444The one-sided war between the tree elves and the water giantsAI Model: gemini-2.5-flashChapter 444: The One-Sided War Between the Tree Elves and the Water Giants"Thank you for the compliment, I think so too." Aaron nodded, a little embarrassed, though being recognized by a lion felt a bit strange to him."It's just that you're a bit too cautious about new things." Aslan paused, then continued, "Sometimes being bolder might lead to unexpected gains.""It's an unfamiliar environment after all. Before ensuring safety, no amount of caution is too much, because I'm not sure if those stronger than me are all as easy to talk to as you are." Aaron shrugged. If there was no one in this world who could threaten him, he wouldn't have been so low-key.A smile played on Aslan's lips. "That seems to make some sense, but I still reserve my opinion.""How did you find us? What's the situation now?" Susan asked worriedly."The battle plan was barely successful; the Telmarines suffered more than half casualties.But the real battle is yet to come. When I left, both sides were regrouping their forces. If nothing unexpected happened, they would have already started a chaotic fight by now.""What?" Susan was shocked, then looked at Aslan. "I don't know why you've been absent all this time, but Narnia needs your help now.""I will go," Aslan said slowly."You… will go?" Susan was a bit slow to react. She had thought it would take some convincing to persuade Aslan to appear, but she didn't expect it to be so easy."The same thing won't happen twice," Lucy murmured, a look of realization dawning on her face. "Aslan appeared to help the Narnians during the White Witch's reign, but this time it's not the same, because we are asking him for help.""Clever. Now everything must be considered differently.Your friends have slept long enough, haven't they?" Aslan said, standing up and letting out the roar of the King of the Forest in the deep woods.Roar!A majestic roar echoed, and the quiet forest awakened with it.The previously still trees all swayed, bending slightly towards Aslan in reverence.Immediately after, the ground trembled, and thick tree roots broke through the earth, rapidly burrowing towards the battlefield."Oh my goodness!" Aaron looked at the moving trees, momentarily awestruck. In his impression, the Whomping Willow wasn't this exaggerated."They're back," Lucy said excitedly."Let's go!" Aslan said. "Let's end this war together."Lucy and Susan exchanged glances and rode on Aslan's back.The last time they did this was a year ago, but for the Narnians, thousands of years had passed."Aaron, you should be able to follow, right!" Susan said somewhat awkwardly."If you don't want to give me a ride, just say so, no need to beat around the bush.""There really isn't enough room, but you can ride that horse.""No need." Aaron waved his hand, then Apparated out of their sight.Susan and Lucy both widened their eyes. "Is that magic too?""This is spatial magic, or what you humans call instant movement.I can't do this kind of magic, so both of you hold on tight."As soon as he finished speaking, Aslan transformed into a brownish-yellow afterimage and rushed out… Near the bunker, the Narnians and Telmarines were already fighting.The Narnians were fewer in number, but their morale was high due to the success of the battle plan.The Telmarines were more numerous, but their morale was relatively low. However, as a well-trained army, they still managed to gain some advantage.Thwack!Aaron teleported to the edge of the battlefield. As soon as he landed, several Telmarine soldiers charged at him with swords."Oh ho!"Aaron raised an eyebrow. He had intended to take them out with a single roar, but seeing them all charred, he abandoned the idea.It was already quite remarkable that they had escaped the bunker; using fire against them again would be too much bullying."All petrify."A layer of light green light struck several of them, and they instantly fell motionless to the ground, only their eyes showing fear.Just then, Caspian suddenly fell not far in front of Aaron. General Sopes was holding a spear pointed at him, but his face was conflicted, hesitating to strike."Expelliarmus."A white ball of light hit Sopes, his spear flew from his hand, and he himself crashed into the bunker.Aaron pulled Caspian up. "Are you alright!""Not dead yet. Did you find them?""I did.Not only did I find the two of them, but I also found Aslan.""Aslan?" Peter, who was fighting bravely, heard this and immediately stiffened. He quickly dealt with the soldiers pester him. "You really saw him?""Of course, that