After getting out of the association, they went to the leatherworker to get some saddlebags for Silverfang. The design was a pectoral going around the shoulders and neck, meeting two long bags across his flanks bound together over his back with a long band of hide lined with soft leather on the inside plus a wool blanket to avoid chafing. Two firm points for scabbards would be tied over so Cless would have where to store her weapons. The bags would be made with boiled leather on parts away from the wolf's body, to protect the contents and grant him some protection. Another shield of hardened leather would cover the pectoral. It would also give Silverfang a more civilized look.
Since it was a custom job, the leatherworker charged three silver ducats in advance. The saddlebags would be ready in two days. The saddlebags would be only two silver coins, but Cless insisted on black leather and a quick release system. A series of rings at the end of each strap would be tied with a leather strap that could be released with a tug. She paid out of her own pocket.
Cless noticed something wrong with Balthus, "Where are the training weapons, master?"
"I don't think we should go train weapons today. Go to the church and get to learn some spells. I'm going to take the afternoon off. Maybe nap somewhere in the shade."
Cless waved her master goodbye and made a beeline for the church. After the mandatory chat with the nuns that wanted to know everything about her while they took turns praising and petting Silverfang. It made her feel like she'd been away for a year and not less than a month, Cless finally got time to learn some Cleric spells.
"Cless. I am delighted to see you with the Cleric class! You have no idea how wonderful it is that you decided to embrace the teachings of the One God."
The priest delivered that last sentence with too much relief in his voice. It made Cless suspicious for just a moment but she quickly brushed it aside. No way the Priest had any hidden secrets about her past, right?
"Father, all these years I never saw you use magic. Why is that?" Cless asked.
"It is because I cannot use magic. My class is Preacher. Clerics are wanderers during their earlier levels and travel the land abroad spreading the works of the One God. When they finally decide to settle down, they are assigned to big cities in temples that have lots of priests as healers for the general public. A Preacher has no magic but we are able to manage the church for a whole town. I am as strong as a warrior three-quarters my level and smarter. Clerics usually don't have the time to learn proper managerial proficiencies. But I know the holy prayers of healing so I can instruct Clerics like you," He finished his sermon with a smile.
"What stops other magic-users to come here and try to learn the prayers of healing?"
The priest smiled and chuckled. "Without God's blessings, one cannot truly bring these prayers close to heart. They would take days, months to earn proficiency with the prayers. Their efficiency also is lessened without the Cleric class. Even a level one Cleric like you would do double the healing than a mage with the same Magic stat."
Cless committed that to mind. Without the Cleric class, her healing would be halved. She spent most of the afternoon learning her prayers. At the end, the priest gave Cless a necklace with a wooden symbol of the One God with silver etched in the inlays. It was supposed to be used as a necklace, held loosely around the neck.
"It works as a focus for your prayers just as a staff does it for the mages. Your magic will be stronger if you focus your prayers through the Symbol. You can also take this prayer book with you. It has the higher level prayers for your Class."
"Thank you, father."
Cless gave the nuns a goodbye and left. She was able to earn the basic proficiencies with three of them. One that knitted wounds, another that alleviated poisons, and a third that created light.
Cless the Cleric left the church and made her way to the Healer clinic. She wanted to check on Lawrence and practice her healing magic. No better way to earn proficiencies than hands-on training. She approached the Healer and saw a lot of people outside lined up. Observing closer, there seemed to be some sort of commotion between the townspeople and a nurse in front of the healer. She slowly approached to see what was going on.
"I am sorry to make you wait here outside," The nurse shouted over the clamors of the crowd. "But recently a lot of youngsters got wounded and they need treatment. All our beds are occupied!"
Cless halted and put a hand on Silverfang's head. A lot of youngsters recently wounded... Now she knew where half of her guild was.
She knelt next to the wolf and whispered, "Stay next to me. People are angry there, but they won't try to hurt me. If they do, I'll run away. Do not attack any of that people or the soldiers that might come if things get rough. You can growl or show some teeth but don't bark or howl either."
