Gabrio’s eyes were blackened. He looked at the patients before shaking his head. He wanted to go outside when he spotted a smith being escorted by a soldier from the Grand-Galleon.

The smith waved his hands. Gabrio welcomed the smith who sat down. He looked at the medical tent before unpacking his bag. Gabrio eyed the smith. His eyes focused on the contents of the bag.

“Doctor, how many do you have?”

Gabrio took out his pistols. They were all single-shots. The smith took the pistols and exchanged them with two pistols.

“Needle-fire pistols,” he said. “The latest weapon we produced. We would be converting the weapons to this. All Officers are entrusted with this weapon.”

It was a weapon with a revolving cylinder. Gabrio took out the cylinder and then pulled the trigger. The needle moved back and forth. He wanted to test the needle-fire pistol. Getting out of the tent he aimed with his pistol and shot thrice. It was certainly harder to handle than his single-shot, but nonetheless convenient because of the six-shots that it carried. Reloading it and ramming the paper cartridges would take time as well.

“We are coming far from just putting one at a time,” Gabrio commented. The smith had a proud look on his face. Without anything to do they would spend their time brainstorming on whatever they could do to improve the firing rate of their weapons. If they could not even find time to improve, then what else are they going to do other than maintain the tools, equipment, and weapons of the fleet?

The smith left after getting the pistols to Gabrio. Gabrio felt a bit better knowing that he had two pistols that could fire twelve shots. Not to mention that the smith was generous enough to give ten clips of pre-loaded cartridges to him.

Gabrio remained in the medical tent. Most of the time he would tend to his patients. On hours that he didn’t need to work. He would chat with Mana who was rather curious about the architecture of the place. Gabrio had heard only a few news from the expedition crew. There was nothing to mention other than there were problems regarding the exploration of tunnels, and the cases where the explorers died because of the toxin.

It was a problem that needed solving. It was the perfect job for the blinder who sought the terrible creatures and purged them. Although the number of people who have started to get injured has become less. Gabrio did not dare to slacken.

He continued his research and with the help of his better peers. They had somewhat developed a concoction that could reduce the effect of the toxin. He wasn’t the only one in the fleet, if anything he was glad that he didn’t have to bear the weight of this problem alone. He wasn’t too proud to think of himself as the only one who could solve problems.

During noon Gabrio would find his gaze on the fleet. He thought to himself that ever since he has become a Doctor. He was rather far too busy compared to his time back in Aon. Back then he had to argue with folk who thought he was a quack. He had to travel twenty-miles to treat people and treated folks as best as he could. His customers were either ranches or farmers who got injured. He had traveled to make house calls and there were folks who would pay him in goods and the rest were unfortunately unable to truly pay him after making a journey.

If he demanded payment he’d probably do better than when he had during his time in Aon. Not that he was interested in taking payment. It was strange how far he had come. But even Gabrio could feel that there must be something more he could do. But each life plays a role. His role was to heal. The other role was to fight or maintain the fleet.

Gabrio had no qualms about his role in the fleet. Nonetheless there are still stray thoughts in him that made him want to do more than just heal. But who was he kidding? He was no fighter. He was not some genius or chosen one that could do more than do suture or prepare medicine he had to look up to.

If anything he felt like he was surrounded with professionals who’d do better than him. Other than growing up in Fort Rava. What else does he have other than the skills anyone could learn with his efforts? Even a mediocre person could be better if taught by a wonderful person.

Perhaps because of this he did not allow himself to be arrogant. He remained what he was.

“If my teacher could see me right now. No, my seniors would stop teasing me as a fool who gets paid in eggs and milk.”

Gabrio leaned back. He continued staring at the fleet covered in this overcast that couldn’t be blown away. Even the light that shone in the Elder Tree located in the center of the Arkshelled Island could not do anything about it.

Cold winds. The soft lapping of water below the cliffs. The footsteps of the soldiers running around the cove. The chatter traveling through the air. The violent blowing of the sails. The small voices that were on the medical tent.

Gabrio rubbed his arms. He was about to go into the medical tent when he saw a commotion on the cove. Before Gabrio could react. The entrance of the cove was blown open. A creature that was made of rock and glowing blue lines tore through the soldiers.

Gabrio’s first reaction was to run while holding to his pistol. The Elven-kin who were on the cove wore their Vitae and fought back. Gabrio took cover as he saw the Vitae were easily beaten down. Seeing the Vitae’s being beaten down. Everyone was about to panic when they saw a sharp blade made of light extend from inside of the cove and split it apart.

With the giant made of rock was down. Gabrio sprinted towards the Elven-kin who were down and shouted at the folks to help him. Terin Gaspar and Caldor Ando exited while facing the rock giant. Gabrio spotted Robert coming out while holding to his bow.

