When I woke up, I found one, two, three, four, five… a lot of people around my bed. Actually, it wasn’t even my bed, it was May’s.

“what’s going on?”

“Some bears beat the shit out of you and Martin brought you back harmed.”

“Oh, yeah, I killed the bear though.”

“don’t you dare move.”

Fair point, I didn’t even know who was talking to me even though I was staring at them. it didn’t look like Mr Cedar, oh yeah, it was Mary. I used to spar with her when she was actually an amicable human being.

“Look, kid, none of us want to see you hurt. If I was one of the other grumpy old guys you keep collecting, I would say something like, what did we learn? I ain’t like that, all I am going to say is don’t do that shit, I can and will do worse to you so that it can never happen again.”

The first half gave me hope, but the second half was pretty fitting for her. I wanted to make a retort, but there was more than just here around, and I really shouldn’t get myself hit when I am already injured.

Instead, I just squinted my eyes and stared at her for a while. This had little to no effect, so I just asked what was on my mind instead.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“How did old man number three manage to make me fall asleep?”

“it’s got a really long name, something starting with a possible ca after that and then I don’t know. The less pain you are feeling the better so it’s best to use it right after the fight’s ended, or preferably before the patient Is dead.”

A second voice called out, one that sounded familiar, but I relegated to being one of Mark’s four punching bags.

“Its other uses are preventing blood loss by increasing platelet production and increasing blood flow to promote healing. How it does all that is beyond me and is information held within Martin’s great big old noggin.”

That information was less helpful since I was probably 1. Never going to use it, and 2. Never going to ask Martin.

“So, how long am I stuck here?”

“Since you aren’t an awakened and we have no way to get potions at the moment… a few weeks? Fully healed in a month or two?”

“Why do you sound so unsure?”

“I have no idea how strong your vessel is, everyone’s different. If we didn’t have all these different energies just sitting around, then it would be way easier to estimate this kind of thing. A professional doctor would be able to tell, but this entire region is basically taboo for anyone of that calibre.”

“Why?”

“Shit pay.”

Well at least they were honest… wait no that was mary speaking again… I was pretty sure I didn’t get an injury to me head so.

“Why is everything so confusing?”

“That would be the medicine.”

“What medicine?”

“The one that makes the pain go away.”

“But I don’t feel any pain?”

“Exactly”

A third voice entered my ears before I dissolved into dream land again.

“Let the poor kid get some rest you hundred-year-old freaks.”

It sounded like Mr Cedar; he was young enough to make such a comment… but far too polite to do so.

Thoughts for later, thoughts for later.