Chương 75: Chapter 74 - Spirit Healing

Shari scanned Aaron up and down with her eyes.

"So you know nothing about this place, huh?" Aaron shuffled uncomfortably as she analysed him.

"I guess not. Giddeon doesn't talk much." Shari smirked.

"Yeh. That I agree with. Let's walk and talk. I'll give you the basics as we go." She walked off at such speed that Aaron almost had to break into a jog to keep up. It was slightly unnerving walking around so quickly in a crowded ward, but everyone seemed to hustle around each other like a colony of ants. She started scribbling down on a scroll at the end of a patient's bed.

"Basically, the camp is protected by an enchantment, but occasionally beasts get through. The guards fight them off. They also patrol outside the shield to look for potential problems before they become too big of an issue. Our job is to patch them up and get them back out again. That and tending to every other medical need of our people."

"Beasts? Where exactly is the camp?" Shari scoffed.

"Listen, my job is to heal people. I can't pinpoint it on a map. It's kept secret for a reason. The evil Necromancers or something?"

"Right, of course."

"If you have any more questions about where we are, or want to see what's in the area, go up the tower. There's a great view from there. I need to get you oriented to the infirmary so you can help as soon as possible." Shari moved to the next bed and started reading the scroll. A disinterested soldier lay on the bed staring blankly at the ceiling.

"What about the vetting? Don't you have procedures here?" Shari frowned.

"Sure we do, but right now we don't have the luxury. You won't be doing anything unsupervised. You'll be following me around doing as I say." Great. This will be loads of fun.

"Can you teach me some Spirit Healing?" Aaron asked, hoping perhaps there was a way to learn his old powers back the hard way. Although there was a chance that his class would corrupt it again like every other spell. The corners of Shari's mouth beamed up slightly.

"Sure… In time. If you show a knack for it. I'm always happy for keen people to try it out." Her mouth went back to a more serious, neutral expression.

"Anyways, let's get your induction done quickly. I have too much to do. But hopefully you'll be able to help us speed up a bit." Shari took Aaron around the infirmary. There wasn't much more to it than he'd already seen. There were two wards, two day patient areas, and a row of offices, break rooms, and storage. It was basic compared to the city infirmary, but there was a simplistic charm to it. Everyone was busy, but they seemed happier and warmer towards him.

The amount of highly strung people with large egos brushing against each other in the city created a palpable friction in the air. It was absent here. He was given a white tunic and trousers—which were slightly too big—to wear plus a backup pair, and given a moment to change and store his backpack. He was careful to put it at the back of the pile of bags in case someone accidentally uncovered his tome. It was ink-black and a tome of the Gifted.

He didn't know if people here could recognise it, but it wasn't a risk worth taking. He met Shari back in the ward and started work. It's a bit odd that I could be just about anyone before being vetted, but I guess Giddeon's name carries some weight. And she's right that I'm being watched and supervised. Shari took a brief look at him and shoved a scroll and quill his way.

"I need you to take notes. I know it's not normally a porter's job, but we're short on healers, and it will help me work faster." Aaron shrugged and rested the scroll on the bench at the end of the bed.

"Day 3 post-injury. No sign of corruption around the wound. No fevers overnight. Patient reports no pain. Mobileses independently. Plan. One more day of light therapy then discharge to barracks." He scribbled down frantically as Shari spoke. She barely gave him a second to catch up before moving along to the next patient and repeating the same process. Except this time, she stopped to check underneath his bandages and waved some sort of engraved magical utensil—which resembled a spatula—over his arm.

Aaron thought it strange that she never cast a Spirit Healing spell. At least not in the way he recognised. Everything was done with herbs, magical tools and primitive methods, like bandages and stitches. He suspected that the healers here had little or no power compared to what he was used to. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. He quickly learned where everything was kept and what kind of reagents were used in different types of injuries and ailments.

The pace didn't slow, and the next few hours shot past. Finally, Shari stopped for a break… for her.

"Aaron, I need to stop to eat for a minute. Can you finish bandaging up Logan's arm?"

"Sure, I've seen you do a few. I can manage," Aaron said, leaving out the part where he'd done it hundreds of times. Even though city Spirit Healing was more advanced, some wounds still needed to be covered for a few days before getting better.

"Great, the other healers will keep an eye on you. Go to any of them if you have any questions. I won't be long." She exchanged a few words with another woman working on the ward before leaving. Strangely, it gave Aaron a sense of comfort that they were watching him carefully and not just letting a stranger loose on the ward without a close eye, even if they were incredibly overworked and busy. Aaron approached Logan, a mature gentleman with an olive-brown tan.

