A crowd had formed around Grant within seconds. I rushed over and pushed my way through the people. Alexi was trying to wake grant up but getting no response. He pinched Grant’s shoulder muscle and Grant didn’t react at all… that’s not a good sign.

  Dwynfel: “Alexi… I need to check his injuries.”

  Alexi: “Understood.”

  Alexi must have already checked because he instantly showed me where Grant’s main injuries were. Alexi lifted Grant’s shirt and lowered Grant’s britches slightly to reveal a large bruise that was already forming on Grant’s hip. The bone doesn’t appear to be broken, but that bruise is worryingly large.

  What is of greater concern though, is the lack of consciousness. Alexi tilted Grant’s head to the left to show the part of his head that had hit the fountain. The eyebrow was split open and the entire eye was swollen.

  The crowd around us was growing louder as the people muttered. The boys kept asking if he was going to be okay, but I had no answer for them. Then my mum came barging through the crowd. Thank fuck… she has healing magic… she’ll be able to do something.

  Indira: “How bad is it?”

  Dwynfel: “He’s unconscious. Hit to the head seems pretty bad. He also has bad bruising to his hip. The bone doesn’t seem broken, but the internal bleeding looks severe.”

  Alexi and I lay Grant out on his left side so that my mother could get a proper look. She hovered one hand over his head and the other over his hip.

  Indira: “Healing.”

  Her hands began to glow and his wounds started to slowly shrink.

  Woman: “What the hell happened!?”

  I looked up to see Grant’s sister standing next to us. I had forgotten that she normally picks milk up from us at around this time.

  Dwynfel: “He got hit by a cart. It knocked him into the side of the fountain.”

  She pushed me out of the way and knelt down on the ground next to him. She began to stroke his head while my mother was still trying to cast healing.

  Becky: “His wounds are going… why isn’t he waking up? Why is he still unconscious?”

  Indira: “Cuts and bruises are easy to heal with magic. It is possible that he suffered brain damage when he hit his head. That is not so easily healed. We’ll either need to wait for him to wake up, or take him to the temple. Some high-level healing magic may be more effective.”

  Becky started crying. Her voice became cracked and her whole body started to shake.

  Becky: “We can’t afford that… those priests charge more than the bakery makes in a year. Oh gods… Grant! Grant!”

  My mother’s healing spell finished and Becky instantly lunged forward and picked Grant up… cradling him in her arms she started screaming… shouting for him to wake up… but he didn’t move… his eyes didn’t even flicker.

  He is definitely breathing though… I checked… and my mother’s healing spell worked… that spell doesn’t work on the dead… he’s definitely alive.

  Svampe: “Umm… I think… I think I may be able to help.”

  The entire crowd turned to stare at Svampe. He was still hidden within his big black cloak. Becky stood up, still holding Grant… she stepped towards Svampe… tears still streaming down her face.

  Becky: “Are you a priest?”

  Svampe: “No.”

  Becky: “Then what use are you!?”

  Hang on… Flora’s healing powers were insane… if he’s inherited even the slightest bit of them…

  Dwynfel: “Becky… give him a chance… I think he might be able to do… something.”

  Becky turned to face me… she looked truly terrified… she only recently lost her father… the prospect of losing her brother as well must be killing her inside. She eventually agreed to give Svampe a chance and placed him down on the ground.

  Svampe knelt down next to Grant and rested grant’s head on his knee. He then held his hands over the right side of Grant’s head and slowly… a flower bud started to grow on Grant’s temple. Little vines started growing down his cheek and nose. One wrapped around the back of Grant’s ear.

  He's doing it… he inherited Flora’s healing magic. Admittedly it isn’t anywhere near as fast as Flora’s… but still… she could heal horrific injuries without even leaving a scar. Oh gods… please let this work.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The flower bud started to spring open, revealing a beautiful pink flower.

  Becky: “What the hell is that?”

  Grant’s eyes started to flicker… then he slowly opened his left eye.

  Becky: “Oh gods… Grant… Grant!”

  Grant was still clearly groggy… with very little idea what was going on.

  Becky: “Don’t try to speak, you’re going to be okay.”

  Svampe: “Do not remove the flower. It will drop off on its own when the healing is finished. And try to stay nearby, the healing will slow if you go too far from me.”

  Svampe lifted Grant’s head off his knee and handed him to Becky. He stood up and went to walk away. Becky stood up, with Grant in her arms and followed him.

