Someone wanted Lina Inverse dead. And that someone was willing to pay Jey Kine a heck of a lot of money to get the job done. But even as the young, brown-haired mercenary sat on the bed in his tiny rented room, and hefted the large sack of gold coins - his advance payment - in one hand, he trembled in fear.
How on Earth am I supposed to kill the Enemy of All Who Live? Jey thought, swallowing painfully. Heck, the girl even spooks dragons! Maybe I shouldn't have taken this job after all...
He could take his chances and get out while he was still alive, running off with the coins and leaving his employer in the lurch.
But...
A greedy smile suddenly crossed Jey's face, as he remembered his new boss's last words before pressing this sack of gold into his willing hands.
"The moment this job is done," the cloaked guy had said, sitting across from Jey in the smoky bar where they'd met for the first and only time, "you will receive fifty million more gold coins."
Fifty million.
Fifty.
Million.
In gold.
Jey smiled dreamily. For fifty million gold coins, I could buy my own castle... I could live like some kind of prince... or king... Heck, I could BE a king! He liked that idea. He liked it an awful lot.
In fact, he liked the idea of being filthy rich so much that the task of killing the Enemy of All Who Live suddenly didn't seem quite so nerve-wracking. It's a risk, he thought, his resolve suddenly strengthened, a risk I'm willing to take.
Jey Kine dumped the sack of coins out onto the bed and played with the glittering golden disks, as he dreamily tried to decide what colour of tapestry would look best on his castle walls...
"Gourry!" a voice shrieked out of sheer indignation. "Get your hands off my roast chicken!"
Jey winced. He'd been sitting in a shadowed corner of this restaurant for the past hour and more, watching his intended target eat and eat and eat...
He wasn't sure what to think. All the stories about the infamous Lina Inverse had painted her as being a demon among demons, cruel and insanely powerful, a legendary creature whose powers and destructive nature separated her from mere mortals. The reality of the matter had been somewhat different - but not much. Still, it was something of a shock to learn that this young redheaded woman - no, girl, judging from her size - who seemed to spend all her time eating, sleeping, occasionally whining, beating up her companions (especially the blond), and, oh, incidentally, did I mention eating, was the one who had inspired such frightful tales.
Well, he thought to himself, no matter what she's really like, my target's in sight, large as life. I guess I should do something about that, then...
Jey had been preparing for this moment for days, ever since hearing rumours of a certain red-haired sorceress with a penchant for destruction being seen near Tallys City. He'd thought, what with Lina's reputation, that getting near enough to her to do the deed would be the hard part. As it turned out, getting close to the Dragon Spooker was as simple as scoping out the local restaurants. The hardest part of his job now, it seemed, would be actually going through with the assassination.
I can almost feel my gold coins now... With a greedy smile, he took a small packet of white powder from one pocket. It was harmless enough, until it was dissolved in liquid or scattered on food. Then, it would reveal its deadly nature. Pure poison.
Jey sighed. At least, he was pretty sure it was poison. He would have bought the most expensive and deadly poison the local apothecary could concoct, except for the fact that he'd long since run out of money. All those lovely golden coins of his had been spent weeks ago.
I never thought it'd take me so bloody long just to FIND the blasted girl, he thought in exasperation. I've been living on nothing but small beer and stale bread for days... He once again glanced over, mouth watering, at the massive amounts of food that were rapidly disappearing into his target's bottomless pit of a stomach.
Never mind that. Soon I'll be rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams, and able to afford a decent meal again. Soon. All I have to do is slip this powder into her food, and... and....
Jey wasn't exactly sure what the powder would do. Maybe the great Lina Inverse would foam at the mouth and keel over in agony; maybe she'd die a long, lingering death; maybe she'd go mad and destroy herself with her own legendary powers. Who knows? All the old wise-woman I nicked it from would say about it was, "It's dangerous! Dangerous!" Man, was she ever annoying....
Jey tried to put the delicious aroma of food out of his mind and concentrate on the task at hand. I have to do it fast, sometime within the next few minutes, he thought. Lina won't be eating for too much longer - no human could possibly eat much more than she already has - and besides, it's late; she and her friends are the last people left in this restaurant, besides me. They're sure to pack up and go pretty soon.
Jey could do the job tomorrow or the day after, now that he was sure of Lina's whereabouts, but he wanted to get it all over with as soon as possible. And frankly, he was down to his last few copper coins. If he waited any longer before doing the job and collecting his reward, he'd have to pawn his sword, or find a real job, or something equally unsavoury, to get enough funds to survive.
He'd been watching Lina and her three companions surreptitiously for the past couple of days, ever since he'd located them, in order to learn their strengths and weaknesses. He considered all that he'd learned.
Blondy over there is a dunce if I ever saw one, he thought. But he can swing that sword of his amazingly well, and he's always on the ball in a fight. Mark him as dangerous, then.
The other, dark-haired little girl seemed at times to be nothing more than a hero-wannabe, always spouting off about justice at the smallest opportunity. But just yesterday, he'd seen her blasting her way merrily through a gang of bandits. She'd seemed (to Jey's admittedly untrained eyes) to be as powerful as Lina, or nearly so. Can't count her out as useless, either.
And the last companion, the man whose face was always hidden.... There was something sinister about him; cynical and brooding, he exuded competence. Can't put anything past a guy like that, realized Jey glumly. Okay, all three of 'em seem to be just as dangerous as Lina herself. If I simply sauntered over and slipped the powder into her soup, one of them, like as not, would notice, and I'd be in real trouble. He shuddered. All the gold coins in the world couldn't save me from the wrath of people like them. Not to mention that they'd probably warn Lina about the poison. Well, he realized, with that appetite of hers she might well down the powder before they could stop her, but... I'd greatly prefer to live long enough to enjoy my fifty million gold.
For a moment, a dreamy look crossed Jey's face. Fifty million... Fifty million! I could buy a castle... maybe even two castles... full of tapestries... silverware made of real silver... Jey shook his head to clear it. I can't afford to think of that right now! I have to figure out how to get the poison into Lina. Without her or her friends suspecting it was me. Now how the heck am I...
"Waitress!" called out Lina suddenly, waving an arm in the air to attract the server's attention. "Bring me six more steak dinners! NOW!"
Despite his amazement at the redheaded sorceress's sheer capacity for food, Jey noticed the harried waitress taking down the order and disappearing once again into the kitchen. With a flash of logic, he realized, The kitchens! I'll poison the food before it's even brought out! Neither she nor her friends'll know, until it's too late. I'm brilliant...
