[ ] = Doruuk's Thoughts
< > = Nymeria Thoughts
I sat down facing Nymeria, observing her carefully. Her evasive gaze irritated me more than I wanted to admit. I didn't have time for games.
"Sit down and tell me something," I ordered with a firm voice.
Her eyes barely lifted. "What?"
"Do you know how to use healing?"
I saw her stiffen instantly. Her eyes began to wander around the room, deliberately avoiding mine. Every second of silence fueled my impatience.
"Nymeria, I asked you a question. Do you know how to use healing?"
The silence stretched like a sharp blade. She continued to stare at the floor, her hands trembling slightly. My patience was reaching its limit.
"Answer me! Do you know how to use healing? Yes or no?"
[What is wrong with her? I didn't buy a mute statue!]
She remained motionless for long moments, and I could almost hear her thoughts churning behind those downcast eyes.
< But can I trust this person? I don't know, but I have no other choice. To survive I must do everything. >
Finally she looked up, but the distrust was palpable in her voice. "If I say no, what would you do with me?"
Her question hit me like a slap. This is what she thought of me - another cruel master who would discard her at the first sign of uselessness. The thought burned me more than I wanted to admit.
I sighed heavily. "In that case, I'll do nothing but regret it. I spent a lot of money on you, and it would be wasted."
[But it's not just that. There's something different about her.]
I ran a hand through my hair, searching for the right words. "Listen carefully, Nymeria. I'm not one of those men you must have seen around. I already told you before - if you do what I tell you, I'll treat you like a normal person, without making any difference between you and any other member of the group. Tell me the truth, even if you don't have healing powers. I won't kill you or sell you at the market."
< I'm not one hundred percent convinced, but I can't do anything else. >
The silence dragged on again, heavy as lead. Then, finally, her lips opened.
"I have healing abilities."
An involuntary smile crossed my face.
[Finally! Maybe I didn't waste my money after all.]
But her gaze became even darker. "But... I'm not able to use them properly. Because of trauma, it's as if I've lost them."
[Here's the problem. Nothing is ever simple in this life.]
"Now we're starting to talk," I said, feeling a strange determination growing inside me. "Don't worry about this. This matter will surely have a solution, and I'll find it."
< I don't know how much I can trust this man. I told him the truth - my powers are practically lost. But he seems to have the will to solve this problem. Why such determination? What does he want to do? >
I stood up abruptly, adrenaline beginning to flow through my veins. "Get ready. We have to go to the base."
"All right, master."
"Don't call me master," I corrected her curtly. "Call me what everyone calls me: Doruuk Velor."
"For me 'master' will be easier."
[If she wants to complicate her life, go ahead.]
"Then do as you wish."
The journey to the base was tense, my thoughts racing faster than our steps.
[Now we can finally do the heist! My choice proved to be right.]
But worry gnawed at me inside.
[But it's not all resolved yet. We need to find a solution for Nymeria's abilities.]
As soon as I entered the base, I saw Kael sitting on a chair, busy fixing his bow string. The sight filled me with frantic energy. I ran toward him, grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes with a smile that I knew gave people chills.
"Call everyone here. Now. Fast!"
Kael began to stammer, his eyes wide with terror. "O-ok, stay calm... I-I'm coming right away..."
[Hahaha, his face! But we don't have time for formalities.]
We didn't have to wait long. Kael returned dragging the others behind him, all with expressions ranging from curiosity to irritation.
Zaira was the first to speak, arms crossed and accusatory gaze. "Doruuk, what's wrong with you? Why did you call us so hastily?"
"First of all, tell me where you went leaving me alone," I shot back, but immediately shook my head. "No, forget it. Look who I brought."
Everyone turned toward Nymeria, who had remained standing near the entrance, head bowed and shoulders tense.
Eldon was the first to react, and naturally in the most irritating way possible. "Doruuk, we asked you to bring a healer and you brought a girl to fulfill your... desires."
"Yes, Eldon is right," added Kael, nodding vigorously.
Otis shook his head with disapproval. "I didn't expect this from you, Doruuk."
"You disappointed us..." murmured Zaira, her tone cold as ice.
[What ...!]
"What the hell are you talking about?!" my voice exploded in the room. "She IS a healer!"
Zaira: -_-
Otis: -_-
Kael: -_-
Eldon: -_-
Four pairs of eyes stared at me with identical expressions of skepticism.
"What are you looking at me for? I'm telling the truth!"
Eldon crossed his arms. "Are you sure? Couldn't you get someone else?"
"She was the only one available," I replied curtly.
"But does she really have the healing ability?" asked Otis, his tone still doubtful.
"She told me yes."
Zaira: -_-
Otis: -_-
Kael: -_-
Eldon: -_-
Another silence loaded with skepticism. Their faces spoke clearly.
Kael cleared his throat. "But she could also be lying. How can you be sure?"
[Here's the weak point of my reasoning.]
