Fan Fiction ❯ Healer #1 Healer in the Dark ❯ Healer in the dark ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter#1:Healer In The Dark

Millicene was a healer. As such she was welcomed any place that she chose to go. She had always been considered the bravest of her classmates at healers. She chose to go where no normally sane person would go. When asked why she simply replied, "They have a need. I can fulfill it." So she packed her things. Once she tied the thongs that held her pack closed a little tighter she left behind the room that had been her home for well over a decade, and began the long trek to her new place of employment. An escort met her at the border. "Pleased are we to have a healer for once!" The Captain informed her.

Millicene kept her glances discrete but she looked at him carefully anyway. This was the first Orc she had seen outside a book. She found little to object about in her scrutiny of his person. Orcs didn't smell ether, or at least not smell badly. Their scent was a rather pleasant scent of spice and musk. The head of her escort was obviously a being that thought highly of personal hygiene. His horns were large and vigorously polished, his armor had received just the same treatment, and his ebony colored skin glowed with good health that spoke of a diet well balanced with proper nutrition. His underlings were a little less flashy in appearance, but seemed equally well fed and groomed.

As she checked off malnutrition as a serious problem among the warrior class of Orcs she missed a step and nearly fell to her knees. She was saved from serious injury by the second in command. He snatched her by the belt and hauled her upright. "Dream when you are asleep. Watch ones step now revered healer." He cautioned her in heavily accented common. She smiled at him in thanks and paid greater attention to where she placed her feet after that.

The dark kingdoms were all ruled over by their various people, but held in alliance to one overlord, a High King of sorts. He had chosen, much to the delight of the Orcs, to make his capitol in their homeland. Several of the other dark races had been miffed at this for a while, but according to her politics instructor they had gotten over it. The sorcerer who was overlord now had merely wished to live above ground. The Orcs were one of the few dark races that shared his peculiarity and so he had his Palace built next to the home of their King in their one major city. It was to this major city that she was going.

"The healer's hut was in poor repair. We never expected to have healer again the way things were going. While it is being fixed you will have a place at unit headquarters." The Captain informed her. His lieutenant handed her a piece of jerked meat to gnaw on. The group didn't stop for midday mealtime, but ate while moving. It had taken her a few days to get used to this but now she was quite accustomed to it.

She took out one of her fruit filled oatcakes and broke it in to pieces giving everyone a small bit. The Orcs had first been suspicious of this unusual trail ration, but they adapted to it readily. The unit food master had even insisted to know how it was made. Millicene had agreed to show him once she had settled into her place at unit headquarters.

Three more days brought them into sight of the river that wound its way through this region of the dark lands. It was the halfway point in their journey according to the Captain. He looked pleased about something. When she inquired he gestured towards a dark blur just about at the horizon. "Loreval, and many of them. Loreval are very good to eat." Was his reply. That he could even see them to know well enough what they were proved her theory that the larger eyes of an Orc gave them both superior day and night vision. He could see like a hawk during the day and like an owl at night.

"Healer doesn't mind if we bring back more food for tribe?" asked the Captain? "No problem. I suppose those who haven't already died from injury and illness will be able to hold on a bit longer. After all it's for the greater good and so the children have full bellies. Correct?" He nodded and she sat down her pack to prepare. Out of a small loop on one side she took her bowstring. Then she bent her supple walking staff into its true form as a longbow. Then she put her pack back on her back with the attached quiver opened so she would be able to reach her arrows.

The fletching master had been pleased with her to say the least. She always made swift flying well-formed hunting arrows. The Orcs were impressed when she said that these had been made by her hand. They would be even more impressed when she showed them that she could use them.

They moved swiftly into a gully that led up the side of a step slope. Once they reached he top the herd of Loreval were already halfway through the larger canyon that had been formed in ages past by a river that had later changed it's course. They were moving swiftly so as soon as the end of the herd came in site she aimed at the head of a stag that seemed to be most ancient. Its meat would be good though. She let fly as he passed underneath their position. Her arrow and those of the Three Orcs who had taken up hunting bow flew and all four struck their targets dead on.

