Being a Summoner on our Evolved Earth

River Ride (39)

Lucia tried to speak, only to discover that she couldn't move her body anymore. Only her eyes could move as she looked at Aegis.

{Retreat both of you. I am paralyzed by something that stung my ankle.} Lucia warned while feeling frantic.

Aegis picked up Lucia and threw her over his shoulder and turned to sprint away. Now being able to see the ground, Lucia saw a thorny vine stretching towards Aegis ankle next.{Aegis, freeze the area behind your feet ASAP!} Lucia ordered and without even a seconds delay, ice erupted from Aegis feet and froze the vine and everything around in a five foot radius. Aegis continued running forward over the ice without issue.

'Was that [Ice eruption], isn't that a mage spell? Actually, didn't he use [Ice Bloom] on the racoon too? That's also a mage spell...' While Lucia was thinking she heard the sound of something whistling at them.

{New attack, seek cover} Lucia warned again and Aegis side stepped behind a tree as an arrow zipped past just missing Lucia who secretly sighed in relief that they weren't hit by it.

{It's three men, one seems to be a plant mage, one is using a bow, and another with a weapon like a snake is following us.} Vicki reported from the sky.

{It might be a whip. It will be annoying to get caught by that. How fast are they catching up?} Lucia asked since she still couldn't lift her head to look.

{They are catching up steadily, I think the guy with the bow is a wind user.} Vicki sounded worried.

Lucia thought about the situation, 'based on the fact that they paralyzed me instead of sniping one of us right off the bat, I'm guessing they want us alive, or at least me alive. Aegis can't escape while carrying me. However, even if Aegis abandons me right now, they may threaten my life to catch him too...'

At this time, the sound of the river was getting louder and gave Lucia an idea.

{Aegis, can you freeze me in an ice coffin and use me as a raft to go down river on? it should be faster than running like this, and you can focus on defense.} Lucia proposed calmly.

{Yes, we can do that.} Aegis was surprised by the plan, but after thinking it over he resolved himself.

He moved Lucia from slumped over his shoulder to laying as flat as he could get her in a princess carry. Then he started to freeze the space around her layer by layer till he was holding a thick box. He had changed his course towards the river already and slid down the slope to the water that was close to being white water rapids. He still gently placed the ice box in the water and climbed on while making ice hand and foot holds for himself then a few sheets of ice off the sides to balance it like a raft and keep it from flipping over. He kept layering the ice till it seemed stable and then conjured an ice shield and spun around to block another arrow. The river carried them off quickly; even Vicki who was flying, had trouble keeping up.

"Dang, that's an ingenious plan that boy came up with!" The man with the bow exclaimed while scratching his light brown hair.

"Well there goes our prey, oh well. We'll just sell what we got already when we get to Brimmerton." Shrugged the guy with the sword and blond hair.

"Let's quickly go back and make sure our slaves weren't eaten by my plants." Said the green hair lanky man with a sarcastic voice.

"Still, how did he react so fast? He didn't even take the time to check for wounds." Asked the archer filled with curiosity.

"Maybe he just has good instincts and sensed danger. I'm surprised that little kid almost evaded my paralysis vine." Replied the green haired mage.

"Those kids have some good instincts unlike the kids from big cities." Complimented the blond swordsman. "If we see them again let's treat them to a meal in apology. Strong kids like them don't deserve to be slaves like the weaklings we caught."

The group agreed and laughed as they went on their way. Meanwhile, Aegis and Lucia were still floating down river.

{Aegis, I need air.} Lucia reminded from within the ice. She couldn't see more than vague shapes and shadows through the ice.

Aegis opened the part of the box over Lucia's upper body, then he started worrying about how to stop the raft. Water splashed onto Lucia now that the case was open, yet she didn't mind. She wanted to sit up and look at the situation, but with how bumpy the ride was, she couldn't easily crawl up.

'I have to avoid raising flags like asking if there is a waterfall ahead...' Lucia joked to herself out of nervousness.

Thanks to not raising flags, they soon entered a part of the river that was slow and stable. Lucia passed one of the long sticks they picked up to Aegis and he used it to try and move towards shore. Thankfully this area was shallow enough and they were able to climb off the ice raft.'