Chapter LXXVIII
In the Eyes of Others
Hours after their impromptu party had begun, as most of the search party retreated to their tents, including Gidit and Adriaas, Zunkit and Xendur continued to dance around the bonfire while Raveena took over DJ duties from Gruvin. Their hangovers became the subject of jokes the next morning and well into the afternoon as they enjoyed of an uneventful trip. By evening, they returned to Silver Camp and were greeted by a grand celebration in their honor.
Outside a large illuminated tent used for council meetings at the very center of their camp, torches cast a warm glow as a massive crowd of Kapas erupted in cheers for the returning heroes. Hamari, an elected council member of Silver Camp, stepped forward, her presence commanding calm and admiration, imposing with a distinctive silver gown. "These brave campers ventured into the unknown in search of the pink faction. Our plan was to recon and retrieve our lost Kapas from their camp, but the Elkrachets ambushed them," she announced, her voice tinged with mystery and provoking gasps in the audience. "However, the pink faction cleverly used our search party as bait, tricking our enemy into underestimating them. With strategic support from our own forces led by the formidable Sargent Elchome and Commander Bitlan, they turned the tables and claimed victory."
As she mentioned Adriaas's grandfather, admiration filled the air. "Tonight, I am here to award these brave souls the insignia of bravery. Please, Miveria, Raveena, Zunkit, Dravek, Raxae, Xendur, Gidit, Remian, Gruvin, Suley, Elchome, and Adriaas, step forward."
As the heroes lined up, the crowd's applause swelled. Hamari pinned a metallic badge shaped like a flaming heart on each chest. When she reached Adriaas, she tenderly touched her face, looking into her eyes with empathy. "I saved Adriaas Zaraz for last because she has been an unsung hero since joining our camp," Hamari declared, her words clearly meant for Adriaas. "Tonight, we also award her the insignias of Survivor and Novice Healer, for emerging from the jaws of death and, according to our Head Healer Gruvin, for now being able to aid others unsupervised."
Tears welled up in Adriaas’s eyes as she bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Hamari."
"No, my dear, it is we who are grateful to you," Hamari said, lifting Adriaas's chin. "Silver Camp is a better place since you arrived."
"Tonight, let us celebrate this unexpected triumph!" Hamari proclaimed, turning back to the crowd. "Eat, drink, and dance! Revel in this joyous occasion, for tomorrow we continue our fight against the Elkrachets!"
With that, Silver Camp erupted in thunderous cheers, their spirit unwavering as they prepared for the challenges ahead. Amid the celebrations, Adriaas reflected on her feelings, realizing she had found happiness in the most unlikely of places. The modest gathering of the previous night paled in comparison to tonight's festivities, perfectly orchestrated to uplift their spirits with food, drinks, and a sense of purpose.
Adriaas felt more integrated than ever into Imperia, despite the nine remaining years of her exile. With friends, a partner, and her grandfather by her side, life seemed less daunting.
Adriaas understood the importance of embracing festivities to maintain sanity in exile. She was an extarri and had become a part of a community, The nine and a half years left in her punishment didn’t seem so bad surrounded by those who had grown close to her. With friends, a partner, and her grandfather in the same country, life didn’t seem so bleak anymore. With a sense of belonging, Adriaas accepted her circumstances and decided to make the most of what she had.
The months following their mission to recover Pink Camp felt like a dream compared to their prior experiences. Adriaas' achievements and growing reputation had garnered her the respect of everyone in the camp, including the council. No longer did people depend solely on Gruvin for their healing needs, much to his relief. Filling the role of a competent healer was among the most challenging tasks within the camps.
Warriors, hunters, strategists, farmers and cooks were always needed, but finding a skilled healer was a rarity. Adriaas' mentor maintained high standards, which she had inadvertently met with apparent ease. Her brief stint studying with the Chesed likely contributed to her prowess.
As Adriaas' responsibilities expanded, so too did the excitement in her daily life at Silver Camp. One day, Raveena burst into the healer's tent, her face pale and drenched in sweat. At the time, Gruvin was tending to a man who had broken a bone falling from a palm tree while harvesting dates.
"Adriaas! I need help. Where's Gruvin?" Raveena inquired as the man emerged from a connecting tent where other patients recuperated. "There’s been an accident!"
"Calm down and tell me what happened. You look like you've seen death."
"It’ll be here soon if we don't hurry!" Despite her anxiety, Raveena took a deep breath. "We went fishing earlier—Zunkit, Dravek, Raxae, and I. Raxae was the first to catch something and went swimming. She was attacked by a shark. The water turned red. I came for help as soon as we realized what happened. Zunkit and Dravek are still trying to bring her back. Can we go, please?"
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The urgency of Raveena's words triggered an immediate response from Gruvin and Adriaas. Adriaas quickly assembled a first aid kit, thoughtfully adding curaten and crystapheres, while her mentor prepared ointments and cauterizing blankets.
Raveena, on the verge of fainting, began hyperventilating. Adriaas handed the bag to her mentor, expecting to accompany him, but he pushed it back toward her.