After climbing back down, around the gorge to reach the canyon they found their prey as yet untouched by scavengers, although several vultures were circling the area already. The Orcs ran up and snatched all four beasts off the ground. The huge herbivores had to weigh close to a quarter of a ton each yet the hunters carried them easily. Hers was the largest Millicene noted with some pride. It was close to seven hundred pounds. One look made her glad that she had shot the thing for even in death it looked to have a mean temper.

The Captain was the only one strong enough to carry her Loreval, and he grunted with the effort of getting it up and settled across his broad shoulders. "You will have meat all winter healer. You will also have hides to make fine boots, belts and coat for winter besides!" He commented his breath coming easy now that he had lifted the thing into an better carrying position. They fled before the more dangerous scavengers could find the scent of blood on the wind.

Millicene was impressed by his strength. Obviously her eyes gave it away, as was their habit. He grinned boldly at her flexed once by way of showing off. Then his show was ended by bone chilling howls that caused them all pick up the pace and run. The predators of the region had detected spilled blood and death on the wind.

They were being pursued by something so deadly that even the Orcs feared it. With the howling of the things screaming in her ears she ran as hard and as fast as she could. Still it appeared she wasn't going to be able to outrun the pack. The Orc lieutenant saw this and picked her up. He carried her like he would a Loreval carcass. Tossed over his shoulders, though she weighed far less.

Her dignity suffered a bit that day. She was used to being self sufficient and able to defend her person from all comers. Obviously she had slipped several places down on the food chain when she crossed the border. The things that the Captain had informed her were the 'Wolves Most Dire' were yet pursuing them at the end of the day so the Orcs kept running. At dawn these extraordinary beings were starting to reach their limits. Perhaps they could run another three or four hours.

"Use the Trumpet!" The Captain commanded. One of his men sped up and ran beside him. He took from the Captain's belt a heavy war trumpet. It was black enameled and inlayed with silver and electric blue filigree patterns. The Orcish Pictograms that meant 'Spirit Rider' was carved into one side.

The Orc dropped behind and blew a summoning revelry on the ancient war trumpet. It was such an eerie sound that chills went all up and down her spine. "Wise is the heart that fears the call of the spirit rider trumpet." Quoted one of the Orcs. She all of a sudden remembered her lessons on the less common races of darkness.

"Dark Riders are coming?" She inquired with a worried tone. The Orc Captain grinned at her. "A legion of them to deal with the pack on our trail. What? Do the legends of the Undead beings of darkness frighten you healer?" He asked teasingly. She scowled blackly at him. That scowl had turned the stomachs of many of her younger classmates. She had even made a young healer cry once with that very deadly scowl. Obviously Orcs were made of sterner stuff then healer trainees. Not only did her scowl lack its customary sting, it actually amused him!

He laughed hoarsely his throat dry from so much running in the desert climate of the dead plains. She pulled from her pack a canteen of water still kept cold by minor magical charms. He drank half the contents in a few quick gulps before returning it to her. She in turn took a small drink before passing it down to the lieutenant, who finished the water.

An hour later the eerie sound of the trumpet echoed through the small valley they were running through. She was again on her own feet her exhaustion having abated somewhat. Millicene focused on the direction of the sound her own vision could not detect anything so far but a dark cloud. However her companions looked, then whooped with joy. "Incoming Dark Riders Captain!" One barked joyously. "I see them Icarzi. Relax and slow to a lope everyone. We are reinforced now. The wolves will be driven away." The Captain spoke in confident tones.

He knew well what would occur but Millicene was astonished by the reaction of the relentless predators. The two score Undead on wraith horses the color of bone and darkness landed after having rode across the very sky. They spoke in some archaic form of dark tongue to the Orc Captain who answered with what seemed to be a ritual response. "Agreed then Captain. Give us the carcasses and the healer. We will convey them all to the great city and drive off the wolves as well. His majesty is eager to meet the healer who is brave enough to serve her very first posting here." The lead wraith rider said in easy common.

