"Give it up, It's over." He said standing over my limp body. I was barely conscious. Reality was fading in and out. I blinked away the red hue that had slowly crept over my vision. I felt my arms move on their own, pushing me up. I coughed as my knees bent and I rose. My balance was unsteady as I felt the wind against me threatening to push me over. I put my feet under me and lifted myself off the ground.
"It's not over until I'm dead. Don't you understand that? You have to put me in the ground and then it'll finally be over." I spat out the blood that had been gathering in my mouth. The sanguine liquid tasted sickly sweet with a hint of iron "This world is already mine, you just haven't realized it yet."
"I've stopped you at every turn in your quest, Koga. So let's just stop this nonsense." He said as he raised my sword above my head. I couldn't quite remember how he had gotten it, but it was certainly mine however. I looked my nemesis in the eyes and saw the exhaustion he was feeling. I just needed a few more moments to catch my breath.
"You don't have it in you to kill me. I know you don't. Killing me would mean giving up on everything you believe in," I smiled at him. He raised my sword higher and started to swing. Every muscle in my body was screaming at me to move, to do something. I couldn't let myself die. This wasn't the end of my story. I felt my hands moving towards him and grabbed the metal. The sharp edge dug into my flesh and caused another cut on my palm. I grunted in pain, and winced. I used the last bit of my energy to rip the sword out of his hands. The metal clanged on the stone floor a few feet away.
"Why are you still fighting? This was already decided when I walked into the room." He said, grabbing my cloak. His fist connected with my face for the upteenth time today. I stumbled back, I had to keep standing. It was almost over. My victory was almost at hand. He rushed over to me again and punched me in the gut this time. I groaned and took another step back. I felt the stone window on my lower back.
"You don't have the guts to finish me off, I'm right here." I said leaning against the window. My breathing was heavy and all I could feel was my entire body throbbing from the pain. So close, one last push and it'll be done.
"I'm over this, I the great Mathios will kill you once and for all you, menace to the good folk of this land." He grabbed me, lifted me up and held me over the open window. I smiled, my plan had worked. This was it.
"Do it then, insolent whelp." I sneered at him trying to contain my excitement. I felt myself slip from his grasp and began to fall into the depths of my castle. The wind rushed past my body as my plan was complete. I hit the water of my moat with a loud splash, but that was no matter. The imbecile would believe I drowned in the river. I summoned the last bit of energy I had and casted a very minor healing spell so I wouldn't succumb to my wounds. I let the water carry me as my vision slowly faded out.
I don't know how long I was in the river, but I was aware when I was caught in a fishing net. I grumbled to myself about the stupid peasants. I heard children yell from beyond the river's edge. Then the voices got louder. I couldn't turn to see the source of the voices.
"Theo, what's that in the river?" One of the voices said.
"I don't know, let's take a closer look." I could only assume it was Theo that was speaking.
The voices stopped for a second and then a high pitched scream filled the air, "It's a dead body. What should we do?" A girl's voice said from one side of the net.
The boys in unison said, "Let's poke it." They all laughed. That's right, laugh peasants. Laugh at my broken form, I'll have your heads for such a transgression. I felt myself be pulled towards the river's edge. Then my body was being prodded by a long stick. Then it was joined by another, and a third.
"St-Stop that," I groaned. My body hurt, and my throat was coated in dried blood. The children screamed and dropped their sticks.
"He's a zombie," The girl yelled.
"Zombies don't talk, Marssa" The boy who wasn't Theo said.
"Well, what should we do about him?" Marssa asked, her voice was now lower.
"We should tell Gord about this. He'll be able to figure something out." Theo said. I felt the children's footsteps get softer. I sighed and soon I drifted off back to the void again. The next thing I know, I felt myself being picked up and put on a makeshift stretcher. I made a noise as they put me down.
"Wow, friend. You're lucky they found you when they did. Don't move now. We'll get you patched up and on your way in no time. Our medicine woman is known far and wide." A man's voice said as I was lifted in the air. He was holding the front of the stretcher.
"Yeah, she doesn't even charge for her services. She just wants to help people," The man behind me said. My stomach turned, Human selflessness. So disgusting, and often untrue. Everybody in this world wanted something from somebody, "Rest now we'll be in the village shortly."
I tried to protest as I could patch myself up just fine, I just needed to rest more. I felt my magic at the edges of my fingertips. It was close. Just another day or so and I would be able to fix most of my physical problems. I started to stir and quickly felt my strength give out. The men chuckled at my plight. I swore when I got back to my full power, I was gonna start my vengeance with these two. I blacked out as the stretcher was being rocked back and forth.
