The day after receiving the talismans from Luck, I finally wake up feeling well-rested. Damn. I'd forgotten what a good night's sleep could do to you. I'm not sure if I've been feeling worse because of all the stress, or if it's just the side effect of overusing my magic. I'm not particularly fond of the lack of knowledge absolutely everyone has on magic. The Apostles can preach being the best of the best, but even they don't seem entirely sure about everything. Someone knocks on my door, pulling me from my thoughts.
"Are you decent, Jonah? I feel you are up." It's Raksha, the earliest bird of them all. Was he just standing there, waiting for me to wake up? Honestly, I hope both yes and no are the answers to that. It'd be great if he cared enough not to wake me up, but it would also be ridiculous for him to be so guarded.
"Come in," I tell him, getting up from my bed. I slept with my clothes on, since I'm not sure if I'll ever have to make an escape in the middle of the night.
Raksha pushes the door open, and I realize immediately he isn't in a good mood. "These talismans are ridiculous. We don't need such nonsense to become stronger; We only need to train."
Ah, so that's what he wanted to talk about. Kind of disappointing. "Well, they're the best we can do in a short amount of time. Don't take it off yet."
"Is that an order?"
Ouch. That tone definitely had some bitterness behind it. "You know it's not."
He flexes his shoulders a bit, as if he was just waiting for the chance to get into an argument. I know what that mood is like, and I also know I'm not about to have a lot of fun. "I don't know what to know about you. One minute, you're ordering me like I'm your slave, and the next you treat me like a friend. I do not understand whether or not you have a heart, Jonah, so no, I do not know whether or not that is an order."
I sigh, then do something I should have done long ago. Reaching under my bed, I pull my satchel towards me, then open it and take the urn out. Raksha's eyes widen at the sight of it, and I toss it to him. "Here. Now you know."
He eyes it a bit, then knocks on it a few times, as if to make sure it's the real deal. "I do not know what to say."
"You don't have to thank me."
"Of course not. You are the one who trapped me in there in the first place."
I sit back down on my bed, still facing him. This can either go really well or really poorly. "So, what'll you do now?" We both know what the question is about; Is he going to go back to the forest, or is he going to stay and help me through this?
Raksha starts pacing around the room. "I do not know. I am conflicted."
"You told me you miss your home."
"I miss it with all my heart, but I've also seen many different things since leaving it. The Djinn Village is not filled with many wonders like the rest of the world. If I go back there, I probably will not be able to leave again. The seal holding my brethren there will keep me from leaving once more, and I would hate for my new experiences to stop coming." He stops walking and looks at me, looking more vulnerable than he would normally be comfortable with. "I do not know what to do."
"Then stay," I tell him, not caring that I'm being selfish. I need him here, both for personal reasons and because of what an asset he is. "Stay for a while longer. If you want to go home at a later point, then I won't stop you. But stay for now."
Instead of thinking about it, he walks up to me, then sits down beside me, glaring at the urn. "I should be angry with you." Please don't be.
"You're right."
"You trapped me in here, and pulled me from my home." I'm sorry; I had no choice at the time.
"I did. There's no excuse."
"Then why am I no longer angry?" He looks at me again, and I shrug.
"Must be my charming personality."
"If your charm were the only thing keeping me here, I'd already be halfway to the Wyrwood."
I gently push him for that, but smile anyway. "You're such an ass sometimes."
"You've rubbed off on me a bit, yes."
We sit there briefly after the exchange. I guess the fact that he isn't leaving already is a good sign. Unless he's saying goodbye...
"I have a request," Raksha finally speaks up, setting his urn down on the bed. "Will you hear me out?"
I nod. "Of course." He doesn't really need to ask at this point. There's just nothing like nearly being murdered together to bring two people closer. "Ask away."
"I miss my home," he starts, and I cringe a bit. The tone of voice he's using is solemn and, I believe, a bit sad. "I miss my family and friends, and the feeling of nature all around me. The city life is not for me." I like hearing him sound like that. He's not guarded this way. "But I do not wish to be imprisoned again, either. That brings us to my request." He looks up at the ceiling for a moment, then at the urn, and then at me. "Will you help me free my people?"
I pause before answering. It would be nice for him to have something like that. The djinn likely didn't deserve to be chained up in the forest that way. That said, I'm not sure how they'll react once they're free. They might just turn on humanity, and a fight would break out. Even if that wasn't the case, we've got bigger concerns; I've got bigger concerns. "Raksha, I'm sorry, but would your people be on our side?"
He nods without hesitation. "They'll not betray the kindness you would be showing them by removing the imprisoning barrier keeping them there. If we were to set them free, they would hear me out, and they would help us fight off the devils. I'm sure of it."
Must be nice to be like that â to trust in the people around you so wholly and blindly. I don't even treat my family like that. Is that how things are meant to be? Are we supposed to rely entirely on others? I don't think there's a person in the world I would trust with my life. I'd say it was caused by becoming jaded through all the things that have happened, but that would be a lie. I've always been like this â even before my family went missing.
