“Ughhhh.” I moaned as I opened my eyes and saw complete darkness. “Did anyone get the license plate of the truck that ran me over?” I asked as my head was assaulted by a splitting headache and I couldn't concentrate enough to activate my Detect Mana Presence technique. I absorbed the solid Presence around my blast shield and pulled it off of my face as I blinked my eyes, then I shoved the black metal covering into my bag of holding that was thankfully still tied to my hip. I heard someone move over towards me, so I turned my head to look at them.
“What manner of words were those?” The kind and pretty face asked me and then she almost screamed. “Your FACE!” She rushed over to my bed and stared down at me. “By the Queen's Grace.” She whispered and touched where the blast shield used to be embedded into my forehead. After a few moments, she shook herself almost like a dog shaking off water, then she let a huge smile spread across her face. “How do you feel?”
“My head is killing me.” I said and sighed.
“No, no. You can't die from that.” She pat my hand. “It's just mana exhaustion.”
“Mana exhaustion?” I asked, confused. Even with a headache, I could tell that I still had all of my mana and my Presence.
“Healers and mages have been pouring healing mana into you for three days straight.” She said and hovered a hand over my forehead, then moved it down over my chest and down my legs. “The body can only take so much before it is strained. We are all very glad that you survived both your ordeal and the healing.”
“Survived my...” I stopped talking when I remembered what happened before I collapsed. “Do I even want to know how I was so damaged?” I asked her and she moved her hand back up to my forehead.
“I can't offer healing for the pain, because it would just make it worse.” She said and ignored my question as her hand stopped glowing. “Your body needs to rest and recuperate on its own.”
“But...” I tried to speak and she touched my lips with a finger to stop me.
“Only another half-day of bed, just to be sure your body isn't taxed too much.” The healer said and moved her finger over to my cheek and cupped it briefly with her hand. “The answer to your question will come soon.”
“You know, don't you?” I asked.
She nodded and let my face go. “If you will promise to lay here and not move, I will send for the head healer.”
I thought about telling her that I was going to do what I wanted, then I sighed as my head throbbed again and I felt the muscles stiffen in my right arm from taking off my blast shield.
“All right. I'll be good.” I said dejectedly.
The woman gave me another big smile. “I'll be back in a few minutes.” She said and started to walk away and looked back, as if I was going to jump out of bed and escape, then she walked on. Halfway across the room she turned and look at me again, then she went to the door. She looked back for several moments as she opened the door very slowly, stepped through the opening and stared at me, then she closed the door. I heard her very fast footsteps retreat down the hallway.
I sighed again, because I still couldn't concentrate enough to activate any of my techniques, not even partial meditation to dull the pain. Mana exhaustion, huh? I thought with a laugh. After everything I've done so far, I'm surprised it's never happened before.
I stayed there on the bed and didn't move, as promised, mainly because I felt that if I did try to move more than I already had, my muscles would have wicked and uncontrolled tight contractions. The last thing I wanted was to have a full body 'charlie horse' and the wracking pain that would accompany it. I also felt at a distinct disadvantage as I laid there and couldn't 'see' anything outside of the room. I heard several sets of feet approach the room's door and realized that I was too used to using my detection technique all the time and I hated that I couldn't use it now.
I hid my consternation at not knowing how many people were actually coming when the door opened. A bevy of similar looking women came into the room and I recognized some of them. I was a little surprised that none of them were the queen or her daughters.
“You really are awake.” The woman in the lead said as she approached the bed and then she stopped walking when she saw that my face was bereft of the black metal of the blast shield. The women behind her were so intent on coming over that they walked right into her. I smiled as the poor woman was almost bowled over before the women behind her caught themselves and stopped walking as well.
I thought they were going to fall like dominoes. I thought with a smile and saw confusion on their faces as they wondered why they had to stop so far across the room, then one of the women noticed me. She let out a little scream and covered her mouth before more of it escaped. That got everyone's attention and they all leaned and bent around the women in front of them to get a look for themselves.
