Being a Summoner on our Evolved Earth

(53)

The group let out a sigh of relief as they glided through the canyon that was just wide enough for Vicki to spread her wings. There were patches of some type of vine or ivy hanging in the canyon that draped down like dark curtains. Vicki's wings couldn't help bumping them as she glided through the canyon to avoid the lightning eagle above.

{It's strange that the lightning eagle didn't attack us don't you think? I mean he just chased us.} Lucia pointed out while trying to get a better look at the vines.

{Well in the past he would fight with Vicki every Spring and say that he would conquer her and the mountain we were staying on.} Aegis explained. 

{You guys aren't on the mountain anymore, but he's still chasing Vicki? So maybe he wanted Vicki to be his subordinate or his mate.} Lucia guessed.

{Hell no! There is no way I'm doing either! That bird is so annoying!} Vicki rejected the idea vehemently.

{It's just my guess. Anyways, this canyon is so narrow, we should get out and have Rikit-} Lucia was suggesting a plan when suddenly the vines on the wall lashed out and captured Vicki. Aegis quickly reacted and froze the vines and conjured a bone sword to break them. Lucia also brought out her quarterstaff to smash the frozen vines to break Vicki free. Just as Vicki got loose enough they started to free fall deeper into the canyon. More and more vines started to reach out at them.

{We need to get out of the canyon.} Lucia said, but at this moment, it didn't seem possible. The walls were covered in these vines that were coming alive and blocking their route up. Vicki was barely able to open her wings to glide before she was grabbed by vines from below again.

{Rikit, can you shadow walk us out of here?} Lucia asked in a hurry.

{A good portion of these vines have the shadow element and would be able to interfere with shadow walking. Being attacked inside the shadows would be more dangerous than this assault we're facing now...} Rikit sighed helplessly. He did poke his head out of the shadow though and cast a large area curse [Mass Weakness] on the vines. 

This caused the vines to break just from Vicki's struggling and they continued to drop into the river below. Several vines still reached out and grabbed at Aegis from behind. Lucia felt Aegis slipping and grabbed his hand that was still on her waist. Vicki kept falling as Lucia and Aegis were now dangling in the air being pulled up by the vines. Aegis swung his sword to break the vines holding him. They too then fell about twenty feet into the river below. Lucia felt her heart start to skip as she finally experienced the fear of falling from very high up. She barely remembered to [Recall Mirage], put away her quarterstaff, and release Aegis hand so that she wouldn't hinder him from swimming to the surface later. 

There was a large splash as they fell into the chilly water that pushed them around roughly like a paper bag in a wind storm. Lucia remembered to protect her head and neck as she got pushed around in the turbulent current. Only after she started to run low on air did she flatten out her body. Her body started to move up on its own, and so she used that sensation to swim towards the surface. She took in a big breath of air when she poked her head above the surface. Then she looked around for the others while being washed away in the rapid current. 

{Vicki, Aegis, where are you?} Lucia asked.

{I don't know if I'm ahead of you or behind you...} Aegis replied back promptly.

{I think I'm the farthest ahead, I can't reach the bottom to stop myself!} Vicki replied while sounding annoyed. {I'm really starting to hate water...}

{Vicki can you open your wings vertically and then use wind to push yourself back towards us? Like sails on a boat.} Lucia suggested.

{I'll try.} Vicki replied, and only a brief moment later continued with, {I can, but I'll run out of mana too quickly with the amount of wind force needed. Should I still try?}