Upon receiving Wisesa's report, Alicia had already assumed a prepared stance. Ki Semar, on the other hand, maintained his hunched posture, concealing his hand behind his back, much as he had done as ever. The sudden heat baked the layers of their skin, a sign that the magical aura had risen from that lounging old man.

Some soldiers wore light armour clothing, while others flaunted their prideful muscles, thin physiques, and sun-bronzed chests. Loose-fitting cloth trousers graced their lower halves, layered in full brown patterned sheets. A large lump was behind their backs—a round shield—accompanied by a long-barreled firearm and a dagger in their waist. The leader could be discerned by their kuluk—a long, oblong cap made of velvet—as he burst through the front phalanx. He pulled his horse to a stop and only then did Semar gain a clear view of their affiliation through the symbol on his clothing. The symbol of a golden boat embroidered with chains and cotton on each side.

"Reckless, panjenengan Wisesa!" Ki Semar complained to his son. "They're not enemies, they're Pulomas’ Bhayangkara! The elite soldiers on our side!"

Alicia's breath grew more pronounced, a reaction that did not escape Wisesa's observation.

"Oh, in Wisesa's eyes, everyone is an enemy," Wisesa acted as if he knew the meaning of the lass' breathing.

"I'm not saying anything," Alicia replied curtly, feigning ignorance.

"Yeah, of course. Tell that to all the villagers when I'm not around." Wisesa then muttered, "Typical Westerners, always talking behind someone's back."

What was this man's problem? This was a question that eluded Alicia's understanding. The day had barely transcended to the midpoint, but her day had already been ruined by Wisesa's xenophobia tendencies every time his lips slipped, "Westerners." Thankfully, Orb's mellifluous harmony was still there as a soothing balm for her troubled heart.

The leader of the troops dismounted from his horse, then sat on his knees, bowed his head, and raised his clasped hands. Semar approached him, asking him to stand up, for the behaviour was considered inappropriate. Truly, the attitude of this lad in his thirties should have been a role model for Wisesa.

“¹Kasinggihan, Raden Jurudyah Punta Prasanta Semar!” spoke the troop leader with the utmost respect. They began conversing in Yawanese.

“With whom am I speaking?” inquired Semar.

“Kenthol Nusakencana, and the head of Liman Murka unit, Badra Kasman Sadya, Kasinggihan,” the troop leader introduced himself.

A Kenthol, apparently. A title for seventh-generation Yawanese nobles. He did not just proclaim himself the one among royal lineage, but he also mentioned Nusakencana, his place of origin. Semar guessed something was happening there that was worth his knowing.

“Kenthol Badra. What can I do for you?”

“Kasinggihan! We’re praying to Kasinggihan Raden Semar to allow the borrowing of healers and medicines for our soldiers who are injured on the front lines.”

“Front lines?” Semar pondered for a moment. “Do you mean the Pulomas troops?"

“Kasinggihan.”

“How about your village, Nusakencana, Kenthol Badra? Does your village also provide assistance?”

“Kasinggihan! All the wounded soldiers are in our clinic. That’s why we pray to Raden Semar. We are short on medical resources."

"The shamans?"

"Our shamans died at war.”

"But our village is also in dire need of its healers. Tumaritis was attacked by the Panca Gendheng Bandits just yesterday."

"Curse be them! Those Alas Purwo scoundrels!" Kenthol Badra clicked his tongue. "I understand, Kasinggihan Raden. Let me travel to other areas to get this favor."

After saluting, Kenthol Badra approached the saddle of his horse. Ki Semar turned to the two children with a disturbed look.

"What was that, Ki Semar?" Alicia inquired.

"Troops from the neighboring village are requesting medical assistance," Ki Semar said. "You know, we're in the middle of a battle. The usual, old news."

"Against Alas Purwo, I believe?"

No words were uttered from Semar.

"Who else? I bet you have all kinds of slurs for Alas Purwo." Wisesa felt like he had had enough of being called his home. "Go ahead, say it. Don't forget to mention me too."

Alicia seemed fed up with this lad, always jumping into the conversation with foul intentions. Let alone entering, he was a nuisance as well. "By the Silent Divine, Wisesa," she said. "I am not, and do not wish to speak to you at this time. Quiet, please!"

