The Healer

Single chapter

 The Archmaster Morggen was dragging Jean by the wrist through a very well lit corridor with white crystals shining all around it. If the grey walls of the Warlock's Headquarters had any ornaments, though, the boy never noticed them, for the old man was in such haste.

"You will serve under Captain Jess" he was saying "she is in dire need of a new member and you are my best student, I'd wager you are ready for the field."

"The field?" Jean was taken aback. "But-"

"Yes, the field. What else would it be? Did you imagine you were studying magic to pour wine or scrub floors?" Morggen scolded. The Archmaster was a stern man of fifty, clean shaven, with long silver hair braided to the small of his back. He wore elegant robes of white silk, with his collar, hem and sleeves embroidered with silver and pink scrollwork. At the waist he had a sash of cloth-of-silver fastening his garb, as befit his rank. "Serve well and you may soon win the gold you require to finish your research" the old man added, stopping in front of a dark wooden double-door. Jean stared at his master in want of word. Morggen opened the doors, looking down on him with his unsettling blue eyes. That did not help, and when Jean couldn't speak, the man said "Good luck", and shoved him through the threshold.

Inside, Jean faced a dark common room, with stuffed chairs and benches by the hearth. Right in front of him, there was a closed door, twin to the one he just saw, and, to his left, a spiral staircase to the tower's upper floors. He could see light coming from the room above, and hear voices. One of them most of all:

"Who did this? Dan, you will have to play the part today, we have no time to wait" He waged it was a woman's voice despite the grave and austere tone to it. "What? But I just finished my research, I need to use it. Otherwise there is no point in it." A younger, masculine voice replied. Jean took that for Dan. "Yes, I know, but you are the newest member and we need someone for that role. We need to get going" the woman's voice urged. A third voice, much calmer intervened then "Didn't you ask them for a new recruit?". "Yes, but it's been an hour and there's no sign of it. Old Mustache urged us to be off as soon as possible, we have to get going."

Jean heard the sound of descending steps. The conversation did not stop, though:

"Old Mustache Brown or Old Mustache Black?" The second male voice inquired. "What's the difference, Bret? We have to depart now". Bret let out what seemed like a snort and said "I always prefer to serve a man with matching hair and mustache". Jean understood less at every passing moment. "Right? What's the matter with that? White hair and black mustache. How can a man have two different hair colors, I mean, it's weird" a second female voice said. "Ju, you have green and ginger hair" Bret replied. As to that, the one called Ju said "I am no man" which seemed to settle the matter.

"Enough" the owner of the first voice demanded as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Silence fell upon the group but the command did not seem to be the reason, for all the four stared at Jean speechless. "Who are you?" the woman on the first step asked, grinning. She had a stocky figure, strong and resilient by the look of it. She wore a white shirt with puffy sleeves, brown leather breeches and black leather boots with blue fastenings. Her hair was a cascade of blue and green curls, falling to her right and leaving her bald right side showing. There she bore the blue tattoo of a mermaid's outline, marking her as a Master Hydromancer.

"I'm-" his voice faltered. He cleared his throat "I am Jean Whitevein. I was sent here by the White Archmaster's order" he answered, straightening his glasses.

"Then I am your new Captain, Jess Bluevein." Bluevein, he noticed, she is lowborn like me. "I am pleased to meet you, but even more pleased that you came. Quick introductions, then, we have to be off soon" she said, and then walked away from the stairs to make way for her comrades. "This tall drink o'water here is Bret Balrad. Yes, from the Balrad family, very fancy" She added when Jean let his bemusement show on his face. He was a tall, handsome man, with bright purple hair that fell to his chin. He had brown eyes and a natural elegance to his walk that left Jean too much aware of his own awkwardness. Bret wore a black overcoat atop a dark red vest. "Very impressive, I know" the Captain remarked as Bret articulated a very polite welcome with a nod and a smile.