Chapter 16
THE GOOD LADY DOCTOR
Abbot glanced at the group, his face a picture of forced calm. “Along with Isabella, you should take Ember and Pixie. Grab Aggy and Hamish, too, as they lead the rescue volunteers. “Aggy and Hamish are the clan liaisons should any trouble occur.”
“Did you hear that, dearest?” Finn asked Gypsy.
“Yep! I’ve got this. Bringing you back, now.” Gypsy said, her thoughts all business and efficiency.
“Brace yourselves, Gyp—” Finn tried to warm them.
Ember and Isabella yelped. Their cry was joined moments later by Aggy’s.
Hamish and Pixie seemed to enjoy the experience as the small group materialised fifty yards from the mine entrance.
Turning his attention to Finn, Hamish looked grim. “Right, lad. We need ta get in there sharpish an see where the trouble is,” he said, pointing toward the mine’s massive entrance. “So far, no bugger has come out, so there mus be a blockage somewhere. I’d wager that it’s a few layers down where they found that patch of wet clay the other week.”
Finn nodded to Hamish. “How far have you reached with your scan?” Finn quizzed Gypsy.
“I’ve got stationary lifeforms one-hundred and seventy feet in and approximately two hundred feet down. Though, the granite is playing havoc with my abilities. There are seven lifeforms, two on the floor not far from the others. I can’t tell whether the prone targets are alive. All I know is they’re still warm.”
“We’ve got two people injured at least. Gypsy says she can sense seven souls a couple of hundred feet down.”
“Oh! Goddess, no,” Aggy said, her voice full of anguish. “Hamish, shouldn’t there be eight of them down there?”
“Relax, Aggy love. Seven is right. One o’ me lazy cousins cried off with a cold earlier.”
Finn had a possibly foolish idea. “Hamish, I could get us down to the survivors faster, but we’d have to take everything we’re likely to need. Gypsy won’t be able to help us that far inside the mountain.”
“That’s a big risk. I can’t scan that far, and your senses wouldn’t let you see far enough down to get your teleport close,” Gypsy said, her thoughts full of deep concern. “You’d need to create a portal into an unknown space.”
“Something I was told never to do, I know. Yet, it has to be worth the risk. If the mine is blocked, it could take days to dig them out. I can’t think of another way to get down there fast enough to rescue survivors rather than corpses. Can you?”
Gypsy’s sigh resonated through Finn’s mind. “I’m not saying you’re wrong, lover. I’m just worried for you. As your bonded, that’s my prerogative.”
Finn projected to Gypsy the sheer love he had for her. They’d endured so much together.
“Dinnae wait for my say so, lad. You’re as much clan as me now. This is yer party,” Hamish said with a worried smile.
“Right you are then,” Finn said, his medical incident training kicking in as he took charge.
“Lover, can you send out my medical chest and a large box of medical supplies?” Finn thought to Gypsy.
“Isabella, we’ll be going deep underground. Are you sure you want to come with us?” Finn asked. “Last chance to back out.”
The doctor pursed her lips, and her expression revealed her fearful determination. “Yes. I’ll go.”
Finn looked across at Ember and Pixie. Pixie actually looked focused for the first time since he’d met her. The trouble was she looked petrified, too.
“She doesn’t do well in confined spaces,” Ember explained in a low voice.
Aggy stepped forward and gave Ember a reassuring smile. “She can stay here and coordinate with me. Truth be told, I hate the tunnels, too. I always stay above ground.”
Ember nudged Pixie toward Aggy, then stepped up to Finn’s side. “Ready when you are, boss,” she said with a hesitant smile.
Finn’s large medical chest and an open crate brimming with medical supplies appeared in front of him. Finn opened his storage, and a touch sent each item into its depths.
Isabella and Ember watched him work with awe. While Hamish and Aggy looked on with a deep sense of pride.
“Ma, it might be wise to fetch some warm blankets just in case. Some of the people we bring out will be in shock.” Finn grinned as Aggy turned to a young dwarf and snapped her fingers. The dwarf scampered away without hesitation. He liked the way Aggy commanded obedience without effort.
