Ch 69

  Matt felt the tension mounting between him and Mando, until, as if he had resigned himself to something, the frustration faded from Mando’s eyes. He let out a weary sigh and spoke.

  "Why on earth are you the only one with an actual healing skill?" Mando muttered incredulously. "It's just not right that none of those who have chosen the path of healing have acquired a skill that can truly heal people with magic. The best we've encountered is one that prevents infection and another that can identify healing properties in plants and animals. Yet, from what Zhihao has told us, you can do anything short of regrowing a limb."

  "My ability isn't healing in the strictest sense," Matt replied thoughtfully. "If my team hadn't been severely injured when it was offered, I likely wouldn't have even taken it, as all I do is transfer the wound to myself and let my body regenerate. Really, my path seems to involve transferring wounds between myself and others."

  "What are you, a masochist?" commented a woman from Mando's group, her voice laced with skepticism.

  "Let's keep anyone's proclivities out of this," groaned Paul, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "Mando, are you willing to accept the deal that Matt has offered?"

  "No, but I don't think he will offer anything better," Mando replied, his voice tinged with resignation.

  "Matt, is there any better deal that you will agree to?" Paul asked, seeking a resolution.

  "Sure, they can join us at the fort and live by our rules, but I believe that is only a better option from my point of view and not theirs," Matt conceded with a shrug.

  Mando looked as though he was ready to punch Matt as he completed his response to Paul’s question, but instead, he just shook his head in frustration before responding.

  "Final offer: you heal all our members who can’t move when your group declares the area clear. Then you heal everyone who gathers at your fort, and after that, you leave and never return. Do this, and we will agree that no groups are to be forced into ours or eliminated, and we will leave the group at the fort alone if they leave us alone."

  Matt paused, considering the deal Mando was proposing. He knew he would eventually leave and never return, which would make it impossible to verify if the agreement was being honored. After careful thought, he shook his head and countered Mando's proposal.

  "I'll agree, provided I am allowed to remain in the area for up to two months after I finish healing everyone, just to ensure the deal is being maintained. To clarify, entering the fort or any of your group's camps would be prohibited, but others can come to me to update me on the situation. My only purpose for returning to the area would be to confirm that both sides are upholding their end of the bargain."

  Mando nodded, understanding the terms. "That means no healing allowed," he stated firmly. "I don't want those in the fort seeking you out for healing when we can't."

  Matt sighed, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "I won't heal those not traveling with me during the time I'm verifying the agreement, if being so petty as to demand the suffering of others due to your own lack is that important to you. Remember, you refused my offer to allow everyone to come to the fort for healing."

  "Balance is essential," Mando replied. "Otherwise, unrest is inevitable."

  Matt raised an eyebrow. "So, are you going to have some of your members move to the fort and join the group that will remain there after I leave?"

  "Those are apples and pears," Mando said dismissively. "Just let the group that remains after you leave make their own decisions."

  "Do you think they will choose to join your group?" Matt inquired.

  "Not unless they see a reason to," Mando admitted.

  "With me gone, you see it as a race for the first healer again," Matt observed.

  "That, or they might choose to follow you wherever you go, allowing my group to simply take over the fort," Mando replied with a sly smile.

  Matt stifled a chuckle as he contemplated the mischievous idea of letting them keep the fort, only to revert the rule so that only those who cleared the dungeon could come and go freely. Such dark and petty musings were amusing in theory but ultimately beneath him and not worth serious consideration. In truth, he was far more inclined to leave with everyone and relocate the fort on their behalf rather than engage in such a pointless act. In fact, that could easily be the explanation he gave them about his intentions when he departed, without making any promises. Regardless, Matt was finished with the debate with Mando as he replied, his voice steady and decisive.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "Alright, I’ll agree to your terms. Once you return with Paul and confirm that you have informed all members of your group about the agreement and are ready for me to heal your wounded—with him posing the question—I’ll begin the work."

  "Who will inform your side about the agreement?" Mando inquired, his tone curious yet cautious.

  "Hmm, you can send Zhihao back with those who escorted her to you, as they recognize her and will trust her report. Then, once I arrive there to heal all those in need one final time, she can leave to confirm the successful completion of our deal."

  "Very well," Mando agreed, careful not to reveal Zhihao's intention to leave their group before Paul could inadvertently disclose it. "We should be prepared within the next 24 hours, but you should expect those maintaining the injured to remain until the very end."

  Matt remained quiet as the others departed. Zhihao caught up with him, her brow drawn and anger clear on her face. She spoke the moment they started to head towards where the others should be waiting for them.

