I didn't let on this time, but last week's was a story arc changer vote. If you had gone with the caravans, bad things would've happened but in the end you would've made it to the Terra Ulln in about a week (Story time). As it stands this path might be a month, might be more before Vaik leaves. Just to let you know.

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Previous Part: Part 11

Introduction: Prelude

Story Extras: Spell Explanation

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--Vaik's Story - Part Twelve--

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“It's too risky to try for a caravan.” I decided. “Even if they let us follow them who's to say they wouldn't betray us the second we reached the gate guards?”

“Yet how do we fool townspeople who probably know everyone who lives here?” Fern wondered.

Inspiration struck. “I don't think we should pretend we live here.” I said. “I'm sure caravans already in the town need to send people out to get water...”

Fern's eyes lit up. “Of course! That's a wonderful idea Vaik. We tell them we're healers from a caravan fetching water for poultices.”

Eirik started to chuckle.

“What?” I asked.

“Oh nothing.” He said. “Just something I found funny, don't mind me. I think I'll follow along for now though. This should be interesting.”

I had a feeling that anything a chaos shaman found interesting was not something I wanted to experience, but I also already knew Eirik enough to know he would say that just to make me nervous.

“Let's go then. I want to get out of this sand.” I said.

It wasn't that easy to get to the well. We actually ended up going back into the desert some ways so we could circle the city without being seen. We topped the last dune to see several fields of the odd trees lined up in rows. They were a pale tan in color and the trunks shot straight up into the air with only a crown of the largest leaves I had ever seen. Oddly enough, the leaves were black.

“Ah, fruit groves.” Fern said. “I didn't know this town had them. There are some wonderful brews from those leaves that can cure an ill stomach.”

The 'well' I was expecting was much larger, the size of a small building, and Fern explained that it was actually called a cistern, collecting and storing enough water for the town and to irrigate the trees, which were called Sba trees.

“This might make it harder.” She said. “I was hoping for a well that people were mingling around. Here however there will be a doorway into the cistern. There's no way we can just casual join a group of people,”

“Well let's get a bit closer and see what we can come up with.” I said, my heart sinking.

“It would seem that sneaking is the wrong answer.” Fern said, looking into the groves. “Sometimes kindness can ensure the same returned.”

She pointed to an old hunched-back woman struggling to lift a basket full of the wilted black leaves. I wondered where she was getting them from until she set the basket down at the next tree. She hit the tree with a rock and one or two leaves drifted to the ground. These she collected and picked up the basket to move to the next tree.

“Why don't you go help her Vaik.” Fern suggested. “It's an innocent thing for a young man like you to do. We'll see how she responds while there's really no one else around.”

I nodded and walked over, timing my arrival to be just as she was bending over to pick up the almost full basket.

“Let me get that for you grandmother.” I said as I quickly slipped my hands over the basket handle before she could.

She looked up at me under her bushy eyebrows with a scowl. “I'm no pile of sand yet that I need help.” She told me curtly, reaching for the basket again.

I thought of something my brothers sometimes told my father when he was too prideful to let age slow him down.

“You've done your part carrying the load of life.” I replied. “Let me do my share.”

She glared for a moment more and then a smile split her face. “You've cheek boy. Tell old Vanessa the truth, why are you helping an old woman do womenfolk’s work?”

“I'm here with a caravan. I came out here to see the groves. I've never seen such trees before.” I told her, playing the depressingly familiar game of half-lies I was getting so good at.

She snorted. “Sbas are everywhere in the desert boy. Try a better lie next time.” Then she noticed my robes and her eyes got wide. “Oho!” She chortled. “I see now, I see now. From the Terra are we?”

“No.” I said dejectedly. “That's where I was heading.”

“Indeed.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Find yourself outside the walls no longer welcomed eh? Caravan leave you stranded?”

“Not exactly.” I hedged.

“Well I tell you what. You go tell that pretty lady of yours hiding by the dune to come over here and we'll see what Vanessa can do to help.”

My head snapped around to look, but Fern was no where to be seen.

Vanessa chuckled again. “Didn't get to my age by not watching around me.” She said. “I saw both of you before you approached me.”

I left her there and collected Fern. Strangely Eirik was nowhere to be seen and Fern had no idea when he slipped away. Once we were both back the old woman gazed up and down Fern so hard that it left her blushing.

“Hrm...now then who do we have here?” She asked after a moment.

“I am Pella Fern.” Fern told her.

“A Pella!” Vanessa exclaimed excitedly. “We have not had a person of your skill through here in years! Praise the gods! You are sent here by their will!”

“What do you mean?” Fern asked hesitantly.

“I am the town healer.” Vanessa said. “In my care is a young boy deeply ill. I have tried all my skill, yet nothing I can do will heal him.”

The change in Fern was immediate. She suddenly stood taller and all her fatigue dropped away. “Can you get me into the town to see him?”

“I can at that.” Vanessa said. “Just have your boy here carry my basket as he was wont to and follow my lead.”

We hurried towards the city walls, passing groups of chatting people. Many gave us curious looks but the sight of Vanessa seemed to quell any suspicion. The guard at the gate however, was not as lax. I could see it in his eyes even before he stepped out of the shade and challenged us.