“Okay, Hamish, lead us in,” Finn said.
Hamish gave a resolute nod and then set off at a trot. Within a minute, they were inside the mountain. Despite his diminutive height, Hamish moved quickly, forcing Finn, Isabella and Ember to jog behind him. As soon as they’d passed through the mine’s archway, Finn felt the force of ancient and powerful mana surrounding him. He assumed it must be millennia of accumulated energy held fast by the mountain rock like an enormous battery.
Eventually, Hamish stopped at a metal frame structure with pulleys suspended near each corner. The ropes from the pulleys snaked down into a dark hole below.
“This is the main shaft. There are others, but they’re much further into the rock,” Hamish said.
Finn used Gypsy’s scanning prowess to probe down into the rock. As she said, there were seven heat patches, but it was impossible to ascertain more. The two heat patches that were lying down looked to be cooling. Then he had an idea. Without pausing his scan, Finn reached out and touched the tunnel wall. Instantly, Liss’s mark shone brightly, and the mountain’s magical energy enveloped his hand. Finn greedily pulled it into him, using the ancient power to force his more detailed scan further downwards. Already synergised with the rock, the mountain’s mana pierced much deeper than he or Gypsy had managed. He looked at Liss’s mark suspiciously but left that thought for another time.
Gypsy’s scan rippled and then took on an enhanced clarity as she tapped into Finn’s new technique. She could now see each mineral and crystal formation, but most importantly, they shared a clear picture of where the trapped miners were.
“You’ll still need to be careful. Passing through that much matter could easily knock you off course,” Gypsy advised.
“Hmm! Something we were also told never to do,”
“I won’t tell anyone if you don’t,” Gypsy replied. “I shall still worry, but you are blessed by Liss, remember. So go to it. Good luck, dearest.”
Finn looked at the other three. “I’m going to try and teleport us to where the miners are trapped. There is a risk, so I don’t expect any of you to come with me.”
Isabella looked a little green, but she gave him a curt nod.
Hamish cuffed the back of his head gently and grinned. “Can’t expect you to do somat I won’t, lad. I’m going.”
Ember looked a little fearful despite the intense resolve creasing her features. “Count me in.”
Finn concentrated hard and wrapped everyone up in a thick layer of his spatial mana. As an afterthought, he pulled in more of the mountain’s mana and coated his spatial mana with it. The foreign mana’s resonance reverberated through his core, and he got the weirdest feeling that it wanted to be used. To be free of its confines.
“Take a deep breath and hold on to it,” Finn said as he focused his willpower, then opened a rift between real space and the spatial void. The small group was grabbed and whisked into the ethereal gap between realities. Finn held each of them firmly as the vacuum of non-space tried to rip the energy away from his grasp. The silvery spatial rope that led to their destination quivered and twisted as the thick granite of the mountain warped the space around it. Finn gritted his teeth as the sheer willpower required to keep them on track took its toll on his mental fortitude. As they approached the end of the spatial cord, there was a loud pop, and the atmosphere rushed into the newly opened tear in space.
Isabella screamed as they materialised above the floor and fell three feet onto the muddy rock. Ember fell to the floor in a combat crouch, and Hamish landed cleanly and immediately scampered over to the five dwarves frantically scraping thick clay with their hands. The tunnel was completely blocked with the stuff. Three battered miners’ lamps provided the only light in the small, stone-entombed chamber. Pickaxes and various tools were abandoned on the floor, forgotten by the desperate dwarves. The air in the small space was already getting stale, adding to Finn’s rising worries.
Finn quickly assessed the situation, then constructed two of the personal suns he’d made for Miris. They’d need better light, and the spell form was fresh in his mind. Another quick scan confirmed that the two prone figures were under the clay mass that completely blocked the tunnel. That meant they had almost no hope of surviving if he couldn’t clear the clay now. His mind raced. It should be possible to employ runes here, but how? His analytical mind worked quickly on a solution. He unconsciously tapped his chin as his thoughts organised into a plan of action. Precious seconds were ticking past, but he fought to maintain his focus. Hours could be saved with a clever solution.