Millicene mounted up before him and all the carcasses were spread out among the beasts that had strength to bear them. Ten other wraith riders formed a line of battle, marching slowly in the direction of the coming wolves. The smell of unclean death and incomplete demise curled into the beast's nostrils and they halted as one. Then began backing away in fear. Millicene spoke enough wolf-speak to know what they said as they turned to retreat, slinking off into the canyons of their range.

'Dark ones have come. These are their prey. We give freely to them what is theirs so we do not become prey!' They whimpered and then they fled. Millicene sighed in relief as the horses stepped off the rock-strewn land and into the air. She was very tired of running, walking and all modes of transport that used her own two feet. Even riding with an Undead warrior as immortal as time was better then having to walk another step with her weary limbs. She was so tired that she actually fell asleep in the arms of the Undead Captain.

Exhausted even though she slept the whole way she woke to a cold caress of her forehead. The hand of the Undead Captain, ungloved and thus capable of reading her thoughts as she did a book! She knocked that hand away and snarled a string of imprecations at him in that ancient dialect he had used with the Orcs, proving that the link had been a two-way thing.

"Do you even know what terrible things you just said to me little healer?" He asked. His tone held amusement at her swiftness of thought. "The connection had yet to fully form before it was broken and you were skilled enough to take my swear words from me and put them in the most insulting of orders!" She nodded for that had indeed been her intent.

His soft chuckle warmed her in spite of the return of his ungloved hand. "My King insists that I learn if you are a spy or not. If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear." His soft voice breathed in her ear. "I hide nothing and have no secrets." Millicene answered confidently. Which he soon discovered to be true. They were near to the city when he finished probing her mind. She came out of the strange mental linking and inhaled slightly. Just as she had thought she smelled a magical wound on her new acquaintance.

She dismounted on a high balcony from which she could finally see the city. From above it was concealed by thick black clouds that crackled with lightning and boomed with thunder. She was glad that she had been deep into the joining of minds with the Undead Captain during the passage through the clouds. Otherwise the lightning bolts zinging past her head mere inches away would have horrified her.

She had learned however that the bolts were magical, and as the Captain understood it, they only struck enemies of the High King who braved the clouds. The other dark warriors had flown off to their headquarters. Leaving her with their leader to escort her into the presence of the King.

Millicene was very calm, unnaturally so. She asked and was reassured that this was a side effect of the joining of minds. Her emotions would be numb for a time and then the effect would slowly wear off. Relieved, but only mildly so, she continued her leisurely stroll through the halls of the High King's Palace. Had he not been Undead her escort would have seemed the perfect gentleman. She observed this one of her prejudices from the distance of her numbed emotions. After taking a good look, she decided that they were of no use so she would disregard them all from this very moment in time.

He led her through the darkened halls and past the multihued glowing torches that lit ether side of twin golden doors. These he pushed open with apparent ease, though they had to weigh several tons apiece. She was impressed again by the strength of one of the dark peoples. As she walked past him into the presence of the High King she spoke softly, "Come to see me after I have settled in Dark Rider. I can mayhap heal that wound" Then it was ended and she was before the King.

It was foolish of her, but up to this point she had the feeling that she could turn around and say she had changed her mind. Now that delusion dissolved. The High King stepped down off his throne and came to where she knelt on the cold stone floor. "Have you the token?" Millicene reached inside her tunic and pulled free a globe locket made of brass wire. She clicked it open and out spilled the token of her mistress teacher.

It was a smooth orb of glass the size of a child's marble. Within the token was a streak of color exactly like the master healers robes, which happened to be bright orange, or bright green as dictated by discipline. Her teacher had been an orange robe, a healer who used mostly potions and concoctions to heal, having little of the healer's gift.

It glowed green with healer power though, taken from the great storage stones under the healers' main hall. This was the source of greater healing magic for all that could draw upon it. Her teacher had used this to engrave a message made of illusion to send to the High King. He took it, and being familiar with message orbs of all shapes and sizes, he immediately activated it.

"Well I see my most precocious of students made it to your capitol unscathed. This is a most good thing. Now it is up to you to see she stays that way." The voice of the middle aged woman in orange healer's robes spoke softly in his ear. "Upon her line is a curse that none know of save myself and now I will tell you that she might be informed. I truly didn't have the heart to tell her before she departed. See to it that she doesn't fall in love with a human, elf, or dwarf my dear High King.

