NOVEL WEB 73. The Unconventional Healer
Snap scuttled along the plains carrying Frost and the Justica Arms members aboard its fuzzy back. It almost glided along the blackened lands, appearing like a shooting star as its legs methodically propelled itself forward.
The grass somehow remained undisturbed. Each step was also alarmingly light, hardly digging into the soil underneath. Now that Frost had a closer look at Snap, its back bared black markings that closely resembled a giant smiling face, as if to declare it was a ‘good’ spider.
Although, whether it was a good spider or not didn’t change the fact that Snap still looked like a spider through and through. As cute as it was in her eyes it was likely a source of eternal nightmares for others.
The fur was cozy. Soft. Complete bliss. The faces the stoic men and the woman behind her almost fizzled away as all eyes fell onto the unconscious man. His skin was wrapped with words describing fragments of his life, creeping around this throat as his HP slowly bled.
Frost kept a hand on the man’s forehead, healing him slowly over time as she tried to assess what sort of disease the Paged was. More specifically, what it did to people. On Earth her role was never to outright cure diseases, but rather to help strive towards it whilst thwarting its symptoms.
It was no different in this situation. She wanted to ensure their Captain suffered as little as possible until he was cured.
“Hold him upright. At an angle. Just like that, thank you. He’ll find it easier to breathe in that position. Good. The pain’s already subsiding. Can one of you explain the Paged disease while I wipe his sweat down?” Frost spoke as she put her Painkiller Passive Skill to good use.
The man’s breathing stabilized. His vital signs were in good shape too, save for his heart rate which easily neared 200. Luckily, her foresight didn’t show him giving out. In the meantime, the vice-captain woman explained what this disease was exactly.
It was a fast-acting disease that converted people into pages, books, or any written media upon death. The words often inscribed onto their flesh depicted moments of their life. The longer one’s life was and the higher their soul rank, the higher the quality of the written media they turned into.
No one knew the intricacies of this diease, and Frost quite frankly didn’t expect them to. In a result-orientated world of magic, the processes and basic principles were bound to be neglected. The proof of this was when they asked why she was holding a finger over the captain’s wrist to check for his ‘pulse’.
They did not know that the pulse was an important indicator of the body, and none had ever seen a healer do such a thing.
That being said, she still could not wrap her mind around the concept of someone turning into a book. But then again, the Crimson Hunger existed. Ignis was an unfortunate victim of their whims.
What these pages and books did exactly was unknown. The converted people were usually taken by the Collectors likely somewhere beneath Brandar. Perhaps to the Heart that created these things in the first place. No one seemed to know. Not even Nav.
“We’re just thankful it wasn’t one of the Gears that got to him. He would’ve turned into a gear by now.” One of the men uttered, cradling their weapon which they called a Justica Reach.
Justica Arms. Arms meaning firearms. I don’t know why that never occurred to me until now.
“They are the only Atelier that uses such weaponry. Scarlet Logic uses a similar weapon, but its strength mostly relies on the person using it. The other Ateliers tend to stay away from them.”
Interesting. So what prevents them from making regular firearms?
“Do you believe your traditional weapons surpass these? Why waste materials on what can be achieved one hundred times as easily through magic?”
Alright, you got me there. Teleporting bullets huh. They’re awfully powerful as well. I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on one.
* * *
The battlements were filled to the brim with countless people standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Anticipation hideously melded with an air of anxiety.
It created a concoction of dread in their hearts as they looked outwards in their direction.
The reason why the air reeked of fear was because of the Eternal Night elevation. Only a select few individuals could defeat such a thing. And yet they were primed, ready to go down fighting against whatever creature had suddenly arisen on this quiet night.
But to their surprise… no, to their shock, they saw a giant spider rapidly emerge into the light of the crescent moon. It was a golden spider unlike that of an Octanid or anything they had ever seen.
It carried Frost alongside the Justica Arms Public Defenders which they instantly recognized from their weapons and tattered blue cloths alone. Their dread instantly turned to hope as thousands of eyes widened with elation.
“OPEN THE GATES! LET THEM THROUGH!” One man commanded before the adventurers swarmed towards the opening.
“One of them is in the late stages of the Paged disease! H-Healer! Please come quick!”
“T-They came – She came back from the Eternal Night threat!? D-Does that mean – doesn’t that make her an Unbound Ranked!?”
“Could she be an Incandescent Color!? Here of all places!? Wait – who’s the Black one again!?”
“There ain’t no black one ya damn pebble.”
“There is one now!”
“HEY! Don’t fucking crowd the main gate! I’ll incinerate every single one of you low lives if you don’t get out of the way! MOVE!” Frost managed to make out Furio’s voice amidst the chaos, causing her to smile as Snap brought them to the main gates of this little town.
One by one, the steel gates rose as winches were pulled and spun by several men. When they were fully raised and locked, a thousand eyes carefully watched them as they strolled through atop what they believed to be a mythical creature.
No, that wasn’t all.