"I don't know for certain, but I have a feeling. And the merchant had told me he had seen an injured lizard next to her, and the next day it was healed."
Zaira raised an eyebrow. "So you have no concrete proof."
"Not at the moment."
Eldon smiled bitterly. "Then we can say you threw the money down the toilet."
Blood rushed to my head. "No, because she has a problem with her ability."
"What kind of problem?" asked Zaira, suddenly interested.
I turned toward Nymeria, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange. "Now she'll explain to us. Nymeria, explain the problem with your ability to us."
Nymeria looked up, and for the first time I saw a spark of wounded pride in her eyes.
"Master, we elves are skilled in the use of the bow and in making contracts with spirits and nature. This is the norm, and our entire race seeks to excel in these arts. But there are rare cases where an elf doesn't receive any of these common abilities, but something else..."
Her voice became lower, heavy with pain. "This is seen as low level from the elves' point of view. They believe we are not as capable and skilled as them. For this reason, many like me stop exercising or practicing their own abilities, to the point of forgetting them completely."
The silence that followed was heavy as lead. I could feel the weight of her words, the shame and isolation she had to endure.
"But there must be some remedy?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
She shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, master. I don't know anything."
"What do we do now?" asked Zaira, her tone having lost every trace of sarcasm.
I immersed myself in my thoughts, my brain working at full speed.
[What do I do? There's not much time. Come on, quick, find a solution!]
Then, like lightning, the idea hit me. [Wait! Maybe I know what to do.]
"You wait here. I'm going to the library to find the answer."
Eldon looked at me confused. "And Nymeria?"
[man! I hadn't thought of that.]
"Uhm... I'll leave her here."
"Master," Nymeria intervened, "I can't leave you alone. I'm your slave."
[What a complicated situation!]
"All right, come with me. And you," I added, addressing the others, "wait here. Don't go anywhere until I return."
We left the base running. The city flashed around us while our steps echoed on the cobblestones.
"Master, you're too fast! I can't catch up with you!" Nymeria shouted behind me.
"I told you to stay there but you didn't listen to me," I replied without slowing down. "Now come on, quick!"
[Time is running out. We need to find that information before it's too late.]
We finally reached the library.
The imposing building rose before us, its marble columns promising ancient knowledge.
I headed straight toward the librarian.
"Good morning. I want the books dedicated to elves and their powers."
She studied me with curiosity. "Why do you want them?"
"Personal reasons. Nothing important. So can you give them to me?"
Her gaze shifted behind me, where Nymeria had remained standing, still panting from the run.
"Is it for that girl you have behind you?"
"Yes."
"What do you want to know that seems so urgent?"
[ :) Calm down, Doruuk. Stay calm. You can't arouse suspicion.]
"It's nothing important. I just need to check something about elves and their... hobbies."
The woman didn't seem convinced, but finally handed me the book I was looking for.
[I couldn't say everything. You never know what people's intentions are.]
Nymeria and I sat in a secluded corner of the library. The book I had in my hands was titled "ELVES: THE RACE OF NATURE."
I began to read avidly, absorbing every piece of information. I discovered that elves didn't live in our region, but in the north, in a land called Ylinareth, together with many other races.
Even elves were divided into different ethnicities: the most common were normal elves and dark elves.
But what struck me most was a particular section: elves were distrustful toward humans, considering them chaotic, impatient and cruel.
[That's why I had to work so hard to gain Nymeria's trust.]
Continuing to read, I found information that gave me chills of excitement:
Acute vision: capable of seeing even at great distances or in the dark.
Long life: which makes them wiser and more resistant.
Natural stealth: capable of moving without making noise.
Magic resistance: less influenced by spells compared to humans.
[This is serious stuff! Especially the magic resistance and natural stealth.]
My brain began to work frantically. [Natural stealth could combine perfectly with my "Escape" ability in case of emergency. And if we add Zaira, who being a Catwoman has acute senses, plus her Luminous ability... we could create a devastating synergy!]
An involuntary smile crossed my face. [I never imagined that with a slave I would get so many advantages.]
[And magic resistance is an incredible bonus. It won't protect you from everything, but it will save you in many critical situations.]
I looked at Nymeria, who had remained sitting next to me in silence, staring at me with curious eyes.
"Nymeria," I said, pulling out some coins for her, "take this money and go eat something. You must be hungry, since you haven't eaten anything this morning."
"No, master, I'm fine."
"I told you to go eat," I insisted with a firm tone.
"All right... thank you."
So she left, leaving me alone with the book.
[Now I can concentrate on what I came here for.]
I continued reading for what seemed like an eternity. Page after page of information that didn't help me, details about elven traditions, ancient history, marriage customs...
Frustration was growing.
[Where the hell is the information about healing powers?]
But then, just when I was about to lose hope, I turned the next page.
[I found it!]
My heart began to beat faster as my eyes devoured the words on the page. Finally, the answers I was looking for were right in front of me.
Chapter-End.