FIFTY-SEVEN: A Scale Tips

FIFTY-SEVEN: A Scale Tips

When Alden woke from his initial healing session, he hurt like hell.

Rrorro had knocked him out with a spell while she worked on him. It was her main magical pain relief method, but she couldnt safely keep him under indefinitely. And whatever overkill mind-altering drug LeafSong had given him had finally worn off at that point.

Very apologetic, the icorlax gave him something that worked about as well as an aspirin and explained that some of the wizards were trying to track down and/or brew serious, human-approved meds.

Being healed was a process. Shed knock him out again soon. Until then, Alden got to feel all of the damage.

Stress fractures, broken ankle, broken toes, swollen knees, torn muscles, missing skin, missing nails, giant oozing sores on his ribs and back

Hed been in bad shape before he took the magic pill. Being desperate and unable to register pain had kept him going long after nature would have made him lie down, but it had also let him demolish himself.

Rrorro explained that shed used their first healing bout to deal with the strain on his heart, his dehydration, and his dust-abraded eyes and lungs. All great choices, in Aldens opinion.

But even though he understood, it was still disturbing to see himself looking like an infected, broken, and partially-skinned monster. The healer left to rest for a couple of hours, came back, and Alden went under again.

He woke up completely pain free and feeling like he had solid-ish bones. The med room was full of way more equipment than it had been when hed first arrived, and he had a couple of IVs.

Kibby came in shortly after that for what was apparently her own second healing session. She wanted to sit in a chair right beside Aldens bed, and since Rrorro didnt mind, Alden had a front row seat he was not prepared for while the icorlax literally chopped away patches of corruption damage from Kibbys hands and arms and then slowly regrew clean flesh in its place.

He tried not to freak out about how awful the process looked. Especially since he was the only one bothered. Kibby had accepted pain killers but refused sedation, and she and Rrorro were having a relaxed and informative discussion about Artonan biology while the healer worked.

Watching the healing did make Alden wonder about how powerful the other Avowed was. When Stuarts foot had been blown up, there had been tons of wizard-doctors in the operating room at the hospital to patch him up. Admittedly that had been extreme damage to a whole limb, but Rrorro seemed to be working really fast and without too much strain to fix him and Kibby all by herself.

The third time he went under and came back, he woke with fresh skin on his feet and the other places hed needed it and a different set of IVs. The new skin was tender, but he was really glad to see it there.

All in all, Alden was in and out of consciousness for what he thought was around six days. He could have asked for the precise number. It just didnt seem that important.

Physically, he went from feeling like hed been run over by a vicious lawnmower to feeling incredibly well. Every time he thought the healer was done with him, she would reappear and ask for permission to knock him out and improve on something else shed found. Sometimes when he groggily came to, he saw her watching medical lectures on a tablet in her own language.

When he asked her about it, she eagerly told him how very exciting it was to deeply explore the cells of a new species.

Alden was surprised to learn that the Systems often picked up slack when it came to an Avowed doing cross-species healing. Rrorros skills and spells were something she didnt even have to think about when it came to Artonans or her own kind, since theyd been designed specifically to handle them. And it sounded like shed enhanced herself with other species-specific healing options as she developed her talents.

But she had not anticipated meeting a human.

With a new kind of patient in front of her and no direct help from a System, she said she was enjoying the added challenge and artistry of fixing him.

On around the sixth day, she started talking about what percentages of his body fat should be stored in various locations, and Alden concluded that he was not being healed back to what had been normal for him pre-Moon Thegund. Instead, he was being brought to ideal physical health for his age.

He assumed Kibby was getting the same treatment. She had been rocketing around the medical room with above-average energy levels lately, and yesterday shed reported to him that she was growing thirty percent more hair on top of her head.

Alden let Rrorro do whatever she wanted.

She was happy. Kibby was happy. It seemed like the two of them were fast becoming friends.

That was good. The icorlax was smart, and she had a gentleness about her that seemed to permeate the whole room. It was soothing to be in her presence.

Kibby needed a friend like that.

*************

The next time Aldens eyes opened, he was tucked into the most comfortable bed hed ever slept in. The sheets were silky and exactly the right temperature. The pillow was lightly and pleasantly scented. And something magical was definitely going on with the mattress. No pressure points. He almost felt like he was floating in dense water.

It wasnt the medical area.

He let his eyes roam around the dimly lit room, taking in the luxurious furnishings, until they landed on the other occupant. Knight Alis-arth sat behind a pale wooden desk with curved legs. A three-paneled piece of abstract art on the wall behind her was giving off a soft golden glow, and she was writing with a pen in what looked like an oversized journal.

Something of a rarity. You hardly ever saw Artonans using paper when they had such ubiquitous access to tech and magic.

Kibby wasnt around.

Kibby was almost always around. Shed stuck to Alden like glue ever since they arrived. The other day hed woken up and heard a familiar sound from under his bed in the medical area, and when hed rolled over to check, hed seen her curled up there, doing her squeaky snore. Ñøv€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

No Kibby. Sleeping in the Quaternarys own room.

So, he thought, its today.

Hed been wondering when Alis-arth was finally going to talk to him. The knight had only come by to see him a single time so far, and their conversation had been brief and stiff compared to the more playful version of her he remembered from the party.

He didnt know what she thought or felt about him. He was sure he knew what she was going to tell him, though, and the stiffness was only to be expected.

He considered making a sound to let her know he was awake. Just to get it over with quicker.