lion is even bigger than the legends say.""When will he come? We can't keep fighting like this.""He'll be a while, but reinforcements have arrived."Rumble!All the trees near the battlefield began to move. Their roots continuously spread forward, reaching out like tentacles towards the Telmarines, dragging them one by one underground.The Telmarines had never seen such a spectacle and were immediately terrified, dropping their helmets and armor, and fleeing in disarray.The arrival of the Tree-spirits shifted the tide of victory towards the Narnians. Their morale soared, and they cheered for friends they hadn't seen in centuries."For Aslan!" Peter shouted, leading the Narnians in a counterattack.Puspi, who was hiding behind the army formation, was also greatly alarmed by this scene and felt utterly distraught.He had thought that although this battle would be difficult, they would at least achieve victory, but he didn't expect such an unexpected turn of events.The Narnian reinforcements were too exaggerated, even more terrifying than their catapults by several times."Lead them to the river. We have a better chance there," said a general wearing a golden mask."We need to regroup and go to Beruna!" Puspi shouted. "Retreat, retreat to the bridge!"The Telmarine army ran off, as if they wished their parents had given them two more legs.They fled to the bridge, and as Puspi and the generals were about to rush across, they saw three figures appear on the other side of the bridge, causing them to stop dead in their tracks in shock.At the same time, the Narnians also caught up, trapping the Telmarine soldiers by the river.On the other side of the bridge, Lucy revealed a pure smile and slowly drew the dagger from her waist.This action wasn't very damaging, but it was extremely insulting. This was the first time the Telmarines had encountered such blatant provocation.Aslan, accompanied by Susan, also stood beside her. The two people and one lion guarded the other side of the bridge, blocking their army of several thousand.The scene was comical, very comical.But remembering the legends about Aslan, Puspi was momentarily caught between a rock and a hard place.After a moment of hesitation, he still gave the order to attack.Aslan was a legend, that was true, but no one knew how much power he had, whereas the pursuing Narnians were a real and present threat.With their retreat cut off, pushing forward might still offer a chance to survive.The remaining cavalry all went onto the bridge, followed closely by the infantry. Those who couldn't fit directly entered the water to cross the river.As the army rushed to the middle of the bridge, Aslan let out another roar.Roar!The sound waves created ripples on the river surface, and the charging Telmarine soldiers involuntarily stopped.Immediately after, the water level began to drop. The river, which had originally reached their chests, now only reached their knees.Just as everyone was puzzled, a rumbling sound clearly reached everyone's ears.Turning to look, rolling Giant waves surged from a hundred meters away.Seeing this, the Telmarine soldiers, both those in the water and those not, retreated to the riverbanks.Facing such a natural disaster, staying meant death. Surrendering to the Narnians would at least save their lives.As for Puspi and the others on the bridge, they accelerated their charge forward. As long as they could cross the river in time, they would still have a glimmer of hope.But as the Giant wave surged, it transformed into a colossal Water-man, and its speed immediately increased significantly."Good heavens." Aaron involuntarily swallowed, and a few more traces of awe appeared in his gaze towards Aslan.Perhaps his previous roar awakening the Tree-spirits was nothing; it was merely waking up a group of spirits that had slept for centuries, not much of a feat.But this current display was impressive. He could also summon similar elemental Giants, but he definitely couldn't do it with such effortless grace, without seemingly expending any effort at all.The Water-man arrived beside the bridge, its emotionless eyes fixed on the soldiers on the bridge. The soldiers were terrified out of their wits and frantically jumped off the wooden bridge.The Giant Water-man went under the bridge, and its large hand made of water lifted the wooden bridge. In the process, many more soldiers were swept away by the waves, leaving only Puspi on horseback, facing the Water-man's death gaze alone.Puspi watched the Water-man's face draw closer and closer, a clear pallor appearing on his face. He frantically swung his long sword, but such an attack had no effect on the flowing water.Bang!The Giant Water-man smashed the bridge to smithereens with its head, and Puspi was also swallowed by the ten-meter-high Giant wave.The river surface returned to calm. Countless Telmarine soldiers who had attempted to cross the river were killed or injured, and the remaining ones completely lost their will to fight, choosing to lay down their arms and surrender."Line up by the river.""You will not be harmed.""Lay down your weapons, remove your armor."