I awoke when I felt my body hit the ground roughly, I groaned in pain. Every inch of my body was screaming at the sudden stop.
"Gregory, what are you doing?" The other man scolded him.
"Sorry, he just slipped from my hands. It wasn't that bad." Gregory sheepishly said.
"It's fine, just put him on the bed and go fetch Analise. She should be at the village elders house" The man said, leaning down grabbing my feet. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders and then I was lifted on the bed, if it could be called that. The mattress was made out of hay wrapped in wool but a few of the pieces had poked through and were stabbing the exposed parts of my body.
'How embarrassing, having to rely on these imbeciles to get me to full health.' I thought to myself. The man named Gregory left the room and I was left alone with the other.
"Can you speak?" The man said, pulling up a chair next to the bed. I groaned out a grunt and looked at him. He was very plain looking, probably a farm hand if I had to guess.
"I figured as much. You're in a bad way, friend. Your body is covered in cuts and bruises. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a few broken bones, especially your ribs. My name is Breanan, the fool that dropped you is called Gregory." He said pulling out a pouch and a pipe. He filled the pipe with what I assumed was tobacco and lit it. The smell of the leaf filled the small room. "Do you know where you are?" He asked me as he exhaled the smoke. My head moved slightly from side to side and he sighed.
"Well you're in the humble little village of Thyme's Refuge." He explained. I've heard of this town before. Though not for a famed healer however. I nodded my head and closed my eyes.
"You've heard of us? I'm not surprised, not many are ignorant of our existence." He said before taking another puff of his pipe. "Where the hell is Gregory? The Elder's house isn't that far away." He sighed out and knocked the ashes of his pipe into his hand and threw them into the fireplace. As he started filling his pipe again, Gregory bursted in with a woman in tow.
"There he is, I told you I wasn't exaggerating when I said he's on death's doorstep." Gregory said as the woman pushed past him. I couldn't make out what she looked like from the dark room only being lit from the fireplace and a small candle on a table behind Breanan.
"What do you think you're doing, Breanan?" She scolded him. I couldn't see her face, but from her tone she was definitely scowling at him. "How many times do I need to tell you that smoking in a patient's room is not allowed?"
Breanan put the pipe in his pocket and said, "Sorry Lise, it's just that-"
"Save it for someone who actually cares. Now get out, if I need your help for something I'll call you." She said kicking the chair out from underneath him. I managed a small chuckle that filled my torso with sharp pain, as the scene unfolded before me. This woman had some life to her. She looked at me and I could feel a smile coming from her, "Good you can laugh, that's a start at least." Though I soon felt her smile vanish and she scowled at the pair starting towards the door. "You didn't take off his soaking wet clothes? Are you serious, he could have caught death just from a cold right now. Give me your knife Breanan we gotta cut these wet rags off of him."
Breanan handed her the object and soon she was standing over me cutting off my clothes. I was annoyed that my clothes couldn't be saved. Every piece was hand tailored by the world renown Pierre. It was pure silk with silk threads. I winced every time I felt the blade slice away my wardrobe.
"What in Thyme happened to you?" She muttered as she saw my body. I hadn't seen what I looked like right now, but I felt it though. She rubbed my torso tracing the many scars, my new wounds and bruises. "This is gonna take a while for you to feel completely better. It looks like you broke some ribs, and some of these cuts are real deep. I'm actually surprised you haven't died yet."
She started on my trousers now cutting them away. She wasn't as intense on my legs. They were sore, but I had assumed that was from all the running I did during the fight with Mathios. I could see her face a bit better now, her hair was bright red and was tied back in a braid. Her eyes were still in the shadows and I could tell they were looking at me with kindness.
She finished her examination and sighed, "To be honest with you. This is the worst case I've ever seen. Like I've seen wolf attacks, lumber accidents, and several illnesses, but you? It looks like you've been through several wars back to back with no time to rest. I'm not even sure about internal bleeding. I'm guessing not, because if you had any you would be dead by now." I groaned in exasperation. She didn't know any healing magic it would seem. If that was the case, I would be better in no time flat with my clothes intact. How can somebody be called the worlds best healer and not know any healing magic. She walked over to a cupboard over a dry sink in the corner and opened it up. She pulled out several herbs, a mushroom, and a mortar and pestle. She turned to the men in the corner and frowned, "What are you two still doing here? Go fetch me a bucket of water from the well and Louis. I need his help. Oh, also grab me a bottle of Alphonses' strongest liquor as well"
Gregory and Breanan nodded their heads and walked out the door. She sighed as the door shut, "They mean well, but they're a little on the slow side when it comes to this type of thing." She grabbed a pot from under the sink and placed it next to the fireplace. Then she started putting the various herbs and the mushroom into the bowl. She started humming a tune while she was crushing the ingredients. I noticed that she was working in time with the song. I started to drift off as the song also acted as a lullaby for me. I awoke when Gregory walked back in with a bucket and a green bottle.