At that moment, I wished that I had a recording device to have a copy of all the different reactions. Disbelief, shock, desire, a few other emotions that I can't describe, and even some looks that were a mix of those emotions combined. The most prominent one I could see on the first woman was anger.
What did I do now? I asked myself as my smile faded.
“Everyone out!” The woman in the lead exclaimed as she turned to the others. “Now! Out! OUT!”
I saw incredulity and disappointment on a lot of their faces as they reluctantly turned away and went back to the door. The woman pushed and shoved the others out of the room and closed the door, then she leaned her head against it and took several breaths. She stood up straight and turned towards me, then walked across the room to my bed.
“How do you feel?” The head healer asked me.
“Like a taught rope about to break.” I said and her head tilted slightly to the side as she looked at me with contemplation clear on her face.
“That is the best description I have heard for mana exhaustion.” The woman said.
“I'm not just a pretty face.” I joked, then I almost laughed at the surprise on her face. “So, what's the prognosis?”
“You're going to be fine, despite almost being torn asunder by the wrong teleport spell.”
“Is that what happened?” I asked and she nodded. “Why was it wrong?”
The woman explained about the spell being tailored for expediency, and since only female elves used it constantly, it was made for them exclusively.
“Wow.” I said and then thought about the implications. “I'm surprised it took me at all.”
“You were inside the circle and anything within it is caught in the spell.” The woman said and held a hand out to hover over me. “I'm just going to examine you.”
I nodded and let her 'scan' me as the other healer had and I thought about being able to modify a spell so much that it would exclude specific genders and races, and anything else being moved would be gravely injured. My first thought was using it to transport dangerous creatures and criminals a very short distance, then they would die of their injuries because the spell would be set up for elves.
It could save a lot of time and be a lot less dangerous than fighting if it worked. I thought.
“I see the thoughts in your eyes.” The woman commented and her hand stopped glowing. “It's a specific spell and needs a lot of mana to be cast, not to mention some minor spell components.”
“Is it a set configuration? Does it take time to be set up or need specific requirements? What's the limit on the distance and the number of mages needed to cast it? Is one aspect dependant on the other factor, or can both be adjusted without impacting the other adversely?”
The head healer stood there and stared at me with her mouth slightly open.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
I chuckled. “I'm sorry. As a healer, you probably don't know anything about the details.”
“I know some spell theory, especially pertaining to healing and wards; but, the intricacy of mage spells is a little beyond my experience.” The woman said. Her voice and attitude were slightly different than they had been a few minutes before, as if her opinion of me had changed.
“Is the other healer right? Do I need to stay in bed and rest for half a day?” I asked.
“Yes.” The head healer said. “Then we can see if your body recovers properly.”
“She also said that you can't heal this headache or my tense muscles.” I said, and she nodded.
“Adding more healing energy now would make your condition worse and not better.” The woman said. “I was surprised that you were able to absorb as much healing as you did, actually.”
“Was it that bad?” I asked.
“It was much worse.” The head healer said and sat on the edge of my bed. “You were practically ripped apart on the inside, both physically and magically. Once your physical body was stabilized, we had our work cut out for us as we tried to piece you back together.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. That was one of my greatest worries. I thought. Becoming so damaged magically that I wouldn't recover.
The head healer saw the worried look on my face and leaned in close. She hesitated for only a second and then she put her hand on my forehead and touched my skin. Her hand was surprisingly warm as she slid her hand up and over the top of my head to essentially pet me.
“Shh. It's all right.” She said and repeated the motion as she gave me a look that meant a lot more than someone who was only working on a patient. “We got to you in time and kept that magnificent mana reserve intact.”
My eyes widened a little as she moved closer and puckered her lips, then she pressed her mouth to my forehead and gave it a kiss. She held it for about three seconds, then I felt my mana reserve ripple in response.
That hasn't happened before. I thought in surprise.