Inordinately proud of his cleverness, Jey got up from his table in the shadows, leaving behind a half-drained mug of watery beer, and a small plate which had been carefully cleaned of even the tiniest crumbs. Next to the plate were his last few copper coins, payment for the unsatisfying meal.
He took up his sword from where it was leaning against a nearby wall, buckled the swordbelt around his hips, and walked out of the restaurant into the cool night air. Immediately, he made his way down the alley beside the restaurant. There's got to be a back door into the kitchen somewhere along here, he thought as he walked along the alley, almost tripping over some piles of garbage in the darkness.
The door, when he finally found it, was half open, probably so refuse could be tossed out into the alley with ease. Jey thanked his luck and crept quietly into the firelit kitchen, which was full of delicious smells. As soon as he was through the door, he ducked behind a counter to avoid being seen; it turned out he needn't have bothered. The chef was attending to a large haunch of meat roasting on a spit by the far wall. Absorbed in his labours, he didn't notice the intruder in his kitchen. The waitress was nowhere in sight, off clearing plates or whatever it is that waitresses do.
Jey stood up carefully and gazed around at the food which surrounded him. The roasting meat... something bubbling in a big pot, stew probably... vegetables on a chopping board... a small pot of coffee... I am sooo hungry... Never mind that! Where should I sprinkle the poison? He didn't want to waste any, and he had to make sure Lina got the lion's share. The meat would be the best bet, but the chef's right there... I won't chance it. The stew...? I don't think she ordered stew....
As he stood in the middle of the kitchens, trying to figure out what to do with his poison, someone behind him called out, "Excuse me?" It was a woman's voice. "What do you think you're doing here, sir?"
The waitress! thought Jey, beginning to panic. Oh no... have to get this done right now! Just dump the powder in something nearby.... The closest food-related item to Jey was the pot of coffee. It was set out on a tray, no doubt to be taken out to the customers. And since the only customers left in the restaurant at this late hour were Lina and her gang...
He smiled in relief, tore open the packet of poison, and surreptitiously dumped the contents into the coffeepot as fast as he could. Then, he turned to face the annoyed waitress, thinking fast. "I'm sorry," he said cheerfully. "I must be lost. I can't seem to find the bathroom."
The waiter stared at him as if he were a complete moron. "It's two paces to the right of the dining hall," she snapped. "Right by the huge sign saying "Bathroom this way." With an arrow pointing straight to it."
"Thank you!" proclaimed Jey with a smile. Relieved that his job was done, he whistled a happy tune as he walked out of the kitchen the way he'd come.
"Wait!" called out the waitress. "The bathroom is THAT way..." She sighed as she watched the strange young swordsman saunter off into the dark alley.
"Who was that, Margie?" called out the chef, her father, only just noticing the stranger in his restaurant's kitchen.
"No idea," she said, still perturbed. "I think he's a few bricks short of a load, whoever he is..."
"Never mind; no harm done, eh? Oh, right, the food's ready," her father said as he turned to her, his face flushed from working close to the hot cooking fires. "The steaks're all sliced," he said as he pointed towards the slabs of meat which he'd just slid onto a set of waiting plates. "Now you just throw a few carrots on there, and some of that sauce, while I get things cleaned up back here. Those folks almost ready to leave, d'ye think?"
"Not so's you'd notice," she said in resignation, and set to work.
Soon the six steak dinners were ready to go. Margie gathered them up on a couple of trays, and picked up the pot of coffee almost as an afterthought. She then walked back out to the dining area, heavily laden with her burden of food.
"Finally! I was getting hungry out here!" snapped Lina as the young, dark-eyed waitress set down plate after plate in front of her. As soon as the first plate hit the table, the sorceress whipped out her fork, speared an entire steak, and lifted it up, gnawing on it.
"You sure you haven't eaten enough already?" muttered Zelgadis, watching this newest round of food rapidly disappearing into Lina.
"'Course not!" she said around a mouthful of steak. "'N hands OFF, Gourry!" She waved her knife threateningly at the blond swordsman, who was reaching a little too close to one of her steaks for comfort.
Zelgadis poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot the waitress had brung, and sipped it. Tastes a little funny, he noted with disinterest, but I'm not hungry anymore, and anything's better than just sitting here watching Lina eat, watching Gourry try to steal her food, and watching Amelia watching me.... The stone-skinned chimaera sighed, studiously ignoring the young princess of Saillune and her big puppy-dog eyes as he took another sip of his bitter drink. "Could you hurry up, Lina?"
"Can't rush a good meal!" she said, as another entire steak disappeared whole into her mouth.
"It's incredibly late," said Zelgadis tiredly. "The staff probably want us to leave so they can finally get some sleep. We're the last people left in this restaurant. Even that skinny brown-haired guy who sat in the shadows watching us is long gone." He finished off the cup, and poured himself another.
"Well, I'm not full yet so... Gourry! Give that back! Leggo!"
"Why, Lina?" the swordsman mumbled, mouth full of steak. "YOU weren't eating it...."
"YET!"
Zel just sighed again and continued drinking his coffee.
Finally, the last mouthful was swallowed, the last morsel of food consumed, the last plate cleaned of crumbs. Half a pot of coffee still remained, though. Since Zelgadis was the only one who'd drank any, however, that wasn't really surprising.
"Ahh! Those steak dinners really did the trick," announced a very satisfied Lina.
"You're not hungry anymore?" asked Zelgadis, putting down his empty coffee cup, disbelief evident in his voice.
"Couldn't eat another bite!' she said happily, patting her distended stomach. For some reason, Zelgadis thought he could hear faint cheering from the direction of the kitchen, but put it out of his mind.
Lina yawned. "I'm ready to get a good long night's sleep. So where's that place we're staying at, again?"
"Just a few blocks to the north," put in Amelia. "I remember the way."
Zelgadis glanced over at the pot which was still half full of reasonably good coffee. Since no one else seemed likely to want any, he supposed it would just go to waste. Can't be helped, he thought.
The four travelling companions rose from their table, made their way outside, and set off to find the rooms they'd rented for the night.
The chef poked his head out of the kitchen. His ears hadn't been fooling him; the last set of customers were finally gone.
Simply amazing, how much they ate, he thought in wonderment, staring at the table they'd so recently vacated, piled high with empty dishes. And they paid in good gold, too; we'll be sure to turn a profit this month! He was well pleased.
"Margie!" he called out softly. "They're finally outta here. You can take care of the last few dishes now." His daughter didn't answer. "Margie?"
He looked around the dining hall, but she was nowhere to be seen. And I'm sure she wasn't in the kitchen, either. He started to be concerned. Where are ya, kid? It wasn't like her to just get up and go off somewhere. Worried and puzzled all at once, he crossed the dining hall, walking towards the stairs that led to his family's private quarters above the restaurant. Maybe she went off to bed...?
