Iona and Fenrir wordlessly worked together to land a non-threatening distance away from the town. While they were doing that, I was double checking my amulet and deception ring settings, making sure they both displayed me at 256. Had to keep my true level a secret.

It didn’t help a ton, warning bells were ringing by the time we’d landed and guards were scrambling onto the wall. Interestingly, all the guards here were equipped with bolas, a throwing weapon that was basically a bunch of cords with weights on the end. A weapon designed for ranged capture, although usually not great inside a crowded city.

“You’d think all of Fenrir’s armor and gear would clearly indicate that he’s tamed and safe.” I remarked to Iona.

She grunted at me.

“Yeah. Well, wish me luck, I’m going to go talk with them.”

“Want me to come with? I’m good with guards.”

Iona hesitated.

“How good’s your trader tongue, and do you want half the guards in the city checking your protections?” She asked.

I eyed Fenrir.

“Why don’t Auri and I unpack some supplies while you mollify the guard.” I suggested.

Iona nodded and headed over to the gate, everything but her helmet slamming into position as she manipulated her armor.

I kept an eye on Iona and the guards, ready to dash over at a moment’s notice, while we grabbed all the chests off of Fenrir. Wasn’t fair to him to just leave them there, and I didn’t know what we’d need, or how long we’d be here.

I took a deep whiff as I unpacked, a nice seaside breeze bringing the scents of the city to me, getting a vague idea of what was going on in the town.

Fish was my first impression. A thousand and one smells of hundreds of different fish, and each of their parts, in various stages of decay. From the freshly-killed marlin brought in by a fishing trawler, all the way to minnows that had been forgotten for three weeks, I smelled it all.

There were the usual mess of port city smells, from salt, fresh fish, a subtle odor of fish that had gone bad and other unsavory things rotting, a kaleidoscope of elvenoid smells and everything that life generated, wood, and the hundreds and thousands of other scents that a town made, that I could get on a quick sniff. There were probably a thousand secrets I’d just uncovered, if only I knew the background and context of everything I’d just smelled.

Three things stood out to me.

First was the putrid scent of disease, of rot and puke, of necrosis and death. People were sick. People were dying.

That’s why we’d stopped.

The second was the accursed scent of apples. Suen wasn’t exactly close to the Silver Horde, but the Silver Horde was coastal, and Suen was the island-nation of trading and bartering. No surprise that one of their trading ports had apples.

Third was the blessed smell of the ambrosia, the whole reason for my existence. As Suen was a trading port and had apples, it also had mangos. The freshest smelled like they were picked a day ago - a preservation skill was in play. They ranged all the way down to rotten, and eh, Auri could work some fire magic to extract the flavor into something else.

I had more than smell though, and the sounds coming from the city were just as interesting as the smells.

Fishmongers were still yelling about the catch of the day. Someone was yelling how the plague was the wrath of Thanatos, who’d come to reap the city. A beggar was crying out, asking for coin or healing. There were wails of despair mixed with outrageous flirting, a funeral and a game of chance.

I wasn’t in the city yet, but I was starting to get a picture of a town in trouble, but life was still continuing. Not as bad as Perinthus had been, no large-scale disaster that was consuming the life of every person inside.

I wasn’t sure what Iona said, not speaking the language she used with the guards. It was undeniably effective, as with three sentences the guards on the wall vanished, and with two more they were nodding and beckoning her in.

Iona jogged back over.

“Good work!” I told her as the Valkyrie slung a pair of chests under her arms, and balanced a third on her head.

“Brrrpt? Brrrpt?” Auri looked back and forth from Fenrir to us. I shrugged.

“It’s your decision. I do smell mango…”

Auri shot over to Fenrir’s head.

“Brrrpt, brrrrpt.” She apologized while rubbing her head up against his cheek.

“BRPT!” She shot over to us, and landed on my head. Her beak snapped towards the city.

“Brpt BRPT BRPT BRRRRRRRRRRRRPT! BrrrrrrrrRPT!” She heralded a CHARGE!, then told me, most noble of steeds, to ride forth.

