“AAAAAAAAAARGH, Noa Baaaaard!” Magenta launched from out of the flames in a trail of glory, his skin glistening, but seemingly untouched by the fire.

Noa's mouth hung agape as the troll scooped him and the bulky man under one arm, then gathered the woman and Caradec in the other arm, but not before giving the high prelate a precious gift━an aether stone.

The bubble expanded, shaping into a vortex once more, and Magenta charged out of it with a booming cry. It wasn't until they were more than sufficiently away from the flames that the troll halted, and sort of gently lowered them to the ground.

Noa coughed, sucking in sweet, clear air. He rolled away from his burly patient, pushing himself up to his knees. A hand smacked the back of his head━notably smaller than a troll’s━and Noa turned, looking up at his mentor.

“What are you trying to do, kid, get yourself killed?” he asked.

“I was trying to━”

“Bah!” Armael threw a hand up, then moved to the burly man with a grimace. “That is ugly,” he said, taking over the healing. The woman moved to watch with a worried gaze.

“He was assisting me,” Caradec stood up, brushing his robes off, not that it did them much good. They were burned at the edges, and many other burn holes decorated them. “Albeit, very poorly, but I will take what I can get.”

“Gee, you’re welcome,” Noa rolled his eyes.

“Yes, thank you,” Caradec nodded.

Noa paushed. Huh, he wasn’t actually expecting gratitude from the high prelate. That was... nice.

“Ha! Noa Bard owes life debt!”

Noa whipped his head to Magenta, and jumped up to his feet. He pointed and said, “No!” the pinkish troll startled. “In human society, we save each others’ lives just because we care, no stipulations!”

“Well, taxes do afford emergency services and policing,” Caradec said.

“Not helping,” Noa shot back, not turning away from the troll. “Do you like me, Ma━Tyrm?”

“Yes, Noa Bard, but... it is troll way,” Magenta said, blinking.

“Do you want more stories?” Noa asked.

“Yes. I save your life, you give stories.”

“Precisely! Without me, no stories! Do you want me dead?”

“Dead bard?” Magenta’s face melted.

Please don’t cry. Do trolls cry? Noa wondered.

“So, I save Noa Bard to have stories, but to not have Noa Bard owe life debt and serve me?”

“Not to have No━me━serve you. Remember when I saved your life from mountain lions?”

Magenta nodded.

“Did I demand a life debt?”

“You could not. You repaid a life debt━would not make sense to have me repay a repayment.” The troll grinned.

Noa sighed. “Did I ask Chief or, or... what was her name... Aud! Did I ask Chief or Aud for life debts?” he asked.

Magenta’s smile faded. “No,” he said.

“It is the human━no, the friend way to save each others’ lives and not expect anything in return,” Noa said.

“Noa Bard is... friend?” Were his eyes sparkling? Oh, those were sparkles if Noa ever saw them. “Ha! Friends!” Noa yelped as Magenta slapped his back, sending him crashing to the ground. He groaned into the dirt, and as he started to push himself up, Magenta was already lifting him by his shirt. “Sorry, friend.” He wiped dust from Noa’s shirt. “You tell story later?”

“Yes, I’ll tell you a story later,” Noa said, huffing.

“Good, I go help put out fire! Save more friends!” The troll turned, darting towards the dwindling flames. Trolls were, apparently, quite good at putting out fires. Chief walked through them like they were nothing, some of the larger trolls merely stomped on the flames, and others were busy using troll-sized shovels to throw mounds of dirt over the fires. On the flip side... Their clothes were not so durable, but trolls didn't seem to be bothered by that.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Maybe you should stop arguing with trolls and gawking, and heal people, kid,” Armael said, standing up. The burly man was sitting up now, and didn’t even look bruised.

“What, no congratulations on my improved negotiating skills?” Noa asked.

“Oh look, fluffy clouds,” Armael rolled his eyes. “Good job, kid, you swayed a troll that can't even read.”

“He's learning!”

“Curses, heal!” Armael walked over, hand poised to smack Noa, who leaned away, dodging.

“I'm out of aether stones.”

He jolted to look back at Caradec when the high prelate’s hand landed on his shoulder. In his other hand, he offered a still glowing aether stone. “For an emergency this large, we’ll be more than happy to supply as many aether stones as needed, or until we run out,” he said.

