6. Health Potion

Blood dripped from the gash in Ardan’s arm, staining the grass a deep crimson. Carefully prodding it with his finger, a wave of pain engulfed him, and he yelped in agony.

A notification appeared in his peripheral vision, flashing an intense red.

- Alert! -

Warning: Less than 25% HP

Health Potions are not consumable when HP is below 20%

“So this game has potions, too. Not like I have any, though.” He said aloud, trying to distract himself from the pain. Ardan leaned his head against the tree, contemplating whether or not to give up.

“Menu.”

Menu - Ardan Boone

Currency: 10§ Profile Inventory Statistics

Skills Quests Shop

Settings

Profile, inventory, statistics, skills, quests… shop?

Ardan read the options in his head, stopping when he reached ‘shop’. Didn’t he receive money - or whatever the game’s strange currency was - from completing the daily requirement?

“Shop.”

0 Skill Token/s Shop

Currency: 10§ Consumables

Items

Skills (Gacha)

Health Potions

Mana Potions

Fatigue Relievers

Minor 10§ Minor 10§ Minor 10§ Medium 50§ Medium 50§ Medium 50§ Major 200§ Major 200§ Major 200§ Attack Potions Defense Potions Minor 20§ Minor 20§ Minor Medium

100§ Medium 100§ Medium Major 275§ Major 275§ Major

There was a light at the end of the tunnel - a health potion. Of course, and he had just enough to purchase it, too!

Without thinking further, he spoke the command. “Purchase minor health potion.”

How many [Minor Health Potions] would you like to purchase?

“One.”

Purchased [Minor Health Potion] (x1) for 10§

Remaining Currency: 0§

A small vial of red liquid materialised mid-air, landing near Ardan’s feet.

Stretching over, Ardan tentatively took the vial with his good hand and frowned. It was surprisingly heavy. As he focused on the item, a little grey screen appeared above it.

Game Item Identified

Loading Item Profile . . .

ID: 1038302

Item Profile

Minor Health Potion

(Consumable)

Quality: C

Restores 20% Max HP upon consumption

Cannot be used when HP is below 20%

Cooldown: 10 minutes

The vial was shaped like a teardrop and about the size of an orange. It sat comfortably in his palm, the pale, crimson solution swirling around inside. Dull grey carvings covered the flask, so intricate and small that it felt otherworldly. A thin bronze strip circled the tip, and a rubber cork was squeezed into the nozzle.

When Ardan shook the potion, he found the liquid was a lot thicker than it looked. As it sloshed around inside the vial, no stains of the liquid were left on the glass, which made it seem unreal.

Ardan tried to open the bottle, struggling with his left hand to pop out the cork.. Grunting in frustration, he placed the cork in between his teeth and pulled.

“This better work,” he mumbled before biting down on the cork and pulling the potion away from him.

Pop!

Ardan brought the vial under his nose, trying to determine whether or not it was poisonous. It smelled strangely like strawberry.

Taking one last suspicious look at the potion in his hands, he brought it up to his lips and downed the entire vial.

- Alert! - [Minor Health Potion] has been consumed

It tasted like the strawberry-flavoured medicine he had been given for a cold. Not overwhelmingly horrible, but weirdly bitter and sweet at the same time. A strange tingling feeling followed, electrifying his skin.

The empty potion vial glitched in Ardan’s hand, glowing white before exploding into a beautiful, yet jarring display of tiny blue, triangular particles. Confused, Ardan noticed his health was restored by forty, his current HP at eighty-four. His arm had stopped bleeding, but the wound hadn’t closed, or magically disappeared. However, he was rejuvenated a little and though his body felt sore, his head was clear.

Painfully taking off his jumper, he wrapped it around the wound as a makeshift bandage. Ardan stood up, looking around for the wolf or any of its mates. Thankfully, he was alone.

Now there was another problem. He was alive, but still seriously injured and in need of treatment. There were two options for now.

The first was to somehow climb back up to his room and pretend everything was fine. Ardan knew Pat wasn’t a fool however, and would surely ask questions which Ardan couldn’t answer.

The second would be to go to the hospital he visited this morning. The problem with this option was that the people there would definitely treat him, but they too would ask questions. Questions that might get him in trouble…

Ardan looked up to his status window for answers.

#8902 Ardan Boone PR: Insane Offline Lvl. 5 - 11324/15000EXP HP 88/200 MP 200/200 Fatigue 30 (To open menu say menu)

His health was below half, but he had felt worse. Unfortunately, the damage was not temporary like the necrosis penalty had been.