Iona flicked Auri off my head.

“Be nice!” She scolded the little phoenix.

“Brrrpt!” Auri was indignant as she returned to her favorite seat on top of my head.

“Place is called Kirta. Didn’t get any unusual demands or requests from the guards. Seems like a run of the mill Suen port city.” Iona gave me the quick rundown. I nodded.

We headed off towards the gates. We were almost there when Auri straightened up like she’d been electrified.

“BRRPT! Brrrrrrrrrrrrpt!”

I wanted to facepalm, but was carrying too much.

“Yes, I know I need to stay low key.” I told her. “I’m well aware of how much I can show off before people realize I’m not an unusually strong 256.”

“What’s your plan for that?” Iona asked, making sure to speak English so nobody could eavesdrop in.

“Hiding my Spatial class. The only obvious skills are [Channeled Blink] and [Bookwyrm’s Hoard]. Minimal use of my Radiance class, and stick to a slow and sedate pace in public. Claim a high [Oath] level and a focus on mana regeneration for my healing prowess. Add in that I’m a recent graduate of the School, it should pass muster.”

Iona slowly nodded. I knew she wasn’t thrilled with the deception thing - her own [Vow] had her swear not to lie, and she considered most forms of disguises and deceptions a natural extension of that - but grudgingly tolerated the necessity of me not telling the whole truth. It didn’t mean she liked it, and I went with selectively telling the truth as opposed to crafting any lies. Kept everyone happy.

“Brrrrpt?” Auri asked. I shrugged.

“I mean, there’s nothing wrong with me being bonded to a creature higher level than I am, right? As long as I show 256? All capped healers have a level they’re supposed to be, no crime there?” Every statement was a question, because I knew the theory, but not the practice.

Iona nodded.

“Exactly. More than a few cases of healers deciding to throw caution to the wind and classing up during a disaster. Usually they’ll get a fairly strong class, then try to get out of the area once it’s over. You should be fine.”

Speaking of fine, we were at the gates. The guards waved us through after Iona paid them. Three obsidian coins… pricey for simple entry!

“I’d say enjoy your stay, but…” The guard trailed off and looked meaningfully at the black and yellow plague flags. “Welcome to Osengend.”

“Can you direct us to the center of the healing efforts?” I asked in halting trader-tongue. Not my best language.

The guard shook his head.

“I don’t know of one. Talk with the [Mayor].”

Iona and I traded looks.

“Alright, we’ll do that.” Iona replied, then strode into the town. I hurried along behind her, narrowing my eyes as I saw the guard split our entry fee among the other guards, pocketing our coins.

I’d thought the entry fee had been a little high, and it looked like the guards were scamming outsiders. I had to remind myself that I wasn’t a Ranger anymore, that Sentinels didn’t operate here, and to let issues like this slide to tackle the more important things. Still, it rankled.

We were here and I’d gotten distracted. At the same time, I didn’t need a ton of time to prepare anymore.

I opened up my big mental book of infectious diseases inside my [Astral Archives], the memory skill letting me organize and instantly recall things I’d learned. I opened up my mental book of how to heal and cure diseases in every elvenoid species I knew. I tied all that knowledge together with [Persistent Casting], [Wheel of Sun and Moon], and [Dance with the Heavens], creating a large zone around myself of invisible healing magic.

Anyone coming within roughly 80 meters of me, who was touched by sunlight or moonlight while I was also under the sun or moon, would be purged of any diseases they had, and the scars and side-effects of the plague would also be cured. I was ignoring mundane injuries for the moment. While disease took remarkably little mana to destroy - even at a low level I was able to make a difference in Perinthus - wounds were a completely different ballgame, and I had a city’s worth of people to tackle.

My mana got chunked as I turned my healing on, a large number of people immediately falling under its umbrella, and all of them instantly healed.

[*ding!* [Companion Bond between Elaine and Auri] leveled up! 456 -> 457]

“Brrrpt!” Auri made appreciative noises that I was working hard to level her up, and that I should keep at it.

