Trash: Chapter 129 Unhidden Talents And Connections (Patreon)

Chapter 129

Unhidden Talents And Connections

“When to believe that the light that I see

Is there to not confine us

That the truth we believe

Will help to assist and guide us.”

The words to the song come to me, and flow through me as if I am a mere conduit for the power at my beck and call. For a moment, I wonder if this is what it truly means to be a bardic class. To have the power raging inside you like a tempest, and only your voice, inflection, and performance are the only way to fully direct each chaotic bolt to its intended target.

These are the types of thoughts that race within my mind, as I try to find familiar rhyming patterns and cadences, realizing that faster beats, and rhyming couplets seem to work better at conveying more impact with less energy wasted.

With each word spoken, I see the way the dormant necrotic spores awaken and merge to the surface, only to be removed with my Trash Skill. Then I heal, causing the spores to further activate, revive, generating miotic division. But there is a catch. Despite how powerful the underlying architecture of this evil might be, even though it is literally meant to take root in healing energies and replicating itself, it is still a slow process. Or at least the process is slower than I am at eradicating these awakened spores.

I also try the process of healing from the top down, forcing the spores to get to the surface of the skin as quickly as possible. Having done this before and knowing the side effects, namely the indentations caused by removing mass without replacing it quickly enough, I try different processes. I use Recuperatio Vitae* to regenerate blood and basic components needed to replenish Luna’s system. But I don’t make the mistake of creating fresh blood at the site of the wound. Instead, I use my right hand and place it around Luna’s back, just behind her heart, I generate the blood there. Right in the heart, where it can be replaced and circulated throughout her body quickly. The process is quick, and surprisingly effective, for now when I use Streamline Healing* the body doesn’t starve itself to replenish the nutrients that I am requesting to be made. At least, that is what I think is happening, as this time the process is easier.

Now when I heal, Streamline Healing* seems to also be boosted, due to having the nutrient rich blood to act as an initial catalyst for healing. With this new process, I can see the muscles and eroded bone fragments reshape and fill any cavities or open pockets that were created from the extraction of this invasive mass.

The result is that her beautifully symmetric face is intact once complete. I look at her once I am done, admiring my work, and realize that she now has a healthy sheen. Well, a healthier sheen as she had always looked well maintained, but now she was on a different level.

Deep breathing. Only after a moment of my intense staring at her face do I realize that she is breathing deeply. Only now do I realize that I am still pumping more blood directly into her body, that is being pushed out immediately through her heart. For a moment, I want to stop, only to realize that her right hand still needs to be checked and healed.

That’s when the next part of the song flows through me, causing any lingering spores that might be active in her body to culminate in one area, so I can continue to eradicate any lingering spores within her.

“Cut through the night with a ribbon of light

Through what attempts to deceive and blind us.”

After the first bar, I feel that the last traces of spores within her hand, or other parts of her body are gone. That this is nothing left of the foreign entity in her body, but I continue to sing. If for no other reason than the words to the song continue to come to my mind and meld perfectly to the overall magical effect that I am trying to invoke.

“Knowing what we really need is a chance to fight

Shine on the road, the sea, through the sky

Give us something to rely on

I’m gonna shine it on,

I’m gonna take it on myself this time

Taking on this sacrifice”

Each word, each precise note is a cascading echo of force and energy that coats Luna, and actively heals her from the outside, while her body continues to respond to my two different healing Skills that are being used in unison on her.

I am nearly bursting as I want to sing, but I know it is wasteful. Almost as if, my body is aware that I have gotten to this point, this culmination of energy, and I am now just wasting any the potential of this song, as it provides nothing extra now.

I’m panting, my body taking deep rhythmic breaths. Only after a second do I realize I am not alone, as Luna is also taking similar and seemingly symmetrical breaths of her own. Her body that had been battling a foreign substance for so long, now looked healthy. Any divots or erosions in her bones from where the foreign spores ate away at her are gone. While I have no doubt that the newly replaced bone is more tender and likely more vulnerable than her old bones and muscles, I can tell she will heal naturally. If she maintains herself and eats healthily, she should be fine. In fact, I’d almost say that in time, these parts might be better, but it will still take time for her body to adjust to the changes.

We are like that, our bodies breathing heavily together. Me because I channeled four different Skills all at once, many of them naturally occurring, like my Golden Life Ratio Mana Regeneration*, a Skill that my body just automatically begins to use when needed. Still, this is taxing for me, as I can tell that I am hungry, or at least going to be hungry here shortly. A possible side effect that I might have is to be weary of going forward, more mana usage means more meals to eat.

