Aethelgard: Rootbound
Book 1 · The Dying Roots
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Page 77 · Morning departure
At dawn, the travelers pack their bedrolls, cooking gear and supplies at the same ridge camp, then retrieve their weapons. Later that morning they enter a less healthy stretch of forest.
CHAPTER 5. BRIARBACK. Elara: We should move. Caelan: Right.
Page 78 · Fewer songs
Sparse birdsong and strangely crowded growth accompany the trio through the damaged forest. Surviving leaves catch the light beside blackened roots and low shaded mist.
Silent page.
Page 79 · Uneven weight
Elara studies enormous bear tracks. Unequal depth and a dragging stride show that the animal is moving unevenly. Caelan compares a print with his boot while Sylphina watches the surrounding damage.
Elara: A bear. Caelan: That big? Elara: And leaning hard on one side.
Page 80 · Above their heads
The tracks lead to claw marks high above the travelers. Sylphina finds woody splinters caught in the bark and grows concerned as Caelan looks up.
Caelan: How does it reach that high? Sylphina: Stay close.
Page 81 · The clearing
The trio pauses at a clearing. A low rock ledge stands to the right, a brittle alder near its foot, exposed roots to the left and a boulder beside the entrance. A labored breath comes from beyond the trees.
Sound: hhrr...
Page 82 · Briarback
An enormous forest bear stands beyond the alder. Woody plates, thorns and tangled root growth burden its damaged body. One eye is partly hidden, and each breath appears painful.
Silent full-page reveal.
Page 83 · An agony
Sylphina reaches toward the bear from a safe distance. Its trembling breath and her strained expression convey the agony she feels through Beast Empathy. Caelan and Elara watch her response.
Sylphina: It can't come back from this.
Page 84 · Give it room
Elara signals a slow retreat. The travelers place their supply bags behind the entrance boulder, keeping their weapons ready. The bear grows more distressed as they attempt to withdraw.
Elara: Back the way we came. Slowly. Caelan: All right.
Page 85 · The charge
Briarback charges. Caelan draws it toward the alder and sidesteps its weight. Elara climbs the sloping end of the rock ledge while Sylphina moves behind the western roots.
Caelan: Here! Sound: THUD.
Page 86 · The first arrow
Elara's first arrow glances off a shoulder plate and falls into moss by the ledge. Caelan keeps the alder between himself and Briarback while Sylphina studies the living roots.
Elara: The plates are too thick. Sound: TAK.
Page 87 · Falling timber
Elara's second arrow catches an exposed foreleg joint. The bear jerks and crashes through the brittle alder as Caelan dodges. Falling timber separates Sylphina from the others.
Caelan: Sylphina! Sound: KRAK.
Page 88 · A moment held
Sylphina answers from beyond the fallen tree and guides existing roots around Briarback's rear leg. The brief restraint gives Caelan room to move and Elara a moment to aim.
Sylphina: I'm here. Keep moving.
Page 89 · Torn free
Briarback tears free as Elara releases her third arrow. The opening closes, and the arrow lodges in fallen timber. The shaft of the earlier foreleg arrow breaks during the struggle.
Sound: SNAP.
Page 90 · The cost
A glancing claw catches Caelan's right outer thigh, tearing his trousers and knocking him against the ledge. He reaches for his fallen spear while favoring the injured leg.
Caelan: Ah—!
Page 91 · No clear shot
Elara's fourth arrow breaks against armor. She moves along the ledge seeking a better angle while Caelan recovers his spear and notices a damaged seam beneath a shoulder plate. Sylphina briefly diverts the bear with nearby vegetation.
Elara: I can't get through.
Page 92 · One foothold
The spear crystal responds faintly, and an existing root rises into a brief foothold. Caelan pushes off with his left leg and scrambles onto the ledge, still favoring his injured right thigh.
Caelan: Come on...
Page 93 · The opening
From the ledge, Caelan wedges his spear beneath the cracked shoulder plate. The bear's own wrenching movement tears the weakened attachment and exposes the tissue below. Caelan shifts clear of Elara's shot.
Caelan: Elara! Sound: KRRK.
Page 94 · The clear line
Elara fires her fifth arrow into the exposed opening beneath Briarback's right shoulder plate. Caelan withdraws his spear. The bear stumbles and begins to buckle, still alive.
Silent action sequence.
Page 95 · Still breathing
Briarback collapses onto its left side, breathing painfully. Sylphina walks around the fallen alder and kneels near its head after setting down her staff. Caelan descends the ledge and rests his injured leg.
Silent page.
Page 96 · Something gentler
Sylphina rests a hand against the bear's head. Through Beast Empathy, its tension eases and its expression relaxes without its injuries disappearing. Its breathing stops. Caelan looks away.
Sylphina: I'm here.
Page 97 · What remains
Elara retrieves two intact arrows from the moss and fallen alder, checks them and returns them to her five unfired arrows. Sylphina uses ordinary linen to wrap Caelan’s right thigh. He takes a small drink from his waterskin.
Silent page.
Page 98 · Onward
The trio retrieves their cached supplies and weapons, then follows the onward trail toward the Scrying Mirror Pool. Caelan limps with his thigh bandaged; Elara carries seven useful arrows. They leave the bear behind without celebration.
Silent chapter ending.