81 – Hands and Eyes

Kator, like any city worth its name, hosted a temple dedicated to Fanon. Like any temple dedicated to the god of life, it was a simple hospital building. No ornaments, no fanfare. Just a building with brown clay walls and a grey-tiled pointed roof that blended perfectly with the rest of Kator. If not for the waiting line, Alexandra wouldn’t have found it.

Willow dragged her there, and while they waited for her turn, Alexandra summoned her journal.

Inflict Weakness 7 -> 8

Sure Footing 8 -> 9

Combat Sense 8 -> 9

Giant Slayer 1 -> 2

It was hard to say exactly how much Giant Slayer had contributed to her victory. The Thunder Vipers’ scales hadn’t offered much resistance against her blade. Not that they had been difficult to curse with Inflict Weakness. But Alexandra was aware that she wasn’t just any Iron ranker. Whether it was her attributes or her skills, they were much higher than they should be for her level. Likely to the point she had already surpassed many people at the Bronze rank.

While this fight hadn’t been a walk in the park, it couldn’t compare to what she lived through in Esmera. Hell, even her fights out in the plains had been harder.

Hunt a Thunder Viper (1/1) -> Quest Completed: +10 exp, +1 STR, Skill Quest Unlocked: Sword Mastery.

Daily Quest Streak: 26 -> 27

She smiled. That skill quest was precisely what she set out to acquire. Well, aside from an extra day to her streak, but that part went without saying.

Alexandra flipped the pages of her journal, landing on both the skill description and the skill quest.

Sword Mastery:

Improve your ability to manipulate a sword.

Each level increases proficiency.

Sword Mastery: Using a non-enchanted sword, slice through a log in one strike (0/1).

The skill description was of no surprise to her. As for the quest, it seemed doable. Sharp sword, small log, thirty-one points of strength. But the system wouldn’t give her a trivial quest. The requirement was one strike, which she knew was harder than it seemed.

“Come on. It’s our turn.” Willow pulled her out of her journal. Alexandra dispelled it and followed Willow’s gaze.

Standing in the doorway, a small priestess was looking at her wide-eyed.

Oh, yeah.

It had slipped her mind. Unlike Tash’s clergy, Fanon’s priests could receive their classes before the Platinum rank. Bamir had been Silver, like all the Hands in Baleria except their leader.

So that priestess knew. Perhaps not her exact identity, but she knew about her divine class.

“Are you alright?” Willow asked. “My friend here got bitten by a Thunder Viper.”

“Thu—Thunder Viper?” the priestess said, her eyes refusing to leave Alexandra’s face.

Alexandra nodded slowly. “Yes. Can I come in?”

“Ah. Yes. My apologies, miss.” The priestess stepped aside. “Please come inside. I’ll go fetch the branch head.”

Willow frowned. “For a Thunder Viper bite? That species isn’t venomous.”

“It’s…” The priestess finally looked at Willow, noticed her white robe, then back at Alexandra. “It’s true. But—”

Alexandra sighed. “Look, I just want to get my arm fixed. Take me to the branch head if you need to, but let’s get over it.”

The priestess nodded. “Follow me.”

They stepped into the hospital. Willow gave Alexandra a look.

They climbed up the stairs to the second floor, then the third, and arrived in front of a door. The priestess knocked. A man’s voice invited them in.

She opened the door.

The room was small, with a single window opening to the roof of the neighboring building. A cabinet with a myriad of small drawers took the far wall. An old man was sitting at his desk in the middle of the room, head down in some paperwork, leaving them to see his bald spot.

His beard was long, white.

He looked up, adjusted his glasses, and his eyes bore into Alexandra.

“Cia, I trust you know to keep silent.”

The priestess nodded.

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“Then you can return to work.”

She left, closing the door behind her.

“Miss Alexandra,” the head said. “I didn’t expect you so soon.”

Willow raised an eyebrow and looked at her. Alexandra gave a weak smile in answer.

“Let’s not beat around the bush,” she said. “I’m just here for healing and didn’t intend on bothering you, sir..?”

“You can call me Rismer. I’m the head of our Kator branch. Ruby rank, to be thorough with the introduction.”

Alexandra took a glance at Willow, who looked utterly confused, if not baffled, at how the conversation was going.

She coughed. “Pleased to meet you. I believe you already know me, but I’m Alexandra.”

Rismer nodded, and his gaze moved over to her arm. “Thunder Viper bite. I see.” He waved his hand. The wound disappeared. “There. Anything else?”

“Can you heal her scars?” Willow asked.

“For a price,” Rismer said. He met Alexandra’s gaze. “I believe my Balerian colleague made that clear.”

Alexandra nodded. “He did.”

“A shame, what happened there. What was left of the local Hands made it out safely, if you must know.”

“Unlike the rest of the city.”

“A shame. As I said,” Rismer said, his expression unchanged.

Willow looked between the two. “How much?”

“For her scars? Nothing you can’t afford, Miss Dumries.”