LOREN
It seemed the squashes had thinned out—or at least thought better of continuing to attack a beast such as the hydra—as the nine heads slowed, then still completely. Loren’s summon swung around a few times, seeking out any stragglers, before stilling. Glancing around to confirm the immediate danger had passed, the Launceleyn was pleased to see the area was clear. He cut off the flow of magic to the beast, and it disappeared without a sound. Making his way over to the wall that Abasi had first come over, the summoner leaned against it, grateful for the support. It had been a long time since he’d used his magic so openly and for such a prolonged period; his reserves might be as strong as ever, but his tolerance for it was not. Loren knew instinctively that he’d have to rest for at least a bit before attempting any more spells. When the other man repeated the summoner’s statement, he simply nodded. “It’s said they are less likely to answer our prayers.” At least they never seemed to answer Loren’s, though he didn’t know if that was true for others like him.
The other man didn’t take the Launceleyn’s proffered hand, so he retracted it, letting it fall to his side. If Abasi was new here, it was likely his home had very different customs, so the summoner tried not to read too much into the admission. “It’s nice to meet you, Abasi. Welcome to Caido, for what it’s worth.” Probably very little: Loren could still remember the bewilderment and confusion when he first arrived. Probably because he’d barely done anything since then, despite nominally being here for a year. However, while his body had been present, his mind had been elsewhere.
At the mention of a healer who could not help, Loren frowned. It sounded very similar to an experience he’d had recently, although in his case it was more would not than could not. “Was this healer a tall blonde woman by any chance?” The question was asked in a mostly idle tone; Loren was too busy evaluating how he felt to pay full attention to what he was saying. Then, he focused back on Abasi. “Did she say why she couldn’t help you?” Pausing for just a moment, the Launceleyn ran a hand through his hair. “I have some healing magic, so I might be able to do something where she couldn’t. However, I’ll need some time to recover before I’ll be up for more magic. Still, the more information I have, the better.” At the very least, if it the illness was something serious it might be best for Loren not to meddle with it.
A beggar's book
outworths
a noble's blood
