Hero worked the wood in his intently. He was working on a walking stick for Nar. He had transformed his sword into carving knife and used it to carve art into the wood. The images of trees and wyverns and birds and rivers flowed through the flesh of the crutch. The darkness that perpetually blanketed Chasmland barely bothered him, and his ruby eyes gleamed in the lack of light.

Hero held the stick in his hand without fear. The thing of the EARTH element was beyond the reach of his FIERY spirit. He offered to make a crutch for Nar as an apology and gift, and Tree was generous enough to cut a branch from the dark forest beyond Ruinton's limits. The trees bore strong lightweight peach-colored wood that was perfect for Nar's crutch.

They had spent a week or so in the underground recovering. Hero had tried his best in helping his companions. He help Tree with working in the vegetable gardens, cooking meals, and cleaning their home. He tried to imitate EARTH which was kind and forgiving

Hero had been happy to see that Buddy was okay. He never knew that Buddy had a friend from outside Hillland even, and did not question it. He noticed that Buddy admired him almost like, well, a hero, and tried to entertain him. Oh you man-stealer.

N, please don't strangle him in his sleep. I'm pretty sure he can crush your skull with a hand.

Yeah yeah. *Grumble grumble*. Yadda yadda. Let's move on.

Hero had been able to study the elements in his free time. FIRE lived short and productive lives. All things living possessed a spark of it. It wished all the others to dance with its song. EARTH was the element of body, substance, and health. It was sheltering and caring, but unyielding and inert. WATER was fair and adaptable. It judged all equally and changed its shape to befit the circumstance. It gives things the ability to change. AIR was fearful and always fled at the moment's notice. It wished to remain unseen and unnoticed. It was weak and cowardly, but it thrived when there's many.

Hero admired the EARTH element. He wished he could be kind and caring like the EARTH. His element of FIRE was good for destroying, but not much for others. It did give him the vigor he needed to act quickly though.

Hero blinked as the wooden walking stick in his hand had completed whilst he was deep in thought. The curved peach-colored wood born of EARTH and touched by FLAME lay in his hand; the FIRE-touched scrimshaw projected an aura of wellness and spirit. A feeling of pride swelled in his Hero's chest as he beheld his creation.

Hero stood and began pacing towards Nar who sat leaning on a pillar, still too injured to walk on her own without assistance. Casts still wrapped her limbs, but thankfully, her broken bones had healed enough in a week's time to allow her to move but still not enough to stand, walk, and run. She continued reading the green book with solemn seriousness. Silent motions moved her mouth as if forming unheard words.

"Miss Rator," Hero began. Nar turned her yellow eyes to him. He knelt and presented the crutch to her like a treasure being presented to royalty. How flattering. "As a gift and apology to the grievances I have wreaked upon you, I present to you this gift of mine, wrought by my own hands and poured with my spirit."

Nar narrowed her eyes at the walking stick. The luxurious stick sported exquisite engravings and stood longer than she was tall. The carvings reeked of dynamism; the engraved figures just felt like ready to spring into motion and flow the moment you take your eyes away.

Nar hazarded a touch, and then taking it from Hero's hands. The smooth wood felt comfortable in her hand; the slight curve of its shape gave comfortable locations to hold onto, especially on the spots she was meant to hold onto. It was sturdy and lightweight, not feeling like snapping at a moments notice.

... It's good work. It felt very nice in my hand. I tried to stand using it as support and I find myself more capable. The energies that were poured into its engravings flowed into my body. My brown hairs stood on ends, and elemental energies of EARTH and FIRE entered my veins like cold water and encouraged my well-being. The kind and caring touch of EARTH pulled taut my frayed fibers and encouraged them to heal. The impassioned and energetic tinge of FIRE sent lances to my pains and brought forth life and energy to my admittedly weak blood.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

I heaved at the magical sensation. It made me feel more alive than I've ever been since I've been born. I've held magical artifacts before, yet this crutch was the first that brought forth something to my body instead of affecting the world in some way; it was for me and not for the world.

Hero looked at me with concern. I don't need your concern! He reached to help me, but I backed away from his touch which outbalanced me, and I fell to my butt. Hero winced at the sight. Ow.

