Chapter 12

Through Snow and Longing

What better day to return through channels of snow than this one? The sky was clear and the sun was low and bright. Snow walls rose to either side of me, stretching at least four meters high. Thus the journey home was fairly straightforward, paved by previous travelers. I was often in the shadows of the snow walls. Occasionally, I walked in direct sun as the path veered toward it. I welcomed the warmth in those stretches, but the sun reflecting on the snow was nearly blinding.

Since the journey back to the guild was going to take half the day, I had the opportunity to reflect on a very particular experience. My time with Ghospo, the divine goddess of cure poison. My experience with her had been cathartic on a deep level. I remembered clearly what I’d said.

“I hate that so many people have to suffer,” I recited aloud. “Why can’t everyone be healed and live forever.”

I gave a great sigh, and pulled the hood of my cloak tighter. The path turned slightly westward and a bitter wind rushed by me.

I was captivated by legendary healers who crafted life changing items. Items that saved people. Items that turned the tide of battle with healing and protection. If I were a legendary healer, I’d be able to heal everyone in need. I’d been thinking exactly that at Ghospo’s temple. In fact, I remember longing to make something like a healing fountain which I could conjure wherever I went. I remember yearning for exactly that. A healing fountain.

Ghospo had mentioned that I was fulfilling the purpose of my true adventure. But what was that purpose? That’s the question that had me so thoughtful on my return to the guild.

My thoughts kept circling back to conjuring healing fountains. Was that insane? Was it plausible that I could one day do that? How would I even go about crafting such a thing? What was it that I needed in order to do that?

“My true adventure,” I muttered as I passed by a handful of folks traveling in the opposite direction. I was so deep in thought that I paid them no mind.

My only purpose until now had been to simply enter the beginner’s guild, learn, and gain experience. I don’t know why, but things felt different now. Ever since my alignment with Ghospo, something changed in me and I felt it now more than ever. It was a longing. A pervasive longing to heal people. People like my father who’d nearly died. People like Erin—Meemee as she’d asked to be called. Those were the people that needed healing the most. It was a shame that my village didn't have any healing resources.

“I just,” I said, and sighed in exasperation. “I just want to help people.”

It was a simple comment, but it really brought out this deep longing I had and something clicked just then. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I’ve known what I wanted to do all this time. It was never simply about achieving legendary status itself. I suddenly realized that it was really about being in the position where I could really make a difference in the lives of people who needed healing.

What I needed to do was craft a legendary item which anyone could use. A healing fountain that anyone could cast in places lacking healing. Adventurers could use it to conjure fountains in cities, in dungeons, along roads—everywhere. Common folks could use it. Adventurers could collect from it. Perhaps wildlife could take advantage of it!

I didn’t know the first thing about crafting legendary items. I’d read a little bit about the mystery surrounding Axthose’s gourd of healing, but now I wanted to dive deep into the topic. Maybe it was foolish to want to craft a legendary item when I was such an inexperienced adventurer. Garmar might have some guidance and that was as good a place as any to start.

“I’m going to do it!” I said aloud with clenched fists. “I’m going to craft a legendary item, or spell, or something that conjures healing fountains! I’m going to do it! Whatever it takes!”

Just then a man came around a bend in the channel of snow. He groaned in agony and clutched his stomach. His eyes were wild with fear and pain. Blood trailed after him. One of his shoulders was matted with blood.

“Thank Felke!” he said upon seeing me. Relief washed over him as he stumbled over to me. “Please help!”

His health was halfway and slowly emptying. He fell to the snow and rolled over, grimacing in pain. I knelt beside him.

“You’re hurt! What happened? I have healing!” I said, fishing out a couple of potion bottles from my inventory pouch and handing them over.

I helped him sit up and held him steady as he used his good arm to down each potion. His health bar quickly refilled and the wounds closed beneath tattered shreds of clothes. It looked like claws had ripped into him.

“What happened?” I said.

“I was attacked. It's not far behind me! I tried to defend my horse, she’s in trouble! I couldn’t unhitch her in time!”

There was no time to think. I bolted up and ran. I heard neighing and hissing growls just before coming around the bend in the channel.

A large furry creature was wreaking havoc in the back of the wagon amid crates and shattered barrels. The horse was panicking and trying to run, but one side of the wagon had veered into a wall of snow and stuck there.

The creature had the face of a bat. It had the wings of an eagle, and it was tall and lanky. The rest of its body was covered in white fur. Apart from fingers red with exposed blood vessels, and icy blue eyes, it was entirely white.

When I was near enough, the creature paused in its raid, flared its wings open, and hissed at me. A sharp tongue vibrated in its mouth. Then it dove for me.

I cast Fist of Wind, which knocked the monster back to the wagon. It smacked into it and dropped to the snow. In a mad scramble it was back on its feet and launching towards me once more.

