Chapter 11

Oh God, I hurt everywhere.

I slowly began to move my arms and legs, ok that is good. Feels like nothing is broken, just really bruised and battered. Opening my eyes everything was black...Fuck I’m blind...panicking I sat up and promptly threw up all over myself and started to shake. The bread and water that I had earlier came up but with so little in my stomach I continued to dry heave for the next few minutes. Shit, shit not good, I must have a concussion, and here I was thinking that I got lucky. Shaking, I looked at my hands. It was still dark but I could see the outline of them and in my left hand, I was still holding onto the branch that betrayed me. Tossing it away from me in disgust at my stupidity I slowly tilted my head toward the sky to estimate how long I had been out. Everything was fuzzy, especially in my left eye, blinking a few times helped me to clear the gunk from my eyes and I could focus a little better as I looked at the sky that was now filled with stars and two full moons. Ok not blind, it's just nighttime, that is a better prognosis than being completely blind. Continuing to look up at the two moons made my neck hurt and started a fierce throbbing in my skull.

I felt like I was going to throw up again, closing my eyes, I lowered my head into the palms of my hands, resting my elbows on my knees for support. My shaking increased, it's getting cold now that it is night and I'm sure all the throwing up has not helped. Waves of exhaustion hit me... what was it about concussions...oh ya, don't fall asleep alone. Lifting my head I looked at my surroundings, every movement of my head increased my pain and dizziness. Cliff and waterfall were still behind me and the pool at the base of the waterfall to my right. So that should make the village just ahead of me. I tried to make my way to stand but my head began pounding again and nausea increased. I tipped my head back down to my knees to lessen the pain, breathing deeply. I held back nausea by sheer will. This gave me an excellent view of the mess that I was in.

I was injured pretty badly, this is not going to be any fun. Groaning I moved to my hands and knees and, looking forward and began the painstaking task of crawling in the direction of the village and hopefully some help. It seemed to be an eternity of crawling when everything started to feel just wrong, unwanted tears or was it sweat began to stream down my dirty cheeks. Pondering, I thought, I should not be out here alone, I was cold, hungry, and a bloody mess. Why did I agree to do this again? My body shook and shivered violently as I continued my tortured crawl, the grit of dirt rubbing into the cuts of my hands now felt like daggers with every placement, the stream’s sound was like booming thunder in my concussed head and the five moons kept bobbing and shifting shape in front of my vision.

Five moons… I swear that there were only two when I looked earlier. Don't pay any mind to that Susan you have a concussion you're just seeing things, just keeping going forward I told myself. I could not focus on anything, my stamina bar was flashing a very angry red, my health bar was in the red. Curiously my spirit was also in the red too. I had to stop moving as the bobbing moons kept blinking rapidly and were getting closer to me… ugh… all the blinking was like a strobe light, making my head’s pounding worse, I started to dry heave again. Finally, I finished heaving at last, but I kept my eyes closed in fear that if I looked at the moons the heaving would start again.

“Jacob, I thought you said that you saw someone fall off the cliff, so far I don't see anyone.”

“Pa I swear that there was. Kip and I saw her, we did! No lie Pa, she was naked while climbing down the cliff near the waterfall.”

“Hunter Dan, I think your boy be lying...ha, ha. He and his buddy were most likely skipping out on guarding the heard and instead were most likely watching the village girls bathe”

I could hear laughter from multiple male voices, as the one named Jacob professed his innocence. “I am no liar, there was a woman. I swear Pa, I would never go look at the girls while they” his voice cracked “were bathing”. This of course brought on even more laughter from the men as it proved his guilt.

“You better not be lying about this. Our village can't afford to lose any more people, what with that demon bear lurking around. We need to be safe at least until an adventure can kill it” said the one that must be Pa/Hunter Dan. He had some humor to his voice when he first started to speak but it ended seriously upon the mention of the demon bear.

Despite my condition, I began to laugh. I knew this was most likely just another hallucination brought on by my concussion, but the fact that teenage boys in any realm of the universe would be skipping chores to spy on girls bathing was not only cosmically right but funny as hell. I guess some things never change no matter where you're from. “Oh please, we all know they were spying on the girls and they just got lucky to see my half-naked ass fall off a cliff” I replied loudly back, laughing even harder because I knew I was talking to myself. I did not register hearing the bushes rustle and footsteps close in on my position as I continued to laugh. “I mean really would you want to stay and watch a bunch of sheep knowing that girls were naked nearby, and helping to wash each other's soapy bodies. I mean we practically do it on purpose just because we know you'll come and look”.