"Thank you, Gregory. You can go now." She said taking the bucket and placing the bottle on the table next to the mortar. Analise grabbed a cup from the table and filled it from the bucket and brought it over to me. "Here, you have to be thirsty." She lifted my head and brought the cup to my cracked lips. The liquid filled my mouth and it made its way down my throat. I could feel the blood being washed away from my throat. She lifted the cup away and smiled at me.
"Th-thank you," The words hurt me more than Mathios ever could. Me thanking a peasant. What was wrong with me, I couldn't believe this. I had to get out of this town immediately.
"You do speak. That's good to know. Just lie back and relax. I'll need to apply this salve and wrap your torso with a bandage." She said walking back to the table and poured the rest of the water into the bucket. She poured the rest of the water from the bucket into the pot and placed it above the fire. She took the bottle and poured some into the mortar. She then took a sip of the bottle and wiped her mouth. "Oh, that's good."
I chuckled out of impulse and immediately regretted it. My sides exploded in pain, I groaned out loud and Analise turned towards me with a frown. "Laughter is the best medicine, but in your case I don't recommend it for you at least for a couple of weeks." She said walking over with the bottle in her hand, "Here this'll help with the pain." She brought the bottle to my lips and I greedily swallowed a few sips. The liquor burned my throat and I could feel the liquid warm my stomach as it settled.
I haven't drank alcohol in years, my family have a history of becoming alcoholics and I wasn't interested in following that path. Though in this case I welcomed the whiskey. "Thank you again, Analise." I could feel my voice starting to come back. Ugh, thanking her has happened twice in the same hour. This was unacceptable. I wanted to succumb to my wounds.
"You're welcome again. Don't call me Analise though. My mother calls me that and I hate it. Ana or Lise is what I prefer." She said walking back to the table. She started to finish the salve. She started humming again and I was being lulled into that sweet black abyss.
"-at's him, huh? He looks like been through hell," an unfamiliar voice said. I assumed that was Louis.
"Yeah, he is. I'm even surprised he's alive. Though there's been some inconsistencies about my examination." Analise sighed. I felt my stomach knot up. I definitely didn't need to be identified.
"Like what Lise?"
"Well, for starters all those scars on him look like they weren't healed naturally."
"Like with magic?"
"Yeah, exactly. I'm at a loss for where he would have received treatment."
"Magic isn't exactly common, and healing magic is even more rare."
"The limited healing magic I know is way beyond healing his wounds. I'm lucky I can even cure common illnesses." She responded. My ears perked up at the news of her actually knowing magic. I didn't believe that she didn't know anything if she really was as famous as the peasant said she was.
"Well, enough chit chat, why'd you want me?" Louis said to her standing up from a chair.
"I need a few rare herbs from the forest and you're the only one good enough to track them down." She said, turning back to the table.
"Ah, I figured you needed something from the forest or else you wouldn't have called for me. Yeah, I'll help you, you know that, Lise. I'd do anything for you." Louis said getting closer to her.
"Thank you so much, I know he'll appreciate it too." She said, taking him in her arms. I heard them kiss and I cringed on the inside. I know that they believe me asleep but still, there was no need to kiss in the same room as a patient.
"Alright, I'll be off." He said taking a piece of paper off the table and turned towards the door. "I love you, Lise. I'll be back soon."
I heard the door open and close. Ana started humming again, finishing up the salve. "You can stop pretending to be asleep now. I know you've been awake for a little bit." I frowned and opened my eyes.
"H-how did-"
"I know? Easy, your breathing isn't as shallow when you're sleeping. You try not to hurt yourself when you breathe." She smiled at me," Now, I can apply this salve now or we can wait until Louis gets back with the herbs I need."
"I'll wait" This woman was good as a healer if she was able to hear my breathing change. "You know magic?"
