A motionless person floated down the river until his hands got tangled in the fishing nests someone had set. As the body rested in the net, one could see lines of crimson knitting themselves into the water. The body lay motionless, until two pairs of hands wrapped under his shoulders. The hands pulled the body onto the bank of the river. One of the people, a young boy with dark hair, started checking for a pulse. The other, a girl with hair the color of copper addressed the many small cuts that dotted the body’s arms and face. The river had washed away most of the dirt and mud. The dark-haired boy said, “Dellie, we have to help him.” Dellie looked up. “What do you think I’m doing, Emrick?” She placed a hand on the stranger's arm and started to mutter words in a tongue all those except experienced spell-casters thought to be lost. Emrick rummaged around in a pouch attached to his belt and pulled out a few rough crystals. He handed the crystals to Dellie, who placed them on the stranger's forehead, and ran another up and down his injuries. “Em, go run to the institute and ask for Master Salfisklin. He’s more powerful than you or I and can get this young man the help he needs. Quickly now.” Emrick quickly rose and sprinted up the hill towards the institute, where magic was studied and taught to those who possessed it.
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Dellie continued working her magic on the stranger, healing him as quickly as she could. Emrick reached the institute and burst inside shouting for Master Salfisklin. “I need to speak to Master Salfisklin. It’s urgent, please.” Master Salfisklin rounded a corner, carrying a few scrolls of parchment in his arms. His deep blue robes of a master wizard brushed the floor. His long, brown hair reached past his shoulders, and nearly covered his pointed ears that showed the world his race of Elf. “What do you need, my boy?”
“No time to explain now, sir. You must come with me,” Emrick said, out of breath. Master Salfisklin furrowed his brow and handed the scrolls off to a passing student. “Lead the way, Emrick Skywood.” Emrick started back outside, only to find that a light rain had started, spitting on everyone’s faces. At the crest of the hill, Master Salfisklin and Emrick looked down to see Dellie tending to the strangers' wounds. Their footfalls in the grass caught her attention, her acute hearing notifying her of their presence before she saw them. Master Salfisklin bent down and placed a hand on the stranger's cheek. “He requires medical aid, more advanced than anything that could be performed here. Your effort and concern in the matter are most commendable, and will not go unnoticed. I can take it from here, children. Thank you.” Dellie rolled her eyes. In her eyes, she was not a ‘child’. At seventeen years old, she was nearly at the age that all children in the institute come of age. Emrick, on the other hand, had no opposition to the term. He was only thirteen but was as energetic as a young puppy. Dellie stood up, collecting the crystals. She wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. She had been healing this young man for nearly a quarter-hour and was near ready to collapse. “Come on, Dellie. Let’s get you inside,” Emrick said, offering her his arm to lean on. They walked back to the institute, which a passing bird would have thought to be merely an abandoned castle in the middle of a wide field.
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Master Salfisklin walked around the boy and pulled out a wand from his robes. While some magical beings used crystals to concentrate their power, the use for them was limited. Thus, others opt for wands. He waved his wand in a triangular motion and disappeared, along with the stranger. They appeared a moment later in an unoccupied room within the institute. Master Salfisklin left the room, and when he returned, five skilled healers followed him. They set to work. This strange person that lay in their bed did not have much time left184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPctpBrl00