Taking the offering, Noa nodded, and started towards where the injured lay; where Eliaz still worked. The elf looked up, eyebrows raised and hands poised over a man whose chest was charred. “I won’t lie, I really thought you ran to your death,” he said.

“It wasn’t my smartest moment.”

“You don’t have a lot of those,” Eliaz snickered.

“Focus,” Armael shot, then pointed to the man nearest to them. “Those that have a copper coin next to their right ear have superficial injuries. A silver is severe, and gold is life threatening. Collect the coins of the ones you heal. Leave gold to me, focus on silver, kid.”

“Clever,” Noa said, passing by the man before him, a copper coin next to his head. He moved to the nearest silver, burns marring his skin up and down his back, and constricting movement in his shoulders.

You better work, [Lesser Appeal], he internally growled, relieved when the spell to a section over the man’s left shoulder.

System [Lesser Appeal] level 31 → 32

System Direct [Lesser Mend]?

Yes or no?

The aether from the stone dimmed quickly as Noa pulled from it, the mending healing the hand-sized section of skin, leaving minimal scarring.

System [Lesser Mend] level 88 → 89

The brown haired man let out a relieved sigh, and Noa looked at his face, half of it buried in the grass. “I can already feel that helping,” he said. “Mind working on the other shoulder?”

“How about I get your whole back?” Noa asked.

He smiled. “Yeah, that sounds nice. Thanks.”

Noa couldn’t help the smile that came to his face, and he moved on to start with the next shoulder anyways. Might as well free up the skin over the joints. Is this how doctors feel when they successfully help someone? he wondered, feeding [Lesser Appeal] again. Feels nice... fulfilling.

System [Lesser Appeal] level 32 → 33

System [Lesser Mend] level 89 → 90

System Class [Mender] level 18 → 19

System Aether depleted.

Just as he finished the second section, Conagan stopped nearby. “Geezer Caradec said to give you these,” he dropped a small pouch near Noa, the glow of aether seeping through it.

“Thanks.”

“This is a good town.” Noa looked at the man before him again. “I’d heard that the church was raising healers here.”

“You’re not from Briag?” Noa asked.

The man wiggled his head, wincing when he tried to move it more. “No. Costs a man his life to get a healing in the capital. You’re not going to charge me for this, are you?”

“Uuuh,” Noa droned, pulling out a few... diamonds? He blinked, staring at the aether stone. It was a small, pear shaped diamond, glowing brightly━brighter than any other aether stone. “Were you working on the apple farm?”

“Was gonna.”

“I have a farm across town. Work for me, and consider it worker’s compensation,” Noa offered.

“Worker’s compensation? I’ll still get paid, won’t I? Free healings ain’t gonna feed my family, kid━sir.”

Noa chuckled, moving to another section. There were probably about six sections left on this man’s back before he moved on to someone else. “I’ll still pay you. Consider worker’s compensation an extra protection. If you get badly injured on the job, I’ll heal you as far as I am capable of.”

“Deal.”

“You don’t even know what I’m going to pay━”

“You ain’t got a clue what a fair wage looks like, do ya?”

“Um...”

“Yeah. I think I’ll do well here,” the man chuckled, then winced. “Remind me not to laugh yet.”

System [Lesser Appeal] level 33 → 34

System [Lesser Mend] level 90 → 91

Noa chuckled, nodding.

“Don’t you laugh either! Ain’t good to help me not laugh!”

“I’ll try not to.”

“So, who’s my new boss?”

“Noa Kai, and you━”

“The Ardent Noa! Ha! ‘Bout time my luck’s gone up! Ooo, the monarchy hates you.”

Noa blinked. “How, erm, popular am I in the capital?”

“Have you heard about the Peach Strike?”

“You’re kidding...” I need a wall to bang my head on, he thought, healing up the next section.

System [Lesser Mend] level 91 → 92

“The Peach Strike will be the least of your problems.” Noa turned, looking at High Prelate Caradec as he approached, moving past Noa and to Armael.

“You sound like you’re implying something...” Noa pursed his lips, watching as Caradec started a small, private conversation with the priest. “What’s the most of my problems?” he asked, leaning over to try to hear what was said.

The high prelate turned, staring at Noa for a long moment, sighing. He turned the entire way, facing Noa, hands clasped before him and lips in a deep frown. “Ogres.”