“Halah!”

Alicia thought for a while. Now that Orb was in her arms, she formulated some thoughts on how she and her magical Arcane orb could be useful to the local community. It was only fitting as an Arcane wielder to share her blessings, was it not? It made no difference if danger was already lurking in the shadows. After all, she was already obliged to familiarise herself with these dangers the day she was chosen by Arcane.

"Orb, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Now that you’re thinking about it, we never actually try it! Orb chimed in. Good initiative, Alicia! You have my blessings!

Ki Semar and Wisesa looked at the girl in surprise. Wisesa had already surmised that Alicia had gone insane from talking to a buzzing Arcane orb. Not only the two of them, but Kenthol Badra and his troops had just realised the presence of the red-haired stranger. For a while, the sardonic expression marred their countenance—sharing a certain sentiment with Wisesa, perhaps. However, the lines of their eyes stretched as they watched the globe in Alicia's arms emit a warm blue light.

"Kasinggihan Raden," said Badra. "Who is that woman?"

"Her? She's my guest of Camelot nationality."

"Then, the sphere she's holding? Could it be..."

Semar just nodded.

"Kalimasada?"

Alicia turned her head towards them when she heard the mention of Kalimasada. She knew they were talking about her and Orb despite all those foreign Yawanese terms. Kenthol Badra dismissed the suspicious behaviour. Hope washed over his noble face as a grace.

"Kasinggihan Raden! If you please, I would like to borrow that lady and her sacred orb. I hope she can help heal our troops!" Badra relayed the message to Semar. For a nobleman, unfortunately, foreign languages were not his forte.

"If he asks for Orb's help, I'm willing to help!" Alicia already replied in excitement, even though Semar had yet to open his mouth.

Ki Semar turned about. His eyebrows were raised. "Can you heal people with Kalimasada?"

"I... have never healed anyone before. But Orb gave me its blessing to try. I'm sure Orb and I can work something out."

Wisesa just sniffed. "Well, let's just hope you don't blow up those soldiers like you've done to my walls."

"They're willing to help!" Semar said in Yawa's tongue.

"Blessed the gods!" All the soldiers shouted with joy, they looked into Alicia's eyes and uttered words of praise and thanksgiving. Alicia chose to think so, because it made the most sense. There was no way such radiant faces came the words of a wretched comer like ones from Wisesa's muddy mouth.

"But let me and my son Wisesa come, too," Semar added.

"You’re kidding me, old man!" Wisesa gasped. "You haven't fed your pigs yet, remember?"

"I still have three children and a wife. Besides, you're siding with your uncle, right?" Semar replied. "It's a friendly gesture of gaining the trust of his people, don’t you think?"

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"I thought it would be so that she could display her Arcane might and you would expect me to feel ashamed."

"Great! You have revealed my plan!"

"Screw it. Like I have any choice."

Badra and the rest fixated their eyes on Semar's adopted child. They possessed an intimate knowledge of this young one's true identity, hence their hesitant gazes, which weighed heavily on Wisesa's consciousness (for anyone daring enough to meet his gaze should be deemed harbouring ill intentions). But the Nusakencana nobleman acquiesced. He motioned for the two horsemen to reserve their steeds for three individuals, while they themselves would hitch a ride with their comrades.

***

Nusakencana Village was not a short distance away. Wisesa's rear end let out an anguished cry as the saddle clamped down on it for a relentless five hours. One could imagine the arduous preparations undertaken by these soldiers at the crack of dawn so that their comrades-in-arms could receive proper treatment. Not to mention that Alicia did not see any engine carriages on the rocky roads of Yawadwipa, and the majority of the terrain remained ensconced in lush forests. Were it not for Alicia and her troupe, these troops might have returned in a matter of days. How many of the bedridden would be drawn to the Gates of Hades by then?

They had reached Nusakencana at last. It was not much different from Tumaritis, only smaller. Far beyond the village limits on the other side, Alicia's eyes caught sight of the sole expansive field that contrasted with its idyllic surroundings. Barren, devoid of trees, only the remnants of structures, a network of wires, and a smog-laden air infused with the acrid scent of burning rubber. Semar informed Alicia that this field marked the border of Pulomas.