"Alright," I tell him, hating myself for lying to him. He's seeking an answer, and unless it's the right one, he'll pack up and leave. I don't want him to go. "Fine. Once we're done with the Festival of Death, and the Child of Light and Shadow has been chosen, I'll help you do research about freeing the djinn."
He doesn't reply, settling for looking at me. I can't tell what he's thinking. He's not frowning, but he's not smiling, either. When did I get so bad at reading people? It used to be so easy. This boy is doing something else to my mind.
"Jonah," he whispers, leaning a bit closer to me. I resist the urge to move back, feeling my face grow hotter. He wouldn't. He leans in a bit closer than that, then realizes what he's doing and looks away. "We should train." Eh?
"W-What?"
The corner of his lips quirks up at my reaction, and he stands up. "The talismans will only work if we train while wearing them. We should take the kids and head to one of the rooms where they train the guards."
Ah, Damn, that's disappointing. I get that he's not one to make things happen quickly, but I was definitely hoping for a little more. "Sure. Let's go." It's not like we've got anything better to do. The Apostles having come to me with any new assignment yet. Considering we all nearly lost our heads â and probably would have, had Juno decided to pick up where Risk left off â I'm not eager to go outside of Polaris again. This place is dangerous enough. "Where are the two, anyway?"
Raksha rolls his eyes dramatically, then starts to leave the room. "There was a banquet earlier today. A celebration of some victory we had over Hel's armies. They snuck into it."
"Huh." Yukiji I believe, but Snow? I love the kid, but he's got as much grace as a baby bear, and sticks out in every single room he's in. How'd he manage to get in?
"Actually, we're here," Yukiji says, suddenly standing beside me. I jump back a step or two, and Snow starts chuckling, appearing next to her.
"We got you."
"No," I reply. "I was ready to avoid a surprise attack. See?"
The two exchange a knowing look, then snicker together. "We got him."
"Yes, we did."
I look at the talisman on Yukiji's forehead, which is meant to be making her louder, clumsier and worse at controlling her magic. "How'd you go invisible with that thing on?"
She smirks at me, still looking like a playful kid. "I guess I'm better at it than you."
All I can do is attempt to give a witty retort, lest the moment be ruined. "Yes, you're great at failing to get people to notice you. We all knew that already."
The comment manages to make her pout, but Raksha grabs us and starts dragging us away before we can continue. He wasn't kidding when he said he meant to train. His desire to free the djinn is definitely a better motivator than defending his own pride was. If he's got as much talent as I, he's gonna be on the level of the Apostles in no time.
As he pulls us along, we pass by Seraphina, who is having several people carried by stretchers. What's going on? That looks serious. "Guys, stop," I say, ripping away from Raksha.
"You are not getting out of it. You need to get stronger."
"It's not that." I walk up to the woman, who is checking her notes repeatedly. "What's wrong?"
She gives me an annoyed glance, then goes back to whatever she's got written down. "A new flu outbreak is getting serious, and I'm having trouble figuring out how it happened."
"Perfect," I reply, and she nearly gasps at me. I hold my hands up in defence immediately. "Not that they're sick! This just gives me a chance to work on my healing magic. It's what I'm best at."
"A novice can't do anything about this. Regular healing magic and medicine are two different-"
"I'm great with herbs, too," I interrupt, then point toward the guy in the stretcher closest to us. "The tips of his fingers and toes are turning blue, so toad's blossom oil to stop it from spreading until you figure out which herb will make it retract. Tigerjaws won't do much to help the fever he clearly has, but they're the safest option, as they aren't likely to cause negative side-effects anywhere else. He needs to be kept hydrated, and there should be a wet rag on his forehead." I look back at her upon my examination. "See? I'm good at this. Besides, it's not like there are that many healers around here." I gesture around us, pointing out the fact that there are only around ten of them among the magic knights present. I can tell them apart because of the white sashes on their upper arms, signifying their specialty, so that regular civilians would be able to call for them if they saw them.
Seraphina sighs, then hands me her notes. "Fine. I won't trust you to start healing anyone, but you can at least assist me. Go to my lab and work on what I've got written there. It should be simple, even for a novice. Don't touch anything not written on in there. Understood?"
I nod, smiling despite the awful situation. "Thanks, ma'am." Then I turn around and take off, ignoring the looks I'm getting from my friends. They're on their own for the physical training. I can't miss out on a learning experience like this. If I do well enough, and even manage to impress Seraphina, she might be inclined to share more info with me. It's been over a month since my mother was taken and my father and brother went into hiding. I can't afford to take baby steps any longer.
"You seem in a rush," Obi says to me, suddenly walking alongside me. I don't stop to chat, but he follows along. "Crazy virus we got, huh?"
"Keep following me and you'll catch it."
"W-Wait, you're sick?"