I made a little picture with [Mantle of the Stars] in front of her, miming a bird going into a cup. Wasn’t a particularly good depiction, but Auri got the message.

“This is your event. Where to?” Iona asked.

I readjusted the chest I was carrying.

“A tavern to drop our stuff off at, then let’s talk to the [Mayor] and see what the organization looks like. No sense in disrupting a working system, or missing a central location for patients.” I said. “I’ve already got my healing up.”

Iona nodded and pointed to a sign.

“Tavern’s right there. Do we want to hunt for a deal, or just settle in?”

I shook my head.

“Just settle in.”

Well positioned tavern near the gate like that. Location location location!

We entered the tavern, and I cursed [The World Around Me]. The place looked clean enough. A few [Laborers] in the corner were eating a quick lunch. The floor was neatly swept. The counters were clean. A [Bartender] was cleaning the same glass over and over again - but I noticed that as she re-cleaned the same glass, a different glass was polished.

Sympathy magic?

Behind the clean outward appearance though, I could see everything. All the dirty little secrets. The rats in the walls. The slightly aging ingredients. The mystery meat in the stew. It also let me see that most of the rooms were empty. Not just ‘whoever’s renting the room is out for the day’, a ‘the room is ready for the next patron’ empty.

I turned the skill off. I was practical enough to know that every single place was hiding dirt and grime, that no location was absolutely perfect. Ignorance was bliss in some situations. I’d be happy enough here.

Iona approached the [Bartender].

“How much for a night?” She asked.

“Two jadeite coins a night per room. Three people per room max. Comes with daily cleaning, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, whatever’s on the pot. Each meal comes with a flagon, although you’ve got to pay for more individually. Can I sign you two up for two rooms?”

I started to open my mouth, but Iona held out a gauntleted hand, letting me know she wanted to take the lead. I was happy to let her barter, I’d been a hair away from accepting a single room on our behalf.

“The place is practically empty, and the town’s under a plague flag. I’m escorting a powerful healer who can do quite a lot. How about eight obsidian coins per night, we’ll take one room, and we’ll pay for three days up front.” Iona proposed.

A quick round of haggling occurred while my eyes glazed over. It was just money! Pay the lady and let’s go!

The two finally settled on a single jadeite coin per night, paying four days up front, one room, and I’d heal the staff. I practically rolled my eyes when the [Tavern Keeper] proposed that clause, I’d do it anyway, but hey, that’s why I let Iona do the haggling for us.

Iona and the [Tavern Keeper] shook hands.

“Pleased to have you! Name’s Iwanna, shout if I can help you with anything! Grab any of the free rooms and let me know which one it is.” She said.

Iona and I dropped our stuff off in one of the top floor rooms, both to have a better limited view, and to get a little away from the smell and sound of the street.

“Does she have sympathy magic?” I asked Iona as we dropped our chests off.

Iona nodded.

“Yup. Nifty application of it, and it gives the place a certain vibe.” She looked pointedly at the double-sized bed in the corner of the room, sending an obvious message.

I rolled my eyes at her, sending an equally strong one back.

“Hey, do you mind if I just take off? Time spent here is time I’m not healing people, and it’s starting to bug me. We know where to find each other again now that we have the room.”

Iona flapped a hand at me.

“Yeah, shoo, go. Auri, keep Elaine out of getting into too much trouble before I catch up again.”

“Brrrpt!” Auri gave a little salute, her claws digging deep into my hair as I dashed out of the room.

“BRPT!” Auri leaned over my head and pecked me in the eye.

“Yeow! What was that for!?” It didn’t hurt, but getting poked in the eye was startling. I’d expected her to stop and look at me.

“Brrrrrrrrrrpt!” Auri imperiously commanded me. I rolled my eyes at her.

“I am taking it easy! I am going slowly! I am acting like I should!”

Even as I protested I realized she was right. I’d been running way too quickly, falling into my natural habits too easily. My biomancy enchantments plus my speed stat and improved nervous system had me innately moving like I was a level 400 [Warrior], not a pudgy 256 [Healer].