In other words, this served as Alicia's inaugural foray onto the frontline of the conflict, up close and personal. A chill ran down her spine. She was grateful that she was not witnessing it now. The war was on leave. Still, the sight before her was still one of devastation.

They entered a joglo house that served as a makeshift clinic. The building of the Nusakencana Medical Centre might have been superior to the one in Tumaritis, but the sight here was never less depressing. Almost everyone was human with bandages. But for some, blood found no obstacle in continuing to stain them. The mingling odour of medicinal concoctions and foul pus confounded the senses of the entire vicinity.

Alicia was moved with compassion. Accompanied by Ki Semar and Badra, she ventured around. Everyone welcomed the nobles in all their bodily struggles, yet they failed to recognise the strange face of the Camelot girl. Alicia did not bother. Approaching a patient afflicted with severe burns on his arm, Alicia lowered herself before him. The burns alone tormented him to inch his position. At first glance, resignation flickered in his eyes as he awaited the lass' next move.

With great care, Alicia took out Orb from a sack borrowed from one of the soldiers. All present understood the significance of the object, particularly the patient before Alicia, whose eyes widened in astonishment.

"K-Kalimasada...!"

"Yes, Kalimasada. I will endeavour to cure you. Please, try not to move, good sir."

The patient simply nodded, though he had little comprehension of Alicia's words. He was convinced deep down that if it was Kalimasada, there existed a glimmer of hope to alleviate his earthly suffering.

"Orb, we’ll begin. I ask for your help."

I'm with you, Alicia, as always. Concentrate on your goal, as always.

Alicia shut her eyes. She contemplated her desires. She wanted this divine might to heal those who lay unfortunate. Alicia imagined everyone being moved, laughing, coming out to the hospital in crowds, proclaiming that they were new people. Hope loomed above them. Perhaps Arcane could inspire them too, so that the war could be stopped. A dead field at the end of the village; one day, new seeds were willing to grow in it. All hope for joy and peace—a small glimmer of Alicia's impossible dream.

Orb ignited, radiating a brilliant glow as the essence of Arcane might surged through Alicia's veins. Alicia had attained her synchronicity. She pulled out a fraction of that divine power and hurled it at the burned man!

The sudden action and the patient's piercing cry startled those in the room. Nusakencana's nobleman, Badra, instinctively reached for his kris out of its sheath, about to intercept Alicia. However, Semar barred the man's broad chest to keep him in place.

The patient lay there, writhing. The anguish on his face was unmistakable, as he was tormented by the all-consuming burns, or perhaps by the Arcane might that amplified his agony. Yet, amid the unbearable pain, the patient held faith in the young girl who knelt before him. He watched with awe as the charred outer layer of his right hand began to peel away, unveiling tender, reddish skin beneath.

The burns that ravaged layers of his flesh transformed into scabs and fell onto the mattress. The synchronisation between Orb and Alicia came to an end. She stumbled backwards, groping for space as her vision blurred. Poor thing; there was no one to guide the dizzy Alicia when all eyes were on the patient. He looked like someone who had faked illness at the clinic to evade laborious farm work, for not a trace remained of the once prominently seared imprint on his right hand!

"Miss Alicia... that was unbelievable—oh, Miss Alicia!" Realising the girl's unsteady state, Semar grabbed her by the shoulders. "I apologize, miss. I had forgotten about you. Are you all right?"

Treating someone with magic felt akin to transferring a fragment of one's own life force. But it was a form of satisfaction like no other. A misery worth celebrating. Alicia's smile was sincere, completely unadulterated.

"I feel very, very good, Ki Semar!" Alicia chuckled. "The first time doing new magic is always like this. I'll get used to it."

Semar could not help but smile in return. "Oh, you. But you're not wrong. That's how it is the first time you do a new spell."

Alicia's gaze meandered across the room once more. It settled upon a poor, legless human. Their eyes met, and the man implored Alicia to bestow upon him her divine blessing as well. With a friendly grin, Alicia approached him.

"Poor man," Semar remarked. "However, I truly wonder what Kalimasada can do for him."

"Orb can do something for him," Alicia asserted with confidence.

"You were drained when you healed that patient earlier."

"I havenae fainted, nor have I met my demise. Orb and I will help them."