“You okay?” I finally ask, locking gazes with a still heavily breathing Luna. She nods her head yes almost on reflex but then seems to snap out of her dazed state and shakes her head. Seeing her reaction, and sudden switch away from being fine to suddenly declaring that she is not okay, I pause wondering if I had done something wrong. If I had somehow missed something.

“What? What’s wrong?” I ask, watching her as she seems to half stumble, half dive at me. Realizing that she might be suffering from having so much happen to her in such a short period of time, I lunge forward, grabbing her, and propping her up with my arms. Then with our faces nearly touching, I ask the only question that comes to mind. “You okay?”

 “You fool,” Luna’s two word reply that causes me to stand still in shock, as she jumps forward, slamming her face almost violently into my own.

That’s when I feel a surge of energy course back through me. Residual holy energy laced with healing energy being shared back with me, but it has now been changed, altered to seemingly cause a reaction in my brain, as my mind erupts with a surge of hormones and energy bursts that light my mind with fire.

Only after what feels like an eternity of bliss and fire erupting on my lips do I realize the truth of the situation. She’s kissing me, and I like it.

We hold that moment, then break off, each of us panting once again, but this time it is due to our bodies trying to adjust to what we are feeling. What we just experienced. We lock eyes, both of us wondering if that was okay, if the other felt it too, that connection. All it took was one look, and a subtle nod from both of us to realize that we both felt it, and we were about to go in for a second round. That’s when we heard it.

“Ah-ha-hem,” the deep forced cough sound that one would make to draw people’s attention. Hearing the sound, I felt a spike of fear rise within me, as I turned towards the sound. A sound that I was almost certain that I knew, a sound that almost had to belong to Madame Bloom.

I was right, but sadly, Madame Bloom was not alone, for next to her and behind her were healers wearing typical dark robes, similar to the ones I wore at the arena, but these didn’t have the face masks up. Though it was clear from the design that there was an attachment for face masks to be moved into place along with the hoods.

Seeing the oddly regal posture that Madame Bloom was forcing upon herself, and the quality of clothing being worn by the people next to her. I realized that these people in their dark robes were both important, and that they had apparently been watching us for a while.

“Apprentice, this is Matriarch Florence Livanathan, of Unity University. She is here to evaluate Lucia and Luna’s candidacy for Unity University—” Madame Bloom began. Heairng her speak; I could feel an icy tendril of dread rising inside of me as I realized that I might have just ruined this opportunity for Lucia and Luna. At least that is the impression that I get from seeing Madame Bloom’s current demeanor.

“Yes, while their contracts are a foregone conclusion, we were brought here to see if there was a Healer candidate worthy of joining them at Unity University,” the woman in dark healer clothing began. Stepping forward in a regal way that caused her to seem to float forward, rather than walking in any discernable cadence. As she stepped forward, I could feel her piercing blue eyes scan me with an intensity that my mind and body instantly took as having an Analyzing Skill being used against me. While I was not certain what to expect from her gaze, it was clear from the way she abruptly came to a halt as she read my information that she wasn’t prepared for what she would see either.

“It seems that the rumors were true, you already have a Healing Class. Not just any Class either, but a unique one,” the healer, Matriarch Livanathan, stated as she once again continued striding forward towards me. Her eyes never leaving me, as she felt like a predator who found their prey and would not be denied their hunt and meal.

“I have, Matriarch Florence Livanathan,” I reply giving a bow as I try to treat this newcomer with due reverence. Partly because they are guests to Bloom manor, but mostly due to the level of respect that my Master, Madame Bloom, has for her and her entourage. Also, I get the feeling that they are all powerful and used to wielding clout in this world. The type of power that comes second nature to those born into the position.

“None of that now,” the Matriarch began as she strode ever closer to me. She moved until she was within my own personal sphere of comfort, almost as close as I was to Luna a moment ago. But this felt more intimidating, despite the Matriarch being only an inch or two taller than me, she seemed to wield that natural advantage with a power and weight that is hard to describe.

“I was originally sent here to evaluate you, as a possible substitute for your mentor Madame Bloom,” the Matriarch continued speaking, as if it was a given that she would only provide valuable information, which seemed to be the case. “But after seeing you just now, I have changed my mind.”

“Changed your mind?” I ask suddenly feeling very confused. Maybe she didn’t like PDA?

“Yes—”