We Can Be Heroes ...?

4

Dave's hand jumped up, as though to drag the dagger from his skull, but Mila had already withdrawn it and, to Shion's shock, there was no injury. None that she could see, but something inside her told her that the man stood at the very brink of death. He didn't look it, no-one within the tavern appeared to care, but Shion knew that if she didn't do something, Dave would die.

"No." Mila batted Shion's hand away as she reached toward Dave, to offer him her healing energies. "Can you heal him without touching him? If you can't do that, you're useless to us."

"I ... I think I can, but it won't heal as well. It'll take longer." She frowned, trying to wrench her hand away from Mila. "I think."

"Don't think. Do." Releasing Shion's hand, Mila stepped back, sweeping her hands out as though presenting Dave to her. "Show me what you've got, NPC."

"Go, Shion!" Jova laughed and clapped before resting her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands in barely restrained anticipation.

This was all very strange. Adventurers were nothing like how she had expected them to be. They didn't act with honour, or chivalry. In fact, they appeared to be nothing but gamblers, brawlers and drunkards and she began to doubt any of these people could help her, no matter how much she paid them. Still, her innate sense that someone required her attention almost screamed at her to perform her duty.

Without touching him, Mila had said, and Shion didn't doubt that if she tried to touch the old man, Mila would blockade her attempt and she looked strong enough to stop Shion no matter how hard she tried to pass her. All Shion could do was to try. She reached down, deep into her soul and imagined gathering up her healing energies. She could feel them within herself and, as she thought about it, she could also feel those energies in her hand.

Strong, powerful healing energies that required release but, instead of laying her hands upon an unfortunate soul that needed her help, she needed to release it in a different way. Before the energies became too much for her, she raised her hand toward the ceiling, fingers wide, her palm flat, pointing upward and allowed the energy its freedom.

A ring of brilliant, coruscating yellow light pulsed out from Shion's palm, rolling like a wave in all directions. Where it touched a wall, it passed through as though there were nothing there. When it touched a person, it enveloped them, covering them with the same, rippling yellow light. Several rings pulsed out from her hand until Shion could feel the magical energies receding and she dropped to the bench, exhausted, her head drooping toward the surface, her braid falling across her shoulder.

"Woah." Mila's voice came in an awestruck whisper. "Fuck me."

"You curse an awful lot. Perhaps you should attempt to speak like a lady?" Shion had realised what that 'f' word was. The exhaustion did not last long and Shion could already feel her magical reserves filling up within her body once more. "Was that sufficient?"

"It was wonderful!" Jova tilted up Shion's head, her finger beneath her chin, and kissed Shion on the lips before jerking backward. "Oh! I'm sorry! That was inappropriate. Do you like girls? I'm easy on that score, but, you know, you're so cute and oh, forget it, I'm going to kiss you again anyway."

"Jova! Not the time! And not with an NPC!" Mila scowled at her sister before sitting down to stare at Shion. "Alright. That'll do. Fifty thousand gold to find this sorcerer. Yeah, we can do that. Though I think we should all retire to our group house. You've caught a lot of attention with that display."

Mila pointed behind Shion and Shion could see the face of every adventurer turned her way. The others in the tavern, the normal people, all continued as they had before, as though nothing had happened. Which was a little odd, because she had seen that one, particular serving wench walk past with the exact same drinks upon the tray she held upon the flat of her hand at the shoulder.