  Becky: “Don’t go yet.”

  Svampe stopped in his tracks and turned around.

  Svampe: “I should return to my stall.”

  Becky: “Please, before you leave… please… let me see your face. Let me see the face of the man who saved my brother.”

  Svampe nervously lifted back the hood of his cowl and there was an audible gasp from the crowd that had gathered. Which I think was a bit unnecessary… the only odd thing about his head is the scar from when his jaw was split in two. And that is mostly hidden by his goatee. Otherwise, he looks like a perfectly healthy human man. In fact, if he grows his beard out more then he could probably hide the scar entirely.

  Svampe was clearly incredibly uncomfortable with his hood lowered. Becky stepped closer to him. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Svampe couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye and he raised his hood once more.

  Becky: “Thank you… from the bottom of my heart… thank you.”

  Svampe: “Umm… it… umm… it was no problem…”

  Becky rushed over to a bench at the side of the marketplace to lay Grant down and comfort him. The crowd started to move around Svampe and Svampe got increasingly more nervous. Then my mother stepped in and used her mum voice.

  Indira: “Alright everyone! That’s enough! Show’s over! Everybody get back to what you were doing before!”

  The crowd began to disperse and the boys started to gather next to the fountain.

  Charlie: “Well, guess we’ll have to postpone out football game for now then.”

  Toria: “Shame, I was looking forward to kicking your arse.”

  Tadwick: “We could still have a go.”

  Charlie: “No chance. Grant was gonna be on your team… and the whole reason that we asked her to play was because you kept complaining that you were one player down.”

  Zayan: “Well, we aren’t playing in these soaking wet clothes anyway.”

  Tadwick, Charlie and Toria turned to see Zayan, Olmo, Oscar, Xion, Johnny and Freddy all stood in the fountain, dripping wet from when they jumped in to avoid the cart.

  Olmo: “Well, we are already wet now. We could just have a splash war.”

  Johnny: “Bring it on!”

  The boys all started splashing each other with an overabundance of enthusiasm. Toria joined right in and ended up completely soaking Charlie. Those two seem to have developed a rivalry. But it does at least seem to be a slightly friendlier one than the one he has with Tadwick. Alexi was stood at the side of the bench that Grant was lying on. Ready to assist, should anything be required.

  The boys’ little dispute seems to be a moot point for now, so I’m going back to the stall and what the hell is Agaroth doing there?

  I rushed over to find Agaroth talking to Svampe, Kiyui and my mum.

  Agaroth: “I’m just sayin’ this is somethin’ the lad could use.”

  Dwynfel: “Who could use what?”

  Agaroth: “Mister fuckin’ mysterious over there. He can do that healin’ shite that you said your creepy mate could do. There’s money tae be made there.”

  Kiyui: “And I am saying that Agaroth is not to exploit Svampe’s abilities. He has only just started coming out into town. I am not having him end up being used for your elaborate money-making schemes.”

  Dwynfel: “I’m with Kiyui. Leave the boy alone, Agaroth.”

  Agaroth rolled his eyes.

  Agaroth: “Fuck’s sake. I’m no suggestin’ anythin’ nefarious here. The boy can heal better than those high-level twats at the temple. The people can’t afford that kinda shit. So, I’m simply suggesting a more moderately priced alternative, ya know, for the people.”

  Dwynfel: “I doubt very much that you have the people in mind.”

  Agaroth: “Look, there’s this farming village to the east, right. Posted a request with the guild, leader’s sick, they don’t know what with, quite bad by all accounts. They just want a good healer tae go and see if he can be healed. I was gonnae go myself, but if the boy can heal shit that my normal magic can’t, then I’m thinkin’ that he comes with.”

  Dwynfel: “There is no way he is going anywhere with just you.”

  Agaroth: “I wasnae sayin’ wi’ just me. We can all go. Proper little adventure, like we used tae, just wi’ a new recruit.”

  Dwynfel: “I still don’t like this.”

  Indira: “Dwynfel, Svampe is an adult now. He can make his own decisions.”

  Dwynfel: “Sorry… Svampe… how do you feel about this?”

  Svampe looked unsure… well… it is hard to tell… I can only really see half his face because of the hood.

  Svampe: “I think… I think that I should do something with this power. I want to help people.”

  Agaroth: “Reet, that settles it then, come morning, we set the fuck off.”