"It’s time for your first emergency solo flight. Don’t give me that look—you’re ready. I'll stay here to manage our patients and take care of Raveena. If you need guidance, use the contact crystaphere. Do everything you can to stabilize Raxae on the beach. Don't bring her here unless she's partially healed, or she’ll bleed out."
Recognizing this as a test, Adriaas took the first aid bag without a moment's hesitation and made for the exit, with Raveena in tow.
"You’re staying here unless you want to faint," Gruvin advised Raveena, noting her unsteady demeanor.
"Where are they?" Adriaas demanded urgently.
"About 1.5 kilometers up the coast. It's their usual fishing spot. They should be easy to find. Please, help them."
Adriaas set off at a sprint. She reached the fishing spot within minutes, the same place where she had first learned about Zunkit and Irrevol’s craft. There, she found Raxae lying on the ground, bleeding profusely, while Dravek, Zunkit, and other campers discussed their next move.
"Give her some space!" Adriaas commanded as she approached. "Zunkit, Dravek, stay close. Tell me exactly what happened."
"It was a beast, Zaraz!" Zunkit exclaimed, teetering on the brink of panic. "I’ve never seen a shark so close to shore. Raxae was swimming like they usually do. We heard their screams and rushed over. Somehow, they managed to escape the shark and were swimming back."
Adriaas knelt beside Raxae, the blood-soaked fabric to assess the severity of the wounds. Facing such a severe injury for the first time made her feel slightly dizzy, but she remained focused. The shark had torn away parts of Raxae's thigh and calf. Quickly, she placed an absorbent blanket over the leg to clear the excess blood.
Seconds later, the blanket had absorbed the surplus scarlet liquid, revealing the full extent of the damage. Adriaas meticulously replaced the blanket, knowing precisely what needed to be done. The bite was deep, exposing bone, with a significant amount of muscle requiring reconstruction. Dravek and Zunkit held the blanket in place while she applied an immunocover, an old yet effective technology that used micronites to cleanse the wound and boost the immune response.
"We need to wake them up," Adriaas directed Zunkit.
He knelt beside Raxae, gently trying to rouse them by caressing their face and calling.
"That won’t work. We need a stronger stimulus," Adriaas remarked, her patience waning. She slapped Raxae with measured force, drawing shocked expressions from the bystanders.
Adriaas remained focused solely on eliciting a response from Raxae, who screamed out in pain.
"Welcome back, honey," Adriaas said in as gentle a tone as she could muster. "You're hurt, and I need you to take these pills so we can fix you up, please."
Before Raxae could respond, Adriaas presented two pills, one green and one white, along with a bottle of water. Raxae swallowed them and lay back on the sand, as Adriaas continued her treatment amidst the anxious gazes of the gathered crowd.
The pills were designed to halt any internal bleeding and combat potential infections. While the green pill took effect, Adriaas carefully cleaned Raxae’s thigh, removing sand and other debris with a small medical vacuum from her kit. After ensuring no foreign particles remained, she reached for a crystaphere—a small brown sphere called musgrowth, as Gruvin had suggested. She broke it open above Raxae’s leg, causing a minor explosion that pushed her and Zunkit backward.
Adriaas had witnessed the power of the crystaphere before, but its regenerative properties never ceased to fascinate her. As the dust settled, a mass formed from the sphere attached itself to every damaged section of Raxae’s flesh and muscle, enveloping the injuries.
Taking a moment to relax and shift her stance, Adriaas stood and stretched, acknowledging the small crowd that had formed. Around eight Kapas, including Suley, had gathered behind Dravek and Zunkit, watching anxiously.
"They're going to be fine," she reassured them, noting the visible relief on their faces. "It could have been worse. Raxae will recover, though there may be some scars."
Adriaas then refocused on her task. The brown mass had morphed into the shape of Raxae’s muscles, effectively regenerating them. Now, she needed to regrow the skin layers to protect the newly formed tissue.
With determination, she retrieved a tube of skinatex from her first aid bag and squeezed some of the purple cream onto her fingers. Carefully, she spread the moisturizer over the regenerated muscles, meticulously connecting the new tissue with the surrounding skin.
The hushed silence around her provided the perfect backdrop for concentration. Using another cloth, Adriaas wiped away any excess cream, revealing that the wounds had nearly vanished, leaving behind only the raw, newly formed skin on Raxae’s thigh and calf. She then applied a generous amount of curaten ointment to cover the remaining raw areas and complete the regenerative process.
After a deep breath, Adriaas concluded her meticulous work. "Help me take them back to the tent," she requested, turning to Zunkit and Dravek.
The two men complied, retrieving a stretcher that some of the other campers had prepared while Adriaas was treating Raxae. Together, they carefully transported Raxae back to the camp, where the rest of the campers greeted them with cheers and applause. Although she didn’t voice it, Adriaas felt a profound sense of pride in herself for adhering to Gruvin’s teachings and successfully managing the emergency. She was confident that Raxae would make a full recovery.
****
Thank you for reading! See you in "Chapter LXXIX - Blood's Tale (Part I)"
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