A workable idea came to him. Well, at least it was hopefully workable. Finn grinned at its simplicity. “Hamish, can you get everyone to step back against the wall? I want to try something,” Finn said.
Without pausing, Hamish ushered the five befuddled dwarves back against the walls as Ember and Isabella looked increasingly panicked. Finn had effectively added them to the number of souls trapped deep inside the mountain, and they had no idea what to do about it.
“You two as well. It’s going to get quite unpleasant in here soon,” Finn said to Ember and Isabella in as soothing a voice as he could manage.
Approaching the wall of clay, Finn summoned his enchanter’s chest. Quickly grabbing the fattest-tipped inscriber he owned, he got straight to work. Theoretically, the clay was one connected substance, which meant it could be enshrouded and influenced by just one customised rune construct. It would need to be a robust assembly, but he’d done such things before. Admittedly, that had been in a controlled environment, but it should be similar. The issues he acknowledged were where the clay could go and whether his mana reserves would be enough.
“Where does this tunnel lead back to, Hamish?” Finn asked, still dancing options around in his brain.
“Tha’ be the narrowest section because o’ the difficulty shoring that stuff up. After that, it’s no far back ta the main shaft.”
“I can do this,” Finn muttered, more for his own benefit than anyone else’s. He started scribing directly onto the clay and drew a massively enlarged force rune joined to a reversed gravity rune. The control symbol came last, as always. He traced the pattern several times, fattening the lines with each pass. Then Finn surrounded the construct with a jagged matter encapsulation circle and gave his work a cursory inspection.
Happy everything was done correctly, Finn used a little fire mana to set the runes in place. Then, he started to sink as much mana into the inscriptions as possible. Finn baulked at the speed his mana reserves drained into the runes. Danu must have widened his channels considerably for him to move so much power so swiftly. The sheer size of the runes and the thickness of the lines meant that the construct could hold a massive amount of magical energy. It was also crucial for him to keep some mana back for any healing that might be required soon.
Finn hastily slapped his hand against the nearest wall and pulled hard at the mountain’s mana reserves. Again, Liss’s mark flared, proving that it was helping utilise the rock’s energy. He channelled that raw magical power straight into the fat runes etched into the mass of soggy clay. His pathways complained at the sheer volume of mana searing through them, and pain began to permeate his entire body. He growled as the sensations became agonising.
“Arghhh!” Finn screamed as his oversized rune construct began to hiss and sputter. The lines in the clay became bloated by the sheer concentration of magical potential. Finn briefly contemplated the overall capacity of the runes, more to distract himself from the rising pain levels within him. If the construct became overloaded, the runes would split, causing the construct to violently release its power and explode. The energy already coursing through the runes was more than enough to kill them all. With their possible doom in his mind, Finn immediately halted the mana flow. Even then, the runes buzzed angrily as the whole mass of sticky, wet clay started to glow with a malevolent grey light.
Finn stepped back hastily. “Cover your ears and close your eyes. The pressure in here is going to drop quickly.”
Everyone but Hamish looked terrified but did as they were asked anyway.
Wincing in pain, Finn fought to close his hand and activate the spell construct. The bones in his digits cracked and protested as he fought against the intense magical pushback.
Finn cried out as, finally, his fingers met, and the spell ignited. There was a loud crack and a brilliant flash of light as the still-glowing clay started to forcefully attempt to move away. At first, it resisted the pressure of Finn’s magical construct until it finally gave way, and everything happened quickly. A sudden vacuum lashed through the small chamber as the moving clay acted like a suction pump, pulling the air with it as it popped out of the narrowed tunnel like a cork from a bottle. There was a disgusting sucking sound like a backed-up sewer, and then fresh air rushed into the chamber, pushing the chamber’s occupants back against the wall for a moment.
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Finn allowed himself a glance at the aftermath of his work. “YES!” he shouted loudly, elated to see the clay piled up harmlessly in a much wider part of the tunnel. His eyes roved back to where two filthy mud creatures lay spreadeagled, pushed partway into the soft floor. Their time was likely already passed, but he wouldn’t give in that easily. Finn swiftly stowed his scriber and sent his enchanter’s chest back into storage.
