8: Gentle Healer and the Bauble

Rat didn't sleep but watched over the others who were snoring soundly. He especially observed the alfar woman.

"Vermin Blood Code: Night Sight," he whispered to activate his passive sight magic ability. The darkness became inverted to white light: so what was white in normal vision was black in his sight.

He frowned when he detected wave energy patterns near Liran's hip.

"What's she got that's making that magic discharge?" His whiskers twitched with concern.

After some thought, he switched off his sight ability and checked on Clover's wound that had started to form scabs. Fortunately, he was able to get to it before it had become infected.

"I guess the imp and I should take off once we're done with the healer." He sighed and returned to his spot on the imp's shoulder.

Aiden carefully peered at the critter, wondering what kind of vermin had the mind of a man. This was certainly an interesting party he was surrounded by. Although he wasn't sure if it was a good one. But he had a promise to fulfill either way, so he would stick it out and maybe take off once he had done his duty.

From his view near the cave entrance, he caught signs of daylight breaking and decided it was best to rest while he could.

The air swiftly descended into an icy chill, which had everyone shivering in their sleep.

Liran tossed and turned as her dreams were plagued with visions of fighting monsters, corpses, and souls struggling to break free from some invisible bind. The images warped into a single vision of a person's fuzzy face: so nondistinctive that it blended into the background. Then the face exploded into blinding white that pulled her out of her dreamscape. She woke up gasping for breath and seeing the others still sleeping on the ground. Dawn was breaking.

A crawling feeling ran over her limbs, but the feelings were fleeting. Soon soothing warmth flowed through her.

"Time to go," Aiden soberly said when he opened his eyes.

She stared at him next to her and nodded.

"Yeah."

The morning was a different kind of chaos as Liran and her new party headed out for the Outskirts.

Bosnia and Rat couldn't help themselves with their bickering matches, both declaring tally points for each round they overpowered each other. Although Rat was clearly in the lead.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Liran asked Clover as they walked the road. The girl was looking pale.

"I'll return your question. You didn't sleep well, did you? Your skin is lacking color compared to when I last saw you," Clover soberly answered.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. But it's nothing more than that. When we get to Lyashi-vai's house, he'll be able to fix us up good. He's one of the best." Liran raised a fist, pumped up with spirit.

"How do you know the good doctor?"

Liran nodded. It was fair they knew of their meeting. She had everyone stop and gather around a tree stump at the road's edge. Using the stump as her podium, she began to tell the tale of the Gentle Healer and the Bauble.

"Not so long ago there was a young gentle mage who made something others wanted..."

Liran told the tale of how she had been passing through a meadow when she saw this young man being chased by imps and sorcerers casting air magic and drain spells to catch him. He had tossed her a shiny, silver bauble with odd viscous liquid inside it, screaming at her to protect it at all costs. Suddenly, she was on the run for her life with the man. Without thinking she followed and helped him lose his pursuers. When they could rest and talk, she learned that the bauble contained an elixir he had created: one that could extend a person's life.

Passing farmers, travelers, and merchants paused to listen and were captivated by her storytelling.

"He sounds amazing," Clover commented.

"I like the part where he wallops the imp into a tree!" Bosnia interrupted with knuckle-cracking and air punches.

Annoying Imp looked worried and took a few steps away from her.

Liran nodded and carried on with the telling with grand gesticulation and embellishments. Soon the road was blocked by a crowd who had gathered around her with their attention.  She made sure to entertain their imaginations.

"He did what to the imp?" A farm boy eagerly shouted, laughing (along with many others) at a funny part of Liran's story.

Eventually, Liran ended her telling with a theatrical movement and received cheering, claps, and coins in response.

"So that's Lyashi-vai. I see him in a better light now." An elderly man chuckled as he hobbled away with another to resume his business.

Aiden blinked, not quite sure what had happened. One moment she was telling a story; the next, she had a crowd surrounding her, and the energy was uplifting moods. He glanced at his hand, which tingled with vitality. "My lingxi has regenerated?" 

He gazed at Liran and frowned. She was more powerful than he realized. He saw beads of sweat trickle down the sides of her neck; carefully he observed her as they resumed their travels down the road.