Alicia synchronised once more, channelling Arcane energy precisely as she had done with the previous patient. It felt like sawing off his missing leg; the patient was probably experiencing a reenactment of the harrowing amputation. But behind such an agony, was an extraordinary miracle that they could not stop marvelling at: Bones grew. Muscle tissue and blood vessels knit together. New skin unfurled like a blanket spread upon a mattress. Even the finest details were not overlooked, such as the leg hair flourishing back to its abundant, lush state, akin to a bountiful barley harvest.

Such was a profound sign from the gods. A man had regained his legs!

The entire ward suddenly erupted in jubilation, with patients clamouring for Alicia to bless them too. Badra and the others worked to pacify the excited crowd, lest anyone suddenly jostled the girl. Alicia herself felt her head swim. But witnessing the multitude beseeching her aid, Alicia tortured her mind even harder. She imagined this healing work would last all day, and she did not know if she had enough energy.

"Ki Semar, can I ask you to escort those who are not ill out of here?" Alicia beseeched the old man.

"What exactly is your intention?"

"Still healing them, dinnae worry."

"What I meant, is don't endanger yourself."

"Thank you for your concern."

Semar did as Alicia requested. All the people were led out of the hospital, leaving Alicia as the only healthy one amidst the sea of the sick.

Both of her hands cradled Orb against her chest.

"I have an idea, Orb. Help me one more time."

You can rest easy. I won't stop, reassured the magic orb. But, you must also be strong. Exhausting the power you possess to heal the entire infirmary might be akin to purging a Protos particle-fueled mage.

Alicia nodded. The lingering hesitations were swept away. No further words escaped her lips. Her nerves were taut, her focus undivided, all directed towards a singular purpose: they have to heal.

Arcane circles appeared under her feet, then extended to every nook and cranny of the room. Each corner was aglow with the radiance of twinkling stars and a panoramic vista of the cosmos. The bluish light emanated a splendour even perceptible to those observing from outside. Along with this peculiar light came the screams of a thousand voices, piercing the ears of those present! Though the cacophony was agonising, it was a necessary sacrifice, if the beloved ones inside were to be liberated from any curses that bound them.

Ten minutes passed. The cries of anguish persisted unabated. Families wept as fear for the patient overtook them. This treatment endured far longer than its predecessors, prompting doubts to seep into their minds.

But a mere minute later, the screams ceased. The humble clinic ceased its radiance too.

"That Western woman better not really blow them all up!" said Wisesa. This annoying human being had been waiting outside from the start. He held little regard for Alicia and even harboured a hope that she would fail, so as to avoid any comparisons between her and himself.

Semar and Badra ran up the steps, trailed by numerous villagers. They both broke down the door and found Alicia already lying with her Arcane orb. Even more astonishingly, the patients had removed their bandages.

They were healed. No toll exacted, no side effects endured. Simply healed.

The patients near Alicia stirred, trying to wake her up. Another patient was curious about the orb, extending a tentative touch only to receive a painful sting and jump away. To think that he had just been relieved of his agony.

"Alicia! Alicia, wake up!" Ki Semar called out, concern etched on his face.

Her eyelids fluttered. Alicia could only partially open her eyes due to how empty she was of life force. She struggled to sit upright and reached out for her magical orb.

"I'm fine, Ki Semar."

"Wrong. You must rest. Don't argue." Semar turned to Badra. "She needs a place to lie down."

"Kasinggihan! My warriors!" Badra called out to his soldiers. "Tell the nearest innkeeper to prepare an empty room. Be ready, for we must fulfil the girl's every need!"

"Right away, sir!" The men sent by Badra pushed through the curious crowd to the exit.

Healers and villagers were already swarming around each patient. A soldier wasted no time in lifting Alicia up in a lying position with her orb. The girl could not protest at all about her current situation.

Semar and the soldier bearing Alicia had already taken a step toward the doorway when they were halted by sobs that resonated through the room. A woman wailed at the rear, her cries unsettling to Alicia's ears—not due to their volume, but because they carried a tinge of sorrow. Alicia weakly opened her eyes and discovered Ki Semar wearing a troubled expression.

"W-what's wrong?" the girl asked.

The Tumaritis village chief sighed.

"Ki Semar, what was that cry?"

"Not everyone received your blessing." []