NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58: Healing for Dummies
Two hours later the expedition and nomad clan were on the move. Surprisingly there had been zero fatalities during the night's violence and panic. The monsters had seemingly been more interested in disabling and stealing their potential victims than they were killing, and those who did sustain life threatening injuries had been healed in time.
Six people had been carried off into the night, but they had been saved when the hogs had charged to the expedition's rescue. Leif noticed that people, especially the expedition camp, seemed to be treating both him and his animals differently than the day prior to the attack.
They cast glances, some even staring. This wasn’t out of the ordinary, but no longer were there looks due to distrust and fear. Instead there was curiosity, even amusement directed towards the deer and some of the more friendly hogs.
Leif was a little hesitant to let his animals get too close to either group of humans. They were potential food sources after all. Fortunately both groups seemed to have more than enough food. That, or they didn’t touch the animals because of him.
The wind howled as far above clouds twisted into bizarre corkscrew formations. These formations were surrounded by spinning streams of what seemed like snow. The temperature had dropped as the turbulent and unpredictable weather picked up.
Leif watched as a party of twelve split off from the now merged group. He spotted Hera and Darius among them. They were heading towards the swamp, the nomads having given each a horse on which to ride.
With time to finally wind down from the nights frantic activity Leif looked over his latest notifications.
Level up! Class [Adept] is now level 2!
For healing the injured in a time of crisis you have gained a level!
+1 to [Willpower] +1 free point!
New class skills available! [Healing Palm] or [Identify Ailment]!
Level up! Class [Attuned: Life] is now level 2!
For infusing yourself with a surge of vitality and successfully utilising it you have gained a level!
+1 to [Spirit] +1 free point!
New class skills available! [Detect Vitality] or [Life Spells]!
Leif read over the system windows and the information they provided. He spent the two free points he had gained on [Charisma] and turned his attention to the new skills options. Leif was somewhat disappointed at the choices offered.
Both seem fairly obvious. He thought, mentally sussing out the feeling the four skills were giving off. While initially he was disappointed he consoled himself that these were just the first set of many skills he would earn from both classes.
[Healing Palm] seemed like a simple touch based restorative skill, it would likely fuse cleanly with some of his existing skills. [Identify Ailment] didn’t seem to compare favourably, Leif wasn’t sure anyone would actually pick it over the ability to heal.
As for [Detect Vitality] or [Life Spells]. He could already naturally sense lifeforce even without a skill, so that choice seemed like a dud.
I should ask Kala before I pick anything. In Fact, I’ll take her up on her offer to teach me. There is still so much I don’t know.
===
Leif was travelling at the rear of the convoy, he sped up to a jog as he weaved past carts, yacks and groups of marching humans. The nomads had a strange design to their carts. The wheels were wide and they seemed to rise and fall with the terrain.
Then Leif realised that it was strange that he considered their carts to be strange. He wasn’t a cart expert after all. Unless he had been back when he was a human? Probably not.
He asked around for where Kala was. Apparently she travelled close to the lead carts, as Leif approached he saw the young kid with purple hair. He, or maybe she, was jumping up and down atop a yak that towered above all the other animals. The creature didn’t seem to mind.
The kid saw Leif and pointed down at him. “I will stab you!” They declared loudly. “I am a nife!”
“Swords have a longer reach.” Called a male voice from up ahead. The child paused, brow knitted in contemplation.
“I am a swod.” The human shaped weapon said, nodding happily. “I will stab you… With my face!” Then the child peeped in surprise as a lasso of water wrapped around their waist, they were tugged down and out of sight amidst yells and flailing limbs.
Leif walked up alongside the huge yak, Samil leaned out from where he was driving the cart. He nodded, the young man beckoned the Spriggan forward. “I must thank you for last night.” He said, smiling. “If not for you, things may have gotten even more desperate.”
“It was nothing. I just did the right thing.” He responded.
The man laughed, scratching the back of his purple hair. “Is that so? I should apologise for my little brother. Han is quite the trouble maker, please do not take any of his antics to heart.”
Leif could sense the pouting boy somewhere within the animal skin covered cart. More of a carriage really. Wait, how do I know that?
“It’s no problem. I was hoping to talk to Kala. She’s in the carriage right?” He asked. Leif already knew the answer, he could sense her soothing aura from within, like the calm surface of a lake.
Samil nodded. “She’s scolding Han. You can hop in if you want, there should be enough room.”
Leif suspected he would break the vehicle with his weight if he climbed aboard. “Best not. I can wait.” He said.
Samil shrugged then parted the hanging cloth and called inside. A moment later the wizened features of Kala poked out.
She saw Leif and smiled. “Ready to learn I hope?”
===
“It is good you asked before making a hasty choice.” Kala said approvingly as she sat next to Samil in the drivers bench at the front of the cart. Han struggled in her lap, but the old woman had no problems keeping him in place.
“Many make choices without consulting their elders.” She continued, Samil smiling off to the side.
“My path wasn’t that of a healer Grandmother. I will be a mighty warrior one day.” The man replied.
“Yes yes.” She sighed. “A fool like his father.” She turned to Leif. “[Identify Ailment] isn’t a dead choice like you first assumed. The more you understand about the wound, disease or ailment the easier it is to heal. The more efficient the skills used, the less strain it puts on you and your patient. Not to mention the less energy it takes to empower if you have a cultivation skill.”
Leif nodded thoughtfully, he hadn’t realised that had been a factor in how effective his healing was. Would the same concept be true for some of my other types of skills? He contemplated.
“Anyway. That skill is both a crutch, while also being remarkably useful. I had the same skill once, but it changed over time.”
“So I shouldn’t pick it?”
“You don’t need a skill to learn how to identify what's wrong with your patient.” She said, reaching down to a leather skin bag she had brought out of the carriage. Within was a book, worn with age.
She cackled. “If you’re travelling with a bunch of students then it’s only proper you have a little homework? Hmm?”
Leif looked at the cover and mentally squinted. In faded text were the words: A Novice's Guide to Restoration.
Better than ‘healing for dummies.’ He idly thought.