I slowed down.

“Hey, do you know where the healing effort is organized, or where the [Mayor] is?” I asked Iwanna as I got down the stairs. She’d switched from cleaning the same glass over and over, to wiping down the same patch of countertop, cleaning the table the [Laborers] had been eating at.

She shook her head.

“Haven’t heard of any special healing effort, although the Healer’s Guild is probably taking care of that. Could just be them. [Mayor’s] official place is near the town center, can’t miss it. Don’t bother him at home.”

“Thank you.” Without further smalltalk I hit the streets at what I hoped was a brisk walk.

I’d never turned off my [Persistent Casting], and I noticed a small dip in my mana as I stepped back onto the street, trying to blend with the crowd. I did turn on [The World Around Me] again.

The city was a port city. I’d bought a number of tunics for Exterreri, but that wasn’t the commonwear here. At the same time, Suen had a wide variety of elvenoids present, from humans to gorgons to nagas, ogres and minotaurs, fauns and yeti, and a wide variety of both saurians and beastkin. The [Sailors] and [Deckhands] were from all over, and wore whatever they wanted to. So I was marked as an outsider, but as just another one in the crowd, instead of sticking out like a sore thumb.

The streets were somewhat chaotically laid out. I figured I’d ask directions instead of trying to find my own way to the middle.

“Hey, can I ask you where the town center is?” I asked a random vendor.

“Sure! Three coins for the information!” She held out her hand expectantly. I snorted, rolled my eyes, and walked away. I wasn’t going to pay for basic information that everyone knew like where the town center was.

Three vendors later - all charging suspiciously the exact same amount - and I reluctantly forked over a few arcanite coins for directions to the Healer’s Guild. I wasn’t going to let my pride - or the sneaking suspicion that I was getting fleeced - get in my way of healing people who needed it.

Plus, I figured that the Healer’s Guild would know for sure what was going on.

An interesting twist to my skills - I barely saw the plague at all. I was a walking zone of cleansing, purifying magic, and practically anyone infected was cured by the time I got to them. The only people I wasn’t fixing well before I got to them were people inside houses marked with a bright red cross painted on their door, or hiding out in dusky alleys.

I mentally noted the people I detected who were holed up sick inside of a house, promising to loop back to them. The brutal mathematics of a casualty event were clear - by moving, by walking through the crowd, I’d hit dozens upon dozens of people with healing, instead of the two to three people inside a home. Entering a home - a whole process in and of itself, knocking, explaining to passersby that I was trying to help, getting the people inside the home to open up, and healing everyone in the home - just took too much time. I’d lose the ability to be blasting my healing all around me. That was before the calculation of reaching a centralized healing process came into play.

It broke my heart to pass by sick people, carefully tended by loved ones. A couple was slowly feeding a man who looked so old, it was a tossup if it was plague or advanced age that was keeping him in bed. A woman, all by herself, shivering in a pile of blankets, slowly looking through a pantry that was empty. A girl no more than four was trying to feed her mom, unaware that she’d already perished.

I swore that I wouldn’t rest until I’d visited each and every one of them.

I did see the effects of my work. People excitedly showing off their hands. People stretching, jumping. Some people were nervous, certain the other shoe was about to drop, while others hugged and cried. It wasn’t everyone, and I suspected for every person visibly cured there were dozens of others in their incubation period I’d helped, but it was validating.

With all that said, when I found someone lying in the back of a shaded alley, sick and delirious, I spent a few seconds skipping over. This was a quick and easy heal, and it let me see what I was dealing with.

[The World Around Me] had given me a decent picture, but one thing it didn’t do was show color.

The first thing I noticed was his hands. Tanned skin quickly made way to pitch-black hands, fingers curled in an agonizing rictus. He was shivering in the blisteringly hot tropical summer day - almost certainly a fever. There were large egg-sized swollen blisters near his armpits and groin, and I lifted his arm up to confirm with my eyes what I suspected the disease was.

The Black Death.