Not again! I need to learn from my past experiences. Do not fall unconscious because you will wake up in strange places. I glance around. It looks like some sort of hospital; most people are in the Green Aspect of the Trinity. A few beds are filled. I guess I am not in a life-threatening condition because there are not many people around me. Oh goody, some water. My throat is so dry—must be because of the fire, dummy. Fire is hot, makes you thirsty. I have not drunk anything since those three ales for breakfast. Still, I would prefer a beer over this water.
A fat, jovial man in all-white waddles over. Damn, that is funny. “Oh, you are awake.” Thank you so much, Mr Observant. “Stillwater told me you did a brave thing today; going into that burning building and saving that poor child. I will commend you to the Duke for such an act of courage. If the Commander—” he glances sadly over to another bed “— were awake, I would tell him about it too. But that poison is still damaging his body. It will take time for him to heal.”
I look at him and say, in a raspy voice, “I am in the shrine? Where is the rest of my squad?”
He is the boss man, I can tell; he is one of the White. Even with his jovial appearance, he has some steel in his blue eyes. “Yes, you are in the healing quarter of the Shrine of the Trinity. You have some bruises and smoke damage to your lungs. You are recovering, it is the afternoon now, and the rest of the squad left to finish their patrol. You are in good hands.”
I turn and thank him. One of his acolytes comes over and whispers something in his ear. I try to overhear, but he is too quiet. He turns to me. “I must go. If you experience any difficulty breathing, please summon one of the acolytes.” And with that, he is gone.
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Wonder what is so important? Not saying that I am that important. It just struck me as strange that he had such a calm demeanour, but with one message, became quite frazzled. Oh well, I hope this is not a male-only shrine.
My breath seems all good; no pain or anything. I do not feel that bad. All I really want to do is punch Gunnar. Right, now, where are my pants?
Damn it, one of the Green healers sees me moving around. Here comes the lecture.
“Where are you going?”
“Um, back to my squad. I feel fine. I must have just had a dizzy spell earlier. You should be proud of your commitment to the Trinity and the Green—I feel so much better.”
I think I pissed this one-off. “We haven't given you the all-clear to leave yet. You have some serious injuries. Now you need to rest!”
I stand up, look him in the eye, and reply, “You know you cannot keep me here. I feel better. Fine, if I cannot get two steps out the door, you are right, and I am wrong. But I am ready to leave, so thank you for the treatment, but please get out of my way!”
I put on pants. What is with healers taking off my pants? It must be some religious thing. He and the other acolytes give me the death stare, but I know they respect the natural time for a person’s death. Unless my destiny is to die under the care of a mob of religious dudes, I think I would be alright. Of course, I would prefer to die from a harem of gorgeous women. Yep, that would be the way to go, in a jumbled mess of women's parts.
I think the Rejects should be heading back to headquarters by now; if not, I will just wait in their basement office. Time to make good with them. Well, it is not far from Barrack Road from Shrine Street. Just have to use Coin Street off Petition Road. I suppose that if you do something wrong, you need a coin to petition the shrine to gain forgiveness. Hmm, I wonder if that was on purpose or if it is just a funny coincidence. You never know with these street names. I think there might be an inside joke underneath it all. Before I smack them on the side of the head, I should check if it was all just in jest.