Keeping Up With The Browns X

Fire brought down a nearby bookshelf as the thermal residue of the Solar Slashes continued its onslaught of the room. By this point in time, however, the secrecy of the fight and the sanctity of peace–even though it was a loose facade of one–was not his priority as of the moment.

He was barely keeping it together, knees buckling at the thought of moving from his seating position. Thankfully, Dean was gracious enough to move him, along with a freed Bobby and Ellen, outside of the room before tending to Bobby's injuries.

What was once the elder hunter's foot was now a broken stump being bandaged by torn-up plaid shirts and towels taken from the broken locker inside of the burning room.

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[Irwin Bellios]

▪︎ Physical Health: -19%

▪︎ Stamina: -34%

▪︎ Magik Reserves: -4%

---

▪︎ Physical Effects: Grievously Injured; Lesser Magik Deficiency

▪︎ Mental Effects: Exhausted; Dazed

---

▪︎ Resistance/s: Greater Werewolf Curse; Minor Poisoning; Lesser Spell; Lesser Pain

▪︎ Weakness/es:

▪︎ Blessing/s:

▪︎ Curse/s:

▪︎ Mark/s:

…

■■

His Stamina would recover on its own, topping up in three hours if he continued to rest, and so did his Magik Reserve, albeit at a slower rate. The magik could be solved with a Mana potion, even with the unfamiliar Lesser Magik Deficiency status; his problem was his Health, a normal potion not having enough juice to cure his most serious injuries.

Lucky for him, he still had one drop of Paracelsus's Alchemical Concoction, which he dropped into his tongue once he had acquired enough mental strength to recover its bottle from his spatial bangle.

The concoction did its job with swiftness, regenerating the torn flesh and producing blood so that his heart could keep pumping oxygen into his brain. Soon what had remained of the effects of the battle on his body was the torn clothes and the liters of blood painting him like the rancid walls of this hallway.

"Richard!" Dean's voice brought him out of his brief relief, along with the sight of Bobby Singer groaning in utter agony. The wizened hunter was grasping at his stump, hands shaking from the belated pain of the dislocation and dismemberment.

Dean's eyes were dilated, panic coursing through his body as sweat glistened on his face. "Help us," He said. "You said you can heal him!"

"I… can," Irwin replied hoarsely. 'The foots already in the fucker's stomach, so consumable.'

He activated his system whilst telling Dean to wait for a moment, immediately entering the store.

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▪︎ Armors & Mystical Items

▪︎ Weapons

▪︎ Spells & Rituals

▪︎ Flora & Fauna

▪︎ Potions

▪︎ Materials

▪︎ System Consumables

■■

What he needed was a regenerative mystical item or a System Consumable that could recover Bobby's foot, either instantaneously or with a long duration. Either way, it could not be a spell as he needed his Magik Reserve for the Solar Slash.

He knew he was getting better at handling the sub-system when it took him less than a minute to find five items that he could use for Bobby's foot. 

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▪︎Elixir of Renewal▪︎

Price: 210 Credits

Type: Potion; Fairy

Description: Brewed by the ancient alchemists that had stolen a recipe from Avalon, this potion was once used by the kingdom's elite warriors before said kingdom was conquered by Avalon for its crimes.

Effect: When consumed, the drinker feels a warm sensation coursing through their veins as their body rapidly regenerates any lost limb. The process is painless, but the user might feel a temporary sense of exhaustion after the regeneration.

…

▪︎Phoenix Feather Salve▪︎

Price: 266 Credits

Type: Consumable; Natural Order;

Description: Made from the ashes of a Phoenix feather, this salve was first crafted by the Fire Mages of Ignis to honor the rebirth cycle of their sacred bird.

Effect: This thick, golden ointment must be applied directly to the area where the limb was lost. Within minutes, the lost limb begins to grow back, accompanied by a faint heat. A Greater chance for the user to gain Lesser Fire Resistance.

…

▪︎Gaia's Nut▪︎

Price: 160 Credits

Type: Pagan; 

Description: A rare seed blessed by Gaia, the Earth Mother, this item can only be found in the deepest parts of the Enchanted Forest.

Effect: When swallowed, the seed releases a surge of natural energy that stimulates rapid cellular growth. The affected area glows with an emerald light as the limb regenerates. Users have a Lesser chance to reincarnate as an ashen tree during the process and have a Greater chance to reincarnate as a mulberry tree after their death.

…

▪︎Tears of the Hydra▪︎

Price: 1481 Credits

Type: Cursed Artifact; Natural Order; Purgatory

Prerequisite: Collected from the mythical Hydra of the Ionian Sea, this scale is both rare and highly sought after.

Effect: Weaving this scale to any clothing item or accessory will quadruple the user's natural regeneration. The scale has a once a day ability to restore one limb. However, the user may experience a temporary, intense hunger as the body consumes energy to fuel the rapid growth.

…

▪︎ Ambroise Pare's Sacred Limb▪︎

Price: 1169 Credits.

