Unnecessary Pain

After we finished our meals, we remained seated and shared our stories with each other. Lopus and Venosa were new hunters, guilded not longer than two years. Both of them were stationed here in order to defend the city from the nature surrounding it. Despite both coming from the same city, Ishtael, they only met after coming here. Apparently the two of them were the strongest hunters stationed in Hallow's Pond.

As we talked, my eyes roamed around the tavern, which allowed a second person to surprise me from behind today. Ophelia tapped me on the shoulders.

"Kammarabal is outside, he's ready to stitch up your wounds." Once again, I jumped, pain shot through my arm and I screamed. The others broke into laughter.

"Don't scare him like that, or he'll hurt himself even more," Venosa said. Her crimped lips made her concerned voice less than convincing.

I nodded and let the dragon's tongue help me up. She threw my healthy arm over my shoulder, supporting me.

"Have fun"

"Don't scream too loud", said Skarra.

"See you on the other side", Lopus said. A frown conquers my forehead. Why did they behave like this. Venosa said it would hurt, but it couldn't be that bad, could it?

I answer them with a nod and let myself get pulled towards the entrance of the Strommistress.

"How was the food?"Ophelia asked while we were walking. She looked at me with a smug smile, like she already knew the answer would be 'perfect'.

"Spicy", I said.

"Right? This is one of the few places that still knows how to use seasoning and spices. Wanna hear a secret? Even Farheia likes eating their food. I have to bring it to her at least once a month."

I try to picture the giant dragon shape eating with a knife and fork from such a tiny plate. The idea cracks me up.

Kammarabal stood outside the tavern, leaning heavily on his cane as he surveyed the bustling street. His expression was somber as he watched the people pass by, but his countenance hardened as he caught sight of us. He was frowning. As we drew closer, I was struck by the oddity of his appearance.

From a distance, it seemed as though his body was crooked, perhaps the result of a broken leg or misgrowth, but as we drew nearer, I realized that was not the case. In fact, the truth was far more startling. The left side of his body looked youthful, with long red hair and freckles dotting his face. But on the right side, he appeared as a withered old man, with white, wrinkled eyes and thinning, gray hair. The same discrepancy extended down to his body, giving the impression that one half of him was far older than the other.

It was as if his body aged from left to right.

I could only stare at him, taking in his appearance. My mind was trying to get a grasp at what I was seeing.

"That him?"

His voice sounded like a young man trying to impersonate an old one or the other way around. Ophelia nodded. The man's young hand waved back and forth, signing the woman to get away from me.

"Be tought"

With those words she slipped away from under me and took a few steps back. Kammarabals eye's began to glow as his hand reached out to me. The light-green aura seemed to surround me.

This isn't so bad, was the last thought that passed my mind before agony overwhelmed it.