Chapter 12

Nico watched their progression with a mixed sense of apprehension and boredom. He found himself at war mentally, torn between respecting the dwarf named Bromyr and keeping a professional distance from him. He didn't want to like the man, or to appreciate him. Yet as the day continued he couldn't help it.

Talia's condition remained relatively stable throughout the journey, however she would have moments of seizures and temperature spikes. Bromyr would always stop Jax, dismount, and spend some time lowering her temperature and slowing her spasms. Once she was quiet again he would lift her up to Jax's back and re-mount.

The more time Nico spent watching the more he could see her horse's reactions. When she would stiffen, he would tense. When she would slump, he would gentle his stride. He was paying just as close attention to her as Nico was. And Bromyr noticed it too. Every time Jax would start to dance Bromyr would stop the progression. By early evening Bromyr could get Talia on the ground before the seizures would start and get the spasms to calm in no time at all. It was impressive, who knew the tiny little men had intuition. It was nice to know they didn't have rocks in their heads.

As dusk approached they came upon the outskirts of the town and it was time to start switching off. The dwarves would hide and he would meet Madora at the inn, he had left her specific enough directions he hoped dearly she was able to make it in such a short amount of time. If not he would have to do the best he could while waiting.

As he circled the road he watched the dwarves band up, those on foot had fallen slightly behind and had to catch up while Bromyr dismounted. As he gathered the horses reins Nico descended to the ground, swapping wings and feathers for arms and legs. He never did enjoy the physical act of changing shape, but he enjoyed his human form and his raven one equally.

Once he was on the ground he grabbed Jax's reins, hoping to keep him steady so that Talia wouldn't fall. Bromyr stretched out his arms and legs, groaning as he moved.

"I think I would have preferred walking." The dwarf spoke wearily. Nico didn't respond, instead he crawled onto the back of Jax and made sure Talia was secure.

"Now you get to." Nico smirked, but the dwarf didn't seem to mind. He smiled, walking up to his comrades and checking in with each of them.

"We're going to head into the mountains towards the old mines. We'll make camp there for a few days, I'm sure you can find us when you need to." Bromyr addressed Nico directly while keeping his underlings squarely behind him. Nico shrugged, he had his fill of them already.

"Fine by me." It was all he said before he kicked Jax into a canter as he headed for town. He didn't bother to watch the dwarves push up into the forest, he was sure that real danger would stay away at least for a few more days. And even if danger did come Nico wasn't a fighter. He couldn't protect them like Talia could. Her sheer strength alone could be enough to see them to the dwarven mountains safely. Of course she had to be awake for that. She had to be alive for it too.

The last leg of the journey passed quickly. They received strange glances from the humans of the town but no one dared look too long. Talia's reputation was a dark one even if she was currently unconscious. By the time he arrived at the Inn most people had cleared away, wary of the assassins and unwilling to tempt them into wanton murder.

Astor stepped out of the entrance to his Inn with a gaunt and hollow expression. His eyes were listless and nearly dead, Nico could sense the strength in the man was quickly waning. He felt a little pity as Astor rushed forward to help Talia down, his thin lips pulling into a frown as he took as much of her weight as he could muster.

"I'm guessing this ain't nothin to do with drink then?" Astor coughed as he let Talia lie on the ground. He was far too weak to carry her into his establishment.

"I'm afraid not. This is far more serious than that. Has a woman arrived for me?" He dismounted before leading Jax into the stable and swiftly unsaddling him and throwing him a few squares of hay. Astor nodded, wringing his frail hands nervously.

"A seer arrived early this morn, she's taken up shop in Talia's usual room upstairs. Brewin potions I imagine. She even brewed me up a draught of something to help in my ailments..." Nico brushed past the man and wrapped his arms around Talia's chest and under her arms. He started the long drag up to her quarters as he wondered why she liked to stay in upstairs rooms more than the floor levels. Why couldn't she be more reasonable?