His face was heavily wrinkled, but framed nicely with short and well-kept greying hair.

"Hello sir, I'm hea…. I'm Aaron. I'm here for your bandage." The man looked up with a pleasant smile.

"Sure, Aaron. Call me Logan." He reached out an injured arm towards him. Long gashes twisted around his arm. The wounds were mostly closed, but the skin was not quite flush together. It was about halfway healed. That was the best way Aaron could describe it. Aaron took a bandage and secured it around Logan's thumb before unrolling it around his arm. He kept enough tension to keep it secure, yet not too much to cause discomfort.

"So did you get this by battling some of those beasts?" Aaron asked. The man laughed.

"Oh no, I don't get involved in that nasty business. Fighting's not for me."

"Oh," Aaron said, raising an eyebrow.

"So what happened to your arm?"

"Fell into a bramble bush and got my arm all twisted up in the vines," he said, with an out-of-place smile.

"Sounds painful."

"Sure was, but we Altheons try not to dwell on things too much. It is what it is," he chuckled. Aaron took a closer look at the man. He was dressed in a similar tunic and trousers to his, except Logan's were a deep green with splatters of dirt built up over time. Aaron continued to wind the bandage around Logan's arm "I wasn't expecting to meet Altheons in this camp."

"And why's that?" he asked.

"Well, you're peaceful people, and this is a place of war."

"That be true. But the corruption is damaging Althea's soul. And if a Necromancer is behind it, then I need to help. I grow the food and tend to the land, so I still consider myself peaceful." The dragon was behind the corrupted land, not a Necromancer. Is that what they're telling people here? Or have I been lied to in the city? It's hard to know what to believe anymore, Aaron thought, not wanting to say it out loud. Aaron tied off the bandage and twanged his finger under each to ensure tightness.

"That's the bandage done. I better get going. It was nice to meet you." Logan sat forwards in the bed. His eyes squinted.

"Hang on. Are you an Altheon as well? I sense something familiar in you, but a little… off."

"Oh, not an Altheon, but I did pick up a Boonstone with Altheon magic." The dirty-clothed man stared in silence for a second, which felt like hours, then his expression relaxed back into a smile.

"That makes sense." Aaron mentally wiped the sweat from his brow and bid him goodbye before asking one of the healers for further instructions. It wasn't long before Shari returned. The next few hours flew by in a haze of scribbling and rushing around. He was no stranger to hard work, but this infirmary was so much busier than he was used to. Before he knew it, Paige showed up at the ward and flagged him over. A rush of relief washed over him as he weaved around the other staff to get to her at the entrance.

"Are you ready to go? You look shattered."

"I am," Aaron said, with a tired smile.

"This place is great, but I can't wait to lay down. My ankles feel like they're about to snap."

"Your ankles will have to wait. There's somewhere I have to show you first." Aaron raised his brow in excitement.

"I'd love to see the tower, but I don't know if my legs can take the climb."

"We're not going to the tower," Paige replied. She looked like she was about to elaborate, but stopped abruptly and looked over Aaron's shoulder.

"Is that the time already? I guess I better let you go then," Shari said, from behind Aaron. She rushed round to his side and patted Paige on the shoulder.

"How's the old fart?"

"Same as," she said.

"Well, you let me know if you want some more… cheery company. We could always do with an extra apprentice Spirit Healer," Shari said, nudging Paige with her elbow.

"In your dreams," Paige huffed with folded arms.

"I couldn't be cramped up in here all day." Shari chuckled to herself, then looked over her shoulder at the busy ward.

"Well, you best be going. I've got my hands full here. I'll see you around." Paige waved, but she'd already turned and briskly walked halfway across the ward.

"Where are we going then?" Aaron said. Paige looked around the room.

"Let's go outside. I'll tell you in a minute. Go and get your things." Aaron went to the storage room to change back into his clothes and grab his pack. He checked to make sure it hadn't been disturbed, and his tome was still in place. He stood upright, closed his eyes, and took a moment to breathe in the atmosphere of the infirmary. The lavender and citrus smelled nice, but the feeling of helping people again gave him a sense of peace and fulfillment he'd not experienced in a while.

He walked through to join Paige out the front. His eyes struggled to adjust to the dark evening lighting. Especially in contrast to the bright white infirmary. He could just about make out the path and flickering flames through the windows of houses. A fire glowed from the top of the tower, but the turret itself blended into the night sky. The main path further down looked better lit.

"Are you ready?" Paige said.

"Yes, but for what? Why are you being so weird about it?"

"Shari is lovely and works hard, but she has some very strict morals and principles. And let's say that where we're going bends a few of them," she said with a grin.