I wasn't unconscious long, maybe a few seconds. My head was still tingling, but the pain had all but faded. When my eyes opened, my vision was clear for the first time in days. I could see Jayr laying on the floor. He was as pale as death Master Whitehair and Tyia were attending him, trying to discern any damages he may have received while trying to heal me. King Garret was again fully cloaked practically hidden near the corner beyond my feet. Mom and Monica were standing to my left in front of the King, helping to obscure him from view or perhaps, he was using them to shield himself from view.
Travelling through the doorway, were Maurin and Dustin pushing a narrow cart on wheels across the smooth stone floor. After they arrived at Jayr, Maurin held the cart steady while Dustin and Tyia carefully picked him up and placed him on the cart adding a pillow beneath his head and a blanket on his body. Seeing Jayr was comfortably placed on the cart, Tyia touched the side of his neck with two fingers and placed her ear to his chest with an intense look on her face.
While Jayr was being lifted to top of the cart, Master Whitehair walked over to the desk, removed a key from within his robes, and placed it into one of the drawers. Turning it, he tugged the drawer, and pulled out a glowing flask with an orange hue. The liquid inside was thick and moved slowly as he swirled it around. Swirling it for about a minute, he decided it was fully mixed, at which point, he extracted the cork from the flask. Opening Jayr's mouth, he placed the flask to Jayr's lips poured in a few drops at a time. A sweet scent reminiscent of a mix of pineapples, oranges, and warmed lilacs filled the room. This delightful essence seemed by smell alone to eliminate all remaining aches and pain in my head, neck and body. This potion was something powerful. My mind felt restored, awakened, and for the first time clear, but sadly, my legs still weren't responding. Everyone else in the room seemed to have been affected by this heavenly elixir as well as once the first drops had left the flask, no one had uttered a single sound. Perhaps they knew what it was and were amazed or they too were mesmerized by the intoxicating aroma. Regardless. with the exception of Master Whitehair, the faces of those around me were filled with bliss and calm.
Master Whitehair continued to slowly add drops to Jayr's mouth, giving them time to be swallowed without chocking, until, after five pours of this nectarous fluid, Jayr's color returned. Espying this, Master Whitehair pulled back the flask stoppering it with its cork, he proceeded to complement the cork's security with some hand motions similar to what he had previously done to the door and window creating the strange white glow covering the entire flask. This sealing completed; he replaced the phial within its drawer locking it within the desk in the event of future need.
Jayr remained motionless for a few more seconds, amidst the silent onlookers. Taking a deep breath, Jayr finally broke this lull in sound, opened his eyes then peered directly at me. In shock, he announced, "I have never seen the likes. Despite draining myself, I could not repair your body. Your injuries had all the qualities of being minor injuries, instead, they turned out to be much worse. Your pathways, already fragile in your small frame were not just injured. Your pathways have been severed and shattered, like a thin glass thrown against stone. No matter how hard I tried to find the right links or force them to connect, they were so fragmented, my mana was not potent enough to join a single pathway in your lower back. Throughout your brain, your pathways were following my will as though water through a clay trench. Once I reached your back, it was as though I was attempting to force water from beneath the desert into a small cup miles away from the source. Most hydromancers could not accomplish such a thing. I am sorry Von; I must admit defeat. Trying again may not just drain me, it could possibly destroy my own mana using such volume and likely cause additional damage to you while destroying your mana, too."
Turning to Master Whitehair, Jayr said quietly, "normally, repairing someone's pathways of life is a matter of fine precision. Working one by one, you bond them back into place like splicing two ropes together add more length. Von's have been shattered so completely; I was unable discern matching segments at any distance or strength. I tried everything from a small dribble of mana to a flooding cascade in my attempt to locate the next segments of hundreds of individual pathways. His body acted as though every pathway was a magnet of the same pole repelling each other. Even flooding a single pathway with a geyser of mana couldn't force it to reconnect with its obvious other portion. If it's even within the realm of possibility to repair him, it would take one of the endless themselves to reconnect him."