I fell forward onto the ground, no longer able to hold myself up as I continued to laugh at my forthcoming about our universal bathing secret. Rolling to my back, I opened my eyes and looked up at the faces of 4 astonished men and one gloating teenager. “Do you think that we just let other women touch our breasts while we wash just to get them clean… hehe” I giggled as I acted out the washing of my breasts on my body with them staring down at me.

“Holy hells! Jacob, she just ain’t naked but she is crazy too. Gods look at her!” said one of the men.

“I am not crazy, just concussed” Looking at the men around me, my eyes glazed over until I saw the one that must be Hunter Dan, my eyes bugged out. Whoa, he has got to be the biggest man that I have ever seen. I mean not only was he tall like Mike Jordan from the 2000s, but his shoulders must have been 3 or 4 feet wide, and every limb was muscled. Not like I am toned muscle, but like he could flex his biceps and pop someone's head off muscled. I knew my jaw was open, holy cow, talk about an adonis of a man. His clothing was made out of fine linen and leather, and as he moved to get closer to me I was surprised that none of it ripped spontaneously off his body.

“You look to be in pretty bad shape. I have a rudimentary first aid skill, may I be permitted to touch you so that I can assess your condition as best as I can”? He asked of me.

“This is just a hallucination, so sure tall, muscled man you can touch me however you like, just kill the 5 moons floating around your head they are killing my head” and with that said, I promptly blacked out.

“Good heavens where did the two of you find this ragged-looking woman?” a soft womanly voice called out.

“Jacob and his friend saw her fall off of the cliff today while watching the sheep. So far as we can tell she was out there alone.

“Humm, okay, Dan put her over there so I get her cleaned up and Jacob go get my basket in the backroom”. I was placed down on a firm surface and covered with what must have been a sheet or blanket. “Don't think for a minute that I’m going to let you off the hook for peeping at the village girls today.”

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“Yes, Keeper,” said an abashed Jacob. I could hear rustling around me, I opened my eyes only to flinch away as the woman brought a glowing light directly up over my face.

“Ah good you're awake, that is a good sign” she smiled at me.

I croaked out, “Where, where am I” as I weakly shielded my eyes from the light in her hands.

“Well, my dear you're in The Village of Small Creek, laying naked in my healer's hut. Thankfully so. There is a demon bear that has been roaming and if you had not been found by Dan and the rest, well… you would have been a midnight snack”.

“Not to sound ungrateful for all that you’ve done but could you get that darn light out of my face. It’s killing my head.”

“In a bit dear, I have to treat your worst injuries first, and from the looks of it you got yourself a pretty good cut on the side of your head” she gently turned my head from side to side to fully inspect the damage. “Have you had any dizziness, vomiting, or hallucinations”?

“Ya, to all of them. I’m sure I have a concussion as well as some dehydration. Did quite a bit of vomiting after hitting my head” I replied to her.

“Humm, good to know, also glad that you are familiar with healing. Do you happen to have the gift?

“Don't know for sure, this is a new experience for me, but, I had experience in my previous life with healing”.

Dan perked up at this and asked “Are you saying you are an adventurer”?

“I guess so, I don't know for sure, like I said this is all new to me” thinking made my head hurt worse. I still for some reason, felt like I was forgetting something, just could not remember what. At that moment Jacob came back into the room carrying a basket.

“Dan, that is enough there will be plenty of time to ask her questions when she is better. Thank you, Jacob, now the two of you get out so I can do my job”. She herded the two of them towards the open door of her healers’ hut, pushed them out and closed the door. Turning back to me, “Well if you are an adventurer the healing process will be much easier on you. I would like to first get you washed up, do you think you will be able to sit up for me?”

“I’ll try, last time I did though, things got dizzy and I threw up”

“All right then, Ill bath you” stepping away she collected a bucket of water and rags. “The water is a little on the cold side, but it is clean and has healing herbs infused”.

She pulled the sheet back and started to bathe my battered body. I tried to help at first but the concussion made my movements uncoordinated and jerky. Blushing I ended up bumping the tub of water and splashing a good portion of it on her. “I’m sorry, I guess ill just hold still, I did not mean to get you wet also”.