Silverfang gave her a puzzled look but nodded in the end. Cless walked around the line of people to get near the nurse. She expected some of them to complain even without trying to know what she wanted. It didn't happen differently.
"Hey, girl! Get in line if you want healing!" Some fat matron huffed and berated Cless.
The crowd divested some of the anger toward Cless. She would have to shout to be heard and quickly a strategy formed. Cless took hold of a moment the nurse looked at her and bowed respectfully. She then started to slowly move along to the end of the line.
"Know your place, monster!" Someone shouted behind her back and several others laughed at her.
Cless endured the insults, just like she did her whole life. She was sure that the only reason they weren't getting physical with her was the huge wolf scowling and making a low growl by her side. She went slow, trying to see the ailments of each person in line. Near the end of the line, she found a mother with a child. The girl had bandages on her arm and blood was still seeping through.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
"I'm sorry, ma'am but what happened to your daughter? Is that a cut?"
The mother glared at Cless as if looks could kill. Cless sighed but didn't relent or avert her gaze. The mother hissed and that made the girl cry.
"What do you want, Cless? And get that beast away from my girl. It will smell her blood and try to devour my little baby!"
"Once more, I am sorry to take your time. Could you please tell me what ails your daughter? Any broken bones?" Cless' spells couldn't treat broken bones or replenish lost blood. Just mend flesh wounds.
Some people made motions to get Cless but Silverfang growled louder and raised his hackles. The mother tried to soothe the little girl to no avail. Seeing that Cless wasn't going away and fearing the wolf, the woman complied.
"She got into the kitchen and tried to play with the knife. I got it sharpened yesterday! And no, she doesn't have any broken bones."
Cless slowly reached for her holy amulet, hanging over her chest. She lifted it, showing everyone the One God's symbol. She moved it near the girl as she started to chant the prayers and channel magic. The spell was very long to cast. With proficiency and training, she would be able to internalize some passages and use the magic with less chanting, but at her low proficiency she needed the whole prayer to give her the proper channels to focus her magical power.
"Prayer of Mending!"
A golden light showered the girl's arm. She was distracted enough to stop crying. Cless felt the drain on her magical power. A newly ordained Cleric could use that spell only two times before she would need to recover magic power. But since Cless overcharged her Magic with the free points, she could use it six times. Again, after her proficiency increased, the cost would be lesser.
> 47 Class Experience earned.
The light vanished but the girl didn't cry. Cless met the girl's gaze and asked using the same soft tone the old priest used to talk to hurting people all the time, "Does your arm still hurt, child?"
The girl opened her eyes wide and waved her arm around, splashing some drops of blood around from the soaked bandages. She then squealed and opened up a smile that could part a storm cloud.
"Mama, mama! The holy light healed my arm!" She kept waving the arm and the droplets of blood kept showering. Cless did mind getting yet another outfit dirty with blood but she endured and kept her devout smile, still trying to imitate the old priest.
The incredulous mother pressed a finger on the wet bandage but the girl just laughed. "It doesn't hurt, silly mama!" She then unwrapped the bandages revealing some caked blood and scabs. With a wiping motion, unblemished skin appeared underneath the clots.
"Silverfang, heel," Cless commanded her wolf. Silverfang sat on his haunches and did as he was instructed to. He stuck his tongue out and started to pant.
The mother looked back at Cless, her countenance softer now. "Thank you. I'm sorry for yelling at you." She was fumbling for her coin pouch but Cless placed a hand to stop her.
"Don't mention it, ma'am. No coin is necessary this time. I am just the vessel for the One God's works. Have a nice day."
The wounded people crowded her. Free magical healing? Everyone wanted a piece of Cless. Until someone stepped on Silverfang's tail and the wolf barked and almost snapped. Only Cless fast reaction stopped someone from being dismembered.
"Folks folks! Please don't stay so close. The wolf is tame but you can't just trample him," Cless said in a soft voice. But since they were not giving up, she steeled herself and shouted with a booming voice. "Step back, now!"
The crowd took a step back. Cless glared at them.
