After a few days of maintaining the status quo and adjusting to a nocturnal schedule, James informed them that he wanted to visit the Sage to find out some information. He was particularly curious about the Providence Ceremony with Sacred Fountain she had mentioned before.

“When I went to talk to the doctor who healed Sanders about payment, he mentioned there was a ceremony that had to do with the Sacred Fountain that could heal all physical ailments, but it can only be done once.”

“Why would you need that?” Miranda asked, “You look perfectly healthy to me.”

James gave her a bitter smile. “Actually, the reason I suddenly turned over a new leaf and took this hopeless mission was that they discovered that one of my lungs has been infected and is slowly dying. The surgery was risky and I had a life sentence so it would take some convincing to send me to an outside hospital.”

“So you took the mission to heal your lung?” Selina asked.

“Not quite. I thought I would enjoy the last years of my life better outside a jail cell.”

“But you think this ceremony can heal you,” Natalie finished, “and your will to live came back with a passion, right?”

“Well, yes,” James replied.

Howard silently observed James. He certainly hadn’t expected to find out something like that. James had always given the impression of someone who stood on the top. Someone untouchable. Even though he personally admitted that one of his lungs was bad, it was hard to believe.

“So are you going to do it?” Jonathan asked, “If you don’t I might. It would be fun to see what strange little catches the miracles in this world have.”

“I am,” James told Jonathan, “and I will let each of you know what I find out. If I don’t come back alive, you will all know why.”

“Good luck,” Miranda said.

James nodded and stepped out into the moonlight.

“Should we follow him?” Leon asked.

“I think it would be better for us to wait here,” Natalie vetoed, “This is a very personal matter and if it does turn sour we don’t have to get wrapped up in it. James is willing to make the sacrifice if need be.”

“Shall we get back to our usual research and preparations then?” Jonathan asked.

____________________________

In the heart of the gradient white rose at the center of the Colony of Veda, James stood face to face with the Sage.

{I acknowledge your wish. Step up to the edge of the fountain and I will begin.}

As usual, the telepathy of the Sage was full of extra detail, including the exact spot he should stand. Generally, James was the cautious type who would never do this sort of thing, at least not before someone else had tested it. However, his lung made his mind up for him when he experienced serious chest pains the day before.

James moved to stand where directed, cautiously observing the room around him as if he expected an assassin of some kind to be lurking in the shadows. It was a force of habit, and one he did not intend to break out of here.

Almost as soon as James took his position at the side of the fountain the water began to rise with a silver glow and wrap around him. Some of it became a sparkling mist that he ended up breathing in, and the rest enveloped him as if he had dove into a lake, but he could still breathe.

The sensation was unnerving, but James remained silent and calm. If he let something like this get to him, chances were he would die quickly in this world. That was only if the ceremony itself did not kill him.

Then he began to feel the Sage’s presence in his mind. It sent chills running down his spine but there was nothing he could do to keep her out. Only once she was finished examining his memories did the water release him, and James felt extremely drained.

{“What did you do?”} he demanded, both out loud and with telepathy.

{I did as you requested. You have been fully healed according to the ways of our people. The block in your mind has also been released.}

James paused and checked himself over. The pain was completely gone and breathing took no effort at all. He could also still feel the presence of the Sage’s mind but it was not invading like before. It was a comfortable feeling like he could reach out to it. When he focused he could also feel the minds of the others.

When he looked down again he noticed there was a gap between the top of his socks and the bottoms of his pants that had definitely not been there before. James had always preferred to cover as much skin as possible, just in case. Exposed skin invited vulnerability to more attacks.

{Have I gotten taller?} he wondered.

{You have. The Wisdom in the water has adapted your body to survive in this world. Most of the change will happen slowly, but there are things that will show themselves immediately.}

James paused and looked up at the Sage. It was surprisingly difficult to control telepathy so his thoughts of suspicion slipped out again.

{You saw my past so surely you know that my hands are not clean, yet you stand there as if you saw nothing.}

{The past is the past, and I also saw that you have no intention of continuing that life here. Should you change your mind I will deal with it then,} she assured him.

James accepted that explanation but remained suspicious. {In that case, do you have a recommendation for a job for me here?}

{I do,} the Sage replied as if she were waiting for him to ask that, {Your skills and the ceremony have made you into a natural-born hunter. Hunters are rare here, and their job is to protect the colony from the beasts and predators beyond the walls. It is a difficult job but you will be well respected for it.}

A hunter, huh? James rested his hand on his firearm again, deep in thought. That position did suit him and he would not feel nearly so out of place as he did with the restaurant idea. He might have to ask Howard for some tips.

{Am I allowed to keep the meat of the animals I hunt?}

{Of course.}