Chapter 16

Who was M? No, that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was, that someone was interested in his kind, and he was quite certain, that their intentions weren’t the best. He could think for no other way to interpret ‘abilities beyond the ordinary’, than a connection to this spirited substance, that seemed to almost have a will of its own. The blood drained from his face as he read the document through, and then read it a second and a third time, he looked up at the men in front of him, unable to think of anything to say. They looked back with puzzled expressions.

“S-sir… Is it unwelcome news?” the old man asked hesitantly, anxiety creeping back into his eyes. “Is it bad? Is something bad going to happen?” He was fidgeting, not daring to move an inch before such an imposing figure.

“No…” Raiel managed, not quite able to believe his own words, but nonetheless wanting to spare the weary villagers of any more worries than they already had. “No, nothing is wrong. I just didn’t expect this, that’s all.” he said, waving the document in his hand nonchalantly. And that was the truth. He most certainly had not expected such a revelation. Here he thought his life was complicated enough already, when suddenly he’s knocked down and trampled by metaphorical horses and then run over by the metaphorical cart they’re pulling.

“Well then,” Raiel began, stuffing the document into his backpack as he turned back around towards the campus. “I had better get going now. Be safe.” Again, before he could leave, the old man called out to him.

“But, sir. You still haven’t told us your esteemed name, so that we may rightfully credit you with our rescue. I’m sure those who sent you would like to know of your success today.” the old man beamed. Raiel hesitated in his answer, as he thought of a way to explain the situation. Coming up with nothing, he resorted to telling them nothing.

“I’m sorry. No.” As if sensing his desperate urge to be elsewhere, energy flowed through Raiel’s back and down into his legs, and he dashed away with inhuman speed, leaving the villagers with mouths agape, glancing at each other uncomfortably.

“Why’d he leave so quickly, Pon?” one of the men asked the older one, after Raiel had taken off into the woods.

The old man sighed loudly and looked back at his fellow rescuee with exhausted eyes and a half smile, barely visible through his wispy beard. “Lad,” he said, clapping younger man on the shoulder as he walked past him, back to the other villagers. “One can never be sure with nobles like him.”

Raiel couldn’t keep the sprint up for long. Now, that the adrenaline of battle was wearing off, his broken forearm was beginning to throb even more painfully than it already did. It made him feel dizzy and queasy, and if he didn’t slow down to a more reasonable pace, he was quite sure the last thing he’d see before fainting would be a stream of vomit and his face landing in it.

This situation was bad – that could not be denied. He couldn’t be sure how many people actually knew of his abilities, or if there was even any way of finding out, besides witnessing it directly, but he suspected Tali probably knew. Maybe even Maldr had guessed it. And Eryna and that nurse… Sakano? Maybe they’d figured out, that he couldn’t have survived that bear encounter without a little extra strength. Would they tell? Would they even know there was someone interested in knowing about him?

The letter seemed to be unofficial and secret, so Raiel assumed it wouldn’t be publicly known information, that such an operation was taking place. His only solace was, that since no one had come for him yet, anyone who knew about him probably hadn’t reported it.

Raiel trudged through the woods, trying to keep his eyes open as the pain in the back of his head, where the bandit leader had clubbed him, worsened. The walk back to campus felt eternally longer than earlier. He thought he knew the way back, but also didn’t trust himself in this half-conscious state. Only when the monstrous spires became visible through the green canopy did he breathe a long sigh of relief. The thought of going astray in the forest and dying of his injuries wasn’t something he fancied. He had to find Eryna.

Where he staggered out of the woods was only slightly offset from where he’d entered, and looking to the left, his dormitory stood only four buildings down. When he made it to the tree that stood outside the window, he realized that the injuries made him entirely unfit to climb. Besides, with a glance up, he saw the window closed.

Stumbling to the corner of the large building, he leaned against the cool brick wall, drawing a deep breath, peeking around the edge for any persons in the area. If it could be avoided, it would be best if no one saw him right now. He was still wearing his improvised mask, which would be more than a little conspicuous, but even if he took it off, his whole face covered in dried blood somehow didn’t seem like a better alternative. Seeing no one there, he snuck along the wall, pressing his shoulder against the stone to keep his delicate balance. Turning the next corner, the door came into view. As did the pair of human boys standing around in front, chatting.

It startled Raiel so much, that he tripped backwards, landing hard on his ass in the grass, sending spikes of pure agony through his entire body. Unable to find the willpower to get back up, he simply decided to lie down for just a little bit, as he waited for the pair to leave. By a stroke of luck, the two seemed oblivious to the minor personal crisis that had taken place just a few paces away, as they continued their chatter, laughing at their own dirty jokes.

To Raiel’s joy, the sound of the two boys’ footsteps on the path leading away rang out in the space between the buildings, and he mentally forced himself to sit up, his head pounding. It took him another minute to get to his feet. Unsteadily, Raiel walked to the main entrance, barely making it up the stairs to his floor.

Inside the room, Yaeth was nowhere to be seen. Damn it! Raiel had hoped to get his roommate to fetch Eryna for him, so he didn’t have to go out himself, looking like week-old carcass. He collapsed on the bed, eyes fluttering as unconsciousness took him.