"The One God's bounty is vast but only for the deserving. You that mocked and sneered at me, stay in line and reflect on your actions. I am going inside. Wait for the nurse to call for you. Silverfang, guard me."
The wolf stood up and resumed his low growling. Cless walked past the now silent crowd that quickly fell back in line until she reached the nurse. She bowed and smiled.
"I am sorry for troubling you Betty, but I believe it is my guild members that are currently keeping your shop busy. Could I go in to check on them and help?"
The nurse looked at Cless and then at Silverfang. "The wolf cannot come inside. But you are welcome, guild master Cless. Patty told me about you."
More like gossiped. Cless smiled, "She did, didn't she? Well, I'll see what I can do to alleviate your workload. Silverfang, sit by the door and don't bite anyone."
She went inside. The building was open, without many walls just the support beams for the ceiling. There were two rooms to the left side and two to the right side. The remainder of the building was taken by beds for the wounded separated by curtains. Cless could see many of the wounded boys from The Blind Eye there, recovering.
She heard Lawrence scream from a room and threw the door open to barge in. The healer, doctor Claudio seemed to be trying to put his ribs in place. Arnold and two other grown men were holding Lawrence down.
Cless wasted no time. She rushed to Lawrence's side. "I can help!"
She moved nearby but doctor Claudio barked at her. "Get out of here, waif! You got him hurt like this and now want to admire your work?"
Cless thought that was a do or die moment. She lifted her symbol and chanted the Light spell. She cut the spell short to save on power and waited. Any time now...
"You are a Cleric, girl? Why in tarnation did you leave your guild members to rot like this if you got bleeding healing magic!?!"
She thought she should've brought a heavy waterproof cloak. Too much body fluids on her. Cless wiped herself and shrugged.
"I've just changed into Cleric this afternoon, doctor. Now, are his bones set? My magic cannot help with broken bones."
"And you waste power with a light spell? How many times you can use the healing spell?"
The doctor seemed to be a difficult person that can always find fault with someone. Cless had little contact with him, because she almost never got hurt in the church. She decided to not play his game.
"Can I heal him now or will you let my guild member exsanguinate, doctor?"
The doctor grumped and huffed, "Yes, his ribs are set. You can heal him now."
Cless prayed and used the Prayer of Mending twice on Lawrence. The pained expression vanished and Lawrence fell asleep.
> 285 Class Experience Points earned. 28 Profession Experience Points earned.
"If it is fine with you, I am going to heal my guild members now. Could you please guide me to the ones with the worst wounds?"
Cless would return to the inn late at night that day, completely exhausted. Not only she healed all her guild members but she was also forced to heal every patient that showed up in the healer clinic.
> 1,619 Class Experience Points earned. Cless reached Cleric level 2. +1 Intellect. 161 Profession Experience.
At least she could make good PR for her guild.
> Name: Cless (no surname)
>
> Race: Human.
>
> Level: 21 ( 224,161 / 231,000 Exp)
>
> Class: Cleric 2 (1951 / 1,000 Exp)
>
> Profession: Warmaster 6 (17,319 / 21,000 Exp), Weaponmaster 6 (17,319 / 21,000 Exp)
>
> Base Stats: Strength: 12 — Agility: 14 — Health: 20 — Intellect: 21 (+1) — Magic: 30
>
> Available Status Points: 0
>
> Skills: [ Absolute Contract (S) ]
>
> Crafting Proficiencies — Crude Weapons: 2
>
> Magic Proficiencies, Cleric — Prayer of Mending: 9 (+9) — Detoxify: 3 (+3) — Light: 2 (+1)
>
> General Proficiencies — Prayer: 9 (+6) — Scribe: 2 — Houseworking: 3 — Math: 2 — Reading: 6 (+2) — Forestry: 5
>
> Social Proficiencies — Leadership: 9 — Intimidation: 10 (+2) — Negotiation: 6 — Tactics: 5
>
> Combat Proficiencies — Sword: 4 — Dagger 2 — Unarmed: 7 — Bow: 4 — Spear: 3 — Maces: 6 — Staff: 4 — Ax: 2