Chapter 14
When wounds do not heal quickly
Chanyeol and Kris saw it when TOP and Sulli entered the Inn carrying Minho. Kris and Chanyeol were fast to help. They laid Minho to the bed.
The Hafic leaders and Sunny were led by Master Cha to the other room they rented.
“Kris, I need you to get me a messenger pigeon to the Palace.” said Master Cha
“I’ll look for one now.” Said Kris. Kris left the room immediately.
“Chanyeol, get the healer from the next room.” Said Master Cha
“But Master, if we get her help, she would think that we really need her in the group.” Said Chanyeol
Sulli closed her eyes and stood up.
“We do not know the extent of damage on Minho’s body. We need a healer as soon as possible. And she is the fastest one we could get now.” Said Sulli
“There is no time to waste. Go and get her Chanyeol.” Said Master Cha
Chanyeol left the room.
Minho is almost unconscious then. Sulli’s heart is being gripped….
Looking at Minho…the flesh in his back almost visible because of the deep burns…
Sulli closed her eyes tight…Please make him all right…
And then Yoona entered the room with Chanyeol.
Yoona saw Minho on the bed and was quick to go beside him…
“What happened?” asked Yoona
“Sorcerer fire hit him several times.” Said Sulli
“Sorcerer fire…” Yoona opened the box she asked Chanyeol to bring.
“I need boiling water now.” Commanded Yoona. Sulli ran out to get that.
“I also need Sunflower leaves.” Said Yoona
“I’ll get that.” Said Chanyeol
“I’ll go with you.” Said TOP
Yoona was left with Master Cha and Minho.
“Can you leave us for a while please?” asked Yoona
“Is there something we are not allowed to see?” asked Master Cha
“No…nothing…it’s just that I can’t concentrate when someone is watching.” Said Yoona.
Master Cha nodded and left the room.
“Now we have time alone together.” Said Yoona.
Yoona lifted Minho up to a sitting position. She took some oil and put some on her hands. She chanted something and then pour a green slimy thing on her hands. She then went to message the burnt skin on Minho’s back…arms….shoulder.
Minho opened his eyes…something felt cold on his back. Then he felt hands moving on it.
Minho grabbed the hand.
Human.
“I told you not to go near me.” Said Minho
“Why would I not? You’re wounded. And I’m a healer.”
The voice is different. Minho looked back…a sudden pain shot up his back.
“Careful.” Said Yoona
So the human is not Sulli…But the healer from earlier.
“You have deep burns….No wonder they all looked worried. You’ll be in bed for days…or weeks.” Said Yoona
“No…I can’t.” said Minho
“Your body will not give you a choice.” Said Yoona.
Yoona took dried roots from her box and started grinding them into powder.
“I heal fast.” Said Minho
“Sorcerer fire is tricky…it stops muscles and bones to regenerate for a long time. For humans it often stops regeneration completely. But of course…you are not human.” Said Yoona “That is not to say you will heal fast though.”
Yoona sprinkled the powder all over the affected part of Minho’s back.
“Why are you healing me?” asked Minho “Aren’t you afraid of what I am?”
Yoona smiled “Since the time you rescued me…I felt no fear anymore…just interest…I just want to know more about you. I just want to be around you…there is no space for fear anymore.”
Minho looked at Yoona.
“You did not make sense at all.” Said Minho
“One day…you would also speak something that does not make sense to the ear…but will make sense to the heart.” Said Yoona “Let’s hope that once you get to say those words…it’s for a human like me, all right?”
Yoona helped Minho to lie down.
“The pain subsided right?” asked Yoona
Minho nodded.
“Good. Tomorrow morning we have to repeat the procedure until the wounds close.” Said Yoona.
Minho nodded again.
“I will stay around until you get well… I maybe human…but I’m a healer who can heal anything…even the most vicious of beasts…especially if the beast is someone who captured my heart.” Said Yoona
And then Sulli barged in the room carrying a pot of hot water.