“… el… iel… Raiel… Raiel!” Yaeth yelled, shaking Raiel by the shoulders. Yaeth’s loud voice sent pulses flowing through Raiel’s head, eyes clenched tight against the painfully bright rays of the sun shining through the window.

“… How long was I out?” Raiel asked, voice hoarse.

“How would I know? I just got here, man!” Yaeth complained. “What the hell happened here, anyway? You scared the shit out of me! I thought you were dead.”

“Didn’t happen here.” Raiel replied tiredly, as he wiped at his eyes and noticed his shirt still wrapped around his head. He pulled it over his ears and threw it away on the floor. Yaeth looked at the bloody shirt and then back at his friend. He looked concerned.

“Was it Clavic Maledes? Did he get to you again?” Yaeth asked, anger flaring.

Raiel stared at him, dumbfounded. He hadn’t even considered, that that would obviously be the conclusion Yaeth would jump to, with all that had happened. He waved his hands weakly in a dismissive gesture.

“Ah, no. No, it wasn’t Clavic this time, Yaeth.” he reassured his friend.

“Then who?”

“It was no one… I, erh… fell down some stairs.” Raiel stumbled, forced to come up with a lie on the spot. He mentally kicked himself for not thinking of a better one.

“You… fell down a flight of stairs and… that happened to you?” he said distrustfully, pointing at Raiel’s numerous injuries, small and large. “I’ve seen you scale that tree in three seconds!” He threw his head towards the window.

“I, uuh… Twice… I fell down twice! Couldn’t help it, you know.” Raiel tore himself from Yaeth’s disapproving gaze, ashamed.

Yaeth frowned for a long while, before he answered quietly. “Right. Whatever you say. If you happen to suddenly remember something new, how about you tell me, eh?” He threw his backpack on his bed and sat down. Raiel fidgeted for a moment.

“Hey… could you call Eryna here? I need her to help with all this, but I can’t go out looking like a stabbing victim.” Raiel said, showing his arm and back.

Yaeth sighed and got up from the bed, arching backwards in a long stretch. “Yeah, sure. Where does she live?” he asked.

“Oh, I, uh… don’t think she ever told me, actually.” Raiel admitted with embarrassment. Yaeth glared at his roommate in irritation, bending down to put on the boots he’d just taken off two minutes earlier.

“Then, what classes does she take?”

“I also don’t know that, but she does something with medicine.” Raiel replied uncertainly.

“Alright. If she’s in medicine, she should be in the infirmary at this time of day.” Yaeth said, as he tied the laces on the last boot. He opened the door, but turned just before exiting, casting a sharp look at Raiel. “I’ll look for her, but I’m warning you: If you’ve vanished when I return, you’re sleeping in the hallway, or in that tree you love so much!” Yaeth sent Raiel a pointed stared, and Raiel could do nothing but sink further into his bed. Yaeth left, mumbling something about never before seen heights of stupidity and a desire to bury a certain someone to the shoulders in the ground, as he stomped down the stairs.

Raiel got comfortable on the bed and closed his eyes, waiting for the eventual return of Yaeth, hopefully accompanied by Eryna and her healing abilities. If someone was hunting infusionists of common birth, should he start concealing his strength even more? He already felt like he only used it in a pinch, or in the case of today’s fight, when no one knew him. Thinking of that, a disguise was definitely a tool to keep in mind for the future, where infusion might be the only way out of a tight situation.

His stomach growled loudly, leaving his belly with a feeling of emptiness, and his brows came together in displeasure. He hoped Yaeth thought to bring him a snack or two, as well, when he came back.

Raiel jerked awake, as the door clicked and swung open on its well-oiled hinges. Yaeth stepped inside, followed by a very concerned-looking Eryna, who subconsciously pulled a face at the smell when she entered. She gasped and ran to Raiel with worry, immediately beginning to examine his wounds.

“My goodness, what happened to you, Raiel? Your roommate said it was bad, but this is… this is horrible.” she exclaimed, as she took in the extent of his injuries, numerous cuts and bruises riddling his body, with his swelling and multicolored forearm looking worst of all. She pressed down on different places on his arm, causing Raiel to wince in pain. He endured her practiced treatment, knowing her to have good intentions, even if it brought him agony.

“I fell down some stairs.” Raiel lied. Eryna’s head shot up and she sent him a look of pure disbelief, a hint of annoyance sneaking into her eyes, as well.

“Uh huh, sure.” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “I’m checking your arm for fractures, although it’s quite clear that it’s broken. I know it hurts, but please try to bear with it.” She continued to press on his arm, from wrist to elbow, and Raiel did his best to keep his groans of pain to a minimum.

“Yep, it’s pretty badly fractured, in several places, as well. How the hell did you manage that?” she wondered aloud. Raiel avoided answering. Yaeth stood behind her, observing her work, a disgruntled frown glued to his face. Raiel understood the anger his roommate must be feeling at being so obviously lied to, and knew he would have been equally exasperated, if their positions were switched, if not even more so. Being ignorant about important matters was a terrible feeling.