The woman broke the kiss and leaned back, and I could see that her lips were glowing slightly. She reached up and touched her lips as her eyes gazed off into the distance, then she blushed a deep red.
“I don't know why I did that.” The head healer whispered and looked into my eyes. “I've never... not even when...” She swallowed awkwardly. “Honored guest, c-can... can you forgive me?”
I thought about making a joke about her taking advantage of me, then remembered that their society wouldn't see it that way, because I was a man. “If you can tell me why my mana responded to you.”
The head healer's face turned to an even deeper shade of red and I didn't think she would respond, then she did. “One of the most desirable things for a magic user is a larger mana pool.” She said. “Increasing it in size and capacity is the only goal worthy of pursuit.” She saw the next question in my eyes and she smiled. “After two hundred and ten years of life, my mana pool is stagnant and will never increase beyond its current size. My children however, if the father were to have a similar size or larger...”
“Oh.” I said and didn't say anything else as I thought about what she said.
The head healer kept staring at me and her blush didn't lessen in the least.
“Can you take my hand? I shouldn't lift it myself, in case it causes me pain, right?”
The woman lifted the side of the blanket on the bed and carefully lifted my arm as she tucked the blanket underneath it, then she slipped her hand into mine and held it.
“I appreciate the attention and I am very flattered that a woman of your stature would consider me a viable mate.” I said, and I saw her face go from blank to sad. “I'm not saying that you're too old.” I corrected her assumption and her face went back to blank. “I'm a long lived race as well.”
“You are?” The head healer asked, surprised. “But... she said...”
“I've only just had my eighteenth birthday; but, I have no prejudice against age.” I explained. “I've slept with two women now, one over a hundred years old and one slightly under a hundred years old.”
The woman gripped my hand tightly. “Did... did they...”
“Have a child? I honestly don't know.” I said. “I haven't seen Lashina in a year and I only just slept with Maylia.”
The head healer closed her eyes and took several shallow breaths. “Do you regret...”
“Yes. I'm stuck here until I finish a quest for the goddess that sent me here.” I said, a little disgustedly. “I won't find out if I have a child until I return home.” I took a breath and let it out. “I'll deal with it when the time comes, especially since I expect to be here for several more years to complete the task.”
“You really do feel emotions as much as we do.” The head healer said, surprised. “I thought... well...”
“Yeah, I'm going to get that reaction a lot while I'm here.” I said and stopped myself before I sighed. “Now tell me why my mana responded to you.”
“I already said...”
“...that you want a child. That didn't tell me why my mana rippled for you.”
The head healer thought for a moment, then she smiled. “It's a sign of intent.” She said. “When your mana knows it can expand by reproducing itself or by combining with another powerful mana source, it will make itself known.”
I thought about that, because I hadn't noticed if it reacted or not while I was with Maylia. At the time, I was quite a bit busy doing a lot of other things and I wasn't paying attention to either my Presence or my mana. I also wasn't laying down and staying perfectly still or calm. I held in my chuckle at how Maylia would have reacted if she had been the one to try and have sex with me while I was the one that laid there passively and didn't react to her.
She would probably kill me for making fun of her. I thought and smiled as I looked at the healer. “If that's the case, then yes. I forgive you for kissing my forehead and having my mana ripple for you.”
The head healer smiled sweetly and closed her eyes for a second and then opened them. “Thank you.”
“Do you want me to keep it a secret?” I asked and then suddenly there were a dozen footsteps outside the room and the door was flung open. I can't wait for this headache to go away so I can 'see' again. Having no early warning is starting to piss me off.
Two guards stepped into the room and then moved aside as Queen Orella came into the room behind them. She wore a very stiff and fancy dress that showed off her cleavage to full advantage, unlike the simpler dress that she had worn the last time I had seen her. Her long golden hair was wrapped up in a stylish bun with several wisps intentionally left out to float around her face to frame and highlight it. She was quite the eye catching sight as she strode purposefully across the room. I noticed that her twin daughters walked behind her and their attire was similar to hers, except that it was muted in comparison. Bringing up the rear was Sylvana and she wore clothing appropriate for adventuring.