"Sure." I really doubt I'll be able to concentrate with that motormouth around me. "On the verge of death."
"Now that's just hurtful. Can't you at least pretend we're friends?"
I look over my shoulder and coldly glare at him. "Positively-leaning acquaintances."
"I'll take it," he chuckles as we turn a corner. "So, where're ya off to? The other three all went in a different direction, if they're the ones you're looking for."
"You were spying on us long enough to know I was with them before."
"Right, right. So, um, why split?"
"They can't help with this, and neither can you. Go train with them."
"But what if it was your company I was after?"
I glare at him again. "I'll insult you until you cry. Now go away, you angsty lost child."
He pales at my tone a little bit. I suppose I could've been a bit softer. I don't know why I'm so grumpy all of a sudden. The day was going really well until now. What was it? Couldn't have been the flu outbreak. I doubt it was anything the kids said. Even Obi couldn't have brought me down so fast. I hate to admit it, but he's much less annoying these days. What could it have been, then?
I open the door to the lab, then immediately start reading Seraphina's notes. In them, she explains that the flu spread in a cabin outside of town. A bunch of magic knights camped out while on patrol duty, and happened to spend a night there. Other than some merchants who sold them wood, they didn't encounter anyone else. No animal or bandit attacked them, and they didn't eat anything they didn't bring with them.
I follow the instructions Seraphina wrote down, though I know they'll only postpone the outbreak. This isn't medicine. It's not even focusing on these particular symptoms. It's more like tea; Good for you, but it cures nothing. Is she dicking me around? This can't be all she's planning to do. Those people will die unless they get the help they need. I've seen it happen time and time again. A plague or a flu rolls into town with the changing winds, and leaves a trail of corpses of the poor in its wake. The rest of us can do nothing but sit tight and pray we won't be swept away as well.
I look around the shelves littering the lab. So many ingredients, and so many different things to do with them. From ogrepetals to pixiebobs, the woman has everything. Must be real hard to be called a healer with all these ingredients at your disposal. Whenever I took care of Kieran's injuries, I had to get by with whatever we had available. These fancy herbs were never an option. If I'd had them back then, I wouldn't have needed to experiment as much as I did.
However, the fact that I did is what makes me the perfect one for the job now. I mix up the remedy I'm supposed to make, then take a dose of it with me as I search for Seraphina again. I find her in the same place she was before, and hand it to her. Without asking a single thing, she bows down and gives it to a sick woman. That could have been anything! She didn't even ask me any questions about it to confirm I followed the guidelines. Unbelievable!
"Now go make more," the Apostle tells me. "I need to figure out where it came from."
My eyes nearly fall out of their sockets due to how widely I open them. She's kidding. She actually can't tell? "That's easy. It was the wood."
Seraphina allows her arrogance to fade away long enough to permit a puzzled look to pass through. "What do you mean?"
"Well, they didn't do anything different than they normally would â except buy wood from strangers, that is. Something must've been in that wood, and the smoke from it made them sick." I can't see why they'd be using firewood, anyway. The weather around here is plenty hot. I've hardly ever needed to get warmer in my life, and that's in poverty.
"Interesting theory," Seraphina mutters, biting the tip of her thumb. "You may go make more now. There's a lot I have to consider."
Nodding, I turn around and return to the lab. As soon as I get in, I smirk up at all the ingredients. Time to mess around.
The first batch I alter is only slightly different. I use the same ingredients, but prepare some of them in a different way. The smell it produces makes me dump the project, and I move onto plan B, adding some bloodbat's root. It's a weak herb, but it mixes really well with just about everything else. It doesn't do anything to the mixture, though, so I set it aside as one of the regular doses. On the third dose, I get a reaction, and it ain't a good one, forcing me to drop it. I keep going through her shelves, making more and more, until I finally reach a blend that should work. It's pretty much just a super strong cure for flue, though. If the wood caused something else entirely, this will all have meant nothing. Well, it's not like I was told to make anything other than flu medicine, anyway, so Seraphina can't blame me for it. When I'm done, I head outside, and deliver it to her, then just stand back and observe. This is both the most boring and the most crucial part of healing. You have to have the patience to wait for any signs of change in the patient, since they won't always be able to tell you themselves. This I found out when Kieran ate a poisonous mushroom, and couldn't figure out why he was puking. Never trust your patient; Whether intentionally or not, they will lead you astray. Their thoughts and feelings don't matter, only their symptoms. It's why I don't consider healers of animals any better than healers of people. A true healer shouldn't have to be told what's wrong; He ought to know it from watching alone. And so that's what I do â stand and watch.
Once I'm satisfied with a slightly positive change in one of the sick men, I go back to experiment some more. Once inside, someone jumps on me from the back, and holds a knife to my throat. I can neither see nor sense who it is, but I do see a white sleeve covering their thin arm.
"You and I are going to make a little deal, kid," Medea hisses in my ear, and chills start running down my spine. "You're about to help me escape, and then you'll get your family back."