user+id#: GreyScale | 862594
name: Arcwen
prompt:
Ebrya, the modest village atop a small mountain. The population only a few hundred but dropping quickly. Winter was harsh and accidents due to icy conditions and sickness were way higher then years in the past. While the young and strong were usually able to tough it out, there were also plenty who were not strong or lucky enough to fight it off. Getting help was also made nearly impossible as the village medic themselves were terribly ill and bedridden.
Olgia, the neighboring village that resides at the bottom of the mountain were having a much easier time. The lower altitude made the weather a bit less chilly and they had been lucky enough to have very few kalons fall ill. The most of their worries were having an avalanche come through but those were not very common and plenty to percussions were already in place.
The villagers of Ebrya were at a loss. The most they could do was try and stay warm and keep their strength up in hopes if they catch the illness they would survive. Those with bad injuries due to falling on ice covered stone from trying to gather food could not seek help and had no choice but hope it wasnt bad or that the injury would not hold bad for to long so that they could go back to collecting firewood and other supplies.
Thats when Arcwen arrived. Out of the sparsely wooded forest and through the snow, like an angel appearing to bring someone back from the brink of death. Arcwen was a medic and was quick to begin helping whoever she could.
The villagers of Ebrya were wary at first due to Arcwen's strange mannerism but after they realized she was there to help the villages showed her to old medics clinic and gave her access to the equipment there. (With the old medics permission of course. They were still to ill to be of any help so if Arcwen was willing to help, the medic was happy to lend their clinic.)
Arcwen was a miracle worker. After visiting her for help, Kalons would seemingly wake up no longer ill, cut and scrapes seemed to be healed instantly. Although no one could deny that Arcwen came across as a bit off-putting, no one had any reason to believe she could be of any harm. After all, she had single handedly saved several Kalons and essentially put the village back on its feet with a few weeks. Since the old medic had sadly passed due to being unable to recover from the illness despite Acrwen's several attempts to help, the village needed a new medic and Arcwen was more than happy to take over in their place and soon became a trusted figure within the village of Ebrya. The villagers were in debt to her and her kindness but anytime someone would ask about payment for her help, she would just smile and claim the treatment had already been paid for.
The two villages communicated through designated messengers in order to keep in touch and share news. Olgia's messengers had arrived in Ebrya that morning and the village leaders gathered in the town center to hear what was to be said and to send news back.
While Ebrya only had good things to report, Olgia had fallen to ruins. Whatever illness that had previously been plaguing Ebrya seems to have taken hold on Olgia and reports of Kalons waking up with cuts or sprains. They claimed to be cursed by a witch.
Thats when one of the Oglian messengers turned pale and his partner nearly screamed in terror. When the three leaders turned to see what startled two so bad the only thing that stood out were a few young kalons happily running and playing with Arcwen, all smiling and laughing. The two Olgian messengers snapped out their initial terror and whispered just loud enough for the leaders to hear while attempting to stay out of Arcwen's line of sight, both clearly in a panic.
"That Kalon is evil. She's the witch. The one who cursed us. You must get rid of her right away, the whole village of Olgia begs you."
Of course the village leaders protested such absurd remarks. Arcwen has done nothing but good for their village since she arrived but the messengers frantically shook their heads in refusal.
"Please. We know the truth. She does not heal others, she just transfers the illness or wound to someone else and the payment she takes in return for her services is dreadful. Once we found out, Olgia shunned her. But now, she has cursed us out of revenge." The messengers now began frantically backing away in the direction of the road that led back to Olgia. Back to a place far away from Arcwen. Just not jar enough.
The leaders of Ebrya were thoroughly confused. These messengers had no way to back up their bold statement other then their genuine terror upon realizing Arcwen was nearby. "We sincerely apologies but we must go. She will kill us. Please do not contact Olgia until she is banished from your village." With that the two Oglians all but ran back to the path that led to the bottom of the mountain.
The Ebryian leaders were left feeling at a loss. What were they to do with such strange information. There was no proof of their claims and Arcwen had been nothing but kind and helpful since the moment she arrived at the village. If their statements were false they would be loosing a valuable member of the village. They had no other medic, especially now one as gifted as her. But if they were true what were they to do? And what is payment they mentioned.
"They told you didn't they?"
The three village leaders nearly jumped out of their skin at the sound of a voice. Arcwen's voice. They hadn't even noticed her approach.
"Told us what?" One of the leaders spoke up, not willing to reveal more information than necessary without knowing the full situation.
"About how ive dedicated hundred of year of my life to helping others. And how although i had helped them and their pitiful village with the knowledge i have spent centuries obtaining, they still choose to throw me out in the cold to die." Arcwen's voice was calm and soothing and she spoke, yet also eerie, like a sirens' gentle call, luring any who who listen to certain death.
"Centuries?" Another of the village leaders spoke up. "I'm afraid i don't follow."
"Why of course. Sickness and injuries aren't the only thing i can transfer and i don't just offer my services for free you know." Arcwen spoke mater of factly. "That just wouldn't be fair."
"You- You transfer years of their life?"
"Not years. Depending on the Kalon, and how long they have to live, i usually only take a few months. That's better then them dying from an illness which essentially robs them of way more than i take, dont you think? Or instead of someone have to spend months recovering a broke leg that might not even heal, i fix it brand new and all i take in return is something they wont even know they are missing."
The three leaders could not believe what they were hearing. She was the cause of Olgia's sudden misfortune after all. Healing someone while hurting others and fueling her own immortality in the process.
If they were to tell her the leave would she find a different village and use Ebrya as a landfill for the wounds and sicknesses she removes from her new victims. Or do they allow her to stay and continue to hurt their neighboring village? Aside from taking part of their lifespan as payment, she was essentially healing the citizens of Ebrya.
"Don't worry, i do not abuse my power. I only take in return for my services. If you tell me to leave. I will. There is always some other place in need of a doctor of my skill level, but, i have grown quite fond of this village for the time being and i would advise against sending me away. Now, you may all get back to your little conversation. The children have been waiting for me to rejoin their game of tag since i came over to have this conversation and to make them wait any longer would be just cruel of me. Have a nice day."
And with that Arcwen ran off to chase the young kalons who laughed in delight at the game, leaving the village leaders to make what will be a devastating decision no matter what they choose.