“Here! boiling water!” said Sulli
Sulli placed the pot on the table. And then she looked at Yoona and Minho on the bed. Yoona’s face is just inches from Minho’s…they looked intimate…
Sulli gulped and looked back at the pot.
Why does it feel like a wound is aching in her chest? Did she get hit there too?
Yoona rolled her eyes. “This girl just killed our moment.” Said Yoona
Yoona stretched to stand straight.
“Get a cloth and use the water to cleanse the unaffected area.” Said Yoona
“Unaffected area…so this is not for the wounds?” asked Sulli
Yoona smiled. “Nope…I just wanted to have time alone with Minho.” Said Yoona
What?! Sulli’s hand closed to a fist. What is this crazy woman thinking!!! At a time like this?! She can still think of her flirtations?!
Yoona left the room chuckling.
Sulli took a deep breath…Minho is lying down with his eyes closed.
Sulli took a cloth from her sackbag. She put the cloth on the water and then sat beside Minho.
“I’m…going to wash your arm.” Said Sulli
Sulli gently placed the cloth on Minho’s arm and them slowly cleaned him. Sulli tried not to go near the affected areas.
“Thank you.” Said Minho
Oh…he’s…Actually Thanking her?
“For healing me…You’re the first healer who has not been scared of me.” Said Minho
Sulli stopped.
The wound in her chest is spreading…it’s like the tip of the dagger was in her chest…but now..the dagger is penetrating deeper and deeper.
Sulli felt her eyes stinging…
Why am I like this?
Sulli shook her head. She continued scrubbing the dirt on Minho’s arm.
Sulli felt a sudden pain on her shoulder . The wound from the fireball that hit her earlier is too painful to ignore.
Sulli put the cloth on her other hand and continued.
Minho felt the difference in the way the healer is washing him. It suddenly became lighter. Minho tried to open his eyes…
When Sulli was done. She stood up.
“Su…lli?” asked Minho
Sulli turned back to Minho. Did he call her name?
“I thought you were Yoona.” Said Minho
How easy was it for him to call Yoona’s name…and yet it took him till now to speak her name.
“She went out earlier.” Said Sulli “Take a rest.”
Sulli went back to the pot and carried it…but her hurt shoulder gave way and the water splashed on the floor. The pot crashed.
Minho’s aching all over but he was able to lift himself up.
Oh man! Sulli tried to gather the pieces of the pot.
But her shoulder is killing her. Sulli touched her shoulder squeezing it…she began panting in pain.
Minho grabbed Sulli’s arm and lifted it so that he could see her shoulder. Her burnt clothe has red marks…blood…
Minho remembered how a fire ball hit Sulli’s shoulder that made her fall earlier.
“You’re hurt. You need to be healed too….Yoona said the sorcery fire…can destroy the part completely…” said Minho
“Yoona?” Sulli chuckled. Bitterness on her tongue. “I don’t need your Yoona.”
Sulli took her arm out of Minho’s grasp and took the pieces of the broken pot. The pain is so intense but nothing beats the pain in her chest.
Minho is confused…his body’s weakness is making him feel all sorts of things…
Is the human angry at him? What did he do? He saved her earlier right? What has gotten into her?
Sulli stood up.
“Get rest. We can’t stay here longer now that we’ve found the Hafic sorcerer we came here for.” Said Sulli
Minho stood up.
“You are mad at me.” Said Minho. “What did I do?”
Sulli stopped suddenly.
“Nothing.” Said Sulli
“So why do I feel that you are angry.” Said Minho
“I…” Sulli closed her eyes… “I’m angry because you hurt yourself. You..shouldn’t have covered for me. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone.” Said Sulli
“You’re angry because someone got hurt in your palace. Shouldn’t you be just thankful instead of angry?” asked Minho
“Just…take a rest and get well fast.” Said Sulli walking out.
Minho saw a piece of the pot Sulli left. He reached for it.
Humans…
Are hard to understand…
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Sulli made it out of the room to the well. Her shoulder is really killing her. And then she felt someone gripped her on her hurt shoulder. Sulli screamed in pain.