“On your stomach.” Eryna commanded.

“What?”

“Turn around and lie on your stomach, please.” she explained with a gentle smile. She gripped his shoulder and helped him into a sitting position. Slowly, with an exhausted moan, he did as he was told.

He laid still for a few minutes, as Eryna quietly examined his back and sides. His backpack and protected his spine somewhat, but it hadn’t been a tighter fit, than swords and knives had managed to make their way through a number of times, slashing up his ribs and shoulders.

“Well, the good news is, that none of the cuts are too deep, otherwise, we’d be in trouble. But, this is still more than I can easily handle here, so I’d like to continue this in the infirmary, if you don’t mind.” she commented, as she looked over his injuries.

Raiel propped himself up on his elbows, looking up at Eryna with a serious expression. “No, we can’t do that! Sorry, Eryna, but I can’t agree to that.” he responded apologetically. She regarded him for a long while, without answering. She sighed in resignation and slumped her shoulders.

“Fine.” she snapped, mouth a thin line. “We’ll do it here, but it’s not going to be pleasant.” Raiel took her warning to heart.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because if I absolutely must treat you here, instead of in an appropriate environment, outfitted with the appropriate equipment, then we have limited options, and since we can’t have you lying here in your room for a hundred years, I’ll have to do it as quickly as I can.” Eryna explained.

“And that means?” Raiel asked with puzzlement, afraid of where this was going.

“Well, your arm is in a pretty bad condition, several fractures from wrist to about halfway up your forearm. I’ll have to heal your arm purely by infusion and hand massage. It’s relatively fast, but very painful. It’s supposed to take months to heal an injury like this, but I’ll probably be able to somewhat get the bones reattached in a week and a half.” she elaborated. “

Raiel was surprised. “You can do that with just infusion?”

Eryna blushed and smiled. “Yeah, but as I said it’s very painful, and still quite slow, compared to what the best can do. I’m only a student, after all.” she remarked, face growing serious again. “I’m essentially forcing your arm to go through a process, that would normally take months, in much less time. If you ever change your mind about the infirmary, just tell me.”

“Alright.” Raiel said hesitantly, becoming nervous at the prospect of the treatment. He didn’t really see any other way. Eryna and Yaeth he felt he could trust enough, that they wouldn’t report their suspicions about how he came about his wounds. However, the same could not be said about the regular medical staff in the infirmary. The last thing he wanted was for the ambush on the slavers to be traced back to him, exposing his abilities. It had to be done discreetly. “Let’s do it, Eryna. You have my thanks.” Raiel said solemnly

“Alright.” she nodded. “We’ll do it in sessions. Let’s meet every day, and I’ll work on your arm, gradually setting it back together. Now, lie down on your back.” she ordered, pulling a chair over to sit on. Eryna laid Raiel’s arm across her knees and began to gently massage the fractured part with her hands. Immediately, Raiel felt a numb, but familiar buzzing, emanating from wherever she touched. She was coursing the mysterious substance through his wrist, and it moved to obey her command with a fluid calmness, that he didn’t recognize in the flow in his own body. It was soothing to feel and interesting to witness. Maybe, if he tried really hard, he could make the rushing energy within himself slow down a bit, so it might not always throw him into a wrathful frenzy.

Content, he closed his eyes and relaxed on his bed, the buzzing continuing to move around in his wrist pacifyingly. Suddenly, intense pain spiked through the bones of his forearm, up to his elbow, like a nail being hammered through the length of his wrist, and Raiel tried to stifle a scream. Eryna looked like she wanted to cease the healing as she pulled an anxious expression, while Yaeth flew forward from where he had been standing behind Eryna, slapping a palm down over Raiel’s mouth, shushing with a finger against his own lips. “If any of our neighbors hear you, they’ll come running and we’re done for! Sorry, but you have to be quiet.” he whispered apologetically.

Raiel knew he was right, and in any case, what good was it to scream, anyway? He gazed into his roommate’s eyes intently and nodded, grumbling his muffled affirmation through Yaeth’s fingers. Yaeth nodded back and removed his hand slowly, as if he was afraid that Raiel would start bellowing as soon as he got the chance. He stood up at walked back to his bed where he let himself collapse, as he uttered a weary sigh.

“So, Miss Arnwulf.” Yaeth began. “You’re a medical infusionist, eh? That’s impressive, since I’ve heard it’s exceptionally difficult to perform such feats on others.” he commented off-handedly.

Without moving her eyes from her work, she chuckled. “I suppose so, yes. But, as so many other things, it comes to you with practice.”

When Yaeth didn’t answer for a moment, Raiel tiled his head and looked over at the other boy, who was silently staring at the ceiling. “Even for commoners like Raiel and I?”

Eryna’s hands stopped their movements, and the pain, as well, faded somewhat, leaving a dull, but overwhelming throbbing. She looked at the floor, her expression difficult to read. “Perhaps not, no.” she said, clenching her fists.” But that’s not the only measure of a person’s worth.”

Yaeth looked over at her back with eyes full of surprise. Then he smiled and huffed a small laugh, as he looked back to the ceiling again. “I guess you’re right.”