Frost became the center of attention suddenly. It was unwanted attention since her only intention was to rescue these people. However, she had inadvertently ‘defeated’ an Eternal Night creature. The proof was that she returned in good health, and the Augurist sounded a horn rather than a trumpet, confirming that the threat was no longer present.
It was… baffling to say the least. Unexpected, but that didn’t matter the slightest to her.
Because someone’s life was still in danger.
“WHERE IS PINNA!? HEALER! WE HAVE SOMEONE WITH THE PAGED DISEASE!” Frost called out to the woman, beaconing her to come forth as she gently took the man away from the vice-captain.
“O-Over here!” The little angel lifted her hand from somewhere within the crowd. “P-Please make way! I can’t get through!”
“LET HER THROUGH! WE HAVE A DYING MAN OVER HERE!” Frost roared.
Those that stood before Pinna were dragged, shoved, and thrown away by the crowd until a clear path was made for her. It clearly troubled the woman that they were so rough with each other, but nonetheless, she rushed through with thanks.
Profanities and minor scuffles broke loose, but these were eventually quelled by Furio who easily had the capabilities to incinerate most of them where they stood.
Snap angled its body forward and allowed her to slide down with the man in her arms, who she then placed onto the ground with their head lightly lifted. Both healers knelt by the man’s side as the Justica Arms members surrounded them, watching on with hope as Pinna placed a hand onto his chest and uttered:
“[Cure Disease].”
A golden light travelled along her arm and into his chest, dispelling the disease with utter ease. The inscribed writings faded as she then healed him with regular healing magic, just to keep his HP stable. Pinna occasionally glanced over at Frost during these brief seconds as trying to ascertain something.
“Did he drink a HP potion? His HP was still higher than it should’ve been.” She wondered, perplexed by this detail.
“I healed him, but I don’t have a high enough level to curse tier 3 diseases. Pinna, his heart rate’s increasing. Is this normal after curing the disease?” Frost revealed this casually, far more focused with the situation at hand as she kept one hand on his neck, and the other on his wrist.
At the same time, she monitored every fluctuation in his vital signs like a hawk. Something felt awry. The man was still unconscious. His HP was perfect, and the disease was cured, but his heart would not stop thumping.
No. It was quivering now that she realized it.
Frost’s heart instantly sunk, and in that moment, adrenaline coursed through her veins.
“H-Heart rate increasing? Um – [Minor Healing]. [Touch of the White Dove]… You have G-Greater Healing!?”
“Pinna, are you trained in CP – Tch, no – fuck, here! Hold his head for me!” Frost, anticipating the inevitable, briskly swapped positions with Pinna.
And as her instincts anticipated: the man’s body flopped. It went limp, and every single one of his vital functions ceased entirely. His breathing stopped as Pinna silently lamented the loss.
“… Healer’s Dilemma…” She uttered, causing the others to make similar, sorrowful sounds.
“Healer’s Dilemma is a state where an unconscious person will die if they are not constantly healed, but they can also never awaken. It is exactly what you are thinking. Organ failure, most likely of the heart.”
Healing magic doesn’t restart vital functions, huh!?
“Unfortunately not. It is rarer than you think and occurs in very extreme circumstances. Such as being healed at 1 HP. And even then it’s uncommon.”
I’ve been in that situation as well you know!
“But can you say that your heart is the same heart you once had?”
Hearing this annoyed Frost to no end. But she ultimately couldn’t care less. While the others mourned his death, she exposed the man’s chest and placed both hands along his sternum like it was the most natural thing in the world to her.
… the basics aren’t understood in this world. That’s why Healers are so important to them. If that’s the case… then I want to show them something from my world. Medical Attention Please! Will finally get its time in the spotlight.
“Wait, Frost? What are you –!?”
“Pinna, are you comfortable with putting your mouth on his!?” She yelled, watching the man’s HP rapidly drop now that his heart had essentially stopped.
Thankfully, it didn’t mean he was dead.
But he was on death’s clock right now.
“H-Huh!? I-I can do it if –”
“Then you Vice Captain! Get down here! Get by his head! When I give you the signal, I want you to tilt his head back and blow as much air as you can into his mouth!” Frost commanded, causing the woman to momentarily lock up before doing as told.
As unconventional as this was – Frost sounded like she knew what she was doing, and it was enough to inspire much confidence in their hearts as the little town eagerly watched on.
“… this is to save his life, right?” The Vice Captain had to ask.
“Why else would I be doing this!?” Frost yelled.
She began the compressions, ensuring that she did not apply too much pressure.
With her strength, it was entirely possible her hands might end up finding themselves within his chest cavity. And as if on cue –
Snap.
The sound of his ribs snapping caused many heads to turn, and Pinna’s eyes to water in shock.
“Fuck, it’s alright! It happens sometimes! Trust me! Listen up everyone! This Healer’s Dilemma – you do not need a healer to save them! Let me show you how to bring someone back from this! CER! BER! RES! ONE OF YOU GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!”
“Right here at your service!” Cer sprouted forth. “Heh. You’re making quite a show –!”
“Shut it and listen close. Which one of you can electrocute on touch!?”
