Chapter 83: Clearing the Air (2/2)
Not fully understanding, but getting the basic gist of it, Mike felt utterly humbled by his friends words. For the second time tonight, he new what it meant to have true comrades.
”Hey Morris, I'm going to hit the hay here soon. Before you go, meet me in the room. I've got something for you.”
”I'm flattered, but I don't swing that way.” He replied with a smirk.
Giving the bard a flat glare, Mike continued, ”Look, just come with me. Its important, and there are too many prying eyes here.”
”Alright, alright.”
The pair paid their tab and headed upstairs.
”So, what did you need?” Morris asked once Mike had closed the door.
”I need you to hold still for a second, and stay quiet, so I can concentrate.” He grabbed the stub of Morris's arm, and focused an intense amount of mana into it. A pure white glow filled the room, and it felt as if the very air was vibrating from the display of power.
The light quickly subsided leaving them squinting in the new darkness.
Morris blinked and looked down at his hands...both of his hands. The stub had become a fully functional limb.
”H.....How?” He asked, feeling tears prickling at the edges of his eyes.
”I managed to level up my Healing Magic to the point I can do some pretty crazy stuff. Don't ask me how it got to that point. Its a story in itself.” Mike replied with a sigh. The amount of mana this had required was pretty crazy as well.
[I've still got plenty of room for improvement, I guess.]
”I don't.....I can't....” Tears were now streaming down his face.
With a tired smile, Mike patted his friend on the shoulder. ”Its not much, compared to how much I owe you, but think of it as the first installment of my repayment.”
Finally regaining a little control over his emotions, Morris shook his head. ”If anything, I owe you now. Do you know how much a healer would charge for something like this? And that's not even counting how difficult it would be to find someone capable of it.”
”Meh, details. It didn't cost me much besides some mana.”
A companionable silence fell for a few moments.
”I can't thank you enough, Mike.” He held up his newly restored arm. It was fresh and pink, like the skin under a scab. ”I hadn't even dreamed.....”
”Don't worry about it, man. We're friends. Its the least I could do.”
Morris nodded his agreement, before giving Mike a mock suspicious look. ”This isn't because you just found out I'm going to be fantastically wealthy is it?”
”I fully plan on taking advantage of that as much as possible.”
The pair shared a laugh, before shaking hands.
”You take care of yourself out there, Mike. Nobles can be truly vicious to those they see as weaker than themselves. Don't get caught up in something messy while you are studying there.”
”Yeah, I'll try to keep my head down, but knowing my luck I'll get stuck int the middle of a coup attempt and end up saving a princess or something.”
”Don't joke about that. I could really see that happening with you around. Anyway, I'll see you around.”
”See ya, Morris.” He replied as the other man left. Mike had a strange feeling he wouldn't be seeing his friend for awhile.
Despite the melancholy he felt following the parting, Mike was excited about his next adventure.
After a short trip by boat, he'd be in the capital, living the high life, and studying in the most prestigious center of learning in this part of the world.
What could go wrong?
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Standing at the prow of the ship, Mike stood with his hands on his hips. ”Ah, nothing quite like the nautical life. The fresh air, the wide open spaces. Yes, if I had to go back and do it all over again, I think I would want to be a sailor.”
”That's all well and good, but do you think you could help out with the situation here.” Brenden chimed in while hacking at another of the tentacles that were seeking to crush the ship. He nearly slipped on the rain-slicked deck.
The massive sea creature, or lake creature since they hadn't even made it to the channel leading to the ocean yet, resembled a giant squid grown to titanic proportions. The periodic flashes of lightning displayed its massive beak-shaped mouth that was working angrily, or perhaps hungrily.
”WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!” One of the other passengers was yelling.
”Get those cannons loaded! Blow that blasted thing back to the depths that spawned it.” The burly first mate screamed. After a short delay, he followed it with a simple, ”FIRE!”
A concussive wave of sound and smoke crashed over the deck, as the broadside was unloaded, point blank into the creature's midsection. Howling in pain, it began to thrash the ship with its tentacles. It was wounded, but not yet dead.
”Captain! There's a waterspout incoming off the port bow! What are your orders?” Another sailor called.
”Haha, batten the hatches. Full sail! We're going to ride the wind!”
”That's insane!”
”There be only one thing I fear. No overgrown squid or spinning water going to stop Captain Bont. Now, full speed ahead!”
[Yep, what could go wrong?] Mike thought, rain disguising his tears of frustration.