But the moment he started going up the stairs, his careworn face creased itself into a wide smile. There she was, sitting curled up on the wooden steps; still wearing her waitress uniform, she was snoring lightly.
I don't blame ya, kid, he thought, relieved. It was a long wait, and late at night to boot. He picked her up, carried her the rest of the way up the stairs, and laid her gently down on the bed in her room. You can clear the dishes away in the morning, Margie. For now, you deserve a rest.
Zelgadis leaned against his room's windowsill, and stared out at the nighttime sky. The stars were bright tonight, and a crescent moon had risen high in the sky. It cast its silvery light over the sleeping city. So beautiful..., he thought, gazing calmly out at the silver-washed city before him. Peaceful, serene....
Waking himself from his reverie, he pushed himself away from the window. I'd better get to bed, he thought, yawning. It's late, and I have plenty to do tomorrow. Places to go, a cure to find....
While turning towards the ever-so-inviting bed, he carefully avoided looking into the small, cracked mirror hanging against the far wall of his little rented room. No need to be reminded of my hideous appearance, he thought sourly. As if he could ever forget the sight of his monstrous features, gift of his accursed grandfather, Rezo.
As Zelgadis walked across the room towards his bed, a brief spell of dizziness made him almost lose his footing and fall. What the...? Surprised, he steadied himself by gripping onto one of the bedposts. His head kept spinning, however, for a few long seconds after he'd caught himself. My head... it feels strange... And not only his head. Something felt unexplainedly wrong about his whole body.
I'm just tired, that's all, he tried to convince himself. A good night's sleep, and I'll be fine.
He climbed into bed, kicking off his shoes, and gathered the soft sheets around himself. I'll just... get some rest and... No matter how much he wanted to rest, the strange feeling wouldn't go away. As he lay there, it seemed to get even worse. There was an emptiness, a hollowness in the very core of his being, and it was growing... consuming him....
Time passed; Zelgadis couldn't say how much time. All he could do was blink dizzily at the ceiling above him. Minutes; hours; who could tell?
What is...
Disorientation.
What's happening to me...
Faint nausea.
Why...
Confusion. Scattered thoughts. Lack of focus.
Help.... Someone.... Something's wrong.... The words, the cry for help, would not come to his trembling lips.
Must... must get help....
His thoughts were everywhere and nowhere; his body wouldn't obey his scattered mental commands. It was all he could do to slide out of bed, to force himself to stagger across the floor.
One step.
Two.
The door to the hall loomed ever closer. Beyond that door was the possibility of help, was the hope of someone who could make the dizziness, the strangeness, go away. Healing magic.
Someone...
Someone who could make the dizziness go away.
Someone...
He collapsed to the floor, not even noticing the heavy thud as stone flesh hit wooden planks.
Someone... help... me....
His last thoughts were a cry for help. Then the dizziness carried him off, spinning him endlessly into the eternal dark.
Thud.
Amelia turned over in bed and yawned. Uhh... What was that? she wondered sleepily. I heard a noise... coming from Zelgadis's room next door?
Suddenly she snapped awake. Zel's room? What could possibly... Oh, it's probably nothing, she realized. He must've just fallen out of bed or something.
The young princess tried to get back to sleep, snuggling back down under her covers. Something nagged at her, though; some undefinable feeling of wrongness. Maybe I should just check up on him anyway, she thought worriedly. It can't hurt...
Her decision made, she sprang up from bed, and made her way out to the hall. She stopped in front of the door to Zelgadis's room, and knocked. "Zelgadis?" she called softly. "Is everything okay?"
There was no answer.
With a worried frown, Amelia knocked again. "Zelgadis!" she called, louder this time. "Can you hear me?"
Is he ignoring me? she wondered. I'm sure I'm calling loud enough for him to hear me, and I don't want to wake anyone else up. She stared at the sturdy wooden door separating her from the object of her affection. Maybe he really is asleep, she thought in resignation. Maybe the sound I heard came from another room, and he's been sleeping peacefully the whole time. But she'd been certain that the sound had come from here.
Oh well... I'm sure everything's fine. Amelia turned to leave. Just as she reached the door to her own room, however, something made her turn back. A third time she knocked on Zelgadis's door, with no better results than before. I'd better get back to bed. After all, there's nothing more I can do... other than breaking down his door, I suppose. The idea was faintly ludicrous, and brought a half-smile to her face.
But Amelia couldn't make herself turn away from the door this time; she couldn't shake that feeling of wrongness. I must be out of it... after all, what could possibly be wrong? Despite that thought, she tried the door's handle. It was locked.
The dark-haired princess, a serious look on her youthful face, stepped back a couple of paces from the door. You're probably just trying to get some sleep, she mentally said to Zelgadis, and don't want to be disturbed. I'm sorry for doing this, but I just can't shake this feeling that something's very wrong... She fired a tiny flare arrow at the lock, melting it away, and gently pushed the door open. What she saw made her gasp in shock.
There he was. Stretched out on the floor, among tangled sheets. Eyes closed. Dead to the world. "Oh no... Zelgadis!" breathed Amelia, rushing to his side. Her eyes widened as she felt for a pulse, and found it to be faint and erratic. His breathing, too, was shallow and came at odd intervals.
"I knew it," she moaned. "Something is wrong... terribly wrong...."
The young princess, sick with worry, put her white-magic training to good use. She surrounded the unconscious stone-skinned man with gentle flows of healing magic. But even her best efforts had no effect.
And then, despite all she was doing to save his life, Zelgadis's heartbeat grew even fainter. "No!" she screamed, no longer caring how many people she woke. "You can't die!"
Amelia called for help at the top of her lungs. "Lina! Gourry!" she yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Anyone! Zelgadis is dying!"
Is it ever a beautiful night! Jey, feeling smug and very sure of himself, had spent the last couple of hours wandering through dark, quiet streets, admiring the way moonlight reflected off cobblestones, the way shadows painted the alleyways. He was too full of energy to seek out a bed tonight; he was too proud of his accomplishment to rest. I did it. I actually did it!
While wandering happily and aimlessly through the moonlit streets of Tallys City, he somehow managed to end up in the town square. The most powerful guilds and businesses all claimed a building or two around this airy, open space at the centre of the city. The town hall in particular, located to the west of the open square, was a sight to see, resplendent with many different kinds of columns, gargoyles, and other sculptured ornamentation. Someone had even built a tacky fountain complete with ludicrous fish sculptures in front of it; the shoddy fountain sprayed water periodically in all directions. Admiring the sheer lack of artistry that this fountain displayed, Jey sat down at the edge of its surrounding pool of water, not minding the occasional jet of water at his back. Nothing could dampen his spirits now.