“I thought so.” Said TOP “You need to see the healer.”
“I don’t. I don’t need a healer. If she’s the only healer in the world, I’d rather die than to be treated!” said Sulli almost screeching in irritation.
TOP nodded. “You hate her too much. I don’t see her doing anything wrong…” said TOP
“Not doing anything wrong?!” asked Sulli
“Her wrapping her legs around Minho is not wrong you know…As far as I know…both of them are not promised to anyone.” Said TOP
Sulli know TOP is right…but as usual, she’s irritated by his logic.
“If you don’t have your shoulder treated soon…your arm will fall off in the morning.” Said TOP with a very serious tone.
“Sorcerer fire often eats up muscles…sometimes bones. You need to have it treated…”said TOP. “You already slow down the group with all your limbs complete. Just imagine how slow we will get if you lose one of your arm.” Said TOP
Sulli closed her eyes. She’s defeated.
TOP smirked. He can very well guess what’s going on. But he won’t speak about it.
Not yet.
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Sulli knocked on Yoona’s door. Yoona opened it and was grinning at the sight of Sulli.
“I didn’t want to go here…but I might lose an arm so I need your help.” Said Sulli
Yoona opened her door wider to let Sulli in.
Yoona did the same treatment to Sulli was what she did to Minho’s back.
“You should’ve told me as soon as you arrived. This is a very painful burn you crazy girl.” Said Yoona
Sulli has no words to explain herself.
Yoona chuckled. “You hate me, Aye?” asked Yoona “That’s understandable…I asked you out of the group so you are angry at me. But still you shouldn’t have bore the pain this long.”
“Why do you want to join the group?” asked Sulli “You see how wounded we are…we are not like a travelling circus who just go to places to entertain people. WE are onto dangerous things.” Said Sulli
“At first it’s because I’m mesmerized by that warrior Minho…And I still am…” said Yoona
Sulli felt punches to her chest.
“But your group is unique…each individual exudes that strong aura…I know each person is selected…I just feel that your mission is big…and whatever it is, I want to be part of it. I want to help.” Said Yoona
“And you need me. Admit it or not…you need my abilities.” Said Yoona “If your journey is really dangerous…nothing is more convenient than having a healer with you.”
Sulli knows Yoona’s words make sense…they indeed need a healer. The battle with the white dragons injured the circle then…and then this battle with the sorcerer guards injured both her and Minho.
They indeed need a healer…And while they do not have the healer destined to be part of the circle yet…they need someone who has good healing abilities…
And this Yoona seems to be really good.
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“I know you wanted Hafic to be revived…and I understand everyone has been waiting for 10 years…but the Circle has a tighter deadline. The CORE is losing power…the world that we know is decaying bit by bit…” said Master Cha “Not telling us that you are what we seek, has delayed us for a day or 2!” said Master Cha frustrated.
“Hafic needs your help…you saw what happened. We wouldn’t be able to survive that without your help. I wasn’t planning to hide it forever…I just needed your help.” Said Sunny
Sunny’s father spoke up.
“Suengwon is right, Sunny. We can wait for a few more months…Once people learns that a Hafic was part of the Circle…they will not think of the past anymore…the cause of the Circle is bigger than just Hafic…” said Sunny’s father “Now… not only Hafic needs you…but the entire Zaruum needs you…”
“I have written to the palace.” Said Master Cha “Help will be on their way here tomorrow. I have asked for an independent trial committee.”
“That will be helpful so that our voice could be heard.” Said Sunny’s father.
“As soon as Minho is able to walk, we will leave the City.” Said Master Cha
Sunny’s father nodded. “Then lessons starts tonight, Sunny. With no sorcery education what can you do for the circle? But whatever I can teach you on the next few hours, I will.” Said Sunny’s father.
Sunny hugged her father. “We haven’t gotten time together.” Said Sunny
“If you succeed in finding the next bloodline…we’ll have time.” Said Sunny’s father.
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In a room full of high level sorcery leaders, everyone are talking at the same time. The head shouted silencing everyone.