What was happening?

Gabrio thought. He carried the Elven-kin to safety. The trouble didn’t stop. There were more of these creatures. And they varied in sizes. Gabrio knew his limits, so he ran alongside the rest while keeping his pistol in mind.

The soldiers who were retreating fought back. Gabrio spotted Robert among them. There was a clear anger on Robert’s face. He wielded his bow masterfully and barely used his rifle and pistols.

The Vitae-wielding Elven-kin wielded their tree-sized rifles. Each shot was devastating. The rest of the crew on the cove pointed the wheeled cannons that they placed on the cove. The professionalism of the fleet showed once more. Each shot broke the defense while the blinder of light who wielded his sword of light tore through the stronger monsters. There were hundreds going out of the cove. The fleet saw the red smoke. They acted and fired a support that tore through the entrance. Seeing that bombardment the group retreated to the side of the cove. The Elven-kin raised barriers with the help of the sprite while the soldiers of the fleet took cover and threw everything that they have at the enemy.

Gabrio pulled on the folks who were injured. He hid behind the barrier while quickly examining the people who were injured. He saw Robert vault on the barrier and rolled near him.

“Doc,” Robert called. “Quite a mess here. Fuck, I should have know that there is always a reason that these idiots are here.”

Gabrio casts a glance before applying a quick suture to the soldier. Robert checked his quiver, clicked his tongue, and fired his rifle instead. He hit the bead on the rock giants. Gabrio was always impressed with Robert’s marksmanship.

Terin Gaspar fought furiously. Although Gabrio was sure that he could have done something more powerful. Terin must have been examining his surroundings. If he used his powers, Gabrio would be sure that he would be able to split the cove into two. Not to mention that they seemed to be protecting something. Gabrio didn’t have any idea on what it was. Not that he’d even know since lately their group had been secretive.

Robert pulled on the bolt of his rifle. He shot another down. He then opened the chamber of his rifle, plucked the crooked needle on it, and replaced it with another. The whole barrel was filled with gunpowder. Robert clicked his tongue and shot another round.

“These paper cartridges are a mess,” he said.

Gabrio remained in cover. He applied his first-aid skills on the injured. He did not fight. He did not do much other than pull the folks who were down to safety alongside others.

The fighting resulted in Terin Gaspar slicing the entrance of the cove. The Vitae who escaped with them were carrying huge crates of metal. There was already metal flowing out the cove, but considering the amount that they harvested from this dead world. Gabrio couldn’t help but ask if this was worth the lives of the folks who died in his care.

With the cove useless. Gabrio evacuated the cove and went back to the Grand-Galleon. He didn’t stay on the deck. He went back to his clinic. Robert came with him. Gabrio motioned Robert to sit down. He took his clothes off and saw that Robert had a lot of scratches and small injuries. His lower back was bruised.

“Must be quite a mess.”

“It was. All those folk died for nothing. Doc, I was glad that you let me go. Fucking hell, I understand now why them soldiers avoid that fucker named Caldor. That fucking bastard is letting others get killed so they could do whatever they want.”

“What do you mean?”

“I overheard them talking. How they wanted to get some artifact here for that Madam. It seems like they were after one of their treasures here.”

“Transmutation stone.”

“A what?”

“It’s a device that these people have. It could transform any material to steel or gold. It’s probably why those stone creatures tried to kill us all.”

Robert had suspicions. Even Gabrio could somewhat tell that the fleet was hiding something. If they really were following an ancient map then this place was one of their stops.

“I understand that it is a treasure. That the fleet would need it. Oh, I’m more convinced that we need this. A treasure that could change stone to the steel we needed. But Doc, this shit, the lives of the fucking soldiers. The brothers of mine that fucking died for them! I saw that fuck. He told me that this is for the good. Fuck him. He doesn’t have fucking right to throw people’s lives away for that fucking treasure. It isn’t right, Doctor. It isn’t right at all!”

Gabrio saw grief and anger in Robert’s eyes. Gabrio couldn’t say anything. He sewed the open wounds on Robert’s back.

“If anything I’m just glad that we’ll get out of this place. Who knows what we have provoked. We don’t need more enemies right now.”

Robert did not comment. He continued looking down on the floor, listless. Gabrio was sure that he was ignorant to the matters of the fleet. There are certain things that he was not aware of and he thought to himself that the fleet had already thought of concealing them from them.

Nonetheless he could never agree on sacrificing the life of others for objects. Gabrio wanted to believe that there is a reason. But the hostility in Robert’s tone of voice made Gabrio unable to truly think that way. He was not there so he could not judge them.