I can almost see my castle now, he thought excitedly. Complete with all kinds of towers, and turrets... whatever those are... and plenty of gargoyles.... He stopped, and stared appraisingly at the overwhelmingly gothic town hall in front of him. Naah, he finally decided. Looks kind of silly with all those gargoyles and things stuck all over it. Maybe something more like.... He glanced around; one building nearby caught his attention. It nearly glowed white in the soft moonlight.
A temple or something? No, he realized, it must be the main office of the healer's guild. Or something. Whoever works there, it sure is pretty... What must have been white marble shone faintly, the simple, classic lines of the building accentuating the sheer beauty of its building materials. Wow. Maybe I should build my castle out of that stuff...
For the first time, Jey idly wondered how his fifty million coins would be delivered to him. And how long will I have to wait? Not too long, I hope...
Suddenly, a blur of motion caught his attention. Streaking through the air a couple of feet above the ground, Jey just barely identified the flying figure as Lina Inverse before she disappeared, post-haste, into the healers' temple.
What the...? She's still alive? Jey moaned. No - hey, wait, she went straight to the healers! She must be dying! He smirked, his good spirits returning. Won't do you much good, Lina Inverse. No healer can save you now! I think, he amended hastily.
Jey wasn't prepared, however, for the sight of Lina's re-emergence. She barrelled out of the temple, dragging an old, flannel-robed, very astonished man along with her. What? Why would she.... Utterly confused, the young mercenary followed behind the speeding sorceress at a dead run.
He chased the sorceress along the dark streets of the city, barely able to keep up with her. After several long minutes of this, she disappeared into a large, prosperous-looking inn, still dragging the old healer behind her.
Jey staggered to a halt near the inn's front door, gasping for breath. I've never run so fast in my life... he thought, as he leaned against a convenient wall. His legs were trembling so much that he didn't trust them to support his weight much longer. Now why on Earth would she bring that whiterobe back here... unless... Damn. Damn! Jey felt like cursing out loud, but that would only attract attention. And the only kind of attention you could attract at such a late hour of the night was the kind of attention that no one in their right minds would ever want. She's still perfectly fine; I got one of her friends instead! Well, it's still okay, he thought, trying to calm himself down and succeeding fairly well. That's one less companion who's left to watch her back. The job's still proceeding as it should, just... slower than I would've liked.
Now more-or-less recovered from his run through the city, Jey stepped back and took a long, lingering look at the inn where his intended target was staying. Soon, you'll be dead, Lina Inverse. It's nothing personal, he thought solemnly. It's just that when a guy's offered fifty million gold on a platter, he takes the opportunity no matter what. And I really, really need the money, so....
He turned his back on the inn and walked off with a sigh. I'm going to have to come up with yet another brilliant plan. Not only that, he realized, I'm going to have to come up with some more money! I'm completely broke! In the hopes that he still had a few coins on his person, the young man halted and searched every pocket and pouch in his worn, slightly ragged clothes. All he found were two copper coins hidden in the deepest creases of one pocket.
He groaned. That's not even enough to buy one meal, or even spend the night at the cheapest, filthiest, rattiest inn imaginable. Damn. In low spirits, he made his way to the side of the street and flopped down on a convenient doorstep. I need money, but how can I get some? he asked himself. Stealing? I've never been any good at it. Vague, painful memories of him at a young age being horsewhipped for pickpocketing flitted across his mind.
Then he thought of the sword buckled around his hips. If I pawn it... No. I need to keep some way of defending myself. Besides, this old thing's so beat up and scratched, I'd probably need to pay someone to take it from me.
Nothing else of value remained in his pockets; he checked them again just to make sure, and found nothing other than lint.
Slowly, Jey pulled out a medallion that was hanging on a leather thong around his neck. He studied it, watching the moonlight glint off its vaguely shiny surface. It was a flat disk of some kind of grey metal. Some kind of dark reddish-brown enamel created a strange pattern on one of its two faces; the other face was blank. The shape of the enamel design reminded Jey somewhat of a butterfly, or of two capital "R"'s placed back to back and joined in the centre by a horizontal line.
For a brief moment, he wondered how much it would bring him at a jeweller's store, but he ended up tucking it safely back into his shirt. No. Not the medallion. It was the only thing of value he owned. He'd had it for as long as he could remember; he couldn't just give it up.
So what does that leave me with? The clothes on my back.... My boots.... Jey realized, with a sinking feeling, My new, sturdy, well-made, expensive boots.... I can sell them and buy a cheaper pair, and still have enough money to live for a few days; a week if I'm careful.
Resigned to his fate, Jey rose to his feet once more. No stores, pawnshops or otherwise, will be open at this ungodly hour of the night. And until I sell my boots I won't have enough money to rent a room at an inn. I guess I'll be walking around the city till sunrise. The thought of such a long moonlit walk no longer seemed quite as inviting as it had just a few minutes before.
And these boots were just getting comfortable, too, damn it....
"May I ask," said the old healer in acid tones, "what is going on here, young miss?"
Too much was whirling through Lina's mind; she couldn't make herself answer him. After levitating the grey-bearded, flannel-robed man up the inn's stairs and down the hall, she wordlessly dumped him onto the floor in Zelgadis's room. He landed next to where Amelia was desperately trying to save her stone-skinned friend's life. With a tiny gesture, the redheaded sorceress then cast a light spell to illuminate the room and everyone in it.
The healer rose shakily, mouth open, intending to snap indignantly at Lina; but the moment he laid eyes on Zelgadis, he shut his mouth, knelt next to the stricken chimaera, and immediately began adding his healing magic to Amelia's.
The young girl was in shock and crying softly. "He's getting worse and worse, and there's nothing I can do to stop it," she moaned.
"Shh," said the old man, his voice soothing as he tried to calm her. "You've done a good job so far. Now let me direct the flow of magic... here... there we go..."
Lina watched, feeling helpless. I'd better leave stuff like this to the pros, she thought. Black magic is my thing, not white. But still, I have to do something! Just standing around and watching is killing me....
Gourry was sitting off to the side, looking as worried as Lina felt. "I feel useless," he muttered. "When someone's sick, you can't kill the disease with a sword." He glanced down at the sword buckled around his waist. "Not even the Sword of Light."
Gourry's even sounding halfway intelligent for once, Lina noted absently. She would have been much more astonished, under different circumstances. As it was, her worry for Zelgadis was too great to allow just about anything else to occupy her thoughts.