Buthe didnt really want it to be over with quicker.

It had been fun for the past couple of days. Hed been magically turned into someone ridiculously healthy. Hed met a huge griveck Ryeh-bt whod waxed poetic about his skills in hard-surface scouring and multi-species massage therapy. And hed spent lots of time talking to a Kibby who was happy, relaxed, and unstrained by the chaos.

So instead of calling attention to himself, he lay there quietly, enjoying the comfy bed and listening to the pen scratch against the paper.

It was the only sound other than his own breathing. His tinnitus was gone. Hed asked Rrorro to take care of it, and shed been thrilled to have a specific target for her attentions. Especially since he wouldnt let her get rid of the shrapnel scar on his abdomen.

Finally Alis-arth looked up and realized he was watching her.

Oh, Alden! She gave him the smilethe same forced one Hannah had given him when she first realized he was awake inside the bubble. Youre awake. How are you today?

The knights expression was unyielding.

I am sure he told you everything you needed to know before you agreed and that he had your best interests at the front of his mind, she said caustically, slamming her cup down.

Alden jumped. He was certain the cup would have shattered if it hadnt been made of wood.

I am sure he did not throw an ignorant young teenager at a problem of his own making like a -!

Shes gonna kill Joe.

Im all right, he said hastily.

You are literally moments away from dying horribly.

Alden dropped his fork. He didnt mean to. His fingers just let go without his permission. He winced.

Alis-arths face paled.

Uh, said Alden. I meant Im all rightemotionally?

It wasnt untrue. He didnt know why he was okay with the situation, but he was. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that hed been sure on some level, for a very long time, that he was going to die here on Moon Thegund. He wanted to go home so badly, but it had been ages since he really believed himself when he imagined doing it.

Probably thats the opposite of being all right emotionally, he thought.

But it didnt change the fact that he somehow felt like hed won just by making it here.

The silence that fell in the room was awkward. Might as well lean into it.

So moments away from death? How many moments? Should I eat faster?

He tried for a smile. Alis-arth just sat there staring at him.

Kibby says my jokes are bad.

She pushed her plate away from her and sighed. Not bad. I enjoy humor usually. But its depressing coming from an Avowed in your situation. I will remove my protection from you this afternoon. I am not skilled enough to fix what is wrong with you. I would be prolonging things pointlessly if I tried, and I would risk - you. There are very few people who might be able to help, and the Triplanets cannot any of them. They are all assigned elsewhere. II did look into it

Ah. Okay, thought Alden, staring at a small round fruit that looked like a candied apricot. Its this afternoon.

The fact that you survived for this long in even a low-level corruption environment at your age and rank shows natural talent, the knight said. The same talent my brother detected in you, I believe. But it is not enough to earn you extraordinary help. I am truly sorry.

It was already good of you to stop cleaning up the moon so that you could take care of me.

Alden assumed that was why he hadnt gotten to experience the daily dirt smashing phenomenon up close since he arrived. Alis-arth had stopped working as soon as he got here.

Do not thank me, she said, looking away from him to stare at a mirrored dressing table. My kindness is . The best thing I could do for you would be to ignore my task here, maintain my on your presence, and travel with you back to Artona I, where the Contract can probably save you. We might make it.

She still wasnt looking at him. But that would take months. Delaying the cleansing of the corruption and the creation of a Contract here, one stable enough to allow all citizens to teleport and receive aid from the rest of the universe, would cost lives. Probably too many to be by your own future potential.

Alden wondered if he should have specified that he would prefer to have something between the loving lie and total honesty. It did hurt to know there were salvation methods that wouldnt be used.

The only recourse left to you is the emergency teleportation option on our ship, Alis-arth continued. It would not be safe for someone as weak as you even under normal circumstances. In your situation, even with the Mother Planet as an ideal and relatively close destination, I do not think you will survive the trip.

Alden looked up from his plate. There really is a teleporter?

She finally turned back to him. Yes? Did you think I made it up?

I thought you were just trying to make me feel better.

I was. Its a bad option. But it does exist.

Alden felt something stir inside him. He hoped it wasnt hope. That seemed like a very dangerous emotion at a time like this.

And the Contract on Artona I can help me?

Crap. It was definitely hope. He tried to crush it back down, but he felt his heart rate pick up.

Its ideal for Avowed to return to their home Contract for skill assignment. Especially in situations like this. But the Mother Planet is the second best choice.

That sounds like a good plan then, Alden said, wondering if he looked excited. He hoped he didnt look excited. It was entirely the wrong thing at this moment.

You are probably going to die, stupid. You were fine with it ten seconds ago. Focus on the stuff you need to get done.

What was that stuff again?

Kibby would be fine.

Oh. Yes. Can I make some kind of alegal request saying who gets my possessions if I die? He didnt know if Artonans did wills. The System actually had options for listing your beneficiaries, but Alden hadnt had the time or the inclination to set that kind of thing up. I got summoned a couple of hours after I agreed to the Contract, and then I was busy. So I never thought about it seriously.

Alis-arth closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, her facial expression had smoothed into something more neutral.

I can be the - for any sort of contract, magical or legal, you wish to make, she said. Naturally I will see to it that your requests are honored.

Great, thought Alden. Kibby and Boe can have their share of my Argold all at once. But Aunt Connie should probably receive inheritance money in installments.

Jeremy could have Aldens non-monetary stuff. His parents were rich, and he was the kind of person who got nostalgic over mementos.