Smiling at me, “My dear no worries, it is just a little water, by the way, how is your skin feeling”?

I replied, “It's feeling good, tind of numb but tingling at the same time.”

“Ah wonderful! Look here, you're taking to the healing very well”. She pointed to the torn-up skin on my abdomen and hip.

Mouth open in astonishment I could see the skin start to knit together before my eyes. “I must be hallucinating, how is this possible”?

“Well, my guess is that you must have the healing skill and possibly an inherent ability of self-healing. I'm sure eventually over some time you would have healed naturally but with the assistance of my own healing skills and the herbal infusion your healing has had a jump start”.

Amazed at this revelation I gingerly touched the new skin growth. It was smooth and very soft, and from the looks of it, I would have no scarring. She continued to clean my body and pretty soon I was all clean from the neck down. The water she used was fantastic, and it still was crystal clear even after cleaning the blood, dirt, vomit, and other body fluids from my body.

“Alright, all that's left is for me to do what I can for your concussion. I won't be able to heal it completely as I have no training in healing neuro matter, but I can reduce the inflammation, clear infections, and knit the skin and bone back. So if you can move, I’ll help you to the clean cot next to the fire so you can rest once I’m all done”.

“I’ll do my best” shakily I held my hand towards her for stability. We made our way slowly to the cot, thankfully the dizziness was not as bad as the last time, and by the time I had sat down, I felt like I had just run 5 miles.

“Good job, here I want you to drink this sleeping draft and then lay down. The rest of my healing is going to be taxing on your body and you will need to rest and regain your strength”.

“Thank you for everything that you have done for me. I don't have anything to repay you with but I'll do a fair trade with you in exchange... if that is ok”.

“My pleasure, as for repayment we will talk about that after your all healed up. Now drink your draft.”

I obediently started to drink. Surprised it was a delicious meaty flavored broth that warmed me up from head to toes. Having finished it all, my stomach felt full and I began to feel sleepy. Taking note of drooping eyes and slight swaying the Keeper gently guided me to lay on my back in the cot. Eyes getting heavy and hard to stay open I heard more than saw her move a chair to the head of the cot I was in. I felt her rest her hands on my head and with that, I began to feel slight pressure and heat go through my skull. The sensation along with the draft soon had me completely knocked out.

As I slept I dreamed about Phil and strangely of a woman with black hair and honey gold eyes. She is constantly beckoning me to come to her. The pull to go to her in my dream became strong, soon all that I dreamed about was the need to be near her and those gold eyes.

I awoke to sunlight piercing my eyes through the window that I was facing. The sunlight was golden in color and reminded me briefly of the gold eyes that I could remember from my dreams. Stretching my body, I felt good and clear-headed. Wondering how long I have been asleep, I reactivated my notifications.

* You have gained Enhanced Endurance: Your basic Endurance has been replaced as you have continued to run even when low on stamina, good job keeping up the pace.

* You have gained the skill Sure footing: With continued practice, you will be able to climb rocks as well as a mountain goat.

* Stamina is critically low, all the following skills suffer a 50% penalty until you have rested; Sure footing, Enhanced Endurance.

* You have fallen from a significant height and have lived, the following has occurred; you have suffered a concussion, multiple abrasions, broken ribs, slight occipital fracture, mild dehydration.

* You have gained the skill Tumbling: Your body will naturally adjust when falling to reduce damage.

* Stamina fatigue has occurred.

* Severe dehydration has occurred.

* Critically low health, due to poor hydration and stamina fatigue inherent healing will be reduced by 80% until dehydration and stamina fatigue have been treated, mana has been used to stabilize further health loss.

!Warning if you run out of mana you will lose your remaining health and die!

* Health, stamina, and mana have suffered -30% regen until healed.

* You have been found by a search party from a nearby Village.

* You have promised Hunter Dan that he could touch you in any way that he would like! Warning unwanted repercussions can occur by making such an offer!

* You have gained a debt towards the Keeper of Small Creek Village.

* You have awoken from a 2 day magically induced healing.

* You have healed from Stamina fatigue and dehydration. All skill penalties have been resolved. Healing, stamina, and mana regen have returned to normal.

* You have completed your first quest Know thy Self. Congratulations! Skills, and experience levels shall be available. Your guide is now available upon request.

Yes, I am done with that stupid quest! Standing up I fist-pumped the air and started to dance on the spot. “I did it, I did it, oh ya, I did it”