How did this happen? Where did this sickness come from? Lina wondered for what seemed to be the millionth time. He was fine just a few hours ago....
Suddenly, Amelia gasped, and the healer's eyes grew wide. As Lina watched, horrified, the slow, shallow rise and fall of Zel's chest stopped.
"What... what just happened?" asked Lina, in shock.
Amelia, staring at the chimaera's motionless face, murmured, "No. No. No...."
Lina shrieked, "What happened?" She took a step towards Amelia, trembling, unable to come to terms with the most likely answer.
A large, mustached man, the inn's owner, slowly stuck his head through the open door to Zelgadis's room; he had no doubt been woken by all the noise, or by complaints from other patrons. He carried a lamp, and looked very concerned as he noticed the damage Amelia had done to the door. "Er... tell me someone's going to pay for this melted lock...?"
Before anyone else could react, Gourry sprang up, murder in his eyes. "Get. Out." He slammed the door in the innkeeper's face, and leaned against it, holding it shut. Anger was visible in every line of his face.
Tears streamed from Amelia's eyes. In a shuddering, whispery voice, she said, "His heart. It just stopped."
Lina stared at the young princess in blank disbelief.
"Wait," said Gourry, his face suddenly pale. "That can't be right. He can't have just..."
Amelia shrank away from everyone, curling up into a little trembling ball.
Second after second of terrible silence passed. The healer, silent and once again calm, continued to maintain the flows of white magic surrounding Zelgadis, as if he wasn't willing to give up so soon. No one moved or said a word.
Lina stared in horror at her unmoving chimaera friend. No... he can't be dead.... She simply couldn't imagine what life would be like with the absolute certainty that she would never see Zelgadis again, never speak to him, never again be able to rely on him in a fight.... I never imagined something like this could happen, that one of us could just up and die.... Almost ready to cry herself, she desperately thought, There has to be something we can do, some way to find him a... a cure.... A sob almost, almost escaped her lips.
Then, the healer spoke, his kind voice filling the deathly silent room. "Wait," he said. "Do not be so concerned. Your friend is still alive."
"What? But... his heart...." said a troubled Lina, staring at the old, bearded man in confusion.
"HOW?" yelled Amelia, still curled up in a little ball. She slowly lifted her head, showing eyes red-rimmed from crying, and trembling lips. "It's impossible!"
The old man settled back on his heels, allowing his magic to dissipate. "Your friend's heart still beats, and he still breathes; just extremely slowly. Too slowly to see by conventional methods. I wasn't even sure myself, for a while. But the thread of life which binds him to this world has not yet been broken."
"I don't understand," said Lina faintly, sinking to her knees as she couldn't trust her shaking legs any longer. "Amelia said he.... But how...."
"His body has retreated into... a state of hibernation. Yes, that's the right word for it," the old healer said. "His body has slowed down, but if you look closely enough, you can see he still lives and breathes."
Amelia gazed at the healer, hope beginning once again to shine in her eyes. "Really?" she gasped.
He nodded solemnly. "Yes. And as far as I can tell, this situation will not change of itself anytime soon. He is not going to die."
Amelia's face lit up with a brilliant smile. Slowly, she made her way back to Zelgadis's side, and tenderly embraced his still form. "Zelgadis," she whispered. "You're alive...."
Gourry's face bore an expression of incredible relief. He sank to a sitting position, still remaining in front of the door.
"That's... that's great!" said Lina, her usual cheerfulness returning. "All we've gotta do now is find a way to wake up Zel from this hibernation thing, and...."
"Wait," said the healer, looking suddenly older, more tired. "There is more. Something... disturbing. In addition to the enforced hibernation, I cannot find his spirit. It has somehow been severed from his body. Until it returns or is returned, he cannot wake."
Lina turned over this shocking news in her mind, as Amelia looked up at the old healer in horror. "But what could possibly...," began the princess.
A spell," the healer said, "a curse of some kind. Or possibly, some kind of poison. Or a combination of the two. It's hard to say."
"You mean... someone cast a spell on Zelgadis that did this to him?" asked Amelia, distraught.
"That seems a very likely possibility."
"How dare they?" said the dark-haired princess vehemently. "In the name of justice, I cannot let... this..." She began to sob, still holding Zelgadis; her tears began to soak his shirt. "This crime... go..." Unable to speak any longer, she simply lay there, crying. Wordlessly, Lina put a comforting hand on the younger girl's shoulder as she held on to Zelgadis and cried.
"Without knowing more about the nature of this unfortunate affliction," said the healer quietly, "I cannot cure it. I've never seen anything like this in all my days as a priest. And with the added complication of his chimaeric nature, it's especially difficult to...."
"Wait," said Gourry, unbelieving. "You're a priest? You don't look like one," he said, staring at the old healer's worn, grey flannel robes.
The healer sat up straight and fixed Gourry with a piercing glare. "I can assure you, I am indeed a priest and, as such, proficient in white magic; as Guildmaster of the Healers in this city I...."
"Don't priests usually have a staff? And special robes, and all?"
"I would," replied the Guildmaster, irritated, "except your temperamental redheaded friend dragged me straight from my warm bed. I was airborne by the time I woke up! Didn't even have a chance to grab my coat...," he muttered.
"It's not like I had a choice!" snapped Lina in defense. "All I knew was Zel needed help, and needed it fast! You were the first person I saw in the healers' temple; who else should I...."
"Yes, yes, I understand your position," he grumbled, cutting her off. "Now stop interrupting me." Lina wanted to snap again at him in indignation, but realized it would only cause trouble; they needed to stay on this healer's good side, for Zelgadis's sake.
The Healer's Guildmaster cleared his throat, and settled into a more comfortable position on the wooden floor. "In order to have even the smallest chance of healing your friend and returning his spirit, we must find the source of his affliction; the person or object that cursed him, or the kind of poison, even the location where it happened. I have already cast a 'Detect magic' spell here; nothing in this room is magical enough to be the source, so it must lie elsewhere."
He has? thought Lina, amazed. I didn't even feel him cast it at all. That kind of thing takes a lot of control.... She felt a new measure of respect for the Guildmaster's magical skills. "We've been all over town for the past few days," she said, trying to remember everything that had happened; "met with a lot of people, went to all kinds of shops and...."
"We just came from a restaurant," contributed Gourry.
"Since this happened so suddenly," said the healer, looking pensive, "I would assume the cause was quite recent. Since his condition wasn't caused by this room, it would therefore be wise to check that restaurant as soon as possible."
"Let's go, then!" cried Lina, springing to her feet.
"Hold it! First, let's get your poor friend back onto his bed..."