Finn looked for the coldest target and teleported to the prone figure furthest away. His nimble fingers traced a cleansing rune in the air, and as the filth lifted away from the victim, it turned out not to be dwarven.
“Oh Hells! It’s Suzette,” Finn said, his mind reeling. He’d seen her only this morning. Her story couldn’t end now, not like this.
A determined glare set onto his face just as Isabella sidled up to him.
“She’s dead, Finn. The other one has a heartbeat but isn’t breathing. He’ll be dead too soon. There’s nothing I can do,” Isabella said quietly.
“They’re not dead until I run out of ideas,” Finn growled stubbornly. Forcing his mana into Suzette’s prone form. Finn was relieved when he found her soul. Although its grip on her sentience was fading fast. “Her soul hasn’t left her yet. There’s still hope,” Finn mumbled.
Isabella’s askance look told Finn her thoughts on his statement.
Placing his hand on Suzette’s neck instead of her generous chest, Finn pushed large quantities of light-aspected mana into her. His energy instantly flooded her body, quickly reporting that her heart had only recently stopped. Finn used his mana to etch a tiny lightning rune on her heart. Satisfied he’d done the job correctly, he empowered it. The electric shock hit Suzette, making her twitch hard. “Rats!” he said. “You’re tougher than you look, lady. Need more oomph!”
Isabella gasped in shock as the body she thought dead moved. “How?”
Finn pursed his lips, feeling slightly grumpy for being interrogated at such a delicate time. “I’m a little busy right now. An explanation will have to wait, I’m afraid.” Concentrating, he empowered a second lightning rune with a little more mana and activated it. She convulsed again, but her heart still didn’t respond. “Shit! Come on! Come back to me, please, Suzette. Fight, dammit!” Finn pleaded.
Isabella squatted beside him; her face creased in sheer concentration as she studied Finn’s every move.
Forming another lightning rune, Finn chanced using twice the mana to empower it. He winced as Suzette’s back arched violently, and she grunted hard. Finn’s joy manifested when he heard her draw in a violent breath and then start coughing up the detritus that had settled in her lungs. “Yes! Thatta girl! Now, stay right there. I’ll be back soon.”
Finn grabbed Isabella with his spatial mana, then flashed them over to the second prone figure. This one was a dwarf.
Isabella gave him a level stare. “Later, I would be very grateful if you could explain how you saved that woman after I had already proclaimed her dead. However, now, we have this one,” she said worriedly. “He’s not breathing, but I can feel a weakening heartbeat. He’s also got a broken arm and a nasty gash on his head.” She added, pointing to the areas she was referring to.
Finn nodded solemnly, studying his next patient. Once he’d performed another cleansing, he gasped with sudden recognition. Oh no! He thought.
“Hamish!” Finn shouted in panic.
“Right ‘ere, lad,” Hamish said from just behind Finn.
Finn jumped. Craning his head around, he saw Hamish looking distraught, wringing his hands.
“Please tell me you can save him, son,” Hamish said, nearly in tears. “He’s me only brother an me best mate to boot.”
Finn’s lips pursed as he looked back at the prone figure. “I’ll certainly try, Da.” He grabbed Dougal’s arm and knee and gently rolled him onto his side. By now, his lungs would be full of gunk, which would need to be expelled before the dwarf could breathe properly again. Placing his hand on the dwarf’s chest, he flooded his second patient of the day with light-aspected mana. “Collapsed lungs, concussion, simple fracture and flesh damage. We can fix that.” Finn said with relief.
“How can you possibly know all that just by touching him?” Isabella asked him. Her voice was laced with disbelief.
“Later,” Finn replied with a weak smile before closing his eyes and concentrating on etching two tiny wind runes on the malleable inside of Dougal’s lungs. Once done, he fed them a small puff of mana and then clasped his hand to activate the spell. The runes fired, instantly blowing highly oxygenated air into the dwarf’s lungs. However, the trouble with wind runes is that they are very mana-efficient, so it didn’t take long before Dougal’s chest started to swell unnaturally. Finn made a chopping motion to cancel the runes, and the air and some of the gunk began to escape through Dougal’s mouth and nostrils. No response came from him, though.
