Chapter 10: In The Bag
Consciousness returned in stages – first the phantom throbbing in his shoulder, then the realization that the sunlight hitting the far wall came from directly overhead. Shit, was it afternoon?
Head was clearer than it had any right to be, though, given the doses of strange medicine the healers had given him. There was none of that post-morphine dissociative haze, no residual narcotic fog. Instead, Cole simply felt well-rested, with full awareness. Now, this part of Celdornian medicine he could get behind – none of that horror show that came with watching flesh knit itself back together.
He rubbed his eyes.
The first face he registered was a pretty one – though he still wasn’t used to how elves made ‘pretty’ look almost alien. Nice way to wake up though, even if it was well past morning. There was something familiar about her though… right, Dr. Gracer from their arrival, Elina. Must’ve taken over from Halloway after last night.
She was bent over his arm, hands aglow with soft white light. “Ah, Lieutenant Mercer, you’re awake! How do you fare?”
Cole tested his shoulder. It had a surprising range of motion. Still hurt a bit, but it was definitely more manageable compared to last night; maybe like the difference between a fresh injury and a week of proper rehab, somehow compressed into a few hours. “Like a demon tried to tear off my arm. Better than it should be, though.”
Elina smiled. “Well, most who endure the misfortune of a demon’s assault fare worse still. And though you’re hardly in a position to attempt it at present, I must insist you refrain from any strenuous magic for the next several hours. You’ve just recovered your mana; it wouldn’t do to once more succumb to exhaustion.”
“Definitely ain’t planning on it, Doc.” Cole shifted. He was gonna ask something since he was here… What was it? He’d been meaning to since they first dropped off Mack – ah! “Say, uh… any sicknesses I should watch out for? Y’know, being from somewhere completely different and all.”
Elina tilted her head. “Ah! You speak of foreign maladies. I assure you, there’s no cause for concern. I’ve not heard a story of any summoned hero suffering ill effects. Though, should you request it, I can continue to monitor you.”