On his back
Soren was also trapped in Falling Leaf City; the snow outside was too thick for the carriage to move.
Because of the cold weather, he had a warm padded jacket custom-made for Vivian, which would take three days to complete. Outside, Half-Elf were busy at work, and druids could be vaguely seen. The heavy snow had collapsed some simple huts, and Falling Leaf City was rescuing ordinary Commoner. Since Goria was looking after the little girl, he went outside the city to take a look. The snow outside was indeed much thicker; when he stepped into it, it sank right up to his calves.
Outside the city were stretches of farmland, but now they were all covered in white.
Men and women could be seen busily working in the Farmland, clearing away snow to transport the nearly harvested grains and vegetables back to their fields. If they weren't brought back quickly, they would rot soon, and the farmers would lose their food source. It seemed impossible to plant Wheat; the snow layer was too thick. Wheat was usually planted in October, and many Half-Elf farmers looked worried. Their talents weren't particularly outstanding; they were merely more agile than humans, but essentially, they were still just ordinary people.
A farmer's wife was carrying lettuce, a common vegetable in the south. Her fingers were pale with cold. A little girl next to her, her nose running from the cold, was helping her. Because her clothes were thin, she would occasionally breathe on her palms to warm them. Further away, a boy of about ten years old was digging in a snowdrift. Soon, he excitedly dug out a frozen little bird from the snowdrift, held it high, and shouted, "Elder Sister, look! We'll have meat for dinner tonight!"
The heavy snow broke some tree trunks, knocked down some bird nests, and icicles formed on the branches, looking like hanging Crystal.
This is the life of an ordinary person.
Groups of hunters entered the forest, their experience anticipating the harshness of winter. They began hunting early, hoping to find some frozen animals. Further away, people busily repaired houses. The poor, ordinary people lived in thatched huts with flimsy roofs, easily damaged by strong winds and heavy snow. Birds called from the sky, seizing their last chance to migrate, lest they all freeze to death.
The early onset of winter, more than a month earlier than usual, has changed many things, forcing animals to hibernate earlier and disrupting people's farming plans.
A crackling sound came from inside.
Soren paused in his steps, then raised his hand and opened his palm, and tiny hailstones the size of rice grains fell down.
The sounds grew more frequent, and a farmer's wife called out from afar. Two children ran quickly toward her, the little boy slipping and falling in the snow. The hailstones grew larger and larger. The farmer's wife, forgetting even the vegetables she had dug up, shielded her two children with her body and ran toward the house in the distance.
A Sisi pain came over me.
Soren looked up at the sky; the falling hailstones were growing larger, from the size of soybeans to the size of pebbles. A cry of pain came from ahead. He darted forward, catching the two children in his arms. He said in a low voice, "Quickly, find somewhere to hide!"
Before the peasant woman could express her gratitude, she stumbled after him. A hailstone the size of a pebble had struck her forehead, leaving a bruise on her head. Curses echoed throughout the village. Soren put the two children down and then frowned as he watched the hailstones crashing down outside, making the rooftops seem to pound. Some people had been hit in the face, some even with blood on their foreheads.
The hailstorm did not last long.
From grains of rice to pebbles, it only took a dozen minutes, and the people emerged somewhat trembling. After glancing up at the light in the sky, they returned to the Farmland to harvest their crops. Soren left a bag of dried meat for the two young children, then followed the road into the forest. The familiar path was no longer visible; heavy snow covered everything. Many weeds were buried under the ice and snow. He saw the figure of a druid, leaping nimbly through the forest.
These druids are annoying, but not entirely bad.
Many druids have been working in the desert regions for thousands of years, trying to transform the deserts left over from the Arcane Empire into Oasis.
However, the efforts of several generations have only accomplished less than one percent. Thousands of kilometers of desert are still filled with yellow sand, and ancient cities buried under the shifting sands still radiate energy. Only some plants with exceptionally strong Hit Points can grow there. Destroying the environment is always easy, but restoring it takes countless years. Soren's attitude towards druids is actually very complicated. Sometimes he wants to kill them, and sometimes he feels that they are great.
Seeing Oasis built by druids in the desert, a patch of green representing the traces of Hit Points amidst the endless yellow sand, is truly awe-inspiring.
They hold an extremely high status in the eyes of the desert people!
Soren saw desert people kneeling on the ground more than once, kissing the ground where the Tree Shepherd had walked.
The heavy snow has already begun to weed out the first batch of elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people.