“Isabella. Hold his nose. We don’t want his sinuses to fill.”
Mercifully, Isabella did as she was bid, and Finn tried again. Then again. On the fourth attempt, Hamish’s poor brother got the message and began coughing violently.
Finn motioned to Isabella, and she quickly released her hold on the dwarf’s nose. He checked Dougal and was happy that the dwarf was breathing without further assistance, although he was still coughing violently. The main issue was fixed, so Finn went looking for more. Finding two cracked ribs he hadn’t spotted earlier, he used his force mana to push them back in place with a loud snap that made Isabella jump. Satisfied the ribs aligned correctly, Finn fused them with shadow magic.
Finn was breathing hard. He could feel his mana level creeping ever lower. For a Manaborn, running out of mana meant death. His form would start to fade and wouldn’t stop until his essence had seeped away, and he became nothing. Not today! He thought stubbornly. This isn’t my fated day. His mark flared when he touched the tunnel wall and stole yet more mana from the mountain. Wiping the morbid thoughts from his mind, he refocused on Hamish’s brother as his coughing abated.
“Hell’s teeth, Dougal. I knew dwarves could be stubborn, but refusing to breathe is a step too far,” he said, grinning at the recovering dwarf. “Now sit up for me, but watch that arm as you do.”
Isabella just shook her head and sighed.
“He’s going to be okay, Hamish. He’ll probably feel sleepy for a while. His blood has lost a lot of oxygen,” Finn reported as Dougal struggled to right himself as he’d been told. Finn moved his focus to Dougal’s head wound. His magic fixed the concussion quickly, but the gash on his forehead was broad and bled more as the dwarf’s pulse grew stronger. Finn quickly opened his storage and brought out his medical trunk and the supplies Gypsy had collated for them. As he lifted the chest’s lid, a plethora of tiers and holders magically unfurled. Something that always gave Finn a deep sense of satisfaction.
Isabella gasped and watched covetously as the chest unfolded in a ballet of movement.
Finn cleaned the wound with the custom ointment he’d made in Gypsy’s lab, then grabbed a curved needle and a reel of sterile thread from his medical chest. With practised efficiency, he set about stitching the wound closed. Dougal sat remarkably still as Finn worked, causing him to check the dwarf was still breathing.
“Dopey bugger’s probably fallen asleep,” Hamish laughed, the relief evident on his face.
Once Finn had sewn the edges of the cut back together, he could seal the wound properly with his mana. Before long, it was impossible to tell where Dougal had been wounded.
Finally, Finn gently cradled Dougal’s broken arm and set the bone using his force mana. With a little extra effort, he also healed the dwarf’s collection of bruises. Thanks to the mountain’s generosity, he now had potent mana to spare.
“All done,” Finn said, grinning at Dougal. “Sit still for a few minutes. Next time, try using posts to prop up the tunnel roof.”
Isabella shook her head in disbelief. “Miracles made to look easy, and then he makes jokes,” she said quietly.
“Thanks, doc. Thought I was a goner there,” the Dougal said sheepishly. “Me an Suzette thought we could quickly shore up the tunnel after it shifted earlier.”
Hamish stepped up to Finn’s side. He looked elated and beamed at Finn with joy. “Goddess bless you for saving ‘im, son. Thanks to you, he’ll live long enough to help me make the ale an wine I promised ye. I cannae thank ye enough. The clan will celebrate your name for this.”
Finn looked bashful. “I’m happy I could help, Da.” Remembering he had unfinished business, he teleported back to Suzette, who was just realising she wasn’t dead yet.
“Hold still, Suzette. I need to make sure you don’t have any further injuries,” Finn said in a soothing voice. The poor lady looked bewildered as her senses slowly returned to her.
Suzette gave Finn a weak smile. “I’m completely in your hands. Do I have you to thank for saving me?”
Finn blushed shyly. “Well, yes. Your heart had stopped beating, so I had to get it going again. I’m just relieved I could get to you in time. I thought I might have lost you for a horrible moment.” He checked her with more of his mana and was relieved not to sense any other issues. There was something interesting within her, though. A healthily sized mana-core slept quietly just below her soul. Suzette must have a strong fae heritage, Finn thought.
