When Zoe and Anthony were outside the barn and Anthony was sure there was no one else around to listen he looked into his master’s eyes with a look of concern. The aged master was calm and collective, even when the patient was anxiously waiting in the barn with Clio to help ease his comfort.

“What’s so important that it couldn’t wait?” Zoe crossed her arms and tapped her fingers in an impatient manner.

“It wasn’t a rock he tripped over.” Anthony blurted out. “The bruising on his leg is much larger than if he had simply tripped on a rock. By the size and the areas that were bandaged, I’d say it was more likely he was beaten there.”

“Very observant as always.” She spoke as if she had already known. “His parents told me he’s been having trouble with gambling debts, the fractures on his leg indicated he’s been beating repeatedly in that one leg. The trip was probably the final strike that broke it.” She looked at Anthony’s shocked expression. “You thought I didn’t notice?”

“You still wish to treat him, even though he hasn’t been forthcoming?”

“I’m a healer, I treat the body but a person is a whole other matter.” Zoe turned toward the barn door. “People are complex, harder to fix than flesh and bone, so do yourself a favor and focus on what you can do. Grab a broom, and let’s get ready for this operation.”

Anthony felt the sudden remembrance of his old school days when teachers prepared him for practical studies of agriculture, services and basic skills, while he spent his time scribbling theories about magic. Although they were advanced for a child, to his teachers they were just meaningless scribbles. They would often scold him that training in a skill that would be more beneficial to the Empire for a non-mage. If he had been from an ordinary family, they would have lashed and beat him, but since his father was a General they simply scolded and gave a warning every time he was caught. If there’s one thing vocational training taught him was that even the smallest contribution can be beneficial for the whole. So, he followed Master Zoe back into the barn and got to work as did everyone else.

Anthony did his best to tidy up the barn, trying to make the area clean as to be expected in the conditions they were in. Although the smell of animals and plants was still pungent, it was best he could do under the circumstances. As for Clio, she was busy handling the patient while Zoe began to set a variety of tools from the bag she had brought from the wagon. They all had a strange red hue around, some were like long claws and others were like miniature knives, sharpened razor thin at the end. When she was finished sorting her tools she placed them all on a rack that could be placed in the cooking pot type canister next to it.

“Clio, do you have any of that special water of yours?”

“Right away Ms. Gaia.” She picked out a clear bottle of liquid marked with words distilled water.

“Anthony, could hand me that vial?”

As instructed he grabbed the vial from Clio and handed it to Zoe. She used it to fill the pot to create a shallow pool, she placed the rack into the pot and secured it down tightly with four bolts. Anthony’s eyes couldn’t help but watch as the master’s old bony tightened down the bolts securely so the lid did not shake or falter.

“Something I can do for you, Bios.” She noticed him looking over her shoulder.

“I was curious as to the nature of your process Master Zoe. Why do you boil your tools in a steel pot before you use them?”

“I admire your curiosity kid, but it’s not steel, this is actually a Mythril device that was invented by Iris, believe it or not.” She tightened the last bold securely as she stepped up to her feat. “We need to sanitize these tools in steam to prevent the spread of germs that could lead to infection. Mythril is suitable for this process because it cools down faster than any metal while still warming the material insides.”

“I’ve heard that Mythril was used by expert chefs in the Empire using Mythril for frying and baking for the same reasons, but never thought it could be used for sanitizing.”

“He, it's funny how most people don’t see a new use for something that’s been used for hundreds of years.”

By now, Zoe’s hand was glowing red hot and aimed directly at the mythril pot. In very little time, he saw how it quickly turned white hot releasing steam from the sides of the lid. When it was finished, she put her hands down and took a deep breath. In an instant the glowing of the pot had cooled down as she touched and unscrewed the latch just enough to release the boiling steam. By the way she handled the burning steam, Anthony could tell she had done this many times before.

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“I’ll save these tools for the moment of truth, but right now we’ll have to get ready ourselves. Ms. Harmonia would kindly sedate the patient?”

“Sedate?” Lycus was shocked at the word.

“Please count backwards from ten.” Clio said before she placed her fingers on his head.

“One, two, three, four...five...six...eight.” Lycus slowly fell asleep ignoring his pain, completely unconscious.

“Did you use water manipulation to rush the blood pressure to his brain causing a black out?” Anthony assumed.

