A few days later, light from the windows above filtered through the numerous bookshelves and cast competing geometric patterns across the walls and floor. A single book started to shift the move, seemingly on its own. A tree limb grew out of the shelf and lifted the book over to where a stack was steadily growing next to Danny in his tree aspect. Once the book was placed one the stack the tree limb fell to the ground and broke into multiple pieces.

Elder Cardinal came into the room and sighed in frustration, “Danny, just tell me or one of my assistants what you want and we will be happy to get it. You are creating a huge mess with these dead tree limbs everywhere.”

The leaves in Danny’s hair rustled as he turned to look around for the elder was, “Sorry elder, I get distracted and did it without thinking. Do you have anything on earth magic, specifically metals?”

The elder left and returned shortly with a number of books, “Here you are… Danny, are you even reading that book? You are turning the pages way too quickly.”

Danny would look at each page in a book for only a few seconds each. If there was a diagram or picture, he would linger for a few extra seconds.

Danny did not turn away from the book, “Yes, I found out that I can memorize a book without actually having read it. Then I can look over it later when I have more time. Here take this.”

Danny handed the elder a sacred tree seed and then reached up to turn the page without missing a beat.

Danny had found he could gather enough mana to produce a seed every day to a day and a half. That also depended on how much time he spent connected to the sacred tree in his nature aspect.

He had seen the elders try to create the seeds from the trees flowers themselves, but no matter how much mana they infused, nothing would happen. Danny had made the decision to make as many seeds as he could until he read every book in the elven library.

The girls were understandably put off by his choice to seclude himself for days in the library, where they were not allowed to visit. The princess came by every now and then to try and convince him to leave for a while and see them. Danny told them he would only leave when he was finished. Though, at night, after they had gone to bed, he would secretly train adding more and more stone to increase his body's strength. Physically he already stronger than he had ever been before.

Elder Cardinal looked down at the seed confused, “Why don't you take the time now to read the books?”

Danny shook his head, “Things are escalating out there. I feel bad enough as it is taking all this time to memorize these books. Given this rate, I should finish in about four days.”

The old elf shook his head, “Danny, there is no reason for you to be concerned with the goblins. Our army and the humans are actively working together to stop the threat. Though the weather has definitely turned for the worst, with all this snow. That should hopefully slow down the goblins as well.”

Danny made a less than convinced noise and continued turning pages quickly.

Seeing there wasn't much conversation left to be had here, the elder went to go find someone to clean up all the broken limbs strewn everywhere.

A massive hammer flew through the air striking the snow covered ground. An explosion of soil and snow flew in all directions. Danny lay on the ground near the new crater in one of the palace's courtyards. He was in his earth aspect and was covered in a stone armor that included his new robe. In his hands was a dull stone great sword that currently shook as Danny tried his best not to pee himself.

*Can you actually urinate in the aspects? Oh! Flaming pee! Hurry, switch to flame aspect! That will teach that overgrown gorilla...*

Danny scrambled to get up, his movements slower with the new "armor" he could wear, "Was it really necessary to hit that hard, Wizard. We are just supposed to be training?"

Wizard Basalt was picking something from his teeth while leaning on his hammer, "Danny, you said you wanted to get stronger. I am definitely not jealous that you can turn your whole body into stone... No, that is definitely not it. Now get ready!"

Danny raised his great sword in time to block a blow from the hammer. His first lesson had been how to redirect a blow instead of trying to take it head on.

His first lesson had also lasted all of five seconds, which ended with Danny laying in a Danny shaped depression in the ground. His stone armor cracking and falling around him. He remembered the wizard laughing at his injuries and sarcastically explaining how healing magic works.

Blow after blow rained down on Danny, spinning to one side he tried to change the pace and get behind the older man. Wizard Basalt, chuckled and used the shaft of his hammer like a pool cue and shot it behind himself and into Danny's stomach. While the blow wasn't that powerful, it was enough to disrupt Danny's attack.

Danny came to a stop and let his frustration out, "How are you so...."

"Agile? It's called agility, Danny. I didn't just train strength," The wizard paused to think, "I just mostly trained strength. Also, there is no substitute for experience."

With that the Wizard went back to wailing on Danny.

While dodging and parrying, Danny thought about how over the past week or so, he had advanced quickly on a number of skills. Still he could tell Wizard Basalt was holding back.

His intelligence benefit from the sanctuary was increased when 'Elven (spoken)' and 'Elven (written)' had advanced to journeyman rank (level six), 'earth affinity' rose to level seven, 'nature affinity' made it all the way level nine.

His new exercise regime, with the increasing level of stone added, had netted him increases in strength as 'hauling' increased to journeyman rank. After training with Wizard Basalt, his stone armor gave him three new levels in 'heavy armor'. The wizard had also given him pointers that allowed him to get to level three in 'war hammer' and the first level in his current weapon 'great sword'. What really drove this fast increase was Danny's ability to train multiple times a night. The elven guards took turns sparing with him, giving him pointers and tips of their own.

A good fear of the Wizard Basalt's hammer had upped his agility as well. Run and dodge rose to journeyman rank, while jump rose to level five.

His strength bonus had gone from barely anything to a quarter of the way to the first attribute threshold. He now had twenty five percent more strength than he would have from just training his muscles. His agility now boosted his body by almost fifty percent. His intelligence was a quarter away from the second threshold. That thought alone excited Danny and made him impatient to find out what would happen.

His thoughts were unfortunately interrupted.

"Danny! It's time to get ready, are you serious going to be late again? Brooke, Jade, and I have already gone over our roles for tomorrow. Hurry up," Ivy leaned out of a nearby window.

Wizard Basalt stood up straight, "Better get going boy, don't want to start any wars by angering an entire royal family."