Suzette shivered. “You’re inside me. I can feel your energy. How?” She asked in wonder.
Finn grinned. It seemed that Shanty had a lot of potential users of magic. “How is a question for another time, but congratulations, you’re fine. You might want to take a cast of the dent you made in the floor as a souvenir.”
Suzette looked deeply into Finn’s eyes and found nothing but sincere concern for her wellbeing. She laughed with happiness and sheer relief to have survived that ordeal. “My saviour,” she whispered, her voice laced with utter gratitude. “Finn Smith, my personal bloody miracle. I was dead. I know it because I felt my life leave me. I don’t know how you did it, but you brought me back from the darkness and saved me. I swear to you now that while I’m not a wealthy woman, I shall give you a reward fit for the hero you are, even if it takes my entire lifetime. It's because of you that I even have a lifetime to live. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried in relief, then gave him a muddy kiss.
She must be in shock, Finn thought.
*****-*****
The two duty nurses squeaked as four mud-encrusted figures materialised in front of their desk. As soon as they realised Isabella was one of the figures, they stiffened and sat up straight.
The doctor looked at Ember and Pixie, then pursed her lips. “I need to speak with Finn in private,” she said forcefully, glancing from them to the exit. “And hopefully, I can persuade him to stay for a while to help out,” she muttered.
“Maybe you should meet up with him tomorrow?” Isabella suggested to Finn’s mentors.
Then Dougal, Hamish, Aggy and Suzette materialised, looking grubby but relieved.
“Get the two accident victims into a cubicle each. Clean them up and put them under twelve hours of bed rest and observation,” Isabella barked at her two assistants. “They’ve recently been buried under tons of clay, so monitor their breathing and pulse. Oh, and bring them fresh clothes, too.”
Ember sighed. “Finn, I didn’t want to ask this of you now, but we’re desperate. I accept we’ve already let you down, but we’ll do better. I promise. Please allow us to take lodging on board Gypsy. Even if for just a short while. We’ve gotten into a sticky situation since someone beat our landlord up,” she said, glancing sharply at Pixie.
Finn liked Ember. It wasn’t her that made him worry. It was Pixie. “Ember, you’re welcome to stay with us. I had hoped you would, but I still know nothing about Pixie. She seems—uhm—flighty?” Finn hedged, knowing the phrase ‘completely untrustworthy’ would upset Ember. “I worry we might not get along. Gypsy and I already have too much to worry about. Asking for more would be foolish.”
Pixie suddenly focused on Finn with a frown. “What? Why wouldn’t we get along? I’m really nice.”
Finn gave her a withering look. “You think?”
Ember looked pleadingly at Finn. “Please, Finn. I know Pixie has her faults, but she’s mine, and I love her. Would it make you feel better if I promised to ensure Pixie behaves?”
“Promises don’t seem to mean anything in this world. Does Pixie ever listen to you? I doubt it, but I’d feel slightly better if Pixie promised to behave,” Finn said. He was fighting the urge to just give in. Ember was lovely; he had no defence against her pleading looks and beautiful green eyes.
Pixie huffed. “I think you’ve got me all wrong, Finn. I know we’ll be great friends once you know me properly. Ember’s right, though. It was my fault we got kicked out. If you need me to promise to behave, then fine, I promise.”
“Just agree, Finn,” Isabella said impatiently. “We have things to do.”
Finn spluttered, then glared at Isabella. “What? How is that fair? Three against one is bullying.” Then he sighed and gave in. What chance did he have? Three women against one shy, love-starved fae.
“Fine,” Finn grumped. He’d been pushed into a decision he was still highly doubtful of. These two had already proven several times how unreliable they were. “I suppose that’ll have to be okay. Just come and see me in the morning. You can start your mentoring then. If you don’t turn up or let me down again, you can forget the lodgings, and I’ll ask Abbot for a different mentor. If you do make an appearance, we’ll move your stuff in once we’ve discussed everything. Maybe come by the clan kitchen at sunrise for breakfast?” Finn took a deep breath. “And you’re bloody well spending the day with me and taking me shopping, too.”