Placing his hand on Jayr's shoulder, Master Whitehair said, "you have tried your best. This is all we could ask. Were you able to determine anything else which might guide us with his treatment?"
Shaking his head, Jayr, made a connection with Master Whitehair's hand, formed a mental connection. I could see the hand of fate had struck him. It was an unbelievably powerful strike. I could still feel the connection and with it, a hint of hope. His friend Monica should be tested this year—I believe, based on what I saw, she could become a powerful tychomancer, the likes of which has not been seen in an extremely long time. If she was able to do this to her friend completely by accident, or more accurately, by luck, it is beyond my ability to envision what she could do if she was trained. In fact, her aura already shows a potential of a rank exceeding any known tychomancer living today.
Godfrey's response contained no small amount of worry. Could she really be so powerful? She is just a very young girl. On top of which, who at the festival could choose her? The strongest fatespinner I know is in Marsgate pretending to be a fraud. She would never come here for a trial.
Jayr nodded mentally. Garret is moving the Zupans and the Coopers to the capital. Once there, I think I will be able to accidently introduce Guinevere to her or vice versa. When they move to Marsgate, you should find some reason to have business in the capital and accompany them. If for no other reason, so I can replenish your elixirs since you were so kind as to use such a powerful restorative just now. One of Drea's?
One, not her best. I have already tried it on Von, but even it wasn't strong enough.
This entire conversation took place at the speed of thought as most healers with even small amounts of magic are required to learn enough legilimency to converse with each other in front of patients without being overheard.
Aloud, in less than a second after the question was asked, Jayr replied, "perhaps, with permission from his majesty, or the council of healers, or their leader at the least, the grotto of the gods could be opened. If memory serves, it hasn't been attempted since the loss of Prince Kenric.
Godfrey nodded. "True. The king has not given permission since his reign began and while the council of elders was petitioned many times for permission many times, they have agreed with King Garret. The odds have not favored those who enter the grotto, so I can't say their decision is a poor one. Once you return to the castle, you can inquire of the king, but...."
Jayr glanced at the corner where the figure in brown stood, but the figure remained unmoving. Noticing this glance, Godfrey flicked his eyes in the same direction taking note of the aura in the corner. Looking back at Jayr, he raised an eyebrow to which Jayr nodded. A puzzled look crossed the master healer's face. Why would the king himself come all the way to Godz?
Jayr's eyes moved to look at Maude, then Von before saying, "King Garret has been quite kind lately. He has allowed me to examine Lady Zupan's son on her behalf. She was recently elevated to be the new Prime Knight of Khehep with the full responsibilities of his grand marshal after her victory at Black Falls against the legion of goriden demons captained by a score of molyden demons. Her forces came to the aid of Pentac the Crusher's forces after his forces were routed and he was dealt a mortal blow. Under her temporary leadership, despite having a force of less than a quarter the size of their enemy, the troops under her command managed to not only drive back the legion to the edge of the foul rift but defeat them utterly leaving no demons remaining in our world. She personally defeated the tataka general leading the army, holding her own against the six-armed goliath for nearly an hour. This distraction prevented it from properly organizing its troops and attempting to rally. Since she is in his good favor, it is possible he might allow Von to enter the grotto now that Lady Zupan has sworn to him. One would still need to discern the location of the grotto. Despite my age, I did not accompany the force which accompanied Prince Kenric to the grotto. I was only a rank six at the time and was considered too weak to aid the Prince."
Listening to the tale while still under the effect of the aroma, I suddenly came out of my daze. Did Jayr just say he was a rank six white magician over sixty years ago. How old is Jayr? He doesn't look to be out of his twenties. How long can healing wizards live?
As if hearing his thoughts, his mom whispered, "white wizards really can preserve their bodies. If he was a rank six wizard of any type, he likely studied for decades at least. He has to be close to Godfrey's age." Thinking more on this, it occurred to her, setting aside all appearances, Jayr may very well be the elder of the two,