Danny grudgingly nodded and quickly ran to go get ready.

On the north side of the city a new palace was being grown. The tree was already as tall as a two story building, but it would take many more months to get it as high as the elves planned it to be.

While the druids didn't have to be present during the entire growing process, the queen had apparently commandeered them in their off time to help with preparations for the wedding. Druids were busy growing small flowering trees and bushes all around an area set aside for the event. Danny was shocked by the size of the area being prepared and realized they must be planning for every elf to be able to attend.

The queen was personally directing servants and druids creating what looked like a massive summer garden in the middle of the snow covered field.

Danny walked over to the queen, and noticed she was also handling her other duties at the same time. Her husband, Commander Barrow, and some military looking advisors were speaking with the queen and they were inspecting at a tattered piece of black cloth. Since the queen was facing away from him, Danny could make out the design on the material as she held it up in study.

The black cloth held a strange looking symbol. To Danny it reminded him of one of those circular mazes. Except the symbol looked like someone didn't finish the maze.

*Cranny, why does that look familiar? I can't place where I have seen it though.*

*I got nothing for you. Was it something before I was created? I will look through your memories.*

Princes Willow called out from behind him, "Danny, you made it on time for once!"

The queen quickly lowered the material and the advisors left with the black cloth, while her husband stayed behind.

Danny smiled towards the princes, "Good morning, Willow."

The deceptively young looking princess ran up jumping and hugged Danny around his neck. With her momentum, they spun in place.

Prince Consort Barrow stared daggers at Danny behind his daughters back.

Sensing Danny tense up, Willow pulled back and frowned, "Danny, don't worry. This will be great. We will have so much fun together! You are not having second thoughts are you?"

Danny was surprised how fragile the older girl suddenly looked and quickly reassured her, "No, never. You just surprised me is all."

Smiling she moved forward to crush her lips against his. Danny quickly melted into the sensation of the girls soft lips.

Cranny was cheering and there was a strange sound like an applause track playing in Danny's head. Then klaxons started blaring and Cranny screamed, *All hands, battle stations!*

Danny, lost in the feeling of Willow's lips, started to chuckle at Cranny’s apparent joke when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

If Barrow was staring daggers before he was now melting Danny with eye lasers. Danny couldn't miss the hand reaching behind the man's large back and the handle of a weapon coming up with it.

Before Danny could really react, the queen shoved an elbow into her husband’s side and his face quickly went back to a polite smile. This was actually scarier to Danny, for some reason.

Unaware of what had just occurred, Princess Willow stepped back happily, "I wish your parents could be here for this. I would like to meet the people who raised my new husband."

Danny frowned sadly, "Yeah, me too. I know my dad would just be making jokes the whole time while my mom was trying to keep him..."

That's when he realized where he had seen that symbol before. To be precise that symbol wasn't complete. It was obviously a message. One that only a few people would recognize.

Cranny picking up on Danny’s thoughts asked, *Why would they advertise that though?*

Willow looked concerned, "It's alright Danny, we will go visit them as soon as this whole goblin situation is wrapped up, right mom?"

The queen smile, "Of course, we will help you go wherever you need to Danny. Just let us know."

Danny looked over at the queen and consort, "Where did you get that black cloth you were looking at before?"

The queens smile fell and she paused before she replied, "That was nothing, Danny. Now, we need to go over what is going to happen tomorrow. There are a few intricacies to an elven wedding I am sure you havn..."

Danny walked closer to the queen, "No, tell me about the cloth."

Commander Barrow stepped in between the queen and Danny, "Danny, the cloth, and other like it, were being held as standards for this new goblin army."

The queen turned to her husband, “Barrow, not now!”

Danny ignored the queen, "I thought the snows were stopping any actions by either side?"

The queen put a hand on her husband’s arm, squeezing, but Barrow shook it off, "No, the attacks have not let up. There have been heavy casualties on both sides. Crossbark is gone, Danny. The humans are still holding it as a military staging point, but they were unable to save the town. A good number of the remaining citizens escaped."

Danny looked contemplative, “Have they attacked your people like they have been Diadem?”

Burrow shook his head, “No, they seem to only be focusing on Diadem, and we don't know why. Diadem has blamed us for stirring them up.”

Danny shook his head and looked back towards the south, “It’s not your fault. They would have attacked Diadem regardless. Your involvement might have stopped them from having enough time build up an army to overwhelm us.”

Barrow openly scrutinized Danny now.

The queen moved closer to Danny, “What do you know about this, Danny?”

Danny didn't turn around, “Like you, I am older than I look. I was born with the memories from my previous life still intact. I suspect me being here was an accident. Diadem has told me not to tell anyone about anything I know, but I suspect it is too late… I need to go to these ancient ruins and find the one responsible for this.”

The queen shared a look with her husband, “Danny, please understand. We can't afford let you go there until the threat is over. You are too important to endanger. We can promise to bring anyone you wish to question.”

Wind surrounded Danny’s body as he activated his air aspect, “I’m sorry, there are things that should stay in the dark… Phantom!”

Danny flew through the air towards the southeast. Landing on the outskirts of the capital, he waited until Phantom arrived at his side.

Patting the cat’s neck, Danny looks back towards the palace, “The girls won’t be able to keep up with us and it looks like the elves will just try and stop me. That means it just you and me, Phantom.”

*We are running on half empty, Danny. I think we should approach this like a scouting mission. Get in and, if it gets too crazy, get out. The beast wolves were what tipped off the goblins when the elves went there. We avoided the goblin’s wolves before, but this will be inside their territory.*

Danny frowned, *We can travel on Phantom to conserve mana.*

*Danny, t0hey are almost here!*

*That was what I was counting on.*

Jumping on the cat’s back, they raced off into the forest.