Pixie smiled. “I love shopping. I’ll show you all the best stalls in Barter.”
Ember stepped forward and kissed Finn on the cheek. “Thank you so much, Finn. You won’t regret it, I promise.”
I bet I will, Finn thought cynically.
The two lovers left the clinic, talking excitedly.
Unbeknownst to Finn, he was sporting a soppy grin, which quickly faded when Isabella rounded on him. However, he was surprised to see she was smiling warmly at him.
“They’re nice girls. Like most in Shanty, they’ve got problems, but don’t think badly of them for that,” Isabella said.
“Uhhuh! Then you’ve never met a real pixie. They’re nothing but trouble,” Finn sighed. Then he flinched when Isabella put her hand on his arm. “What’s going on?” he asked in confusion, eyeing her hand.
Isabella stroked his arm, smiling all the while. “Don’t be silly. I won’t hurt you. You fascinate me. I just watched you save two people I had already given up on. It was the damnedest thing I ever saw.”
Finn felt like he was being petted as an owner would a frightened cat.
“To add to your mystery, you barely moved while you were working,” Isabella cooed, smiling serenely at him all the while.
Finn didn’t know how to respond, so he just stood there and blushed. After a moment, he decided he had nothing to lose from just blurting out the facts. “It’s done with mana manipulation and rune constructs. It’s not easy to learn, but with time, it can be taught.”
Isabella looked sceptical. “Runes? Those little symbols Miris is so crazy about? How does a rune start a heart or fill lungs repeatedly?”
“Will you trust me enough to demonstrate on your hand?”
Isabella looked suspicious but nodded. She placed her hand in his.
Finn was relieved the stroking had stopped. It had made him very nervous. He sent his mana into her, flooding her body with light-aspected mana. Scanning her to demonstrate a rune construct was utterly unnecessary, but his curiosity had won out. Finn wanted to know if she possessed a mana core. A smile crept onto his face when, as suspected, a well-sized mana pool lay below her soul. Aware of Isabella’s intense stare burning into him, Finn drew a small lightning construct on the back of her hand. He opened his eyes and found her peridot eyes looking straight into his.
“Was that your magic I felt? Did you really just look inside me? Am I okay? Is that how you diagnosed those people earlier?” Isabella’s questions were rapid, and her voice was full of wonder.
Finn pointed to her hand. “Yes, that’s how I diagnosed those people, and you’re fine, relax. First things first, though. For the demonstration I did for Miris, she got her own personal sun. You saw two of those when we were in the mine. I’m afraid all you get is a shock.”
“A shock?”
“Put simply, to restart a heart, you must shock it back into action,” Finn explained. “So, this rune does just that. It’s not guaranteed to work, but it’s got a good chance.”
“Okay, do it,” Isabella said. All the time, she stared intently at the tiny rune on the back of her hand.
Finn placed his finger on the rune construct and fed it some mana. Then he closed his hand and stifled a wicked grin when the doctor jumped with a yelp. “You can see how that would get your heart pumping.”
The doctor looked at her hand in confusion. “It’s gone.”
“Runes aren’t permanent unless you inscribe or tattoo them,” Finn said, showing her the storage runes on his left palm.
She took his offered hand and studied the intricate spiral of tiny symbols. She looked into his eyes. “You really are from a different world. Is it wrong to want to know so much more about you?”
“I don’t see why,” Finn said with a sheepish grin. “I want to know more about you. Perhaps we could trade?”
Isabella sighed. “If only we had more time. There’s still so much work to do. Would you mind working with us tonight? You and me, I mean? We can chat as we work if you’d be willing.”
Finn had taken his fill of the mountain’s mana and was still buzzing with its power. “Yes, that would be great. I love being able to heal. It’s something good I can do,” Finn said. “Well, that and cooking.”
Isabella gave Finn her most winning smile. “I know exactly what you mean. I also know I must find a way to entice you to work with us. We need your expertise.” Isabelle paused and blushed as she looked him in the eye. “I need your expertise.”