‘Heal!’ The poison clearing from my mind as my thoughts start to clear.

Hands holding me down as my thoughts start to fade again.

‘Heal!’ Again clearing the poison from my mind and body, I start to rise, fighting against being subdued.

Standing, my legs and one arm are free. My other arm is being restrained, locked down.

My attackers have fallen back. Good thing because I have lost the thin sword. I push forward, forcing strength into my limbs to move, the Black blade still in my hand.

“It's okay. You’re safe. The children are safe.” A hand on my arm. Looking up to see Dr. Lightbringer, I stop. Perceiving everything on the battlefield around me, there is nothing. I am in a tent.

There is noise and commotion outside of the tent. “Can you open your hand?” I look at Dr. Lightbringer like he’s stupid. Of course I can open my hand, why wouldn’t I be able? Dr. Lightbringer is motioning with his head to my hand.

My thoughts race as look for my hand. ‘OH MY GOD, I’ve lost my hand!?’ But my hand is still there. I had to turn to look at it. The Black blade is wrapped up with roots around a rather large broken-off chunk of wall. I can see where I’ve been dragging this weight around. I’m still clutching at the blade, I had to think for a moment to let it go and thereby freeing myself from the restraint.

“I need you to rest for a while.” I turn back to Dr. Lightbringer. “You’ve been through a lot.”

Dr. Lightbringer guides me back to the makeshift cot where I sit. “There are others who need my help right now. I’ll be back in a bit. There will be someone just outside if you need anything, but stay in here for now.”

As he opens to tent flap to leave, I can see the edges of a Church guard in armor. There are others, but I only catch a glimpse. Seeing the sabatons on their feet as they came alongside the doctor was what gave them away. I can hear them talking as they walk away. “No, his mind is intact. He’ll be fine after some rest.”

“I want to know who he is and where he came from… You will tell me what you know!”

“Does it matter? What has he done but not bow down to you?”

“mmmm…ack…” Something I can’t understand.

“… … …” More conversation between them, but it’s all garbled with everything else going on outside.

“Doug, can we talk?” I hear a voice from the backside of the tent.

“Sure Jack, if you can get past the guard.” I turn to look at the tent opening to see if anything was noticed.

Turning back, Shadow Jack is already here.

“I wanted to make sure that you were ok and that everything is still good between us.”

“Doctor says I’ll be ok, I should just rest for a while.”

“Gretta sends her love.” He grins.

“Sure she did. Probably had you sneak in here so she’d know when to come calling with another Identifying stone.”

We both turn a smile.

I break the silence. “I remember seeing you before I woke up here. Not sure what to feel about that yet.”

“Sorry. You weren’t all there anymore. Happens. Glad you’re back with us now.”

“Thank you.”

“If you hadn’t noticed, The Paladin has you under his watch now. Probably would have dragged you off already if the Church wasn’t scared of you.”

“Why’s that?” I ask, half already knowing the answer.

“Not many can stand against a Paladin. Granted, he was only trying to block you from moving into our ranks.”

“Ya, I don’t remember him. I do remember something with eyes that just wanted to kill me, that I couldn’t get around.”

“That was him. And after that, you can’t claim unenlightened anymore. You're Ranked. If you weren’t before, you are now. There’s no way you didn’t pick up any experience even if you were just standing out there.”

“You’re not the first to talk to me about all that Jack. I know I’ve gotten stronger and faster, but everything else, I don’t see...” The tent flap suddenly opens.

The Paladin steps in two paces and drives his tower shield into the ground to stand it on its own. Stepping around it he says, “Hell of a thing.” Nodding his head at the shield. Jack is gone.

“Was that all me?” I ask. The shield without a doubt has seen combat.

“Are you doing ok?” He asks and he does seem genuinely concerned for my welfare.

I shrug my shoulders, “Nothing hurts. Nothing that I can tell if it’s not.”

“You saved my grandbaby, so I’m always going to be grateful until you show yourself to be otherwise.”

“Thank you?”

“You have some options. I wanted to make sure you knew. You’ll have to decide if there’s anything you want to do about it.”

“That doesn’t sound friendly. What are you talking about?” I ask.

“You can come with me. I’ll train you to be a Paladin. We’ll see if your god will open up that class to you. If not, maybe another will. Joining one of the Guilds is another option, but you should have an idea of the path you want to tread first. A season in the military would be beneficial for that. You could put in some military service for a season or two. The basic training will round out any skills you’re lacking. You’ll definitely find out what you’re good at and a tour through the countryside might help you find your way home. Craftings another path. The Elves seem to like you, could be something there.”

I’m silent for a few moments, too much information to ponder. “I wouldn’t be sure about doing any of those things.” More silence. “Why are you offering to train me?” I can almost feel his lie detection going off as I’m talking.

“I told you I was grateful. You also should not be left to yourself. Growing, but not applying it to anything. You’re just spamming Heal and swinging at anything that gets close enough.”

“It’s not like I’ve had anyone…”

“Exactly!” He cuts me off. “It’s not like what you’re doing doesn’t work. Gods know I’ve never seen anyone spam Heal before, let alone cast two or three back to back. That alone would set you in charge of your own parish somewhere, maybe even a Title and a spot by the Throne.”

The tent flap opens with an angry glare at his father, from his son. “How are you feeling?” Dr. Lightbringer asks while casually taking my vitals, holding my wrist.

“He’s holding.” The Paladin answers while getting another glare from the doctor.

Turning back to me with concern, “Is that true?”

“Holding what?” I ask defensibly. The doctor brings out a stone similar to one of the Identifying stones. Flipping it over and taking a pen out of his breast pocket, he starts to engrave on the back of the stone.

Drawing some complex geometric patterns freehand, testing his progress a couple of times by flipping it back upright and activating the screen. After about five minutes, he gives it to me to hold. Watching the lights race around the outside edge like always, this time it stops and pings green at the top. One…Two…Three… green dots, fading, then the dots turning black.