There wasn't a cloud in sight in the grey skies arcing high overhead. Trenus Taximagulus thanked the heavens for the first rain-free day in over a week, as he sipped his tea and stared moodily at the distant mountains. A chilly breeze swept across his palace's balcony; he leaned against the solid stone guardrail on which his saucer was resting, ignoring the cold. The breeze ruffled through his short, slate-grey hair, and unexpectedly brought with it the scent of the sea.
The sea, he thought, relishing the salty tang that hung momentarily in the air. A calm, relaxing place. Perhaps I should consider a vacation by the seaside. Sometime soon, decided the tall, slender man, aging but not yet elderly. I need the rest. But not until after the Elementalist threat is dealt with.
At the very thought of the Elementalists, Trenus frowned. Even after their banishment into the Wastelands, they continue to be nothing but trouble. One would have thought they'd have the decency to die out quietly....
His thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming from behind. "I still believe it would've been easier to hire mercenaries to dispose of the boy."
Trenus knew that quavering tenor voice well. Maddan Archu. My enthusiastic, though excitable, associate. He didn't particularly want to speak to Maddan now, of all times, but he had little choice. Maddan represented a small but powerful faction among the Ritualist governing body. Trenus, as the elected ruler, couldn't afford to alienate them in any way, else he'd risk losing their support.
"We have already discussed this," he snapped irritably, setting his teacup delicately down onto its saucer. "The boy is no slouch when it comes to defending his own life, however lazy he may seem otherwise. We would have to spend a great deal of time and effort to send enough gold to the other world; it would take a great many coins to pay the many mercenaries necessary to ensure his death. You know how hard it is to transfer physical objects from our world to theirs."
"Yes, I realize that," said the plump, richly-clothed man, sounding a touch wounded as he walked across the balcony to stand next to Trenus. "You're not the only one who's made contact with the other world, Taximagulus. We all know quite well how tiring it is."
"'Tiring' is hardly the word for it," the lean, grey-haired man replied with a shudder. "No, this way is best," he said, a smug expression on his face. "At the price of one small sack of gold, the boy pursues his own doom. His greed will be his downfall; soon we will be rid of the greatest threat to our rule."
"I still find it amazing that one Elementalist boy could pose such a danger," said Maddan, once again bringing up the old argument. "Especially a boy who's currently living in another, almost unreachable world."
"You'd be surprised," was Trenus's arch reply. "The Elementalists are, if nothing else, resourceful." He thought of the many battles that their wild magic, so distasteful to his Ritualist point of view, had won against all odds. "The mere fact that the boy still lives is testament to that."
"And with his death, you say, they'll be dispirited. Easier to control."
Easier to kill off, he means, thought Trenus, smiling inwardly. "Most assuredly so, Archu," he said reassuringly. "Most assuredly so."
"Let us in!" Lina banged on the restaurant's locked door with great enthusiasm.
"Hey, Lina, let me help!" said Gourry, standing behind her in the moonlit street. Amelia had elected to stay behind with Zelgadis and the old Guildmaster; Lina had approved wholeheartedly, as the girl was too distraught to be of much use otherwise.
"Lemme do it!" growled the sorceress, pounding away with all her might. After a good minute or so of this, which accomplished nothing more than venting her considerable frustration, she stepped back a pace or two and let fly with a "Fireball!"
Lina and Gourry stepped over the door's charred remains and entered the dark restaurant. Casting a light spell to get a better look at their surroundings, Lina glanced towards the table where they'd been sitting. Our dishes still haven't been cleared away, she noticed in surprise. That'll make my job easier. She strode towards the table, mouth set in determination.
"What do you think you're doing?" suddenly yelled a voice from the other side of the room. Lina turned, and saw a portly man in sleeping robes coming rapidly down a flight of stairs.
He was followed by the waitress who'd earlier been serving them, and who was now rubbing the sleep from her dark eyes. "We're closed!" added the bleary-eyed waitress. She was still wearing her uniform from earlier that evening; it was now slightly rumpled. "Oh, it's you! The big eaters! What are you..."
"My door!" exclaimed the man, as soon as he noticed the charred mess it had become. "You...!"
"One of our friends is sick and it's because of this restaurant!" announced Lina, cutting them off.
"I can assure you, we use only the freshest ingredients..." the large man proclaimed in indignation.
"No, it was a spell!" snapped Lina, once again heading towards the table piled with stacks of dirty dishes.
"Or poison!" added Gourry helpfully.
"Poison?" The man looked horrified, and the waitress gasped in shock.
"We would never...," she began. "Not even to the worst customers...."
Lina ignored them easily, and stopped in front of the table where she and her friends had eaten their dinner. How would I detect some kind of poison? she wondered, as she looked over the dirty dishes. There must be a spell or two for that kind of thing; maybe that Guildmaster guy knows them. But for now, I'll just search for any magic spells that might still be on these dishes.
As she cast the spell, she noted with worry that she had been the one who'd eaten from most of the dishes. I'm not sick... yet. But that doesn't mean I'm immune to... to whatever happened to Zel. Maybe this... curse, or poison, or whatever, is slowly working on all of us right now, she thought in horror, feeling a terrible coldness in the pit of her stomach. But it's better to find out about it now, so that we can deal with it, instead of just sitting around and waiting for each one of us to drop like flies....
As soon as she'd finished casting the 'Detect magic' spell, Lina was drawn to the half-full pot of coffee. "There is a spell!" she declared, picking up the pot and gazing into it. "I can't quite make out what it is, but there definitely is a spell on the coffee." A slow, deep magic permeated the dark brown liquid; for a moment, Lina was almost hypnotized by the sheer power contained in the incredibly complex spell. Whoa! What is it? she thought in wonder. How on Earth could we have missed this? But of course, no one had expected the coffee to be ensorcelled, so no one had scanned it with magical sight....
"The coffee?" asked the portly man, confused. "That's just the usual blend we serve to everyone. We've been using the same sack's worth for over a week now. Surely there'd have been complaints before now...."
"That man!" suddenly exclaimed the waitress, her eyes opening wide. "The stranger standing in the middle of the kitchen! Remember him, Da?" she asked the older man. Turning back to Lina, she said, "I found him standing near that coffeepot just before I brought it to your table; he must've put a spell on it before I showed up. I knew he was up to no good!"
"What did he look like? Could you identify him?" Lina, knowing a lead when she saw one, immediately began pelting the waitress with questions.
"Yeah, I'm sure I could recognize him," answered the dark-eyed waitress. "He was a customer here, too. He left not long before you folks did. He was sitting right there," she pointed at a table in one shadowy corner, "and he ordered the cheapest meal on the menu."
