PART IV - ODDITY

Scryer Earick paced the floor, trying to practice what he was going to say. He didn’t really have words for it, but facts are facts and they needed to know. Next to him, Master Healer Tasi watched him with her eyes. Periodically, her wings would flutter slightly in annoyance, stirring up faint whirls of dust.

“Scryer Earick. Enough!” Tasi finally said. “You’re going to wear out my flooring and my nerves. All your pacing will not make them get here any faster. I am sure they are on their way.”

“Yes I know. But the bell has rung and I need to speak with both of them before Trainer Olin meets with his recruits.”

“Do you want to scry her again? Just to be quadruple sure of your findings? She is still asleep so you can go as deep as you need to.”

Earick halted pacing for a moment, thinking, before waving Tasi away. “I’ve gone as deep as I need to in order to verify my findings. They just don’t make any sense.”

From around the corner, Master Trainer Thorn appeared, along with a Catkin with leonine features.

“Master Trainer Thorn, Trainer Olin,” Earick said, running over to meet them. “Thank you both for coming so quickly.”

“I have very little time, Scryer,” Olin said. He wasn’t angry, just rushed.

“Of course. I only need you for a few minutes.”

“Twice in a day, Earick. Did you scry another strange combination?”

“Why yes, I did,” Earick said flatly.

“You’re joking!” Thorn said, taken aback. “Show us.”

Earick led them back to the Healing Ward, a large tent with heavy canvas walls.

“Healer Tasi!” Olin said with a smile as they arrived. “So good to see you again.”

“You as well, Olin,” Tasi responded, with a slight nod.

“You are involved as well, Healer? Tell me all that has happened,” Thorn said, a concerned look on his face.

“Of course,” Earick said. He gestured to the prone figure of a blue-haired Pixie lying on a cot, face down. One of her wings appeared deep red and purple from bruising, and you could see further streaks of dark blood spreading out under the wing’s translucent skin. “This Pixie was injured earlier today in the intake line. There was a scuffle and …”

Tasi interrupted with a snarl, “Some Dwarf knocked her to the ground, and she landed on her wing. It snapped right in half! Fae wings are incredibly tough, but bend them just right, with the right force and …” she made a cracking sound and gestured the same.

“That must have been incredibly painful,” Olin said.

“It was more than painful, Olin, it was brutally agonizing,” Tasi said bitterly. “As tough as they are, our wings are incredibly sensitive. Hundreds of tiny bones throughout and she had many snapped in half. A few even tore through the wing membrane. I’m surprised she didn’t pass out in pain while we were bringing her here. I actually had to apply a Sleep spell on her just to be able to provide care.”

“What of the Dwarf?” Thorn asked. “Was this the one the Ogre attacked?”

“Attacked?” Earick said. “Not at all. The Ogre quickly stepped in and applied punishment to the Dwarf. Major Celeste was there and supervised. Commandant Xera did promote him and said he was to hand out punishment, after all. He took it quite seriously.”

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“Really?” Olin asked. “I thought Xera was joking. Maybe they were and the Ogre didn’t realize it? What did the Ogre do?”

“He had the Major cut off the Dwarf’s beard and then threw him several meters, before yelling at everyone in line to behave or face his wrath.”

“Cut off … his beard?” Thorn asked, with a slight chuckle.

“Yes, and then ordered the Major to hang it next to the courtyard bell for all to see.”

“Ordered?”

“Yes. We were all quite intimidated. The Ogre was gigantic. Maybe call it ‘forcefully requested’?”

“And what of the Dwarf? How badly was he injured? No limbs removed, right?” Thorn asked.

“He is fine,” Tasi said, waving her hand dismissively. “Broken arm, dislocated shoulder, and four cracked ribs. Simply some directed healing spells and he was able to join the rest of the recruits. He may be a little sore the rest of the day and evening.”

“Great, another Ogre Berserker throwing his size around.” Olin said with a grunt.

“No, Trainer Olin. The Ogre isn’t a Berserker, he’s a Druid,” Earick said.

“What?” Olin said, shocked.

“Yes, both Mistress Juniper and Trainer Rowani came to the intake line and confirmed it as well. I know, it’s extraordinary!” Earick said excitedly.

“Juniper?” Olin said, surprised. “I know we put up with her lurking around the camp, but she actually appeared inside the walls?”

“She did, and took an immediate interest in the Ogre, confirming he is a Druid.”

“That isn’t the only strange one, today, Olin,” Thorn said. “The Ogre was also with a Gnome. Guess what class she is?”

“I would have assumed a Healer or Wizard specialization. Is that not the case?”

Thorn chuckled. “She’s a Ranger. At least we think she is.”

“You must be joking!”

“Not at all. There is some strangeness with her class when she was scryed, and it’s possible she’s not, but she has an Advanced Archery perk.”

“How very odd,” Olin said, pondering. He then looked up at Earick. “You said you had another one? Don’t tell me it’s the Pixie? For my group?”

Earick quickly nodded his head. “Yes. I checked multiple times, including with a deeper scan. Thankfully she’s asleep by spell, so she couldn’t feel it.”

“Well, I’ll be. You’re absolutely sure.”

“I am. I can only ethically share so much from a deep scan without her permission, but I can tell you she has some class skills. She already knows Ethereal Shield, Ethereal Sword, and Minor Telekinesis, to be precise. She also has the Ethereal Control perk.”

“You’re kidding!” Thorn said.

Olin rubbed his mane. “A Pixie. Well I’ll be…” he repeated. “I’m not sure I know how to even train someone so small. In fact, I’ve never heard of anyone smaller than a Beastkin receiving this class, not even a Fairy. But now a Pixie?” Olin ran his hand across his face and had a thought. “You know, with her flight ability, and the nimbleness she’d have, it could actually be an interesting asset to her fighting style. She’ll be fragile, though, so that’s something she’ll have to work around.”

“Will she even be able to train, though? She was seriously injured,” Thorn asked Tasi.

“Yes, she can. But, and I cannot stress this enough, Olin, she is going to be in a great deal of pain. I was fairly easily able to mend the bones and such, but with all the bones snapped from that fall, and the bruising throughout the wing, it’s not going to be a pleasant recovery. It’s going to hurt for many days, maybe even a week.”

“But you say she could train? How?” Olin said.

“Initially, she shouldn’t fly. So absolutely do not force her to. Don’t even encourage it at all. She will need for the bruising to lessen and to get used to the pain before she can take to the air. She’ll also need a few days without armor. If you can safely train her on the ground, at least until she is ready to fly on her own terms, then there’s no reason she can’t have her Symbiote tonight.”

“You may need to pull some of your punches when sparring, too,” Thorn suggested. “If for no other reason you’re three times her height and at least five times her weight. At least until she gets her full confidence and skill masteries. Your other students will need to do the same, as well as anyone else that spars with her.”

“I understand, and I welcome the challenge,” Olin said. “Truly!”

Tasi nodded. “I will awaken her, then. She will be groggy for some time, so I suggest you come back after meeting your other recruits, and speak with her then. Bring her Symbiote with you. I will have the clothing Quartermaster come to take her measurements for clothing and armor. I’ll also talk to the housing Quartermaster to get her an assignment.”

“Does she need to use the bathhouse?”

“No, I am not concerned about Firelice or any other pests with her. But, I am going to encourage her to bathe frequently in the hot baths to help with the wing pain, starting tomorrow.”

Olin blew out his cheeks. “A Pixie Bladeweaver. Who would ever have thought that?”