NOVEL NEXT Chapter Thirty-Four A Healer’s Duty
Aidera stretched as she stepped out of the tent. She smiled, her brief interaction with Amy had been pleasant. She was looking forward to the longer meeting she had set up for tomorrow. One where she would have all the time she needed. Amy was a special girl, shame she had never truly joined the church. It would be nice if she had. Oh, well. At least they would have a chance to talk, and for some nice fun later. Assuming she agreed. Although she could always force the issue, there were certain lines Aidera didn’t like to cross, and that was one of them.
Pushing that thought aside, she slipped into the next tent, where a patient awaited. There had been quite a few injuries thanks to the attack, and a few dead. Aidera however felt particularly sorry for this young man. She smiled when she noted that his ruined armor had already been removed. Likely not by him, seeing he was out. A sleeping potion, thoughtfully administered.
The poor guy really should have invested in better crotch armor. His armor looked decent at a glance, and it did protect the vitals, mostly. He was lucky the splinters had plugged the wounds they made, but his penis was pretty badly damaged. It might be salvageable, but in her opinion it would be better to just get rid of it. Aidera was tempted to just make the choice for him, and let him think he agreed to this later. That was a bit scummy, and after a moment she decided to do this right.
With a thought, she pulled her tools out of her inventory, and got ready to treat him. First she prepped a few needles, and vials full of potion. Carefully she applied the numbing potion in strategic locations. This was a rather potent version that deadens the nerves, completely. It had some side effects, but only if you were stupid with it. The most serious side effect was permanently dead nerves but she knew how not to cause damage like that. She kept the doses small, and prepared a second potion that would counter the effects to be administered later.
With that done, she woke the patient. He blinked after a moment, and was briefly confused. She waited for him to gain his bearings before speaking to him, reaching out with her power to help keep him calm. Can’t have the patient make any panicked decisions, “Welcome back to the land of the living. I’m afraid you should have invested in better crotch armor, and have a choice to make in regards to your penis.”
He blinked, frowned, and then said, “Why can’t I feel my...”
“I’ve deadened the nerves, so we can talk. The effect won’t last, but at least your mangled penis isn’t screaming at you.”
He glanced down, a bit of horror on his face. “By the gods! It’s…”
“Practically ruined, I know. I might be able to save the organ, but it will never regain full functionality. I stress the word might, your organ is badly damaged, and barely salvageable. I’m afraid your best option is to let me remove the organ.”
“You mean castrate me!”
She sighed, “You already are, badly, but you are. I’d simply be removing damaged flesh.”
Aidera wasn’t even lying, his ability to reproduce had already been destroyed. The balls were perforated with shards, the insides practically minced. Putting them back together would be a challenge. Her only skills that could technically restore them were blood magic related, and honestly not something she wanted to use. She’d much rather turn him into a proper girl, but she didn’t think he would be happy with that. Even if the female form was far superior.
He stared at his mangled flesh, “You mean my choices are between losing it and...”
“Possibly getting it back,” she replied, giving him a mental nudge, one he gave into surprisingly easily. Perhaps he had been leaning in the right direction? “Even if you do, it won’t function the way it used to.”
“Cut it off, I’ll let this be a lesson, and save to get a regeneration potion. That will help me grow a new one, right?”
She nodded, “It would. Would you like a list of vendors I would recommend?”
“Sure, it can’t hurt.”
“Good, I’ll throw in a book, I highly recommend you read,” she said as she produced a copy of the church’s holy text. She often gave it to people she thought might be amenable to joining the church. She placed it on top of his armor, along with a list of potion vendors, and healers. All church-affiliated, of course. Then she got to work, she let him stay awake as she removed his manhood. Afterwards she applied a couple of potions, and a spell to ensure things healed up properly. Once the deadener wore off, he would have sensation again, but no pain. Not unless he got himself injured there again or something.