"Are you in pain?" Hero asked softly. Why must you be so kind?! I shook my head in response though I cringed with the various pains that radiated from my injuries.

Hero was not deceived. He reached out and helped me stand up. I leaned into my the crutch, setting my glowering glare on him.

Sadness doused some of Hero's inner flames. Disappointment became evident in his face. "Do you not like it?" He asked.

"No," I answered without thinking. "I mean yes. It's a very good gift but we're still not completely through."

A small smile appeared on Hero's face. He patted Nar's head and said, "Get well soon, Nar."

~***~

Hillock and Roy waited in the empty lobby. The bench they sat on were hard and uncomfortable, but they endured. Minutes came and went; an hour or two passed without incident. Boredom floated in the air like dust. Roy's anxiousness mounted. Hillock distracted herself by playing on her mobile gaming device.

Roy possessed no such device. He was fairly inept when it comes to electronic technology. The boredom was driving him insane. The boredom distilled the diluted voices of his instincts, and they all shouted "Make a storm! Rule the air!" Roy had to distract himself. He turned his attention away from time and onto the objects within the building.

Pastel yellow coated the walls, giving it the same color as chiffon cakes. The floors were simple glazed tiles, and ceiling was coated in white plaster. Paintings depicting water features and glades hung from walls, and flourescent tubes lit the room with uniform white light. The bench they sat upon was made of some white sturdy wood, probably oak or pine.

He turned his eyes to the secretary on duty. She was an artform. She was a chalk drawing on the wall. Her body was some sort of reptile-dog with sky blue scales, yellow horns and talons, and a white mane. Her lightning blue eyes was glued upon the novel that was laid open on her desk. "A raiju," Roy surmised.

The end of the uncomfortably boring two hours had passed when a large intimidating figure entered the lobby. Hillock turned her eyes on the muscly green lizard while Roy had to dig his ivory claws into the bench just to prevent himself from simply vibrating off the bench. The green lizard, Moly, delicately set their feet on the floor to prevent their wicked claws from simply sundering the tiles. Their scales were shiny and clean. Moly had clearly bathed before coming over to the municipal hall. The smell of lavender shampoo diminished some of the intimidating factor.

"Shaman Moly," the secretary began. "You have visitors. They have an inquiry for you."

"Indeed? Inform them that I'll be waiting for them in my office," Moly answered.

"No need for that. They've been waiting for you for two hours, your Hallowedness," the secretary replied. She then pointed to where Hillock and Roy had been sitting. Roy suddenly felt his chest grow tight as their fiery amber eyes fell on them.

"Oh. Didn't see them there, Ms. Splotch," Moly remarked.

The secretary sighed. "Moly, your eyesight is so bad that you should be legally blind. If it weren't for me, you'd probably mistaken them for potted plants."

"I know, Ms. Splotch. There's no need to rub it in," Moly said. Moly turned to go to their office. They passed by blurry blobs in their vision and called them to follow them. Hillock put away her gaming device and followed Moly. Roy followed them with great reluctance.

They followed Moly to a door made of dark wood. A gilded plaque announced this as the office of the mayor. Beyond the door was a simple office. A dark green wallpaper with white flowers decorated the walls. A stand with stick of unlit incense stood on one corner while decorative plants populated the other corners. A golden charm with a red tassel clung on the ceiling. A large mithril axe hung on display on the wall. In the middle of the office was a simple wooden desk.

Moly went behind the desk. They took out a pair of glasses from one of the drawers and began cleaning them with a cream colored handkerchief.

Roy couldn't help but feel cold in his bones. The office felt like a trap. He entered a lion's den, worse, a dragon's lair and he wasn't the metaphorical dragon. He just wanted to tear apart the walls and get as far away as possible from Moly.

"I am Moly Bush, the mayor of Townston and temporary chief of police," they formally began. "How may I help you?"

"I am Hillock Shepherd," she replied just as formally. "This is my companion, Roy Shiro." Roy nodded after she said his name. "We're here to inquire about a missing person, my father, Torc Shepherd."

"Torc Shepherd? There's definitely a Torc that had passed by here, but-" Moly put on their glasses, but what they saw made them pause. They rubbed their glasses thoroughly again, but the image they saw remained unchanged.

"Shinryu Roi? Fancy seeing you here." That statement made Roy's heart drop.