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Gage stopped by one of the stalls at the edge of bazaar. It was a small tent with the front wall removed. In the space, a blanket laid out and spread out to the point of stretching, across it were bags and baskets of different sizes. They were each undyed and off-white. Sitting behind the blanket was an alajin. The cloak this one wore was orange and brown. A veil hung over their nose, concealing the lower half of their face.
“Excuse the interruption of harmony,” Gage started. The alajin looked up at him sharply, eyes widening slightly.
“May serenity find its way back to us.” The voice was clear as crystal as the alajin spoke. They looked back down to their wares after having looked Gage over. “How may this one help you?”
“That one who spoke to all,” Gage paused, thinking over his words before settling with, “who is that one?”
The alajin’s shoulders jiggled slightly, and while Gage didn’t hear anything, he was sure they were chuckling. “He,” their eyes flicked up to Gage’s, mirth dancing in them. Gage nodded with a rueful smile, acknowledging. “Is who they call the Son of Sand. If he has a name, this one does not know it. The Son is one of two who rule the Akalahari. They often…” the alajin hesitated a moment, “they often do not agree.”
“I see… thank you kindly.” He went quiet as he thought over the speech and what he learned. He perused the goods on display as he contemplated. “I have five tally. Is there something here that would be good for food storage?”
With only a little thought, a box was picked out. It was roughly the size of a bread box and essentially acted like one. One of the sides, instead of having the semi ridged wall, was covered with a cloth. Inside it was divided through the middle by a wall. “Dry goods go on this side. This side can be filled with water. It does not hold as much as a vault, but it should do.”
“How many… how much… um. What is the number of tally needed to buy this?” Gage watched as Ma’tuk floated down to check inside the box.
As Ma’tuk dipped inside the box, the alajin flipped the cloth back into place, closing it. Gage opened his mouth and looked up to say something, but then stopped. The merchant wasn’t even looking at him, but at something behind him. A tingle ran up his spine, but he kept his gaze forward. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
“Five tally. Best that can be done.” He took out his token. The merchant pulled out their own and tapped them together. Gage felt the stone shift slightly under his hand. When he looked down at his token, the tally had gone.
“Thank you for your time,” Tucking his token away, he picked up the box and walked away. The tingle on the back of his neck remained, that feeling of being watched.
“My Lord?” Ma’tuk was muffled inside the box.
“Not now, Ma’tuk, please.” Gage walked into one of the alleys and began navigating his way through. He didn’t notice when he picked up his pace, speed-walking down the streets. As he rounded a corner he came to an abrupt stop.
Gage tilted his head to the side as he tried to take in the scene before him. Knelt on the ground was what looked like a teenager… with wings. He had powerful, compacted muscles that rippled under his bronzed skin. From his back sprouted two very large, black wings that shifted to a golden brown near the tips. Wrapped around his lower body was a simple, black cloth with brown fringes. One of his wings was spread out limply on the sand. Tossed about the alley lay an assortment of crates.
In front of the limp-winged man were three more individuals. Two of which were elves, of a type that Gage wasn’t familiar with. They had tanned skin and grey hair. They wore simple, grey tunics and billowy pants. Both were kneeling, heads bowed with their hands pressed together before their faces.
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The subject of their contrition was a woman. A human woman. She looked to be Asian but with slightly sharper features. She wore a wide-sleeved azure robe, which was cut short just above her waist and embroidered with intricate gold patterns along the cuffs and hem. Her undershirt was also cropped, which was the only difference from what looked to be a traditional Chinese shirt. She also wore, not too dissimilar to his own, rather worn, billowy pants with a loose sash sinching it tight. Her honeyed skin was flush, her eyes narrowed at the two placating before her. Her hair had dark roots that lightened towards the tips and was done up in a nice and neat bun.
“There are two of you! How could you both be so careless!” She gestured behind her to the teen with the injured wing. “If I had not been here, there could have been permanent damage.”
