21 Healing

Brightise was transferred to a big tent that served as an infirmary. Syd carried her there and laid her down on a long, uncomfortable bed. It seemed like the Slorigans didn't go out of their way to make injured warriors feel good.

"The average warrior goes through a lot of hardships," Rayvad said when she voiced her thoughts out loud.

"You'd think they'd deserve a decent bed then," Brightise said with a grimace.

"All the little ones out!" the Healing Master told the boys who had followed them there.

Rayvad ushered them out of the tent and then hovered over Clober, who had taken a seat on a wooden chair next to the bed.

"Um, do you want to go see a dwarf make weapons while the Healing Master fixes your sister up?" he asked her tentatively.

He really had a way with girls. No wonder he had grown up in an all-boy camp.

Clober looked up in curiosity. "A dwarf?"

It had worked.

"Yes."

"A real dwarf?"

"Very real," Brightise cut in. "I saw him just half an hour ago. He makes magical weapons!"

Clober's mouth dropped open in awe. She seemed divided between her worry for Brightise and her desire to see a real-life dwarf.

"Go with Rayvad," Brightise urged her. "The Healing Master will just wrap up my wounds and I'll come find you."

Clober gave her an awkward hug, careful not to touch her on the places where she hurt, and exited the tent with Rayvad.

The Healing Master raised one of his thin white eyebrows at Brightise. "You are very optimistic," he told her.

Then he went on to examine her from head to toe. Syd handed him any equipment that he asked for and turned his eyes away when he deemed it necessary.

Finally, the Healing Master announced his verdict, "You are lucky you did not break anything. You'll just need a couple of pieces of gauze on your face and arms, where the gashes are too deep. They might take up to two weeks to heal completely."

"We have to leave tomorrow," Brightise said.

"We could wait," Syd suggested. "There's no rush. The Amazon camp will still be there in a couple of weeks."

"No," said Brightise.

She might have let herself relax a little that day, but that didn't mean that she had forgotten her original goal. She had to get to the Land of Fire before the Blood Moon, and she had to know more about her powers before she did. As her injury had proven, she was not invincible. If she could hurt herself like that during a children's game, then how would she survive a trip to Mount Krasta?

No, she had to get to the Amazon camp as soon as possible and train hard enough to beat any Fire Demon that stood in her path.

"Well," the Healing Master said slowly. "I guess you could ride a horse if you are really that stubborn."

Then he reached past Syd to grab a small basin. After cleaning her wounds with water, he applied a thick white salve on them.

The residue felt really cool on Brightise's skin, yet her wounds burned a little when it came into contact with them. Apparently, there was still something in nature that could make her burn after all.

"What is that?" asked Brightise.

"Some herbs," said the Healing Master. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "I don't trade healing secrets with future Amazons."

He covered her upper arms and forehead with gauze, and then left the tent to dispose of the dirty water.

"That was harsh," Brightise said.

Syd smirked. "He doesn't like it when patients don't follow his advice."

A few minutes later, Rayvad and Clober entered the tent together. Clober was holding a wooden sword, very much like the practice swords they had seen the young boys in the camp use earlier.

"Brightise, look!" she exclaimed. "Larrysel made me a sword!"

"How nice of him," Brightise answered with a smile.

"He said he only gives weapons to nice, responsible kids!"

"No wonder you didn't get one," Rayvad told Brightise in a teasing tone.

"Clober will lend me hers. Won't you?" Brightise asked her sister.

"If you are a nice, responsible kid!" Clober said, shaking a finger at her. Then she raised the sword high and added, "Larrysel said this sword is special. It glows in the dark!"

"That is amazing!" Brightise said. She almost burst out laughing when she saw the appalled expression on Rayvad's face.