Chapter 31: Operation

Ned knew Xi was dying. It wasn't just him. Granny Lola, whose eyes were filled with resignation. Even the onlookers that were lining up, knew, that the kid was at its end.

Xi, tied his clothes to cover his wound. But it wasn't enough to stop the blood from flowing out his side. Granny Lola's makeshift rug, was sludged with Xi's blood, painting an unknown art.

The scene was too much for the faint-hearted to witness. But not for Granny Lola. Every day, she saw people coming in and out of her cabin to be healed. Some could be treated by low tier healing spell, while some, needed a complex tier-three healing spell. But, there are instances that, even a tier-three healing spell wasn't enough. And, that was what Granny Lola trying to avoid, to someone die right in front of her.

"Kid, I'm sorry, this is beyond my capacity," Granny Lola said. Looking at Xi being slumped on the floor. Upside-down.

Feeling the tension, Ned bent and the smell of iron escaped Xi's motionless body.

"But, Granny, you're a Healer," Ned's brittle voice stuttered, trying to compose himself. "I'm sure, you can...do something about him...he's my friend."

"I'm sorry kid, this is...beyond me," Granny answered emphasizing the word beyond, her mind wandered, looking for a way to console Ned. "Healing is a complex process kid."

"What do you mean?"

"This here kid, is complex, look at his wound" - she lifted the clothes that covered Xi's wounds - "see that? His insides are jammed up, too much blood was lost, look at him, he's almost blue. And see the cut? Tier three wasn't enough for this kid."

They saw a cut almost a foot long, wide-open, air was trapped by blood that created bubbles. Xi's skin was totally cut open wide. Granny saw that the cut was made by a creature, bigger than Xi's size. And the cut was made by one, swift and strong swoop.

With a long thought, Ned decided to try something, none had ever tried before. To operate on Xi. With a proper procedure, Xi's wound could be fixed. He just needed a thorough analysis of Xi's wounds.

ICE, tell me something, how's subject Xi's situation. Ned looked at Xi with determination. He prompted ICE.

[Analysis complete.]

ICE's robotic voice, reassured Ned.

[Subject Xi's current status is fatal]

[Judging by the wounds. The chance of surviving an operation is 20%.]

[Judging by the skin color. Subject Xi lost 60% of his blood. An immediate blood transfusion is required.]

"Hey kid, are you okay?" Granny saw Ned paused in place, the look on Ned's face wondered Granny Lola.

"Granny, help me put Xi on the table."

"Kid, what are you going to do?" Granny was worried. "I told you, your friend, can't be saved, and I don't one people dying in my cabin kid. I'm warning you."

"No one's dying today." Ned narrowed his eyes, he was confident that he could save Xi. "Please, Granny, help me put him on the table."

Granny saw Ned's determination within his eyes. But she was confused, as to what a Hollow could do.

A healer needed Mana to cast a healing spell, but that was Ned does not have Mana.

She saw Ned carried Xi on the table. The table wasn't far, Granny uses this table to put random things. Inside the room was filled with seashells and flowers she randomly picked up the mountain. But one thing people would notice when entering Granny's cabin was the roll of puffs set aside the corner. A brown pipe, adorned with tiny cuts of jewelry. Smoke was freshly spewed out the pipe. Indicating it was recently used.

With no other choice, and since she knew that Ned was the Knight apprentice of Will, she trusted her own gut and helped Ned put Xi on the table.

Ned sweeps the things on the table, and randomly fell off the ground.

Ned just came out the infirmary, and his strength wasn't at full, so he had a hard time carrying Xi. And with Xi in place, Ned started to plan how he would operate on Xi.

"Granny, how do Healing Spells work?" Ned asked. With a limited amount of time, and with lacking hands, Ned knew he had to decide how he would proceed with full caution.

Granny took the pipe on the corner, started to light it, and popped a cloud of smoke. Uncaring with where the smoke would reach she explained. "Healing Spells worked differently, the only Real Healers are the one who can use Light Magic. And I tell you, kid, Light Mages are extremely rare. But they have no effort casting Healing Spells. Also, they don't need complex combinations of spells to heal a wound."

Granny closed the door, and windows after Xi collapsed on the ground. But with wounded patients eagerly waiting outside, and with the sun striking them hot. The people outside clamor about where old Granny was. The clamor was so loud it could still be heard inside the cabin.

"But there are geniuses who found a way to cast healing spells without the use of Light Magic. They were called Fake Healers, Pseudo Healers, Hoaxers, I don't care what you call them. But with the scarcity of Real Healers, this Fakes became a rage."

Granny saw Ned took a bowl of water. Uncertain, she popped another smoke. "Kid, what are doing?"

"I'm looking for something, I need to boil this water to remove bacteria," Ned was pacing back and forth Granny's room to look for something to light the bowl.

