The Cask Breaks

George ducked into the bottom of the cask, which bobbed up and down wildly on the churning river. As George had hoped, the cask had stopped, resting against something. Then he felt butterflies in his stomach as the cask soared into the air, and heard a low-pitch laugh. Ethylwhyte moved the cask up the river, and let it float down the river once more.

Ethylwhyte was having much wine-fueled fun, and was in a good mood. George was not. The giant let the cask float down the river four more times, to rest against some rocks. On the last journey down the river, the cask capsized, and a weary George weakly swam out. Ethylwhyte quickly cupped his palms under George and a bunch of water, and picked him up off the ground. George gasped for air, and coughed as water went down his windpipe.

Seeing that George was wet, shivering, and coughing, Ethylwhyte found another cask, and gently placed George inside of it. He placed this cask on top of the Sapphire Pavillion, apparently so that he could play with George later. Eyeing another cask of wine, Ethylwhyte opened it and drank it all. Tiring from all the fun that he was having with George, and sleepy from the wine, he lay across the river, above the waterfall and the gorge, and the soft roar of the waterfall lulled him into a pleasant sleep.

Now while George was stuck on the top of the pavillion....

"Why couldn't George fly down?" asked Mary.

"The Gliders did not have their wings yet. All five companions looked like frail little children back then. There's more to the story."

"Please go on, then."

Adar, Geomi, and Edain fled to the Ruby Pavillion, and watched Ethylwhyte play with poor George. Draco had stealthily stalked the giant, but stayed out of his way. He was relieved when the giant fell asleep in the river. Relief turned into alarm when he noticed that the upper river was overflowing its banks. Two streams of water were threatening to flood the pavillions!

1. Try to wake the giant.
2. Try to save the pavillions.
3. Run away!

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