“Who this here with you healer?” He asked, squinting in the sands glare at us.

“Fellow healers from a caravan passing through.” She told him. “They were kind enough to help me harvest Sba leaves in exchange for a share.”

“I didn't see them come out with you.” He accused. “There's rumors of trouble on the dunes. Can't be taking any risks right now.”

“Now you listen here Calith.” she snapped. “I don't care what troubles you've having with the other tribes. This is healer business! Barbel's son is lying sick near death. Could it be you would care to delay us longer while you worry over a youth and a woman?”

The guard shrank back at the venomous of the old woman. He looked like he was about to say something else, but she stared him down. I was impressed. For as old as she looked, she had immense presence.

“Fine.” He relented. “I will need to hear their names. Not going to let that slide even for you.”

I shot a glance at Fern, but she didn't look worried about that.

“I'm Fern.” She said. “This is Vaik.”

“Fine.” He grunted. “Get out of here.”

We entered the town and I was shocked at how close the buildings were. There had to be four times as many people living here then I had originally thought. The towns near my house were more rambling, with paths from building to building, rather then the straight roads laid with stone. The buildings all seemed to somehow be made of sand, although a quick touch with my fingers showed it to be as hard as any rock. I saw little to nothing made of wood.

The streets were busy in the morning cool, but Vanessa cut a path through it all. We ended up at a building that was several storied tall. It seemed squeezed in between the buildings on each side, although it rose one level higher.

She pulled the curtain doorway aside and gestured us through. Inside it was dark and cool, in fact a fire still burned in a pit in the center of the floor to fight the night chill. Pallets were everywhere, although at the moment most were empty.

Vanessa moved to a pallet near one of the few windows and I saw a young boy lying there, sweat pasting his curly hair to his face. There was no doubt he was seriously ill and I took a quick step back as I hastily scribed a sign against demons into the air. Fern didn't even hesitate as she moved forward and knelt by the cot.

“What are his symptoms?” Fern asked briskly.

“Throwing up anything he tries to keep down. Fever on and off, inability to void his bladder.” The old woman explained. “Can have liquids in small amounts, hardly enough to stay alive.”

“Ah, sounds like serious case of Desert Cramps.” Fern remarked.

“I thought so too, but the usual cures do not help.” Vanessa said. “Boiled sba leaves in a tincture of Graize roots.”

Fern placed a hand on the forehead and then pulled away as if burned. “Hmm...a high fever. In rare cases it is possible to be allergic to graize roots. It will make the symptoms worse.”

The older woman looked horrified. “I have never heard of such a thing. Are you saying I have been poisoning him?!”

The mage shook her head. “Not your fault Vanessa. It is an extremely rare occurrence. Even I have never seen it before, I was only taught it was possible.”

“What do I do?” The woman pleaded. “I've been here for five good years and never yet had a person die from my mistake.”

“Have you medicated him yet?” Fern asked.

The woman nodded. “This morning. A tiny dose, seemed to stay down.”

“Then first we must get any graize root in his system out.” Fern ordered calmly. “I will mix then another potion that will help his stomach calm enough to accept healing brews.”

“Can't you just use magic to help him, like me?” I asked uneasily, making sure to keep back.

“No.” Fern said. “Healing a body of a deep sickness like this is not something to be taken lightly. The body is more complicated then anyone can fully understand. I was mostly healing surface burns on you Vaik. Often using magic to heal inside the body will cause another part to die for no apparent reason. It is best to only use healing magic as a last resort.”

“Oh.” I said, not sure I fully understood.

Vanessa returned with a small vial full of a nasty black liquid. When she uncorked it the stench almost made me throw up myself.

The old woman clucked at me. “Not much of a healer boy if the mere scent of this repulses you.”

Fern smiled at that. “Vaik is new to all this.”

Vanessa nodded. “I could guess as much by the way he's standing there as if afraid of the plague.” She threw me a scornful look. “Desert Cramps be spread by sand fleas bites boy.”

I just nodded, not trusting that in the least. Fern shooed me away distractedly.

“Go rest Vaik. This will take me some time and not all of it will be pleasant.”

I left the two there gratefully. I was having second thoughts about choosing the Terra Ulln. Somehow I had seen it as all magical healing cripples and people at deaths door. Seeing Fern so close to someone so obviously sick and realizing that I would be doing that someday was unsettling to say the least and downright scary in truth. I remembered how the chills would spread from townsfolk to townsfolk back home every winter. I saw how many died, sometimes even the healer.

I was too keyed up to want to rest and I didn't want to approach that cot right now to ask where to go. I felt a desperate need for air, yet I hesitated. It might not be safe for me to wander through the town just yet.

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The Voices Start to Whisper...

A) Explore the House...

Explore the Town...

Updated 27 March 2012 (06:12)

A

B

B

A Fire was the way to go.

A

A

Posted by GarinAFire was the way to go.

Hahaha I think chaos schamans was the way to go

Posted by EtherlordHahaha I think chaos schamans was the way to go

If we had the option to make Vaik a chaos shamen, i would have been soooo happy, but, i have a feeling the story would significantly shorted if he was...