...The Narnians systematically received the prisoners. Peter, Edmund, Aaron, and Caspian waded across the river and approached Aslan.Except for Aaron, the other three, seeing the majestic lion before them, all knelt down in unison, their piety and reverence fully evident."Kings all kneeling, that's quite a famous scene," Aaron remarked."Shut up, you," Susan immediately glared at him."Arise, Kings of Narnia," Aslan said.Peter and Edmund immediately stood up, but Caspian remained kneeling motionless on the ground."All of you," Aslan added.Caspian paused for a moment. "I don't believe I am worthy.""It is because of your humility that I know you are worthy."Aaron silently gave him a thumbs-up. "You are now a King recognized by Aslan, and the Narnians will have no reservations about you."Just then, a mournful tune sounded behind them. A team of mice walked over carrying a stretcher, on which lay their leader, Reepicheep."What are you waiting for? Where's the Potion bottle?" Aaron asked impatiently. "If we don't save him now, he'll really be gone."Edmund snapped out of it and immediately took out Lucy's Potionbottle.A few drops of red liquid were poured into Reepicheep's mouth, and the dying mouse immediately regained vitality, slowly standing up from the stretcher."Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you." Reepicheep said gratefully, but as soon as he turned his head, he saw a majestic lion. "Hail, Aslan, this is the highest honor."Reepicheep was about to bow when his body uncontrollably stumbled. He instinctively reached behind him, and his long tail was gone, only a short stump remained."Oh no." Reepicheep awkwardly covered his rear. "This is too embarrassing. I must beg your indulgence; I am so unpresentable."He looked at Lucy and pleaded, "Perhaps another drop of Potion can heal me."Lucy shook her head slightly. "I don't think that will work.""It's worth a try."Aslan chuckled a few times and comforted him, "You look quite spirited even like this, little one.""I am very sorry, Great Lion King.I'm afraid I must leave, for the tail is the glory of a mouse.""I can try." Aaron pulled out his wand and tapped Reepicheep's tail, and a silver mouse tail slowly emerged behind him."This was an inspiration from a Dark Wizard. I'm not confident about reattaching severed limbs yet, but a mouse's tail I can certainly reattach.""This…" Reepicheep hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Never mind!This tail is not my honor, and it doesn't suit me."Aaron's mouth twitched slightly, and he dispelled his Transfiguration.He had rarely been so kind as to heal someone, and he didn't expect to be rejected.But he really couldn't heal injuries like missing limbs. Perhaps he would gain that ability after acquiring the Horse Talisman, but his next target was the Eye of Agamotto, so the Horse Talisman would have to wait."Perhaps you value honor too much, my friend," Aslan said."But it's not just honor; it's also used for balance, for climbing, and for grasping things."The team of mice behind Reepicheep all drew their swords and pointed them at their own tails. "Respected Aslan, our leader has lost his tail, and we have no face to continue having ours.""Idiots, a bunch of idiots," Aaron muttered."Heh heh!" Aslan smiled slightly. "This is not for your dignity, but for everyone's love."As his voice fell, a lifelike tail appeared behind Reepicheep.Aaron: …This is possible too? I was too hasty.Reepicheep joyfully held his tail. "Thank you, my Lord, I will cherish it forever.From today on, he will be a symbol of my humility.""Hahaha." Aslan was amused, then looked at Lucy. "Where is the dear little friend you mentioned?"Everyone simultaneously looked at the Dwarf warrior who was rounding up prisoners. Trumpkin seemed to sense the gaze on him, and walked over awkwardly but politely, kneeling respectfully before Aslan."Roar!"A roar made Trumpkin's heart pound, overwhelmed with honor."You see him now, don't you?" Lucy teased.Hearing this, Trumpkin gave an embarrassed laugh, and all his previous doubts vanished in an instant.