"He had brown hair, and an old, falling-apart cloak?" asked Lina, vaguely remembering the figure who'd sat in the shadows throughout their meal.
"The creepy guy, who was watching us?" asked Gourry, looking almost angry.
"Yeah, that's the one," replied the waitress.
He spent half the night staring at us, Lina realized grimly. I didn't think much of it then, but now....
"Okay," the sorceress said with determination. "In the morning, we'll go hunting for that creep. He's probably crawled back into whatever hole he came from for the night; but in the daytime..." She smirked. "He can't hide forever."
"Shouldn't we go after him right now?" inquired Gourry, no doubt spoiling for some action. "So the trail doesn't get cold?"
"Probably," agreed Lina, "but I'm tired. I want to get back to bed."
"But - "
"I need my beauty rest!" she snapped.
"O-kay," agreed Gourry reluctantly.
"So, that'll be all. Thanks for your help," Lina said to the waitress and the older man, and then hefted the partially full coffeepot. "I'll be taking this with me, if you don't mind." Nothing else in this restaurant seemed to be cursed or ensorcelled, so she judged it a safe bet that the coffee alone had bespelled Zelgadis.
Just as Lina and Gourry were leaving, the still vaguely stunned man - no doubt the restaurant's owner - spoke up. "But what about our door?" he said, indicating with a petulant frown the charcoal that once had been a sturdy wooden door. Sighing, Lina fished a small pile of golden coins from her purse and handed them, albeit with a good deal of reluctance to the now-speechless man.
At the sight of the gold, the waitress's eyes lit up. "That'll do just fine! Thank you, miss!" She waved happily as the sorceress and her swordsman sidekick left her family's restaurant. The portly restaurant owner stood, still speechless, staring at the coins in his hands.
I overpaid; I know I did.... mentally grumbled Lina as she headed back towards the inn, Gourry at her side. I know I have the money to spare, but still...
She turned her attention towards the potful of cold brown liquid in her hands. It sloshed as she walked. Better be careful not to tip it. She knew that if this coffee was spilled, the chances of saving Zelgadis from whatever was assailing him were slim. And she did not like that idea. I only hope that Guildmaster guy'll be able to figure out something once he gets a sight of this stuff, she thought grimly. If I had the time, I might be able to figure out this weird spell that's on it, but it's good to have someone competent on our side.
As she walked, Lina realized something which gave her hope. "Hey, Gourry," she asked. "Did you have any coffee last night?"
"Uh...." Gourry spent a few seconds in thought before answering, "Nope."
"And neither did I!" the sorceress declared joyfully. "And I don't think Amelia did, either. That's great!" It was better than great, in fact. That means Zel was the only one of us who got caught in this spell. It's not so good for him, but at least we know the rest of us won't be affected at all!
"Um...," said Gourry, looking lost, as he walked beside Lina. "I don't get it. Why is it so great?" he asked plaintively.
Lina just barely stifled the urge to bonk him over the head with the coffeepot.
She coughed, spitting up bile and blood onto the rocky ground by the side of the road, and once again cursed the sickness that was slowly claiming her life. Wiping her mouth with the back of one hand, she cautiously rose to a standing position, wary of the dizziness that could rise at any moment to send her crashing back to the ground.
Once she had steadied herself, she looked up, noting the position of the sun in the grey skies overhead. It's not yet noon, she thought wearily. The day was half-over, and there were still many chores left to be done.
As she continued slowly on her way, she stuck her hands into the pockets of her tattered old dress. They were full of plants, full of freshly-picked herbs. Where did these come from? she wondered, irritated, before vague memories returned to her: memories of gathering herbs; memories of travelling far in this oppressive heat to search for them.
She halted in place as a momentary disorientation washed over her. Who was it, that gathered those herbs? Who am I? she wondered, panic-stricken, looking at wrinkled limbs that seemed, for no good reason, to belong to someone else. Who is this old woman.... She had the sudden feeling that she was old far before her time. An old woman, clad in rags, walking across such a severe, parched land of rock and sandy soil.... With shaking hands, she held her throbbing head for many long seconds, until the disorientation began to lose its hold on her mind. I remember now... I am Innogen, Wielder of Air, Water, and Space, she thought vehemently, as if to reassure herself that it still was so.
When the memory-fogging spell had completely passed, she continued on her way, once again sure of her identity and her place in the world. Damn the Ritualists, she thought bitterly while she walked cautiously along the dusty, stony path. Damn them for exiling us all here, to the Wastelands. The poisons of this accursed place are twisting my mind, even as they twist and sicken my body.
The old, white-haired woman finally reached her hut. Partially hidden and sheltered between a couple of large boulders, it was little more than a rough lean-to, built of small logs and driftwood. It was more solid than it looked at first glance, but heavy winds, Innogen knew, could rattle it around something fierce. At least it isn't raining anymore, the elderly woman thought wryly. There are few things I hate more than leaks. And this hut had plenty of those.
Fastened to the top of Innogen's shelter was a tall stick, from which a small square of once-white fabric had been hung. It flapped proudly in the morning's chill breeze. On this makeshift flag was embroidered the symbol of the Elementalists, the symbol of her people: a dark red circle surrounding a sweeping, angular pattern that some said ressembled a butterfly. She'd always thought that the butterfly was a fitting symbol for the Elementalists. Butterflies were wild and free, true creatures of the chaos that underlaid everything in the world. She always ignored the small voice in the back of her head that insisted that butterflies, also, were fragile and easily killed....
Innogen entered the dark, tiny hut. Her fingers trembling with age, she hung the recently-gathered herbs from the ceiling. If I'm lucky, the rainy spell is over, and these will have a chance of drying, she thought, then looked with a sigh at the other, similar bundles of greenery that had already been hung up to dry over the past few days. Because of the past week's worth of constant rain, few of those medicinal herbs had dried, and some had even begun growing mould from the heat and humidity. It pained the old woman to see potential medicine wasted because of a whim of nature. But that is the way of things; and there's no use in complaining. Still, it was hard to accept.
A quick glance revealed that the barrels kept at the side of her hut, which were used to collect fresh, clean water, were running low. Why now, of all times? she mentally complained. Drinking the Wasteland's poisonous rainwater was a bad idea, she knew, and most of the local streams and ponds were similarly tainted. The poisons were mild, true, but they built up to devastating effects over many years. Water fit to drink could only be found at certain freshwater springs. Even so, it was only a matter of time before each spring became irrevocably tainted as well. Luckily for the people of the Wasteland, new springs were always flowing up from aquifers deep below the ground. Though the plants and animals they ate and the very air they breathed sickened them, at least the water they drank was clean.
