the war starts… I would be more upset that Purple left the scroll with the elemental lord but the need has arisen for help. Under normal circumstances I would never take this scroll as it could put me in mortal danger or but put under a trap of some sort but I don't think Purple would have miss-read the situation that badly. I speak my plans to everyone.

“I need some of you to come with me just to make sure this isn't a trap and to possibly fight the elemental lord if we need to force the information out of him… You may die if you go so please be ready for that if you go.”

I get my volunteers, Gobber volunteered but was taken away by Hilda and told something in private before returning and saying he couldn't go right now but could go to the fire lord to fight him if we get back. He sent his pet tengu Kikaa to come with us and report back to him. Green, Nami, Leaf, Zergnar, Methodis, Strong and most of my pets volunteered. I really wish Darkclaw was around, I could possibly take a portal scroll to the pirates but he is most likely busy as well with inserting the pirates into the northern content.

I can't just rely on my dragon for every tough situation and if we fight this elemental lord and can't beat them he might refuse the leave... Zergnar and Strong might also do that now that I think about it... I will just have to go with this group and hope they don't do anything reckless. Actually bringing more healers would make me feel safer. I talk Gargarz into coming along as well. Not having Gobber, Lance or Leon with me also feels off... It's like I'm missing a huge portion of my fighting strength without them around. 

We all stand in front of the pedestal that has Purple's portal scroll on it. I decide on the order to go through it in and that if worse comes to worse it would still be better to get everyone through it before we try using it to return. I go through first and expect to be greeted with something other than a storage room… But that's where we end up. I hear something being hit from the other room, it sounds like metal on metal then I also hear someone yell out.

“Glenn *tink*, we have guests *tink* appearing from *tink* the portal scroll *tink*. Go greet them *tink* please.”

It sounds like there is no reason to hide. I open the door and am greeted by a little… Blue frog beastman? He could be a different race but that is the closest thing I can think of to what he is. He's dressed like a swordsman and has a wooden sword in his hilt. He doesn't look that strong though… Most likely a follower or disciple of the real elemental lord. He leads me into a side room with a table and sits me down in front of a cup of tea. As each of the volunteers come through they are also lead into the same room.

After the 3rd person we are already out of seats and once more than 5 people are inside we start to run out of room for the small hut wasn't designed for this many people. Some of my pets and anyone who has any type of shape changing ability like the druid class shift into a smaller form. We barely pack everyone in as the last tinks of the blacksmith hammer hit something and I hear a quenching noise. An elf walks in the room, which shocks me.

First, I didn't expect him to be a normal elf. I expected some type of monster but I do understand that elves live an extremely long time. Wind mages also use a swordsman type fighting style so that could have also played a part in why he is the current elemental lord. That also means humans or humanoids rather can become elemental lords. Glowing light blue runes cover a portion of his chest that is exposed most likely do to the heat of the forge in the other room. While I didn't notice at first, a second glance and I realize that his face is covered in heavy burn scars… This elf is blind.

He moves through the crowd of people. Sliding in between gaps that even a person with sight would have trouble with. He is very comfortable with his disability. He drags a chair behind him and sits facing towards me. He picks up a cup from across the room with wind magic and moves it with precision to his hand as he takes a sip. It seems like he's waiting for me to speak.

“I haven't come here to fight or anything… One of my followers has been kidnapped by the fire elemental lord. We don't know her location and my pet, the one you've met already says you may know her location.”

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He puts his hand on his chin and it looks like he is in heavy thought for a few moments. He reaches up and rubs his burned face as if thinking even harder.

“I can't be completely sure but she is most likely safe. As a fire elemental and a female he most likely wouldn't attack her. There is another reason though. I don't think he'd harm her if you are her master. Most likely the Death god has guided him to keep her there for now. All of the elemental lords are being guided by a god. The fact that you have a cloak placed on you that even gods can't see through means they need to find other ways to get information from you... I also doubt that the fire elemental lord would have attacked anyone besides that water elemental in the corner. I'm going to assume that is what happened.”

I sit for a moment and soak in all the new information. He does most likely knows the location of the elemental lord of fire… The fact that each is being guided by a god puts a burden on me though… From my knowledge it would take a raid party to defeat one for the elemental lord summoner to gain their power… I think they must have only used a small portion of their power instead of trying fully. To kill an elemental lord would be far more difficult than subjugating them for their power. Meaning we would probably not be able to beat him… I'm not exactly sure what to do next, so I ask the wind elemental lord.

“What do you think we should do then?”

The blind elf continues to rub his chin before placing his hands on the table to speak.

“I would suggest that you go alone to get your pet back. If you show up with any large force the elemental lord could attack you and claim self defense because of the heavy implications that you are their to attack him. I highly doubt that he would openly attack just you, that might cause the wrath of the Greater god down on both the Death god and the elemental lord.”

“Now you've got me curious… If we were to attack you right now, would we even stand a chance?”

He rubs his chin again but before he can answer the blue frog who's been quite for most of this stands up from his corner defensively. I did notice him fidgeting from a few of my questions, like he was holding his tongue as he yells out.

“You lot would stand no chance against my master! He would breath heavily and kill most of you! You fools! Of course you wou-.”

The blind elf cuts him off mid sentence.

“Hmm… I think even being blind I could still defeat you all and possibly a few more of a similar strength if some of your men are waiting to come in if we start fighting. It is extremely hard to tell though. I can read your generals fairly easily but you on the other hand are hard to read. I can't quite tell where you're peak is… Only that it isn't above my power yet. I just know that you could not defeat me, and I could not defeat the fire elemental lord because of my weakness to fire.”