No one can outshine the queen. I thought.
The head healer let my hand go and stood up beside my bed before she bowed. “Your highness.”
“How is our illustrious patient?” Queen Orella asked, her voice regal and slightly aloof.
“He is awake and needs another half-day of rest to see if there is any permanent damage.” The head healer responded in a subdued tone.
“Did you have any luck with removing that odd embedded metal?” Queen Orella asked.
“None.” The head healer said. “However...” She waved at the bed and the queen and her daughters looked at me. All of their eyes widened at my exposed and completely unmarred face. The twins were making odd mouth movements and Sylvana stared at me like I was an object of fascination. The queen however, had a look of desire and deep longing. It only lasted for a split second before she brought her face under control and resumed her royal visage.
Yeah, I am definitely regretting taking the blast shield off. I thought in resignation. “Your highness.” I said and tried to lift my head enough to bow it.
“No!” Sylvana exclaimed. She had experienced healing mana exhaustion several times already and knew that moving after waking up was detrimental to the recovery process.
The head healer turned almost instantly to stop my movements as she put a hand on my forehead. “No movements, remember?” She said and slid her hand up and over the top of my head to pet me once more, then she turned back to face the queen. “Your highness, please forgive his immobility.”
“There is nothing to forgive.” Queen Orella said, then her face turned sad. “Not on his behalf.”
“Your highness...” The head healer started to say and the queen held a hand up to stop her.
“Hunter, please forgive me for my people causing you injury once again.” Queen Orella said, her voice full of remorse and regret. “It might not have been intentional this time; but, it still happened while you are a guest and you almost died.”
I looked into her eyes and couldn't tell if it was an act or genuine. My head was still pounding from a headache and I still couldn't activate any mental techniques, so my sensitivity with Presence was also diminished. I didn't feel it waver, though... and that would have been a huge lie for me not to detect, even in my current state. I pat my hand on the bed a little, and her eyes darted to it. She looked at my face and then looked at her daughters, then I saw her face as she made a decision.
*
Queen Orella knew she was either making a huge mistake on behalf of her people, or ensuring its greatest boon. She wasn't sure which it was going to be until she stepped forward and carefully lifted Hunter's hand with her own, then she perched delicately on the side of his bed and held his hand with both of hers on her lap. Sounds of incredulity and surprise came from the other people in the room and she ignored them to look at the man on the bed.
“The head healer told me what happened, your highness.” Hunter said. “It was just a stupid mistake that the mages didn't account for having a man in their midst.”
Orella stopped herself from sighing in relief as he confirmed her previous assumption that he wasn't going to be angry or hold it against them.
“I would like a copy of both spells, the original teleport spell and the modified one, if that's okay.” Hunter said, to her surprise. “I give you my word that I won't use them against you or your people.”
Orella caught her breath, as did her daughters, at his brazen oath. She glanced at her eldest daughter and she gave a barely perceptible nod to tell her that he was telling the truth. The queen turned back to Hunter and smiled.
“I will have the mages bring a copy of both spells to you this evening when you are feeling better.” Queen Orella said. “It is a fair exchange for the spells you have provided for us.”
“Oh? Have they modified the spells for other uses already?” Hunter asked and saw their surprised reactions. “You have some talented people.”
“Some of whom want to visit you.” Queen Orella said. “Namely the mages that caused your injuries.”
Hunter had to think about that. “I suppose I'll have to see them to accept their apology, even though you've already apologized on their behalf.” He said in a slightly defeated tone, then his face took on a bit of a smile. “What about my contact? Is she here?”
Sylvana shifted to the side slightly and tried not to look at the bed. “I couldn't find her.” She said in a sad voice, because she had failed in her task. She couldn't meet her mother's eyes or Hunter's. “The address doesn't exist, either. There was nothing there.”