The nearest clean spring is over an hour's walk from here, the elderly woman realized with a groan. I've already walked so much today; my feet hurt terribly. I cannot travel any longer! She wished longingly for a chance to lie down and rest, but there was too much left to do that day. Besides, I'm thirsty; and there's washing to be done. Once again, she sighed. I need fresh water, but the voyage to the spring is beyond me. She reluctantly decided that there was only one solution to her dilemma, and steeled herself to carry it out.
A look of serene concentration slowly enveloped Innogen's face. A couple of seconds passed; then, suddenly, the air around her began to swirl with tiny drops of moisture. The water began to trickle, slowly at first, then more and more strongly, into the watertight barrels. After many minutes of intense mental effort, the old woman broke her concentration, and her simple Water spell dissolved away. The barrels were now full to the brim.
Because of her magical exertions, Innogen felt weary to the bone. Ah, that's why I don't do this more often, she thought, chuckling humorlessly. This tired feeling would pass soon, she knew. It always did. But still, the urge to rest became even harder to ignore.
Ignore it she did, however, turning resolutely to the job of preparing the pitiful few herbs which had managed to dry over the past week. Crumbling a few dried leaves into a small bowl, she sat down cross-legged on her small, mat-covered floor. Taking up a pestle, she set to work grinding the leaves into powder.
As she ground the leaves, Innogen worked whispery, delicate threads of Earth magic into the newly-created powder, to enhance its worth as a medicine. It was difficult for her, and almost as tiring as the much more powerful Water spell she'd just cast. That's only to be expected, she thought tiredly. I have little aptitude for Earth-based spells. But the people of this Wasteland... my people... have few other healers. I must do everything within my power to help keep them safe and healthy. She knew, however, that that was an impossible task.
Sheer weariness soon threatened to drag her down, kicking and screaming, into slumber. I can't remember being so tired in a long time, she thought, somewhat amazed, as she continued to work. No doubt I'm still recovering from the massive spells I cast such a short time ago. One day; no, maybe it was two days ago.... Was it the last vestiges of the memory-clouding fit, or simply the forgetfulness of old age, that made the details slip from her mind? She couldn't tell. Still, having cast such powerful spells a short time ago, especially ones that modified Space, the hardest of all five Elements to cast, would surely continue to affect her for quite some time.
Innogen continued to grind the herbs, doing her job with exacting care. As she sat and worked, she stopped dwelling on her tiredness, and thought instead of the one whose safety was extremely important to her and to all her people as well. I hope the boy is safe.
I did the best I could to counter the Ritualist's machinations. She grimaced as she thought of her people's ancient enemies, and began grinding with renewed energy due to her anger. Once again, she cursed the enemy's cleverness in playing on the boy's greed. Once they got through to him with their promises of unimaginable gold, there was nothing I could possibly do to dissuade him. Even if I'd told him the truth about his heritage, even if he believed every word, he'd still have gone off and chased after castles in the sky... He's not the brightest young man, is he now.
Outside the small, rude hut, the sun crept slowly across grey skies. Innogen continued to work, slowly and deliberately, as time passed. Now, all I can do is hope. Hope that he uses the 'poison' I led him to take, when I sent my spirit through Space to the other world and disguised myself as a wisewoman. Hope that he doesn't decide to use other means to kill that sorceress the Ritualists sent him after. Hope that he doesn't get himself killed, by the sorceress, or by her dangerous friends... Hope that he has enough common sense to preserve his own life.
The old woman paused, staring at the small bowl before her, now full of fine, magic-laced powder. However much it pains me to admit it, there's nothing more I can do to shape events in the other world now. All I can do now is sit and wait - for a sorceress from another world to arrive.
"Please don't go, Guildmaster Absolon!" the young, dark-haired princess - Amelia, that was her name - said pleadingly. She gazed up at him with huge, puppy-dog eyes, no doubt hoping that she could somehow convince him to stay.
The Healers' Guildmaster Darius Absolon shook his head slowly. "I have to get going, Princess; it's late - er, early," he amended, glancing out the window at the rising sun, which could barely be seen above the rooftops of Tallys City. "Each day brings with it new patients, new medical emergencies; I'm afraid that if I don't snatch myself a couple more hours of sleep, I'll be in no condition whatsoever to deal with a new day's worth of healing."
The girl's other two friends had long since gone to bed, after returning from that restaurant with a bespelled pot of coffee. Only Amelia and the Guildmaster himself had stayed awake after that; he, just to make sure that the chimaera's condition had stabilized; she, because she couldn't bear to leave her friend during his illness. Though if I'm any judge of character whatsoever, she thinks of him as far more than just a friend. One can only hope, for her sake, that he feels the same way towards her, the Guildmaster thought, glancing with concern over at the young stone-skinned man who lay motionless on the bed.
When I first became a priest, I never expected my patients to include chimaeras, he mused, thinking of the extra challenge that treating non-humans brought. In any case, I've treated far stranger creatures in my time. He, at least, is partially human.
"Your friend, Zelgadis, will be just fine. You can take care of him perfectly well, Princess," he told the young girl, in hopes that this would mollify her.
Ever since learning she was, in fact, royalty, he'd taken to calling her 'Princess,' as a gesture of respect. She doesn't seem like royalty, for some reason, but her friends backed up her claim, so.... A princess of Sailoon. It's such a far-off kingdom; she's a long way from home. I wonder what brings her here? Sometimes, he thought wryly, I wonder what brings anyone here; Tallys City certainly isn't much of an exciting place. Though it has its fair share of medical emergencies to deal with....
"Don't discount your own skills at healing," the elderly man told her once again. "I'm certain you can handle just about anything that might occur."
"You're sure?" she asked, not sounding convinced in the slightest.
"Positive, my dear. And be sure to get some sleep yourself," he admonished her, noticing how weary she seemed. She's had as little sleep as I have; no wonder she seems tired! "Goodbye, Princess."
"Goodbye," she said reluctantly.
As Guildmaster Absolon left the room, he remembered to take the pot of coffee with him. I'll analyze the spell on this coffee, he thought as he walked through the inn's hallways, and perhaps have its composition analyzed, as well. It might even be a good idea to pay that one restaurant a visit.... I'll have to return later, and ask where it can be found.
The elderly man emerged from the inn, onto streets which were just barely beginning to be lit with daylight, and realized just how far from the Healers' Temple he was. Oh dear. I have quite a walk ahead of me..., he thought in consternation. Perhaps I won't get any extra sleep this morning after all. Resigned to his fate, he began walking down the cobbled streets. An old man in a ratty grey flannel nightgown, walking through city streets holding an earthen pot of coffee.... It's a good thing I'm not concerned with appearances!