Year 163 – Fall – Quintus Mensis – 32nd days

  Avem, town of House Kalator, land of the Vale

  Vatra – “Am I getting infected?”

  Nelis – “No, don’t worry. It’s mostly surface infection. It won’t take long for me to clean the rest.”

  Vatra – “Good.”

  Nelis took another piece of clothing and passed it to Vatra.

  Nelis – “Bite on this. It’s going to hurt.”

  He grabbed a sharpened thin blade and cut the infected flesh out of Vatra’s wound. She was panting heavily as she bit into the cloth.

  Nelis – “This one seems to be stuck deeper, so breathe in, and when I tell you, blow your breath away.”

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  Vatra nodded her head and breathed in while looking at Nelis with a worried sigh.

  Nelis – “Now!”

  Screaming painfully as she blew her breath away, Vatra’s left eyelid was shaking. Her breath was heavier and faster. She was having a cold sweat due to the pain.

  Nelis – “It’s done! Now I just have to seal the wound again.”

  Once he had cauterized the wound with salt, he used both a needle and a thread to seal the skin back. As he sealed it, Vatra’s breath was sporadic.

  Nelis – “And . . . it’s done!”

  Vatra spit the cloth and looked at him with angry eyes.

  Vatra – “Wouldn’t it be way faster to just burn the wound?”

  Nelis – “It would, but it would take years for your muscle to get strong again. With my method, in a few months, you’ll be ready to fight!”

  Vatra – “I’d better be.”

  Nelis – “In two days, you’ll come with me to the town hall.”

  Vatra – “Why?”

  Nelis – “If you keep sleeping, your muscles will atrophy. Besides, the more people who see you in our company, the lesser the chance of them finding out you were a Valmai soldier.”

  Vatra – “Fine, I’ll do it then.”

  Nelis – “I’ll come back later today with some meat, so your wound can heal faster.”

  Vatra – “Ehh . . . Thank you. I should have said so a few times already, but . . .”

  Nelis – “Don’t bother. I can only imagine how your situation must feel.”

  Vatra – “No, the man who raised me had probably lived the same thing I’m living right now . . . So, if he did it, then I’ve got no excuse.”

  Nelis – “I’m glad to hear it!”