"I'm certainly glad she's been able to help you Astor but do you mind grabbing her feet? She's a heavy girl." Nico grunted as he started up the stairs. Astor gulped but nodded quickly as he picked up Talia's booted feet. That task alone seemed to be nearly too much for the man yet he managed to help get Talia safely to the bed.

Nico didn't pause to look at Madora until he had Talila square in the bed. He took a deep breath, shaking out the terrible ache in his arms as he watched her crush some herbs in a mortar and pestle.

Madora was a small, ancient, hunched woman who was no longer able to stand at her full height. She had a head of thick silvery white hair that fell to just above her feet that she kept a clip of some kind in to keep her bangs out of her eyes. Not that vision was a problem for her, her eyes were as white as the moons themselves, she could see as clearly as bad with its eyes carved out could. The trick there was that just like a bat she could hear the scarcest of whispers even at a distance.

"This must be quite serious for you to use the oath dear boy. Tell me, what has our dear giantess gotten herself into this time? Near decapitation? Missing limb?"

"Demon poison if the dwarves are correct." Nico cut in before she could make more guesses. Her shoulders stiffened as her frown grew sharp. Her eyes squinted though she couldn't see, she turned to where Talia lie breathing hoarsely.

"I knew she sounded bad but I didn't imagine... Demons you say? Dwarves? You'll have to tell me that tale when things are steadier. How is her condition now?" The woman turned back to her herbs as she began to work fervently. Nico held the back of his palm to Talia's forehead only to feel intense heat radiating. Was it normal? Not normal? When her magic was at play she always ran a hot temperature.

"She hasn't seized in nearly fifteen minutes I'd say, her temperature seems stable but it's hot. She's not struggling to breath, but she's getting very dehydrated." He added the last remark as he looked at her parched lips, already deep cracks were forming. Her body was struggling hard against the poisons that much was clear. If she were anything less than a half giant she would surely have already succumbed.

"Right, start getting her to drink water and get a wet cloth to drape over her forehead. Use a warm cloth for the worst of the wounds to help draw out the poison. Dip them in this water, I've added some oils to the water to help." Madora held out a deep bowl full of warm water, then motioned to the bowl at her feet of water with ice in it. Nico bent himself to task dutifully, eager to do anything at all to help.

"Astor get me more water please. And fetch my duffle, it has more things I need." She didn't bother to turn to address him, not that it would have mattered eye contact to her was nothing more than a formality. A useless one at that.

"Certainly m'lady." He left quickly as Madora smiled. She continued to mix her herbs and prepare her remedies.

"Such a polite man so far from our usual home. The goddess has kept you far from your bed hasn't she raven?" Nico carefully draped a warm cloth over Talia's neck as he considered the Seer's word. She wasn't wrong, it had been several months since they had been in the lands of Arboros, since he had reclused to his study. He missed his books, his parchments, and most of all the familiarity of home. But missions were missions, and he would not complain. Talia kept him sane in the field. Without her he would find life even more difficult.

"And you Seer? What adventures have you found yourself in?" He set the other bandages on her carefully, watching her as her breath would hitch and her muscles would spasm weakly. She seemed to be doing better, he could only hope that would continue.

"I am old, my adventures are few and far between. Fixing up your brethren has been my pastime for a while now. Though this is the farthest from my own bed I have been in a long time. I am pleased to learn my ability to cast a portal is still in tact, and your ability to scribe the construct is equally skilled. What a world we live in." Nico breathed deeply, not entirely interested in the old woman's musings. Small talk wasn't his strong suit, he could manage with Talia but they had a connection that only they shared. Everyone else was ants to him, unworthy of his extended attention.

"Magic is one of the few things I excel at, but truth be told I couldn't cast the same spell I made for you. Constructs are easy, but only a few are able to use them. You truly are a commodity. How did a human get such skill?" He eyed the woman curiously as he awaited new commands.