Her work done here, she excused herself, and moved to the next patient. In the neighboring tent. She felt sorry for this one as well, the poor guy was worse off, she had stabilized him earlier, but now that she had time, it was time to fix him up. Unfortunately she wasn’t all that good with regeneration, but she did know a few decent church-affiliated healers, and potion makers who could help him with his lost leg.
Slipping into the tent, she found the guy awake. Staring at his currently naked manhood, or what was left of it, the shaft was there, and so was the right ball sack. The other one was just gone, but what was left wasn’t in very good shape either. Especially since it was barely attached to his body, another centimeter and that claw would have unmanned him.
“I’m never going to have children am I?” he said.
She blinked at how calm he sounded, but she could feel the pain rippling under the surface. Aidera sighed, “If there had been more time, I might have been able to save it when I stemmed the blood flow, but you weren’t the only one bleeding out. I’m sorry, but I had to...”
“I understand,” he replied, clearly mourning his loss.
She let out a breath, “I do know a few healers that might be able to help you get it back. Although at the moment, I think your lost leg would be more pressing.”
He simply leaned back, and said, “I can’t afford a regeneration treatment, and with my leg? Well, I’m out of a job too.”
Aidera settled down beside him, and produced some material she had prepared for situations just like this, “The Church would be more than happy to help you out, we have programs for helping out people just like you. They can have you back on your feet before you know it.”
He reached for it, and opened the packet giving it a look. She gave him a moment to read, and didn’t even bother to influence him. After a moment he pulled out the standard contract, and asked, “Seems fair enough, can I have a pen?”
She produced one, and a moment later he filled it out, and signed. The contract glowed, and split. One copy vanished, teleporting to the church headquarters where it would be filed, and archived. This had proven more pleasant than she had thought it would be. As she reached for her tools to finish patching him up, and get rid of that dying flesh, she received a message from the church. She smiled, “It seems the church is already sending people to meet us when we get back to civilization.”
He acknowledged her, and she did what needed to be done before leaving. He was comfortable enough, and who knows, maybe he will be a fully functional and cute girl by the next time they meet? She felt sorry for men trapped in such ugly bodies, girls were far superior. By then he would hopefully have renounced clothing as well. She loved being simply naked, the world felt so much better without barriers between you and the world. She wanted to share the joys the church had brought her with others, regardless of gender or race, but she didn’t want to force them. Nudge them perhaps, guide them, but not force them. They would never be happy unless they went in, with their eyes open.
Amy shifted the arrow she was holding up to the light. After helping the healer, and the clean up, she had gone looking around the camp for anyone that might be able to help her replace her arrows. She had recovered the intact ones after the battle. It was a common problem for archer classes, they relied on ammunition which was difficult to replace in the field. Not only could arrows get lost on the battlefield, but the forces of impact were known to destroy arrows. Especially if they struck an armored opponent.
So while she had a handful of intact arrows back in her quiver, she still needed more. That fact was what brought her here, and why she was now holding this arrow. She had found an older man, a fellow archer, and a regular guard. As it turns out, he also made his own arrows. This arrow was his work. It gleamed in the light. Its shaft was straight, and sturdy. The arrowhead was well formed, the fletching perfect. He clearly had skill.
“It’s a nice arrow, sir.”
He laughed, “I’ve been told that before, and now that I am getting on in years, I was thinking to make this my last trip, and then opening up a fletching shop. Sell arrows to younger archers such as yourself.”
She smiled, “I wish you luck with that.”
He produced a few more arrows of equal quality, and said, “Now let’s get that quiver of yours filled. Can’t have a fellow archer walking around with an empty quiver.”
Amy reached into her purse, pulling out what she thought they were worth. Only to be stopped, “Don’t worry about that. These are a gift, use them well.”
She blinked. He didn’t want money? Amy gave him a look, but he said nothing. Merely walking off, leaving her with the arrows she had wanted. Along with a fair number of questions on what just happened.