Chapter 36: The Island (1/2)

Jason regained consciousness on a cushioned table, like an examination table in a doctor’s office. He’d been stripped down to his boxer shorts and his skin was covered in healing unguent.

“I think I’m weirdly getting used to this.”

“To getting knocked out?” Jory asked. He was at a sink, washing out empty potion vials and placing them on a drying rack.

“It’s been a rough couple of weeks,” Jason said.

“Two acolytes of the god of healing, beating someone unconscious, though,” Jory said. “That’s unusual.”

“Not for me,” Jason said. “It’s mostly been cultists, but generally religious figures of one stripe or another.”

Jason groaned as he shoved his legs off the table, pushing himself up to a sitting position. He looked around what he assumed was the inside of Jory’s clinic, which was surprisingly similar to a medical exam room from his own world. Tiles and cabinets; clean, white surfaces. There was a plain chair next to the exam table, with his clothes folded neatly on it, along with a towel.

“Is that for me?” he asked.

“I put the ointment on you,” Jory said. “You can wipe it off yourself. You know, goading those two into kicking the snot out of you was the single dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. But what really impressed me was that you immediately topped it by standing up and doing it again. They weren’t mucking about that second time, either. The one you dumped paint on kicked you square in the head.”

“I don’t remember that,” Jason said.

“It was kind of a passing shot as they left,” Jory said. “I think you were already out.”

“Harsh,” Jason said. “I’ve been knocked out a lot this last week.”

“I believe you,” Jory told him. “You owe me for the healing potion I tipped down your throat, by the way. And two tins of healing ointment I used for the bruising.”

“No worries,” Jason said. “That’s actually why it wasn’t a stupid thing to do.”

Jory placed the last potion vial on a drying rack.

“This I want to hear,” he said, turning around to face Jason.

“Well, if someone beats you up, there’s healing potions,” Jason said.

“If you have the money,” Jory said.

“Valid point,” Jason acknowledged, “but in my case I do. Which means I can take a beating and the repercussions don’t last so long.”

“I don’t know about the rest of it,” Jory said, “but I will admit you can take a beating.”

“If you stay quiet when you wished you’d said something,” Jason said, “that regret builds up. Starts eating you from the inside, and there’s no potion for that.”

“Sure there is,” Jory said. “It’s called liquor. Another alchemist friend of mine has a distillery not too far from here.”

“That’s not a cure,” Jason said. “That’s setting yourself on fire to ward off the cold.”

“I’m not sure you're the guy I’m going to for advice about consequences,” Jory said.

“Probably for the best,” Jason said with a laugh. “Are you going to catch any blowback because I took those blokes on?”

“It’ll be fine,” Jory said. “I’m a member of the Adventure Society and the Alchemist Association. They’re only low-level acolytes making trouble, so there’s only so far they’ll take things. If you’d actually given them a beating instead of the other way around, though, their higher-ups might have gotten involved. I don’t have the influence to push back against that. I’m just glad you weren’t stupid enough to use your essence abilities.”

“I figured it was bar fight rules,” Jason said. “It’s all fun and games until someone pulls a knife.”

“I’ve never been in a bar fight,” Jory said.

“Me either,” Jason admitted. “I just heard that somewhere.”

Jory shook his head.

“You’re a crazy person,” he said.

“The odds are pretty good, yeah.”

“Luckily, they got to stomp you into the ground, which should make them feel like they’ve accomplished something. Hopefully, they won’t be back for a while.”

“That’s why you didn’t step in to help me?”

“Help you? I almost stepped in to help them.”

Jason chuckled.

“Lovely. Those two both had iron-rank auras. Were they part of the Adventure Society?”

“Maybe,” Jory said. “The Adventure Society doesn’t put restrictions against membership in any other legitimate organisation.”

“Religions count as legitimate?” Jason asked.

“What is wrong with your head?” Jory asked.

“The bit on the front is too handsome,” Jason said. “I don’t suppose you could point me in the direction of the Adventure Society? I came here to sign up, after all.”

Jason wandered through the streets of Old City, stopping every now and again to buy something from a street stall.

Special attack [Chittle Kebab] has inflicted [Food Poisoning] on you.You have resisted [Food Poisoning].[Food Poisoning] does not take effect.You have gained an instance of [Resistant].

“Food poisoning?”

Combat Log

You have been afflicted with normal-rank poison [Food Poisoning].Iron rank gives you increased resistance to normal-rank afflictions.Ability [Sin Eater] gives you increased resistance to all afflictions.You have resisted [Food poisoning].Resisting an affliction has triggered ability [Sin Eater], granting you an instance of [Resistant].

“Sin eater. I’m really starting to like this ability.”

Jason looked at the food in his hand, then at the resistant buff icon, then back at the kebab.