The droplet hung suspended in the emptiness that was the energies of Ryth's body.
This is due to there only being energy in his heart where the sun/moon core was, and in his head where all humans had their soul core they couldn't even sense without practice and luck was there any energy...
Until you remembered that his actual manawell was in his abdomen and a constant stream of mana led from it to the cores in his body.
(...?) Was it... going to do anything?
Suddenly it moved, floating downwards... into his gut?
(Wait! Isn't that where Herald said the manawell is?! What does it want with that! I don't have enough mana as it is!)
It sat down in the small pool of mana, and it began to soak up the mana, the streams from the mana well to the cores shrinking as the amount decreased.
(Fuck! Are you stealing my mana?!)
An uncomfortable sucking sensation from within his gut vibrates through Ryth, and he twitched awkwardly.
"Ack-!?"
His manawell has suddenly turned from a small pool speedily fed by a stream from outside into a vortex, a whirlpool leading into the teardrop!
The mana shook, and with a sudden twist the whirlpool expanded, drawing in even more mana from Ryth!
Once!
After spinning another few times, once again the whirlpool forced its way bigger!
Ryth knelt onto the ground, his skin pale as he gasped, holding his gut in pain.
(Wha... it... ouch... hurts... so bad... what's happening-!?)
"Aaaa...Geh..."
Finally the suction began to abate, slowing down as the droplet had increased to be roughly 3 times as big.
As it finally stopped, Ryth heaved a heavy sigh of relief, shakily standing up while his ribs felt like they had a stitch in the side from the thrashing he'd just been through.
Then he froze in fear as the droplet or sphere as of now, began to move again...
Flowing up his natural mana flow from the well... to chest.
Suddenly pulled in two directions, trying to go to both his head and his heart!
The sphere began to stretch out, until...
"SNAP!"
It split!
Two spheres flew out!
One flew into his head, and he lost sight of it as he couldn't see his own soul core yet, leaving him very concerned as to what it would do, though as it entered he almost caught a flash of the white energy of his soul there.
The other flew into his heart, and the positioned itself in the center of the pool of sun and moon mana within the core.
After waiting a few minutes without any other events, Ryth hesitantly fully stood straight.
(Is it over?)
~ ~ ~
Ryth stepped out the doors of the church, stretching his back out a bit.
Shrugging his shoulders he took off at a light jog.
He had an apprenticeship to try and get now.
...and a droplet in his soul and heart to ignore. Yeah. (Divine Dog, could you NOT just PUT THINGS IN MY BODY?)
Ryth experimentally firmed his mana into a ball, and started tossing it from hand to hand, casually noting its appearance as a small, fist sized sphere of light.
(Still feels the same to use magic and such... so I guess I'm fine? Just gonna keep an eye on that for now.)
He continued heading in the direction of the apothecary, though the scheduled time wasn't till a bit later.
~ ~ ~
"Ding-a-ling!"
The pleasant chime of a bell rang out as the door opened, and Ryth stepped inside.
A young man stood within, with stylish blond hair flicked to the side, and clear blue eyes.
He was dressed in fine clothes, white and simple.
He turned and saw Ryth, and wrinkled his nose.
"You're the commoner I'm competing with? This won't be hard..."
He tilted his head in confusion. "Wait. Haven't I seen you before?"
Ryth raised an eyebrow. "Oh you're the idiot with the exploding carriage."
The blonde young man's mouth dropped open as he remembered!
This was that impudent healer!
"Y-you!"
"Hm? Sorry, can't quite make that out. Unlike your servants I'm not paid to interpret your inability to speak like an intelligent being."
"..."
What? What the heck does THAT mean?
(Was I... insulted?)
"Is that... an insult?"
"Hm. I wonder sometimes. Might be a compliment when considering what you really are."
"Excuse me?"
"You're excused."
This nobles head felt like it was spinning!
You're excused? Excused your ass! What the heck were you even saying!?
They both stood straight and consciously fixed their posture as Master Benedict came in, holding a few jars as he walked to a counter in the entry room.
Upon entering the apothecary shop one would find jars from floor to ceiling on all the walls, shelves stacked up to the roof!
In a fireplace hung a cauldron, and stand held a few coats in the corner.
Towards the back was a counter, upon which Master Benedict has placed the jars he'd just grabbed, and a few stools for customers or patients.
Behind the counter was a door to the back, and a mat on the ground for catching a nap assumedly.
Master Benedict gestures to the two "Come come! Take a seat, and let us begin."
Shooting one another a glance, the noble's son sneered and walking to a stool, sitting with trained graced and decorum.
Ryth stifled a laugh.
This guy was too much!
Sitting down, Ryth looked at the master, seriousness taking over his expression due to the natural respect one would hold in that kind of presence.
"Damu Flowers. These small herbs are often used to dull pain, or create sleep tonics."
Master Benedict opened a jar full of many pressed baby-blue flowers.
Taking out a handful, he showed them.
"Eating 3 dulls pain, maybe some mild drowsiness. 7, and you are likely to be asleep within the half-hour. This of course is only with an unawakened adult male, otherwise portions must be adjusted."
Suddenly his gaze turned sharp, and a pressing weight seemed to settle on Ryth's shoulders.
"Feed someone 15 or more, and they will die."
Dead silence reigned.
The apothecary placed the flowers he'd taken back with the others, sealing the jar.
"What is the lesson?"
Ryth found himself looking at the oh-so-innocent flowers... and thinking.
What if you were treating someone, and gave them 20, saying it would help them sleep? They might not know the particulars of a damu flower!
"As a healer, in any sense, we hold life and death in our hands."
He looked at the two youths critically.
"Your choices decide whether a patient lives or dies. Your mistakes could lead to irreparable consequences. That is your duty and responsibility as a healer."
"So. What is the lesson?"