Only the Toughness creatures can survive the harsh winter. The further Soren went, the deeper his frown became, for the road to the Elven Realm was completely covered in ice and snow. The carriage was essentially unusable; they would have to walk to get through. Waiting for the snow to melt was impossible; in such cold weather, it would be at least next year. Soren couldn't afford to waste that much time, so they had to brave the wind and snow to continue their journey.
Vivian's small stature made it impossible for her to walk in the snow; she didn't have the stamina. Soren would feel very sorry for her.
The only way.
He carried Vivian on his back as they traveled along an icy path that stretched for over a hundred kilometers, which they estimated would take quite some time.
I just don't know if Goria can handle it, but this little problem should be fine for a high-ranking Witch.
Many Spell can be used.
By the time Soren returned, it was already afternoon. Aladdin was standing on the bar table, boasting, and a crowd of customers had gathered around. Every now and then, someone would jeer and offer him another drink. When they saw Soren, the Halfling's face was flushed with drunkenness. This guy must have been a master storyteller in the past; it's a real shame he didn't work as Bard, otherwise he would have earned a lot of tips along the way. Many Halfling like to boast, and even when they're exposed, they don't get angry or embarrassed; at most, they'll argue back.
Their storytelling skills are quite good; it's an interesting pastime in our spare time, and even the Inn listens with great interest.
Aladdin wasn't entirely exaggerating; his adventurous experiences surpassed many others. At the very least, he accurately described the Hill Giant's height, features, and habits, even its habitual attack movements. Of course, his main purpose was to demonstrate his agility, how he escaped the Hill Giant's attacks, and how he outmaneuvered the Giant. As for actually killing the Hill Giant, forget about it; those two small Dagger would hardly be enough to kill it.
Amidst the clapping and cheering of the tavern patrons, the diminutive Aladdin even performed a lively clapping tap dance on the long table. It was said that if you danced well, you could win over a cute Halfling girl with a baby face. People around him couldn't help but clap along to the rhythm, and the already lively atmosphere became even more enthusiastic. The Inn even considered hiring him.
Three days passed quickly.
Soren had been diligently memorizing Spell during this time, Goria seemed to know he was studying Spell, even offering some pointers, whether intentionally or unintentionally. However, this mysterious Northern Witch clearly didn't know that Soren was already a level five Wizard, and Soren didn't want to surprise her too much and cause unnecessary trouble. After all, a level five Wizard appearing in just half a month was even more frightening than Vivian's amazing talent; he'd better wait for another opportunity.
Soren successfully memorized a 2nd-level Spell, [Bull's Strength].
This Spell can temporarily increase his strength by 4 points. Combined with the Ogre Gauntlets, it can bring his strength to 18 points, thus making up for the last weakness in his attributes. Unfortunately, the effect only lasts for about ten minutes. However, a battle usually lasts about ten minutes, and after the Spell is activated, he can easily go toe-to-toe with Ogre. Low-level Wizard have very few Spell Slot, so he can only use them sparingly. He uses one Invisibility for survival and one Bull's Strength for combat.
Wizard of the third rank and above begin to have a significant increase in the number of Spell Slot they possess.
On the day they set off, the short Halfling actually caught up with them. He had been doing quite well at the inn, with someone treating him to a drink every day. Soren had thought he would stay in Falling Leaf City.
"I'm a gourmet."
Aladdin walked through the snow with a worried look on his face, then declared confidently, "How can a gourmet stay in one place? I've tasted all the good food here, so naturally I should go and see the Elf."
Goria seemed a little uncomfortable.
High-ranking Witch rarely travel alone, let alone in a snowy environment. Soren wanted to help but couldn't. He carried a half-bag on his back like a schoolbag, inside which was little Vivian. The little girl wrapped her white little hands around his neck, rested her head on Soren's shoulder, and her soft breathing was a little ticklish. Every now and then she would kick her little feet and open her palms to catch the falling snowflakes. At first she was very energetic, but later she became a little listless because everything was covered in a white blanket of snow.
After walking for a while, the Northern Witch finally grew tired.
She bit her lip, gave the others a stubborn look, and then cast a Lighten Spell on herself.
Mages are generally quite delicate, and with the Lighten Spell applied, Goria's steps became light and agile, leaving only shallow footprints in the snow, appearing even more agile than a master of lightness skill. The Fly doesn't last very long and isn't suitable for long-distance travel; the cold winds in the sky are also a problem, requiring Abjuration Spell to keep her grounded, otherwise the Witch's Constitution wouldn't be able to withstand it.
A howling, cold wind blew by.
A row of footprints was left on the snow as the group gradually entered the forest. The swirling snow quickly erased their traces.
...(To be continued~-~)