  “How could you make such a foolish deal?” she spat, voice tight with anger. “All they have to do is hold fire on the walls and leave anyone outside alone. What’s to stop them from surrounding the fort and forcing our people out of the region entirely?”

  Matt offered a calm smile as he kept a steady pace and even tone. “Because they’ll soon face the challenge of keeping together a bunch of people who’ve been lied to—and then healed—by an ostensible enemy. Tell me: if one faction had a healer and the other didn’t, then your leaders drove him off after he offered to mend every wound in your camp, what would you do?”

  Zhihao’s fists clenched at her sides. “I’d scream in frustration. But with you gone—”

  “In two months,” Matt interrupted softly. “They have two months to force your leaders to change their stance or even switch sides, which would render your objections meaningless. If only eighty members decide to stay at the fort permanently, while no one new joins your group, all your recent gains vanish. Remember, the deal was between me and your group, not between your group and those inside the fort. As long as they don’t attack or expose themselves too much in my absence, I’m confident the fort’s people will manage.”

  She studied his face. “Who’s going with you when you leave?”

  “I don’t know. Perhaps no one.”

  Zhihao squared her shoulders. “Then take my bow. If you accept it, it’s yours.”

  Matt chuckled, eyes drifting toward the wind-worn ramparts. “I’m not sure why I’d need a bow—though I suppose hunting wouldn’t hurt.”

  “You’re hopeless.”

  “Zhihao,” he lowered his voice, “I won’t bring you. I won’t stop you from staying at the fort, but I’d rather you return to your people and spin a tale: say the only reason you considered joining us was my healing touch. Be vocal about it—every time someone bleeds, curse the fact I’m not here.”

  She blinked. “You want me to sow discord that could ruin my group?”

  “Exactly that. Even if all you manage is a reluctance to engage in a major battle, it’ll save those inside.”

  “What if another healer appears?”

  “Then I won’t be needed, and so be it. But I still don’t see a siege happening—after all, they must stay alive if they want to be healed.”

  Zhihao shifted uncomfortably, her voice quieter. “You don’t understand what happens in the fervor of the crowd. Few of us had believed certain things possible until we were here. I’ve done things I never thought I’d do.”

  Matt grinned, raising an eyebrow. “The first time anyone squats behind a tree can be eye-opening. I suppose that’s why your group splits into small groups—makes the chaos easier to handle.”

  She pressed her lips together but didn’t argue. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

  "Yes, but tell me if it isn’t an apt comparison," retorted Matt. "By the time those of us who survive return to Earth, we will have all done things we never thought we were capable of. Even this conversation could be considered one of those things for several reasons. I doubt that we even spoke the same language back on Earth, yet now I hear your words in my language, and you hear mine in yours."

  "It goes beyond that in every way I can think of," stated Zhihao, frowning thoughtfully. "Even the language we hear is translated into our exact dialect for the most part. However, it seems euphemisms and idioms can still be lost in translation at times."

  "Is that why Mando said 'apples and pears' instead of 'apples and oranges' earlier?"

  "Exactly,” agreed Zhihao. “You understood what he meant, but the words were translated literally and only adjusted to how you would expect them to be pronounced and ordered. Wait, how did you get me distracted with such a mundane issue?"

  "Don’t worry about it,” chuckled Matt. “In the end, it isn’t your responsibility to solve the issues that arise from my actions. Just live your life, focus on what you want, and what you’re going to do. Let things fall where they may."

  "And what issue has your action caused this time?" came Eleanor's voice as she appeared, wearing a frown. "Don’t tell me you made things worse back there."

  "No, at least not immediately, but after spending a few days healing people, I plan to leave the fort and just keep an eye on things from a distance."

  "He has to leave the area completely in two months," interjected Zhihao with a concerned tone. "After that, I dare say he has doomed all those who stay at the fort!"

  When no one reacted to her outburst, Zhihao looked bewildered as Greg responded calmly.

  “Don’t get too worked up about it. We all knew that Matt plans to move on once he felt that those at the fort were self-sufficient. I believe they can reach that point in a month. So, two months is double the time needed, and he likely has added an extra week due to the healing work he will be doing, as it takes him some time to complete it.”

  “With each level, it takes less time,” Matt interjected. “Speaking of which, we should expect the others to return to the meeting spot by tomorrow…”

  Matt went on to provide everyone with the precise details of the agreement, holding the fact that he couldn’t heal anyone except those traveling with him until the very end. It was at this point that he finally faced some resistance when Jaelyn spoke up.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me! You can’t even heal people once you leave. How can you expect anyone at the fort to be okay with that?”

  “It will be fine," Matt reassured her. "Besides, I bet if you actually use that ability of yours correctly, you could help someone awaken magical healing sooner than seems possible right now.”