Type: Prosthetic; Machine; Mystical Item

Description: Crafted from the bones of Ambroise Pare and engraved with his ashes.

Effect: The Sacred Limb starts out as a wooden log with a concave dome that can be installed into a stump without aid. Once installed, the log will take the form of the missing limb, be it a whole arm or a foot, and will feel as if it is the original limb. The Sacred Limb is as strong and durable as steel, enhanced with Celestial Magik to prevent erosion of its material.

■■

He opened his eyes and, realizing that some minutes had passed, stood up with a shaky start. Dean's eyes were filled with worry as Irwin knelt beside Bobby, who was now coming to terms with his disfigurement.

Ellen, having recovered from the potion minutes prior, stood guard over the three, leaning on the only part of the wall that had no blood dripping from it. Her hands held two Angel Blade, eyes staring straight at the elevator and the corner hallway.

"I think we need… to get out of here." Bobby said, as he held Dean's shoulders. "Boy, listen to me. Pull me up and we'll leave. Now."

"Later." Irwin pulled back the elder hunter's pants, scrutinizing the injury. "Do you want a new limb or a prosthetic that'll make you an Olympic runner?"

"What?" Bobby asked, annoyance seeping through the gruff groan.

Irwin smirked, feeling a tad sleepy from the Healing potion. "You-Hwua-Sorry. I can get your foot back."

Bobby glared at him, but the pain in his eyes dulled the effect. "Just do whatever you need to do, Richard."

"I found a few things that might work, but you need to choose," Irwin said, glancing at Bobby's pained face. "First, there's the Elixir of Renewal. It's a potion brewed with some ancient fairy magic, and it'll regrow your foot in seconds. Only thing is, you'll feel pretty wiped afterward. Like, bone-deep exhaustion."

Bobby winced, but nodded for him to continue.

"Next, there's the Phoenix Feather Salve," Irwin said, holding up the small jar. "This stuff's made from the ashes of a phoenix feather, and when I apply it to the stump, it'll make your foot grow back within minutes. Might feel some heat, and there's a chance you'll gain a bit of fire resistance afterward."

Bobby looked intrigued, but didn't say anything.

"Then there's Gaia's Nut," Irwin continued. "It's a seed blessed by Gaia herself. Swallow it, and your foot will regrow in a flash, albeit with a woody smell. But there's a weird side effect—there's a chance you'll reincarnate as a mulberry tree when you die."

Bobby blinked at that, clearly caught off guard. "A tree?" he muttered, more to himself than Irwin.

"Yeah, a tree," Irwin confirmed, quickly moving on. "Fourth option is the Tears of the Hydra. It's a scale from the mythical Hydra. If I weave it into your clothing or an amulet, your natural regeneration will skyrocket, and it'll regrow your foot within a day. Downside is, you'll probably feel an intense hunger after it's done. Like, you might want to eat a whole cow."

Bobby snorted despite the pain. "A cow, huh? Literally?"

Irwin nodded. "Maybe two. Last option is a bit different: Ambroise Pare's Sacred Limb. It's a mystical prosthetic made from the bones of an old French surgeon. I just have to stick it to your stump, and it'll turn into a fully functional foot, durable as steel. It'll feel like your own foot, but no blood, no flesh—just magic and bone."

Bobby mulled over the options, his eyes narrowing as he weighed the pros and cons. "That one with the salve," he finally said. "I don't want to be a tree or eat a whole damn farm."

Irwin nodded, unscrewing the jar of Phoenix Feather Salve. "Good choice. This might sting a bit, but it'll get the job done."

Carefully, Irwin applied the golden ointment to Bobby's stump, spreading it evenly over the raw flesh. As soon as the salve touched the wound, a faint heat began to emanate from it, growing warmer by the second. Bobby grunted but held still, his eyes focused on the growing warmth.

The glow of the salve intensified, and within moments, the flesh began to knit itself together. Bones reformed, muscles stretched over them, and new skin grew unblemished and smooth. The process was fast but mesmerizing, the golden light fading as the regeneration completed.

Bobby flexed his new foot, his face a mixture of awe and disbelief. "It's… it's like nothing happened."

"Told you," Irwin said, though exhaustion was clear in his voice. He wiped the sweat from his brow, feeling the last bit of adrenaline leaving his body. "Now let's get out of here before this place collapses on our heads."

"Yeah, a little too late about that." Ellen took a step forward as the elevator door ringed and parted in the middle. "We've got company."

Suzie Anne stepped out of the door, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. With a disgusted expression on her face, she regarded Dean and Bobby with apathetic eyes before her face morphed into delight as it reached Irwin.

"My, my. I didn't know we were in the esteemed company of the Traitor of the Asura."

Irwin's eyes widened, lips twitching at her words. "What the fuck did you say?"

She revealed a coy smile. "Come now. You're famous in our circle. The infamous demon slayer, killer of the killer queen… Dagon's Bane."