Clambering to his feet, Ardan felt around his body, seeing if he was injured anywhere else. He wasn’t. Yet, his left arm throbbed painfully by his side, so he supported it with his right. Wrapping the remnants of Pat’s torn jumper around his injured arm, Ardan set off for the hospital.

+ - + - + - +

Ardan’s footsteps were heavy against the concrete, dragging his tired body to the hospital. It wasn’t very far away, just half a kilometer from Pat’s house. It felt much longer, due to the people who stared in curiosity or disgust, watching this dishevelled elf boy on his journey for medical help.

Dark red bloodstains dotted his clothes, not helping his current predicament. Ardan kept his head low and avoided eye contact with anyone, unsuccessfully masking his presence.

Fortunately, he made it to the hospital without being approached by anyone.

Ardan was walking around the building, trying to find an entrance when a young female elf approached him. She looked to be around twenty and had pretty, light purple hair that was cut short, resting just above her shoulders. She wore a soft blue dress that Ardan assumed was part of a nurse’s outfit.

“Are you ok, sir?” Her voice was laced with surprise, green eyes widening as she rushed to inspect his wound.

“N-no? I got scratched by a… dog.” He hesitated before telling her. A wolf in Greixol? She wouldn't've believed him.

She gave him a strange look before peering closer at Ardan’s left arm. “A dog, huh? Let’s get you inside. There’s a lot of blood on your clothes… My name’s Naomi by the way, I’m a nurse here.”

With that, she took off into the hospital, Ardan trailing shortly behind.

There were many, many people inside the hospital, but they all seemed too busy to care about how Ardan looked.

The pair walked for a while and eventually turned into a hallway. Ardan was surprised at how white the hallway was, compared to the multicoloured lobby. A few seconds later, they turned into another hallway labeled ‘Surface Injuries’. There were many rooms, all of which had elf doctors treating patients with horrible injuries.

Naomi stepped into one of the rooms. This one was simple, with only a hospital bed and a desk. Sitting at the desk was another female elf. Her name read ‘Dr. Maine’, pinned on a soft blue dress.

“What’s your name again?”

“Ardan. Ardan Boone.”

“How old are you?”

“Fifteen.” This time, Naomi almost shouted.

“Fifteen? But you’re so tall and-”

Cutting her off, Dr Maine spoke up.

“Naomi, why don’t you go prepare the bandages? It looks like Ardan over here is in need of them.”

Giving Ardan one last look, Naomi broke eye contact and walked away, presumably to prepare the bandages. Dr Maine rose from her swivel chair, revealing her stunning height.

Ardan was a tall elf himself, just about two metres in total height, but this woman stood a towering head above him.

“Hey there Ardan, how’re you feeling?”

“Alright?” He muttered.

“Is it alright if I take this off?”

She pointed towards the ripped jumper.

“Sure…”

Dr Maine gently unwrapped the cloth, revealing three horrible, open wounds. She frowned in concern and shook her head.

“Ardan, how did you get this?”

He hesitated for a moment before replying.

“I was attacked by a dog.”

An eyebrow was raised, but Dr Maine didn’t comment. Instead, she proceeded to prod his arm lightly with a gloved finger.

Ardan hissed in pain and attempted to retract his arm, but Dr Maine’s grip was strong and didn’t let it go.

“I’m sorry, did that hurt?”

Of course it did, Ardan thought to himself.

“We’ve got to get this stitched up. Sit down on the bed for now, and I’ll make a call. The bleeding has stopped, which is good, but have you washed out the wound?

Ardan shook his head and sat on the bed. It smelled like doctors’ scrubs, and depressed under his weight.

Dr Maine sighed and reached for a small phone, to which she muttered words that Ardan couldn’t catch.

He was tired. Exhausted, actually.

Glancing up at his status window, he wondered whether the number next to ‘fatigue’ had something to do with his weariness. Dr. Maine did not react to this. It seemed only he could see the strange screens that popped up around him. For now, at least.

“Ardan?”

Dr Maine’s voice roused him from his thoughts.

“We’re going to get you stitched up now. Is your parent or caretaker here?”

Technically, Ardan was considered an adult at the age of fifteen.

“No… I’m an orphan.”

“Alright then. Come on then, let’s get moving.”

“But what about Naomi?” He asked. A part of him wanted to see her again.

“She’ll be fine here. You’re the most important person right now.”

With that, she beckoned for Ardan to follow her and walked out of the room.