“You make us sound like abductors.” Zoe laughed as she helped Clio get up from the floor. “Specifically, the sedative we administered absorbs better in the brain than in the stomach. All Clio did was redirect its flow into the bloodstream directly to his head to have a more potent effect. I guess he shouldn’t have had that extra dose.”

Clio didn’t answer but nervously looked away, as if she had been caught doing something she thought she might get away with.

“Well, you know the drill Clio.”

She grabbed two white robes from her bag, while Zoe grabbed a bar of two bars of soap and a container of liquid soap in her possession.

“We’re gotta wash up before the procedure as well.” Zoe explained as well. “This used to take a lot longer, but Zoe’s water mage abilities do it in minutes.”

“So you must purify the body as well of germs?”

“Hold out your hand, kid.”

He did as instructed as Zeo held out her palm and produced a strange violet light from her fingertips. Within that light, Anthony would see large spots that seemed to be moving around on their own, much to his surprise.

“This technique was used for tracking and investigating in the Empire, but I find it’s a good demonstration on how many things you don’t see on the human body. Wouldn’t you agree?”

When the ultraviolet light died down, Anthony rubbed his hand and realized just how much he never truly saw on the surface. It was then he realized that what we don’t see could be more dangerous that what can be seen by the naked eye.

“Watch the patient while we get ready, this should only take a few minutes.”

Anthony did as instructed watching over Lycus in an unconscious state. He could hear the sound of running water moving around, smell the hot steam rising in the air, and in a few minutes watched Zoe and Clio walking in with their hands in the air as they walked out of a steamy mist. Around their faces they wore white veils that match their robes, but practically no other gear underneath. He quickly averted his eyes so as not to seem inappropriately stare at the slight of Clio’s curves and her nubile young body.

“Bring me that pot you saw earlier, would you kid, but don’t open it.” She instructed with the muffled voice from her mask.

Anthony did as instructed and finished unscrewing each latch as Clio kneel near the patient’s head while Zoe kneeled toward the Lycus’ injured leg. As she removed the bandages Anthony placed the readied kettle beside her.

“Throw this outside.” Zoe dropped the dirty bandages into his hands.

He left the barn to dispose of the dirty bandages in a trash heap. He could hear the sound of Master Zoe talking as she proceeded with the operation.

“I bet you sharp hearing can pick up what I’m saying so listen closely as I walk you through this procedure.” He heard Zoe’s voice instruct. “These tools are crafted from Orchialcum, while it doesn’t retain any heat like a normal metal, it allows for sterile fields around it with purifying light. It’s the same principle behind street lights they use in the highest Imperial manors, but this will serve a more practical purpose while I operate. Clio keeps the patient steady so I don’t cut in the wrong place.”

He rushed to the barn just in time to see Master Zoe withdrawing her glowing set of these sharp knives. They glowed bright white to match her hands that he couldn’t tell where either began. He stayed just far enough to witness without getting close enough to infect any germs listening to the words of his Master.

“I’m now going to insert a Fortacillium plate attached with special screws. In time they’ll meld naturally into each other as if the bone was never broken. It’s a similar technique that Earth Mages use to craft reinforced bone weaponry and Water Mages use to repair homes and other wooden artifacts.”

Anthony saw her reach into his leg with a set of claw-like tools and heard the cracking of his bone be placed in the rite position. He heard the sound of a screwdriver being used to drill into the bone. It was like the light from her hand made her turn the screw as easily as she had the strength of ten men. When she was finished she grabbed her final tool which looked like a pair of pincers and held the wound together.

“Now the graft has been set, I'll use a set of pincers to close the wound, while dispensing a salve created with the essence of Xiangorite. Xiangorite has been used in this manner to treat minor wounds, but the trick is to make sure that muscles and skin are not connected together so that the area of the seal is not broken open again. It’s important to use a long tub for this procedure or you might risk gluing your own hand to the patient and tearing flesh apart.”

Anthony moved around to get a closer look, he managed to be just close enough to watch the wound on his leg close. Miraculously, it left but a faint scar, almost as if there had not been any injury at all. All these elements working together, Anthony realized how close minded he had been about the significance of the rare gems that the nation prized. Most of these minerals were considered only useful for displaying wealth or used for military purposes, and she was using them to save lives instead. When she placed her tools back in the kettle, but as the glow on her hands resided Anthony saw his Master in a new light.