For if she conceives a child first with any of those races she is doomed to die in the bearing. I believe that dark elves are exempted from the curse. Its castor would be amused to see the daughter of my childhood friend with such a being. Knowing her as I do I am certain that whomever gets her with child the first time she will bind herself to for life or longer. At least that is likely if she is even moderately fond of the person in question. Please tell Millicene. Give her the orb as well. I have a few parting thoughts that I have enclosed for her." Then the tiny image disappeared.

"There is a message for you in this as well Millicene. Then we must have words before you go to your temporary quarters." He softly spoke. Her nerves were still numb from his Dark Rider's mind probe. She didn't jump in shock at the power of his voice. He had cultivated it to have such an effect and belatedly she realized this was so. "Sorry about that Your Majesty. I don't seem to be in possession of all of my faculties just yet." His soft chuckling laughter met her ears, and then went silent as she activated the message from her old teacher.

"Dearest Student. You have made me very proud by choosing this most difficult of roads. I can not even begin to express my joy at how well you have turned out. Your mother would have been proud. I have given some information and some directions to the King for you. Obey these wishes of mine. I seek only your good in these matters. Take care child of my heart." Then her old teacher was gone.

The orb disintegrated in her palm, its work and thus its energy spent. "Now I will inform you of the matters at hand that concern you, my little healer." The King spoke. This time his voice did startle her. The numbness of heart was wearing off. His amused chuckled echoed once more through the massive throne room. "It has been brought to my attention that those of your mother's line are cursed, you in particular. This is a most devious killer curse. You must not, on peril of your life, conceive a child with any of the three major light bearer races. You are permitted to associate with no dwarves, nor elves and especially not a human man for you my little healer. I hope you understand. I would find it rather embarrassing to have to inform you in precise terms what I mean." He told her.

She laughed mirthlessly. "My old teacher must have thought that mother died before informing me of the curse. I can assure you that all the details and specifics are burned into the backs of my eyelids. I know well those lovers forbidden to me if I should wish to live. Thank you though for being such a brave bearer of bad news. I well appreciate it. If there is nothing else your majesty I am tired out and would like to make my bed and fall into it." Millicene spoke softly.

"I have one last concern my little healer and then you may take yourself to bed. I wish to put guard on you at all times. Not all of my peoples are well behaved when hurt or sick. I should hate to lose you and have to wait another century to get another healer. However I will not press upon you any that you can not in daily activities associate with. So I would have you pick your guardians. With the option to dismiss them if they prove untenable." The High King intoned gravely. Obviously he considered the matter of great importance.

"First guard should be the Undead fellow there. Seeing as how I will be healing him of his wounds as soon as I am done here anyway." She said with a jerk of her head to indicate the waiting Captain of the Dark Riders. "You are wounded my old friend?" The King inquired of the Captain. The Captain came and kneeled beside Millicene. "I received a few minor slashes during the recent conflict with the rogue magicker. Nothing overly serious, except that they are being stubborn in refusing to heal. The healer has offered to correct the problem if it is within her ability to do so. That is all."

Millicene nodded at his precise speech. It was exactly as he said it was. "Tell me my little healer, how it was that you detected the wounds when I myself have not, and I have known this one for nearly twelve millennia?" The King inquired? "I smelled the scent of open wounds on him Majesty. My keen nose has become quite an asset to me in my chosen avocation." Came her reply. "Take him with you then and see to him. Long standing is our friendship and it would sit ill with me should aught happen to him when I sent him to fight." Then with a wave of dismissal their audience with the King was over.

The Captain lead her out of the hall and turning to the left made a long spiral assent up a magical stairway. It only went upwards to the balcony where they had left his mount. Anyone who tried to climb down the stairs would find them un-solid and plummet ten stories to their deaths, or so he informed her. Millicene was inclined to believe it. She had seen so many magical wonders in her brief time in this land already that she was sure little would shock her. She had no idea what fate had waiting for her around the corner.