“It seems the Hafic matter has escalated higher and higher. A hundred guards are all rendered useless. Hafic has sought help from the Palace on the person of Cha Suengwon…the legendary knight.” Said the head. “Therefore…we could not ignore them anymore.”
“But Sir…if we allow a fair trial for Hafic…the financial support that the other families are giving us will go away.” Said one
“If we don’t give in to Hafic now…this council will be abolished in no time.” Said the head “That means there is no financial support…no position …no council… no nothing.”
“People would think we are soft on dark sorcery.” Said another.
“If Hafic can prove that they are not involved in dark sorcery, then people would think we treated them wrong the past years.” Said yet another one.
“So be ready then…if they prove that there is no dark sorcery…be prepared…because I’m pretty sure some of the people here will get punished for inflicting suffering to Hafic the past 10 years.” Said the head “You know who you are…once palace gets involve…you know you only have a few hours to stay in the council.”
The council members looked at each other…they very well know who among them are behind the Hafic tragedy…
Their time is up!
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The next day, Yoona is putting medicine on Minho’s back…The wounds are almost healed! Yoona can’t believe it!
He does heal fast…
Minho felt the pain in his back still. The wounds are still there, the white dragon was right that these wounds won’t heal as fast as others.
Sulli opened the door to Minho’s room.
“Oh, there you are.” Said Sulli
“Breaking our moment again?” Said Yoona
“I was looking for you. I should have figured you’ll be in here. I need the medicine on my shoulder too, right?” said Sulli giving a fake smile.
Minho looked at Sulli’s shoulder…Though he can’t see the wound…he knows the human is still in pain…she doesn’t heal quickly…He can see it by Sulli’s repeated squeezing on the arm where her hurt shoulder is.
“You should treat her first.” Said Minho
“You are such a gentleman.” Said Yoona “That’s why I like you more and more.”
Sulli can’t bear listening to Yoona’s words.
“My shoulder is aching like lava has just been poured on it.” Said Sulli between clenched teeth.
Minho’s lips are starting to arc into a grin. He somehow finds it amusing how Sulli looks at the edge.
What is he smiling about?! Does he think what she said is a joke? Does she look joking?
“I think you’re done with me.“ Said Minho
Yoona stood up. “All right, you’re next.” Said Yoona.
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A group of independent trial panel arrived that morning in the sorcery city. They proceeded to the Sorcery council and called for the Hafic leaders. Master Cha joined them. They spent the whole day discussing the evidences and the arguments. By the end of the day, a decision has been made. Hafic will be reinstated to their old position. The council will fund them to rebuild their House. The families and council members who were behind the attack was also determined. They are sentenced in prison and would pay Hafic for the damage they caused. It was a joyful moment.
That night, as soon as Master Cha heard that Minho is able to walk already, they started to prepare for their journey.
“Are you sure you can do it?” asked Yoona holding Minho’s arm.
Minho just nodded.
Sulli is behind the 2…the irritation on her face never left.
Sunny is carrying a heavy book behind her and stood beside Sulli. Sunny noticed Sulli is looking at Yoona and Minho.
Her look is that of a hawk preparing to attack.
“Tsk tsk…this girl is being too obvious.” Thought Sunny
Sunny pinched Sulli’s arm to get her attention.
“Aww….that hurts.” Said Sulli
Minho turned back and looked at Sulli. He is looking all over Sulli. Is he trying to see where she is hurt? Maybe...maybe not.
“Ahhh…what a complicated situation.” Thought Sunny
“Are you hurt again?” Chanyeol was instantly on Sulli’s side
“Huh? Oh nothing…it’s just Sunny pinched me.” Said Sulli
“Hmmm….What a complicated group of people.” Thought Sunny
TOP noticed Sunny looking around.
“What is with this young girl?” thought TOP. "Is she just naturally a curious one?"
“Our next stop is on the Seaside Village.” Said Master Cha
Master Cha, Chanyeol, TOP, Yoona, Sunny, Kris, Minho and Sulli geared up for the days ahead.