A few pumps of its wings brought it high above me. Then it dove, claws extended. I whipped my flagstaff straight out and braced for a collision, aiming the spearhead for its face.

The creature was deft and expertly dodged the spear head. It descended quickly between flag and banner and braid, with slashing claws.

I leaned away and tried to shove the monster away from me with the flagstaff, but it was fast enough to score a number of slashes. I heard my cloak tear. Heard my vest tear. I felt pain erupt in my shoulder and arm. The beast closed in and we collided. I felt teeth pierce the same shoulder that it had struck with claws. My expression of surprise and pain reflected in its void eyes. Its snarled lip flapped against my shoulder

In our collision, we bounced off each other. I kept a firm grip on my weapon and rose to my feet. I turned to face my enemy, raised my flagstaff and slammed it down. Every spell activated. Fist of Wind blasted into the beast as it was already rushing in. I was healed a nominal amount from Life-Steal. Zekaidean’s Anvil began to run its course, and Twenty of Gryf brought my health up a good amount. Boera’s Flux also activated, which meant that I wasted today's opportunity to use it.

The winged beast was knocked off course and tumbled to the snow. I charged in as it rose to its feet, channeled all my training, and thrust forward. The spearhead plunged straight through its belly. The flagstaff only stopped sliding through its body when one of the handles slammed against its ribcage. The monster howled with anger, then squealed in pain.

I kept running forward until I slammed the monster into the snow wall. It grunted hoarsely at the impact. Its wings shuddered. It shakily clawed at the flagstaff, leaned forward and snapped its jaw at me.

I could feel that its strength was greater than mine. If it weren’t injured, I’m sure it would have been able to knock my weapon aside. For tense moments I fought to keep it pinned against the wall. It fought with lashing claws. Its screams were blood curdling. Its feet hung half a meter from the ground, and found inefficient purchase against the wall.

“Bleed out!” I said, putting all my strength into keeping it pinned.

Something dark passed behind its eyes. The monster’s wings shuddered and then fell limply. A low growl emitted from its throat. Then with sudden ferocity and renewed strength it gripped the flagstaff. It let out a deep rumbled growl as it began pushing the flagstaff out of its body.

I shoved it back in and it howled once more.

“Die!” I said, and tried to twist.

The monster’s grip was strong and I could no longer twist. Once more, it began to push my flagstaff forward to remove it from its belly. A horrifying amount of blood ran down its body from the massive wound. I was losing the match of strength. I was a moment away from losing my footing. For every shove I attempted, the monster held its grip and blocked my efforts.

For every second that passed, I could feel Life-steal heal me a fraction at a time. I know I was dealing damage, but how much damage could this fiend take?

A pair of hands clasped onto the flagstaff near mine. I looked up and into the weathered face of the man I’d just healed. His eyes, striped with experience, said, “we can do this.”

I gritted my teeth and we pushed together. Through the wood of the flagstaff, I could feel the spearhead and shaft pass through the monster once more. It squealed in agony once more.

For the next few minutes, this stranger and I kept the fiend pinned until it bled out and died. When we were sure it was dead, the man went to tend to his horse.

“Harry,” he said, callin over his shoulder. “Name’s Harry Forhner. This here is Bella. Ah—she’s got a few wounds, poor girl.”

Bella was trembling and her eyes were wide. Her breathing was rapid and she eyed me cautiously. Several gashes were scored across her flank. Blood trickled down her left hind leg. Harry was heartbroken. I could see it in his face.

“I see,” I said. “I’m happy to heal her up. I could use potions but I’d rather use magic if she’s not too skittish right now.

“Oh could you? She’s scared at the moment but she trusts me. I’ll do my best to let her know you’re a friend.”

I cast Twenty of Gryf twice until her wounds had closed up. Though her coat was still slick with blood, at least her trembling stopped and she seemed to no longer be in pain. Harry soothed her the whole while, giving her carrots from a pocket, and talking sweetly in her ear.

“I can’t thank you enough—what was your name? I’m afraid I didn’t catch it.”

“Tosin. No worries at all. Actually, I should be thanking you for the help back there. It was a struggle and your strength came in handy just in time.”

“You helped Bella and for that I am in your debt.” He waved a hand at his wagon. Crates and barrels had been splintered apart and grain spilled out on the wagon floorboards and off into the snow. “I don’t have much to offer as thanks. I’m a transporter. If any of this was mine, I’d offer some to you as thanks. Otherwise I don’t have much else.”

“That’s very generous of you,” I said, “but I would decline your offer anyway. I’m glad you and Bella are safe.”

Harry had a kind soul. I could tell by the way he treated Bella. He loved her as though she were a family member. He even let me pet her and feed her a few treats before I helped him recover what we could of any spilled grain.