“We are sorry Daja Hye-jun!” The twins cried out together. While they looked identical, from their voices it sounded like one was male and the other female.
Hye-jun threw her hands up in the air. “Don’t apologize to me!” Again, she pointed to the winged man. “He is the one you injured. No. Just. Agh!” One hand went to her hip, the other pinched the bridge of her nose. “Look, finish your job, whatever it was. Then come to the healer’s hut. I will have work for you to tally this.”
She turned around. “Can I help you?” Her eyes were sharp, staring at Gage.
“Uh… You’re a healer?” As Gage spoke, he felt the tingle behind him disappear.
With a nod, Hye-jun knelt down next to the injured man and offered out her hand to him. “Here, let’s get back to my tent and get a proper look at you, hm”
“I, uh, I’ve been learning to heal. Please,” Gage stepped forward, “I would like to help if I can.”
She thrust her chin towards the wing. “You can help me get him to the tent. We can get into it more there, alright? No promises.”
…
The winged man was out of it, but they managed to traverse the alley ways with him and get him to the healer’s hut. It was actually a fairly large set up. There was a single, large square tent which had been divided up into a few areas. In one of these, Hye-jun dug a divot into the sand and laid the man inside it, stomach down, before very gently spreading his wing out to the side. Softly, she stepped out of the room.
Gage followed her into another space. He watched as she brought her hands in at waist height, fingertips touching and palms facing up. As she drew in a deep breath, she steadily moved her hands up her torso. At their peak, roughly even with her chest, she flipped them over and pushed her palms towards the ground, expelling her breath as she did so.
She turned around to face Gage. “So, I apologize for my ire, but it has been a morning already.” She took in another steadying breath and smiled. “You said you are a healer?”
“Kind of?” She gestured Gage to sit while he spoke. “I have worked on less than a handful of wounds of varying severity, and I have been kind of flying by the seat of my pants. I really don’t know what I am doing.”
She frowned. “You have been attending to wounds and you don’t know what you are doing? That can be dangerous.”
Gage shrugged, “Well, I know some basic first aid. I’m even CPR certified,” Her frown deepened as he spoke. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for the magic, I don’t think I could have done so well. I still can’t believe magic is real. I mean, I cracked my freakin’ skull open and was able to close it back up! I mean, magic! Am I right?!” He collapsed his head into his hands.
“You are…” Hye-jun’s words seemed hesitant, “You are not anugrah?”
Gage couldn’t help but let out an exasperated sigh. “No.” Slowly he raised his head, his eyes tired. “No. I am not. What is an anugrah?”
“They are the island people off our shores to the south and east. Those blessed by the spirits. If you are not of the anugrah, and you are clearly not of the munshin, what are you?”
He lowered his head back into his hands, “I am human. From Earth.”
“And Earth does not… did not have magic?” He shook his head at her question. “But you have used magic to heal wounds.” He nodded. “I see.” Hye-jun said finally.
“I am sorry,” Gage said as he sat up, “It’s just, I thought I had met another human. I’ve seen elves and dwarves and who knows what else. I should have expected there would be other types of humans, like there are other types of elves.”
She snorted, “There was no reason for you to suspect such a thing. The elves are all from the same world, even if they aren’t the same species. Were humans the only… humans on your world?”
“Pretty much, I suppose. Depending on what you count as human. I mean the neanderthals were technically human, technically not? But they have been gone for a long, long time now.”
“Look,” She seemed to be considering something. “When it comes to magical healing, I am limited. I tend to work with herb and knife.” She sighed, looking slightly annoyed. “I will take you on and teach you what I can. Alright? I can’t let you go running around, healing things however you please. That will just end poorly.”
With a snort, Hye-jun stood up and Gage followed suit. “You help me out here at the hut, and I’ll teach you what I know. Deal?”
“Yeah, I mean, yeah! Deal!” Gage returned the slight bow she gave him. “When do I start?”
A wicked grin cracked her face. “No time like the present.”