Hmm I did know that elements had weaknesses to other elements but why would air be weak to fire… Most likely because the fire would be strengthened by the air attack, simultaneously absorbing any of the air attacks while strengthening his own attack. In that sense water would quench the power of fire while earth would completely negate the power of water through sheer weight and resilence… Then how would air beat earth? I'm honestly very curious but I'll put it off for now.

“Fine. I will go speak with him by myself. Can you tell me how to get there at least?”

“I'll do you one better. I'll draw you a map! Glenn, bring me a sheet of paper and a quill to draw with.”

The frog who's name I know now as Glenn runs off for a few moments. I can hear him muttering in the storage room we entered from. A few seconds later and he emerges with a sheet of paper and a writing utensil. Placing the paper on the table in front of him and the quill with a fresh amount of ink on the tip in his hand. He begins to draw in a few seconds later… I realize he cannot draw at all. Of course he can't, he's blind. He handled it so well until now I forgot that he even was blind. The map he is drawing is vaguely the shape of the central continent. 2 circles are drawn on the map at what I assume are the locations where we are and where the fire elemental lord is.

Even with the circles being drawn… It would still cover a hundred miles if that map is an accurate picture of the actual continent. He seems to be very pleased with his drawing as he looks up with a smile on his face.

“There you go, with this map you should have no problems finding the elemental lord now.”

I give it another look… Compared to a map a child would have drawn… It is still a lower quality. Some of the lines were drawn off the paper… Looking closer to the table it appears that there are several randomly drawn lines that were drawn off paper from him writing in the past… I go from seeing him as someone who has learned to completely deal with his blindness to someone I should feel bad for… It has been far to long for me to be able to heal his eyes. I think healing him at best would reduce the size and perhaps the pain of the scars on his face… I don't think he's a bad person… Leaf gives me a sad look, her eyes plead for me to help him…

“Before we leave, perhaps I can give you some reward for helping me.”

He looks around for a moment before pulling out a tiny sword. The blade is the thinnest I've ever seen, it couldn't possibly be used as a weapon. A single attack, even if it landed against flesh would destroy the blade. He hands it over to me as he explains.

“This blade is designed for the sole purpose of strengthening the power of the wind blade. I've spent dozens of years refining my blacksmithing methods and acquiring materials to make these. I've spent years making this particular blade. Folding the metal hundreds of times, taking care to not shatter the blade. It is my masterpiece. While I do not think you can use this now to defeat the fire elemental lord, it will prove valuable when you finally do attempt to kill him.”

I look at it closely, even with my limited skill as a blacksmith I can appreciate the work that has went into this blade. I apply slight pressure to the blade to test it's durability *snap… The sword has broken in half. The entire room looks at me with shock. The blue frogs mouth completely agape from what just happened. He's been working on this sword for years and I managed to break it within seconds of holding it.

“I would like it back so I can continue to tinker on it until you finally decide to attack him.”

“Uhh… I actually happen to be a blacksmith myself. Please allow me to hold onto this for a short while to truly admire the craftsmanship of it and perhaps make my own adjustments. Actually… Now that I think of it, why haven't you used a different type of material like wood or plastic to make the weapon? It would be much easier to handle a thin version of those as it could bend and wouldn't be as rigid. That would make it far harder to break.”

He sits there for a second. Slowly he raises his shaking hand into the air before slamming it down on the table over and over again while shouting.

“OVER 100 YEARS! I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR OVER 100 YEARS AND I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF USING DIFFERENT MATERIALS TO MAKE A SWORD! FUCKING FUCK! FUUUUUUUUUCK!”

The table between us is now in ruins. He tries to compose himself. I do understand where he is coming from though. He's spent years upon years working towards a goal. The goal of making a weapon to fight against the fire elemental. Just for some person to show up now 100 years later and completely ruin his plans in a matter of minutes. Solely focusing on one thing, this thing being his talent as a blacksmith for this purpose… His need for revenge must have put blinders on him at learning anything new and instead mastering what he already did know.

“Speaking of helping you then. Leaf can you?”

I gesture at his eyes. She already knew what I meant and moves towards him to heal his eyes. Slowly some of the scarring around his face heals as she channels onto him. It takes far longer for her to heal these wounds than normal ones. Old wounds are far harder to heal and these wounds of a century old. Even still, even with them being that old Leaf makes headway with her healing. She continues to prove that whatever she tries she continues to excel at. Her healing power is most likely the strongest in my army now… Maybe below Hilda juniors but it would be extremely hard to gauge… You can't really have heal sparring matches.

Sweat pours off her face, this is very taxing on her. Scarring that covered a large portion of his face has been shrunk down to just being near his eyes. Scarring that went into his hairline, down around the right side of his mouth has been completely healed. Most of his nose was burned and scarred, leaving wrinkles on his nose. All of those are gone, by all means what we have just watched is nothing short of a miracle. Most healing is used to close wounds and would leave behind a scar. To heal a scar is beyond exceptional.

He rubs his face. Feeling where the scarring was and moving up, continuing to move his hand along his newly smoothed face. All the way up to an inch away from his eyes where the scarring continued. Running his hand along his nose and feeling smoothness he hasn't felt in over 100 years. Finally running his hand over his eyes and feeling the smooth skin where the scarring went into his hairline. Without speaking a word he begins to cry. Glenn goes to speak, reaching his hand towards his master but Nami stops him. Grabbing his hand and staring him in the eyes while shaking her head.

“I've spent years looking for a healer strong enough to heal this wound. My travels took me all across the world and I still did not find a healer with the power to heal my wounds even in the slightest. I had given up hope on ever removing any of the pain it brought me. Yet here I am being surprised by you again. I am not one to show my emotions but I've done so twice. I can't believe the dept I'm towards you after just a single meeting.”

I speak up now.

“Well… I think I may have a few ways to heal or remove some of your blindness as well if you are willing to take that risk.”

The room goes silent as I continue to explain what I meant.