Rescue

Dozens of kads were chained to a boulder near a large circular frame of magic wood, its perimeter marked with evenly spaced magic symbols. Hung between two trees and reached by a narrow ramp, the frame loomed just tall enough for a kad to pass through without ducking.

Invisible figures darted about, carrying large orange crystals and dropping them into a chute beneath the ramp. Each time an orange crystal was inserted, a purple one slid out the other side.

The figures scooped up the purple crystals and shoved them into the hands of the chained kads.

"Charge it, slave!" one of the invisible figures would say, followed by a slap.

"Alright, alright! You don’t have to hit me every time—I know the routine!" a kad protested... and was promptly slapped again.

Then, POP!

"What was that?" one of the creatures asked.

Another POP!  And another. They spotted a purple puddle on the ground with a small yellow sphere in its center. As they leaned closer, the sphere slowly melted into the goo.

"Looks like… purple bird poop."

The creature looked up. "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT!?"

A dark shadow swept overhead.

"That's one big bird, wow! It looks so weird!" It pointed skyward. "See? Purple bird poop. From a giant triangle bird."

Then, a hissing sound. The yellow sphere had begun violently reacting with the purple liquid.

"What's that smell? Purple bird poop smells awful! GODS!" The creature started coughing.

"Fitz! Your camouflage!" Another coughed, looking down to see its own grey flesh exposed.

"It's null vapor!" shouted one near the chained kads—just before a kad rammed a hidden shard of magic wood into its neck.

BOOM!  A giant cube of magic wood slammed down on one of the creatures, forming a small crater.

The remaining creatures began running—fleeing the vapor. One by one, they fell, stabbed in the back by tendrils of supersolid magic wood, until only one remained. It didn't know it was the only one. It also didn't know it was being followed.

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The last creature ran into the cave where the Proscribrarian was held. "Shash! We’re under attack!"

The Proscribrarian sighed. Damn it! I was this close to tricking them into monologuing.

Her tail emitted a momentary pulse of pure darkness, and her shackles seemed to evaporate into thin air. Then her eyes began glowing orange.

She stood up and started walking toward her captor—who suddenly collapsed. As did the one that had just entered the cave. She looked up and spotted a cuttlekin escaping through a hole in the ceiling.

Killed your own to keep the secret, eh?  She was impressed.

She searched for clues but found only an ancient cave painting and a cluster of isopods happily munching on a pile of leaves in the corner—probably leftovers from when the cuttlekin had swept the cave.

Maybe I should take one home as a friend for Bleck.  Bloom giggled, imagining the doctor’s face if she showed up with a giant isopod on a leash.

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The Woodmaster ran into the cave after the lone survivor, only to find it already dead, his mother standing over the body. She gave him a look he knew all too well: Really!?

He answered with his own: Yes, really.  Then turned to show Maizy clinging to his back, gripping his wooden armor. She hopped off and ran straight to Mom.

The moment she saw Mom's face, Maizy burst into tears—though she wasn't sure why.  Instincts?  The thought of her mom being in mortal peril just didn't sit right.

Mom sighed, "Maizy, you’ll have to learn that I can take care of myself. These creatures don't pose much of a threat—to me. Or to any Proscribrarian, for that matter." She smiled and picked Maizy up.

Once in Mom's arms, Maizy noticed the crude painting on the wall of the cave. It looked like a Delkin surrounded by people bowing in worship.

From Mom’s arms, Maizy noticed the crude cave painting: It depicted a Delkin surrounded by people bowing in worship.

They worshipped the Delkin?

She then noticed the isopods in the corner.

Haha, we should've brought some rainbow fruit!

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They walked out of the cave toward the chained kads. One had pulled a long strand of magic wood from the giant cube and was using it to wedge open the chains—expand, twist, pop. They were nearly through the last lock when the group arrived.

"Hah! I knew we’d be rescued once I saw a Proscribrarian," said a tall kad, shaking off his chains. "Idiots."

The Woodmaster squinted, then blinked in recognition. "Knoll? Is that you?"

"In the flesh!" Knoll grinned. "I never once gave up hope."

The Woodmaster turned to the Proscribrarian. "Mom, Knoll’s been missing for over ten wobbles! Presumed dead! Everyone thought a fairy got him."

A FAIRY!?  WHAT!?

"I was doing routine weeding in the forest when a portal opened right in front of me. The cuttlekin stepped out—that’s when they took me. As far as I know, I was the first kad they abducted." He looked down in shame. "They’ve been stealing from the village ever since, using us to charge crystals for the portal."

A portal?  Maizy studied the frame, locking every detail into memory.

The Proscribrarian’s eyes sharpened. "Do you know what they’ve taken?"

"Yes." Knoll cleared his throat. "A few scrolls, but mostly magic crystals. Then later, tree sap—once they had enough kads to make the crystals themselves." He continued, "Then yesterday they all started freaking out because some 'artifact'"—he drew air quotes—"activated and began pointing at Bark Village. Something about magic symbols."

He gestured at the frame. "As long as I've been here, that portal has only ever opened to one place—just outside our tree in the forest. They've never once changed the symbols."

The Proscribrarian turned to the Woodmaster. "Nook, take down the gate and memorize the design. I've never seen one this big. They might have found a way to make portals more efficient."

Nook approached the frame, and the whole structure melted into the ground before streaming like liquid wood into the giant cube. "I have memorized the design," he reported, pausing in thought. "There's nothing special—just a ring of magic wood with standard portal symbols."

The Proscribrarian frowned. "Then how did they drag it all the way to Bark Village and back?"

Do you have to move portals after you lock a destination?  Maizy wondered.

Knoll chimed in. "They found the gate in the mountains. I heard them talking a few wobbles ago—said it was under a volcano. But there aren’t any volcanoes in the Thrust Mountains, right?"

The Woodmaster’s eyes widened in recognition, but the Proscribrarian replied evenly, "Not that I’m aware of."

The Proscribrarian felt that was enough chatting with these poor kads—they looked exhausted. Time to go home.

"Nook, how did you get here? Maizy's gift?"

"At first, yes, but..." He grinned. "She showed me how to make something incredible!" Then he hesitated, thinking that should probably remain a secret. "Actually, Mom... Let's talk about it later."

The Woodmaster clapped his hands. "Alright, ready to go home, everyone?" He smiled warmly at Maizy. "What do you think? Can you get us back with the new ascendal design?"

She grinned, nodded, and gave a thumbs-up. The outside world was just as Branch had described: The moment she stepped beyond the tree's magic absorption range, she felt magic surge into her tails—like she'd never run out.

That’s when Mom noticed her footwear. Thin shoes—light enough not to block her claws. "When did you get those? They’re different from yesterday."

Maizy giggled and signed, "New! Better!" pointing at the Woodmaster.

"Indeed," he said, grinning. "Thanks to Branch’s research—and a little... field testing—I believe we’ve boosted efficiency fivefold."

Knoll and the other freed kads stared blankly. "How are you getting us home?"

The Woodmaster threw back his head and cackled. "My little sister is so cool! Get ready to have your fur blown off!"