"Okay, that works for me. Yes, I do. I know a few spells, but unfortunately your wounds are a bit too far outside my expertise. So traditional herbs and bandages will have to suffice." She said, grabbing the pot from the fire. "Let's get you cleaned up, you're covered in mud and you got some blood in places." She put the pot on the floor next to the bed and grabbed a rag. She dipped the rag in the pot and squeezed out the excess.
She brought the rag to my face and wiped away the dirt and dried blood. "You wanna explain a few things for me. If you feel well enough to talk if you don't mind."
I had to come up with some answers for her, just to protect my identity. "Okay, what would you like to know about me, Lise?"
"Well, first off what's your name? That's a good place to start."
"Justin, my name is Justin." The only name that came to mind was the name of my grandfather.
"Just Justin? You don't have a last name?" She asked as she kept cleaning me up.
"Thy-Thomas." I couldn't exactly use his last name though. That name was way too famous to use. It would cause too many problems if I use it carelessly.
"Justin Thomas?" She paused for a minute. I could only hope she believed me. I'd rather not be killed in my underwear in such a state. "Alright, It's nice to meet you Justin."
"It's nice to meet you too, Lise." I said. This peasant was getting on my nerves, she was going to ask me something that she really wouldn't like the answer to.
"So, how did you get this in bad shape?" She said moving on to my torso.
That definitely was a question I didn't want to answer, for two reasons. For one it was embarrassing that I got beaten up by a peasant. Secondly, I didn't want her to know my true identity. "I'm an adventurer and I had a run in with some nasty bunch of bandits."
"You expect me to believe bandits did this to you and that you're an adventurer with your outfit?" She motioned towards my ruined clothes in the corner of the room.
"Well, it's true." I retorted. Bandits? Really, that was the best I could come up with? Ugh, this was stupid. If I had my full strength then I could easily heal myself like I had done so many times before. I recalled my grandfather's tomes that I had inherited and inwardly scowled.They were tucked away in a safe spot, but I wanted them in my possession. I found one in his study when I was a child and it was about a spell called Fireball. I couldn't quite understand most of it but the parts I could understand made my fingertips tingle.
"Well, that doesn't explain all those scars." She pressed on.
"You sure ask a lot of questions."
"We don't normally get visitors like you that often. Usually all we get is tourists."
"Tourists? Why would you get tourists?"
"People far and wide want to see the town that was named after the famous adventurer that saved us all those years ago."
"Really? People come to this backwater town just to see what?"
"People come to this backwater town to see the Tavern he stayed at, the cave that he cleared out and the statue that we built to honor his life when he passed." Her tone got angry at my comment. I'm not surprised she got angry but I was surprised to let it slip. I'm surviving on the good graces of these peasants and I couldn't anger them too much. Besides, there was something I needed from this cesspit when I could walk.
"Sorry, I'm just used to slightly bigger towns and as famous as this town is, it still is a fair bit out of the way from the major cities." I quickly apologized to my chagrin.
"I'm just not used to people calling the place that I grew up in a 'Backwater' place. I heard the tales of the man who single handedly helped this town, not only by dealing with the surrounding monsters and bandits, but he also healed the sick and wounded. He's the reason why I chose to become a healer." She said wringing out the bloody cloth into the bucket. She dipped the rag into the pot and started on my legs.
"Thyme is the reason you became a healer?" I looked at her.
"Yeah, he healed my grandmother when he was in this town. He used such advanced magic to cure her. She had been sick all her life. I heard her father and mother thought she wasn't going to live past a certain age." Her eyes got dreamy when she started her story
"So, he waved his hands and she was healed?"
"Yeah, something like that. Though he also told her to take this liquid that tastes like cherries. I remember that my great-grandmother had to mix a batch for her every week. When she no longer coughed she didn't have to drink it anymore." She smiled as she finished wiping down my legs. She wrung out the rag and placed it into the pot. Louis walked in with a back in hand.
"You're telling the story of how your grandmother was saved by the 'Hero,' again?" Louis teased with a smile, he looked over at me. "I'm Louis. It's nice to meet you."
"Justin Thomas." I answered back, "I'd say it was nice to meet you but I'm laid up in a bed and about to die."
"Whoa, that's a bit aggressive, friend. I get that you're hurt but that's no way to talk to someone who's trying to help you." Louis said defensively.
"Forgive him, Louis. He's a bit worked up from all the poking and prodding I've done since he woke up." She covered for my transgression.
"It's fine. I brought the stuff you wanted, Lise" He said, putting the sack on the table.