“That’d be me!” Ber raised a hand, appearing right by Frost’s side.
“Then get on the other side. I’ll show exactly where I want you to electrocute him! Don’t kill him, alright! You’re going to be my defibrillator!”
“Electric torture. I like it.” Ber smiled, finding this all amusing and new to her.
And once Frost’s compressions were over –
“Vice Captain! Blow two breaths! Pinch his nose as well! Ber, place your hands here and here. Do not shock him yet!”
The woman did as she was told, and to Pinna’s shock – the Captain’s HP stopped lowering. This whole process was healing the man! No, rather, it was preventing him from losing HP in the first place.
This revelation caused her to look upon Frost in an entirely new light, as did many others who recognized Pinna’s astonishment.
In a world where results mattered the most.
Where the basic principles were forsaken and replaced by the convenience of magic –
Such a little thing from Frost’s world was able to flip theirs upside down for the better.
“GET AWAY FROM THE BODY! Ber! Shock him!”
“With pleasure!”
A crackling electrical sound emitted from her gloved hands, and the man’s body heavily jolted in the following moment. But he did not awaken yet. They repeated the entire cycle one more time as Frost called for Ber to increase the shock slightly.
And to everyone’s terrific surprise –
“HE’S AWAKE!?”
“No… No way!”
“Magical things tend to happen in this town, don’t they… I need a drink. Oi, someone reopen the tavern for tonight.”
“Who would have known that Healer’s Dilemma was curable!”
“Aha! What an unconventional healer!” Cer laughed as Jury proudly watched on, falling deeper for her lover and her wonderous heart.
The man’s eyes were unsteady, and the hand he raised was instantly placed back beside him as Frost ushered him to rest.
“It’s ok, you’re back with us. Do you recognize her?” Frost then asked this one simple question, pointing to the Vice Captain.
It was merely to test his cognition. Healing magic should be able to heal brain damage, or at least cure it, but she still needed to test it regardless.
“… Vice Captain…” He managed to utter, still groggy from the whole ordeal.
“Good. Alright, now how many fingers am I holding?”
“… two.”
Frost sighed in relief and smiled at the woman, to Pinna, and then to the rest of the Justica Arms personnel. She threw them all a thumbs up and proudly announced:
“He’s as good as new!”
Suffice to say, the resulting choir that consumed the town could not be described as a mere celebratory cheer. It was a united cry that marked the beginning of something special. Something new.
This was the first time anyone had ever heard of a person returning from the Healer’s Dilemma. It was a source of awe, intrigue, and fascination for all. Pinna clutched her chest and stared into Frost’s golden eyes with happiness.
“Sorry Pinna. It must have been traumatizing for you.” She apologized, dusting the woman’s clothes for her. “And thanks for your help. Both of you.”
“… I-It’s fine. Really, it’s fine.” Pinna assured, speaking in a dreamy-like manner. She was completely in awe of her. Stardust seemed to sparkle in her eyes as well.
“You’re thanking us?” The Vice Captain shook her head. “Justica Arms thanks you. The 6th Branch will be pleased to hear that the 15th Peace Flock is a survivor of the Healer’s Dilemma. Anything we have to do now!? Any precautions!? Is his life still on the line!? Will he be able to stand again!? Is our marriage still –!?”
One of her team members thrust the end of their gun in front of her face to silence her.
“Sorry. That’s her fiancé. This was probably the last straw before she broke. You have them an early wedding kiss. You have the gratitude of our entire Branch. What do we do from here?”
“Just watch over him. Are you staying in the Guild?”
“That we are.”
“Then come get me if anything happens. He should be fine now, but it’s always good to be safe. Besides, you have Pinna with you.” She said, standing as the men gathered around the still laying Captain, asking him if he was alright among other questions. “Until then, take care good care of him.”
“That we will, Black Incandescent.”
“Just call me Frost.”
It was her cue to leave. Everything was under control now. The man was healthy from what she could tell, and almost fully conscious too. She accumulated every eye in the town. Her presence alone was always powerful, but with the knowledge of her ‘defeating’ the Eternal Night creature alongside being a capable healer was too outrageous for them to comprehend.
Not to mention that she managed to deal with the Healer’s Dilemma in the most un-healer-like manner possible. The sound of the man’s shattered ribcage was a reminder that this healer was no innocent puppy, but a lion with a voice to match.
They believed her to be the unnamed Black Incandescent Color.
Frost hummed to herself as a result, all the while Cer, Ber and Snap followed by her heels.
As young as the night was; these events made it feel like they were at the verge of dawn. It wasn’t tiring per say. It was just… a little more hectic than usual.
Or as usual, actually. Frost couldn’t recall a night where things were normal, aside from the first night they spent outside of the Black Forest beneath the stars… with Jury by her side.
But she didn’t need to look up to see them again. Neither did she need them.
Because she had something better down here in front of her.
“Frost. Glad to see that things turned out alright~” Jury applauded before happily taking her by the hands.
Yeah… good thing I gave that demonstration. Because if my heart keeps beating like this–
–then someone’s going to have to give me mouth to mouth.