"Some stories are best left for dark nights and violent storms, when the doors lock tight and the fire burns soft. For now I will let you wonder." The woman smiled, her worn teeth flashing in the dim candlelight. Nico rolled his eyes, she always did have a penchant for drama and mystery. The story of her eyes was just as murky as their color, he wondered if she'd ever tell them how she came to be the way she was.

"Keep your secrets then Seer, they matter not to me. Can you heal Talia? That's all I care for." Madora's smile slipped slightly as her eyes moved imperceptibly. She was now swirling colored mixtures in small narrow tubes, sniffing them ever so slightly as she worked.

"I can, perhaps. First we must boost her mana, then I can do more. Her natural ability to fight poisons is strong at play here but without her store of mana her body can't recover." Madora sneered as one of her tubes bubbled effervescently.

"Is that...?" He pointed at the bubbling vial, the liquid was changing from a pale blue to a dark greenish-purple. It looked more like poison than anything.

"This isn't a true drought, that is in my duffle if that man would ever return... but this is a start. I'll add it to my other one to give it a boost. Mana potions are few and far between these days... I don't have many." Madora sighed with obvious sadness. Nico paused in surprise.

"Why are they so rare?" Mana was in all things, shouldn't a potion like that be one of the more common brews.

"To make one the brewer has to invest their own stores of mana, or find ingredients with a naturally high concentration to break down. The majority of them are crafted from personal mana stores. There is a theory that it may also shorten ones lifespan if done incorrectly... Mana is a terribly personal things to all living creatures. Few are willing to part with it." She looked as if she may have continued to explain but at that moment Astor struggled in carrying an impossibly large leather bag.

"Many apologies, this was heavier than I had imagined." He grunted as he set it down, sweat visibly dripping from his brow.

"It's quite alright. Grab me the biggest vial in there, it will be glowing." Madora motioned to the bag. Astor looked to Nico and Nico nodded. The man bent over and unclasped the metal snaps before carefully looking through her supplies.

"Th... There are two glowing bottles here?" He pulled up a wide bottomed one with a thin neck and a reed wrap. The other one was a thinner bottle, more oblong shaped with no wrap. The bigger of the two glowed green while the smaller glowed pink.

"The smaller bottle, I forgot about the second one. Here, hand it to me." Madora held out her hand and Astor placed the bottle in her claw like grasp. Nico watched in abject rapture as she poured the dark looking liquid into the glowing bottle. That filled it up quickly and left it dark and murky.

"Ejii Estu Mija Isha Duuri... That should do it." She finished her brief incant before handing the bottle to Nico. It took on a dark glow, something that only stood out in the grim candlelight room. He shuddered, wondering what effect it would have. Already it was hot in his hands.

"Pour it down her throat and hold her nose shut so she's forced to swallow. After that we'll have to wait for about an hour to see if it helps." Madora turned in her chair to wait. Nico gulped, eyeing Talia. He had to wonder if she'd struggle, fight him. He didn't have time to entertain those fears however so he dove in. Opening her mouth further he plugged her nose as he poured the concoction in. At first she stiffened, her eyebrows drawing together in a mixture of confusion and pain. It was over in seconds, but it seemed like forever with how fast his heart was racing. Lucky for him she swallowed it quickly before relaxing back into the bed.

"It's... Done." He sighed, clutching at his chest. This had to be the first time he ever felt such fear for her. Being in control of her, of her healing, it was a lot of responsibility.

"Good, now we wait. Grab a book kid, this could be a long night." Madora hummed as she turned back to her herbs, plucking at them and sniffing as she planned the next step. Nico wasted no time in following her instruction. He found the closet and slipped open the door, smiling at the small cache of books awaiting him. Talia let him keep them in her usual room just to be certain they were safe.

"I'm going to go take stock of things and continue my preparations. Call me if you need me." Astor waved as he left though Nico paid him no mind. Instead he drew a chair up to Talia's bedside and flipped open his favorite book, a book of old necromantic legends and journal entries. He hoped the time would fly swiftly as he occupied his mind.