The next day was busier than ever as talk abounded that it would be the last day for the Will-blessed Healer. The clinic staff had to work hard to assure visitors that minor ailments could easily be treated by someone else, referring them to their local herbalist.
It was early evening when Exill sent away the last patient, closing the clinic for the final time. It had been a tumultuous whirlwind of activity from the moment they had arrived. Acknowledging the tired yet beaming eyes of Tsarra and Dyna, he knew he would look back at this time in Virigo with both fondness and melancholy.
A mixture of relief and part reluctance weighed heavily, slowing his movements. It was a nice town, filled with warm, generous people and for a brief moment in time, it had become their home...
“Are we ready to leave?” he asked, checking all the windows were latched.
They doused the fire and collected all their belongings, turning the lock of the front door with some finality. The group waited patiently as Exill paused, turning to appreciate the cottage one last time.
Councilman Coran had arranged lodgings at a premium Inn attached to the family’s hot springs, in lieu of Exill’s victory over the Aberration and the four would spend their final night there.
They walked up the gentle slope of the dormant volcano, marvelling at the hot waters cascading down carefully constructed aqueducts, steaming gently into the evening sky. The sound of rushing water grew louder, and the air grew humid and warmer the higher they climbed.
“This is our home!” Dyna exclaimed while leading them to a well maintained two storey building built of age-old timber and whitewashed walls. Judging from steam rising behind the façade, it enclosed a significant hot spring flanked by annexes that served as guest quarters.
The four of them were greeted by Dyna’s parents, who eagerly received Exill within the well-furnished lobby. Coran’s wife had smooth porcelain skin and long flowing midnight hair; her bearing was graceful as befitting a lady of her stature.
“I heard so much about you.” She warmly welcomed him, holding both his hands. “You must be tired, and Dyna will lead you to the changing rooms right away.”
He took his clothes off and wrapped the provided linen towel around his waist. Exill felt strangely exposed when the girls met him in the corridor, realizing they had sleeveless tunics on. Noting his questioning gaze, Dyna fumbled with an explanation.
“Um… most men don’t bother with the tunics, so we don’t provide one unless they ask for it specifically.” She tried to hide the embarrassed flush, hoping her lie was believable.
“Are we all going into the same spring? I thought it would be separated by gender…” Exill observed with dismay when he saw Dyna submerging her legs into the steaming water.
“Ah… this is the private pool for privileged guests” Dyna tried to strike an alluring pose, but the Witchdoctor had already turned away, searching for the spring assigned only to men. He intuited that sharing the private space with this scheming girl would be the furthest thing from relaxing. She could only watch forlornly at his broad muscular back as Tsarra let out a happy sigh beside her.
Thus Dyna’s plan for seducing Exill failed before it could begin, she was now stuck with people she either feared or disliked as rivals and it irked her greatly. Servants came out bearing trays of steamed meat and vegetables, but one of them lay untouched and a fragment of a plan began to form in her head.
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“I will break both your legs if you try to take that to him.” Envy spoke, her eyes closed and back arched against a large boulder. The Murderess was trying to quell her inner turmoil by relaxing in the hot waters and she was willing to cripple the girl to maintain it.
Dyna shivered despite the heat of the spring and reluctantly obliged, sticking close to Tsarra. The Dwarf was in a state of nirvana, her rosy cheeks pointing to the darkening sky as she felt a week’s worth of tension melt away.
“Do you get to do this every day? That is so nice...” She mumbled pleasantly to Dyna.
But all good things couldn’t last, and they left an hour later to their quarters with Tsarra bearing the remaining tray of food. They entered their private accommodation composed of a cozy common area, surrounded by two rooms on each side.
Exill was seated at the table, dressed in a white robe and damp hair slicked back. His brows were furrowed in intense concentration while channelling mana into the throwing bones, a grim look on his face.
“Wow, are you able to divine readings as well, can you tell me my fortune?” Dyna sat next to him, watching with amazement as the runes flickered, too fast for the human eyes to decipher.
“Sure, but before that I would like to share a word privately.” He looked at Tsarra then Envy, gesturing both to his room. Once they were all inside Exill laid out the problem, a serious look on his face.
“We are safe here, but danger lurks in Ark. I would like us to prepare for the worst and expect an ambush, did you manage to practice the air shield and ice bolt?”
“Um… I couldn’t practice much.” Tsarra twisted her ring, embarrassed by the failure.
“You’re not to blame, you barely had any time to study from the tomes either and that was much more important to you.” He patted her head; sincerely apologetic they had missed two days’ worth of lessons. “We’ll practice on the way back so rest well tonight.”
They returned to the common room in a sober mood and Exill attempted to lighten the atmosphere by offering readings to the women.
“Me first!” Dyna exclaimed with youthful exuberance, “I want to know about my future husband.”
“Okay, imprint yourself on these, then I’ll try my best.” Exill then channelled mana into the bones and let them drop, their runes flashing – as they normally should – at a much slower sequence than the previous reading. The impressions were much clearer than anything related to his fragmented future.
“I’m not sure if this is the right way to interpret it… but the runes say you will meet someone who dearly loves you and has your best interest in heart.” He carefully left out the part that said Dyna would not love the man, worrying what it would do to her with that knowledge.
He knew all too well how fate had a perverse ability to induce the fulfilment of its prophecy. Seeing her happy reaction, Exill quickly turned to Tsarra, prompting her to ask the next question.
“Um… how many children will I have?” she asked, embarrassed by her question.
Exill’s eyebrows rose in both amusement and surprise. Charmed by her confidence in finding a husband first and foremost. He tossed the bones, and was inundated with a cascade of visions, making it difficult to interpret the results.
Unlike Dyna's earlier reading, Tsarra was being influenced by his Weave, and that made the process fragmented and confusing at best. What little he grasped indicated she would remain single her entire life. He hesitated, wondering how to tell her she would bear no children.
“I can’t grasp the exact number... but it’s larger than one.” He lied, beginning to regret his offer to read their fortunes. Exill began to sweep the bones back into its pouch when Tsarra tugged at his tunic, her eyes still bright with hope.
“Wait, you didn’t ask big sis.”
He glanced hesitantly at Envy, fully expecting the Vampire to skip her turn, allowing him to close the session safely. Yet it wasn’t to be.
“Will I be free.” She simply asked.
He closed his eyes while channelling mana into the throwing bones, inwardly swearing now at his stupid attempt to lighten the mood. The runes flashed even faster than before, but Exill was able to interpret it with an opportune [Haste]. However, it was all for naught, as the bones performed the Divining Coin’s equivalent of landing on its edge.
Envy noticed his hesitation, her amber eyes flickering back and forth between crimson.
Knowing how important it was to her, Exill decided to tell the truth.
“I don’t know… the runes indicate it could go either way.”