Lament of the Slave

Chapter 20: Distraction

Soothing Touch? What was that? According to the cabinet and the small bottle of white liquid which the man took from it, I knew it was a potion. I wasn't stupid. It was its effects I knew nothing about that worried me.

My experience with potions was not pleasant.

These experiences were associated with my body's mutations because I got the potions from my "master". They helped my body better accept the mutations, speed up the changes themselves, or amplify the essence's effect. That usually meant more pain. I never got a potion just to help me. When I didn't want to drink it, Dungreen simply ordered me to do so.

Therefore, despite the name of the potion that the man in a white medical version of the guard's uniform brought to my bed, I had an aversion to it.

The healer probably saw the fear in my eyes because he smiled, "You don't have to be afraid, lass. That potion has basically the same effect as my skill I'm using right now."

"...and that is?" I asked in a weak voice.

"Calm your body, your mind. Without it, you would shake like a leaf now. You would cry, possibly scream like a madwoman," the healer explained, not taking his hand off my shoulder. He looked thoughtfully away, then added, "... I've seen many cases of mind attacks in my career, most of them looking worse than you. Some tried to scratch their eyes out, bitten off their tongues, or pull their hair out. We had to tie these patients to bed so they would not harm themselves."

That was terrible and something I didn't want to hear right now. Was he really a doctor? I mean, a healer? He should tell me I'll be fine, even if it's a lie.

When I thought about it a little, I realized that he was probably trying to tell me that. In his strange way, he was telling me I could have turned out much worse, that I would be fine.

"It won't cure you, but it will calm you down," he said, showing the man with the potion to approach.

I couldn't help but have doubts, but I drank the potion with their help. Hmm, the first potion I drank outside the basement didn't taste as bad as I thought it would. I was expecting a bitter liquid that would burn in my throat. Contrary to my expectations, the potion cooled my throat, and its taste wasn't so bad either. The taste was hard to describe, maybe just a little minty?

Anyway, I didn't feel any effect after drinking it.

I looked at the healer and asked, "How will I know it works?"

"You won't right now," he replied with a smile, "but I will. It usually takes a minute or two. Just relax."

It was easy for him to say, but it was much harder to stop thinking about everything that had happened. I didn't want to think about it, but all that happened brought back many memories from the time of my captivity, which I tried to forget.

I tried to think of the virgin mountains I loved, the silence, the clean air, the breathtaking views of the landscape. Unfortunately, Dungreen and Agen Hal were there with me. In my happy place.

"All right, lass. The potion has started to work," the healer said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

He removed his hand from my shoulder and immediately began stretching his arm.

"Are you okay?" asked the man who had brought the potion. I looked at him, thinking he was asking me. But the man was looking at the healer.

"Nah," the healer shrugged, stretching his arm. "...got cramps in my arm. I'm not as young as I used to be."

Really? It was a few minutes at most. Plus, wasn't he a healer? He had to have some skill to help him with the cramps.

The healer grinned, "I know what you're thinking, lass!"