"Bacter...what? Never-mind kid," She asked, seconds later, she lifted her hands and opened her palm, Granny casts a Fire Spell. In a matter of seconds, the bowl of water boiled.

"So you're a Fire Mage,"

"Not just Fire," she added. "I can cast Water Spells, and Wind spells as well."

"If you can cast three elements, how come you're a Healer, Master said people with three elements are highly sought by the kingdom."

"Exactly kid, remember I told you about Fake Healers? Well, I'm one of them, to cast Healing Spells as Fake Healers, we need to combine various elements to heal wounds." She explained further. "Not just various elements, various spells as well, take Tier One healing spell 'Heal' for example," Granny saw Ned pacing back and forth her cabin again, looking for tools she found odd. "Hey, kid you listening? I'm not sure what you're doing, but if you want to use me to heal your friend's wound I need to be ready, if not it will backfire on me!"

"I'm listening continue Granny," Ned took a rag and dip it in a boiling water.

"Ahh, Will what have you done to your apprentice," she muttered. "Tier one healing spell 'Heal' I need to combine, Fire and Water Elements to heal a tiny cut kid. Two elements, combination three spells for a tiny cut, see how complex Healing Spells was."

Granny explained to Ned how healing spells were conjured, only mages with deep experience, and the one who passed a complex set of tests could successfully use healing spells.

"I'm not sure how the wound heals, but once we use our spells, you can see the wound heal at a fast rate, able to be perceived by naked eyes."

"I'm done!" Ned cried.

"Done with what?"

"Preparations." Ned put all the things he gathered beside the table, Ned inhaled a breath and looked Granny with determination. "Granny, please help me I'll owe you one if you'll help me here."

"Your not listening kid, I said healing is a complex process, and obviously, by your friend's wound, Tier One is not enough, heck! maybe even tier four can't save him."

"Don't worry Tier One is enough," Ned reassured Granny for the second time. He smiled confidently.

While Ned was busy scouring for supplies, ICE has explained to him the nature of Xi's wound. Broken rib, damaged liver, a scrape that made holes on Xi's small and large intestines, and lacerations that led to excessive blood loss.

ICE's procedure was to first, fix the rib back to its place, stitch the damaged liver and let it heal naturally, and to also stitch the holes in small and large intestines. And precisely connect the vein the stop the bleeding.

Ned also found out, that by touching someone's blood, ICE could analyze and recognize their blood types. And Xi's blood type was O. A rare one. Ned needed to find someone with type O to transfuse it to Xi.

While doing all this, in order for Xi to survive the operation, Ned theorized that a healing spell must go with the operation. So instead of stitching Ned must ask Granny to use Heal to connect the damaged organs.

"Hang on there Xi," Ned mumbled. "I will find the damages Granny, and you'll conjure Heal on it."

Ned also theorized that healing spells in this world were different. Healing does not directly affect the injuries. But instead, Healing Spells accelerate someone's normal recovery rate. So with only a tier-one healing spell was enough to mend Xi's wound. But Granny must be precise as to where she cast her healing spell. And that's where Ned must aid Granny. With the help of his system, nobody could beat Ned in terms of precision.

ICE, get ready. With a thought Ned commanded his system, ICE finds me the damaged vein.

[Damaged vein located.]

Ned moved organs left and right trying to find the damaged vein. Within seconds, Ned saw a vein, almost a finger width, badly damaged. And blood was coming out of the vein.

"Granny, see that vein?" Using both Ned's hands, with makeshift gloves, made of cloth. Ned guided Granny to where she should cast her spell.

"What vein are you talking about? where? That thing is what you called vein?"

"Yes Granny, please use your healing spell, see that hole? Can you patch the hole?"

"Just that? Just patch? You're mocking me kid. This is a simple wound," she whispered, but enough for Ned to be heard. "This is unheard of to think that you could heal someone by this kind of...procedure."

Indeed this was the first time Granny saw and attempted to do this kind of healing. And to think that she would help the kid survive his life and death situation just by using Tier One spell. She was amazed by Ned, as to how he came up with this operation. And to think that he's a Hollow was a mockery.

Granny lifted both her hands, with a simple gesture, a sphere formed. Mixing fire, and water spells. She slowly aimed the sphere to Xi's damaged vein. "Heal!" She breathed.

The sphere slowly sipped inside the vein. Although small, the sphere illuminated the entire room. Seconds passed, the damaged vein were slowly healing. Although slow, it was still visible to the naked eyes.

Another second passed, Granny ended her spell. She was satisfied. Then, the vein slowly inflated, and the scar where the old wound has erupted, again.

Blood sprayed all over and Ned turned ashen.

"Kid! Hey kid! Something`s wrong!"