"Thank you, so much Louis." She said getting up and kissing him.
"Well, I would stay and talk more, but I have to meet the boys at The Staggering Tankard for a drink." He said grinning at Ana.
"That's good, dear. Just try to be home at a decent hour this time." She said kissing him again, "Have fun. I love you."
"Love you, too." He said walking out the door, he turned to me, "I hope you get better soon." I wanted to vomit from the display of affection before me and it took all my strength not to grimace in disgust.
"Me too, so I can get out of your hair." I smiled attempting to make nice with him.
"Alright, now I can finish your salve and get you wrapped up." She smiled at me and then went back to the counter. "I'll continue the story when I'm done grinding everything up. You just rest, I need to concentrate on making sure I get the portions right." She said opening up the bag and pulling out several herbs I recognized; Elves Wood, Golden Root, and Amber Thyme. These were not common herbs, I was surprised to see them in a place such as this. They all had medicinal properties.
She started grinding the herbs up and started lulling me to sleep with her song. I was woken up by a searing pain in my torso. I inhaled sharply and held in a yelp.
"Sorry, but this needs to be done. This is gonna get worse before it gets better." She pursed her lips after she got done speaking.
"Admit it, you're enjoying this after the 'backwater' comment." I breathed heavily from the massive spike in pain.
"I might, but I'd much rather you be on your feet than in a ditch somewhere." She smiled, "So where was I? Oh right, the tonic that my grandmother had to drink. So, my great-grandmother actually kept the recipe after Grandma got better."
"So, there's a recipe for a Potion of Healing lying around this town. Interesting, even the alchemists in the city have trouble making one from the scraps they have collected." I said breathing through the pain.
"Potion of Healing? That's what my grandmother had to drink? That's amazing, I knew it was some type of potion, but an actual healing potion. I couldn't even dream of it." She sat back in her chair.
"So, do you know where the recipe is?" I asked, that recipe would net me a fortune. With that I could rebuild what I had lost against Mathios.
"No, I don't. My grandmother told me when he came back a few years later and during his visit he asked for it back after seeing the full recovery that she made." She frowned.
"That's a shame, really. You'd be able to help so many people with that." I said, it was the truth. Not the plan I had for the recipe for but I needed her to trust me.
"You're right, but my grandmother told me that Thyme was a real gentleman about the whole thing. He even treated her to dinner to celebrate."
"I bet he did, he was an old dog." I retorted. From all the stories my grandmother told me about him, he was very popular with the ladies. She gave me a questioning look, but I shrugged it off, "Stories I heard about him throughout my travels."
"That's a family secret though. The rumor throughout the town at the time was that he bedded her after. My grandfather got jealous and romanced her immediately afterwards, but my mother was born 9 months later." She smiled, "I guess those stories keep growing, huh?"
"I guess they do." I chuckled involuntarily.
"So, I need you to sit up so I can apply the salve to your back and then I can finish wrapping you up." She smiled at me. I nodded and with her help I was able to swing my legs off the bed and sat up. Everything exploded in pain as I moved my body. Mathios had done a real number on me this time. He really did plan on killing me. Analise applied the medicine, and I grunted in pain.
"I could go for some of that whiskey right now." I half joked. It would definitely help with the pain.
"Sure, right after I'm done wrapping you up." She chuckled at me as she finished up. She brought the bowl she was using to the table and grabbed a roll of bandages. She walked back and just as she turned around, she smirked and leaned back and grabbed the bottle. I held out my hand to grab it and soon I felt the burning liquid go down my throat.
"I thought I had to wait until you were done with the bandages?" I coughed and smiled at her.
"I took pity on you." She smiled, "Lift your arms and hold them out." I did as she said and it took everything I had to hold my arms in place. They were shaking from how heavy they felt. She started wrapping my chest and it was tight. I couldn't breathe at first. It was a good thing though, hopefully this will keep the ribs from moving too much.
"Alright, almost done." She said as she tied the bandage off. She sighed and leaned back. "Damn, hand that bottle over. You can also lay back down now."
I handed her the bottle from next to me and turned to lie down. I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was sleep. I heard her cough as I started closing my eyes.
"Sleep well Justin, I'll change your bandages tomorrow." Analise smiled at me and stood up. I grunted a response and heard the chair get put back to where it belonged. She started humming her song as she started cleaning up her work area. When I woke up tomorrow, I planned on using magic to heal my wounds so I could walk around town and search for my grandfather's stash.